##VIDEO ID:oegLSUx_HAI##  THAT HAVE ONE I CALL TO ORDER MEETING OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL WHERE YOU CAN WATCH THE COUNCIL MEETING LIVE ON YOUTUBE AT BOSTON DON FORGE LIFE CITY COUNCIL DASH TV. AT THIS TIME I ASK MY COLLEAGUES AND THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE SILENCE THEIR CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES.  THANK YOU. MR. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL TO ASCERTAIN THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM?  COUNCILOR , BRING YOUR COUNCIL OF COLOR AS A PARTY.  COUNCILOR DURKAN COUNCILOR FOR ANANDA SANDERSON.  COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.  COUNCILOR FLYNN.  YEAH. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE HERE. COUNCILOR LET ME HEAR.  COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCIL OF OPEN AIR COUNCIL SANTANA.  COUNCILOR WEBER AND COUNCILOR . YEAH. A QUORUM. THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT. BEFORE WE BEGIN TODAY'S MEETING I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TODAY IS 911. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HONOR REMEMBER THOSE LIVES LOST. AND ON THIS DAY WE REFLECT ON THE TREMENDOUS LOSS AND SACRIFICE AND WE HOLD IN OUR HEARTS THOSE WHO ARE TAKEN FROM US AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES WHO CONTINUE TO CARRY THEIR MEMORIES. WE THANK OUR COURAGEOUS FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR COMPASSIONATE STRANGERS WHO RAN TO HELP THOSE IN NEED ON THAT DAY AND MADE THEIR MEMORIES LIVE ON.  LET US NOW OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN THEIR REMEMBRANCE . NOW IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THIS WEEK'S CLERGY PASTOR DELA ROSA INVITED BY COUNCILOR MURPHY, COUSIN MURPHY AND COUNCIL THAT I COUNCILOR DELA ROSA PASTOR AND OBVIOUSLY DIOSA IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME FORWARD AND AFTER WE RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.  Q GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.  I'M HONORED TO INTRODUCE A SPECIAL GUEST WHO WILL LEAD US IN THE OPENING PRAYER TODAY OFFICER JOSH DELA ROSA WHO IS NO STRANGER TO THIS CHAMBER. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND YOU'VE GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO JOIN US AGAIN TODAY. OFFICER DE LA ROSA IS AN INSPIRATION NOT ONLY TO ME PERSONALLY BUT TO COUNTLESS OTHERS IN OUR CITY.  JOSH IS A DEDICATED FAMILY MAN, A DEVOTED FATHER AND A RESPECTED MEMBER OF OUR POLICE FORCE. HIS COMMITMENT TO SERVING AND PROTECTING OUR CITY EXTENDS BEYOND HIS PROFESSIONAL DUTIES. HE IS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN EFFORTS THAT AIM TO FOSTER STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS HE SERVES. HE BRINGS HIS PERSONAL STORY OF OBSTACLES GROWING UP IN THE CITY TO HIS WORK IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND HIS WORK AS A PASTOR. ON A PERSONAL NOTE I FIRST MET JOSH A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN SUPER INTENDED BASTIEN INVITED THE TWO OF US TO BE PANELISTS AT FENWAY HIGH TO TALK TO STUDENTS ABOUT ADDICTION.  I KNEW INSTANTLY THAT HE WAS A SPECIAL MAN AND THAT HE IS SOMEONE WHO MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES EVERY DAY OF OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. I HAVE HEARD PASTOR DELA ROSA PRAY MANY OCCASIONS AND TO BE HONEST EVEN WHEN HE IS PRAYING IN SPANISH I DON'T NEED TRANSLATION BECAUSE I CAN FEEL IT. I WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND.  I FEEL HONORED THAT YOU'RE OPENING US IN PRAYER TODAY. AND COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE MENTIONED TODAY IS 911 SO IT'S A SPECIAL DAY ALSO TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PRAYING HARDER FOR THOSE WE LOST ON THAT DAY. SO THANK YOU.  I DO THANK YOU EVERYONE AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU.  TO MY MUSLIM BROTHERS AND SISTERS. SHALOM. ALAIKUM.  TO MY JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS. SHALOM. SHALOM.  IN LIGHT THAT YOU GUYS RAISED THE BRAZILIAN FLAG THIS WEEK, I WANT TO SAY IT DOES HAPPEN. SO IT DOES HAPPEN SO IT BONJOUR . WELL, GOD BLESS YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS HAVE ADOPTED ME AS A FRIEND AND TO ME IS A HUGE PRIVILEGE. I'VE GOT TO MEET MANY OF YOU GUYS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL AND I'VE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS HAVE A BROTHER HERE MORE THAN A FRIEND AND IF THERE'S TIMES WHERE YOU NEED TO CALL ME ON A MIDNIGHT IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU. JUST CALL HIM. THANK YOU.  IN LIGHT THAT WE ARE CELEBRATING 911 THE MEMORY OF ALL THOSE THAT WE LOST ON THAT DAY. LET US PRAY ALSO FOR THE FAMILY MEMBERS YOU KNOW THAT ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH THAT STILL WHEN THIS DAY COMES AROUND HAVE THAT SAD MOMENT. LET'S KEEP THEM IN PRAYER AS WELL AND ALL THOSE GOING THROUGH PTSD DUE TO THAT DAY. I WOULD LIKE TO READ A SCRIPTURE HERE AND IT'S A VERY FAMOUS SCRIPTURE IS IT'S IN JOHN CHAPTER THREE VERSE 16. THIS THE SCRIPTURE HAS SAVED SO MANY PEOPLE FROM DRUG ADDICTION, FROM ALCOHOLISM, SAVED SO MANY FAMILIES,  RESTORED SO MANY FAMILIES AND AND I JUST I WANT TO PRESENT THIS TONIGHT BEFORE I DO THIS PRAYER. IT'S JOHN CHAPTER THREE VERSE 16 WE READ THE WORD OF THE FATHER IN THE NAME OF JESUS WITH THE COMMUNION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. IT SAYS FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE FOR GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED. LET US PRAY PLEASE BY HIS DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER WE APPEAL TO YOU THE GOD THAT CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH DAY HEAVENLY FATHER IN REGARDS TO THE SCRIPTURE THAT WE JUST FINISHED READING THAT YOU ARE THE GOD THAT SAVES FATHER. I PRAY THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO YOU WILL DO YOUR WORK WE INTO YOUR HEAVENLY COURTS UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU ARE THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE OUR LORD AND SAVIOR AS AN ADVOCATE THAT CAN THAT'S THERE INTERCEDING FOR US. FATHER I PRESENT THE CASE THAT THAT YOU SAY THROUGH YOUR WORD THAT YOU LOVE IT, YOU LOVE THE WORLD AND YOU GAVE YOUR ONLY BEGOTTEN SON FOR IT. FATHER I REMIND YOU OF THAT SACRIFICE.  YOU'RE THE ONE WHO SAYS IN ISAIAH CHAPTER 55 THAT YOUR WORD WILL NOT RETURN TO YOU VOID THAT IT WILL DO WHATEVER YOU TELL IT TO DO. FATHER YOU HAVE SINNED THOUGH YOUR WORD INTO THIS WORLD TO RESTORE TO CHANGE, TO DO POWERFUL THINGS AMONGST THOSE THAT NEED IT GOD. FATHER THERE IS A SOCIETY THAT FEELS THAT THEY DON'T NEED YOU BUT YET THEY WORSHIP OTHER THINGS. BUT THEN THERE'S A REMNANT THAT SAYS I NEED THE LIVING GOD FATHER I PRAY FOR EVERYONE NOT NOT ONLY FOR THOSE THAT I HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT NEED YOU BUT THOSE THAT HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT YOU EXIST THAT HAVE FAILED TO ADMIT THAT YOU EXIST. I PRAY FOR THEM THAT THEY WOULD COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF REVELATION OF WHO YOU ARE. FATHER I PRAY FOR THIS COUNCILOR FOR THE CITY COUNCIL PRAYING THAT YOU GIVE THEM COUNCILOR , THAT YOU GIVE THEM MIGHT THAT YOU GIVE THEM STRENGTH, THAT YOU CONTINUE TO GIVE THEM REVELATION. FATHER CONTINUE TO REVEAL AND GUIDE AND GUIDE THEM IN THE RIGHT PATH. GIVE THEM SHED LIGHT UPON THEM. PUT YOUR FACE TOWARDS THEIR FACE.  INCLINE YOUR EAR TOWARDS THEM. FATHER I PRAY FOR THEIR FAMILIES. I PRAY FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEIR RELATIVES. I PRAY FOR THEIR CHILDREN.  I PRAY FOR THEIR MARRIAGES. HEAVENLY FATHER DO YOU WILL FATHER IF THERE'S ANY MARRIAGES THAT ARE STRUGGLING I PRAY THAT THEY WOULD BE RESTORED. I PRAY THAT IF ANY PERSON HERE IS MISSING A RESOURCE THAT THEY NEED TO LISTEN TO YOU WILL I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD USHER THAT IN MY LORD. FATHER, I PRAY FOR ALL THOSE RELATIVES AND ALL THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THOSE WHO WHO HAD SOMEONE ON 911 AND LOST SOMEONE ON 911. I PRAY FOR THEM. I PRAY FOR ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT STRUGGLE THAT DAY FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE STILL STRUGGLING THROUGH PTSD.  I PRAY FOR THEM. MY GOD DO YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BRING HEALING YOUR THERAPY SESSION THAT IS DONE THROUGH YOUR PRESENCE. FATHER, YOU ARE THE GOD OF ISRAEL AND I APPEAL TO YOU. BUT YOU'RE NOT ONLY THE GOD OF ISRAEL, YOU'RE THE GOD OF THE GENTILES. YOU ARE THE GOD THAT SAYS I AM THE GOD OF ALL FLESH. IS THERE ANYTHING DIFFICULT FOR ME ? I'VE RECOGNIZED THAT THERE'S NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU. SO THEREFORE WE TALK TO YOU THE CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. YOU CAN PUT THINGS IN ORDER. YOU CAN PUT THINGS YOU CAN PUT THING PIECES TOGETHER. YOU ARE THE GOD THAT'S WILLING AND ABLE TO DO IT. THAT'S WHY WE SPEAK TO YOU, FATHER. IT IS NO COINCIDENCE.  INSTEAD THE CRIME RATE IS DOWN IN OUR CITY BECAUSE OUR CITY LEADERS HAVE DECIDED TO ALLOW FOR PRAYER TO BE DONE IN THIS PLACE IN THIS SPACE. AND I PRAY HEAVENLY FATHER THAT THAT WILL NEVER BE LOST AND CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS CITY. FATHER, IF IF THE IF YOU DON'T WATCH OVER THE CITY YOUR WORD SAYS THEN THE WATCHMEN STAND IN VAIN WE GUARDED IN VAIN AS LEADERS WE'RE LEADING IN VAIN IF YOU'RE NOT THE ONE LEADING SO THEREFORE WE PUT YOU FIRST AND WE THANK YOU GOD FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND ALL THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO CONTINUE TO BLESS OUR LEADERS AND BLESS OUR CITY.  AND I FINISH OFF WITH THE PRAYER THAT MY LORD AND SAVIOR TAUGHT ME HOW TO PRAY.  FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN HALLOWED BE THY NAME.  THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.  GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD AND FORGIVE US OF OUR TRANSGRESSIONS AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRANSGRESS AGAINST US AND LEAD US NOT AS A TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL. AMEN.  AND THEY MEANT MAY THE CHURCH SAY AMEN.  GOD BLESS YOU GUYS. I LOVE YOU GUYS. WE WILL NOW RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.  THANK YOU.  THANK YOU GUYS. GOD BLESS YOU GUYS.  THANK OKAY.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PASTOR DEROSA, FOR THE INVOCATION TODAY FOR YOUR PRAYER FOR ALWAYS BEING WITH US AND FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT DO IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AS AN OFFICER, AS A PASTOR, AS A FRIEND.  MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE REMEMBER ATTENDANCE TO REFLECT ? MR. CLERK WOULD YOU PLEASE AMEND THE ATTENDANCE TO REFLECT THAT COUNCILORS DIRK CLETA,  ZAPATA, DURKIN AND WEBER ARE NOW WITH US AND OUR PRESENT. WE'RE NOW ON TO THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING OF AUGUST 28, 2024. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I OPPOSE ANY THE AYES HAVE IT THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING ARE APPROVED. WE ARE NOW ON TO COMMUNICATIONS FROM OUR HONOR THE MAYOR. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1334. TALKING NUMBER ONE THREE, THREE, FOUR. MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $11,406,762 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT AWARDED BY THE USDA FOREST SERVICE, URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE CREATION OF AN ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE AND RESILIENT URBAN FOREST IN BOSTON AND REDUCE TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO ACCESSING AND PRESERVING TREES. THANK YOU. DOCKET NUMBER 1334 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, RESILIENCY AND PARKS.  MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1335 DUCK NUMBER 1335 MESSAGE IN HONOR OF RAISING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND $2,322,200 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE COMMUNITY MITIGATION AWARDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE BUDGET COMMITTEE TO BE ADMINISTERED BY BUDGET MANAGEMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND TO OFFSET COSTS RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF GAMING ESTABLISHMENTS. THANK YOU. DOCKET NUMBER 1335 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. WE'RE NOW ON TO REPORTS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND OTHERS. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE REDACT NUMBER 1336 SO I CAN HAVE A1336 COMMUNICATE RECEIVED BY THE CITY CLERK FROM THE BOSTON LANDMARKS COMMISSION FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION ON THE DESIGNATION OF THE PETITION. NUMBER 243.11 THE WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON HOUSE 17 HIGHLAND PARK STREET ROXBURY, MASS.  02119. IN EFFECT AFTER OCTOBER NINE, 2024 IF NOT ACTED UPON.  THANK YOU. DOCKET NUMBER 13361 BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING,  DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKETS NUMBER 133721345 STALKING NUMBER 1337 COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM THE CITY CLERK REGARDING THE 2023 2024 UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTABILITY STATISTICAL REPORT DOCKET NUMBER 1338 COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM THE COMMEMORATION COMMISSION OF THE REPORT ENTITLED ENTITLED COMMEMORATION COMMISSION PROGRESS REPORT JULY 2024 TALKING NUMBER 1339 NOTICE RECEIVED FROM THE CITY CLERK IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER SIX OF THE ORDINANCES OF 1979 RELATIVE TO ACTION TAKEN BY THE MAYOR AND PAPERS ACTED UPON BY THE CITY COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING OF AUGUST 28, 2024 CLERK NUMBER 1340 NOTICE TO RECEIVE FROM THE MAYOR THE APPOINTMENT OF JERICHO BROWNLEE AS TEMPORARY FIRST ASSISTANT COLLECTOR TREASURER FOR A PERIOD OF 60 DAYS EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER SIX, 2024 TUCKER NUMBER 1341 NOTICE RECEIVED FROM THE MAYOR THE APPOINTMENT OF TIM MCKENZIE AS A TEMPORARY SECOND ASSISTANT COLLECTING COLLECTOR TREASURER FOR A PERIOD OF 60 DAYS EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER SIX, 2024 NUMBER 134 TO NOTICE RECEIVED FROM THE MAYOR OF THE APPOINTMENT OF OLIVER SELLERS GARCIA AS AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER OF THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL COMMISSION EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY TUCKER NUMBER 1343 NOTICE RECEIVED FROM THE MAYOR THE APPOINTMENT OF KWOK TRAM AS A MEMBER OF THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OVERSIGHT PANEL EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. TUCKER NUMBER 1344 NOTICE RECEIVED FROM THE MAYOR THE APPOINTMENT AARON HATCHER AS A MEMBER OF THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OVERSIGHT PANEL EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND DOC NUMBER 1345 NOTICES RECEIVED FROM THE MAYOR THE APPOINTMENT OF SAM NIBLOCK AS A MEMBER OF THE BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE NOMINATING PANEL EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY THANK YOU DOCKETS NUMBER 133731345 WILL BE PLACED ON FILE.  MR. CLERK WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1346 DUCKY NUMBER 1346 THAT CONSTABLE BORN OF HELEN CAMERON HAVE BEEN DULY APPROVED BY THE COLLECTOR TREASURER AND WAS RECEIVED. THANK YOU. DOCKET NUMBER 1346 IS APPROVED UNDER THE USUAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS. WE ARE NOW ON TO REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKETS NUMBER 1163 AND 1164 DOCKET NUMBER 1163 THE CANADIAN WAYS AND MEANS WHICH WAS REFERRED ON AUGUST SEVEN, 2024 DOCKET NUMBER 1163 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR YOUR APPROVAL IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE FISCAL YEAR 25 APPROPRIATION FOR THE RESERVE FOR COLLECTED BARGAINING BY $187,373 TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 25 INCREASES CONTAINED WITHIN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE BOSTON POLICE SCHOOL TRAFFIC SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT THE ORDER ARE TO PASS IN DOCKET NUMBER 116 FOR THE COMMITTEE AND WAYS AND MEANS TO WHICH WAS REFERRED ON AUGUST SEVEN, 2020 FOR DOCKET NUMBER 116 FOR MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ORDER FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 AND IN THE AMOUNT OF $187,373 TO COVER THE FISCAL YEAR 25 COST ITEMS CONTAINED WITHIN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE BOSTON POLICE SCHOOL TRAFFIC SUPERVISOR ASSOCIATION INC. THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT SEPTEMBER 1ST,  2023 THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2027 THE MAJOR PROVISIONS OF THE CONTRACT INCLUDE A BASE WAGE INCREASE OF 2% TO BE GIVEN IN SEPTEMBER OF EACH YEAR OF THE CONTRACT TERM AND FLAT AMOUNTS OF $200 $200, $275 AND $350 TO BE ADDED TO ANNUAL SALARIES IN JANUARY OF EACH FISCAL YEAR SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT THE ORDER OUGHT TO PASS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WILDE, CHAIR OF THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE. CAVS WHERE ARE YOU ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS HELD A HEARING ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER SIX, 2024 TO DISCUSS TOPICS NUMBER 116331164 TESTIMONY WAS PROVIDED BY JIM WILLIAMSON, BUDGET DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON, RENé BUCCI, DIRECTOR OF LABOR AND JOHN BOLTON, DIRECTOR OF LABOR AND RELATIONS FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.  