City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. This it is Thursday, February, twelfth. Is a

meeting in congress.

My name is Lance Davis presiding. I use hehim pronouns. Please note that audio video of this meeting is being recorded and may be shown live on local access government channels and on the City of Summerville website and will be available for future review. Will the clerk please call the roll?

This is roll call. Councillor Euncanpin? Here. Councillor Link? Here. Councillor Scott? Present. Councilor Klingen? Present. Councilor Strezo? Present. Councilor Sahit? Here. Councilor Wheeler? Here. Councilor Hart? Here. Councilor McLaughlin? Here. Councilor Mbaugh?

Present.

Councilor Davis? Here. With all councillors present, have quorum.

Thank you. Alright. Pursuant to our rule 32, let it be known that this city council salutes the flag of The United States Of America and let us recall our oath to uphold the constitution and the laws of the commonwealth to the best of our abilities and understanding. We begin our meetings with a moment of silence. Are there any counselors wishing to say a few words about members of our community tonight? Councilor Bah.

Thank you, mister president. I ask that we take a moment of silence to honor the life of our friend and neighbor, Joyce Schotts. Joyce was a principal activist and a dedicated community builder who believed deeply in justice, compassion, and the power of people coming together. Commitment to our community and her willingness to stand up for what is right leaves a legacy. As we pause, let us remember her life, honor her values, and hold her loved ones, especially her husband, Richard, short in our community, you know, and also in our hearts.

And secondly, I also ask that we take a moment of silence to honor the life of Dave Kron, the father of community member Julie Kron. Dave's life is reflected in the love, values, and strength he passed on, and his legacy lives through his family and all those he touched. As we pause, we hold Julie and her loved ones in our thoughts, and we offer our deepest sympathy during this time of loss.

Thank you. Councilor Hart.

Thank you. I would like to remember Connie Moniz. Connie passed away on January 24. She was predeceased by her son Allen and her daughter Lee, who was the mother of former ward five city councilor Courtney O'Keefe. Connie was born in Somerville and grew up on Powderhouse Boulevard. She lived in Somerville for periods through her life and taught music at St. Ann's Elementary School. She was an accomplished singer and piano player, and she will be greatly missed. I'd like to hold all her family in our thoughts, especially former counselor O'Keefe.

Thank you. Thank

you, Mr. President. Through you, have a number of moments of silence this evening, if you all just bear with me. It's kind of a tough time of the It seems a number of of long time Sono Sonoval natives have passed away, actually, on February 8. The first one being Kevin Murphy. Kevin Murphy, he lived in Arlington. He was a Sonoval native. Born and raised in Somerville. He was one of eight children, born to the late Betty Davenport and Timothy Murphy. He was exceptionally bright, earning himself a full scholarship to Tufts University where he ultimately decided college wasn't for him.

He was a hard worker. Kevin stepped into many roles in his time as a taxi driver, parts courier, and among his favorites, he worked part time at the pub in Ball Square, on the other side of the bar. I think that's a joke. His cherished roles were his beloved husband being the beloved husband of thirty eight years to Kathleen, Kathy Cody Murphy, with whom he raised their family in Arlington and devoted father of Kyle Murphy, Kayla Murphy, and her fiance Gianna Dorado, Kara Murphy, all of Arlington. He was a dear brother of Dennis Murphy and wife Roseanne, Timothy, also known as Pat Murphy, all of Somerville, Thomas Murphy and his wife, Kathy, of Florida, John Murphy and his wife, Carrie of Arlington, Eileen Murphy, Morrill and her husband, Bruce of Cape Cod, Maureen Arsenal and her husband, Mark of Medford, Michael Murphy of Somerville uncle to many loved nieces and nephews.

Kevin was loved and respected by the world at large. He touched countless lives, leaving behind many dear friends in and out of Somerville. Kevin could often be found at the pub enjoying a few cold Budweisers, queuing up songs on touch tunes, reading the paper, trying his luck at Kino. Outside the city, enjoyed spending time at his the place he loved, Long Island, Maine, and most importantly, family. Next, I would like us to remember this evening, keeping our thoughts and prayers, Donna Fazio.

Donna Marie Fazio passed away on February 8. Donna was a proud and lifelong resident of Somerville. She passed away on Sunday the eighth following a hard fought battle against cancer. She was 65 years old. She was the daughter of Lucy Tartaglia Fazio and the late Vincent Fazio. She was a graduate of Sunwell High School and in her early years worked at Raytheon and she was a waitress at many popular establishments like the S and S in Cambridge, Bocelli's restaurant in Medford. Donna was one of a kind. She had a feisty spark and a heart of gold. She always made an entrance and lit up a room, always meeting new friends wherever she went. She was the life of the party.

Donna loves spending time at the beach, Revere in Hampton, Cape Cod. In addition to her mom in addition to her mom, Lucy, she is survived by her brother Vincent Fazio and his son Vincent little Vinny Fazio and her sister Sheila Flaherty and many cousins and cherished friends. And then next, would like us to remember Patrick Barry who passed away on February 8. Pat Barry was a lifelong resident of Somerville. He passed away peacefully at home on Sunday the eighth. He was 70 years old. He was born in Boston, raised in Somerville. Patrick was the beloved son of the late Francis J. And Francis L. Ross Barry.

Patrick's greatest joy was spending time with his family, especially his grand grandchildren, watching them grow, achieve and accomplish their goals, filled him with pride and happiness. Family truly meant everything to him. He loves sports, baseball, football. He had a special passion for softball, and he also enjoyed testing his luck betting horses. He was also the proud and devoted hand dog to Tank, whom he adored.

He was a beloved father of Patrick Barry and his fiancee, Heidi Donovan, Don Barry and Kristen Cabral, devoted grandfather of Jacqueline Barry, Makayla Barry, Caitlin Cabral and Alex Cabral, cherished brother of Linda Mealy and her husband, Joe, Thomas Barry and his wife, Dolly, Michael Barry, Philip Barry, Paul Barry and his wife, Sue, Dave Barry, the late Susan Foster, and Mark Barry. He's also lovingly survived by many nieces and nephews. And many people in this room probably elsewhere know the Barry family. You know, his brother Tom works for the city of Sunwell DPW. I grew up with his son, Patrick, who I keep in my thoughts and prayers this evening.

And all of the Barry family and and friends. Well, thank you. And then second to last, we have Stephen Hardy passed away recently. Stephen Hardy of Somerville passed away on the fifth. He was the beloved son of the late Alfred and Claire Hardy, loving father of Karen Lee I'm sorry, of California.

Caitlin Hardy of Somerville, devoted brother of Alfred, Diane Rayner, Claire Whelan, Patricia Benoit, Colleen Corey, and Thomas Hardy, and the late Donna Hardy. James Hardy, sorry, the late Donna Hardy, James Hardy, John Hardy, Barbara Nichols, and Timothy Hardy, also survived by his loving aunts, uncles, and nieces. Steven was born and raised and educated in Summerville. He worked many years as a master plumber for the city of Summerville, and he was the proud owner of Hardy Plumbing. Three time past president and longtime member of the Summerville City Club, Steven was a life a longtime men's and women's softball coach where he won multiple championships.

He was an avid Boston sports fan and and loved being close to the beach. He will be missed by all. And on Steven, I'll just say, I might I know him. You know, I I most of these folks I know and I know Steve pretty well. He was his daughter played softball with with my daughter. And he was just a really great guy. Just a heart of gold. He he I can't say enough things enough nice things about Steve. He will be missed by everybody who knew him. He was definitely a larger than life character.

And then finally, George Mazzio of Florida, formerly of Somerville, passed away peacefully surrounded by family. George was born and raised in Somerville's Winter Hill neighborhood where he attended Saint Ann's and Somerville High School. A roofer by trade, he was known for his strong work ethic and pride in his craft. George cherished his family and valued time spent together. George was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Joanne Joanne Garner, both Mazzio and his beloved twin brother, John Mazzio. He is survived by his siblings, Tara Mazzio

team.

The And I just think ask that that's you keep the all of these folks and their families in our thoughts and prayers this evening and honor them with a moment of silence. Thank you.

You, Councilor Klingon. Councillor Streisel?

I want to honor and remember Patricia Kalinen, who served in Summerville and brought Summerville to where we are today. She was a alderman at large, an active PTA member. She joined Somerville's mayor Michael Capuano's administration, retired as a purchasing agent for the city. She spent her summers in camp camp Cape Natick in Maine. Her greatest joy was being a grandmother. She shared her love of the beach with her grandchildren, spending countless days with them, and enjoying the sand and surf in both Florida and Maine. May your memory be for a blessing.

Thank you for those. Would everyone in the chambers please stand as you are able and recognize moment of silence for the aforementioned individuals. Thank you. Alright. Next item, madam clerk.

Brings us to agenda item 1.3, approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of 01/08/2026.

Seeing no objection. That item is approved. Next item.

Next item is a citation by councilor Davis commending Dan Moore on the auspicious occasion of his retirement after twelve years of distinguished service in the communications and community engagement department.

Liaisoner Dazzie, do we have someone here to speak to this item? Thank you. Please just introduce yourself for the record and go ahead.

Thank you, mister president. My name is Gabriela Portillo Perez. I'm the deputy director of constituent services. Unfortunately, Dan isn't able to be here with us tonight, I do have some remarks on his behalf that I'd like to read. Mister president, members of the city council, and guests, thank you. I am profoundly grateful for this citation and for this moment. I really wish I could be here to see you all in person and accept this honor personally. Instead, I'm currently at physical therapy, likely having my quadriceps folded into an origami crane. So, thank you for allowing me to be here in spirit. When I started my career at City Hall, I was immediately inspired by the long and dedicated service of folks like Anna Ciccarello, George Wood, John Long, and Nick Salerno.

They set a standard for what it means to serve Summerville, and I've spent the last twelve years trying to live to that example. It's not common these days for people to stay with one employer for very long. Before finding my place at City Hall, the longest I'd ever held a position was three years. I think that turnover happens because it's incredibly rare to find work that is deeply rewarding and even rarer to find an employer that truly reciprocates loyalty. The city of Summerville is that special exception.

I was dealt with a tough hand with my health, but I was privileged to have a director who pulled out every stop to accommodate me so that I could keep working as long as possible. And when my MS progressed to the point where it was simply no longer to no longer possible to continue, my team, Therese Frazier, Matthew Filion, and Colin Bell, stepped up to the to the breach to fill the void. I even had colleagues from my department and others offering to donate their own sick time to me. That support made it easy to wanna stay. My love for the city of Summerville and the people who live, work, play, and raise families here will be with me for life.

I am eager to see how this administration, the city council, and our departments rise to meet the challenge facing our city. I'll leave you with one final thought. As you continue the great work for the city, please remember to clear your browser cache, enable two factor authentication, and never click a link that promises you a free gift card. Thank you, much, Dan Moore.

And let me let me read the citation into the record and then I'll I'll bring it over there. Okay? Be it hereby known that the Somerville City Council and the mayor offer their sincerest commendations to Dan Moore on the auspicious occasion of his retirement after twelve years of distinguished service to the city. His legacy includes spearheading revamp of the website, bridging the gap between residents and online resources, and delivering creative problem solving with the highest quality web service to all. Offered this February 2026.

Mister president, can I say a word while you walk that over? Go ahead, please. I just I know we have a long agenda. I just wanna briefly say my third or fourth year as a counselor, I worked with Dan, but we're putting together a constituent event and it involved a lot of updating the website and making various forms that the public could use. And it was genuinely like awe inspiring how good Dan was at his job. It was one of the most seamless, just perfect kind of professional I I just totally I think about it all the time for a model of how good someone can be at their job and how helpful someone can be. And I'm sure that everyone who interacted with Dan had that same experience. So thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for that. Alright. A quick housekeeping note. So we have I think was it last at our last meeting we had zero public hearings. Well, I definitely jinxed us. This entire page and a few extra on the next page. So we've got a lot of public hearings. After the public hearings, we're gonna hear a few items out of order. We'll first take up the item six a, which is the committee and appointments and personal matters report. Then item four dot 11, then seven fifteen.

We will then go into executive session for hopefully not too long. And that will be related after executive session, the related item is 7.13. We'll take that up. And then following that, 7.22 for immediate consideration. And then we'll start the meeting. Alright. So with that, madam clerk, would you please read the next item?

3.1, a grant of location. Comcast applying for a grant of location to install a total a 133 feet of conduit in Highland Avenue from existing manhole 44 over 164 to a point of pickup at 393 Highland Avenue.

Alright. I hereby declare this public hearing open. Is there anyone here to speak on the item? Is that somebody online? No one online? CEREC had issues set for the record?

Robert Rugman for utility coordinator for Comcast. Just here to get a grant to location for that 134 three feet from an existing manhole on Highland Ave to service 393 Highland Ave.

Okay. Thank you. Anyone else here to speak on the item? No hands online? Alright. I declare that the public hearing to be closed. Is there discussion? Alright. Seeing none, that item is approved. Next item. Thank you.

Item 3.2, a grant of location from Eversource, applying for a grant of location to install a total of 640 feet of conduit and Broadway from existing Manhole 1798 To Manhole 24058 Next To 167 Broadway.

Alright. I declare this public hearing open. Is there anyone here to speak on the item? We have an rep. Okay.

