City Council

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

Councilor Breadon. Here. Councilor Coletta Zapata. Here. Councilor Durkan. Councilor Fitzgerald. Councilor Flynn.

Here.

Lujan, here, Councilor Mejia, here, Councilor Murphy, here, Councilor Pepén, here, Councilor Santana, here, Councilor Weber, here, and Councilor Worrell, a quorum.

Thank you. I've been informed by the clerk that a quorum is present. Now it is my pleasure to introduce our very own clerk, Clerk Gerntes, to read today's invocation. After his invocation, we will recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Good afternoon. Let's pray. Honoring the diversity of our spiritual heritage and the unity of our human condition, I invite you silently to call upon what is highest and deepest by the name you hold sacred and dear. Spirit of love and life, mover of the compassionate heart and human mind, melder of community, Be present to us as we gather in celebration and endeavor. May we be alight with your fire in all our works. We welcome the many presences here, each person uniquely formed and still forming in life's crucible, each one in turn a gift and a giver to the world. Creating, sustaining, renewing spirit Be with us today in our glad greetings, in our heartfelt thanksgivings, and in our bittersweet farewells. Be with us as we seek to embody your love in all our works. Be with us now and always. Now I invite each of us to silently add a word of our own to the one who hears. And now let us bring our meditation or prayer to a close, each in our own way. So be it. Amen.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. We will now recite the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you so much, Mr. Clerk, for today's invocation. Mr. Clerk, would you please amend the attendance record to reflect that Councillors Fitzgerald and Weber—oh, sorry, there was another person who walked in. Fitzgerald and Durkan are now present and with us? Okay. Thank you. We are now on to the first order of business, which is the approval of the minutes from the meeting of September 24th, 2025. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. The minutes of the September 24th meeting are approved. We are now on to communications from Her Honour the Mayor. Mr. Clerk, would you please read dockets number 1738 and 1739?

Docket number 1738, message in order for your approval in order to reduce fiscal year 26 appropriation for the reserve for collective bargaining by $347,178 to provide funding for the Boston Public Health Commission for the fiscal year 26 increases contained within the collective bargaining agreement between the Boston Public Health Commission and SEIU Local 1199, filed in the Office of the City Clerk on September 29th, 2025. Doc number 1739. Message in order for a supplemental appropriation order for the Public Health Commission for fiscal year 26. in the amount of $347,178 to cover the fiscal year 26 cost items contained within the collective bargaining agreements The terms of the contract span October 1st, 2020 through September 30th, 2027. The major provisions of the contracts include Base wage increases of 2% to be given in October of each year of the contract term, excluding fiscal year 22 where there is an increase of 1.5%. The agreement also includes adjustments to steps and other changes to pay structure.

Thank you. Dockets number 1738 and 1739 will be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. Mr. Clerk, can you please read dockets number 1740 and 1741?

Docket number 1740, message in order for the confirmation. of the reappointment of Philomene Lattiste as a member of the Boston Public Health Commission's Board of Health for a term expiring on January 15, 2028 in document number 1741. Message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Dr. Guy Fisch as a member of the Boston Public Health Commission's Board of Health for a term expiring January 15, 2028.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Fitzgerald, the chair of the Committee on Public Health, Homelessness, and Recovery. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I have spoken with the Boston Public Health Commission and those other members, and we would look to suspend and pass these two to be appointed today in order to continue the work that they do on their board. Thank you.

Thank you. Would anyone like to speak on these matters? Fitzgerald seeks suspension of the rules and passage of dockets of the appointments in dockets number 1740 and the reappointments in Okay, confirmation of the reappointments in dockets number 1740 and 1741. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. These reappointments have been approved. Mr. Clerk, could you please read dockets number 1742 to 1745?

Docket number 1742, notice received from the Mayor of the appointment of Noah Tewold as a member of the Black Men and Boys Commission for a term expiring July 1st, 2018. 28. Document number 1743. Notice was received from Governor Healey of the appointment of Matthew J. O'Malley as a member of the Boston Redevelopment Authority expiring September 9, 2030. Dock number 1744, notice received from the city clerk in accordance with chapter six of the ordinances of 1979. We got an action taken by the mayor and papers acted upon by the city council. at its meeting of September 17, 2025. Dock number 1745. Communication will receive from the Boston Air Pollution Control Commission. regarding the building emissions reduction and disclosure ordinance regulations and the statements of fiscal effect and small business impact report.

Thank you. These dockets will be placed on file. Mr. Clerk, could you please update the attendance record to reflect that Councilor Brian Worrell is now present and with us? Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Could you please read docket number 1746? Oh, these dockets, dockets number 1742 to 1745 will be placed on file. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1746?

Docket number 1746, the Constable Barnes of Dominique Chester. Inez Chester, Tyrone Grant, Michael A. Lopes, and Grismaldi Nova have been duly approved by the collector treasurer we received.

Thank you. Docket number 1746 is approved under the usual terms and conditions. We are now on to reports of committees. Mr. Clerk, would you please read docket number... Okay, the chair recognizes Councilor Arrau. Councilor Arrau, you have the floor.

Thank you, Council President. I would like to ask for a motion to, I guess it's reconsidered, document number 1738 and 1739.

Is that seconded? All in favor of the motion to reconsider placement in committee say aye. Is that what you're trying to do?

Well, I'm looking at suspend and pass. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Because we place it in committee. So pulling it out of committee. And so you have the floor, Councilor Worrell.

Thank you, Council President. Dockets number 1738 and 1739 are collectively bargaining agreements. for the public health nurses at the Boston Public Health Commission, represented by SEIU Local 1199. This bargaining unit includes about 30 registered nurses, Nurses practitioners, including supervisors and managers who work in the Infectious Disease Bureau, the Healthy Baby, Healthy Child program, our school-based health centers, and at Boston EMS. The agreements span a seven-year period from October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2027 at a total cost of about $1.5 million. The annual costs are as follows. FY21. $23,552, FY22, $65,121, FY23, $118,614, FY24, $184,618,000, and FY25, $263,199. The appropriation before us today is $347,178,000 for FY26 and will be transferred from the reserve for collective bargaining and supplemented into Boston Public Health Committee's budget. The contracts include annual general wages include increases of 2% with the exception of FY22 at 1.5% as well as structural compensation changes, new hires will now start at step three, an extra step. Step 13 will be added in 2026 for more experienced nurses There's also a $15 per week increase in education bonuses. In addition, Boston Public Health Commission will transition to a new digital performance evaluation system for nurses. These updates are designed to strengthen recruitment, retention, and Workforce Stability for a group of nurses who provide critical care in our public health system. These nurses have waited more than five years for a raise and many have access not to delay this. And due to the dollar amount that's under $500,000, it's typical for us to pass These type of CBAs. So I'm asking for suspension and passes for these two dockets. Thank you.

Thank you. Would anyone like to speak on these dockets? I just wanted to say I know that there's been a lot of hard work to get these dockets to get an agreement so I want to thank everyone who came to the table for our BPHC nurses. This was a long Hard fought. And I know that there were compromises made. So I just want to thank everyone who came to the table so that this collective bargaining agreement could be reached. The chair recognizes Councilor Flynn. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise to support this. I also want to recognize the incredible work our nurses play at the hospital. They're really lifesavers and they're unsung heroes in our city. and I think this is an appropriate contract and we want to make sure that we do everything we possibly can to ensure our nurses are treated with respect and dignity. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councillor Brayden. Councillor Brayden, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam President. I also rise to support this. We've been in conversation with the public health nurses over the last year or so. And it's sort of shocking to realize that there's such, especially those that work in the school department and schools, there's such a disparity between the wage levels of our public health nurses and those who are also in a different union in schools and they're in the BTU. At this moment in time our public health infrastructure has been degraded at a national level and so it's really important that we are able to hire and retain Highly qualified nurses and nurse practitioners in our public health system in the City of Boston. So I hope that we can pass this and expedite the The reimbursement of past earnings that they've missed out and hopefully that we will not be delaying the next time we have a contract that we will settle it in a timely way. and ensure that our nurses are adequately compensated for their incredible work. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else like to speak on these dockets? Okay, we'll take them one by one. Councilor Arouz seeks suspension of the rules and passage of docket number 1738. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on document number 1738, Councilor Brayton. Brayton, yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Councilor Flynn, yes. Louisiane, yes, Councilor Louisiane, yes, Councilor Mejia, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Pepén, yes, Councilor Pepén, yes, Councilor Santana, yes, Councilor Santana, yes, Councilor Weber, yes. Councilor Weber, yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Doctrine number 1738 has received 11 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. Docket number 1738 has passed. Councilor O'Reilly seeks suspension of the rules and adoption and passage of docket number 1739. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on docket number 1739. Councilor Brayton. Brayton, yes. Councilor Calazapata, yes. Councilor Calazapata, yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Councilor Flynn, yes. Councilor Flynn, yes. Louisiane, yes. Councilor Mejia. 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 1739 has received 11 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you, docket number 1739 has passed, okay. Back to the order. Okay, we are now onto reports of committees. Is that where we were? Okay, we are now onto reports of committees. Mr. Clerk, would you please read docket number 1570?

