City Council
Council Chambers
Agenda — 74 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, October 8, 2025 at 12:05 PM. President Louijeune in the Chair. Present Councilors Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, and Worrell. Pastor Matthew Thompson, Jr., Jubilee Christian Church, delivered the invocation, and the meeting was opened with the pledge of allegiance. The Chair moved to adopt the minutes from the October 1, 2025 City Council Meeting. Motion prevailed.
- 2 ROLL CALL
- 3 APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER 1, 2025 MEETING MINUTES
- 4 COMMUNICATIONS FROM HER HONOR, THE MAYOR:
- 5 Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Two Million Three Hundred Sixteen Thousand Three Hundred Sixty-Nine Dollars ($2,316,369.00) in the form of a grant, for the Federal FY26 Title III-C Nutrition Services Program Grant, awarded by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, passed through the MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs, to be administered by the Age Strong Commission. The grant will fund nutrition services for older adults in the City of Boston.
- 6 Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of One Million Sixty-Seven Thousand Eight Hundred Twenty-Nine Dollars ($1,067,829.00) in the form of a grant for the Federal FY26 Title III-B Supportive Services Grant, awarded by the United State Department of Health and Human Services, passed through the MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs, to be administered by the Age Strong Commission. The grant will fund home-based support services for older adults in the City of Boston.
- 7 Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Five Hundred Forty Thousand Seven Hundred Ninety-One Dollars ($540,791.00) in the form of a grant, for the Federal FY26 Title III-E Family Caregiver Support Program, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, passed through the MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs, to be administered by the Age Strong Commission. The grant will fund caregiver services for older adults in the City of Boston.
- 8 Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Four Hundred Seventy Thousand Three Hundred Sixty-Six Dollars ($470,366.00) in the form of a grant, for the Federal FY26 Title III-A Area Plan Administration Grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, passed through the MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs, to be administered by the Age Strong Commission. The grant will fund costs for the administration of Title III programs. The grant will fund consumer protection programs to improve long-term services for older adults in the City of Boston.
- 9 Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of One Hundred Seventy-Seven Thousand Six Hundred Nineteen Dollars ($177,619.00) in the form of a grant, for the Federal FY26 Title III - Ombudsman Program grant, awarded by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, passed through the MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs, to be administered by the Age Strong Commission. The grant would fund consumer protection programs to improve long-term services for older adults in the City of Boston
- 10 Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Eighty-Four Thousand Two Dollars ($84,002.00) in the form of a grant, for the Federal FY26 Title III-D Disease Prevention & Health Promotion, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, passed through the MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs, to be administered by the Age Strong Commission. The grant will fund services that assist older adults in Boston to prevent illness and manage chronic conditions.
- 11 Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend an in-kind donation of eight hand dryers and the labor and materials required for installation of those dryers valued at Eleven Thousand Seventy Dollars ($11,070.00), donated by Excel Dryer, in collaboration with Co-Design Collaborative. The Property Management Department will utilize these hand dryers in City Hall, Faneuil Hall, and the Thomas Johnson Community Center so that both City of Boston staff and members of the public may benefit from their use.
- 12 PETITIONS, MEMORIALS AND REMONSTRANCES
- 13 REPORTS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND OTHERS:
- 14 Notice was received from the City Clerk in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1979 re: action taken by the Mayor on papers acted upon by the City Council at its meeting of September 24, 2025.
- 15 Communication from Councilor Flynn regarding a violent hate crime against LGBTQ+ neighbors.
- 16 Communication from Councilor Flynn regarding the late-night riot in the South End.
- 17 REPORTS OF COMMITTEES:
- 18 Councilor Worrell called Docket #1690, an order authorizing the City of Boston to appropriate the amount of Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,500,000.00) for the purpose of paying the cost of a feasibility study and schematic design associated with a project for the Ruth Batson Academy, formerly known as the John W. McCormick School, located at 315 Mount Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA 02125. 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. Hearing no objection, the matter was before the body. On motion of Councilor Worrell, the order was read a second time and again passed; yeas 11 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell); not present 1 (Murphy).
- 18 Councilor Worrell, on behalf of the Committee on Ways and Means, submitted the following:
- 19 MATTERS RECENTLY HEARD-FOR POSSIBLE ACTION:
- 20 On the message and Ordinance to prioritize surplus municipal property as affordable housing, the committee submitted a report recommending the ordinance ought to pass in a new draft. Councilor Worrell in the chair. The report was accepted; the ordinance was passed in a new draft; yeas 12 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell).
- 21 Order for a hearing to discuss next steps to improve street safety on the northern stretch of Hyde Park Avenue from Walk Hill Street to the Arborway. Councilor Louijeune in the chair.
- 21 Councilor Coletta Zapata, on behalf of the Committee on Government Operations, submitted the following:
- 22 MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS:
- 23 Petition for a Special Law re: An Act Directing the City of Boston Police Department to Waive the Maximum Age Requirement for Police Officers for Elijah Osborne. On motion of Councilor FitzGerald, the rules were suspended; the petition was passed; yeas 11 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell); not present 1 (Durkan).
