City Council - Regular Meeting

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good afternoon everyone good afternoon everyone good afternoon Good to see so many folks in the Chamber this afternoon. I call to order today's meeting of the Boston City Council. Viewers can watch the Council meeting on YouTube at boston.gov backslash city dash council dash tv. At this time, I ask my colleagues and those in the audience to please silence their cell phones and electronic devices. Also pursuant to Rule 40, I remind all in the Chamber that no demonstration of approval or disapproval from members of the public will be permitted. Thank you. And also per council rules, I know we're welcoming folks from the Encore workers. And just a reminder that per council rules, displaying of signs is not permitted within the Chamber. So I appreciate your all being here. We know why you're here. We're supportive. But council rules is no sign. So thank you for your cooperation with that. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, could you please call a roll to ascertain the presence of a quorum?

Councillor Braden. Here. Councillor Coletta Zapata.

Here.

Councillor Culpepper. Here. Councillor Durkan. Here. Councillor Fitzgerald.

Here.

Councillor Flynn.

Here.

Councillor Louisianne. Here. Councillor Mejia. Here. Councillor Murphy.

Here.

Councillor Pepin.

Here.

Councillor Santana. Here. Councillor Weber. Here. And Councillor Worrell. Here. A quorum is present.

Thank you. It's been informed by the Clerk that a quorum is present. Now it's my pleasure to ask Councillor Santana to come forward and introduce today's clergy. Following the remarks from today's clergy, we'll recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you, everyone.

Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you, Madam President. It's my pleasure to introduce Wilson Santos, a pastor and dedicated public servant, to lead today's invocation. Mr. Santos is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic who has been an active member of the Congresion Leon de Juda, a bilingual church based in Roxbury, since 1991. There, he served as youth pastor for 12 years and became a full-time associate pastor in 2025. Not only has he been deeply involved in the church, but he has shown his dedication to serving the youth of our city through his work with the Department of Youth Services, the Department of Children and Families, and as the supervisor of the attendance for Boston Public Schools. He also serves on the board of the Boston Higher Education Resource Center. And he celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary with his wife this past May. I know too much, yeah. Please join me in giving me a warm welcome, someone who's been here in this chamber, to Pastor Wilson Santos. Thank you for being with us.

Thank you. Wow, he knows me pretty well. I don't know how you got that information that I just celebrated my 25th anniversary. I want to just to read a quick verse and I want to just to pray over everyone who's in this room, especially city councilors, because I know that you have a tough job representing the city of Boston and you have a lot of pressure. So I'm going to a very simple verse that you find it in James one five. The two things I want to pray about, I wanted to pray over wisdom and unity, that I think that's something that we desperately need in these times. So James 1.5, it says, this is when you get old and you need reading glasses. But if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. Amen. Heavenly Father, I just thank you, Lord, for this morning. Thank you for this gathering here, Lord. Lord, I pray for every city council that's here, Lord God. You know them by name, Lord. You know them by name, Lord Jesus. I pray for wisdom over them, Lord God, as they have a lot of hard things that they have to... deal with every day, Lord God. So I pray for wisdom over them. I pray for protection over their families, Lord God, and always to them to know that they could tap into you, Lord Jesus. If they ever need anything, they could tap into you, Lord. If we ask for wisdom directly from you, you will give it to us, Lord God. And again, I pray for today's meeting and all the things that they're going to be talking about. I pray for every person in this room, Lord God, because you also know them and you love them, Lord God. Again, I just want to just thank you. for the service that they do every day, Lord God, that they do things that sometimes people don't even recognize that they're working for the people, Lord God. So again, I just pray for wisdom and unity amongst them so they could push the things forward that this city needs. I pray for all these things. In Jesus' name, amen.

and indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, everyone. Before we go on to our regular presentations, we will be voting on a resolution later in the meeting in support of the workers at Encore Boston Harbor. So we'd like to take a few minutes to ask our brothers and sisters from the Encore workers to come forward and have a photograph taken with the city council. And I'll ask my colleagues to come forward as well. So would you like to come down?

Come on in, come on.

Hi, how are you? Yeah, that was there. the other side as well. Thank you.

I was a little one. Yeah. Yeah.

Thank you, everyone. We are now on to presentations. Today we have two presentations. Councillor Coletta Zapata is recognizing Lenny Curtis, and Councillor Well is going to recognize Marcus Craigwell, the head of the lacrosse coach at BC High. So we'll start with Councillor Coletta Zapata and her guest, Lenny Curtis.

Okay, come on up on the dais. I want Lenny to stand right next to me here. Thank you all so much. Thank you, Madam President, for allowing us to have this space to honor Eastie's own institution, Lenny Curtis. We're joined here by his sister Kathy, his brother Glenn, and I told you I was going to do this. I'm so sorry, his nephew. Corey. Corey. Lenny is retiring after 26 years of service to the city of Boston. He is our beloved Hokie in Eastie. Lenny got his start due to the famous Junior Lombardi, who is a legendary East Boston ward boss. I think I'll have to get stories from you about Junior at some point, but my understanding is that he really worked to get the youth into city jobs, to start this pipeline so that people felt like they had ownership over their own neighborhoods. Lenny has been a constant fixture on Viridian Street where I live in Eagle Hill. And from just asking him a question about how he got this job and what he loves most about it, you could really hear the passion in his voice for just serving our community. When I asked him why he loves this job, his answer tells you everything you need to know. He got to take care of the people, especially our seniors. And it's clear that he cares about East Boston. He cares about the people, thank you, who live here. He understands that it's not just work. It's about taking care of your own. And you always show up for us. So I want to thank you so much. You've always shown up for me personally, and I wanted to be sure that because of your hard work and the fact that all of our residents know you and love you, that you get your flowers today and just general thanks for everything you do for the City of Boston and especially East Boston. So with that, I want to present you with an official resolution presented by myself and the entire Council. Be it resolved that the City of Boston honors you, Lenny Leonard, Lenny Curtis, in recognition of your many years of dedicated service to the East Boston community, your invaluable contributions as an integral member of the Public Works Department, and your commitment to keeping our neighborhoods clean and welcoming. And be it further resolved that this resolution be duly signed by the President of the City Council and attested to, and a copy thereof, transmitted by the Clerk of the City of Boston. So after 26 years, Lenny, congratulations, and have fun on your retirement. You deserve it. Congratulations.

I just want to thank Gabrielle for this award. It's very hard for me to retire from this job because I see people out there watching me and saying, good job, good job. And that's what we need. East Boston, I can tell it's getting It's getting bad out there, and it's my job to clean up, and hopefully I can help the people in East Boston. Even though I'm retired, it doesn't mean that I'm retired from cleaning. I still go out there and do the best I can. If anybody needs me, I'm there for them. That's how I am, and I'd like to say this here. Ma, I love you. Thank you.

We love you so much, Lenny. And Kathy wants to say a few words.

I just wanted to say how proud I am of my brother. He not only worked in East Boston for 26 years, but he lived there since he was just a little kid, and we actually have a photograph of him when he was about eight years old with my mom where they lived, and I think the mayor at the time, was it Mayor Flynn?

Mayor White.

Mayor White, we have a picture of Lenny with Mayor White when he was only about eight years old, and we're really proud of him.

If my colleagues want to come up, we can take a photo with Lenny. Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, everyone. Congratulations, Lenny. Now I'll invite Councillor Worrell to come forward with it for his presentation.

Good afternoon, everyone. I'd also like to call Councilor Fitzgerald if he wants to join me as well. I am proud today to stand alongside Councilor Fitzgerald to honor Coach Marcus Craigwell and celebrate BC High's 2026 state championship. Since taking office, yeah, we could clap for that. Since taking office in 2019, Coach Craigwell has led his team to five state championship appearances. But this year, they brought home the title. His dedication and commitment shows up in his record. 14 All-Americans, three professional players, four Coach of the Year honors, and 169 career high school wins. Sports play a vital role in youth development, and a good coach brings out the best in our young people. They recognize talent, build confidence, and push students to see how far they can go. Coach Craigwell is putting that into practice, opening doors to sport that some young people might never have the chance to play. Coach, in your program, young people learn how to compete, how to be accountable, how to show up for their teammates, and how to lead. Those lessons stay with them long after the final whistle. So today, we celebrate the championship, we celebrate the work it took to get there, and we celebrate a coach whose impact reaches well beyond the field. Thank you, Coach, for your leadership. for your mentorship, your commitment to our young people, and congratulations to you and the entire BC High team.

Coach, first I want to thank Council Royal for inviting me up here as well. BC High, sitting well within the district. A coach is not just someone who teaches you sports, right? A lot of the time, they're the ones who can connect to your kids when your kids stop listening to you. And I'm learning that currently. And so a lot of people might think they're a coach, but it takes a lot to be a great coach. And not just to win on the field, but off the field as well. And that's something you've exemplified. And so just so proud to have you at BC High, teaching a lot of the kids at Dorchester those exact values. So coach, thank you so much for having me.

I didn't really have a speech, but I just want to thank you for the recognition. And although I'm the first black coach to win a state championship in boys lacrosse, I know I won't be the last. And I hope I just encourage more people of color to play the sport. And I just appreciate it. Thank you.

I would like to call my colleagues up for a picture.

Oh, okay. I missed him. That's awesome.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

Thank you, everyone. Congratulations to our honorees today. Mr. Clerk, could you please amend the attendance to reflect that Councillor Louis-Jean has joined us? We're now on to the first order of business, which is the approval of the minutes from the meeting of August 26th, 2026. All in favour say aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. The minutes of the August 26th meeting are approved. We are now on to communications from our Honourable Mayor. Mr. Clerk, could you please read dockets 1671 through 1674.

Dr. Number 1671 message in order to reduce the fiscal year 27 appropriation for the reserve for collective bargaining by $1,951,894 to provide funding for the Boston police department for fiscal year 27 increases contained within the collective bargaining agreements between the city of Boston. and the Boston Police Detective Benevolent Society. Docket number 1672, message in order for the Boston Police Department for fiscal year 27, the amount of $1,951,894 to cover the fiscal year 27 cost items contained within the collective bargaining agreement between the City of Boston and the Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society. The terms of the contracts are July 1st, 2025 through June 30th, 2026. The major provisions of the contract include a base wage increase of 2% in July of 2025. The contract also contains an update to hazardous duty pay and amended language around sick time buyback at retirement. As originally presented to you, the fiscal year 27 budget request included a reserve for collective bargaining A separate appropriation to fund projected collective bargaining increases. A separate order has been filed to reduce the appropriation by $1,951,894. Docket number 1673. Message in order to reduce the fiscal year 27 appropriation for the reserve for collective bargaining by $1,366,093 to provide funding for the Boston Police Department. for the fiscal year 27 increases contained within the collective bargaining agreements between the City of Boston and the Boston Police Detective Benevolent Society Superior Officers Unit. Docket number 1674, message in order for the Boston Police Department for fiscal year 27, the amount of $1,366,093 to cover the fiscal year 27 cost items contained within the collective bargaining agreement between the City of Boston and the Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society, Superior Officers Unit. The terms of the contract are July 1st, 2025 through June 30th, 2026. The major provisions of the contract include base wage increase of 2% in July of 2025. The contract also contains an update to hazardous duty pay and amended language around pay details and summer vacation schedules. As originally presented to you, the fiscal year 27 budget request included a reserve for collective bargaining, a separate appropriation to fund projected collective bargaining increases. A separate order has been filed to reduce that appropriation by $1,366,093.

Thank you. Dockets 1671 through 1674 will be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1675?

Docket number 1675, message in order, authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $13,471,070.40 in the form of a grant, fiscal year 2025. Urban Area Security Initiative awarded by the United States Department of Homeland Security passed through the Mass Executive Office of Public Security, Public Safety and Security to be administered by the Office of Emergency Preparedness. A grant will fund the enhancement of regional preparedness and capabilities in designated high threat, high density areas.

Thank you. Docket 1675 will be referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1676?

Docket number 1676, message in order. Authorizing the City of Boston to accept an expanded amount of $1 million in the form of a grant, the BPS Sunday Support Grant, awarded by the Boston Foundation to be administered by the Office of Arts and Culture. The grant would fund MOAC's cultural access program Museum Sundays, allocating 60% of the funds to the Innovation Fund and 40% to unrestricted project expenses.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. The Chair recognises Councillor Louis Jeanne, the Chair of the Committee on Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Tourism. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I move for passage of this docket. This is to support the Museum Sundays, the Boston Sundays, BPF Sundays program to make sure that our young people across the city are able to access cultural institutions. The Innovation Fund will support the free admissions to the cultural institutions, and the remainder will support the administration of this program. So looking for my colleagues for suspension and passage. Thank you. Thank you.

Councillor Flynn, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. recommend supporting this important docket. This opportunity to ensure that all children have access to museums and cultural institutions on Sundays is incredibly important. Giving people the opportunity, young people the opportunity, to visit museums regardless of their income or regardless of what school they go to is incredibly important. You learn a lot at museums and cultural institutions. I just want to say thank you to these nonprofits for their support of the residents of Boston. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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

Thank you, Madam President. I'm glad we're continuing to find ways to fund this and know that the work that I know myself and Councillor Flynn and others did to advocate to make sure all children, all families across the city are benefiting from what is such a wonderful opportunity. When I'm at the museums myself, it's great to see families that you know might otherwise not be there, because this is the point of that. If not this, they may not attend all of these wonderful institutions across the city. So I'm happy to continue to support that.

Thank you, Councillor Murphy. Councillor Louis-Jean, the Chair of the Committee on Arts, Culture, Entertainment, Tourism and Special Events, seeks suspension of the rules and passage of Docket 1676. All in favour say aye. All opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please Oh, Councillor Durkan, beg your pardon, Councillor Durkan.

Oh, thank you so much. I just wanted to thank, there are so many cultural institutions in my district that have done everything they can to open their doors. And really the beginning of this was this Fenway Alliance creating this great thing. You know, it's now 25 years of opening our doors, which now will be October 12th. but that was really the beginning of thinking about how our cultural institutions could give back and as the chair of pilot i just want to thank the administration for stepping forward the museum of science a lot of these cultural institutions the mfa and others you know the children's museum it goes on and on and on and those partners who have made this work possible because it really has been transformational and we hear it from families across the city every single day that It was their first time and and it won't be their last at many of these cultural institutions. So I thank you councillor Brayden Thank you.

Mr. Clerk. Could you please take a roll call vote on docket? One six seven six councillor Brady.

Yes councillor Brayden. Yes, comes to collect as a party. Yes, comes to close the party. Yes, comes to call them. Yes comes to call pepper. Yes comes to Durkin. Yes comes to Durkin. Yes comes to Fitzgerald. Yes comes to this show. Yes comes to Flint.

Yes

Councillor Flynn, yes. Councillor Lujan, yes. Councillor Lujan, yes. Councillor Mejia, yes. Councillor Mejia, yes. Councillor Murphy, yes. Councillor Murphy, yes. Councillor Pepin, yes. Councillor Pepin, yes. Councillor Santana, yes. Councillor Santana, yes. Councillor Webber, yes. Councillor Webber, yes. And Councillor Orrell, yes. Councillor Orrell, yes. Docket number 1676 has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you. Docket 1676 has passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket 1677?

Docket number 1677, message in order, authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $750,000 in the form of a grant, fiscal year 26, fair share supplemental funds awarded by Massachusetts Department of Transportation to be administered by the Transportation Department. The grant will fund ongoing support of street operations in the City of Boston.

As the chair of Planning, Development and Transportation, I would like to push for suspension and passage of this docket. Earlier this year, the Massachusetts State Legislature passed the fiscal year 26 supplemental budget drawing from excess fair share revenue. Several provisos within the legislation earmarked funds exclusively for the City of Boston. Amongst these earmarks is $750,000 for the Streets Cabinet. Provided further that is not, and this is the language from the legislation, provided further that not less than $750,000 shall be expended to the city of Boston for street operations. Access to state funding is particularly opportune now as the cabinet faces significant budgetary pressures and increasing raw material costs. the 750 000 will be directed towards four major categories btd sign and signal shop equipment materials including signals and pedestrian buttons and sign pulls and blanks pwv supplies and materials materials that include asphalt for potholes trash bags and bricks for routine street maintenance passport curb management contract a contract that scope includes handling parking notice routing payment processing, data entry, collections, and document scanning. And sidewalk, small sidewalk and brick repair contracts, which I know Councilor Calata and I are cheering for, which is a contract scope that includes minor sidewalk and roadway repairs on city's brick areas. These are really, I mean, for a district councilor, these are all the things we want done in our district immediately. So with that, I will push for suspension of passage and I thank my colleagues for bearing with me while I read how this money will be spent.

Thank you, Councillor Durkan. Chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm not going to object to the suspend and pass it. I'm gonna support this docket. I also want to recommend if we're able to look at how we can support transportation department or city officials to change how we're able to get rid of basically the concurrent lighting issue. It's an incredibly important issue that's impacting almost all residents across the city. For the public that is not aware of it, basically a car, and pedestrian would have the right of way basically at the same time. For example, on Melchor Street and Summer Street, if you're walking across the crosswalk and the car is coming down Summer Street taking a right, both the vehicle and the pedestrian would have the right of way. This body went on record against that proposal because it's not safe. We all know it's dangerous. But as part of this funding, maybe the city of Boston could look at how we're able to change this policy. Again, I don't want to object to object to this without having a hearing, but I do want to advocate for a change, a needed change that all 13 City Councils went on record for as it relates to this dangerous practice that's currently happening now in the City of Boston, impacting especially persons with disabilities and seniors. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. The Chair recognizes Councillor Pepin. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. just wanted to rise in support of this grant. I know that for my district specifically, a lot of the signs and equipment that were mentioned are for school zones and pedestrian lights that people press to try to cross the street safely in busy intersections. These are vital just equipment that we may not see as a big project in making front lines, news clips, but in reality, these are the things that really help our residents. And then I just wanted to say that if there's any concerns about concurrent crossings, my recommendation is what my office did was we identified very dangerous intersections and worked with the residents, and we brought that to the attention of the Transportation Department. They were able to make adjustments with the lighting team. So that is one of my recommendations, but I'll be voting yes for this. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Pepin. Councillor Durkan, the Chair of the Committee on Planning, Development and Transportation, seeks suspension of the rules and passage of Docket 1677. All in favour say aye. All opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on Docket 1677.

Councillor Braden. Yes. Councillor Braden. Yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata. Yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata. Yes. Councillor Culpepper. Yes. Councillor Culpepper. Yes. Councillor Durkan. Yes. Councillor Durkan. Yes. Councillor Fitzgerald.

Yes.

Councillor Fitzgerald. Yes. Councillor Flynn.

Yes.

