* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. CLERK AT CITY CLERK@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV. [00:00:03] WE WELCOME YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOU CAN SIGN UP UNTIL 6:00 PM PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AND VIDEO CORDS THIS MEETING AND MAKES IT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR FUTURE MEETING, FUTURE VIEWING. IN ADDITION, THIRD PARTIES MAY ALSO BE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING. THIS MEETING. WE WILL NOW [PUBLIC COMMENTS] GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC COMMENT MAY BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS CHAPTER 30 A SECTION 20 G OF THE AND THE CITY COUNCIL RULES 20 3D AND 37. ONCE YOU'VE FINISHED SPEAKING, THEN NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CALLED, INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT PERMITTED PERMIT TO ALLOCATE THE REMAINDER OF THEIR TIME TO OTHER SPEAKERS. I ASK THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ON RIGHT NOW. WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 13 SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP, AND SO EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS HELEN WALKER, FOLLOWED BY YOUNG KIM. SORRY, OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MICHAEL ROBERSON, FOLLOWED BY HELEN WALKER. THEN YOUNG KIM. MICHAEL, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. ALRIGHT. MY NAME IS MICHAEL ROBERSON. I LIVE AT 94 RICHDALE AVENUE. UH, I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT CITY EMPLOYEE AND UNION MEMBER, AND I'M WRITING REGARDING POLICY ORDER NUMBER ONE. WHILE I APPRECIATE THE SPIRIT OF THIS POLICY ORDER TO SEEK TO BAR FORMER AGENTS OF ICE A BORDER PATROL OR DHS FROM BEING HIRED BY THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE INCLUSION OF THE CLAUSE WHO WAS HIRED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 20TH, 2025 IS RATHER SHOCKING. UNDER THIS POLICY ORDER AS WRITTEN, JONATHAN ROSS, THE ICE AGENT, WHO MURDERED RENEE GOODE ON CAMERA, WOULD BE PERMITTED TO BE HIRED BY THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS HE WAS HIRED BY ICE IN 2016 AND INITIALLY HIRED BY BORDER OF PATROL IN 2007. IT SEEMS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT ANY POLICY THAT WOULD ALLOW SUCH A PERSON TO BECOME A CAMBRIDGE POLICE OFFICER GOES NOWHERE NEAR FAR ENOUGH. THE POLICY ORDER AS WRITTEN SEEMS CAREFULLY CRAFTED TO HAVE THE APPEARANCE OF STANDING UP TO ICE, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MAKING SURE NOT TO CHANGE ANYTHING TOO MUCH. IT IS TOOTHLESS AND FRANKLY SPINELESS. I URGE THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL TO FIND SOME BACKBONE AND AMEND THIS POLICY ORDER TO REMOVE THE CLAUSE. REFERRING TO HIGHER DATES, YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ACTUALLY TRY AND PROTECT THIS COMMUNITY, NOT JUST TO FAN THE APPEARANCE OF PROTECTING THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HELEN WALKER, FOLLOWED BY YOUNG KIM. HELEN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELEN WALKER, 43 LINEAN STREET. THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO COMMENT ON CMA NUMBER 11, THE PLANNING BOARD REPORT ON THE ZONING PETITION TO REV THE INSTITUTIONAL USE REGULATIONS. WE'RE EDITING THESE REGULATIONS BECAUSE CAMBRIDGE LOST ITS EXEMPTION FROM THE DOVER AMENDMENT. WHEN THE PAST MULTIFAMILY HOUSING ZONING, THE EXEMPTION HAD ALLOWED CAMBRIDGE TO LIMIT INSTITUTIONAL EXPANSION INTO RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS, WE CAN NO LONGER DO THIS BECAUSE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING ZONING ELIMINATED THE CRITERIA FOR THE ZONING DISTRICTS WHERE THE EXEMPTION COULD APPLY. IT'S FINE TO CLEAN UP INCONSISTENCIES RESULTING FROM THIS CHANGE, BUT AS THE PLANNING BOARD POINTS OUT, WE NEED TO THINK TOWARDS THE FUTURE. WILL WE FOLLOW ENVISION'S GOALS FOR EDUCATIONAL USES BY INCENTIVIZING CONCENTRATING INSTITUTIONAL GROWTH WITHIN EXISTING CAMPUSES AND INCENTIVIZING INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE HOUSING BEFORE CAMBRIDGE'S EXEMPTION FROM DOVER AMENDMENT INSTITUTIONAL EXPANSION, GOBBLED UP RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, DROVE UP RENTS AND DISPLACED EXISTING RESIDENTS. THIS CAN HAPPEN AGAIN. WE KNOW GRADUATE STUDENTS ARE EAGER TO LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE, NOT AUSTIN, OR ELSEWHERE IN BOSTON. THIS CREATES PRESSURE. PLEASE ASK THE STATE FOR A NEW EXEMPTION APPLICABLE TO RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS WITH A MAXIMUM HEIGHT UNDER 75 FEET. CITE THE CITY'S HOUSING CRISIS AND ITS SMALL AREA, MUCH OF IT ALREADY OCCUPIED BY INSTITUTIONAL USES. PLEASE DON'T REST WITH ONLY EDITING THE INSTITUTIONAL USE REGULATION. PLEASE REPLACE THE GUARDRAILS AGAINST INSTITUTIONAL EXPANSION INTO RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS, WHETHER BY FILING FOR A NEW EXEMPTION OR BY RETHINKING CAMPUS OVERLAYS AND RULES FOR TOWN GOWN RELATIONS. PLEASE START NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS YOUNG KIM, FOLLOWED BY REVA STEIN, THEN MARYLEE MEYER YOUNG. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR THREE MINUTES. YOUNG KIM 17 NORRIS STREET SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO POLICYHOLDER NUMBER FIVE, BECAUSE HE DIRECTS, UH, IMPLEMENTATION WITHOUT AN ADEQUATE PUBLIC PROCESS AND RISKS, DISPO DISPROPORTIONATELY HARMING THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. [00:05:01] BEFORE VOTING ON THIS POLICY ORDER, I ASK THE COUNCIL TO BE CLEAR ABOUT ITS PURPOSE IF THE PURPOSE IS TO REDUCE COW OWNERSHIP. PAST EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT WE CANNOT LEGISLATE AWAY COW OWNERSHIP WITHOUT VIABLE ALTERNATIVES. HOUSEHOLD THAT NEED COSTS FOR WORK, CAREGIVING OR MEDICAL REASONS WILL CONTINUE TO RELY ON THEM REGARDLESS OF PERMIT STRUCTURES. IF THE PURPOSE IS TO RECOVER ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, THEN RAISING PERMANENT FEES SETS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT. ONCE FEES ARE FRAMED AS A COST RECOVERY TOOLS, THERE IS NO CLEAR I IMIT LIMITING PRINCIPLE ON FUTURE INCREASES FOR OTHER SERVICES, PARTICULARLY DURING BUDGET CONSTRAIN YEARS. I AM NOT OPPOSING TO THIS POLICY ORDER BECAUSE I OPPOSE REVISITING PARKING PERMIT POLICY AS USUAL, I'M OPPOSING IT BECAUSE IT ADVANCES SPECIFIC CHANGES WITHOUT FIRST REQUIRING PUBLIC FACING REVIEW OF OPTIONS, IMPACTS AND TRADE-OFFS. WHILE PRIOR POLICY ORDERS, CMAS AND DEPARTMENTAL ANALYSIS CITED, THOSE MATERIALS PRIMARILY ADDRESSES AS ADMINISTRATIVE FEASIBILITY AND COURSE RECOVERY. THEY DO NOT DOCUMENT A RESIDENT FACING PUBLIC PROCESS, NOR DO THEY PRESENT A, UH, PUBLISHED IMPACT ANALYSIS OF THE SPECIFIC CHANGES NOW BEING PROPOSED SUCH AS LIMIT REDUCTIONS, PERMIT REDUCTIONS, FEE INCREASES, OR ELIMINATION OF EXEMPTIONS. THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MAY HAVE ASSESSED THE COST OF OPERATING THE PERMIT PROGRAM, BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR THAT THE CDS EVALUATED THE DISTRIBUTE DISTRIBUTIONAL AND THE EQUITY IMPACT OF RAISING THE FEE FROM 25 TO $75 OR REDUCING PERMIT UH, AVAILABILITY. WHY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PERMIT PER HOUSEHOLD RATHER THAN APPLYING INCREMENTAL PRICING FOR ADDITIONAL PERMITS, WHICH BETTER REFLECTS DIFFERENT DIFFERENT LABELS OF CAR OWNERSHIP AND ABILITY TO PAY, UH, WHILE WHILE ELIMINATE THE, UH, SENIOR EXEMPTION GIVEN MEDICAL MOBILITY AND CAREGIVING NEEDS. WHILE THIRD $25 MAY APPEAR MODEST IN ISOLATION WHEN COMBINED WITH THE FULL AND RISING COST OF CAR OWNERSHIP IN INCREASING THE FEE OF 2070 $5 MAY CREATE REAL HARDSHIP FOR MIDDLE AND LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS WHO RELY ON A CAR TO GET TO WORK. FINALLY, YOUNG, YOUNG, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. IF YOU CAN PLEASE EMAIL THE REMAINDER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS REVA STEIN, FOLLOWED BY MARYLEE MEYER. THEN ZION SHEERAN. REVA, SORRY ABOUT THAT. REVA, IF YOU CAN TRY TO UNMUTE YOURSELF NOW. THANKS. CAN YOU HEAR ME? NOW WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS REVA STEIN AND I LIVE AT TWO SEA GRAVE ROAD IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M A MEMBER OF CAMBRIDGE INDIVISIBLE MOTHERS OUT FRONT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE BEE VOCAL PROTEST CHORUS. I WANNA FIRST THANK CITY MANAGER HUANG FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN SIGNING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER PROHIBITING THE USE OF CITY PROPERTY FOR THE CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES. ALONG WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE METRO MAYOR'S COALITION, I AM ALSO CALLING TO SUPPORT POLICY NUMBER FOUR, PUT FORWARD BY MAYOR SIDDIQUI, VICE MAYOR MCGOVERN, COUNSELOR NOLAN AND COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD REQUEST REQUESTING THAT THE CAMBRIDGE LAW DEPARTMENT DRAFT ORDINANCE LANGUAGE RESTRICTING THE USE OF CITY OWNED OR CONTROLLED PROPERTY FACILITIES, RESOURCES, OR PERSONNEL FOR FEDERAL CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. CAMBRIDGE NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO BE A WELCOMING AND SAFE CITY FOR ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND RESIDENTS. IT MAKES ME PROUD THAT OUR CITY OFFICIALS ARE TAKING A STAND AGAINST THE TOO OFTEN VIOLENT LAWLESS ACTIONS OF MASKED ICE AGENTS IN MINNEAPOLIS AND OTHER US CITIES. CAMBRIDGE IS A WELCOMING CITY FOR ALL, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE OUR CITY MANAGER AND CITY COUNSELORS STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE TO [00:10:01] DO THE RIGHT THING IN PROTECTING OUR NA OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS. PLEASE VOTE YES ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER FOUR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARYLEE MEYER, FOLLOWED BY ZION SHEAN, THEN LISA TAROT AND COUNCILOR MCGOVERN IS PRESENT. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN IS PRESENT. MARYLEE MEYER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. MARYLEE MEYER 10 DANA STREET. PLEASE TAKE THE EXPANSION OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS SERIOUSLY AS YOU TRY TO ADDRESS SOMETHING IGNORED. IN ELIMINATING THE EXEMPTION FROM THE DOVER AMENDMENT, CAMBRIDGE WAS GRANTED LONG-TERM PROTECTIONS FROM PROLIFIC RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL EXPANSION INTO ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOODS. AFTER THE ADOPTION OF THE MULTIFAMILY ZONING, WE ARE SEEING GAPING HOLES IN LOGIC AND IMPLEMENTATION AFTER RESIDENTIAL BATTLES OF THE 1970S. HARVARD, FOR EXAMPLE, WANTED TO TAKE OVER RIVERSIDE AND CARRY CORNER FOR MORE GRADUATE TOWERS, ERADICATING THE NEIGHBORHOODS. IT CONCEDED IN ITS EXPANSION AND EVENTUALLY MOVED TO AL AFTER A PARTING SHOT. THAT QUOTE, RESIDENCE LAND WAS TOO VALUABLE FOR LOW AND INCOME PEOPLE. IS THAT STILL THE ATTITUDE? IN THE, UM, EIGHTIES, HARVARD KNOCKED ON DOORS LOOKING FOR PURCHASE FOR TO PURCHASE FAMILY HOMES, LAND BANKING, AND CONSOLIDATING PROPERTIES AND TAKING OVER ENTIRE BLOCKS FOR THEIR USE WHILE DISPLACING TENANTS. EVEN TODAY, SOME OF THOSE VICTORIAN HOUSES WHERE, UM, STUDENTS, UH, CONTINUE TO LIVE, HAVE BECOME INSTITUTIONAL CLUBHOUSES IN NEIGHBORHOODS. WE SEE THE SAME THING WITH RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS IN BUYING ADJACENT PROPERTIES NOW AS OF RIGHT AND FEDERALLY PROTECTED AS THEY ELIMINATE AFFORDABLE UNITS, BUT THIS WAS IGNORED AS MARKET RATE AND VERY LITTLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAME THE PRIORITY. THIS DYNAMIC SPAWNED THE MID CAMBRIDGE CONSERVATION DISTRICT OF 1983 INITIALLY TO HELP STAVE OFF INSTITUTIONAL EXPANSION. BUT PRO DEVELOPER COUNSELORS IGNORED CONSEQUENCES BY DIMINISHING ALL GUARDRAILS FOR PROJECTS EXPLODING LIKE MUSHROOMS. THIS GENTRIFICATION CONTRIBUTES TO DISPLACEMENT. PLEASE TAKE GUARDRAIL SERIOUSLY IN KEEPING INSTITUTIONAL EXPANSION IN CHECK SOMETHING YOU OVERLOOKED EITHER BY IGNORANCE OR BY DE DESIGN. AND I HOPE THE CO-CHAIR OF THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE UNDERSTANDS HIS ROLE IN THIS REDEFINITION OF AS OF RIGHT WHILE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO PROTECT NEIGHBORHOODS FROM INSTITUTIONAL CRAWL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ZION. SHARON, BEFORE WE GO TO ZION MADAM MAYOR, WE HAVE, UM, A COUPLE OF REPORTS THAT THE SOUND IS NOT WORKING ON CABLE. UH, THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW, SO WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT RESOLVED SHORTLY. THANK YOU ZION. SHARON, 4 0 1 WASHINGTON STREET. I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER FIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I PERSONALLY FEEL SAFE WHEN I TALK TO CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE MEMBERS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY TO EXTEND THAT, UH, SAFETY AND FEELING SECURE WHEN TALKING TO COPS TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. CURRENTLY, I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH ICE'S PRESENCE, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT FEELING WOULD DISSIPATE IF IT WERE TO TRANSFER A ICE AGENT, MAKE THEM A POLICE OFFICER. AND I THINK THAT BY ALLOWING US TO HIRE ICE AGENTS, IT WOULD MAKE A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TALKING TO POLICE OFFICERS, WHICH WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON HAVING THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE EFFECT. PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT POLICY ORDER ONE DOES A GREAT FIRST STEP IN THAT DIRECTION. HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK IT NECESSARILY MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO SOMEONE IF THEY WERE HIRED ON A SPECIFIC DATE. WHAT MATTERS TO PEOPLE IS IF THEY ARE CURRENTLY A ICE OFFICER. I DON'T THINK THAT IT SHOULD EXTEND TO PEOPLE THAT HAD WORKED FOR ICE AND ARE CURRENTLY IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HAVE PROVEN A TRUE COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY. BUT I THINK FOR ALL ICE AGENTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN HIRED PRE PREVIOUSLY, THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE HIRING ICE AGENTS TO WORK FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. I'D LIKE TO NOW TALK ABOUT POLICY ORDER FIVE. I DO SUPPORT THE IDEA OF REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF CARS FROM FOUR TO TWO. I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU HAVE FOUR CARS, UM, YOU ALSO SHOULD LOOK INTO GAIN A DRIVEWAY TO PARK THEM. WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE FOUR CARS TAKEN ON A STREET BY ONE INDIVIDUAL. ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I DO HAVE IS INCREASING THE FEES AND HAVING THOSE FEES NOW BE INSTITUTED FOR SENIORS. SO THEY WOULD GO FOR A $0 FEE TO A $75 FEE, WHICH SEEMS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE NEED A COMPLETE EXEMPTION, BUT I FEEL LIKE FOR SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE ON [00:15:01] FIXED INCOMES, AND I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT ONE OTHER ADDITIONAL THING THAT I'VE NOTICED. I WOULD LOVE IF PEOPLE THAT HAVE A HANDICAPS PARKING SPACES COULD ALSO BE EXEMPT. I KNOW THAT FOR THEM IT MAY, PEOPLE MAY SEE AS AN INCOME THING, BUT FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE, UH, THAT ARE DEALING WITH SIGNIFICANT, UH, DISABILITIES, THERE'S A LOT OF ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT COME UP THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY BEING ABLE TO PREDICT. SO EVEN THOUGH YOUR INCOME MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN EVEN THE AVERAGE, YOUR COSTS ARE ALSO GOING TO BE EXTREMELY, UH, MORE IMPACTFUL. AND FOR SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF, I CAN WALK AROUND CAMBRIDGE. THAT'S THE MAIN WAY THAT I GET AROUND. UH, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY ACCESSIBLE TO SOMEONE WHO HAS A DISABILITY. SO A CAR MAY NOT BE A WANT AS MUCH AS IT IS A NEED, AND I THINK THAT FOR US, WE SHOULDN'T BE MAKING ADDITIONAL BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE THOSE NEEDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LISA THOREAU, FOLLOWED BY TINA OU, THEN AMY FLAX. LISA. LISA HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO TINA OU. TINA, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO, MY NAME IS TINA OU. I LIVE AT ONE 13 AND A HALF PLEASANT STREET, AND I'M TESTIFYING TONIGHT AS THE DIRECTOR OF CEOC REGARDING THE RISE UP CASH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM EVALUATION CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA ITEM 12. THE START OF THE 2025 TAX SEASON WAS TWO WEEKS AGO. WHEN I LEFT THE OFFICE TO COME HERE TODAY, THERE WAS A LINE OF PEOPLE DROPPING OFF THEIR PAPERWORK TO HAVE THEIR TAXES PREPARED. I SPOKE TO SEVERAL OF THEM WHO WERE PREVIOUS RISE UP RECIPIENTS. THEY'RE SO ANXIOUS TO GET THEIR REFUNDS, TO HAVE SOME EXTRA FUNDS TO COVER INCREASED EXPENSES. ONE MOM SAID THAT IT WOULD GIVE HER SOME BREATHING ROOM FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE RISE UP PROGRAM ENDED BEFORE RISE UP TAX SEASON WAS THE ONE TIME DURING THE YEAR WHERE MANY OF OUR FAMILIES HAD A CUSHION TO WITHSTAND A FINANCIAL EMERGENCY OR DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR THEIR CHILDREN DURING RISE UP. THE CONSISTENT MONTHLY PAYMENT FOR 18 MONTHS HELPED FAMILIES TO NOT ONLY COVER INCREASED EXPENSES, BUT EVEN SAVE A LITTLE MONEY AND REDUCE THEIR FINANCIAL STRESS. AND FOR SOME, IT ALLOWED THEM TO CONSIDER FINANCIAL COACHING, TO WORK TOWARD FUTURE GOALS, SOMETHING THAT THEY HAD NOT DONE PREVIOUSLY WITH THE HIGH COST OF LIVING IN CAMBRIDGE. IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT THE EVALUATION SHOWS THAT THESE GAINS WERE DIFFICULT TO SUSTAIN FOR MANY FAMILIES ONCE THE PAYMENTS ENDED. BUT IT DOES SHOW THAT CA THAT CASH ASSISTANCE WAS AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN IMPROVING RECIPIENT'S ECONOMIC SITUATION DURING THE LIFE OF THE PROGRAM. CEOC LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON OUR PROGRAM DE DESIGN THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR VULNERABLE RESIDENTS IN CONTINUING TO BUILD ECONOMIC STABILITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMY FLAX, FOLLOWED BY DANIEL FISHER. THEN DAN TOTTEN. AMY, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI. THANK YOU. UM, AND GOOD EVENING. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER NUMBER FIVE ON RESIDENT PARKING. I THINK THAT THE, THIS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. UM, AND IT'S ONLY FAIR IN MY MIND THAT RESIDENTS, UM, HAVE THAT, THAT IT BECOMES A SELF-SUPPORTING PROGRAM RATHER THAN BEING FUNDED FROM THE GENERAL FUND. UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK THOSE OF US WHO HAVE CARS AND I HAVE A CAR, UM, ARE USING PUBLIC SPACE FOR PRIVATE STORAGE. AND I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT THE COST, UM, HAS BEEN VERY LOW IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M, I'M ALSO A SENIOR AND I'M HAPPY AND WILLING TO PAY $75, UH, FOR, FOR THIS PURPOSE. SO I THANK THAT COUNSELORS WHO CAME UP WITH THIS POLICY ORDER, AND I URGE EVERYBODY TO SUPPORT POLICY ORDER NUMBER FIVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANIEL FISHER, FOLLOWED BY DAN TOTTEN. THEN HEATHER HOFFMAN. DANIEL HAS NOT JOINED. WE WILL GO TO DAN TOTTEN, FOLLOWED BY HEATHER HOFFMAN. OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, MY NAME IS DAN TOTTEN. I LIVE AT 54 BISHOP ALLEN DRIVE, AND I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THE POLICY ORDER ABOUT TWO 40 ALBANY STREET. UM, I REALLY WANNA EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR COUNCILOR MCGOVERN AND COUNCILOR ZUBIE, UH, FOR TAKING ON THIS WORK AS CO-CHAIRS OF THE HUMAN [00:20:01] SERVICES AND VETERANS COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS THE OTHER CO-SPONSORS. UM, MANY OF US HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE POOR CONDITIONS AT TWO 40 ALBANY STREET. UM, AND THAT'S WHY IT HAS LONG BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A PRIORITY TO RENOVATE, UPGRADE, AND EXPAND THE FACILITY. UH, THE RESIDENTS OF THE SHELTER DESERVE NOTHING LESS. UM, THERE'S SO MUCH POTENTIAL HERE BECAUSE ALBANY STREET WAS ACTUALLY INCLUDED AS A CORRIDOR IN THE A HO, AND SO THERE AREN'T MEANINGFUL LIMITS ON HEIGHT DENSITY AT THIS SITE. YOU CAN IMAGINE A FACILITY THAT COMBINES A DROP IN DAY CENTER ON THE GROUND FLOOR WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF LOW THRESHOLD AND EMERGENCY BEDS AS IS CURRENTLY CONFIGURED, AND THEN SOME PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ON THE TOP FLOORS. THIS IS A MODEL THAT HAS WORKED IN OTHER CITIES AND WILL KEEP PEOPLE OFF THE STREET AND WILL BE AMAZING AT CAMBRIDGE. IT'S WORTH THE INVESTMENT THAT IT WOULD TAKE, AND WE MUST ASK OUR INSTITUTIONAL PARTNER, MIT, TO DO THEIR PART IN MAKING THE VISION A REALITY. AND AS WE EMBARK ON THIS CONVERSATION, WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THE VERY IMPORTANT ROLE THAT TWO 40 ALBANY STREET PLAYS. IT'S LOW THRESHOLD. BEDS ARE OFTEN THE ONLY WAY THAT MANY PEOPLE CAN GET OFF THE STREET, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE USING DRUGS AND THE EMERGENCY BEDS. THERE ARE A PARTICULAR LIFELINE. I READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW JUST LAST WEEK IN THE RECENT SNOWSTORM, A HOMELESS MAN DIED WHEN HE WAS KICKED OUT, TURNED AWAY FROM SOUTH STATION. BUT TWO 40 DOESN'T TURN PEOPLE AWAY WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY WEATHER SITUATION. IT IS LITERALLY A LIFESAVER IN THE MOST CHALLENGING MOMENTS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SURVIVING POVERTY OUTSIDE. UM, SO, AND, AND I'VE, I'VE MADE SOME OF THOSE CALLS TO GET PEOPLE INTO THAT PLACE. SO AS WE HEAD DOWN THIS IMPORTANT ROAD, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THIS POLICY ORDER CENTERS THE DIGNITY OF THE IMPACTED RESIDENTS AND COMMITS TO INCLUDING THEM IN THE PROCESS. LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE ENGAGE WITH AND SUPPORT THEM THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. THAT MEANS MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE LOW THRESHOLD BEDS AND EMERGENCY BEDS AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE. THAT MEANS MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE LOW THRESHOLD AND EMERGENCY BEDS IN THE FINAL PRODUCT. AND IT MEANS MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE CURRENTLY STAYING THERE WHEN YOU KICK THEM OUT TO DO CONSTRUCTION, ARE SERVED WITH HOUSING SITUATIONS THAT MEET THEIR NEEDS, WHATEVER THEY MIGHT BE. I BELIEVE THAT CAMBRIDGE SHOULD REMAIN A SANCTUARY CITY FOR PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS AND OTHERS WHO REQUIRE A LOW THRESHOLD HOUSING SITUATION. THANKS TO COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, COUNSELOR ZUBIE AND THE OTHER CO-SPONSORS, THIS ORDER SETS US ON A COURSE TO DO JUST THAT. PLEASE PASS IT TONIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HEATHER HOFFMAN, FOLLOWED BY KATHLEEN HIGGINS. THEN GARY MELLOW. HEATHER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. HEATHER HOFFMAN, TWO 13 HURLEY STREET. FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO HOLD A HEARING ON THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. YOU