I'm pausing here because we usually have an Eversource rep online to speak to these items. No one here. Alright. Let's lay this item on the table. Next item.

Item 3.3, grant of location from Eversource applying for a grant of location to install a total of 54 feet of conduit in Benton Road from utility pole 70 9 over one to a point of pickup at 2 Benton Road.

Alright. And now to sorry. Let's with where we laid item three dot two on the table so I I implicit that I've didn't close the public hearing but suspended the public hearing while it's laid on the table. We'll we'll call it that. On three dot three, on this item, I now declare the public hearing to be open. Is there anyone here to speak on this item? Seeing none, I think this is gonna be a common theme here. So we will we will adjourn the or I guess temporarily close the public hearing. We'll lay that item on the table. The reason I'm doing this is because I want to see if we get a representative here from Eversource to speak to any of these if there's any questions. Councillor Scott.

Thank you Mr. President. I'm texting with Jackie Duffy right now. She's doing Arlington City Council. Okay.

Shall we shall we lay all of the Eversource items on the table then? Which is the remainder is three dot two through three thirteen. Any objection to doing that? I'd say prefer to have even if it's even if for miss Duffy just to to, you know, just repeat the item. But sometimes she has information on it.

Mr. Chair, I'd move to lay these items on the table and pick them back up either later tonight or next week. But I would also request if there are any members of the public here Of course. Give them a chance.

Casio, captain. Thank you, mister president. I also wanna note we have an item on our agenda later that is a public comment related to all of the Eversource items. It's file 260259. So whenever we take these back up the table, I just wanna ask that we take that up also.

Thank you, councilor Hart.

I was just gonna ask if there were any members of the public.

Yeah. So let's let me ask this a bit. We'll we'll take up items 3 dot four through three dot 13 together briefly. These are all grant implications for Eversource. Is there anyone in the room or online here to speak to any of these items? If so, if you're online please use the raise hand function. Okay. A couple here. So so so that we don't make you all wait, let's take up those items. Can you let me know which which item it is? Sir?

Second to last, Sucker Street. I'm a landlord. That's an emergency situation.

Three dot point So let's take up item three dot 12 out of order. Madam clerk, would you read that item for us, please?

Yes. We have one person online. Okay. Agenda item 3.1 excuse excuse me, 3.12, a grant of location. Eversource applying for a grant of location to install a total of 452 feet of conduit and one new manhole 32561 in Summer Street from Utility Pole 325 over 28 to three points of pickup at 156157, And 162 Summer Street.

Alright. I declare the public hearing to be open. Is there anyone here to speak on the item? Sir, please approach and introduce yourself for the record.

Okay. Good to know.

Thank you. I'm the landlord for 156158 Summer Street.

Unfortunately Can state your name, Sure.

It's Kevin Foley.

Thank

you. The name of our company is Locatelli Properties. Unfortunately, Eversource is in here, but we've been working with the city and Eversource for several weeks. This is an emergency situation. We have a tight site. We need to get this put in place to meet requirements for both our insurance company and our mortgage company. So I think it's very straightforward.

Okay. Thank you. I understand that we do have an Eversource representative here with us now online. Emily Sweeney. You should be able to unmute yourself.

Sorry. Did I get did I get the name on? Emmy McSweeney. I was very close. I apologize.

Emmy, are you able to unmute yourself on your end? I love technology. Is there any reason that Emmy would not be able to mute themselves on would be under our control? All right. While we try to get Emmy available to speak with us, let's lay this item on the table and go to the I saw another hand in the room for someone here to speak on item. Which item is it?

3Dot8.

3Dot8. So let's I lay 3Dot12 on the table and take up item three dot eight. Madam clerk, would you please read that into the record?

Three dot eight of grant of location from Eversource supplying for a grant of location to install a total of 62 feet of conduit in Ivalu Street from utility pole 179 Over 5 to a point of pickup at 38 Ivalu Street.

Alright. And now to clear the public hearing to be open on that item. Is there anyone here to to speak on the record? Please step forward and introduce yourself.

Chris Dwan from twenty six Ivalu. I would just ask that the utility company take into consideration, Ivalu is only two blocks long. We have not less than three doubled poles and multiple lines that are laying against the few remaining trees that we have. I would ask that those fixing those be a condition of proving this.

Okay. Is there anyone else here to speak on that item? Presumably Emmy McSweeney who we still can't get able to speak. Any discussion discussion on on that that item? Item? Councilor Scott.

Thank you, mister president. To be honest with you, I'm not sure exactly how to frame those conditions. So what I would request is to send this item to committee so that the license and permits committee can work with Eversource to ensure proper conditioning on it. Also, so that they can take up our master list of double poles, which is an item that I don't want lost as we transition transition to a new LNP chair. Thank you, sir.

All right. So we'll leave that laid on the table for the moment to see if we can get the rep the Eversource representative available. But the intent on 3.8 will be when we pick it back up to send that one to refer that one to committee. Is there anyone else here to speak on any of the public hearings, any of the grants of location in the chambers, online? Raise your hand if so.

All right. Seeing none, let's leave the remainder of the items. Mr. Chair. Yeah. Councillor Scott?

There are two more that I would request that we do send the committee as That would be item number three dot four regarding the 10 Oak Street and item three dot 11, the 91 Prospect Street location grants. Those are both owned by the same property owner. It's been an immense problem over the years and it claims that they are currently under construction, but there are no issued building permits for those plots. So I'd like to have a moment in committee to take a look at that. Thank you.

Alright. So I think I'm now I'm inclined as I think about 3.8. I think if these are going to go to committees, no reason to lay on the table. So if there's no objection discussion, we will send item 3.4, 3.8, and 3.11 to licenses and permits. And then the remainder of 3.1 through 3.13 lay on the table in hopes that we can hear from our Eversource rep. And otherwise, know, as as unless there's any other objections, we'll we'll move forward on those tonight. But we will lay lay those on the table. So that's going bring us to our first out of order item then, madam clerk. Mister president? Yep. Sorry.

I think three dot one was we we did have the hearing, didn't we?

Oh, did I say did I start with three dot two? Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. So three dot one is that item is approved. Did I not say that before?

That brings us to agenda item six point a six point a one, committee report to report of the committee on confirmation of appointments and personnel matters meeting on 02/02/2026.

Councilor Bah.

Thank you, mister president. The committee met on February 2, and the committee members voted to recommend approval of the city's chief administrative officer, new parks and recreation director, and promotions for police department offices. For the position of chief administrative officer, the mayor has chosen Kimberly Wells, who has served as a city clerk for the past five years. Her skills of organizations and interpersonal relations are well known to city council members, and she is highly respected. She has already established relationship with all the city agencies, and the committee members expressed our expectation and that she will be an effective manager and strategist.

For the police department, committee voted to recommend the approval of two senior officers who have been promoted from the ranks, lieutenant Diogo de Oliveira, who has been with the department for twenty years, will be promoted to captain. He will head the community police policing program under which the department is developing the techniques of co policing. That is response to emergencies with teams of board law enforcement officers and social service professionals. We believe that officer de Oliveira is well prepared for this work, given his past record of working on community programs and his multiple skill set in language. Similarly, sergeant Sami Misaudi, a thirteen year Somavi officer, will be promoted to lieutenant.

He too is multilingual and has worked closely with several community groups, teen, and immigrant families. For the position of parks and recreation director, the mayor has proposed an experienced parks agency director who will come to Somerville from Hartford, Connecticut. Although, you know, he he will be new to Somavia, he brings rich experience from past work with children and youth sports and recreation programming as well well as with the administrative agency and financial management. Finally, the committee had a useful discussion about the procedures and standards of evaluation that should apply to the hiring of any support staff for the city council as provided in the new city charter. This will be an ongoing conversation that we will have with the new city clerk.

I ask that the committee report be accepted as submitted, mister president.

Is there any discussion discussion on the reports? Alright. Seeing none, that item is approved, and that brings us to some promotions. Folks, come on up and take the oath. And anyone who wants to take pictures, please feel free. This is your chamber. Come on right up. Right inside here, anywhere you want to go. Get get a good angle. Don't hesitate.

If you want, feel free to come in the middle of the horseshoe too if you want to get a better angle for pictures. Yeah, absolutely. Anywhere you want to go. And I should have noted before, after we're done with these, we will take a recess so that you all can take some pictures in here and have lots of space for all the pictures you want after we get through the next one. Alright.

We will take a brief recess to finish these pictures and like I said, can take a much more in the front here if you want. Alright, folks. Come on back. Let's get back to work. Are

you able to hear me now? Hello? Are you able to hear me? I I called I tried calling in.

So, we'll just do them in order. Alright. I call this meeting back to order. We have a quorum. We are going to go back My understanding is we now have the Eversource representative available to speak. So let's go back to item 3.2. Reopen that hearing. Is there anyone here to speak on the item? Can you hear me now? Emmy McSweeney?

Yes. I tried calling in because the computer was the problem.

We can hear you. Thank you so much. Sorry about the technical glitch. Go right ahead.

Doctor. Oh, thank the Lord and I apologize. That was stressful. Okay. So I'm ready here.

Doctor. Actually, madam Farr, can you read that one back in this week?

Yep. Item 3.2, Eversource applying for a grant of location to install a total of 640 feet of conduit in Broadway from existing Manhole 1798 to existing Manhole 24058 next to 167 Broadway.

Alright. Emmy McSweeney from Eversource on the item. Emmy are you still there?

There you go. Can you hear me?

There you are.

Am I back?

Go

ahead. No it's to provide service to a 114 unit dwelling building as well as four retail spaces.

Okay, thank you. Is there anyone else here to speak on the item? If you're online please use the raise the hand function. Alright. Seeing none, I declare the public hearing closed. Any discussion on the item? Councilor Yuncappen.

Thank you, mister president. Through you to the the representative at Eversource. So the council received a public comment relevant to all of these, and I just wanna briefly describe it, if that's okay. So this resident reached out to Summerville's local 31 one system about a streetlight that's out of service at 35 Holland Street. And the response he got from the city was, quote, we believe the underground feeds were destroyed during the roadwork. We have multiple calls into Eversource in regard to many different underground electrical services being cut during road construction, and they do not respond. There's nothing we can do. We're not allowed to work in the manholes. That's the end of the quote. We're hearing Let

me let me just interject there. I I we're probably doing this a little backwards. Let let's read that item into record Sure. So that we can take it up, and we'll take it up together with each of the following ones individually as or something like that. Go ahead,

madam clerk.

Agenda item 10.7, public communication from Christopher Belan submitting comments re items 26 dash zero one seven five through 26 dash zero one eight six and twenty six dash zero one eight seven Eversource applying for grants of location.

Back to you, councilor O'Kevin. Thank you.

Thank you, mister president. So, look, no one here on the council wants to delay important electrical work that not that needs to get done, and obviously this is not your fault. But this is completely unacceptable, right, that the city is putting in multiple calls to Eversource saying you have cut electrical equipment.

I completely agree.

And then apparently we're not getting a response according to the the the city. So what I'm asking is a commitment from you that you'll work with your colleagues at Eversource to make sure that this particular light at 35 Holland Street and others that you hear about from the city will be repaired.

It definitely will. I will talk to Eddie tomorrow first thing when I get there, and it's his crews that go out there and I'll have him fix it. Send someone out.

Great. Thanks. And a number of these items are going to committee, so if we don't get a follow-up, we can talk about then too. Thank you.

Thank you Councillor Encamp. And Councillor Schazzo, you have something?

Not on this item. Okay.

Let me know when you're in. So we have another hand up so I will reopen the public hearing. Is it on what's the name? Kelly Ann. Ann? Is it on this item relating to 167 Broadway?

So, hi. I'm Kelly Ann Correa. I'm from Eversource. I actually work with Emmy. And I just want to speak on the remarks that the calls made into the 311 system, the 35 Holland, etcetera. We do have standing meetings with the city DPW and city engineer, weekly or biweekly on these. I'm not always in attendance on those hearings. This is actually the first I heard of this, that there are several complaints in. But I just want to assure you we will certainly address that directly with the city and work with you to get these resolved as soon as possible.

Thank you Mr. President. Through you.

Thank you. Any other discussion on the item three part two or 10 dot which was it? Seven. 10 dot seven? No? Okay. Do we want to send that one to sustainability infrastructure to for follow-up? No?

The the comments. Comments? Yes, please. Alright.

Let's send 10 dot seven to sustainability infrastructure for for follow-up on that. And yeah. Is there any other discussion? Anyone else? Okay, so that public hearing is now closed. So 10.7 will be placed on file with a copy to sustainability infrastructure 3.2. With no further discussion, that item is approved. Approved. All right. Next item.

Mr. President Ms. Traso. Can thank you. Can I also we have some members of the audience here to speak on 4.16 as well?

Okay. Let's get through the the grants of location and

then we Absolutely. But I'm we put that in the hopper of the taken out of order. 4.16.

Go ahead. Next item.

Agenda item 3.3, a grant of location from Eversource applying for a grant of location to install a total of 54 feet of conduit in Benton Road from Utility Pole 79 Over 1 to appoint a pickup at 2 Benton Road.

Alright. We've reopened this public hearing. Do we have anyone to speak on this item?

Yes. It's Emmy again.

Okay. Go ahead.

This is to provide service to Number 2 Benton Road, and it will be going northerly from Pole 79 over one approximately 115 feet north of Summer Street. Service them.

