Housing and Community Development Committee - Regular Meeting

On online. Good.

Good evening. This is the, the committee of housing, community, development, and equity of the city council. I am city councilor at large. Kristen Strezzo. I am the chair of this committee. Today is Wednesday, 03/04/2026. It is 06:01PM. We are in the Committee room at City Hall And Hybrid tonight. We have one agenda item tonight, and, well, no. I better read our, little disclaimer.

Pursuant to chapter two, the acts of 2025, this meeting of a city council, committee will be conducted via remote participation. We will post an audio recording, audio video recording, transcript, or other comprehensive record of these proceedings as soon as possible after meeting on the city of Somerville website and local cable access government channels. Ms. Claire, can you please call the roll? Yep. This is roll call. Councilor Saeed? Here. Councilor Link?

Here.

Chair Strazza? Here. Alright. With that, we have all members present, so we do have quorum. Thank you. So, councilor, Syed? Yeah. I can I can say that? Through you, chair, Strazo, hello, everyone. This is councilor Syed. I just wanna say for the record that I have to accuse myself from this item. As the ward councilor, I am involved in the tenant selection process. So I checked with the the city's legal team, and they confirmed that I have to accuse myself. Thank you, everyone. Okay.

With that, we will have, counselor Saeed and seeing how we have one agenda item, and, you know, we can approve minutes without you. Have a good evening. Thank you for being here for this for, tonight. With that so no. We don't have to approve any minutes. Looks like on the agenda. So we've won agenda item tonight. That is a public hearing. It's item two six zero two six five. I'm going to read the item, and then I will discuss, some rules regarding that.

And, we have only one agenda item that is the only focus of tonight, and, we are not to deliberate on that or have any discussion. We are here to listen to you and and just book it in here and leave them there, and and and then have a good evening. So we very much this is your meeting. So thank you very much for that. The item is, like I said, two six zero two six five, refer to recommendation that this city council hold a public hearing on the petition submitted by 52 registered voters regarding out of the community art space at Arts At The Armory pursuant to section two dash 11 of the city charter.

So we are going to be heading into our public hearing, and I cannot find the I think I printed out. Do have that pink? Let might get that one, but more just like the rules about Oh, hey. I'm sitting on it, but I'm not anymore. Okay.

So what we're gonna do is we are going to we're gonna have this public hearing. I'm the chair of the committee, and I am aiming for nope. We're gonna highlight some expectations for tonight. Public comment for tonight's hearing is on the item only, and comment and only comments on that following agenda item will be accepted. When I open the public hearing, all in the public who wish to speak will have two minutes.

We have a timer. When I call you call your name, please come to the podium, give your first and last name and your address, enter your affiliation with Samurga. And then you'll have that two minutes. That those who wish to provide public comment online. So we'll do in person, and then we can go to online, and we do have some people online. And

I'm gonna go

for that. And if I'll make it very clear that respect is to be upheld for everybody here, United, and just in general, kind words and and just respect all around. If I feel that that is not happening, I will give you one warning. And if not, then I will that that's it. We'll we'll not yeah. Yeah. Would you put you know, we have to say it, of course, for for every public hearing. And with that, we're we're you know, this is a community. And we'll do yeah. Exactly.

So we'll just keep it all civil and as we as we will, as we, of course, will. So with that, I'd love to open this public hearing. And nobody signed up. You guys were supposed to sign up. Oh, I thought you're gonna it's It's cool. But that's fine. You know what? I will because I stole the Alright. Probably won't. I'm gonna get next next meeting, I may just get, like, one of those deli counters. Wow. But then everyone will expect to have cookies, which also may happen. You never know. You can choose cookies. Yes. Or I will I will There's some some scones. Okay. So With that Alright.

Bye. So you know, so the topics of of topic. It won't be allowed.

Correct. We have we have one agenda item, and it is all in regarding that.

And

then So as you are the lead the person that brought this forward, feel free to come to the podium.

So you'll see they'll be able to see

I set up that pretty podium. I feel it doesn't get enough use, and I'm into it.

It's alright.

Gosh darn it, but it should. Yeah. I mean, it's a great piece. Nice and retro. Why not use it? Thank you much for being there today. So please state your name, first and last name, and your address for the record. Hello, everyone. Thank you Hi, Michelle.

For having me. Thank you, the public for being here. I appreciate it. My name is Parmacho Pajai. I've served art in the Somerville and community.