FROM THE CITY COUNCIL WE HAD COUNCILORS WEBER, FLYNN AND FITZGERALD IN ATTENDANCE AND RECEIVED LETTERS OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCILOR FINANCE ANDERSON DIRECTOR WILLIAMSON EXPLAINED THAT $187,373 WOULD BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RESERVE INTO THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET REDUCING THE RESERVE TO 90 $95.8 MILLION. DIRECTOR BUCCI HIGHLIGHTED THAT THIS CONTRACT, WHILE SIMILAR TO OTHERS, DIFFERS IN THAT SKEWED TRAFFIC SUPERVISOR'S WORK ABOUT 15 HOURS PER WEEK. KEY PROVISIONS INCLUDE A 2% ANNUAL WAGE INCREASE AN INCREMENTAL FLEX FLAT SALARY ADJUSTMENTS. DIRECTOR WALTON EMPHASIZED THAT THIS CONTRACT WAS STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY ALL PARTIES. COUNCIL DISCUSSED TOPICS INCLUDING STAFFING VACANCIES, RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND CRITICAL ROLE OF SCHOOL TRAFFIC SUPERVISORS. MY OFFICE SUBMITTED FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS REGARDING DISTRICTS WITH UNFILLED CROSSINGS AND UNCOVERED INTERSECTIONS. WE WILL SHARE THIS INFORMATION AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE IT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. HOWEVER, AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS I RECOMMEND THAT THE DOCKET MOVE TO THE FULL COUNCIL WITH RECOMMENDATION THAT THE MATTERS OUGHT TO PASS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR . THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1163 ALL IN FAVOR SAY I, MR CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL VOTE ROLL CALL VOTE ON DIALING NUMBER 1163. COUNCILOR BREEN, COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA YES. COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PARTY YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN COUNCILOR DURKAN YES. COUNCILOR FERNANDA SANDERSON COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR FLYNN YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR MEDIA. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE?  YES. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR PIPPIN.  YES. COUNCILOR 15 YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCIL AUSTIN TIERNEY YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. COUNCIL MEMBER YES. AND COUNCILOR YES.  COUNCILOR RAIL YES. TALKING NUMBER 1163 HAS RECEIVED 12 VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU. DOCKING NUMBER 1163 HAS PASSED. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS WHICH IS HAPPENING TO THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSENGER DOCKET NUMBER 1164 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I. MR CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL VOTE ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKING NUMBER ONE ONE SIXTH FLOOR COUNCILOR BREADON YES.  COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PILOT, YES. COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PARTNER, YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN YES.  COUNCILOR FERNANDA SANDERSON COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCIL FITZGERALD YES. COUNCIL FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN YES.  COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE.  CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. YES. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR PIPPIN COUNCILOR OPINIONS COUNCILOR SANTANA.  COUNCILOR SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. AND COUNCILOR WORRELL? YES. COUNCILOR WU YES. TALKING ABOUT 1164 HAS RECEIVED 12 VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.  THANK YOU. THIS DOCKET HAS PASSED. WE ARE NOW ON TWO MATTERS RECENTLY HEARD. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ A NUMBER 0926 DOCKING NUMBER 092611 PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW REGARDING AN ACT RELATIVE TO RAISING THE MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT FOR ENTRANCE TO THE BOSTON POLICE ACADEMY. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS CANDIDATE CLARA ZAPATA.  YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THE COMMITTEE HELD A HEARING ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2024 AND ATTENDANCE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION WAS LIZ O'BRIEN, BUREAU CHIEF OF ADMINISTRATION AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TESTIFIED ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND I HAD A NUMBER OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO WERE THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. THE ADMINISTRATION TESTIFIED IN SUPPORT OF RAISING THE AGE LIMIT, CONFIRMING THE POLICE COMMISSIONERS SUPPORT FOR THIS HOME RULE PETITION. THE ADMINISTRATION'S TESTIMONY DISCUSSED THE CURRENT RECRUITMENT PROCESSES AND HIGHLIGHTED THE POSITIVE IMPACTS RAISING THE AGE LIMIT WOULD HAVE ON THE CITY'S ABILITY TO RECRUIT MORE CANDIDATES.  THE ADMINISTRATION ALSO NOTED THE IMPLICATIONS. RAISING THE AGE LIMIT WOULD HAVE FOR VETERANS. IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THE GENERAL LAWS ALLOW VETERANS TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM AGE PROVISION BY UP TO FOUR YEARS DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS THEY SERVED ON ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY. ON BEHALF OF THE BOSTON THE BOSTON POLICE PATROLMEN'S UNION PRESIDENT CALDERONE STRESSED THE NEED TO HIRE MORE OFFICERS CITING A SHORTAGE OF AT LEAST 400 TO 500 OFFICERS ACROSS THE CITY. PRESIDENT CALDERON COMMENDED THE CITY FOR THEIR RECRUITMENT AND HIRING EFFORTS IN RECENT YEARS AND EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR ACCEPTING VIABLE CANDIDATES BUT ADVOCATED THAT MORE IMPORTANTLY MORE CAN AND SHOULD BE DONE TO INCREASE THE POOL OF CANDIDATES LIKE LIFTING RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS. THE COMMITTEE ALSO HEARD SUPPORTIVE TESTIMONY FROM THE LATINO LAW ENFORCEMENT GROUP OF BOSTON AND PETITIONERS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE WAIVER PROCESS THEMSELVES.  TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF THE PETITION EMPHASIZED THE MATURITY AND LIFE EXPERIENCE OLDER RECRUITS BRING PAST PETITIONERS SHARED PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND CHALLENGES FACE DUE TO THE CURRENT AGE LIMIT EXPRESSING STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE PETITION AND HIGHLIGHTING THEIR READINESS AND COMMITMENT TO SERVE. CONCERNS WERE RAISED WITH RESPECT TO THE IMPACT OF RAISING THE MAXIMUM AGE COULD HAVE ON AN OFFICER'S PENSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS WERE MADE TO CONSIDER RAISING THE RETIREMENT AGE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS OR AT THE VERY LEAST PROVIDING DISCLAIMERS. THE ADMINISTRATION AND COMMITTEE EXPRESSED WILLINGNESS TO LOOK FURTHER INTO SUCH SUGGESTIONS AND ADVOCATE FOR THIS PETITION ITS PASSAGE AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO PUT THIS FORWARD. I'M GRATEFUL TO MY CO-SPONSORS AND MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR EXPRESS SUPPORT OF THIS HUMBLE PETITION. THIS WAS AGAIN DONE IN 2007 BY MICHAEL FLAHERTY TO TRY TO GET MORE FOLKS ONTO THE FORCE. AND SO I'M VERY PROUD AS THE CHAIR OF COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS TO SUBMIT A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT THIS DOCKET OUGHT TO PASS AND ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME AND IN MY SUPPORT AND EXCUSE ME IN THEIR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . I WAS ABOUT TO THE CHAIR AND AS IS COUNCILOR SANTANA CONSTANTINI ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. TODAY I PROBABLY WRITE AS A CO-SPONSOR OF THIS IMPORTANT HOME RULE PETITION TO RAISE THE MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE BOSTON POLICE ACADEMY.  OUR CITY IS FACING CHALLENGES IN ENSURING THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE THE NECESSARY POLICE PRESENCE TO DELIVER EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY SAFETY SERVICES.  BY RAISING THE AGE LIMIT WE ARE NOT ONLY ADDRESSING LABOR SHORTAGES BUT ALSO OPENING THE DOOR FOR MORE QUALIFIED MOTIVATED INDIVIDUALS TO JOIN OUR FORCE. INDIVIDUALS WITH A BROADER RANGE OF LIFE EXPERIENCE WHO BRING UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE TO SERVING OUR CITY. MANY BOSTON RESIDENTS OVER THE AGE OF 39 HAVE THE SKILLS PHYSICAL FITNESS AND DEDICATION TO SERVE AS POLICE OFFICERS BUT ARE CURRENTLY BARRED BY ARBITRARY AGE RESTRICTION. WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH INDIVIDUAL WAIVERS FOR THESE CANDIDATES REPEATEDLY. ADDING UNNECESSARY BUREAUCRACY AND DELAY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE READY TO SERVE IS TIME WE STREAMLINED THIS PROCESS. THIS POLICY IS SUPPORTED BY THE LATINO LAW ENFORCEMENT GROUP OF BOSTON AND I BELIEVE IT PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL TOOL TO HELP MEET THE CITY'S PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS WHILE ENSURING THAT OUR POLICE FORCE REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY AND EXPERIENCES OF OUR COMMUNITIES WHILE WE CONTINUE OUR WORK ON RECRUITING YOUNGER CADETS. THIS LEGISLATION OFFERS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE RESIDENTS TO ANSWER THE CALL TO SERVE. I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS PETITION AND HELP US CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE AND EFFECTIVE PATHWAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE EAGER TO PROTECT AND SERVE BOSTON. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR PIPPEN HAS A BIG PEN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY THANKING THE CHAIR OF GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COUNSELOR AT ABOUT THAT FOR FOR CHAIRING SUCH A GREAT HEARING WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO HEAR FROM A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WANT TO BE POLICE OFFICERS AND THE PERSON THAT STANDS OUT TO ME IS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE THAT I PUSHED FORWARD WITH THE HOMEOWNER PETITIONS AS NO SURPRISE TO EVERYONE HERE. I PROBABLY HAVE DONE LIKE TEN BY NOW AT THIS POINT BUT IT'S MR ALEX GUZMAN WHO IS IN HIS EARLY FORTIES FOR HIS HEALTHY,  PHYSICALLY CAPABLE READY TO SERVE THE CITY OF BOSTON. HE'S A DAD . HE LIVES IN HYDE PARK AND THE ONLY REASON WHY HE COULDN'T GET IN EARLIER WAS BECAUSE HE JUST WASN'T SURE.  AND NOW HE'S READY AND NOW HE'S READY TO SERVE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IN A TIME WHERE THERE'S A SHORTAGE AND WE KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE. SO THAT IS WHY I'M UP HERE AS A CO-SPONSOR OF THIS HEARING ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TO PLEASE SUPPORT THIS. IT'S THE ONLY RIGHT MOVE TO BE ABLE TO GLAD TO BE PD MOVE FORWARD AND GIVE RESIDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS A BOSTON POLICE OFFICER. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE WELCOME TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER. OKAY. COUNCILOR CARLOS ZAPATA, THE CHAIR THE COMMITTEE ON CORPORATE OF GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 0926. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I MR QUIGLEY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE ROLL CALL VOTE, CALL, VOTE ON DOCKET NUMBER 0926. COUNCILOR BREEN. YES. COUNCILOR BREADON.  YES. COUNCILOR COLETTE. AS THE COUNCIL CLOSE UPON.  YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR DURKAN. YES. COUNCILOR . FINANCE MINISTER. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.  YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE YES. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. YES. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR THE PEN COUNCILOR PIN YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA. COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR WEBER. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. AND COUNCILOR WE'RE ALL DUCKING THEM. A0926 HAS RECEIVED 11 VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 0926 HAS PASSED. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1162 DUNCAN NUMBER 116 TO MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR YOUR APPROVAL IN ORDER AMENDING THE CITY BUS AND CODE ORDINANCES CHAPTER 15 SECTION 15 DASH 11.1 REGARDING BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT FOR EQUITY AND WELFARE SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 2021 THE BLACK MEN AND BOYS COMMISSION HAS SOUGHT TO STUDY THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE CITY'S BLACK MEN AND BOYS DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO REMEDY OR ASSIST IN REMEDY SERIOUS ADVERSITIES AND RECOMMEND COURSES OF ACTION TO CREATE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR GENERATIONS OF BLACK MEN AND BOYS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COCA-COLA ZAPATA, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COUNCILOR CLOSE UP OF THE OTHER FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. WE HELD A WORKING SESSION YESTERDAY IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM AND I WAS JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES LOUIJEUNE MORALES, PEPEN, SANTANA AND FLYNN.  WE HEARD FROM CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION TITO JACKSON AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FRANK FARROW AND VARIOUS OTHER STAFF MEMBERS WITHIN THE OFFICE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE AS SPONSORED BY MAYOR WU CHAMPIONED BY THEN COUNCILOR JACKSON IN 2014 AND AGAIN BY COUNCILOR MEJIA IN 2021 IS TO CODIFY THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT IN ADDITION TO THE COMMISSION ON BLACK MEN AND BOYS CODIFYING THE OFFICE ESTABLISHES A PERMANENT RESIDENCY IN THE OFFICE OF PERMANENT RESIDENCY OF THE OFFICE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON EXCUSE ME . MY GOAL IS TO KEEP THIS DOCKET IN COMMITTEE FOR NOW WHILE WE EXPLORE THE IDEA OF A STIPEND FOR COMMISSION MEMBERS. MEREDITH POTENTIALLY ON THE FRAMEWORK OF THE REPARATIONS TASK FORCE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WERE SOME AMBIGUITY AS IT RELATES TO WHETHER OR NOT THIS SHOULD LIVE IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AS EXPRESSED IN THE FIRST SECTION OR WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT LIVES IN THE OFFICE OF EQUITY. THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS AROUND THAT. SO AS CHAIR I'M GOING TO MOVE TO KEEP THIS DOCUMENT COMMITTEE SO WE CAN IRON OUT THOSE DETAILS AND HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.  I WILL SAY THAT THIS IS ON A SIX DAY ORDER SO WE HAVE UNTIL OCTOBER 7TH TO PASS THIS MEETING BY OCTOBER 2ND. WE SHOULD ALL COME TO A CONSENSUS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANT TO PRESENT TO THE MAYOR AS AN AMENDMENT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. THANK YOU.  COUNCILOR DUQUETTE NUMBER 116 TO REMAIN IN COMMITTEE WE'RE NOW ON TWO MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1347. DUNCAN AMBER 1347. COUNCILOR WEBER AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF LABOR COMPLIANCE AND WORKER PROTECTIONS. ONE MOMENT I BELIEVE I MISSED A LIGHT. COUNCILOR FLYNN, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT BASED ON THE COMMITTEE REPORT? ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'LL LEAVE THAT COMMENT IN AND WE'LL CONTINUE. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR , WHEN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WAS AN EFFECTIVE WORKING SESSION HOSTED BY COUNCILOR CARTER AND ONE WITH KNOWLEDGE COUNCIL WERE ALL HAND COUNTS ON MEJIA FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS ISSUE FOR MANY YEARS.  I REALLY WANT IT TO BE IN EXISTENCE WITHOUT COUNCIL ME HERE IN COUNCILOR WORRELL. I DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND SOME OF THESE MEETINGS AND I WILL SAY THAT THIS COMMITTEE PROVIDES EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND RECOMMENDATIONS SUPPORT TO YOUNG BLACK BOYS AND MEN ACROSS BOSTON. SO I THINK IT'S IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW ON TWO MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS. APOLOGIES, MR. CLERK, IF YOU COULD JUST PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER ONE THREE, FOUR SEVEN AND THEN COUNCILOR WEBER YOU'LL HAVE THE FLOOR TALKING ABOUT 1347. COUNCILOR WEBER OFFER THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF LABOR COMPLIANCE AND WORKER PROTECTIONS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER. COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. MY CO-SPONSORS ARE HAVE STEPPED OUT BRIEFLY. CAN WE RECALL THIS AT THE END OR HAPPY TO GO FORWARD AND I DO HAVE ONE. DO YOU HAVE HOW MANY I OH IT DOESN'T MATTER. YOU CAN GO AND THEN AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL ADAM OKAY. OKAY.  THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR WORRELL AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR AND SUSPEND THE RULES AND HAVE CONCILOR MEJIA HERE AS A THIRD CO-SPONSOR. OKAY. IN 2022, MAYOR MICHELE WU ANNOUNCED THE CREATION OF THE CABINET OF WORKER EMPOWERMENT TO ADVANCE THE RIGHTS AND WELL-BEING OF ALL WORKERS ACROSS BOSTON. WITH THE CREATION OF THE CABINET THAT WAS ALONG WITH THAT WAS THE CREATION OF THE POSITION OF DEPUTY CHIEF WITH HER FOCUS ON IMPROVING OVERSIGHT OF LABOR STANDARDS AND BUILDING A CULTURE OF WORKPLACE SAFETY ACROSS THE CITY. DEPUTY CHIEF JODY SUGARMAN BRABAZON WAS THEN CHARGED WITH TO OVERSEE THE OFFICE OF LABOR COMPLIANCE AND WORKER PROTECTIONS WHICH PROTECTS AND PROMOTES POLICIES THAT CREATE FAIR WORKPLACES FOR ALL WORKERS INCLUDING EDUCATION AND WORKERS RIGHTS, WORKPLACE ISSUES AND BEING A RESOURCE FOR EMPLOYERS . THE OFFICE NOT ONLY SERVES WORKERS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON,  IT HAS HELPED SERVE MY OFFICE.  WHEN MY OFFICE WAS INTERESTED IN FILING A WAGE THEFT ORDINANCE.  