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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?

Brayden, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, and Worrell. Thank you.

I've been informed by the clerk that a quorum is present. Now, it is my pleasure to introduce this week's clergy, Reverend Art Gordon, who will be providing our invocation. And after the invocation, we will be reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Reverend Art J. Gordon is a fourth generation pastor and faith leader. Born and raised in Georgia, he graduated from Savannah State University before moving to Boston to pursue his Master of Divinity at Boston University School of Theology. where he distinguished himself as a recipient of the Donald A. Wells Prize for Preaching. In 2017, he became the youngest elected pastor in the history of St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Roxbury. where he launched a community scholarship fund and guided the congregation through its role as both a COVID testing and vaccination site.

A committed voice at the intersection of faith and public life, Reverend Gordon has served as senior advisor to Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and worked as a director of community engagement in the office of Governor Maura Healey. His civic and professional contributions have earned recognition, including the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce's Top 10 Outstanding Young Leaders Award. and a new Leaders Council Fellow and Seminarian Fellow with the fellowships at Auschwitz for the study of professional ethics. He is now a Doctor of Ministry candidate at Boston University, focusing on transformational leadership, also where MLK got his Reverend Gordon brings to People's Baptist Church a deep belief in the power of faith, community, and public engagement to drive meaningful systemic change. I had the honor of being present for his installation at People's Church in Roxbury along with everybody who was there. If you have not had the pleasure of hearing from Reverend Gordon,

I challenge you to hear him, one of his sermons. He brings his full self to the work. He's also incredibly funny. And so you would be in for a treat whenever you get to visit him at People's Baptist in Roxbury. We have the pleasure of having him here today with us. Reverend Gordon, you have the floor.

Thank you, Counselor. Will you all join with me in a word of prayer? Oh God, we give thanks for this brand new day. We thank you for another opportunity to gather as citizens, to gather as residents, and to gather as people concerned with the progress of our city, our community, and our world. We thank you for this great city founded in 1630, a home and a place of revolution, of possibilities, and a brighter future. And we thank you for an opportunity to meet to discuss that work going forward. We know there are many challenges in our world today. Many challenges on every street corner, in our classrooms, and even in our houses and homes. But we know that you are with us.

We thank you for this final council meeting. led by Council President Brucie Louijeune. We thank you for the work that has been already done but the much work that we have ahead to make this city more inclusive, to make it safer and more equitable for all. And for that, we ask that you would be with us as we seek that as our mission. In your name we pray, amen.

We will now recite the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Under God, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice. Thank you, Reverend Gordon, for your invocation and for all that you do for the residents of this city and the Commonwealth. Can't wait to continue watching you lead People's Baptist Church in Roxbury. We are now moving on to presentations. Today we will have two presentations. One from Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata honoring Ariane Sun and Sophia Hennessy from Boston Latin School, a school I've heard of. and the other from myself honoring Immigrant Family Service Institute. Councilor Coletta Zapata, you have the floor.

Good afternoon, everybody. I am so proud to be joined by two of the city's best and brightest. And they're not even 18 years old yet. Is that right? How old are you guys? 17. 17 and 17. OK. So really excited to honor their work as part of Novasta. So these two exceptional, yes, Boston Latin School students have exemplified leadership, vision, and compassion and have transformed how our city thinks about food recovery and access. As you all know, reducing food waste and expanding food access has been a top priority of mine as Councillor. When Ariana was a ward fellow for Governor Healey's office, I met with them and I talked about our work with the Food Recovery Ordinance and how to mitigate the devastating impacts of SNAP, the cuts to SNAP from this federal administration. True to her go-getter spirit, Arianna immediately followed up to learn more and offered to support our efforts.

That's when I first learned about the remarkable work she and Sophia have built through Novasa, which is a student-led organization that rescues surplus food and redirects it directly to communities in need. By partnering with local restaurants and coordinating volunteer deliveries to shelters and directly to residents, they have mobilized over 300 volunteer students. So just imagine every single day as a student going to school and then dedicating almost every single weekday and sometimes weekends of picking up food that has been rescued and delivering it directly to our community benefit organizations. They have provided, I have 8,500 meals here, but I was told today that they have delivered 15,000 meals. Just them and the 300 volunteers that they oversee.

So as founders of this organization, these brilliant young women have taken what it means to begin as a small school initiative and grow it into a broader network of students committed to reducing food waste and finding hunger. Their model is simple yet powerful. Turn excess into access. And I'm so proud that they're here today. I'm gonna let them say a few words and then I'll present some citations to them.

Good morning, my name is Arianna Sun and I want to thank City Councilor Coletta Zapata for this recognition and her work towards food access and also uplifting youth advocacy. I think young people notice so much within our communities. We see the gaps, the inequities, and the needs of the people around us. And too often, we're told that when we see a problem that there's not much we can do about it. But that's exactly the stereotype that my organization Novasta works to break. My grandfather survived the Great Chinese Famine in losing almost half of his siblings to hunger. And so growing up, I was always taught to never waste food. And Novasta began in a really simple moment. I was walking home after volunteering at a local food kitchen. And on my way, I passed restaurants where bags and bags of perfectly good food was being thrown out. And all I could think about were the people that I had just served, the people who needed that food.

Now we started out as a really small club at Boston Latin School and we used social media, we talked to our friends and presented anywhere we could. And suddenly students across Massachusetts were starting chapters. Slowly over time our organization spread across the country from New York to Maryland to California as those students were witnessing the same problems in their own communities. Now Boston has always been a city that leads, a city of innovation and progress, and we believe that food recovery and youth leadership can be the next chapter in that legacy. I hope that Novasta can stand as proof that young people are not only aware of the challenges around us, but that we are fully capable of creating meaningful and tangible changes in the communities we care about. Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Sophia Hennessy, and I would like to say a huge thank you to the Boston City Council for recognizing our efforts. And I'd like to say thank you to Councillor Coletta Zapata, for recognizing the importance of our mission and for her dedication to furthering our goals. When Ariana first put forth the concept of Novasta a few years ago, I did some research about the statistics of food waste and food insecurity within our own city and our own state. And I was stunned to learn that about one-third of households across Massachusetts face some level of food insecurity, whilst our state simultaneously throws away over a million tons of food each year. As I've lived in two countries outside of the United States, I've seen that the consequences of food waste and food insecurity are prevalent in all communities around the world.

This is why it has been immensely inspirational to connect with people all across the city of Boston and all across the nation who are passionate and like-minded in addressing these issues, whether they be high school students or adults at professional and legislative levels. Through serving communities around Boston and learning about the struggles people face due to food insecurity, Through advocating for policy change and through encouraging other young people to take a stand against these issues, I have seen that each individual has the ability to create a positive impact. However, I've also seen that there's more continuous work to be done in order to help our city grow. Ariana and I, as well as all other members of Novasta, will continue to encourage more youth to get involved in this widespread cause. We're grateful to see that our city is innovating so many amazing ways to decrease food waste and alleviate hunger. Thank you for allowing us to be present today.

I don't know about everybody else, but in these times, it is really difficult to find hope in this work, in meeting with them and seeing What they've done makes me hopeful for the future, especially if this world is in the hands of folks like Ariana and Sophia. So I just want to say thank you so much. The urgency is here and your work has never been more important than ever. So with that, I wanted to provide a couple of citations if you folks want to join me right up here. The first is to both Arianna and we'll also do Sophia too, in recognition of your extraordinary leadership in founding Novasta, a student-led food recovery initiative that transforms excess into access. mobilizes youth across Boston and beyond and has delivered thousands of meals to residents in need. Your dedication to sustainability, community care, and food justice exemplifies the very best of Boston's young leaders and inspires our city to fill the gaps in food access and to build a more equitable future.

And be it further resolved that this resolution be duly signed by the President of the City Council and attested to in a copy thereof transmitted by the Clerk of the City of Boston. Congratulations both of you.

Thank you so much.

I'd like to welcome my colleagues up for a quick photo. Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Oh,

Thank you.

OK, thank you so much to Councilor Coletta Zapata. Thank you to Arianna and to Sophia for the great work that you've done. on behalf of the residents of the city and in standing in the gap for so many of us. As many of you know, today is my last meeting as the president of the Boston City Council. and it's been a great honor to represent this body. And as many of you see on the agenda, I filed a resolution condemning The cuts to TPS for almost 500,000 legal Haitian residents who live here, who have mortgages here, who are Our brothers and sisters, our neighbors, our workers everywhere.

If you have parents who are aging and who have ever had a home health care worker and they've been of Haitian descent, very likely that they've had temporary protected status. As I exit this dais, it was really important for me to continue to uplift the work of the Immigrant Family Services Institute. So I'd like to ask Dr. Garbo to come forward. On Thanksgiving Day, I received a text from a constituent who asked me what she should do because she's been in this country since 2010 and that this is her home. She has a mortgage, she has a son, and she has no idea what she's going to do Come February when TPS is cut. The harm of this administration continues, and it's really easy to become despondent and to sit in despair. But there are people and organizations who

are a bright light in these difficult moments for so many of our residents. A number of us were stood together with a union's 32BJ last week in the National TPS Committee as we condemned what's going on to our immigrant communities, to our Somali community, Haitian community, Mexicans, Latinos, everyone who has been the subject of the vitriol and the hatred and the xenophobia of this administration. So I just wanted to uplift you because I know that the burden is heavy. that the burden is going to get even heavier. And I just want you to know that we stand with you as a body. As president of the council or not, I stand with the Haitian community all the time. and I just want to recognize you and the work that IFSI is doing to provide so much information to so many of our immigrants, Haitians and non-Haitians alike.

So I just wanted to show you how much I appreciate you. I call Dr. Gabo my fellow combatant. which means she is my fellow fighter. I could not do this work without Dr. Gabo. And so I'm so grateful to have you here. I'm so grateful for the way that you pour into me and in reverse. I have this citation on behalf of the Boston City Council. But I also have these flowers that I would like to give you on behalf of the Boston City Council.

Thank you so much. You know, I called my president. Thank you for your continued support. And thank you to each and every one of you in this room who day in and day out continues to fight for our immigrant communities. I have tears in my eyes because, again, knowing that this fight, it's a real one, it's one that We live every second, not every minute, every second of our lives, we live that fight. And for us to reach a point where our immigrants represent You know, the backbone of this country, the backbone of this community to be treated Thank you. Thank you.

Less wanted, like, you know, that we are, you know, all of those kind of, you know, negative, you know, attribute that is putting on us. So it's a very tough time for all of us. And I thank you for standing in solidarity with us and for fighting alongside, because again, Our immigrants rely on us. They depend on us for them to have a voice. They depend on us for them to feel that they are safe. And for the work that all of you do every day, I want to really, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your support. And thank you, Woodsy, for being such a light to the entire community. And whenever something is happening, I can quickly text Woodsy and say, this is happening. What do we do? And before we know it, She makes the phone call, she comes to the office, and then she's with us. So again, I have no words to say how grateful I am for your continued support.

And I know the next president will stand the same way that you have done side by side with our communities. So to help us fight this evil, evil attack on our communities. So let's stay strong. Let's remain positive. Because at the end of the day, we know light always shines in the darkness. and because we are light, our light will always, always shine. So thank you so much, everyone.

I'm going to read this resolution. This is an official resolution presented by Council President Ruzui Zhen. Be it resolved that the Boston City Council extends its congratulations to the Immigrant Family Services Institute in recognition of your compassionate service, steadfast advocacy, commitment to opportunity, dignity, and belonging that has had a transformative impact on countless immigrant families and communities across Boston. Thank you. If I could ask my colleagues to come up for a photo.

Thank you everyone.

But I didn't mention, as much there is a lot of despair and uncertainty and fear, there's also a lot of joy because, as I've stated here, Haiti made the World Cup, and so we will be playing at the Boston Stadium next year. holding a lot of space for both grief and joy. Thank you. Before we move on to the first order of business, I ask you to indulge me while I have my family here. I wanted to save this for the end, but just to give some remarks on my final day as Council President. It provides for a moment of tremendous reflection. And I'm so proud of what this body has achieved together and the ways that we've grown in service to the people of the City of Boston. Each of you approaches this work with seriousness and a deep commitment.

You chair committees, you lead important conversations, and bring forward legislation that speaks to the needs of people. Thank you for your service, your passion, and your wavering dedication to the residents we represent. A very big heartfelt thank you to Central staff. You are the backbone of Council operations and it has been an honour working so closely with you to ensure this body runs smoothly. A big shout out to Michelle. Michelle are you here? Michelle can you come forward? I know you can hear me. She's always in her office. Is she coming?

Can you, yeah.

There's a bit of a delay on the live stream that she's watching in her office. There you go. Michelle, I just wanted to say thank you to you and to all of Central staff for all of the incredible work. Michelle has really been my right hand, to Megan, to Meg, to Shane, to Candace, to Lorraine, to Arnita, to Ron, to Ethan, to Cora, to Karishma, To Juan and to our interns, I want to say thank you. You all steer this ship. There's no clapping technically in chambers. And hats off to Arnita for always trying her best to keep us safe. Getting past her is like entering Fort Knox.

Thank you to the entire team in the clerk's office, to Alex, to Ellen, to Dossie for showing up every week and ensuring our meetings run smoothly. I have some chocolates for

The Clerk's Office.

and thank you to everyone working in the office who keeps our city moving efficiently every single day. While I may not have the opportunity to ask you for your happy and crappy every week, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to learn about you and your lives these past couple of years. We start our Wednesday pre-council meetings with happies and crappies. Good thing, bad thing. Together we championed better workspaces and resources for central and council staff. We've prioritized improving working conditions and modernizing the internal support systems that help you do your jobs effectively. We oversaw the hiring process for a new human resources manager. We expanded gender-neutral bathrooms to further affirm our commitment to belonging. We now also thank you to Emily, my front, backs, and side. We now have our new council sweatshirts, and thank you to Samantha and Councilor Durkan's office. so that all Council staff can proudly wrap the tremendous work that each and every one of you do every single day.

And yes, we built a Council Nook, a small but meaningful upgrade that has created space for community with our workplace. and I want to thank again Emily for spearheading that project and for creating our monthly Council Chronicles. Beyond the day-to-day work, I have cherished the moments that reminded us we are more than colleagues. Team bonding activities like Council Friendsgiving, the rock climbing outing at the beginning of last year at the Phoenix, writing Valentine's Day cards for seniors, and even bringing Wally and Tessie trick-or-treating throughout the council offices. These are memories that made our time together joyful, human, and real. I also want to thank those who came before. You'll see on the agenda today, we are honoring, file a resolution to honor Thomas Irving Atkins, the first African-American person elected at large to this body and a pioneering Civil Rights Advocate.

His legacy is a reminder that our work is far from finished and that closing the racial wealth and opportunity gaps in Boston require continued commitment, accountability, and action. We owe it to every resident to ensure that they have the tools, access, and support to thrive. and Build Generational Wealth for Their Families and Communities. And to honor former Council President Gabrielle Pomonti, a steadfast champion for neighborhoods and working families, I want to thank Former City Council President and now Register of Deeds Stephen Murphy for working together and urging us to do this. We are ensuring that the Council honors what the Council's past and its commitment to a more inclusive future. It's a reminder that our work honors those who came before us and set the tone for those who will come after. And I want to acknowledge my own family who have been by my side as much as any staffer throughout the presidency. My parents who are here, my sister who is on her lunch break, two attorneys for my parents is a lot, but they handle it well.

I'm grateful for their dreams and their beliefs. for believing in this country. I think why I was very emotional earlier is because our stories would not be possible if we weren't a country and a city that welcomed people like my parents who came here speaking no English. and worked really hard for my story to be possible and I'm so grateful every day. Their journey and the journeys of so many of our families all around this chamber. are Boston stories and they deserve to be uplifted and honored and celebrated. That's what motivates me to serve with purpose, gratitude, and heart. They are my foundation and together with my friends, neighbors, and supporters, and the good Lord above, I stand here. I also want to thank Irene Landry, who is the mother of Tony Landry, who is now

SEIU interns and residents, she gave me these prayer cards and she told me to make sure that I use them in my office and before every council meeting I have read them. So I just want to thank you, Amy Landry. And to all of my colleagues, thank you. We all bring unique backgrounds, stories, and perspectives to this chamber. That diversity is the strength and the celebration of this body, regardless of who stands here as president of the council or not. And even when we disagree, we have sometimes found ways to walk through differences and advance meaningful legislation that improves the lives of the constituents we serve. At the end of the day, our number one priority has always been to be problem solvers, to roll up our sleeves, listen, and find solutions that move our city forward. So I want to thank each and every one of you. And I have a token for each and every one of you. that is currently in the process of being made. So hopefully by the end of the council meeting, everyone will have them. They were supposed to be on your desk before the meeting, but a little bit of a delay.