CHANGED THE CHARTER TO ALLOW YOURSELVES TO OVERLOOK, UH, LOOK OVER THESE THINGS. SO PLEASE DO IT. WITH RESPECT TO THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE HOME RULE PETITION, I REMAIN SKEPTICAL THAT THIS CAN BE LOGISTICALLY HANDLED, BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR IT AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THAT ANYONE ON THE CITY COUNCIL ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT HOW IT GETS COLLECTED. UM, WITH RESPECT TO SO-CALLED IMMIGRATION AND ICE, ALL OF US KNOW THAT THIS IS, HAS LITTLE TO NOTHING TO DO WITH IMMIGRATION AND A WHOLE LOT TO DO WITH WHITE SUPREMACY. WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW THE FRAMING OF IMMIGRATION TO AFFECT HOW WE LOOK AT THIS BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT HARASSING AND WORSE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT LOOK OR SOUND WHITE AND PROPERLY ENGLISH, ENGLISH SPEAKING. AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT PUNISHING PEOPLE WHO ARE VIEWED BY, AND, AND THEY'VE SAID THIS, PEOPLE, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN WASHINGTON AS RACE TRADERS, AS I HOPE MANY OF US PROUDLY ARE. SO PLEASE LET US DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO NOT FURTHER THIS PERNICIOUS AGENDA. UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE INSTITUTIONAL USE REGULATIONS AND LITIGATION AND INCLUSIONARY ZONING, I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT THIS CHANGE IS NECESSARY IN THE INSTITUTIONAL USE REGULATIONS. I AM INTRIGUED THAT THERE'S, UM, AN EXISTING INCLUSIONARY ZONING PROVISION IN THERE, AND I HOPE THAT SOMEONE WILL ASK ABOUT WHETHER THE CURRENT LITIGATION THAT YOU NEVER TALK ABOUT EXCEPT TO SAY, OF COURSE, WE'LL WIN. WE ARE CAMBRIDGE, WE'RE PERFECT. UM, I I HOPE THAT YOU WILL LOOK [00:25:01] AT THAT. I THINK THAT, UM, IT IS NOT NECESSARILY CLEAR THAT THIS IS REQUIRED, THAT THIS COMPLIES WITH THE DOVER AMENDMENT, AND I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE GONE THROUGH POINT BY POINT. AND ESPECIALLY I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER WHETHER TOSSING IN, UM, INCLUSIONARY ZONING IS STILL GOING TO PASS MUSTER IN THE THE CURRENT LEGAL CLIMATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHLEEN HIGGINS, FOLLOWED BY GARY MEOW. THEN JASON ELS. KATHLEEN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD, KATHLEEN, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. WE WILL COME BACK TO KATHLEEN. GARY MEOW. THREE MINUTES PLEASE. GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING, FOLKS. MY NAME IS GARY, ME AND I LIVE ON FRANKLIN STREET. I'M ADDRESSING POLICY ORDER NUMBER FIVE. TWO MONTHS AGO, THE CITY PUBLISHED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR 7,000 SQUARE FEET OF PARKING AREA FOR CITY EMPLOYEES ON OXFORD STREET. RESIDENTS PAY, BUT THEY CAN'T USE THE SPACE. AS A CENTRAL SQUARE RESIDENT, I NOTICE AN UPTICK IN SPECIAL ISSUE NON-RESIDENT PERMITS FOR OUT OF TOWN CITY EMPLOYEES. THESE TWO EXAMPLES OF FAVOR, TREATMENT FAVOR FAVORABLE TREATMENT FOR PALS SHOWS HOW HOLLOW COUNCIL'S COMMITMENT TO REDUCING TRAFFIC AND, AND PARKING HASSLES REALLY IS. POLICY ORDER NUMBER FIVE PROPOSES A DRAMATIC INCREASE FOR RESIDENT STICKERS BASED ON A $50 LOSS FOR EACH PERMIT. TRUE ENOUGH, AT 39, AT ALMOST 39,000 STICKERS WERE ISSUED IN 2023. AND ALLEGED DEFICIT JUST SHY OF $2 MILLION AT 50 BUCKS A POP TRAFFIC AND PARKING HAS NEVER BEEN FORTHCOMING ABOUT THE PROPORTION OF STICKER RENEWALS VERSUS NEW ISSUES. IT'S MAYBE SEVEN OUT OF 8 85 90% RENEWALS THAT REPRESENTS DEFICIT SPENDING OF IN THE ONE AND THREE QUARTER MILLION DOLLAR RANGE LOST FOR RENEWAL PERMITS. CONVERSELY, THAT'S HOW MUCH CAN BE SAVED BY, BY DROPPING THE RENEWAL REQUIREMENT ALTOGETHER, REDUCE THE CLERICAL STAFF ACCORDINGLY. AND WE'VE SHAVED NEARLY $2 MILLION. IT IS PREPOSTEROUS TO SUGGEST THAT THE TIDAL FLOW OF DEPARTING RESIDENTS WILL EXACERBATE RESIDENTIAL PARKING SHORTAGES. THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH CARS CONSTITUTE FEWER THAN 5% OF STICKERS. NOT A NON-STARTER, BUT FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT IN THE BIG PICTURE. THOSE COUNSELORS WHO WENT TO BENEFIT FOR SENIORS ARE, ARE FINISHING THEIR LAST TERM. GO AHEAD. MAKE MY DAY THIRD RAIL. I HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT FOR ALL COUNSELORS. SPEND ALL DAY MARCH 30 31ST AT THE TRAFFIC AND PARKING LOBBY. EXPLAIN TO 50, MAYBE 60 VOTERS WAITING IN LINE EXACTLY WHY THEY'RE WASTING THEIR TIME AND MONEY TO SCORE. WELL, NOTHING. ORDER NUMBER FIVE IS TO BE STRUCK IN ITS ENTIRETY AND REPLACED WITH THE NEW POLICY ORDER ENDING RENEWALS. NICE TALKING TO YOU ALL ONCE IN A WHILE, BUT NOT TOO OFTEN. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JASON ALVES, FOLLOWED BY JAMES WILLIAMSON. THEN JUSTIN SAFE. JASON, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, JASON S UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EAST CAMBRIDGE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, 5 44 CAMBRIDGE STREET. UM, WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE POLICY ORDER ABOUT, UM, THE RESIDENT PARKING PERMITS. I THINK THAT IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL WANTS TO DISCUSS, RAISING THE FEES, I THINK THAT PART OF THAT CONVERSATION, OR A LOGICAL PART OF THAT CONVERSATION COULD BE ABOUT, UM, RE REVISITING THE IDEA OF OFFERING SOME KIND OF DAYTIME BUSINESS PARKING PASS TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. PARTICULARLY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE ONES ALONG CAMBRIDGE STREET. UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT REVENUE RAISING, I THINK THAT YOU'D FIND THAT SOME BUSINESS OWNERS WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY, UM, FOR THE PRIVILEGE TO PARK. UM, I THINK THAT I, I'VE SHARED THIS WITH SOME OF YOU, BUT RIGHT NOW I HAVE SOME, UM, SOME GREAT SMALL BUSINESSES LOOKING TO OPEN UP AND TAKE SOME VACANT SPACES ON CANVAS STREET. AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THEY COME TO ME WITH IS, WELL, LIKE, WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH THE PARKING FOR MY, FOR EMPLOYEES? LIKE, WE STILL HAVE TO OPERATE THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THESE BUSINESSES, AND I THINK THE CITY ACTUALLY, JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, IS DOING JUST THAT. I KNOW SOMETIMES WE'RE PITTED AGAINST THE TEACHERS AND THE FACT THAT THE TEACHERS DON'T HAVE PARKING, BUT IF YOU WERE TO HOP ON THE, UM, THE PURCHASING WEB, UH, UH, WEBPAGE, YOU'D FIND THAT WE'RE, [00:30:01] WE'RE TRYING TO ACQUIRE SOME PARKING FOR THE TEACHERS AT THE BALDWIN. SO I THINK THERE'S AN EFFORT TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM. ON ONE SIDE, I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE US MAKING ANY KIND OF ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ACTIVELY EXACERBATING THAT PROBLEM, UM, BY REMOVING LOTS OF PARKING FROM OUR BUSINESS DISTRICTS. SO JUST ASKING THAT IF YOU HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, UM, IF YOU COULD INCLUDE THIS IDEA OF SOME PARKING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, PARTICULARLY THOSE ALONG THE QUARTERS WHERE WE'RE, WHERE WE'RE LOSING SOME COMMERCIAL PARKING. UM, UH, THANK YOU. AND, UM, HOPEFULLY THIS KIND OF, MAYBE THIS IS A CONVERSATION FOR, FOR SOME COMMITTEE. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAMES WILLIAMSON, FOLLOWED BY JUSTIN SAFE, THEN MILA HALLGREN. JAMES, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, I WASN'T GONNA SPEAK TONIGHT, BUT WHEN I TUNED IN, UH, USING THE NEW IMPROVED, UH, WEBSITE, UM, WHICH THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH ALREADY, UH, THERE WAS NO SOUND, COULDN'T GET SOUND, COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT. SO I HAD TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE ZOOM TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET THE VOLUME. NOW I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE OTHERS WHO GET THE VOLUME, UM, BUT, UH, WITH THE SO SUPPOSEDLY NEW IMPROVED SYSTEM, BUT, UM, I WASN'T ABLE TO, AND I THINK IT MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE NATURE AND STRENGTH OF THE SIGNAL, BUT HAVING HEARD SOME OTHER PEOPLE SPEAK, UM, I WILL ADD MY SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA OF THE PROPOSAL TO HAVE A HEARING ON THE, THE, UH, PROPOSAL TO HAVE A COMBINED COMP COMBINED CHANGE AND COMBINE THE DEPARTMENT, THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING. I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO DO THAT. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING FORWARD SOME OF THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT ARE SWIRLING IN, IN THE WORLD OF HOUSING IN CAMBRIDGE. I ALSO HAVE, UM, SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE PARKING. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, I DON'T HAVE A CAR, BUT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE IRRITATED WITH THE, UM, THE INEQUITIES IN CAMBRIDGE WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, A FORMER HEAD OF TRAFFIC AND PARKING HAD A DEDICATED FREE PARKING SPACE ABOUT 50 FEET FROM THE ENTRANCE TO HIS OFFICE, UH, AT CITY HALL ANNEX, WHILE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, F FIGHT OVER PARKING OR, UM, HAVE PARKING REMOVED AND METERS ADDED AROUND THE CORNER SO THERE CAN BE MORE BIKE LANES ALONG CAMBRIDGE STREET. YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S, IT, IT SEEMS SOMETIMES LIKE WE HAVE GOVERNMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT AND FOR THE GOVERNMENT IN THIS CITY. AND, UM, THEN THERE'S ALL THIS TALK ABOUT EQUITY, BUT I, I WISH THAT PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT IN THE, IN THE CITY WOULD PRACTICE WHAT THEY PREACH. UM, FINALLY, UM, ON THE, ON THE FEDERAL, THE REPORT ON THE FEDERAL, UH, DIMENSION OF OUR, OF OUR DAILY LIVES, UM, I, THERE WAS A NEW STATEMENT, UH, PUT OUT BY, UH, OUR DEARLY BELOVED, UH, PETE HEGSETH ABOUT, UM, CUTTING PROGRAMS, MILITARY PROGRAMS FOR, UH, AT HARVARD. NOW, I I PE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WANTING TO DO THAT FOR DECADES, SO NOT NECESSARILY AGAINST IT, BUT IN HIS STATEMENT, HE DID SAY THAT, UM, HE'S TALKING ABOUT HARVARD AND HE SAID, UM, THAT GEORGE WASHINGTON TOOK COMMAND OF THE, UH, CONTINENTAL ARMY IN HARVARD YARD. NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED. GEORGE WASHINGTON TOOK COMMAND OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY ON THE CAMBRIDGE COMMON, AND MAYBE THE, UH, THE, UH, HISTORICAL COMMISSION COULD WRITE A LETTER TO PETE AND, AND CORRECT HIS IGNORANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JUSTIN SAFE, FOLLOWED BY MILA HALLGREN, THEN LEE FERRIS. JUSTIN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. I, GOOD EVENING, JUSTIN SAFE. UM, I SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDER ON RESIDENTIAL STREET PARKING PERMITS. I DO HOPE WE CAN ASK AND GET AN ANSWER ON WHETHER MAINTAINING AND REPAVING STREET PARKING SPACES, UM, A SIGNIFICANT MUNICIPAL EXPENSE CAN ALSO BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE FEE UNDER THE EMERSON COLLEGE TEST. I SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDER ON TWO 40 ALBANY STREET. HOPE WE CAN IMPROVE THAT FACILITY. AND I SUPPORT A HOUSING DEPARTMENT FOCUSED ON HOUSING. DO WONDER IF IT SHOULDN'T HAVE A BROADER FOCUS ON ALL HOUSING PRODUCTION. I SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDERS AND DOING WHAT THE CITY CAN TO LIMIT INTERACTIONS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON INSTITUTIONAL USE ZONING. UM, I DO WONDER IF WE [00:35:01] COULD HAVE A SLIGHTLY NARROWER CHANGE AND STILL, UH, ADJUST THAT AS NEEDED, UH, AS UNDERSTAND AS NEEDED. UM, IN