##VIDEO ID:ks3AKWUWvO0## MY NAME IS ANDREA.  THE OPEN MEETING LAW REQUIRES  THAT I NOTIFY THE PUBLIC THAT  THIS MEETING IS BEING RECORDED.  THEREFORE, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT  THERE IS AUDIO AND VISUAL  RECORDING OF THIS MEETING AND  IT'S BEING MADE BY BOSTON CITY  TV.  A PART OF THE CITY OF BOSTON  CABLE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS  AND IT'S BEING BROADCAST ON  XFINITY CHANNEL 36, FIOS CHANNEL 967, AND LIVE STREAMED ON  YOUTUBE.  WES, TAKE IT AWAY.  >> THANK YOU, ANDREA.  GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.  I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE ALREADY IN DECEMBER.  AND WE HAVE 20 DAYS LEFT OF THE  YEAR, 2024 IS ALL MOST BEHIND  US.  THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING.  I GUESS WE CAN GET STARTED WITH  OUR AGENDA.  SO THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO  ORDER.  THAT'S THE FIRST THING ON OUR  AGENDA.  AND THEN SECONDLY, WE'LL PROCEED WITH INTRODUCTIONS.  I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EACH OF THE  BOARD MEMBERS TO INTRODUCE  YOURSELVES BY USING FIRST THEIR  NAME, WHICH PART OF THE CITY OF  BOSTON THEY LIVE IN, THEIR ROLE  ON THE COMMISSION, AND THEN A  VISUAL DESCRIPTION JUST BRIEFLY  FOR FOLKS AMONGST US WHO ARE  BLIND OR LOW VISION.  I COULD GO FIRST.  MY NAME IS WESLEY IRELAND, I AM  THE BOARD CHAIR AND I LIVE IN  THE NORTH END OF BOSTON.  IN TERMS OF A VISUAL  DESCRIPTION, I'M A WHITE MALE  USING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AND I WILL CONTINUE TO USE AMERICAN  SIGN LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT THE  MEETING.  I HAVE TWO SIGN LANGUAGE  INTERPRETERS WHO WILL BE  SPEAKING INTO ENGLISH THE  REMARKS I MAKE IN ASL AND YOU'LL HEAR THEIR VOICES BUT IT'S ME  SPEAKING.  MY SHIRT, IT'S KIND OF A RED  FLEECE, BROWNISH-RED FLEECE.  I WILL CALL THE COMMISSIONERS I  SEE ON MY ZOOM SCREEN IN ORDER  TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, PLEASE. JERRY, WOULD YOU GO FIRST.  >> JERRY: SURE, HAPPY TO, WES.  I AM -- Y NAME IS JERRY BOYD, I LIVE IN WEST ROXBURY AND I'M A  BOARD MEMBER AND HAVE BEEN FOR  SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS NOW, I THINK. PAST CHAIR.  AND IN TERMS OF AUDIO -- OR  VISUAL DESCRIPTION, I AM A WHITE MALE WITH SALT AND PEPPER HAIR.  AND I AM USING GLASSES AND I  HAVE A GRAY -- A DARK GRAY  T-SHIRT ON.  I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH YOU CAN  SEE OF IT.  BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S A VISUAL  DESCRIPTION OF ME.  >> WESLEY: THANKS, JERRY.  THIS IS WES.  CHARLIE, I SEE YOU NEXT.  GO AHEAD.  >> CHARLIE: THANK YOU.  HI, MY NAME IS CHARLIE KIM, I'M  A RESIDENT OF THE NORTH END.  I'M ON THE ADVISORY BOARD  REPRESENTING PARENTS AND  CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH  DISABILITIES.  AND I AM ASIAN, BLACK HAIR,  GRAY, THERE ARE MORE GRAYS  COMING EVERY DAY, HAIR, AND  GLASSES.  >> WESLEY: THANKS, CHARLIE ZARY, I SEE YOU.  COULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF,  PLEASE.  >> ZARY: THANK YOU.  MY NAME IS ZARY.  I'M A MEMBER.  I LIVE IN SOUTH BOSTON.  I HAVE SHORT BROWN HAIR, GRAY  SWEATER, AND MY BACKGROUND IS MY KITCHEN.  SO THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE.  AND THANK YOU.  >> WESLEY: THANK YOU.  PAUL, GO AHEAD.  >> PAUL: MY NAME'S PAUL CARON, I SERVE AS THE VICE-CHAIR OF THE  ADVISORY BOARD.  I LIVE IN THE WEST END OF THE  BOSTON.  I'M A WHITE MALE WEARING A DARK  SHIRT.  IF I PUT MY PICTURE ON WHILE I'M LISTENING IN, I'M WEARING A  LIGHT BLUE BUTTON DOWN SHIRT.  I SERVE AS A SUPERVISOR FOR THE  PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THE  LABOR FORMAN FOR LOCAL 151.  I SERVE AS AN ADVOCATE FOR  MENTAL HEALTH FOR THE CITY OF  BOSTON.  THANK YOU.  >> WESLEY: THANKS, PAUL.  APPRECIATE IT.  RICHARD, WOULD YOU INTRODUCE  YOURSELF, PLEASE.  >> RICHARD: SURE.  RICHARD GLOVSKY, I LOVE IN BACK  BAY, MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION.  I AM WHITE.  HEARING IMPAIRED.  HAVE A BLUE SHIRT ON AND A DARK  JACKET AND I ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AS  THEY AFFECT THOSE WHO STRUGGLE  WITH DISABILITY.  >> WESLEY: THANKS, RICHARD.  CARL, WOULD YOU INTRODUCE  YOURSELF, PLEASE.  >> CARL: YEAH, MY NAME IS CARL  RICHARDSON, I AM A WHITE MALE  WITH SALT AND PEPPER HAIR,  MIDDLE AGE OR PAST MIDDLE AGE  AND I'M WEARING -- I THINK I'M  WEARING A BLUE BUTTON DOWN DRESS SHIRT.  AND I LIVE MANY BRIGHTON AND I  IDENTIFY AS A DEAF-BLIND  INDIVIDUAL.  >> WESLEY: PERFECT.  THANKS VERY MUCH, CARL.  YES, YOUR SHIRT IS BLUE, I CAN  CONFIRM.  TARA, WOULD YOU INTRODUCE  YOURSELF, PLEASE.  >> TARA: HI, EVERYONE.  MY NAME IS TARA.  I JUST HAVE A PROFILE PICTURE UP TODAY.  I'M A LITTLE PERSON, WHEELCHAIR  USER WEARING GLASSES AND HOLDING MY SMALL CHIHUAHUA DOG, AND I'M  A BOARD MEMBER.  >> WESLEY: GREAT, TRA, THANK  YOU.  OLIVIA, WOULD YOU NTRODUCE  YOURSELF, PLEASE.  >> OLIVIA: HI, MY NAME'S OLIVIA  RICHARD, I HAIL FROM BRIGHTON.  AND I'M A BOARD MEMBER.  AND A VISUAL DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOU WILL SEE ON SCREEN TONIGHT  FOR ME IS TWO TYRANOSAURUS REXS  HUGGING.  I'M OFF CAMERA TONIGHT.  >> WESLEY: THANK YOU VERY MUCH,  OLIVIA, APPRECIATE THAT.  JUAN CARLOS, WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF, PLEASE HO.  >> JUAN: I'M A HISPANIC MALE  WITH A BLUE SHIRT AND SHORT  HAIR.  >> WESLEY: GREAT, JUAN CARLOS,  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL OF OUR  BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT  THIS EVENING, SO I'M GOING O  ASK COMMISSIONER MCCOSH TO  INTRODUCE YOURSELF, PLEASE.  >> KRISTEN: HI, EVERYBODY, I'M  KRISTEN MCCOSH, THE ARKTSDA AND  TITLE II COORDINATOR FOR THE  CITY OF BOSTON.  WELCOME TO OUR LAST MEETING OF  2024.  >> WESLEY: OKAY.  TERRIFIC.  JUST SEE WHERE I AM AMONG MY  SCREENS AND DOCUMENTS.  I -- AM I MISSING ANYONE FROM  THE BOARD? DID ANYBODY WHO IS PRESENT ON  THE BOARD NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO  INTRODUCE THEMSELVES? I DON'T THINK I MISSED ANYBODY,  BUT JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM.  SO WE'LL MOVE ON BECAUSE WE HAVE A QUORUM, I'M TOLD, SO WE CAN GO AHEAD WITH THE AGENDA ITEM  ASKING US TO APPROVE THE BOARD  MEETING MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR  QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE  MINUTES OR WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THEM AS READ? COULD OMEBODY -- I GUESS  THERE'S NO COMMENTS OR  QUESTIONS.  COULD SOMEBODY MAKE A MOTION TO  APPROVE THE MINUTES AS READ? ZARY, I SEE YOUR HAND IS RAISED. >> ZARY: I'M JUST RAISING MY  HAND TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT  THE MINUTES.  AS NOTED.  >> WESLEY: OKAY, PERFECT.  CHARLIE HAS MADE A MOTION TO  ACCEPT THE MINUTES.  I CAN GET SOMEBODY TO SECOND,  PLEASE.  >> TARA: I SECOND.  >> WESLEY: TARA, THANK YOU VERY  MUCH.  I APPRECIATE THAT.  TERRIFIC.  ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR  HAND OR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.  [CHORUS OF AYES] >> WESLEY: TERRIFIC.  >> JERRY: THIS IS JERRY, I'M  ABSTAINING BECAUSE I WASN'T AT  THE LAST MEETING, SO...  >> WESLEY: OKAY.  GREAT, JERRY.  SO IT SEEMS THAT WITH THE  EXCEPTION OF OUR EXTENSION, WE  ARE ALL IN FAVOR.  SO THE BOARD MEETING MINUTES  FROM LAST MONTH ARE PASSED.  THANKS, EVERYONE, FOR THAT.  WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS, TWO  PRESENTERS WITH US THIS EVENING. ONE FROM YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND  ADVANCEMENT, PEDRO CRUZ, AND  THEN ANOTHER FROM YOUTH  EMPLOYMENT AND OPPORTUNITY,  ALLISON VERNEREY.  I'M GOING TO LET ONE OF YOU  DECIDE WHO'S GOING TO GO FIRST.  >> ANDREA: THIS IS ANDREA.  ALISON, DO YOU WANT TO START  WITH YOUR OFFICE AND I'LL HELP  PEDRO WITH HIS TECHNICAL  DIFFICULTIES.  >> ALLISON: HI, EVERYBODY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME MY  NAME'S ALLISON VERNEREY AND I'M  THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF YOUTH  EMPLOYMENT AND OPPORTUNITY FOR  THE CITY.  TO KEEP ON TREND WITH THE  INTRODUCTION, I'M A WHITE FEMALE WEARING A VERY CAUSAL SWEATER  TONIGHT, BUT REALLY EXCITED TO  BE HERE TO TALK TO ALL OF YOU  ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE O TO  SUPPORT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE YOUTH OF BOSTON.  I'VE BEEN ASKED O KEEP IT  SHORT, SO I'M NOT GOING TO SHARE ANY SLIDES OR ALL OF THAT, BUT  WHAT OUR OFFICE DOES IS TRIES TO CONNECT MOSTLY HIGH SCHOOL  STUDENTS, 14 TO 18 YEARS OLD,  BUT WE ALSO SUPPORT 19 THROUGH  24 YEARS OLD TO SOME EXTENT AS  WELL WITH JOB OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE GOING TO CONNECT THEM TO  CAREERS.  WE ARE MOSTLY KNOWN FOR OUR  SUMMER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM THAT  AS OF LAST YEAR HAS BEEN BRANDED THE FUTURE BOSS EMPLOYMENT  PROGRAM, BECAUSE YOUTH GET TO BE THE FUTURE BOSSES OF THEIR LIFE. AND WE ARE IN BOSTON, SO THAT'S  THE NAME OF OUR PROGRAM.  THIS PAST SUMMER, WE WERE ABLE  TO HIRE AND SUPPORT OVER 10,000  YOUTH ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY  WORKING IN VARIED FIELDS, VARIED SITUATIONS, LEARNING DIFFERENT  SKILLS.  AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A  SCHOOL-YEAR ROGRAM THAT HIRES  ABOUT 2,000 YOUTH EVERY YEAR IN  THE SAME TYPE OF VARIETY OF  NONPROFIT, PRIVATE SECTOR,  DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES TO EXPOSE  THEM TO CAREERS.  AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THOSE  OPPORTUNITIES ARE PAID  OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE YOUTH.  WHICH IS OFTEN VERY EXCITING FOR THEM, FOR THEIR FAMILY, AND WE  TRY TO KIND OF WRAP ALL THAT  AROUND WITH SOME GOOD SERVICES  AROUND BANKING, HELPING THEM 3 MANAGE THEIR MONEY, AND MAKE  SURE THEY'RE READY FOR THEIR  NEXT STEPS SO THEY CAN THRIVE  AND MAKE BOSTON THEIR HOME FOR  THE LONG TERM.  FOR WHAT I WAS ASKED TO TALK  ABOUT, I THINK THERE WERE TWO  KEY THINGS.  I WILL SHARE MY SCREEN AND I CAN DESCRIBE IF THAT'S HELPFUL.  WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED THE  SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM, AND THAT'S  WELL UNDER WAY.  BUT WE ARE ALREADY STARTING TO  PREPARE FOR NEXT SUMMER'S  PROGRAM, BECAUSE IT'S NEVER TOO  EARLY FOR YOUTH TO START  THINKING ABOUT THAT.  AND SO I WILL JUST SHARE HERE,  ONE OF THE BIG EVENTS HAT WE  HAVE IS OUR YOUTH JOBS AND  RESOURCE FAIR ON MARCH 29th  COMING UP.  IT IS HOSTED AT THE REGGIE LEWIS TRACK AND THLETIC CENTER RIGHT  BY ROXBURY CROSSING FOR THOSE IN HAD A THIS AREA.  AT THAT EVENT WE USUALLY HAVE  150 EMPLOYER PARTNERS WHO ARE  HERE THAT THE YOUTH CAN TALK TO, HAVE AN EXCHANGE WITH, 3 UNDERSTAND BETTER JOB  OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE THERE FOR THEM.  WE ALSO HAVE CAREER READINESS  WORKSHOPS HELP IF YOUTH WANT TO  BUILD P THEIR RESUME SKILLS, IF THEY WANT TO BUILD UP THEIR  INTERVIEW SKILLS.  AND ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE  HELPFUL TO HELP GET THEM A JOB.  IT'S A HUGE MILESTONE IN OUR  SPRING PROCESS FOR YOUTH TO GET  ENGAGED WITH SUMMER JOBS, WHICH  WE REALLY ENCOURAGE ALL OF THE  YOUTH DO.  BUT THERE ARE OTHER  OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.  WE ALSO HOST JOB FAIRS IN  DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE  DO A LOT OF OUTREACH IN THE ONE  IS JUST KIND OF ONE OF THE  KEY -- THE KEY ELEMENTS HERE.  