I want to thank you, but also it's really difficult for anyone to know what it's like to be an elected official, to be the principal. So I want to thank not only you, but I want to thank your families, and I want to thank your incredible staff who are often at meetings at late hours, on early morning emails who sacrificed so much for the residents of this city. It requires a lot of us time away from families, time away from ourselves, but we still show up and are committed to this work. None of this is possible without A good support system. To my own office, Emily, who is the head of Team All Gas, No Brakes. To Jesse, my policy director from the very beginning with me, Cindy, my constituent service director from the very beginning, Julian, Dora, Olivia, and past staffers like Hoden and Alana, and all of our interns over the years. Thank you for your tireless support, your creativity, and your belief in the work. And to the residents of Boston, it has been an honor of a lifetime to serve you

As president of this council, to hear your stories, to fight for your priorities, and to help build a city where everyone belongs. As I preside over this chamber for the final time, I do so with tremendous gratitude, humility, and pride in all that we've accomplished together. I don't take it for granted that every time I saw a little black girl in Mattapan or throughout the city said, you're the president with big bulging eyes. I want to thank God for keeping me, for giving me a spirit of love and of power and of self-discipline, a verse that has guided me to Timothy 1 verse 7, and for always protecting me. These two past years have not been without challenge, but they have been extraordinary. Let's finish strong today and continue working each in our own way to move this city forward. So thank you. Thank you. There's no clapping in chambers.

Okay, so now on to the first order of business, which is the approval of the minutes from the meeting of December 3rd, 2025. All in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed, say nay. The ayes have it. The minutes of the December 3rd meeting are approved. We are now on to communications from Her Honour the Mayor. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket number 2079?

Docket number 2079, message unknown, authorizing the City of Boston. to accept and expend the amount of $1,485,264.20 in the form of a grant for fiscal year 26 hazardous materials response team earmark grant awarded by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services to be administered by the Fire Department. The grant will fund the needs of the Boston Fire Department Hazardous Materials Response Team per line item 8000-0600. of the Fiscal Year 26 General Appropriations Act.

Thank you. This docket will be referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. Mr.

Clerk, could you please read docket number 2080? Doctrine number 2080, message in honor authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $1 million in the form of a grant for the Northeastern University Housing Stabilization Fund awarded by the Northeastern University to be administered by the Mayor's Office of Housing. The grant will fund Northeastern University's contribution of $1 million to the MOH for a cooperative agreement for the 840 Columbus Avenue project in Roxbury. Thank you.

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

Thank you Madam President. As Chair of the Committee on Housing and Community Development, I'm asking my colleagues to suspend and pass docket number 2080 today. As the Clerk explained, this grant is part of a public benefits package for the 840 Columbus Avenue Project in Roxbury. The project is the construction of a 23-storey northeastern residence hall with an active community-focused ground floor. and was approved by the BPDA Board in March of 2024. Under the terms of the cooperation agreement between Northeastern and the Planning Department, the University would contribute $1 million to the Mayor's Office of Housing within 30 days of issuance of the building permit for this project. These funds will be used to advance housing stabilization and wealth creation in the neighborhoods immediately adjacent to the project.

Distribution of the funds will be based on a mutual agreement between the Mayor's Office of Housing, North Eastern University and the North Eastern University Task Force. The parties have had initial conversations about focusing the funds on promoting home ownership among low and moderate income residents of the target neighborhoods. Given the time sensitivity inherent in the terms of the cooperation agreement, and my understanding that the construction of the project is advancing, I'm asking that we suspend and pass this docket to ensure that the Mayor's Office of Housing receives these funds in a timely manner. So as chair of the Committee on Housing, I respectfully ask for suspension of the rules and passage of Docket 2080. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Breadon, and thank you for bringing this forward. I know I've talked to a number of community members. like Reclaim Roxbury, community members in Mission Hill who talk about the universities needing to make good on their promises. And in this cooperative agreement, it does spell out These funds for Roxbury to the zip codes of 02115, 02118, 0219 and 02120 and 02125 to really focus on promoting home ownership among low and moderate income residents in Roxbury to help stabilize communities and make sure Boston residents can stay in and not being pushed out as a result of the presence of universities. So I think this is an important grant for us to accept. And I want to thank you, Madam Chair, for putting it forward. The chair recognizes Councilor Flynn on the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I also rise to support this grant. I think it will help residents in Roxbury, in parts of the south end as well, other neighborhoods. but we need to ensure that we do everything we can to support working class residents, residents, seniors as well, persons with disabilities. Boston should be a place for them as well, not just the wealthy. I rise to support this talk. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilor Breadon, suspension of the rules and passage of docket 2080. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. We're now on to docket number 2081. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 2081?

Docket number 2081, message not authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $95,000 in the form of a grant for the Workforce Training Fund Grant awarded by the Mass Hire Department of Career Services to be administered by the Office of Workforce Development. The grant will fund programming to help address business productivity and competitiveness by providing resources to Massachusetts businesses for training current and newly hired employees.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Council Weber, the chair of the Committee of Labor, Economic Development, and Workforce. Council Weber, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. As chair of the Committee on Labor Workforce and Economic Development, I'm seeking suspension and passage of this docket today so it can be spent in a timely manner. It's $95,000 grant that would go toward the Boston Private Industry Council, otherwise known as the PIC, to support business and employer engagement through their two mass hire Boston career centers. The Jewish Vocational Services Downtown, and ABCD Boston and Nubian Square. I think we've done a great job the last couple of years Having hearings and getting these funds to the people who need them, who are helping people in Boston with workforce training to get back on their feet and find work. Just hoping we can continue in that vein and suspend and pass this $95,000 grant today. Thank you.

Weber, the Chair of the Committee on Labor, Workforce, and Economic Development to suspension of the rules and passage of docket number 2081. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. We are now on to reports of public officers and others. Mr. Clerk, can you please read dockets number 2082 to 2086?

Docket number 2082, notice received from the city clerk in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1979. regarding action taken by the mayor and papers acted upon by the city council at its meeting of November 19, 2025. Doctrine number 2083, communication was received from Scott Finn, city auditor transmitting reports Listing transfers made solely for the purpose of closing accounts for fiscal year 2025. Document number 2084, communication from Councilor Flynn regarding recent communications relating to elevator failures at BHA Ruth Barkley Apartments. And docket number 2085, communication from Councilor Flynn regarding a recent 17F order relating to the Boston Housing Authority Authority, Elevator Failures.

And document number 2086, notice was received from David Akin regarding his resignation from the Zoning Board of Appeals, effective December 6, 2025.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. You're looking to speak on a communication? Yes, I am. Okay, thank you. You will have two minutes to speak on communications. Councillor Flynn, you have the floor.

Last week, I discussed a letter to the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board regarding the frequent elevator breakdowns at BHA Ruth Barclay Apartments in the South End. The letter went to Administrator Bark, In my opinion, we have to have a serious conversation about what is happening at BHA elevator systems throughout the city, not just in my district. It's happening everywhere. But we can't be a progressive city in Boston without having that serious conversation. I know my colleagues have heard me talk about this for years. But this is an issue that's very important to me because it impacts my constituents. And my constituents in public housing are from communities of color, the persons with disabilities, the seniors, and I'm not giving up on them.

We have a lot of priorities that we want to spend money on in this city, but I can't think of anything more worthwhile during our time as elected officials and advocating for elevated access for our public housing neighbors, our senior persons with disabilities, immigrants, communities of color. I'll go to the second docket, which is my second communication to the Corporation Council regarding a recent 17F on the same issue. I filed this 17F on October 22nd, almost two months ago. For the record, the response came in at 11.33 a.m. today. I even had a chance to look at it and review it. But this is not an isolated case. I believe we have a number of requests now at this body that go unanswered for a significant period of time.

My colleagues may not agree with my strong advocacy for public housing residents on this elevator issue, but this is about respect for the body and transparency. More importantly, it's about respect for persons with disabilities This is a civil rights issue. This is a federal issue.

Thank you. Thank you. Councilor Coletta Zapata, are you looking to speak on a communication? Okay. Typically not allowed, but I will give you two minutes to speak on this communication. Clark, Mr. Clerk, Councilor Coletta Zapata, you have the floor.

Thank you so much. And I'm just up to quickly say thank you to David Akin, who is a East Boston resident and close personal friend of mine. Now leaving the Zoning Board of Appeals, and while I've been quite harsh with the Zoning Board of Appeals over the last couple of years in aligning themselves with Plan East Boston, he's been a steady and pragmatic hand up there. So I just want to say thank you to Dave for his service. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Coletta Zapata. Okay, we are now moving on. Okay, dockets number 2082 to 2086 will be placed on file. We are now on to reports of committees. Mr. Clerk, would you please read, you got some reading to do, dockets number 1400, 1409, 1548, and 1549 together.

Docket number 1400, the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice, to which was referred on August 6, 2025. Docket number 1400. Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $3,966,900 in the form of a grant for the fiscal year 26 Safe and Successful Youth Initiative Grant awarded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. to be administered by the police department. The grant will fund a comprehensive interagency strategy that connects law enforcement, employment, education, public health, and youth development agencies to reduce youth violence in the Commonwealth submits a report recommending that the order ought to pass. Docket number 1409, the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice, which was referred on August 6, 2025. Docket number 1409.

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $10,000.01 in the form of a grant for the fiscal year 23 National Violent Death Reporting System awarded by the Mass. Department of Public Health. to be administered by the police department. The grant will fund data collection by the Bureau of Investigative Services and the Drug Control Unit. submits a report recommending that the order ought to pass. Docket number 1548, the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice to which was referred on August 27, 2025. Docket number 1548. Message and note authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $4,125,000 in the form of a grant for the fiscal year 26 Public Safety Answering Point Support and Incentive Grant. Awarded by the Mass Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to be administered by the Police Department.

The grant will fund costs associated with providing enhanced 911 services. submits a report recommending that the order ought to pass.

Thank you. Oh, is there one more? Okay, apologies.

And document number 1549, the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice to which it was referred on August 27-2025, docket number 1549. Message in order, authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $528,156.32 in the form of a grant. for the Fiscal Year 26 State 9-11 Training Grant awarded by the Mass. Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to be administered by the Police Department. The grant will fund the training and certification of enhanced 9-1-1 telecommunications staff. Submits a report recommending that the order ought to pass.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. The chair recognizes Councilor Santana, the chair of the committee on Santana, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. So, Madam President, I would like to ask for your permission to speak on docket's number. 1400, 1409, 1548. I'm sorry, hold on. That is not part of it. The Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice held a public hearing on dockets 1400, 1409, 1548, and 1549 on Thursday, December 4, 2025. These dockets were sponsored by Mayor Michelle Wu. Dockets number 1400 and 1409 were referred to the committee on August 6, 2025. And dockets number 1548 and 1549 was referred to the committee on August 27, 2025. We're joined by my colleagues in order of arrival, Councilor Aaron Murphy, Council President Rusi Nguyen, Councilor Coletta Zapata, Councilor Mejia, Councilor Pepén, and Councilor Flynn.

Docket number 1400 authorizes the City of Boston to accept and expand the FY26 Safe and Successful Youth Initiative Grant. This grant was awarded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services to be administered by the Boston Police Department. This grant will fund a comprehensive interagency strategy that connects law enforcement, employment, education, public health, and youth development agencies to reduce Youth Violence, and the Commonwealth. Docket number 1409 authorizes the City of Boston to accept and expand the FY23 National Violent Death Reporting System grant This grant was awarded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to be administered by the Muslim Police Department. The grant will fund data collection by the Bureau of Investigative Services and the Drug Control Unit.

Docket number 1548 authorizes the City of Boston to accept and expend the FY26 Public Safety Answering Points Support and Incentive Grant. This grant was awarded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and to be administered by the Bothell Police Department This grant will fund the costs associated with providing enhanced 911 services. And docket number 1549 authorizes the City of Boston to accept and expend the FY26 9-1-1 training grant in the amount of $528,156.32. This grant was awarded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety. and Security, and to be administered by the Boston Police Department. This grant will fund the training and certification of the enhanced 911 staff. The committee heard testimony from representatives on behalf of the administration.

We were joined by Frank DeLuca, who is the SSYI Program Director with the Boston Police Department, we're joined by Lieutenant Detective Daniel Duff, Commander of the Homicide Unit with the Boston Police Department, joined by Christopher Magnusis, the MPA Director of Operations Division with the Boston Police Department. We are joined also by Ryan Walsh, Director of BRIC with the Boston Police Department. and we were joined by Maria Chevers, the Director of the Office of Research and Development with the Boston Police Department. The administration's testimony discussed the programs these grants will facilitate and their insights reaffirmed that Safety of our communities depend on these services. Whether they involve interagency strategies, fully functioning reporting systems, or dynamic 911 services, these services are essential These grants will provide the necessary resources for the continuation of this important work.

As the Chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice, I recommend moving the listed dockets from the Committee to the full Council for discussion and informal action. At this time, my recommendation to the full council will be that these matters ought to pass. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Santana. The chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. Councillor Flynn, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to recognize Council Santana for a very informative hearing discussion and thank the public safety officials and public health officials also for being here and explaining these grants. I had an opportunity to talk to Maria Chivas from the Boston Police Department about issues impacting women in domestic violence and encourage Boston Police and Boston Public Health to do more on domestic violence, supporting survivors of domestic violence, but also to have a comprehensive program as well. To ensure that domestic violence survivors know exactly what services are available to them. And we do have to have public safety in law enforcement that

The other issue I spoke on is ensuring that many people in restaurants are often at restaurants or a bar and someone will put a Thank you very much. and ensuring that violence against women is a top priority here at City Hall. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Okay, we will now take a vote on each docket one by one. The chair of the committee... Right, okay, great. The chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice seeks acceptance of the committee report and passage of docket number 1400. All those in favor say aye. Aye, all opposed say nay. The ayes have it. The committee report has been accepted and docket number 1400 has passed. The chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice seeks acceptance of the committee report and passage of docket number 1409. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Thank you. The committee report has been accepted and docket number 1409 is passed. The chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice seeks acceptance of the committee report and passage of docket number 1548. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Thank you. The committee report has been accepted and docket number 1548 has passed. The Chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice since acceptance of the committee report and passage of docket number 1549. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay.

The ayes have it. The committee report has been accepted and docket number 1549 is passed. Mr. Clerk, would you please read docket number 1972?

Docket number 1972, the Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency, and Parks, to which was referred on November 19, 2025. Docket number 1972. Message in order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $400,000 in the form of a grant for the Boston MVP Action Grant awarded by the Mass. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. to be administered by the Public Works Department. The grant will fund the Massachusetts Audubon's Boston Nature Center, a 67-acre urban wildlife sanctuary in the low-income neighborhood of Boston, submits a report recommending the order ought to pass.

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

Thank you so much, Madam President. The committee received information from the administration regarding this docket, stating that this docket authorizes the City of Boston to accept and expend an MVP action grant in the amount of $400,000. This grant will fund planning and conceptual design for restoration of wetlands along the Canterbury Brook at the Boston Nature Center, a 67-acre urban wildlife sanctuary located in the environmental justice neighborhood of Mattapan. The brook is currently channelized and heavily burdened by trash, sediment, and polluted stormwater. Grant-funded work will include site investigations, alternative analysis, robust community engagement, and the development of a 30% conceptual design for a preferred community-supported restoration alternative. The goals for this project include reducing flooding through restored wetland and floodplain storage, expanding safe access to open space in nature in a historically underinvested neighborhood,

and improving water quality entering the Charles River through natural storm water treatment. The grant funds planning and conceptual design only. Acceptance of this grant does not commit the city to future construction funding. At this time, it is my recommendation of moving this docket to the full committee for discussion and formal action. And at this time, my recommendation to the full council is that this matter ought to pass, but would love to pass the mic to my colleague from District 4. Thank you.

Thank you, the chair recognizes Councilor Worrell.