Docket number 1570, the Committee on the Community Preservation Act, to which was referred on August 21st. 2025, document number 1570, in order to hold a meeting to interview applicants for the Community Preservation Committee, submits a report recommending the appointment of Michelle Holmes Foster are to be confirmed.

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

Thank you, Madam President. As we know, earlier in August, At-Large Community Preservation Committee member Ann Sanders resigned from her position, leaving a vacancy on the committee. We worked swiftly with the Community Preservation Office in their application process to interview six qualified candidates last month. I want to thank my colleagues, Council President Louijeune, Councilor Flynn, Councilor Murphy, Councilor Weber, and Councilor Worrell for attending the different interviews. And a thank you to the Director, Thadine Brown, and Manager, Rekia Islam, from the Community Preservation Office for their support and overall work. I want to stress, all of the candidates were qualified Proud Bostonians with a drive to preserve and enhance the charm of their communities, making it a difficult decision. One candidate in particular spoke of their passion for affordable housing and community engagement, sharing their perspective on broadening CPA's reach throughout the city. That is why I recommend Michelle, quote-unquote, Michi, Holmes, foster for the Community Preservation Committee. Michi is a finance and operations executive with over 15 years of mission-driven work in the non-profit and private sector. She is a proud Dorchester resident and has managed different affordable housing development portfolios. I truly believe she will be a great addition to the Community Preservation Committee, which is why I, as chair of the community of community preservation, I recommend moving the listed document from the committee to the full council for discussion and formal action. At this time, my recommendation to the full council would be that the attached appointment of Michelle Holmes Foster ought to be confirmed.

Thank you. The Chair of the Committee on—would anyone like to speak on this matter? The Chair of the Committee on Community Preservation Acts and Contempts of the Committee Report and Confirmation of—are you looking to speak on this matter?

Yes, ma'am.

The other floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise to say thank you to Councilor Pepén for a very informative hearing. I also want to acknowledge Ann Sanders, who is leaving the Community Preservation Act board, did a tremendous job, an outstanding job. She was a neighbor of mine, someone I was very close with. I think she was the first LGBTQ liaison in the city of Boston under Mayor Flynn. But what Ann did and what They deem Brown also, what they deem did as well is brought people together. That's what the CPA team has always done. They listen to residents. They listen to neighborhood organizations. It's a wonderful team Vadine has. They do a tremendous job in the city. And I just want to acknowledge Vadine for her professionalism, hard work, and more importantly, Willingness to work with residents and be a great representative of the City of Boston. So I just wanted to acknowledge her professionalism and her team's professionalism as well. Thank you.

Okay. The chair of the committee on the Community Preservation Act seeks acceptance of the committee report and confirmation of the attached appointment. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Thank you. The committee report has been accepted and the appointment has been confirmed. We are now on to matters recently heard. Mr. Clerk, would you please read dockets number 1350 to 1352.

Docket number 1350, message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Napoleon Jones Henderson as a commissioner of the Boston Art Commission. for a term expiring June 1st, 2029. Dock number 1351, message and offer confirmation of the appointment of Ian L. Teaver as a commissioner of the Boston Art Commission for a term expiring January 1st, 2029, and document number 1352, message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Caitlin Gould Lowry as a commissioner of the Boston Art Commission, with term expiring August 1st, 2029.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Filigno on the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Committee on Arts, Tourism, Special Events held a hearing on September 29th, 2025 to consider dockets 1350 through 1352. The committee heard testimony from Karen Goodfellow, the director of Boston Arts Commission, in the appointments of Napoleon Jones Henderson, Ian Altiver, and Caitlin Gould Lowry. The administration introduced the appointees, noting their distinct backgrounds. Mr. Jones Henderson as a practicing artist with a 50-year career in Boston, nominated by the Boston Public Library. Ms. Gould Lowry as a museum professional, with expertise in exhibition planning and community outreach, nominated by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Mr. Altiver as a curator at the Museum of Fine Arts. with experience commissioning public facing works, nominated by MFA. Myself and Councilor Erin Murphy. were present. Councilors asked the appointees about their professional experience, qualifications, background, and vision for serving on the Boston Arts Commission. also inquired about how the appointees would connect residents with art and culture, particularly those in public housing, immigrant communities, communities of color, and asked for their perspective on existing public artworks. Signage Education, and Student Involvement. In response, the appointees emphasized that public art should be rooted in community life, representative of Boston's diversity, accessible, in both neighborhoods and museums. The appointees agreed on the importance of meeting residents where they are, expanding opportunities for student art, and creating educational tools such as signage, to deepen engagement. Each appointee reaffirmed their commitment to expanding access to public art, supporting youth engagement, and ensuring that Boston's collection reflects the city's diverse neighborhoods and communities. As chair of the committee on arts, entertainment, tourism, special events, I recommend moving the listed documents from the committee to the full council for discussion and formal action. At this time, my recommendation to the full council will be that these appointments ought to be confirmed.

Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Oh, you have an additional document?

Okay.

No, I don't have anything additional.

You're all set?

Yep.

Okay, thank you. Great. The chair of the committee, would anyone like to speak on these dockets? The chair of the committee on arts, culture, entertainment, and tourism and special events seeks acceptance of the committee report and passage of docket number 1350. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. The ayes have it, this docket has passed. The chair of the Committee on Arts, Culture, Entertainment, Tourism, and Special Events, in acceptance of the committee report, and pastors of docket number 1351. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Thank you. The committee report has been accepted and docket number 1351 is passed. The chair of the Committee on Arts, Culture, Entertainment, Tourism, and Special Events seeks acceptance of the committee report and passage of docket number 1352. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Thank you. The committee report has been accepted 1-3-5-2 has passed. Mr. Clerk, would you please read docket number 1-2-8-2?

Docket number 1-2-8-2, order for a hearing regarding the Boston Public Schools exam school's admissions policy and proposed changes.

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

Thank you, Madam President. The Committee on Education held a public hearing on docket number 1282 on Monday, September 29, 2025. to review the current Exam Boston Public Schools Admission Policies. The matter was sponsored by Councilor Enrique Pepen, Council President Rucy Luigen, and Councilor Benjamin Weber. We were also joined by my colleagues, Councilor Fitzgerald, Councilor Pepen, Flynn, Councilor Mejia, Councilor Coletta Zapata, Councilor President Louijeune, Councilor Liz Breadon, Councilor Ben Weber, and Councilor Brian Worrell. The committee also received a letter of absence. Sharon Durkan. The committee heard testimony on behalf of the administration from Mary Skipper, who is the Superintendent of Boston Public Schools, Monica Hogan, who is the Chief of Data Information and Systems Improvement with BPS, and so on. and Dr. Colin Rose, who's a Senior Advisor for Strategy and Opportunity Gaps with BPS. We also have a community panel that was made up of Roseanne Tung, who's a 2020 one exam school task force member, and independent research consultant, Krista Mogunson, who's a state organizer with the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance, and Peter Alvarez, who is a parent of the Linden School. I think we were able to hear a lot of feedback from both the administration and from the public, from the community panel. Both people who were in favor and opposed of the new suggestions and we think it was a very informative hearing. A lot of my council colleagues were present asking questions. and I know that there was questions that weren't answered that our committee will follow up on. I want to thank the panelists, members of the public, and my colleagues for their participation in yesterday's hearing and thank again the lead sponsors, Councilor Pepén, President, Louijeune, and Councilor Weber for sponsoring this hearing. I'm sure that you'll hear from some of them after this. And as chair of the Committee on Education, it is my recommendation that this docket should remain in committee at this time. Thank you.

