City Council

City Council. Viewers can watch the council meeting live on YouTube at boston.gov forward slash city dash council dash tv. At this time I ask my colleagues and those in the audience to please silence their cell phones and electronic devices. Also, pursuant to Rule 42, I remind all in this chamber that no demonstration of approval or disapproval from members of the public will be permitted. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, will you please call the roll to ascertain the presence of a quorum?

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

Thank you. I've been informed by the clerk that a quorum is present, and I also want to welcome back to chambers our 14th counselor. Michael, thank you for being here with us. We appreciate having you. Now it is my pleasure to introduce this week's clergy, Pastor Matthew Keith Thompson Jr. of Jubilee Christian Church in Mattapan, who will be providing our invocation, invited by Councilor Santana. Councilor Santana, you have the floor. And after the invocation, we will recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Good afternoon. Thank you, Madam President. And good afternoon to my council colleagues. and members of the public. With me today, I have someone who is familiar with our body. I was able to bring him and invite him over last year. As many of you know, my number one priority on the council is our youth. I just love being able to support the individuals and the great leaders that we have That are directly involved with our youth. So with us today, we have Pastor Matthew Keith Thompson, Jr., who is a pastor of the Jubilee Christian Church Youth and Young Adults Ministries called Citywide and Influence. He is a 25-year-old basketball player, spoken word artist, social justice advocate, and a husband to his beautiful wife of two years, Breonna Thompson. His youth ministry has touched the lives of thousands of youth

As he does his best to not only present the gospel to young people, but also give them a safe space to heal, have fun, and be themselves, and to develop as leaders of the world. So my great honor. and to introduce Pastor Matthew Keith Thompson, Jr.

Good morning, everybody. Well, good afternoon. I was told that the last person that Henry brought in spoke for 17 minutes. I'm not going to do that. I'll be before you probably for maybe like three minutes. Is three minutes OK? Is that cool? But yeah, so I'm the youth and young adults pastor at Jubilee Christian Church. And last week, we actually celebrated We are a church that believes in legacy and that believes in the next generation. And so my grandfather started the church. My dad is the senior pastor of the church. and for 43 years we don't just believe in presenting the gospel but economic development, home ownership, just helping the community literally in whatever way we can on a

You know, yearly basis, we do this thing called Jubilee in the City where we just go up and down the streets of every location, Boston, Stoughton, Worcester, paying for people's gas, paying for people's groceries, cleaning up the streets, doing whatever we can, and every Friday we have 2 to 300 youth that are in the room that are not just receiving the gospel but also training to be leaders in spaces just like this. And so I'm so grateful that my church believes in legacy and actually A year ago, my father and I sat down with someone that was in office. And we had a conversation with them. and you know my father was going through some things just with some stuff that he was trying to do and he said I'm trying to set something up For the next generation, we believe in legacy. And that person's response was, well, we don't believe in legacy. We're just believing for the next election.

And what I love about Henry, what I love about Ruth Z, what I love about you guys in this room is that you guys believe not just in the next election, but in legacy, in what is coming next. There's a quote from a very famous speaker, Simon Sinek, that says that great leaders, they don't think in terms of short term and long term. They don't think in terms of the next election, or the next term, but they think in terms of legacy, what generation is coming next so that we can bless everyone that is coming up. And so with that, I just want to pray. Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you and we praise you because we have the opportunity to be in your presence once again. And Lord, we recognize that in the Bible when we see that you are the God of Abraham, you don't just leave it right there.

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob but for all the generations that are present. You're not a God that only cares about one span of time. You care about all time. And so Lord, today, as we're here in this meeting, as we're talking about things that are happening in the city, as we bring awareness to breast cancer, as we are believing for healing for people, that are in broken or sick spaces. We're just saying, will you be present in here today? Every word that is spoken, every thought that is thought, Will you bless it? And Lord, we thank you that you have said in your word that once a blessing has been spoken, it cannot be denied. And so, Lord, we're just saying, will you speak a blessing into this room so that nothing can stand up against it? We thank you and we praise you.

Not just for what you're doing, but for all that you're getting ready to do in us and through us. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen. and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you so much, Pastor, for that wonderful invocation and those words. My sisters and I grew up hanging out at the youth nights before it was Jubilee at New Covenant. And we want to thank your grandfather for his leadership and his vision and his legacy here in the city of Boston, which we know has expanded outside of the city of Boston to Stoughton, to everywhere around our Commonwealth. And we are grateful and indebted to you and your family. So thank you. Mr. Clerk, could you please amend the attendance record to reflect that Councilor Durkan is now present and with us? And Councilor Worrell is now present and with us. Thank you. We are on to presentations. We have one presentation today offered by my office, Uplifting Awareness for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Celebrating the LA Fund. Thank you to all of my colleagues. who look lovely in your pink, pretty in pink. But it is also about raising awareness for Breast Cancer Month.

So I would like to welcome to the podium Meredith Mendelson, Nakia Clark, Jenny Marcelin, Our very own Michelle Goldberg. If you could please come to the podium. Thank you. Behind me are breast cancer fighters, breast cancer warriors, breast cancer advocates, and breast cancer survivors. As we recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are honored to welcome Meredith Mendelson, the Executive Director of the ELI Fund, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit dedicated to providing essential support to breast cancer patients and their families.

For more than 30 years, the Ellie Fund has helped ease the daily burdens that come with a breast cancer diagnosis, offering transportation to treatment Grocery and Meal Assistance, and support for household needs, allowing patients to focus on healing and recovery. Their work embodies the compassion, care, and community that this month represents and reminds us that awareness is not only about early detection, but also about standing beside those in treatment and recovery. I am also so grateful to have My dear friend Jenny Marcelin with us here today. Within the past month, Jenny has been able to benefit from the generosity of the Ellie Fund as she is in treatment and recovery. It's just the way the world works. I think we had just the week prior talked to Meredith about the Ellie Fund and about the work that we could do together. And then I got a call from Jenny. And we made the connection.

This job, one of the most important things that we can do in this job is to make connections to support people. And our very own Michelle Goldberg, who has her own story with breast cancer and who has been valiantly leading us. So thank you so much for your courage and for your strength and for standing with us here today. And to my own grandmother, who I never met but died of breast cancer, Immacula, I carry your legacy with me every day. I have this citation here recognizing the work of the ELI Fund. And Nakia, who is here, who is the Director of Community Engagement for the ELI Fund. So if you could both come forward. This is an official resolution presented by the Boston City Council. Me too. Be it resolved that the Boston City Council extends its congratulations to the Ellie Fund in recognition of your tireless efforts to provide essential support services for breast cancer patients to ease the stresses of everyday life, allowing the focus to be on family, recovery, and healing.

So thank you so much, Meredith.

And you have the floor. Thanks. Thank you so much.

So as you heard, I am the Director of Community Engagement and Outreach, but I started off as a caregiver, then a patient, and For every one of you to know about the LA Fund, so People can refer your constituents so everyone knows about what we do and it's no questions asked. In 2022, we became the co-chairs of the Boston Breast Cancer Equity Coalition. and where we wanted to make sure we get into the community. So as my job, I go into each and every communities in the Boston area and talk about the LA Fund and the work that we do. So we need all of you all's help to get the word out and make sure everyone knows about the Elephant.

And thanks to Councilor Louijeune, we were able to help Jenny. And I'll let Jenny come and say some words.

Before Jenny shares the mic, I'd also like to call up, I meant to call up Councilor Santana. As we know from so many, this battle is personal for so many of us here in this chambers, and I'd like to After Jen, you offer some remarks. Councilor Seyton, if you'd like to.

Good afternoon. I am fortunate to be here. And I mean, I've been volunteering with Lucy for You know, quite some time now. And I called her and said, hey, I got to lay low because this is what's going on. We talk. And then next thing I know, her chief of staff got in touch with me. And then she said, I'm going to connect you with this organization. They're going to call you. And then, if you want, no pressure. And then when I got the call, oh my god, it was, The only qualification I had to have was to have breast cancer, unfortunately. They didn't ask me for my income, they didn't ask me for my citizenship, nothing. And then they've been with me for the past month and

I never dreamed of welcoming breast cancer or cancer itself in my life. And now having it, I feel like I have the support that I need. To deal with that, I'm someone I battled in the past with depression, anxiety, attempted suicide. It's been quite a life for me. and then to have this battle right now and then having these people with me to help me. I think that's all people in my shoes right now. That's all we want. We want to be part of a family That is non-judgmental. That is understanding of what we're going through. It's like right now telling you I'm in pain. You're like, oh, you look very nice. You look good. How could you be in pain? Last Wednesday, at this time, I was at the hospital waiting to have my second surgery. So I am in pain, but you don't know that.

But they do know what's going on with me, you know? I'm very grateful. Thankful to Councilor Wejern. And then I hope all of you, um, councillors, that you will let your constituent know about LE Fund. So just like I'm I have that peace of mind. They too can have peace of mind. Thank you.

I'm Meredith Mendelson, the executive director of the Ellie Fund. I've met many of you counselors before, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to show you what the Ellie Fund family and to show you that we are available and ready for your constituents. We are prepared to serve 2000 patients and their families this year. We are laser focused on improving outcomes between Black and Brown women and men who are going through breast cancer. They are 40% more likely to die than their white peers. Nakia and I, as co-chairs of the Boston Breast Cancer Equity Coalition with Karen Burns-White from Dana-Farber, our mission is to reduce those disparities and we're here today offering

Genuine offers of hope, family, resources so that our patients are not getting extras. They're being treated whole as they deserve to be. Thank you for your time.

Thank you, City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, for bringing us and convening us here today. As many of you know, the most important person in my life has been battling cancer for the last two years, and my mother, Maria Santana, And although she wasn't originally diagnosed with breast cancer, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. We've caught it at such a late stage that it spread throughout her entire body. And she was given a timeline. to live, right? And organizations like the LA Fund are just so crucial to our residents here, to all of our families, Because I think the biggest thing that we can do, I always say cancer doesn't discriminate. It touches all of us. If you're not personally going through it, you may know a neighbor or a resident, another family member that's going through it.

And I think the best thing that we can do as a body and as a city is to invest in organizations like the Ellie Fund and provide early screening for all of our residents. I just really want to thank the Council President and the Alley Fund for being here. Jenny, for sharing your story. Unfortunately, I think there are many people who share that same story. And we often stay quiet. and I think a lot of individuals go through this alone and I think I want to be able to uplift and educate and provide as many resources Thank you, City Council President, for leading on this and I really appreciate the LA Fund being here today.

If I could ask my colleagues to all come forward for a picture.

I'm not saying cheese.

Okay, cheese.

Awesome.

Thank you so much. Nice to see you. It's been a minute, but good familiar face. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you again to Meredith, to Nakia, to Jenny for sharing so much of yourself and your story, to our very own Michelle Goldberg, to Sam, to Henry. and to your mother, and in the memory of my father's mother, Immacula, and to my chief of staff, Emily Poston, who's been working so closely alongside the Ellie Fund to make today possible. Okay. Mr. Clerk, do we need to amend the minutes? Okay. Thank you. We are now on to the first order of business, which is the approval of the minutes from the meeting of October 1st, 2025. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. The minutes of the October 1st meeting are approved. We are now on to communications from Her Honour the Mayor. Mr.

Clerk, would you please read dockets number 1777 to 1782.

Document number 1777, message not authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $2,316,369 in the form of a grant. for the Federal Fiscal Year 26 Title IIIc Nutrition Services Program Grant awarded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, passed through the Mass Executive Office of Elder Affairs. to be administered by the Age Strong Commission. The grant will fund nutrition services for older adults in the City of Boston. Dock number 1778. Message in order authorizing the City of Boston to expend Accept and expend the amount of $1,067,829 in form of a grant for the federal fiscal year 2016.

Title IIIb Supportive Services Grant awarded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services passed through the Mass Executive Office of Elder Affairs to be administered by the Age Strong Commission. The grant will fund home-based support services for older adults in the City of Boston. Docket number 1779, message in order. Authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $540,000 $791 in the form of a grant for the Federal Fiscal Year 26 Title III-E Family Caregiver Support Program Awarded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, passed through the Mass Executive Office of Elder Affairs to be administered by the H. Strong Commission. The grant will fund caregiver services for older adults in the City of Boston. Document number 1780. Message not authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $470,000

$366 in the form of a grant for the Federal Fiscal Year 26 Title III-A Area Plan Administration Grant. Awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Passed through the Mass Executive Office of Elder Affairs To be administered by the H. Strong Commission The grant will fund costs for the administration of Title III programs The grant will fund consumer protection programs to improve long-term services for older adults in the City of Boston. Document number 1781. Message in order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $177,619 in the form of a grant for the federal fiscal year 26, Title III. Ombudsman Program Grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services passed through the Mass Executive Office of Elder Affairs to be administered by the Age Strong Commission.

