THE CHAIR OF THE BOSSIER CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. TODAY IS MAY 28, 2024. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DARK BACKSLASH CITY. DAS COUNCILOR DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT ARE RCN CHANNEL 82 BIOS CHANNEL 964 AT THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS WILL ENCOMPASS A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT BEGIN IN APRIL AND WILL 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 AND TEN ONE OF OUR HEARINGS AND GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT THE END OF EACH DEPARTMENT OF HEARING AND ALSO ADD TO HEARINGS DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THE FULL HEARING IS ON OUR WEBSITE AT BOSTON.COM BACKSLASH COUNCILOR DAS BUDGET. OUR NEXT SCHEDULED HEARING DEDICATED PUBLIC TESTIMONY IS TONIGHT AT 6 P.M.. LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS THERE. YOU CAN GIVE TESTIMONY IN PERSON HERE IN THE CHAMBER OR VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. THE IN-PERSON TESTIMONY PLEASE COME TO THE CHAMBER AND SIGN UP ON THE SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE . FOR VIRTUAL TESTIMONY YOU CAN SIGN UP USING OUR ONLINE FORM ON OUR COUNCIL BUDGET REVIEW WEBSITE OR BY EMAILING THE COMMITTEE AT C CC THAT W M AT BOSTON DOT GOV WHEN YOU ARE CALLED TO TESTIFY PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND 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 CC THAT W M AT BOSTON.COM OR THREE SUBMIT A TWO MINUTE VIDEO OF YOUR TESTIMONY THROUGH THE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY PLEASE VISIT THE COUNCIL'S CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WEBSITE. OUR BOSTON.COM BACKS ASK COUNCIL THAT BUDGET. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 067030672. ORDERS FOR FOR THE FY 25 OPERATING BUDGET INCLUDE AN ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS FOR THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND FOR OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. DOCKET 067330675 ORDER FOR CAPITAL FUND TRANSFER APPROPRIATIONS DOCKET NUMBER 067620678 OR FOR THE CAPITAL BUDGET INCLUDING LOAN ORDERS AND LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS. THESE MATTERS ARE SPONSORED BY MAN MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL TEN, 2020 FOR THE FOCUS OF THIS HEARING WILL BE DISCUSSED AT FY 25 BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING.  TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IN ORDER ARRIVAL COUNCIL FLYNN COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR SANTANA CASTLE FITZGERALD LIKE NOW I'D LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE TODAY'S IS TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR OFFICE TO PARTICIPATE PARTICIPATE IN BUDGETING.  DIRECTOR COSTELLO CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON CFO GORDON BERGER. THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. CHAIR COUNSELORS, THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. I'M ACTUALLY BROUGHT FROM BERGER, THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.  WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE OFFICE OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND GETTING THIS OFFICE UP AND RUNNING SO WE'RE REALLY DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE INCREDIBLE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS ALMOST A YEAR NOW SINCE WE'VE HAD DIRECTOR COSTELLOE ON BOARD. SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO HIM AND HE WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH AND SOME OF THE WORK WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO LAUNCHING IN JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS. THANK YOU, CHIEF. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN. CITY COUNCILORS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. MY NAME IS RENATO CASTELO AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE CITY'S OFFICE OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING. I HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION TO INTRODUCE THE OFFICE, SHARE SOME OF THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR AND OUR PLANS FOR LAUNCHING THE FIRST PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PILOT INITIATIVE THIS SUMMER.  SO WHAT IS PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING?  PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IS A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS DECIDE HOW TO SPEND PART OF A PUBLIC BUDGET. PB OR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING STARTED AS AN ANTI-POVERTY MEASURE IN 1989 IN PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL. SINCE THEN IT HAS SPREAD TO HUNDREDS OF CITIES AROUND THE WORLD AND HAS BEEN USED TO DECIDE BUDGETS FROM STATES, COUNTIES, CITIES, HOUSING AUTHORITIES, SCHOOLS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS. THIS IS ACCORDING TO THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROJECT. PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IS A PRACTICE THAT DEPENDS DEMOCRACY BUILDS STRONGER COMMUNITIES AND CREATES MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC RESOURCES IMPLEMENTED THROUGHOUT CITIES IN THE US INCLUDING NEW YORK, CHICAGO, LOS ANGELES AND LOCALLY IN CAMBRIDGE AND SOMERVILLE.  THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PB IN CITIES VARY DUE TO LOCAL FACTORS. MUNICIPALITIES OFTEN GO THROUGH SEVERAL ITERATIONS OF PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS TO ENHANCE THE PROGRAM'S EFFECTIVENESS, EFFICIENCY AND IMPACT OVER TIME . A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE OFFICE A CONCERTED COMMUNITY EFFORT LED BOSTON VOTERS TO APPROVE A BALLOT MEASURE IN THE 2021 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS TO CREATE AN OFFICE OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING. THE ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE WAS ADOPTED BY MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILORS IN THE SPRING OF 2023 AND THE MISSION OF THE OFFICE IS TO PROVIDE AN OFFICIAL POINT OF ENTRY FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY'S BUDGET PROCESS. OPB THE NAME OF OUR OFFICE ACRONYM ADVANCES THIS MISSION BY FURTHERING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND DIRECT DEMOCRATIC INVOLVEMENT BUILDING COLLECTIVE CAPACITY ON ISSUES OF RACIAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ALIGNING WITH THE CITY'S GOALS OF ACHIEVING AND EMBEDDING EQUITY AND INCLUSION INTO CITY PRACTICES.  OUR STRATEGY IS THROUGH COLLABORATION AND WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND GUIDANCE FROM THE EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT BOARD OR OFFICE PLANS TO HOST YEARLY PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING CYCLES TO ALLOW FOR CONTINUOUS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN ORDER TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO PROPOSE CREATIVE NEW IDEAS COMMUNITY CENTER PROJECT IDEAS TO ADDRESS LOCAL NEEDS AND ENGAGE RESIDENT PRIORITIES TO INFORM THE CITY'S ANNUAL BUDGET. WITH THIS STRATEGY WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH TWO GOALS. THE FIRST ONE IS WHAT'S TRADITIONALLY CALLED PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING WHERE RESIDENTS PROPOSE IDEAS AND VOTE ON THOSE THEY LIKE TO SEE FUNDED WITH THE OFFICE'S BUDGET. THE SECOND GOAL THE SECOND GOAL IS TO THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OF ALL PROJECT IDEAS IN THEIR PROCESS BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY RESIDENT NEEDS AND PRIORITIES THAT CAN HELP INFORM THE CITY'S FUTURE BUDGETING INVESTMENTS AND THE DEPARTMENT'S FUTURE BUDGET INVESTMENTS.  SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR OUR PROCESS HERE IN THE CITY. PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IS A CITYWIDE PROCESS THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF ALL BOSTON RESIDENTS.  THE PROCESS BUILDS COLLECTIVE CAPACITY ON ISSUES OF RACIAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. THE OFFICE HAS A RESIDENT BASED EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT BOARD TO GUIDE AND OVERSEE THE PROCESS.  IT'S A NINE MEMBER RESIDENT BOARD AND THE OFFICE ALLOWS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AS WELL AS PROGRAM AND SERVICE TYPE OF PROJECTS.  THE EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS PILOT YEAR IS TO ESTABLISH A NEW OFFICE AND A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IN BOSTON AND TO EVALUATE AND INCORPORATE FEEDBACK DURING THE PILOT YEAR TO INFORM FUTURE CYCLES. WE'RE CALLING THIS A PILOT YEAR BECAUSE IT WILL BE A YEAR OF A LOT OF LEARNING AND LESSONS LEARNED TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OVER TIME. WE PLAN TO OPERATIONALIZE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PILOT YEAR PROJECTS VOTED ON BY RESIDENTS AND ALSO CREATE A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE PBS CITY CITYWIDE PRIORITIES BRIEF THAT CAN HELP INFORM FUTURE CITY AND DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET INVESTMENTS . SO HERE WE HAVE THE TIMELINE EMPHASIS AND WITH THE BITE OF THE TIMELINE IN TWO PARTS. FIRST IS THE PLANNING PROCESS. THE ONE ON TOP. SINCE EARLY JANUARY THE OFFICE OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING AND THE EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT BOARD MEETINGS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC CREATED WHAT WE'RE CALLING A RULE BOOK. THIS IS A DOCUMENT THAT CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AND CONTAINS THE PARAMETERS AND PROCEDURES THAT WILL GUIDE IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IN THE CITY. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TIME, COMMITMENT, THE EFFORT AND THOUGHTFULNESS OF THE NINE MEMBERS OF THE EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT BOARD WHICH MET WEEKLY FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF OVER THE COURSE OF THREE AND A HALF MONTHS TO CONSIDER OUR OFFICERS RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL AS INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC AND ADVOCATES.  FROM APRIL THREE THROUGH THE END OF JUNE OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN PLANNING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CYCLE ONE FOCUSING ON PLANS FOR OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS. EQUITY GUIDELINES FOR THE PROCESS AND WORKING WITH OUR EVALUATION PARTNERS TO DETERMINE THE BEST APPROACH TO ASSESS EFFORTS DURING THIS PILOT YEAR. THE SECOND PART IS THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE. WE EXPECT TO KICK OFF THE PROCESS IN EARLY JULY WITH IDEA COLLECTION WHERE WE'LL ASK BOSTON RESIDENTS TO SHARE THEIR PROJECT IDEAS WITH US IN AUGUST ON SEPTEMBER. OUR OFFICE WILL WORK WITH THE CITY'S DATA ANALYTICS TEAM TO IDENTIFY THE TOP 15 COMMUNITY PRIORITIES THAT EMERGE FROM RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY DURING OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER.  THESE 15 PRIORITIES AND THEIR ASSOCIATED IDEAS WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE PUBLIC IN THE FORM OF VISIONING FORUMS AND ONLINE ENGAGEMENT. AND HERE IS A SPACE FOR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR OFFICE RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS AND DISCUSS THE FEASIBILITY AND IMPACT OF THE IDEAS UNDER EACH COMMUNITY PRIORITY.  THE VISIONING FORUM ATTENDEES WILL BE ABLE TO HELP US DRAFT BALLOT PROPOSALS AND THOSE WHO CANNOT ATTEND THOSE IN-PERSON FORUMS CAN ALSO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ONLINE.  DURING THE PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT IN DECEMBER, OPB AND THE BOARD WILL DO A FINAL REVIEW OF THE FINAL BALLOT PROPOSALS AND WILL INCORPORATE ANY RELEVANT FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED ONLINE. WE WILL ALSO WORK WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS TO DETERMINE THE ESTIMATED COST FOR EACH PROPOSAL.  JANUARY WILL BE THE TIME FOR VOTING. BOSTON RESIDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE IN-PERSON AND ONLINE AND FOR FIVE OUT OF THE 15 PROPOSALS IN THE PROPOSALS WITH THE MOST VOTES WILL BE AWARDED UP TO THE FUNDING CAP OF THAT PARTICULAR PARTY CYCLE FROM FEBRUARY THROUGH APRIL WILL DETERMINE THE BEST WAY TO IMPLEMENT PROPOSALS AND FUND PROJECTS AND IMPLEMENTATION MONITORING AND PLANNING FOR CYCLE TWO WILL START IN MAY OF 2025.  IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS AND UPCOMING MILESTONES WE CONTINUE TO HAVE BOARD MEETINGS EVERY TWO WEEKS AND THESE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND FOCUS ON REFINING THE IMPLEMENTATION PLANS FOR JULY. WE ARE FOCUSING ON OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, COORDINATING WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS, COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND REFINING ANY MARKETING AND BRANDING AND OUTREACH STRATEGY TO CONNECT WITH RESIDENTS AND TO PREPARE FOR THE LAUNCH. THERE IS THIS IDEA COLLECTION CAMPAIGN IN JULY AND WE ARE PLANNING TO HAVE FOUR MAIN WAYS FOR RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH OUR OFFICE. ONE IS THROUGH AN ONLINE PORTAL THAT IS MULTILINGUAL AND PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE THEIR PROJECT IDEAS WITH OUR OFFICE IN THAT WAY. ALSO WE'LL HAVE A MULTILINGUAL PHONE LINE THAT PEOPLE CAN CALL AND LEAVE A MESSAGE WITH THEIR IDEAS.  WE'LL ALSO ARE PARTNERING WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY AND WE'RE HAVING WHAT WE'RE CALLED CORNERS IN EACH LIBRARY BRANCH ACROSS THE CITY AND WE'LL HAVE ONE OF THOSE THROUGHOUT CITY HALL TWO WHERE PEOPLE CAN FILL OUT AN IN-PERSON PAPER FORM WITH THEIR IDEA. AND LASTLY, WE ARE REALLY RELYING ON OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.  WE WILL BE WORKING WITH A HANDFUL OF THESE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SO THEY CAN HOST A BEER COLLECTION WORKSHOPS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES FOCUSED ON RESIDENTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRADITIONALLY HIGHER BARRIERS FOR ENGAGING IN THESE TYPE OF PROCESSES.  AND WE'RE CREATING WHAT WE'RE CALL A TOOLKIT AND THIS TOOLKIT WILL BE BASICALLY AN AGENDA AND AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO RUN THIS IDEA COLLECTION WORKSHOP. ANYONE CAN DOWNLOAD THIS TOOLKIT SO WHOEVER WANTS TO HOST A MEETING ABOUT PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING CAN DOWNLOAD THIS DOCUMENT AND HOST THESE CONVERSATIONS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.  THAT'S THE OVERVIEW FOR TODAY. YOU CAN VISIT US AT BOSTON GOLF FOREST PARTICIPATE AND YOU CAN ALSO FIND OUR RULE BOOK ON THAT SITE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HI. WELCOME. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COUNCILOR MEJIA AND COUNCILOR COUNCILOR BREADON HAS BOTH JOINED US.  NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR FIRST ROUNDS OF QUESTIONS. COUNCILOR FLYNN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  AND THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS HERE AS WELL.  CAN YOU TALK ABOUT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND HOW THIS MONEY WILL BE SPENT APPROPRIATELY KNOWING THAT BOSTON IS FACING A DIFFICULT TIME ECONOMICALLY WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO TAX THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ATTACKS RESIDENTS, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ENSURE TAXPAYER MONEY IS SPENT APPROPRIATELY? THANK YOU, ASHLEY. DO YOU MIND IF I ASK THAT TOO TO THE DIRECTOR? SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU. OF COURSE. SO WE ARE.  I'LL SPEAK ABOUT DIFFERENT PARTS OF HOW WE'RE SPENDING THE FUNDING. ONE IS THAT THE OPERATIONS OF THE OFFICE, RIGHT? THAT'S SALARIES AND EQUIPMENT. THAT'S KIND OF LIKE I SAID, AMOUNT. BUT WE'RE ALSO BEING VERY THOUGHTFUL ON THE CONTRACTS ON THE VENDORS THAT WE'RE ENGAGING WITH, ESPECIALLY ENSURING THAT THEY ARE MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE DO OUR COMPETITIVE BIDDING TO ENSURE WE GET THE BEST PRICE FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE NEEDING.  AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR PROJECTS THAT WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT RESIDENTS WILL LIKE TO SEE DONE WITH WITH THOSE FUNDINGS WE HAVE A SET AMOUNT FOR PROJECTS. SO THAT'S MONEY THAT RESIDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF INITIATIVES, WHAT TYPE OF PROJECTS OR SERVICES THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THAT'S FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN RESERVED FOR THAT PURPOSE . SO THAT WILL BE MY ANSWER TO THE $2 MILLION FOR FOR A NEW BUDGET I THINK FOR A NEW CITY DEPARTMENT. I THINK THAT'S SIGNIFICANT. I THINK THAT'S A HIGH, HIGH AMOUNT.  I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PROCESS AS WELL. DOES THIS BECOME A CAMPAIGN FOR THE COMMUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM IN THEIR PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD OR IS THIS ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON AND BOSTON'S FOOTING ON ECONOMIC ECONOMIC STABILITY? KNOWING THAT WE ARE GOING INTO A TOUGH ECONOMIC TIME BUT DO WE DO WE FACTOR THAT IN OR ARE WE JUST GOING TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS VOICES WHOEVER PUTS IN THE MOST EMAILS IS AWARDED THE THE FUNDING?  THAT'S A VERY THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. THIS IS A GOOD QUESTION.  THE WAY WE ARE RUNNING THE PROCESS THIS PILOT YEAR WE'RE RUNNING A CITYWIDE PROCESS AND WE WERE TRYING TO DETERMINE HOW TO GO ABOUT THAT CONCERN THAT YOU ARE SHARING.  SO WE WANT RESIDENTS TO GIVE US IDEAS THEY CARE ABOUT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL BUT WE'RE ALSO ASKING IF IDEAS WILL SERVE THE CITY AT LARGE IN THE WAY WE'LL ADDRESS THIS CONCERN IS THAT DURING THE ELECTION IN JULY WE WILL LOOK AT ALL THE DATA AND ALL THE IDEAS WE RECEIVE AND IDENTIFY THE TOP PRIORITIES THAT EMERGE FROM RESIDENTS CITYWIDE. SO IN THAT SENSE THE PROPOSALS THAT WILL GET TO THE BALLOT AT THE END ARE NOT NECESSARILY LOCATION SPECIFIC OR NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC BUT THEY WILL BE THERE WILL BE PROPOSALS THAT ORGANIZATIONS FROM ACROSS THE CITY WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT LOCALLY ACROSS THE CITY. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HEAR THAT BOSTON RESIDENTS ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR RESIDENTS FOR RETURNING CITIZENS RESIDENTS COMING BACK TO SOCIETY AFTER INCARCERATION, WE WILL WE WILL PUT FORTH FUNDING FOR THAT PROPOSAL AND ORGANIZATIONS FROM ACROSS THE CITY WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR FUNDS AND IMPLEMENT TO WHATEVER SUPPORT NEEDED IN THEIR PART OF THE CITY. SO IN THAT SENSE WE ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN HEARING LOCAL IDEAS BUT AT THE MOMENT OF FUNDING WE WANT TO OPEN THE FUNDS SO THIS CAN BE DONE CITYWIDE.  THANK YOU. I JUST I JUST WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD. I THINK THE $2 MILLION IS IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT USED DEPARTMENT IS RECEIVING AS A BRAND NEW DEPARTMENT WITHOUT ANY WITHOUT A TRACK RECORD OF OF OF SUCCESS AND I DO THINK IT'S IT'S IT'S A FIGURE THAT IN THIS TIME DURING THESE AND UNCERTAIN ECONOMIC TIMES I THINK IT'S IT'S A LITTLE TOO HIGH IN MY OPINION AND I I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ACTUALLY WHAT DO YOU THINK? I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THE ORDINANCE IN ADDITION TO YOU KNOW, DEFINING SORT OF THE HIGH LEVEL GOALS OF THIS PROCESS AND THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, IN DEFINING THE PROCESS ITSELF AND ALSO DID HAVE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IN MIND AND IT'S VERY CLEAR IN THE ORDINANCE AND IN THE PROCESS THAT THE DIRECTOR AND THE BOARD OF DESIGN THAT THE PROPOSALS THAT ARE ON THE BALLOT ARE INTENDED TO BE ONE TIME PROJECTS IN NATURE AND NOT CREATE ONGOING COSTS FOR THE CITY. SO IN THE EVENT THAT THERE IS, YOU KNOW, A DOWNTURN IN THE CITY WAS NEEDING TO, YOU KNOW, PULL BACK OR YOU KNOW, MAKE ANY CHOICES TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, REDUCED REVENUES THOSE ARE THE OFFICE IS NOT CREATING PROJECTS THAT WILL HAVE ONGOING COSTS FOR THE CITY. NOW WHEN YOU MENTIONED VOTERS WILL PICK THEY'LL GO TO THE BALLOT. WHAT DO YOU WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'LL GO TO THE BALLOT? THEY'LL THEY'LL GO TO THEIR VOTING BOOTH IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND VOTE ON SOMETHING OR THEY'LL THEY'LL DO IT ELECTRONICALLY. SO IT IS A BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE TRADITIONAL ELECTION. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT VOTING ONLINE WITH A CODE THAT RESIDENTS CAN ACCESS AND VOTE FOR THEIR TOP PROPOSALS. BUT WE'RE ALSO PARTNERING WITH PUBLIC LIBRARIES SO PEOPLE CAN GO THERE WILL BE A BALLOT BOOTH AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THEIR TOP FIVE PROPOSALS. SO WE'RE LOOKING INTO A COMBINATION OF ONLINE AND IN-PERSON FOR ACCESS. SO SO WHATEVER GROUP IS MORE ORGANIZED REGARDLESS OF HOW HOW THE PROPOSAL IS OR WHATEVER GROUP IS MORE ORGANIZED AND IS ABLE TO GET OUT THEIR VOTE IN A SENSE WINS AND GETS THE FUNDING THE TAXPAYER MONEY IS AT. IS THAT ACCURATE?  SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO FUND MORE THAN ONE PROPOSAL MOST LIKELY.  BUT THESE ARE SOMEWHAT IT'S NOT A PERFECT PROCESS I WOULD SAY I THINK IT'S AN EXERCISE IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND CIVIC EDUCATION . WE'RE GOING TO BE TRYING TO WORK WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZED NATIONS AND BEING VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THE OUTREACH THAT WE DO TO ENSURE THAT WE BRING VOICES THAT ARE NOT TYPICALLY ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS. SO THERE MAY BE SOME OF WHAT YOU MENTION ABOUT GROUPS THAT ARE VERY ORGANIZED BUT WE WILL MAKE OUR BEST EFFORTS TO TRY TO EXPAND THAT TO OTHER RESIDENTS . I JUST THINK IT'S A AN OPPORTUNITY FOR POTENTIAL CONFLICT AND CONFUSION AND HAVING A CAMPAIGN A PUBLIC CAMPAIGN SUCH AS RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL TO GET ONE OF YOUR BALLOT INITIATIVES THROUGH IS IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON IN MY OPINION. DURING THESE DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY,  THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM, I'M KIND OF ON THE SAME WAY WE JUST ENDED COUNCIL FLYNN'S QUESTION SOME THOUGHTS I HAVE. HOW WILL WE GOING TO GUARANTEE EQUITY WHEN WE KNOW MANY NONPROFITS DO AMAZING WORK BUT THEY HAVE THE FUNDING TO HIRE ONE, TWO, SOMETIMES THREE FULL TIME STAFF THAT ARE PAID VERY WELL TO LOBBY US ON THE COUNCIL . RIGHT? SO THERE IS THE ABILITY FOR MANY NONPROFITS TO NOT JUST HAVE VOLUNTEERS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHO SIGN ON TO A CHAIN EMAIL THAT THEY SEND US BUT ACTUALLY SHOW UP TO THESE HEARINGS AND HOLD THEIR OWN MEETINGS TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS.  HOW HOW DO WE WAIVE THAT IN?  YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT VOTING. I MEAN MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BOARDS AND PRECINCTS HAVE LESS THAN 8% TURNOUT FOR A REGULAR ELECTION . HOW MUCH OF A PERCENTAGE OF THE FINAL DECISION ON WHERE THIS MONEY GOING WILL BE BASED ON THE VOTE OF THE RESIDENTS? I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT?  THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. ONE OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE TESTING THIS PILOT YEAR IS TO CONTRACT WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE TRUSTED BY RESIDENTS SO THEY CAN HELP US DO OUR RESEARCH. YOU YOU SAY TRUSTED BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN LOBBYING CITY OFFICIALS LIKE WHAT'S THE CHECKLIST TO SAY TRUST AND DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF THOSE THAT YOU'RE USING THIS FIRST YEAR FOR US TO SEE? YOU KNOW, ONCE WE ARE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS WE ARE TAKING OFF IN JULY SO SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS IS THEIR CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THE WORK WE'RE ASKING OF THEM.  BUT THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST AS SOON AS WE WE CONFIRM OR HAVE A DEFINITIVE LIST I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE. WHO ARE YOU TALKING WITH NOW THOUGH YOU SAID YOU'VE ALREADY STARTED THOSE CONVERSATIONS SO WHO ARE THE NONPROFITS THAT ARE ALREADY PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS?  I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE SHARING NOW JUST BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN A FORMAL CONTRACT THAT RESOLVES TO RECEIVE I MEAN WHERE THE CITY COUNCIL THAT HAS TO APPROVE AND IF YOU'RE ALREADY REACHING OUT TO CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS AND WE'RE NOT AWARE OF THAT, SHOULDN'T WE KNOW BECAUSE THEN IT SEEMS LIKE THEY HAVE THE UPPER HAND IN THIS FIRST ROUND IF THEY'RE ALREADY BEING REACHED OUT TO BY A DEPARTMENT THAT JUST STARTED. YEAH, IT'S A BROAD SWATH OF ORGANIZATIONS.  