Councilor Worrell, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you to Councilor Coletta Zapata, for bringing this forward. This project resides in District 4 and the Boston Nature Center does great work. I was on a visit there earlier this year with my colleague, Councilor Pepén, and we got to see the beautiful nature center and all the trails. If you haven't gone, please go. But we also notice the work that needs to be done. And it was great to also be reminded that a vital community treasure actually lives inside of Mattapan. There was also a public meeting last night with my office and Councilor Pepén's office also attended related to a similar type of work that the city is going to be undergoing across other parts of Mattapan. Obviously, we as a city have a long way to go on resiliency and stormwater management, but changes to the built environment are going to be an important part of that, whether it happens on the Boston Nature Center's property or elsewhere in Mattapan. and I hope this study can engage the community and that we can get some long-term resilient solutions for the Nature Center.

Also just want to give a big shout out for Joel Richards who is doing a lot of work on bringing more investments and resources and attention to the Nature Center. Thank you. Thank you.

I just want to echo that. The Boston Nature Center is gorgeous. They need all the funding possible. I think I went a few weeks after you and Councilor Worrell and Councilor Pepén went. It is. I'm sad that I did not grow up going to the Boston Nature Center that we didn't know about it as a resource and it is stunning so I encourage everyone to go visit the Boston Nature Center and that this council continues to advocate for the restoration work that they need to do to get rid of a lot of the trash that is building up in streams and to create a more thriving wetlands. Councillor Coletta Zapata seeks acceptance of the committee report docket number 1972. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. The committee report has been accepted and docket number 1972 is passed. We are now on to matters recently heard. Mr. Clerk, would you please read docket number 2045?

Docket number 2045, order relative to the adoption of tax classification in the City of Boston in fiscal year 2026.

The chair recognizes Councilor Orrell, the chair of the Committee on Ways and Means. Councilor Orrell, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. The Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing on Monday, December 8th, 2025 to discuss target number 2045. From the administration, we had CFO Groffenberger, Commissioner of Assessment Aranello testifying on behalf of the administration. All the City Council members were present, including the Vice Chair of the Committee, Councilor Pepén, Councilor Breadon, Councilor Coletta Zapata, Councilor Durkan, Councilor Fitzgerald, Councilor Flynn, Councilor Mejia, Councilor Murphy, Councilor Santana, Weber, and Council President Louie Jane. This docket is about two actions that the Council takes every year. The first action is to max out the residential exemption at 35%. which Commissioner Arenado estimated would provide the average homeowner or owner-occupied residential parcel $4,354.74 off their tax bill.

The second action is to set the residential factor at the minimum allowed by state law. When factoring the residential exemption, these actions will provide the maximum amount of relief for homeowners under our current state laws. At Monday's hearing, we also discussed a number of financial issues facing the city. as well as the numerous tax measures that this council has supported and passed during this term that await in action at the State House. But today's vote is solely about providing the maximum amount of relief for our residents. This is an annual exercise and something that we do every year. And as chair of the Committee on Ways and Means, my recommendation to the full council will be that this matter ought to pass. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Chair, for holding this hearing in time to take the vote today. For many decades, going back to the early 1980s, the City of Boston has operated under a property tax classification system. And after Massachusetts amended its constitution to allow different tax rates for different classes of property, Boston adopted a split tax rate, taxing residential properties at a lower rate and commercial properties at a higher rate. And since the 1980s, the Boston City Council has taken the same routine annual vote we take every year. Each year, the Council adopts the residential factor and approves the residential exception. which Boston has consistently set at the maximum 35% to provide real and meaningful relief to homeowners.

This annual action is required so the Department of Revenue can certify our tax rate and the City can send out the January tax bills. It is a standard administrative step that the Council has taken every year for more than 40 years. It is not a policy change, not a shift in a tax burden, and not connected to any broader political debate. It is simply the continuation of the system Boston has used successfully for decades. I also want to be absolutely clear because there has been some unnecessary confusion among some members of the public. Today's vote has nothing to do with the Mayor's proposed tax shift home rule petition. The Council already debated, voted on, and passed that home rule petition last year or earlier this year. It's not before the Council today. It does not require another vote by us, and it remains at the Statehouse entirely in the Legislative's hands.

So let's make this perfectly clear for the public, the press, and anyone following this process. Today's vote is routine. Today's vote is the same one the Council has taken every year since the early 80s. Today's vote does not change any tax formula or shift, and today's vote has nothing to do with the Mayor Stahl home rule petition. This is simply the Council carrying out its long-standing responsibility so that Boston's tax rate can be certified on time and our residential taxpayers continue receiving the full exemption they depend on. In looking ahead to the new year and the upcoming budget season, we must commit to better stewardship of city spending. If we are serious about protecting already burdened homeowners, we cannot simply count on commercial property owners to shoulder more of the tax burden when they too are struggling. It is time to prioritize fiscal restraint and responsible budgeting, and I look forward to the work ahead coming up next year.

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

We have always chosen to take and collect the maximum tax levy and allowed revenue every year since Proposition 2 1⁄2 was enacted. We all should note that the recent study by Tufts University that came out in February 2024 saying that remote work has really hurt the Boston economy. I don't believe we have had a serious conversation on taxes and spending in our city. In my view, continuing to raise property taxes on homeowners and businesses is not the answer. It is time for us to demonstrate fiscal discipline, accountability, transparency, and positive leadership. I don't think we have been transparent with the public We need to have an honest conversation about our budget and the right level of services and the taxes to fund that budget. We had a discussion last night in the South End about this issue.

We can point to budget obligations and rising costs But we have also made choices the last several years where we didn't cut our budget. In fact, it grew 8%. We didn't do a hiring freeze. I think we may have hired 300 people. It's also time to reevaluate our pilot program. But I want all of us in the public to have a conversation about these budget issues with falling commercial property values and the right level of taxes and services. In my view, we need to do everything we can to cut spending and bring down costs before we continue to raise taxes on residents and businesses. Thank you.

I think the chair recognizes Councilor Mejia. Councilor Mejia, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you to my colleagues for showing up the way that you do. This is what it looks like. And I just want to go on the record during the hearing I talked about. The fact that BU, Harvard, Northeastern, Brigham and Women's Hospital, there's so many institutions that are occupying space in the city of Boston that are either They're doing business in the city of Boston, and they should also be a part of the conversation in terms of how we share the burden of our tax crunch that we happen to be in. And I know that there's some legislative work that needs to happen, but pilot reform Thank you. Thank you.

I think it's going to be really important for us as We recognize that we are taking these votes and these votes impact the entire city. And so we have an opportunity to demonstrate what it looks like when this body can work together. And so I'm looking for more of that in the next go round so that when we have these conversations, we're doing so in a way that centers the school responsibilities in ways that we have yet to see. Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councilor Durkan. You have the floor.

Thank you so much, Council President. This is an important step we're taking. It's one that we take every year, which is essentially this year to save $3 on every $1,000 of assessed value, moving it from over $15 to O'Neill. We have a lot of work ahead of us. We have a lot of work ahead of us. We have a lot of work ahead of us. We have a lot of work ahead of us. We have a lot Because I think if you represent Boston, you need to represent Bostonians. You need to make sure that they have an affordable place to live. And for young families and low-income seniors in my district, the lack of action from the Senate It has a ripple effect. It has a destabilizing effect. And I just want to point back to a letter we received from the mayor last year.

In order the tax shift that was proposed from the administration that we passed this council three times in order to provide that level of relief for this for city of Boston residents we would have to cut 2,200 jobs from the City of Boston. I have never heard any of my colleagues on this council I'm looking forward to the budget discussion next year because people show up in I'm here for residents. I'm here for hardworking homeowners who have done everything to build our city. And as we enter into these conversations, I really do believe this tax shift conversation has been a media conversation. It has been completely ridiculous, some of the things I've heard,

Our colleagues in government say to the media, so I'm not going to be shy. I'm going to stand up for residents. I'm going to make sure that residents in my district know that I'm here to stabilize them and make sure that they can stay in my district.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? I just want to echo what some of my colleagues have stated. This is the routine vote that this body takes on tax classification. So it's the routine vote, and there is a relationship to the home vote petitions that have made their way to the State House but have not gone any further in the Senate. It's because over the last eight years, residents have seen an increase in their residential tax bill. The CFO for the city, Chief Financial Officer Ashley Goffenberger, has a really interesting graph that shows you over time that there was a time where the split was of the property taxes collected by the city 70% were coming from commercial properties and 30% from residential. If you look at what's happened over time,

We're coming very close to a point where residents are shouldering 50% of the total property taxes that are collected by the city. That is what's creating an undue burden. and why the Home Rule Petitions went forward. Not saying that there wasn't going to be a residential tax increase, but to blunt the increase that our residents experience. That's why there is a relationship between this docket and the homeowner petitions, but this is the work that the body does every year because we're required to by law. Otherwise, there's a flat tax rate so that we can do the work of the city, pay for streets being paved, pay for streetlights, pay for our public safety, pay for our schools. all of which are incredibly important as we do the important work of and difficult work of looking where we can save costs of cutting down on

bureaucracy, which is incredibly important, of doing the very, very hard work of school consolidations, which will lead to more efficient schools which will also hopefully lead to lower costs. So there's no one thing that is going to solve this as we know from all the conversations that we have about different issues. It's a number of things, but I just want to make it very clear because there has been Missinformation or misreporting that this is the work that the council engages in every year to set the tax classification and the home rule petitions that we worked on is to try to blunt the effect of the tax increase that our residents who are too often house rich but cash poor can't internalize because of the cost of living.

I'm going to support this as I've done the last four years and continue to think about and to work with our colleagues in the State House to think about how we can reduce the tax burden on our residents. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Arrau, the Chair of Ways and Means, seeks adoption of docket number 2045. All those in favor? The Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means seeks acceptance of the committee report and passage of docket number 2045. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. Doubt the vote. Doubt the vote. Okay. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on document number 2045, Councilor Breadon. Breadon, yes, Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes, Councilor Durkan, yes, Councilor Fitzgerald, yes, Fitzgerald, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Mejia, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Pepén, Pippen, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Weber, yes. Councilor Weber, yes. And Councilor Worrell, yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Docket number 2045 has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you, docket number 2045 has passed. Mr. Clerk, would you please read docket number 1453.

Docket number 1453, order to submit a petition to the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy.

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

Thank you, Madam President. This docket is a petition, not a home rule petition, but a petition to the Massachusetts Board of Registration and Pharmacy proposing amendments to the Code of Massachusetts Regulations. It was sponsored originally by Council President Louie Jeanne and referred to this committee on August 4th. Under Mass General Law 30A, Section 4, any interested person may petition a state agency requesting the adoption, amendment, or repeal of any regulation and may accompany the petition with such pertinent data, views, and arguments. Accordingly, in response to increasing instances of pharmacy closures across the city, this docket requests that the board strengthen the Commonwealth's regulatory framework governing pharmacy closures. Specifically, the petition proposes amendments to 247 CMR section 6.13, which regulates pharmacy closures. The proposed amendments would require pharmacies to provide no less than 120 days advance notice prior to permanent closures

as opposed to the board's current 14-day requirement. We held a working session on December 8th, 2025. The committee heard testimony from Shugun Edwowo, Chief of the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. Dr. Bisola Ojukutu, the Commissioner of the Boston Public Health Commission, and PJ McCann, Deputy Commissioner for Policy and Planning from the Boston Public Health Commission, testifying on behalf of the administration. During the working session, the committee reviewed the language of the proposed petition and examined the public health implications of pharmacy closures and regulatory adjustments necessary to strengthen safeguards for Boston residents. We discussed recent data from the BPHC showing a significant net loss of pharmacies throughout the city since 2018. It was noted that since 2018, the city has experienced 41 pharmacy closures.

Admin representatives testified that such closures have disrupted access to essential medication, chronic disease management, and vaccination services, underscoring that pharmacies function as a critical frontline health care infrastructure for many residents. It was consensus of the committee that extending the notice requirement from 14 days to 120 days was necessary to reduce abrupt service gaps and to ensure continuity of care, particularly in communities with higher health equity burdens. In reviewing the language, the committee focused on making revisions that would improve clarity, enforceability, and consistency. Discussion first centered on incorporating a new municipality notification requirement which would obligate pharmacies to notify not only the State Board of Registration of Pharmacy but also the relevant municipal authority. such as the city clerk, the mayor's office, or equivalent city and town official.

Councillors agreed that municipal notification would better equip city departments and elected officials to alert residents, coordinate transition planning and mitigate the sudden loss of access to prescription services. Additional discussion address the scope of information that should accompany a pharmacy's notice including contact information for the pharmacist in charge, the manager of record and the property owner or landlord. As testimony indicated, that landlords are often aware of closure decision months in advance and can play a meaningful role in ensuring timely communication. The admin also recommended including information on remaining lease terms to support economic development and the neighborhood stability efforts following a closure. With respect to patient notice requirements, we discussed practical challenges patients often face upon pharmacy closures like finding new modes of transportation and navigating insurance obstacles, emphasizing the importance of robust regulations that give patients enough time to plan.

It was noticed current regulations require pharmacies to display a conspicuous public noticing or public posting at the pharmacy rather itself. However, the pharmacies need only attempt to personally notify patients of an upcoming closure. The committee agreed that language should be revised to state that pharmacies must notify patients and further that the proposed 120 day period should be understood as a minimum notice standard. The committee concluded its review with the intent to advance the petition in a new draft that reflects suggestions and recommendations discussed during this working session. So as chair of the committee of government operations, and everybody has a summary of amendments in their committee report, I recommend moving the solicited docket to this council for discussion and formal action. And at this time, my recommendation is that it ought to pass in a new draft. I just want to give kudos to Council President Louijeune as well as her staff for her work on this. My staff as well as Megan's for ensuring that this petition is fully reflective of the community's needs and ensuring that

The City of Boston is well equipped and protected should this happen in any given neighborhood in the City of Boston. Thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? The Chair recognizes Council President Louijeune. Councilor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I want to thank Councilor Coletta Zapata for Moving this forward, I want to thank my colleagues for being present and I want to thank the administration. This is a docket that really we've been working on since last year when this body first held a hearing about pharmacy closures led by former counselor Tanya Fernandes-Anderson and really working alongside her constituents to get this to this place. Because many of us stood outside of the Walgreens across from Boston Latin Academy, which the chair Shared is a Walgreens that, when she was in school, I spent a lot of time at. But it's one that means a lot to so many of our residents who were getting their prescriptions. from there. So following our working session and the report before you, I'm proud to move this petition forward on behalf of all of us. This is a little bit different. It's not a formal petition. We're not sending it to the state legislature.

We're actually sending this to the Pharmacy Board. urging them to engage in rulemaking so that they can change the notice period from 14 days to 120 days to give more notice to our residents when there's a pharmacy closure happening. and I want to thank Chief Irawu for being part of the conversation because an important addition to this petition is requiring notice to municipalities. Oftentimes, it's hard to figure out, OK, who's the landlord? What's the plan for this? Is it going to be a market? Is it going to be a market where we can maybe have some sort of pharmaceutical option? Having that notice requirement will also allow the city to notify residents and community members in the event that they don't receive the notice or something happened, they're at a different address and don't receive it from I want to thank the administration for strengthening this petition.

This effort arises from a growing pattern we've seen across Boston and the Commonwealth. Pharmacies closing with little notice, leaving vulnerable residents, too often black and brown and poor, without access to essential medication, vaccinations, or consultations. And especially in this era of what's Left is right. Vaccinations are critically important at our pharmacies, and we are seeing less of that with these closures. These are not ordinary retail businesses. For many, pharmacies are the most accessible and sometimes only point of care. And so I want to highlight something we heard at the working session from Dr. Basola Ojukutu. We have had a net loss of 19 pharmacies from 2018 to 2025. in 2024 to 2025 alone, it was 16. So we are seeing an increase. This notice requirement can also allow us to

We've talked on this body about cooperative pharmacies, about supporting different independent pharmacies as we do the hard work of medical costs that are rising and reimbursement rates that aren't sufficient. But these are things that we have to do to ensure that our residents are able to continue to receive the care that they need. This doesn't do that. It gives us more notice. But with that notice, hopefully we'll be able to have more interventions to provide more pharmaceutical options for residents. So again, I want to thank Boston Public Health Commission Commissioner Dr. Basola Ojukutu, Deputy Commissioner PJ McCann, and Chief Itowu. I want to thank Danielle Williams 5 million times because she stayed on us to make sure that we could get to this point to pass this petition. And when she wasn't hearing from us, we were hearing from her.

