FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS BRIAN. WE'RE OUT DISTRICT FOR CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. TODAY IS MAY 16TH BIG SHOT UP BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER . THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON.COM. BACKSLASH CITY.  DASH COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCASTS ON EXPANDED CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FIOS CHANNEL 964. THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS WILL ENCOMPASS A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT BEGAN IN APRIL APRIL AND RUN THROUGH JUNE.  WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS BY GIVING TESTIMONY FOR THE RECORD. YOU CAN DO THIS IN SEVERAL WAYS. ONE.  ATTEND ONE OF OUR HEARINGS AND GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT THE END OF EACH DEPARTMENT'S HEARING AND ALSO ADD TO HEARINGS DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY BEFORE HEARING SCHEDULES ON OUR WEBSITE AT BOSTON.COM BACKSLASH CAN COUNCILOR DASH BUDGET.  OUR NEXT SCHEDULED HEARING DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY IS TUESDAY, MAY 28 AT 6 P.M.. YOU CAN GET TESTIMONY IN PERSON HERE IN THE CHAMBER OR VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM FOR IN-PERSON TESTIMONY.  PLEASE COME TO THE CHAMBER AND SIGN UP ON THIS ON THE SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE.  A VIRTUAL TESTIMONY YOU CAN SIGN UP USING OUR ONLINE FORM ON OUR COUNCIL BUDGET REVIEW WEBSITE OR BY EMAILING THE COMMITTEE AT W M AT BOSTON.COM. WE ARE CALLED TO TESTIFY.  PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION RESIDENCE AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO A FEW MINUTES TO ENSURE THAT ALL COMMENTS AND CONCERNS CAN BE HEARD TO EMAIL YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE COMMITTEE AT THE IWM AT BOSTON.COM OR IN THREE SUBMITTED TWO MINUTE VIDEO OF YOUR TESTIMONY THROUGH THE FORUM ON OUR WEBSITE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY, PLEASE VISIT THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WEBSITE AT BOSTON.COM BACKSLASH. COUNCIL DASH BUDGET TODAY'S HEARING ENDS ON PODCAST NUMBER 067020672 ORDERS FOR THE FBI 25 OPERATING BUDGET INCLUDING ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS FOR THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND THE OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.  DOCKET NUMBER 067330675 OR IF A CAPITAL FUND TRANSFER APPROPRIATIONS DOCKET NUMBER 067630678 ORDER FOR THE CAPITAL BUDGET APP OR IT IS FOR THE CAPITAL BUDGET INCLUDING LOAN ORDERS AND LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS. THESE MATTERS WERE SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL TEN, 2020 FOR THE FOCUS OF THIS HEARING WILL BE DISCUSSED AT 525 BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND VETERAN FAIRS INCLUDING BOSTON 311 AND THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING.  TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY CAST OF COLLEAGUES AND ORDER ARRIVAL COUNCILOR CASS MURPHY, COUNCILOR ED FLYNN, THE VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, VICE-CHAIR PEPEN AND COUNCILOR JULIE MEJIA.  TODAY'S PANELISTS CONSIST OF COMMISSIONER SATYA REGO FROM THE OFFICE OF VETERAN SERVICES DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS CAM CAMBOSA. JERUSALEM JIM RUSSO FROM THE OFFICE OF VETERAN SERVICES AND THEN THE NEXT PANEL I'LL INTRODUCE THEM WHEN THEY JOIN US. OFFICE. OFFICE OF VETERANS SERVICES. THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU TO ALL VICE CHAIR PEP AND CITY COUNCILORS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF BOSTON VETERANS. AS YOU HAVE STATED WITH ME AS BELGIUM BOUSSO SHE IS OUR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND HUMAN RESOURCES AND IN THE SHADOWS IS DAN JAFFRAY WHO IS OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND OUTREACH. SO IF YOU CAN BEAR WITH ME IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES WE'RE GOING TO BE UTILIZING THE FOLLOWING SLIDES WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO GUIDE YOU ALL INTO A SNIPPET OF THE WORLD OF BOSTON VETERANS SERVICES.  AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE FIRST SLIDE IS OUR LEAD SLIDE WHERE WE HAVE WHAT IS OUR OUR VISION STATEMENT WHERE WE RECOGNIZE, ENGAGE AND ADVOCATE FOR ALL OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES BY CONNECTING THEM WITH THE SERVICES AND RESOURCES THEY EARN. SO THIS MISSION IS WHAT WE HAVE AND IT'S FOR US TO CONNECT OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WITH THE BENEFITS, SERVICES AND RESOURCES LIKE I SAID THAT THEY HAVE ALL EARNED. WE STRIVE TO FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO SUPPORT VETERANS SERVICE MEMBERS THAT LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES TO LIVE HEALTHY AND THRIVING LIVES.  SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS OFFICE TO BE A ONE STOP SHOP AND BRIDGING THOSE GAPS FOR ALL OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO CALL BOSTON HOME.  AND HOW DO I NEXT SLIDE UP.  THERE IT IS. SO HERE HERE'S AN EXCELLENT LIKE I SAID, THIS IS OUR VISION AND OUR MISSION STATEMENT BUT ALSO YOU SEE HERE IS OUR TEAM. OF COURSE IT STARTS WITH WITH MYSELF BEING THE COMMISSIONER. RIGHT NOW WE DO HAVE THREE POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT. ONE OF THEM IS A DEPUTY COMMISSIONER POSITION THAT JUST RECENTLY BECAME VACANT AS WELL AS A VETERANS BENEFIT SPECIALIST WHO PROCESSES THE CLAIMS.  AND CHAPTER 115 OF BENEFITS FOR OUR VETERANS IN THE TRANSITION AND INTEGRATION ADVOCATE WHO ALSO RECENTLY BECAME VACANT IN OUR OFFICE. SO WE HAVE A STAFF OF 15 TOTAL. RIGHT NOW WE'RE STAFFING AT 13 TO 12 SORRY . YEAH MINUS THREE.  LOOK AT OUR NEXT SLIDE. JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY GO OVER SOME OF OUR PROGRESS TERMS AND SERVICES. SO RIGHT NOW OUR MAIN MANDATE IS THAT OF CHAPTER 115 MASS GENERAL LAW, CHAPTER 115 WHICH IS TO ASSIST OUR LOW INCOME VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL AS VETERANS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS ACTS AS A RESOURCE OF INCOME FOR OUR VETERANS WHO LIKE I SAID ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ARE AT RISK. THESE BENEFITS ALSO INCLUDE MILITARY BURIAL ASSISTANCE,  SUBSIDIES FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES AND ALSO DECLARATIONS OF VETERANS GRAVES AND HERO SQUARES FOR MEMORIAL DAY WHICH AS WE ALL KNOW IS GOING TO BE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT YOU SEE ON THERE IS THE BRIDGE GAP PROGRAM. THIS IS BOSTON'S PROGRAM AND IT ALLOWS US TO ENHANCE AND EXPAND THE OFFICE'S REACH AND SERVICE TO ALL OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN BOSTON OUTSIDE OF CHAPTER 115. THIS IS GOING TO CREATE A PASSWORD PATHWAY FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR VETERANS . IT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE THAT FOR THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL AND IT WILL CREATE THAT PATHWAY AND IT EXTENDS THE ASSISTANCE ALREADY BASED ON CHAPTER 115 UNDER THE BRIDGE A GRANT PROGRAM IS OUR GRANTS PROGRAM. IT'S OUR BRIDGE THE GAP MINI GRANTS PROGRAM AND THIS PROGRAM IS AN INITIATIVE BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF VETERANS SERVICES AIMED AT PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR VETERANS, OUR SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES HERE IN BOSTON. THE GRANTS AIM TO ADDRESS GAPS IN SERVICES AND SUPPORT AFTER THE ALLOCATION OF FEDERAL OR STATE BENEFITS.  THE FOCUS AREAS FOR OUR FOR PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE HOUSING,  TRANSPORTATION, HEALTH AND WELLNESS UPWARD ECONOMIC MOBILITY, LEGAL SERVICES AND EDUCATIONAL AND HISTORICAL PROGRAMS.  WE ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THIS MINI GRANT WHICH IS UP TO $10,000. THE DEADLINE FOR THIS APPLICATION IS NEXT FRIDAY THE 24TH. AT THAT POINT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE APPLICATIONS. AND BY MID-JUNE WE WILL BE AWARDING THOSE THOSE WHO HAVE APPLIED AND THOSE THAT ARE APPROVED AFTER WE REVIEW ALL OF THE ALL OF THE GRANTS. WE HAVE A LOT OF UP TO $200,000 FOR THIS MINI GRANT PROGRAM. AND AGAIN, IT'S A PROGRAM FOR US TO AGAIN BRIDGE THAT GAP OF THOSE SERVICES FOR OUR VETERANS HERE WHO CALL THE CITY OF BOSTON HOME. SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS SERVICES THAT WE ADMINISTER AS YOU CAN SEE THERE IS THE WELCOME HOME BONUS WELCOME HOME BONUS IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF VETERANS SERVICES. IT'S A BONUS FOR VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED OR CURRENTLY ARE SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES FOLLOWING SEPTEMBER 11TH OF 2001. INDIVIDUALS MAY APPLY REGARDLESS OF ACTIVE OR DISCHARGE STATUS. IF YOU ARE A FAMILY MEMBER OF A DECEASED VETERAN OF THIS WAR YOU MAY ALSO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS BONUS.  SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS AS YOU KNOW IS THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMPENSATION AND PENSION WHICH AS WE ALL KNOW GIVES EACH VETERAN A DISABILITY RATING WHICH WILL DETERMINE WHAT COMPENSATION THEY'LL GET FROM FROM THE VA. SO WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND WITH THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF VETERANS SERVICES FOR MASSACHUSETTS IN PROCESSING THESE CLAIMS FOR OUR VETERANS.  ANOTHER PROGRAM IS THE ANNUITY VETERANS BENEFITS PROGRAM AND THIS IS IS GIVEN IN RECOGNITION OF THE SERVICE OF OUR DISTINGUISHED VETERANS WHO ARE 100% SERVICE CONNECTED AND ALSO TO THE PARENTS OF THOSE VETERANS GOLD STAR PARENTS AND UNMARRIED WIDOWS OR WIDOWERS OF DISTINGUISHED VETERANS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES OF SERVICE TO THEIR COUNTRY DURING WARTIME. CURRENTLY IT IS AT $2,000 A YEAR BUT THROUGH THE HERO ACT IT IS GOING TO GO UP TO 20 $500 A YEAR AND THAT'S GOING TO BE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS THAT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE HERE. THE NEXT COUPLE THAT I'M GOING TO GO OVER ARE VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MYSELF AND THE CITY OF BOSTON AND OUR NEIGHBORS. IT IS A MEMORIAL DAY FLAG PLANTING PROGRAM. SO WHAT WE DO EVERY YEAR WE WORK WITH LOCAL POSTS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO DECORATE THE MORE THAN 58,000 GRAVES OF OUR VETERANS AND THE 1300 HERO SQUARES THAT YOU SEE THROUGHOUT BOSTON. THIS IS A HUGE PROGRAM FOR US AND IT TAKES ALL HANDS ON DECK AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT THIS YEAR ONCE AGAIN WE WILL BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT ALL OUR VETERANS ARE RECOGNIZED AND HONORED FOR THEIR SERVICE TO US. ON MEMORIAL DAY AND THE HERO SQUARE PROGRAM IS A IS A PROGRAM WHERE WE INSTALL A HERO SQUARE IN A CORNER OF A NEIGHBORHOOD OF A SERVICE MEMBER WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION. SO THIS IS THIS COULD BE PROCESSED EITHER BY A FAMILY MEMBER OR A NEIGHBOR OR PRETTY MUCH ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY. AND AGAIN, DESIGNATED TO REPRESENT THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE THAT WAS DONE BY SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THIS CHAMBER, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND ENSURING THAT HERO SQUARE IS UP FOR OUR VETERANS THAT HAVE GAVE THE ULTIMATE ANSWER FOR OUR COUNTRY.  AND WE ALSO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH MIKE DEVINE AND HIS TEAM AT TRANSPORTATION.  THEY'RE THE TEAM THAT ACTUALLY CREATES THESE HERO SQUARES AND INSTALLS THEM IN ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO WHEN YOU WALK AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, LOOK UP AND YOU MAY SEE A SIGN IS BROWN WITH GOLD TRIMMINGS THERE'S A STAR IN A NAME OF A HERO THAT LIVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION. SOME OF THOSE HAVE WHAT WE CALL A BIOGRAPHY PLAQUE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE 2015. SO WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. WE'VE INSTALLED ABOUT 200 OR SO BIO PLAQUES. SO OF COURSE IT'S A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT. SO AS WE IDENTIFY OUR VETERANS AND GET BIOGRAPHICAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION, WE WILL DO A REDEDICATION OF THAT HERO SQUARE AND THE START THAT YOU SEE IN THOSE HERO SQUARES IS TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE GOLD STAR FAMILY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS. NOW I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER ON ABOUT WHERE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE SOME OF FUTURE DEDICATIONS. BUT THOSE ARE TWO PROGRAMS THAT ARE VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE OFFICE OF VETERANS SERVICES. WITH THAT WE HAVE OUR GRAVES DATA PROGRAM AND THAT IS A PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT ALL OF THE GRAVES OF OUR VETERANS THAT WE MONITOR AND ALL OF THIS ALL OF THE ALL THE INFORMATION OF OUR HERO SQUARES THAT WE MONITOR AS WELL. IT'S A IT'S A DATA PROGRAM THAT'S IN PROGRESS. WE'RE WORKING TO ENHANCE IT SO THAT ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO FIND A MEMORIAL, ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO FIND A GRAVE OR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO FIND A HERO SQUARE COULD TAP INTO THAT DATABASE AND FIND OUT WHERE THAT HERO OR THAT VETERAN IS LOCATED AT.  ANOTHER PROGRAM THIS IS ONE THAT WE JUST RECENTLY STARTED IN WORKING WITH IS WITH THE BOSTON BULLPEN PROJECT. THEY'RE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT ASSISTS ANY INDIVIDUAL NOT JUST VETERANS WITH CRISIS INTERVENTION.  SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROCESS A COUPLE OF CLAIMS WITH THEM FOR VETERANS WHO ARE IN NEED THESE SITUATIONS THAT WE'VE COME ACROSS WITH THE BOSTON BULLPEN PROJECT HAD BEEN FINANCIAL IN FINANCIAL NEED FOR VETERANS WHO ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY PAYING BILLS OR ANY OF THAT NATURE. SO THE TWO MAJOR OBSERVATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON VETERANS SERVICES WE CONSIDER THEM OUR SUPER BOWLS IS OBVIOUSLY MAY WHERE WE HAVE MEMORIAL DAY AND ALSO VETERAN'S DAY IN NOVEMBER STARTING OUT WITH MEMORIAL DAY. I MUST YOU KNOW, I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH THAT THIS IS A DAY WHERE WE COMMEMORATE THIS IS A DAY THAT WE HONOR THE GREAT SACRIFICES OF OUR SERVICE MEMBERS, THE ONES WHO I HAVE MENTIONED THAT WERE KILLED IN ACTION, THOSE WHO WERE P.O.W.S OR STILL MISSING IN ACTION WHO HAVE NOT RETURNED HOME. THIS IS THE MONTH WHERE WE HONOR AND RECOGNIZE THOSE. SO IT'S A SOLEMN OCCASION. IT'S NOT AN OCCASION TO CELEBRATE. NOW I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, THEY GO OUT AND HAVE THEIR BARBECUES AS THE START OF SUMMER AND I'M FINE WITH THAT. BUT JUST TAKE A MOMENT JUST TAKE A QUICK MOMENT BEFORE YOU YOU KNOW, FIRE UP THAT BARBECUE AND JUST THINK ABOUT THOSE PATRIOTS. THINK ABOUT THOSE VETERANS THAT GAVE THEIR LIVES SO YOU CAN BE ABLE THERE IN YOUR BACKYARD TO HAVE A BARBECUE AND THAT'S WHAT THE MONTH OF MAY IS FOR. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO EVERY DAY HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AS IT IS TRUE WHEN WE DEDICATE AND MEMORIALIZE OUR VETERANS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH HEROES CAREERS AND HONORING THEM IN MANY OTHER WAYS. AND THE OTHER ONE THAT I TALKED ABOUT IS NOVEMBER, WHICH IS VETERAN'S DAY.  BUT NOVEMBER 11TH IS THE ACTUAL DAY. BUT VETERAN'S DAY THAT'S THE DAY WHERE WE HONOR THAT'S THE DAY WILL BE RECOGNIZED. THAT'S THE DAY THAT WE CELEBRATE SERVICE OF ALL OF OUR VETERANS OF ALL OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL. IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LIKE TO STRESS IS WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE AND YOU'RE SERVING YOUR COUNTRY, YOU HAVE YOUR FAMILY BACK HOME THAT HAVE YOUR BACK AND THAT FAMILY IS WITH YOU IN THAT BATTLEFIELD, THEIR FAMILIES WITH YOU ON BOARD THAT SHIP OUT IN THE OCEAN THAT YOU'RE AT. SO THAT IS THE MONTH WHERE WE RECOGNIZE AND WE CELEBRATE SERVICE OF ALL OUR VETERANS, OF ALL OUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE DONE AND SACRIFICE TO ENSURE THAT THAT WE ARE THE NATION THAT WE ARE TODAY. SO I WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY IN HERE AND HOPEFULLY EVERYONE IS THAT THIS LISTENING TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEMORIAL DAY AND VETERAN'S DAY BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. MEMORIAL DAY ONCE AGAIN IS A SOLEMN OCCASION AND VETERAN'S DAY IS WHERE WE WHEN WE CELEBRATE.  SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF OUR ANNUAL EVENTS. OF COURSE THE VETERANS AND MILITARY FLAG CELEBRATIONS WE ACTUALLY ARE GOING TO BE FLYING A FLAG TO SATURDAY. SO IF YOU'RE AROUND CITY HALL PLAZA THIS WEEKEND ON SATURDAY YOU WILL SEE OUR SERVICES FLAG WHICH HAS ALL OF THE SEALS OF ALL OF OUR ARMED FORCES ON THERE AND THIS FLAG IS GOING TO BE FLOWN TO CELEBRATE MILITARY FAMILY APPRECIATION DAY. NOW WE ALSO FLY FLAGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.  WE FLY FLAGS TO HONOR OUR GOLD STAR FAMILIES. WE FLY THE FLAG ALSO DRAW ON OUR GOLD STAR WIVES. ALSO TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WE HONOR OUR P.O.W. MIAS RAISING THE P.O.W. MIA FLAG AS WELL FOR OUR PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS THOSE WHO YOU KNOW HAVE SHED BLOOD IN THE BATTLEFIELD AND ALSO TO HONOR ALL OUR SERVICES AS WELL AS FROM THEIR SERVICE BIRTHDAY. WE ALSO HAVE OF THE FLAG CEREMONIES AND THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT HERE IN CITY HALL AND OF COURSE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WHO SIGNED THE PROCLAMATION NAMING THAT DAY. YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS WEEK AND MILITARY FAMILY APPRECIATION DAY. ANOTHER EVENT THIS IS ONE OF OUR MOST DEAR EVENTS AND ONE OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL EVENTS. EVERY YEAR WE HAVE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN VETERANS BRUNCH.  THIS YEAR WE HAD THE HONOR OF HONORING THE BROWN FAMILY AND WOODY WOODHOUSE. WOODY WOODHOUSE IS ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING TUSKEGEE AIRMEN WHO IS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE ROXBURY COMMUNITY HERE IN BOSTON AND THE BROWN FAMILY. RALPH BROWN WAS HE WAS THE MAIN ADVOCATE, THE MAIN PERSON WHO WANTED TO GET THE EDWARD OLD BOARDING PARK IN ROXBURY IN UNION SQUARE UP AND PUT A STATUE IN HONOR OF GENERAL EDWARD OPENING UP THERE AS WELL AND HIS FAMILY WHEN HE WHEN HE TRANSITIONED THIS FAMILY TOOK OVER THE WORK THAT HE STARTED AND NOW IF YOU GO TO NUBIAN SQUARE IN EDWARD GORDON PARK YOU WILL SEE A STATUE OF HIM THERE BUT YOU ALSO SEE A LOT OF A BASE RELEASED WHERE IT HONORS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN VETERANS THAT HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY SINCE THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. WE ALSO RECENTLY HAD A WOMEN'S VETERANS ROUNDTABLE. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW WOMEN VETERANS IS A LARGEST GROWING DEMOGRAPHIC IN THE VETERANS COMMUNITY. SO WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A ROUNDTABLE WHERE WE HAD ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBER WOMEN THERE AS WELL AS VETERANS TALK ABOUT HOW THEY STRUGGLED. ANY CHALLENGES THAT THEY MAY HAD AS WOMEN SERVING IN OUR ARMED FORCES AND WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO HONOR FIRST LIEUTENANT LYDIA EDWARDS WHO WAS A SENATOR AND WHO AT ONE TIME WAS A CITY COUNCILOR HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT I JUST TO GO DOWN WE WERE GOING TO HAVE WE DO A LOT OF THINGS FOR AWARENESS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOLF OUTING AND THAT'S IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PGA HOPE AND THIS.  ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE DECIDED TO USE SPORT IS BECAUSE SPORTS AND GAMES IS A WAY TO ALLEVIATE SYMPTOMS OF PTSD IN VETERANS AND IT IMPROVES MOOD, BUILDS CONFIDENCE, SELF-DISCIPLINE, BODY AWARENESS ,TEAMWORK AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS. BUT IT WAS ALSO IT'S A WAY FOR THOSE TO COME OUT AND ENJOY THE GAME OF GOLF WHILE LEARNING ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT ARE FACING THE MILITARY COMMUNITY. AND PETTY AND PTSD AND WE ALSO FOR PTSD AWARENESS WE PRODUCED TWO VIDEOS PROMOTING THE 90 8-1 NUMBER WITH BPC.  WE ALSO ARE GOING TO BE PARTNERING AND WORKING WITH THE EQUITY CABINET AND STRONG FOR LGBTQ AWARENESS AND FOR THE LGBT AND HAVE LGBTQ EVENTS AS WELL AND SOME OF THE OTHERS THAT WE DID WE HAD DONE IN THE PAST THE P.O.W. AND MY RECOGNITION CEREMONY WHICH IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE GREATER BOSTON STAND DOWN.  WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH THE NEW ENGLAND CENTER AND HOME FOR VETERANS THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND COMBINING NOT JUST TO STAND DOWN BUT THE P.O.W. MIA EVENT AS WELL. AND YOU CAN SEE THE LIST HERE. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO AND ALL OF THIS IS IN PARTNERSHIP. WE DON'T DO THIS ALONE.  WE NEED THE COMMUNITY TO HELP US OUT. WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT PARTNERS NOT JUST IN THE CITY BUT ALSO IN VETERANS CENTRIC NONPROFITS THAT HELP US. I MENTIONED THE DOING THE SIT IN HOME FOR VETERANS. THE VFW HELPS OUT THE AMERICAN LEGION DISTRICT ARE THE LEAD FOR THE BOSTON VETERANS DAY PARADE.  WE WORK WITH THE HIGHLAND STREET FOUNDATION FOR THE VETERAN THE MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT IN DECEMBER AND WE WORK WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICES AND THE U.S. CONSTITUTION FOR PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY ALSO IN DECEMBER. SO THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF OUR ANNUAL EVENTS. NOW I WOULD LIKE TO JUST QUICKLY YOU KNOW, IF I CAN TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR UPCOMING EVENTS. AGAIN, I TALKED ABOUT THE MEMORIAL DAY FLAG PLANNING AND WREATH LAYING AND SUPPORTING ALL OUR MEMORIAL DAY EVENTS THAT WE HAVE. AND IT'S NOT JUST A DAY. WE HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS THAT LEAD UP TO MEMORIAL DAY WHERE WE SUPPORT AND LEND A HAND WITH FLAG PLANTING, WITH LAYING WREATHS AT DIFFERENT MEMORIALS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE BACK BAY FENCE. WE HAVE THE FOR MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE FIRST WORLD WAR MEMORIAL IN THE COUNTRY. WE ALSO THERE IN THAT AREA ALSO HAVE A MEMORIAL FOR OUR KOREAN WAR VETERANS THAT SERVED IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AS WELL AS VIETNAM WAR VETERAN AND ALL THEIR NAMES ARE ETCHED IN MEMORY RIGHT THERE IN THE BACK BAY FENCE. IT'S CLOSE TO A COVID CLEMENTE FIELD AND A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM FROM FENWAY PARK. SO WE GO OUT THERE EVERY YEAR TO LAY A WREATH IN HONOR OF THOSE NEIGHBORS THAT SERVED AH SERVED OUR COUNTRY FROM OUR COMMUNITIES. I MENTIONED THE HERO SQUARE DEDICATION WE HAVE A HERO SQUARE DEDICATION FOR MONIQUE WITZ AND THIS IS GOING TO BE IN JUNE ON JUNE 8TH, 2024 ANDERSON JP IN EAGLESON SQUARE A COUPLE OF FUTURE HERO SQUARES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON AND THESE ARE INITIAL HERO SQUARES. THESE ARE IN DEDICATION. THESE ARE REDEDICATION I'M SORRY . THESE ARE ACTUAL DEDICATION INS FOR WILLIAM NEWMAN WHICH WILL BE IN CHARLESTOWN AND EUGENE LYNN LEYDEN WHICH I BELIEVE IS ALSO GOING TO BE IN JAMAICA PLAIN. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE A LIST OF OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS THAT WE HAVE ALL THESE EVENTS YOU COULD FIND ON OUR WEBPAGE. WW DOT BOSTON THE GOV SLASH VETERANS AND THE NEXT SLIDE IS GOOD LEADING I WANTED TO TALK QUICKLY ABOUT THAT WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE THAT I JUST MENTIONED WW W DOT BOSTON THAT GOES LIKE VETERANS.  IT'S A ONE STOP SHOP FOR EVERYTHING VETERANS THAT LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY OR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO GO IN THERE AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE VETERANS COMMUNITY NOT JUST IN BOSTON BUT WHAT'S ALSO GOING ON IN THE IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE VA, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE PARTNER WITH HERE IN THE CITY, HERE IN THE STATE AND ALSO NATIONALLY AS WELL.  AND IT'S A LIVING AND BREATHING WEBSITE. SO EVERY WEEK WE GO INTO THAT WEBSITE TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING IS UP TO DATE. THERE IS ONE THING THAT I NEED TO UPDATE THERE IN CASE ANYBODY IS GOING UP THERE RIGHT NOW IS A MESSAGE FROM ME FROM A THAT'S STILL THERE FROM LAST DECEMBER THAT YOU KNOW FOR FOR FOR THE HOLIDAYS BUT I'M WORKING ON THAT BUT EVERYTHING ELSE ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT TALKS ABOUT OUR BENEFITS, THAT TALKS ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS, THAT TALKS ABOUT THE PACT ACT, THAT TALKS ABOUT THE HERO ACT RESOURCES FOR WOMEN AND LGBTQ VETERANS THAT IS ALL UP UPDATED IN OUR WEBSITE.  AGAIN THAT WEBSITE IS WW W DOT BOSTON DOT GOV SLASH VETERANS AND IN CONCLUSION AGAIN THIS WAS JUST A BRIEF EXTRACT OF WHAT WE DO AND THAT'S SUCCESSFUL AS OUR PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH HAS BEEN HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON VETERANS SERVICES. THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM TO IMPROVE AND ALWAYS ROOM TO EXPAND. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE PLAN ON EXPANDING OUR OUTREACH AND PROMOTING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF VETERANS SERVICES. I BELIEVE THAT STILL THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY IS TO CONTINUE TO GO INTO OUR COMMUNITIES AND MEET WITH OUR VETERANS AND MEET WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND AND EDUCATE THEM ON OUR SERVICES, BENEFITS AND RESOURCES OFFERED TO ALL OF OUR VETERANS AND ALL OF OUR FAMILIES AND ALL OF OUR SERVICE MEMBERS THAT LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. YOU KNOW, WE'VE RECENTLY BEEN GETTING A GOOD NUMBER OF CALLS AND EMAILS FROM MANY NEIGHBORS . I FOUND THAT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT TO SPEAK WITH ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITIES AND NOT JUST MEET WITH OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. SO AGAIN, IT'S A TEAM EFFORT. IT TAKES A VILLAGE. ONE OF THE VILLAGE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE RIGHT NOW IS THE OFFICE AT THE OFFICE OF VETERANS SERVICES. THERE IS NO WAY THAT I CAN DO THIS WORK ALONE AND THAT CANNOT BE ANY PROUDER OF THE TEAM AND HOW THEY WORK TIRELESSLY TIRELESSLY IN TAKING CARE OF OUR VETERANS AND TAKING CARE OF OUR VETERANS FAMILIES AND IN TAKING CARE OF OUR SERVICE MEMBERS.  SO I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT ALL OUR VETERANS SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE BENEFITS AND SERVICES THEY HAVE EARNED. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. AND NOW I OPEN TO ANSWER AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY MAY HAVE.  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. FIRST, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COUNCIL OF FINANCE ANDERSON AND COUNCIL WEBER HAS JOINED US.  AND THEN I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK.  I JUST WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VETERANS FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION AND THEIR FAMILIES TO THIS COUNTRY. AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER WHO IS CURRENTLY SERVING OUR COUNTRY AND THEN JUST SAY THANK YOU TO ALL MY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE SERVING OR WHO ARE VETERANS AS WELL. NOW PASS IT OFF TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES.  I'M IN ORDER ARRIVAL FOR QUESTIONS. COUNCILOR MURPHY, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND GOING THROUGH THAT THOROUGH SLIDE SLIDE SHOW OF THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE. AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE SO I APPRECIATE YOU UPLIFTING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEMORIAL DAY AND VETERAN'S DAY AND I DO UM I THINK IT'S IT'S SPECIAL HOW PASSIONATE YOU ARE ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE. MY DAD IS BURIED AT NATIONAL CEMETERY IN BOURNE AND MY SON WAS ACTUALLY WAS AT MASS MARITIME AND TWICE A YEAR AT THE STUDENTS GO OVER AND MAKE SURE ALL THE FLAGS ARE PUT IT AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL THOSE TIMES A YEAR. AND ONE THING I DO KNOW LIKE AT CEDAR GROVE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AS OUR MEMBERS AT OUR POST AGE THERE IS LESS HELP TO PUT FLAGS IN SO IF THERE'S ANY NEED PLEASE LET ME AND THE COUNCIL KNOW BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT I'VE HELPED PUT SOME FLAGS AND A DIFFERENCE CEMETERIES KNOWING THAT SOME POSTS HAVE SAID THAT THEIR MEMBERS ARE HAVE KIND OF AGED OUT AND IT'S NOT THE SAME YOU KNOW FORCE THERE TO SUPPORT THAT AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT NOT JUST FOR THOSE WHO ARE BURIED BUT FOR OTHERS VISITING FAMILY MEMBERS TO REMEMBER HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SERVED OUR COUNTRY. I DO WANT TO UPLIFT OUR VETERAN ON THE COUNCIL COUNCILOR FLYNN WHEN HE WAS COUNCIL PRESIDENT HE COULDN'T CHAIR ANY COMMITTEE SO HE DID GIVE ME THE OF BEING THE CHAIR OF VETERANS SERVICES. I NOW CO-CHAIR IT WITH HIM BUT HE ALWAYS UPLIFTS THE DIFFERENCES. AND WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE OF THE WOMEN VETERANS BUT ALSO AS OUR VETERANS AGE RIGHT I THINK OF YOU KNOW THE SUPPORT SHIFT AND THEIR NEEDS SHIFT. AND ONE THING WE DID LEARN THE LAST TWO YEARS IN THE BUDGET SEASON IS YOU HAVE A VERY SMALL BUDGET ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE YOU KNOW, TALKING TO THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE A 1.7 BILLION AND YOU HAVE LIKE $1,000,000 BUDGET, RIGHT? AND YOU DO A LOT. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. I WOULD ARGUE WE NEED YOU TO HAVE A STRONGER MORE ON YOUR TEAM.  OUR VETERANS NEED A LOT AND YOU CONNECT TO THEM TO A LOT OF SERVICES BUT REACHING THEM IS IMPORTANT, RIGHT? AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT IT. I KNOW BEFORE THE HEARING STARTED YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ,YOU KNOW, THE NEED FOR OUR VETERANS TO EVEN KNOW AND I KNOW WHEN WE'VE SAT DOWN AND TALKED WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT MASSACHUSETTS DOES OFFER OUR VETERANS A LOT BUT NOT ALL OF THEM KNOW ABOUT IT.  