City Council

Good afternoon. I call to order today's meeting of the Boston City Council. Viewers can watch the council meeting live on YouTube at boston.gov forward slash City-Council-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.

Councillor Breadon. Coletta Zapata, Dirkin, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, and Councilor Worrell. A quorum is present.

Thank you, I have been informed by the Clerk that a quorum is present. Now it is my pleasure to introduce this week's clergy, Pastor Deshae Freemeyer-Jackson, the trans-BIPOC pastoral resident at the Bryant-Alston Congregational Church, who will be providing our invocation invited by Councilor Santana. After the invocation, we will recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Councilor Santana, you have the floor.

Good afternoon. Thank you, Madam President. It is my pleasure to introduce Pastor DeShae Freymeyer-Jackson, the Trans BIPOC pastoral resident from the Austin Brighton Congressional Church to lead today's invocation. The Brighton Austin Congressional Church has been a cornerstone of Brighton since 1827 and has grown to embody the spirit of service and inclusion. As an open and affirming church, they have created a welcoming space for all residents. From their doors, they run the Austin Brighton Food Pantry, feeding over 1,200 of our neighbors every month. They cultivate green space and an eligible garden in Brighton Centre, nourishing our community in more ways than one. They are also innovators, operating an award-winning thrift shop and courageously leading the nation by hosting the only trans-BIPOC pastoral residency in the United States. Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Pastor Deshae Furmeyer Jackson.

Thank you all so much for this invitation. I would like to give thanks and representation from Alston Brighton Food Pantry as well as Brighton Alston Congregational Church where I serve as the associate pastor and I give thanks for our senior pastor, Pastor Nakira Hernandez-Wolfe, who was unable to be here but still gives their love and still gives their presence. And in this moment, I want to invite you all to breathe in deeply with me. Let us breathe in together. and exhale. Listen more often to things than to beings. Listen more often to things than to beings. Tis the ancestors breath. When the fire voices burn, tis the ancestors breath in the voice of the water. Listen. Listen, listen, beloveds, as we come together for community care. May we be reminded by the ancestors to listen, hold space, and open space for creation With the breath that flows in and in between us, let us give gratitude for experiencing a new day filled with limitless possibilities. We give gratitude for the abundance and creativity we all bring to this place. And as we bring it to this place, May we be able to create and sustain opportunities, opportunities for those who have been marginalized, minoritized, or otherwise left out. May we take these opportunities not for granted, but to uplift, edify, and to revitalize all who have minds to receive it. With this understanding, may we come to this place with open hearts, minds, and spirits to do justice, love peace, and to move humbly and compassionately with one another. May the words of our mouths and the meditation of all of our hearts be acceptable and a pleasing, pleasing thing to you, our creator, connector, and liberator of us all. Ashe and blessed be.

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 so much, Pastor Fremire Jackson, and thank you for singing one of my favorite Sweet Honey in the Rock songs that was Incredible and beautiful. Thank you so much. Mr. Clerk, could we please amend the attendance record to reflect that Councillor Durkan is now present and with us? And can we please amend the attendance record to reflect that Councillor Weber is now present and with us? Thank you. We are now on to presentations. We have two presentations today, one from Councilor Flynn honoring former Representative John Santiago, outgoing Veterans Services Secretary. Thank you for being with us and for your service. And then we will have one from Councilor Weber honoring Solomon Northup. Thank you to my colleagues. You will have the floor in five minutes. Additionally, I know that the family of the late Mary Williams is here and we will be honoring her. via her sister, Martha Williams, and Councilor Pepén. So, Councilor Flynn, you have the floor in five minutes. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President, and honored to be here and to welcome a friend of mine from the South End that has done an extraordinary job working on behalf of Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, but really the residents of Boston in Commonwealth of Massachusetts in support of veterans across our Commonwealth, and that is Secretary John Santiago. and we had a reception prior to this event here and we had a lot of South End people that showed up to thank John for his important work. We also had some veterans that came to Thanks Secretary Santiago as well. We want to welcome his wife, Alex, and their two children are not here, but we want to acknowledge the important role military families play. But on behalf of the City Council, on behalf of the residents of Boston, I do have an official resolution as Secretary Santiago soon retires from his current position working in the Healey administration. John Santiago, your outstanding service to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, both as a state legislator in the South End in Roxbury, and as Secretary of the Executive Office of Veterans Services. You are a dedicated public servant a physician at Boston University Medical Center, a military officer, a veteran's advocate, and a friend. We thank you for your tireless advocacy on behalf of veterans and military families, your significant contributions to strengthening the system so veterans are treated with respect has made a huge impact across the state. We extend our deepest gratitude for your remarkable work on behalf of the people of the South End, Roxbury, and really throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the nation as well. Would love to invite the Secretary and his lovely wife if they'd like to join us. and then we'll take a group photo after with my city council colleagues. I think I caught Alex off guard a little bit by inviting her up. I want to say welcome to John and to Alex.

Well, good afternoon, everyone. It's great to be here with each and every one of you. Thank you, Councilor, for your friendship, for your camaraderie. From my days working as a state rep in the South End and getting the constituency work done. You've always been there, so I appreciate that. And you being a military person yourself, understanding the sacrifice that that requires. Thank you, Madam President, for your leadership in this august chamber and for the councilors here today who care so much about Military families in the community. And when I look back at my service, and I'll be stepping down later on this year, I think about how it started. I am a veteran. I've been deployed a couple of times. I don't lead with the veteran hat typically, and so when I was presented with this opportunity, It was something that came as a shock. I actually was deployed at the time in Syria, of all places, on the front lines in a war zone, and Governor Healey had called me to begin this conversation. I was a state rep, a physician, a relatively new father at the time, and I said, listen, Sounds like a great opportunity. I recently voted to make this a cabinet secretary, but thanks but no thanks. Hung up the phone. I was around the soldiers thinking about my time in service and my commitment over the years in state office and in the hospital. I called her back up, I'm down. I'm interested, I will do this, and I will work day and night to make sure that veterans in the Commonwealth Get the dignity and the service that they need. And it was a challenge. As you can recall, during COVID-19, over 100 veterans tragically died at these veteran homes. So in addition to starting up this brand new secretariat, we were tasked with transforming this, rebuilding trust in the community. I'm happy to say in almost three years, because we led with listening, we led in collaboration with stakeholders such as yourselves, people all across the Commonwealth, that we've been able to accomplish pretty amazing things, from building two new veteran homes, or one that's almost going to be built, to transforming leadership. And I can tell you today that the outcomes there are surpassing the average outcomes across the Commonwealth when it comes to nursing homes to passing the most comprehensive piece of legislation when it comes to Veterans Affairs in the history of the Commonwealth to make an enlarged investment in veteran homelessness that we've ever seen. We're excited about the work we've done. The work is never finished, particularly in this day and age, given the divisiveness we're seeing across the country. So when we can come together on this issue, irrespective of your background, your gender, your political affiliation, That's what makes me proud. That's what makes me inspired. So just thank you for the recognition and the opportunity to be here with you all today. And I look forward to working with you on the support issue for many days to come. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Sepik. Could I ask my City Council colleagues to join us for a photo, please? You're welcome, you're welcome.

It was really nice seeing you.

I know, I know.

Thank you so much, Councillor Flynn, for honouring a fellow veteran of yours, for both of you, for both of the work that you do for our veterans. I was just joking with former Rep. Secretary John Santiago. He's always a man of five jobs and five hustles. So excited to see what you'll do next as you continue to serve our city and the Commonwealth. Thank you to Alex Merci Bien. Thank you so much for coming and being with us because I know that it It takes a team to make all of this happen, so thank you. We are now moving on to our next presentation, which will be given by Council Weber honoring Solomon Northup. Council Weber, you have the floor in five minutes.

Thank you very much. Yeah, come on up. So I'm sure most of you are familiar with the story of Solomon Northup. In 1855, he published his memoir, 12 Years a Slave. He wrote, quote, What difference is there in the color of a soul? Born in 1807 in New York, Solomon Northup was kidnapped and sold into slavery. in Louisiana, where he spent 12 years in forced slavery. before he was freed in 1853 based on, I think, a statute that rescued New York citizens from slavery. His memoir, 12 Years a Slave, sold 30,000 copies in three years. Solomon Northup traveled around the country speaking about his experience. including a series of speaking engagements in Massachusetts and the Boston area at locations like Bethel Church and Tremont Temple. This morning was an unveiling of an exhibit called Hope Out of Darkness, which honors Solomon Northup. Its temporary home now is at the Kennedy Greenway. And this is the second stop of a traveling exhibit. The sculpture by Wesley Woford, will be on display here through December. and will eventually be on permit display in, I believe it's Marksville, Louisiana, where Solomon Northup was freed. This exhibition was brought to Boston in partnership with the North American Indian Center of Boston and the Greenway Conservancy. We're joined here by Jean-Luc Perit from NICOB, who's the president. And he came to my office to ask if the Council could do something to honor the installation stop in Boston. I, of course, said yes, and I'm honored to bring a resolution forth for a vote during today's meeting. Today's the time. where we must embrace, not erase, the full history of slavery, dispossession, and systematic injustice upon which this country was built. We now thinking about what Solomon Northup stood up against Here in Boston was the center of the abolitionist movement. We had the Boston Vigilance Committee, which sought to protect Boston residents from being kidnapped and brought to the south for slavery. These people were, under the Fugitive Slave Act, deprived of due process. And the citizens of Boston United, to help protect them, if it sounds anything like what we're seeing today, I'm attending that parallel. So I have the distinguished honor of welcoming Melissa Howell to the chamber today. Melissa is here from the Solomon Northup Committee for commemorative works and is a direct descendant of Solomon Northup. She is his great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter I got that right. Melissa, thank you for your contribution in fostering awareness around the legacy of Solomon Northup's life and works. And I'd like to welcome you up here to say a few words.

Thank you, Councilor Weber, Madam President, Honorable Members of the City Council, and citizens. It is an honor to speak before you today as we recognize Boston's It is an honor to speak before you today as we recognize Boston's profound connection to the life and legacy of Solomon Northup, whose story, courage, and resilience continue to inspire freedom movements across generations. In the mid-1850s, after enduring 12 years of enslavement and regaining his freedom, Solomon's journey brought him into the company of the Boston abolitionist circle. A network of extraordinary men and women who use their voices, their pens, and their pulpits to confront America's moral crisis. Boston was, at that time, a beacon of conscience, home to William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, and Charles Sumner, and countless others who refused to remain silent. Solomon's visits to Boston placed him within that living conversation on justice. Here in this very city, his story was shared in lecture halls and meeting houses where his firsthand testimony awakened hearts and strengthened resolve in the growing movement to end slavery. Boston's newspapers reviewed his lectures and published notices of his appearances. His voice, echoing through this city, was part of a larger chorus that insisted on the truth, that freedom, once taken. must be reclaimed and that memory, once awakened, must never again fall silent. By acknowledging this connection, the City of Boston, honors not only the man, but the moral community that believed in the power of words to transform a nation. Today, through this act of recognition, Boston reaffirms its own legacy. Sorry. A city of abolition, a city of conscience, and a city of remembrance. As his descendant, I stand before you as living proof that his hope endured and his fight continues to bear fruit in every act of justice and remembrance. May we continue to lift up those courage Lift up those whose courage shaped the moral arc of our history. And may Solomon Northup's story remain a living reminder that freedom work is never done. and that Boston's moral voice still matters. My ancestor once spoke here for justice. Today, I speak here for memory and gratitude. Thank you.

