City Council
Council Chambers
Agenda — 60 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 2, 2024 at 12:07 PM. President Louijeune in the Chair. All Councilors present. Father Matthew Thompson Jr., Jubilee Christian Church, delivered the invocation and the meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. President Louijeune moved to adopt the minutes from the September 25, 2024 meeting. Motion Prevailed; yeas 12, nays 1 (Murphy).
- 2 ROLL CALL
- 3 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
- 4 COMMUNICATIONS FROM HER HONOR, THE MAYOR:
- 5 Councilor Durkan called Docket #1474, message and orders authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend a RAISE Grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The City of Boston’s award will not exceed Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000.00) in funding from the RAISE Grant for the Roxbury Resilient Transportation Corridors Project, led by the Boston Transportation Department. The City will partner with local residents, community organizations and consultants to apply the funds towards planning, designing and construction improvements on Warren Street, Malcolm X Boulevard, and Melnea Cass Boulevard in Roxbury, from the Committee on Planning, Development, & Transportation. No objection being heard, the matter was before the body. Committee members polled; yeas 7, nays 1 (Flynn). On motion of Councilor Durkan, the order was passed; yeas 12, nays 1 (Flynn).
- 6 Councilor Coletta Zapata called Docket #1475, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) in the form of a grant, for the Clougherty Pool Project, awarded by the United States Department of the Treasury passed through the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to be administered by the Public Facilities Department. The grant will fund the Clougherty Pool replacement and bathhouse renovation project, from the Committee of Environmental Justice, Resiliency & Parks. On motion of Councilor Coletta Zapata, the order was passed.
- 7 Councilor Santana called Docket #1476, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Sixty-Two Thousand One Hundred Forty-Nine Dollars ($62,149.00) in the form of a grant, for the FY24 Port Security Grant, awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be administered by the Fire Department. The grant will 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 & Criminal Justice. On motion of Councilor Santana, the order was passed.
- 8 PETITIONS, MEMORIALS AND REMONSTRANCES
- 9 REPORTS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND OTHERS:
- 10 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 18, 2024.
- 11 REPORTS OF COMMITTEES:
- 12 On the message and order, referred on August 7, 2024, Docket #1162, for your approval an Order amending City of Boston Code, Ordinances, Chapter XV, Section 15-11.1, regarding Black Male Advancement for Equity and Welfare. Since its establishment in 2021, the Black Men and Boys Commission has sought to study the social conditions of the city’s Black men and boys, develop strategies to remedy or assist in remedying serious adversities, and recommend courses of action to create equal opportunity for generations of Black men and boys in the City of Boston, the committee submitted a report recommending the order ought to pass in new draft. Councilor Coletta Zapata moved to substitute language. Motion prevailed. The report was accepted; the order was passed in a new draft; yeas 13.
- 12 Councilor Coletta Zapata, on behalf of the Committee on Government Operations, submitted the following:
- 13 On the message and order, referred on September 11, 2024, Docket #1335, authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Two Million Three Hundred Twenty-Two Thousand Two Hundred Dollars ($2,322,200.00) in the form of a grant, for the Community Mitigation Grant, awarded by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to be administered by Budget Management. The grant will fund to offset costs related to the construction and operation of a gaming establishment, the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass. The report was accepted; the order was passed.
- 14 MATTERS RECENTLY HEARD-FOR POSSIBLE ACTION:
- 14 Councilor Worrell, on behalf of the Committee on Ways and Means, submitted the following:
- 15 Order for a hearing to utilize former school and municipal buildings as affordable housing.
- 16 Ordinance preventing wage theft in the City of Boston.
- 17 Order for a hearing to create a Boston Development Fund in the Planning Department.
- 18 Councilor Worrell called Docket #1430, message and order for your approval an Order authorizing the City of Boston to appropriate the amount of Two Million Two Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($2,225,000.00) for the purpose of paying the cost of a feasibility study and schematic design associated with a project for the Pauline Agassiz Shaw-Charles H. Taylor Elementary School, Mattapan, MA 02126. 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 & Means. On motion of Councilor Worrell, the order was read a second time and passed; yeas 12, not present 1 (Fernandes Anderson).