The grant will fund consumer protection programs to improve long-term services for older adults in the City of Boston. In docket number 1782, message not authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $84,002 in the form of a grant for Federal Fiscal Year 26 Title III-D, Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, awarded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, passed through the Mass Executive Office of Elder Affairs to be administered by the Age Strong Commission. The grant will fund services that assist older adults in Boston to prevent illness and manage chronic conditions.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Murphy, the chair of the Committee on Strong Women, Families, and Communities. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Clerk, for reading all of those. I'm asking, I know this is a large amount, these six grants total $4,600,000. $56,979. I don't want to set a precedent that we just suspend and pass the grants that come through this body, but these are all grants that have come through in the past. I held hearings last year. H. Strong, Emily came in and her team and spoke to the great work that these grants and this money does to support our seniors. They are going to promote health promotion, disease prevention, consumer protection, caregiver support, nutrition services, and home-based services. So I am asking that this body supports me in just suspending and passing these grants so we can get the money where it needs to be. And I am going to be asking Denise and Emily from H. Strong to write up a one-pager that I'll share with all of you.

If you do want to get more information on each one, it will be after the vote, but I'm hoping that you'll support me in suspending and passing these grants today. Thank you.

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

I just want to say I'm in total support of this. Thank you, Councilor Murphy, for pushing this forward.

Thank you. Would anyone else like to speak on this matter? OK. Murphy see suspension and passage of these, I believe, total three 6 grants. Mr. Clerk, as best we take it, we'll vote one by one. Okay. Councilor Murphy, see suspension of the rules and passage of docket number 1777. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This grant is passed. Before we move on, Mr. Clerk, could you please amend the record to reflect that Councillor Penn is now present and with us?

Yes.

Thank you so much. Councilor Murphy seeks suspension of the rules and passage of docket number 1778. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Councilor Murphy seeks suspension of the rules of docket number 1779. All those in favor say aye. Murphy. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Councilor Murphy, suspension of the rules and passage of docket number 1780. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Murphy, Seek Suspension of the Rules and Passage of Docket Number 1781. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Councilor Murphy, Seek Suspension of the Rules and Passage of Docket Number 1782. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Mr. Clerk, I want to make sure that I did 1781. I did do that. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1783?

Docket number 1783, message in order, authorizing the City of Boston. to accept and expend an in-kind donation of eight hand dryers and the labor and materials required for installation of those dryers, valued at $11,070, donated by Excel Dryer in coordination with Code Design Collaborative. The Property Management Department will utilize these hand dryers in City Hall, Faneuil Hall, and the Thomas Johnson Community Center so that both City of Boston staff and members of the public may benefit from their use.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Council Member Patten, the chair of the Committee on City Services and Innovation Technology. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I wish to seek suspension of the rule and voting passage of this docket. It is a simple, small donation that will bring cleanliness and comfort to our public buildings and restrooms. Thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone looking to speak on this matter? Okay, Councilor Pepén's suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 1783. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. We are now on to reports of public officers and others. Mr. Clerk, can you please read dockets number 1784 to 1786?

Doctrine No. 1784, notice received from the City Clerk in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1979 relative to action taken by the Mayor on papers acted upon by the City Council at its meeting of September 24th, 2025. Document number 1785, communication from Councilor Flynn regarding a violent hate crime against LGBTQ plus neighbors. And docket number 1786, communication from Councilor Flynn regarding the late night riot in the south end.

Thank you. These dockets will be placed on file. Councilor Flynn, you have your light on to speak on a communication. You have a total of two minutes to speak on the dockets. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to speak on Docket 1768. This is a communication regarding late night riot in the South End on Around 2 o'clock in the morning on Sunday, hundreds of people took over the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Trumont Street and immediately began throwing fireworks, cones, and poles at Boston police officers. Several people arrested. It is never acceptable to assault a police officer or first responder. This weekend's assault on Boston police officers must be prosecuted, and if convicted, A state sentence is warranted. Those arrested should be held on high cash bail. We cannot accept lawlessness in Boston, and it is critical that we support our police officers and their families as well. A similar incident occurred in the Back Bay last April in downtown Boston just last night.

As a result, I wrote to Commissioner Cox to respectfully request prioritizing additional public safety resources to main streets throughout the city, especially on weekends in late night hours. This is where a lot of the majority of our late night traffic is taking place and with visitors to our city often are. As you all are aware, for many years I have consistently advocated for hiring of police officers every year for the next Decade really to address long-standing issues of staffing, overstretched resources, mandatory overtime, looming retirements. I will speak more about this issue later in this council hearing. But we have to have zero tolerance against any attack and violence against the men and women of the Boston Police Department. Unacceptable. What is happening in the city, the violent attacks on the Boston Police. We need to stand up and support them. Thank you, Madam Chair.

We are now on to reports of committees. Mr. Clerk, would you please read docket number 1690?

Docket number 1690, the Committee on Ways and Means, which was referred on September 24th. 2025, docket number 1690. Message in order for your approval in order authorizing the City of Boston to appropriate the amount of $2,500,000 for the purpose of paying for the cost of a feasibility study in schematic design. associated with a project for the Ruth Babson Academy. Formerly known as the John W. McCormick School, located at 315 Mount Vernon Street, Dorchester, Mass., 02125. This includes a payment of all costs incidental and 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 Boston Public Facilities Department on behalf of the Boston Public Schools submits a report recommending that the order ought to be read for the first time and assigned for further action.

Thank you, the Chair recognizes Councilor Arreola, the Chair of Ways and Means. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. The Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing on Thursday, October 2nd, 2025 to discuss document number 1690. Testifying on behalf of the administration was Chief Stanislas of Capital Planning for Boston Public Schools, Executive Director Jones of the Public Facilities Department, and Project Manager McLaughlin at the Public Facilities Department. From the City Council in attendance were Council President Louijeune, Fitzgerald. We've received letters of absence from Councilor Flynn, Pepén, and Santana. At the hearing, Mr. McLaughlin provided an overview of the Massachusetts School Building Authority, also known as MSBA. The state agency that funds the construction of Public Schools through one penny of the state sales tax. The city has strengthened its partnership with the MSBA in recent years, completing the Dearborn STEM Academy, Boston Arts Academy, Josiah Quincy Upper School, and Carter School. as well as 35 accelerated repair projects totaling a $656 million in construction and $241 million in reimbursements.

The Ruth Bassin Academy MSBA core process began in April 2024 with the City Statements of Interest and was formally invited into the program in December 2024. The 270-day eligibility period began on July 1, 2025, allowing the MSBA to assess district readiness through preliminary requirements such as forming a school building committee, completing an enrollment questionnaire, and developing a maintenance plan and educational profile. All requirements have been completed except for the appropriation of funds for a feasibility study, which this docket fulfilled by requesting $2.5 million to hire an owner's project manager and architect. Chief Stanislas emphasized that the merger forming the Roots-Baston Academy was shaped by robust community engagement to ensure the new school reflected the values and aspirations of students and families. The unified Youth-Baston Academy blends the strengths

of BCLA and McCormick offering enhanced academics, wraparound supports, and expanding early college pathways with UMass Boston. Representatives stated that the feasibility study will take 18 to 24 months, and conclude with a project scope and budget outline and next steps for construction or renovation. Upon MSBA board approval, the district will return to the council for additional appropriation in the fall of 2027. The study will examine the entire Ruth Bassin campus including the soon to be closed Deborah Elementary School with projected enrollment increasing from 604 to about 1,000 students. The study will also evaluate climate resilience given the site's proximity to the waterfront and explore options for outdoor field space. As chair of the Committee on Ways and Means, I recommend that this matter ought to be read for the first time and is signed for further action. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair of the Committee on Ways and Means. Oh, I just want to make sure. Did anyone want to speak on this matter? I'm very excited that this is moving forward. Attendee is someone who went to the McCormick. I know that the students are eager to get a new school building that blends in what high school students deserve. So very excited and want to thank the administration and the important work of getting MSBA funding to make this happen. The Chair recognizes Councilor Flynn on the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I also rise to support this proposal. I also want to highlight the work of State Treasurer Deb Goldberg, the Mass School Building Authority, The exceptional support they've provided to the residents of Boston and our public school students for so many years. Again, thank you to State Treasurer Deb Goldberg. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means recommends acceptance of the committee report and a vote on the first reading of docket number 1690. Mr. Clerk, can you please take a roll call vote on docket 1690?

Roll call vote on document number 1690. 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 Louijeune, yes. Councilor Louijeune, yes. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Pepén, yes. Pippen, yes. Council Santana? Yes. Council Santana, yes. Council Weber? Yes. Councilor Weber, yes. And Council Worrell?

Yes.

Council Worrell, yes. Docket number 1690 has received 12 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you, the committee report has been accepted and docket number 1690 has been read for the first time and assigned for further action. We are now on to matters recently heard. Mr. Clerk, would you please read docket number 1276.

Docket number 1276, ordinance to prioritize surplus municipal property as affordable housing.

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

Thank you, Vice Chair. Docket 1276 is an ordinance proposing amendments to the City of Boston Code to create priorities for the disposition of city-owned property deemed surplus. Specifically, the ordinance requires the City prioritize the creation of affordable housing on surplus sites by vesting MOH with the responsibility of evaluating surplus sites for affordable housing and the authority to, upon the Chief of Housing's determination, exempt certain surplus properties from being developed into affordable housing. The matter was sponsored by Councilors Louijeune, Pepén, and Worrell and referred to the committee on June 25, 2025. We held a hearing on August 15th, 2025 in a robust working session just recently on October 6th to discuss this docket.

The committee heard testimony on behalf of the administration from Jamie Smith Sr., Environmental Compliance Manager, Mayor's Office of Housing, Daniel Lesser, Chief of Staff in the Mayor's Office of Housing, and Rebecca Tomasovic, Director of Real Estate at the Planning Department. At the hearing on October 15th, the committee examined how the city identifies, transfers, and reuses municipal property that are no longer needed for public purposes. The administration described the existing surplus property as a multi-step, community-driven process that includes environmental review and multiple approvals before redevelopment can occur, acknowledging that these steps often make the process complex and the timeline lengthy. Councillors discuss the need for earlier coordination among departments, clear communication about when properties become surplus, and stronger alignment between housing priorities and redevelopment decisions. Community advocates expressed strong support for codifying the process through ordinance, emphasizing that a clear, consistent,

Clear and consistent framework and process would make it easier to turn public land into lasting community benefits. At the working session this Monday, the committee reviewed the ordinance line by line to refine definitions and ensure alignment with existing city procedures. There was general consensus to strengthen the definition of affordable housing, extend and clarify timelines for exception determinations, and confirm that the ordinance applies only to city-owned properties under municipal control. The committee also discussed amendment suggestions aimed at improving transparency Accountability and Coordination across departments, requiring annual reports on all surplus property activity even in years when no designations occur, and mandating that written exception determinations be included in all RFPs for public visibility. Councillors agreed that these changes would create a clearer, more efficient,

and Transparent Framework for Managing Surplus Municipal Property, ensuring that public assets are more effectively leveraged to advance Boston's affordable housing goals. So quickly, and you all have a copy of this with you as well, the summary of amendments. The ordinance as amended revises Section 1 with the purpose to clarify the scope of the ordinance and to strengthen its intent by striking the words and subsidies and while allowing flexibility when other municipalities need clearly apply. and replacing the latter with, once the city has determined the property is not needed for other municipal purposes. The ordinance also amends, excuse me, revises section two definition, to align the definitions with city processes and to clarify the scope of the ordinance and the duties of city departments in implementation. Under the definition of affordable housing, the following words concerning individuals eligible for affordable housing were struck.

with housing costs not exceeding 30% of gross annual income as defined by Mass General Law Chapter 44B and Chapter 8-12 of the Boston City Code. And the following words were regarding Eligible developments were inserted, including at least 40% of the units are considered affordable in the overall project. Under the definition of exception determination, the word 90 days were struck and replaced with 180 days. And the following language was inserted to explicitly include a description of community feedback. and to allow for the extension to the 180-day deadline for an exception determination. If additional time is required, the Chief of Housing shall issue a written notice that additional time is needed and which time an automatic extension of 180 days shall be granted. The written notice and the property surplus designation must be made publicly available.

Under the definition of surplus municipal property, language was reworded and the following words were struck and has been formally designated as surplus by the Public Facilities Commission. This includes but is not limited to former BRA, BPDA Property, Police, Fire, EMS, and Public School Buildings under the care, custody, and control of the City of Boston. The ordinance also, before I go to that, as amended, the definition for feasibility evaluation was also struck in its entirety. The ordinance also amends Section 3 procedure to maintain consistent language, enhance transparency, and clarify the parties involved in the process and their duties. As amended, this section inserts the words community input, strikes and replaced the words mayor's office of housing with the city and strikes and replaces the words public facility commission with pertinent city department. Language was also revised under this section to clarify that exception determinations shall be filed for future RFPs

The ordinance also amends and revises Section 4 reporting to ensure consistent procedures and strengthen transparency reporting by inserting the words and the planning department. allowing MOH to submit the report required under the section jointly and inserting the following language to ensure that a report is submitted even if no new surplus designations have occurred and to require the report to include a summary of housing units created through surplus designations. I want to thank Councilor Mejia for that suggestion since passage of the ordinance are within the previous five years, whichever is shorter. And then lastly, Section 5, and thank you for your patience, everybody, under authority and enforcement to ensure compliance and consistency with all applicable laws by inserting the following language. and any other applicable laws or regulations regarding the disposition of property.

And so for me, this just provides additional structure to Thank you. Thank you. and puts it on MOH to essentially have first right of refusal to make more affordable housing and proliferate affordability across the city. And it also provides us with the opportunity to Continue to advocate in partnership with the community, even as the PFC process is happening. So I think overall, just really great. I want to thank Councilor Louijeune for her leadership, her staff, Jesse Purvis. I want to thank Ellie Sanchez, my chief of staff, for their work on this as well. And so as chair of the Committee on Government Operations, I recommend moving the solicited docket from the committee to the full council for discussion of formal action. And at this time, my recommendation to the full council is that this matter ought to pass in a new draft. Thank you.

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

Thank you, and I want to thank you, Madam Chair, for your diligence in moving this forward and for your work and your staffer Ellie's work on this. Really appreciate it. I want to thank all of my colleagues for their engagement, their attendance at the hearing and at the working sessions and thoughtful collaboration. which made this legislation that we wrote from the ground up and made it a lot stronger. I want to recognize administration partners, Chief Sheila Dillon, Daniel Lesser, Devin Quirk, James Smith, Rebecca, Tomasovich, and all of my colleagues for their feedback. And I want to acknowledge the advocates who really helped to strengthen this Ordinance, and underline why it's so important, Charlie Adams, a developer at Penrose, who developed the Pride, who has expertise in adaptive reuse. Richard Giordano at Fenway CDC, who's been a long time advocate for equitable development and for affordable housing development on municipal land. Intia Ambroji Isaza at the Madison Park Development Corporation, who has deep experience

and Community-Centered Housing, and Gretchen Van Ness of the LGBTQ Plus Senior Housing in Hyde Park at the Pride and a champion for inclusive and senior-focused affordable housing, who was also able to testify to the problems that occurred by how long it took for the pride to actually develop into what it is. And so the core message of this is that this ordinance is about predictability, ensuring that everybody knows when public buildings come offline and are no longer being used for a municipal purpose, that affordable housing is the city's priority. Like the Councillor, Coletta Zapata, said when people have asked me how do I describe this, I consider this as giving the Mayor's Office of Housing a right of first refusal so that we can do the work of building more affordable housing. For too long, surplus municipal property, schools, police stations, libraries have sat vacant for too long or have been redeveloped without a clear purpose. This changes that. This ordinance creates a transparent, accountable process to evaluate surplus building for housing potential before anything else.

But it doesn't lock anyone in or the city in. It's not rigid. It allows for an exception determination should there be an alternative or best use through clearly documented reasoning as to why affordable housing shouldn't be prioritized in this instance. Again, it established affordable housing as the first and preferred use for surplus city property. Subject to feasibility and legal constraints. It requires clear documentation and public reporting when properties are not used. Provides annual reporting to track which sites move forward, how they're used, and how many affordable units result. Again, thank you to Councilor Mejia for that recommendation. It gives the city a stronger data-driven framework, not just case-by-case decisions. We often get questions from constituents, why wasn't this building used for this? Or why did we decide to use it for this instead? Saying, this is a clear value statement, When a municipal building is no longer being used for municipal purpose, that the highest and best use is affordable housing unless there's an exception determination. It's a tool in our toolboxes ordinance. It's not a silver bullet.

There's no silver bullet that's going to help us solve our affordable housing crisis. But it's an important structural reform that advances transparency and public purpose. and many more. Housing prices are still at historic highs. This helps ensure that every possible public asset contributes to addressing Boston's housing crisis. And the ordinance does not say exclusively affordable housing. It allows for mixed use. It allows for mixed housing. helping making sure that we're building and with a focus on building affordable housing. We've made concessions on the timeline to ensure that we give the city enough time to think about whether Affordable housing is the highest and best use, but our priority has never wavered in moving surplus property to affordable housing efficiently and predictably. And this legislation reflects what we can accomplish when the council, administration, and advocates work together in good faith. I want to thank former city councilor Tito Jackson, who first elevated this as an issue of importance. And I want to thank our mayor, who has been helpful in thinking through what works and what works and what is sensible and predictable.

It's also about turning public assets into public goods, homes for families. for seniors and residents who want to stay in the city that they love. Just yesterday, I was on the phone with someone from South Boston who was saying how his parents still live there, but he was priced out. to Quincy because of how expensive housing is. And we talked about the work of this ordinance and how it can help further those goals. So this is how we create predictability in housing for the city of Boston. This is one of the ways we can help make sure that we are building a city where generations of Bostonians can afford to live. And it's one important part of the toolbox. I want to thank my colleagues again. And I want to thank you, Madam Chair. I want to thank my staffer, Jessie, who helped work on this, and all of the affordable housing advocates who helped us bring this ordinance to where it is today. Thank you.

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

Thank you Mr. Chair and thank you to the Madam President for including me on this docket but also for her leadership on this issue. Thank you to Chair Coletta Zapata for holding a very great hearing and working session on this. Transforming older, out of use buildings into much needed housing is something we should continue to advocate for as a city that continues to reinvent old solutions to fix current problems. In a similar fashion, This morning I was honored to attend the official ribbon cutting of the Sarah Roberts School in Rossineau, a historic moment where the old Washington Irving School building was repurposed to fit a merger of two smaller schools in the neighborhood. Now two small buildings that could possibly fit who knows what in the future are available. And Council President mentioned already the pride. That is a very clear example right in my district of a school building that's transformed into this beautiful, magnificent, senior, and many more. So there's so much opportunity that we can do with surplus

buildings and land in general in the city of Boston. I've also heard creative ideas of using existing library spaces and potentially building affordable housing on top of the libraries, etc. So there's just There's a lot that we can do here. And I think that in order for us to tackle the housing crisis that we are in right now, if people wanted to move into the city of Boston but not enough supply, we have to be creative here and be as proactive as we can, which is why I'm so excited to be part of this conversation. Thank you.

Thank you. Just want to just also thank the chair, also thank Council President Louie-Jen, and also thank the coalition that came together to put together this ordinance. And I believe that when you have the city, the city council, the administration, developers and advocates at the table, you make a strong ordinance that works for everyone. We know that we have a housing affordability crisis. We hear it too often that people have to move out of the city. But this ordinance makes it clear to the residents that the city of Boston is making housing affordability a priority. And we know one of the drivers of high housing costs is the land and the city being able to use surplus land hopefully will start to decrease the cost for developers to create affordable housing. It's not one silver bullet, but this is one of the other options that are now in our toolbox. to fight the affordability crisis.

And again, it just makes it clear to the rest of the city and all of our residents that housing affordability is a priority for us and everyone else here in the city of Boston. Anyone else looking to speak? The Chair recognizes Councilor Fitzgerald. Councilor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Vice Chair. Question, if I could, to the Councilor from East Boston.

Okay, question to the chair, if you do seek to answer. Yep.

Great, thank you. I just want to make sure in this process that there is nothing that changes the process for which Thank you. Thank you. First, correct? So it doesn't favor any one person to build on that land or not.

Councillor ZAPATA, you have the floor.

Yeah, that's exactly correct. And I feel like it may be helpful for folks to walk through, not the entire process, but generally. So there's four components of it. So first of all, the city department. So let's take the East Boston Police Station, for example. The police department had said that they don't need it any longer, and so that commences the surplus process. It goes to PFC. PFC has the authority upon approval from the mayor to acquire, lease, rent, or sell city-owned property that has been deemed in surplus. And then, so under 30B, which is procurement, The commission has to first declare that the parcel is available and spell out any sort of use restrictions. And so this is where we kind of bifurcate step three out of four, where MOH is now integrated into The process where before the RFP is given, they work in tandem with the planning department to understand what the use will be. So is it affordable housing? Will it be used for something like a food hub? All of that.

But the 30B is pretty much protected by state law. So it'll basically be the same process. But we're splitting that process up and integrating MOH into that step.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. The chair recognizes. Flynn, Councillor of the Floor.

Thank you Mr. Chair, Mr. Vice President. I'm going to support this proposal. I just want to make two quick points. I do want to acknowledge my former colleague City Councilor Tim McCarthy that did a lot of work on Pride in High Park and thank you to Tim's leadership for originally working on this. The second point I do want to make is Again, I'm supporting this, but I do want to acknowledge that we as a city council and as a city have to be very observant that we are not giving land away to politically connected developers. I think we owe it to the taxpayers to do our due diligence to ensure that this process is on the up and up and that no politically corrected Thank you.

Thank you. the State Ethics Commission as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you.

The Chair recognizes Councillor Santana. Councillor, you have the floor. Thank you, Mr. Vice President, and thank you to President Louie-Jean as well as Councillors Pepén and Worrell for your leadership on this matter. City-owned land and publicly owned buildings are some of the Boston's most valuable and underutilized tools to address our housing crisis. But unfortunately, buildings that are no longer serving their original purpose have been left vacant due to unclear policy surrounding The repurposing. Today we have the opportunity to ensure that buildings which have since retired from their original purpose can continue to serve the public as affordable housing. Boston is facing a severe housing affordability crisis and too many of our residents are being pushed out of the city they love. Every day we're losing the people who make the city special, but it doesn't have to be this way. Initiatives like this one are among the many

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. rather than private interests. And in doing so, we empower our cost burden residents and allow them the opportunity to continue calling Boston their home. I look forward to casting my vote in support of this measure. Thank you. The chair recognizes Councillor Brayden. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the lead sponsors and everyone for who participated in this conversation, and Chair Coletta Zapata for her I think part of the conversation was the highest and best use that we consider for surplus property in the city is definitely housing. Zipata. There are other public goods that could be served in this situation with surplus property, such as a food hub or the other group of services.

The other group that is being pushed out of the city and finding it increasingly difficult to stay are our non-profit groups, small non-profits, community non-profits that are doing essential work I'm glad that we have that opportunity to, if housing is one need, but also to look at other needs that would be determined by the Mayor's Office of Housing. To see if surplus property, if there's another use that would serve the public good as well. So I'm delighted to vote in favour of this ordinance and these amendments and thank you for all the work that's been done on it.

Thank you. The Chair recognises Councillor Coletta Zapata. Councillor, you have the floor.

Sorry, I left out the most important part, which was the fourth step, which is that no matter what happens, this has to come before the council, and we have to vote on it twice with two-thirds majority. So that's the hook that we have as a council. So no matter what, we still have that layer of accountability and have a say. But with what we're trying to do here, it's an extra step of transparency. So I just wanted to say that. I didn't want to leave everybody hanging on what the fourth step was. Okay, thanks.

Thank you. The chair of the committee on government operations seeks acceptance of the committee report and passes the docket number 1276 in a new draft. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, can you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on docket number 1276, Councilor Breadon. Yes. Councilor Breadon, yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata. Yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes. Councilor Durkan. Yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald. Yes. Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Flynn, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Mejia, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Pepén, yes. Penn, yes, Councilor Santana, yes, Councilor Weber. Weber, yes, and Councilor Worrell. Yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Docket number 1276 has received 12 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. The committee report has been accepted and docket number 1276 has passed in a new draft. Mr. Kirk, can you please read docket number 1450?

Docket number 1450, order for a hearing to discuss next steps to improve safety on the northern stretch of Hyde Park Avenue from Walden. Walk, Hill Street, to the Arborway.