Very briefly, Madame Presidente. Bonjour. Hello, everybody. Hello, everybody. My name is Jean-Luc Purit. and I'm a member of the Tunica Biloxi tribe of Louisiana. The statue that is currently on a traveling exhibition will be permanently installed within my own tribe's traditional territory. And as a tribal citizen, it's important for us to Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. was included within our petition for federal recognition. So we would not be a federally recognized tribe were it not for the narrative of Solomon Northup, in part. But I also want to just recognize very quickly First, our partners, all the people that it took to get us to this point. Of course, North American Indian Center of Boston, we are a curatorial partner on Undocument, excuse me, Unmonument, Remonument, and The Monument through the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture. We thank Boston 250 for including this unveiling within their calendar of events. We also thank the Rose Kennedy Greenway, New Democracy Coalition, Boston People's Reparation Commission, And also, just individually, I want to recognize Reverend Kevin Peterson, La'Merchi Frazier, and we have guests from both out of state and out of country. First, Stephanie Lucas Polnitz from Mobile, Alabama, also representing the people that are the direct descendants of the last illegal Slave Ship to Hit These Shores. So we want to recognize that. And then finally, Salminia Soriso from Rio de Janeiro, who has been able to speak on the importance of today. So thank you so much for this opportunity.

I have a resolution for Melissa and Jean-Luc, but I'd like to welcome all my colleagues up for a photo, if possible.

Make sure everyone has a window.

See everyone? Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Councilor Weber, Jean-Luc, the Carnival Society, and NICAB for that beautiful tribute, and the descendants of Solomon Northup for that beautiful, beautiful A tribute to someone who was an abolitionist through and through and suffered some of the worst that this country has seen through slavery. Free, enslaved, and then free again. and so I'm looking forward to also visiting the exhibit. We have with us the family of Mary Williams and so I'm going to allow Councilor Pepén to come and remember her and I know he's going to ask for Martha Williams to come down and be with us. Thank you.

Good afternoon everyone. So today I have the distinct honor of just doing a in tribute recognition to Ms. Mary Williams, who was a very powerful community member in the Mattapan area. of my district where every single weekend she would just gather the youth at Almonte Park and do Bible study with them, but also just build community amongst her residents Today I'm here with her sister, Ms. Martha Williams, who is an embodiment of that as well. And the work that her family has done in my district continues to happen, but I just, This past weekend I was able to join the Williams family at Almond Park to do this recognition with them and just it's beyond thankful because because of families like the Williams family they make the city of Boston a better place to be in and it It just shows you that you don't have to be an elected official. You don't have to have a certain title to just give back to your community. And that is what the Williams family resembles in Mattapan. So to Ms. Martha Williams and your late sister, Mary. Thank you so much for everything that you've done for our city.

I'd like to thank you all for being here. I miss my sister Mary so very much. My sister Mary taught Bible study in the Almonte Park Children's section on Blue Hill Ave, Almonte Street. She did this every Saturday. Every Saturday she was there. She went to the local stores who donated food and snacks Before she taught Bible study, she would set everything up. I would come over to do face painting for her and just spend some time with what she was doing. But she did this every single Saturday. She would take her cart. and she would drive it to every location and pick up all the groceries and the snacks to be able to serve the children after the Bible study. So with that being said, it just reminds me of how wonderful She did this in her own time. She didn't ask anyone to help. She went out whether it was raining, snowing, and she made this happen. And she also served the community, the Almonte Park Community. Every week she was doing something different. So with that being said, I just miss her so much. We've all decided to go ahead and work on a plaque to be placed on the park bench in the children's section of that playground. And we're still working on that as we speak. So with that being said, I would love anyone's support that's able to support us with that so that we can possibly, hopefully, next year, 2026, the National Night Out event We are hoping that we will make sure that that bench, the plaque is on that bench and we will go ahead and remember her each and every day and for every event moving forward. Thank you so much for listening.

Thank you so much, Martha, for keeping the legacy of your sister alive. And thank you, Councilor Pepén, for recognizing her. Yeah, yeah, I was going to ask. Yeah, Councilor Pepén? Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, let's do that.

Thank you all so very much. I appreciate your time.

Thank you so much, Councilor Pepén, and thank you again, Mary, Martha, for continuing to Honor your sister, Mary. Mr. Clerk, could you please update the attendance record to reflect that Councillor Coletta Zapata is now present with us and Councillor Worrell is now present with us? Thank you. We are now on to the first order of business, which is the approval of the minutes from the meeting on October 8th, 2025. All in favour say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. The minutes of the October 8th meeting are approved. We are now on to communications from Her Honourable Mayor. I know we had with us earlier former City Councillor Tito Jackson, so thank you for being with us here. We are now on to communications from Her Honourable Mayor. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket number 1831?

Doctrine number 1831, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of one million dollars from the United States Department of of the Interior under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to be administered by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department for purposes of making capital improvements to Salon Park and Dorchester. This order also confirms that Salon Park is permanently dedicated for park and playground as required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the grantor's agent.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councillor Coletta Zapata. You have the floor.

Thank you so much, Madam President. As chair of the Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency and Parks, I rise to ask my colleagues to suspend and pass this grant. from the National Park Service Land and Water Conservation Fund in partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This $1 million grant will support major capital improvements to Ceylon Park in Dorchester, including a new play area, a children's bike loop, a splash pad, Accessible Pathway, new trees, rain gardens, and upgraded lighting and courts. These investments make the park more welcoming, safer, and climate resilient for Climate Resilient for families and neighbors who rely on this green space every day. Parks like Ceylon are essential for both environmental health and community well-being. This particular park helps to manage stormwater. It reduces urban heat and gives kids a safe place to play. Passing this grant today ensures that the project stays on track and construction can begin in 2026. With that, I'd like to hand it over to Councillor Worrell who represents this area to share more about the importance of this project to his community.

Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Arroyo.

You have the floor. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Chair Coletta Zapata, for moving this forward. This is a much needed investment to upgrade to St. Long Park. I want to thank the administration for already doing the soccer field. This is just getting to the playground. A lot of kids, a lot of families in the neighborhood that are going to benefit from the upgrades in that park. So looking to suspend. and Pass to bring a much needed asset to the area. Thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? OK. Coletta Zapata, the Chair of the Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency, and Parks, to suspension of the rules and passage of docket number 1831. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1832?

Docket number 1832, message in honor authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $895,657.87. in the form of a grant for the Resia Program for Fields Calendar Year 25 grant awarded by the United States Department of Labor passed through the Mass Hire Department of Career Services. to be administered by the Office of Workforce Development. The grant will fund individual re-employment needs of unemployment insurance claimants as well as prevent and detect improper benefit payments and application assistance for training and Education Resources and Programs.

Thank you, the Chair. This docket, docket number 1833 will be referred, 1832 will be referred to the Committee on Labor, Workforce, and Economic Development. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket number 1833?

Dock number 1833, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $99,476 in form of a grant from the Pipeline Emergency Response Grant Awarded by the United States Department of Transportation to be administered by the Fire Department. The grant will fund training for emergency responders In high consequence areas to protect people, property, and the environment from accidents involving gas or hazardous liquid pipelines.

Thank you. Docket number 1833 will be referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket number 1834?

Doctrine number 1834, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $48,900 in a form of a grant for the 2025 Mayor's Challenge Project Grant awarded by the United Nations Development Program. to be administered by operations. The grant will fund a study to address chronic school bus delays through AI-enabled traffic signal priority at key intersections and piloting innovative pickup and drop-off scenarios to address congestion on neighborhood streets close to a school.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Council Member Penn, the chair of the Committee on City Services and Innovation Technology.

Thank you so much, Madam President. As you all know, the battle to get school buses on time to and from school has been a major priority for the Boston Public Schools and our chamber in general. This is a small grant that will help create potential solutions to help mitigate and bring down the time. So I am asking for suspension and pass for this. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Does anyone want to speak on this matter? Pepén, the Chair of the Committee on City Services and Innovation Technology, to suspension of the rules and passage of docket number 1834. All those in favour say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket number 1835.

Doctrine number 1835, message in order, authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $44,780 in the form of a grant for the Water Quality Assessment of Chandler Park Pond Grant awarded by the Mass. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to be administered by the Parks and Recreation Department. The grant will fund water quality monitoring in Chandler Pond for 12 months, develop a watershed-based plan to identify sources of pollution, engage the community to build Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Coletta Zapata.

You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. As chair of this committee, I'm requesting suspension and passage of this grant in the Commonwealth Section 604B Water Quality Management Planning Program. which provides vital funding for water quality monitoring and restoration efforts across our city. This $44,780 grant will support the Boston Parks and Rec Department in partnership with the Charles River Waterset Association to conduct water quality testing, develop a watershed-based plan, and engage the Brighton community in restoring Chandler Park in Faneuil Brook. Passing this grant today is important to ensure that monitoring can begin early next year and that residents have clean, healthy waterways and safe access to their neighborhood's natural resources. These efforts also build climate resilience and protect against stormwater pollution. So with that, I'll turn it over to Councilor Breadon, who represents the area. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Breadon. Councilor Breadon, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I stand in support of accepting this grant. Chandler Pond is the only remaining pond in Alston Brighton. We used to have 19, and it drains into The Charles River via the Faneuil Brook. It is an incredibly well-used and beautiful passive green space in the neighbourhood. One of the purposes in doing the water quality monitoring is to help address and prevent algae blooms and the proliferation of invasive species. but also to ensure that the water is safe for pond users and wildlife. So I adjourn my colleagues to suspend and pass.

Thank you. Coletta Zapata, see suspension of the rules and passage of docket number 1835. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1836?

Docket number 1836, message in order authorizing the procurement department to extend the term of an existing three-year contract for the purchase of Ladder Trucks for the Boston Fire Department. Two trucks contemplated under the contract were delivered in December 2024, but the remaining four trucks are currently scheduled to be delivered two trucks at a time in October 26. and October and March 2027.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. As this is not an appropriation, this is just an extension of a of a contract in the procurement department seeking suspension in passage. Would anyone like to speak on this matter? The chair recognizes Councilor Flynn. You have the floor.

Yeah, Madam Chair. I'm very familiar with the City of Boston Fire Department Maintenance Division. My uncle was a superintendent for many years there, and he was an excellent firefighter. He's a decorated Vietnam veteran as well. I'm not going to object to it, but I would like to learn more about it because I do know that this issue is very important to the health and safety of firefighters and the residents of Boston. But I would like to know what I'm voting on other than four or five sentences in the agenda.