MY STEPDAD PAPA JACK IS 91 NOW A MARINE CAREER MARINE. HE FLEW MARINE ONE AND LIKE COUNSELOR FLYNN REALLY USES AND MY UNCLE CHARLIE DOES TO THE VA SYSTEM WHICH IS AMAZING. SO CONNECTING OUR VETERANS TO THOSE SERVICES THEY'RE ALSO I THINK ARE IMPORTANT. SO NOTE NO REAL QUESTIONS JUST HOW CAN WE ON THE COUNCIL SUPPORT YOU MORE AND IF I KNOW WHEN YOU COME TO US IN EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT THEY NEVER REALLY SAY THEY NEED MORE BUT IF THERE'S WAYS WE CAN HELP AND SUPPORT BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING WONDERFUL WORK AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR YOUR WEBSITE UPDATING THE EVENTS AROUND THE CITY BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PASS ALL OF THAT HISTORY ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION AND THEY KNOW THAT WE ARE A CITY THAT RESPECTS OUR VETERANS AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM SO THANK YOU, JOE. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  OUR COUNCIL FLYNN THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SANTIAGO. THANK YOU, BELLA, FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK BOTH OF YOU ARE DOING IN YOUR STAFF AS WELL THAT ARE IN THE OFFICE DOING THE WORK EVERY DAY. VERY PROFESSIONAL TEAM THAT YOU HAVE INTERACTED WITH THEM FOR MANY YEARS AND JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU COMMISSIONER BUT ALSO THE STAFF THAT YOU WORK WITH THAT ARE VERY PROFESSIONAL, ENGAGED AND WELCOMING AND HELPFUL EXTREMELY HELPFUL TO VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES ACROSS ACROSS THE CITY.  COMMISSIONER, WHAT IS THE CURRENT BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO HAVE FOR THIS UPCOMING BUDGET AND DO EXPECT ANY CHANGES DURING THIS PROCESS ? RIGHT NOW WE DON'T EXPECT ANY CHANGES IN OUR BUDGET STANCE OF $4.8 MILLION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND I MENTIONED DURING THE SLIDE SHOW IS TRYING TO EXPAND OUR SERVICES AND THAT'S WHY WE JUST STARTED RECENTLY GIVING OUT MANY GRANTS OR NOT GIVING THEM OUT BUT HAVING PEOPLE APPLY FOR MANY GRANTS AND OBVIOUSLY GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THE VETTING PROCESS OF GETTING APPROVED FOR THOSE MANY GRANTS. BUT I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH IS TRYING TO FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS WHERE OUR SERVICES HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON TO REACH OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.  YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES THAT WE HAVE AS AN OFFICE IS THAT WE GET CONFUSED WITH SOME PEOPLE OR SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR OFFICE AND THE VA.  WELL, WE'RE NOT PART OF THE VA. WE ARE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF VETERANS SERVICES HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF TIMES THAT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION AND WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE VA. THEY'RE A GREAT PARTNER OF OURS ,OUR FEDERAL PARTNER HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BUT WE DO HAVE SOME OF THE BEST VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. BUT YOU KNOW, JUST LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT OUR OFFICE EXISTS AND TRYING TO MAKE THIS OFFICE A ONE STOP SHOP IS SOMETHING THAT'S THAT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. KUSHNER LET ME LET ME GO INTO SPECIFICS AS WE CELEBRATE AND RECOGNIZE MILITARY FAMILIES AS WELL. COMMISSIONER WILL SALT WILL RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE ROLE OUR MILITARY FAMILIES PLAY, THE SACRIFICE OUR MILITARY FAMILIES HAVE MADE. I THANK YOU ALSO MENTIONED WE'RE NOT GIVING ANYONE ANY BENEFITS. THESE ARE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS AND BENEFITS THAT THEY HAVE EARNED AND THAT'S TRUE A LOT OF MEN AND WOMAN THAT PUT THEMSELVES IN HARM'S WAY.  WE RECOGNIZE MEMORIAL DAY A SOLEMN DAY BUT YOU HIGHLIGHTED IT PERFECTLY IS WE'RE NOT GIVING ANYONE ANY SERVICES. THESE ARE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PEOPLE HAVE EARNED IN THE MONEY THAT GOES INTO THIS DEPARTMENT IS SPENT APPROPRIATELY. IT'S SPENT FINANCIALLY APPROPRIATELY.  BUT ALSO IT'S IT'S REACHING OUT TO VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES SUPPORTING THEM IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.  SO I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS BUDGET IS TO THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON NOT JUST VETERANS, NOT JUST MILITARY FAMILIES BUT THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON. IT REALLY SHOWS THAT WE SUPPORT VETERANS AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THEM DOWN. IT'S OKAY IF I COULD JUST QUICKLY SAY YOU MENTIONED OUR FAMILIES. THAT'S ONE OF THE YOU KNOW, WE THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT OF FOCUS ON VETERANS AND RIGHTFULLY SO. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KEEP BRINGING UP SERVICE MEMBERS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF SERVICE MEMBERS THAT LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND SOME OF THEM ARE DEPLOYED AND SOMETIMES THE FAMILIES THEMSELVES SOMETIMES MAY GET LOST IN TRANSLATION IF YOU WILL SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST PUSHES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW IS TRY TO IDENTIFY THOSE FAMILIES AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY NEED THAT WE COULD DO IN HELPING THEM OUT WHILE THEIR BROTHER WHILE THEIR SON WHILE THEY'RE THERE THEIR SISTER IS OUT FORWARD DEPLOYED AND SERVING OUR COUNTRY.  THANK YOU. KUSHNER COMMISSIONER, YOU HIGHLIGHTED THE PACT ACT.  THOSE ARE THAT'S A FEDERAL PROGRAM WHERE VETERANS THAT WERE EXPOSED TO ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS WHILE SERVING MOSTLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST BUT IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL.  THEY WERE IMPACTED SIGNIFICANTLY BY EXPOSURES TO DIFFERENT FUMES CHEMICALS.  THAT PROCESS IS STILL OPEN FOR VETERANS TO CONTINUE TO APPLY FOR SERVICES AND AND BENEFITS THAT THEY'VE EARNED. WHY DON'T YOU TELL US, COMMISSIONER, THIS IS OPEN ALSO NOT JUST OF MIDDLE EAST VETERANS THAT SERVED IN THE MIDDLE EAST BUT ALSO TO OTHER VETERANS INCLUDING VIETNAM VETERANS QUITTING ALL VETERANS. TELL ME WHAT THE PROCESS IS FOR A VETERAN THAT MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAM, HOW THEY CAN ACCESS THESE BENEFITS BECAUSE OF THAT. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THE FACT THAT IT'S IT'S THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE OF VETERANS ACT THAT HAS BEEN PASSED BY CONGRESS AND SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT IN HISTORY PACT WHAT IT STANDS FOR IS A PROMISE TO ADDRESS COMPREHENSIVE TOXINS AND LIKE YOU HAD MENTIONED, IT EXPANDS ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE FOR ALL VETERANS WITH TOXIC EXPOSURES. OUR VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM ERA GULF ERA POST 911 ERA AND THERE'S ALSO CERTAIN AREAS THAT THAT THAT WILL GO AS FAR BACK AS A AS WORLD WAR TWO. SO EVERYONE IN AND EVERY ENROLLED VETERAN IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE AN INITIAL TOXICANT EXPOSURE SCREENING. SO EVEN YOU THINK YOU DIDN'T OR DID NOT WERE EXPOSED TO TOXIC EXPOSURE.  I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU GO AND GET THAT SCREENING BECAUSE THIS AFFORDED TO YOU AT NO CHARGE TO BY THE VA. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ENROLLED IN THE VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM TO ACTUALLY GO AND GET THE SCREENING OR GO AND FILL IN FOR FOR SOME OF THESE THAT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.  SO THAT'S WHAT THE VA IS DOING RIGHT NOW AND THE PROCESSES FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED A VA CLAIM THEY COULD SUBMIT A SUPPLEMENTAL CLAIM OR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SUBMITTED THEY COULD GO AHEAD AND SUBMIT A CLAIM TO INCLUDE ANY OF THE EXTENSION FROM THE FACT THAT IT'S PRETTY EXTENSIVE.  THEY ARE OVER 20 I BELIEVE WITH 23 DIFFERENT TOXICS EXPOSURE THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THOSE THAT ARE THAT THE VA HAVE NOW FINALLY BEEN ABLE TO TO APPROVE IT FOR OUR VETERANS TO GET ACCESS TO CARE FOR IT. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL VETERANS TO REALIZE AND KNOW WHAT THE FACT THAT IT IS AGAIN NOT TO SHAMELESSLY PLUG OUR WEBSITE BUT IF YOU GO INTO OUR WEBSITE THERE'S A LINK IN THERE THAT THEY WILL SEND YOU AND PROVIDE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED ABOUT THE FACT THAT HOW TO FILL FILL OUT AND WHO TO TALK TO FOR THE PACK CHECK AND ONE THING THAT I WANT TO MENTION AND COUNSELOR, YOU AND I WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THIS ON ON MANY OCCASIONS IS THERE ARE A LOT OF VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE, A LOT OF VETERAN ADVOCATES OUT THERE THAT WILL HELP YOU WITH YOUR VA CLAIM FREE OF CHARGE AND ARE ACCREDITED BY THE VA TO DO SO.  THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF CLAIMS SHARKS OUT THERE THAT ARE SAYING LET ME HELP YOU WITH YOUR VA CLAIM I'M A LAWYER. I WILL ENSURE YOU GET 80%. I WILL ENSURE YOU GET 100% DISABILITY. OH BY THE WAY, I WANT TO TAKE 20% OFF THE TOP OF PERPETUITY FROM WHAT YOU'RE GETTING FROM THE VA YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT. DON'T GIVE ANYBODY THAT THAT YOU HAVE EARNED THAT YOU HAVE EARNED THAT IS HARD EARNED TO THOSE CLAIMS SHARKS FIND OUT IN YOUR AREA WHO YOUR VETERAN SERVICES OFFICER IS. GO TO A DMV, GO TO A VFW IF NEED BE. THEY ALSO PROCESS CLAIMS BUT ENSURE THAT WHOEVER YOU ARE FILING SUCH YOUR CLAIM WITH ONE THEY'RE ACCREDITED WE WE HAVE A FOLKS IN OUR OFFICE THAT HELP YOU WITH THE VA CLAIMS AS WELL BUT ENSURE THAT WHOEVER IS WORKING WITH YOU DO NOT ASK FOR ANY COMPENSATION FROM THAT CLAIM THAT YOU ARE SUBMITTING BECAUSE AGAIN A LOT OF THEM ARE GETTING A PORTION OF OUR VETERANS COMPENSATION, DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND PERPETUITY.  SO IF THE VA RAISES YOUR COMPENSATION FROM 2000 TO 3000 GETS WHAT THAT 20% GOES UP FOR WHOEVER THAT CLAIM SHARK IS AND YOU KNOW AS A VETERAN MYSELF IT REALLY IRKS ME WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE SAY OH, I GOT 80% OFF BY THE WAY 50% I'M KEEPING THE OTHER 30%. I'M GIVING YOU EVERY HELP ME FILL OUT THE CLAIM. SHE WAS GREAT. HE WAS GREAT. THAT'S NOT THE CASE. ENSURE THAT WHOEVER YOU'RE WORKING WITH ON YOUR CLAIM IS ACCREDITED AND THAT THEY ARE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING IN RETURN THAT COULD COMMISSIONER AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AS WELL AND FOR THE I'M ALSO JUST WANT TO MENTION DAVE TO SAY WHAT AMERICAN VETERANS THERE'S A THERE'S A PROPOSAL LEGISLATION AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT H.R. 645 TO VETERANS SCAM AND FRAUD EVASION ACT AND WE'LL WORK ON THAT TOGETHER. I'M GOING TO DO A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THIS WOULD PROPOSE LEGISLATION TO DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL BUT WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU, COMMISSIONER. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO BELA BUT ALSO TO YOUR ENTIRE TEAM FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK YOU ALL ARE DOING. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.  THANK YOU. WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COUNSELOR COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE HAS JOINED US ALSO CANCER SANTANA BY CHAIR PEPE IN THE FLOOR JOYCE THANK YOU CHAIR I'M COMMISSIONER SANTIAGO AND DIRECTOR IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU AND YOUR TEAM DOES FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.  THE VETERAN COMMUNITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME JUST BECAUSE MY BEST FRIEND IS CURRENTLY OUT IN JAPAN SERVING FOR THE NAVY. MY UNCLE HAS SERVED IN THE NAVY AND I DID NOT SERVE BUT I DID ROTC IN HIGH SCHOOL SO I WAS ABLE TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE BASICS AND THE HISTORY OF OF THE NAVY AND IN PARTICULAR I ALSO WANT TO JUST THANK MY COLLEAGUE COUNSELOR FLYNN FOR HIS SERVICE AS WELL AS HE IS A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO START BY ASKING YOU AND YOUR OFFICE TO SHARE THAT FLIER AND THE APPLICATION TO THAT GRANT THAT OUR OFFICE CAN SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY.  I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF VETERANS IN MY DISTRICT WHO WOULD LOVE TO SHARE THIS AS WELL AND POTENTIALLY EVEN APPLY SO I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT ON HAND. I SAW IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT YOU HAVE AN ROTC GERALD DC SCHOLARSHIP.  I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW HOW MUCH IS THOSE SCHOLARSHIPS WORTH FOR AND HOW MANY APPLICANTS USUALLY GET THOSE SCHOLARSHIP?  THE SCHOLARSHIP WE ACTUALLY WORK WITH THE JROTC THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WE CURRENTLY HAVE I BELIEVE IS SIX CHARITIES AND THEY DO GREAT WORK AND I REALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE THOSE THOSE YOUNG ADULTS THAT ARE THAT HAVE JOINED THE JROTC, WHETHER NATIVE NAVY JROTC,  MARINE CORPS, JROTC OR ARMY JROTC, YOU KNOW THE WHOLE PART ABOUT THE JROTC PROGRAM IS TO MOTIVATE THESE YOUNG ADULTS. IT'S TO MOTIVATE THEM TO BE BETTER CITIZENS, TO MOTIVATE THEM TO AND TEACH THEM THE VALUES OF CITIZENSHIP PERSONAL, RESPONSIBLE PARTY AND ALSO A HUGE SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.  YOU KNOW AND WE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT. SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS GETTING WITH THE WITH WITH WITH THE COMMANDERS OF THE JROTC AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PROGRAM AS TO HOW THEY VET WHO WILL GET THE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE $500 SCHOLARSHIPS THAT WE GIVE OUT THROUGH THE JROTC.  WE HAVEN'T HAD ONE I THINK IS I THINK THE LAST ONE WAS TWO YEARS AGO BUT WE ACTUALLY TOMORROW I HAVE A MEETING WITH WITH SOME OF THE LEADERSHIP FROM THE JROTC TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE JROTC PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. BUT IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE YOUNG ADULTS WHO JOIN THIS PROGRAM TO BECOME BETTER CITIZENS TO TO TO TO REALLY WORK ON WHAT THEIR NEXT STEP IS AND IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THEM JOINING THE MILITARY. IT'S ABOUT THEM MAKING THEM BETTER CITIZENS AND HELPING THEM BECOME GREAT PEOPLE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.  RATHER THEY WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE LIKE YOURSELF SIR. YOU KNOW YOU YOU YOU WENT INTO PUBLIC SERVICE BUT IT'S TO HELP THEM AND GUIDE THEM AS TO WHAT THEIR NEXT STEPS ARE GOING TO BE. ABSOLUTELY. AND I AM JUST GOING TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO CHIEF BOWERS OVER AT THE O'BRYANT WHO WAS MY CHIEF IN THE PROGRAM BUT I KNOW HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB. CONTINUE MAKE THAT PROGRAM STRONG. SO I JUST WANT TO OFFER MYSELF AS A AS AN ADVOCATE FOR THE PROGRAM IN CASE WE EVER NEED THAT FROM THE COUNCIL SIDE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  RECENTLY I KNOW I WAS WORKING WITH YOU WITH A MEMBER OF YOUR OFFICE FORGET WHO BUT IT WAS REGARDING A SMALL MEMORIAL PARK IN MATTAPAN OFF OF RIVER STREET. I KNOW THAT TECHNICALLY IT PERTAINS TO DCR BUT I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT ROLE DOES YOUR OFFICE PLAY WHEN IT COMES TO RENOVATING THOSE OR POTENTIALLY WHEN IT IS RENOVATED BY DCR HOSTING AN EVENT?  WELL 255 RIVER STREET YEAH WE WERE YEAH WE WERE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THIS MYSELF AND DIRECTOR RECTOR FOR USE IN THE SHADOWS IN THE BACKGROUND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S OWNED BY DCR IT'S OWNED BY THE STATE FROM FROM FROM ANY FROM THE PAPERWORK THAT THE DAN WAS ABLE TO TO TO FIND OUT SO WE DON'T KNOW WHO IN THE STATE ACTUALLY OWNS THE PARCEL BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS GO AHEAD AND HAVE A BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT THERE, CLEAN IT UP OURSELVES AS A NEIGHBORHOOD, AS A VETERANS COMMUNITY AND HAVE SOME SORT OF YOU LIKE YOU SAID AN EVENT AT THAT PARK AT THE LITTLE CORNER RIGHT THERE.  SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW IT IS WE ARE NOT IN THE TALKING STAGES OF IT BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING SOMETHING THERE AND IT'S A STATE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ASSIST US IN THAT. OF COURSE WE WILL ACCEPT ANY HELP BUT WE AS A COMMUNITY BOTH IN MATTAPAN AS WELL AS THE VARIOUS COMMUNITY ARE LOOKING AT TO ACTUALLY BEAUTIFYING THE SPACE, MAKING IT SOMETHING, MAKING IT A IS WORTHY OF OF THE VETERANS THAT IT REPRESENTS AND SO ONE JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOR BEING SO PROACTIVE WITH THIS I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR OFFICE FOR JUMPING AROUND ON TOP OF IT I AM I BELIEVE THAT'S ONE OF THE FEW PLACES WE HAVE IN MATTAPAN TO RECOGNIZE OUR VETERANS. SO ANYTHING THAT MY OFFICE CAN DO WE WOULD LOVE TO HELP WITH THAT AND POTENTIALLY VOLUNTEER WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN. SO SIGN ME UP. I'M WRITING IT DOWN. I ALREADY DID GOOD BUT HONESTLY THAT'S REALLY ALL FOR ME IN REGARDS TO QUESTIONS I'M VERY WITH THE WORK YOU ALL DO. I MEAN IF ANYTHING I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO HYDE PARK AND NOW TO DO EVENTS WITH ME BECAUSE THERE ARE A OF VETERANS IN MY DISTRICT THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR RESOURCES AND WAYS THAT THEY CAN CONNECT WITH THE CITY'S VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU ALL DO BUT I'LL USE THE REST OF MY TIME TO THE CHAIR.  THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, CHAIR HEY, GOOD MORNING. MY NAME.  IT'S GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL. I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND FIRST OF ALL I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO YOU IN ALL THESE SPACES AND PLACES AND ALL THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU CREATE IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SO THANK YOU SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IN TERMS OF AGE RANGE FOR VETERANS, CAN YOU TELL ME DO YOU HAVE ANY DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ABOUT KIND OF LIKE WHAT'S THE AGE RANGE PRIMARILY FOR FOR VETERANS HERE IN BOSTON DON'T HAVE THE DEMOGRAPHIC HANDY. I COULD DEFINITELY GET YOU THAT DEMOGRAPHIC BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT IS AN AGING POPULATION AND OUR YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS OF KOREAN WAR VETERANS AND EVEN VIETNAM VETERANS THAT BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE ARE TRANSITIONING IN A RAPID RATE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND BEYOND. SO IT IS AN AGING OF OUR POPULATION THAT WE HAVE. WE DO ALSO HAVE A LOT OF YOUNG VETERANS THAT ARE HAVE COME BACK, YOU KNOW, FROM IRAQ, FROM AFGHANISTAN AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO REACH AND ALSO ASSIST IN ANY WHICH WAY WE CAN. AGAIN, MAKING THE OFFICE A ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL OUR VETERANS. YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THOSE VETERANS THAT ARE INDIGENT OR THOSE THAT ARE THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE ON ANY OF OUR PROGRAMS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. THANK YOU SO I WILL DEFINITELY GET YOU THAT DEMOGRAPHIC THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. THE REASON WHY I ASK IS BECAUSE I ALWAYS SAY THAT BOSTON IS RESOURCE RICH BUT COORDINATION POOR AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN INTERFACE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO I'M CURIOUS CONSIDERING THAT IT'S AN AGING POPULATION AND CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU FACILITATE AND COORDINATE WITH H STRONG AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON? WE WE COORDINATE AND WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. ANY EVENT THAT WE HAVE WE ALWAYS TRY TO INCLUDE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON JUST RECENTLY WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HAVING AN LGBTQ PLUS EVENT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HAVING ONE ALONG WITH STRONG AND THE EQUITY DEPARTMENT AS WELL.  WE HAD A WELCOME HOME BRUNCH THAT INCORPORATED PRETTY MUCH ALL OUR VETERANS NOT JUST THOSE COLLEGE AGE VETERANS IN NORTHEASTERN. AND WITH THAT WE HAD A LOT OF MEMBERS FROM THE OWN TEAM AS A MATTER OF FACT THAT SHOWED UP. WE HAD A LOT OF OF THOSE ON US OF COMMUNITY LEADERS ACTUALLY COME TO THAT TO BE ABLE TO FIELD QUESTIONS EVEN IF IT'S ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORS. SO WE'VE ALSO WORKED WITH PROPERTY MANAGEMENT WITH REGARDS TO FLAGS. WE'VE ALSO WORKED WITH YOU KNOW THANK YOU BELLA. SHE'S GOT ME A LITTLE NOTE THAT YESTERDAY FOR EXAMPLE WE PARTICIPATED IN THE STRONG EVENTS THAT THEY HAD IN IN WEST ROXBURY. SO ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH CITY OF BOSTON DEPARTMENTS WE DO AND ALSO YOU KNOW AGAIN THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF OUR VETERANS ACROSS ALL DEMOGRAPHICS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S LATINO, WHETHER IT IS LGBT CU WOMEN VETERANS OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT. SO ALL OUR VETERANS IS OUR COMMUNITY. SO IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ME AS A COMMISSIONER VET YOUR SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT I HAD THAT COLLABORATION THAT I WORK WITH THOSE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IN THE STATE AND ALL THE OTHER NONPROFITS THAT WE WORK WITH TO ENSURE THAT ALL OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO BREAK DOWN ANY BARRIERS ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THOSE DIFFERENT GROUPS AS WELL. GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I'M CURIOUS YOU I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY SO THAT'S REALLY PROMISING. AND CAN YOU SHARE SOME OF YOUR STRATEGIES?  I MEAN I THINK YOU KIND OF RAN THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS LIKE WHAT'S THE SECRET SAUCE THAT YOU HAVE MANAGED TO COME UP WITH HERE ON POUNDING THE GROUND, GOING OUT THERE, GETTING INTO THE COMMUNITY, TALKING TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY AGAIN OR WORKING WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WORKING WITH THE OTHER NONPROFITS. IT'S IT SOUNDS CRAZY BUT EVEN YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER EDITOR DORCHESTER REPORTER WITH A JP GAZETTE AND GOING IN THERE TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO SEE HOW WE AS OF THE VETERANS DEPARTMENT COULD BE A PART OF ANYTHING WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'RE SERVING. SO A LOT OF IT IS GOING OUT THERE. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS TEAM.  THEY DO A LOT OF THE WORK IN GOING OUT THERE ON THE PHONE, GOING INTO THE COMMUNITIES AS WELL TO SEE WHERE IT IS WHERE WE COULD HAVE AN IMPACT IN OUR VETERANS COMMUNITY AND WITHIN THEIR FAMILIES. I MENTIONED IN MY OPENING REMARKS THAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS FOR ME IS NOT JUST TO REACH OUT TO THE VETERANS COMMUNITY AND THEIR FAMILIES BUT ALSO TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL. THAT'S RIGHT BECAUSE EVERYBODY HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY KNOWS A VETERAN I MEAN, YOU KNOW PéPIN A COUNSELOR UP IN CONSTABLE WE'RE COUNCIL GLEN COUNCILOR FERNANDEZ ANDERSON EVERYBODY HERE KNOWS A VETERAN HAS OR HAS A MEMBER IN THE FAMILY WAS A VETERAN THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT AS WELL SO WE ALL HAVE A CONNECTION TO THE VETERANS COMMUNITY IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO GET THE WORD OUT TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY NOT JUST BE PIGEONHOLED INTO JUST TRYING TO REACH THE VETERANS COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, I LOVE THAT REGARD AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE HAVE A NEW DIRECTOR OF POLICY THAT'S GOING TO REALLY FOCUS ON THAT. AND I'M CURIOUS HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED AND I'VE GOT TWO MORE MINUTES LEFT HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED AND JUST JUST ANY SPECIFIC POLICY GOALS THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING OR THAT YOU ARE EXPLORING? WELL, RIGHT NOW THE BIGGEST POLICY GOAL RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS THE GRANT PROGRAM AND SEEING HOW SUCCESSFUL IT IS AND MAKING THAT GROW AS WE MOVE FORWARD. BUT ALSO A LOT OF THE POLICY IS GOING TO BE GOING AROUND. YOU KNOW WE HAVE CHAPTER 15 THAT'S A MANDATE THAT'S MANDATED TO US FROM THE STATE. WELL, WHAT COULD WE DO MORE OUTSIDE OF CHAPTER 115 BECAUSE WE'RE LIMITED TO ONE 2% OF THE POVERTY LEVEL. RIGHT. YOU KNOW THAT DOESN'T WORK HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THE POLICY THAT WE'RE GOING TO ESTABLISH TO TO ADD TO THAT YOU KNOW, TO NOT JUST CHAPTER 115 BUT BEYOND CHAPTER 115 AND WHAT WE COULD DO AS A CITY AND THAT'S WHERE THE BRIDGE THE GAP PROGRAM SO IMPORTANT TO ME IS GOING TO BE SO IMPORTANT TO TO THIS OFFICE AND THE CITY OF BOSTON AND HAVING A POLICY DIRECTOR WHO'S GOING TO LEAD THAT CHARGE IS VERY IMPORTANT IN GETTING THAT DONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'M GOING TO ASK ONE LAST QUESTION WITH MY MINUTE AND 13 SECONDS LEFT AND IT'S ONE THAT'S REALLY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME SO ONE OF MY COUSINS HE SERVED HE DIED BY SUICIDE AND THERE'S YOU KNOW, A LOT OF STIGMA IN THE FAMILY AROUND THAT.  AND I'M JUST CURIOUS WITH WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAIN PRIORITIES AS WE'RE CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET THAT YOU KNOW, WE CAN HELP AMPLIFY AND CHAMPION BECAUSE I THINK MENTAL HEALTH IS YOU KNOW, IS LIKE I GUESS THE NEXT PANDEMIC THAT WE'RE GOING TO FACE OR THAT WE HAVE BEEN FACING HERE ESPECIALLY FOR OUR VETERANS. WELL, THANK YOU FOR OFFERING THAT COUNCILOR BRINGING THAT UP AND AMPLIFYING THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A HUGE PROBLEM IN THE MILITARY RIGHT NOW. THE NUMBER STANDS AT 22 A DAY THAT OF VETERANS THAT TAKE THEIR OWN LIVES. WE WE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON METRO SERVICES WE TRY TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO BRING THAT NUMBER DOWN TO ZERO. AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF OUR CAPACITY IS WORKING WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE VA LIKE THE VET CENTER IN SOUTH BOSTON, LIKE THE HOMEBASE PROGRAM IN CHARLESTOWN WHICH IS PART OF MDH AND THE RED SOX FOUNDATION IN WORKING WITH THEM AND HAVING EVENTS THAT FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH. LAST YEAR WE HAD A GREAT ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION AROUND MENTAL HEALTH THAT INCLUDED THE VA, THAT INCLUDED THE APACHE, THAT INCLUDED THE NEW ENGLAND CENTER AND HOME FOR VETERANS AND OTHER VETERANS CENTRIC ORGANIZATIONS. THE SUPPORT TO THE VETERANS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON I'M HERE NEXT MONTH IN JUNE I TALKED ABOUT US HAVING A A PEACHY AWARENESS GOLF OUTING AND THIS IS A WAY FOR OUR VETERANS TO GO OUT THERE AND JUST LET LOOSE A LITTLE BIT, TAKE THEIR MINDS OFF WHAT'S EVER GOING ON IN THEIR HEAD AND TO PROMOTE THEIR WELL-BEING. BUT IT IS ALSO GIVES US A CHANCE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS STILL GOING ON. WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY NOT BE A DECLARED WAR WITH THE UNITED STATES AS A PART OF BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? OUR VETERANS ARE STILL IN THAT WAR.  WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF VETERANS THAT IN THEIR MIND THAT ARE SUFFERING THAT NEED OUR HELP AND HOW DO WE HELP THEM IN ANY WHICH WAY THAT WE CAN. AND BY DOING THAT IS BY AMPLIFYING THAT AND AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE'S STILL A PROBLEM AND THAT WE NEED TO FACE AND WORK WITH IT WITH EVERYBODY, WORK WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, WORK WITH THOSE FAMILIES. AND AGAIN, ENSURING THAT THAT VETERAN THAT NEEDS THE HELP IS IN THE CENTER OF THAT CIRCLE AND WE'RE ALL AROUND THAT THAT THAT CIRCLE ENSURING THAT THAT VETERAN AND THAT CENTER IS BEING TAKEN CARE OF . THANK YOU. MY TIME IS UP. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  COUNCIL FINANCE ANDERSON, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. MY FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE ORG CHART. IF IT'S IF POSSIBLE, COULD YOU PLEASE SUBMIT ANOTHER VERSION WITH YOUR SALARIES A COMPANY WHICH IS SALARIES PLEASE.  THANK YOU. IN TERMS OF YOUR MANY GRANT, CAN YOU TELL ME THE AMOUNT THE ALLOCATION?  RIGHT NOW WE'RE OFFERING MANY GRANT UPWARDS TO $10,000 NO MORE THAN $10,000 FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION TO SERVE THE TOTAL BUDGET. THE TOTAL RIGHT NOW IS 200,000. THANK YOU.  AND I MEAN, AS YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU KNOW, JUST TO PREFACE OUR CONVERSATION TODAY, MY MY SON IS SERVING AND OF COURSE APPRECIATE THE VETS AND LAST YEAR IN THE BUDGET SEASON THERE WERE RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE OF MISUNDERSTANDINGS IN TERMS OF WHAT COULD BE COMPENSATED FROM THE STATE OR WHAT YOU COULD GET BACK. AND I REMEMBER OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT NO, THAT'S NOT QUITE ACCURATE BUT WITHOUT DISCLOSING I CHOSE NOT TO DISCLOSE COUNSELORS AND WHERE THEY WANTED TO PULL FUNDS FROM BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MORE JUST MORE CONTENTIOUS THEN THAN WE NEED IT TO BE. SO I HOPE YOU CAN APPRECIATE THAT I FOR ONE WANT THINK THAT YOU NEED MORE MONEY BUT WANT TO GET INTO PROGRAMMATIC CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU IN TERMS OF STRUCTURALLY HOW YOU ARE DOING THIS WORK AND IMPROVING EFFICIENCY MOVING FORWARD.  AND I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING AWESOME BUT COULD BE DOING THE THE I GUESS OPPORTUNITIES HERE ARE LIMITLESS IN CONSIDERING WHAT OUR VETERANS DESERVE AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND ALL OF THE FOLKS HERE HERE OUR VERY OWN SHANE AND ALSO OF FLYNN AND MY MY OF COURSE MY MY BABY WHO IS NOT A BABY WHO WAS A GROWN MAN.  SO. MR PRESIDENT, I DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT SO THAT THE RIGHT THAT WORD FOR THE RECORD I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT WORD. SOMETIMES IT JUST SLIPS UP SO.  MR SORRY, CHIEF. I WANTED TO OR COMMISSIONER, I WANTED TO ASK YOU MORE ABOUT FUNDING YOU IT SEEMS THAT YOU HAVE SOME AMOUNTS AVAILABLE STILL.  IN TERMS OF YOUR OTHER CURRENT CHARGES AND WANTED TO. YEAH, RIGHT. I WANTED TO I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHY IS THAT'S THE CASE 3 MILLION 303,331,000 AND ZERO AND $8 FOR FY 24 BUT THEN RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED JUST ABOUT OVER A LITTLE BIT OVER 200,000 OVER THAT. COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT ARE OTHER CURRENT CHARGES SO THAT'S AND SO OUR OTHER CURRENT CHARGES ARE SO THOSE CONSIST OF WHICH IS GRIM.  