And I want to thank Adiranke Lepede, Willie Webb, who spoke about the importance of this petition. and I want to thank everyone at Prophetic Resistance Boston. I also want to thank our incoming District 7 City Councilor, Reverend Culpepper, who is someone I've met with about this petition. And I want to thank everyone who's working on this issue because it is a hard one. It is patterns of disinvestment in our communities that create pharmaceutical deserts. And too many of our vulnerable communities can't afford it. I look forward to following this work and moving it forward. And I want to thank the mayor as well, because with a petition, it doesn't necessarily have to have the mayor's signature. But having a mayor's signature on this, I think, will strengthen it and hopefully force their hand to engage in some rulemaking. I also want to thank the work of the Office of Pharmaceutical Policy and Analysis, Office of Health Resource Planning, because they've been putting out some really good research around the issues around pharmacy closings. So thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, could I ask a question either to the Council President or to the Government Operations Chair?

To the chair, if Councillor Coletta Zapata chooses to respond, please proceed. Okay.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I know we've... I know colleagues have mentioned pharmacies have closed and there have been studies about the impact it has had on residents, but has there been any studies on why they are closing in certain areas or neighborhoods. And is that information public? And do we know going forward how we prevent closures from happening not through a petition, But is there anything else that's happening that these pharmacies are closing because of? Is it demographics? Is it other areas? Is it access to transportation for residents that they can't get there? But what is the reason? that pharmacies are closing in Boston. That's what I would like to know.

Through the chair, Councilor Coletta Zapata, if you choose to respond, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Councilor Flynn. While I don't have the exact answer as to why a major corporation like Walgreens or CVS or any other are specifically closing, I would point you to a Boston Public Health Commission We did get information from the BPHC that discussed When they were closing, but then also when they were opening. I believe in this report that you may be finding some of the answers to the questions that you have. While we don't have specific data, we can anecdotally talk about it and I'll pass it to The Chair recognizes Council President Louijeune.

Councilor, the floor is yours.

Yeah, I mean, I think part of the reason, and we've talked about this a lot, like this is healthcare. and when you have a profit incentive in healthcare and you're not getting the reimbursements, pharmacies aren't getting the reimbursement rates that they would like, the preferred reimbursement rates that they would like for the prescriptions that they are filling, And so we see this happening in cornfields, in Roxbury, all of these pharmacies and the chain pharmacies that aren't able to turn the profit that they would like to see. This report has been highlighted by a number of different entities. So I mean, I'll read just straight from the report. It says, one way to prevent closures is through payment reform to ensure that insurers compensate pharmacists, regardless of whether they are independent or part of a chain. because independent pharmacies receive even less than chain pharmacies and they need to receive a fair amount for dispensing drugs. Insurers could be part of the solution by expanding preferred pharmacy networks so consumers have more options to find a new pharmacy.

Insurance could also cover medication for a larger number of days if a prescription is filled at a pharmacy that's about to close so that patients have more time to find an alternative Community Health Centers could contribute by expanding pharmacy services in underserved communities. So I think at the end of the day, it's a money problem. Query whether, and I don't believe it should, money should have such a role in what is a necessity, what is healthcare if anyone's had I mean, navigating insurance companies and medication is a nightmare. And so I think it's more of us finding out how do we support Thank you. Thank you. There are a lot of complexities that we probably need to hear from public health experts more about what are the interventions that we can do here in the city level. I know that Councilor Fitzgerald filed a hearing order on this.

and the conversation that we've been having will continue because these are hard issues. I want to support cooperative models for pharmacies. I want to find out ways to take out the profit model so that we can just do what our residents need is and make sure they get their prescriptions.

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

Thank you. Thank you, Councilor Flynn, for that question. I know I'm a patient at the South Boston Community Health Center, and they have expanded their pharmacy services, and many of our health centers across the city have. I know my new grandson is at the Ponsett Health Center. and before you know I would send it off to Walgreens or CVS but now you can get everything in so I think it's just a reminder that we need to continue supporting our community health centers who step up for all of our residents across the city. Thank you.

Thank you. Just wanted to say thank you to Councilor Coletta Zapata and Madam President for your leadership on this work. Also, thank you to the community advocates. for leading organizations and then also just to bring in this forward. My district has been hit hard by pharmacy closures and the residents deserve more than last minute resources notices when a pharmacy decides to leave. Also, you know, just similar to what Councilor Murphy said, I just want to uplift the work of our neighborhood health centers for stepping in and also acknowledge the work that my brother, State Representative Worrell, has been doing on the state level on strengthening notice requirements. Not keep letting pharmacies put profits over patients. And I hope this petition advances long-term protections for our communities. The chair of the Committee on Government Operations seeks acceptance of the committee report and passes the docket number 1453 in a new draft. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Mr. Clerk, can you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on document number 1453, Councilor Brayton. Breadon, yes, Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes, Councilor Durkan, yes, Councilor Durkan, yes, Councilor Fitzgerald, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Lujan, yes. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Pepén, yes. Councilor Pepén, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Weber, Councilor Weber, yes. And Councilor Worrell? Yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Doctrine number 1453 has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you. The committee report has been accepted and docket number 1453 has passed in the new draft. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket number 0161?

Dr. Number 0161, order for a hearing to explore amending the Boston Zoning Code to remove parking minimum requirements for new development.

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

Thank you, Council President Louijeune. I'm happy to report that we had a successful hearing yesterday on exploring eliminating parking minimums for residential development. I joked that I had saved the best for last, but in my biased opinion, it was truly one of our best hearings of the year. It was incredible to be joined by almost all of my colleagues, Councilors Santana, Pepén, Weber, Fitzgerald, Louijeune, Coletta Zapata, Murphy, Flynn, Mejia, and Worrell, and I received a letter of absence from Councillor Brayden. From the administration, we were joined by Devin Quirk, Jeff Thomas and Jim Fitzgerald. We also heard the panel of experts and advocates including Daniel Harish's, from Parking Reform Network, Henry Grabar, author of Paid Paradise, Jesse Canson Bentonov from Affordable Housing Massachusetts, Adichie Nocor from Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and Eric Robinson, principal and co-founder of Boston Bakes Roadie Architects. We also heard testimony from Councilor Burhan Azim of Cambridge.

The administration shared that they are supportive of the conversation but withheld endorsing the policy of eliminating them at once as they are doing this work as they go through planning processes. I pushed back at the speed of rezoning, though acknowledging a lot of work has been done. The data shared from advocates and experts shared that this isn't a silver bullet. One of my favorite things said yesterday was that the day you wake up after parking minimums are eliminated, The city is the same. And there was an acknowledgement that a lot of the built environment we have in Boston today was built without these costly parking mandates. There's a lot of confusion and misunderstanding surrounding this issue. The testimony we heard yesterday helped dispel common misconceptions and clarified what minimum parking requirements actually are and what this conversation is really about. eliminating costly mandates that force developers to build parking even when it is not needed, which increases rents and home prices for Boston residents. This reform does not eliminate parking.

It simply removes arbitrary barriers in the development process that slow down housing production and provides the flexibility to build what makes most sense for each project in each neighborhood. I thought it was really important that we also had experts in the room who actually work on development. So I want to thank Abe Menzen from Samuels and Associates. And I want to thank some of the other testimony we received. I also want to thank specifically having an architect on the panel, I think added a lot to the nuance. Hearing that an above ground parking space can cost $50,000 and a below ground parking space can cost over $150,000. I think was eye-opening for a lot of us. I understand that parking is politically sensitive and we definitely heard that yesterday. We all feel beholden to our constituents and making sure that we represent their interests well. Moving this forward would be about clarifying this conversation.

We must separate the issue of curb space from the unnecessary private parking lots and garages that aren't necessarily serving our city. Hearing from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, there was a great conversation about utilization of this parking. throughout the city. They found in their perfect parking study in 2019 that 29%, oh sorry, There was 69% occupancy in the buildings that they did throughout our neighborhoods. That means that even in environments where there are Essentially, developers are building too much parking and parking during the hours we're parking at night We learned yesterday that this reform is actually more popular among Boston residents than many assume.

We heard from over 25 people in public testimony and received 60-plus letters in support. The supermajority of the feedback was positive. AMA also presented Boston-based polling that this issue showed that the majority of Boston residents support this reform. We have convened time and time again to discuss the number one challenge facing Boston residents, housing affordability. Yesterday's conversation made it clear that eliminating costly parking mandates is a simple step that the Boston City Council can take to immediately progress on this issue. It also requires political leadership and maybe potentially taking some political hits. I don't know that all of my colleagues are willing to have that conversation, but this was just the beginning and I think that we heard, I appreciated a letter of support from NIOP, the folks that represent the commercial real estate community.

We know that residents and families are being pushed out of the city and that the cost of doing business in the city is too high. We know that we have a way to reform We have an easy way to reform this and I'm excited to reboot this in the new year. This work is urgent and Bostonians cannot afford to wait for change neighborhood by neighborhood or article by article. Yesterday's hearing was the start of a conversation. We know there are many conversations that need to be had about Boston's outdated zoning code. I hope that we can build consensus on this council and understand that we have a role to play in the cost of housing. Thank you all for your thoughtful participation and attendance. I look forward to continuing this work in the new year. I humbly respect that before the clerk does it at the end of the year that we place this on file since there's no other way for us to work on it this year.

Thank you. I will still say it will remain in committee, and then he'll do his thing. Did you recognize this, Council Member Murphy? You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Housing must be a priority, but eliminating all parking minimums is extreme and I believe ignores neighbourhood realities. Boston desperately needs more housing. We need more affordable units, more options for families and seniors, and more opportunities for our teachers, nurses, first responders, city workers, and working people to stay in the city they love. Housing has to be a priority if we want Boston to remain livable, equitable, and sustainable. But supporting more housing does not mean abandoning common sense. Eliminating residential parking minimums across the entire city to me is extreme. It goes far beyond modernization. It ignores how people actually live in our neighborhoods. and it risks creating new burdens for the very families we are trying to help. Boston is a city of diverse communities.

What works in the seaport or along major transit corridors does not automatically work in Hyde Park, West Roxbury, Alston, Brighton, East Boston, or Mattapan. For many residents, a car is not a lifestyle choice. It is a necessity. Nurses and home health aides work overnight shifts. Grandparents care for young children. Tradespeople carry equipment from job to job. Many workers begin before the first train and end after the last one leaves. Public transit does not meet every need or every schedule. If the city eliminates all parking minimums, which does not mean, even though there seemed to be some confusion yesterday that people thought it meant eliminating all parking together, that developers will not stop people from owning cars. They will simply stop building parking. And as a result, more cars will spill onto already crowded neighborhood streets.

That is not smart planning, that is not equity, and it is not fair to the families who already struggle to find a place to park near their own home. We should absolutely encourage transit-oriented development. We should allow flexibility where it makes sense. We should continue exploring policies that reduce costs and promote sustainable growth. But a blanket citywide elimination of all parking minimums is not thoughtful planning. It is an approach that places ideology above reality. A Better Path Forward includes flexible parking requirements based on transit access, incentives instead of mandates for low parking developments, Strong parking management plan for projects that reduce parking and real engagement with the neighborhoods that feel the direct impact. Our responsibility is to support housing production without creating new problems for residents.

We cannot do that by pretending every household in Boston can or should live without a car. Boston deserves policies that reflect our values, our diversity, and the day-to-day realities of the people who call this city home. And for those reasons, I cannot support a one-size-fit-all elimination of parking minimums in the city. Thank you.

The Chair recognizes Councilor Flynn. You have the floor.

Thank you. In District 2, I think probably 50% of all economic development and housing has been built in District 2 over the last 10 years than any district in the city. We have done our part. to build housing in the city of Boston. But we also want to maintain the middle class and working class families in the city as well. Many working class families do need an automobile to take their child to dance recital. They need to take their child to an after school program such as tutoring. They're just not able to take their car to take the MBTA to a particular location. Many people in my district in the south end need their automobile to go to work as well, including in Chinatown.

Many work at restaurants, and they get home late at night after the restaurant closes at 1 or 2 o'clock in the morning. It might be in the North Shore. It might be in the South Shore. The MBTA is not working. They need an automobile to get to and from work. Let's not penalize working class families. A lot of other people need a automobile to see their sick mother or sick father or a grandparent. Or a grandparent needs their automobile to pick up their grandchild that they babysit for until the parent comes home for work. There's all reasons, all different reasons why people need an automobile to get around and we can't penalize them for doing their job. They're doing the best they can to hold their family together, especially during difficult and challenging times. Let's not make it more difficult for that family

to stay together or the other option is to move to the suburbs because a lot of people will move to the suburbs if we continue to penalize families that need an automobile to get around the city or to get around greater Boston as well. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Pepén. Councilor Pepén, you have the floor for this docket that will be remaining in committee. Councilor Pepén, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I just want to rise and thank the chair for holding this hearing yesterday. It was a very informative hearing. I wanted to thank also the admin and also the community members that testified and provided testimony in regards to The topic, it was a very, I think parking is always that one topic that we all can agree that it's very, it's controversial just because parking really is an issue in the city of Boston, but when we look at the What this really means in regards to building more housing, it is an obstacle to build more affordable housing in the City of Boston. When it comes to the requirements, there have been many developments that have actually been stalled in the City of Boston. because of the fact that there isn't enough parking spaces, but that actually means that affordable units weren't able to be built. And to some of my council colleagues' point about families thinking about moving out because of a lack of parking, there are already families moving out because of a lack of affordable housing. So I think that this goes very much hand in hand.

Again, I do agree that this is not the silver bullet that's going to solve the housing solution for The City of Boston, but I do think that we need to continue to have this conversation in the next year. So I hope that we refile this because there have been already areas in the City of Boston where we have gone and rid of parking minimums. and we have seen an influx of affordable units or just housing in general being built because of getting rid of this requirement. Again, conversation is not about do we get rid of parking in the city of Boston, it's about how do we continue to reduce obstacles that lead to us producing more housing that could keep our families here while also thinking about creative ways. I believe Councilor Flynn has an amazing idea in the first hearing order that we're going to hear in the next cycle where that is a solution that could potentially fix some of the parking issues that we have in the city of Boston.

So I'm excited to hear about that idea as well, but wanted to just express my welcoming of this conversation because it's a tough one but it's one that we need to have in the City of Wausau. So thank you.

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

Thank you Madam President and I think I'd like to reiterate some of the points that my colleague Councillor Pepén made. The parking spaces, to build one parking space in a new development costs anywhere between $75,000 and $100,000 per parking space. And if you have 10 parking spaces, That's a million dollars right there. Is it? Yeah. Never mind. My math's not working. My brain's not working today. Anyway, it's a huge expense that really makes it to build housing that folks can afford almost prohibitive. And many residents, like we have buildings in Alston Brighton, they have parking spaces, and they're empty. because people choose not to use them because they cost anywhere from $250 to $400 a month to park the car. And people would rather have more flexibility.

They don't need a parking space. They don't want a parking space. and they choose to use other modes of transit. I really feel that we're not proposing to ban parking. We're looking to try and have a more nuanced response to the challenges that we have with regard to parking. First, the cost of it and how it amplifies the cost of building housing. But also, different types of populations require different types of accommodations. In Alston Brighton we've built a lot of housing that is transit oriented and we've been able to reduce the percentage of parking places in those buildings quite significantly. I think the challenge then is to try and transfer that savings for the developer onto the resident and make the housing more affordable in the end of the day. We need to explore parking.

With regard to our main streets districts as well, like looking at parking benefit districts, looking at how we can improve utilization of parking lots in our main streets areas, they're vacant all day, they're owned by banks. but find some way to indemnify banks in terms of liability so that folks could actually, workers in the main streets area could park in those spaces. So the parking conversation goes way beyond just residential parking, it goes to the whole The whole issue of parking across the city in different spaces and places so I really appreciate that we'll continue this conversation in the new year and We need to broaden it and look at it on a bigger canvas as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Breadon. This docket is remaining in committee. I know you are the chair of the committee. I am turning to you as the chair of the committee and as a sponsor to some final words, and then we are moving on. This talk will remain in committee for further conversations, but Councilor Durkan, if you would like to speak, you can do so now.

I think that some people, when they put their light on, they're respected, and some people are not. So I'm just saying, when I put my light on, I have something to say, and I think it's important. I heard a lot at the hearing and today about things that are not to do with the elimination of parking minimums and are not to do with eliminating costly parking mandates. So I just want to say in the new year, I think we should have discussions about all of those things. I also would love if folks who have Something to say on these issues would stay for the public testimony. I had essentially 25 people who are residents, not all of my district, all over the city of Boston, who had things to say about this. and they could not convince any of my colleagues on this issue because they didn't stay to hear them speak. So I would like to ask every single one of my colleagues to listen to the public testimony we heard. Listen to the people who would like lower cost of housing, would like parking flexibility. This is not about eliminating parking.

It's about right-sizing the parking. About 30% of spaces are going vacant right now. And unless my colleagues on the Boston City Council are actually willing to listen to the data, do the reading, and not read their opening statement when they stayed for 10 minutes of the hearing, I really think that this is an issue that requires care, requires nuance, requires us to actually look within ourselves and look at the data, be professional. Yeah so I just I'm looking forward to this in the new year but this is incredibly important and I just want to thank people who stayed and engaged with the actual conversation. I'm looking for that from every single one of my colleagues.

Thank you, Councilor Durkan. This was an incredibly important conversation. Thank you for filing it. Thank you for leading on it. I was able to stay and hear some public testimony. It did go late into the evening, but I support that. What I was saying is that for doctors that are remaining in committee, As always, the proper place for conversation is in committee. And so when we do the reports out and hear reports in committee, I believe in brevity for those conversations. But I take your point, and I do highlight the importance of listening to the public. This docket, docket number 0161, will remain in committee. We are now on to motions, orders, and resolutions. A reminder that pursuant to Rule 39, remarks by counselors at the time of petition, order, or resolution has been admitted and assigned to a committee for review, shall be limited to three minutes for the sponsor and two minutes for any other Councilor as their appropriate time for questioning and debate is at public hearings and working sessions. The Chair recognizes Councilor Flynn, you have the floor.

In recent years, aging elevated- Oh, I jumped the gun.

Mr. Clerk. Forgetting what to do on the last day here. Mr. Clerk, could you please read the docket into the record?

Docket number 2087. Councilor Flynn offered the following. Order for a hearing on building a parking garage at the City of Boston Municipal Lot on West Broadway and South Boston.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Flynn.

Councilor Flynn, you have the floor. Thank you. Over the last several decades, South Boston has experienced an unprecedented growth, with many large-scale projects having been completed and others currently in the pipeline. South Boston has developed into as much a destination for young people to frequent our restaurants and work in downtown Boston. With this, neighbors continue to call attention to South Boston's existing parking crisis, residents parking only being in place four nights per week. as well as sufficient parking and new housing developments and restricting resident parking permits of these new buildings to prevent overflow of cars. For years during budget season, residents and I have advocated for a parking garage to be erected on the West Broadway Municipal Lot in South Boston.

And now a proposal at the vacant former bank building next door would include 26 units and 20 parking spaces. while filling the critical need for a courtroom, offices, support space for use by the trial court. A place for a trial court in criminal justice system is critical in South Boston. To help address the demand for visitors in vehicle traffic to West Broadway restaurants, establishments, to the courthouse, the potential new construction nearby that may impact the existing municipal art in South Boston's parking crisis, I believe it is appropriate to begin a discussion on constructing a parking garage at the city of Boston, the municipal parking lot on West Broadway in South Boston.

And there are nearby examples for us to look at, including the South Wollaston Waterfront Transportation Center, the Massport Garage, which currently offers community benefits, including resident parking during snowstorms. I believe there are parking lots near Quincy Center that may provide discounted rates for residents also. It's something we should certainly look at with our existing parking issues. This is something I'm going to continue to focus on and we desperately need more parking in South Boston for residents, but also for the new courthouse and for businesses that are there. Thank you.

Thank you, the Chair recognizes Councilor Pepén. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I just want to rise again to mention that this is an idea that we really need to explore. A lot of municipalities across the country are using this idea. I think it is, going back to the conversation we just had, This is a solution to some of those concerns. It also provides support for our local businesses when people are trying to shop in our business quarters. Like in my district, we have Roslyn Square, Cleary Square, Mattapan Square, and everyone's always looking for parking. Everyone's idea is always to park right in front of the business that they want to shop in, but just walking a block or two, obviously, if you're able to, it's okay. And I think that we need to Explore this idea. I hope that we get to have a hearing on this in the next council term because it's one that I know works in other places and we can bring it to Boston.

Thank you. Councilman, I think I saw you had offered something or posted something about how parking at the strip malls or at malls and how that sort of, we should apply that same thinking to like when we're parking on main streets and I thought that was very fascinating. Would anyone else like to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councillors Fitzgerald, Mejia, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell, please add the Chair. This docket, docket number 2087, will be referred to the Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation. Did I not get Councilor Murphy? Can you add Councilor Murphy if she's not on there, Mr. Clerk? Yes. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 2087 will be referred to the Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 2088?

Docket number 2088. Councilor Mejia for the following. Resolution in support of comprehensive, transparent, and inclusive decision-making in Boston Public Schools' enclosure, and Reconfiguration Decisions.

Thank you, the Chair. I recognize this comes from here. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. And I'd like to advocate to have Councilor Murphy join me as an original co-sponsor.

Councilor Murphy is so added. Councilor Mejia, you have the floor.

Okay. So today I'm offering a resolution calling for comprehensive, transparent, and inclusive decision making in Boston public schools, especially as we face another round of school closures and reconfigurations. In just the past year, families across the city have seen the proposed closures of the Lee Academy and other course to college and cash, along with great reductions at the Henderson and Tobin. Earlier this year, the school committee approved the closure or merger of several other schools, including the Mary Lyon Pilot High School, the Dever, Winthrop, and Clapp. Nearly half of the BPS students are multilingual learners, students with disabilities, or both. They're very students who rely on the most stable, high-quality programming, yet families and educators continue to raise serious concerns

about how these proposed changes may disrupt specialized services, bilingual instruction, and nationally recognized inclusion models like those at the Henderson and Mary Lyon. At the December 3rd School Committee meeting families and educators repeatedly asked for clarity. Where are the approved inclusion plans? Are staffing models like two-year teacher classrooms adequately funded? What academic growth data is being used to evaluate the success of inclusion across grade levels? And just as important, Where are the transition plans? Communities have not received clear information about what happens to students, staff, or programs when a school is recommended for closure. There is no public accessible Master Facilities Plan outlining long-term enrollment projections and building needs or future school construction. We know that no new school buildings are expected to open until 2030.

Residents should not learn about school closures through social media or the news. Nor should they be left guessing about where their children will go This resolution asks BPS to release the data and criteria behind these decisions, providing a district-wide update on inclusion implementation make transition plans public for proposed closures and publish long-term facilities plan that centers community input from the very beginning. We owe our students, educators, and families nothing less Then clear information, meaningful engagement, and a transparent path forward. I don't think that we're ready to make a vote on December the school committee, so I'm hoping that we can delay that vote.

I attended the Lee School meeting yesterday hoping to get some answers, but what we were met with was a PowerPoint presentation with what the next 18 months of a transition plan is. And as a BPS graduate, a BPS mom, and a BPS agitator, I think it's time for us to really start stepping up on behalf of the families that we serve in holding BPS accountable. Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councilor Murphy. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Councilor Mejia, for adding me as an original co-sponsor and also for bringing in the community earlier today to Chair, Chair, Chair, Chair, and there is a need for building new schools and school closures and merges but the way we're going about it and telling families Last minute and not listening to their voices is not how we should continue to do business. And I just want to remind this body and the public that back on January 8th, 11 months ago, I filed along with Councilor Worrell Docket 0235 in January.

of this year, BPS closures and long-term facilities plan to talk directly to the administration about what their plan was and how we were going to go about it and how we as a council and one of my Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I guess we will file it again in a couple weeks and hopefully sooner than later can talk to the administration and I know things can change but we should have this body should at least have information and we're not also hearing about it on You know TV reports or social media when schools are being closed but looking forward to continuing to advocate for our students, for our teachers, for our schools, making sure that all students, no matter what school they go to across the city, has quality education and looking forward to that work. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam President. I just wanted to rise in support of the resolution just because another course of college is one of the schools in my district that's getting impacted, and it's always very tough Thank you. Thank you. I think that if the final decision is to close the school, we need to make sure that families, the students, the staff members, the head of schools have that support and clarity in next steps of what's going to happen. I visited the school multiple times. I was actually just at the school a little under a month ago, meeting with the head of school, learning about the great resources that they provide. So I want to make sure that there is that they have the support ready for them. And yeah, I just want to stand with them. So thank you so much for introducing us.

Thank you. OK. I'm going to try to go in the order. I saw the lights come on. But the chair recognizes Councilor Flynn. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to say thank you to Councilor Mejia for bringing this important discussion forward. This is about what's in the best interest of our BPS students and teachers. And I think what Councilor Mejia is doing is trying to advocate for those that really don't have a voice in in our city, and she's kind of that voice and leader on these issues and want to acknowledge Councilor Mejia. But I also remember when I was on the Council years ago, Campbell, Councilor Wu, Councilor Presley, Councilor Edwards, Councilor Savi-George. These are the types of issues that, especially BPS issues, they would be all over. They would be demanding answers from BPS. They'd be fighting for

constituents to be fighting for students, to be advocating for them, to be sitting down and talking to parents, to be sitting down and talking to parents over coffee. How do we support them? How do we fight the BPS system? But I am surprised that this body hasn't held a hearing on this issue. So the only way the public really has a voice is through the school committee. And the school committee is not appointed by is not elected by the residents of the city. So this body really is the voice of the residents, but when this body remains silent, so too is the voice of the residents. One person I spoke to today, she was a student and her school was scheduled to be closed. She has an IEP and she's struggling to find out what services and support are there for her.

You know, most of the students of color, I just don't think we can turn our backs on them and give up on them. We need to fight for them. Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councilor Breadon.

You have the floor.

Thank you Madam President and thank you Councillor Mejia for bringing this important resolution forward. The reality is that we know that we have too many schools, we have a declining enrolment, we know that we have to close schools and that's the reality. But schools are not just buildings. They are communities. And school closures are profoundly disruptive to our students, our families, and two staff. I would love to see more transparency in transition plans. I'd love to see more support for parents and students. Transparency and predictability are essential in this very disruptive time for students. In the grade reconfiguration process at the Gardiner Pilot Academy a few years ago,

They did away with grades 7 and 8 and those students had already been displaced from the Jackson Man two years earlier. So in the space of four years the students have been moved from pillar to post to two different schools without any support to the best of my knowledge in terms of Another course to college was incubated at the former Taft Middle School in Brighton. Boston Green Academy, and SE, it's going to be closed as well. I think really what I really hope that we can maybe have a hearing about this very important issue in the new year is to just look at what our families and our students need in terms of support and really to try and

have more transparency and predictability in the process because we know that we do have to close schools, but we should do it well. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam President. I want to thank the Councilor Mejia for bringing this forward. I rise because I will be supportive of this resolution. I definitely just want to echo what Councilor Breadon said. We know that we need to close schools. I think some of the issues that I'm hearing my colleagues talk about, whether it comes, I think when you're talking about our students who are learning English and learning different languages, students with IEP, I think this is the point of why schools need to be closed is to try to condense some of those resources and really enhance those resources. But I do believe in a transparent I believe that these conversations need to happen alongside community. Tobin is a school I graduated from, one that I really care about in my community of Mission Hill. I mean, it's on this list.

I'm hearing from community members from Mission Hill about how personal this is, how destructive this may be. And again, I just really want to rise to support this resolution and encourage and work alongside with the administration and BPS to make sure that these conversations are happening alongside our community members, our students, our parents and our teachers. Thank you.

Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councilor Worrell. You have the floor. Thank you Madam President and thank you to Councilor Mejia for your leadership on this matter and also thank you to Councilor Murphy. I want to start by saying these are hard decisions and tough conversations to have but You know, we must have them as a body to make sure that our families, our students, and our teachers are supported through this transition. But Councilor Breadon and other council colleagues have made this statement as well that the unfortunate reality is that many of our buildings are old, outdated, and simply not designed for the kind of exclusive, multilingual, modern classrooms our students need and deserve. Some buildings may have to go offline, but if that is where we are headed, then we owe our kids and our families and our teachers a clear vision. And what we are asking for and what families have consistently asked for is the full master plan, not school by school updates every few months, but the full picture. I think we need to see the whole plan at once

so we can understand why certain schools are being recommended for closure, how students will be supported, and how these steps can move us toward a stronger and more equitable district. We simply can't have our students bouncing around from one closing school to another. And with this wave of closures, we have about a dozen students who now have had their school closed twice. and I know that's something that everyone at BPS wants to avoid. We still don't have clarity on the metrics. or Rubix guiding these decisions. We all want better schools. We all want every child, every multilingual learner, students with disabilities, Every student to have a high access to quality, high quality seats but it's getting harder to get there without a full plan that the public can see, understand, and trust. So I support this resolution and hopefully in the new year we continue to have this conversation and that master plan fully transparent for the public. Thank you.

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

Thank you so much. I want to thank Councilor Mejia for filing this. I personally have attended workshops with BPS. Della Verne, who many of you know, I think she does an incredible job, where we actually went through an example We anonymized the schools and we went through an example of exactly how they make these decisions. BPS parents there there were residents there and sitting by school administrators so I just want to say this work is happening we might have not gotten you know a gold invitation to go to the some of those workshops but I found out when was happening in my district and I went. I think obviously the Tobin grade change is that is in my district. I care a lot about those students. I recognize that school closures are difficult for families and these decisions impact our residents and their futures. I also recognize that District 8 has less and many more.

I do want to make sure I'm having this Obviously, BLS. I have the new EMK Center for Health Careers. I have the Snowden. I have some of these special Boston Arts Academy. I have some of these specialty schools. But I'm not living like you are some of these realities. So I just want to say that Consolidation is important. I think that BPS leadership has put these decisions off for decades. And I am proud of the mayor and I'm proud of the administration for making some tough calls. because the reality at a time when we're having conversations about cutting the budget, we have a lot of empty seats. And these are realities that we need to face. and I just want to thank my colleagues for having this conversation. I also want to thank the members of the school committee because they do this work every single day and I know a lot of us don't attend all of their meetings but

because we don't have the time we are always out in community doing stuff ourselves but they really are having these conversations and I do want to encourage anyone if there are any more workshops go to a workshop sit with the families in your district that are there Trying to make sense of what these decisions mean because BPS is doing that work. I've seen them doing this work in my district and across the city. But I do support transparency. I support this initiative and I support more conversation. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam President. I just want to thank my colleagues who have spoken in support. I think it's really important, at least for me, To bring the voices of the people into this chamber, that's what we get elected to do. And while not everyone has the same experiences, it is not lost on me that as someone who grew up here in the city of Boston, graduated from Boston Public School. I'm a Boston Public School parent and worked in the education space for the last 15 years. I have seen and witnessed Time and time and time and time again, how BPS, regardless of who the leader is, comes into our neighborhoods with a new plan. And every time there's a new superintendent, there goes the plan.

And so we have a responsibility here on the Boston City Council, because we don't have an elected school committee, to really make sure that we're amplifying the things that we're hearing out in these streets. We have a mandate and my hope is that next term we really start utilizing our microphones in ways that really provide voice for the people that Thank you. Thank you. Creating more space for families who don't feel comfortable coming here to show up here and speak their truth in ways that this moment is calling for. So I thank my colleagues for supporting transparency

And as you know, I'm the chair currently of the Government Accountability and Transparency Committee that I created. Thank you to Councilor Flynn who allowed me to be the founder of that one. But I also know the politics that we're navigating in. And so this is going to be, regardless of whether I'm the chair or not, I will still continue to bring transparency into this chamber.

Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, could you please let Councilors Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell please have the chair? Mejia and Murphy's suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 2088. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on docket number 2088. Brayton, yes, Councilor Brayton, yes, Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes, Councilor Durkan, yes, Councilor Durkan, yes, Councilor Fitzgerald, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Flynn, yes. Councilor Louijeune, yes. Councilor Louijeune, yes. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Pepén, yes. Councilor Pepén, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Weber, Councilor Weber, yes. And Councilor Worrell?

Yes.

Councilor Worrell, yes. Docket number 2088 has received the unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you. This docket has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 2089?

Document number 2089. Councilor Flynn offered the following. Resolution in support of a Boston Housing Authority Elevator Safety Commission.

The chair recognizes Councilor Flynn. Councilor Flynn, you have the floor. One moment, one moment, sorry. Councilor Flynn, you have the floor.

In recent years, aging elevators at BHA Development have posed public safety concerns. Residents reported frequent breakdowns, being stuck in elevators, elevator skipping floors, prolonged periods of disrepair. There are increasing concerns that the conditions violate federal and state laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. Over the last three years, tenants at the Ruth Barclay Apartments in the South End reported frequent elevator breakdowns with multiple elevators facing long-term outages. In December 2024, residents complained that two of the elevators at the complex had been out of service for a year while another had been operating on and off since Thanksgiving. This year, due to an elevator failure on The Tuesday before Thanksgiving for two days through the holiday morning on Thursday, many residents of Ruth Barclay Apartments were forced to alter and cancel

Plans with their families, never mind the inability to go about their daily responsibilities like appointments or picking up prescription drugs during that period of time. On October 2025, the Boston City Council Committee on Housing held a hearing to discuss the status of the elevators at Ruth Barclay. After hearing residents shared that the broken elevators have caused them to miss medical appointments, other critical services, and difficulties making it to the bathroom, In one instance, it was reported that issues caused a resident to miss most of her child's funeral. Elevator access is essential for our seniors and Persons with Disabilities. It is imperative that BHA communicate these plans and protocols in a timely manner to residents.

I am calling for this commission to address public safety and quality of life concerns expressed by families in the BHA development. The commission may be comprised of representatives in the BHA task force. including BHA leadership, the Boston Fire Department, Inspectional Services, the Disabilities Commissioner, a city council member, maybe that might be me, and a representative from the Elevator I'm not going to do nothing when my constituents don't have access to an elevator. This is a federal issue. It's a state issue. It's a civil rights issue. and if I don't get this commission, if we don't implement this commission in 60 days, I'm gonna ask the state or the federal government to investigate the BHA elevator system. I think it's more important that the city does it I'd like to be part of that process

But I can't take a chance that the elevators will continue to be broke in violation of federal law, Americans Disability Act. This is civil rights. This is about persons with disabilities. I can't compromise on that. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to better understand how a city commission like this would overlap with the duties of the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board and the State's Board of Elevator Regulations. Both of these bodies are experts. The AAB is an expert in disability access and the State Board is an expert in elevator operations. We heard at the hearing I chaired in October that the BHA is in regular touch with both of these boards about their elevators, and they want to make sure that we're not creating a redundant layer of bureaucracy. That would actually be ineffective in addressing the problem. So I would like to object to suspension and passage today to allow this matter, leave it open for further study.

Thank you. Thank you. Councilor Breadon has objected to this matter. This matter, docket number 2089, will be referred to the Committee on Housing. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 2090?

Dr. Number 2090, Councilors Weber and Worrell offer the following. Resolution in support of HD4422, an act relative to property tax classification, the senior homeowner property tax exemption, and the personal property tax exemption.

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

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

Weber seeks to suspend the rules to add myself as the third original co-sponsor, seeing and hearing no objections. I'm so added. Councilor Weber, you have the floor.

Okay, thank you. This is a resolution in support of the Home Rule Petition, which would allow a temporary shift. Gesundheit, Councillor Durkan. You know of the shift of the split tax rate to allow us to go up to 180% for the next year and then 178% for the commercial We've passed iterations of this home rule petition three times. and we would last pass it in February, I believe. This would just slow the rate of increase of residential Thank you very much. An average decrease for commercial landlords of $200,000.

This would just slow the rates of increase and decrease and lessen the disparity there. We've gotten in response to our advocacy for residents is legislative trolling in the statehouse. Prop 2 1⁄2 restricts our ability to raise our own taxes and essentially requires us to limit that on a yearly basis. What we have now is after nine months of having our home rule petition in the State House, We've got no vote on our home rule instead. Now we're being told that they are going to bring forward two Senate-led measures for consideration.

What I look at those measures, what they would do is essentially restrict further our ability to decide how we're going to raise revenue in our city and would require us, instead of making adjustments, would require us to cut and many more. Thank you. Thank you. I hope we can join together. Again, we supported this three times. We'll just send a message to the Statehouse so that we would like them to pass our home rule petition. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Councilor Weber. The chair recognizes Councilor O'Reilly on the floor.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you, Council Weber, for adding me as a sponsor. I'm proud of the work that we have done on this council for standing up to fight for residents in this tax fight for this term. We even sent up a standalone bill to expand the senior tax exemption. We're even waiting for that to pass at Beacon Hill. We were at least the first city to expand the veterans property tax exemption last summer. and as we end this session I can't say that there's not a day that's gone by during this term where I haven't been thinking about taxes and how we can solve this issue for our city. I've offered a long-term solution and I look forward to discussing and to dive deeper into that plan next year, which will reclassify our larger income generating apartment buildings that are pulling in millions of dollars in rents as the commercial businesses that they are. as well as create a new affordable housing exemption to incentivize and preserve naturally affordable housing in all of our neighborhoods.

I urge us today to continue to stay informed on this tax issue, to continue to educate the public to continue to first and foremost put our residents first in this tax fight. Thank you.

Thank you. And thank you to Council Weber for adding me. Thank you to Councilor Rao for the words. I just want to say ditto. I think I spoke a bit to this earlier. It's incredibly important that we're Find. We do something to provide relief to our homeowners who are really struggling. So thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Flynn. You have the floor.

Raising property taxes significantly on homeowners and businesses is not the answer. It's time to demonstrate fiscal discipline, accountability, transparency, and positive leadership. With falling commercial property values, the city, over 70% relying on property taxes, 50% of our land is absorbed by large nonprofits, the pilot program. We have long-term fiscal issues to address. The current status is not sustainable. The Chamber of Commerce also cautioned that 8% budget growth while also increasing the commercial tax burden would exasperate those issues for already struggling downtown businesses. The Boston Municipal Research Bureau offered their own recommendations, including tapping the city's reserve funds, controlling the budget, and school spending. Reviewing employee levels, revenue diversification, surplus property, increasing residential exemption.

For the last two years, I called for the establishment of a blue ribbon commission made up of businesses, business leaders, labor leaders, government officials, relevant experts, and neighborhood organizations to address the issues of downtown Boston office vacancies and our revenue concerns. which, and it was unanimously passed as a resolution by my colleagues in the city council on two different occasions. If we really want to help residents, we should lower the temperature in government. Let's not call out the State Senate. They are our partners. If we need something done, why are we criticizing them? I want to acknowledge the important work of the President of the Senate, Karen Spilka, Senator Brownsberger, Senator Collins, It's about working together. It's about respecting each other. It's about having a conversation.

Boston works best when we work together. I'm objecting to this, Madam Chair.

Councillor Flynn is objecting to this resolution. It will be sent to the Committee on Ways and Means. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket number 2091?

Doc. Anemma 2-0-9-1. Councilor Lujanoff for the following. Resolution rededicating the Thomas Irving-Atkins Room.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is a project that my office has been working on I want to shout out to Lori Nelson, the Chief of Racial Justice, Racial Justice Senior, Racial Justice Advisor to the Mayor. Thomas Irving Atkins was the first African-American at-large counselor elected here in the city of Boston, and he led during tumultuous periods for this city and for this country. He served two terms and championed social and economic justice during a turbulent and defining era in Boston's political life. I've enjoyed this project because I've learned so much more about him, someone who was originally from Elkhart, Indiana, who came here to Harvard to study, went to Harvard Law School, and became involved in Boston Civil Rights Movement. And so we are rededicating the Atkins Room

And that means making sure that the Atkins room is not just something that carries his name. I just wanted to just make sure we had quorum, and we do, okay. Not to make sure that it's not just a room that carries his name, but we also know and learn more about him and are able to honor his legacy and his contributions to the city. And he served the NAACP both as general counsel nationally and as our local secretary to the NAACP. So I look forward to continuing this work and making sure we're able to not only have the Atkins room here on the Boston City Council, which we have, but remember who it's named for and do a rededication. So I look forward to continuing this work in the new year. Thank you.

Thank you. Would anyone else like to speak on this matter? I just wanted to say thank you, Madam President. Thomas Atkins' legacy shaped Boston's civil rights history. And this rededication is just a reminder of the trail that he blazed for all of us. Would anyone like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councilor Breadon, Councilor Coletta Zapata, Councilor Durkan, Councilor Fitzgerald, Councilor Flynn, Councilor Santana, Councilor Weber, please add the chair. Council President Louijeune seeks suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 2091. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Docket number 2091 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, can you please read Doctrine No. 2092?

Doctrine No. 2092, Councilor Louieune, I offer the following. Resolution rededicating the Gabriel Francis Piemonte Room.

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

Thank you. This is also a rededication. We've been working on both of these on the same track. And as I said earlier, I want to thank Register of Deeds, former city council president, and Steve Murphy, with who we've been working on this, and another gentleman in the North End who has been a really interesting partner in making sure that we are able to honor and continue Piemonte's legacy. I'm not sure. His name is escaping me at the moment, but I wanted to thank him. Piemonte served the people of Boston in the Commonwealth as a member of the House of Reps. He was also a nine-term member of the Boston City Council. We have many of our meetings in the Pamonte room. And throughout his tenure, he championed responsible municipal finance, served as the president of this body, advocated for our police department, strengthened oversight of urban renewal, and did so much more.

Even after leaving elected office, he continued to serve Boston through his legal practice, civic engagement, and a lot of charitable and religious activities. and religious institutions. We have a lot of his old books and papers that are pretty much in the same shape when he was city councilor and and a lawyer. And so we're going to be thinking about how to rededicate the room and incorporate some of his papers Right here at City Hall, again, so that we could breathe life into these rooms that we use every day. So this is a tribute to his extraordinary legacy of public service, to his commitment to the North End, where he was born to Italian immigrant parents. and a graduate of our public schools here. So I look forward to the rededication of this room and making sure that we honor all of those who came before.

Thank you. Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councilor Breadon, Councilor Coletta Zapata, Councilor Durkan, Councilor Fitzgerald, Councilor Flynn, Councilor Santana, Councilor Weber. Please add the chair. Council President Louijeune. Seek suspension of the rule and adoption of docket number 2092. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Docket number 2092 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket number 2093?

Docket number 2093, Councilor Louisiana, for the following. Resolution denouncing the termination of temporary protected status for Haiti.

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

Thank you. I want I spoke on this earlier this is something that is incredibly important. We are going to see this happen for other of our immigrants. And if I sound like a broken record, broken record I will be because so many of our residents are going to suffer. And it is going to be unnecessarily chaotic. We are wasting so much time fighting these xenophobic, racist fights. The vitriol, the viciousness towards Somali residents, Mexican residents, Latinos, Haitians, Basically, anyone who is not white is beyond problematic. We have a president who is welcoming Afrikaners here and closing the doors on people who are fleeing real political harm.

President, who is removing MLK Day and Juneteenth as holidays that allow for free entry and passage into our national parks. And so I will continue to denounce the harm because they are very real and they are very real and they're going to be increasingly worse for our residents. At the same time, there's a travel ban to Haiti. At the same time, Haiti's in the World Cup. And so there's a lot of moving pieces here. The most important one is we are going to see if this is not just announcing this decision that landed the day before Thanksgiving. It's also about urging them to reverse course because the impacts, we will see them and they will not be good for our residents and it will not be good for our city. And so I'm just encouraging

Those who are listening, if they are at the federal level, these are people who are members of our city, who provide so much to our economy, and they are residents here and have been residents, many of them for decades. and deserve to continue to call Boston home.

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

Thank you, Vice Chair, and I want to rise today in strong and heartfelt support of this resolution. I just want to thank you, Madam President, for your leadership as it relates to all things on TPS. Also, shout out many of our colleagues on this body, Councilor Mejia, Santana, Pepén, Breadon, and I've named folks. I'm so sorry. I know everybody here really cares deeply about those who are here legally under TPS because it impacts so many of our residents. In East Boston in particular, we have Not just my constituents, but neighbors and chosen family and family of staff who are under TPS that have had to flee everything they know for a better life and for safety. They physically could not stay there for fear of their life and they did everything that they were supposed to do. They've been here

They've been community leaders, they've been civic leaders, and they have put their heart and soul into these communities and building up our neighborhoods and to be just Put in a category that is is inhumane and hearing all the vitriol from this administration It is deeply upsetting and I know that it's personal for many so terminating TPS For Haiti, in the midst of the violence that we're seeing, the kidnapping and political turmoil, it is not just misguided, it is dangerous. And I just wanted to stand up and provide My solidarity to not just our council president but everybody under TPS status from Haiti and Our Salvadorian and Venezuelan families who know all too well the pain of waking up to an announcement that your status, that your livelihood, and your ability to remain with your children could disappear overnight. Our struggles are interconnected and when one community is targeted,

All of us must stand up and have to stand up in this moment. So I just wanted to rise and support this resolution and will always rise in support of our TPS holders. Thank you.

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

Thank you Mr. Chair. I rise in support of this resolution. Thank you Madam President for being such a steadfast and Strong advocate for your community, but also for all immigrant communities across our city. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said how incredible the incredible contributions that our immigrant communities provide. Speaking directly about the Haitian community, so many of our health centers, our doctors, our nursing homes are dependent on Haitian workers. I spoke to the president of BH Boston Medical Center in Brighton recently, and I said, how's it going? And he says, well, really,

Under stress because the Haitian community has been under threat and they're very fearful of how they're going to function without these workers. and really on just a very human level people should not have to live under this stress. The temporary protective status was established to really respond to and other countries that were under extreme threat, like we had the Haitian community. And these people did not come here thinking, This is a great opportunity. Certainly it is a great opportunity to come here, but they came here because they were leaving the country they loved to make themselves to be safe and to have a life and a future. And we depend on them, we value them, and We will support them. So thank you for that. And let's continue.

As you said, this is a tough road to walk, but we will continue to stand with our immigrant communities. Thank you.

Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councillor Santana. Councillor, you have the floor. Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair, and I want to thank Council President Nguyen for bringing this forward and just for being a true leader when it comes to not just our Haitian community, but for our immigrant communities. I think I want to piggyback off what Councilor Breadon was just saying. It's absurd that in 2020, we were applauding and thanking our frontline workers. And now in 2025, about to be 2026, We want to kick them out. And it's insane how backwards this is. It's a testament of the administration that we have on the federal level. And I just want to rise today. To first thank our council president just for leading this body on this issue, but just being a steadfast advocate for all of our immigrant communities.

And I'm going to be supporting this resolution and supporting all of our TPS. of Residence, and immigrants here in the city of Boston. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I also want to stand in support of this resolution. I also want to thank Council President for her leadership and representation of all the Haitian community in the entire city of Boston. When we see things like this happening in our city, it really impacts all of us. It doesn't matter what culture background we're from. It impacts every single person in the city of Boston because our community continues to be under attack. When removing the temporary protective status for residents from Haiti, what is happening is that the federal government has taken away their opportunity to even work here in the city of Boston. And now it puts them in a predicament where they don't know what their future is going to look like. And we just experienced something over at Fenyo Hall where people were doing the right thing to become citizens the right way and they were removed from the line before becoming citizens simply because of where they're from. And what's happening across the entire city and in our country right now

is that people that are trying to do things the right way, they're being harmed just by trying. And it's really shameful that our people right now They're being attacked simply because of where they're from. I represent such a beautiful Haitian community in District 5. They are the backbone of Mattapan, Hyde Park, Ross and Nell. I speak with so many leaders and Unfortunately, so many of them are afraid. They're afraid just because they don't know what resources they could provide. I was so glad that council presidents today honored Dr. Gabo, because IFSI is just one example of the institutions that do a lot of work to make sure that the residents are okay. But even institutions like IFSI, they're at ends meet. They can only do so much, and things like this is only making it harder for them. And there's one thing I also want to talk about is that, yes, we are city councilors.

And yes, we focus on city services and on everything. And there has to be room for that. Even the federal stuff that is happening down in DC, It impacts us, and it's okay for us to talk about both issues. I stand with the community, I stand with my Haitian community, with every single immigrant community in the state of Boston, and I thank the Council President for bringing this to the floor. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair. And I want to just thank Council President Louijeune from the moment that you walked into this chamber and was as the first Haitian elected here in the city of Boston. You brought so much pride and joy to the community that you serve with so much passion and conviction. And it has been humbling at times to see you In this space as you fight for our people. And I'm standing here Not just in support of this resolution, but also to name that as we continue to navigate these conversations, centering humanity is going to be What I believe is one of the most important ingredients to our policymaking.

You know, my two nieces are half Dominican and half Haitian, and so we know that The Dominican community and the Haitian community, there's always been that divide, but I have always stood in relationship and in partnership with my Haitian community every single step of the way. And this anti-blackness, Thank you. Thank you. I think that part of that work also requires us

to stand up and speak up even when we are afraid. And so we've done that, and we will continue to do that. And I want to thank Council President and Louijeune for your tremendous leadership in this space. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Council Weber. Councilor, you have the floor. Thank you. I just am proud to be on a body that supports this. would support our council president, who I just want to stand in support of this resolution. I think this really puts the lie to the notion that the Trump administration, as they say over and over again, Only going after serious criminals and is making our city safer by sending the ICE and the Border Patrol over the country. We're talking here about people who have lived and worked in our communities for decades under illegal status, TPS status, and February 3rd, Next year, that status is going to be removed. They're going to be subject to the same treatment from ICE and the Border Patrol that we've seen and we've been horrified to see.

In our own communities and all over the country on this manufactured basis that somehow these people are violating the law by just Living and working here. These are people providing, I think Councilor Santana said it, necessary services, vital services to our communities. They work for They're home health aides. They work in our hospitals. They work for our city. And now because of this heartless decision that has been allowed to All these folks are going to be potentially rounded up.

It's something that I can't believe that we're seeing in this country, and I think it's up to all of us to fight as hard as we can to protect as many people as we can during this administration.

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

Thank you so much. I got the same sentiments as Councilor Weber. Proud to be on a body that cares so much, and I think it's really easy In this time to become really hardened to really horrible things like I found myself just glazing over and many more. I remember reading the news articles about people being taken out of line at Faneuil I know what it's like to have your family deal with immigration issues But I also know what it's like for communities to come together and to be helping people with their citizenship tests, to help people learn English, to do all the things that we do every year to make sure that we're funding those correct things.

I just want to say it's so important not to become hardened to these horrible things because this is fascism. We're living it. This is not a small thing. This is racism. This is fascism. It's all of the horrible things that other countries have dealt with. it's happening here and as my grandfather lived under Franco in Spain I know exactly I remember the stories from my family and we're living it today and I just want to say that We cannot be hardened. We have to keep talking about it.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President, for your leadership on this matter. and TPS for Haiti is a direct attack on our immigrant communities. And as Councilor Santana and I believe a few of my colleagues said, these are essential workers and they will have great impact. I'm also grateful that this resolution points out and recognizes the very real humanitarian crisis Haitian space is still facing. as well as the extraordinary contributions that the community, the Haitian community makes to our city. Would anyone like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, can you please add Councilor Breadon, Councilor Coletta Zapata, Councilor Durkan, Councilor Fitzgerald, Councilor Flynn, Councilor Mejia, Murphy, Councilor Pepén, Councilor Santana, Councilor Weber. Please add the chair. Councilor Louijeune seeks suspension of the rules and passes of docket number 2093. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it.

Docket number 2093 has been accepted. Mr. Clerk, can you please read Docket number 2094?

Doctrine number 2094, Councilor Mejia, offer the following. Resolution in support of demanding updated cost estimates for the White Stadium project.

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

Thank you, Madam President. So I'd like to add Councilor Murphy as an original co-sponsor.

Councilor Murphy is so added. Councilor Mejia, you have the floor.

And I'd like to add

suspend rule 12 and add Councilor Flynn. Councilor Mejia seeks to suspend the rules. I add Councilor Flynn as the third original co-sponsor. Seeing and hearing no objections. Councilor Flynn is so added. Councilor Mejia, you have the floor.

Okay. So today I rise to offer a resolution in support of demanding an updated, accurate cost estimates for White Stadium. Throughout this entire year, my office has been very clear. We do not believe that a public-private plan is the right path for White Stadium. We have consistently raised concerns about civil rights, environmental, long-term public access, the financial risks that come with private control of public assets. But what I want to be equally clear about is that this resolution is not about debating the merits of the public-private proposal. This resolution is to ensure that the City Council and the people of Boston know the exact financial commitment the city is being asked to take on. Right now, we are operating with an outdated figure. The last public estimate was over $100 million

and we have every reason to suspect that the number has changed as construction costs continue to rise. Yet no updated cost breakdown has been presented to this body or the public. We cannot govern responsibly without real numbers. We cannot ask residents to trust a project with a price tag that is still unclear. And we cannot move forward with a proposal of this scale without a full Transparent process that lets us know what the city is on the hook for. And this is exactly why strong, independent oversight matters. This council passed a home rule petition establishing the Boston Oversight Commission to strengthen FinCom Yet that legislation is still sitting unsigned. When major public assets and hundreds of millions of public dollars are at stake,

The people of Boston deserve every available accountability tool fully activated. Whether someone supports or opposes the current plan, everyone should agree that taxpayers deserve honest, and Clarity. This is public land, public money, and a long-term public obligation. Before this Council makes any further decisions, we need accurate, up-to-date cost estimates and nothing less. This resolution demands transparency, accountability, and a complete financial picture so that the public is not being asked to sign a blank check. And again, I worked really hard in this committee and I am not sure what the future of my status on that committee holds.

But I will be remiss if I don't acknowledge the hard work of the public defenders, the NAACP, Emerald Necklace, and the countless advocates who have continued to show up and demand that their voices be heard. And we will continue to do just that. Thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Oh, right, the co-sponsors. The chair recognizes Councilor Murphy.

All right. Just want to echo. Thank you, Councilor Mejia. I know that many of the Residents, those directly affected were here this morning and I've been hearing from them from the beginning. And as many of you know, I filed many different hearing orders over this past year to get different types of answers on White Stadium. and want to continue the conversation, but we need the facts to be able to advocate effectively, so looking forward to that. Thank you.

Thank you, the Chair. I commend this, Councilor Flynn.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise to thank Councilor Mejia for the important work she's done on this issue. I think regardless of if you support the White Stadium project or not, I think we all can agree that The taxpayers should know how much city money is being spent. I think that's basically what this resolution is asking, is at least let the city councilors and the public know in the interest of transparency. That's all it is. And I do want to acknowledge Councilor Mejia's role as chair of the Transparency Committee and Accountability Committee, ensuring that These issues are heard and we actually ask tough questions at her committee. That's one of the reasons I enacted it.

because I knew it's important for residents to have a voice in city government, ensuring that residents can ask tough questions to any administration through their city council, through a particular committee. I understand that there's probably talk that the committee might be eliminated next year, but if that is the case, I do want to acknowledge the incredible work Mejia did on that committee over the last two years. Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councilor Weber. You have the floor.

Thank you very much. I stand just to point out that there are a lot of folks in the community who support this project. And I believe that some of the arguments being made against this project were not made in good faith. So it's kind of hard to cut through the noise. This is a perfectly reasonable request. I myself have asked the administration to produce numbers that were publicly available so we could discuss the project. I look forward. I look forward to getting those numbers and we can resume this discussion next year. But I will say that in light of the last couple years of Some of the advocacy in opposition of the stadium has just, I don't think has really been focused on the issue.

It's been based on misinformation and some of that willful misinformation. I look forward to cutting through all that and getting to the facts and voting on this resolution today. Thank you. Thank you.

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

Thank you. Just part of my government ethics is I do not support aiding folks that are suing the city on any issue. That being said, I read this. I like it. We care about transparency. We care about the cost of doing business. We care about the cost of things. So having read this, I agree with this. I don't agree with everything that, like Ben Weber said, I don't agree with everything this committee has done this year. I do think platforming someone suing the city is a violation of like the ethical duty that I have to serve the city of Boston and I know we all do you know think differently about different things but I I personally support White Stadium. I believe our BPS kids deserve the best. I believe that they deserve world-class facilities and I believe that it's been completely neglected for decades. They didn't have running water prior to there being a plan.

And I think, obviously, there is a lot of discussion to be had about The cost of doing business and what this looks like and I know that the administration looks forward to putting forward some numbers and updated cost estimates. We know there's been a lot of conversation in the media about this I just want to put how I feel on the record. I am prepared to vote yes on this and we don't always have to agree on everything on this council. That is the beauty of having 13 different members with different priorities and different folks that they talk to. So thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, Poussey, Councilors, Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, Fitzgerald, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell, please have the chair. Councilors Mejia, Murphy, and Flynn. seek suspension of the rules and adoption of docket number 2094. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Mr. Clerk, can you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on docket number 2094. 2094. Councilor Brayton. Yes. Councilor Brayton, yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata. Yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes. Councilor Durkan. Durkan, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, O'Neill, Pippen. Council Pippen, yes. Council Santana. Yes. Council Santana, yes. Council Weber. Councilor Weber, yes, and Councilor Worrell. Yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Docket number 2094 has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you, this docket has passed. We are now on to personnel orders, but before we do that, would anyone like to add their name or a motion to reconsider a vote on a docket while they were out of chambers? The chair recognizes Councilor Santana. Councilor Santana, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I would like to make a motion to reconsider the action taken on docket number 2079.

Is there a second? So it's placed in committee and you're looking for a vote? Okay. Correct. All those in favor of the motion to reconsider say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. I don't know. Okay, you have the floor. Oh, that's docket number 2079. Yeah, can you please read it back into the record?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Doctrine number 2079, messaging and authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $1,485,264.20 in the form of a grant. for Fiscal Year 26 Hazardous Materials Response Team Earmark Grant awarded by the Mass Department of Fire Services to be administered by the Fire Department. The grant will fund the needs of the Boston Fire Department Hazardous Materials Response Team per line item 8000-0600 of the Fiscal Year 26 General Appropriations Act.

Thank you. Councillor Santana, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. The Boston Fire Department's Hazardous Materials Response Team, or the HAZMAT team, handles some of the most dangerous public health incidents in our city. from cleaning up chemicals, biological, radiological, or other dangerous substances. They keep our residents and our environment safe. First and foremost, I want to extend my deep gratitude to our HAZMAT team for their tireless work and dedication to keeping our community safe. Every day they exemplify what it means to be public servants. Earlier this year, on April 25th, the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice was joined by the Commissioner and other stakeholders for a productive and insightful discussion about the grants Anticipated to be administered by the fire department. Our discussion emphasized the importance of brands like these and ensuring that our departments can continue its important work.

As the chair of the committee, I believe that ensuring that our hazmat team is fully funded is a priority for ensuring Public Health, and Public Safety. I'd like to provide an opportunity for any of my colleagues to speak on this matter, and then I would like to move forward to suspend the rules and pass this docket.

Thank you. Not on this docket? Okay. Would anyone else like to speak on this docket? Councilor Flynn is that to speak on this docket? Okay, the Chair recognizes Councilor Flynn, you have the floor.

Thank you. I just want to acknowledge the important work Councilor Santana has done on this issue. The Boston Fire Department play a critical role as it relates to hazardous material responding to emergency issues throughout every neighborhood. What's also important is that they have the resources, the training, in the equipment to do their job effectively. That's what I'm gonna continue to advocate for, ensuring our public safety responders have the tools to do their job, especially during these challenging times.

Thank you. Councilor Murphy, is that on this? Okay, Councilor Murphy, you have the floor.

Thank you. Chair, if I can, through you to the chair, just ask a question about this specific grant.

To the chair, you may.

I know that you held the hearing at the beginning of the year with... the fire department and those who helped write our grants and is this different or did you just give us the one pager because of the amount and you're hoping we pass it because I know that we had that one kind of overall hearing to try to catch all upcoming grants for the year

To the chair, Councilor Sandin, if you'd like to respond, you may.

Yeah, so thank you, Councilman Murphy. This grant was covered at the hearing, and I mentioned suspended pass earlier.

All right, no, perfect. And looking forward to supporting it. But I just wanted to also get on the record that we did speak to them. We did have a hearing on this one. I thought we did. Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Santana seeks suspension of the rules. and passage of docket number 2079. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Would anyone else like to add their name to a docket or put forward a motion to reconsider when they were out of chambers? The chair recognizes Councilor Pepén. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I would like to add my name to docket number 2090 and 2091 and 2092. Thank you.

She doesn't add any names. OK. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Durkan.

The chair recognizes Councilor Mejia. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. And yes, I also would like to add my name to 2090, 2091, and 2092. Ms.

Clerk, you got that? Awesome. Thank you. Anyone else? Okay. We are now moving on to personnel orders. Mr. Clerk, can you please read the personnel orders?

Personnel Orders, Doctrine No. 2095, Councilor Louisiane for Councilor Weber, and Doctrine No. 2096, Councilor Louisiane for Councilor Pepén.

Thank you. The chair moves for passage of dockets number 2095 and 2096. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Thank you. The personnel orders have passed. We are now moving on to green sheets. Would anyone like to pull anything from the green sheets? The chair recognizes Councilor Santana. Councilor Santana, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I would like to pull two dockets from the green sheets. The first one is docket number 1951. found on page 23 of the green sheets.

Do you have, okay, Mr.

Clerk, could you?

Are they, you're gonna read both of them? Okay, can you read the other docket, Councilor Santana?

I would also like to quote docket number 2036, found on page 23 of the green sheets.

Mr. Clerk, could you please read those two dockets into the record?

From the Committee of Public Safety and Criminal Justice, Docket Number 1951, messaging or authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $100,000 in the form of a grant for the Community Safety Initiative awarded by the Mass Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to be administered by the Office of Workforce Development The grant will fund the City of Boston's comprehensive strategy aimed at reducing gun, gang, and youth violence in the city. And document number 2036, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount. of $148,824 in the form of a grant for the Federal Burn Justice Assistance Grant reallocation awarded by the United States Department of Justice passed through the Mass Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to be administered by the police department.

The grant will fund the annual Boston address verification procedure mandated by the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Santana. Councilor Santana, you have the floor. Oh, wait. Absent objection, the motion of the committee chair is accepted and the dockets are properly before the body. Countess Santana, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I'm going to speak first on docket number 1951. This is a community safety initiative grant in the amount of $100,000 awarded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to be administered by the Office of Workforce Development. This grant would fund the City of Boston's comprehensive strategy aimed at reducing gun, gang and youth violence through the Office of Workforce Development and Youth Options Unlimited. These funds will support the programs to empower Boston's core involved or at-risk youth through supportive services, mentorship, case management, career training, and support and encouragement. This grant of $100,000 from the MA Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to the Office of Workforce Development covers operational costs and youth stipends

for up to 15 participants who will work between 10 to 15 hours a week over a 12 to 20 week period, depending on the placement with wages Thank you. Thank you very much. 2036. This is a federal burn justice assistance grant reallocation in the amount of $148,824 awarded by the United States Department of Justice passed through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and to be administered by the Boston Police Department This grant will fund an annual Boston address verification procedures mandated by the Massachusetts sex offender registry Boston. These funds will be used to identify, investigate, and locate offenders known to be

in violation of their registration obligations and those whom law enforcement have reason to believe may be in violation by virtue of providing inaccurate address information. The Sex Offender Registry Board will reimburse the Boston Police Department for the overtime hours worked to perform these functions. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilor, anyone else looking? Okay, are you looking to speak on this matter, Councilor Flynn? That you recognize this, Councilor Flynn, you have the floor.

Thank you Madam Chair. I want to speak on the second docket and just want to provide a little bit of background information as a former probation officer. I supervised a lot of People on probation that were sex offenders and what the process was, including homeless residents, they would have to report to the nearest police district. I believe it was weekly. with some type of verification. If they were homeless, they had to show some type of verification from a homeless shelter or where they're living. If they were working in a various location, they had to provide documentation that they were working there. and for level three sex offenders it was much more strict in terms of their notification, but it's a critical part of public safety. It's a critical part of ensuring residents know and are aware of

Sex offenders, especially level three sex offenders living or working in their neighborhood. Thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else looking to speak on either of these dockets? No? Okay. Santana, the Chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. seeks passage of docket number 1951. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This docket is passed. Councillor Santana, the chair of the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, to suspension of the rules and passage of docket number 2036. All those in favor say aye. Aye, all opposed say nay. The ayes have it, this docket is passed. The chair recognizes Councilor Breadon. Councilor Breadon, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to pull docket 1976. It's, what page is it on? Page 12 of the green sheets.

Mr. Clerk, do you have that docket in front of you? Could you please read it?

From the Committee on Housing and Community Development, document number 1976, message not authorizing the City of Boston, acting by and through the Mayor's Office of Housing, to accept and expend $32,251 in supplemental funds awarded under Home Investment Partnership Program, American Rescue Plan, Home Art, Act of 2021 for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The purpose of the HOMOP funds is to provide housing, shelter, and services to individuals or households who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, and other vulnerable populations in the City of Boston. This award will support the development of affordable rental housing.

Thank you. Absent objection? the motion of the committee chair is accepted and the docket, docket number 1976 is properly before the body. Councilor Breadon, you have the floor.