Thank you. The chair recognizes the chair of the Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation. Councilor Durkan, you have the floor.

Thank you so much, Chair. And the Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation held a public hearing on Docket 1450 on Monday, October 6. To discuss next steps to improve street safety on the northern stretch of Hyde Park Ave from Walk Hill to the Arbor Way. The matter was sponsored by Councilors Weber, Enrique Pepén, and Brian Worrell. We're also joined by my colleagues, Council President Louie Jeanne, Councilor Murphy, and Councilor Flynn. The committee also received a letter of absence from Councilor Santana. The committee heard testimony from Yasha Franklin-Hodge, Chief of Streets, Matt Moran, Transit Team Director, and Tyler Liu, a project manager in the Streets Department. The hearing was held off-site at BTU School on Waukel Street. Approximately 40 community members gave public testimony and there were nearly 100 people in attendance. We heard from community members about the urgent need for safety improvements along this stretch of Hyde Park Ave. City officials provided background on the project and the reasons for delay.

While my colleagues asked thoughtful questions focused on finding solutions, it was clear that there is an overwhelming demand for traffic calming improvements and more pedestrian and bike-friendly corridor. We hope the administration will move forward quickly on this. While residents expressed how they have made the case over and over, It seems like right now the administration's plan is to do a repave and residents want more. It was a productive and informational hearing. I want to thank my colleagues who attended. Weber. I also want to give a chance for the lead sponsor, Councilor Weber to speak on this docket. Honestly, if I'm just going to be frank, I was skeptical about having an offsite hearing. It was very worth it. We saw the frustration of residents who have been asking for more.

I would like to, as the chair of this committee, back up these residents and their concerns. It was actually hard to speak at times because of how many kids were in the crowd. until 9 p.m. And I just think it's kind of crazy that we need to do more here. So I just want to thank Councilor Weber, Councilor Pepén, and Councilor Worrell for their advocacy here. I think as a city council we could all come together to ask for more improvements on this stretch. So, Councilor Weber?

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

Okay, thank you. And I'd like to start. I really want to thank Councillor Durkan for agreeing to chair a hearing in Jamaica Plain. And it gave residents and my constituents a chance to make their voices heard about an issue that is incredibly important to them and to my community that I represent. I want to thank my colleagues, Councilor Pepén and Worrell, Flynn, and Councilor Murphy for making it to the hearing. Hyde Park Avenue in front of Forest Hills T Station has never worked. It combines traffic congestion, unsafe driving, and unsafe conditions for cyclists and pedestrians were a year Remove from the death of Glenn Ingram who was killed on a concurrent green light while crossing the street by an MBTA bus.

And I think the hearing highlighted how we need to promote Pedestrian and cyclist safety and bus travel through that corridor. One thing that we talked about was the push at the State House to allow red light cameras. My State Rep, Sam Montano, has been pushing that. I really hope all of us push their State Reps to support that so we can at least Thank you for joining us. You know, I want to just add, you know, I think this is on the other side of JP. We had a 77-year-old woman who was killed in a hit and run on South Huntington along with her 39-year-old A caregiver was critically injured in that hit and run.

I think it just highlights how all the flashing lights, police officers, raised crosswalks, You know, speed limit signs, speed bumps, bike lanes, you know, everything else is not going to stop, it's going to help people, but it won't eliminate the possibility that people will be injured by cars. We have so much traffic, so much aggressive driving in this city. 1897, this was the first city in North America with a subway. This is apocryphal, maybe, One of the reasons why they put that subway in was because so many horses were packed on Tremont Street that it was unsafe and unhealthy for people. We put in the subway. There are no more horses on Tremont Street. I really want to see this city band together and show the same kind of innovation

You know, we showed in 1897, we need a better public transportation infrastructure here in the city. And until we do that, We'll be talking about pedestrian deaths and unsafe driving until we get people out of their cars. So thank you very much to Councilor Durkan for allowing us to highlight this in District 6. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councilor Pepén. You have the floor. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to Councilor Weber for having me as a co-sponsor of this very important topic that impacts my district as well. Hyper Cab is that corridor that connects the southwest part of Boston into the downtown Boston area, especially to the Forest Hills area. And I also just want to thank Councilor Durkan for hosting that hearing in person as well in the district. That was very important. I think we were able to really hear from a numerous amount of people. that were in attendance, a lot of people that live on Hyde Park Ave or near the area that use it frequently. And for the third time, it was clear what people who live on the North and Northern part of Hyde Park Ave want and need out of a street design. I'm hopeful that the administration will listen to the constituents and provide much needed improvements, particularly the exceptional dangerous intersection of Ukraine Way and High Park Avenue. I compel the administration to do so promptly so no more fatalities occur. I'm also looking forward to the entire

Safety improvements of the entirety of Hyde Park Avenue. It's not just one stretch that needs improvement. It's the entire stretch of it that goes all the way from Wolcott Square in Reedville to Forest Hills. We just need to act now. And I want to remind everyone that even those that are not impacted by what's happening on Hype or Gav, you may use it here and there, and we all need to be part of the solution. So thank you, Council Weber, for leading the charge on this. I look forward to supporting you. Thank you.

Thank you, the Chair recognizes Councilor O'Reilly, you have the floor. Thank you, Council President, and thank you to the Chair, Councilor Durkan, for hosting this hearing. Also, thank you to the lead sponsor, Councilor Weber, and our co-sponsors, Councilor Pepén, for your continued leadership to bringing attention to Hyde Park Ave and also just thank you to the residents that continue to raise their voices around this stretch for many years. We heard that on full display at the Heron. I am in support. of the automated traffic enforcement reform moving through the statehouse, the proposed legislation that would allow cities and towns to install road safety cameras, including For red light running and intercession blocking and also speeding. And like Councilor Weber said, I encourage all my colleagues and residents who advocate at the Statehouse to get that you know accepted and passed.

I also want to continue to push the administration to push for the rollout of transit signal priority systems ensuring buses aren't delayed as signals which will help create safer traffic flow. I think these tools and cameras and smart Thank you. Thank you. encourage BPD and BTD to do more coordination around these areas for more traffic enforcement. I know that there's currently no traffic enforcement officers or department inside of BPD. But I do believe that in areas where we are hearing these complaints or high track crash areas, that there should be some level of traffic enforcement. So looking forward to working with my colleagues in the administration and our state health colleagues for temporary fixes and also more permanent solutions. Thank you.

Thank you, Chair. Organized Councilor Flynn, you have the floor.

Thank you Madam Chair. Thank you to Councilor Durkan for holding this important meeting and Councilor Pepén, Councilor Weber, Councilor Worrell for being the original co-sponsors of the meeting as well. I attended and was there and heard most of the public testimony. I learned a lot from the residents of Jamaica Plain. I didn't necessarily advocate for any particular design because I'm not familiar with the with the area. But what I highlighted is something similar to what Councilor Worrell mentioned is the critical need for traffic enforcement in Boston, ensuring that the Boston Police Department do more on traffic enforcement, citing people, arresting people, One person, Councilor Pepén will tell you, was driving up High Park Avenue going 70 miles an hour.

70 miles an hour on a narrow, narrow street. and he could not stop if he had to a crossing walk. Imagine if a little kid in the child's mother or father were taking him or an elderly person or a person with disabilities We need to do more on traffic enforcement. That's a critical issue across the city. One of the final point I made was, and I think Councilor Weber mentioned it, Concurrent signaling, and that is when a pedestrian almost has the same right-of-way to cross the street as a vehicle, say, taking a right turn, and then the pedestrian crosses at the same time.

This body, this city council body voted 13 to nothing to ask the city not to have that policy anymore. and I want to say thank you to my city council colleagues. I brought this up the other night and I received pushback from the chief of streets on this particular issue and we debated it and I still believe that We need to make this significant change across the city. We need to see it happen today. Again, I'm calling on the Chief of Streets to implement a change in the lighting We have the pedestrian and the car don't have the same right of way at the same time. In my opinion, the pedestrian has the right of way, and then at a certain point, then the vehicle has the right of way. But under no circumstances can both of them

have the right of way. over in Councilor Pepén's and Councilor Weber's district. We just last week got seven speed bumps as part of the safety surge on Faneuil Street in Brighton. It's close to a public housing facility and a park that's well used by neighbours. We've had an incredible amount of positive feedback and excitement about having These first seven safety surge speed bumps, and I said the first and only. We have seven speed bumps in Alston, Brighton, that are part of the safety surge.

Only seven, with the size of Somerville. Yet within, that was last week, on the weekend, we had, with a few hundred feet from Fanuel Street on Market Street, We had a car travelling at speed that hit a concrete light pole, knocked the concrete light pole down and hit a house. Thankfully there was nobody seriously injured and the folks were able to walk away from the The scene. But I think back to the point about traffic enforcement, we've talked to the Boston Police Department. Traffic enforcement 24-7 is not really a feasible option given staffing levels, etc. But I think the red light cameras and I think we need to revisit concurrent signalling and the bottom line is that many of our neighbourhoods are used as cut through for people who are

Thank you for holding this hearing. I know it wasn't in my district but I think we need to continue elevating the importance of this issue so that all of our residents, especially families, elders and folks with mobility issues, and all of our road users are safe. Thank you. Thank you.

The chair can add this. Councilor Murphy, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to rise to thank Chair Durkan and The other councillors who sponsored and thanks central staff. I've been a strong advocate for having more off-site hearings, but I do understand it's a lot of work. Anytime I've cheered one or attended them, they're so well attended by the residents and there was just great feedback and testimony. Remember be able to hear directly from the residents alongside the administration who can also hear directly from them. And traffic concerns probably next to racks are something all of us get a lot of calls from in our office. And I do just want to also uplift something I think you said, Councilor Pepén, that This is a citywide issue. We addressed this small section and there was some real concerns and a need and a want to not pause some of the ideas that the Thank you.

Thank you. Jamaica Plain into the North End every day. So they were thanking us for holding that meeting. So this does affect all of our residents and just looking forward to continuing to advocate for off-site hearings. at the same time making sure we're supporting. And thank you to Ethan, Megan, and Candice who worked late into the night. And I did also just want to give a shout out to Durkan, Weber and Pepén staff, I saw them all there and they were helpful to not just us as councillors but also the residents, the neighbours who showed up, so thank you.

Thank you. I want to thank Councilor Durkan for chairing. It was a very packed room, and residents were rightly frustrated. And I also want to thank the work of the administration. I know that this is something that matters a lot to the administration. and we just need to work faster on getting it right. I want to thank central staff and the sponsors for bringing this topic to The community and want to thank again central staff for all the work that they do. This docket will remain in committee. We are now on to motions, orders, and resolutions. A reminder to my colleagues that if you are a lead sponsor, you have three minutes on a docket. If you are a councilor wishing to speak on a docket or a co-sponsor, you have two minutes to speak on a docket. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1787?

Docket number 1787. Councilor Fitzgerald offered the following petition for a special law regarding an act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for police officers for Elijah Osborne.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair. Elijah Osborne is 43 years old and a resident of Dorchester. He has a current role as an assistant superintendent at the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. He has passed the civil service exam and attended the first orientation that was just held on Saturday, September 20th. I'm looking to suspend and pass this homeroom so Elijah can continue the process and enter the police academy. Thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? The chair recognizes Councilor Coletta Zapata. You have the floor.

Thank you so much, and I'm rising to support and support the others that are coming in. I think there's a deadline approaching, so we're seeing these come in more often. I just wanted to give an update that I was pleased to go in front of the Committee on Public Service to ask for a favorable report out of that committee for the home rule petition that we sent up there. It's going through that process. It's a long process, but just wanted to give folks that update as these keep coming through. I'll continue to keep pushing the State House to pass that. Thank you. And I support all the dockets, including Council Fitzgerald's.

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, Weber, Worrell. Please add the chair. Councilor Fitzgerald, suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 1787. 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 1788?

Docket number 1788. Councilor Fitzgerald will offer the following. Petition for a special law regarding an act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for police officers for Domingo's Rosa.

The Chair recognizes Councilor Fitzgerald. Do you have the floor? Thank you, Madam President.

