City Council
Council Chambers
Agenda — 77 items
- 1 A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Boston was held in the Christopher A. Iannella Chamber, City Hall on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 12:12 PM. President Breadon in the Chair. Present Councilors Coletta Zapata, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, and Worrell. Sister Jean Marie Gribaudo, Sisters of Saint Joseph's of Boston, delivered the invocation, and the meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. The Chair moved to adopt the minutes from the March 25, 2026 City Council Meeting. Motion prevailed.
- 2 ROLL CALL
- 3 APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 25, 2026, CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
- 4 COMMUNICATIONS FROM HER HONOR, THE MAYOR:
- 5 Order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00) in the form of a grant, Local Food Policy Grant, awarded by MA Department of Agricultural Resources to be administered by the Office of Food Justice. The grant would fund a food working group of Boston-based anchor institutions with Boston Public Schools to build shared commitment to values-based food purchasing, food recovery, develop a baseline of procurement data, and develop a process to track shared food purchasing metrics and goals.
- 6 Order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Thirteen Thousand Seven Hundred Thirty-Five Dollars ($13,735.00) in the form of a grant, the Mass Commission for the Blind Grant, awarded by MassHire Department of Career Services to be administered by the Office of Workforce Development.
- 7 PETITIONS, MEMORIALS AND REMONSTRANCES
- 8 REPORTS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND OTHERS:
- 9 Communication was received from Lawrence S. DiCara, Chairman of the Audit Committee, regarding the financial status of the City.
- 10 Communication was received from Ashley Groffenberger, Chief Financial Officer and Collector-Treasurer, regarding budget challenges that will need to be addressed in the current fiscal year.
- 11 REPORTS OF COMMITTEES:
- 12 On the petition, referred on February 4, 2026, Docket #0268, for a Special Law re: An Act Relative to Pension Benefits for Firefighter Leo J. Bracken, the committee submitted a report recommending that this matter ought to pass in a new draft.
- 12 Councilor Coletta Zapata, on behalf of the Committee on Government Operations, submitted the following:
- 13 Councilor Weber called Docket #0570, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to appropriate the amount of Twenty Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($20,200,000.00) for the purpose of paying costs for the window and door replacement projects at the following schools: Adams Elementary School. This includes the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto, and for which the City of Boston may be eligible for a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”), said amount to be expended under the direction of the Public Facilities Department on behalf of the Boston Public Schools, from the Committee on Ways and Means. No objection being heard, the matter was properly before the body.
- 14 Councilor Weber called Docket #0571, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to appropriate the amount of One Million One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,100,000.00) for the purpose of paying costs for the heat pump conversion and roof replacement projects at the following schools: Margarita Muñiz Academy, Mildred Avenue K-8 School, and Orchard Gardens School. This includes the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto, and for which the City of Boston may be eligible for a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”), said amount to be expended under the direction of the Public Facilities Department on behalf of the Boston Public Schools, from the Committee on Ways and Means. No objection being heard, the matter was properly before the body.
- 14 Councilor Weber, on behalf of the Committee on Ways and Means, submitted the following:
- 15 MATTERS RECENTLY HEARD-FOR POSSIBLE ACTION:
- 16 Order for a hearing to discuss food insecurity and malnutrition in the City of Boston.
- 17 Order for a hearing to explore snow removal relief and options.
- 18 Order for a hearing to discuss creation of a snow corps in Boston.
- 19 Emergency Hearing Order regarding chronic school bus delays and special education transportation failures.
- 20 Order for a hearing regarding all City of Boston grants administered by the Boston Fire Department.
- 21 On the message and order, referred on March 25, 2026, Docket #0619, to reduce the FY26 appropriation for the Reserve for Collective Bargaining by One Million, Forty-Six Thousand, One Hundred Seventy-Eight Dollars ($1,046,178.00) to provide funding for the Boston Public Schools for the FY26 increases contained within the collective bargaining agreements between the School Committee of the City of Boston and the United Steelworkers 2936 (Bus Monitors), the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to be passed.
- 22 On the message and order, referred on March 25, 2026, Docket #0620, for a supplemental appropriation order for the Boston Public Schools Department for FY26 in the amount of One Million, Forty-Six Thousand, One Hundred Seventy-Eight Dollars ($1,046,178.00) to cover the FY26 cost items contained within the collective bargaining agreements between the School Committee of the City of Boston and the United Steelworkers 2936 (Bus Monitors). The terms of the contracts are July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028. The major provisions of the contracts include base wage increases of 2% to be given in July of each fiscal year of the contract term, as well as a $1/hr flat increase in January, 2026 and a $0.70/hr flat increase (for assigned monitors only) in January, 2028, the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to be passed.
- 23 MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS:
- 23 Councilor Weber, on behalf of the Committee on Ways and Means, submitted the following:
- 24 Ordinance Establishing a Pharmacy Stabilization and Access Fund.
- 25 Order for a hearing regarding barriers to accessing gender-affirming healthcare in the City of Boston.
