City Council

Call this meeting to order.

Recording in progress.

And I'm now going to pause because I realize I forgot to give our technical folks a 30-second heads up. Good enough? All right, got the thumbs up. All right. First off, please note that audio and video of this meeting is being recorded and may be shown live on local access government channels and on the City of Somerville website and will be available for future review. Will the clerk please call the roll?

This is roll call. Councilor Hardt? Here. Councilor Wilson?

Present.

Councilor Ewen-Campen?

Here.

Councilor Scott?

Present.

Councilor McLaughlin? Here. Councilor Burnley? Present. Here. Councilor Strezo. Present. Councilor Clingan.

Present.

Councilor Mbah.

Present.

Councilor Davis. Here. With all councilors present, we have a quorum.

All right, pursuant to our Rule 32, let it be known that this City Council salutes the flag of the United States of America, and let us recall our oath to uphold the Constitution. and the laws of the Commonwealth to the best of our abilities and understanding. We begin our meetings with a moment of silence. Are there any Councillors wishing to say a few words about members of our community tonight? Councillor Strezo?

Thank you. I'd like to honor Carmela M. Collins, mother of Ferris Collins, beloved Ward 4 resident. Carmela Collins, she was 86 when she passed away and peacefully in her sleep. This was in October of 2025 this year. She was a Somerville resident, an avid lover of animals, music, as well as a writer of prose, short stories and enjoyed drawing and designing fashion. She was raised by her parents in the Catholic faith but also explored a wide range of other faiths. She remained a woman of deep faith until her passing. and she was the mother to daughters Carol A. Stewart, Gallagher, Ferris Collins. Cheryl A. Collins, Patricia M. Jordan, and Theresa Granger.

May her memory be a blessing.

Thank you. Councilor Clingan. Mr. President, thank you. I'd like to sign on to that remembrance and just say that I've known Faris for quite some time now. She's a very active member in our community, very outspoken in the best kind of ways. I'm really sorry to hear that her mom passed. I've never met her mom, but just based on what I know about Faris, you know, her mom must have been pretty special. So I also want to give my condolences to Faris and her family this evening. Thank you, Ms. Prison. and I also have another. Go ahead. Mr. President, thank you. Through you, I'd like us to remember this evening, Kevin Wells, Kevin Wells, of Hampton Beach, formerly of Bill Ricker in Burlington, passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease on Friday evening, December 5th.

He was 64 years of age. He grew up in Burlington and then raised his family in Billerica before retiring in Hampton. He worked as an HVAC mechanic for over 40 years and was an active member of the IBEW Local 1505. Serving in many leadership roles, including Chief Stewart. He was also the uncle of our beloved Clerk Wells. who's here with us this evening. And she shared that one of the things that she learned from him was the art of the side hustle. In addition to his career, he held many other jobs from property management to commercial cleaning to vending machines. He was always looking for new opportunities to learn and stay active. He was also always one of her most proud and enthusiastic supporters, starting from when He put up a big sign in the yard announcing when she was born as the first grandchild and all the way through bragging to his many friends about how she was the city clerk.

He survived by his wife, Susan, also his son, Kevin Wells Jr., and his girlfriend, Steph of Dunstable, one daughter, Laura LeBlanc, and her husband, Andrew of Nashua, New Hampshire. and five grandchildren, Ryan, Jake, and Jax Wells, Emma and Alexis LeBlanc, and one granddaughter on the way, Kinsley Wells. He was also a 43-year lifetime member of the Woburn Stoneham Elks. He loved cruising and traveling with his family and friends. Kevin and Susan especially loved spending time in Cocoa Beach. and I just ask that we remember Kevin and his family and our clerk Wells on this that occasion and have our hearts and thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family. Thank you.

Thank you. The whole council will sign on to that one. All right, seeing no further, would everyone in the chamber please rise as you are able for a moment of silence for the aforementioned individuals. Thank you.

The next item will be item 1.3, approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of November 13th, 2025.

Actually, I guess the next item is the first out-of-order item is actually in order. So let's take the first view.

Indeed. Item 2.1 is a citation by Councillor Davis commending Kevin Ryan for his life-saving actions on October 15th, 2025.

Thank you very much. We have Commissioner Lathan here to speak this item. Commissioner Lathan, please step forward.

Commissioner Jill Lathan, DPW. Kevin, if you can come up, please. Kevin, it is such an honor. When I heard that as an individual at DPW that you not only went out of your way to make sure that someone was cared for at one of our parks and playgrounds, but you saved someone's life. that you cared so much about this city and you didn't hesitate you jumped right in saw someone in need in this city and took care of it. And I am so incredibly proud of you. I'm proud of this, the human being that you are. And I'm so honored that you are here and works for this city and work for DPW. To your family, and your son, you are incredibly lucky. Your son has a hero for a father. So congratulations and thank you so much for what you did.

So again, echoing Kevin, just Thank you for saving somebody's life. I do also want to acknowledge one of our counselors who has saved people's lives and it's counselor McLaughlin because you're the one that put forth over a decade ago Narcan. So I do remember we started together, so I'm probably one of the few that has that long memory. But it's a community that's I'd like to read for the actions Kevin Ryan

Be it hereby known to all that the Somerville City Councilor and the Mayor offer their sincerest The sincerest commendations to Kevin Ryan for his actions on October 15, 2025, when without hesitation, he provided life-saving assistance By administering Narcan to an individual suffering an overdose in Statue Park. The Council and the Mayor hereby extend their gratitude for your heroic efforts. So here you go. I just want to say, President Davis, thank you for putting this forward.

Thank you. Thank you. Councilor McLaughlin?

Thank you, Mr. President. Since I was recognized and since we have a room full of first responders here, I do want to acknowledge all the first responders who actually administered Narcan to everybody. I was proud to introduce the concept. But people back here have saved hundreds of lives, if not thousands of lives, and I'm very proud of everyone. I know I personally had a friend who was rescued by a firefighter. and the Minister Narcan right when this happened. So thank you to all of you and to all the new firefighters who are going to join us. You're here.

That item is approved.

And the next item is item 2.2, a citation by Councilor Davis commending Kelly Gates for her life-saving actions on November 5th, 2025.

All right, we have Kathy Piantangini here. Good evening, everybody.

I'm Cathy Piantagini, Director of Libraries, and I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for recognizing Kelly Gates tonight. As you know, Kelly was in a very similar situation where she administered Narcan to somebody that had overdosed in our public bathroom at the West Branch Library. I just keep thinking about how we have all these great prevention training opportunities now. Narcan, we make it available in fistfuls for the public. There's that, which is just so amazing. And then the other part of it is then somebody actually administering our can. which in all the years I've worked in the libraries I've never had to do anything like that and I cannot imagine what it was like for Kelly to do that. But I'm so proud of her and also grateful.

I think about my library staff. These are all people who have so much compassion. It's just, I feel grateful. It's such a gift. They go over and above. And then I say that and realize I think we have so many city people that do that. I mean tonight here just um hearing Jill speak to the DPW employee that did the same thing and also being here with all the first responders police and fire tonight these are people that come to our libraries and do this like all the time and have such grace about it so thank you very much appreciate it thank you

Mayor Ballantyne.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you for putting this forward, and Kathy, for your words. I echo everything. that Kathy mentioned and I would like to say on that particular day a family member of mine was in the library and they said to me, You know, this incident occurred at the library. I learned so much from the librarian from how they responded with calm and professionalism in a time when it was really, really scary. So I am accepting the citation on behalf of Kelly Gates. I will bring it over to her and I will read it it says be it hereby known to all that the Somerville City Council and the Mayor offer their sincerest commendations to Kelly Gates for her actions on November 5th, 2025

When without hesitation, she provided life-saving assistance by administering Narcan to an individual suffering an overdose at the West Branch Library. The Council and the Mayor extend their gratitude for her heroic efforts. Thank you.

The next item will be item 2.3, a citation by Councillor Strezo, commending the Somerville Special Education Parent Advisory Council for their commitment to students.

Thank you. And I do believe we have some CPAC members in the audience. Come on down. I would love to sponsor you up next. So first, what is CPAC? CPAC is the Somerville Special Education Parents Advisory Council. And over the past year, the group was revitalized and CPAC serves students, every learner from birth to 18 in the school system or sometimes out of district placements. And CPAC is a group of special education parents in the district. And over the past year, year and a half, they have done amazing things.

and have stepped up at an incredible level to presence in the community to advocating for students that are often unheard, undismissed and sometimes their rights are Thanks for watching! Their civil rights protections are just slammed to the side, but CPAC has been that presence to help hold the school district accountable, to help bring information forward about IEPs and 504, knowing your rights, and speaking on behalf of so many students, parents and guardians and teachers in the district as well many times. You do incredible work. It is not, it is, it is, I see it, and it is not forgotten, and it glows. I wrote that some of the things that you've done in the past year, you did a survey of the parents in the district.

Kids with 504s and IEPs, and for those that don't know what a 504 and IEP is, an IEP is an individualized education plan, and a 504 is accommodations in the classroom. that is supposed to help a student learn. and you've created a very active online community group. You have been fighting for accessibility and the civil rights protections of Somerville learners. You hold the school district accountable You have written a letter with your concerns to DESE, which is the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which is the state regulation of what happens in each school district. And you brought attention to what the deficits and the things that are missing, the gaps that are happening within Somerville, the school system and the education system here.

Some of our most vulnerable students have so much to... Their lives have changed in such a positive way because of your presence, because of your advocacy and what you do. And so I needed to present this citation because it needs to happen, and because of that, I would love to sponsor some of our members I don't know who has been sent today to speak so please if you could step forward I'd like to sponsor you so not sure who is going to speak

Strezo, sponsors and representatives of the organization say no objection. Please go ahead.

Thank you so much, Councilor Strezo.

Do just state your name for the record so that the minutes can reflect.

First and last name, yeah.

Charlotte Walker. I'm the East Somerville Community School CPAC representative and parent of two children with 504s.

Hi, I'm Abby Hare, a mom of an SPS student with an IEP, the Capuano CPAC rep, and a retired teacher committed to inclusive practices in the classroom.

Hi, I'm Meredith Brown. I'm a parent of two Winter Hill students, one of whom is going through the IEP process now.

My name is Kenneth Sinan. I'm a husband, seminarian, and a proud girl by attitude. My family has been part of Somerville's special education community since pre-K, and my daughter is currently thriving in the AIM program. I serve as the vice president of fundraising for Somerville CPAC.

My name is Jessica Perez-Adams. I have three children at the Kennedy who have both IEPs and 504s, and I am the CPACS representative to the John F. Kennedy School. We also want to acknowledge Samantha Steiner and her immense dedication and work as a CPAC member and representative to the West Somerville Community School, who's regrettably unable to attend tonight. and we are deeply honored to receive this recognition on behalf of the Somerville CPAC. Our CPAC is a thriving community with dozens of families coming together to support not only our own children but all of our Somerville students with or suspected to have Disabilities.

We truly would not be here where we are today without the incredible work of Shu, Liz, and Kathleen who have put in immense efforts over the past year as CPAC officers.

Thank you.

Our Somerville CPAC officers have intentionally molded our month's modest group into the vibrant community it has now become. Their unwavering dedication as uplifted families plugs CPAC deeper into our schools by providing a representative to each. and created spaces for sharing knowledge, wins, opportunities, direction and growth for everyone involved.

This public recognition is so meaningful and we see it as one step of what we hope will be many toward full inclusivity in our city. There are so many promising initiatives underway. Somerville's first inclusive playground, the Inclusive Teaching Working Group, the Apple Institute, where Mr. Arellano and Ms. McDonald have wholeheartedly partnered with CPAC. Representatives, and community members to identify and address barriers families face in special education.

We're also excited to launch our new fundraising organization, the Friends of Somerville CPAC and its board. If any of our board members are here, raise hands. Thank you. Through this new 501c3, we'll be able to provide financial support for expanded Somerville CPAC programming and collaborations, like workshops for families and school staff alike, expanding outreach and community initiatives. We're encouraged by this momentum and remain committed to working together to fulfill the important promise of equity that Somerville has made.

We believe deeply in the promise of special education, that every child in our district should receive the free, appropriate public education and support they need to thrive academically, emotionally, and socially as futures of our city. we remain committed to the belief that when students with disabilities no matter how visible or invisible receive what they need all of SBS students benefit thank you again for this recognition and for your commitment to our students we look forward to working together

Thank you.

I'm not doing a good job reading lips, Councilor Trezza. Yeah, I was going to say one more citation, then we'll take a quick break so that we can get pictures of everyone in the chambers here.

So speaking through the microphone now. We're cool, Mr. President? Absolutely. All right. Thank you so much.

Thank you. I said if you folks want to hang out for a minute, we'll do one more citation and then we'll take a brief recess so that we can get some photos.

The next item will be one taken out of order, which is item 10.1.

Through the chair, let's wait until around 8-ish for this one, if that's okay.

All right, we'll do our best then. Let's take a brief recess for some, take some photos with the folks who just got the citation here from CPAC and we'll come back in a session as soon as those pictures are done.

Recess.

Thank you for watching!

Thank you.

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Thank you.

Thank you.

You want me to take it with yours?

Yeah, it's all full of gunk and lord knows what.

I got it. What do you say? I love it! Yes! I'm just going to take the picture. This is his award.

I want him to get it.

He deserves. There you go. I'll take it, yeah. Alright, ready? One, two, three. in there. Perfect! Alright, let's get everyone looking up here. Ready? Alright!

Just for a few housekeeping notes, so we have some items that have been requested to be taken out of order. With no objection from the members, we'll take We'll take up next Item 6A, which is the report of the Committee on Appointments and Personnel Matters, Confirmation of Appointments and Personnel Matters, then 7.14, then 2.8, then... 2.4 through 2.7, and then 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6 together, 7.8 and 8.4, and somewhere in there we'll take up 10 points. Burnley. In the meantime, that will take us to our first out-of-order item, which is 6A.

Yes, indeed, Mr. President. Item 6A is a report of the Committee on Confirmation of Appointments and Personnel Matters, meeting on December 3, 2025.

Councilor Ewen-Campen. Thank you, Mr. President. I am very happy to say that the committee unanimously recommended a number of promotions in the fire department. and I'm very happy to see filled chambers here tonight and I particularly want to recognize two extremely cute matching fire engine dresses. Thank you all for being here. So I'm just going to read the names and then ask that the committee report be accepted so those folks can come do the honors. And forgive me if I get any names mispronounced. We have Stephen Mauris for the position of Deputy Chief, Mark Ardolino to the position of Fire District Chief, Jay McKenzie to the position of Fire Captain, Nicholas Halloran to the position of fire lieutenant, Raymond Busey to the position of fire lieutenant, Ronald Hampton to the position of fire lieutenant, and Andrew Patrick Quinn to the position of fire captain. I ask that this committee report be accepted.

Any discussion on the committee report? Seeing none, the report is accepted. And would the folks please step forward and get your promotions.

Thank you.

Head over there.

If anyone wants to take pictures of any of the excitement happening here, please come right up. Don't be shy. Step all the way forward and make yourself at home. Definitely. Avoid as many backs of councillors' heads as you care to. Step all the way in. Yeah, feel free. Want to make sure that we get good photos of everything because it's... Are we good? All right. You can step right in the middle. You can step all the way around. This is your chamber tonight, so please feel free to step forward and take good pictures. Or just to get a good view.

Thank you.

Thank you for watching!

Stenberg, Stenberg,

Thank you.

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All right, we've got Mark Artelino.

Thank you for watching!

Thank you.

All right, then we're going to get Jay McKenzie up front.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, and then Andrew Patrickwin.

Thank you.

All right, Nicholas Halloran, you're up.

Thanks for watching!

Thank you.

Thank you. All right, Raymond Busey.

Thank you for watching!

Thank you.

All right, and Ronald Hampton.

Thank you. Thank you.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

I just want to see if there's any more cute kids that are going to come up. All right, let's take a recess so we can get some pictures. So we'll be in recess until we're done taking pictures.

Thank you for watching!

Call this meeting back to order. We have a quorum. We will now, it being 8 o'clock, even though my watch says 9 o'clock, apparently I'm not up to daylight saving time having ended. Remind me to fix that later, Madam Clerk. Thank you. We will take up item 10.1 out of order.

Item 10.1 is a citation by Councillor Burnley commending Mutual Aid Medford and Somerville for their community assistance.

Councillor Burnley. Thank you through the chair. It was pointed out to me at a previous meeting that throughout the many, many years since the COVID-19 pandemic started, and our community was facing some really difficult choices and our community members were facing displacement, loss of jobs, loss of health, and for some, loss of life. That in all those years we had not ever given a citation to Mamas. It was shocking. I thought we had had. Frankly, I thought it happened before I joined this council in 2022. And I'd like to use this opportunity to right that historic wrong. For those of you who don't know, MAMAS, Mutual Aid, Medford, and Somerville was started in 2020. including by a friend of mine.

And mutual aid comes out of the anarchist space for anybody who might be worried. was born out of a love for our communities, our joint communities, in a time of great peril and fear, when people needed money, people needed food, people needed clothing. People were afraid to leave their homes. Groups of residents joined together, organized locally, to go pick up groceries, to go make sure that people would survive the winter. and ultimately in the years since 2020 have distributed the equivalent of millions of dollars in support to our constituents and beyond.

There is very little I can say that can... match the kind of dedication and care that it takes to spend your time as a volunteer day in and day out, week in and week out, making sure that people have food on the table and are healthy and safe. There's a little I can do to really describe the breadth of the work that MAMAS has done over the years, including having clothing drives, creating mutual aid gardens, Doing the work that ultimately became the community fridge network that is around our community. And so rather than trying to grasp at words to accomplish that goal, I'd like to sponsor a group of residents who have continued to do that work

Over the many years since 2020. So I would like to sponsor four individuals to speak who have written a speech, collectively and voted on that speech by consensus, something I would never do. And if they would be so kind as to join us up here.

Burnley would like to sponsor the representatives of the Mamas. Seeing no objection, please step forward. Do give us your names for the record and please take it away.

Crystal Huff, they, them pronouns, Ward 5 of Somerville. Rachel Hands, she, her pronouns, Ward 4 of Somerville.

Jessica King, she, her pronouns, Ward 6 of Somerville.

Murphy, Spence, she, they pronouns, Ward 4 of Somerville.