Address is 191 Highland Avenue, and there's a living workspace in 3 B. I also have a performance and education space in the 6th Of Armory, and I am the CEO of a nonprofit out of Lou Art Gallery. And I'm here to speak of feeling very vulnerable in terms of my housing situation and in terms of the topics of today and the committees of today for equity. And I was asked by the former owner of the Armory, Joseph Sager, and the former CEO of the Center for Arts at the Armory to serve as a person who would help curate art in the building, to work and live in the building, and that was honored to me in September 2019. And my first year was quite nice, and I enjoyed it tremendously.

And I created the first four four building wide gallery in the armory in all of this twenty two years of existing with the help of my lovely partner, Steve Piazzaro. In the wake of one year of the pandemic that really started taking off in several and everywhere in the world, April 2020 is really when I started to feel nestled, but also, you know, there was a pandemic. And things were already hard for the gallery to operate at, for any others to operate. They were a worldwide pandemic called COVID. Yet I insisted on keeping the legacy of Tom Tipton dearly past few months ago, the founder of the Out of the Blue Art Galleries vision alive.

However, when the city took over in 2021, I found myself a date that in March 2021, I read in the press.

This is two minutes. However, I'll give you, like, a few more minutes because I know that you were the one who put this forward.

I really appreciate it. Let's Okay. Just continue. Be brief. Yeah.

So since the city came in, I was kind of bewildered why I felt that the eviction of myself and all the tenants in the gallery was happening through the press as I first read about it as a potential in March 2021 and the fact that the city council had unanimously decided on taking the building by Admiral Domain. I immediately had my own reservations about this, and I wanted to learn more. But when I spoke and delivered my freedom of speech and also my half of my life's career serving the arts in the community of Camberville, it very much hurt to receive a what would be considered an illegal eviction report myself and the other tenants to move immediately by 12/31/2021. So I decided to be the spearheader of fighting for my gallery and its thirties artists. And at that time, 10 times.

Six of those times, I believe, moved out since the kind of hard and fast measures, I believe, that the city had placed on all of us. But for speaking out, I definitely feel and know that I experienced the most difficult repercussions of speaking up. There were three police reports filed on me that were illegal. They accused me of providing a space for underage drinking and serving this, which I would never do, and that I was hosting events with marijuana use. Neither of those things were validated, yet I was now in constant fear.

Since 2021, there have been events that I have held, meaningful event. Haitian poets, people coming over the COVID pandemic and coming from. Blades, my mother and father, all ages access, and even a peace exhibit for my summer goal students that I've taught for two years. So now my home is in compromise. I received in July, kind of end this, so thank you for your time.

In July 2025, incidentally, the founder of my gallery, the honorable Tom Tipton, passed away. And within weeks, I received from the city the fact that I could not live in my space and I should have to leave with first ninety days notice, then sixty days notice, then thirty days notice to be on the street on the shortest month of the year, which just passed February 2026, on the black history month of the year, and incidentally, the coldest month of the year with multiple snowstorms. And that seemed unreal. And I found out through discovery myself that many city councilors did not even know such a note was given to me that in the middle of the dead of winter, I would be placed on the street. That is not right.

And I am very happy, though, and I see a bright light as spring approaches, and holy just happened in Hinduism yesterday. And what else happened is Joseph Seder, the person who created the Armory Building into what it is from an eyesore when I was a teenager, from my and many other things, he passed too. But no. So I leave the legacy of out of the

blue art gallery. One more minute.

Thank you.

Thank you so

much. And I lead the conviction to help my myself and all the tenants in the building who deserve to be there because there is a lot of space in the building. I appreciate what some arts are doing in their spaces, which are two of some of the largest spaces in the building. I appreciate that it's open to the public, and there is way too much space for its tenants not to live in. If I must leave, which has been a continual thing for the last five years through no wrongdoing, then the city of Somerville, by eminent domain, legal causes from what I see, she should provide me with a place, and answer it with what I have today, and I certainly shouldn't shouldn't be kicked out of Somerville.

And that is how I feel. So I end with, I am a teacher. I am a philosopher. I am a community organizer. Many people in this city know who I am, and I have served the community for a very long time and since I was very young.

I hope to go into the ages convening, not being called by the police, not being told horrible things, not being and I end with, one year ago was my last press article that was discovered, and everything happened in it. And I was told by a unwatched warning center by the city of Somerville, by an unwatched client, and I end there. F U N B, you call the cops on me. I will burn your house down. This should not be happening. It's everyone. Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much. Next next, we have Steven.

Yes.

The road in cursive, and I cannot read it. I'm sorry. Does No. You please people can.

They don't.

Can you please give your first and last name and

name, I guess? My first name is Steven, spelled with a b. Mhmm.

And your last name, please?