AND THEN SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING THIS -- THIS CROWD, I HOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO TALK  A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE TRY TO REALLY WORK TO PROVIDE  OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS WITH  ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, ALL  DIFFERENT ABILITIES, AND  DIFFERENT STATUSES, IMMIGRATION  STATUS, DISABILITY STATUS.  ONE OF THE WAYS FOR YOUTH TO  SEARCH FOR THUOPPORTUNITIES THA  MIGHT BE A GOOD FIT FOR THEM IS  THROUGH OUR FUTURE BOSS  INTERFACE. THEY CAN ALSO, IF ONLINE IS NOT  THE RIGHT WAY FOR THEM, COME TO  OUR OFFICE AND WE CAN SUPPORT  THEM.  BUT I'M CURRENTLY SHARING MY  SCREEN TO OUR FUTURE BOSS  WEBSITES, IT CAN BE FOUND AT  BOSTON.GOV/FUTURE BOSS.  AND IN HERE THE YOUTH CAN FIND  ALL THE RESOURCES THEY NEED. THEY CAN FIND THE SAVE THE DATE  FOR OUR JOB FAIR THAT I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT. THEY CAN FIND STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TRANSLATED INTO DIFFERENT  LANGUAGES FOR HOW TO LAND A JOB  OR AN INTERNSHIP.  AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY  CAN SEE A CATALOG OF ALL THE  OPEN, AVAILABLE WORK  OPPORTUNITIES TO THEM.  RIGHT NOW, THOSE ARE THE  OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE SCHOOL  YEAR, BUT AS MARCH COMES UP,  WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE  OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE SUMMER  LISTED.  ONE OF THE COOL THINGS THEY CAN  DO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A  YOUTH THAT YOU ARE SUPPORTING  AND MAYBE THEY ARE 16 YEARS OLD  OR 14 YEARS OLD, YOU CAN FILTER  BASED ON AGE.  BUT YOU CAN FILTER BASED ON A  LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.  ONE FILTER THAT MIGHT BE  RELEVANT TO THIS GROUP HERE IS  THIS AVAILABLE TO THOSE WITH,  WHERE YOU CAN SEE, FOR EXAMPLE,  YOUTH WHO HAVE COURT  INVOLVEMENTS, LIMITED ENGLISH  SKILLS, PHYSICAL DISABILITIES,  OTHER TYPES OF SENSORY BEHAVIOR  AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS.  SO OUR EMPLOYER PARTNERS HELP  SURFACE THE SPECIFIC SUPPORT  THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE YOUTH SO WE CAN MAKE URE WE'RE  PUTTING THEM IN AN ENVIRONMENT  WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE WELL  TAKEN CARE OF AND ABLE TO  THRIVE.  AND YEAH, I KNOW MY TIME IS  SHORT, SO THAT'S MOSTLY WHAT I  WANTED TO SHARE.  BUT ANY OTHER QUESTION YOU HAVE, OUR OFFICE IS VERY HAPPY TO  SUPPORT AND ANSWER ANY OF IT.  >> PEDRO: AWESOME, COOL.  IHM I'LL JUMP ON MY END AND TO  KEEP THE SAME PATTERN GOING --  CAN YOU HEAR ME? ARE WE GOOD? TO KEEP IT GOING, WHITE MALE  WITH GLASSES, HISPANIC, WEARING  A WHITE BUTTON UP WITH A NICE  JACKET.  AT LEAST I THINK IT'S NICE.  MY NAME IS PEDRO CRUZ, I'M THE  EXECUTIVE IRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND  ADVANCEMENT FOR THE CITY OF  BOSTON.  WE FOCUS ON THE 14 TO  25-YEAR-OLD POPULATION.  ALL THE WORK THAT WE DO SUPPORTS THE WORK BY SUPPORTING  ORGANIZATIONS AND SPACES CREATED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.  YOUTH WORKERS AND ADULTS THAT  WORK IN THOSE SPACES, AND BUILD  RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE  AND YOUNG PEOPLE THEMSELVES, ALL THE WORK THAT WE DO COVERS HOSE THREE AREAS OF YOUTH WORK.  THERE'S A LOT OF INITIATIVES I'D LOVE TO SHARE AND I'LL GIVE A  ONE-PAGER AND WOULD LOVE IF THAT COULD BE SHARED WITH THE GROUP.  YOU COULD HAVE A FULL SCOPE OF  THE THINGS THAT WE DO OFFER.  BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED  TO OFFER TODAY WAS A YOUTH LINE  WHICH IS A RESOURCE FOR YOUNG  PEOPLE THAT WE LAUNCHED THIS  SUMMER.  AND REALLY WHAT IT IS, WE KNOW  THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES AND  OPPORTUNITY IN THE CITY AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NAVIGATE CITY HALL, WHERE YOU GO, WHO TO TALK TO.  WE WANT TO BE THAT GO-TO PERSON  SO WE CAN MAKE THE CONNECTION.  SO IF YOU HAVE A YOUNG PERSON  THAT'S LOOKING FOR RESOURCES OR  OPPORTUNITY, CONNECT THEM TO MY  TEAM AND WE HAVE A FULL-TIME  MEMBER THAT THEIR JOB IS TO  IDENTIFY RESOURCES AND CONNECT  THEM TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE.  THE SECOND THING, THE REALLY  IMPORTANT PART THAT I WANTED TO  SHARE, WE JUST LAUNCHED A  CITY-WIDE YOUTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY.  WE TITLED IT YOUTH SPEAKS  BOSTON, BECAUSE WHEN YOU SPEAK  BOSTON LISTENS.  AND REALLY WHAT IT IS, WE'RE  TRYING TO GATHER RAW DATA AROUND WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE NEED BETWEEN  THE AGES OF 14 AND 25 AFTER --  WHEN THEY'RE NOT IN SCHOOL AND  WHEN THEY'RE NOT IN WORK.  WE'RE HOPING THAT THE REPORT AND THE DATA THAT COMES OUT OF THIS  SURVEY INFLUENCES INVESTMENTS  THAT COME OUT OF CITY HALL FOR  THE NEXT FEW YEARS.  SO WOULD LOVE TO GET ALL YOU 3 YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED AND REALLY TAKE CARE WHAT DO THEY EED  AFTER SCHOOL AND AFTER WORK.  AGAIN, I'LL SHARE ALL THESE  MATERIALS PLUS MORE WITH ANDREA, SHE'LL SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL.  BUT MY BIGGEST MESSAGE IS THAT  WE'RE HERE TO SERVE YOUR YOUNG  PEOPLE WITHIN YOUR NETWORK,  WHETHER IT'S CONNECTING THEM TO  THE RIGHT DEPARTMENTS, WHETHER  IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO,  OR JUST HELPING THEM THRIVE AND  GET CONNECTED TO THE RIGHT  PARTNERS AROUND THE CITY.  SO DEFINITELY HERE TO SERVE IN  ANY WAY THAT I CAN AND WOULD  LOVE TO BE PART OF YOUR  COMMUNITY.  AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CREATING THIS SPACE AND ALLOWING US TO  SHAR SHARE THE WORK.  >> WESLEY: THIS IS WESLEY HERE.  THANK YOU SO MUCH, PEDRO.  I WAS WONDERING IF ANY OF THE  BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANY COMMENTS FOR PEDRO OR  ALLISON TONIGHT.  CHARLIE, YOU CAN GO AHEAD, I SEE THAT YOUR HAND IS RAISED.  >> CHARLIE: THANK YOU.  I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS FOR  THE PRESENTATION AND THEN ALSO  THE WEBSITE.  ACTUALLY MY OLDER DAUGHTER WHO  DOES NOT HAVE A DISABILITY HAS  GONE THROUGH THAT SITE THAT SHE  WAS LOOKING FOR A SUMMER JOB AND EMPLOYMENT AND I NOTICED THAT  COMPONENT.  I THINK WHAT SURPRISED ME, IT  WAS A REALLY GOOD SURPRISE, WAS  THAT WHEN YOU START TO SELECT,  IF YOU'RE SEARCHING FOR ANYTHING TO ACCOMMODATE  PHYSICAL  DISABILITY OR ANYTHING WITH  ANYONE THAT NEEDS SUPPORTS, IT  ACTIVELY FILTERS AND THEN YOU  CAN SEE THE EMPLOYERS.  SO I THINK THAT IS -- IT SHOWS  THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES.  I THINK IF THERE IS A FOLLOW-UP, IF WE COULD HAVE IT JUST BE -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT CAN BE, BUT  JUST I GUESS SOME OF THE  STATISTICS AND THE SUCCESSES,  YOU KNOW, HAT HAVE COME  SPECIFICALLY SINCE WE ARE  ADVOCATING FOR THE SPECIFIC  COMMUNITY.  AND I THINK -- I KNOW N SCHOOL  SYSTEM HAS THEIR OWN SPECIALIZED PROGRAMMING ALSO FOR JOB  PLACEMENT.  IT JUST WOULD BE NICE TO SEE  COLLECTIVELY HOW THIS CITY IS  ENGAGING AND ALSO HAVING THOSE  OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE YOUNG  PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO -- TO BE  ABLE TO HAVE A JOB AND REALLY  LEARN ABOUT THE WORKFORCE.  >> WESLEY: THANKS FOR THAT,  CHARLIE.  IS IT OKAY IF I RESPOND A LITTLE BIT? DOES THAT SOUND OOD? I'M SO GLAD YOU USED FUTURE BOSS AND FOUND IT HELPFUL.  THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE WE COLLECTING INFORMATION.  JUST AROUND WHAT YOU WERE SAYING AROUND WHAT YOU WERE SAYING AND  SERVICING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.  TWO THINGS I WANT TO SAY, WHEN  WE THINK ABOUT ACCOMMODATING  TOOUTS STU STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OR  YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES, WHAT  WE'VE SEEN IS WE HAVE KIND TWO  OF WAYS WE THINK OF IT IS ONE WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE  SPECIALIZED, LIKE THE STRIPE  PROGRAM, THE DISK PROGRAMS THAT  ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PBS THAT ARE REALLY, LIKE, WERE SET UP  INITIALLY TO SUPPORT STUDENTS  WITH DISABILITIES.  I THINK THE BEAUTIFUL THING  WE'VE SEEN, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU  WERE GETTING FILTERED ON, IS  JUST EMPLOYERS WHO DIDN'T, YOU  KNOW, COME UP WITH A PROGRAM  SPECIFICALLY FOR DISABLED  STUDENTS OR STUDENTS WITH  PARTICULAR NEEDS, BUT WHEN WE  ASK THEM WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO  ACCOMMODATE, WHAT COULD THEY PUT IN PLACE, THEY WERE WILLING TO  STEP P AND SERVICE KIND OF  ACTIONS THEY COULD TAKE.  SO WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF REALLY,  REALLY GOOD WEALTH FROM THE  EMPLOYER NETWORK AND THE  NONPROFIT NETWORK OF MAKING SURE THEY CAN INCLUDE ALL STUDENTS.  AND SO THIS PAST SUMMER THERE  WERE ACTUALLY OVER 400 TYPES OF  OPPORTUNITIES THAT -- WHERE  EMPLOYERS HAD RAISED THEIR HAND  AND SAID YES, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE X, Y, Z DEPENDING ON WHAT THE  STUDENT ENDS UP NEEDING AND  WE'LL WORK WITH YOU ON THAT.  SO 400 TYPES OF JOBS, WHICH  MEANS REALLY, LIKE, THOUSANDS OF JOBS, LIKE THOUSANDS OF  POSITIONS OPEN TO REALLY ALL  STUDENTS.  WHICH WE WERE REALLY EXCITED  ABOUT AND WE'RE ALSO HOPING TO  CONTINUE GROWING, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE WANT STUDENTS TO BE  ABLE TO ACCESS ALL 10,000 OF OUR OPPORTUNITIES, NO ATTER -- NO  MATTER WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.  SO THAT'S KIND OF OUR NEXT STEP  AS WE MOVE FORWARD FOR THE YEAR  IS MAKING SURE WE'RE ENGAGING  WITH ALL COMMUNITIES AND ALL  EMPLOYERS.  SHARL THANK YOU.  .  >> CHARLIE: THANK YOU.  >> WESLEY: GOOD AHEAD, JRRY.  >> JERRY: THANKS, WES.  I JUST WANT TO ECHO, THANK YOU  BOTH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.  MY QUESTION IS, IF A YOUTH WAS  INVOLVED IN SPECIAL ED BUT HAS  TAKEN THEIR DIPLOMA, IS NO  LONGER INVOLVED IN, SAY, PROJECT STRIVE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT,  WOULD THE FUTURE BOSS WEBSITE BE AN APPROPRIATE PLACE IF  THEY'RE -- IF THEY, YOU KNOW,  STILL HAVEN'T ENGAGED IN WORK OR FOUND A JOB? WOULD FUTURE BOSS BE AN  APPROPRIATE RESOURCE FOR THAT  TYPE OF PERSON AS WELL? A PERSON WHO'S -- A STUDENT  WHO'S TAKEN A DIPLOMA AND,  AGAIN, IS NO LONGER TECHNICALLY  INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, WITH BPS OR  SPECIAL SERVICES? >> ALLISON: YES, GREAT QUESTION. YES AND NO.  IF THEY'RE BETWEEN 14 AND  TIGHTEN YEARS O18  YEARS OLD, OUR PROGRAMS ARE  GEARED TOWARDS THOSE WHO ARE  ENGAGED IN SCHOOL IN SOME WAY,  FOR THE MOST PART.  BUT THAT YOUTH SHOULD ABSOLUTELY REACH OUT TO US BECAUSE WE DO  HAVE SOME PROGRAMS THAT CAN  SUPPORT YOUTH FROM HAT AGE  RANGE THAT ARE OUT OF SCHOOL.  SO IT MIGHT NOT BE AS  STRAIGHTFORWARD ON A WEB NIGHT  FOR THEM.  BUT WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO  WORK DIRECTLY WITH OUR OFFICE IF THEY ARE --  >> JERRY: WHAT IF THE  INDIVIDUAL'S WAS A LITTLE OLD  CENTER YOU WERE PROBABLY JUST  GOING TO HIT THAT.  >> ALLISON: IF THEY'RE A LITTLE  OLDER, 19 TO 24 POPULATION,  ABSOLUTELY.  WE HAVE LESS OPPORTUNITIES  BECAUSE OUR TARGET POPULATION IS 14 TO 18.  BUT WE DO HAVE ABOUT -- LOOKING  AT LAST SUMMER, I BELIEVE WE  HIRED ABOUT 2,500, SO 2,500  PEOPLE AGE 19 TO 24.  THOSE ARE WHAT WE CALL YOUTH  LEADERS, AND SO THIS IS A GREAT  PLACE FOR A YOUTH WHO MAYBE  HASN'T FOUND THEIR TRUE PATH YET TO ENGAGE WITH WORK IN THOSE --  ALL THOSE DIFFERENT  OPPORTUNITIES.  