SO THESE ARE THE THESE ARE THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP ENGAGE RESIDENTS AT THAT FIRST STAGE OF THE PROCESS AND BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO GATHER IDEAS. RIGHT. AND SO WHICH THEN WILL TURN INTO A VOTE SO SO THEY'LL WILL INTAKE TONS OF IDEAS AND THEN IT WILL GO THROUGH A PROCESS WITH OUR DATA ANALYTICS TEAM TO SORT OF OF THOSE YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THOUSANDS OF IDEAS THAT WE INTAKE TO FIGURE OUT. ARE THERE THEMES THAT EMERGE AND SO IT'LL BE MORE THEMATIC SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE YOU KNOW THE THEMES THAT EMERGE FROM THAT IDEA COLLECTION PROCESS WILL THEN MOVE ON TO A RESIDENT LED VISIONING FORUM IN WHICH PEOPLE WILL COME UP WITH THE ACTUAL PROPOSAL THAT WILL GO ON THE BALLOT. AND I RESPECTFULLY THOUGH IS THIS WHAT YOUR OFFICE DOES? WE'RE NOT WHAT SHE'S SPEAKING ABOUT. YES.  SO YOU CAN ANSWER THAT CORRECTLY. I'M JUST YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. SO I WILL WAIT. YOU ARE THE DIRECTOR OF THIS NEW DEPARTMENT WHERE YOU YES. CORRECT. WE'VE FUNDED $2 MILLION FOR IT. OH, THAT'S CORRECT.  OKAY. SOMETHING THAT I'LL SAY IS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR AS A TESTING GROUND FOR THIS MODEL IS SOMETHING THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE CITY BEFORE WITH YOUTH.  SO THERE'S THE YOUTH WITH THE CHANGE PROGRAM SINCE 2014. SO IT'S FAIRLY SIMILAR.  WHAT WE'RE DOING IS EXPANDING TO ALL BOSTON RESIDENTS TO RESPOND TO YOUR INITIAL QUESTION THE WAY WE ARE TRYING TO ENSURE THAT VOICES THAT ARE NOT TRADITIONALLY ENGAGED IN THIS TYPE OF PROCESSES WE ARE TESTING THIS APPROACH OF WORKING CLOSELY WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT SERVE THOSE POPULATIONS FOR INSTANCE RETURNING CITIZENS LOW INCOME RESIDENTS, IMMIGRANTS, SENIOR ADULTS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES SOME OF THOSE ARE ALSO CITY DEPARTMENTS SO ALSO THAT NOT JUST NONPROFITS ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LIKE OUR CITY OF BOSTON OFFICER RETURNING CITIZENS OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE GREAT NONPROFITS, THE NONPROFITS, THE NONPROFITS? SO THE IDEA IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO TEST THIS MODEL THIS FIRST YEAR WE ARE BROKE ACTIVELY THINKING THROUGH WHAT CAN BE A GROUP OF FIVE OR SIX NONPROFITS THAT WE CAN WORK FOR THIS FIRST YEAR AND MOVING FORWARD WE WANT TO FIRST HOW THAT GOES SO WE CAN OPEN AN APPLICATION AND WHEN WILL WE ON THE COUNCIL HAVE ACCESS TO THE GROUP THAT YOU'VE ALREADY STARTED COMMUNICATE AS SOON AS NEXT WEEK I WOULD SAY BECAUSE WE ARE NOW TRYING TO GET READY FOR JULY. SO YOU KNOW IN LAST YEAR WE DID HOLD SOME VIRTUAL HEARINGS FOR DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEN AS AN AT LARGE CITY COUNCIL I WENT TO MANY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ONES BUT ALSO CITYWIDE AND SHOCKINGLY YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE ONLY THING OR IS THAT THE CITY WANTED WAS DOG PARKS RIGHT SO THERE ARE DEFINITELY GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHO COME OUT AND I'M A DOG LOVER TO DOGS AT MY HOUSE BUT WHEN WE WALKED AWAY FROM THOSE MEETINGS THAT WE SET UP TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THE VOICES OF THE CITY OF BOSTON, THEN YOU WOULD THINK IF IT'S A VOTING PROCESS THAT ALL OF THIS MONEY WOULD BE GOING TO DOG PARKS, WHY AS AN EXAMPLE. BUT IF LIKE HOW WILL WE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE EQUITABLY BUT ALSO NOT JUST FUNDING AND HAVING A CHECKLIST OF WE ALREADY HAVE ORGANIZATIONS THAT FUND MANY OF THESE IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE HOW WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THIS MONEY IS GOING TO RESOURCES AND NEEDS THAT AREN'T ALREADY BEING MET BY THE CITY BUDGET.  NO, BUT THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING UP ON THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY OUR OFFICE AND ADOPTED BY OUR BOARD LAST WEEK WAS A SET OF EQUITY GUIDELINES THAT WILL ENSURE THAT PROJECTS THAT COME OUT OF THIS PROCESS BENEFIT THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST IN THE CITY. SO IT'S HARD TO TELL THE TYPES OF IDEAS THAT WILL COME NOW BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T STARTED YET BUT WE ARE BUILDING THESE GUARDRAILS TO ENSURE AS MANY MEMBERS ON THE BOARD NINE MEMBERS ARE THEY PAID KNOW AND HOW MANY STAFF IN YOUR OFFICE WITH YOU THREE THREE AND IT'S A $2 MILLION BUDGET. HOW MUCH OF THE 2 MILLION IS STAFF FUNDING FOR FY 24 240,000 . OKAY.  AND DO WE KNOW YET OR HAS THE BOARD NOT DECIDED AND CAN WE GET A LIST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS COURSE PLEASE OR WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE VOTE WILL BE WEIGHING IN ON THE FINAL DECISION FOR ANY PROJECTS OR NONPROFITS THAT ARE DECIDED TO BE FUNDED?  WOULD YOU MIND RESTATING THAT QUESTION YOU SAID THAT ONCE THIS PROCESS GOES THROUGH THE RESIDENT WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE BALLOT AND YOU'RE ENVISIONING THAT ALL DIFFERENT WAYS ONLINE AT LIBRARIES, DIFFERENT WAYS IN ONCE THOSE VOTES ARE TALLIED AND YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT THEY WANT. WELL BUT THE PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP ONE IN WHICH I SAID IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS IT COULD BE IT WAS ESPECIALLY WHEN THIS ISN'T THIS IS NOT EVEN A REAL ELECTION IN THE SENSE WE COULD SEE, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN 5% TURNOUT AND SOME NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT HOW MUCH OF THAT VOTE IS GOING TO DETERMINE LIKE I THINK OF THE CPA GUIDELINES THAT COME BEFORE US CAN YOU COMPARE THIS PROCESS TO CPA WHICH I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH? YEAH. SO IT WAS DECISIONS THAT ARE LIKE ONE TIME PROJECTS LIKE A PARK AT THE PLAYGROUNDS REDONE AT THE WARREN PRESCOTT OR THOSE IDEAS.  YEAH. SO THIS WILL ALSO BE ONE TIME PROJECTS SIMILAR TO CPA AND THE WAY THE VOTING WILL WORK IS THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO AWARD FUNDING TO THE TO THE PROPOSALS THAT RECEIVE THE MOST VOTES UP TO THE FUNDING CUT WE HAVE FOR THAT YEAR.  SO IT IS BASED SOLELY ON THE VOTE CORRECT.  BUT BEFORE THE PROPOSALS GOING TO THE BALLOT THEY GO THROUGH A PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE FEASIBLE AND ALSO WORKING CLOSELY WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER GOES TO THE BALLOT ARE THINGS THAT THE CITY CAN ACTUALLY DO OR OR FUND. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU.  I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HAS JOINED US COUNCILOR SANTANA, YOU'RE ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND I'M GOOD MORNING TO YOU BOTH AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.  I THINK I WANT TO STAY RIGHT YOU'RE NOT IN THE ROOM FIVE OR SEVEN. MY QUESTION I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AS A FORMER DIRECTOR OF CIVIC ORGANIZING, ONE OF MY FIRST PROJECTS THAT I WORKED ON AS CHIEF KNOWS WAS ON THIS OFFICE AND I'M GETTING IT OFF RIGHT OFF AND RUNNING SO I'M GLAD TO SEE IT AT THIS STAGE RIGHT NOW STAYING ON THE ON THE NOTE OF A VOTING, ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS FOR WHO CAN VOTE LIKE WHO WHO CAN CAN CAN CAN KIDS VOTE CAN AND CAN YOU KIND OF TALK TO ME ABOUT ANY RESTRICTIONS THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE? SURE. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.  WITH THE GUIDANCE OF THE BOARD ,THEY DECIDED FOR THE PROCESS THAT ANYONE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON CAN SUBMIT A PROJECT IDEA SO THERE IS NO RESTRICTIONS FOR SUBMITTING FOR VOTING.  THE CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT AGE SO 11 YEAR OLDS AND OLDER OR SIX TRAITS ON THE BOARD WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE FOR AND FOR THE PROPOSALS ON THE BALLOT AND THIS INCLUDES ANY BOSTON RESIDENT.  OH YEAH. SO 11 YEAR OLDS TWO OR SIX GRADE OR ABOVE? CORRECT. AND THEN IN TERMS OF UNDOCUMENTED FOLKS AND RESIDENCY, ARE THEY ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE? YES, THEY ARE. OKAY.  AND THEN WAS AND THEN THESE DECISIONS WERE MADE BY THE OVERSIGHT BOARD. CORRECT. IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OVERSIGHT BOARD.  OKAY. SO THE CONSULTATION BETWEEN YOU YOURSELF, THE DIRECTOR AND THE OVERSIGHT BOARD. CORRECT. AND ALSO WITH INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY GROUPS. OKAY, GREAT. I'M GOING OVER TO THE OVERSIGHT BOARD. THERE'S. CAN YOU JUST TALK TO ME ABOUT THE RESPONSIBLE? I KNOW YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD.  CAN YOU JUST TALK TO ME ABOUT KIND OF AN ANNUAL BASIS OF WHAT WHAT IS WHAT IS EXPECTED OUT OF THIS BOARD? AND I KNOW YOU TALKED TO ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES BUT YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH YOU KNOW AND HOW MUCH CONTROL DO THEY HAVE, HOW MUCH INPUT DO THEY HAVE IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT PRODUCING OUT OF THIS OFFICE? YOU KNOW, SO THEY THEIR MAIN ROLE IS TO BE THOUGHT PARTNERS TO OVERSEE THE PROCESS AND TO GUIDE THEM THROUGH EACH STEP EACH STEP OF THE WAY. THEY ARE A GROUP OF NINE BOSTON RESIDENTS. THEY ARE SERVING FOR TWO YEARS. SO AFTER TWO YEARS WILL HAVE A NEW BOARD AND THEY ALL HAVE BACKGROUNDS IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, PUBLIC FINANCE SO THEY BRING THAT EXPERIENCE INTO INTO THE PROCESS. SO I WOULD SAY WE CHECK IN WITH THEM NOW IN THE PLANNING PHASE EVERY TWO WEEKS AND WE BRING IMPORTANT QUESTIONS OR CONSIDERATIONS THAT THEY HELP US SHAPE TO GET READY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION. SO IT'S A IS AN OVERSIGHT BOARD VERY COMMITTED GROUP OF FOLKS GREAT OPINIONS AND YEAH, THEY'VE JUST BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN HELPING US THINK THROUGH THE PROCESS. GREAT. THANK YOU CHIEF. YOU KNOW WELL IF YOU QUESTIONS ABOUT JUST KIND OF LIKE FINANCIALLY YOU KNOW SO THERE'S $2 MILLION AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT WAS LIKE $250,000 ALLOCATED RIGHT NOW TOWARDS STAFF. HOW MUCH OF THOSE $2 MILLION WILL BE IMPLEMENTED FOR SPECIFICALLY FOR PROJECTS THIS UPCOMING YEAR? SURE. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. SO FOR THE PROCESS THAT'S GOING TO START IN JULY? WELL, JUST SOME BACKGROUND. SO I THINK THE CITY HAS BEEN APPROPRIATING $2 MILLION TO THIS OFFICE SINCE FISCAL 22. I WANT TO SAY LAST YEAR AS PART OF THE FISCAL 24 BUDGET PROCESS AND SOMETHING THAT'S UNIQUE TO THIS OFFICE IS THAT FUNDS CAN ROLL FORWARD FROM PRIOR YEARS.  AND SO THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL MADE A DECISION TO CARRY FORWARD FUNDING FROM FISCAL 23 INTO 24 BECAUSE THE OFFICE HAD NOT BEGUN AND THAT MONEY HAD BEEN APPROPRIATED BUT NOT SPENT. AND SO WE STARTED THIS FISCAL YEAR WITH A BALANCE OF ABOUT $4 MILLION. THE OFFICE IS UP AND RUNNING.  WE'VE HAD SOME EXPENSES AS RENATO MENTIONED. THERE'S ALSO SOME YOU KNOW, ONE TIME STARTUP COSTS IMPLEMENTATION COSTS TO GET THIS PROCESS GOING SO SOME MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT. SO FOR THE PROCESS THAT WILL BEGIN IN JULY, WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT WE WILL MAKE $2 MILLION AVAILABLE TO FOUR PROJECTS. THAT IS NOT THE FULL BALANCE THAT HAS BEEN ACCUMULATED IN THAT OFFICE. WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO ROLL UNSPENT FUNDS FORWARD AND THAT FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE WE WILL BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE $2 MILLION TOWARDS PROJECTS WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION WILL REMAIN THE SAME. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. I HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS. SO IN TERMS OF THAT LET'S SAY THAT TO SAY THERE'S $2 MILLION THIS YEAR THE COMMUNITY DECIDES THAT THEY WANT TO FUND OUR STREETS. RIGHT. AND THEN POTHOLES AND LET'S JUST SAY FOR THE SAKE OF THIS AS ALL $2 BILLION WAS WAS WAS VOTED FOR THAT WOULD THAT TAKE AWAY FROM LIKE LET'S SAY PUBLIC WORKS LIKE YOU KNOW, YOU ALREADY GOT $2 MILLION IN FIXING POTHOLES NOW LET'S REALLOCATE OUR PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET TO MATCH THAT OR IS IT JUST KIND OF AN ADDITION TO TO THAT AND I'M USING PUBLIC WORKS AS AN EXAMPLE BUT JUST IN ANY TYPE OF A DEPARTMENT. YEAH. WHAT IS BEING AN ADDITIONAL OR WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ON THE BACK END DO SOME THINGS LIKE IT IS INTENDED TO BE ADDITIVE AND SO NET NEW ON TOP OF ANY MONEY THAT'S ALREADY ALLOCATED THROUGH THE CITY BUDGET FOR A PARTICULAR ACTIVITY TO BE ADDITIVE.  GREAT. MY FINAL QUESTION IS ABOUT RIGHT NOW WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY $2 MILLION. RIGHT. AND I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE RECEIVED IT. I DON'T EVERYONE ALL MY COLLEAGUES HAVE RECEIVED ALL THE ADVOCACY OF OF GETTING THIS OFFICE UP TO, YOU KNOW, 1% OR EQUIVALENT TO $40 MILLION. WHAT'S THE YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS BEEN THE ADMINISTRATION'S RESPONSE TO TO ADVOCATES YOU KNOW IN SAYING THIS IS THERE A PLAN TO TO INCREASE AS WELL? YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY AS TO $20 BILLION NEXT YEAR, BUT IS THERE A PLAN TO INCREASE THIS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS? AND IS THERE A PLAN TO EVER GET TO POTENTIALLY 1% AND LET'S JUST SAY MY FINAL QUESTION ON THAT. LET'S JUST SAY THAT $40 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED THIS UPCOMING YEAR TO PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING . DIRECTOR HOW DO YOU HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO KIND WITH YOU KNOW, TO HOLD THAT AND THEN TO HAVE THAT THROUGH THE PROCESS?  I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I DON'T THINK WE'VE BEEN IN ENOUGH ROOMS WHERE LIKE THE ADMINISTRATION, THE COUNCIL AND ADVOCATES HAVE ALL BEEN IN THE SAME ROOM AND I THINK WE'VE ALL HAD MANY DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS OR MAYBE NOT SO DIFFERENT BUT IT IS GOOD TO HAVE SOME FLAHERTY AROUND THAT. YEAH, I'LL START AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR. I THINK WE REINADO'S TEAM, THE BOARD AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS WE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON MAKING THIS FIRST YEAR WORK. WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT. THERE'S GOING TO BE THINGS THAT WE DO THAT DON'T WORK SOME THINGS THAT WORK REALLY GREAT THAT WE WANT TO DO MORE OF IN THE FUTURE YEAR. SO I THINK YOU KNOW WE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON THE NEXT SIX MONTHS AND MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS SUCCESSFUL AND THEN IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT THE OFFICE HAS THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO YOU KNOW A $40 MILLION INFUSION CAME IN THIS YEAR. LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE'RE VERY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT THE PROCESS IS RIGHT AND THAT WE WE WE GET IT SET UP SO THAT IF THERE ARE YOU KNOW, DECISIONS BY FUTURE COUNCILS AND MAYORS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY GOING INTO THIS OFFICE IN THIS PROCESS THAT WE ARE SET UP TO RECEIVE IT AND KIND OF FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE PROCESS WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDS IF THAT'S THE DECISION OF THE CITY. YEAH.  THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. I BELIEVE THE FUNDING WE HAVE NOW IS UM A MANAGEABLE AMOUNT OF THIS FIRST YEAR. AS I MENTIONED THIS IS GOING TO BE A YEAR FOR LEARNING AND TESTING OUR APPROACH AND ALSO TO TRY TO BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE CYCLES WITH RECURRENT CAPACITY AND ALSO THE TIMING TO GET THINGS OFF THE GROUND.  I WANT TO JUST ENSURE THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLY USING THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE NOW TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE THE BEST OUT OF IT. GREAT.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHIEF AND THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CASELLA. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ROLE. WILL YOU WISH WATCHING THIS OFF AS WELL. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU PANEL FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.  SO THIS IS NOT TAKING EFFECT THIS CURRENT BUDGET, RIGHT? THIS SO FUNDS HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATED IN THE CURRENT YEAR FISCAL 24 AND ALSO 25. THE PROCESS IS GOING TO OFFICIALLY KICK OFF IN JULY WHICH WILL BE THE START OF FISCAL FIVE.  SO NOTHING FROM THE FROM THE OUTREACH ANYTHING WILL BE AMENDED INTO THIS CURRENT BUDGET THE FISCAL 24 BUDGET. SO NO SIGN OF THE BUDGET COMING UP.  OH I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. ANYTHING THAT WE LEARN THROUGH OUR OUTREACH WILL BE AMENDED INTO THE BUDGET THAT WILL BE BE VOTED ON. YEAH NO BUT WE EXPECT RIGHT SO WE EXPECT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO YOU KNOW AS WE'RE IN TAKING THAT INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP US INFORM THE FISCAL 26 BUDGET. UNDERSTOOD. YOU. YOU SAID THERE ARE 15 IDEAS THAT ARE VOTED ON BUT I DON'T. NICE TO MEET YOU. NICE TO MEET YOU. COUNCILOR . CORRECT.  15 PROPOSALS. 15 PROPOSALS. HOW HOW DO HOW DO YOU GET DOWN TO THAT?  15. BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE VOTED ON FROM THERE BUT YOU MUST GET HUNDREDS OF IDEAS.  THOUSANDS OF IDEAS? HOW DOES IT GET DOWN TO THE 50? RIGHT. GREAT. GREAT QUESTION. SO FIRST OF ALL, I'LL CLARIFY THE WHY THE 15 THE. THAT WAS A PETITION MET WITH THE BOARD ON HOW MUCH INFORMATION CAN A RESIDENT ABSORB IN THE BALLOT FOR VOTING. SO IF IT WAS IT WAS PROBABLY OVERWHELMING IF IT WAS TEN PROBABLY TOO LITTLE. SO WE LANDED ON 15 THAT WILL MAKE IT THROUGH THE END OF THE PROCESS FOR VOTING AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE CITY'S DATA ANALYTICS TEAM AND THEY WILL HELP US MAKE SENSE OF THE DATA BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THEMES, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PRIORITIES THAT RESIDENTS BRINGING FROM ACROSS THE CITY AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT ARE THE TOP 15 LARGER THEMES THAT WE FOUND THIS YEAR. ALL OF THOSE 15 THEMES WILL RECALL COMMUNITY PRIORITIES WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO RESIDENTS WITH THEIR ORIGINAL IDEA. SO LET'S SAY IF THERE IS IDEAS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR BOSTON YOUTH. RIGHT. SO THAT'S THE THAT'S THE COMMUNITY PRIORITY WE FOUND WILL BRING THAT TO RESIDENTS TO THIS VISION IN FORUMS WITH ALL THE ASSOCIATED IDEAS AND THAT WILL BE A CONVERSATION WITH RESIDENTS ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON THE BALLOT THAT WILL HAVE THE MOST IMPACT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES SO.  YOU ACTUALLY GET THE IDEAS THAT SORT OF WORKSHOP THEM INTO GROUPS LARGER THEMES AND THEN BRING THAT BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND REFINE THEM WITH THE COMMUNITY THERE AND THEN THAT OUT OF THAT PROCESS IS WHAT MAKES THE ACTUAL BALLOT. CORRECT. FOR THE VISIONING FORUMS WILL HAVE AN ONLINE COMPONENT AS WELL FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT ATTEND IN PERSON THE FORUMS CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE IDEAS SO THERE WILL BE A MOMENT WHERE WE'LL RECONCILE THOSE SPOTS AND HAVE A FINAL BALLOT FOR JANUARY. GOTCHA. SO WE HERE AS A COUNCIL SET ASIDE MONEY FOR DEPARTMENTS BUT WE DON'T WE CAN'T NECESSARILY EARMARK IT RIGHT IF WE HAVE AN IDEA LIKE COUNCILORS IN TERMS OF FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND WE SAY I WANT TO GIVE PUBLIC WORKS,  YOU KNOW, $5 MILLION TO DO THIS THING IT'S ACTUALLY NOT FOR THAT. AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAY CAN YOU USE IT? AND IF WE EVEN IF WE GIVE THEM THE 5 MILLION THEY COULD SAY WELL WE WANT TO USE IT ELSEWHERE CORRECTLY. CORRECT? SO IN THIS IF WHATEVER IS VOTED UPON IS THAT DIRECTLY EARMARKED FOR THE IDEA THAT IS ON THE BALLOT OR DOES IT JUST GIVE THAT MONEY TO THE DEPARTMENT WHO CAN THEN ACTUALLY DECIDE WHAT TO USE IT FOR? IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF PROJECT THAT COMES FORTH. FOR INSTANCE, IF IT'S SOMETHING RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE LET'S SAY SOMETHING CAN BE LIKE BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY'S TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WILL TAKE ON. RIGHT. AND THEY ALSO HAVE OTHER PRIORITIES. SO VERY LIKELY AT SOME POINT THERE WILL BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT AND CREATE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT RESIDENTS WANT TO SEE IF IT'S RELATED, IF THE PROPOSAL IS RELATED TO PROGRAMS OR SERVICES.  WHAT WE ARE PLANNING IS TO MAKE EITHER A GRANTS OR CONTRACTS AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS TO IMPLEMENT THAT WORK LOCALLY. SO WE'LL KIND OF NEED TO SEE THE TYPE OF PROJECT AND BASED ON THAT DETERMINE WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR IMPLEMENTATION. OKAY SO IT WILL I GUESS IT DEPENDS THE WORDING OF WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT THEN. RIGHT. I MEAN BECAUSE SOME COULD BE MORE SPECIFIC THAN OTHERS. YOU KNOW WE WANT SPEED HUMPS ON THESE STREETS AND IT'S OKAY PUBLIC WORKS HE HAS $5 MILLION TO DO MORE SPEED HUMPS BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MIGHT NOT MAKE IT TO YOU KNOW, SPEED UPS THEY MIGHT SAVE ALREADY BUDGET WE GET ANOTHER NEED HERE WE'LL USE THAT MONEY ELSEWHERE OR IF YOU USE IT WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS SO YOU'LL ALLOW WE'LL PUT MONEY ASIDE FOR A CERTAIN IDEA AND ALLOW COMMUNITY GROUPS TO IMPLEMENT THAT IDEA. IS THAT WHAT I AND THE CITY SAY ? RIGHT. SO FOLLOWING THE IDEA OF THE SPEED HUMPS IF THAT IDEA AS VOTED BY RESIDENTS IF IT MADE IT THROUGH THE BALLOT AND IT WAS VOTED AS A TOP PRIORITY, WE WILL WORK WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.  IT MAY NOT HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THEY ARE THEY HAVE OTHER, YOU KNOW, WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. BUT THE IDEA IS FOR THAT MONEY TO BE ALLOCATED FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT. RIGHT. THE IDEA BUT NOT THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE THE IDEA AS AS OF THE COUNCIL MY IDEA IS TO GIVE THIS DEPARTMENT THIS MONEY FOR, THIS IDEA BUT IT IS NOT NECESSARILY ALLOCATED TOWARDS THAT IDEA. I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THIS HAS A SPECIFIC EARMARK OR IF IT TOO FOLLOWS THE SAME RULES AS THE COUNCIL . I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.  I THINK OUR INTENTION IS THAT AND THE CHARTER LANGUAGE THAT GAVE US THIS OFFICE IN THIS PROCESS CITES A BINDING VOTING PROCESS AND SO OUR INTENTION IS TO FOLLOW THAT AS CLOSELY AS WE CAN. WE ALSO AS PART OF THE PROCESS ARE MAKING SURE THAT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THE BALLOT ARE THINGS THAT THE CITY CAN IMPLEMENT EITHER LEGALLY LIKE IT'S HAPPENING ON OUR PROPERTY OR WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO IT. SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING VOTED ON ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN AS A CITY ACCOMPLISH.  YEAH. WELL, SO HERE'S HERE'S THE CONCERN I HAVE.  I FEEL LIKE AGAIN, WE CAN TRY AND ALLOCATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IT SEEMS THAT THE PROCESS IS EASIER FOR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING TO DECIDE MORE DIRECTLY THAN EVEN THE COUNCIL WHO'S ELECTED RIGHT TO DECIDE WHERE MONEY GOES IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN PUT FORTH A THOUSAND AMENDMENTS THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO GET SHOT DOWN AND THEN I REALLY HAVE NO EFFECT ON THE BUDGET. BUT IT SEEMS THAT IF I WERE TO PUT AN IDEA FORWARD CAMPAIGN AROUND THE IDEA, GET IT ON THE BALLOT, VOTED UPON IN THE TOP FIVE THEN IT'S EARMARKED SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT USE AND THAT'S ALMOST MORE EFFECTIVE THAN BEING A CITY COUNCIL . I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THIS AND UNDERSTAND THE TENSION THERE. WE I THINK ARE JUST TRYING TO EXECUTE THE CHARTER MEASURE AS IT WAS ADOPTED AS BEST WE CAN.  SO I GUESS THAT'S MY POINT. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE CREATING SOMETHING MORE POWERFUL THAN THIS OWN BODY THAT ACTUALLY HAS MORE INFLUENCE OVER THE BUDGET THAN WE DO. AND MY CONCERN AS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY LET'S MAKE IT 1% AND LET'S MAKE IT $40 MILLION THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I'M LIKE WELL, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT WHAT EFFECT DO I HAVE? AND I DON'T MEAN THIS IS I LIKE HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE DON'T GET ME WRONG THAT'S NOT MY MY CONCERN.  LET'S LET'S HEAR IDEAS. LET'S UNDERSTAND. BUT THIS FILTER I FEEL JUST TO ME IT'S LIKE WELL WELL THEN YOU GUYS DON'T NEED ME . JUST GO AHEAD AND CAMPAIGN AROUND YOUR IDEA AND YOU'LL GET WHAT YOU WANT, RIGHT? AND I WILL SAY COUNCIL YOU KNOW YOU APPROPRIATE MONEY TO THIS PROCESS IN THIS OFFICE, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE THE ROLE APPROPRIATING HOWEVER MUCH GOES TO THIS PROCESS. SO YOU HAVE A KEY ROLE IN THIS AS WELL. BUT I UNDERSTAND THE POINT YOU'RE MAKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS AND THE NEW COUNCIL POWERS. YEAH, BUT I HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OUTREACH BUT I RESPECT THE TIME. THANK YOU, JEFF. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MEJIA THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, CHAIR AND ENTERS CONCILOR MEJIA HERE RIGHT ON CUE. THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET WHICH I BELIEVE AND I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUE HERE REALLY NAMING THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IS THAT THIS BODY HAS VERY LIMITED POWERS AND I THINK THAT THE NOTION OF REALLY UNDERSTANDING THAT TAXPAYERS SHOULD HAVE A ROLE AND A VOICE IN HOW THEIR MONEY GETS ALLOCATED SHOULD BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT'S A GOOD PRACTICE BECAUSE THERE'S VERY LITTLE ACCOUNTABILITY HERE . EVEN IF WE RUN FOR OFFICE EVERY TWO YEARS WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE BUDGET AT LEAST WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE LAST FEW SESSIONS THERE IS VERY LIMITED POWER HERE AND I THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY EXPAND OUR DEMOCRACY AND CREATE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A VOICE AND A ROLE AND AND A VOTE LITERALLY TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING OUT IN THE STREETS. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE THE TENSION IS AND IT'S REALLY FIGURING OUT HOW WE MAKE IT WORK BECAUSE IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION AND DEPENDING ON THE THAT YOU ARE GOVERNING UNDER THE PENDING ON THAT APPETITE THAT PEOPLE HAVE FOR REAL TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE, THE COUNCIL AND OUR LIMITED POWERS IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE DICTATED BY WHO IS IN POSITIONS OF POWER. SO I THINK GIVEN THAT I HAVE SEEN THIS I'M REALLY EXCITED. WHAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT AND I ACTUALLY WOULD LOVE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IS THIS WHOLE IDEA AROUND THE TOP ISSUES. 15 I THINK IS GREAT. I HEAR MY COLLEAGUES WORRIED ABOUT WHO IS YOU KNOW, WHO ARE THE LOT OF SMALL THINGS, RIGHT? USUALLY THOSE ARE THE ONES I GET FED AND I UNDERSTAND THAT CONCEPT BUT I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ORGANIZING AND PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS ARE ASSOCIATED TO ISSUES RIGHT. THAT ARE IMPACTING ON THE WELL-BEING OF THIS COMMUNITY. FOR EXAMPLE, HOUSING RIGHT ISSUES OF MENTAL HEALTH. SO CAN YOU JUST TALK TO ME ABOUT KIND OF LIKE THE TOP ISSUES THAT YOU'VE HEARD THAT HAVE BUBBLED UP TO THE TOP AND THE ROLE THAT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PLAYED IN DEFINING THEM?  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR, FOR THAT QUESTION. WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THAT POINT YET IN JULY WILL BE THE TIME WHERE WE'LL HEAR FROM RESIDENTS COMMUNITY GROUPS ABOUT WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THIRD STREET, FOR THE CITY RIGHT NOW AS WE'RE BUILDING THE PROCESS. WE WE HAVE NOT YET HEARD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC PRIORITIES AS THEY WILL COME FROM THE IDEAS THAT RESIDENTS WILL SUBMIT. SO I AM CONFUSED BY THAT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM FOLKS AROUND MENTAL HEALTH THE ALTERNATIVES TO 911 I'VE BEEN HEARING AROUND MORE SUPPORTS FOR YOUTH JOBS HOUSING. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IS THAT NOT PART OF THE CONVERSATION?  SO I BELIEVE GROUPS HAVE CAMPAIGNS TO PUSH FOR INITIATIVES OR FUNDING FOR SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND I THINK ONE OF THEIR CAMPAIGNS IS FOR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING AND I AM CERTAIN THAT SOME OF THESE IDEAS OR CONCERNS WILL COME THROUGH THAT PROCESS.  WE'LL HEAR THOSE TYPES OF IDEAS BUT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T YET STARTED THE IDEAS COLLECTION PROCESS WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SEE WHAT ARE SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH . SO I THINK IN JULY WILL BE THE MOMENT FOR THAT BECAUSE WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING IS IS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGET LINE ITEM SO THAT THERE COULD BE MORE FUNDING FOR THE THINGS THAT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ASKING FOR. RIGHT? RIGHT. THAT'S CORRECT. SO MY QUESTION THEN IS WHAT IS THE APPETITE TO FEED THAT DESIRE?  I MEAN WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THE CONCERNS THAT MANY RESIDENTS HAVE ABOUT WHAT YOU MENTAL HEALTH HOUSING AND ESPECIALLY THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT I THINK IS VERY BIG PARTICULARLY AMONG YOUTH.  MY THINKING IS THAT ONCE WE OPEN FOR THE IDEAS WE'LL HEAR SOME OF THOSE THEMES EMERGE.  SO I'M SPECIFICALLY ASKING AROUND THE DESIRE TO ALLOCATE MORE MONEY TO THE PARTIES BEFORE A BUDGET LINE ITEM.  COUNCILOR I'LL TAKE A STAB AT THAT IF THAT'S OKAY.  SO WE APPROPRIATED JUST A LITTLE OVER $2 MILLION FOR THE OFFICE AND THE PROCESS AND THE BUDGET THAT'S PENDING BEFORE YOU ALL I THINK AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER WE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT THE PROCESS THIS IS GOING BE THE FIRST TIME WE'RE DOING IT, MAKING SURE THAT THE PROCESS IS WELL SET UP. WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT AND IF IN THE FUTURE YOU KNOW, THERE IS A DESIRE FROM FUTURE MAYORS COUNCILS TO APPROPRIATE MORE MONEY INTO THIS OFFICE IN THIS PROCESS THAT WE'RE YOU FILTERING YOU KNOW, FILTERING IT THROUGH THE BEST PROCESS POSSIBLE.  SO I THINK THE DIRECTOR MYSELF FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND WE'RE JUST VERY FOCUSED MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW. SO IF THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO AMEND THE CHARTER AND ANY ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY.  I THINK ASK US IN SIX MONTHS WE MIGHT HAVE MORE IDEAS ONCE WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS THE FIRST TIME. SO CAN YOU JUST TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT FOR THOSE WHO ARE PAYING ATTENTION? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ALLEGED POWER THAT THE COUNCIL HAS AND THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGET?  JUST FOR THE RECORD, SURE. I WILL TAKE A STAB. SO THE COUNCIL NEWLY AS OF NOVEMBER 2021 HAS THE ABILITY TO REALLOCATE MONEY WITHIN THE BOTTOM LINE BUDGET THAT THE MAYOR HAS PROPOSED. SO THAT IS THAT NEW POWER THAT THE COUNCIL HAS. THE PARTIES THAT INTERFACE WITH COMMUNITY THE COUNCIL COUNCIL'S POWERS TO AMEND THE BUDGET. HOW DOES THAT INTERFACE WITH COMMUNITY? PRESUMABLY YOU ALL ARE HEARING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND MAKING YOUR DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE TO REDUCE AND WHAT YOU WANT TO ADD TO. BUT YOU KNOW THAT'S A GUESS ON KIND OF THE PROCESS THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING THROUGH INTERNALLY AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING OFFICE THIS IS AN OFFICE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED BY CHARTER TO DO A BINDING VOTE EACH YEAR FOR THE IDEAS THAT COME FROM RESIDENTS. SO RELATED BUT DIFFERENT AND THE KIND OF TECHNICAL POWERS THAT EXIST. BUT THEY BOTH CAME OBVIOUSLY AS YOU KNOW IN THE SAME CHARTER MEASURE. SO HOW IN TERMS OF THE VOTE IS THAT 36 SECONDS LEFT. YOU TALKED ABOUT THE VOTING.  SO I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE AND RESIDENTS HOW HOW WHAT'S THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT PROCESS FOR THE VOTING?  WELL, THE FIRST THING WE HAVE IS THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES WHICH IS GREAT . AND THE SECOND ONE WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPLORING BECAUSE VOTING WILL HAPPEN IN JANUARY. WE'RE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY TO IT TO THINK THROUGH WHAT CAN BE THE BEST PLATFORM OR AVENUE FOR RESIDENTS TO VOTE AND HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT'S NOT DUPLICATE VOTING LIKE THAT DOES ALL OF THE TYPES OF TECHNICAL QUESTIONS WILL NEED TO GO THROUGH TO FIND THE RIGHT SYSTEM? THANK YOU. I'LL WAIT FOR THE SECOND ROUND FOR MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. ONE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCILOR COLETTA ZAPATA HAS ALSO JOINED US. COUNCILOR BRAEDEN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. THIS IS VERY EXCITING. I HAVE TO SAY I LOOKED AT YOUR TIMELINE FOR YOUR DEVELOPMENT. I HAVE THE RULE BOOK HERE. IT'S VERY WELL IT'S EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND I APPRECIATE BECAUSE WE'RE ALL LEARNING ABOUT THIS PROCESS AS WE GO EVEN THOUGH WE'VE PUT SOME THOUGHT INTO GETTING IT ESTABLISHED. BUT I REALLY DO THINK THIS IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP CIVICS. CIVIC PARTICIPATION WHEN WE START OUR YOUNG PEOPLE STARTING AT 11 YEARS OLD WHO WILL UNDERSTAND OH YOU VOTE ON THINGS MAKE CHOICES THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY I THINK THIS IS THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND I DO HOPE THAT IT WILL LEAD TO MORE ENGAGED CITIZENRY GOING FORWARD.  RESIDENTS OF BOSTON WHO INCREASE OUR PARTICIPATION IN OUR CIVIC DECISION MAKING. THE SO RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE THE RULEBOOK IS DONE.  YOU'RE PLANNING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION RIGHT NOW AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO ROLL OUT THE THE IDEA START IDEA CONNECTION AND YOU'RE ANTICIPATING COULD ANYTHING FROM HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS OF IDEAS ROLL AND YOU COULD IDENTIFY THEMES AND ONE ONE CONCERN I HAVE IS YOU KNOW THE YOUTH THE YOUTH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROCESS THAT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2014 TENDS TO FOCUS A LOT ON CAPITAL PROJECTS AND JUST YOU KNOW AND THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S WELL AND GOOD WITH THIS THIS PROCESS WILL OPEN UP TO ALL SORTS OF IDEAS NOT JUST CAPITAL PROJECTS.  CORRECT. MY MY CONCERN IS WITH CAPITAL PROJECTS.  SOMETIMES EVEN THE YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT CPA MONIES GET ALLOCATED TO A PROJECT BUT DEPENDING ON OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND OUR FACILITIES MANAGEMENT PROCESSES DON'T ALWAYS MOVE THE MONEY FAST. IT HANGS AROUND AND SOMETIMES THE VALUE IF IT DOESN'T GET SPENT IN A TIMELY WAY THE VALUE GOES DOWN. YOU KNOW PUT INFLATION.  SOME PROJECTS HANG AROUND IN THE SYSTEM FOR YEARS MUCH TO MY FRUSTRATION OF IT'S A SCHOOL PLAYGROUND THAT WE'VE ALL ADVOCATED FOR OVER YEARS. BUT YOU KNOW I'M JUST HOW DO WE HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT LIKE WE GET GREAT IDEAS THEY'RE VOTED 15 PROJECTS ARE VOTED FOR SOME OF THEM ARE FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THEN JUST LIKE HOW DO WE KEEP THAT PROCESS MOVING AND ACTUALLY SPEND THAT MONEY IN THE YEAR THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SPENT? YEAH, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.  I THINK THAT'S PRECISELY WHY WE ENVISION HAVING A STEP KIND OF BETWEEN IDENTIFYING THE BALLOT MEASURES AND THINGS GOING ON THE BALLOT THAT WE KIND OF VET TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE FEASIBLE TO IMPLEMENT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECT SECOND VOTED ON CAN HAPPEN AND HAPPEN IN A RELATIVELY QUICK TIMELINE SO THAT PEOPLE SEE THE KIND OF FRUITS OF THIS PROCESS IN IN REAL TIME. SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THE BALLOT ARE THINGS THAT CAN GET OFF THE GROUND QUICKLY AND NOT LINGER LIKE YOU'RE MENTIONING. MM HMM. AND TWO QUESTIONS ONE ABOUT THE ROLLING FORWARD OF SO IF THERE'S UNSPENT FUNDS AND THEY ROLL FORWARD, DO THEY GO INTO A SPECIAL FUND OR DO THEY GO OR ARE THEY ROLLED INTO THE GENERAL FUND? LIKE HOW DO WE RINGFENCE THAT SO THAT IT DOESN'T DISAPPEAR? THIS IS ONE OF THE ONLY INSTANCES I CAN THINK OF WHERE IT ROLLS INTO A SPECIAL FUND. SO IT'S A SEPARATE SPECIAL REVENUE ACCOUNT JUST FOR THIS PURPOSE AND WE NEED SPECIAL LEGISLATION TO AUTHORIZE THAT FUND OR IS IT THAT WAS PART OF THE ORDINANCE I BELIEVE. OKAY. YEAH.  SO ALL SET? IT'S ALL SET UP. YEP. EXACTLY. AND THEN OKAY THE THE THE IDEA I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF USING THE LIBRARY SYSTEM AS PLACES WHERE WE LIVE WITH SOME WONDERFUL COMMUNITY LIBRARIES AND THE THE THE DO FUNCTION LIKE COMMUNITY CENTERS. ONE QUESTION I HAVE LIKE WE'RE GOING TO START YOU KNOW, REALLY KICKING THIS OFF IN JULY IDEA COLLECTION DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO YOU KNOW DO YOU HAVE DO YOU HAVE A ONE PAGER IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES THAT WE CAN SEND OUT TO PEOPLE THAT WE CAN SHARE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH OUR COMMUNITIES TO GET GET TO GET THOSE IDEAS, GET THE CREATIVE JUICES GOING AND GENERATE GOOD GOOD IDEAS GOING FORWARD? YES, WE DO.  SO TWO THINGS THAT COME TO MIND. ONE IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING A TOOLKIT THAT ANYONE IN THE CITY CAN DOWNLOAD FROM OUR WEBSITE AND THERE WILL BE INSTRUCTIONS OR GUIDANCE ON HOW TO HOST A CONVERSATION TO BRAINSTORM IDEAS AND SUBMIT IT TO THE WEBSITE SO THOSE IDEAS CAN BE CONSIDERED IN THE PROCESS AND THIS WILL BE TRANSLATED IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND ALSO WE'RE NOW WORKING ON A COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN AND AS PART OF THAT THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF LIKE A ONE PAGE OR FLIER THAT WILL ALSO BE MULTILINGUAL THAT WILL GUIDE PEOPLE TO OUR WEBSITE SO THEY CAN LEARN MORE AND JUST KEEP AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IS. SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT MULTILINGUAL MATERIALS ON MULTIPLE CHANNELS FOR SHARING THAT INFORMATION. MM HMM. YOU KNOW, AND BACK TO THE ISSUE ABOUT.  MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE SPECIAL FUND HAS TO BE DONE BY STATUTE AT THE STATE LEVEL. IS THAT NOT THE ORDINANCE CANNOT ESTABLISH A SPECIAL FUND? I THINK WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED TO HAVE THAT SPECIAL FUND IN PLACE SET UP. OUR CITY AUDITOR HAS SET IT UP. WE ROLLED FUNDS INTO IT LAST YEAR AND IT'S A CHOICE THAT EVERY YEAR YEAR AND CLOSE IF WE WANT TO ROLL MONEY INTO IT FOR THAT YEAR END PROCESS. OKAY.  BACK TO THE BACK TO THE AGAIN I'M I'M ENTIRELY SKEPTICAL AT THIS POINT ABOUT THE CAPITAL FUND HOW WE SPEND CAPITAL FUNDS BECAUSE WE APPROPRIATES WE WE AUTHORIZE LENDING BORROWING FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS EVERY YEAR AND WE PUT THE NUMBERS ON THE PAGE AND WE PUT PROJECTS BESIDE IT. BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW THEY PROGRESSED THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND THIS IS MAYBE A BIGGER CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY BUT YOU JUST BECAUSE WE APPROPRIATE FUNDS DOESN'T MEAN THE FUND ACTUALLY THE THINGS ACTUALLY HAPPEN.  SO I THINK IN TERMS OF PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE IN THIS IN THIS COMMUNITY CIVIC EXERCISE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDS ARE ACTUALLY SPENT AND THAT WE CAN SEE THE RESULTS OF OUR EFFORTS. OTHERWISE WE'LL JUST END UP WITH A VERY CYNICAL POPULACE WHO GO THERE WE GO NOTHING HAPPENED.  I COMPLETELY AGREE. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE'RE BUILDING TRUST ESPECIALLY IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS PROCESS AND OBVIOUSLY IN EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER. BUT AGAIN WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT THINGS THAT GET ON THE BALLOT ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AND THAT WE DO ACTUALLY DO.  SO IN TERMS OF MONITORING THIS IS A THIS IS A THIS IS THE FIRST GO AT IT AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY YOU'RE LEARNING AS YOU GO IN TERMS OF EVALUATING HOW HOW WELL IT'S WORKED, WHAT ARE YOUR I COME MEASURES AND WHAT ARE YOUR OBJECTIVES TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THIS HAS BEEN A SUCCESS OR WITH THIS AS WELL HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU PLAN ON DOING THAT? WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH AN EVALUATION TEAM THAT WILL BE WITH US ALONG THE WAY TO HELP US DETERMINE LESSONS LEARNED AND HOW TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS OVER TIME. WE DO HAVE AN EVALUATION PLAN THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF MY MEMORY BUT I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THE SPECIFICS. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT MEASURING THIS FIRST YEAR. MM HMM. GOOD.  UM, BACK TO THE BATTLE. OH, TIME'S UP.  I'LL COME BACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR WEBER, THE FLOOR JURORS THANK YOU, CHAIR THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS THIS IS A FASCINATING ISSUE AND SO A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.  LET'S SEE. SO THE RULE BOOK IS DONE. WHAT IS THE IS THERE A PROCESS FOR AMENDING IT? WHEN WHEN WILL WE LOOK BACK AT THE RULE BOOK?  WHO WHO AMENDS IT? THANK YOU, COUNSELOR, FOR THAT QUESTION. THIS HAPPENS EVERY YEAR SO AFTER EACH CYCLE IS COMPLETED THERE'S A TIME FOR ASSESSING WHAT WENT WELL, WHAT THINGS SHOULD BE CHANGED OVER TIME.  SO EACH YEAR IN THEORY THE BOARD AND THE OFFICE WILL REVIEW THE RULE BOOK AND MAKE CHANGES ACCORDINGLY TO LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PREVIOUS CYCLE. OKAY. AND JUST TO CLARIFY THE RULE BOOK CAN BE AMENDED BY THE MAJORITY VOTE OF THE BOARD SO IT'S NINE MEMBERS OR FIVE MEMBERS WILL NEED TO VOTE TO AMEND THE RULE WHO CAN AND SO I'M SORRY I THINK IT'S IN THE BUDGET. THERE'S IT'S A $1.75 MILLION LIKE SPECIAL ALLOCATION IS THAT THE AMOUNT FOR THE THAT'S GOING TO BE PUT UP FOR THIS PROJECT YEAH SO OF THE JUST OVER 2 MILLION THAT I THINK WAS APPROPRIATED FOR THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT THE OPERATING COSTS AND THEN THE 1.75 LIKE YOU MENTIONED FOR THE SPECIAL ALLOCATION WE'RE PLANNING TO USE THAT PLUS SOME MONEY THAT HAS BEEN ROLLED FORWARD FROM THE PRIOR YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE $2 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR THE PROCESS IN JULY. OKAY. AND IS THERE ARE THERE ANY GUIDELINES THAT YOU HAVE FOR,  YOU KNOW, KEEPING THE THE FUND GOING FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT? YOU KNOW, IS ARE YOU ALLOWED TO USE ALL THE MONEY AVAILABLE OR YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE RULES THERE? YEAH. SO WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL IN SELECTING THAT $2 MILLION AMOUNT TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE SOME STABILITY FROM YEAR TO YEAR. SO AS I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, WE HAVE JUST YOU KNOW, JUST ABOUT $4 MILLION OF A BALANCE THAT WE'RE KIND OF BEGINNING WE'LL BEGIN THE YEAR WITH. WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE ALL OF THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS THE COSTS FOR THE OFFICE INCREASE WE'RE ASSUMING YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE MOST CONSERVATIVE THING TO DO A STABLE APPROPRIATION IN EACH YEAR'S BUDGET BUT NOT WANTING TO HAVE THE AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS BE SO VOLATILE FROM YEAR TO YEAR THAT IF YOU YOU KNOW, WE ASSUME WE HAVE A BALANCE WE SPEND $2 MILLION WE CAN KIND OF COAST AND KIND OF ASSUME THAT AMOUNT FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. SO I MEAN IF YOU'RE LET'S SAY JUST IF THE IF THERE WAS 20 MILLION NOW IN WOULD YOU USE 10 MILLION YOU KNOW IS YEAH YEAH SO RIGHT IT'S A CHOICE BECAUSE THE MONEY CAN CAN ROLL OVER SO IF THERE WERE MORE MONEY WE COULD CHOOSE TO ALLOCATE MORE TO IT. BUT AGAIN JUST GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW AND SORT OF THE APPROPRIATION THAT WE HAVE NOW AND WHAT WE HOPE TO SEE IN THE IN THE FUTURE FOR 2 MILLION WAS THE CORRECT AMOUNT FLEXIBILITY AND JUST A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHO'S MAKING THE DECISIONS OF WHAT GOES ON THE BALLOT,  WHAT GOES UP FOR A VOTE IN JANUARY. SO I GUESS HOW DOES SOMETHING GO FROM A PROPOSAL TO TO BEING IN ONE OF THOSE 15? RIGHT. SO IT ALL STARTS WITH RECIPIENTS IDEAS AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS WE AS AN OFFICE CHECK FOR ELIGIBILITY OF WE HAVE A CRITERIA FOR IDEAS FOR PROJECT TYPES.  SO THE FIRST FILTER WILL BE MAKING SURE THAT THESE PROPOSALS MEET THE CRITERIA AND THEN WE'LL WORK WITH THE DATA ANALYTICS TEAM TO IDENTIFY THESE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND WE GO BACK TO RESIDENTS TO DISCUSS THE PRIORITIES AND THE IDEAS AND THEY WILL HELP US DETERMINE WHAT WHAT THE BALLOT PROPOSAL SHOULD ACTUALLY SHOULD BE LIKE FOR THE BALLOT. THERE IS A MIDDLE POINT IN BETWEEN WHERE WE AS AN OFFICE AND AS A BOARD WILL MAKE SURE AND WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT WHATEVER IDEAS COME FORTH ARE FEASIBLE TO IMPLEMENT AND ALSO HAVE COST ASSOCIATED TO THEM. SO WE KNOW THAT THEY WON'T GO OVER THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE FOR THAT PARTICULAR YEAR.  SO I WOULD SAY IS THAT COLLABORATION BETWEEN RESIDENTS, THE BOARD AND THE OFFICE IN GOING FROM IDEA TO PROPOSAL AT THE END. BUT HOW DOES IT I MEAN IS SOMEBODY IS THE BOARD VOTING AS A MAJORITY HOW DO YOU LET'S SAY YOU GOT 40 IDEAS THAT MEET ALL THE CRITERIA. HOW DO YOU GET TO 15 SO THE 15 WILL COME FROM ANALYZING THE DATA THAT COMES THROUGH IN JULY. SO OUT OF ALL THE IDEAS THAT WE RECEIVE, WELL IDENTIFY THE TOP 15 PRIORITIES AND WE'LL WORK WITH THOSE PRIORITIES FOR THE REST OF THE PROCESS. YEAH, NO I'M JUST I'M SORRY BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN THE RULE BOOK. I APOLOGIZE BUT YOU KNOW, IS DOES THE BOARD DECIDED DOES THE BOARD VOTE ON IT? YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST A IT'S LIKE THE COSTAR METHOD YOU'RE LOOKING AT THEM ALL 40 AND YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT IT AND PICKING OUT THE TOP 15 OR THE THANK YOU FOR THAT. YEAH I JUST I WAS TRYING TO JUST FIGURE OUT HOW THE HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK BUT AND THEN IS THERE IS THERE A PREFERENCE FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE CITYWIDE OR YOU KNOW HOW DOES THAT BECAUSE I MEAN I'M SURE SOME PROJECTS REALLY IMPACT CERTAIN AREAS INSTEAD OF OTHERS. YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THAT FACTOR EXAMINE THANK YOU. SO WE WE ARE RUNNING A CITYWIDE PROCESS, RIGHT? SO WE DO WANT RESIDENTS TO SHARE IDEAS THAT THEY CARE ABOUT AND THOSE MAY BE VERY LOCAL OR THOSE CAN BE CITYWIDE . THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES WILL BE HELPFUL FOR US TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT OUR RESIDENTS CARE ABOUT THE MOST CITYWIDE SO THE 15 PRIORITIES, THE 15 COMMUNITY PRIORITIES WILL WILL BE CARRIED THROUGH THE PROCESS BUT THE INDIVIDUAL IDEAS THAT RESIDENTS SUBMIT WILL BE HELPFUL FOR US AS AN OFFICE AND AS A CITY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE PRIORITIES AND NEEDS THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY HAVE AT LARGE.  SO WE HAVE A DUAL PURPOSE WITH OUR OFFICE SO ONE IS A TRADITIONAL PD PROCESS WHICH IS RESIDENTS SUBMIT IDEAS. THERE IS A PROCESS FOR IDENTIFYING THE TOP AND THERE WILL BE A BALLOT AND VOTING BUT THE SECOND PURPOSE OF OUR OFFICE IS ALSO GET A SENSE OF WHAT ARE GENERALLY THE PRIORITIES AND NEEDS OF RESIDENTS THAT CAN HELP INFORM FUTURE BUDGET DECISIONS FOR THE CITY OR CITY DEPARTMENTS. OKAY. AND SO I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT IF SOME PROJECTS WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY, SOME PROJECTS THROUGH CONTRACTS. IS THERE A PREFERENCE FOR FOR PROJECTS THAT WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY AND WHAT WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT YOU KNOW, THERE'S YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH A CONTRACT TO SOMEBODY WHO'S PUSHING FOR A BALLOT MEASURE FOR THEMSELVES. THERE'S NO FINANCIAL INTEREST. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE ? SO MY THINKING IS THAT WE NEED TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT ON THE PRIORITIES THEY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD SO IT WILL BE IN THAT SENSE UP TO RESIDENTS TO DECIDE THAT THAT THE TYPES OF PROJECTS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE HELPFUL IF IT'S A PROGRAM OR SERVICE IS WE'LL BE ABLE TO PUT THE MONEY OUT TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECTS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WHICH IS GREAT.  SO THAT'S THAT'S THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IF IT'S SOMETHING RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME JUST BECAUSE IT'S YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE OTHER OTHER PRIORITIES THAT A DEPARTMENT HAS. SO THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE OVERALL.  OKAY. JUST WATCHING THE SECOND STACK AWAY. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COUNCIL OF ANGIE ANDERSON HAS JOINED US COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR JOYCE THANK YOU CHAIR WHORL AND THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE. I'M EXCITED TO REALLY DELVE IN AND TO SEE HOW WE GET THIS OFFICE BILL DOWN. I KNOW I WASN'T ON THE COUNCIL WHEN THIS WAS A CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT INCLUDED PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING BUT I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SUPPORT AS THERE WAS IN THE PUBLIC WITH ONLY I THINK TWO NO VOTES AND WE ON THE COUNCIL VOTED IN SUPPORT OF THIS ORDINANCE FOR THIS OFFICE. AND SO MY QUESTIONS REALLY HAVE TO DO WITH IMPLEMENTATION AT THIS ROUND.  