THE OFFICE OF WORKER OF LABOR COMPLAINTS WORKER PROTECTIONS HAD ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON THAT ISSUE AND WERE AND WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF BRINGING THAT TO THIS COUNCIL . WHEN MY OFFICE WAS INTERESTED IN WORKING ON PROTECTING OUR CITY WORKERS FROM HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES, WE REACHED OUT AND IT TURNED OUT THE OFFICE OF LABOR COMPLIANCE AND PROTECTION HAD ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON THAT ISSUE AND KNEW ALL THE EXPERTS AND KNEW HOW TO CONNECT US WITH AND HELPED US BRING THAT ISSUE TO THE COUNCIL . SO I DID THIS. BUT SO IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL RESOURCE FOR US AND I THINK FOR THE WORKERS OF BOSTON SINCE THE MAYOR CREATED THIS OFFICE IT IS NOT IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE . SO THE ORDINANCE I'M PRESENTING TODAY SEEKS TO CODIFY THE OFFICE OF LABOR COMPLIANCE AND WORKER PROTECTIONS SO THAT IT WILL NOT ONLY CONTINUE TO SERVE WORKERS NOW IT WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE WORKERS THROUGHOUT BOSTON AND HELP THIS COUNCIL PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS INTO THE FUTURE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH CHAIR OF THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE CLETA ZAPATA AND MY CO-SPONSORS. COUNCILORS WERE L AND HERE IN GETTING THIS THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AND I JUST INVITE MY CO-SPONSORS OF THE BILL I DID ADD COUNCILOR MEJIA AS A CO-SPONSOR JUST AND IF SHE WANTS TO COMMENT THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO CASWELL VALUE ADDED AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. THAT'S WHY WE SEEK TO BEND THE RULES TO ADD CUSTOM HE AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS COMES FROM HERE. SO ADDED CATCH MEJIA IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK YOU MAY.  THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COMES TO MEJIA COMES TO THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR WEBER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ORDINANCE. I'M PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR THIS EFFORT TO ESTABLISH THE OFFICE OF LABOR COMPLIANCE AND WORKER PROTECTIONS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  I'M ALSO REALLY SUPER EXCITED THAT LAST YEAR OFFICE HAD THE AUDACITY TO THINK THAT WE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT AS A OFFICIAL CODIFYING INTO LAW AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THIS AS A TREND NOW BECAUSE WHAT'S THE SENSE OF HAVING AN OFFICE UNLESS IT'S CODIFIED INTO LAW SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT NO MATTER WHO IS IN POSSESSION OF POWER THAT THE WORK CONTINUES IN THAT SPACE. SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT OUR OFFICE HAS LONG BEEN COMMITTED TO ADVANCING EQUITY AND ENSURING FAIR TREATMENT OF WORKERS IN BOSTON.  IN FACT IN 2022 WE PASSED THE BOSTON FAIR CHANCE ACT TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC ISSUES IN THE CITY'S HIRING AND PROMOTION PRACTICES AND TO IMPROVE WORK PLACE CULTURE BY PREVENTING HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION WHILE WHAT WE LEARNED IN THAT PROCESS IS THAT THE PURSUIT OF A FAIR CHANCE ACT ONLY IS ABLE TO SUPPORT NONUNION EMPLOYEES AND SO THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN THAT SPACE. AND MOST RECENTLY WE HELD HEARINGS AND ISSUED PRESS RELEASES TO IMPROVE CITY THE CITY'S HIRING FIRING AND PROMOTIONAL PRACTICES, POLICIES AND PROTOCOLS THAT WE WERE WORKING ALONGSIDE COUNCILOR LOU WEBER SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THESE LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES AND GROWTH.  SO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS NEW OFFICE OF LABOR IN COMPLIANCE AND WORKER PROTECTIONS ALIGNS DIRECTLY WITH THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE TO PROMOTE FAIRNESS IN HIRING AND PROMOTIONAL PRACTICES ACROSS THE CITY JUST AS WE HAVE SOUGHT TO HOLD THE CITY ACCOUNTABLE FOR PROVIDING EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES, THIS OFFICE WILL ENFORCE LABOR STANDARDS TO ENSURE WORKERS ACROSS BOSTON ARE PAID FAIRLY PROTECTED FROM EXPLOITATION AND TREATED WITH DIGNITY IN THE WORKPLACE. AS A CITY COUNCIL WE ARE CONTINUING TO BUILD A BOSTON WHERE WORKERS RIGHTS ARE SAFEGUARDED AND WHERE THE PLAYING FIELD IS LEVELED FOR ALL AND ALL MEANS ALL WHETHER IN HIRING PROMOTIONAL OR EVERYDAY WORK PLACE PROTECTIONS. THANK YOU AGAIN AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO GET THIS PASSED.  THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER?  OKAY. WHAT WE'LL DO FOR CLERK IS THAT WE'LL JUST WE'LL JUST HAVE THE CO-SPONSORS HERE FOR NOW AND WHEN AND IF CASTRO RETURNS WE WILL ADD HIM AS A AS A AS A AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR CLERK, PLEASE. THAT I WAS GREAT IN THAT AS I'VE HAD DURKIN FITZGERALD, FLYNN, MURPHY BARNES, SANTANA PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR DOCKET NUMBER 1347. IT WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.  MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1348. NUMBER ONE THREE FOR A COUNSELOR COLETTA ZAPATA FOR THE FOLLOWING PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW REGARDING AN ACT DIRECTING THE CITY OF BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO WAIVE THE MAXIMUM AGE FOR POLICE OFFICERS FOR CHRIS GLOBAL POLICE THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CAO'S RECORD AS A PARTNER. COUNCILOR , YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM PRESIDENT. IN THE INTERIM WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR OUR PETITION TO BE SIGNED BY THE MAYOR AND UP AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED BY THE BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, THIS IS A REGULAR PETITION THAT WAS BROUGHT TO ME BY MR GAROPPOLO'S WHO IS A VALUED RESIDENT OF EAST BOSTON. HE IS A HUSBAND TO A CURRENT BOSTON POLICE OFFICER WHO HAS SPENT HIS LIFE IN SERVICE OF THE COMMUNITY AND HE BELIEVES HIS AGE IS NOT A BURDEN BUT AN ASSET BECAUSE OF HIS LIFE EXPERIENCE AND HE RESPECTS THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT SO MUCH AND ADMIRES THEIR WORK THAT HE'S HOPING TO BECOME ONE. HE IS JUST OVER THE AGE WAIVER EXCUSE ME THE AGE MAX MAXIMUM AND SO I AM HOPING TO SUSPEND AND PASS THIS DOCKET, MADAM PRESIDENT, AND ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT ME IN THAT ENDEAVOR.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WHAT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME MR. CLERK THAT CONCERNS BREADON FITZGERALD.  FLYNN MEJIA. MURPHY PIPPEN. SANTANA WEBER PLEASE OUT OF THE CHAIR.  DOCKET NUMBER 1348 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS MOVING TO SUSPENSION. OH, SORRY . SHE'S LOOKING FOR A SUSPENSION AND PASSAGE. THANK YOU. OKAY, MR. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET NUMBER 1348. ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET 1348 COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PARTY COUNCILOR COLORED AS A PARTY YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN YES. COUNCILOR FERNANDES ANDERSON COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN YES. COUNCIL PLAN YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES.  SO WHO'S IN? YES CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. YES.  COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR PIPPIN COUNCILOR PIN YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. AND COUNCILOR WORRELL YES. COUNCILOR WORRELL YES DUCK IN NUMBER 1348 HAS RECEIVED 12 VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.  THANK YOU. DOCKET NUMBER 1348 HAS PASSED. MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1349 DUCK NUMBER 1349 COUNCIL OF PLAYING OFF OF THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENTS ON THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL. THANK YOU THE CHAIR AGREED TO THIS CASUAL FLYNN CASUAL FLYNN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MADAM CHAIR, MAY I ADD COUNCILOR MURPHY AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR? COUNCILOR MURPHY SO ADDED IN INVOKE RULE 12 AND ADD COUNCIL ME HERE AS WELL CASUAL FLYNN TO SUSPENSION OF THE RULES TO ADD CLASSROOM HERE AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS COMES FROM HERE SO ADDED COUNCILOR FLYNN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. LAST THURSDAY THURSDAY ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL I MET AND SPOKE WITH PARENTS AND STUDENTS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFF AND SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS AND MONITORS TO SALT END SCHOOLS WHILE STUDENTS WERE EXCITED FOR THE START OF SCHOOL, SOME PARENTS COMPLAINED TO ME ABOUT SCHOOL BUS DELAYS AND IN SOME INSTANCES NO SHOWS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE EXPECTING TO BE PICKED UP THROUGHOUT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND INTO THE WEEK.  PARENTS TOLD ME THEY WAITED FOR THEIR CHILDREN FOR AS LONG AS AN HOUR FOR SCHOOL BUSSES. WELL SOME STUDENTS WERE EVENTUALLY PICKED UP. OTHERS HAD TO MAKE ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS TO DROP OFF AND PICK UP THEIR CHILDREN WHEN THE ABOUT BUSSES DID NOT ARRIVE.  ONE PARENT I MET TOLD ME THAT THEY DROVE THEIR CHILD FROM HYDE PARK TO A SALT IN SCHOOL BECAUSE THEIR BUS DID NOT ARRIVE. ANOTHER PARENT WROTE TO MY OFFICE SAYING THAT SHE TRACKED THE SCHOOL BUS ON THE NEWS ZOOM OUT FOR 45 MINUTES ONLY FOR THE APP TO BECOME UNAVAILABLE AN HOUR TO BRING HER CHILD TO SCHOOL ON THE WAY BACK HER CHILD WAS ON THE SCHOOL BUS FOR OVER 2 HOURS FROM DORCHESTER TO SOUTH BOSTON AND HAD TO PROVIDE THE BUS DRIVER DIRECTIONS TO THE HOUSE ON MONDAY OF THIS WEEK I WAS AT A COMMUNITY MEETING AT JOSIAH QUINCY SCHOOL ON AN UNRELATED ISSUE AS I WAS LEAVING THE SCHOOL AFTER THE MEETING AT 7 P.M. THERE WAS A WOMAN FROM ROXBURY WHO CAME FROM ROXBURY TO DESIRE QUINCY SCHOOL TO PICK UP HER CHILD CHILD CHILD'S DISMISSAL TIME WAS AT 4:00 AND THIS WAS NOW 7:00. THE WOMAN FROM ROXBURY TOOK AN UBER FROM ROXBURY OVER TO THE SOUTH END TO GET A CHILD AND THEN TOOK AN OATH ABOUT ROXBURY . UNFORTUNATELY, SCHOOL BUS DELAYS AND NO SHOWS ON THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL IS NOT A NEW ISSUE ACCORDING TO THE BOSTON GLOBE YESTERDAY THE ONE TIME ARRIVAL RATE FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL LAST WEEK WAS 30 34% WHICH IS THE WORST PERCENTAGE THAT HAS HAD SINCE 2016.  THIS IS A 30% DECLINE FROM LAST YEAR'S FIGURE SO THAT'S 61% WHICH IS STILL FAR BELOW THE STATE IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO HAVE 90% OF BUSSES ARRIVE ON TIME.  TRANSPORTATION SERVES 22,000 STUDENTS AND TRANSPORTS THEM FROM ACROSS THE CITY'S NINE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS EVERY DAY AS WE NAVIGATE THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL SENIOR LEADERSHIP TRANSPORTATION NEED TO BE IN BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH OUR PARENTS TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE PICKED UP ON TIME. THERE NEEDS TO BE RELIABILITY AND PREDICTABLE PREDICTABILITY AND BEEPS AS TRANSPORTATION AND IT IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR PARENTS AND CAN'T TAKE CARETAKERS TO WAIT HOURS FOR SCHOOL BUSSES TO PICK UP AND DROP OFF WHILE THE NEW ZOOM APP PROVIDES REAL LIFE INFORMATION AND BETTER ACCURACY FOR PARENTS, I HAVE ALSO HEARD OF CHALLENGES OF NAVIGATING THE TECHNOLOGY BY OUR SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS IN FACT I WITNESSED THIS IN THE CELL PHONE FROM A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER AS WELL AS TECHNICAL ISSUES EXPERIENCED BY PARENTS. THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER TRAINING FOR OUR BUS DRIVERS AHEAD OF TIME AND THE NEW APP DEVELOPERS NEED TO WORK ON MAXIMIZING TECHNICAL ISSUES.  I WOULD ALSO URGE APPS AND TRANSPORTATION TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER COORDINATING A DAY RUN WITH SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT DRIVERS KNOW THE BUS ROUTE AND FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO MEET THE DRIVERS KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT RESOLVE ANY ISSUES WITH PICKUP AND DROP OFF AHEAD OF TIME.  THAT ALL SOUNDS GOOD BUT THE SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL THE STUDENT MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT BUS DRIVER WHICH IS OFTEN THE CASE IN WAS THE CASE IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS. WE CANNOT ACCEPT THAT AT THE START OF EVERY SCHOOL YEAR OR THE START OF EVERY SPRING SPORTS SEASON THAT THIS IS JUST WHAT NORMALLY HAPPENS EVERY FIRST WEEK THAT SHOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE IS WE SHOULD BE TAKING STEPS IN ADVANCE TO ENSURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. AND THIS WAS NOT WHAT NORMALLY HAPPENS PARENTS WAITING FOR THE CHILDREN TO ARRIVE HOME TWO OR 3 HOURS LATE WITH CHILDREN PROVIDING DIRECTIONS LITERALLY CHILDREN PROVIDING DIRECTIONS TO THE BUS DRIVER BECAUSE THE BUS DRIVER DID NOT HAVE DIRECTIONS TO THE HOUSE.  WE HAVE GPS, WE HAVE CHILDREN'S ADDRESSES. THIS SHOULD BE WORKED OUT WELL IN ADVANCE. OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T.  BOSTON IS A WORLD CLASS CITY.  WE HAVE THE BRAINS AND THE PEOPLE TO GET BEEPS, TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM RIGHT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. OUR FAMILIES DESERVE BETTER THAN WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE JARGON IS COMES FROM MURPHY ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR ADDING ME . AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT ALL THE PRESSING ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR STUDENTS IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC.  THERE'S CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. THERE'S LESS THAN 30% OF OUR THIRD GRADERS READING ON GRADE LEVEL.  THERE IS THE LACK OF EFFECTIVELY DELIVERING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES TO OUR STUDENTS ON IEPS THERE IS SCHOOL SAFETY AND LIKE COUNCILOR FLYNN MENTIONED, THIS ISN'T A NEW ISSUE BUT THERE'S BUS ARRIVAL. THE FACT THAT TWO THIRDS OF ALL CHILDREN ASSIGNED TO SCHOOL BUSSES ARRIVED LATE TO SCHOOL IN THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR ME GIVEN THAT WE INVEST APPROXIMATELY $130 MILLION ANNUALLY IN OUR SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WITH THE URGENCY AND SERIOUSNESS IT WARRANTS JUST TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE WHEN 66% OF ALL BUSSES ARRIVE LATE TO SCHOOL, THAT MEANS 14,500 OF OUR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN DID NOT GET TO SCHOOL ON TIME LAST WEEK 14,500 MANY MISSING CIRCLE OF FIRST PERIOD IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF SCHOOL IS AN EMBARRASSMENT. I KNOW AS A FORMER TEACHER FOR DECADES THAT THOSE FIRST FEW DAYS OF SCHOOL ARE NERVE WRACKING FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE MISSING THOSE FIRST MOMENTS WHEN YOU'RE MEETING YOUR NEW CLASSMATES OR FINDING OUT YOUR SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY AND YOU'RE STILL EITHER STUCK AT HOME IN YOUR PARENT IS NOT ABLE TO GET TO WORK AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN SURE IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. AND JUST TO REMEMBER ALSO THIS DATA IS ONLY CAPTURING THE ARRIVAL. IT'S NOT ALSO INCLUDING THE LATE BUSSES GOING HOME WHICH IS WHAT MY OFFICE GOT A LOT OF CALLS ON. MY OFFICE ALONE RECEIVED OVER 20 CALLS FROM FAMILIES WHO WERE STILL WAITING AT 7:30 P.M. FOR THEIR CHILD TO ARRIVE HOME FROM SCHOOL. THAT MEANS SOME OF OUR STUDENTS WERE ON SCHOOL BUSSES FOR OVER 3 HOURS AND LIKE COUNSELOR FLYNN MENTIONED I HEARD THE SAME STORIES THAT MANY OF THEM WERE CIRCLING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS NOT JUST STUCK IN THE TRAFFIC THAT WE KNOW HAPPENS IN OUR ON OUR STREETS THAT THE BUS DRIVERS WEREN'T SURE WHERE TO DROP THE CHILDREN OFF OR THE APP WAS DROPPING AND THE PARENTS WEREN'T SURE WHERE THEIR CHILDREN WERE AND I DID RECEIVE SEVERAL CALLS OF PARENTS WHO HAD TO HOP IN UBER'S BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A CAR AND GET TO SCHOOL. IT WOULD BE QUICKER FOR THEM TO TAKE UBER TO THE SCHOOL THAT WAS SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOODS AWAY AND THEN GET THEIR CHILD HOME AND STAFF MEMBERS NOT JUST FAMILIES WAITING OR STUDENTS SITTING ON THE SCHOOL BENCH FOR HOURS AFTER SCHOOL GETS OUT.  BUT MANY OF OUR SCHOOL TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS HAVING TO STAY SCHOOL LATE INTO THE EVENING WAITING FOR A BUS TO ARRIVE. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS HEARING BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE MANY ANGRY PARENTS BUT WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE A VERY ANGRY COUNCIL AND AN ANGRY ADMINISTRATION THAT WANTS ANSWERS FOR THESE FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS SAYING THAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE A $1.7 BILLION SCHOOL BUDGET IN $130 MILLION A YEAR WE SPEND ON TRANSPORTATION AND WE HAD A HEARING JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO WITH TRANSPORTATION TALKING ABOUT THE SNAZZY NEW DATA THEY HAVE AND THE APP THEY USE WHICH IS ONLY GOOD IF WE KNOW THAT KIDS ARE ACTUALLY GETTING PICKED UP AND GETTING HOME ON TIME. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING THIS RIGHT FOR OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES KIDS FROM HERE BECAUSE MILLIONS MORE. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.  AND THINK TO COUNSELOR FLYNN FOR BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE FORWARD AS WE BEGIN THE 2024 2025 SCHOOL YEAR. THE CHALLENGES WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM CANNOT BE IGNORED. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL BROUGHT A WIDE SPREAD OF DELAYS AS YOU RECENTLY HEARD FROM MANY FAMILIES.  