Quincy City Council: July 21, 2025

Thank you.

good evening welcome to the special city council meeting on monday july 21st at 6 30 p.m uh this meeting is being held in accordance with governor maura healey's march 28 2025 extension of temporary provisions of the open meeting law general law chapter 30a section 20. the quincy city council is convening via remote conferencing services that will air on quincy access television qatv channel qatv 9 government access madam clerk please call the roll

Councillor Ash.

Present.

Councillor Campbell. Present. Councillor Devine.

Present.

Councillor Debarna. Councillor Harris.

Present.

Councillor Liang. Present. Councillor McCarthy.

Present.

Councillor Minton.

Present.

President Cain.

Present.

Eight members, you have a quorum.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Would everyone please join me in observing a moment of silence? Please use this moment as you will.

Would everyone please recite the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. Madam Clerk, would you please read the open meeting law?

Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium. Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made with the perceived or unperceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

Thank you very much, Madam Clerk. First item on the agenda.

2025 099 and order update of polling places board for precinct 2 and 3 and ward 6 precinct 5. And if I may please thank you. I appreciate that very much. I appreciate you all very much for being here this evening and I just wanted to give an update on our ward for precinct 2 and 3. The Quincy Lodge of Elks has asked us if we will go to the lower level at 254 Quarry Street, which is a hall there. It has handicap accessibility. It has parking. restrooms. It has two entrances. I've been there myself, looked over the space. They have a closet for us to keep our election equipment in. that will conveniently hold it for the year. So with your blessing here tonight, I would like to move the 4-2 and 4-3 precincts at the Quincy Lodge of Elks at 254 Quarry Street to the lower level of the building.

Okay, are we doing is this going to be one vote for both of the updates word four and six? And do you want to speak to word six?

Sure, it is going to be one vote. I did put it on one order because we usually accept them all at once, so I thought it would just be cleaner. The Ward 6, Precinct 5, as many of you know, certainly all the councillors, that the Squanam Elementary School is under construction. So we thought we may be able to stay in the media center for this municipal election year, but unfortunately I got a email right around July 1st, asking us to vacate. So with that being said, I went out and looked at the post, the Nicholson post on 20 Moon Island Road. And I got to tell you, I found it to be very useful handicap accessible um it's got plenty of parking it's a city-owned building um I spoke to um the manager there he told us he will um close during polling hours and um It's our largest polling place in the city of Quincy. The most people come out to vote in Ward 6, Precinct 5. The second one is 1-5, followed right up by six three so that being said um i just thought and i spoke with mr mayor and um we we thought that it would be appropriate to vote at the nickerson post okay thanks madam clerk any uh questions comments from my colleagues

Council King, Bill Harris. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. First of all, I'd like to thank, obviously, every year of voting. The clerk's office, since I've been in office, has been spot on. But I do have some reservations about which it's been cleared up. My biggest concern was the safety of, you know, a change. But the more you think about it, there is the people who, you know, the beauty of the Y65 is always popular is because people with squantum can walk to the, you know, the the school and folks are probably going to try to walk to uh up to um up to the nicholson post and it's very difficult and was one of the arguments with the long island bridge and all the traffic that comes from the gun range and the uh fired apartment especially like around the beginning before their shift changes and the end shift changes around 3 30 and at the beginning at seven so I was worried about, the biggest thing I was worried about was, and I'm being told that we're going to be able to figure that out as far as the public safety with folks who want to walk up to vote, which is very popular in a lot of our neighborhoods. And another thing is the fact that the, The early intervention school is going to be asked to be closed because that's another city public building as well. And so that parking lot is going to be secured, and it's a parking lot. And from what I understand, they'll deal with as far as where people are going to be standing and greeting people, It can't be on the parking lot. You're going to have people that are going to be strange to coming to the post that haven't been to the post. And but I think with the parking, it's actually going to be probably easier to go and vote at the post than it is at Squamish School even. So but that being said, I have to tonight I have to recruse myself because I'm technically an employee of The Post. I don't work there right now. gave my shift up because of the election and I thought it was best. And I, and this was, again, I didn't know this, that, that the post was even in the running to replace the Squamish school. And I didn't think we, I thought we were going to be at the Squamish school, which is always very convenient. It's closer to my home, easier too. And, and there's a lot of walking people that come and go, but I'm going to recruse myself because not only am I a member, But I am, again, I am technically an employee. And I just want to assure that I want to, my biggest concern, though, is the safety of the people that come that aren't used to doing this. And and that's really all it is is a place the place is closed all it is is a place to go and cash your vote and i hope everybody comes out and casts their votes so with that thank you for indulging me and i will not unfortunately i won't be able to it's not right for me to uh vote on this so thank you thank you um President Cain thank you Councilor Harris president recognizes Councillor ash

Thank you, Mr. President. I don't know, I have a few questions. I don't know if they'd be appropriate for Clerk Crispo. I also see City Solicitor Timmons on the call. I guess my first question is when we're, and I'm sure some of my colleagues have reviewed Chapter 54, Section 24, which is the designation of polling places. um I guess my my first question is whether we as a city in the charter have a separate or or anything uh any other authority that supersedes this particular statute I think you're you're on mute so I uh answer that one yes this is um

The election law is governed at the state level by the Secretary of State, so the statute is controlling.