Councillor Flynn, yes. Councillor Louis-Jean, yes. Councillor Louis-Jean, yes. Councillor Mejia, yes. Councillor Mejia, yes. Councillor Murphy, yes. Councillor Murphy, yes. Councillor Pepin, yes. Councillor Pepin, yes. Councillor Santana, yes. Councillor Santana, yes. Councillor Webber, yes. Councillor Webber, yes. And Councillor Worrell, yes. Councillor Worrell, yes. Talking number 1677 has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Docket 1677 has passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1678?

Docket number 1678, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $288,221 in the form of a grant. The fiscal year 25 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program awarded by the United States Department of Justice. to be administered by the police department. The grant would fund two criminalist positions, overtime, lab supplies, equipment and continuing education expenses.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Docket 1678 will be referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1679?

Talking number 1679, message in order, authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $200,000 in the form of a grant, BHCCI Connect, Learn, Explore, and CEF, awarded by Boston Children's Hospital to be administered by the Office of Early Childhood. The grant would fund the BHCCI Connect, Learn, and Explore and Child Entrepreneur Fund grant.

Thank you. Docket 1679 will be referred to the Committee on Human Services. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1680?

Docket number 1680, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $64,201.50 in the form of a grant, Federal Fiscal Year 25 Emergency Management Performance Grant, awarded by Federal Emergency Management Agency, passed through the Mass. Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to be administered by the Office of Emergency Preparedness. The grant would fund the enhancement of operational capacity at the Boston Emergency Operations Centre and promote the professional development of OEM staff.

Thank you. Docket 1680 will be referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. Councillor Murphy, you have the floor.

Yes. Sorry, I didn't flag it at first, but I'd like to go back to docket 1679 if that's okay, because I'd like to suspend and pass the $200,000 grant for the Office of Early Childhood.

A motion to reconsider. Do you have a second?

Thank you.

Councillor Murphy, let's say thank you. Docket 1680 will be referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. We'll now go back to reconsider docket 1679. Councillor Murphy, you have the floor.

Yes, I'd just like to rise this small dollar grant to make sure that the relationship between Children's Hospital and our early childhood department, which is expanding and doing such great work in many of our young parents.

Councillor Murphy, could you pause a second? I have to have a vote to reconsider. So could Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on a motion to reconsider docket 1679?

Council of Braden. Yes. Council of Braden, yes. Council of Caleta-Zapata. Yes. Council of Caleta-Zapata, yes. Council of Culpeper. Yes. Council of Culpeper, yes. Council of Durkan. Council of Fitzgerald.

Yes.

Council of Fitzgerald, yes. Council of Flint.

Yes.

Council of Flint, yes. Council of Lujan.

Yes.

Council of Lujan, yes. Council of Mejia. Yes. Council of Mejia, yes. Council of Murphy. Council of Murphy.

Yes, of course.

Council Murphy, yes. I'm ready and waiting. Council Verpenn, yes. Council Santana, yes. Council Weber, yes. Council Weber, yes. And Council Worrell, yes. Council Worrell, yes. Docket, the motion to reconsider passes.

Thank you. Thank you.

You have the floor, Councillor Murphy. Thank you.

Thank you, and thank you everyone for going back to do this. So it is a low dollar amount, but $200,000 can really make an impact. And as a former early childhood teacher in BPS, and I was starting to say we have many young parents here. I think they sent off kids to kindergarten and first day of school. We know how important it is that we continue to fund and expand all of our early childhood seats across the city of Boston. such a difference for our families and children and their future. So looking forward to pass this grant and get it into the hands of the people who will use it wisely. So thank you.

Thank you. Councillor Murphy seeks suspension of the rules and passage of docket 1679. All in favor say aye. All opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on docket 1679? Councillor Flynn, you have the floor.

Yeah, I did want to speak on this. Madam Chair, I do want to say thank you to Children's Hospital for working with the City of Boston on this important grant, this important initiative. I visited the Children's Hospital at the beginning of the summer and had an opportunity to witness the incredible work they are doing supporting children, supporting patients on early childhood education-related issues. And I want to acknowledge their dedicated professional staff of educators and medical professionals for always being there for the residents of Boston. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call, Golden Docket 1679? Council of Braden. Yes.

Council of Braden, yes. Council of Coletta-Zapata. Yes. Council of Coletta-Zapata, yes. Council of Culpeper. Yes. Council of Culpeper, yes. Council of Durkan. Council of Fitzgerald.

Yes.

Council of Fitzgerald, yes. Council of Flynn.

Yes.

Council of Flynn, yes. Council of Louisiane. Yes. Council of Louisiane, yes. Council of Mejia. Yes. Council of Mejia, yes. Council of Murphy. Yes. Council of Murphy, yes. Council of Pepin.

Yes.

Council of Pepin, yes. Council of Santana. Yes. Council of Santana, yes. Council of Webber. Councillor Webber, yes. And Councillor Worrell, yes. Councillor Worrell, yes. Docket number 1679 has received 12 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Docket 1679 has passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read dockets 1681 and 1682 together?

Docket number 1681, message in order, authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $51,980.30. in the form of a grant. Federal fiscal year 26 state administrative matching grants for SNAP awarded by USDA Food and Nutrition Service passed through the Mass Executive Office of Health and Human Services to be administered by the H. Strong Commission. The grant will fund costs incurred to operate SNAP including outreach and application assistance. Docket number 1682. Message in honor authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $50,000 in the form of a grant, food, fuel and shelter, awarded by the Boston Foundation to be administered by the Office of Food Justice. The grant will fund the expansion of the Boston Double Up Food Bucks program to more communities.

Chair recognizes Councillor Murphy. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you. I'll speak to both. I know we'll vote on them separately, but I'm asking for a suspension and pass anytime we can make sure there's more food in the hands and in the mouths of our children. I know we'll be speaking later too about the increase in concern about the homelessness across our schools and our families in the City of Boston, so I just want to make sure that this gets passed. I want to thank Denise from IGR, who did send along a write-up, if anyone wants. I know I can share it out with my colleagues if they have any questions before we vote, but I think this should be an easy passage today that I'm looking forward to. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Murphy. Councillor Colletta-Sapata, I noticed your light on. Is it okay? Councillor Flynn, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I rise to support both of these dockets. The food access and justice program is incredibly important in the city. There's a high percentage of people in our city that are living in poverty, but food access is a civil rights issue. And there's so many wonderful nonprofits and community partners that do exceptional work throughout the city, including in my district and District 2. I also want to acknowledge the community partners that support my constituents in Chinatown especially. It's one of the neighborhoods with the highest concentration of poverty, and food access is an important issue. But there's so many nonprofits that do exceptional work providing critical food service, food access to the residents of Chinatown, the South End, and for all public housing in the city of Boston. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. So we're going to vote on these separately. Councillor Murphy, the Chair of the Committee on Human Services, seeks suspension of the rules and passage of Docket 1681. All in favour, say aye. All opposed, say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on Docket 1681?

Councillor Breen. Yes. Councillor Breen, yes. Councillor Collier-Zapata. Yes. Councillor Collier-Zapata, yes. Councillor Culpepper. Councilor Culpepper, yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Councilor Flynn, yes. Councilor Flynn, yes. Councilor Lujan, yes. Councilor Lujan, yes. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Pippen, yes. Councilor Pippen, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Weber, yes. Councilor Weber, yes. And Councilor Worrell, yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Dock number 1681 has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative. Thank you.

Docket 1681 has passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on docket 1682?

Councillor Braden.

Yes.

Councillor Braden. Yes. Councillor Colletta. Yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata. Yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata. Yes. Councillor Culpepper. Yes. Councillor Culpepper. Yes. Councillor Durkan. Yes. Councillor Durkan. Yes. Councillor Fitzgerald.

Yes.

Councillor Fitzgerald. Yes. Councillor Flynn.

Yes.

Councillor Flynn. Yes. Councillor Lujan. Yes. Councillor Lujan. Yes. Councillor Mejia. Yes. Councillor Mejia. Yes. Councillor Murphy. Yes. Councillor Murphy. Yes. Councillor Penn.

Yes.

Councillor Penn. Yes. Councillor Santana.

Yes.

Councillor Santana. Yes. Councillor Webber.

Yes.

Councillor Webber. Yes. And Councillor Orrell.

Yes.

Councillor Orrell. Yes. Docket number 1682 has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Docket 1682 has passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket 1683?

Docket number 1683, message in order, authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $50,000 in the form of a grant, tuition-free community college expansion, awarded by the United States Department of Labor to be administered by the Office of Workforce Development. The grant will fund the community project tuition-free community college initiative.

Chair recognizes Councillor Worrell, the Chair of the Committee on Labour Economic Development.

You have the floor. Thank you, Madam President. This is a small dollar grant, $50,000. to reimburse the work done by the Office of Workforce Development through the tuition-free community college program that supported 170 Boston residents in receiving training for positions at one of the six partner community colleges between 2024 and 2025. So this $50,000 is a reimbursement for past work for a program that has now been replaced by the state one. But I want to give a big shout out to the Office of Workforce Development for all their work around the tuition-free community college program, but I would like to ask my colleagues to suspend and pass this small-dollar grant. Thank you.

Thank you. Councillor Orrell seeks suspension of the rules and passage of Docket 1683. All in favour say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on Docket 1683?

Councillor Braden. Yes. Councillor Braden, yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata, yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata, yes. Councillor Culpepper. Council Culpepper, yes. Council Durkan, yes. Council Durkan, yes. Council Fitzgerald, yes. Council Fitzgerald, yes. Council Flynn, yes. Council Flynn, yes. Council Lujan, yes. Council Lujan, yes. Council Mejia, Council Mejia, yes. Council Murphy, yes. Council Murphy, yes. Council Pippen, yes. Council Pippen, yes. Council Santana, yes. Council Santana, yes. Council Weber, yes. Council Weber, yes. And Council Worrell, yes. Council Worrell, yes. Docking number 1683. has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you. Docket 1683 has passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1684?

Docket number 1684, message in order, authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $1,890 in the form of a grant, Project Voice, awarded by the National Science Foundation, passed through the Georgia Institute of Technology, to be administered by the Department of Innovation and Technology. The grant will fund co-designing civic technology tools with and for youth and communities across Boston with the goal of strengthening neighborhood social cohesion and supporting youth mental health and resilience.

Thank you.

The chair recognizes Councillor Clare Zapata. Thank you so much, Madam President. Just seeking suspension and passage of this $1,000 grant. Thanks.

Thank you. Councillor Coletta Zapata seeks to suspend to the rules in passage of Docket 1684. All in favour say aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Docket 1684 has passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1685.

Docket number 1685. Message in order authorizing the City of Boston Procurement Department to enter into a contract for a period of up to six years for the purchase fire apparatus ladder pumper and tower trucks the contract term would begin in September 2026 and then December 31st 2031 the City Council's permission to enter into a contract of this type for a period of more than three years is required by section 12 of chapter 30 B of the general laws a term longer than three years will enable the city to ensure that that the contract is in effect while the apparatus are being built for all three fiscal year orders. Year one will be ordered in August of 2026, year two ordered in July of 2027, and year three ordered in July of 2027. The expected lead time for the apparatus is between 24 to 36 months, with delivery and payment for the final apparatus expected during 2031.

Thank you.

Chair recognizes Councillor Webber, the Chair of Ways and Means.

You have the floor.

Thank you very much, Madam President. So, docket number 1685, the Boston Fire Department and the Procurement Department seek approval of a contract of up to six years to purchase additional fire apparatus or, you know, as my kids call them, fire trucks, you know, pursuant to MGL, Mass General Law Chapter 30B, Section 12. Council's permission is required for any contract longer than three years. conversations that I've had with Sam Dillon and other firefighters. It is taking longer and longer to have new fire apparatus constructed. I think a recent internet search could take up to four years from ordering to completion. So a contract here of more than three years will allow enough time for the process to play out, given that each apparatus is expected to take two to three years to complete, to assemble. So for that reason, you know, and try to get this process going and support our firefighters, it's my recommendation that we suspend and pass this docket today.

Thank you. Councillor Webber, the Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means, seeks suspension of the rules and passage of docket 1685. All in favour say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on docket 1685?

Councillor Brayden. Yes. Councillor Brayden, yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata. Yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata, yes. Councillor Culpepper. Yes. Councillor Culpepper, yes. Councillor Durkan. Yes. Councillor Durkan, yes. Councillor Fitzgerald. Yes. Councillor Fitzgerald, yes. Councillor Flynn.

Yes.

Councillor Flynn, yes. Councillor Lujan. Yes. Councillor Lujan, yes. Councillor Mejia. Yes. Councillor Mejia, yes. Councillor Murphy. Yes. Councillor Murphy, yes. Councillor Pepin. Council of Penn, yes. Council of Santana, yes. Council of Santana, yes. Council of Webber, yes. Council of Webber, yes. Council of Worrell, yes. Council of Worrell, yes. Docket number 1685 has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you. Docket 1685 has passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket 1686 through 1694 together?

Docket number 1686, message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Fred Penny as a member of the Boston Waterways Board for a term expiring on September 14, 2027. Docket number 1687, message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Mayor Smith as a member of the Boston Waterways Board for a term expiring on September 14, 2027. Docket number 1688, message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Gina Smith as a member of the Boston Waterways Board for a term expiring on September 14, 2027. Document number 1689, message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Kaylee Benson as a member of the Boston Waterways Board for a term expiring on September 14, 2028. Document number 1690, message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Mike Glassfield as a member of the Boston Waterways Board for a term expiring on September 14, 2028. Docket number 1691. Message in honor for the confirmation of the appointment of Joe Valdez-Horwood as a member of the Boston Waterways Board for a term expiring on September 14, 2028. Docket number 1692. Message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Gabriela Coletta Zapata as a member of the Boston Waterways Board for a term expiring on September 14, 2029. Docket number 1693. Message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Josh Delisle as a member of the Boston Waterways Board for a term expiring on September 14, 2029. And docket number 1694. in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Oliver Sellers-Garcia as a member of the Boston Waterways Board for a term expiring on September 14, 2029.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Dockets 1686 through 1694 will refer to the Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency and Parks. We're now on to reports of public officers and others. Mr. Clerk. Could you please read Docket 1695 through 1707?

Docket number 1695, notice received from the Mayor of the appointment of Richard Claytor as a member of the Black Men and Boys Commission for a term expiring July 1st, 2028. Docket number 1696, notice received from the Mayor of the appointment of Alex Edwards as a member of the Black Men and Boys Commission for a term expiring September 11th, 2029. Document number 1697, notice received from the Mayor of the appointment of Abigail Forrester as a member of the Black Men and Boys Commission for a term expiring September 11th, 2029. Document number 1698, notice received from the Mayor of the appointment of Matthew Gibson as a member of the Black Men and Boys Commission for a term expiring September 11th, 2029. Document number 1699, notice received from the mayor of the appointment of Stanley Green as a member of the Black Men and Boys Commission for a term expiring September 11th, 2029. Document number 1700, notice received from the mayor of the appointment of Reginald Jean as a member of the Black Men and Boys Commission for a term expiring September 11th, 2029. Document number 1701, Notice received from the mayor, the appointment of Desmond Kennard as a member of the Black Men and Boys Commission for a term expiring September 11th, 2029. Document number 1702. Notice received from the mayor, the appointment of Ron Marlow as a member of the Black Men and Boys Commission for a term expiring September 11th, 2029. Document number 1703. Notice received from the city clerk in accordance with chapter six of the ordinances of 1979. regarding action taken by the mayor and papers acted upon by the city council at its meeting on August 26, 2026. Docket number 1704, communication received from Council Flynn transmitting Boston Public Schools procurements, contracts, and payments. Improper workarounds and oversight failures lead to wasted public funds and inaccurate budget reporting by the Massachusetts Inspector General. Docket number 1705, communication was received from Councilor Flynn regarding a potential hate crime in the South End. Docket number 1706, communication was received from Councilor Worrell and Councilor Culpepper regarding a memo from Professor James Jennings on the Blue Hill Lab redesign project. Docket number 1707, communication was received from Metro Boston Homeland Security regarding support for accept and expand of fiscal year 25 UASI grant funding. Docket number 1708 communication was received from the mayor.

Mr. Clerk, we'll pause at docket 1707. Thank you. Dockets 1695 through 1707 will be placed on file. Mr. Clerk, could you please read dockets 1708 and 1709 together?

Docket number 1708, communication received from the Mayor pursuant to the Ordinance on Surveillance, Oversight and Information Sharing, Boston City Code Section Chapter 16-63, Transmitting the City of Boston's 2025 Annual Surveillance Report. And docket number 1709. communication received from the Boston Police Department regarding a revised surveillance use policy for the department's use of social media analysis tools.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Dockets 1708 and 1709 will be referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1710? Docket number 1710, the Constable Bonds.

of Christopher Castagna, Carl Jean Lewis, Phil Moore-Philip, Bianca Pierre and Patricia Sheets have been duly approved by the Collective Treasurer were received.

Thank you. Docket 1710 is approved under the usual terms and conditions. We're now moving on to matters recently heard. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1334?

Docket number 1334, order for a hearing to discuss the status of HVAC updates in the Boston Public Schools.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes the Chair of the Committee on Education. Councillor Mejia, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. So on Tuesday, September the 15th, at 10.30, the Education Committee held a hearing on docket 1334, an order for a hearing to discuss the status of HVAC updates at the Boston Public Schools. I was joined by my colleagues, Councilor Papang and Fitzgerald, as the lead sponsors, as well as Councilor Murphy, Louis-Jean, Flynn, Culpepper, Weber, and Worrell. and present from the BPS was Dr. Sam DePina and Brian Ford Jr. The administration's opening statements highlighted the age of many of our BPS buildings, that all schools have heating systems, that three HVAC projects are underway to be completed this winter, and that there are currently four schools that will not have AC by December 2026, which is, you know, it's getting cold, so thank goodness it's getting colder. which are the Shaw-Taylor Elementary, the Mathers Elementary, Mozart Elementary, and Community Academy. They describe using different funding sources such as MSBA, capital funds, and other grants and partnerships to cover the cost of past and future projects. Current cooling efforts for the remaining four schools like cooling zones and popsicles were also discussed. Yes, people, popsicles. as a way to deal with the heat. Councilor's question focused on specific timelines and plans for individual schools. Plans in the meantime where upgrades are being made, budget costs and funding sources for remaining schools, alternatives and interaction with utility companies and trades, decision making processes, school closures, generators, collaboration with BCYF, libraries and other spaces that the public availability of updates public testimony from parents, shared stories of their children's schools, and mentioned the difficult decisions whether to keep their children at home on extreme heat days, which will then interrupt not only their learning, but also make it difficult for working caregivers. We hope to continue this conversation, and therefore I recommend that this committee, this matter remains in committee. And I'm not sure if any of the lead sponsors would like to share remarks, and if they do, I welcome them to do so.

Thank you, Councillor Mejia. Docket 1334 will remain in committee. No.

My counsel. I'm sorry.

Councillor Pepin.