- 26 Order for a hearing on the conditions, operations, and access of Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF) Pools.
- 27 Order for a hearing on the status of the implementation of the City of Boston's Assessment of Fair Housing.
- 28 Order for a hearing to discuss Boston Police Department staffing levels.
- 29 On the message and order, referred on April 1, 2026, Docket #0697, to Accept Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 41D, Authorizing Annual Increases to Senior Exemption Income and Asset Limits, the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass in a new draft. The report was accepted; the order was passed in a new draft: yeas 12 (Breadon, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell), absent 1 (Coletta Zapata).
- 30 Order requesting certain information under Section 17F relative to BPS student-athlete school transfer policies.
- 31 Order requesting certain information under Section 17F regarding environmental impact, transportation planning, and resiliency considerations associated with Franklin Park and the White Stadium project.
- 32 Order requesting certain information under Section 17F regarding MWBE participation, local business inclusion, workforce impact, and procurement practices associated with the White Stadium project.
- 33 Resolution in support of the "DHS Use of Force Transparency Act."
- 34 Resolution demanding that the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not staff vacant TSA positions at Boston Logan International Airport.
- 35 Resolution declaring April 2, 2026 "Cardi B Day" in the City of Boston.
- 36 Resolution recognizing April as Fair Housing Month.
- 37 Resolution urging the Governor to suspend the gas tax.
- 38 Resolution recognizing the independence of The Republic Of Senegal and the raising of the Senegal Flag at Boston City Hall.
- 39 Resolution in support of renaming the West Broadway Community Garden in honor of Kimberly Parker.
- 40 PERSONNEL ORDERS:
- 41 Councilor Breadon offers the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employee Savita Maharaj in City Council, effective May 16, 2026.
- 42 Councilor Breadon for Councilor Culpepper offers the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employees McPhenley JeanMary and Dezire Ambroise in City Council, effective April 4, 2026.
- 43 Councilor Breadon for Councilor Durkan offers the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employees Lily Sweeterman, Holly Margulius, Jessie Frasier, Lauren Carmi and Anthony Baez in City Council, effective March 21, 2026.
- 44 Councilor Breadon for Councilor Murphy offers the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employee Andrew Galvin in City Council, effective March 28, 2026.
- 45 Councilor Breadon for Councilor Flynn offers the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employees Ashley Lavey, Melissa Lo and Sydney Scanlan in City Council, effective March 28, 2026.
- 46 GREEN SHEETS:
- 47 Legislative Calendar for April 1, 2026.
- 48 CONSENT AGENDA:
- 49 Resolution recognizing Adam Pinter.
- 50 Resolution recognizing Edward McMahon.
- 50 Councilor Santana called Docket #0321, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of One Hundred Forty Thousand Four Hundred Twenty-Six Dollars ($140,426.00) in the form of a grant, the FY25 Port Security Grant, awarded by Federal Emergency Management Agency to be administered by the Fire Department. The grant would fund strengthened port-wide risk management and protection of critical surface transportation infrastructure from acts of terrorism, major disasters, and other emergencies, from the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. No objection being heard, the matter was properly before the body.
- 51 Resolution recognizing the Winship School Orchestra.
- 51 The Chair stated that in absence of objection, 2 late-filed matters would be added to the Agenda. Objection by Councilor Durkan.
- 52 Resolution recognizing Karen Coleman.
- 53 Resolution recognizing Erik Grau and the Piano Craft Gallery.
- 53 The Chair moved adoption of a Consent Agenda containing the following items:
- 54 Resolution recognizing Beulah Fagan Providence.
- 55 Resolution recognizing Luzmar Centeno.
- 56 Resolution recognizing Zulhay Garcia.
- 57 Resolution recognizing Demil Mahogany Ramirez Romero.
- 58 Resolution recognizing Priscila Duran-Luciano.
- 59 Resolution recognizing the Holland Tech Boys' Basketball team.
- 60 Resolution recognizing Edna Humphrey.
- 61 Resolution recognizing Elizabeth A. Rivers.
- 62 Resolution recognizing Georges Alan Cavé.
- 63 Resolution recognizing ZZ Ward.
- 64 Resolution recognizing the We Are Better Together Warren Daniel Hairston Project.
- 65 Resolution in memory of Paul B. McCarthy.
- 71 The Chair stated in absence of objection, 3 late-filed matters would be added to the Consent Agenda. No objection being heard, the following items were added:
- 72 Resolution in memory of Burton "Burt" F. Cushing.
- 73 Resolution in memory of Lori Williams Hubbard.
- 74 Resolution in memory of Bessie "Bette" (Anagnos) Calliontzis.
- 75 The items contained within the Consent Agenda were severally adopted.
- 76 Adjourned at 3:07 p.m. on motion of President Breadon, and in memory of Teresa Basile, Boston Police Chief Paul B. McCarthy, Burton "Burt" F. Cushing, Lori Williams Hubbard, Bessie "Bette" Calliontzis, and Judith Gavin, to meet again on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Attest: Alex Geourntas City Clerk