Thank you. And are we, at the end of this particular statute, it remains to be seen, at least from my plain language, but certainly Solicitor Timmons with more knowledge in municipal law, whether this is supposed to be voted on or if it's supposed to be posted or kind of where we are in that process, if you have any knowledge?

Sure. What Clerk Crispo had done, which I had advised her and I think is the proper method, was where this was merely a change. I think you are referencing the last section of that statute. This is merely a change in a polling place. I think, as all the councilors know, you designate the polling places prior to the election and a fairly uniform vote at a public meeting. In this instance, the initial driver was, as I understood it, the Squarnham Schoolwork and the fact that that site was just dangerous and offline. I wasn't aware so much of the Lodge of Elks request for the relocation. But this is merely a change. Claire Crispo reviewed this with the Board of Election Commissioners, and those folks technically oversee all this. But then she felt that it would be appropriate for the council to consider and vote on this. I don't believe it's necessary. The statute merely says that in the event of a change, you are to post in public places and announce the description of the new polling places. So it's the obligation of the city council to make certain that public notice is given, but it doesn't necessarily require your public vote. However, there was a little bit of commotion, as we're all very familiar with, on social media. I think that if... folks wanted to challenge milk delivery in the city of Quincy, that could become a prominent social media uproar for a weekend. And in this instance, there was a bit of an uproar or a bit of concern, I'll call it more appropriately, that was raised. And so Clerk Crispo felt it appropriate to put it before the council and have you folks publicly consider it, have this discussion occur, and then have the vote and designation by the council. But really all that's happening here is a change. If this were a permanent relocation of a polling place, such as the one I recall most recently was up at St. John's, that polling area. that type of consideration would be treated a little differently. But in this instance, there was a requirement after the polling places had been designated that two of them be relocated during this next election cycle.

Thank you. I appreciate that, Solicitor Timmons. So, Claire Crispo, I believe the other suggestion, at least, that I noted with some comments online and discussions was the request to potentially explore whether the Kennedy Center was appropriate to host two, I believe there's already one precinct that votes at the Kennedy Center, right? There is yes, and the suggestion or the question that was posed at least was whether that could that particular venue could could hold and substantiate 2 precincts. Is that is it your position in your office's position that that's that would be too many voters? Or is there another reason why that wouldn't be viable?

So there were definitely concerns there. Ward 6, precinct 5, like I said, when I opened, is our biggest voting precinct in the city. And then 6-3 falling right behind. So yes, it is a concern. And yes, it's good for one, for sure, but for two, it's a gymnasium. There aren't a lot of electrical outlets and things like that that we need to make sure that our election machines are running properly. So we did think about it, of course. We took a lot of things into consideration when we before we came before you, you know, I think the post is a great idea. Everyone likes to vote in their neighborhood. And Josha always instilled in me that that's such a nice thing still about Quincy is that you can vote in your neighborhood and you do see your neighbors. And I like to take that and roll with it, keep it going. You know, I mean, We have 31 precincts. We could use three gymnasiums in the big schools and do the whole city. But we really like to you know, seeing their neighbors, going to their bake sales, and we want to accommodate that. I'm working on public safety, of course, Councillor Harris, with the Quincy Police, the DPW, TPAL. We're going to figure out these logistics and make sure that it's a smooth operating day for everyone in our city. That's 1st, and foremost, the other thing we're going to do, which is required is we're going to mail to every household that has registered voters in and let them know of this temporary change. As well as vote by mail, early voting, absentee voting. If you can't get out to the polls, those things are always available to you through our office. We're happy to help. There'll be information on your card regarding if you wish to vote. um early or by mail um but you know it's they're closing they're gonna curtain off with a with a bar area is um it's a it's a public building taxpayers pay for that building and I thought it was a great use

Thank you. Just out of curiosity, do we know how many voters we'd be expecting in 6-3 and 6-5? I mean, if not, I'm sure I can find it, but.

I really don't have the number right now, but yeah, I'm happy to send it to you.

Okay. Is the facility going to be, is the post going to be closed all night?