YOU KNOW WITH THE SECTION 5-1. 11.5 TALKED ABOUT THE COMPOSITION APPOINTMENT IN TERMS OF THE EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT BOARD AND IT SAYS THE MAYOR WILL APPOINT FOR INDIVIDUALS THE OVERSIGHT BOARD FROM A POOL OF EIGHT APPLICANT PROVIDED BY THE CITY COUNCIL . CAN YOU IDENTIFY WHICH OF THE FOUR ON THE EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT BOARD WERE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL ? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION COUNCILOR . I DON'T KNOW MY MEMORY BUT I CAN GET THAT TO YOU THROUGH THE CHAIR CAN WE PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WE BECAUSE THAT'S A QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN SWIRLING AROUND FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW FOR THE RECORD WHICH OF THE FOUR AND TWO HAVE ACTUALLY LIKE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE WOULD EVEN DECIDE ON THE EIGHT THAT THE POOL OF EIGHT I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US I THINK PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING A LOT OF IT IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION MAKING IN A VERY DIRECT WAY. IT'S A FORM OF DIRECT DEMOCRACY THAT IS NOT ONE THAT WE INVENTED HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. YOU KNOW THERE ARE OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE DOING IT AND I THINK THAT IT'S A PROCESS THAT DESERVES AS MUCH TRANSPARENCY AS POSSIBLE IF WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD OUT THIS POWER. I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS THIS TIMELINE WHICH IS A VERY AMBITIOUS TIMELINE.  I'M NOT SAYING THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE BUT IT DOES SEEM TO BE PRETTY AMBITIOUS FOR WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.  IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW WILL YOU BE GOAL SETTING TO MAKE SURE THAT AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PHASES IDEA COLLECTION WHICH IS HAPPENING VERY SOON HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT IDEA COLLECTION ENSURE THAT IT'S ONE THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF EVERYONE AND THEN OUT UNTIL APRIL OF NEXT YEAR? SO IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE MEETING EACH HOW YOU'RE MEETING EACH GOAL THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.  SO WHAT WE PROPOSED AS YOU AS YOU SAY IS AMBITIOUS BUT REALISTIC.  WE ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE TO HAVE A VERY INCLUSIVE IDEA COLLECTION PROCESS AND YOU WILL SEE IN THE PRESENTATION AND IN THE RULE BOOK THAT WE'VE OUTLINED DIFFERENT CHANNELS FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH OUR OFFICE. SO EVERY ONE OF THOSE CHANNELS WE'RE NOW ACTIVELY TRYING TO FINALIZE THEM SO THEY ARE READY BEFORE JULY KICKOFF.  SO FOR INSTANCE THE RECORDING OF A PHONE LINE THAT IS MULTILINGUAL OR YOU KNOW THE ONLINE PORTAL IS 95% READY. JUST LAST FINAL DETAILS WE HAVE SECURED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND WE HAVE THE BOOTS WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THEIR IDEAS AND WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HOST THESE CONVERSATIONS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON. SO IT IS IT IS A TIGHT TIMELINE BUT WE THINK IS ACHIEVABLE AND THIS IS ALSO PART OF THE PILOT YEAR, RIGHT? WE CAN WE CAN SEE WHAT MODIFICATIONS WE MIGHT WANT TO DO IN FUTURE CYCLES BASED ON THE OUTCOMES OF THIS FIRST PROCESS AND I WONDER WHAT THIS WILL WHAT IMPACT THIS WILL GIVEN THAT YOU TEND TO HAVE ON THE GOALS OF ON PROJECTS BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND APRIL OF NEXT YEAR RIGHT IN APRIL OF NEXT YEAR GOD WILLING WE'LL BE IN THE THROES AGAIN OF BUDGET. HOW WILL YOU USE WHAT YOU LEARNED LIKE WILL YOU HAVE HAT WILL YOU HAVE COLLECTED ENOUGH DATA TO IMPACT THE BUDGET LINE ITEM FOR THIS OFFICE FOR NEXT YEAR?  MM I THINK IF I CAN JUST JUMP IN FOR A SECOND I THINK WHAT WE WILL HAVE IS HAVE GONE THROUGH AT LEAST ONE CYCLE YOU KNOW AS WE'RE GETTING READY FOR THE FISCAL 26 BUDGET PROCESS THAT CAN HELP NOT JUST INFORM THIS OFFICE'S BUDGET BUT JUST THE BUDGET AS A WHOLE.  RIGHT WILL HAVE HAD THE BENEFIT OF HEARING FROM PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT SORT OF THEMES ARE EMERGING AS PART OF THAT PROCESS AND THE KIND OF TWO PRONGED GOAL OF THIS IS THAT YES, WE WILL HAVE THIS FORMAL PARTICIPATORY BUDGET PROCESS WHERE PEOPLE CAN VOTE ON PARTICULAR THINGS BUT WE WILL HAVE A BENEFIT OF GETTING A LOT OF INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THEY JUST WANT THE CITY BUDGET TO REFLECT MORE GENERALLY QUESTIONS AND FOR YOU REGARDING I THINK COUNCILOR BREADON HAD STARTED MENTIONING IT BUT IT WAS ABOUT A SPECIAL FUND FOR PB ROLLOVER . YEAH. HOW DOES THAT LOOK LIKE WHEN WE REALLY OPERATE FROM ON A FISCAL YEAR TO FISCAL YEAR BASIS AND WHAT GIVES YOU THAT LEGAL AUTHORITY? YEAH, SO THE ORDINANCE THAT ESTABLISHED THE OFFICE GIVES US THE ABILITY TO CREATE THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND FOR FOR FUNDS TO ROLL OVER ACROSS FISCAL YEARS BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT NORMALLY IF THINGS ARE NOT SPEND AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR IT KIND OF FALLS TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR US TO FUND BALANCE. BUT THE ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY IN A WAY THAT WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO IF WE CHOOSE AS PART OF YEAR END TO ALLOW ANY UNSPENT FUNDS TO ROLL FORWARD AND THAT CAN BE BOTH, YOU KNOW, PRACTICAL SPEAKING LIKE YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALLOCATED MONEY TO PROJECTS THEY'RE TAKING MULTIPLE YEARS TO HAPPEN AND SO WE NEED THOSE FUNDS TO CARRY FORWARD OR LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR WE JUST DIDN'T SPEND THE MONEY BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KIND OF BUILDING A BALANCE TO GO HOW MUCH ROLLED OVER LAST YEAR IT WAS ABOUT 2 MILLION I WANT TO SAY IN THE BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE RIGHT NOW IS 2 MILLION JUST OVER TWO? YEAH. SO IS THAT ALMOST THE ENTIRE BUDGET ALLOCATION FOR THE OFFICE IS IS TECHNICALLY A ROLLOVER NO SO WE APPROPRIATED A NEW $2 MILLION SO THERE'S 2 MILLION THAT WAS UNSPENT FROM 23 WE APPROPRIATED $2 MILLION NEW IN 21 SORRY 24 SOME OF THAT'S BEING SPENT BUT THEY WON'T SPEND THE ENTIRE AMOUNT BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR AND THEN THE FISCAL 25 BUDGET HAS ANOTHER $2 MILLION APPROPRIATED TO IT. SO HOW MUCH ARE WE REALLY LOOKING AT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FISCAL YEAR? WHAT IS AVAILABLE FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 TO 25? SO FOR THE OFFICE STARTED 20 FISCAL 24 WITH A BALANCE OF ABOUT 4 MILLION BECAUSE IT WAS THE 2 MILLION THAT CARRIED FORWARD PLUS THE 2 MILLION THAT GOT APPROPRIATED AND AGAIN SOME OF THAT'S BEING SPENT SO THERE WILL BUT YOU KNOW THERE WILL STILL BE SOME BALANCE AND THEN FOR FISCAL 25 NEW 2 MILLION YOU KNOW WHATEVER UNSPENT BALANCE SO MAYBE BETWEEN FOUR AND 5 MILLION IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? MAYBE A BIT MORE, YEAH.  WE CAN KIND OF SHOW YOU THE PROGRESSION. IT IT'S KIND OF LIKE HOW WE'RE EXPECTING FUNDS TO ROLL FORWARD BUT WE'RE ANTICIPATING MAKING $2 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS IN THE PROCESS THAT WILL BEGIN IN JULY TO 2 MILLION. YEAH BUT WHY THAT AMOUNT WHEN THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE MORE IN THE YEAH WHY THIS WHY BE SO CONSERVATIVE WITH A PROCESS WHEN THERE'S BEEN ALLOCATION AFTER ALLOCATION OF ALLOCATION? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.  SO THE COSTS OF THIS OFFICE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW YOU KNOW OVER THE YEARS AS COSTS OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT. WE'RE ASSUMING THAT THE OFFICE WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE KIND OF LIKE A LEVEL APPROPRIATION BUT WE WANT TO MAKE YOU KNOW, KIND OF A STABLE AMOUNT OF FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS YEAR AFTER YEAR. AND SO WE CHOSE $2 MILLION FOR THE PROCESS THAT'S GOING TO START IN JULY BECAUSE KIND OF GIVEN THE PROJECTED EXPENSES OF THE OFFICE WITH THE YOU KNOW, ASSUME STABLE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION IF WE PICKED A LARGER NUMBER TO MAKE AVAILABLE IN JULY THERE'LL BE QUITE A BIT OF VOLATILITY YEAR OVER YEAR WHEN WE DO THIS PROCESS THAT THERE COULD BE, YOU KNOW, $3 MILLION MADE AVAILABLE THIS YEAR BUT NEXT YEAR IT WOULD DROP DOWN TO ONE. RIGHT. SO IF WE DO IF WE DO A $2 MILLION ALLOCATION FOR A PROJECT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LEVEL FUNDING. WHY WOULD IT GO DOWN TO WHY WOULD IT GO DOWN TO ONE? BECAUSE IF SO NEXT YEAR FOR EXAMPLE THE OFFICE I THINK THE APPROPRIATION IS JUST OVER $2 MILLION. SOME OF THAT IS FOR YOU KNOW, MORE THAN LET'S SAY IF YOU MADE $2 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS YOU WOULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY LEFT OVER TO FUND THE SALARIES OF THE OFFICE. SO WE NEED TO KIND OF LIKE METER THE BALANCE THAT WE'RE ACCUMULATING TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A STABLE AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS WHILE CONTINUING TO FUND THE OPERATIONS OF THE OFFICE.  OKAY DIRECTOR CASTELO I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT YOUR VISION IS FOR THE OFFICE IN TERMS OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FINANCIALLY TO THE GROWTH OF THE OFFICE, HOW MUCH LIKE WHAT YOUR VISION IS IF THERE'S A VISION WHETHER IT'S A TWO, THREE, FIVE YEAR VISION FOR WHAT THE FUTURE OF THIS OFFICE LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO THE MONEY FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY TO DECIDE ON.  INITIALLY I LOOK TO SEE AN OFFICE THAT HAS A PROVEN PROCESS THAT CAN BENEFIT RESIDENTS AND THE CITY IN THEIR DECISIONS FOR BUDGET ALLOCATIONS FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE COMMUNITY CENTER BUT ALSO AN OFFICE THAT IS ABLE TO HELP INFORM LARGER DECISIONS FOR THE FOR THE CITY'S BUDGET. I THINK THE THE DECISION ON FUNDING IS A DECISION THAT HAS TO BE MADE JOINTLY WITH THE THE CABINET AND THE ADMINISTRATION . AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I BELIEVE THE MONEY WE HAVE NOW IS A MANAGEABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE CAN WAIT FOR THE KICKOFF FOR THE FIRST FIRST YEAR THAT WE'RE DOING THIS PROCESS.  IF THERE'S A DECISION TO INCREASE IT IN THE FUTURE, I SEE THE BENEFITS OF IT BUT I THINK I'M VERY FOCUSED ON THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW AND AND TO GET REALLY SOMETHING SOLID FOR THE FUTURE. SO NO NO DIRECT YOU KNOW, DOLLAR AMOUNT IN YOUR VISION FOR WHAT THE OFFICE CAN ACTUALLY AT THIS POINT I'M FOCUSING ON WHAT WE HAVE NOW AND DOING A GOOD PROCESS THERE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I RESERVE GUESS MY QUESTION. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA DISCLOSURES THANK YOU SO MUCH CHERYL THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE. UM, DIRECTOR CASELOADS IT'S BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH YOU AND GET A CHANCE TO SEE THE LEADERSHIP STARTING BACK IN MOYA AND SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE YOU IN THIS POSITION.  I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION WE HAD. WE WERE CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON BEFORE BUDGET HEARING SO A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS WE DID HAVE HAVE BEEN ANSWERED BY YOU AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR THE RULE BOOK WHICH IS INCREDIBLY COMPREHENSIVE AND WONDERFUL AND IT IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED TO LEARN ABOUT THE PROCESS AND NOT A PRACTICAL WAY OR I THINK I GOT THAT RIGHT BUT IN ANOTHER WAY THAT IS DIMINUTIVE BUT IN A WAY THAT EMPOWERS PEOPLE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE APPROACH THAT YOU HAVE HAVE TAKEN THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.  OF COURSE I'VE GONE BACK AND TRIED TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THE TIMELINE HAS BEEN AND SO GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE CHARTER AMENDMENT AND FIGURING OUT AS IT RELATES TO THE PERCENTAGE OF FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED I DO REMEMBER IN 2021 WE HAD PUT IN NO LESS THAN 0.5% AND IT HAD BEEN CHANGED MULTIPLE TIMES.  IT WAS DEEMED UNCONSTITUTIONAL BY THEN ATTORNEY GENERAL HEALEY AND SO GOING BACK AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE AND 1% I HEAR ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME FROM ORGANIZATIONS LIKE BAY AND FOLKS WHO WANT $40 MILLION AND THAT REALLY WAS THE SPIRIT OF THE CHARTER AMENDMENT TO TRY TO DEMOCRATIZE THE BUDGET PROCESS AND BRING MORE FOLKS IN AND WE ALSO WANTED AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE TO LESSEN THE COMPETITION IN IN THE COMMUNITY . AND SO GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT THE COMMITTEE REPORT FILED BY THEN CHAIR ARROYO ON FEBRUARY EIGHT, 2023, SHE HAD REVIEWED A LEGAL OPINION FROM CORPORATION COUNCILOR EXPLAINING THAT A SPECIFIC PERCENTAGE FROM THE CITY'S BUDGET COULD NOT BE ALLOCATED BY ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT WOULD CONFLICT WITH STATE FINANCE LAWS. IT TO YOUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT STILL SOMETHING YOU ALL ARE UPHOLDING THROUGH CORPORATION COUNCILOR ? YES.  OKAY. AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH CHAPTER 44 SECTION 53 JUST FOR THE RECORD FOR FOLKS THAT ARE LISTENING AND IS THERE AND THEN I ALSO THINK THAT THERE WAS NO AMENDMENT THAT WAS FILED THROUGH THAT COMMITTEE REPORT EITHER. AND SO I THINK I ALSO TRIED TO GO BACK AND LOOK THROUGH WHAT THE REGULATIONS WERE FOR $2 MILLION AND IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE IT'S JUST A DECISION BEING MADE BY YOU. WELL, THAT'S RIGHT. AS PART OF THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION SO YOU KNOW, WE COULD WITH THE COUNCIL PICK A DIFFERENT NUMBER BUT EACH YEAR, YOU KNOW, IT'S SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE BUDGET. OKAY. AND THEN IN THE THE LAST THE LAST SECTION WE DO TALK ABOUT FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND ALL OF THAT. I THINK THAT THAT IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THIS CONVERSATION UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE POTENTIALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAX CLASSIFICATION. YOU AND I HAVE A MEETING AT 12 MAYBE TO TALK ABOUT IT BUT IT IS GOING TO BE A PRETTY VOLATILE ENVIRONMENT. SO I DO THINK THAT THIS IT'S NOT A SET STANCE THAT ANYBODY SHOULD HAVE. WE SHOULD REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR BUDGET AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FISCALLY BUOYANT AS A CITY. AND SO I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THERE IS A COMPONENT IN THE ORDINANCE THAT THIS BODY ACTUALLY DIDN'T PASS.  IT JUST WENT THROUGH BECAUSE IT WASN'T ACTED ON IN 60 DAYS LAST YEAR.  I THINK THAT'S HOW IT WENT. I WAS NOT HERE FOR THAT FOR THAT CITY COUNCIL MEETING UNFORTUNATELY. BUT SO TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. BUT WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY MAKE THAT WHICH I THINK IS IS A FAIR POINT MADE BY COUNCILOR MEJIA BUT I WANT TO DO SO IN A WAY THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE LEGALLY CHALLENGED EITHER BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OR BY A CORPORATION COUNCIL . I DO. AND THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT AN AMENDMENT THAT DIDN'T GET IN WITHIN THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAD TO DO WITH GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY BASED PARTNERS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. I THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED AS MUCH HELP AS YOU CAN GET BECAUSE IT IS A CITY WIDE INITIATIVE AND YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR HANDS AND THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS YOU SAID THE WORD AMBITIOUS AND IT REALLY IS AMBITIOUS AND WE WANT TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL AND THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE MOVE THIS PROCESS ALONG BECAUSE IF WE DON'T GET IT RIGHT THEN WE STIFLE THE VOICES OF OUR OF OUR RESIDENTS . AND SO I DO SUPPORT AND I'M PUTTING ON THE RECORD OF POTENTIALLY EXPANDING THIS OFFICE EITHER THROUGH ORDINANCE OR THROUGH WORKING WITH YOU WHATEVER THE POLICY OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY BASED PARTNERS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PARTNERS. I THINK THAT THAT'S THAT'S IMPORTANT.  MY QUESTION SORRY THAT WAS A LONG RAMBLE AND JUST LETTING MY MY STANCE BE KNOWN. DO YOU HAVE ANY BENCHMARKS OF OR GOALS FOR WHO WE ARE INVOLVING IN THE PROCESS?  LIKE ARE WE ALLOWING FOR SELF IDENTIFICATION FOR DEMOGRAPHICS? HOW WE COLLECTING THAT DATA AND I APOLOGIZE IF THIS WAS MENTIONED BUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE TO INVOLVE THE LATINO COMMUNITY FOLKS WHO ARE VETERANS,  SENIORS, YOUTH DO YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION OR THOSE TWO SET BENCHMARKS? YEAH. SO THAT THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS AND FOR THE KIND WORDS. YES. SO WE ARE WORKING ON A SURVEY A DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEY THAT IS IT WILL BE OPTIONAL. SO WHEN PEOPLE SUBMIT AN IDEA ONLINE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE THE SURVEY AND SELF-IDENTIFY IN TERMS OF RACE AND INCOME AND GENDER BECAUSE WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHO IS ENGAGING WITH OUR PROCESS BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WE WILL HAVE THAT SAME SURVEY IN IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS AND THAT'S THE DATA THAT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN IS WHO WE'RE ENGAGING AT THE GROUND LEVEL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ONLINE. THE DATA THAT WE COLLECT FROM THE ONLINE INTERACTION WILL BE HELPFUL BUT IT WON'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT LIKE TO TAKE SURVEYS MORE THAN OTHERS ONLINE.  BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN-PERSON THAT WILL BE A GOOD MEASURE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE ENGAGING ON THE GROUND.  SAME THING WITH VOTING SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THAT IN MIND. WE'RE DEVELOPING THE TOOLS FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE PROCESS AND SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE STATED IS WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE REACHING OUT AND WHO WHO IS MISSING FROM THE CONVERSATION.  OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND DO YOU HAVE I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES ARE DOING AS WELL. DO YOU HAVE A MODEL, AN OUTREACH MODEL THAT YOU ARE STRIVING TO ACHIEVE? IS IT NEW YORK CITY IS IT TORONTO? I THINK NO ONE OF THE REFERENCES THAT WE'RE USING QUITE A LOT IS TO THE NEW YORK CITY MODEL THAT IS CITYWIDE AND ONE OF THE KEY PIECES WE ARE GETTING INSPIRED BY THAT MODEL IS THE PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO CONNECT WITH RESIDENTS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE INCORPORATING IN A SMALLER SCALE FOR THIS FIRST YEAR THAT WE'RE HOPING TO EXPAND DOWN THE ROAD.  OKAY. THANK YOU. AND HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT CONFLICT OF INTEREST PROVISIONS OR DISCLOSURE FORMATION LIKE HOW ARE YOU PROVIDING THAT?  HOW ARE YOU MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR ORGANIZATIONS OR OR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE REACHING OUT FOR FUNDS AND WHAT IS THE AVENUE FOR THEM TO DISCLOSE THAT INFORMATION THE WAY SO THIS MAY REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE THOUGHT FOR THE JAN MOMENT WHEN PEOPLE ARE VOTING BUT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE THINKING IS THAT ALL THE APPLICATIONS THAT WILL COME FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PROCESS WILL NEED TO WE WILL NEED TO GO THROUGH AN EVALUATION AND WE'LL NEED TO ASSESS THEM AND IF WE IDENTIFY A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST WILL NEED TO AS YOU MENTIONED HAVE SOME SORT OF A RESPONSE TO THAT.  SO I THINK YOU KNOW, THE GUARANTEE IS THAT THE OFFICE AND THE BOARD AND ALL THE MEETINGS WE HOST ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE APPLICATIONS THAT COME IN FOR FUNDING AND MAKE DETERMINATION BASED ON THE POPULATIONS THAT THEY ARE INTENDING TO SERVE AND ALSO THE IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL IN THE COMMUNITY.  THANK YOU. THAT'S IT FOR FOR QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OPINIONS ANDERSON, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. MORNING.  I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE. I HAD A PREVIOUS MEETING AND SO I MIGHT HAVE MISSED SOME DETAILS SO I ASK QUESTIONS.  IT'S A VERY BEEN ANSWERED. MY APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE.  MR COSTELLO, CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE ME A LIST ALL BOARD MEMBERS FOR ME ON RECORD. YES.  SO WE HAVE MEXICO ON NEPTUNE KOALA STUBBLE CUDDLING THE POLAR SEARCH ON WEATHERS. RIGHT. JIM KENNEDY KHALID MUSTAFA I'M SORRY ESTHER THEN A SEARCH ON THE WEATHER'S GERRY WRITES JIM KENNEDY KHALID MUSTAFA LISA HI IN MERILYN FOREMAN AND THEN KHALID AND THEN AFTER HEIDI SO CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN AFTER KHALID IS KHALID MUSTAFA?  LISA HI SPELLED H Y AND MERILYN FOREMAN.  CAN YOU LIST THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS FOR ME ? YOU KNOW THEM ALL RIGHT? YEAH, I CAN I CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT. CAN YOU LISTEN TO ME LIKE IF I COULD FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THE DEMOGRAPHICS I KNOW THEM. I WOULD PROBABLY BE MAKING SOME ASSUMPTIONS.  I SAY LIST THEM SO I'M NOT SURE. YEAH, OKAY. YEAH. COULD YOU EMAIL US? THANK YOU. YEAH.  AND SO I DON'T I DON'T KNOW ANY COLLEAGUES THAT I MEAN IF ANYBODY'S HERE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG THAT ACTUALLY GOT THEIR RECOMMENDATION AND SO I THINK THAT'S TO GO BACK TO THE QUESTION FOR CONSULTATION. SO THAT POSES A HUGE ISSUE. AGAIN, MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE IF I'M WRONG CORRECT ME AND SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE ISSUE IS WITH YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY AND PARTICULARLY FEELING AS THOUGH THEY'RE NOT BEING REPRESENTED. I LOOK THEM UP BY THE WAY I LOOKED THE DEMOGRAPHICS UP AND IT DOESN'T REFLECT IT'S NOT EQUITABLE.  IT DOESN'T REFLECT IT'S JUST LIKE ALL OF THE AGES AND ALL OF THE BOARDS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THEY'RE HIGHLY INEQUITABLE AND NOT REPRESENTATIVE AND NOT DIVERSE AND SO I YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE TAKE AN ISSUE TO THAT AND IN TERMS OF HOW IS THIS SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT THE VOICE OF BOSTON?  AND THEN THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR YOU IS, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF NUMBERS, CAN YOU GIVE ME YOUR BUDGET SO FAR FOR JUST ANNUAL BUDGET FOREVER 24 YEAH. FOR YOUR CURRENT FTE AND YOUR FACILITY AMOUNTS. YEAH. SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR OVERHEAD AND PERSONNEL. MM HMM. SO THE APPROPRIATION FOR ABOUT 24 WAS $2 MILLION. NO, NO. WHAT'S YOUR BUDGET? MY BUDGET TO START. SO YOU'RE THE DIRECTOR, CORRECT? CORRECT, YES. WHAT'S YOUR BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE. SO YOUR FY 24 EXPENSES HOW MUCH 2 MILLION ARE YOU SPENDING? SO FOR HERE SO I JUST ONE RIGHT RIGHT SO FOR STAFF AND OPERATIONS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROCESS FOREVER 24 WILL BE ABOUT 550,000 $600,000 FOR FY 24 SORRY WHAT WAS FOR THE PERSONNEL FOR 24 240,000 THANK YOU. AND FOR FACILITIES.  LET ME SEE I SHOULD HAVE THE NO. YEAH WE DON'T HAVE A SALARIES COSTS YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR RENT COST. YOU HAVE AN OFFICE SOMEWHERE YOU DON'T DOES NOT THERE'S NO RENT YOU'RE NOT SOMEWHERE YOU'RE HERE IN THE BUILDING. YES. OKAY THANKS FOR.  OH NO DON'T ANSWER ME LIKE I KNOW I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS JUST HOPING YOU CAN HELP ME OUT AND SO WHAT'S YOUR CONTRACT OR DO YOU HAVE ANY CONTRACTUAL AMOUNTS? YES.  THIS IS SO THE WAY WE ARE.  YEAH.  THE WAY WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS IS OUR CONTRACTS FOR THE CYCLE THE FIRST CYCLE OF THE PROCESS. SO I CAN SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU BUT IT GOES AROUND 450,000 FOR A CYCLE ONE OF THE PROCESS. SO YOUR BUDGET IS MORE THAN 550,000.  OUR BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE YOU SAID IS 550,000 AND 224 AND 44 PERSONNEL BUT THEN YOU JUST SAID THAT YOUR CONTRACTUAL IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING WAY OVER 550 RIGHT BECAUSE I'M GETTING THE IMPLEMENTATION ON COST OF CYCLE ONE WHICH COVERS IF Y 24 AND THEN WILL GO IN WE'LL MOVE INTO FY 25. OKAY.  