Domingos Rosa is 44 years old and is a lifelong resident of Boston who has been living at the same address in Dorchester for the past 15 years. He's passed the civil service exam and attended the first orientation on Saturday, September 20th. He also has an extensive resume of service as a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, six years of service as a correctional officer with Suffolk County Sheriff's Department, and 11 years of experience in his current work as a compliance officer and the Boston Public Health Commission's tobacco department. He's also fluent in Cape Verdean Creole and can understand Spanish and Portuguese, which will help our police department better serve all our residents of the city. I'm looking to suspend and pass this order so Domingos can continue the process to enter the police academy. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Filani of the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair, and just want to say thank you to Councilor Fitzgerald for bringing this forward. Domingos is a United States Marine. We need to give every and all consideration to A veteran who has served our country, and I think this is right to do this, give a veteran an opportunity to continue that same level of service and leadership that they provided the country. doing it here again right in the city of Boston. I want to say thank you to John Fitzgerald. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please let Councillors Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Flynn, Mejia, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell, please have the chair. Councilor Fitzgerald, suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 1788. All those in favor say aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket number 1789?

Docket number 1789, Councilor Santana for the following. Petition for a special law regarding an act directing the City of Boston Police Department. to waive the maximum age requirement for police officers, Latiana, Taylor, Rosalie.

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

Thank you, Madam President. Tiana Taylor-Rosny is a 40-year-old Boston resident who has wanted to be a Boston police officer since childhood. Though she was hired by the department in 2019, she withdrew due to childbirth and has since been waiting patiently to answer the call for public service once again. Since 2019, Ms. Taylor has taken and passed the Massachusetts Civil Service Examination each year demonstrating her sincere commitment to public service, her preparedness, and her unwavering dedication to serving her community. I believe that Ms. Taylor Roseney's longstanding commitment to community safety would make her an asset to the Boston Police Department and the communities it serves. I am committed to this home rule petition to waive the maximum age requirement for Boston police officers. I am seeking my colleagues' support in moving this to suspend the rules and pass this petition today. 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, Murphy, Pepén, Weber, Worrell. Please add the chair. Councilor Santana, suspension of the rules and passage of docket number 1789. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on document number 1789. Councilor Breadon. Yes. Councilor Breadon, yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata. Yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes. Councilor Durkan. Councilor Fitzgerald. Yes. Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Councilor Flynn.

Yes.

Flynn, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Mejia, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Pepén, yes, Councilor Santana, yes, Santana, yes. Councilor Weber? Yes. Councilor Weber, yes. And Councilor Worrell? Yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Docket number 1789 has received 11 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. This docket has passed. I'd also like to Say hello to, welcome to chambers, Haitian community leader, Gary Zizi, thank you for being with us here today. The chair recognizes, Councilor Fitzgerald,

Sorry, just a point of order. There was not a roll call on my two passages. Is there a difference of why that was done or not? And if we could, I just want to be consistent.

Yeah, my apologies. I usually do roll calls on all home roll petitions. Like, that's something that an elder counselor taught, suggested that we do roll calls on all homeowner petitions. If I didn't, I apologize. It was, it just, I forgot. I'm happy to do a roll call on those. Yeah, yeah, yeah, happy to do so. So, can we do a roll call vote, Mr. Clerk, on docket number 1787?

Roll call vote on docket number 1787. Councilor Breadon. Breadon, Colletta Zapata, Collins, Durkan, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Let me hear 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. Docket number 1787 has received 11 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. And can we do a roll call vote on docket number 1788?

Roll call vote on docket number 1788. Councilor Brayton. Breadon, yes, Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes, Councilor Durkan, Councilor Fitzgerald, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Mejia, 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. Docket number 1788 has received 11 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. This one has passed. And we did a roll call vote on docket number 1789? We did. Okay. All right. So now we're on docket number 1790. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1790?

Doc number 1790, Councilor Weber, offer the following. Petition for a special law regarding an act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for police officers for Edney Joseph.

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

You now have the floor. Okay, thank you, Madam President. It's a movement for age waivers today. I'm glad to join in moving forward. Request for an age waiver for N.E. Joseph. He lives in West Roxbury. Born in Haiti, but moved here as a kid and graduated from West Roxbury High School. He has a family. who's dedicated to law enforcement. His brother is a Boston police officer. He has spent the last several years, first he worked as a court officer, in the district courts and for the last couple of years has worked as a police officer at Northeastern because he's 44 and given his ties to the city and having worked as a court officer and a Northeastern police officer. I believe he'd be a great fit for the Boston Police Department. It's why I'm seeking suspension and passage of this home today. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Councilor Weber. I actually have a question, if I may, myself, to ask the question through the Chair of Government Operations or anyone who knows. Is there an upcoming deadline that folks are, because we have one that we're working on in my office, but want to know if there's an upcoming deadline that we should be aware of or that anyone should be aware of? The chair recognizes Councilor Coletta Zapata. You have the floor.

I had heard anecdotally that there's an upcoming deadline having to do with the academy or the test, but I can't say for sure.

Okay. All right. Thank you. All right. Anyone else would like to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please let Councillors Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Worrell please have the chair. Councillor Weber, suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 1790. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on document number 1790. Councilor Breadon? Yes. Councilor Breadon, yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata? Yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes. Councilor Durkan? Councilor Fitzgerald? Fitzgerald, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Mejia, Councilor Mejia, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Pepén, yes, Councilor Pepén, yes, Councilor Santana. Santana, yes. Councilor Weber?

Yes.

Councilor Weber, yes. And Councilor Worrell?

Yes.

Councilor Worrell, yes. Dock number 1790 has received 10 votes in the affirmative. I mean, 11 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you, docket number 1790 has passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1791?

Docket number 1791. Councilors Breadon and Louijeune offer the following. Order for a hearing to discuss the role of Publicly Owned Grocery Stores in Addressing Food Insecurity.

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

Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to suspend the rules and add Councilor Coletta Zapata as a third co-sponsor.

Breadon seeks to suspend the rules. I had Councilor Coletta Zapata as the third original co-sponsor. Seeing and hearing no objections, Councilor Coletta Zapata so added. Councilor Breadon, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. This is a hearing order, and I emphasize it's a hearing order, to discuss the role of publicly owned grocery stores in addressing food insecurity in the City of Boston. This hearing order has generated a lot of interest, as many of you are aware in the news. It's right in this moment as we see Snap benefits being cut and the increase of food due to inflation, due to tariffs, the cost of food, sorry. In this moment the Greater Boston Food Bank is flagging up the fact that an increasing number of our residents in the City of Boston are food insecure.

This hearing is asking us to explore the possibility of whether or not establishing publicly funded grocery stores would be another tool that we could use to strengthen our food infrastructure in the city of Boston. Developing alternative modes of food access is vital at this point. Many of us live in neighborhoods Such as Round Oak Square and Brighton Centre is a food desert, believe it or not. We have residents in the city of Boston who live across the street from wonderful grocery stores, but they may be on limited income. They may be retirees or folks with disabilities. They may be single parents trying to raise a family. And very often, there's a food store across the street, but they're not able to access it.

Our former colleague, former City Councilor Ianna Presley, Congresswoman Ianna Presley, uses the term food apartheid because the fact that you have a grocery store across the street doesn't necessarily mean that you're able to afford to buy food there. So I really would love to set this forward. I know that Council President Louijeune had a very similar hearing order to discuss It's with great pleasure that we're melding these two dockets and having a conversation. Food insecurity Food is a sad reflection of the fact that we live in the richest country in the world and there are children, young people and elders going to bed hungry at night. Well, there's an abundance of food.

We are literally plowing thousands of tons of food into landfill, perfectly edible food being disposed of in landfill when we have folks hungry in the city and across the country. Thank you. I look forward to this very important hearing and thank you for your partnership on this one.

Thank you, Councillor Braidon. I really like the framing of abundance because we do live in a city of abundance and just don't ensure doing the best of ensuring that all of our residents have access to food, quality food. I was Rule 15 on this because we were thinking very similarly and you filed this one. I filed a very similar hearing order to look at how we support our nonprofit grocers and looking at alternative models like city-owned Supermarket. So I do hope in our hearing we're able to also have a broader discussion to support our nonprofit grocers. Many of you know the closure of The Daily Table in Mattapan, Roxbury, and Dorchester really affected the residents. I was in Roxbury a few weeks ago with the Madison Park Corporation residents over on Dewitt Drive who were really lamenting the closure of The Daily Table. We have a number of others, the closure of Fright Farms, the closure of Boston Organics, and we have Dorchester Food Co-op, which is in need of assistance and in need of help that I've been happy to support.

So I want this hearing to be about how we support our nonprofit grocers, how we're supporting more urban farming, and looking at what's been working in places like Atlanta is opening a city-supported grocery store after large grocers have abandoned black neighborhoods. Madison, Wisconsin, or Venice, Illinois that have looked at city-sponsored markets. These are examples that exist that we can continue to work on, and a hearing can give us the opportunity to examine what we can do better as a city. Eliza Wasserman from the Office of Food Justice. Of course, I want to thank her for all of the work that she does. And what really, really made me want to propel this forward was last week a number of us were on a call with the Boston Food Access Council. and they were uplifting the challenges that our residents, especially our senior residents, had with securing food. And so I think now is the time really for us to have these conversations. We've shouted out, Councilor Weber brought the students here, kids here from Hyde Square Task Force

Amazing work of pointing out food discrimination was super at stop and shop. over charging folks at Roxbury compared to what folks in the suburbs are getting. So I just think this is a timely conversation to explore our fragile food network in partnership with our food justice advocates to see how we can move this forward. Thank you. The Chair recognises Councillor Gabriella Coletta-Zapata. You have the floor.

Thank you so much, Madam President. And I want to thank Breadon and yourself for adding me as a co-sponsor on this important hearing order. In East Boston, I've talked about this often, I held a hearing thanks to Council Prep Ben under the city services Committee, I held a hearing in East Boston on the topic of a food hub. And a food hub is loosely defined as a low-cost or free grocery store for folks that need it most, while also helping and supplementing the existing food systems and food nonprofits with refrigerated storage space. So it's a... It's a wonderful idea and concept, and I'm just really excited about the food hub, refrigerated storage space that this council all voted to Fund with ARPA funds that's open at Newmarket that now services dozens of food access organizations in Boston and is helping to feed

and hundreds, probably thousands of residents in Boston now, especially with the snap cuts. This is just so important. In East Boston, far too many residents live in what's considered a food desert. Family seniors and immigrants struggle to find affordable and healthy grocery stores to home because we only have one grocery store that is monopolizing Everything in the entire neighborhood and it's not even transit adjacent. My office has done outreach to grocery operators. We met with the Portland Food Co-op. We went to Dorchester Food Co-op as well. We're talking to everybody all the way to Minnesota, to Florida, and we're really interested in this. And I love the fact that this is at the forefront of public discourse now. because we talk about government helping to assist people and having a real impact in people's lives and helping to provide basic human needs and dignity. We talk about housing as a human right, access to dignified, stable housing, and the city and the state gets involved in that.

is also a basic human right access to healthy nutritious food and but we don't talk about the city or the state coming to play in that of course we have different subsidies but to keep it short I'm really looking forward to this hearing and I look forward to the conversation. Any ideas that folks have? Obviously, everyone's welcome to the table and we welcome all stakeholders. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair. I also want to recognize the important role our co-ops play across the city as well, and community gardens. I have several in my district, including the Berkeley Community Garden. in the south end area across from Castle Square. But I also wanted to highlight the important role non-profits play and supporting residents in critical need of food. Many of my constituents are in need of food, including residents in Chinatown on the south end, South Boston, I want to acknowledge the important role the Women's Lunch Place plays in the city of Boston, located near the, located on Newbury Street, but near Copley Public Library.

but a lot of my constituents especially Chinese elderly people do go there and they do have food for them that is culturally appropriate for them. So I want to say thank you to the nonprofits that play in co-ops, but say thank you to the nonprofits that play a critical role on social and economic justice issues in our city. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair recognizes Councilor Arroyo. You have the floor. Thank you, Madam President. I just want to rise to say thank you to Councilor Breadon, Councilor Louijeune, and also Councilor Coletta Zapata for bringing this forward. Food insecurity is an issue that I hear across my district, especially when it comes to our seniors. And I do believe that we need to do everything to strengthen our food ecosystem. I do also want to Point out and advocate for the support for Dorchester Food Co-op. If you live in Dorchester, we are fighting to keep this open. The co-op is in fact by a corporation. It's powered by residents. who built it from the ground up to make sure fresh food is available right here in our community. We already lost Daily Table. We can't lose Dorchester Food Co-op. They need our help now. And I would just say, if you live nearby, go shop there this week.

they're struggling but the struggle will be even deeper for our community if they close their doors and all I need and I need all of Dorchester and all of Boston to fight to keep the lights open on the co-op. I also just want to uplift the work that our Common Square, Farmer's Markets does, and also BFAC. and also the Fresh Truck. Fresh Truck has been filling in the gaps for Daily Table with a lot of our senior sites in our public housing. Looking forward to this hearing and I do support to strengthen in our food access system. 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 Mejia, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell. This docket, docket number 1791, will be referred to the Committee on City Services, Innovation, and Technology. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket number 1792?

