City Council
Council Chambers
Agenda — 56 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, November 6, 2024 at 12:11 PM. President Louijeune in the Chair. All Councilors present. Rabbi Aliza Schwartz, Temple Hillel B'nai Torah, delivered the invocation and the meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. President Louijeune moved to adopt the minutes from the October 30, 2024 meeting. Motion Prevailed; yeas 12, nays 1 (Flynn).
- 2 ROLL CALL
- 3 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
- 4 COMMUNICATIONS FROM HER HONOR, THE MAYOR:
- 5 On the message and order, referred on November 6, 2024, Docket #1640, for your approval an Order to reduce the FY25 appropriation for the Reserve for Collective Bargaining by Three Million Eight Hundred Six Thousand Three Hundred Sixty-Seven Dollars ($3,806,367.00) to provide funding for various departments for the FY25 increases contained within the collective bargaining agreement between the City of Boston and the Salaried Employees of North America (SENA), the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass. The report was accepted; the order was passed; yeas 13.
- 6 On the message and order, referred on November 6, 2024, Docket #1641, a supplemental appropriation Order for various City Departments for FY25 in the amount of Three Million Eight Hundred Six Thousand Three Hundred Sixty-Seven Dollars ($3,806,367.00) to cover the FY25 cost items contained within the collective bargaining agreement between the City of Boston and the Salaried Employees of North America (SENA). The terms of the contact are October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2027. The major provision of the contract includes a base wage increase of 2% to be given in October of each fiscal year of the contract term and flat amounts of $500.00, $250.00, $900.00, and $750.00 to be added to annual salaries in January of each fiscal year, as well as a new pre-paid legal benefit, the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass. The report was accepted, the order was passed; yeas 13.
- 7 Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) in the form of a grant from BHCCI Connect, Learn & Explore Grant, awarded by Boston Children’s Hospital to be administered by the Office of Early Childhood. The grant will fund the Boston Healthy Child Care Initiative and the Connect, Learn, Explore Program.
- 8 PETITIONS, MEMORIALS AND REMONSTRANCES
- 9 REPORTS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND OTHERS:
- 10 Communication was received from Sam DePina, Deputy Superintendent, Boston Public Schools regarding certain information under section 17F pertaining to chronic absenteeism, Docket #0938 passed by the Council on June 5, 2024, and Docket #1061 passed by the Council on June 26, 2024.
- 11 Communication was received from Kenzie Bok, Administrator and CEO of the Boston Housing Authority, regarding certain information under section 17F pertaining to Boston Housing Authority Elevators, Docket #1357, passed by the Council on September 11, 2024.
- 12 Communication was received from Clare Kelly, Director of Intergovernmental Relations, regarding Docket #1399, an order for a hearing to review the procedures and protocols for the termination of City appointees.
- 13 Communication was received from Councilor Murphy and Councilor Flynn regarding a letter to the City Clerk.
- 14 Notice was received from the Mayor of the appointment of Kairos Shen as Chief of Planning, effective October 15, 2024.
- 15 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 October 9, 2024.
- 16 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 October 23, 2024.
- 17 REPORTS OF COMMITTEES:
- 18 On the Home Rule Petition, referred on August 7, 2024, Docket #1202, re: An Act Providing Certain Death Benefits for Rachel Marie Troy, the widow of a former Firefighter of the City of Boston, the committee submitted a report recommending that the petition ought to pass. The report was accepted; the petition was passed; yeas 13.
- 18 Councilor Coletta Zapata, on behalf of the Committee on Government Operations, submitted the following:
- 19 On the message and ordinance, referred on August 7, 2024, Docket #1197, Amending the City of Boston Code, Ordinances Chapter VII Section 7 Regulating Restrictions on Park Frontages, the committee submitted a report recommending that the Ordinance ought to pass. The report was accepted; the ordinance was passed; yeas 10, nays 1 (Flynn), present 2 (Fernandes Anderson, Mejia).
- 20 MATTERS RECENTLY HEARD-FOR POSSIBLE ACTION:
- 21 MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS:
- 22 An Ordinance Regarding Employee Safety within Boston's Oil Terminals.
- 23 Petition for a Special Law re: An Act relative to reorganization of the Boston School Committee.
- 24 Order for a hearing to discuss increasing access to high-quality school options for Boston Public School students in all neighborhoods. On motion of Councilors FitzGerald and Pepén, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilor Santana as an original co-sponsor.
- 25 WITHDRAWN
- 26 Resolution recognizing November as Men's Mental Health Awareness Month in the City of Boston. On motion of Councilor Worrell, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilors Pepén and Murphy as original co-sponsors. On motion of Councilors Worrell, Pepén and Murphy, the rules were suspended; the resolution was adopted.
- 27 Resolution celebrating Veterans Day and honoring those who served our country. On motion of Councilors Flynn and Murphy, the rules were suspended; the resolution was adopted.
- 28 PERSONNEL ORDERS:
- 29 Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Durkan offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employee Lilly Sweeterman, effective November 4, 2024.
- 30 GREEN SHEETS:
- 31 Legislative Calendar for November 6, 2024.
- 32 CONSENT AGENDA:
- 32 Councilor Murphy called Docket #1547, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of One Hundred Sixty-Six Thousand Dollars ($166,000.00) in the form of a grant, for the VBS Senior Center grant, awarded by the Donor Group to be administered the Age Strong Commission. The grant will fund the support of the Senior Service Center expenditures, from the Committee on Strong Women, Families & Communities. On motion of Councilor Murphy, the order was passed.
- 33 Resolution recognizing Comfort Kitchen.
- 33 Councilor Coletta Zapata called Docket #1431, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of One Million Nine Hundred Eighty-Three Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy-Two Dollars ($1,983,872.00) in the form of a grant, for the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant, awarded by the United States Department of Transportation to be administered by the Department of Innovation and Technology. The grant will fund the Digitizing of Boston’s Curbs via Machine Learning: Promoting Transparency, Workforce Development, and Equitable Green Policy Project, from the Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency & Parks. On motion of Councilor Coletta Zapata, the order was passed.
- 34 Resolution recognizing No Relation.
- 34 The chair stated in absence of objection, one late file matter would be added to the Agenda. No objection being heard, the following item was added:
- 35 Resolution recognizing Toro.
- 35 Order for a hearing regarding Voter Accessibility and Election Preparedness. On motion of Councilor Louijeune, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilors Pepén and Murphy as original co-sponsors.
- 36 Resolution recognizing Via Cannuccia.
- 36 Legislative Calendar for November 6, 2024.
- 37 Resolution recognizing members of the Flora Way Working Group.
- 38 Resolution recognizing the MSPCA Animal Care & Adoption Center.
- 38 Councilor Louijeune moved adoption of a Consent Agenda containing the following items:
- 39 Resolution recognizing John Miller.
- 40 Resolution recognizing Antonio's Bacari.
- 41 Resolution recognizing Baron Langston.
- 42 Resolution recognizing Geovani Cheverre.
- 43 Resolution recognizing eight people for winning the 2024 Hidden Heroes and Sheroes Award.
- 44 Resolution recognizing South Boston Community Health Center and the Laboure Center.
- 45 Resolution recognizing Lisa Duarte.
- 52 The Chair stated in absence of objection, one late file matter would be added to the Consent Agenda. No objection being heard, the following item was added:
- 53 Resolution recognizing the 50th Anniversary of St. Nectarios Church.
- 54 The matters contained within the Consent Agenda were severally adopted.
- 55 Adjourned at 2:51 p.m. on motion of President Louijeune, and in memory of Steven Holgate and Mario Evans, to meet again at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. Attest: Alex Geourntas City Clerk