City Council - Regular Meeting

But when I take a look at how this was done, it was done in a very cold-blooded, very calculated kind of way that did not take into I have lived here for 45 years. I have always wanted to live here. My parents had a store here. They always wanted to live here, but they couldn't afford to live here either. And the thing is, I could live somewhere else and not do what I do for a job and go and do something else. But I refuse to take a look at the people who are out here on the street here, some of whom are profoundly mentally unwell from being out on the street. And what are you doing to them now by pulling this through? I have to say... that I am very, very disappointed that the person who was appointed to handle the executive nature of governance

in the city decided to do this and to do this in a very, very cold-blooded way. There are better ways to assess this. There are better ways to go about this. Yes, we all are struggling with what is going on with the Trump administration. Every last one of us. But this is not the way to deal with things. I really consider that this has been a form of panic and it is not Well thought out or well engineered. I'd like to see this go back to the drawing board and take a look at this in a very real way in March and do it very effectively. We have the time to do it, utilize that time instead of panicking. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Nancy Ryan followed by Kathy Hoffman, then Lee Ferris. Nancy, three minutes. Please go ahead.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak. I thought that perhaps other people would have laid out a little more of the information before I spoke, so I will do it. On Thursday, November 20th, our city manager decided to quote-unquote restructure several of the commissions that have served to protect and expand care, rights, justice, and fairness. that includes abruptly laying off the three full-time person staff of the Women's Commission and one of two staff of the LGBTQ Commission, the only staff member of the Peace Commission, and a couple of other people. I'm the most familiar with the Women's Commission as I was director of the Women's Commission from 1980 to 2006. Between us, Kimberly Sansusi and I have served the Women's Commission as executive directors for 46 of its almost 50 years. Never have I seen in my time in the city workforce this kind of behavior by management, and I'm deeply disappointed.

The laying off of the seven staff members of these commissions was conducted under the banner of restructuring but was done in darkness and brought to the staff members with no warning. This is not the way Cambridge carries out its missions to bring care, fairness, equality, justice to the people. We cannot accept unilateral termination without cause. And we need to protect the reputations of the people who were let go so that we assure the public that they are not being let go because of any cause. I want to thank the founding mothers of the Cambridge Women's Commission, whom I had the privilege to know when I took the job back in 1980. In 1976 and 77, they deeply valued having a strong commission to fight for women's rights without political interference.

and so they inserted into the ordinance that remains in force that the manager has to consult with the commission before making any changes in the executive director's position and that was not done. So the city's ordinance was violated. The Women's Commission cannot continue its work with one executive director split among three commissions. Let's be honest with each other and not try to fool the public. Our community values of care, fairness, justice and equality are not being met by this process or the outcome of these layoffs. We hope these actions can be remediated and we can remember that we have norms and values about how we treat workers, how we treat our community volunteers, and how we treat each other. And finally, I ask that you not try to write this order. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Kathy Hoffman, followed by Lee Ferris, then Caitlin Dube. Kathy?

Hi. Kathy Hoffman, following Nancy Ryan, as I have for four decades. There are not many areas within city government that formally promote or even allow community participation. The commissions with volunteer commissioners embodying the concerns of diversity, meeting community concerns are examples which do. From the inside, 21 years as director of a robust peace commission back in the day, I know the chain of commands. Commissioners interview and recommend staff positions for hiring or did, and the city manager chose. The city manager also had the final say over commissioner appointments. In any case, the context was collaboration. Participation from citizens is crucial for democracy, for our values, and for our city.

The termination of seven members of commissions and other staff with five minutes notice No cause and no explanation is chilling. There have been rumors of the need for evaluating and restructuring the commissions for a while, and there may be good reasons for doing so. This does not signal reevaluation. A draconian protocol which eliminates staff and restructures quickly and drastically the shock doctrine may be attractive to some corporate settings to avoid disgruntled employees, but it has no place in a people-facing operation like a city with staff whose service is exemplary. When people all over Cambridge participate in participatory budgeting, they do not expect the outcome to be made behind closed doors by city administrators.

For example, to have one director, as amazing as she is, replace a three person capable women's commission staff, a peace commission director, and the GLBTQ coordinator seems both daunting and disrespectful. To bring in new program coordinators who would need to be hired is also not helpful to continuity of work. As important, however, is transparency and involvement of the community. A restructuring of a community-involved part of the city should involve councilors, commissioners, and the communities most effective, if the commissions are to mean anything. I hope having heard the outcries from those who have heard about this, the decision makers will reconsider this hasty move, the very least to extend the tenure of the staff to enable the work in progress to be completed, to care for the relationships they have built some over decades, and to have some time to find their footing.

We also need some reassurances that this kind of termination, a sudden meeting and then being locked out of computers within minutes, will not be city policy. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Lee Farris, followed by Caitlin Dube, then Maura Murray Horwitz. Lee, you have three minutes. Please go ahead.

Good evening. I also am speaking about the late policy order and the manager's decision to fire seven staff involved with the commissions. I'm very disturbed by these sudden firings. I don't understand why the layoffs are taking place in these particular commissions at a time when the federal Trump administration is attacking Women, Immigrants, and LGBTQ People and Trampling on Human Rights. These positions should not be the first places where staff are eliminated. I also want to say I support the points made in the late policy order from Councilors Nolan, Siddiqui, Sobrinho-Wheeler, and Wilson. Appreciate their doing that.

Given that these staff positions are already funded through the current budget year and that there has been no input from the City Council on reorganizing the commissions, I ask Excuse me. I ask Manager Huang to reinstate the laid off staff for a reasonable period and enable a transition which respects the staff people's work and the community projects that are already in process. make sure it's clear that no termination was based on cause. And then I think we need a reassessment of staffing needs including a general evaluation of the commissions and staff that includes commission members. along with a more transparent process on the restructuring of the currently independent commissions. And we certainly shouldn't

see these kinds of sudden unilateral terminations without cause. In my own working life, I have several times experienced a layoff due to downsizing or lack of funding, but I've always been given two weeks notice at least so that I could wrap up my work. which is more beneficial to the organization and more humane to the working person. I think it's wrong and counterproductive to lay people off in the manner that has been done and I hope that the manager will find a way to undo what he has done. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Caitlin Dube. I'm sorry if I'm mispronouncing that. Please tell me.

I'm Caitlin Duby. I live at 395 Huron Avenue, and I'm here to speak on the late policy order 161. I'm also a commissioner on the Women's Commission and I'm here to express my unequivocal alarm and deep outrage at the sudden layoffs of the entire staff of the Women's Commission. Under no circumstances should this decision have been made and certainly not in this way. The Women's Commission does the work of reminding the city how to treat people, uplifting the values of care and community that are an essential part of both process and outcome. As a commission, we are legally charged with acting as a centralizing force on women's issues in Cambridge and taking such action as the commission considers appropriate to ensure the equal status of women. This is such a moment. The abrupt dismantling of the staff who carry out this mandate is not an internal administrative decision. It is a direct threat to the safety, equity, and well-being of women and gender expansive people across the city.

When the city's own actions undermine the very infrastructure designed to protect women, we are obligated by ordinance, by principle, and by history to respond forcefully and publicly. The manner in which these women were laid off is appalling, inhumane and unacceptable. The abruptness, the lack of transparency, and the absence of basic respect shown throughout this process have caused real harm. not only to the staff directly affected, but across the city's workforce. Decisions approached in this way sow fear and anxiety, especially among those who have dedicated their careers to equity, safety, and public service. No employee should ever be treated this way. This action was carried out abruptly, without consultation, without transparency, and without any regard for the harm it causes to our community, to our partners, and to the people who relied on the commission's staff every day. It undermines nearly five decades of gender equity work in Cambridge. It destabilizes services for women, girls, survivors, and gender expansive individuals.

It dismantles relationships, institutional knowledge, and the trust that simply cannot be replaced or covered by other departments. We reject entirely the narrative that the commission's work will continue unaffected. This is simply not true. The city manager's actions also violate the requirements of the city's own ordinance governing the commission. Under Cambridge Municipal Code 2.88.050, the executive director of the commission is appointed by the city manager with the advice of the commission. and shall have adequate staff assistance to fulfill the commission's mandate. By eliminating the staff required to carry out that mandate and by bypassing the commission, In a process where advice is legally required, the city manager has acted in direct contradiction to both the letter and the intent of the ordinance. The Women's Commission is a sacred and integral part of our city's past and present. It is people, it is relationships built over years,

It is the labor, much of it invisible and emotionally demanding, that supports women, sustains programs, and holds together a community safety net that the city has repeatedly claimed to value. to eliminate every staff member and simultaneously claim the work will be uninterrupted is simply misleading, minimizing, and insulting.

Ms. Dube, thank you for your comments.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Mara Murray Horwitz, followed by Carolyn Maggio. Mara, three minutes.

Thank you. My name is Mara Marie Horowitz. I live at 441 Franklin Street. And I'm also a member of the Women's Commission. First, I want to express my gratitude to Councilors Nolan, Siddiqui, Sobrinho-Wheeler, and Wilson, who submitted the late policy order to which we are speaking tonight. And like many others, I want to express my deep concern and outrage at the recent layoffs and my concern for the future of the Women's Commission. There are several things that concern me. The abruptness of the layoffs without any meaningful transition plan I see as both disrespectful and wasteful. As others have said, This, under the banner of restructuring or efficiency, I think is actually counterproductive.

Can any of us imagine being a longtime civil servant, showing up for work in our 19th year of service, and being told on that day that it is our last day? then going to your office and finding IT already wiping your computer? I don't think any of us wants to work in a place like that and that's how we've treated some of our most loyal servants. I truly cannot come up with any excuse for that kind of conduct. Second, this restructuring has laid off the entire Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women Staff, and in doing so has essentially destroyed their work. their work which has been built on decades of institutional knowledge, deep and diverse relationships, and trust earned over time. There's a narrative that's been shared in the emails and communications that this work will continue uninterrupted, and we know that that is not true.

Also as others have stated, there's been a total lack of transparency and disregard for people and their work in this process, not to mention violation of city ordinances. I find this incredibly disturbing. It echoes of what's happening at the federal level and Doge. And I do think that we should expect Cambridge to be setting an example across the country, not following those bad examples. And I believe that we should hold people in positions of power accountable. Therefore, I want to echo what others have said tonight that I do think the city manager needs to explain. The reasoning for these layoffs and this terrible transition plan and do whatever he can to repair the damage that includes collaborating with the commissions and the volunteer commissioners to come up with better transition plans. and then respecting the people who have served the city by giving them a reasonable period of transition. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Carolyn Maggio, followed by Phyllis Brethels, then Heather Hoffman. Carolyn, you have three minutes.

Okay, so I want to start first at why I'm here. So I live in Cambridge on 39 Kirkland Street, and I've been living in Cambridge for 10 years. I'm a caregiver to my mother and my dad who have dementia. I'm a mother, I'm a professor, and I'm a scientist. I serve on the commission of the Human Rights and the Women's Commission. I volunteer because I care about this city and the people who rely on this work. I give my time because Cambridge has always said it values openness, fairness, and treating people with respect. That is why the sudden layoffs of the entire Women's Commission as well as the staff in the Human Rights Commission have hit so hard. I'm an advocate of women's rights and we serve a commission that doesn't lay off women. It wasn't the decision, it was how it happened. No warning, no conversation, no plan. City employees woke up to the news that their jobs were gone and the community woke up to programs suddenly shaken. And I want to say something plainly.

The city of Cambridge is not a private company. We are not Biogen, we are not Pfizer. It is a public institution. It works for the people who live here. Whatever the situation may have been transparency is not optional. You owe it to the residents to explain major decisions before they happen, not after the damage is done. What concerns many of us is how familiar this pattern feels. We've seen it all at the federal level. Fast decisions, little explanation, no space for the public. That approach has already weakened the trust across the country. Cambridge should not be copying that. That is not what we say we are. We are Cambridge. We need to lead by example. These are staff who support survivors from sexual brothels, Girls, families, and community partners every day. These are women's issues.

These are women about menopause, about women not having the right resources to have even for menstrual cycles or information for birth control. Removing everyone at once with no transition leaves these programs and relationships hanging in the air. That is not how Cambridge is supposed to operate. This is not our city. This city has always prided itself on listening before acting. But this moment shows something different, a decision made too fast and hastily without the openness of the community deserved from the start. We want answers and the city needs to hold accountable and city manager needs to explain the layoffs and acknowledge that there is a lot more to the commission than just adding it to a job for someone else. There is a lot that goes into these commissions and to prepare for it. The same way we volunteer our time, we expect to Cambridge do the same for us. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Phyllis Bretholtz, followed by Heather Hoffman. Phyllis, you have three minutes. If you can omit yourself, please go ahead.

