Remarks by Wilfred N. Mbah
46 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 2
Councilor Ba. Thank you, Mr. President. Madam Clerk, can you read the next item as well, please?
Thank you, Mr. President. Will those gentlemen come forward, and I will say a few words, and then I'll meet you guys at the podium. So thank you, Mr. President. Tonight I have citations for these two members of our community who have been incredible advocates for climate action. Eliza Johnson served for 17 years on some of these commission on energy use and climate change, and later on the Interim Climate Action Commission. Ramon Bueno also served for nine years on both iterations on the commission. Climate and sustainability work in Somerville has transformed and grown so much over that…
Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Councillor Hart, for including me on this. I just want to just uplift the fact that, you know, when we talk about access to SNAP, it's not simply a matter of whether benefits exist. You know, it is whether eligible families can reach the system and receive the support that they are entitled to. So when we talk about thousands of residents, including children and families, losing SNAP because of overwhelming phone lines, understaffing and procedural barriers, the consequences are felt directly in households. Food security and by local organization…
Thank you, Mr. President. It's a pretty detailed resolution, but the main highlight is that an international graduate student at Tufts has experienced significant hardship arising from a dispute concerning her academic standing and the circumstances surrounding the termination of her program. So this resolution is meant to address not only the circumstances that led to the student's departure from Tufts, but also the lasting academic and financial consequences she may continue to face. Because international students can be particularly vulnerable when academic disputes affect their…
Madam Clerk, would you mind reading the resolution, please?
Yes. After Councillor Hart. Mr. President, I'm glad you mentioned that, because he sent me those stuff. So I'm glad you brought that up. And so I will pass it on to my colleague. Yes. The vice president of government and community relations sent me the same stuff. So it's online, it's attached to the minutes. I'm glad.
So I'll pass it on to my colleague and then we have one speaker for the item. Councilor Hunt.
Thank you, Mr. President. At this point, I would like to sponsor Chris Molinari to the podium.
Councilor Bhat. Thank you, Mr. President. This is about the workers who keep the Greater Boston offices, laboratories, university, and Logan International Airport safe, clean, and functioning. deserve access to quality, affordable health care. Many of these workers disproportionately are people of color and immigrants. And they are being asked to provide essential services while struggling to afford the health care they need. Even as the industry they support generate enormous, enormous economic wealth. Some of it believe that a strong regional economy must work for the people who make that…
Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. I think, you know, since we didn't have to, you know, belabor the entire resolution, we just need the city clerk to send the appropriate copies to the folks that deserve to get that.
Councilor Batt. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you. My alma mater, I'm sure, Councilor McLaughlin, too, 32BJ. You know, this is... facility workers at Tufts University, and they are essential workers of our community whose daily work keeps the university again clean, safe, welcoming, and functioning. As custodians, grounds, workers, desk associates, and skilled trade people, these workers contribute directly to the success of one of Somerville's largest institutions and deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. Just as simple as that. And so their current negotiations are…
Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to thank my colleague for leading the charge on this. Besides, this person who spoke online, that's my boss, just for the record. So any reduction or elimination of Route 80 service could disproportionately affect residents who have the fewest transportation alternatives and also undermine Our broader goals for equitable and sustainable mobility. So I just want to underscore that and that we need to continue to advocate for a transit system that connects neighborhood and ensure that no resident is left behind because they cannot afford or access a car. So…
Mr. Chair, it's no question. I think it's pretty clear to colleagues, traditionally, this would have been referred to committee, but we've had the circumstances surrounding this, so I move to approve.
You know, I think accessible housing is essential that is just to ensure that people, you know, with disability, older adults, and residents with mobility or other accessibility needs can live safely, independently, and with dignity, you know, in our city. So as our community continues to grow and housing costs remain a significant challenge, we must ensure that new and existing housing is not only available but also accessible to people who need it. So increasing the supply of accessible housing will strengthen our commitment to inclusion and also help residents remain in their community as…
This thing has gotten a lot of appetite, man.
Oh, I see. I never saw that. No, no, but that was smart. And they didn't
Yes, Mr. President. I move to reconsider 7.2. 7.26, hoping that reconsideration fails.
Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Councilor Streisand, for supporting this. I just want to lend my voice as well. I know some constituents that live across the high school and they've expressed some situations that happened to them and it wasn't the most fun experience. This is like a very physical, like from like kids even at the high school. So I just think that residents, pedestrian and neighborhood, you know, our borders deserve to feel safe and respected in their communities. So reports of, this kind of report of street harassment, you know, on the street or school street and in the…
You know, because clean and maintained public spaces are essential to health, safety, and quality of life of every, you know, resident. So I think a citywide neighborhood trash picker will provide an opportunity for residents, community organization, and city staff to work together to address litter, beautify neighborhoods, and strengthen community pride. You know, it's the year of the neighbor. So in that stewardship and shared spaces. So I also think that this should be more than one day cleanup. It should also help build a culture of shared responsibility and encourage ongoing efforts to…
Mr. President, I move to waive 7.21 through 7.25 and 7.25. I move to approve these are new police promotions and so they don't require to come before the committee.
No, no, no, Mr. Chair. I think that's moved to approve.