ALL RIGHT. SO I'M GIVING YOU THE COSTS OF THE OFFICE FOR FY 25 BUT THE CONTRACTS FOR CYCLE ONES WHICH OVERLAP TO AVOID 25. YEAH BUT IN BUDGET IN TERMS OF BUDGET WE NEED TO SEE THAT SEPARATE A4 24 FY 25 JUST SO THAT WE ARE REALLY CLEAR WITH COMMUNITY LIKE WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS? WHAT'S GOING TO BE SPENT? YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING RIGHT? YOU'RE DOING YOUR JOB LIKE WE'RE JUST WE JUST WANT NUMBERS BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE TRANSPARENT AND I THINK IN THE WAY IT'S JUST SORT OF ALLUDING TO FIT FOR FISCAL YEARS TOGETHER BUT I HEAR WHY YOU'RE SAYING IT THAT WAY IN TERMS OF YOUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE CONTRACTED. CAN YOU LIST THEM FOR ME ? WHO ARE THEY? YEAH.  SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION WE DID THIS WAS ASKED MOMENTS MOMENTS AGO AND WE HAVEN'T DEFINED YET THE LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY SERVE LOW INCOME RESIDENTS, IMMIGRANTS IN THE CITY, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SENIOR CITIZENS. SO WE EXPECT TO HAVE A LIST IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH YOU ALL. BUT THERE'S NO CONTRACTS IN PLACE YET. OKAY. THANK YOU.  IN TERMS OF YOUR TIMELINE, I GUESS THE ONLY ISSUE THAT I TAKE WITH IT AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT AMBITIOUS IS THAT YOU'RE COLLECTING OF IDEA OR IDEA COLLECTION THE COMMUNITY PART ONLY ONE MONTH BUT THEN REVIEWING IT YOU GIVE YOURSELF TWO MONTHS AND THEN THE VISIONING FORUM SO THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS IS TWO MONTHS BUT THEN YOU'RE RELYING ON THE CITY DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SOME I GUESS CONTRACTED AGENCY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE YET TO FIGURE THAT OUT AND SO FAR THERE'S LIKE THIS ISSUE WITH LIKE INCLUSION AND TRANSPARENCY AND YOUR BOARD ITSELF NOT VERY INCLUSIVE SO IT'S NOT IT'S SO THE CONCERN HERE IS HOW WILL YOU DO PROPER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THAT PROCESS ITSELF IF YOU'RE NOT ALLOCATING ENOUGH TIME ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WITH LIKE YOU KNOW, DIGITAL LACK OF DIGITAL ACCESS OR YOU KNOW, ISSUES ACCESSING WHETHER YOUR PHONE OR YOUR WEB PORTAL ONE MONTH SEEMS SHORT AND THEN WHEN YOUR YOUR BUT WHICH WILL TAKE TWO MONTHS TO REVIEW IT BUT YOU'RE ONLY GIVING PEOPLE ONE MONTH TO GIVE YOU IDEAS AND THEN IN TERMS OF VISIONING FORUMS ONLINE ENGAGEMENT THE TWO MONTHS SEEMS TO BE VERY SHORT CONSIDERING WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE CITY WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES.  WHAT DO YOU THINK? YEAH SO THE TIME FOR IDEA COLLECTION WE'VE LOOKED AT A LOT OF MODELS FROM OTHER CITIES ON WHAT THEY'VE DONE.  SOMETIMES IT'S TWO WEEKS, THREE WEEKS MOSTLY IT'S ABOUT A MONTH FOR A COLLECTION. THAT'S WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS IN CAMBRIDGE AND SOMERVILLE DO LIKE WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITHIN THEIR FIRST TIME OF THEIR FIRST YEAR OF EXECUTING RIGHT.  WILL HAVE THEIR FIRST CYCLE LAST YEAR AND THEY DID ONE MONTH FOR IDEA COLLECTION AND CAMBRIDGE HAS BEEN DOING THE SAME THING THAT SO THAT THAT ANSWERS THAT FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND IF I DIDN'T CLARIFY ANYTHING ELSE OH NO YOU LOOKED AT SOME OF WHAT YOU FEEL IS BEST PRACTICES AND YOUR SIMILARLY IN HERE I'LL WAIT TILL SECOND ROUND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR SOME GREAT QUESTIONS WHAT WAS THE COST AND I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING THROUGH THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME BUT WHAT'S THE ANTICIPATED COST TO RUN AN ELECTION?  SO WE HAVE RESERVED ABOUT $20,000 FOR A SYSTEM THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO VOTE ONLINE. WE ARE ENTERING CONVERSATIONS WITH POTENTIAL VENDORS IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO TO HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF HOW MUCH IT WILL BE SO I WILL HAVE A BETTER ANSWER IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.  BUT SO FAR DOES THE MONEY WE HAVE RESERVED JUST TO TO HAVE SOMETHING IN THE BUDGET TO HOLD IT AND THEN YOU MENTIONED HAVING SOUNDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, VOTING STATIONS AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES. ARE THESE GOING TO BE YOU KNOW, THE LIBRARIANS OR IT'S YOUR STAFF LIKE WHO'S GOING TO BE SO WE'VE TALKED TO THE LIBRARY.  THEY ARE HAPPY TO HAVE A BOOTH FROM OUR OFFICE AND THEY ASKED US TO DO SOME LIKE A TALKING POINTS OR LIKE A PAMPHLET THAT LIBRARIANS CAN GIVE TO PEOPLE AS THEY COME IN SO THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT THE PROCESS AND SUBMIT THEIR IDEA.  SO ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS IS THAT SOME LIBRARIES HAVE DIFFERENT CAPACITIES, SOME ARE SMALLER, SOME ARE BIGGER BUT THEY AT A MINIMUM THEY'LL HAVE A BOOTH AND INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH OUR PROCESS GOT IT.  AND THEN YOU SPOKE ABOUT ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CONTRACT WITH IN TERMS OF OUTREACH DOLLAR AMOUNT OF THE THAT ARE GOING TO BE AWARDED WITHIN THAT CONTRACT. ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHAT METRICS YOU KNOW THEY HAVE TO HIT IN TERMS OF OUTREACH ENGAGEMENT, HOW MANY MEETINGS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE AND THEN HOW DO YOU PLAN ON MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE REACHING THE WHOLE CITY OF BOSTON THROUGH THESE NONPROFITS? LIKE HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ALSO EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTING CONTRACTS OUT? YEAH, WE HAVE A SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT HAS ALL THOSE DETAILS SO AS A FIRST YEAR IT WILL BE VERY, VERY AMBITIOUS TO TRY TO REACH TO EVERYONE IN THE CITY.  WE ARE TRYING OUT THIS MODEL AND WITH THE HOPES OF TESTING IT AND CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND GROW OVER TIME. SO WE'RE BEING VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE THE PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH AND THE METHODS OF THE DISSEMINATING THE INFORMATION IN TERMS OF LIKE MULTICULTURAL MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS BUT IS SOMETHING THAT AS A FIRST YEAR IT WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF EDUCATION AND PEOPLE GETTING USED TO THE PROCESS.  OUR NEIGHBORS IN CAMBRIDGE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS. SOME THEY HAVE VERY HIGH ENGAGEMENT SO WE HOPE TO BE IN A SIMILAR PLACE NOT TOO FAR FROM THEM. AWESOME. AND THEN THOSE NONPROFITS OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU CONTRACT WITH IN TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT,  ARE THEY THEN GOING TO BE DISQUALIFIED OR ARE THEY STILL ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FUNDING THROUGH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING ? MM I WOULDN'T THINK SO BECAUSE THE OBJECTIVE AS DESCRIBED IN THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR THESE PARTNERS IS TO FOCUS ON IDEAS IN ALLOWING CREATING A SPACE FOR RESIDENTS TO BRAINSTORM IDEAS OF WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT AND THEY WANT TO SEE THE CITY AND ASSISTING THOSE RESIDENTS IN SUBMITTING THOSE IDEAS TO THE CITY. WE ARE AS I MENTIONED, ENGAGING WITH ORGANIZATIONS OR HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH GROUPS THAT FOCUS ON DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS. SO WE HOPE THE IDEAS THAT COME ARE REALLY WHAT RESIDENTS WANT TO SEE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.  BUT I DON'T THINK THOSE WHO ARE ENGAGED NOW WILL NECESSARILY BE DISQUALIFIED BECAUSE ALSO WHEN APPLYING FOR FUNDS THIS WILL BE A HOW DO YOU CALL IT IT WILL GO THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE THE THE BEST USE OF THE FUNDS AND THEN ARE YOU GOING TO BE USING A RACIAL EQUITY TOOL TO MEASURE THE PROPOSALS AND THEN ARE THOSE TOOLS AND THE FUNDING FROM THOSE TOOLS? WELL, THEY'LL BE MADE PUBLIC, RIGHT? SO WE LAST WEEK THE BOARD ADOPTED WHAT WE'RE CALLING EQUITY GUIDELINES FOR THE PROCESS AND THOUGH THOSE GUIDELINES WILL BE HELPFUL FOR RESIDENTS AND FOR THE OFFICE AS WE GO THROUGH THE LIST OF IDEAS TO ENSURE THAT WHATEVER COMES OUT OF THE PROCESS SERVES THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST SO BECAUSE THE GUIDELINES WERE ADOPTED LAST WEEK, WE ARE GOING TO INCORPORATE AND INTO THE RULE BOOK AND THAT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AS SOON AS NEXT WEEK SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY WHAT ARE THE GOALS AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THE WAYS WE'RE PLANNING TO OPERATIONALIZE EQUITY INTO OUR PROCESS. AND THEN I HAVE AN IDEA COMES AND IT GOES TO THE EQUITY TOOL WITH THAT ASSESSMENT BE MADE PUBLIC. SO THIS THERE ARE DIFFERENT POINTS, RIGHT? I THINK DURING THE COLLECTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN JULY IS A VERY OPEN PROCESS. WE WANT AS MANY IDEAS AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THAT WILL ALSO HELP INFORM THE CITY'S FUTURE DECISIONS ABOUT FUNDING. THAT'S THE BIG EXPECTATION.  ANOTHER PLACE WHERE WE'LL USE THIS EQUITY GUIDELINES USING WHAT WE'RE CALLING VISIONING FORUMS. SO AS PEOPLE DISCUSS THE IDEAS THEY WILL THEY WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE RESOURCE TO DETERMINE BASED ON THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE, BASED ON THESE EQUITY RECOMMENDATIONS WHAT I YES WELL WILL HAVE THE MOST IMPACT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THEN THE THIRD PLACE WHERE WE'LL USE THE GUIDELINES IS AT THE MOMENT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AWARDING THE CITY HAS VERY STRICT GUIDELINES ON HOW TO AWARD GRANTS AND CONTRACTS BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN EQUITY LENS ALSO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHERE THE RESOURCES GO AND YOU KNOW THIS COULD BE MADE WE'RE POTENTIALLY INCOME OR OTHER DISPARITIES THAT ARE IMPACTING SOME COMMUNITIES MORE THAN OTHERS AND THEN VOTING BECAUSE YOU HAVE JANUARY 2025 IS THIS ONE DAY THIS MULTIPLE DAYS? IS IT THE WHOLE MONTH? CAN YOU JUST TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT VOTES WERE IN ADDITION IN THE WHOLE MONTH FOR VOTING? OKAY. AND YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT I HEAR FROM COLLEAGUES AND I ALSO HAVE YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE TROUBLE WITH IS TRACKING RIGHT, WHETHER IT'S OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS OR, YOU KNOW, A NEW PROGRAM THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO STAND UP IN THE CITY. HOW YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS LIKE ONCE WE VOTE ONCE SOMETHING HAS BEEN FUNDING HOW NOW THE COMMUNITY YOU KNOW TRACK THAT CAPITAL PROJECT THAT PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE STILL PART AND IT'S KIND OF STOOD UP HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT LOOKING AT AS A WAY OF A BEST PRACTICE THAT HAS HAPPENED IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IS KIND OF LIKE A DASHBOARD ONLINE WHERE PEOPLE CAN SEE THE PROJECTS THAT WERE AWARDED YEAR AFTER YEAR AND THEY CAN SEE THE PROCESS AND THE PROGRESS THE PROGRESS IN EACH OF THE AWARDED PROJECTS. SO FOR INSTANCE IF YOU SEE THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE THEY HAVE A VERY NICE WEBSITE WHERE THEY OUTLINE THE PROJECTS THAT WON AND WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR IMPLEMENTATION. SO WE EXPECT TO HAVE A SIMILAR SYSTEM. AWESOME. I LOVE THAT IDEA. IF WE CAN ESTABLISH THAT FOR OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS AS WELL THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.  AND THEN WHEN WHEN IT COMES TO OTHER CITIES THAT DO PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IN BOSTON YOU KNOW WHERE LEADERS AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST BUT CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT IN TERMS OF , YOU KNOW, FUNDING FOR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING OFFICE? WHERE DO WE RANK? ARE WE TOP HALF BOTTOM HALF IN THE MID SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE I I YEAH I THINK I THINK PEOPLE IT DEPENDS ON THE LOCAL LOCAL DECISION MAKING AND LOCAL CONDITIONS FOR INSTANCE OUR NEIGHBORS IN SOMERVILLE THEY USE $1 MILLION FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THEIR FIRST CYCLE IN CAMBRIDGE THEY ARE IN THEIR 10TH CYCLE BUT FOR THE PREVIOUS NINE THEY USE $1 MILLION ONLY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.  THIS LAST CYCLE THE 10TH CYCLE THEY ADDED AN EXTRA MILLION FOR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES SO THEY ARE NOW IN THE 2 MILLION. WHAT I KNOW FROM THIS THE THE PROCESS IN NEW YORK THEY HAD I BELIEVE IT WAS 5 MILLION FOR THE WHOLE FIVE BOROUGHS OF THE CITY AND THOSE BROKE INTO YEAH SO THOSE FURTHER SO AT THE END OF THE DAY LIKE EACH BUREAU HAD SOMETHING COMPARABLE TO WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR CITY. I THINK IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL MUNICIPALITIES BUT AS I MENTIONED EARLIER I FEEL THAT THE AMOUNT WE HAVE IS SOMETHING MANAGEABLE FOR A FIRST YEAR PILOT THANK YOU. I'LL GO BACK TO COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS BUT I'M GONNA CHECK WITH CENTRAL STAFFERS TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC TESTIMONY.  ALL RIGHT. COUNCILOR FLYNN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM. CAN YOU GET SO THE $2 MILLION THAT'S IN THE BUDGET, HOW MUCH MONEY ARE YOU GOING BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE IN TOWARDS IN TERMS OF SPENDING FOR NONPROFITS FOR OTHER PROJECTS?  I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T MENTION AT ONE TIME THERE MIGHT BE AN OVER THAT MAY BE FORWARDED NEXT YEAR UP TO 4 MILLION OR 5 MILLION. CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW MUCH MONEY YOU WERE ABLE TO SPEND ON DIFFERENT PROGRAMS SO THE THE PROCESS THAT'S GOING TO BEGIN IN JULY WE'RE GOING TO APPROPRIATE OR ALLOCATE $2 MILLION THAT WILL FUND THE PROPOSALS THAT GET PUT ON THE BALLOT SO SO OUR CAP IS 2 MILLION FOR THE PROPOSALS. SOME OF THOSE PROPOSALS MAY BE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT SOME CITY DEPARTMENTS LEAD. SOME OF THEM MAY BE GRANTS OR CONTRACTS BUT NONPROFITS CAN DO THE WORK OF IMPLEMENTING.  SO IF THERE'S A PROJECT SAFE JUST AS AN EXAMPLE JOB TRAINING ARE YOU FUNDING JOB TRAINING FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON JOB TRAINING DEPARTMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OR ARE YOU FUNDING JOB TRAINING FOR A SPECIFIC NONPROFIT THAT DOESN'T?  I'LL START AND THEN YOU CAN FILL IN. I THINK IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON WHAT THE BALLOT MEASURE ACTUALLY SAYS AND WHAT GETS VOTED ON.  SO I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME THINGS THAT THE CITY DOES AND WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO AND SO IT WOULD BE THINGS THAT WE WOULD BE AS A CITY, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING RESOURCES TO DO IN OTHER CASES IT COULD BE THINGS THAT THE CITY DOES NOT DO, DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO. AND SO WE WOULD NEED TO CONTRACT WITH A NONPROFIT OR SOME OTHER PROVIDER TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE THAT YOU KNOW GETS VOTED ON AS PART OF THE BALLOT. SO IT REALLY DEPENDS.  BUT IN THAT CASE ARE YOU ENSURING THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING A FUNCTION THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON IS ALREADY DOING BUT WE'RE GIVING FUNDING TO A NONPROFIT TO DO THE SAME JOB IS ARE YOU FACTORING THAT IN? YEAH, I THINK WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING EFFICIENT. RIGHT? AND SO AS PART OF THAT, YOU KNOW, VETTING FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM OF WHAT'S GOING TO BE PUT ON THE BALLOT WE'RE CHECKING FOR FEASIBILITY OR CHECKING FOR YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT AND THE BEST WAY TO DO IT. SO OUR INTENTION IS TO BE EFFICIENT AND NOT, YOU KNOW, DUPLICATIVE BUT REALLY TO ENHANCE, YOU KNOW, A SERVICE IF A NONPROFIT IS AWARDED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY.  BUT PRIOR TO THAT ARE WE DOING DUE DILIGENCE TO ENSURE THE NONPROFIT IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY'RE THEIR NONPROFIT FUNDING IS SPENT APPROPRIATELY?  TELL ME ABOUT THAT PROCESS. YEAH. SO AS DIRECTOR CASELLA SAID, ANY MONEY THAT WE'RE CONTRACTING OUT OR GRANTING OUT IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS. WE'LL FOLLOW ALL STATE YOU KNOW, 30 D REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE FUNDS ARE COMPETITIVELY BID AND COMPETITIVELY AWARDED AND YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO THE RFP, YOU KNOW, WE DO DUE DILIGENCE AROUND MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE IN GOOD STANDING AND YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU KNOW, ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE CITY FUNDS AND WILL FOLLOW THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. WHAT ABOUT IF A NONPROFIT IS AWARDED OR VOTED BY THE RESIDENTS TO ALLOCATE A CERTAIN DOLLAR FIGURE FOR THAT NONPROFIT AND THE CITY IS NOT IN AGREEMENT. THE CITY HAS QUESTIONS THAT THERE ARE THEIR ACCOUNTING IS NOT UP TO DATE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? YEAH SO THE BALLOT WILL NOT ALLOCATE FUNDS TO A PARTICULAR NONPROFIT.  THE BALLOT WILL JUST MENTION KIND OF THEMATICALLY YOU KNOW USING THE EXAMPLE OF JOB TRAINING, YOU KNOW A DESIRE FOR THE RESIDENTS TO SEE JOB TRAINING FOR USE FOR EXAMPLE THE BALLOT WILL NOT ALLOCATE FUNDS TO A PARTICULAR NONPROFIT THAT WILL BE DECIDED THROUGH IF YOU KNOW, IF WE DO GO OUT AND DECIDE TO CONTRACT THROUGH A COMPETITIVE RFP PROCESS, THEN THEY THEN AT THAT POINT THEN THE NONPROFITS WOULD APPLY APPLIES BUT WITH THE NONPROFITS ENGAGED IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS OF GETTING OUT THE VOTE IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE OF ELECTION DAY STUFF WHAT THEY ADVOCATE FOR FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS SO THAT EVENTUALLY DOWN THE ROAD THAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY BE AWARDED THAT MAY BE THE CASE BUT THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY WILL NECESSARILY GET THE FUNDING BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS SO KNOW THE THE ONE ONE OF THE COUPLE ISSUES I DO HAVE I I DO WANT TO BE HONEST ABOUT IT IS 11 YEAR OLDS VOTING I WOULD NOT SUPPORT THAT.  I THINK IT'S TOO YOUNG FOR A PERSON TO VOTE ON A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR RESIDENTS OF BOSTON TAXPAYER MONEY. WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO BE EITHER RAISING POTENTIALLY RAISING CLASSIFICATION ON THE BUSINESSES OR RESIDENTS TAXPAYER MONEY. WE'RE GOING TO RAISE MONEY. WE'RE GOING TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES ON SOMEBODY. BUT IS IT IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO HAVE 11 YEAR OLDS VOTING ON THE ECONOMIC STABILITY OF THE CITY OF BOSTON ? SO I'M SURE YOU HAVE SOME COMMENTS BUT I WILL SAY IS A IS AN EXERCISE IN DEMOCRACY TO GET YOUNG PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THE CITY PROCESSES.  ANOTHER THOUGHT IS THAT THERE IS ALREADY A PROCESS LED BY ANOTHER CITY DEPARTMENT CALLED THE CHANGE WHICH IS A PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING JUST FOCUS ON YOUTH AND WE'VE BEEN IN CLOSE COMMUNICATION WITH DIRECTOR CRUZ WHO LEADS THAT INITIATIVE AND IT'S JUST WONDERFUL TO SEE KIDS AND YOUTH BEING ENGAGED IN SOME OF THESE DECISIONS SO THEIR PROCESS I THINK IS BETWEEN 12 TO 22 YEAR OLDS. SO WE WERE TRYING TO TAKE THAT SAME REFERENCE. I THINK TIMES HAVE CHANGED NOW AND WITH THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES WE'RE HAVING IN THIS CITY HAVING 11 YEAR OLD KIDS VOTING ON APPROPRIATING CITY FUNDS, I DO THINK WE HAVE TO REVIEW THAT AND RECONSIDER THAT. THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION.  ARE WE ABLE TO DO THAT? ARE YOU ARE YOU STICKING WITH THAT 11 YEAR OLD AGE SO IT WAS A DECISION THAT WAS LED BY OUR BOARD AND I COULD BRING OUT YOUR COMMENTS BUT I BELIEVE IT'S GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY ALSO THAT WE ARE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE PROCESS WE SEE IT AS AS A AS A WAY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET ENGAGED WITH THE CITY AND THE CIVICS.  I KNOW I UNDERSTAND THAT BUT I DURING ECONOMIC DIFFICULT TIMES ,YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE RULES AND HAVING 11 YEAR OLD KIDS VOTING ON THE CITY BUDGET IN MY OPINION IS NOT IS NOT APPROPRIATE.  IT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE DECIDING WHERE TAXPAYER MONEY IS GOING. I JUST DON'T SUPPORT THAT. I JUST WANT TO BE ON THE RECORD THAT I'M AGAINST THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  THANK YOU.  COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU PANEL JUST KIND OF STARTING OFF RIGHT WHERE I LEFT OFF LAST TIME. I THINK IT WOULD BE AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IF THIS COUNCIL USED SORT OF THE WAY THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGET WOULD GO. I WOULD LOVE IF ALL THE COUNCILORS COULD PUT FORTH ONE IDEA EACH HAVE 13 IDEAS AND THEN WE ALL VOTE ON ALL 13 IDEAS AND THE TOP FIVE GO INTO THE BUDGET AND ARE VETO PROOF. I THINK THAT'S A AN INTERESTING WAY TO DO IT AND I MEAN THAT NOTE NO TONGUE IN CHEEK. I MEAN THAT'S THAT SORT OF FEELS LIKE WELL THAT'S DEMOCRACY DECIDING WHAT THE BUDGET WILL DO AND AT LEAST WE KNOW THAT WE GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT THAT'S REAL AND THAT WILL BE CONTINGENT. BUT I'LL DO I'LL GO TO THE OUTREACH AND HOW YOU DOING THAT BECAUSE IN MY HISTORY HERE WITH THE CITY I'VE DONE A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, A LOT OF OUTREACH. IMAGINE BOSTON THE CITYWIDE MASSIVE PLAN, RIGHT? ALL WE HAD TO DO WAS EITHER STRICTLY UPON ME TO PUSH THAT OUT AND SO WHO IS DOING THE OUTREACH AND WHAT EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT TO LEARN HOW TO DO PROPER OUTREACH, REACH EVERYBODY AND ALL THE METHODS THAT THEY HAVE. SO WHO WHO'S DOING IT, WHAT EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH. YEAH. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. ONE OF THE FOR THIS PILOT YEAR ONE OF THE STRATEGIES WE'RE USING IS WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO BE AN EXTENSION OF OUR OFFICE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY GIVING WORKING THOSE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR THIS PILOT YEAR WE DEPENDING ON THEIR CAPACITY TO ENGAGE WE ARE LEADING THAT CONVERSATION AND WE BECOME WITH THEM IN CONSULTATION WITH OUR BOARD SO WELL THAT'S THE STRATEGY. WE KNOW THAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET TO EVERY RESIDENT IN THIS FIRST PILOT BUT THIS IS AN EXERCISE IN BUILDING THE CAPACITY OVER TIME WE'RE A TEAM OF THREE SO WE REALLY RELY ON PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN AND WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE THE OUTCOMES OF THAT APPROACH AND SEE HOW HOPEFULLY WE CAN EXPANDED OR CONTINUE NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU.  AND SO THE THREE PEOPLE ON STAFF ARE THEY PART OF THE SO YOU'RE DOING YOUR LEANING ON MORE OF COOPERATION WITH SORT OF OUTSIDE FOLKS TO DO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH?  IT'S NOT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AS PART OF THE STEP LIKE WHAT ARE THE TITLES OF THE THREE STAFF MEMBERS YOU HAVE? RIGHT? SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A CHIEF OF STAFF AND A CONTRACT SOME FINANCE MANAGER IN THE OFFICE AND AND THE DIRECTOR RIGHT OH ONE CONTRACTS AND ONE CONTRACT IN FINANCE ARE TWO OF ONE POSITION IS A ONE POSITION SO CONTRACTS IN FINANCE THE CHIEF OF STAFF AND YOURSELF CORRECT AND THOSE ARE THE THREE PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO UNDERSTOOD THANK YOU SOMETHING WITH THE THE THE VOTING HOW DO I KNOW COUNCILOR MEJIA I BELIEVE AS IS HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT THE VOTING IS NOT TAMPERED WITH BECAUSE THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A CONCERN TO OR GETTING PEOPLE TO YOU KNOW, TO COUNCIL FLYNN'S POINT WITH 11 YEAR OLDS VOTING ,DOES IT DOES IT BEHOOVE FAMILIES WITH WITH MORE CHILDREN THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT. AND THEY CAN SORT OF GET YOU KNOW, YOU CAN KIND OF SAY HEY EVERYONE, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS WAY AND THIS HOUSE GETS SIX VOTES VERSUS ANOTHER HOUSE THAT GETS TWO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT BESIDES THAT BOTH ELECTRONICALLY AND YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE TWO SIDE OF THE THE VOTING.  RIGHT, RIGHT. SO THESE WE SHARE THE SAME CONCERN AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION WITH DIFFERENT VENDORS.  I KNOW FOR INSTANCE IN CAMBRIDGE THEY HAVE LIKE A VALIDATION VIA TEXT MESSAGE WHICH IS ONE MEASURE TO TRY TO AVOID PEOPLE VOTING MULTIPLE TIMES IF WE HAVE THE BALLOT BOXES AT LIBRARIES WE WILL ASK LIBRARIANS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT VOTING MULTIPLE TIMES IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO PUT TOGETHER AN INFALLIBLE PROCESS.  