No. 1792, Councilor Breadon, offer the following. Order for a hearing to discuss the minimum wage in Massachusetts.

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

Thank you Madam President. I rise to offer a hearing order for a hearing to discuss raising the minimum wage in Massachusetts. This is just a way to sort of open the conversation, elevate this as an important issue. We live in one of the most expensive cities in the country. As we all know, in the aftermath of COVID, with rising inflation, tariffs on food imports, the arrest and detention of This is really relevant to the previous hearing order on the public grocery stores, but the detention of farm workers, et cetera, the cost of food, the cost of housing,

We are anticipating a dramatic increase in the cost of healthcare, which is why we're in the middle of this stoppage at the national level. The minimum wage in Massachusetts was established under the minimum wage law and it was since 2013 the Raise Up Massachusetts Coalition, which comprised of more than 150 community organizations, faith-based groups, Labour unions and had led a legislative and ballot campaign advocating for an increase in the minimum wage. I know many of you probably participated in the Raise Up Massachusetts campaign back then to raise the Minimum wage up to $15. The ballot measure was passed, and when it went to the State House,

The grant bargain was struck, which increased the minimum wage to $12 in 2019, $12.75 in 2020, $13.50 in 2021, and $14.25 in 2022. And right now the current rate is $15, which became effective on January 1st, 2023. The grand bargain also made increases for tipped workers, raising the service rate to $4.35 in 2019, and it was increased incrementally So, in 2023 it reached $6.75, with employees required to ensure that tips plus wages equal at least the standard minimum wage.

It seems it's a really important issue to bring up right now. This is an economic justice issue. and it's really just an opportunity to start the conversation. As the city of Boston, we don't really have the power to... We can certainly open the conversation and highlight the plight of our many, many workers who are minimum wage workers. We're finding it increasingly difficult to survive and stay in the city. Thank you.

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

Thank you very much, Madam President. Thank you to Councilor Breadon for filing this request. There's a federal minimum wage which is the floor and states and municipalities can set a wage that's higher than that floor. I'm thankful that where the federal minimum wage is stuck at around $7.25 an hour, I think that we have a higher minimum wage and look for ways to I'd ask that at the hearing maybe we talk about also the Boston Living Wage Ordinance, which sets a slightly higher minimum wage. I think it's about $18,000. $1.78 for city vendors who are paying city workers. Look at that formula. and make sure we're supporting our city workers too. I think we heard from a lot of folks or not we but around the country when they set a minimum wage of 25 cents an hour in 1938 that this is going to destroy Thank you.

Thank you. I look forward to joining Councillor Breadon in the hearing.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Brayden. I'm so added, and I want to thank you for adding me and filing this. It does relate to the prior hearing order on food justice, and I think it's important that we look at The economic justice issues here in our city, the work that my office has been doing in talking about a minimum, having a floor, a minimum wage for city employees, if there's work that we can do outside of the collective bargaining. I think it's really important if we are talking about housing as a basic right for everyone, but our residents aren't having enough funds to make that possible. I think it's time for us to really have this discussion and realize that these economic issues, these pocketbook issues are the issues that residents care about. At higher minimum wage, we have less food justice issues. And so I'm looking forward to this conversation and to hearing from

The City, the Office of Worker Empowerment, and different departments on how we can as a city tackle some of these economic issues. Would anyone else like to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please let Councilors Coletta Zapata, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell. This docket, docket number 1792, will be referred to the Committee on Labor, Workforce, and Economic Development. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1793?

Docket number 1793. Councilors Flynn and Louijeune offer the following. Resolution recognizing domestic violence awareness month in the city of Boston.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair. May I suspend the rules and add Councillor Murphy, please?

Councillor Murphy, Councillor Flynn seeks to suspend the rules and add Councillor Murphy as the third original co-sponsor, seeing and hearing no objections. Councillor Murphy is so added. Councillor Flynn, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you to Councilor Murphy and Council President Louijeune for joining me. October 1st marked the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The issue of domestic violence and sexual assault remain prevalent in our society. including in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and here in the city of Boston. In 2023, a report by Jane Doe documented that there were 19 domestic violence homicides in Massachusetts. In 2024 Boston Police Crime Stats report there were 903 incidents of domestic aggravated assault, up by 43 incidents compared to 2023. In Massachusetts, nearly one in two women and one in four men have experienced sexual violence, with nearly one in three women and one in five men experienced rape, physical violence, and or stalking. According to the

National Domestic Violence Hotline, the presence of a gun in domestic violence situations increases the risk of homicide for a woman by 900%. In nearly eight years at the council, and deeply involved with this issue of domestic violence and sexual assault. Holding a number of City Council hearings on this issue going back to 2018, 2019, 2021 with then City Council President and now Attorney General Andrea Campbell, as well as resolutions with Council Flaherty. I work closely with a number of organizations, including the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, Casa Myrna as well. I also wanted to continue the work of my mother, Kathy Flynn, who sought to support survivors of domestic violence when she was the First Lady of Austin. At the City Council meeting last October, I also mentioned that

and the National Center for Injury Prevention that 33 or 34% of Women, and 31% of men experience physical violence, sexual violence, and stalking. These numbers are actually much higher in the military as well. I follow these numbers closely in the military. The sexual violence and the sexual assaults, military member on military member is staggering. Since being elected to the body, I've advocated for survivors of domestic violence and I think it's a critical issue and we need to work together to ensure that survivors of domestic violence have the necessary support This issue relating to domestic violence and sexual assaults are often underreported by immigrant neighbors

Members of the LGBTQ community, I represent a large community here in District 2, and I know a lot of those incidents, violence does not get reported. In the month of October and throughout the year, It is critical that we continue to work together to break the stigma and remind survivors that they are not alone. Thank you Madam Chair.

Thank you. And thank you for adding me. This is an important resolution. It's one that I filed every October since I got here last term. And again, roll 15 twice today. So thank you for adding me. This is a matter that is personally important to me. and my loved ones and something that is important to so many here in the city of Boston. We last year, earlier this year, I sponsored a hearing here in chambers and we heard from so many people from Shakira Robinson, from the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, from Casa Mena, from our very own city staffer at the Boston Public Health Commission, who is right now entrenched in data to figure out how we show up better for folks who are experiencing domestic violence. And I want to give her a shout out, Kimberly Mendoza, Arajeta, who was deeply involved in making sure that we can eradicate domestic violence.

If you look at any major issue of mass violence or gun violence at root, there is often a story of domestic violence. So routing out and really addressing the issues of domestic violence helps us to eradicate all forms of violence. Intimate partner violence is probably one of the hardest to address, often because of the financial burdens that people feel. and so it's incumbent upon us to give people resources and to help people gain agency. If any councilor here has worked on an issue that involved domestic violence, you know that getting our residents help on these issues can be really difficult. So I just wanted to make sure that people know, people who are watching and listening know that they are not alone on these issues and that help is available even in situations that feel impossible. And I wanted to make sure that we give out information. Information is powerful and is the most important thing that people who are in these situations can have.

So there's Safe Link, which is via Casa de Mirna, which is 24-7. Domestic Violence, Dating Violence Hotline. That number is 1-877-785-2020. There's also the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, ATASC. They have a 24-7 multilingual helpline at 617-338-2355. And there, among others, is Beth Israel Deaconess Center for Violence Prevention and Recovery that has community-based domestic violence and violence support advocacy. Program. So I want to again shout out all of these organizations. I want to shout out Shakira Robinson at Shakira Story. I want to shout out Jane Doe. I want to shout out also the work of Carleen Desiree, Association of Haitian Women in Boston, for all the work that they do to center the lived experience of women and men and all of those who have been victims of domestic violence. The chair recognizes Councilor Murphy. You have the floor.

Thank you. Thank you, Councilor Flynn, for adding me and always being such a strong advocate and reminding us of the work that your Wonderful Mother did for so many years. This is a heavy topic, but it's something that we do need to always uplift. And any time we can reach out and make sure those who are victims are aware that There are resources out there that that's important. Many times they struggle and Stay silent because of shame, but there are so many dedicated city workers and nonprofits and just state level also. So I do just want to take the opportunity to thank our Boston Police, our Family Justice Center, The social workers who work alongside so many of them, the Public Health Commission, but also the DA's office. So if you are a victim or if you need help, know that you can reach out to any of us here on the council.

or any city agency in that we're here to give you support. Thank you.

Would anyone else like to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, could you please let Councillors Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Fitzgerald, Mejia, Santana, Weber, Worrell, and please, oh, okay, Councilors Flynn, Louijeune, and Murphy to suspension of the rules and passage of docket number 1793. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Oh, and Councilor Pepén. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on document number 1793. Councilor Breadon. Yes. Councilor Breadon, yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata. Yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes. Durkan, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Vipen, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Weber, yes. Councilor Weber, yes. And Councilor Worrell, yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Dock number 1793 has received 11 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. This docket is passed. And again, if there's anyone who's listening at home or in chambers who didn't get all those resources, my office, as we do every year, will put out a number of resources if anyone is in need, if anyone is experiencing intimate partner violence or domestic violence. for them to reach out to the resources that exist here in the city. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1794?

Dock number 1794, Councilors Coletta Zapata and Louijeune offer the following. Resolution in support of an East Boston cultural district designation.

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

Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to suspend the rules and add Councilor Mejia as a third co-sponsor.

Councilor Mejia, Councilor Coletta Zapata seeks to suspend the rules and add Councilor Mejia as a third original co-sponsor. Seeing and hearing no objections, Councilor Mejia is so added. Councilor Coletta Zapata, you have the floor.

Thank you so much, and I rise in partnership with Council President Louijeune and Councilor Mejia to offer this resolution in support of an East Boston cultural district designation. This is a request that came directly from the East Boston community. East Boston has always been a neighborhood defined by its creativity, resilience, and diversity. Our artists, small businesses, and cultural organizations are the heart of our community telling our stories, bringing people together and driving local economic opportunity. Designation as a cultural district would help strengthen and protect this ecosystem. It would provide new opportunities to preserve historic landmarks, support local artists, and attract investment from community-based programming, public art and open space improvements. It would also help us better protect residents and cultural organizations from displacement. ensuring that East Boston's creative identity remains accessible and inclusive for all who call it home. Not too many people know, but East Boston was home to a lot of artists in the 1990s and the early 2000s because it was are very affordable for them.

And they have also, with the displacement and gentrification crisis, have had to move. But there's a resurgence and renaissance of cultural identity in East Boston. centered around various Um, countries and ethnicities, but also, um, really speaking to East Boston's identity over the last, uh, century really. Across the city, we've seen how cultural districts in places like Fenway, Roxbury, the Latin Quarter, and Boston's Little Saigon have brought new energy, collaboration and visibility to local communities. It's time for East Boston to join that network and be recognized for the incredible cultural asset and artistic assets that we have. I'm grateful to organizations like Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, Yvonne, who is also an Eastie resident, Eastie neighborhood advocates, civic leaders, and cultural organizations, who have been laying the groundwork for this effort and I'm proud to bring this forward to honor and uplift East Boston's creative spirit and I respectfully ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.

Thank you. Thank you, Councilor Coletta Zapata. I want to thank all the East Boston advocates who made this possible. You listed some of them, including Ivan Espinosa-Madrigal, who we've been meeting month after month to make this possible. Thank Jesse Purvis on my team who's attended many of those meetings. It's so important that we celebrate the richness of our diverse cultures in the city of Boston, but we also ensure that it's not just a designation, that there's economic empowerment along with that in economic development. So I just wanted to also shout out Michael Bobbitt from the Mass Cultural Council who has had many conversations with me about cultural districts and hopefully we'll be able to bring them in here to talk a bit more about these cultural square these cultural designations because I think they can if done right and thoughtfully can really be an economic boon to the neighborhoods that are so designated. So thank you, Councilor Coletta Zapata, for bringing this forward, and thank you to all of the East Boston advocates for the work that they've been doing for over a year to bring this before us. The chair recognizes Councilor Mejia. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you to Councilor Coletta Zapata for inviting me to participate as a co-sponsor. The heart of every neighborhood is its peoples, its stories, and its creativity. East Boston represents all of that and more. When we invest in culture, we are investing in belonging. A cultural district is about preserving identity. It is about celebrating community. It is about creating opportunities that reflect the vibrancy of the people who call East Boston home. This effort is a reminder that art is not separate from our daily lives. It is woven into how we connect and how we build stronger neighborhoods. I am proud to stand in support of this resolution because it centers community voice. And I hope that as a city, we continue to support spaces that not only showcase culture, but sustain it. And as a Donald McKay graduate and someone who also attended

the Humana back in the day, East Boston will forever be in my heart. So really excited to see this work and having participated in some of the meetings that have existed prior to this resolution being filed, I'm really excited to make every effort that we can to make this possible. Thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, who said Councilors Breadon, Flynn, Santana, Weber, Worrell, Fitzgerald, Murphy. Councilors, Coletta Zapata, Louijeune, and Mejia, suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 1794. 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 1795.

