City Council
Council Chambers
Agenda — 64 items
- 1 A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Boston was held in the Christopher J. Iannella Chamber, City Hall on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 12:07 P.M. President Louijeune in the chair. Absent, Councilor Fernandes Anderson. Pastor Dieufort Jean Fleurissaant, Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, delivered the invocation and the meeting was opened with the pledge of allegiance. The Chair moved to adopt the minutes from the May 7, 2025 meeting. Motion prevailed.
- 2 ROLL CALL
- 3 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
- 4 COMMUNICATIONS FROM HER HONOR, THE MAYOR:
- 5 Councilor Santana called Docket #1051, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Twenty-Three Thousand Eight Hundred Sixty Dollars ($23,860.00) in the form of a grant, for the FY25 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant-Round 2, awarded by Massachusetts Department of Fire Services to be administered by the Fire Department. The grant will fund the procurement of necessary equipment firefighter personal protective and safety equipment to comply with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, from the Committee on Public Safety & Criminal Justice. No objection heard, the matter was before the body. On motion of Councilor Santana, the order was passed.
- 6 Councilor Weber called Docket #1052, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00) in the form of a grant, for the BTHC Program, awarded by the Donor Group to be administered by the Office of Workforce Development. The grant will fund free tax preparation and filing services to low and moderate income Boston residents, from the Committee on Labor, Workforce & Economic Development. No objection heard, the matter was before the body. On motion of Councilor Weber, the order was passed.
- 7 PETITIONS, MEMORIALS AND REMONSTRANCES
- 8 REPORTS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND OTHERS:
- 9 Communication was received from Council President Louijeune regarding City Council Rule 40A.
- 10 Communication was received from Scott Finn, City Auditor, transmitting a list of FY25 reallocations made by the Mayor prior to April 15, 2025, for the purpose of continuing operations.
- 11 Communication from Councilor Flynn regarding Downtown Public Safety.
- 12 Communication was received from the City Clerk transmitting a communication from the Boston Landmarks Commission for City Council action on the designation of The Old North Church and Campus, 193 Salem Street, Boston, MA, as a Landmark (In effect after June 6, 2025 if not acted upon).
- 13 REPORTS OF COMMITTEES:
- 14 On the message and order, referred on January 8, 2025, Docket #0144, Petition for a Special Law Re: Ranked Choice Voting in Boston, the committee submitted a report recommending that the petition ought to pass in a new draft. The report was accepted; the petition was passed in a new draft; yeas 8, nays 4 (Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Murphy), absent 1 (Fernandes Anderson).
- 14 Councilor Coletta Zapata, on behalf of the Committee on Government Operations, submitted the following:
- 15 MATTERS RECENTLY HEARD-FOR POSSIBLE ACTION:
- 16 Dockets #0822 - 0824, Orders for the FY26 Operating Budget, including annual appropriations for departmental operations, for the School Department, and for other post employment benefits (OPEB). Remain in the Committee on Ways & Means. Dockets #0825 - 0827, Orders for capital fund credited appropriations. Remain in the Committee on Ways & Means. Dockets #0828 - 0830, Orders for the Capital Budget, including loan orders and lease purchase agreements. Remain in the Committee on Ways & Means. Dockets #0831 - 0845, Orders authorizing limits for departmental revolving funds, including Law, Tourism, Arts & Culture, Environment, Boston Centers for Youth & Families, Schools, and Police, and other budget related dockets. Remain in the Committee on Ways & Means.
- 17 MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS:
- 18 Resolution recognizing May as Haitian Heritage Month and May 18 as Haitian Flag Day. Councilor Worrell in the Chair. On motion of Councilor Louijeune, the rules were suspended; the resolution was adopted.
- 19 Ordinance expediting the review of coastal resilient projects by amending Article 25A, Resilience Review, in the zoning code of the City of Boston. President Louijeune in the Chair. Councilor Coletta Zapata moved for substitution of language. Motion prevailed.
- 20 Ordinance Establishing A Road Safety and Community Engagement Commission to Regulate the Use of Bicycles, E-bicycles, Motorized Bicycles, and Motorized Scooters in the City of Boston.