YEAH BUT WE'LL DO OUR BEST.  YEAH I FEEL LIKE IT SHOULD ALMOST FOLLOW WHATEVER THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT DOES NOW IN TERMS OF HOW THEY SET IT UP TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S LESS TAMPERING RIGHT TO GO THROUGH. I THINK TO ASK LIBRARIANS TO MAKE SURE SOMEONE VOTES TWICE LIKE THAT'S NOT GOING TO FLY RIGHT? I MEAN I THINK IT'S A BALANCE, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE. YEAH, RIGHT.  BUT YOU ALSO WANT TO ENSURE INTEGRITY IN THE PROCESS AS WELL. SO I THINK YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT THIS YEAR AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED. BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, INHERENT INTEGRITY IN PEOPLE'S IN THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON WHO ARE GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING.  THANK YOU. FINALLY, THE I KNOW BACK TO THE NONPROFIT FUNDING NONPROFITS ARE GIVING MONEY TO NONPROFITS THAT WILL THEN SORT OF DECIDE HOW TO DO SOME OF THIS.  THE BUT THE IDEA IS THAT COULD BE VOTED ON.  I THOUGHT WE WERE BECAUSE I KNOW IN MY OWN DISTRICT WE'VE CUT BACK ON SORT OF TRADITIONAL CITY FUNDED PROGRAMING THAT IS NOT A CITY PROGRAM AND THEY SAY THAT THAT IS ACTUALLY ILLEGAL TO DO NOW TO GIVE NONPROFIT GETS THE CITY MONEY. RIGHT. AND SO I THINK TO COUNCILOR COLLETTE IS ABOUT HIS POINT ABOUT I HAVE TO DO MORE HOMEWORK ON ON THE POINT SHE BROUGHT UP OF WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAID AND EVERYTHING BUT SO IS THAT ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING WHERE IN SOME PLACES WERE SCALING BACK GIVING TO NONPROFITS BECAUSE SOMETIMES AS A NONPROFIT THAT MIGHT RUN OUT OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER BY ABC WAY OF COMMUNITY CENTER.  RIGHT. AND TYPICALLY WE WOULD MAYBE GIVE THE BIKE LIFE HEY HIS $30,000 AND YOU CAN GIVE THAT TO THE NONPROFIT THAT IS LOCATED IN YOUR COMMUNITY CENTER. BUT WE'RE PULLING BACK ON THAT BECAUSE I'VE HEARD THAT FROM THOSE EXACT INSTANCES OF SAYING LOOK, WE NO LONGER ARE ALLOWED TO DO THAT BECAUSE LIABILITY AND OTHER THINGS THAT IS NOT YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO THAT. BUT IT SEEMS HERE WE WILL BE DOING THAT. YEAH. RIGHT. SO TELL ME WHY AND WHERE THAT THOSE DIFFERENCES CAN AND CANNOT OCCUR. I THINK THERE'S A DISTINCTION TO BE MADE ABOUT GIVING CITY FUNDS TO NONPROFITS JUST TO FUND THEIR OPERATIONS VERSUS GIVING MONEY TO A NONPROFIT TO ,YOU KNOW, PERFORM A SERVICE FOR THE CITY. SO SOME OF THE NONPROFITS THAT THE OFFICE IS CONSIDERING CONTRACTING WITH THAT WOULD BE FOR THEM TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT YOU KNOW, RENATO AND HIS TEAM CANNOT DO ON THEIR OWN.  RIGHT. SO WHERE WE'RE PAYING THE NONPROFIT FOR A SERVICE VERSUS WHAT I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND SOME OF THE YOU KNOW, THE TRICKY LEGAL STUFF THAT WE RUN INTO SOMETIMES IS JUST GIVING A NONPROFIT MONEY TO FUND THEIR OPERATIONS. OKAY. SO I GUESS THAT'S THE POINT ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE MONEY THAT WE ARE GIVING TO NOT THEN WE CONTRACT WITH NONPROFITS THAT IT IS ACCOUNTED FOR IN HOW THEY SPEND IT AND NOT TO RUN THEIR OPERATIONS PER SE. CORRECT.  OKAY.  NOW THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.  I LEARNED A LOT TODAY. THANK YOU, JEFF. THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR MEJIA. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  CHAIR THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, SO I KIND OF WANT TO GO BACK. YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT MY DAUGHTER NOW IS 14 AND WHEN SHE WAS 11 KNEW MORE ABOUT POLITICS THAN MOST ADULTS.  BUT I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN AND SO I'D LOVE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN WHICH WE ARE ENGAGING YOUNGER PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGET THE MAYOR, THE YOUTH HAD A BUDGET LINE ITEM THAT THEY USED TO WORK WITH IN THE PAST, RIGHT? THE YOUTH LEAD THE CHANGE THAT YOU'RE THINKING OF YEAH THAT'S STILL EXIST RIGHT. SO JUST CURIOUS KIND OF LIKE WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE WHAT OPPORTUNITIES EXIST TO CONTINUE TO BUILD WITHIN THAT ARENA.  THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH THE OFFICE OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND ADVANCEMENT AND TRY TO FIND SYNERGIES AND SPACES FOR COLLABORATION. THEY DO RUN A DIFFERENT TIMELINE BECAUSE THEY WORK WITH MOSTLY, YOU KNOW, YOUTH WHO ARE IN DPS. SO I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF ASSESSING HOW THIS PROCESS WENT THIS FIRST TIME AND THEN CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS TO REACH TO MORE OF THOSE POPULATIONS.  WE ARE BEING VERY THOUGHTFUL AND MINDFUL OF MAYBE INITIALLY IN OUR MORE SMALLER SCALE BUT STILL THOUGHTFUL TRY TO DO IT THIS YEAR AND THE HOPE IS TO EXPAND OVER TIME.  YES. THANK YOU FOR THAT.  I GUESS WHAT I AM HOPING TO SEE IS FOR US TO SEIZE THIS MOMENT TO REALLY TEACH YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND IF THERE'S WAYS MAYBE POTENTIALLY THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO. LIKE I JUST I HEAR MY COLLEAGUES CONCERNS AROUND PEOPLE'S CAPACITY.  WE TRY TO LOWER THE VOTING AGE FOR 16 TO 17 YEAR OLDS TO BE ABLE TO VOTE. SO MAYBE AS YOU'RE CONTINUING TO FLESH THIS OUT IS REALLY LOOKING AT KIND OF DIFFERENT TIERS FOR ENGAGEMENT. SO SOMETHING TO CONSIDER NOT THAT I WANT TO DILUTE ANY VOTING POWERS FOR ANYONE BUT JUST WANT TO SAY DIRECTOR THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS FOR US TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.  SO JUST WANTED TO NAME THAT AND I WANT TO ALSO UPLIFT THAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIMITED ENGAGEMENT AND WHILE I APPRECIATE THAT CAMBRIDGE AND SOMERVILLE I BELIEVE YOU MENTIONED HAVE UTILIZED A MONTH. I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE VERY DIFFERENT THAN CAMBRIDGE AND SOMERVILLE.  IN FACT I BELIEVE THAT THIS MUNICIPALITY HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF OF RESIDENTS. I THINK WE HAVE A HIGHER POPULATION AND I ALSO THINK THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR POPULATION IS DIFFERENT AS WELL IN TERMS OF LANGUAGE ACCESS IN TERMS OF FOLKS WERE ALREADY HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN GENERAL THAT YOU KNOW, JUST NORMAL ELECTIONS. SO I JUST THINK THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO REALLY MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THIS PROCESS, I WOULD JUST URGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER YOUR TIMELINE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A A PROCESS IN WHICH FOLKS CAN REALLY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN HEARD. AND YOU'VE MENTIONED THREE POSITIONS. SO WHO'S DOING YOUR OUTREACH?  BECAUSE I DIDN'T HEAR THAT AS IS COMPLIANCE AND FINANCE AND SO CHIEF OF STAFF A FINANCE AND CONTRACTS MANAGER AND MY ROLE.  SO THE THE WAY WE ENVISION THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GIVEN THE SIZE OF OUR TEAM IS TO BUILD THOSE INTENTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS FOR THIS FIRST YEAR AND THOSE COMMUNITY GROUPS GOING TO GET PAID. YES. OKAY. AND THAT'S THE CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF THE ENGAGEMENT. SO THERE WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. THESE ORGANIZATIONS AS I TRUST THAT ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN COMMUNITY.  AND THEY'LL HELP YOU DISSEMINATE INFORMATION. AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE CAMPAIGN PART OF IT, THESE SAME ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE WORKING ALONGSIDE THE CITY AROUND THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BUBBLED UP TO THE TOP AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON. YES. SO THE IDEA IS FOR EXACTLY THE COMMUNITY GROUPS TO TO KIND OF WORK WITH US ALONG THE PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THE POPULATIONS THAT FACE HIGHER BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION.  SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE BECAUSE I KNOW ONE OF MY PREVIOUS COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE COUNCIL WORKED ON ALLOWING NONCITIZEN NON-U.S. CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.  AND I'M CURIOUS ABOUT HOW YOU GOING TO YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE ARE WE THINKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE REGARDLESS OF YOUR STATUS, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE IN VOTING? MM HMM. YEAH.  WE IN OUR PROCESS WE DON'T ASK FOR ANY IMMIGRATION STATUS QUESTION. NOT FOR IDEA COLLECTION OR FOR VOTING.  AND WE DO ASK PEOPLE TO SELF-IDENTIFY OR JUST ADD THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD OR ZIP CODE . IT'S A WAY FOR US TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY. HOW ARE WE GOING TO VERIFY THAT ? BECAUSE WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT IS PEOPLE FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES VOTING ON THINGS THAT IMPACT BOSTONIANS WHICH PEOPLE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.  BUT I'M CURIOUS HOW WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS AND MAKING SURE THAT IS PEOPLE WHO WHO HAVE THE MOST TO LOSE OR BENEFIT FROM THIS PROCESS THAT ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO VOTE. I'LL JUST SAY ONE THING ON THAT. AND I I SHARE YOUR CONCERN THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT AND AS THE CHIEF MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A BALANCE BETWEEN ALLOWING PEOPLE TO ENGAGE EASILY AND PUTTING TOO MANY RESTRICTIONS TO REALLY VERIFY THAT EVERYBODY LIVES IN THIS CITY.  SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE MINDFUL OF YOU KNOW, THE MORE QUESTIONS WE ASK, THE MORE DIFFICULT IT IS FOR SOME RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH THE PROCESS. SO ESPECIALLY FOR VOTING, WE DO WANT TO DO THE VERIFICATION FOR THE COLLECTION IS MORE LIKE SELF-IDENTIFYING AS A BOSTON RESIDENT.  SO WHAT WHAT I'M TRYING TO MAKE JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ALL THINKING THROUGH ALL OF THIS IS THAT WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS THAT THE LOUDEST VOICES USUALLY ARE THE ONES THAT GET TO EAT.  AND SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET AHEAD OF THAT BECAUSE THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES WE ALREADY HAVE A LOWER VOTER TURNOUT RATE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE DON'T BELIEVE IN GOVERNMENT. SO HOW IS YOUR THREE PERSON TEAM GRAPPLING WITH THAT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A FULL PARTICIPATORY BUDGET PROCESS IN WHICH THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE AND WHO HAVE THE LEAST RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE HEARD? THE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COME TO MIND IS THIS INTENTIONAL? OUTREACH AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GROUPS THAT SERVE THOSE POPULATIONS.  WE ALSO RECENTLY COMPLETED THESE EQUITY GUIDELINES THAT WILL HELP US ENSURE THAT AS WE CONTINUE IN THE PROCESS THE PROPOSALS THAT WILL MAKE IT TO THE END ARE THOSE THAT BENEFIT RESIDENTS WHO NEED IT MOST. SO AND THE RELIANCE ON COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ALSO THE BOARD HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL IN HELPING US THINK ABOUT ALL THESE CONSIDERATIONS IN TERMS OF EQUITY AND MAKING SURE THAT FUNDS ARE USED IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO IMPACT THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. I KNOW MY TIME IS UP.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR BREADON ON THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  I WANT TO COME BACK AGAIN TO THE THE SPECIAL FUNDS BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IN THE YOUTH LEAD THE CHANGE PROJECTS.  12 YEAR OLDS YES, THEY DO VOTE AND THEY MAKE VERY GOOD DECISIONS FOR $1 MILLION BUT NOT ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE CAPITAL.  SO IT'S IT COMES OUT OF AN INCUMBENT THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO YOU KNOW IT'S IT'S IT'S SOMETHING WE WE ENCUMBER THE DEBT AND THEN WE WE FUND CAPITAL PROJECTS OUT OF THAT WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ANY FURTHER OVERSIGHT FROM THE CITY COUNCIL . THIS IS A DIVISION OF LOCAL SERVICES THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, THE BUREAU OF MUNICIPAL FINANCE AND THE STATE SAID THAT THE REVENUE A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF MUNICIPAL FINANCE IN MASSACHUSETTS IS THAT ALL REVENUE RECEIVED ARE COLLECTED FROM ANY SOURCE BY A CITY TOWN OR DISTRICT DEPARTMENT OR OFFICIAL BELONGS TO THE GENERAL FUND AND CAN BE SPENT FOR ANY LAWFUL PURPOSE ONLY AFTER APPROPRIATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE BODY AND THAT'S GENERAL LAWS. CHAPTER 44 PARAGRAPH 53 NO REVENUES CAN BE SEGREGATED FROM THE GENERAL FUND INTO A SEPARATE FUND TO BE RESERVED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES OR SPENT WITHOUT APPROPRIATION UNLESS EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY STATUTE, GENERAL LAW OR SESSION ACT.  SO THAT WHAT WE DO LINKAGE WHICH WE FUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING TRUST AND THEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD JOBS TRUST OUT OF THAT THAT IS THAT IS APPROVED BY GENERAL LAW. AND THEN WE ALSO THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE DO WITH A GENTLEMAN WHETHER IT'S APPROVED AT THE STATE LEVEL BY GENERAL LAW C 44 B AND JUST THEN THE OTHER ONE LIKE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS BY DEFINITION ARE PARTICULAR REVENUES SEGREGATED FROM THE GENERAL FUND INTO A SEPARATE FUND AND EARMARKED FOR EXPENDITURE OR FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES BY STATUTE? EACH SPECIAL FUND REVENUE FUNDS MAY BE CLASSIFIED OR CATEGORIZED BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF THE FUNDS FOR EXPENDITURE AND NEED FOR PRIOR APPROPRIATION SPECIAL RELIEF.  REVENUE FUNDS INCLUDE ANNUAL REVENUE FUNDS RECEIPTS RESERVE FOR APPROPRIATION AND REVOLVING FUNDS THEY MAY ALSO INCLUDE GIFTS AND GRANTS FROM GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS. SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS MUST BE ESTABLISHED BY STATUTE. SO A LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND I THINK YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT NOT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS WHEN IT WAS A CAPITAL PROJECT BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT MONEY INTO PROGRAMMATIC AND OPERATIONAL OF EARMARK EARMARKS FOR THOSE SORT OF THINGS, I FEEL THAT WE'RE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO DO THAT IN MY MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE RULES ARE.  I'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU KIND OF IN OUR INTERPRETATION OF HOW WE SEE WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT BUT OUR CITY AUDITOR HAS CONCLUDED THAT WE DO AND THE LEGISLATION WAS INTENTIONALLY WRITTEN TO ALLOW US TO DO THAT. SO HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON KIND OF OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.  SO YOU KNOW, IN IN THE ORDINANCE ITSELF PARTICIPATING PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING, YOU KNOW, IT'S FAIRLY CLEAR BUT THERE'S A LITTLE THIS REALLY A CONTRADICTION ABOUT OUR ROLE AS A CITY COUNCIL . PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROPOSAL SHOULD BE LIMITED TO ONE TIME NON-RECURRING PROGRAMS SHOULD NOT INCLUDE THE CREATION OF NEW PERMANENT POSITIONS MUST BE FEASIBLE TO IMPLEMENT AND SHALL BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE APPROPRIATE CITY DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY WITH THE JURISDICTION OF THE PROJECT BEING PROPOSED PROPOSAL SHALL REQUIRE MULTI-YEAR THAT REQUIRE MULTI-YEAR FUNDING MAY MAKE PAYMENTS TO A SPECIAL REVOLVING REVENUE FUND AND CAN ACCEPT AND EXPEND ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDS AS AWARDED.  SO WE ACCEPT AN EXPENSE PIECE THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE TO COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR A FOR FOR APPROVAL AS PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROPOSALS SHOULD INCLUDE ESTIMATES FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND BE PROVIDED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN A TIME FRAME THAT ALIGNS WITH THE CITY'S REGULAR BUDGET PROCESS AND IS SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION AND THEN BACK DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ORDINANCE THAT SAID FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY THE OFFICE'S ANNUAL BUDGETING OPERATING BUDGET IS SUBJECT TO AN ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS AND SHOULD INCLUDE FUNDING FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE OFFICE, THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROCESS AND FUNDING FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE PROPOSED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROCESS SO THAT SO FAR SO GOOD THE FUNDS PROJECT SHOULD BE LIMITED TO ONE TIME NON-RECURRING PROGRAMS AND SHOULD NOT INCLUDE THE CREATION OF ANY NEW PERMANENT POSITIONS. THE OFFICE SHALL MAKE PAYMENTS TO SUPPORT MULTI-YEAR PROJECTS AND THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND AND CAN ACCEPT AND EXPAND AGAIN AT A ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDS AS THEY ARE AWARDED.  SO AGAIN THAT'S THE OFFICE OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING AND HAS GIVEN ITSELF THE POWER TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND AND THAT'S NOT THEIR PURVIEW, THAT'S THE PURVIEW OF THE CITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL . SO AGAIN I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED I THINK IN THE IN THE CONTEXT OF YOU KNOW, THE YOUTH LEAVE THE CHANGE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROCESS.  YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE PROJECTS ARE CAPITAL FUNDS THAT WE ENCUMBER SO WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THOSE EXTRA STEPS FOR APPROPRIATION AND ACCEPTING AND EXPANDING. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. I'M JUST TRYING TO GET MY HEAD AROUND HOW WE CAN MANAGE THOSE TWO DIFFERENT KINDS AND I BE ACCEPT AND EXPEND LANGUAGE I BELIEVE WAS WRITTEN IN SORT OF WITH THE THOUGHT THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE GRANT YOU KNOW AN EXTERNAL ORGANIZATION MIGHT WANT TO GRANT FUNDS INTO THIS PROCESS FOR FOR US. SO THAT WAS THE INTENT BEHIND THAT LANGUAGE IN THE EVENT THAT YOU KNOW, SOME EXTERNAL FUNDER WANTED TO ENHANCE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AVAILABLE FOR THIS PROCESS THROUGH A EXTERNAL GIFT. SO THAT'S WHY WE WE INCLUDED THAT LANGUAGE BUT THEN WE'D STILL NEED A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND FOR THAT. YEAH. SO I THINK ALL I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY ALL OF OUR GRANTS ARE PUT INTO KIND OF A SPECIAL GRANT FUND AND SEGREGATED OFF SO THIS WOULD BUT THEN THEY COME TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. THAT'S CORRECT. YEP. YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT THEM. YEAH YEAH I JUST I'M I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WE'RE NOT DOING THE DUE DILIGENCE ON THE ON THE LEGALITIES OF THIS OF THIS OF THESE FUNDS AND THIS SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS ARE BEING SET UP WITHOUT NOT BEING ESTABLISHED BY STATUTE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT OUR ORDINANCE ACTUALLY WOULD CARRY IT.  YOU KNOW I SAID EARLIER I DON'T AGREE WITH MY MY COLLEAGUES.  I REALLY DO FEEL AND BACK TO THE ISSUE OF YOUTH PARTICIPATION, I THINK THE YOUTH LED LEAD FOR CHANGE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN GOING TO DETROIT FOR TEN YEARS AND I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL . I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL WAY TO GET OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THE CIVIC PROCESS AND CIVICALLY ENGAGED AND TO UNDERSTAND HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS AND HOW THEIR VOICE IS IMPORTANT. SO LOWERING THE AGE TO 11 YEARS I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE DOWN TO 12. I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE 11 YEAR OLD OF ZERO AVENUE, AN 11 YEAR OLD TARGET AGE TO PARTICIPATE AGAIN. I THINK I DO THINK THE TIMELINE IS PRETTY STEEP FOR AWARDING PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, REVIEWING ASSESSING, FILTERING OUT, DECIDING WHICH PROJECTS ARE GOING TO GO FORWARD AND THEN UM AND THEN EXPEDITING THEM AS I HAVE A BIG LONG LIST OF YOU KNOW, IN THE REGULAR APPROPRIATIONS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS I PROJECTS AND HERE IN THIS THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT YOU KNOW FOR CAPITAL BUDGET PROJECTIONS IS A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN IN THE BOOKS FOR TEN YEARS AND IT HASN'T ADVANCED AND THERE'S BEEN MONEY APPROPRIATED. SO I REALLY, YOU KNOW, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR OUR OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE ABLE TO DELIVER ON A TIMELY DELIVERY OF OF GETTING GETTING THESE PROJECTS EXECUTED SO THAT WE AGAIN AS I SAID, WE DON'T END UP WITH PEOPLE JUST FRUSTRATED AND CYNICAL ABOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS AND TRANSPARENCY IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW THE DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU CASTRO I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT HOW STAFFING AND RESOURCES ALLOCATION FOR THIS OFFICE COMPARES TO THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION OFFICE RESPONSE TO CPR. ARE THERE LESSONS IN EFFICIENCY ? I KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN YOUR NIECE AND SEE THERE'S A LOT OF DEMAND BUT HAVE YOU LOOKED AT SORT OF WHAT TO LEARN FROM CPR AND HOW THEY HOW THEY FUNCTION?  I MET WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE CPA OFFICE A COUPLE OF TIMES TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR PROCESS BECAUSE I AM.  THERE WERE A FEW SIMILARITIES BUT I YEAH, I'M WORKING BASED ON THEIR CURRENT NEEDS THAT I SEE AS A DEPARTMENT AND ALSO THE THE FUNDING THAT WE HAD FOR EVERY 24. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO LOOKING AT IS WHAT ARE WE LEARNING FROM THIS FIRST YEAR AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO HAVE READY IN TERMS OF INTERNAL CAPACITY TO RUN THIS PROCESS EFFECTIVELY?  WELL MOVING FORWARD SO YEAH, I'M IN CLOSE CONVERSATIONS BUT THEY THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LITTLE LONGER TIME AND YEAH, THE GOAL IS TO TO BE IN A SIMILAR PLACE IN TWO YEARS. HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE CPR IS GOING TO BE A SURCHARGE ON PROPERTY TAXES HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT POTENTIALLY WHAT ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR ACTUALLY PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING COULD LOOK LIKE OUTSIDE OF THE OPERATING BUDGET? MAYBE MAYBE I MEAN IF AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, IT'S FINE JUST NOT AT THIS TIME. CFO AND WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT.  OKAY. I THINK HAVE YOU COME BY TO ASK A QUESTION AND COUNCIL AROUND FOLLOWED UP WITH IT THAT I ALWAYS LIKE ASKING AND I HAVE QUESTIONS I'LL HOPEFULLY TO YOU ON AS CHIEF GAVIN BURGER AROUND THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAXES IN SORT OF COMPARISON TO WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING BUT I LIKE DIRECTOR THAT YOU STATED THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO NEW YORK AS A MODEL BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK AT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING. ARE THERE OTHER PLACES THAT WE ARE RELYING ON THAT WE THINK HAVE GOOD MODELS THAT WE WANT TO BUILD OUT?  I THINK CAMBRIDGE HAS DONE GREAT WORK. THEY'VE BEEN CONSISTENT IN THEIR IN THEIR OUTREACH AND WE'VE ALSO MET WITH THEM A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED FROM THEIR TEAM. THEY CAME TO VISIT US ON A COUPLE OF TIMES SO IT'S BEEN GREAT BEING IN CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE IN IN ILLINOIS LIKE REALLY LIKE MANY, MANY PLACES AND OUR SUPPORT IN THERE WAS ABOUT PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING SO I BELIEVE WE'VE WE'VE INCORPORATED MANY BEST PRACTICES INTO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AND AGAIN IT'S ALL BASED ALSO LOOK COLOR CONSIDERATIONS. SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW THE PROCESS UNFOLDS AND THEN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE UPON WHAT WE DO.  THANK YOU. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES OR WORRIES AS YOU ROLL OUT THIS PILOT PROGRAM OR IS THAT BECAUSE LIKE WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE THAT LIKE HOPEFULLY THEY'RE NOT KEEPING YOU UP BUT THAT MAKE YOU YOU KNOW, THAT ARE CONCERNS FOR YOU AS YOU AS YOU WANT THIS TO BE A SUCCESS.  THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. I THINK THAT OUR AS A FIRST TIME THAT I'M MANY UNCERTAINTIES ON SOME OF THE THINGS WE ARE PROPOSING I BELIEVE WE WE PROPOSE SOMETHING THAT IS ACHIEVABLE BUT WE WILL ALSO IN SOME CASES LEARN AS WE GO SO I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN KEEP UP WITH THE TIMELINE AND HOPEFULLY THERE'S NO DELAYS IN THE THINGS THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO AND WE'RE WORKING VERY HARD IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS TO TRY TO GET EVERYTHING IN PLACE FOR THAT. OKAY. AND THEN I THINK THERE A LOT OF THIS THE DEVIL IS GOING TO BE IN THE DETAILS.  HOW DO YOU MAKE CHANGES TO THE RULEBOOK, THE PROCESS AS STIPULATED IN THE ORDINANCES IN CONSULTATION WITH MAJORITY APPROVAL OF THE BOARD OF THE BOARD.  OKAY. AND THEN I THINK A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, I THINK AND CAN YOU TELL YOUR BACKGROUND YOU WORKED YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY HAS BEEN IN MOYA. WHAT WERE YOU DOING WHEN YOU WERE MOYA? I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR BACKGROUND WHICH WAS LIKE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, YOUR BACKGROUND AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALWAYS REPRESENTING THE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED BY OUR SYSTEMS AND HER BY OUR SYSTEMS. SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHOSE VOICES I WANT TO MAKE SURE ARE CENTERED, I REALLY DO THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FORMERLY INCARCERATED, CURRENTLY INCARCERATED AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN DENIED OF OF HAVING A VOICE IN OUR YOU KNOW, IN OUR BUDGETING PROCESS. I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE RENTERS, ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO OCCUPY ARE THE MAJORITY OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO I WANT TO SORT OF UNDERSTAND SORT OF YOUR SENSITIVITY TO THAT TO THAT CHURCH THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND THANK YOU FOR ASKING. I'M AN IMMIGRANT FROM ECUADOR.  I CAME TO THE U.S. IN 2009 WITH VERY BASIC ENGLISH. I WOULD SAY MY FIRST ENTRY TO A JOB WAS PART TIME AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER. I WAS IN IDAHO BACK THEN FOR A NONPROFIT THAT WORKED WITH IMMIGRANT FARMWORKERS IN THE STATE. SO A LOT OF HOUSE VISITS UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE'S CHALLENGES.  AND AS SOMEONE WHO CAME FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S. LEARNING PEOPLE'S REALITIES FROM WHAT YOU SEE FROM ABROAD, RIGHT. YOU SEE A LOT OF TV SHOWS AND A LOT OF WEALTH AND REALIZING THE OTHER SIDE THAT MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE IN THIS COUNTRY AS PEOPLE OF COLOR IMMIGRANTS AND JUST VERY, VERY POOR PEOPLE THAT I SAW IN THE STATE OF IDAHO AND THEN I CAME TO MASSACHUSETTS FOR A JOB FOR THE IMMIGRANT IN MASSACHUSETTS IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE ADVOCACY COALITION ALSO AS AN ORGANIZER . I WAS INVOLVED IN THE MANY, MANY YEARS THAT TOOK TO PASS THE DRIVER'S LICENSE BILL I WAS INVOLVED IN IN SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS BACK IN THE DAY AND THEN I WORKED AS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER OF THE METROPOLITAN METROPOLITAN AREA PLANNING COUNCIL AND WORKING ACTIVELY TO TRY TO BRING MORE RESOURCES INTO CITY INTO MUNICIPALITIES, PUBLIC PROCESSES. SO THAT WAS A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE.  I WAS THERE FOR FOUR YEARS AND I'LL JUST SAY ADMIRE NOT TO GIVE YOU MY WHOLE RéSUMé BUT A MOYA MY MY WORK STARTED AS AN IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION MANAGER. THAT WAS MY OFFICIAL TITLE AND I WORKED IN STARTING MY WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR AND WORK READINESS PROGRAMS FOR IMMIGRANT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR IMMIGRANTS AND ALSO SUPPORTING IMMIGRANT PROFESSIONALS WHO COME WITH CREDENTIALS TO THIS COUNTRY. BUT THEY CANNOT ENTER A JOB MARKET BECAUSE OF ANY RESTRICTIONS THAT THEY HAVE.  SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF MY BACKGROUND. I'VE BEEN ALWAYS WORKING ESPECIALLY FOCUS IN THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY BUT I'VE HAD EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH DIFFERENT POPULATIONS. THANK YOU AND I THINK THAT'S I THINK THAT'S A GOOD BACKGROUND TO TO START HERE. I THINK THAT SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, SO MANY FOLKS WHO YOU KNOW, I ALSO WANT TO UPLIFT GROUPS OF PEOPLE AND THEY OFTEN ARE CONSIDERED BUT WHEN YOU'RE GETTING FEEDBACK FOLKS WHO CAN'T READ OR WRITE RIGHT, THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF TWO OF OUR CITY AND ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THEM ABOUT WHAT WE WANT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY TO LOOK LIKE. SO WHEN I TALK TO ELEVATE THAT ,YOU KNOW I WANT TO JUST REITERATE WHAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS OFFICE AS IT CONTINUES TO GROW AND IT'S PRETTY NASCENT BUT TRANSPARENCY FOR THIS OFFICE IS GOING TO BE AND IS CRITICAL AS IT IS AT ITS ROOT ABOUT RETURNING GOVERNMENT TO THE PEOPLE IN A VERY DIRECT WAY. AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR PROCESSES ARE TRANSPARENT INCLUDING HOW PEOPLE GOT ONTO THE BOARD OF THE OVERSIGHT BOARD EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT BOARD THE ROLE OF THIS COUNCIL IN APPOINTING PEOPLE ON THAT BOARD IN THAT WAY. SO I JUST WANT TO AGAIN EMPHASIZE TO THE THROUGH THE CHAIR THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT BREAKDOWN. I WAS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA THE FLOOR IS YOURS. CHAIR I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. I HAD TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE WANTED TO EXPAND THE POT OF MONEY FOR THE COMMUNITY BASED PARTNERS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALREADY WORKING WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO GET PAID HOW MUCH PER EACH ORGANIZATION?  MM HMM. SO I WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE ALL THE DETAILS IN THE SCOPE OF WORK IN CONSULTATION WITH SOME OF THE GROUPS WE ARE WE WILL BE OFFERING 20 $500 PER MEETING. SO WE'RE ASKING ORGANIZATIONS TO HOST THESE COMMUNITY SPACES FOR BRAINSTORMING AND THESE FUNDS WILL ALLOW FOR COVERING ANY STAFF COSTS IN RECRUITING AND FOLLOWING UP WITH RESIDENTS AND PROVIDING ACCESSIBILITY IN TERMS OF CHILDCARE OR TRANSLATION REFRESHMENTS. SO WE BELIEVE THAT'S A GOOD AMOUNT TO HOST A MEETING IN A WAY THAT RESPECTS THE WORK THAT THE GROUPS HAVE DONE IN THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO BENEFITS OUR OFFICE SO THAT IF THEY ARE HOSTING SOMETHING ONLINE THAT IS REDUCED BUT THAT'S THE STARTING POINT FOR THIS PILOT YEAR.  OKAY. AND WILL THEY WILL THE ORGANIZATIONS BE GETTING THAT UPFRONT OR WILL THEY HAVE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THEIR COSTS? THAT'S I STILL NEED TO CHECK ON THAT. SO I KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING CONTRACTS AND I THINK WITH CONTRACTS THERE ARE SOME RULES THAT APPLY TO HOW WE DISBURSE THE FUNDING. BUT I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THE SPECIFICS OF THAT. OKAY, GREAT. AND WITH THE CONTRACTING THEY WOULD HAVE TO ABIDE BY CERTAIN PROCUREMENT LAWS AND ALL OF THAT. YEAH. OKAY.  YEP. THAT'S IT FOR ME . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  COUNCILOR FEENEY JAMIESON, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  RENATO I WONDER IF WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DASHBOARD FOR TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION YOU SPOKE UP IN TERMS OF MEASURING OR IMPLEMENTING METRICS TO MEASURE PROGRESS.  ARE YOU SAYING THAT'S AN IDEA OR ARE YOU STARTING HAVE YOU STARTED TO WORK ON THAT ALREADY? THAT'S THE PLAN. BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET AND THERE WERE TALKS ABOUT LOOKING AT CITIES IN TERMS OF EQUITY GUIDELINES ALSO ARE THERE ACTUAL DATA OR THINGS YOU'VE LOOKED AT OR YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT USING GUIDELINES WHERE DID YOU GET THEM FROM? YES. YEAH.  THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP THROUGH OUR BOARD MEETINGS BY THE BOARD AND BY THE PUBLIC TO ENSURE THAT THE PROCESS BENEFITS THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST AND OUR OFFICE TOOK ALMOST A MONTH IN DOING RESEARCH ON WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND ALSO WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON TO COME UP WITH A SET OF GUIDELINES FOR OUR PROCESS.  AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU. THIS WAS RECENTLY ADOPTED LAST WEEK BY OUR BOARD. THANK YOU.  I CAN APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE THINKING, YOU KNOW, AHEAD OF TIME IN TERMS OF HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY COMMUNICATE OR HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT MONITORING YOUR OWN PROGRESS? I OBVIOUSLY THESE WILL BE POLICIES THAT WILL GUIDE YOUR PRACTICES OR PROTOCOLS WITHIN YOUR OFFICE AND CAN YOU TELL CAN YOU LIST THE POSITIONS AND I'M SORRY THAT I AM I DON'T HAVE THEM IN FRONT OF ME THE POSITIONS IN YOUR OFFICE AT THREE OF THESE THINGS.  YES. SO A CHIEF OF STAFF OF FINANCE AND CONTRACTS MANAGER AND ME . YES, THAT'S RIGHT. SORRY YOU SAID FINANCE FINANCE AND CONTRACTS MANAGER THAT'S ONE POSITION AND THE OTHER ONE CHIEF OF STAFF AND DIRECTOR ARE YOU OKAY?  THANK YOU. AND SO SO FAR NO POLICY PERSON OR SAY TO WORK ON THIS COLLECTING OF EQUITY GUIDELINES . SO THIS ROLE WAS THIS WORK WAS DONE BY THE CHIEF OF STAFF THIS PAST MONTH IN LOOKING AT ALL THE IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH THE EQUITY CABINET. I SEE SO WE'VE ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH BUDGET PROCESS WITH THE EQUITY CABINET AND THEY DON'T HAVE THAT PROCESS EITHER. THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE GUIDELINES SO I THINK IN IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH DOCTORS YOU COULD DO FROM PUBLIC HEALTH WHAT I WAS SUGGESTING WAS THAT THERE'D BE SOME SORT OF EXTRACTION OF DATA FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION BUT I KNOW THAT BLACK MEN AND BOYS ARE COLLECTING SOME AND THAT'S UNDER EQUITY BUT THEY DON'T HAVE IT YET. EMBRACE HAS DONE A REPORT AND THERE ARE OTHERS RIGHT SO UNIVERSITIES HAVE DONE IT RIGHT. I KNOW THE BOSTON FOUNDATION BOSTON GLOBE DID SOMETHING SMALL ON INCOME BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME OF LIKE A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF DATA TO EXTRACT THAT WHERE YOU CAN GET IT AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO DO A FULL ANALYSIS ON WHAT EQUITY WOULD LOOK LIKE IN A CITY OF BOSTON.  I DO BELIEVE THAT THE CONNECTION IS WITH PPB.  PPB SHOULD BE THE PART WHERE THOSE POLICIES DRIVE THAT MONEY INTO RIGHT? SO YOUR YOUR OFFICE WOULD HAVE LIKE ALL WILL FOCUS SOLELY ON FOLLOWING PROTOCOLS BASED ON BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR OFFICE IS WHERE THAT WORK LIVES SHOULD LIVE BUT I REALLY APPLAUD YOU FOR THINKING ABOUT ALREADY OKAY WELL HOW HOW DO WE CONNECT TO THIS TO THE PROBLEM OR SOLUTIONS IF WE DON'T HAVE POLICIES THAT GUIDE US BASED ON EQUITY? SO I THINK THAT'S VERY COMMENDABLE ON YOUR PART TO THINKING AHEAD.  IT'S TAKEN DEPARTMENTS YOU KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK EVERYBODY'S BUSY RIGHT AND SO BUT THIS COLLABORATION FROM BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION TO EQUITY TO YOUR OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO MOYA RIGHT NOW ANOTHER ONE BECAUSE THERE'S THERE ARE TWO THINGS HAPPENING THERE'S THE REPARATIONS RFP OUT AND THEN THERE'S FOUR STUDIES BEING DONE AND THEN THERE'S THE AND THEN I'VE RECENTLY BEEN TALKING TO MOYA ABOUT SPECIFICALLY THE STUDY ON THE NEED FOR AFRO IMMIGRANTS SPECIFICALLY AND SO THOSE THOSE TWO LIKE DEMOGRAPHICS, RIGHT? LIKE THOSE TWO POPULATIONS OR SECTIONS SHOULD THEN DRIVE THE POLICIES AND WITH ALL OF THIS DATA COMPILING AND I KNOW THAT UMASS HAS A DEPARTMENT THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING TO AND IF WE CAN CREATE A CONTRACT WHERE UMASS OR UNIVERSITY CAN TAKE IT ON WE CONTRACT OUT AND TO ACTUALLY BRING TOGETHER THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO REDUCING POVERTY THERE IS A COMPANY CALLED IT'S NOT I THINK IT'S IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN IT MIGHT BE LIKE RIZE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I'LL LOOK IT UP FOR YOU DR. MORALES SHE CAME FROM HARVARD AND SHE IS ACTUALLY SHE ACTUALLY HAS A COMPANY THAT SOMERVILLE USED AND SO SOMERVILLE THEN IMPLEMENTED A CONTRACTED THIS THIRD PARTY COMPANY AND THAT'S HOW THEY DROVE OR INFORMED THEIR PB AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE SUCH HIGH NUMBERS AND CARBON POVERTY WHICH IS WAS LIKE 60% WITHIN ONE YEAR BECAUSE THEY USE THESE VERY THINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THEY EXIST COMPANIES ALREADY EXIST AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU OF THOSE RESOURCES AND I THINK FROM HERE IT'S JUST INVITING YOU TO WORK CLOSELY WITH MY OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO SAY HERE HERE ARE SOME RESOURCES THAT I HAVE BUT ALSO HERE ARE SOME WORK THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE IN TERMS OF EQUITY SPECIFIC TO MY DISTRICT BUT IT'S A DISTRICT SEVEN BUT I THINK IT COULD SET PRECEDENTS TO HOPEFULLY EXPAND ON WHAT YOU'RE ALREADY DOING AND YOU. HASSLER BUT THAT SOUNDS GREAT. I LOVE TO SEE ANY RESOURCES YOU MAY YOU MAY HAVE.  I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE BULL BY THE HORN. I THE CONTENTION HERE FROM COMMUNITY IS YOU KNOW ONE REPRESENTATION HAS TO DO WITH YOU ON THE BOARD UM AND WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT ACROSS THE BOARD LIKE WITH THE CITY NO PUN INTENDED AND ALSO SECONDLY THAT YOU KNOW, THERE'S A NEED FOR US TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SUFFICIENT FUNDS BECAUSE COMMUNITY HAS STUDIES AND PRACTICES. THEY'RE EXPERTS, THEY'VE ORGANIZED AND THEY'RE READY TO GIVE YOU IDEAS. THEY'RE READY TO, YOU KNOW, GET MAKE THESE CONTRACTS ACCESSIBLE. SO AGAIN, NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU COMING FROM, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET FIGURING OUT YOU KNOW, IS PBE READY TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE WHAT COMMUNITY IS ADVOCATING FOR $40 MILLION AND IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE WHAT'S THE MORE MODERATE AMOUNT? WHERE ARE WE? AND THEN LOOKING AT YOUR TIMELINE IT IT SOUNDS LIKE NOT NEXT MONTH WHERE YOU ACTUALLY START COLLECTING IDEAS.  SO YEAH, JUST REALLY INTERESTED IN CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU OFFLINE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR WORK, YOUR DEDICATION TO THIS. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO COUNCILOR VISIONS POINT AND EVERYONE HERE JUST LIKE HIGHLY INTERESTED IN MONITORING IT SO THE CLOSER WE WORK TOGETHER I THINK THE BETTER PARTNERSHIP MAKE. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. THANK.  WOW. LOOK AT THAT. I'M RIGHT ON TIME.  JUST GETTING FLAHERTY ON THE PROCESS AND I KNOW WE SAID IT A FEW TIMES SO THE IDEA IS COME IN WE GO TO THE CHIEFS OF THE CABINETS OR THE COMMISSIONER OR THE CABINET TO SEE IF THEY CAN BE IMPLEMENTED.  THEY GET ON THE BALLOT, THEY GET VOTED ON AND THEN ARE WE IN THE TOP FIVE THEN GET PRESENTED TO THE MAYOR TO GET IMPLEMENTED. HOW DOES THAT WORK?  RIGHT. SO AT THAT POINT ONCE RESIDENTS VOTE ON THEIR TOP FIVE WE'LL BE ABLE TO FUND UP TO OUR CAP FOR THAT YEAR. SO MAYBE THAT IS SIX OR SEVEN IDEAS OR MAYBE THAT IS FOR DEPENDING ON THE COST OF EACH OF THE IDEAS AND RESIDENTS WILL MAKE THAT DECISION WHEN THEY VOTE.  BUT AS THE CHIEF MENTIONED EARLIER, THE THE THE VOTING PROCESS IS BINDING IS HOW IT'S CALLED. SO THE IDEAS THAT GET ON THE BALLOT WILL HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE FEASIBLE TO IMPLEMENT AND MEET ALL THE GUIDELINES.  BUT AT THAT POINT ONCE THEY ARE VOTED THEN WE WILL WE WILL DETERMINE WHICH THE RIGHT APPROACH IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH FOR EACH ONE OF THEM. AS I MENTIONED, SOME OF THEM MAY RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE, SOME OF THEM MAY BE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.  SO WE'LL MAKE THAT DETERMINATION ONCE WE KNOW WHICH ARE THE WINNING IDEAS.  ALL RIGHT. AND I THINK YEAH THAT THAT'S THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS AND I DO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A ROBUST, ROBUST PROCESS. THE MORE PUBLIC HEARINGS, THE MORE PUBLIC MEETINGS, THE MORE ENGAGEMENT WE CAN HAVE, THE BETTER. I THINK, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING WILL BE TO LIVE UP TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO ACTUALLY ACHIEVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND EXERCISE.  NOW I TURN TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED PLEASE COME DOWN TO ONE OF THE TWO PODIUMS AND STATE YOUR NAME, NEIGHBORHOOD AND OR ORGANIZATION AFFILIATION PLEASE SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE. PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO 3 MINUTES. ELIZA THEN FOLLOWED BY FRANCESCA HI CAN YOU HEAR ME ? YEAH YOU CAN. WELL OKAY.  SHALL I BEGIN? SORRY . OKAY, SO MY NAME IS ELIZA PRYDE. I LIVE IN DISTRICT SIX. I LIVE IN JAMAICA PLAIN AND YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF FOR A MOMENT. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A A COMMENT ABOUT ME EARLIER. I DO WANT TO SAY I'M A FOURTH GENERATION BOSTONIAN.  I LIVE IN JAMAICA PLAIN WITH MY TWO KIDS WHO ARE BPF STUDENTS. I HAVE BEEN WORKING AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR ABOUT 18 YEARS AT CITY LIFE URBANIZED DUDLEY STREET NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE AT THE BOSTON CYCLISTS UNION AND NOW I'M CURRENTLY AT CENTER FOR ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY. I AM HERE REPRESENTING THE BETTER BETTER BUDGET ALLIANCE,  WHICH IS A CITYWIDE COALITION FROM ALL DISTRICTS OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAME TOGETHER INITIALLY TO PASS THE BALLOT QUESTION THAT GAVE CITY COUNCIL POWERS TO AMEND THE BUDGET AS WELL AS CALLED FOR ENABLED PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING AS A PROCESS AS SOMEONE YOU KNOW I'VE BEEN DOING IT JUST TO SPEAK FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN SEEING.  I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WHY SO MANY FOLKS HAVE BEEN SPEAKING UP AND YOU KNOW OVER 550 PEOPLE SENT POSTCARDS THIS YEAR EMAILS MADE CALLS, COUNCILORS REFERENCE GETTING CONTACTS FROM FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS FOR MORE FUNDING FOR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING. ONE THING THAT HAS BEEN SO BEAUTIFUL TO SEE IS THAT IT'S BEEN SO UNIFYING AS MANY OF YOU SPOKE TO, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND CIVIC EDUCATION AND IT'S NOT ISSUE BASED. YOU KNOW, WE OUR COALITION REPRESENTS EVERY ISSUE THE CITY BUT EVERYONE IS THERE BECAUSE IT IS A WAY AS COUNCILMAN LOUIJEUNE SAID TO PUT GOVERNMENT AND DECISION MAKING BACK IN THE HANDS OF RESIDENTS AND THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT AND THAT IS WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT AND I HAVE SEEN THAT HAPPEN OVER THE YEARS AS I'VE PARTICIPATED IN ASSEMBLIES HELD BY RIGHT TO THE CITY BOSTON WHERE YOU KNOW, 500 PEOPLE SHOW UP AND MAKE COLLECTIVE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT THEIR COMMUNITIES NEED AND TALK IT THROUGH AND DISCUSS AND I I'VE ALSO SEEN IT IN OTHER COUNTRIES THAT I'VE LIVED IN AND PEOPLE PEOPLE YOU KNOW, KNOW THEIR NEEDS AND AND KNOW THE SOLUTIONS. AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE IT AND APPRECIATE ALL THE PIECES OF THE PROCESS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO REALLY ENABLE PEOPLE TO MAKE THOSE COLLECTIVE DECISIONS AND ALSO TO FOCUS ON EQUITY. AS MANY OF YOU NOTED AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I DON'T HEAR PEOPLE ADVOCATING FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE DECISIONS.  BUT EVEN WHEN WE GO AND DO WORKSHOPS FOR EXAMPLE AT LIKE A NONPROFIT THAT WORKS ON EDUCATION AND YOUTH, THE PROJECT IDEAS THAT COME FROM THE PARENTS THAT IN THOSE WE'VE DONE LIKE MOCK TB EXPERIMENTS RANGE FROM RANGE FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT TOPICS.  OKAY SO I'M GOING TO WRAP UP I JUST THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TOO IS THAT WE FEEL LIKE TO NOT USE THE FULL AMOUNT IN THE FUND IS REALLY, REALLY INSULTING ACTUALLY TO RESIDENTS AND JUST TO SAY COMPARED EVEN TO OUR PARTNERS IN CAMBRIDGE WHO YES THEY'RE IN THEIR 10TH CYCLE THERE'S IS AT 740 PER CAPITA OURS IS THAT TO 90 PER CAPITA IN SOMERVILLE WHICH DID ITS FIRST CYCLE IT WAS AT 1250 PER CAPITA IN THE FIRST CYCLE AND WE'RE AT 0.004% OF THE BUDGET. SO YOU KNOW, IT'S A REALLY SMALL AMOUNT OF THE BUDGET AND WE DO LAND IN THE MIDDLE LOOKING AT PILOT B CYCLES IN TERMS OF FUNDING HOWEVER IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE PILOT CYCLES MANY OF THEM STARTED TEN YEARS AGO AND AND WE'VE HAD PV FOR TEN YEARS WE HAVE OUR LESSONS LEARNED. WE'RE IMPLEMENTING BEST PRACTICES AND I THINK WE'RE REALLY READY TO TAKE ON MORE THAN JUST 2 MILLION FOR PROJECTS AND SO THAT'S REALLY THE PIECE THE PROJECT THE PROCESS ITSELF IS IS LOOKING REALLY EXCITING AND WE REALLY URGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER AN AMENDMENT FOR SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR PROJECTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FRANCESCA MY NAME IS FRANCESCO TENOR. I'VE BEEN PRACTICING PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING FOR TEN YEARS. MY WORK IN BOSTON GARNERED LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION THE MASS BOTH CITIES AWARD THE CITY LIVABILITY AWARD BY THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS AND THE INTERNATIONAL FOR URBAN INNOVATION BY THE GWANGJU INSTITUTE. ALL OF THIS ACCOMPLISHED WITH A 10TH OF THE BUDGET THAT THIS OFFICE HAS AT ITS DISPOSAL SINCE THEN I'VE BEEN FACILITATING PROCESSES IN SCHOOL CITIES, COUNTIES AND STATES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA. I'M GLAD TO HEAR DIRECTOR COSTELLO FEEL INSPIRED BY THE PROCESS MY TEAM DESIGN FOR THE CITY OF NEW YORK I DEPLOY DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PB SET OF FELLOWSHIPS FOR TEENAGERS TO LEARN PB AND CONVENE PRACTITIONERS AROUND THE WORLD FOR SKILL SHARING AND SHARING BEST PRACTICES.  I LOVE THIS STUFF WHICH IS WHY IT HAS PAINED ME TO SEE HOW THIS IS UNFOLDING IN MY HOMETOWN OF BOSTON. MAYOR WU IN THIS ADMINISTRATION'S BEHAVIOR IS CONSISTENT WITH ADMINISTRATIONS THAT DON'T WANT TO DO PB AT ALL . THE PROCESS IS MINIMALLY FUNDED AND THEY'VE RECENTLY COMMITTED TO KEEPING IT THAT WAY.  NOTICE THE OFFICER'S RESPONSE NOTICE THE OFFICER'S RESPONSE TO WHY THEY DON'T WANT 40 MILLION SEEMS TO BE THE MOST POLISHED AND PRACTICE.  THE OFFICE CLAIMS THIS IS A YEAR FOR LEARNING BUT AS A NO STATED LEARNING OBJECTIVES WITHOUT THESE OBJECTIVES THE EVALUATION WILL SIMPLY BE A MEASURE OF ACTIVITY NOT OF IMPACT.  IF THIS WAS A YEAR FOR LEARNING THEY'D OFTEN YOU'D THINK THE OFFICE WOULD HIRE A TEACHER BUT THE OFFICERS REFUSED TO INVOLVE ANYONE WITH ACTUAL EXPERIENCE DOING PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IN THE PLANNING PHASE OF THIS PROCESS NOT IN THE OFFICE, NOT ON THE OVERSIGHT BOARD, NOT EVEN A CONSULTANT WHICH NEARLY EVERY OTHER CITY THEY CITE IN THEIR RESEARCH HAS DONE. BOSTON, CHICAGO, SEATTLE, DURHAM ALL WORKED WITH PRACTITIONERS TO DESIGN THEIR FIRST PROCESS. INSTEAD THIS OFFICE IS PIECING TOGETHER PARTS OF DIFFERENT PROCESSES WITH NO GUIDANCE OR DESIGN PRINCIPLES EXCEPT FOR KEEP POWER CLOSE TO THE MAYOR. BUT BECAUSE THIS PROCESS IS MANDATED, MAYOR WU MUST CARRY IT OUT. EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROCESSES ARE MARKED BY COLLABORATION BETWEEN COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND GOVERNMENT POWER SHARING BETWEEN ELECTEDS AND RESIDENTS AND COURAGEOUS VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE. MAYOR WU'S PROCESS IS SET UP TO BE THE MOST EXCLUSIVE, ISOLATING AND FEAR BASED PROCESS THAT I'VE SEEN IN NORTH AMERICA. THE MOST NOTABLE FEATURE IS THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZED THE FINAL BALLOT AND NEARLY EVERY OTHER CITY IN THE U.S. INVOLVING RESIDENTS TO PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THIS PIECE OF THE PROCESS IS PARAMOUNT. AS SUCH, THIS PROCESS BARELY QUALIFIES AS PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING AND MORE REPRESENTS THE TYPE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT THEATER THAT PBE IS DESIGNED TO COMBAT NICE SOUNDING ACTIVITIES BUT WHERE THE MAYOR ULTIMATELY HOLDS ALL THE POWER WHETHER YOU ALLOCATE 2 MILLION OR 40 MILLION WINNING PROJECTS WON'T REFLECT THE PRIORITIES OF THE PEOPLE THAT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES OF THE PEOPLE THAT THE MAYOR FINDS PALATABLE AND WILL MAKE A GOOD PRESS RELEASE. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING WHEN DONE WELL BUILDS POWER AND COMMUNITY THAT CAN ECLIPSE THAT OF THE CITY COUNCIL . I SAY THIS CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE IN OTHER CITIES OF COMPARABLE SIZES CITY COUNCILORS USUALLY HAVE THEIR OWN BUDGETS. THEY HAVE CONTROL OVER FOUR PROJECTS IN THEIR DISTRICT. WHAT I WOULD OFFER COUNCILORS IS FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER WHAT FACETS OF PBE YOU CAN ALL EMBED IN YOUR PROCESS.  