AND SO WHAT THEY TWO HERE IF  THEY'RE USING OUR WEBSITE, THEY  WOULD JUST FILTER BY THE AGE,  RIGHT, WHERE WE HAVE A CATEGORY  FOR BEYOND 18 YEARS OLD.  AND THEN IT'S A SUBPIECE OF  OPPORTUNITIES THAT WOULD BE  AVAILABLE FOR THEM, AND WE CAN  HELP NAVIGATE THAT.  >> JERRY: GREAT.  THANKS SO MUCH.  >> ALLISON: YEAH.  >> WESLEY: THIS IS WESLEY HERE.  ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM  THE BOARD? ALL RIGHT.  THANK YOU, ALLISON AND PAID EDRR YOUR TIME.  I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.  >> PEDRO: THANK YOU, ALL.  APPRECIATE THE SPACE.  >> ALLISON: THANK YOU.  >> WESLEY: EXCELLENT.  I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD WITH THE  BOARD AGENDA.  IT'S TIME FOR THE CHAIR'S  REPORT.  OKAY.  GOOD, GOOD EVEEVENING, EVERYONE  I HAVE TWO ITEMS TO REPORT.  THE FIRST ONE IS THE TRANSITION  TO A NEW PRESIDENTIAL  ADMINISTRATION.  AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE,  PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP  WILL BE RETURNING TO THE WHITE  HOUSE AFTER FOUR YEARS OF A GAP. THERE MAY BE SOME FORTHCOMING  CHANGES.  I'M GOING TO TRY TO SUMMARIZE  ONE OF THE FINDINGS I HAVE  REVIEWED IN MY NEWS FEED, AS  MANY COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT  THE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES  COMMUNITY.  BECAUSE TRUMP -- I KNOW THAT  THAT'S HIS SIGN NAME BECAUSE OF  HIS HAIR, BUT TRUMP HOPES TO  SLASH THE DEPARTMENT OF THE  EDUCATION -- OF EDUCATION, WHICH HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED SINCE 1979. MANY FOLKS ARE TRYING TO TAKE  ACTION BY TALKING TO THEIR  LEGISLATORS AND CONGRESS NOT TO  SUPPORT THE S-5384 BILL  RETURNING EDUCATION TO OUR  STATES ACT.  THAT WAS INTRODUCED BY MIKE  ROUNDS, U.S. SENATOR OF SOUTH  DAKOTA.  AND I WILL PUT THE BILL LINK IN  THE CHAT NOW.  IF THIS BILL IS PASSED, IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW MUCH OF AN EFFECT IT  WOULD HAVE ON KIDS WITH  DISABILITIES.  IT COULD BE A LOT OR IT COULD BE A LITTLE.  THE CHANGES WILL SHOW THAT MANY  NATIVE-RELATED EDUCATION  PROGRAMS WILL GO UNDER THE  DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR WHILE THE FEDERAL LOAN AND GRANT PROGRAMS  WILL GO TO THE DEPARTMENT OF  TREASURY.  THE INDIVIDUALS WITH  DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT,  I.D.E.A., IDEA, AND THE AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND,  HELEN KELLER CENTER FOR  DEAF-BLIND YOUTH ADULTS, AND  SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS WILL  ALL GO TO THE DEPARTMENT OF  HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.  ALL OFFICE OF CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS,  FUNDING FOR GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY AND NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF, AS WELL AS  VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION STATE  GRANTS WILL BE UNDER THE  DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.  ALSO, AS MANY ADVOCATES ARE  BRACING FOR THE NEW PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION TO PUSH MAJOR  CHANGES TO MEDICAID AND OTHER  PROGRAMS THAT PEOPLE WITH  DISABILITIES RELY ON, MANY  DISABLED PEOPLE HAVE LONG FELT 3 THAT SOCIAL SECURITY AND  MEDICAID'S CURRENT LEVELS OF  FUNCTION HAVE LEFT A LOT TO BE  DESIRED.  AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT  PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP WILL BE  OPEN TO SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS HOPED FOR N  THOSE PROGRAMS.  AS TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN NATIONAL  PRESS SECRETARY MENTIONED ABOUT  SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE,  SHE SAID THAT TRUMP PROTECTED  THOSE PROGRAMS IN HIS FIRST TERM AND WOULD DO SO AGAIN.  TRUMP HAS PROMISED ON THE  CAMPAIGN TRAIL THAT HE WOULD  SLASH SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES,  EVEN THOUGH ECONOMY EXPERTS HAVE ALREADY RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT  THE COSTS OF SCRAPPING INCOME  TAXES FOR SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS AND HOW THE PROGRAM'S FINANCES  WOULD BE IMPACTED IN A FEW YEARS FROM NOW.  A LIST OF POTENTIAL ISSUES  RELATED TO AMERICANS WITH  DISABILITIES COULD GO ON AND ON. WITH THAT SAID, WE NEED TO PUT  ASIDE ANY DIFFERENCES THAT WE  MAY HAVE AND WORK IN A  BIPARTISAN WAY TO GET THE  SUPPORT AND ACCESS WE NEED ON A  DAILY BASIS.  I'M GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT TO  PAUSE AND OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR  ANY THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS FROM  THE BOARD ON THESE UPCOMING  CHANGES BEFORE I MOVE ON TO ONE  MORE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION.  MOVING FORWARD WITH THE NEXT  TOPIC, THIS IS REGARDS TO  QUESTIONNAIRES DESCRIBING  POSITIONS ON DISABILITY ISSUES.  THIS IS A USA TODAY ARTICLE THAT RAN LAST MONTH THAT MANY  AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES,  INCLUDING ADVOCATES, FEEL HAT  PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES IN AN  ELECTION YEAR OFTEN IGNORE THEIR COMMUNITY.  TWO MAJOR NATIONAL DISABILITY  ADVOCACY GROUPS, THE AMERICANS  ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH  DISABILITIES AND DISABILITY  BELONGS.  BOTH SAID THAT THEY WERE UNABLE  TO GET THE CAMPAIGNS FOR HARRIS  AND DONALD TRUMP AND EARLIER  EVEN FOR JOE BIDEN TO COMPLETE  QUESTIONNAIRES DESCRIBING THEIR  POSITIONS ON DISABILITY ISSUES.  A THIRD GROUP, THE NATIONAL  DISABILITY RIGHTS NETWORK, SAID  THAT IT ASKED PRIMARY CANDIDATES TO DO INTERVIEWS WITH  PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES IN  ADVANCE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL  PRIMARIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE,  SOUTH CAROLINA, OR WASHINGTON,  D.C.  NONE OF THE CANDIDATES  PARTICIPATED.  HARRIS ONLY MADE ONE COMMENT TO  A VOTER BY SAYING, ALL PEOPLE,  REGARDLESS OF DISABILITY, SHOULD HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING, TO JOB OPPORTUNITIES, TO EDUCATION  AND, AGAIN, TO DIGNITY.  WHILE TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN SPO SPOKESPERSON SAID THAT TRUMP  WILL BE A PRESIDENT FOR ALL  AMERICANS, INCLUDING AMERICANS  WITH DISABILITIES.  SO I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THIS ARTICLE THAT I READ, BECAUSE IT  IS AN EYE-OPENING THOUGHT AS WE  WILL BE HAVING THE CITY OF  BOSTON MAYORAL ELECTION NEXT  YEAR IN 2025.  YES, THE TIME WILL FLY BY SO  FAST.  I STRONGLY SUGGEST THE  DISABILITY COMMISSION ADVISORY  BOARD IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS  TO START BRAINSTORMING SOME  QUESTIONS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO  ASK OUR MAYORAL CANDIDATES AND  HAVE THEM RELEASED TO EACH  CANDIDATE AHEAD OF TIME AND COME UP WITH A TIMELINE SO THAT WE  CAN BE BETTER PREPARED WITH  SHARING OUR QUESTIONS TO EACH  CANDIDATE.  I KNOW THAT WE DISCUSSED THIS AS A BOARD IN THE PAST FOR PREVIOUS MAYORAL RACE, BUT I CANNOT  RECALL IF THEY HAVE EVER DONE  ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.  ANY THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS ON THE  SUBJECT? >> WHY DON'T I IVE A FEW  SECONDS TO SEE IF ANYONE'S  THOUGHTS PERCOLATES.  IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.  [PAUSE].  >> WESLEY: THE LAST ITEM ON THE  CHAIR'S REPORT THAT I WANTED TO  MENTION -- OH, I'M SORRY.  EXCUSE ME, THAT OMPLETES THE  CHAIR'S REPORT AND WE CAN MOVE  ON IN THE AGENDA TO THE  COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.  GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER MCCOSH.  GRIC >> KRISTEN: GOOD EVENING,  EVERYONE.  NICE TO SEE YOU ALL TODAY.  I DID NOT DESCRIBE MYSELF.  >> COMMISH, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.  >> KRISTEN: HOW'S THAT? >> BETTER.  >> KRISTEN: GOOD EVENING,  EVERYONE, IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU.  I REALIZED I DIDN'T ZRDESCRIBE  MYSELF EARLIER SO I'LL DO THAT.  I'M A WHITE WOMAN WITH LOND  HAIR WEARING A BLUE PONCHO AND 3 GLASSES AND MY BACKGROUND IS OF  CITY HALL, CITY OF BOSTON CITY  HALL.  SO WE CAN JUMP INTO MY REPORT  FOR THIS COMBINED MEETING OF  NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.  LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR.  EXCUSE ME.  SO I WILL START WITH SOME  DEPARTMENT UPDATE.  SO AS YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW AT  THIS POINT, THE CITY OF BOSTON  ENTERED INTO A CONSENT DECREE  WITH SOME ADVOCATES A FEW YEARS  AGO TO BUILD AND IMPROVE  EXISTING PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.  SO THE DECREE CALLED FOR US TO  BUILD 1600 CURB RAMPS EVERY  YEAR.  IN 2024, WE BUILT MORE THAN 1800 RAMPS, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED  ABOUT THAT.  AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT  EXPECTS 650 RAMPS TO PASS  INSPECTION THIS YEAR.  AND JUST TO PARSE THAT OUT A  LITTLE BIT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS  AFTER RAMPS ARE CONSTRUCTED, THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM WORKS WITH THE CONTRACTORS WHO INSTALLED THE  RAMP, WHETHER THEY WERE CITY  CONTRACTORS OR PRIVATE  CONTRACTORS AND THEY DO A SERIES OF MEASUREMENTS TO ENSURE THAT  THE SLOPE IS RIGHT, THE TACTILE  WARNING STRIP IS RIGHT, THE  FLARES ARE INSTALLED CORRECTLY.  SO THERE ARE A WHOLE NUMBER OF  POINTS THAT ARE LOOKED AT IN  ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE RAMP IS COMPLIANT.  SO IT'S A TRICKY -- IT'S KIND OF A TRICKY CONSTRUCTION, BECAUSE  YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NARROW  SIDEWALKS, WE HAVE HILLS.  SO THERE'S A LOT INVOLVED IN  GETTING THESE RAMPS COMPLIANT.  SO SOMETIMES THEY DON'T ALL  PASS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE  BRAND-NEW.  BUT THIS YEAR WE EXPECT 600 --  1650 PASSED, SO THAT'S REALLY  GOOD NEWS.  AND THEN THE UBLIC WORKS  DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO HIRED AN ADA COORDINATOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT.  THAT WAS ALSO PART OF THE  CONSENT DECREE.  AND THE STAFF STARTED NEXT WEEK, AND THEY'LL BE WORKING ON CURB  RAMPS AND AREA WAYS.  AREA WAYS ARE THE AREAS ON  PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY THAT ARE  ACTUALLY NOT OWNED BY THE CITY,  THEY'RE OWNED BY THE PRIVATE  PROPERTY LANDLORDS WHO OWN THE  BUILDING ATTACHED TO THEM. THEY SERVE AS ROOFS FOR THE  UNDERGROUND SPACE WHICH IS  USUALLY A BASEMENT OR PLACE  WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE SUPPLIES  DELIVERED OR COAL.  SO YOU CAN TELL THEM ON THE  STREETS BECAUSE THEY USUALLY  HAVE A DIFFERENT MATERIAL THAN  WHAT THE CITY WOULD USE ON THE  SIDEWALK.  SOME OF THEM ARE GRANITE SLATE,  SOME OF THEM ASPHALT, SOME OF  THEM ARE METAL GRATES.  SO WHEN YOU SEE THESE, HAT'S  ACTUALLY SECTIONS OF THE  SIDEWALK THAT THE CITY OESN'T  OWN.  BUT THEY CAN PROPOSE A LOT OF  ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGES.  SO THEY WILL BE TAKING AREA WAYS OFF ANDREA'S PLATE.  SHE'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR  YEARS AND DONE A GREAT JOB  SETTING IT UP, SO NOW WE'RE  READY TO PASS IT OFF TO THE NEW  EMPLOYEE.  ANOTHER UPDATE IS ON THE ADA  TRANSITION PLAN.  I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE WE'RE  WORKING ON CREATING AN UPDATED  PLAN THAT WILL BE INTERACTIVE.  