Phyllis, 65 Antrim Street. So as a former member of both the Cambridge Ridge and Latin staff for 29 years, and the Arts Council and the Women's Commission. For multiple terms, I need to say that I'm calling specifically in relation to this late Order 161 that I find deeply troubling. Given the City Manager's general language about creating a safe and transparent environment, I find the actions he has taken last week deeply troubling and in sharp contrast to everything I believed the city manager stands for.

In fact, I was so delighted when he was appointed that I brought him flowers. Now I'm puzzled and troubled by actions that are neither transparent nor creating a safer environment. and in fact, from talking with a few people in other city offices, they do not feel safe enough to express themselves for fear of being the next to be targeted. So the timing of this, the approach, the sort of ruthless and inhumane approach, has left me and many others just sort of reeling and I am echoing the Thank you all for your support.

Moving forward in a more thoughtful and measured way, I thank you very, very much. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Heather Hoffman. Heather, you have the floor. Three minutes. Please go ahead.

Hello, Heather Hoffman, 213 Hurley Street. I want to thank everybody who spoke before me. I agree with every word that was said, and I don't have to repeat them. What I will say is that this to me proves what I have been saying about the city for a long time, which is that first of all, following the ordinances is generally considered unnecessary there's only one maybe two ordinances that are really really holy writ and must be followed at all times and that those were not implicated here. Additionally, what I have seen is a pattern of this city manager hiring people

Thank you for joining us. residents of the city would be the first ones to go. I hope that we fix this and that we undo it. and that we think long and hard about how we treat the people who actually do help the residents of this city And then with respect to transparency, I'd really like to talk about Gold Star Mothers Park and all of the other parks in the city that are suffering from the fact that Cambridge has an extensive industrial past. I want to read one quote.

This is from page 19 of the public packet. I have no idea what it is for you guys. Current policies and best practices for routine soil testing. The city's current approach to soil testing in parks is risk-based and event-driven. Testing is conducted when new construction or renovation involves soil disturbance or offsite disposal. Funny thing, linear park involves extensive soil disturbance. It is located in one of the most contaminated areas in this country. Contaminated with asbestos all over the place. Part of the site is actually the subject of an AUL.

And yet, the city could not move fast enough to jump on cutting down trees where we were told they wouldn't. and presumably getting to disturbing that soil and then discovering how much asbestos there is in it. Thank you, Heather.

Please email the remainder. Your time has expired. Madam Mayor, that is all that we're signed up to speak.

Thank you, Ms. Stephon. This concludes public comment, the hour being 6.02. Pleasure of the City Council. On a motion by the Vice Mayor to close public comment, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilor Azeem. Yes. Yes. Vice Mayor McGovern. Yes. Yes. Councilor Nolan. Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui.

Yes.

Yes. Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes. Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes. Councilor Wilson?

Yes.

Yes. Councilor Zusy? Yes. Yes. Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes. And you have nine members recorded in the affirmative.

Public comment is now closed on the affirmative vote of nine members. The next item on our agenda is submission of the record. We do not have any minutes for this meeting. We also do not have any reconsiderations, so we'll move to the city manager's agenda. What is the pleasure of the city council?

Mayor Simmons.

Councilor Nolan.

It is at number three.

Pleasure of the City Council. Council Susie.

One and two, please.

That takes all the items. So we're going to go from the city manager's consent agenda to the city manager's non-consent agenda. First item is, excuse me, Number one, this was pulled by Councilor Zusy, reads as follows. A communication transmitted from Yan Wang, City Manager, relative to the awaiting report item number 2560, which requested a comprehensive report on Gold Star Mothers Memorial Park. This is pulled by Councilor Zusy. Councilor Zusy, the floor is yours.

Thank you so much, Madam Mayor. I just wanted to, I attended the city's presentation at Miller's River October 16th. And I want to applaud city staff for their presentation there. It was very, very thorough and thoughtful. And I feel as though they've come up with an excellent and responsible response to a very difficult discovery. In a discovery that's going to happen in industrial cities, right? We learn bad news like this. It's part of running a city in a... in a city that was very industrial. The goal is to open up parts of the park as soon as possible. The people really wanted to open up the basketball court and there was also a request to open up the tot lot.

and I think those are great ideas but it seems like there's very little contamination in the tot lot and if you seal the basketball court area it sounds like it'll be fairly safe so Again, I want to applaud the city for their work and for that presentation. And I just wanted to share something that wasn't in the report that I found really fascinating at the meeting on the 16th, which was One of the health experts, one of the consulting health experts said that kids will only be contaminated If they are one and two and exposed three days a week, 30... What, 30 weeks a year with wet mud and have 100 milligrams that go underneath their fingernails that end up on their face, their forearms, legs, and feet.

So that was actually very helpful for me to hear because before I heard that, I'd heard people were really concerned about kids being contaminated at the site, but it seems even though there are bad things at that site, it seems as though It's unlikely that our kids have actually been impacted in negative ways at the site because They may play at the park, but they would not have that level of exposure. So that was a relief for me. Thank you, and I yield.

Councilor Susie yields with a little pleasure to the City Council. Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler. Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler.

Thanks. Madam Mayor, through you, I had a couple questions on this one. Thank you for this report back. I was just trying to address some questions I had gotten from residents around risks at other parks, which the city sort of talks through. How testing is handled during capital projects and also outside capital projects. I just personally wanted to get a sense of if there is contamination in other parks, outside of capital projects. And the question I got from residents when this came up is, how do we know there's not contamination in other projects? And if we're not really testing outside of capital projects, are there risk to kids or others if they're just Running around in these parks and there's contamination in the soil. Could someone speak to that a little bit?

Mr. City Manager, do you want to speak to this or do you want to go to Mr. Nardone? Mr. Nordholm, the floor is yours.

Thank you. Through you, Madam Mayor. Councilor, it's a great question. I think the way I can answer it is you know this is pretty common practice in Massachusetts and when you look at our parks in Cambridge The risk factor is really underneath everything, right? So when we talked at the community meeting, it's really about what we have in the park today. So if you have a layer of sod, if you have in a softball field, if you have Clay, if you have sand, we have rubber surfacing, asphalt. Those are all things that are covering up whatever contaminants are there. For somebody to actually get exposed to those contaminants, as Councilor Susi had said, we had talked through that in our meeting. Someone would actually have to dig down into that soil, that contaminated soil, if it is in fact contaminated. And then they actually have to eat that soil Three times a week for up to 30 weeks to even possibly get exposed to it.

So the risk factor is fairly low if we're not disturbing anything. which is why the practice is when we're going in to do a major construction project or even if we're doing a minor construction project where we're going to remove a lot of soil, it makes a lot of sense for us obviously to do that. It happens in some of our other projects where we have a small stockpile of soil, and if that soil doesn't look right, or if it smells... Thank you very much. We were driving leaded vehicle cars up into the 1980s, so the idea that lead is in the soil in Cambridge, I would say, yeah, it's probably pretty likely in most places, including your backyard and other places.

But again, if we're not disturbing anything, if we're not disturbing that protective layer, we don't think that going out and testing soil just for the sake of testing soil is actually a good practice because we could end up with Now we've disturbed that soil, and we're in the same situation we are now with Gold Star Mothers Park, where in general we feel the park is safe. I think the likelihood of you breaking your arm in most of our parks, it's more likely than getting exposed to anything. if that answers the question.

Thank you. That's super helpful. Thanks for talking through that. The one other question I had in that vein was the response mentions that outside of capital projects, we might be doing environmental testing for parks. When on-site conditions such as odors, unusual fill, or visible staining warrant investigation. I just wanted to ask if you could talk a little bit about that more, and it's a question of How we're making sure it's not just the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. I imagine there's some parks and neighborhoods where people might be spotting things all the time and asking folks to check them out. And parks in other neighborhoods where folks just have Don't have time to report things all the time, so just asking how the city is deciding what warrants investigation, if city staff are regularly in parks deciding or that's relying on residents to make those complaints, or if you could talk about that a little more.

Commissioner Nardone. Yeah, through you, Madam Mayor. So I don't, maybe it was written up the wrong way, but that's really when we're in a park or in another city property and we're doing excavation. and we see a soil that doesn't look the way it should or doesn't smell the way it should. If somebody sees something in their parks or somewhere else on city property and they think it's a little funky, they should absolutely call us and report it and we'll go out and investigate it. But the response, the way it was written up is really about when we're in the park, even if it's for, say we're replacing a swing set in the park, If we come across some soil that just doesn't look right, that's what would trigger us to test that soil as well. Sobrinho-Wheeler.

And then the last question here was just the expectation for when remediation would be done and park would fully reopen. and just trying to clarify that. I think at one part it said 26 or potentially 27, which is a little ways away. I'm just trying to get a sense for residents who are wondering, when is this going to be done? When is this going to be reopened? Are we looking at summer? 2027, are we looking at fall 2026? Do we have any sense of timeline there?

Through you, Madam Mayor. That's also another great question. That's a little bit of a moving target. So when you do find contaminated soil like we did, we need to go through a regulatory process. So that means reaching out to the DEP and EPA They need to evaluate the situation and then get back to us after we file paperwork with them. That process, that evaluation process can take a significant amount of time. With the government shutdown recently, the EPA stuff actually got pushed back even further, and we were really nervous about that timeline. We were fortunate last week to actually get a Zoom meeting with both DEP and EPA. and they have indicated to us that they'll try to work with us on moving quickly on evaluating what we put in. But there's a lot that is going to have to go into doing this.

So even once we have our stuff back from the regulatory agencies, we still have a design process to go through. We are essentially going to be tearing apart this entire park. We are hoping to start construction work by hopefully the summer of 2027. If that can be pushed up at all, we happily will do that. And hopefully it doesn't get pushed past that. But right now, we're hoping for construction to start in 2027.

Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler.

Thank you. That was all the questions I had. I yield back.

Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler yields the floor. Commissioner Nardone, just for people that are viewing in some of the councils here, who's with you today?

Thank you, Madam Mayor. So I have Kevin Butel. He's our supervising engineer who's actually in charge of... He had started with the court project, but he's in charge of the Gold Star Mothers Park. and we also have Sam Lipson from our public health department with us as well. Thank you very much. Councilor Nolan, the floor is yours.

Thank you, through you, Mayor Simmons. Thank you to my colleagues for asking the questions on my list about timing, about, as Councilor Zusy mentioned, about the assuring people about the safety of this, which doesn't mean that it's not an important thing and appropriate steps to take. There were two other points from the memo, and I'm very appreciative of this extensive memo that I just wanted to talk about, which is this. Many of the contaminants were tested. Some of them were above, some were below. We closed it. But can you speak a little bit to this question, no evidence of contaminant migration or groundwater? Because I know that's something we always think about Any kind of site to make sure that it hasn't gone elsewhere. So there's been no evidence of that whatsoever. Is that the correct reading of that?

Good question. So we as part of our work to do testing, we put in groundwater wells. We tested the groundwater wells. We mentioned that in our community meeting and we got the test results back. And that's what we're referring to in our response is that we found no contaminants in that groundwater. So there is no evidence that it actually spread off site. We had some inquiries from some residents that live close by that get groundwater in their basements and other places, and they had a real concern about that. and I think this answer is just to say we're not seeing that as part of our testing in our groundwater wells.

Councilor Nolan.

Yeah, thank you. That's why I asked to make sure that we are all on the record. Is it possible, as the design review comes in, and again, the timing would be great if all of this could be cleared up before that. that we could save time by building up and go above some kind of threshold or is it clear that we are going to have to reconstruct the entire park by going down? My understanding is it's pretty deep in the site which is why The safety issues are something that we can assure and talk to our residents about, that the risk to public health is different than one might think if it was friable asbestos flying around or something. This really is contained. Is it possible that it might be an easier project if we could build up?

Commissioner DeJones. So, Councilor, the next item that's up is the appropriation, and that'll talk about getting a designer on board to help us through that whole process. But because there is contaminated soil there, we have to remove that soil. So we are gonna have to dig no matter what.

Thank you. And finally, you mentioned the memo recommendations for establishing a citywide standard. Is that something that you are working on or would be looking to the council to help move on? Or is that something that the city itself would be doing in consultation with state level, federal level, city level folks and experts.

Commissioner?

I think if you read through what our proposal is, it's very similar to what we're doing now. but maybe it's establishing a policy though so if you come across any of these situations as some of us move on and new engineers come on board they understand what our policy is and when it's appropriate to test. And obviously we discuss a lot of this with our state agencies and if they change their practices we would adjust ours as well. Nolan.

Yep. Thank you. It just, you know, since you said recommendations, I want to follow up on that. So thank you. I yield, Madam Mayor.

Councilor Nolan yields the floor. Councilor Azeem, do you want to be heard on this? No, thank you. Pleasure, City Council. Commissioner Nardone or Mr. Butel or Mr. Lipson, is there anything you'd like to add to the Council's deliberation on this matter? Any more information that we should know? Thank you, Madam Mayor. I think we laid it out pretty well in the response. Very good. Having a full discussion on this matter, I'll entertain a motion to place on file. A motion by Councilor Zusy to place on file. Roll call, please.

Councilor Azeem. Yes. Yes. Vice Mayor McGovern. Yes. Yes. Councilor Nolan. Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui. Yes. Yes, Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes, Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes, Councilor Wilson? Yes. Yes, Councilor Zusy? Yes. Yes, Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes, and you have nine members recorded in the affirmative.

The matter is placed on file by the affirmative vote of nine members. Thank you, gentlemen. The next item is number two. This is pulled by Councilor Zusy, reads as follows. Transmitting communication from Yanhuang City Manager relative to the appropriation of a million dollars for the free cash, to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Department Extraordinary Expenditures Account. Each fund will support the removal of stockpiled contaminated soil and initiate the design phase for the remediation and reconstruction of the Gold Star Mothers Park. This is pulled by Councilor Zusy. Councilor Zusy, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I heartily support this appropriation. Again, I can't tell you, I think there were probably 80 people there at Miller's River on the 16th. Gold Star Mothers Park is a very, very important park in East Cambridge. It's their largest open space, right? There's the Tim Toomey Park. But it's a very important park in a community without a lot of open space. So this project is really, really important. I realized that this first of a million dollars is just the very beginning and we hadn't realized that we were going to have to do such an extensive redesign of Gold Star Mothers Park. So one of my questions is do we have any sense for what the overall cost of redoing this park will be? This is, again, not an anticipated expense.

and then my other questions are, where will the contaminated soil go and can it be remediated?

Thank you. Thank you, through you, Madam Mayor. Great questions, Councilor. And it's a good question about where those soils will go. Once we get a contractor on board and once we have our information from our state agencies, There's various spots where this stuff is transported to, which makes it extremely expensive to remove, aside from it being contaminated. So we'll find out more about the actual locations where it'll get dumped once would get further into that process. Your first, I forgot what was the first one.

I also wondered if it can be remediated or is it just like poisonous soil forever? And then I just wondered if you had an overall sense for the cost of the larger project now?

Commissioner? So the soil itself, depending on what the chemical is, and the majority is really lead. There is some substances that you can mix with that soil to make it more easily transportable. and it may be able to go to a different landfill depending on how it gets classified. So there is some hope there that yes, we could maybe save a little bit of money by doing some onsite mixing of that soil and then getting it offsite. As far as the overall cost of the park, I mean, I think it's very preliminary for us to be thinking about it. but we have been thinking about it and you know again this is very ballpark but we are assuming that given the size of the park and the fact that we are going to be remediating the entire park um a 10 million dollar range is is not out of the realm of possibility. Councilor Zusy.

Madam Mayor, if I could just add one thing, if that's okay. Assistant City Manager. Thank you. Just in terms of the funding, so one of the things as we're going through and you know looking at the capital budget and we talked a little bit about this at the round table a week or so ago and trying to you know get the growth of the capital budget more in line with their overall operating so at the same time that we're trying to push down We're also looking at moving in Gold Star Mothers Park into the bond schedule and so that means that other projects will get re-scoped or delayed or You know, not be proceeded with, but we do see that the Gold Star Mother, given that it is a closed park in Cambridge, is obviously an extremely high priority. And so, you know, we're looking to fund this initial design effort Thank you.

Thank you. reduce the growth of capital more in line with the overall operating targets that we've been talking about. So that is also something that's going on sort of concurrent with this.

and through you, Mayor Simmons, I think just to- City Manager, you wanted to add something? Yeah, just to re-underline that. I think this is not an incremental expenditure. I think what the Deputy City Manager is really underlining is that we'll ultimately Be spending the same amount on capital year over year going forward. We're just gonna have to push some other things out.

Councilor?

Yeah, understood. I just wanted to be able to anticipate that. And again, I think this is a very, very important project. I thank you for all the work you've done there so far and I feel as though you've communicated really transparently with the community and I applaud you for that. Thank you.

Did you get your answer on the remediation? Did you get your answer on the remediation of the soil?

I did. I didn't expect that answer, that you were going to mix it so it would be less contaminated per square foot. I didn't know if there was some way to remove the lead from the soil, but this makes it less concentrated, right? Yeah, so I did. Thank you.

And are you now yielding?

I do yield. Thank you.

Council yields the floor for further discussion. Councilor Azeem, do you want to be heard on this?

No, I do not.

Councilor Siddiqui?

Thank you.

Hearing with no further discussion, City Manager, any closing remarks? Anything from you, Commissioner Nardone? Then on a motion by Councilor Zusy to accept the appropriation and then place the city manager's agenda item on file. Roll call, please.

Councilor Azeem. Yes. Yes, Vice Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes, Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes, Councilor Siddiqui?

Yes.

Yes, Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes, Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes, Councilor Wilson? Yes, Councilor Zusy? Yes. Yes, Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes, and you have nine members recorded in the affirmative.

And the appropriation is approved in the matter placed on file by the affirmative vote of nine members. Thank you, gentlemen. The last item on the City Manager's agenda is number three. This is pulled by Councilor Nolan. Reads as follows. A communication transmitted from Yanwang City Manager relative awaiting report item number 25-56 regarding an update on road and control. Citywide. Floor is yours, Councilor Nolan.

Thank you, through you, Mayor Simmons. Thank you to the staff for this report. This is based on a policy order that, you know, I think every year or so there's a policy order related to rats and rodents because It's an ongoing issue. It continues to be something very challenging for residents across the city. There's construction. There's houses. It's everywhere. And we know that. And I know we've been trying this for a while. And I know we have. Mr. Powers is a rat czar, or I don't know what your official title is. And certainly my neighborhood has used it. There's been a range of things. This is a We had asked for a rodent control update. I have a couple of questions on it. It mentions nine tons are collected through the residential food waste collection. I'm curious as to what we know about what percent of the actual food waste Do we have any sense of how much of it is actually going into that food waste collection?

And related to that is how will the Zero Waste Master Plan, which will include an expansion of food waste, hopefully to larger residential buildings, and commercial affect this effort because part of the reason the Zero Waste Master Plan is wanting to expand it is because of the rodent control in the issue related to how that attracts rodents and rats. So I'm curious as to the status of what we think the impact of that would be is my first question.

Mr. City Manager, do you want to lead off and would you please introduce who's sitting at the table for the councilors and for people that may be viewing?

Yes, thank you so much. We have inspectional service, Mr. Tuchinardi.

You said that very fast. Mr. Tuchinardi, correct? Yes, that's correct.

And Dave Powers, our RAT czar.

And who's going to start off? Commissioner Nardone, the floor is yours.

Three, Madam Mayor. I'm sorry. I may have missed that question. Council, would you please repeat? Yes.

So the question is related to the food waste collection. We've done a good job where the report says that there's nine tons, I think. Per Day are removed through the food waste collection and we have talked about in the zero-based master plan expanding that to larger residential buildings if possible and also particularly commercial because that is one of the Baines of all of our existence, where commercial folks right now don't have as much of the food waste collection. So I'm curious as to, one, how effective we think that food waste collection at the residences is. Does that nine tons a day represent 90% of what we think is food waste or is it 10% or and also what are the expected steps to expand that food waste collection to the commercial and residential?

Thank you. Thank you, Councilor. So we still have a ways to go, Councilor, as you know. We actually recently did a way sort and I want to say we probably still have 30% food scraps in our trash itself and our recycling. So we need to get better at that. I know we had met with the Health and Environment Committee earlier this year, and one of the recommendations we have is to try to make food waste mandatory. So just after the first of the year, we're hoping that we'll have some ordinance changes coming in front of the council to start to make that happen. And then that would include some larger buildings and commercial establishments, as you mentioned. So we're in the process. We're going through our ordinances right now. We're looking to see where we need to make some changes and make some recommendations to council.

Councilor Knowlton.

Thank you, because that was one of my questions, because the original policy order that led to this report specifically asked for recommendations for refuse and litter ordinance changes, so I'm glad that's in process. The report doesn't mention that, but it's clearly one of the important things that we need to do and work with the council on. I wondered about two elements related to our attempts. The smart pipe in In 2023, it said 1,381 kills, and then in 2024, it plummeted to about one-quarter of that, less than 400. So I'm curious as to what we know about that. I would hope it's because there are fewer rats, but I don't believe that would be the case.

and you, Mr. Powers, did you want to speak to that or Mr. Piccinotti?

Yeah, through you, Madam Mayor. So the smart pipes, they face some challenges with the technology. The communication is within the sewers. to try to get that information out and then to the contractor where they collect the information and then give it back to us. What was happening was there were some signal troubles, so we did end up with a lower number. Also, they've had some technical problems with the units themselves, and they've been slowly taking those offline. to get repaired, and then we're just waiting for them to either get back into the cycle or we will probably end up moving those over to additional smart boxes instead of the pipes.

Mr. Tuchinari, do you have anything to add? Councilor Nolan?

Thank you. That's sad to hear because that number from 2023 was impressive and I would have hoped it went up just like it did a little bit with the smart boxes. Are we doing the CO2?

And you're asking that of Mr. Powers?

Of Mr. Powers and Mr. Tuccianardi. It's one of the methods that we've talked about in the past of and I know having been to a meeting at Harvard Square about this issue, one of the folks there talked about how it's a really effective way that you find, you put a little, Mr. Powers.

Yes, through you, Madam Mayor. Yes, the contractor we use for public works, for inspectional services, and we do have a unit that DPW operates from time to time for carbon monoxide which is CO. That's okay. And there is CO2 also available through the contractor. When it's appropriate and whether it's too close or too much of a risk to be close to a structure, they have to go to CO2, which is considered less of a risk. Councilor Nolan.

Thanks, I didn't see that mentioned in the report, unless I missed it. Final question, the fertility control that we've been all hoping would actually help, we're doing in conjunction with Somerville, that's been talked about since I think 2022, 2023. The last report I had was that it started in the summer of 2024 and would be finished by early spring or summer of 2025. Do we, it's now the fall, close to winter of 2025, so what's the status of that and when will that report be out and do we have any sense of whether it's working?

Mr. Lipson.

Through you, Mayor, I'd like to respond, if I could. We have five sites that are just a couple of them closing down now. That is, we're going from the fertility control bait to a post-treatment Peanut Butter, which is meant to give us a baseline. So that's one way we try to see how effective the Evolve, this product that controls fertility, was during the treatment period. We are doing this with Somerville, so it's really a two-city match. We have high school in Somerville as well as the CRLS campus. We've got a couple of residential sites in both cities, Hoyt Field and the area right around it in Cambridge and Lincoln Park over in Somerville. And then we have Harvard Square,

This is an area we call the Seawall, which is a very dense block part of Winthrop Street, where there are many, many restaurants and there's a great deal of activity, so we kind of deliberately picked a really tough location. So they didn't all go online at the same time, so they're not all coming offline as far as the study is concerned. At the same time, the residential areas, Hoyt and Lincoln Park, are probably not going to Terminate until the spring because we want to get a full 12 months of data from every site. We want to try to correct for seasonality because we know that rat activity varies quite a bit by season. So we don't have the data yet. We're working with our data team at the Public Health Department.

There are so many uncontrolled variables in a study like this and it's one of the reasons you don't see a lot of studies like this in an urban area because there are many conditions that can affect rat activity. So far, it's not looking very impressive, to be honest. This isn't a big surprise. We really, really did want to get good data, and we really are glad we did the study. We anticipated was that there's a fluidity of population, that rats from one area will move into an adjacent area if opportunity exists. So it's very hard. You don't have a controlled boundary around the area you're studying. So for every degree to which you may have been effective, you may then create a new niche for a neighboring community to come in.

People have pointed out that this kind of control might work very well on a farm or in a prison or in a very isolated institution where you have a population that isn't intermixing. We'll see. We're going to try to come out with as many good narrative observations as we can. And if we have to say we don't see this as being a highly effective tool, unless you can control the immediate area in the population, from moving in and out, then we will conclude that, but we're not quite there yet.

Councilor Nolan.

Yeah, thanks. So it sounds like we're a year behind where we thought we would be. It was supposed to be in summer. It started in the summer of 2024 for one full year through this summer, but it's now going to be a whole other year. That's really what I just wanted to understand because that was what...

No, we're finishing up right now. We've already stopped using the evolved date.

Oh, okay. I thought you said we won't get the results till next, till summer of 2026.

Different sites came online at different times. So the sites around the high school came on first. So we'll have a full year of data, and we're just shutting those down now. The sites in the residential areas took a lot longer to get started, so it'll just be March or April until one year is transparent.