Yes, please. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you so much to Chair of Education Committee, Councillor Mejia, for hosting this important and informational hearing that we had. As mentioned, two of the schools in the list were in my district. the Mozart School and the Bates. Luckily, we did receive updates that the Bates HVAC system will be completed by the end of this year, but the Mozart School continues to be an issue. I also want to thank Dr. Depina and Chief Ford for their updates and the work that they're doing because I know that it's not easy. We learned that the schools are extremely old, built prior to World War II. We already have homework to do. going to work collaboratively with eversource and with bps and internally with counselors here to make sure that the remaining four schools that need work to be done get the proper attention that they need in order to move forward make sure that every single school in bps has a work in hvac system thank you so much madam president thank you country um country me here you have the floor oh good job you saw me this time thank you

I just wanted to just make a note here publicly for the record is that there was a school, the Lee, that in 2022 received funding and some feasibility studies. And given the times that we're dealing with in terms of fiscal responsibility, I'm just really curious about how BPS will continue to plan their facilities planning. A lot of my questions are still unanswered in regards to how we're making decisions, and then we're closing schools. I think that there's a lot of work to do in that space, and I look forward to working with BPS to get those answers.

Thank you, Councillor Mejia. This docket, 1334, will remain in committee. We're now on to motions, orders, and resolutions. A reminder that under Rule 39, remarks on new matters not up for a vote today should be limited to three minutes for the lead sponsor and two minutes for co-sponsors.

Thank you. The Chair recognises Councillor Braden.

Councillor Braden, you have the floor. Thank you Mr Chair. I'm grateful to Councillor Coletta Zapata for her partnership in this ordinance. We've spent many months working closely with the Mayor's Office of Housing, legal staff, advocates and community members to bring forward a thoughtful a necessary update to Boston's condominium conversion protections. Boston's condo conversion ordinance has been a key anti-displacement tool since it was adopted in 1999, amended in 2021, and renewed by this council last year, but currently it only applies to residential properties with four or more units built before 1983. Today we are in need of an update. Most Bostonians that face displacement due to condo conversion live in smaller two and three unit buildings not covered by the condo conversion ordinance. The Mayor's Office of Housing Analysis of Condo Conversions between 2019 and 2024 indicates that if expanded to apply to two plus unit buildings, the condo conversion ordinance would have protected tenants in 97% of rental units lost to conversions. Importantly, tenants of smaller buildings are those who need protections most. 91% of rental units in buildings with two to three units lost to conversions are located in some of Boston's lowest income areas, Dorchester, Hyde Park, Mattapan, Roslindale, Roxbury, West Roxbury, some of the lowest. Today, we face rising prices rising condo prices and a continued loss of rental housing. This ordinance strengthens and modernises protections. It expands coverage to triple-deckers. This is critical in a city where triple-deckers make up a large share of our naturally affordable housing. This ordinance clarifies notice requirements and expands the look-back period to prevent strategic vacancy and improves relocation benefits for displaced tenants. This also formalises a two-step permitting process so the Mayor's Office of Housing and Inspectorial Services can better enforce compliance. I look forward to working with you all in our upcoming working sessions to refine this ordinance, incorporate feedback from tenants and owners, and ensure that we're doing everything we can to prevent displacement and preserve stable, affordable housing in our neighbourhoods. Thank you.

The Chair recognises Councilor Zapata, you have the floor.

Thank you so much, Dean. for her partnership. It's been a long time coming. There's been so many conversations about this. And I'm just really excited that it finally crossed the finish line. Well, not the finish line. We are inching towards the finish line through the committee process. But this is really what I love about working in city government. Words that we write down on a paper will have real and lasting positive impacts and protections for people in our city. And especially in East Boston, we are seeing so many condos being converted from two and three family homes. This was not, or the previous or existing condo conversion ordinance did not cover those units. And so I forget the number exactly, maybe Madam President knows, but East Boston has really felt this acutely And unfortunately, because of that, people have been displaced. And so thanks to legislation filed up at the State House by my predecessor, now Senator Edwards, who I know really focused in on this as chair of the Government Operations Committee when she was here to strengthen this. But now we are truly modernizing it and doing it in partnership with MOH to have better accountability measures in place. and so i'm really excited uh that we are um that we're moving this forward it uh just to read some notes that i have written down here it's creating a longer excuse me stronger and clearer system it's providing tenants with at least one year of notice before displacement elderly disabled and low and moderate income tenants receive at least two years with the possibility of up to two additional years if comparable housing cannot be found. It provides $10,000 in relocation assistance, increased to $15,000 for elderly, disabled, or low or moderate income tenants. More importantly, it creates a real permitting and enforcement structure through the Mayor's Office of Housing and ISD. that an owner simply can't empty a building first and then call it a condo conversion later. We also established a look back protection so that tenants who were pushed out shortly before conversion may still be entitled to benefits. And we gave the city the ability to deny a conversion permit when an owner has attempted to circumvent these protections through unreasonable rent increases, reductions in services, or termination of a tenancy. So if you're a bad actor as a landlord, Watch out. We're making sure that you are abiding by the law. And again, for East Boston, all of this matters. And I want to thank Councilor Braden for her partnership, the Statehouse for passing the Affordable Homes Act in 2024, the Mayor's Office of Housing and ISD for their work on implementation and ensuring that what we write here and what we do here has already been operationalized. And I really look forward to the process through the committee and invite all my colleagues to join in and help us make it even better. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilor Mejia. Councilor Mejia, you have the floor. The light is on.

That's because I'm special.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you. Would anyone like to add their name? Councilor Durkheim, Councilor Fitzgerald, Councilor Flynn, Councilor Lewis-Young, Councilor Mejia, Councilor Murphy, Councilor Santana, Councilor Orwell, and please add the chair. Pocket number 1711 will be referred to the Committee on Government Operations. Mr.

Clerk, please call 1712. Pocket number 1712, Council Flynn offer the following ordinance to codify abutters, meetings, and community process for all projects seeking zoning relief in the City of Boston.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, may I add Councillor Culpepper as an original co-sponsor, please?

Councillor Culpepper is so added.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Butter meeting started in the 1980s under Mayor Flynn and under the creation of the Office of Neighborhood Services to connect residents to City Hall. The practice expanded in the 1990s for neighbors to review zoning and development matters as well. The ZBA inspects and reviews buildings for zoning compliance with the Boston Zoning Code. The ZBA hears appeals to grant zoning relief or grant special permission to build through a conditional use permit. Violations in the code can range from the construction of a roof deck, increasing the floor area ratio, or adding a hatch. Chapter 40A of the Mass Zoning Act, which was originally codified, revised in 1975, mandated that abutters receive formal notification on local zoning relief or variances. Dating back to the late 20th century, mayoral administration streamlined the abutter meeting format to inform residents, take feedback, make compromise before formal meetings and hearings. Traditionally, ONS was responsible for hosting the community process in meetings on zoning and licensing projects in the neighborhood that required variance and approval at ZBA. This process has remained virtual since the COVID-19 pandemic. These meetings are intended to play a critical role in the public process by obtaining feedback from those neighbors most impacted by a particular project. In recent months, ONS has notified district city councilors that instead of holding public meetings and a community process for all matters that seek relief and variances from the zoning code, ONS will now make a determination on which projects are no longer required to hold abutters meetings. In South Boston, since the pandemic, I hear from seniors, veterans, persons with disabilities, young families, about how important the abutters meetings are. because it impacts their quality of life, it impacts everybody's quality of life, but especially the most vulnerable in our population because some of the projects do impact families, they impact persons with disabilities, people with young kids, such as a roof duck. The ZBA does not see it that way. and ONS may decide now that because of a difference with the city councilor, no public process is needed. This ordinance would codify in the City of Boston code that at least one abutters meeting must be held if a project is required to appear before the ZBA for relief. I think residents do want to have the ability to weigh in on a particular development project in their neighborhood. It's about quality of life of residents. It's about community engagement. It's about respecting our neighbors. It's about respecting our neighbors. constituents, as district councillors especially, but giving people the opportunity to be heard at City Hall. What is wrong with that? Can't your voice be heard at City Hall, or should we limit your voice at City Hall? That's the question. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. The Chair recognizes Councillor Culpepper. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Councilor Flynn, for adding me as an original co-sponsor and for bringing this ordinance forward. A buttered meeting have long provided residents with an opportunity to learn about proposed changes in their neighborhoods, to ask questions, to raise concerns, and to speak directly with applicants before a project reaches the Zoning Board of Appeal. I believe that process is particularly important when an applicant is asking the city for relief from the requirements of our zoning code. If a project cannot be built as of right and requires a variance or other zoning relief, the residents who will be most directly impacted should have an opportunity to understand what is being proposed and provide feedback before the ZBA makes its decision. I have concerns about moving toward a system where the city determines that certain projects seeking zoning relief no longer require an abutters meeting. Community engagement should not depend on an administrative determination about whether a particular project is significant enough to warrant public discussion. Having a consistent requirement also provides clarity for residents, applicants, and the city about what the community process would look like. The ordinance establishes that consistency by requiring at least one abutters meeting before a project seeking zoning relief appears before the ZBA. This does not mean that every project requires an extensive or drawn-out community process. It simply preserves a basic opportunity for residents to hear about a project, ask questions, and make their voices heard. As we continue reforming Boston's zoning and development processes, I believe we can make those processes more efficient without sacrificing transparency and meaningful community participation. I am proud to join Councillor Flynn as an original co-sponsor and look forward to working with him and my colleagues on this ordinance. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councillor Culpepper. I notice Councillor Flynn, you have the light on.

Councillor? Madam Chair, may I suspend the rules? I should have did it at the beginning. I apologize. But can I suspend the rules and add Councillor Fitzgerald as an original co-sponsor?

Seeing and hearing no objections, Councillor Fitzgerald is so added. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I do want to thank Councillor Flynn for adding me as a co-sponsor. This has come up a lot in my office recently where we were not notified about a butters meetings. And I think all of us as city councillors always want to know what's going on, making sure we have staff at the meeting to hear the neighborhood. comments on anything and so a codified process would help because when we reached out to say hey why don't we receive notifications about a butters meetings that go on in the neighborhoods so that we know to attend they told us why don't you guys yourselves check the list every day just go on the website and you'll find and you have to look for your neighborhood and see what's happening. I've worked in this building for over 20 years. It was always the case that you notify elected officials of things that go on in their district. And so I think that should remain, and I just think codifying that process would help us as electeds also know to keep a better finger on the pulse of what's going on in the neighbourhood and what folks want and let their voice be heard. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Councillor Flynn.

Thank you, Councillor Fitzgerald. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Murphy. Thank you. Docket 1712 will be referred to the Committee on Government Operations. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1713?

Docket number 1713. Councillors Murphy and Flynn offer the following. Petition for a special law and act relative to fiscal accountability and oversight of the Boston Public Schools.

Thank you. The Chair recognises Councillor Murphy. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Every year we are asked to approve nearly $1.8 billion for the Boston Public Schools. Yet once that appropriation is approved, our ability to provide meaningful, ongoing fiscal oversight is extremely limited. The recent Inspector General's report makes clear why that needs to change. It identified serious failures involving procurement, contracts, payments, and internal oversight, including more than $857,000 in public funds spent improperly or in violation of procurement law. My home rule petition today is about putting permanent safeguards in place. It would give the city council regular access to financial reporting, earlier notice of projected deficits, greater transparency around contracts and spending, and a role in reviewing major financial changes after the budget is approved. This is not about taking over the role of the school committee or managing the day-to-day operations of BPS. It is about making sure that when this council appropriates nearly $1.8 billion in taxpayer dollars, we have the tools necessary to provide meaningful fiscal oversight throughout the year. I also want to acknowledge the hearing order filed by Councilors Worrell and Fitzgerald, which will give us an important opportunity to examine the Inspector General's findings and hear what changes BPS intends to make. That hearing looks at what happened and what BPS plans to do next. Are we okay? I'm sorry, thank you. I had that wrong, so let me go back. It's Councillor Webber, but I know that probably Councillor Weill will be working hard alongside transparency and accountability, but thank you. and which will give us an important opportunity to examine the findings, which I know all of us probably found very disturbing. That hearing looks at what happened and what BPS plans to do next. This Home Rule petition is about making sure the Council has the authority and safeguards in place to provide stronger oversight going forward. So I'm looking forward to the conversations, to work on the language, and make sure that we continue. We can ask the questions, but we know, and I've stood here many times, I think at the end of last year there were over 300 unanswered RFIs and unanswered 17Fs. not just with the school committee, but across the city. So just having the authority and many people saying, well, you can just ask, and it goes along with the hearing that was just filed about making sure that they do a better job of telling us information. We shouldn't have to hear it on the news or find out from other city employees. The city council, there's only 13 of us. We should be getting ongoing regular updates, especially when it deals with our children and families. So thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Murphy. The Chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The City Council has the responsibility to review and appropriate funds for the Boston Public Schools, but under existing law does not possess continuing fiscal oversight authority with that responsibility after the annual appropriation has been approved. Existing law provides the city council votes on the total amount requested while the Boston School Committee has the sole authority to determine funding, expenditures within the total appropriation. Existing law further designates a school committee, superintendent of the schools as the officials responsible for the school department, expenditures and grants. The superintendent is required by law to provide certain fiscal reports on school department expenditures, spending, projected expenditures, and transfers to the school committee, the city auditor, and city budget office. But the city council is not required to receive these reports at that time. I would assume we would all want to read these reports. The recent finding by the Office of the Inspector General identified nearly $900,000 in improper spending, violation of Massachusetts procurement law, inaccurate budget reporting, significant failures of internal oversight at the school department. We can no longer, in good conscience, call ourselves the most progressive city in America when we balance the budget on the backs of paraprofessionals, lower income women from communities of color, all to have $900,000 in mismanagement. Mismanagement of taxpayer money. We need to prioritize our students, our paraprofessionals. ensure that they are respected, and that we account for every dollar in the city budget. I do believe the City Council does want to play a critical oversight on BPS. The question is, do we have the courage to do it? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Worrell. Thank you. Docket 1713 will be referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1714? Docket number 1714. Councillor Worrell offered the following. Petition for a special law, an act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for police officers for Melvin Cassius.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councillor Worrell. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Melvin Cassius is a 41-year-old resident of Boston who has a dream of becoming a Boston police officer in his city and his community. He's equipped with an impressive lineup of certifications that make him well qualified to join the department. Included basic life support, CPR and first aid, a license to carry, defensive tactics training, handcuffs training, and transit police 911 dispatch training. Not to mention he's also trilingual in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. But perhaps more importantly, he has the heart and character that the job demands. I'm asking for suspension and passage of this docket so he can send his age waiver up to the Statehouse and help Melvin achieve his goals of becoming a Boston police officer. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Worrell. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Coletta Zapata, Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Flynn, Councillor Louisianne, Councillor Mejia, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pippin, Councillor Santana, Councillor Webber, and please add the Chair. Docket 1714 will be referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

Last term to kind of blanket these where we know but thank you to those who, when people reach out and we advocate, we need more first responders, and we know that when people come forward and just sharing his background and what he wants to bring to the city I thank you for putting that forward.

Thank you, Councillor Murphy.

The Chair recognises Councillor Coletta Zapata. You have the floor. Thank you so much. I fully support this as the Chair of Government Operations, and we did file something in 2024 that passed the House this year, actually, on March 25th. It went to the Senate, where it currently is, and it's sitting there for further action. So, positive news, although taking forever. So, I'm going to continue to make sure that we can move this forward, and would love the support of my colleagues in that endeavour. Thank you.

Thank you. Councillor Wales, a suspension of the rules and passage of Docket 1714. All in favour, say aye. Aye. All opposed, say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on Docket 1714?

Councillor Braden. Yes. Councillor Braden, yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata. Yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata, yes. Councillor Culpepper.

Yes.

Councillor Culpepper, yes. Councillor Durkan. Yes. Councillor Fitzgerald.

Yes.

Councillor Fitzgerald, yes. Councillor Flynn. Yes. Councillor Flynn, yes. Councillor Lujan. Yes. Councillor Lujan, yes. Councillor Mejia, yes. Councillor Mejia, yes. Councillor Murphy, yes. Councillor Murphy, yes. Councillor Papin, yes. Councillor Papin, yes. Councillor Santana, yes. Councillor Santana, yes. Councillor Webber, yes. Councillor Webber, yes. And Councillor Worrell, yes. Councillor Worrell, yes. Docket number 1714 has received 12 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Docket 1714 has passed. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1715?

Number one seven one five councillor Culpepper offer the following petition for a special law and act authorizing property tax relief for community serving nonprofit organizations in the city of Boston Thank you chair recognizes councillor Culpepper country.

You have the floor Thank You madam president some of the most important services in our neighborhoods are provided by small community based nonprofit organizations they provide food assistance and violence prevention, youth programming, immigrant services, public health programs, housing assistance, arts and cultural programming, and countless other services that strengthen our communities. But many of these organizations operate on limited budgets while facing the same rising property values and operating costs affecting everyone else in Boston. Existing state law does not automatically make every property owned by nonprofit tax exempt. Depending on how property is owned, how it's occupied or used, or even serving a community, nonprofit can still face property tax obligation even when their property substantially supports its mission. This home rule petition would give targeted relief to smaller organizations that fall into that gap. I also want to emphasize that this is deliberately not a broad tax exemption for every nonprofit in Boston. The proposal establishes financial eligibility requirements and specifically excludes universities, colleges, hospitals, private foundation, certain national organizations, and properties that are already fully tax exempt. It also caps the individual benefit and limits the total amount of the public tax revenue that can be foregone citywide. The purpose is to help neighborhood organizations remain in the communities they serve and allow more of their limited resources to go toward their missions rather than property taxes. If we value the work of these organizations, the work that they provide, I think we should also explore reasonable and fiscally responsible ways of helping them remain in Boston. One of the main reasons why I brought this forward, Madam President, and all of my colleagues, is because when nonprofits are renting from a private owner, the private owner requires them to pay a certain amount of the property tax. And this is exactly what that addresses. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councillor Culpepper. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Flynn? Councillor Murphy? Councillor Worrell? Councillor Louisianne? Councillor Fitzgerald? And please add the chair. Councillor Mejia, Councillor Pepin, and Councillor Santana. Docket 1715 will be referred to the Committee on Government Operations. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1716?

Docket number 1716. Councillors Webber and Fitzgerald offer the following. Order for a hearing to discuss the findings of the State Inspector General's report on Boston Public Schools' procurements, contracts, and payments and plans to improve fiscal management practices going forward.

The Chair recognises Councillor Webber, the Chair of Ways and Means. Councillor, you have the floor.

Councillor Webber Thank you very much, Madam President. First, I seek to suspend the rules and add Councillor Mejia as the third original co-sponsor.

Seeing and hearing no objection, Councillor Mejia is so added.