Docket number 1795, Councilors Murphy and Flynn offer the following. Resolution supporting Boston's police officers and first responders in condemning violence against those who serve.

The chair recognizes Councilor Murphy at the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to suspend the rules and add Councilor Fitzgerald.

Murphy seeks to suspend the rules. I had Councilor Fitzgerald as the third original co-sponsor. Seeing and hearing no objections, he so added. Councilor Murphy, you have the floor.

Thank you. This resolution is supporting Boston police officers and all first responders in condemning violence against those who serve. In the early morning hours of October 5th, a violent incident in the south end Roxbury neighborhood resulted in a Boston police cruiser being torched and officers assaulted while responding to an unlawful street takeover. This was the third in a long night of violence across Boston. The first one started in the Home Depot parking lot in West Roxbury. There was an incident that occurred in High Park. and then ended in the south end. This incident underscores the real dangers faced by the men and women who wear the uniform, police officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel and also many of our city workers.

These individuals perform difficult and often dangerous work with professionalism and dedication, deserving the full support and gratitude of the communities they serve. The families of our first responders also carry the weight of this sacrifice, hoping each day their loved ones return home safely. Our city's strength and public trust depend on standing firmly with those who protect and serve while ensuring that violence and lawlessness will never be tolerated. I also want to highlight last night since we filed this resolution there was a rally going on an arrest and at the same time a couple blocks away an arrest was being made for something completely different and those offices needed backup so when they called a1 for backup and the cruisers came to support our officers who were doing their job.

Many of those who were part of the rally then blocked the police cars and then broken bones and bear sprayed was We have targeted to many of our first responders I think it's important that we as a Council reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that Boston's first responders have the resources, respect, and protection they need to do their job safely. and that their family know that this city stands with them today and always. Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councilor Flynn. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Councilor Murphy, for adding me as an original co-sponsor. Over the last several weeks, we have seen ongoing violent assaults against the men and women of the Boston Police Department. This includes a police officer shot in Roxbury. Police officers assaulted in the south end where their car was set ablaze. This is awesome. This is attempted murder. Last night in downtown Boston, police officers were assaulted by a violent protest mob. There was a riot. Police officers were outnumbered, and I'm prepared for this riot. Although we are a city that welcomes public protest, what we experienced last night was a riot. It is never acceptable to assault a police officer or first responder. Last night and this weekend's assault on Boston police officers must be prosecuted, and if convicted, a state sentence is warranted.

There also needs to be higher bail for those who are arrested. We cannot accept lawlessness on the streets of Boston. It is critical that we support our police officers and their families. I wrote to Commissioner Cox on Monday morning asking for more enforcement throughout the city. For years, I've advocated for hiring hundreds of police officers every year for the next decade to address longstanding issues of police staffing levels, mandatory overtime, overstretched resources, looming retirements. What do we think the environment over the last several years for police officers or incidents like this do for recruitment? What does it do for retaining police officers? Many have gone on to the fire department. I hold monthly meetings year-round to prepare for the St. Patrick's Day parade.

They told me we lost 130 police officers last year. It is long past time for the Boston City Council and all elected officials to stand up and support the men and women of the Boston Police Department, firefighters, EMS personnel, and condemn all acts of violence, intimidation against our dedicated city employees. I'm asking my colleagues not to worry about activists and do what's right for the city. The Boston Police Department is one of the most highly trained in the country. They are not part of the problem. They are part of the solution. I'm calling for an investigation of The facts, what happened last night. What happened in the south end? Thank you, Council. I'm not. Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm not. I'm not happy with the way things are going. And I want to make sure that we have the right resources. Madam Chair, last night at the

I don't think the police officers had the right equipment as well. and remain silent while men and women of the Boston Police Department don't have the resources or the tools to do their job. We need to get involved in this issue and get off the sidelines. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Councillor Fitzgerald, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. It's great to have people who care and people who want to speak up and speak out. Whether it's about democracy being dismantled before our eyes or standing up for any of the numerous atrocities around the world, people should stand up. That gives me hope. But make no mistake, we're at a tipping point, beyond actually, with how folks are standing up. Since when does breaking a police officer's, a Boston police officer's nose, a member of the finest police force in the country, help advocate for your cause, no matter the cause? Between Saturday's takeover in the South End and last night's protest by Boston Common, at least six Boston police officers have been injured and multiple vehicles vandalized. I think about the hearing we had around the BTD clerk that was assaulted and the disgust and outrage we all felt when the city worker was assaulted. In the past three days we've had six assaulted. Discipline is not fun, but it is necessary.

I'm learning that as a parent of three kids. We must apply proper discipline for the people to understand the severity of their actions whether it be for political or entertainment purposes. And finally, I challenge those who participate in any type of protest, anywhere, for any cause, follow the Golden Rule. Lead by example. That's the hard thing to do, to lead by example. I think of my own children and looking up to me and how I would act and might act, and I want to make sure this next generation has good role models and good people to follow. Anyone can start a fight. Anyone can cause trouble. That to me is the easiest and lowest form of action anyone can take. To truly enact change, you must be the change you want to see in the world. And if we do embrace the words of Martin Luther King Jr. that only love can drive out hate, then let's start acting like that.

Our police officers and first responders have a difficult job as it is, and we should support them every day, not just when violence occurs. and my thoughts with those injured this past week. Thank you, Madam Deputy.

Okay, Councilor Santana, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President, and really want to thank the Councilor Murphy, Councilor Fanning, Councilor Fitzgerald, for this important resolution. As our communities are facing an epidemic of violence, it's necessary that we call out these attacks when we see them. In just the past few weeks, I've called out multiple times the systemic violence that's happening in our country. This violence is affecting our youth, and this weekend's incident is another example of how nationwide violence is seeping into our communities. I've put forward some policy approaches to address this epidemic of violence, and I am committed to continuing to work with our residents, community organizations, law enforcement, and my colleagues in pursuing Thank you.

Thank you. that their loved ones will not return home safely deserve better than this. As chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice, I am committed to ensuring our police and first responders are protected, safe, and supported. I look forward to continuing to support our law enforcement and call for the full accountability on those responsible for this incident. Again, I really want to thank the lead sponsors. for putting this and for always standing with our first responders. And I'm going to continue to advocate for these changes and for these approaches to make sure that all our first responders, including our police officers, are safe here in the city of Boston. Thank you, Madam President.

Okay, is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, President, Councilors, Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Mejia, Santana, Weber, Worrell, please add the chair. Councilors Flynn, Murphy, and Fitzgerald, suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 1795. All those in favor say aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

We'll call vote on document number 1795. Councilor Breadon. Yes. Councilor Breadon, yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata. Yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes. Councilor Durkan. Fitzgerald, yes, Councilor Fitzgerald, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Mejia, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Pepén, Santana?

Yes.

Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Weber?

Yes.

Councilor Weber, yes. And Councilor Worrell? Yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Docking number 1795 has received 10 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you, this docket is passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1796?

Docket number 1796, Councilor Louijeune, I offer the following. Resolution recognizing October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. in the City of Boston.

Thank you. Miss Clerk, could I please add Councilor Santana as a second original co-sponsor? Since we had the presentation this morning, I'm not going to speak on this matter. I just want to thank, again, the Ellie Fund. Jenny Marcelin, and Michelle Goldberg all for standing up here. It was more emotional than I realized, but it's important that we Help our residents with screenings, that we reduce the disparities between when black women and women of color, their prognosis, and that we support and let people know about the resources that exist with the Alley Fund. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? The chair recognizes Councilor Santana. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you for adding me to this important resolution. Long remarks, but I think I will get too emotional, so I won't read it, but I do want to highlight, you know, we've been doing, you know, I really want to thank the LA Fund for being here this morning. I'm looking forward to connecting them with my family and my mother. to see if there's any services that my mother can benefit from. But I also just want to give out a few shout-outs. Since this year, I've been very focused on trying to do more work in this area. and one of the connections that we've been able to make, my office and I have been able to make is connecting with the Flores Lab. Dr. Flores is my mother's doctor and she's been incredible and we're so lucky to have her but you know she's

I'm very concerned about early screening, and she's been able to produce resources and tests to get early screenings to our residents and to our families, particularly in our Latino, Black, and Asian I just want to give her a shout out for the incredible work that she's doing. I also just want to give a shout out to Milagros Maltes, who has been an incredible partner and collaborator with my office to try to get resources and information now to our residents and you know I think I just want again I mentioned in my remarks earlier we're often so quiet in this and I think so many people are facing this battle and It's something that's so personal, so emotional, and I just want to use my platform to uplift this issue and, again, just amplify the resources to make sure that

The resources, early testing, early screening gets to our most vulnerable families here in the city of Boston. So really want to thank you, Madam President, for leading in this and for the work that you and your office are doing. I look forward to the future collaboration between our offices. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Santana. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add up. Councilors Breadon, Coletta, O. Apologies. The chair recognizes Councilor Mejia. Councilor Mejia, you have the floor.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. I just want to thank you all for filing the resolution and also your advocacy in the space. Earlier this year, as I mentioned in the chamber, I lost one of my peer leaders from back in the day to her battle to breast cancer. And so that's been a journey for Her and her peers who are still very active here in the city of Boston. And I also just want to uplift the Boston Rhythm writers, Angie Dickerson in particular, who has been leading a lot of the work in this space. and for her advocacy and her organizing and really bringing awareness to particularly people of color in regards to how we can better support breast cancer survivors and also those who have Fallen Victim to Breast Cancer.

So I just wanted to uplift Angie and the Boston Rhythm writers for all their advocacy in this space, and the Double Dutch crew as well.

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, Fitzgerald, Mejia, Murphy, Worrell, Flynn. This, Councilors Louijeune and Santana. Oh, and Weber. Any other hands? Okay. Councilors Louijeune and Santana, suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 1796. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Call the vote. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on document number 1796, Councilor Breadon. Yes. Councilor Breadon, yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata. Yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes. Councilor Durkan. Councilor Fitzgerald. Yes. Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Councilor Flynn.

Yes.

Councilor Flynn, yes. Councilor Louijeune? Yes. Councilor Louijeune, yes. Councilor Mejia? Yes. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Murphy? Yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Pepén? Councilor Santana? Yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Weber? Councilor Weber, yes, and Councilor Worrell, yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Docket number 1796 has received 10 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. This docket is passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1797?

Doc number 1797, Councilors Louijeune and Mejia offer the following. Resolution recognizing indigenous people's day.

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

I'd like to suspend the rules and add Councilor Weber as the third original co-sponsor.

Council President Louijeune seeks suspension of the rules. Hearing is seeing no objection. Council Weber is so added. Council President Louijeune, the floor is yours.

And before I continue, I'd like to hand it over to Councilor Breadon, who a few years ago wrote a land acknowledgement that she would like to read.

The Chair recognizes Councilor Breadon. Councilor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Madam President. Several years ago, it's customary, it should be customary every day, At this time when we're in a moment of trying to erase history, We may often overlook that this land was inhabited by Native Americans and indigenous peoples for hundreds of generations before Europeans arrived on these shores. This is reflected in some place names we use today. We still use today, such as Massachusetts. Massachusetts, Mattapan, Merrimack, Neponset, Shawmut. In Alston Brighton and Oak Square, we have Nunantum and Waban. As we prepare to recognise Indigenous Peoples' Day in the City of Boston, may we be intentional in making a land acknowledgement to recognize indigenous peoples as the traditional stewards of this land.