I'm just trying to understand the timing based on when I see a report and say, we'll get the report now. And I just wanted to understand where we're at in that. So some of it will be here and some of it will not. and I think we all would agree if it's not working then let's not do it again and let's be glad that we did a study and let's go back to carbon monoxide or smart boxes or smart pipes or whatever it is that we can because This is a desperate need within the city. It's not just a ick factor, it's a public health factor. It's a really important concern that residents across the city share. So again, thanks for the report and I look forward to The follow-on, including the recommendations for changing our ordinance so that we can continue to attack this, and I thank the work of the RAT team. I'll probably be calling you again from my neighborhood whenever we see them. But again, it's something the entire city shares and it's a really critically important Wilson.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, and through you. Thank you for sharing the memo and the update. I, too, want to just agree, if we are recognizing that the that this study is just not efficient and not giving us kind of what we sought out for that we pivot and go back to something else. I definitely want to emphasize the urgency around the quality of life and just quality of care around homes and people's living situations. I do wonder though, and my question really leans into Yes, we live in a city, there's going to be activity, but to what magnitude and degree, right? I mean, right now, I've heard from residents who are like their homes have been taken over, right? And so to what degree do we say as a city kind of enough is enough and we have to try to tackle this the best way we can by like,

throwing out everything, like everything that we can to mitigate the activity as best we can, recognizing there's a lot of moving pieces as to what your colleague just mentioned. So, you know, more education, like how do we, you know, we're doing all these, you know, food waste, you know, We're doing some things that may be impacting the outcomes. What could we be doing proactively to try to mitigate and make sure that people are not are not at risk and in danger, especially within their homes. But I also think about even our unhoused community, those who are sleeping outside or may be in tents who are also greatly impacted. as well. So what can we do? How do we make sure that we're educating our community?

And I'm curious, if there is a lot of activity, how might you say to the public, if you're seeing things or there's an increase, Who should I be reaching out to as well? So I'm sorry, that was a very loaded couple questions there, but if you can... Mr.

Powers?

Thank you.

Through you, Mayor, thank you. That was very good points. So the, I mean... One of the things in the report was talking about C-ClickFix and getting the reports to us so that we're aware of where an outlier problem is and then we can address it in Inside a structure, we should definitely be alerted to that right away, and they can call us at Inspectional Services. If it's a landlord situation, we can get involved with the landlord if needed. If it's a private property, we can certainly help them, get them on track through the private property rodent control. The other factor would be for reducing The possibilities would be to really look at our smart box data where we do have smart boxes, making sure that we're being as efficient as possible with those, making sure they're catching something. If they're not, we have to move them somewhere where they are. I believe we have more smart boxes coming online. First of the Year through Participatory Budgeting 10.

So we'll have additional smart boxes out there. We can again identify more areas that have the potential Right now it was schools and CHA were the first 50 that came from participatory budgeting. That was in the report. And those have been showing very good numbers as far as catches go. So I think we're starting in the right direction. I think adding more to that Wilson.

Thank you. And thank you for sharing all that. It's definitely important that we continue to talk about it and that people are able to utilize the C-Click fix. as a way to just share and inform when they see some activity and what's going on. Yeah, that's all for me. I yield. Thank you.

Council Wilson yields the floor. Councilor Azeem, Councilor Siddiqui, do you want to be heard on this? No, thank you.

Mayor Simmons, I'm good, and I'll raise my hand if I'd like to be heard.

Thank you. Thank you.

Mr. City Manager. I think maybe just the last thought would be for people to definitely continue to reach out. I think Dave does get calls, but I think The earlier we hear about things, the quicker that we can start to address where there's some overflow or there's a problem with a dumpster. And I think packet page 25 is probably, you know, when I attended the Rat Academy, I think you really got me convinced there's only so much we can do to ultimately control our rodent population through attacking it. A lot of it is really just about The more that we're able to understand where there's a concentration of nests and go after those nests where there's a concentration of food that isn't in a big belly is in a dumpster that can close. If we can get on top of those, that's what's gonna have the most impact.

I think these rodents are, as I understand it, reproducing faster than we can possibly catch up. And so a lot of the information that's coming out of the smart boxes is more understanding where there's activity as opposed to actually actively killing rats. And that's what we need to get ahead of. And so the partnership with the community is really key. and I have thought about whether we should be doing more marketing campaigns so that we can get more people in our community aware that they really have to be partners with us, be in touch, tell us where they're seeing activity. and a lot of this is really about coordination as much as it is about us throwing in more smart boxes or more traps.

Thank you, Mr. City Manager. One quick question. Where rat infestation seems to be extraordinarily pervasive is at Ford University Park. Residents have had to move out. They're literally moving. The rats are so pervasive, they're literally moving furniture. or down here on West Street where it's a large multi-family unit. The address is on Harvard Street, but they put their garbage in not the best way, I might say. Early, bagged. And I can understand what you're saying about, well, we need to tell people they need to complain. But complaining is great, but people want resolution. and I know, I don't know, many of my colleagues may have heard from people from West Street or for University But it's really, really, really a problem.

And it seems to be so pervasive for a university. I wonder if you just start over. Move everyone out and do something different because they can't get any relief no matter what people do. they close the holes, they bait, they help people with temporary living accommodations and it's just not enough and I can't imagine What it's like to live in those kinds of conditions. So I don't think just having people tell us we have a problem, We have to come up with some solution, particularly in these particular instances. So where are we? To that degree, where are we at getting those kinds of answers where people can actually live in their residences? I mean, I understand rats are a problem, but it's a real problem when you're living with them.

Mr. Powers. Yes, Madam Mayor. Very good points. We are aware of both of those locations that you named. We were involved probably a little bit later Thank you. Thank you very much. We gathered together both the property owner, property management, any local experts, plus the contractor that was doing it. We interacted with them to make sure that they were doing everything they could. So to go to the point of when there's a problem, Determining what is exacerbating that problem is the key. So with the four universities, the trash system and the way they were handling the trash needed to be corrected.

Doors being left open needed to be corrected so all of those things are getting much better. They're not perfect yet. Again, there's a lot of moving parts. So we are working with them and staying involved. I'm fairly sure that we're free of activity within units. There is still some activity around the building which we're working with local businesses. and local institutions to try to make sure that all of those other situations are addressed. There's a lot of moving parts with, especially with trash storage. Outside. That's not excusing it. It definitely needs to be addressed. We're certainly trying to help out with that.

And not to belabor it, but is it residential trash or is it the restaurants that are...

In that situation, it's a combination of both. It's the residential trash from the building itself and nearby business.

I just want to bring your attention to it again because it's a huge problem and if it is exacerbated in any way because of the restaurants maybe and I'm restaurant friendly. as someone who never cooks. But we have to do something. I mean, families and their children are being terrorized. Understood. So maybe we can get a report back, particularly for that location. in a month or so, because I would love to see some more aggressive action to be taken. Further discussion? Council Wilson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Just one thing that you brought up that just really got my memories going here, my thoughts going, is really Again, just thinking about what are the tools that the landlords are using, so like what kind of bins and how safe or how... how they're able to just keep things compact. So I'm sure, again, going back to even the Rad Academy and stuff like that that you all offer, just how many other What other opportunities do you have for the community and for landlords or business owners or whatever to get involved and know more about how to What tools to be using during this time, how to partner with the city in certain areas if they are a multi... A big building, what kind of new trash waste systems can they maybe implement? How often are you all offering those services and resources, and is that even posted on y'all's website, even if it's not going through a training and academy, but just

Where are the resources that someone can have or go to so that they can best mitigate on their own? but making sure that their residents or their businesses are, I guess, in compliance is maybe the word, but just up to par, up to scale in using certain tools that could be accessible to them. Mr. Powers?

Mr. Ducinardi, either.

Through you, Mayor. So I think our website has some good details on get rid of it right and things like that on the Public Works website. Certainly, I think we can always do more, especially in the outreach vein. been taking notes and certainly something we can start planning on doing more of to make sure that there's information brought to everyone instead of them having to go look for it. So, duly noted.

Mr. Ticinati? Through you, Madam Mayor, I just wanted to add that when we find an issue with the larger property manager, We'll educate them and try to get things to Dave and to try to get their trash under control, their road in control, to send us to their reports to make sure that they're baiting the proper way and you know we follow up with them but our outreach to those larger property managers has been you know the last few years much much better.

Thank you Madam Mayor, through you that's really good to hear and just to not belabor this any further but just wanted to add the urgency on this University Park units and again that While one or two units may have been, you know, kind of like solved, the issue has now moved on to the next unit. So it's just, you know, it's moving along. and I think to the mayor's point about how the work of inspectional services and like how can you maybe speak to landlord like does it mean let's move everybody out Do this over so that all the units could be safe and maintained and protected and so that people can be moving in and feel good and safe in their homes. Thank you.

Councilor Wilson deals the floor. I mean, just in conclusion, if I may, to Mr. Powers and Mr. Tuchinardi, particularly for West Street, I think the property manager is a part of the problem where they just Turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the resident because the abutter is just one or two people. I don't know if it's a fine because I think it gets... If you hit someone with a hefty fine, they'll see God and Buddha. So how do we do that? How do we make people pay more attention? And maybe that's the way to do it, because something has to be different. It's just as this one particular individual is saying, I can't use my backyard. and it's not the homeowner. It's the management company and or the property owner. I think the property owner is an absentee property owner relying on a management company that's not overseeing the appropriate

Disposal, or practices around disposal, because what we're hearing is, you know, if trash day's on Thursday, you're not supposed to put your trash out before Wednesday. It's not supposed to be, particularly if it's in a bag, and that's not what they're doing. To give council more information about how we can bring more pressure on management companies and property owners that are not complying because it's just not fair for us to have to hear it and then say to the resident or property owner, we're doing the best we can. because they're living with it. Councilor Turner.

Madam Mayor, thank you. I hope this isn't completely out of order. Just a separate question. It's actually not for ISD or our RAT czar, but for the city manager. and I don't have a policy order, I don't want to bring one, but just separate from rats, I think our second biggest The thing that's out there right now is all over North Cambridge is coyotes showing up. And I'm just curious if without a policy order, if just animal control could send us all just a little update on...

So, Councilor Toner, not to be a stickler for the rules, but the coyotes are not in front of us.

I understand. I just wanted to get it out there. Or maybe the coyotes could come by and eat some rats.

There you go. There you go. I like that idea. So we're not talking about coyotes because it's not in front of us. My colleague wants to suspend the rules and then we will take it up. Okay, very good. But he can bring it through as a policy order and we can talk about Wiley Coyote. All right. If there's any further discussion on this item, hearing none, on a motion by Councilor Nolan to place on file, roll call, please. Councilor Azeem.

Yes. Yes. Vice Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui? Yes, Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes, Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes, Councilor Wilson? Yes. Yes, Councilor Zusy? Yes. Yes, Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes, and you have nine members recorded in the affirmative.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. And the City Manager's agenda item is placed on file by the affirmative vote of nine members. Yes, Council Wilson, the floor is yours. Can I discharge these gentlemen? This is not anything... Not all of them, but yeah. Not all of them, okay. Not all of you, but... Those of you from Inspectional Services, thank you. And from the Public Health Department, thank you. So, Council Wilson, are you going to ask, because I was going to ask, if we wanted to bring the late policy order before... Wilson. So Council Wilson wants to move suspension of the rules to bring forward late agenda item number 161. The first item is to remove suspension and the second will be to bring the item forward. So on suspension, Madam Clerk.

Councilor Azeem. Yes. Yes, Vice Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes, Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes, Councilor Siddiqui? Yes. Yes, Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes, Councilor Toner? Yes, Councilor Wilson? Yes. Yes, Councilor Zusy? Yes. Yes, Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes, and you have nine members recorded in the affirmative.

And the rules are suspended in the affirmative vote of nine members on bringing late order number 161 before the city council. Roll call, please.

Councilor Azeem. Yes. Yes. Vice Mayor McGovern. Yes. Yes. Councilor Nolan. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui. Yes. Yes, Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes, Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes. Councilor Wilson? Yes. Yes. Councilor Zusy? Yes. Yes. Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes. And you have nine members recorded in the affirmative.

Impulse City Manager's Agenda Late Item. It's not City Manager's Agenda. Excuse me. Late Policy Order No. 161 is now before us. This was pulled by Council Wilson. Council Wilson, you have the floor.

Thank you Madam Mayor and through you to the City Manager and also to my colleagues. I just want to appreciate my colleagues and being a co-sponsor on this but really wanted to turn it over to the city manager to actually just open up with his remarks and thoughts around kind of where we are. Again, this has been a huge shock to the community as a whole from what we're obviously hearing through public comment. and to us as colleagues, to us as the council, I think in the spirit of kind of the discussions and what we've been having throughout budget season, talking about our commissions, everything, there was a lot of and I think what has felt a little bit like a blind site is the rapid or I would even say hasty decision that was made but also one that seem to have little process, at least open, transparent communication and process.

Again, as the council, we have had a policy order, and I think it's tabled, Thank you. Thank you. I'd like to turn it over to you, Madam Mayor, to the city manager to please discuss, explain.

Before you do that, Council Wilson, as is often our I will say tradition, it's not a part of the rules. Councilor Nolan is the lead sponsor. I don't know if she wanted to make some introductory remarks before I turned it over to the city manager. You can say no.