Okay, thank you very much. Anyone who's read the Inspector General's report released on August 26th should have deep concerns about what is going on at BPS. In reviewing BPS practices between 2019 to 2024, the Inspector General found violations of state procurement law lacks oversight and practices that seem to amount to billing fraud. The Inspector General found that $857,000 in public funds were spent improperly or in violation of municipal procurement law. including wasteful contractor markups and excessive shipping costs. There are other concerning details. The city's Finance Commission had alerted BPS to some of these practices in May of 2023, The report exposed a $24,000 markup that BPS paid to a contractor in exchange for submitting a pass-through invoice. In an interview with the Inspector General, BPS officials stated that they had conducted an internal investigation after receiving the Finance Commission's 2023 report and identified no other pass-through invoices. The Inspector General's report, however, seems to contain clear evidence that there are many other instances of wasteful pass-through payments. So the question has to be asked, was BPS guilty of lax oversight, or was BPS not being forthcoming in its discussions with the Inspector General? The Inspector General report says that his investigation was not exhaustive, and his report leaves a lot of other questions to be answered. Are any of the practices discussed in the report continuing today? Were the procurement practices that gave rise to the report used in other departments of BPS? What steps has BPS taken since 2024 to recover improperly paid out funds? What steps have been taken to ensure that practices like paying a contractor a markup for serving as a pastor or paying predatory looking shipping fees for books do not surface again? These are questions that are properly posed at a public hearing. But also, I would say context is important between 2019 and 2024. Under the tenure of three different BPS superintendents and two mayors, $857,000 were wasted out of $8 billion spent. While some of that money, as the Inspector General report points out, was spent wastefully on, for example, pass-through or high shipping charges, some of it was paid to vendors with valid contracts who perform necessary services for BPS at the appropriate rate. But no misspent city dollars should be overlooked and given, as my colleagues so articulately explained in support of their home rule petition, given that BPS receives such a large portion of the city's operating capital budgets, we have an even greater responsibility as a body to investigate both what led to these issues and what steps are being taken to prevent them from happening again. Our goal in this hearing is to ensure BPS funds are managed responsibly and that resources intended for Boston students are being used effectively. Moreover, we must make clear that the competitive bidding requirements of state law are not simply suggestions. They are safeguards against wasteful spending and to make sure all city agencies comply with them. So thank you very much.

Thank you, Councillor Webber. The chair recognizes Councillor Fitzgerald. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you Madam President and thank you to Council Weber for adding me as a co-sponsor here. Just to reiterate some of those points, it's our fiduciary responsibility to make sure every taxpayer dollar is spent appropriately. And as chair of the post audit, where I believe this should reside, I look forward to asking those questions. And I believe the council does have that right. And so we want to show that there's transparency in this process and in the Boston public school process. And so looking forward to asking some of those tough questions and making sure we can figure out what needs to be corrected. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Fitzgerald. The chair recognizes Councillor Mejia. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. And I want to thank Councillor Webber and Councillor Fitzgerald for adding me to this hearing order and as the previous chair of the post audit, I am going to go on the record and advocate that it goes to your committee as well, considering all the work that I tried to do in my last few terms regarding all things that deal with the Inspector General. In fact, our office a few years ago led the initiative to establish the Office of the Inspector General here on the municipal level in the city of Boston, but there was really no appetite for that. So it got a little bit watered down, and now it's in the State House. And hopefully nobody goes out there to kill it, because we know what happens at the State House. There's usually a funeral. But when it comes down to this work, I'm really happy that at least this body managed to have some interest and more oversight and accountability as it deals with our budget. So I want to thank my colleagues for their support. at least getting it out of here. So the findings in the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General's report published on August 26 of this year are troubling, especially the misconduct, the violation of the law, weaknesses, the existing processes, and the lack of effective oversight. The OIG discovered approximately $850,000 in waste or misused public funds and stated in the report, the OIG did not perform an exhaustive review across BPS, but it is limited. Look at a handful of BPS contracts identified through complaints, suggestions. This conduct may be more widespread. The OIG likely only scratched the surface of $10 million that the BPS departments examined in these investigations, spending on supplies and service contracts every year. Knowing that at least $850,000 and likely more was wasted raises concerns, especially every single dollar matters to our students, educators, and communities. These funds could have been spent to support BPS. Boston residents deserve transparency about the use of their tax dollars. Public dollars must be used responsibly and effectively. The report also highlights the lack of adequate responses following concerns by the Finance Commission in 2023 and 2024, which demonstrates the need for stronger accountability, greater transparency, and meaningful independent oversight. And I'm looking forward to this hearing so that our body can carry out its duty to ensure public funds and assets are managed responsibly and effectively by reviewing this report. I know my time was up, but I do appreciate the excess time. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Mejia.

Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Flynn, Councillor Louisiane, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Santana, Councillor Worrell, and please add the chair. Docket 1716 will be referred to the committee on post-audit. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1717?

Docket 1717. Councillor Flynn offered the following. Order for a hearing to discuss San Francisco's reduced affordable housing requirements and inclusionary housing program to address the housing crisis.

Chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The City of Boston's Inclusionary Development Policy aims to create more affordable housing options in requiring income-restricted units within a new building, creation of income-restricted units at a location near the building, contributions to be made to the IDP fund, used by the city to fund the creation of affordable housing across Boston. IDP applies to market rate housing developments that are in need of zoning relief at the BPDA Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals. In 2022, the City of Boston increased IDP in affordable housing requirements from 13% to 17%, with an additional 3% set aside for Section 8 vouchers. This policy change took effect in October 2024. In June 2025, it was reported that Boston trailed 16 peer cities in multi-family construction. Housing production has fallen significantly here in Boston from 98 units approved in 2020, to the two lowest years for new housing permits issued in 2011, with 2023 and 2024 both under 2,400 units. The last three years have reportedly been the lowest for new development in the city of Boston since the Great Recession. I was at a meeting last night with Reverend Culpepper and Council Fitzgerald in the south end. Sheila Dillon was talking exactly about this subject. San Francisco faces similar challenges as Boston, where post-pandemic inflation, high interest rates, increased construction costs, tariffs have exasperated the housing crisis and economic development. On July 2026, with housing production nowhere near the pace required to keep up with the demand, the City of San Francisco, their Board of Supervisors, voted 9-2 to cut inclusionary on-site affordable units requirements from 15% similar to Boston, to 5%, with the exception for a certain district, Mission District, which was cut from 17% to 8%. Moreover, affordable housing requirements were eliminated completely for a new development under 25 units. Facing strong economic headwinds, housing developers and activists in San Francisco formed a coalition to tackle the housing crisis. I'm not saying that we need to go back to 5%, But I'm saying let's work with the number we have, reduce it. So we're able to build affordable housing. We're able to move housing into the next phase. There's a lot of approved housing that's just not getting built. We need to build housing in this city. And when we build housing in the city, it will increase affordable units. But having the 17% plus three is impacting. the ability of developers to get their project off the ground. This might be one tool to study San Francisco and see if Boston can make similar recommendations. Again, this would be temporary, but we need to think outside the box, learn from other progressive cities like San Francisco, and see how we can get more housing built in the city of Boston. Madam Chair, thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Murphy. Thank you. Docket 1717 will be referred to the Committee on Housing and Community Development. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1718?

Docket 1718. Councillor Culpepper offered the following. Order regarding a text amendment to the Boston Zoning Code to prohibit data centres in all zoning districts.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. The Chair recognizes Councillor Culpepper. You have the floor.

Madam President, I would like to add Councillor Orrell as the second original co-sponsor.

Councillor Orrell is so added.

Thank you, Madam President. As data centers continue to expand across Massachusetts and the country, I believe Boston needs to decide proactively whether this is a land use, that makes sense for our city rather than waiting until a major proposal is already before us. Data centers can place significant demands on electricity, water, sewer, infrastructure, and the electrical grid while requiring substantial amounts of land. Boston is already an incredibly dense city with limited land and significant infrastructure needs. We should be prioritizing that limited space and capacity for housing, jobs, community development, and other uses that provide more direct benefit to our residents. This issue has become particularly timely following Governor Healey's recently executive order establishing additional requirements for large data centers and recognizing the importance of local approval. Municipalities have the most important role in determining whether these facilities are compatible with their land use and infrastructure needs. That is why this amendment takes a clear approach. It defines data centers in the zoning code and makes them a forbidden use citywide while protecting ordinary server rooms and computing infrastructure that are necessary to businesses, research institutions, educational facilities and other lawful uses. Boston's density, scarcity of developable land and existing demands on our infrastructure make large scale data centers incompatible with the direction we should be taken as a city. This amendment gives us an opportunity to establish that policy now and ensure our limited land and resources continue to serve the broader needs of the residents of Boston. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councillor Culpepper. The chair recognizes Councillor Worrell. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you to Councillor Culpepper for adding me as an original co-sponsor. As Councillor Culpepper said, this hearing order or ordinance comes at a perfect time as we're seeing communities being bombarded by interest to place data centers in their neighborhoods. We have seen the impacts these centers have, air pollution, a strain on our water sources, a strain on our city's energy grid, and we do not need unregulated entities taking over our neighborhood. A zone and review can examine how we can ensure our neighborhoods are not carrying the burden that these data centers bring. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Worrell. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Coletta Zapata, Councillor Durkan, Councillor Louise Yen, Councillor Meheia, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Santana, Councillor Webber, and please add the Chair. Yes, thank you. Docket 1718 will be referred to the Committee on Planning, Development and Transportation. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1719?

Dock number 1719, Councillor Flynn offered the following. Order requesting certain information in the section 17F regarding voter registration and election day voting procedures in the City of Boston.

Chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Simple 17F request. The City of Boston Election Department is currently under state receivership after failing to have sufficient ballots across the city. in one of the most important elections of our lifetime, the 2024 presidential election. I believe we need to stay on top of this issue because it's a basic city services, it's about making sure everyone has access to voting, implementing immediate changes to ensure every vote counts. The city of Boston should prioritize critical community needs, these types of quality of life issues, and the ability to administer basic city services. But it must be clear and ensure that it's easy and accessible for residents to vote, including residents living in public housing, our seniors, persons with disabilities as well. Implementing an effective, transparent, and fair election process is the responsibility of the City of Boston Election Department. And I'm requesting this information so I can study the data to ensure that we provide every resident the opportunity to vote that's eligible.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This is 1719. 17F. 17F. All in favour? Councillor Flynn seeks suspension of the rules and passage of Docket 1719. All in favour say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on 1719?

Councillor Brayton.

No.

Councillor Brayton, no. Councillor Colletta-Zapata.

No.

Councillor Colletta-Zapata, no. Councillor Culpepper. Present. Councillor Culpepper, present. Councillor Durkan. Present. Councillor Durkan, present. Councillor Fitzgerald. Yes. Councillor Fitzgerald, yes. Councillor Flynn.

Yes.

Councillor Flynn, yes. Councillor Lujan.

No.

Councillor Lujan, no. Councillor Mehear. Present. Councillor Mehear, present. Councillor Murphy? Yes. Councillor Murphy, yes. Councillor Pepin? No. Councillor Pepin, no. Councillor Santana? Present. Councillor Santana, present. Councillor Webber?

No.

Councillor Webber, no. Councillor Worrell?

Yes.

Councillor Worrell, yes. I'm in the middle of a roll call.

You can finish, Councillor.

Councillor Murphy, you have the floor.

I mean, I did the math in my head, so I just want to raise a concern that had I not called for a vote, that— Is this a point of order?

I'm in the middle of— No, this is not a point of order.

Is this a point of order? No, this is not a point of order.

Let the man finish his roll call. I have to finish the roll call.

Mr. Clerk, could you please continue? Mr. Clerk, please continue.

So docket number 1719 has received one, two, three, four, five votes in the negative, four votes in the affirmative, and four votes present. It fails.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Docket 1719 has not passed. Point of order. Please, no side talk, please. Councillor Flynn.

Madam Chair, just a quick question to you. Is it easier for the body if instead of doing a 17F for me going forward, is it easier to do a freedom of information? Does that make the process easier for my colleagues so that they don't have to take a vote where it's just, if I just do a freedom of information, it doesn't have any impact on the city council and I can just request relevant information that way instead of

That's the prerogative of any citizen to do that. Yeah.

Yeah, but it might be easier for this body if we kind of get rid of, if we go away from 17F and new freedom of information.

Councillor Flynn, we're not. Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I'd like to move on. Councillor Mehia, you have the floor just for a brief, and then we're moving on. No, I'm going to. Thank you. Councillor Murphy.

Thank you. And maybe I didn't hear well, but when we asked all those in favour and then all those, did anyone say they were against? I didn't hear it. So it was about to pass. So I'm just asking a procedural question to the Clerk or to you, Madam President. If I had not said, doubt the vote, and we went around roll call, it was about to pass. It will pass next week. It's a 17F. It will go through and we'll get the answers eventually. But if someone could please speak to that, if not, if we could take a brief recess, because that's concerning to me. I know the procedure, but nobody did say, so what were you going to do as the President?

No, I ask all those in favour say aye. Then I ask, I make it deliberate, I am required to say all those opposed say nay. And before I finish that sentence, somebody says doubt the vote. Usually somebody says doubt the vote. So then I have to go to the clerk and ask him to take a roll call. This conversation is over. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1720?

Docket number 1720. Councillors Flynn and Santana offer the following resolution endorsing a financial literacy graduation requirement for Boston Public Schools.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, may I suspend the rules and add Councillor Mejia?

Councillor Mejia as a third co-sponsor? Yes. Seeing and hearing no objections, Councillor Mejia is added as a third.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Financial literacy is a critical skill that helps manage day-to-day finances, learn how to budget, research financial goals. Basic financial concepts at a young age can help prepare our students as they transition into adulthood, equip them with the knowledge to make better personal financial decisions. While 70% of Massachusetts schools offer some electives in financial literacies, most students graduate with little to no knowledge of the fundamentals of budgeting, savings, investing, maintaining good credit. In 2015, our colleague State Treasurer Deb Goldberg established the Office of Economic Empowerment and created the Massachusetts Financial Literacy Task Force to study the access to financial education among K-12 students, college students, and adults. We offer a variety of programs, webinars, fairs, grants to educate young people, women, family, veterans, and older adults with financial literacy. We also need to do what we can to help our kids prepare for the real world after high school and college. It's critical we provide them with an understanding of the demands of being an adult as well as knowledge of basic financial tools they need to succeed, including a monthly budget in cost of living expenses, the importance of savings for retirement at an early age, or even college savings down the road when they become parents themselves. This is an issue I've worked on, not just on the city council, but I taught this class when I was in the Navy to younger people about the importance of financial literacy. We had a lot of challenges with young people that signed up to join the Navy and then they, for example, they would go out and buy a brand new car and their credit would be hurt because they really had no means to pay for a brand new car and they didn't know anything about the down payment, they didn't know anything about the about the monthly payment fees. They didn't know anything about the insurance and the rates. And it did impact them for a long period of time, especially when they wanted to buy a home. So I'm just trying to do what I can to ensure that young people in the city of Boston have this critical tool so that they can hopefully buy a home, and create generational wealth. I think that's critically needed, especially in communities of color across the city of Boston. Madam Chair, thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Chair recognizes Councillor Santana. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President, and I want to thank my colleague, Councillor Flynn, for including me in this. I'm proud to join Councillor Flynn and Councillor Mejia and co-sponsoring this resolution, financial literacy is a skill that is necessary for navigating our world, but it's still not required to be taught in our schools. By establishing a comprehensive financial literacy requirement for all students enrolled in Boston Public Schools, We are preparing them to tackle whatever comes next and thrive in today's rapidly shifting economy. We already know this model works. Since expanding in 2024, BPS targeted financial literacy initiatives have partnered with 11 organizations and empowered nearly 1,000 students across our district. but financial education shouldn't depend on zip code or a pilot program. It must be a guaranteed right for every single student at BPS. By establishing a comprehensive financial literacy requirement across Boston Public Schools, we are investing in equity, closing generational wealth gaps, and ensuring that our graduates leave our halls ready to thrive. I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this resolution today. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Santana. The Chair recognizes Councillor Mejia. Councillor Mejia, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I want to thank my colleagues for adding me to this resolution. Financial literacy is an essential life skill that all people need. However, at BPS, we do not equip our students with it, despite the need to understand budgeting, financial decisions, taxes, credit scores. savings, planning for retirement, and so much more. Empowering our youth for financial literacy will meaningfully change their lives. The difference between having these skills and lacking them could be buying a house, building good credit, managing debt, and their overall ability to implement best practices when it comes to personal and business finances. This resolution also calls for a trauma-informed and culturally responsive approach to financial education. Because you know, we're sometimes growing up here in the city of Boston. And as an immigrant, we get funny about money. We don't really talk about it in the home. And I think it's really important for us to think about this from a cultural competency lens. People who grew up in poverty end up staying in poverty because we just don't know how to have a good relationship with wealth. And so financial literacy is no different. and building this kind of graduation requirement into BPS will set our students up for their entire life. And I'll just say, while I was in high school, I had three jobs. I worked at McDonald's, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and a shoe store. And in the evenings, I would even go clean offices with my mom. And if anyone would have taken the time to sit with me and say, buy a house, do this, I probably would be in a very different place in my life financially. The work is really about building generational wealth, but we can't do that when people don't understand their relationship with money. So I think that this is an important resolution. But before I end, I just want to say resolutions are great, but I think, you know, putting pen to paper and turning these into actual policies that we can make happen is definitely the energy that we need in this moment.

Thank you, Councillor Mejia. The Chair recognizes Councillor Murphy. Councillor, you have the floor.

Yes, I know my time in the classroom, but also here on the Council have been advocating for more classes and more training for our students and also all of our residents across city of Boston. I do just want to take the opportunity to thank Steve Whalen and City Kids and I know there's many other nonprofits that is teaches financial literacy at the base and also East Boston High is one of their several schools hoping to expand across all of our BPS schools. So it's important that we continue to support those outside agencies that are trying to fill the gap that BPS has and also advocating that BPS just makes it a requirement. All of our students across the city should be learning this.

Thank you, Councillor Murphy. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Coletta Zapata, Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Louisiane, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pepin, Councillor We're rail, and please add the chair. Councillors Flynn, Santana, and Mejia seek suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1720. All in favor say aye. All opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on docket 1720?

Councillor Brayden.

Yes.

Councillor Brayden, yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata. Yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata, yes. Councillor Culpepper. Yes. Councillor Culpepper, yes. Councillor Durkan. Yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Councilor Flynn, yes. Councilor Flynn, yes. Councilor Lujan, yes. Councilor Lujan, yes. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Pepin, yes. Councilor Pepin, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Weber, yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Councilor Worrell, yes. Dock number 1720 has received, Councilor Weber? Financial literacy. Yes. Councillor Webber, yes. Docket number 1720 has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Docket 1720 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket 1721?

Docket number 1721. Councillor Santana offered the following. Resolution in support of the workers at Encore Boston Harbor.

Chair recognizes Councillor Santana. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, can I please add Councillor Coletta-Sapata as an original co-sponsor to spend the rules and add Councillor Durkan as an original co-sponsor?