ON THE FIRST DAY ALONE 66% OF THE BUSSES WERE LATE, LEAVING FAMILIES FRUSTRATED AND SCRAMBLING FOR LAST MINUTE ALTERNATIVES. AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU ARE A SINGLE MOM AND YOU HAVE THREE KIDS AND TWO JOBS, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED IS FOR A CITY TO FUNCTION IN WAYS THAT ARE GOING TO GET PEOPLE TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE BECAUSE THAT'S MONEY OUT OF HER POCKET IF SHE NEEDS TO TAKE THE DAY OFF OF WORK TO GET HER KIDS TO SCHOOL. SO I THINK THAT JUST FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT WE REALLY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE IMPACT THAT THIS IS HAVING ON A LOT OF FAMILIES EVERY YEAR WE FACE SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND IT IS TIME THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO LET OUR FAMILIES DOWN ESPECIALLY DURING THE CRITICAL FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL. IT IS UNEXCELLED ABLE TO SAY THAT WE ARE PROVIDING A SERVICE WHEN WE CONSISTENTLY FAIL TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THAT ISSUES MAY ARISE BECAUSE THINGS ALWAYS DO, THE FACT IS THAT SUCH A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF BUSSES WERE LATE IS DEEPLY CONCERNING.  I HAVE PERSONALLY VISITED THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION OFFICE AND WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE INCREDIBLE WORK BEING DONE BY THE STAFF FROM THE PHONE OPERATORS TO THE DEDICATED TEAMS WHO WORK TO GET OUR STUDENTS TO AND FROM SCHOOL.  HOWEVER, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT REQUIRES THE ATTENTION OF ALL OF US.  I LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING IN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT WE NO LONGER FALL SHORT IN DELIVERING RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR STUDENTS YEAR AFTER YEAR. IT IS BEYOND TIME THAT WE COMMIT TO SHOWING UP ON TIME LITERALLY AND FULLY MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR FAMILIES. AND YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO JUST GO OFF THE CUFF HERE REAL QUICK IS THAT WHEN I HAD MY OWN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THIS WAS THE REOCCURRING THEME EVERY SINGLE YEAR THERE WERE PARENTS WHO WOULD CONTACT US WORRIED SOME WHO DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH, SOME WHO WERE UNDOCUMENTED THAT THAT THEY WERE AFRAID OF YOU KNOW, EVEN TO REPORT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GET INTO TROUBLE. AND I JUST THINK THAT WE NOW HAVE A A DYNAMIC HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT FEELS VERY COMBATIVE.  AND WHILE I APPRECIATE THE FRUSTRATION AND THE ANGER, I ALSO THINK THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT THE REASON WHY WE ARE IN THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN IS BECAUSE WE CONSTANTLY GIVE EVERYBODY A PASS WHEN WE APPROVE A BUDGET AND WE DON'T HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, WE'RE GIVING THEM A PASS AND YEAR AFTER YEAR SITUATION AFTER SITUATION,  CHAIRMANSHIP AFTER CHAIRMANSHIP NO MATTER WHO IS IN THE POSITION OF POWER THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS RE-OCCURRING AND AT SOME POINT SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE AND THIS ACCOUNTABILITY SITUATION HERE IT JUST FEELS TO ME LIKE WE FOUGHT AGAINST A RECEIVERSHIP. THIS WAS ONE OF THE CRITERIA THAT THE STATE WAS GOING TO EVALUATE OUR SCHOOLS, THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE DISTRICT I FOUGHT AGAINST THE RECEIVERSHIP AND HERE WE ARE AGAIN UPHOLDING AND DEFENDING A SYSTEM THAT CONTINUES TO FAIL OUR STUDENTS. AND SO WE CAN'T COME INTO THIS CHAMBER AND SAY WE WANT TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE POLITICAL COURAGE OR WILL SOMETIMES TO GET IT RIGHT.  SO I AM GOING TO ASK US AS WE CONTINUE AND MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO KNOW THAT THE CHAIR WAYS AND MEANS MY COLLEAGUE ROLE IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT BIPS UNDERSTANDS THAT ACCOUNTABILITY IS ACCOUNTABILITY RIGHT? AND SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THIS HEARING BRINGING IN THE SUPERINTENDENT EVEN IF WE HAVE TO WHAT DO YOU CALL A SUBPOENA HER TO SHOW UP?  BUT WE CAN'T KEEP HAVING THIS WHOLE IDEA THAT WE'RE GOING TO FILE A HEARING AND THEN THAT HOSTS THE HEARING. WE CAN HAVE A HEARING AND THEN NOT HAVE THE ADMINISTRATION SHOW UP. WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO DO BUSINESS AND THINK IT'S OKAY. WE'RE GETTING PAID TO DO OUR JOB AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO DO IT. AND I THINK BIPS IS ON THE RADAR AND WE NEED TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND I'M HERE FOR ALL OF THAT. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR I KNOW THIS COMES WITH THE BANK HAS PEN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I RISE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE HEARD COMPLAINTS PARENTS,  PARENTS AND ROSLINDALE THAT THIS IS DAY FIVE OF BP'S AND FOR THE FIVE DAYS EVERY MORNING THE BUS HAS BEEN NO PART TWIN SISTERS ARE GETTING DROPPED OFF AT DIFFERENT STOPS BECAUSE THE APP DIDN'T HAVE IT RIGHT. MATTAPAN FROM THE CHANNING SCHOOL TO RIVER STREET MATTAPAN IT TAKES ABOUT 45 TO AN HOUR WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO GET ON AND BOTHER ME SO I TRIED TO TAKE ACTION. I WENT TO BP TRANSPORTATION YESTERDAY AND HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE BP TRANSPORTATION TEAM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING BECAUSE I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. THERE ARE FAMILIES DESERVE BETTER. BP IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. IT WAS THE FIRST ONE AND I DO BELIEVE IT IS THE BEST ONE IN THE COUNTRY.  SO I FOUND OUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT BP'S TRANSPORTATION IS FACING.  IT IS FAMILIARITY WITH THE NEW APP.  HOWEVER, I DO THINK IT IS COURAGEOUS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE 50 YEARS OF BUSSING WE ARE FINALLY USING A STATE OF THE ART NEW APP THAT PARENTS CAN USE TO TRACK THEIR PARENTS THEIR STUDENTS THIS SEPTEMBER MARKS THE 50 YEARS OF BUSSING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND SINCE LAST YEAR WE'VE BEEN USING MAPQUEST TO TELL YOU TO GIVE OUR BUS DRIVERS TO USE PAPER ROUTES YEAR AFTER YEAR TO BE ABLE TO TRACK OUR STUDENTS.  THAT WAS OUTDATED. NOT SAYING THAT IT'S WORKING RIGHT SAYING THAT IT IS COURAGEOUS WHICH IS WHY LAST NIGHT I WENT TO THE HOUSE OF ONE OF THE BUS DRIVERS AND I ASKED THEM WHAT IS GOING ON? HE SAID WE NEED MORE TRAINING SO LET'S TALK TO THE VP'S UNION, TO THE TO THE BUS DRIVERS UNION, TALK TO EPA TRANSPORTATION TO GET THEM MORE TRAINING BECAUSE WE CAN GET THIS RIGHT. OUR PARENTS DESERVE THIS. OUR FAMILIES DESERVE THIS. OUR SCHOOLS DESERVE THIS AND EVERYONE IN THIS CHAMBER DESERVES TO GET IT RIGHT.  SO I'M ALL ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET THERE.  IT'S NOT PERFECT AT THE MOMENT BUT I KNOW WE CAN GET THERE AND I THINK THAT IF WE WORK TOGETHER HAND IN HAND WITH FAMILIES, STUDENTS, THE PRINCIPALS OF THE SCHOOLS AND GROUPS WE'LL GET THERE. IT'S DAY FIVE. IT'S NOT PERFECT BUT WE'LL GET THERE BY WORKING.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CALLS WITH A PEN. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? I JUST WANT TO ALSO UPLIFT YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY HEARD FROM PARENTS. YOU KNOW, EVEN BEFORE THE APP LAUNCH THERE WAS A PARENT THAT WAS GIVING ME FEEDBACK AND I WAS FEEDING THAT FEEDBACK DIRECTLY TO DAN AND HIS TEAM OVER AT TRANSPORTATION JUST TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO TROUBLESHOOT THE APP. AND I AGREE THAT LIKE TRYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT SOMETIMES THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PITFALLS YOU KNOW IN MY OFFICE MY POLICY DIRECTOR JESSE HAS HIS DAUGHTER'S KID AND FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN WAS LAST WEEK AND IT TOOK OVER AN HOUR EACH WAY WITH IN EAST BOSTON FOR THEM TO GET TO SCHOOL. BUT YOU ALSO NOTED THAT THE BUS DRIVER HAS BEEN WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE PARENTS WITH CENTRAL STAFF TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO TRY TO MAKE IT WORK AND SEE HOW THEY CAN FIGURE OUT THE ROUTE TOGETHER. SO DEFINITELY IMPERFECT DEFINITELY THE DELAYS ARE DISRUPTIVE FOR FAMILIES AND WE'VE BEEN SEEING THAT AND WE'VE BEEN HEARING THAT AND I DO KNOW ARE THE PEOPLE WORKING IN OUR TRANSPORTATION OFFICE AND BEPS ARE WORKING IN GOOD FAITH TO TRY TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM AND CREATE EFFICIENCIES IN THE SYSTEM FOR PARENTS FOR OUR STUDENTS. RIGHT. THESE HOPEFULLY WE HAVE THESE HUMPS IN THE BEGINNING THAT WILL LEAD TO GREATER EFFICIENCIES IN THE END. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THIS DISCUSSION WANT SHOUT OUT ALL OF THE PARENTS WHO REALLY HAD TO REARRANGE YOUR SCHEDULE TO PICK UP PARENTS AND EVEN AMONG THAT WE HEARD SOME WE HEARD SOME REALLY GREAT STORIES TOO ABOUT HOW ABOUT HOW A STUDENT TURNED UP AT THE WRONG SCHOOL ON THEIR FIRST DAY AND THEY GOT A BUS TO BRING THEM FROM THE WRONG SCHOOL TO THE RIGHT SCHOOL AND THERE WAS A BUS THERE WAITING FOR THEM TO DROP THEM HOME THAT SAME DAY. SO ALSO LOTS OF PROBLEMS BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE BENDING OVER BACKWARDS WHERE THEY CAN FOR OUR KIDS.  WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WHAT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR. CLERK.  OH. OH OH, SORRY . I'M NOT I DIDN'T SEE YOUR LIGHT. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR DURKIN KUSTER. DURKIN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  I JUST WANTED TO THANK ALL OF THE PARENTS DID REACH OUT IN MY DISTRICT. DISTRICT DATE IS A DISTRICT WITHOUT A LOT OF SCHOOLS SO A LOT OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE ABLE TO GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL ARE HAVING TO TRAVEL A LOT OF DISTANCE TO GET WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THOSE PARENTS THAT DID REACH OUT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE RESPONSIVENESS OF TRANSPORTATION AND I WANT TO THANK COUNSELOR ENRIQUE BEEN WHAT YOU DESCRIBE IS TRUE LEADERSHIP AND WHAT WE NEED ARE COUNSELORS THAT ARE WILLING TO PUT IN THE WORK, ARE WILLING TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS BUT ARE WILLING TO SHOW UP AT A BUS DRIVERS HOUSE LIKE THAT. LEADERSHIP IS WHAT WHAT I AM LOOKING TO SEE ON THE COUNCIL AND THAT LEADERSHIP IS WHAT WAS DEMONSTRATED.  I KNOW AND ALL OF OUR EMAIL INBOXES WHEN WE GOT BACK TO THESE PARENTS AND WHEN WE REACHED OUT TO THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND CHECKED IN ON HOW THE NEXT DAY OF SCHOOL WENT. BUT I THINK FOR ME LIKE THAT WAS JUST A MASTER CLASS. YOU SAW A PROBLEM AND, YOU TRIED YOUR BEST WITHIN YOUR POWER TO GET THAT INFORMATION. IT'S NOT A POLITICAL STUNT.  IT'S REAL LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CLASSROOM HERE WE ARE ON THE FLOOR AND YOU KNOW I KNOW YOU ALREADY SPOKE ON THE MATTER TRYING TO KEEP IT SHORT SO THAT WE CAN KEEP ON GOING. BUT I WILL ALLOW YOU SOME VERY BRIEF TIME. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT FOR THE RECORD, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT IN THIS HEARING IS ALSO TO LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT. I KNOW THAT OUT OF MY OWN LITTLE POCKET I'VE PAID FOR UBER FOR PARENTS TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH BP ON THE REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME PARENTS WHO DON'T HAVE THE PROPER DEBT UNDER THE VACATION BECAUSE THEY'RE UNDOCUMENTED. SO THEY WERE HAVING SOME ISSUES WITH THEIR REIMBURSEMENT. SO I THINK THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION COUNSELOR FLYNN AS THE ORIGINAL SPONSOR OF THIS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ONE OF THE KEY POINTS THAT WE ARE BRINGING UP IS THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE TO COME OUT OF THEIR OWN AS IT RELATES TO THE FINANCIAL IMPACT THAT THEY'RE FACING.  AND I DO WANT TO RISE FOR THE OCCASION AND TO ALSO NOTE WHILE I DO HAVE THE MIC AND FOR THE RECORD IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN MY TIME HERE IN THE CITY COUNCIL IS TO CREATE MY OWN PROGRAMS, POLICIES, PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES WHENEVER ANY OF MY CONSTITUENTS COME THROUGH AND LEADERSHIP IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS AND NOT JUST YOUR WORDS. AND SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT WE ALL HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THOSE THAT WE SERVE AND THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING MORE OF FROM EVERYONE HERE.  SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR. CLERK PLEASE. THAT COMES WAS GREAT AND COLOR ZAPATA DURKAN OF SANTANA WEBER WORLD PLEASE OF THE CHAIR DOCKET NUMBER 1349 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON COUNCILOR FOR NADIA ANDERSON. I'M HERE FOR 1.50. MR. CLERK WOULD YOU PLEASE REDACT THE NUMBER 1351 DUCK NUMBER 1351 COUNCILOR MURPHY AND FLYNN OFFER THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE EXTENSION OF FREE MUSEUM PASSES EXCLUSIVELY FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FAMILIES THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR MURPHY. COUNSELOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO WE FILE THIS HEARING ORDER OR ORDER TO DISCUSS THE EXTENSION OF FREE MUSEUM PASSES EXCLUSIVELY FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL FAMILIES. THE ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT THEY WOULD BE EXTENDING THE SUNDAYS PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS ONLY BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL FAMILIES FREE ADMISSION TO OUR LEADING CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS ON THE FIRST TWO SUNDAYS OF EACH MONTH SINCE THE MAYOR INTRODUCED THIS EIGHT MONTH PILOT PROGRAM BACK IN JANUARY. COUNCILOR FLYNN AND I HAVE STRONGLY ADVOCATED FOR ITS EXPANSION TO INCLUDE ALL BOSTON FAMILIES NOT JUST THOSE WITH CHILDREN IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.  OVER 23,000 CHILDREN IN OUR CITY ATTEND METCO PRIVATE RELIGIOUS PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS AND THERE'S ALSO HUNDRED WHO ARE HOMESCHOOLED WHO ARE UNJUSTLY EXCLUDED FROM THIS INITIATIVE.  WE FILED A RESOLUTION TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS ON FEBRUARY 28, 2024 AND THAT WAS BLOCKED BY THE COUNCIL . SO THE RESOLUTION WAS PLACED INTO THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE TO HOLD A HEARING AND HAVE THE APPROPRIATE MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION ATTEND AND ANSWER ALL OUR QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CHAIR REFUSED TO HOLD A HEARING ON THE MATTER. THE INITIAL PILOT PROGRAM WHICH COST $1 MILLION WAS WAS A COMMENDABLE EFFORT TO PROVIDE CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES TO OUR STUDENTS.  HOWEVER, IT IS CRUCIAL TO RECOGNIZE THAT FAMILIES WHOSE CHILDREN ATTEND METCO, PRIVATE, PAROCHIAL AND CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE ALSO TAXPAYERS CONTRIBUTING TO OUR CITY'S RESOURCES.  MANY OF THESE FAMILIES ARE FIRST GENERATION IMMIGRANTS A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF THEM ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN OVER 80% OF OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS STUDENTS ARE CHILDREN OF COLOR WITH MORE THAN 70% COMING FROM LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.  ALL OF THESE FAMILIES MANY WHO FACE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS DESERVE THE SAME FREE ACCESS TO SUCH ENRICHING EXPERIENCES.  THE DECISION TO EXTEND THIS PROGRAM FOR FOUR MORE MONTHS WHILE CONTINUING TO EXCLUDE DESERVING FAMILIES IS PROBLEMATIC. WE URGE MAYOR WU TO RECONSIDER THE OF THIS INITIATIVE AND TO COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT IT BENEFITS ALL CHILDREN IN BOSTON BY INCLUDING ALL FAMILIES WE CAN FOSTER GREATER INCLUSIVITY AND EQUITY IN OUR CITY TRULY REFLECTING THE DIVERSE AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY WE AIM TO SUPPORT. I'M ASKING THAT THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL HOLD A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE EXTENDED SUN PILOT SO WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MUCH MORE THIS WILL BE COSTING THE TAXPAYERS. WHERE ALL OF THE FUNDING WILL BE COMING FROM AND TO SHARE THE RESULTS OF WHAT WE WERE TOLD THAT THE 150,000 OF THE ORIGINAL 1 MILLION STUDY THAT THEY SAID THEY WERE DOING ON THE DATA TO FIND OUT HOW DID THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF THE PROGRAM GO AND TO FIND OUT WHY ALL OF OUR FAMILIES IN BOSTON WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE EXPANSION. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THIS HEARING. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ACCESS EQUAL ACCESS TO EVERY FAMILY IN BOSTON TO ENSURE THAT THEY EXPERIENCE THE WONDERFUL MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN OUR CITY.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA CASTRO SANTANA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO JUST SHARE THAT I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF CONTINUING AND EXPANDING THE SUNDAY'S PROGRAM BEYOND THE INITIAL PILOT TO SERVE MORE OF BOSTON'S YOUTH AND FAMILIES. AND AS I SAID BEFORE, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE VALUABLE TO HAVE A HEARING TO DISCUSS THAT ONCE WE HAVE DATA FROM THE INITIAL PILOT AS A PILOT HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED ITS INITIAL RUN AND NOW BEEN EXTENDED. I THINK NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A HEARING. I'D LIKE TO EXTEND MY APPRECIATION TO THE SPONSORS FOR FILING THIS HEARING ORDER AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION. I WON'T PRESUME WHICH COMMITTEE THIS HEARING ORDER WILL BE ASSIGNED TO AND I WILL SUPPORT WHATEVER THE JUDGMENT OF THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT MAY BE. BUT I DO WANT TO SHARE THAT THIS HEARING ORDER IS A SIGN TO THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE OUR WORK PROMPTLY AS CHAIR TO SCHEDULE A HEARING AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE DATE.