As you heard, MAMA stands for Mutual Aid Medford and Somerville. Mutual Aid is the manifest understanding that everyone has something to offer and everyone has things that they need. And we are stronger as a community when we share with each other. Since March of 2020, members of MAMAs have been embodying that love for our community. We have a community pool of funds we collect from those who can donate money, and we've redistributed over a million dollars as of July of this year. That's one measurement of our impact on Somerville and Medford, but it's not the only thing we've done. We have a multilingual hotline that people can call for help, and we do our best to connect them with resources. We grow food together in around 20 mutual aid gardens located on land shared by community members. We organize free events to share clothing and other items. We distribute grocery cards to the community.

We share cars between neighbors for trips to community fridges and hospitals and Harvard Recycling Center. We look after each other's children and pets. We teach each other to mend clothes and share hand-me-downs. We go on walks together. We work with other decentralized organizers to support those affected by federal actions. We host a website with information for anyone who wants to join us in this work. or distort their own mutual aid groups in other cities. We know that we have spread love within Somerville and Medford in these ways. Sorry, not scrolling right. Thank you. We've also helped each other through painful experiences. Many of us have been displaced due to rent increases and evictions. Many of us have had painful interactions with the police and ICE. Many of us struggle to feed our families. Many of us experience different kinds of inaccessibility and barriers within this city, including language and transit.

We appreciate being recognized by Somerville tonight and we also hope that you see how we've accomplished it. We work with resources freely given by our shared community and distribute those resources without conditions attached. We know from our work that it is not necessary to determine if someone deserves help before getting it to them.

Next year there will be a different mayor and some of the people around this horseshoe will be different. We hope that city officials will decide to put more resources into food security, rental relief, senior assistance, students, teachers, and all forms of art. We hope that Somerville will continue to invest in forms of environmentally conscious response. We hope that Somerville will continue to invest in environmentally conscious responses to climate change and pollution, protecting future generations as well as flora, fauna, and our waterways like Alewife Brook and the Mystic. We appreciate your actions to support the CSO funding resolution and we hope to see more.

Most of all, we hope that Somerville will stop testing people to see if they're really poor enough to need support. We won't right now run through the list of ways Somerville has means tested people in MAMAS such that they weren't able to access resources they need. But if you want to talk to us after the meeting, we are here to share our stories and I will definitely talk your ear off. We would love to see a day when MAMAS doesn't need a community pool of funds to help keep our neighbors housed and healthy. You all can help us do that. You have the ability to negotiate over the budget and support our community in ways that we cannot. Please use your powers over the city's finances, the departments, and staff. Please think of this moment next year when it comes to allocating money or approving budget lines.

Thank you for recognizing the work that MAMAS does in this community. Mutual aid will only get us so far, so we are here in solidarity with the city officials working alongside us to create a more equitable Somerville. We appreciate all of the work that you have done to take care of our community. We believe that everyone has something to offer and everyone has things that they need and we are a more resilient community when we trust and share with each other. Thank you.

Wilson. Yeah, Mr. President, I want to thank Councilor Burnley for bringing this forward. I want to thank the folks who are here from MAMAS. A lot of this work, I know from talking to folks involved, It happens very quietly. People do not seek out attention for this. If you ever want to see the real impact of it, I would encourage you to go check out the free store that MAMA stands up twice a year. Once a year, twice a year, four times a year. It's phenomenal. The army of volunteers that assembles to make that happen, to set that up. Typically, the one I've seen is at the East Somerville School. It's amazing. You really feel the power of community. You feel what people are able to come together and accomplish. And then you see the impact that it makes. Typically, I've been there for the setup and then again for the cleanup afterwards. And there's not much left.

There's a real need for this, and it leaves you just, one, sort of just wowed by the level of need out there, but also feeling very good about the people who are standing up and rising to meet that need. Congrats to you all. A well-deserved honor. I appreciate everything you do.

And also help meet clothing needs in between the free store, too.

Ba. Thank you, Mr. President. I also want to thank Councilor Burnley for your leadership on this. It's been really an honor to actually know most of you, especially Krista, who is a friend. I think Mama has been an extraordinary force For compassion, solidarity, and neighbor to neighbor support in our community. So I just want to thank you for demonstrating what true community looks like. You know, your work strengthens our social fabric. It uplifts our most vulnerable neighbors and reflects the very best of our values as a city. So I also feel very fortunate to have volunteered, you know, with Mamas. And also remember during the pandemic, Krista and I went to Cambridge, you know, got food. at the distribution centers, stocked a lot of the community fridges. I just want to say thank you.

It's been an honor to actually work with you in the community. Thank you.

Ewen-Campen.

Thank you, Mr. President. So through you, Councilor Burnley mentioned that the council hasn't given a citation yet and was surprised by that, but I think this makes it very clear why we haven't, because these are very dangerous ideas. And if the public hears about the free fridges and the free stores, they might start asking questions about the structure of our society. I just remember in 2020 when this sort of emerged, it was just one of the most terrifying and darkest. I mean it was nothing like that has ever happened in our lifetimes that every kind of structure we counted on just ground to a halt and then all of a sudden these weird like whatsapp groups and I have notes being passed around neighbors started just kind of percolating up and it was so incredibly inspiring and to this day it is just Basic human needs.

You know, when society really seemed like it was on the verge of collapsing, just watching this network of heroes emerge out of Somerville and seeing that you're all still doing it, it's just unbelievably inspiring. So thank you. Scott.

Thank you, Mr. President. I will not go into the Wayback Machine since my colleague just did it. But I do want to thank my colleague for bringing this forward. I mean, it is the continuing work of these folks that keeps the Community Fridge Network, which is obviously close to my heart, turning along. And I just want to remind... I think this is a great opportunity to remind folks in Somerville that this is available. This is a community that is already out there working. In a time when it can feel overwhelming with a rising tide of fascism, with the collapse of our public institutions actually serving our neighbors, One of the most constructive things that you can do, not just to help your neighbors, but to help yourself, to get a sense of purpose and productivity

and pride in your soul for your community and your neighbors is to step up and to get involved in this kind of work. Where it is just person to person, neighbor to neighbor. And while it is astonishing how much they've done, I, every day, Think of it as also an indictment of how much more we have to do as a government. So we both appreciate everything you're doing and also for the constant goad that says that I should be doing more. So I'll keep working on it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Councilor Burnley, for bringing this citation forward. This is a really important one. You were able to do that before the end of the year in our last meeting. Thank you so much for all the work you do. Everyone, especially all the work you've done during the pandemic and what you're doing right now as many of our neighbors are facing food insecurity. Thank you for serving our community. It is work that is not Thank you for also reminding us to do our work and I look forward to collaborating and working together. You again. Thank you so much.

Mr. Clingan. Thank you, Mr. President. Through you, I want to thank the members of MAMAS as well. I couldn't help but notice that there was pretty heavy Ward 4 representation, which doesn't surprise me because... We are sort of the last passion of affordable areas and filled with the type of people who Look out for each other and understand what it's like to struggle. So thank you for the work you do. I appreciate it. And yeah, just keep rocking and anything I can do to help, let me know.

All right, seeing no further discussion, I will echo all of the comments of my colleagues and say thank you. That item is approved. Let's take a, you want to take some pictures? All right, brief recess for pictures.

We don't come with a good AV, so.

Where do we stand?

All right, call this meeting back to order. May have some more pictures later, just if I decide we all should take some pictures. Because pictures are fun. All right. All right, we're going to go back to some out-of-order items next. So, Madam Clerk, item 7.14, please.

Yes, the next will be item 7.14, a communication of the mayor conveying an end-of-term report.

Madam Mayor.

Thank you. Good evening, everyone, Mr. President, counselors. Thank you for being here tonight as I formally submit an end of term transition report for the public record. This report is meant to do something very simply, clearly document where Somerville stands in terms of projects and initiatives and provide a reliable foundation for the next administration, for the city council, and for the public. When I first ran for mayor, I laid out a vision of an inclusive, equitable city where we can all thrive together. That vision has guided every major choice over the past four years, from how we engaged the public, to how we invested in resources, and how we strengthened our systems that the city government relies on.

From day one, I believed in a city where the people most affected by policy have a seat at the table. That meant strengthening community engagement, like launching the participatory budgeting, deepening anti-displacement work, and building out public safety for all. all shaped by residents and hundreds of residents participated in those plans. and by engaging the city council also to submit budget priorities that you all valued so much that you codified it in our charter. My administration intensified outreach, built trust, and made inclusive engagement the expectation not the exception.

A number of residents and staff have told me I could have taken the easy way out with ARPA, but I didn't. Equity isn't an easy path, and it's the right one. Of the city's ARPA allocation, 44 million went to infrastructure and 35 million delivered equity initiatives for our most vulnerable residents. That meant flexible rental assistance, guaranteed basic income, child support, and more. Complex work that required our staff to innovate while still carrying out their daily responsibilities. We also took on structural inequities within our city workforce through a historic first time ever Wage Compensation Study for our SMEA Unit B. This was difficult work and it mattered.

Nearly all full-time SMEU positions now start at or around $60,000 when many were still in the $30,000 range when we began. That is lasting pay equity. And it reflects my administration acknowledging the right thing to do. Thriving means affordability, opportunity, and a healthy environment all at once. To deliver on our progressive values, we must diversify our revenue. As some of you, my colleagues here, on the Council have heard me say many times. is the biggest impact that we can have on the people who live here now and I started saying that 12 years ago was bringing in commercial development in the transformed districts because It diversifies our revenue base.

It takes the burden off the residential property owner. So my administration plans strategically for commercial development rather than leaving growth to chance. through tough tech zoning, the brick bottom plan and assembly, Somerville is now positions to generate roughly $255 million of community benefits that go directly towards supporting affordable housing and job creation, linkage fees and resources for our schools and core services, Those investments created real results. We increased and invested in our Somerville public school budget by nearly 30% over four years. That's historic. It's never happened before. We built or upgraded 13 parks. We strengthened street safety. Our crash data has come down.

We advanced nationally recognized climate work, including our pollinator action plan. We developed tough tech zoning that established a model for supporting both commercial innovation and creative enterprises. Our natural environment is healthier, our built environment is safer, and our systems are more prepared for the future than they were four years ago. and throughout, we centered people, youth, seniors, immigrants, communities, residents experiencing homelessness, Persons with Disabilities, and staff across every department of the city. And we also filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to make sure that we

really made sure that our values as a sanctuary city, a welcoming city, are known and supported by our entire community. This report is a summary of our administration's work, a reflection of many people who shaped it. To the City Council, thank you for your work we accomplished together, for your collaboration, and for the shared commitment to serving Somerville with integrity. To city staff across every department, thank you, your skill, your creativity, your resilience, and your belief in this city. To community partners and residents, thank you for showing up, speaking up, helping shape the path we follow. With gratitude and with full confidence in Somerville's future, I submit this report for the record. and I wish everybody a happy new year.

All right, that item is placed on file, and we'll go directly into another next item, which is 2.8.

Yes, item 2.8 is a citation by Councilor Davis commending outgoing Mayor Katiana Ballantyne for her outstanding service to the people of Somerville as mayor from 2022 to 2025.

Madam Mayor, I'm not supposed to speak on items from the podium here, but I'll stretch the rules a little bit just to say thank you for your many, many years of service, going well back beyond your years as a mayor. As I know that everyone around the horseshoe can reflect, this is not a job that comes with a lot of thanks. And I have to imagine that being mayor is even more so. That is even more so the case. For anyone who's willing to serve the city, I'm always grateful. And for your work, all the things that we've worked on together, all of the initiatives that you took when you did become mayor, I'm very grateful. And on behalf of the council, I will say thank you. We'll give you this fancy plaque, so I'm going to step down. Any discussion? We'll start with Councilor Ewen-Campen while I'm coming around to hand you the plaque.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mayor Ballantyne, you've done a huge number of really good things for the city. I just want to focus on two in these brief remarks. The first has to do with the really, really extraordinary investments that you made in the schools. And this was both in the annual budgets and it was in the contracts that you signed with the educators. and of course the contracts that were mentioned with the municipal unions. These were really, really, really impressive and I know that they were not easy. and those were just huge huge accomplishments and I was really impressed and I think a lot of people were really really impressed by that and the other thing that I want to mention is the community benefits agreement for summer nova This is just one that comes to mind for me. I think all of us know that there were times in the past when developers would get a very clear signal from the mayor's office before your time that they could sort of ignore the riffraff. on the city council and ignore the riffraff in the community.

And they could steamroll that stuff and get their approvals and get their projects going. and I think the reason that we had the first project labor agreement on this, the reason that we had this really kind of unbelievable community benefits agreement was of course because of the community organizing and the support of everyone here. but the fact that you stood with us I think really sent a very clear message and so I think you should be very proud of that as well and so I just want to say thank you for those and of course for your service to the city, to your family, for letting you serve the city. We worked together for four years on the council before you were mayor and I really appreciated getting to know you and I'm really thankful for what you've done.

Thank you.

Thank you to the chair. Madam Mayor, thank you for serving. I have Only the slightest bit of insight into what the role that you've taken on requires. We share constituents as an at-large and I've talked to a lot of people whose lives have been improved by the work that you've done, whether or not they know it. For example, we hear a lot as counselors, and I'm sure your office as well, about parking and streets and the changes to the roads.

and I've talked to constituents of mine who I've disagreed with quite frankly, sometimes vehemently about which direction our city should be going in. and I think it is very easy to take on a role, a public role and succumb to pressure. When someone gets in your face or sends you emails or sends you voicemails that say, Hey, what's this rotary doing here? Why is there less parking on my street? What is this traffic calming? I don't feel calm. And to those people, I've had to stand there and say I'm absolutely with the mayor on this one. It is so, so important that we prioritize the safety of our neighbors.

whether that be when they are on the roads, whether that be when they are unhoused and there are folks who would rather see and many more. Your leadership on these fronts, I think you've withheld from taking many actions that other mayors quite frankly have to the detriment of their communities. And I think that is a sign of your own principles and values as well as that of your staff. And one of my former bosses, Cindy Elizabeth Warren, used to say, personnel is policy. and the folks that you've brought into this administration and the folks that you've kept in this administration who've

worked with this council who spent an inordinate amount of hours trying to improve this community. It's all just so important. I mean, to give one short example, Nikki Spencer, who is here and who lives somewhat in my area. I remember I was walking down the street one day Not that long ago, she knows what story I'm about to say, and I was walking down the street on Medford and saw... Ms. Spencer walking towards me and I was like, oh, hey, thank you, Spencer. She didn't see me. I was like, oh, what the heck? The reason though that she did not see me was because someone had called in an issue at Henry Hansen Park.

and she was scouring the ground looking to see if some street level tiny issue she could spot in in correct or bring to the attention of our city staff. And that is the kind of dedication that transcends the nine to five. That is the kind of work that Models what a public servant is. And I give you a lot of credit for bringing in folks like that and for letting them shine and do their work Without hindrance and without political interference. So I know this won't be the last we hear from you, and I look forward to seeing what you do next.

Thank you.

Thank you, Counselor.

Wilson, and then we'll go McLaughlin and Sait. Thanks, Mr. President. I want to thank the mayor for many years of public service, as the president mentioned, first representing Ward 7 on this body, and then for the last four years as mayor. I've said repeatedly this year, succeeding a predecessor who was in the job for 18 years is a huge undertaking. I'm incredibly grateful that you stepped up, Madam Mayor, for our city and did that work. Over the past four years, I really appreciated Mayor Ballantyne investing in our schools, as was mentioned. Establishing that precedent of seeking formally input from councillors on our budget priorities.

Your centering of equity in your hiring, in the outreach that you did when we did community processes, in labor negotiations, in your commitment to street safety, as was mentioned, and work on pollinators is very popular in my household. As I've been constantly reminded here over the last month plus, the job of mayor is an incredibly demanding one. And we owe you a debt of gratitude for doing that work for the past four years. So thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you, Councilor.

McLaughlin.

Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Madam Mayor. I go way back to the Somerville Community Corporation days where we both served on the board together. and I remember also when we both ran for office. It was your second time running for office after nearly beating an incumbent. You challenged him again. and ended up winning that seat. That was really, we had one progressive councilor, Councilor Gerowitz, Alderman Gerowitz at the time. She was a sole voice on the council. And then myself. Ballantyne, Councilor Niedergang, other people got on board. And when I look around this horseshoe and see all progressive faces, people all sharing the same values, I think back to those days when you were campaigning and I was campaigning. and when we were serving on the community corporation board together and I remember watching you canvas and said she's going to be really good at her job and I don't want to serve on the finance committee with her.

Because I know how in the weeds you were going to get. And senior as mayor, I said this at another meeting, but I think the thing that I really appreciated the most is how much you focused on people who couldn't vote. undocumented immigrants, young people, teenagers, people who really don't have a voice on the ballot box and you prioritize them. and I think that continues to be important. We need to keep focusing on that. But I hope that's your last and legacy is always remembering the people who are not able to have their voices heard all the time and make it time for them. and not taking Facebook photos. You didn't really advertise what you were doing in the community when it came to helping those most in need, which I think is very humble. I'm going to miss you, but I'm not going to miss you that much because I know you're going to be here and you're going to keep serving the community. So thank you.

Thank you, Councilor.

Councilor Sait, then Councilor Clingan, Mbah.

Through you, Mr. President, thank you, Mayor Ballantyne, for serving our community for many years as counselor and as mayor. I want to thank you and your administration for all the work As you've mentioned on affordability, safe streets, and investing in our schools and our city staff. I also want to thank you for including many women as part of your administration, women with different backgrounds, and for empowering them. Know that, we see that, and I'm very grateful personally. I especially also want to thank you for getting us through a pandemic, real difficult times, and right now for defending our sanctuary city. The first generation immigrant. I'm very, very grateful for you.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President, through you to Madam Mayor. Madam Mayor, it's been quite a while since we had that beer at Sligo's. It was right around this time in 2017 when I was voted in but I hadn't taken office yet. And I was really proud to support you for president of the council at that time. You know, being somebody who A single mom and just like the importance that women have always played in my life in terms of influence and just being really the rock. I just, I was I didn't think twice about it, and it was really a pleasure to serve with you as president and also on the council. I want to say that I don't think it can be understated, the street safety thing. I saw some comments on social media recently where someone was like, oh, should we combine with Cambridge?