Councillor Coletta-Sapata is added as a second and seeing and hearing no objection, Councillor Durkan is added as a third.

I also just want to make it clear that there's a lot of support on the council for my council colleagues. I just want to give a shout out to Councillor Flynn, Councillor Louis-Jean, and many others for their support here. I also want to thank all of our workers who are here who have been patient. I know it's been a long meeting, but this resolution is on behalf of you all. I know you all have been on the front lines right now for the last two weeks. So I'm very proud to stand with my labor siblings and Unite here, Local 26, and Teamsters, Local 25, by introducing this resolution backing the striking workers at Encore Boston Harbor. Their strike is now in its second week. Two weeks into their strike, workers are holding the line for competitive pay, job security, and health care benefits. Boston residents work at businesses throughout the region, including Encore Boston Harbor and Everett, and the working conditions of employees throughout the greater Boston have a direct impact on our residents and regional economy. Everett City Council passed a very similar resolution on Monday night. And so I'd like to invite my fellow councillors to join me in supporting the striking workers at Encore and end with a quote from the Everett Mayor, Robert Rand Campion. Encore wants to call themselves Encore Boston, but they don't want to pay Boston rates. Pay the people. It's time for the Boston City Council to add our voice to this call. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. And I, guys, really want to thank all the workers who are here. Muchas gracias a ustedes who are just continuing to fight for basic needs, I mean, for the basic rights, right? And I want to make sure that you all know that here at the Boston City Council, we are standing with you. I know many of my colleagues have stood in the front lines with you all. And we will continue to fight on your behalf. Thank you so much.

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

Thank you so much, Madam President, and I'm so proud to stand as second co-sponsor alongside Councillor Santana. I want to thank you for your leadership. Local 26, Teamsters, my back is not facing you, but I'm standing shoulder to shoulder with you. I'm sorry, I'm sleep deprived. I'm a point-and-a-half muscle, so that didn't come up the way that I wanted it to, but just know I'm standing shoulder to shoulder with all of you, and I will be there with Joaquin with his headphones. And I look forward to walking the picket line with you shortly. But we know that this issue is important. All of you are our neighbors. You add value to our communities. You strengthen our communities. Your labor has value. And it's about time that your contract reflects that value. We know that wages are not keeping up with the cost of living, rising housing prices here, and so you deserve that, and you deserve so much more. Our message is simple, and we stand with you in that message. One job should be enough. You deserve healthcare. You deserve adequate benefits that reflect the 21st century. And you deserve job security. And we are here to stand with you, not just in the Council, but I will be there with Joaquin over in Everett. Although it is over in Everett, we know that you all contribute to the City of Boston every single day. Thank you so much for everything that you do. We stand with you and will continue to stand with you in this fight. Keep going. Thank you.

Chair recognizes Councillor Durkan. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you so much, Council President Braden. I joined the picket line late one night, but it might have been late one night, but the energy was there. And it's very clear to me that these workers, you might be working in Everett, There might be Chelsea police outside. It might be jurisdictional nonsense. But you are serving the Boston hospitality industry. And it's clear to me that when Encore markets itself as a first class resort, You guys are the ones making it that first class resort and that place that people want to go. So the Boston hospitality industry has the Teamsters and Local 26 to thank for what they're doing. And they deserve a fair contract. And they deserve a fair contract right now. And so I'll be back out there whenever I see you guys out there. And I know you guys have been out there late. There have been drums. There's been excitement. But we need to add our voice to this fight because this is a regional fight. Fight, you are a regional hospitality industry that we love and we cherish. You know, late at night, people are asking like, where next? You guys are, that's where everybody's going next. That's where they're headed to. And having patronized some great restaurants and having been in the hotel, having been to conferences, we know the incredible hospitality that you offer our region and you deserve better. And we're gonna stand with you.

Thank you, Councillor Durkan. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Flynn, Councillor Louisianne, Councillor Mejia, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Webber, Councillor Worrell. And please add the chair. Councillor Santana, Colletta Zapata, and Durkan. Oh, beg your pardon. Madam. You're a madam. I'm a madam. Councillor Mejia. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I think normally we go and ask if anyone wants to speak. I'm not sure if that's changed since.

No, it's not. When there's a vote, you're open.

I just want to make sure I'm not breaking any rules here. No, not at all. But I wanted to get up and to thank you all for being here. I know you've been here all day. And I'm sure you got lots of insight to the business of the people that we, you know, the work that we do here. But I wanted to just say thank you to Unite 26. I always talk about the fact that my mom was a low wage worker and worked at the same food industry at Babson College and was never able to unionize. and they just became a union. And my mom now is 76 years old, and I always used to say that she was too poor to retire. She's still working. And now it's such a great pride that she has that she is part of the family. But they're still fighting for and still negotiating for fair wages. They're still negotiating for better care. So even though we are in a union, I say we even though I'm not, I act like I want to be, but even though she's in a union, there's still a fight. And the fact that you still have to fight for your rights while these fat cats get richer, right, and you just get more work. and nothing in return speaks volumes to the role that we here as city councilors need to play, not just to stand up and say we support you, but to make those phone calls, knock on those doors, and shame people when they're not showing up for working class folks. So just know that you have our support, and I want to thank my colleagues for their leadership in this space and for allowing me to speak. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Mejia. The Chair recognizes Councillor Louis-Jean. You have the floor.

Councillor Louis- Thank you. I just want to thank my colleagues, Councillor Santana, for filing this resolution. I just want to thank all of you. We live in a city where one job should be enough. That should be true not only in Boston, it should be true everywhere. We should continue fighting until that's so. Just know that I will continue showing up at the picket line. My favorite number is Local 26. A number of my family members are a member of this union. so much that we're doing what we can to build working class power in the city. I think Councilor Mejia said it enough, the rich are getting richer, and we need to make sure that we're putting people before profit. Thank you. Thank you.

Councillor Culpepper, Councillor, you have the floor.

Madam President, and to all of my colleagues, I'd be remiss if I didn't stand up and say I'm with you 100%. I'd be remiss if I didn't say that I'm coming out to sandwich you on a picket line Because it is about a fight. And it is about standing up for what's right. And it is about standing up to make sure that you've got enough food on the table to feed your family. I say with you 100%, don't stop until victory is won. And I'll see you on the picket line.

Chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to welcome the workers from Encore that are here with us this afternoon and for being patient. But I do want to acknowledge and let them know that we're going to take a vote in a few minutes on this important matter. And this is about social and economic and racial justice. As far as I'm concerned, it's about the dignity of the worker. and want to let the workers know that they are respected and we value what you do. You help build Boston. You help build our nation. I want to say thank you to Local 26. I also want to say thank you to the Teamsters, Local 25, and Tom Murray, an outstanding job of these two unions working together, fighting for social and economic justice. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Thank you. It's so good to have you all here. I want you to know, I think it's obvious that the City Council stands with you in solidarity. As someone said, one job should be enough. You shouldn't have to struggle so hard to just get by in Boston, in Massachusetts, in the United States, the richest country in the world. So we stand with you. I see a friend over there in the corner. Good to see you, Jamie. And we stand in solidarity with Local 26 and with the Teamsters. So we wish you Godspeed in this fight for a fair contract and good livable wages. So all the best. Would anyone like to add their name? Have we done that? I beg your pardon. Councillor Santana, Coletta Zapata and Durkan seek suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1721. All in favour say aye. All opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on docket 1721? Yes.

Councilor Brayden.

Yes.

Councilor Brayden, yes. Councilor Calata-Zapata. Yes. Councilor Calata-Zapata, yes. Councilor Culpepper. Yes. Councilor Culpepper, yes. Councilor Durkan. Yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald.

Yes.

Councilor Fitzgerald, yes. Councilor Flynn.

Yes.

Councilor Flynn, yes. Councilor Lujan. Yes. Councilor Lujan, yes. Councilor Mejia. Yes. Councilor Mejia, yes. Councilor Murphy. Yes. Councilor Murphy, yes. Councilor Pippen.

Yes.

Councilor Pippen, yes. Councilor Santana.

Yes.

Councilor Santana, yes. Councilor Weber.

Yes.

Councillor Webber, yes. And Councillor Worrell.

Yes.

Councillor Worrell, yes. Docket number 1721 has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you, everyone. Docket 1721 has been passed, adopted.

Thank you, everyone.

We're on to Mr. Clerk. Please. We'll give our friends a few moments to leave the Chamber. Thank you, Jamie.

Thank you.

Relaxed.

Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1722?

Docket number 1722. Councillor Flynn offered the following. Resolution denouncing hate crimes against the Asian American Pacific Islander community.

Chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, may I add you as an original co-sponsor?

Thank you. I'd be honoured.

Thank you, Madam Chair. On September 2nd, an elderly woman in her late 70s in my district in the south end was a victim of a violent attack where someone pushed her as hard as they could onto the ground. The woman fell and had some bruises and had some issues with her knees. In a wrist and there was blood they took it to they took it to the hospital. My assistant was in the neighborhood Melissa and The woman spoke cantonese thankfully my assistant Melissa was able to work with the police and And with the EMS they did an outstanding job. I Met the woman two days ago at her house in the south end at a BHA development and one of the nicest ladies you could meet in your life. And we had a wonderful opportunity to talk. But we talked about a couple of things. We talked about the incredible role Asian and Asian people have played, have made to the city of Boston, the contributions and sacrifice they have made to the city of Boston. But we also talked about the discrimination that Asian and Asian Americans also feel or victims of as well. And we've seen that in the city of Boston. We've seen it in a lot of places across the country. And I keep thinking about, and I've said this, when the pandemic hit, a lot of people did, and it was racist, but they did blame the Chinese community for COVID-19. because of that in the in the hateful rhetoric coming out of the white house at the time but because of that people almost felt like it was acceptable to harass asian people and we did see hate crimes but we have to acknowledge we have hate crimes in our country to document them to investigate hate crimes against people of color against against Asian people as well, but to ensure that Boston is always a city that welcomes everybody. But when there is an issue, especially a racial issue, we deal with it. We deal with it upfront and we deal with it transparent wise. And if there is a hate crime against a person based on their color of their skin or ethnicity or sexuality. It should be documented and it should be investigated because hate crimes, if they are allowed to continue, makes any city or society less compassionate, less understanding, and you almost lose your soul if you don't address hate crimes. But as a city, I just want us to continue to focus on any hate crime, because they do happen here, and they do happen in America, and we have to acknowledge and address it. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn, and thank you for including me as an original co-sponsor. And thank you for your continued advocacy in elevating this issue over many, many years. All the time I've been on this council, you've been raising this issue I think you referenced the time during the COVID pandemic, and I know in our neighbourhood we have a large population of elders from the Asian community, and even just hearing about these attacks on other members of the Asian community was deterring elders from leaving their retirement building. They were afraid to go out in the street. No one should be afraid to go out in the street. and hate crime is something that festers, it engenders fear and mistrust, and it makes us all less safe at the end of the day. So I am very happy to be included as an original co-sponsor in this, and I hope that we can all support this resolution. Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Would anyone else like to speak? Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Coletta Zapata, Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Louisiane, Councillor Mejia, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Santana, Councillor Webber and Councillor Worrell. Councillors Flynn and Braden seek suspension of the rules and adoption of Docket 1722. All in favour say aye. All opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on docket 1722?

Council of Braden. Yes. Council of Braden. Yes. Council of Caleta-Zapata. Yes. Council of Caleta-Zapata. Yes. Council of Culpeper. Yes. Council of Culpeper. Yes. Council of Durkan. Yes. Council of Durkan. Yes. Council of Fitzgerald. Yes. Council of Fitzgerald. Yes. Council of Flynn.

Yes.

Council of Flynn. Yes. Council of Lugien. Yes. Council of Lugien. Yes. Council of Mejia. Yes. Council of Mejia. Yes. Council of Murphy. Yes. Council of Murphy. Yes. Council of Pepin. Councillor Penn, yes. Councillor Santana, yes. Councillor Weber, yes. Councillor Weber, yes. And Councillor Orrell, yes. Councillor Orrell, yes. Docket number 1722 has received a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Docket 1722 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1723?

Docket number 1723. Councillor Flynn offered the following. Resolution calling upon the administration to honor its commitments to the People's Academy Inc. and ensure transparency and equity in the city's treatment of a Roxbury-based workforce development organization.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, may I add Councillor Culpepper as an original co-sponsor?

Councillor Culpepper so added.

And before I begin, I do want to apologize to my councilors. I could have handled this better, more professionally, in a more transparent manner. And I especially want to acknowledge my shortcomings and apologize for not doing what I should have done on this. But let me continue. The People's Academy is a Boston-based nonprofit organization committed to creating pathways to economic opportunity for Boston residents through education, pre-apprenticeship training, workforce development and training, and the skilled construction trades, including the preservation, restoration of historic exterior copper and other metal works. I've been at this academy dozens of times over the last over the last, I don't know, eight years. It submitted a development proposal, a complicated proposal that's been going through the system for a number of years. They participated in the city's public developer presentation process and was tentatively designated by the Public Facilities Commission as a developer. I believe the city has an obligation to work closely with the People's Academy to administer and ensure that we come to a conclusion, we come to a decision where the People's Academy is heard and respected. I think that's what they're looking for, and that's what I've been active in supporting them for, I don't know, eight or nine years. But I do want to acknowledge Team Michael Thomas that is here right now, that is present, who has been a leader in the city on helping people of color especially get into various types of workforce development and training. And I've seen the program. I've seen the work he does. And he's trying his best, like all of us. Investment in workforce development can strengthen Boston's tax base. It can reduce dependence on public assistance, expand economic opportunity, support home ownership, strengthen families, improve neighborhood stability, provide positive alternatives of residents who might otherwise face underemployment. So I think this is an opportunity for us to come together to support the work of the People's Academy And to maybe give them a little bit of encouragement that the City Council stands with them. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. The Chair recognizes Councillor Culpepper. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Councillor Flynn, for adding me as an original co-sponsor. People's Academy has worked for years to build a permanent home in Roxbury where residents can receive training in the skilled trades and pursue careers that offer stability and opportunity. The city tentatively designated the People's Academy as the developer of the Quincy and Warren Street properties in 2020. Six years later, the organization and the community deserve a clear account of where the project stands and what remains to be done. This resolution asks the administration to provide that clarity, a written path and timetable for the proposed property conveyance, a review of the People's Academy claims concerning linkage funds, and an accounting of the ARPA funds associated with the project. It also calls for the city departments to meet directly with the organization and its development partners so everyone understands the outstanding approvals, the financing milestones, and responsibilities. Those requests do not presume the outcome of any legal or financial review. They ask the city to explain its decision, account for public resources, and give a community organization that has invested years in a project that is a timely answer. With the current extension reaching September 26, that answer is especially urgent. Thank you, Madam President.

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

Thank you, Madam President. And I want to thank my colleagues for bringing this resolution forward. And I also want to acknowledge T. Michael, who has been a persistent advocate here in regards to this issue. Even before I ran for office, you were pounding the pavement and really working hard at making sure that we created space For a workforce development initiative. That's really going to like you always like to say trades Not triggers and so especially given all the violence that we see here in the city of Boston and all the things that happen in and around this community This is the people's land and it should be the people's Academy And so I really do want to acknowledge that you have been incredibly patient with us from your emails to DMing us on Instagram and trying to clap back on us when we post something on Instagram and yelling at me for things that I did not do. But I always take accountability because I am one of 13. And therefore, I understand the role that I play in making sure that we're advocating for you. And I know that then-counselor Baker was a big advocate on your behalf on this council in regards to your efforts. And I just want to just rise and apologize. for everything that you have been through to get here. And just want to thank you for your persistence. And I also want to acknowledge how many people showed up for you and stayed here all day just to support you in this quest. And it goes to show how important it is for people to show up for each other, especially in these moments and in this time that we're dealing with. And so I just want to thank you and your entire entourage Because you always send people after us. I know because I'm the receiving end of it So I just want to thank everybody who's always advocating on your behalf Thank you.

Thank you. Councilman here. The chair recognizes concert Murphy comes through you have the floor.

Thank you Thank you To Michael Thomas for being here today, but it has been said but you have been here for years and despite not having the answers I think you deserve You continue to train and prepare our youth. It's not like you've been waiting for a handout in any way. You continue to show up for the children. We earlier talked about financial literacy. We always talk about workforce development here and the need for our BPS OUR SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS GRADUATE WITH SKILLS THAT WILL GIVE THEM THE JOBS THEY NEED. WE JUST PASSED A RESOLUTION FOR WORKERS WHO HAVE A JOB ALREADY BUT ARE ON STRIKE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT MAKING ENOUGH MONEY AND MAYBE DON'T HAVE OPTIONS TO GO OTHER PLACES. SO WHAT YOU PROVIDE FOR PEOPLE, MANY PEOPLE I THINK UNDERESTIMATE THAT. THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP. THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN YOU WHO CONTINUE. Good things don't happen quickly. Patience is a virtue. We all, myself included, sometimes want things to happen sooner. But know that despite what happens, I know you will continue to show up and I'll be beside you. So thank you.

Chair recognizes Councillor Santana. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I want to thank the fighters for fighting this. And I just want to rise today because I know Team Michael likes things on the record, right? So I had the opportunity to go and visit right before I was actually in office. And as you all know, I've been someone who's been always fighting for our youth. And our youth is my number one priority. And because of that, there's no way that I can't support the work that you're doing, especially for our black men here in the city of Boston. So I just want to rise. and I'm going to be supporting this resolution today. I appreciate the work that you do, T. Michael, on behalf of our Boston youth, and again, really appreciate the filers for filing this. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Chair recognizes Councillor Fitzgerald. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I just want to rise in support of T. Michael and his People's Academy as well. I have gone and visited the Academy in his house and seen the things that not just the space he's created, but also the things he's made out of the materials, copper and the like, and to show the skills he's training our youth for, giving them an outlet, giving them something to do, but also giving them the skills needed to succeed at a future job. It's important. It would be great to see him have the proper space to accommodate the work that he's doing for our kids so he could really grow out what he's trying to do. So thank you very much, Team Michael.

Thank you. Chair recognizes Councillor Pepin. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I just wanted to rise and show support as well. I remember that before I was a city councillor, I was able to visit People's Academy, and that was when I was working with Congressman Joe Kennedy, and we were able to get a tour of the whole site, and we were able to actually... I think he made a bracelet that day with the material and just learned what your trade's about. And I also know that Fabian De Pisa is probably watching this somewhere, and he calls me a lot about this. So I wanted to show my support, and we'll be voting yes on this. Thank you.

Chair recognizes Councillor Worrell. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you to Councillor Flynn and Councillor Culpepper for bringing this forward. And every time I run into Team Michael, he's like, you're going to support this thing? You're going to support this? Here I am. I told you I was. I got you. Love your passion. Love your advocacy. Love the work that you do for our young people. And always pushing workforce development in the trades here in the city of Boston. So rising in support. I got you. Looking forward. Yes. on this resolution.

Thank you. Chair recognizes Councillor Lugia. And Councillor, you have the floor.