Okay. Thank you. Anyone else here to speak on this item? Alright. Seeing none, I declare the public hearing to be closed. Any discussion? Questions? Seeing none. Alright. That is approved. Next item.

Agenda item 3.5, grant of location from Eversource, applying for a grant of location to install a total of 28 feet of conduit in Gilman Street from utility pole one forty two over three to appointed pickup at 13 Gilman Street.

I declare this public hearing open. Is there anyone here to speak on the item?

Alright. So this I am am here to speak on this item and this is to provide service to one of your constituents. To provide electric service to the house.

Okay. And any other anyone else here to speak on this item? No? Okay. Seeing none, I declare the public hearing closed. Is there any discussion? Alright. Seeing none. Item is approved. Alright. Next item.

Thank you. Agenda item 3.6, a granted location from Eversource applying for a granted location to install a total of 10.5 feet of conduit in Hudson Street from utility pole two over two two zero two over four to a point of pickup at 17 Hudson Street.

I now declare the public hearing to be open. Is there anyone here to speak on the item?

Yes. Emmy McSweeney, and this is the same. We will be providing service to the location at 17 Hudson Street to power that house.

All right. Is there anyone else here to speak on the item? As a reminder if you're online use the raise hand function. All right. Seeing no one then the item is approved. Sorry public hearing is closed. Any discussion? No. Alright. That item is approved. Next item.

Agenda item 3.7, a grant of location from Eversource applying for a grant of location to install a total of 35 feet of conduit in Belmont Street from Utility Pole 27 Over 9 to a point of pickup at 37 Belmont Street.

Alright. Reopen the public hearing. Is there anyone here to speak on the item?

Yes. Amy is here to speak on the item. And we will be installing conduit on Benton Street to provide service to 37. Number 37.

Alright. Very good. Anyone else here to speak on the item? Alright. Seeing none, the public hearing is closed. Is there any discussion? No? No? Okay. Then that item is approved. Next item.

Agenda item three point a grant of location from Eversource applying for a grant of location to install a total of 12 feet of conduit in White Street from utility poles six forty eight over two to a point of pickup at 44 White Street.

Alright. And now to clear the public hearing open, is there anyone here to speak the item? Amy McSweeney?

A resource? And this is to provide service to 44 White Street to power their house.

Okay. Anyone else to speak on the item? No? Alright. Seeing none, clear the public hearing closed. Is there any discussion? No? Alright. That item is approved. Next item.

Agenda item 3.1, a grant of location from Eversource applying for a grant of location to install a total of two feet of conduit in Franklin Avenue from utility pole one thirty three over five to a point of pickup at sixty Franklin Street.

Alright. I now declare the public hearing to be open. Is there anyone here to speak on the item? It's Emmy McSweeney.

Alright. So Emmy Mc McSweeney from Eversource and the we are installing conduit to provide service to 60 Franklin Street.

Anyone else here to speak on the item? No? Alright I declare the public hearing closed. Is there any discussion? I see none. That item is approved. Next item.

Item 3.12, a grant of location from Eversource applying for a grant of location to install a total 452 feet of conduit and one new manhole, 32561 In Summer Street from Utility Pole 325 over 28 to three points of pickup at 156157, And 162 Summer Street.

Alright. I now declare the public hearing to be open. Is there anyone here to speak on the item?

Yes. Emmy McSweeney again. This this is to provide service a resident service along Summer Street. This one was discussed, I believe, because the manhole had to be re relocated because there was a bike lane in the that was installed. So everyone agreed to install the manhole in the sidewalk.

Okay thank you for that. Anyone else here to speak on the item?

Just so it wouldn't impede anyone.

Kelly has her hand raised.

I see Kellyanne Korea with your hand raised. Did you want to speak on this item?

Yeah, hi. Just quickly some clarifications for the council.

For the record on this item, you represent Eversource, correct?

Oh yes, I'm sorry. I'm the supervisor for rights and permits for Eversource. Just some clarification on this item. A portion of this conduit in the manhole had been approved on a grant of location back in, I believe March 2025. And nothing has been installed yet. We actually have additional conduit coming from this same manhole. But since the time the grant was originally approved, the bike lane had been kinda revitalized, repaired, installed, whatever. But it's actually a raised bike lane now. The manhole could not go where the grant originally approved it. So the city had asked us to move the manhole out into the roadway, which was fine for this petition.

That wasn't gonna work either. It was too close to the gas line and over the sewer line. So we did meet with DPW. We agreed to put the manhole in the sidewalk, but for the sake of clarification, we are including the conduit for this petition plus the conduit in the manhole that were previously approved. This is the new design, so we just want to grant for this the whole scope of all this work so it all goes installed and everyone's on the same page as where everything is.

Okay thank you.

Does that make sense?

Anyone else here to speak on the item? I see none. I declare the public hearing closed. Is there any discussion? So I have a question actually just in terms of putting a manhole cover on a sidewalk. Can you speak to you know what measures are taken to ensure that that doesn't impact accessibility for folks who for whom a manhole in the sidewalk might be an issue?

It's a pretty standard installation. The covers of the manhole are flush with the sidewalk so it does meet ADA requirements. It doesn't impede any pedestrian access or use sidewalk there.

Okay. Thank you for that. Any further discussion? Councilor Link?

Yeah. Through you, mister president. I'm just curious how long the the sidewalk would remain. I'm assuming that it's gonna be parts of it will be demolished and impassable. So I'm just curious how quickly that's gonna be made whole again.

So I'm not sure the time frame they asked for the whole scope of the job. What would happen is they would install the manhole first because they need somewhere to connect all the conduit. So I'm gonna say about a week in the sidewalk area if I had to pick. It'll be like a rolling work zone. So they'll they'll work at the manhole area, and then they'll do the conduit in pieces or sections.

They're not gonna enclose, like, the entire scope of that 400 feet for the whole duration of of work out there. Any kind of pedestrian traffic that needs a sidewalk will just kinda be rerouted around the area. We always have police details. And then any type of roadwork we're doing, there'll be at least one lane of travel remain open at all times. And again, police detail to direct traffic through the work zones.

It'll be more than a week total for the total 400 feet, but the sidewalk area with the original installation, I would say a couple days not being the construction person. So to the best of my knowledge.

Alright. Thank you. Mister President, thank you.

Thank you. Any further discussion? Seeing none. Okay. That item is approved. Next item.

Agenda item 3.13, a grant of location from Eversource applying for a grant of location to install a total of 40 feet of conduit in Leland Street from Utility Pole 201 Over 3 to a point of pickup at 321 Washington Street.

I declare this public hearing to be open. Is there anyone here to speak on the item?

Yes. This is Emmy McSweeney. We are installing the 40 feet of conduit to service 321 Washington Street.

Okay. Anyone else here to speak on the item? Okay. Seeing none, I'll declare the public hearing closed. Any discussion? Councillor Scott? It's a Ward 2 item, but I'll let it go. Thank you. All right. Seeing no further discussion then that item is approved.

Thank you.

All right. That will take us back to our out of order items. Right? And I think we had one more request for an out of order item. That's 416.

Yeah. So, Mr. President, I jumped the gun on that. I thought that I do want that taken out of order. I have my mic on. It's on. Jumped the gun between the public hearings, so whoopsie. I thought we were complete with that. So, yes, if we could put it before the

executive session Let's keep the order we planned but we'll do that one before the executive session.

Thank you.

Okay. So then that brings us to, I believe it was item four eleven is the next one.

Agenda item four eleven, a resolution by Councillor Hart, Councillor Ewen Campin, and Councillor McLaughlin supporting the Fourth Amendment rights provided The United States.

Councilor Hart.

Thank you. Madam Clerk, would you mind reading the resolution, please?

Whereas the city of Summerville has historically pursued equity and safety for all residents, and whereas the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of The United States guarantees a right against unreasonable searches and seizures, including warrantless searches or seizures by means of warrants issued without probable cause, and whereas federal law enforcement agencies, including immigration and customs enforcement, have recently engaged in a pattern of unconstitutional warrantless workplace searches, which have disrupted small businesses, dining establishments, construction sites, factories, transit hubs, and courts in many cities. And whereas the threat of unconstitutional seizure by federal law enforcement officers is preventing a growing number of households from safely engaging in public life, including pursuing education, health care, employment. And whereas these warrantless workplace raids excuse me. Whereas families and individuals who are black, indigenous, Hispanic, and people of color with citizenship or legal status are also being unconstitutionally targeted, harassed, and arrested by federal law enforcement under the guise of immigration enforcement, and whereas the warrantless workplace raids are conducted in a discriminatory fashion that harms lawfully present and authorized workers such as Holderj's temporary protected status, TPS, despite having legal authorization to work in The United States. These individuals are subjected to intimidation, detention, and disruption based on their appearance or perceived immigration status.

And whereas the city can help to serve as an example for local businesses and can advocate for the rights of all residents and can discourage overreach by federal law enforcement in our community. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Somerville City Council request that this city of Somerville affirm its commitment and excuse me. I've just lost my place. Affirm its commitment, excuse me, and continue to uphold the constitution of The United States Of America inclusive of the fourth amendment and that the mayor worked to provide training to city staff to effectuate this and be it further resolved that the city provide information and resources on the fourth amendment rights of residences and local businesses and be it further resolved that the Somerville City Council encourages residents and employees of local businesses to educate themselves and share information about their Fourth Amendment rights, and be it further resolved that the Somerville City Council encourages businesses to take steps to protect the rights of employees against unlawful search and seizure, including by posting signage on identified private spaces within the business and signage outside of the business acknowledging their rights, the rights of their workers, and the rights of their patrons in accordance with the constitution of The United States Of America.

Thank you, madam clerk. I also wanna thank my colleagues from Wards 1 And 3 for collaborating with me on this, and I also appreciate working with the mayor's office and office of immigrant affairs. I wanted to bring this resolution forward because we're seeing Somerville losing part of what makes it such a special and vibrant place. We're seeing small businesses have to close and seeing people afraid to go to work or gather with their neighbors. So I think it's important that we as a city, the city council, business owners, community members, affirm the importance of The United States constitution and bill of rights and specifically the fourth amendment, and that we all educate ourselves about what our rights are.

The fourth amendment says that the government can't intrude into your private property or seize people or property unless they have a warrant. To get a warrant, the government must have a reasonable belief that a crime has been or is about to be committed. And the warrant must specifically describe the place to be searched and the person or property to be seized. In other words, law enforcement agencies must follow well defined procedures to ensure that individuals' rights are not violated. This amendment has been the foundation of our personal privates privacy and security for over two hundred years.

I've heard many stories from community members about the importance of these rights, and I want to sponsor a couple of people to speak to this. But first, I wanna read a statement from a small business owner in Somerville. And recognizing the risks that immigrants are facing right now, it will be anonymous. This is the quote. I have been in this country for thirty one years, and the Fourth Amendment has never been more important.

Knowing our rights as business owners and making sure our employees know theirs is one way we can create a safer working place for everyone, including our customers. Most of our employees and customers are immigrants, and it's important to us that everyone knows that they are safe and welcomed in our business. That is why we have participated in small business know your rights training, and it gives us the tools we need to operate in this changing world. The end of the quote. Thank you. Alright. Now I'd like to, sponsor a couple of speakers if they could come forward. Yesenia Alfaro, Jack Kensla, and David Gibbs.

Councilor Hart would like to sponsor the aforementioned speakers. I see no objection. Go right ahead, please. When you speak, just introduce yourself, your name, for the record, please.

Good evening, everybody. Is it can you

hear me? Speak into the mic so everyone can hear you. Thank you.

Okay. Good evening, chairman and members of the committee. It is really warming my heart to hear such a great, you know, resolution, but let me start because I gotta start crying here now. My name is Jessenia Alfaro, and I'm from the city of Chelsea speaking today on behalf of the United Food and Commercial Local fourteen forty five. I am the business agents to represent the vast majority of the workers that are working in the industry of the landrids that are, for the most part, clean the clothes for our hospitals in the city and for many hotels.

I represent over 600 workers of this industrial laundry facilities. For some of you have already supported me and have met those members in face to face by walking to those at those locations. I just wanted to speak strongly in favor of the four amendment resolution 26 Dash0245. Both of you here, some of you have to heard on the resolution that many of these workers have already achieved whether the citizenship, have have green cards, have some TPS, and other people from different processes such as asylums or petitions through their family members. So I'm here today in this aspect.

Because of these plans, we have seen already issues with the I nine audits and put the a lot of our members in fear. Some fear that have bring them the fear to even come to work even though they have documentation status. The fear is there regardless of the status. Many of these people have fully family members that bury status. When this issue arise, we have been able to discuss the situation and find solutions solutions in our with our employers that allow with our employers that does not allow immigration officials to enter unless they have a judicial warrant looking for a specific person.

We fully understand that no employer or city officials can get in the way of enforcement action in such cases, but it makes a lot of sense that employers should refuse to voluntarily allow the agents when it comes to have a reason to suspect there is someone at the facility who they should be looking for. We are happy that you are taking an action on this sensitive matter. And I'm from the city of Chelsea, and and the city of Chelsea has also been impacted. And I will applaud anything that you are doing here for our citizens. I always feel welcome to the city of Somerville.