And someone was like... Cambridge has had three crash fatalities in the amount of time that Somerville has had zero. So major improvements made under your administration. You know, and the other thing I really want to thank you on is, I mean, you were integral in the 299 Broadway project. And so I can't thank you enough for making that, helping that project come to fruition, you and your staff. Which is why I'm excited to invite you to the demolition party on Saturday. No, no, no, no, I'll tell you why. Because they start serving beer at 11, and we're going to get that beer... That follow-up beer we never had. And we're going to watch that building come down. And I really, really appreciate everything you've done for this city. I also want to reiterate what people said about thanking your family as well. And, yeah, it's just good luck to you in whatever endeavors that you take up.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor.

Councilor Mbah?

Thank you, Mr. President, the Honorable Madam Mayor. I remember First, you're my neighbor, which I really feel proud, you know, and Nikki was also my neighbor, but I never had the privilege to see her as much, you know. But I want to say when we went out for coffee, you know, and It said one thing, you know, just your legacy. It's about the equity that you spoke and you executed. So I just want to say thank you for your leadership, you know, for the city. and also your vision for a more equitable, inclusive and resilient city will continue to guide this. is administration because you really inspired a new focus in that direction. So now we see more on housing.

Your climate action just that community values that alone it's a legacy that I told you you know when we met that I'm really proud of and uh I just want to say that you led with empathy Courage, Transparency, and you've created a strong foundation for Somerville's future. So on behalf of us, we want to say thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Can I just get one quick second bite of the apple? I totally forgot to mention something. I had it in my head that I was going to mention it. I should have wrote it down, Yasmeen. You were right. I want to recognize the fact that you took swift action on the Winter Hill when... at a time when you know we had to decide whether or not we're going to go back in that building and it was a tough decision to say that we we couldn't go back in that building despite you know Not really knowing the extent of things, but just knowing that if so much as a crumb fell on a child, it would have been really devastating. So you made that decision and then really the speed at which you and your team got the Edgley school up and running was extremely impressive. And that was really important to my constituents and the kids at the Winter Hill. and I just want to recognize that the amount of time you all, energy and time you put in to make sure those kids had a new temporary home was really great so thank you for that.

Thank you.

Scott, Hardt, and then Strezo.

Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Madam Mayor. Everybody else has said a lot of things, and I do want to echo my gratitude for your support of the neighborhood councils. and letting the community really drive those negotiations in a way that we never saw from previous administrations. As was stated, it's a tough act to follow about two decades of the same leadership in the city. One of the things I've appreciated most is your willingness to listen and to make a course change when it's necessary. I'm not sure I ever convinced the last guy that he was wrong, but I can think of at least once that you moved a position, and I appreciate that. I will say that one thing to talk about that surfacing resources that you devoted I don't think enough can be said about the Summer Viva Office of Immigrant Affairs.

You have been in this seat where the buck stops there through A actually almost comical series of cataclysms that have come from external, landed on us, landed on our city, landed on our neighbors. It's just unfathomable about how you try to keep the city moving forward in a direction while also trying to absorb those hits and take care of our neighbors as they take those hits. So I want to share with you and also with all my colleagues here A few months ago, I was there as well as Councilor McLaughlin when one of our neighbors was abducted off the streets of East Somerville. And thanks to the resources you set aside for Greater Boston Legal Services, Magdaleno is no longer in custody. He's back in our community. He's back with his family.

and it's not just him right there are so many people that The question of who can you call, who can help in a moment of absolute terror and desperation, especially from folks that aren't exactly a voting block necessarily, devoting the resources so that when that call comes in, People, which is policy, were there to answer the call is a legacy that I don't think many people are going to understand just how impactful it was, but for those whose lives have changed. They will never be able to say enough how much it meant. So that is a legacy that I think you can be proud of, honestly, for the rest of your days. So thank you.

Thank you, Councillor.

Councillor Hardt.

Thank you. Mayor Ballantyne, Madam Mayor, I just wanted to say how grateful I am that I got to have you as my ward councillor and also our mayor for the past four years. We all owe you a debt of gratitude. The way that you lead with such integrity is really an amazing model and the way that you're so committed to Your values and equity and inclusiveness. You really walk the walk and it's very meaningful to the whole city and also to me. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor. Thank you.

Thank you.

I will miss you. I know that the role of mayor is an impossible job. you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't and you get blamed for everything and the great wins that you do accomplish The lead gets buried in the article a lot of times. I respect you as a strong female leader. You brought a lot of women with you. And for those, for us women who were watching you in your power, I remember when you were first trying to be city council president. And that was a fight because even though it wasn't supposed to be as difficult as it was,

The reality is it was a lot more of a fight than it should have been. You were a strong female visionary that just was like, no, I'm going to do this. And you did it in several terms, and you were a great council president, too. Thank you, Counselor. And you're a great leader. So thank you very much. And thank you for all you've done for women, for children, and for so many voices that just aren't always considered.

Thank you.

Wilson. Back to you. Thanks, Mr. President. I thought of something I wanted to add on here. Flashing back four years ago, the last time this sort of thing happened, I watched as people said all sorts of nice things about each other. Then the meeting went on. And do you remember how that That meeting ended with a really contentious thing about an ice rink, and I recall a counselor, a future colleague, talking about, oh, we lost another game of 4-D chess. And there was just a general... Fury from the council about feeling like they got put in a position where they had no choice but to approve something. You never did that to us. I never felt like you stuck us in a situation where we had no choice but to approve something. And that might sound like a small thing to the public, but it's a big deal to the council. It was a big deal. I'll speak for myself. It was a big deal to me that I never felt messed with on this council by your administration. And I think you deserve a lot of credit for that. I appreciate it. And I just wanted to call that out here.

President. I just wanted to say the meeting's not over yet.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Council. Thank you.

I told you we might take some more pictures, but I'm inclined to do a couple more citations first, then we can all have fun things to hold while we're taking pictures. So if the council's okay with it, we'll take up some other citations first. Can you stick around for a couple more citations then we'll do some pictures and back patting and stuff? Awesome. We'll take a proper moment to do that all together here because, you know, I'm stuck up here. All right, so back to regular order of business. I'd like to waive the readings of item 2.4 and 2.5 and approve those unless there's any objection. See none. Those items are approved. Madam Clerk, 2.6.

Item 2.6 is a citation by Councillor Davis commending outgoing Councillor Willie Burnley Jr. for his outstanding service to the people of Somerville as City Councillor-at-Large from 2022 to 2025.

I'm going to break the rules again. Council Burnley, thank you for your time here. I will just say that I want to call out the pleasure that I had sharing legislative matters when you came onto that committee. and we had over the the few years before that we'd done some work I mean we did some business in that committee and I felt like we'd done the things and then you came on and said hold on here's the things you did we can make them better and here's a couple new things that we can do and it gave me an opportunity to get super excited again in that committee and work with you on some improvements of ordinances we'd already passed Some new things. I'm not going to speak too much from up here, but I want to call that out because I had a lot of fun working with you on those. And I'll thank you for that and for your service. I'm going to look around for who wants to go first. Councilor Ewen Campen, I'm going to bring this plaque over to you then.

Thank you, Mr. President. So through you, to my colleague, I'm very bummed that you're leaving the council, that we're not going to get to work together next term. One of the strange things about the job of city councilor is that we have to find ways to take all of this energy from our constituents, the ideas that we hear, all this kind of pressure, And then we need to try to figure out how to do something locally, how to channel it into the very strange and specific power that we have. and it's really not obvious or straightforward usually how to do that it really takes kind of creativity and effort um so many of the things that our constituents you know are being affected by are not directly in our control obviously But Councilor Burnley has just had an unbelievably impressive ability to find ways to take that energy and to focus it into things that I think really matter to people and that really make people feel heard and represented, people who often have not felt that way in the past. Davis.

And not only do you have those ideas, then you've put in just an unbelievable amount of work to get them done. As Councilor Davis just said, just kind of Putting other new, myself as a new counselor to shame in terms of just the ability to get ordinances passed and get stuff moving. It's been really impressive to watch and on the issues where we've collaborated, I've really, really enjoyed it. and I also just want to say a note about the, I don't know what you want to call it, courage that you've shown to speak up on stuff that is difficult, talking about Gaza, talking about Palestine, that is not easy to do you know from one counselor to another I know that that is not easy to do and I really appreciate the courage that you've shown and I just want to express my gratitude for your public service to say I look forward to working with you in the future whatever comes next for you. Thank you for everything you've done.

Thanks, Mr. President. I first met our colleague at large in 2021 when we were both running. Our first real conversation was a walk and talk basically around Spring Hill. Burnley, and it turned out to be the first of many conversations. I really enjoyed getting to know Councilor Burnley, serving alongside him on this body. I really appreciate your principled advocacy, your sharp mind. and a really good sense of humor. I consider you a friend and it was an honor running with you in this year's election. I'm going to miss having you as a colleague, but clearly you're On your way to doing amazing things. I'm looking forward to the next chapter for you, whatever that holds. I'm sure you'll continue serving the public. I just want to say thanks for all your work on this body and especially on the Finance Committee over these years. Cheers.

Councillor Scott. Thank you, Mr. President. Councillor Burnley, I'm not ready for this speech. You know it is I think it's hard for me to put into words what your presence, your advocacy, what your work on this council has meant to me personally in addition to what it's meant to the city. Uh... You know, this is certainly not an easy job, but in addition to that courage, I want to uplift this energy with which you have accumulated just an astounding For somebody who's taken heat over time for the strength of your convictions

I saw you take meetings with everybody who ever wanted to talk to you. Anybody. Even folks that didn't necessarily want to talk to you. You wanted to hear where they were coming from. I think... Your outreach in the community, your presence in the community and your unfailing dedication to lifting up the voices of People who are less often heard lifting up the cause of justice in every venue is something that It's been truly a balm to the soul for me. It has been beyond reassuring to know that you are going to be here for all of the hardest discussions that we've had. I'm really going to miss your voice in this chamber.

I'm really going to miss having somebody that I know I can look to even to help clarify where my heart is. So thank you for being a colleague, for being a comrade, for being at times a guide. and for truly picking up the work that I started, that several of us started over time and taking that work forward and actually seeing it all the way to conclusion with the work of community partners, with advocates all over. It is... I don't think many people in the public appreciate what a rough road you've had of it in this chamber, in the streets of Somerville, and what you've endured to serve your neighbors. And I can just tell you that To the extent I understand it, I appreciate it.

It's a gift beyond value that you've given to Somerville and to your colleagues over the last four years. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you.

All right. Okay. Councilor McLaughlin, Councilor Mbah, then Councilor Clingan.

Thank you, Mr. President, through you to Councilor Burnley. I was thinking about one of our many main heated debates around these chambers. And one time when Councilor Burnley said, you know, everyone knows I don't agree with this man. And at the end of the year, at the end of every year, I look back about the things that I'm proud of accomplishing. And one of the things I always see every year is how many of our items are passed unanimously or nearly unanimous. and I look at this divided country and how nothing is getting done on the federal level. Not much is getting done on the state level either, but we have a really divided country. and we have a united City of Somerville with shared values. And I think about that and every year about what we have accomplished and how Council of Burnley was a part of that and how all of us were a part of a shared interest in the community.

And I think I'm going to look back at these days years from now and I'm not going to think about the debates or the fights or anything like that. I'm going to think about what we all accomplished together and how we serve this community. So I just want to say that and just let you know, Council Burnley, you should be very proud of your accomplishments, and I look forward to seeing what you do next.

Ba. Thank you, Mr. President. Councilor Burnley, I want to share everything that everybody has really said. Trying to figure out where to start, but I will start from when we met, you know, and that is... It's the first time you called me and you said, you know, you're planning to run for office and run for city council at large. And I was on the council, and the only person that looked like me on the council And the first thing I said was just congratulations. You know, I never met you. We're just even just... And then finally we met. You shared stories with me about yourself, your background. All I've had is just admiration for you. You lead with your heart. I mean, it's unbelievable. I actually, you know... I tried to give everybody a fair shot.

I don't approach people based on what people tell me. So you've just been Such a force and the sentiment that keeps coming up is courage. So I just want to say thank you for your dedication. You know, in service to this community and your unwavering commitment to equity, justice, and transparent, you know, governance has really strengthened trust. between residents and city hall. And also ensure that community voices were heard and respected. That is something that when I think about you, I'm really proud of. You brought integrity. You brought thoughtfulness and courage to your work every day, and your leadership has left a lasting mark on this council.

So for me personally, I'm really grateful for your service and I know that you will continue to shape outcome of future elections in this community. I have no doubt about that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President, through you to Council Burnley. I echo all of what's been said about your time on the council and about your record. I'll just say that One of the things I'll miss is your licenses and permits routine that you often did, bringing a little humor to the council. But just in terms of what I think about when I think about you is like, Your mind is, the way you process information, you're extremely sharp, as was mentioned, and just the way that it'll seem like you're not paying attention to something, but then you'll make a pithy comment, and I'm just... It's impressive the way that you are able to process information. That's always impressed me about you.

It just helps the type of listener that you are and the way that you're able to take in information. and process it, it comes out in the work that you do. So that's one thing that I always just took note and was really impressed by. And then of course, as was said, You brought courage to the position and I also look forward to seeing what you do next and wish you all the best. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Councilor Burnley, for being a great partner on the Council. Thank you for your dedication to our community. For all the work on legislation over the years since I've known you, you've always been very consistent. And I love you for that. As others have said, thank you for standing up for the right thing from the very, very beginning when it seems very difficult. And one that comes to mind is solidarity with Palestine. It takes courage. Thank you for being the very first ones to be very vocal on that. And one thing I want to thank you for is inspiring many of our neighbors, people who

who normally are not engaged in political life, a lot of renters, but especially young constituents. I'm saying this because one very good memory I have is when I was still a teacher at Somerville High School and I was working with a group of students of my students who are climate activists, they were in Sunrise, and we were putting together this climate panel. and they chose the people they wanted to invite and it was just helping them put it together where it was all them really and they decided to invite you and I remember you know you talked to how you like connected you know the climate work with environmental justice and all that and after the panel you know we were you know

because there was like an assignment after that about it and just my students spending you know time talking and sharing with me like how inspired they felt about the things you shared and they started looking you up and all that. And so I just remember the impact you had on them. and that's one thing I really you know love you know about you like everywhere you go you you inspire you know people and I you know I have seen it throughout the years so thank you for that.

Hardt.

Council Burnley, I just wanted to... Just want to appreciate you for all of your work for our city and all the ways that you've moved our city towards justice and inclusivity. And I've always enjoyed when our paths have crossed in the past, and I really look forward to them continuing to cross. So thank you.

Burnley.

Through the chair. I hate all this mushy stuff, quite frankly. I try to, you know, because you guys said all those mushy things I'm going to say a few mushy things and then get to the bulk of my comments but you know I think sometimes about you know the role that we all share on this horseshoe and how few people understand what it means to be a public servant but also what it means to be a public figure Every one of us, when we took on this role, had to swear an oath. Had to literally sign a book that is far older than me, but even a bit older than some of y'all.

say upon pains of perjury that we were going to fight for our constituents to our best understanding within the confines of the law. We can quibble about what that means. It is such a rare thing in life to know so many people who have taken such a pledge and to be one of those people. And I know it's not easy. I know it's not easy for any of us. So I appreciate that about all of you. I'm not going to go down the line because I don't want to take up too much time, but I will say Scott. You're one of the reasons that I have done this work.

You were incredibly instrumental in teaching me the ropes of how the council actually operates. The difference between a resolution and an order and an ordinance. and how budget season operates I mean that first year was kind of a crazy year I think that's the year we we went past midnight maybe on one of our budget nights and that was pretty My ability to actually navigate these arcane processes Partley, due to the support that you offered me, both before I took on this role and during my, especially my first, I'd say two years, just to give me the institutional history of this body, of the city, In a way that, as a transplant, I didn't necessarily have.

And frankly, as someone who had not always paid attention to local government. And President Davis, I also share a lot of fond memories of legislative matters. I mean, I didn't expect to actually find so much joy in crafting laws. I came in with a roadmap of I want to do these things to a certain extent, I learned a lot about how my own brain works from that committee and how My background as a writer connects to the background of lawyers who are very particular about words and I remember many meetings where we, you know, had debates about the difference between shall and will and you know things that would seem ridiculous and felt ridiculous frankly but their consequence

We took extremely seriously. Without that committee, so much of the work that I wanted to do would have been impossible. There were so many times in which We could have dragged on longer than it needed to. I remember particularly when I was trying to pass in ordinance to make Somerville a sanctuary for gender-affirming healthcare. Because I remember 2023, Knowing what was coming our way and seeing all the lawsuits against across the country targeting trans folks. I remember you really making it as A stalwart effort to say, we need to get this done now.

And we could wait until after this break, and we could give it a few more looks over. we should do this now and i remember us passing that in on in pride month of that year and later that year standing with the mayor um at one of our flag raisings and seeing what that meant to our LGBT students at Somerville High, to our staff who supported them, and That sense of pride is something that I think should be shared across this body because that work mattered to so many people. And although I like this little club we have, or I like being in this little club in some respects, I certainly did not run for office to be a part of a club.

I wasn't running to make friends. I think I said that a few times and I don't know how that came off originally. I have always tried to do this work Substantively and to make sure that we are actually having an impact on people's lives and making sure that the marginalized folks in our community are heard. I could do a rundown list of all the laws I passed, which could take a while and be annoying. I do want to just remind us all that that is why we're here. There were ordinances that we passed while I was on this body where people literally flew in from Los Angeles, from New York, from all around the country to be in this chamber. When some of those laws were passed. And to see their communities represented,

I'm incredibly grateful to our community for giving me this opportunity to serve and to hear their struggles and to try To support them and to use the time that I had to honor the history of this community through folks like Leonard A. Grimes, who was a black pastor and abolitionist. who lived in Somerville in 1860s and 70s, conductor of the Underground Road, who now has a park in East Somerville named after him because I was allowed to be placed on the memorialization committee in my first year and found his name in the 1870 Somerville census and submitted it. That's a A piece of history that so many folks, including many folks who grew up here, did not know and that will be hopefully forever enshrined in this community.

Whether it's that or whether it's the item we had earlier today where we supported mamas, this work to me has always been about uplifting the voices of our constituents and materially try to make their life better. So thank you for giving me the opportunity to do that. It won't be the last you hear from me, of course. I'm sure we'll have more debates and we'll get annoyed with each other and we'll see each other across a bar and maybe tip a hat or something. For now, I'm grateful for the community for electing me and re-electing me and I hope to continue to serve in the future. Thank you.

