City Council

The meeting was called to order by District 7 Councilor Miniard Culpepper, acting as the senior member presiding until the election of a president.

• Governing Body: Boston City Council
• Meeting Type: Regular City Council Meeting
• Date: January 05, 2026
• Attendance: A quorum was present with the following members in attendance:
  • Liz Breadon
  • Gabriela Coletta Zapata
  • Miniard Culpepper
  • Sharon Durkan
  • John Fitzgerald
  • Edward Flynn
  • Ruthzee Louijeune
  • Julia Mejia
  • Erin Murphy
  • Enrique Pepén
  • Henry Santana
  • Benjamin Weber
  • Brian Worrell

The Council conducted the following preliminary business:

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on December 10, 2025, were approved by voice vote.
• Docket 0101: Order to adopt the rules of the Boston City Council for municipal years 2024 and 2025 (except Rule 36) as temporary rules for the 2026-2027 municipal years until permanent rules are adopted.
  • Outcome: Adopted via voice vote.

The Council proceeded to the election of the City Council President via viva voce vote.

Nominations:

• Brian Worrell: Nominated by Councilor Flynn; seconded by Councilor Murphy. Supporters highlighted his leadership as Ways and Means Chair, managing a "$4.8 billion operating budget" and "$4.8 billion capital budget."
• Liz Breadon: Nominated by Councilor Weber; seconded by Councilor Durkan. Supporters emphasized her experience, her status as a long-serving member, and her potential as the first openly LGBTQ+ President.

Roll Call Vote Results:

• Liz Breadon (7 votes): Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, Louijeune, Pepén, Santana, Weber.
• Brian Worrell (6 votes): Culpepper, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Mejia, Murphy, Worrell.

Outcome: Councilor Liz Breadon was elected City Council President.

Key Quote from President Breadon:

"As the first openly gay woman to serve as the President of the City Council, I do not take lightly the responsibility of representation. But representation alone is not enough. What matters is that we do what we do with the power that has been entrusted to us."

The following communications were placed on file:

• Docket 0103: Notice of Mayor's absence from the city (Dec 24–27, 2025).
• Dockets 0104-0108: Notices from the City Clerk regarding Mayoral actions on previous Council papers.
• Dockets 0109-0110: Appointments of Benjamin Stratter and Jeffrey Moretta as Assistant Assessors.
• Docket 0111: Communication from the Office of Police Accountability and Transparency (OPAT) regarding Internal Affairs Division case reviews.

The Council discussed the following new business:

• Docket 0112: Order for a hearing regarding parking access for traveling Boston Public Schools (BPS) employees.
  • Sponsor: Councilor Murphy.
  • Summary: The order addresses the lack of adequate parking passes for itinerant staff (special education teachers, specialists) who travel between multiple school sites.
  • Action: Referred to the Committee of the Whole.
• Docket 0113: Order for a hearing to examine BPS closure and merger actions related to the 2026-2028 school years and transparency in the long-term facilities plan.
  • Sponsors: Councilors Murphy, Flynn, and Mejia.
  • Summary: The hearing seeks oversight on how closure decisions are communicated and justified, specifically regarding the agreement with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
  • Action: Referred to the Committee of the Whole.

The Council approved four late-filed personnel orders (Dockets 0114-0117) for office employees of Councilors Culpepper and Pepén.

Adjournment in Memory:

• Judge Michael Flaherty: Remembered by Councilor Flynn as a Navy veteran and dedicated community mentor.
• Joseph Eubanks Jr.: Uplifted by Councilors Louijeune and Culpepper for his advocacy in Roxbury.
• Judge Leslie Harris: Recognized by Councilor Culpepper for his service on the bench in Roxbury.
• John Axelrod: Mourned by Councilor Durkan as a prominent art collector and philanthropist killed in a recent hit-and-run.