I don't know. I asked during polling hours.

um is there i i think there might be some um at least from the conversations and some comments we're just wondering i don't even know how that works in four and four at the elks um is that building closed all night even after the polling even after the ballots leave the building

So in the past, um, some candidates, um, have had parties at these places after the polls close were gone and they, they have their, um, used to be the Morris at post the Elks, um, that people do, um,

have parties or get togethers after okay um i mean that would be i it would be i think i if the facility could would stay closed for the remainder of the evening but um again i'm not um the polls close at 8 p.m and we usually you know are out by nine And then my last question was with respect to the vote before us. I think the language states the facility could be fitted and changed for voting. What does that usually entail? You just I would assume that means you know, hanging the requisite legislation and the signs and the tables and plugging in all of the machines. But is there anything else that that, in particular with these facilities, the change in four and six that we're anticipating.

No.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Councillor ash. Anyone else? I do. The president recognizes Councillor Devine.

I just wanted to say that I'm happy that we're able to accommodate the Elks because they're a small business. They all have an ability to use that upper space for what it's meant for. And it seems to me that this area that we're going to be able to use down below is handicap accessible and it has storage which uh clerk crispo had mentioned so i'm happy that we're actually uh this is something good uh they they easily could have something that could pop up um you know a week or two before their uh before the election and now they'll be able to use that facility since it's uh completely separate from the other area um so i'm happy with this move i think it's uh it's excellent so thank you for taking care of this thank you Councillor Devine

President recognizes Councillor Liang.

Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to echo Councillor Devine's sentiments and extend my gratitude to you, Madam Clerk, because and I sing your praises all the time during budget season, but I feel like especially during this conversation, it should be reiterated that I know this decision did not come quickly and without very careful consideration for all factors, right? I mean, over a decade now, I've been very active with the work that you've been doing and making sure that with education and accessibility, that that trumps everything, right? And making sure that above all else, the education pieces go out and accessibility for all residents are sort of very top of mind, right? And the safety too, of course. And you've never let me down. Your office has never let me down, right? When folks are asking about language access specifically, like making sure there's translation services, interpretive services, particularly for updates like this and important updates like this as well. You've always been 10 steps ahead of me before I even asked the question, right? And so again, just over a decade of experience working with you, I know that this decision came with a lot of thought and consideration and was not something that you took lightly. And so I appreciate you bringing this to us, knowing the history and experience that you have behind making important decisions like this. I mean, you were what president former president of the massachusetts clerks association and that wasn't by accident right you were there at the helm of leadership across the entire commonwealth because of your experience and your knowledge and it's not just the time that you've been a clerk but assistant clerk as well and so i just hope folks know that that this isn't something that comes on a whim and it's not something that is done and born out of convenience it's done with decades decades of experience that you have behind you and so i'm very confident in your decisions I'm confident, given your experience and your history, and I'm supportive of this. So I just want to thank you, Madam Clerk, for all the work that you do behind making these kinds of decisions. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Liang. President recognizes Councillor Campbell.

Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, the clerk's office, for really putting in the time and effort into this. And I think that, for me, what nails it home is, you know, you have to live with what you have around you. And I think that maintaining the neighborhood feel to this and also not making it overcrowded, I think that's a big point that might get lost here. I live and house next to those one way in and one way out, and you can always tell. know what kind of day it's going to be with traffic sometimes when you're leaving the neck that you have no alternative than to get there um and i know driving by um the kennedy center i'm sure people look at the line and say i'll get it on the way back and that may discourage voting so that's a that's a factor too so spreading that out over the appropriate uh buildings bringing it up to the to the post i think is is uh really a smart move um keeping it in the neighborhood and keeping having that hometown feel. I think that's really important because I think that does push things further to making sure that you have as much groups of people involved as possible. So I'm gonna actually make a motion. Is it a single motion?

It'll be motioned in a second.

Okay, I'm gonna make a motion to move that forward for these changes.

Okay, motion made by Councillor Campbell and seconded by Councillor Liang. Any further comments on the motion? Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Councillor Ash.

Councillor Ash, you're on mute.

Sorry, yes.

Councillor Campbell. Yes. Councilor Devine.

Yes.

Councilor Harris.

Council Lee and extension.

Yep. Council Liang. Yes. Councilor McCarthy.

Yes.

Councilor Minton.

Yes.

President Cain.

Yes.

Seven members.

Okay, great. Thank you very much, Madam Clerk. Thanks to my colleagues, everyone for joining us tonight. Glad we could settle this. We have our upcoming city council meeting on Monday, September 8th at 6.30 p.m. Be there, be square, enjoy the rest of your summer and have a good night.