Thank you Councillor Burnley. That item is approved. Madam Clerk, next item.

Item 2.7 is a citation by Councilor Davis commending outgoing Councilor Jake Wilson for his outstanding service to the people of Somerville as City Councilor at large from 2022 to 2025.

Wilson, and I have nothing good to say about you. No, I'm just kidding. Like Councilor Burnley, as I said, I really enjoyed working with you. I will say that The one thing I do want to call out in my stretching of the rules here and speaking from the podium is the way that we didn't work together. Because as folks know, finance is not my jam. As Councilor Brandon noted, words are my jam. Numbers are not my jam. You, however, took over the Finance Committee at your very first day. and absolutely ran with it and not only completely reinvented the wheel but did it in a way that that took what was already the beginnings of a process to try and enable the council to continue to do its work during the month of June and really make that a reality. So I am very, very, very grateful that I just got to tune in when I needed to

and not participate in the whole thing, know that it was in very, very capable hands in your leadership and all the members who served on that committee during that time. Above everything else that I'm grateful for in your time and our friendship here, that is the thing that I Wilson. You know, it was the most impressed by and the most grateful for, and that's the one thing I want to call out. So thank you, Councilor Wilson. And I'm looking forward to never seeing you again. Gussie, Council Burnley's hand first, then Councilor Mbah.

Through the chair, Councilor Wilson, We both ran to be on this body together almost four years ago. and have served together two for two terms. And as you have said to me many times on this council, I feel like you've never done me dirty. Whether we've disagreed, whether we've come on different sides of votes, I always knew that you were never voting against me out of spite or pettiness or anger, but that you were making choices based on what you thought was best or the folks that you had communicated with. You know,

Recently, we did an endeavor together that I won't get too specific about for certain reasons. And you really helped set the tone of that endeavor. you know Lord knows if it was up to me we would have been blowing up things you know it would have been a fire everywhere but Because of the relationship that we've had over the years and because you've always tried to keep the temperature low and get to the work, We were able to do something that I know thousands and thousands of our constituents felt was positive and at times joyous. I will give one example. I remember walking to a debate this year and Councilor Wilson driving past me and be like, hey, you want a ride? I'm like, well, yeah.

I mean, I don't drive, so that's great. That is, as someone who's worked in politics as well as served, that is an extremely rare and absurd thing to happen. And it happened with us several times actually and I think that that is a testament to your character and the kind of leadership that you try to bring and so I'm grateful for the times that we've served together and that throughout it, despite any differences, we've always been able to continue to communicate and build a relationship that is So much more positive than what I expected stepping into this chamber for the first time. Thank you for that.

Thank you, Mr. President, Councilor Wilson, Chair Wilson, Mayor-elect Wilson. So I'm really, I don't know, I think I've known you for many years, even Before I got on the council, even when I got on the council, I knew you and you always communicated with me. One of the most important and funny communication was when you sent me with debating between New Construction and Demolition. And you sent me like a text with like just a wall, like this is like renovation. And it was just like a small, like a tin wall standing. Like just the loopholes in our policies that somebody, it's a new construction, but they just, he says, well, this is actually...

We all laughed about it, but we knew that this was just, you know, like, you know, we need to amend and really strengthen our policies. And then it just brought me joy to see you, you know, got on the council. and you've just been a statesman you know I just want to thank you you know for your dedication and your service to the people of Somerville Your collaborative approach to leadership stands out. I can't, you know, every single time, like the way you Move things around, your flexibility. It's just been something that I admire a lot. And I want to say your professionality. Respectful process and commitment to public service elevated the work of this body.

And so we are sincerely thankful for the contribution that you've brought You know, and for the positive lasting impact that you are leaving us behind and wishing you the best, you know, as you begin your new term as a mayor. Thank you.

Hardt, and then Clingan.

Hi, Councilor Wilson. I just wanted to thank you. You've been so incredibly thoughtful and generous to me as a brand new counselor, and it's really meant a lot, and I really appreciate it. Thank you.

Clayton. Thank you, Mr. President, through you, to Councilor Wilson. It's been a pleasure to serve with you. It's going to be hard to see you go on the council. Our work precluded your time on the council. Working on the Healy schoolyard, just your dedication to our city, to our youth. It's been very impressive, just the way you're able to Your systems approach, the way you organize things, your attention to detail, Punctuality, Generosity. When it comes to the meetings, your attendance, you take the job very seriously. and I appreciate that and I appreciate that for our constituents. Selfishly, I'll be losing, you know, I like, well,

We're gaining a counselor that does live in Ward 4, you know, but prior to your time, Bill White, Dennis Sullivan, you know, all these people, it was great having an at-large counselor. It's like double, you know, set of eyes, double set of ears in the area. So that'll change and also my getting rides up to City Hall and I'm on my own now. But yeah, I mean... You served with grace, as was mentioned, all the good things about you, you know, that you're very thoughtful and... Yeah, I just, you know, it's, I think, good luck on your new endeavor. I don't know why you would want that job. I think you're, you know, as we know, it's thankless. And as Councilor Strezo said, you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.

But I appreciate you stepping up to the challenge and I appreciate your service to this community and I look forward to working with you over the next term as our mayor. And yeah, so just thank you. Councilor Sait?

Through you Mr. President, Councilor Wilson, thank you for your dedication. I will very much miss you. Thank you for being thoughtful. and generous and positive and always focusing on the work and putting our constituents first. Yeah, thank you for all your guidance and support, especially my first year on the Council on Finance. Also finance is not my jam. So it was very helpful to have all those spreadsheets. I would very much miss them. That, you know, break down all the city finance and... Yeah, so as others have said, you've been very good at

Spending a lot of time with our neighbors, listening, identifying the issues, and looking for ways to solve You know, those issues. And that's probably one thing I very much admire about you, is you keep... working until you find the solution. I'm very excited for you and for the next chapter. Thank you.

I'm Councilor Scott McLaughlin and Ewen-Campen.

All right, thank you, Mr. President, and to our mayor-elect. Boy, there is so much to say, and I'm not going to retread the ground that's already there. Obviously, it's been a real delight. When you ran for office, I was pretty engaged in the other electoral projects, so getting to know you as a colleague really just started on that day one transition. I gotta say it's been just a delight to see both how you approach the job Externally and internally with a sense of openness and joy. Obviously, you've done a good enough job that folks said, yeah, we'd like more of that guy. As some people have said, it's shocking. I've always said I would need to get at least one divorce, if not two, to do this job, so congratulations and good luck to you.

You know, people have said that it's felt nice not to be messed with in this chamber, and I'd go a step beyond that. has always earned both my gratitude and my respect is the way that you've stuck up for your colleagues. I can think of several occasions where stuff's gotten heated and people have said some, you know, people have gotten out of line and You've been unwavering. I know there have been several times you've come to my defense and, you know, at least one time when you were like, hey. Ease off a bit, buddy. I think that kind of decency goes a long way, and I think it sets a tone, and it shows an integrity that is part of the reason why you get along with everybody, right?

and that's that's a hard thing to do in high-stakes environments so I'm just grateful for your time here I'm really excited about you being the mayor and I I think maybe I can get a head start by calling you an absolute bum and how upset I am about your spending priorities in this next budget season. No, no, no, no. I don't think so at all. I think the open line of communication, the collaboration that I've experienced with you Getting things done, not just on an advancing policy standpoint, but just keeping the wheels of the city turning over the last four years and the wheels of the city council turning. McLaughlin. It's been a delight. It's been really impressive, and it gives me a lot of confidence and hope moving forward for the next few years. So good luck, sir.

Council McLaughlin. Thank you, Mr. President. Through you, perfect segue. Thank you, Councilor Scott. I've been able to see in my years a number of election cycles come and go. They happen in four-year increments, I find. Which is why I didn't mind having the four-year term for mayor because things seem to happen in these interesting cycles. I remember I got elected in 2013 with a slate of other people or informal slate and That was a significant change in the direction of the city. Four years later, we had the great Our Revolution takeover of the city council. which I was very proud to be a part of which felt very it was very positive and really didn't have even though it was a significant change it went through kind of seamlessly. Four years later, 2021, we had COVID. We had a very heated election cycle, something that I'll always remember as just felt like, man, the city's really coming apart.

and I would watch these debates with colorful people going back and forth arguing with each other and then there was this one guy who was just like mom with all of you I like everybody Wilson. And I was like, who is this guy? And little did I know four years before, he was actually at the 2017 victory party. So he was already involved in the community. I did not know him that well. But he came across, he won that fourth seat, and now, four years later, he's going to be the mayor of this city. And I just watched, being a servant on the council, you know, I... I picked him for finance chair because I said this guy has Zach together. Let's see him deal with the numbers for us. He excelled at that. And then still I was like, you know, he makes a great cocktail. He's texting me all the time. Like, what is he about? Like, where does he stand on things? and I'm very proud to have served with you and I'm making all these jokes because there is something really good coming to this city.

Serving on the transition team, I've really seen that Jake is ready to run this city and I'm very impressed by it. The amount of thought he's put into this over the past four years, over the past many years, is really impressive to me because he's an unassuming person in some ways, but also very charismatic. And I'm just really excited about the future in a way that I haven't been in a little while. And I'm looking forward to serving on the city council with you as mayor and can't wait to see what you do next. So congratulations.

Thank you. Councilor Ewen-Campen.

Thank you, Mr. President. I think it's very noticeable to me that one of the themes of what a great colleague Councilor Wilson is to other city councilors. I very much feel that just incredibly Reliable, hardworking, taking on important roles on the council that don't often have a lot of public glory attached to them but really need to get done. and I've always been very kind of inspired by that because it's clear that the reason you do that is because you really care about making the city run well and the reason you care about that is because you want residents to trust the city. You want residents to have a good experience and to be able to rely on the city. And it really, something that you've told me, There's this really disgusting Ronald Reagan famous quote where he says, the most terrifying words in the English language is, I'm from the government and I'm here to help. And as Councilor Wilson has told me, and I'm sure others, his view is like literally the opposite of that, right?

The entire goal is to make sure that if there is someone who needs something and that there's no one there to help them, the government is there to support them, is there to help them for people where no one else will. and I think that that really really comes through and then this this was said to me in confidence I hope it's okay to say it here I'm really thankful that you've pledged to repave all of Ward 3 specifically and to really kind of focus The resources of the city really on Ward 3. I think that was really big of you, and I want to thank you publicly on the record.

Council Chezzo?

You're a gentleman, and I respect that entirely. Oh, I'm sorry. Through you, Mr. President, to Councilor Wilson. I'm excited about what you're going to do. I appreciate that you are open-minded. And you do have grace. And you listen, even when you drive me crazy. But I do, I have enjoyed working with you too. and I am excited about what's going to come next. and you do take this role seriously. So, with that I'll stop, but all good things.

Councilor Wilson. Thanks, Mr. President. No job is without its challenges and its frustrations, but I've generally really, really enjoyed my time on this body serving alongside y'all. I knew going into this that as someone with an administrator's mind, it was going to be a challenge and an adjustment for me being one of 11 legislators. I really tried to prioritize being a good colleague, recognizing good work from my colleagues. I made a point of when someone put in a good resolution, a good order, I wanted to sign on to that. That was important. This is a really weird job that we do. There's no job description. It's a lot of things that don't have a lot of glory attached to them. It's work. It's reading documents.

Understanding things like DOR regulations, form-based zoning, Mass General Law, MUTCD, et cetera. And constituents rely on us. to help them with issues. And none of us is doing this for the paycheck. But I've enjoyed doing this weird job with each and every one of you. Councilor Hardt, we're overlapping here for a couple of months, but right away I'm struck by The degree to which I can tell that you're taking this job very seriously, just right out of the gates. And I'm confident you're going to be a great counselor for the people of Ward 4, or Ward 7, sorry. Ewen-Campen, I'm repeatedly amazed by your ability to break down a complex issue into just simple, straightforward terms that everyone can understand. It's an amazing skill.

Four years ago, I told people that if they liked how you voted on things, they were probably gonna like how I voted on things. Without ever intentionally voting the same way as you, I think that ended up being pretty accurate. Scott. Your eye for detail is an incredible asset for this body. I'm flashing back to chairing the Finance Committee meetings as a newcomer. in 2022, and all the times that you saved me embarrassment and saved our clerks a ton of cleanup work with your patient sage advice as Vice Chair of the Finance Committee. McLaughlin, I consider you a mentor for all the time that you took answering all those questions for me when I first got elected and then in that first year. You never once told me That I was worried about something that didn't really matter, that I'd asked a dumb question.

Instead, you made a rookie counselor the finance chair. I think it actually turned out pretty well. So, Councilor Burnley, in addition to what I already said about you, I'll just say I'm a big fan of Willie Burnley Jr. Sait, it's been amazing watching you just come into your own here this term. You bring incredible perspective To our deliberations, and I want to shout out your work on the armory as being particularly impressive. You know what you did there, and it's impressive. Councilor Strezo. Your advocacy for seniors and families is just so important to the community, to this body. I know how much it means to those groups that you're out there. Making sure that they don't get overlooked because I hear it from them all the time. And I know you're going to keep fighting for that next term. I'm excited to work with you on that.

Clingan, I always describe you to other people as a real one. I think that's probably the best way to describe you. You've been my ward councillor for eight years now, and we're just so incredibly lucky to have you in ward four. representing us just really value the conversations we've had you know prior to get in but especially in office it's just you know It's been so special to me, being able to have someone to talk to about that. Councilor Mbah, we missed out on serving together my first term on the council, but we got to realize that dream here this term. Your commitment to equity, to the climate, and to families is really admirable, and I'm so glad we got to be colleagues here this term. President Davis, I really admire your commitment to fairness. That's very important to me.

That's been one of my sort of guiding lights during my time here is just an absolute insistence on fairness and I see that reflected in you. I really enjoyed picking your brain about legislation, zoning in particular, and I'm so glad you stepped forward to lead this council. I'm looking forward to working with you next year. I'm moving on. I'm going to see plenty of you all still come January. I've been paying attention to what matters to you all here, as well as to the two newcomers. who will be taking office here in January. And I'm excited for my administration to work with you all on those things. Here's to four great years and to two great years to come here, hopefully. Thanks.

Wilson, thank you. Councilor Burnley, thank you. Madam Mayor, thank you. We will take a brief recess to take some pictures. And we'll reconvene when that's done. You're going to come for a drink, right? I'll take that to the library.

I don't know if that's going to be helpful.

Thank you for watching!

One, two, three, four, five, six, all right. I can count to six. That's all I need to count to. We have a quorum. Let's call this meeting back to order. There's now officially a two Red Bull nights, so congratulations. It's 20 of 10 and we're still not ready to start the regular order of business. We've got a few other out of order items, so... These are, well, you'll hear, but these are all financial items for which the administration is, or otherwise, are requesting immediate consideration. So let's start with item 7.2. Madam Clerk.

Item 7.2 is a request of the mayor requesting approval of a change in the senior tax work-off program qualification criteria to a maximum income of 80% of area median income.

All right, we have Director Spiliotis here. Come on up.

Hi, good evening, everyone. Ashley Spoliotis, the Director of the Council on Aging. Thank you for having me here this evening to talk about Somerville Senior Tax Work Off Program. Since the program's inception in the year 2000, this program has really benefited our senior community, but also our city's workforce. Each year we have 25 spots for seniors to work within city departments and right now they're working in our mobile markets, They're teaching fiber arts, working in our libraries, and most certainly working and helping to run our Council on Aging. So every year from April to November, current members help perform these duties and then they then receive an exemption of $15 per hour worked up to $1,500 on their January tax bill.

Very recently, the Massachusetts legislature made an amendment to raise the exemption maximum to $2,000 and the city will be following suit this coming year starting in April. But since the year 2015 to participate in the program, seniors must reside in Somerville, They must reside in the home where the tax exemption is going to be applied and have a maximum income which is currently set at $48,800. Little known fact is that it was passed in 2015 and that was 80% of the current AMI in 2015. Tonight we're asking to make an amendment to the tax work off program to set the maximum income level to 80% of the current AMI. This will allow for flexibility, it will allow for the program to respond to income changes, and Currently, the 80% of the AMI would be $92,650.

I'm happy to share more information on the program or to answer any questions.

Any questions, discussion? Councilor Scott? Thank you, Mr. President. Just a quick one. I mean, $15 an hour is not much. And particularly in light of the conversation we recently had about MAMAs, is there any reason that we require means testing for participation in the program?

The $15 is currently set by the Massachusetts legislature and that is the highest a city can offer. It's in fact the only reimbursement or exemption rate there is. The current program is 133 hours worked for the $2,000 rebate or $15 if like often we have seniors who might fall ill or sometimes aren't, you know, are traveling or just unable to participate for the full amount of hours, and then it's prorated.

I guess my question, Director, is particularly why is it required that we have a gated maximum income that we means test to allow people to participate in the program or not?

We could consider not having any income criteria. One factor of having the criteria though is that we only allow for 25 spots. That could also be considered a change to be made in the program, but right now it would There would be 25 spots and the thought is that it would go to the people who quote unquote need it most due to income.

Okay, and I guess my final follow-up, Mr. President, would just be, do we have all 25 of those slots filled every year? Is it an oversubscribed program?

Currently, we do not, and that is the main reason why I'm here. I've been with the city for nine years, director for about five. Since becoming director, I would say we have no more than 12, but the interest is quite large and it is all due to the income guidelines. I would say most of the time the income people are trying to apply with are you know 50 in the 50 or 60 thousand dollar mark 92,000 This proposal here would be higher than any other surrounding community. For instance, Boston is set at 60% of the current AMI.

All right. I appreciate that. Mr. President, I'm supportive of this. I just wondered if we could maybe remove one of those steps there to get more people in the program. But thank you.

I, Mr. President, through you to Councilor Scott, I vehemently oppose the concept of eliminating Why? Because 54% of Somerville seniors have an annual income of below $50,000. They need that help. So I understand that, yes, having no caps would be wonderful, but for those who actually need, we need equity to be present in this, and this is demonstration of actual equity in practice. So with that, in the 20, did you say 25, pardon me, drew you to our director. Does that, is 25, you said 20 or 25 slots, I forgot. 25. Is that capped at state level or can we expand that as well?

It's kept at city level. It's city level.

So is there an opportunity? Is it a budget issue that we couldn't increase it? Or is it a capacity issue?