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

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Chair Santana, the co-sponsors on this docket and all that attended Monday's hearing. When I filed this hearing order back in June, I did so with the intent to learn more about the process, the proposed changes of the exam school's application process, as we know that could be very convoluted and confusing at times, even for me, an exam school alumnus. I'm grateful that the superintendent BPS leadership took the time to explain this summit simulations in all of our questions. I'm also grateful for the community panelists sharing their expertise and concerns with the policies. Truly thank you all to the panelists and those that testified as well. Here in Boston, we have a commitment to this city, ensuring our students have the best education possible that I know we do not take lightly. Our advocacy for the best does not stop just at exam schools, but in all of our schools. So no matter where a student goes, they will have a bright future. Again, I'm just thankful that this hearing happened. Thank you to the chair for hosting it. Thank you for everyone attending. Looking forward to hearing from the rest of my colleagues. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Councilor Santana, for holding the hearing. Thank you, Council President, for filing the chair. Councilor Weber, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, and thank you to Santana for chairing the hearing. And I think the attendance of almost everyone shows how important this issue is for our students and for our future as a city. Just a couple comments. I think that I just, again, agree with the First Circuit's We have to have a system here that rewards not just kids who test well but kids who would have tested well if they had the same and many more economic advantages of the kids That's what these changes get at. We're looking at a couple issues, what the new proposals do, which will be voted on, I think, by the school committee in early November. Would they remove bonus points and would create a citywide tier for 20% of the seats? At the three tests in schools, this is swinging the pendulum back toward people with kids in schools that didn't get any points before. You know, three of those public schools are in my district, but those are private school students as well. I think we should be looking at ways to incentivize intensive BPS schools. I'm not sure that both of those mechanisms are needed. Thank you. Thank you. Help all of our kids in Boston to test in schools. About a third of our students go to those schools. What are we doing for everyone else in the city of Boston? It really seems we spend too much time trying to tweak the system and make those schools a little better, whereas I think the same time and energy put into the rest of our school system is required, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on that issue. Thanks.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councillor Breadon. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you, Councillor Santana and everyone who attended. I think it was a very important and One of the issues I raised is that I appreciate that young children who are in different socioeconomic Tiers do not have the same access to books and resources at home and very often that inequity starts at a very early age. And I feel that in the past we had the advanced work program that had its merits and its deficits, but I think it was a way, from my understanding of the experience of students at the Jackson Man Community, Jackson Mann Elementary School was that the students had got into the advanced work regardless of what their family background was, regardless of what language was spoken at home, regardless of their current country of origin. and so on. That extra support in their elementary school enabled them to go on and get past the exam school test and proceed to do very well in life. It seems that that impetus has sort of dissipated a little. And as I often say when we come to discuss education, if students aren't able to read at grade level, at third grade, they're really behind the eight ball. So I feel that we spend a lot of energy talking about exam skills, but we also need to spend an equal amount of resources and thought and energy in raising our literacy levels so that students are reading at third grade level and that our students are prepared. It's that upstream input and that upstream investment in our elementary schools that make our students be successful when it comes to applying for exam scores. I will reference East Boston High School as a success. It's moving. I think if we put as much effort into working with all of our general admission high schools and have real offerings and exciting offerings and challenging offerings It won't fail to parents that if your kid doesn't get into an exam school, it's the end of the world. We all know that the success of all of our students is critically important. I hope that the discussion, this tweaking of the exam school process, which will be in place for the next three years, will give us some solid data to be able to evaluate the effectiveness of what we're doing, but we can't hold our breath and wait. We have to really focus on literacy in the early grades to make sure that all of our students succeed. Thank you. Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to say thank you to The Chair for conducting an important discussion. I went on record in support of the recommendations made by the City Administration as it relates to the three exam scores. My main point other than that was we also have some excellent high schools as well. Councilor Breadon was talking about that. Whether it's Josiah Quincy School, the Snowden School, East Boston High School, as Councilor Brayden mentioned. But we want to continue to support our exam schools, but equally, or even more importantly, is getting all of our high schools into a place where they could Be an exceptional high school as well. They're all doing the best they can but they do need significant support from us and from the city. The subject of advanced work was mentioned during the hearing several times. I brought it up, and I never talked about my son who was in that program. But I do know that that program academically prepared you in such a way that if you were interested in going to an exam school, I think advanced work program was in a way kind of designed to prepare you for that tough academic program that many of the exam schools have. I thought advanced work was doing well. and it was eliminated. But whether we call it advanced work or a different program, I think the lower grades should have similar challenging academic programs that can help students may begin to maybe get into one of the exam schools and or get into some of these other great high schools that we have in the city of Boston such as Snowden or East Boston or or Josiah Quincy. But it's also about ensuring we have the resources and support for all schools, ensuring that Regardless of where a child goes to school, that they do receive a good education. They might not have the political support behind them but they are deserving of a quality education and I think that's our job on the city council is to represent every child regardless of what school they go to but really represent every child especially if they don't if they go to a challenging school. We need to provide more support to that child and their family as well. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you to my colleagues for hosting the hearing. And I would just like to echo the importance of having this conversation, especially in this moment. For those folks who are following this, I think it's easier for people to understand kind of like the dynamics. Everybody knows that I had a little chip on my shoulder because I went to Dorchester High. I didn't even know exam schools existed. So I feel like we spend so much of our time and energy on these exam schools and I always fear what we're communicating to the kids who don't get in, right? I think that that is also a part of the conversation and I think that The way I see it is the exam schools within the district are the elite class, so those students who get in have far better opportunities and access to wealth and opportunities and to networks. Then you have your middle class students. Those are the kids that have to apply through like new mission and these schools. You have to apply. You have to take an extra step to get in. And then you have your low income, Working Class Schools, and those are the open enrollments, which is one of the schools that I went to. And those kids usually don't go as far as others. Lucky that I made it through that system and that I'm standing here as a city councilor. But I think it is the wrong conversation. And the fact that we continue to give exam schools all this oxygen is why we're having this conversation still to this day. I would love to see the same energy around Madison Park and what we need to do to improve access to a high quality voc tech school. I'd like to see what we're gonna talk about when it comes Boston Tech, Brighton, Charlestown. I know they're doing a lot of great things now. The Burke is the Holland. So I think we're moving in the right direction. But if we look at the dynamics regarding this particular conversation in exam schools, most of the folks who have their children in these schools are higher voter turnout. So they're actively engaged. They're usually highly more resourced and have access to capital and opportunities. And they're power brokers. So we're protecting that class every single time we decide to focus all of our energy on just the exam schools. I would like to see this body, and I'm just grateful to Councilor Worrell for his leadership in this space, thinking about cradle to career and really looking at the entire portfolio and how we're making sure that all students have access to a quality education that does not begin and end with the elite exam schools. I mean, I'm not saying that I'm hating on them, because I do work with BLS I have a child at Boston Latin Academy, I'd be a hypocrite, but I will say that we really need to shift the conversation and really start thinking about all of the inequities that exist in all of our schools because right now, having, and I'm the only Boston City Councilor that graduated from a non-exam school from BPS, right? And so this is, and I am one of the few that has worked in the education space. I don't mind throwing that around because that gives me a different level of lived experience and nobody can negate that. I will say though, right, that in my time here on this council, we worked with a very progressive iteration of this body and so on. In this moment in time, because it's time for us to revisit, I just want to make sure that we continue to center racial equity in these discussions because I don't think that we should lose sight of the fact that regardless of what school you go to, what neighborhood you live in, regardless of your skin color and your socioeconomic status, we are responsible for every single student here. in the City of Boston, and we can continue to pick and choose who we're going to stand up for and fight for, and I've seen that done here. When we had an opportunity to fight for Madison Park, we didn't, but now we're fighting for Exam schools, and everybody is all in. So to have the conversation, I'm not sure where everybody stands with it, but I just would love to see the same energy being applied to other schools and other scenarios. as we continue to navigate these very difficult conversations. Thank you very much.

Thank you. This docket.