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR SANTANA THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER.  COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU ON THE FLOOR? THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.  I I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, I DO SUPPORT EXPANDING THIS TO ALL STUDENTS IN IN BOSTON AND I BELIEVE THE MAYOR HAS ANNOUNCED THE INTENTION TO EXPAND THIS PROGRAM TO EVERYONE ACROSS BOSTON. AS A PARENT, YOU KNOW, I SIMPLY DON'T AGREE WITH THE SUGGESTION THAT THE MAYOR ACTED IN, YOU KNOW, INAPPROPRIATELY OR DID ANYTHING WRONG IN CREATING A PROGRAM TO CREATE RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS. I KNOW PEOPLE TAKE THEIR KIDS OUT OF APPS. THEY PUT THEM IN CHARTER SCHOOLS, THEY PUT THEM IN METCO. THEY GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THOSE SCHOOLS OFFER MORE RESOURCES FOR THOSE KIDS. SO I THINK I SUPPORT THE PROGRAM. THE PILOT AS A WAY TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR KIDS AND I HOPE IT CAN BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE EVERYONE IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNSELOR WEBER, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COMES FROM HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. JUST TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORICAL CONTEXT HERE AND I KEEP GOING BACK TO THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT I STARTED CALLED C PLAN WHICH IS THE COLLABORATIVE PARENT LEADERSHIP ACTION.  BACK THEN THERE WAS THIS NOTION THAT IT WAS DISTRICT SCHOOLS VERSUS CHARTER SCHOOLS AND I DECIDED THAT ALL SCHOOLS NO MATTER WHERE OUR KIDS ENDED UP NEEDED SOME WORK.  AND SO THAT'S WHERE ALL MEANS ALL COMES FROM IS THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY NO MATTER WHERE OUR KIDS END UP IF YOU LIVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON NO MATTER ANY ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU'RE IN. OUR KIDS WERE BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND THEY WERE BEING TREATED UNFAIRLY OR THEY WERE BEING UNDEREDUCATED REGARDLESS OF THE SYSTEM AND I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE IS THAT WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE AND PITTING PEOPLE AGAINST EACH OTHER. I THINK THAT ONCE AND FOR ALL WE SHOULD JUST HOST THE HEARING SO THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE DATA AND THAT'S IT.  THAT'S IT. PLAIN AND SIMPLE. LET'S JUST DO OUR JOBS. HAVE THE HEARING AND WE'RE ALL VERY RESOURCEFUL HERE. IF THE CITY DOES NOT WANT TO FUND CHARTER SCHOOLS AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS AND METCO STUDENTS, THEN WE CAN ALL UTILIZE OUR AWARD WINNING PERSONALITIES AND REACH OUT TO OTHER FOLKS AND FIGURE OUT ANOTHER PLAN.  IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT. WE KEEP FIGHTING OVER THE SIMPLEST THINGS THAT COULD BE HANDLED BY JUST MAKING ONE PHONE CALL AND CALLING BE YOU AND SAY WHERE'S MY MONEY AT?  HELLO CAN YOU ALL TAKE CARE OF MICHAEL?  OH, NORTHEASTERN, CAN YOU TAKE CARE OF THE CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS?  I MEAN, COME ON, Y'ALL. YOU ALL THINK THAT CITY GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO FIX EVERYTHING? NO, BUT AS COLLEAGUES WE CAN BE MORE CREATIVE AND MORE INNOVATIVE AND, YOU KNOW, UTILIZE OUR ENERGY IN WAYS THAT WILL BRING US TOGETHER INSTEAD OF CONSTANTLY HAVING DISCOURSE . SO IN SPIRIT OF MOVING THINGS ALONG, LET'S HOST HEARING WHATEVER YOU SO DESIRE IT'S GOING TO FALL IN BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO BEEN DISCUSSIONS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT GOES INTO THE ARTS, WHETHER OR NOT IT GOES TO EDUCATION. WE ALREADY KNOW HOW THINGS HAPPEN HERE, RIGHT? YOU GET WHAT YOU GET AND YOU DON'T GET UPSET AND YOU'RE LUCKY BECAUSE YOU CAN GET HEARD THESE DAYS. SO YOU KNOW, USE YOUR OTHER PLATFORMS TO GET YOUR VOICE ACROSS BECAUSE CLEARLY IT'S GOING TO BE AN UPHILL BATTLE IF YOU THINK ANYTHING IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT. SO LET'S JUST ALL PUT OUR BIG PANTS ON AND DO THE PEOPLE'S WORK AND KEEP IT MOVING. THANK YOU. WITH RESPECT TO TALKING ABOUT COLLABORATION AND EXPANDING, I BELIEVE AS I THINK HOWSOEVER STATED THAT THE MAYOR HAS ACTUALLY WORKED TO EXPAND IT TO INCLUDE ALL OF OUR CHILDREN HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON SO THAT COLLABORATION AND THAT INNOVATION IS HAPPENING.  WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME?  MR. CLERK PLEASE. THAT COUCH WAS GREAT IN THAT AS OPPOSED TO FITZGERALD SANTANA WARHOL PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR DOCKET NUMBER 1351 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION.  MR. CLERK.  OKAY. WITHDRAWN. OKAY. THANK YOU.  THE BILL TO CANCEL ME ACADEMY.  I HAVE A MY NAME BEING CALLED. I WANT TO BE ADDED TO THE. OH, SORRY I DIDN'T SEE YOUR HAND. PLEASE. THAT COMES FROM MEJIA.  OKAY, SO THE NEXT TWO DOCKETS WITHDRAWN OR WITHDRAWN. OKAY.  THANK YOU. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CLARKE, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1354. DUNCAN NUMBER 1354 COUNCILORS WEBER AND PIPPIN OFFER THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER AS HUNGER ACTION MONTH AND SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2024 AS HUNGER ACTION DAY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL WHEREVER IT COMES WHENEVER YOU HAVE THIS WAR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA AS A THIRD CO-SPONSOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR WEBER SIX SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AT CASA ZAPATA AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CALEXICO SPONSOR. SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS, COUNCILOR CLAUDIA ZAPATA SO ADDED COUNCIL WHERE WE HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.  THE DATA SUGGESTS THAT ONE IN THREE HOUSEHOLDS IN MASSACHUSETTS STRUGGLE WITH HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY.  YOU KNOW ANY NUMBER ABOVE ZERO WOULD BE TOO HIGH. HAVING A THIRD OF HOUSES IS IS INCREDIBLE AND UNBELIEVABLE.  YOU KNOW, EARLIER THIS YEAR THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK RELEASED A STUDY THAT SHOWED NEARLY 45% OF ADULTS IN SUFFOLK COUNTY STRUGGLE TO BUY FOOD. THE SAME REPORT FOUND THAT EVERY COUNTY IN THE IN THE STATE SAW SIGNIFICANT FOOD INSECURITY LAST YEAR.  THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF FOOD ACCESS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION HAVE STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE TO PROVIDE NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO FOLKS IN TIMES OF NEED. I'D JUST LIKE TO CALL OUT THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH AND ROSES BOUNTY IN MY DISTRICT WHICH HAVE SET UP FOOD PANTRIES AND DELIVERED THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF FOOD TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT. THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK,  WHICH IS THE LARGEST ANTI-HUNGER ORGANIZATION IN THE BOSTON AREA DESIGNATED SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2024 AS HUNGER ACTION DAY IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AS HUNGER ACTION MONTH SIMILAR TO A RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THIS BODY IN 2018 THAT WAS FILED BY THEN COUNCILORS AYANNA PRESSLEY AND ANDRE CAMPBELL. I HOPE THAT WE CAN ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION TODAY AND COMMIT TO ADDRESSING SYSTEMATIC ISSUES ALONGSIDE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY HERE IN BOSTON.  THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND AND I INVITE MY CO-SPONSORS TO ADDRESS THIS AS WELL. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COME TO MY PEN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH ALSO TO COUNCILOR WEBER FOR ADDED ME AS A CO-SPONSOR TO THIS YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING HUNGER ACTION MONTH IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IS CRUCIAL FOR RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT WIDESPREAD ISSUE OF FOOD INSECURITY IN OUR CITY. IT BRINGS ATTENTION TO THE STRUGGLES MANY RESIDENTS FACE EVERY DAY ACCESSING SUFFICIENT NUTRITIOUS MEALS. THE MONTH ENCOURAGES CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AS PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO VOLUNTEER, DONATE AND SUPPORT LOCAL FOOD AT THE LOCAL FOOD BANKS AND HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS. IT ALSO SERVES AS A PLATFORM FOR POLICYMAKERS LIKE OURSELVES TO FOCUS ON SOLUTIONS AND INITIATIVES TO COMBAT HUNGER. ULTIMATELY, THIS MONTH IS ALL ABOUT FOSTERING A SENSE OF SOLIDARITY AND COMPASSION WHICH IS WHY I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO A FEW OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO WORK IN MY DISTRICT NO MATTER PAMPHLET FITNESS DAY TO DAY MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S HEALTHY FOOD IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.  THE COMMUNITY GROWTH FOOD PANTRY ON EVERY STREET, EVERY SINGLE THURSDAY AT 11 THEY HAVE ALMOST 250 TO 300 PEOPLE OUTSIDE IN LINE WAITING FOR HEALTHY VEGETABLES AND FRUIT. THE FOOD PANTRY AT THE HYDE PARK MUNICIPAL BUILDING, THE ROSWELL FOOD PANTRY AND THE ARCHDAILY FOOD PANTRY AT THE PUBLIC HOUSING. EACH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS WORKING DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY VEGETABLES, FRUITS, DAIRY ITEMS THAT MOST PEOPLE SOMETIMES CANNOT AFFORD. SO I JUST WANT TO EXTEND MY MY THANKS TO THEM TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO ACROSS THE CITY TO THE OFFICE OF FOOD JUSTICE FOR THEIR WORK AS WELL. LET'S CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN END THIS FOOD INSECURITY ACROSS THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CLAUDIA ZAPATA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER FOR HAVING ME AS A THIRD CO-SPONSOR. HUNGER IS A SILENT BUT PERVASIVE ISSUE THAT DEEPLY IMPACTS RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY BUT ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT IN EAST BOSTON. I REPRESENT MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE PAYCHECK PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK WHO MAKE MINIMUM WAGE. AND WHAT I HEAR FROM THEM IS THAT WITH RISING FOOD COSTS AND INFLATION, THERE JUST SIMPLY IS TOO MUCH MONTH AT THE END OF THEIR MONEY. IT DOESN'T STRETCH AS FAR AS IT SHOULD AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO SIMPLY PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. HUNGER IS FELT BY MORE PEOPLE THAN WE KNOW. THIS MEANS SENIORS ON FIXED INCOMES, FAMILIES THOSE IN THE CREATIVE SECTOR, SINGLE PARENTS . AND THERE IS STILL UNFORTUNATELY SO MUCH STIGMA AND WHAT FOLKS HAVE EXPRESSED TO ME IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM IS THAT THERE STILL IS SO MUCH SHAME THAT THEY FEEL WHEN THEY HAVE TO PHYSICALLY STAND IN LINE TO GET FOOD. IT'S IT'S AN EXTREMELY UNDIGNIFIED PROCESS THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH. AND SO I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY AND IN MY DISTRICT THAT ARE WORKING TO PROVIDE THE SORT OF DIGNITY OF CHOICE FOR FOLKS WHEN THEY'RE SHOPPING FOR FOR GROCERIES.  THE PANDEMIC LAID BARE AND ILLUMINATED JUST HOW MUCH OF A CRISIS WE ARE IN AND HOW FAR WE HAVE TO HOW FAR WE HAVE TO OR HOW MUCH WE HAVE TO OVERCOME IN TERMS OF SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO ACCESSING THE FOOD THEY NEED TO LIVE WHILE THIS RESOLUTION IS CALL IS CALLING FOR AWARENESS AND BUILDING ON RECENT WINS LIKE THE SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL PROGRAM.  SHOUT OUT TO GOVERNOR HEALEY AND PROJECT BREAD FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS AND CITY WORK AROUND FOOD RECOVERY ACCESS AND BUILDING SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS. AND I WANT TO SHOUT OUT MAYOR WUERL FOR CREATING THE OFFICE OF FOOD JUSTICE AND ELIZA WASSERMAN FOR FOR THEIR WORK AT THE CITY LEVEL.  THE WORK CONTINUES BUT LET'S ENSURE EQUITABLE FOOD ACCESS FOR ALL. THERE'S PLENTY OF FOOD TO GO AROUND AND HUNGER WON'T END UNTIL EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THEIR FAIR SHARE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES I BELIEVE COMES FROM AROUND THE BEND COMFORT . THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR WEBER CASSO PEPEN AND KASSIE COLETTA FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION. ACCORDING TO THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK, ONE IN THREE MASSACHUSETTS ADULTS REPORTED HOUSEHOLD FOOD INSECURITY WHICH IS A STARK REMINDER HOW DEEP THIS ISSUE RUNS. I FULLY SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION . IT BRINGS THE MUCH NEEDED ATTENTION TO CHALLENGE THAT AFFECTS SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE GOING THROUGH IT. BUT I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST SHOUT OUT ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY SO MANY PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT AND HERE ON THE COUNCIL . I'M HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AROUND FOOD JUSTICE. YOU KNOW COLETTE AS A PART COUNCIL ARROYO FOR ALL YOUR AMAZING WORK ON THIS ALONG WITH THE MAYOR CHIEF WHITE HAMMOND COUNCILOR PEPEN SHOUT IT OUT AND FOOD AND FITNESS CYNTHIA LES JOHNSON IN THE BOLD TEAMS DORCHESTER FARMERS MARKET SHIRLEY SHILLINGFORD THE BARILLA FOOD PANTRY AND FAST TRUCK. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALL THEIR WORK AROUND THIS ISSUE AND IT'S MAKING A REAL TANGIBLE IMPACT ON A DAILY BASIS FOR SO MANY RESIDENTS. SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK AND LOOKING FORWARD TO VOTING YES ON THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN.  YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND PLEASE ADD MY NAME. I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE MAKERS FOR BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE FORWARD AND COUNCILOR CLOVER MENTIONED THE WORD SHAME OF PEOPLE WAITING IN LINE AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'VE ALSO SEEN IN MY DISTRICT.  BUT THAT WAS THE THAT WAS THE WORD OFTEN USED DURING THE IRISH FAMINE THAT EVEN THOUGH MILLIONS OF IRISH WERE KILLED DURING THE FAMINE THERE WERE STILL THEY STILL DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT OR WRITE ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THE SHAME THEY FELT EVEN THEIR ANCESTORS FELT OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE OF LITERALLY DYING FROM HUNGER.  AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THE COLLEAGUES HERE AND CITY GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATION ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE PROVIDE THE RIGHT RESOURCES SO PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY CAN HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO FOOD AND HEALTHY FOOD. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE MAKERS, THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER AND WORKING SO CLOSELY ON THIS ISSUE.  AND I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION AN ORGANIZATION THAT I DO A LOT OF WORK WITH OR SOMEWHAT ASSOCIATE WITH IS THE WOMEN'S LUNCH PLACE AND THIS THIS GROUP DOES AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB BUT THEY ALSO DO A TREMENDOUS OUTREACH SERVICE TO CHINESE FAMILIES IN NEED OF FOOD AS WELL.  SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THAT WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION . THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKAN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I HEARD EVERYONE SHOUTING OUT THE GREAT ORGANIZATIONS IN THEIR DISTRICT AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR SHOUTING OUT. WOMEN'S LUNCH PLACE IS SUCH A GREAT JOB.  I ALSO WANTED TO SHOUT OUT FENWAY CARES WHICH IS SIX FENWAY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER TO REALLY FIGHT FOOD INSECURITY AND SHOUT OUT REV JAY LIVINGSTONE AND SENATOR BROWN'S BURGER FOR GETTING THEM FUNDING FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. SO THAT THEIR SUPPLY OF FOOD DIDN'T RUN OUT. I'M WORKING TO SECURE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR FENWAY CARES AND I'M SO HONORED TO TAKE IT TO SEE THEIR FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS AND THEY REALLY DO IT IN A WAY THAT DE-STIGMATIZE IS AND REALLY BRINGS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND I'M REALLY EXCITED THROUGH MITIGATION FROM THE REAGAN BUILDING THE MDH CAMPUS BUILDING THAT'S BEING BUILT THE WEST END IS GETTING A COMMUNITY CENTER AND ABCD IS GOING TO BE A PARTNER AT THAT COMMUNITY CENTER TO DELIVER TO WEST END FAMILIES. THEY'RE DEALING WITH FOOD INSECURITY SO THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT BOSTON.  SO I JUST WANT TO JUST SHOUT OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN DISTRICT EIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR HAS COME TO ME ON THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I SORT OF THINK THE MAKERS FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD. I JUST WANT TO SINCE GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SOME FOLKS I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE A LOT OF OUR BODEGAS. THESE ARE SMALL CORNER STORES BROTHERS, ALL OF THEM ALL THE BODEGAS AROUND THE WAY THAT EVERY DAY OFTENTIMES STAND IN THE GAP ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE YOU KNOW, HAVE THEIR FOOD STAMPS. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP BACK IN THE DAY, YOU KNOW, IF MY MOM RAN OUT OF FOOD STAMPS, THEY WOULD SOMETIMES ALLOW US TO GET CREDIT AND GET FOOD UNTIL THE NEXT ROUND UP OF OF FOOD STAMPS CAME THROUGH. AND SO THEY DO THAT AND THEY STILL DO THAT AND STAND IN THE GAP AND IN THE VOID FOR HELPING TO SUPPORT YOU KNOW SUPPORTIVE OF OUR OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS AND ALSO DURING COVID A LOT OF THE BODEGA HAS REALLY STOOD UP AND AND WORKED ALONGSIDE THE CITY AND OUR OFFICE IN CREATING THE BODEGA PROJECT WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BODEGAS TO ACTUALLY BE ONE OF THE PROVIDERS OF GIVING PEOPLE ACCESS TO CULTURALLY COMPETENT FOODS RIGHT IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WERE STANDING IN THE FOOD LINE THEY GIVE YOU A LITTLE BOX OF A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO COOK OR WORK WITH AND SO OUR OFFICE CREATED THE BODEGA PROJECT AND WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SHOP WITH DIGNITY IN THEIR LOCAL BODEGA SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND ALSO MEETING THE MOMENT BY CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO SHOP WITH DIGNITY FOR THE THINGS THAT THEY WANTED. SO AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND WE CONTINUE TO YOU KNOW, HAVE RESOLUTIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, I WANT TO ALSO ENCOURAGE US TO CONTINUE TO BE INNOVATORS AND TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN REALLY MEET THE MOMENT TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON. IT IS NOT EASY TO BE POOR. IT IS NOT EASY TO STAND IN LINE AND HAVING YOUR FRIENDS SEE YOU. I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT BECAUSE I'VE HAD TO GO TO LA AS A KID AND THE STIGMA THAT COMES ALONG WITH FOOD INSECURITY IS REAL. SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO UPLIFTING THIS AND I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO COUNCILOR COLETTA IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE YOUR WORK DURING OUR OFF THE UPPER FUNDING YOU WERE REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING SURE THAT FOOD SECURITY WAS ON THE AGENDA IN TERMS OF ALLOCATING RESOURCES AND YOUR WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COUNCILOR ARROYO REALLY SET THE STAGE IN TERMS OF REALLY AS A COUNCIL ALL DOING THE WORK OF FOOD INSECURITY. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THAT SPACE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING MORE ALONGSIDE YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR OF THE IS COUNCILOR BREADON AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU TO THE MAKERS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE MANY ORGANIZATIONS ALL ACROSS THE CITY AND IN OUR DISTRICT AND ALSO BRIGHTON WHO WORK TO PROVIDE FOOD FOR SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS. WE HAVE A KOSHER FOOD PANTRY.  WE HAVE THE BRIGHTON FOOD PANTRY, BRAZILIAN WORKERS CENTRAL WEST AND TOASTERS.  WE HAVE A COMMUNITY FRIDGE. WE HAVE MANY I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE ANYBODY OFF THE LIST BUT THERE'S MANY ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON FOOD SECURITY IN OUR DISTRICT.  ONE OF THE STRANGEST, MOST HORRIFYING THINGS THE MOST STRIKING THINGS ABOUT IT IS THAT WE LIVE IN THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.  WE HAVE HUGE RESOURCES AND FOOD AND FOOD RESOURCES AND FACTORIES. WE PLOW THOUSANDS OF TONNES OF FOOD BACK INTO THE GROUND EVERY YEAR BECAUSE IT'S NOT HARVESTED AND BROUGHT TO MARKET BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FETCH A GOOD PRICE AND YET WE HAVE STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS OVER THE SUMMER VACATION WHO GO TO BED HUNGRY BECAUSE THERE'S NO IN DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR THEY GET BREAKFAST AND LUNCH AT SCHOOL AND THEN THE FAMILIES REALLY STRUGGLE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE FOOD DURING DURING THE LONG SUMMER VACATION.  ONE OF OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES CONGRESS NO CONGRESSMAN AYANNA PRESSLEY TERM THE COINED THE TERM FOOD APARTHEID WE HAVE LOW INCOME RESIDENTS IN OUR CITY WHO LIVE ACROSS THE STREET LITERALLY FROM US FROM A WHOLE FOODS OR A SUPERMARKET IN WHICH THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO ACTUALLY BUY FOOD AND THAT IS A REAL SHAME ON US AND WE NEED TO DO MUCH MORE TO TRY AND IDENTIFY SPACES AND PLACES WHERE WE CAN HAVE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE SORT OF FOOD FOR FOLKS TO BUY WHO ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US WHO ARE NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE ON A LIMITED INCOME.  THEY ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO FOOD RESCUE LIKE LIVING SPOONFULS. THEY RESCUE FOOD THAT IS GOING TO BE THROWN INTO THE BASICALLY GOING TO THE LANDFILL. IT'S PERFECTLY EDIBLE.  IT'S VERY CLOSE TO IT. YOU KNOW, SO BEST BUY SELL MY BEST BUT IT'S STILL EDIBLE AND NUTRITIOUS AND VALUABLE AND LOVING SPOON FOLKS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS DO A FABULOUS JOB TRYING TO RESCUE THAT FOOD AND GET IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED IT. SO THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T JUST DO THIS IN SEPTEMBER. WE NEED TO DO THIS EVERY MONTH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR BREADON AND I THINK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES WANT TO THANK YOU FOR UPLIFTING ALL THE GREAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN ADDRESSING AND TACKLING THE ISSUES OF HUNGER DURING COVID I WORKED WITH THE GUILD AND DORCHESTER AND THEY CONTINUE TO BUILD AND COUNCIL WAREHOUSE DISTRICT AND THEY CONTINUE TO DO REALLY INCREDIBLE WORK TO SERVE FOLKS. AND I WANT TO SHOUT OUT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE GREAT FOLKS WHO ARE INVOLVED AT THE GUILD REALLY YOU KNOW, THAT WAS REALLY GREAT WORK WHEN WE WERE RUNNING REALLY ACROSS THE CITY NOT JUST SERVING PEOPLE IN DORCHESTER WE WERE ROLLING UP IN WEST ROXBURY.  WE'RE GOING TO EAST BOSTON MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAD FOOD AND JUST WE ALSO WANT TO SHOUT OUT THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY FRIDGES THAT WE SAW POP UP DURING COVID THAT ARE STILL BEING SUPPORTED A LOT BY OUR BUSINESSES. ONE EXAMPLE IS CAFé JUICE UP THAT COMMUNITY FRIDGE THERE WAS FOUNDED BY MY COUSIN AND THE CAFE JUST CONTINUES TO PROVIDE ELECTRICITY AND POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT COMMUNITY FRIDGE IS RUNNING. SO SHOUTOUT TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY FRIDGES AROUND THE CITY.  WE LIVE IN A CITY OF ABUNDANCE THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE AND THAT'S DEMONSTRATED BY HOW MUCH FOOD WASTE WE SEE ACROSS THE CITY. AND SO THIS IS REALLY ABOUT FIGURING OUT HOW WE DEAL MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DISTRIBUTING THAT ABUNDANCE TO THOSE WHO ARE MOST IN NEED. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR. CLERK PLEASED COUNCILORS BREADON DURKAN FITZGERALD MAGEE MURPHY SANTANA WHIRLWIND PLEASE OF THE CHAIR COUNCILORS WEBER BUT BEN AND COLETTE AS OPPOSED TO SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE AND ADOPTION AMBASSADOR DOCKET NUMBER 1354 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT. DOCKET NUMBER 1354 HAS BEEN ADOPTED.  MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1355. DOCKET NUMBER 1355 COUNCILORS LOUIJEUNE AND FERNANDEZ SANDERSON OFF THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 AS NIGERIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE MADAM PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  OCTOBER 1ST IS NIGERIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY. I FILED THIS RESOLUTION LAST YEAR RECOGNIZING A STRONG, VIBRANT NIGERIAN COMMUNITY HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, NIGERIA, A COUNTRY WHICH CONTRIBUTES A LOT NOT ONLY IN THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA, ONE OF THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTRIES BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTES A LOT TO THE UNITED STATES. IT'S THE LARGEST SOURCE OF AFRICAN IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES. IN MASSACHUSETTS, ONE OF THE TOP TEN STATES OF THE HIGHEST NIGERIAN BORN POPULATION ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY. WE HAVE A LOT OF NIGERIANS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IN HYDE PARK LITERALLY AROUND THE CITY. A LOT OF FOLKS FROM THE CARIBBEAN SUCH AS HAITIAN-AMERICANS AND HAITIAN PEOPLE TRACE OUR ROOTS BACK TO WEST AFRICA, BACK TO NIGERIA AND BENIN.  SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONNECTIONS THERE. NIGERIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY IS AN IMPORTANT DAY FOR US AND FOR FOR THE NIGERIAN COMMUNITY TO REALLY COME TOGETHER AS ONE ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND TRIBES AND WE REALLY ENJOY RAISING THE FLAG HERE AT CITY HALL.  SO WE'LL BE DOING THAT OCTOBER ON OCTOBER 1ST AND I ENCOURAGE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES TO COME AND SUPPORT OUR NIGERIAN UNITY HERE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I AM SEEKING AND I AM SEEKING SUSPENSION OF PASSAGE. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE LOOKING AT ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER AND ANYONE LESS LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME QUICKLY PLEASE ADD COUNCILOR BRAIDING COUNCILOR DURKAN CASSIE FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FLYNN CAST MEJIA CASSIE MURPHY. CASSIE PEPEN. CASSIE SANTANA. CASSELL WEBER PLEASE ADD COUNCILOR AROUND CASSIE LOUIJEUNE SEEK SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSES THE DOCKET NUMBER 1355 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE AYE ALL THOSE OPPOSED NAY THE AYES HAVE IT. DOCKET NUMBER 1331355 HAS BEEN ADOPTED.  MR CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1356 TALK NUMBER 135 SAYS COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND HERE OFFERED THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 2024 AS SUICIDE AWARENESS MONTH IN BOSTON.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE MADAM PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. MR CHAIR, CAN I SUSPEND RULE 12 AND ADD COUNCILOR DURKIN AS AN ORIGINAL AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE SEEK SUSPENSION OF THE RULE TO ADD COUNCILOR DURKAN AS ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR COUNCILOR DURKAN ALSO ADDED THANK YOU SEPTEMBER IS RECOGNIZED AS SUICIDE AWARENESS MONTH AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR US TO HIGHLIGHT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT AS A CITY AND FOR US TO LET PEOPLE KNOW HONESTLY JUST THAT THEY'RE NOT ALONE. I SUICIDE IS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS AFFECTED A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THAT AFFECTS OUR CITY. LONELINESS IS A REALLY BIG ISSUE AND SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN TRY TO HELP BUILD COMMUNITY AND HELP PEOPLE FIND THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND TO GET MEDICATION AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED,  WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT. I RECENTLY HAD A CONVERSATION WITH COURTNEY GRAY AT THE BOSTON WORLD HEALTH COMMISSION AND JUST THEN THE NUMBER OF SUICIDES THAT WE'RE SEEING SHOULD PUT US ON ALARM AT ALARM HERE IN THE CITY. AND SO THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO DO. I DO THINK THAT THE BPC IS WORKING AND TRYING TO COMMIT RESOURCES SO THAT FOLKS KNOW THAT THERE IS HELP THAT IS OUT THERE. WE LOSE ALMOST 50,000 PEOPLE A YEAR TO SUICIDE IN THIS COUNTRY AND YOU KNOW, IT IS OFTEN REALLY HARD AND DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT IT. I 12 YEARS AGO LOST MY COUSIN TO SHE DIED BY SUICIDE AND SHE WAS A 19 YEAR OLD ARTIST WITH ARTIST FOR HUMANITY AND ROSE PASS AND WE LOVE HER AND MISS HER EVERY DAY AND EVEN FOR MY FAMILY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND YOU KNOW IS NOT SOMETHING THAT MY PARENTS GREW UP DOING.  IT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY TO MAKE PEOPLE COMFORTABLE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR CITY THAT ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF MENTAL HEALTH. SAMARITANS IS A LOCAL SUPPORT GROUP DEDICATED TO HELPING THOSE STRUGGLING WITH SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND THEY EVERY YEAR DO A WALK FOR SUICIDE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION. IT'S ACTUALLY THE WALK THAT MY FAMILY DID THE YEAR AFTER THAT MY COUSIN DIED BY SUICIDE AND WE FOUND COMMUNITY WITH THE SAMARITANS COMMUNITY. THEY HAVE A 24 HOUR HELPLINE AND THAT NUMBER IS 8778704673 THAT OFFERS COMPASSIONATE LISTENING AND SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS IN CRISIS. WE ALSO HAVE THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL HEALTH. THEY OFFER VITAL RESOURCES DURING SUICIDE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS MONTH INCLUDING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND IS A NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE WHICH IS ACCESSIBLE BY DIALING 988 NATIONWIDE AND IT PROVIDES 24 SEVEN CONFIDENTIAL SERVICE SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS IN DISTRESS AS WELL AS RESOURCES FOR LOVED ONES AND PROFESSIONALS AND IS AVAILABLE EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR. YOU CAN ALSO REACH THEM ONLINE AT 9888 LIFELINE CORD AND MANY OF US KNOW THAT COMMUNITY CHAMPION AND LEADER TEUBER AND WHO RUNS TV'S CRY NAMED AFTER HER SISTER DANITA MORRIS WHO DIED AT THE AGE OF 23 BY SUICIDE AND INDEED HIS CRY THEY HAD A WALK THIS PAST WEEKEND AND MANY OF MY COLLEAGUE COUNSELORS SANTANA COMES WITH MEJIA CATHERINE AND JOHN ANDERSON IN THEIR OFFICE WERE PRESENT AND REALLY UPLIFTING THE WORK THAT THAT TOY DOES NOT ONLY IN ROXBURY AND IN THE CITY AT LARGE AND HOW SHE TALKS ABOUT HER OWN SUICIDE ATTEMPTS. I WANT TO UPLIFT TEUBER AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT SHE DOES HOPEFULLY THIS JUST LETS PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO LISTEN IF YOU'VE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT SUICIDE OR IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH, KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE LISTENING AND YOU KNOW I KNOW SO MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE WORKED ON ISSUES OF MENTAL HEALTH BOTH WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS AND IN OUR CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED SO THAT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR RESIDENTS KNOW THAT HELP IS AVAILABLE AND THAT WE ON THE COUNCIL CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THEM AND THAT THEY MATTER IN THEIR LIVES MATTER AND THAT WE WANT TO SEE EVERYONE LIVE AND THRIVE. SO JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE SEPTEMBER AS SUICIDE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH AND WANT TO ASK FOR A SUSPENSION AND PASSAGE. THANK YOU MR TRIP. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR MEJIA.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO COUNSELOR PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR ALLOWING ME TO JOIN YOU AS A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 2024 AS SUICIDE AWARENESS MONTH IN BOSTON.  THIS ISSUE IS DEEPLY PERSONAL TO ME AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN VERY OPEN ABOUT MY OWN SUICIDE ATTEMPT WHEN I WAS A TEEN AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THE FEAR AND ISOLATION THAT I FELT THEN AND YOU KNOW MY MOM I OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT SHE WAS TOO AFRAID TO GET ME THE HELP THAT I NEEDED AND NOT BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T CARE BUT BECAUSE SHE WAS TOO AFRAID OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN AND WHAT WOULD IT WOULD MEAN TO OUR FAMILY AND SO THAT FEAR LITERALLY COST ME MY LIFE AND SO I AM GRATEFUL THAT I WAS ABLE TO SURVIVE THAT ATTEMPT.  SUICIDE RUNS IN MY FAMILY. MY GRANDFATHER, AS YOU KNOW,  DIED BY SUICIDE AND SO DID MY COUSIN.  SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO ME . IT'S THE KIND OF FEAR AND STIGMA THAT EXISTS AND WE'RE HERE TO BREAK THAT SILENCE HERE TODAY. FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE ESPECIALLY IN OUR IMMIGRANT AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES SUFFER IN SILENCE BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO TURN. SO SUICIDE DOESN'T DISCRIMINATE AND IT AFFECTS PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, ALL RACES AND ALL AGES AND WE MUST ENSURE THAT NO ONE FEELS TOO AFRAID TO SEEK THE HELP THEY NEED. SO BY RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER AS SUICIDE AWARENESS MONTH WE ARE MAKING A STATEMENT THAT NO ONE SHOULD EVER FEEL ALONE IN THEIR STRUGGLE FROM LGBTQ PLUS YOUTH TO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, WE MUST ENSURE THAT OUR MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND SUPPORT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY A COMMUNITY THAT CARES. I STAND HERE TODAY ALIVE AND I'M ABLE TO SHARE MY STORY BECAUSE I KNOW HOW POWERFUL IT IS TO BE HEARD AND SUPPORTED.  AND I WANT TO JUST THANK AND TO PAUSE AND TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYONE WHO RIGHT NOW IS SUFFERING ALONE.  IT IS TIME FOR US TO LIFT THE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH AND ENSURE THAT EVERY PERSON REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND OR IMMIGRATION STATUS HAS ACCESS TO THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.  AS WE KNOW DURING COVID WE SAW AN UPTICK IN MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE THIS REALLY MANIFESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND I JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT CONCRETE LIFE WHICH IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT DOES A LOT OF WORK IN THIS SPACE. THEY'RE NOT INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN BUT THEY ARE DEFINITELY AN ORGANIZATION THAT OUR OFFICE PARTNERED UP WITH LAST YEAR AND WE DID THE WALK ON THE SAMARITANS WALK TOGETHER AND I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT TONI AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT HE DOES IN CREATING SPACE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR TO EMBRACE THE ISSUES OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THE THINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH IT . SO WITHOUT HAVING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY. THANK THINK THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR DURKAN THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE FOR INCLUDING ME IF YOU HAVE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AND YOU'RE STILL STANDING WE CELEBRATE YOU THIS MONTH. IF YOU'VE LOST A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND WE WRAP OUR ARMS AROUND YOU AND WE MOURN WITH YOU.  