Thank you. and I understand it's an extension. I wanna make sure we're not holding it up in the fire department. There's the letter that is in our packet that I'd be happy to read. I transmit herewith for your approval in order authorizing the procurement department to extend the term of an existing three-year contract. So it's just extending the term. It's not an appropriation. Again, it's not authorizing any money. A three-year contract for the purchase of ladder trucks for the Boston Fire Department. Two trucks contemplated on the contract were delivered, but the remaining four trucks are currently scheduled to be delivered, so it's just to ensure that within the timing of the contract that those trucks can be delivered. Amending this contract for an additional two years would be highly advantageous for the city because the price would be significantly higher for the city to re-bid on the contract. The City will incur no additional cost and the time extension is solely to allow for the City to issue a purchase order at the time of each delivery. So, additional information.

Madam Chair, I'm not going to object. I'm going to vote in favor of it. I do wish we had a hearing on it because I need to learn more about this issue. But again, I don't want to hold this up. It wouldn't look good if I held it up, but I'm not doing my due diligence by just being a rubber stamp here. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. And I think that we have a lot of information here. But I'm happy if there's additional information. I just want to make sure that we're able to get this so the Boston Fire Department can get their trucks. I see suspension and passage of docket number 1836. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on docket number 1836. Councilor Brayton. Brayden, yes, Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes, Councilor Durkan, yes, Councilor Fitzgerald, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Louisanne,

Yes.

Councilor Lujan, yes. Councilor Mejia. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Murphy. Yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Pepén. Yes. Councilor Pepén, yes. Councilor Santana. Yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Weber.

Yes.

Councilor Weber, yes, and Councilor Worrell.

Yes.

Councilor Worrell, yes. Dock number 1836 has received 12 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. This docket is passed. We are now on to reports of public officers and others. Mr. Clerk, can you please read dockets number 1837 through 1846?

Docket number 1837.

I apologize. Dockets number 1837 through 1846.

Doctrine number 1837, notice received from the mayor of the appointment of Stephen Farrell as a trustee of the Boston Groundwater Trust for a term expiring November 2, 2025. Doc number 1838, notice received from the mayor of the appointment of David O'Donohue as a trustee of the Boston Groundwater Trust for a term expiring October 6, 2029. Dock number 1839, notice received from the mayor of the appointment of Bethany Patton as a trustee of the Boston Groundwater Trust for a term expiring October 6, 2029. Docket number 1840, notice received from the mayor, the appointment of Robert Kua as a trustee of the Boston Groundwater Trust for a term expiring October 6, 2029. Document number 1841, notice received from the mayor hereby delegating the authority vested and her pursuant to the Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 87, Section 4 to Brian Sweat as Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space for the City of Boston. This delegation is effective. October 20th, 2025. Document number 1842, communication received from the Massachusetts Port Authority regarding Boston Logan International Airport 2023-2024 environmental Data Report, EEA number 3247. Document number 1843, communication received from Evandro Carvajo, Executive Director regarding the Office of Police Accountability and Transparency's Annual Report Fiscal year 25. Doctrine number 1844. Notice received from the Mayor of the appointment of Matthew Dickey as a member of the Boston Commemoration Commission effective immediately. Doctrine number 1845. Notice received from the Mayor, the appointment of Hester Farah as a member of the Boston Commemoration Commission effective immediately. And doc number 1846, notice received from the Mayor, the appointment of Claire Tilluni, as a member of the Participatory Budget External Oversight Board for a term expiring November 15, 2025.

Thank you. There's normally not discussion on communications, but I'll allow Councilor Coletta Zapata, if you'd like to speak on communication, you have two minutes to do so. Councilor Coletta Zapata, you have the floor in two minutes.

Thank you. Thank you so much, Madam President. And I usually would never do this, but there's an important report coming in from the Massachusetts Port Authority regarding Logan International Airport environmental data. This is the first time that we are receiving a report like this since 2022. It talks about, and this is something that generations of East Bostonians fought for just to get this sort of information. So I feel like it's super important to talk about it. It's the information from 2023-2024. It's an environmental data report. It's supposed to provide a comprehensive review of the operational, environmental, and planning initiatives across 2023. It states that passenger traffic rebounded strongly, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 2% in 2024 with Logan handling over 70% of New England's own passengers, which means that this is... The same sort of air pollution and traffic that is coming onto East Boston streets and bottlenecking into my community. So more carbon emissions in my neighborhood. CEO Rich Davey and I have spoken, and I appreciate his efforts to reduce carbon emissions, and I think he's taking a great approach. He's expanding electric vehicles, on-ground transportation, moving people, not cars. And so, oh, and they also talk about EJ initiatives and sustainability efforts, but our task is now to question, is this going far enough? Are they doing enough? Are they doing what they should be doing to adequately mitigate Carbon Emissions in East Boston. And so there's a comment period now that's open until January 9th, 2026. And so I'm calling on all residents, my colleagues to review this report, ask the hard questions and hold them accountable. and it's due on January 9th. So thank you for letting me speak. I appreciate it, but I felt like it was important to call attention to it. Thank you.

Thank you. These dockets will be placed on file. We are now on to reports of committees. Mr. Clerk, would you please read docket number 1277?

Docket number 1277, the Committee on Government Operations, to which was referred on June 25th, 2025. Dock number 1277. Petition for a special law, an act relative to the City of Boston Certified Emergency Telecommunicators, submits a report recommending that this matter ought to pass in a new draft.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes the Committee. The Chair of the Committee on Government Operations, Councilor Coletta, you have the floor.

Please bear with me. We are in the season of long reports of committee and so I appreciate your patience and I'll try to go through this as best as I can but it is in your packet and on the agenda. So this matter was sponsored by Councilors Roussi-Louijeune, Brian Worrell, and Councilor Ed Flynn, Councilor Worrell, and Councilor Flynn, and was referred to the committee on June 25th, 2025. This docket is a home rule petition that seeks to reclassify Boston's 911 call center employees as Group 2 employees under the Massachusetts Public Employee Retirement Law. Specifically, the petition proposes to amend MGL Chapter 32, Section 32G by inserting language to include all full-time dispatchers, dispatch supervisors, and communication center directors. or Communication Chiefs certified by the State 911 Department pursuant to 560 CMR 5.04 within the scope of Group 2 membership. So basically what is happening is that there is a misclassification of these vital and essential employees that are taking our calls during the most stressful moments of people's lives. We are labeling them legally as clerks and administrators, which does not do them justice to the amount of work that they do and the high stress and intensity of the job. And so not only is that not dignified, it results in them not And so what this seeks to do is classify them from group one to group two. The committee held a hearing on Tuesday, July 29th, 2025, to discuss Docket 1277. The committee heard testimony from panelists, including Lou Mandarini, Sharon Daughton, who's the Superintendent, Bureau of Administration Technology from the BPD, Mike Shackford, who is a dispatcher within the BPD, Melinda Santos, who is also a dispatcher, Tom McKeever, who is the president of SEIU Local 888, and Neil O'Brien, from SEIU Local 888. They are here today. Thank you for joining us. During the panel testimony, the committee gained insight into the daily challenges that 911 dispatchers face including chronic staffing shortages and low base pay and the City of Boston dispatchers routinely handle some of the city's most traumatic emergencies for extended hours beyond on their regularly scheduled shifts, with employees often required to work double and sometimes triple shifts, including up to 18 hours in a single day. which simultaneously monitoring multiple radio channels and coordinating the response of police, fire, and EMS across the city. The panel's testimony also revealed that dispatcher pay remains among the lowest in the region. with base salaries starting around $23 per hour. And it was explained that these conditions have contributed to exhaustion and burnout, which in turn have created a significant barrier to achieving the necessary retention and recruitment goals. Following the hearing, we went through a bunch of what it would mean logistical and technical details of switching from Group 1 to Group 2. We had asked the Boston Retirement Board, the committee, through the leadership of the lead sponsor, Councilor Louijeune, We asked the Retirement Board for an analysis of the financial impact of reclassifying 911 dispatchers. And based on 95 dispatchers with an estimated payroll of $7.6 billion, or excuse me, $7.6 million, The analysis projected a cost increase of about $127,000, which is 0.05% of system costs excluding teachers. an actuarial accrued liability increase of $1.6 million and a fiscal 2028 appropriation impact of $2.36 million. The Boston Retirement Board noted that while costs may fluctuate depending on retirement plans, the projected increase are proportionally small. small within the overall retirement system. There were some amendments that we made. They're included in your packet. I won't get into it. But it should be said that our dispatchers serve as essential first responders, although we do not treat them as such, we do not classify them as such, and we do not pay them as such. And so what this is trying to do is Mitigate that and to pay them what they deserve. And so accordingly, as chair of the Committee of Government Operations, I recommend moving the listed docket from the committee to the full council for discussion and formal action. And at this time, my recommendation to the full council is that this matter ought to pass. And just want to again thank the lead co-sponsor, Councilor Louijeune, Worrell, and Flynn. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Council President Louijeune. Councilor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Councilor Coletta Zapata, for your work and to our central staff for their work. on being able to bring this forward. And I also want to thank the administration. During our hearing, we did some back of the napkin math. And our numbers actually weren't that far off, about a few hundred thousand from what the administration will be the addition to our operating budget, but we know that Our first responders deserve this. They work under duress. They work under extreme stress. Many of us have had the fortune of visiting their operations. We know that they are often forced to work overtime. They miss birthday parties. They are really critical to our public safety infrastructure here. Boston's 911 dispatchers are the first first responders. And they're the steady voice on the line whenever someone is going through crisis or through a critical So this work demands composure under extreme stress, quick judgment, and the ability to guide both caller and first responder in real time. And for too long, dispatchers haven't been recognized as first responders. They truly are Just that, but they need to be recognized under the retirement system. If we say we value someone, if we say we value workers, we have to reflect that and how we compensate them and how we provide them with benefits. So there's reclassification from group one to group two at a minimal cost to the city in comparison to the workload that they do. and what they have to miss out on as a result of their work is appropriate. I want to thank everyone who is here from 888 and the dispatchers themselves for their steadfast advocacy, Tom and George, who are here, but also Tom, Neil, and Michael. Michael, who we heard from during the hearing, provided really poignant testimony as to The work of the civilian first responders and why the movement from group one to group two is essential would allow them to get more benefits and would allow them to retire sooner. I have great hope. that this will be able to move quickly through the Statehouse. I want to thank you all for your advocacy. And there was also, I want to remember, it was Melinda Santos was her name, who was here and also offered incredibly powerful testimony. So I want to thank her. Thank you. Thank you. maybe make it a more attractive place for people not only to want to work, but to retain people who are working as dispatchers. And at firms, what I know is true for every city councilor, wanting to make sure that our workers here in the city are paid fairly and justly to live in an expensive city. So I want to thank my co-sponsors. I want to thank Councilor Worrell and Councilor Flynn for their partnership. And I know that there were discussions. Could we move them to group four? I know that only, right now, only state police are in group four. And it's been a battle even for us to get to this group two. So we'd love to see us be successful in getting our dispatchers, our first responders, to group two. I want to thank all of my colleagues for their support. Because we know that, you know, we don't have schedules in the same way that the dispatchers do. They're working long shifts over time. And so this is a collective step towards dignity and fairness for those who show up every day for the residents of the city of Boston.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President, for your leadership on this issue, and also thank you to Chair Coletta Zapata for all your work on this issue. We know how essential our 911 dispatches are. You don't need to be in the field to be a frontline worker. when you're the first voice someone hears in a moment of crisis. You are that lifeline. We also know that our dispatchers are critical to our public safety infrastructure. and this home rule petition rightly recognizes that reality by reclassifying our dispatchers so that they are receiving the benefits that they have earned and deserved. I also want to thank the whole union representatives that are here today for your work and your tireless advocacy for the union movement and the voices behind every 911 call. The Chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President, and thank you to Councillor Louijeune and Councillor Worrell for their work and on this important issue and honored to be an original co-sponsor. I also want to recognize former City Councilor Michael Flaherty that did a lot of work on this issue for many years leading us to this point. We know that our emergency dispatches play a critical role in our city, and we have heard time after time that they're working 18 hours a day or 16 hours a day, sometimes 20 hours a day. Very stressful environment and a very difficult job. Certainly we support them from going from group one to group two retirement. But it's also important to recognize the sacrifices they are making unfairly, in my opinion, by putting someone in an environment in a stressful job to work 16, 18 hours a day In very difficult circumstances and situations, we need to ensure that we hire more dispatchers for this critical job. We need to support them and their families ensure that they have the right to take time off and spend time with their families during holidays or special events or weekends. They're currently not enjoying that because at times it's forced overtime for them. and they're providing an incredible exceptional service to the residents of Boston but on the other hand we're not being fair to them in my opinion. We certainly support Group 2, but we also have to recognize this is not enough. We have to continue to support our emergency dispatchers. They've always been there for the city and for the residents, especially during difficult times. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. The chair of the committee of government operations seeks acceptance of the committee report and passes the docket 1-2-7-7 in new draft. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Mr. Clerk, you please conduct a roll call vote.