The chair recognizes Councilor O'Reilly on the floor. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Councilor Santana, Pepén, and Councilor President Louis-Jean bringing forward this important hearing and I just also just want to just draw attention to the demographic change and student invites year over year and just want to continue to uplift that and make sure that you know As we take a look over the next two years that we are making sure that we are making the necessary tweaks to make sure that all of our schools, whether they're exam school, application-based schools, open enrollment schools, are all inclusive schools so that all of our kids, regardless of student abilities, student disabilities or learning abilities, have access to each and every one of our schools. One of my major concerns on top of The change in invitation is also the Section 8 voucher holder bonus points. Just want to make sure that I continue to push that forward. I know we give housing bonus points to BHA residents but section 8 voucher holders do not currently get that same bonus point so hopefully and any new version that passes the school committee hopefully we are able to see section 8 voucher holders get those housing bonus points and the last thing I want to say is hopefully in the new FY27 budget for the For the Boston Public School, we see more investments and making sure that our students have access to more tutoring. I am a big advocate for Programming and enrichment up until 6 p.m. and even on the weekends. We know a lot of our students come from low to moderate income families and making more of those resources and supports as free as possible is what I believe for helping our students' development. So again, thank you for this conversation. We have to keep an eye on it. Lastly, I would add, I know other districts have implemented dashboards. I know that BPS, You know, reports out annually, but if we can have a dashboard that we can track our progress over the next three years on who's able to get into the exam schools, who's getting invited, I think is very important. Thank you. Thank you.

President, I appreciate I've already spoken, but I just wanted to add another thing. I spoke about the advanced work class, and it was criticised as being elitist, et cetera, but it was a valuable way to increase more rigour. but it was replaced by an excellence for all programme and it had been evaluated to be proven to be very effective in improving academic standards. And I think as part of our conversation about I think really going back and looking at the Excellence for All programme and seeing if it's been implemented in any shape or fashion. And if the learning and the advancement that was achieved by that programme could be continued now, it would be very valuable in this conversation. I think we're very, very focused in this very narrow space about exam school, high schools. We really have to look at everyone in the school system and see how we can help everyone succeed. Thank you.

This docket, docket number 1282, will remain in committee. We're now on to motions, orders, and resolutions. Reminder to my colleagues that if you are offering a docket, a motion, order, a resolution, You have three minutes to speak on a docket. Co-sponsors and other councils have two minutes to speak on a docket. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1747?

Docket number 1747. Councilor Durkan, I offer the following. Ordinance amending the City of Boston Code Chapter 10, Section 10, University Accountability.

The chair recognizes Councilor Durkan. You have the floor.

Thank you so much, Chair. And I would like to add Councilor Radin as a co-sponsor and suspend the rules and add Councilor Santana as a co-sponsor as well.

Brayden is added as a second co-sponsor. Councilor Durkan seeks to suspend the rules to add Councilor Santana as the third original co-sponsor. Seeing and hearing no objections, Councilor Santana is so added. Councilor Durkan, you have the floor.

Thank you. I'm excited to bring forward amendments to the University Accountability Ordinance. This ordinance, first passed in 2004, sponsored by then-Counselor Mike Ross, was designed to improve regulatory enforcement and many more. It requires universities to report data on enrollment and housing and since 2015 The city has also prepared an annual student housing trends report based on the data. These data and reports have provided valuable insights into how student housing impacts our broader housing market. helping the city strengthen enforcement efforts and support neighborhood stability. This is not just an academic exercise. It affects daily life in our neighborhoods. Boston is home to nearly Over 160,000 college students, more than 69,000 of who live off campus, occupying more than 17,000 units. This has a significant impact on neighborhoods like Mission Hill, Alston-Brighton, the North End, downtown, and for the Fenway. while contributing to housing affordability and stability challenges citywide. At our June hearing and follow-up working session, It was clear that while the ordinance has been effective, there are still some gaps. Universities and the Mayor's Office of Housing has noted that the current October 1 reporting deadline does not give schools enough time to capture accurate data. given enrollment shifts with add drop periods and early semester housing changes. We also concluded that while the student housing trends report contains critical information, there's currently no city council review or accountability to translate that data into policy. To address these gaps, my two amendments are we're going to move the reporting deadline from October 1st to November 1st to allow for a more accurate enrollment and housing data How perfect could it be that we're proposing this on October 1st? So I guess if the mayor signs it today, maybe schools will have until November 1st to report their housing data. and then the second amendment is require an annual city council hearing on student housing trends report so we can use this data to inform enforcement planning and the city's institutional master planning process. These changes will help the University Accountability Ordinance ensure that we have reliable data and help us balance the needs of students, universities, and neighborhoods while addressing housing affordability and stability across our city for years to come. If we act quickly, there's still a chance that the reporting deadline can be extended for this school year, meaning that we might be able to have more accurate data this year. I guess we could ask the clerk if he's heard from some of the schools. I'm sure some of them have started reporting. I respectfully ask that my colleagues for their support to suspend the rules and pass these amendments today, given that we've had a hearing and a working session on these ideas. And I'd like to yield now to the Chair of Government Operations.

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

Thank you, Madam President. And I want to thank Councilor Durkan for her leadership and, of course, then Councilor Ross for his leadership back in the day. I love when we're able to build on and supplement the work of our predecessors. And I also want to thank Councilor Breadon for her work on all things pilot. It's a perennial issue here. on the Council. So I'm rising to note that while it is not typical practice to suspend and pass ordinances the same day that they are introduced, as Councillor Durkan already mentioned, we've already held a public hearing in June. and we held a working session in August with broad participation and general support. And this matter is straightforward. We're literally adding two sentences to make sure that these universities can come before us after they publish this reporting data. and it changes a month from October to November so that we can get quality data that we can then ask them about. So it provides more better clarity and also more oversight of the council. And so that is why as chair, I'm not gonna do this, Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Passage today.

Thank you. Durkan for leading the charge on this one I think it makes sense to make these minor changes to the ordinance so that we get more effective data collection All of our neighbourhoods that we mentioned are deeply impacted by student housing, off-campus housing. You know, it's a boon to our communities to have students living there. It's an economic driver. It stimulates a lot of energy and excitement in our neighborhoods. But the downside is that Off-campus housing takes up a huge proportion of our housing stock and very often that incentivises investments by out-of-city, out-of-state investors who use their Student Housing as a cash machine. That money doesn't stay in the neighborhood and we are often left with the impacts of dealing with the consequences of that policy. So I would really just focus on passing this. I think it's going to be very important to have an annual hearing just to review the status of where we are with student housing off campus. I think it's going to be critically important in informing our discussions around institutional master planning and I think having extending the time the date to November 1st will ensure that we get more accurate in and Timely data on the numbers and location of student housing. So thank you so much, Councillor Durkan and Coletta Zapata, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favour of this. Thank you. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you, Councilor Durkan, for your leadership on this important matter and for adding me as a co-sponsor. I also want to give a shout out to your former predecessor, Town City Councilor Michael Ross, who is one of my greatest mentors to this day. Ensuring that all of our neighborhoods receive necessary public services is essential, especially those with high off-campus student populations. Over 40% of higher education students at Boston-based institutions live off-campus. That's almost about 66,000 students. The lack of on-campus housing raises costs for both students and our whole communities. and neighborhoods where a higher density of students live, data suggests that rental prices are $200 higher compared to neighborhoods To ensure that all of our residents' needs are being met, it's important that we as a city hold hearings at least every year to review the changing data once it's made available. In just one year, These trends can change significantly depending on student enrollment, changes in the number of dorm beds offered by universities, and the growth of graduate programs, to only name a few factors. Because the scope of the situation is always changing, It's important that we review these findings, discuss their impact, and consider their implications for our city on an annual basis. Again, I really want to thank the lead sponsor, Councilor Durkan, for leading this, and Councilor Breadon. and I will be voting in support of this today. Thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Okay. Councilors Durkan, Breadon, and Santana. Seek suspension of the rules and passage of docket number 1747. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket has passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 1748?

Doc number 1748, Councilors Durkan and Pepeno for the following. Order for a hearing to discuss city services in regard to composting and the need for increased composting services.

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

Thank you, Chair. I'd also like to suspend the rules and add you as a third co-sponsor.

Durkan seems to suspend the rules to add Council President Louijeune as the third original co-sponsor. Seeing and hearing no objections, I'm so added. Councilor Durkan, you have the floor.