IF YOU SUFFER FROM SUICIDAL IDEATIONS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND WE NEED YOU IN THIS WORLD.  IT'S SOMETHING THAT TOUCHES EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, EVERY FAMILY AND EVERY FRIEND GROUP.  BUT OFTEN PEOPLE DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE SHARING SUICIDE IS PREVENTABLE BUT WE NEED TO BRING AWARENESS TO SUICIDE ALL YEAR ROUND I FOUND A FAMILY MEMBER WHO HAD ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AND THEY'RE STILL ALIVE AND I THINK A LOT OF US HAVE HAD THOSE EXPERIENCES. WE'VE HAD FRIENDS, WE'VE HAD FAMILY AND OFTEN TIMES THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNS AND WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PICK UP ON THEM AND I THINK THAT HAPPENING WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL REALLY DROVE ME TO CARE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND THAT'S WHY MY MAIDEN SPEECH WAS ON MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR CITY WORKERS AND WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES AND WE CAN'T GIVE UP THAT FIGHT EVERY CITY WORKER IN THE CITY OF BOSTON DESERVES ACCESS TO QUALITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES.  I AM GRATEFUL THAT MY FAMILY MEMBER IS STILL STANDING TODAY AND I CELEBRATE THEM TODAY. THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND I. I KNOW HOW I HAD A DISTRICT A COMMUNITY MEMBER COMES TO ME AT THE PAST WEEK AND SHARE HOW MUCH IT MEANS THAT I TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND I TALK ABOUT MY FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND EVERY SPEECH THAT I GIVE AND I DO THAT BECAUSE I KNOW HOW POWERFUL IT IS WHEN I CHOSE TO MOVE TO BOSTON AND WHEN I CHOSE TO WORK FOR THEN CITY COUNCILOR MICHELLE WU, THE REASON I DID SO IS BECAUSE SHE SPOKE SO OPENLY ABOUT HER FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE WITH MENTAL HEALTH. THAT WAS EXTREMELY INSPIRING TO ME AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP WITH A FAMILY MEMBER AND A PARENT WHO DEALT WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, I FELT THAT STIGMA. I FELT THAT STIGMA SO MUCH THAT I FELT LIKE I COULDN'T SHARE IT IN A WORK INTERVIEW I FELT LIKE I COULDN'T SHARE IT AT SCHOOL, FELT LIKE IT WAS MY DIRTY LITTLE SECRET AND I NEED EVERYONE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON TO KNOW IF YOU'RE DEALING WITH SUICIDE SUICIDAL IDEATION IS OR YOU'RE NOT ACCESSING THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE YOU NEED, PLEASE BE OPEN ABOUT IT. WE NEED YOU TO SHARE YOUR STORY AND AND WE'LL JOIN IN A CHORUS ALONGSIDE YOU. AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR MEJIA FOR YOUR VULNERABLE NESS. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. TALKING ABOUT IT WILL SAVE LIVES AND WE NEED EVERYONE EVERYONE TO TRY TO SAVE LIVES. THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO CITY WORKERS WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY THE PAST TWO YEARS FRIENDS THAT WORK FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON SHARED THAT THEY LOST MEMBERS WHO WORKED FOR THE CITY BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO SHARE WHAT THEY WERE FEELING.  THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO COME FORWARD. THAT'S THIS MONTH IS FOR THEM AS MUCH AS IT IS FOR THE PERSON WHO IS DEALING WITH THOSE TROUBLES TODAY.  AND SO BUT IT CAN'T JUST BE ONE MONTH. IT'S GOT TO BE THE WHOLE YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. KATHLEEN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO THE MAKERS AS WELL. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE SUICIDE CRISIS THAT'S FACING VETERANS ALSO ACROSS THE NATION WE HAVE 22 VETERANS THAT COMMIT SUICIDE EVERY DAY.  IT'S BEEN CONSISTENT LIKE THAT FOR 20 YEARS AND THERE'S MANY REASONS FOR THAT.  I WON'T GET INTO IT. BUT WHAT I ADVOCATE FOR HERE IN THE CITY COUNCIL AND OUTSIDE IS ENSURING VETERANS HAVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING. IT'S A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF IT . I KNOW I SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD AT TIMES ADVOCATING FOR VETERANS IN MILITARY FAMILIES BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I ADVOCATE FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES JUST TO ENSURE THAT THEY GET THE CRITICAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT THEY HAVE EARNED AND WHETHER IT'S JAMAICA PLAIN VA OR WEST ROXBURY VA,  THEY DO EXCEPTIONAL WORK FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES AND JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN THEIR DAILY WORK BUT ALSO ENCOURAGE ANY VETERAN THAT HAS NOT COME INTO THE VA MEDICAL SYSTEM AND TO ENGAGE THE SYSTEM ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE SEEKING MEDICAL CARE OR COUNSELING FOR A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. THE VA MEDICAL TEAM IS EXCEPTIONAL.  IT'S FREE FOR VETERANS. YOU'VE EARNED YOU'VE EARNED THE RIGHT TO THAT MEDICAL CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING AND I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO THE VA AND MAKE A PLANE TO THE VA IN WEST ROXBURY OR TO CALL MY OFFICE AND I WILL ENSURE THAT I PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH A MEDICAL PROVIDER IN JAMAICA PLAIN OR IN WEST ROXBURY.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU.  I JUST WANT TO THANK THE SPONSORS AND THE MAKERS FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE FLOOR AND MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING SO OPEN ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES BECAUSE MY COUNSELOR DOCTOR SAYS IT'S A SHARING THAT IS GOING TO HELP BREAK THE STIGMA AND ALSO SAVE LIVES AND ALSO FOR THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE SUFFERING ALONE. AND I ALSO THINK TO OTHER CITY WORKERS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING THIS GREAT WORK AND ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER AND WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME MR CLEGG PLEASE ADD COUNCILOR BRADING COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD CARTER FLYNN, COUNCILOR MURPHY,  COUNCILOR PEPPER AND CATH SANTANA, COUNCILOR WEBER AND PLEASE AT THE CHAIR COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE ME IN DEREK AND SEEK SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSING THE DOCKET NUMBER 1356 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.  ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. I HAVE IT. THANK YOU, DOCTOR. NUMBER 1356 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DARKWING NUMBER 1357 DOCKING NUMBER 135 IN COUNCIL OF FLYNN OFFER THE FOLLOWING ORDER REQUESTING CERTAIN INFORMATION UNDER SECTION 17 OF REGARDING BOSTON AUTHORITY ELEVATORS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN.  YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I FILED THE 17 HALF BECAUSE WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE FACING MANY VHA DEVELOPMENTS NOT JUST IN MY DISTRICT BUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON PROVIDING EQUAL ACCESS TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND SENIORS SO THAT THEY CAN GET IN THEY CAN USE AN ELEVATOR IN MY OPINION IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE . I I'M SEEKING THIS INFORMATION TO WORK WITH VHA TO COME UP WITH SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM PLANS ON HOW WE DEAL WITH THE CONTINUED BREAKDOWN OF ELEVATORS IN THE VHA SYSTEM. MANY OF OUR ELEVATOR SYSTEMS ARE SO OLD THAT WHEN AN ELEVATOR BREAKS DOWN THE PART THAT IS NECESSARY IS DIFFICULT TO GET. SO THAT'S ONE MAJOR CHALLENGE. THE OTHER MAJOR CHALLENGE OF COURSE IS IS PUTTING MONEY AND RESOURCES IN TO VHA SO THAT WE CAN GET NEW ELEVATOR SYSTEMS. I WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH COLLEAGUES TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS A NEW ELEVATOR SYSTEM PLACED AT THE VHA DEVELOPMENT ON SAINT B12 STREET IN MY DISTRICT IN THE BACK BAY.  BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING RESIDENTS OF PUBLIC HOUSING WITH EQUAL FAIR ACCESS TO THEIR APARTMENTS TO AN ELEVATOR SYSTEM THAT WORKS. IT'S A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE. IT'S A FEDERAL ISSUE. IT'S IMPACTING MY DISTRICT AS HAVING THE MOST RESIDENTS LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND I CAN'T TURN MY BACK ON RESIDENTS LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING. THAT'S MY JOB. I'M GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM AND I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT AND THERE'S SOME PUSHBACK BECAUSE OUR COLLEAGUES FORMER COLLEAGUE IS NOW THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BUT I STILL HAVE TO DO MY JOB AS A DISTRICT CITY COUNCILOR . THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNTER-OFFENSIVE SPEAK TO THE ROSE AND PASSIONATE TALKING NUMBER 1357 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I WAS SAYING THEY MAY BE TALKING AN 1357 AS PAST MR. CLERK WOULD YOU PLEASE REPORT THAT NUMBER 1358 STRIKE NUMBER 1358 COUNCILOR MURPHY OFFER THE FOLLOWING ORDER REQUESTING CERTAIN INFORMATION UNDER SECTION 17 OF REGARDING WHITE STADIUM DOCUMENTS. THANK YOU.  BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M REQUESTING THE DOCUMENTS IDENTIFIED IN THE BOSTON PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S MEMO RELATED TO THE APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT AT WHITE STADIUM WHICH INCLUDES THE LEASE BETWEEN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOSTON UNITY SOCCER CLUB LLC AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES. THE STADIUM USAGE AGREEMENT, THE COOPERATION AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSPORTATION ACCESS PLAN AGREEMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  COUNSELOR MURPHY SUSPENDED THE RULES AND POWERS OF DOCKET NUMBER 1358. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I WAS OUT OF THE STOCK. IT IS PAST.  OKAY WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO PERSON HOURS BUT I FIRST WANT TO GO ON AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ADD COUNCILOR ORAL ORAL AS SECOND OR CO-SPONSOR ON DOCKET NUMBER 1347. MR. CLERK, DO YOU HAVE THAT? OKAY, GREAT.  AND THEN COUNSELOR ORAL OF THE CHAIR AND THIS COMES UP. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO MY DOCKET NUMBER 0926I LIKE TO REFLECT MY VOTE AS A YES ON THE WHOLE REPETITION STAGE.  OKAY.  MR. CLERK, DO YOU HAVE YOU HAVE A CONSPIRACY? YES, I KNOW 96 OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THE CHAIRMAN IS COMFORTABLE AND THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MADAM CHAIR, I ADD MY NAME TO DOCKET 1354 PLEASE. MR CLERK, CAN YOU ADD COUNSELOR FLYNN'S NAME TO DOCKET 1354? THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THAT AS A PARTY ON THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M HOPING TO ADD MY NAME TO 1355. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR POCAN. WE HAD COUNCILOR CORTEZ UP AT THE ZAPATA AT 1355 TO THANK YOU. THANKS EVERYONE. WE'RE NOW ON TO PERSONNEL ORDERS. MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE PERSONNEL ORDERS INTO THE RECORD NUMBER 1359 COUNCIL COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR COUNCILOR OF WEB OF PERSONNEL ORDER NUMBER 1360 COUNCILOR ALLUSION FOR COUNCILOR I'M HERE. PERSONNEL ORDER AND NUMBER 1361 COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR COUNCILOR ME HERE. PERSONNEL ORDER THANK YOU. THE CHAIRMAN WAS A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE MEMBER 135921361 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I I'LL COORDINATE THE PERSONNEL ORDERS THAT PASSED. WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO GREEN SHEETS SO ANYONE LOOKING TO PULL ANYTHING FROM THE GREEN SHEETS GRANTS, ANYTHING THAT FOLKS WANT TO PULL FROM THE GREEN SHEETS? OH NO. OKAY.  WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO LATE FILES. I'M INFORMED BY THE COURT THAT THERE ARE THREE LATE MATTERS THAT ARE OKAY ONE APPS, ONE LETTER OF ABSENCE, ONE PERSONNEL ORDER AND ONE HEARING ORDER FROM COUNSELOR CARLOTTA ZAPATA. OKAY.  AND DOES EVERYONE HAVE ALL OF THE MATTERS BEFORE THEM?  OKAY, WE WILL TAKE A VOTE TO ADD THE PERSONNEL ORDER AND THE LETTER OF ABSENCE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADDING THESE FILE MATTERS INTO THE RECORD SAY I AM THE POLICY. NO, I THINK YOU DELAY FILE MATTER. THESE TWO FAMILIES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE TO THE AGENDA. OH YEAH.  AND WE'LL DO THE HEARING ORDER AND THEN MR CLERK CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE FIRST LATE FILE MATTER INTO THE RECORD?  FIRSTLY OUT A LETTER FROM COUNSELOR TONYA FULLY UNDERSTANDS AND DEAR MR CLERK I REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT I'LL BE UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY'S COUNCIL MEETING. A MEMBER OF MY STAFF WILL LISTEN IN AND TAKE NOTES ACCORDINGLY.  THANK YOU. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE SECOND MATTER INTO THE RECORD? SECOND LIFE LATE FILING MATTER PERSONNEL ORDER COUNCILOR ALLUSION ON OF CENTRAL STAFF AND THE EMPLOYEES IN THE COUNCIL AS OFFICES THANK YOU ALL THOSE THE CHAIR MR PASTOR THAT LATE THAT MATTER ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I WOULD SAY OKAY THAT PERSONAL ORDER HAS BEEN ADOPTED.  MR CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE THIRD FILE MATTER INTO THE RECORD THIRD LATE FILING OFFERED BY COUNCILOR GABRIELLA COLLETTE AS A PART OF ORDER FOR A HEARING TO ADDRESS UTILITY STREET WORK COORDINATION NOTIFICATION AND COMPLIANCE POST COMPLETION. WHEREAS SUMMER CONSTRUCTION AND EXCAVATION WORK IN THE CITY OF BOSTON ALLOWS FOR THE NECESSARY AND AT TIMES URGENT STREET WORK TO BE DONE, THE PROCESS CONDUCTING STREET WORK REQUIRES STRONG COLLABORATION BETWEEN UTILITY COMPANIES IN THE CITY TO RETURN THE CITY STREET BACK TO GOOD CONDITION WHEREAS DUE TO THE URGENT NEED FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES IMPACTING THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON, ANY EMERGENCY DECLARATION IS HEREBY NECESSARY TO EXPEDITE THE FILING AND CONSIDERATION OF THIS ORDER AND THAT THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL HOLD A HEARING. THANK YOU.  I KNOW THAT WE GENERALLY FROWN ON THESE FILES AND I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS EMERGENCY DECLARATION LANGUAGE IN THERE SO AND THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS RECENTLY AN INCIDENT SO I UNDERSTAND LATE FILE LATE FILING. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL MY COLLEAGUES I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF ADDING THIS MATTER INTO THE AGENDA TODAY I THINK THAT LIFE ON THE MATTER HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE AGENDA AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR AS A PARTNER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM AND I WOULD JUST WANT TO EXTEND MY THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO YOU AND MY COLLEAGUES THE URGENCY AROUND THIS PARTICULAR FILING IS CENTERED AROUND YES, AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED IN CHARLESTOWN BUT I THINK SOME OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS ON BLUE HILL AV AND HYDE PARK AND ROSLINDALE AND CHARLESTOWN AND EAST BOSTON AND THE CLOSE OF CONSTRUCTION SEASON HAPPENING SHORTLY AND SO WE ALL HEAR IT FROM OUR RESIDENTS AT LEAST I DO, EVERYBODY SAYS AND EVERYWHERE I GO I'LL FIX OUR STREETS, FIX OUR STREETS CITY SERVICES, NUTS AND BOLTS AND SO WHILE THE INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE ARE NECESSARY RIGHT BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE DIGGING UP A STREET, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WATER SEWER LINES ARE DONE AND THEN EVERSOURCE NEEDS TO GET IN THERE AND NATIONAL GRID.  AND SO THIS WORK WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN IN ANY PARTICULAR BLOCK IN ANY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, THEY'RE THERE FOR A LONG TIME. THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DIG UP THE STREET AGAIN. BUT THAT IS A PROBLEM FOR MANY FOLKS. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT ONCE THESE UTILITY COMPANIES ARE DONE WITH THEIR WORK, IT TAKES ABOUT 2 TO 3 YEARS AND AS BOSTON IN THE JEFFRIES POINT AREA AND I INTRODUCED THIS LAST OR TWO YEARS AGO I FORGET WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT COORDINATION WITH UTILITY COMPANIES WHEN THE COMPANIES ARE DONE AND THE CITY GOES INTO REPAIR, WE WON'T THEM FOR ANOTHER THOUSAND YEARS AND SO AGAIN THAT'S A GOOD THING.  THESE INVESTMENTS ARE A GOOD THING AND I JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IN THE STREETS CABINET FOR JUST THEIR DILIGENCE AND THEIR WORK. I'M ON THE PHONE WITH THE CHIEF ENGINEER AND THE UTILITY COMPLIANCE OFFICER JANEY CLEMENTE, WHO WAS A NORTH END RESIDENT.  