JUST PUT MY GLASSES ON SO I CAN SEE ALL OTHER CURRENT CHARGES ARE CONSISTS OF DUES MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS AND TURNS THE WATER AND ALSO THE BRIDGE TO GAP IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THAT OTHER CURRENT CHARGES A PITNEY BOWES COMES OUT OF THAT FUND.  ANY OTHER SUBSCRIPTIONS THAT WE INCUR DURING THE YEAR COMES OUT OF THAT FUND BUT THAT HUGE MORE AMOUNT OF THE 600,000 IT'S MORE ABOUT THE BRIDGE TO GAP FUNDS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THAT. YEAH, IF I COULD ALSO ADD TO THAT. JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF BILL, I SAID ABOUT THE BRIDGE THE GAP PROGRAM IS NOW THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE A DIRECTOR POLICY. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ESTABLISH POLICY THAT'S GOING TO COVER THE BRIDGE THE GAP SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE THE ALLOCATED FUNDS THAT WE HAVE ACCORDINGLY.  I SEE. THANK YOU FOR AIDES TO VETERANS 2,000,725 951. CAN YOU EXPLAIN OR BREAK DOWN THE DIFFERENT CONTRACTUAL SERVICES OR IS THAT TOO MANY GRANTS? WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE 245? I MEAN SORRY THE 545 NO FOUR AGE TWO VETERAN ACCORDING TO OUR BREAKDOWN, IT'S 2 MILLION TOTAL UNLESS YOUR TWO YOUR. YEAH THAT'S SO THAT'S A 545 LINE RIGHT THAT'S THE OH THE LINE ITEM. OH SORRY I'M NOT LOOKING IN THE BUDGET BOOK RATHER JUST AN AMOUNT.  I'M JUST GIVING YOU THE AMOUNT. OKAY. SO THAT'S THE 5451 THAT'S THE EIGHT TWO VETERANS LINE THAT IS THAT'S THE ONE THAT GETS REIMBURSED 75% BACK. SO WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN YOU IDENTIFY NUMBERS I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT BUT I'M LOOKING AT BROAD DATA, NOT THE BOOK. OKAY. BUT YES. SO CAN YOU TELL ME THE LIST OF A TWO THAT'S LIKE SERVICES THAT GOES UNDER THAT LINE? YEAH, THAT'S THE THAT'S YEAH THAT'S THE THAT'S THE LINE THAT WE USE FOR OUR MASS GENERAL ALL CHAPTER 115 SO THAT'S THE MONEY THAT IS EXPENDED TO OUR VETERANS UNDER CHAPTER 115 FROM THE STATE AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT LIKE UP LIKE LIKE WAS WHERE THE CONFUSION LIKE LAST YEAR THAT WE DO GET REIMBURSED 75% FOR THAT 75% GETS REIMBURSED THE FOLLOWING YEAR'S FISCAL YEAR AND IT GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND IT DOESN'T COME BACK TO THE TO DO DEPARTMENT. GOT IT.  I UNDERSTAND ALSO WE ASKED YOU FOR A BREAKDOWN OF MEMBERS.  I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONTRACTUAL SERVICES IS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT BUT COULD YOU SEND IN THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND HOW WE'RE DOING ON THAT? OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  AND IN TERMS OF PROGRAMMATIC QUESTIONS, I GUESS IF YOU WERE TO IF YOU WERE TO MEASURE EFFICIENCY FROM 424 TO 20 WELL 2324 WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS DIFFERENT AND HOW HAVE YOU PROVIDED SERVICES THAT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS HOUSING NEEDS, EQUITY AND OUTREACH AND MENTAL HEALTH?  WELL, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL THAT WE DO. THAT'S THAT'S A LOT OF OF WHAT WE DO.  YOU KNOW, OUR MAIN PRIORITY IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL VETERANS ARE HOUSED. WE HAVE A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH SHEILA DILLON AND HER TEAM. JUST RECENTLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WE HOUSED FIVE VETERANS IN THE SOUTH END PERMANENTLY HOUSED THEM IN APARTMENTS IN A PROJECT THAT WAS STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. IT WAS FINALLY COMPLETED AND NOW THEY'RE GETTING WRAPAROUND SERVICES NOT JUST FROM THE CITY BUT ALSO FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL FROM THE VA. THE VA IS A BIG PART OF THAT TOO. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HOPEFULLY TRYING TO SEE IF YOU KNOW HOW THAT MODEL WILL WORK OUT AND WHAT COME OUT OF THAT TO ENSURE THAT OUR OUR VETERANS ARE HOUSED WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH LIKE I HAD MENTIONED A FEW MINUTES AGO IS, YOU KNOW, AMPLIFYING THE FACT THAT THERE IS STILL AN ISSUE OUT THERE WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND OUR VETERANS AND ENSURING THAT WE JUST DON'T TAKE CARE OF THE VETERANS. BUT EVERYONE IS FULLY AWARE THAT THERE'S STILL AN ISSUE OUT THERE WHEN YOU CONSIDER OVER 20 VETERANS A DAY ARE TAKING THEIR LIVES. AND WITH REGARDS TO EQUITY I YOU KNOW, LIKE I HAD MENTIONED THE VETERAN COMMUNITY ENCOMPASSES ALL DEMOGRAPHICS. YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED LGBTQ.  I AM I'M PUERTO RICAN AS WELL, YOU KNOW, SO IT YOU KNOW WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A VETERAN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ANYBODY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ANYBODY WHO COULD BE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, A WOMAN YOU KNOW.  SO SO YOU KNOW SO WHEN WE FOCUS ON ALL OF WHAT WE DO FOR OUR VETERANS IS ALL VETERANS NOT JUST ANY ONE PARTICULAR DEMOGRAPHIC. THANK YOU SO MUCH INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH YOU AND YOU KNOW AND TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY YOUR OUTREACH EFFORTS AND YES, HOW THAT'S EXECUTED ACCURATELY IN TERMS OF DATA COLLECTION AND UTILIZATION. HOW DOES YOUR DEPARTMENT COLLECT OR ANALYZE DATA FOR NEEDS OF VETERANS IN BOSTON? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS WE HAVE A METRIC THAT WE GO BY. WE REQUIRE OUR STAFF TO PRETTY MUCH DOCUMENT EVERY SINGLE CALL THAT THEY THAT THEY HAVE EVERY SINGLE EMAIL THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED AND EVERY SINGLE TOUCH THAT THEY HAVE WITH A VETERAN COMING THROUGH THROUGH THE DOORS OF OUR OFFICE THAT ALSO INCLUDES ANY CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE AND THE MAYOR'S COFFEE HOURS AS WELL. WE REQUIRE EVERYBODY TO SIGN A SHEET OR WE WOULD DOCUMENT THAT WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHAT PARTICULAR ISSUE THAT VETERAN MAY BE FACING WHETHER IT'S HOUSING RATHER IT'S FINANCES RATHER OF HIS JOB PLACEMENT. SO WHAT WE DO IS WE KEEP TRACK OF PRETTY MUCH ALL THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE FOR CHAPTER 115 HOMELESS SHELTERS. MANY VETERANS ARE SHELTERED AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO ALSO. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW THAT WE DO HAVE A POLICY DIRECTOR IS REESTABLISHING A SURVEY THAT WE HAVE.  WE DO HAVE A SURVEY THAT HAS ABOUT TEN OR SO QUESTIONS. WE MAY BE LOOKING AT BROADENING THAT AND MAYBE ADD MORE QUESTIONS TO IT. YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS TO BE THAT A LOT OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION SAYS, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO KEEP KEEP IT TO TEN QUESTIONS OR LESS. SOME OF YOU WILL SAY WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO HAVE MORE DATA SO YOU'VE GOT 16 QUESTIONS. SO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT HAPPY MEDIUM IS AND HOW MANY QUESTIONS WE COULD ASK AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO EXTRACT AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN AND HAVE YOU KNOW, ALL THAT INFORMATION AND ALL THAT AND YOU KNOW AND ANALYZE ALL THAT INFORMATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING INTO AS WE MOVE FORWARD. JUST A FOLLOW UP. MY TIME IS UP.  CAN YOU PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT STATE OF THE NEED FOR VETERANS IN BOSTON?  WHEN YOU MEAN NEEDS IT, CAN YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC?  SO FOR EXAMPLE THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE COLLECTING ON HOUSING NEED ON MENTAL HEALTH OR OTHERWISE. LIKE MAYBE IT'S FOOD SERVICES OR CONNECTING TO RESOURCES.  IF YOU HAVE THAT DATA, IF YOU HAVE THOSE NUMBERS AND YOU'VE ANALYZED THEM TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THE UMBRELLA OF SERVICES SHOULD BE FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT, THEN I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING IT SO THAT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A BUDGET CONVERSATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE NEED OR WHERE WE ARE. OKAY. ALSO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THE FOOD SERVICES STUFF BECAUSE FOOD ACCESS IS ALSO HUGE IN THE VETERANS COMMUNITY. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A LINK ON OUR WEBSITE FOR ANY VETERAN OR FAMILY MEMBER WHO MAY BE HAVING FOOD INSECURITIES TO GO INTO THERE AND FILL OUT THE INFORMATION AND WE WILL ENSURE THAT THEY GET A BASKET OF FOOD AS WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . COUNCILOR WEBER, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FOR FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THAT THE HERO SQUARE PROGRAM IF PEOPLE HAVE BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION WHICH THEY COULD DO THEY SEND IT TO THEY COULD SEND IT TO US IN OUR OFFICE EITHER THROUGH OUR THROUGH OUR WEBSITE OR THROUGH US. BUT VETERANS AT BOSTON DUG UP A VETERAN THAT BOSTON THAT GOV OR YOU MENTION ME PERSONALLY AND WE'LL MAKE SURE TO TO TO SEND IT OUT. AND YOU KNOW AGAIN THAT'S IN JP'S ACTUALLY WE HAVE ONE COMING UP THERE COUNCILOR VERY SOON. OKAY. YEAH YEAH THAT'D BE GREAT.  YOU KNOW TO TO FILL IN THE INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE I THINK WOULD BE INCREDIBLY VALUABLE AND SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE KILLED IN ACTION. SIR, AND THEIR FAMILIES. SO I HAD I GUESS I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ADDRESSED THIS. I WAS A LITTLE DISTRACTED BUT LOOKING AT THE BUDGET FOR LAST YEAR IN THE AID TO VETERANS TO HAVE YOU ADDRESS THAT IS IT'S IT'S LIKE THE NUMBERS FIVE FOUR OR 500545 YES. YEAH CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN WHAT WHAT IS THE AID TO VETERANS PART OF THE BUDGET. SO THE ACE TO VETERAN PART THAT'S THE LINE ITEM THAT WE USE TO PAY OFF OUR VETERANS THROUGH CHAPTER 115 SO THE PROCESS GOES ON A VETERAN COMING TO OUR OFFICE THEY WOULD LIKE TO APPLY FOR CHAPTER 115. WE GET ALL THE REQUISITE INFORMATION AND PAPERWORK. I WILL SUBMIT IT TO THE STATE TO THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF VETERANS SERVICES. THEY WILL COME BACK AND SAY APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OR FOR WHATEVER REASON IF APPROVED AND WHAT WE'LL DO IS WHATEVER THE YEAR THE AMOUNT IS THAT'S WHAT THE ACE VETERAN CLAIMS FOR IT IS TO PAY OFF. CHAPTER 115 IS ALSO THE LINE ITEM THAT WE USE TO TO SEPARATE FOR OUR BRIDGE THE GAP PROGRAM AS WELL. OKAY. AND THEN I GUESS THE IN YOUR RFA YOU KNOW IN THE RESPONSES IT SAYS THAT THERE'S A 2.7 MILLION BUDGETED LAST YEAR AND YEAR TO DATE. SO THE 880,000 WAS EXPENDED AND I'M JUST I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OF WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE YOU YEAH IS IT DID YOU NOT WEREN'T YOU NOT ABLE TO SPEND THAT AMOUNT IS IT BECAUSE THE YOU KNOW 200,000 IS IT THE BRIDGE THE GAP PROGRAM. SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING OR WHAT IT IS. THERE'S A LOT IT HAS THERE'S A LOT OF THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO HOW WE PAY OUT THE MONEY FROM THE FIVE, FOUR, FIVE LINE FOR THE VETERANS WHICH IS A IT'S A VETERANS LINE.  A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT A LOT OF VETERANS RIGHT NOW EARLY I HAD MENTIONED THAT IT'S 20% OF THE POVERTY LEVEL.  SO IF YOU'RE MAKING $40,000 A YEAR YOU DON'T QUALIFY FOR CHAPTER 115 YEAR OVER. SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO TO TO ENSURE THAT THOSE VETERANS THAT STILL HAVE A FINANCIAL NEED GET TAKEN CARE OF , WHICH IS WHY WE CAME UP WITH THE BRIDGE THE GAP PROGRAM.  A LOT OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE 545 LINE IS THAT EITHER ONE VETERANS AREN'T QUALIFIED FOR IT OR WE HAVE AN AGING POPULATION OF VETERANS WHO USED TO BE ON CHAPTER 115 THAT YOU KNOW, HAVE TRANSITIONS THAT ARE NO LONGER WITH US. SO SO WE OBVIOUSLY TAKE THEM OFF THE ROADS AND IT'S BROKEN DOWN BY QUARTERLY HOW THE STATE PAYS US SO IT'S ALWAYS IN THE REAR. SO IT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY HIT SOMETIMES IT IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW THEY GET CLOSED OUT AS WELL. MONTHLY SOMETIMES THE MONTH OF APRIL MIGHT NOT CLOSE OUT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MONTH SO THAT ALSO BACKS EVERYTHING UP AND WE WAIT FOR THE STATE TO REIMBURSE SO IT'S CERTIFIED EXPENDITURES EXPENDITURES AND THEN WE GET THE REIMBURSEMENT. SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE ALWAYS A LITTLE DIFFERENT UNTIL WE ACTUALLY GET THE STUFF FROM THE STATE BACK AND THEN THE REIMBURSEMENT GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND. OKAY. AND I MEAN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR YOU'LL HAVE STILL ENDED THE 2.7 THEY'LL PROBABLY BE SURPLUS?  OKAY. YEAH. NO, I'M JUST THE ONLY REASON WHY I'M ASKING IS IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF LOGJAM LIKE HOW WE CAN HELP YOU GET THE YOU KNOW, HELP YOU GET THE BENEFITS TO PEOPLE THAT JUST. JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHERE I'M COMING FROM, I, I SEE IT TO THAT POINT I SAW IN YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART THERE WAS A VETERAN BENEFIT SPECIALIST POSITION THAT WAS THAT WAS VACANT IS THAT THAT'S STILL THE CASE? YES, IT IT WAS IT WAS ACTUALLY A VACANT VERY RECENTLY. OKAY. AND WE UPDATED THE CHART DOWN FOR FOR TODAY. YEAH. AND SO YOU EXPECT TO FILL THAT SOON HOPEFULLY. OKAY. AND I GUESS WITH THE BRIDGE THE GAP PROGRAM HAVE YOU $200,000 MAX OF 10,009 $9,999. I PER GRANT. ALL RIGHT.  DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY APPLICATIONS YOU'VE GOTTEN SO FAR?  OH, RIGHT. RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE APPLIED THAT HAVE FINISHED YOUR APPLICATION PROCESS IS EIGHT BUT WE ARE EXPECTING A WHOLE LOT MORE BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK. OKAY. YEAH. SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PROGRAM. IS THAT SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK INTO EXPANDING?  YOU KNOW IF THE THE THE NEED EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT BUT SO I INTERESTED TO SEE HOW AND THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR OF THAT. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. IT'S IT SOUNDS LIKE A A WONDERFUL IDEA AND JUST IT'S IT'S JUST INTERESTED TO SEE HOW WHY IS THE $10,000 CAP ON THE GRANTS?  WELL, THERE'S A PILOT PROGRAM FOR US SO WE'RE HOPEFULLY LOOKING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE SUCCESS OF OF THE MINI GRANT PROGRAM IS GOING TO DRIVE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND AND DO IN THE FUTURE. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE TO GET RID OF THE MINI AND JUST CALL IT A GRANT FOR OVER OVER THAT AMOUNT OF 10,000. OKAY. YEAH. I MEAN YOU KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2% OF THE POVERTY LINE AND THAT AND YOU KNOW NOT YOU BEING DIFFICULT TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE SO IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO EXPAND THAT I GUESS. I SAW I THINK IN IN IN THE REPORT THAT YOU KNOW OUR VETERANS POPULATION IS HAS GONE DOWN SLIGHTLY DID YOU KNOW OTHER THAN PEOPLE YOU KNOW THE DYING YOU KNOW IS. IS THERE ANY REASON FOR. AND IS IT BECAUSE OF COST?  DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT ASPECT ON THIS? IT COULD BE AN ARRAY OF THINGS. IT COULD BE JUST THAT OUR VETERANS, YOU KNOW, COULD BE MOVING OUT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN. IT COULD BE THAT THERE'S SOME VETERANS AREN'T IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES AS VETERANS ALTHOUGH THEY ARE. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IT'S IMPORTANT TO US TO TRY TO REACH OUT TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SERVED IN THE MILITARY AND THEN WE COULD FIGURE OUT THEIR STATUS FROM THERE. OKAY. YOU KNOW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR CHAIRMAN. I WANT TO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER AND TO YOUR TEAM FOR BEING HERE. COMMISSIONER YOUR TEAM I BELIEVE IT WAS ON SATURDAY HELD HERE A SQUARE DEDICATION IN THE NORTH END AND THEY DID A REALLY GREAT JOB AND I YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT YOUR STAFF DOES A GOOD JOB REPRESENTING YOU WHEN YOU'RE NOT PRESENT.  SO I JUST WANTED TO ELEVATE THAT. THAT WAS IN HONOR OF SECOND LIEUTENANT ANTONIO POLCARI IN THE NORTH END WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION SO I WANT TO THANK YOU I WANT TO THANK ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I HAVE QUESTIONS RELATED IS THIS A FIRST YEAR THAT YOU'RE DOING THE MINI GRANT PROGRAM? THAT'S CORRECT. AND WHAT WAS THE IMPETUS LIKE WHAT WAS THE DRIVER THAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO WANT TO EXPLORE THIS PROGRAM? WELL, WE WANTED TO DEFINE AGAIN TRY TO FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT WE COULD GO OUT THERE AND SUPPORT OUR VETERANS. AND WHILE WE HAD A GREAT WORKING PARTNERSHIP WITH A LOT OF OUR NONPROFITS SOMETIMES THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY OR THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO TO CONTINUE PROGRAMS OR TO WORK ON PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE FOR OUR VETERANS. SO WE DECIDED, YOU KNOW, TO TO WORK AS PART OF THE BRIDGE THE GAP PROGRAM TO HELP THE NONPROFITS OUT AS WELL SINCE THERE ALSO HAD THE SAME VISION THAT WE HAVE IN OUR MISSION TO TAKE CARE OF OUR VETERANS.  THANK YOU. I THINK. I THINK THAT IT I THINK THE GRANT PROGRAMS ARE A REALLY EFFICIENT USE OF CITY RESOURCES AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WAS ABLE TO CHAMPION THEM FOR THE OFFICE OF RETURNING CITIZENS AND FOR OTHER OFFICERS. OFFICER BLACK ADVANCEMENT IS DOING IT SO LGBTQ PLUS ADVANCEMENT OFFICER OTHER OFFICERS ARE DOING IT AND I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE DOING THAT WORK BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THE SOLUTIONS ARE IN COMMUNITY. THEY'RE BEING LED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE OFTENTIMES THE ONES WHO WHO HAVE FACED THE EXCLUSIONS AND WHO HAVE HAD TROUBLE GETTING SERVICES AND WE KNOW HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. SO I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT THE IMPORTANCE OF US AS A CITY IN ADMINISTERING THESE GRANT PROGRAMS.  AND I HOPE WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THE DATA IS LIKE HOW BETTER TO INCORPORATE INTO OUR OWN BUDGET HOW WE'RE SUPPORTING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND I, I JUST REALLY HOPE THAT THERE'S THAT FEEDBACK LOOP OF ONCE YOU GET, YOU KNOW, THE DATA OF WHO'S APPLYING BECAUSE I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW IF IF THERE ARE FOLKS I MEAN PROBABLY I WANT TO TELL IT NOW IF YOU HAVEN'T GIVEN OUT THE GRANTS BUT LIKE WHO ARE THE NONPROFITS APPLYING WHAT ARE THEY APPLYING FOR? WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT WHAT WHAT YOUR OFFICE ISN'T ABLE TO PROVIDE OR COULD BE FOR BETTER BECAUSE WHAT WHAT I'VE BEEN SEEING IN DIFFERENT OFFICES AND IT'S REALLY INTERESTING IS THAT I THINK SOME OF THE OFFICERS HAVE ACTUALLY WHEN THEY'VE ONCE THEY'VE GIVEN OUT THEIR GRANTS THEY COME BACK AND LIKE OH, WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT OURSELVES ABOUT WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING? AND THEN YOU JUST THEN HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHETHER THAT PUTS YOU OR WHETHER THE NONPROFITS IN IT FEEL LIKE IT PUTS YOU IN COMPETITION WITH THEM IN TERMS OF PROVIDING SERVICES. BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE RESOURCE RICH AND THERE ARE WAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE CAN EAT SO TO SPEAK AND SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE THAT ARE DOING THIS WORK SO I'M I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SORT OF SEEING THE DATA I YOU KNOW, I'VE SHARED IT WITH PEOPLE LIKE HAYWOOD FINNELL WHO'S A PHENOMENAL VETERANS ADVOCATE AND THE GREAT WORK THAT MEREDITH TO IT IS DOING IT AND SO HOPEFULLY WE SEE A RICHNESS OF VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS APPLYING AND BEING ABLE TO WIN THESE GRANTS AND THAT HELPS TO THE FEEDBACK LOOP FOR A FURTHER FOR YOUR OFFICE. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CLAIM SHARKS IT'S ACTUALLY AGAIN IT'S A SOAP AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU DO, THE INCREDIBLE SERVICE THAT YOU DO AND HOW YOU SERVED OUR COUNTRY. MY COUSIN HASN'T EVEN BEEN HERE THREE YEARS STILL REALLY LEARNING TO MASTER THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND JUST JOINED THE ARMY AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHOSE STORIES ARE LIKE THAT AND THEN I THINK ABOUT THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THAT ARE OFTEN FED ON BY LIKE EITHER YOU KNOW, UNSCRUPULOUS ATTORNEYS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST TRYING TO GET MONEY.  I'M WONDERING WHAT POPULATION OF THE VETERANS POPULATION YOU SEE MORE PRONE TO BEING THE VICTIMS OF OF OF THESE CLAIM SHARKS.  OVERALL RIGHT NOW I DON'T HAVE ANY DEFINITIVE AS TO WHICH DEMOGRAPHIC I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LARGE NUMBER OF THE ELDERLY VETERANS POPULATION OF NOT JUST THROUGH CLAIM SHARKS BUT THROUGH OTHER MEANS THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY SHARKS IN GENERAL. BUT WITH REGARDS TO CLAIM SHARKS I WOULDN'T NEED TO CHECK THE DATA AND GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE. OKAY I YEAH THE JUST THE ATTORNEY GENERAL JUST SET UP A DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE UNIT AND SO I THINK THAT COULD BE A WAY OF SPECIFICALLY I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF OVERLAP EITHER WAY LIKE YOU SAID YOU HAD YESTERDAY BUT WITH THE POPULATION OF FOLKS WHO ARE VETERANS AND ARE THERE IS THERE WORK THAT YOUR OFFICE IS DOING OR THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU TALK TO SERVICING, YOU KNOW, VETERAN IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR BODY QUITE AS YOU PLASTIC. HOW DOES THAT WORK? I MEAN I MEAN FIGURING OUT WHICH OFFICES TO PARTNER WITH TO UPLIFT THE CERTAIN NEEDS OF ARE MORE VULNERABLE PARTS OF THE VETERAN COMMUNITY WHETHER IT'S BLACK OR BROWN VETERANS WHO ARE MORE VULNERABLE THAN OTHERS. OKAY. CAN YOU REPHRASE THAT AGAIN? I'M SORRY . SO YOU KNOW THE DECISIONS TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF LGBTQ PLUS ADVANCEMENT OR TO WORK WITH YOU KNOW, HAS THERE BEEN WORK WITH PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT?  HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT GROUPS YOU'RE PARTNERING WITH AS YOU ARE TRYING TO ELEVATE THE VOICES OF VETERANS WHO HAVE THE MOST TROUBLE AND ARE LIKE NAVIGATING SYSTEMS? WELL, WE LIKE WE TRY TO WORK WITH ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND ALL THE DEMOGRAPHICS AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. BUT IF THERE'S A FOCUS LET'S SAY IN MARCH WHERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH,  THEN WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF EVENTS THAT ARE CENTERED AROUND WOMEN IN FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH. SO WE WE CAPITALIZE ON THE FACT THAT THE WOMEN ARE BEING AMPLIFIED IN IN MARCH. SO WE WORK ON WE HAVE OUR WOMEN'S ROUNDTABLE FOR EXAMPLE THAT WE DID IN JUNE JUST AROUND THE CORNER IS LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH. THAT'S GOING TO BE A MONTH THAT WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE HAVING A PRESENCE IN AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF LGBTQ VETERANS DURING THE MONTH OF JUNE AS WELL. YOU KNOW MAY OF COURSE IS IS MEMORIAL DAY BUT IS ALSO MILITARY FAMILY AS PART OF THE APPRECIATION MONTHS SO IT'S A WAY FOR US TO AMPLIFY THEM AS WELL SO YOU KNOW EVERY YEAR WHILE WE WORK AROUND THEMES IS SOMETHING THAT WE USE AND GATHER AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN TO GO ALONG WITH SOME OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND SEEING HOW WE COULD BETTER SUPPORT THOSE POPULATIONS THAT ARE IN NEED.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.  I GUESS CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET ITEMS THAT ARE DEDICATED ABOUT PROMOTING RACIAL AND GENDER EQUITY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND STAFF AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WELL, WE WE HAVE VISIT DEMOGRAPHICS FOR THAT AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE TEAM IN OUR DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF LGBTQ STAFF MEMBERS INCLUDING MYSELF. WE HAVE LATINO REPRESENTATION IN THE OFFICE WE HAVE OF BRAZILIAN.  YEAH, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE THE ACTUAL NUMBERS RIGHT NOW. OKAY.  AND I THINK YOU MAY HAVE ADDRESSED THIS TO THE THE PLANS TO DIGITIZE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS AND UPDATE THE VETERAN GRADE PROGRAMS. WHAT ARE THE PROJECTED COSTS AND RESOURCES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PROJECT? OH, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT. OKAY.  WE'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING THAT OUT TO BID SINCE IT'S GOING TO BE IN A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE DOCUMENTATION GOING BACK TO WORLD WAR ONE IN FILES LOCATED AT 43 HOPKINS RIGHT NOW. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO DIGITIZE AND AND PLACE ALL THOSE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS IN A SAFE SOFTWARE WHERE WE ENSURE THAT WE SAVE IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME AND THEN ALSO MAINTAIN THE PAPER COPIES THAT WE HAVE AS LONG AS THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN WITH WITH WITH ANY AND WITH ANY DEPARTMENT WHO DOES THAT. SO GIVING YOU THE BREAKDOWN OF SORT OF RACE ETHNICITY OF THE FEMALE VERSUS MALE WE HAVE THREE BLACK, THREE HISPANIC AND FIVE WHITE. SO YEAH, SO THAT'S THE BREAKDOWN IN OUR OFFICE RIGHT NOW. AND WHAT DID YOU SAY IN TERMS OF ON GENDER LINES? I'M SORRY DID YOU SAY THE GENDER BREAKDOWN?  THE GENDER BREAKDOWN? WE HAVE ONE BLACK FEMALE AND TWO BLACK MALES TWO HISPANICS OF FEMALE, ONE MALE, TWO WHITE FEMALES AND THREE WHITE MALES. OKAY. I THINK I THINK THAT'S MY TIME. THANK YOU AGAIN, COMMISSIONER.  TO ENTIRE STAFF ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF OUR VETERANS AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND THIS COUNTRY, I THINK THE THANK PRESIDENT AND MY APOLOGIES COUNSELOR DURKAN HAS BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE. JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR PRESENCE AND ALSO WE JUST BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR BREADON CASA SANTANA THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE.  COMMISSIONER SANTIAGO, NICE TO SEE YOU AND NICE TO SEE YOU. DIRECTOR THANKS TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR ASKING SO MANY QUESTIONS AS WE WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD ALSO THANKING COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR HER SERVICE BUT ALSO JUST FOR BEING A CHAMPION ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND ALWAYS REMINDING US OF OUR VETERANS HERE IN THE CITY COMMISSION. I KNOW YOU SPOKE ABOUT IT EARLIER A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE YOU KNOW, HOUSING THE SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE FOR FOR HOUSING SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN BOSTON PUBLIC HOUSING. CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT THE WORK WITH OUR VETERANS IN OUR BOSTON PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES? HOW ARE WE DOING OUTREACH THERE AND IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC OUTREACH TOOLS THAT YOU USE TO REACH OUR HOUSING AUTHORITY RESIDENTS?  SO WE WORK AGAIN VERY CLOSELY WITH SHEILA DILLON'S TEAM AND KENZIE BOK AS WELL TO ENSURE THAT WE TRY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR VETERANS THAT ARE IN BOSTON PUBLIC HOUSING AS YOU KNOW IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE THERE IS A BIG NEED IN THERE AS WELL. BUT YOU KNOW, WE WE WE TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT THERE AS FAR AS WHAT OUR BENEFITS ARE TO THOSE VETERANS AND WE DO HAVE A GOOD NUMBER THAT ARE ON OUR CHAPTER 115 ROLLS. I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS SPECIFICALLY BUT I KNOW THAT WE DO. OKAY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME NUMBERS ON THAT WHEN POSSIBLE GOING OFF AND I KNOW YOU WENT OVER YOUR STATS AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS THERE.  CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE LANGUAGE ACCESS THEY ALL PROVIDE TO TO TO OUR RESIDENTS WHETHER RIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO VETERANS IN ORDER FOR YOU SERVE IN THE US MILITARY YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME EVEN THOUGH FOR MANY PEOPLE IT IS THEIR SECOND LANGUAGE. YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF PROFICIENCY AND COMPETENCY IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. SO WE HAVEN'T REALLY HAD THAT MUCH TO FREEZE IT. YOU HAVE ANY LANGUAGE ACCESS.  I WILL SAY THAT SOME OF THOSE LATINOS THAT DO COME TO OUR OFFICE BECAUSE YOUR LANGUAGE ENGLISH AS THEIR SECOND LANGUAGE YOU KNOW EITHER MYSELF OR ONE OF THE OTHER SPANISH SPEAKING MEMBERS OF THE TEAM ARE ABLE TO HELP THEM AS MUCH AS WE CAN. OKAY, GREAT.  AGAIN, MY COLLEAGUES COVERED A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS I DID SO YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE TWO QUESTIONS THAT I WANT TO GET ON THE RECORD BUT NOT REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND ALL THE WORK THEY ARE DOING AND THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU.  COUNCILOR DURKIN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR AND I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK IT TAKES TO CONVENE OF THESE HEARINGS. SO REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I'M SORRY I MISSED SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS SO I JUST WANTED TO GET INTO I KNOW THERE'S A VACANCY FOR A DEPUTY COMMISSIONER. ARE YOU PLANNING TO FILL THAT IN ANY TIME SOON? YES, IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN POSTED NOW FOR FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW.  YES. SO WE HAVEN'T REALLY STARTED THE THE INTERVIEW PROCESS JUST YET. I'M GOING TO WAIT ACTUALLY A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE I DO START INTERVIEWED FOR THAT POSITION POSSIBLY AFTER MEMORIAL DAY BEING THAT A LOT OF THE TIME THAT I'M THAT I'M DEDICATED TO RIGHT NOW IS FOR EVERYTHING LEADING UP TO MEMORIAL DAY AND ALSO FOR THE HEARING OF TODAY.  