Thank you. I'm very excited to introduce this hearing order, which I've introduced in prior years, to discuss the City of Boston's composting services and the urgent need to expand them. Our curbside composting programs and the community-based Project Oscar bins have proven to be incredibly popular amongst residents across the city. In fact, demand has outpaced capacity at our contracted composting facility underscoring both the success and potential of these new programs. Recently, Beacon Hill and West End got their new Project Oscar bins, which is probably one of the greatest accomplishments that I think my office can pat ourselves on the back a little bit for. As a state, we must double down on the amount of food waste diverted annually to meet the 2030 solid waste master plan goals. And Boston is uniquely positioned to lead both Massachusetts and the country in advancing net zero waste initiatives. Expanding city composting to commercial properties and larger residential buildings will be crucial in helping us reach our environmental goals, improving our waste management practices, and addressing Boston's rodent problem. We know that waste out on our streets, and I know Councilor Flynn has been a huge advocate for this, let's get food waste off of the sidewalks. I know we'll have a hearing soon next week about this, but it's incredibly important that we have a hearing about composting and about what we can do to ensure that Composting is at the top of the list of what the city is thinking about and that we're getting food waste off of the streets. Thank you to Councilor Pepén. I know this will likely go into your committee. And to Council President Roussou Louijeune, for sharing in this. And I also want to just commend Councilor Flynn for all of his work on rodent mitigation. I think it's so important that we have everyone at the city working on rodent issues. So thank you and I look forward to this hearing.

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

Thank you Madam President and thank you Councillor Durkan for having me as a co-sponsor on this. In 2012, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection created their Organics Action Plan and 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan, which set a goal of diverting 780,000 tons of food waste annually by 2030. Although the state has made significant progress saving about 380,000 tons a year, this figure would have to double in the next five years to reach that state goal. In an effort to hit this goal, as well as make Boston a more sustainable city, It is worth considering an expansion to Boston's compost and services as it has already expanded before. In 2023, service capacity increased from 10,000 households to 30,000 households. Walking around my district on trash pickup day, you can see the rows of the mini green bins doing their part to minimize food waste. The goal of this hearing is to understand what the state of the city's program is and what challenges expansion faces and feasibility I also just want to recognize that the timing of introducing this is actually really interesting because yesterday, alongside Councilor Worrell, I was at the Boston Nature Center and it was It was a sad scene to see a lot of the wetlands just filled with food waste and different trash that get into our environment. And we have to do everything possible in order to keep our streets, our nature, and everything Just as clean as possible. Composting is going to be a hard part of that solution. So just thankful to this conversation. Looking forward to being part of the hearing. Thank you.

Thank you. And I want to say thank you to Councilor Durkan for adding me. I think we've seen success. Our composting program limited success because we need to try to scale it up more. It helps with a lot of our waste issues the more that we're able to have a more robust composting program and I know that I often have neighbors asking questions about the expansion so I just want to thank My colleagues for the work on this and look forward to having the hearing to see how we can further the city's composting efforts. The chair recognizes Councilor Flanier of the floor.

Thank you Madam Chair and thank you to Councilor Durkan and the others for bringing this important subject forward. Compost is a critical issue impacting every neighborhood And Councilor Durkan is correct. It has a significant major impact on quality of life, on public health, on public safety when we don't do that, when we don't have composting. I actually have it at my house in South Boston, but I'm one of the only homes in the particular neighborhood that actually has it. But I would also like to see composting expanded significantly throughout the city. Placing your food in the garbage bag and placing it on the street is really a recipe for disaster, encourages rats. Thank you for watching. and in a safe environment, safe container, so we don't have pest control issues. But also part of it is public awareness and public education on informing residents on exactly how to do that. whether it's through social media or having more community meetings. But the other issue I do want to highlight is It's important for us when we have the hearing and to explore options is to ensure that we educate and work with residents that do not speak English to ensure that they are part of the process. so that they understand exactly what is happening, whether they're Spanish speaking or Cantonese or any other language. But in Chinatown, where most speak Cantonese, Communicating effectively is also part of the process and solution. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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

Thank you so much Madam President. I just wanted to thank the makers for bringing this up. It is an environmental sustainability issue and so always just thank you for putting this at the forefront. I think it's incumbent upon all of us to continue to think about how we are meeting our zero waste goals as a city. Massachusetts, I think the last figure that I had saw that was the most accurate is that Massachusetts produces a million tons of Food Waste Per Year. And so it is a long-term crisis, a long-term problem. I love the fact that in this hearing order you talk about the fact that it doesn't service commercial buildings or households with seven or greater units. that is a problem that's a gap that we all have to figure out together that I look forward to figuring out in partnership with you and the city I will just say that on the flip side what we're trying to do is limit zero waste and so still on the table still up for consideration this council is the food recovery ordinance where it's more of an upstream approach where we're trying to figure out the root cause and try to intervene at a systemic level. and so I'm hopeful that as part of this conversation we can tie them in together the more that we are able to provide food recovery for some of our Our food pantries and getting that into their hands and having it be safe to consume and all of that. There's already some great work that's happening with Love and Spoonfuls and BLS seniors who are incredible and I can't wait for everybody to meet them one day but if we can be talking about that that would be great but just overall just wanted to say thank you so much and really look forward to the conversation. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to the makers. I'm really excited to have this conversation. I think it's really important for Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Where we've been and how we used to do things anyways, now we're just living in America and just getting that to be part of your Daily Lives. We don't have ourselves set up for compost. A few neighbors of mine have their little compost, little green bucket, and then they put their food there. It's picking up steam, but I just want to acknowledge that in communities of color in particular, this is not part of our everyday conversation. So as we continue to talk about this, I think it's important for both an awareness standpoint and also understanding that this is something that everyone should be leaning into and I don't think that people of diverse backgrounds really see this as a conversation that impacts them. So I think that this is where we have such an amazing opportunity from an educational standpoint to make composting sexy again. Create an opportunity for people to understand The impact that it will have, not just on the environment, but just overall in our quality of life. So looking forward to having the conversation and thank you for bringing it to the council.

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

Thank you. This is a great hearing order. I am very excited to participate in this. I'm incredibly encouraged by the fact that we've increased from 10,000 to 30,000 of the green composting buckets on the streets. A success begets success because folks see a green bucket and say, what's that? And then they get one, so the whole street ends up with a green bucket. Part of the limitations of the programme is, Councillor, Coletta Zapata has already mentioned it's sort of limited to buildings that are under six units. And I'd love to see a way that we could improve that. One way would be to increase the availability of Project Oscar. I think one thought we should have is thinking about working with our planning department to think about new buildings and how we can see if we can incorporate composting for new buildings so that Food waste doesn't end up in trash bins. The one thing I just looked up, Project Oscar. We have three Project Oscars in Brighton, but we have none in Alston. And I think that's something I'm going to have to look into because Alston has the dubious honor of being called Rat City and part of the problem is that the rodents have such an easy access to a lot of food in trash bins and and in the trash. So I think this is just one of the many, many strategies that we have to try and reduce our building population, but it also makes good environmental sense and saves a lot of extra organic matter being put into the landfill. So it's a win-win all round. So I look forward to the conversation and thank the sponsors once again for their leadership in this space.

Thank you. Would anyone else like to add their name to this docket? Mr. Clerk, please add councillors. Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Fitzgerald, Mejia, Murphy, Santana, Weber, Worrell. This docket, docket number 1748, will be referred to the Committee on City Services and Innovation Technology. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket number 1749?

Docket number 1749, Councilor Louisiana, for the following. Resolution celebrating the 102nd anniversary of the Declaration of the Republic of Turkey. and the 30th annual Boston Turkish Arts and Culture Festival.

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

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. This is a resolution to celebrate our Turkish community here in raising the flag in celebration of their 102nd anniversary. and to celebrate the 30th annual Boston Turkish Arts and Culture Festival. Many of us here are familiar with Erkut Gumulu and all the work that he does. on behalf of the Turkish community. So I want to thank him for his partnership and for always centering the Turkish community. The 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, or Turkiye, Two years ago, it was a beautiful, beautiful showing of community and want to just make sure that we can do that this year for the 102nd anniversary. And so looking forward to this. Thank you, Madam President.