Looks like we've all been out and visited you at your home and seen the incredible work that you do and your vision. So just wanted to rise in support. And you know that I've been having conversations to try to see what we can do to resolve some of these issues. So thank you for what you do in community. And thank you to the community of folks who support. Thank you.

Thank you. I did take the trip to your house. Thank you so much for the invite. I was very impressed with the incredible work that you do out there and the wonderful workforce development training that you're offering. Working with copper, it's a very niche skill. As we try and do historic restoration across the city, there's a demand for those skills. and thank you for your leadership and your vision. I will certainly be voting in support of this resolution and wish you all the best with your endeavours out there at the People's Academy. Thank you. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Colletta Zapata? Everybody's spoken already. Councillor Fitzgerald? Councillor Louisianne? Councillor Mejia? Councillor Murphy? Councillor Pepin? Councillor Santana? Councillor Webber? Councillor Worrell? Please add the chair. Councillor Flynn and Culpepper seek suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1723. All in favour say aye. All opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on docket 1723.

Councillor Braden. Yes. Councillor Braden. Yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata. Yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata. Yes. Councillor Culpepper. Yes. Councillor Culpepper. Yes. Councillor Durkan. Yes. Councillor Fitzgerald.

Yes.

Councillor Fitzgerald, yes. Councillor Flynn, yes. Councillor Flynn, yes. Councillor Louisianne, yes. Councillor Louisianne, yes. Councillor Mejia, yes. Councillor Mejia, yes. Councillor Murphy, yes. Councillor Murphy, yes. Councillor Pepin, yes. Councillor Pepin, yes. Councillor Santana, yes. Councillor Santana, yes. Councillor Webber, yes. Councillor Webber, yes. And Councillor Worrell, yes. Councillor Worrell, yes. Docket number 1723 has received 12 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Docket 1723 has been adopted. And I'm going to ask my Vice President to take the chair.

Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket 1724?

Docket number 1724. Councillor Braden offered the following. Resolution condemning the United States Postal Service's proposal to permanently close the Alston Post Office branch.

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

Thank you, Madam Vice President. For seven years, Alston residents have been without a neighbourhood post office after the former branch on Harvard Ave was forced to close due to structural issues. Since then, roughly 87,000 residents in Alston Brighton have been expected to rely on one post office in Brighton Centre for essential postal services. In June of last year, the USPS provided the city with a final decision in writing informing us that the Alston post office would be re-established and a retail operation would return to Alston for the long term. Now, after years of public engagement and planning, USPS has completely reversed that decision and is moving to permanently close the Alston branch. USPS has stated that there are no suitable alternative locations, despite previously agreeing to occupy a new space on Harvard Ave that was being built out to USPS specifications. This is incredibly frustrating for our community. Residents have waited seven years, participated in the public process and were repeatedly told that their post office was coming back. Alston is one of Boston's densest neighbourhoods and our seniors, immigrant communities, small businesses and other residents should not have to travel to another neighbourhood to access their basic services like the post office boxes, passports, certified mail, money orders and delivery of important medications and government documents. This resolution calls on the USPS to stop the discontinuance process and honour the commitment that it has already made to re-establish a permanent post office in Alston. In our conversations with other municipalities, unions and experts, it is clear that this is a pattern and not limited to Alston. The USPS has been weaponising leases to shutter post office locations without going through the requisite processes. Councillor Durkan will be chairing a hearing on this on next Wednesday, and I hope to see my colleagues there and look forward to this discussion. Alston is not the last local post office that will be closed, so everyone has a stake in this. I know we are particularly concerned in Alston, but this is a preview of coming attractions in other neighbourhoods across the city.

Thank you. Councilor Durkan, you now have the floor. Thank you so much. And thank you so much to Council President Braden for bringing this forward. I look forward to our hearing next Tuesday at 10 AM. A very similar thing happened in Mission Hill around two years ago. We received a notice on the front of the Mission Hill post office, which many residents and business leaders rely on. that they were going to close and that the nearest post office was going to be roxbury which already has long wait times and we were able to work with senator markey to figure out what was happening and reverse course really grateful to senator markey for his team's work on this but what we found out in the hearings we've had since is that it's very clear that the post office is doing this all around the country. And they think that we are going to not put up a fight. And I never talk about my one precinct of Alston, but my one precinct of Alston up to Babcock Street as the other Alston elected official. Alston needs a post office. It's ridiculous that USPS is doing this. I'm excited for the hearing. I'm thrilled that residents are stepping up and saying enough is enough and they deserve a post office. I'm grateful to Council President Braden's leadership on this. We all need to band together. I hope to see folks at the hearing next week in the pilot committee.

Thank you, Councillor Durkan. Councillor Flynn, you now have the floor.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Please add my name. I also want to acknowledge Councillor Braden's, Council President Braden's positive leadership on this issue. I was talking to a mutual friend the other day, Al and Tony Desodoro, and they said to me, Ed, make sure you support Council President's proposal. I said, I'm definitely going to support it. And they said, make sure you go to the hearing as well. And I said, I'll be at the hearing as well, but I know there's a lot of support for what you're doing in your community, Councilor Braden, and The residents there are lucky to have a strong leader like you. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Would anyone else like to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Flynn, Councillor Louisianne, Councillor Mejia, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Santana, Councillor Weber, and Councillor Whelan. Please add the chair. Council President Braden seeks suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1724. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Thank you. Docket 1724 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket 1725?

Docket number 1725. Councilor Braden offer the following. Resolution in support of mail-in voting.

Thank you. The Chair recognises Councillor President Braden. Councillor, you now have the floor.

Thank you Madam Chair.

I would also like to add Councillor Mejia as a second co-sponsor and suspend the rules and add Councillor Louis-Jean as a third original co-sponsor.

Seeing and hearing no objections, Councillor Mejia is added as a second and Councillor Louis-Jean as a third.

Mail-in voting is an important part of making our elections accessible to all of Boston residents, especially our seniors. people with disabilities, working families, students and anyone else who may have difficulty voting in person. Massachusetts law protects the right to vote by mail, and Boston has invested significant resources into ensuring that mail-in ballot voting is administered securely and efficiently. This has been done in the face of significant meddling from the Trump administration. Earlier this month, Attorney General Andrea Campbell secured a court order blocking a new USPS rule that would have resulted in lawful mail-in ballots being rejected based solely on a barcode placed on an envelope. and just this week the Supreme Court rejected Trump's restrictions on mail-in voting. For this reason, it is important that this body affirm the value of voting by mail, giving residents confidence that a ballot they properly cast will be counted. This resolution reaffirms our support for mail-in voting and for protecting every lawful way that Boston residents can participate in our elections, whether that be by mail, through early voting or at the polls on election day. I look forward to continuing our work to make sure that every eligible Boston resident can participate in our elections confidently and without unnecessary barriers. We are, what is it, 45 days away from midterms, and this is a hugely important issue. There's a lot of misinformation about how we should go about voting, but this is important to reassure our residents that mail-in voting is here and it's trustworthy, and important to preserve. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor President Braden. Councillor Mejia, you now have the floor. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Sorry. For adding me to this resolution, all of us are well aware of the attack on democracy at the federal level, and mail-in voting is another example of this. The United States Postal Service attempted to implement a rule that will have required the rejection of mail-in ballots based solely on the presence of a barcode on an envelope. This does not align with Massachusetts election law and could significantly disenfranchise voters. Attorney General Campbell did secure a court order blocking the implementation, which we are grateful for. Mail-in voting is essential to our democracy because it ensures accessibility, requiring people to come to a polling location in person, either for early voting or on election day, limits accessibility. Whether it's physically inaccessible spaces, mobility issues, a lack of transportation, work and or caregiving hours overlapping with voting hours, the inability to continue waiting if there is a line over stimulation or discomfort with being in this kind of public space, traveling during election or anything else, there are a variety of reasons why mail-in voting is an important and lawful alternatives to voting in person. And so we must fight with this disinformation around mail-in voting and affirm this body's belief in the importance of secure mailing voting. People in the city with a rich history of advancing democracy in Boston needs to understand that this is another chapter in that story for us. And as someone who won by one vote, y'all, you know, every single vote matters no matter how we get it. Well, no, we do matter. It doesn't matter how we get it, but, you know, mail-in ballot should always be a viable option to do just that. Thank you.

Thank you, Council Mejia. Council Louis-Jean.

You now have the floor.

Thank you, Madam. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to Councilor Braden for filing this. I said this before, I'll say it again. It is incredibly important that we are doing everything we can to expand access to the ballot, to enfranchise as many people as we can. And mail-in voting is one of those ways. It's an accessibility issue. It's important that yesterday was National Voter Registration Day, where we highlight and try to make sure that we are making sure people know about their ability to vote, your ability to vote here. as long as you aren't incarcerated for a felony in the moment that you are released from incarceration that you're able to vote. So everything that we can do on the city level and at the state level to expand access to the ballot, to make it easier for people to vote, whether those people who are folks who are disabled, differently abled, handicapped, whether those are people who are juggling several jobs, parents who have a difficult time voting, or maybe you'll just be out of the country or you'll just be traveling. And so expanding access to mail-in voting is important. Expanding access to all forms of voting is important, especially now when we have a federal government administration that seems just so focused on disenfranchising folks, all sorts of folks, but especially people of color, especially those who are disabled or differently abled, especially those who are transient. And so mail-in voting is important. And we need to make sure that at the local level that we are doing everything we can not to adopt the ways of what's happening at the federal level to push back and make sure that we are expanding the right to vote and the ability of regular people to access it. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Lejeune. Councillor Flynn, you now have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I support this proposal. I also want to acknowledge how important this is for persons with disabilities, ensuring that their vote is counted, that their vote does matter. It's also important for people serving overseas in the US military. It happened to me before when I requested a ballot, and I was in a small country called Bahrain. And when they sent the ballot to me, I moved from Bahrain up towards the coast, towards the Iraqi oil platform. And I couldn't vote because the ballot wasn't available to me due to logistic issues. But I still know it's important that mail-in ballots are critical, are crucial for people that have difficult time or impossible time to get to the actual voting booth. such as persons with disabilities, such as our seniors, other people that might work different work shifts. But voting is a federal issue, it's a civil rights issue, and we need to make sure that every registered voter has the right to cast their vote in a safe and legal system. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Councillor Murphy, you now have the floor.

Thank you. I just wanted to highlight also that I think Galvin was predicting close to 60% of the ballots cast were mailed in before Election Day. In every election, we see that more and more people are getting used to it or trusting it. And it was brought up about persons with disabilities, but also our seniors and our veterans. One of the first home rule petitions I filed here on this body and passed was to expand veterans who are deployed the opportunity to vote electronically when it's a municipal. It was already allowed at state elections. But any way we can make sure any of our veterans who are either not in their hometown in another state or deployed overseas is able to cast their vote is very important, especially when we see a recent election was just a couple of votes away. So it's important that everyone's is able to vote and that when we know so many people are mailing them in we need to support this and also just make sure we as a body understand how we can support and move forward working alongside the election department to make sure that everything is done properly seeing it all the way through to when they certify all the votes that come through at every election thank you thank you council murphy would anyone else like to speak on this matter

I'll take a few seconds just to say that I 100% support this. I want to thank Councilor Grading for bringing this forward. This is just another instance of an unlawful action affirmed by the courts by this presidential administration to dismantle democracy piece by piece. And after he's gone, after his administration is done, we're going to have to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. But until then, we have to stay vigilant. This is one small action that we can do to just affirm every American's right to vote, sacred right to vote. But it's already been said we need to make it easier just dismantle as many barriers as we can for folks who want to vote, especially second and third shift workers in my district who work at the airport and who maybe can't make it to the polls on time. But I support this wholeheartedly. Thank you again for bringing it forward. And I think the last thing I want to say is that the president votes by mail because he lives in Florida. Thank you. All right. Mr. Clerk, would anyone like to add their name? Sorry. Please add Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Flynn, Councillor Mejia, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Santana, Councillor Webber, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Worrell, and please add the chair. Councillor President Braden seeks suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1725. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Thank you, docket 1725 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, can you please read docket 1726?

Docket number 1726, Councilor Braden offered the following. Resolution in support of House 1405, Senate 860, an act establishing Medicare for all in Massachusetts.

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

Thank you Madam Chair. I would like to add Councillor Webber as a second and suspend the rules and add Councillor Mahy as a third original co-sponsor.

Seeing and hearing no objections, they are so added.

Healthcare continues to be unaffordable for too many Massachusetts residents. Even people with insurance face rising premiums, deductibles, co-pays, prescription costs and other expenses that can make getting their necessary care very, very difficult. We have a huge number of residents who are underinsured or uninsured. Nurses and healthcare professionals see the consequences of this every day. Patients delay appointments, medications and preventative care because of costs, often needing more serious and expensive treatment later. No one should have to choose between paying their rent, buying groceries or getting the health care or medication they need. House Bill 1405 and Senate Bill 860 would establish a single-payer health care system in Massachusetts that provides comprehensive coverage to residents and eliminates premiums and deductibles. This is also an issue for our health care workforce. Rising private insurance costs put additional pressures on workers and employers and take attention away from wages, working conditions and improvements to patient care. Even as we navigated our budget process this year, one of the big issues was the increasing cost of health care. It caused undue stress on our municipal budget and household budgets across Massachusetts. The council has previously heard from health care professionals, community organisations and policy experts about the impact that gaps in insurance and unaffordable care have on Boston's most vulnerable residents. Access to health care should be based on the care that a person needs, not the amount that they are able to pay. I am proud to support these two pieces of legislation currently on Beacon Hill, and I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting them. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I'd like to thank Madam President for adding me as a co-sponsor on this docket. I'd also like to thank a few of my constituents who have been very active on the Health Care for All group, particularly Bruce Fleischer, who's here, Marge Cohen, Catherine Nash, Martha Kutcher, and Suareba Campbell, who all reached out to my office in the hopes of there being action at the State House to pass these two pieces of legislation. I'll speak for myself, but I think we all got an education during the last budget cycle about how much rising and skyrocketing health care costs, how much of a negative impact they can have. On a city budget, you know, our budget went up around 99 million and about 97 million of that was to pay for rising health care costs. You can imagine the impact is having in households across the state and both for businesses and for families. We can't just sit around and hope that these costs are going to come down in the future. We need to take action. This is a state where we've led on this issue with RomneyCare, and now is a chance for us to lead again with Medicare for All. I know this body passed a resolution in favor of this in 2023. I hope we'll join together and pass this again. Thank you very much, Madam President. Thank you, Vice President, for recognizing me.

Thank you, Councillor Weber. Councillor Mejia, did you want to say a few words? You now have the floor.

Thank you Madam President and Councillor Weber for adding me as an original co-sponsor. Healthcare is a human right and cost should not be a barrier to essential care in Massachusetts and across this country. We have seen significant increases in healthcare costs. across the healthcare sector. Healthcare professionals, unions, and policy experts have testified about the benefits of a single-payer system, such as reducing disparities, increasing preventative care, disconnecting healthcare from employment, and reducing administrative waste, increasing wages, allowing unions to focus on other advocacy, and minimizing employer shifts that cost to their employees. Overall, a single-payer system would improve how Massachusetts delivers health care across the board. We have seen the success of Medicare and Medicaid at all at the federal level and their ability to cover necessary care, prescription costs, health care costs, and keep people properly insured. This is not something radical. It is tried and true. And it is time for us to implement Medicare for All here in Massachusetts. I just want to thank my colleagues on the statehouse For leading this charge, and I look forward to a favorable. Yes on this resolution across the board here Thank you.

Thank you councillor. Mejia councillor.

We Jen you know before thank you I just want to rise in support of this resolution Medicare for all would bring us I Think in line with a lot of other actually like Western countries Scandinavian countries Canada where your healthcare doesn't hinge on whether or not you have employment. I don't think that it's a great way to set up a system. And we've seen it, whether it's with the closure of the Kearney, whether it's with our community health centers and how much difficulty they have staying afloat. Shout out, I think we recently allocated three, about $3.2 million to some of our community health centers. It is not a good way to care for people who have healthcare needs. We have a system that discourages people, really, from maintaining wellness. It's really important, like we said earlier, like I said earlier, putting people before profit. Our healthcare system is so broken. We hear stories all the time by people who are in such significant medical debt, and having a system that really put people and their wellness first is a system that we should adopt. So I just want to thank you. I think, Councillor Braden, you filed this before on this body, and I just wanted to stand in support. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Louis-Jean. Would anyone like to speak on this matter? Does anyone want to add their name? Mr. Clerk, please add Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Louis-Jean, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Culpepper. Council Santana and Council Warren, please add the chair. Aye. Council President Braden seeks suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1726. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Mr. Clerk, would you please conduct a roll call vote on docket 1726?

Councilor Braden. Yes. Councilor Braden, yes. Councilor Colletta-Zapata.

Yes.

Councilor Colletta-Zapata, yes. Councilor Culpepper. Councilor Culpepper, yes. Councilor Durkan. Yes. Councilor Durkan, yes. Councilor Fitzgerald.

Yes.

Council Fitzgerald, yes. Council Flynn. Council Louisian. Yes. Council Louisian, yes. Council Mejia. Yes. Council Mejia, yes. Council Murphy. Yes. Council Murphy, yes. Council Papin. Yes. Council Papin, yes. Council Santana. Yes. Council Santana, yes. Council Weber.

Yes.

Council Weber, yes. And Council Worrell.

Yes.

Council Worrell, yes. Docket number 1726 has received 12 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. Docket 1726 has been adopted.

Thank you. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket 1727?

Docket number 1727. Councillor Flynn, offer the following. Resolution in support of HR 1725. Sergeant Isaac Woodard Jr. and Sergeant Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2025.

Chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just as a way of background, in 1944, President Roosevelt signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, which is basically the GI Bill, into law, providing World War II veterans money for college or trade school, low-cost home and business loans, unemployment pay. 16 million veterans received benefits to assist them to reintegrate into society. While the original bill was race neutral, the administration of benefits resulted in a pattern of discrimination against racial minorities, especially African Americans. More than one million African Americans served in the armed forces. And by 1945, almost 2% of officers in the armed forces were African Americans. VA benefit counselors funneled applications into trade schools, denying them access to educational benefits at certain colleges and universities. Only 6% of African-American veterans of World War II earned a college degree, compared to 19% of white World War II veterans. Here's the issue. Under HR 1725, which was introduced by US Representative Seth Moulton and James Clyburn, Black World War II veterans who can prove that they were denied or prevented benefits under the GI Bill, the original GI Bill, would become eligible for certain VA benefits. It would also extend to living spouses, children, grandchildren, and other direct descendants, including a waiver for the loan fee associated with the VA loan program, access to post-GI Bill educational benefits. The applicants must apply within five years after it's enacted. Beyond access to benefits, it would also authorize the US Secretary of Veterans to establish a down payment assistance program as well. Each individual eligible for home loan or educational assistance must apply, as I mentioned, within five years of the date for the Sergeant Woodward and Sergeant Joe Maddox GI Bill restoration. Yes, it is a controversial piece of proposed legislation because veterans benefits specifically go to veterans or their spouse. This is different because, as I highlighted, black veterans, although they were eligible for VA benefits, they were systematically discriminated against, I should say. And so this opportunity is to provide their grandchildren, basically, an opportunity to get a home loan, to get educational programs. We talk about generational wealth and homeownership in the black community. But if black World War Two veterans had access to a VA home loan, they could have bought a home like other white World War Two veterans. That's that's a generation lost of homeownership in the black community. This would Not totally fix it, but it would be a small way to acknowledge that black veterans played an incredible role in our nation's history, defending our nation, but giving their children and grandchildren some of the benefits that black veterans didn't receive and they should have received. And I think it's an important bill. I don't know how much support there is for it. I do know that Congresswoman Pressley is in support of the proposal because I talked to her about it in person. But I think this is just a small way to recognize black veterans, acknowledge their service, acknowledge the discrimination they felt, they experienced. They can't benefit. personally, but hopefully their grandchildren or children can benefit from it. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Thank you, Councillor Flynn, for your continued advocacy for veterans. I think this is a particularly important issue. You said that this is controversial. This should not be controversial. The fact is that our black veterans, the GIs who served in World War II, were systematically discriminated against, and we're still living with the consequences of that policy in our neighbourhoods and communities of colour even today. So I will certainly be voting in support of this resolution. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Louisianne, Councillor Mejia, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Santana, Councillor Webber, Councillor Worrell, and please add the chair. Councillor Flynn seeks suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1727. All in favor say aye. All opposed say nay. Mr. Clerk, could you please take a roll call vote on docket 1727.

Councillor Braden.

Yes.

Councillor Braden, yes. Councillor Colletta-Zapata. Councillor Culpepper. Yes. Councillor Culpepper, yes. Councillor Durkan. Yes. Councillor Durkan, yes. Councillor Fitzgerald.

Yes.

Councillor Fitzgerald, yes. Councillor Flynn. Councillor Flynn, yes. Councillor Lujan, yes. Councillor Lujan, yes. Councillor Mejia, yes. Councillor Mejia, yes. Councillor Murphy, yes. Councillor Murphy, yes. Councillor Papin, yes. Councillor Papin, yes. Councillor Santana, yes. Councillor Santana, yes. Councillor Webber, yes. Councillor Webber, yes. And Councillor Worrell, yes. Councillor Worrell, yes. Docket number 1727 has received 12 votes in the affirmative.

Thank you. Docket 1727 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1728?

Docket number 1728. Councillor Mejia offered the following. Resolution recognizing April 22nd as Yeni Matos Day in the City of Boston.

Chair recognizes Councillor Mejia. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. It's Yeni Matos Day that we are hoping to pass. and I'd like to add Councillor Santana as an original co-sponsor.

Councillor Santana is so added.

So, Jeannie Matos was an innovative youth worker, community leader, and a social justice warrior. She was also known as Lady Bugs and was an influential force in Boston's dance community and arts and creative sector at large. She was a daughter of JP, But Jeannie was more than just her accomplishments. She was a loving and energetic person who poured into her family, friends, mentees, and community. I am blessed to have had Jeannie in my life as a close personal friend and had the privilege of knowing Jeannie understands the impact that she had on all of us around her. Jeannie worked at the Kroc Center when Annalise was just two years old. And then later was the person who gave my daughter her first job when she was 14. And Jeannie was just that, someone who was always looking out for everyone at all times. Jeannie was a visionary leader who created transformative youth development programs and art programs. And our office presented Jeannie with multiple awards for her work and investment in the City of Boston and its people. And I am grateful that we gave her her flowers while she was still with us. Other organizations, as well as Councillor Santana and others, celebrated Jeannie for her contributions. She was also dedicated to supporting our unhoused youth. And we hope to see the Jeannie Matos Youth House and its program and come to life in honor of her advocacy and life work. Jeannie was born on Earth Day. And it's a day about advocacy and making the world a better place, which speaks to the way Jeannie lived her life. And it is only appropriate to honor her legacy and uplift her life's mission of supporting our youth and community by honoring her on April the 22nd each year. And I have held it together. And I had just spoken to her. She was really excited to go back to work. And my office hosted her young people. one of the first and only offices to say yes when she wanted young people here. And I said, absolutely. And we worked in collaboration on a lot of projects together. And we just have to hold the people that are near us that we love, and whether we love them or not, close to us. because it is not easy to lose a friend, a colleague, and someone who gave so much of herself to this community. So I want to thank the floor lords for showing up the way that they have for her, and my sincere condolences to her family. And thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Mejia. Chair recognizes Councillor Santana. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you to Councilor Mejia for including me on this. I'm deeply heartbroken to hear of the passing of Jeannie Matos. Working alongside Jeannie as a city councilor, I saw someone who didn't just advocate for our city's youth from behind a desk. She was out in the community every single day doing the real work with an open heart, relentless energy, and pure love. As an inaugural member of Santana's CAPE, an incredible pillar at Madison Park Development Corporation, Ginny was a close, irreplaceable partner in supporting Boston's youth. She was especially instrumental with my Santana's youth force, making sure our young people always had a dedicated advocate in their corner. Ginny consistently showed up for them. She believed deeply in their potential and worked tirelessly to ensure that they had a real support and opportunities to thrive. What made Jeannie so unique was how effortlessly she brought people together. She was amazing at breaking the ice, walking into a space with a warm, completely nonjudgmental energy, and made every young person and neighbor feel instantly comfortable, heard, and valued. Everything she did was deeply community-centered. And you couldn't talk about Jeannie without talking about her vibrant spirit, her passion for dance, her lively nature, and the sheer joy she radiated enriched every space she entered. She showed our youth that community work isn't just about fighting for resources. It's about bringing your full, authentic self, celebrating where you come from, and lifting each other up with joy. My deepest prayers and condolences are with the union families and her loved ones and all who knew her. Her legacy lives on, and every youth that she lifted up. And this one just really hit close to me just because if you knew, if you had the honor of knowing Ginny, she was just an amazing, amazing spirit. And we had multiple of her youth working in our office. She showed up for them like no one ever did. And Boston really lost a real one here. And I think as Councilor Mejia mentioned, in the future. I think there needs to be a center. There needs to be something for the work that she's done because she's impacted so many, particularly of our youth here. So my office sends our deepest condolences to her loved ones, her families, and everyone who knew her. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Santana. The chair recognizes Councillor Louis-Jean.

Thank you. I just want to thank Councillors Mejia and Santana for filing this I think they both captured it well. Ginny was such a light. I don't think I ever saw her not smiling and not deeply rooted in trying to connect people, especially young people, to opportunity. My entire office, we were devastated because we just remember her always emailing and texting and saying, making sure that we're showing up, making sure that we're showing up for Madison Park Youth. And I always remember, actually, I didn't know that she was burned on Earth Day. But my vivid memories of her are from Wake Up the Earth Festival, actually. of her dancing, of us dancing, of her sending pictures of me dancing, and it's a loss, and it's a loss for the city, and it's a loss for the young people in the city, and I know that there are many people who are mourning, so I just wanted to give my condolences, continued condolences to her son and to her family, to all of those who lost her life. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Mejia, Councillor Mejia and Councillor Santana. Councillor Louis-Jeanne, would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Flynn, Councillor Louis-Jeanne, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Webber, Councillor Worrell, and please add the chair. Councillors Mejia and Santana seek suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1728. All in favour say aye. Thank you. Thank you. All opposed say nay. Thank you. Docket 1728 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, could you please read 1729?

Docket number 1729. Councillors Louisianne and Mejia offer the following. Resolution recognising September 2026 as Suicide Prevention Month in Boston.

Thank you, Chair recognizes. Councillor Louisiane, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I please add Councillor Durkan as a third original co-sponsor? Seeing and hearing no objections, Councillor Durkan is so added. Thank you, and I'd like to seek suspension and passage of this resolution. September is when we recognize Suicide Prevention Month in the City of Boston and around the country. And while it's a difficult topic, it's a necessary one for us to continue to raise awareness so that fewer people will die by suicide. I believe in 2024, there were 49,000 people across the country who died by suicide. And it's an issue that we continue to grapple with as isolation increases, as loneliness increases, as the ills of social media increase. And so I always think it's important for us to recognize and to share resources Today, this year, September, the day before, on August 31st, a young Haitian man, 20 years old, who was in his local JROTC program, who wanted to become a neurosurgeon, who had graduated high school with flying colors, who wanted to do everything to contribute to this country. On August 31st, the day before Suicide Prevention Month, he threw himself in front of a truck because he had lost his immigration status and was not able to enroll in classes, and he didn't know what he would do. Policy choices that we make lead to people making unfortunate decisions. And my heart is with him and his family. His name is Pierre Damasbel. May his life not be in vain. Last week, a mother in another Midwestern state Pierre Damasbal was in Springfield, Ohio, a location where this president has blasted out lies and racist and xenophobic tropes against the Haitian community there. Last week, another woman in a Midwestern state drank bleach. She was pregnant for the very same reason. She had lost her immigration status and didn't know what she would do. These are very real impacts of policy. when we should be doing everything we can to provide people with the mental health resources they need. I get texts and calls from people here in Boston who tell me that they are thinking about unaliving themselves and their children are really struggling for this very reason. All of this is interconnected. And we know that mental health is is an issue and there's less resources in communities of color, in communities that have been marginalized and excluded. And it's up to us to raise awareness and to make sure that people have access to therapy. Youth Connect was here this morning. It was important that they were talking about the importance of therapy. I'm sorry, I'm just going to go over a little bit more because this is, I want to make sure that people have the resources they need. There are so many resources in the city. I want people to know that there is, you can call or text 988- the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or you can call the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Helpline, 833-773-2445, or Samaritan's, 1-877-870-4673. There's also a Veterans Crisis Line. If you dial 988, then press 1. or text 838255. This past Friday at Stand Down, the city holds annually the New England Center, the New England Home for Veterans talked about how every day about 16, 17 veterans unalive themselves and die by suicide. We need to be meeting people where they are and releasing the stigma and the shame that is attached with talking about mental health and making sure that people understand that just as much as your physical health is important, your mental health is as well. If we had Medicare for all, it would make it much more accessible for our residents. And so I just wanted to make sure that we are commemorating the summer moment, talking about mental health so that people have access to resources. I want to give a big shout out to my chief of staff, her father, Larry Poston, who was with us this past weekend, who served in Vietnam as a Navy veteran and talked about how hard coming home and how hard both him and his grandfather, how they struggled deeply with their mental health. And without the services that I received at the VA, they don't think they would have been here. And so I really am really worried right now about the number of communities and the number of people who are struggling, and may we do everything we can to make sure that they have the resources and know that they are not alone, and know that if you are considering, if you need help, know that you are loved and that there are people here who will hold your hand so that you can see another day. Thank you, and I apologize for going over time.

There's no need to apologize. This is a really, really important conversation that we need to have. Second co-sponsor, Councillor Mejia. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President, and I want to thank Councillor Louisian for adding me to this resolution. It's important for us to recognize Suicide Prevention Month to advance education about the warning signs, reduce the stigma, uplift organizations and the resources that are available, and reassuring people that they're not alone and encouraging them to seek support. You know, my grandfather died by suicide. My cousin who was a veteran died by suicide. I've worked with young people that have died by suicide. I myself am a suicide attempt survivor. So you just never know what people are carrying. And I think that that's one of the reasons why I think now more than ever, we need to start really being more compassionate and caring, full stop, period, and not just in the workplace. But our children need to be a little bit more emotionally intelligent when interacting with their peers. You've seen things on social media and then just the ripple effect that it has on young people. And I just think that as a mother to a 16-year-old, I deeply care about making sure that I don't pass on untreated trauma to my daughter. And so I'm trying to lead by example. And I think that one of the most important things that we can do is to acknowledge that it's okay to not be okay. I think especially in communities of color and people who have grown up in poverty, we have this mentality that we can just keep on keeping on, but it's just not easy to do so. And so people are oftentimes suffering in fear and in isolation and sometimes disappearing from our lives. And so suicide awareness is part of the equation here, and I think, you know, I'll be quick. God, I can't believe we only got four more seconds, but a point of privilege, I'm gonna take a few more seconds just to share this, counselor, is that, you know, when I, I had my own attempts. My mother, who was undocumented at the time, did not take me to the hospital. And I often talk about the story that I grew up believing that my mom did not love me. But my mom did love me. She was just afraid of losing me to the system. And so it wasn't until 2016 that I realized that point, that my mom loved me so much that she never took me to the hospital or ever reported my attempt. because she did not want to lose me. When Councillor Louis-Jean talks about the stigma, the stigma is real. I think it's important for us to recognise that. I want to thank Councillor Louis-Jean for uplifting the many ways that we can support people. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Council President. Thank you to my colleagues, Councillor Louis-Jean and Mejia, for filing this resolution and adding me as a co-sponsor. This is such an important conversation, and suicide is completely preventable. One is too many, and all of us have known someone who has died by suicide. It's incredibly difficult, and it can be very personal and so challenging. But the need to continue having these conversations to raise awareness is so important. We need to reduce stigma, and we need to understand how we can better support each other as a city. We also must be considerate about the language we use while doing so. Suicide is so complex, and it can affect anyone. But certain communities face more risk, including youth and veterans, LGBTQ people, indigenous people, people of color, and those in recovery, and people who have been incarcerated. And it's not lost on me that with enough money, with enough housing, a lot of people who find themselves at the wit's end could be solved by government stepping up and creating a situation where they are housing secure. We talk about it in my office a lot. A lot of the people we hear from in our offices are deeply dealing and struggling with mental health issues. And we need to advocate for adequate resources. As a city, we need to continue doing everything we can to connect residents with mental health, suicide prevention, and crisis response programs. I'm proud to join my colleagues today. To those with suicidal ideations, hang on. We love you. Brighter times are ahead. I know from my family member who is in recovery that a lot of the systems have failed each other, and it's that person who picks up the phone in the middle of the night, not with any formal role, maybe as an AA sponsor, maybe as someone who And so I want to thank those who step up for their community members, whether they have a formal role or not. And I think as a city, we absolutely have to do more to make sure that mental health resources are available to all. I know one of my first hearing orders was about mental health for city workers. so many of our city workers have the weight of the world on them they're doing so much for our city they're and they're you know they're struggling they're they're lifting their families up they're working at night they're working long shifts they're working overtime and we don't acknowledge always the stress that we put city workers under and so i've advocated for more eap resources and i know that that continues to be something that the city council Can unite on but this is an issue that I know every single City Councilor cares about and that's why I think it's so important that we raise awareness here and that we work together Across any political boundaries there may be because this is not a political issue. It's one of the people of Boston It's one of our nation and and I'm grateful to my colleagues for bringing this forward Thank You, mr. Jericho chair recognizes councillor Flynn country.

You have the floor Thank You madam chair and thank you to my colleagues for bringing this forward Forward it's an important discussion. It's important resolution and What I wanted to highlight is the number of Veterans that died by suicide every day At one time it was almost close to 30 a day now. It's just under under 20, maybe 17, maybe 18 But that's why critical access to mental health counseling is so important, not just for veterans and for military families, but for everybody as well. We on this body often advocate for more services for veterans and military families, but that's exactly why we advocate for them, so that they have the right resources the right programs, the right mental health counseling at the right time. We also have to acknowledge that there's a high percentage of women veterans that also die by suicide. Women veterans have unique and different medical and mental health challenges than male veterans. And that's why it's incredibly important to respect women veterans, but also to ensure that they have the right mental health counseling support in medical services, including more women working in the Veterans Affairs in the medical community, providing mental health counseling. So that's something I've dedicated my life to, is ensuring that our returning veterans have access to these critical services because we know we have a crisis on our hands with veterans that died by suicide. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Flynn, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Santana, Councillor Webber, Councillor Worrell, and please add the chair. Councillors Louis-Jean, Mejia and Durkan seek suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1729. All in favour say aye. All opposed say nay. Thank you. Docket 1729 has been adopted. Mr.

Clerk, could you please read docket 1730? Docket number 1730. Councillor Mejia, I offer the following. Resolution recognising September 12, 2026. as Black Joy Day in the City of Boston.

Chair recognizes Consuelo Mejia. Consuelo, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Our office officially recognized Black Joy Day in Boston in 2020 under the leadership of Thaddeus Miles. This day recognizes Black Joy as an important form of healing and creating space to honor the experiences of Black Bostonians. And it's also a chance to reflect on Boston's progress in the work that remains to be, to build a city where everyone can thrive. This resolution and the work, as I mentioned, was inspired by Thaddeus and other black leaders across the city, just to have fun doing the work and uplifting the strength and power of the black community in the times during civil unrest, you know, COVID, the George Floyd, there was just a lot happening at the time when Thaddeus came up with this whole concept. And Black Joy is a dynamic movement, and it serves as an act of resistance. The movement also includes transformative initiatives, including self-care. the spirit of community exploration, and well-being. The Road of Wellness champions a diverse journey towards mental health, physical, and spiritual well-being. Black Joy also acknowledges black innovators in fields that are dominated by non-PLC individuals. With Black Joy Day, we celebrate the resilience, empowerment, and joy in unity of greatness. Just want to thank everyone who has been participating. in all things that deal with Black joy. And I also just want to acknowledge really quick Dr. Gail Crump-Swaby, who my office has been in partnership with since COVID and through her work. We have now two programs running out of BPS. One is at Madison, and the other is it started off at the Burke. And it's a day where we shut down the school. and provide opportunities for young people to just disconnect. So they get to do roller skating, they get their nails done, they get mental health and wellness services. And so it really is an opportunity for us to recognize that joy is part of the wellness journey here. And I think that oftentimes we're just doing, doing, doing, doing. So taking a moment to reflect. And I want to thank BPS because they have now extended this mental health and wellness program. And we are hoping to go to other schools now as part of the movement of bringing joy and mental health and wellness across the city of Boston. So thank you, Dr. Crump-Swaby. Thank you, Thaddeus Miles. And thank you to everyone who understands the importance of joy.

Thank you, Councillor Mejia. Councillor Flynn, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to say thank you to Councillor Mejia for bringing this important resolution forward. I support it, I think it's an incredibly important topic and subject and it's important for us to learn as much as we can and support Black Joy as well. I do want to acknowledge my former colleague who I started out with on the Boston City Councilor, City Councilor Kim Janey, who did a lot of work in this space as well. She later obviously became Mayor of Boston, but I do want to recognize Kim Janey for her incredible work and contributions she has made to Black joy, but also to the City of Boston. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Flynn, Councillor Louisiane, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Santana, Councillor Webber, Councillor O'Reill, and please add the chair. Councillor Mejia seeks suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1730. All in favour say aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Docket 1730 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket 1731.

Docket number 1731. Councillor Mejia offered the following. Resolution recognising Latino Heritage Month in the City of Boston from September 15th to October 15th.

Chair recognizes Councillor Mejia. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. And I would like to add Councillor Pepin as an original co-sponsor. And I'd like to suspend the rules and add Councillor Santana as a third co-sponsor. Councillor Pepin is added as a second.

And seeing and hearing no objections, Councillor Santana is added as a third.

As a proud Dominican and Afro-Latina, it is my honor to once again recognize Latino Heritage Month here in the city of Boston from September the 15th to October the 15th Alongside my council colleagues Latino Heritage Month celebrates the history culture and contributions of the Latino community and its roots go back to the Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 With the expansion to a month-long celebration in 1988 and gaining strength during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. The timing of the celebration aligns with so many independence anniversaries of the Latino countries. Boston is home to the largest Latino community in Massachusetts, which continues to be a growing share of Boston's workforce and community. During Latino Heritage Month, we celebrate the Latino innovators, educators, scientists, artists, workers, entrepreneurs, public servants, agitators, disruptors, in all things, and much more, who have shaped our nation and our city with culture, creativity, and leadership. With this resolution, we are reaffirming diversity as a strength in our city and honoring Latino leaders with their fight for justice. And I want to recognize the Latino community. We know that the month of Hispanic Heritage is the 15th, And if you didn't understand what I said, Google it. Thank you, Councillor Mejia. Would anyone else?

Councillor Pepin and Santana. We'll start with Pepin, who's the second, and then we'll go to Santana. Councillor Pepin, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Councillor Mejia, for adding me as a co-sponsor to this amazing resolution. Hispanic Heritage Month, it's just very important for our community because it's a time for us to really highlight all the contributions and just everything that our people have done, not just in this country, but across the world. And as a proud son of Dominican immigrants, but also having family, people that married into the family from Venezuela, from Colombia, from Puerto Rico, from Mexico, it just shows you that we're all just one family with shared culture, with shared language, with shared story of what we left behind in their home countries to come here and start something new. And I always think about, Juan, Juan Lopez, who, who loves to talk about and that flag that he loves to carry everywhere, but it has a really deep meaning. And instead it's a shared story that that shared brotherhood sisterhood of, of sacrifice of fight of sweat, blood, and tear of working tirelessly every single day in this country to make ourselves feel hurt. And then to make sure that we remember, remind people that it's very much part of the fabric of this country. And I actually got curious. I'm like, why is it that we do it in September? And I did some research. And actually, on September 15th in 1821, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, they all signed the act of independence on that one day to end Spanish rule in Central America. And then today is Mexican Independence Day. And you're going to see a lot of other countries raise their flags in this month because this month is a really prominent month in the Latin culture. So I invite everyone to celebrate what is Latinidad, what is Hispanic Heritage Month, and to attend those flag raisings and to honor all of those who paid so much sacrifice. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Pepin. Chair recognizes Councillor Santana. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I want to thank Councillor Mejia and for including me in this. I am a proud Dominican, I'm proud Latino, and I think both my colleagues said it, so I don't want to read what I have, but we contribute to this city, to this country in so many different ways, and this month we get to be able to celebrate that and uplift that. I think also just under this federal administration, I think it's even more critical to do so as the Latino community has been one of Trump's targets. And I know that I want to do everything that I can to be able to uplift my community, especially during this month. I often think about Juan Lopez, too, when I think about this month and just the education that he provides and the pride that he takes in providing the education to many of us. really to the next generation and the younger people. I also just think about my parents, personally, and just the parents and grandparents of so many others who have just laid out the groundwork for someone like me to be in this position. So I know there's a lot of sacrifices, a lot of sweat, a lot of tears. And I just want to thank them and thank my ancestors who put me in the position to be where I am today. I'm a proud Dominicano, a proud Latino, and I'm looking forward to celebrating this upcoming month. Thank you.

Thank you. Councillor Santana, the Chair recognises I may have missed the order, but Councillor Coletta Zapata and then we'll go to Councillor Durkan.

Thank you so much, Madam President. I want to thank Council Mejia, as always, for bringing this forward and just really grateful for all of our Hispanic and Latino leaders here on the council. I'm honored to represent the beautiful community of East Boston who have who's had thousands of folks come from places like Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and my adopted family through my husband, Columbia. And I often talk about my grandmother, Celia Trujillo, who assimilated and whitewashed herself to be Sally. And she did so so that she could fit in, and that meant abandoning her culture and her language. And that was not something that I grew up with. And I still feel very close to her and close to my Mexican culture and I'm learning my own identity as I move forward, but really now that I have a child in Joaquin and he is part Colombian, I really want to do my best to break the cycles of folks that think that they have to assimilate their self or they have to be less than and they can't live in their authentic self because of some of the regressive and abhorrent attacks that we're seeing from our federal administration against our Hispanic and Latino brothers and sisters. So I'm doing my best in ensuring that future generations are proud to celebrate who they are and doing it with their whole chest and just really doing this for Joaquin. But I want to thank again Councilman Mejia for putting this forward and looking forward to all the celebrations that we have here in the council and in East Boston. Thanks.

Thank you, Councillor Colleta-Zapata. Councillor Durkan, you have the floor.

Thank you so much, Chair. I'm really proud to be the granddaughter of a Spanish immigrant, Juan Torreblanca Ruiz, or in my southern hometown, it was John T. Ruiz. He was both things. He was a proud American and someone who moved here as a teenager, sent money back to his family in Spain. I just remember during the World Cup, my mom was in town, just getting to experience the cultures of Boston, and everyone's so proud of where they came from, and obviously Spain won the World Cup, so not to, you know, not to, but I learned through that. I got to bring my mom's paella recipe to the cabana, at the clubs at Charles River Park, which is a great pool in the West End, and got to share my family's recipe with the West End, which was really, really fun. And I just, I want to thank Juan too, because I, you know, I always like, you know, in a city like Boston, sometimes you wonder how much of yourself you should share. Like, you know, I'm Irish, and I'm Spanish, and there's a lot going, you know. But what I learned from my mom, talking to the Puerto Rican immigrants at Mission Maine is that we're all one culture like we're all one we all have similar recipes and similar conversations and things that we care about and so yeah if you ever need anyone to stump for you in Spanish my mom is the best and But I'm grateful to my colleagues who step forward every day and share their full identity. I think that's so important and as we as we approach this month excited to celebrate and I'm hoping there's some good food involved with everything that we're doing this month. Thank you to Councillor Mejia. You are the first and you are not the last. It's like we are I think this body is one that shares our full selves and our full and I just really appreciate your leadership. Thank you.

Thank you. Chair recognizes Councillor Webber. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you very much. I just want to thank Councillors Mejia, Pepin and Santana for bringing this. As a representative of District 6, my district would not be anywhere near as great as it is without the contributions of I think what Juan would call Hispanidad. First Cubans and Puerto Ricans and now Dominicans have made Hyde Square, Jackson Square, Eggleston Square an amazing place. It was my honor. AS AN ATTORNEY 18 YEARS AGO TO REPRESENT MEXICANS AND GUATEMALANS IN FARM WORKER CASES AGAINST, YOU KNOW, FARMERS WHO WEREN'T PAYING THEIR WORKERS, AND IT'S NOW AN HONOR TO WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, LA CADECA DE EGLISTON SQUARE, ROSANNE RIVERA, AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE FOLKS WHO live, work, own businesses in my district, everything. It's really a pleasure and I can't wait to continue working with them and I really wanna thank my colleagues here on the council and show them that I'm working alongside with them and I look forward to doing more for our community, thank you.

Thank you. Chair recognizes Councillor Louis-Jean. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I was going to speak, but I wanted to just— Councillor Pepin mentioned sort of the Central American countries that celebrate their independence, and this year I went, last year I went. It's always a beautiful celebration on City Hall of countries from Central America that are celebrating that independence. from Spain that you talked about and what it means to really be Latinidad like Juan is always talking about. And to see people from Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua out here celebrating the fullness of who they are. And we're talking about a diverse array of people. We're talking about people who often don't see themselves here in the city or don't have the opportunity for their flags to be really celebrated. And we're talking about black Hondurans. We're talking about black Panamanians. We're talking about people who sometimes are sidelined even within their own identity. And to see them celebrate every year is just so beautiful. And I just wanted to give a big, big shout out to Efrain and his entire team from the Central American Central American Civic Cultural Alliance for putting that event on every year because it is always so beautiful and so powerful to witness. Obviously, there's a lot going on. There's a lot more culture celebrating yesterday. We raised the Mexican flag here. So I just wanted to say happy Latino and Hispanic Heritage Month to everyone. And I hope it's a joyous month of celebrating and being rerouted in the work. Because as Councillor Santana said, there are many communities that are under attack, that are being otherized, that are being made to feel as though they are taking from others when really we have so much to thank them for, for what they've been giving this country.

Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Louis-Jean. The Chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. You have the floor.

Councillor Flynn Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to the sponsors that brought forward this Latino Heritage Month resolution. It's an important document that we acknowledge the incredible contributions and sacrifices Latino community have made, not here, just in Boston, but throughout the country as well. I did want to specifically highlight in my district, I have a large Puerto Rican community in the South End and in South Boston as well. But I do want to recognize the Puerto Rican community and the residents of Villa Victoria, which has a large Puerto Rican community there as well in the South End. It's one of the most diverse and wonderful communities you probably could ever visit in Boston. Such wonderful, wonderful people. But I also highlight the incredible contributions our Puerto Rican veterans have made to our nation as well. We have a wonderful memorial in the heart of the South End where we celebrate the enormous contributions Puerto Rican veterans have made. And during Veterans Day and other times during the year, we have an event to celebrate their contributions. What is unique about the memorial celebrating Puerto Rican veterans is There's also a statue right down the road about Roberto Clemente, who was a United States Marine. But also the sculpture of the Puerto Rican veteran is a man and a woman. And it's celebrating women veterans as well. It's the first time there was a memorial for Puerto Rican veterans in the country. I want to acknowledge my close friend Tony Molina and the committee that did a wonderful job bringing this here. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Thank you. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Coletta Zapata, Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Durkan, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Councillor Louisianne, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Webber, Councillor Worrell, and please add the chair. Councillors Mejia, Pepin and Santana. would seek suspension of the rules of adoption of Docket 1731. All in favor say aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Docket 1731 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1732?

Docket number 1732. Councillor Culpepper offered the following. Resolution declaring September 18th as Ben Swan Day in the City of Boston.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Councillor Culpepper. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Massachusetts state representatives sworn dedicated decades of his life to public service and civil rights. As president of the Greater Springfield branch of the NAACP, he fought for equality, desegregation, police accountability, and greater opportunity for historically underserved communities. He later brought that commitment to Beacon Hill, representing Springfield and the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1995 through 2016. Throughout that work, Representative Swan understood that achieving justice requires us not to only confront discrimination in the present, but also to acknowledge and address the consequences of historical injustice. When the National Unity and Reconciliation Act reflected that commitment to truth, reconciliation, and restoring dignity to people affected by colonization. September 18th is Representative Swan's birthday, and I believe it is fitting that Boston use this day to recognize the Massachusetts civil rights leaders whose work extended far beyond the community he represented. Declaring Ben Swan Day is both a recognition of his lifetime of service and an opportunity to carry forward the principles of justice, equality, reconciliation, human dignity that define his work. I'm proud to offer this resolution declaring September 18th as Ben Swan Day in the city of Boston in recognition of his life and the legacy of the honorable Ben Swan Senior. Madam President, I seek suspension of the rules to pass this matter. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Culpepper. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Coletta Zapata, Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Flynn, Councillor Louisianne, Councillor Mejia, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Santana, Councillor Webber, Councillor Worrell. And please add the chair. Councillor Culpepper seeks suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1732. All in favour say aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Docket 1732 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1733?

Docket number 1733, Councillor Santana, for the following. Resolution recognising September 23rd, 2026 as International Celebrate Bisexuality Day and Bi Plus Visibility Day.

Thank you. The Chair recognises Councillor Santana. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. I am proud to introduce a resolution recognizing September 23rd, 2026 as Bi Plus Visibility Day in the City of Boston. This action stems directly from over a year of continuous dialogue from last year's Bisexual Plus Roundtable to our ongoing work with the Bisexual Resource Center, where residents shared the damaging daily impact of Bi Plus erasure. While bi plus Bostonians make up of the largest segment of our LGBTQIA2S plus community, they remain systematically pushed into the margins. Pervasive misunderstandings and biphobia force many bi plus residents to hide their authentic selves from families and peers, compounding mental health struggles and reinforcing a cycle of invisibility across our city. The urgency is clear amongst our young people. While bi plus youth account for nearly 40% of our LGBTQ plus youth, they are alarming disparities, including rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation, compounded by a pervasive lack of visible role models and targeted support. We could not meaningfully advocate for our queer youth by overlooking the specific crisis impacting our bi plus young people, nor can we assume generic initiatives are to meet their needs. Since activists like Wendy Curry, Michael Page, and Gigi Raven-Wolver established this day in 1999, the demand has remained clear. visibility, safety, and respect. Boston must take a firm stand against BIPLUS erasure. I urge our city council, municipal agencies, and community partners to move beyond passive inclusion and towards dedicated resources, equitable health care, and actionable support for our Boston BIPLUS community. They deserve to be seen, affirmed, and fully valued. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Santana. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Coletta Zapata, Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Flynn, Councillor Louisianne, Councillor Mejia, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Webber, Councillor Worrell, and please add the chair. Councillor Santana seeks suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1733. All in favour say aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Docket 1733 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, could you please read Docket 1734?

Docket number 1734. Councillor Flynn offered the following. Resolution recognizing the 115th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China, Taiwan, and flag raising for Taiwan Day.

Chair recognizes Councillor Flynn. Councillor, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. October 10th, 2026 marks the 115th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China, Taiwan. We recognize the longstanding friendship between Boston and the people of Taiwan. The community enriches enhances the city of Boston for its friendship, business, sports, government, education, dance, literature, and the arts. The Taiwan flag will be raised at city hall Plaza, on Saturday, October 3rd at 12 p.m. We hope to see you there. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Flynn. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Colletta Zapata, Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Louisianne, Councillor Mejia, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Pepin, Councillor Santana, Councillor Webber, Councillor O'Reill, please add the chair. Councillor Flynn seeks suspension of the rules and adoption of docket 1734. All in favour say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Thank you. Docket 1734 has been adopted. Mr. Clerk, could you please read docket 1735.

Docket number 1735. Councillors Satyana and Pepin offer the following. Resolution recognising October 26, 2026 as intersex awareness date.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councillor Santana. Councillor, you have the floor. Councillor Santana.

Thank you, Madam President. As a proud ally of the intersex community, I'm proud to introduce a resolution recognizing October 26 as Intersex Awareness Day in the City of Boston for the third consecutive year, and I welcome support from my friend and colleague, Councillor Pepin. Intersex refers to people born with natural variations in their physical sex characteristics, such as anonymity and hormones. Intersex traits are more common than many realize, but studies finding up to one in 20 people could be considered intersex. Odds are we all know someone who is intersex. Our intersex community continues to face unique challenges like medical interventions and ignorance about their lives. According to the Trevor Project, 77% of intersex young people reported that someone in their life attempted to change the LGBTQIA2S plus identity. Our city holds a special place in intersex history. In 1996, Boston was home to the first public demonstration by intersex people in the United States, where the Intersex Society of North America staged a protest to call attention to the trauma, stigma, and isolation they faced after non-consensual genital surgery. We continue to recognize their courage every October 26. In recognition of October 26 as Intersex Awareness Day, we are affirming that intersex Bostonians are valued, celebrated, and never alone. We are committing ourselves to their safety, dignity, and health. I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution Also, on October 24th, I am hosting a screening of the documentary, Everybody, with my colleague, Councillor Pepin, at the Boston Public Library and the MRKH Intersex Organization. Afterwards, we will be led in discussion by Esther Lidoff, founder of the Jamaica Plain MRKH Organization and intersex activist. I welcome you all to join us there. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Santana. Chair recognizes Councillor Pepin. Councillor Pepin, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Councillor Santana, for including me as a co-sponsor on this docket and for the work he is doing to raise awareness about this in the community in Boston. Intersex Awareness Day is time to affirm our support for the intersex community, to raise discussion about the challenges the community faces, to give our intersex neighbors the visibility they deserve. We raise awareness to those who may be intersex and understand that not only is there a larger intersex community that may share their experiences, but there's also a community of support around them. Decided to be, wanted to support Councilor Santana in this because the screening for Intersex Awareness Month and Day is going to be screened over at the Roslindale Branch Library and I know that there's a good support system over there and they provided this space so that I wanted to make sure that everyone was invited to that and you'll probably get the details next coming weeks. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Papin. Would anyone like to add their name? Councillor Kaleta Zapata, Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Durkan, Councillor Fitzgerald, Councillor Flynn, Councillor Louisiane, Councillor Mejia, Councillor Murphy, Councillor Webber, Councillor Worrell, and please add the chair. Councillors Santana and Papin seek suspension of the rules and adoption of Docket 1735. All in favour say aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Docket 1735 is adopted. Now we're moving on to personnel orders. Mr. Clerk, could you read the personnel orders?

Docket number 1736, Councillor Braden for Councillor Culpepper.

The Chair moves for passage of the Personnel Order. All those in favour say aye. The ayes have it. The Personnel Order is passed. We're now moving on to green sheets. Before we move on to green sheets, is there anyone who would like to add their name to a docket that they may have missed? We're good? We're now on to green sheets. Is there anyone looking to pull a docket from the green sheets? Okay. Councillor Santana, did you have something you wanted to pull from the green sheet? No? Okay. You good? Okay. We're now moving on to late files. Mr. Clerk, can you tell us what we have for late files?

There are five late files, two personnel orders, a constable bond, and two emergency orders.

I reject the hearing order. We'll start with the personnel orders. Mr. Clerk, could you read the two personnel orders?

Two late file personnel orders. We have to vote to accept it.

Yes, we will. So we have two personnel orders. Absent objection, these two personnel orders will be added. Mr Clerk, could you please read these two personnel orders into the record?

First personnel order, Councillor Brain for Councillor Brain's office, and the second personnel order is Councillor Brain for Councillor Mehear.

Thank you. I'd like to, yes, could we have all those in favour of passage of the personnel orders please say aye. Aye. Thank you. The ayes have it. Personnel orders have been passed. We're now on to, we have a late file for a constable bond. Mr. Clerk, could you please absent, could you, Mr. Clerk, could you please read the constable bond, that matter.

Constable Bond of Holston Borgella, having been duly approved by the Collector Treasurer, was received.

Thank you. This matter is properly before the order. These will be placed on file. Yes, the Constable Bonds will be approved under the usual terms and conditions. Thank you. And we are now on to... What else have we got outstanding?

We have an emergency hearing order. Could we read the emergency hearing order?

So, just to be clear, what we have before us right now is a resolution

And we have a hearing order.

Which one are we objecting to? Because I haven't presented them yet.