I'm happy to just... Yield? I just want to explain why this is before us, but if Councilor Wilson thinks it's better to...

Please, I mean, again, through you, Madam Mayor, to my colleagues who are co-sponsors on this, please definitely yield to any opening remarks and statements that folks have. I definitely just wanted to turn it over to him. Thank you, Council Wilson. Council Norman?

Yes, and thank you. And thank you, Council Wilson, for moving suspension to bring it forward. I think it's important that we have the staff here. As Councilor Wilson noted, this came as a shock, I think, to the community and to the staff and to the council. So, first of all, it's important to have it, I think, before us. The policy order acknowledges, just to be very clear, that staffing decisions are the city manager's authority. We're clear about that. The reason though for this policy order is The way that this was done and a number of issues related to this decision. The city manager letter on goals, which we all have as we anticipate the Review notes how important and appreciated, quote, collaboration with the council is. And that is particularly why this decision did not model collaboration or transparency or fairness.

If it was a budget decision, then we should have discussed this in the context of the budget. If it's a streamlining discussion, it could have been a collaborative discussion around streamlining. The message, I think, to the city staff as a whole and to the community volunteers, we heard from some of them who serve on commissions, that the message was not, again, in the spirit of collaboration and fairness and transparency that we hold up as models of our values as a city. And I will note, I have been clear and publicly, and I think people know this, that I am not opposed to some reductions in staff. I've said it privately and publicly that I am open to it. I could support some, including very specifically in some of these commissions, Peace Commission and Women's Commission. However, this announcement was still very disappointing because the council goals itself include that we have, as one of the goals, recommendations on boards and commissions.

As Councilor Wilson noted, there's a policy order on our agenda. And again, it wasn't passed, but it's been sitting there on our agenda with the idea that this is clearly something that Council is very interested in doing. is reviewing all boards and commissions. The spirit of that goal is that it was not only about non-staff members of the commission, but that included all staff members, and yet, There was no recommendation coming forward, which is, again, was what the policy order asked for, say, why would this have happened prior to us understanding what the process was for making recommendations? Clearly, there should have been, I think, council notice, public notice. I know there's sensitivity. There could have been executive session. It is also something that could have been just, hey, we're in the middle of this process. We are going to make this decision. And it is a hard decision. I have certainly heard, well, the council would have been made your jobs harder. We're elected to do hard jobs. We could have had those discussions, I think, as a council and as a community.

And I would also say best human resources practice is not actually this method for professional staff. This kind of laying off is usually for someone who is being fired for cause. It's not a professional level staff to think that they cannot handle disappointing news. So that's why we brought this forward at this late date and as noted again in the Policy Order. This is in the context of one of the city manager goals is a review of boards and commissions and it would be really helpful to have all of these items discussed and sent to the council prior to that evaluation so that we have full understanding. So that's, I just want to make people understand generally late orders don't come before us and yet this is very timely given what happened and none of us even knew this until after the deadline noon on Thursday or we probably would have had a chance to review it before. So thank you. With that, I yield for now.

Mayor Simmons. Councilor Nolan yields the floor. Councilor Azeem, you want to speak on this item?

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I just wanted to echo and support and just, you know, second what my colleagues have said. I think that, you know, obviously the council has had a lot of difficult conversations this year about the budget. and like within that context like efficiency sounds really great when you talk about the abstract and when you talk about specifics in terms of like Layoffs or restructuring, like that's a very difficult conversation and one that should be handled with a lot of grace. I just had a few questions I just wanted to ask rather quickly or rather just one question and then just continue with my comments. I think that the biggest concern that I've heard has been around You know, when were people notified? And then how does like, several and such, like, you know, did people just lose their jobs, like right before the holiday? So I was wondering if you could just talk about those two things briefly, and then I'll continue my comments.

Azeem, are you yielding the floor?

I was just asking for the city manager if he's still there. Sorry, I can't see the room.

Okay. Mr. City Manager, and then I'll inquire of Councilor Siddiqui if she wants to be heard or Councilor Sieniewicz-Wheeler. Councilor, not Councilor, Mr. City Manager, if you'd like to take the floor.

Sounds good. Through you, maybe I'll defer to Ray Catchings just to talk a bit about what was offered to people.

Thank you, Mr. City Manager, and through you, Madam Mayor. So we provided somewhat of a runway while the news itself was delivered on Thursday. Many of the staff are actually getting paid through January with benefits going through the end of January. And then actual health benefits go through the month of February because of our rules around people separating. So, again, while it does sound and feel abrupt, there is a little bit of a soft landing here. It just obviously feels very jarring. Councillor Azeem?

Thank you. I didn't know that. So that's helpful information to have. I would say in general, like my comments are that, hey, I just wanted to first thank the commission and all the employees that work there for all their great work. and then also just to say that you know these are hard conversations and hard for a city where you know this doesn't make too much of an impact on the budget it's probably more of an efficiency place than a budget and also it hasn't been done in the city for a long time and so if we're going to have conversations about layoffs like just you know bring the city council along like as council Wilson said like this was around a policy order that didn't pass and then To me, at least, I don't know if this was true for all my colleagues, it was just a very surprising phone call we had gotten after the decision had been made. And as I'm sure that this is a difficult conversation for you, Mr. Sieniewicz, It's also a difficult conversation for city councilors to defend, especially if we were not part of the conversation or even knew that this was upcoming. I didn't realize that restructuring of the commissions might come

was actually actively happening. And so I think that keeping up in the loop more in the future and like from this pause here, just filling us in on exactly what happened would be really helpful. Thank you.

Azeem yields the floor. Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler, did you want to be here?

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I think some of the other councillors spoke to the points I had, but I think there are multiple parts to this. How the decision was made, I think Councilor Nolan spoke to the fact that the Charter does put staffing decisions like this in the hands of the City Manager, but there were parts of this that were really difficult, including There are ways for the council to weigh in about departments through the budget process and others. Those weren't sort of taken here. And I've had to explain to folks who sort of expect their elected officials to have a say in things that know that the council wasn't consulted on this. We found out at the same time as the public did about this. There was a question, questions around the rationale for these. They happened at the same time as We were finding out about loss of funding from the federal government. It wasn't a response to those budget cuts, but I don't know if that was really communicated. It wasn't a response to federal attacks on DEI, but the rationale on sort of what was it, which is not really clearly stated to the public.

And then I think the final, maybe the biggest part was the way the layoffs were carried out. I think it was just a really jarring experience for someone to come into work one day and be told that today is your last day and go home and you're not gonna be coming back. And I think there's really a conversation there about how we are handling decisions like this. At the end of the day, this is how our charter is set up. We discussed charter changes last year, some of them that would have given council more power over these did not pass. But even if this is not a violation of the charter, As folks said in public comment, we're not in line with the spirit of the ordinance, and so Paul's order is clearly asking for answers to these questions and sort of demanding some accountability. So with that, I yield back.

Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler yields the floor. Councilor Siddiqui?

Thank you, can you hear me?

Can barely hear you.

Barely? Okay, I will try. I agree with a lot of what's been said. I think I've heard since Thursday from members of the public. We've also heard from other city staffers who, you know, have questions. And so I think in thinking about this over the last few days, I think we really wrote this policy order not to say that we don't sometimes have to make Thank you so much for joining us. you know answers around that and both the decision-making process and the actual communication and caring out of it and as is mentioned there's so much going on in the background and Just last week, we were talking about the budget. We all have been doing all this boards and commission work.

We've talked about all the DEI tax by Trump. There's a lot that's been happening in the last few months. particularly because these are public facing positions where these layoffs occurred, it makes sense about why people are reaching out. And I really think the first step is to get the answers about how we got here in the first place. But most of my colleagues have covered it. So I'll yield. Thank you.

Councilor Siddiqui yields the floor, Councilor Nolan, not Councilor Nolan, excuse me, Councilor Toner, and it might be good if the solicitor takes the table just in case there's questions that we want to ask.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I just wanted to add a couple of questions so that when the team explains it. There's no good way to do a layoff, but I'm just curious, and the term's not best practice, but what is... a traditional practice when you're having to make these difficult decisions on the process by which you inform people and then how they leave. I mean, I've had the unfortunate situation being laid off myself from a position and it's pretty fast and, you know, To the point, I'd be curious as to what your experiences have been. Is this sort of the norm? I definitely don't think this has anything to do with Doge or things happening at the federal level.

I think the city manager made some decisions about restructuring staff. I too got phone calls from people who work with these staff that were a bit surprised. So just in your comments if you could talk about the practice. And I don't think any of us here thinks or is expecting layoffs because people are talking about now everybody on staff is afraid they're going to be laid off. I don't know that that's and I don't think we're in a situation where that's going to happen going forward. But I also get a little concerned about this kind of policy order because Are we going to do this every time someone is... So I just want to put that out there. Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Toner yields the floor. I just wanted to have a question of the solicitor, if she doesn't mind taking A seat at the table. And my question is about the city charter because there is some conversation just so that we have a baseline of understanding when it comes to employment. What is the... roles and responsibilities of the City Council, if any.

Thank you to you, Madam Mayor. Under the city charter, the city manager is the chief executive and is responsible for personnel decisions. And it's not within the purview generally for the council to be There are instances such as this policy, this late order that's before the council where there are also questions about Ordinances and commissions that are established by ordinances in that area is within the purview of the council even though the generally the day-to-day personnel decisions are not

So, Madam Solicitor, just so I'm clear, because this is a frame of reference for me, maybe for my colleagues. So when we talk about the roles and responsibilities, the ordinance to the... Council, it's around the substance of the ordinance and what it lays out in terms of mission, but does it stop at... The employment, I'm just trying to get, because it seems to be a little, I think from what I'm hearing is that some people are interpreting, I just want to make sure if it's right or wrong, that because there is some interaction from the council relative to what I think is the mission of some of the commissions that that indeed means that you also have some jurisdiction over hiring decisions. And I just want to clear up that gray area and the other one while I have the floor.

is because there was some conversation about having a executive session. But if we have no purview on hiring, would an executive session be something that we could indeed do? So I just wanted to ask that, if I could. Thank you.

Yes to you, Madam Mayor. In terms of the ordinance, Specific ordinances might have, specific ordinances that have established various boards and commissions might have different language about what the board or commission's role is in The involvement of the executive director. As the council knows, there are ordinances on the books that are outdated and are not followed in practice exactly as how they're written. So some of that may come into play here as well. And the council generally has an interest in adherence to the ordinances that the council sets, as well as considering whether there are ordinances that would benefit from possible amendments.

On the question about executive session, I would like to look into that a little bit more, both because With the council not having a role generally in day-to-day personnel decisions, is there the ability to go into executive session to talk about Any of these issues. And also, the executive session purposes are pretty narrow. And there is an executive session purpose And I think it's purpose number one that does relate to character, reputation of an individual or Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

This discussion would even fall under that executive session purpose, and I don't think any of the other executive session purposes would possibly encompass this discussion.

Thank you, Madam Solicitor. I mean, that's important because under MDL Chapter 39, Subsection 23B, it says to discuss the reputation, character, physical conditions, or mental health rather than the professional competence of an individual. and so it does seem like from reading this our ability to weigh in through the executive session is prohibited. That's what it sounds like or that's what it seems like. And the only reason why I raise it is because there are individuals that are seeing that as an outlet and I don't want people to be The Council nor the citizens to be misinformed or confused, for lack of a better way of saying it, around the ability to use executive session in this context. And I think it's important.

What the council could do, and I would really look to your advice on this, Madam Solicitor, is through one of our committees, it could be government ops, it could be finance, to discuss This, if we can, because if I hear you right, and this is not taking a side on this policy order, at all, but just want to know what are the guardrails or what are the parameters through which we can have these discussions? Because I don't want anyone walking out disappointed because the council didn't do thus and so or The council takes policy actions that are not within our purview. So I just think it's important for us to know that. So it would be helpful if you could get back with that particular... to lay that particular issue to rest. With that, I'll yield the floor and turn it back to you, Mr. City Manager. There's a couple of questions that were put to you. I don't know if you have them all, but do your best to start out. The floor is yours.

Oh, I'm sorry, did you?

I had some questions and comments too, but I can wait to them.

If you'd want to say them now so that he has the plethora.

Okay, thank you, Madam Mayor, through you. So I guess one question I had, and not just me, I think others have asked this, and... What I brought up before is the why now timing of this, right? that this is not like people were let go for cause or that people were let go for performance. It was a restructuring, which You know, maybe turn out to be the right thing, and I know people put a lot of work into this, and I don't think this was done without a lot of thought, even if... I have questions about it and not 100% sure how I feel about whether it will work. But as people have said, these were positions that were funded to the end of this fiscal year. They're not, Mr.