Roll call vote on document number 1277. Councilor Breadon.

Yes.

Councilor Breadon, yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata. Yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes. Councilor Durkan. Yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald.

Yes.

Fitzgerald, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Mejia, excuse me, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Mejia, yes, Councilor Mejia, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Pepén, Repen, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Weber, yes. Councilor Weber, yes. And Councilor Worrell, yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Docket number 1277 has received 12 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. The committee report has been accepted and docket number 1277 has passed in a new draft.

Thank you and thank you to Local 888 and to our dispatchers for your advocacy. Yes, it's a good thing. Okay, Mr. Clerk, could you please read the next report of committee, which is docket number 123. Oh, okay, we are done with reports of committees. We are now on to matters recently heard for possible action. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 0473?

Docket number 0473, order for a hearing regarding biannual review of the Boston Employment Commission. and the Boston Residence Jobs Policy.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Weber. Councilor Weber, you have the floor.

Thank you very much. As chair of the Committee on Labor Workforce and Economic Development, I just want to extend my Gratitude for having SEIU 888 as a partner here and to have strong advocacy for their workers. And I'm just happy to lend my support to that and to my colleagues for supporting their work. So docket number 0473 is an order for a hearing regarding biannual review of the Boston Employment Commission and the Boston Residence Jobs Policy. The hearing we held yesterday morning was sponsored by myself, Madam President Louijeune, and Councillor Mejia. I want to thank my colleagues for attending yesterday's hearing, including Councillor Flynn, Councillor Breadon, Councillor Mejia, and Councillor Worrell. The committee receives an absence letter from Madam President Louijeune and Councilor Pepén. I'd also like to thank our panelists for attending, including the Deputy Chief of Worker Empowerment, Jody Sugarman Brazen, Senior Boston Residence Jobs Policy Manager, Christopher Brown. That was the first panel and the second panel. We were joined by fifth year apprentice at IBEW Local 103, Kenitra Porch, business agent with IBEW Local 103, Dan Daly, and Liz Skidmore with the policy group on tradeswomen. For those who aren't familiar with the policy, It sets out a goal of having 51% of hours on city and large construction projects to be worked by Boston residents, 40% of hours worked by people of color, and 12% of hours worked by women. I was happy to be joined by, I was talking to Councilor Flynn beforehand And he said he's always at these hearings because they're incredibly important. And this policy does go back to Mayor Flynn. The requirements have gone up. But it is an incredibly important issue for us to discuss who is being hired on these projects. I was very happy to be joined by my colleagues. What we heard from Deputy Sugarman Brazen, was that there are operational improvements that have been made that make it easier for certified payroll records to come in and for them to be evaluated. So we can have the data and we can report what we're finding. Unfortunately, what we're finding, well, I don't know, it's a mixed bag. We have, you know, there's... Four million hours of work on private construction projects here in Boston and a million hours on public construction and out of those We have met the goal for people of color. 40% of the hours are worked by people of color. That number is higher for public. We do not meet it on the other two categories. 7% of the hours worked by women. I think it's 23% worked by local Boston residents. That highlights a few issues that one is, which we talked about this morning, with the signing of Our surplus housing ordinance, how we can have affordable housing here in Boston. Workers in the trade simply can't afford to live here. They're living outside of Boston. We need to do more to encourage that. We heard from Kenitra Porch, who is a young mom herself, How difficult it is to go into the trades for women where we don't have adequate support for childcare. She's out the door by, I don't know, like six o'clock in the morning to get to work. and she needs to have childcare and we can do much better on that. We heard from Dan Daly at IBEW We can't even be sure that we're meeting the goals necessarily on workers of color where we have out-of-state workers who may be coming in from out-of-state contractors who essentially will Load workers onto a van from, let's say, New York, drive them to the Boston area, house them in a local hotel, for whatever number of weeks it takes to get the job done and then bus them back to New York or wherever You know, it is that they live. Clearly that's not, you know, we want to be able to hire local workers and building our apprenticeship programs and building pathways. is part of that. We heard from Liz Skidmore from the policy groups on trade women, how we can look at other city ordinances which have more accountability attached to them, and we'll be looking at those for recommendations. Also something that I want to point out is we invited members of the Boston Employment Commission to the hearing. They did not want to appear, several of them, because they're worried that In the face of the Trump administration's stance on civil rights and DEI and anything designed to promote equitability in our society, that they would be targeted for prosecution or some sort of liability just by furthering our Boston residents' jobs policy. We heard that the city has told those commission members that they would be represented by city council as special employees. I'm sure that's great to hear, but nobody wants to get sued for their work. So trying to figure out How we can empower the Boston Employment Commission, or just What steps we can take to make sure the Boston Residence Jobs Policy can be enforced in the face of a federal government which is diametrically opposed to many of the values that we hold dear here in Boston. It was an informative meeting. I want to thank my colleagues for being there. I want to thank central staff, Meg, Megan, Ethan, Candice, for their assistance in the hearing, as the chair of the Committee on Labor, Workforce, and Economic Development. My recommendation is that this matter should remain in committee at this time.

Thank you. Chair Weber, for an informative hearing, three plus hours of testimony, of Q&A, excellent dialogue, excellent feedback, very informative. I get a lot out of these hearings, biannual meetings, and love listening to especially the testimony from the public or the participants. I learned a great deal about Weber. These are the challenges women in the trades are facing. The numbers, as Councilor Weber mentioned, of people of color in the trades is meeting the goal. But as Councilor Weber also It doesn't necessarily say that they're union members that are making a good wage and with good benefits that are working or living in the city. So I think we have to do a little bit more Weaver. We've done a lot of research on the numbers, and certainly the numbers are very low, embarrassing low, in my opinion, for women in the trades. And Councilor Weaver is the child care related issue. And we heard testimony from participants that, as Councilor Weber mentioned, that they had to be in work at 6 o'clock in the morning, and how could you possibly Thank you very much. For single mothers, in my opinion. But what we need to do is support women in the building trades, whether it's through child care, whether it's through other social services. But not doing anything really for us as a city is not an option as it relates to women in the building trades. We need to be more supportive. We need to have more programs for them. and I'm a strong supporter in the Boston Jobs for Boston Residency Policy. I'm also a strong supporter of the Employment Commission as Councillor Webber mentioned. established under Mayor Flynn. But the Boston jobs for Boston residency policy is only as good as the enforcement piece of it. and we need to work with our commissioners who do an exceptional job, but we need to also work with contractors, whether they're in the union or not in the union, but ensuring that everyone, especially people of color, woman, have an opportunity for the middle class and that's through apprenticeship programs in the building trades. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, the Chair recognizes Councilman Mejia. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to Councilor, Chair Weber, for hosting the hearing. I really do enjoy attending them. For me, it's always an opportunity to see what we can be doing We can't keep having the same conversation and expecting different results, so I think yesterday's hearing really demonstrated what it looks like when we dig in a little bit deeper. I know Councilor Breadon and I debriefed No open meeting law, Baraka. It's just me and her talking about what a great hearing it was because we walked out of there really thinking of other things that we could be doing and some legislative action potentially that we could be making. to strengthening the existing ordinance and giving it a little bit more if you will. Some of the things that I just wanna highlight is that one thing that I pointed out is that we don't have a way Tracking Retention. One thing is to get more women and people of color into these opportunities. But if we don't have any real way of demonstrating whether or not we're keeping them throughout the length of a project, then it's just really scaffolding And so I think that there needs to be some more accountability around the longevity of someone's employment. From what I've heard is that oftentimes contractors bring people in just so they can do that little checkbox that we all know how to do here so well. Checking the Box for Things. And so that needs to get some attention. I talked about Boston jobs for Boston residents. I think giving folks a $300 sanction really isn't meeting the moment. I think they can, from what I understand, Boston is not being a leader when other municipalities across the state are able to enforce this. So I think we can learn from others, and Boston should be at the forefront. We are, after all, a union city. So we should be doing a lot more to uplift that. And then the last thing that I just want to offer you know these fat cats are literally living off of the backs of you know the low-wage workers and you know our working class and I think that as we continue to have these conversations there needs to be more accountability in this particular area and crazy talk here but you know every for every person that does not live here in the city of Boston you get charged a tax for it and I think that if you do that they will stop Employing people who live outside of Boston. And so something more than just a sanction has to give if we're really serious about meeting the moment. So that's some of the things that I'd like to offer and get them on the record because I'd love to be able to work Thank you so much.

This docket will remain in committee. Docket number 0473 will remain in committee. We are now on to motions, orders, and resolutions. I'll remind you to my colleagues, per council rules, that you have three minutes to speak on a docket. If you are the lead sponsor, you have two minutes. If you are a co-sponsor or a councilor wishing to speak on the docket, Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1847?

Doc number 1847, Councilor Webber, offer the following. Petition for a special law, an act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for Ryan Cazole.

Thank you, the chair recognizes Councilor Weber, you have the floor.