A s a r o. Thank you. Live at 191 Highland Ave near 3 D, Massachusetts. What's your name for it? Okay. So, yeah, you know, I two minutes. Two minutes is a really good time to give them five years of open hostility into a narrative. So I've been stressing about this for for days now. You know? What what threat do I fall? You know? Where do I start? Where do we end? So what I can say is there's no way to get it all up. It's impossible.

Impossible. But if anybody's interested in know anyone anymore, I I am available. I will sit down with anybody, and I have reams of documents, you know, to back up everything I say. I don't we never say and will not say anything that can't be backed up with eyewitness testimony, emails, affidavits, and as such. So I bumped into Gregory.

Not saying he's gone. And he asked, you know, oh, so you guys gonna put it in our. I said, why? Why would I bother? Why would I take the time? Why would I go to the workshops and little clients you guys off and help people figure out the the jargon and speak that, you know, it's necessary to engage in some bureaucratic, submitting a proposal to the city. Why would I do that? Why would I waste my time when the conclusions of our existence in this place is full gone? You know? And why would I say that?

Why would I say I, you know, I know the answer is no before even asking the question. I already know the answer is no. Why would I waste my time? Why would I say that? I say that because of everything that's happened up until now. And when I talk about the reads of paper and documents and police reports and and harassment complaints, it's too much to get over two minutes. So I'm available to speak with to anybody who wants clarity on that. So, well,

it

was built was the army was built, what, nineteen o one? Federal government. Of Massachusetts after the second World War. Massachusetts does what it does until it falls into gets abandoned and falls into disappear and squash and crackheads and places falling apart. And and it's off into the city. So I'm like, for free. You can have it. You have it. Very much.

Thank you very much. Thank you. And

then They

give my two minutes.

And You're welcome. And Bye. Will also great. Thank you very much. So now any additional comments? And please feel free to to you could send an email to publiccomments@SummervilleMA.gov, and I'll I'll give you the email address as well. Next, we have John J. Come on up. Anyone who's hearing about is

signed to to speak. Right? Yes.

Yeah. Yes. So Marcus or So Come on up.

Yeah.

I just wrote some things. I'm gonna just say it. Mhmm. I asked myself earlier what Out of the Blue Art Galleries meant to me. To me, Out of the Blue Art Galleries fills that whole I feel inside for community. There are not many places around Summerville. Wait. I forgot to tell you my name and all that stuff. Right?

Please. I mean, I said it for you, but I want you to say it because I I yes. Please give me that thing.

I work in Summerville.

For the record. Yes.

At Skybodywork, 93 Elm Street. I currently live in in Cambridge, 173 Hampshire Street in Inland. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. There there are not many places around Somerville that people can just go to hang out and not spend a lot of money. Out of the Blue Art Galleries offers that when they're open. Of course, I'm not saying that they're a nonprofit organization, but they are welcoming. Since the city took the building and proceeded to poorly manage it, they have caused nothing but hardship for my friends over at the Out of the Blue Art Galleries. The art Out of the Blue Art Galleries

The

galleries welcome artists of all backgrounds into their space from artists who make art on the side outside of their day jobs to folks with disabilities who only make money from their art. I remember going to the gallery when they were in Central Square, and it was run by Tom Tipton and XO. May they rest in peace. There was a very welcoming vibe there. I would just walk by, the doors were open, I met XO, walked in, felt welcomed, hung out with some people like Parma and Steve as well as Bill Lewis.

You probably know him. Tom Tipton left out of the blue in the good hands of Parma and Steve because he knew they would continue his footsteps. He knew that they are very much community oriented, and they have all the love in their heart for this community, this art community. I believe that Honolulu has been treated wrongly by the management team from the city after they took the building over many year later. May he also rest in peace.

He was another example of someone well renowned in this community, much like Tom Tipton. I hope they're both looking down on this meeting to help guide it to a good result. He also entrusted PharmHouse to come into their establishment to help them further their goals of a heart with the art at the center of community. I believe that there should be a master plan for the armory. I'm not fully familiar with the current guidelines of the plan, but I don't think that it's right to completely neglect those who currently live or run almost a business there and do so much for the building without even being asked.

Okay. Please allow the current residents a seat at the table in the decision making of the Armory Master Plan. Okay. Be diverse and inclusive without judgments of unique personalities. Make up for their maltreatment. Okay. But if the decision is no longer to allow residents at the armory, please let help them find new place for residents in Sumterra.

Okay. Thank you very much.

You deserve the best I have.

Thank you

very much, gentlemen.

Thank you. Thank you. Next is Marcus

Nishe.