SO ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC CAN  LOG ON TO BOSTON.GOV, GO TO THIS WEB PAGE, AND LOOK AT DATA,  MAPS, PICTURES, ND LINKS OF ALL CITY BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES.  THAT WOULD BE PARKS, SCHOOLS,  LIBRARIES, AND THEY'LL BE ABLE  TO FIND INFORMATION ON THE  PREVIOUS ACCESSIBILITY LEVELS,  PRESENT ACCESSIBILITY LEVELS,  AND FUTURE PLANNED ACCESSIBILITY UPGRADES.  SO IT'S A WHOLE OT OF WORK O  COORDINATE, BUT WE'RE WORKING  WITH THE CONSULTANT AND WE'RE  MOVING THE WORK FORWARD.  AND WE HOPE TO LAUNCH IT  SOMETIME MAYBE IN THE PRING OF  NEXT YEAR.  AND THEN MY LAST DEPARTMENT  UPDATE IS THAT THE STATE AND THE CITY WILL BE HELD SOMETIME AFTER THIS YEAR.  I HAVEN'T HEARD THE OFFICIAL  DATE OR LOCATION, BUT WE KNOW  THAT MAYOR BWU IS HAVING A BABY  IN JANUARY SO SHE'LL NEED A  LITTLE TIME TO RECOVER AND  SHE'LL HOLD HER ANNUAL ADDRESS  AND THE INVITATIONS WILL BE  GOING UT VERY SOON.  ALL RIGHT, NEXT SLIDE.  ALL RIGHTY.  AND SOME IMPORTANT UPDATES JUST  TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP A LITTLE  BIT ON WHAT WES WAS TALKING  ABOUT.  WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE A  PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION  TRANSITION ON JANUARY 20th.  THE CITY'S BEEN PLANNING FOR  THIS TRANSITION FROM BIDEN TO  TRUMP FOR, YOU KNOW, REALLY FOR  MANY, MANY MONTHS.  WE PLANNED OVER THE SUMMER FOR  EITHER A NEW TRUMP  ADMINISTRATION OR A HARRIS  ADMINISTRATION.  SO IT JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE  TRUMP, SO WE ARE PREPARED.  OUR WORK WILL GO ON AS USUAL,  BUT WE ARE ALSO PREPARED FOR ANY POTENTIAL IMPACTS, WHETHER IT'S  FUNDING OR APPOINTMENTS BY THE  PRESIDENT TO DIFFERENT, LIKE,  CABINET SECRETARIES.  WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE  KEEP OUR PRIORITIES FRONT AND  CENTER FOR ACCESSIBILITY AND  INCLUSION.  SO WE WILL BE PAYING ATTENTION  TO THIS AND WORKING  COOPERATIVELY AND  COLLABORATIVELY WITH OUR  INTERNAL CITY PARTNERS, UR  STATE PARTNERS, AND OUR PARTNERS ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO ENSURE  THAT  THAT THE DISABILITY IS NOT  HARMFULLY IMPACTED. LIKE WES MENTIONED, IT COULD BE  THINGS LIKE MEDICARE, IT COULD  BE MEDICAID, IT COULD BE  DIFFERENT THINGS WE'VE BEEN  PUSHING FORWARD LIKE AIRLINE  TRAVEL, TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.  WE DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY OF  THAT, LIKE, GO ON THE BACK  BURNER.  WE REALLY WANT TO KEEP IT FRONT  AND CENTER, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH OUR WORK FORWARD.  THIS NEXT UPDATE IS JUST A  GENERAL UPDATE BECAUSE I DON'T  KNOW IF EVERYONE ON THE BOARD  KNOWS.  BUT I SERVE ON THE MASSACHUSETTS WORKFORCE COUNCIL.  IT'S A GROUP OF NINE RESIDENTS  OF THE STATE, WE'RE FROM ALL  OVER THE STATE, AND WE WORK ON  MAKING SURE THAT THE PCA PROGRAM IS VIABLE, THAT THE PCAs ARE  AFFORDED A LIVING AGE AND  BENEFITS.  WE DO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, WE  WORK ON TRAINING POLICIES.  IT'S A REALLY VIBRANT GROUP AND  WE HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS ONCE A  MONTH.  A LOT OF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC  OFTEN ATTEND, SO IF ANYONE'S  INTERESTED, YOU CAN FIND THE  MEETINGS ON MASS.GOV.  IT'S CALLED THE MASSACHUSETTS  PCA WORKFORCE COUNCIL AND MORE  INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT THAT LINK.  A COUPLE OTHER THINGS GOING ON  WITH THE PCA PROGRAM, JUST  BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS IS AN  IMPORTANT PROGRAM.  THE ELECTRONIC VISIT  VERIFICATION SYSTEM ALSO KNOWN  AS EVV IS CURRENTLY IN THE  PROCESS OF ROLLING OUT.  AND THAT IS DUE TO FEDERAL  LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRES PCAs  TO BASICALLY CLOCK IN AND CLOCK  OUT FOR EVERY SIFT.  SO THIS -- THE STATE HAS BEEN  ROLLING OUT THIS SYSTEM FOR THE  LAST YEAR, AND I USE PCAs MYSELF BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN CALLED TO USE IT YET.  BUT IT'S  LITTLE BIT TRICKY TO  FIGURE IT OUT.  BUT IF YOU HEAR OF ANYONE WHO  USES PCAs AND IS HAVING ISSUES  WITH THE EVV SYSTEM, YOU CAN 3 ALWAYS TELL THEM TO EMAIL  DISABILITY OR BOSTON.GOV, I CAN  HELP TALK THEM THROUGH THE  PROCESS AND GIVE THEM SOME  REFERRALS AND RESOURCES.  SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF A  GENERAL FYI FOR THE BOARD.  ONE THING THAT IS CONCERNING,  THE PCA PROGRAM HAS SEEN  SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION IN THE  LAST FEW YEARS, AND WHILE THAT'S A GOOD THING, IT'S ON TRACK TO  COST UPWARDS OF A BILLION  DOLLARS IN FUTURE YEARS.  SO I'M SURE WE ALL KNOW THAT THE MASS BUDGET IS STRETCHED VERY  THIN, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE  THAT THE PCA PROGRAM IS  SUSTAINABLE FOR THE LONG TERM.  BECAUSE OF THAT, MASS HEALTH HAS CREATED A PCA WORKGROUP TO LOOK  AT POTENTIAL WAYS WE COULD SAVE  MONEY WITHOUT CUTTING SERVICES.  BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU  HEARD LAST YEAR, THEY FLOATED  THE IDEA OF CUTTING SOME PCA  SERVICES AND IT WAS A BIG  PUSHBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.  SO ULTIMATELY THE GOVERNOR DID  NOT APPROVE THAT AND NO SERVICES WERE CUT.  BUT WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WITH  THE -- THE ATMOSPHERE IN D.C.  COMING P AND WITH THE BUDGET  SHORTFALLS, WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT PCA CUTS.  SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT  WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO KEEP 3 SERVICES WITHOUT MAKING CUTS.  AND THESE ARE ALSO MONTHLY  PUBLIC MEETINGS IF ANYONE'S  INTERESTED IN ATTENDING.  AND THEN ALSO A VERY BIG VICTORY THIS YEAR WAS THE ESTATE  RECOVERY WAS REMOVED.  SO MASSACHUSETTS WILL NO LONGER  PURSUE ASSETS OF RESIDENTS WHO  ARE ON THE COMMON HEALTH  PROGRAM, WHICH IS A MASSHEALTH  PROGRAM FOR RESIDENTS WHO WORK,  DISABLED RESIDENTS WHO WORK.  AND NOW THAT THIS HAS PASSED,  IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE  PEOPLE TO DISABILITIES TO GO TO  WORK.  SO WHAT IT MEANS IS YOU USED TO  HAVE TO ONCE YOU TURNED 55, YOU  HAD TO REPORT ALL YOUR ASSETS  AND INCOME TO THE STATE.  AND ONCE YOU PASSED AWAY, THEY  WOULD RECLAIM ALL THE MONEY THEY HAD SPENT ON YOU ON YOUR HEALTH  CARE AND THEY WOULD TAKE YOUR  ASSETS.  BUT NOW THAT'S NO LONGER  HAPPENING, O THAT'S A REALLY  EXCITING THING AND IT WILL ALLOW MORE PEOPLE TO GO TO WORK.  ALL RIGHT.  NEXT SLIDE.  WE'LL SKIP THAT ONE.  OKAY.  SO UPDATES ON THE ADVISORY  BOARD.  SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, MANY OF YOU  HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME,  SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A FEW YEARS, AND THEN WE HAVE A  NEW MEMBER AS WELL.  SO I JUST WANT TO GO OVER THE  ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERSHIP  BRIEFLY, BECAUSE WE HAVE OUR  ELECTIONS COMING UP IN JANUARY.  SO THE ADVISORY BOARD CONSISTS  OF 13 MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE  MAYOR.  THE MAJORITY WILL BE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.  AND ONE MEMBER MAY BE AN  IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER OF  SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY.  ONE MEMBER WILL BE AN APPOINTED  OFFICIAL FROM THE CITY OF  BOSTON, AND MEMBERS OF REQUIRED  TO ATTEND MONTHLY MEETINGS.  THIS IS JUST A REMINDER FOR  PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND FOR ANY REASON, PLEASE LET US  KNOW.  SEND US AN EAIL.  IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT  ABSENCES ARE EXCUSED SO THAT WE  CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE THE WORK  FORWARD OF THE BOARD.  NEXT SLIDE.  AND LOOKING AT THE OFFICERS OF  THE BOARD, WE HAVE A  CHAIRPERSON, VICE-CHAIR PERSON,  SECRETARY, AND A TREASURER.  THESE OFFICES ELECTED ANNUALLY  BY MAJORITY VOTE OF THE ADVISORY BOARD.  ONE MEMBER MAY HOLD MORE THAN  ONE OFFICE.  AND PEOPLE CAN RUN AGAIN NO  MATTER WHAT OFFICE THEY'VE HELD, THEY CAN HOLD IT FOR MORE THAN  ONE SESSION.  AND ON THESE FOUR OFFICES WILL  BE KNOWN AS THE EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE. THEY MEET ONCE A MONTH O  DISCUSS TOPICS AND CREATE  MEETING AGENDAS.  NEXT SLIDE.  OKAY.  SO QUICK RUNDOWN OF THE 3 RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH OFFICE. CHAIRPERSON DEVELOPS THE AGENDA  IN COORDINATION WITH THE OTHER  OFFICES.  AND THAT HAPPENS DURING THE  MONTHLY MEETINGS.  THE BOARD PRESIDES OVER THE  MEETINGS, APPOINTS ANY  SUBCOMMITTEES THAT ARE DEEMED  APPROPRIATE.  AUTHORIZES EXPENSES AS NEEDED,  WHICH WE DON'T HAVE ANY BUDGET,  SO NO WORRIES ABOUT THAT.  THE VICE CHAIRPERSON FORMS ALL  THE FUNCTIONS OF THE CHAIRPERSON IN IS OR HER ABSENCE.  THE SECRETARY AND TREASURER,  SINCE WE DON'T HAVE ANY FUNDS  AND OUR STAFF DOES THE MEETING  MINUTES, REALLY THEY JUST  PARTICIPATE AS PART OF THE  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO LEND  THEIR EXPERTISE AND LIVED  EXPERIENCE TO HELP US FORM  AGENDAS AND THINK ABOUT TOPICS  WE WANT TO DISCUSS.  ALL RIGHT.  SO WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, THE BOARD ELECTIONS WILL BE COMING  UP RIGHT AFTER THE NEW YEAR.  SO EVERY YEAR N JANUARY, WE  CALL FOR NOMINATION OF OFFICERS. AND THEN WE'LL HOLD THE ELECTION IN FEBRUARY.  SO ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS MAY  RECOMMEND FELLOW ADVISORY BOARD  MEMBERS TO ME, AT LEAST ONE  MONTH BEFORE THE ELECTION.  THE ADVISORY BOARD WILL CALL FOR NOMINATIONS.  SO HISTORICALLY THE BOARD HAS  REPRESENTATION OF DIFFERENT  DISABILITIES TO SERVE ON THE  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.  JUST SO WE HAVE THAT SPECIFIC  LENS REPRESENTED IN THE SMALLER  GROUP THAT KIND OF STEERS THE  DIRECTION OF THE BOARD.  THE ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD AT A  PUBLIC MEETING.  OUR ELECTION NEXT YEAR WILL BE  ON -- AT THE FEBRUARY MEETING.  WE HAVE CONFIRMED DATES COMING  UP LATER IN THE AGENDA, SO WE  CAN GET THE DATE AT THAT POINT.  AND ALL MEMBERS HAVE FULL VOTING RIGHTS.  EACH MEMBER WILL VOTE YEA OR NAY FOR EACH NOMINATION.  SO I WANT TO ASK YOU OVER THE  COURSE OF THE HOLIDAYS, PLEASE  THINK ABOUT THIS.  IF YOU'D LIKE TO UNTIL NOMINATE  YOURSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE, PLEASE DO THAT AND WE'LL DO IT IN TIME  FOR THE JANUARY MEETING.  AND NEXT SLIDE.  I THINK THAT'S IT.  SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER  QUESTIONS, IF ANYONE HAS ANY.  OH, ACTUALLY, I HAVE ONE MORE  THI THING TO ADD.  WE TALKED ABOUT YOUTH EARLIER,  AND SCHOOLS WERE MENTIONED.  SO I WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY  KNOW THAT THE BOSTON PUBLIC  SCHOOLS SPECIAL ED DEPARTMENT  HAS BEEN GIVEN SPACE FOR THEIR  OWN DEDICATED BUILDING.  THE KICKOFF NETWORKING EVENT WAS TONIGHT.  THEY'RE PLANNING TO OPEN IT IN  SEPTEMBER OF 2025.  THEY'RE GOING TO START SMALL AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO EXPAND TO  A LARGER CAPACITY, WHETHER IN  THAT BUILDING OR IN A DIFFERENT  BUILDING.  SO THAT'S VERY EXCITING.  I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, WES.  >> WESLEY: ALL RIGHT, THIS IS  WES HRE.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH,  COMMISSIONER, FOR YOUR REPORT.  APPRECIATE THAT.  I SEE THAT WE HAVE TWO HANDS  RAISED.  SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND  CALL ON CHARLIE FIRST AND THEN  AFTER THAT WE'LL HAVE JERRY.  GO AHEAD, CHARLIE.  >> CHARLIE: THANKS, WESLEY.  IN THE REPORT, COMMISSIONER, IT  STATED THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS  THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY, I KNOW  ANDREA HAS A LOT.  