Thank you very much. This is a request to file a home rule on behalf of Ryan Cazot, who seeks to serve the community on the Boston Police Department. Mr. Cazot is 42. His graduate Everett High School and Fisher College where he earned a business degree with a focus in healthcare. He's lived in West Roxbury since 2020 and his two daughters attend the Linden. Currently works as an evening manager at Star Market in Denham. Mr. Guzzo recently passed the police exam and has been asked to report for orientation. I met with him. He has a strong desire to serve the community. I hope we can seek an age waiver on his behalf. and help someone serve our community, help the police department, which, as we've talked a lot about, has low staffing levels. Thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councilors Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Flynn, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Worrell. Please add the chair. Weber, oh, oh, Fitzgerald, Councilor Fitzgerald, Mr. Clerk? Weber, suspension of the rules, and passage of docket number 1847. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on document number 1847. Councilor Breadon. Yes. Councilor Breadon, yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata.

Yes.

Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes. Councilor Durkan. Councilor Fitzgerald. Yes. Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Councilor Flynn. Councilor Flynn, yes. Councilor Louijeune? Yes. Councilor Louijeune, yes. Councilor Mejia? Yes. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Murphy? Yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Pepén?

Yes.

Wippen, yes, Councilor Santana, yes, Councilor Santana, yes, Councilor Weber, yes, Councilor Weber, yes, and Councilor Worrell, yes, Councilor Worrell, yes. Talking number 1847 has received 11 votes in the affirmative.

Doctrine No. 1847 is passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Doctrine No. 1848?

Doctrine No. 1848, Councilor Worrell, offer the following. Petition for a special law. and Act Directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for police officers for Jose Reyes.

The chair recognizes Councilor Worrell. You have the floor. Thank you, Madam President. Homer petitioned seeking an age waiver for Jose Reyes, 46-year-old, lifelong Bostonian, born and raised in Dorchester with roots in Rosendale. Jose has spent his life serving the community. Also, he mentors youth, does a lot of volunteer work. And we know that we need to get more police officers into the academy. So for those reasons, I respectfully ask for us to suspend and pass this whole new petition. Thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, could you please add Councilors Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Flynn, Mejia, Pepén, Santana, Weber. Please add the chair. Fitzgerald as well. Thank you. Councilor, okay, can we please conduct a roll call vote on the suspension and passage of this docket?

Roll call vote on docket number 1848. Councilor Breadon. Breadon, Brayden, Brayden, Brayden, Brayden, Brayden, Brayden, Brayden, Brayden, Brayden, Brayden, Brayden, Brayden, Brayden, Brayden, Mejia, yes, Councilor Murphy, Councilor Pepén, yes, Councilor Pepén, yes, Councilor Santana, yes, Councilor Santana, yes, Councilor Weber, yes, Councilor Weber, yes, and Councilor Worrell.

Yes.

Councilor Worrell, yes. Docket number 1848 has received 10 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. Docket number 1848 has passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1849?

Dr. Number 1849, Councilor Pepén, offer the following. Order for a hearing to discuss House 3754 and automated road safety enforcement in the City of Boston.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Pepén. Councilor Pepén, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Can I add Councilor Weber as a second original co-sponsor, suspend the rules to have Councilor Brian Morrell as a third?

Weber is so added. Councilor Pepen seeks to suspend the rules. Councilor Worrell is the third original co-sponsor. Seeing and hearing no objections, Councilor Worrell is so added. Councilor Pepen, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. At this point, everyone knows that transportation safety has been my number one issue. This is getting to the council. This is just another step into achieving that. So when my wife attended college in Providence, Rhode Island, Thank you very much. Warning, like an FYI, like, hey, you're in a school zone. And that was mailed to me. And I was able to say, wow, there's a sense of accountability here in terms of what they're doing in Providence, Rhode Island, and in other places across New England in the country. In Boston, I know we have all observed speeding cars, road rage, and a disregard for many traffic laws essential to the safety of our residents. I believe Boston can follow the example of many cities in different states and utilize cameras-based enforcement to hold those who violate the road safety laws accountable. This hearing order will allow us to discuss Massachusetts House Bill 3754, and act relative to transportation regulation, traffic regulation using road safety cameras, which would allow municipalities to use cameras to enforce red light, speeding and intersection blocking violations and with the police and transportation departments will discuss how the implementation of these cameras in an enforcement system would work and what is needed to make it work. Our state legislator has recently passed camera enforcement for something that I was working on as well for the stop signs on the school buses and the MBTA bus lane enforcement that have slowly been implemented in the city and across the state. This technology is clear of the future and we must be prepared with the infrastructure needed to use it effectively. I want to thank my co-sponsors, Councilor Weber and Councilor Worrell, who are joining me and also just give a shout out to Councillor Durkan who expressed her interest in this as well. Traffic enforcement is one of the three biggest concerns in District 5 and I can only imagine that is also the case across the entire city. Weber has been working with his state rep, Rep. Montaigne, who has been doing a lot of advocacy at the statehouse for this bill. I intend to schedule this hearing as soon as possible. Again, this is for us to just discuss what's going on because this cannot happen with our Weber.

Thank you very much, Madam President, and thank you to Councilor Pepén. Worrell for allowing me to join in on this. I think we've all, I'm sure, hear a lot about traffic safety. And one of the biggest issues people have is lack of enforcement. Red light cameras can not only catch people in the act, it's a deterrent. In New York City, they've had red light cameras for I think a few decades now. They were only in at 1% of the intersections, but it decreased red light violations in the city by approximately 70%. and it has a similar effect on sort of T-bone collisions at intersections. Just driving through the city in New York, you don't even know if there's a camera there and most likely there isn't. but you don't want to take the chance and you don't go through the light here just having a sort of credible deterrent like that at our intersections I think would be you know an overwhelmingly positive thing here in the city of Boston and I have worked with State Rep Montano to push this, who supports it in my community, and I hope We can give a, you know, sort of unify and provide a unified call in the State House for them to pass this. And so we can have red light cameras here in Boston. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Weber. You have the floor.

O'Reilly on the floor. Thank you, Madam President. And also thank you to my co-sponsors for bringing this forward. And also just want to shout out the residents over in Hyde Park in Roslindale who have also helped elevate The concerns of public safety for pedestrians. One of the things that I've always hear when my family comes up from DC to Boston, they think that we drive completely crazy. They always say, like, what's going on? You guys are speeding, taking lefts on rights and right turns when it's not red. They don't understand how we get away with half of the things that we do on the road. And that is because they have This automated traffic enforcement and I believe that it will work although we fund for large and Police Academies we know that we're not able to fill them and because of that you know our police department does not have the traffic enforcement division that it once has had in the past and I think that we do need technology to fill that space and And even though, as Councilor Weber said, we don't need to install them everywhere, but the fear, the fear of actually knowing that you might get a ticket in the mail, I think is enough to change driver behavior and keep everyone safe on the roads and those that are crossing the roads as well. So looking forward to this hearing, and I encourage my state colleagues to act quickly on this bill. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Flynn. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Pedestrian safety has been a top issue of mine for years and it's getting worse. For eight years I've advocated for traffic calming infrastructure, raised crosswalks, speed humps, pedestrian islands in the middle of the road, rapid flash beacons with pedestrian lights and more. Although the City disagrees with me, I believe they should be on our main streets and commercial roads, where the majority of cars and foot traffic come into conflict. The City of Quincy has raised crosswalks at Quincy Centre. But we place our speed humps on side streets. Let's be clear. I want to go further than the city does on pedestrian safety. Just this week, the chief of streets denied speed humps that I, in the Ellis neighborhood, requested on Appleton Street and the South End, next to an early childhood education center. Even though the road qualifies under his very own guidelines, I have repeatedly said speeding cars are a public health emergency. I have been consistent with this for years. I continue to sound the alarm about the challenges we face on concurrent jurisdiction for vehicles and for pedestrians crossing at the same time. Basically, a car would have the same right-of-way as the pedestrian. I don't support this. We had a conversation at a city council hearing in Jamaica Plain a couple weeks ago, and I challenged the chief of streets on this, The City Council voted unanimously, 13 to nothing. It still hasn't been acted. We have to have a serious conversation also about some of the pilots in my district that were bus pilots and the paint went down on the ground and we found out later, whether it was on Boylston Street or Summit Street, that the pilot didn't work and now the paint is still there although the pilot is over and they're not using the bus lane anymore what impact will that have on this type of I'm calling for the immediate infrastructure on Boylston Street and or Summer Street. So residents are not confused. This is about public safety. It's about transparency, accountability, We need to ensure that we provide the safest environment for residents throughout the city. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Chair. I recognize Councilor Durkan, you're on the floor.

Thank you so much. I just want to thank my colleagues and particularly Councilor Pepén for sponsoring this. I think this is so important. I recently testified at an MBTA Public hearing about how important I think automated bus enforcement is. And I think we're in a moment in time where we know our police force cannot actively patrol our streets in the ways that and a lot of constituents would like to see so I'm excited about this hearing. I really do want to make sure that we're bringing in both The Civil Liberties aspect to this, but also the police department, just to make sure that we're all working in tandem. I have to say I have received an automated ticket before right after I got my license, living in Georgia, driving my stepdad's car. We only knew it was me driving because there was a ponytail in the picture. So it's interesting. I think we're behind. Other states are doing this, and they're doing it successfully. So excited to see how Boston can move us forward. Thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, could you please add councillors? Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Murphy, Please add the chair. This docket, docket number 1849 will be referred to the committee. Y'all. Please add Councilor Santana. This docket, docket number 1849, will be referred to the Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1850?

Docket number 1850. Councilor Coletta Zapata will offer the following. Order for a hearing to discuss the City of Boston's 2030 Climate Action Plan.

Thank you, the Chair recognizes Councilor Coletta Zapata.

You have the floor.

Thank you so much, Madam President. I rise to call attention to something that was filed by the Cabinet not too long ago, but this was on our docket to file, and it is just a way to call attention to it. Thank you. Thank you. Climate Action Plan, which is the latest roadmap guiding our efforts towards carbon neutrality, resilience, and equity. As you know, this is an issue I've been deeply engaged on through my work as the chair and generally as my tenure as city councilor. It was the first thing that I talked about. on this floor. Last year, or the beginning of this year, our committee released an 18-page report entitled Boston Rising, Building a Resilient City on a Hill Through Local Climate Action. a report that underscored how Boston is mobilizing to meet the moment even as federal environmental programs face cuts and rollbacks. That report documented oversight of more than $33 million in environmental investments, the creation of the Office of Climate Resilience, the integration of environmental justice education into our schools, which we got done, thank you VTU and the VPS, and strategies to grow our green and blue economy workforce. It also proposed bold tools like a municipal climate bank to help finance major coastal protection projects along all 47 miles of our Boston shoreline. I'll talk to anybody about my idea for the Boston Green Finance Authority. If you're interested, please hit me up. Now, the release of the 2030 Climate Action Plan under Mayor Wu, Chief Sweat, and Chris Osgood's leadership, Boston has the opportunity to take the next decisive step aligning our Green New Deal framework. At this time, we see a federal government that is rolling back their commitments. These commitments are being weakened. Cities like Boston must double down on our local leadership. And so this hearing is to ensure accountability, transparency, and community participation as we implement this ambitious plan. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Coletta Zapata. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add councillors, Breadon, Durkan, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell, please have the chair. This docket, docket number 1850, will refer to the Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency, and Parks. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1851?