- 24 Petition for a Special Law re: An Act Directing the City of Boston Police Department to Waive the Maximum Age Requirement for Police Officers for Domingos Rosa. On motion of Councilor FitzGerald, the rules were suspended; the petition was passed; yeas 11 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell); not present 1 (Durkan).
- 25 Petition for a Special Law re: An Act Directing the City of Boston Police Department to Waive the Maximum Age Requirement for Police Officers for Tianna Taylor-Roseney. On motion of Councilor Santana, the rules were suspended; the petition was passed; yeas 11 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell); not present 1 (Durkan).
- 26 Petition for a Special Law re: An Act Directing the City of Boston Police Department to Waive the Maximum Age Requirement for Police Officers for Edny Joseph. On motion of Councilor Weber, the rules were suspended; the petition was passed; yeas 11 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell); not present 1 (Durkan).
- 27 Order for a hearing to discuss the role of publicly-owned grocery stores in addressing food insecurity. On motion of Councilors Breadon and Louijeune, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilor Coletta Zapata as an original co-sponsor.
- 28 Order for a hearing to discuss the minimum wage in Massachusetts.
- 29 Resolution recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the City of Boston. On motion of Councilors Flynn and Louijeune, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilor Murphy as an original co-sponsor. On motion of Councilors Flynn, Louijeune and Murphy, the rules were suspended; the resolution was adopted; yeas 11; (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell); not present 1 (Durkan).
- 30 Resolution in support of an East Boston Cultural District designation. On motion of Councilors Coletta Zapata and Louijeune, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilor Mejia as an original co-sponsor. On motion of Councilors Coletta Zapata, Louijeune and Mejia, the rules were suspended; the resolution was adopted.
- 31 Resolution supporting Boston's police officers and first responders and condemning violence against those who serve. On motion of Councilors Murphy and Flynn, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilor FitzGerald as an original co-sponsor. On motion of Councilors Murphy, Flynn and FitzGerald, the rules were suspended; the resolution was adopted; yeas 10; (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Santana, Weber, Worrell), not present 2 (Durkan, Pepén).
- 32 Resolution recognizing October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the City of Boston. On motion of Councilors Louijeune and Santana, the rules were suspended; the resolution was adopted: yeas 10 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Santana, Weber, Worrell), not present 2 (Durkan, Pepén).
- 33 Resolution recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Councilor Worrell in the chair. On motion of Councilors Louijeune and Mejia, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilor Weber as an original co-sponsor. On motion of Councilors Louijeune, Mejia and Weber, the rules were suspended; the resolution was adopted. Councilor Louijeune in the chair.
- 34 GREEN SHEETS:
- 35 Legislative Calendar for October 8, 2025.
- 36 CONSENT AGENDA:
- 37 Resolution recognizing 26 Hyde Park legacy businesses.
- 38 Resolution recognizing Sally's Apizza.
- 39 Resolution recognizing Christine O'Malley.
- 39 The Chair moved adoption of a Consent Agenda containing the following items:
- 40 Resolution recognizing Junior Pena.
- 41 Resolution recognizing CrossFit 617.
- 42 Resolution recognizing Beth Emery.
- 43 Resolution recognizing Lynda Goler.
- 44 Resolution recognizing Matt Wilder.
- 45 Resolution recognizing Cheryl Itri.
- 46 Resolution recognizing Dr. Harry and Evanthia "Effie" Treon.
- 47 Resolution recognizing Eleanor Lovejoy.
- 48 Resolution recognizing Judge Kathleen Coffey.
- 49 Resolution recognizing the Daughters of Penelope, Orion Chapter #130 Boston.
- 50 In memory of Catherine "Kay" Gallagher.
- 51 Resolution recognizing Darryl "DMC" McDaniels.
- 52 Resolution recognizing Tony V.
- 53 Resolution recognizing Simon Kirke.
- 54 Resolution recognizing Alia Albeer.
- 55 Resolution recognizing Ralph Jaccodine.
- 56 Resolution recognizing Woody Giessmann.
- 57 Resolution recognizing Johnny Forbes.
- 58 Resolution recognizing Diane Modica.
- 59 Resolution recognizing Michael Gaeta.
- 60 Resolution recognizing Tommy Welch.
- 61 Resolution recognizing Eduardo Moreno.
- 62 Resolution recognizing Lapels Laundromat.
- 63 Resolution recognizing East Boston Community Soup Kitchen.
- 64 Resolution recognizing Robert DeCristoforo.
- 65 Resolution in memory of Rocco Telese.
- 66 Resolution in memory of Maria Argelia Aguilar.
- 67 Resolution recognizing the MWOC.
- 68 Resolution declaring October 24, 2025, as Jaylen Brown Day in the City of Boston.
- 69 Resolution recognizing Tu Hispanidad Flag Day.
- 73 The matters contained within the Consent Agenda were severally adopted.
- 74 Adjourned at 2:40 p.m. on motion of President Louijeune, and in memory of Rocco Telese, Joseph Gerald Denemoustier, Marie Maguire, Peter Joseph Meade, Ann Nancy Lee, Luis A. Valez-Cortes, Andre Taylor and Greg Timilty, to meet again on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. Attest: Alex Geourntas City Clerk