- 21 Ordinance Codifying the Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT). Councilor Coletta Zapata moved for substitution of language. Motion prevailed. On motion of Councilors Worrell and Coletta Zapata, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilor Louijeune as an original co-sponsor. On motion of Councilors Worrell, Coletta Zapata and Louijeune, the rules were suspended; the Ordinance was passed.
- 22 Petition For A Special Law Re: An Act Relative To The Office of District Councilor In The City of Boston. Councilor Worrell in the Chair.
- 23 Order for a hearing regarding occupational cancer risks for Boston Firefighters, and programs the City of Boston offers or could offer for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. President Louijeune in the Chair.
- 24 Order for a hearing to discuss Boston Public Health Commission's "Health of Asian Residents in Boston" Report.
- 25 Second order requesting certain information under Section 17F re: Disclosure of Individual Recipients of City-Funded Down Payment Assistance Grants Disbursed Since 2021. On motion of Councilor Murphy, the order did not pass; yeas 3 (FitzGerald, Flynn and Murphy) nays 8, present 1 (Mejia), absent 1 (Fernandes Anderson).
- 26 Resolution designating a Hero Square at the intersection of Stratford and Kenneth streets in West Roxbury in recognition of William Roddy. On motion of Councilor Weber, the rules were suspended; the resolution was adopted.
- 27 Resolution designating a Hero Square at the intersection of Stratford and Kenneth streets in West Roxbury in recognition of Thomas Roddy. On motion of Councilor Weber, the rules were suspended; the resolution was adopted.
- 28 Resolution urging the federal government not to cut life-saving cancer research in the City of Boston. On motion of Councilors Santana and Durkan, the rules were suspended; the resolution was adopted.
- 29 Resolution in support of ethical leadership and a Council vote on the status of Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson.
- 30 PERSONNEL ORDERS:
- 31 Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Coletta Zapata offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employees Briejah Ayer and Isabelle Nelson in City Council, effective May 24, 2025.
- 32 Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Murphy offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employee Aiden Walsh in City Council, effective June 14, 2025.
- 33 GREEN SHEETS:
- 34 Legislative Calendar for May 14, 2025.
- 34 The Chair stated in absence of objection, three late file matters would be added to the Agenda. No objection being heard, the following items were added:
- 35 CONSENT AGENDA:
- 35 Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Fitzgerald offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employees Jessica Correia, Amanda Curley, Liam Rimas and Julie Ryan in City Council, effective May 31, 2025.
- 36 Resolution in memory of Danny "Budzo" Ryan.
- 36 Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Fitzgerald offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employees Jessica Correia, Amanda Curley, Liam Rimas and Julie Ryan in City Council, effective June 7, 2025.
- 37 Resolution recognizing La Liga Aneja.
- 37 Notice was received from Councilor Fernandes Anderson regarding her absence from the May 14, 2025 City Council Meeting.
- 38 Resolution recognizing City Feed and Supply.
- 39 Resolution recognizing Hyde Square Task Force.
- 40 Resolution in memory of Paul S. Greenfield.
- 41 Resolution recognizing Calvin Jaing.
- 41 The Chair moved adoption of a Consent Agenda containing the following items:
- 42 Resolution recognizing Ana de Souza Correa.
- 43 Resolution recognizing Lydia McCue.
- 44 Resolution recognizing Davio's Seaport.
- 45 Resolution recognizing The Eliot School.
- 46 Resolution recognizing United South End Settlements.
- 47 Resolution recognizing Eastie Farm.
- 48 Resolution recognizing Sonja Tengblad.
- 49 Resolution recognizing Ken Burns.
- 50 Resolution recognizing Marcelo Suarez-Orozco.
- 51 Resolution recognizing Boston Harbor Now.
- 52 Resolution recognizing Bill Masterson.
- 53 Resolution recognizing Major General Joseph Warren.
- 54 Resolution recognizing Gloria Pizzarella.
- 55 Resolution recognizing Bunker Hill Associates.
- 56 Resolution in memory of Mary Lou Cronin.
- 63 The matters contained within the Consent Agenda were severally adopted.
- 64 Adjourned at 4:34 P.M. on motion of President Louijeune, and in memory of Father James Duran, Peter Baldassari, Christian J. Mayo, Elmira Budo, Charlene Roberts-Hayden, Daniel-Ange Clairvil, Marvin Olivier Casseus, Mary Lou Cronin and Michael Wittler, to meet again on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. Attest: Alex Geourntas City Clerk