We also honor the enduring relationship between indigenous peoples and their traditional territories despite Painful Histories of Genocide and Forced Removal. This land acknowledgement is based on the modified form of the Outstander Project, a Boston-based organization committed to challenging indifference to injustice by raising awareness and sharing resources to encourage upstanders, those who stand up, speak out and take action against injustice. So the land acknowledgement is, we acknowledge the sacred land where we work, live, learn and build community has been a place where people have lived for over 13,000 years. This land is the territory of the Massachusetts, Pawtucket and their neighbours the Wampanoag and the Miipmuc peoples who have stewarded this land for hundreds of generations.

We recognise the repeated violations of sovereignty, territory and water Perpetrated by invaders who have impacted the original inhabitants of these lands for 400 years. We extend our respect to the citizens of these nations who live here today and their ancestors who have lived here for over 500 generations and to all indigenous peoples. We also affirm that this acknowledgement is insufficient. It does not undo the harm that has been done and continues to be perpetrated against Indigenous People, Their Land and Water. Thank you.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Council President Louie Dunn. Councilor, you have the floor.

Thank you, and thank you to Councilor Breadon for your work and for that land acknowledgment. I'm proud to introduce this resolution in recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day as we did last year. This resolution honors the rich history, culture, and contributions of the Indigenous Peoples, particularly the Massachusetts people, on whose traditional territory the City of Boston is situated. including the Poncopoag tribe who lived around the Blue Hills area. And Councilor Breadon mentioned it, Mattapan, where I was born and raised, which means a good place to sit. We must acknowledge the difficult legacy of colonization and dispossession of these lands and displacing indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands we attempted to erase their cultures, languages, and ways of life. This legacy is highlighted with broken treaties, Forced removals, acts of violence, all of which have had lasting effects on indigenous populations, including the Massachusetts and the Poncapoag peoples. By acknowledging this painful history, we are committing to a more honest understanding of our past.

and to advancing justice and healing for indigenous communities. I want to recognize, in addition, the connection to other indigenous nations, including the Wampanoag, the Nipmuc, the Pinnacook, and Pawtucket tribes who have shaped the history and culture of this region. This resolution encourages all Bostonians to reflect on these histories, honor the indigenous communities that continue to enrich our city, and to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day with respect and the recognition they deserve. I'm sure Councilor Weber will also mention Nakob, the North American Indian Center of Boston. And I was at the pleasure at JP Open Studios a few weeks ago to visit and to talk to the artists and to just see how important it was through art for them to continue to keep their histories and their stories alive. And so I want to thank to everyone at NACOG, to Raquel, to Jean-Luc, to Reggie for all the work that they do.

and making sure that we're centering indigenous communities whether it's when we're talking about Long Island and recognizing that when the colonialization and settlement that many of the indigenous of this land were pushed off to our to our small islands and have legacies and histories and stories there that it's important for us to honor and make space for. So thank you to our indigenous community here for teaching us and for leading the way. and thank you to my colleagues. I am looking for suspension in passage and hoping that we can pass this today.

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

Thank you, Chair. And thank you to Madam President and thank you to Councilor Breadon for reading that land acknowledgement. Indigenous People Day is a reminder, not just of the injustices that indigenous communities have faced, but their continued strength and stewardship of this land. Our indigenous communities deserve to be centered as they are countless generations who cared for this land long before our city took shape. Today's about honoring that truth. As we all know, recognition is important, but it must be paired with action That means amplifying indigenous voices in our civic life, investing in partnerships rooted in respect, and ensuring that indigenous communities have the space and resources to thrive. So as we recognize Indigenous People Day, Let's make sure that our city continues to be a place where all communities see themselves reflected, valued, and heard. Thank you.

Thank you.

The chair recognizes Council Weber. Council, you have the floor. Thank you, Chair. I'd like to thank Madam President Louijeune and Councilor Mejia for adding me as a third sponsor to this resolution. I'm honored to have the North American Indian Center of Boston, or NICOP, in my district, which has been a valuable resource to me and is an important advocate for peoples who continue to suffer I look forward to joining my colleagues on Monday and and I support the adoption of this resolution.

Thank you. I just want to also thank Madam President and Councilor Mejia and Councilor Weber, and also thank you to Councilor Breadon for that letter. And as we celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, we need to recognize that this land was home to Native Americans long before us. We should continue to honor them, not just today, but every year. And this resolution is one meaningful way to do that. I also want to highlight that the city's Equity and Inclusion Cabinet has dedicated program manager for indigenous communities, a resource for anyone Looking to learn more and support indigenous initiatives here in the City of Boston. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, could you please add Councilor Breadon, Councilor Coletta Zapata, Councilor Fitzgerald, Flynn, Councilor Murphy, Councilor Santana. Please add the chair. Council President Louijeune, Mejia, Ann Weber seeks suspension of the rules and passes the docket number 1797. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Thank you.

Document number 1797 has passed.

Thank you. Before we move on, would anyone like to add their name or seek a motion to reconsider on a vote when they were out of chambers? The chair recognizes Councilor Murphy on the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I did add my name when we went back and did a roll call vote, but I wanted to make sure my name was added to docket 1787 and 1788. I voted in favor, but I did not add my name originally, so thank you.

Do you have that, Mr. Clerk? Okay, thank you. Anyone else? Okay, we are now on to green sheets. Would anyone like to pull anything from the green sheets? We're now moving on to late files. I've been informed by the clerk that there are no late file matters. Good job, everyone. OK, we are now moving on to the consent agenda. I've 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 these are for upcoming dates and events. We have some birthdays coming up. Deborah Glennon on October 11th, Shawn Jacobson October 17th, and Aracey on October 21st. So happy birthday to the upcoming birthdays. This weekend or next weekend we have Open Streets, Mattapan on October 18th.

And we also have the Dietrich Weiss block party, Mattapan Teen Center block party next Saturday. I hope everyone has a good long weekend and in celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day. And also next Wednesday we will have our Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month celebration. I hope you have all let us know who your honorees are. We are looking again to move a lot quicker. We are going to have a performance here at the top of the event, and we're looking to have colleagues Come on the mic very briefly, 30 seconds. Introduce your honoree and have your honoree speak. Yes. Yes, Councilor Santana. And have your counselor and have your honoree speak for two to three minutes. so that we can move over into the Pomonte room for more entertainment, more fellowship, and more food. Sooner rather than later, people are often quite hungry. And it would be great if we are all, it'd be great if,

for the duration of everyone's honorees, if all of my colleagues can be standing up here, and we get through that in 30, 40 minutes, and then we're over to the Pamonte room. trying to switch it up this year. Thank you to the recommendations of Councilor Santana, Councilor Mejia, and Councilor Pepén in the planning to try to make this a great event and one in which we spend more time together fellowshipping in the Pomonti room. Okay, if anyone has an announcement, now is the time. The chair recognizes Councilor Murphy. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to rise to give my annual birthday wishes to my three boys. So I want to wish my son, Brian, Collin, and Michael, who shares your birthday, Councilor Santana. But I also want to send love and prayers to my daughter-in-law and my son, who I think any hour now, any day now, will be adding a grandson to my family. So looking forward to a fourth October birthday in my family. So thank you.

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

Okay, thank you. On Sunday, October 12th, from 4 to 6 at Evergreen Cafe in Jamaica Plain, there'll be a celebration of the life of Marie Turley. Hope everyone can join me. Thank you.

Thank you. And thank you for uplifting Marie Turley here and her legacy. The chair recognizes Councilor Flynn. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And this is the first time I made an announcement. and it's important for me to make this announcement because tomorrow we're having a city council hearing on the impact the government shutdown is having on veterans. It's tomorrow at 10 o'clock but prior to that at 9.30 I'm hosting a reception kind of informal reception for any veteran that wants to come testify but have a cup of coffee at 9.30 or so right in the curly room. So I want to invite my colleagues here. To the reception, obviously, to the hearing. But for those that are watching on television, I do want to welcome you to the City Council hearing tomorrow. Again, tomorrow at 10 o'clock. It's a hearing on the impact of the federal government shutdown and the impact it has had on, or will have, on veterans and military families.

I invite you to the reception prior to that as well. I'm going to be going down to DC probably in the next week or so with some veterans to advocate in support of our veterans and military families. But this government shutdown is going to have a major impact on veterans, military families, especially low-income veterans, low-income families that need the critical services that they earned. And some of those services are a little bit of financial Thank you very much. I encourage my colleagues to be here tomorrow at 10 o'clock or 930. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Does anyone else have any announcements? I'll make an announcement. Ron would like us all to take a photo in our pink, so right after the council adjourns, our staff and colleagues who are here just sit tight for us to take a photo right in front of Our Clerk and Stenographer. Okay, we are now moving on to memorials. Would anyone like to uplift a name? The chair recognizes Councillor Coletta Zapata. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. First, I just want to Express respects, because I didn't get a chance to, from Marie Turley, who was a mentor, my campaign fairy godmother. May she rest in peace, and I'm going to be there. And so thank you for uplifting that. But I'm also rising to memorialize Rocco Talese, deeply saddened by the passing of Rocco, who we think is East Boston's last World War II veteran. Rocco was 100 years old. He was survived by many cousins, friends, and a partner of over 40 years, Claire O'Day. Rocco served honorably in the U.S. Army with the 85th Infantry Division in Italy, earning a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his bravery on the Gothic Line, which was a German and Italian defensive line. The more I learned about Rocco, the more I realized he was the real-life Forrest Gump. His life was remarkable in the most peculiar ways. Yesterday at his memorial, I saw photos of him with Bob Dole, President Clinton, celebrities.

His life was the inspiration for a number one best-selling book, The Rifle, written by East Boston resident BPD officer and veteran Andy Biggio. Rocco won an Emmy for his appearance in a YouTube documentary, World War II Vets Return to Italy, and for his role in erecting monuments to the fallen. This council voted to dedicate his own square in East Boston. Thank you so much for that. He got a chance to see that before he passed. May he rest in peace and may we carry forward his legacy with gratitude. And I'm thinking of his loved ones during this difficult time. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Calata-Zapata. The chair recognizes Councilor Murphy at the floor.

Thank you. I want to uplift Greg Timmelty, who passed suddenly, who leaves behind young children, a family who love him and will miss him. Thank you.

Thank you. Greg, is the name Greg Timelty? Okay. Thank you. Would anyone else like to uplift? Anyone who has passed? Okay. Today, we will adjourn our meeting in memory of the following individuals. On behalf of Councillor Coletta Zapata, Oh, the chair recognizes Councilor Flynn. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I also wanted to mention Greg Timmelty. Thank you to Councilor Murphy for mentioning him. He was a close friend of mine. I also want to highlight A wonderful woman that passed away. I went to her wake last night in South Boston. And Nancy Lee, Mrs. Lee, was a wonderful woman, mother. Grandmother. She had seven children, five boys and two girls. She was active in the South Boston community. She was active in the Gate of Heaven and St. Bridget Parish, but also active in the South Boston Sports Programs, and in so many other nonprofit organizations in South Boston, including supporting veterans and military families, many of our children.

went on to serve on the Boston Fire Department, but also in other public safety agencies and in the US military, her husband. Mr. Lee is a retired school principal as well, but the family is well respected in the South Boston neighborhood and just want to acknowledge the passing of Mrs. Lee and her contributions. She's made to our city and our country. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. And I'd also like to adjourn today on behalf of Luis A. Velez-Cortez, the husband of Hyde Park community leader Eileen McClellan de Velez. I know that this is a very Big loss for her, so I just want her to know that we are keeping her and her family in our prayers on the passing of her husband. Today we will adjourn our meeting in memory of the following individuals. On behalf of Councilor Coletta Zapata, Rocco Talese, and Joseph Gerald Denumustiae. On behalf of Councilor Fitzgerald, Marie McGuire. On behalf of Councilor Flynn, Peter Joseph Meade, and Ian Nancy Lee. On behalf of myself and Councilor Pepén, Luis A. Valiz-Cortez, husband of Eileen McClellan-DeVales. On behalf of Councilor Worrell, Andre Taylor. On behalf of Councilors Murphy and Flynn, Greg Timelty. A moment of silence.

The chair moves that when the council adjourns today, it does so in memory of the aforementioned individuals. A reminder to my colleagues to stick around for us to take the photo in pink at Ron's request and for any staffers who are currently in the office, if you could come to chambers and we could take the photo here. that would be great. The council is scheduled to meet again in the INLF chamber on Wednesday, October, what's that date? Don't have the date in here. October 22nd, Wednesday, October 22nd at 12 noon. Thank you to my colleagues, central staff, the clerk in the clerk's office, and the council stenographer. And thank you so much for filling in for Ellen today. We really appreciate it. Thank you so much. All in favor of adjournment, please say aye. Aye. The council is adjourned.