Manager, according to you, that these were not budget decisions to try and save money in the budget. So there was no immediate financial need to do this. and then just obviously the timing of this particular time of year but you know Why not have waited until March and said, we're not going to be funding these positions in fiscal year 27? There's three more months left in the fiscal year. You can stay to the end of the fiscal year and transition. Get all your ducks in a row and pass things on to the new executive director. which, again, there's no good time, as you say, Mr. Manager, there's no good time to do something like this, but there are better times, I think.

But obviously at the end of the day, people are still going to be upset about it, but I think there is sort of what's feeling kind of... Thank you for your time. I guess my question is, you know, why was it so important to do this in the third week of November instead of waiting? And then the others are just sort of comments about, you know, I know that this is maybe the way in which these kinds of things are typically done to Councilor Turner's question. I would like us to be better than the norm. You know, in the way in which we do these kinds of things. And so I hope we're thinking about this if we end up in this place again. And then, Madam, your question about the...

to the solicitor's question about the ordinances and that sometimes ordinances are not always being followed in practice in a way in which they were written, maybe because they're 50 years old and we haven't looked at them. That is probably something we need to deal with as time consuming as that is because when it does come up, people go back and they look at the ordinance that was passed and they say, well, wait a second, you know, you didn't do this, right? And then, If we need to change ordinances to bring them up to date, then that should be a public ordinance committee process where people get to come and say, you should do this or you shouldn't do this, and then the council updates or not the ordinance. I just want to throw that out there is that I think that's a lot of work, but I think it's important work that we need to look at so that we're not inconsistent. and that we're not setting this up for people to be thinking that we're supposed to be doing one thing when in reality we're not doing that.

And so I guess a question, Madam Mayor, through you to the solicitor to put on your list is there has been this question brought up that in the women's commission ordinance in particular, it does say that the hiring of the executive director, the city manager is supposed to consult with the commissioners. I don't know if that's... A statement that's in all the other commission, all the other ordinances as well. It is in that one. And I do want to say I want to thank Nancy Ryan for mentioning the... The women who helped put this together. My mother was one of them, and I got an earful from her today. She's watching on TV right now. She was one of the founders of the Women's Commission, so I heard quite a bit about and she actually brought that up too. Like, wait a minute, did the commissioners know about this? And so I guess my question to you, through you, Madam Mayor, to the solicitor is, is that, Did we violate that in some way? Or did we not dot all the I's in that regard?

And should this have been discussed with the commissioners beforehand? Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Vice Mayor yields the floor. Councilor Zusy, seeing that everyone has had an opportunity to speak, would you like to have an opportunity to speak before the City Manager answers?

I would, but I'd like to hear back from the city manager first. Very good. Very good questions.

Thank you very much. Councilor Zusy yields the floor. Mr. City Manager, the floor is yours.

Thank you. Through you, Mayor Simmons. You know, I think I appreciate just the opportunity and I think it is an important conversation. In terms of how we got here, I will say one of the things when I first arrived was we kind of had a lot of departments all reporting out directly to the city manager. and when I was having conversations I was finding out that in reality what's really tough about that is a lot of departments are then not actually having a lot of management, not really being connected into the central city administration. And so over the course of the last couple of years, we've really been working through a more organized organizational structure. And in fact, we've made really significant investments in equity and inclusion.

and went from really having just one person working on equity inclusion to bringing together the different parts of the organization under one actual department. and I think this is also something that I've sort of experienced and had conversations with folks where there's a lot of focus on the city manager making every decision that's happening in the city and I want to say that there's no evasion of accountability and you know I end up sitting here every week and I support the decisions that we're making and I defend them and that continues to be the case but also I want to acknowledge that department heads are managing across a billion dollar budget and you know and thousands of employees and so the work that's actually happening in the city more and more is happening through leaders that are then managing teams day to day, week to week.

And so ultimately, and I think it'll be helpful to just have Deidre, our chief of inclusion, walk through the rationale, and Ray, our chief people officer, can talk through some of the HR practices, because I think there's a lot of questions around those areas. Ultimately, we are depending upon our department heads to think about the structure of the teams that they have, the people and the positions, and to sometimes make really hard decisions. And I want to acknowledge I mean, there is real impact when we make these kinds of decisions. And that's been part of the conversation we have been having for a number of weeks and months. I think this conversation is really important. I would just say this is hard, and I think this will come out as we answer some of these questions.

but also the other thing that I've been really committed to is making sure that we're able to have these conversations and there is some division in terms of what the city administration is responsible for, the decisions we have to make, the day-to-day operations that we're running and the teams that we're managing. But I also recognize counselors are all out there defending the same decisions and having to answer for them. And so I'm open for us to continue to talk about this, talk about how we can do better, get some feedback. But I think it will be helpful to just talk through, look, how did we end up here? What were the decisions we made? What's the actual HR context behind this? and I know it sort of feels very shocking and hard to go through this, but I think it'll help to have the conversation. So maybe before we jump into questions, what I would say is,

to have Deidre walk through some of the rationale, how we got here, and then Ray can talk through a little bit of the process and why it was carried out in the way it was.

I would just say this, Mr. City Manager, and I will yield to my colleagues. Is this the proper context, the proper time and place to be doing it as opposed to in a committee meeting where we usually tease out these things? So, again, I'll yield to the body if they want to dip their toe in the water on it, but a full conversation, this... does not, doing something at 7.30, I think it's 7.30, 7.28 at night, and this is a very serious conversation, Again, I'll yield to my colleagues if they want to hear some part of this, but I think the more appropriate place is in a committee, government ops or finance. Wilson, I'll yield to you and then give the floor back.

Thank you Madam Mayor and through you too I guess to you or to the city manager I think yes we need to have the conversation I apologize I thought this was going to be one of our shortest meetings of the year and I was really anticipating that and I think this is really unfortunate Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. of the dialogue. And while it would have been better for us to have gone through this in a more, in my opinion, proper channel would have been to have this in a committee, brought to, because it was on the table, we could have had lengthy conversations and really fleshed out some of the thinking, the processes, et cetera. but now we are here and now this late policy order is before us. So I think we do not delay the conversation in my humble opinion. I think we do need to move forward. But the other thing that I'm curious about specifically is in regards to layoffs and our city norms around layoffs.

We have not had a layoff in this city in over 30 years. So the fact that we have moved into this motion, into this Manorism of behavior. I would hate to call it a practice, but into this behavior seems very corporate-like and does not seem community, public servant. You know, like that kind of etiquette, in my opinion, in terms of how we would actually move and think about our colleagues and employees, especially front-facing employees who are on the ground doing the work. I'll yield, but that's where I'm at with it. Let's continue the conversation. Thank you.

Very good. So Councilor Wilson yields the floor, City Manager. Again, we can certainly... Start the conversation. I don't think that will answer anything today. I think the conversation, given what I've heard... probably needs a little bit more thoughtful, a thoughtful opportunity to talk more about it. But I will yield the floor, Ms. Brown, Director Brown, the floor is yours.

Through you, Madam Mayor, thank you, everyone. This is a very tough moment for all of us and one that I've been very thoughtful about and have been thinking about for the past two years. As we came together, the department itself started to grow. I started to think about where we could find efficiencies. And I was looking broadly at efficiencies, thinking about administrative tasks that we were doing and if we were, who was doing them and how were they being done. And I brought that to the council meeting when questions were being asked about efficiencies. and I had done the due diligence to find out where administratively there were things that we, again, were all doing. After identifying that and taking a page out of the feedback that was given during the last budget hearings, because I sat through, Each one of the commissions and heard your feedback there.

I started to look more deeply at, from one commission to the next commission to the next, What administratively are we doing that's the same? And there were quite a few similarities in the work that was being done. And I thought about how we could take that out of the commission's hands posting minutes or scheduling meetings or doing the copy work that needs to be done, supporting event planning, by taking care of purchase of goods and services, things like that. And consolidating all of those, thinking about who in our organization, because we have more resources now, might be better suited to do that. So in thinking about that, I reached out to partners in HR and in strategy to think more about How do we do this in a more effective way and a more efficient way?

So nothing at all related to budget or cost savings at that point at all. We were thinking through just how we work more collaboratively, how we work more efficiently and effectively. Also looked at one of our commissions, the Human Rights Commission, which is a composition of Human Rights, the LGBTQ Plus Commission, as well as CERC. And back in 2021, a former city manager brought those all together and they have been working under one executive director for several years now. And it seems to be working very, very well. and efficiently. And so taking that as a model also and bringing that back to my thought partners and thinking that through also through city manager, We started to devise what could be a plan for working more efficiently and effectively across all of the

We talked about what are those roles and responsibilities that we need in order to be effective. in order for us to sustain these commissions. We identified some of those and know that we've worked on job descriptions related to those also. But again, this exercise began close to two years ago and very thoughtfully through just understanding where there was overlap, where there was redundancy, and trying to find a better pathway forward for efficiency improvement. and effectiveness.

Thank you, Director Brown. Ms. Ketchings, is there anything you'd like to add?

Yes, through you, Madam Mayor. I think some important things to consider as we have this conversation is We also wanted to do it within our existing footprint in terms of the number of staff, the number of FTEs that are allocated. So that's sort of one of the guardrails that I think is important to point out. The other one you ask about why now and why not any other time in the year. When we sort of think about the fact that this is a phased iterative process, when we think about what has to happen first, So the other sort of dominoes can fall and we can set the team up for success going forward. We had to start somewhere. And when we think about the runway for preparing for next year when we have to start to talk about where our program dollars and how they will be allocated for functions that are happening Smith, and others within the commission, the staff that need to align with that.

This was where we are in terms of the runway needed in order to be successful as we start to think about the iterative process for next year. you know if starting that later would have gave us less of a runway and so we just had to kind of draw a line in the sand and figure out where we could go as early as possible thinking about the thoughtfulness and the engagement that we needed to do from sort of the internal decision makers and stakeholders that really have to think about how we continue the work And so it's more about having the runway available to us as we think about the planning and programming moving into the next year.

Ms. Ketchings yields the floor. Director Brown, the floor is yours.

I also wanted to add that as we were thinking about this model, we thought about the work that's being done and where we could group the work that the commissions and the work that they were doing. and so we started to look at where there was commonality. We already had HRC and Carolina Almonte who is the Executive Director also for PRAB. We thought about can't have her working on five different commissions and so how do we sort of tease those out and we thought thoughtfully in conversation with her about that work and we landed with LGBTQ+, the Women's Commission, and the Domestic Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative, all under one with an executive director.

also having a program manager who's responsible for ensuring that the programming is done and execution is done so that we are able to deliver on all of the programs that we have. We would not be losing anything from what is already done. We'd still be collaborating with commission members going forward for all of and the commissions that are a part of these separate areas now, these different work streams. So very thoughtful again in how we were thinking about doing All of that and ensuring that we do not have a gap in services that are being provided. And now that we're in the new location, we're all together and have announced to residents here in the city where we are. We've had visitors who've come in just to come in and others who've come in to receive services from us. So that was a part of the thinking also. Thank you.

Thank you, Director Brown. Use the floor. Ms. Ketching, was there more that you wanted to add?

through you, only that we haven't talked much about the Disabilities Commission. And I know Chief Brown was mentioning that they're also under the OEI umbrella. Johnson. Just for technical reasons, they are still going to be housed at 51 Inman, but they are very much so a part of the OEI shifts and restructuring, moving and to report from DHSP over to Chief Brown. Very good, thank you.

And I think through you, Mayor Simmons, I think maybe a little bit helpful, Ray, just since there's been a number of questions about the abruptness and how ultimately and I think these are just incredibly challenging circumstances when there's an involuntary separation. But I know a lot of the feedback has been about how it's felt incredibly disrespectful to have that news and then have people end their employment versus having a transition period in the organization. I think it might be helpful for us to just talk that through a little bit.

Ms. Ketchings. Right. Thank you. Through you, Madam Mayor. It is, I mean, we've talked about it here today where it's There's never an easy way and never an easy route. And so there are a number of ways that people do layoffs. There are a number of ways that people communicate. Williams. We tried to design a plan that did include grace, did include dignity. We asked, you know, the floor to be clear for folks who might have experienced this conversation so they did not have an audience when they walked out of the room. I mean, we paid an incredible amount of attention to detail in terms of transitioning folks. I think we weren't able to necessarily Thank you. Thank you.

to move about their workspace and close out their things in a way that is not embarrassing and there is no audience to sort of watch them do this. But to the point of kind of understanding that there is no perfect way to do a layoff, we did sort of practice, again, trying to stagger and doing their conversations in person or giving folks the option to do them virtually if they so chose to. And so there were a number, I'm losing kind of the rest of what you wanted me to talk about. Oh, yes. And so typically what would happen is once a notification is delivered, it is really tough to then somehow try to do a transition plan that includes a person who is actively working and talking about the work that they would be handing off.