TERMS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE CHANGES AND MULTIFAMILY, YOU KNOW, IF ANYONE'S UPSET, THEY SHOULD BE CLEAR THAT THEY SUPPORTED CAMBRIDGE, EXCLUDING LOWER INCOME PEOPLE FROM CAMBRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS. THE EXEMPTION REQUIRED CAMBRIDGE TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF HOMES ON EACH LOT. YOUR EXCLUSIONARY ZONING. IT REQUIRED 1200 SQUARE FEET OF LOT AREA PER DWELLING UNIT, THOUGH A LOT JUST UNDER 6,000 SQUARE FEET, WHICH IS WELL ABOVE THE CITY AVERAGE, COULD HAVE A MAXIMUM OF FOUR HOMES OR FOUR APARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, SUBSIDIZED AFFORDABLE IZ INCLUSIONARY HOMES WERE EFFECTIVELY BLOCKED ALTOGETHER. IF PEOPLE WANNA RETAIN AN EXEMPTION FOR CAMBRIDGE, THERE SHOULD BE A NEW PROPOSAL THAT UNBUNDLE THE EXEMPTION FROM EXCLUSIONARY ZONING. MOREOVER, CAMBRIDGE'S, UH, EXEMPTION DIDN'T PREVENT UNIVERSITY EXPANSION. UH, YOU KNOW, THE CONTINUED TO EXPAND IN DIFFERENT GUISE, UH, THROUGHOUT CAMBRIDGE FORT, UH, KENDALL SQUARE AND OTHER AREAS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MILA REN, FOLLOWED BY LEE FERRIS MILA, THREE MINUTES PLEASE. GO AHEAD. UH, HI. UH, FIRST I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE, THE SHELTER ON ALBANY STREET, WHICH I DIDN'T, UH, REALIZE WAS GONNA BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT. UH, I HAVE NOT VISITED THIS SHELTER, BUT I SPENT A LOT OF TIME, UH, TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT IT. UH, BECAUSE PARADOXICALLY, EVEN AS IT GETS, YOU KNOW, COLDER AND, AND MORE AND MORE DANGEROUS ON OUR STREETS AND, AND PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY LIKE FREEZING TO DEATH, UM, I HAVE SPENT TIME HELPING, UH, HELPING PEOPLE AVOID THIS SHELTER. UM, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, WAYS IN WHICH THE SERVICES ARE UNFORTUNATELY LIMITED AND, AND NEED BE EXPANDED. UM, IT'S LIKE REALLY INVALUABLE AS A LAST RESORT SHELTER AND, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY LIFESAVING. BUT, UM, WHEN I'VE TALKED TO LIKE UNHOUSED PEOPLE, A A LOT OF THEM HAVE SAID THAT THEY HAVE TO GET UP VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING. UM, WHICH LIKE PARTICULARLY NOW IS, IS REALLY HARD AS FEWER AND FEWER THIRD SPACES THAT ARE OPEN DURING THE DAY ARE AVAILABLE. UM, AND, AND LIKE DAY SHELTER SERVICES. SO BEING ABLE TO MAKE THE BEDS AT THE ALBANY SHELTER MORE COMFORTABLE, BEING ABLE TO EXPAND THE HOURS, UM, WOULD JUST LIKE BE REALLY, REALLY AN IMPORTANT WAY TO, TO, TO DO GOOD RIGHT NOW. UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK BRIEFLY BROADLY ON THE, UH, VARIOUS LIKE, MEASURES BEING PROPOSED TO LIMIT COOPERATION WITH ICE. THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FOR MOST OF THE, UH, PEOPLE I KNOW. UM, AND I JUST WANNA THANK ALL THE COUNCIL PEOPLE, UM, THAT ARE, ARE WORKING TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS FROM FEDERAL AGENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LEE FERRIS LEE, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING. LEE FERRIS NORFOLK STREET IN THE PORT. UH, I'M WANTED TO, UH, SAY THAT I SUPPORT POLICY ORDER NUMBER FOUR ON ICE AND POSSIBLE PRO PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO STRENGTHEN IT. AND I WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO AN INCIDENT IN CITY MANAGER AGENDA NUMBER TWO, UH, WITH ICE, WHERE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DID NOT ANSWER ICE QUESTIONS ABOUT SOMEONE THAT THEY HAD ARRESTED FOR SHOPLIFTING. BUT AFTER THE PERSON MADE BAIL AND LEFT THE POLICE STATION, ICE CHASED HIM DOWN THE STREET, ARRESTED HIM, BROUGHT HIM IN FRONT OF THE POLICE STATION, AND TOOK SELFIES WITH THE ARRESTED PERSON. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE CITY CAN ASK POLICE TO DO MORE TO PREVENT ICE TAKING A PERSON AFTER THEY'RE RELEASED FROM THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE, UH, STATION, FOR EXAMPLE, BY DRIVING THE PERSON TO THEIR HOME OR ANY OTHER THING THAT WOULD WORK. I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE IDEA OF HAVING A HEARING TO DISCUSS A UNIFIED HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED. I ALSO STRONGLY SUPPORT THE TRANSFER FEE AND HAVE WORKED FOR IT FOR YEARS. AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL, UH, COMPLETE OUR HOME RULE PETITION AND FORWARD IT TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE. I WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO TRY TO FIND A NEW WAY TO LIMIT UNIVERSITY AND IN INSTITUTIONAL EXPANSION, RATHER THAN SIMPLY GIVING UP ON THAT LIMITATION. [00:40:01] I ALSO VERY MUCH SUPPORT IMPROVING THE ALBANY STREET SHELTER, AND I HOPE THE CITY WILL RESUME FUNDING FOR RISE UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT WE SKIPPED EARLIER, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT JOINED. LISA THOREAU. LISA'S NOT WITH US. WE WILL GO TO DANIEL FISHER. DANIEL HAS ALSO NOT JOINED. WE WILL TRY KATHLEEN HIGGINS. KATHLEEN, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ALL RIGHT, MADAM MAYOR, THAT IS ALL THAT WE'RE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR ZUZI TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED. YOU MOVE ON TO THE SUBMISSION [SUBMISSION OF THE RECORD] OF THE RECORD. THERE ARE SIX SETS OF MINUTES, MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. UH, I WAS GONNA READ THEM AND I'LL THAT'LL I'LL GO TO YOU. THERE'S CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FROM JUNE 30TH, 2025 MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2025 MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 29TH, MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 6TH MINUTES, UM, OF THE TAX RATE PUBLIC HEARING ON OCTOBER 6TH, AND THEN OUR INAUGURATION MEETING ON JANUARY 5TH. COUNSELORS NOLAN, THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE CLERK AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE FOR PUTTING THESE ALL TOGETHER AND GETTING THIS SQUARED AWAY, I THINK FOR ALL OF LAST YEAR. AND THEN, UH, MOVE TO ACCEPT ALL SIX REPORTS IN PLACE ON FILE. GREAT. THANK YOU. I ECHO MY THANKS ON THAT MOTION FROM COUNCILLOR NOLAN TO ACCEPT ALL SIX MINUTES OF THE REPORTS AND PLACE THEM ON FILE. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE ZE. YES. YES. COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY? YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNSELOR ZUI? YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI? YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE SIX REPORTS ARE PLACED ON FILE. THERE ARE NO [CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA] RECONSIDERATIONS. WE'RE GOING TO GO ONTO THE CITY MANAGER MANAGER'S AGENDA. I WILL POLL NUMBER ONE AND SEVEN AND PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I HAVE COUNCILOR, UH, ZUBIE AND THEN COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. CAN I POLL TWO AND SIX COUNCILLOR ZUBIE POLLS TWO AND SIX, MAYOR SIDIKI. WE'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN. AND THEN COUNCILLOR NOLAN 12. NUMBER 12, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN. POLLS NUMBER 12, COUNCILLOR NOLAN. THANK YOU. NUMBER. HAS FIVE BEEN PULLED? NO, NOT YET. NO. AND THE, YEAH, THAT'S IT. COUNCILLOR NOLAN POLLS NUMBER FIVE. OTHERS? YES. COUNCILOR SUZI 11. COUNCILOR ZUZI IS PULLING NUMBER 11. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. I'M SORRY. SIX PULLED. SIX WAS PULLED. THANK YOU. SO THERE'S NO ONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANY OF THE MATTERS. I'LL JUST REPEAT FOR THE RECORD, WE'VE PULLED NUMBER 1, 2, 5 6, 7 11, AND 12, AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEMS NUMBER 3, 4, 8, 9, AND 10 ON THE APPROPRIATIONS. ON THE APPROPRIATIONS. YES. COUNSELOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR EY. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE IN BALANCE IS ADOPTED. WE'LL GO TO CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM EON WONG CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO A FEDERAL UPDATE, INCLUDING AN UPDATE ON RELEVANT COURT CASES. CITY MANAGER. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI. UM, I THINK A NUMBER OF THINGS TO UPDATE THE CITY COUNCIL ON, UM, THE FIRST AND, UH, THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE MADE LAST WEEK, THAT THE CITY ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, UM, THAT PROHIBITS THE USE OF CITY PROPERTY FOR CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES AND AFFIRMS THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE WELCOMING COMMUNITIES ORDINANCE, [00:45:01] AND ITS COMMITMENTS TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC TRUST. UM, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE METRO MAYORS COALITION JUST TO STAND TOGETHER. UM, SO THERE WERE A NUMBER OF CITIES, UH, AND TOWNS THAT STOOD TOGETHER AND ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDERS, UH, ON SIMILAR, UH, ON, ON SORT OF SIMILAR, UM, SIMILAR ISSUES, UH, AND ALSO REAFFIRMED THE IMPORTANCE OF STANDING TOGETHER IN THIS MOMENT. UM, I WOULD SAY, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AS WELL, THE PRESENCE OF BOTH, UH, SUFFOLK, UH, COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND THE MIDDLESEX COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, MAYOR AND RYAN, UM, WHO SPOKE AT THE EVENT ON THURSDAY. UM, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS, UH, ACROSS CITIES, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, UH, LAW DEPARTMENTS AND DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, UH, TO REEMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR US TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE TRUST IN LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT THEY TRUST THAT OUR CONSTITUTION IS IN EFFECT, AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO STAND UP FOR THE RIGHTS OF EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, AND I THINK JUST TO, TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THE MOMENT THAT WE'RE IN, WE ARE JUST SEEING, UH, WE HAVE SEEN IN MINNEAPOLIS AND IN MAINE SUCH ACCESSES AND, UH, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE STEPPING FORWARD INTO THAT BREACH. UM, AND ALSO THAT IN THESE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, UH, WE ARE EXPECTING A LOT OF NUANCE IN, UH, IN, IN HOW THEY WILL BE IMPLEMENTED. AND SO, UM, WE ARE PUTTING IN PLACE A PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF, UH, PUBLIC PROPERTY, MUNICIPAL PROPERTY FOR, UH, CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. WE FEEL THERE IS STRONG BASIS FOR THAT FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT. IF, UH, IF FOR INSTANCE, SOMEBODY WAS GOING TO SET UP A PRIVATE CONCERT IN A MUNICIPAL PROPERTY, UM, THAT WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED. UM, AT THE SAME TIME, WE EXPECT THAT OUR LOCAL POLICE AND LOCAL MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS ARE GOING TO BE HAVING DEESCALATION CONVERSATIONS WITH ANY FEDERAL AGENCY THEY ENCOUNTER. UH, AND SO, UM, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING. AS WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND, AND AS WE'VE TALKED ACROSS CITIES, UM, WE ULTIMATELY EXPECT THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE GOING TO BE THERE TO ENSURE THAT ANY ENCOUNTERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY ARE GONNA BE GOING TO BE DONE WITH BEST PRACTICES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, WE'RE NOT EXPECTING THOSE TO BE ENCOUNTERS THAT WILL ESCALATE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ULTIMATELY PROFESSIONALS AND PEOPLE THAT ARE ALL IN UNIFORM. UH, AND IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, IT'LL