Docket number 1851. Councilor Santana offered the following. Order for a hearing to facilitate the creation of single room occupancy units in the city of Boston.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Santana. Councilor Santana, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Affordable housing is consistently the top concern for our residents. and for good reason, Boston is in the middle of a housing crisis and affordability crisis. We as a city should make sure that we're doing all we can to expand Access to affordable housing, and that includes removing barriers that make it difficult or impossible to create truly affordable housing. Single room occupancy units are forms of permanent and affordable housing for thousands of Bostonians, but they have the untapped potential to house many more. Over the years, the number of SROs has drastically gone down due in large part to urban renewal policies, gentrification, and hostile zoning laws. The Boston Zoning Code is around 4,000 pages long, five times longer than any other city similar in size and over 1,000 pages longer than New York City. It's a labyrinth for developers. One which favors large developers and this incentivizes the creation of affordable housing. Because of that, it makes it even the simplest of affordable housing solutions. SRO is challenging. Our zoning code shapes our city and the number speaks for themselves. We've gone from having over 10% of residents living in SROs to having only 3,500 units throughout the entire city of Boston. This is a disservice to the community which tend to rely on SROs, especially our low-income residents, immigrants, formerly incarcerated people, survivors of domestic violence, and formerly unhoused people. Having such little access to SROs takes away from the opportunity of choice for our residents, especially cost burdened single renters. By holding a hearing, would be able to explore policies to facilitate the creation of more SROs here in Boston. And in the process, we'd be able to expand our toolbox of opportunities to ensure affordable housing, uplift the populations Brayden, you have the floor.

Thank you Madam President and thank you Councillor Santana for bringing forward this one. I think we have to look at every possible type of housing to address our housing crisis. There's no one size fits all. We have an example of an effective model for SROs in Alston Brighton. On Quinta Ave we have a building that has been rehabilitated by our Alston Brighton CDC. It's named after, I've just forgotten his name, the former head of BHA, Bill McGonigal. It's Bill McGonigal House on Quintav. And it's basically essentially 14 SROs. with a room or a space for an apartment for a supervisor or house manager and it's designed to help support folks who are formerly homeless who are in recovery. as a way to support them in their journey. So we have models for this and how it works. I think this one was grandfathered in because it had been a former rooming house but I think we have to sort of look at the code and see if we can Find spaces and places where this model of housing can be used effectively to help address our housing crisis. Thank you.

Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councilors Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, Mejia, Pepén, Weber, Worrell, please add the chair. This docket, docket number 1851, will be referred to the Committee on Housing and Community Development. Mr. Clerk, please read docket number 1852.

Docket number 1852. Councilors Weber and Fitzgerald offer the following. Order for a hearing to learn how the City Council can support the Mayor's Youth Sports Initiative. to increase youth sports participation across Boston.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Weber. Councilor Weber, you have the floor.

Okay, thank you, Madam President. I'd like to seek to suspend the rules and add Councilor Murphy is the third original co-sponsor.

Councilor Weber seeks to suspend the rules and add Councilor Murphy is the third original co-sponsor. Seeing and hearing no objections. Murphy, so added. Councilor Weber, you have the floor.

Okay, thank you very much. This is one of the topics I'm sure that all of us would like to be on, and I apologize I can't add everyone, but You know, improving youth sports programming and participation here in the city is vital in all of our districts and across the city. Fitzgerald, and I think it was Councilor Worrell at the time, filed a prior version of this hearing order last year, but at the time we were awaiting the release of the Mayor's Office and Human Services Cabinet's report. on youth sports. That report came out and identified ways that the city is both launching and doubling down on existing youth sports programs. But it also spoke to an issue we have here, which is that we simply have lower sports participation rates than in surrounding towns throughout the state and that this disparity is even sharper when you look at income, race and gender. And so I look forward to the opportunity to come together and look for ways that we can respond to that report in a constructive fashion and improve sports offerings and sports programming around the city. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Fitzgerald. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. of an individual's AAA bond rating, academics, athletics, and arts. And so the athletic portion is key. I know one key component for the difficulty in this is on the parent side. and I can speak from experience. I just signed my kids up for basketball yesterday. They're playing flag football. There's skating lessons and swimming lessons as well. A lot of this comes down to how do we also get parents more involved I coach all of my kids teams at the same time. It's quite a commitment. And so I think the more parents we can get involved in youth sports, The more kids will get involved in youth sports and lift that participation up. But a lot of it is scheduling for parents and not understanding when these sports happen, when practices happen, what fields will you be at, and what times are the games at so that you can rightfully put together a schedule for the upcoming season and know that you'll be able to deliver on it. So I look forward to kind of tackling all those issues in this as well and how to make sure cost is not a barrier as well as anything else. So look forward to working with Councilor Weber and the rest of my colleagues on how we can help both children and parents become more participative in youth sports. Thank you. Thank you.

I'm sure you didn't use the word of tackling to be punny, but it was pun, tackling.

Oh, I like that.

I didn't even catch that. The chair recognizes Councilor Murphy. You have the floor.

Thank you. Thank you, Councilor Weber, for adding me. As a former BPS teacher, coach, mom who has spent lots of time on the fields, hockey rinks, basketball courts with my kids, and a lifelong advocate for our city's youth. I know firsthand how sports can change a young person's life. Participation in sports builds confidence, teaches teamwork, and helps our kids grow into resilient, healthy adults. But too many families across Boston still face barriers, from the cost of equipment and registration fees to limited field access and a lack of clear information about available programs. When Mayor Wu first announced the Let's Play Boston youth sports initiative at the Reggie Lewis Center last year, I was proud to stand there in support. I saw the excitement from coaches, parents, and students, all of the staff, dedicated staff at BCYF and and I knew in the Parks Department and I knew this was the kind of partnership Boston needed. That initiative was an important step forward. And this hearing will build on that foundation to make sure every neighborhood, every school, and every child has equitable access to play. Boston has more than 250 youth sports non-profits, yet parents often tell us it's confusing to know where to start. Our job as city? should be to connect the dots, reduce the barriers, and make participation available for all kids and possible for all families. Not just those who can afford it or live near the right facility. We also need to look at how city departments can collaborate to better support programs like JP Youth Soccer, which had to cover the cost of lighting at Pagal Field on their own, and others to ensure that no team, coach or player is left behind because of bureaucracy or budget gaps. This hearing is about partnership with our community centers, schools, nonprofits, and of course, labor unions who build and maintain these spaces to strengthen the ecosystem that supports Boston kids. I'm proud to work alongside Councilor Weber, Fitzgerald, and our colleagues to work with the administration and the incredible coaches, many who Councilor Fitzgerald shared, our parents, teachers, We know many of our first responders, our city workers show up after work long hours at the sports They're the volunteers who make youth sports possible every day. So we'll continue to invest in youth sports where we're not just creating athletes but we're building stronger, safer, and healthier communities. Last night I was with a few of our colleagues at the Mattapan Safety Meeting and many times when we're at these community meetings talking about violence and lack of opportunity for many of our residents across the city it comes to Jobs, Opportunities, Clean Parks, Fields, and before after school programming and sports for our kids is what we need to make sure that all residents, all families have. So looking forward to working with all of us to get that done.

Thank you. Okay, next is, you're the third co-sponsor? Okay, the next is Councilor Flynn. Councilor Flynn, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise to offer My acknowledgement of how important sports are for our young people across the city. Our son played sports in high school for BPS as well. But I also want to ensure that all of our BPS students have equal access to these courts or these playgrounds or these fields. But transportation, I held a hearing with Murphy. But transportation to and from an athletic event has been very challenging over the years for many of our student athletes as well. That should also be part of the conversation, ensuring that every student has equal access, transportation-wise, to their practice or to their game or to an after-school program but sports is a way to bring people together. I was a coach for my son's youth sports teams for a number of years in baseball and basketball and was honored to be coached by so many great coaches in South Boston, whether it was Kenny Priskinis or Mocha Mahoney or Jay Turner or Billy Finn or all of these men and women really gave so much of their time and energy to the people of my neighborhood. So I want to acknowledge the coaches not just in my neighborhood but across the city that volunteer their time and help bring O'Reilly.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you to Councilor Weber, Councilor Fitzgerald, Councilor Murphy, for your leadership on this. I grew up playing in so many different local sports program, and as Councilor Murphy has laid out, and also my other colleagues, the benefits that youth sports brings to our young people. You know, to learn, teamwork, build confidence, and there's a correlation on how they success in every part of their life. I also want to just shout out Corey McCarthy and all the work that he does over at BPS. programs like 617 doing incredible work after school and also on the weekend but also I want to point my colleagues to the city's youth The numbers are even lower in areas like Dorchester and Mattapan. And I believe what that tells us is that we need more programming in those neighborhoods and to create more safer spaces beyond the school day. Part of this hearing, I hope that we also bring in BCYF. I think that we need to encourage them to work more with our nonprofits that are doing amazing work and engaging our young people, sometimes right outside of their facility. To speak about some of those nonprofits that are doing amazing work, I just want to shout out YES, Dorchester Little League, Sportsman's Tennis Center, Hoops Collaborative, The Base, YSL, ADSL, HERC 42, Unity Soccer, Dorchester Eagles, South End Patriots, and Mattapan Patriots, who are the backbone of youth sports here in the city of Boston. And I also want to shout out Tyreek Wilson here in the city of Boston that is doing amazing work to get this program up and running. Looking forward to this conversation and looking to putting more investments into youth sports. Thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councilors Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, Flynn, Mejia, Pepén, Santana, Worrell. Please add the chair. Docket number 1852 will be referred to the committee on strong women, families, and communities. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket number 1-8-5-3?

Docket number 1-8-5-3. Councilor Flynn offered the following. Order regarding a text amendment to the Boston Zoning Code relative to Chinatown Adult Entertainment.

Thank you, the chair recognizes Councilor Flynn. Councilor Flynn, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I filed this text amendment today And I'd like to ensure that residents in Chinatown, downtown Boston, the Bay Village are heard and respected. This would essentially change adult entertainment from allowed use to conditional use. as written in Article 43, Section 24, Appendix B to Article 43 in the Boston Zoning Code. It's critical, as I mentioned, that the people of Chinatown and communities of color, the residents of downtown Boston and Bay Village be treated with respect, that they receive a thorough community process and a voice in what takes place in their community. I also wrote to Chief Shen and the Boston Planning Department requesting their help in this endeavor. In the 1960s, the term combat zone was given to an area for downtown and Chinatown which included Washington Street, Boylston Street and Neyland Street. At present, only a few adult entertainment venues remain. However, under current zoning, It is my understanding that proponents are not required to undergo a full community process seeking variances in the neighborhood and at a subsequent hearing at the Zoning Board of Appeal other than for groundwater conservation overlay district. That is what recently took place in June. Only the groundwater issue was discussed. No other public meeting, no public testimony. with only licensing issues to follow. Moving forward, we need to ensure that residents have a voice in a thorough community process. In my opinion, this tax amendment should have been addressed decades ago. and I understand that there may be some changes with the issue related to the new boundaries in planned downtown and with the City of Boston Zoning Commission hearing this morning. However, in the final analysis, the issue remains the same. Residents of the neighborhood deserve a say in what takes place there with ongoing concerns in Chinatown, downtown, in the Bay Village regarding public process and Public Safety, Quality of Life. It is critical that all establishments go through a full ZBA community process moving forward and that my constituents are respected. My constituents are downtown Boston, Chinatown, and the Bay Village. I want to make sure that they are respected here at City Hall just like everybody else's constituents are respected at City Hall. And I'm going to fight for them. Thank you, Madam Chair.

and I'm not sure who was first, but okay. The chair recognizes Councilor Coletta Zapata, you have the floor.