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 Durkan, Councilor Fitzgerald, Councilor Flynn, Councilor Mejia, Councilor Murphy, Councilor Pepén, Councilor Santana, Councilor Weber, and please add the chair. President Louie Jeanne seeks suspension of the rules and passes the docket number 1749. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Docket number 1749 has been passed. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket number 1750?

Doc number 1750, Councilor Slendon-Murphy offer the following. Resolution in support of prioritizing a recovery campus for the city of Boston.

The chair recognizes Councilor Flinney on the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I made a brief change to the original resolution. I just want to confirm that everybody has it and want to ask for a substitution.

A motion to substitute?

Yes.

Is that seconded? Seconded. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Motion to substitute is allowed. Does everyone have a copy of the updated hearing order? Okay. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, may I add, I know Councilor Murphy is An original sponsor, may I add? Councilor Fitzgerald as an original co-sponsor.

Councilor Flynn seeks to suspend the rules to add Councilor Fitzgerald as the third original co-sponsor. Seeing and hearing no objections, Councilor Fitzgerald is so added. You have the floor, Councilor Flynn.

Thank you. I file this resolution as I continue to believe our focus must be on recovery and treatment to address the ongoing crisis that we have in our city. After last week's vote, many people called me and asked me if we could continue this important discussion. Certainly they weren't in support of safe injection sites, but they do support, they also support a recovery campus in Boston or in greater Boston. Long Island is in Boston, even though it's connected to Quincy. That was the reason for the substitution. is whether the recovery campus would be in Boston or possibly outside of the city limits. But I do think we as a city need a structured environment such as Long Island or another location if Long Island is not going forward. But we do need another location where people dealing with substance use challenges have the resources, the treatment, residential programs that they need and deserve so that they can get into detox, so that they can get into recovery. developed a program to address short-term housing challenges and long-term housing needs. When Long Island was opened, I was a probation officer at Suffolk Superior Court and I was required to visit Long Island once a week on Wednesday nights and talk to my probationers and many of them, most of them really, were in a residential program, and at that residential program on Long Island, they were engaged in mental health counseling, they were engaged in recovery services, many of them, almost all of them on probation, also received random Random Drug Urinalysis Testing. But it was a structured program where they could stay there for six months or 12 months and begin the process of healing. and start the process of recovery. And it was an exceptional program at Long Island, but we do need another program, a residential program in the city of Boston or and possibly outside of the City of Boston When people are dealing with substance use challenges and mental health issues, that they can go to this place to receive all of the services in a structured, controlled environment. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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

Thank you. We talk about this need a lot, but I do believe we need to move forward and really prioritize that something happens. It's been 11 years now in October of 2014. The bridge went down. I tell this story often. My son was on Long Island that night when the bridge was shut down and they had to evacuate everyone out there and the services there. Ranged, like Councilor Flynn said, homeless shelter, detox, holding, mental health, medical care, and so many of our residents and residents across the state of Massachusetts were receiving services, life-saving services. which came to a crashing halt. And over the last 11 years, even though we have lots of services we're providing, we definitely see a need that we need another recovery campus. We know that rebuilding it is going to be, it's like the Madison Park conversation. It's needed, everyone says we should do it, but it's gonna cost a lot of money and it could be a decade away and we don't have that time to wait. So I do hope our, Colleagues will be in support of prioritizing in whatever that means. I think it means that we work together making sure that we do better and we listen to the residents in the community and those experts and volunteers and people who are out there every day working alongside those who are in recovery, who aren't in recovery but need recovery, who are dying on our streets every day that we're supporting everyone that needs our support. And we really put a focus on prioritizing the campus. And it doesn't need to be here in Boston. So thank you. I know, Councilor Flynn, words matter. And we want to make sure that if we are leaning on the state and more federal funding that it may be somewhere else, but our residents and those who come into our city need to be supported in any way we can. So looking forward to this continued support on this council. Thank you.

I think the chair recognizes Councilor Girardi on the floor.

Thank you Madam President and thank you to Councilor Flynn for adding me as a third co-sponsor. Obviously we've been working extremely hard over the past two years to take care of the issue down at in the south end of Massacas where the large and the majority of these issues is congregated. However, the campus is so important. I want folks to understand what the campus looks like. It doesn't mean it needs to be in one spot either. We have the conversation about whether it's in the city or outside the city. That is up for deference. However, it's also how it looks. Citing this is a difficult thing because into any place you go, people are saying, I'd rather not have that campus here. Some people have the arguments ideally in one spot for folks to go through the process would be the best way. But I'd like to, you know, for us all to think about it. It's not just a Southend problem. We know it's not just a Dorchester, it's not just a South Boston, not just a Roxbury issue. This issue exists in all of our neighborhoods across the city. And this campus, the idea of this quote unquote campus, is to help plug the gaps that are in the continuum of care that we have now. The system we have now is not perfect. There are holes. The idea is that this can help out. I know folks get calls about these type of issues in all of our districts across the city. and this is open for all of those people so whether it's on Long Island which is also in my district we'd love to see that happen but I think that is a little bit far away and needs quite a bit of financial investment there could be a shorter term More decentralized approach. I know we want to decentralize the services, but also a decentralized recovery campus that helps fill the gaps Thank you very much. This is something I think that we can all get behind because we know it helps everybody. So thank you, Madam President.

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

Thank you, Madam President. I want to thank Flynn, Councilor Murphy, and Councilor Fitzgerald for filing this important matter. Members of our community with substance abuse disorder deserve compassionate care and access to treatment with the shutdown of the Long Island Recovery Campus has interrupted this access. Our community urgently needs the resources recovery campuses provide, but it's been over a decade since the Long Island Bridge has shut down and with it, the island's recovery campus, which had over 700 shelter beds and over 200 recovery beds at the time of its closing. The process to restore both the bridge to Long Island and the building on it I know it's long and expensive, but members of the affected community can't afford to wait. Because of this and because of access to care is essential, I wholeheartedly support prioritizing this creation of a recovery campus, in the City of Boston or outside of the City of Boston. I really want to thank the lead sponsors again, and thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, the Chair.

I recognize this is Councilor Breadon. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President, and I also stand in support of this resolution. I really feel maybe we need to have a deep dive into discussing maybe a hearing on the recovery campus itself, like the Long Island process and where we're at with that. One big question I have in relation to, I see the price tag here too. Rebuild the bridge and open a recovery campus with new buildings, new facilities up to code out on Long Island would be $550 million. The big question I have, and with a projected increase due to inflation and tariffs, et cetera, the big question I have is many of the folks we find on the streets in the throes of Dependence on opioids and drugs found themselves in this position because they were prescribed opioids that they became dependent on. When they had a back surgery or some medical situation. And the opioid settlement with Purdue and was billions of dollars, so I want to emphasize that this issue is not just a Boston issue. Folks come here from Rhode Island, from New Hampshire, come from Connecticut, they come from all over, and we're like a magnet in Boston. So it's a regional problem. I think it's something that, in terms of adequately meeting the needs, we need to ensure that we get state and federal money to address this issue, to stand up A new recovery campus, whether it's in Boston or in the region. But, you know, the reality is when you have a call from somebody saying, I have somebody in a crisis, they need to get a residential rehab bed to detox. There's no beds available. And really, a short-term detox program for three or four days is not going to cut it. We need more 28-day residential programs like the one that used to be at the Shattuck which was the Kitty Dukakis Centre for Women and I think okay we can talk and talk and talk but I think this is something we need to really push the state to step up and I'm sure we're doing it already, but see if we can actually make progress. The loss of the Long Island campus in 2014 was a huge loss. I know it was particularly painful and difficult for Mayor Walsh at the time because he was a person who was open about his being in recovery and was a great advocate for Support for those with addiction. So I feel in this moment it's time to see where we can really up the ante and get more money to make this happen. Thank you. Thank you, Councilor Breadon. The chair recognizes Councilor Weber. You have the floor.