IMAGINE THE IMPACT THE CITY COUNCIL CAN HAVE IF THEY BORROW A PAGE FROM PBE, UNITE AROUND COMMON PRIORITIES AND ARE ABLE TO CONFIDENTLY OVERTURN THE MAYORS INEVITABLE VETO ON THE AMENDED BUDGET FOR THIS OFFICE OF PBE TO ACHIEVE ITS GOALS OF EQUITABLE IMPACT WE NEED ANOTHER ORDINANCE THAT CORRECTS THIS UNJUST POWER STRUCTURE NO ONE IS ASKING FOR PERFECT FOR NO ONE IS ASKING FOR PERFECTION. WE'RE ASKING FOR RESPECT. RESPECT FOR THE COUNTLESS VOLUNTEERS THAT WANT A CHARTER AMENDMENT CAMPAIGN, RESPECT FOR OUR RESIDENTS ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN DESIGNING THEIR OWN FUTURE, RESPECT FOR AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT NOT THIS LEGISLATIVE TOKENISM WE'VE BEEN RELEGATED TO THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK THE ADVOCATES AND RESIDENTS FOR THEIR PUBLIC TESTIMONY ALL THEIR HARD WORK ON MAKING PEOPLE HERE POSSIBLE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON TODAY.  YOU CONTINUE WORK ON THIS. THANK YOU.  MEJIA THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU.  SO YES, 3 MINUTES TO GO AHEAD. WE'LL GIVE YOU 8 MINUTES. I WORK REALLY HARD TO EARN MY SEAT SO I BETTER GET MY TIME.  THERE WE GO. THAT'S RIGHT.  LET'S CLICK. YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. WE 10 SECONDS. SO YOU KNOW, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE HEARING FROM COMMUNITY BECAUSE ULTIMATELY AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT IS WHO WE SERVE. RIGHT AND HAVING WORKED ON THE CAMPAIGN ON YES ON ONE AND WHAT EXCITING MOMENTUM WAS BUILT AROUND THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WERE GOING TO FEEL LIKE THEY HAD A REAL VOICE IN OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS EVEN BEFORE EVERYONE WAS TAKING THEIR BUDGETS OUT TO THE STREETS. I WAS DOING BUDGET POP UPS ALL ACROSS THE CITY BUT BARBERSHOPS ,HAIR SALONS, COMMUNITY GROUPS YOU KNOW, REALLY BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR REAL COMMUNITY VOICE EVEN BEFORE THERE WAS ANY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.  AND SO FOR ME NOW BEING HERE FOR FOUR YEARS, I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT IMPATIENT RIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO REALLY DELIVERING ON THAT PROMISE. AND SO I'M GOING BACK TO THE QUESTION THAT I ASKED EARLIER IN TERMS OF APPETITE IN TERMS OF REALLY GIVING PEOPLE A REAL VOICE AND A DECISION PROCESS WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE REALLY MAKING DECISIONS AND I FEEL LIKE THIS DYNAMIC I GUESS I'M JUST TRYING TO CHOOSE ALL MY WORDS DYNAMIC THAT WE'VE CREATED HERE IS THAT THERE IS A LEGIT POWER RIGHT?  WE HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT EVEN THE CITY COUNCIL HAS POWER BUT WE DON'T.  IT IS THE HUNGER GAMES WHEN IT COMES TO DECIDING WHICH AMENDMENTS WE'RE GOING TO FIGHT FOR, WHO IS GOING TO BE THE CASUALTY OF OUR DECISIONS. THEN WE HAVE THIS PARTICIPATORY BUDGET PROCESS IN WHICH IT'S NOT BEING FULLY FUNDED AT THE RATE IN WHICH PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR. AND I JUST LIKE I JUST WANTED NAME ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING FOR US TO KEEP GOING BACK INTO COMMUNITY AND SAYING YES, THIS ADMINISTRATION REALLY CARES ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND THAT WE'RE NOT HITTING THAT MARK AND I'M JUST CURIOUS AS YOU HEARD FROM PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO DO THIS WHOLE THING DIFFERENTLY. IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE THE ADMINISTRATION WHEN I'M TESTIFYING DURING BUDGET HEARINGS I FEEL LIKE IT'S GREAT TO HEAR FROM PUBLIC TESTIMONY BUT THEY SHOULD ALSO BE PANELISTS DURING THIS PROCESS BECAUSE THEN WE CAN ENGAGE WITH THEM IN A Q&A. BUT THERE IS REALLY NO FORM OR REAL FORMAL STRUCTURE FOR REAL COMMUNITY VOICE. IT'S ONLY WE'RE GOING TO COME HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND PEOPLE LINE UP. YOU GET 2 MINUTES TO SPEAK AND DO WE REALLY LISTEN TO PEOPLE AND AND THAT'S A QUESTION HOW ARE WE INFORMING THE WORK WITH THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE ESPECIALLY YOU JUST HEARD? CAN YOU JUST REACT TO THAT TO REACT TO WHAT I ASKED BUT IN IN REGARDS TO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT YOU HEARD SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE FACT THAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE CONTRACTED FOLKS WHO ARE ACTUALLY CONSULTING OR REALLY OVERSEEING THE LACK OF INVESTMENT, CAN YOU JUST RESPOND TO WHAT YOU HEARD ? THANK YOU, COUNSELOR.  THAT HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE. IT'S NOT LIKE EVERY MUNICIPALITY HIRES A GROUP TO SIGN THEIR PROCESS. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT I'VE TALKED TO GROUPS THAT THEY'VE DEVELOPED THEIR OWN PROCESSES WITHOUT THE NEED OF EXTERNAL CONSULTING GUIDING THAT IF THEY DIDN'T HIRE A CONSULTANT THERE WAS AT LEAST TRUST IN IN YOUR WITHIN THE FOLKS THAT YOU WERE GETTING YOUR INFORMATION FROM RIGHT SO MAYBE NOT A CONSULTANT BUT MAYBE ANOTHER TRUSTED ENTITY OR SOMEONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCE IN PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING AND WE'VE MET WITH I CANNOT EVEN COUNT LIKE A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES DOING THIS WORK LEARNING FROM THEIR PRACTICES. WE'VE ENGAGED WITH THE BETTER BUDGET ALLIANCE IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT VISIONS FOR THE PROCESS THEY'VE CONTRIBUTED TO THE TO THE PROCESS THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW. WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERYTHING BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT PARTNERSHIP TO BUILD A PROCESS THAT WORKS FOR THE CITY AND THE TRIES TO MEET SOME OF THE VISION OF OF PEAVEY SO THAT THAT WILL BE MY MY RESPONSE IN THE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD WEEKLY WITH THE BOARD FOR THREE AND A HALF MONTHS THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE THE SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO COMMENT ESPECIALLY FROM THE BOARD TO COMMENT ON THE PROCESS AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY CRITICAL IN SOME INSTANCES SO AND WE'VE INCORPORATED THAT AND ALSO WE'VE MADE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AVAILABLE AT THE END OF EVERY MEETING AND THE TESTIMONY HAS BEEN ON TRUST THE VERY NEXT MEETING THAT WE'VE HAD AND MANY OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE OVER TIME IN CREATING THE RULE BOOK HAVE INCORPORATED COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC SO I FEEL LIKE WE'VE MADE A VERY GOOD FOR HIM BEING OPEN AND RECEPTIVE BUT WE'RE ALSO HAVE TO FIT THE PROCESS GIVEN THE RESOURCES AND THE LOCAL NEEDS LOCAL HOW DO YOU CALL IT LOCAL CONDITIONS OF THE CITY? YEAH, YEAH. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT AND I WANTED TO JUST UPLIFT AND I WANT TO UNDERSCORE YOU KNOW SOME OF MY PREVIOUS COLLEAGUES HAVE TALKED ABOUT I CALL IT INFORMATION JUSTICE AND WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK AROUND ACCESSIBILITY SPECIFICALLY YOU KNOW, WE PASSED AN ORDINANCE WHERE NOW WHATEVER IS IN ENGLISH, YOU KNOW, THE SAME DAY GETS TRANSLATED TO THE TOP 11 LANGUAGES. BUT DURING THAT TIME I WAS REALLY PUSHING FOR AUDIO AND VISUAL WAYS OF COMMUNICATING WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW TO READ AND WRITE EVEN IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE. RIGHT. AND SO AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS FEEL CONNECTED TO THIS PROCESS ,HOW ARE WE GRAPPLING WITH THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SOME FOLKS ARE JUST DISCONNECTED OR ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP AN APP?  MM HMM. THAT'S A VERY VALID POINT.  WE'VE TRIED TO ADDRESS IT IN OFFERING FOR DIFFERENT CHANNELS FOR PEOPLE TO TO CONNECT WITH OUR OFFICE. ONE IS THE WEBSITE WHICH EVEN THOUGH WE MADE WE WILL TRYING TO MAKE IT AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYBODY FEELS COMFORTABLE GOING INTO OUR SITE EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW MOBILE VERSION IS VERY INTUITIVE AND ALL OF THAT AT THE MOST BASIC LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION WILL HAVE A PHONE LINE THAT PEOPLE CAN CALL ,BE MULTILINGUAL AND LEAVE THEIR VOICEMAIL SO AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A PHONE NUMBER THEY CAN CALL US AND LEAVE THAT IDEA WITH US. AND THE SPACE AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY IS AGAIN AND THEN THE EFFORT OF ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO SUPPORT THIS WORK BE AN EXTENSION OF OUR OFFICE OUT THERE IN COMMUNITY TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE PROCESS THERE.  THERE IS CERTAINLY MUCH MORE THAT CAN BE DONE. I AM HAVING THAT BALANCE BETWEEN TRYING TO BE VERY, VERY AMBITIOUS FOR OUR FIRST YEAR AND KIND OF FOCUSING ON THE KEY PIECES THAT WE CAN GROW OVER TIME.  I KNOW MY TIME IS ABOUT DOING DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION COUNCILMAN ? YOU CAN GREAT TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER. THANK YOU. YES. WELL ACTUALLY WHY DON'T YOU LET THE THE THE THE SIDEBAR CONVERSATION HERE SPEAK UP SO THAT WAY I'M NOT TAPPING INTO HER TIME THERE. I WON'T GIVE YOU THE FULL ACCOUNT. SURE. YES, GO AHEAD. SO I'LL MAKE SURE IT THIS. YEAH.  ALL RIGHT. SO I GUESS WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW SOMEONE HAVE ASKED ABOUT THE CAPACITY OF YOUR ABILITY TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE AND I'M CURIOUS FROM JUST A PROCESS STANDPOINT HAVE YOU BEEN INTERFACING AND INTERACTING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS?  YES, SPECIFICALLY I'M THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WHETHER YOU HAVE HEARD IT FROM CONSTITUENTS OR NOT I KNOW THAT I HAVE AROUND, YOU KNOW, HOUSING, YOUTH JOBS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BUBBLED UP TO THE TOP WHERE PEOPLE CAN MAKE DECISIONS.  WHAT ROLE DO YOU SEE IF ANY FOR THE PBE OFFICE TO WORK IN DEEP PARTNERSHIP WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY PULL SOME OF THEIR RESOURCES TO HELP SUPPORT THE WORK AND MAYBE INCREASE THAT AMOUNT? IS THERE ANY ENERGY AROUND KIND OF LIKE FIGURING OUT HOW WE INCREASE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THE MAYOR HAS ASSIGNED TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT PROCESS?  I WILL START AND THEN I'LL I'LL LET DIRECTOR ROSSELLO AND ON I THINK IN DESIGNING THIS PROCESS WE'RE REALLY THINKING OF IT IN TWO WAYS LIKE THE ACTUAL YOU KNOW, $2 MILLION YOU'RE VOTING ON THIS, YOU'RE DECIDING THESE PROJECTS BUT GOING TO GET SO MUCH INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC THROUGH OUT THE PROCESS THAT WE AS PART OF THE PROCESS THAT THE TEAM HAS DESIGNED WILL FILTER THROUGH TO CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR FORM OF , YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF REPORT FOLKS WILL HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM AS THEY ARE DEVELOPING THEIR BUDGETS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE CREATING FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AND EXACTLY TO YOUR POINT, YOU KNOW THEY'LL HAVE THE ABILITY OH,  YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THIS THEME IN COMING FROM COMMUNITY AS PART OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS. MAYBE WE AS A DEPARTMENT NEED TO REALIGN OUR RESOURCES OR ASK FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND THAT YOU KNOW, IS PART OF JUST THE REGULAR BUDGET PROCESS AND NOT YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT JUST CONFINED TO THIS TO MILLION DOLLAR OR WHATEVER THAT AMOUNT IS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO VOTE ON. SO IT'S REALLY DESIGNED AND INTENDED TO BE A WAY TO INFORM THE ENTIRE BUDGET AND NOT JUST THIS ONE PARTICULAR SLICE. AND I'LL JUST END WITH WHAT I STARTED IN TERMS OF I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO ANSWER WHAT AMENDMENTS WE WOULD MAKE TO THE EXISTING PIECE OF LEGISLATION BUT DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REVISIT SOME DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE WHEN WE FIRST FILED AND PASSED BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY PROCESS IT FEELS A LITTLE BIT FLAWED AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN IT AND I FEEL AND I WHILE I APPRECIATE THIS IS THE PILOTING SEASON I I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE ENERGY BEING PUT ON ENGAGING THE PUBLIC.  THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU COUNCILOR PHINEAS ANDERSON THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK CHIEF I WONDER SO ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE I'LL WAIT FOR YOU TO POST ALL OF THIS INFORMATION. THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE COMPILING FROM COMMUNITY THEN NOT ONLY INFORMS PD PROJECTS OR GRANTS THAT YOU'LL BE DEVELOPING BUT ALSO IT INFORMS THE DIFFERENT CABINETS IN TERMS OF LOOK BASED ON YOU KNOW, THESE ASSESSMENTS OR SURVEYS OR INFORMATION WE'RE GETTING IN THERE IS A HUGE EMPHASIS ON THIS NEED RIGHT HERE AND PARTICULARLY AND THEREFORE THEM REFOCUSING OR ALIGNING THEIR BUDGET PRIORITIES AS WELL. BUT AT SOME POINT DO THE NUMBERS WORK OUT WHERE THE SUPPLEMENTAL AMOUNTS GOING INTO PB FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE CITY SAYS ECONOMIC MOBILITY SAYS YOU KNOW WHAT A LOT CAME ON IN TERMS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL LIKE SERVICE PROGRAMS AND WE'RE GOING TO GET 2 MILLION WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS 2 MILLION ON THAT AND BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE'S A THE ADVOCACY IS FOR 10 MILLION BECAUSE OF THE NUMBERS OF NEW BUSINESS OWNERS AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF THAT'S GOING ON. THE NEED IS SO GREAT THAT THEN DO YOU THEN SUPPLEMENT THE AMOUNTS OVER TO PB OR DO YOU THEN SAY WE ARE ADDRESSING IT IN ECONOMIC MOBILITY? WE DON'T OR ARE WE LIKE WE DON'T NEED TO SEND ANYTHING TO PB I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION. I'M NOT SURE HOW WE WOULD HANDLE THAT BECAUSE IT HASN'T HAPPENED QUITE YET AND HOW YOU KNOW, WE WOULD ENVISION IN SUPPLEMENTING ONE PARTICULAR PART OF THE BUDGET OVER THE OTHER.  SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO ANSWER DIRECTLY WITHOUT HAVING IT HAVING HAPPENED. BUT YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE ARE ABLE TO YOU KNOW, IF THE PROCESS GOES CORRECTLY AND WE GET GOOD INFORMATION, WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE A A NEW BASE OF KNOWLEDGE TO GIVE TO DEPARTMENTS TO HELP INFORM WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR AS PART OF THEIR UPCOMING PROCESS.  AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AS THE MAYOR IS COMPILING THE BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, YOU KNOW, TAKING THAT INFORMATION IF RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, MAKING A DECISION AT THAT POINT ABOUT WHETHER TO SUPPLEMENT UI IN YOUR EXAMPLE OR PUT MORE MONEY TOWARDS PBO IT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD CHOICE FOR THE MAYOR AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE CITY COUNCIL AS PART OF THAT BUDGET PROCESS WAS INTERESTING IS THE ENTIRE IDEA NOTION OF YOU KNOW PBE IS THAT IT'S PEOPLE LED RIGHT PEOPLE PLANT PEOPLE LED GIVING PUTTING DEMOCRACY BACK INTO PEOPLE'S HANDS AS MY COLLEAGUE MENTIONED BUT THEN IN BUT THEN PUTTING THE RESPONSIBILITY THE ONUS BACK INTO THE DEPARTMENT'S SEEMS CONTRA CONTRADICTORY TO THAT AND SO IF THE COMMUNITY SAYS WE WANT THE POWER TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH PB ARE THE ONES THAT ARE LESS UPFRONT LIKE THE ONES THAT ARE RIGHT HAVE LESS ACCESS, LESS AFFLUENT, LESS CONNECTIONS TO RESOURCES FOLKS THAT NEED IT RIGHT? SO FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH PB I MEAN YOU'LL GET SOME OF THE OVERLAPS BUT FOR THE MOST PART YOUR PEOPLE ARE GOING TO ASK BECAUSE THEY NEED IT BUT THEN TO SAY YOU KNOW TO TAKE A CHUNK OF THAT OUT OF PB IDEAS OR PRIORITIES AND HAVE THE CITY HANDLE IT THEN IT DOES FEEL CONTRADICTORY AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THE COMMUNITY THAT CONVERSATION IS COMING RIGHT AND I JUST I GUESS I'M YOU KNOW ,WONDERING ABOUT FURTHER ANALYSIS TO ACTUALLY ASSESS LIKE IN TERMS OF SUPPLEMENTAL WHERE DO WE GO WITH THAT AND HOW DO WE RATIONALIZE THAT THE CITY WILL THEN TAKE THE MAJORITY OF THIS MONEY ON THIS PRIORITY AS OPPOSED TO GIVE IT TB WHILE I GUESS WE READY PB RIGHT. LIKE FOR THIS PROCESS THIS IS WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING AND DIRECTOR CAUSAL WHAT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN MY TIME AS CHAIR WAYS AND MEANS IS THAT I CONNECTED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND I WAS LIKE LESS EXPERIENCED SO MY OPINION HAD VERY LITTLE WEIGHT BUT I GAVE A LOT OF OPINION ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD PAY PAN OUT. I SAID THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF THE MAYOR IS GOING TO GET AHEAD OF IT BECAUSE SHE'S GOING TO SHE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE SO SHE'S GOING TO THINK ABOUT AHEAD OF TIME HOW SHE CAN TAKE THIS INTO A HOLD OF IT AND I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE DONE THE SAME THING IF IT WAS IF I WAS IF I WAS HER. AND SO I'M NOT JUDGING. I'M SAYING THAT SHE WANTED TO TAKE CONTROL OF IT AND THEN SHE FILED AND DID JUST THAT JUST WHAT I PREDICTED. AND THEN THE COMMUNITY SAID WE WANT TO WORK WITH WITH THE ADMINISTRATION IN WHICH MAKES SENSE. YOU WANT COLLABORATION. YOU DON'T WANT DIVISIVENESS AND THAT DARE I SAID OKAY, FINE, I DON'T AGREE BUT FINE, DO IT. BUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS SHE'S GOING TO PRESERVE THE THINGS THAT SHE WANTS IN LIKE RIGHT IN THOSE CLOSET IN THAT ORDINANCE AND YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE NOT STATED ON RECORD COMPLETELY WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ADVOCATED FOR.  SO EITHER WE FILED AN AMENDMENT TO IT OR WE FILED AT LEAST A RESOLUTION TO GO ON RECORD TO SHOW ALL OF THE THINGS ALL OF THE CLAUSES THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR AT LEAST PUT ON RECORD SO THAT WE CAN REFERENCE IT LATER SO WE CAN PRESERVE THESE THINGS AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK TO THIS ARGUMENT BECAUSE AT SOME POINT THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEED FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE STILL FELT LIKE IT'S NOT GOING THE WAY WE WANTED IT TO. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN.  AND SO NOW HERE I AM IN MY SECOND TERM AND I'M HEARING THIS AND IT NONE OF IT SURPRISES ME LIKE THE OPINION OF THE COMMUNITY OR HOW THAT PEOPLE FEEL OR WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE I, I I'M NOT I'M I'M NOT YOU KNOW, I CAN'T PREDICT THINGS. I CAN'T READ THE PICTURE BUT JUST LOOKING AT IT, YOU KNOW, AND ANALYZING HOW HUMAN NATURE IS RIGHT. YOU FIGURED THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND HERE WE ARE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY OH, THE MAYOR DOESN'T WANT DEMOCRACY.  THE MAYOR DOESN'T WANT THESE THINGS BUT IN HER SHOES HOW IS SHE GOING TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND CONTROLLING A THING THAT IS GOING TO BE PERCEIVED TO BE UNDEMOCRATIC AND NOT INCLUSIVE OR NOT TRANSPARENT BUT THEN THERE'S A HIGHER RESPONSIBILITY OF PRESERVING HER SEAT, OF MAKING SURE THAT SHE'S RESPONSIBLE PHYSICALLY AND ALSO FIGURING OUT A WAY THAT SHE CAN CONTROL AND MANAGE IT WITHOUT BEING IRRESPONSIBLE IN A WAY THAT WE JUST START SPENDING MONEY AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE IF THAT'S THE RATIONALE, FINE. THERE'S NO ILL INTENTIONS.  BUT THEN NOW WE HAVE A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER ORGANIZATION EXPERTS THAT HAVE GREAT IDEAS, GREAT PROJECTS.  IT'S ON RECORD. WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WANT THIS TO HAPPEN DIFFERENTLY. WE'RE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE BOARD NOT BEING REPRESENTATIVE OF YOU KNOW, OF THE CITY OF BOSTON IN TERMS OF DEMOGRAPHICALLY BUT ALSO THAT THE PROCESS ITSELF THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN AHEAD OF THIS THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTING SOME SORT OF PILOT PROGRAMING TO SAY WELL THEN WHERE'S YOUR EXAMPLE THAT IT DOESN'T WORK TO TRY TO SPEND THIS MONEY YOU HAVE NONE BECAUSE YOU YOU YOU'VE NOT IMPLEMENTED A PILOT PROGRAM SO YOU SEE WHERE ALL OF THIS IS COMING AND YOU ARE NEW IN YOUR SEAT TECHNICALLY AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS OF HANDLING YOURSELF AND WE THIS CONVERSATION HONESTLY OR THIS PLATFORM IS NOT WHERE WE LOOK AT YOUR POLICIES OR HOW YOU ARE EXECUTING. IT'S FOR US TO TAKE IT EITHER WE'RE GOING TO DO IT POLICY WISE I'M GOING TO FILE THE THING OR WE'RE GOING TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS OR WE'RE TAKING IT TO THE MAYOR AND WE'RE SAYING THIS IS NOT WORKING AND AS A COLLECTIVE BODY WE'RE TAKING THINGS TO ACCOUNT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT BECAUSE NOT BECAUSE WE'RE DIVIDED AS A COUNCIL BUT BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT POSITIONS IN TERMS OF , YOU KNOW, HOW THEY MOVE POLICY OR HOW THEY MOVE THE MONEY.  SO IT'S IT'S IT FEELS AWKWARD TO HEAR TO HEAR PEOPLE SAY STUFF LIKE YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THIS LIKE A DEFINITIVE EXTREME POSITION ON THIS IS WHY BECAUSE REALLY IT'S MORE ABOUT POLITICS AND HOW THINGS MOVE IN TERMS OF AT THE END OF THE DAY THE CITY COUNCIL IS A MAYOR STRONG CITY.  THE CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE BASED ON WHAT'S ADVANTAGEOUS FOR THEM AS WELL IN ORDER FOR THEM TO MOVE THEIR OWN POLICIES IN THEIR OWN THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO MOVE. SO THIS IS A TRANSACTIONAL THING THAT HAPPENS NOT SPECIAL TO THIS MAYOR JUST THE NATURE OF THE BEAST, THE MAJOR OF THIS THING IT IS WHAT IT IS AND BUT I'M GOING TO MY POSITION IS THAT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR WHAT COMMUNITY WANTS NO MATTER WHAT. I'M GOING TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT. I'M GOING TO FILE IF I HAVE TO I'M GOING TO GO ON RECORD AND THEN LET THIS LET HISTORY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, RIGHT, IN TERMS OF LIKE WHAT DID WE ACTUALLY DO TO TO ADVOCATE FOR WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS. SO THAT'S I NEEDED TO LIKE BREAK THAT DOWN FOR PEOPLE WATCHING BUT FOR MYSELF JUST TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE THAT THE BEEF IS NOT WITH YOU BUT HOPEFULLY THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO OPEN UP THE DOORS AND SAY LET'S WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE THIS BETTER REALLY FAST. AND I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. YOU DEFINITELY NEED A PILOT PROGRAM AT LEAST AT A AT SOME INCREMENTAL LEVEL YOU NEED SOMETHING YOU CAN'T REFERENCE ANYTHING. YOU CAN'T SAY YOU'VE TRIED ANYTHING RIGHT.  SO WHILE YOU'RE DEVELOPING THIS THEORETICAL PIECE OF IT THE POLICY, THE PROCEDURE PART OF IT YOU NEED SOME SORT OF SOMETHING TANGIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO BECOME BELIEVERS AND YOU'RE NOT YOU YOU'RE NOT DOING THAT YET SO HOPEFULLY YOU'RE OPEN.  MM HMM. I JUST APPRECIATE ALL THE CONTEXT AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS.  THE VISION IS FOR THIS TO BE THE PILOT PROCESS SO WE WANT TO LEARN FROM IT AND THEN SEE WHAT'S NEEDED AFTER WE FINISH TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE IT OVER TIME. THE ONE YEAR TIMELINE WHAT I'M PROPOSING HERE THAT'S WE'RE CALLING IT A PILOT THIS IS A SPACE FOR LEARNING AND REFINING SO WE'RE GOING WITH IT JUST SLOWLY. I GOT YOU JUST VERY SLOWLY. THAT'S THE CITY'S THING.  JUST EVERYTHING TAKES A LONG TIME WHILE PEOPLE HAVE REAL NEEDS.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK SERIOUSLY I HAD A QUESTION REGARDING THE THE BUDGET IT'S LINE ITEM 56 200 SPECIAL APPROPRIATION. WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME MORE LIKE WHAT? I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT LINE ITEM WE'RE MOVING $350,000 OUT. WHY ARE WE MOVING $350,000 OUT? I THINK I HAVEN'T. IT'S THE CONSEQUENCE CURRENT SINCE THIS SO FROM SPECIAL APPROPRIATION POINT 24 GOES OH I SEE SO I THINK IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET ALL 2 MILLION WAS PUT INTO THAT SPECIAL APPROPRIATION ACCOUNT AND SO THIS YEAR WE MOVED A PORTION OF THAT TO CONTRACTED SERVICES TO ALLOW FOR KIND OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE OFFICE AND GETTING THIS PROCESS UP AND RUNNING. AND SO THAT'S THAT EXPLAINS THAT MOVE. IT'S JUST REALLOCATING IT TO A DIFFERENT ACCOUNT NUMBER.  OKAY. AND THEN THE 1.4 MILLION IS SO THAT WOULD BE WHAT IS LEFT OVER RIGHT FOR PROJECTS PROJECT YEAH BUT AS I MENTIONED WE'RE USING A PORTION OF THE UNSPENT BALANCE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR TO MAKE THAT TOTAL AMOUNT 2 MILLION FOR THIS UPCOMING PROCESS. AWESOME. ALL RIGHT THANK YOU AND JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR WORK.  EVERYONE WHO CAME TO TESTIFY, ALL MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES,  CENTRAL STAFF, PPD, MY TEAM IN AG ARE IN THE ROOM IN THE HEARINGS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 067020678 IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR