THE COUNCIL BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS WILL ENCOMPASS A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT BEGAN 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 IN TEN WANT TO BE HEARINGS AND GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY TO TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT THE END OF EACH DEPARTMENT OR HEARING AND ALSO ASK TO HEAR IS DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THE FULL HEARINGS SCHEDULE IS ON OUR WEBSITE AT BOSTON.COM BAGS COUNCILOR DESK BUDGET. OUR NEXT HEARING DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY IS TUESDAY, MAY 28 AT 6 P.M. THE VIRTUAL TESTIMONY. YOU CAN SIGN UP USING OUR ONLINE FORM ON OUR COUNCIL BUDGET REVIEW WEBSITE OR BY EMAILING THE COMMITTEE AT CC C W AB AT BOSSANGOA. WE ARE CALLED TO TESTIFY. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION OR 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 CTC. IWM BOSTON 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 PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY PLEASE VISIT THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET WEBSITE AT BOSTON.COM PACKS LAST COUNCIL TAX BUDGET.  TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 067030672. WITH NY 25 OPERATING BUDGET INCLUDING ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS THE DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS FOR THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND FOR OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. DOCKET NUMBER 067320675 AUDIT AUDIT FOR CAPITAL FUND TRANSFER APPROPRIATIONS AND DOCKET NUMBER 067630678 AUDIT FOR THE CAPITAL BUDGET INCLUDING LOAN ORDERS AND LEASE PURCHASE PITCH PURCHASING AGREEMENTS.  THESE MATTERS WAS SPONSORED BY ME AND MICHELLE WU REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL TEN, 2020 FOR THE FOCUS OF THIS HEARING WILL BE DISCUSSED THE NY 25 BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS IN LICENSING AND TOURISM SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT. TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY CATHOLIC COLLEAGUES AND ORDER ARRIVAL COUNCIL COLETTA COUNCILOR MEJIA COUNCIL WEBER AND I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S PANELISTS TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATOR, DIRECTOR OF TOURISM, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DIRECTOR BORDERS BOARD MANAGER OF CONSUMER LICENSES, CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND LICENSING DANNY GREEN AND CHIEF OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION TITO.  THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  YOUR NEW CHIEF OR YOUR IDEA OF WHY CAN'T YOU  CONSIDER WHERE ELSE COMES FROM? I CAN'T HEAR IS ANYONE SPEAKING? OKAY. I THINK PETER WAS TRYING TO GET HIS MICROPHONE TO WORK.  YOU MIGHT HAVE JUMPED OFF THE SIDE BACK BACK ON BUT IT'S COMPLETELY UP TO THE ADMINISTRATION ON A DAY I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PRESENTATION NOR DO WE SHOULD WE WAIT FOR THE CHIEF TO.  I THINK CHIEF WANT TO SET THE STAGE WELL, WE'LL WAIT A SECOND. OKAY. THANK YOU, JOHN. YOU CAN OPEN UP. THE CHIEF IS HAVING SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES, WANTS US TO MOVE FORWARD. SOUNDS GOOD.  GOOD MORNING ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE.  JOHN BORDERS, THE FOURTH DIRECTOR TOURISM, SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT AT THE CITY OF BOSTON. I'M JOINED BY SOME COLLEAGUES WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE SEEN. BUT THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE. WE WANT TO START WITH THE SLIDES WE CAN.  TOURISM, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT FALLS UNDER THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION. AND IN TERMS OF OUR CABINET LED BY CHIEF SUGAR AND DEPUTY CHIEF DONALD WRIGHT AND A HOST OF OTHERS. NEXT SLIDE AS SHARED PREVIOUSLY, THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE INCLUDE MYSELF,  DANNY GREEN AND CHIEF EDIBLE. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE AWARDS CHART ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION CABINET THERE ARE A SERIES OF EXCUSE ME DEPARTMENTS THAT FALL UNDER INCLUDING THE OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,  DEPARTMENT OF SUPPLIER DIVERSITY, OFFICE OF TOURISM,  SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT AS WELL AS THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION. NEXT SLIDE DIVISION AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL FOR THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION IS TO CREATE A RESILIENT AND EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE AND VIBRANT CITY FOR ALL BOSTONIANS NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE GENERATIONAL WEALTH BUT ALL WHO CALL BOSTON HOME NOW AND THOSE WHO WILL ALSO CALL BOSTON HOME IN THE FUTURE. NEXT SLIDE THERE HAS SHIFTED FROM BEING A RESPONSIVE APPROACH IN THIS CABINET TO BEING A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH . SO AS CHIEF WOULD HAVE SHARED IF YOU WERE HERE, OUR OFFICE IS DOING A LOT MORE THAN WE'VE DONE PREVIOUSLY TO ENSURE DONE PREVIOUSLY TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S A LEVEL OF EQUITY ASSOCIATED WITH HOW WE ARE ESTABLISHING RACIAL EQUITY ACROSS THE BOARD AS A CITY. OUR FOCUS AGAIN IS TO ENSURE THAT THOSE THINGS ARE PRESENT. WHEN YOU THINK OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EQUITY AND EQUALITY, I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO READ THE FULL SLIDE BUT YOU CAN SEE BASED ON THE UNDERSTANDING OF EQUITY AND PARTICULAR RACIAL EQUITY THIS MEANS THAT OUR PRIORITY WILL BE TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE MORE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR ALL COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED. SO WE KNOW THE HISTORY OF BOSTON AND WE KNOW THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY DOING OUR BEST TO ENSURE THAT RACIAL EQUITY CONTINUES TO BE PRIORITIZED WITHIN THIS ADMINISTRATION. NEXT SLIDE.  AS YOU CAN SEE THERE IS A BREADTH OF DIVERSE LEADERSHIP WITHIN OUR CABINET AND THE BIPOC NUMBERS AND ABOVE THEMSELVES.  WITH BOSTON BEING A MAJORITY MINORITY CITY. WE WOULD HOPE THAT OUR OFFICE WOULD ALSO REFLECT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON SO OUR BIPOC NUMBERS ARE MORE THAN 54% IN THE TOP TEN SALARIES WITHIN THOSE TWO THIRDS ALSO FALL TO BIPOC.  AND NOW THAT WE'RE REJOINED BY CHIEF IF HE HAS THE ABILITY TO SPEAK AGAIN STILL CAN HE CHIEF AUGUR?  NEXT SLIDE O-I CABINET LANGUAGE SKILLS. THOUGH I MAY NOT BE FLUENT IN MANY LANGUAGES, WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATION THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE CABINET INCLUDING THE TOP TEN LANGUAGES THAT YOU SEE SPOKEN AND THE REPRESENTATION OF THOSE THAT ARE SPOKEN AS WELL. NEXT SLIDE THE TSC DEMOGRAPHICS IN PARTICULAR FOR OUR OFFICE. 40% OF BIPOC IN THE TOP TEN SALARIES WOULD INCLUDE 44%. THAT'S A LOT.  I'LL LET DANNY SPEAK TO MULCAIR IF HE DESIRES TO.  SORRY . THANK YOU JOHN. SIMILARLY. HI ALL DANNY GREEN EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE LICENSING BOARD. AS YOU CAN SEE IN FRONT OF YOU ON THE SLIDE THIS IS THE DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP OF ALL OF THESE STAFF ACROSS THE FIVE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS OF THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND LICENSING OFFICE AS WELL AS THE DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP OF THE TOP TEN SALARIES CABINET. LOTS OF QUESTIONS AT THE END OF ALL OF OUR PRESENTATION IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THIS. THANKS, JOHN.  JOHN TO MUTED THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU DEPUTY CHIEF. AS WE DIVE INTO THE BUDGET FOR TOURISM, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT THIS IS A BUSTLING INDUSTRY.  TOURISM IN PARTICULAR THIRD LARGEST IN THE COMMONWEALTH.  AND THE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO UPTICK IN TERMS OF THE IMPORTANCE AND THE ROLE THAT TOURISM, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT PLAYS NOT JUST IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS IT'S BUT IN PARTICULAR IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AS WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT FILMS AND TV PRODUCTIONS AND LARGE SCALE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS TO ENSURE THAT THEIR WORLD CLASS EVENTS AND CONVENTIONS THAT COME TO THE CITY. WE ALSO WANT TO DO OUR BEST TO ENSURE THAT THE OVER 700,000 CONSTITUENTS THAT CALL BOSTON HOME HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE AROUND AND ENJOY ALL THAT OUR CITY HAS TO OFFER. IT IS OUR MISSION TO ADVANCE TOURISM, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT IN BOSTON AND TO PROMOTE IN A PUBLIC FASHION OUR CELEBRATIONS TO ALL WHO CALL BOSTON HOME AND ALL WHO VISIT BOSTON AS WELL. AND IT'S LIKE CHIEF, ARE YOU BACK? DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY IN? OKAY, WE'RE GOOD. SOME OF THE ANNUAL EVENTS INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM OUR DONNA SUMMER DISCO PARTY TO THE OPEN STREETS INITIATIVE WHERE WE REALLY HAVE A FOCUS ON PROBABLY ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF CONCENTRATION GIVING BOSTON CONSTITUENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE LOCAL VENDORS, SHOPS, FOOD CULTURE,  MUSIC AND WE EVEN HAVE ONE AS RECENT AS YESTERDAY WITH MORE THAN 5000 IN ATTENDANCE IN DORCHESTER.  ONE INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CALL DEAR SUMMER MIXTAPE AND WE'RE HOPING THAT COUNSELORS WILL PARTICIPATE AND GIVE US SOME DROPS FOR THIS YEAR'S TAPE AS WELL. AND WE LAUNCHED THIS ON 617 DAY TAKING SIX DEEJAYS AND 17 ARTISTS FROM BOSTON TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE VOICE AND THE SOUND OF WHAT BOSTON HAS TO OFFER. WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO LEAVE BOSTON AND FEEL LIKE THEY ARE NOT BEING CELEBRATED HERE AT HOME AND THAT THEY DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE CITY TO LEVERAGE THIS PLATFORM THAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE THERE ARTISTRY IS BEING CHAMPIONED AND THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO MOVE TO OTHER CITIES AGAIN TO FOSTER A CAREER. SO THE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF SUCCESS IN THIS LAST MIXTAPE AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE. GOSPEL FEST WHICH IS AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION. CULTURALLY WE KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS TO THE CITY.  WE'VE HAD TO RECENTLY MOVE IT FROM CITY HALL PLAZA DOWN TO THE SEAPORT AS A RESULT OF SUCH A LARGE DEMAND AND ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THERE ALSO WAS OUR ELDER DEMOGRAPHIC SHARING THAT EVEN A COVERED VENUE MEANT SO MUCH TO THEM OVER THIS PAST YEAR AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE ENCHANTED TROLLEY TOUR AND TREE LIGHTING TRYING TO TOUCH ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO ENSURE AROUND THE HOLIDAYS THAT THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT IS BEING SHARED.  THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IN YEARS TO COME. NEXT SLIDE.  THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT ANNUAL EVENTS THAT WE SUPPORT AND WE'VE BEEN MORE MINDFUL OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO SUPPORT EVENTS IN ALL 23 AND A HALF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT CALL BOSTON HOME AND THESE ARE JUST A SAMPLE OF SOME OF THOSE THAT YOU WILL LOOK AT EVERYTHING FROM BAM'S FEST TO THE CHINATOWN PARADE TO THE GREEK PARADE TO THE HAITIAN PARADE. THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS, SO MANY DIFFERENT CULTURAL EVENTS THAT WE DO OUR BEST TO SUPPORT AND TO HIGHLIGHT OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. NEXT SLIDE WE ALSO TRY TO COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT JUST OURS TO INITIATE THESE EVENTS BUT WHEN THERE ARE COMMUNITY CONSTITUENTS WHO RAISE THEIR HAND AND COME TO US WITH GOOD IDEAS IF THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THEIR WORK, WE DO OUR BEST TO EXHAUST OUR RESOURCES AND DO SO. THE MOST RECENT EXAMPLE IS COLLABORATING ON THE JAMES BROWN SAVES BOSTON TRIBUTE CONCERT.  IT WAS A SOLD OUT AFFAIR MORE THAN 1400 SEATS WERE ALLOCATED AND WE HAD A PACKED HOUSE. I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF YOU WERE ABLE TO ATTEND BUT IF NOT YOU MISSED A PHENOMENAL SHOW.  TONY WILSON, A YOUNG JAMES BROWN WAS ON STAGE AS YOU COULD SEE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER AND WE HAVE MORE THAN 200 SEATS IN PARTICULAR RESERVED AGAIN FOR AGE DRAW. THEY WERE FED, TRANSPORTATION WAS PROVIDED AND IT WAS A PHENOMENAL EVENT.  IT WAS HOSTED AT THE STRAND THEATER. WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PLACE MAKE RIGHT IN THE COMMUNITY MAKE IT EASY WHERE PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN BUT WE WANT THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE 23 NEIGHBORHOODS THAT CALL BOSTON HOME. THAT'S A LOT.  SOME FUTURE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF IT BUT WE WILL BE CELEBRATING THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR NATION IN VERY SHORT ORDER. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF MEETINGS HAPPENING ON A VERY CONSISTENT BASIS WITH STAKEHOLDERS FROM ALL AROUND THE CITY AS WELL AS ALL AROUND THE STATE WHO ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO ENSURE THAT WE CELEBRATE FOR THE 250TH BEING THAT THIS IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE NATION. WE ARE IN COMPETITION WITH MARKETS LIKE PHILADELPHIA, VIRGINIA AND OTHERS WHO WANT TO TAKE THAT FAME.  BUT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT PHILLY DID THE PAPERWORK. THE NATION WAS STARTED HERE NEXT LA.  SOME FUTURE EVENTS ALSO INCLUDE FIFA'S WORLD CUP.  IT IS SHARED THAT HOSTING ONE WORLD CUP MATCH WOULD BE COMPARABLE TO THAT OF A SUPER BOWL.  AND YOU KNOW THE ECONOMIC IMPACT, YOU KNOW THE DRIVE YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTEND SAID EVENT. BOSTON WAS REWARDED SIX MATCHES OR SEVEN MATCHES EXCUSE ME IN 2026. THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED FOR THIS TO BE THE LARGEST NUMBER OF TEAMS THAT WILL EVER PARTICIPATE TO DATE IN THE WORLD CUP. WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH BOSTON 2026 TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT FAN FEST WHICH WILL MORE THAN LIKELY TAKE PLACE WITHIN THE CITY IS WELL ATTENDED AND THAT WE HAVE ALL THE SUPPORT NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT THESE VISITORS TRAVELING FROM AROUND THE WORLD WILL ENJOY ALL THAT BOSTON HAS TO OFFER WHILE THEY'RE HERE.  AND THAT IS GOING TO BE A 40 DAY FESTIVAL WHETHER IT TAKE PLACE ON CITY HALL PLAZA IN PART ON CITY HALL PLAZA. THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO WORK WITH BOSTON 2026 TO ENSURE EVEN THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT WATCH PARTIES HOSTED ACROSS THE CITY SO THAT PEOPLE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE NEIGHBORHOODS CAN ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF US BEING YOU KNOW, THIS PLATFORM FOR THE WORLD. ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT A SALE TO 50 AROUND THAT SAME TIME IN JULY WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE GROUP COME VENTURES TO ENSURE THAT SALE TO 50 GOES OFF WITHOUT A HITCH. THERE WILL BE MORE THAN 500 VESSELS THAT WILL BE BASED IN BOSTON HARBOR DURING THAT TIME. AGAIN, THERE ARE WHEN WE'VE HAD EVENTS LIKE THIS IN THE PAST MORE THAN HALF A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN ATTENDANCE. SO JUST A HEADS UP TO PREPARE YOUR CALENDARS ACCORDINGLY AND GET EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE FUN THINGS THAT WE HAVE COMING TO BOSTON. SO LET'S SLOW ADDITIONAL EVENTS THAT WE HAVE WHETHER THEY BE LOCAL OR WHETHER THEY BE NATIONAL INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM BOSTON UNITY CUP TO US HOSTING OUR FIRST EVER WNBA GAME. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY IT'S NOT JUST THE DOLLARS IT'S ALSO REPRESENTATION.  SO KNOWING THAT THAT BOSTON AS OF NOW DOES NOT HAVE A WNBA TEAM FOR US TO LEAN IN AND WORK CLOSELY WITH THE CONNECTICUT SUN AS THEY HOST A HOME GAME HERE IN BOSTON WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING TO ENSURE THAT THAT HAPPENS. THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE A FAN FESTIVAL THAT TAKES PLACE ON CANAL STREET PRECEDING THE GAME SO THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ATTEND THE GAME CAN STILL TAKE PART IN THAT ENTIRE WEEKEND FESTIVITIES. WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE NHL ON A FOUR NATIONS FACE OFF WHICH IS ALMOST LIKE A MINI WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY OF SORTS. THERE WILL BE FOUR DIFFERENT COUNTRIES REPRESENTED BUT THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN BOSTON NEXT FEBRUARY. THIS IS GOING TO BE HOME TO THE WORLD FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP IN MARCH WILL ALSO HOST DIVISION ONE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN'S LACROSSE AND WE ARE WORKING TO ENSURE THAT AS OF THE NEXT SUMMER THAT WE BEGIN A SERIES OF GAMES HIGHLIGHTING HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN TERMS OF FOOTBALL. SO WE'RE WORKING ON AN HBCU FOOTBALL KICKOFF THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE CITY AS EARLY AS AUGUST OF 2020 FOR OUR NEXT FLIGHT.  ALL RIGHT. THAT CONCLUDES TOURISM, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT. WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DANNY GREEN. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW? YEAH. THANK YOU.  YOU DO, SUPERINTENDENT . RIGHT. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO NOW IS TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR ANY QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR BORDERS STARTING IN ORDER ARRIVAL AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY CASA PEPEN AND CASA ROOTS COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE CLASSICAL HEADED THE FLUIDS GUYS.  THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND THIS IS A PRETTY CONSEQUENTIAL WEEK IN BOSTON SPORTS.  SO APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU TOOK TO BE HERE AND IT IS VERY IT'S AN EXCITING WEEK FOR ALL OF US SO MY I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR MICHAEL SO I WILL I'LL I WON'T TAKE AS MUCH TIME BUT I THINK WHAT I'LL DO JUST BASED ON THE PRESENTATION IS ASK ABOUT COMMUNITY OUTREACH GIVEN SOME OF THESE LARGE EVENTS I'M THINKING ABOUT SALE BOSTON AND HOW THAT MIGHT IMPACT A LOT OF TRAFFIC THAT'S COMING TO MY DISTRICT. IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT IF THERE'S BEEN ANY DISCUSSION OR JUST GENERALLY ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY OR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES THAT WILL SEE INCREASED FOOT TRAFFIC ,THE NORTH NRT SEES 2 MILLION VISITORS PER YEAR BUT IS BOSTON CHARLESTOWN ON THE DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT? WE'LL SEE ARGUABLY WAY MORE FOLKS. SO JUST WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY AND THEN ALSO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE YOU MIGHT NEED ON THAT MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILOR COLETTA.  WE ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH WE HAVE A REGULAR CONVERSATION WITH OUR PARTNERS AND OWNERS TO ENSURE THAT THOSE LINES OF COMMUNICATION ARE ALWAYS PRESENT. WE'RE ALSO WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE HOST IN TERMS OF CONVENTIONS, IN TERMS OF THEIR MARKETING MATERIALS IN ADDITION TO RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY IS NOT JUST INFORMED OF OF SALE BOSTON COMING BUT WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE AND WHAT IT WILL MEAN FROM AS YOU SAID THE TRAFFIC PLAN AND TRANSPORTATION TO PUBLIC SAFETY.  SO THESE ARE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WE'LL BE SURE TO LOOP YOU IN YOUR OFFICE IN ANY ROLE IN ANY ASSISTANCE THAT YOU DESIRE TO OFFER. WE ARE EXTREMELY RECEPTIVE TO COUNCILOR . THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR AND SORRY CHIEF.  OKAY, FIRST I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN HEAR ME BUT BUT GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL. AND I JUST WANT TO ADD TO WHAT THE DIRECTOR SAID I THINK BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THIS QUESTION ON OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE DURING 26 AS WELL. AND SO ADAM, ON TO WHAT DIRECTOR PORTER SAID I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO OFFLINE IS TRY TO SET UP A REGULAR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COUNCIL TO SHARE UPDATES ON ALL THE MAJOR EVENTS TAKING PLACE DURING 2026 BECAUSE YOU KNOW TO YOUR POINT ABOUT SOUTH BOSTON BOSTON BRINGING A LOT OF FOLKS TO YOUR DISTRICT IN GENERAL THE TWO PROPERTY STUFF BE FOR SALE BOSTON ALL THE EVENTS THAT THE CITY DOES ALREADY HAPPENING DURING THAT YEAR IS JUST GOING TO BRING A TON OF NEW FOLKS TO BOSTON AND SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND WE CAN DEFINITELY ENGAGE THE COUNCIL LEADING UP TO THOSE EVENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING ANY CONCERNS FROM THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS. THANK YOU, CHIEF. AND I'M SORRY I WILL MORE QUESTIONS SO IT'S FOR THE SPECIAL EVENTS APPLICATION CHANGE AND TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS. WHO SHOULD I DIRECT THESE QUESTIONS TO? SURE I WAIT FOR MORE COLOR. CAN I ASK THEM NOW?  YES, THEY'RE GOING TO MOCA. OKAY.  THANK YOU. THAT'S IT FOR ME AT CHAIR THINGS EVERYBODY GOT NICOLETTA CALCIUM HERE THE FLOOR IS YOURS AND CAN YOU HEAR ME ? YES. OKAY, GREAT.  THANK YOU ALL THANK YOU, CHAIR IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ARE I'M HAPPY TO SEE DIRECTOR BORDERS LEADING HERE. YOU KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WHICH I THINK IS SUCH A GREAT ADDITION TO THIS WORK BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE SUCH AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THAT WORK.  I'M CURIOUS HOW HAS THE OFFICE OF TOURISM JUST AS HAS INITIATED ANY PROGRAMS OR CAMPAIGNS TO PROMOTE CONCEPT IN CITY TOURISM AN IDEA DISCUSSED BY YOU DIRECTOR BORDERS LAST YEAR LIKE HOW IS THAT GOING?  YOU KNOW WHAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS YOU NEED TO CONTINUE THAT WORK.  THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION COUNCILOR WE ARE IN ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR PARTNERS SUCH AS MEET BOSTON AND OTHERS TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE TOOLS AND RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE FOR BOSTONIANS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE LOCAL TOURISM THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOTICED IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD TEND TO PATRONIZE BUSINESSES THAT ARE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE TO THEIR HOME, TO THEIR JOB AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.  SO BEING POST-PANDEMIC PEOPLE ARE MOVING AROUND A LITTLE BIT MORE PEOPLE ARE EXCITED TO GET OUT AND ABOUT. WE ARE WORKING ON A VARIETY OF TOOLS TO INCENTIVIZE THAT LOCAL DEMOGRAPHIC TO MOVE AROUND. I WON'T SHARE TOO MUCH IN THE WEEDS OF IT BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROMOTING LOCAL BUSINESSES, THAT PEOPLE ARE PATRONIZING LOCAL SHOPS AND THAT THE LOCAL TOURISM MARKET IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF FOR MUSEUMS TO MURALS TO PARKS AND REC. WE WANT PEOPLE TO MOVE AROUND. WE WANT PEOPLE TO PATRONIZE. WE WANT PEOPLE TO GET OUTSIDE OF THEIR RESPECTIVE NEIGHBORHOODS.  SO WE'RE WORKING ON A VARIETY OF TOOLS TO ENSURE THAT THOSE RESOURCES ARE MADE AVAILABLE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH YOUR OFFICE AND OTHERS AS THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE. YES, THANK YOU. I WANT TO ALSO JUST NOTE THAT DURING THE ACP OUR OFFICE WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRESIDENT SULLIVAN TO HOST SOME PROGRAMING ACROSS THE CITY WHERE WE BROUGHT PEOPLE TO THE FREEDOM HOUSE AND TO OTHER SPACES AND PLACES AND I'M THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT I LEARNED BY DOING SO AND IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE HOW COMMUNITY WAS REALLY ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS. AND I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW, THE BLACK THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT SORRY I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE HEARING FOR IT BUT YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST BUDGET ACTS THAT WE MADE WHEN WE FIRST ESTABLISHED THE COMMISSION WAS A BUDGET OF $1.6 MILLION. AND SO I HAVE SEEN WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WELL FUNDED, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT CAN IMPACT THAT. IT CAN MAKE.  AND I'M CURIOUS FROM A CAPACITY STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME SOME ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS IN YOUR DIVISION AROUND GRANTS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH OTHER FOLKS WHO CAN DO THIS COLLABORATIVE WORK ALONGSIDE THE CITY. SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE THINKING IS AROUND THAT.  CHIEF, I'LL LET YOU JUMP IN BEFORE I DO THAT. WELL, JUST TO SAY I MEAN I AGREE AND I THINK I HAVE TO GIVE OUR KUDOS TO JOHN FOR HOW HE HAS STAFFED HIS DEPARTMENT SINCE COMING IN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE NECESSARY SKILLS AND TOOLS IN HIS CURRENT STAFFING, I WILL SAY I THINK ONE THING THAT THAT SETS TOURISM APART IS THAT THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ME BOSTON AS JOHN MENTIONED THAT IT DOESN'T ALL NEED TO BE ON THE CITY'S BUDGET BUT RATHER A WELL-FUNDED PARTNER LIKE ME BOSTON WHICH HAS REALLY STEPPED UP SINCE JOHN CAME IN TO YOU KNOW, WHETHER IN TERMS OF THEIR FUNDING OF COMMUNITY EVENTS,  TRAVEL, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL AS MARKETING CAMPAIGNS TO YOUR QUESTION COUNCIL WORK TO STIMULATE TOURISM FROM RESIDENTS WITHIN THE CITY NOT JUST ATTRACTING FOLKS ON THE OUTSIDE. YEAH BUT I BELIEVE THEM CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG THAT THE BUDGET FOR TOURISM CURRENTLY IS FLYING IN AROUND 150,000.  IS THAT TRUE AND IT APPEARS THAT THAT NUMBER HAS GONE DOWN A 215 LAST YEAR. AM I AM I READING IT WRONG? AM I WAS I MISINFORMED BECAUSE MAYBE I MUST HAVE READ IT WRONG? YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE BUDGETS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT. I KNOW THAT FOR THE TWO DEPARTMENTS UP RIGHT NOW THE REQUEST IS PRETTY MUCH A LEVEL OF FUNDING JUST ADDING YOU KNOW, DOLLARS FOR STAFF SALARY INCREASES. BUT YEAH I THINK THE ON BUDGET IS NORTH OF I THINK IT'S LIKE 11.6 OR 1.8 MILLION ALREADY FOR THE FOR THE TOURISM COMPONENT OF THE WORK IN TERMS OF PROGRAMING. IF I COULD CHIME IN I HAVE HERE A TOTAL OF 1.8 $1.8 MILLION BUT TOURISM IS AT 719 AND THEN I GUESS YOU GUYS SPLIT IT UP A BETWEEN TOURISM FILM AND SPECIAL EVENTS AND THEN TOURISM AGAIN TOURISM ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL EVENTS AND THEN TOURISM WHICH THEN OUR TOTAL THAT TOTALS UP TO $1.8 MILLION TO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DID OUT WAS THAT THAT IS NOT SOLELY FOR PROGRAMING. SO COUNCILOR , TO YOUR POINT IF THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND RESOURCES GOING TOWARDS PROGRAMING IN THE FORM OF GRANTS THAT COULD BE MADE IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY AGAIN THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL WOULD DECIDE BY BY NO MEANS WILL OUR OFFICE EVER REFUTE IF YOU DESIRE TO DEEPER IN THIS REGARD BUT WE WILL SUPPORT IT AS POSSIBLE AND I APPRECIATE THAT RESPONSE AND I THINK THAT THESE BUDGET HEARINGS ARE AIMED AT MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE WELL STAFFED AND RESOURCE RIGHT IN ORDER FOR YOU TO REACH YOUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT ESPECIALLY THIS IS A NEW VISION, RIGHT? A NEW DIVISION IF YOU WILL, SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE SPORTS AND AND ENTERTAINMENT PIECE OF IT THAT I THINK THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING NEW THOSE YOU KNOW, LEVEL FUNDING IS GREAT. I APPRECIATE WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE MAINTENANCE OF IT BUT I THINK IN TERMS OF INNOVATION AND GIVING FOLKS THE TOOLS TO REALLY EXPAND ON PROGRAMING BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS WILL HAVE A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT RIGHT IF OUR SMALLER BUSINESSES AND DORCHESTER AQUARIUM OUT OF PARENTS HAVE MORE FOOT TRAFFIC BECAUSE YOU MANAGED TO INVEST IN THAT AND BUSINESSES OUTSIDE OF DORCHESTER, ROXBURY, MATTAPAN CAN ALSO DO POP UPS IN SOME OF THE MORE TRAFFIC I MEAN BUT YOU KNOW LIKE ALL OF THAT IS INTERCONNECTED WITH YOUR WORK DIRECTORY AND I THINK THAT THAT THIS IS WHY I HAVE SEEN OTHER BUDGETS THAT HAVE TRIED,  YOU KNOW MORE INVESTMENTS AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE OFFICES THAT I THINK AND THIS IS JUST MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION THAT IF WE COULD DO THIS RIGHT EVERYBODY WILL EAT, EVERYBODY CAN WIN. I THINK I AGREE WITH YOU AND I WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF OF OF THAT. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS IS ALSO AS MORE MONEY IS GIVEN TO US, MONEY IS TAKEN FROM OTHERS AND IT'S OUR JOB TO ACTIVELY COLLABORATE AND PARTNER.  AND SINCE BEING IN THIS SEAT I THINK I'VE DONE A DECENT JOB OF EXTENDING THAT ARM, INVITING PEOPLE IN AND TRYING TO BE WAY MORE COLLABORATIVE I THINK THAN WE'VE BEEN IN THE PAST AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. SO PARTNERING, LEVERAGING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, FIGURING OUT WHAT WE CAN DO AS THE OFFICE TO ENSURE AGAIN THAT THESE EVENTS ARE GETTING DONE AT A HIGH CLIP WHERE WE'RE WE'RE MAKING A LOT WITH A LITTLE SO AGAIN I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK AND I KNOW WE'LL CONTINUE TO GROW IT AND I'LL END WITH THIS COUNCILOR CHAIR WHERE ELSE BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER COLLEAGUES IN OTHER QUESTIONS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO PRESENT BUT I THINK WHAT YOU JUST SAID DIRECTOR BORDERS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF ENERGY THAT IS GOING TO HELP US MEET THIS MOMENT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT THERE ARE SOME COOL PROGRAMING THAT YOU ALL CAN DO TOGETHER.  EVERYBODY WINS THE SAME THING FOR WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT THE SAME THING FOR FOOD JUSTICE AND LIKE ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE INTERCONNECTED AND I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT WILL TO TO ENCOURAGE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO SEE SPORTS IN ENTERTAINMENT AND TOURISM AS A PART OF SOME OF THEIR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ESPECIALLY AROUND EQUITY I THINK THAT YOU ARE DEAD ON AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE TYPE OF LEADERSHIP THAT THIS MOMENT IS CALLING FOR. SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE HOW INCLUSIVE YOU HAVE BEEN AND I'LL END WITH THE FACT THAT YES, I MEAN YOU GOT TO TAKE FROM SOME GIVE TO OTHERS SO MAYBE IT'S NOT ABOUT TAKING. IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW DO WE REALLOCATE RESOURCES AND SO THAT MAYBE THEY'RE MANAGING THAT PIECE OF THE BUDGET THAT HELPS SUPPORT YOUR WORK LIKE THERE'S WAYS FOR US TO DO IT IN WAYS THAT EVERYBODY FEELS LIKE THEY'RE WINNING AND LET'S HOPE THAT'S MY HOPE FOR YOU AND ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING YOU AND I ALSO WILL END WITH YOU KNOW WE ESTABLISHED THE OFFICE THAT COMMISSION THAT THERE'S LOTS OF STAKEHOLDERS I GUESS I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, THERE'S WAYS TO HELP SUPPORT AND IDENTIFYING OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THAT CAN MEET BOSTON CAN'T BE THE ONLY ONE THAT THERE MIGHT BE OTHER OTHER PARTNERS OUT THERE AND STAKEHOLDERS THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT THE WORK. I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH YOU AND FIGURING OUT WHAT THAT STRATEGY IS AND AND HELPING TO SUPPORT IT AS WELL. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR ME HERE. COUNCILOR WOMEN OF LAW JOYCE THANK YOU. I RISE AND YOU HEAR ME OKAY, GREAT.  SO DIRECTOR BORDERS, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.  FIRST ONE IS ABOUT THE FIFA WORLD CUP AND IN TERMS OF TOURISM, I DON'T KNOW I WAS IN COLLEGE WHEN THE LAST WORLD CUP WAS IN THE U.S. AND FIFA BUILT PRACTICE FIELDS FOR TEAMS AROUND BOSTON. I KNOW THEY BUILT THEM LIKE BABSON COLLEGE AND WHEATON COLLEGE AND THOSE FIELD I PLAYED SOCCER AT BRANDEIS. WE WERE ABLE TO PLAY ON THOSE FIELDS. THEY'RE AMAZING.  MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN GET THE PRACTICE FIELDS BUILT IN BOSTON FOR 2026. IF THEY'RE DOING THAT, I URGE YOU TO WORK WITH FIFA FROM A TOURISM STANDPOINT I THINK PEOPLE GO OUT AND WATCH THE TEAMS PRACTICING. YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO HAVE THOSE PEOPLE IN BARS. HAVE YOU HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH FIFA ABOUT, YOU KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD AROUND THE WORLD CUP? THANK YOU, COUNSELOR, FOR THE QUESTION.  THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE STILL ADVANCING DECISIONS HAVE NOT BEEN FIRMED UP IN TERMS OF WHAT THOSE PRACTICE FACILITY FACILITIES LOOK LIKE. I KNOW THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS WITH DIFFERENT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITY IS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF RESOURCES THAT CURRENTLY EXIST. BUT AS THOSE CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE TO PROGRESS AROUND WHERE DIFFERENT FACILITIES WILL BE ERECTED IN SORTS, WE'RE WE'RE VERY MUCH SO ACTIVE AND AT THE TABLE IN CONVERSATION WITH BOSTON 2026 SO AS THOSE THINGS CONTINUE TO ARISE WE'LL DEFINITELY ADVOCATE TO ENSURE THAT BOSTON IS WELL-REPRESENTED AND OBVIOUSLY WE WANT AS MANY RESOURCES AS WE CAN IN TERMS OF LEAVE BEHIND IF FIFA IS GOING TO BUILD SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ADVOCATE TO ENSURE THAT IT IS IN A PLACE IN BOSTON WHERE WE'RE ALL ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.  SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CALL UP. YEAH, THANKS FOR THAT. I GUESS I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD BOTH TO BRING PEOPLE IN AND LASTING GOOD FOR FOR KIDS HERE IN THE CITY AND JUST TO HAVE THE SITES READY TO GO AND AROUND ANYWAY IF YOU NEED ANY HELP. SO IF IT DOES WORK THEN I GUESS MY NEXT QUESTION IS HOW ARE WE DOING AFTER COVID IN TERMS OF NUMBERS OF TOURISTS?  DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF THAT?  I CAN I CAN SHARE MORE DETAILS. CHIEF, WERE YOU GOING TO JUMP IN? WELL, JUST TO SAY COUNCILOR WEBER SO WE ACTUALLY REALLY HAPPY WITH THE REBOUND THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN HAVING RELATED TO TOURISM BOTH IN TERMS OF FOLKS COMING AND VISITING THE CITY BUT ALSO JUST FOR TRAFFIC ACROSS THE CITY. SO A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE. ONE IS AT LEAST FOR OUR DOWNTOWN YOU KNOW MONTH OVER MONTH WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE FOOT TRAFFIC GETTING US BACK TO WHERE WE WERE PRE-COVID. I THINK THE LAST NUMBERS I SAW WERE ROUGHLY AT AROUND 80 BETWEEN 80 AND 90% OF WHERE WE WERE IN 2019 IN TERMS OF FOOT TRAFFIC. WHEN YOU LOOK AT FLIGHTS AT LOGAN, WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS COMING IN THROUGH LOGAN THAN AT ANY TIME THAN THAN EVEN PRE-COVID NUMBERS. WE'VE ACTUALLY EXCEEDED THOSE NUMBERS.  AND THEN IN TERMS OF HOTELS, HANDS AND BEDS, WE'RE AT ROUGHLY 90% AS WELL WHERE WE WERE PRE-COVID.  SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED AT THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY MAKING THESE THIS PROGRESS BUT THESE HUGE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING TO THE CITY.  WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HELP PROPEL US BEYOND WHERE WE WERE BEFORE.  THANKS. AND THEN IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT FINDING DIFFERENT SOURCES OF REVENUE TOO. I MEAN MAYBE NOT A LOT BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY THINKING ABOUT IT.  DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON YOU KNOW, TOURISM AND HOW TO GENERATE REVENUE FOR THE CITY IN WAYS THAT WE'RE NOT DOING ALREADY?  WELL, YOU KNOW, AND THE DIRECTOR CAN ADD HERE IF DESIRED. BUT I WILL SAY AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS SET UP TOP BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SAID TO THE FINAL TWO CANDIDATES FOR THE DIRECTOR OF TOURISM, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WAS THAT WHOEVER GETS THIS ROLE THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ADDED BULLET POINT TO YOUR LIST OF RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS ROLE AND THAT IS THAT RATHER THAN BEING A CITY THAT IS REACTIVE WHERE EVENT COORDINATORS AND LEADERS ARE REACHING OUT TO THE CITY AND SAYING HEY, WE WANT TO COME TO BOSTON, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT? I HAVE TURN THE ROLE INTO BEING MORE PROACTIVE WHERE JOHN HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, ON FLIGHTS GOING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AT THIS POINT WORLD NOW SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS AND MESSAGE ABOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ALL THAT WE HAVE HERE BUT ALSO GOING OUT TO NEGOTIATE WITH ON A TRACK TO THE EVENTS THAT WE SEE HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY EXCUSE ME ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND BRINGING THEM HERE TO BOSTON. SO ONE OF THE EVENTS THAT JOHN HIGHLIGHTED WAS THE HBCU CLASSIC WHICH HAS NOT HAPPENED IN BOSTON BEFORE AND WE KNOW THAT WITH ALL OF THE ENERGY AROUND HBCU AND THE DIVINE NINE GREEK FRATERNITIES, THE ENERGY AROUND YOUNG PEOPLE, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BRING A TON OF FOLKS TO THE CITY WHO ARE GOING TO SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES AS THAT COUNCILMEMBER HERE BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, BRINGING FOLKS TO THE DORCHESTER, MATTAPAN, ROXBURY NEIGHBORHOODS.  SO PART OF OUR STRATEGY IS TO JUST GO BRING THE BIG EVENTS HERE TO BOSTON RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, US TAKING VACATION TO GO VISIT THESE EVENTS BY BRINGING IT HERE TO OUR DOORSTEP.  OKAY.  AND THEN I DON'T KNOW WHO CAN EXPLAIN TO US IN TERMS OF TV PRODUCTION AND FILM HOW DOES THAT BENEFIT THE CITY FINANCIALLY AND WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO?  WELL I SEE AND THE AND THE ATTENDEES PORTION.  SO AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS SORT OF A TOP BUT WE HAVE A BUNCH OF FOLKS FROM OUR TEAM WHO ARE HERE. I THINK ANY AND ALL IS HERE IS THE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EVENTS AND TV AND FILM FALL UNDER HER PURVIEW. SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE ABLE TO BRING HER TO THE PANELISTS SIDE JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK THAT SHE'S DOING THERE. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILOR . YEAH. SAYING CAN WE PROMOTE AMY HANDLE TO A PANELIST AND CHAIR I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION WHY THEY DO THAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T ASK WHAT ARE WE DOING BECAUSE I ONLY ASK DIRECTOR BORDERS QUESTIONS ARE WE GOING TO COME BACK FOR LICENSING CAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. QUESTION THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK MIKE, CAN YOU HEAR ME ? YES. YEAH. HI EVERYONE.  AND SO I'LL JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT OUR OFFICE DOES IN TERMS OF THE FILMING PROCESS. WE'RE REALLY WE REALLY FACILITATE PERMITTING FOR FOR FOLKS TO COME IN SO WE WILL MEET WITH DIFFERENT PROJECTS COMING INTO THE CITY WHETHER IT'S A FILM COMMERCIAL.  INTERESTINGLY WE DO A LOT OF PROJECTS WITH THE COLLEGES AND THE FILMMAKERS BUT IN TERMS OF THE ECONOMY SO WE DON'T WE DON'T REALLY SEE A DIRECT BENEFIT FOR THE CITY BUT WHAT WE DO SEE IS JOBS IN TERMS OF DRIVERS, IN TERMS OF PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS AND SETS AND CATERING ALL OF THOSE ALL OF THOSE THINGS BENEFIT THE ECONOMY, YOU KNOW, AS A GREATER GOOD OUR OFFICES ROLE IS REALLY IN THE PERMITTING AND GETTING PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROCESS TO FILM.  OKAY THANKS. SINCE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BUNCH OF ROUNDS IN THE INTEREST OF KEEPING THIS MOVIE, I'M GOING TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU CHAIR THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. CASTLE WEBER, COUNSELOR FOR NANCY ANDERSON THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THEY'RE HERE WITH YOU,  COUNSELOR ANDERSON YEAH, LET ALONE WE CAN BARELY HEAR YOU.  MR CHAIR. CAN WE PLEASE HAVE SOME MONEY FOR BETTER EQUIPMENT?  THANKS, BUT WILL DO. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.  EVERYTHING LOOKS AMAZING. OF COURSE I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND SPECIFICALLY ON THE TSE TSE TOOK ON THE OPEN STREETS COORDINATOR POSITION TO OVERSEE THE OPEN STREETS PROGRAMING.  I'M CURIOUS TO LEARN ABOUT THE INTENTION BEHIND MOVING THAT POSITION OVER AND HOW THIS ROLE IS STILL COORDINATING WITH STREET'S NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND OFFICE OF ECONOMIC AND INCLUSION. BASICALLY HOW DOES THIS POSITION WORK WITH SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOCATED ON THE OPEN STREETS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT PERMITTING PERMISSION TO PROVIDE OUTDOOR VENDING?  THANK YOU COUNCILOR . SO THE ROLE WAS CREATED AND PUT UNDER O-I BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS BEFORE THAT TO SHIFT OPEN THE STREETS IN GENERAL OVER TO OH YEAH WHY? JUST BECAUSE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. ONE IS OUR SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM IS LOCATED UNDER THE CABINET AND ALSO JUST THINKING OF THE ECONOMIC OR AT LEAST OUR ARGUMENT FOR IT WAS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT THIS HAS ON OUR BUSINESSES. SO HOUSING IT UNDER THE CABINET ACTUALLY MAKES A TON OF SENSE GIVEN THAT ALL OF THE NECESSARY DEPARTMENTS WHEN THINKING THOSE ITEMS LIVE UNDER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION. SO PILLAR DELGADO WHO IS THE COORDINATOR HAS BEEN FANTASTIC SINCE SHE CAME INTO THIS ROLE AND SHE HAS REGULARLY MEETING WITH THE VENDOR WHO CURRENTLY HAS THE CONTRACTS ON A BRAND CONSULTANT AS WELL AS OUR SMALL BUSINESS TEAM, THE STREETS TEAM ETC. TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED PRIOR TO EXECUTING THESE EVENTS.  THANK YOU SO MUCH CHIEF. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CONTRACTS ISSUED THROUGH THE OFFICE OF TOURIST TOURISM, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WENT TO AND BS AND I'M SORRY IF YOU'VE ALREADY POINTED THAT OUT AND WHAT WAS TOTAL VALUE FOR THESE CONTRACTS WE CAN FIND THAT INFORMATION. GET BACK TO YOU WITH ALL THE DETAILS. OKAY.  THANK YOU. I NOTICE IN ONE OF YOUR DEPARTMENTS HERE PRESENTED I SORRY I JUST HAVE TO PULL IT UP IN TERMS OF LIKE THE TOP TEN PAID THAT IT DIDN'T REALLY REFLECT THE DEMOGRAPHIC IT WASN'T IT WASN'T A RIO I I IT SHOOT I'M SORRY I DON'T HAVE IT OPEN WAS IT TOURISM.  IT WAS LICENSING I THINK WHICH ONE LICENSING AND PERMITTING YES AND LICENSING INFIRMITY YES . CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT LIKE THE NUMBERS LOOKED A LITTLE BIT OFF AND HOW MANY PEOPLE TOTAL IN THAT DEPARTMENT AGAIN.  WELL COUNSELOR FOR FOR LICENSING I'D BE HAPPY FOR US TO CHAT ABOUT THAT IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION.  OKAY. ALL RIGHT.  THANK YOU.  AND IN TERMS OF IN TERMS OF LIKE THE EVENTS I NOTICED OR TOURISM, I NOTICED THAT THERE'S A MAP OF LIKE THINGS TO DO IN BOSTON. SO WHEN YOU WHEN I WENT ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE THINGS TO DO IN BOSTON WEBSITE THERE IS A BUTTON THAT ALLOWS YOU TO OPEN UP THE MAP OF THE MUSEUM AND SITES THAT PEOPLE CAN TRAVEL TO. I DIDN'T SEE A SINGLE DESTINATION LISTED FOR ROXBURY UNDER THE WALKS AND TRAIL SECTIONS OR FRANKLIN PARK WAS NOT LISTED EITHER SO BASICALLY YOU HAD TO GO TO THE BUTTON OF ANOTHER PAGE TO EVEN FIND MENTION OF FRANKLIN PARK.  CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS A VISION OF THE OFFICE TOURISM, SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT TO GET THE TOURIST ECONOMIC DRAW AT LEAST THE REVENUE DRIVE OUTSIDE OF BOSTON DOWNTOWN BOSTON.  SO A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY REDOING MOST OF THE WEB PAGES UNDER THE CABINET SO POINTING THAT OUT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE ARE OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS KNOWS ABOUT SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE YOU KNOW, INCLUDING ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN TERMS OF THE STRATEGY FOR VISITING OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, I WOULD PUT THAT IN TWO WAYS. AGAIN THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH BOSTON HAS BEEN TO ENSURE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A TON OF RESOURCES AND I COMPLETELY TAKE COUNCILOR MAKING HIS POINT ABOUT EXPANDING THOSE PARTNERSHIPS. BUT JUST TO SAY THAT FOR ME BOSTON, ONE OF THE REASONS WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM IS THAT THIS NOT THIS PARTICULAR BODY BUT A COUPLE OF ITERATIONS OF THIS COUNCIL AGO YOU KNOW APPROVED OF OF A NEW FUND WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO COLLECT FEES AND IT RAISES A TON OF MONEY THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ARE GOING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN SHORT IS THAT ANY MARKETING CAMPAIGN, ANY EVENTS THAT THEY'RE SUPPORTING ARE ONES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO THAT IS DRAWING MORE FOLKS TO THE AREA AS WELL AS THAT WE BOSTON WEBSITE IS DIRECTING FOLKS TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND NOT ONLY TO DOWNTOWN SEAPORT BACK BAY AND I KNOW THAT THEY ARE WORKING WITH THEM AND THREE TIME THEY'VE HIRED WITH LIKE A LOCAL TOURS ON COLONY NIGHT TO ALSO BE ONE OF THE COMPANIES THAT AGAIN WHEN VISITORS ARE COMING TO THE CITY THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO SIGN UP FOR DIFFERENT TOURS ACROSS THE CITY. BUT I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN PRETTY POPULAR AND AS YOU KNOW COUNCILOR , YOU KNOW HE BRINGS FOLKS TO ROXBURY TO VISIT ALL THE HISTORIC PLACES.  SO YOU KNOW, I THINK LEANING ON THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AND YOU KNOW, HELPING TO INFORM WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS ARE VISITING ALL PARTS OF THE CITY AND THEN IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, THE EVENTS THAT WE'RE HOSTING WE ARE ALWAYS COGNIZANT OF WHERE THOSE EVENTS ARE TAKING PLACE AND HOW WE'RE INCORPORATING SMALL BUSINESSES IN THOSE AREAS. SO AGAIN, WHEN WE ARE THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, JOHN BROUGHT UP THE JAMES BROWN TRIBUTE COULD HAVE YOU KNOW, COULD HAVE HAPPENED ANYWHERE IN THE CITY BUT WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHERE THAT EVENT TOOK PLACE AND HOW WE WERE GOING TO SUPPORT FOLKS IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. SO JUST TO SAY IT'S ALWAYS FRONT OF MIND AND YOU'VE CERTAINLY BEEN A GOOD PARTNER OF HELPING TO MAKE SURE OF THAT BUT THAT'S POSSIBLE.  THANK YOU SO MUCH CHIEF AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YES, I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR COLLINS TOURISTS PROGRAM AND DEFINITELY YOU KNOW AND THINKING ABOUT LIKE THE JAMES BROWN CONCERT IT TAKES A LOT TO MAKE PROFIT WITH EVENTS. SO TURNING THAT HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT NEXT PHASE AS A TOUR NOT JUST YOU KNOW ONE TIME EVENT IN ORDER TO MAKE PROFIT TYPICALLY IN ENTERTAINMENT ESPECIALLY IN A THEATER LIKE THAT TO THAT MAGNITUDE WOULD TAKE AT LEAST LIKE THE THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH SHOW BEFORE THEY CAN SEE REAL PROFIT.  SO I'M INTERESTED IN GETTING INFORMATION ON MOVING FORWARD HOW WE CAN EXPAND THAT. CAN WE GET A BREAK DOWN BY NEIGHBORHOOD OF CANNABIS LICENSES, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT LICENSES THAT WERE ISSUED IN 2000 MAYBE 2324 THROUGH THE CHAIR WE CAN SUBMIT IT IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT READY TODAY I'M SURE WE COULD.  AND JUST TO SAY COUNCILOR SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MOCKTAIL PRESENT RIGHT AFTER THIS. OKAY. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL BE IN THE PRESENTATION BUT WE ARE TAKING NOTE RIGHT NOW TO EITHER HAVE IT AVAILABLE OR TO GET BACK TO YOU FOLLOWING TODAY'S HEARING. OKAY THEN I'LL HOLD MY LAST TWO QUESTIONS AND THE NEXT TWO QUESTIONS FOR THAT.  I APOLOGIZE THAT I MISSED THE WHOLE STRUCTURE FOR TODAY.  I DO WANT TO ASK YOU THOUGH LIKE HAVE YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOU KNOW, IF MAKES SENSE AT ALL AND YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE YOU IN THINKING ABOUT THIS IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT FIGHTING DISPLACEMENT AND IT'S I GUESS IT'S A HARD BALANCE BETWEEN FIGHTING DISPLACEMENT OR RESPONSIBLE TOURISM OR DEVELOPMENT OF THINGS THAT WOULD SUPPORT TOURISM AND FIGHTING DISPLACEMENT. IF WE'VE LOOKED AT AN ANALYSIS OR IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT LOOKING AT ANALYSIS OF HOW TO DO SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT IT'S A IT'S NOT A REALISTIC THING TO SAY A RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OR TOURISM WITHOUT DISPLACEMENT AND YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS A CONCERN THAT OFTEN COMES UP IN DISTRICTS. SO I WONDER IF WE'VE LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY HOW TO BE INTENTIONAL IN HOW WE ARE CONNECTING, YOU KNOW, OUR RESOURCES OR ARTS OR SPACES TO THE RIGHT WHEN THIS IF NOT THIS I THINK IF NOT THE FIRST BUT THE SECOND LARGEST REVENUE DRIVER IN AND HOW TO DO THAT IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY WHERE WE ARE WHERE IT'S ANTI DISPLACEMENT AS WELL AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION COUNCILORS IS IT COMING FROM A PLACE THAT WHEN WE SEE MORE FOOT TRAFFIC OR MORE ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT AROUND AN AREA THAT CAN SOMETIMES BRING THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF YOU KNOW, PRICES GOING UP AROUND ETC.? OKAY, GOT IT. WELL I WILL SO YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION AND I WILL SAY THAT I THINK A LOT OF THE TOOLS THAT THE CABINET ITSELF HAS COME UP WITH ARE ONES WHERE WE DO WANT TO BE INTENTIONAL IN THAT WAY AND TARGET THOSE RESOURCES IN AREAS WHERE WE MAY SEE THAT HAPPENING OR BEFORE WE SEE THEM HAPPENING RARELY ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL TO INCREASE INTEREST AND FOOT TRAFFIC IN PARTICULAR AREAS. I THINK OF OUR LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM WHICH COULD BE ONE TOOL THAT WE DEPLOY TO HELP SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE FOR INSTANCE IF WE WANT TO BRING FOLKS TO NUBIAN SQUARE THERE ARE SOME BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS THAT WILL WANT TO PROTECT SO THAT YOU KNOW, TEN, 20 YEARS FROM NOW IF IT'S GOING TO PART OF THE HISTORY AND THE CULTURE YOU KNOW, LIKE THROUGH A BOOKSTORE FOR INSTANCE THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE FINDING WAYS TO PROTECT IT AND MAKE SURE IT'S HERE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME AS WELL AS YOU KNOW, THE OTHER WORK THAT WE DO THROUGH SMALL BUSINESS. BUT IT'S ALSO NOT JUST JUST OUR THE ADMINISTRATION AND ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH DIFFERENT ANTI DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES TO KIND OF FOLLOW THROUGH ON WHAT YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING. SO I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THERE'S A SPECIFIC ANALYSIS THAT EXISTS BUT DEFINITELY HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE ON WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE BUT END OF THE DAY IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS TOP OF MIND AND AGAIN I APPRECIATE YOUR POINT ABOUT THAT POINT.  THANK YOU SO MUCH MR CHAIR. I SEE YOU SMILING. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS YOUR TIME IS UP. OKAY, FINE, MR CHIEF AND DIRECTOR BORDERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING WORK WITH EACH DEPARTMENT WITHIN UI AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SECOND ROUND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR ANDERSON BASHIR PEPEN THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE THAT ARE PANELISTS TODAY CHIEF ADO WAS GOOD TO SEE YOU DIRECTOR BORDERS GREAT TO SEE YOU AS WELL.  I'M VERY EXCITED TO HEAR THAT THERE ARE MANY EVENTS COMING DOWN THE LINE TO BOSTON. OUR TEAM IS HUGE JUST FAN OF THE WORK YOU DO BUT I'M JUST VERY PROUD TO SEE THAT IN JUST A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO SO MUCH FOR THE CITY SO SHOUT OUT TO YOU WHICH LEADS ME TO MY FIRST QUESTION WITH THESE NEW EVENTS COMING INTO TOWN, WHAT KIND OF REVENUE DOES THE CITY SEE BASED OFF YOU KNOW, JUST SO MUCH TOURISM COME INTO THE CITY, INVESTMENTS COMING INTO THE CITY, WHAT KIND OF INVESTMENT DO WE SEE BACK AT THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE DIRECTOR IN CONJUNCTION AS WELL WITH FOX HERE? YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR AND WE'RE HAPPY THAT A LOT OF THOSE EVENTS WE'VE SEEN HAPPEN IN HYDE PARK AND ROSSI. SO THANKS TO ALL THE RESIDENTS AND LEADERS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAVE HELPED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING ALL OF THE CITY ALIVE AT DIFFERENT POINTS OF THE YEAR . YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF REVENUE FOR THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THE CITY DOES SEE I THINK GENERALLY, YOU KNOW, THROUGH TAXES AND AND THINGS LIKE THAT . BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THE ECONOMY AND KNOWING THAT IT'S DOING WELL IS BASED ON AS I SHARED EARLIER THE HEADS AND BEDS, THE FOOT TRAFFIC IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES WHICH THEN LEADS TO YOU KNOW, THE BETTER OUR BUSINESSES ARE DOING AND THE MORE FOLKS THAT THEY'RE HIRING THE BETTER WAGES AND BENEFITS THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING. SO THERE'S A SPILLOVER EFFECT IN TERMS OF THE THE INCREASE IN TOURISM TO THE CITY.  THANK YOU. AND I GUESS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION THAT VERY SIMILAR TO MY COLLEAGUES FROM COUNCIL WERE NO ROCK COUNCIL WEBBERS QUESTION ABOUT THIS SENSE OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY LIKE FIFA HAS OBVIOUSLY CREATED PRACTICE FIELDS I'M THINKING MORE IN GENERAL IS THERE A PARTNERSHIP OR IS THERE A SET OF GUIDELINES THAT MAKE ORGANIZATIONS GIVE BACK TO THE CITY OF BOSTON? OBVIOUSLY A PRACTICE FIELD IS AN EXAMPLE BUT MAYBE A NEW PLAYGROUND, MAYBE AN INVESTMENT INTO A BUSINESS DISTRICT. MAYBE PROGRAMING FOR YOUTH IS THERE IN SOME SORT OF A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH TO MAKE SURE THAT WITH SO MANY GOOD EVENTS COME ALSO SOMETHING IN RETURN FOR OUR RESIDENTS?  I THINK THAT'S A FANTASTIC QUESTION AND I THINK IN ANSWERING COUNCILMAN CARTER'S EARLIER QUESTION ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS REGULARLY UPDATED ON ESPECIALLY THE MAJOR EVENTS THAT ARE COMING HERE IN 2026, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE ALL OF THE ORGANIZERS FOR THOSE EVENTS TOO TO SHARE EXACTLY THAT. SO SO WE'LL MAKE SURE FOLLOWING THESE HEARINGS THAT WE ARE SHARING WHERE WE ARE NOW WITH THESE DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS AND THEN KIND OF COLLECTING FROM FOLKS WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE AND TO WORK WITH THE ORGANIZERS TO SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE AS AN OUTCOME AND REGRADE AND I AM I'LL EXTEND MY HAND AS BEING RECEPTIVE OF AN INVITATION TO FUTURE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT KIND OF PARTNERSHIPS WE CAN MAKE OUR LARGEST MY DISTRICT WHICH IS ACROSS THE CITY AND THEN TO DIRECTOR BORDERS YOU MENTIONED THAT WE ARE HOSTING A WNBA GAME FOR THE CONNECTICUT SUNS WHICH IS AMAZING A HUGE FAN OF THERE'S ACTUALLY BEEN OUT TO CONNECTICUT FOR FOUR FOR A COUPLE OF GAMES BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN RUMORS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POTENTIALLY BRINGING A WNBA TEAM TO THE CITY. UM IS THERE ANY ANY TRUTH TO THAT IF YOU CAN ANSWER THAT I AM DOING MY PART TO ENSURE THAT BOSTON IS BEST POSITIONED TO HOST AND BE HOME TO ANYONE THAT WILL BRING BENEFIT TO THE CITY INCLUDING BUT NOT EXCLUDED TO THE WNBA.  BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT. I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF FUTURE INVESTMENTS WE COULD BRING TO THE CITY AND I THINK THAT ADDING A WNBA TEAM TO OUR CITY WOULD BE OF GREAT VALUE. OBVIOUSLY WE WE SAW A PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S HOCKEY LEAGUE START UP IN LOWELL. UM SO THAT'S THAT'S WAS VERY GOOD FOR NOT JUST THE CITY SCHOOL FOR THE ENTIRE STATE SO I'M HAPPY TO BE KEPT UPDATED ABOUT THAT CONVERSATION GOING FORWARD.  ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. OF COURSE. AND CAN I SAY COUNSELOR, THAT WE WILL WELCOME ANY IDEAS FROM THE COUNCIL ON OTHER THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE PURSUING? AS I SAID, JOHN'S PRIMARY ROLE IS TO KIND OF BE OUR CHIEF, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, LEAD AND ATTRACTING EVENTS AND YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT YOU KNOW IN YOUR PREVIOUS QUESTION TO THE CITY. IT'S ONE REASON WE'RE EXCITED TOO ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAM THAT'S COMING TO THE AREA ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PREPARING FOR FIFA WORLD CUP. SO ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION AND ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR IDEAS WE THEM AS JOHN KIND OF BUILDS OUT HIS PLAN FOR 25 FIRST AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS NOT A QUESTION IT'S MORE OF A COMMON TO COUNCILOR ANDERSON'S POINT JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ENTIRE CITY AS A WHOLE GETS LOVE FROM THESE EVENTS. UM, YOU KNOW ESPECIALLY WHEN I THINK OF BALLPARKS LIKE ORMEAU PARK IN MATTAPAN BEAUTIFUL PARK WITH BEAUTIFUL FACILITIES THAT CAN USE SOME OF THAT LOVE AS WELL FROM OUTSIDE PLACES. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT EVENTS TO BRING IN, WHAT KIND OF PARTNERSHIP YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT BEING ABOUT THE PARKS THAT USUALLY AREN'T USED IN THE CITY BUT WITH THAT I'LL USE THE REST OF MY TIME.  I JUST THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEAR FROM THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENTS.  THANK YOU COUNCILOR . THANK YOU VICE CHAIR MR AT THE TIME FOR MYSELF SO CHIEF AND DIRECTOR AMAZING AMAZING WORK WE SEE IT ALREADY THE INVESTMENT PAYING OFF IN TERMS OF THE REVENUE QUESTION UM HOW HOW DO WE TRACK IT LIKE HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF YOU KNOW THE JOBS THAT IT CREATED THE REVENUE THE MONEY THAT SPENT INTO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES?  CAN YOU TELL ME HOW THAT IS BEING TRACKED SO MEET BOSTON AND I YOU KNOW YEAH THEY'VE BEEN A THEY'RE JUST A REALLY BIG RESOURCE FOR THE CITY AND YOU KNOW DEPENDING ON THE EVENT AND YOU KNOW HOW BIG IT IS WE DO REGULARLY REACH OUT TO ASK YOU KNOW ABOUT A WEEK OR SO AFTER YOU KNOW WHAT CAN WE CALCULATE IN TERMS OF THAT?  YOU KNOW THE SHORT VERSION OF THIS IS THAT WE BOSTON HAS THE TOOL AVAILABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACT IS, HOW MANY HOTEL ROOMS WERE RESERVED FOR THE EVENT CONTRACTS TO BUSINESSES, THE SURROUNDING BUSINESSES AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY SAW AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC TO THEM AND FOLKS SPENDING MONEY AND THEN THEY SHARE THAT REPORT WITH US SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT IMPACT.  AWESOME. AND I GUESS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT YEAH, I'M ASSUMING THAT THE CITY, YOU KNOW, PLAYS A PART WHETHER IT'S FINANCIALLY OR WITH PERMIT JUST KIND OF UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, THE THE COST VERSUS THE FINANCIAL IMPACT LIKE WHAT WE'RE POLLING IT JUST TO YOU KNOW I GUESS FOR ME I'M ASSUMING IT'S PROBABLY IT'S A LOT MORE RIGHT THAN WHAT WE'RE PUTTING IN TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE THAT THIS IS RIGHT. WHAT JOHN IS DOING IS GENERATING REVENUE THE MORE THAT WE INVEST IN JOHN, THE MORE THAT HE'S ABLE TO GET OUT THERE AND SHOW BOSTON AND THE MORE SUPPORT THAT HE HAS TO BRING IN, YOU KNOW, BIG EVENTS WHETHER IT BLACK TEST TECH CONFERENCE AND OR NASEBY OR THE NBA GAME RIGHT LIKE THOSE LIKE LIKE INVESTING IN JOHN'S YOU KNOW DEPARTMENT IS THE REVENUE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO CREATE YEAH I AGREE AND I DO I FOR THE RECORD I AGREE UM MY OTHER QUESTION IS SPEAKING OF THE NBA ALL-STAR GAME, WHAT WOULD THE CITY USE FOR A SECOND REVENUE? THERE'S USUALLY LIKE A SECOND ARENA FOR THE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT EVENT AND I'M MIGHT BE SURE HOW FAR WE ARE DOWN OUR ROAD IN TALKING ABOUT THE NBA STAR ALL-STAR GAME AND THEN THE ACTUAL GAME WOULD BE PLAYED AT TD GARDEN WHERE WAS SORT OF MISSING THAT 10,000 SEAT ARENA THAT WOULD WORK FOR THE CELEBRITY GAME OR DUNCAN TEST ON FRIDAY OR SATURDAY. I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF WHERE WE THINK IN A HAVING THAT WOULD IT BE YOU KNOW NORTHEASTER AND OR B YOU THE CONVENTION CENTER JUST WANTED TO HEAR WHAT OUR THOUGHTS ARE TOO IF YOU WANT TO JUMP IN OR YOU WANT ME TO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT YOU KNOW FOR FOR ALL-STAR AND ALL THE OTHER TYPES OF EVENTS THAT WE ARE EXPLORING AND CONVERSATIONS WITH PARTNERS ON, YOU KNOW WHAT A SERIOUS PITCH COULD LOOK LIKE I THINK THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION THAT WE CAN BRING BACK TO THE CONVERSATION TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE TO SUBMIT, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR PITCH TO BRING SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO THE CITY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT.  BUT IF YOU HAVE IDEAS AS WHICH ARENAS WE SHOULD BE INCLUDING IN OUR CONVERSATION, WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN TO THAT. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU GUYS HAVE A TASK FORCE OR A COMMISSION.  I'M I HAVE A LOT OF IDEA WHEN IT COMES TO NBA ALL-STAR GAME THAT I'M HAPPY TO SHOW UP IN SPACES THAT ARE CREATED AROUND THOSE CONVERSATIONS. YEAH, I MEAN I THINK AROUND THESE TYPES OF DISCUSSIONS YOU KNOW JOHN HAS BEEN PLAYING A GOOD ROLE I THINK OF GOING INDIVIDUALLY TO FOLKS TO KIND GATHER IDEAS KNOWING THAT A LOT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS DON'T HAPPEN HAPPEN IN THAT WAY. BUT KIND OF ON A PERSONAL, YOU KNOW, RELATIONSHIP AND CONNECTION.  SO I THINK YOU KNOW, WE'D BE INTERESTED IN KIND OF SOME OF THE THOUGHTS AND IDEAS THAT YOUR OFFICE OR OTHERS MAY HAVE AND THEN KIND OF FILTERING THEM THROUGH THE CONVERSATIONS THAT JOHN IS HAVING WITH THE RESPECTIVE PARTIES AND THEN DIRECT THE BOARD IS SECONDLY A CORRECT YES, SIR. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE OUT THERE, YOU'RE MAKING THINGS HAPPEN BUT WHAT WHAT ARE THE OTHER SUPPORT THAT TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT MORE SUPPORT YOU NEEDED TO TAKE THIS THING TO THE TO THE NEXT LEVEL IS IT YOU KNOW MORE CONTRACT MORE DOLLARS AND CONTRACTED SERVICES ARE YOU CONTRACTING OUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IN-HOUSE? IS IT HIRING MORE OR IS IT YOU KNOW, TALK TO ME WHAT WHAT'S NEEDED MORE TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL? REALLY GOOD QUESTION. I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING WE ARE CONTINUING TO COLLABORATE.  IT IS NOT JUST OUR ROLE WHEN WHEN THE OFFICE OF TOURISM,  SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CREATED A LOT OF THE FOCUS WAS ON THE CONSTITUENTS THAT CALL BOSTON HOME OUR PRIORITY IS TO ENSURE FREE AND OPEN AND SAFE EVENTS FOR THE PUBLIC.  THAT'S WHERE IT STARTS. THAT VISION CONTINUES TO EVOLVE . WE SEE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GENERATE REVENUE FOR THE CITY AND AS PEOPLE COME INTO THE CITY OF BOSTON HOW WE BENEFIT, HOW THE ECONOMY BENEFITS FOR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES FOR MAIN STREET, FOR THE 23 AND A HALF NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES THAT THAT CALL BOSTON HOME.  WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE AND PARTNER WITH THOSE WHO ARE ACTIVE STAKEHOLDERS IN ENSURING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO LAND THESE LARGE SCALE EVENTS. SO I THINK THEY ARE THEY'RE A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS THAT CAN CONTINUE TO BE SO I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO WRAP OUR MIND AROUND WHAT COLLABORATION LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD, I WOULD LOVE TO GET YOU AND OTHERS TO THE TABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW BEST THE CITY CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS WORK AND GROW IT SO WE ALL BENEFIT.  UM THANK YOU.  BUT THAT THAT'S MY ROUND OF QUESTIONS.  I JUST WANT TO JUST, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE NOT ONLY FOR THE ALL-STAR BUT THE BLACK TECH CONFERENCE AND THAT'S BE AS FAR AS EVENTS TO BRING AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO SAY ON THE MIXTAPE THING I THINK IT WOULD BE PRETTY DOPE TO SEE YOU KNOW, THOSE PERFORMERS PERFORM LIVE THAT MIXTAPE SOMEWHERE MY 617 DAY IT POSSIBLE OR MAYBE IT'S A BACK TO SCHOOL SOMETHING THAT THOSE THAT THOSE LOCAL PERFORMANCE BY JUST CREATING ANOTHER STAGE FOR THEM TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENT THE TAPE IS GOING TO DROP ON 617 DAY AND THERE'S ALREADY A CONCERT PLANNED FOR EARLY FALL SO RIGHT THERE WITH YOU COUNCILMAN I'LL MAKE SURE YOU'RE INVITED. YEAH. YEAH. AND IF YOU NEED ANOTHER DEEJAY ,LET ME KNOW THAT NOTED COUNSELOR.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE THAT ON THE RECORD. GOT YOU. ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU ARE BY SHOW OF HANDS. ANY OF MY CATHOLIC COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR BOYD? COUNCILOR MEJIA THE FLOOR IS YOURS. YES, THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO ADD MY NAME TO THE MIXTAPE CONCEPT. YOU KNOW, ADD ME TO THAT BORDERS YOU KNOW I GOT THE MIX AND THE REMIX.  I MEAN WE SHOULD DO A BUDGET ANALYSIS OF THE COOKING MIX THE BEST BUT BUT I WANTED TO UNDERSCORE AGAIN THE COMMENT THAT I MADE AROUND WITH SUPPORTING YOUR DIVISION TO WORK COUNCIL SO ELOQUENTLY SAID IS THAT IF YOU WIN RYAN YOU'RE SET UP FOR SUCCESS THEN ALL OF THAT WORK IS GOING TO TRICKLE DOWN TO ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE'RE HERE TO FIGHT FOR. AND SO YOU AND THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IS SUCH A PIECE COMPONENT OF THE CONVERSATION AND THERE WAS I GOT SOME FLAHERTY FROM MY TEAM THE TOURISM BUDGET FOR PROGRAMING IS THAT 153,000. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROGRAMING AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INVESTMENTS AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SETTING DIRECTOR BORDERS UP FOR SUCCESS THAT A BUDGET OF $183,000 FOR TOURISM PROGRAMING DOESN'T FEEL AS SUBSTANTIVE, RIGHT?  LIKE I FEEL LIKE WE COULD JUST DO A LITTLE BIT WITH THAT AND SO MY MY CHARGE AND AND FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER IS TO FIGURE OUT THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN WHICH WE CAN THINK A LITTLE YOU KNOW, WE COULD PULL SOME RESOURCES IN TO HELP SUPPORT THE INCREASE OF PROGRAMING DOLLARS BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE ALL OF THESE AMAZING IDEAS DIRECT THE BORDERS BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO MAKE THOSE IDEAS HAPPEN, THEY'RE JUST REALLY GREAT IDEAS THAT ARE GOING TO SIT ON A SHELF HOPING AND PRAYING THAT SOMEBODY WILL PAY ATTENTION TO THEM. AND SO I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT DURING THESE CONVERSATIONS WHEN I LOOK AT THE ENTIRE CITY BUDGET AND I LOOK AT THIS PARTICULAR PROVISION WHICH IS THE LIFELINE TO SO MANY BLACK AND BROWN AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY A KEY PATHWAY TOWARDS CLOSING THAT WALKER THANK YOU GUYS. MEJIA I'LL GO AHEAD.  SORRY . YOU KNOW COUNSELOR I SEE COUNSELOR WELL, SOMEBODY WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING BUT I THINK COUNSELOR FLYNN ALSO APPEARED JUST IN CASE YOU SEE HIM.  CHIEF DIRECTOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND? NO, WE WERE JUST SAYING THANK YOU FOR THAT.  THANK YOU, CARSON MEJIA. I JUST WANT TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR COUNSELOR FLYNN.  COUNCILOR FILLING THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO MY COLLEAGUES AND THE PANELISTS FOR BEING LATE THIS MORNING I WAS WITH WITH THE MAYOR AT THE MAYOR'S COFFEE IN THE SOUTH END AND THEN I HAD A MEETING IN MARY ELLEN MCCORMICK PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.  SO I WANT TO APOLOGIZE. I WON'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE I AM UNSURE OF THE PREVIOUS QUESTIONS. SO I DO WANT TO REPEAT THE PREVIOUS QUESTIONS BUT I DID HEAR THE COMMENTS FROM JOHN BORDERS AND JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY STATE THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH JOHN AND HE DOES A TREMENDOUS EXCEPTIONAL JOB IN THE CITY. HE HAS A LOT OF CREDIBILITY AND WELL RESPECTED IN THE COMMUNITY COMES FROM A WONDERFUL FAMILY AS WELL SO I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS MR CHAIR.  I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS OTHER THAN TO SAY YOU HAVE A GOOD PANEL HERE AND I WILL WATCH THIS MEETING LATER THIS EVENING ON VIDEO. THANK YOU.  WELL, THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN AND I JUST HAVE ONE OR TWO FINAL QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR BORDERS.  WHAT IS SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT YOU'RE REPLACING WITH YOUR COST SAVINGS IN FISCAL 24? I THINK IN THE RFI WE'RE GOING TO PULL IT UP.  YOU MENTIONED MENTIONED PURCHASING NEW EQUIPMENT.  YOU WE DID MENTION THAT I KNOW FOR THE TROLLEY AS WE DO THE TROLLEY TOUR THE TROLLEY NEEDS SOME UPDATES JUST FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT WE'VE BEEN USING THE SAME TROLLEY FOR A LITTLE WHILE NOW AND WE NEED WE NEED SOME SOME UPDATES THERE BUT THERE ARE THERE ARE A SERIES OF THINGS I'M GOING TO LET MY COLLEAGUE AMY HANDLE JUMP IN.  HI. SO SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT WE REPLACE WE DO STAGING WE HAVE YOU KNOW THOSE MOBILE PANELS AND AFTER SOME TIME THOSE GET WARPED NOT AS SAFE. SO WE DO HAVE TO REPLACE THOSE KIND OF FREQUENTLY AND WE ARE WE'RE UPDATING OUR SOUND SYSTEM AS WELL.  THANKS. THANK YOU. SO WE NEED TO IT IN OTHER THINGS SMALLER THINGS LIKE TENTS. YOU KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE A LONG SHELF LIFE THEN THESE ARE ALL THIS IS ALL EQUIPMENT WE USE ALL OVER THE CITY AND AND WE ALLOW GROUPS TO USE WITH US SO WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP OUR STAFF SAFE AND UPDATED. THANK YOU.  I WASN'T EVEN AWARE THAT THIS DEPARTMENT OWNED IT. YOU GUYS OWN THE TROLLEY WAS NOT AWARE THAT WE DO WE OWN THE TRIAL ON DATE AND THEN AMY, I THINK THIS IS THE QUESTION FOR YOU TOO. CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THE CLAIM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM COMMUNITY ORGANIZER IS THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGES IN THE SPECIAL EVENT PERMITTING NO ON THE PROCESS THAT'S MORE OF A MO KALB QUESTION. I'LL DEFER TO YOU. THERE ARE SOME WE SAY WHEN WE SAY TROLLEY IT'S THE STAGE IT'S NOT AN ACTUAL TROLLEY THAT WE OWN. IT'S THAT ANTIQUE STAGE THAT WE OWN THAT WE'VE ALL GOT IT PERFECT. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU DIRECTOR BORDERS AND THANK YOU AMY. I WILL NOW MOVE OVER TO MACAU FOR THE PRESENTATION.  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU FOR THE WORDS AND THE SUPPORT.  EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHEECH. DO YOU HAVE ANY PRE-MEETING REMARKS OR IS GETTING RIGHT INTO IT?  WE CAN GET RIGHT INTO IT JUST TO SAY THE KATHLEEN JOYCE WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF MACAO IS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY. SHE'S SHE'S TRAVELING THIS WEEKEND UNFORTUNATELY CAN'T JOIN VIRTUALLY SO BUT WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE DANNY GREEN HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK THAT MACAO HAS BEEN DOING THIS LAST YEAR. AND I WILL ALSO MENTION A COUPLE OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TEAM THAT ARE JOINING US.  SO I THINK I SEE REBECCA WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND JASMINE WHO IS THE MANAGER OF THE CANNABIS BOARD. BUT WITH THAT DANNY WILL F IT OVER TO YOU. PERFECT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING ALL VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE. MY NAME IS DANNY GREEN ONCE AGAIN I AM THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE BOSTON LICENSING BOARD, ONE OF THE FIVE DIVISIONS UNDER THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND LICENSING OR MACAO. AND AGAIN, I KNOW KATHY ENJOYS WE CANNOT BE HERE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT OUR WORK.  SO MOTEL PREDOMINANTLY IS A REGULATORY AGENCY IT REGULATES IS A PERMANENT OFFICE FOR MANY DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES INCLUDING THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY,  ALCOHOL, CANNABIS AND HOTELS BUT ALSO OUR OFFICE HOUSES, OUR CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE AS WELL WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A LITTLE BIT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.  SO THESE FIVE DIVISIONS THAT FALL UNDERNEATH MOTEL ARE THE LICENSING BOARD CANNABIS BOARD, THE ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION WHICH LICENSES AND REGULATES ALL ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES IN THE CITY OUR CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE AND SPECIAL EVENTS AND I WILL TALK JUST REALLY BRIEFLY GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF EACH AND THEN SOME APPLY 24 HIGHLIGHTS FROM EACH OF THESE IN THE FOLLOWING SLIDES. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.  SO THE LICENSING BOARD IS A THREE MEMBER BOARD APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR WHICH AGAIN IS THE REGULATORY BODY WHICH ISSUES LICENSES AND REGULATES ACTIVITIES MOSTLY FOR HOLDERS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES LICENSES COMMON PICTURE WHICH ARE RESTAURANT LICENSES WITHOUT ALCOHOL, HOTELS, DORMITORIES,  LODGING HOUSES AND THEN SOME SMALLER CATEGORIES INCLUDING BILLIARDS, BOWLING FORTUNE TELLER AS WELL AS POOL TABLES. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.  SO OVER THIS PAST YEAR AND I THINK THIS IS A THEME FROM THIS MORNING'S HEARING AS WELL FROM DIRECTOR BORDERS ON THE LICENSING BOARD, I REALLY FOCUSED MORE ON OUTREACH AND AWARENESS THAN IT HAS IN PRIOR YEARS SPECIFICALLY IN HOSTING A NUMBER OF SPECIAL MEETINGS ACROSS THE CITY WITH LICENSEES FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY GOING OVER THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE BOARD. THESE WERE HOSTED IN NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY INCLUDING DOWNTOWN ALLSTON BRIGHTON AHEAD OF THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR OUR COLLEGES AND IN SOUTH BOSTON AHEAD OF THE ST PATRICK'S DAY PARADE ALSO PARTNERED WITH A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HOW TO APPLY FOR LICENSES WHAT THE RULES ARE FOR RECEIVING NEW LICENSES, TRANSFERS OF LICENSES REALLY INFORMATION GATHERING SESSIONS IN MATTAPAN, EAST BOSTON AND ACROSS THE CITY. WE'VE ALSO ISSUED A PUBLIC ADVISORIES OVER THE PAST YEAR SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO WHAT WE WERE SEEING FOR A WHILE AND TO CONTINUE TO HEAR REPORTS ABOUT WHICH IS THE ISSUE OF NON-CONSENSUAL DRINK SPIKING OR RUFFIAN ALSO ISSUED A NUMBER OF OTHER ADVISORIES INCLUDING THE BAR ON BOTTLE SERVICE AND COOPERATION AND NOTIFICATION TO THE POLICE AND HOW TO NOTIFY THE BOARD OF ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPENED WITHIN THE LICENSE PREMISE.  THE BOARD ALSO ISSUED A SPECIAL ONE DAY ALCOHOL LICENSES FOR EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY AT PREMISES THAT DO NOT ALREADY HAVE ANNUAL LICENSES AND ISSUED NEARLY 500 OF THOSE OVER THE PAST YEAR.  NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE BOSTON CANNABIS BOARD, WHICH IS A RELATIVELY NEW DIVISION IN OUR OFFICE, WAS ESTABLISHED FOLLOWING THE LEGALIZATION OF RECREATIONAL CANNABIS IN MASSACHUSETTS IS THE ONLY SPECIFIC CITING AUTHORITY JUST AS FOR CANNABIS IN THE STATE IT IS THE SETTING UP ALREADY FOR CANNABIS ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AS A SEVEN MEMBER BOARD APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND IT HAS TO LEAD WITH EQUITY AND DOES SO BY FOLLOWING THE ORDINANCE WHICH ESTABLISHED THE BOARD BY REQUIRING THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST 50% ESTABLISHMENTS AT ANY GIVEN TIME THAT HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS EQUITY APPLICANTS BY THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION. NEXT SLIDE.  SO OVER THE PAST YEAR THE CANNABIS BOARD ENTERED INTO EIGHT NEW HOST COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS. THIS IS THE BEGINNING PHASE OF SAY THE BEGINNING OF A SUCH WARRANT IN THE CITY. OF THOSE EIGHT EXECUTED THOSE COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS FOUR ARE EQUITY OF FOUR ON EQUITY SO WE ARE AT OUR 50% QUOTA THERE AND AS WELL TEN NEW LICENSES WERE ISSUED IN 2020 FOR A LICENSE IS ISSUED ONE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT IS READY TO OPEN SO THAT MEANS TWO NEW TEN NEW CANNABIS ESTABLISHMENTS OPENED IN THERE BY 24 ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON AND OF THOSE AGAIN HALF ARE HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS EQUITY BY O-I AND THE REMAINING HALF ARE NON-EQUITY. YOU CAN ALSO SEE KIND OF THIS IS CURRENT TO DATE SO FAR SINCE THE BOARD WAS ESTABLISHED IN 20 2032 ESTABLISH MEANS ARE NOW OPEN AND OPERATING ACROSS THE CITY AND YOU CAN SEE THE FULL BREAKDOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS WHERE THEY ARE BY NEIGHBORHOOD.  NEXT SLIDE THE ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION IS THE THIRD DIVISION UNDERNEATH MOTEL.  IT IS ACTUALLY SEPARATE FROM THE LICENSING BOARD, THE ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION IS THE PERMITTING AND LICENSING AND REGULATORY BODY FOR ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES. THIS INCLUDES ANNUAL NON-LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AS WELL AS ONE TIME LICENSES. SO FOR ANY EVENT AT AN ESTABLISHMENT INDOOR OR OUTDOORS THAT INCLUDES ENTERTAINMENT CATEGORIES FOR FOLKS WHO DO NOT HAVE AN ANNUAL THIS IS HOW WE LICENSE EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. IN FY 24 THE ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION OF MACAO APPROVED 82 NEW ENTERTAINMENT LICENSES ACROSS THE CITY. THESE ARE ALL ACROSS THE CITY AS WELL. THIS KIND OF SHOWS WHERE WE ARE COMING OUT OF COVID WHERE THINGS ARE CONTINUING TO GROW AND EVENTS ARE CONTINUING TO COME BACK TO OUR CITY. WHEN YOU CAN JUST SEE THE INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR THIS YEAR OVER LAST YEAR. SO THAT IS BOTH IN THE ANALYZES BUT ALSO ONE TIME MORE THAN 10% MORE THIS YEAR OVER LAST YEAR.  SO THAT'S OVER 701 TIME ENTERTAINMENT LICENSES WERE APPROVED ACROSS THE CITY THIS YEAR. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN A LOT OF UPDATES MADE TO THE ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING PROCESS INCLUDING DIGITIZING THE ENTIRE PROCESS.  NO MORE FORMS NEED TO BE PHYSICALLY BROUGHT INTO OUR OFFICE. THIS IS ALL NOW DONE ONLINE WHICH EXPLAINS REVIEW AND PROCESSING AND AS WELL. AT THE OUTSET WE WERE ASKING A LOT MORE QUESTIONS UPFRONT OF APPLICANTS WHO ARE APPLYING FOR ENTERTAINMENT LICENSES WHICH IN A LOT OF CASES SAVES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT FOR THE APPLICANT AND FOR STAFF BY IN A LOT OF CASES ALLOWING THE ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION TO GET APPLICATION HEARINGS WHEN ALL THE INFORMATION IS ALREADY DONE UPFRONT.  NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION THAT IS THE FOURTH DIVISION IN OUR OFFICE THAT IS WHAT BASICALLY IT WORKS WITH THE MASTER IS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE EDUCATES CONSUMERS BUT ALSO MEDIATES CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AGAINST ANY BUSINESS IN THE CITY. ONE BIG CHANGE OVER THE PAST YEAR IS THE CITY ACTUALLY RECEIVED AN ADDITIONAL $15,000 FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE TO ADD TO THE CITIES OF CHELSEA AND EVERETT TO THE CATCHMENT AREA FOR WHERE OUR CONSUMER ADVOCATES ARE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR CASES. SO WE ARE NOW ALSO THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE NOT JUST FOR BOSTON BUT ALSO FOR CHELSEA AND EVERETT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.  OVER THE PAST YEAR AND THIS IS PART OF THAT $15,000 THE REMAINDER OF THE MONEY WAS A $90,000 GRANT FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND THIS FUNDS ALL OF OUR ACTIVITIES THROUGH THE LOCAL CONSUMER AID FUND. OUR CONSUMER ADVOCATES WHO ARE ABLE TO RECOVER THROUGH THEIR MEDIATION WORK OVER $291,000 FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS THROUGH A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT COMPLAINTS THAT WERE LODGED AGAINST IT, AGAINST BUSINESSES ACROSS THE CITY. AND AGAIN CONTINUING TO THE THEME OF OUTREACH AND AWARENESS OF OUR WORK, OUR CONSUMER ADVOCATES COMPLETED ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE CITY INCLUDING TABLING EVENTS SOME OF THEM EVEN IN OUR OWN BUILDING APPEARING AT MAYOR'S COFFEE HOURS AND PARTNERING WITH A LOT OF OTHER CITY AGENCIES WHO DO MORE OUTWARD FACING WORK TO BRING AWARENESS TO THEIR CONSTITUENCIES AS WELL OF THE KIND OF MEDIATION AND ADVOCACY WORK THAT CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE IS ABLE TO DO. NEXT SLIDE.  AND THE FIFTH AND FINAL DIVISION OF THE MOST POWERFUL OFFICE IS SPECIAL EVENTS. THE ROLE OF THE SPECIAL EVENTS DIVISION OF MATTEL IS TO CONVENE AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP TO BASICALLY GO THROUGH A SPECIAL EVENT APPLICATIONS WITH APPLICANTS AND HELP TO REALLY STREAMLINE AND COORDINATE THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR EVERY PERMIT THAT WOULD BE NEEDED ACROSS VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO PUT ON A SPECIAL EVENT. THERE ARE I'M SURE YOU CAN IMAGINE THERE ARE MANY SO THIS INCLUDES ESD, FIRE, EMS TRANSPORTATION ALL THE FOLKS WHO ARE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO PUT A PERMIT IN PLACE TO HOLD A LARGE SCALE SPECIAL EVENT OUTSIDE IN THE CITY. OVER THIS PAST YEAR A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE WITH THE SPECIAL EVENT APPLICATION PROCESS SIMILAR TO WHAT'S BEEN DONE IN ENTERTAINMENT. THE APPLICATION ITSELF NOW ACTUALLY TAKES A LOT MORE INFORMATION UPFRONT WHICH CAN SAVE TIME, ENERGY FOR REALLY BUSY EVENT COORDINATORS AS WELL AS OUR OWN STAFF BY REDUCING THE NEED FOR A LOT OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS AS WELL. THERE ARE A LOT MORE CHANGES TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY, DIGITIZING A LOT MORE OF IT AND ACTUALLY INCLUDING A ONE DAY ALCOHOL AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSES AS PART OF THE SPECIAL EVENT APPLICATION. THESE ARE COMMON APPLICATIONS THAT SOMETIMES ARE AUXILIARY AND ADDITIONAL TO THE SPECIAL EVENT. BY PUTTING THEM TOGETHER IT'S MORE OF A ONE STOP SHOP FOR A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A LARGE SCALE EVENT AND YOU CAN SEE AS WE DID WITH THE ENTERTAINMENT LICENSES A BIG INCREASE OF EVENTS COMING BACK AND JUST AN INCREASE IN THE WORKFLOW HAS BEEN BUSY AN 18% INCREASE THIS YEAR OVER LAST YEAR TO THE NUMBER OF EVENTS AND APPLICATIONS THAT WERE RECEIVED BY THE OFFICE. SO 790 SPECIAL EVENT APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED IN THE PROCESS THIS YEAR WHICH WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO SEE. IT'S GREAT ACTIVITY FOR OUR CITY.  I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A NEXT SLIDE NEXT TIME AND IF NOT HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.  THANK YOU. NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS. JUST ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR MEJIA AT THE FLOOR AS HE LOOKS NOW SOME ARE IF YOU'RE SAYING SOMETHING WE CAN'T HEAR YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES.  OKAY. I'M CURIOUS IN AROUND THE WHICH IS THE SAME THING THAT I BELIEVE COUNCILOR ANDERSON HAD ASKED ABOUT WITH THE THAT PARTICULAR SLIDE SAYS THAT THERE ARE 12 I BELIEVE 12 IN TERMS OF DIVERSITY. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE SIX PEOPLE I THINK MAYBE SIX OR EIGHT PEOPLE OF COLOR UNTIL AND THEN 12 OTHER. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IN TERMS OF DIVERSITY AND WHAT ARE WE DOING TO INCREASE IN TERMS OF LINGUISTIC CULTURAL COMPETENCY BECAUSE WE HAVE AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO BE ONE THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF ALL. SO ARE THE LANGUAGE CAPACITY ISSUES AND THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH FOLKS. AND SO I'M CURIOUS, CHIEF, IF YOU COULD JUST TALK TO ME ABOUT THE FORCES THAT ARE BEING MADE TO BE A LITTLE MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE CITY.  AND JUST JUST TO NOTE, COUNCILOR , THE RECEPTION IS A LITTLE CHOPPY. WE GOT MOST OF WHAT YOU WERE SAYING BUT I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW FOR FUTURE QUESTIONS. I'M SO THERE THERE ARE A BUNCH OF OPEN ROLES RIGHT NOW IN LOCAL THAT EXACTLY TO YOUR POINT WE ARE MAKING SURE TO WORK WITH PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY AND OF COURSE WOULD WELCOME CANDIDATES FROM YOU KNOW YOUR YOUR POOLS FOR THE COUNCIL AS REPRESENTED HERE TO HELP US MEET SOME GOALS. I WILL SAY YOU KNOW THEIR OVERALL THERE ARE 24 MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL TEAM BUT SEVEN OF THOSE MEMBERS INCLUDE THE COMMISSIONERS AND SO YOU KNOW, THAT'S A DIFFERENT BUCKET FOR US TO THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF HOW THOSE ARE STABBED BECAUSE THOSE ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR. SO OF COURSE AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COUNCIL AND OTHERS ON HOW WE DO THAT. AND THEN THE REMAINDER OF OF THE ACTUAL STAFF WHO ARE DOING ALL OF THIS BUT JUST TO SAY WE ARE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOUR OFFICES AND OTHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HIRING IN A WAY THAT THAT MEETS THE MOMENT. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. AND THEN I'M CURIOUS LET'S STAY ON THAT MOMENT FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER REGARDS TO LANGUAGE ACCESS AND THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH FOLKS WHO ARE NOT PROFICIENT IN ENGLISH SPECIFICALLY AND SO I'M CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF ASSISTANCE DO PEOPLE HAVE WITH APPLYING FOR THE LICENSES? YOU KNOW, FOR THE PERMITS ARE THERE ONE DAY EVENTS OR EVEN FOR USE OF OTHER SPACES AND PLACES ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON KIND OF LIKE WHAT CAN YOU JUST TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH FOLKS IN MALTA? I KNOW WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE WITH, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF THE LANGUAGES SPOKEN HERE BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS KIND OF WHAT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN YOUR SHOP FOR THIS PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT . THE ONE THING I WILL SAY IS THAT WE DO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE LANGUAGES AND COMMUNICATIONS ACCESS OFFICE SO THERE IS A NOTICE ON EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR HEARINGS THAT YOU KNOW, NOTICES THAT GO OUT WHERE IF ANY APPLICANT OR ANYONE WISHING TO TESTIFY NEEDS ANY HELP WITH A LANGUAGE, WE WILL SECURE AN INTERPRETER FOR THEM FREE OF CHARGE TO THE APPLICANT. ALSO WE USE THE LANGUAGE LINE VERY OFTEN IF SOMEONE DOES COME IN TO OUR OFFICE IN PERSON AND NEEDS ASSISTANCE FILLING OUT A FORM WE ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM IN REAL TIME THROUGH THE LANGUAGE LINE AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR THAT.  JUST ADD COUNCILOR AND I THINK THIS GOES TO YOUR EARLIER QUESTION. YOU KNOW AGAIN FOR THESE OPEN ROLES THAT WE HAVE WOULD BE GREAT TO WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE AND OTHERS TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE STAFF DIRECTLY IN THE DEPARTMENT TO ADDRESS THESE. I WILL SAY THOUGH THIS IS ONE REASON WHY WE SHARE A SLIDE ON THE CABINET WIDE LANGUAGE SKILLS BECAUSE AS A CABINET WE DO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS THAT HAVE OTHER ABILITIES ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, ACROSS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO HELP WORK WITH CONSTITUENTS. YES. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I JUST HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS. ONE IS AROUND WHEN SOMEONE APPLIES FOR A PERMIT OR A LICENSE OR OR WHATEVER THE CASE IS WHEN THEY ARE DENIED WHAT TYPE OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FEEDBACK THEY ARE PROVIDED SO THAT THEY KNOW YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES THAT'S ONE AND THEN THE OTHER IS GOING TO BE SPECIFICALLY AROUND CANNABIS. I'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT HOW WE DIVERSIFY THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY AND YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT FIVE APPLICANTS THAT YOU THAT WERE REACHING THE QUOTA AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE US REACHING THE QUOTA. I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.  I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE TYPES OF SUPPORT BECAUSE ONE THING IS TO OPEN UP A SHOP AND THE OTHER ONE IS TO KEEP IT OPEN AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF THESE FOLKS WHO ARE NOT EQUITY HAVE THE CAPITAL AND THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN WHEREAS THOSE WHO ARE IN THE EQUITY DIVISION STRUGGLE SIGNIFICANTLY. SO I'D LOVE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KIND OF SOME INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THAT SPACE AND ALSO CURIOUS AROUND YOU KNOW, WE FILED A HEARING ORDER AROUND DIVERSIFYING THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU CHIEF SPECIFICALLY I LIKE THE PILOT THINGS JUST TO SEE HOW THEY WORK SO THAT WE COULD IMPLEMENT THEM. SO I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND THAT AS WELL.  WELL, I MEAN AND DANNY CAN ADD ON TO THIS IF HE WANTS TO ON THE FEEDBACK BUT I KNOW THAT WHEN FOLKS ARE DENIED ANY APPROVAL YOU KNOW THIS SOFTWARE IS FOR SURE FINDS WAYS TO WORK WITH FOLKS TO GET THEM ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. SO I KNOW THAT FEEDBACK IS AS ALWAYS GIVEN AS TO WHY OR WHY NOT SOMETHING MIGHT BE MOVING FORWARD BUT I DON'T KNOW DANA,  IF THERE'S ANY OTHER THINGS YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT. WELL, LIKE I SAY, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY ON THE EVENT SIDE, WE REALLY DO TRY TO ALWAYS GET TO YES, IT IS RARE THAT SOMETHING IS DENIED AND THEN IT KIND OF DEPENDS ACROSS THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND CANNABIS A LOT OF TIMES IF THERE IS A DENIAL WE WILL REFER TO THAT APPLICANT ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE EQUITY CERTIFIED TO WORK WITH THE OBVIOUSLY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION WHICH RUNS THE CANNABIS EQUITY PROGRAM AND HAS TO PROVIDERS KIND OF WITHIN THEIR STABLE OF FOLKS TO WORK SPECIFICALLY WITH CANNABIS APPLICANTS TO GET THEM HOPEFULLY BACK TO A YES IN FRONT OF THE BOARD.  SO IT A LITTLE BIT DEPENDS ON YOU KNOW, WHAT THE DENIAL WAS BASED ON IN WHICH AGENCY IT WAS IN. BUT WE DO ALWAYS TRY TO WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO TRY TO GET THEM BACK TO WORK AS A POSSIBLE AND ON THE BACK START . GO AHEAD, COUNSELOR. YEAH, I REALLY WANT TO GET TO THE BEFORE MY TIME IS UP WHEN WE START SEEING COUNSELOR GO AROUND THE CHAIR SMILE AND THAT MEANS YOU KNOW, MY TIME IS TICKING HERE SO LET'S TALK ABOUT CANNABIS. YOU KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT.  THAT'S IMPORTANT. ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. AND I HATE THAT I KEEP GIVING THIS TYPE OF RESPONSE LIKE I DID AND I'M TSC BUT FIRST OF ALL I'M HAPPY I GET TO SPEND THE WHOLE DAY WITH ALL OF YOU BECAUSE AT 2:00 IS WHEN WE APPLY AND IT'S A PART OF OUR ERA. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CONVERSATION AND I WILL SAY THAT OUR CANNABIS EQUITY TEAM IS HOUSED UNDER A WE ALLIES SO AT OUR 2:00 HEARING I LOOK FORWARD TO ALI AND POSSIBLY SHAKIR SHARING MORE ON OUR EFFORTS AROUND EQUITY.  BUT YOU KNOW, JUST TO ADD A LITTLE BIT OF AN ANSWER HERE AND THEN HAPPY TO EXPAND IN THE NEXT HEARING I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, COUNCILOR . AS A CITY WE ARE PROUD THAT WE HAVE EXCEEDED OUR OUR GOAL OF REACHING 51% IN TERMS OF , YOU KNOW, OPEN STORES THAT ARE OWNED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR OR THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS.  BUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID GETTING OPEN AS ONE SUCCESS. BUT THE TRUE SUCCESS IS STAYING OPEN AND EXPANDING AND WE'VE SEEN THIS FOR A COUPLE OF OPERATORS. BUT YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN FOR MORE. THERE ARE THERE'S ACTUALLY A HEARING THIS WEEK VIA THE BPA WHICH I'LL LET ALI AND OTHERS TALK MORE ABOUT IN OUR NEXT HEARING AS A WAY TO KIND OF ADDRESS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS. PART OF THE REASON WHY A LOT OF OUR FOLKS IN THE BUSINESS WIND UP STRUGGLING WITH AFTER THEY'RE OPEN IS BECAUSE OF THAT HUGE GAP IN TIME FROM SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION TO ACTUALLY OPENING YOUR LOCATION IN BETWEEN THAT PERIOD WHICH CAN RUN FOR A YEAR OR MORE.  YOU KNOW THAT'S RIGHT THAT YOU'RE PAYING OF AND IF WE ALREADY KNOW THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES ARE STARTING WITH A SMALLER AMOUNT OF CAPITAL COMPARED TO OTHERS THAT'S CAPITAL THAT'S BEING SPENT THAT THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO INVEST IN THE OPERATIONS OF THE BUSINESS WHEN YOU OPEN.  SO YOU KNOW, WE ARE TAKING STEPS TO KIND OF ADDRESS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE EXISTING OPERATORS TO GET THEM AS MANY RESOURCES AS POSSIBLE TO STAY OPEN AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND I THINK YOU KNOW, FOR THE CANNABIS COMMISSION IN PARTICULAR RIGHT, I THINK AND DANNY, IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THIS IF POSSIBLE, THE QUESTION YOU KNOW IN TERMS OF PERMITTING AND LICENSING THERE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT HURDLES THAT SOME OF THESE FOLKS ARE FACING. AND I'M JUST CURIOUS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF NAVIGATING THIS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU THINK AND THE LICENSING AND COMING IN FROM IN THE COMMISSION? YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOUR WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?  I I DO THINK YOU'RE CORRECT. I THINK FINDING SPACE, PAYING RENT, ALL THOSE THINGS CERTAINLY ARE BIG HURDLES THAT PEOPLE HAVE IN NAVIGATING THE PERMITTING PROCESS. THE BOARD ACTS ON ANY APPLICATION THAT COMES BEFORE IT AND REALLY DOES TRY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO APPROVE THE SITING OF AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT MEETS ALL OF ITS CRITERIA AS AS YOU KNOW ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN CERTIFIED THROUGH THE EQUITY PROGRAM THROUGH AWAY A LOT OF THAT SUPPORT THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR REALLY DOES COME OUT OF PARTNERSHIP WITH THE 88 TEAM THROUGH THE EQUITY PROGRAM OUT OF ALL LIFE WHICH AGAIN GOES BACK TO BORDERS COMMON AND IN TERMS OF THE THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENT SAID YOU GUYS ARE SO INTERCONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER AND I'M HAPPY TO BE THAT CROSS COLLABORATION AND DEPENDENT ON EACH OTHER TO HIT THE MARK FOR OUR CANNABIS INDUSTRY. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE OTHER COLLEAGUES AND I KNOW COUNCIL SURE AROUND YOU ARE GOING TO COME AND BE QUIET SO I'M GOING TO BE QUIET BEFORE YOU DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR ME HERE. I JUST WANT TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR DURKAN AND COUNCILOR SANTANA. COUNCILMEMBER THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, CHAIR. I GUESS JUST FOLLOWING UP ON CANNABIS, DO WE HAVE DO YOU HAVE ANY OPINIONS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF OF CANNABIS DISPENSARIES THAT WE'RE SORT OF ALLOTTED FOR BOSTON AND HOW WE'RE DOING AND WHETHER THERE'S A YOU KNOW, SORT OF RISK OF A GLUT OR YOU KNOW AND WHAT WHAT DO YOU THINK IS HAPPENING?  WELL, I MEAN I'M WELL OPINIONS ALWAYS BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE WORKING WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED AND I THINK THE TEAM HAS BEEN DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF MAKING SURE, AS DANA SAID, OF GETTING FOLKS THROUGH THE PROCESS TO GET OPEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IN TERMS OF THE GLUT. I MEAN I THINK IN GENERAL I BUSINESS IS SEEING I YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT A I'M TRYING TO YOU KNOW WE'RE IN THE VALLEY BUT THERE'S A GOAL OF GETTING BACK TOWARDS THE MOUNTAINTOP I WOULD SAY. RIGHT IN TERMS OF JUST HOW BUSINESS IS DOING IN GENERAL IN TERMS OF THE ECONOMY.  SO I THINK WE'RE SEEING A STABILIZING OF THE MARKET. YOU KNOW, AT THE BEGINNING THERE WAS A RUSH TO OPEN AS MANY DISPENSARIES AS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE STATE AND I THINK THAT THE MARKET IS ADJUSTING ITSELF. BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AND WHAT WE HAVE PURVIEW AND POWER OVER, WE'VE BEEN DOING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING TO HELP GET FOLKS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.  OKAY. AND FROM FROM YOUR STANDPOINT, THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE OPENED ARE ARE DOING OKAY?  WELL, I MEAN I THINK IT DEPENDS EVERYONE IS COMING STARTING FROM A DIFFERENT PLACE. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE DOING WELL AND I THINK THE COUNCIL I MEAN HE HIS POINT OF VIEW ESPECIALLY ARE AN OUT-OF-STATE OPERATOR. YOU HAVE A TON OF CAPITAL THAT YOU'RE COMING IN WITH AS OPPOSED TO SOME LOCAL OPERATORS WHO HAVE A MUCH SMALLER RESERVE OF CAPITAL AND ARE, YOU KNOW, ATTEMPTING TO TO GROW THAT POT FOR THE COMPANY. SO I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. BUT AGAIN, I THINK THE MARKET IS IS CORRECTING ITSELF IN THIS INDUSTRY.  OKAY. AND THEN JUST LAST QUESTION ON THAT. I MEAN HOW MANY MORE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER OF DISPENSARIES THAT WE HAVE OPERATING NOW IN BOSTON, HOW MANY MORE WE CAN OPEN UNDER THE STATE PROGRAMS THE UNLIKE ALCOHOL WHERE THERE IS A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF LICENSES THAT CANNABIS WAS ACTUALLY SET UP IN MASSACHUSETTS WITH A MINIMUM WHICH IS BASED ON A PERCENTAGE OF THE NUMBER OF BACK AND STORE LICENSES. SO AS THE CITY IF THE CITY WERE TO GRANT MORE ALCOHOL PACKAGE STORE LICENSES, THAT MEANS THE CITY THEN HAS TO ALLOW FOR A FIFTH OF THAT NUMBER OF CANNABIS LICENSES. I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW THE NUMBER OF THAT WE CAN'T GO BELOW THAT WE CAN'T SET AN AUDIENCE AND WE'D HAVE TO HAVE LESS THAN THAT IS 57. IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THE FIFTIES AND WE'RE IN THE LOW THIRTIES RIGHT NOW. OKAY. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT CONSUMER AFFAIRS. SO WHAT ARE THE COMMON ISSUES THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH NOW FROM RIGHT YET? LET ME PULL UP THAT SLIDE WHICH HAD I THINK THE FIVE TOP TYPES OF ISSUES THAT OUR OFFICE MEDIATES A LOT OF TRAVEL CANCELLATION POLICIES SO MEDIATING DISPUTES AMONG SOME OF THE KIND OF TRAVEL BOOKING SITES, SOME TENANT LANDLORD DISPUTES THAT MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE SOLVED BY THE HOUSE ON THE TABLE AS IT GOES HOUSING STABILITY OFFICE VERY COMMON ARE HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTOR DISPUTES AND THEN USED CAR SALES AND ONLINE KIND OF PHISHING SCAMS OR CONSUMER SCAMS. THOSE ARE KIND OF THE TOP MOST COMMON ISSUES THAT OUR ADVOCATES MEDIATE AND IN TERMS OF DO YOU GET CALLS ABOUT SECURITY DEPOSITS FROM RENTERS BEING NOT BEING PAID BACK?  BUT WE DO I BELIEVE I DO BELIEVE THAT WILL BE SOMETHING WE WOULD PROBABLY WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE HOUSING OFFICE OR SEND TO THE HOUSING STABILITY OFFICE SINCE THAT IS MORE OF A LANDLORD TENANT ISSUE DIRECTLY . CAN YOU SHARE THE ACCOUNTS OF THE DIFFERENT I'M SURE YOU KEEP DATA ON EACH TYPE OF COMPLAINT.  CAN YOU SHARE THAT WITH US? WE'RE HAPPY TO AND THEN HOW A BREAKDOWN IN YOUR OFFICE IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HANDLING THE COMPLAINTS?  AND DOES ANYBODY WORK TO THOSE PEOPLE WORK ON THE COMPLAINTS TO RESOLVE THEM OR DO YOU SEND THEM TO THE AG'S OFFICE? HOW DOES IT WORK? SO UP UNTIL VERY RECENTLY THERE WERE ONLY TWO CONSUMER ADVOCATES IN OUR OFFICE HANDLING ALL THESE COMPLAINTS. WE ARE VERY HAPPY THAT WE JUST ADDED A THIRD CONSUMER ADVOCATE TO JUST IN THE PAST MONTH. AND YES, THEY DO WORK ON A CASE UP UNTIL THEY EITHER CAN REACH A RESOLUTION THAT IS SATISFACTORY TO THE PERSON WHO MADE THE COMPLAINT OR SOMETIMES THEY ARE UNABLE TO REACH A RESOLUTION AND REFERRED EITHER TO THE AG'S OFFICE OR TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT OR SOME OTHER LEGAL MATTER. OKAY. SO NOW I MEAN I GUESS THERE'S THREE PEOPLE WHO TAKE CALLS AND WORK ON THE ON THE INTAKES. THAT'S CORRECT. AND ACTUALLY HANDLE THE CASES. OKAY.  AND DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TOTAL CASES YOU'VE YOU'VE HAD LIKE AN AVERAGE LAST FEW YEARS? WE CAN GET THAT FOUR.  YOU'RE NOT ON MY HEAD. OKAY.  SEE? AND DID YOU DO ANY OUTREACH IN THE BUDGET? WHAT MONEY IS USED OR IS ANY TO LET PEOPLE IN THE CITY KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, IF THEY HAVE A CONSUMER ISSUE THEY CAN CALL THE CITY.  SO A LOT OF THE OUTREACH IS IS GOING TO A HOST GOING TO REGULAR RECURRING EVENTS OR ADVOCATES DO SHOW UP AT THE MAYOR'S COFFEE HOURS AT A STRONG EVENTS ANYTHING WHERE THEY CAN MEET KIND OF AN ALREADY INGRAINED ACTIVITY AND FOLKS ARE GOING THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SERVICES FROM THE CITY AND THAT IS JUST MONEY THAT ALSO COMES OUT OF BOTH OUR BUDGET AS WELL AS THE AGES GRANT AND ACTUALLY I JUST GOT A TEXT THAT 1010 CASES WERE CLOSED IN 2023. OKAY.  AND SO IN TERMS OF I GOT A QUESTION THIS MORNING ABOUT A BUSINESS LOOKING FOR A LIQUOR LICENSE IN JAMAICA PLAIN. DO YOU HAVE DATA ON THE NUMBER OF LIQUOR LICENSES THAT ARE AVAILABLE OR HOW TO YOU KNOW, BY NEIGHBORHOOD OR YOU KNOW, WHAT'S WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS?  SO IN TERMS OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW AS FAR I YOU KNOW, I THINK THE COUNCIL IS PROBABLY AWARE IT SENT A HOME RULE PETITION UP TO THE STATE FOR NEW LICENSES BECAUSE WE ARE AT OUR QUOTA AND HAVE BEEN FOR SOME TIME. THAT IS KIND OF WHY WE'RE SEEING SUCH AS WE ARE OF COURSE IF THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOOD RESTRICTED LICENSES, IF ONE THAT HOLDS A LICENSE FOR A SPECIFIC CITY COMES BACK TO THE BOARD, IT CAN BE REISSUED BACK TO THAT SAME NEIGHBORHOOD. SO IT'S ALWAYS BEST FOR SOMEONE WHO IS LOOKING FOR A LICENSE TO CONTACT OUR OFFICE, SEE WHAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE OR WHAT WE TELL PEOPLE IS SUBMIT AN APPLICATION IF THE BOARD DEFINES PUBLIC NEED FOR THAT APPLICATION, THE BOARD WILL HOLD THAT APPLICATION ACTIVE FOR A FULL YEAR AFTER THE DATE OF APPROVAL IN CASE THE LICENSE DOES COME BACK THAT THAT APPLICANT WOULD QUALIFY FOR IF IT HAPPENS TO BE NEIGHBORHOOD RESTRICTED. OKAY. OKAY.  THANK YOU AND SEND IT BACK TO YOU.  THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER AND DAILY QUICK QUESTION ON THOSE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE BEING HELD FOR YOU. HOW MANY APPLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY ARE WE HOLDING ON TO. AH WITHIN THAT YEAR TIMELINE. I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE LIKE UNDER 20 DOUBLE DIGITS BUT WE CAN GET THAT TO YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR NICE CHAIR PEPPERED THE IS YOURS.  THANK YOU CHAIR IT'S DANNY GREEN AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO AS WELL. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU IN PREVIOUS ROLES AS WELL. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE LIFESTREAM PROCESS AS WELL REGARDS TO LEGALIZE AND SINCE I KNOW THAT I'VE ASKED YOU THIS PREVIOUSLY BUT I GUESS YOU JUST WANT TO ACT MORE PUBLICLY LIKE WHAT IS THE WHAT IF A BUSINESS OWNER WANTS TO APPLY FOR A LIQUOR LICENSE AND A LIQUOR LICENSE OR A BEER AND WINE LICENSE SPECIFICALLY? THE THING WITH BEER AND WINE LICENSES. WHAT'S THE PROCESS? I KNOW THERE ARE I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS MORE. WELL, WHAT HAPPENS IS THERE ARE A WAIT LIST. WHAT'S THAT? WHAT'S THAT PROCEDURE? HOW CAN WE THE COUNCIL ASK FOR MORE ELABORATE ON THAT. SURE. SO THE YOU KNOW, LEGALLY UNDER MASSACHUSETTS LAW THE KIND OF LEGAL STANDARD FOR GRANTING A LIQUOR LICENSE IS PUBLIC NEED. WHERE IS THAT LICENSE BEST PUT TO NEED TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AND THAT LOOKS AT WHAT OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS ARE NEARBY, HOW MANY WHAT IS THEIR CHARACTER? WHAT IS THEIR CHARACTER? IS THIS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ESTABLISHMENT GOING INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT MIGHT HAVE NOTHING LIKE IT? RIGHT. AND ALSO LOOKS AT IS THERE A SUPPORT FOR THIS APPLICATION IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WHETHER FROM THE COMMUNITY GROUPS AND OR ELECTED OFFICIALS? THAT'S ALL TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THIS FORMULA CALLED PUBLIC NEED. SO THERE'S NOT EXACTLY A WAITLIST BECAUSE WHOEVER IS AT THE TOP OF THE WAITLIST MIGHT NOT BE THAT LICENSE IS BEST PUT TO PUBLIC NEED. WHEN THE BOARD DOES ITS CALCULATION OF PUBLIC NEED SO INSTEAD WHEN THE BOARD DEFINES PUBLIC NEED FOR AN APPLICATION IT'S PUT INTO A QUEUE NOT SORRY NOT A CUBE INTO A POOL OF THOSE WHERE A PROBLEM DATE HAS BEEN FOUND. SHOULD AN APPLICATION COME BACK WITHIN HOPEFULLY THE NEXT YEAR AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL SOLVE ITSELF A LITTLE BIT FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS DEPENDING ON WHAT THE LEGISLATURE WITH THE HUMBLE THAT THIS COUNCIL SENT UP TO IT RECENTLY. OKAY THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. AND IN REGARDS TO TO YOUR STAFF AND SPECIFICALLY I THINK I DON'T KNOW IF CONCILOR MEJIA ACCESS QUESTION ALREADY BUT IF NOT I'LL TAKE A PAGE OUT OF HER PLAYBOOK. DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR OFFICE IS WELL REPRESENTED IN TERMS OF DIVERSITY SO THAT THERE IS THAT THERE'S LANGUAGE ACCESS SO THAT YOU FEEL LIKE BUSINESSES OF ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS ARE FEEL LIKE THEY THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE LICENSING PROCESS EFFECTIVELY OR DO YOU PARTNER WITH A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS?  WE DO PARTNER VERY REGULARLY WITH LANGUAGE COMMUNICATION ACCESS. WE HAVE NOTICES ON EVERY PUBLIC NOTICE WE SEND OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN OBTAIN AN INTERPRETER IF NEED BE AND WE ALSO MAKE GREAT USE OF THE LANGUAGE LINE AND TO THE CHIEF'S EARLIER POINT WE DO HAVE SOME OPEN POSITIONS THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY HOPING TO WE CAN BE INTENTIONAL TRYING TO FILL IN SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THE VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.  GOTCHA. DO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE ARE ANY RESOURCES THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS MISSING AT THE MOMENT THAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK FROM FULLY SERVING THE CITY OR IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WISH YOU HAD ? I WOULD SAY I WISH WE HAD MORE LICENSES TO GIVE OUT THAT THAT'S THAT WOULD BE THE TOP ONE. THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. IN REGARDS TO LICENSING, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO JUST THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE WORK YOU DO. I KNOW THAT IT'S IT'S A TOUGH PROCESS TO NAVIGATE FOR MANY PEOPLE SO Y'ALL DO A GOOD JOB OF HELPING THEM, HELPING THE APPLICANTS GET AROUND THE PROCESS SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT PUBLICLY. BUT WITH THAT CHAIR YOU GOT THE TIME BACK. THANK YOU. VICE-CHAIR AND HOPEFULLY HOPEFULLY BY THE SUMMER WE WILL BE EVEN SOONER THAN I AM HOPING WE'LL HAVE MORE LIQUOR LICENSES HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT ARE GOING TO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, PRICED OUT, LEFT OUT, TAKEN AWAY YOU KNOW HOW WE WANT TO PUT IT. BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE THOSE LIQUOR LICENSES SOON.  BUT BUT SPEAKING TO THAT, DANNY, HAVE YOU OR CHIEF, HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING REGARDING THE HOME RULE PETITION SINCE IT'S MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE STANDARD PROCESS? BUT WE ARE EQUALLY HOPEFUL THAT THERE'LL BE A RESOLUTION TO THAT AND THAT THE CITY WILL OBTAIN MORE LICENSES. AWESOME.  AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THE PUBLIC NEED ANALYSIS WILL BE PUT ON TO THE NEW LIQUOR LICENSES AND UNDERSTANDING THE YOU KNOW, INTENT THAT WE WERE LOOKING TO ACHIEVE WHEN WE PASSED THIS HOME RULE PETITION . COUNCILOR . COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, CHAIR. WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU COULD COME BACK TO ME ? I'M CURRENTLY TRANSITIONING AND I'LL COME BACK WITH MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.  ABSOLUTELY. COUNCILOR JULIAN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE AS WELL.  LET ME START WITH LET ME START WITH DANNY.  AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY ON ALL LICENSES IS PUBLIC SAFETY WHETHER IT'S IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD OR ACROSS MY DISTRICT.  I WAS VERY, VERY VOCAL ABOUT THE SOUTH BOSTON ST PATRICK'S DAY EVACUATION DAY PARADE.  I WANT TO SEE THAT MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE CRITICAL AND I'M GOING TO CALL MY OWN NEIGHBORS IF I FEEL WE'RE NOT PROVIDING A SAFE GRADE.  EVERYBODY.  HAVING SAID THAT FOR FOR ONE DAY LICENSES DANNY, WHETHER IT'S A LIQUOR LICENSE, A SPECIAL EVENT, WHETHER IT'S THE SIGN UP FOR SPEECH I'M LIKE WHO SIGNED OFF? AND AS PART OF THE PROCESS WHAT WHAT AGENCY?  SO THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS FOR THE SPECIAL EVENTS PROCESS FOR A LARGER EVENT THE KIND OF SIGN OFF PROCESS IS ANY AGENCY THAT MIGHT HAVE ANY KIND OF PERMIT THAT IS TOUCHED BY THAT EVENT.  SO YOU KNOW, IT COULD GO SOMETHING AS LARGE AS NEEDING 11 OR 12 DIFFERENT AGENCIES IF YOU HAVE AN EVENT WITH TENTHS AND RISERS THAT NEEDS AN SD SIGN OFF AND GENERATORS AND PROPANE THAT NEEDS FIRE SET UP THAT FIRE SIGN OFF AND EMS AND POLICE. SO I MEAN YOU CAN GO AS LARGE AS YOU KNOW, AS MANY AGENCIES AS WE CAN THINK OF WHO MIGHT HAVE PERMITS FOR THE ONE DAY ENTERTAINMENT AND ALCOHOL. IT'S A REVIEW BY OUR OFFICE AND THEN A POLICE REVIEW AS WELL FOR PUBLIC CONCERNS. AND IT GOES TO OUR AGENCIES MIGHT BE TOUCHED BY THE ACTIVITIES. THEY WOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THE REVIEW PROCESS IS THE POLICE REVIEW INCLUDE THE POLICE SIGN OFF.  AT THIS TIME YES.  CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT, DANNY?  AT THIS TIME, YES.  SURE. SO TODAY ARE THE OFFICE. OUR OFFICE WILL LOOK FOR A SIGN OFF BY THE LOCAL DISTRICT CAPTAIN BEFORE ISSUING A ONE DAY ENTERTAINMENT OR LIQUOR LICENSE FOR AN EVENT. THAT'S THAT'S ALWAYS THE CASE, RIGHT, DANNY? YES.  OKAY. ARE YOU ARE YOU LOOKING TO CHANGE THAT FOR ANY PARTICULAR REASON?  THERE'S NO EFFORT TO.  SO AS DANNY SAID, POLICE AND OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES ARE ALWAYS INVOLVED AND ANY DECISION REGARDING EVENTS OR ONE DAY LICENSES FOR YOU KNOW,  USE OF ALCOHOL AND THERE'S NO EFFORT TO CHANGE WHETHER OR NOT THOSE AGENCIES ARE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.  THANK YOU, CHIEF. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT. THE POLICE PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I WAS AT THE MAYOR'S COFFEE HOUR. THE SMITING IN THE AND ONE OF THE RESIDENTS IN THE SOUTH END ASKED ME THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION. SO I WANTED TO WANT TO FOLLOW UP WHEN THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS. TELL ME THE ROLE OF ONE DAY EVENT. TELL ME THE ROLE OF TRANSPORTATION AND HOW DOES TRANSPORTATION SIGN OFF ON A PARTICULAR EVENT? KNOWING THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE B.T. SERVICES. WHAT IS THAT PROCESS LIKE?  SO BTD IS PART OF THE SPECIAL EVENTS REVIEW COMMITTEE SO ANY EVENT THAT GOES THROUGH THE SPECIAL EVENT PROCESS WHICH BASICALLY IS ANY EVENT THAT'S OUTSIDE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THERE WILL BE A TD REPRESENTATIVE IN THE MEETING AND ALSO REVIEWING THE APPLICATION IF THIS IS A PARADE OR PROCESSION OR ANYTHING THAT GOES THROUGH OUR STREETS THERE WILL ALSO BE IN CHARGE OF REVIEWING THAT ROUTE, MAKING SURE OR KIND OF DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT IT NEEDS A STREET CLOSURE OR STREET OCCUPANCY PERMIT ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S WITHIN THE BTD KIND OF PURVIEW. BUT THEY ARE CERTAINLY PART OF THE SPECIAL EVENT COMMITTEE AND REVIEW ANY SPECIAL EVENT APPLICATION AND EVERY PARADE DDA PERMIT.  I DO BELIEVE SO BUT WHAT EXACT PERMITS THEY NEED WILL BE UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS WHO WILL PERMIT THAT ACTIVITY. THAT'S PART OF THE PARADE OR THE EVENT AND YOU WANT YOU WANT THAT TO TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPORTATION HAS THE ABILITY TO WEIGH IN. I ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. OKAY.  CHIEF, I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS TOO TODAY. I ACTUALLY 2:00. HOW WILL YOU DOING ON EQUITY RELATED ISSUES HOW ARE YOU DOING ENSURING VETERAN AND VETERAN OWNED COMPANIES ARE HEARD AND ARE PART OF THE PROCESS AND RECEIVE CERTAIN CONTRACTS? ARE THEY ARE THEY RECEIVING CITY CONTRACTS NOW? SURE. AND YOU KNOW OUR SUPPLIER DIVERSITY WILL TALK ABOUT THIS AT THEIR 2:00 HEARING. BUT JUST TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS YEARS WE ARE CONTINUING OUR ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP ON THE VETERAN PIECE WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF VETERAN SERVICES COMMISSIONER SANTIAGO HAS BEEN A VERY GREAT PARTNER IN MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING INFORMATION OUT THERE AND THEN WITH ALL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HERE ACROSS THE STATE I KNOW WE HAVE OUR PARTNERSHIP AT THE STATE SUPPLIER DIVERSITY OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ENGAGING APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF ALL OF THE CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES AT THE CITY LEVEL. SO BUT IN GENERAL I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN SEEING AN INCREASE IN DIVERSE COMPANIES GETTING ACCESS TO CITY CONTRACTS. TO YOUR QUESTION THANK YOU CHIEF. WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ME THE LIST OF VETERAN COMPANIES THAT HAVE RECEIVED A CONTRACT FROM THE CITY JUST SO I DO SO I HAVE IT FOR MY RECORDS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO PROVIDE THAT AT 2:00. THAT WOULD BE THAT'D BE HELPFUL. SURE. AND IF NOT, I KNOW THAT WE ARE KIND OF REVIEWING ALL OF THE CONTRACTS FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR TO KIND OF MATCH THEM UP WITH THE COMPANIES THAT ARE GETTING THEM AND FINDING A WAY TO TO MAKE THAT SO IF NOT BY 2:00 I CAN DEFINITELY STILL MAKE SURE THAT BEFORE THE END OF THIS WEEK WE GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.  YEAH, THAT WOULD BE FINE. THANK YOU, CHIEF. I JUST WANT TO I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND HAVE ADVOCATED FOR THIS BEFORE.  I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT VETERANS ARE HEARD AND INCLUDED AND RESPECTED AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS A PRIORITY FOR ME AS YOU KNOW. IT IS. AND WE'VE WE'VE TALKED ON THIS ISSUE FOR MANY TIMES BUT WE CAN WE CAN CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT AND THANK YOU, CHIEF. I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, MR CHAIRMAN.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN.  NOW WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.  THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, CHAIR. MUCH APPRECIATED AND THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR COMING UP AND BEFORE US TODAY.  I'LL START WITH THE FUN QUESTIONS REGARDING TOURISM AND SPORTS. I KNOW FIFA IS COMING AND WE'RE WORKING ON SOME OTHER INITIATIVES. WHAT IS THE WHAT ARE WE DOING TO CONNECT OUR YOUTH SPORTS WITH THESE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING BEFORE US? RIGHT. I KNOW THE UNITY CUP RIGHT WILL OBVIOUSLY PLAY BIG ROLE. WE HAVE FIFA COME TO BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT AND STRENGTHEN THE BOSTON UNITY CUP AND WITH CALIFIA SCOTTO AND THOSE FOLKS IN THE SOUTH END AND AS WE LOOK AT WHAT OTHER SORT OF ATTRACTIONS ARE WE LOOKING TO BRING IN, HOW ARE WE THINKING OF HOW TO PAIR THAT WITH YOUTH SPORTS OR ANY OTHER THING IT MAY RELATE TO IN TERMS OF THE YOUTH? THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, COUNCILOR , THIS IS OUR FIRST HEARING TOGETHER. SO GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. I WILL SAY THAT AFTER TOURISM SO RIGHT BEFORE THIS OF COURSE WITH MELCO WE WERE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST BROUGHT UP.  SO UNFORTUNATELY DIRECTOR BORDERS HAD TO LEAVE ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT. BUT YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW HE'S ENGAGING WITH THE FIFA LEADERSHIP HERE ON THE GROUND AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS LIKE ME BOSTON. YOU BROUGHT UP MR MOSCATO AND WE ARE OPEN FOR ANY CONNECTIONS OR LEADS ON WHO ELSE WE SHOULD BE ENGAGING. I KNOW JOSE MARCELLO AND AS YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IS UNDER HIS SHOP AS PART OF GOING TO BE PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS. RIGHT NOW WE'RE KIND OF AT THE BEGINNING STAGES SPECIFICALLY FOR FIFA. SO RIGHT NOW IS EXACTLY THE TIME TO ASK THIS QUESTION AND FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT AT THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR SOME OF THE OTHER EVENTS LIKE THE 2/50 AND SALE BOSTON AGAIN OPEN TO ANY THOUGHTS AND FEEDBACK THAT FOLKS HAVE ON THAT BECAUSE NOW IS THE TIME TO START THAT PLANNING. GREAT.  THANK YOU. YEAH I WOULD LOVE TO LOVE TO BE A PART OF THAT ESPECIALLY THINKING OF THE YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN THESE THINGS AS IT'S A REAL GREAT CHANCE TO OPEN THEM UP TO SO MUCH. THERE.  I DID SOME MY OTHER QUESTIONS WERE ASKED I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THE FUTURE ROLE OF THE POLICE IN THE SPECIAL EVENTS AND LICENSING BUT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND I KNOW YOUR ANSWER WAS AROUND ONE DAY EVENTS AND ALCOHOL BUT IS IT FOR ALL EVENTS BEING SCHEDULED THROUGH THAT THROUGH THAT OFFICE THAT POLICE WILL PURSUE IF THEY CAN? YEAH, AND THIS IS A QUESTION THAT GOT ASKED EVEN BEFORE THIS PARTICULAR HEARING AND JUST TO SAY OR AT LEAST HAVE SEEN THIS YOU KNOW, TALKED ABOUT THE POLICE IN PARTICULAR ARE ALWAYS A PART OF ANY CONVERSATION AROUND SPECIAL EVENTS IN THE CITY. SO TODAY BAKER WHO'S BEEN A GREAT MEMBER OF THE TEAM UNDER MO MACAO LEADING SPECIAL EVENTS THAT THE PROCESS YOU KNOW THERE IS A REGULAR MEETING THAT INVOLVES ALMOST EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT AT THIS POINT AND I'M NOT SURE HOW SHE DOES IT BUT SHE DOES A GREAT JOB AT IT. AND SO AND POLICE ARE ALWAYS A PART OF THAT. AND THEN FOR THESE INDIVIDUAL REQUESTS POLICE ARE ALWAYS A PART OF REVIEWING THESE APPLICATIONS BEFORE MACAO GETS TO FINAL APPROVAL FOR IT TO TAKE PLACE. SO YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OF COURSE CONVERSATIONS ON HOW WE YOU KNOW, STANDARDIZE PROCESSES, HOW WE REFORM PROCESSES TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND TO REMOVE INEFFICIENCIES FROM THE PROCESS . BUT YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, STATE CATEGORICALLY POLICE ALWAYS AND WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS AND YOU KNOW,  THEY'VE BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT PARTNERS JUST AS COUNCILOR FLYNN BROUGHT UP NOT JUST FOR PUBLIC SAFETY BUT JUST IN GENERAL UNDER LOGISTICS. RIGHT. BUT A LOT OF THE CAPTAINS OR THEIR SUPERVISORS HAVE GIVEN SOME GREAT FEEDBACK ON HOW TO BETTER COORDINATE THESE EVENTS. THANKS, CHIEF. AND I KNOW THIS MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR YOU, CHIEF, BUT IT'S PROBABLY MORE FOR EMS.  BUT I KNOW WHAT A LOT OF THESE ROAD RACES AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT FOLKS PUT ON.  THERE WILL BE A REQUEST FOR EMS AND OF COURSE JUST LIKE POLICE DETAILS THAT THEY DO, THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO BE FILLED.  BUT DO WE KNOW IF THAT IS BEING ADDRESSED IN ANY WAY AND IF SO, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? JUST WHAT ARE WE SEEING AND AGAIN, IT MAY BE MORE FREE EMS BUT JUST IF YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT INTO THAT.  WELL, I MEAN I KNOW THAT THROUGH THE NEW PROGRAM EMS FOR GETTING MORE STAFF MEMBERS IN THAT DEPARTMENT IT'S BEEN FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL IN ADDING TO THEIR CAPACITY. I MEAN I'M NOT SURE DANNY, IF YOU'VE HEARD ANYTHING DIFFERENT I HAVEN'T HEARD OF EMS STAFFING CAPACITY BEING A REASON OR NOT BEING ABLE TO MEET YOU KNOW, FULFILL WHATEVER IS NEEDED SOMETIMES ON THE BPD SIDE. BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE THINKING ABOUT LIKE HOW DO WE HOW DO WE FOR SMALLER EVENTS SUPPORT MORE COMMUNAL PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS FOR THESE EVENTS? YOU KNOW, SO UNDERSTANDING YOU KNOW, HOW HOW BIG DOESN'T NEED TO BE WHERE YOU FOR SURE NEED A MEMBER OF THE BPD TEAM VERSUS A CIVILIAN STAFF MEMBER PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REVIEWING WITH DPD. AND THE OTHER ONE I HEARD THE COUNCIL WHETHER IT ASKED IT BUT ALSO THESE SORT OF THE SCUTTLEBUTT OUT THERE IS THE OVERSATURATION IN THE CANNABIS MARKET.  BUT I THINK I HEARD YOUR ANSWER WAS SORT OF THE MARKET'S SELF-CORRECTING.  WE STILL HAVE MORE TO GO TO HIT ON MINIMUM LIKE YOU SAID. DANNY, HOW ARE YOU DOING?  REALLY GOOD TO SEE YOU. AND SO DESPITE THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE OVERSATURATION, WE STILL HAVE MORE TO ADD, CORRECT ? THAT'S RIGHT. I MEAN THE CANNABIS BOARD, YOU KNOW, CAN'T CAN'T SAY NO AT THIS OR THEY WOULDN'T BE MEETING THE MINIMUM SET BY THE STATE LEGISLATION. RIGHT. RIGHT. AND DO WE FEEL LIKE UH IS THERE ANY TRUTH TO THAT WHEN FOLKS SAY OH, THERE'S JUST TOO MANY OR THERE'S OVER I MEAN WE WILL HAVE TO HIT OUR MINIMUM AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT BUT DOES THAT IS THAT MAKING THINGS MORE DIFFICULT ON YOUR GUYS END OF GETTING PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY GET THEIR BUSINESS OFF THE GROUND AND ARE WE GOING TO MEET THAT MINIMUM I GUESS DO DO TO MEAN I THINK WITH WITH THE PROCESSES IN PLACE YOU KNOW AS DANNY SAID I THINK YOU KNOW FOR FOLKS THAT ARE COMING BEFORE US IF THEY MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS THEN THEY WILL MAKE IT THROUGH OUR PROCESS.  IT'S A SEPARATE QUESTION AS TO THE LONG TERM SUCCESS OF THE BUSINESS AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE OUR OFFICE AND THE COUNCIL CAN BE THOUGHT PARTNERS ON THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT AND YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING A SPECIFIC INDUSTRY YOU KNOW IN THE WAY THAT MAY I FEEL IS BEING SUGGESTED HERE YOU KNOW BUT OUR TIME ON THE SCALE IF YOU WOULD FOR YOU KNOW TAMPING THINGS DOWN TO ALLOW OTHERS TO BE SUCCESSFUL SO YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF OVERSATURATION, I KNOW THAT QUESTION CAME UP FOR DOWNTOWN I THINK THOUGH WELL WE'LL NEED TO LIKE I SAID, BE THOUGHT PARTNERS ON YOU KNOW, HOW QUICKLY WE MOVE THESE FORWARD AND ANYTHING THAT WE SHOULD SPECIFICALLY BE DOING AS GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT PRIVATE INDUSTRY.  GREAT. THANKS, CHIEF. YEAH, THAT'S ALL FOR MY QUESTIONS. APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD . NOW WE WILL GO TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE.  THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  AND THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE. MY QUESTIONS REALLY DO RELATE TO I THINK WAS THE FIRST PANEL AND I KNOW THAT JOHN WALKER IS NOT HERE BUT I'M GOING TO ASK MY QUESTIONS AND TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO ANSWER CHIEF ERROR WILL PLEASE DO AND IF NOT THEY WILL BE NOTED FOR THE RECORD AND I'LL SEND THEM I'LL ASK FORMAL QUESTIONS TO THE CHAIR. SO MY FIRST ONE IS WITH THE OFFICE OF NIGHTLIGHT THE OFFICE OF NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY. I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN A BIT OVER A YEAR THAT WE'VE HAD THAT OFFICE AND THAT WE'VE HAD SOMEONE IN THAT POSITION AND THIS PAST WEEKEND I WAS OUT WITH MY 20TH HIGH SCHOOL REUNION SPEAKING TO MY CLASSMATES ABOUT THE ADVANCES THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IN THAT REGARD WITH THESE INVESTMENTS AND I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT THERE'S MORE ON THE RADAR BUT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE THE GRANTS THAT I SAW WAKE UP THE THE WAKE UP THE NIGHT GRANTS THAT WE HAVE. WHAT ARE THE OTHER METRICS FOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT TO OTHER PEOPLE ESPECIALLY TO YOUNG PEOPLE OR YOUNGISH PEOPLE? I DON'T KNOW IF I FALL IN CATEGORY ANYMORE WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE ARE MAKING THE CITY OF BOSTON ONE THAT IS MORE FUN, RIGHT? IT'S ALWAYS ONE THAT I TALK ABOUT. HOW WERE YOU MAKING THE CITY OF BOSTON A MORE FUN PLACE RIGHT THERE WAS THAT GLOBE ARTICLE LAST WEEK EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T AGREE WITH ALL OF ITS MAIN POINTS AND TENANTS THAT ALSO COMMITTED TO YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING BETWEEN BOSTON AND OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE MORE NIGHTTIME AMENITIES, THOSE CITIES TEND TO NOT ONLY ARE THEY NOT AS EXPENSIVE TO LIVE IN, THEY ALSO HAVE MORE OF A NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY. SO WONDERING WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO POINT TO AS ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THAT REGARD. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, COUNCILOR . AND I WILL SAY THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL TALK ABOUT IN OUR 2:00 HEARING THE OFFICE OF NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY LIVES UNDER O-I AS OPPOSED TO TOURISM, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT. SO I BELIEVE CORINNE WILL BE JOINING US TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE WORK SHE'S DONE ON THE LAST YEAR.  I WILL THOUGH PROVIDE KIND OF A FRAMING FOR THIS OFFICE WHICH IS WHICH I HAVE NOT DONE A GOOD JOB OF GETTING OUT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC BECAUSE WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS OFFICE YOU JUST AUTOMATICALLY YOU KNOW, THERE ARE AUTOMATIC THOUGHTS THAT GET ATTACHED TO THAT JUST BASED ON WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE BEEN DOING. AND I SHARE THIS WITH CORINNE PRIOR TO HER JOINING. BUT THE ROLE OF THAT OFFICE IS TO TRY TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO HAVING A BETTER NIGHTLIFE IN THE CITY AS OPPOSED TO PUTTING ON THE EVENTS OR YOU KNOW, LIKE I TOLD HER SHE'S NOT GOING TO BE OUT AT CLUBS AND BARS EVERY NIGHT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS HAVING A GOOD TIME AND I DON'T EXPECT HER TO AT ALL. NO, NO, NO, NO. AND THAT'S THAT'S AN I'M SAYING THAT JUST FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT FOLKS THOUGHT SHE MIGHT BE DOING. SHE MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT THAT TOO. SO ANYWAY, JUST TO SAY THAT HER JOB IS TO ON THE POLICY SIDE AND IN TRYING TO REMOVE BARRIERS, I'M WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE CITY TO FIX AND WHAT YOU KNOW WE WOULD NEED TO WORK WITH OUR STATE PARTNERS OR FEDERAL PARTNERS TO ADDRESS SO SHE'LL TALK ABOUT THE GRANTS BUT ALSO SOME OF THE POLICY THINGS THAT SHE'S DONE IN THE LAST YEAR, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT. GREAT. GREAT. SO I'LL SEE THE REST OF MY QUESTIONS FOR MORE. I'M LIKE THAT'S SO MANY QUESTIONS LIKE MAYBE IT'LL JUST BE A HEARING SO WE CAN ACTUALLY DO IT. I KNOW SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT IDEAS ON HOW WE REALLY YOU KNOW, REALLY ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS IN A ROBUST MANNER. I MY QUESTIONS WERE ALSO AN ADDITION ABOUT TOURISM AND I KNOW THAT JOHN BURNS AND I SAID WELL I WOULD JUST PUT THIS FOR THE RECORD. I THINK WHEN WE THINK ABOUT TOURISM ESPECIALLY MY FIRST JOB WHEN I WAS 14 WAS AS A WALKING TOUR GUIDE. I CARED DEEPLY ABOUT LOCAL HISTORY AND HOW WE ARE UPLIFTING LOCAL HISTORY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN ROXBURY, THE SOUTH AND WE JUST CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY. YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT, WALLY'S HIGH HAT, THE WIGWAM, SAVOY ALL OF AND THAT'S HISTORY THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY ELEVATE IN THE WAY THAT I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD AND I'M WONDERING HOW MUCH AND THIS IS BECAUSE THESE ARE ISSUES THAT HAPPEN WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY AS WELL BUT HOW MUCH ARE WE INVESTING INTO SORT OF TELLING THOSE LOCAL STORIES? I'M ON THE COMMEMORATION NEXT YEAR AS WE THINK ABOUT THAT SO WE CAN THE ANNIVERSARY OF OF OF THIS COUNTRY. BUT IN DOING SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALSO INVESTING IN TELLING OUR LOCAL BOSTON STORIES AND THINK ABOUT LIVE LIKE A LOCAL TOUR IS I'M THINKING ABOUT BOSTON BY FOR ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE COMMITTED TO TELLING OUR LOCAL HISTORY WHAT IS LIKE HOW WE HOW ARE WE PARTNERING WITH THAT SORT OF MICRO IF WE IF WE IF WE THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW I WAS IN BOSTON LAST WEEK THEY'RE DOING REALLY INCREDIBLE WORK. HOW ARE WE THINKING ABOUT SORT OF THAT MICROCOSM AND OUR NAME OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS AND USING CITY DOLLARS TO SUPPORT THAT WORK?  YEAH, I WOULD I WOULD WELCOME THAT CONVERSATION ON HOW TO DO THAT, ESPECIALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW WE BRING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PARTNERS OUT THERE TO THE TABLE TO KIND OF SPREAD RESOURCES ACROSS THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND ENTITIES SO THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.  SO DEFINITELY I WELCOME THAT CONVERSATION AND I APPRECIATED THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU TO TALK ABOUT THE SIGNAGE ALONG THE BLACK HISTORY TRAIL.  YEAH, THANK YOU. I THINK A LOT OF I THINK IT DOVETAILS INTO THAT EVEN EVEN THE BLACK WELL THE BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL IS I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD CALL IT MICRO AND MACRO HISTORY BUT IT IS JUST A REALLY IMPORTANT HISTORY THAT WE NEED TO ELEVATE. AND SO I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE OF OUR FOCUS AND OUR DOLLARS GOING ON THE OUR STORIES THAT ARE OFTEN SORT OF OVERLOOKED OR SIDELINED. AND SO AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THAT WHEN THEY COME TO BOSTON, RIGHT MY TOWN BUT I WAS PART OF NO LONGER EXISTS IN VIRGINIA AND PEOPLE GIVING THOSE TOURS. BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO WE NEED CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON ON TELLING OUR LOCAL STORIES. I WILL SAVE THE REST OF MY QUESTIONS. MR CHAIR, FOR LATER BECAUSE THEY DEAL WITH THAT LIKE ECONOMY AND I DANNY, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN YOUR OFFICE.  OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW, I WORKED WITH THE CHAIR ON THE HOME PETITION FOR MORE LIQUOR LICENSES. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CARE ABOUT DEEPLY.  I WILL BE SENDING A QUESTION YOUR WAY RELATED TO TALK FAST OR SO THERE'S A LOT OF HOW THIS IS THE WAY THAT THESE ONE DAY LICENSES OUR LAW, THE WAY THAT WE ACTIVATE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.  AND I THINK ALL OF IT EVEN THOUGH WE TALK ABOUT LIKE THE ECONOMY IS LATER I THINK ALL OF IT IS ABOUT THAT TAPESTRY OF HOW WE'RE CREATING A CITY THAT IS MORE FUN AND MORE INCLUSIVE AND LESS RIGID IN THE RULES THAT WE HAVE. THANK YOU.  COUNCIL PRESIDENT HAPPY 20 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU.  I CONSIDER GETTING THE BOYS IS ALSO DIRECTING I'M RIGHT COUNCIL SANTANA THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE AND REALLY ONE THING MY COLLEAGUES ON ALSO ASKING SOME SO MANY OF MY QUESTIONS SO I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT MYSELF OR REPEAT ON THE CONVERSATION BUT I DO WANT TO ECHO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AND CUSTOMERS HERE IN COUNCIL BABBLING ABOUT LANGUAGE ACCESS AND KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE TREMENDOUS EFFORTS ON THAT AND AND HAVE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL AND YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT MY OFFICE CAN DO TO TRY TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES BUT I JUST REALLY WANT TO PRIORITIZE THAT. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M HEARING A LOT ABOUT ON WHEN I'M YOU KNOW, MAKING BUSINESS WALKS IN TERMS OF YES OR JUST EXCUSE ME TALKING TO RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO PLAN EVENTS OF , YOU KNOW, JUST THE DIFFERENT LICENSING STEPS THAT THEY HAVE TO TAKE MAKING THAT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND YOU KNOW, STEPPED UP THE AMOUNT OF REPEATERS THAT YOU KNOW, THERE YOU ARE DOING THAT AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I BRING BACK THAT I'M HEARING SO THANK YOU ON THAT AND YOU KNOW LAKE COUNCILOR ROSIE ROSALIE AND A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT MY LIFE AND AS SOMEONE WHO IS YOU KNOW, YOUNG ON THE ON THE COUNCIL , THIS IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE A LOT OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS HAVE BEEN REACHING MY OFFICE ABOUT. SO YOU KNOW, I RESERVED THOSE QUESTIONS FOR A BIT LATER.  CHIEF, YOU KNOW YOU YOU DO A LOT OF WORK WITH OUR BUSINESSES OBVIOUSLY AND YOU KNOW WHAT JUST WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY MY PRIORITY IS OUR YOUTH AND YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE USE TEAMS AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS HERE CAN YOU TALK ABOUT JUST LIKE THE WORK THAT YOUR YOUR CABINET IS DOING IN TERMS OF REALLY BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT REACHING OUR YOUTH,  SETTING THEM UP FOR SUCCESS? AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I JUST OPENING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THE YOUTH WHO REALLY DIVE INTO TO THESE BUSINESSES OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  RIGHT. AND ALSO THIS IS ALSO OUR FIRST HEARING TOGETHER. SO GREAT TO SEE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.  SO IN TERMS OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE DOING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND ADVANCEMENT ARE LED BY PEDRO CRUZ.  WE'VE NOT YET LAUNCHED THE PROGRAM BUT THERE IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE BUILD BUILD SOME KIND OF PROGRAMING AROUND HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE EVEN BEFORE THEY'RE 18 WHO ARE INTERESTED TO, YOU KNOW, EXPLORE ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND POTENTIALLY START A BUSINESS BASED ON YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S ALLOWED BUT AT LEAST SETTING SOMETHING UP WHERE THEY CAN KIND OF LEAN INTO THEIR ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AND MY GOAL IS THAT BY THE END OF THAT PROCESS THAT THESE YOUTH OWNED BUSINESSES WILL BE CERTIFIED WITH THE CITY AND POTENTIALLY BE ABLE TO GET A SMALL CONTRACT SO THAT THEY THEN BECOME A PART OF THAT PROCESS. THEY GET THAT EARLY EDUCATION SO THAT AS THEY'RE GROWING AND EXPANDING IN THEIR OWN LIVES THAT THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS OF GETTING A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY STARTING YOUNG. SO THAT THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE'RE DOING HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OH YEAH BUT ALSO IN OUR GENERAL CONVERSATIONS YOU KNOW DONALD HERE OTHERS MYSELF, OTHERS IN THE CABINET ARE ALWAYS ENGAGING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IT IS TO OWN A BUSINESS WHAT STEPS YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU MIGHT DO AND AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF AS PART OF STANDARD FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CONVERSATIONS.  GREAT. THANK YOU CHIEF AND IT'S ALSO GREAT TO TO TALK WITH YOU AND TO KNOW CAPACITY AND TO GET TO SEE YOU THIS MORNING. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.  CAN YOU CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I REALLY WANT TO PRIORITIZE OUR YOUTH AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SETTING THEM UP FOR SUCCESS AND PROVIDING THEM WITH THE RESOURCES FOR THEM TO DO SO. SO YOU KNOW, ANY THING THAT YOU KNOW, PLEASE KEEP MY OFFICE AND ME IN THE LOOP IN TERMS OF THAT PROGRAMING AND I'LL MAKE SURE TO ALSO REACH OUT TO PEDRO AND HIS TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOPED IN THERE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY, REALLY CARE ABOUT.  CHIEF IN TERMS OF AND I KNOW COUNCILOR JORGENSON ON THE CALL BUT I DON'T SHE'S DONE A LOT OF , YOU KNOW, ADVOCACY WORK IN TERMS OF LIKE HOW DO WE REALLY INCREASE THE CITY'S REVENUE AND YOU KNOW, SHE'S INTRODUCED ABOUT YOU KNOW THE CITY MERCHANDISE AND SELLING OUR MERCHANDISE AND JUST KIND OF WANT TO CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT IN TERMS OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THAT OF US BEING ,YOU KNOW, SELLING MERCHANDISE AND CREATE A MASSIVE DREAM OF REVENUE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND HOW FEASIBLE THAT IS?  WELL, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A HEARING BEING SCHEDULED FOR THAT. I'M HAPPY TO KIND OF EXPAND ON THAT MORE IN THAT CONVERSATION . BUT IT'S A WORTHWHILE DISCUSSION. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER CITIES LIKE NEW YORK THAT DO THINGS LIKE THAT I'M NOT YET FAMILIAR WITH THE POSSIBILITY OR WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR BOSTON BUT I WILL FOR SURE. I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE AND TALKING ABOUT THIS AT THE HEARING BUT I THINK THE LARGER PART OF YOUR QUESTION THOUGH YOU KNOW IT IS WORTHWHILE FOR THE CITY TO EXPLORE ANY AND EVERY WAY TO TO GENERATE NEW SOURCES OF REVENUE AS WE'RE REBOUNDING FROM COCAINE . HEY, THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WILL TURN OUT HERE AS WELL. ON TOURISM I'M HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LOT OF VISITORS EVERY DAY,  EVERY WEEK, EVERY MONTH ANNUALLY RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO HOW DO WE WHAT KIND OF APPROACH DO WE TAKE TO TRY TO ATTRACT MORE TOURISM OR DO WE IS OUR APPROACH TO REALLY FOCUS ON ON THE RESIDENTS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE HERE AND IN CREATING THOSE PROGRAMING FOR THEM THAT CAN THEN BE TRUE TO TOURISM. SO WHERE DO WE TAKE OUR DIRECT APPROACH TO TRY TO BRING NO OUTSIDE VISITORS IN TO THE CITY OF BOSTON? AND I'M NOT SURE IF I'M EXPLAINING MY QUESTION CORRECTLY NOW YOU KNOW YOU ARE AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND I KNOW WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF THIS DISCUSSION WITH COUNCILMEMBER HERE ON A SIMILAR TRACK OF KIND OF IN-HOUSE TOURISM HOW WE'RE TURNING OUR RESIDENTS INTO TOURISTS OF THEIR OWN CITY. SO I WOULD SAY TO BOTH END APPROACH AND WE HAVE A VERY FIRM AND SOLID PARTNERSHIP AND RELATIONSHIP WITH BOSTON THE CITY'S REGIONAL TOURISM AGENCY ON ON BOTH OF THOSE AND THEY HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE PUT INTO MARKETING PARTICULARLY ON THE NOT JUST DOMESTIC TRAVEL TO THE CITY BUT INTERNATIONAL.  AND I WAS SHOWING EARLIER THAT PART OF WE KNOW IT'S SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE IF WE LOOK AT LOGAN AIRPORT DATA, BOSTON HAS SEEN A HUGE INCREASE IN INTERNATIONAL VISITORS TO THE CITY. IN FACT MORE THAN WHAT WE SAW PRE-PANDEMIC.  AND SO WE KNOW THAT THAT THAT MARKETING IS WORKING BUT ADDITIONAL EFFORTS NEED TO BE PUT IN I WOULD SAY TO LOCAL TOURISM I THINK THE POINT THAT PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE BROUGHT UP I THINK IF THERE IS A LOT MORE INTENTIONALITY BEHIND THE WORK OF OUR TOURISM DEPARTMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH YOUR OFFICES TO, YOU KNOW, FURTHER HIGHLIGHT THE LOCAL HISTORY AND THE LOCAL ATTRACTIONS, WE WILL SEE EVEN MORE PARTICIPATION IN SOME OF THE LOCAL TOURIST PARTS OF THE CITY. BUT IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH, RIGHT? I MEAN THERE'S FOLKS SAY IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH TO GET FOLKS TO BUILD THAT STUFF IN THEIR BACKYARD RATHER THAN GETTING A PLANE TICKET AND GOING SOMEWHERE.  WHEN I WAS A STUDENT IN ATLANTA IT WAS YOU WERE HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANY ATLANTA RESIDENTS THAT VISITED THE KING MEMORIAL OR A LOT OF THE OTHER ATTRACTIONS. THERE WAS ALWAYS OUT-OF-STATE VISITORS.  BUT THAT BEING THE CASE, I WOULD SAY THIS CONVERSATION IS NOT DIVORCED FROM WHAT WE'RE DOING AROUND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, WHAT WE'RE DOING TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, THE MORE VIBRANT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THEN THE MORE THAT WILL LEAD TO LOCAL TOURISM. PEOPLE WILL PICK UP FROM HYDE PARK AND GO TO JAMAICA PLAIN OR PICK UP FROM BACK BAY AND GO TO ROXBURY, ETC. IF WE HAVE MORE VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS. SO WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE SECOND YEAR ON TIME. THANK YOU CHIEF. YUP.  PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR BEST LOOKED AT ON THAT AND AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON ROXBURY AND DIDN'T GET TO REALLY ACCESS ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND NOW BEING AN ISLAND CITY COUNCILOR WHERE I REPRESENT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY FOR OUR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES WHO OFTEN CAN FEEL SEGREGATED APART FROM THE REST OF THE CITY.  MY LAST QUESTION IF I MAY, MR CHAIR, AS TO YOUR CHIEF, YOU KNOW, JUST WALKING AROUND TO A DIFFERENT BUSINESS WALKS, YOU KNOW I KNOW YOU. I KNOW YOUR OFFICE AND YOUR DEPARTMENT THAT YOUR CABINET HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK. IT'S YOU KNOW ABOUT THE STOREFRONTS, RIGHT? AND YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE REALLY BEAUTIFY THEM AND HOW CAN WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, GET WE WORK WITH YOU.  I WORK WITH BUSINESS WITH LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEN GREAT COMMUNITY TO HELP KEEP THEM. RIGHT. AND CAN YOU JUST KIND OF GIVE US A GENERAL UPDATE IN TERMS OF WHAT THE PROCESS IS FOR THAT IS IS YOUR CABINET TAKING A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO LOCAL BUSINESS AND HOW TO REACH OUT TO TO THE CITY IN TERMS OF GETTING IS IT ON THE LOCAL BUSINESSES TO YOU KNOW, JUST TO UPKEEP THE BUSINESS?  YES. CAN YOU GIVE ME AN UPDATE AND KIND OF A HIGH OVERVIEW TO THAT? SURE. AND WE CAN AND WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT TO IN THE SECOND HEARING BECAUSE OUR OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS WILL BE UP FOR CONVERSATION THEN. BUT YOU KNOW, JUST TO TACKLE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT QUESTION HERE, I WILL SAY IT'S ANOTHER BOTH AND APPROACH. SO SOMETIMES SMALL BUSINESSES WILL REACH OUT TO US OTHER TIMES AND WE'RE CONDUCTING OUR SMALL BUSINESS WALKS OR JUST IN GENERAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SMALL BUSINESSES WE WILL MAKE THEM AWARE OF ALL OF OUR RESOURCES AND TOOLS INCLUDING THE RESTORE PROGRAM. I WILL SAY THOUGH THAT THIS IS MORE SO A CONVERSATION WITH PROPERTY OWNERS LANDLORDS RATHER THAN SMALL BUSINESSES. A LOT OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES DO NOT OWN THE PROPERTIES THAT THEY THAT THEY HOUSE THEIR THEIR STOREFRONT BUSINESSES AND IT'S YOU KNOW, USUALLY PART OF A MIXED USE BUILDING OR ONE FLOOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT'S OWNED BY SOMEBODY ELSE. AND SO A LOT OF TIMES THE INABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROGRAM EVEN IF THE CITY IS PREPARED AND A SMALL BUSINESS HAS REACHED OUT REALLY DOES HINGE ON THE PROPERTY OWNERS SIGNING OFF ON BEING ABLE TO DO THAT THIS IS NOT LIKE A IT'S A RARITY BUT JUST TO SAY THAT IT'S ANOTHER STAKEHOLDER THAT HAS TO BE AT THE TABLE FOR A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS TO MOVE FORWARD.  BUT ALL IN ALL IT IS A PROGRAM THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO RAMP UP WITH ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND TO SUPPORT KIND OF THE BEAUTIFICATION OF OUR OF OUR SQUARES ACROSS THE CITY. SO I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION SO GREAT. NO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHIEF AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL ANSWERS. I JUST WANT TO ALSO THANK MR RAY AND MR GREEN, YOU KNOW, FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. NO THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA . NO, PUT THE TIME OUT SO I'LL START OFF WITH DANNY.  WE'RE AND WE'RE BEING HOPEFUL, RIGHT, THAT THAT THE STATE HOUSE PASSES THESE LIQUOR LICENSES.  ARE WE READY TO ISSUE AND DISTRIBUTE OUT DISTRIBUTE THE 50 NEW LIQUOR LICENSES AND YOU KNOW, CAN YOU TALK TO ME WHAT HAVE BEEN WHAT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A NEW INFLUX OF LIQUOR LICENSES THAT HASN'T, YOU KNOW, INTO THE CITY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.  SO HOW IS THE THE BOARD YOUR DEPARTMENT GETTING READY FOR THESE NEW LICENSES? THANK YOU. YEAH, WE SO WE ARE HOPEFUL AS WELL AND YOU'RE RIGHT IT WOULD BE THE LARGEST TRONC NEW TRANCHE OF LICENSES ISSUED GRANTED TO THE CITY SINCE 2014. THAT MEANS THAT THE PROCESS IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE APPLICATION STILL COMES IN THE BOARD STILL REVIEWS THE APPLICATION AND DOES ITS OWN EVALUATION OF PUBLIC NEED AND IF THE PUBLIC NEED IS MET AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD THEN A LICENSE WILL BE ISSUED ON TERMS OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THAT WE DON'T FORESEE IT BEING REALLY A CHALLENGE TO KEEP UP WITH IT. IT REALLY IS THE SAME PROCESS THAT WE FOLLOW NOW WHERE THE EVALUATING AND ISSUING LICENSES WHEN ANY ARE AVAILABLE WE'LL JUST CREATE A NEW CODE IN OUR SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IDENTIFYING THEM AS LICENSES FROM THIS SET AND WE CAN TRACK THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND THAT THEY'RE ONLY GOING WHERE THE LEGISLATURE IS ENABLING US TO ISSUE THEM NOW SO AND I THESE FILED ONLINE IN THESE PAPER FILED CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW SO I MEAN IS IT IS IT A DIGITAL PROCESS?  YEP. APPLICATIONS ARE ALL SUBMITTED TO US ONLINE SO THE LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION IT'S ACTUALLY A STATE FORM THAT IS SUBMITTED TO THE LOCAL LICENSING AUTHORITY OF EVERY MUNICIPALITY WHO ISSUES LICENSES. SO IT'S A STATE FORM THAT'S FILED WITH US THROUGH AN ONLINE PORTAL. IT'S A GOOGLE FORM BUT WHEN FOLKS DO COME IN AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO USE THE PORTAL THEMSELVES, OUR STAFF ACTUALLY SIT DOWN WITH THEM. WE HAVE KIOSKS IN OUR OFFICE SO WE CAN ACTUALLY ENTER THE INFORMATION INTO THE PORTAL FOR APPLICANT WHO MIGHT NEED THAT HELP BUT IT IS DONE ENTIRELY VIRTUALLY AT THIS POINT. SO THANK YOU.  AND WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO GET RID OF SOME OF THE RED TAPE AROUND RUNNING THE BUSINESS AND GETTING SPECIFIC LICENSES?  CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT ANY RED TAPE OR CHALLENGES OR BARRIERS? YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING FOR ANY OF THE LICENSES ARE RUNNING INTO AND HOW WE'RE PLANNING ON EITHER STREAMLINING IT OR REMOVING THOSE BARRIERS IN TERMS OF THE LIQUOR LICENSING IS SOMETIMES THE HURDLE THAT WE SEE IS AFTER THE LOCAL BOARD MIGHT APPROVE A LICENSE, YOU KNOW, THEN IT HAS TO GO OVER FURTHER STATE REVIEW OR STATE APPROVAL. THAT PROCESS CAN SOMETIMES TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS AND KIND OF PUTS AN APPLICANT WHERE IT SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT SURE IF THEY HAVE A LICENSE IN HAND YET OR WHAT THE TIMELINE WILL BE OR ON THE FARM. ANSWER WE DO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE SPECIFIC INVESTIGATOR OR THE STATE OR JUST KEEP AN EYE ON THAT PROCESS FOR THE APPLICANT. BUT THAT IS A DIFFICULT THING SOMETIMES FOR US JUST TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS OF AN APPLICANT ONCE THEY PASS THE LOCAL PHASE OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND THEN SPECIAL EVENT PERMITTING.  YOU GUYS MENTIONED THAT YOU GUYS ARE STREAMLINING THIS PROCESS.  ONE THING I DO WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR IS PUTTING I MEAN THESE ARE LARGE EVENTS SOMETIMES THEY CAN INCLUDE YOU KNOW LIKE A PARADE DOWN THE STREET. THEY COULD INCLUDE 5000 PEOPLE SHOWING UP TO A PARKING LOT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT NOW TO MY UNDERSTANDING, THERE'S NO APPROVAL COMING FROM LIKE THAT DISTRICT COUNCILORS OFFICE. THAT'S ONE THING I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR IS TO HAVE THEM CHECK IN WITH WOULD BE COUNCILOR FOR THAT DISTRICT AND MAKING THAT PART OF THE PROCESS. BUT ALSO CAN YOU TALK TO ME ON HOW IS IT BEING STREAMLINED? HOW ARE YOU MAKING THIS PROCESS MORE STREAMLINED?  SO THE THE TWO BIGGEST CHANGES MEAN A THREE OR ANYTHING YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD FIRST OF ALL SO ONE CHANGE THAT ALREADY HAS GONE INTO EFFECT HAS KIND OF BUILT OUT THE APPLICATION AT THE BEGINNING TO ASK MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT WILL BE HAPPENING AT A SPECIAL EVENT. THAT WAY SOMETIMES WE MIGHT ACTUALLY NOT NEED TO HAVE A SPECIAL EVENT COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE WE ESSENTIALLY ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT ALREADY HAVE BEEN ANSWERED IN THAT APPLICATION SO WE CAN PUT THEM DIRECTLY IN TOUCH WITH ASK IF WE KNOW THE NUMBER OF RISERS OR TENTS OR GENERATORS AHEAD OF TIME RATHER THAN SPENDING TIME CONVENING A BUNCH OF DEPARTMENTS AND A BUSY APPLICANT FOR AN EVENT TO KIND OF ANSWER THE SAME QUESTIONS AND THEN ANOTHER CHANGE WE'RE MAKING RIGHT NOW TO STREAMLINE IS ADDING THE ONE TIME ENTERTAINMENT AND ONE DAY LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION INTO THE SPECIAL EVENT APPLICATION WHICH ALSO REDUCES A LOT OF PAPERWORK FOR APPLICANTS WHO WOULD NEED THREE DIFFERENT SETS OF SIGNATURES THREE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS, THREE DIFFERENT REVIEWS INSTEAD KIND OF YOU KNOW SINCE THOSE ARE ALL DONE BY ONE AGENCY ANYWAY PUT THOSE ALL IN ONE STREAMLINE THINGS FOR EVERYBODY SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG WHERE WE'RE THINKING BACK ON THAT AND THEN YOU MENTIONED 481 DAY LIQUOR LICENSES WERE ISSUED AND THAT'S WHY TO LAST YEAR THIS YEAR I CAN REMEMBER WHAT THE SLIDE SAID BUT IS THAT A GROWTH IN IT? IF SO, HOW MUCH DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME BUT WE CAN GET THOSE TO YOU. OKAY.  AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT IT'S MORE I LOVE ACTIVATING MY DISTRICT.  YOU KNOW YOU GET MENTIONED AND ALLUDED TO LIKE CREATE IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AS A DESTINATION. IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW,  I'M STRIVING FOR IN THE WAY THAT WE DO THAT IS BY ACTIVATING AND BRINGING THESE EVENTS TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THAT REQUIRES US ISSUING ONE DAY ENTERTAINMENT LIQUOR LICENSES TO BRING THAT FOOT TRAFFIC HERE PROBLEM PROPERTIES WE'RE HEARING FROM RESIDENTS ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES YOU KNOW WHETHER IT'S LOUD NOISE AND OPERATING AFTER HOURS HOW WOULD WE HOW IS THE BOARD WORKING TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES?  I MEAN SOMETIMES EVEN LIKE TRASH STORAGE, RIGHT? SOMETIMES YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORS BRING UP THE WAY THAT WE WILL THE COMMERCIAL RESIDENT IS STORING TRACKS LIKE HOW'S THE BOARD LOOKING AT BEING YOU KNOW, PARTNERING RESOLVING SOME OF THOSE ISSUES. SO TO THAT QUESTION THAT REALLY IS A PARTNERSHIP RELATIONSHIP. THE BOARD ITSELF DOES NOT OVERSEE THE PROBLEM PROPERTIES TASK FORCE THAT DATABASE THAT LIVES UNDER ESD THAT BEING SAID ,A LOT OF TIMES WE DO GET COMPLAINTS FROM RESIDENTS. WE HEAR REPORTS THAT THERE'S AN UNLICENSED CLUB OR SOMEONE IS SELLING ALCOHOL OR FOOD IN THIS LOCATION THAT DOES NOT HAVE A LICENSE OF ANY SORT. WE HAVE NO PURVIEW THERE BUT WE WILL MAKE A REFERRAL DIRECTLY TO THE ISDA ENFORCEMENT TEAM SOMETIMES DO JOINT INSPECTIONS BETWEEN LICENSING INSPECTORS AND ESD JUST TO SEE WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING AT A PROPERTY AND IF NECESSARY YOU KNOW, USE THE PROPERTIES POWERS AS AS A MITIGATING AS THAT IS KIND OF WHERE TO GO FOR NEXT STEPS. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN ON PAGE 30 OF YOUR SLIDE SHOW IT SAID THAT YOU GUYS ALSO DO THE OVERSIGHT OF LODGING HOUSES. IS THAT DO YOU DEFINE WHAT THAT IS? BECAUSE SOMETIMES I KNOW PEOPLE COME TO ME REGARDING ROOMING HOUSE ROOMING HOMES AND THINK IT IS YOU KNOW THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN ROOMING HOUSING IN LARGE IN HOUSING WHY WOULD SOMEONE BE ABLE TO DO A ROOMING HOUSE WITHOUT A LICENSE BUT NOT A LARGER HOUSE? CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY THAT?  SURE. AND WE CAN ALSO, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL ROOMING HOUSE AND LODGING HOUSE ARE SYNONYMS. THEY ARE JUST TYPES OF HOUSING SITUATIONS WHERE ROOMS ARE RENTED INDIVIDUALLY TO ANY MORE THAN FOUR UNRELATED PERSONS AND NOW WHERE IT GETS A LITTLE CONFUSING IS THAT THIS IS A PROGRAM SORT OF PROGRAM. IT'S A TYPE OF HOUSING THAT ALSO IS SIMULTANEOUS WITH THE CITY'S SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE. SO WE WORK A LOT WITH SD BASED GROUPS TO IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, WHAT ACTUALLY IS THIS PROPERTY? IS THIS A SHORT TERM RENTAL THAT FALLS UNDER ISDA GUIDELINES? IS THIS A LODGING HOUSE IN TERMS OF US AND A LOT OF THIS ALSO DEPENDS ON HOW IT'S ZONED THROUGH SD AS WELL BUT ESSENTIALLY IT IS A ROOMING SITUATION WHERE MORE THAN FOUR UNRELATED PERSONS ARE BEING RENTED ROOMS SIMULTANEOUSLY THAT QUALIFIES IT TECHNICALLY AS A LODGING HOUSE OR ROOMING HOUSE AND THEN YOU NEED A LICENSE. AND HOW OFTEN DO THEY HAVE THAT LICENSE?  ALL OF OUR LICENSES ARE RENEWED ANNUALLY. ANNUALLY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.  YEAH, I'D DEFINITELY BE REACHING OUT OFFLINE AND MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THESE ROOMIE AND RELIGION HOUSES HAVE THE PROPER LICENSES.  RIGHT. LAST QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE LATEST ON THE DRINKS BITING? WHAT MORE CAN WE DO? WHAT MORE CAN ESTABLISHMENTS ESTABLISHMENTS BE DOING WELL AND DANNY, CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT HOW MUCH HOW HAS BEEN REACHING OUT AND ENGAGING OPERATORS ON THIS ISSUE BUT JUST AS AN UPDATE MIKE I MEANT TO SAY THIS WEBCAST THE COLLIDER WAS ON THE CALL BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SHE REALLY WAS SPEARHEADING THIS ISSUE. YOU KNOW, RECENTLY WE PUT IN AN ORDER FOR DRINK COVERS TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH OPERATORS FOR THOSE WHO EITHER COULD NOT AFFORD OR DON'T HAVE THEM AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SO THAT EVERY DRINK THAT THEY'RE SERVING HAS THESE COVERS ON THEM AND IT'S UP TO THE PATRON TO REMOVE THEM. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ADDITIONAL SECURITY WHETHER IT'S CAMERAS OR STAFF AND THEN JUST IN GENERAL THE LICENSING TEAM WHAT I'M STEALING THE THUNDER, SAID DANNY, WHICH I GUESS BUT THEIR LICENSING TEAM HAS BEEN MEETING WITH WITH OPERATORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED AND THAT THEY'RE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO PREVENT THESE PUBLIC SAFETY EVENTS FROM HAVING HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. AND I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME ENGAGEMENT AT THE UNIVERSITIES . I CAN'T RECALL IF THAT WAS LAST YEAR OR THIS YEAR BUT ANYWAY THE POINT IS THAT THERE'S A CONVERSATION WITH ALL THE NECESSARY STAKEHOLDERS TO PREVENT ANY ANY INCREASE ON THESE EVENTS OR FROM HAPPENING AT ALL.  I THEN THIS MIGHT BE MY FINAL QUESTION OR MY SECOND THE LAST QUESTION THE REVENUE DEPARTMENT CREATES REVENUE DO WE SEE IS THAT ARE WE ANTICIPATING THAT GOING UP FOR API 25 BUT I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT I WOULD IMAGINE IF THERE ARE MORE LICENSES TO ISSUE THAN CERTAINLY YES.  OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I DIDN'T KNOW LIKE THE ONE DAY LICENSES AS WELL. I MEAN WE ANTICIPATE THAT GROWING MEAN YOU KNOW JUST I KNOW WITH THE NEW LICENSES COMING ON BUT JUST ALSO WANTED TO SEE IF WE ANTICIPATE THE ONE DAY LIQUOR LICENSES AND PAYMENT LICENSES INCREASE. SURE. SO OUR REVENUE IS ALL RIGHT AND ALSO THAT YOU GET OVER OR NOW ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OTHER CITIES THAT YOU MENTIONED WITH THE CHELSEA CHELSEA AND EVERETT IN EVERETT. RIGHT. IS THAT WAS THE RELATIONSHIP COST WISE REVENUE WISE?  RIGHT. THAT THAT'S ALSO A REASON THAT THIS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE COULD GROW NOT JUST THE LIQUOR LICENSES. YEAH SO TWO QUICK THINGS I'LL SAY THERE ARE SO THE YOU KNOW ADDING CHELSEA AN AVERAGE TO WHO ARE CONSUMER ADVOCATES COVER THAT CAME IN THROUGH THAT WAS ALSO COVERED BY A GRANT FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE SO THAT OFFSET ANY EXTRA COST TO SERVE THOSE COMMUNITIES BUT OUR OUR REVENUE IS DRIVEN BY THE NUMBER OF LICENSES IN THE APPLICATION FEES WE COLLECT. SO AS THE NUMBER OF LICENSE APPLICATIONS GO UP, WE WOULD EXPECT OUR REVENUE TO GO UP AND THAT'S YOU KNOW, FOR ANNUAL LICENSES AS WELL AS ONE DAYS AND WE HAVE BEEN SEEING THOSE LICENSE APPLICATIONS GO UP. SO WE'RE HOPING REVENUE GOES UP AS WELL. AWESOME.  NOW TURN IT BACK OVER TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS IF YOU DO HAVE A SECOND QUESTION PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND CASM HERE THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU CHAIR CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY?  BECAUSE I HEARD I WAS I WAS STANDING THIS THOUGHT IT AGAIN. YEAH. OKAY.  UM, SO I WANTED TO PICK UP ON SOME THINGS AND JUST SOME REINFORCEMENT SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL WORK.  I KNOW THAT WE HAD A COLLEGE PAID INTERN THAT WAS IN OUR OFFICE WHO HAD DONE A LOT OF WORK IN THIS SPACE AND I'M CURIOUS AND I KNOW THAT WE FOUGHT FOR DURING THE BUDGET SOME ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO HELP MAKE THE TRAIL MORE ATTRACTIVE THAT INCLUDED SIGNAGE AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. SO IF YOU CAN GIVE ME AN UPDATE ON WHERE THAT STANDS AND HOW THAT ADVOCACY PLAYED OUT AND HAPPENED. I WORKED WITH LISA OWENS MANY YEARS AGO WHEN SHE WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MY TOWN AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE REALLY UPLIFT THAT WORK BECAUSE I THINK THAT BOTH ECONOMIC AND EMPOWERMENT PLACE AND ALSO PLACE OF EQUITY AND TOURISM THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR CROSS COLLABORATION WITH DEPARTMENTS AND ALSO WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE OR CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE. SO I JUST WANT TO NAME THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES HERE TO SUPPORT THAT. SO I JUST WANT TO LEND MY VOICE TO THAT CHORUS OF SUPPORT AND AND UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF IT IN REGARDS TO LICENSE.  DANNY, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO YOU. I AM CURIOUS SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OR I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT CONSUMER AFFAIRS. RIGHT. YOU HAVE MENTIONED A FEW DIFFERENT AREAS OF INTEREST. I'M CURIOUS ABOUT I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM SOME UBER DRIVERS ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE FACE AROUND. YOU KNOW, FIRST THERE WERE LUXURY CARS.  THERE WAS THIS WHOLE SHAM AND THEY FEEL KIND OF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS STANDPOINT.  I KNOW THAT THE CITY WHEN IT COMES TO BIG CORPORATIONS LIKE THAT, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A SAY IN THAT. BUT I'M CURIOUS FROM A COMMUNICATION AND AN EDUCATION STANDPOINT WHAT CAN YOUR DEPARTMENT DO IN TERMS OF HELPING TO INFORM CONSUMERS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SUCH?  SO I MEAN FIRST OF ALL, IF THERE WAS A SPECIFIC COMPLAINT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UBER OR LYFT OR ANY OF THESE SERVICES WHERE A CONSUMER USER OF THAT PLATFORM WOULD HAVE BEEN SOMEHOW DECEIVED OR A RIDE WAS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE QUOTED PRICE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT OUR ADVOCATES WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP WITH AND HELP MEDIATE AND TRY TO GET TO A RESOLUTION WITH WITH THE COMPANY THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR. YEAH. NO, BUT THAT'S FROM A USER'S PERSPECTIVE I'M TALKING ABOUT FROM AN EMPLOYER'S PERSPECTIVE I'M TALKING ABOUT UBER DRIVER SPECIFICALLY WHO YOU KNOW HAVE SIGNED UP TO BE TO THE GOOGLE LUXURY MODEL OF THEIR THE PLATFORM AND THEY HAD A BAIT AND SWITCH THAT THOSE ARE THE SORT OF THINGS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. GOT IT. YOU KNOW, FRANKLY IT HASN'T COME UP AND I NEED TO LOOK INTO IT MORE. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S NECESSARILY SOMETHING FROM A CONSUMER ADVOCATE STANDPOINT THAT WE WOULD WORK WITH OR IF WE WOULD REFER THAT OVER TO THAT WORKER EMPOWERMENT CABINET AND TRY TO GET THEM TO WORK WITH WITH THE DRIVERS TO FIND A RESOLUTION. BUT YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO TAKE IT UNDER ADVISEMENT, WORK WITH OUR PARTNER AGENCIES.  YEAH, GREAT. AND I'M CURIOUS HOW MANY FROM A CONSUMER AFFAIRS STANDPOINT HOW MANY IS DO DO WE HAVE A DASHBOARD OF SORTS WHERE WE'RE TRACKING THOSE THAT ACTORS THAT THAT WE CAN POINT CONSUMERS TO WHEN THEY HAVE YOU KNOW FILED A COMPLAINT DOES IT LIVE SOMEWHERE?  THEY DON'T LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE PART OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OVERALL DASHBOARD. I BELIEVE THAT'S ONLY INTERNAL FOR NOW. BUT GREAT QUESTION. I CAN SEE IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN MAKE THAT MORE PUBLIC. YEAH, I AGREE TECHNICALLY WITH THE STATE WE SHARE JURISDICTION WITH THEM SO CASES WHO ARE ALIGNED WITH US ARE ALSO PART OF THE STATE DASHBOARD.  YEAH NO I APPRECIATE THAT. I GUESS YOU KNOW I'M REALLY TRYING TO MAKE A CASE THAT WE EXPECT OUR DEPARTMENTS TO DO IT ALL TO BE THE EVALUATORS THE YOU KNOW TO BE CLEAR THAT THAT ALL ALL THINGS FOR EVERYTHING AT ALL TIMES AND I JUST THINK THAT WHEN I WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS WORK I THINK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE HOW ARE WE MEASURING SUCCESS RIGHT?  HOW DO WE HOW DO WE TRANSFORM THOSE BAD ACTORS INTO SUPERSTARS?  RIGHT. WITH A LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF REALLY IS HELPFUL BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW AND IF WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO DATA AND INFORMATION THAT IS PUBLIC THEN IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR YOU ALL TO ALSO HOLD THOSE BAD ACTORS ACCOUNTABLE. WOULD YOU AGREE?  YEAH, I MEAN IT IS IT IS A GOOD POINT. I THINK WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT AS WELL. AND AGAIN, I THINK RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST OUR ADVOCATES WHO ARE IT CAN SEE INTO THAT DASHBOARD. SO YEAH IT WOULD BE GREAT TO ALSO HAVE THAT INFORMATION ON HAND. YEAH AND THEN I ALSO DO DO WE HAVE THE CAPACITY AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IN TERMS OF KIND OF LIKE HOW CONSUMER AFFAIRS INTERFACES WITH LABOR AND WORK PROTECTIONS SO YOU GUYS INTERFACE IN THAT AREA WHEN SOMEBODY IS, YOU KNOW, FILING A COMPLAINT LATE OR IS THAT A SEPARATE PROVISION? I DON'T WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOT RELEVANT TO YOU VERSUS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMPLIANCE. I LOVE TO HEAR THAT.  YEP. THAT THAT WOULD BE A SEPARATE COMPLAINT THAT WOULD BE THROUGH THE WORKER EMPOWERMENT CABINET, YOU KNOW THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE AND THAT PROCESS IS REALLY FOCUSED AROUND SPECIFICALLY THE CONSUMER BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP AND NOT SO MUCH THE WORKER BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP. YEP. AND THEN THAT THE END OF THIS LINE OF QUESTIONING BECAUSE I HAVE OTHER COLLEAGUES AND I ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO BE MORE CONCERNED IS THAT AS BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD EVERYONE HERE TALK ABOUT EQUITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EQUITY IN ALL OF THESE SPACES AND PLACES AND YOU KNOW I'M ALWAYS GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR HELPING TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES THAT ENGLISH IS NOT THE FIRST LANGUAGE BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT STRUGGLE THE MOST IN ACCESSING EVERY SINGLE RESOURCE AND OFTENTIMES THEY'RE THE ONES THAT GET THE LEAST BECAUSE THEY GET WHATEVER'S LEFT OVER AND SO IF YOU COULD DANAE IN I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS HOW MANY LICENSES OR PERMIT DO YOU BREAK DOWN THE NUMBERS BY RACE OR NEIGHBORHOODS?  DO YOU HAVE ANY TYPE OF DATA TO ADDRESS SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE WHAT'S THE BENCHMARK FOR REACHING OUR EQUITY GOALS?  DO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION? SO AGAIN, THIS KIND OF DEPENDS A LITTLE BIT BY AGENCY. SO CANNABIS FORWARD WE DO HAVE BETTER DATA THERE BECAUSE IT IS IN THE CANNABIS SPORTS FOUNDING ORDINANCE THAT IT MUST ACTUALLY LOOK AT EQUITY CERTIFICATION THAT COMES THROUGH OH YOU LIED ON THE LIQUOR LICENSE SIDE RECENTLY REALLY I THINK JUST SINCE COVID SINCE 2021 WE HAVE BEGUN ASKING FOR DATA OF OUR LICENSE HOLDERS DURING THEIR ANNUAL RENEWAL IN NOVEMBER.  YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED CORPORATION COUNCIL A WEEK. WE CAN'T REQUIRE THAT ANY OF OUR LICENSES COME UP AS INFORMATION SO MANY DON'T. SO WHAT WE DO HAVE EVERY YEAR IS THOSE AND IT'S AROUND HALF MAYBE UNDER HALF OF OUR LICENSEES DO SELF-REPORT AND OPT TO ANSWER DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. SO IT'S NOT THE GREATEST BASELINE FOR DATA.  IT'S SOME MORE DATA MORE DATA THAN WE HAD BEFORE.  YEAH, THANK YOU. AND THEN YOU KNOW, SHE HAD THAT THE CANNABIS OFFICE IS UNDER THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS RIGHT JUST TO BE CLEAR BUT THERE IS SOME INTERFACE THINGS WORK THROUGH HIS CABINET AS WELL SO IS THERE A IS THERE A MECHANISM IN PLACE IN WHICH YOU ALL ARE THE RIGHT HAND IS SPEAKING TO THE LEFT HAND IS THERE THAT LEVEL OF LIKE COORDINATION OR SAKE? YES, THE COORDINATION IS NEAR CONSTANT SO IT'S IT IS IT'S TWO KIND OF ARMS OF THE SAME BODY.  THE CANNABIS BOARD WHICH SITES THE ESTABLISHMENTS SITS UNDER MOCK OWL WHICH IS THE HEARING WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW THE CANNABIS EQUITY OFFICE WHICH RUNS A GRANT PROGRAM AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM LIVES IN OJAI.  THE TWO OFFICES MEET FORMALLY ON A I BELIEVE BIWEEKLY BASIS BUT ALSO YOU KNOW, ARE IN CONSTANT COLLABORATION WITH EACH OTHER. APPLICANTS WHO ARE COMING THROUGH THE BOARD ARE OFTEN REFERRED DIRECTLY TO THE EQUITY PROGRAM THAT WE ALLY TO HELP WITH TO OR TO APPLY FOR GRANTS OR JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING THROUGH THE CANNABIS BOARD APPROVAL PROCESS SO THAT THE TWO REALLY ARE TALKING TO EACH OTHER CONSTANTLY AND I LOVE THAT AND THAT SHE YOU KNOW I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE WHOLE DAY TOGETHER SO I HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. BUT YOU KNOW THIS IS TOURISM AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF AND COUNSELORS THEN CAN UPLIFT THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHICH IS A YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE ALL SHARE IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. I'M SERIOUS THAT THERE ARE ANY SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES PARTICULARLY AROUND ATHLETIC AND ON THE SPORTS SIDE OF THINGS TO COUNCILOR FITZGERALD'S QUESTIONS EARLIER AROUND HOW DO WE PIPELINE MAYBE THERE'S SOME PROGRAMING AND AND SOME OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE HAVE 50 PEOPLE HERE WHATEVER I CAN'T PRONOUNCE WHAT THAT THINGAMAJIG THAT'S COMING DOWN HERE THAT THAT THAT WE ARE BEING SUPER INTENTIONAL ABOUT PIPE LINING AND BUILDING A BENCH AND I THINK THAT'S A MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAVEL TOURISM, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND PERMITTING BECAUSE EVEN YOUNG PEOPLE MAY WANT TO PRODUCE THEIR OWN TOURNAMENT YOU KNOW I THINK THAT THE BARRIERS OF TRYING TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND I WANT TO DO I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO TODAY BAKER AS WELL. YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT SHE HAS MANAGED TO CREATE A COALITION OF FOLKS AND REALLY STREAMLINING THE PROCESS WHICH I THINK IS KEY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING AND I THINK THAT THERE'S THERE'S SOME STUFF THAT WE CAN LEARN ABOUT THAT AND HOW WE COULD REPLICATE IT FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS CHEAP AND I'M CURIOUS ABOUT LIKE THAT COALITION AND KIND OF LIKE THE INFRASTRUCTURE WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE ACROSS THESE DEPARTMENTS? I'LL OF THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS WELL I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH YOU THAT YOU KNOW THESE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING TO THE CITY OR MAY COME TO THE CITY ARE HUGE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO WORK EVEN MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER BOTH ON THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE, AT THE COUNCIL SIDE AND THEN IN GENERAL WITH THE COMMUNITY. I THINK BFA IS ONE OPPORTUNITY AND I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, AGAIN THE THE THE EFFORT AROUND WHITE STADIUM AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM COMING TO THE CITY CERTAINLY INSTIGATED THOSE CONVERSATIONS EARLY ON EVEN BEFORE THE FIFA LEADERSHIP BEGAN CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR TEAM HERE. SO ON THAT FRONT AT LEAST ON THE SOCCER FRONT I THINK THAT THERE'S A ROBUST CONVERSATION ON HOW WE INVOLVE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS BEPS AND OTHER ENTITIES IN THAT CONVERSATION LEADING UP TO THE WORLD CUP. BUT ON OTHER THINGS LIKE I THINK THERE'S THERE'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU KNOW IF THE NFL DRAFT WERE TO EVER COME TO BOSTON OR NBA ALL-STAR OR THE NHL ALL-STAR OR NHL DRAFT EXCUSE ME OR SOME OF THE OTHER SPORTS MAJOR SPORTS EVENTS THAT ARE OF INTEREST TO THE CITY AND BRING IN HERE AND AGAIN REPLICATING THAT EFFORT ALONG THOSE TRACKS WILL BE IMPORTANT AS WELL. SO I VERY MUCH AGREE WITH ALL OF YOU ON ON THAT OPPORTUNITY AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO FOLLOWING UP AFTER THIS HEARING ON HOW WE CAN DO BETTER TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S A FIRM PIPELINE. TO YOUR POINT, CAN I ALSO JUST SAY YOU ASKED THE QUESTION EARLY ON SO IN TERMS OF THE BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL, PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE HAD CONVENED A CONVERSATION WITH THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MUSEUM HISTORY MUSEUM AND NATIONAL PARK SERVICE BECAUSE ON THE ISSUE OF SIGNAGE FOR INSTANCE, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT WHO HAS JURISDICTION OVER THAT. AND SO EVEN THOUGH WE APPRECIATE THAT THERE WAS MONEY SET ASIDE IN THE BUDGET, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW ,ARE WE SHOULD WE BE EXPANDING OUR CAPITAL DOLLARS TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS OR IS THAT SOMETHING ALREADY WITHIN THE FEDERAL BUDGET TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS?  AND SO HOW COULD OUR DOLLARS BE ADDITIVE? SO I'M SURE WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING TOP GIVING A FULLER UPDATE AND NEXT STEPS FROM THAT CONVERSATION. YEAH, I THANK YOU FOR THAT I'D LOVE TO YOU KNOW MAKE CAME TO THE FINISH LINE IN REGARDS TO THAT IS VERY PERSONAL MORE SO BECAUSE SOMEONE IN MY OFFICE WHO WAS IN COLLEGE AT THE TIME HAD A LOT OF PASSION AROUND THIS ISSUE AND SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT.  SO DON ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A SHOUT OUT THAT YOU'RE SCREENING IS DEFINITELY SO MUCH BETTER. YOUR BACKGROUND IS WORKING TODAY.  OKAY. THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE YOU SHOW UP SCREEN READY AND YOU KNOW I'M NOT GOING TO OCCUPY ANY MORE SPACE. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE CHAIR AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUING WORK TOGETHER. THANK YOU, CHAIR I THINK I'M FOR FOR MY QUESTION BUT TODAY BANK YOU CAN'T SEND MEJIA ANY OTHER OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ALL RIGHT WELL NOW MOVE FORWARD TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. SHANE DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY? NO, WE DON'T. MR CHAIR.  AWESOME. WELL, THANK YOU, CHIEF TWO MR GREEN DEPUTY RIGHT. ALL YOU WANT TO DO FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON DIRECT TWO BODIES ONE ELSE TO SAY THANK YOU, CHIEF. YOU HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM. CONTINUE THE GREAT WORK AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT 2 P.M. AND WITH THAT SAID, THE HEARING ON DOG IS NUMBER 067030678 IS ADJOURNED THANK YOU