Nishe? Thank you very much. Yeah. Yeah. I can make that chair. Anyways, in that.

So this is the fifth incarnation of the

Give me give me one more moment.

Please give

me your name for the record or just your name?

Mark Nachey.

And your address, please? 220202

For Apple Street, Cambridge.

Thank you very much.

Okay. So this is the fifth incarnation of the of the Out of the Blue Gallery in the past thirty years. Chris Brookline Street, Cambridge, Prospect Street, Cambridge, an amazing scene at the Mass Ave at the former Blockbuster building in in right in Central Square there. And then I and and then the the firehouse in Austin. So now it's the the basement of the and, you know, also the stairwell and then in the apartment up upstairs. And and here at Don't forget

our apartment. That's what he said.

The what? Our apartment method.

Oh, I don't remember that. Oh, yeah. Yeah. There yeah. But this was this that was like you have to go to a house. This is a public space. And, like, in the front in the front room, people walk in, and you do it's just an amazing scene of this guy at the coffee shop in the corner. And, you know, I see the open stage. I see the people performing. And I asked about, like, yeah, there's something you can get, you know. And there's there's another space like that in the basement that happened. You know, probably that you pulled together. And, well, we all pulled together. And other people sometimes people who have who I've never seen come in, and they sign up and go on stage. It's it's great to have these two places in this building, in that bill that building.

You know? And and it'd be it it it'd be a real shame if it if it was lost. And it would be really because people like myself sometimes impromptu want to go on stage because I've just written a poem that day. And other people come in, they also perform that day. And, you know, afterwards, we all kind of hang out upstairs and, you know, go up, you know, the the fire escape, and it was all it's a wonderful it's a wonderful kind of, you know, aftermath to to to the art scene that happens in in in that basement space.

And it's also the gallery itself, the people the people showing the corridors and upstairs. The artists have their talks about about their art, And I I was a part of all that, you know, through the nineties. It's a place where artists don't have to submit a $25 p fee only to have their artwork rejected from a gallery. Okay? And this is something that, you know, they pull together. Right? And and it's and it's the kind of kind of spontaneous, impromptu scene that happens there. Okay. Okay.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Yeah. Thank you. And thank you for creating that picture. Thank you. I think this case, you are most. And your beautiful and your beautiful signatures. Thank you. You for being here. Thank you. Can you please state your name, first and last name, and your address for the record?

Kate Lemon. 169 Morrison Ave in Somerville. I've lived in Somerville for a long time, and there's a lot of really special, really cool places in Summerville. And the Armory is one of them, and the Out of the Blue Gallery is one of them. And it just feels sad that we would kick this space out.

It's, like, a really culturally important place that I think like, I moved back to Somerville after leaving because of spaces like this. And I don't know. It's just important. I think it's important, and we should have a space that's, like, inclusive and and just has a space for artists to to thrive.

Yeah. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Okay. Well, that is all on it's that the who've signed up to testify in person, and we have, so any would anyone else like to speak? Nope? Nope? Okay. Sign up sheet's still here. It while the the public hearings meeting, public hearing is is happening. So we have some participants online. We're still gonna have to have the time. Yeah. Okay.

And so we have if you wish to speak, please raise your hand. I see some, and then we'll call your name. Do you wanna call, Beleni, or would you prefer I? Way? Either is fine. Okay. There should be one. It you do wish It looks like the same person three times. Okay. Someone online has cloned themselves. That is magical. And see that. Go for it. That's cool. Okay.

Well, yeah, I guess we'll have Danielle McNabin. Please feel free to mute one of your three selves, and we have two minutes. Once we'll check and make sure that you can hear us, we can hear each other, and then we'll say you have two minutes. And when you do, please give state your name, first and last name, and your address or or affiliation with Summerfield. Can you hear it? I see that little mark. Danielle, can you hear us?

I'm Bill Lewis, and you have me on.

Okay. Alright. Can you, could you please state your first and last name and your address? And then, you've got your two minutes.

Can't hear you. Okay.

Blessing didn't curse, isn't it? Can you hear us? We can't hear you. Okay. Danielle, we'll we'll we'll if you can fig figure out oh, no. Yep. Yep. Hold on, maybe. Oh. Okay.

We'll we'll leave leave the the opportunity to speak, of course. You just let us know if if, if if you can figure out the technical, difficulties, and and we'll we'll put you back in line. Next, is there is there anyone else? I see I see names, but if anyone wishes to speak, please raise your hand up. There's Danielle again. Let's do this. That one.

Unmute all of them. Maybe she'll get get her.