Through the president it's a little bit of capacity issue but it is also a financial or reimbursement issue because this program does not run on any reimbursements so some programs, certain veterans benefits. There's a reimbursement from the state to the city. This program does not have any reimbursement. It is basically a loss to the city.

Do you have the number of total amount that

Sure, at 25 people for $2,000. Oh, I'm sorry.

No, no, no. Of the total amount that we invest into this program as an entirety that we take as a loss.

Currently it's $37,500, but moving it up to $2,000, it will be $50,000.

Colleagues, if I may, we spend so many things in our budget cycles for swag and tote bags and awesome stuff. But imagine if we just didn't buy hand sanitizers that we give out at or swag or I don't know, stuff we give out at Summer Streets or some event and we invest it instead to possibly even cap at $100,000. I just had this good idea. You could literally see the light bulb above my head. But what if we moved some money going forward into investing more into this? Is there, through you, Mr. President, to our director, Spelliotis,

Brownlee.

Thank you through the chair. Thank you for being here. Thank you for your work as always. I've seen you since my last meeting. I'm gonna be able, not super much, but just like a little much. Seeing you at a lot of events, supporting seniors, Working with the Cambridge, Somerville Cambridge Elder Services. You do really important work and I'm glad for your service. To the questions that were just asked earlier, you made a point to say It is about capacity, financial capacity, but also that we're not currently meeting the full limits of what we have. I certainly want to help as many seniors as we possibly can.

But to do that, it's not only a matter of money, as you implied, but also a matter of making sure that more folks know about this program and what is before us raising the limits on it. So the question I have for you through the chair is how is your department working to increase awareness of this and what work can the council do to help you in that endeavor?

Right now, we advertise through our own networks, but I have to be honest and say that we receive most of the referrals through you. and through your newsletters and through constituents going to you and saying that they're having a tough time or constituents coming to Our social workers are social workers in the city and saying that they're having a tough time. They're having a tough time, as mentioned before, qualifying for certain programs because they might be slightly over income. The greatest problem we see a lot at the Council on Aging is that many are homeowners who are receiving rent, and that rent is just putting them right over the gap of qualifying for SNAP benefits, or qualifying for MassHealth benefits and the Senior Tax Work Off program is an alternative that is helpful in meeting their basic needs really.

Thank you for that. So with that information through the chair, in the effort to actually help more folks, I would just turn it back to my colleagues and say, Looks like it's on us to make sure that more folks know about this program and that the department's social media is well known. As someone who's looked at the city's social media, I know that some of my colleagues have more followers, have more engagements with the public. And so, you know, Perhaps there's an offline conversation that could be had just in order to amplify the work that's being done here. Thank you.

Okay. Seeing no further item, do we need a roll call on that one? Okay, no further discussion. Seem no objection. That item is approved. Thank you.

The next item then is item 7.3, a request of the mayor. Requesting approval to use available funds in the city clerk salaries account in the amount of $3,590.41 to fund Assistant City Clerk vital records and licensing and Assistant City Clerk legislative services positions.

Madam Clerk, could you give us some background and context on this one?

Mr. President, thank you. Through you. I think the item is largely self-explanatory. Essentially what it's trying to do is take three positions, make them two, take two existing positions, give them a little bit more responsibility, and that reorganization of the office I think is going to just help streamline it's going to help eliminate some redundancies and it's going to help us deliver services more effectively.

Any questions? Councilor Clingan? Through you, Mr. President, just a quick question. I'm sorry, the math that you just did, we're not eliminating any, will there be a loss of a position?

Through the president, yes. One position will be eliminated. The full text of the item does indicate that the savings to the office will be just about $50,000 for this fiscal year and about $100,000 in each subsequent fiscal year ongoing.

Strezo.

Hey colleagues, we just found $50,000.

Council Burnley.

Thank you. Just repeating again, the last item was also valid, awareness. But to the item before us, a quick question to you, to the clerk. Could you just give a little bit of background on the Assistant City Clerk Legislative Services position?

Yes, the assistant city clerk legislative services position is going to be the legislative services manager position, but with a bit of additional responsibility to help support the work of the city clerk.

Through the chair, just a little bit more clarity around, is this around agendas? What is the expansion, I guess?

the expanded piece of the role largely involves clerking city council meetings it also adds an additional element of staff management okay thank you

Other discussion? No? All right, seeing no objection, that item is approved.

Item 7.4 is a request of the Mayor. Requesting approval to accept and expend a $1.4 million grant with no new match required from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development to the Mobility Division for the Mass Works Program for the Union Square Plaza and Streetscape Phase 1 Construction.

All right. Do we have a member of the administration? Is it Director Rosson, or is it I see? I can't see who that is. It's Alan, Ignacio. All right. Are you here to speak on this item?

Thank you, Mr. President. Through you, Mr. President, to the Council, this is a grant from Mass Executive Office of Economic Development. This is a MassWorks grant. We will be using this in conjunction with the recent design grant we received for the Mass Gaming Commission. We are still working on getting to 25% design with the Mass with the Gaming Commission grants. and then this will be the first 1.4 million applied to the eventual construction and you know there's still again design and community outreach and plenty of work left to do but securing these funds early now will help keep the project on track. And with that, I'll turn it over for any questions.

Okay, Councilor Ewen-Campen. Thank you, Mr. President. I'm thrilled about this, and I just want to clarify. Phase one, this is largely focused on the intersection of Prospect and Webster? Through you, Mr. President, is that correct?

Through the chair, I believe so, and I'm happy to have Director Rosson come back to you with the logistical and engineering details, but I believe that is correct.

I certainly don't want to hold this up. I'm excited about the whole project, but that is a really, really dangerous intersection that all of us desperately want to get fixed.

Absolutely. I believe we've already done some signalization work and whatnot there, but yes, that work will definitely be part of the continued improvements.

Through the president, it's not working. Please send help.

Wilson. Mr. President, I hope we're not going to mess with the best intersection in Somerville.

Any further discussion? All right, seeing none, that item is approved.

Item 7.5 is a request of the mayor requesting approval to accept and expend a $1,367,300 grant with no new match required. from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to the Public Space and Urban Forestry Division for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program for the Blessing of the Bay Urban Heat Resilience Project.

Can we take that together with 7.6, please?

That's indeed. Item 7.6 is a request to the mayor requesting approval to accept and expend a $500,000 grant with no new match required from the Department of Conservation and Recreation to the Public Space and Urban Forestry Division for the Blessing of the Bay Greenway Project.

Do we have Dr. Oliveira online?

Sorry, I can, I'm happy, thank you, through you, Mr. President. Peace Off Division is under my purview of a... Grant's administration. So my team will be administering and overseeing the financial oversight of these grants. So I do not believe there's anyone from PSUF here I can say that we're cobbling together these two pieces of funding along with we've already committed and used some CPA funding and already done some initial work, and the Blessing of the Bay Trail Project. These funds will help continue that project to eventual completion. And we'd love to have your approval tonight to keep this project on track. Any discussion?

All right, seeing none, those two items are approved. We'll go next to 7.8.

Item 7.8 is a request to the Mayor. Requesting approval to accept and expend a $25,000 grant with no new match required from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to the Council on Aging for direct transportation costs for the Senior Taxi Program.

Dr. Spiliotis, it's my new again.

Thank you for having me once again. This earmark funding through the Massachusetts state budget directed through MassDOT will be for direct costs for the senior taxi program. It's a program that we are all familiar with. It helps seniors receive about 650 rides a month. Smith, 71% of those thereabout go to routine medical appointments, about 20% for food access to either food pantries or grocery stores, and then about 6% to local pharmacies. In January the program will also be expanded to help seniors access meals at the senior center and other services there and the $25,000 will help defray that cost.

Okay, any questions, discussion? All right, seeing none, that item is approved. Thank you.

Indeed, item 8.4 is an officer's communication from the Director of Emergency Management conveying the 2024-2025 Cummings School Winter Warming Center After Action Report and Improvement Plan.

Director Fischer.

Thank you, President Davis. So thank you for the opportunity to brief on this after-action report. I promised this during the budget hearings, and I said I think probably three months. It's close to three months. A couple more months, but we got it done. But before I begin, I do want to, before I begin this report, I do want to extend a heartfelt thank you to, starting with Mayor Katiana Ballantyne, The entire city council, the school committee, city staff, and the entire Somerville community. Because together you recognize the critical human need and responded with compassion and dignity when it was very much needed in this situation. Your unwavering commitment ensured that people had a warm place to stay, nutritious food to eat and essential services that they needed. so in your package you should have the after action completed report i'm going to do just a quick overview briefing of it uh obviously at the end i will answer any questions as needed so

The program overview is the warming center operated between December 9th, 2024 and April 13th, 2025. From the hours of 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. in the morning. Over that time period, repeat guests, it served 3,692 safe overnight stays, again with meals, hygiene supplies, Other supplies like socks, transportation, referrals, and critical support services. The data collection process, we collected feedback solicited at multiple points via in-person conversations and observations of the clients. We also conducted client surveys on site with the health and human services community health workers assisting gathering that data. We also conducted surveys online of area residents, especially focusing on the residents that are in the area of the warming center at the former Cummings School.

The center staff completed feedback surveys as well through handwritten surveys and we conducted at least one open public listening session at the Somerville High School. As part of this process we collected a significant amount of data and I definitely want to extend a sincere appreciation to the Somerstadt Mayor's Office of Innovation and Analytics for their expertise and invaluable assistance in drafting and compiling this after-action survey data. Their skills in data analysis and thorough collaborations played a critical role in capturing meaningful feedback to inform and future operations. So we can make these necessary improvements. I will say there's a lot of data here and looking at this data I saw a lot of things that even I couldn't break down and understand specifically the why and how we came to this. So for the specifics of the data and the data analysis because I'm not a data analysis person

You can email data at somervillema.gov or request a data person to one of these meetings, Somerstadt I wanted to say. I will talk about what they found. So going into that, the clients told us that they felt welcome, respected, safe, and praised the staff for creating a dignified, judgment-free environment. The Center provided stability during moments of crisis, whether they were coping with mental health challenges, recovering from trauma, or simply trying to make it through a cold night. Transportation, staff kindness, and access to information were rated exceptionally high. Some concerns that were expressed was concerns about the long outdoor wait times, often in freezing temperatures, as clients lined up for hours before opening because they feared that they might not have a bed that the setter might fill up.

The outside security presence was inconsistent during the intake, and both clients and nearby residents, we heard this in multiple settings, whether it was surveys or the open listening session, Felt has created unnecessary tension and risk and so this is one of the areas we looked at very closely. The key findings overall impact the program was widely viewed as essential and life-threatening during these winter months and strong community support and appreciation for the city's commitment to the vulnerable residents was expressed. Of the feedback data, high satisfaction 65% plus across most service categories with transportation provided at the highest percentage of 94% satisfied. The guests expressed that they appreciated, again, those warm meals, the safe place to be, and respectful treatment. The primary client concerns, again, were those long lines, and due to fear of being turned away. Now I wanted to note here that no one was turned away.

The vendor that works at the warming center did everything they could to bring people in as long as it was safe to do so under capacity. and give them a spot to be and when they couldn't do that they contacted an area warming center and provided transportation to that warming center that actually played into one of the analysis we did later in this survey for one of the decisions we were looking at that we kind of changed our mind Cleanliness issues and inconsistent blanket availability did come up a couple of times. There were some issues with laundering that they didn't have blankets a couple nights and they noted that. They also noted that they wanted more multilingual staff. There were some communications issues from within the center, and so we looked at that. and requests for the longer hours, additional days, and increased capacity. They wanted the center to run longer, they wanted the hours to be longer, and of course they wanted to have increased capacity. Some of the residents' feedback themes, overall satisfaction among nearby residents with 51% that said they were satisfied or very satisfied.

resident expressed they were supportive of the city's effort to provide the shelter. One overarching theme I found was that even when people were giving criticism To the program they were very strongly in support of the efforts that were moving forward and the work we're doing for these folks. Primary concerns from residents, the long waiting times which cause noise, tension, visible hardship, clients without shoes, standing in the snow without jackets, There was a lack of clear information on how residents could help. There was a strong effort to get them to help and there were some communications gaps that were identified in how to provide that help. Confusion and dissatisfaction with the private security presence or lack of presence. Many were unaware that security even existed. And then we're talking, what I want to be very clear, we're talking about the outside security vendor, not the inside. There's two different vendors that was brought to this center.

The center staff requested stronger supervision and guidance, especially overnight, better communication, community awareness of staff parking, apparently they got some parking tickets, clear standards for security overnight. Strings to Crust, all the objectives we looked at was a warm, safe environment with meals and supplies, low barrier for entry, supporting individuals regardless of how they came to the shelter or how they came to the warming center. Effective partnerships with HHS, Housing Families, Somerville Homeless Coalition for service referrals because these weren't just given a place to stay and food, they were also given opportunities to get services and be connected with those necessary services. Some overall areas for improvement. The capacity was a big one. You know, having enough capacity to make sure that people didn't feel they had that anxiety they had to wake, they had to line up four and five hours before it opened. From that, the recommendations were to expand the space, look at renovating the area.

There was two large rooms in that space. We were using one of them. Create clear communications for a donation process. With that, we actually identified that the best way to do that, and this was going to some of our experts in the field, the HHS, the Health and Human Services, as well as the Somerville Homeless Coalition, was to donate directly to the vendor Housing Families, which in all the communications including the website and the flyers, they have a website to donate there. But also, although it does make sense to donate to the vendors, we have an organization within Somerville that helps the homeless population, the Homeless Coalition. So I encourage residents to also, if they want to help this population, they can help it directly by donating to the Homeless Coalition through the Homeless Coalition's website. Let's see. Security presence. This was a big one. Again, security presence was not always visible. When we look at the survey data, a high percentage of people didn't even realize we had a security officer outside.

Residents and clients reported increased concerns about their safety and lack of oversight because of that non-presence. So the recommendations from that was to have a uniform, consistent security presence during the lineup formation. Coordination with the Somerville Police Department for directed patrols on the outside just to do engagement and clear performance expectations of the security vendor contract. and I'm really excited to say that we identified through that bid process but with very clear requirements for what we were looking for and those included experience working with unhoused populations with a preference for unhoused populations in Somerville. We're able to identify a vendor that actually is the vendor that provides the security for the engagement center for the Somerville Homeless Coalition. And we're able to procure that vendor for the warming center.

and this vendor had enough forethought on their own before they started to take the staff member that they were going to assign to the warming center and have them go down to the engagement center and train with the officer that was working at the Somerville Homeless Coalition Engagement Center and the Somerville Homeless Coalition staff to understand this population how to best engage with them because at the end of the day we don't need to A strong security presence. What we need is someone that understands this population and can work with them and be present and do those activities. I really think we found that this year. I'm very excited about that because a lot of these issues that we identified in this after action report could all be tied back to that outside lineup time when they were very anxious. and I get anxious when I wait in line for the silliest things. Imagine waiting in line thinking I'm not going to have a bed and a warm place to stay so I can understand that anxiety or at least I can understand where they're coming from. The accessibility, the language access.

This was brought up to the vendor and very strongly expressed, but also our services available through the Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs was offered. The vendor, hire more people, if you can, that our language meets the Somerville community. But also, if you can't, look towards having a vendor to do this interpretation services. But if you can't, We will offer our interpretation services through telephonic translation and interpretation that you can use and that was offered as well. Let's see. Americans with Disabilities is a big part of the renovations down there. So the bathrooms were great for what they were meant for, but they were tiny. they didn't allow for handicap or ADA accessibility not the doorway access and not the room they couldn't turn around if they're in their wheelchair as well as the entrance I don't know what they were thinking when they built this, but it almost looked more like a playground than an entrance. But they went through and they did all the work.

They leveled out the front entrance so now it can go right in if you have a wheelchair or you need accessibility and the bathrooms are being renovated. One side is done and being utilized while the other side is just finishing up now. and so now all of the bathroom facilities are ADA accessible all the hallways everything you know was assessed as well as the entrance and that's why we had that trailer on the playground last year is because they we weren't accessible so we want to make sure that they're accessible so we use the The trailer to get that work done. And that continues working. And finally, community partnership. The residents want to help, so we wanted to make sure we identify those ways they can help. And again, that's through those donation websites. So the first one is the housing families, so that would be housingfamilies.org slash donate. and then the second one for the homeless coalition would be somervillehomelesscoalition.org slash giving and this is available on our website the warming center website for the city there's a Frequently Asked Questions.

This is how do I donate and all that information is there. One of the other concerns was cleanliness and facility management. The blanket shortage, we brought that up, as well as cleanliness, so we require the vendor to provide, have access to daily logs for cleanliness, cleaning. and for laundering and have those available for inspection at any time from HHS from my department OEM and from inspectional services division So they're going to keep the daily logs to make sure that these things are being done and that these people have a clean and an environment where they have the blankets and the pillows. They would obviously is the entire point of what we're doing. Another report was smoking in the bathrooms. We kind of dealt with that initially through the year last year. One of the things we did was we put smoke detectors in the bathroom. The recommendations this year from this after action report is to do a couple things. One, have very clear rules and regulations that are expressed from the staff from the beginning.

So the clients understand what's expected when it comes to not smoking the bathrooms. Also provide clear signage at the bathrooms that say no smoking in the bathrooms. And finally, again, having those smoke detectors in the bathroom for safety reasons but also to deter this type of activity because it's not safe to do so so you know in closing A lot of work went into this after action report. We invested a significant amount of time in the effort development report because our goal was to strengthen what is already an excellent warming center program. This work reflects our dual commitment. When we came to this project, as well as this after-action report, our goal was to ensure that compassionate, dependable service for the clients who rely on the Center for Safety, Warmth, and Essential Needs are met during the winter extreme cold, but also maintaining a quiet, safe, and respectful environment for the very residents who overwhelmingly support this initiative. We want to try to accomplish both.

And so we're always going to have work to do, but that's what we're trying to accomplish. So I'll take any questions.

To the chair, thank you for being here and thank you for this report. I'm old enough to remember the first warmery center that the city put on at the armory and frankly how many issues came about from security issues to lack of communication with armory tenants to all sorts of things. and I've seen year by year how the city has improved first from moving to the to the Cummings and then this year with this report especially for contrast after the first Eare of the Warming Center. I remember the city putting out this really I remember talking to the folks who actually work at the armory and them having the exact opposite experience of what was described.