I did reside in the city of Somerville for five years, which I enjoy. And I enjoy the fire department that was next to my house at that time on Highland Street, but I do enjoy coming to work and represent my my members. Thank you.

Thank you Mr. President, Councillors. My name is Jack Kensla. I live in Boston but I'm the political director for UFCW Local fourteen forty five. Like Yesenia mentioned, have over 600 members working at the two laundries in Somerville and then we also have members working at the two Stop and Shops and a cannabis dispensary in Davis Square.

Over 800 members in total working in the City Of Somerville. As she mentioned, we have experienced firsthand the fear and stress that these actions bring into our shops when there's even a report that ICE might be nearby. We've seen reports from all over the country about how careless ICE can be when it terms to when it comes to verifying who it is that they're picking up so that a lot of people with valid employment statuses or even US citizens are, you know, whisked away to the other side of the country in less than twenty four hours. They're racially profiling profiling and assuming the worst of anyone that they come into contact with. So we're proud that Summerville is considering to take this stand like a lot of other communities in the Greater Boston area.

We believe it's important to do so to ensure that, you know, immigration agents follow due process and know who they're looking for when they begin enforcement actions. Business owners have the right to demand to see a judicial warrant and to refuse entry if there isn't one. And if they care about the workers, they should insist on doing so every single time. We've put language that kind of makes that same demand of business owners in a lot of our contracts that we have throughout the area. And a lot of times, the companies do agree not to voluntarily allow officers into the facility when they don't have a warrant signed by a judge who decides that there is probable cause to enter.

You know, we think that the city passing an ordinance like like this really sends a strong message to the local businesses in the city that, you know, city officials will stand by them and they don't have to kind of act on their own and be more out on a limb. But when the city is proactively showing that they're willing to support business owners who want to do this, it helps give more confidence to business owners knowing that they're not gonna be alone having to do so. The the constitution of The United States doesn't limit itself to protecting the rights of citizens, but to all people who reside here. The climate of fear, as we're all aware, is very serious right now. And people who've lived here for years and done everything the right way are being punished because they don't look like Americans.

The fear leads to more opportunities for bad business owners to exploit workers in the the forms of wage theft, unsafe working conditions, and mistreatment because threatened workers don't want to have their names on government documents if they were to, you know, go through the Attorney General's office to report such things. And from the experiences from some of the stuff that we see on a daily basis, Yosemite and I, we we know that that level of fear creates a lower bar for everyone and allows more of that exploitation to occur and to fester. And so that's why we think it's really important to be here tonight speaking for our members who might not feel as confident to speak for themselves. You know, we see that this has an impact on all workers, whether they're citizens or noncitizens, immigrants or native born. So we encourage you to pass this resolution.

We thank you for taking the time to consider it tonight.

Good evening, I think I know everyone here. My name is David Gibbs. I live at 9 Linden Place here in Somerville, and I'm the Executive Director of the Community Action Agency of Somerville. I had the honor to serve in that role for a little over eleven years now. I'm here to speak strongly in favor of this resolution.

I want to give you a little flavor of how the current ICE actions have impacted our work and the clients that we serve who, as you know, are among the lowest income and most vulnerable people in the city. The major impact is in Head Start. We've seen impacts in our organizing program and our housing work. We've had a number of clients who were working with our housing advocates who suddenly were not there anymore. We have had to begin offering Lyft rides to organizing meetings for people who are afraid to leave their homes.

But in Head Start, we've really seen the impact. Since the inauguration of the current administration, we have lost three families directly who have been picked up and deported. And I would say we have lost roughly 20 families who have simply disappeared. They have were enrolled in head start and then they stopped coming, and with no explanation. What they had in common, of course, is that they all probably were first generation immigrants in one way or another.

We don't know. We don't ask. We don't keep records on that, but it's pretty clear what was going on. So, we have done a lot of training of our staff. We have signs up at all of our head start centers and at our offices in Union Square saying that this is a private space and you can't come in without permission.

That feels awful for us to have to put up a sign that says you can't come in here, you're like Cass has never been that way for its entire existence, right? But now we have signs, and I've personally worked with every single one of our teachers and staff members to help them understand what their rights are and what they should do in the event of an ICE action. That being said, and I will be brief here, ICE isn't following the rules. We know this. And I can tell my teachers all I want, ask them to show you a warrant.

That's not going to really help if they break down the door. So I would urge, in addition to passing this resolution, I wholeheartedly support, that the city consider what it really means to support families and businesses in these circumstances. I'll let you decide what that means. I would have had Minneapolis Police Department arrest the officers that shot those people on the spot. That's one way to do it. Anyway, that's all I've got to say. Thank you.

Thank you. Councillor Hart, anything further?

Nothing further. Thank you.

Okay. Councilor McLaughlin and then councilor Yocampman as the name sponsors and then we'll go.

Thank you, miss mister president, to you. Thank you, councilor Hart, for including me on this. We've had a number of know your rights campaigns in the city, but I really wanted to sign on to this one because it specifically mentions the fourth amendment and reminds us exactly what rights we're talking about here. You know, constitution of The United States and the bill of rights was made because a king decided that we didn't have these rights. And the rights to be secure in our papers, to be protected from unlawful searches, from having troops courted in our homes.

I hope we don't get to that point. And it is very clear that the constitution is under attack. And that's why this is more important than just protecting the immigrant community, which is immensely important to us. But this is about protecting everyone in this country and protecting the values that this country was founded on. So even if I've heard I put a I had an article in the Globe recently, I hope everyone reads it, about the role of ICE in the community.

But I saw a lot of comments, some from people I know, who said, why don't you just comply? Like, if you have a problem with these shootings, people being killed by ICE, why don't you just cooperate? Because if you just cooperated, this wouldn't be happening. And this is why we just can't comply and cooperate. Because even if we were cowardly enough to turn our backs on the immigrant community, we'd be turning our backs on the constitution and the rights that protect all of us.

And that's why we can't back down. And that's why Somerville is not gonna back down because we're not gonna back off from the constitution of The United States that protects everyone in this country regardless of the documentation status. So I'm happy to support this and I thank you for bringing it up and I hope everyone keeps this in mind when you're on the streets that you do have rights in this country.

Councillor Ewen Kempen, then Strauss Om Bah.

Thank you mister president and through you, thank you to councilor Hart for your leadership on this and to our labor leaders, director Gibbs, for being here. I sometimes hear from residents feeling like what's the point of knowing our rights given that we have a federal government that is so kind of disgustingly ignoring our rights, you know, kind of a cynicism around that. And I really really wanna disagree with that. I I I understand that feeling where it comes from, but I really don't think that that is the path we wanna go down. I think it is incredibly important to know your rights, to inform your neighbors and businesses about their rights.

Not only because, you know, we often hear about the most high profile situations gone awry, many other situations are in fact deescalated and stopped because people didn't know their rights. And also in the moment documenting, stating, recording that rights are being violated, I think all of us can think of a million examples now of how powerful those moments actually have been, you know, for the legal process, but also for the for the public process to understand that basic core constitutional rights are being violated. So I I think a lot of us have supported campaigns largely focused on residents. I I'm really grateful for the emphasis on increasing those trainings to local businesses because of what we've seen about these workplace raids in just such such blatant contradiction to the the premise of law and order in this country. So thank you again, councilor Hart, and thank you to everyone for being here tonight.

You. Councilor Schazel.

Thank you. I wish to co sponsor this resolution, and I I, of course, stand in support with this. And and also, I I do feel an intense need, of course, to expand our knowledge and budget with this. And I am requesting that this be sent to housing and community development and economic development. I do want economic development.

I want to be considering considering and how this is continuously impacting our small businesses in Somerville and to help collaborate with us on a plan. In active steps, we as we watch we we we are not helpless, and we cannot watch helpless as this keep happening in our community, and we must stand with our neighbors. There's no exception to that. So that's what I'm requesting, this be sent there. We need to keep talking about this.

Okay. Councilor Ba.

Thank you, mister president. I wanna thank councilor Hart for your leadership on this. And to my colleagues, also thanks, Dave, and the level leaders. It's it takes courage to keep talking about this, you know, especially just as an immigrant myself, it's really touches me a lot when I see this thing happening all the time. And I've really wonder, like, what is, like what what is it that, you know, we should be doing that will actually have a lot of impact?

Because we keep this is is still happening, and yet we like, you know, councilor McLaughlin said, we've we know you're knowing you're right and everything. Like, just standing up for the constitution and our neighbors, like, it's I'm not sure, like, what else we should be doing because we deserve to live and walk without fear. And if you kinda, like, rate a workplace, it's really a constitutional violation that destabilizes families, small businesses, and then also chills, bring chills on people. I know I've been intimidated a few times, you know, the past year getting calls about, oh, what is you know, the federal government is gonna come attack all the sanctuary cities or public officials that don't cooperate. I'm not sure what that means.

And for us to continue to say these things, say this word, and say some of it, you know, we will still, you know, have this constitutional protections here. It all matters. You know, our local economy and community safety matters, and that will not normalize unlawful overreach, you know, in our city. This is something that we'll continue to pound on. And David Keith mentioned something about, like, what is I think we need to find a way to engage our local law inform enforcement officers, not our community member.

We cannot continue to put community members at odds, you know, with federal agents. If they don't observe and and respect these protocols and laws we'll put in place, we have law enforcement officers in the city that should engage with them and not community members. We need to create that structure that will actually, you know, tell our law enforcement that if they see somebody, you know, with mask, you cannot identify them, you they need to be arrested. Not community members. We need our our local law enforcement.

They need to do more than just, you know, stay and say we are not engaging because this is how, you know, community member become vulnerable year in year, time and time and again. So I think just to your question, this is we need to actually empower our local law enforcement officers to arrest anybody that is in they deem suspicious. They'll be protected. Thank you, mister president.

Councilor Klingen. And then

Thank you, mister president. President. Through you, thank you to my colleagues. I'd like to sign on to this. Mean, of course, I'd like to sign on.

One of the things, you know, just in doing some research with regards to the way that ICE is twisting these administrative warrants, the irony here is that those type of warrants, administrative warrants were sort of granted and used as a tool for government agencies like OSHA and other places to go into slaughterhouses and meat packing factories to make sure that safety compliance was being had. And now but it was never meant to do what they're doing now. And so, they're twisting these things. It's being fought out in the courts, but like while the courts are battling, people are being taken from our community. So we need to stand together and wholeheartedly reject any type of entry to a workplace.

These warrants are not we're And we're to to

the good representative from fourteen forty five, obviously, you can't

do stop them from busting down the door, but we can certainly send a strong message to businesses that we will support them in protecting their workers and hope that they will make sure that everybody knows their rights and make sure that they know that they have rights. So thank you for this, putting this forward and happy to support.

Okay. Before I go back to Councillor Hart, Councillor Scott, Councillor Link, Councillor Bah, myself I'd like to sign on. Councillor Hart?

Just briefly I wanted to mention and appreciate Mayor Wilson because the executive order does include education and support for the Fourth Amendment, in particular with businesses. So I really see this as complementary and as a way to gather more attention and community support and spread the word even further. But I definitely didn't want to not acknowledge that I really appreciate that that was in the executive order.

Counselor Sait like would to sign on. Do you want to speak to it as well? Councilor Sait, go ahead. And councilor Wheeler would like to sign on.

Through you, mister president, I just wanna take a moment to thank, councilor Hart, for putting this resolution forward and councilor Benjamin Campan, and councilor McLaughlin for cosponsoring this resolution, and for the labor readers and mister Gibbs for speaking tonight, for sharing simply what their members, their clients are going through in these times. I think we're hearing about it, but hearing it from people who are working, every day with them is important. And I really I support this resolution. Really like that this emphasis on what small businesses can do. It might feel like not much, but I'm in my word, at least, I'm hearing from small businesses constantly.

What can we do altogether, not just some immigrant owned small businesses, but every single business posting this, working with the city to know what the rights are, I think would help here as a first step. So thank you for including that and for reminding us that we have rights, and it's important to fight for those rights in these times. Thank you.

Thank you. Saw mayor Wilson Bettner dutifully raise his hand. Or else would you would you like to say a few words? I'm happy to recognize you if so. And I appreciate your quietly raised hand.

Mr. President, thank you for the recognition. I want to thank you all for bringing this forward for the support of it. Happy report. It does align very nicely with the executive order that was signed and issued on Friday. If you have specific questions about the implementation of the commitments made, the obligations placed on the city with that executive order, I would urge you to please reach out to the department or division head in question and have that conversation with them. Thanks.

Thank you. Okay I see no discussion then we will that is approved with a copy to HECD. Alright. So then the next item we said out of order is seven fifteen. Is that I got that right? Alright. Excellent. Next item, madam clerk.

Agenda item seven fifteen, a request of the mayor requesting the appropriation of a 167,168 from the salary contingency account to various departmental personnel accounts to fund a collective bargaining agreement with the Summerville Municipal Employees Union, union d.

I have, council attorney Sergue here from the, law department. Can you please just, state your name for the record and go right ahead?

Good evening, council. Matt Syergue, labor council for the city of Summerville. We're here tonight asking for immediate approval of an MOA covering fiscal years '23 to fiscal years twenty five for Unit D of the Summerville Municipal Employees Union. This contract brings much needed updates to the wages for this group. It's a residual group of employees, including some higher level staff and some specialized positions.

It brings needed improvements to wages, market adjustment in fiscal year twenty five similar to the unit B contract, really great enhancements to the vacation benefit and vacation schedule accelerating the rate at which employees are able to accrue vacation time, and expanding the paid family and medical leave benefit that the city has offered to this group of employees, and a bunch of other goodies that I'm happy to answer questions about. Any of the council has questions?

Thank you. Questions? Councilor Scott?

Thank you, mister president. I'm fully supportive of this. I'm really excited to get this done tonight. But before we do so, I would like to, sponsor mister the distinguished Ed Halloran, to say a few words about the, contract settlement.

Council Scott would like to, sponsor, Ed Halloran. See no objection. Objection. Mister Mister Halloran, Halloran, go go ahead. Hello, everyone. My name

is Ed Halloran. I have been the president of the Seminole Missile Employees Union for nineteen years. That's a long time to be doing anything, you know. But obviously, they they like me or they can't find anybody else to do this job. It was one or the other. I like to think that they like me. But this is a specialized unit. And we do have ISD chief inspectors, recreation, and it's just although it's a smaller unit, it's incredibly important. So I wanna thank the previous administration, this administration for all the hard work that they've done on this contract. And a year ago, we just did the unit b contract, and that was about 240 people.

So we have about 300 people in the union. And believe it or not, once this is resolved, we'll still be without a contract because we we're behind. All four units a b c and d will c c is the school nurses. But the a, the b, and the d will be without a contract. But I've been assured that the city's gonna be working with us on those to get those finally caught up.

And that would be refreshing for us to see that. But it's I'm just asking you guys to help us out and take care of us and we're gonna keep the city running like we always do. The snow, I know it's difficult. The DPW is doing all they can. They're out there they're gonna be out there tonight on Beacon Street and Washington Street, killing off some of the areas out there. So I'm I'm proud to to to work with them. I've been working with the city for thirty three years, obviously I like what I'm doing, and I'm still doing it. And I I thank you thank all you guys really for for doing what you do. Appreciate it. There's been difficult times, and I realize that. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other questions? So the administration did convey to me a hope that the council would take this up this evening. Moved to approve. Moved to approve. Any discussion on the motion? Do we need a roll call for that one? No? Alright. See no objection then. That is approved. Alright, and so we will now take up if there's an objection, we'll take up item four dot 16.

Agenda four sixteen, a resolution by councilor Ling that the director of human resources review the hiring for crossing guards, ensuring that the process and requirements are right sized and not unnecessarily burdensome such that they deter qualified candidates.

Councilor Lake.

Thank you. Yes. So I've having been a long appreciator of city council meetings, I've I've heard about the problems with hiring crossing guards. And I also talked to some some people who actually tried to get a job as crossing guards, and I heard that there's some maybe there could be maybe be some work rightsizing what it takes to become a crossing guard especially for our our non native speakers. So I'd love to hear from HR on, you know, how we can improve that and also maybe hear about our time to hire application drop off points and you know what non essential requirements we could potentially remove or reduce.

Thank you. Thank

you. Before we go to other members, is do you want to have that discussion in committee or do you want to follow-up directly? Was thinking

Sorry, yeah. So I'd ask for it to be sent to confirmations and appointments. That's what

I was thinking. Okay. Councillor Schaszow.

Thank you and I'd like to thank Councillor Link for carrying on a lot of work that I put forward in the years. And always happy to have further discussion, and if you're interested in putting in an order before on this or see where we've gone in over the past years and years and years that we've talked about this in Housing and Community Development and how school committee as well. Always happy to have a conversation and catch you up on where we've been

On the end of council

Casan Fales. And with that, I think that this is still important. We're still there. And so I would like to have a crossing guard speak on behalf of that with miss Maggie Joseph from Ward 7 who wished and requested to speak on this.

Alright. Counselor Strauss would like to sponsor Maggie Joseph.

I'd love to co sponsor this too. I'd love to co sponsor

I see this no objection, but please come forward stay out. Sorry. Step forward and state your name for the record and go right ahead.

Hi. My name is Maggie Joseph. I am a coursing guard on West Somerville. I am talking on behalf all those coursing guard. So regarding, like, we need more supplies,

and

we need better gloves. So the gloves we have, it's like when we're on the streets. So after five minutes, and it's like freezing cold, you know, so that glove is not good. So if you guys can provide us, like, with more gloves. And also, like, you know, like, we're on the streets, so we are make sure the kids are safe, and also we need to be safe also. I just like when it's snow. I know. I understand that. I drove my car to look all those spots where is the coursing guard. If it's clean and stuff like that, we need to make sure it's clean for us and to cost the kids for safety and also, like, if we can get more money.

Thank you. That's it.

K. Thank you.

And on this point, I think that can always be a factor to consider as to why recruitment becomes difficult as well. Happy to have that further conversation sent forward to the committee.

Very good. Any further discussion? Councilor Ba.

Thank you, mister president, and to thank you to my colleague. You know, I'd like to sign on. That's my VIP there. Maggie, it's so good to see you, and she's one of the best crossing guard we have in the city, and we're lucky to have her out in West. Thank you for your service.

Okay. Seen no discussion and that item is approved with a copy to CAPM. Confirmation of appointments and personal matters for the case. That's

item 7.1, a request of the mayor requesting that this council convene an executive session to discuss the matter of Joseph a Sader, trustee of Highland Avenue Realty Trust versus City of Summerville.

Alright. Can the Point point of order, mister president. Sorry? Point of order, just just briefly. As someone who did not know what executive session meant when I was first watching council meetings, it might be helpful to just define what that is for anyone watching who might be about to Absolutely. Be

Always always happy to to welcome a a little explanation. We have we have a member of the law department here. Could you would you mind providing that explanation for us since your your expertise is more appropriate than mine?

As a council president, thank you. Through you since I'm here. Yes. So executive session is a reason under mass general laws chapter 30 a for which a public body may go into a closed door deliberation. There's approximately 12 or 13 enumerated reasons for which a public body may go into closed doors to have a deliberation, usually related to the nature always related to the nature of the conversation, and some type of proprietary or or discussion that warrants a closed door discussion.

So there is a procedure under 30 a that requires the purpose be stated in the agenda, be stated beforehand, and the body note whether it will reconvene an open session, and that's what we're doing today. And I'm also here that the law department has reviewed the purpose for which this executive session has been called and has determined it is appropriate to enter executive session under section 21 subsection a three of chapter 30 a.

Okay. Very well. We will return to open session following the executive session. Do we need a roll call? You can hear me. Yeah. Okay. So roll call to go into executive session.

Roll call to enter into executive session. Councillor Yuncampin?

Yes.

Councillor Link?

Yes.

Councillor Scott?

Yes.

Councilor Klingon?

Yes.

Councilor Strazo? Yes. Councilor Saeed? Yes. Councilor Wheeler? Yes. Councilor Hart? Yes. Councilor McLaughlin?

Yes.

Councilor Mbaugh?

Yes.

Councilor Davis? Yes. That is approved. Alright.

As I said, we will return to open session following executive session. Thank you. Alright. Call this meeting back to order. No votes were taken in executive session other than the vote to exit executive session.

That item was approved. And now the next of the next item out of order relates to, the topic. Madam clerk, could you read item seven thirteen, please? Oh, I called the rollback. Right. Sorry.

And roll call to Here. Councilor McLaughlin? Here. Councilor Mbaugh?

Present.

Councilor Davis? Here. With all 11 councilors present, we have quorum. Yes. Agenda item 7.1 approved, and we are on to agenda item seven thirteen, a request of the mayor request requesting the appropriation of 3,500,000.0 from the unreserved fund balance free cash to the law department judgments and settlements account account to fund the settlement of Joseph a Sader, trustee of Highland Armory Realty Trust versus City of Summerville.

Alright. Any discussion? I see none. Don't need to recall on that. Right? Nope. Alright. Then that item is approved.

Okay. Next item is agenda item 7.22, a request of the mayor requesting approval of a transfer of $30,000 from the health and human services salaries account to the professional and technical services account to fund increased costs associated with the f y twenty twenty six warming center.

I see director Carroll's here. Do you wanna speak to this item? Or just here for questions?

The president, I can speak to it.

It's

Do do a us favor. State your name for the record just so that everyone knew. Do I what? State your name and title just for the record

so those watching

at home know you are.

I'm Karen Carroll, the director of health and human services. Use sheher pronouns.

Thank you

for having me here tonight. I am requesting the transfer of 30,000 from our lag salary funds personnel to our P and T line to further support the warming center. We've had higher than anticipated and budgeted activity and numbers there through this very cold winter, which is good to have this place where folks can go. But we have run into some budget issues around food, transportation to and from the warming center. And we've also been we've also extended the security to have a coverage in the morning as well.

So the external security just to assist with people moving to and from and and leaving the shelter. The other thing that's built into that 30,000 is some extra shifts that we were able to have our housing families do some additional hours for the extremely cold days. So there was a Monday and a few mornings, at least keeping something open until our libraries are open. So that's kind of the gist of what that 30,000 is our expected budget, our anticipated shortfall for these increased costs through till mid April when the center closes.

Right. Very good. Yeah. Councilor Yohan Kappen. Yep.

Thank you, mister president. Through you, I just wanted to thank all the staff who have been working on it. I know that these are responsive both to, obviously, issues of people who use the center, the really cold days, and also neighbors who have raised a number of issues. So I'm thankful and very supportive of this.

Thank you.

I just like to say your head.

Yeah. Just thank you. Yeah. It's I I really the it's I go past the warming center regularly. I see that it's being used well, and I'm just so thankful that we have it. So Yeah. Councilor Bob?

Thank you, mister president. Again, thank you for your work for the city and approved.

Alright. Councilor Bob moves for approval. Any discussion on the motion? Council Wheeler.

Hi. I'm just curious about is this particular money available in the salary account because of understaffing? Or is it sort of a routine thing to have this this much just be excess and be available?

Through the president. This is a relatively small amount compared to our overall salary budget. We have a couple of vacancies. We have a position that left on January 1. We have a couple we don't have a lot of vacancies at the moment this year, but we do have a couple of things that are currently still unfilled. We're in the process of hiring a navigator position. So we have a few positions that have been unfilled for a little bit while we go through that process. So it's yes, it's our salary lag funds, unspent salary.

Thank you and thanks for your leadership and stewardship of the Warming Center.

Yeah. Alright, very well. Any further discussion on the motion? Alright, seeing none that item is approved. Shall we start the meeting? Thank you, director. Alright. That takes us back to our regular order of business. Madam Clerk, next item.

And that brings us to agenda item 4.1 in order by councilor Mbaugh that the chief of police provide this council with data on pedestrian and bicycle enforcement activities in the city?

Councilor Bob.

Self explanatory, mister president. I think this came out of, the finance report where there was, like, some funding that was, you know, that went into enforcement, but I wanted to ensure that, you know, the methodology was, you know, it's fair. So and then the rest we can waive. Okay. Councilor

Scott would like to sign on. Any discussion? Alright. That item is approved.

Agenda item 4.2, a resolution by councilor Mbaugh that the chief of police annually review pedestrian and bicyclist enforcement data to identify disparities and enforcement patterns across demographic or neighborhood lines and submit this data to the city council.

Councilor Barth, do you want to speak on that too?

Also self explanatory and it actually builds off of the first.

Very well. Councilors Scott and Link would like to sign on. Alright, seeing no further discussion. That item is Councillor Link as well? Sign on? Yep. Alright that item is approved.

Next item is agenda item 4.3, a communication by councillor Mbaugh conveying a report of the job creation and retention trust fund.

Councilor Nbaugh. Thank you, mister president. I'll be brief. At the it's January 29 meeting. The job creation and retention trust review financial update discussed the withdrawal of one of its grantee and outline priorities for 2026. So the trusted closed calendar year 2025 with 2,500,000.0 in uncommitted reserves, including the final $500 for linkage payment from 74 Avenue, and no additional linkage revenue is anticipated in the near term. Further details are available in the attached. Thank you, mister president.

Thank you, councilor Barr. Any Any discussion? Councilor Wheeler?

Through the chair, thank you for conveying this report councilor Mbaugh. I just wanted to highlight something from the report that caught my eye. The mention of job opportunities such as with biotech companies including TransMedics, and the potential for students and other residents of Somerville to train to work in those companies. That's an exciting prospect. Thank you.

Thank you councilor Wheeler. You know, I think I've been trying to, like, constrain this report. I I see a lot of people looking at me whenever I'm giving this report. I try to be as comprehensive as possible. That's why I now put the attach there so that I don't have to I don't have the most beautiful voice so people can read the attach. So that so just save that time. Thank you.

Alright. Excellent. Always good to highlight a few key nuggets in there. Any further discussion? I see none.

Item 4.4, a communication by councilor Mbal conveying the year end report of the affordable housing trust.

Thank you again, mister president. In this year end report, you know, to the city council, I provide my final update as council representative to the affordable housing trust, outlining the trust financial status and the production outcomes while highlighting two emerging concerns requiring council declining revenue growth and sharply escalating development costs. From 2015 through 2025, the trust leveraged CPA funds, zoning linkage payments, and federal CDJB grants and home grants and period icity transfer to support the creation of an average of 20 to 25 affordable units annually, in addition to inclusionary units generated through zoning. However, with commercial linkage revenues slowing, potential federal funding uncertainty, and per unit subsidy needs rising from historic levels of between 150,000 to 250,000 to 300,000 between 3,000 and 600,000 or more in recent projects, the trustees current 5,000,000 annual funding level may yield significant fewer units in the coming years. Further details, including revenue tables and projected data, is available in the attach.

How does this report be accepted as submitted? Thank you. Any discussion?

All right. None that is placed on file. Next item.

Item 4.5, a resolution by councilor Saeed that the commissioner of public works remove snow from dead end streets, private ways, and alleyways in a timely manner.

Councilor Through you, mister president. Yeah. So first, let me thank DPW for all the hard work plowing the huge amounts of snow. The last snowstorm we had was a major one. We haven't had one like that in years.

And it was followed by below freezing temperatures for days. Plowing all that snow and ice was was very challenging, especially for city with limited snow farms. So, again, I'm grateful for all the DPW staff. I personally, as the world five councilor, reached out to the DPW interim commissioner, Eric Weissman. Almost every single day for, like, a week after that snowstorm, my phone was ringing, texts, phone calls.

I'm sure my colleagues were experiencing the same thing. Mostly constituents who live on dead end streets, alleyways, and private ways. And the DPW interim commissioner was very responsive, and he sent his staff every time to location it brought up to his attention. So I'm very grateful for that. I just wanna say put this forward because I heard from so many world five constituents who live on dead end streets, alleyways, and private ways.

Many of of them are seniors. And many of them shared that this is the first time in years that their streets were not plowed after a snowstorm for days. You know, and some were told, it is the city is not required to do it, and they it was the first time they were hearing of that. So, again, yeah, this was it created an unsafe situation. Some of them were worried there will be, an emergency, and ambulance wouldn't be able to get to them.

So the intent of this order is to request that we think about the way we approach the last snow storm, the plowing of that snow, and ensure that we're reviewing our practices, especially when we a major snowstorm like that, and making sure all residents are safe to go to work, to the doctor's appointments, and they're not trapped for days. And also, if any of our practices have changed, that we communicate that to our constituents. So if, you know, the city is no longer plowing certain streets, that we communicate that so that people can plan accordingly. So, yeah, that's the intent of this resolution.

Okay. I saw councilor Scott and then councilor Link.

Thank you, mister president. And thank you, my colleague from Ward 5 for bringing this up. It feels like every few years we go through some some major change and the the policy, whether it's formal or informal, gets mixed up. I know we had some new guys on the cruise this year. And sometimes it's just as simple as the same guy has been plowing the same route for so many years and always make sure to tuck in to, you know, get missus Smith's house on Street.

Right? But that said, I think it's always a great idea to have a conversation. There are always new folks coming into the city as well as and not just as employees, but as residents. So having a nice policy discussion and committee about this might be a great way to ensure that everybody's on the same page as we enter a new administration and presumably a new commissioner soon. Alright. Thank you, sir.

Councilor Link. Thank you, mister president. Through you, thank you to my colleague, Moore five. And I just wanna say I prior to this I'm I'm really appreciative because prior to the storm, I I had called out that we needed to make sure we had clear communication with the residents about what's happening. So I'm really hoping that regardless of of what discussions may turn up in terms of what our policy is that we're just really communicating them very clearly to our constituents well in advance so that they know, you know, how they're supposed to be able to deal with these things because they do as my or my colleagues said, they are very important things.

People getting out of their houses and to doctor's appointments and walking down the street to get milked shouldn't be treacherous. Thank you.

Councilor Sate?

Mister president, I do want to send to committee. I'm just trying to think what the right committee I'm sorry?

Think Councillor Scott read my mind as often happens and suggests maybe sustainability infrastructure sort of where public works. Utilities would have been invested.

All those okay.

All right. Councilor Bob would like to sign on. Councilor Wheeler.

Thank you. I also wanted to appreciate my colleague from Ward 5. One note amidst all this very useful and and topic information. The private ways in particular. I've had a couple residents ask me questions in recent days about rules for private ways and even whether or not their street was a private way.

I think it's not as clear to everybody who lives on a private way, partially as evidenced by one of the public comments item 9.29 tonight, what exactly it means to live on a private way, how that's different, whether you should expect a private way to be be plowed by the city so that emergency vehicles can have access. And I did a quick looking on the city's website and I had trouble finding a centralized place with information about our private ways. So I just wanted to flag that as something that we might take a look at at some point.

Okay. I saw and I think counselors that you alluded to this. I saw what I found to be a really good explanation of sort of, I'm looking towards the administration here, of sort of what happened, why things worked the way they did. I I can't recall if it was a a social media posting or response to an email, but if I could request that that that do you wanna speak to that, mister Maynard? No. I I just was gonna ask that that maybe if if the administration could submit that to follow this item in the committee because I thought it would be a great jumping off point. Mister Mayor, go ahead.

Mister president, funny you mentioned that I actually was just remarking to legislative liaison Radassi that DPW commissioner did produce a really good statement on this. I I can't remember if we posted externally. We definitely it became the sort of the the meat of what we did put out. Yes. On social media.

If people want to go into this in-depth in committee, know obviously there's that option. In a nutshell, this was the first major snow event we had since switching to a new snow contractor. There was a plan that DPW believed was sufficient. Found out not the case. Happy to report the DPW commissioner is delightfully committed to process refinement to acknowledging when we do fall short as a city.

I didn't even have to ask for that. That that was proactively produced for us and I thought that was amazing. And I'm really proud of of DPW for billing being willing to do that introspection and admit when we do fall short. For the record, we do continue to plow and salt private ways as a courtesy to those who live on private ways. It's not an obligation.

We do not there's a measure that could be opted into at the state level. Some rules never done that. Instead we just do that as a courtesy and for public safety purposes for those who live on private ways. The plan is to keep doing that. We feel pretty confident that the adjustments made after that big storm will allow us to do that successfully. And I want to thank DPW, especially DPW Commissioner Wiseman for being all over this.

Alright. Two responses to that. First, delightfully committed to process refinement needs to be on a t shirt. Lia Zunreza, could can I make the request then to have that communication sent to follow-up on this item just because as I said it's a great starting point for the discussion in committee? Kinda runs through a lot of questions. Good. Alright. Then seeing no further discussion, that item is approved with a copy to sustainability and infrastructure. Next item.

Next item is 4.6, a zoning amendment by Councilor Strezzo amending sections 2.1.1 and 3.1.12 of the zoning ordinances regarding accessory dwelling units. Strezzo.

Thank you. I am very excited to present this to you colleagues and also, madam clerk, can we please put this on the screen? I want to of course, this is going to be sent to committee, but I just want to give you a a quick thought of of why this is here. So this is a zoning amendment to ADUs that I'm proposing. I have worked with city staff, housing advocates here, and I thank them very, very much for their diligence and thoughtfulness and patience to get to this point. So

I

am presenting this as I I can't wait to just have this conversation with you, and I've been so excited to just show you guys this. I've been so excited. Really quick where we go because before it hands to heads off to land use. So the first section in the glossary, I thought it it was useful that we added that we made it user ready, that it has newbie readability, and that because city uses the term backyard cottages when we talk about accessory dwelling units. They don't really reference the the it is not really referenced as ADUs often.

And while the state says ADU and we say backyard cottages, I thought that consistency or further description would really be useful, modernize the climate of that. And I wanna say that the so this this draft, of course, aims to catalyze conversation with you, but it it's really gonna be useful, it really can modernize and expand and really do a lot of good for for affordable housing and housing accessibility. The amendment primarily purpose purposes updates to the building setback and massing tables. I'm gonna talk about that in a second. To allow greater flexibility around the size of ADUs and as well as the use of modulated construction and and consideration of preexisting structures such as carports.

And it aims to lower regulatory barriers to production while acknowledging that there's an opportunity to explore additional policy levels. This is exciting. So in 3.1, neighborhood residents of the backyard cottage, to avoid the conflict of residents, we cut some items out, to consider preexisting structures like carports and the concept of building above them, is very exciting. And page three and four is where you'll see in the renovation of preexisting structures. But there are so what's modified is that, like for instance, main massing.

There's a modification of size and depth because a lot of Summerville backyards are rectangle shaped. They're not a typical square. And really being cognizant of the fact that we have unique land here in Somerville. We should be addressing that, and we should be empowering our residents to really take the concept of affordable housing and ADU production to really happen. E, I like this, is two stories now, not 1.5 previously.

That allows more flexibility. And you're going to see Samantha Carr talk about this when it has Celanus. That's really exciting. And so it's the possibility of the 12 foot ceiling. It would be a full ceiling, a six foot ceiling, 12 ceiling. We can play with that and really unlock restrictions. Before I send this off, I'll make sure that I didn't miss anything because I've been dying to tell you guys this so long. And I think I've pretty much covered it all. So I'm asking to send to land use and so excited to hear the conversation on it.

All right, very good. Any questions for discussion? All right, that is referred to land use. Next item.

Brings us to agenda item 4.7, a resolution by councilor Ewenkampen and councilor Link that the director of parks and recreation discuss with this council options to create year round indoor programming for kids and families.

Councilor Yunkeppen.

Thank you, mister president, and thank you to councilor Link for partnering on this. So we have an amazing rec department. One thing that I hear regularly from parents, especially families with young kids, is that a lot of the towns around here have indoor rec activities like a family night on a Friday at the high school gym, something like that. Especially during the winter months, kids are cooped up. You know, I I start getting these emails every year. I'm obviously not the first counselor to to raise this issue. I'm not the first person who works for the city to think about this, obviously. But we have a new rec director. We have a new mayor. We have a new administration.

So I thought that we should have this conversation. It came up a little bit when we were talking with our new rec director who mentioned that it's an issue of space largely. But I I would just like to see if we can crack this nut with a little bit of political will. So I'd ask that this go to housing community development and equity, please. Thank you, councilor Link.

Yeah. So I just through through you, mister president, thank you so much to councilor Yun Kampen for inviting me in on this because it it is as a parent, I get to of young children, I get to hear lots of other parents of young children talk about what is bothering them. And this is for sure has been something that that I hear about regularly. And, you know, I think the the opportunities for enrichment and for, you know, affordability, being able to like live easier in the city and have these spaces is just it's it would just be really wonderful if we could, yeah, figure this out.

Councilor Barr, I'd like to sign on. I would as well. Councilor Strassel?

Thanks. I'd like to sign on this as well. This is something that, yes, has importance and residents have expressed consistently and I hope that we really can address this. This very much ties into the work we're doing in HCDE as well. And the Director of HHS is still here.

It ties into what was discussed and we'll get to that in a second about how families feel stressed out and not accounted for. And this was discussed in the federal study done a couple of years ago and how we could improve the lives of families and especially families with small children or families that aren't considered. This is a great opportunity to talk and actually enact this. So let's take it in there.

Alright. Very well. Counselor Enkampan, I thought when you're making the list of things we have, I was also here several school buildings with gymnasiums and an ice rink. Just just noting. Alright. Thank you very much. That is approved. It's a council site site we'd like to sign on as well, and a copy is sent to HECD. Next item.

Agenda item 4.8, a resolution by councilor Ewencampin that the commissioner of public works discuss with this council whether the sidewalk snow clearing pilot worked as attend intended this year or whether there are other strategies to improve pedestrian mobility following a large snowstorm?

Councilor and Kevin.

Thank you, mister president. We we just had a little bit of a discussion about snow clearing. This is particularly about a sidewalk clearing pilot program that we created several years ago after years of advocacy. We were able to to launch launch this program to to help for sidewalk clearance specifically on the length of Broadway, the length of school street. So the the thing that happened though is after we created this pilot program, it really didn't snow in a serious way for several years. So we really didn't get to kick the tires on this policy, see if it actually works, made a difference in anybody's life. But now we have. Right? We've just we're we're at the tail end of this extremely difficult snowstorm. So I I was really just hoping to have a conversation.

I I haven't seen this after action report that was mentioned from our DPW. I don't know if it's included in that. I I would not be surprised to hear that it worked really well or that it was a total failure. I really don't know what the answer is, and this is not a pointing fingers thing. This is a we're gonna dedicate the resources that we can to sidewalk clearance. What's the best way to do that? Should we be focusing on only on bus stops as fast as possible, or should we be focusing on certain parts of the city, you know, where school access I don't know. I don't know. But I'd love to have that conversation and understand whether this approach actually worked and helped anybody. So I'd ask that this go to whatever we call public works now.

Any discussion? Councilor Wheeler?

Thank you. Through the chair, I appreciate this item very much. I'm also curious. I'd like to mention in connection with this item the question that I hear brought up a lot which is with a relatively small staff. We have some some teams and some departments in the city that are doing a tremendous amount with a relatively small number of people.

And with a large number of streets and buildings in the city, how do leverage our efforts in order to be ensuring that sidewalks are cleared throughout the city, say. Or ensuring that that different kinds of requirements are being followed. And one of the tools that I know the city has experimented with in different ways is keeping track of where there have been recurrent problems in the past and focusing efforts on those areas until they're consistently being handled right. So I'm curious in this and other situations if that approach is something we can use to to help make the standards across the city be better. Thank you.

Okay. Councilor Link, I see liaison Raddazzi step forward. Ahead. Liaison Raddazzi, don't you if you have something to add to that conversation, then we'll go to councilor Link.

Thank you, mister president. For the record, Yasmeen Raddazzi, legislative liaison. I just wanted to put a plug in because councilor Wheeler mentioned the teen shoveling program. In case counselors don't know, and I did recently communicate this to counselor Hart as well, there is a program that's run through COA and HHS to connect teens with, senior households in the city. They match them together, and the students are actually compensated for clearing sidewalks and driveways for seniors. So just wanted to encourage counselors to let their residents know about this opportunity. If you have any extra questions or any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to HHS or COA. Thank you.

Good reminder. Thank you. Councilor Link

and councilor Clint. Thank you, mister president. Yeah. I just I guess, wanted to maybe just put, a little underscore on what councilor Wheeler was saying that, you know, it is so so important that we can get around on the sidewalks. And I I heard that our commission for people with disabilities actually was was not able to to meet because they were unable to get down the sidewalks, which I think really to me illustrates just how necessary it is to continue learning on this and iterating on this. Thank you. Councilor Klingen.

Thank you, Mr. President. Through you. Happy to have this discussion in infrastructure and sustainability. You know, my part of so School Street is the pilot street program, which is Councilor Ewen Kempen's ward of my ward.

I haven't heard any good news or bad news out of it lately. No, I mean like the first year it was like, you know, some people were getting hit with tickets. Think now everybody is I think it from my perspective, I think it may be working, but we'll have to wait and see what maybe I just haven't heard any complaints, but there have been tickets. To the larger discussion about the teen program and so on, I think there's lots of discussion to be had on separately from this particular order. I have some ideas around the teen shoveling program.

So hopefully, like as we all kind of debrief, whatever I'm going to say, this past storm and this past and hopefully, this past winter, we're still in it, but that will maybe come out with some new new ideas.

Okay. Alright. Seeing no further discussion, that item is approved with a copy to sustainability and infrastructure. Next item.

Next item is 4.9, a resolution by councilor Ewen Campin that the commissioner of public works discuss with this council lessons learned from the recent large snowfall about resources and policies needed to improve snow clearance, including MBTA bus stops, business district sidewalks and parking, private ways and dead ends, accessible ramps, and bike lanes.

Councilor Ewincampin. Thank you, mister president. I I think this is largely redundant with the conversation we just had around councilor Saeed's order. I would just say, in addition to a lot of calls I got on dead ends and private ways, I also got a lot of calls about the the timeline that it was gonna take for to get snow removal from business districts, specific bus stops that weren't cleared. And it's it's very clear that the administration has been working nonstop to to address those issues and to kind of make policy changes. So this is not meant to suggest they're not. It's just meant to create one more way that we can communicate to the public kind of what those policies are and that we're working on this. So I just ask that this follow the the resolution from councilor Szade as well.

Councilor Clayton? Thank you, mister president. Yeah. I would ask that when we do bring to have this discussion in committee that, you know, I think a lot of what we're hearing about is clarification on what the actual rules are. Like in past years when it came to sort of in my earlier years the council when it came to bus stops, there was confusion as to whether or not the MPTA was supposed to send people out.

I think it should I I think it's technically similarly to, know, I don't say fire hydrants aren't a requirement but there's certainly an ask. But pedestrian crossing ramps if you have bought one of those. So I'd like to get clarification on who actually owns the work of clearing a bus stop, who doesn't, things of that nature that we can kind of nail down in a public discussion so we can all be on the same page moving forward.

All right. Thank you. So that item is approved with a copy to sustainability and infrastructure. It will be part of the upcoming episode Snow Talk. Next item.

Agenda item 4.1, a resolution by councilor Ewen Kampen and councilor Hart that the administration increased publicity of the senior tax deferral program, which allows qualifying homeowners over 65 years of age to spend their income on living expenses rather than tax payments.

The

senior tax deferral program allows qualifying seniors to delay paying all or part of their taxes. And this frees up resources for living expenses. So Somerville has already done a really great job of expanding eligibility and adopting the lowest possible interest rate. The deferred taxes and interest don't have to be paid until the property is transferred to heirs or others. Recently, Senator Jalen has been working on making this program even more accessible, and she's also brought to attention the fact that the program is not really being widely used.

Last year there were only four people in Somerville who took advantage of the tax deferral. I've had constituents reach out to me about this as well. I know there are many more people who could benefit. I'd love for the Council on Aging and the assessor's office or others in the administration to work on getting the word out about it better. I think it would be a great use of reverse 311 call to residents 65 and older. And I encourage those of us on the council as well to get the word out to our constituents who might be eligible.

Okay. Councilor Encampment, anything to add?

Thank you, mister president. Councilor Hart described it all perfectly. I I would just say that senator Jalen, who who has been, really kind of beating the drum on the importance of this program and has also recently passed a bill in the senate that is now awaiting passage in the house to expand the program to lower the eligibility rules. She has pointed out that Winchester kind of stands out as a community that has something like three three times as many people taking advantage of it. So it is possible for kind of the the word to spread and to kind of dispel misunderstandings about how the program works.

It it was senator Jalen's explanation to me that they they do a lot of just active outreach basically to, you know, with every tax bill. There's a little notice about it, things like that. So the more we can do, the better. And obviously announcing it at 09:38 on a Thursday night on a cable is is the best way to get the word out. But second to that, you know, sending mail.

Councilor Wheeler likes to sign on. Councilor Bob likes to sign on. Alright. Do we want that to go to committee to follow-up or is that I mean, it's a request. Okay. So that item is approved. Next item.

Agenda item 4.12, a communication by Councillor Hart conveying a report of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Councillor Hart.

Thank you. Okay, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund met today, earlier this evening. We voted in Nick Pittman as the new managing trustee, discussed the process of filling open seats on the trust and what new trustee orientation is needed, Discussed a request from CAS for a new contract for unspent funds for a past allocation. Reviewed the process for evaluating applications for fiscal year twenty six housing assistance RFPs, and decided on that process, which will conclude in April.

Thank you. Any discussion on the report? Alright, seeing none that item I placed on file. Next item.

Agenda item 4.13, a resolution by councilor Klingon that the executive director of the office of strategic planning and community development discuss with this council the homeowner improvement program and the role of the city in disputes between homeowners and city approved contractors.

Thank you, Mr. President, through you. So I just want to have a discussion. I don't purport to know a ton about this particular program. Just sort of what I understand it is, is that a homeowner can sort of apply for a like a like a loan from the city and they get like CPGD grants.

But then they also use from a list of a preferred list of contractors to do this work. They that gets contracted out to like so they they pick from a specific list. So really the reason why I again, not obvious clearly don't not understanding what the program is fully, wanting to learn about it, want to have a public discussion about it, but mainly wanting to address the reason why it came to me was that a resident was having many issues with the particular contractor they used. The contract ended up going out of business and the work is still the problems with the work that have that occurred are still outstanding and unresolved. So you know, I think the person is looking to the city for for some resolution and so that just to me begged the question of what would our role be in that situation.

As this is a potential this is a great program. I think it's worked out many times for people successfully. This is just one story I'm hearing about this, although maybe it's not even used that often. Know, that's another thing that could come out of the discussion is how often are people taking advantage of this particular the hip program. So I'd like this to go to I won't be on the committee, but housing and community development and equity what is the is that the actual term?

The Housing, equity, and community development. Yeah.

I I don't wanna say I don't wanna say it wrong. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. But but I would like this to go to the committee and I will be happy to tune into that discussion. I'm I'm told I'm told that I got the name wrong. Sorry. Yeah. I just don't want people to feel burnt by the city and then there'd be no resolution. And then, you know, when I think it's important that we we figure out what what we do in those situations or what the city's role should be. Whether or not this program, you know, is working the way it is currently. Thank you.

Okay. Councilor Strassel.

Yes. Thank you, mister president. Through you to councilor Clinton. I'm glad you're bringing this forward because, you know, and I'll I'll sign on it to a chair because recently, I had a conversation with seniors that were trying to to find who to trust with contractors. And there was a list that I heard from, like, with Somerville Cambridge Elder Services, of course, that's a separate entity.

But that that this has existed in a similar incarnation in the past, and I think it's very important. I don't know where Angie's list is these days or how people get contractors, but there's definitely a need for it. And additionally, is this a federal program or is this a state run program that you heard about? What is this?

So it's on the city website. It's a city program. It's the home improvement program. It's to help provide safe, sustainable and affordable housing. This is for low moderate income residents.

The program focuses on building code and healthy and safety related repairs. But the way it's carried out is that we we make a loan to the homeowner at which I believe they pay back either at the time of sale or again, I don't profess to know everything about this. I wanna learn more and also just make sure that the approved list of contractors what we do in a situation like that where if they up and go out of business or something like that. You can find it. It's all online. It's a CB it's a block rent. CD BG block rent.

Thank you. To Constantine. So you said it's a a city of Somerville of Directors

development, and equity. Of

Agenda item 4.14, an order by councilor Link that the director of racial and social justice provide an update to this council on the status of the police civilian oversight committee.

Councilor Link.

Yeah. Thank you, mister president. So I think, you know, we can all agree transparency and oversight of, you know, all of our public bodies is is really important. And I think now more than ever, making sure that there is accountability taken seriously and residents feel like they can they can trust a system. It's just so so important. So I'm just asking for a status report, you know, what's been implemented so far, what's still pending, and what's the timeline for completion on this? Oh, and I'd ask that this go to public health and public safety, please.

Okay. Any discussion? Council Wheeler.

Through the chair, I commend my fellow councilor at large for this item. I want to point out that working towards a civilian oversight committee was one of the recommendations of the 2023 Summerville Police Department staffing and operations analysis report, often referred to as the Police Staffing Study. This is a report focused on helping ensure that the residents of the city have policing that's professional, timely, effective, and appropriate to the circumstances. Something that all of us and our police department support. I think it's crucial that we not let this report and other reports like it that have a ton of value for us sink into irrelevance. We should keep them in mind and act on them. Thank you.

You. Councillor Scott? Oh okay. I was just going to note for others who want to do a little more background before they watch the discussion of this, there also was a task force named the police I guess it the was civilian oversight committee task force that put out recommendations in line with that. So excellent question to find out where do we stand in all that. Councilor Bob would like to sign on. Councilor Scott would like to sign on very well because

Mister president, I just was reminded I had a warm memory of you and me and councilor Mbai drafting the civilian oversight back in was that 2020? It was six years ago.

It was it was yes. Two administrations passed.

Yes. Well, there's always next year, sir.

There's always tomorrow. Liaisonerdazzi, yes. You're pushing the the party in there as I speak.

Thank you, mister president. I just wanted to let everyone know that our public safety for all project manager is preparing a presentation for everyone, or I guess for a committee, on the work that he's done so far and what the next steps are. Just wanted to give a little preview of that hopefully coming in the next month or so.

Excellent. Sounds good. We look forward to that. All right. So no further discussion then. That is approved with a copy to public health, public safety.

A res excuse me. So sorry. Agenda item 4.15, resolution by councilor Link that this city council commends the students at Summerville High School for their action and resolve in protesting ICE deportations in Summerville and across the nation.

Councilor Link? Yeah. I just wanted to, through you, mister president, just want just to really kinda give a a, you know, a big shout out to the the Summerville High School students. You know, I I was there and and saw them all walk out, and I I walked with them for a little ways and in the freezing bitter cold. And I was just so truly moved by the these young people who are, you know, taking time to make sure that their voice are heard and to, you know, speak their their mind and and make sure that that they're exercising their rights and, you know, it's the next generation of engaged youth.

Thank you. Alright. Seeing no further discussion. Item is approved. Next item.

Agenda item 4.17, a resolution by councilor Link that the director of inspectional services review the rules for short term rentals and inform this council what enforcement tools are available and how the city may take action against known violations.

Councilor Link.

Yeah. It's I it's purely information sharing. I would just like to to know a bit more about this. So if we can send it to licenses and and permits, I've heard from some neighbors that they maybe have Airbnb's in their neighborhood that are in violation. So I just would like to be able to tell them what the processes and what the the sticking points are. Licenses and permits, please. Councilor Hart. I

just wanted to thank Mic is not on. Sorry. Apologies. So I wanna thank my colleague, counselor Link, for bringing this up. And, actually on election night, after it was apparent that I was gonna be the new Ward 7 counselor, I was contacted by a constituent about this very issue.

So it was about the first the first issue I was contacted about, and it's very important. It affects our housing supply and affordability. And so it's something that I've been working on since November, and I'm I'm really glad that you are also bringing it up. Thank you.

Liaison Ruizat Radezzi, you're approaching the podium.

Thank you Mr. President. I'd like to request a reconsideration of the committee assignment. ISD does not typically attend licenses and permits.

We you for that. So we have thank had a number of conversations on this topic in legislative matters because they've all been related to the ordinance that regulates short term rentals. I'm not sure that that necessarily is the best place for it because unless hey. This is more sort of an update. But it certainly could go there because it would be the context would be how are we enforcing and to what extent and what manner are we enforcing the ordinance. So if that's the best place for the administration administration to to have it, unless there's an objection, I don't have an objection because that was where we've had the conversation in the past. But councillor Laine, do have

I have no objection to to moving there.

Liaison Rodellis, is that that works for the administration? Alright. So I always mindful of the efficiency of use of our administration staff. So happy to keep it in a committee where they might have to show up for something else as well. So that will be approved with a copy to legislative matters. Next item.