AND IT WAS GREAT TO SEE YOU AT THE USS CHARLESTON WHEN IT WAS HERE ON THE YOU KNOW, RAY FLYNN AREA. IT WAS JUST LIKE INCREDIBLE TOO. I'VE NEVER ACTUALLY BEEN OUT THERE SO I KNOW COUNCILOR FLYNN TALKS ABOUT IT A LOT BUT I I ACTUALLY HADN'T BEEN THERE AND HADN'T BEEN ON A NAVY SHIP SO I WAS INCREDIBLE AND I GOT THERE A LITTLE BIT LATE AND GOT TO SEE SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN FOR THE WEEKEND AND DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THAT HAPPENS TWICE A YEAR USUALLY I'M SO EXCITED ENCOURAGING MY COLLEAGUES TO TAKE PART TO IF THEY EVER COME, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY COME BACK FOR THEIR NEXT YOU KNOW, THE NEXT SHIP THAT COMES BACK. BUT WHEN SO GOOD TO GET TO KNOW YOU A LITTLE MORE THERE I JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOU KNOW I HAD A VETERAN WHO WAS A MEMBER OF MY STAFF HE'S MOVED ON TO THE THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL BUT JAKE WERNER WHO DID A GREAT JOB ADVOCATING FOR VETERANS SERVICES WITHIN OUR OFFICE I KNOW HE TALKED TO ME A LOT ABOUT THE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND AND THE CITY AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, HOW THOSE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW OFTEN YOU'RE TALKING WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT AROUND VETERANS SERVICES WHICH ARE QUITE A BIT ACTUALLY AS WE KNOW THE WHAT USED TO BE THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS SERVICES IS NOW THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF SERVICES FOR THE STATE AND DR. JOHN SANTIAGO IS THE SECRETARY FOR THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ACTUAL SERVICES AND HE HAS GROWN HIS STAFF.  SO IT'S A CONSTANT PARTNERSHIP IS A CONSTANT COLLABORATION WORKING BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE STATE AS WELL AND ALSO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EARLIER HAD MENTIONED THE THE COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE VA. SO THAT'S ONGOING BECAUSE WE ALL SERVE THE SAME DEMOGRAPHIC WHICH ARE OUR VETERANS. THE CALLS THE CITY OF BOSTON HOME AND A LOT OF OUR VETERANS ARE TRANSIENTS SO THEY ALL COME FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES AND COME INTO OUR COMMUNITIES. SO WORKING ALONG WITH DR. SANTIAGO AND HIS TEAM AND THE OTHER VETERANS SERVICES OFFICERS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES RATHER IS A CAMBRIDGE JUST FROM NAME ONE OR WINTHROP OR LUDLOW MAINTAINING THAT LINE OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ALL THE VSOS HAS BEEN VERY, VERY IMPORTANT IN ENSURING THAT OUR VETERANS ARE TAKEN CARE OF ESPECIALLY AS THEY MOVE FROM ONE COMMUNITY TO ANOTHER. THANK YOU AND I THINK YOU KNOW JUST GOING INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE A LOT OF THE DIRECT SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED IN THE AREA ARE STATE AND FEDERAL SERVICES. SO YOU KNOW, I THINK BUT OBVIOUSLY OUR CITY OF BOSTON RESOURCES IT'S LIKE YOU'RE THE FIRST STOP AND WHEN SOMEONE'S LOOKING FOR HOW TO ACCESS SOME OF THESE SERVICES SO AND I KNOW WE DON'T HEAR FROM FOLKS MUCH BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE TALKING DIRECTLY FROM YOU BUT I'M EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH YOU.  MY FAMILY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SERVICE. MY GRANDFATHER WAS IN THE ARMY . MY OH SORRY I'M MIXING THIS UP ,SIR. MY GRANDFATHER WAS IN THE AIR FORCE. MY BROTHER IN LAW IS IN THE ARMY RIGHT NOW AND AS A RECRUITER AND HAS SERVED ON MULTIPLE TOURS AND MY MY SISTER ACTUALLY LIVES RIGHT BY A MILITARY BASE IN TEXAS. SO WE'RE REALLY HAVE A LOT OF MILITARY FOLKS IN OUR FAMILY AND HOPING WE CAN GET HER TO MOVE UP TO BOSTON SOMETIME SOON. BUT I KNOW THEY'RE FINISHING OUT THEIR SERVICE THERE SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR VETERANS AND OUR COMMUNITIES AND I WANTED TO ALSO SHOUT OUT THE WORK OF THE MISSION HELP POST I THEY'RE BECOME REALLY GREAT FRIENDS OF MINE AND IN MISSION AND I KNOW A LOT OF THEM HAVE MOVED TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF BUT THEY FIND THIS WAY TO BRING TOGETHER YOU KNOW EVERYONE AND I KNOW WE HAD A HEROES SQUARE DEDICATION RIGHT THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I FILED SO WAS GREAT TO WORK WITH YOUR TEAM ON THAT AND IT OFTENTIMES SEEMS THE HERO SQUARE IS DEDICATED AT A PLACE WHERE LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT HAPPENED BUT THE FAMILY MAY LIVE SOMEWHERE.  ALSO GOT TO MEET A LOT OF FOLKS FROM WEST ROXBURY WHO ARE REALLY HONORED THAT THEIR FAMILY MEMBER WAS BEING HONORED. AND I YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN STRENGTHEN THOSE CONNECTIONS, THE LOCAL POSTS AND I KNOW THAT THE MONEY THAT WE'LL BE PASSING THROUGH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WILL BE IMPORTANT TO SUSTAINING AND MAINTAINING THOSE CONNECTIONS. BUT COUNT ON ME AS A RESOURCE AND THE FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT I REPRESENT AND LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THAT THIS BUDGET AND LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING YOUR WORK. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU THANK COUNCIL TOKEN AND PLEASE BY ALL MEANS PLEASE PASS ON THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MINI GRANT TO THE MISSION HILL POST. WE DID CONTACT ALL THE POST BUT JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY THEY AWARE WELL THEY'RE THANK YOU CAN CELEBRATE IN THE CLOSURES THANK YOU MR CHAIRMAN I APOLOGIZE FOR MY TARDINESS. I HAD ANOTHER MEETING. GOOD MORNING.  GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH.  I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE FROM THE ASSOCIATES A GREAT QUESTIONS IN MY ABSENCE.  BUT ONE PARTICULAR YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT VETERANS AS A LIKE THEIR FOLKS FROM THEIR TWENTIES TO THEIR NINETIES AND AND MEN AND WOMEN ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT WHO ARE RETIRED OUT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS IN THE SERVICES I'M JUST THINKING FOR THOSE YOUNGER FOLKS IS IT DIFFICULT FOLKS TO FIND EMPLOYMENT I'M MORE THINKING ALONG THE LINES OF JOB TRAINING AND AND GETTING INTO THE TRADES OR OR DO THEY COME YOU KNOW, JUST THINKING ABOUT JOB OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG ISSUE ESPECIALLY COMING BACK TO BOSTON WHERE IT'S SUCH AN EXPENSIVE PLACE TO LIVE.  THERE ARE PROGRAMS BUT THE ISSUE SOMETIMES IS KNOWING WHAT PROGRAMS ARE AND HOW TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE PROGRAMS IS WHAT I FOUND THE BIG ISSUE WITH ESPECIALLY WITH A YOUNGER VETERANS AND ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES WITH THE VETERANS THEY FIND IT DIFFICULT TO TRANSLATE THEIR MILITARY EXPERIENCE INTO THE CIVILIAN JOB MARKET.  SO THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE AREA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT GROUPS TO TO HAVE THESE VETERANS COME IN. SO WE COULD WORK ON RESUME BUILDING AND YOU KNOW, INTERVIEW AND BEING ABLE TO TO SUCCESSFULLY HOLD AN INTERVIEW IN THE CIVILIAN SECTOR. SO A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH JUST TRANSLATING THAT WHAT THEIR TRADE WAS IN THE MILITARY TO THE CIVILIAN SIDE. BUT THERE ARE SOME ISSUES THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONSTANTLY LOOK AT CONSTANTLY. AND ARE YOU WORKING WITH SAY TREND WINS PROGRAMS THAT'S THINKING ABOUT OTHER OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WE WORK WITH SERGEANT START A TEAM AS WELL TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFY WHO THE VETERAN BUSINESSES ARE AS WELL AS VETERANS WHO YOU KNOW, WHO WANT TO BE EMPLOYED AS WELL. SO WE ALWAYS WE ALWAYS TRY TO WORK WITH THE CITY AGENCIES FIRST BEFORE WE WE BRANCH OUT BUT WE ALWAYS FIND IT VERY USEFUL TO ALSO INCLUDE NONPROFITS AND OF COURSE THE STATE I KNOW I'VE BEEN TALKING TO CHIEFS ABOUT OUR TAXI MEDALLIONS THAT ARE ALL WORTH A LOT OF MONEY A FEW YEARS AGO AND THEIR STREET VALUES DECLINED A LOT WITH ALL THE GIG ECONOMY AND UBER AND LYFT AND I WAS, YOU KNOW, CONSTANTLY THINKING ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO TO GET THOSE MEDALLIONS AND BE SELF EMPLOYED AS AS TAXI DRIVERS OR WHATEVER. I THINK I THINK WHEN IT COMES WHAT LEVEL OF UNEMPLOYMENT DO WE SEE IN OUR RETURNING VETERANS?  IS IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM OBVIOUSLY FOLKS HAVE OF SIGNIFICANT TRAUMA FROM THEIR SERVICE TIME WITH THE PTSD OR A PHYSICAL INJURY THAT'S MORE DIFFICULT BUT FOLKS WHO ARE RETURNING IS IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO GET INTO THE EMPLOYMENT MARKET?  A LOT OF IT IS AGAIN, IT IS A TRANSITION FROM MILITARY SERVICE TO 2 TO 2 TO CIVILIAN SECTOR.  FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, I SERVE 20 YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY.  I RETIRED OFF THE USS CONSTITUTION AND I'M GOING TO AGE MYSELF HERE BACK IN 2008. BUT YOU KNOW, BEING THAT I WAS HERE IN BOSTON AND NOT OUT AT SEA, I WAS ON BOARD THE CONSTITUTION, I THOUGHT THAT I HAD A FOOT IN THE DOOR. YOU KNOW, ONCE I DO RETIRED THAT I'M GOING TO BE WELL OFF. YOU KNOW THAT THAT ALL MY EXPERIENCE IN THE NAVY IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE EASILY TRANSLATED INTO THE CIVILIAN SECTOR. WELL THAT WAS FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH, ESPECIALLY IN A CITY LIKE BOSTON WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND HERE THAT HAS WAY HIGHER DEGREES AND THAN I DID AT THE TIME.  SO JUST BY THAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO TRANSITION FROM MILITARY LIFE AFTER 20 YEARS OF MILITARY SERVICE STRAIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL BY THE WAY. YEAH, BUT I FORTUNATELY HAD SOMEBODY WHO I COULD FALL BACK TO WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, MY THEN FIANCEE, NOW MY HUSBAND. THERE'S A LOT OF VETERANS THAT DON'T HAVE THAT AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY TO ENSURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THEM AND HELP THEM THROUGH THAT.  WE DO HAVE A POSITION IN THE OFFICE RIGHT NOW THAT IS VACANT . THE PERSON WHO FILLED THE TRANSITION WAS AN AIR FORCE VETERAN WHO MOVED TO ANOTHER HUMAN SERVICES POSITION AND THAT PERSON'S JOB PRIMARILY WAS TO IDENTIFY WHO THOSE VETERANS ARE THAT NEED HELP IN TRANSITIONING AND INTEGRATING INTO THE CIVILIAN COMMUNITY. SO WE DO HAVE A POSITION IN THE CITY OF BOSTON VETERANS SERVICES THAT ADVOCATES FOR THOSE VETERANS. IT'S A MATTER OF RIGHT NOW OF FINDING AND IDENTIFYING THAT PERSON TO FILL THAT ROLE TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUT. BUT IN THE MEANTIME WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO STILL IDENTIFY WHO THOSE VETERANS ARE AND HELP THEM IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN. YEAH, IT'S NOT AN EASY TRANSITION. IT'S IT'S NOT AN EASY TRANSITION. YOU KNOW, EVEN LIKE I SAID, I THOUGHT I HAD THAT FOOT IN THE DOOR AND NEXT THING I KNOW ONCE I GOT MY DEGREE TO 40 AND I WASN'T WEARING A UNIFORM AGAIN I WAS LIKE FACE WITH THE DOOR IN FRONT OF ME. I'M KNOCKING ON THE DOOR TRYING TO GET IT BACK DUE TO VETERANS COME OUT FROM THE SERVICE WITH YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC LIKE THEY HAVE GOT A BROAD RANGE OF JOB SKILLS BUT I KNOW IN THE IN THE BRITISH SERVICE SYSTEM YEARS AGO THAT YOU KNOW, YOU ACTUALLY CAME OUT ALMOST YOU CAME OUT WITH A AND LIKE YOU CAME OUT YOU YOU YOU RETIRED FROM THE SERVICE WITH YOU WERE ELECTRICIANS.  YOU WERE YOU KNOW YOU HAD A WHOLE LONG LIST OF JUST DOES THE AND I'M I YEAH I CONFESS I DIDN'T GROW UP HERE I I CAME IN 95 THERE WAS SOME CATCHING UP WITH EVERYTHING I'M JUST YOU KNOW THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT TRANSITION EASIER FOR FOLKS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TELL VETERANS AND I TELL FAMILIES AND I TELL PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY WHO'S WILLING TO LISTEN TO ME IS IF YOU'RE SERVING AFTER FOUR YEARS, SIX YEARS, 18 YEARS, 20 YEARS, 24 YEARS AND THEN YOU FINALLY DECIDE AND HOPEFULLY SIT DOWN WITH YOUR FAMILY AND TALK ABOUT IT, YOU FINALLY DECIDE THAT YOU WANT TO TRANSITION AND GET OUT OF THE MILITARY, RETIRE OR JUST LEAVE AFTER YOUR TERM IS OVER OR RESIGN YOUR COMMISSION.  THAT IS THE TIME THAT YOU NEED TO START TO TRANSITION. THAT IS A TIME THAT YOU NEED TO START INTEGRATING AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS FINDING OUT AND FIGURING OUT WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO LIVE? ARE YOU GOING TO STAY IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE YOU'RE RETIRING FROM? YOU KNOW, ME BEING IN THE NAVY, ONE OF THE LARGEST NAVAL BASES HERE ON THE EAST COAST IS IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.  I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FROM THE NORTHEAST THAT DECIDE TO STAY IN NORFOLK BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE FROM THE AIR STATION IN NORFOLK THAT WANT TO MOVE TO WISCONSIN. THEY WANT TO MOVE TO PENNSYLVANIA OR TO MOVE UP HERE TO MASSACHUSETTS, DO YOUR HOMEWORK. YOU KNOW, DO YOUR RECONNAISSANCE. YOU KNOW, DO YOU RECON FIND OUT WHERE IT IS, WHERE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE GOING TO BE AT, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO BE STABLE ASSISTANCE YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT THE JOB MARKET IS LIKE AND SEE WHAT THE HOUSING MARKET IS LIKE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO AFFORD IT OR WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE INTO THAT COMMUNITY BUT DO IT FROM THAT THAT DAY THAT YOU DECIDE THAT YOU WANT TO TRANSITION THAT YOU ARE GOING TO GET OUT OF THE MILITARY, DON'T UNTIL YOU GET TO 14 THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS YOU DO NEED YOUR DEGREE TO 14 FOR BUT YOU COULD PREPARE IN THE MEANTIME TO BE ABLE TO TRANSITION TO BE ABLE TO GO FROM WEARING THAT UNIFORM TO WEARING A SUIT OR AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S MARKET TO KNOW WHAT TRADE YOU'RE GOING TO GO INTO.  WHAT GENRE ARE YOU GOING TO GO INTO A LOT OF THE JOBS IN THE MILITARY RIGHT NOW ARE VERY HIGH HIGHLY, HIGHLY TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVERSE JOBS. SO SO TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, FIT AND AND YOU MAY BE PIGEONHOLED WHILE YOU'RE IN THE MILITARY BUT YOU MAY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, TWEAK IT OUT A LITTLE BIT YEAH WHEN WHEN WHEN YOU MET YOU WHEN YOU EVENTUALLY JOINED THE CIVILIAN JOB MARKET BUT BEING ABLE TO DO THAT HOMEWORK AND FIND OUT WHO THE VSO IS FOR THAT COMMUNITY. YEAH FIND OUT WHO THE VETERANS SERVICES OFFICER IS, FIND OUT WHO THE VETERAN ADVOCATES ARE.  YOU KNOW, FIND OUT EVEN THE POST IF IT'S A DIVORCE, A VFW OR AN AMERICAN LEGION AMBUSH OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. FIND OUT WHO THE VETERAN ADVOCATES ARE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU FEEL YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN AND THEN YOU KNOW FROM THERE START MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO. IT'LL I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THE END THE END ALL TO BE ALL BUT IT'S A START AND IT'LL DEFINITELY HELP IN THE TRANSITION.  DAVID, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BREADON THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, TO A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ASKED BY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES BUT JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ON THE GRANT PROGRAM IS THE BRIDGE TO GRAB BRIDGE THE GAP PROGRAM THE WELCOME HOME BONUS AND THEN THE GRANT PROGRAM ALL THESE NEW YOU KNOW THE BRIDGE TO GAP PROGRAM IS THE NEW PROGRAM THE WHICH ONE WAS THE OTHER ONE YOU MENTIONED COUNSELOR WELCOME HOME BONUS THE WELCOME HOME BONUS THAT IS A STATE PROGRAM OKAY AND IT'S THAT ONE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE AND LIKE I MENTIONED IT'S FOR SINCE 911 THAT ONE'S BEEN AROUND AWESOME AND HAVE A FEW VFW IN MY IN MY DISTRICT YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW YOU WORK WITH THEM A LOT OF THEM YOU KNOW HAD DEFERRED MAINTENANCE YOU KNOW ONE OF THEM IS COMPLETELY OFFLINE THE ONE ON WOODROW HAVE CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW DO YOU WORK WITH THEM TO YOU KNOW MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THEM BACK ONLINE? I KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE TALKING ABOUT POSSIBLY SELLING THEIR LOT LIKE DO YOU PROVIDE ANY ANY ASSISTANCE MANY RESOURCES WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, EITHER MAINTENANCE OR HELPING THEM NAVIGATE THE SELLING OF THEIR PROPERTIES FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY? I AM A LEGACY LIFE MEMBER OF THE VFW. I ALSO HOLD I JUST RECENTLY BECAME THE DISTRICT COMMANDER DISTRICT FOR DISTRICT FIVE OF THE VFW SO I'M HIGHLY INVOLVED THE VFW NOW I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME TALKS WITH SOME OF THE SOME OF THE PROPERTIES BEING SOLD. IT WAS ONE THAT WAS ACTUALLY SOLD IN DORCHESTER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT THAT WAS I DIDN'T HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THAT ONE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT I ALWAYS EMPHASIZE WITH ANY OF THE POSTS THAT ARE YOU BEFORE THEY SELL IS TO DO IT DO THEIR HOMEWORK, DO THEIR RECON WHO ARE THEY GOING TO SELL IT TO? WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO USE IT FOR AND TO TRY TO PUT IN THE CLAUSE OR THE CONTRACT OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE THAT THEY SUPPORT VETERANS RATHER IF THEY'RE BUILDING IF THEY'RE BUILDING UNITS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE HAVE YOU KNOW, A UNITS THEY'RE SET ASIDE FOR VETERANS WHERE THEY WILL ACCEPT THE HUD BADGE VOUCHERS AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S A YOU KNOW, GOING TO THE MODEL THAT HAPPENED IN THE SOUTH END THOSE WERE SET ASIDE FOR VETERANS. SO WHEN THEY THINKING ABOUT SELLING THAT PARCEL AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY INVOLVED THERE TO THAT THERE'S THAT THEY DO IT WITH A VETERAN IN MIND AFTER ALL THE ARD VETERAN ORGANIZATION THEY WERE A VETERAN POST OR OUR VETERAN POST I DON'T KNOW THEY'LL KEEP THEIR CHARTER OR NOT BUT IF THEIR CHARTER IS ACTIVE YOU KNOW THEY'RE STILL SERVING.  SO IF THEY'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SELL THAT PARCEL TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE VETERANS INTERESTS IN MIND NEXT. YEAH, I JUST WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE ONE ON WOODROW HAVE THAT VFW CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME RIGHT NOW AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT COMMANDER STEVENS OVER THERE IN BEEN I'VE BEEN IN DEEP CONVERSATION AROUND JUST WHAT ARE THE FUTURE STEPS AND ANOTHER THING YOU KNOW YOU WOULD YOU HAD MENTIONED ON HOW WE WE WE HELPED TO MAINTAIN THE POST IS FOR MEMORIAL DAY SO WHEN THEY WHEN FLAGS ARE PLANTED THERE'S ACTUALLY A COST INVOLVED WITH THAT OR SO WHAT THEY DO IS FOR EACH FLAG THAT THEY PLANT THEY GET A MONETARY COMPENSATION FOR IT FOR EACH WREATH THAT THEY PUT ON ONE OF THE HERO SQUARES THEY ALSO COMPENSATED MONETARILY SO THAT'S ONE WAY THAT THAT THAT THAT WE BASICALLY I GUESS YOU COULD SAY KILL TWO BIRDS WITH A STONE IS BY BY WELL WHILE THEY SUPPORTING THEIR MISSION TAKING CARE OF VETERANS WE'RE SUPPORTING THEM AND TAKING CARE OF THEIR POST AS WELL. THANK YEAH IF YOU COULD FOR ME THAT INFORMATION IF I COULD GET IT OUT TO THE POST IN MY DISTRICT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THE PROGRAM SO THE THE MINI GRAND PROGRAM IS 200,000.  THE DEPARTMENT IS GROWING BY 32. WHERE WAS THE MONEY REALLOCATED FROM TO GO TO THE MINI GRANT PROGRAM SO THAT MONEY WAS ALLOCATED FROM THE FOR THE IT ORIGINALLY CAME FROM THE 545 LINE IT WAS REALLY CARED FOR THE 54549 LINE AND AS THE MINI GRANTS WELL ONCE YOU TAKE AWAY THE MINI AND THEY'LL BECOME GRANTS THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE 549 LINE TO THE CONTRACTED SERVICE LINE WHICH IS THE 5 TO 9 LINE. OKAY SO SO I UNDERSTAND IT WENT FROM AGED AID TO VETERANS TO OTHER CURRENT CHARGES. YES. ONCE IT WAS CREATED THE BRIDGE GAP WAS CREATED FROM AND THE MONEY CAME FROM THE EIGHT EVENTS AND WAS PUT IN THE FIVE FOOT FIVE, FOUR AND NINE LINE AND NOW IT WILL BE REALLOCATED AGAIN TO THE CONTRACT TO SERVICES WHICH IS A 5 TO 9 LINE AWESOME. AND THEN WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT PROVIDING ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES TO OUR VET ARE WE ARE YOU LIKE IS YOUR VISION TO PROVIDE IT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OR IS IT TO WORK WITH VHA WORK WITH THEM ALWAYS TO HAVE SPECIAL CARVE OUT OR YOU KNOW ONLY TO HAVE SPECIAL CARVE OUTS IN THEIR DEPARTMENT THAT GO SPECIFICALLY TO VETERANS WITH MIGHT? WELL MY VISION IS FOR US TO BE THE ONE STOP SHOP IF WE NEEDED TO TO DO ANY CARVE OUT WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THEN THAT'S SOMETHING A CONVERSATION I COULD HAVE WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS. SOME OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS ALREADY HAVE SOMETHING WHERE WE COULD TAP INTO WHERE WE COULD DO A WARM HANDOFF. YOU KNOW PASSING ON THE VETERAN OR OTHER BE TOO STRONG OR OHIO OR ANYBODY ELSE. BUT THOSE PARTNERSHIPS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE RIGHT NOW AS IT STANDS IN MY OFFICE YOU KNOW WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO A LOT OF WHAT WE WOULD LOVE TO DO FOR OUR VETERANS. SO WE HAVE TO DO THAT WARM HANDOFF. BUT AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW WE WANT WE LIKE TO BE THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT THAT ALL OUR VETERANS HAVE AND IF WE NEED TO DO THAT WARM HANDOFF WE WILL IF WE COULD PROVIDE THE SERVICES, IF WE COULD BUY IT FOR RIGHT OF BENEFITS THROUGH OUR OFFICE, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT AS AS WELL. YEAH AND THAT'S ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS THAT YOU KNOW MY AGE YOU KNOW THEY'RE FOCUSED ON HOUSING EVERY SINGLE DAY. RIGHT? THE SMALL BUSINESS DEPARTMENT IS FOCUSED ON HOUSING EVERY SINGLE DAY AND TO BUILD THAT CAPACITY WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT YOU WILL HAVE TO LIKE SCALE UP WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE A CITY DEPARTMENT THAT'S FOCUS ON IT. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST ENCOURAGING YOU KNOW, THE COLLABORATION TO TO ENSURE THAT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN STILL BE THE ONE STOP SHOP BUT YOU KNOW UTILIZING ALL OF OUR CITY RESOURCES AND THAT COORDINATION I JUST WANT TO JUST GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT AGAIN TO YOU GUYS FOR YOUR WORK IN YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU TO MY BUDDY OVER HERE ,COUNCILOR FOR SERVICE AND HIS ADVOCACY ALSO I JUST WANT TO OUT MY FAMILY MEMBERS IN MY IN MY FAMILY THAT HAVE SERVED OR ARE SERVING ADRIAN WORRELL SHANE PHILLIPS, CRAIG ALEXANDER, STEVE STAR, STEVE STEVENSON AND NELSON STEVEN NELSON STEVEN AND ALSO MY SISTER MONIQUE ALL AROUND AGAIN HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND NOW WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY NO PUBLIC TESTIMONY SO I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING THEM AS THEY COME BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITIES FOR SERVICES. OKAY. SO WE DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC TESTIMONY WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED PLEASE COME DOWN TO ONE OF THE TWO PODIUMS IS STATE YOUR NAME A NEIGHBORHOOD IN OR ORGANIZATION AFFILIATION PLEASE SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO 2 MINUTES. ROGER STERLING, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  I PROMISE I'LL MAKE THIS QUICK BECAUSE I ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO MEET MY BOYFRIEND FOR LUNCH. HE WAS A VETERAN. I WAS NOT FIRST OF ALL THANK YOU. SO I LEARNED I WAS TAKING NOTES SO MUCH I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO QUITE GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE AND HOPEFULLY MY LITTLE SPEECH WILL ILLUMINATE WHY. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MELISSA. I'M A BORN AND RAISED BOSTONIAN AND CURRENT RESIDENT. I'M NOT A VETERAN BUT I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY IF IT WERE NOT FOR MY VETERAN FRIENDS WHO CONTINUE TO LOOK OUT FOR ME AND MEMBERS OF MY COMMUNITY. IN AUGUST 2020 I TOOK THE SAME FEDERAL OATH OF OFFICE OUR VETERANS TOOK. I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ALL ENEMIES FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME THAT I TAKE THIS OBLIGATION FREELY WITHOUT ANY MENTAL RESERVATION OR PURPOSE OF EVASION AND THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE ON WHICH I AM ABOUT TO ENTER SO.  HELP ME GOD. SO I WAS MERELY A CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEE IN 2020. I REMAIN INSPIRED BY THE ACTS OF SERVICE OF OUR VETERANS.  THIS HEARING SEEKS TO ADDRESS THE BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE OF VETERAN SERVICES AND THE FUNDING ALLOCATED FOR THIS OFFICE MAKES A MATERIAL AND SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF BOSTON'S VETERANS. WHAT DO OUR VETERANS EVEN DO?  THEY CONTINUE TO SERVE EVEN AS CIVILIANS THEY SERVE AS OUR DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE BUDGET AND ANALYSIS FOR THIS VERY GOVERNING BODY.  SORRY I'M OUT OF BREATH BUT BY AND LARGE BOSTON VETERANS BOSTON'S VETERANS FIRST AND FOREMOST HELP OUT NON VETERANS AND VETERANS ALIKE. THEY DO IT IN COMPUTER TROUBLESHOOTING FOR OLDER VETERANS. THAT'S WHAT MY BOYFRIEND'S DOING NOW THEY BOSTON'S VETERANS FEED ANYONE WHO IS HUNGRY. THEY SHELTER THOSE WHO ARE WITHOUT A SAFE SANITARY AND COMFORTABLE PLACE TO SLEEP. THEY REGULARLY CLEAN UP LITTER AND BEAUTIFY OUR CITY AND DESPITE THEM BEING PRETTY WARY OF ELECTORAL POLITICS OF BOSTON'S VETERANS HAD EVEN JOINED ME IN LAWFUL PROTEST OF UNCOSTED, TRADITIONAL AND UNETHICAL POLICIES OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. BOSTON'S VETERANS WILL QUITE LITERALLY GIVE SOMEONE THE SHIRT OFF THEIR BACK WHICH PROBABLY EXPLAINS WHY I HAVE SO MANY ARMY TEAMS DESPITE NEVER HAVING SERVED IN THAT BRANCH, OUR VETERANS SHARE AA MEETINGS AND WORK EVERY DAY TO HELP OTHERS OUT THE DREGS AND DARKNESS OF ADDICTION.  THEY FIX THINGS. THEY BUILD THINGS. THEY BUILD RELATIONSHIPS SPECIFICALLY MY LATE FRIEND CHRISTOPHER BROOKS BUILT PARTS OF THE CITY AS A MEMBER OF IRONWORKERS LOCAL SEVEN AND WORKED AS A CONSTRUCTION PARTNER FOR CONGRESSMAN STEPHEN LYNCH. UNLIKE UNLIKE WHAT'S YOUR NAME MICHELLE WALL BOSTON THESE VETERANS REGULARLY CARE FOR THEIR FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITHOUT TRYING TO CURATE A PHONY PUBLIC IMAGE. UNLIKE MANY BOSTON'S VETERANS STAND BY THEIR LIFELONG OATH TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. AND UNLIKE MICHELLE, BOSTON'S VETERANS CARE ABOUT AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF SORT OF CAMPAIGN FUNDS IDLING, DON'T A SO-CALLED WAR TRUCKS.  BUT BACK TO THE MATTER AT HAND THE FUNDING ALLOCATED FOR OBVIOUS IT'S CLEARLY A PRIORITY AND I'M NOT HERE TO MERELY ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON OPEN ITS PARKS PER SE AND PROVIDE MORE FUNDING FOR THIS LINE ITEM THOUGH YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO DO THAT. I'M HERE TO REMIND THIS COUNCIL THAT THE SEGMENT OF BOSTON'S POPULATIONS BOSTON'S VETERANS AND THE VETERAN COMMUNITY ARE NOT MERELY LINE ITEMS AND THOUGH THEY ARE NOT AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING, THESE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND FORMER PUBLIC EMPLOYEES DESERVE TO BE HEARD. BOSTON'S VETERANS DESERVE TO BE CARED FOR AND SUPPORTED IN THE VERY WAY THAT THEY SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT THE OUTSIDE OF THE AUSPICES A PHONY PHOTO OPS, PUBLIC RELATIONS REGALIA AND PATHETIC PRESS JUNKETS. BUT YES, I'VE LISTENED AND SINCE 2022 I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMING FOR OUR VETERANS.  THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD ARTISTS WHO ARE VETS AND I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT WAS IT SO PINE STREET AND THEY HAVE A VETERANS OUTREACH OFFICE ON CHAUNCEY STREET AND IT'S IT IS FOR ANY VETERAN WHETHER THEIR HOUSE WHETHER THEIR CLIENT OF PINE STREET THEY HAVE A SAFE THERE THAT CAN STORE IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS WHICH COUNCILOR BRADEN'S POINT WAS ONE OF THE MATERIAL SORT OF BARRIERS WHEN IT COMES TO EMPLOYMENT AND JOB SEARCH. IT'S YOU HAVE TO GO TO THIS BUILDING TO GET THE DEED TO 14. YOU HAVE TO GO TO THIS BUILDING TO GET THE CERTIFICATE BIRTH CERTIFICATE. IT'S OF MOVING PARTS SO JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT PINE STREET IN VETERAN OUTREACH. SEAN AHERN HE'S MY GUARDIAN ANGEL AND HE HELPS AND THAT THAT TEAM DOES A LOT THERE BE A GREAT POTENTIAL PARTNER. YEAH SO JUST YEAH THAT'S ABOUT IT I WOULD LOVE TO CONNECT WITH YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY TIME AFTERWARDS AND THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE.  THANK YOU. UM, GO BACK TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS IS PUT ON YOUR LIGHTS. IF YOU HAVE SECOND ROUND CANCER , FIND A FOUR YEAR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AGAIN. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONER AND TO THE COMMISSIONERS TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IN SUPPORT OF OUR VETERANS AND OUR MILITARY FAMILIES.  MAYBE I'LL JUST ASK ONE QUESTION. I KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER GROUP COMING IN AS WELL AND BELLA, THANK YOU ALSO FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.  LET ME LET ME ASK ROB THE AND I JUST WANTED TO MENTION I DO HAVE A VETERANS HEARING SCHEDULED AT THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WILL TAKE PLACE ON JUNE 7TH AT 10 A.M.. SO THANK YOU ROB FOR WORKING WITH MY STAFF FOR GETTING THAT SCHEDULED. LET ME LET ME ASK YOU ONE ONE FINAL QUESTION TO YOU, BELLA AND TO ROB THE I KNOW I KNOW. I KNOW WE SUPPORT ALL VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES AND WE PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICES IN IN HELP THAT WE CAN.  WE ALSO WORKED TOGETHER ON SUPPORTING LGBTQ VETERANS.  AND ROB, WHEN WHEN YOU AND I WERE YOUNG AND IN THE MILITARY AT ONE TIME GAY AND LESBIAN SERVICE MEMBERS COULDN'T SERVE AND THEN I WAS IN THE MILITARY AT THAT TIME THEY COULDN'T SERVE THEY COULDN'T SERVE OPENLY AND THEN CHANGES TOOK PLACE AND IT WAS A NEW POLICY CALLED DON'T ASK DON'T TELL AND THEN AFTER DON'T ASK DON'T TELL GAY AND LESBIAN SERVICE MEMBERS COULD SERVE OPENLY. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME MANY GAY AND LESBIAN SERVICE MEMBERS WERE DISCHARGED BECAUSE THEY WERE GAY, BECAUSE THEY WERE LESBIAN OR FOR OTHER REASONS THAT WERE MENTIONED IN A DEED TO 14 MAYBE THEY SAID THEY WERE INSUBORDINATE OR THEY WERE YOU KNOW, THEY HAD MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT THEY DISCHARGED THEM FOR. BUT THE REAL REASON THEY DISCHARGED THEM FOR WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE GAY AND LESBIAN. BUT AS YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT TYPE OF DISCHARGE TOOK PLACE, IT'S NOT AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE. IT'S IT'S SOMETHING OTHER THAN AN HONORABLE WHICH IS CALLED OR EVEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE OR ADMINISTRATIVE DISCHARGE. THERE'S VARIOUS TYPES OF DISCHARGES THAT IMPACT THE SERVICES PROGRAMS THAT YOU YOU'VE EARNED.  I KNOW THAT IS CHANGING NOW THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING AT THOSE DISCHARGE PAPERS IN CHANGING HOPEFULLY CHANGING IT SO THAT THEY'LL BECOME HONORABLY DISCHARGED SO THAT THEY'RE THEY CAN RECEIVE THE SAME BENEFITS THAT WE WE RECEIVE.  SO I WANT TO ASK YOU, ROB, IF IF VETERANS ARE IN THAT SITUATION AND MAYBE THEY HAVEN'T ENGAGED IN UP IN ANY SERVICES FROM THE STATE OR FEDERAL OR CITY OVER A PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE THEY WERE DISCHARGED, MAYBE MAYBE THEY FEEL EMBARRASSED ABOUT IT OR THEY DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. WHAT CAN WHAT CAN YOU DO? WHAT CAN YOUR TEAM DO? I KNOW YOU CAN'T PHYSICALLY CHANGE THE DISCHARGE BUT I KNOW YOU ARE HELPING PEOPLE.  JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION WHAT YOU CAN DO IN HOW ARE YOU HELPING THESE THESE VETERANS FIRST AND FOREMOST OF COURSE. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WHEN LIKE YOURSELF WHEN I JOINED THE NAVY BACK IN 1988 IT WAS A FULL OUT BAND ON ON YOU KNOW, THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND THEN IN 1993 THE DON'T ASK DON'T TELL CAME BECAME LAW AND THAT YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED WAS JUST A SMOKESCREEN BECAUSE THERE WERE STILL THERE WERE STILL LGBTQ MEMBERS BEING DISCHARGED AT AN ALARMING RATE. THEY JUST HAD OTHER WAYS OF DOING IT AND SOME OF THOSE WAY AS YOU HAVE POINTED OUT TOO, YOU KNOW, THEY WEREN'T DISCHARGED BECAUSE YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF WHO THEY LOVED THEY WERE DISCHARGED FOR OTHER REASONS THAT THE COMMAND FOUND OR DECIDED TO DO AND THOSE ARE ALL LIKE YOU MENTIONED CONSIDERED BAD BAD PAPER DISCHARGE WHAT WE COULD DO IN OUR OFFICES WE COULD START THE PROCESS AND TRYING TO TALK TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE, TRYING TO GET THE PROCESS GOING TO GET THE DISCHARGE OVERTURNED WHICH IS A PROCESS IN ITSELF GETTING OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED, ADVOCATING FOR THOSE VETERANS.  BUT IT STARTS WITH A VETERAN THEMSELVES TO COME FORWARD AND LETTING US KNOW THAT THEY WOULD LIKE THEIR THEIR DISCHARGE PAPERWORK, YOU KNOW, FROM A BAD PAPER DISCHARGE TO A GOOD PAPER DISCHARGE.  IT'S A PROCESS. IT'S A PROCESS. IT'S NOT GOING TO IT'S IT'S NOT ONE EASY OR TWO GOING TO HAPPEN WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR MONTH. BUT ONE THING THAT I WILL SAY IS THAT THE VA IS IDENTIFYING THOSE VETERANS THAT DID HAVE BAD PAPER DISCHARGES BECAUSE OF OF YOU KNOW, BEING LGBTQ THAT THEY ARE BEGINNING TO OFFER SERVICES TO THOSE VETERANS.  YOU KNOW AND HOW THAT CAME ABOUT IS THROUGH ADVOCACY MYSELF, LIKE YOURSELF A COUNSELOR WE'VE BEEN DOWN TO D.C. ON NUMEROUS TIMES TO TALK TO OUR BOSTON DELEGATION AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS DOWN IN D.C. ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED TO DO FOR OUR VETERANS AND WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. SO BEING ABLE TO DO THAT AND TALKING TO TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND TELL THEM THAT THIS IS WRONG, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE CHANGED IS DEFINITELY A WAY TO DO IT. EARLIER IN THE HEARING THERE WAS A QUESTION AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF VETERANS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY AND I HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE SOME VETERANS THAT DON'T IDENTIFY AS VETERANS. YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER REASON THIS COULD BE FOR MANY VETERANS ONE WAY THAT THEY DON'T IDENTIFY AS VETERANS BECAUSE OF THE CHARACTER OF THEIR DISCHARGE AND THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. THAT MENTALITY ALSO NEEDS TO CHANGE. BUT IT ALL STARTS WITH THAT VETERAN COMING FORWARD AND TALKING TO US IN OUR OFFICE OR TALKING TO THEIR LOCAL VSO OR ANYBODY ELSE WHO WAS ABLE TO ASSIST THEM. THERE ARE OTHER LAWYERS OUT THERE THAT COULD DO THIS STUFF PRO BONO. HARVARD LEGAL SERVICES COULD, YOU KNOW, MAY BE ABLE TO HELP VETERAN LEGAL SERVICES MAY BE ABLE TO HELP AS WELL. BUT IN THESE TO START WITH THAT VETERANS IN WANTING TO COME FORWARD AND TRYING TO WORK ON GETTING THEIR DEGREE TO 14 CHANGED. THANK YOU, ROB. ROB IF ANYONE'S WATCHING ON TELEVISION WHAT IS THE BELL OR WHAT IS THE PHONE NUMBER THEY SHOULD CONTACT OVER AT THE AT YOUR OFFICE? 6176353026 OR 617241 SPELLS OUT VETS 8387. THANK YOU ROB. THANK YOU BELLA AND IF ANYONE MISSED THAT PHONE NUMBER THEY CAN ALSO CONTACT ME AND I COULD GIVE YOU THE COMMISSIONER'S PHONE NUMBER AS WELL. YES. I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. JUST AGAIN WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE DEDICATED AND PROFESSIONAL TEAM OVER THE CITY OF BOSTON VETERANS DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. KASSEM HERE THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND I ALSO WANT TO JUST THANK MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR HIS SERVICE AND FIERCE ADVOCACY HERE ON THE COUNCIL FOR VETERANS. AND SO I AND I WANTED TO JUST PIGGYBACK ON A QUESTION THAT COUNCILOR FLYNN HAD ASKED.  I KNOW THAT HIGH MAY ANTHONY THEY HAVE THEIR STATUE RIGHT IN THE SOUTHEND AT THE BEACH YEAH WHERE IT BELONGS YOU KNOW ABOUT EQUAL PAY EVERY DAY POWER HERE BUT I'M CURIOUS IN TERMS OF LGBTQ WHAT CONVERSATIONS IF ANY HAVE BEEN HAD TO HAVE A DEDICATED SPACE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT CONVERSATION BUT IT'S SOMETHING DEFINITELY THAT WE COULD START TALKING ABOUT. YEAH, I THINK SO. I THINK GIVEN COUNCILOR FLYNN'S QUESTIONS AND I ALSO THINK JUST IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE FEEL AFFIRMED AND SEEN, I THINK THAT THAT IS WORTH A CONVERSATION TO EXPLORE AT SOME POINT MAYBE NOT THIS BUDGET CYCLE BUT PLANTING SEEDS PERHAPS FOR THE NEXT COUNCILOR FOR SURE.  THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU. WE ALL YOUR SERVICE AND ALL YOUR WORK AND DEDICATED TO THE CITY OF BOSTON AND TO THE VET AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK MY CHAIR AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY IN THE COUNCIL FOR ALL YOUR GREAT THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE WORKING ON BEHALF OF ALL OUR VETERANS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NOW MOVE ON TO OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES RIGHT . AND FROM WE HAVE WITH US CHIEF OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON CHIEF MILLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COLLEEN AND DIRECTOR DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING AND DIRECTOR I THINK THERE'S BEEN A DESK FOR THREE OC IN DIRECTOR BUDA FROM THREE ON ONE THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSELORS AND COMMUNITY.  MY NAME IS BRANDON MILLER. I AM THE CHIEF OF SHOOTING ENGAGEMENT AND OVERSEE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CABINET. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY AND PRESENT TO YOU OUR PROPOSED BUDGET.  SO THANK YOU TO OUR CHAIRMAN COUNCILOR AS WELL.  THANK YOU TO OUR ALL OF OUR COUNCILOR COLLEAGUES HERE AS WELL. TODAY WE'LL HEAR FROM OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND SOME OF THE THE GREAT WORK THAT WE DO ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT I AM SO EXCITED TO PRESENT TO YOU ALL TODAY SOME OF THAT WORK IS IS IS CONNECTING OUR RESIDENTS TO CITY SERVICES, RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES, EMPOWERING COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH WHETHER THAT MEANS OUR CIVIC SUMMER LOVE YOUR BLOCKS OR ANY OF OUR STREET ACTIVATION PROGRAMS AND ALSO CONNECTING RESIDENTS TO THROUGH AND ONE IN OUR SERVICES THERE AND ALSO CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY SO WANTED TO THANK AGAIN THE CITY COUNCIL , OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM HERE, THE COMMUNITY CABINET AND OF COURSE THE MAYOR OF BOSTON,  MAYOR WU EXCITED TO, YOU KNOW, WORK UNDER HER ADMINISTRATION AND ALSO THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE TUNING IN EITHER ONLINE OR IN THE IN THE CHAMBERS AS WELL. SO I WANT TO PASS IT OVER BECAUSE I HAVE A PRESENTATION TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND THEN HAVE MY TEAM INTRODUCE OURSELVES AS THEY GO THROUGH THEIR SLIDES.  GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCILORS. MY NAME IS SPIOTTA KLINE. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND VERY PROUD TO BE THE SUCCESSOR OF COUNCILOR PEPEN. SO GREAT TO SEE YOU COUNCILOR . AND NEXT PLEASE STOP DRINKING CENTRAL SLOUGH. CAN YOU HELP US?  IT'S LIKE NOT LOOKING AT FIRST THAT OH, THERE YOU ARE. THANK YOU. SO THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES ALSO KNOWN AS US CONSISTS OF A TEAM OF 16 NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISONS THREE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALISTS, FOUR DEPUTY DIRECTORS AND AN INTERFAITH LIAISON ONASSIS GOALS TO BRING CITY HALL TO OUR CONSTITUENT.  THIS BY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, DISSEMINATING INFORMATION AND FACILITATING THE DELIVERY OF CITY SERVICES EXCITING.  I DO THIS THERE ARE A FEW ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE OWN TEAM OWN OWNERS MAXIMIZE THIS AS A WHOLE RESIDENT INPUT IN ALL ASPECTS OF GOVERNMENT OUR LIAISON SERVE AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND CITY HALL AND CONSTITUENT SERVICES.  OUR LIAISONS ARE IN CALL 24 SEVEN AND RESPOND TO NEIGHBORHOOD EMERGENCY IS INCLUDING FIRES, BUILDING COLLAPSES AND OTHER CITY EMERGENCIES.  OUR LIAISONS DELIVER DIRECT SERVICES TO RESIDENTS, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALISTS WHICH ARE OUR NEW TEAM HOST AND FACILITATE ALL ABUTTERS MEETINGS FOR THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS LICENSING AND CANNABIS. AND FINALLY OUR DEPUTY DIRECTORS PROVIDE TRAINING MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT TO ENSURE RESIDENT CONCERNS ARE ELEVATED AND ADDRESSED.  CAN WE HEAR THAT?  VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILORS FOR HAVING US.  ARE YOU BUT I'M THE DIRECTOR AT BOSTON 311 NEXT SLIDE THANK YOU BOSTON THREE ONE IS THE CITY'S 24 HOUR CONSTITUENT SERVICE HOTLINE 24 SEVEN 365 DAYS A YEAR WE'RE ALWAYS THERE FOR CALLS TO COME IN. WE'RE ALSO THE MAIN LINE TO THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FILTERING CALLS AND RECEIVING REQUESTS TO APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS.  31 IS ONE OF THE DATA COLLECTING CENTERS FOR CITY SERVICES TO IDENTIFY TRENDS AND RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS. WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH CONSTITUENTS IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES 24 SEVEN ALSO 365 DAYS A YEAR OUR OFFICE COMPRISED OF FOUR NORTHEASTERN CO-OPS 28 CALL TAKERS, TWO SUPERVISORS, ONE QUALITY ASSURANCE ASSOCIATE, ONE DATA ANALYTICS MANAGER, A CONTENT COMMUNICATION MANAGER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND THE DIRECTOR THE STAFF WORKS VARIOUS SHIFTS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COVERED DURING THAT 24 SEVEN PERIOD.  THIS IS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF OUR DATA THROUGHOUT THE PAST FEW YEARS.  THE BIGGEST NUMBER HERE REALLY TO LOOK AT THE REALLOCATION OF CASES THIS NUMBER REPRESENTS THOSE JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES SOMETIMES MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS NEED TO ENGAGE IN THESE CASES ARE THE ONES THAT 311 REALLY HAS TO JUMP IN AND ASSIST BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS AND FLAG ANY ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING. THIS IS A BIG PART OF WHAT OUR TEAM DOES.  DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU.  YES, THE THREE ON TEAM MANAGES SERVICE REQUESTS SUBMITTED THROUGH THE BOSTON THREE ON UP PHONE CALLS ONLINE EMAIL, SNAIL MAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA. WE ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT A WIDE VARIETY OF TOPICS INCLUDING BASIC CITY SERVICES,  STATE AND FEDERAL QUESTIONS OUTSIDE AGENCIES SUCH AS NATIONAL GRID AND EVERSOURCE AND SOME OTHERS AND OTHER DAY TO DAY INQUIRIES THAT MAY COME IN. WE WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE CONSTITUENTS RECEIVE QUALITY AND ACCURATE RESPONSE IS WE ALSO GATHER AND TRACK DATA AND RUN REPORTS FOR OTHER DEPARTMENT ACTS, PRESS INQUIRIES AND FOIA REQUESTS WHICH I THINK IS A BIG COMPONENT OF 311 THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THREE ONE WAS ACTUALLY CREATED SO THAT WE CAN HELP NON-EMERGENCY CALLS THAT WOULD COME IN TO 911 TO THEN COME TO US AND THAT WAY WE CAN REALLY DIG DEEP INTO THE DATA AND FIGURE OUT WHERE RESOURCES SHOULD BE ALLOCATED TO NOT THE ONLY ONE BUT WE'RE A BIG PART OF THAT PROCESS AND WE ALSO MAINTAIN THE MAYOR'S EMAIL ALONG WITH OUR OWN 311 EMAIL. ON TOP OF THAT WE ALSO TRY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THREE ON ONE CALL CENTERS ACROSS THE NATION BECAUSE AGAIN 311 IS NOT JUST BOSTON, IT'S ACROSS THE NATION AND DISCUSSING BEST PRACTICES BETWEEN DIFFERENT STATES AND CITIES IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL.  THANK YOU NATALIA CAN WE HEAR A PERFECT THANK YOU COUNSELOR SAYING GOOD AFTERNOON MY NAME IS INTEL EDS PRESS.  I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING.  AH THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING WORKS TO REDUCE BARRIERS AND EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL BOSTON RESIDENTS TO BE ACTIVE CITIZENS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.  OUR OFFICE IS ALSO A COMPROMISE OF A DIGITAL AND PROJECT MANAGER AND A COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR. SO WE ARE A TEAM OF THREE. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROACTIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LIKE THE LOVE YOUR BLOCK INITIATIVE THAT YOU ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF THIS CIVIC SUMMIT BLOCK PARTY GRANTS FOR STREET ACTIVATION AND COMMUNITY CLEANUPS ARE HAPPENING ALL YEAR ROUND AS WELL AS THE CITY HALL ON THE GO CHECK. WE ALSO DO CIVIC AWARENESS AND SERVICE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS ALL YEAR ROUND LOOKS LIKE PLACE ALL RIGHT AND OUR FOCUS IS MAINLY GETTING CITY HALL OUT OF CITY HALL SO THIS YEAR LOVE YOUR BLOCK HOSTED 122 NEIGHBORHOOD BEAUTIFICATION AND CLEANUP SITES ACROSS BOSTON THIS APRIL OUR OFFICE ALSO SUPPORTED 38 COMMUNITY LED CLEANUPS FIVE DAYS OF SERVICE TOTALING 73 SITES SERVICE IN THE ENTIRE CITY. WE AWARDED 51 BLOCK PARTY ACTIVATION GRANTS TOTALING $30,000.  WE COMPLETED 36 CITY HALL AND WE GO ON THE GO TRUCK SORRY CITY HALL ON THE GO TRUCK STOPS TWO LOCATIONS AROUND BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS TO PROVIDE BOSTON CONSTITUENTS WITH SERVICES BROUGHT DIRECTLY TO THEM. WE ALSO ARE VERY PROUD BECAUSE WE LAUNCHED THE CIVIC SUMMIT AT THE HOWARD THURMAN CENTER. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HOST AN EVENT LIKE THIS. WE HOSTED 200 COMMUNITY LEADERS THIS PAST JANUARY LIKE CYPRESS AND AS PART OF OUR OCO OF WHY 25 PROPOSALS AND GOALS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO LEASING LEASING A NEW CITY HALL ON THE GO TRUCK AS OUR TRUCK IS ABOUT TEN YEARS OLD AND WE ARE EMBRACING THE POSSIBILITIES BY INCREASING BLOCK PARTY GRANTS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE NEIGHBORS. THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR THAT WE ARE PUSHING THIS PROGRAM THIS VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL AND WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO EXPAND CIVIC SUMMIT CAPACITY TO ENSURE BROADER COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I WILL BE PRESENTING ON SPARC BOSTON SO SPARC BOSTON IS ABOUT A 40 MEMBER COUNCIL OF CIVICALLY ENGAGED 20 TO 35 YEAR OLDS. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FROM THAT FOR THEM TO GET CONNECTED TO THE CITY OF BOSTON, UNDERSTAND RESOURCES AND TO WORK ON AND ADVISE ON POLICY AND THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AS A CITY SLIDE AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED IT'S A 40 MEMBER COUNCIL THIS PAST COUNCIL CYCLE WE HAD 43 MEMORIES BECAUSE WE HAD SOME ALUMNI MEMBERS THAT WANTED TO STAY ENGAGED AND STAY IN CONTACT WITH SPARK AND JUST, YOU KNOW, LEND A HELPING HAND. IT'S OFFICIALLY IN THIS IN THIS CYCLE I'M GOING TO BE INTERNALIZED FROM THE I LIVED IN THE EPA AND WILL BE HOUSED FIRMLY IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH CABINET TOO SO WANTED TO JUST END OUR PRESENTATION BY UNDERSCORING SAYING THANK YOU AND I FORGOT MY THANK YOU TO CENTRAL STAFF AND IDR BECAUSE I HAD EVERY SINGLE DAY YOU GUYS WORK TO TROUBLESHOOT AND PROBLEM SOLVED SO MANY THINGS LIKE MY CLICKER ALMOST BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU ALL DO AS WELL SO PASSING OVER TO THE COUNCIL . THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM FOR BEING HERE FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU DO AND THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THE US TEAM. I ENJOY WORKING WITH THEM.  CHIEF, CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT HOW DISTRICT COUNCILS ARE NOTIFIED ABOUT ABUTTERS MEETINGS? IS THERE A FORMAL PROCESS OF INFORMING US A DISTRICT CITY COUNCIL IF THERE'S AN ABUTTERS MEETING IN THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT?  THANK YOU COUNCILOR FOR THAT QUESTION. ONE OF THE KEY FUNCTIONS THAT THE OWNER'S TEAM KIND OF CARRY OUT SO ONE OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES IS HOSTING ABUTTERS MEETINGS FOR DIFFERENT BOARDS THROUGH THE CITY. ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COUNCILORS TO PLUG IN OR COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO PLUG IN HAS BEEN EXPANDED UNDER THE DIRECTOR, THE NEW DIRECTORS. I WANT TO PASS IT OVER TO HER TO GIVE MORE CONTEXT ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR . AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MY PREDECESSOR ACTUALLY BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL IS THAT OUR LIAISONS DO MAINTAIN UP TO DATE ABUTTERS MEETINGS IN THEIR BI WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS.  SO WE DO ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS, OUR CITY COUNCIL STAFF AND COUNCILORS TO SUBSCRIBE TO THOSE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO. SECONDLY, WE DID LAUNCH THIS NEW COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST TEAM WHICH HAS ADDED CAPACITY TO OUR TEAM IN THAT REGARD I AM REALLY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THIS WEEK WE DID ACTUALLY EVEN FURTHER STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS.  SO IF YOU ACTUALLY GO ON WDW DOT BOSTON DOT GOV SLASH EVENTS WE HAVE ADDED STARTING THIS WEEK ALL ABUTTERS MEETINGS IN THAT GENERAL EVENTS PAGE SO FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU LOOKED FOR TODAY'S I BELIEVE WE HAVE FOUR OR FIVE THAT WERE HOSTING THIS EVENING AND SO FOR THE EASE OF RESIDENTS AND COUNSELORS YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ALSO VISIT THEIR VIEW THERE AND WE'LL BE MAINTAINING THAT IN THE FUTURE . OKAY I JUST WANT TO SO FOR DISTRICT COUNCIL IS JUST TELL ME HOW WHAT THE PROCESSES OF NOTIFYING DISTRICT COUNCILS OF OF ABOUT ASSUMING SO ONE OF THE KEY REASONING BEHIND POSTING IT ON THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC PAGE IS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN SEND YOU KNOW THE LINK TO IDR AND THAT DIFFERENT COUNCILORS BUT THAT IT'S READILY ACCESSIBLE AND IT'S EASY TO KIND OF PLUG IN TO ONLINE SO LIKE EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO IT CAN GO ON THE EVENTS PAGE WHERE ALSO OUR OWN AS COFFEE HOURS ARE AS WELL SO EVERYONE CAN LITERALLY BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT SO THERE'S NO SO DISTRICT COUNCILS ARE NOT NOTIFIED FORMALLY WE HAVE TO GO LOOK LOOKING FOR THE INFORMATION IS THAT ACCURATE TO SAY SO AGAIN WE CAN WE CAN DEFINITELY SEND THE LINK SINCE IT'S ALREADY ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE SO EVENT ESSENTIALLY THAT LARGE COUNTIES HAVE MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOODS A DISTRICT COUNCILORS HAVE ABOUT 20 ADDRESSES AS WELL SO WE WANTED TO STREAMLINE THAT TO MAKE SURE IT'S ACCESSIBLE TO ALL BUT WE COULD AFTER THIS HEARING WE CAN HAVE YOU KNOW, THE OFFICIAL LINK CENTRAL TO YOUR EYES COLLECTED NATURALLY UPDATES YEAH I JUST WANT I WOULD LIKE TO BE NOTIFIED OF YOU KNOW I KNOW I KNOW THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE BY GOING TO VARIOUS SITES BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST I DON'T KNOW IF MY DISTRICT COUNCIL IS ALSO ON IT BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BE NOTIFIED OF ABUTTERS MEETINGS THROUGH EMAIL SO I HAVE A RECORD OF IT JUST SO THAT I CAN MAKE SURE THAT MY STAFF GOES TO EVERY ABUTTERS MEETING AND IN MY DISTRICT. BUT HAVING AN EMAIL SENT TO ME WOULD BE WOULD BE HELPFUL AGAIN I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM DISTRICT COUNCIL AS TO IF THEY WOULD LIKE THAT AND MAYBE IT'S A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE COULD DO IS ENSURE THAT DISTRICT COUNCILS ARE NOTIFIED IF THERE IS AN ABUTTERS MEETING IN THEIR DISTRICT. SO THAT'S REALLY MY NUMBER ONE ISSUE ANY ABUTTERS MEETINGS I ENSURE THAT MY STAFF IS THERE IS PRESENT IS ENGAGED AND I HAVE THE STAFF TO DO THAT.  I KNOW MY DISTRICT, THE DISTRICT COUNCIL IS ALSO HAVE THE STAFF TO DO THAT BUT WE WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS A PRIORITY FOR US TO RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION AND TO BE AT THOSE ABUTTERS MEETINGS BECAUSE IT'S CRITICAL FOR US TO BE INVOLVED TO BE AT THAT MEETING. SO IS THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE ARE ABLE TO DO. SO I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. I DEFINITELY KNOW THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE DISTRICT COULD BE COUNCILORS YOU KNOW, CARE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING EACH AND EVERY BLOCK IN EACH AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I'M DEFINITELY HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP AFTER TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU, CHIEF AND SOME OF THE BOROUGHS MEETINGS. SO I'M ACTUALLY ALL ABOUT HIS WINNINGS THERE.  THERE IS ALSO NOTIFICATION IN TERMS OF LEAFLET DROPPING LITERATURE DROPPING WITH THE PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE PARTICULAR BOROUGHS MEETING. CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THAT PROCESS? SO THERE IS DIRECT FIRING DONE AROUND WHATEVER PROPOSAL OR PROPOSED PROJECT OR IF THERE'S LIKE A IF IT'S FOR LICENSING OR ETC. I CAN PASS IT OVER TO THEIR DIRECTOR TO EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS. SURE. SO THE PROPONENT OF THE PROJECT IS IN CHARGE AND THIS PREDATES ME HAS BEEN THE PROCESS FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW BUT THEY ARE IN CHARGE OF POSTING ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABUTTERS AND THEN TAKING PROOF OF PHOTO SO THAT OUR OFFICE KNOWS THAT THOSE LEAFLETS HAVE BEEN DROPPED. OKAY SO THE THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM BASICALLY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LITERATURE DROPPING OF A NOTICE ABOUT A PARTICULAR ABOUT US. OKAY SO HOW DO WE KNOW THE ABOUT HOW DO WE KNOW THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM IS DOING IT? I DO I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT THEY WILL NOTIFY YOU WITH PHOTOS BUT HOW DO WE HOW DO WE ACTUALLY KNOW THAT RESIDENTS ARE RECEIVING THE PUBLIC NOTICE ABOUT A PARTICULAR MEETING? SO WE DO ASKS FOR A PROOF OF LIKE FLOWERING AND SHARING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE ALSO DO GET, YOU KNOW, EMAILS FROM CONFIRMATION FOR ABUTTERS AS WELL AND WE WE ENCOURAGE THAT. WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT DEVELOPER KNOWS WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR FLOWERING THE RADIUS ETC. TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE YOU KNOW ACTING IN GOOD FAITH AS WELL.  IS THAT LITERATURE DROPPING OF ABUTTERS MEETINGS THE NOTICE IS DONE EVERY FOR EVERYBODY'S MEETING.  I CAN DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP FOR MY KNOWLEDGE. YES. OKAY SO SO THE ONLY TEAM WOULD WOULD WRITE UP THAT LITERATURE PIECE AND THEN SEND IT TO THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM.  IS THAT ACCURATE? SO I NEW COMMUNITY SPECIALIST TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THE FLIER AND COORDINATING THE FLIER.  IT INCLUDES THE INFORMATION TO LOG ON AND IF THEY NEED LANGUAGE ACCESS YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE THAT TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY HAS ACCESS TO JOIN THE MEETING. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT THE NEW COMMUNITY SPECIALIST TEAM IS THAT IT CREATES CAPACITY FOR THEM TO YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, EITHER TALK TO A DECK DIRECTLY TO ABUTTERS OR THE DEVELOPER TO MAKE IT TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS. SO IT'S NOT COMPLICATED. IT'S SIMPLE AND MORE CONCISE.  SO IN THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PERSON SENDS IT TO THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM DOES THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PERSON SEND IT TO THE MAYOR'S OWN?  AS YES THE LIAISONS ARE AWARE OF ALL ABUTTERS MEETING COULD IT HAPPEN IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD? I AM. I'M JUST REQUESTING FOR MYSELF . BUT WHEN WHEN THAT NOTIFICATION GOES FROM THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM COULD I ENTER THE OWNER'S IMPACTED OFFICIAL COULD I ALSO BE COULD I ALSO RECEIVE THAT DOCUMENT BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE IT BEFORE THE DEVELOPER AND THE REASON I WOULD SAY THAT IS ONCE RESIDENTS GET THAT FLIER AND CALL MY OFFICE UP ABOUT IT ASKING ME ABOUT A PARTICULAR ISSUE REGARDING THE PROPOSAL AND THE DATE I WANT TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE READY AND I CAN SPEAK ABOUT IT. I DON'T WANT RESIDENTS TO TELL ME ABOUT SOMETHING AND I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OVER OF IT BUT HAVING THAT DOCUMENT WHEN IT GOES OUT FROM THE COMMUNITY SPECIALISTS TO THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND PUTTING THE DISTRICT COUNCIL IS ON THERE I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL. THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO FOR THE NEWEST ESD THAT COULD THANK YOU VICE-CHAIR PEPEN THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU CHAIR OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CABINETS GOOD TO SEE YOU. THOSE ARE TO THE VERY ONE OF MY FAVORITE DEPARTMENTS AND CONVERSATIONS IN THE CITY.  YOU GUYS DO AMAZING WORK 311 OWNERS AND OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING AND SPARC.  YOU GUYS JUST ARE OUT WITH THE COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY 24 SEVEN DOING THE WORK.  MY FIRST QUESTION IS FOR CHIEF MILLER IT IS REGARDING YOUR FY 25 PROPOSED BUDGET. I DO SEE THERE IS AN INCREASE COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS. WHAT CAN YOU BREAK DOWN THE NEW INVESTMENTS THAT ARE GOING INTO YOUR CABINET? DEFINITELY SO A LOT OF OUR THANK YOU COUNSELOR FOR THAT QUESTION. A LOT OF OUR INVESTMENT ARE INTO OUR PEOPLE OVER THAT THE COMING AGE REQUIREMENT BECAUSE REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A PIECE OF THE THE LARGE GROUP OF WORK THAT WE DO THE COMMUNICATION ACADEMY IT REALLY INTENTIONALLY INVESTED INTO OUR PEOPLE THIS YEAR AND OUR PEOPLE POWER.  SO WHETHER THAT MEANS EXPANDING CAPACITY WITHIN OWN AS WITH OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR IS MODEL AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD SALARY ADJUSTMENTS THEY'RE BUILDING OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST TEAM HAS BEEN A PRIORITY AS WE THINK ABOUT THE BORDERS MEETING PROCESS AND HOW WE'RE ENGAGING RESIDENTS THERE . OFFICIALLY INTERNALIZING SPARK IS ONE OF THE KEY PARTS OF THE CABINET ADJUSTMENT ASK AS WELL AND THEN EXPANDING UPON OUR AMAZING PROGRAMING IN THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING LIKE THE CITY HALL ON THE GOLD TRUCK DEFINITELY EXCITED TO SEE A NEW TRUCK AS NATALIA MENTIONED THERE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A NEW TRUCK AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOING DIRECTLY TO RESIDENTS AND PROVIDING RESOURCES DIRECTLY TO EACH AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD.  SOME OF THE INVESTMENT ALSO LOOKS LOOKS LIKE EXPANDING OUR BLOCK PARTY IS OUR CIVIC SUMMIT AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE ADEQUATE PROGRAMING TO MAKE SURE RESIDENTS FEEL EMPOWERED AND CONNECTED TO THE TO THE CITY. THAT'S AWESOME. THAT'S VERY GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU ARE INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE THE COMMUNICATION CABINET AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL REPRESENT AS THE PEOPLE. SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU ARE PAYING YOUR EMPLOYEES WELL IN REGARDS TO THAT THE THREE LONG CALL TAKERS WHAT ARE CALL TRIGGERS MAKE IT THESE DAYS?  IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THANK YOU COUNCILOR , FOR THAT QUESTION.  ONE OF THE KEY AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ONE OF THE KEY PRIORITIES IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR TEAM MEMBERS, WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR STAFF AND WE KNOW BEER AND WINE IS ON THE FRONT LINES ANSWERING CALLS AND SOLVING PROBLEMS LIKE POTHOLES OR ANY NEW POLICY ANNOUNCEMENT AND IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE INVESTED INTO OUR STAFF THIS YEAR AND I WON'T PASS IT OVER TO OUR DIRECTOR TO TALK MORE ABOUT SALARY. SHE PROBABLY KNOWS A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT STUFF BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONNECTED THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THE THREE ONE CALL TAKER IS FELT SUPPORTED AND CONNECTED AND THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES AND CONVERSATION TO MATCH.  THANK YOU CHIEF. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FOR THAT QUESTION AS WE ALL KNOW THE PRICE OF LIVING IN BOSTON IS VERY HIGH COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE CAN HAVE STAFF THAT IS ALSO COMFORTABLE TO LIVE IN THE CITY.  