- 19 Order for a hearing to provide additional support and informational sessions on the distribution of Boston’s new 225 liquor licenses.
- 20 MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS:
- 21 Ordinance to protect workers from heat-related illness and injury. On motion of Councilors Weber and Pepén, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilor Santana as an original co-sponsor.
- 22 Order for a hearing to investigate the use, impact, and potential ban of algorithmic price setting in the Boston rental housing market. On motion of Councilors Durkan and Santana, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilor Breadon as an original co-sponsor.
- 23 Order for a hearing regarding the City of Boston's response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and related resources for survivors. Councilor Worrell in the Chair. On motion of Councilors Louijeune and Coletta, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilor Durkan as an original co-sponsor.
- 24 Resolution recognizing October 2024 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. On motion of Councilors Louijeune and Mejia, the rules were suspended; the resolution was adopted.
- 25 WITHDRAWN
- 26 WITHDRAWN
- 27 PERSONNEL ORDERS:
- 28 Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Mejia offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employee Elsa Flores in City Council, effective October 5, 2024. Councilor Louijeune in the Chair.
- 29 Councilor Louijeune for Councilor Flynn offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employee Sydney Scanlan in City Council, effective October 12, 2024.
- 30 Councilor Louijeune offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employee Meagan Corugedo in City Council, effective October 15, 2024.
- 31 GREEN SHEETS:
- 32 Legislative Calendar for October 2, 2024.
- 33 CONSENT AGENDA:
- 33 Councilor Durkan called Docket #1433, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of One Hundred Sixty-Seven Thousand One Hundred Four Dollars ($167,104.00) in the form of a grant, from the Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive Program (MassEVIP) grant, awarded by the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to be administered by the Transportation Department. The grant will fund the acquisition and installation of 4 Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) electric vehicle stations at four Boston Municipal Parking Lots, from the Committee on Planning, Development & Transportation. On motion of Councilor Durkan, the order was passed.
- 34 Resolution recognizing Bruce Weinograd.
- 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 Maria Weinograd.
- 35 Notice was received from the Mayor of the appointment of Tania Del Rio as Commissioner of the City of Boston Inspection Services Department.
- 36 Resolution recognizing Pamela Carthy.
- 37 Resolution recognizing Dermot Doyne.
- 38 Resolution recognizing Dr. Melissa L. Gilliam.
- 38 The Chair moved adoption of a Consent agenda containing the following items:
- 39 Resolution recognizing the 113th anniversary of the Founding of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and flag-raising for Taiwan Day.
- 40 Resolution recognizing Colin's Joy Project.
- 41 Resolution recognizing Simon of Cyrene Society.
- 42 Resolution recognizing the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center's Acorn Center for Early Childhood Care.
- 43 Resolution recognizing the Tinlin Family.
- 44 Resolution recognizing St. Stephen's Youth Program.
- 45 Resolution recognizing the Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center.
- 46 Resolution recognizing Japan University Karatedo Federation.
- 47 Resolution recognizing Boston Municipal Protective Services.
- 48 Resolution in memory of Quami J. Clarke.
- 55 The Chair stated in absence of objection, three late file matters would be added to the Consent Agenda. No objection being heard, the following items were added:
- 56 Resolution in memory of Brian Collins.
- 57 Resolution congratulating Al and Marie Caliri.
- 58 Resolution recognizing Todd A. Gurney.
- 59 The matters contained within the Consent Agenda were severally adopted.
- 60 Adjourned at 3:17 p.m. on motion of President Louijeune, and in memory of Cesar Sanchez, Mittie B. Thomas, Joseph Blomquist, Quami J. Clarke, Francis J. Lane, Brian Collins and Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo, to meet again at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. Attest: Alex Geourntas City Clerk