Okay, thank you and I want to thank my colleague for introducing this. Obviously this debate is very complex. Views on this vary significantly based on ethical, social, and personal perspectives, and I respect everyone's perspective on this. I think as we're having this conversation, and I do look forward to the conversation, we have to consider individual agency, labor rights, and public perception of this work within the context of gender. We need to be careful not to perpetuate outdated narratives of misogyny, that this type of work is negative or that it brings crime because the verdict is still We all support public process and community process and again really look forward to how the zoning amendment may impact that. I just want to be careful not to weaponize the zoning code to police or make others feel less than for their chosen profession, which can be very empowering and provide autonomy for folks who need it. That's it. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councillor Durkan. Councillor Durkan, you have the floor.

Thank you so much, Council President, and I want to thank Councilor Flynn for his leadership. As of this morning, when Plan Downtown passed, The Adult Entertainment District in Chinatown has been entirely removed from Chinatown and confined to the one small area in downtown where there are existing uses. I know there are often legal issues with making zoning more restrictive than the existing use. I know deeply the work that has been done over the years to move Chinatown away from its combat zone 1990s reputation. Uncle Frank was a dear friend of mine, and I think of the work he did to bring lighting, safety, and amazing small businesses to the Chinatown community as something that inspires me in this work every day. I remember walking with him home I know since he passed away in the last two years, Flynn. I think about him often. And so I know that Councilor Flynn wanting to work on this issue is because he wants to stand up for his community. I just think it's important. I wanted to speak some information into the record The particular, the particularities of what the plan downtown Changes, Men for that specific area. And as the chair of planning, development, and transportation, look forward to working with Councilor Flynn for him to get the answers that he needs DeLong to deliver for his constituents. And I thank Councilor Coletta Zapata. I appreciate deeply the and the way that you're thinking about this from a feminist perspective. For me, I really think that any zoning or text amendments Specifically, if we've just rezoned an entire area, it should be done thoughtfully, and I appreciate Councilor Flynn's work. I just wanted to speak some of this information into the record.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilor Phil. Any other floor?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't think I weaponized this issue in any way. What I did is I came here to advocate for my constituents and my constituents from Chinatown, the Bay Village, and in downtown Boston. I went to high school when the combat zone was I've had 22, 23 places opened. I went to Don Bosco High School. I know the area as well as anybody. But my residents have said to me they want to ensure that Chinatown, It doesn't go backwards. Downtown doesn't go backwards, or the Bay Village. They want a say in the process. That's what my point was. It wasn't about weaponization on any particular issue. It's about quality of life for residents and ensuring that my constituents have the ability to be heard at City Hall. That's what my focus is. My constituents might not have the political access or sophistication, but they deserve respect. And that's my job is to advocate for them or fight for them. Downtown Boston also has a large Asian community. The Bay Village also has a large Asian community as well, as does the South End. Many of them don't speak English. Omnia Voice, in terms of speaking for them and advocating for them, for their quality of life. And I'm here today on their behalf because they sent me here to advocate for them, to fight for them, And I'm going to do just that. And I would ask my council colleagues to support me and not to put roadblocks in my way, but to help me and to respect my community like I respect your communities. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councilor Flynn. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? I want to thank my colleagues for their very deliberate and thoughtful remarks. Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councilor Fitzgerald. Please add Councilor Murphy. This docket, docket number 1853, will be referred to the Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1854?

Dock number 1854, Councilor Flynn offer the following. Order requesting certain information under section 17F regarding Boston Housing Authority operations and standard practices.

Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councilor Flynn. Councilor Flynn, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I filed the 17F in response to last week's Boston City Council Committee on Housing and Community Development hearing to discuss the status of elevators at the BHA Ruth Barclay Apartments, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development report on BHA. Let me say at the outset, I understand everyone is busy. I know the demands of the job. It's election season. But for two years in a row, last November and last week, I have never been so disappointed in the body due to the lack of attendance by my colleagues for hearing on elevator access in heartbreaking stories from seniors, persons with disabilities, Communities of Color, Public Housing Tenants, Residents telling me that they had to wait four or five hours for an elevator to bring them up to their apartment. Residents that have cancer that couldn't go to their chemotherapy appointment because the elevator wasn't working. A resident in a wheelchair that needed to go to the bathroom that didn't make it. I don't know what could be more important than going to that hearing. I represent the most public housing developments here in the city. Our public housing residents are some of the most vulnerable neighbors If we're afraid to stand up for public housing residents, we've lost our way in the city. I simply can't think of what could be a better use of our time and efforts than focusing on ADA accessibility for all people, civil rights, These are moral issues, and to my colleagues, it's a federal issue. If you're violating someone's equal access for a person with disability to get into an apartment because the elevator has been down for weeks, that's in violation of federal law. They might not be a powerful voting bloc, but they deserve some respect. They deserve some dignity. That's why I wanted to ask questions and put this 17f into the It was a challenging hearing we had. And one of the people that testified felt like she wasn't treated with respect at this hearing. She's an advocate for persons with disabilities. For people that represent residents living in public housing, we owe them much better than what we provided last week. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Councillor Flint's expansion of the rules and passage of this 17F. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1855?

Docket number 1855. Councillor Santana for the following. Resolution recognizing October 26, 2025 as Intersex Awareness Day.

The Chair recognizes Councilor Santana. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I'm proud to stand as an ally to the Boston's intersex community. Our city holds a special place in intersex history. It was home to the first public demonstration by intersex people in the U.S. and we continue to honor that courage every October 26. Intersex refers to people born with natural variations in sex characteristics such as anonymity, hormones, or chromosomes. Intersex traits are more common than many realize. affecting up to 1 in 20 people. Yet, too often, intersex people face stigma, discrimination, and even non-consensual surgeries meant to force their bodies to fit into their gender binary. These harms are compounded by lack of awareness and understanding, including in healthcare. That's why awareness matters. Saying the word intersex out loud matters. Including the I in LGBTQIA plus matters. Visibility fights stigma and saves lives. By recognizing October 26 as Intersex Awareness Day in the City of Boston, we affirm that intersex Bostonians are seen, valued, and never alone. Our diversity is our strength, and today we lead with love, dignity, and inclusion. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Santana. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, could you please add Councilors, Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Weber, please add the chair. Santana, suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 1855. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1856?

Dock number 1856, Councilors Weber and Louijeune offer the following. Resolution recognizing Hope Out of Darkness art installation commemorating 170 years since Solomon Northrop's visit to Boston.

The Chair recognizes Councilor Weber. You have the floor.

Thank you very much. This is a resolution in support of Hope Out of Darkness, which we addressed at the presentation before. I think it was Mayor Wu, we were talking about No Kings and how it's sort of the birthplace of the American Revolution here in Boston. and she, I think, correctly pointed out that maybe a more relevant time period would be the time of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 here in Boston, where the city led the country. With its advocacy of abolition, the Boston Vigilance Committee worked really hard to make sure people knew When slave catchers were in Boston, they put up posters of their descriptions. They monitored their movements and at every instance tried to do what they could to house escaped slaves and get them through the Underground Railroad to Canada. Here we're facing You know, an eerily similar situation in Boston now when it comes to ICE and how At the time, because there was no due process, slave catchers on their own affidavits had probable cause to detain people and have them sent into slavery, like Solomon Northup. Now, just because of the color of your skin or the accent, you speak English. If you have an accent when you speak English, you could be detained by ICE. and put into detention. So I can't stress enough how the more things change, the more things stay the same. And I urge everyone to go to the Rose Kennedy Garden to see this work. It'll be here till December. Thank you very much.

Thank you. And thank you, Council Weber, for bringing this resolution forward, for bringing in the folks who are responsible for bringing this art installation to the city of Boston, the Solomon Northup Committee, his descendant, the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, and the North American Indian Center of Boston, I think, Obviously, Solomon Northup's story is very powerful if you've either read it or if you've watched the movie, Twelve Years a Slave. It's just an agonizing truth about what happened in this country. And it also, although it didn't happen in Boston, he came many times to the city here to give speeches on abolition. And it also highlights why the Black Heritage Trail in our city is so important, because many of those Stops were important on the Underground Railroad and when they were trying to disappear and kidnap black residents, many residents, abolitionists on Beacon Hill, made their homes available. And so I want to thank you again for bringing them into chambers and excited to see the installation myself. Would anyone else like to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councilors Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Worrell. Weber, and Louijeune seek suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 1856. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1857?

Dr. Number 1857, Councilor Mejia, offer the following. Resolution in support of access to gender-affirming care in the City of Boston.

Thank you, the Chair recognizes Councilor Mejia. Councilor Mejia, you have the floor.

Apologies, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam President. And I just wanted to start off by Thanking our team and the coalition that we've been working with over the last few months. And we filed this hearing, excuse me, this resolution because we know that across the country we're all under attack. Our trans and LGBTQIA2S plus communities are under attack at this moment. While attacks on this particular community are not new, The way in which this federal administration is weaponizing fear to roll back decades of progress is new. This moment calls for bold leadership and a refusal from all of us to accept this behavior as normal. This weekend we connected with the CEO of Fenway Health when we learned that the latest institution to be given an ultimatum by this administration. The center announced that last week that they would stop providing gender affirming care to patients under the age of 19, citing that $36 million in federal funding was threatened. This announcement sent shockwaves through the LGBTQIA2S plus community and left patients and families concerned about where they can continue to access this care. While we understand that Fenway Health is referring patients to other providers, the city of Boston needs to examine how we can better support and protect institutions that are being pressured by the federal government. In this specific situation, there may be other providers to fill the gap, but without intentional coordination, access to care will remain uncertain for many trans youth and their families. Our office will continue to work alongside more than 40 plus advocates to establish the LGBTQIA2S Plus Commission dedicated to advancing equity, access, and accountability across our city. the City of Boston under our leadership declared itself a sanctuary city for the LGBTQIA2S plus community and as the governing body we must live up to that commitment by ensuring our residents have Dignified Quality of Life with full access to health care, safety, and fundamental rights. I look forward to working with our nonprofits, legal services, administration, colleagues, and community leaders to determine how we can best support the LGBT community The LGBTQIA2S plus community during this critical time. And I think it's really important as we continue to navigate these conversations that it's going to seem to us That we're always going to have to take a stand against the federal government. And I think that when we do so in community and in collaboration with those who are living the realities, that strengthens our ability to do just that. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Durkan. You have the floor.