Well, we're gonna go. That's.

Yep. I hear. Wait. Maybe.

Okay.

We're gonna move on. Just keep trying, and and we'll we'll put you back in line when and if we can you can get can we can figure this out. Do we have anyone? We see only two hands raised. So if you do wish to speak, please raise your hand, and we will call on you.

So you have my mic on now.

Alright. Okay. And so this so hold on. We have back in line, Danielle McNeil McNabin. I'm sorry. Please state your first and last name and your address, and then you'll have your two minutes. I just Oh, curse is purses. Okay. I figured this out.

Wait a second.

Okay. Wait

a second. Are you mixing me up? This is Bill Lewis.

Oh, they're Bill Lewis.

Alright, Bill Lewis. Is that that's you, Bill Lewis. Okay. I, give your, address or affiliation, and then you got your two or and then, please, we'll start the clock. Go for it.

Alright then. My name is Bill Lewis. I have had the enormous, honor and pleasure. I lived at 410 Kidder Avenue for a good number of years. I now reside in, Priest River, Idaho, but I had the enormous honor of teaching there in the school system and then at Tufts University and before MIT waved money in my face.

But anyway, I care about Summerville. It's still part of my heart. That's why I'm here. I've been involved with Parma and the gallery for decades, and she makes her space welcoming and personal. She is exactly what I want in a public art space, someone who is so warm and so welcoming and just so happy, and she makes all the difference in the world.

So that is that is my take on the situation. If I were building an art space, I would pay a million dollars to have someone like Parma be responsible. Thank you.

Thank you, Bill. Alright. Hope the weather's well, we had nice weather today, so never mind. But I hope you're having as nice as weather as we are over there. Okay. Do we have anyone else? Oh, so do we have anyone else willing that is wishing to speak? Please raise your hand now. We're gonna go through the list. I'm not sure what's going on with that one person. I don't Yeah. People are joining with their link.

I think if if there's three of them, you leave them all on unmuted, and maybe she'll hear They'll see if I'm here. One of them

is a seizure.

No. If you Jay, if you do that, you're gonna create a warp zone and some kind of, like, alternate universe. You have to be very careful about these things. The person who has their hand raised should be able to speak if they are

able Can you hear me?

Who is this?

This is David Stickney.

You are new. Okay. You also have the same name of someone else. Who is this? So I don't know. I told you about these warp zones. See what you did? Yeah. Not nothing. Nothing. Welcome. Please state your your thank you for coming. Please state your first and last name and, your address or affiliation, Summerville, and and you have two minutes to speak. Welcome, and thank you.

Thank you. My name is David Stickney. I am a resident in Savon Hill, Dorchester. My address is 12 Placetead Road in in Dorchester. And my affiliation with the gallery is that I have been an artist with the gallery since its creation with Tom Tipton.

And I have been there through the entire history of the gallery, and I am proud to be part of it. And I'm proud that Parma is running it now and Steve, and they do a wonderful job. They've been through hell and back supporting the gallery and their local artwork and community. They do such a really good job, and they deserve to stay. That's all I have to say.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you. Okay.

I see another hands raise hand raise. Danielle never oh my gosh.

I told you. Is

all your fault, Jade. You created a warp zone, and now I I don't know. It looks like anyone can write it is like I don't know. What level of Super Mario Bros.

Only unmute the one that's speaking.

Okay. Anyway, okay. Could we So the next Danielle McNever. Could we perhaps ask if you have already spoken and called me, if you could lower your hand because we don't know who is who. So let's give it a shot. Okay. The third Danielle McDeppard. You have. Okay. Is anyone there?

Maybe try the second one.

Hello? Hello? Is there anyone anybody in there?

Can you hear me?

Yes. Okay.

Hey. Great. So I I can explain what's going on the link. We all got a link from Dan's thing. That's why we're all Danielle McNabbin. Just

So there's only one of you. Just so we're clear, there are not several clones of Danielle McNabbin?

We are. You're so clear about that, and you're accurate.

Thank you so much. Okay.

My name is Thomas Fahey, and I'm local artist. I went to MassArt, and then I lived in Boston for a decade after that. Well, I lived in Jamaica Plain. And I have known the gallery for a long time. They were a launching point for me and for so, so many artists.

I can't stress enough how this place, although the aesthetic was really busy, it was a home for a lot of local artists and not just big deals. And it it it really had a community around it that was inclusive, and it was a third space that people could be at that wasn't a bar, that wasn't gonna try and grab a ton of money from them and things of that nature. I think it it always struggled. You know? And the I really believe the city ought to care about these kind of community things because I have sense and I didn't say this, so I'll say this now.