And that is all to say, I appreciate so much how thorough this report is, particularly the improvement plan. I was just scanning through as you were speaking and it really does go into depth about Without getting into particulars, the various different issues, areas of strength. The one thing that I would note and perhaps say is a suggestion either for an update or next time this happens is um similar to the the last item that we were discussing communication is really critical around this both for the The clients of this service but also for the community at large and one of the departments I did not see referenced as a As a department that would need to be included in the improvement is the comms department or IGA.

And I really think that particularly for the public who wants to help, Again, reaching out to counselors and making sure that they know, hey, these are the resources. Can you blast this out? I think that that would be an improvement. and perhaps a program that could be centralized because various departments have many things that they would like the public to know that the council is and potentially a vehicle to help get to them. I would just as you're trying to make sure that these issues are being resolved and I can see that there's a lot of thoughtfulness in the Let's just make sure that the council is brought in and that they can help disseminate this information throughout the community so that services and items can be provided.

Strezo.

Ms. President, through you to our director, I had a question about how, what is the protocol for residents who are Okay, let's go back a little bit. So we have some residents or some unhoused individuals sleeping inside the Gilman Square area. On Medford Street, residents are concerned. It's under 26 degrees tonight. When the warming center was not open a couple days ago, it was definitely below freezing. I called in and it's kind of at the will of the person sleeping in the park to go or not. So what is the protocol now that the warming center is open if you get reports of that? What happens?

So through the share. So a couple, it's multi-layered. So the Somerville Homeless Coalition, through their efforts, they go out and they make sure people know about that. and connect the people with the services there's always transportation available if they request it and they want to come to the to the warming center as well as the health and human services community workers will go out and speak with these folks and offer it In addition to that, the first responders are told and they know that the police can go around if they see something or something gets reported like you did. and many more. and then transportation is provided either through the police officer or the transportation so that's the basically the best way we do that again you're right they have to want to go but they're highly encouraged to go and we're hoping that

Our reputation continues to grow to the point, because honestly, I think sometimes they come or don't come based on trust. and it's difficult these days I mean all amazing people doing amazing things but we're still the government and sometimes that gets a you know people don't necessarily trust that and we're trying to bridge that gap and show that and I think we're doing a good job this body and you know especially that but I think that's sometimes where it is but it's always offered and it's part of that protocol.

Ms. President, through you to the Director, yes, in my experience it seems like every effort is being taken, so it's definitely not like a... An upset situation, but it's scary. This is, from the conversation I've had with the Somerville Homeless Coalition about the unhoused, Camping Out in the Gilman Square Park. We'll talk to them again. Cool, but it's also 20 degrees outside and those are conditions to freeze to death or eventually very much cause bodily harm to themselves. So that does scare me that we may have a death one day.

Just to answer that question, I'm with you 100%. The problem comes where and I can't answer this question because I believe it's a legal question there's that threshold but what is it and and and you know yeah so that's pretty much it because I agree with you.

Councilor Ewen-Campen?

Thank you, Mr. President. Through you, thank you very much for this report and particularly just for all the work that went into this over the last two years. As the ward councillor, I think it's safe to say Despite all the support, there was also a lot of pushback from some of the neighbors. There were some tense meetings and I'm really appreciative that the city heard that feedback, listened to it, and also kept moving forward to keep all these people alive. I reached out earlier today to some folks who live nearby. I have gotten zero emails since it opened on Monday, which is usually a good sign, and I just said, Everything okay? And they said, yeah, it's going great. They did say one piece of feedback. I guess one of the shades has been left open all night. So just for the privacy of guests, they said, you know, pass that along. But congratulations on all the work that went into this. Seeing it expanded has been great.

Thank you very much. I appreciate the comments and we share a common friend over there. He's honestly, I say that a little bit funny, but there's a gentleman over there that is very good about reaching out in a very positive fashion. and providing feedback which has been extremely helpful.

Any further discussion? All right, seeing none, that is placed on file. Thank you, Director. Thank you. All right, shall we begin the meeting?

We shall indeed return to the regular order of business and item 4.1 an order by Councillor Strezo that the Director of Housing report to this council the number of new housing units that have been approved for development year by year since the adoption of Summer Vision 2040, and of those, how many are permanently affordable and how the department defines affordability.

Thank you, Mr. President. I am asking that this be sent to Housing and Community Development and that we'll have a nice, hearty conversation about it in there.

That item is approved to the Copyright Housing Community Development. I will remind the good councillor as well as others that items that do not require an action will expire at the end of the year, so it will have to be resubmitted. But certainly it can go there, it will then be in the box on the list and you can

That sure is right, Mr. President. This was working with a constituent who wanted it in this agenda. This very special one, and I did bring that up, but we will make a second round of it back in January.

Of what's going to happen. Or forward in January. So that item is approved with a copy to Housing Community Development.

Item 4.2 is a communication by Councilor Mbah conveying a report of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Thank you, Mr. President. The trust met on November 13 to consider two requests for assistance to below-market housing projects now being carried forward. First, the trust voted to stretch the repayment term from 40 years to 50 years for the visiting nursing senior housing at 259 Lower Street. Second, the trust approved two requests from the Somerville Community Land Trust for its six-unit residence at 12 Pleasant Street. This historic house is being converted from renter to condo ownership by its tenants association. So they reached a deal with the former owner to transfer the property to the Somerville Community Land Trust, which carried out reconstruction of the units and then transferred them back to the former tenants as owners. The repurchase price will be fixed at levels of affordable housing for two units with 30 percent EMI income and three with

50 AMI. The city funded actions have been taken to support 12 Pleasant Street. Two years ago, the trust gave a loan of $2.5 million to the Somerville Community Land Trust to buy the land. and Building. Now the loan has been changed into a grant with no repayment required. The trust also has made an additional grant of $700,000 of the City of Somerville Community Land Trust to cover some costs of the reconstruction work. The Somerville Community Land Trust received a grant of $300,000 from the Community Preservation Act account to cover elements of rehab work that are specific to the historic preservation. So the trust again met earlier today and took a vote, approving a loan of $2.8 million to the Somerville Community Corporation, which will use the funds to acquire the vacant land

at 176 to 182 Broadway. This is the site of the former bakery and has been empty for almost 10 years. So SEC will combine this land with adjacent four-story house and it's already owned at 184 Broadway and we'll redevelop the whole property with the building of 56 units to be 100% affordable. I know the hour is late, but I ask that the report be accepted as submitted. Councilor Stressel?

Thank you, Mr. President. To you, Councilor Maboff. Yes, please. So you're telling me that the Patsy's location is going to actually finally be leveled? And I can't just drive past it or walk past it eight more times and have a reminiscence of all the cakes and pastries that no longer exist. There's going to be something actually on the property now.

Councilor McLaughlin, care to take that one? Thank you, Mr. President. Christmas has come early. This is something that's been in the works for a while. and I didn't know until tonight that it is final. Yes, Patsy's Pastries, which has been abandoned for decade plus, One of the first abandoned properties on my street since I took office is going to be 100% affordable housing, and I couldn't be happier. and also in addition the four-story building next to it that I previously lived in and would roll out of bed and get pastries and pizza in, that's going to be converted into more affordable housing. Tenants are going to be protected there as well. This is a huge deal for me. I'm very proud of it. So thank you for bringing that up today. And thank you to the city and the Somerville Community Corporation for making this happen.

If I may, Mr. President, one more thought on that, since we have no more Patsy's vacant building now. Small request of the ward councillor, Ward 1 to whoever keeps turning on the Louise sign, ice cream sign, to stop doing that because I keep getting tempted and thinking that something's happening and it's just the neon sign and no more ice cream again. Thank you.

All right, that item is placed on file.

Item 4.3 is a communication by Councilor Mbah conveying a report of the Job Creation and Retention Trust Fund.

Councilor Mbah. Thank you, Mr. President. The trust met on October 27. The commission held. That was when we had our annual meeting. in order to review the status of his workforce training career counseling programs through the past year and look at his finances for the future. Since it began operating in 2020, the Trust has provided services to 1,190 people, including 790 in adult education, particularly English as a second language. It provided training to workers' rights to 255 people and industry-specific training for 125 people. Individuals, mostly in healthcare, biotech, and building repair and maintenance services.

These six years of activity have cost $8.9 million, money that was derived from the jobs linkage fees paid by developers of new labs, office, and commercial buildings. During 2025, several of the contracts for job training and career counseling came to an end, in particular the post-secondary success program, which I hope will continue at the high school, finished after three years. It has helped 90 graduates to continue technical and community college training with ongoing counseling payment of their tuition and fees and a stipend for living expenses. For 2026, the Trust made new appropriations totaling $914,000 to continue the existing programs of adult technical training and job-related English learning. The Trust approved a new program of 400,000 to train workers to qualify for city of Somerville job vacancies.

This training will focus on building maintenance and DPW construction needs. Looking to the future, the Trust does not anticipate receiving any revenue for several years given the poor conditions of the real estate market. No new commercial or lab buildings that will pay linkage fees are in the planning and construction pipeline. So the trust now has on Committed Funds of just about $2 million, which it plans to make available in small grants in order to keep its basic programs going. So one possibility may be like what I suggested to review those stabilization funds and see how we can actually subsidize some of these programs. I ask that this committee report be accepted and submitted.

All right, thank you. That is placed on file. Next item.

Item 4.4 is an order by Councilor Ewen-Campen that the Director of Mobility increase visibility at the intersection of School Street and the Community Path by permanently installing a convex mirror on the fence.

Young-Kevin. Thank you, Mr. President. I do have a very short story that I need to tell about an anonymous constituent who did some very minor rule breaking. This was when I was a brand new counselor. I had an elderly constituent who reached out and asked me if she could have one of the bricks from the high school. I will get around to why this is related. And this was during the demolition, so there were piles of bricks lying around. And I was a new counselor, so I very dutifully asked our legislative liaison colleagues. How do I get a brick for this constituent? And they told me, well, it's actually very complicated. It needs to be declared surplus. We know there weren't contaminants, but we need to kind of like officially verify that. There needs to be a fair. We want to do a raffle so that people can yada, yada, yada. None of that stuff ever happened. And then me and the constituent just grabbed a brick. And that was technically illegal, and I hope that I get away with it. But I'm telling the story because it's happened again.

There has been some very slight rule-breaking behavior that I think was the right thing to do, which is that some people have been putting up a convex mirror at this awful community path intersection where School Street makes this right-angle turn. And this convex mirror, it just helps you see around the corner a little. and it keeps getting taken down so these wonderful constituents they put it up it helps and then it goes away don't know why in the past I've reached out to the city for convex mirrors in a few locations and I've always been told they're not really approved I just think this is one of those cases like the brick where Can we just do it? I ride that path every single day. It really makes it safer. If we could put it on in a way that it doesn't get stolen all the time, let's just do it.

Scott. Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to lend my voice to this. There are multiple spots along Beacon Street, along Webster, I put in the similar requests for these combat carriers over and over again. So just put me on the plus one and make sure I'm next on the list when we finally get those. I support your request, Councilor.

Councilor Strezo, would you also like to sign on? Bollock to sign on. That item is approved.

Item 4.5 is an order by Councilor Ewen-Campen that the Director of Mobility install flashing Watch for Pedestrians signs on the community path where it intersects with the Gilman Square Station entrance, Walnut Street, Medford Street, Sycamore Street, School Street, and Central Street.

Wilson would like to sign on.

Councilor Ewen-Campen. Thank you, Mr. President. As I have said many times, I bike on the community path every day. and unfortunately it's just there are there's really dangerous cyclist behavior on it it's very common there are signs that say stop that say yield to pedestrians they're quite small you really don't notice them unless you see them I just think at a few locations it's been enough time now that I really respect the city has done a lot of outreach and has started to look at safety improvements for the community path along these lines I think this should be kind of an urgent priority to just The same way we do for car speeding, we just give some kind of visual stimulation to tell people, slow down, people are crossing right here.

Councilor Burnley, Sait, and Strezo would like to sign on. That item is approved.

Item 4.6 is an order by Councilor Ewen-Campen that the Commissioner of Public Works install padding around the base of the metal street lamp at the base of the grass hill between City Hall and Revis Field to avoid potential injuries from sledding.

I'd like to amend this to strike the last to avoid potential injuries from sledding, please. Just to say there's a hill right out City Hall. The city does not sanction sledding on it. We do not sanction that officially, and yet every single year a lot of people sled on it. Unofficially, it's an awesome place to sled. There's a lamppost there that could be dangerous. I think regardless of what we say, people are going to sled on it. and so we should put some padding around this lamppost just to end of sentence.

Item 4.7 is an order by Councilor Davis that this council amend the rules of the City Council related to committees.

Davis. Thank you, Mr. President. So hopefully folks had a chance to take a look. The entire, the item contains the entire rules, but obviously the relevant point is where we list the committees. As you'll see, so this just for folks to understand that this is a result of years of sort of thoughts that I've had. As well as discussions with some colleagues, as well as a lot of work from our city clerk, from our legislative and policy analyst, both of whom I want to thank. It is based on my impressions after 10 years of service. It's based on and others. Data in terms of the number of meetings the various committees had, the number of items that were in those committees, it's based on both data and I guess observations in terms of

Folks in the administration who would show up, who would come to appear before certain committees and also other certain committees to maybe there's an alignment there in terms of issues. End of the day, primarily for substantive reasons, but also for a very serendipitous convenience, we ended up with 10 committees. That happens to align with there being one committee for each member to chair, which I think is quite nice. As you'll see, I'm suggesting that the School Buildings, Facilities, and Maintenance Committee become a regular committee. We no longer have any special committees at the moment. Of course, we can always have more in the future if we feel the need. To be clear, under no interpretation should folks think that this means we're not going to talk about any of the things that were in committees that don't seem to be there anymore. That is absolutely not the case.

The intent here, one of the observations that I've made over my 10 years here is that it's really bleeping hard to get committees scheduled, to get committee meetings scheduled. It's also, every time we do have committee meetings, it requires clerk's office staff, it requires IGA staff, it requires the counselors to be able to be available, at least to make a quorum to show up. So the idea here is to try and streamline the process to align substantive issues in committees that will have a broader reach, a broader scope. on issues that, you know, have similar, that are of a similar nature, that have the same, tend to have the same folks in the administration come and speak to them. For example, There's no more rodent committee. Any issues that relate to that will be taken up in public health and public safety. That committee is going to meet once a month. The idea is that legislative matters and land use will alternate weeks, as they have been.

CAPM and licenses and permits will alternate. as they have been, generally. Obviously, if there's not a need for a meeting any given night, that's at the discretion of the chair. And I should say, Scheduling any meeting is ultimately at the discretion of the chair. That doesn't change. And we'll provide a sort of a proposed calendar of committee meeting nights that is... My hope is that will be followed, but it is absolutely at the discretion of the chair per our rules, so that doesn't change at all. On Mondays, there will be a different committee that typically meets the first Monday, the second Monday, the third Monday, the fourth Monday. You're already anticipating, well, there's going to be some holidays in there, and that committee can't meet that month. If you've got to have a meeting that month, we'll work it out. We'll figure it out. We'll look at whether Kaplan doesn't need to meet or maybe Legislative Matters doesn't meet, whatever the case may be. We'll sort it out if we have to have two committee meetings on the same night. We can do that too if we have to. So nothing will get dropped, nothing will get left behind here.

The idea is to make this easier administrative for council members to not have to Chair, multiple different committees to make it easier for the staff, the clerk staff and the administrative staff. So I'll leave it there. I think I hit all the key points I wanted to make here, but I'm happy to answer any questions if anybody has any.

McLaughlin.

Thank you, Mr. President. I'm very disappointed that President Davis is not taking the rodent situation seriously in the city. I've loved going to those separate meetings. I support all these changes. I think it's a good idea. I remember when I was president, I consolidated a few committees. You can really have a discussion about almost anything in any committee so the amount of committees we have is not as significant as the conversations being had in those committees so thank you for doing this work.

Mr. President, if I may, just on that point, and I appreciate the humor, but, you know, We will now have effectively a rodent committee meeting every single month. So we can tell you it's no longer the few times a year when that committee will meet. Every month there will be a committee meeting and we can talk about all the stuff.

Strezo.

Thank you. I wish through you, Mr. President, to Councilor Davis, I wish I would have been consulted about some of these changes as well because my two committees are now Condensed to One, and I also don't like the title, but also there are residents that we have in this city that actually very much rely on the Equity Committee and have told me very specifically that They like the visibility of the naming of what it was because we can get into the history of the equity of vulnerable populations, seniors and veterans and I wish I would have been included in this

I would like to talk about this before these are pushed forward and have a conversation about it. And I feel like now it's just before us and I anticipate that, Councilor Davis, that you are expecting a vote on this tonight in the last council meeting before the end of the year. But I would have loved to be included in the thoughts.

So does anyone want to respond?

I'm happy to. It is my hope that there will be a vote tonight. Certainly, I'm here to have that discussion. I think this is, if there are If it's the will of the body that any of these names be something different, I'm open to that. We went with what I felt was the best. Scherzer, Representative of the broader subject matters, certainly share Councilor Strezo's The view on the importance of having equity be centered is in one of our committees. It is still very much in the name, unless I'm completely misremembering that we've changed that. The name of the committee, if y'all want to make an amendment on the floor, we can certainly do that. But the idea is that this will better serve our constituents to enable these topics to be

The community meetings that are scheduled regularly and have these topics brought up in a way that ensures that there will be a forum for that every month.

On that, it's not the sticking point of the name, Mr. President, through you to Councilor Davis. It's not the sticking point on the name. I mean sure that's that's something and I'll move to amend the title but also I think there's a transparency involved in that as well because we do have constituents that are looking at the titles of these committees and want to know a summary of what exactly it includes because it is kind of vague and I get what you're trying to do I get that but also I wish I would have been in any way consulted in The vision of that, because it is very general right now, and no, I do not want to be bogged down by 80,000 committee meetings. I get that point. At the same time, it would have nice to been consulted and maybe have some input to share. and have a collaboration of a vision on that.

And so, yes, I would move to change the name to Housing, Community, Equity, and I don't know, Vulnerable Populations, perhaps. Vulnerable Populations, please. or both don't want to make a super long title, but I think that the optics are useful.

Is that a motion you're making or you're making a comment?

I will put forward a motion to modify the name. I am interested in colleagues' opinions because I do want a name change, but I am happy to How's your opinion?