SO PREVIOUSLY IT WAS ACTUALLY STARTING 42,000. WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT UP TO 50,000 NOW ABOUT IN A LITTLE CHANGE BUT WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO INVEST INTO OUR STAFF. YOU KNOW THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND OF HOW DEEP 311 NEEDS TO BE. IT'S NOT REALLY LIKE DISPATCHING A QUESTION FOR AGE STRONG TO A STRONG OR VETERAN SERVICES. YOU KNOW WE ACTUALLY TRY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION WITHOUT HAVING BRING A CONSTITUENT ROUND AND ROUND. SO WE DID INVEST A LITTLE MORE PREVIOUS YEAR COMPARED TO WHAT IT WAS AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY THAT WAS ABLE TO GO THROUGH NOW THAT'S THAT'S SO I JUST TO ADD TO THAT TOO SO WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A SALARY RANGE SO IT ALSO DEPENDS ON JUST UNDER LIKE EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS AND ROLE BUT WE DO HAVE A RANGE FROM LIKE I BELIEVE FOR 52 IT'S IT'S LIKE 63, 60, 63, 64 BUT 50 IS THE START OF YEAH OKAY THAT'S GOOD.  I KNOW THAT WAS A CONCERN BACK IN MOBILE RETENTION OF EMPLOYEES AT 311 SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT THAT HAS INCREASED I ACTUALLY DO HAVE AN ABUTTERS MEETING QUESTION SO I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON COUNCILOR FLYNN'S TOPIC WITH THE CREATION OF THE NEW PLANNING DEPARTMENT, I DO SEE A NATURAL SHIFT OF ABUTTERS MEETINGS FROM NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES TO THAT NEW DEPARTMENT . THAT CONVERSATION HAPPENED.  CAN YOU PUT YOUR QUESTION HAS THE CONVERSATION OF SHIFTING MEETINGS FROM YOUR CABINET TO THE NEW PLANNING DEPARTMENT STARTED?  SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. COUNCILOR SO ONE OF THE REASONING FOR BUILDING OUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST TEAM WITHIN THE CABINET ONE OF THE VISIONS BEHIND THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE CONNECTED TO THE LIAISONS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE BODY THAT YOU KNOW HOW THEY HELD THE ABUTTERS MEETINGS BEFORE FEEL CONNECTED TO THE NEW PROCESS.  SO THIS IS DEFINITELY IN THE PILOT YOU KNOW, BEGINNING STAGES. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING CONVERSATIONS IN THE LONG RUN BUT RIGHT NOW REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT THAT TRANSITION LOOKS LIKE TO REALLY HAVE A WHOLE OTHER TEAM ON THOSE TYPE OF PROCESSES.  OKAY, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.  AND IN REGARDS TO ANOTHER LIAISON RESPONSIBILITY IS THE RESPONDING TO FIRES. I KNOW THAT LIAISONS GO ANYWHERE IN THE CITY. THERE'S A FIRE WITH THE DISPLACEMENTS. ARE THERE ANY RESOURCES FOR THE LIAISONS TO GET TO THE FIRE IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AS YOU MENTIONED, ONE OF THE KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH AND EVERY LIAISON AND HONESTLY THERE ARE ONE SUPPORTS A LOT WITH THIS AS WELL AS AS RESPONDING TO DISPLACEMENTS WHEN OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR RESIDENTS ARE YOU KNOW, IN A TIME OF CRISIS AT A FIRE OR WATER MAIN BREAK AND ONLY IN OUR OWN AS TEAM RESPONSE I WANT TO PASS IT OVER TO OUR DIRECTOR TO KIND OF ANSWER MORE IN DEPTH OF THAT QUESTION YES SO THIS YEAR WE ALSO DID LAUNCH FORMAL TRANSPORTATION AND AS YOU MENTIONED OUR LEADS ONS ARE RESPONDING ALL OVER THE CITY AND I'M SURE AS A FORMER DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW SOMETIMES THE BURDENS THAT CAN HAPPEN WITH OUR YOUNGER TEAM AND SO THERE IS A LIKE A TRANSPORTATION ACCOUNT THAT'S BEEN MADE THAT TOOK A RIDE SHARE APP THAT THEY CAN USE IF THEY'D LIKE TO MOST STILL OPT IN USING THEIR OWN VEHICLE IF THEY'D LIKE TO BUT THEY DO HAVE THAT OPTION THAT'S GREAT. SO THAT'S NEW. YES, THAT'S THAT'S AWESOME. THAT'S THAT'S REALLY GOOD TO KNOW. JUST BECAUSE I KNOW THAT AS WE TRY TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE USE OF VEHICLES, IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE ANOTHER OPTION AT THEIR DISPOSAL.  AND MY LAST QUESTION IS FOR A DIRECTOR OF ANY DEATH IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE IN THIS ROLE. CONGRATULATIONS ON DOING AMAZING LOVE YOUR BLOCK EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY. WE HAVE SOME GREAT ONES IN MY DISTRICT. BUT MY QUESTION IS ACTUALLY REGARDING YOUR CIVIC SUMMIT EVENT ARE YOU PLANNING ON DOING MORE OF THOSE IN THE FUTURE AND IF SO ARE WE GOING TO SPREAD THEM AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF THE CIVIC SUMMITS? I THINK THE CIVIC SUMMIT'S JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY IT'S ONE AS AS THE DIRECTOR MENTIONED, IT'S THE FIRST ONE THIS YEAR WHAT WE'VE SEEN WAS AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF SUPPORT AND LIKE WANTING TO GET INVOLVED.  SO I DEFINITELY BELIEVE THERE'S EXPANSION AND I AM REALLY EXCITED AS YOU MENTIONED ABOUT NATALIA STEPPING INTO THE ROLE AND OWNING SUCH A BIG HUGE PROJECT.  SO I WANT TO PASS IT OVER TO HER AND WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE CAPACITY AND JUST THE EXCITEMENT THAT CAME FROM THE EVENT.  THANK YOU CHIEF AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR FOR THAT QUESTION THE CIVIC SUMMIT WAS A GREAT EVENT. WE HAD 200 CIVIC LEADERS VERY ENGAGED THROUGHOUT A 8 TO 9 HOUR EVENT. IT WAS GREAT THERE IS THERE ARE PLANS TO KEEP EXPANDING WHAT THIS EVENT WILL BE HOWEVER WE FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS OUR VISION IS TO CONTINUE HOSTING ONE BIG EVENT BECAUSE ONE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THIS EVENT IS GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER AS A NETWORKING PIECE FOR THE CITY SOMETIMES OUR NEIGHBORS ARE DOING AMAZING WORK BUT THEY OFTEN TIMES DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER NEIGHBORS ARE ALSO DOING IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS.  AND WE BELIEVE THAT THIS CONNECTION REALLY FOSTERS YOU KNOW, MORE INITIATIVE, MORE CONNECTEDNESS AND JUST BETTER CONNECTIVITY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND JUST ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO TO THE FOUR OF YOU AND TO YOUR TEAM.  CONGRATULATIONS AND JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE FUTURE.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MEJIA THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, CHAIR TO SEE YOU ALL. YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO START WITH YOU, BARBARA, BECAUSE I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE YOU IN THIS ROLE HAVING WORKED WITH YOU IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY AND A VERY DIFFERENT TIME. AND WHAT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ABOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP IS THAT EVEN WHEN WE WERE ON OPPOSITE ENDS OF A CONVERSATION YOU NEVER STOP SEEING ME AS A AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND AS AND AS A PARENT AND YOU WERE ABLE TO EMBRACE ALL MY ROUGH EDGES AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING ADVOCATES, SOMETIMES PEOPLE LOSE OF OF ALL OF THE ENERGY THAT PEOPLE BRING INTO SPACE AND WITH GOOD REASON OFTENTIMES BECAUSE WE HAVE LOST FAITH IN GOVERNMENT AND OR INSTITUTIONS AND SO I JUST WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR ABILITY TO NAVIGATE THAT VERY DIFFICULT TIME MANY YEARS AGO WHEN THERE WAS SO MUCH HEATED DEBATE BETWEEN VERY OPPOSING VIEWS AND I JUST REMEMBER HOW YOU WERE ABLE TO JUST STAY REAL GROUNDED IN THAT AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO INCREDIBLY ENCOURAGED THAT YOU ARE AT THE HELM WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING BECAUSE EVERYONE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS HISTORY, HAS TRAUMA, HAS A SUITCASE OF DRAMA AND SO ALL OF THAT WORK COMES WITH REALLY BUILDING TRUST. AND IF WE DON'T HAVE TRUST THEN WE'RE JUST PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING IS JUST FOR SHOW. AND SO I'M JUST REALLY ENCOURAGED THAT YOU ARE OVERSEEING THAT DEPARTMENT BECAUSE I'VE SEEN YOUR LEADERSHIP IN OTHER SPACES AND PLACES AND SO WELCOME TO WELCOME TO THE MADNESS AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING AS SUPPORTIVE AS I CAN BE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS. RIGHT? AND SO WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE I WELCOME YOU TO REACH OUT TO ME . I KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN THE MAKE CELL AT ALL TIMES BUT LIKE YOU KNOW YOU HAVE MY DIRECT LINE AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS SPACE AND SO WELCOME.  I KNOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE BUT YOU KNOW, AS YOUR FIRST OFFICIAL SITUATION HERE WITH US AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM FROM YOU DIRECTLY IN TERMS OF YOUR VISION. HOW DO YOU SEE OPENNESS,  INTERFACING AND INTERACTING AND ENGAGING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL ? AND I ASK THAT QUESTION I'M NOT ASKING FOR ABUTTERS MEETING NOTICES THAT'S NOT WHERE I'M GETTING AT FOR ME I REALLY DO. HAVING BEEN HERE NOW FOR FOUR YEARS REALLY AM LOOKING FOR SOME GUIDANCE IN WAYS IN WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THAT'S THE THING THAT I DEEPLY CARE ABOUT . WHAT'S YOUR VISION FOR STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE DISTRICT COUNCILORS AND THAT LARGE COUNCILORS AS YOU CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THIS WORK BECAUSE WHAT I OFTEN SEE IS THAT WE FEEL SOMETIMES LEFT OUT OF CONVERSATION AND NOT JUST INTENTIONALLY JUST SO MUCH IS HAPPENING BUT KIND OF WHAT IS YOUR VISION AROUND STRENGTHENING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OWNERS AND THE COUNCIL ? THANK YOU COUNCILOR AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS. I THINK I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR ALMOST A DECADE NOW. YES, MAYBE I WOULD GO WAY BACK AND TO KNOW ME IS TO LOVE ME AND SO YOU HAVE YEAH I THINK FOR ME JUST LIKE A PHILOSOPHY I HAVE WITH OWNERS IN GENERAL IS JUST ONE ON ONE RELATIONSHIPS OF COURSE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT I GIAN IS YOU KNOW ALWAYS INVOLVED BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ALMOST EVERY DAY ABOUT AN OWNER'S IS CONNECTING WITH FOLKS ONE ON ONE. SO WHETHER THAT'S YOU KNOW WITH STAFF BUT REALLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS WITH THE RESIDENTS AND HEARING THEM AND SEEING THEM AND LEARNING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEIR PAST AND WHY THEY MIGHT FEEL DISENFRANCHIZED OR DISCONNECTED FROM GOVERNMENT. I REALLY ACTUALLY THAT THE WORK STARTS THERE AND SO IN THAT REGARD YOU KNOW AS MY STAFF ARE MEETING WITH FOLKS ON THE GROUND ONE ON ONE THEN WORKING TOGETHER AND SEEING IS OUR OFFICE THE BEST OFFICE TO WORK WITH THEM, IS IT A COUNCIL'S OFFICE ETC. I THINK JUST A GROUND AND THE FIRST REMARKS OF YOUR CONVERSATION IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO GO BACK TO WHAT THE PEOPLE NEED AND SO THAT'S WHERE I'D LIKE TO START THE CONVERSATION AND FROM THERE WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHO'S THE BEST EQUIPPED TO TO ASSIST THEM.  YEAH, YEAH. I WANT TO JUST OFFER THAT IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION I THINK THAT SOMETIMES YOU KNOW CHIEF, YOU WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE SO YOU YOU'VE YOU'VE HAD THE LUXURY OF BOTH BEING ON THE COUNCIL AND NOW SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY. SO I'M SURE YOU UNDERSTAND KIND OF LIKE THE LINE OF QUESTIONING WHERE WE'RE GOING HERE AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU ENVISION CAN EXIST TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNICATION VISE VERSA? RIGHT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES JUST GO TO 311 WHICH YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING. WE GO TO YOU FOR EVERYTHING.  BUT I JUST REALLY THINK BECAUSE WHEN I'M OUT IN THE STREETS I THINK THAT WE IF PEOPLE SEE US AS WE'RE SUPPORTING EACH OTHER'S WORK THEN EVERYONE WINS. WHAT HAPPENS?  WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN CERTAIN SPACES AND PLACES AND THIS HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY SINCE I'VE WALKED INTO THIS BUILDING IS THAT THERE'S SOMEWHAT OF A DISCONNECT AND I'D LOVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT A MORE INTEGRATED PROCESS COULD LOOK LIKE WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO HELP SUPPORT OUR CONSTITUENTS.  DEFINITELY. JUST A COMMENT ON THAT.  I CANNOT UNDERSCORE ENOUGH HOW EXCITED EXCITED I AM THAT BEATA HAS JOINED IN TAKING ON THIS ROLE AND REALLY BROUGHT HER EXPERTISE FROM ALL OF HER. YOU KNOW, NOT JUST PROFESSIONAL TERRAINS BUT LIVED EXPERIENCE INTO THIS AND REALLY CENTERING PEOPLE AND A LOT OF THE WORK THAT SHE DOES AND INSTILLS IN THE LIAISON IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS A PRIORITY FOR OUR CABINET IN CONNECTING WITH THE COUNCIL . FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT OUR DIRECTOR OF THE ONE STARTED WAS MAKING SURE THE COUNCIL HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK THROUGH AND ONE UNDERSTAND THE THROUGH AND ONE AND UNDERSTAND THE INTRICACIES OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ON THE BACK END SO WE CAN BOTH UNDERSTAND WHERE WHERE WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT OUR CHALLENGES ARE BUT AS WELL AS WHAT OUR TRIUMPHS ARE WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING AND AMPLIFYING IN EACH AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD?  WE ALSO HAVE OWNERS EVERY EVERY FRIDAY DOING COFFEE HOURS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING OUR COUNCIL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OTHER YOU KNOW, ELECTED OFFICIALS PARTICIPATING IN THEM. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK DIRECTLY TO RESIDENTS BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES ARE HOPING IT HOSTED IN BUSINESSES. IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH DIFFERENT BUSINESSES AND EACH AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL.  WE ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A DEEPER CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A HEARING THAT THE CHAIRMAN DID PROPOSE ON SUPPORTING DIFFERENT CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.  SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT CIVICS AS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN OUR CABINET AND THE COUNCIL AS WELL. THANK YOU. MY TIME IS GOING TO RUN OUT AND I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT WE WILL HAVE A SECOND ROUND SO I'LL RESPECTFULLY WAIT FOR THAT. THANK YOU COUNSELOR ON FINANCIAL INCENTIVE FOR US. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR FOR EVERYONE.  CHIEF, CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PERSONNEL BUDGET? IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S TAKING A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE TO 1,024,243.  CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW YOU'VE BUDGETED AND THE REASONS FOR THAT? YEAH. SO MOST OF OUR BUDGET OVERALL IS PERSONNEL. SO AS I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, WHAT WE INTENTIONALLY DID THIS YEAR IS INVESTED INTO OUR STAFF.  I WANT TO PASS IT OVER TO BAIADA BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIG CHUNKS OF THE PERSONNEL INVESTMENT WAS ON US. WE REALIZED WE WANTED TO NOT ONLY INVEST INTO THE LIAISONS PROFESSIONALLY, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE SUPPORTED, THAT THEY HAD WRAPAROUND YOU KNOW, WRAPAROUND SERVICES BECAUSE THEY HAVE A TOUGH JOB. THEY RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES WHEN PEOPLE ARE IN CRISIS. YEAH, THEY HAVE A TOUGH JOB AND WRITE THAT DOWN. WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR YOUR STAFF PEOPLE REALLY JUST SAID SORRY , SORRY . CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT TYPE OF WRAPAROUND SO WE HAVE YOU KNOW WHETHER THAT MEANS PUBLIC SPEAKING TRAININGS, MENTAL HEALTH LIKE MENTAL HEALTH WE HAD A YOU KNOW, RETREAT LAST YEAR TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE UNDERSTANDING HOW TO HAVE TOUGH CONVERSATION, HOW TO HAVE A TOUGH DISCOURSE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE TOOLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL JUST IN THIS JOB. BUT ANY SINGLE JOB THAT THEY WANT TO DO AFTER THIS AND ONE OF THE KEY FUNCTIONS TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS HAVING A STRONGER DEPUTY DIRECTOR MODEL. BUT I WANT TO PASS OVER TO BARBARA TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS INCREASE IN STAFF ALSO PAY ALSO YES. BUT THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STUFF SUPPORTS THAT'S NOT UNDER PERSONNEL IT ISN'T SO WE ALREADY HAVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALLOCATED IS THAT IN OUR BUDGET PERSON IT'S A FUNDING SOURCE SO WE CONTRACT OUT SOMETIMES TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE TOO SO NOT SO IN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES IT IS YEAH. THANK YOU SO THE ONE POINT THE 1 MILLION AND SO THAT'S THAT'S BASICALLY INCREASING STAFF MAKE SURE YOU'RE RESPECTING THEM AND PAYING THEM WELL ENOUGH AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT CONTRACTUAL FUNDS ASIDE BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE YOU HAVE A LOT YOU'RE GOING YOU'RE JUST GOING FROM LIKE YOU'RE GETTING LIKE A 20,000 INCREASE IN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES WHICH NOT A LOT I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR MORE AND I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING AS WELL FOR LIKE 311 YOU KNOW AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS RIGHT?  YEAH. IN TERMS OF FOLKS RECEIVING CRISIS CALLS TRAUMA IT'S TRAUMATIC AND WITHIN ITSELF BUT THEN DEALING WITH IT AND ALL OF THAT AND THEN LAST YEAR WE TRIED TO CREATE AN EVENT WE ACTUALLY PASSED THE AMENDMENT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO IT BUT WE DIDN'T FOLLOW IT UP BUT IT WAS LIKE $50,000 SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS TYPE OF MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND SERVICES.  I DO WANT TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR CONTRACT TO OUR SERVICES IN TERMS OF DEMOGRAPHICS. YOU DIDN'T SUBMIT THE INFORMATION SO IF YOU COULD JUST SEND IT TO THE CHAIR, DEFINITELY.  I APPRECIATE THAT. JUST YOU KNOW, OUR JOB LIKE FIGURING OUT EQUITY AND ARE WE MEETING OUR STANDARDS FOR BRP AND STUFF LIKE THAT I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.  AND THEN YOUR YOUR SPA PERSON HAS BEEN APPOINTED OR HIRED SO IT IT WAS MISSING FROM THE ORG CHART HE LITERALLY STARTED LIKE THIS WEEK. YEAH OKAY SO YOU SUBMITTED THIS EARLY. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. COULD YOU PLEASE SUBMIT ON RECORD YOUR CHART WE ASKED FOR A COMPANY'S SALARIES BUT THAT WAS MISSING AS WELL. I MEAN I LOOKED IT ALL UP.  DON'T TALK ABOUT IT OUT LOUD PER SE BUT DID HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN HERE A WHILE THEIR SALARIES ESPECIALLY WOMEN IN COMPARISON TO NEW FOLKS THAT ARE GETTING PAID MORE THAN THEM SO JUST DIDN'T WANT TO CAUSE TOO MUCH OR CALL OUT NUMBERS BUT JUST TO BE FAIR AND EQUITABLE I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND IF THAT MEANS WE'RE YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT FAIR COMPENSATION AND ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN AUTOMATED I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE YOU HAVE THAT SAME POSITION SO I SAW THOSE NUMBERS AND I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED BUT I UNDERSTAND RETAINING PEOPLE, RIGHT? NO PEOPLE AND YOU'RE LIKE YOU WANT TO PAY THEM?  WELL I WANT TO MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE, RIGHT? WE WANT TO BRING PEOPLE IN.  BUT AT SAME TIME THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT'S BEEN PUTTING IN SOME REALLY HARD WORK AND THEN IT'S THERE THEY'RE NOW LIKE LESS DEMAND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COMING IN AND SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT OUT. ALSO EMPLOYEES WHO ARE WOMEN YOUR 23 WAS 55 PROJECTED 2455. THERE'S A NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WOMEN AND THEN TARGETED 40 WHY TARGET FOR IF WHY 25 ONLY 42 WENT DOWN 5515 IS THAT A TYPO I CAN LOOK INTO I CAN LOOK INTO THAT AND HAVE AGI FOLLOWED AFTER PLEASE AND THIS IS IN YOUR ARE FIVE PAGE 15 AND THEN EMPLOYEES OF EMPLOYEES OF COLOR SEEMS TO ALSO TAKE LIKE A ONE NUMBER HIT FROM F 2349 THEREFORE I 2451 AND THEN 25 GOING TO 50. SO JUST WONDERING ARE WE LOSING A STAFF WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE? UM I THINK IN TERMS OF PROGRAMMATIC PROGRAMMATIC THE CLOCK STOP WORKING NOW OKAY SO I KNOW THAT I HATE CLOCK IN TERMS OF PROGRAMMATIC STUFF ARE WE'VE AROUND TO THE NUMBER THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS I CAN SUBMIT ON RECORD AND WE CAN WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT I THINK YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES AMAZING WORK SHOUT OUT TO 80 LIKE YOU ARE ALWAYS THERE.  I HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY YOU GUYS KNEW BUT I KNOW THAT YOU ARE AMAZING AT WHAT YOU DO RESPONSIVE AND YOU REALLY PUT IN THE WORK.  I APPRECIATE YOU WORKING WITH MY TEAM. THERE'S NEVER LIKE THIS LEVEL OF LIKE I AM THE QUEEN KISS THE RING. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE THAT MEANS ACCESS. THAT MEANS INCLUSION AND TRANSPARENCY AND I APPRECIATE YOU KNOW, I DID LOOK AT YOUR NUMBERS YOUR CALLS ARE GOING DOWN BY HUNDREDS. WHAT'S GOING ON? DID WE FIX ALL THE HALF THE PROBLEMS?  WELL, A BIG PART RIGHT NOW ACTUALLY MATCHES IS WAS A HUGE THING LAST YEAR I'M SURE AS MANY OF YOU COUNCIL AS KNOW WE ACTUALLY JUST LAUNCHED A WAY TO SCHEDULE IT FROM THE WEBSITE SO THE NUMBERS HOPEFULLY WILL COME BACK DOWN AND WE CAN TAKE LONGER ON THESE PHONE CALLS. IT DO REQUIRE MORE ATTENTION AND I'M SURE THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOMETHING ELSE TO SPIKE UP THE NUMBERS AGAIN. BUT THE APP IT LOOKS LIKE MORE PEOPLE ARE PUTTING THINGS IN THROUGH THE APP AS WELL WHICH IS HUGE. IT'S REALLY HELPFUL FOR US BECAUSE YOU CAN UPLOAD PHOTOS WHEREAS THROUGH A PHONE CALL YOU CAN'T UPLOAD A PHOTO AS EASY AND THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT FOR DEPARTMENTS TO SEE AND DISTINGUISH HOW SEVERE AN ISSUE IS.  SO THAT IS A BIG PART OF IT. SO PUTTING IN MORE TECH SERVICES IS REALLY HELPFUL. ONE OBVIOUSLY FOR THE STAFF OURSELVES TO BRING DOWN NUMBERS THEY'RE TAKING DEPENDING ON YOUR SHIFT BUT 100 TO 200 CALLS A DAY CAN REALLY TAKE A TURN ON SOMEONE'S MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL, ESPECIALLY THE TYPE OF CALLS I MIGHT COME IN LIKE YOU HAD MENTIONED THERE'S DISTRESS CALLS, THERE'S MENTAL HEALTH CALLS THAT COME IN THAT NEED ASSISTANCE. IT'S NOT JUST THAT HEY, THERE'S A POTHOLE HERE THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED THAT OFTEN TIMES IS HOW THREE ON ONE IS KIND OF CATEGORIZED. BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT DO COME IN. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY IN A WAY GRATEFUL THAT NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE BIT GOING DOWN FOR PHONE CALLS JUST BECAUSE THAT GIVES US MORE TIME TO REALLY HELP A CONSTITUENT FULLY OUT AND REALLY HEAR THEM OUT RATHER THAN SAYING ALL RIGHT, THANKS, I GOT IT. I'M GOING TO SEND THIS LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ACROSS NOW WE CAN REALLY SAY HEY CAN YOU PLEASE THOROUGHLY EXPLAIN THE SITUATION FOR US AND AGAIN, THE TECHNOLOGY IS GREAT TO HELP FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT NOT BE COMFORTABLE CALLING BUT WE'LL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR A PHONE CALL AS WELL.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY TIME IS UP. I'LL COME BACK.  BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY OUR CHIEF I I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU WERE BRILLIANT BUT TO SEE YOU GET BETTER AND BETTER AND BETTER AT THIS JOB IS IS REALLY COMMENDABLE AND I APPRECIATE YOU OBVIOUSLY I'M A FAN SO BUT WE'LL I'LL DO THE THE QUESTIONS ON PROGRAM AFTER THIS THANK YOU SO MUCH THANK YOU COUNCILOR WEBER THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU CHAIR I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT 311. I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN SOMETHING'S HAPPENING SOMEONE NEEDS TO CALL ON ONE. IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S SORT OF A LIKE IN-BETWEEN NATURE OF THEIR PROBLEM AND THAT SOMETHING HAS OCCURRED BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF IN BETWEEN TWO DEPARTMENTS AND THAT SOMETIMES WHEN THEY GET THERE WHEN THEY THEY ACTUALLY IT GETS ADDRESSED THEY THEY KIND OF END UP THEY GET SENT PLACE AND YOU KNOW IT'S LIKE WELL THIS ISN'T PUBLIC WORKS AT SOME YOU KNOW, SOMEPLACE ELSE. WHAT IS YOUR OFFICE DO TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE YOU KNOW GET AN ANSWER NOT JUST YOU KNOW REFER TO ONE PLACE WHERE THEY'LL BE SORT OF BATTED AROUND TWO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ACTUALLY WANT TO CHIME IN BEFORE I PASS OVER THE DIRECTOR BECAUSE CASES ARE YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SUBMITTED TO 311. BUT ONE OF THE KEY COLLABORATIONS THAT HAPPENED IN OUR CABINET IS OWN AND THROUGH AND ONE LEADS ONES ARE ALSO WORKING YOU ON CALL TAKERS TO UNDERTAKE MORE COMPLEX CASES THAT NEED TO LIKE HAVE A GO BETWEEN BUT ONE OF THE KEY INVESTMENTS THAT WE KICKED OFF LAST YEAR WAS THAT LIKE ONE MEMBER OF OUR QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DO EXPANDING THERE BUT I WANTED TO PASS IT OVER TO THE DIRECTOR TO TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.  THINK CHIEF AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR FOR THAT QUESTION.  THIS IS THE PART WHERE LIKE TRAINING IS HUGE FOR OUR STAFF. UNFORTUNATELY LIKE THE SYSTEMS ARE LIMITED SO SOMETIMES WHEN A CALL GOES TO LET'S SAY DIRECTLY TO PUBLIC WORKS RATHER THAN CALLING 311A PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE MAY ONLY REALLY KNOW ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS RIGHT WHEREAS 311 IS TRAINED TO REALLY KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EVERYTHING SO THEY CAN KIND OF MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS TO SAY HEY THIS SOUNDS LIKE A BTD ISSUE BUT IT COULD ALSO BE PUBLIC WORKS OR PARKS DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE SOMETIMES THOSE LINES ARE REALLY BLURRED.  SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL ACTUALLY JUST SEND A CASE TO ALL OF THEM AND PART OF IT IS AGAIN A LIMITED SYSTEM.  SO SOMETIMES YOU'LL SEE LIKE NUMBERS WILL SEEM BIGGER THAN THEY ARE IN SOME WAYS BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE REALLY HANDLING THAT ISSUE AND TO AVOID THAT CONSTITUENT AND HAVING TO CALL PUBLIC WORKS OR CALL BTD, WE'RE LIKE NO NO, NO 311 IS THAT ONE STOP CONSTITUENT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CALL DEPARTMENTS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEIR CASE. THAT SHOULD BE OUR JOB AND THAT'S PART OF THE BIG REASON WHY WE'RE BUILDING OUT THAT KEY TEAM QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM TO MAKE SURE THESE ISSUES ARE RESOLVED BEFORE A CONSTITUENT EVEN HAS TO CALL BACK AND FOLLOW UP ON IT.  OKAY. YEAH AND ALONG THE SAME LINES YOU KNOW, IS THERE IS THERE ANY WAY FOR PEOPLE TO TRACK WHO HAS LOOKED AT THE COMPLAINT WHO'S BEEN RESPONDING TO THAT COMPLAINT THROUGH THE 311 SYSTEM LIKE IF WE COULD IF WE GET SOMEBODY WHO'S FILED SOMETHING IT MIGHT HELP OUT IS A WAY TO TRACK THAT SO AS SORRY AS WE KNOW OUR SYSTEM IS ACTUALLY REALLY OLD. IT'S FROM 2006 I BELIEVE. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING A NEW SYSTEM AND ONE OF OUR REQUIREMENTS ARE THOSE NOTIFICATIONS FOR CONSTITUENTS RIGHT NOW MOST OF OUR TECHNOLOGY IS A DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR THE APP IS THROUGH A THIRD PARTY. THE CRM SYSTEM INTERNALLY IS THROUGH A THIRD PARTY. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT MAKING THAT MORE STREAMLINED SO THAT WHENEVER SOMETHING MIGHT GET REALLOCATED TO A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT THEY'LL GET THAT NOTIFICATION OR SAY HEY THIS IS SCHEDULED TO LIKE A TREE TRIMMING. LET'S SAY THOSE TAKE SOME TIME HEY THIS IS SCHEDULED FOUR MONTHS FROM NOW OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE SO THAT IS IN THE WORKS BUT THEY CAN ALSO STILL CALL 311. THERE'S INTERNAL NOTES THAT WE SEE THAT UNFORTUNATELY AGAIN SYSTEMS ARE LIMITED SO IT CAN'T BE PUT OUT THERE JUST YET. BUT FOLLOWING UP WITH US AND SAYING HEY, I WANTED TO CHECK IN MY CASE THERE'S INTERNAL NOTES THAT WE CAN SEE AND PROVIDE TO THE CONSTITUENT AS WELL.  OKAY. AND SO YEAH, I JUST YEAH I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL AS SOME OF MY STAFF WHO WAS THE JP LIAISON SAID IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL YOU KNOW IF IF WE KNOW WHO SPECIFICALLY WORKED ON THE CASE AND SO WE YOU KNOW WE COULD THEN NOT HAVE TO START FROM SCRATCH IF THERE'S A RELATED CASE OR IF SOMEBODY IS FOLLOWING UP WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS HAPPENED.  SO AND THEN AS YOU MENTIONED BROWN YOU MENTIONED AS A CHIEF YOU MENTIONED THE QUALITY ASSURANCE HOW HOW MANY QUALITY ASSURANCE PEOPLE ARE WORKING FOR YOU. SO WE WE RECEIVED ONE LAST YEAR AND WE JUST AS AN EXPERIMENTAL TO SEE HOW MUCH IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT AND WE SEEN THAT IN THE NUMBERS THAT YOU KIND OF GOT ON THE SLIDES THAT IT DOES HAVE HELP WITH AT LEAST ONE PERSON HELPS WITH A LOT OF GETTING AND CHECKING A LOT OF THE COMPLEX CASES AND CONNECTING WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. BUT WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO EXPANDING THOSE THE TEAM'S CAPACITY IN THE IN THE YEARS TO COME. OKAY. DID YOU HAVE ANY FOR THE NEXT YEAR ARE YOU GOING TO EXPAND THAT?  YEAH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO LIKE FIXING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE FUTURE.  DO YOU HAVE A PLAN FOR HOW MANY HOW MANY MORE WE'RE DOING BASED ON OUR CALL VOLUME WE'VE LOOKING FOR AT LEAST A TEAM OF INCHES TOTALITY SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING LIKE REALLY BUILDING THE PILOT LIKE IT'S A IT FEELS LIKE A PILOT NOW BECAUSE IT'S JUST ONE PERSON BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO KIND OF BUILDING OUT THAT TEAM FOR SURE. OKAY. AND THEN IN THE RFI WE ASKED ABOUT BUDGET INCREASES AND MAYBE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES WAS PERMANENT EMPLOYEES AND THERE'S A IT'S 51000 AND IT'S 767,000 AND THE EXPLANATION WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF IT LISTS LIKE OWN AS REORGANIZE ASIAN LIAISON COMPENSATION EVALUATION TRANSFER OF SPARK. BOSTON THREE ONE CALL TAKERS MOVED TO ASK ME AND STEP INCREASES.  