THE RESPONSIBILITY'S BEING  TRANSITIONED TO AN ADA  COORDINATOR IN THE SPECIFIC  DEPARTMENT.  WILL THIS -- WILL THIS  COMMISSION STILL HAVE OVERSIGHT  OVER THAT COORDINATOR OR IS IT  NOW A STRAIGHT LINE JUST YOU ARE JUST ADVISORY AND I THINK THAT  WAS -- I KNEW THAT YOU GUYS DID  THE WORK HERE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR THE OVERSIGHT, BUT THEN JUST KIND OF CURIOUS WHAT HAPPENS NOW THAT THEY'RE HIRING A FULL-TIME  COORDINATOR.  >> KRISTEN: YEAH.  SO THERE ARE A LOT OF NEW  ANSWERS  --  NUANCES WITH COORDINATORS,  POLICIES AND PROGRAMS AND BUILT  STRUCTURES.  THIS PERSON IS GOING TO BE  FOCUSING ON MEASUREMENTS AND THE BUILD RAMPS AND AREA WAYS AND  THINGS LIKE THAT.  THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE DOING  ENGINEERING, UT LOOKING AT  THOSE SORT OF THINGS.  SO WE'LL STILL WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM.  BUT THEY'LL BE DOING, LIKE, THE  WORK OF PARTICULARLY CURB RAMPS, WHICH WE COULD NEVER DIVE INTO,  LIKE -- WE DON'T HAVE THE  CAPACITY TO REVIEW EVERY RAMP.  WE JUST WORK -- WE MEET MONTHLY  WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO GO OVER PBIG-PICTURE ISSUES  AND ANY ISSUES THAT COME UP.  SO WE'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE ADA COORDINATOR, BUT IT  WON'T BE ANYTHING WE'LL HAVE  OVERSIGHT ON IT THE ANDREA, TO  YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? >> ANDREA: YEAH, YOU ARE STILL  THE ADA TITLE II COORDINATOR, SO FOR ADA COMPLIANCE, THAT'S STILL OVERARCHING COMMISSIONER.  THIS PERSON WILL BE, LIKE,  SITTING IN THE SAME ROOM, GOING  OUT TO THE PROJECT SITES WITH  THE ENGINEERS IN A HANDS-ON WAY  THAT WOULD BE COMMISSIONER'S  WHOLE JOB AND SHE WOULDN'T HAVE  TIME TO MEET WITH YOUTH, ET  CETERA.  SO WE ARE GOING TO MEET WITH  THIS PERSON ALMOST CERTAINLY  WEEKLY IN A PART OF THEIR  ONBOARDING HAS JUST BEEN A WHOLE DAY IN OUR OFFICE.  SO IT WILL SUPPLEMENT AND REALLY HELP US HAVE A DEDICATED POINT  OF CONTACT IN THE STREETS  CABINET FOR PUBLIC RIGHTS OF  WAY.  BUT COMMISSIONER IS STILL THE  ADA TITLE II COORDINATOR AND  ULTIMATELY SHE'S THAT OFFICIAL  DESIGNEE.  >> I WISH WE HAD A POSITION LIKE THIS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT TO  FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON THEIR  WORK, BUT YES.  THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? >> WESLEY: THIS IS WES.  SO JERRY, O AHEAD, PLEASE.  >> JERRY: THANKS.  THANKS, WES.  AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR,  COMMISSIONER, FOR YOUR REPORT.  AND IT'S GOOD TO -- IT'S DIDGOOO KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE A VOICE.  PCA WILL HAVE A VOICE FROM YOU,  YOU KNOW, IN THIS NEW WORKING  GROUP AND ALSO, YOU KNOW,  ONGOING WORK AT THE PCA  WORKFORCE COUNCIL.  JUST A QUESTION OR POINT OF  CLARIFICATION.  I KNOW THE WORKFORCE COUNCIL  MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. WILL THIS NEW WORKING GROUP,  WILL THOSE MEETINGS BE PUBLIC AS WELL OR WOULD YOU HAVE SOME  PUBLIC MEETINGS OR...  >> KRISTEN: YEP, THEY'RE HELD  MONTHLY AND THEY'RE OPEN TO THE  PUBLIC.  THERE'S A WEB PAGE, IT'S NOT IN  MY REPORT, BUT I CAN GO BACK AND LINK IT AND YOU SHOULD HAVE IT  IN THE MATERIALS.  I'LL LINK IN THERE, THE  WORKGROUP.  >> SO THE NEW WORKGROUP, THEY'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC? >> KRISTEN: THEY ARE.  BUT THEY'RE MORE OF A CONFERENCE FORMAT.  LIKE I AM A PANELIST AND I SEE  THE OTHER PANELIST, I DON'T SEE  WHO ELSE IS ON IT.  IT'S NOT INTERACTIVE AT ALL, YOU CAN'T MAKE COMMENTS, THERE'S NO  CHAT.  YOU JUST WATCH.  >> JERRY: SURE, BUT THEY ARE  OPEN.  >> KRISTEN: YEP.  >> JERRY: AND THAT WILL BE  STARTING SOON? >> KRISTEN: WE STARTED IN  OCTOBER AND THE NEXT ONE WILL BE IN JANUARY.  >> JERRY: OH, GREAT.  THANK YOU SO MUCH.  AND GRAGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR  WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON THOSE  TWO IMPORTANT -- TWO IMPORTANT  GROUPS FOR THE DISABILITY  COMMUNITY.  APPRECIATE IT.  >> KRISTEN: ONE OF THE -- OH,  SORRY.  >> GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER.  >> KRISTEN: ONE OTHER UPDATE I  WANTED TO MENTION TOO WAS PART  OF SOME WORK WE DID A FEW YEARS  AGO ON FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT WAS WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS  SPECIAL DUCATION DEPARTMENT.  WE HAD A GRANT FROM CITIBANK  WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO USE THE  FUNDS TO TRAIN TEACHERS IN  FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CURRICULUM FOR TRANSITION AGE STUDENTS.  AND A PIECE OF THAT FUNDING WALO WENT TO FUND VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE AND ACTUALLY ORK WITH THE STUDENTS.  SO THEY JUST PURCHASED TWO FOOD  CARTS AS KIND OF A PILOT AND  ANDREA AND I ENT THE OTHER DAY  TO THE RIBBON CUTTING.  SO SOME OF THE TRANSITION AGE  STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS  ARE GOING TO BE USING THESE  CARTS TO SELL SNACKS. THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF DRAWERS AND THEY'RE LABELED CLEARLY AND  NEATLY AND THEY'LL BE WALKING  AROUND THE WHOLE BUILDING  SELLING CHIPS, GUM, CANDY AND  SODA.  THEY'RE DOING ALL THE INVENTORY, THEY'RE DOING THE MONEY  EXCHANGING.  IT'S A WHOLE TRAINING PROGRAM  AND THEY OPE TO EXPAND TO DO A  NEW FOOD CART WHICH WILL BE  SANDWICHES.  SO IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM AND A  GREAT USE OF OUR FUNDING.  >> WESLEY: THIS IS WES HERE.  THERE'S A QUESTION THAT I HAD,  I'M GOING TO HOLD OFF BEFORE I  ASK.  I'M GOING TO SEE IF ANY OTHER  BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR COMMISSIONER  MCCOSH.  AND MY QUESTION IS IN REGARDS TO THE STATE -- OR ONE MOMENT.  THE STATE RCOVERY.  IS THERE ANY UPDATE ON IF  MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH IS GOING TO GO AFTER THOSE WHO DID HAVE  MEDICARE AND TO TAKE ANY ASSETS? >> KRISTEN: SO IT WOULD BE  MEDICAID THAT HAS THE STATE  RECOVERY.  THAT'S FUNDED HALF BY THE STATE, HALF FEDS.  AND I DON'T THINK ALL THE Is ARE DOTTED AND THE Ts ARE CROSSED  YET.  BUT IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE  STATE RECOVERY WILL NOT BE  AGGRESSIVE LIKE IT USED TO BE, 3 MASSACHUSETTS HAS ONE OF THE  MOST IMPRESSIVE PROGRAM IF YOU  WILL ON STATE RECOVERY.  SO I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING  RECENTLY, BUT I'LL LOOK INTO  THAT AND REPORT BACK.  I CAN REPORT BACK NEXT MONTH.  >> WESLEY: THANK YOU.  >> CARL: THEY HAVE (AWAY FROM  MIC).  >> KRISTEN: OKAY.  THANKS, CARL.  >> WESLEY: AND YOU CAN GO AHEAD, JERRY.  >> JERRY: SRRY, I WAS MUTED.  I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.  I'LL JUST USE MYSELF AS AN  EXAMPLE.  I RECENTLY RECEIVED A LETTER  FROM MASSHEALTH NOTIFYING ME  ABOUT THE ESTATE RECOVERY  PROGRAM.  AND I IMMEDIATELY WENT ON -- YOU KNOW, DID A GOOGLE SEARCH  BECAUSE I DID KNOW THAT THE NEW  LAW WAS PASSED.  SO I WANTED TO SEE IF I COULD  GET SOME PARTICULARS ON IT.  AND FROM WHAT I SAW ON THE  WEBSITE AS THAT THE -- THE NEW  LAW DIDN'T GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL, I BELIEVE, DECEMBER 4th.  BUT LIKE THE COMMISSIONER SAID,  I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE SAME --  SAME PROVISIONS THAT SHE  MENTIONED, THAT IT'S NO LONGER  FOR THOSE OF US WHO -- WHO HAVE  MEDICAID THROUGH THE COMMON  HEALTH PROGRAM AND SO FORTH.  SO IT WAS -- I RESTED A LOT  EASIER ONCE I -- ONCE I -- ONCE  I CONFIRMED THAT.  BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT MASSHEALTH SENT OUT, IT DID NOT DETAIL ANY  OF THE NEW PROVISIONS.  IT WAS BASED ON THE EXISTING  LAW.  >> I GOT THE SAME LETTER LAST  YEAR AND I THOUGHT, WOW, I  COULDN'T BELIEVE WHEN THIS  HAPPENED THIS PAST YEAR BECAUSE  I WAS LIKE, WOW, I WAS DREADING  THE LETTER.  THEN WHEN I GOT IT, I FELT THE  SAME AS YOU.  I'LL REST A LOT EASIER.  THE GOOD NEWS IS IT DOESN'T  HAPPEN UNTIL THE PERSON ON  COMMON HEALTH PASSES AWAY.  BUT STILL, YOU WANT TO HAVE  SOMETHING TO LEAVE YOUR FAMILY  FOR ALL THE THINGS YOU'VE WORKED FOR.  >> JERRY: RIGHT.  I WAS GLAD TO SEE AT LEAST FROM  WHAT I SAW -- WAS ABLE TO FIND  ONLINE, THAT LIKE YOU SAID,  CONFIRMED ABOUT THE COMMON  HEALTH.  AND I BELIEVE THE NEW  PROVISIONS, LIKE I SAID, WENT  INTO EFFECT LAST WEEK.  SO MAYBE THAT'S WHY I RECEIVED  THE OLD LETTER AND NOT THE NEW  ONE.  BECAUSE MY BIRTHDAY WAS IN  NOVEMBER.  >> JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, THE  PCA WORKGROUP THAT'S LOOKING  INTO SHORTFALLS, WE HAVE A LOT  OF GREAT ADVOCATES APPOINTED TO  THAT BOARD AS WELL.  CHARLIE WHO IS A FORMER MASS  REHAB COMMISSIONER, BECCA FROM  SEIU WHO REALLY HANDLES ALL THE  PCA NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PCA  WORKFORCE COUNCIL.  WE HAVE MASS SENIOR ACTION  COUNCIL HAS A SEAT.  SO IT'S A REALLY STRONG ADVOCACY GROUP.  SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO HOLD  THE LINE AND NOT LET THE CUTS  HAPPEN.  BUT I'M SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS  IT'S KIND OF A DIRE FISCAL  SITUATION THIS YEAR IN THE  STATE, SO WE'RE BRACING  OURSELVES AND WE'RE WORKING HARD TO (AWAY FROM MIC).  >> WESLEY: THIS IS WES HERE.  ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR  COMMENTS FOR COMMISSIONER  MCCOSH? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MCCOSH,  APPRECIATE IT.  I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE  ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS REPORT,  PATRICIA.  >> PATRICIA: GOOD EVENING,  EVERYONE.  IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.  MY NAME IS PATRICIA MENDEZ, I'M  THE DIRECTOR OF ARCHITECTURAL  ACCESS FOR THE DISABILITIES  COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF  BOSTON.  TODAY I'M GOING TO SHARE A BRIEF ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS REPORT, AND I HAVE A CASE STUDY FOR YOU.  I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'LL BE ABLE  TO SHARE THE SLIDES OR YOU WANT  ME TO SHARE THEM.  >> I CAN, GIVE ME A SEC.  >> PATRICIA: THANK YOU.  GREAT.  THANK YOU, ANDREA.  SO OUR CASE STUDY TODAY IS  RESTAURANT.  AND I'LL JUST START BY SAYING  THAT THIS RESTAURANT WAS BEING  RECONSTRUCTED, AND ONE OF OUR  CONSTITUENTS CONTACTED US WITH  CONCERNS ABOUT THE ACCESSIBLE  ENTRANCE, BASICALLY THAT IT WAS  TOO STEEP AND PRESENTED  OBSTACLES FOR PERSONS WITH  DISABILITIES.  AND HEY ALSO HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE BATHROOMS AND THE BAR AREA.  SO WHAT WE DID IS OUR REGULAR  PROTOCOL IS TO CONTACT THE  INSPECTIONAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT, ISD, AND THEN PASS ON THE  CONCERNS.  NEXT SLIDE.  SO TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THE  BIG PICTURE RULES, WHEN A  BUILDING IS BUILT IN NEW  CONSTRUCTION, THEN ALL OF THE  ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES NEED TO  BE ACCOMPLISHED.  BUT WHEN THERE IS AN EXISTING  BUILDING AND THAT EXISTING 3 BUILDING IS RENOVATED, IF THEY  DO MINOR RENOVATIONS, THEN JUST  THOSE RENOVATIONS NEED TO BE  ACCESSIBLE.  BUT IF THE RENOVATIONS ARE  SIGNIFICANT, THEN THE WHOLE  BUILDING NEEDS TO BE ACCESSIBLE. SO IN AN EXISTING RESTAURANT AND IT HAD A LOT OF RENOVATIONS,  INCLUDING NEW ROOF, UTILITIES,  THE INTERIOR, THE FINISHES, THEY DID A LOT OF WORK.  SO THE CONSTITUENT RIGHTLY WAS  EXPECTING THAT ALL OF THE  OBSTACLES WERE GOING TO BE FIXED AND RENOVATED.  AND AS CONSTRUCTION WENT BY,  THEY REALIZED THAT THEY STILL  HAD THE FUNKY ENTRANCE WITH THE  STEEP SLOPE.  SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.  AFTER THE CONSTITUENT ORIGINALLY FLAGGED IT FOR US, THERE WAS  STILL A COUPLE MONTHS THAT WENT  BY AND FROM THE OUTSIDE THEY  COULD HAVE [?] THE STEEP  ENTRANCE WAS STILL NOT  RECONSTRUCTED OR STILL NOT  ADDRESSED THE SO THE CONSTITUENT CONTINUED TO CONTACT US FOR  INFORMATION AND TO FLAG  SPECIFICALLY THAT ISSUE THAT  THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH.  SO THEY -- THEY PERSISTED, AND  WE'RE FLOOD GLAD THEY DID BECAU  WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND GO  MEET WITH THE OWNERS AND REALLY  EXPLAIN TO THEM THE WHOLE  RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THEY NEED  TO -- THEY NEED TO ACHIEVE ND  JUST BE CLEAR WITH THEM.  OKAY.  SO WHAT I HAVE THERE.  SO OUR WORK PRETTY MUCH WAS TO  RAISE AWARENESS TO THE OWNER  ABOUT THE ACCESSIBILITY  RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THEY HAD,  BECAUSE THEY HAD THIS  SIGNIFICANT RENOVATION.  SO IT ENDED UP BEING THAT WE  WENT -- MET IN PERSON WITH THE  OWNER AND THE COMMUNICATE AND  CLARIFIED THAT THEIR PROJECT WAS SIGNIFICANT AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO HAVE AN ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE,  ACCESSIBLE BATHROOMS, ACCESSIBLE BAR.  SO THEY REALIZED AND WERE VERY  COOPERATIVE AND VERY WILLING TO  REMEDY THOSE ISSUES.  WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.  OKAY.  SO IN THIS SLIDE, IT HAS PART OF THE BUILDING.  THIS IS A FLOOR PLAN THAT MEANS  IF YOU'RE A BIRD AND FLYING  YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN.  WHAT I HAVE HERE IN THE BOTTOM  OF THE SLIDE IS AN OUTDOOR PART  NEAR THE SIDEWALK.  AND WHAT IT'S SHOWING THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF THE OUTDOOR  SEATING, THERE'S PICNIC TABLES  IN THE BOTTOM.  AND IN THE CENTER OF THAT  RECTANGLE, THERE IS THE NEW  ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE.  YOU'LL HAVE TO GO BACK A LITTLE  BIT.  THE ISSUE OF THE ORIGINAL,  NONACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE IS THAT  THAT WAS TOO STEEP.  AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ORIGINAL  NONACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE IN THIS  DRAWING ON THE LEFT SIDE IN THE  CORNER.  SO AFTER OUR COMMUNICATION, OUR  DIALOGUE, THE OWNER CHANGED THE  DESIGN AND OPENED UP A SIDE  ENTRANCE.  AND YOU CAN SEE HE SIDE  ENTRANCE NOW IN THE CENTER OF  THAT RECTANGLE THAT I'M SHOWING. SO THIS SIDE NTRANCE BECAME THE MAIN ENTRANCE.  AND THAT ENTRANCE IS SPLASH, IT  DOESN'T HAVE THAT STEEP SLOPE  THAN THE OTHER ENTRANCE IN THE  CORNER, IN THE LEFT HAS.  SO THEY DESIGN IT AND THEY  ADDRESSED, AND NOW THEY'RE GOING TO OPEN -- OR THEY OPENED  ALREADY WITH THIS AWESOME  ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE.  IN ADDITION, THEY KEPT THE  ORIGINAL ENTRANCE ON THE LEFT,  AND THEY ADDED AN AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER.  SO THAT'S STILL USEABLE AND  PEOPLE USE IT IF THEY WANT IN  ADDITION TO THE ACCESSIBLE  ENTRANCE IN THE MIDDLE.  OKAY.  WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.  ALL RIGHT.  SO THE TAKEAWAY OF THIS STORY IS THAT IF YOU HAVE FAMILIARITY  WITH THE SPACE, A BUSINESS, THAT YOU SEE THAT IT HAD  ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES, OBSTACLES, AND THEN THE SPACE IS BEING  RENOVATED, MOST OF THE TIME IT  SHOULD BE -- IT SHOULD BE FIXED. LIKE ALL OF THE OBSTACLES NEED  TO BE ADDRESSED.  MOST OF THE TIME, SO IT'S A --  IF THEY'RE NOT BEING ADDRESSED,  IF THEY DIDN'T FIX THEM, THEN  YOU SHOULD BE FREE TO CONTACT US AND WE CAN HELP TO CLARIFY THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND MAKE SURE  THAT EVERYTHING IS COMPLIANT AS  IT SHOULD BE.  OKAY.  SO IN THE PHOTO HERE, I'M  SHOWING AGAIN THE FACADE OF THE  BUILDING.  AND THE ORIGINAL ENTRANCE YOU  CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT OF THE  SLOPE ISSUE.  AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE YOU SEE  THE OUTDOOR AREA WHERE THE  PICNIC TABLES ARE.  SO ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THAT'S  WHERE THE NEW ACCESSIBLE  ENTRANCE WILL BE.  OKAY.  SO WE CAN GO TO THE LAST SLIDE.  AND HERE I PUT A LINK WITH THE  OFFICIAL PUBLIC REGULATIONS.  SO IF YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR MORE  DETAILS AND THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE, YOU CAN GO IN THIS LINK AND THIS WILL TAKE YOU TO OUR  ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD  REGULATIONS, ALSO KNOWN AS 521  CMR.  AND THE SPECIFIC CHAPTER IS  CHAPTER 3 JURISDICTION.  SO VERY POPULAR CHAPTER.  IT'S NOT TOO LONG, IT'S JUST A  COUPLE OF PAGES LONG.  AND YOU HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THERE.  AND YOU CAN ALWAYS CONTACT ME  AND IF YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW-UP  QUESTIONS ON THE MORE TECHNICAL  PARTS OF THOSE REGULATIONS.  AND NOW WE CAN GO TO THE  QUESTIONS PART.  >> WESLEY: THIS IS WES HERE.  THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR PATRICIA AT THIS  TIME? OKAY.  THANK YOU, PATRICIA, FOR YOUR  REPORT.  NEXT UP IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.  I DO HAVE ONE ANNOUNCEMENT TO  SHARE.  THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY SENT A  SUPPORT LETTER TO LEGISLATORS  SUPPORTING S-446, THE SENATE  BILL 446, AND THE HOUSE BILL  769.  IT'S THE TRAIL FOR ALL BILL AND  IT'S A FEATURE OF THE  LEGISLATION WAS THE FORMATION OF A TRAIL ACCESS WORKGROUP.  AND THE [?] ADMINISTRATION HAS  WORKED WITH THIS GROUP  REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE BILL  GETS THROUGH THE SENATE THIS  YEAR OR NOT.  THE GOAL IS O HAVE AT LEAST  ONE-THIRD OF THE GROUP WITH  LIVED EXPERIENCE OF BEING  DISABLED.  AND TO ALSO ENSURE THAT GROUP  BRINGS A DIVERSITY OF THER  PERSPECTIVES AND LIVED  EXPERIENCE.  STARTING IN 2025, GROUP WILL  MEET QUARTERLY, A TOTAL OF SIX  MEETINGS.  FOUR MEETINGS WILL BE VIRTUAL,  AND TWO MAY BE HELD WITH THE  HYBRID FORMAT.  MEMBERS NOT BEING PAID BY AN  EMPLOYER OR OTHER ORGANIZATION  TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE  COMPENSATED WITH A SMALL STIPEND FOR MEETING TIME AND REIMBURSED  FOR MILEAGE FOR IN-PERSON  MEETINGS.  IF ANYONE FROM THE ADVISORY  BOARD IS INTERESTED IN SERVING  ON THE TRAIL WORKGROUP, THEY 3 SHOULD EMAIL LAYER OF INTEREST  TO PAUL, THE DIRECTOR OF THE  MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE OF OUTDOOR  RECREATION.  JUST A MOMENT WHILE I SHARE THIS INFORMATION IN THE CHAT HERE.  AGAIN, THAT'S PAUL JABNY, THE  DIRECTOR OF THE MASSACHUSETTS  OFFICE OF THE OUTDOOR  RECREATION.  THE EMAIL ADDRESS IS  PAUL.L.JAHNEY@MASS.GOV.  THE LETTER SHOULD BE SENT AS  SOON AS POSSIBLE AND DECISIONS  ON BOARD MEMBERSHIP WILL START  SOON.  ARE THERE ANY OTHER  ANNOUNCEMENTS? >> I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION.  FROM THE COMMENT THAT PATRICIA  WAS MAKING.  THERE IS AN ORGANIZATION CALLED  [INDISCERNIBLE], I THINK.  IS THAT THE PICTURE WE WERE  LOOKING AT? >> PATRICIA: I THINK SO, YES.  >> OKAY.  ALL RIGHT, THANKS FOR CLARIFYING THAT FOR ME.  >> PATRICIA: YOU'RE WELCOME.  THANK YOU.  >> WESLEY: JERRY, I SEE YOUR  HAND IS RAISED.  DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK? GO AHEAD.  >> JERRY: SURE, THANK YOU, WES.  THAT WAS JUST FOR POINT OF  CLARIFICATION, THAT WAS -- I  ASKED BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW IF  THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO  SHARE THE NAME OF THE LOCATION  OR COULD SHARE IT.  AND IT WAS ANSWERED.  THAT WAS MY QUESTION THAT WAS  ANSWERED IN THE CHAT.  I GUESS IT WAS LIKE ALIVE CAFE  THAT WAS THE CASE STUDY IS.  >> WESLEY: GREAT.  THANKS, JERRY.  WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE AGENDA,  WHAT I SEE NEXT BEFORE WE MOVE  ON TO WHAT'S NEXT, DO WE HAVE  ANY FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY.  HEARING NONE, WE CAN MOVE ON IN  THE AGENDA TO OLD BUSINESS.  I HAVE TWO ITEMS.  THE FIRST WAS BOARD GOAL  SETTING.  I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE  BIT OF UPDATE.  I DID RECEIVE SOME INTEREST FROM ONE PERSON WHO WAS INTERESTED IN JOINING THE BOARD GOAL SETTING  COMMITTEE.  WHEN -- THERE WAS ONLY ONE  PERSON.  WHEN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE  MET, HE DECIDED THAT WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE THAT GOAL SETTING WORK  TO THE NEXT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE  RATHER THAN ESTABLISHING A NEW  SUBCOMMITTEE (AWAY FROM MIC).  AS YOU KNOW, WE RUN ELECTIONS  EACH YEAR.  USUALLY IN FEBRUARY.  SO THE NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE  CAN TAKE THE GOAL SETTING WORK  ONCE THEY'RE IN PLACE.  WHEN THAT DECISION WAS MADE, WE  ALSO RECEIVED INTEREST FROM  ANOTHER PERSON THAT WAS PAST THE DEADLINE OF WANTING TO KNOW THAT AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE WOULD BE  INTERESTED.  BUT IT WASN'T ADEQUATE AND AS  THE BOARD CHAIR, I DON'T REALLY  WANT TO APPOINT PEOPLE RANDOMLY  KNOWING THAT THERE WAS ONLY  REALLY TWO PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE  INTERESTED IN BEING (AWAY FROM  MIC).  SO WE ARE, AS I SAID, LEAVING  THAT TO THE NEXT EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE TO MAKE A DECISION  WITH REGARD TO BOARD GOAL  SETTING.  THE SECOND PIECE OF OLD BUSINESS I WANTED TO GO THROUGH WAS THE  CITY HALL PLAZA.  COMMISSIONER MCCOSH CAN LEAD  THAT DISCUSSION.  SO COMMISSIONER MCCOSH, THE  FLOOR IS OURS.  >> KRISTEN: THANKS, WES.  SO I KNOW YOU ARE ALL INTERESTED IN THE STATE OF THE BRICKS ON  CITY HALL PLAZA.  ELIZABETH HAS BROUGHT IT UP IN  SEVERAL MEETINGS BECAUSE SEVERAL YEARS WHEN THE RENOVATIONS WAS  HAPPENING THE BOARD MADE AN  AGREEMENT WITH THE PROPERTY  MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT IN THE  CITY TO ASSESS THE BRICKS ONE  YEAR AFTER INSTALLATION TO SEE  HOW THEY HELD UP.  WERE THEY CRACKING, WERE THEY  DISLODGING, WAS IT STILL PRETTY  ACCESSIBLE.  BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS BRICKS ON  CITY HALL PLAZA WERE IN TERRIBLE DISREPAIR AND THE CITY LACKED  MAINTENANCE DOLLARS AND REALLY  LACKED A COMMITMENT TO  MAINTENANCE.  SO WHAT E WANT TO DO WITH  THIS -- THIS RENOVATION OF THE  PLAZA IS TO AKE SURE THAT IT'S  WELL MAINTAINED AND THAT IT  REMAINS ACCESSIBLE.  SO ANDREA, COULD YOU SHARE THE  SLIDES? SO LAST WEEK, PAUL CARON,  ANDREA, AND ONE OF MY STAFF --  ANOTHER ONE OF MY STAFF, ONE OF  MY SENIOR ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS  SPECIALIST DID A WALK THROUGH OF THE PLAZA.  AS I SAID, 2021 THERE WAS AN  AGREEMENT TO LOOK AT THE  CONDITION OF THE BRICK ONE YEAR  AFTER INSTALLATION.  THE BRICK THAT'S ON THE PLAZA  NOW IS CALLED WIRE CUT BRICK.  IT'S SET SO THAT IT LOCKS  TOGETHER.  THE OLD BRICKS THAT WERE IN  PLACE WERE LIKE -- THIS IS VERY  THIN LIKE PAVER STYLE BRICK.  THE OLD ONES WERE THE FULL,  LIKE, THREE TO FOUR-INCH DEEP  BRICKS THAT YOU SEE IN BUILDINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.  SO PAVERS ARE A LOT SMOOTHER.  WITH THAT BEING SAID, THEY CAN  STILL DSLODGE. THEY STILL HAVE A LOT OF JOINTS. WHEN YOU COMPARE ONE BRICK TO,  LIKE, ONE PANEL OF CONCRETE, THE CONCRETE MIGHT BE FOUR FEET BY  FOUR FEET OR FIVE FEET BY FIVE  FEET.  A BRICK IS USUALLY SIX INCHES BY THREE INCHES.  SO THAT'S ALL THOSE THAT THEY  HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR AND MAKE 3 SURE THAT THEY'RE ACCESSIBLE.  