Thank you, Mr. President. Through you, I support these changes as well. I actually heard one of the members of the public, Ms. Huff, I'll speak to that one specifically. I'm glad also that you brought up the Rota Committee as the example because I remember seeing online one time someone was criticized when I was the chair of the rodent committee that I had only met like twice. And so having so many committees, We have a lot of committees, but not being able to physically hold a meeting because we have these other big committees that take precedent. It's really hard when we pass around that, the public doesn't know, but we pass around this calendar and it's sometimes damn near impossible to get in one of these meetings since we have so many committees. So I think it makes us look like we're not doing the work

but actually and with this I wouldn't say that we'll be it's not a matter of being bogged down with more committee meetings if anything we're gonna we'll have just the same amount and they'll be longer probably because there'll be more items going into These different committees. But nothing will be missed in terms of the work that we're doing and the issues that we're addressing with these changes. So I'm happy to support them. Thank you.

I personally also support the consolidation. Thank you, you know, President, Councilor Davis for that. I think it helps Like streamline the process and really make us become more effective in our work. So, Councilor Ewen-Campen.

Thank you, Mr. President. I am supportive of these, and I'll just briefly explain why. I wasn't consulted before I saw it on the agenda, but having served as president, I very much I'm not at all attached to the names I don't think we need to solve that tonight. I think the reason to do it tonight is so that the incoming president can assign people to committees, have them be the real committees that are going to serve. If we're able to do it tonight, great, the names. If not, I think we can do that anytime, and I'm totally happy to engage in that. But I will just say that

not only do I think members of the public don't understand which committee does what I don't when I was president it was often not straightforward when an order would come in what committee it goes to I think it's it's legitimately confusing which committee does what thing and I think streamlining that and trying to clarify that will help a lot. And I don't think there's anything we can do that's going to make an average person off the street immediately understand how the city council works, but I think that this will help simplify things. So thank you to Councilor Davis for bringing that. I'm happy to vote on it tonight.

Strezo, Josue, I want to make sure that everybody who hasn't had a chance to speak has spoken. Wilson.

Yeah, thanks Mr. President. I'm supportive of these changes. I have it on good authority that the next administration is going down to two positions in IGA. This will make that much easier to do that. I hear our colleague at large's concerns about names. I would urge the council approve the overall reorganization of this. If you want to come back to the name, the name can be resolved in the new year, but it's important for now to get these committees Thank you.

Yeah, and just to reiterate through you to my good colleague at large, there was probably five different versions of the names, particularly of the committee that I anticipate you'll continue to chair. Fully open to better ideas. No objection there at all.

Thank you. And I also, on some of our board counselors, I would prefer that my concerns not be dismissed. So I will put forward a motion. because I do hear from constituents. Again, I don't want my constituents' concerns about the vagueness of committee meetings dismissed, and I don't want my concerns on this to be dismissed. So I'm putting forward a motion to change the title of the first committee to which formerly Housing and Community Development. May it rest in peace. to now be Housing and Community Development and Equity. I will be fine with that. I'm putting forward a motion to adjust that, to modify that language to replace it with that.

And Claire, did you get that motion? Can you read it out so we can deliberate on that motion?

Yes, indeed. The motion is to change the name of the Community and Equity Committee to Housing and Community Development and Equity.

Under motion.

Davis. What's a new pick, but you knew where I was going to pick up on this one. Is it housing and community development and equity, or housing, community development and equity?

I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. Can you repeat it?

Sorry, is it Housing and Community Development and Equity or Housing, Community Development and Equity? Me. Through you, Mr. President. Yep, Councilor Strezo.

Mr. President, through you. Well, I don't like Oxford commas. I have strong opinions about them. Yeah, I heard that gasp. I will not accept that. And then furthermore... I will say Housing, Community Development, and Equity. And a committee by any other name wouldn't smell as sweet.

McClure, any other person on that motion? Councilor Ewen-Campen

Mr. President, I hate to belabor this, but I don't believe that's what an Oxford comma is. It's not, sorry. I would support it housing, community development, and equity. I don't think you should have two ands in a row. I think that would be very odd.

Wilson. Mr. President, I'm sitting here holding a mug that says I am silently correcting your grammar. We've got to put some commas in. We can't. English major. Sorry, English major against English major.

So Madam Clerk, can you read that motion again so we can take a vote and move on?

The motion on the floor is still to change the name of the Community and Equity Committee to Housing and Community Development and Equity.

Under motion.

You know what? Pardon me. Yeah, just put the commas in. You're right. The two ands, fine. Fine. You're right. I'm looking back and past. I'm saying, did we do commas last? I don't remember. Yes. Okay, fine. Pardon me. Pardon me, Mr. President. Three, you to Councilor Wilson. Fine. You're right. You and your mug are right. Fine. Housing, community development.

The motion is to amend the rules to change the name of the Community and Equity Committee to Housing, Community Development, and Equity.

On the motion can you do a roll call?

We don't need a roll call.

Okay, so that motion is approved.

Do we need a motion on the item? For the discussion on the item as amended. Motion to approve. Seeing none, that item is approved. Thank you. No, that doesn't... That does need a roll call. Golly gee whiz. Let's do a roll call.

On the motion to amend the rules of the City Council related to committees as amended, Councilor Hardt. Yes. Councilor Wilson.

Yes.

Councilor Ewen-Campen.

Yes.

Councilor Scott. McLaughlin. Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, Davis. With all councillors in favor those rules have been amended.

Mr. President, I'll move for reconsideration.

Mr. Wilson moves for reconsideration in hopes that reconsideration fails. Does anyone wish to change your vote? Seeing none, the reconsideration fails. Thank you.

That this City Council discuss the safety of the Summer Street bike lane design around or near Putnam Street to Benton Road and how and if additional safety modifications can be made.

Thank you. Well, last City Council meeting, he could not get into City Council to speak on this item, and this week he has the flu. So I would ask that this be sent because a constituent wished to speak on this, and I think it was a... Good conversation to have. I'd like this sent to whatever reincarnation of a committee that this should be sent to, Mr. President.

Because then it'll stay here, right? So I'm going to suggest, Councilor Schroeder, that we lay that one on the table because that way it'll stay alive and it'll still be with us in January and then we can deal with it then. Sound good? All right. That is laid on the table.

The next item then is item 6B, a report of the Committee on Finance meeting on December 9th, 2025.

Council Wilson. Mr. President, the Finance Committee met on Tuesday, December 9th with all five members present. The 99th and final Finance Committee meeting that I chaired We took up a 22-item agenda over a one-hour and 34-minute meeting. In addition to the minutes from our November 19th meeting, we recommend that you approve tonight. Everything in the minutes. Please, colleagues, read the presentation from engineering that is attached to that meeting for a list of street paving projects. It is, unfortunately, not all of Ward 3. It is, however, the Ward 3 Councilor's Street, so that's an added bonus. Also, we're being gifted the Ralph and Jenny Center. That's pretty cool. Yep, the city is being gifted that.

It's an exciting opportunity for us to show that we can learn lessons from the armory about being a landlord. but very exciting news for the city so I want to make sure that I called people's attention to that also I want to thank publicly again in front of a larger audience here the Tufts softball team for raising hundreds of dollars to fight food insecurity here in Somerville. That's pretty cool as well. We then discussed and marked as work complete all the orders and resolutions that were in finance to ensure that we left nothing in committee. Well, almost nothing. We're going to get to that in a second. With that, I'll ask that you approve the committee report as submitted. A discussion on the committee report?

Seeing none, the report is approved as submitted. It takes us to a few roll calls.

It does indeed. I believe five roll call votes, starting with item 25-1728, the approval of a utility easement for Enstar Electric Company at Zero Windsor Place. Hardt, Wilson, Ewen-Campen, Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Strezo. Clingan, Councilor Mbah, Councilor Davis. With all councillors in favor, that item is approved. And then we have before this council item 25-1732. requesting approval to appropriate $6,750 from the Medicinal Marijuana Stabilization Fund for additional duties related to the out-of-school time activities for fiscal year 2026. Hardt, Wilson, Ewen-Campen, Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Yes.

Councillor Strezo.

Yes.

Councillor Clingan.

Yes.

Councillor Mbah.

Yes.

Councillor Davis. Yes. With all councillors in favor, that item is approved. Item 25-1737 is requesting approval to accept a gift of real property located at 17 Innerbelt Road from Ralph DeVito Jr. and Abraham Trustee RCD Foundation, the aforementioned Ralph and Jenny Center. Hardt, Wilson, Ewen-Campen, Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Yes. Councilor Strezo. Yes. Councilor Clingan. Yes. Councilor Mbah. Yes. Councilor Davis. Yes. With all Councilors in favor, that item is approved. Item 25-1742 is the authorization to borrow $3,057,826 in a bond and appropriate the same amount for the fiscal year 2026 street resurfacing program. Hardt, Wilson, Ewen-Campen, Scott, McLaughlin.

Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, Davis. With all councillors in favor, that item is approved. and Item 25-1743 is requesting approval to appropriate $3 million from the Street Reconstruction and Resurfacing Stabilization Fund for the Fiscal Year 2026 Street Resurfacing Program. Hardt, Wilson, Ewen-Campen, Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, Davis. With all councillors in favour, that item is approved.

Mr. President, I'm going to move to discharge from committee two items that remain in finance due to an issue with the agenda for Tuesday's meeting. Those are IDs number 25-1745 and 25-1746.

Wilson, you move to request to waive the rules because our rules do prohibit discharging an item that has not been in committee for 60 days.

Yes, I'll move as such to move to suspend the rules of the council on the grounds. These are vital funds for immigrant legal services needed now more than ever.

And I also understand that there was maybe just a miscommunication as to why they weren't put on the agenda or something.

Mr. President, I would never throw anyone under the bus.

There was some miscommunication.

There was a miscommunication, that's all I'll say.

There are extenuating circumstances here that support the suspension of the rules for these particular items. Any discussion? All right, those items. Do we need to roll?

To discharge them, you do not need a roll call, but then we will need a roll call on each of the items individually.

So those items are now before us. Councilor Wilson, do you want to speak to the items at all? Not really. I will read them to the record.

Thank you.

Read the items in and we'll see if anyone has any questions after that.

Item 25-1745 is requesting approval to appropriate $250,000 from the Community Benefits Stabilization Fund to the Immigration Legal Services Stabilization Fund for legal services for immigrants and asylum seekers seeking permanent residency.

Wilson. Yeah, Mr. President, I'll just say we need these funds to deal with the nonsense happening in our city. Any further discussion? Seeing none, on the item.

On the item, Councilor Hardt. Yes. Councilor Wilson.

Yes.

Councilor Ewen-Campen.

Yes.

Councilor Scott.

Yes.

Councilor McLaughlin.

Yes.

Councilor Burnley. Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, Davis. 25-1746 is requesting approval to appropriate $250,000 from the Immigrant Legal Services Stabilization Fund for legal services for immigrants and asylum seekers seeking permanent residency. On the item, Councilor Hardt. Wilson, Councilor Ewen-Campen, Councilor Scott, Councilor McLaughlin, Councilor Burnley, Councilor Sait, Councilor Strezo, Councilor Clingan, Councilor Mbah, Councilor Davis. With all Councilors in favor, those items are approved.

All right, can we take item 8.6 out of order, please, to see no objection?

Can indeed take item 8.6 out of order, and that is an officer's communication from the planning board. Conveying recommendations for items 25-1554, 1552, and 1539.

That item is placed on file. Next item.

And that brings us to the report of the Committee on Land Use, meeting on December 4th, 2025. Councilor McLaughlin.

It is true that happened. Four councillors were present. Councillor Ewen-Campen had a very important birthday party to attend. We took up three items. Voted to approve three items. One is just a change to daycare use to enable more daycares. Another was an ordinance to make pre-submittal meetings optional for most permits to improve clarity and Consistency. That was also approved unanimously. And then finally, we had a citizen's communication from 12 registered voters requesting a zoning map amendment change from MR4 to MR6. and an address on Highland Ave, which is currently an abandoned auto body shop that they're looking to make housing out of. I believe someone will have an amendment for this. To discuss, but that was passed with three out of five votes with Councilor Davis recusing himself. So I submit the committee report to be accepted.

Wilson. Mr. President, I'll move to sever item 6C3 from that committee report with the intention of making an amendment to that item.

Any objection to severing that item? Seeing none, that item is severed on the remainder of the report. Seeing none, the report is approved. That puts two items before us for enrollment and ordainment.

That is correct, Mr. President. The first of those is item 25-1552. which is requesting ordainment of an amendment to several tables and section 9.1.1 of the zoning ordinance to permit home-based child daycare accessory uses and make corrections. Hardt, Wilson, Ewen-Campen, Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Yes. Councilor Strezo. Yes. Councilor Clingan. Yes. Councilor Mbah. Yes. Councilor Davis.

Yes.

With all councillors in favor, that item is enrolled. And on ordainment, Councilor Hardt.

I'm sorry, could you clarify what?

I could indeed. There are three parts to passing an ordinance approval which happened as part of the committee report. Enrollment, and then Ordainment, which is what finally codifies it into the ordinances. And because of the way the rules of the City Council are written, it does require two separate roll call votes. It's a fun time for all.

Wait, on that point, we could have one vote by our own rules?

Yeah. Okay. We'll work on that one. Yeah. Technically, the rules say we're supposed to do this at a separate meeting unless we want to ordain it at the same meeting. That requires a two-thirds vote. That's why we do a roll call vote because that effectively gives us the two-thirds vote to ordain it at the same meeting. That's your rule. We could talk about that. We could talk about that in legislative matters. We will now talk about council rules.

But on ordainment, Councillor Hardt.

Yes. Councillor Wilson. Ewen-Campen, Councilor Scott, Councilor McLaughlin, Councilor Burnley, Councilor Sait, Councilor Strezo, Councilor Clingan, Councilor Mbah, Councilor Davis. With all councillors in favor, that item is ordained.

Thanks for watching!

All right, and then we have item 25-1554, ordainment of an amendment to several sections of the zoning ordinance to make pre-submittal meetings optional for most permits and to improve clarity and consistency. Hardt, Wilson, Ewen-Campen, Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, Davis. With all councillors in favor, that item is enrolled. And on ordainment, Councillor Hardt, Councillor Wilson, Councillor Ewen-Campen, Councillor Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, Davis. With all councilors in favor, that item is ordained.

All right, that leaves one item before us that was severed. I am recused from this item, so I'll ask the Vice President to take the chair.

On the second item, Madam Clerk.

Mr. President, I'll move to amend this item by striking comma and 110 Willow Avenue, MR4 to MR6. Just to bring this in line with the Planning Board's recommendation, including this parcel definitely seems strange. There were questions about this, as I recall, when it was explained to us. After speaking to planning, there's a lot of interest in this site, and I think there should be a much better process with more thought given to that specific site rather than just tacking it on to another upzoning.

So the amendment is to strike and 110 Willow Ave, MR4 to MR6.

Under motion, Councilor Ewen-Campen. Thank you, Mr. President. I'm supportive of this. And just to clarify, this is the, is it Eversource? Right. It's irrelevant to what the proponent was actually bringing to the council. They just kind of tacked on this other property. respectfully had a kind of squishy explanation for why. I agree with this, and through you, I'll just ask, you've discussed this with the planning department, I know. Just want to confirm that on the record. I'm supportive of it.

Wilson? Yeah, Mr. President, on that point, and the playing board confirmed they had subsequently spoken to Eversource about this, so I think this is, you know, From everything that I've observed, all the conversation I've had, this is the best path forward in the interest of doing something better with that site.

Any other comment? So should we just approve that?

So approve the amendment first.

So the amendment is approved without any objection.

And we need to approve the item as amended.

So on the item. On the item as amended. On the item. Motion to approve if needed. As amended. As amended. So the item is approved.

and then on enrollment. Hardt, Wilson, Ewen-Campen, Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, Davis. is recused with 10 councillors in favor and one recused that item is enrolled as amended and on ordainment Councillor Hardt Wilson, Councilor Ewen Campen, Councilor Scott, Councilor McLaughlin, Councilor Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, and Councilor Davis is recused. So with 10 councillors in favor and one recused, that item is ordained as amended. and the next item then is item 6D, a report of the Committee on Legislative Matters meeting on December 2nd, 2025.

Scott.

Thank you, Mr. President. I will attempt to make this report as long as possible. Let's see here. We had a number, a pretty long agenda because we were trying to wrap things up here at the end of the year. Several items were kept in committee and will be taken up in the new year. There is one that was recommended to be discharged with no recommendation to the council. That was the Councilor Clingan ordinance about snow removal. So we'll be discharging that without recommendation and I believe placing it on file because new language has been submitted by the clerk's office to accomplish what you're looking for as it pertains to commercial properties. and buildings with commercial ground floor. The concern from the committee was about the burden of that landing on residential properties, but everybody was able to have a broad agreement

that if you're operating a business in the city you should be a good neighbor and clear your side box and that should not be too much of a burden for businesses operating in the city. So that will be up after approval of the report. There was also an amendment to Modify the appointment process for the Community Preservation Committee. That was a fairly minor adjustment that's going to allow the body to continue to function by allowing folks to serve out partial terms that they are appointed to. There's a lot of turnover on these committees. There was a neonicotinoid, a pesticide basically, requirement on purchasing that we had put into place several years ago, which had a sunset date. That is coming up and in order to ensure that we can continue to plant trees in the city for the next several years, we extended that sunset date to 2028.

and then there were a change to the rules of the city charter just updating to match the the new charter that has been passed And then we reviewed several surveillance technology impact reports. Some of them are being kept in committee because there were some edits requested by some members who care very much about the words. and one of them is being recommended to be approved. So with that, I request that the committee report be accepted and submitted.

Oh, I see. Okay. Yes. So, Councilor Scott, thank you for that clarification, Madam Clerk. Yes, there's a little difference here because there's two items that have been items 8.1 and 8.2. which will take up after the committee report that replace the item that the good chair noted about the snow removal and about the Scott, you moved to sever item 25- is that the one? Nope. 25-1676, and with intent that that be placed on file. Do I have that correct?

I most certainly do, Mr.

Chair. On that motion, Councilor Clingan, on the motion. Ward itself.

After.

All right, let's get to the motion to sever the item. So, seeing no objection, that item is severed. On the report, Councilor Clingan.

Thank you, Mr. President. Through you to the good chair. So we don't want the curb cuts. We don't want like curb cuts shoveled.