CAN YOU JUST IDENTIFY LIKE HOW MUCH OF THAT MONEY IS GOING TO EACH OF THESE THINGS OR YOU KNOW IS THIS 767,000 DUDE, DO YOU HAVE I MAYBE YOU CAN SHARE WITH MY OFFICE I CAN HAVE AIR FOLLOW UP BECAUSE THEY HAVE LIKE A SHEET THAT HAS THE INTERNAL BREAKDOWN BUT IS THAT AS I'M ASSUMING THAT'S WHAT YEAH WHAT WAS THE BREAKDOWN OF EACH ONE. YEAH I'M JUST WONDERING FOR HOW MUCH IS GOING TO EACH ONE OF THOSE LIAISON COMPENSATION EVALUATION IS THAT OH THAT MEANS LIKE STEP INCREASES OR GIVING LIKE LIKE REEVALUATING THEIR SALARY OF COURSE ACCORDING TO THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND STUFF LIKE THAT. YEAH, I WAS JUST I WAS HOPING MONEY WOULD GO TO INCREASE SALARY FOR FIRST LIAISONS. I DON'T KNOW BUT READING THIS I WAS WONDERING IF WE'RE SPENDING MONEY TO TO OH NO THAT'S THE ACTUAL WHETHER THEY NEED TO KNOW SORRY THAT IS THE ACTUAL AMOUNT I'LL GIVE THEM TO INCREASE THEIR SALARIES. OKAY GOOD TO HEAR. YEAH I YOU KNOW I LOVE TO SEE THEM. THAT MAKES SENSE THAT COMPENSATION. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU.  COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY. I HAVE QUESTIONS ACTUALLY ONE THAT DOVETAILS OFF OF A QUESTION THAT COUNSELOR WEBER ASKED ABOUT SYSTEMS.  I THINK YOU STATED THAT THE CRM SYSTEM RIGHT NOW WAS MANAGED THROUGH A THIRD PARTY. WHAT THIRD PARTY IS THAT AND WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE LOOKING TO UPGRADE TO?  SO BEFORE I PASS IT OVER TO THE DIRECTOR WE ARE IN HOURS OF DEMOS OF UNDERSTANDING THAT A POTENTIAL NEW CRM SYSTEM IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF THAT SYSTEM LIKE OF COURSE YOU GUYS MENTIONED LIKE HAVING NOTIFICATIONS AND IDENTIFYING DUPLICATES THINGS LIKE THAT BUT I'LL PASS IT OVER TO OUR DIRECTOR TO TALK ABOUT MORE IN THE WEEDS ON THAT. THANK YOU CHIEF COUNSELOR FOR THE QUESTION.  THE SYSTEMS ARE ACTUALLY LIVING UNDER DO IT SO THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO FULLY TALK ABOUT THAT THE SYSTEMS MORE DIRECTLY LEGALLY BECAUSE WE'RE IN AN RFP I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW I CAN STATE THE NAMES OF THE CRM SYSTEMS SO I JUST WANT TO BE I'M HAPPY TO CHECK OFF LINE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE NAME OF THE CONTROLLER. CAROLINE SO WE'RE CURRENTLY WITH VARIANT AND THIS IS MORE OF SO JUST BACKGROUND ON IT WE DID HAVE THE SYSTEM IN 22,006 THERE WAS A PROJ STARTED THAT WE FOUND WASN'T THE RIGHT WAY TO GO WASN'T WHAT WE WANTED IT TO DO.  SO THAT PROGRAM WAS SCRATCHED AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE NOW IN THE NEW STAGES OF RECEIVING A NEW RFP AND OR CRM SYSTEM THROUGH THE RFP. WE'RE ALMOST THERE SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? WAS THERE IT DOES. AND SO I MEAN THERE'S SOME SYNERGY BETWEEN WHAT COUNSELOR WEBER WAS STATING AND WHAT COMES FROM HE WAS SAYING AND CERTAIN TRENDS OF LIKE WE OFFER OFTENTIMES ARE DEALING WITH SIMILAR CONSTITUENTS AND WHAT EVEN IF YOU KNOW AS THIS COUNCIL HAS OVER TIME LOOKED AT CRM SYSTEMS TO INVEST IN IF THERE WERE MULTIPLE LICENSES IN A CRM SYSTEM THAT WAS A GERMAN AND EVEN YOU KNOW DETERMINING THERE ARE PROBABLY WAYS FOR DO IT OR SOMEONE ELSE TO BE INVOLVED WITH DETERMINING WHETHER AN ADDITIONAL LICENSE COULD BE GRANTED FOR THE COUNCIL AND EVEN IF LIKE FOR WHATEVER REASON POLITICAL OR OTHERWISE INFORMATION WANTED TO BE PROPRIETARY IT COULD STILL BE INVOLVED WITH SOME INFORMATION SHARING TO LIKE AT LEAST KNOW TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH THIS CONSTITUENT HAS CALLED WITH THE QUESTION BECAUSE OFTENTIMES OUR WORK ENDS UP BEING DUPLICATIVE AND IT ENDS UP BEING THIS WAY WE'RE LIKE I'M GOING TO WORK ON THIS FIRST OR YOU KNOW, AND WHERE ACTUALLY IF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED OR SOMEONE IS DUE THE PROBLEM THAT IS IT'S KNOWN AND SO THAT THE CITY COUNCIL KNOWS IT AND SO THAT EVERYONE IN ADMIN KNOWS IT AND THAT COULD BE SOLVED BY THE COUNCIL HAVING AN ADDITIONAL LICENSE THAT HAS LIKE LIMITED PERMISSIONS. BUT WHERE THEY ARE WE'RE LIKE ALL OPERATING THE SAME SYSTEM. SO JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT AS AN IDEA AND SO I'D LOVE TO SORT OF LEARN ABOUT WHO YOU ULTIMATELY END UP CHOOSING AS THE CRM SYSTEM AFTER THE RFP PROCESS.  UM, I HAVE A QUESTION JUST IN TERMS OF AND I GOT AN EARFUL YESTERDAY AS I AS I SHOULD HAVE FROM A CIVIC LEADER IN TALKING ABOUT HOW SCHEDULED MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE AT THE SAME TIME ON ISSUES OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO A NEIGHBORHOOD AND I'M WONDERING LIKE WHAT WORK IS DONE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT LIKE THAT IS NOT HAPPENING BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CIVIC LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITY TO TRY TO MAKE THAT MEETING ON WHITE STADIUM AND GO TO THEIR MEETING AND GO TO THE ABUTTERS MEETING. SO LIKE IS THERE WORK BEING DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ISN'T HAPPENING?  YEAH, DEFINITELY. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION COUNCILOR . IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE CREATE SPACES FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE AND LEARN NEW INFORMATION THROUGH THAT CHALLENGE IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BEING MINDFUL OF WHEN THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN EACH NEIGHBORHOOD OR IN EACH COMMUNITY.  WE WE DEFINITELY TRY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING FOR LIAISONS DIFFERENT DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PROBABLY HOSTING MEETINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT WHEN THINGS LIKE THAT COME UP PLEASE JUST LET US KNOW TOO SO WE CAN BE MINDFUL BUT THERE'S A LOT GOING ON. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NEIGHBORS HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE. THANK YOU. I THINK THIS SPECIFIC PERSON YES IT FOR YOU YEAH FLAGGED IT FOR ME FLAGGED IT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTED TO PUT IT OUT THERE. YOU KNOW I THINK ALSO PART OF THE ISSUE IS IS IS IN BUILDING THE BENCH OF CIVIC LEADERS NOT NECESSARILY IF THAT'S THE ROLE OF THE CITY PER SE BUT I THINK IT IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT WAS ALSO ELEVATED. YOU KNOW, MATTAPAN GOING TO HAVE A NEW LIAISON AND I AM ALWAYS YOU'LL HEAR ME IN EVERY HEARING IN EVERY MEETING TALKING ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PAYING OUR PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE WORTH ESPECIALLY IN A CITY LIKE BOSTON AS A SECOND MOST EXPENSIVE CITY TO RENT.  AND SO I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE STAGNANT IN POSITIONS BUT WE ALSO WANT TO BUILD FOR NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE MATTAPAN CIVIC LEADERS FROM WITHIN. AND SO I'M WONDERING LIKE YOU KNOW, I HOPEFULLY WE GET A REALLY GREAT LIAISON FOR THE MATTAPAN NEIGHBORHOOD BUT ALSO THINK ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE CITY TO BE HELPING TO SPREAD SORT OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WORK THAT HAPPENS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SO THAT WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO ONE CIVIC LEADER YEAH THAT THE CIVIC LEADERS DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME TO REALLY BE DOING THE TRAINING OF YOU KNOW OF OF A NEW LIAISON EVERY TIME LIKE OH WHO ARE THE PLAYERS?  WHO ARE THE PEOPLE? SO MAYBE THAT'S THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN INCREASING PEOPLE'S SALARIES BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, RIGHT? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE TRAINING BUT LIKE HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE BUILDING A POWERFUL BENCH WITH ANY IS ON THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WANT TO BE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS DEFINITELY WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT WE HAVE SUCH AN AMAZING TEAM AND BECAUSE OF THAT THEY GO ON TO DO GREAT AND BEAUTIFUL AND WONDERFUL THINGS THAT IMPACT DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS THE DRIVING VISION BEHIND THE CIVIC SUMMIT WAS TO HAVE A MIX OF OUR CIVIC LEADERS AND OUR UP AND COMING LEADERS AND IT'S A REALLY OPPORTUNITY FOR NOT JUST THEM TO CONNECT WITH CITY SERVICES AND UNDERSTAND HOW THE CITY WORKS BUT TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER SO THEY CAN ALSO SELF EMPOWER AS WE'RE ALSO EMPOWERING THROUGH THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING.  ONE OF THE OTHER PIECES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IS YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT OUR CIVIC LEADERS, OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND ARE, YOU KNOW, FULLY CONNECTED TO THE CITY AND THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT AND RESOURCES AS WELL WHERE WE CAN AND LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNCIL AS WELL AND WE KNOW BUILDING A BENCH MEANS LIKE MAKING SURE WE HAVE IN INTERGENERATIONAL MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE ACCESSIBLE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE ON A PROJECT WHETHER THAT MEANS ATTENDING A MEETING OR HAVING MULTIPLE MEETINGS ON THE SAME TOPIC OR HAVING A GOOGLE SHEET OR WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE. SO THERE IS MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE IF I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT I HOPE I'M SORRY BUT THAT ALSO APPLIES TO ME . I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN I SAY BUILDING A BADGE I ALSO MEAN LIKE RENTERS AND I SAY RIGHT. I'M LIKE NOT JUST THE FOLKS WHO END UP POWER IS A WEIRD WORD TO USE BUT WHEN A BEING HAVING POWERS LIKE WE NEED TO SPREAD WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS DEFINITELY AND IT HAS TO LIKE WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF ISSUES OF CLASSISM THAT PRESENT THEMSELVES AND IF WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A CITY THAT WE WANT IT DOES INVOLVE PEOPLE WHO ARE RENTING IT. I LIKE CIVIC LEADERS SO I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS BUT I HAVE TO RESPECT THE CLOCK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR SANTANA, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. YOU MR . THANK YOU MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE. NICE TO SEE YOU ALL.  I'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH YOU ALL AND CONGRATULATIONS.  THEY ARE UNDER AN OVERALL VERY SIMILAR TO TO YOU AND NATALIA. SO GREAT TO SEE YOU DOING AMAZING WORK. SO WE'LL ACTUALLY START WITH THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING IN CHIEF AS THIS IS ONE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, VERY PERSONAL TO ME . I'M GLAD TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE INVESTMENTS IN CITY HALL TO GO TRUCK.  I LOVE TO SEE THE INCREASED NUMBERS OF CLEAN UPS, THE CIVIC SUMMIT. I HAD A CHANCE TO ATTEND THAT AND YOU KNOW, I THINK TO YOU OUR REMARKS I THINK WE DEFINITELY SAW THE DEMAND OF OF CIVIC LEADERS WHO WANT THIS SPACE AND WANT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TO COLLABORATE AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.  I'LL JUST TO SAY I'M VERY, VERY MUCH IMPRESSED WITH THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.  MY QUESTION IS NOW THIS IS NOW THE THIRD YEAR THAT THE CIVIC OFFICER CIVIC ORGANIZING IS OPEN AND WE STILL HAVE THREE STAFF MEMBERS.  ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR THAT TO BE INCREASED? I SEE THAT PROGRAMING IS INCREASING AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFFING LEVELS ARE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE OFFICE.  ONE I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR ADVOCACY. WE KNOW THAT THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING IS A SMALL BUT MIGHTY TEAM BUT THERE DEFINITELY IS AN APPETITE TO INCREASE CAPACITY FOR SURE. OKAY GREAT. I WILL, YOU KNOW, LOVE TO GO ON THE RECORD OF JUST ADVOCATING FOR THAT AND I THINK THAT WILL ALSO I DON'T THINK WITHOUT YOU HAVE AN INCREDIBLE TEAM AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT INCLUDING YOURSELF THAT YOU ALL FEEL SUPPORTED AS PROGRAMING IS INCREASING I YOU KNOW 311 IS AN OFFICE THAT WE ALL USE THAT WE ALL PROMOTE AND JUST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY GO VISIT YOUR NEW OFFICE THIS PAST WEEK AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE AND IN GENERAL JUST HOW ACCESSIBLE THREE AND ONE HAS BEEN BUT THE ENTIRE CABINET LIAISONS IS BUILT AS WELL. GOING TO A QUESTION THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR WEBER HAD ABOUT THE QUALITY CONTROL I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU YOU CURRENTLY HAVE ONE YOU'RE MOVING TO THREE WHAT WERE THREE? I MEAN YOU KNOW IN A DEAL WITH WHAT WERE THREE QUALITY CONTROL MEMBERS WORKERS LOOK LIKE AND THE IMPACT THE THREE WILL HAVE VERSUS THE ONE THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW. SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM REALLY EMBODIES THE VISION OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING QUALITY SERVICES TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST BECAUSE WE KNOW WHEN WE GIVE GOOD QUALITY WORK WE BUILD TRUST WITH DIFFERENT RESIDENTS AND IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY'RE ABLE TO TRUST NOT JUST THE WRONG ONE BUT THEY'RE ABLE TO TRUST ANY CITY ENTITY THEY INTERACT WITH SO I CAN PASS IT OVER TO THE DIRECTOR TO JUST REALLY TALK ABOUT THE QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM AGAIN WE'VE SEEN WITH THAT ONE MEMBER THAT THERE IS THERE IS AN INCREASE IN EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CALLS AND SUCCESS OF CALLS SO I WANTED TO PASS IT OVER TO THE DOCTOR. THANK YOU CHIEF.  THANK YOU COUNCILOR . A BIG PART OF Q WAY IS REALLY SEEING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CASES AND WHAT THE RESPONSES ARE FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT THE CONSTITUENTS KNOWING RIGHT.  AS YOU CAN SEE FROM JUST OUR CALLS ALONE ALMOST 350,000 CALLS A YEAR DEPENDING ON THE YEAR OF COURSE BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CASES AND CALLS THAT COME IN THROUGH THAT WAY AND ALL OF THOSE SHOULD BE ACCOUNTED FOR.  HAVING ONE PERSON FOR ALMOST THREE AND 50,000 CALLS LET ALONE THE DOUBLE AMOUNT OF CASES THAT MIGHT BE COMING IN ALONG WITH THAT WE REALLY NEED LIKE A BIGGER TEAM TO GO THROUGH ALL THOSE Q IS BROKEN UP IN MULTIPLE SECTIONS IS RIGHT LIKE YOU HAVE QA OF THE STAFF ITSELF MAKING SURE OUR STAFF IS ALSO KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON AND MAKING SURE THAT CASES ARE GOING TO THE RIGHT DEPARTMENT. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT OUR CURRENT TEAM IS DOING OR PERSON IS DOING JUST REALLY MONITORING OUR OWN STAFF. BUT THE PLAN IS TO MONITOR ALL OF IT LIKE WE WANT TO MONITOR ALL THE CASES, ALL THE PHONE CALLS THAT ARE COMING IN AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE ACCOUNTED FOR AND MAKING SURE WE'RE FOLLOWING UP ON IT. SO THAT'S WHY THREE WOULD BE LIKE A GOOD START TO REALLY BUILD OUT WHAT WE WANT THIS QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM TO LOOK OUT AND THEN OBVIOUSLY AS YEARS GO ON THREE ONE ONES ALWAYS GROWING CALLS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE COMING IN. THE CITY ITSELF IS ALWAYS GROWING SO EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE TWO BUT THREE IS OUR GOOD START JUST TO KIND OF BREAK IT UP FOR MANAGING THE CALLERS, MANAGING THE CASES AND THEN MANAGING TRAINING TOO. AND THAT'S KIND OF HOW I'M ENVISIONING BREAKING UP THE TEAM. GREAT. THANK YOU. I DEFINITELY WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD OF ADVOCATING FOR THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOOD QUALITY ON THAT END AND I WOULD BE REMISS BY NOT MENTIONING YOU KNOW, JUST THANKING YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP DIRECTOR AND I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE YOU GROW AND FLOURISH IN THIS NEW ROLE AND JUST LOVE THE TEAM THAT YOU'RE BUILDING AND CONTINUE TO LEAD OVER THE 311 OR TWO WITH OVER. AND THAT'S YOU KNOW, I MEAN THESE ON THE FRONT LINES OF OF SO MANY ISSUES AND I THINK AS SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES YOU KNOW HOW DO WE GET I MEAN OFTENTIMES ALL AND THAT'S LIAISON SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU KNOW YOUNG MAYBE OUT OF COLLEGE BUT SUCH A DEMANDING ROLE AS YOU MENTIONED YOUR PRESENTATION 24 SEVEN AND OUR CHIEF TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT YOU MAY PROVIDE. CAN YOU SPEAK MORE TO THAT AND MAYBE CHIEF YOU CAN SPEAK MORE TO THAT IN TERMS OF YES, THE WHOLE CABINET IT'S JUST IT'S A DEMANDING JOB AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S A SUSTAINABLE JOB FOR PEOPLE TO COME ON AND ENJOY IT. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, COUNSELOR. I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE THAT HONESTLY BECAUSE ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT HAS BEEN THE UNDERLYING LIGHTING TONE AND THE LEADERSHIP OF ALL THE PEOPLE HERE IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR STAFF FEELS SUPPORTED. IT IS WE ARE A CABINET THAT ALWAYS IS IN THE COMMUNITY, ALWAYS GOING OF FRONT WITH RESIDENTS AND SOLVING AND TRYING TO SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS WHICH CAN BE CHALLENGING.  SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID LAST YEAR AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING A LOT MORE THIS YEAR AND THAT WE ALSO DID THIS YEAR IS HOLD DIFFERENT TRAINING SESSIONS AND SEMINARS ON AGAIN HOW TO PUBLIC SPEAK, HOW TO BE YOU KNOW MINDFUL OF LIKE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, HOW TO DEAL WITH VERY SOMETIMES TOUGH CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE WHEN WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE TOOLS AND TRAININGS TO BE SUCCESSFUL THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO BE YOU KNOW, FEEL MORE WELL-ROUNDED AND REALLY FOCUS ON THEIR WELLNESS. AND I THINK IT ALSO SIGNALS TO OUR TEAM THAT LIKE WELLNESS IS A PRIORITY AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ATTENDING TO THE WHOLE PERSON, NOT JUST THEM AS AN EMPLOYEE. SO THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON DOING IS ACTUALLY AS A LEADERSHIP TEAM DOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.  WE'VE HAD A GUY GO OUT TO A THROUGH ONE CONFERENCE IN THE NATION TO FIGURE OUT BEST PRACTICES WHETHER THAT MEANS LIKE HOW WE SCHEDULE HOW WE YOU KNOW, HOW WE YOU KNOW, CREATE SPACE AND I'M EXCITED FOR THE NEW OFFICE AS WELL THAT ALL ALL LENDS TO HAVING A BETTER QUALITY EXPERIENCE AT WORK.  SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT IN LITTLE AND BIG WAYS OR ALSO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST TEAM AS WELL. SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT CAPACITY AS WE'RE REALLY BUILDING OUT A TEAM SO AGAIN JUST UNDERSCORING YOU KNOW OUR ARE OUR TEAM IS LIKE WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE OUR PEOPLE AND THAT'S ALWAYS JUST BEEN A PRIORITY TO THIS TO THIS GROUP. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.  I KNOW MY TIME'S UP. THESE WANT TO END BY SAYING JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU KNOW ALL OF YOU FOR ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK YOU DO. I KNOW SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ALSO MENTIONED OF JUST ACCESS TO YOU ALL. I THINK YOU'VE BECAUSE MY OFFICE IS VERY PROACTIVE IN REACHING OUT TO Y'ALL AND WE'VE HAD NO ISSUES ESPECIALLY WITH THE LIAISON WHO ARE ON THE GROUND. THERE'S DOING INCREDIBLE WORK, INCREDIBLY ACCESSIBLE TO OUR OFFICE AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MEJIA THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  I HOPE YOU DON'T SAY I OWE YOU A FAVOR BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT I'M LIKE. YOU KNOW YOU DO. I LIKE TO OWE ANYONE ANYTHING. I APPRECIATE YOUR GRACE SO I HAVE TO GO. SO HE'S ALLOWING ME TO GO BEFORE HIM JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND THE THE BEHIND THE SCENES CHATTER HERE.  SO I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND YOU KNOW, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO UNDERSTANDING AND YOU KNOW, CHIEF, WHEN WE HAD A PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION I ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THOSE WHO ARE IN GOOD GRACES USUALLY GET ALL THEIR THINGS DONE IN A TIMELY FASHION AND THOSE WHO ARE LESS SO ARE THE ONES WHO ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE RAMBUNCTIOUS USUALLY HAVE TO HOPE AND PRAY THAT THEIR CASES GET HEARD AND WE MAY NOT HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP AND SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT KIND OF LIKE HOW ARE YOU IN YOUR LEADERSHIP REALLY LOOKING AT UNDERSTANDING THAT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT POLITICALLY PEOPLE MAY NOT BE KUMBAYA SAYING THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY OUR JOB IS TO SERVE CONSTITUENTS AND SO THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK BEYOND OUR POLITICAL DIFFERENCES TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS THAT SERVE OUR CONSTITUENTS.  SO WHILE SOME FOLKS MAY HAVE EASY ACCESS TO ALL AND EVERYTHING, THERE'S SOME FOLKS WHO DON'T. AND SO HOW ARE YOU RECONCILING WITH THAT? SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, COUNSELOR.  IT ALWAYS IS. SO THE WAY I ENVISION OUR CABINET IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTING WITH EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY LEADER OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALL OF YOU ALL ARE COMMUNITY LEADERS. YOU'RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EVERY DAY. I SEE YOU GUYS ALL THE TIME AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND AND DELVE INTO ISSUES BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE LIAISON OR SOMEONE IN LEADERSHIP DOESN'T UNDERSTAND. SO I LOOK I DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE WE'RE PARTNERING ON DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS AND PROJECTS AND I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERSTAND COMPLEXITIES OF ISSUES THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN YOUR RESPECTIVE NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR US IS BUILDING THOSE PARTNERSHIPS LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, HAVING, YOU KNOW, COUNSELORS REACH OUT TO TO VISIT THROUGH A ONE UNDERSTAND THEIR OWN ONE HAVING THE EVERY SINGLE COUNSELOR MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE INVITED AND COUNSELORS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE AND ARE, YOU KNOW, FOR YOU KNOW, FIELD FRIDAYS AND OUR YOU KNOW, OUR COFFEE HOURS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.  THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT FEEL SMALL BUT THEY'RE HUGE THEY'RE OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERSTAND COMPLEX COMPLEXITIES OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND BEING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH EACH ENDEAVOR LEADS ON. SO I DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS AND MAKING SURE THERE IS DEFINITELY A STREAMLINED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN COUNCIL AND OUR TEAMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT NOW ABOUT THE CIVIC ORGANIZING . I THINK THAT WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT CHANNELING PEOPLE'S ENERGY PARTICULARLY WHEN THERE'S AN ISSUE OR SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE'S LIKE GUNG ABOUT, I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS WELL-SUITED TO KIND OF CHANNEL PEOPLE'S ENERGY IN WAYS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT CREATE MORE. RIGHT? SO THAT'S HOW I ENVISION A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IN YOUR ROLE EVEN THOUGH IT'S ONLY BEEN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BUT YOU'VE DONE A LOT IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. I'M CURIOUS WHAT DO YOU ENVISION FOR WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT CIVIC ORGANIZING AND YOU THINK ABOUT THE CONSTANT ISSUES THAT BUBBLE UP TO THE TOP LIKE HOW DO YOU CULTIVATE THAT ENERGY IN WAYS THAT ARE BRINGING PEOPLE IN, NOT JUST CALLING THEM OUT?  THANK YOU COUNCILOR , FOR YOUR QUESTION LIKE COUNCILOR SANTANA SAID, THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR OF OUR OFFICE SO WE'RE STILL A BABY OFFICE WITH A SMALL TEAM. WE'RE RAPIDLY GROWING. ARE INITIATIVES AND OUR OUTREACH METHODS AND THE WAYS THAT WE CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY. BUT IF I WERE TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE AND IMAGINE WHAT THIS OFFICE COULD BE, I REALLY THINK WE SHOULD BE SERVING AS A CIVIC EDUCATIONAL OFFICE TO REALLY EMPOWER RESIDENTS THROUGH INFORMATION AND THROUGH EDUCATION TO KNOW HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR THE REST OF THE COMMUNITIES. YEAH, SO I WISH I COULD PUT THAT ON REWIND BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I ENVISION FOR YOUR OFFICE BECAUSE I THINK SO MUCH OF THE WORK OFTENTIMES THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION LEARNS RIGHT? YOU GUYS CAN PLAY SUCH A CRUCIAL ROLE IN HELPING TO INFORM AND ENGAGE AND THEN THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE AS ENGAGED RIGHT AS ALWAYS THE ONES WHO ARE SHOWING UP. THOSE ARE THE ONES WHO GET WHAT THEY WANT. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED BY DON'T SHOW UP AND I THINK THAT THAT IS WHERE THE AREA OF GROWTH IS AND THEN I THINK THAT YOU GUYS ARE WELL-SUITED TO TO FILL THAT GAP AND WHATEVER I CAN DO TO HELP SUPPORT THAT, I'D LOVE TO DO THAT. NOW I HAVE TWO MORE MINUTES LEFT AND I'M REALLY CURIOUS AND I'M SURE CHIEF YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT AND IF I CAN GET ONE MORE QUESTION IT'LL BE 1311. BUT I'M CURIOUS WHO IS IS YOUR CABINET RESPONSIBLE FOR OR HAS ANY ROLE IN LIKE THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND WHITE STADIUM, THE BLUE HILL LAB REDESIGN. SO I'M CURIOUS ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE GOAL REALLY IS TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE LISTENING TO THEM. SO CAN YOU TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KIND OF WHAT SOME OF THE LESSONS YOU HAVE LEARNED BASED ON SOME OF THOSE OTHER MEETINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST AND WHAT YOUR VISION IS FOR MOVING FORWARD IN TERMS OF REPAIRING THAT HARM AND HELPING PEOPLE SEE THAT THEY ARE BEING HEARD AND IF I CAN GET ONE MORE QUESTION IN IS AROUND 311 I'D LOVE TO REALLY UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF US BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO IF THERE WAS IF YOU COULD PROVIDE A SENSE OF LIKE VISION FOR SO THAT WE CAN KNOW WHERE CASES STAND BECAUSE OFTENTIMES PEOPLE ARE CALLING US AND I KNOW THEY'RE CALLING YOU AND I'M LIKE YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE SOME DATA MINE SPACE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO LIKE CLICK AND VIEW SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO PROVIDE IT. OKAY CHIEF ON MY LAST 47 SECONDS OKAY DEFINITELY. THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.  ONE OF THE BEAUTIES ABOUT THE COMMUNITY GAZE RICKMAN IT IS THAT WE COME UP AS OUR FULL WE WE SHOW BETTER FOR OURSELVES. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE CITY OR IN THIS COUNTRY THAT IS HAS DISTRUST IN GOVERNMENT. SO OUR IDENTITIES ARE DEEPLY TIED TO HOW WE GO ABOUT THIS WORLD AND HOW WE GO ABOUT THIS WORK. SO TO YOUR QUESTION ON LIKE YOU KNOW, RIGHTING PAST WRONGS AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BEING ATTENTIVE TO THE COMMUNITY, I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT TO WORK FOR AN HISTORIC ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS ALWAYS CENTERED AND REMEDIED HISTORIC AT REMEDYING HISTORIC WRONGS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR OUR ROLE IN THOSE VERY TOUGH CONVERSATIONS ARE OFTEN, YOU KNOW, INFORMING IF IT'S BLACK LIVES, THE STREETS CABINET FOR EXAMPLE ON YOU KNOW, HOW WE SHOULD GO ABOUT FORMING FORMULATING MEETINGS, FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS WHAT THAT YOU KNOW, THE FORMAT OF MEETINGS OFTEN AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT OUR THAT WHEN RESIDENTS SPEAK TO US BECAUSE YOU KNOW WE HAVE OUR LIAISONS GOING OUT TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS EVERY ALMOST EVERY SINGLE NIGHT AND THEY HEAR DIRECT FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS AND ALSO GOING OUTSIDE OF JUST REGULAR TRADITIONAL CIVIC MEETINGS AND GOING TO WHERE RESIDENTS ARE AND HEARING THAT VERY AUTHENTIC FEEDBACK THAT WE THAT YOU KNOW, WE HEAR IN DIFFERENT POCKETS OF EACH NEIGHBORHOOD AND BRINGING THAT BACK TO INFORM THE PROCESS AGAIN.  WE ALSO KNOW THAT A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS HAVE A CONTEXT WIDE STADIUM HAS CONTEXT THAT PREDATES ME . SO IT IS BLUE HILL I'VE AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE THAT CONTEXT IS ALSO BROUGHT INTO THE CONVERSATION AS WELL SO I THINK WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS ON BOTH THOSE PROJECTS ALTHOUGH THEY LIVE IN OUR CABINET WE DO PARTICIPATE AND MAKING SURE THAT FEEDBACK IS FLOWING THROUGH EACH AND EVERY DEPARTMENT AND TO THAT TO OUR POINT I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THROUGH ONE I WANTED TO UNDERSCORE THAT WITH UPDATES IN THE SYSTEM THAT WE HOPE TO HAVE, I THINK WE COULD DEFINITELY LOOK INTO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE BUT WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AT LEAST WE'RE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTOR HAS HOSTED TO MAKE SURE EACH COUNCILOR KNOWS AT LIKE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW AND HOW THERE MAY BE BARRIERS OF ENGAGEMENT BUT THAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THERE IS A PARTNERSHIP THERE. BUT IF YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT THANK YOU CHIEF AND THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT NOT JUST FOR A COUNCILOR OR FOR A STAFFER ON OUR SIDE OF IT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. CONSTITUENTS SHOULD BE TO AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE SHOULD BE LIMITED TO WHAT THEY CAN SEE.  OF COURSE THERE ARE INTERNAL THINGS THAT MIGHT JUST NOT BE FULLY ON THERE BECAUSE OF PRIVACY. YEAH, EXACTLY LIKE THERE ARE REASONS ON THERE FOR SOME THINGS BUT WE ARE REALLY EXCITED WITH SOME OF THE VENDORS THAT WE HAVE SEEN AND SOME OF THE CAPABILITIES THAT THEY DO HAVE OF CREATING MULTIPLE PROFILES FOR THESE MATTERS. SO I'M EXCITED AND I THINK YOU GUYS WILL BE TO ONCE WE'RE FINALLY THROUGH THE WEEDS OF ALL THIS WELL I'LL JUST END WITH SAYING THANK YOU.