Agenda item 4.18, a resolution by councilor Link that the administration provide the committee on school building facilities and maintenance with regular updates on the MSBA process for the Winter Hill and Brown schools.

This is resubmission of the prior to that end?

It is. Go ahead, councilor Link. Yeah. I mean, it's the leads right in there. I just would like it to go to the school buildings, facilities, and maintenance, please.

So what I was saying is that this is in fact, we we this item had been in committee in the past, and as we're going to hear about shortly here, our standard processes at the end of the year with the new council, items that are in committee, most or many items in the committee sort of vaporize. So this is a resubmission of that to have that standing. So thank you for that. I see notice oh, councilor Baum.

Oh, no. Thank you, mister president. Just to say from the desk of William Baum to the desk of John Ling, I wanna sign on.

Councilor Baum would like to sign on. That item is approved with a copy to school building facilities and maintenance. Next item.

Next item is agenda item 4.19, a resolution by councilor Wheeler, councilor Link, councilor Ewenkampen, councilor Hart, and councilor Davis in support of house bill fifteen eighty eight and senate bill eleven twenty two an act relative to immigration detention and collaboration agreements? Council Wheeler.

Thank you, chair. Briefly, this is a pair of bills brought by representatives Christine Barber and David Rogers and senator Adam Gomez and joined in petition by senator Pat Jalen, representative Mike Connolly, and many others. It would clarify the distinct and separate roles of federal agencies on the one hand and local law enforcement and local facilities on the other.

Any discussion? Schroeder, to sign on. Councilor Klingen? Alright. That item is approved. Next item.

Agenda item 4.2, a resolution by Councilor Wheeler, Councilor Link, Councilor Euencampin, Councilor Hart, and Councilor Davis in support of proposed house bill, the protect act, an act promoting rule of law, oversight, trust, and equal constitutional treatment.

Councilor Wheeler. Thank you chair. This is a bill brought by representatives Andres Vargas of Haverhill and Judith Garcia of Chelsea and joined in petition by senator Pat Jalen, representative Mike Connolly, representative Christine Barber, and many others. It has a number of provisions, all which promote the equal treatment under the law of all residents of Massachusetts and clarify what information about residents should by law be kept private by our state and municipal governments and what information under the law must be transparent. Thank you.

Discussion? Councillor Clegan would like to sign on? Councillor Sai would like to sign on? Councillor McLaughlin? Councillor Strezzo? Councillor Ba? I think we've got everybody at this point. Seeing no discussion, that item is approved.

Agenda item 4.21, a communication by councilor Wheeler in his capacity as chair of the committee on finance conveying information on the FY twenty seven budget review process.

Councilor Wheeler.

Thank you, chair. Councilors, please compose and submit a memo summarizing your budget priorities for fiscal year 2027. I am told on good faith that former counselor Charlotte Kelly wrote memos that are a model of clarity and focus and that our clerks and auditor staff would be happy to provide some examples from former counselor Kelly for reference. The due date for these will be Monday, March 9, in about a month. And the current plan is to hold a meeting of the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday, March 24, to assemble, discuss, and submit our priorities formally to the mayor.

This is a new administration, as we know, and this budget process is still evolving. So, I welcome your suggestions and we'll make sure to inform you all when we learn more about the precise format of that March 24 meeting. Note that you're getting about a month of notice, so supplemental items will not be accepted after this. You got to get it in on time. I look forward to collaborating with all of you to push for spending priorities that reflect values and our commitment to the city. Thank you.

Any discussion? Councillor Schroeder?

To you too, Councillor Link. Please expand on your is this your idea that supplemental items will not be Okay there. Councillor McLaughlin. I'm sorry, threw you to the president. Are you okay there Councillor McLaughlin? Okay now back to Councillor Wheeler. Can you expand on that? Is this your concept of an idea as chair of finance or is this

I didn't hear the the point you wanted him to expand on. Could you just repeat that?

Expand on the thought of a supplemental item that supplemental items were will not be continued past this time. Thank you.

Through the chair I apologize I was sort of trying to make a bit of a joke but I'm I was just trying to state the you know the fact that we all understand which is that supplemental items are accepted when they cannot be foreseen. And with a month of notice, we have a lot of foresight. So we won't be able to co to claim that we couldn't foresee needing to submit this memo on Tuesday or Wednesday of that week. Thank you.

Alright. Seeing no further discussion. That item is placed on file.

Agenda item 5.1.

Councilor Wheeler.

Thank you chair. I move to waive the reading of items 5.1 through 5.5 and refer them to the finance committee.

Alright, no objection. Those items are referred to finance.

And that brings us to agenda item six b one, a committee report of the committee meeting of finance meeting on 02/10/2026.

Back to you, councilor Willard.

Thank you, chair. The finance committee met on Tuesday, 02/10/2026 with all members present.

Excuse me.

Don't

wanna step any toes, but I'm just curious as to why the the million dollars for the CPA money to the Kennedy. I know that they're trying to get this out to bid and I know it sounds like it's somewhat time sensitive. I don't mean again if you have thoughts on you wanted to go to committee or are you has anybody

Through the chair I'm seeing legislative leaders. Let's let get

a hold of this one. So councilor Klingon would like to move for reconsideration of item 5.1 even though we don't really I guess we haven't taken action on that. Submitted it. But we're going to have another unless any has any objections to bringing that back before the committee? Seeing none, that item 5.1 is back before us. The question is, is there a time sensitivity on that? I see Leah Dazsley Raddazzi approaching the the lectern there. Would you like to address that, Liaison?

Thank you, mister president. Yes. So these were laid on the table at the last council meeting while we as ascertained with OSPCD divisions whether or not there was an urgency to act on these. All of the CPA appropriations are okay to wait until the finance committee meeting on the twenty fourth for a full discussion, especially given that there are several new counselors on the finance committee. And as long as they are voted on, hopefully, on the twenty sixth, then it shouldn't interfere with any timelines.

Thank you, mister president. Yeah. No. And, again, I wasn't trying to step on the cheers' toes. Just wanna make sure that that wasn't being overlooked as something because I know parents are really chomping at the bit. If that makes sense, send away to the committee. Thank you. Very good.

And through the chair, appreciate it being brought up. I think it's it's an important thing to make sure that we are not taking longer than we need to on something that's important. Thank you.

Here here. Alright. So item 5.1 will be referred to finance. Thank you. Next item, Madam Clerk.

Oh, sorry. So now we're back. Yes. We we were just about to start the finance committee report, which was read into the record. So go ahead, councilor Wheeler.

Thank you, chair. Okay. In this finance committee meeting, we took up a single item agenda which was the community budget hearing on the community's priorities for the fiscal year 2027 budget. We heard from 24 residents who spoke or in one case saying to a wide range of issues. Simultaneous interpretation was provided by our excellent team with administrative help from clerks Madeline Latellier and Delaney Fisher Casial.

And I urge everyone to watch the video for the full public comments and to read the clerk's excellent minutes summary, which breaks down residents' comments in further detail. A major theme was transportation and roadway safety, with many residents emphasizing safer intersections, improved lighting, better crosswalk condition, and roadway repairs. There was also substantial input supporting continued investment in affordable housing and housing stability, as well as strong support for protecting immigrant communities including funding for legal services and community support programs. Residents also spoke about youth programming, recreation, and childcare, as well as offering perspectives on bringing public safety funding and emergency response more in line with the community's overall needs and values, with some referencing the aforementioned twenty twenty three police staffing study. Additional comments emphasize support for arts and cultural funding, improvements, composting programs, warming center services, and infrastructure investments.

There was an emphasis from a wide spectrum of residents on making sure our community is inclusive, welcoming, and safe for all. Some connected this to the question of implementation of the financial components of ballot question three, either to ask that city funds be withdrawn in accordance with that initiative, or to warn against any forms of implementation that might be discriminatory or take focus away from the community's needs. A few comments pointed out how easy it is to assume that big financial decisions have already been made, and how easy it is to accept that there's only a minuscule room to innovate or go against the grain. I take those comments as a challenge for us not to forget that we the people can dream big and make a slice of the world that we want to see right here. Overall, the hearing provided valuable input from residents across the community on how to prioritize our limited resources, and the committee appreciated the thoughtful engagement from everyone who participated.

That item was marked work completed. Mr. Chair, I ask that this committee report be accepted as submitted.

On the committee report, any discussion? Alright. Seeing none, that is approved. Next item.

Next item is 6c1, a report of the committee on housing, community development and equity meeting on 01/28/2026.

Councilor Schatzow.

Hello. This is a report on the meeting that of HCDE that happened Wednesday, January 28 at 6PM. All members were present, one in person, two virtual. And we had numerous directors of departments in the meeting room. It was cool.

We had a good turnout of conversation. Conversation. We had just a few agenda items. We discussed East Somerville Main Streets and Etony East to support Somerville immigrant owned businesses. We had executive director from East Somerville Main Street, Lindsay Allen, there to present and talk about what she's experienced and the fact, by the way, that businesses that have been screaming from the top of the mountain that there are there's there's there's a lot of loss of of resources and and and business that are gone.

Gone. For instance, La Brassa, now gone, past tense, and that there has to be more support. We talked about how, of course, with ARPA funds, there was more small business support because we had ARPA funds, and now we don't. So what exactly is the plan and how are we going to address that going forward? How are going to support our small business conversation?

You see how earlier conversation ties right into what we're doing and what we're talking about? This is so vitally important and the conversation has to keep happening. We did have Director of Economic Development and Deputy Director present. They were talking about how they are taking initiatives, and it's really great, like the loyal to local program and just really trying to push hard on some of the residents to stay loyal to local when you're going out to eat or when you are making decisions on gifts or, hey, for instance, Valentine's Day is coming up. How can you support a small business by yet cherishing the one you love?

These are all options that we can take. And also, East Somerville Main Streets, Shadow To Ward 1, is also also has a couple of cool initiatives that you should totally check out in the meantime to incentivize more East Somerville business support. And then we also talked about that U. S. Surgeon General Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-being of Parents report that was put forward in the Biden administration, but was vitally important with some really great information and how we could implement that here in Summerville.

We had the Health and Human Service Director come and speak on that item and what has been done and also the hearty dialogue on what we can do going forward. It's a conversation that kept in committee. And then coming up, hoping for the next agenda item to be brought forward in the future is talking about new housing, what's been approved year by year, and get some numbers on that construction and where we can go from there. I offer this this support I'm sorry, this report as submitted to you.

Okay. Thank you. On the report? Alright. That item is approved. Next item.

Next item is six d one, a report of the committee on licenses and permits meeting on 02/11/2026.

Councilor Hart.

Okay. Thank you. We had a brief meeting of the licenses and permits committee with all members present and I appreciate it, Councilor Saeed joining as well. We approved with conditions a grant of location on Warwick Street for Eversource and heard from the owner of a used car dealer applying for a new license due to change of ownership. That item was kept in committee to allow for adequate notice to be given for a public hearing at the next meeting.

It. Alright. Any discussion on the report? I see none. That item is approved.

Agenda item six e one, a report of the committee on sustainability and infrastructure meeting on 02/09/2026.

Councilor Klient. Thank you, mister president. Through you, we had three members present, myself. Councilor Link was filling in for Councilor Scott who had another meeting about Art Farm. And Councilor Hart who is the No, you're the vice chair. Anyway, so all three of us were there. We started the meeting right at six. We discussed a number of items. I'll just cover the warming center stuff that council Ewen Kampen put in relay regarding extra litter pickups. Receptacle has been placed by the entrance of the warming center.

They are now doing regular extra pickups of litter, cleaning out the area. And then lastly was with regards to vehicle pickups, emergency or otherwise, be using the Cummins School parking lot rather than Prescott Street. Bill Fisher, the emergency management director, was there. He reported that a a recent resident meeting provided helpful context for this item. He explained that staff at the center had been parking along the street, which limited access for residents.

The rear lot, which had previously been used for construction equipment, is now available for staff parking. So that's helpful. But drop offs and pickups of with emergency responders will remain unchanged due to the ease of access and ADA parking will continue to be located near the front entrance. Rather, you know, having emergency vehicles park in the lot and then come all the way around the building to to assist somebody in an emergency. He said that they'll just continue to use the Prescott Street. But for everything else, they're trying to use the parking lot as much as possible to relieve that pressure off residents. With that, I ask the report be accepted as submitted.

Any discussion on the report? Alright. Seeing none, that item is approved. Next item.

Next item is 7.2, a request of the mayor requesting acceptance of Massachusetts general law, chapter 59, section five clause 22 I to authorize an annual cost of living adjustment increase and exemption amount granted under chapter 59 section five clauses 22, 22 a, 22 b, 22 c, 22 e, and 22 f.

Councillor Wheeler. Thank you, chair. I move to waive the readings and refer to the finance committee the following items. Let's hold off on that. One at a time? Okay. We've got

a few items here that I think we're probably going to send to a different committee. Let's Thank you. Canada before us is 7.2. Any discussion on that? Seeing none, that's referred to legislative matters. Thank you. Next item.

Agenda item 7.3, a request of the mayor requesting acceptance of Massachusetts general law, chapter 59, section five, clause 22 j, to authorize an increase in the exemption amount granted under chapter 59, section five, clauses 22, 22 a, 22 b, 22 c, 22 e, and 22 f.

That item is referred to legislative matters, council Scott.

So excited for this one.