I now live in Northern Massachusetts, and I'm north nomadic. I live at 19 North Street in Westford, Massachusetts. And I am always wanting to move back to Boston in that area because of the I ran my own space and and the Out of the Blue gallery where some of just next level connection, relationships, and realness, I suppose, within within a community that I really haven't experienced anywhere else. And it it makes me wanna come back. And the idea and I think about it a lot, and I probably will move back to that area at some point.

And I think, you know, one thing I do wonder and think about is, like, is it the same place that it was when I left? You know? So many people have left in COVID and these things. And so to to imagine, you know, more of this really positive community stuff dying just makes me really sad. And I think it is it's so valuable. And and Parma and Steve are incredible, and they've taken it over. And I just I I think that Somerville needs to value it. That's that's just how I feel. So thank you. Thank

you very much. Okay. Next, another Danielle unmuted or okay. No. We're gonna go to Jay Plum. Jay Plum, you have the floor.

Oh, great. Okay. Great. Oh,

the is my real name up here? Okay. Anyway, no. I'm not Danielle. I'm Jay Plumb.

Nope. The the

one I year

live at Hudson Street, pretty much right behind the armory. I'm a neighbor. Thank you, counselor, for having this meeting, and thank you, Baramba, for for asking for it. First off, I I find the the whole Armory Building to be an amazing asset to the community. And I guess I should quickly say, you know, rest in peace, Joseph Sater, the person who bought the armory and spent $3,000,000 renovating it and then turning it into this wonderful asset to the community and also to the entire Boston Metropolitan Area.

I am not sure why anyone is being evicted. As far as I know, the city has not explained why the gallery is facing evictions, so that really troubles me. But I'll be I'll be short here. It's my opinion that all existing tenants should be allowed to stay, you know, with the with the appropriate conditions, and I'll leave it at that. I and oh, I wanna make sure a special a special shout out to the the out of the blue gallery.

I think they're an amazing asset within the building itself. So I I would hope that that we get an an explanation of why there's an eviction, and I'll leave it at that. Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much. Okay. Next, we have new Danielle McNabin who's different than other Danielle McNabin. They should be able to rename themselves. Like You're going to Okay. New Danielle McNabin, you have the floor. Please identify yourself and your address.

Oh, me? Is it me you're talking to?

Oh, it's you.

Okay. Well, I I'm I'm really Gordon Goes. I'm I'm not whoever that other Danielle or whatever. But okay. So

Nobody does it better. Just you. Welcome.

I'm the best Gordon Goes I'll ever be. I can tell you that. Right?

I have no doubt.

Alright. So my name is Gordon Goes, like, goes down the street and like, goes to this meeting. I am originally from recently moved out of Killington, which I've been there, Vermont, and I'm now in Massachusetts. But I know the gallery because I come from a different perspective. I am also an artist.

My son's an artist, but I am a visitor. Somebody who comes into your town and looks and sees the armory. And as the person before me said, I think the armory is a great place. But one of the things that people always notice in anything is what you see right away. So you can have as many bands and as many things as you want, but the thing that that grabbed my attention and my son's attention every time I visited is the beautiful artwork that's in the hallways.

And if you work your way downstairs, you have the, I'm a drummer, so I really like the the, Blue Man Group thing. And I'm also a solutions architect. So I am the kind of person that comes in and lets people know what the heck they're doing wrong when I see it. And so I can tell you that a lot of times in industry, and it seems to be more in public, service, people like notoriety, they they think that they can redo the wheel. The wheel was working great.

Let's spin a new wheel. Let's try to change something that's successful. This gallery not only is successful, but it also has a long history, a history that's important to the Omry, important to Somerville. I think there has been some things that have been done, you know, as far as bills and go that that that weren't delivered to the tenants in a reasonable amount of time. After the fact, changes in the way that I would be teetering on some of those were at minimum unethical.

So I think that in all fairness, it'd be best for the visitors, for the artists, for the people of Summerville, for the people who work at this armory to understand that the history, the, fine art, what you what you display for the people to see is way more important than some new guy's vision that may not cut it. Most of the time, you're best off to not fix something that's not broken.

Mhmm. Thank you so much, mister Bose.

There are water fountains somewhere.

Do we have another Danielle? McNabin? No. All good. No. Please stand up. I think

I'm the same guy.

Uh-huh. It's alright. Alright.

Did you

know it? Alright.

Alright. Okay. Is do we have anyone else online that wishes to speak? Please raise your hand. The new Danielle McNevin?