And so one of the best practices is in fact to, while it might feel abrupt in the moment to tell someone this is no longer a body of work that they have to worry about, it does in fact allow the rest of the team and the manager who's doing the internal planning to go ahead and facilitate that process and move on. It is really hard and a great area to have somebody who is going to be separating to still be in the environment not only for themselves but for the staff that is behind. And so a clean break is usually what is recommended. And while it is a clean break in terms of them physically being in the office, we did provide somewhat of a soft landing, thinking about how Their employment is going to wind down into the future. They're just not actively involved in that planning because of how difficult those ongoing transition conversations can be. Thank you.

Ms. Ketching yields the floor.

Councilor Zusy, do you have a question?

More, I have some comments. So it's really, through you, Mayor Simmons, it's really good to hear your explanation because, again, what I was most concerned about was, again, the process because I just think with terminations, especially with staff that have been working for the city for almost 20 years or 17 years, I guess 19 and 17 years, It just seems like there could have been a gentler way if there had been more of a public discussion about... I actually applaud you for doing the restructuring, and I told this to the city manager earlier. because I've always been concerned about, I feel like the work that you do, that all the commissions have done is very, very important, but it's like $7.6 million investment. We've just learned we're going to lose 8.4 million in housing. There are going to be people that are hungry. They're not going to get fuel assistance.

So I think the responsible thing for the city to do is to make the hard decision to promote efficiencies, to do consolidations, and unfortunately that will probably require... A series of layoffs so that we can take care of the most vulnerable. We've talked about the importance of caring for the most vulnerable. We're not going to have money to do that unless we Thank you. The difficulty, how hard it is to restructure and how hard it is to lay off committed staff that's been doing extraordinary work for the city for almost decades.

but my question along with my colleagues has really been more about process because I wonder if you couldn't have just said look the writing's on the wall we are going to be We're going to have to be doing some cutting back. We're going to need to close down some positions in the next couple of months. But to give people six weeks to close out projects, pass on the knowledge. I mean, obviously, these employees that have been working for the city for, again, almost decades, are really committed to their work, so they want to make sure that it continues. So they're invested in it, heavily invested. So I just, I guess I question whether...

terminating them immediately, even though it's clear that it's not because of cause, but because of restructuring is actually the best way to do it. And as I told the city manager, it reminded me of The Boston Massacre at the Museum of Fine Arts that happened in 1999 when there were senior curators who had devoted often 30 or 40 years to building collections, developing connections with collectors. They had committed their lives to their departments at the MFA. and they and 16 other staff members were escorted out of their offices never to return again that day in 1999. So I think I understand the clean break. While it may not seem like it's kind, it might

I guess I'm not convinced. I just think maybe giving people six weeks notice or two. Some notice might actually benefit the city more and be more respectful to staff members. But again, I'm really glad that the city charter makes it clear that it's the city manager that's ultimately responsible for our budget. You're responsible for balancing our budget. I appreciate your doing the hard work to do that and making the hard decisions ultimately to do that. And I think it's very important that there's also a buffer between the city manager who manages the staff of 3,700 and the city council because when we can't be, we're thinking about things that concern the whole I mean, as you are, right? But ultimately, the staff of 3,700 is yours.

So I feel like to meddle in the city manager's employment decisions... is problematic and probably won't best serve the city because we tend to be political and we have constituents and people that vote for us and we don't want to hurt people's feelings but Ultimately, somebody's gotta be there to draw the line and say, look, We've got to make sure our people are fed. We've got to make sure they've got fuel. We've got to make sure they've got housing. And the only way we can do it is by cutting back some places. I guess I trust that you're doing that work thoughtfully, and I appreciate that you're doing that work. and I think sadly there will be other layoffs that will be, I know you don't want to talk about it, but I just think to be responsible

We're gonna have less money. We're gonna have a lot less money. We're gonna lose federal grants. We're gonna lose a lot of state funding. We're going to have less commercial revenue. We're going to have to be working smarter, and that's going to mean doing some layoffs. This is the first set of layoffs, and so it's even harder than the others. I mean, something I'm surprised by is if I was in charge, and maybe you're already doing this but I would have come up with like a whole restructuring plan. I know you're looking for city departments to cut two and a half percent but I really would have thought of the overall plan and maybe enacted it at one time. I am thankful for the work of the commissions. I am thankful for your work.

City Manager Yi-An Huang, I'm grateful to you for again making the hard decisions that will keep us a fiscally sound city to maintain our AAA bond rating. I'm grateful for all of these things. With this policy, I respect the intention of it, but I am worried about our meddling in the City Manager's Affairs with the ordered. I think again, as Councilor McGovern said, it would have been nice to have been brought a little bit more into the loop so that we could have defended your decisions to residents that asked us, because I think we all got calls and residents were really concerned and disturbed.

But I think ultimately this is your work, and we need to trust that you and your staff will do it well, that you'll do it thoughtfully, and you'll be considering the best larger interests for the city. So I guess I won't be supporting this policy order, but I'm really grateful for it because it's initiated this conversation that I think has been really important to have. and again, before I even heard about this policy order, I'd reached out to the city manager and shared some of these thoughts. And I had my assistant reach out to Ray Ketchings, hoping to set up a meeting to better understand why we did things the way we did. But I think we do need to think about, again, I do think we need to rethink about how we lay off people, but I...

I think the restructuring will in the end serve the city and we need to learn to to We need to engage the public in thinking about efficiencies. I've recommended that the city manager hold town meetings. I think residents will have ideas for other places where we might find greater efficiencies. I'm just always impressed with what good ideas the public has and I just ask you and I know you're trying to do the best for the city to be thoughtful, to be I know you're doing what's best for the city. Thank you. That was a long ramble. I yield.

Susie yields the floor. Mr. City Manager, did you want to say anything else before I go around the rest of the room? Okay. Then Councilor Siddiqui?

Yes, and I apologize, I have to sign off, but I wanted to just say something really quickly, which was, I think the point of the policy order was not to have a Deep, deep discussion now, but to give staff some time to get back to us in writing so that we can all have some of the facts before us I disagree with Councilor Zusy here. This is not about meddling in city managers affairs. It's about council oversight and transparency. I think there's more nuance here because Our work does overlap with boards and commissions, and so it's not clear cut. And I also think it's a red herring to conflate this with more layoffs for budget reasons.

This has been stated by the city manager on the record and he can state it himself again that this was not done for budget reasons. So I do think We should not say that we need to do this in order to then help lower income people. and I think it's frankly dangerous to now say that there will be potential you know more layoffs other things I think we really should stick to this momentum time and I hope that the city manager

if there are more things that are gonna happen to the budget, we'll have those conversations and we'll have a process behind that. So that's all I wanted to say, but I hope that we can pass the PO have some future conversations as it relates to the questions before us. Thank you.

Councillor Siddiqui yields the floor. Councillor Azeem, do you want to be heard on this?

No.

Vice Mayor, and then Councilor Nolan. Thank you, Madam Mayor, through you. As far as the late order, I agree with what Councilor Siddiqui said in terms of, you know, I read this order and I'd like to have an addition I'd like to add to it at some point and I'd like to be added to it as well. Um, I actually appreciate, in some ways, the political restraint by the authors of the order, because the order could have read, and I think in previous years may have read, The City Council directs the City Manager to reinstate these positions, which would have been maybe overstepping our bounds in that regard. But it doesn't say that.

basically wants I think a report that probably just puts in writing much of what we've talked about already here tonight but Maybe people aren't watching. It's not online. It's hard to disseminate to the public. Basically, just to put into writing, answers to these questions that people have asked. And I do think that's an appropriate thing for us to do without meddling. Whether I like the decision or I don't like the decision, As we've all pointed out, it's not this council's decision for better or worse. And in some ways, I think that's better, and sometimes I think that may be worse. But and so on. I think the order is totally appropriate. And again, like I said, I'd like to be added to it. I don't know if you want me to...

I can wait till later to... bring forward my addition. Oh, look at that. It's right there. Thank you. I just wanted to add, because one of the other questions that people have asked a lot about is, how is this work going to actually continue? You had three people on staff in the Women's Commission. Now you have one person who's an executive director who's overseeing a few other commissions. How is that work going to continue? that you mentioned that we're going to have these program managers. I may have sort of missed that in the earlier discussion and the announcements, but that wasn't something that was sort of at the front of my brain. So I think adding in this report to talk about what is this new structure going to look like to ensure that the work actually is going to continue at the level that we all expect it. to continue in that. What are these program managers? What are their job descriptions?

How are we going to ensure that, again, that the work is going to be supported? So I think that would be important to just come. I know that's something people were concerned about, too. So that's why I put that up there. And I would like to be added. I do think it's an appropriate order. Thank you. I yield.

Vice Mayor yields the floor. Councilor Nolan.

Thank you. As you said yourself, Mayor Simmons and Councilor Siddiqui, the point of the policy order was partly to have the conversation and In the next, before the next two weeks, but as Councilor Wilson said, it is important enough and it is before us, but I think this is a both and. We're having some of the conversation, but I think we still need some answers that were not provided tonight. and one of those questions I think is when it was described of this whole process as we know and as I've said and we've all said the council has been very interested in this for the last two or three years But who is the we who decided this? Because the city manager in discussing this with me said that the strategy team was not involved, which to me was a failure. That's why we have a strategy team. It should be in the context of what's the entire structure of the organization. We know the council wasn't involved, staff wasn't involved, the commissions themselves weren't involved, and the community wasn't involved.

So I really think that's a question that would be important to answer. I also do take issue with the idea that this is the best way to handle a transition. In experiences I've had working with organizations and nonprofits, the transition when you have layoffs is, hey, there may be another role for you in the city. Let's talk about this. So for those seven people, it doesn't sound like that happened. It wasn't a process by which we sit down and say, it's happened to people I know and my family and also, organizations that I was consulting to, and we always sat down and said, hey, if there's another role, and it may be a demotion, but we're at least going to talk to you about open roles, that would have been compassionate and good practice and best practice. not being able to even say goodbye doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me and I also wonder given that the city charter that we passed if it was

done in a way that now that the election is certified, it is in place, says explicitly that any administrative order which includes any proposal to change a department could only happen after the city council held at least one public hearing on the proposal and the community is involved. So I'm just curious as to If that didn't happen here, but I thought that the charter was already in effect, and if it's not in effect, then it raises even more questions for me about why this level of reorganization would happen When six weeks from now, it would definitely have been something that the council would have been at least apprised of and the community involved in. So that raises even more questions for me that I really hope do get answered. as we move forward. And again, I'm public that reorganization makes sense, that some reduction makes sense, that we have lots of areas where We could reduce staff. That I understand.

And yet, this doesn't seem to be the way to do it or the process by which people were... Let Go doesn't seem to be best practice. It's not in line with... I just came back from the National League of Cities, and I just can't imagine that this as a case study would be viewed as best practice. It would be viewed as... I do hope we pass the policy order and Simmons-Point and Councilor Siddiqui. I hope we have another chance to have this discussion because I think these are really important issues. It's not even the specific Nolan, Joseph, Floor. Councilor Azeem?

I'm just hoping we can move to the vote. I have to leave in a few minutes and would love to be present for it.

Azeem yields the floor. Further discussion? Councilor Wilson.

Madam Mayor, thank you. I just had an additional question in regards to the restructuring and I'm curious about while the individuals who I want to be mindful of the humans, the bodies, the individuals who are now no longer a part of the city and the work that they do. that they added to our city fabric and really thinking about the work and recognizing that maybe I think the Women's Commission specifically may have had some events that they were in planning for next month. And so really curious as we talk about the hope to have no disruption and making sure that we're continuing with business as usual, what might that How might that actually come into play? So I just want to make sure that as we're making really difficult decisions and decisions that may be in the purview of the city manager,

and who he appoints to make those decisions, it's a decision that does impact our community as a whole, right? And so while I want to appreciate the level of work that you all, especially you, Chief Brown, and having these conversations or thinking this through for the last two years, the amount of work that goes into the thought process there. And especially with you, Ms. Catchings, just really thinking about, it does sound like thought was put into this. I'm not going to say it was the great or best thought, right? But because at the end of the day, it does sound like or feel like People in our community were let go without any understanding to this happening. And so with that, it also just speaks to how did we get here? And if this has nothing to do with budget, then there could have been more thoughtfulness into how we let people go. Right?

And just saying, you know, especially because we sought out, you know, we approved the budget for FY26, it could have been. You know, and again, I'm not the person on the ground. I'm not in any of you all's shoes. But I'm on this side, right? And in these shoes, we now have to answer to the public in a way that you all don't. and the unfortunate piece is that for us we also don't have any purview to say reinstate these people as much as I want to. But the question that I do have is now for the extra work that is on these individuals who are now the executive directors of this work. Are they now being compensated at a higher rate for now having to do more work? So through you, Madam Mayor, I'd like to have that answered.

Council Wilson-Niels, the floor question on the floor is

Madam Mayor, I didn't yield. I'm just asking a question.

Okay. Council Wilson has a question. You're asking it of the city manager or of Chief Brown?