SO DURING OUR WALK-THROUGH WE  NOTICED THAT THE PLAZA WAS IN  PRETTY GOOD SHAPE, BUT WE DID  SEE SOME THINGS WE WANTED TO  POINT OUT TO PROPERTY  MANAGEMENT.  THE ONE THING I'LL NOTE S WE  HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF SNOW SINCE  THE RENOVATION.  WE HAVEN'T HAD SNOW EQUIPMENT ON THE PLAZA, SO I'M PERSONALLY  HOPING WE DON'T GET A LOT MORE  SNOW THIS YEAR, BUT IF WE DO  WE'LL HAVE TO ASSESS AGAIN IN  THE SPRING.  BUT WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE  AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE  PICTURES.  SO THIS IS THE CONDITION.  IT IS POURED IN PLACE, POROUS  ASPHALT.  AND WHAT THIS IS, IS IT ALLOWS  WATER TO PENETRATE TO THE  GROUND.  WHEN YOU HAVE CONCRETE, CONCRETE IS NONPOROUS SO WATER CAN'T GET  THROUGH THE MATERIAL.  THAT CAN LEAD TO POOLING AND IT  LEADS TO, LIKE, TREES NOT BEING  ABLE TO GET, LIKE, ENOUGH WATER. WE LOVE CONCRETE FOR ACCESS, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN TREES CAN'T GET  WATER THEIR ROOTS HEAVE UP.  AND THIS IS A MORE PLIABLE AND A MORE -- BETTER FOR THE  ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE IT LETS  WATER FILTRATE TO THE BOTTOM.  FOR ACCESS, IT IS SMOOTH.  IT'S A LITTLE BIT ROUGHER THAN A SMOOTH CONCRETE, BUT IT IS  PRETTY SMOOTH.  AND THEN THAT'S IN LIKE A  COURTYARD AREA OF THE PLAZA WITH TREES.  AND THEN THIS IS THE -- A SHOT  OF THE BRICK WALKWAY GOING --  CALLED THE HANOVER WALKWAY THAT  GOES DOWN TO ONNOR STREET ON  CITY HALL PLAZA.  IT ALSO LEADS TO THE ENTRANCE,  THE NEWLY OPENED ENTRANCE ON THE SECOND FLOOR.  AND THIS BRICK HELD UP REALLY  WELL.  GO TO ANOTHER PICTURE.  HERE'S SOME PICTURES OF BRICK.  YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE SEAMS  ARE POPPING UP A LITTLE BIT.  WHERE WE IDENTIFIED THE MOST  ISSUES WERE ON THINGS LIKE A  GRATE COVER.  IF YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT, YOU  CAN SEE THE METAL OUTLINE OF A  SQUARE, THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE  SOMETHING GOING ON UNDERNEATH,  IT'S NOT JUST FLUSH DWROGROUND.  SO THAT'S THOSE AREAS SEEM TO  GIVE US THE MOST TROUBLE AS FAR  AS MAINTAINING QUALITY OF THE  BRICK.  GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.  SO THIS AREA WAS LIKE WHAT WE  FOUND.  IT'S SOME DISLODGED BRICK.  IT'S CHIPPED.  AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE METAL LINES, THOSE ARE OVER A COUPLE  OF PANELS.  POWER RUSS ASPHALT AND GRANITE  AND BRICK SO THREE DIFFERENT  MATERIALS YOU'D HAVE TO CROSS.  AND PROBABLY BECAUSE OF SETTLING IT LOOKS LIKE THE OROUS ASPHALT AS SETTLED LOWER THAN THE  GRANITE STRIP IN THE MIDDLE.  SO THERE WAS LIKE A GOOD INCH,  YOU KNOW, UPWARDS OF AN INCH LIP ON THAT PATH.  SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL WANT  TO BRING TO PROPERTY MANAGEMENT. AND THEN I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER PICTURES.  SEE.  >> ANDREA: COULD THE COMPUTER  THAT WAS SCREEN SHARING DIED.  LET ME CHECK.  >> KRISTEN: ONE THING THAT WE  DID DO AFTER THE INSTALLATION,  WE HEARD FROM PEOPLE ABOUT ONE  AREA OF THE PLAZA THAT THEY  FOUND CONFUSING FOR WAYFINDING,  AND THAT'S WHEN OU GO INTO A  JFK BUILDING FROM CITY HALL,  THERE'S AN AREA OF -- IT'S KIND3 OF TWO HEIGHT AREAS, AND ONE OF  THEM LEADS TO THE PLAYGROUND AND THE OTHER ONE LEADS TO CITY  HALL.  BUT IF YOU HEAD DOWN STRAIGHT  TOWARDS THE PLAYGROUND, IF  YOU'RE COMING FROM CAMBRIDGE  STREET AND HEADING TO THE LEFT  TOWARDS THE PLAYGROUND, YOU  CAN'T GET BACK INTO CITY HALL,  YOU HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND GO  BACK.  SO WE ASKED PROPERTY MANAGEMENT  TO PUT IN WAYFINDING SIGNS.  AND THEY DID THAT. THEY PUT IN WHEELCHAIR SIGNS TO  FIND THE WHEELCHAIR PATH.  THAT WAS OME OF THE FEEDBACK E HAD FROM THE COMMUNITY.  I HAVE MORE PICTURES AND SOME  VIDEOS, SO WE CAN SEND THEM OUT  IN AN EMAIL.  BUT I KNOW ELIZABETH'S BEEN  ASKING THIS FOR A WHILE, I DON'T SEE HER HERE TONIGHT.  DISAPPOINTED, BECAUSE I KNOW SHE WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY GET THIS  INFORMATION.  BUT RATHER THAN HAVING EVERYBODY DO A WALK-THROUGH, I FIGURED WE  CAN DO IT ON YOUR BEHALF.  WE DID HAVE ONE BOARD MEMBER  THERE, WE HAD ARCHITECTURAL  SENIOR SPECIALIST, AND I WAS  THERE AND ANDREA, SO I THINK WE  GOT A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT SHAPE  IT'S IN.  FOR THE MOST PART IT LOOKS GOOD  AND THE THINGS THAT DO NEED TO  BE ADDRESSED ARE NOT MINOR, BUT  THEY'RE DEFINITELY ADDRESSABLE.  TURN IT BACK TO YOU, WES.  >> WESLEY: THANK YOU VERY MUCH,  COMMISSIONER MCCOSH.  I DO HAVE A COMMENT BUT I'M  GOING TO HOLD IT BECAUSE HERE  ARE OTHER FOLKS WHO HAVE  QUESTIONS.  SO WE'LL START WITH JERRY AND  THEN MOVE ON TO RICHARD.  JERRY, GO AHEAD.  >> JERRY: HI, COMMISSIONER.  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FINALLY  HAVING -- BEING ABLE TO HAVE  THAT WALK-THROUGH.  I KNOW WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF  FITS WITH THAT [BACKGROUND  NOISE] BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT  WALK-THROUGH.  I WAS GOING TO ASK, YOU'VE KIND  OF ALLUDED TO THAT.  YOU SAID. PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, ARE FIXABLE. THAT THE PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED  WERE FIXABLE.  DOES IT HAVE TO GO THROUGH -- I  MEAN, IS IT A LONG PROCESS OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE -- CAN  BE FIXED RATHER QUICKLY, DO YOU  THINK? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IS THERE  BUDGET FOR MAINTENANCE AND, YOU  KNOW, FIXING PROBLEMS? CAN YOU TALK  LITTLE BIT ABOUT  THAT? >> KRISTEN: YEAH.  PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, THAT'S THE  DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY THAT HAS  CARE AND CUSTODY OF THE PLAZA. THEY DO HAVE A CONTRACT.  I BELIEVE IT'S WITH AN OUTSIDE  CONTRACTOR, IS THAT RIGHT,  ANDREA, O DO MAINTENANCE? I THOUGHT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT  BRIEFLY.  >> ANDREA: I'M NOT SURE.  I DON'T KNOW IF WE HEARD.  WE CAN CHECK.  >> KRISTEN: WE'LL CHECK ON THAT, JERRY.  I KNOW THEY'RE VERY COMMITTED. THEY DO HAVE FUNDING FOR  MAINTENANCE BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES WITH THE  RENOVATION.  SO MANY TIMES RENOVATIONS AND  THEN THEY FALL IN DISREPAIR, WE  KNOW WHAT THE MBTA IS LIKE  BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KEEP  INVESTING MONEY IN IT.  THESE ARE SMALL FIXES, IT'S NOT  LIKE THEY HAVE TO DO OVER A BIG  AREA, IT'S JUST A COUPLE OF  PANELS THAT WE IDENTIFIED.  AND THEN A LIP ALONG THE EDGE OF THAT PATHWAY.  I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE  DOABLE.  THE ONLY THING NOW IS THAT WITH  THE WINTER HERE AND FREEZING  WEATHER COME REQUIRING DON'T  KN -- COMING, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS THE BEST TIME, THEY MAY HAVE TO WAIT TO THE SPRING.  BUT I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH PROPERTY MANAGEMENT THIS WEEK.  >> JERRY: I APPRECIATE THAT.  LIKE I SAID, LIKE I APPRECIATE  YOUR -- THIS EMPLDISAPPOINTMENT  ELIZABETH WASN'T HOAR BECERE BE  SHE WAS TAKING THE LEAD FOR US  ON IT.  BUT 'M GLAD YOU GOT THAT TAKEN  CARE OF AND THANKS TO PAUL AND  FOR YOUR STAFF AND YOURSELF FOR  GETTING OUT THERE AND DOING IT.  AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE  UPDATES AND MAYBE FOR MORE OF S TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ANOTHER TOUR  OF THE PLAZA.  >> KRISTEN: AND WE HAVE MORE  PICTURES AND VIDEO, SO I'LL SEND THAT OUT IN A DEDICATED EMAIL  ABOUT THE PLAZA.  >> JERRY: GREAT.  THANKS SO MUCH.  >> WESLEY: PAUL, DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING SOME SORRY, WES.  >> PAUL: I WAS GOING TO SAY  THANKS, JERRY.  I DID TALK TO JOSH STANLEY AT  CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROCESS SO  THEY ARE KEEPING THEIR EYE ON  ANY DRASTIC -- NOT SO MUCH  IMPROVEMENTS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT  THE NEXT PHASE STARTS, BUT  REPAIRS.  I BROUGHT IT TO HIS ATTENTION.  A LOT OF IT'S UNDER THE CAPITAL  BUDGET PROJECT.  BUT SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE I  THINK WE CAN STILL WORK WITH THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR FIXING.  IT HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF  WARRANTY.  NOT JUST A MATTER OF PUTTING IT  ON A BUDGET.  THAT MEANS -- WITH THE BUDGET.  >> JERRY: GREAT.  THANKS, PAUL.  >> WESLEY: THIS IS WES.  ALL RIGHT.  TERRIFIC.  RICHARD, I SEE YOUR HAND IS  RAISED.  DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? >> RICHARD: YEAH, THANKS, WES.  ABOUT YOUR PREVIOUS -- ABOUT THE GOAL SETTING.  YOU DIDN'T ASK IF WE HAD ANY  COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.  >> WESLEY: ACTUALLY I CAN ASK  YOU TO HOLD ON FOR JUST ONE  SECOND, RICHARD? >> RICHARD: SURE.  >> WESLEY: I WANTED TO SPEAK A  LITTLE BIT MORE TO CITY HALL AND WE'LL GO BACK TO THE GOAL  SETTING IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU. >> RICHARD: SURE, OF COURSE.  >> WESLEY: OKAY.  SO I HAD A QUESTION MYSELF ABOUT THE CITY HALL PLAZA.  THE STATE OF IT.  AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT ONE  CONCERN THAT I HAD LAST WEEK.  I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEKEND,  ACTUALLY, WE HAD A LITTLE BIT  OF -- IT WAS FLURRIES, AND THEN  THERE WAS FREEZING TEMPERATURES. AND ON SUNDAY MORNING I DID WALK PAST CITY HALL PLAZA AND I WAS  PASSING ON THE LEFT.  I WAS GOING TO PARK STREET,  ACTUALLY.  AND WHILE I WAS PASSING CITY  HALL ON MY LEFT, NEAR THE  GOVERNMENT CENTER AND THAT  GOVERNMENT CENTER T STOP, THE  RED BRICK -- THERE'S A RAMP THAT THE PLACE NEAR THE STAIRS.  AND THERE WAS A HUGE PUDDLE OF  WATER THAT HAD COLLECTED THAT  LOOKED TO ME LIKE IT WAS FROZEN. AND IT LOOKED TO ME LIKE IT WAS  ON THE RAMP AS WELL.  I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT  BEING A SLIPPERY CONDITION FOR  FOLKS WHO WOULD BE USING THE  RAMP, FOLKS IN WHEELCHAIRS, ET  CETERA, OR THAT THEY MIGHT NOT  BE ABLE TO BYPASS THAT PART OF  THE RAMP AND STILL CONTINUE ON  THE PATH OF TRAVEL.  SO WE --  >> WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE IF IT MIGHT BE -- MIGHT BE T  PROPERTY ALSO, WES.  I CAN LOOK INTO THAT.  PAUL.  >> WESLEY: OKAY.  THIS IS WES.  THANKS FOR THAT.  OKAY.  THANK YOU.  ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS OR  COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO CITY  HALL PLAZA BEFORE WE GO TO  RICHARD'S QUESTION ABOUT BOARD  GOAL SETTING? OKAY.  RICHARD, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  >> RICHARD: THANKS, WES.  I DIDN'T MENTION THIS BEFORE,  I'VE BEEN ON DMIETSCOMMITTEES A  COMMISSIONS AND WORKED AT ALL  LEVELS, STATE, LOCAL, FEDERAL  AND NEVER BEEN INVOLVED WITH  ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIDN'T HAVE  ANY GOALS.  SO I THOUGHT -- I THINK IT'S  GREAT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE  POINT WHERE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT.  BECAUSE THE YEAR STARTS IN A FEW WEEKS, I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT  INSTEAD OF A COMMITTEE -- I  APOLOGIZE, I WOULD HAVE  VOLUNTEERED FOR THE COMMITTEE,  BUT I DON'T THINK I HAVE THE  BANDWIDTH DO IT.  BUT IF THAT'S WHAT IT REQUIRES,  I'LL BE HAPPY TO JOIN A  COMMITTEE.  BUT I MOVE TO SUGGEST THAT THE  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IS THE  LEADERS OF THE COMMISSION MEET  AND JUST DECIDE WHAT THE GOAL  IS.  