I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK AND HELPING ME THROUGH THIS JUST TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP IS AND THE OVERSIGHT IS OF THESE UTILITY COMPANIES. AND SO I'M TALKING ABOUT BASIN WATER AND SEWER NATIONAL GRID, EVERSOURCE COMCAST, VERIZON WHEN THEY ARE DONE WITH THEIR WORK AT THE END OF IT ALL POST COMPLETION THERE IS NO SPECIFIC CHECKLIST THAT THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO ADHERE TO. SO FOR EXAMPLE IN IS BOSTON WITH BOSTON WATER AND SEWER WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR CROSSWALKS TO BE PUT IN AND SCHOOL HAS ALREADY STARTED AND THAT IS JUST ONE INSTANCE IN CHARLESTOWN RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING WORK SITES THAT ARE JUST A COMPLETE MESS AND SO AS THIS WORK IS GOING ON JUST HAVING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OVERSIGHT, HAVING MORE ENFORCEMENT FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON IS A GOAL OF THIS CONVERSATION AND THIS IS JUST THE START OF A CONVERSATION BETTER NOTIFICATION I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL OF YOU BUT WHEN I DO GET CALLS FROM RESIDENTS THEY'RE ASKING ME WHAT IS HAPPENING ON MY STREET. WE HAVE BOSTON WATER AND SEWER OUT HERE.  I DON'T GET NOTIFICATION FROM THEM OR EVERSOURCE OR NATIONAL GRID AND WE HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOLKS AND THERE IS EMERGENCY WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BUT WHEN THEY'RE THERE THERE ARE PERMITS ON THE STREETS. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE AN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL NOTIFICATION SYSTEM STANDARDS THAT THEY HAVE TO ADHERE TO AND THEN JUST GENERAL OVERSIGHT COMPLIANCE AND MAKING SURE THAT WHEN THE WORK IS DONE BEFORE THE CITY OF BOSTON GOES OUT THERE AND DOES A FULL REPAVE THAT WE'RE JUST HOLDING THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE LEAVING OUR STREETS AS BEAUTIFUL AS WHEN THEY FOUND IT.  SO THAT IS THE THE GOAL OF THIS HEARING AND SEEING THAT AGAIN, CONSTRUCTION SEASON IS NEARING COMPLETION.  I DO WANT TO MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY TO GET THIS HEARING SCHEDULED AND SO I THINK MADAM PRESIDENT, AGAIN FOR YOUR GRACE AND YOUR PATIENCE AND MY COLLEAGUES FOR ALLOWING ME TO INTRODUCE THIS AND I WELCOME ALL PERSPECTIVES ,THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS WHEN WE FINALLY DO HAVE THIS HERE.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? THE CHAIR AND AS COMES FROM HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT AND I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCIL COLETTA SUPPORT THAT FOR INTRODUCING THIS HEARING ORDER AND IT'S REALLY COMPLEMENTING A LOT OF THE WORK THAT OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN DOING WITH THE SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION AND A LOT OF OUR QUESTIONS DURING THE BUDGET SEASON WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT PUBLIC WORKS WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF PROTOCOLS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND TIMELINES AROUND PERMITS ARE OFFERED TO FOLKS WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO DO WORK ON OUR STREETS . SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING AT THAT PARTNER WITH YOU IN THIS JOURNEY AND FIGURING OUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, THE BOTTOM LINE IS IS THAT EVERYBODY IS BEING IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION AND.  THOSE WHO ARE FEELING IT THE MOST OFTENTIMES ARE THE SMALL BUSINESSES WHO CAN'T OPEN UP THEIR DOORS, THE CONSUMERS WHO CAN'T WALK THROUGH THE STUDENTS WHO ARE TRYING TO GET TO SCHOOL. SO THIS DISRUPTION IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS A TIMELY CONVERSATION. AND I JUST WANT TO ADD A NOTE FOR THE RECORD IS THAT THE MORE THAT I GET TO WORK WITH STATE AUDITOR DISAGREE A LITTLE MORE THAT I LEARN ABOUT COMPLIANCE AND AUDITING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW WE HOLD OURSELVES TO A MORE EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT, I THINK THAT AUDITS AND QUESTIONS LIKE THIS REALLY HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE ARE THE GAPS AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A COUNCIL TO HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO SOME SENSE OF OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE.  OTHERWISE WE'RE GOING TO JUST KEEP HAVING HEARINGS FOR THE SAKE OF HAVING HEARINGS AND I REALLY DO LOOK FORWARD TO WALKING OUT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH A TO DO LIST AND THEN ALSO AN ACTION PLAN. SO THANK YOU COUNSELOR SUPPORTER LET US APPLY THAT FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS SPACE AND LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH YOU ON THIS WORK. THANK YOU.  COUNSELOR COLLETTE AS A PARTNER DO YOU HAVE YOUR COUNTERPART? DOES IT MATTER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  I APOLOGIZE MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO ADD COUNCIL PREP THAT HAS AS A CO-SPONSOR. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY.  OKAY. COUNSELOR PATTON IS ADDED AS ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR BECAUSE OF AGAIN WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE MATTER?  NO, YOU'RE ALL SET. OKAY. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER?  WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME?  PLEASE ADD COUNSELORS BREADON DURKIN, FLYNN HERE FITZGERALD MURPHY. SANTANA. WEBER WUERL PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR. THIS DOCKET WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON CITY SERVICES AND INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY ARE THERE OKAY SO WE'VE DEALT WITH ALL OF THE LATE FILES.  WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT THERE ARE NO ADDITIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA . THE QUESTION NOW COMES ON APPROVAL OF THE VARIOUS MATTERS CONTAINED WITHIN THE CONSENT AGENDA.  ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY THANK YOU. THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED.  WE ARE NOW ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS. PLEASE REMEMBER THESE ARE FOR UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS. I'M GOING TO ANNOUNCE SOME BIRTHDAYS ARE FULLY IN VIRGO SEASON SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JESSICA CORREA TO JACK AND BERGAMOT TO BOLIVIA'S YANO TO OUR VERY OWN CANDLER COUNCILOR AND WE KEEP IT THEN WE ARE CELEBRATING NEXT TUESDAY AND ARE ETHAN VERA SO A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF OUR COUNCIL BIRTHDAYS.  I ALSO WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO MY SISTER WHOSE BIRTHDAY IS TOMORROW HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROD LEAN INTO MY COUSIN THEIR BIRTHDAY TWINS MY LOUISE PAST THEY SHARE THE SAME BIRTHDAY.  DO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE? ALSO WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT SOME EVENTS AND COMMUNITY WE HAVE MCCORMICK UNITY DAY IN SOUTH BOSTON THIS SATURDAY WE HAVE A ONE DAY ONLY FESTIVAL IN DEWEY SQUARE. WE HAVE OPEN STREETS IN EAST BOSTON AND ON SEPTEMBER 15TH BEGINS THE LATIN X HERITAGE MONTH SPANISH HERITAGE MONTH ALL THE WAY UNTIL OCTOBER 15TH. SO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR MORE INFORMATION TO COME FROM THE COUNCIL ON OUR CELEBRATION. SO IF ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS NOW'S THE TIME THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CATCHER FLYNN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I KNOW YOU HIGHLIGHTED SEPTEMBER 11TH EARLIER I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AN EVENT I WENT TO TODAY AT THE ROSE KENNEDY GREENWAY THIS MORNING ACTUALLY SPONSORED BY HOME BASE AND TEAM PROJECT 351 AND WHAT THEY DID WAS READ THE NAMES OF OUT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS MEN AND WOMEN THAT WERE KILLED ON THAT HORRIFIC DAY DURING A TERRORIST ATTACK BUT ALSO WHAT THEY DID IS THEY GOT TOGETHER AND THEY DEVELOPED CARE PACKAGES FOR OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN ARE SERVING OVERSEAS AND THEY WERE ABLE TO BOX THEM UP AND SEND SEND CARE PACKAGES TO THEM. SO WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO TO THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE BUT ALSO IT'S A DAY THAT WE REMEMBER A AND REMEMBER AND THINK ABOUT THE LIVES THAT WERE LOST ON THAT TERRIBLE DAY. WE ALSO REMEMBER THE HEROIC SERVICE OF SO MANY PEOPLE THAT PUT THEMSELVES AT RISK SO OTHERS MAY LIVES AND FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS PEOPLE WORKING ON THOSE AIRPLANES AND AIRPORTS BUT ALSO OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL THAT PROVIDED HEROIC SERVICE AS WELL.  WE REMEMBER THOSE FAMILIES AND TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 11TH. BUT EVERY DAY FOR THOSE FAMILIES I'M SURE THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT THEIR LOVED ONE AND THEIR FUTURE THAT THEY WERE ROBBED OF . BUT WE HOLD THEM WE HOLD THEM IN OUR HEARTS AND WE'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER THEM AS AS A AS A NATION AND WE ALWAYS WILL REMEMBER THE SACRIFICE AND COURAGE THAT THEY SHOWED IN THAT TERRIBLE DAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COMES FROM HERE ON THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS.  JUST WANT TO INVITE MY COLLEAGUES WHO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THE DISTRICT COUNCILOR FOR THIS AREA. IT'S HAPPENING IN DISTRICTS SEVEN BUT ALL ARE WELCOME. WE ARE HOSTING A A WOMEN'S CONFERENCE ALONGSIDE THE COMMUNITY BUILDERS FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON WOMEN AND GIRLS AND SO YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO TO STOP BY THERE'S WE'RE FOCUSING ON SOCIAL EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL WELL-BEING OF LATINAS AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THE CONFERENCE SPECIFICALLY JUST IN SPANISH ONLY BUT THERE WILL BE ENGLISH TRANSPORT INTERPRETATION IF YOU SHALL NEED IT SO JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO STOP BY. IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE BRUCE BOLIN BUILDING 2300 WASHINGTON STREET ON OH NO SORRY IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE DO IT CENTER IN ROXBURY FROM 12 TO 4 AND SO IF YOU WANT TO STOP BY PLEASE DO SO. AND THEN THE OTHER PIECES THAT WE'RE DOING ICLOUD DRIVE ACROSS THE CITY IF YOU HAVE GENTLY USED CLOTHES OR ANY NEW ITEMS THAT YOU WANT TO DONATE, WE'RE DOING A KOHL'S DRIVE SPECIFICALLY FOR BEEPS. ALL STUDENTS NOT JUST BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS WE WANT TO NAME THAT FOR THE RECORD IS FOR EVERYBODY FOR US, FOR STUDENTS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW YOU KNOW EVERYBODY'S ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE VIOLENCE AND EVERYBODY'S ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THESE THINGS. WE KNOW THAT FASHION AND DRESSING UP COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD CHANGE THE WAY A YOUNG PERSON FEELS ABOUT THEMSELVES THE BULLYING THAT HAPPENS. AND SO NOT TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS ALL THE VIOLENCE WITH A CLOTHING DRIVE BUT WHAT WE'RE WE ARE ASKING FOLKS IS TO DONATE GENTLY USED CLOTHES AND WE'RE PARTNERING UP WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S GOING TO TREAT ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT WE GET DONATED AND WE'RE GOING TO HOST AN EVENT FOR THE DISTRIBUTION TO BE KIND OF LIKE A BOUTIQUE SO CHILDREN CAN COME IN AND FEEL LIKE THEY'RE SHOPPING, NOT LIKE THEY'RE BEING JUST GETTING ACCESS TO THINGS. SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN DONATING ANY ITEMS WE YOU CAN DROP IT OFF IN OUR OFFICE HERE IN CITY HALL. WE ALSO HAVE OUR OFFICE IN CODMAN SQUARE. WE HAVE A SPACE IN JAMAICA PLAIN AND WE ALSO HAVE SEVERAL BARBERSHOPS AND HAIR SALON SHOPS THAT HAVE OPENED UP THEIR DOORS.  YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA OR SEND US AN EMAIL IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN MAKING A DONATION OR AN ITEM OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU WANT TO OFFER AND WE'RE GOING TO BE HOSTING THE EVENT SOMETIME IN OCTOBER . SO MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW BUT FOR NOW WELCOMING ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES TO DONATE GENTLY USED CLOTHES AND THE ESSENTIAL STAFF TO I KNOW YOU ALL ARE WELL DRESSED AND IF YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS THAT YOU WANT TO DONATE WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ACCEPT THOSE DONATIONS AND PAY FOR IT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I LIKE HOW YOU WERE KIND OF LOOKING AT MEGAN WHEN YOU SAID THAT BUT YEAH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIEND FOR FOR THAT.  I ALSO WANT TO UPLIFT THE WORK OF KATIE'S CLOSET WHICH HAS BEEN DOING SUCH GREAT WORK AND IN NEED OF A LOT OF SUPPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR OUR STUDENTS HAVE CLOTHING. SO JUST WANT TO UPLIFT THE WORK OF KATIE'S CLOSET IN MAKING SURE THAT CLOTHING BUT NOT ONLY JUST CLOTHING, FEMININE PRODUCTS, TOOTHPASTE, EVERYTHING THAT KIDS NEED THAT THAT THAT'S NOT A BARRIER TO THE MONEY TO THE CHARITY AND IT IS COUNCILMEMBER FREE ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I DO WANT TO START BY CONGRATULATING LORRAINE SCHETTINO. IT'S NOW OFFICIALLY OUT THERE THAT SHE'S BEEN AWARDED THE SHATTUCK AWARD. I COULDN'T THINK OF A MORE DESERVING CITY WORKER. I KNOW ALL OF US HERE ON THE COUNCIL AND CENTRAL STAFF KNOW THAT SHE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND EVERY DAY. SO CONGRATS HAITIANS. THEY PICKED A PERFECT PERSON FOR THIS AWARD. LOOKING FORWARD TO CELEBRATING WITH HER IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS. I'M ALSO HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE WHEELCHAIR RAMP AT ENGLISH HIGH HAS FINALLY BEEN INSTALLED. UNFORTUNATELY IT DID TAKE 698 DAYS SINCE THAT STUDENT WAS RIGHT THERE HERE ADVOCATING THAT THE RAMP BE INSTALLED SO I WAS THERE ON MONDAY AT BUS ARRIVAL AND WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT EVEN TWO SCHOOL YEARS LATER HE'S STILL A STUDENT THERE AND THE TEACHERS WERE ABLE TO SAFELY WHEEL OUR STUDENTS INTO SCHOOL AT ENGLISH HIGH AND THEIR DIGNITY HAS BEEN RESTORED. SO I'M JUST HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER.  YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.  FRIDAY AT 10:30 A.M. THERE'LL BE THE UNVEILING OF THE MURAL TOGETHER WE RISE INSIDE OF THE KILMER IN WEST ROXBURY AND ON SATURDAY FROM 11 TO 3 THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HOSTING THE CITY'S SECOND ANNUAL READY BOSTON FIELD DAY AT ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL AT THE TRACK. THANKS.  THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER FOREVER. THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL MURAL. SO JUST EXCITED ABOUT THAT UNVEILING OVER AT THE KILMER. OKAY. NO MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS.  WE ARE MOVING ON TO MEMORIALS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE WHO HAS PASSED AWAY NOW IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. SO I WILL GO FIRST TO COUNCILOR PIT BEND.  COUNCILOR PENN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.  TODAY I STAND IN REMEMBRANCE OF MR. LORENZO GRAHAM WHO WAS A BELOVED GRANDFATHER OF THE CITY'S HIGH PARK NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISON CC.  GRAHAM UM WHO THAT FAMILY AND THE OUR HUGE PEDESTAL TO THE COMMUNITY SINCE HIS MOM IS A BUSINESS OWNER OBVIOUSLY IS A THRIVING COMMUNITY LEADER AND I'VE I WAS ABLE TO LEARN AT THE AT THE WAKE ON ON SATURDAY THAT MR GRAHAM WAS THE LIFE OF ANY PARTY HE ALWAYS WORE HIS HAT HE ALWAYS DANCE AT THE PARTIES HE HE JUST BROUGHT LAUGHTER AND JOY ANYWHERE HE WENT AND I WAS ABLE TO FEEL IN THAT ROOM HOW MUCH EVERYONE LOVED HIM, HOW MUCH HE'S GOING TO BE MISSED. I JUST WANTED TO EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND TO PRAY FOR YOU ALL IN THIS TIME OF GRIEF.  UM, BUT ALSO JUST WANTED TO THANK THE GRAHAM FAMILY FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO NOT JUST FOR HYDE PARK BUT FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. UM, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUCH PREPARED AND SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS TO THE CHURCH AND AS IT WHAT WE GATHER FOR UM YEAH BUT YOU HAVE NOW YES.  THANK YOU. UH, I. I SENT A REMEMBRANCE OF CHRIS MELLO.  CHRIS WAS THE YOUNGER BROTHER OF A HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM MATE OF MINE.  CHRIS MOVED TO BOSTON AND HE BOARDED AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 11 ON 911 2001 AND DIED THAT DAY. CENTER REMEMBRANCE OF MY TEAMMATE AND HIS FAMILY AND I THINK ABOUT HIM EVERY DAY AND ESPECIALLY ON 911 THEY DO COME TO HIM. CAN YOU REPEAT THE LAST NAME?  HIS NAME'S CHRIS MELLOW MLA. THANK YOU.  IS THERE ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON ANYONE TODAY WE WILL ADJOURN OUR MEETING IN MEMORY OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS. I'M HAVING COUNCILOR BREADON JANE HURLEY O'CONNOR ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR AS A PARTNER PATRICIA CONTI I'M BACK WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN, JAMES M AHERN, LORETTA LYNCH ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR PATTON LORENZO GRAHAM ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR WEBER, CHRIS MELO ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AS PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE MASTER AND LEADER MARY J. RICHARDS MRS. JUANITA VINER MOTHER IN LAW OF ANNETTE VINER PATRICIA BANAT FAMOUS ACTOR JAMES EARL JONES YOU'RE NOW JACQUET AND ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL WE REMEMBER CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCILOR JOAN PICKETT. A MOMENT OF SILENCE.  THE CHAIR MOVES THAT WHEN THE COUNCIL ADJOURN TODAY IT DOES SO IN MEMORY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED INDIVIDUALS. THE COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO MEET AGAIN NEXT WEEK IN THE I.A. CHAMBER ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2024 AT NOON. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES, CENTRAL STAFF, THE CLERK AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE COUNCIL STENOGRAPHER ALL IN FAVOR OF A GERMAN PLEA. SAY I I THE CASUALTIES ADJOURNED YESTERDAY