Whoever feels that they are best to answer. Thank you.

We'll start with the city manager.

I'm happy to take it through you, Madam Mayor. Ms. Ketchings? Yes, so the initial iteration of the org structure that was out does include a layer of executive directors, and so for some it is... Wilson, Wilson, Wilson, Wilson, Wilson.

Thank you. And then my second question is just in regards to a conversation in regards to, I think just speaking specifically around additional layoffs. Many of my colleagues have talked about this. Other people in public comment have. are we anticipating more layoffs right now? Mr. City Manager?

Through you, Mayor Simmons. I think I will acknowledge there are definitely some staff conversations where there's a lot of concern. I think we've been really clear as part of the budget process that we are not looking to meet this year's budget with And so I think we've been pretty clear that this is a set of work that was about restructuring the team in a way that made sense for the program's effectiveness, efficiency. and would have happened regardless of where we were in the budget process. Now I think the challenging message as well is that I think we are trying to say that and I think this is you know there's a lot of process feedback I think that we're getting from tonight and I think we'll have another conversation but

But ultimately, what I feel like I've heard from the council is a willingness to review existing programs, review existing structures, and make some changes. I think we've sort of said that means that if there are staff changes or position changes, then we're willing to have those conversations and make those decisions. I think honestly it is a message where we are saying look staff are doing important work and this is the hardest part about the conversations we're having because I've said this a lot of times in the chamber and said, we have people that are running things that are appreciated in our community. Any change that we make in staffing is going to be really difficult. and here we are and it is really hard. And so, I think I just want to acknowledge like, yes,

As we go forward in this budget process, I don't want to say this is what we're going to see. We don't have additional layouts that we are working on, just to put that to rest. But as we do this work, whether it's for FY27 or FY28, I think we've said we should be willing to look at our programs and to review them, and if we need to make changes, then we should be willing to do that versus taking that off the table and saying we're not going to change anything that results in position reductions. I wish that there was a cleaner way to say that, especially in this moment. But certainly, I think we'll We'll process this, you know, the policy order passes and we can also have more of these answers and talk a bit about how we go about this.

Wilson.

Thank you. My final question is just, sorry, last two. I'll make them very quick. But the one thing is just in regards to while we think about there are employees here that are both union and non-union employees, and I'm really curious about And then my final question is just as we think about moving forward in the morale of our city employees, I've had too many calls over the weekend from many employees about, am I safe? What does this look like for me? How could this be done? And I'm just really curious and quite... you know just taking back because I'm like I don't know right and I don't know but I feel like as we continue to move forward and we want to think about holistically how we create a community that is thoughtful that is caring that is while yes, difficult decisions do have to be made, but how can people be more brought along?

How can we make sure that the work It's done in a tactful way, in a way that actually respects people for the work that they actually, and not just respects them because you gave them a severance. but actually respects their dignity around the work that they have been able to do for the amount of time that they've been here with the city and then thinking about how do we close them out in a way that actually gives Again, respect and dignity to the work that they have actually done and how we are able to continue it forward. Because I'm really concerned about the two events that are coming up in just a few short weeks with the Women's Commission. And while I believe, you know, Things may continue to what magnitude when you don't have the people who are actually at the table doing that work, continuing the project. So if you can just answer the two questions and I'll yield. Thank you.

Council Wilson yields the floor. Mr. City Manager or Chief Brown, the floor is yours.

Through you, Madam Mayor. Thank you for the question. What are we going to do for these next events? We've already begun the work to learn more about the plan that was laid out for those. and Shamika Gregory has been in contact with all of the key stakeholders that are part of that. She's reached out to commission members to hear from them. She's heard from a few of them, waiting to hear from others so that we can finalize this plan. We're taking hold, doing the work that we generally do and are moving forward with that. I am aware of a later event also that's going on. A part of all of this also is for us to work collaboratively. I said this in the budget hearing. We have more resources now, so we're able to do more work. and so we can pull on each other because we're not all 100% all the time.

So we're putting our arms around the work to ensure that it continues. We're going to be posting for the positions that we've identified so that we can quickly get people into those positions and anyone is welcome to apply for those positions, anyone, if they have those qualifications for those positions. So we are already in the mix. and already boots on the ground to ensure that those programs go off as we normally do with excellence and ensuring that The audiences are included. They have access to the programming, and it is one that meets the needs that have been identified.

Council Wilson.

Thank you, and to the union or non-union.

Ms. Ketchings. Through you, Madam Mayor, Maybe I could use some more clarity on the question around union, non-union. Council Wilson.

Thank you. Through you, Madam Mayor. So just in respect to is there... Anything for, like, will decisions, could decisions be being made that are in line of folks either being union or non-union?

Ms. Ketchings?

So if there are decisions that impact our unionized workforce, there is a number of engagement levers that we engage in in terms of either talking with the union reps specifically or having what we call impact bargaining sessions that are outside of main table and so There are forums for us to address impacts or decisions that could impact our unionized workforce. And we haven't had to do that yet.

Very good. Thank you. So we have two, we have a, I'm going to conjoin these two amendments. We have the amendment from the Vice-Mid be added to this policy order and we also have a line that I think was on the screen. Did everyone see it? So maybe everyone has seen it. I'd like to entertain a motion taking them together, adding the vice mayor and that one line. Hearing no objection, on a motion by the Vice Mayor, I'm sorry? On a motion by the Vice Mayor, I'll entertain a roll call.

Councilor Azeem. Did he leave? Councilor Azeem? Absent. Vice Mayor McGovern?

Yes.

Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui? Yes. Yes, Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes, Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes, Councilor Wilson? Yes. Yes, Councilor Zusy? Yes. Yes, Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes, and you have eight members recorded in the affirmative and one recorded as absent.

The amendment passes on the affirmative vote of eight members. So now what we have before us is the policy order. As amended, is there any discussion? The only thing I want to bring up, I do want to thank my colleagues for bringing this policy order forward. It does speak to what has happened and doesn't speak to what we're going to do going forward. And so I'll look to maybe sitting down with the Vice Mayor and one other member. to maybe ask, put together a policy order that speaks to that. But if there's no other discussion, yes, Councilor Zusy.

I just want to reiterate that I really have valued this conversation, so I'm really grateful that this policy order was submitted. I just... Again, I really am eager for the city to be thinking more about process and how it handles future layoffs because I think I think that's really, really important. But again, I'll be voting against this not because I I don't value the discussion, but because I don't want to appear to be meddling with the city manager and his staff and department heads in making employment decisions for the city. Thank you. I yield.

Councilor Zuzi yields the floor so that, again, we're going to be voting on this policy order as amended. You heard from Councilor Zuzi, you do make some very good Again, my concern, and that's why I struggle with this order, I do certainly support the intent, but I think the conversation that should be had is what are we doing going forward. If people want to have more in-depth information, absolutely. But for me, it's more important is how do we then collaboratively worked together going in the direction that the city manager, whose purview and jurisdiction this is, moves this forward. So having said that, I will call for the ruling. on a motion by the Vice Mayor to adopt as amended.

Councilor Azeem? Absent. Vice Mayor McGovern?

Yes.

Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui? Yes. Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes. Councilor Toner? No. No. Councilor Wilson? Yes. Yes. Councilor Zusy?

No.

No. Mayor Simmons? No. No. And you have... Five members recorded in the affirmative, three recorded in the negative, and one recorded as absent.

And the policy order is adopted as amended on the affirmative vote of five members, three voting no and one being recorded as absent. Thank you, and thank you for your time and your talent on that issue. We're going to move now to policy orders. There is only one. What is the pleasure of the City Council? On a motion by Councilor Wilson to adopt the policy order, roll call please.

Councilor Azeem? Absent. Vice-Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui? Simmonds, and you have seven members recorded in the affirmative. until recorded as absent.

And the policy order passes on the affirmative vote of seven members. We now go to calendar unfinished business. I would just ask respectfully that we pass over. I don't think there's any... Very good. So we'll pass over the calendar and unfinished business. I'm sorry? Okay, thank you. I think the next items before us are applications and petitions. What's the pleasure of the City Council?

Move to adopt.

On a motion by Councilor Wilson. to adopt the two applications and petitions, roll call.

Councilor Azeem, absent. Vice-Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes, Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes, Councilor Siddiqui? Zusy, Mayor Simmons, and you have seven members recorded in the affirmative and two recorded as absent.

The applications and petitions are adopted by the affirmative vote of seven members to be in court as absent. We move now to communications. Pleasure, City Council.

Place on file.

On a motion by Councilor Wilson to place the communications, all seven of them, on file. Discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Councilor Azeem, absent. Vice-Mayor McGovern? Yes. Vice Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui? Zusy, Mayor Simmons, and you have seven members recorded in the affirmative and two recorded as absent.

Placed on file in the affirmative vote of seven members, two being recorded as absent. We move now to consent resolutions. What's the pleasure of the City Council? on a motion by Councilor Wilson to adopt the resolutions and making them unanimous upon adoption. Discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Councilor Azeem, absent. Vice-Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui? Absinthe, Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes, Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes, Councilor Wilson? Yes, Councilor Zusy?

Yes.

Yes. Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes. And you have seven members recorded in the affirmative and two recorded as absent.

And the consent resolutions are adopted by the affirmative vote of seven members, two being recorded as absent. We move now to committee reports, but it's the pleasure of the City Council. on a motion by Councilor Nolan to accept the reports and place on file discussion. Hearing none, roll call.

Councilor Azeem. absent. Vice Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui? Yes, Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes, and you have seven members recorded in the affirmative and two recorded in the absent. And the matter is adopted by the seven members.

and affirmative voters have amendments to being recorded as absent. We move now to, I've lost my place, communications and reports from other city officers. It is the pleasure of the city council. Wilson to place communication on file. Discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Councilor Azeem, absent. Vice Mayor McGovern?

Yes.

Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui? Simons, and you have seven members recorded in the affirmative and two recorded as absent.

adopted on the affirmative vote of seven members. Two of it being recorded as absent. We move now to late resolutions. I think there are three. You have four resolutions, Madam Mayor. There are four late resolutions. We suspend the rules to take up the late resolutions on a motion by the Vice Mayor to suspend the rules.

Roll call. Councilor Azeem, absent. Vice Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes, Councilor Siddiqui? Absent. Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler?

Yes.

Yes. Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes. Councilor Wilson? Yes. Yes. Councilor Zusy? Yes. Yes. Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes. And you have seven members recorded in the affirmative.

And the rules are suspended and the affirmative vote is seven. Members two being recorded as absent. There are four resolutions and the Vice Mayor makes a motion to bring all four of those resolutions forward for Discussion and adoption, making them unanimous upon adoption. Discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Councilor Azeem, absent. Vice-Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui?

Yes.

Epson, Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes. Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes. Councilor Wilson? Yes. Yes. Councilor Zusy? Yes. Yes. Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes. And you have seven members recorded in the affirmative. until recorded as absent.

And the four resolutions are in front of us on the affirmative vote of seven members, two being recorded as absent. The resolutions are as follows. There's one, two, three being brought forward by the mayor. One is on the passing of Mary Ellen Baker. The other is on Calvin Jiltz. and the last one is on the Reverend Dr. Robert Avon Bennett Jr. This is a particular note, those that may remember Marceline Donaldson from 43 Hawthorne Street. This is her husband. They're very active members of Trinity Church, and he has recently passed. The last one, with Councilor Wilson's permission, We can waive the entire reading, but it's around bringing recognition around the Michelin Guide and the restaurants in Cambridge that were honored. Discussion? Hearing none, on a motion by Council Wilson to adopt and making them unanimous on adopting, roll call.

Councilor Azeem, absent. Vice-Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes, Councilor Nolan? Yes, Councilor Siddiqui? Absent. Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler?

Yes.

Yes, Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes, Councilor Wilson? Yes. Yes, Councilor Zusy? Yes. Yes, Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes, and you have seven members recorded in the affirmative. and two recorded as absent.

And the matter is adopted by the affirmative vote of seven members. Two being recorded as absent. We move now to lay policy orders. Are there any? We have actually discharged the late policy order. We move now to announcements. Are there any other than having a nice Thanksgiving?

Madam Mayor, just to announce that the one policy order that was on our agenda tonight was that there will be no meeting on the first. Just wanted to make sure that we- The first or the second? It was- The first. The first, December 1st.

Wasn't that part of the agenda?

Right. I just wanted to announce that again to the public because we didn't actually review it. We didn't discuss it.

Thank you. Thank you. Any other announcements? Mr. Councilor Toner.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Just as referenced earlier, the City Manager's evaluation. I'm hoping people can get me their feedback and input on November 30th so that I can work on creating the Composite document for us to discuss at a later date.

Other announcements? Hearing none. on a motion by Councilor Wilson to adjourn discussion. Hearing none, roll call. Councilor Azeem?

Absent. Vice-Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui? Yes. Yes. And you have seven members recorded in the affirmative and two recorded as absent.

The meeting is adjourned.