Thank you very much, and thank you to the filers for this. I visited Long Island, I believe, with Councilor Fitzgerald, Councilor Durkan. I can't remember if anyone else is there, but I know many of us have visited. and recognize the need for that. I'd like to remind people that in terms of the bridge at least, I think the city is prioritizing that, and that in terms of advocacy around getting that done, people should be looking at the city of Quincy and asking them what they're doing. If you look at the, they delayed the action. We got state approval with the City of Queensland files an appeal. They lost that appeal. What did they do? They then filed a second appeal to Superior Court. and most recently it's like two weeks ago or September 22nd they filed a motion to add new evidence and what that would do if the if the Court agrees to that. And this is additional testimony by somebody who actually testified in the supply testimony in front of the Mass DEP. If the Superior Court says, oh yeah, we need to add this evidence, the whole thing gets sent back to DEP for more proceedings. My request would be for the City of Quincy to admit when they've lost and allow us to build this bridge and help people instead of wasting their resources and ours on this litigation. So, thank you.

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

Thank you so much. We're at a moment in the city of Boston where when you're interested in recovery and there's that moment of I want to get better, I want to get help, You can't find the bed that you need. And as someone who family has dealt with substance abuse and mental health issues, I think that's tragic, and I know that on this council this year we've had a lot of different approaches to some of these issues, but I think we can all stand up today and say, When you need a bed, when you need help, when your family member is ready to go to rehab, you shouldn't have to be rich to make that happen. And that's not where we are today. And I just want to thank my colleagues for all of their interest. I think sometimes we have different approaches, but that doesn't mean that we can't all work together on something. And we know how long term of a project this is. Fitzgerald and Councilor Weber and I took that boat to Long Island. We know how much it's going to cost. I think the first, I think Councilor Weber had some great points about the bridge. Also, I think our first order of priority is really making the island fire safe right now. Like right now it's, we have things that we need to, we have, and many more. We also have money that we need to spend immediately to sort of stop the bleeding on that campus. There are multiple buildings that are going to collapse. So it's really important. We know this is not something we can snap our fingers and fix. We know we need state and federal funding, but we also need the planning so that when that state and federal funding and partnership is there, we're ready to go. So I fully support my colleagues in this matter. I just want to thank Councilor Flynn, Councilor Murphy, and Councilor Fitzgerald. We don't have to agree on everything to know that when a family member, when a community member needs help, they should be able to access it. And without this, they won't be able to. So thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you to Councilor Flynn, Councilor Murphy, and Councilor Fitzgerald for your continued work and advocacy. around recovery campuses and around Mass and Cass. We know that many residents across the state are being serviced down at Mass and Cass and it's extremely hard Thank you. Thank you. We have to continue to talk about this issue as a regional issue in order to get what I believe the money, the necessary attention to make sure that we do have a recovery campus. So in full support of this, and also just in full support of making sure that we continue to talk about this in a regional and statewide approach. Thank you. Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilman here. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President, and I want to thank My colleagues for their fierce advocacy and leadership on behalf of those who are always reaching out to our office asking us to do more. This is what it really looks like when we are all Rising up in support of something that we know that will benefit the entire city of Boston, not just certain parts. So I just want to acknowledge that. Since I've been on this council, I've been saying that Mass and Cast isn't just about the neighborhood, that it is and so on. And so I just want to acknowledge that and I also think it is important for us to underscore The root cause of the harm that's being caused, to Councilor Breadon's point, I always point to the doctors that are causing the harm. And if we really want to get ahead of this issue, we also have to look at the root cause. Always got to be a little petty with the purpose here real quick. But if we really want some money, there's $150 or $200 million being spent on White Stadium that we can easily transfer over to this recovery center if we're really serious about meeting the moment. I would just say that there is money out there to do just that. So if we're looking for dollars to make it happen, we know where it is. So we just gotta go out and say we have the political will to transfer some of those dollars into the recovery center because it is a priority, right?

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

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll be very brief. I want to say thank you to my council colleagues for their comments. I had a conversation, I think yesterday, with Councillor Fitzgerald in talking about the excellent visit he had with some of our colleagues to Long Island a while back. I asked maybe another possibility of having another visit maybe over the next 30 days or so. So all Councillors that may not have been on that trip, maybe give them another opportunity to attend. So I'm going to work with Councillor Fitzgerald, and I want to say thank you to Councillor Fitzgerald. for agreeing to work with us and the city administration, maybe to have another visit to Long Island, maybe sometime in October before the water really gets choppy out there. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. I want to thank my colleagues. I also want to last term. We went on, I think all colleagues went on, not this iteration of the body, the prior iteration to Long Island. I was really grateful for that trip and very enthusiastically wrote a letter in support of funding, which I think is incredibly important. to ensure that people, our systems are so broken and people fall through the gaps, mental health reasons, the disease of addiction, and so ensuring that people have pathways to recovery is incredibly important. I know that this is something The Boston Public Health Commission has been working on and believes in a conversation with Dr. Ojukutu about what it means for us to have like a full and robust continuum of care so that people aren't just having detox where they're in and out and going right back into into using or people are entering our carceral system and then leaving and then going right back into using. It's important that the full continuum of care includes a recovery campus or campuses. that addresses this regional issue and also continues to hold people's hand as they need to afterwards with transitional housing, with employment opportunities. These are all important things to make sure that people are able to survive and to thrive out of a dependency of drug addiction. So want to continue to make sure, whether it's Long Island, which is very expensive, and Councilor Weber laid out the legal issues involved and how Hard it is for us to address a regional issue as an individual city and why it's so important for everyone, states and other cities that have folks who are down in Mass and Cass are also doing their part as well. Thank you to my colleagues. Would anyone like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councilors Breadon, Durkan, Mejia, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell, Coletta Zapata, Please add the chair. Councillors Flynn, Murphy, and Fitzgerald seeks suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 1750. All those in favor say aye. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on Dock and Evo 1750. Councilor Breadon? Yes. Councilor Breadon, yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata? Yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes. Councilor Durkan? Yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Fitzgerald. Yes. Councilor 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. Pen, yes, Councilor Santana, yes, Councilor Santana, yes, Councilor Weber, yes, Councilor Weber, yes, and Councilor Worrell, yes. Worrell, yes. Docket number 1750 has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you. Docket number 1750 has been adopted. Before we move on to green sheets, would anyone like to add their name to a docket or a motion to reconsider a vote if they were out of chambers? No? Okay. We are now moving on to green sheets. Would anyone like to pull anything from the green sheets? The chair recognizes Councilor Pepén. Councilor Pepén, you have the floor.

Madam President, I'd like to pull docket number 1664 out of City Services and Innovation Technology Committee on page 4. of the Green Shoes.

Thank you. Mr. Clerk, do you have that docket before you? Yes. Mr. Clerk, could you please read that docket into the record?

From the Committee on City Services and Innovation Technology, docket number 1664, message not authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount. of $10,000 in the form of a grant, the AI Research Grant awarded by the Schmidt Sciences, a philanthropic organization run by the Schmidt family to be administered by the Department of Innovation and Technology. The grant will fund a project that will deliver the first randomized evidence on how generative AI tools affect day-to-day work in a large US city government.

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

Thank you. There is no denying that artificial intelligence is here and being used in everyday life. We as a society are at a foundational point of how to use AI for efficient support rather than total control. This small grant will start the process for a do it to research how our municipal employees can use AI to better our city services and establish future processes with this technology. I actually seek suspension of the rules to vote in favor of accepting this grant. Thank you.

Thank you. I think I didn't do the absent objection part. Did I skip that? Yes. Okay. Does anyone have an objection to the green sheets poll? Okay. So the docket, the motion of the committee chair is accepted and the docket is properly before the body. Councilor Pepén spoke on the docket. Would anyone else like to speak on the docket? Okay. Councilor Pepén, the chair of the Committee on City Services and Innovation Technology, moves for passage. of docket number 1664. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it, this docket is passed. Would anyone else like to pull anything from the green sheets? We are now moving on to late files. I am informed by the clerk that there are four late file matters, three personnel matters, and one hearing order. We will first take a vote to add the three late file personnel matters onto the record. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. These late-file personnel matters are added to the record. Mr. Clerk, could you please read the late-file personnel matters onto the record?

First late-file matter personnel order, Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Santana. Second Personnel Order, Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Santana. And Third Personnel Order, Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Mejia.

Thank you. We will now take a vote on these late file matters. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. These late file matters have passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read the fourth late file hearing order into the record?

Mr.

Clerk, could you please read the next late file hearing order into the record?

Order by Councilor Ed Flynn, emergency order for a hearing to discuss the impact of the ongoing government shutdown. on Boston's veterans, military members, and military families.