Hi. Can you hear me?

Hey. Hi. Are you actually Danielle McNevin?

Yes. And it's actually Danielle McNevin. Well,

welcome. Please give your you said your first and last name. Give your address or your affiliation to Sorrowville, and you have will have two minutes to speak.

Thank you so much. My name is Danielle McNevin. I live at 40 College Hill Road in Somerville. I actually used to do some graphic design work for, the city of Somerville and the city of Cambridge. I've known Out of the Blue and Parma for a very long time.

I also knew Tom Tipton who owned the gallery. Out of the Blue has been a safe place for artists creative artists as well as musical artists for years now. And to see what they have gone through and to stay being a creative safe space for artists all around Boston, has been heartbreaking, for all of the work that Parma, Steve, Tom, and all of It's very heartbreaking to see them try to take art away from Boston. They also want the space for art. I have been an advocate for art.

I'm a graphic designer. I've lived in Massachusetts my whole life, and I really believe offer as well as pharma. And I don't understand why they are repeatedly challenged by the city. All they want to do city and art to everyone, and they have created that over the years even with the hardships. Both music and art, a lot of our friends who have passed over the years, their art still is being displayed in the album in the art of the out of the blue.

I'm not sure why I'm be for some reason, it's repeating back to what I'm saying. But

It's okay. You're I'm just fine. Keep going.

Okay. Thank you. But, basically, all in all, Out of the Blue Gallery is something that should and needs to remain around Boston for a safe place for artists, musical, and every other aspect of the world word.

Okay. Thank you very much. Next up is another Danielle McNiven. No? No? Okay. Do we have anyone else online that wishes to speak? Go ahead and raise your hand. We're gonna do a quick scan. Go in once.

Go in twice. Okay. We have another person in person again that wishes to speak. What is it with you, Artis? What? I can't

Ben. No hate. Ben.

No hate. Artis, we're cool. Wait. You would you like to come up to the podium? I put this lovely podium. It doesn't get enough love either. I put it up for you guys also.

So let's

let's make it easy. So please give your first and last name for the record. No. The hat did not belong. Well, you know what? We're gonna honor it if you want.

No. It's okay. Because, well, this is one of the places that Out of the Blue displays art. Out of the Blue is an incredible, unique organization.

Hold on. Pull that off first and last name and your and your address and and go right forward. Because, yeah, I wanna hear all these things.

Ben Beckwood. I I live at 58 Tufts Street. In any case, is that I've been

You're on. Do it. Go for it.

Yeah. You know, I don't believe Blue does more than any other gallery I can can see both for artists sponsoring their art in places like The Middle East and it was 1316. Various locations. I've also known out of the bloom since Tom Tipton. Yeah. Yeah. It was Tom Tipton. And and it's also art and music go together. You know? I have played music at our openings, our closings.

It's been a great opportunity. Art, you know, and performance spaces need to be protected because these are just, like, the soul of our humanity. Think that's not too much of an exaggeration. So, you know, there's there's just absolutely no reason to not let Algroom continue to do what they do. And for that matter, for them to be independent, they're doing fine.

There's no problems here. You know? There was, like, there was no problems with Arts and the Armour doing what it does without the city involvement. So, you know, yeah. That's I mean, I I don't know what else to say. I just, yeah, strongly need to stand up for Adabu. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Steve, I know that you had your two minutes. If you wanted to speak for two more, I'll give you the option. Because you seem like you're

I I I agree. I can go on for a long time.

But but just go on. Whatever.

She's giving you two more minutes. Yeah.

It's it's great. It's I'm my plan. You know?

Yes. You're great.

How do you know that?

Feel about

How do you know that? Maybe you are the natural smart plan.

One in your works.

Just You want it?

There's only one my plan.

Okay. As

you know, I a word in my respiratory care where my plane had a booth, and that room is still there. Although it's behind the person now, so we can't see it when we rush it. Anyway. Alright. So we're gonna talk about the key. Alright.

We're setting the clock, though, though. Yeah. We're after two minutes here. We wanna stick it

out and

turn that. See where it is.

Again, so back to my point. Why why would I bother why would I bother trying to stay here when I know the conclusion is well gone? Like, it's already been decided. It was decided before the seizure of the building. Right? The seizure of this building is and involves nothing more than a vanity project for Gregory Jenkins. You know? Flat out. Like, we had to do a lot of research, and it all comes back to us. You know?

That being said, he had to kinda, like, distance himself from the whole process. I remember my media gang saying to me when I when I raised that suspicion, it's old going over. You don't think we bought the old. This is the new. We've rooted up that type of nepotism and corruption. No. No. You didn't. You didn't. Because our success was exactly right from the get go. You know? And then strange things started happening. You know? The unwelcome wagon was quickly rolled out. You know?