We, through the president, we absolutely do. And I was personally supportive of it, but it was the will of the committee in order to move forward with something that would provide some relief for this winter season. That they were comfortable passing it with that restriction of it simply being two commercial properties, but I can let my colleagues discuss about that. Fortunately, this was the

This is what we can get past. Through you, Mr. President, I'm just curious. I feel like I put the language in there just to really make it clear, but I think it might even already be a ticketable offense as it is now. So basically... We're now just, you know, I don't know if we're ticketing for it, but I believe based on like we could be ticketing for it right now. so I really wanted to emphasize to people that they if they do live on a corner that that curb cut is their responsibility like instead of just kind of making that l shape and going around and thinking somebody's going to magically come and clear that curb cut We're now sending the message like, don't clear the curb cuts. So I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, but I just thought that this was a way to, because everyone's always asking whose responsibility are the curb cuts. Okay, I mean, if that's the will of the committee, that's fine.

Can I suggest, Councilor Clingan, that we, and absolutely happy to allow the discussion, the replacement item is 8.1, so... The approval of the report will have no bearing on that item because that one was placed on file because there was no recommendation. So why don't we... Rennley. We'll continue on the report and then we can engage the substantive discussion on 8.1. Is that okay? MR. Sure. MR. Any other, Councilor Rennley, on the report?

On the report, can I speak to items that were left in committee?

If they were on the agenda at this meeting, yes.

Okay. Thank you. Through the chair. I just want to thank Councilor Scott for keeping certain items in committee. In particular, There was an ordinance that I proposed that remains a committee regarding this city policy around having a specific paid leave practice for survivors.

Burnley, I don't believe that item was on the agenda for this meeting.

Oh, okay. Oh, no. Okay. Well, it is definitely still on committee.

Very well. On the committee report?

On the committee report, I will say thank you for leaving certain items of the committee. There are some really important ones. Please take action on them next term.

That gives me another opportunity to remind folks yet again, because it's very confusing, that items that are in committees for an action to be taken, so for a recommendation, those will remain in committee. If it's in committee for a discussion, then make a note of it and bring your list in January and send it back in as an item if you want it to go back into a committee for 26. Okay? Any further discussion on the committee report?

Mr. Chair, I will accept the homework assignment. Thank you.

Very well. Thank you, Mr. Chair. All right, so I'm seeing none. The committee report is approved. That puts the discharge item before us. That will be placed on file. And then can we take up item 8.1 out of order, please?

If we can, Mr. President, might I suggest we enroll and ordain?

Yes, that's a better idea. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Let's do that first.

The next item before this council is item 25-1652, requesting ordainment of an amendment to section 2-309.9 and 2-309.10 of the code of ordinances. to clarify term length and appointment process for the community preservation committee. On enrollment. Hardt, Wilson, Ewen-Campen, Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, yes, Councilor Strezo, yes, Councilor Clingan, yes, Councilor Mbah, yes, Councilor Davis, yes. With all Councilors in favor, that item is enrolled and on ordainment, Councilor Hardt, Councilor Wilson, yes, Councilor Ewen-Campen. Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, Davis.

with all counselors in favor that item is ordained and then you have before you item 25-1714 requesting ordainment of an amendment to section 212-178 of the code of ordinances to remove the prohibition on sourcing neonicotinoid treated plants. On enrollment, Councilor Hardt. Yes. Councilor Wilson.

Yes.

Councilor Ewen-Campen.

Neonicotinoid.

I know, so close, right?

Yes.

Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, Councillor Davis. With all councillors in favor, that item is enrolled. And on ordainment, Councillor Hardt. Yes. Councillor Wilson. Yes. Councillor Ewen-Campen.

Yes.

Councillor Scott. McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, Davis, With all counselors in favor, that item is ordained. And that will then, Mr. President, take us to that next item you have suggested taking out of order, which is item 8.1, an officer's communication from the city clerk. Submitting an amendment to section 12-8 of the code of ordinances to require owners of commercial properties to clear snow and ice from accessible curb cuts.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. And just to be clear, the amendment in 8.1 includes the clarification that It includes the existing snow clearance ordinance and then the addition of the curb cuts as it applies to commercial properties and mixed-use properties with commercial on the ground floor, correct? I can tell you the answer is yes. Just so folks know what we're talking about here. Councilor, Ewen-Campen.

Thank you, Mr. President. Through you, I just wanted to follow up on Councilor Clingan's question because this was like a very active conversation in the committee. So the original proposal basically was to start ticketing basically if you live on a corner and you have curb cuts, ramps, whatever you want to call them that they need to be cleared and if you don't clear those in addition to your sidewalk you get a ticket and I think the concern of myself and members of the committee is that those can be really really hard to keep clear because of snow plows so all of us want them to be cleared also all of us feel that the city needs to play a larger role in that and we're worried about the first big snowstorm where there's 12 inches of ice on those corners and all of a sudden you know hundreds of residents are getting hit with big tickets

There's obviously a longer conversation to have about whether it's an enforcement issue, but I think a majority of the committee was uncomfortable affirmatively saying, we're ready to take that step right now for everyone who lives on a corner and potentially hit them with these big tickets. I think we all feel like it's an extremely serious issue. You can't have impassable sidewalks after storms. It's something that we want to continue working on and, you know, I'll speak for myself, we want to see more public resources on that.

Further discussion? Mbah. Can you take the chair for me?

Davis.

Thank you, Mr. President. Through you to the good counselor from Ward 4, I totally appreciate the comment and the concern. I share it as the good counselor from Ward 3 noted. I think we all agree that the curb cuts need to be cleared. The law office did provide some references to the state laws and guidance on this issue. My read is that you're probably right, that our existing law should be interpreted as meaning that the sidewalk includes the curb cuts, so point A. But it was also clear that the obligation to clear sidewalks, which includes curb cuts, is the city's, but that can be delegated. And, you know, a point that I made in the committee meeting is, as the good Councillor Ford III noted, this

I believe the city needs to be more involved in that process because it can be so difficult to clear a massive snowplow. Glacier. When this was first discussed months ago, there was a thought about and there was a question to the law department about whether we could apply this To begin with, we could apply this only to large apartment buildings rather than smaller residential houses. And the answer was yes, but it was noted to the committee that There still might be a concern that owners of the large apartment building might pass that obligation on to the tenants, and we need to dig into that further. So my take was that this is very much still an open conversation.

We need to figure out a way to strike a balance here between absolutely making sure that our sidewalks and publicways are passable for everyone, no matter what their mobility, For those of us who are temporarily able-bodied and can climb over, that might work, but for the rest of us, it doesn't. This was a suggestion to, at the very least, we can right now agree that if it's a commercial property, let's be clear and make sure they do it, and then let's come back to the conversation and dig deeper into how we can continue to address the problem. I wanted to add that note that my take at least was that this was a starting point and we want to come back to this because I agree this is still not a satisfactory ultimate solution. Any further discussion?

All right, seeing none, we need approval, enrollment, and ordainment. Discussion? No further discussion. So that item is approved and on enrollment.

And on enrollment of an amendment to section 12-8 of the Code of Ordinances to require owners of commercial properties to clear snow and ice from accessible curb cuts. Hardt, Wilson, Ewen-Campen, Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, Davis, Yes. With all counselors in favor, that item is enrolled. And on ordainment, Councilor Hardt. Yes. Councilor Wilson. Yes. Councilor Ewen-Campen. Scott, McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah. Davis. Yes. With all councillors in favor, that item is ordained.

All right, thank you. Can we take up item 8.2 out of order? Seeing no objection.

Item 8.2 is an officer's communication from the City Clerk submitting an amendment to the rules of the City Council to align with the provisions of the City Charter.

and just for clarification for those who maybe don't have it in front of us, this is effectively the same item that was before the committee just with some Clarity on a temporary replacement of the duties of the clerk when they can be delegated. Substantively, the intent is the same. So any discussion, any concerns, questions on that? All right, seeing none, that item is approved. It does need a roll call vote. For approval. Oh, because it's just a roll, so we just need one roll call. One roll call. Brilliant, let's do that, please.

So on those amendments to the rules of the City Council to align with the provisions of the City Charter, Councilor Hardt? Yes. Councilor Wilson? Yes. Councilor Ewen-Campen? Yes. Councilor Scott? McLaughlin, Burnley, Sait, Strezo, Clingan, Mbah, Davis. With all councillors in favor, that item is approved.

Next item.

And that brings us to item 6E, a report of the Committee on Licenses and Permits, meeting on December 10, 2025.

Council Burnley. To the chair, finally. We met last night for about approximately 15 minutes. All members of the committee were present. We took up three items that did not require a public hearing. Each item had representatives from either Comcast or Eversource as well as members of the public. Each was a contested item, but we had a very cordial meeting in which compromises were made. Communication was established between residents and utility companies, and one item was held in committee for further communication. To establish what would be happening on Warwick Street. With that, I'd like to submit the report as submitted.

On the report. All right, that is approved.

Mr. President, I just wanted to say thank you for the chair. This was one of these was something that I had sent in the committee, and it's just... I don't think it gets said enough how much it means to residents to be able to say, hey, this sucks and have people reach out and help. So thank you, Councilor Burnley.

Next item. Item 6F is a report of the Committee on Open Space, Environment, and Energy meeting on December 3rd, 2025.

Councilor Pott. Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is the last time you hear the word open space, environment, and energy. So it will be... for Sustainability and Infrastructure. So the Committee on Open Space met last week, December 3rd, I will mostly focus on one key aspect of the report, which is around Greentown Lab. So first, the Director of Public Space and Urban Forestry presented two completed plans. The 10-year plan for open space and recreation, which focuses on opportunities and challenges in acquiring New Public Accessible Open Spaces and the Pollinator Action Plan that details methods and strategies for creating sustainable and high-quality green spaces. and secondly, the committee received an update

from the Director of Economic Development on the impact of Greentown Labs on cities' progress in clean energy sector. This report was a timely look at how Greentown has been growing in importance for the past 10 years, but may now be impacted by the regional economic downturn and changes in federal policies on clean energy. So we, the committee, appear to be optimistic that private investors and market demand for power from all sources will continue to support the research activities which Greentown members' enterprises are developing. The start-up companies are involved in a wide range of technologies and in all areas of power supply including work to make traditional fuel generated power and operation of the grid cleaner and more efficient.

Some of you therefore can expect that Greentown will continue to generate new activity and keep the city as a leading center for energy research. Since 2015, Greentown has assisted over 500 new firms to establish themselves. These companies arrived at Greentown with three or four founding entrepreneurs and carry out their first stages of research and prototype formulation using the shared spaces and equipment that Greentown provides. As their work progresses, more companies grow To 10 or 15 people and they begin to need business support services like accounting, human resources, management and marketing, and all of which Greentown helps them to learn and acquire. So Greentown also gives them opportunities to connect with venture capital investors and other financial services.

Finally, when they reach the size of 15 to 20 employees, the companies are ready to graduate from Greentown either to enter next level accelerator programs such as Somernova or begin to operate independently with their own leased spaces. So many of these alum companies remain affiliated with Greentown, continue to take part in its activities and helping to mentor the next generation of startups. So today at the Greentown facility on Somerville Avenue, they have 140 companies, and on any given day, about 200 people are at work. They bring in a steady flow of new investment capital, some of which is spent to cover payroll and buy supplies and services from local small businesses in the city.

One aspect of the Greentown experience of importance for the city is the way in which its graduate enterprises have made their relocation decisions. When they are ready to expand, a small number of What is going on? Anyway, it's so detailed, but no, Greentown, the bottom line is, We wanted to look at the gaps and the opportunity and how the city can support Green Town Lab. And actually, it was so timely that after that report, There was an article in the Boston Globe, because most of us were at Sublime when they opened. They had gotten grant for $150 million. $87 million has been slashed by this current administration. Just to say now, you know, through that process, It was so timely that we can see that most of this, their work has been impacted by this current administration.

So I want to deliver, you guys, it's late, but it's a very rich... and we will continue to engage with Green Town Law as we evolve. So I ask that this committee report be accepted as submitted, Mr. President.

All right, so no discussion. That item is approved.

Item 6G is a report of the Special Committee on Rodent Issues meeting on December 1st, 2025.

Wilson.

Mr. President, the Roden Issues Special Committee met for the final time ever, apparently, on Monday, December 1st, with all three members present. Over the course of a 37-minute meeting, we got the fourth quarter update presentation from the city staff, which explained that we have eradicated rats in the city, which is why the committee doesn't need to meet anymore. No, it's... It's important. That's why we did this. We wanted to just explain what we're doing about education enforcement, mitigation, all that good stuff. I encourage people to watch it. So with that, I ask that you approve the committee report as submitted.

For anyone who's tuning in just for that committee report because they care about the city's approach to the rodent problem, tune in next year to the Public Health and Public Safety Committee where these issues will be discussed. Council Burnley.

Thank you through the chair I just add in particular at this meeting we started with a an update about hormonal birth control for rats so we are trying innovative processes Check it out. Some of the rats came in multiple times we heard to get their birth control, which is certainly not a sentence I thought I would say when I ran for office.

Wilson. Mr. President, it's late, so I'll just say maybe next year we'll get an update on the Plan B for rats. Next item. That item is approved.

Item 6H is a report of the Special Committee on School Building Facilities and Maintenance meeting on December 8th, 2025.

Councilor Clingan. Thank you, Mr. President. Through you, we met. All members are present. We discussed a couple of items. It's all on tape and in the minutes. I recommend you check it out, and I ask that this report be accepted and submitted.

Seeing no discussion, that item is approved.

Item 7.1 is a request of the mayor requesting ordainment of an amendment to Chapter 7 of the Code of Ordinances to establish a rental registry and energy disclosure.

Boy, I've been waiting for this one. That item is referred to legislative matters. Yes. Discussion? No? All right.

It's very late. I'm just really thrilled. It's been, yeah. We've been waiting for a long time. I was just checking my notes today. The last meeting we had was November of 2024. So we have been waiting for this for a long time.

Countless additional conversations about this item that it never made it to committee just hoping that it would get to committee. So I'm very happy and I'm very grateful to everyone in the administration who worked hard to get this to us. I can't wait to dig into it. Thank you.

Item 7.7 is a request of the mayor requesting approval to accept and expend a $65,000 grant with no new match required from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to the Police Department for the Municipal Road Safety Program.

Councillor Wilson. Mr. President, I think this sounds like a great way for next year's Finance Committee to cut their teeth in January, so I ask that you send this to Committee. Hear, hear. That item is referred to Finance.

Item 7.9 is a request of the Mayor. Requesting confirmation of the... That's Ewen Campen.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move to approve this item and to waive the readings of 7.10 to 7.12.

Pretty much waive the reading of this item, too, since I interrupted the clerk.

Yes, we'll waive the reading of 7.9 as well. 7.9 to 7.12 and approve them all.

Any discussion? Seeing none, those items are approved.

Item 7.13 is a communication of the mayor conveying a memorandum regarding implementation of the prison labor prohibition ordinance.

Councilor Scott. Thank you, Mr. President. Just as a brief summary, this is returning to an ordinance I'm very proud of this council passing. Several years ago, prohibiting the use of prison labor, I was contacted by a member of the media who had been investigating some prison labor services and found City of Somerville on their purchasing list. It was a very small purchase for a number of signs. This is, it was an oversight. Department heads are being encouraged and reeducated on this. And the administration has provided this helpful memo To point us to how we can tighten it up even more in the future. So this will also go on my homework list, Mr. President, but I just want to let you know that

I take this as a very nice sign of good faith from the administration and just proof that, as has been said several times tonight, we are really all pulling in the same direction on these things. Thank you.

Item 8.3 is an officer's communication from the city attorney conveying the response to item 25-1715, Osnat Hoffman's open meeting law complaint of November 16th, 2025.

That item is placed on file.

Item 8.5 is an officer's communication from the Director of Infrastructure and Asset Management conveying a memorandum regarding recommendations related to water and sewer department restructuring.

Councillor Wilson. Mr. President, if you haven't looked at this, I'd encourage people to look at it. I'll just say also restructuring. I predict that's a buzzword you're going to hear a lot in 2026. Councilor Strezo.

Thank you. What is the action item on this? Is there a plan for this to be approved tonight? or we're going to send this to a committee.

This is not an item that the council would approve. It's simply a memo with some recommendations and my intent would be to place it on file. I assume we'll be hearing through administrative code changes or otherwise related requests in the new year.

Wilson. I have some questions and concerns about the building consolidation office. Are there plans to outsource the building or keep it in-house in Somerville. Also, I'm sure, colleagues, we are all aware that we all get concerns from constituents about The lack of accessibility of getting to a billing department with water bills or being able to actually reach someone. So I have a lot of concerns of what exactly How are they considering the forward-facing services? To the city with this and also in addition to that, what are the plans for office? Where would that be? Are you consolidating offices as well, etc. ?

Council Wilson. Mr. President, I would encourage everyone to read the communication. It answers a lot of those questions. The main takeaway, it brings water and sewer basically under the IAM, Infrastructure and Asset Management, umbrella.

Thank you. I read it. What I'm saying is that... Yes, I get that. And these were not actually planned to be answered tonight. What I'm saying is that... What are the tiny, minute decisions? What exactly with billing? Yes, there's a nice little tree there, but... Where are the actual employees going to be housed? Are they going to be in the same office? Are they going to be moved? Or are they going to be the additional plans to that? Those are the deeper questions that don't have to be answered tonight, but that I have questions about in the new year.

Okay. All right, see no discussion, further discussion, that item is placed on file.

That brings us to item 9.1.

Councilor Burnley.

I plan to take all these up individually so we hit midnight again. I'd like to waive the readings of items 9.1 through 9.25 as well as 10.3 through 10.6 and I will just highlight since this is the last time I can do this that we We are moving for approval for renewal of automatic amusement devices as well as the first, what is it, where is it? The annual menorah lighting and the 250th first flag raising ceremony on January 1st. Be there, be square. And with that, thank you.

See no further discussion. Those items are approved.

Item 10.2 is an officer's communication from the Condominium Review Board conveying the fiscal year 2024 annual report pursuant to section 7-70 of the Code of Ordinances.

Item is placed on file.

Item 10.7 is a public communication from Tyler Barbosa submitting comments regarding item 25-1757, Eversource applying for a grant of location to install a total of 48 feet of conduit in Vernon Street.

That item is placed on file.

And that brings us to the end of the agenda, Mr. President. There are no further items before this council.

Burnley and Wilson move to adjourn. We are adjourned.