BE CLEAR, UH, THAT THERE ARE EXPECTATIONS AROUND, UH, HOW THEY'RE TREATING OUR COMMUNITY. UH, AND WE, WE REALLY TRUST THAT THOSE WILL GO WELL. UM, SO, UH, REALLY PROUD OF JUST ALL OF THE CITIES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO STAND TOGETHER WITH AND REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD. UM, THE STANCES THAT THE COUNCIL HAS TAKEN, UM, AND I KNOW ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, UH, WILL BE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS FOR HOW SOME OF THESE, UH, CAN GET INCORPORATED INTO THE WELCOMING CITY'S ORDINANCE. UM, TWO QUICK THINGS IN TERMS OF FOLLOW UPS FROM FEDERAL UPDATES THAT WE'VE HAD BEFORE. UM, THE HAITIAN TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS, UM, COURT DECISION WAS HANDED OUT AND THERE WAS A STAY ON THE, UH, ON TPS EXPIRING, WHICH MEANS THAT IT CONTINUES TO PROTECT, UH, THE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE LEGALLY IN OUR COUNTRY FROM HAITI. UM, THAT WAS APPEALED LAST THURSDAY BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRACK THAT CASE AND WE CAN KEEP, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL AND OUR COMMUNITY UPDATED ON ANY OF THE DEVELOPMENTS. UM, AND THEN GOVERNMENT FUNDING. UM, SO THAT ALSO, UH, PLAYED OUT OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS. UM, CONGRESS DID END UP PASSING, UH, PASSING A FULL FUNDING BILL EXCEPT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. UH, AND THAT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW. I THINK WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH EXACTLY THE FUNDING LEVELS, UH, AND WE CAN PROVIDE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE, UH, PROBABLY IN THE COMING WEEKS. UM, BUT I THINK WE'RE GRATEFUL THE GOVERNMENT ISN'T SHUT DOWN AT THIS POINT IN TIME. UH, I THINK NEGOTIATIONS ARE STILL ONGOING IN TERMS OF WHAT, UH, WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING AND WHAT RESTRICTIONS CONGRESS IS SEEKING TO PUT ON ICE. UM, SO A LOT MORE CONVERSA CONVERSATION ON THAT FRONT. UH, BUT APPRECIATE THESE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING, AND HAPPY TO, UH, HAVE ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON QUESTIONS FOR CITY MANAGER AT THE MOMENT. YEAH, COUNCILOR NOLAN. YEAH, I, I THINK IT'S, I WAS WONDERING ABOUT HOW OUR POLICE OFFICERS WOULD BE INTERFACING WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS, BUT WE DO HAVE A POLICY ORDER ON THAT LATER. SO I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER WE SHOULD WAIT FOR THAT DISCUSSION, WHICH SEEMS MORE APPROPRIATE. BUT I DIDN'T WANNA, WHILE THE CITY MANAGER'S HERE, I, I'M, I THINK THROUGH YOU OR TO YOU, MAYOR, I'M WONDERING WHEN THAT CONVERSATION SHOULD HAPPEN. IF THERE'S A SUSPENSION OF THE RULES, WE CAN BRING FORWARD THOSE POLICY ORDERS, OR THE ALTERNATIVE [00:50:01] IS WE GET THROUGH THE AGENDA AND POLICY ORDERS IS AFTER. SO WHAT'S, WHATEVER YOU ALL WOULD LIKE, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. UH, I'M HAPPY TO DO IT EITHER WAY. IF IT WAS LIKE, THE POLICY ORDERS MAY TAKE UP A BIT OF TIME, SO MAYBE IT MAKES SENSE TO DO THE REST OF THE CITY MANAGER AGENDA AND LET, LET'S STAFF GO AND THEN DO THE POLICY ORDERS. EXCUSE ME. YEAH, THAT'S FINE BY ME. NOLAN, I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS EXTENSIVE LIST OF THE COURT CASES IN WHICH WE'RE INVOLVED. UM, I GLANCED THROUGH THEM, BUT THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY MOVEMENT SO FAR. DO WE EXPECT ANY IMMINENT DECISIONS ON, THERE'S THIS RANGE OF, UH, CASES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, SEVERAL OF WHICH WERE AMICUS OR AMICUS BRIEFS, AND SOME OF WHICH WERE, WERE PARTY TO. AND I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER WE HAVE ANY SENSE OF THE TIMING ON IT. THESE THINGS SEEM TO EXPLODE, AND THEN SOMETIMES THERE'S BACKTRACKING AND IT'S MONTHS LATER OR WEEKS LATER. BUT I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT WE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR IF THERE'S ANY ANSWER TO THAT. UH, THANK YOU THREE MADAM MAYOR. UM, SO I ALSO HAVE ASSISTANT CITY SOLICITOR LE BIANCA AVAILABLE ON ZOOM. UM, I'LL JUST MENTION BRIEFLY THAT WE HAD A, THERE WAS A HEARING TODAY, AN ORAL ARGUMENT BEFORE THE NINTH CIRCUIT IN A CASE IN WHICH THE CITY IS A PLAINTIFF. SO THIS WAS THE KING COUNTY, UH, VERSUS ORIGINALLY, UM, HUD TURNER CASE. UH, AND IT'S, IT'S BEYOND JUST HUD, IT'S A NUMBER OF MUNICIPALITIES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UH, CHALLENGING A NUMBER OF CONDITIONS, UH, INCLUDING HUD CONDITIONS, BUT ALSO SOME OTHER LIKE DOT CONDITIONS. AND IN THAT CASE, WE ARE THE BENEFICIARIES OF A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION THAT SAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS TO GO AHEAD, GO FORWARD WITH FUNDING OUR GRANTS WHILE WE CHALLENGE THESE CONDITIONS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT APPEALED THAT PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION, AND THIS WAS THE ORAL ARGUMENTS ON THAT APPEAL, AND THAT HAPPENED JUST TODAY. UM, AND IT'S, IT'S HARD TO TELL FROM WATCHING AN ARGUMENT WHAT WAY THE JUSTICES MIGHT BE GOING BECAUSE THEY, UM, HAD TOUGH QUESTIONS FOR BOTH SIDES. UM, AND SO THEY'RE CLEARLY THINKING ABOUT THESE ISSUES, BUT NO INDICATION. BUT THIS IS THE TYPE OF THING WHERE, UM, THIS ISN'T A, AN EMERGENCY REQUEST, LIKE OUR INITIAL REQUEST FOR THE INJUNCTION. THIS ISN'T A REQUEST TO STAY AN INJUNCTION. THIS IS AN APPEAL THAT'S GOING THROUGH MORE OF THE NORMAL COURSE. AND SO IT COULD STILL BE A FEW MONTHS EVEN BEFORE WE GET A DECISION ON THIS. UH, SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN THAT HAS ANY REAL IMMINENT, UM, ACTION COMING UP. UM, UNLESS, UH, ASSISTANT CITY SOLICITOR LE BIANCA WANTS TO JUMP IN AND, UM, LET ME KNOW IF I MISSED ANYTHING. NO, MA'AM. YOU DIDN'T MISS ANYTHING. UH, SORRY, MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. COUNCILLOR NOLAN. YEAH, I APPRECIATE, AND I KNOW THERE'S MANY OTHER CASES THAT AFFECT OUR CITY DIRECTLY AS WELL WITH, UM, THE CASES WITH INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND ABILITY TO ENROLL THEM WITH, WITH SOME OF THE FUNDING DECISIONS THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT, UM, KENDALL SQUARE, WHICH IS A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR ECONOMY, BUT I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE COURTS AND WE CAN'T REALLY CONTROL THAT. BUT, UM, THANKS FOR THE UPDATE. AND IF THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER THAN I'M, THOSE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED THANK YOU THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SADIKI, SENIOR MANAGER, UM, THROUGH YOU MAYOR SADIKI. I THINK IF IT'S HELPFUL, UH, COUNCILOR NOLAN, I COULD ALSO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO JUST THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN POTENTIAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN LOCAL POLICE AND, UH, AND FEDERAL AGENTS. UM, I THINK JUST TO CLARIFY THE SECTION IN THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, UM, THAT SPEAKS TO ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, THERE'S PROBABLY TWO SCENARIOS, UM, THAT WE'RE THINKING THE MOST ABOUT AND THAT INVOLVE POTENTIAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN LOCAL POLICE AND FEDERAL AGENTS. UM, WE HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN THAT HAPPEN TO SOME EXTENT IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. THE FIRST IS THAT CAMBRIDGE POLICE WILL ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY ON THE SCENE. UM, AND THIS IS REALLY A REITERATION OF WHAT EXISTS ALREADY IN THE WELCOMING CITIES, UH, WELCOMING COMMUNITIES ORDINANCE. UM, A LOT OF WHAT I THINK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S COMMITMENT HAS BEEN IS TO SAY, IF THERE IS SOMETHING HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE TRUST OUR OFFICERS TO BE PRESENT. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY PROTESTS IN OUR CITY OVER THE PAST YEARS AND DECADES, AND WE HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT, UH, REALLY UNDERSTANDS HOW TO PROTECT OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, UM, WHAT IT MEANS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO PROTESTS, UH, AND TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. UM, AND I THINK FROM WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN MANY OTHER CITIES, [00:55:01] WE WOULD NOT WANT FEDERAL AGENTS TO BE DOING ALL OF THAT JUST ON THEIR OWN. AND WE ULTIMATELY BELIEVE THAT IT IS SAFER IF THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE ARE THERE TO DEESCALATE, TO KEEP SIDES APART. UM, AND THAT IS A DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCE. UM, I WOULD JUST ACKNOWLEDGE WHEN WE SAW SOME OF WHAT HAPPENED, UH, EARLIER LAST YEAR IN WORCESTER, WHERE YOU HAD A VERY COMPLICATED SCENE, AN ACTIVE, UH, INCIDENT GOING ON, AND WORCESTER POLICE HAD TO SHOW UP AND TRY AND FIGURE OUT, UM, HOW TO, HOW TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE. UM, THAT WAS REALLY MESSY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THE ALTERNATIVE THAT THE LOCAL POLICE WOULDN'T BE INVOLVED IN AT ALL, UH, WE CAN SEE THAT THAT DIDN'T GO WELL EITHER IN MANY OF THE, THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, IMMIGRATION ACTIONS. UM, I THINK THE SECOND INTERACTION IS IN THE RESPONSE TO SUSPECTED TRESPASSING. AND THIS IS REALLY IN, UH, REACTION TO THIS, UH, INTERNAL ICE MEMO THAT SAYS THAT, UH, THAT ICE AGENTS ARE ALLOWED TO, WITHOUT A JUDICIAL WARRANT, ENTER PRIVATE HOMES. UM, WHICH IS VERY SURPRISING SINCE THERE ARE, UH, HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF PRECEDENT THAT MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE FOURTH AMENDMENT REQUIRES, UM, REQUIRES THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH TO GET SOME INDEPENDENT WARRANT, UH, THAT IT'S ALLOWED TO GO AND SEARCH A PRIVATE HOME. UH, AND SO IN THE CASE WHERE THERE IS AN UNIDENTIFIED INDIVIDUAL WHO CLAIMS TO BE A FEDERAL OFFICIAL, UM, WE ARE SAYING THAT, UH, THE LOCAL POLICE SHOULD BE CALLED THAT INDIVIDUALS SHOULD HAVE SOMEBODY OFFICIAL COME ON SCENE, EXAMINE THAT WARRANT, ENSURE THAT THE PERSON IDENTIFIES THEMSELVES. UM, AND I THINK, AGAIN, LIKE A LOT OF THIS IS TRUSTING THAT ULTIMATELY WE WILL HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS ON BOTH SIDES WHO ARE GOING TO BE HAVING A CONVERSATION AND THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE, UH, SOMETHING THAT WILL NOT ESCALATE. BUT I THINK, UM, THERE IS REAL FEAR THAT IF YOU'RE AT HOME AND SOMEBODY KNOCKS ON THE DOOR AND THEY'RE NOT IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES, AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT SOMETHING'S REALLY A WARRANT, THAT THERE IS SOMEBODY LOCAL THAT YOU CAN TRUST, WHO CAN VERIFY WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON. UH, AND IF THERE ISN'T A JUDICIAL WARRANT, I DO THINK THERE'S A CONVERSATION TO BE HAD ABOUT OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONSTITUTION IS THAT THAT IS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR A SEARCH AND A SEIZURE. UM, SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE TWO PIECES THAT, THAT HAVE LED TO THE MOST CONVERSATION. UH, AND ULTIMATELY WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WE'RE ASKING OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE IN. WE TRUST THAT THEY ARE WELL-TRAINED, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO THEIR JOB, AND WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO INVEST IN SUPPORTING THEM, UM, ESPECIALLY AS THE SITUATION CONTINUES TO EVOLVE. I THINK THE LAST NOTE IS JUST THAT