All those in favor of adding the late file matter onto the record, say aye. Aye. All opposed, say nay. The ayes have it. This late file matter has been added onto the record. Councilor Flynn, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, may I add Councilor Murphy and Councilor Mejia as original co-sponsors?

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

Thank you, Madam Chair. This morning at 12.01, the federal government officially entered a government shutdown. This is an emergency hearing order to discuss the impact this shutdown will have on Boston's veterans, military members, and military families as well. It is uncertain at this time which veterans benefits are impacted by a government shutdown. However, pay for military members could be halted during the government shutdown. and agencies such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Labor that do exceptional partnerships with the United States Veterans Affairs could be affected. possibly delaying needed benefits for our veterans and military families. For example, the New England Center for Veterans on Court Street across the street receives federal funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Labor for their job training program. Veterans and military families have proudly served our country and earn their benefits from our city, state and federal governments. Many veterans, military members, military families have already expressed concern to me that some of their benefits and pay would be delayed due to a government shutdown. This includes services specifically to women veterans, homeless veterans, veterans with disabilities. and as we know, the fastest growing group of homeless veterans in the country are women veterans. The City of Boston Office of Veterans Services and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services have worked closely with me and, more importantly, With veterans and with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and other federal agencies in the past to empower our veterans and military families and provide them with information on the services and benefits that they have earned. It is critical that our veterans, military members, and military families are guaranteed services on time and that they have clarity and information on the impact of the ongoing government shutdown. And what I plan to do if this is enacted and passed, I plan to immediately send a email to Commissioner Santiago at the City of Boston, who's a friend of mine, and to the State Secretary, who's also a friend of mine, Secretary Santiago, to ask them if they would appear before the City Council sometime next week on how we're able to work together on the impact this government shutdown has on veterans, but even more importantly, listen to veterans, give them an opportunity to testify about the government shutdown and the impacts it's having on them and their family. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilor Murphy of the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you for filing this and being a lead sponsor, making sure our veterans who earned their benefits are not getting any delay or interruptions in the services that They received. We know many veterans, Massachusetts, Boston, definitely. We have the best veteran benefits in the country, but still many of our veterans don't take advantage of it. So those who are taking advantage of what they deserve are nervous and understandably so. So it's our job to make sure that we're on top of this, Making sure that nothing is interrupted. My 91-year-old stepdad is getting hospice home care through the VA. And my mom was on the phone this morning with someone at the VA. So I know directly that these services are life-saving and If there's any chance that they can be interrupted, we need to make sure that we're supporting our veterans. So looking forward to continuing, like you mentioned, Councilor Flynn, the conversations with both Commissioner Santiago and Secretary Santiago and making sure that we continue to provide our veterans with what they deserve. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilor Mejia, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam President, and thank you to my colleagues for filing this hearing order. I, too, look forward to having the conversation. And I think given what's happening on the national This really offers us an opportunity to utilize our bully pulpit and our voice and our microphone to fight for those who are going to be most impacted by any decision that we're all going to be grappling with in the years to come. This is just the beginning of it. I think that we're really definitely meeting the moment and standing up for our veterans who literally died so that we can have freedom. This is the moment for us to show up and show out and utilize every tool that we have in our toolkit to fight for them and let them know that we have their back. So thank you, Councilor Flynn, for your service, and thank you for your fierce advocacy on behalf of our veterans here in the city of Boston and beyond.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on the matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councilors Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, Fitzgerald, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell, please add the chair. This docket, this late file matter will be referred to the committee on veterans, military families, and military affairs. Okay, we are now moving on to announcements, oh, to the consent agenda. I've been informed by the clerk that there is one addition to the consent agenda. All those in favor of 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 upcoming birthdays. I believe this Saturday. Today's the first. Councilor Santana. Happy birthday. Also, Dulce, happy birthday next week. This weekend is the Rosendale Parade. Also, go Red Sox. Beat the Yankees. Do any of my colleagues have any other announcements? The chair recognizes Councilor Coletta Zapata.

Thank you, Madam President. Just reminding folks that tomorrow is the Italian flag raising at 12 noon. Look forward to seeing you all there. It's going to be a beautiful day. And then next Wednesday before the next council hearing, we have at 1030 a brunch and learn. about water transportation with the Seaport Transportation Management Association, who will discuss the evolution of the ferry network here in Boston. and the influences that are fueling its rapid transformation. I appreciate this organization. They partner with the Mass Convention Center to provide a ferry from East Boston to the seaport and back. It is limited because we have limited funding and so this is something that I've always wanted to make sure that we tackled in partnership with our state colleagues and so look forward to having them here and hope to see everybody there. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam President. And I just wanted to Pull out a call for support. Our office is hosting our School Vibes annual thrift store boutique coming up in October the 27th. And we're looking for gently used donated clothes the last day To donate is October the 10th. So if you're tuning in or you're here and you got a fit that you don't want to wear anymore, please bring it to our office. What we do is we take all of the clothes that's donated and we treat it and we prep it. and we opened up like a little thrift store, boutique. Thank you. Thank you. It doesn't fit, that you don't like, or whatever, that's gently used. Next week for the council meeting, if you could bring it in. We'd appreciate it. And if you want to volunteer on the day of the event, it's October the 27th. You know, this really is an opportunity for us to give back. We've been partnering with the Boston Latin Academy School and various Boston public schools across the city and families and churches and everyone who We're just asking you all to bring your gently used donated items here next Wednesday to the council meeting. And if you're listening in, for those who are paying attention, You can drop it off at the front desk and we'll be more than happy to collect gently used items. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other announcements from my colleagues? Also, just a reminder that Wednesday, October 15, when we don't have a council meeting, that's our Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month celebration here in chambers at 12 o'clock. I said in the email we're going to try to abbreviate and have 12 to 1 here in chambers and have 1 to 2 in the Pomonti to make sure that people have enough time to fellowship and folks are often really hungry so We're going to try to make sure that everyone gets their due time, mostly the honorees up here and speaking. But just want to make sure that you have someone from your district that you'll be honoring who from the Latinx Hispanic community doing the work of uniting and fighting So thank you to my colleagues, and thank you to Julian in my office, and Ana in Councilor Santana's office, and folks in Councilor Mejia's office for their work in helping to put this together, and also Councilor Pepén's office. Any other announcements? Okay, we are now moving on to memorials. Would anyone like to uplift a name on behalf of anyone who has passed away? The chair recognizes Councilor Durkan, you have the floor.

Thank you, Council President. I'd like to adjourn today's meeting in honor of Katherine Kay Gallagher, a beloved Mission Hill leader who passed away this week. She was almost 97. Kay was the founder of both the Mission Hill Neighborhood Housing Services and the Back of the Hill CDC, where she served for many years as president. She was instrumental in creating affordable housing, including back of the hill apartments, the Catherine H. Gallagher co-ops, and the Maria Sanchez House. And in sustaining special neighborhood services traditions like the link bus, and the Mission Hill Road Race. Kay was the kind of passionate and spirited leader we all aspire to be. Her leadership left a mark on the Mission Hill community and it will not be the same without her. I send my condolences to her family, friends, neighbors, and to all who are mourning her loss. The funeral will be held this Friday at Mission Church, and the wake will take place at Man and Man in Jamaica Plain for those who want to pay their respects. I didn't have the chance to really get to know her, but Pat Flaherty, who we all know, described her infectious laugh and how everyone wanted to be her in old age. So on behalf of the Boston City Council, I want to make sure we honor her and this Mission Hall leader. today.

Thank you, Councilor Durkan. Would anyone else like to adjourn on behalf of anyone who has Today we will adjourn our meeting in memory of the following individuals. On behalf of myself, Mary Alice Curry, the sister of Michael Curry, Henry, on behalf of Councilor Pepén, John Pierce, on behalf of Councilor Weber, Cameron, Cam Peters, father of Caroline Peters in ONS. On behalf of Councilors Durkan, Fitzgerald, Louijeune, and the entire Boston City Council, Catherine K. Gallagher. A moment of silence. The chair moves that when the council adjourns today, it does so in memory of the aforementioned individuals. The council is scheduled to meet again in the Ionella Chamber next week, next Wednesday, on October 8, 2025, at 12 noon. Thank you to my colleagues, central staff, the clerk in the clerk's office, and the council stenographer. All in favor of adjournment, please say aye. Aye. The council is adjourned.