GOOD AFTERNOON. I CALL TO ORDER TODAY'S MEETING OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. YOU CAN WATCH THE COUNCIL MEETING LIVE ON YOUTUBE AT BOSTON'S DOT GOV. FORD'S CITY COUNCIL DASH TV. AT THIS TIME I ASK MY COLLEAGUES AND THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE SILENCE THEIR CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES. ALSO PURSUANT TO RULE 42 I REMIND ALL IN THIS CHAMBER THAT NO DEMONSTRATION OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL BE PERMITTED. THANK YOU. MR. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL TO ASCERTAIN THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM? COUNCILOR BREADON COUNCIL TEQUILA ZAPATA. COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE HERE. COUNCIL ME HERE. COUNCILOR MURPHY. YEAH. COUNCIL COUNCILOR SANTANA. YEAH. COUNCILOR WEBER AND COUNCILOR WE'RE ALL HERE. A QUORUM IS BROKEN. THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT. NOW IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THIS WEEK'S CLERGY REVEREND ART GORDON WHO WILL BE PROVIDING OUR INVOCATION. AND AFTER THE INVOCATION WE WILL BE RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. REVEREND RJ GORDON IS A FOURTH GENERATION PASTOR AND FAITH LEADER BORN AND RAISED IN GEORGIA. HE GRADUATED FROM SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY BEFORE MOVING TO BOSTON TO PURSUE HIS MASTER OF DIVINITY AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY WHERE HE DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF AS A RECIPIENT OF THE DONALD A WELLS PRIZE FOR PREACHING IN 2017 HE BECAME THE YOUNGEST ELECTED PASTOR IN THE HISTORY OF SAINT JOHN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN ROXBURY WHERE HE LAUNCHED A COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND GUIDED THE CONGREGATION THROUGH ITS ROLE AS A COVID TESTING AND VACCINATION SITE. A COMMITTED VOICE AT THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND PUBLIC LIFE. REVEREND GORDON HAS SERVED AS SENIOR ADVISOR TO CONGRESSWOMAN AYANNA PRESSLEY AND WORKED AS A DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR MAURA HEALEY. HIS CIVIC AND PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE EARNED RECOGNITION INCLUDING THE GREATER BOSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE'S TOP TEN OUTSTANDING YOUNG LEADERS AWARD AND NEW LEADERS COUNCIL FELLOW AND SEMINARIAN FELLOW WITH THE FELLOWSHIP AT OUTREACH FOR THE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS. HE IS NOW A DOCTOR OF MINISTRY CANDIDATE AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY FOCUSING ON TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP ALSO WHERE MLK GOT HIS MASTER'S IN DIVINITY AND HIS AND HIS DOCTORATE. REVEREND GORDON BRINGS UP PEOPLES BAPTIST CHURCH A DEEP BELIEF IN THE POWER OF FAITH, COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TO DRIVE MEANINGFUL SYSTEMIC CHANGE. I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING PRESENT FOR HIS INSTALLATION AT PEOPLE'S CHURCH IN ROXBURY ALONG WITH EVERYBODY WHO WAS THERE. IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD THE PLEASURE OF HEARING FROM REVEREND GORDON, I. I CHALLENGE YOU TO HEAR HIM ONE OF HIS SERMONS HE BRINGS HIS FULL SELF TO THE WORK. HE IS ALSO INCREDIBLY FUNNY AND SO YOU WOULD BE IN FOR A TREAT WHENEVER YOU GET TO VISIT HIM AT PEOPLE'S BAPTIST IN ROXBURY. BUT WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF HAVING HIM HERE TODAY WITH US. REVEREND GORDON, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. WILL YOU ALL JOIN WITH ME IN A WORD OF PRAYER? OH GOD. WE GIVE THANKS FOR THIS BRAND NEW DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER AS CITIZENS TOGETHER AS RESIDENTS AND TOGETHER AS PEOPLE CONCERNED WITH THE PROGRESS OF OUR CITY, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR WORLD. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT CITY FOUNDED IN 1630. A HOME AND A PLACE OF REVOLUTION OF POSSIBILITIES AND A BRIGHTER FUTURE. AND WE THANK YOU FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET TO DISCUSS THAT WORK GOING FORWARD. WE KNOW THERE ARE MANY CHALLENGES IN OUR WORLD TODAY. MANY CHALLENGES ON EVERY STREET CORNER IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND EVEN IN OUR HOUSES AND HOMES. BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE WITH US. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS FINAL COUNCIL MEETING LED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT BRUCE LOUIJEUNE. WE THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN ALREADY DONE. BUT THE MUCH WORK THAT WE HAVE AHEAD TO MAKE THIS CITY MORE INCLUSIVE, TO MAKE IT SAFER AND MORE EQUITABLE FOR ALL. AND FOR THAT WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD BE WITH US AS WE SEEK THAT AS OUR MISSION IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. WE WILL NOW RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU, REVEREND GORDON, FOR YOUR INVOCATION AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY AND THE COMMONWEALTH. I CAN'T WAIT TO CONTINUE WATCHING YOU LEAD PEOPLE'S BAPTIST CHURCH IN ROXBURY. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO PRESENTATIONS TODAY WE WILL HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS ONE FROM COUNCILOR GABRIELLA COLETTA ZAPATA HONORING AARON SUN AND SOPHIA HENNESSY FROM BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL SCHOOL I'VE HEARD OF AND THE OTHER FOR MYSELF HONORING IMMIGRANT FAMILY SERVICE INSTITUTE CASA CARLA ZAPATA YOU HAVE THE FLOOR RIGHT HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. I AM SO PROUD TO BE JOINED BY TWO OF THE CITY'S BEST AND BRIGHTEST AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN 18 YEARS OLD YET. IS THAT RIGHT? HOLDING GUYS 17, 17 AND 17. OKAY. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HONOR THEIR WORK AS PART OF NEVADA. SO THESE TWO EXCEPTIONAL YES. BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE EXEMPLIFIED LEADERSHIP, VISION AND COMPASSION AND HAVE TRANSFORMED HOW OUR CITY THINKS ABOUT FOOD RECOVERY AND ACCESS. AS YOU ALL KNOW, REDUCING FOOD WASTE AND EXPANDING FOOD ACCESS HAS BEEN A TOP PRIORITY OF MINE AS COUNCILOR. WHEN ARIANNA WAS A WARD FELLOW FOR GOVERNOR HEALEY'S OFFICE I MET WITH THEM AND I TALKED ABOUT OUR WORK WITH THE FOOD RECOVERY ORDINANCE AND HOW TO MITIGATE THE DEVASTATING IMPACTS OF SNAP THE CUTS TO SNAP FROM THIS FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION. TRUE TO HER GO GETTER SPIRIT, ARIANNA IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED UP TO LEARN MORE AND OFFERED TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS. THAT'S WHEN I FIRST LEARNED ABOUT THE REMARKABLE WORK SHE AND SOPHIA HAVE BUILT THROUGH NOVATO WHICH IS WHICH IS A STUDENT LED ORGANIZATION THAT RESCUES SURPLUS FOOD AND REDIRECTS IT DIRECTLY TO COMMUNITIES IN NEED BY PARTNERING WITH LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND COORDINATING VOLUNTEER DELIVERIES TO SHELTERS AND DIRECTLY TO RESIDENTS. THEY HAVE MOBILIZED OVER 300 VOLUNTEER STUDENTS SO JUST IMAGINE EVERY SINGLE DAY AS A STUDENT GOING TO SCHOOL AND THEN DEDICATING ALMOST EVERY SINGLE WEEKDAY AND SOMETIMES WEEKENDS OF PICKING UP FOOD THAT HAS BEEN RESCUED AND DELIVERING IT DIRECTLY TO OUR COMMUNITY BENEFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THEY HAVE PROVIDED I HAVE 8500 MEALS HERE BUT I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT THEY HAVE DELIVERED 15,000 MEALS JUST THEM AND THE 300 VOLUNTEERS THAT THEY OVERSEE. SO AS FOUNDERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION, THESE BRILLIANT YOUNG WOMEN HAVE TAKEN WHAT IT MEANS TO BEGIN AS A SMALL SCHOOL INITIATIVE AND GROW IT INTO A BROADER NETWORK OF STUDENTS COMMITTED TO REDUCING FOOD WASTE AND FINDING HUNGER. THEIR MODEL IS SIMPLE YET POWERFUL TURN EXCESS INTO ACCESS. AND I'M SO PROUD THAT THEY'RE HERE TODAY. I'M GOING TO LET THEM SAY A FEW WORDS AND THEN I'LL PRESENT SOME CITATIONS TO THEM. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ARIANA SON AND I WANT TO THANK CITY COUNCILOR COLETTA ZAPATA FOR THIS RECOGNITION AND HER WORK TOWARDS FOOD ACCESS AND ALSO UPLIFTING YOUTH ADVOCACY. I THINK YOUNG PEOPLE NOTICE SO MUCH WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES WE SEE THE GAPS, THE INEQUITIES AND THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE AROUND US. AND TOO OFTEN WE'RE TOLD THAT WHEN WE SEE A PROBLEM THAT THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. BUT THAT'S EXACTLY THE STEREOTYPE THAT MY ORGANIZATION OF BASTA WORKS TO BREAK. MY GRANDFATHER SURVIVED THE GREAT CHINESE FAMINE AND LOSING ALMOST HALF OF HIS SIBLINGS TO HUNGER. AND SO GROWING UP I WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT TO NEVER WASTE FOOD AND NOVOSTI BEGAN IN A REALLY SIMPLE MOMENT I WAS WALKING HOME AFTER VOLUNTEERING AT A LOCAL FOOD KITCHEN AND ON MY WAY I PASSED RESTAURANTS WHERE BAGS AND BAGS OF PERFECTLY GOOD FOOD WAS BEING THROWN OUT AND ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WERE THE PEOPLE THAT I HAD JUST SERVED THE PEOPLE WHO NEEDED THAT FOOD. NOW WE STARTED OUT AS A REALLY SMALL CLUB AT BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL AND WE USE SOCIAL MEDIA . WE TALKED TO OUR FRIENDS AND PRESENTED ANYWHERE WE COULD AND SUDDENLY STUDENTS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS WERE STARTING CHAPTERS. SLOWLY OVER TIME OUR ORGANIZATION SPREAD ACROSS THE COUNTRY FROM NEW YORK TO MARYLAND TO CALIFORNIA AS THOSE STUDENTS WERE WITNESSING THE SAME PROBLEMS IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. NOW BOSTON HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CITY THAT LEADS A CITY OF INNOVATION AND PROGRESS AND WE BELIEVE THAT FOOD RECOVERY AND YOUTH LEADERSHIP CAN BE THE NEXT CHAPTER IN THAT LEGACY. I HOPE THAT NOVOSTI CAN STAND AS PROOF THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY AWARE OF THE CHALLENGES AROUND US BUT THAT WE ARE FULLY CAPABLE OF CREATING MEANINGFUL AND TANGIBLE CHANGES IN THE COMMUNITIES WE CARE ABOUT. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SOPHIA HENNESSY AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL FOR RECOGNIZING OUR EFFORTS. AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR AS ZAPATA FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR MISSION AND FOR HER DEDICATION TO FURTHERING OUR GOALS. WHEN ARIANA FIRST PUT FORTH THE CONCEPT OF NO BOSTON A FEW YEARS AGO I DID SOME RESEARCH ABOUT THE STATISTICS OF FOOD WASTE AND FOOD INSECURITY WITHIN OUR OWN CITY IN OUR OWN STATE AND I WAS STUNNED TO LEARN THAT ABOUT ONE THIRD OF HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS FACE SOME LEVEL OF FOOD INSECURITY WHILE OUR STATE SIMULTANEOUSLY THROWS AWAY OVER A MILLION TONS OF FOOD EACH YEAR. AS I'VE LIVED IN TWO COUNTRIES OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES, I'VE SEEN THAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF FOOD WASTE AND FOOD INSECURITY ARE PREVALENT IN ALL COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD. THIS IS WHY IT HAS BEEN IMMENSELY INSPIRATIONAL TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ALL ACROSS THE NATION WHO ARE PASSIONATE AND LIKE MINDED IN ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES WHETHER THEY BE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OR ADULTS AT PROFESSIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE LEVELS. THROUGH SERVING COMMUNITIES AROUND BOSTON AND LEARNING ABOUT THE STRUGGLES PEOPLE FACE DUE TO FOOD INSECURITY THROUGH ADVOCATING FOR POLICY CHANGE AND THROUGH ENCOURAGING OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST THESE ISSUES, I HAVE SEEN THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS THE ABILITY TO CREATE A POSITIVE IMPACT. HOWEVER, I'VE ALSO SEEN THAT THERE IS MORE CONTINUOUS WORK TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO HELP OUR CITY GROW. ARIANA AND I AS WELL AS ALL OTHER MEMBERS OF NOVA WORCESTER WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE MORE YOUTH TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS WIDESPREAD CAUSE. WE'RE GRATEFUL TO SEE THAT OUR CITY IS INNOVATING SO MANY AMAZING WAYS TO DECREASE FOOD WASTE AND ALLEVIATE HUNGER. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE PRESENT TODAY. I KNOW ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE BUT IN THESE TIMES IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO FIND HOPE AND IN THIS WORK AND MEETING WITH THEM AND SEEING WHAT THEY'VE DONE MAKES ME HOPEFUL FOR THE FUTURE ESPECIALLY IF THIS WORLD IS IN THE HANDS OF FOLKS LIKE ARIANA AND SOPHIA. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE URGENCY IS HERE AND YOUR WORK HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. SO WITH THAT I WANTED TO PROVIDE A COUPLE OF CITATIONS IF YOU FOLKS WANT TO JOIN ME RIGHT UP HERE. THE FIRST IS TO BOTH ARIANA AND AND ALSO TO SOPHIA TOO IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP IN FOUNDING OF ASDA, A STUDENT LED FOOD RECOVERY INITIATIVE THAT TRANSFORMS ACCESS INTO ACCESS, MOBILIZES YOUTH ACROSS BOSTON AND BEYOND AND HAS DELIVERED THOUSANDS OF MEALS TO RESIDENTS IN NEED. YOUR DEDICATION TO SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNITY CARE AND FOOD JUSTICE EXEMPLIFIES THE VERY BEST OF BOSTON'S YOUNG LEADERS AND INSPIRES OUR CITY TO FILL THE GAPS IN FOOD ACCESS AND TO BUILD A MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE AND BE FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE DULY SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT AND CITY COUNCIL AND ATTESTED TO AND A COPY THEREOF TRANSMITTED BY THE CLERK OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. CONGRATULATIONS BOTH OF YOU HERE. SO MUCH. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME MY COLLEAGUES UP FOR A QUICK PHOTO. THANK YOU VERY, VERY . ALL RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA. THANK YOU TO ARIANA AND TO SOPHIA FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY AND IN STANDING IN THE GAP FOR SO MANY OF US. AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, TODAY IS MY LAST MEETING AS THE PRESIDENT OF BOSTON CITY COUNCIL AND IT'S BEEN A GREAT HONOR TO REPRESENT THIS BODY. AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW SEE ON THE AGENDA I FILED A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE CUTS TO TPS FOR ALMOST 500,000 LEGAL HAITIAN AMERICAN HAITIAN RESIDENTS WHO LIVE HERE WHO HAVE MORTGAGES HERE, WHO ARE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR WORKERS EVERYWHERE. IF YOU HAVE PARENTS WHO ARE AGING AND WHOEVER YOU'VE EVER HAD A HOME HEALTH CARE WORKER AND THEY'VE BEEN A PATIENT, IS THAT VERY LIKELY THAT THEY'VE HAD TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS? AND SO AS I EXIT THIS DIAS, IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO CONTINUE TO UPLIFT THE WORK OF THE IMMIGRANT FAMILY SERVICE INSTITUTE. SO I'D LIKE TO ASK DR. GABO TO COME FORWARD. ON THANKSGIVING DAY I RECEIVED A TEXT FROM A CONSTITUENT WHO ASKED ME WHAT SHE SHOULD DO BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN IN THIS COUNTRY SINCE 2010 AND THAT THIS IS HER HOME. SHE HAS A MORTGAGE. SHE HAS A SON AND SHE HAS NO IDEA WHAT SHE'S GOING TO DO COME FEBRUARY. WHEN TPS IS CUT, THE HARM OF THIS ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES AND IT'S REALLY EASY TO BECOME DESPONDENT AND TO SIT IN DESPAIR. BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE A BRIGHT LIGHT IN THESE DIFFICULT MOMENTS FOR SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS, A NUMBER OF US WERE STOOD TOGETHER WITH A UNION'S 32 J LAST WEEK IN THE NATIONAL TPS COMMITTEE AS WE CONDEMNED WHAT'S GOING ON TO OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, TO OUR SOMALI COMMUNITY, TO HAITIAN COMMUNITY MEXICANS, LATINOS, EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF THE VITRIOL AND THE HATRED AND THE XENOPHOBIA OF THIS ADMINISTRATION. SO I JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE BURDEN IS HEAVY UPON CONNECTION, THAT THE BURDEN IS GOING TO GET EVEN HEAVIER. AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE STAND WITH YOU AS A BODY. AS TO THE COUNCIL OR NOT. I STAND WITH THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY ALL THE TIME. AND I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU IN THE WORK THAT IF SHE IS DOING TO PROVIDE SO MUCH INFORMATION TO SO MANY OF OUR IMMIGRANTS, HAITIANS AND NON HAITIANS ALIKE. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOU. I CALL DR. GABO MY FELLOW COME BACK TO. WHICH MEANS SHE IS MY FELLOW FIGHTER. I COULD NOT DO THIS WORK WITHOUT DR. DOUBLE. AND SO I'M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU HERE. I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE WAY THAT YOU POUR INTO ME AND IN REVERSE. AND SO I HAVE THE CITATION ON THE BUSSES ON BEHALF OF THE BOSTON COUNCIL BUT I ALSO HAVE THESE FLOWERS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU ON BEHALF OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU KNOW I CALL THE HUDSON MADAM MY PRESIDENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. AND THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN THIS ROOM WHO DAY IN AND DAY OUT CONTINUES TO FIGHT FOR OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. I HAVE TEARS IN MY EYES BECAUSE AGAIN KNOWING THAT THIS FIGHT IT'S A IT'S A REAL ONE. IT'S ONE THAT WE LEAVE EVERY SECOND NOT EVERY MINUTE, EVERY SECOND OF OUR LIVES. WE LEAVE THAT FIGHT. AND FOR US TO REACH A POINT WHERE OUR IMMIGRANTS WHO WOULD PRESENT, YOU KNOW, THE BACKBONE OF THIS COUNTRY, THE BACKBONE OF THIS COMMUNITY TO BE TREATED THE WAY THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS TREATING THEM EVEN YESTERDAY AGAIN, YOU KNOW, HAITIANS AGAIN CAME TO THE NEGATIVE OF THIS PRESIDENT WHO IS TREATING US AS, YOU KNOW, LESS WANTED LIKE YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE KIND OF NEGATIVE, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVEMENT THAT IS PUTTING ON US. SO IT'S A VERY TOUGH TIME FOR ALL OF US. AND I THANK YOU FOR STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH US AND FOR FIGHTING ALONGSIDE BECAUSE AGAIN, OUR IMMIGRANTS RELY ON US. THEY DEPEND ON US FOR THEM TO HAVE A VOICE. THEY DEPEND ON FOR THEM TO FEEL THAT THEY ARE SAFE AND FOR THE WORK THAT ALL OF YOU DO EVERYDAY. I WANT TO REALLY FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND THANK YOU WOULD SEE FOR BEING SUCH A LIGHT TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. AND WHENEVER SOMETHING IS HAPPENING I CAN QUICKLY TEXT AND SAY THIS IS HAPPENING WHAT DO WE DO? AND BEFORE WE KNOW IT SHE MAKES A PHONE CALL. SHE COMES TO THE OFFICE AND THEN SHE'S WITH US. SO AGAIN I HAVE NO WORDS TO SEE HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND I KNOW THE NEXT PRESIDENT WILL STAY IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU HAVE DONE, YOU KNOW, SIDE BY SIDE WITH OUR COMMUNITIES. SO TO HELP US FIGHT, YOU KNOW, THIS EVIL EVIL ATTACK ON OUR COMMUNITIES SO LET'S STAY STRONG THAT'S WOMEN POSITIVE BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY WE KNOW YOU KNOW LIKE ALWAYS SHINE IN THE DARKNESS AND BECAUSE WE ARE LIGHT OUR LIGHT WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS SHINE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE. WHEN I READ THIS RESOLUTION THIS IS AN OFFICIAL RESOLUTION PRESENTED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT RICHARD LOUIJEUNE. BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL EXTENDS ITS CONGRATULATIONS TO THE IMMIGRANT FAMILY SERVICES INSTITUTE IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR COMPASSIONATE SERVICE STEADFAST ADVOCACY, COMMITMENT TO OPPORTUNITY, DIGNITY AND BELONGING THAT HAS HAD A TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON COUNTLESS IMMIGRANT FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS BOSTON. YOU ALL RIGHT? IF I COULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO COME UP FOR A PHOTO AFTER KIKI. COME ON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. THE THANK YOU. BUT I DIDN'T MENTION AS MUCH. THERE IS A LOT OF DESPAIR AND UNCERTAINTY AND FEAR. THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF JOY BECAUSE AS I'VE STATED HERE, HAITI MADE THE WORLD CUP AND SO WE WILL BE PLAYING AT THE BOSTON STADIUM NEXT YEAR. SO HOLDING A LOT OF SPACE FOR BOTH GRIEF AND JOY. THANK YOU. OKAY. BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, I ASK YOU TO INDULGE ME WHILE I HAVE MY FAMILY HERE AND IF YOU'RE HERE JUST I WOULD I WANTED TO SAY THIS FOR THE END BUT JUST TO GIVE SOME REMARKS ON MY FINAL DAY AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT IT PROVIDES FOR A MOMENT OF TREMENDOUS REFLECTION AND I'M SO PROUD OF WHAT THIS BODY HAS ACHIEVED TOGETHER AND THE WAYS THAT WE'VE GROWN IN SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. EACH OF YOU APPROACHES THIS WORK WITH SERIOUSNESS AND A DEEP COMMITMENT. YOU CHAIR COMMITTEES YOU LEAD IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS AND BRING FORWARD LEGISLATION THAT SPEAKS TO THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR PASSION AND YOUR UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO THE RESIDENTS. WE REPRESENT A VERY BIG HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO CENTRAL STAFF WHO ARE THE BACKBONE OF COUNCIL OPERATIONS AND IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH YOU TO ENSURE THIS BODY RUNS SMOOTHLY. A BIG SHOUT OUT TO MICHELLE. MICHELLE, ARE YOU HERE? MICHELLE, CAN YOU COME FORWARD? I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME. SHE'S ALWAYS IN HER OFFICE. IS SHE COMING? SHE'S. CAN YOU? YEAH. THERE'S A BIT OF A DELAY ON THE LIVESTREAM THAT SHE'S WATCHING IN HER OFFICE. THERE. THERE YOU GO. MICHELLE, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AND TO ALL OF CENTRAL STAFF FOR ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU'VE GOT TO SHE MICHELLE HAS REALLY BEEN MY RIGHT HAND TO MEGAN, TO MEG, TO SHANE, TO CANDACE TO LORRAINE, TO OUR ANITA TO RON TO ETHAN TO CORA TO KARISHMA TO JUAN AND TO OUR INTERNS. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. YOU ALL STEER THIS SHIP. THERE'S NO CLAPPING TECHNICALLY IN CHAMBERS. AND HATS OFF TO OUR ANITA FOR ALWAYS TRYING OUR BEST TO KEEP US SAFE. GETTING PAST HER IS LIKE ENTERING FORT KNOX. THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE TEAM THE CLERK'S OFFICE, TO ALEX, TO ELLEN, TO DARCY FOR SHOWING UP EVERY WEEK AND ENSURING OUR MEETINGS RUN SMOOTHLY. I HAVE SOME CHOCOLATES FOR THE CLERK'S OFFICE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS PERFECTLY GOOD. AWESOME. AND AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WORKING IN THE OFFICE WHO KEEPS OUR CITY MOVING EFFICIENTLY EVERY SINGLE DAY. WHILE I MAY NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK YOU FOR YOUR HAPPY AND EVERY WEEK I HAVE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED GETTING TO LEARN ABOUT YOU AND YOUR LIVES THESE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. WE START OUR WEDNESDAY PRE COUNCIL MEETINGS WITH HAPPY AND . GOOD THING THING TOGETHER WE CHAMPIONED BETTER WORKSPACES AND WORSE RESOURCES FOR CENTRAL AND COUNCIL STAFF. WE'VE PRIORITIZED IMPROVING WORKING CONDITIONS AND MODERNIZING THE INTERNAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT HELP YOU DO YOUR JOBS EFFECTIVELY. WE OVERSAW THE HIRING PROCESS FOR A NEW HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER. WE EXPANDED GENDER NEUTRAL BATHROOMS TO FURTHER AFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO BELONGING. WE NOW ALSO THANK YOU TO EMILY MY FRONT BACKS INSIDE. WE NOW HAVE OUR NEW COUNCIL SWEATSHIRTS AND THEY GET A SAMANTHA IN COUNCILOR DURKIN'S OFFICE SO THAT ALL COUNCIL STAFF CAN PROUDLY WRAP THE TREMENDOUS WORK THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND YES, WE BUILT A COUNCIL NOOK A SMALL BUT MEANINGFUL UPGRADE THAT HAS CREATED SPACE FOR COMMUNITY WITH OUR WORKPLACE. AND I WANT TO THANK AGAIN EMILY FOR SPEARHEADING THAT PROJECT AND FOR CREATING OUR MONTHLY COUNCIL CHRONICLES. BEYOND THE DAY TO DAY WORK I HAVE CHERISHED THE MOMENTS THAT REMINDED US WE ARE MORE THAN COLLEAGUES. TEAM BONDING ACTIVITIES LIKE COUNCIL FRIENDSGIVING THE ROCK CLIMBING OUTING AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR AT THE PHENIX WRITING VALENTINE'S DAY CARDS FOR SENIORS AND EVEN BRINGING WALLY AND TESSA TRICK OR TREATING THROUGHOUT THE COUNCIL OFFICES. THESE ARE MEMORIES THAT MEET OUR TIME TOGETHER JOYFUL, HUMAN AND REAL. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE. YOU'LL SEE ON THE AGENDA TODAY WE ARE HONORING A FELLOW RESOLUTION TO HONOR THOMAS IRVING ADKINS, THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PERSON ELECTED AT LARGE TO THIS BODY IN A PIONEERING CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATE. HIS LEGACY IS A REMINDER THAT OUR WORK IS FAR FROM FINISHED AND THAT CLOSING THE RACIAL WEALTH AND OPPORTUNITY GAPS IN BOSTON REQUIRED CONTINUED COMMITMENT, ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACTION. WE OWE IT TO EVERY RESIDENT TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE TOOLS, ACCESS AND SUPPORT TO THRIVE AND BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES AND TO HONOR FORMER COUNCIL PRESIDENT GABRIELLE PIEMONTE, A STEADFAST CHAMPION FOR NEIGHBORHOODS AND WORKING FAMILIES. I WANT TO THANK FORMER CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND NOW REGISTER OF DEEDS STEVEN MURPHY FOR WORKING TOGETHER AND URGING US TO DO THIS. WE ARE ENSURING THAT THE COUNCIL HONORS WHAT THE COUNCIL'S PAST AND ITS COMMITMENT TO A MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE. IT'S A REMINDER THAT OUR WORK HONORS THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US AND SET THE TONE FOR THOSE WHO WILL COME AFTER. AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY OWN FAMILY WHO HAVE BEEN BY MY SIDE AS MUCH AS ANY STAFFER THROUGHOUT THE PRESIDENCY. MY PARENTS WHO ARE HERE, MY SISTER WHO IS ON HER LUNCH BREAK, TWO ATTORNEYS FOR MY PARENTS. THAT IS A LOT BUT THEY HANDLE IT WELL. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEIR DREAMS AND THEIR BELIEFS FOR BELIEVING IN THIS COUNTRY. I THINK WHY I WAS VERY EMOTIONAL EARLIER IS BECAUSE OUR STORIES WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE IF WE WERE IN A COUNTRY IN A CITY THAT WELCOMED PEOPLE LIKE MY PARENTS. WE CAME HERE SPEAKING NO ENGLISH AND WORKED REALLY HARD FOR MY STORY TO BE POSSIBLE. I'M SO GRATEFUL EVERY DAY THEIR JOURNEY AND THE JOURNEYS OF SO MANY OF OUR FAMILIES ALL AROUND THIS CHAMBER ARE A BOSTON STORIES. AND THEY DESERVE TO BE UPLIFTED AND HONORED AND CELEBRATED. AND THAT'S WHAT MOTIVATES ME TO SERVE WITH PURPOSE, GRATITUDE AND HEART. THEY ARE MY FOUNDATION AND TOGETHER WITH MY FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS AND SUPPORTERS AND THE GOOD LORD ABOVE I STAND HERE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK IRENE LANDRY WHO IS THE MOTHER OF TONY LANDRY WHO IS NOW AT SEIU INTERNS AND RESIDENTS. SHE GAVE ME THESE PRAYER CARDS AND SHE TOLD ME TO MAKE SURE THAT I USE THEM IN MY OFFICE AND BEFORE EVERY COUNCIL MEETING I HAVE READ THEM. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AMY LANDRY AND TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. WE ALL BRING UNIQUE BACKGROUNDS STORIES AND PERSPECTIVES TO THIS CHAMBER. THAT DIVERSITY IS THE STRENGTH AND THE CELEBRATION OF THIS BODY REGARDLESS OF WHO STANDS HERE AS PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OR NOT. AND EVEN WHEN WE DISAGREE, WE HAVE SOMETIMES FOUND WAYS TO WALK THROUGH DIFFERENCES AND ADVANCE MEANINGFUL LEGISLATION THAT IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE CONSTITUENTS WE SERVE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO BE PROBLEM SOLVERS TO ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES, LISTEN AND FIND SOLUTIONS THAT MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD. SO I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND I HAVE A TOKEN FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF BEING MADE. SO HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE COUNCIL MEETING EVERYONE WILL HAVE THEM. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ON YOUR DESK BEFORE THE MEETING BUT A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY. I WANT TO THANK YOU BUT ALSO IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE TO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OFFICIAL TO BE THE PRINCIPAL. SO I WANT TO THANK NOT ONLY YOU BUT I WANT TO THANK YOUR FAMILIES. AND I WANT TO THANK YOUR INCREDIBLE STAFF WHO ARE OFTEN AT MEETINGS THE LATE HOURS ON EARLY MORNING EMAILS WHO SACRIFICED SO MUCH FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY. IT REQUIRES A LOT OF US TIME AWAY FROM FAMILIES, TIME AWAY FROM OURSELVES BUT WE STILL SHOW UP AND ARE COMMITTED TO THIS WORK. NONE OF THIS IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT A GOOD SUPPORT SYSTEM TO MY OWN OFFICE. EMILY, WHO IS THE HEAD OF TEAM ALL GAS NO BRAKES TO JESSE MY POLICY DIRECTOR FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WITH ME CINDY. MY CONSTITUENT SERVICE DIRECTOR FROM THE VERY BEGINNING JULIAN DORA. OLIVIA. AND PAST STAFFERS LIKE HOLDEN AND ALANA AND ALL OF OUR INTERNS OVER THE YEARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. SUPPORT YOUR CREATIVITY AND YOUR BELIEF IN THE WORK AND TO THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR OF A LIFETIME TO SERVE YOU AS PRESIDENT, AS COUNCILOR, TO HEAR YOUR STORIES ,TO FIGHT FOR YOUR PRIORITIES AND HELP BUILD A CITY WHERE EVERYONE BELONGS. AS I PRESIDE OVER THIS CHAMBER FOR THE FINAL TIME, I DO SO WITH TREMENDOUS GRATITUDE, HUMILITY AND PRIDE AND ALL THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER. I DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT EVERY TIME I SAW A LITTLE BLACK GIRL IN MATTAPAN OR THROUGHOUT THE CITY YOU SAID YOU'RE THE PRESIDENT WITH BIG BULGING EYES. I WANT TO THANK GOD FOR KEEPING ME FOR GIVING ME A SPIRIT OF LOVE AND OF POWER AND OF SELF-DISCIPLINE. FIRST IT HAS GUIDED ME TO TIMOTHY ONE VERSE SEVEN AND FOR ALWAYS PROTECTING ME. THESE TWO PAST YEARS HAVE NOT BEEN WITHOUT CHALLENGE BUT THEY HAVE BEEN EXTRAORDINARY. LET'S FINISH STRONG TODAY AND CONTINUE WORKING. EACH IN OUR OWN WAY TO MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THERE'S NO CLAPPING IN CHAMBERS . OKAY, SO NOW ON TO THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING OF DECEMBER 3RD, 2025. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I. I ALL OPPOSE SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 3RD MEETING ARE APPROVED. WE ARE NOW ON TO COMMUNICATIONS FROM OUR HONOR THE MAYOR. MR CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 2079 DOCKET NUMBER 079 MESSAGE HONOR ON AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $1,485,264.20 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE TEAM EARMARK GRANT AWARDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF FIRE SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE NEEDS OF THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE TEAM PER LINE ITEM 8000 DASH ZERO 600 OF THE FISCAL YEAR 26 GENERAL APPROPRIATION FUNDS ACT. THANK YOU. THIS DOCKET WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ A NUMBER TO 080 NUMBER 2080 MESSAGE ON AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY HOUSING STOCK AT THE STATE LEVEL IZATION FUND AWARDED BY THE NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING. THE GRANT WILL FUND NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY'S CONTRIBUTION OF $1 MILLION TO THE IMO EACH FOR A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR THE 840 COLUMBUS AVENUE PROJECT IN ROXBURY. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR REED AND COUNCIL RATE ANY ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TO SUSPEND AND PASS DOCKET NUMBER 2080 TODAY. AS THE CLERK EXPLAINED THIS GRANT AS PART OF A PUBLIC BENEFITS PACKAGE FOR THE 840 COLUMBUS AVENUE PROJECT IN ROXBURY, THE PROJECT IS IN IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 23 STORY NORTHEASTERN RESIDENCE HALL WITH AN ACTIVE COMMUNITY FOCUSED GROUND FLOOR AND WAS APPROVED BY THE BPA BOARD IN MARCH OF 2024. UNDER THE TERMS OF THE COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN NORTHEASTERN AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE UNIVERSITY WOULD CONTRIBUTE $1 MILLION TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING WITHIN 30 DAYS OF ISSUANCE OF THE BUILDING PERMIT FOR THIS PROJECT. THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED TO ADVANCE HOUSING STABILIZATION AND WEALTH CREATION IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE PROJECT. DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUNDS WILL BE BASED ON A MUTUAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING, NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY AND THE NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY TASK FORCE. THE PARTIES HAVE INITIAL HAVE HAD INITIAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FOCUSING FUNDS ON PROMOTING HOMEOWNERSHIP AMONG LOW AND MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS OF THE TARGETED NEIGHBORHOODS. GIVEN THE TIME SENSITIVITY INHERENT IN THE TERMS OF THE COOPERATION AGREEMENT AND MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT IS ADVANCING, I AM ASKING THAT WE SUSPEND AND PASS THIS DOCKET TO ENSURE THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING RECEIVES THESE FUNDS IN A TIMELY MANNER. SO AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET 02080. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR BREADON AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS LIKE RECLAIM ROXBURY, COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN MISSION HILL WHO TALK ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY NEEDING TO MAKE GOOD ON THEIR PROMISES AND IN THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT DOES SPELL OUT THESE FUNDS FOR ROXBURY TO THE ZIP CODES OF 021150211802119 AND 02120 AND 02125 TO REALLY FOCUS ON PROMOTING HOMEOWNERSHIP AMONG LOW AND MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS IN ROXBURY TO HELP STABILIZE COMMUNITIES AND MAKE SURE BOSTON RESIDENTS CAN STAY AND ARE NOT BEING PUSHED OUT AS A RESULT OF THE PRESENCE OF UNIVERSITY. SO I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT GRANT FOR US TO ACCEPT AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR FOR PUTTING IT FORWARD. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTROL FOR ANY OF THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I ALSO RISE TO SUPPORT THIS GRANT. I THINK IT WILL HELP RESIDENTS IN ROXBURY IN PARTS OF THE SOUTH END AS WELL OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT WORKING CLASS RESIDENTS RESIDENTS OF SENIORS AS WELL PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. BOSTON SHOULD BE A PLACE FOR THEM AS WELL NOT JUST THE WEALTHY ARISE TO SUPPORT THIS STOCK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CAN CELEBRATE ITS EXPANSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET 2080. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALEPPO SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS DOCKET IS PASSED. WE'RE NOW ON THE DOCKET NUMBER 2081 ALL THOSE MR CLERK COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 2081 DUCKY NUMBER 2081 MESSAGE YOU'RE NOT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $95,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT OF THE WORKFORCE TRAINING FUND GRANT AWARDED BY THE MASAYA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THAT GRANT WILL FUND PROGRAMING TO HELP ADDRESS BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY AND COMPETITIVENESS BY PROVIDING RESOURCES TO MASSACHUSETTS BUSINESSES FOR TRAINING CURRENT AND NEWLY HIRED EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE OF LABOR, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE COUNCIL. WEBER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I'M SEEKING SUSPENSION AND PASSAGE OF THIS DOCKET TODAY SO IT CAN BE SPENT IN A TIMELY MANNER. IT'S $95,000 GRANT THAT WOULD GO TOWARD THE BOSTON PRIVATE INDUSTRY COUNCIL OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE PICK TO SUPPORT BUSINESS AND EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THEIR TO MASS HIRE BOSTON CAREER CENTERS, THE JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICES DOWNTOWN AND ABCD BOSTON AND NUBIAN SQUARE. I THINK YOU KNOW WE'VE WE'VE BEEN I THINK WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS YOU KNOW HAVING HEARINGS AND GETTING THIS THESE TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM WHO HELPING PEOPLE IN BOSTON WITH WORKFORCE TRAINING TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AND FIND WORK AND SO JUST HOPING WE CAN CONTINUE IN THAT VEIN AND SUSPEND AND PASS THIS $95,000 GRANT TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. WHOEVER THE CHAIR, THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 2081. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I I'LL OPPOSE SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS DOCKET IS PASSED. WE WE'RE IN I WANT TO REPORTS OF PUBLIC OFFICE AND OTHERS. MR CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ DOCKETS NUMBER 208222086 DOCKET NUMBER 208 TO NOTICE RECEIVED FROM THE CITY CLERK IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER SIX OF THE ORDINANCES OF 1979 REGARDING ACTION TAKEN BY THE MAYOR AND PAPERS ACTED UPON BY THE CITY COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING OF NOVEMBER 19TH 2025 DOCKING NUMBER 2083 COMMUNICATION WAS RECEIVED FROM SCOTT FINN CITY AUDITOR TRANSMITTING REPORTS LISTING TRANSFER ROUTES MADE SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF CLOSING ACCOUNTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 DOCKING NUMBER 2084 COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILOR FLYNN REGARDING RECENT COMMUNICATIONS RELATING TO ELEVATOR FAILURES THAT RUTH BARCLAY APARTMENTS AND DOCKING 2085 COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILOR FLYNN REGARDING A RECENT 1740 RELATING TO THE BUS AND HOUSING AUTHORITY AUTHORITY ELEVATOR FAILURES AND DOCKING EMBER 2086 NOTICE WAS RECEIVED FROM DAVID AIKEN REGARDING HIS RESIGNATION FROM THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS EFFECTIVE DECEMBER SIX, 2025. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR COUNSELOR FLYNN. YOU'RE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON A COMMUNICATION. YES, I OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO SPEAK ON COMMUNICATIONS COUNSELOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. LAST WEEK I DISCUSSED A LETTER TO THE MASTER ITS ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD REGARDING THE FREQUENT ELEVATOR BREAKDOWNS AT VHA WITH BARCLAY APARTMENTS AND THE SOUTH END. THE LETTER WENT TO ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK. IN MY OPINION WE HAVE HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING HAPPENING AT VHA ELEVATORS SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY NOT JUST IN MY DISTRICT. IT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE. BUT WE CAN'T BE A PROGRESSIVE CITY IN BOSTON WITHOUT HAVING THAT SERIOUS CONVERSATION. I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS BUT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE IT IMPACTS MY CONSTITUENTS AND MY CONSTITUENTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ARE FROM COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, THE SENIORS AND I'M NOT GIVING UP ON THEM. WE HAVE A LOT OF PRIORITIES THAT WE WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON IN THIS CITY BUT I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING MORE WORTHWHILE DURING OUR TIME AS ELECTED OFFICIALS THAN ADVOCATING FOR ELEVATOR ACCESS FOR OUR PUBLIC HOUSING NEIGHBORS, OUR SENIOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, IMMIGRANTS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. I'LL GO TO THE SECOND DOCKET WHICH IS MY SECOND COMMUNICATION TO THE CORPORATION COUNCIL REGARDING A RECENT 17 F ON THIS SAME ISSUE I FILED THIS 17 F ON OCTOBER 22ND ALMOST TWO MONTHS AGO. FOR THE RECORD THE RESPONSE CAME IN AT 11:33 A.M. TODAY. I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT AND REVIEW IT BUT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE I HAVE WE I BELIEVE WE HAVE A NUMBER OF REQUESTS NOW AT THIS PARTY THAT GO UNANSWERED FOR A SIGNIFICANT PERIOD OF TIME. MY COLLEAGUES MAY NOT AGREE WITH MY STRONG ADVOCACY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS ON THIS ELEVATOR ISSUE BUT THIS IS ABOUT RESPECT FOR THE BODY AND FOR TRANSPARENCY. MORE IMPORTANTLY IT'S ABOUT RESPECT FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. THIS IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE. THIS IS A FEDERAL ISSUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CLAUDIA ZAPATA, ARE YOU LOOKING TO SPEAK ON A COMMUNICATION? YES. OKAY. TYPICALLY NOT ALLOWED BUT I WILL GIVE YOU 2 MINUTES TO SPEAK ON THIS COMMUNICATION. MR. CLERK COUNCILOR THAT IS ABOUT THAT YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I'M JUST UP TO QUICKLY SAY THANK YOU TO DAVID AIKEN WHO IS A IS BOSTON RESIDENT AND CLOSE PERSONAL FRIEND OF MINE. HE IS JUST NOW LEAVING THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS. AND WHILE I HAVE BEEN QUITE HARSH OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IN ALIGNING THEMSELVES WITH PLANNING IN BOSTON, HE'S BEEN A STEADY AND PRAGMATIC HAND UP THERE. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO DAVE FOR HIS SERVICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CARLOTTA ZAPATA OKAY ,WE ARE NOW MOVING ON DOCKET TO NUMBER 208222086 WILL BE PLACED ON FILE. WE ARE NOW ON TO REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ YOU GOT SOME READING TO DO DOCKET NUMBER 140014091548 AND 1549 TOGETHER TALKING NUMBER 1400 THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE TO WHICH WE WAS REFERRED ON AUGUST SIX, 2025 TALK A NUMBER 1400 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $3,966,900 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 26 SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL YOUTH INITIATIVE GRANT AWARDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND A COMPREHENSIVE INTERAGENCY STRATEGY THAT CONNECTS LAW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYMENT EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEALTH AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES TO REDUCE YOUTH VIOLENCE IN THE COMMONWEALTH SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT THE ORDER OUGHT TO PASS NUMBER 1409 THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, WHICH WAS REFERRED IN AUGUST 6TH 2025 NUMBER 1409 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $10,000.01 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 23 NATIONAL VIOLENT DEATH REPORTING SYSTEM AWARDED BY THE MET'S DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND DATA COLLECTION BY THE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATOR SERVICES AND THE DRUG CONTROL UNIT SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT THE ORDER ARE TO PASS SO I CAN HAVE A1548 THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE TO WHICH WAS REFERRED ON AUGUST 27, 2025 DOCKET NUMBER ONE FIVE FOR A MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $4,125,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 26 PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINTS SUPPORT AND INCENTIVE GRANT AWARDED BY THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING ENHANCED 911 SERVICES SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT THE ORDER OUGHT TO PASS. THANK YOU. OH IS THERE ONE MORE? OKAY. APOLOGIES AND I CAN HAVE A1549 THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE TO WHICH WAS REFERRED ON AUGUST 27, 2025 DOCKET NUMBER 1549 MESSAGE AN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $528,156.32 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 1609 11 TRAINING GRANT AWARDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION OF ENHANCED NINE ON ONE TELECOMMUNICATIONS STAFF SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT ORDER WRITE TO PASS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. CLERK. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE CARLOS SANTANA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. SO MADAM PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR YOUR PERMISSION TO SPEAK ON DOCKETS NUMBER 140014091548. I'M SORRY. AHEAD. THAT IS NOT PART OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON DOCKETS 140014091548 AND 1549. ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER FOUR, 2025 THESE DOCKETS FOR SPONSORED BY MAMA SA WILL DOCKETS NUMBER 14001409 WERE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON AUGUST SIX, 2025 AND DOCKET NUMBER 15481549 WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON AUGUST 27, 2025. WE'RE JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES AND ONE OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR ERIN MURPHY, COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR COLETTA FATHER COUNCIL MEMBER HERE COUNCIL PREPARED AND COUNCILOR FLYNN DOCKET NO DOCKET NUMBER 1400 AUTHORIZES THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT, ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE FY 26 SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL YOUTH INITIATIVE BRAND THIS GROUND WAS AWARDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO THEM TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS BROWN WILL FUND A COMPREHENSIVE INTERAGENCY STRATEGY THAT CONNECTS LAW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYMENT EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEALTH AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES TO REDUCE YOUTH VIOLENCE AND. THE COMMONWEALTH. DOCKET NUMBER 1409 AUTHORIZES THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND EXPAND THE FBI 23 NATIONAL VIOLENT DEATH REPORTING SYSTEM GRANT. THIS GRANT WAS AWARDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THE GROUND WAR FUND DATA COLLECTION BY THE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES AND DRUG CONTROL UNIT. DOCKET NUMBER 154A AUTHORIZES THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE FY 26 PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINTS SUPPORT AN INCENTIVE GRANT. THIS GRANT WAS AWARDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY AND WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS GRANT WILL FUND THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING ENHANCED 911 SERVICES AND DOCKET NUMBER 1549 AND AUTHORIZES THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE FY 20 26911 TRAINING GRANT AND THE AMOUNT OF $528,156.32. THIS GROUND WAS AWARDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY AND WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS GROUND WILL FUND THE TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION OF THE ENHANCED 911 STAFF. THE COMMITTEE HEARD TESTIMONY FROM REPRESENTATIVES ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION. WERE JOINED BY FRANK DELUCA WHO WAS THERE AS AS WHY I PROGRAM DIRECTOR WITH THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT JOINED BY THE TENANT DETECTIVE DANIEL DUFF A COMMANDER OF THE HOMICIDE UNIT WITH THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT JOINED BY CHRISTOPHER MIKE NURSES, THE NPA DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS DIVISION WITH THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE ARE JOINED ALSO BY RYAN WALSH, THE DIRECTOR OF BREAK WITH THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WE WERE JOINED BY MARIA CHEEVERS, DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WITH THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE ADMINISTRATION SAYS AND WE DISCUSSED THE PROGRAMS THAT THESE GRANTS WOULD FACILITATE AND THEIR INSIGHTS REAFFIRM THAT THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITIES DEPENDED ON THESE SERVICES WHETHER THEY INVOLVE INTER-AGENCY STRATEGIES OR FULLY FUNCTIONING REPORTING SYSTEMS OR DYNAMIC 911 SERVICES. THESE SERVICES ARE ESSENTIAL. THESE GRANTS WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THIS IMPORTANT WORK. AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. I RECOMMEND MOVING THE LISTED DOCKETS FROM THE COMMITTEE TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION AND INFORMAL ACTION. AT THIS TIME A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL WILL BE THAT THESE MATTERS OUGHT TO PASS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA. THE CHAIR I CAN ADDRESS COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN YOU ON THE FLOOR? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR A VERY INFORMATIVE HEARING DISCUSSION AND THANK THE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ALSO FOR BEING HERE AND EXPLAINING THESE GRANTS. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO MARIA CHEEVERS FROM THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT ISSUES IMPACTING WOMEN AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ENCOURAGED BOSTON POLICE IN BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH TO DO MORE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SUPPORTING SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BUT ALSO TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM AS WELL TO ENSURE THAT DOMESTIC VI DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM AND WE DO HAVE TO HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT ARREST AND PROSECUTE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING BATTERERS. THE OTHER ISSUE I SPOKE ON IS ENSURING THAT MANY, MANY PEOPLE IN RESTAURANTS ARE OFTEN AT RESTAURANTS OR A BAR AND SOMEONE WILL PUT A DATE RAPE DRUG IN THEIR DRINK AND WE HAVE TO DO MORE PUBLIC AWARENESS ON THAT BUT ALSO BE VERY STRICT IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ON THOSE TYPES OF VIOLENT CRIMINAL ACTS. AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THIS AND ENSURE ENSURING THAT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IS A TOP PRIORITY HERE AT CITY HALL. DUNCAN BELCHER OKAY. WE WILL NOW TAKE A VOTE ON EACH DOCKET ONE BY ONE THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. OKAY. RIGHT. OKAY GREAT. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1400. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I. I AM OPPOSING THE AYES HAVE IT. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1400 HAS PASSED THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY CRIMINAL JUSTICE SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1409 ALL IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL OPPOSE NAY. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1409 HAS PASSED THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1548 ALL IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL OPPOSE NAY THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1548 IS PASSED. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ITS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1549 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALTHOUGH THE POLICY NAY THE AYES HAVE IT THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1549 IS PASSED. MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 197 TO DUCK IN ABOUT 1972 OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE RESILIENCY AND PARKS TO WHICH WAS REFERRED ON NOVEMBER 19, 2025. DOCK NUMBER 197 TO MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $400,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT THE BOSTON MVP ACTION GRANT AWARDED BY THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE MASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON'S BOSTON NATURE CENTER A 67 ACRE URBAN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IN THE LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOOD OF BOSTON SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THE ORDER RIGHT TO PASS. THANK YOU, THE CHAIR CAN ADD THIS COUNTER CLOSE THE PATIO COUNTER THAT HAS A PARTY AT THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MADAM PRESIDENT, THE COMMITTEE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION REGARDING THIS DOCKET STATING THAT THIS DOCKET AUTHORIZES THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND AN MVP ACTION GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $400,000. THIS GRANT WILL FUND PLANNING AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR RESTORATION OF WETLANDS ALONG THE CANTERBURY BROOK AT THE IN BOSTON NATURE CENTER A 67 ACRE URBAN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY LOCATED IN LOCATED IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOOD OF MATTAPAN. THE BROOK IS CURRENTLY CHANNELIZED AND HEAVILY BURDENED BY TRASH SEDIMENT AND POLLUTED STORMWATER GRANT FUNDED WORK WILL INCLUDE SITE INVESTIGATIONS ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS, ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A 30% CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR A PREFERRED COMMUNITY SUPPORTED RESTORATION AN ALTERNATIVE THE GOALS FOR THIS PROJECT INCLUDE REDUCING FLOODING THROUGH RESTORED WETLAND AND FLOODPLAIN STORAGE, EXPANDING SAFE ACCESS TO OPEN SPACE IN NATURE IN A HISTORICALLY UNDERINVESTED NEIGHBORHOOD AND IMPROVING WATER QUALITY ENTERING THE CHARLES RIVER THROUGH NATURAL STORMWATER TREATMENT THE GRANT FUNDS PLANNING AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN ONLY ACCEPTANCE OF THIS GRANT DOES NOT COMMIT THE CITY TO FUTURE CONSTRUCTION FUNDING AT THIS TIME IT IS MY RECOMMENDATION OF MOVING THIS DOCKET TO THE FULL COMMITTEE FOR DISCUSSION ON FORM AND FORMAL ACTION AND AT THIS TIME MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL IS THAT THIS MATTER OUGHT TO PASS BUT WOULD LOVE TO PASS THE MIC TO MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT FOUR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU THE CHAIR I CAN ASSIST COUNSELOR WERE OUTCOMES ARE ARGUING FOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PART FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. THIS PROJECT RESIDES IN DISTRICT FOUR IN THE BOSTON DATA CENTER DOES GREAT WORK. I WAS ON A VISIT THERE EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR PEPEN AND WE GOT TO SEE THE BEAUTIFUL NATURE CENTER AND ALL THE TRAILS SO IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE PLEASE GO. BUT WE ALSO NOTICED THE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE AND IT WAS GREAT TO ALSO BE REMINDED THAT YOU KNOW, A VITAL COMMUNITY TREASURE ACTUALLY LIVES INSIDE OF MATTAPAN AND IS ALSO A PUBLIC MEETING LAST NIGHT WITH MY OFFICE AND COUNCILOR PEPYS OFFICE ALSO ATTENDED RELATED TO A SIMILAR TYPE OF WORK THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO BE UNDERGOING ACROSS OTHER PARTS OF MATTAPAN . OBVIOUSLY WE AS A CITY HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO ON RESILIENCY AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT BUT CHANGES TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT ARE GOING TO BE IMPORTANT PART OF THAT WHETHER IT HAPPENS ON THE BOSTON NATURE CENTER'S PROPERTY OR ELSEWHERE IN MATTAPAN AND I HOPE THIS STUDY CAN ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND THAT WE CAN GET SOME LONG TERM RESILIENCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE NATURE CENTER ALSO JUST TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT FOR JOEL RICHARDS WHO IS DOING A LOT OF WORK ON BRINGING MORE INVESTMENTS AND RESOURCES AND ATTENTION TO THE NATURE CENTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO ECHO THAT THE BOSTON NATURE CENTER IS GORGEOUS. THEY NEED ALL THE FUNDING POSSIBLE. I THINK I WENT A FEW WEEKS AFTER YOU AND COUNCILOR COMES FROM OUR ISLAND COUNCIL TRIP AND WHAT IT IS I'M SAD THAT I DID NOT GROW UP GOING TO THE BOSTON NATURE CENTER THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT AS A RESOURCE AND IT IS STUNNING. SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO VISIT THE BOSTON NATURE CENTER AND THAT THIS COUNCIL CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RESTORATION WORK THAT THEY NEED TO DO TO GET RID OF A LOT OF THE TRASH THAT IS BUILDING UP IN STREAMS AND TO CREATE A MORE THRIVING WETLANDS. COUNCILOR CLARA ZAPATA SPEAKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT DOCKET NUMBER 1972 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I. I ALL OPPOSE NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1972 IS PASSED. WE ARE NOW ON TO THE MATTERS RECENTLY HEARD. MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 2045 DUCKY NUMBER 2045 ORDER RELATIVE TO THE ADOPTION OF TAX CLASSIFICATION IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IN FISCAL YEAR 2026, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL OR OTHER CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS COUNCIL. ARE YOU ON THE FLOOR? THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS HELD A HEARING ON MONDAY, DECEMBER EIGHT, 2025 TO DISCUSS DOCKET NUMBER 2045. FROM THE ADMINISTRATION WE HAD CFO ROTHENBERG THE COMMISSIONER OF ASSESSMENT MARINELLO TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION. ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE PRESENT INCLUDING THE VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE COUNCILOR PEPEN CASAS BRADING COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA, COUNCILOR DURKAN COUNCIL FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILMAN ME HERE COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCIL SANTANA CASTLE WEBER AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THIS DOCKET IS ABOUT TWO ACTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL TAKES EVERY. THE FIRST ACTION IS TO MAX OUT THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION AT 35% WHICH COMMISSIONER MARINELLO ESTIMATED WILL PROVIDE THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER OR OWNER OCCUPIED RESIDENTIAL PARCEL $4,354.74 OFF THEIR TAX BILL. THE SECOND ACTION IS TO SET THE RESIDENTIAL FACTOR AT THE MINIMUM ALLOWED BY STATE LAW AND FACTOR IN THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION. THESE ACTIONS WILL PROVIDE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF RELIEF FOR HOMEOWNERS UNDER OUR CURRENT STATE LAWS. AT MONDAY'S HEARING WE ALSO DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF FINANCIAL ISSUES FACING THE CITY AS WELL AS THE NUMEROUS TAX MEASURES THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS SUPPORTED AND PASSED DURING THIS TERM THAT ARE AWAITING ACTION AT THE STATE HOUSE. BUT TODAY'S VOTE IS SOLELY ABOUT PROVIDING THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF RELIEF FOR OUR RESIDENTS. THIS IS AN ANNUAL EXERCISE AND SOMETHING THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR AND AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL WILL BE THAT THIS MATTER OUGHT TO PASS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING IN TIME TO TAKE THE VOTE TODAY. FOR MANY DECADES GOING BACK TO THE EARLY 1980S, THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS OPERATED UNDER A PROPERTY TAX CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM AND AFTER MASSACHUSETTS AMENDED ITS CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW DIFFERENT TAX RATES FOR DIFFERENT CLASSES TAX RATE TAXING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES AT A LOWER RATE AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AT A HIGHER RATE. AND SINCE THE 1980S THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL HAS TAKEN THE SAME ROUTINE ANNUAL VOTE WE TAKE EVERY YEAR. EACH YEAR THE COUNCIL ADOPTS THE RESIDENTIAL FACTOR AND IT PROVES THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION WHICH BOSTON HAS CONSIDERED AT LEAST SET AT THE MAXIMUM 35% TO PROVIDE REAL AND MEANINGFUL RELIEF TO HOMEOWNERS. THIS ANNUAL ACTION IS REQUIRED SO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE CAN CERTIFIER TAX RATE AND THE CITY CAN SEND OUT THE JANUARY TAX BILLS. IT IS A STANDARD ADMINISTRATIVE STEP THAT THE COUNCIL HAS TAKEN EVERY YEAR FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. IT IS NOT A POLICY CHANGE, NOT A SHIFT IN A TAX BURDEN AND NOT CONNECTED TO ANY BROADER POLITICAL DEBATE. IT IS SIMPLY THE CONTINUATION OF THE SYSTEM BOSTON HAS USED SUCCESSFULLY FOR DECADES. I ALSO WANT TO BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN SOME UNNECESSARY CONFUSION AMONG SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. TODAY'S VOTE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED TAX SHIFT HOME RULE PETITION. THE COUNCIL ALREADY DEBATED, VOTED ON AND PASSED THAT HOME RULE PETITION LAST YEAR OR EARLIER THIS YEAR. IT'S NOT BEFORE THE COUNCIL TODAY. IT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANOTHER VOTE BY US AND IT REMAINS AT THE STATE HOUSE ENTIRELY IN THE LEGISLATIVE SENSE. SO LET'S MAKE THIS PERFECTLY CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC THE PRESS AND ANYONE FOLLOWING THIS PROCESS. TODAY'S VOTE IS ROUTINE. TODAY'S VOTE IS THE SAME ONE THE COUNCIL HAS TAKEN EVERY YEAR SINCE THE EARLY EIGHTIES. TODAY'S VOTE DOES NOT CHANGE ANY TAX FORMULA OR SHIFT IN. TODAY'S VOTE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MAYOR'S STALLED HOME RULE PETITION. THIS IS SIMPLY THE COUNCIL CARRYING OUT ITS LONGSTANDING RESPONSIBILITY SO THAT BOSTON'S TAX RATE CAN BE CERTIFIED ON TIME AND OUR RESIDENTIAL TAXPAYERS CONTINUE RECEIVING THE FULL EXEMPTION THEY DEPEND ON. AND LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEW YEAR AND THE UPCOMING BUDGET SEASON, WE MUST COMMIT TO BETTER STEWARDSHIP OF CITY SPENDING IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT PROTECTING ALREADY BURDENED HOMEOWNERS. WE CANNOT SIMPLY COUNT ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS TO SHOULDER MORE OF THE TAX BURDEN WHEN THEY TOO ARE STRUGGLING. IT IS TIME TO PRIORITIZE FISCAL RESTRAINT AND RESPONSIBLE BUDGETING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK AHEAD COMING UP NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. I JUST THANK YOU. THE CHAIR. CAN I JUST FINISH ON THE FLOOR? WE HAVE ALWAYS CHOSEN TO TAKE AND COLLECT THE MAXIMUM TAX LEVY AND ALLOWED REVENUE. EVERY YEAR SINCE PROPOSITION TWO AND A HALF WAS ENACTED. WE ALL SHOULD NOTE THAT THE RECENT STUDY BY TUFTS UNIVERSITY THAT CAME OUT IN FEBRUARY 2024 SAYING THAT REMOTE WORK HAS REALLY HURT THE BOSTON ECONOMY. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE HAD A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ON TAXES AND SPENDING IN OUR CITY IN MY VIEW CONTINUING TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES ON HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES IS NOT THE ANSWER. IT IS TIME FOR US TO DEMONSTRATE FISCAL DISCIPLINE, ACCOUNTABILITY TRANSPARENCY AND POSITIVE LEADERSHIP. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE BEEN TRANSPARENT WITH THE PUBLIC. WE NEED TO HAVE AN OPEN, HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR BUDGET AND THE RIGHT LEVEL OF SERVICES AND THE TAXES TO FUND THAT BUDGET. WE HAD A DISCUSSION LAST NIGHT IN THE SOUTH END ABOUT THIS ISSUE. WE CAN POINT TO BUDGET OBLIGATIONS AND RISING COSTS BUT WE HAVE ALSO MADE CHOICES THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WHERE WE DIDN'T CUT OUR BUDGET. IN FACT IT GREW 8%. WE DIDN'T DO A HIRING FREEZE. I THINK WE MAY HAVE HIRED 300 PEOPLE. IT'S ALSO TIME TO REEVALUATE OUR PILOT PROGRAM. BUT I WANT ALL OF US IN THE PUBLIC TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THESE BUDGET ISSUES. WITH FALLING COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES AND THE RIGHT LEVEL OF TAXES AND SERVICES, IN MY VIEW WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO CUT SPENDING AND BRING DOWN COSTS BEFORE WE CONTINUE TO RAISE TAXES ON RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. THANK YOU. I THINK THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL COUNCILMEMBER HERE COMES FROM HERE GENSLER. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR SHOWING UP THE WAY THAT YOU DO. THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND I JUST WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD. DURING THE HEARING I TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT B.U., HARVARD, NORTHEASTERN AND BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL THERE ARE SO MANY INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE OCCUPYING SPACE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT ARE EITHER THERE DOING BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THEY SHOULD ALSO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF HOW WE SHARE THE BURDEN OF OF OUR TAX CRUNCH THAT WE HAPPEN TO BE IN. AND I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME LEGISLATIVE WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BUT PILOT REFORM HAS TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE RECONCILE WITH THAT. AND I ALSO WOULD JUST LIKE TO NOTE THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO NAVIGATE THE BUDGET SEASON IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US AS COLLEAGUES TO REALLY FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN WORK MORE COLLABORATIVELY AND MAKE DECISIONS THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE TAKING THESE VOTES AND THESE VOTES IMPACT THE ENTIRE CITY. AND SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN THIS BODY CAN WORK TOGETHER. AND SO I'M LOOKING FOR MORE OF THAT IN THE NEXT GO ROUND SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE DOING SO IN A WAY THAT CENTERS THIS SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES IN WAYS THAT WE HAVE YET TO SEE FROM THIS COUNCIL. SO THANK YOU. THE CHAIR AGAIN, I JUST CONSIDER AGAIN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP WE'RE TAKING. IT'S ONE THAT WE TAKE EVERY YEAR WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THIS YEAR TO SAVE $3 ON EVERY $1,000 OF ASSESSED VALUE MOVING IT FROM OVER $15 TO OVER $12. SO THIS IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT STEP THAT WE'RE TAKING. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT ELSE THAT'S GOING ON HERE AND I HAVE SHARED AND IT'S BEEN IN THE MEDIA HOW UPSET I'VE BEEN WITH THE SENATE BECAUSE I THINK IF YOU REPRESENT BOSTON YOU NEED TO REPRESENT BOSTONIANS. YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE AND FOR YOUNG FAMILIES AND LOW INCOME SENIORS IN MY DISTRICT. THE LACK OF ACTION FROM THE SENATE IT HAS A RIPPLE EFFECT. IT HAS A DESTABILIZING EFFECT. AND I JUST WANT TO POINT BACK TO A LETTER WE RECEIVED FROM THE MAYOR LAST YEAR IN ORDER THE TAX SHIFT THAT WAS PROPOSED FROM THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WE PASSED THIS COUNCIL THREE TIMES IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF RELIEF FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON RESIDENTS WE WOULD HAVE TO CUT 2200 JOBS. I HAVE NEVER FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS COUNCIL SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD CUT 2200 JOBS OF CITY WORKERS, OF UNION WORKERS, OF PEOPLE THAT WORK HARD FOR OUR CITY. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BUDGET DISCUSSION NEXT YEAR BECAUSE PEOPLE SHOW UP IN THIS CHAMBER DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT SEASONS. SO I'M HERE FOR RESIDENTS, I'M HERE FOR HARDWORKING HOMEOWNERS WHO HAVE DONE EVERYTHING TO BUILD BUILD OUR CITY. AND AS WE ENTER INTO THESE CONVERSATIONS I REALLY DO BELIEVE THIS TAX SHIFT CONVERSATION HAS BEEN A MEDIA CONVERSATION. IT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS. SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD OUR COLLEAGUES IN GOVERNMENT SAY TO THE MEDIA. SO I'M NOT GOING TO BE SHY. I'M GOING TO STAND UP FOR RESIDENTS. I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS IN MY DISTRICT KNOW THAT I'M HERE TO STABILIZE THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN STAY IN MY DISTRICT. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE GOING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE STATED. THIS IS THE ROUTINE VOTE THAT THIS BODY TAKES ON TAX CLASSIFICATION. SO IT'S A ROUTINE VOTE AND THERE'S A RELATIONSHIP TO THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP TO THE HOMEOWNER PETITIONS THAT HAVE MADE THEIR WAY TO THE STATE HOUSE BUT HAVE NOT GONE ANY FURTHER IN THE SENATE. IT'S BECAUSE OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS RESIDENTS HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THEIR RESIDENTIAL TAX BILL. THE CFO FOR THE CITY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER ASHLEY GOFFMAN BERGER HAS A REALLY INTERESTING GRAPH THAT SHOWS YOU OVER TIME THERE WAS A TIME WHERE THE SPLIT WAS OF THE PROPERTY TAXES COLLECTED BY THE CITY. 70% WERE FOR COMING FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND 30% FROM RESIDENTIAL. IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER TIME WE'RE COMING VERY CLOSE TO A POINT WHERE RESIDENTS ARE SHOULDERING 50% OF THE TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES THAT ARE COLLECTED BY THE CITY. THAT IS WHAT'S CREATING AN UNDUE BURDEN AND WHY THE HOME RULE PETITIONS WENT FORWARD NOT SAYING THAT THERE WASN'T GOING TO BE A RESIDENTIAL TAX INCREASE BUT TO BLUNT THE INCREASE THAT THEY THAT OUR RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE. THAT'S WHY THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THIS DOCKET AND THE HUMMEL PETITIONS BUT THIS IS THE WORK THAT THE BODY DOES EVERY YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED TO BY LAW OTHERWISE IT'S A FLAT TAX RATE SO THAT WE CAN DO THE WORK OF THE CITY PAY FOR STREETS BEING PAVED, PAY FOR STREET LIGHTS, PAY FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, PAY FOR OUR SCHOOLS ALL OF WHICH ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AS WE YOU KNOW, DO THE IMPORTANT WORK OF AND DIFFICULT WORK OF LOOKING WHERE WE CAN SAVE COST OF CUTTING DOWN ON BUREAUCRACY WHICH IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT OF DOING THE VERY, VERY HARD WORK OF A SCHOOL CONSOLIDATIONS WHICH WILL LEAD TO A MORE EFFICIENT SCHOOLS WHICH WILL ALSO HOPEFULLY LEAD TO A LOWER LEAD TO LOWER COST. SO ALL OF THERE'S NO ONE THING THAT IS GOING TO SOLVE THIS AS WE KNOW FROM ALL THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT DIFFERENT ISSUES. IT'S A NUMBER OF THINGS BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN MISINFORMATION OR MISREPORTING THAT THIS IS THE WORK OF THE COUNCIL ENGAGES IN EVERY YEAR TO SET THE TAX CLASSIFICATION AND THE HOME RULE PETITIONS THAT WE'VE WORKED ON IS TO TRY TO BLOCK THE EFFECT OF THE TAX INCREASE THAT OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE TOO OFTEN HOUSE RICH BUT CASH POOR CAN'T INTERNALIZE BECAUSE OF THE COST OF LIVING. SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS AS I'VE DONE THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT AND TO WORK WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE STATE HOUSE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN REDUCE THE TAX BURDEN ON OUR RESIDENTS. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? COUNCILOR AROUND THE CHAIR OF WAYS AND MEANS SEEKS ADOPTION OF DOCKET NUMBER 2045 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR AT THE CHAIR LIKE ME ALWAYS MEANS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 2045 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAYING THEY DOUBT THE VOTE. OKAY, MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL VOTE ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKING NUMBER 2045 COUNT CELEBRATING YES. COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCILOR CARLOS ZAPATA. COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PARTY YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR DURKAN YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN YES. COUNCILOR WHO IS IN YES COUNCIL LOUISIANA HAS COUNCILOR ME HERE. COUNCILOR ME HERE YES. COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR PER PAN COUNCIL OF OPINIONS. SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR WEBER COUNCILOR WEBER YES AND COUNCILOR WORLD YES. COUNCILOR WELL YES. TALKING NUMBER 2045 HAS RECEIVED A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE THANK YOU. DOCKET NUMBER 2045 HAS PASSED. MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1453 DOCKET NUMBER 14534 TO SUBMIT A PETITION TO THE MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF REGISTRATION IN PHARMACY. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNTRY CLUB AS A PART OF THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THIS DOCKET IS A PETITION NOT A HOME RULE PETITION BUT A PETITION TO THE MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF REGISTRATION AND PHARMACY PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE OF MASSACHUSETTS REGULATIONS. IT WAS SPONSORED ORIGINALLY BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND REFERRED TO THIS COMMITTEE ON AUGUST 4TH UNDER GENERA LAW 38 SECTION FOUR ANY INTERESTED PERSON MAY PETITION A STATE AGENCY REQUESTING THE ADOPTION AMENDMENT OR REPEAL OF ANY REGULATION AND MAY ACCOMPANY THE PETITION WITH SUCH PERTINENT DATA VIEWS AND ARGUMENTS ACCORDINGLY IN RESPONSE TO INCREASING INSTANCES OF PHARMACY CLOSURES ACROSS THE CITY. THIS DOCKET REQUESTS THAT THE BOARD TO STRENGTHEN THE COMMONWEALTH'S REGULATORY FRAMEWORK GOVERNING PHARMACY CLOSURES. SPECIFICALLY THE PETITION PROPOSES AMENDMENTS TO TWO 247 CR SECTION 6.13 WHICH REGULATES PHARMACY CLOSURES. THIS PROPOSAL THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS WOULD REQUIRE PHARMACIES TO PROVIDE NO LESS THAN 120 DAYS ADVANCE NOTICE PRIOR TO PERMANENT CLOSURES AS OPPOSED TO THE BOARD'S CURRENT 14 DAY REQUIREMENT. WE HELD A WORKING SESSION ON DECEMBER EIGHT, 20, 25. THE COMMITTEE HEARD TESTIMONY FROM SHAGUN ATWAL CHIEF OF OF THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION DR. PRISCILLA OJUKWU, COMMISSIONER OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AND PJ MCCANN, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR POLICY AND PLANNING FROM THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION. DURING THE WORKING SESSION THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE LANGUAGE OF THE PROPOSED PETITION AND EXAMINED THE PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF PHARMACY CLOSURES AND REGULATORY ADJUSTMENTS NECESSARY TO STRENGTHEN SAFEGUARDS FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS. WE DISCUSSED RECENT DATA FROM THE STUDY SHOWING A SIGNIFICANT NET LOSS OF PHARMACIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY SINCE 2018. IT WAS NOTED THAT SINCE SINCE 2018 THE CITY HAS EXPERIENCED 41 PHARMACY CLOSURES. ADMIN REPRESENTATIVES TESTIFIED THAT SUCH CLOSURES HAVE DISRUPTED ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL MEDICATION. CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT AND VACCINATION SERVICES. UNDERSCORING THAT PHARMACIES FUNCTION AS A CRITICAL FRONTLINE HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR MANY RESIDENTS IT WAS CONSENSUS OF THE COMMITTEE THAT EXTENDING THE NOTICE REQUIREMENT FROM 14 DAYS TO 120 DAYS WAS NECESSARY TO REDUCE ABRUPT SERVICE GAPS AND TO ENSURE CONTINUITY OF CARE PARTICULARLY IN COMMUNITIES WITH HIGHER HEALTH EQUITY BURDENS. IN REVIEWING THE LANGUAGE THE COMMITTEE THE COMMITTEE FOCUSED ON MAKING PROVISIONS THAT WOULD IMPROVE FLAHERTY, ENFORCEABILITY AND CONSISTENCY. DISCUSSION FIRST CENTERED ON INCORPORATING A NEW MUNICIPAL MUNICIPALITY NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT WHICH WOULD OBLIGATE PHARMACIES TO NOTIFY NOT ONLY THE STATE BOARD OF REGISTRATION A PHARMACY BUT ALSO THE RELEVANT MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY SUCH AS THE CITY CLERK, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR EQUIVALENT CITY AND TOWN OFFICIAL COUNCILORS AGREED THAT MUNICIPAL NOTIFICATION WOULD BE BETTER EQUIPPED SEE DEPARTMENTS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS TO ALERT RESIDENTS COORDINATE TRANSITION PLANNING AND MITIGATE THE SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCESS TO PRESCRIPTION SERVICES. ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ADDRESS THE SCOPE OF INFORMATION THAT SHOULD ACCOMPANY A PHARMACY'S NOTICE INCLUDING CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE PHARMACIST IN CHARGE. THE MANAGER OF RECORD AND THE PROPERTY OWNER OR LANDLORD. AS TESTIMONY INDICATED THAT LANDLORDS ARE OFTEN AWARE OF CLOSURE DECISION MONTHS IN ADVANCE AND CAN PLAY A MEANINGFUL ROLE IN ENSURING TIMELY COMMUNICATION. THE ADMIN ALSO RECOMMENDED INCLUDING INFORMATION ON REMAINING LEASE TERMS TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILITY EFFORTS FOLLOWING A CLOSURE WITH RESPECT TO PATIENT NOTICE REQUIREMENTS. WE DISCUSSED PRACTICAL CHALLENGES PATIENTS OFTEN FACE UPON PHARMACY CLOSURES LIKE FINDING NEW MODES OF TRANSPORTATION AND NAVIGATING INSURANCE OBSTACLES . EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF ROBUST REGULATIONS THAT GIVE PATIENTS ENOUGH TIME TO PLAN. IT WAS NOTICED CURRENT REGULATIONS REQUIRE PHARMACIES TO DISPLAY INCONSPICUOUS PUBLIC NOTICING OR PUBLIC POSTING AT THE PHARMACY RATHER ITSELF. HOWEVER, THE PHARMACIES NEED ONLY A TENT TO PERSONALLY NOTIFY PATIENTS OF AN UPCOMING CLOSURE. THE COMMITTEE AGREED THAT LANGUAGE SHOULD BE REVISED TO STATE THAT PHARMACIES MUST NOTIFY PATIENTS AND FURTHER THAT THE PROPOSED 120 DAY PERIOD SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD AS A MINIMUM NOTICE STANDARD. THE COMMITTEE CONCLUDED ITS REVIEW WITH THE INTENT TO ADVANCE A PETITION IN A NEW DRAFT THAT REFLECTS SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS DISCUSSED DURING THIS WORKING SESSION. SO AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE OF GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EVERYBODY HAS SUMMARY OF AMENDMENTS IN THE COMMITTEE REPORT, I RECOMMEND MOVING THIS LISTED DOCKET TO THIS COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION OF FORMAL ACTION AND AT THIS TIME MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT AFTER PASSING A NEW DRAFT I JUST WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AS WELL AS HER STAFF FOR HER WORK ON THIS MY STAFF AS WELL AS MEGAN'S FOR ENSURING THAT THIS PETITION IS FULLY REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND ENSURING THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON IS WELL EQUIPPED AND PROTECTED SHOULD THIS HAPPEN IN IN ANY GIVEN NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE CANCER OF THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MR CHAIR. AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PARTNER FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING PRESENT AND I WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS A DOCKET THAT REALLY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SINCE LAST YEAR WHEN THIS BODY FIRST HELD A HEARING ABOUT PHARMACY CLOSURES LED BY FORMER COUNCILOR TANIA FERNANDO ANDERSON AND REALLY WORKING ALONGSIDE HER CONSTITUENTS TO GET THIS TO THIS PLACE BECAUSE WE MANY OF US STOOD OUTSIDE OF THE WALGREENS ACROSS FROM BOSTON LIGHT ACADEMY WHICH THE CHAIR SHARED IS A WALGREENS THAT WHEN SHE WAS IN SCHOOL I SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT. BUT IT'S ONE THAT MEANS A LOT TO SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO WERE GETTING THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS FROM FROM THERE. SO FOLLOWING OUR WORKING SESSION AND THE REPORT BEFORE YOU I'M PROUD TO MOVE THIS PETITION FORWARD ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. IT'S NOT A FORMAL PETITION. WE'RE NOT SENDING IT TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE. WE'RE ACTUALLY SENDING THIS TO THE PHARMACY BOARD URGING THEM TO ENGAGE IN RULEMAKING SO THAT THEY CAN CHANGE THE NOTICE PERIOD FROM 1414 DAYS TO 120 DAYS TO GIVE MORE NOTICE TO OUR RESIDENTS WHEN THERE'S A PHARMACY CLOSURE HAPPENING. AND I WANT TO THANK CHIEF IT ALL FOR BEING PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND BECAUSE AN IMPORTANT ADDITION TO THIS PETITION IS REQUIRING NOTICE TO MUNICIPALITIES. OFTENTIMES IT'S HARD TO FIGURE OUT OKAY, WHO'S THE LANDLORD, WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THIS? IS IT GOING TO BE A MARKET? IT'S GOING TO BE A MARKET WHERE WE CAN MAYBE HAVE SOME SORT OF PHARMACEUTICAL OPTION. AND SO HAVING THAT NOTICE REQUIREMENT WILL ALSO ALLOW THE CITY TO NOTIFY RESIDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE EVENT THAT THEY DON'T RECEIVE THE NOTICE OR FOR SOMETHING HAVE THEIR AT A DIFFERENT ADDRESS AND DON'T RECEIVE IT FROM THE PHARMACY. SO I WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR STRENGTHENING THIS PETITION AND THIS EFFORT ARISES FROM A GROWING PATTERN WE'VE SEEN ACROSS BOSTON AND THE COMMONWEALTH. PHARMACIES CLOSING WITH LITTLE NOTICE LEAVING VULNERABLE RESIDENTS TOO OFTEN BLACK AND BROWN AND POOR WITHOUT ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL MEDICATION VACCINATIONS OR CALLED CONSULTATIONS. AND ESPECIALLY IN THIS ERA OF WHAT'S LEFT IS RIGHT. VACCINATIONS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AT OUR PHARMACIES AND WE ARE SEEING LESS OF THAT WITH THESE CLOSURES. THESE ARE NOT ORDINARY RETAIL BUSINESSES FOR MANY PHARMACIES ARE THE MOST ACCESSIBLE, ACCESSIBLE AND SOMETIMES ONLY POINT OF CARE. AND SO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING WE HEARD AT THE WORKING SESSION FROM DR. MARCELLO BUSOLA OJUKWU. DO WE HAVE HAD A NET LOSS COVID 19 PHARMACIES FROM 2018 TO 2025 AND 2024 TO 2025 ALONE IT WAS 16. SO WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE. THIS NOTICE REQUIREMENT CAN ALSO ALLOW US TO TRY TO BE AS PROACTIVE AS POSSIBLE AND GETTING SOMEONE ON THE PROPERTY WHO IS POTENTIALLY A PHARMACY AND WE'VE TALKED ON THIS BODY ABOUT CO-OPERATIVE PHARMACIES ABOUT SUPPORTING DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT PHARMACIES AS WE DO THE HARD WORK OF MEDICAL COSTS THAT ARE RISING AND REIMBURSEMENT RATES THAT AREN'T SUFFICIENT. BUT THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO SORT OF TO ENSURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE CARE THAT THEY NEED. THIS DOES IT DO THAT. IT GIVES US MORE NOTICE BUT WITH THAT NOTICE HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE INTERVENTIONS TO PROVIDE MORE PHARMACEUTICAL OPTIONS FOR RESIDENTS. SO AGAIN I WANT TO THANK BOTH THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION COMMISSIONER DR. BISOLA OJUKWU ,DEPUTY COMMISSIONER PJ MCCANN AND SHE TOO I WANT TO THANK DANIELLE WILLIAMS 5 MILLION TIMES BECAUSE SHE STAYED ON US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD GET TO THIS POINT TO PASS THIS PETITION AND WHEN SHE WASN'T HEARING FROM US WE WERE WE WERE HEARING FROM HER AND ONE OF THE BIG ADVOCATE LE PETIT WILLIE WEBB WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PETITION AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE AT PROPHETIC RESISTANCE BOSTON. I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR INCOMING DISTRICT SEVEN CITY COUNCILOR REVEREND CULPEPER WHO IS SOMEONE I'VE MET WITH ABOUT THIS PETITION. AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S WORKING ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS A HARD ONE. IT IS PATTERNS OF DISINVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT CREATE PHARMACEUTICAL DESERTS AND TOO MANY OF OUR VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES CAN'T AFFORD IT. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO FOLLOWING THIS WORK AND MOVING IT FORWARD. AND I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AS WELL BECAUSE WITH THE PETITION DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE THE MAYOR'S SIGNATURE BUT HAVING THE MAYOR'S SIGNATURE ON THIS I THINK WILL STRENGTHEN IT AND HOPEFULLY FORCE THEIR HAND TO ENGAGE IN SOME RULEMAKING. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE WORK OF THE OFFICE OF PHARMACEUTICAL POLICY AND ANALYSIS OFFICE OF HEALTH RESOURCE PLANNING BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN PUTTING OUT SOME REALLY GOOD RESEARCH AROUND THE ISSUES AROUND PHARMACY CLOSING. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND MR CHAIR, COULD I ASK A QUESTION EITHER TO THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT OR TO THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS CHAIR THROUGH THE CHAIR. IF COUNCILOR CLAUDIA ZAPATA CHOOSES TO RESPOND, PLEASE PROCEED. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND I KNOW WE'VE I KNOW COLLEAGUES HAVE MENTIONED PHARMACIES HAVE HAVE CLOSED AND THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES ABOUT THE IMPACT IT HAS HAD ON RESIDENTS BUT HAS THERE BEEN ANY STUDIES ON WHY THEY ARE CLOSING IN CERTAIN AREAS OR NEIGHBORHOODS AND IS THAT INFORMATION PUBLIC AND DO WE KNOW GOING FORWARD HOW WE PREVENT CLOSURES FROM HAPPENING NOT TRULY A PETITION BUT IS THERE ANYTHING ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S HAPPENING THAT'S THAT THESE PHARMACIES ARE CLOSING BECAUSE OF IS IT CERTAIN IS IT DEMOGRAPHICS? IS IT IS IT OTHER AREAS? IS IT ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION FOR RESIDENTS THAT THEY CAN'T GET THERE? BUT WHAT IS THE REASON THAT PHARMACIES ARE CLOSING IN BOSTON? THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THROUGH THE CHAIR COUNTY CLOSURES AS A PART OF YOUR CHOOSING TO RESPOND TO CLOSURES . THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN WHILE I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT ANSWER AS TO WHY A MAJOR CORPORATION LIKE WALGREENS OR CVS OR OR ANY OTHER ARE SPECIFICALLY CLOSING, I WOULD POINT YOU TO A BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION REPORT THAT WAS RELEASED THIS OCTOBER AND IT'S ENTITLED WHEN THE CLOSEST PHARMACY IS TOO FAR MAPPING PHARMACY DESERTS IN MASSACHUSETTS. WE DID GET INFORMATION FROM THE BPH SEE THAT DISCUSSED WHEN THEY WERE CLOSING BUT THEN ALSO WHEN THEY WERE OPENING I BELIEVE IN THIS REPORT THAT YOU MAY BE FINDING SOME OF THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE BUT WE DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC DATA. WE CAN ANECDOTALLY TALK ABOUT IT AND I'LL PASS IT TO THE LEAD SPONSOR BUT I DO JUST WANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO THAT REPORT THAT WAS JUST RELEASED IN 2025. I'M HAPPY TO SEND IT TO YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE. COUNCILOR THE FLOOR IS YOURS. YEAH. I MEAN I THINK PART OF THE REASON AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT LIKE THIS IS HEALTH CARE. IF WE DO HAVE A PROFIT INCENTIVE IN HEALTH CARE AND YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE REIMBURSEMENTS PHARMACIES AREN'T GETTING THE REIMBURSEMENT RATES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE THE PREFERRED REIMBURSEMENT RATES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THE PRESCRIPTIONS THAT THEY ARE FILLING. AND SO WE SEE THIS HAPPENING IN CORNFIELDS IN ROXBURY ALL OF THESE PHARMACIES IN THE CHAIN PHARMACIES THAT AREN'T ABLE TO TURN THE PROFIT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE. THIS REPORT HAS BEEN HIGHLIGHTED BY A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES. SO I MEAN I'LL READ SO STRAIGHT FROM THE REPORT IT SAYS ONE WAY TO PREVENT CLOSURES IS THROUGH PAYMENT REFORM TO ENSURE THAT INSURANCE INSURERS COMPENSATE PHARMACISTS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE INDEPENDENT OR PART OF A CHAIN BECAUSE INDEPENDENT PHARMACIES RECEIVE EVEN LESS THAN CHAIN PHARMACIES AND THEY NEED TO RECEIVE A FAIR AMOUNT FOR DISPENSING DRUGS. INSURANCE COULD BE PART OF THE SOLUTION BY EXPANDING PREFERRED PHARMACY NETWORKS SO CONSUMERS HAVE MORE OPTIONS TO FIND A NEW PHARMACY INSURANCE CARD INSURANCE COULD ALSO COVER MEDICATION FOR A LARGER NUMBER OF DAYS IF A PRESCRIPTION IS FILLED AT A PHARMACY THAT'S ABOUT TO CLOSE SO THAT PATIENTS HAVE MORE TIME TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS COULD CONTRIBUTE BY EXPANDING PHARMACY SERVICES IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. SO I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S A MONEY PROBLEM OR QUERY WHETHER AND I DON'T BELIEVE IT SHOULD MONEY SHOULD HAVE SUCH A ROLE IN WHAT IS A NECESSITY, WHAT IS HEALTH CARE IF ANYONE'S HAD I MEAN NAVIGATING INSURANCE COMPANIES AND MEDICATION IS A NIGHTMARE. AND SO I THINK IT'S MORE OF US FINDING OUT HOW DO WE HOW DO WE SUPPORT PHARMACIES THAT NEED TO GET BETTER RATES FROM INSURANCE COMPANIES AND HOW DO WE GET INSURANCE COMPANIES TO HAVE MORE PREFERRED PHARMACIES SO THAT RESIDENTS CAN GO TO PHARMACIES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS? I THINK IT'S A BIT MORE THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLEXITIES TO THAT AND WE PROBABLY NEED TO HEAR FROM PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS MORE ABOUT WHAT ARE THE INTERVENTIONS THAT WE CAN DO HERE IN THE CITY LEVEL. YOU KNOW, THAT HAS TO BE JERROLD FILED A HEARING ORDER ON THIS AND THE KINDS OF CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING WILL CONTINUE BECAUSE THESE ARE HARD ISSUES I WANT TO SUPPORT COOPERATIVE MODELS FOR PHARMACIES. I WANT TO FIND OUT WAYS TO TAKE OUT THE PROFIT MODEL SO THAT WE CAN JUST DO WHAT OUR RESIDENTS NEED IS AND MAKE SURE THEY GET THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR THAT QUESTION. I KNOW I'M A PATIENT AT THE SOUTH BOSTON COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER AND THEY HAVE EXPANDED THEIR PHARMACY SERVICES AND MANY OF OUR HEALTH CENTERS ACROSS THE CITY HAVE. I KNOW MY NEW GRANDSON IS UP IN PONCE AT HEALTH CENTER AND BEFORE I WOULD SEND IT OFF TO WALGREENS OR CVS BUT NOW YOU CAN GET EVERYTHING IN. SO I THINK IT'S JUST A REMINDER THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS TO STEP UP FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA AND MADAM PRESIDENT FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS WORK. ALSO THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATE FOR LEADING ORGANIZATIONS. AND THEN ALSO JUST TO BRINGING THIS FORWARD. MY DISTRICT HAS BEEN HIT HARD BY PHARMACY CLOSURES AND RESIDENTS DESERVE MORE THAN LAST MINUTE RESOURCES NOTICES. WHEN A PHARMACY DECIDES TO LEAVE ALSO JUST SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCILOR MURPHY SAID, I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT THE WORK OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTERS WITH STEPPING IN AND ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK THAT MY BROTHER STATE REPRESENTATIVE WARREN HAS BEEN DOING ON THE STATE STATE LEVEL ON STRENGTHENING NOTICE REQUIREMENTS. WE CAN'T NOT KEEP LETTING PHARMACIES PUT PROFITS OVER PATIENTS AND I HOPE THIS PETITION ADVANCES LONG TERM PROTECTIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES . THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE COMMITTEE REPORT AND OF THE DOCKET NUMBER 1453 IN A NEW DRAFT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I. MR CLAIR, CAN YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL VOTE ROLL CALL VOTE ON NUMBER ONE FOUR OR FIVE THREE COUNCILOR BREADON YES, COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PARTNER. COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PARTNER, YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN COUNCILOR DURKAN YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR FLYNN YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. YES. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR PIPPIN. COUNCIL OF OPINION YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR WEBER. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. AND COUNCILOR WORRELL YES. COUNCILOR WORRELL YES. TALKING NUMBER 1453 HAS RECEIVED A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1453 HAS PASSED AND IN YOUR DRAFT, MR. CLERK, PLEASE BE DARK IN NUMBER 0161 DOCKER NUMBER 0161 ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EXPLORE AMENDING THE BOSTON ZONING CODE TO REMOVE PARKING MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKAN THE CHAIR THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION . YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL HEARING YESTERDAY ON EXPLORING ELIMINATING PARKING MINIMUMS FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. I JOKED THAT I HAD SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST BUT IN MY BIASED OPINION IT WAS TRULY ONE OF OUR BEST HEARINGS OF THE YEAR. IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO BE JOINED BY ALMOST ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCILORS AND TIANA PEPEN, WEBER FITZGERALD LOUIJEUNE, GLADYS ZAPATA, MURPHY FLYNN HERE AND WE'RE ALL AND I RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR BREADON FROM THE ADMINISTRATION WE WERE JOINED BY DEVIN QUIRK, JEFF THOMAS AND JIM FITZGERALD. WE ALSO HEARD THE PANEL OF EXPERTS AND ADVOCATES INCLUDING DANIEL HIRSCH'S FROM PARKING REFORM NETWORK HENRY CROWBAR, AUTHOR OF PAVED PARADISE, JESSE HANSON BENTON OF FROM AFFORDABLE HOUSING MASSACHUSETTS, A DECISION MAKER FROM METROPOLITAN AREA PLANNING COUNCIL AND ERIC ROBINSON, PRINCIPAL AND CO-FOUNDER OF BOSTON BASED RHODY ARCHITECTS. WE ALSO HEARD TESTIMONY FROM COUNCILOR BRIAN AZEEM OF CAMBRIDGE. THE ADMINISTRATION SHARED THAT THEY WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THE CONVERSATION BUT WITHHELD ENDORSING THE POLICY OF ELIMINATING THEM AT ONCE AS THEY ARE DOING THIS WORK AS THEY GO THROUGH PLANNING PROCESSES I PUSH BACK AT THE SPEED OF REZONING THOUGH ACKNOWLEDGING A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE, THE DATA SHARED FROM ADVOCATES AND EXPERTS SHARE THAT THIS ISN'T A SOLVABLE. ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS SAID YESTERDAY WAS THAT THE DAY YOU WAKE UP AFTER PARKING MINIMUMS ARE ELIMINATED, THE CITY IS THE SAME AND THERE WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT A LOT OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT WE HAVE IN BOSTON TODAY WAS BUILT WITHOUT THESE COSTLY PARKING MANDATES. THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS SURROUNDING THIS ISSUE. THE TESTIMONY WE HEARD YESTERDAY HELPED DISPEL COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS AND CLARIFIED WHAT MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS ACTUALLY ARE AND WHAT THIS CONVERSATION IS REALLY ABOUT ELIMINATING COSTLY MANDATES THAT FORCE DEVELOPERS TO BUILD PARKING EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT NEEDED WHICH INCREASES RENTS AND HOME PRICES FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS. THIS REFORM DOES NOT ELIMINATE PARKING IT SIMPLY REMOVES ARBITRARY BARRIERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THAT SLOW DOWN HOUSING PRODUCTION AND PROVIDES THE FLEXIBILITY TO BUILD WHAT MAKES MORE SENSE FOR EACH PROJECT AND EACH NEIGHBORHOOD. I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ALSO HAD EXPERTS IN THE ROOM WHO ACTUALLY WORK ON DEVELOPMENT. SO I WANT TO THANK A MENTION FROM SAMUELS, AN ASSOCIATE. AND I WANT TO THANK SOME OF THE OTHER TESTIMONY WE RECEIVED. I ALSO WANT TO THANK SPECIFICALLY HAVING AN ARCHITECT ON THE PANEL I THINK ADDED A LOT TO THE NUANCE. HEARING THAT AN ABOVE GROUND GROUND PARKING SPACE CAN COST $50,000 AND A BELOW GROUND PARKING SPACE CAN COST OVER $150,000 I THINK WAS EYE OPENING FOR A LOT OF US. I UNDERSTAND THAT PARKING IS POLITICALLY CENTER SENSITIVE AND WE DEFINITELY HEARD THAT YESTERDAY. WE ALL FEEL BEHOLDEN TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE REPRESENT THEIR INTERESTS WELL. MOVING THIS FORWARD WOULD BE ABOUT CLARIFYING THIS CONVERSATION. WE MUST SEPARATE THE ISSUE OF CURB SPACE FROM THE UNNECESSARY PRIVATE PARKING LOTS AND GARAGES THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY SERVING OUR CITY. HEARING FROM THE METROPOLITAN AREA PLANNING COUNCIL THERE WAS GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT UTILIZATION OF THESE THIS PARKING GET THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THEY FOUND IN THEIR PERFECT STUDY IN 2019 THAT 29% ARE SORRY 16. THERE WAS AN 69% OCCUPANCY IN THE BUILDINGS THAT THEY DID THROUGHOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT MEANS THAT EVEN IN ENVIRONMENTS WHERE THERE ESSENTIALLY DEVELOPERS ARE BUILDING TOO MUCH PARKING AND PARKING DURING DURING THE HOURS WE'RE PARKING AT NIGHT. SORRY GET ME A LITTLE LOST HERE. BUT WE LEARNED YESTERDAY THAT THIS REFORM IS ACTUALLY MORE POPULAR AMONG BOSTON RESIDENTS THAN MANY ASSUME. WE HEARD FROM OVER 25 PEOPLE IN PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND RECEIVE 60 PLUS LETTERS IN SUPPORT THE SUPERMAJORITY OF THE FEEDBACK WAS POSITIVE. I ALSO PRESENTED BOSTON BASED POLLING THAT THIS ISSUE SHOWED THAT THE MAJORITY OF BOSTON RESIDENTS SUPPORT THIS REFORM. WHILE WE HAVE CONVENED TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO DISCUSS THE NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE FACING BOSTON RESIDENTS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. YESTERDAY'S CONVERSATION MADE IT CLEAR THAT ELIMINATING COSTLY PARKING MANDATES IS A SIMPLE STEP THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL CAN TAKE TO IMMEDIATELY PROGRESS ON THIS ISSUE. IT ALSO REQUIRES POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND MAYBE POTENTIALLY TAKING SOME POLITICAL HITS. I DON'T KNOW THAT ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE WILLING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION BUT THIS WAS JUST THE BEGINNING AND I THINK THAT WE HEARD. I APPRECIATE. A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM NAOC THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE, THE FOLKS THAT WERE REPRESENT THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY. WE KNOW THAT RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE BEING PUSHED OUT OF THE CITY AND AT THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS IN THE CITY IS TOO HIGH. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A WAY TO REFORM. WE HAVE AN EASY WAY TO REFORM AND AND I'M EXCITED TO REBOOT THIS IN THE NEW YEAR. THIS WORK IS URGENT AND BOSTONIANS CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT FOR CHANGE NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD OR ARTICLE BY ARTICLE. YESTERDAY'S HEARING WAS THE START OF A CONVERSATION. WE KNOW THERE ARE MANY CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO BE HAD ABOUT BOSTON'S OUTDATED ZONING CODE. I HOPE THAT WE CAN BUILD CONSENSUS ON THIS COUNCIL AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN THE COST OF HOUSING. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS WORK IN THE NEW YEAR. I HUMBLY RESPECT THAT. BEFORE THE CLERK DOES IT AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT WE PLACE THIS ON FILE SINCE THERE'S NO OTHER WAY FOR US TO WORK ON IT THIS YEAR. THANK YOU. I WOULD STILL SAY WE'RE REMAINING COMMITTED AND THEN HE'LL DO HIS THING. THE AND HIS COUNCILMEMBER BE ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. HOUSING MUST BE A PRIORITY BUT ELIMINATING ALL PARKING MINIMUMS IS EXTREME AND I BELIEVE IGNORES NEIGHBORHOOD REALITIES. BOSTON DESPERATELY NEEDS MORE HOUSING. WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE UNITS, MORE OPTIONS FOR FAMILIES AND SENIORS AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR TEACHERS, NURSES, FIRST RESPONDERS, CITY WORKERS AND WORKING PEOPLE TO STAY IN THE CITY THEY LOVE. HOUSING HAS TO BE A PRIORITY IF WE WANT BOSTON TO REMAIN LIVABLE, EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE. BUT SUPPORTING MORE HOUSING DOES NOT MEAN ABANDONING COMMON SENSE ELIMINATING RESIDENTIAL PARKING MINIMUMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY TO ME IS EXTREME. IT GOES FAR BEYOND MODERN IZATION. IT IGNORES HOW PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT RISKS CREATING NEW BURDENS FOR THE VERY FAMILIES WE ARE TRYING TO HELP. BOSTON IS A CITY OF DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. WHAT WORKS IN THE SEAPORT OR ALONG MAJOR TRANSIT CORRIDORS DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY WORK IN HIGH PARK, WEST ROXBURY, ALLSTON, BRIGHTON, EAST BOSTON OR MATTAPAN. FOR MANY RESIDENTS A CAR IS NOT A LIFESTYLE CHOICE IT IS A NECESSITY. NURSES AND HOME HEALTH AIDES WORK OVERNIGHT SHIFTS. GRANDPARENTS CARE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN TRADESPEOPLE CARRY EQUIPMENT FROM JOB TO JOB. MANY WORKERS BEGIN BEFORE THE FIRST TRAIN AND AFTER THE LAST ONE LEAVES. PUBLIC TRANSIT DOES NOT MEET EVERY NEED OR SCHEDULE. IF THE CITY ELIMINATES ALL PARKING MINIMUMS WHICH DOES NOT MEAN EVEN THOUGH THERE SEEM TO BE SOME CONFUSION YESTERDAY THAT PEOPLE THOUGHT IT MEANT ELIMINATING ALL PARKING TOGETHER THAT DEVELOPERS WILL NOT STOP PEOPLE FROM OWNING CARS. THEY WILL SIMPLY STOP BUILDING PARKING AND AS A RESULT MORE CARS WILL SPILL ON TO ALREADY CROWDED NEIGHBORHOODS STREETS. THAT IS NOT SMART PLANNING. THAT IS NOT EQUITY AND IT IS NOT FAIR TO THE FAMILIES WHO ALREADY STRUGGLE TO FIND A PLACE TO PARK NEAR THEIR OWN HOME. WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY ENCOURAGE TRANSIT ORIENTED TO DEVELOPMENT . WE SHOULD ALLOW FLEXIBILITY WHERE IT MAKES SENSE. WE SHOULD CONTINUE EXPLORING POLICIES THAT REDUCE COSTS AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH. BUT A BLANKET CITYWIDE ELIMINATION OF ALL PARKING MINIMUMS IS NOT THOUGHTFUL PLANNING. IT IS AN APPROACH THAT PLACES IDEOLOGY ABOVE REALITY. A BETTER PATH FORWARD INCLUDES FLEXIBLE PARKING REQUIRED SHIFTS BASED ON TRANSIT ACCESS INCENTIVES INSTEAD OF MANDATES FOR LOW PARKING DEVELOPMENTS. STRONG PARKING MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR PROJECTS THAT REDUCE PARKING IN REAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT FEEL THE DIRECT IMPACT. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO SUPPORT HOUSING PRODUCTION WITHOUT CREATING NEW PROBLEMS FOR RESIDENTS. WE CANNOT DO THAT BY PRETENDING EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN BOSTON CAN OR SHOULD LIVE WITHOUT A CAR. BOSTON DESERVES POLICIES THAT REFLECT OUR VALUES, OUR DIVERSITY AND THE DAY TO DAY REALITIES OF THE PEOPLE WHO CALL THIS CITY HOME. AND FOR THOSE REASONS I CANNOT SUPPORT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL ELIMINATION OF PARKING MINIMUMS IN THE CITY. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTROL AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. AND DISTRICT TWO I THINK PROBABLY 50% OF ALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING HAS BEEN BUILT IN DISTRICT TWO OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS THAN ANY ANY DISTRICT IN THE CITY. WE HAVE DONE OUR PART TO BUILD HOUSING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAINTAIN THE MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING CLASS FAMILIES IN THE CITY AS WELL. MANY WORKING CLASS FAMILIES DO NEED AN AUTOMOBILE TO TAKE THEIR CHILD TO DANCE RECITAL. THEY NEED TO TAKE THEIR CHILD TO AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM SUCH AS TUTORING. THEY'RE JUST NOT ABLE TO TAKE THEIR CAR TO TAKE THE EMPTY TO TO A PARTICULAR LOCATION. MANY PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT IN THE SOUTH END NEED THEIR AUTOMOBILE TO GO TO WORK AS WELL. RECORDING IN CHINATOWN MANY WORK AT RESTAURANTS AND THEY GET HOME LATE AT NIGHT AFTER AFTER THE RESTAURANT CLOSES AT ONE OR 2:00 IN THE MORNING AND MIGHT BE IN THE NOTCH IT MIGHT BE IN THE SOUTH SHORE. THE MBT IS NOT WORKING. THEY NEED AN AUTOMOBILE TO GET TO AND FROM WORK. LET'S NOT PENALIZE WORKING CLASS FAMILIES. A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE NEED A AUTOMOBILE TO SEE THEIR SICK MOTHER, A SICK FATHER OR A GRANDPARENT OR A GRANDPARENT NEEDS THEIR AUTOMOBILE TO PICK UP THEIR GRANDCHILD THAT THEY THEY BABYSIT FOR UNTIL THE PARENT COMES HOME FOR WORK. THERE'S ALL REASONS ALL DIFFERENT REASONS WHY PEOPLE NEED AN AUTOMOBILE TO GET AROUND AND WE CAN'T PENALIZE THEM FOR DOING THEIR JOB. THEY'RE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN TO HOLD THEIR FAMILY TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY DURING DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING TIMES. LET'S STOP MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THAT FAMILY TO STAY TOGETHER. OR THE OTHER OPTION IS TO MOVE TO THE SUBURBS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL MOVE TO THE SUBURBS. IF WE CONTINUE PENALIZE FAMILIES THAT NEED AN AUTOMOBILE TO GET AROUND THE CITY OR TO GET AROUND GREATER BOSTON AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR PIPPEN CASMIR PENN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THIS DOCKET THAT WILL BE REMAINING IN COMMITTEE COMPANY OF THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO RISE AND THANK THE CHAIR FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING YESTERDAY. IT WAS A VERY INFORMATIVE HEARING. I WANTED TO THANK ALSO THE THE ADMIN AND ALSO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT TESTIFIED AND PROVIDED TESTIMONY IN REGARDS TO THE TOPIC. IT WAS A VERY I THINK PARKING IS ALWAYS OUR ONE TOPIC THAT WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT IT'S VERY IT'S CONTROVERSIAL JUST BECAUSE PARKING REALLY IS AN ISSUE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS IN REGARDS TO BUILDING MORE HOUSING IT IS AN OBSTACLE TO BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. WHEN IT COMES TO THE REQUIREMENTS THERE ARE THERE HAVE BEEN MANY DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN STALLED IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THERE ISN'T ENOUGH PARKING SPACES BUT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS THAT AFFORDABLE UNITS WEREN'T ABLE TO BE BUILT AND TO SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES POINT ABOUT FAMILIES THINKING ABOUT MOVING OUT BECAUSE OF A LACK OF PARKING. THERE ARE ALREADY FAMILIES MOVING OUT BECAUSE OF A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO I THINK THAT THIS GOES VERY MUCH HAND-IN-HAND. AGAIN, I DO AGREE THAT THIS IS NOT THE SILVER BULLET THAT IS GOING TO SOLVE THE HOUSING SOLUTION FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS IN THE NEXT YEAR. SO I HOPE THAT WE REFILE THIS BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN ALREADY AREAS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WHERE WE HAVE GOTTEN RID OF PARKING MINIMUMS AND WE HAVE SEEN AN INFLUX OF AFFORDABLE UNITS OR JUST HOUSING IN GENERAL BEING BUILT BECAUSE OF GETTING RID OF THIS REQUIREMENT. AGAIN, THIS IS A CONVERSATION IS NOT ABOUT DO WE GET RID OF PARKING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON? IT'S ABOUT HOW DO WE TO REDUCE OBSTACLES THAT LEAD TO US PRODUCING HOUSING THAT COULD KEEP OUR FAMILIES HERE WHILE ALSO THINKING ABOUT CREATIVE WAYS? I BELIEVE COUNCILOR FLYNN HAS AN AMAZING IDEA IN THE FIRST HEARING ORDER THAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR IN THE NEXT CYCLE WHERE THAT IS A SOLUTION THAT COULD POTENTIALLY FIX SOME OF THE PARKING ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO I'M EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THAT IDEA AS WELL BUT WANTED TO JUST EXPRESS MY MY WELCOMING OF THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT'S A TOUGH ONE BUT IT'S ONE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR CAN I JUST CONCENTRATE AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT AND I THINK I'D LIKE TO REITERATE SOME OF THE POINTS THAT A COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR PEPEN MADE THE PARKING SPACES TO BUILD ONE PARKING SPACE IN A NEW DEVELOPMENT COST ANYWHERE BETWEEN 5000 AND $100,000 PER PARKING SPACE AND IF YOU HAVE TEN PARKING SPACES, THAT'S $1,000,000 RIGHT THERE. SO YEAH, NEVER MIND MY MATH NOT WORKING MY BRAIN'S NOT WORKING TODAY AND IT'S HUGE AS A HUGE EXPENSE THAT ADDS THAT REALLY MAKES IT TO BUILD HOUSING THAT FOLKS CAN AFFORD ALMOST PROHIBITIVE AND MANY RESIDENTS LIKE WE HAVE BUILDINGS AND ALSO TO BRIGHTEN THE PARKING SPACES AND THEY'RE EMPTY BECAUSE PEOPLE CHOOSE NOT TO USE THEM BECAUSE THEY COST ANYWHERE FROM 250 TO $400 A MONTH TO PARK THE CAR. SO AND PEOPLE WOULD RATHER HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY. DON'T NEED A PARKING SPACE. THEY DON'T WANT A PARKING SPACE AND THEY CHOOSE TO USE OTHER FOR OTHER MODES OF TRANSIT. I REALLY FEEL THAT WE'RE NOT PROPOSING TO BAN PARKING. WE'RE LOOKING TO TRY AND HAVE A MORE NUANCED RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE WITH REGARD TO PARKING VERSUS THE COST OF THAT AND HOW IT AMPLIFIES THAT THE COST OF BUILDING HOUSING BUT ALSO YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TYPES OF POPULATIONS REQUIRE DIFFERENT DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONS IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON WE HAVE BUILT A LOT OF HOUSING THAT IS TRANSIT ORIENTED AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE THE PERCENTAGE OF PARKING PLACES IN THOSE BUILDINGS QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY. I THINK THE CHALLENGE THEN IS TO TRY AND TRANSFER THAT SAVINGS FOR THE DEVELOPER ONTO THE RESIDENT AND YOU KNOW MAKE MAKE THE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE. AT THE END OF THE DAY WE NEED TO EXPLORE PARKING WITH REGARD TO MAIN STREETS DISTRICTS AS WELL LIKE LOOKING AT PARKING BENEFIT DISTRICTS, LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE UTILIZATION OF PARKING LOTS IN OUR MAIN STREETS AREAS THAT ARE VACANT ALL DAY ARE OWNED BY BANKS TO FIND SOME WAY TO INDEMNIFY THE BANKS IN TERMS OF LIABILITY SO THAT FOLKS COULD ACTUALLY WORKERS IN THE MAIN STREETS AREA COULD PARK IN THOSE SPACES SO THAT THE PARKING CONVERSATION GOES WAY BEYOND JUST RESIDENTIAL PARKING. IT GOES TO THE WHOLE THE WHOLE ISSUE OF PARKING ACROSS CITY AND DIFFERENT SPACES AND PLACES. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION IN THE NEW YEAR AND YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BROADEN IT AND LOOK AT IT IN A BIGGER ON A BIGGER A BIGGER CANVAS AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR BREADON AT THIS DOCKET IS REMAINING IN COMMITTEE. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE CHAIR. I KNOW YOU ARE THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. I AM TURNING TO YOU AS A CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE AND AS A SPONSOR TO SOME FINAL WORDS AND THEN WE ARE MOVING ON. THIS WILL REMAIN IN COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCILOR DURKAN. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK YOU DO SO NOW. I THINK THAT SOME PEOPLE WHEN THEY PUT THEIR LIGHT ON THEY'RE RESPECTED AND SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT. SO I'M JUST SAYING I WHEN I PUT MY LIGHT ON I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT SO I HEARD A LOT AT THE HEARING AND TODAY ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE NOT TO DO WITH THE ELIMINATION OF PARKING AMENDMENTS AND ARE NOT TO DO WITH ELIMINATING COSTLY PARKING MANDATES. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY IN THE NEW YEAR I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS. I ALSO WOULD LOVE IF FOLKS WHO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ON THESE ISSUES WOULD STAY FOR THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY I HAD YOU KNOW ESSENTIALLY LIKE 25 PEOPLE WHO ARE RESIDENTS NOT ALL OF MY DISTRICT ALL OVER ALL OVER THE CITY OF AUSTIN WHO HAD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THIS AND THEY COULD NOT CONVINCE ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T STAY TO HEAR THEM SPEAK. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY WE HEARD LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE LOWER COST OF HOUSING, WOULD LIKE PARKING FLEXIBILITY. THIS IS NOT ABOUT ELIMINATING PARKING. IT'S ABOUT RIGHT SIZING THE PARKING. ABOUT 30% OF SPACES ARE GOING VACANT RIGHT NOW AND UNLESS WE HAVE UNLESS MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL ARE ACTUALLY WILLING TO LISTEN TO THE DATA DO THE READING AND NOT READ THEIR OPENING STATEMENT WHEN THEY STAYED FOR 10 MINUTES OF THE HEARING LIKE YEAH, I REALLY THINK THAT THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT REQUIRES CARE REQUIRES NUANCE, REQUIRES US TO ACTUALLY LOOK WITHIN OURSELVES AND LOOK AT THE DATA BE PROFESSIONAL. YEAH. SO I JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS IN THE NEW YEAR BUT THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND I JUST WANT TO THANK PEOPLE WHO STAYED AND ENGAGED WITH THE ACTUAL CONVERSATION. I'M LOOKING FOR THAT FROM EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR DURKAN THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. THANK YOU FOR FILING IT. THANK YOU FOR LEADING ON IT. I WAS ABLE TO STAY IN HERE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. IT DID GO LATE INTO THE EVENING BUT I SUPPORT THAT. WHAT I WAS SAYING IS IS THAT THOSE THAT ARE REMAINING IN COMMITTEE AS ALWAYS THE PROPER PLACE FOR CONVERSATION IS IN COMMITTEE. AND SO WHEN WE DO THE REPORTS OUT AND HEAR REPORTS IN COMMITTEE I BELIEVE IN BREVITY FOR THE FLOOR FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS BUT I TAKE YOUR POINT AND I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC. THIS DOCKET DOCKET NUMBER 0161 WILL REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. WE ARE NOW ON TWO MOTIONS, MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS REMINDER THAT PURSUANT TO RULE 39 REMARKS BY COUNCILORS AT THE TIME OF PETITION ORDER OR RESOLUTION HAS BEEN ADMITTED AND ASSIGNED TO A COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW SHALL BE LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES FOR THE SPONSOR AND 2 MINUTES FOR ANY OTHER COUNCILOR AS OUR APPROPRIATE TIME FOR QUESTIONING IN DEBATE IS THAT PUBLIC HEARINGS AND WORKING SESSIONS THAT YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IN RECENT YEARS AGING OH I JUMPED THE GUN MR. CLERK REGARDING WHAT TO DO ON THE LAST DAY HERE, MR GREGG COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE DOCKET INTO THE RECORD? SO I CAN IN BUT 2087 COUNCILOR FLYNN OFFER THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING ON BUILDING A PARKING GARAGE AT THE CITY OF BOSTON MUNICIPAL LOT ON WEST BROADWAY IN SOUTH BOSTON. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN CAPITAL FLYNN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR THINKING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES SOUTH BOSTON HAS EXPERIENCED AN UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH WITH MANY LARGE SCALE PROJECTS HAVING BEEN COMPLETED AND OTHERS CURRENTLY IN THE PIPELINE. SOUTH BOSTON HAS DEVELOPED INTO AS MUCH OF A DESTINATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO FREQUENT OUR RESTAURANTS AND WORK IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON WITH THIS NEIGHBORS CONTINUE TO CALL ATTENTION TO SOUTH BOSTON'S EXISTING PARKING CRISIS RESIDENTS PARKING ONLY BEING IN PLACE FOUR NIGHTS PER WEEK AS WELL AS SUFFICIENT PARKING AND NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS AND RESTRICTING RESIDENT PARKING PERMITS OF THESE NEW BUILDINGS TO PREVENT OVERFLOW OF CARS FOR YEARS DURING BUDGET SEASON RESIDENTS THAT I HAVE ADVOCATED FOR A PARKING GARAGE TO BE ERECTED ON THE WEST BROADWAY MUNICIPAL LOT IN SOUTH BOSTON AND NOW A PROPOSAL AT THE VACANT FORMER BANK BUILDING NEXT DOOR WOULD INCLUDE 26 UNITS AND 20 PARKING SPACES WHILE FILLING THE CRITICAL NEED FOR A COURT ROOM OFFICES SUPPORT STATE SUPPORT SPACE FOR USE BY THE TRIAL COURT A PLACE FOR A TRIAL COURT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS CRITICAL IN SOUTH BOSTON TO HELP ADDRESS THE DEMAND FOR VISITORS IN VEHICLE TRAFFIC TO WEST BROADWAY RESTAURANTS, ESTABLISHMENTS TO THE COURTHOUSE THE POTENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION NEARBY THAT MAY IMPACT THE EXISTING MUNICIPAL LOT IN SOUTH BOSTON'S PUB PARKING CRISIS. I BELIEVE IT IS APPROPRIATE TO BEGIN A DISCUSSION ON CONSTRUCTING A PARKING GARAGE AT THE CITY OF BOSTON NEW MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT ON WEST BROADWAY IN SOUTH BOSTON AND THERE ARE NEARBY EXAMPLES FOR US TO LOOK AT INCLUDING THE SOUTHWEST AND WATERFRONT TRANSPORTATION CENTER, THE BASKETBALL GARAGE WHICH CURRENTLY OFFERS COMMUNITY BENEFITS INCLUDING RESIDENT PARKING DURING SNOWSTORMS. I BELIEVE THERE ARE PARKING LOTS NEAR QUINCY CENTER THAT MAY PROVIDE DISCOUNTED RATES FOR RESIDENTS ALSO IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT WITH OUR EXISTING PARKING ISSUES. THIS IS SOMETHING I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON AND WE DESPERATELY NEED MORE PARKING IN SOUTH BOSTON FOR RESIDENTS BUT ALSO FOR THE NEW COURTHOUSE AND FOR BUSINESSES THAT ARE THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BEFORE ANY OTHER FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO RISE AGAIN TO MENTION THAT THIS IS AN IDEA THAT WE REALLY NEED TO EXPLORE. A LOT A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE USING THIS IDEA. I THINK IT IS GOING BACK TO THE ONE WE JUST CONGRESS'S WE JUST HAD THIS IS A SOLUTION TO SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS. IT ALSO WOULD PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SHOP IN OUR BUSINESS QUARTERS LIKE IN MY DISTRICT WE HAVE REASON SQUARE CLEAR SQUARE, MATTAPAN SQUARE AND EVERYONE IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PARKING. EVERYONE'S IDEA IS ALWAYS TO PARK RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE BUSINESS THAT THEY WANT TO SHOP IN. BUT JUST WALKING A BLOCK OR TWO IS OBVIOUSLY IF YOU'RE ABLE TO IS IT OKAY? AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO EXPLORE THIS IDEA. I HOPE THAT WE GET HAVE A HEARING ON THIS IN THE NEXT COUNCIL TERM BECAUSE IT'S ONE THAT I KNOW WORKS IN OTHER PLACES AND WE COULD BRING IT TO BOSTON. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN. I THINK I THOUGHT YOU HAD OFFERED SOMETHING OR POSTED SOMETHING ABOUT HOW PARKING AT THE STRIP MALLS OR AT MALLS AND HOW THAT SORT OF WE SHOULD APPLY THAT SAME THINKING TO LIKE WHEN WE'RE PARKING ON MAIN STREETS AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY FASCINATING. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WHAT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR. CLERK PLEASE HEAD COUNCILORS FITZGERALD MARIA PEPEN, SANTANA WEBER WORLD PLEASE EITHER CHAIR THIS DOCKET DOCKET NUMBER 2087 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION. DID I NOT GET COUNCILOR MURPHY CAN YOU ADD COUNCILOR MURPHY SHE'S NOT ON THERE. MR. CLERK YES, THANK YOU. MR. CLERK COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER OH DOCKING NUMBER 2087 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 2088 DOCKING NUMBER 2088 COUNCIL I'M HERE FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF COMPREHENSIVE, TRANSPARENT AND INCLUSIVE DECISION MAKING IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CLOSURE AND RECONFIGURATION AND DECISIONS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR AND I JUST COME FROM HERE. YOU GET THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I'D LIKE TO ADVOCATE TO HAVE COUNCILOR MURPHY JOIN ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. COUNCILOR MURPHY SO ADDED COUNCILMAN, HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY, SO TODAY I'M OFFERING YOU A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR COMPREHENSIVE, TRANSPARENT AND INCLUSIVE DECISION MAKING IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ESPECIALLY AS WE FACE ANOTHER OF SCHOOL CLOSURES AND RECONFIGURATIONS IN JUST THE PAST YEAR FAMILIES ACROSS THE CITY HAVE SEEN THE PROPOSED CLOSURES OF THE LEADING ACADEMY AND OTHER COURSE TO COLLEGE AND CASH ALONG WITH GREAT REDUCTIONS AT THE HENDERSON AND TOBIN EARLIER THIS YEAR THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE APPROVED THE CLOSURE OF AND OR MERGER OF SEVERAL OTHER SCHOOLS INCLUDING THE MARY LION PILOT HIGH SCHOOL, THE DEBORAH WINTHROP AND CLAPP. NEARLY HALF OF THE STUDENTS ARE MULTI-LINGUAL LEARNERS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OR BOTH THEIR VERY STUDENTS WHO RELY ON THE MOST STABLE HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMING YET FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS CONTINUE TO RAISE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THESE PROPOSED CHANGES MAY DISRUPT SPECIALIZED SERVICES, BILINGUAL INSTRUCTION AND NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED INCLUSION MODELS LIKE THOSE AT THE HENDERSON AND MARY LION AT THE DECEMBER 3RD AT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS REPEATEDLY ASK FOR FLAHERTY WHERE WHERE ARE THE APPROVED INCLUSION PLANS OR STAFFING MODELS LIKE TWO YEAR TEACHER CLASSROOMS ADEQUATELY FUNDED? WHAT ACADEMIC GROWTH DATA IS BEING USED TO EVALUATE THE SUCCESS INCLUSION ACROSS GRADE LEVELS AND JUST AS IMPORTANT WHERE ARE THE TRANSITION PLANS COMMUNITIES HAVE NOT RECEIVED CLEAR INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO STUDENTS, STAFF OR PROGRAMS WHEN A SCHOOL IS RECOMMENDED FOR CLOSURE. THERE IS NO PUBLIC ACCESSIBLE MASTER FACILITIES PLAN OUTLINING LONG TERM ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS AND BUILDING NEEDS OR FUTURE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION. WE KNOW THAT NO NEW SCHOOL BUILDINGS ARE EXPECTED TO OPEN UNTIL 2030. RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT LEARN ABOUT SCHOOL CLOSURES THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA OR THE NEWS THEY SHOULD BE LEFT ON NOR SHOULD THEY BE LEFT GUESSING ABOUT WHERE THEIR CHILDREN WILL GO NEXT SCHOOL YEAR OR WHETHER OR NOT THE SCHOOL WILL BE ON THE CLOSURE LIST. THIS RESOLUTION ASKS US TO RELEASE THE DATA AND CRITERIA BEHIND THESE DECISIONS PROVIDING JUST A DISTRICTWIDE UPDATE ON INCLUSION IMPLEMENTATION MAKE TRANSITION PLANS PUBLIC FOR PROPOSED CLOSURES AND PUBLISH LONG TERM FACILITIES PLAN THAT CENTERS COMMUNITY INPUT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WE OWE OUR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES NOTHING LESS THAN CLEAR INFORMATION MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT ANY TRANSPARENT PATH FORWARD. I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE READY TO MAKE APRIL AND DECEMBER THE THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN DELAY THAT VOTE. I ATTENDED THE LEA SCHOOL MEETING YESTERDAY HOPING TO GET SOME ANSWERS BUT WHAT WE WERE MET WITH WAS A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION WITH WHAT THE NEXT 18 MONTHS OF A TRANSITION PLAN IS AND AS A GRADUATE A MOM AND A SCHOOL AGITATOR I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO REALLY START STEPPING UP ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE AND HOLDING BP ACCOUNTABLE. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR MURPHY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA FOR ADDING ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR AND ALSO FOR BRINGING IN THE COMMUNITY EARLIER TODAY TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THOSE WHO ARE BEING IMPACTED FROM THESE SCHOOL. I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR THE LAST FEW DECADES BUT HERE ON THIS COUNCIL FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS THAT OUR SCHOOLS DO NEED A LOT OF HELP. WE NEED TO MAKE SOME DRASTIC CHANGES AND THERE IS A NEED FOR BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL CLOSURES AND MERGERS. BUT THE WAY WE'RE GOING ABOUT IT AND TELLING FAMILIES LAST MINUTE AND NOT LISTENING TO THEIR VOICES IS NOT HOW WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO BUSINESS . AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND THIS BODY AND THE PUBLIC THAT BACK ON JANUARY 8TH, 11 MONTHS AGO I FILED ALONG WITH COUNCIL WERE ALL DOCKET 0235 IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR BP'S CLOSURES AND LONG TERM FACILITIES PLAN TO TALK DIRECTLY TO THE ABOUT WHAT THEIR PLAN WAS AND HOW WE WERE GOING TO GO ABOUT IT AND HOW WE AS A COUNCIL AND ONE OF MY BIGGEST INTENTIONS FOR FILING THAT IS TO HAVE THE INFORMATION TO THEN WORK WITH THE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES AND THE STUDENTS WHO WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THESE CHANGES AND THAT HEARING NEVER HAPPENED. SO I GUESS WE WILL FILE IT AGAIN IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND HOPEFULLY SOONER THAN LATER. CAN TALK TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND I KNOW THINGS CAN CHANGE BUT WE SHOULD HAVE THIS BODY SHOULD AT LEAST HAVE INFORMATION AND WE'RE NOT ALSO HEARING ABOUT IT ON TV REPORTS OR SOCIAL MEDIA WHEN SCHOOLS ARE BEING CLOSED BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR TEACHERS, FOR OUR SCHOOLS, MAKING SURE THAT ALL STUDENTS NO MATTER WHAT SCHOOL THEY GO TO ACROSS THE CITY HAS QUALITY EDUCATION AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES DEPENDING ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANTED TO RISE IN SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION JUST BECAUSE THE ANOTHER OF COLLEGE IS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT THAT'S GETTING IMPACTED AND IT'S ALWAYS A VERY TOUGH CONVERSATION WHEN IT COMES ABOUT A SCHOOL CLOSURE AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR FAMILIES, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ARE SUPPORTED. TONIGHT THERE IS A MEETING AT ANOTHER COURSE OF COLLEGE THAT I WILL BE ATTENDING JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STANDING WITH YOU KNOW, WITH JUST ANY CONCERNS THAT THE FAMILIES ARE EXPRESSING. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THE FINAL DECISION IS TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT FAMILIES THE STUDENTS, THE STAFF MEMBERS, THE HEAD OF SCHOOLS HAVE THAT SUPPORT AND THERE AND FLAHERTY OF NEXT STEPS OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN . SO I VISITED THE SCHOOL MULTIPLE TIMES. I WAS ACTUALLY JUST AT THE SCHOOL A LITTLE ON THERE A MONTH AGO A MEETING WITH THE HEAD OF SCHOOL LEARNING ABOUT THE GREAT RESOURCES THAT THEY PROVIDE. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS THAT THERE THAT THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT READY FOR THEM. AND YEAH, I JUST WANT TO STAND WITH THEM. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INTRODUCING US. THANK YOU. OKAY. I'M GOING TO TRY TO GO IN THE ORDER I SAW THE LIGHTS COME ON BUT THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTROL AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR AND MEJIA FOR BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT DISCUSSION FORWARD. THIS IS THIS IS ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. AND I THINK WHAT COUNCILOR ME HERE IS DOING IS TRYING TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE THAT REALLY DON'T HAVE A VOICE AND IN OUR CITY AND SHE'S KIND OF THAT VOICE AND A LEADER ON ON THESE ISSUES AND ONE I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCILOR HERE BUT I ALSO REMEMBER WHEN I WAS ON THE COUNCIL YEARS AGO COUNCILOR IS CAMPBELL COUNCIL WILL COUNCILOR PRESENTLY COUNCILOR EDWARDS COUNCILOR POSSIBLY JUDGE. THESE ARE THE TYPES OF ISSUES THAT ESPECIALLY BP'S ISSUES THEY WOULD BE ALL OVER THEY WOULD BE DEMANDING ANSWERS FROM BP. THEY'D BE FIGHTING FOR CONSTITUENTS TO BE FIGHTING FOR STUDENTS TO BE ADVOCATING FOR THEM TO BE SITTING DOWN AND TALKING TO PARENTS. THEY'D BE SITTING DOWN TALK TALK IN APPEARANCE OVER COFFEE. HOW DO WE SUPPORT THEM? HOW DO HOW DO WE FIGHT THE BP SYSTEM? BUT I AM SURPRISED THAT THIS BODY HASN'T HELD A HEARING ON THIS ISSUE. SO THE ONLY WAY THE PUBLIC REALLY HAS A VOICE IS THROUGH THE THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE IN THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE IS NOT APPOINTED BY IS NOT ELECTED BY THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY. SO THIS BODY REALLY IS THE THE VOICE OF THE RESIDENTS. BUT WHEN THIS VOTE WHEN THIS BODY REMAINS SILENT SO SO SO TOO IS THE VOICE OF THE RESIDENTS. ONE PERSON I SPOKE TO TODAY WAS SHE WAS A STUDENT AND HER SCHOOL WAS SCHEDULED TO BE CLOSED. SHE HAS AN IEP AND SHE'S STRUGGLING TO FIND OUT WHAT SERVICES AND SUPPORT ARE THERE FOR HER. BUT YOU KNOW, MOST AND MOST OF THE STUDENTS ARE STUDENTS OF COLOR. I JUST DON'T THINK WE CAN TURN OUR BACKS ON THEM AND GIVE UP ON THEM. WE NEED TO FIGHT FOR THEM. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BREADON. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA FOR BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION FORWARD. THE REALITY IS THAT WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TOO MANY SCHOOLS. WE HAVE A DECLINING ENROLLMENT . WE KNOW WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO CLOSE SCHOOLS AND THAT'S THE REALITY. BUT SCHOOLS ARE NOT JUST BUILDINGS. THEY ARE COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOL CLOSURES ARE PROFOUNDLY DISRUPTIVE TO OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES AND TO STAFF. WE WOULD I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE TRANSPARENCY IN TRANSITION PLANS. I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE SUPPORT FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS TRANSPARENCY AND PREDICTABILITY ARE ESSENTIAL IN THIS VERY AND DISRUPTIVE TIME FOR STUDENTS AND THE GRID RECONFIGURATION PROCESS AT THE GARDNER PILOT ACADEMY A FEW YEARS AGO THEY DID AWAY WITH GRADES SEVEN AND EIGHT. THOSE STUDENTS WERE HAD ALREADY BEEN DISPLACED FROM THE JACKSON MAN TWO YEARS EARLIER. SO IN THE SPACE OF FOUR YEARS THE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN MOST IN PILLAR TO POST 232 DIFFERENT TO TWO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WITHOUT AN A WITHOUT ANY SUPPORT. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY NEEDED TO HELP THEM MAKE A CHOICE ABOUT THEIR NEXT SCHOOL ANOTHER COURSE THE COLLEGE WAS INCUBATED AT THE FORMER TAFT MIDDLE SCHOOL IN IN BRIGHTON WHICH IS NOW THE BOSTON GREEN ACADEMY AND SEE IT'S IT'S IT'S IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSED AS WELL SO I THINK REALLY WHAT I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN MAYBE HAVE A HEARING ABOUT THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE IN THE NEW YEAR IS TO JUST LOOK AT WHAT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS NEED IN TERMS OF SUPPORT AND REALLY TO TRY AND HAVE MORE TRANSPARENCY AND PREDICTABILITY IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE TO CLOSE SCHOOLS BUT WE SHOULD DO IT WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I THANK THE COUNCILWOMAN HERE FOR PUTTING THIS PROGRAM BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I RISE BECAUSE I WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS RESOLUTION. I THINK I DEFINITELY WANT TO TACKLE I THINK WHAT COUNCILOR BRAEDEN SAID. I THINK WE'RE SEEING WE WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO CLOSE SCHOOLS. I THINK SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT I'M HEARING MY COLLEAGUES TALK ABOUT, WHETHER IT COMES IN I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR STUDENTS WITH WHO ARE LEARNING ENGLISH AND LEARNING DIFFERENT LANGUAGES STUDENTS WITH IEP. I THINK THIS IS THE POINT OF WHY SCHOOLS NEED TO BE CLOSED IS TO TRY TO CONDENSE SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES AND REALLY ENHANCE THOSE RESOURCES. BUT I DO BELIEVE IN A TRANSPARENT PROCESS. I BELIEVE THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS NEED TO HAPPEN ALONGSIDE COMMUNITY. THE TOBIN IS A SCHOOL I GRADUATED FROM ONE THAT I REALLY CARE ABOUT AND MY COMMUNITY OF MISSION HILL I MEAN IT'S ON THIS LIST, YOU KNOW IT'S I'M HEARING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT MUCH AND HOW ABOUT HOW YOU KNOW HOW PERSONAL THIS IS HOW DISRUPTIVE THIS MAY BE. AND AGAIN, I JUST REALLY WANT TO RISE TO, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND ENCOURAGE AND WORK ALONGSIDE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND BEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING ALONGSIDE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OUR STUDENTS, OUR PARENTS, OUR TEACHERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL ARE YOU ON THE FLOOR? THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR MEJIA FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS MATTER AND ALSO THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR MURPHY. I WANT TO START BY SAYING THESE ARE HARD DECISIONS AND TOUGH CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE BUT KNOW WE MUST HAVE THEM AS A BODY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FAMILIES, OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS ARE SUPPORTED THROUGH THIS TRANSITION BY COUNCIL. BREADON AND OTHER COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE YOU KNOW, MADE THIS STATEMENT AS WELL THAT THE UNFORTUNATE REALITY IS THAT MANY OF OUR BUILDINGS ARE OLD, OUTDATED AND SIMPLY NOT DESIGNED FOR THE KIND OF EXCLUSIVE MULTILINGUAL MODERN CLASSROOMS OUR STUDENTS NEED AND DESERVE. SOME BUILDINGS MAY HAVE TO GO OFF LINE BUT IF THAT IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED THEN WE OWE OUR KIDS AND OUR FAMILIES NOT TEACHERS A CLEAR VISION AND WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR AND WHAT FAMILIES HAVE CONSISTENTLY ASKED FOR IS THE FULL MASTERPLAN NOT SCHOOL BY SCHOOL UPDATES EVERY FEW MONTHS BUT THE FULL PICTURE. I THINK WE NEED TO SEE THE WHOLE PLAN AT ONCE SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHY CERTAIN SCHOOLS ARE BEING RECOMMENDED FOR CLOSURE. HOW STUDENTS WILL BE SUPPORTED AND HOW THESE STEPS CAN MOVE US TOWARD A STRONGER AND MORE EQUITABLE DISTRICT. WE SIMPLY CAN'T HAVE OUR STUDENTS BOUNCING AROUND FROM ONE CLOTHING SCHOOL TO ANOTHER AND WITH THIS WAVE OF CLOSURES WE HAVE ABOUT A DOZEN STUDENTS WHO NOW HAVE HAD THEIR SCHOOL CLOSED TWICE AND I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE AT BPC WANTS TO AVOID. WE STILL DON'T HAVE FLAHERTY ON THE METRICS OR RUBRICS GUIDING THOSE THESE DECISIONS. WE ALL WANT BETTER SCHOOLS. WE ALL WANT EVERY CHILD, EVERY MULTILINGUAL LEARNER STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, EVERY STUDENT TO HAVE A HIGH ACCESS TO QUALITY HIGH QUALITY SEATS BUT IS GET IT IT'S GETTING HARDER TO GET THERE WITHOUT A FULL PLAN THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE, UNDERSTAND AND TRUST. SO I SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND HOPEFULLY IN THE NEW YEAR WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND THAT MASTERPLAN FULLY TRANSPARENT FOR THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR MEJIA FOR FILING THIS. I PERSONALLY HAVE ATTENDED WORKSHOPS WITH BP'S DELAVAN WHO MANY OF YOU KNOW I THINK SHE DOES AN INCREDIBLE JOB WHERE WE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH AN EXAMPLE WE ARE NOT ANONYMOUS THE SCHOOLS AND WE WENT THROUGH AN EXAMPLE OF EXACTLY HOW THEY MAKE THESE DECISIONS SO THERE WERE BP'S PARENTS THERE. THERE WERE RESIDENTS THERE AND SITTING BY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS WORK IS HAPPENING. WE MIGHT HAVE NOT GOTTEN A GOLD INVITATION TO GO TO THE SOME OF THOSE WORKSHOPS BUT I FOUND OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN MY DISTRICT AND I WENT I THINK OBVIOUSLY THE TOBIN GRADE CHANGE IS THAT IS IN MY DISTRICT. I CARE A LOT ABOUT THOSE STUDENTS. I RECOGNIZE THAT SCHOOL CLOSURES ARE DIFFICULT FOR FAMILIES AND THESE DECISIONS IMPACT OUR RESIDENTS AND THEIR FUTURES. I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT DISTRICT EIGHT HAS LESS PEOPLE GOING TO BP THAN ANY OTHER DISTRICT. SO I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND COMMUNITY WITH ALL OF YOU. I HAVE OBVIOUSLY VLS. I HAVE THE NEW M.K. HOW ABOUT CENTER FOR HEALTH CAREERS? I HAVE THE SNOWDEN I HAVE SOME OF THESE SPECIAL AT BOSTON ARTS ACADEMY. YOU HAVE SOME OF THESE SPECIALTY SCHOOLS BUT I'M NOT LIVING LIKE YOU ARE THE SOME OF THESE REALITIES SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I CONSOLIDATE ATION IS IMPORTANT. I THINK THAT BP'S LEADERSHIP HAS PUT THESE DECISIONS OFF FOR DECADES AND I AM PROUD OF THE MAYOR AND I'M PROUD OF THE ADMINISTRATION FOR MAKING SOME TOUGH CALLS BECAUSE THE REALITY AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CUTTING THE BUDGET WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPTY SEATS AND THESE ARE REALITIES THAT WE NEED TO FACE AND I JUST WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE BECAUSE THEY DO THIS WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY AND I KNOW A LOT OF US DON'T ATTEND ALL OF THEIR MEETINGS BUT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME WE ARE ALWAYS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY DOING STUFF OURSELVES BUT THEY REALLY ARE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND I DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE ANYONE IF THERE ARE ANY MORE WORKSHOPS ,GO TO WORKSHOPS, SIT WITH THE FAMILIES IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT ARE THERE TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF WHAT THESE DECISIONS MEAN BECAUSE BP IS DOING THAT WORK. I'VE SEEN THEM DOING THIS WORK IN MY DISTRICT AND ACROSS THE CITY BUT I DO SUPPORT TRANSPARENCY. I SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE AND I SUPPORT MORE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MEJIA ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR WHO HAS SPOKEN IN SUPPORT. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR AT LEAST FOR ME TO BRING THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE INTO THIS CHAMBER. THAT'S WHAT WE GET ELECTED TO DO. AND WHILE NOT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME EXPERIENCES, IT IS NOT LOST ON ME THAT AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON GRADUATED FROM BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL, I'M A BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENT AND WORKED IN THE EDUCATION SPACE FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS I HAVE SEEN AND WITNESSED TIME AND TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN HOW BP'S REGARDLESS OF WHO THE LEADER IS, COMES INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WITH A NEW PLAN AND EVERY TIME THERE'S A NEW SUPERINTENDENT THERE GOES THE PLAN. AND SO WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY HERE ON THE BOSSIER CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AN ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AMPLIFYING THE THINGS THAT WE'RE HEARING OUT IN THE STREETS. AND SO WE HAVE A MANDATE AND MY HOPE IS IS THAT NEXT TERM WE REALLY START UTILIZING OUR MICROPHONES IN WAYS THAT REALLY PROVIDE VOICE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE IN WAYS THAT THEY FEEL SEEN AND AFFIRMED. AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CREATING MORE SPACE FOR FAMILIES WHO DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING HERE TO SHOW UP HERE AND SPEAK THEIR TRUTH IN WAYS THAT THIS WOMAN IS CALLING FOR SO I THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING TRANSPARENCY AND AS YOU KNOW I'M THE CHAIR CURRENTLY OF THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY COMMITTEE THAT I CREATED. THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR FLYNN WHO ALLOWED ME TO BE THE FOUNDER OF THAT ONE. BUT I ALSO KNOW THE POLITICS THAT WE'RE NAVIGATING IN AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER I'M THE CHAIR OR NOT, I WILL STILL CONTINUE TO BRING TRANSPARENCY INTO THIS CHAMBER AS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR CLARE, COULD YOU PLEASE THAT COUNCIL IS GREAT IN CLARE ZAPATA DURKAN FITZGERALD FLYNN THE BEN SANTANA WEBER WORLD PLEASE OF THE CHAIR COUNCILORS MCGEE AND MURPHY SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DR. NUMBER 2088 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE I I THOSE OPPOSED NAY MADAM. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL VOTE ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCUMENT 2088 COUNCIL GREEN YES COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A COUNCILOR COLOR AS A PARTY YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN COUNCILOR DURKAN YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN YES. COUNCIL FLYNN YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE YES. COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR PIPPIN COUNCIL 15 YES COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. IN COUNCILOR WORRELL YES. COUNCILOR OH YES. TALKING NUMBER 2088 HAS RECEIVED A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU. THIS DOCKET HAS BEEN ADOPTED. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE REDACT NUMBER 2089 DUCK NUMBER 2089 COUNCILOR FLYNN OFFER THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION SEVEN IN SUPPORT OF A BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY ELEVATOR SAFETY COMMISSION. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IN RECENT YEARS WHEN? ONE MOMENT. ONE MINUTE. SORRY COUNCILOR PLINY ON THE FLOOR IN RECENT YEARS AGING ELEVATORS AT VHA DEVELOPMENT HAVE POSED PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS. RESIDENTS REPORTED FREQUENT BREAKDOWNS BEING STUCK IN ELEVATORS, ELEVATORS SKIPPING FLOORS, PROLONGED PERIODS OF DISREPAIR. THERE ARE INCREASING CONCERNS THAT THE CONDITIONS VIOLATE FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS INCLUDING THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, TENANTS AT THE RUTH BARCLAY APARTMENTS IN THE SOUTH END REPORTED FREQUENT ELEVATOR BREAKDOWNS WITH MULTIPLE ELEVATORS FACING LONG TERM OUTAGES IN DECEMBER 2024 RESIDENTS COMPLAINED THAT TWO OF THE ELEVATORS AT THE COMPLEX HAVE BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR A YEAR WHILE ANOTHER HAD BEEN OPERATING ON AND OFF SINCE THANKSGIVING THIS YEAR DUE TO AN ELEVATOR FAILURE ON THE TUESDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING FOR TWO DAYS THROUGH THE HOLIDAY MORNING ON THURSDAY, MANY RESIDENTS RUTH BARCLAY APARTMENTS WERE FORCED TO ALTER AND CANCEL PLANS WITH THEIR FAMILIES NEVER MIND THE INABILITY TO GO ABOUT THEIR DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES LIKE APPOINTMENTS OR PICKING UP PRESCRIPTIONS ON DRUGS DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME. ON OCTOBER 2025 THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON HOUSING HELD A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE STATUS OF THE ELEVATORS AT RUTH BARCLAY. AT THE HEARING RESIDENTS SHARED THAT THE BROKEN ELEVATORS HAVE CAUSED THEM TO MISS MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, OTHER CRITICAL SERVICES AND DIFFICULTY DIFFICULTIES MAKING IT TO THE BATHROOM. IN ONE INSTANCE IT WAS REPORTED THAT ISSUES CAUSED THE RESIDENT TO MISS MOST OF HER CHILD'S FUNERAL. ELEVATOR ACCESS IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR SENIORS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AS IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT VHA COMMUNICATE THESE PLANS AND PROTOCOLS IN A TIMELY MANNER TO RESIDENTS. I AM CALLING FOR THIS COMMISSION TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY FAMILIES IN THE VHA DEVELOPMENT. THE COMMISSION MAY BE COMPRISED OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE VHA TASK FORCE INCLUDING VHA LEADERSHIP THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT INSPECTIONAL SERVICES, THE DISABILITIES COMMISSIONER, A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MAYBE MAYBE THAT MIGHT BE ME AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE INDUSTRY BUT THE FINAL ANALYSIS I'M NOT GOING TO DO NOTHING WHEN MY CONSTITUENTS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO AN ELEVATOR. THIS IS A FEDERAL ISSUE. IT'S A STATE ISSUE. IT'S A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE AND IF I DON'T GET THIS COMMISSION, IF WE DON'T IMPLEMENT THIS COMMISSION IN 60 DAYS, I'M GOING TO ASK THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE THE VHA ELEVATOR SYSTEM. I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAT THE CITY DOES IT. I'D LIKE TO BE PART OF THAT PROCESS BUT I CAN'T TAKE A CHANCE THAT THE ELEVATORS WILL CONTINUE TO BE BROKE IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW, AMERICANS DISABILITY AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT THIS IS CIVIL RIGHTS. THIS IS ABOUT PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. I CAN'T COMPROMISE ON THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR BREADON BECAUSE OF BREADON NEAR THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW A CITY COMMISSION LIKE THIS WOULD OVERLAP WITH THE DUTIES OF THE MASSACHUSETTS ARCHITECT ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD AND THE STATE'S BOARD OF ELEVATOR REGULATE REGULATION. BOTH OF THESE BODIES ARE EXPERTS. THE AAIB IS AN EXPERT IN DISABILITY ACCESS AND THE STATE BOARD IS AN EXPERT IN ELEVATOR OPERATIONS. WE ARE WE HEARD AT THE HEARING I CHAIRED IN OCTOBER THAT THE VHA IS IN REGULAR TOUCH WITH BOTH OF THESE BOARDS ABOUT THEIR ELEVATORS AND THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING A REDUNDANT LAYER OF A REDUNDANT LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY WITHOUT ACT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE INEFFECTIVE IN ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM. SO I WOULD LIKE TO OBJECT TO AND TO SUSPENSION AND PASSAGE TODAY TO ALLOW THIS MATTER LEAVE IT OPEN FOR FURTHER STUDY . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR BREADON HAS OBJECTED TO THIS MATTER. THIS MATTER DOCKET NUMBER 2089 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 2090 DOCKING OF A2090 COUNCILOR AS WELL. BOOM. WE'RE ALL OFF WITH THE FILING RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF HD 4422 ENACT RELATIVE TO PROPERTY TAX CLASS APPLICATION THE SENIOR HOMEOWNER PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION AND THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER. COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD YOURSELF AS A AS A THIRD CO-SPONSOR, COUNCILOR WEBER SEEKS TO BEND THE RULES TO ADD MYSELF AS THE THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS. I'M SORRY I DIDN'T COUNCILOR WEBER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. THANK YOU. THIS IS A RESOLUTION SUPPORT OF THE HOME RULE PETITION WHICH WOULD ALLOW A TEMPORARY SHIFT TO A STATE COUNCIL WORKING FOR FROM YOU KNOW OF THE SHIFT OF THE SPLIT TAX RATE TO ALLOW US TO GO UP TO ONE 80% FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND THEN ONE 78% FOR THE COMMERCIAL RATE WE'VE PASSED THIS WE PASSED, YOU KNOW, ITERATIONS OF THIS HOME RULE PETITION THREE TIMES AND I YOU KNOW, WE WE LAST PASSED IT IN FEBRUARY I BELIEVE THIS WOULD JUST SLOW THE RATE OF INCREASE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAX BILLS AND SLOW THE RATE OF DECREASE OF COMMERCIAL TAX BILLS. AS IT STANDS NOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT AN AVERAGE INCREASE FOR SINGLE HOMEOWNERS, SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS AT ABOUT $780 AN AVERAGE DECREASE FOR COMMERCIAL LANDLORDS OF $200,000. THIS WOULD JUST SLOW THE LIKE THE RATES OF INCREASE AND DECREASE AND LESSEN THE DISPARITY THERE WE'VE GOTTEN IN RESPONSE TO OUR YOU KNOW, ADVOCACY FOR RESIDENTS IS LEGISLATIVE TROLLING IN THE STATE HOUSE PROP TWO AND A HALF RESTRICTS OUR ABILITY TO RAISE OUR OWN TAX TAXES AND AND IT ESSENTIALLY REQUIRES US TO TO LIMIT THAT YOU KNOW ON A YEARLY BASIS. WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS AFTER NINE MONTHS OF HAVING OUR HOME RULE PETITION IN THE STATE HOUSE, WE'VE GOT NO NO VOTE ON OUR OUR HOME RULE INSTEAD NOW WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BRING FORWARD TWO SENATE LED MEASURES FOR CONSIDERATION. WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? I LOOK AT THOSE MEASURES. WHAT THEY WILL DO IS ESSENTIALLY RESTRICT FURTHER OUR ABILITY TO DECIDE HOW WE'RE GOING TO RAISE REVENUE IN OUR CITY AND WOULD REQUIRE US INSTEAD OF MAKING ADJUSTMENTS WOULD REQUIRE US TO CUT OUR SERVICES AND VITAL SERVICES TO OUR OUR RESIDENTS SO YOU KNOW, I HOPE WE CAN JOIN TOGETHER AGAIN. WE SUPPORTED THIS THREE TIMES. WE'LL JUST SEND A MESSAGE TO THE STATE HOUSE THAT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO PASS OUR HOME RULE PETITION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. WHOEVER THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL WHERE ARE YOU ON THE FLOOR. I THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR WEBER FOR ADDING ME AS A SPONSOR. I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE ON THIS COUNCIL FOR STANDING UP TO FIGHT FOR RESIDENTS IN THIS TAX FIGHT FOR THIS TERM. WE EVEN SENT UP A STANDALONE BILL TO EXPAND THE SENIOR TAX EXEMPTION. WE'RE EVEN WAITING FOR THAT TO PASS AT BEACON HILL WE WERE AT LEAST THE FIRST CITY TO EXPAND THE VETERAN'S PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION LAST SUMMER AND AS WE END THIS SESSION I CAN'T SAY THAT THERE'S NOT A DAY HAS GONE BY DURING THIS TERM WHERE I HAVEN'T BEEN THINKING ABOUT TAXES AND HOW WE CAN SOLVE THIS ISSUE FOR OUR CITY. I'VE OFFERED A LONG TERM SOLUTION AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING AND TO DIVING DEEPER INTO THAT PLAN NEXT YEAR WHICH WILL RECLASSIFY OUR LARGER INCOME GENERATING APARTMENT BUILDINGS THAT ARE PULLING IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RENTS AS THE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES THAT THEY ARE AS WELL AS CREATE A NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING EXEMPTION TO INCENTIVIZE AND PRESERVE NATURALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. I URGE US TODAY TO CONTINUE TO STAY INFORMED ON THIS TAX ISSUE, TO CONTINUE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND TO CONTINUE TO FIRST AND FOREMOST PUT OUR RESIDENTS FIRST IN THIS TAX FIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR WEBER FOR HAVING ME. THANK YOU. THE COUNCIL ARE OUT FOR YOUR WORDS. I JUST WANT TO SAY DITTO. I THINK I SPOKE A BIT TO THIS EARLIER. IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE FIND WE DO SOMETHING TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO OUR HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE REALLY STRUGGLING. SO THANK YOU. THE CHAIR AND I JUST KIND OF FELL ON THE FLOOR RAISING PROPERTY TAXES SIGNIFICANTLY ON HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES IS NOT THE ANSWER. IT'S TIME TO DEMONSTRATE FISCAL DISCIPLINE ACCOUNTABILITY TRANSPARENCY AND POSITIVELY TO SHAPE WITH FALLING COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES. THE CITY OVER 70% RELIANT ON PROPERTY TAXES 50% OF ALL LAND IS ABSORBED BY LARGE NONPROFITS THE PILOT PROGRAM WE HAVE LONG TERM FISCAL ISSUES TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT STATUS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ALSO CAUTIONED THAT 8% BUDGET GROWTH WHILE ALSO INCREASING THE COMMERCIAL TAX BURDEN WOULD EXASPERATE THOSE ISSUES FOR ALREADY STRUGGLING DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES. THE BOSTON MUNICIPAL RESEARCH BUREAU OFFERED THEIR OWN RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDING TAPPING THE CITY'S RESERVE FUNDS CONTROLLING THE BUDGET IN SCHOOL SPENDING, REVIEWING EMPLOYEE LEVELS, REVENUE DIVERSIFICATION SURPLUS PROPERTY INCREASING RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. I CALL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION MADE UP OF BUSINESSES, BUSINESS LEADERS, LABOR LEADERS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS RELEVANT RELEVANT EXPERTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF DOWNTOWN BOSTON OFFICE VACANCIES IN OUR REVENUE CONCERNS WHICH IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED AS A RESOLUTION BY MY COLLEAGUES IN THE CITY COUNCIL BUT IN THE CITY COUNCIL ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS IF WE REALLY WANT TO HELP RESIDENTS WE SHOULD LOWER THE TEMPERATURE IN GOVERNMENT. LET'S NOT CALL OUT THE STATE SENATE. THEY ARE OUR PARTNERS IF WE NEED SOMETHING DONE WHY ARE WE CRITICIZING THEM? I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANT WORK OF THESE THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, KAREN SPILKA SENATOR BROWNSBURG. SENATOR COLLINS IT'S ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER. IT'S ABOUT RESPECTING EACH OTHER. IT'S ABOUT HAVING A CONVERSATION. BOSTON WORKS BEST WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER. I'M OBJECTING TO THIS MADAM CHAIR CASTOR FLYNN IS OBJECTING TO THIS RESOLUTION. IT WILL BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 2091 DOCKET NUMBER 2091 COUNCIL LOUISIANA FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION REDEDICATING THE THOMAS IRVING ADKINS ROOM THANK YOU THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT MY OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING ON. I WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO LORI NELSON THE CHIEF OF RACIAL JUSTICE JUDICIAL JUSTICE SENIOR RACIAL JUSTICE ADVISOR TO THE MAYOR THOMAS IRVING ADKINS WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN AT LARGE COUNCILOR ELECTED HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND HE LED DURING TUMULTUOUS PERIODS FOR THIS CITY AND FOR THIS COUNTRY. HE SERVED TWO TERMS AND CHAMPIONED SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE DURING A TURBULENT AND DEFINING ERA IN BOSTON'S POLITICAL LIFE. I'VE ENJOYED THIS PROJECT BECAUSE I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH MORE ABOUT HIM SOMEONE WHO WAS ORIGINALLY FROM INDIA, FROM ELKHART, INDIANA WHO CAME HERE TO HARVARD TO STUDY WENT TO HARVARD LAW SCHOOL AND BECAME INVOLVED IN BOSTON'S CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. AND SO WE ARE REDEDICATING THE ADKINS ROOM AND THAT MEANS MAKING SURE THAT THE ADKINS ROOM IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT CARRIES HIS NAME. I JUST WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE WE HAD QUORUM AND WE DO NOT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT JUST A ROOM THAT CARRIES HIS NAME BUT WE ALSO KNOW AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HIM AND ARE ABLE TO HONOR HIS LEGACY AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY. AND HE SERVED THE NAACP BOTH AS GENERAL COUNCILOR NATIONALLY AND AS OUR LOCAL SECRETARY TO THE NAACP. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS WORK AND MAKING SURE WE'RE ABLE TO NOT ONLY HAVE THE ATKIN'S ROOM HERE ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL WHICH WE HAVE BUT REMEMBER WHO IT'S NAMED FOR AND DO A REDEDICATION. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS WORK IN THE NEW YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THOMAS ADKINS LEGACY SHAPED BOSTON CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY AND THIS REDEDICATE TONIGHT IS JUST A REMINDER OF THE TRAIL THAT HE PLAYS FOR ALL OF US. WHEN ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME MR KYRIE PLEASE ADD COUNCILOR BRAIDING HAS A COLOR. IT IS A PARTNER COUNSELOR DURKIN CANTOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNSELOR SAID TANNER COUNCILOR WEBER PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR COUNCILOR PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE SEEKS SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET NUMBER 2091 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I ALL THOSE OPPOSED NAY THE AYES HAVE IT. DOCKET NUMBER 2091 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. MR KUROKI, PLEASE BE DARK IN NUMBER 209 TO TALK NUMBER 209 TO COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION REDEDICATING THE GABRIEL FRANCIS PITT ROOM. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THIS IS ALSO DEDICATION. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON BOTH OF THESE ON THE SAME TRACK AND AS I SAID EARLIER, I WANT TO THANK OUR REGISTER OF DEEDS FORMER CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND STEVE MURPHY WITH WHOM WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS AND ANOTHER ANOTHER ANOTHER GENTLEMAN IN THE NORTH END WHO HAS BEEN A REALLY INTERESTING PARTNER IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HONOR AND CONTINUE PAYMENT HIS LEGACY. I'M NOT SURE IF HIS NAME IS ESCAPING ME AT THE MOMENT BUT I WANTED TO THANK HIM. PIEMONTE SERVED THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON IN THE COMMONWEALTH AS A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPS. HE WAS ALSO A NINE YEAR MEMBER OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. WE HAVE MANY OF OUR MEETINGS IN THE COMMITTEE ROOM AND THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE HE CHAMPIONED MUNICIPAL RESPONSIVE MUNICIPAL FINANCE, SERVED AS THE PRESIDENT OF THIS BODY, ADVOCATED FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT STRENGTHEN OVERSIGHT OF URBAN RENEWAL AND DID SO MUCH MORE EVEN AFTER LEAVING ELECTED OFFICE. HE CONTINUED SERVE BOSTON THROUGH HIS LEGAL PRACTICE, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND A LOT OF CHARITABLE AND RELIGIOUS AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS. WE HAVE A LOT OF HIS OLD BOOKS AND PAPERS THAT ARE PRETTY MUCH IN THE SAME SHAPE WHEN HE WAS CITY COUNCILOR AND AND A LAWYER. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE THINKING ABOUT HOW TO REDEDICATE THE ROOM AND INCORPORATE SOME OF HIS PAPERS TO RADIO CITY HALL AGAIN SO THAT WE COULD BREATHE LIFE INTO THESE ROOMS THAT WE USE EVERY DAY. SO THIS IS A TRIBUTE TO HIS EXTRAORDINARY LEGACY OF PUBLIC SERVICE, TO HIS COMMITMENT TO THE NORTH END WHERE HE WAS BORN TO ITALIAN IMMIGRANT PARENTS AND A GRADUATE OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS HERE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE REDEDICATION OF THIS ROOM AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HONOR ALL OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR CLEARY PLEASE ADD COUNCILOR BRADING COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA COUNCILOR DUNCAN COUNCILOR FITZGERALD CLASSIC BLEND COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCIL MEMBER PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE SEEKS SUSPENSION OF THE RULE AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET NUMBER 2092 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL THOSE OPPOSED NAY THE AYES HAVE IT. DOCKET NUMBER 2092 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. MR. CLERK HE PLEASE BE DARK IN NUMBER 2093 DUCK NUMBER 2093 COUNCIL LOUISIANA FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION DENOUNCING THE TERMINATION OF TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS STATUS FOR HAITI. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE CASTLE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I WANT I SPOKE ON THIS EARLIER. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. WE ARE GOING TO SEE THIS HAPPEN FOR OTHER OF OUR IMMIGRANTS AND IF I SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD BROKEN RECORD, I WILL BE BECAUSE SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO SUFFER AND IT IS GOING TO BE UNNECESSARILY CHAOTIC. IT IS I WE ARE WASTING SO MUCH TIME FIGHTING THESE XENOPHOBIC RACIST FIGHTS THE VITRIOL, THE VICIOUSNESS TOWARDS SOMALI RESIDENTS, MEXICAN RESIDENTS, LATINOS, HAITIANS BASICALLY ANYONE WHO IS NOT WHITE IS BEYOND PROBLEMATIC. WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO IS WELCOMING AFRIKANERS HERE AND CLOSING THE DOORS ON PEOPLE WHO ARE FLEEING REAL POLITICAL HARM. WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO IS REMOVING MLK DAY AND JUNETEENTH AS HOLIDAY IS THAT ALLOW FOR FREE ENTRY AND PASSAGE INTO OUR NATIONAL PARKS AND SO I WILL CONTINUE TO DENOUNCE THE HARM BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY REAL AND THEY ARE VERY REAL AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE INCREASINGLY WORSE FOR OUR RESIDENTS. AT THE SAME TIME THERE'S A TRAVEL BAN TO HAITI AT THE SAME TIME HAITI IS IN THE WORLD CUP AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES HERE. THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IS WE ARE GOING TO SEE IF THIS IS NOT JUST ANNOUNCING THIS DECISION THAT LANDED THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING. IT'S ALSO ABOUT URGING THEM TO REVERSE COURSE BECAUSE THE IMPACTS WE WILL SEE THEM AND THEY WILL NOT BE GOOD FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND IT WILL NOT BE GOOD FOR OUR CITY. AND SO I'M JUST ENCOURAGING THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING IF THEY ARE THE FEDERAL LEVEL THESE ARE OUR MEMBERS OF OUR ECONOMY. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE MEMBERS OF OUR CITY WHO PROVIDE SO MUCH TO OUR ECONOMY AND THEY ARE RESIDENTS HERE AND HAVE BEEN RESIDENTS MANY OF THEM FOR DECADES AND DESERVE TO CONTINUE TO CALL BOSTON HOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PART OF THE COUNCIL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU VICE CHAIR. AND I WANT TO RISE TODAY IN STRONG AND HEARTFELT SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AS IT RELATES TO ALL THINGS ON TPS ALSO SHOUT OUT MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES ON THIS BODY COUNT ON MEJIA COUNCILOR SANTANA, PEPEN BREADON AND I'VE NAMED FOLKS AND I'M SO SORRY I KNOW EVERYBODY HERE REALLY CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE HERE LEGALLY UNDER TPS BECAUSE IT IMPACTS SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS IN EAST BOSTON IN PARTICULAR WE HAVE NOT JUST MY CONSTITUENTS BUT NEIGHBORS AND CHOSEN FAMILY AND FAMILY OF OF OF WHO ARE UNDER TPS THAT HAVE HAD TO FLEE EVERYTHING THEY KNOW FOR A BETTER LIFE AND FOR SAFETY. THEY PHYSICALLY COULD NOT STAY THERE FOR FEAR OF THEIR LIFE AND THEY DID EVERYTHING THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO. THEY'VE BEEN HERE. THEY'VE BEEN COMMUNITY LEADERS, THEY'VE BEEN CIVIC LEADERS AND THEY HAVE PUT THEIR HEART AND SOUL INTO THESE COMMUNITIES AND BUILDING UP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO BE JUST PUT IN A CATEGORY THAT IS IS INHUMANE. AND HEARING ALL THE VITRIOL FROM THIS ADMINISTRATION, IT IS DEEPLY UPSETTING AND I KNOW THAT IS PERSONAL FOR MANY. SO TERMINATING TPS FOR HAITI IN THE MIDST OF THE VIOLENCE THAT WE'RE SEEING THE KIDNAPING AND POLITICAL TURMOIL IT IS NOT JUST MISGUIDED, IT IS DANGEROUS AND I JUST WANTED TO STAND UP AND PROVIDE MY SOLIDARITY TO NOT JUST OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT BUT EVERYBODY UNDER OUR TPS STATUS FROM HAITI AND OUR SALVADOR AND VENEZUELAN FAMILIES WHO KNOW ALL TOO WELL THE PAIN OF WAKING UP TO AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT YOUR STATUS, THAT YOUR LIVELIHOOD AND YOUR ABILITY TO REMAIN WITH YOUR CHILDREN COULD DISAPPEAR OVERNIGHT. OUR STRUGGLES ARE INTERCONNECTED AND WHEN ONE COMMUNITY IS TARGETED, ALL OF US MUST STAND UP AND HAVE TO STAND UP IN THIS MOMENT. SO I JUST WANTED TO RISE IN SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND WILL ALWAYS RISE IN SUPPORT OF OUR TICKET SOLDIERS THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BREADON. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I RISE IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, FOR BEING SUCH A STEADFAST AND STRONG ADVOCATE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY BUT ALSO FOR ALL IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR CITY. I THINK YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WHEN YOU SAID HOW INCREDIBLE THE INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES PROVIDE IS SPEAKING DIRECTLY ABOUT THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY. MANY OF OUR HEALTH CENTERS, OUR DOCTORS, OUR NURSING HOMES ARE DEPENDENT ON THE HAITIAN WORKERS. I SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT OF WHICH BOSTON HEALTH CENTER HEALTH BOSTON BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER IN BRIGHTON RECENTLY AND HE SAID I SAYS HOW'S IT GOING? AND HE SAYS WE'RE REALLY UNDER STRESS BECAUSE OUR WORKERS ARE YOU KNOW, THEY'RE UNDER THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY ARE BEING UNDER THREAT AND THEY'RE VERY FEARFUL OF HOW THEY'RE GOING TO FUNCTION WITHOUT THESE THESE WORKERS AND REALLY ON JUST A VERY HUMAN LEVEL, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LIVE UNDER THIS STRESS. THE THE TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS WAS ESTABLISHED TO REALLY RESPOND TO COMMUNITIES IN OTHER COUNTRIES THAT WERE UNDER EXTREME EXTREME THREAT LIKE WE HAVE THE THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY AND THESE PEOPLE DID NOT COME HERE THINKING THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. CERTAINLY IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE. BUT THEY CAME HERE BECAUSE THEY WERE LEAVING THE COUNTRY. THEY LOVED TO MAKE THEMSELVES TO BE SAFE AND TO HAVE A LIFE AND A FUTURE AND WE DEPEND ON THEM. WE VALUE THEM AND WE WILL SUPPORT THEM. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND LET'S CONTINUE AS YOU SAID, THIS IS A THIS IS A TOUGH ROAD TO WALK BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO STAND WITH OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR SANTANA. COUNSELOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR VICE CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL PRESIDENT REGINA FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND JUST FOR BEING A TRUE LEADER WHEN IT COMES TO NOT JUST OUR HAITIAN COMMUNITY, FOR OUR FOR OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. I THINK I WANT TO PIGGYBACK OF WHAT COUNCILOR BRAYDON WAS JUST SAYING. IT'S ABSURD THAT IN 2020 WE WERE APPLAUDING AND THANKING OUR FRONTLINE WORKERS AND NOW IN 2025 ABOUT TO BE 2026 WE WANT TO KICK THEM OUT AND IT'S IT JUST IT'S INSANE HOW BACKWARDS THIS IS. IT'S A TESTAMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WE HAVE A LOT ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND I ONE OF RISE THEY ALSO FIRST THANK OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUST FOR FOR LEADING THIS BODY ON THIS ISSUE BUT JUST BEING A STEADFAST ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION AND SUPPORTING ALL OF OUR TPS RESIDENTS AND IMMIGRANTS HERE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN. THANK YOU. MR. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR PEPEN COUNCIL YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I ALSO WANT TO STAND IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION. I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND REPRESENTATION OF ALL THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY AND THE ENTIRE CITY OF BOSTON WITH WHEN WE SEE THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPENING IN OUR CITY IT REALLY IMPACTS ALL OF US DOESN'T MATTER WHAT CULTURAL BACKGROUND WE'RE FROM, IT IMPACTS EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO BE UNDER ATTACK WHEN BY REMOVING THE TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR THOSE FROM RESIDENTS FROM FROM HAITI. WHAT IS IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TAKING AWAY THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN WORK HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND NOW IT PUTS THEM IN A PREDICAMENT WHERE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR FUTURE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND WE JUST EXPERIENCED SOMETHING OVER AT FANEUIL HALL WHERE PEOPLE WERE DOING THE RIGHT TO BECOME CITIZENS THE RIGHT WAY AND THEY WERE REMOVED FROM THE LINE BEFORE BECOMING CITIZENS SIMPLY BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY'RE FROM AND WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY AND IN OUR COUNTRY NOW IS THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY, THEY'RE BEING HARMED JUST BY TRYING AND IT'S SHAMEFUL THAT OUR PEOPLE RIGHT NOW THEY ARE BEING ATTACKED SIMPLY BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY'RE FROM. I REPRESENT SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HAITIAN COMMUNITY IN DISTRICT FIVE. THEY ARE THE BACKBONE OF MATTAPAN HIGH PARK RAUS AND NOW I SPEAK WITH SO MANY LEADERS AND UNFORTUNATELY SO MANY OF THEM ARE AFRAID THEY'RE AFRAID JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT RESOURCES THEY COULD PROVIDE. I WAS SO GLAD THAT COUNCIL PRESIDENT TODAY HONORED DR. GOEBEL BECAUSE IF SHE IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THE INSTITUTIONS THAT DO A LOT OF WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE OKAY BUT EVEN INSTITUTION LIKE IF THEY'RE OUT HANDS MEAN THEY CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH AND THINGS LIKE THIS IS ONLY MAKING IT HARDER FOR THEM AND THERE'S ONE THING I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THAT YES WE ARE CITY COUNCILORS AND YES WE FOCUS ON CITY SERVICES AND ON EVERYTHING. THERE HAS TO BE ROOM FOR THAT. EVEN THE FEDERAL STUFF THAT IS HAPPENING DOWN IN D.C. IT IMPACTS US AND IT'S OKAY FOR US TO TALK ABOUT BOTH ISSUES. I STAND WITH THE COMMUNITY. I STAND WITH MY HAITIAN COMMUNITY WITH EVERY SINGLE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN BOSTON AND I THANK THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR BRINGING IT TO THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MEJIA COUNCIL YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR VICE CHAIR. AND I WANT TO JUST THINK COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND FROM THE MOMENT THAT YOU WALKED INTO THIS CHAMBER AND WAS AS THE FIRST HAITIAN ELECTED HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, YOU BROUGHT SO MUCH PRIDE AND JOY TO THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU SERVE WITH SO MUCH PASSION AND CONVICTION AND IT HAS BEEN HUMBLING AT TIMES TO SEE YOU IN THIS SPACE AS YOU FIGHT FOR OUR PEOPLE. AND I'M STANDING HERE NOT JUST IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION BUT ALSO TO NAME THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO NAVIGATE THESE CONVERSATIONS CENTERING HUMANITY IS GOING TO BE WHAT I BELIEVE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS TO OUR POLICYMAKING. YOU KNOW, MY TWO NIECES ARE HALF DOMINICAN AND HALF HAITIAN AND SO WE KNOW THAT THE DOMINICAN COMMUNITY AND THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY IS LIKE OUR, OH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN THAT DIVIDE BUT I HAVE ALWAYS STOOD IN RELATIONSHIP AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MY HAITIAN COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THE WAY AND THIS ANTI-BLACKNESS SITUATION THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING HERE IN THIS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW IS VERY TARGETED. AND I THINK THAT ON THE BODY HERE IT'S GREAT TO FILE RESOLUTIONS AND TO STRENGTHEN THE TRUST ACT AND TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS AND I THINK THAT PART OF THAT WORK ALSO REQUIRES US TO STAND UP AND SPEAK UP EVEN WHEN WE ARE AFRAID. AND SO WE'VE DONE THAT AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE FOR YOUR TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP IN THIS SPACE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL WEBER COUNCIL YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I JUST AM PROUD TO BE ON A BODY THAT YOU KNOW SUPPORTS THIS AND WOULD SUPPORT OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT WHO JUST WANT TO STAND IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION. I THINK YOU KNOW THIS REALLY PUTS THE LIE TO THE NOTION THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AS THEY SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS ONLY GOING AFTER SERIOUS CRIMINALS AND IS MAKING OUR CITY SAFER BY SENDING THE ICE AND THE BORDER PATROL ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. WE'RE TALKING HERE ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED AND WORKED IN OUR COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES UNDER ILLEGAL STATUS, TPS STATUS AND YOU KNOW, FEBRUARY 3RD AND NEXT YEAR THAT STATUS IS GOING TO BE REMOVED. THEY'RE GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO THESE ARE YOU KNOW, TO THE SAME TREATMENT, YOU KNOW, FROM ICE AND THE BORDER PATROL THAT WE'VE SEEN. WE'VE BEEN HORRIFIED TO SEE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITIES AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, ON THIS SORT OF LIKE MANUFACTURED BASIS THAT SOMEHOW THESE PEOPLE ARE VIOLATING THE LAW BY JUST LIVING AND WORKING HERE. THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE PROVIDING I THINK COUNSELOR SANTANA, YOU KNOW, SAID IT NECESSARY SERVICES, VITAL SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITIES. THEY WORK FOR THEIR HOME HEALTH AIDES. THEY WORK IN OUR HOSPITALS. THEY WORK FOR OUR CITY. AND NOW BECAUSE OF THIS, YOU KNOW, THE HEARTLESS DECISION THAT HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO YOU KNOW, SORT OF TO TAKE EFFECT BY THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY ROUNDED UP AND YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS COUNTRY. AND YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S UP TO ALL OF US TO FIGHT AS HARD AS WE CAN TO PROTECT AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN. YOU KNOW, DURING THIS ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKIN COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I GOT THE SAME SENTIMENTS. IS COUNCILOR WEBER PROUD TO BE ON A BODY THAT CARES SO MUCH AND I THINK IT'S REALLY EASY IN THIS TOWN TO BECOME REALLY HARDENED TO REALLY HORRIBLE THINGS LIKE. I FOUND MYSELF JUST GLAZING OVER THE NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT SOMEONE BEING PEOPLE BEING TAKEN OUT OF LINE AT FANEUIL HALL AND THEN I WENT BACK TO IT AND IT REALLY MOVED ME BECAUSE I REMEMBER MY MOM HELPING PEOPLE WITH THEIR CITIZENSHIP TESTS. MY GRANDFATHER WENT THROUGH THAT HE WAS A NATURALIZED CITIZEN AND AND FOR A TIME HE LIVED HERE ON AN EXPIRED VISA AND SO I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE YOUR FAMILY DEAL WITH IMMIGRATION ISSUES BUT I ALSO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE FOR COMMUNITIES TO COME TOGETHER AND TO BE HELPING PEOPLE WITH THEIR CITIZENSHIP TEST TO HELP PEOPLE LEARN ENGLISH TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR TO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FUNDING THOSE CORRECT THINGS. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY LIKE IT'S SO IMPORTANT NOT TO BECOME HARDENED TO THESE HORRIBLE THINGS BECAUSE THIS IS FASCISM WE'RE LIVING IT IT'S THIS IS NOT THIS IS NOT A SMALL THING. THIS IS THIS IS RACISM. THIS IS FASCISM. IT'S ALL OF THE HORRIBLE THINGS THAT OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE DEALT WITH. IT'S HAPPENING HERE AND AS MY GRANDFATHER LIVED UNDER FRANCO IN SPAIN I KNOW EXACTLY I REMEMBER THE STORIES FROM MY FAMILY AND WE'RE LIVING IT TODAY AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE CANNOT BE HARDENED. WE HAVE TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS MATTER . AND TPS FOR HAITI IS A DIRECT ATTACK TO THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND AS COUNSELOR SANTANA AND I BELIEVE A FEW OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID THESE ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND YOU HAVE GREAT IMPACT DEVASTATING IMPACT ON THE FAMILIES AND THE SERVICES HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND I'M ALSO GRATEFUL THAT THIS RESOLUTION POINTS AND RECOGNIZES THE VERY REAL HUMANITARIAN CRISIS HAITIANS FACE AND IS STILL FACING AS WELL AS THE EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THE COMMUNITY THERE TO COMMUNITY MAKES TO OUR CITY. ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR CLOKEY PLEASE. COUNCILOR BREADON COUNCILOR COLETTA ZAPATA, COUNCILOR DURKAN COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FLYNN CONCILOR MEJIA HERE COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR PEPEN COUNCILOR SANTANA AND COUNCIL WEBER PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE SIX SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSES OF DOCKET NUMBER 2093 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY THOSE OPPOSING YOU SAY NAY HAVE IT DOCKET NUMBER 2093 HAS BEEN ACCEPTED. MR. CLERK CAN YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 2094 DOCKING NUMBER 209 FOR COUNCIL AND MEJIA FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION AND IN SUPPORT OF DEMANDING UPDATED COST ESTIMATES FOR THE WHITE STADIUM PROJECT. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONCILOR MEJIA HERE COUNCILOR MEJIA YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. SORRY YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. SO I'D LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR MURPHY AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. COUNCILOR MURPHY SO ADDED BECAUSE WE HAVE THE FLOOR AND I'D LIKE TO ADD SUSPEND 12 AND ADD COUNCILOR FLYNN CONCILOR MEJIA HERE TO SUSPEND THE RULES THAT COUNCILOR FLYNN AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS. COUNCILOR FLYNN ALSO ADDED CONCILOR MEJIA HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY SO TODAY I RISE TO OFFER A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF DEMANDING AN UPDATED ACCURATE COST ESTIMATES FOR WHITE STADIUM THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE YEAR MY OFFICE HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A PUBLIC PRIVATE PLAN IS THE RIGHT PATH FOR WHITE STADIUM. WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS, ENVIRONMENTAL LONG TERM PUBLIC ACCESS, THE FINANCIAL RISKS THAT COME WITH PRIVATE CONTROL OF PUBLIC ASSETS. BUT WHAT I WANT TO BE EQUALLY CLEAR ABOUT THAT IS THAT THIS RESOLUTION IS NOT ABOUT DEBATING THE MERITS OF THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PROPOSAL. THIS RESOLUTION IS TO ENSURE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON KNOW THE EXACT FINANCIAL COMMITMENT THE CITY IS BEING ASKED TO TAKE ON RIGHT NOW WE ARE OPERATING WITH AN OUT DATE IT FIGURE THE LAST PUBLIC ESTIMATE WAS OVER $100 MILLION AND WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO SUSPECT THAT THE NUMBER HAS CHANGED AS CONSTRUCTION COSTS CONTINUE TO RISE. YET NO UPDATE COST BREAKDOWN HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO THIS BODY OR THE PUBLIC WE CANNOT GOVERN RESPONSIBLY WITHOUT REAL NUMBERS. WE CANNOT ASK RESIDENTS TO TRUST A PROJECT WITH A PRICE TAG THAT IS STILL UNCLEAR AND WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD WITH A PROPOSAL OF THIS SCALE WITHOUT A FULL TRANSPARENT PROCESS THAT LETS US KNOW WHAT THE CITY IS ON THE HOOK FOR. AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHY STRONG INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT MATTERS. THIS COUNCIL PASSED A FORMAL PETITION ESTABLISHING THE BOSTON OVERSIGHT COMMISSION TO STRENGTHEN FIN COMM. YET THAT LEGISLATION IS STILL SITTING UNSIGNED. WHEN THE WHEN MAYOR WHEN WHEN MAJOR PUBLIC ASSETS AND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF PUBLIC DOLLARS ARE AT STAKE THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON DESERVE EVERY AVAILABLE ACCOUNTABILITY TOOL FULLY ACTIVATED WHETHER SOMEONE SUPPORTS OR OPPOSES THE CURRENT PLAN. EVERYONE SHOULD AGREE THAT TAXPAYERS DESERVE HONEST AND FLAHERTY. THIS IS PUBLIC LAND, PUBLIC MONEY AND A LONG TERM PUBLIC OBLIGATION. BEFORE THIS COUNCIL MAKES ANY FURTHER DECISIONS WE NEED ACCURATE UP TO DATE COST ESTIMATES AND NOTHING LESS. THIS RESOLUTION DEMANDS TRANSPARENCY ACCOUNTABILITY AND A COMPLETE FINANCIAL PICTURE SO THAT THE PUBLIC IS NOT BEING ASKED TO SIGN A BLANK CHECK. AND AGAIN I WORKED REALLY HARD IN THIS COMMITTEE AND I AM NOT SURE WHAT THE FUTURE OF MY STATUS ON THAT COMMITTEE HOLDS. BUT I WILL BE REMISS IF I DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS THE ACP EMERALD NECKLACE AND THE COUNTLESS ADVOCATES WHO HAVE CONTINUED TO SHOW UP AND DEMAND THAT THEIR VOICES BE HEARD AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO JUST THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THERE'S ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? OH RIGHT. THE CO-SPONSORS. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. OH RIGHT. IT'S JUST WANT ECHO. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. HERE. I KNOW THAT MANY OF THE RESIDENTS THOSE DIRECTLY AFFECTED WERE HERE THIS MORNING AND I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THEM FROM THE BEGINNING AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I FILED MANY DIFFERENT HEARING ORDERS OVER THIS PAST YEAR TO GET DIFFERENT TYPES OF ANSWERS ON WHITE STADIUM. AND I WANT TO CONTINUE CONVERSATION BUT WE NEED THE FACTS TO BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE EFFECTIVELY. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR IDENTITIES COUNCILOR FLYNN THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR I I RISE TO THANK COUNCIL AND MEJIA FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK SHE'S DONE ON THIS ISSUE. I THINK WE GODDESS OF IF YOU SUPPORT THE WHITE STADIUM PROJECT OR I THINK WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT THE TAXPAYER SHOULD KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY CITY'S CITY MONEY IS BEING SPENT. I THINK THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THIS RESOLUTION IS IS ASKING IS IS AT LEAST LET THE CITY COUNCILORS IN THE PUBLIC KNOW IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPOWER AND SEE THAT THAT'S ALL IT IS. AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF HIS ROLE AS CHAIR OF THE TRANSPARENCY COMMITTEE AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE ENSURING THAT THESE ISSUES ARE HEARD AND WE ACTUALLY ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS AT HER COMMITTEE. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I ENACTED IT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT FOR RESIDENTS TO HAVE A VOICE IN CITY GOVERNMENT ENSURING THAT RESIDENTS CAN ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS TO ANY ADMINISTRATION THROUGH THEIR CITY COUNCIL TO A PARTICULAR COMMITTEE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S PROBABLY TALK THAT THE COMMITTEE MIGHT BE ELIMINATED NEXT YEAR BUT I DO IF THAT IS THE CASE, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE INCREDIBLE WORK COUNCIL ME HERE DID ON THAT COMMITTEE OVER THE LAST OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER. YOU IN THE FLOOR CHAIR THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU KNOW I STAND JUST TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT AND I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS BEING MADE AGAINST THIS PROJECT WERE NOT MADE IN GOOD FAITH. SO IT'S KIND OF HARD TO CUT THROUGH THE NOISE WHEN WE WENT IN. THERE IS A THIS IS A PERFECTLY REASONABLE REQUEST. I MYSELF HAVE ASKED THE ADMINISTRATION TO PRODUCE NUMBERS THAT WERE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE SO WE COULD DISCUSS THE PROJECT. I LOOK FORWARD I'M PERFECTLY FINE TO VOTE FOR THIS RESOLUTION. I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THOSE NUMBERS AND WE CAN YOU KNOW, RESUME THIS DISCUSSION NEXT YEAR. BUT I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IN LIGHT OF THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OF SOME OF THE ADVOCACY, YOU KNOW, IN OPPOSITION OF THE STADIUM HAS JUST YOU KNOW IT'S IT'S I DON'T THINK HAS REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON THE ISSUE. IT'S BEEN BASED ON MISINFORMATION AND SOME OF THAT WILLFUL MISINFORMATION. SO YOU KNOW, I LOOK FORWARD TO CUTTING THROUGH ALL THAT AND GETTING TO THE FACTS AND AND VOTING ON THIS RESOLUTION TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKAN HAS YOU TO THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I JUST PART OF MY GOVERNMENT ETHICS IS I DO NOT SUPPORT IT AIDING FOLKS THAT ARE SUING THE CITY ON ANY ISSUE. THAT BEING SAID I READ THIS I LIKE IT I WE CARE ABOUT TRANSPARENCY. WE CARE ABOUT THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS. WE CARE ABOUT THE COST OF THINGS. SO HAVING READ THIS I AGREE WITH THIS I DON'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT LIKE VIN WEBER SAID, I DON'T WITH EVERYTHING THIS COMMITTEE HAS DONE THIS YEAR I DO THINK PLATFORMING SOMEONE SUING THE CITY IS A VIOLATION OF LIKE THE ETHICAL DUTY THAT I HAVE TO SERVE THE CITY OF BOSTON AND I KNOW WE ALL DO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS BUT I PERSONALLY SUPPORT WHITE STADIUM. I BELIEVE OUR KIDS DESERVE THE BEST. I BELIEVE THAT THEY DESERVE A WORLD CLASS FACILITIES AND I BELIEVE THAT IT'S BEEN COMPLETELY NEGLECTED FOR DECADES. THEY DON'T HAVE RUNNING THEY DIDN'T HAVE RUNNING WATER PRIOR TO PRIOR TO THERE BEING A PLAN AND I THINK OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A LOT OF DISCUSSION TO BE HAD ABOUT THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS AND WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE. AND I KNOW THAT THE ADMINISTRATION LOOKS FORWARD TO PUTTING FORWARD SOME NUMBERS AND UPDATED COST ESTIMATES. WE KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION IN THE MEDIA ABOUT THIS. I JUST WANT TO PUT HOW I FEEL ON THE RECORD. I AM PREPARED TO VOTE YES ON THIS AND WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO AGREE ON EVERYTHING ON THIS COUNCIL. THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF HAVING 13 DIFFERENT MEMBERS WITH DIFFERENT PRIORITIES AND DIFFERENT FOLKS THAT THEY TALK TO. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME MR CLERK BECAUSE IT COMES WITH GREAT INEQUALITIES. DURKIN FITZGERALD PREPARED SANTANA WEBER WORLD PLEASE OF THE CHAIR COUNSELORS IS MEJIA MURPHY AND FLYNN SEEK SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF AN ADOPTION OF DOCKET NUMBER 2094 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL THOSE OPPOSED NAY THE AYES HAVE IT. MR CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CONDUCT OROCOBRE ROLL CALL VOTE AND I CAN OF A2094 COUNCILOR BECAME 292094 COUNCILOR AGREED YES COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PARTNER. COUNCILOR CLOSE THE YES. COUNCILOR DURKIN COUNCILOR DURKIN YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN IS COUNCILOR FLYNN YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR ME HERE. COUNCILOR ME HERE YES. COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR PIPPIN COUNCILOR OPINION COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR WEBER COUNCILOR WEBER YES AND COUNCILOR WORLD YES. COUNCILOR WELL YES. DUCK NUMBER 2094 HAS RECEIVED A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU. THIS DOCKET HAS PASSED. WE ARE NOW ON TO PERSONNEL ORDERS BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME OR A MOTION TO RECONSIDER A VOTE ON A DOCKET WHILE THEY WERE OUT OF THAT YOU CANNOT DISCUSS WAS INTENDED TO PRESENT ANY OTHER FLOYD THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE ACTION TAKEN ON DOCKET NUMBER 2079. IS THERE A SECOND SET SO IT IS PLACED IN COMMITTEE AND YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER SAY I I OPPOSING IT. I DON'T KNOW. OKAY. YOU HAD THE FLOOR. OH, THAT'S NOT IN NUMBER 2079. EXCUSE ME TO READ THE BACK OF THE RECORD ON YEAH. CAN YOU PLEASE READ IT BACK INTO THE RECORD. YEAH IT WAS PLACED IN COMMITTEE TODAY IF YEAH TALK NUMBER 2079 MISS YOU KNOW AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $1,485,264.20 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE TEAM EARMARK GRANT AWARDED BY THE MASS DEPARTMENT OF FIRE SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE NEEDS OF THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE TEAM PER LINE ITEM 8000 DASH ZERO 600 OF THE FISCAL YEAR 26 GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT. OKAY. THANK YOU COUNCILOR SANTANA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT'S HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE TEAMS OR THE HAZMAT TEAM HANDLES SOME OF THE MOST DANGEROUS PUBLIC HEALTH INCIDENTS IN OUR CITY FROM CLEAN CLEANING UP CHEMICALS, BIOLOGICAL OR RADIOLOGICAL OR OTHER DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES. THEY KEEP OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR ENVIRONMENT SAFE. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO EXTEND MY DEEP GRATITUDE TO OUR HAZMAT TEAM FOR THEIR TIRELESS WORK AND DEDICATION TO KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE EVERY DAY THEY EXEMPLIFY WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PUBLIC SERVANT. EARLIER THIS YEAR ON APRIL 25TH, THE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL ON PUBLIC SAFETY CRIMINAL JUSTICE WAS JOINED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS FOR A PRODUCTIVE AND INSIGHTFUL AND INSIGHTFUL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE GRANTS ANTICIPATED TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. OUR DISCUSSION EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF BRANDS LIKE THESE IN ENSURING THE DEPARTMENT'S CAN CONTINUE ITS IMPORTANT WORK AS A CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE I BELIEVE THAT ENSURING THAT OUR HAZMAT TEAM IS FULLY FUNDED IS A PRIORITY FOR ENSURING PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY. I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND PASS THIS DOCKET. THANK YOU. AWESOME. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES ANY OF THE FLOOR THAT'S NOT ON THIS DOCKET. NOT ON THIS DOCKET. OKAY. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS COUNCILOR FOR THOSE THAT DO SPEAK ON THIS DOCKET? OKAY. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FOR ANY OF THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANT WORK COUNCILOR SANTANA HAS DONE ON THIS ISSUE. THE THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE WAY IT'S TOO HAZARDOUS MATERIAL RESPONDING TO EMERGENCY ISSUES THROUGHOUT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. WHAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT IS THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES, THE TRAINING AND THE EQUIPMENT TO DO THEIR JOB EFFECTIVELY. THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR ENSURING THAT SAFETY RESPONDERS HAVE THE TOOLS TO DO THEIR JOB ,ESPECIALLY DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY IS THAT ON THIS OKAY. CUSTOMER FOR YOU ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU CHAIR IF I CAN THROUGH YOU TO THE CHAIR JUST ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC TO THE CHAIR YOU MAY I KNOW THAT YOU HELD A HEARING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THOSE WHO CALLED BRIGHT OUR GRANTS. AND IS THIS DIFFERENT OR DID YOU JUST GIVE US THE ONE PAGER BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT AND YOU'RE HOPING WE PASS IT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE HAD THAT ONE KIND OF OVERALL HEARING TO TRY TO CATCH ALL UPCOMING GRANTS FOR THE YEAR. DO THE CHAIR COMES IN AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO RESPOND YOU MAY. YES. SO THANK YOU, CONGRESSMAN MURPHY. THIS WAS THIS GRANT WAS COVERED AT THE HEARING AND I MEANT TO JUST LET IT PASS EARLIER. IT JUST JUST TALKED THROUGH. OKAY. NO, PERFECT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT. BUT I JUST WANTED TO ALSO GET ON THE RECORD THAT WE DID WE DID HAVE A HEARING AND WE DID HAVE A HEARING ON THIS ONE. I THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE LOOKING I WAS LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER. OKAY. COUNSELOR SANTANA SEEKS SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER AS OF 202079. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I. I'LL SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS DOCKET HAS PASSED. BUT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME TO A DOCKET OR PUT FORWARD A MOTION TO RECONSIDER WHEN THEY WERE OUT OF CHAMBERS. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES PENDING ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY NAME TO DOCKET NUMBER 2090 AND 2091 AND 2092. THANK YOU. JUSTIN ADAMS OKAY. THANK YOU, GOVERNOR. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COME FROM HERE. GENSLER THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT AND YES, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY NAME TO 20902091 AND 2092 IS CORRECT. YOU GOT THAT. AWESOME. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO PERSONNEL ORDERS. MR. CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE PERSONNEL ORDERS? PERSONNEL ARE STUCK IN NUMBER 2095 COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR COUNCILOR WEBER AND NUMBER 2096 COUNCILOR REASON FOR COUNCILOR TO PREPARE. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR MOVES FOR PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 209592096 OTHER THAN IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL OPPOSE ANY THANK YOU. THE PERSONNEL ORDERS HAVE PASSED. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO GREEN SHEETS. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO PULL ANYTHING FROM THE GREEN SHEETS? THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR SANTANA CARLOS SANTANA YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO POOL TWO DOCKETS FROM THE GREEN SHEETS. THE FIRST ONE IS DOCKET NUMBER 1951 FILED ON PAGE 23 OF THE GREEN SHEETS. DO YOU HAVE MR. CLERK, COULD YOU TWO GET GET SOME ARE THEY YOU'RE GOING TO READ BOTH OF THEM. OKAY. CAN YOU READ THE OTHER THE OTHER DOCKET COVERS INDIANA. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO FOR DOCKET NUMBER 20365 ON PAGE 23 OF THE GREEN SHEETS. NO, MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THOSE TWO DOCKETS INTO THE RECORD FROM THE COMMITTEE PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE TALKING ABOUT 1951 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVE AWARDED BY THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE CITY OF BOSTON'S COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY AIMED AT REDUCING GUN GANG AND YOUTH VIOLENCE IN THE CITY. AND NUMBER 2036 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $148,824 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FEDERAL BURN JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT REALLOCATION AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PASSED TO THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE ANNUAL BOSTON ADDRESS VERIFICATION PROCEDURE MANDATED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS SIX OFFENDER REGISTRY BOARD. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CANCER CENTER IN A COUNCIL SAID IN A YEAR BEFORE IT ABSENT OBJECTION THE MOTION OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR IS ACCEPTED AND THE DOCKETS ARE PROPERLY BEFORE THE BODY COUNT U.S.A. THE FLOOR . THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'M GOING TO SPEAK FIRST ON DOCKET NUMBER 1951. THIS IS A COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVE GRANT AND AS THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 AWARDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THIS GRANT WOULD FUND THE CITY OF BOSTON'S COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY AIMED AT REDUCING GUN GUN GANG AND YOUTH VIOLENCE TO THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND YOUTH OPTIONS UNLIMITED. THESE FUNDS WILL SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS TO EMPOWER BOSTON'S CORE INVOLVED OR AT RISK YOUTH THROUGH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES MENTORSHIP, CASE MANAGEMENT, CAREER TRAINING AND SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT. THIS GRANT OF $100,000 FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO SAFETY AND SECURITY TO THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COVERS OPERATIONAL COSTS AND YOUTH STIPENDS FOR UP TO 15 PARTICIPANTS WHO WILL WORK BETWEEN 10 TO 15 HOURS A WEEK OVER A 12 TO 20 WEEK PERIOD DEPENDING ON THE PLACEMENT WITH WAGES RANGING FROM $16 TO $18 AN HOUR. WITH THE ACCEPTANCE OF THIS GRANT WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO UPLIFT AND SERVE THESE YOUNG RESIDENTS. AND THEN SECONDLY, I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK I'M TALKING NUMBER 2036. THIS IS A FEDERAL BIRD JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT REALLOCATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $148,824 AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PASSED THROUGH THE MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY AND TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE BOTHELL POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS GRANT WILL FUND AN ANNUAL PASS AND ADDRESS VERIFICATION PROCEDURES MANDATED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY BOSTON THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED TO IDENTIFY, INVESTIGATE AND LOCATE OFFENDERS KNOWN TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THEIR REGISTRATION OBLIGATIONS AND THOSE WHO LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE MAY BE IN VIOLATION BY VIRTUE OF PROVIDING INACCURATE ADDRESS INFORMATION TO THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY BOARD WILL REIMBURSE THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OVERTIME HOURS WORKED TO PERFORM THESE FUNCTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. ANYONE ELSE ARE YOU LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? COUNCILOR FLYNN? THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO SPEAK ON THE SECOND DOCKET AND JUST WANT TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION AS A AS A FOLLOW UP PROBATION OFFICER, I SUPERVISED A LOT OF PEOPLE ON PROBATION THAT WERE SEX OFFENDERS AND WHAT THE PROCESS WAS INCLUDING HOMELESS RESIDENTS. THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPORT TO THE NEAREST POLICE DISTRICT. I BELIEVE IT WAS WEEKLY WITH SOME TYPE OF VERIFICATION IF THEY WERE HOMELESS THEY HAD TO SHOW SOME TYPE OF VERIFICATION FROM A HOMELESS SHELTER OR WHERE THEY'RE LIVING IF THEY WERE WORKING AT A VARIOUS LOCATION THEY HAD TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION THAT THEY WERE WORKING THERE AND FOR A LEVEL THREE SEX OFFENDERS IT WAS MUCH MORE STRICT IN TERMS OF THEIR NOTIFICATION. BUT IT'S A CRITICAL PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY. IT'S A CRITICAL PART OF ENSURING RESIDENTS KNOW AND ARE AWARE OF SEX OFFENDERS ESPECIALLY THE LEVEL THREE SEX OFFENDERS LIVING OR WORKING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON EITHER OF THESE DOCKETS NOW? OC COUNCILOR S.A. THE CHAIR THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SEEKS PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1951. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I I'LL OPPOSE NAY THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS DOCKET IS PASSED. CARLOS SANTANA THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY. SO SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 2036 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL OPPOSE ANY THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS DOCKET IS PASSED THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONCENTRATED CONCENTRATE AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO PULL DOCKET 1976 IT'S WHAT PAGES ON PAGE 12 OF THE GREEN SHEETS. MR. CLERK, DO YOU HAVE THAT DOCKET IN FRONT OF YOU? COULD YOU PLEASE READ IT TO THE BACK FROM THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TOKEN NUMBER 1976 MESSAGE YOU'RE NOT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON ACTING BY AND THROUGH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND $32,251 AND SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDS AWARDED ON THE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN HALLMARK ACT OF 2021 FOR THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. THE PURPOSE OF THE HOME ARP FUNDS IS TO PROVIDE HOUSING, SHELTER AND SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS OR HOUSEHOLDS WHO ARE HOMELESS AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS AND OTHER VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THIS AWARD WILL SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING. THANK YOU. ABSENT OBJECTION, THE MOTION OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR IS ACCEPTED AND THE DOCKET DOCKET NUMBER OF 1976 IS PROPERLY BEFORE THE BODY COUNT CELEBRATING YOU HAVE THE FLOOR . THANK YOU. IN 2022 THE BOSTON RECEIPT BOSTON RECEIVED A ONE TIME GRANT FROM HUD FOR APPROXIMATELY $21,500,000 MILLION DOLLARS AS PART OF THE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021. THIS INITIAL AWARD WAS PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON JUNE 29, 2020 TO THIS DOCKET DOCKET NUMBER 1976 IS FOR A SECOND AWARD OF $32,251 AS A RESULT OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR WHEN HUD CALCULATED THE INITIAL AMOUNT BACK IN 2022, IT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN 2020 13TH OF NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR. THIS FUNDING TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING WILL SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. GIVEN THE SMALLER SIZE OF THIS GRANT AND THE FACT THAT IT IS CORRECTING AN ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR, I'M ASKING THAT WE SUSPEND IN PASS DOCKET 1976 THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? OKAY. COUNCILOR BREADON SPEAKS IS PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1976 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALSO OPPOSE NAY. SO MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL ROLL CALL VOTE ON DUCK NUMBER 1976 COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCILOR COLETTA IT'S A PARTY COUNCIL IT CLEARS UP YES. COUNCILOR DURKIN COUNCILOR DURKIN YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR FLYNN YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR ME HERE. COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR PIPPIN COUNCILOR BULLPEN YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES AND COUNCILOR WELL DOCKET 1976 AS WE SEE WHAT 610 VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE THANK YOU. THIS DOCKET IS PASSED. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO PULL ANYTHING FROM THE GREEN SHEETS? OKAY. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO LATE FILES BEFORE WE DO THAT THERE'S A REQUEST AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT ONE FROM A STAFFER THAT WE TAKE A PHOTO OF ARE THE COLLEAGUES AND STAFFERS. SO IF THEY'RE STAFFERS IN IN OFFICES WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME TO CHAMBERS TO BE PART OF A BIG PHOTO AT THE END OF THIS MEETING, PLEASE DO THAT. SO I WILL I WILL BUZZ THAT FOLKS CAN MAKE THEIR WAY TO CHAMBERS. BUT IF THERE ARE STAFFERS WHO ARE IN OFFICES AND WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THAT PHOTO AND CENTRAL STAFF AS WELL, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO CHAMBERS OKAY. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO LEAD FILES. I'M INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT THERE ARE 910 TEN LATE FILE MATTERS NINE PERSONNEL EXCUSE ME NINE PERSONNEL, NINE FILE MATTERS, SECTION 17 OF RESPONSE. OKAY GREAT. SO THERE ARE A TOTAL OF TEN LATE FILE MATTERS. NINE OF THEM ARE PERSONNEL ORDERS AND ONE OF THEM IS IS A RESPONSE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO A 17 F ORDER. WE WILL FIRST TAKE A VOTE TO ADD THE NINE LATE FILE PERSONNEL MATTER TO THE RECORD. I WOULD LIKE TO FLAG THAT ONE OF THESE LATE FIRED PERSONNEL ORDERS IS FOR OUR NEW BUDGET ANALYST RYAN PRATT. THANK YOU TO MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL WHO WERE PRESENT FOR THAT WHO WERE PRESENT FOR THAT INTERVIEW. I LOVE TO SEE THE GROWTH IN CENTRAL STAFF SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE CENTRAL STAFF TEAM AND SAY WELCOME ABOARD TO RYAN PRATT. OKAY. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE TO ADD THESE NINE LATE FILE PERSONNEL MATTERS TO THE RECORD. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL OPPOSE SAY NOW THE AYES HAVE IT BEASLEY FILE PERSONNEL MATTERS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE TO THE DOCKET WE WILL NOW TAKE A VOTE TO PASS THESE LATE FILE PERSONNEL MATTERS. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I OH, OKAY. BEFORE WE DO THAT, I'M TRYING TO RUSH US ALONG HERE TO THE END. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE LATE FILE PERSONNEL ORDERS INTO THE RECORD LATE FIVE PERSONNEL ORDERS FOR A SWORN COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR THE NEW APPOINTMENT. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR COUNCILOR THE COLORS COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR COUNCILOR PRESIDENT'S OFFICE I BELIEVE THERE'S NO OTHER NAME BUT COUNCILOR FOR COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR REASON FOR COUNCILOR AMIHERE COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR COUNCILOR AND MEJIA AND THEN COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR ALL CENTRAL STAFF AND COUNCILOR OFFICE STAFF THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW TAKE A VOTE ON THESE PERSONNEL MATTERS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I. I ALL OPPOSE SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THESE DOCKETS HAVE PASSED AND MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE FILE? WE WILL NOT TAKE A VOTE TO ADD THE LEAD FILE 17 F RESPONSE ON TO THE RECORD ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE I I I'LL OPPOSE THEY NAY THE AYES HAVE IT THIS LATE FILE 17 F RESPONSE HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE RECORD. MR COURT COULD YOU PLEASE READ IT INTO THE RECORD TO THE CITY COUNCIL? DEAR COUNCILOR AS THIS IS A RESPONSE TO THE 17 F ORDER REQUEST THANKS FOR INFORMATION REGARDING BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY OPERATION AND STANDARD PRACTICES DUNCAN NUMBER 1854 FILED ON OCTOBER 20TH, 2025 SINCERELY MAYOR WILL THANK YOU. THIS RESPONSE WILL BE PLACED ON FILE. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT THERE ARE THAT THERE IS ONE ADDITION TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. THE QUESTION NOW COMES ON APPROVAL OF THE VARIOUS MATTERS CONTAINED WITHIN THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I TAKE YOU THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED. OKAY WE ARE NOW ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS PLEASE REMEMBER THESE ARE FOR UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS. TODAY IS ANGUS BIRTHDAY ANDREW BRUTUS HAPPY BIRTHDAY. YOU ALSO HAVE SOME DISSENT DECEMBER AND EARLY JANUARY BIRTHDAYS JUDITH EVERS JULISSA GONZALEZ I JUST HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULISSA JACK SPRAGUE, CARA MONTREAL AND DORA PIERRE LOUIS ,LIAM REMUS, MELISSA LEO JULIA HERE ON THE FIRST AND EMILY POSTED SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE UPCOMING BIRTHDAYS IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS NOW IS THE TIME THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR CLAUDIA ZAPATA AND THANK YOU TO MICHELLE FOR PASSING OUT THE MUGS. HOPEFULLY THIS YEAH THEY HAVE EVERYONE'S NAME ON IT OVER HERE ALL SPELLED CORRECTLY SO SHOUT OUT TO STUDIO 24 IN MATTAPAN THAT HELPED US WITH THESE ORDERS SO HOPE YOU LIKE THEM. SO MY COLLEAGUES AND TO OUR STENOGRAPHER, TO OUR CLERK TO OUR ASSISTANT CLERK AND TO ALL OF OUR INCREDIBLE CENTRAL STAFF THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CARLA ZAPATA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I WANTED TO UTILIZE THIS TIME NOT FOR AN ANNOUNCEMENT JUST FOR DEEP GRATITUDE FOR ALL OF CENTRAL STAFF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY THANK THE MEGS FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE DURING GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS HEARINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS. I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK. I WANT TO THANK ALL STAFFERS WHO MAKE ALL OF US LOOK GOOD. IN ORDER TO DO GOOD WORK YOU NEED GOOD STAFF AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP THIS YEAR AND I DO WANT TO UTILIZE THIS TIME, MADAM PRESIDENT, JUST TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR YOU AND SERVING ALONGSIDE YOU IN THIS CAPACITY YOU HAVE EXEMPLIFIED THE POSITIVE GROUNDED STUDY HAND THAT WE HAVE NEEDED DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE FACT THAT YOU'VE COMMITTED YOURSELF TO REAL SOLUTIONS AND YOU ARE A FIRM BELIEVER IN THE POWER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WHAT IT CAN DO FOR FOR EVERYBODY AND THE IMPACT THAT WE HAVE ON ON PEOPLE'S LIVES. AND SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU AND EVERY SINGLE TIME I'VE STOOD UP AND I SAID MADAM PRESIDENT, I HAVE BEEN VERY PROUD TO DO SO. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU AS YOU MOVE ON THIS SIDE OF THE DAIS IN THE NEXT YEAR. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKIN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WANTED TO MIRROR THE THANKS OF COUNCILOR CLAUDIA ZAPATA, COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE YOU HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING PRESIDENT AND YOU KNOW I'M NOT THE EASIEST PERSON TO WORK WITH SOMETIMES SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AS A BODY MOVE TOGETHER AND WE HAVE SO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 1213 DIFFERENT OPINIONS DEPENDING ON THE DAY. AND SO THE IDEA THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN ABLE TO COME TOGETHER OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THERE ARE SO MANY TIMES IN WHICH YOU HAVE TO PUT YOURSELF SECOND WHEN YOU'RE IN THIS JOB AND BEING PRESIDENT I IMAGINE IT WAS EVEN MORE THAN JUST REGULARLY BEING A CITY COUNCILOR. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU PUT IN. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP IN MY DISTRICT ALL THE TIME AND BEING AN INCREDIBLE LEADER. LOOKING FORWARD TO TWO MORE YEARS WITH YOU AND WITH ALL MY COLLEAGUES. I THINK THIS HOLIDAY SEASON LOOKING AT ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, I'M JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU. I THINK WE YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AND THERE CAN BE FRICTION. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY LIKE I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO BE SERVING ALONGSIDE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE LIKE ALL OF US HAVE PARTNERED ON SOMETHING AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND I DIDN'T GET MY GREAT HOLIDAY GIFTS. YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE GETTING SOMETHING IN THE NEW YEAR. I DIDN'T GET IT DONE IN TIME BUT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE GETTING SOMETHING IN THE NEW YEAR JUST TO SAY I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOU. I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY TEAM LILY, SAM, HOLLY SHUM WHO IS PART OF MY TEAM THIS YEAR. I WANT TO THANK MAME, I WANT TO THANK LAUREN KAMI LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN JUST LIKE SO INCREDIBLE AND I JUST FEEL LIKE WE ARE YOU KNOW THAT FEELING WHEN LIKE YOUR WHOLE TEAM CLICKS WHEN YOU FINALLY HAVE THAT AND IT'S I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE TWO MORE YEARS ON THIS COUNCIL AND THANK YOU ALL WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SHARON SORRY. THANK YOU COUNCILOR DURKIN THE CHAIR AND AS IT COMES FROM HERE YOU GET THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO UTILIZE THIS TIME FOR GRATITUDE. NORMALLY I KNOW YOU JUST WANT US TO FOCUS ON ANNOUNCEMENTS SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE GRACE AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR YOUR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I KNOW IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY TO SIT WELL. IT'S BEEN A CAKEWALK. YOU WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE OKAY ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE THESE TARGETS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU LOOKING AT YOU DURING COUNCIL MEETING. SO I JUST WANT TO JUST THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS JUST HOLDING IT DOWN EVEN WHEN EVERYTHING FELT SO UPSIDE DOWN SO I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND ESPECIALLY JESSIE. I'M NOT SURE IF JESSIE IS HERE BUT YOU'RE LISTENING IN JESSIE YOU KNOW I CAME FROM THE PUBLIC IN CHAMBERS. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. WHOSE STAFF STAFFING YOU ARE REGISTERED BUT I WANT TO UPLIFT JESSIE BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN JESSIE THROUGH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OFFICES AND HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SO INCREDIBLY GENEROUS WITH HIS ADVICE TO US. AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK JESSIE FOR ALWAYS HELPING US NAVIGATE THE POLITICS OF POLITICS. AND I'D BE REMISS WITHOUT THANKING MY ENTIRE STAFF. YES, ALL OF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN YOU HAVE LITERALLY SAVED MY LIFE AND HAVE TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT IT IS TO BE A COURAGEOUS LEADER. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY TIMES WHEN I'VE RAN INTO MY OFFICE JUST FEELING INCREDIBLY DESTROYED AND YOU ALL HAVE LIFTED ME UP AND REMINDED ME OF WHY I EXIST IN THIS WORLD AND WHY PEOPLE LIKE ME MATTER IN THIS SPACE SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE. WE GO HARD FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE. WE DO SO UNAPOLOGETICALLY. WE ARE IN ALL SPACES AND PLACES AND WE JUST DON'T DO POLICY. WE DO PROGRAMING THAT IMPACTS THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE. AND EVERY TIME I HAVE AN IDEA YOU GUYS MAKE IT HAPPEN. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND THE MEGHAN'S OH MY GOD MICHELLE YOU HAVE NO IDEA THE GIFT THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED OUR OFFICE BECAUSE WE HAVE RELIED ON CENTRAL STAFF PARTICULARLY IN THIS CYCLE ON HOW TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE MAGS THAT'S WHAT WE'VE COINED THEM AS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN SO INCREDIBLY GENEROUS WITH THEIR THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND HELPING US NAVIGATE ALL OF THE LOOPHOLES THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY FIND JUST TO GET OUR MESSAGE OUT IN OUR WORK TO THE FINISH LINE. AND I WANT TO THANK COUNSELOR CLARISSA THAT AND YOUR STAFF PARTICULARLY ELLIE, YOU HAVE BEEN SO INCREDIBLY GRACIOUS WITH US, YOU KNOW, AND ARE DEMANDING GET US IN FRONT OF THE COUNSELOR. WE WANT TO PASS THIS THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT I'VE PASSED OVER 15 PIECES OF LEGISLATION AND I'VE BEEN VERY PROUD OF THAT AND THIS TERM I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO NAVIGATE POLITICS IN THAT PROCESS. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR COMMITTEES ABOUT THAT FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PASS TWO PIECES OF LEGISLATION AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET THAT HOME RULE PETITION SIGNED THAT IS STILL WAITING IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE IS LISTENING IN BUT YOU HAVE UNTIL 5:00 TODAY RIGHT? YOU HAVE UNTIL 5:00 TO SEND THAT HOME RULE PETITION OVER TO THE STATE HOUSE WE'VE WORKED WITH. SHAPIRO INSPECTOR GENERAL SHAPIRO AND OTHERS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND WE DID SO IN DEEP COMMUNITY AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHERS. SO WE GOT IT TO THE BEST PLACE THAT WE COULD. AND I'M HOPING THAT THE MAYOR WILL DO RIGHT BY THE PROCESS AND GET IT SIGNED. AND LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE ADVOCATES AND THOSE WHO HAVE STOOD UP AND SPOKE UP AND TRUTH TO POWER NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT IT HAS BEEN, YOU ALL HAVE SHOWN UP AND SHOWED OUT IN THIS CHAMBER AND HAVE CREATED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY TAKE OUR MARCHING ORDERS FROM THOSE THAT WE SERVE AND WHETHER WE WANT TO HEAR IT OR NOT. AT THE END OF THE DAY OUR JOB IS TO REALLY BE THE THE MICROPHONE FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS. AND LASTLY MY COLLEAGUES I KNOW I OFTEN TALK ABOUT MY AWARD WINNING PERSONALITY AND I AM NOT SURE WHO'S GOING TO BE MY SUPPORTING ACTRESS OR ACTOR. I DON'T KNOW MAYBE THESE TWO RIGHT HERE BUT I JUST WANTED TO JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR JUST HOW HOW WE'VE MANAGED TO DEAL WITH CONFLICT PUBLICLY. I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS FIRM HAS REALLY DEMONSTRATED WHAT IT IS WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN 13 CITY COUNCILS WITH DIVERSE EXPERIENCES AND BELIEFS GET TOGETHER AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN BECAUSE OF MORALE YOU COULD LEAD A MASTERCLASS IN CONSENSUS BUILDING WITH THE WORK THAT YOU DID IN THE WAYS AND MEANS YOU GOT US AND YOU DELIVERED AND YOU DID THAT BY BRINGING THIS BODY TOGETHER. SO I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE YOU FOR BEING ABLE TO BRING THE BODY TOGETHER DURING THAT TIME WHICH WAS NOT EASY. SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LEADERSHIP AND I HOPE THAT EVERYONE WISHING YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND THEN YOU NEED SOME WATER. OKAY, WE NEED TO GET SOME WATER. COME ON, GET SOME WATER IN MY CUP AND MY CUP AND THAT'S MY CUP. OH, THAT'S MY CUE TO FINISH UP. OKAY, WRAP IT UP. ALL RIGHT, WELL, COME ON. WE NEVER GET TO DO THIS, SO I'M TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. AND ALSO THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF. I DO SAY I THINK THIS WAS HER IDEA FOR US TO TAKE A BIG COUNCIL PHOTO AND IT'S A GREAT IDEA. SO ANOTHER KUDOS TO EVERYONE STAFF OFTEN TOO OFTEN OUR UNSUNG HEROES THE CHAIR I HOPE SHE LORRAINE GET SMARTER AND SMARTER. OKAY THE CHAIR AND IT JUST COMES WITH ANY OTHER FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT I ALSO JUST WANTED TO RISE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO KNOW AS A FIRST TERM COUNCILOR JUST LEARNED THROUGH YOU THROUGH THE WHAT HAVE YOU DONE. I KNOW THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY JUST BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD. HONESTLY INSIDE HERE WHERE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR DEMEANOR AND THE WAY THAT YOU CARRY THE BODY THROUGHOUT THE TWO YEARS. I ALSO WANTED TO THANK MY STAFF PERSONALLY THAT WE ARE LEARNING AND ARE IN OUR FIRST TERM HOW TO JUST MANEUVER EVERYTHING BUT I JUST I HAVE AN ALL STAR TEAM IN MY IN MY IN MY ROOM, IN MY OFFICE JUST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM JUST THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME SANE. THANK YOU FOR MAKE SURE THAT MY LIFE IS NOT IN SHAMBLES AND KEEPING ME ON TIME FOR EVERYTHING TO MY COLLEAGUES JUST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU THAT THE 11 OF YOU ARE VERY DIFFERENT AND I THINK EACH OF YOU JUST TEACH ME SOMETHING THAT I CARRY WITH ME EVERY SINGLE DAY AND IT'S MADE ME A BETTER LEADER AND IT MAKES ME ACTUALLY FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IN MY OWN SHOES AND TO SHOW UP WHO I AM INSTEAD OF TRYING TO PRETEND SOMEONE I'M NOT AND I MEAN THAT GENUINELY. THANK YOU FOR FOR EVERYTHING AND I'VE MADE FRIENDS HERE I MEAN THAT SOME PEOPLE THAT I WOULDN'T EXPECT SO JUST REALLY THANKFUL FOR FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AND PUBLICLY I JUST WANT TO THANK MY MY FAMILY AS WELL TO SEE YOU MY WIFE WHO HAS PUT UP WITH ME FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS AND YOU KNOW, I COME I CAME IN HERE AS A FAMILY OF FOUR AND FINISHING THIS YEAR POTENTIALLY AS A FAMILY OF FIVE. SO IT'S IT'S A BLESSING AND IT'S FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS TO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE A LIFE AS A CITY COUNCILOR, IT'S IT'S IT'S A HARD BALANCE. THERE'S A LOT OF TOUGH DAYS. THERE'S A LOT OF TOUGH DAYS BUT A LOT OF GOOD DAYS TOO. IT'S NOTHING LIKE RECEIVING A CALL FROM A RESIDENTS AND THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME. I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST LESSON THAT WE CAN ALL TAKE GETTING EMOTIONALLY JUST BECAUSE I'M THANKFUL THE FACT THAT I GET TO SERVE THE CITY THAT I WAS BORN IN AND THE CITY THAT I LOVE. SO JUST THANK YOU EVERYONE HAPPY HOLIDAYS. HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL WEBCAMS WILL BE ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO JOIN MY COLLEAGUES IN THINKING. MADAM PRESIDENT, FOR HER WORK OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS I KNOW A LOT OF US PROBABLY ALL OF US GET THANKED FOR OUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY IN OUR WORK. MADAM PRESIDENT, YOU'VE PROVIDED A GREAT SERVICE TO THIS COUNCIL FOR TWO YEARS STEPPING INTO THE SPOTLIGHT, HAVING TO FACE ALL OF US EVERY EVERY WEDNESDAY AND I JUST APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF HAVE DONE AND KEEPING THIS ENGINE GOING FOR TWO YEARS AND I. I KNOW IT WASN'T EASY BUT YOU YOU MADE IT LOOK EASY AND SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR FOR EVERYTHING. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I'D LIKE TO ECHO EVERYTHING THAT MY COUNCILOR COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU FOR THE INVESTMENTS THAT YOU HAVE MADE INTO THIS BODY. I ALSO JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK THAT THEY HAVE PUT IN. THE PASSION CAN CONSTANTLY SHOWING UP FOR OUR RESIDENTS. ALTHOUGH WE MIGHT DIFFERING OPINIONS I COULD SAY ONE THING THAT I KNOW TO BE ALL TRUE IS THAT WE ALL HAVE LOVE FOR THIS CITY AND WE ARE ALL WORKING TOWARDS MAKING THE LIVES OF BOSTONIANS BETTER. SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR JUST HAVING THAT LOVE AND HAVING THAT COMMITMENT TO MAKING THIS CITY BETTER FOR ALL BOSTONIAN. I WANT TO THANK THE CLASS CLERK'S OFFICE. ALSO CENTRAL STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND JUST BEING A RESOURCE TO MY TEAM AND TO ALL OF US ALSO JUST THANK YOU TO MY TEAM. I KNOW THAT I COME UP WITH IDEAS, YOU KNOW WHETHER IT'S POLICY IDEAS, WHETHER IT'S PROGRAMING AN EVENT. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR YOUR BELIEVING IN THE VISION AND CARRYING OUT AND EXECUTING. I KNOW OUR RESIDENTS AS YOU KNOW APPRECIATE IT BUT I JUST WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND ALL YOUR DEDICATION AND JUST THANK YOU TO ALL THE RESIDENTS WHO CONSTANTLY SHOW UP. ADVOCATE FOR ADVOCATE TO US AND YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR JOB. SO JUST THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR MAKING THIS SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE. I ALWAYS SAY THIS IS THE SECOND BEST JOB THAT I EVER HAD. MY FIRST IS TO MY SON BUT THIS IS THE SECOND BEST JOB I'VE EVER HAD. SO THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BRADING HAS A GREAT AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. I WANT TO JOIN MY COLLEAGUES IN THANKING YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP THIS PAST YEAR. THE LAST TWO YEARS I DIDN'T GO THAT CLASS. THE DAYS ARE LONG WITH THE YEARS OR YES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL LEARN FROM EACH OTHER. WE ALL WE'RE ALL VERY DIFFERENT IN OUR APPROACH TO THINGS. WE HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS, DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES BUT ALL TOGETHER I THINK WE REALLY WORK TO TRY AND BRING OUR TRUE SELVES INTO THE INTO THE INTO THE SPACE AND TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES AND WORK FOR THE CITY BOSTON TO MAKE IT BETTER, MAKE IT AN EVEN BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. SO THANK YOU AND WANTS TO THANK YOU MR. CLERK FOR YOUR AND YOUR STAFF EVERYONE ELLEN THANK YOU FOR THE LITTLE PACKETS OF LOVELY PACKETS OF IRISH BISCUITS THAT YOU BRING ME WHEN YOU TRAVEL TO NORTHERN IRELAND AND ALSO CENTRAL STAFF. WE COULDN'T DO THIS JOB WITHOUT OUR CENTRAL STAFF AND AND THEN ALSO INDIVIDUALLY FOR ME TO THANK THE INCREDIBLE TEAM THAT I HAVE THAT WORK WITH ME EVERY DAY AND REALLY BRING OUT THE BEST IN ME. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE TRACK HAS COMES FROM A JOURNEY ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. GOOD YEAR EVERYONE. PLENTY OF WORK AHEAD. HAPPY HOLIDAYS. LET'S TAKE THIS PICTURE NOW. THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE KIND WORDS ALSO I JUST I ALREADY SPOKE BUT I JUST WANT TO AGAIN THANK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES. I WANT TO AGAIN THANK CENTRAL STAFF. THERE'S SO MUCH THAT GOES IN TO RUNNING THESE MEETINGS. SO I WANT TO THANK AGAIN THE STENOGRAPHER. I WANT TO THANK AGAIN THE CLERK AND THIS IS THE CLERK AND NOT JUST THEM EVERYONE WHO IS UP IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE BECAUSE THEY ALL PARTICIPATE AND HELP MAKE THIS OFFICE TO MAKE THESE MEETINGS RUN WHEN THEY GO WHEN A CLERK ISN'T HERE OR ASSISTANT CLERK THE ONES WHO STEP IN. SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK THEM OUR STAFF THE SHINING EXAMPLES THAT ALLOW US TO RUN FROM PLACE TO PLACE. WE THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT POSSIBLE AND TO OUR FAMILIES I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL AND IT'S BEEN THE DREAM TO SERVE AS A PRESIDENT OF THIS COUNCIL ON THE GOOD DAYS AND ON THE INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING DAYS THAT HAVE GROWN ME AND HAVE HELPED US SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY. SO THANK YOU EVERYONE OKAY. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO MEMORIAL. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO UPLIFT A NAME? THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BREADON. HAS THERE BEEN ANY ON THE FLOOR? THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO REMEMBER MARY HEALEY WHO PASSED AWAY ON DECEMBER SECOND. SHE'S 88 YEARS OLD. SHE WAS A NATIVE OF IRELAND, BORN IN BANTRY COUNTY CORK AND A WAS A LONG, LONG TIME RESIDENT IN BRIGHTON AND AN ACTIVE MEMBER IN OUR CHURCH COMMUNITY AND AT THE CARRIER CLUB OF THE VERONICA SMITH SENIOR CENTER. THE CURRENT LOVERS OF CLUB FOR IRISH EMIGRANT TO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND LIVE IN BOSTON AT THE VERONICA SO I WISH TO REMEMBER MARY AND ALL OF AND REALLY SEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO ALL OF YOUR FAMILY AT THIS TIME THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. I WOULD LIKE TO UPLIFT CHUCKIE RAZO IS FROM THE BRICKLAYERS UNION AND JUST A GOOD FRIEND OVER THESE YEARS AS A KIND MAN WHO HAS GONE TO SOON. THANK YOU MARY HEALY. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. ON BEHALF OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL I'M SORRY THERE ARE NO THERE'S NO SPEAKING FROM THE PUBLIC BUT MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HONOR IF THERE'S SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIKE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WRITE DOWN THE NAME AND I CAN GIVE THE NAME I'D BE HAPPY TO AND THE THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES KINDS OF OPINION. I THINK THE PERSON THAT WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER IS GOVERNOR CHARLIE BAKER'S FATHER. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CUSTOMER HERE. DID YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON? OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND TODAY WE WILL ADJOURN OUR MEETING IN MEMORY OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR MURPHY I'M HAVING COUNCILOR MURPHY AND FLYNN CHARLES AND CHUCK RASO. I'M HAVING THE COUNCIL BRAIDED MARY HEALEY ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR I'M MYSELF GLEN GUERRIER ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND COUNCILOR FLYNN NAPOLEON JONES HENDERSON MEMBER OF THE ARTS BOSTON ARTS COMMISSION AND BELOVED NEIGHBOR OF ROXBURY ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL AND THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT TODAY GOVERNOR CHARLIE BAKER'S FATHER AMMONIUM SILENCE THE CHAIR MOVES THAT WHEN THE COUNCIL ADJOURN TODAY IT DOES SO IN MEMORY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED INDIVIDUALS THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES TO CENTRAL STAFF, THE CLERK IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE COUNCIL STENOGRAPHER TODAY WE WILL BE ADJOURNING. I'M MOVING FIRST TO ADJOURN SENIOR DEAR WHICH MEANS WITHOUT A DATE THE CONCLUSION OF A MEETING BY A DELIBERATIVE BODY . WE WILL BE MEETING AGAIN IN THIS CHAMBER ON JANUARY 5TH. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY I THE CASUALTIES ADJOURNED. CINDY HAPPY NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS HAPPY KWANZAA