Thank you. In 2022, Boston received a one-time grant from HUD for approximately $21,500,000 million. As part of the Home Investment Partnership Programme, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This initial award was passed by the City Council on June 29th, 2022. This docket, docket number 1976, is for a second award of $32,251 as a result of an administrative error when HUD calculated the initial amount back in 2022. It was assigned to the Committee on Housing and Community Development on the 13th of November of this year. This funding to be administered by the Mayor's Office of Housing will support the development of affordable rental housing in the City of Boston.

Given the smaller size of this grant and the fact that it is correcting an administrative error, I'm asking that we suspend and pass Docket 1976. Thank you. Thank you.

Is anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Okay, Councilor Breadon seeks passage of docket number 1976. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call vote?

Roll call vote on docket number 1976. Councilor Breadon? Yes. Councilor Breadon, yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata? Yes. Councilor Coletta Zapata, yes. Councilor Durkan? Yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald? Fischel, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Flynn, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Louijeune, yes, Councilor Mejia, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Murphy, yes, Councilor Pepén, yes, Councilor Pepén, yes, Councilor Santana, yes. Santana, yes, Councilor Weber, yes, Councilor Weber, yes, and Councilor Worrell. Docket 1-9-7-6 has received 10 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. This docket is passed. Is there anyone else looking to pull anything from the green sheets? Okay. We are going to move on to late files. Before we do that, There's a request, and I think it's a great one, from a staffer that we take a photo of the colleagues and staffers. So if there are staffers in offices who would like to come to chambers to be part of a big photo at the end of this meeting, please do that. So I will buzz so that folks can make their way to chambers. but if there are staffers who are in offices and would like to be part of that photo and central staff as well, please make your way to chambers. Okay, we are now moving on to late files. I'm informed by the clerk that there are nine, 10, 10 late file matters. Excuse me? Nine. Nine personnel, nine late file matters.

Okay, great. So there are a total of 10 late file matters. Nine of them are personnel orders, and one of them is a response from the administration to a 17F order. We will first take a vote to add the nine late-file personnel matters to the record. I would like to flag that one of these late-file personnel orders is for our new budget analyst, Ryan Pratt. Thank you to members of the city council who were present for that interview. I'd love to see the growth in central staff. thank the central staff team and say welcome aboard to Ryan Pratt. Okay, we'll take a vote to add these nine late file personnel matters to the record. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. These late file personnel matters have been added to the docket.

We will now take a vote. to pass these late file personnel matters. All in favor say aye. Oh, okay, before we do that, I'm trying to rush us along here to the end. Mr. Clerk, could you please read the late-file personnel orders into the record?

Late-file personnel orders. First one, Councilor Louijeune for the new appointment. Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Coletta Zapata. Councilor Louijeune for Council President's Office. I believe. There's no other name on it. Councilor for Councilor Louijeune. Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Mejia. Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Santana. Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Mejia. and then Councilor Louijeune for all central staff and council office staff.

Thank you. We will now take a vote on these late file personnel matters. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. These dockets have passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read the late file We will now take a vote to add the late file 17f response onto the record. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. This late file 17f response has been added to the record. Mr. Clerk, would you please read it into the record?

To the City Council, dear Councillors, this is a response to the 17F order requesting certain information regarding Boston Housing Authority operations and standard practices. Docket number 1854 filed on October 20th, 2025. Sincerely, Mayor Wolf. Thank you.

This response will be placed on file. Okay, we are now moving on to the consent agenda. I've been informed by the Clerk that there is one addition to the consent agenda. The question now comes on approval of the various matters contained within the consent agenda. All those in favour say aye. Aye. Thank you. The consent agenda has been adopted. Okay, we are now on to announcements. Please remember, these are for upcoming dates and events. Today is Angie's birthday. Angie Brutus, happy birthday. We also have some December and early January birthdays. Judith Evers, Julissa Gonzalez. Happy birthday, Julissa. Jack Spray, Cora Montrond, Dora Pierre-Louis, Liam Remus, Melissa Lowe, Julia Mejia on the first, and Emily Poston. So happy birthday to the upcoming birthdays.

If anyone else would like to make announcements, now is the time. The chair recognizes Councilor Coletta Zapata, and thank you to Michelle for passing out the mugs. Hopefully, please. Yeah, they have everyone's name on it. Hopefully you all spelled correctly. So shout out to Studio 24 in Mattapan that helped us with these orders. So hope you like them. to my colleagues and to our stenographer, to our clerk, to our assistant clerk, and to all of our incredible central staff. The chair recognizes Councilor Coletta Zapata. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I wanted to utilize this time not for an announcement, just for deep gratitude for all of central staff. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I want to specifically thank the MEGs for their assistance during government operations hearings and committee reports. I want to thank my staff for their hard work. I want to thank all staffers who make all of us look good. In order to do good work, you need good staff. And so I just want to thank everybody for their partnership this year. And I do want to utilize this time, Madam President, just to express gratitude for you and serving alongside you in this capacity. You have exemplified the positive, grounded, steady hand that we have needed during these challenging times. I am grateful for the fact that you've committed yourself to real solutions and you are a firm believer in the power of local government and what it can do for everybody. and the impact that we have on people's lives. And so I wanted to thank you. And every single time I've stood up and I've said Madam President, I have been very proud to do so.

So just thank you for your leadership. And I look forward to continuing to work with you as you move on this side of the dais in the next year. So thank you.

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

Thank you so much. I wanted to mirror the thanks of Councilor Coletta Zapata, Council President Louijeune, you have been an amazing president. and you know I'm not the easiest person to work with sometimes so I appreciate everything that you've done to make sure that We as a body move together and we have 12, 13 different opinions depending on the day. so the idea that we've all been able to come together over the last two years and I think it's because of your leadership and I'm really grateful that there are so many times in which You have to put yourself second when you're in this job. And being president, I imagine it was even more than just regularly being a city councilor. Thank you for everything that you put in. Thank you for showing up in my district all the time and being an incredible leader. Looking forward to two more years with you and with all of my colleagues.

I think this holiday season Looking at like all of my colleagues, I'm just really grateful for all of you. I think we, you know, sometimes we have a difference of opinion and there can be you know friction but I just want to say like I'm really grateful to be serving alongside every single one of you and we've been able like all of us have partnered on something and so I just want to thank you all for Your partnership and I didn't get my great holiday gifts. You guys are going to be getting something in the new year. I didn't get it done in time but you guys are going to be getting something in the new year. Just to say I'm grateful for you. I also want to thank my team, Lily, Sam, Holly, Shom, who was part of my team this year. I want to thank Mame. I want to thank Lauren Carmi. You guys have been just so incredible, and I just feel like we are, you know that feeling when your whole team clicks? We finally have that, and I'm so excited to have two more years on this council, and thank you all.

Wonderful. Thank you, Sharon. Sorry. Thank you, Councilor Durkan. The chair recognizes Councilor Mejia. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you for allowing us to utilize this time for gratitude. Normally I know you just want us to focus on announcements, so I just want to thank you for the grace. and I want to thank you for your leadership. I know it has not been easy to sit. Well, it's been a cakewalk.

Oh my God, don't even go there, girl.

We know that's not true. We know that's not true, okay? Especially when you have these targets right in front of you, looking at you during council meetings, so I just want to just thank Thank you for always just holding it down even when everything felt so upside down. So just want to want to publicly thank you and your staff and especially Jesse. I'm not sure if Jesse is here. but you're listening in, Jessie. No, I'm talking from the public in chambers. Yeah, that's right. I don't care whose staffer you are. But I want to uplift Jesse because I have seen Jesse through a number of different offices. And he has always been so incredibly generous with his advice to us. And so I just want to thank Jesse for always helping us navigate the politics of politics.

And I'd be remiss without thanking my entire staff. Yes, all of y'all have been, you have literally saved my life and have taught me so much about what it is to be a courageous leader There have been so many times when I've ran into my office just feeling incredibly destroyed and you all have lifted me up and reminded me of why I exist in this world and why I People like me matter in this space. So I just want to say thank you for standing up the way that you have. We go hard for the people that we serve. We do so unapologetically. We're in all spaces and places. And we just don't do policy. We do programming that impacts the lives of the people that we serve.

And every time I have an idea, You guys make it happen. So I just want to say thank you. And the Meghans, oh my god. Michelle, you have no idea the gift that you have provided our office because we have relied on central staff. particularly in this cycle on how to make things happen. So I just want to say thank you to the Megs. That's what we've coined them as because they have been so incredibly generous with their thought leadership and helping us navigate all of the loopholes that we can possibly find just to get our message out in our work to the finish line. And I want to thank Coletta Zapata, and your staff, particularly Ellie. You have been so incredibly gracious with us in our demanding

Get us in front of the councilor. We want to pass this. This has been one of the, I always talk about the fact that I've passed over 15 pieces of legislation and I've been very proud of that. And this term I have learned so much about what it looks like to navigate politics in that process. And so I just want to say thank you to Councilor Coletta Zapata for giving us the opportunity to pass two pieces of legislation. And hopefully, we will get that home rule petition signed that it's still waiting in the mayor's office. I don't know if anyone is listening in. but you have until five o'clock today, right? You have until five o'clock to send that home rule petition over to the State House. We worked with Shapiro, Inspector General Shapiro, and others to make that happen.

And we did so in deep community and in partnership with others. So we got it to the best place that we could. And I'm hoping that the mayor will do right by the process and get it signed. And lastly, I want to thank All of the advocates and those who have stood up and spoke up and truth to power no matter how difficult it has been. You all have shown up and showed out in this chamber and have created an opportunity for us to really take our marching orders from those that we serve and whether we want to hear it or not at the end of the day, our job is to really be the microphone for our constituents. Lastly, my colleagues. I know I often talk about my award-winning personality. And I'm not sure who's going to be my supporting actress or actor. I don't know, maybe these two right here.

I just wanted to just say thank you for just how we've managed to deal with conflict publicly. I would have to say that this term has really demonstrated what is possible when 13 city councilors with diverse experiences and beliefs get together and make things happen. Councilor Worrell, you could lead a master class in consensus building with the work that you did and the ways and means you got us and you delivered and you did that by bringing this body together. So I just want to publicly acknowledge you for being able to bring the body together during that time, which I know was not easy. So I just wanted to acknowledge that leadership. and I hope that everyone wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and you need some water. Who needs some water?

Okay, we need to get some water. Come on, get some water. In my cup. In my cup. That's my cup. Oh, that's my cue to finish up? Oh, okay. Wrap it up. All right. Well, come on. We never get to do this, so I'm taking advantage of it. Thank you very much.

Thank you, and also thank you to your staff. I do say I think this was her idea for us to take a big council photo, and it's a great idea, so another kudos to everyone's staff, who often are unsung heroes. I hope Lorraine gets some water. Please get some water. Okay. The chair recognizes Councilor Pepén. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I also just wanted to rise and thank you for your leadership. It's been a privilege to, you know, as a first-term counselor, just learn through you, through the work that you've done. I know that it has not been easy just because of everything that's happening around the world, honestly, inside here, where... Just really appreciate your demeanor and the way that you carry the body throughout the two years. I also wanted to thank my staff, personally, that we were learning in our first term how to just maneuver everything. I have an all-star team in my office, just every single one of them. Just thank you. Thank you for keeping me sane. Thank you for making sure that my life is not in shambles and keeping me on time for everything. To my colleagues, just every single one of you, 11 of you are very different and I think each of you just teach me something that I carry with me every single day and it's made me a better leader

And it makes me actually feel more comfortable in my own shoes to show up who I am instead of trying to pretend someone I'm not. And I mean that genuinely. Thank you for everything. And I've made friends here. I mean that. Some people that I wouldn't expect. Just really thankful for everything that you do. And publicly, I just want to thank my family as well, to Rocio, my wife, who has put up with me for the past two years. and I came in here as a family of four and finishing this year potentially as a family of five. So it's a blessing and it's for anyone that, wants to know what it's like to have a life as a city councilor. It's a hard balance. There's a lot of tough days. There's a lot of tough days, but a lot of good days, too. It's nothing like receiving a call from a resident saying, thank you for helping me. I think that's the biggest blessing we can all take. Getting emotional just because I'm thankful. The fact that I get to serve the city that I was born in and the city that I love. So just thank you everyone. Happy holidays.

Happy New Year.

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

Thank you. I just want to join my colleagues in thanking Madam President for her work over the last two years. I know a lot of us probably all of us get thanked for our service to the community in our work. Madam President, you've provided a great service to this council for two years. Stepping into the spotlight, having to face all of us every Wednesday. And I just appreciate all the work that you and your staff have done. and keeping this engine going for two years. I know it wasn't easy, but you made it look easy. Again, thank you for everything.

Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councilor Arrau, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam President. And I'd like to echo everything that my counselor colleagues have said. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for the investments that you have made into this body. I also just want to thank all of my colleagues for all their hard work. Thank you. Thank you. and we are all working towards making the lives of Bostonians better. So I just thank you for just having that love and having that commitment to making this city better for all Bostonians. I want to thank the clerk's office, also central staff all there. Thank you for your hard work and just being a resource to my team and to all of us. Also, just thank you to my team. I know that I come up with ideas, whether it's policy ideas

Whether it's programming and events, so I just want to thank them for believing in the vision and carrying out and executing. I know our residents appreciate it, but Just wanted to say thank you for all your hard work and all your dedication. And just thank you to all the residents who constantly show up advocate for advocate to us and you know making sure that we are doing our job so just thank you everyone for making this such a great experience I always say this is the second best job Thank you, Madam President.

I want to join my colleagues in Thanking you for your leadership this past year, this last two years. Sorry, didn't go that fast. The days are long, but the years are fast, or something like that. and I also thank all of my colleagues here because I think we all learn from each other. We're all very different in our approach to things. We have different ideas, different personalities, but all together I think we really work to try and bring our true selves into this space and to support our communities and work for the City of Boston to make it an even better place to live. So thank you and also thank you Mr. Clerk and your staff, everyone, Ellen, thank you for the lovely packets of Irish biscuits that you bring me when you travel to Northern Ireland, and also central staff. We couldn't do this job without our central staff.

And then also individually for me to thank the incredible team that I have that work with me every day and really bring out the best in me. So thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam President. Good year, everyone. Plenty of work ahead. Happy holidays. Let's take this picture.

Thank you, everyone. Thank you for all of the kind words. I already spoke, but I just want to again thank all of my colleagues. I want to again thank central staff. There's so much that goes into running these meetings, so I want to thank again the stenographer, I want to thank again the Clerk and the Assistant Clerk and not just them everyone who is up in the Clerk's office because they all participate and help make this office to make these meetings run um when they go when a Clerk isn't here Assistant Clerk the ones who step in so I really want to thank them Our staff shining examples that allow us to run from place to place. We thank you for making that possible and to our families. I'm incredibly grateful and it's been the dream to serve as a president of this council. on the good days and on the incredibly challenging days that have grown me and have helped us serve the residents of this city. So thank you, everyone.

Okay, we are now moving on to memorials. Would anyone like to uplift a name? The chair recognizes Councillor Breadon. Councillor Breadon, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to remember Mary Healy, who passed away on December 2nd. She's 88 years old. She was a native of Ireland, born in Bantry, County Cork, and was a long-time resident in Brighton, an active member in our church community and at the Carrow Club at the Veronica Smith Senior Centre. The Carat Club is a club for Irish emigrants who live in the neighbourhood and live in Boston at the Veronica Seas. So I wish to remember Mary and really send our condolences to all of her family at this time.

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

I would like to uplift Chucky Razzo, who is from the Bricklayers Union and just a good friend over these years, a kind man who has gone too soon. Thank you.

Anyone else? OK. On behalf of the Boston City Council, I'm sorry, there's no speaking from the public, but make sure that we can honor If there's someone who would like, if you would like to write down the name and I can get the name, I'd be happy to. And the chair recognizes Councilor Pan.

I think the person that was trying to remember is Governor Charlie Baker's father.

Okay. Thank you. Councilor Mejia, did you have your light on? Okay, thank you. Okay, today we will adjourn our meeting in memory of the following individuals. On behalf of Councilor Murphy and Flynn, Charles M. Chuck Rosso. On behalf of Councilor Breadon, Mary Healy. On behalf of myself, Guylaine Guerriere. On behalf of myself and Councilor Flynn, Napoleon Jones Henderson, member of Boston Arts Commission and beloved neighbor of Roxbury. On behalf of the entire Boston City Council and those who are present today, Governor Charlie Baker's father. A moment of silence.

The chair moves that when the council adjourned today, it does so in memory of the aforementioned individuals. Thank you to my colleagues, to central staff, the clerk in the clerk's office, and the council stenographer. Today we will be adjourning. I'm moving for us to adjourn sine die, which means without a date.