A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS ENSURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL POLICE FORCE WILL BE PART OF THE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY THAT'S NEEDED. AND SO IF THERE IS WRONGDOING, IF THERE ARE, UH, THINGS THAT GO GO WRONG, UM, BODY-WORN CAMERA FOOTAGE, UM, INFORMATION WILL BE PASSED ALONG TO DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND THERE WILL BE, UH, A LOT OF COOPERATION ON THE LOCAL SIDE TO ENSURE THAT ANY UNNECESSARY UNRE REASONABLE USE OF FORCE WILL BE FOLLOWED UP ON. THANK YOU. UH, FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY, THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SADIKI. UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE CITY MANAGER FOR THE CONVERSATIONS, VERY THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'VE HAD, UH, OVER THE LAST WEEK OR TWO IN LIGHT OF, UM, THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS. AND I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT I THINK THIS IS ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE. IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION. WE'VE GOT A HIGHLY EXPERIENCED, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, WELL-TRAINED, UH, THE RANGE OF EXPERIENCE FROM ONE OFFICER TO THE NEXT VARIES. AND IN ANY SORT OF, UH, EXECUTIVE ORDER, WHENEVER THE LANGUAGE IS SELECTED, THERE'S GONNA BE BUILT IN, UM, OVER BROADNESS AND VAGUENESS. BUT I THINK THE LANGUAGE IS ADEQUATE. AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I WANNA REITERATE, I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS IS IMPORTANT. WE ARE, WE ARE THE COUNTRY. WE ARE BECAUSE OF WR OF ASSISTANCE, AND TO ALLOW ICE AGENTS TO ENTER A PRI PRIVATE DWELLING WITHOUT A JUDICIAL WARRANT IS JUST SIMPLY UN-AMERICAN. SO I, I, I CONGRATULATE YOU AND I, AND I SUPPORT, AS I KNOW YOU DO. EVERYONE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHEN THEY'RE CONFRONTED WITH VERY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, THEY'LL, UH, IN MAYBE SOMETIMES, UM, CHARGE ENVIRONMENTS, BE ABLE TO, UM, MAINTAIN A PERIMETER AND, UM, OBSERVE AND VERIFY AND INTERVENE WHERE APPROPRIATE IF, IF IT BECOMES APPROPRIATE. AND AS FAR AS ANY TRESPASSING, IF THERE IS A, UH, IF A, IF A RESIDENT IS, UH, IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE, THEY SHOULD FEEL WELL, [01:00:01] UH, WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS TO CALL, UH, THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT AND, AND VERIFY WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A JUDICIAL WARRANT. BECAUSE TRUTHFULLY, I MEAN, WE ARE THE COUNTRY. WE ARE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE KING OF ENGLAND, UM, EXERCISE RISKS OF ASSISTANCE ALL THROUGHOUT THE COLONIES. SO IF, IF WE'RE GONNA STAND UP FOR SOMETHING, LET'S STAND UP FOR THIS NOW. SO I CONGRATULATE YOU AND I APPLAUD IT. AND, AND I THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. I THINK WE, THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. CITY MANAGER. UH, SO WE'LL MOVE ON FROM THIS ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN TO PLACE CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE ON FILE, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCIL MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE CITY MANAGER AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER ONE IS PLACED ON FILE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, TRANSMITTING COMMUNICATION FROM POLICE COMMISSIONER CHRISTINE ELO REGARDING A FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT TRACKER. THIS WAS PULLED BY COUNSELOR ZUBIE, WHO HAS THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I WAS GONNA PLAN TO PULL THIS AND ASK, REFER TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR A MORE IN-DEPTH MEETING ON CPD ICE DHS BECAUSE OF HOW SENSITIVE THIS IS RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY WITH A CASE SUCH AS MR. MEJIA. AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK PUT INTO CREATING THIS TRACKER AND WOULD JUST APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO DIG INTO THIS MORE. BUT I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUES MIGHT HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT THEY ALSO WANNA ASK. SO, COUNCILOR ZUBIN INTENDS TO, UH, FORWARD THIS, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO REFER THIS TO, UH, A COMMITTEE. BEFORE WE VOTE ON THAT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE AT THIS TIME? YES. COUNCILLOR NOLAN. THANK YOU. I FULLY SUPPORT THE MOTION TO REFER THIS TO COMMITTEE AND JUST WANNA CLARIFY A COUPLE QUESTION BEEN RAISED AND INTERACTIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO IMMIGRATION, IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER KIND OF CASE THAT TRANSPIRED OR A A, A RESIDENT BEING HELD. 'CAUSE THERE HAD BEEN ONE, BUT IT WAS NOT AN IMMIGRATION, WHICH IS WHY IT DOESN'T APPEAR ON THE LIST. SO IF THAT COULD JUST BE CLARIFIED. 'CAUSE I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION AND SOME CONCERN THAT THIS IS NOT A, A FULLY RESPONSIVE LIST AS A RESULT OF THAT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. AS A QUESTION THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI, UH, THROUGH YOU MAYOR TO COUNCILOR NOLAN. SO THESE ARE ACTUAL INTER ACTIONS THAT THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE HAD THAT INVOLVED IMMIGRATION. UH, PEOPLE THAT WE HAD THAT ICE HAD IMMIGRATION DETAINERS ON, SO WE ARRESTED THEM ON A CRIME. THEY WERE IN OUR CUSTODY AND ICE THEN, UH, CALLED FOR A DETAINER ON THEM. THAT IS CORRECT. SO THIS DOES NOT INVOLVE, THERE WERE, THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE AND I THINK TWO, UM, IN INVESTIGATIONS THAT INVOLVED FEDERAL PARTNERS, UH, DOING SEARCH WARRANTS FOR CRIMINAL SEARCH WARRANTS IN THE CITY THAT ARE NOT ON THIS LIST. IT DID NOT HAVE TO DO WITH IMMIGRATION, AND THEY DID NOT CONTACT US TO SUPPORT THEM WITH THAT, WITH ANY IMMIGRATION. ANY OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. UH, COUNCILOR ZUBIE, DO YOU WANNA MAKE YOUR MOTION? YEAH, I MOVE TO, TO REFER THIS TO PUBLIC SAFETY. GREAT. SO, COUNCILOR ZUBI MOVES TO REFER CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO TO PUBLIC SAFETY. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBIE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZI? YES. YES. COUNCIL FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. COUNCILLOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR EY. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE CITY MANAGER AGENDA. ITEM TWO IS REFERRED. WE'LL GO TO CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE. THIS IS TRANSMITTING A COMMUNICATION FROM IAN HUANG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CAMBRIDGE MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 8.28, REGULATION ON YOUTH ACCESS AND SALE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND ON SMOKING. COUNCILOR NOLAN. THANK YOU MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. AND I WANNA THANK THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR BEING, UH, PROACTIVE ABOUT REVIEWING THE DIFFERENT ORDINANCES. THIS IS ONE ABOUT SOME POSSIBILITIES FOR THE COUNCIL TO TAKE UP AROUND, UH, TOBACCO AND SMOKING, UH, WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE CITY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, THERE HAD BEEN A REFERRAL TO HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE, WHICH IN FULL DISCLOSURE, I WAS THE CHAIR OF AND AM THE CHAIR OF. AND NEVER THE, THE MEETING NEVER HAPPENED. SO I THINK I WANNA JUST PROPOSE AS [01:05:01] THIS BE REFERRED TO THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING. I PERSONALLY AM AS THE DAUGHTER OF PEOPLE OF TWO PEOPLE WHO DIED FAR EARLIER FROM SMOKING WILL SAY IT'S HORRIBLE. AND ALSO, EVEN THOUGH THAT HAPPENED, I AM REALLY AGAINST MANY OF THESE MEASURES TO RESTRICT IT BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S, WE SHOULD LEAVE IT UP TO THE, UM, TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE CHOOSING THAT. SO, BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL HOLD A, IF THIS IS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE, I WILL, UH, MAKE SURE RELATIVELY QUICKLY WE HAVE A HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING TO DELIBERATE, AND THE COUNCIL CAN DECIDE WHAT TO COME BACK WITH. GREAT. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS ON THIS. SO ON COUNCILLOR NOLAN'S MOTION TO REFER CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, TO THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT UH, COMMITTEE HEARING C UH, COMMITTEE. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBI? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE. YES. YES. COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY? YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR EY. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE CITY MANAGER AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS REFERRED. WE'LL GO ON TO CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, THE COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO A VIOLENCE PREVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT. COUNCILLOR ZUBU. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YES. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THROUGH YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TIMING OF THE PROCESS. THEY ARE, WHEN DID THE RFP GO OUT AND WHEN IS THE DEADLINE TIMELINE ON THIS PROCESS? THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THE RFP OPENED ON JANUARY 22ND, AND IT WILL CLOSE ON THIS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH. COUNCILOR ZUBI, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT INFORMATION. I APPRECIATE THE WORK HERE AND WOULD LOVE TO EXPLORE THIS ALSO MORE IN REFERENCE TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, AS THERE ARE SOME CERTAIN QUESTIONS I HAVE REGARDING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROGRAM. AND THE NEXT STEPS THAT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE DIVING INTO THE INTENT HERE WOULD BE TO HAVE A DEEPER DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT NEXT YEAR LOOKS LIKE AS WE'RE MORE THAN HALFWAY THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR. AND I DON'T WISH TO INTERRUPT THE NEWLY STARTED RFP PROCESS. SO IF NO ONE ELSE HAS QUESTIONS, I'LL MOVE TO REFER THIS TO PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL. WE HAVE A FEW HANDS UP. WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR ZUI AND THEN COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, AND THEN COUNCILOR GOVERN. UH, THANK YOU THROUGH YOU. UM, MAYOR SIDIKI, I HAD A, A FEW QUESTIONS. UM, I GU AND, AND I GUESS, UH, JUST I'LL START WITH A REFLECTION BECAUSE WHAT I WAS AWARE OF, UM, IS I, I KNOW THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT IS JUST GETTING OFF THE GROUND, AND I KNOW THIS, THE COUNCIL PUT A LOT OF ENERGY INTO CREATING THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT, BUT IT SEEMED TO ME THAT IT WAS, THE PROGRAMS THAT WERE BEING PROPOSED REALLY REPEATED A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE ALREADY OFFERING. UM, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY WE'RE SPENDING, UH, THE, THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT FAMILY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE SECTION HAS A BUDGET OF 6.3 MILLION. THEY HAVE A STAFF OF 27. UM, THEY'RE DOING EXTRAORDINARY WORK, UM, TO PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE JUVENILES, THE UNHOUSED, THOSE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES, SENIORS, SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULTS. UM, I WAS JUST, I