The the open hostility came immediately in little subtle ways and stupid things, very petty things. Petty things like Tom Galangani, a little version was Tom from now on. Tom questioned whether our lease in V 6 was adjourned. It was. He he didn't seem to wanna believe that. At the time, we were borrowing the mailbox keys in the center for

the arts

because they have all the mailbox keys. They have all the keys to all the buildings, and all the rooms in in the entire building. So if you, you know, you lock yourself by your place, you go there and you go to the center, and they're like, hey. You're gonna use the key. Right? So we've been using the mailbox key in that fashion for a while. And then one day, after Tom questioned the legitimacy about the legitimacy about lease, we were concerned that there was some time sensitive material to that mailbox. And then what they did after that was denied us access to the mailbox. I have

So there's a there's a quick mailbox story. And then

The mailbox story goes on. So, you know, suddenly the mailbox keys aren't available. And then I'm told by Stephanie, through her surrogates, it's not her job anymore to provide a mailbox to me. Like, well, you just give me the key, and I might have to ask her it again. Right? Problem solved. But, no, not my job anymore. You'll have to contact someone from the city. So I called Tom sitting in the cafe in front of everybody, sitting in the cafe, Tom. Stephanie tells me it's not a job anymore. You're a mailbox key. He's like, yep. That's right. Not our job anymore. Not our job. You're having to go through the city now. You're dealing with the city now. Everything has to go through a process. Perhaps I'll put in a work order, have a new mailbox key made. I'm like, Tom, that's batshit crazy.

Like, why would you do that? The mailbox key is on the other side of his wall. It's, like, literally 10 feet away from us. Just tell Stephanie to give me the key, and I'll never have this conversation again. Oh, no. No. No. You don't understand. You're dealing with the city now. Everything has to go through a process. Perhaps I'll have all the mailbox keys changed. And why would you do that? Like, that that doesn't make any sense. Doesn't make any sense. I'm like, alright, Tom. Thanks for your help. I hang up. And then confused. I go upstairs because something something doesn't ring true. So I go upstairs, and I call my son-in-law, who he is, the manager of the post office in Mammoth Square.

And he's like, oh, no. The city of Seminole doesn't own or control or have any, you know, say over the mailboxes. Mailboxes are run by the federal government. Mhmm. Anybody that inhibits in any way, shape, or form, even if they put a big box in front of it, they have to walk around. Anything that inhibits your bringing unfettered access to the mailbox is a felony. It's a federal crime. So Tom and Stephanie conspired to commit a felony to deny me access to my mailbox. And so this is right off the bat. So when I say, like, second the city took over this building, we were met with palpable and open hostility.

This is what I'm talking about. You know? People willing, dumb enough to not know they're committing a felony and and brash enough to do it anyway. You know? Like, just you can't access your mailbox.

Okay. That

that So our attorney asked me when I because I went right upstairs. I signed a swilled out the table with our attorney. And he said, okay. That's a felony. We've got eyewitnesses. We've got corroboration. We've got actual post office superiors, supervisors. Do you wanna press charges against Tom Galigani for felony activity? I said, no. I'm not interested in destroying people's lives. I'm not interested in hurting people, and I didn't. But what I'll tell you about Tom is

We're gonna wrap wrap wrap wrap

wrap wrap.

Thank you.

Thank you. You. Thank you. I've been going for hours. I have dreams of

Okay. Thank you very much. Do we have anyone else who online that has not yet spoken? Actually, I well, yeah. No. We did that. Okay. So boop. Boop. Boop. So that is everybody in the room. I think we all spoke. Okay. So I will now close this public hearing. You can still make submit comments.

You can give written testimony. It can be sent to publiccommentssummervillema dot gov. I will leave the comment section open until this Friday, which is let's see. Well, what what day? Let's see. Thank you. So Friday, March 6, and we will have that open until, say, 5PM, Friday.

Can you email the

You can email yeah. So you can email again publiccommentssummervillema dot gov. And so that is our only agenda item for tonight. With that, I move to close this meeting. And and a clerk? Yep.

May I ask?

If there

if there's a decision to be made and how long it'll be here?

I'll on. It's very soon. On adjournment. Councilor Sai. Yes. Yes. Alright. With that, it's 06:56PM, and we are adjourned. Thank you very much. Thanks for all who came to listen or to speak and for sharing your your experiences and thoughts. I appreciate it. Very much. Thank you.