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. IT'S DEEPLY APPRECIATED AND THANK YOU CHAIR, FOR ALLOWING ME TO GO BEFORE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR AND IT WAS GREAT. I WAS JUST IN THE WEST END WITH SIERRA WHO DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH ME ON THE WEST END AND I THINK THIS CABINET IN PARTICULAR IS REALLY THE CABINET THAT WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF CITY SERVICES AND HAVE BEEN REALLY GRATEFUL ACTUALLY AUGGIE I'M JUST REALIZING THAT I THINK IT WAS EIGHT MONTHS AGO THIS WEEK YOU TOLD ME AROUND 311 AND WE REALLY GOT A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT WHAT YOUR OFFICE DOES AND IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, A WHIRLWIND BEING SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T COME FROM CITY GOVERNMENT AND LEARNING ABOUT ALL OF THE TOOLS. I MEAN I WAS SOMEONE WHO CALLED THROUGH AND WHEN I WAS SOMEONE WHO USED THROUGH ON ONE BUTTON SEEING EVERYTHING THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF ARE DOING JUST LIKE SO QUICKLY AND AND HOW MUCH TECHNICAL ASPECT THERE IS TO THAT WORK I'M REALLY GRATEFUL AND THEN OBVIOUSLY CHIEF MUELLER WE'VE JUST BEEN WORKING TOGETHER IN THE TRENCHES FOR A COMMUNITY FOR A REALLY LONG TIME SO I'M GRATEFUL AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS APPOINTMENT HAVING BEEN WORKING IN POLITICS AND WORKING ADJACENT TO YOU AND GETTING TO SEE YOUR WORK, I'M REALLY EXCITED AND NOT LAST BUT NOT LEAST I THINK I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN TO SEE YOU AND NATALIA JUST, YOU KNOW, CREATE GREAT THINGS THROUGH LOVE YOUR BLOCK AND THE CIVIC SUMMIT AND JUST YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE IN FRONT OF THIS PANEL BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU'RE ALL DOING AND THEN I'D BE LAST BUT NOT LEAST I'D WANT TO SHOUT OUT MAC AND BONNER WHO IS WITH MY TEAM AND HAS BEEN STOLEN BY OWN ICE FOR THE GREATER GOOD.  BUT WE JUST MET YESTERDAY IN OUR FIRST MONTHLY MEETING AND YOU KNOW WE'RE IN A UNIQUE PLACE BECAUSE WE HAVE FOUR MORE OF YOU KNOW HE HAS FOUR OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND SIERRA HAS THE OTHER THE FIFTH NEIGHBORHOOD. SO IT'S REALLY GREAT TO HAVE TWO OWN LIAISONS. I CAN REALLY RELY ON AND WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH.  SO I MOSTLY WANTED TO COME AND SAY THOSE THINGS BUT ALSO I WANTED TO SORT OF FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S QUESTIONS ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW 311 SYSTEM AND JUST CURIOUS SORT OF WHEN WE CAN SEE THOSE CHANGES AND THEN WHAT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT KIND OF FUNCTIONALITY YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR IN A NEW PROGRAM. SO I WANTED TO UNDERSCORE KIND OF A POINT THAT THE DIRECTOR OR OUR WE MENTIONED EARLIER EARLIER SO THE THIS THE PROCESS REALLY LIVES WITH DO IT SO WE CAN'T ANSWER LIKE IN THE WEEDS QUESTIONS BUT I KNOW THAT THIS IS A THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND ON THE NEEDS THAT WE GET FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS ALL THE TIME AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S IMPLEMENTED LIKE I MENTIONED MAYBE DUPLICATE CASES AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO REMEDY STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS LIKE HAPPY TO KEEP SOME OF THE COUNCIL EMPLOYEES IN THE LOOP THANK YOU AND WE ABSOLUTELY ARE WINNING AWARDS FOR LIKE THE WORK THAT OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT IS DOING. AND SO WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT MAYBE SOME THINGS ARE CLUNKY AND MAYBE IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO LIKE INPUT CERTAIN THINGS BECAUSE I GOT TO SEE IT IN ACTION THROUGH THAT TOUR.  THAT BEING SAID, EVERYONE'S DOING THEIR BEST AND GETTING AS MUCH INFORMATION AND THE FACT THAT YOU CAN THAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT MAPS, LOOKING AT THE PROGRAM, IDENTIFYING WHICH PARK THERE'S A PROBLEM AND I WAS JUST LIKE FLOORED BY JUST WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ALL DOING AND YOU KNOW ALL TOGETHER AT ONCE. SO AND THEN OBVIOUSLY I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF CLEANUP SO WANTED TO TALK MORE ABOUT SORT OF HOW WE COULD GET THOSE THINGS GOING ALL YEAR ROUND AND WAS HONORED TO BORROW TEN OF YOUR BROOMS FOR A FOR A FOR A KNOCK OFF LOVE YOUR BLOCK THING AND BEACON HILL. SO I KNOW A LOT OF US ARE STILL DOING KNOCK OFF LOVE YOUR BLOCK BUT BUT LOVE YOUR BLOCK DID GO REALLY WELL SO JUST CURIOUS IF YOU KNOW IF THERE'S AN EXPANSION PLANNED FOR THAT.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION COUNSELOR.  IT WAS A PLEASURE TO LET YOU HAVE ROOMS AND TIME SO LOVE YOUR BLOG IS HISTORICALLY A CITYWIDE BEAUTIFICATION AND BIG BIG BIG CLEANUP AND ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS THIS YEAR WE HAD A THREE WEEKENDS DUE TO THE GROWTH IT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN TO WEEKENDS WE HAD TO EXPAND HISTORICALLY WE USED TO GET ABOUT 700 TO 2200 VOLUNTEER HOURS. THIS YEAR WE HAVE OVER 2300 SO WE HAVE GROWN A LOT IN THE LAST YEAR. HOWEVER WE DO OFFER COMMUNITY LIKE CLEANUPS ALL YEAR ROUND OUTSIDE OF LOVE YOUR BLOCK WE HAVE A VERY EASY GOOGLE FORM THAT WE HAVE IN OUR WEBSITE GOV SLASH CIVIC ORGANIZING YOU CAN FIND INFORMATION ON THE ON A AREA THAT SAYS COMMUNITY LIKE CLEAN UPS YOU HAVE A FORM AND WE STILL LEND ALL THE TOOLS WE TAKE WE TAKE ALL THE TOOLS TO THE SITES AND WE ALSO DO THE TRASH MANAGEMENT FOR THE RESIDENTS. SO ALL WE ASKED OF THE RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE, TALK TO THEIR NEIGHBORS AND COME OUT AND BEAUTIFY THEIR OWN AREAS BUT IT HAPPENS ALL YEAR ROUND. THANK YOU AND YOU KNOW, I'D BE REMISS IF AS A CITY COUNCILOR I DIDN'T SAY THAT THERE ARE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN SOME WAYS ONE OF THE AND THIS IS A VERY SPECIFIC CASE BUT BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION IS OBVIOUSLY QUASI PUBLIC, YOU KNOW SO BECAUSE OF THAT OFTENTIMES CITY COUNCILORS DON'T REALLY GET NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT WORK HAPPENING AND BEING ON ONE OF THE STREETS THAT WAS TERRORIZED FOR A YEAR AND A HALF WITH, YOU KNOW, JUST UTILITY AND DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING, I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF NEIGHBORS AROUND JUST ANY WORK THAT'S BEING DONE ON OUR STREETS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S NOT THROUGH THE CITY BECAUSE THE CITY IS USUALLY UPDATING US. BUT I THINK THAT'S SORT OF THE SPECIAL CASES. SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO ADDITIONAL COORDINATION I THINK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYBE ANYONE WITHIN THE CITY AROUND NOTIFICATION AROUND MY SPACE AND WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION STUFF BECAUSE WE ARE EXPERIENCE A LOT OF A LOT OF THAT IN BEACON HILL. SO I'M JUST FROM THE GROUND LEVEL EXPERIENCING IT IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD BUT JUST FLAGGING THAT IN CASE IT'S HELPFUL FOR FOR WHEN YOU DO GET A NOTIFICATION JUST THINKING THROUGH LIKE WHO MIGHT WANT TO BENEFIT FROM THAT INFORMATION AS WELL YOU KNOW. THANK YOU COUNCILOR . I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN BRING BACK TO THE STREETS TEAM AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BETTER NOTIFYING EVEN THE COUNCIL , OUR COMMUNITY AND WHEN I DO REACH OUT TO BOSTON ORDINANCE RECOGNITION THEY ARE REALLY RESPONSIVE BUT OFTENTIMES THEY GIVE US A SITE PLAN THAT I AS AN NOT A NON ENGINEER DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO READ. SO IT'S ALSO JUST MAKING SURE THAT THOSE TOOLS ARE YOU KNOW WITH A NON ENGINEER BRAIN ABLE TO BE LOOKED AT. I MEAN I'VE SENT SOME OF THIS TO CONSTITUENTS AND THEY'RE LIKE WHAT IS THIS?  SO JUST YOU KNOW TRANSLATING MAYBE PLANS INTO WRITING AND I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME BUT I KNOW THE DISTRICT EIGHT COFFEE HOURS ARE ALL COMING UP SO REALLY EXCITED I'VE BEEN SHARING THOSE AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING A LOT OF COMMUNITY ORGS THERE BUT PLEASE COUNT ME IN AS A PARTNER TO BUILD FOR ANY OF THOSE EVENTS. I, I THINK THEY'RE JUST INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR MAKING SURE THAT CITY RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO CITY RESOURCES AND I LOVE SEEING EVERYONE FROM THE CITY OUT THERE ESPECIALLY THE ZERO WASTE SUSTAINABILITY TEAM WITH REUSABLE BAGS AND THE UTENSILS. I'M ALWAYS GOING UP TO THAT FOR ANOTHER ANOTHER ROUND OF UTENSILS FOR COUNCIL OFFICE. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR WORK AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU PROVIDE TO THE CITY AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP.  THANK YOU.  I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS BUT THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY CASE AND BEYOND THE IMPROVEMENT I'M HAVING IN NEW NEWER CITY ON THE GO TRUCK ARE WE CHANGING OR UPGRADING WHAT WE OFFER ON THE TRUCK SO WE'RE DEFINITELY KEEPING THE SERVICES AS IS AND THERE'S DEFINITELY ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT ON SERVICES. SO IF YOU ANY DIRECT FEEDBACK ON THAT I THINK WE'RE WILLING TO HEAR THAT AND SEE BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE DO HAVE NO AT THE MOMENT WE HAVE NO PLANS OF EXPANDING WHAT THE SERVICES ARE.  WE OFFER PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO ON THE WEBSITE OR HAVE TO COME TO CITY HALL FOR BUT WE UNDERSTAND OUR OTHER COMMUNITY OR OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY OR COMMUNITY IN GENERAL ARE NOT ABLE TO COME 9 TO 5 TO CITY HALL. SO WE WANT TO MAKE IT AS CONVENIENT AS POSSIBLE FOR THEM. BUT AGAIN, LIKE SHE SAID CHIEF SAID IF YOU HAVE ANY DIRECT FEEDBACK AS TO WHAT YOU KNOW YOU ENVISION AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR AWESOME I'M HAPPY TO TALK OFFLINE ON THAT AND HOW OFTEN WE OPERATE. THE TRUCK IS A FIVE DAY SEVEN DAYS WITH A NEW TRUCK. I THINK WE WANT TO BE OUT THERE ALL THE TIME. THAT'S HOW THAT WAS ALL THE TIME. YEAH. SO IF I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT SO THE CURRENT TRUCK THAT WE HAVE IS PRETTY OLD SO IT SPENDS MORE TIME BEING REPAIR THAN ACTUALLY IN THE STREET. SO OUT OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR I THINK WE ONLY WERE ABLE TO ACCESS IT FOR ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AND A HALF OUT OF THE ENTIRE YEAR. SO IT IS PROBLEMATIC FOR US BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT TO CARRY A VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT ROUTE THAT YOU KNOW, SERVICE EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD AT LEAST 5 TO 7 STOPS A WEEK. GOT IT. ALL RIGHT. AWESOME. AND THEN I HEARD CORRECTLY IT WAS LIKE A311 SUMMIT CIVIC YET NOT THE CIVIC CENTER. NO THAT THE DIRECTOR WENT TO A THIRD ONE TRAINING TO LEARN BEST PRACTICES YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT? YEAH WE LOVE TO HEAR SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO BRING BACK TO THE CITY.  YES. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED THIS TIME ARE JUST IMPROVEMENT OF SYSTEMS. AS WE SPOKE BEFORE, BOSTON IS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE OLDEST CITIES AND WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST TO DO MANY THINGS AND I THINK BECAUSE WE WERE THE FIRST TO DO A LOT OF THINGS SOMETIMES OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE LEARNED OR OTHER THREE ONES HAVE LEARNED FROM US SO IT'S COOL BEING THERE AND EVERYONE SAYING YOU WERE THE FIRST TO DO THIS AND LIKE WE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU AND THEY'VE TAKEN AND RUN WITH IT TO NOW BE BETTER IN A WAY AND NOW I'M LEARNING FROM THEM LIKE NOT ONLY DO I GET TO GO TO THREE ONE CONFERENCE BUT I ACTUALLY WENT TO GO VISIT THE DALLAS THROUGH GOING TO OFFICE TWO AND JUST LEARNING LIKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THREE ON OFFICES IS REALLY COOL TOO. THE DYNAMIC OF IT I THINK WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS BOSTON HAS ACTUALLY HAD THE MAYORS CONSTITUENT HOTLINE FOR DECADES I THINK LIKE IN THE EIGHTIES WE STARTED ONE IT WAS JUST REBRANDED AS 311 TO FOLLOW THE NATIONWIDE TREND WHEREAS OTHER OFFICES 311 WAS CREATED SO THAT IS A LEEWAY FROM 911 IN EMERGENCY SERVICES TO TAKE THOSE NON-EMERGENCY CALLS. SO LEARNING KIND OF HOW DIFFERENT THREE ONE ONES WERE WAS REALLY COOL AND SEEING WHAT WE CAN TAKE AND IMPLEMENT FROM THOSE ASPECTS LIKE THE CITY ALL TO GO. CHUCK DALLAS ACTUALLY HAS IT IN WE WERE ABLE AND IT BRANDS THROUGH ONE ONE ON THERE TOO SO THAT'S ANOTHER PART WHERE WE WERE TALKING I'M LIKE THIS IS SO COOL WE NEED A TRUCK. THEY HAD COMPUTERS ON THE TRUCK FOR CONSTITUENTS TO LOOK AT AND SO IT WAS THE CONSTITUENT CAN JUST GO RIGHT ON AND USE THE COMPUTER RIGHT THERE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY INTERNET IS ALSO AN ISSUE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO SO LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT THAT I BRING BACK AND ALSO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER THREE ONE ONES WHERE I CAN GO BACK AND SAY HEY HOW DO YOU STOP YOUR CALL CENTER? WHAT DO YOU DO FOR BEST PRACTICES?  AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO GO FORWARD AND IMPLEMENT SOME OF THOSE THINGS NOW. YES, NO SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF EXCITING STUFF AND ON 311I THINK WHAT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR ME AS SOMEONE WHO'S ADVOCATING FOR BUDGET OR TRYING TO CREATE POLICY OR LEGISLATION IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU GUYS TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION LIKE WHAT OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE CALLING ABOUT RIGHT.  BECAUSE IF THERE'S YOU KNOW,  MORE CONVERSATION OR MORE CALLS ON, YOU KNOW, ROUTING CONTROL OR THERE'S MORE CALLS ON SPEEDING OR YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT IS I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THIS BODY TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU KNOW, THE COMPLAINTS OR WHAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING SO THAT WE CAN THEN EITHER PUT MONEY TOWARDS IT OR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE ADDRESS IT AS AS A CITY COUNCIL . YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. ALL OUR DATA IS ACTUALLY PUBLIC IT'S AT DATA DOT BOSTON DOT GOV AND ANYONE CAN GO IN AND SEE IT BUT IF YOU EVER LIKE SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT HAVE ISSUES NAVIGATING IT. PLEASE REACH OUT TO US.  OUR DATA ANALYTICS MANAGER IS ALWAYS HAPPY TO HELP.  WE'VE SENT OUT REPORTS TO MANY COUNSELORS OUTSIDE AGAIN DATA YEAH DOT BOSTON DOT GOV OKAY YEAH AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY FIND VARIOUS REPORTS ON THERE SOMETIMES LIKE THE PERMITS WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THERE'S PERMITTING AND OFF PERMITTING IF YOU GUYS ARE EVER HAVING ISSUES ABOUT THAT WE GET BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT IT BUT IT'S AN EASY WAY TO FIND A LOT OF DATA THERE TOO AND FOR EVERYONE LISTENING IN FROM RESIDENTS IF EVER CURIOUS DID BOSTON.COM IS A GREAT SPOT TO KIND OF START AND LOOK AT THAT DATA AWESOME AND THEN ACHIEVE A LOT OF REORGANIZATION OF OR IN AS WHAT WERE THE GOALS HAVE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES BEEN RESOLVED BECAUSE OF THE ORGANIZATION BUT FOR YOU TO JUST BE TO THAT SO THE GOAL IS THE ONE OF THE KEY GOALS LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER IS TO REALLY SUPPORT OUR PERSONNEL AND OUR TEAM AND THAT WAS ALWAYS AT THE CENTER OF A LOT OF THE REORGANIZATION THAT WE DID. SO EXPANDED OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR MODEL TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS MORE HANDS ON CARE AND ATTENTION TO EACH LIAISON BUT ALSO SUPPORT FOR THE DIRECTOR. IT'S LOT TO MANAGE I THINK IT'S LIKE WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF ABOUT TO TO GIVE MORE NUMBERS BUT IT'S REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LIAISONS FEEL MORE DEEPLY SUPPORTED AND THAT THERE'S LIKE A LINEAGE OF HOW TO SOLVE CASES BUT I WANTED TO PASS IT OVER TO BE AUDITED SOMEWHERE.  I'M HAPPY TO JUMP IN. THANK YOU COUNSELOR.  ONE OF THE THINGS JUST TO TALK TO THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S POINT EARLIER IS JUST INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND HOW SOME OF THAT CAN SOMETIMES GETS LOST WHEN THERE ARE STAFF TRANSITIONS. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE LOVED ABOUT THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR MODEL IS WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL AND LUCKY TO HAVE THAT ALL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR DEPUTY DIRECTORS IS A FORMER LEADS ON THEMSELVES SO THEY'RE BRINGING NOT ONLY THEIR OWN NETWORK, THEIR OWN INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW THE OFFICE WORKS BUT THEN THEY'RE ABLE THEN TO TRANSLATE THAT TO THE STAFF I GIVE SO MUCH KUDOS TO COUNSELOR PEPEN FOR HAVING 20 DIRECT REPORTS WHEN HE WAS IN MY ROLE. I THINK THE CURRENT MODEL WHERE I HAVE FOUR DEPUTIES THAT REPORT TO ME AND THEN 16 YOU KNOW BELOW THEM SO IT'S YOU KNOW ABOUT FIVE OR SIX AND DEPENDING BECAUSE OUR COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST TEAMS ONLY THREE FOLKS OBVIOUSLY AND BUT IN THAT REGARD I THINK THERE'S JUST SO MUCH MORE STRUCTURE IN PLACE THAT NOT ONLY SUPPORT THE LIAISONS AND CAN HELP TO OUR BURNOUT AND RETENTION WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION BUT THEN THAT ALSO BENEFITS RESIDENTS WHEN YOU HAVE FOLKS STAYING IN THOSE ROLES LONGER AWESOME TAKES AND JUST I'M AND ON THIS WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD IN THE LAST HEARING WHETHER IT'S THE WEBSITE THE TRAINING FOR CIVICS SO THIS LOOKING FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS DEFINITELY I DEFINITELY DO. WE HAVE ALREADY KICKSTARTED THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE WE'RE CONNECTED TO DO IT SO HOPEFULLY HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAKE SURE TO COLLABORATE ON THAT. THANK YOU. I SEE MY COUNCILOR ANDERSON IS HERE.  THANK YOU MR CHAIR.  I GUESS I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND MORE I MEAN JUST I THINK THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE HAS TOUCHED ON THIS BUT YOU CAN LET ME KNOW IN TERMS OF INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION AND OR WORKING TOGETHER. I HAVE A SPECIFIC IDEA ABOUT OPENNESS AND ITS ROLE IN CONNECTING WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY IN CONNECTING WITH PUBLIC HEALTH. CONSIDERING THAT PUBLIC HEALTH HAS THE DATA THE NUMBERS TO SPEAK TO THE OR THE DEFICITS AND EQUITY HAS A RESPONSIBILITY ON POLICY TO WORK ON WHETHER IT'S INVESTMENTS, SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH OR SERVICES OR DIRECT PROGRAMING AND THEN OPENNESS HAS A RESPONSIBILITY THEN TO TIE ALL OF THAT TOGETHER AND MAKE IT TRANSPARENT AND COMMUNICATE OR OUTREACH OR ENGAGEMENT.  AND SO HOW HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF THIS?  HAVE YOU STARTED WORKING WITH EQUITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THIS RACIAL EQUITY CAMPAIGN IN BOSTON THE CITY OF BOSTON TO DISMANTLE OUR SYSTEMIC RACIST STRUCTURES?  THANK YOU COUNCILOR , FOR THE QUESTION. I DO I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY CAN LOOK INTO. THE EQUITY CABINET IS OUR DIRECT NEIGHBORS SO WE PARTNERED WITH THEM ON A LOT OF THINGS BUT I THINK WE COULD YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY LOOK INTO WHAT THIS PROJECT LOOKS LIKE FOR SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  I THINK, YOU KNOW, ON A GRANULAR LEVEL WE'RE INUNDATED WITH RESPONSIBILITY SO EVERYBODY'S REPPING AND RUNNING WORKING OVERTIME. RIGHT? BUT IF WE CAN BE MORE INTENTIONAL IN TERMS OF LIKE ANALYTICALLY LOOKING AT WHAT THE UMBRELLA IS OR WHAT THE THE WEB LOOKS LIKE SO THAT WE CAN CONNECT ALL OF THESE AND CREATE MORE INTENTIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD RACIAL EQUITY IN BOSTON IS A HUGE INTEREST MINE AND HAPPY TO TALK WITH TO THAT AND WHATEVER I CAN LEND IN TERMS OF PROMOTING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT I THINK I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN MORE OF I KNOW YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT INITIATIVES AND WAYS AND YOU COME IN AND YOU'RE EXCITED AND YOU WANT TO TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORN BUT CAN YOU TELL ME IF YOU'VE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, BENCHMARKS AND METRICS IN TERMS OF DELIVERY LIKE JUST FIGURING OUT LIKE OKAY, I KNOW I WANT TO DO THIS THIS THIS BUT HOW DO I THEN MEASURE MY PROGRESS AND COMMUNICATE THAT CAN CAN YOU DO YOU MEAN LIKE YEAH LIKE WITH DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY YEAH YOU HAVE LIKE ALL THESE PROGRAMS CURRENTLY AND I KNOW SO I KNOW YOU'RE DOING THE WORK RIGHT. TELL ME ABOUT IF YOU IF YOU CAN BUILD OUT METRICS TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS SO THAT A YEAR FROM NOW I COME BACK TO YOU AND YOU SAY HERE'S OUR DASHBOARD AND THIS IS HOW WE KNOW WE HAVE IMPROVED CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. I DON'T REALLY THINK THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE ON MORE MORE LIKE QUANTIFYING MORE METRICS. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THE KEY PIECES TO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THE CIVIC THE CIVIC ORGANIZING DEPARTMENT DOES IS WE REALLY TAG ON TO LIKE THE GOAL FOR EXAMPLE OUR GOAL FOR IS TO DO THIS MANY CLEANUPS IN ALL IN EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD WE HAVE EXCEEDED THAT AS WE SEE PARTICULARLY WITH THE CIVIC SUMMIT WE DID OUTLINE CERTAIN METRICS NOT JUST OF ATTENDANCE BUT OF LIKE YOU KNOW, SURVEYS AFTER AND MAKING SURE THEY FEEL THAT MAKING SURE WE'RE GETTING FEEDBACK ON MORE QUALITATIVE EXPERIENCE THAT'S KIND OF A LOT OF THE METRICS THAT WE DO COLLECT IS ANECDOTAL AND YOU KNOW, QUALITATIVE LIKE HOW WHAT WHAT IS THE QUALITY OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GIVING OUT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IS IN CONJUNCTION OR AS A RESPONSE TO THE CIVIC SUMMIT IS THINKING DEEPLY ABOUT AS WE YOU KNOW, ASPIRE TO BUILD CAPACITY AND OCO IS A TRAINING PROGRAM. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND WHAT IS THE BENCHMARKS FOR THAT? SO THERE'S DEFINITELY OPPORTUNITY TO TO HAVE MORE DEEPER CONVERSATIONS ON WHAT ARE THE METRICS FOR THAT YOU KNOW, THE TRAINING SESSIONS AND SEMINARS BUT WANTING TO REALLY ANCHOR IN THE FACT THAT WE DO COLLECT, YOU KNOW, QUANTITY LIKE ANECDOTE OR QUALITATIVE QUALITATIVE DATA THAT'S HELPFUL. IT'S A GREAT START AND I THINK YOU KNOW, I GUESS AS YOU GO INTO IT THEN YOU LOOK AT WITHIN THAT STRUCTURE WHAT'S EQUITABLE RANK UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT,  ALL OF THAT STUFF, RIGHT? SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION, HOW DOES YOUR OFFICE ENSURE THAT NEIGHBORHOODS ESPECIALLY THOSE HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED HAVE A VOICE IN CITY DECISIONS? AND IF YOU CAN GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF HOW COMMUNITY FEEDBACK HAS DIRECTLY INFLUENCED POLICY OR PROGRAM CHANGES, YOU GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS BUT I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU YOU KNOW LIKE A POSITIVE STORY AS AN EXAMPLE OF HERE'S WHERE WE HEARD OF A PROBLEM IS PARTICULARLY WITH UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES AND THEN WE IMPLEMENTED THAT AND THIS IS HOW WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT. I DEFINITELY WANT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION BUT I KNOW THAT AND THAT I WANTED TO ADD TO THE PREVIOUS QUESTION DO YOU WANT TO OR THANK YOU COUNCILOR FOR YOUR QUESTION SINCE THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING HAS BEEN IN OFFICE FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACQUIRE DATA EACH YEAR AND DIFFERENT INITIATIVES AND WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY SEEN THE GROWTH AND THE SUCCESS OF INITIATIVES SUCH AS LOVE YOUR BLOG THE CIVIC SUMMIT WHICH SOLD OUT COMPLETELY IN UNDER 12 HOURS FOR 200 CIVIC LEADERS.  WE ENDED UP HAVING ABOUT 380 PEOPLE ON THE WAITLIST SO WE KNOW THERE'S A HUGE APPETITE FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE PROGRAMING FROM OUR OFFICE AND WE'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING CLOSER TO MAINTAINING THE DATA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES AND TO TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION, COUNCILOR , ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS A CONSTANT THOUGHT THROUGH OUR CABINET BOTH AND I WOULD SAY SPECIFICALLY THROUGH ONE AND ONE AS IS IDENTIFYING THEMES THAT WE'RE SEEING IN TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN EACH NEIGHBORHOOD. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT IS I REMEMBER BEING AT A COMMUNITY MEETING IN ROXBURY AND THERE A CONTINUUM WAS LIKE OH LIKE WHAT IS YOUR POT LIKE WHAT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING LIKE EV CHARGING STATIONS OR STUFF LIKE THAT.  SO YOU KNOW MAKING SURE THAT FEEDBACK GETS BACK TO OUR STREETS TEAM AND OUR YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENT AND OPEN SPACE TEAM AS WELL TO THINK THROUGH LIKE SO THERE IS SOMEWHAT OF AN APPETITE HERE IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT'S JUST LIKE ONE EXAMPLE OF A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK AND THEMES THAT WE DO BRING BACK ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE SEEING EITHER LARGE NUMBERS OR WE'RE SEEING KIND OF A TREND OF PEOPLE WANTING TO PARTICIPATE.  SO THAT'S WHY WE DO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LIKE CONNECT WITH THEIR OWN CONNECT WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISONS BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT ANCHOR THE WORK THAT THE EXPERIENCE ANY ANECDOTAL ANECDOTAL DATA OR EXPERIENCES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. THANK YOU.  I HAVE 20 MORE QUESTIONS.  DO YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS I DO ON JUST ONE WHEN NOT A QUESTION BUT AN UPDATE I GUESS I WE SPOKE WITH DO IT AND THEY ARE THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY DIDN'T SHOW INTEREST.  THEY EXPRESSED THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO CREATE A BUTTON IN THE APP THAT ALLOWS CONSTITUENT TO HAVE SAY WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT THEIR COUNCILOR TO BE PRIVY TO THE INQUIRY. AND SO SINCE THIS IS POSSIBLE I WONDER THEN IF WE CAN CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION ON THIS AND YOU KNOW IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT US TO DRIVE IN TERMS OF POLICY THEN FINE BUT I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE OUR WORK.  I KNOW WE'VE BEEN MEETING ABOUT THIS THEY WOULD CLICK YES I WANT MY COUNCILOR TO KNOW AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE OUR OWN PLATFORM WHERE WE COULD WRITE IT AND SO AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE A LIST OF THAT BECAUSE BY THE TIME THEY GET TO US THEY'RE FRUSTRATED THEY'RE NOT COMING TO US INITIALLY THEY'RE GOING TO DO A 1 TO 1 DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN. THEY SEND IT TO DEPARTMENTS. IF DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT ANSWERING THEN THEY CONTACT US AND IF WE KNOW AHEAD OF TIME AND IF SOMETHING THAT IS PRESSING TIME SENSITIVE THEN WE CAN FOLLOW UP.  THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT TO BE CONTINUED. ANOTHER THING A HOKIE I MET I MET A WOMAN WHO WAS TELLING ME ABOUT HOW HER SCHEDULE STARTED THREE IN THE MORNING SHE HAS TO GET TO WORK AT FOUR AT PHIL'S CORNER TO CLEAN UP OUR STREETS A LOVELY WOMAN AND SHE WAS TELLING ME , HEY, MAYBE COLLECTING INFORMATION ON COMPLIMENTS, NOT JUST COMPLAINTS. AND SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS SWEET BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IF OUR OUR WORKERS WORK IN THE CITY AND THEY'RE DOING THE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE VERY PEOPLE THEY LIVE NEXT TO ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THEIR WORK, WHY NOT GET COMPLIMENTS RIGHT.  SO THAT'S I KNOW THAT'S FOR DO IT BUT ALSO FOR YOU OBVIOUSLY AGAIN LOOKING FORWARD I THINK I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TO OH YEAH YEAH THAT I JUST NAME ALL OF HER EDUCATION YEAH BUT I WE DO GET COMPLIMENTS NOT AS OFTEN AS COMPLAINTS OF COURSE AND I DO THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT AS WELL IS THERE FEATURE IN THE APP TO DO THAT? THERE IS YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO TO THE APP IT SAYS HOW ARE WE DOING AND AND WHEN YOU ALSO SUBMIT A CASE AND YOU PUT AN EMAIL ON THERE YOU GET YOU CAN FOLLOW YOUR CASE BY CASE OPEN IN CASE CLOSURE IF YOU LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFO, YOUR EMAIL YOU'LL GET THAT EMAIL AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE EMAIL IT SAYS FEEDBACK SURVEY AND YOU CAN RESPOND TO HOW THE CASE WAS HANDLED THAT WAY AS WELL. OH OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL I'LL HAVE TO START TEACHING MY CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE OFTENTIMES PEOPLE USUALLY WOULD ONLY SAY SOMETHING WHEN THEY'RE NOT HAPPY AND BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CALL IN TO 311 AND COMPLIMENT THE STAFF AND WILL SEND IT OFF TO THE DEPARTMENT SO IT'S NOT BROKEN. WHY FIX IT? WHY SHOULD I COMPLAIN?  BUT I HAVE TO TAKE THAT ADVICE FOR MYSELF IN COMING IN.  STARTING WITH THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING WITH YOU MORE IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL MY OFFICE CAN WORK WITH YOU GUYS.  I FEEL LIKE I'VE GOTTEN ACCESS EVERY TIME I NEEDED IT AND WE DID A STUDY. WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT HOW FAST YOU GUYS RESPOND TO ROXBURY IN COMPARISON BECAUSE PEOPLE HAD LIKE NOTIONS OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW, WITH HISTORIC LIKE MISTRUST AND STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT ROXBURY LANDED SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.  THERE WAS NO DISCREPANCY OF LIKE WHO WAS GETTING ANSWERED FIRST IT WASN'T A THING SO I APPRECIATE THAT I SENT YOU THE REPORT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU TOOK A LOOK AT IT BUT THAT'S THAT'S ALL I HAVE AND IF I HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I'LL SUBMITTED THROUGH THE CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ALL OF YOU. NICE MEETING YOU AND LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE. THANK YOU. MS. CHAIR THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR WORK AND YOU DEDICATE IT TO THE CITY OF BOSTON.  I ALSO WANT TO JUST THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ESSENTIAL STAFF, MY TEAM DPD FOR BEING HERE IN THIS HEARING ON DOCKETS NUMBER 067020678 IS ADJOURNED OKAY.  YEAH I JUST