Thank you, Council President. I want to thank Councilor Mejia for filing this important resolution, and I'd like to add my name in support. The federal government's recent actions targeting LGBTQIA individuals are unconscionable and they threaten health and dignity of our residents. Because of new federal directives, institutions like Fenway Health and District 8 have been forced to stop providing gender-affirming care to people under the age of 19. Fenway Health has been a key institution for the LGBTQIA community since 1971. Starting in a basement, they now serve over As a federally qualified health center, they had to comply in order to continue providing care for the rest of their patients. I spoke with them and they were devastated to have to make an impossible choice between following their mission and staying open for residents who rely on them. That's why it's so important that we, as a Boston City Council, Stand with the LGBTQIA community and the institutions that have long filled a historic gap in our healthcare system. We can't let them be undermined by political coercion from the Trump administration, and we have to do everything we can to protect access to gender-affirming care for everyone in our city who needs it. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councilors Breadon, Durkan, Fitzgerald, Flynn. Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell. Please have the chair. Councilor Mejia, suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 1857. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed, has been adopted. Before we move on, would anyone like to add their name or offer a motion to reconsider a vote while they were out of chambers? The chair recognizes Councilor Worrell. You have the floor.

I'd like to add my name to docket number 1855. Mr.

Clerk, do you have that docket number 1855? Yes. So added. Anything else, Councilor Worrell? That is all. Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Durkan.

Thank you. I'd like to add my name to 0847 and 0848. And I'd also like to vote yes on both. I'd also like to offer a motion to reconsider my vote on both of those.

All right, so let's just make sure that Mr. Clerk has where you want to add your name. Do you have those two dockets, Mr. Clerk? What's the docket number?

Oh, 1847 and 1848.

That was a roll call vote.

Oh, OK. Oh, perfect. So I'd like to add my name to both of those. Thank you.

So for dockets number 1847 and 1848, you would like to add your name to both dockets.

Yes.

Did you vote on those dockets?

No.

So you would like to offer a motion to reconsider the vote on those dockets so that you can vote. Okay. Is that motion seconded? Second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. OK, so you would like to vote in the affirmative on both dockets, Councilor Durkan? Yes. OK, thank you. Do you have that recorded, Mr. Clerk?

Yes.

Thank you. Would anyone else like to add their name or offer a motion to reconsider on a vote? No? Okay. We are now on to personnel orders. Mr. Clerk, would you please read the personnel order?

Docket number 1858, Personnel Order, Councilor Luzon for Councilor Santana.

The chair moves to passage of docket number 1858. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This personnel order has passed. We're now on to green sheets. Is anyone looking to pull anything from the green sheets? The chair recognizes Councilor Arrella. Councilor Arrella, you have the floor.

I'd like to pull out docket number 1690 from page 30 of the green sheets.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Do you have docket number 1690 before you?

Yes. From the Committee on Ways and Means, docket number 1690, message in order for your approval and authorizing the City of Boston to appropriate The amount of $2,500,000 for the purpose of paying the cost of a feasibility study in schematic design associated with a project for the Ruth Batson Academy, formerly known as the John W. McCormick School. located at 315 Mount Vernon Street, Dorchester, Mass. 02125. This includes the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto and for which the City of Boston may be eligible for a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Said amount to be expended under the direction of the Public Facilities Department on behalf of the Boston Public Schools.

Thank you. Absent objection? the motion of the committee chair is accepted and docket number 1690 is properly before the body. Councilor Orrell the floor is yours.

This is just the second affirmative vote on docket number 1690 which we voted on I believe it was last week for the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design, which is going to be led by the Public Facilities Department. So as Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means, I recommend that this matter ought to be read for the second time and aside for further action. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilor Worrell, Chair of the Committee. You're right, OK. So this is for the second reading of docket number 1690. And a vote in the affirmative would move this forward to the MSBA. So we will conduct a roll call vote on this docket. Mr. Clerk, would you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on docket number 1690, second reading. Councilor Brayton. Breadon, yes, Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes, Councilor Durkan, yes, Councilor Durkan, yes, Councilor Fitzgerald, yes, Councilor Flynn, Flynn, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Mejia, Councilor Mejia, yes, Councilor Murphy, Councilor Pepén, Councilor Pepén, yes, Councilor Santana, yes, Councilor Santana, yes, Councilor Weber, yes, Councilor Weber, yes, and Councilor Worrell, yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Document number 1690 has received 10 votes in the affirmative, receiving its second reading.

Thank you, docket number 1690 has passed. We are now moving on to laid files. I'm informed by the clerk that there are no late file matters. Great job team. We are now moving on to the consent agenda. I have been informed by the clerk that there are no additions to the consent agenda. The question now comes on approval of the various matters contained within the consent agenda. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Thank you. The consent agenda has been adopted. We are now on to announcements. Please remember that these are for upcoming dates and events. I want to congratulate Shane, our own Shane Pack, on 10 years with the Boston City Council. Congratulations to all you do for our central staff. I want to say welcome back, Ellen, and thank you for the cookies. And congratulations, well, good luck to our Celtics on their season opener this evening. Anybody else have any announcements they would like to make? We are now, oh, sorry, I didn't see your light. The chair recognizes Councilor Pepén. Councilor Pepén, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. So my sister found out that we give birthday shout-outs. She was like, you better give me a shout-out. She's my youngest sister. She's my only sister. Love her to death. Her birthday is on Saturday, October 25th, so I just want to wish Lisa a very happy birthday. Love you. Came in to celebrate with you.

Thank you. Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Durkan. You have the floor.

My sister turned 40 yesterday, Kaylee, and I had the chance to visit her in El Paso, Texas. This weekend. So in that vein, I just want to make sure that Kaylee, now Kaylee Durkan, but now Kaylee Finley is honored for her 40th birthday.

Thank you. The chair, Councilor Mejia, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I'm not doing a birthday shout out. Just wanted to let everyone know that we, on Monday, October 27th, at the Bruce Bowen Building, we're going to be hosting our School Vibes Clothing Boutique. It's a thrift store that so many folks have donated gently used clothes that young people and their families are going to be able to pick out pieces and not have to pay for them so they're gently used. Some of the folks walked out with some really nice things the last time, so make sure you come through. It's going to be from 3 to 7 at the Bruce Bolin Building. And because I used to work in the education space, I know that this is the time. When most parents are dealing with a lot of the issues that are surfacing up, whether it's their IEPs not being met, just issues with acclimating to a particular school, So at the event we're going to have resources and organizations that can help support families who are navigating some of the hardships of being a student in Boston these days. So it'll be from 3 to 7. We also are partnering up with Boston's Got Talent and Bogle Split and other young entrepreneurs are going to be there to showcase their talent and their products and goods and services. And it's going to be a youth entrepreneurship. Papalutza. And I want to just give a shout out to Councilor Worrell, who went to the inaugural event that we hosted last year. It was so great to have you there. And I also want to thank the Mayor's Youth Council for showing up. And so we're looking forward to hosting young people and their families as they try to stay engaged in the Boston public schools.

Thank you. The chair organizes. Councilor Weber, you have the floor.

Yeah, Saturday is the JP Dog costume parade put on by the wonderful folks at Center South Main Streets in JP. It starts at, you can register at First Baptist Church at noon. The parade starts at First Baptist and goes down to Lorien Greenau House where there will be a sort of, I don't know, fashion show. It's not a catwalk because they're dogs, but there's judging and prizes, I think. So come for the parade and stay for the fashion show. So look forward to seeing people there on Saturday.

Thank you. Anyone else? We are now moving on to memorials. Would anyone like to speak on behalf of anyone who has passed? I want to adjourn today in honor of Judge Leslie Harris who was an icon to so many here in the city of Boston and who was so dogged and relentless in how much he loved and cared our young people and the city of Boston, a graduate of Northeastern, for undergrad, BU for his masters, BC where he really fell in love with the law and really fell in love with the Jesuit spirit behind the work of social justice. He was a mentor to so many, my younger sister, Rodleen introduced me to him. And he was a mentor to her, to one of my really good friends, Arianne Walren. He founded the Boston, the Black Alumni Network at BC Law. And he was just an incredible advocate and believed in the potential of every young person, even as he sat as judge of the juvenile court in Suffolk County. If you look at the memorials that people are posting about him, under it you will find so many young people, a lot of young black men in our city who said, Judge Harris believed in me when nobody else did. And so I'm so grateful for the way in which Judge Harris supported my sister, supported people I loved, and when I met him, the way that he just gave so much of himself to me. both in ideas and support and how much he loved Boston, Boston's black neighborhood, Roxbury. He came out to our event at the Museum of African American History for Black History Month His house is along the carnival route and every year him and his wife Bev sit and watch the carnival with such joy and admiration and solidarity. He's such a giant. And him and his family, Bev and their children, are just mourning right now at the unexpected loss of Judge Harris. So I just wanted to uplift him. I just feel like we've been losing so many of our icons here in the city of Boston. And Judge Harris was definitely that for me and for so many others in the city. So may you rest in power, Judge Harris. The chair recognizes Councilor Brayton. You have the floor.

Thank you Madam President. I'd like us to adjourn in memory of Paula Alexander. Paula passed quite suddenly in the last week or so. She was a stalwart in the Alston Civic Association I'm very involved with the Friends of the Honan Library and very involved with all things Alston. She will be greatly missed in the neighborhood. She always brought a smile. Santa Humor to her work and her services will be at St Anthony's on November 4th and I just want to send her condolences to her family and her friends in the neighbourhood.

Thank you Councillor Brady. The Chair recognizes Councilor Mejia. You have the floor. Thank you, Madam President. I just want to also end in memory of Peachy Bowdens, who recently was passed and was beloved member of the community. And I want to just hold DJ T. Lawson, Soy, and others who are in deep mourning today. There will be a vigil for her in the celebration of her life. Tonight at Slade's in memory and also in hopes to fundraise as well.

Thank you. Thank you. Peachy, can you give the last name again? Thank you. Would anyone else like to adjourn? Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Rao.

I want to just send my condolences and prayers to the Mitchell family. Richard Mitchell, who's a real good friend of mine, also works for the city of Boston, who lost his father. So I just wanted to just send My prayers and my condolences to the Mitchell family.

Jeff? Richard Mitchell. Richard Mitchell? Senior. Senior. Okay, great. Thank you. All right, anyone else? Today we will adjourn our meeting on behalf of the following individuals. On behalf of Councilor Murphy, Phillip Castor. On behalf of Councilor Breadon, Paula Alexander. On behalf of Councilor Mejia, Peachy Bowdens. On behalf of Councilor Worrell, Richard Mitchell Sr., on behalf of Councilor Pepén, Mary Williams, Lisa Dix, on behalf of myself, Sinclair Osner Bernadeau, father of Marjorie Bernadeau and many others. David Milhom of Temple Salem Church. The Honorable Judge Leslie E. Harris. Jean Beauregard, Haitian community leader, Billy Richtberg, a 39-year civilian employee of the Boston Police Department, and D'Angelo, born Michael Eugene Archer. R&B singer. A moment of silence, please. The Chair moves that when the Council adjourns today, it does so in memory of the aforementioned individuals. The Council is scheduled to meet again in the Ayanala Chamber on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 12 noon. Thank you to my colleagues, to Central staff, the Clerk and the Clerk's office, and the council stenographer. All in favor of adjournment, please say aye. Aye. The council is adjourned.