LET'S HAVE ONE GOAL FOR NEXT  YEAR, LET'S GET TO IT IN  JANUARY, AND YOU KNOW, IDEAS FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT  OR TRY TO ACCOMPLISH IT.  AND LET'S TRY TO FOCUS ON THAT  NEXT YEAR.  I THINK F WE CONTINUE TO -- IF  WE WAIT, WE'LL GET INTO THE  FIRST QUARTER, SECOND QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR WE WON'T HAVE IT READY TO GO AT THE BEGINNING F THE  CALENDAR YEAR, WHICH I THINK  WOULD BE IDEAL FOR IT.  SO I WOULD ASK THAT THE  EXECUTIVES MEET AND DETERMINE  WHAT THEY THINK OUR ONE GOAL FOR 2025 OUGHT TO BE, HOW THEY  SUGGEST WE MPLEMENT IT.  IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE ASK ABOUT IT AT OUR JANUARY MEETING  AND THEN WE GO AHEAD WITH IT AND SEE IF WE CAN -- WHAT WE CAN  ACCOMPLISH.  >> WESLEY: THANKS.  THIS IS WES, THANKS, RICHARD, WE APPRECIATE THAT.  AGAIN, I WOULD SAY AT THE  MEETING LAST MONTH  DON'T  RECALL WHETHER YOU WERE WITH US. BUT THE MEETING LAST MONTH THERE WAS DISCUSSION AMONGST BOARD  ABOUT FORMING A SUBCOMMITTEE AND THOSE WOULD BE FOLKS WHO WOULD  BE INTERESTED IN THE BOARD.  BUT TO BE VERY HONEST, IT FELL  APART BECAUSE NOBODY REALLY  EXPRESSED INTEREST IN JOINING  THAT SUBCOMMITTEE.  SO WE'RE SORT OF BACK TO SQUARE  ONE.  AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DID  MEET, HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT  THIS ISSUE AND FELT THAT WE  REALLY FELT THAT THE NEXT  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WOULD BE  ABLE TO ADDRESS IT MUCH BETTER  THAN WE COULD.  >> RICHARD: BUT WE DON'T KNOW  WHO THAT'S GOING TO BE.  I'D BE SURPRISED IF THEY DO IT  BETTER THAN YOU GUYS CULD.  BUT MAYBE THEY CAN, I JUST WOULD URGE US TO GET TO THIS AS SOON  AS WE CAN SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A  FOCUS IN 2025.  >> WESLEY: YEAH, THANKS,  RICHARD.  WE APPRECIATE THAT.  YEAH.  I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT.  THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE OLD BUSINESS  PORTION? NOW FOR NEW BUSINESS.  I DO HAVE ONE ITEM.  THE 2025 DATES.  I KNOW THAT THERE IS AN EMAIL  SENT TO THE BOARD A FEW DAYS AGO ABOUT THE 2025 DATES THAT HAVE  BEEN TENTATIVELY RELEASED.  AND ALL MEETINGS ARE PLANNED TO  BE ON ZOOM AND IN PERSON AT CITY HALL, ROOM 801.  WE WILL HAVE IT HYBRID.  WE WILL AIM FOR TEN MEETINGS,  THE NEXT ONE WILL BE  JANUARY 8th, FEBRUARY 12th,  MARCH 12th, APRIL 9th, MAY 21st, JUNE 25th, AUGUST 6th, SEPTEMBER SEEN 17th, OCTOBER 22nd, AND  DECEMBER 10TH AS E'LL BE  SKIPPING THE MONTHS OF JULY AND  NOVEMBER.  DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS  OR COMMENTS ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S  MEETINGS SCHEDULE? JERRY, YOU GO AHEAD.  >> JERRY: IS THE LOCATION  DIFFERENT? ARE WE NO LONGER MEETING IN  THE -- THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER? >> WESLEY: ANDREA MIGHT BE ABLE  TO SPEAK MORE ON THAT.  >> ANDREA SCLO: SO UNLESS AND U  THE BOARD WANTS TO COME BACK IN  PERSON, ROOM 801 IS A MUCH  BETTER SETUP FOR A HYBRID  MEETING. IF THE NEXT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE  MEETING WANTS TO ASK VERYONE TO COME IN PERSON, WE CAN APPROACH  THE CITY COUNCIL.  BUT 801 IS MUCH MORE  LOGISTICALLY SIMPLE.  YOU'RE ALSO WELCOME TO COME  HERE.  I SHOULD TURN MY CAMERA OFF  BLUR, IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE  BACKGROUND.  THERE IS ROOM FOR FOLKS TO JOIN  ME HERE AT THE TABLE AND USE THE MIC AND BE HYBRID.  BUT THAT'S THE PLAN UNTIL  FURTHER NOTICE.  >> I WAS GOING TO ADD IT'S NOT A BAD SPACE SIZE-WISE AND  ACCESSIBILITY-WISE.  IT USED TO BE YOU HAD SOME  BARRIERS. THEY USED TO HAVE A BUILT-UP  LITTLE STAGE WITH BUILT-IN DESKS THAT WAS INACCESSIBLE.  BUT THEY GOT RID OF THAT AND T  DOES HAVE BETTER TECH EQUIPMENT  FOR, LIKE, HYBRID MEETING.  BUT IT DEFINITELY HAS ROOM AND  WE'D ALL FIT IN ALONG WITH  MOBILITY DEVICES AND SERVICE  ANIMALS.  SO WE COULD THINK BOUT LOOKING  AT THAT SPACE TOO.  JUST BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S  LIKE WHEN YOU GET BAD TECH, IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING AND SOMETIMES  IT'S JUST NOT EVEN USEABLE.  >> JERRY: SO THAT'S WHERE YOU  ARE CURRENTLY, ANDREA? >> ANDREA: YEP.  THAT'S WHERE I'VE BEEN SINCE  COVID.  >> JERRY: I JUST LIKE THE  SYMBOLISM OF US BEING ABLE TO  MEET IN THE CITY COUNCIL  CHAMBER, ESPECIALLY SINCE, YOU  KNOW, THAT WAS RENOVATED AND  MADE ACCESSIBLE.  YOU KNOW,  THINK IF AND WHEN  WE'RE -- WE GO BACK TO IN  PERSON, I WOULD -- I WOULD STILL LIKE US TO EXPLORE THE CITY  COUNCIL CHAMBER, IF POSSIBLE.  >> KRISTEN: I DON'T MEAN TO MAKE EYE SKI A DECISION ON YOUR BEHALF, I'M  JUST SAYING IT ISN'T A BAD  SPACE.  >> JERRY: UNDERSTOOD.  >> WESLEY: THANK YOU, ALL.  IT IS TIME FOR PUBLIC INPUT, F  ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING.  ANDREA.  >> ANDREA: THANKS, WES.  SO NOTE ON PUBLIC INPUT.  YOU MAY HAVE NOTICE THE YOD YOU  UNABLE TO MUTE YOURSELF ON YOUR  OWN.  SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR  COMMENT, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE THE RAISE HAND FUNCTION.  I SEE SOMEONE HAS PUT A NOTE IN  THE CHAT OR WAVE ON CAMERA AND I WILL FIND YOU AND SEND YOU A  REQUEST TO UNMUTE.  PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO  TWO MINUTES.  THANK YOU SO MUCH.  >> WESLEY: THANK YOU, ANDREA.  AND WE DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC INPUT. BARK RA CRICHLOW, WOULD YOU 3 PLEASE SPEAK.  >> BARBARA: YES, GOOD EVENING,  EVERYONE.  I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK.  I ATTEND THE AGE -- ADVISORY  COMMITTEE MEETINGS.  IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY IF  SOMEONE FROM THE DISABILITIES  COMMISSION CAN ATTEND THOSE  MEETINGS? IT'S ON THE FIRST FRIDAY OF  EVERY MONTH.  AND WE'VE DIRECTED SOME  ISSUES -- THEY SEEM MINOR TO THE STAFF, BUT T'S IMPORTANT THAT  EVEN THE FLYERS THAT THEY SEND  OUT, BECAUSE THEY USE TWO TNES, SOME PEOPLE CAN'T READ THEM  BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, EYE  ISSUES.  AND I'M JUST ASKING IF SOMEONE  FROM THE COMMISSION CAN ATTEND  THOSE MEETINGS.  SECOND, DPW, THOSE RAMPS THAT  THEY PUT OUT, THERE'S A COUPLE  THAT WERE MENTIONED AT THE  AGE -- ADVISORY COMMITTEE  MEETING THAT WERE A HAZARD TO  ANYBODY WITH A DISABILITY.  AND MY SECOND -- MY THIRD  QUESTION IS, I'VE ASKED THIS  QUESTION TWICE, BUT I'M  GETTING -- I'M NOT REALLY  GETTING AN ANSWER.  THE REDESIGN OF LOUISVILLE  AVENUE, IN THE LAST REPORT THEY  MENTIONED ABOUT HOW MANY CAR  ACCIDENTS SINCE THE SPEEDING  THAT'S GOING ON.  BUT MY ISSUE IS FROM THAT'S THE  CASE, WHY DO THEY WANT ANYBODY  TO STEP OFF THE CURB TO GO TO A  BUS IN LIEU OF A LANE.  I DON'T SEE ANYBODY WITH A  DISABILITY MAKING THAT A  SUCCESSFUL VENTURE.  AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF  SOMEBODY HAS SUBMITTED SOME  INFORMATION.  BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT THE  DISABILITIES COMMISSION SUPPORTS THAT PROJECT.  >> SO I CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT  THE MEETINGS.  I DID ATTEND THEM FOR MANY YEARS AND I STILL COULD ATTEND, YOU  KNOW, AS A TOPIC THAT'S RELEVANT THAT I'D LIKE -- YOU WOULD LIKE  ME TO SPEAK TO, I CAN DO THAT.  WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COMMIT TO  ATTENDING EVERY ONE, OR I  COULDN'T AT LEAST, BUT MAYBE  SOMEONE ON MY STAFF COULD.  BUT I MEET WITH THE HR  COMMISSIONER AND LA SHEA ONCE A  MONTH.  I'LL FOLLOW UP ITH HER AND SEE  IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN WORK  ON GETTING EITHER ME OR MY STAFF TO ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS.  AND THE SECOND QUESTION ABOUT  RAMPS, IF YOU HAVE LOCATIONS YOU WANT TO LET US KNOW ABOUT, WE  CAN LOOK INTO THEM.  COMMISSIONER LA SHEA DIDN'T  MENTION ANYTHING TO ME.  USUALLY WE'LL RADE INFORMATION  IF THERE'S SOMETHING I CAN HELP  WITH.  IF YOU WANT TO EMAIL ME WITH A  LIST OF ADDRESSES, WE CAN LOOK  INTO THEM.  BUT WE DO PAY ATTENTION TO MAKE  SURE THAT THE RAMPS ARE SAFE AND IF THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS WITH  THEM WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE PUBLIC WORKS MAKE SAFE REPAIR.  AND THEN THE BUS STOP ISSUES,  ANDREA'S BEEN WORKING ON THAT.  WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND? >> ANDREA: SURE.  SO THE DISABILITIES COMMISSION  DOES SUPPORT THE DESIGN THAT'S  PLANNED FOR BLUE HILL AVENUE.  THERE ARE A NUMBER OF  IMPROVEMENTS RELATED TO THAT  PROJECT THAT WE BELIEVE WILL  BENEFIT PEOPLE WITH  DISABILITIES.  SO THAT THE CENTER BUS LANES  WILL HAVE FULL STATIONS,  ESSENTIALLY, MUCH SIMILAR TO  LIKE A GREEN LINE STATION,  SOMEWHERE WITH A SOLID REFUGE  AND, YOU KNOW, CURB RAMPS TO  ACCESS IT.  YOU KNOW, OUT OF THE WAY OF  TRAFFIC, OF REGULAR PEDESTRIAN  TRAFFIC.  A LOT OF TIMES THE BUS STOPS  THAT ARE ON THE SIDEWALK GET,  YOU KNOW, CROWDED WITH PEOPLE  WHO ARE JUST TRYING TO GET BY  AND IT CAN BE HARD FOR FOLKS  WITH DISABILITIES TO BE SEEN BY  THE TBUS DRIVERS.  SO THERE ARE A HOST OF BENEFITS  THAT WE SEE COMING FROM THEM.  I'M HAPPY TO SEND YOU SOME MORE  MATERIALS THAT WE HAVE PUT  TOGETHER ALONG WITH THE STREETS  CABINET TRYI CABINET.  TRYING TO PULL UP MY LIST RIGHT  NOW, BUT I'M HAPPY TO EMAIL YOU  THOSE RESOURCES.  WE KNOW IT'S A CHANGE.  WE KNOW PARTICULARLY THAT CHANGE CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR THE BLIND  COMMUNITY BECAUSE ANY TIME WE'RE CHANGING THE SORT OF PEDESTRIAN  PATH OF TRAVEL AND KNOWING THAT  YOU NEED TO START A CROSSING,  YOU KNOW, AS NEW INDIFFERENCE,  WE ARE WORKING WITH THE TEAM TO  MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF  AUDIO ANNOUNCEMENTS RELATED TO  THESE STATIONS SO THAT FOLKS  KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE A CENTERED PLATFORM.  BUT OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW  THERE ARE WILL BE DEDICATED  CROSSWALKS, PAINTED CROSSWALKS  WITH LIGHTS, WITH SIGNALS TO  STOP CARS WITH RAISED CROSSINGS  WHICH CAN SLOW DOWN CARS, AND  THINGS LIKE THAT.  SO WE BELIEVE THAT IT WILL BE A  SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE BLUE HILL  AVENUE FOR EVERYONE THAT WILL  ALSO ALLOW DISABLED RIDERS ON  THE BUS TO SAVE SIGNIFICANT TIME TO ALWAYS BE ABLE TO -- SO IF  THE CENTERING LANES ARE SORT OF  SELF-ENFORCING IN TERMS OF  PEOPLE PARKING IN A BUS STOP  ILLEGALLY AND BLOCKING THE BUS.  SO THE BUS WILL, YOU KNOW,  ALWAYS BE ABLE TO APPROACH THE  CURB, ALWAYS BE ABLE TO DEPLOY  THE RAMP COMPARED TO THE  SIDEWALK COTERMINOUS BUS STOPS  THAT SO OFTEN GET BLOCKED BY  CARS PARKING ILLEGALLY.  SO AGAIN, WE BELIEVE THERE ARE A LOT OF BENEFITS TO THIS DESIGN  AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SEND YOU ALL  OF THE RESOURCES.  THANKS, WES, FOR GIVING MOW TIME TO MENTION THEM.  >> WESLEY: THANK YU,  COMMISSIONER MCCOSH AND ANDREA,  FOR ADDRESSING THOSE QUESTIONS.  ARE THERE OTHER ITEMS FOR PUBLIC INPUT? CARL, DID YOU WANT TO SAY  SOMETHING? >> CARL: I MAKE A MOTION TO  ADJOURN IF WE'RE DONE WITH  PUBLIC INPUT.  >> WESLEY: YES.  >> JERRY: THIS IS JERRY.  I'LL SECOND IT.  >> WESLEY: ALL RIGHT.  WE'VE GOT A SECOND FROM JERRY.  ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE MAKE AN  INDICATION.  RAISE YOUR HAND.  [CHORUS OF AYES] >> HAPPY HOLIDAYS.  >> WESLEY: HAPPY HOLIDAYS.  AND I'LL GET YOUR EMAIL  INFORMATION AND WE'LL BE IN  TOUCH.  >> THANKS, EVERYONE.  >> WESLEY: HAVE A SAFE HOLIDAYS  AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.  >> THANK YOU.  THAN [ADJOURNED AT 4:TWENTY 3]