WAS IMPRESSED AS I WAS, I WAS REVIEWING THE BUDGET BOOK. I JUST, ABOUT ALL THEY DO, THEY'VE GOT THIS SAFETY NET COLLABORATIVE. THEY HAVE, UM, UH, THEY'VE GOT BOXING, A FITNESS PROGRAM, SUMMER BASKETBALL LEAGUES, UM, AND JUST SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. SO I JUST, I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT OUR, I I KNOW THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT HAS A BUDGET OF 3 MILLION. WHAT A STAFF OF 14. I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING TO FIND YOUR LEGS AND FIND YOUR PLACE. I, I FEEL AS THOUGH YOUR WORK ACTUALLY IS IMPORTANT TOO. BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS HERE. UM, AND THAT YOU'RE WORKING IN COORDINATION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IT SEEMS AS THOUGH, UH, WITH FEWER RESOURCES, WE REALLY, I MEAN, THERE IS GREAT NEED TO DO ALL SORTS OF THINGS, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, THAT YOU'RE, THAT THE TWO DEPARTMENTS ARE COLLABORATING TOGETHER AND WE DON'T HAVE REDUNDANT SERVICES. SO MAYBE, UM, THROUGH YOU, UM, MAYOR SIDIKI, UM, YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT. AND, UM, AND [01:10:01] THEN I WAS JUST, I WAS LOOKING AT LIKE, WITH HEART. SO WE DEDICATED $150,000 TO HEART AND WI AND WITH THAT, THEY HIRED THREE EMPLOYEES AND THEY MADE 271 CONNECTIONS, BUT THERE ARE 365 DAYS A YEAR. AND SO THAT MEANS, UH, YEAH. SO IT DO, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CALLS, HOW MANY CALLS DID THEY ACTUALLY MAKE? I'M A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT, UM, STAFF BEING UNDERUTILIZED, UM, WITH THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT. AND I, AND I, AGAIN, I, I UNDERSTAND WHY THIS PROGRAM EXISTS AND I SEE ITS VALUE, BUT I ALSO, I FEEL AS THOUGH IN A TIME WITH LIMITED RESOURCES, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT REPLICATING, UM, PROGRAMS IN THE TWO DEPARTMENTS. RIGHT. AND SO, UM, SO I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOU SPEAK TO THAT. THANK YOU. LET'S JUST SAY BEFORE YOU BEGIN, UM, JUST LEVEL SETTING HERE, REMIND COUNSELORS THAT TWO QUESTIONS, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE TO MOVE ON. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE ASKING COUNSELORS, ZI, I THINK, UM, THEY'RE SUFFICIENTLY BROAD IN THAT THE REPORT BEFORE US, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS. I THINK I APPRECIATE THE INTENT FROM COUNCILOR ZUBIE. I DO THINK WE SHOULD DIG INTO, UM, SOME OF THE REPORT AND THERE'S ACTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS. AND SO I THINK THERE IS SOME DESIRE TO DISCUSS THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. YOUR CONTEXT, YOUR QUESTIONS MAKE SENSE IN THAT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, WE CAN GET CLARITY NOW, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE A SUFFICIENT DISCUSSION ON, UM, PER PERHAPS KIND NAMING THE FIRST QUESTION. BUT I WILL PASS IT ON TO YOU. UM, BUT I DO THINK REFERRING THIS TO ENGAGE FURTHER WOULD BE THE BEST THING TO DO, UH, THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, UH, NICO IMAC, UH, COUNCILLOR ZSI, THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. UH, JUST THREE BROAD STROKES HERE. FIRST, THIS REPORT WAS DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AMONG MANY OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS. UH, AND THERE'S THEIR COLLABORATION WITH, YOU KNOW, COMM, COMMISSIONER ELO, AND, UH, DR. BARRETT, UH, YOU'LL HEAR IT FROM THE COMMISSIONER HERSELF. UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS OPEN TO MORE WAYS IN WHICH THEY CAN ENGAGE YOUTH IN THIS CITY. VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS A VERY VAST ECOSYSTEM. AND SO WHILE THE POLICE CAN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UH, HAVE COORDINATED EFFORTS TO ADDRESS ONE PART OF THAT ECOSYSTEM, UH, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO ADDRESS THE WHOLE. AND SO, WHILE THAT POLICY QUESTION IS FOR YOUR BODY TO DECIDE, UH, OUR REPORT IS TO OUTLINE THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION ECOSYSTEM. AND AGAIN, TO REINFORCE THAT WHILE THE POLICE DO GREAT WORK, IT'S JUST ONE PART OF THAT ECOSYSTEM. AND THE SECOND QUESTION. YES. THE SECOND QUESTION'S MORE BROAD, I'LL DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUES OVER ON MY LEFT. COULD YOU REPEAT THE SECOND QUESTION? UH, I WAS ASKING ABOUT HART. SO THEY, UH, SO HOW MANY, HOW MANY CALLS DO THEY RESPOND TO? YOU NOTE THAT THEY, THEY CONNECTED WITH 271 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, MEMBERS THROUGH 14 UNIQUE COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS. BUT DO YOU KNOW, UM, HOW MANY CALLS THEY RESPONDED TO, UH, THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR? UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE DO NOT CURRENTLY. THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT PROVIDES FUNDS, UM, TO SUPPORT VIOLENCE PREVENTION WORK IN THE CITY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, THIS REPORT BROUGHT OUT WAS JUST THE SHEER LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE ENTITIES THAT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING FUNDING TO ARE ACTUALLY ENGAGING IN THE WORK. AND SO SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AROUND, UM, GATHERING MORE DATA AND FOR THEM TO WORK MORE COLLABORATIVELY WITH COMMUNITY SAFETY, UM, AS THEY RECEIVE THE FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE GETTING SERVED IN A WAY THAT IS TRANSPARENT AND, AND MAKES SENSE FOR, FOR EVERYONE. AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE GAPS THAT I WOULD SAY THAT HAS EXISTED IN THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN FUNDING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PAST. AND WE'RE HOPING THROUGH THIS, UM, CURRENT RFP PROCESS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET MORE DATA, UH, FROM OUR PARTNERS THAT WE'VE BEEN FUNDING THROUGH COMMUNITY SAFETY. GREAT. THANK, THANK YOU. AYE, COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY, THANK YOU FOR YOU, MAYOR. UM, THIS WORK IS IMPORTANT. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND I THINK THIS IS WHERE THE CITY SHOULD REALLY INVEST SIGNIFICANT, UH, TIME, MONEY, RESOURCES. THIS IS OUR FUTURE. AND, UH, AND I'VE GOT A LOT OF PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE TOUCHED, UH, BY A LOT OF THE STRESSORS, UH, THAT CAUSED SOME OF THIS, THIS CONDUCT. SO, UH, WHAT I WOULD ASK, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANY VALUE, [01:15:01] UH, TO STUDYING WHETHER THERE IS A, AN OPPORTUNITY TO MIRROR THE EFFORTS OF, UH, ROCHA HERE IN CAMBRIDGE? TO DO IT ALMOST AN IDENTICAL EFFORT, BECAUSE KNOWING WHAT I KNOW ABOUT ROCHA, UH, THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL WITH THEIR PROTOCOLS WITH CBT AND WHAT THEY DO WITH THE MANY, UM, YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH MANY OF WHOM I'VE INTERACTED WITH OVER THE YEARS. AND IT, AND IT TRULY IS REMARKABLE. IT IS DIFFICULT. IT IS DIFFICULT, DIFFICULT, DIFFICULT WORK, BUT AS, AND I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR HERE, I KNOW, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THAT CAMBRIDGE SUN THING GOING ON RIGHT NOW. NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE SHOOTINGS THAT ACTUALLY HAPPEN IN CAMBRIDGE IN THE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN CAMBRIDGE AND SOMERVILLE, BUT IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY. I SHOULDN'T SAY EVERY DAY, BUT THE TENSION IS THERE EVERY DAY. SO, UM, IS THERE SOME VALUE IN, IN SORT OF, I TAKING A, RATHER THAN A GUNSHOT APPROACH TO THIS, PARDON THE EXPRESSION, TAKING A RIFLE SNIPER SHOT WITH SORT OF A, UH, ROKER LIKE PROGRAM HERE IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, WHICH I THINK IS AN APPROPRIATE AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO LOOK AT THIS, UH, THIS PROBLEM. THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UH, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE ROBERT ALBA, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR CAMBRIDGE. HE'S OUR CASE MANAGER FROM ROCHA. HE DOES AMAZING WORK AND OVERSEES ABOUT 20 YOUNG MEN, UH, HERE IN THE CITY. AND SO IN THE REPORT YOU'LL FIND, UH, LOTS OF DETAILS ON ROCHA, OUR EXISTING RELATIONSHIP. UM, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT CONTINUING THAT WORK, UH, AMONG MANY OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL. UM, THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI. UM, I THINK JUST TO ADD, YOU KNOW, I THINK APPRECIATE THE MOMENT THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW. WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD, UH, A PRETTY QUIET, UH, PERIOD OF TIME. UM, AND I THINK THIS IS KIND OF THE CHALLENGE IN CAMBRIDGE BECAUSE, UM, I THINK AS YOU'RE NOTING COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY, UH, WE ARE LIVING IN ULTIMATELY AN ECOSYSTEM THAT INCLUDES CAMBRIDGE, SOMERVILLE, BOSTON. UM, I THINK WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE BOTH AT RISK OF BEING PERPETRATORS AND VICTIMS OF ESPECIALLY GUN VIOLENCE. UM, AND, AND THEY ARE FLOATING ACROSS DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. UH, WITHIN CAMBRIDGE, WE USUALLY SEE, OBVIOUSLY, A MUCH LOWER LEVEL OF COMMUNITY VIOLENCE COMPARED TO A BOSTON. WE'RE ALSO SMALLER. UM, BUT I THINK WE USUALLY SEE BETWEEN ZERO AND ONE HOMICIDES, 10 TO 15 SHOTS FIRED. WE WERE A LITTLE LOW IN 20 24, 20 25. I THINK WE HAD SEVEN SHOTS FIRED. 2024, WE HAD ABOUT 15. UM, AND THEN WE USUALLY HAVE ABOUT FIVE TO 10 PEOPLE WHO WERE INJURED, UH, BY GUNS. UM, AND SO I THINK THIS IS TRYING TO GET OUT AHEAD OF SOME OF THAT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STRONG AND HEALTHY PROGRAMS THAT ARE, UH, BEING RUN LIKE ROCA THROUGH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM, THERE ARE CERTAINLY A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FAMILY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, ARE HAVING ACROSS COMMUNITIES, UM, OUTREACH THAT THEY'RE DOING. UM, I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW, WE HAD, UM, WITH MR. EMAC AND DR. DICKERSON WERE ALSO ABOUT THE NEED TO, UH, SOMEWHERE TO THE ROLE COMMUNITY SAFETY HAS BEEN PLAYING IN TERMS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A MORE CIVILIAN SOCIAL WORKER HOME FOR SOME OF THESE EFFORTS. UM, AND CERTAINLY IN SOME OF THE INSTANCES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE COMING OUT OF PRISON AND OR, OR OUT OF, YOU KNOW, OUT OF CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE AS RESPONSIVE TO POLICE OFFICERS OUTREACHING TO THEM. UM, AND SO I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS SORT OF WORK THAT FEELS REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK CERTAINLY, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING DEEPER CONVERSATIONS, UM, WITH THE COUNSELORS, UH, WITH ALL OF YOU AT PUBLIC SAFETY. UM, BUT I THINK THIS WAS, THIS WAS THIS REPORT, WHICH I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR, WAS PART OF TRYING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE BOTH LEARN FROM THE WORK THAT I THINK BOSTON HAS REALLY DEEPENED? UM, HOW DO WE GET AHEAD OF POTENTIAL FUTURE INCIDENTS AND BUILD SOME OF THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS, UM, THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT, UH, THAT I THINK WE, WE REALLY NEED TO, TO BE MORE CONNECTED TO COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. OH, WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT. I KNOW ROBERT LEY DOES GREAT WORK, AND, UH, ROCHA DOES GREAT WORK, AND I'M SURE YOU ARE VERY COMMITTED TO THIS WORK, AND I THINK IT'S, UM, IT'S MAYBE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK WE'LL DO AS A CITY. SO, UH, WHATEVER I CAN DO TO HELP HIM [01:20:01] HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR COVERED. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. AND, UM, I AM MEMBER OF THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, SO I'LL SAVE SOME OF MY QUESTIONS FOR THERE. BUT, UM, I WAS GONNA ASK A QUESTION SORT OF SIMILAR TO COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, JUST ABOUT SOMERVILLE AND SITTING, I KNOW YOU, UH, YOU, YOU TALKED TO BOSTON, WHICH WAS GREAT, AND CAMBRIDGE'S OWN ISAAC BLO WHO, UM, WISH HE WOULD COME BACK. UM, BUT THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS SO MUCH TENSION WITH SUMMERVILLE THAT AS WE MOVE THIS FORWARD, I THINK IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPERATIVE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE SIT DOWN WITH THEM. AND THEN QUESTION AROUND, UM, OUR SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT AND HOW ARE WE WORKING WITH SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS AND, AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL, UM, TO, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING KIDS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. UH, I THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, UH, AS FOR THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF SOMERVILLE, UM, WE LOOK FORWARD, I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, UH, THIS POSITION THAT WE'VE OUTLINED IS SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE THE CITY, UM, IN A, YOU KNOW, NEEDS TO HAVE A POINT PERSON, UM, IN ORDER TO HANDLE THIS WORK AND TO, TO BE A LIAISON BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITIES, WHETHER THAT'S BOSTON, UM, YOU KNOW, OR SOMERVILLE OR, OR EVEN, UH, SOME OF OUR MORE REGIONAL PARTNERS. UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, AGAIN, HAVING A FACE TO THIS WORK, UM, I THINK ALLOWS US TO DO, UH, WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE ASKING, UM, AND WHAT WAS THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, UH, ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS? YEAH. SO AGAIN, I'LL, I'LL DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUES, BUT ONE THING I WILL SAY IS JUST LOOKING AT KIND OF BEST PRACTICES AROUND THE COUNTRY. UH, I TRAVELED TO ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, UH, WHERE THEIR COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT IS VERY ROBUST AND IS KIND OF LEADING THIS WORK NATIONALLY. UM, AND IN ALBUQUERQUE, THEY DO HAVE A SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAM. UM, SO AS CAMBRIDGE CONSIDERS AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE, UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND LOOKING AT ALBUQUERQUE'S MODEL, UM, AS SOMETHING TO DRAW FROM. AND SENATOR, AND LASTLY, MADAM MAYOR, THROUGH YOU. I JUST, AND I'LL JUST SAY, I MEAN, I, I DO AGREE THAT HAVING A POINT PERSON, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT CAMBRIDGE HAVING A LOT OF DOTS AND NO LINES, AND IT, IT, IT AMAZES ME THAT WE HAVE SO MANY PROGRAMS. AND THEN WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE WITHIN THOSE PROGRAMS, THEY'RE SERVING A LOT OF THE SAME KIDS, AND YET THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY CONNECTING WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO BUSY AND THEY'RE DOING THE JOB. SO HAVING SOMEONE WHO CAN ORGANIZE AND FOCUS THOSE GROUPS AND ACTUALLY DO SOME CASE MANAGEMENT AND SOME CASE COLLABORATION AROUND SOME OF THE MOST HIGH RISK YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, YOU NEED SOMEBODY WHO LEADS THAT CONVERSATION. AND SO, UM, I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THANK YOU. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN . THANK YOU. YES. I, WE CAN TALK MORE AT LENGTH, I THINK IN, IN A COMMITTEE, THIS PRESUMABLY WILL BE REFERRED TO COMMITTEE. UM, I, I WANNA UNDERSTAND OR AT LEAST ENSURE THAT AS WE DISCUSS THIS, WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ECOSYSTEM OF THE ENTIRE CITY. I MEAN, PARTICULARLY THIS TRACK TALKS ABOUT CAREER DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE A WHOLE RANGE OF PROGRAMS RELATED TO CAREER DEVELOPMENT OUTSIDE OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE, UM, ACADEMIC SUCCESS. AS COUNCILOR MCGOVERN NOTED, IT CAN BE TIED TO THE SCHOOLS. AND SINCE THIS IS IN THE REALM OF PUBLIC SAFETY, IF WE HIRE ANOTHER PERSON HERE, THE DREAM FOR SOME OF US, AND, AND STARTING THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT ALL ALONG WAS AS WE ARE OFFLOADING FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT MEANS WE CAN SHIFT SOME OF THE RESOURCES AND NOT HAVE AS MANY FTES IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE, UM, SERVICES ARE BEING FILLED BY, UH, THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT. SO I EXPECT AND HOPE THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. I KNOW IT'S NOT SOMETHING SOMETIMES PEOPLE NECESSARILY WANNA ADDRESS, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE IN A TIME WHEN WE WANT COORDINATED, UM, ACTIONS. WE WANT COORDINATED ACTIVITIES, WE, THIS IS ALL IN, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T JUST SAY, WELL, THIS PERSON HAS MENTAL HEALTH, SO WE'RE GONNA DO IT OVER THERE. AND THIS PERSON HAS ANOTHER NEED. IT'S OBVIOUSLY ALL COORDINATED. BUT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT, THE VISION WAS NOT REALLY CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS, BUT IT WAS REALLY TO OFFLOAD FROM, UM, SOME OF THE, THE MORE TRYING AND CHALLENGING, UH, SITUATIONS THAT OUR VULNERABLE POPULATION SEES OURSELVES IN. AND, AND THE EMPHASIS HERE OFTEN IS, UNLESS I'M PICKING IT UP WRONG ON YOUNGER PEOPLE, WHEREAS WE HAVE A RANGE OF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHO ARE OLDER AS WELL, WHO MIGHT BE, UH, PRONE TO, UH, SOME SERVICE AND NEEDS. SO, IS, IS THAT TRUE THAT WE'RE SERVICING A RANGE OF AIDS OF, OF AGE? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN TALK MORE IN DEPTH IN THIS, IN THE COMMITTEES, BUT I DO THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND I HOPE THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO BEAR THE IDEA THAT WE NEED TO BE WORKING IN COORDINATION ON THIS. AND I NOTICED THERE WERE SOME SMART GOALS MENTIONED, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY SMART GOALS LISTED. SO I REALLY HOPE WHATEVER REPORT THERE IS THAT WE ACTUALLY SEE THOSE SMART GOALS AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE REALITY IS WE'RE ALREADY SO LOW IN VIOLENCE. IF WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS SAY OUR MEASURE IS GONNA BE NOT AS MUCH SHOOTING. THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE TWO, TWO FATALITIES IN FIVE YEARS AND YOU HAVE 21 INJURIES IN FIVE YEARS, IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO SUGGEST THAT WE'RE GONNA DRAMATICALLY REDUCE THAT. SO I THINK THERE'S [01:25:01] MANY OTHER MEASURES WE SHOULD BE USING IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING HOW IT IS THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF KIDS. NOT JUST THAT THEY'RE NOT PICKING UP A GUN, BUT THEY'RE ALSO ALSO NOT ENGAGING IN OTHER BEHAVIORS THAT LEAD TO A PERCEIVED SENSE OF, OF LACK OF, OF SAFETY IN THE LARGER COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR NEWLEN. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? HEARING NONE. WE'LL GO AHEAD FROM COUNCILOR AL'S MOTION TO REFER CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YEP. YES. COUNCILLOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE CITY MANAGER AGENDA. ITEM SIX IS REFERRED. WE NOW MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM SET. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO A PLAN TO ALIGN ALL HOUSING AND HOMELESS SERVICES AND PROGRAMS INTO A UNIFIED HOUSING DEPARTMENT. I PULLED THIS, UM, THERE'S SOME BACKGROUND HERE, UH, AND THE CITY MANAGER AND THE SOLICITOR CAN SAY MORE, BUT ESSENTIALLY THE WAY I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS IS THAT THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO ACTUALLY HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, UM, UH, AND THAT SHOULD, UH, EITHER HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, DURING A REGULAR MEETING OR SPECIAL HEARING. AND SO, UH, IT'LL BE KIND OF SIMILAR TO HOW WE DO A TAX RATE, UH, HEARING. AND SO I THINK ONE CONSIDERATION THAT WE COULD DO, WE COULD MAKE IS LAY THIS, UM, COMMUNICATION ON THE TABLE TONIGHT, UH, SCHEDULE THE HEARING, AND, UM, DO ALL THE REQUIRED, UH, NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING AND THEN HOLD THE HEARING, UH, AT A FUTURE MEETING. SO THAT'S THE UNDERSTANDING I HAD FROM CITY STAFF. IF, UM, CITY MANAGER WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT OR, UH, FEEL FOR, FEEL FREE. DO MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO? UH, COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES, GO AHEAD. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I DIDN'T HAVE A QUESTION. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT RELATIVE TO THE ITEM. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY MANAGER WANTS TO, UH, YOU MADE A QUERY OF HIM ANSWER THE QUESTION, THEN I CAN JUST MAKE MY RESTATEMENT THIS IS GONNA GO FORWARD. I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A HEARING, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SOME REMARKS RELATIVE TO IT SO I CAN DO IT NOW OR AFTER THE CITY MANAGER. UH, THROUGH YOU. MAYOR SIDIKI, HAPPY FOR YOU TO GO FORWARD. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU, UH, TO YOU THROUGH YOU CHAIR TO THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF. I'M ACTUALLY, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION, AND I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS THAT HAS GONE INTO THE PROPOSAL, AND I APPRECIATE THE STAFF THAT HAS WORKED ACROSS A COUPLE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE WET SHELTER FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME. UH, AND I DON'T KNOW, UM, I THINK I'M TALKING, I THINK I PULLED THE WRONG THING, SO I I'M GOING TO YIELD . NO WORRIES, NO WORRIES. WE WILL GET THERE. ALL RIGHT. SHORTLY. SO I DON'T SEE ANY, UH, HANDS ON THIS, SO I'LL MOVE THAT. WE MOVE, UM, THIS AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, THIS COMMUNICATION RELATIVE TO, UH, A PLAN TO ALIGN ALL HOUSING AND HOMELESS SERVICES AND PROGRAMS DURING A UNIFIED HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UM, TO THE TABLE. AND THEN WE WILL SCHEDULE THAT HEARING. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FEHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR EY. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE CITY MANAGER. AGENDA SEVEN IS LAID ON THE TABLE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER, UH, 11. SO THIS IS A COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM CITY MANAGER, UH, YAN WONG'S TRANSMITTING PLANNING BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE INSTITUTIONAL USE ZONING PETITION. COUNCILOR ZZI, YOU HAVE THE FOUR. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR SIDIKI. UM, I KNOW WE'LL BE TALKING MORE ABOUT THIS TOMORROW, SO, BUT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THIS REPORT FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, AT THE TOWN GOWN PRESENTATIONS, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING 'CAUSE THE PLANNING BOARD SPOKE ABOUT THE NEED FOR, UM, THE [01:30:01] INSTITUTIONS TO BETTER SHARE THEIR LONG-TERM PLANNING WITH US. YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE USUALLY AT TOWN GOWN, THEY TELL US WHAT THEY'RE DOING THIS YEAR. SO THEY UNANIMOUSLY, UM, THEY WERE A LITTLE CONCERNED. WE'VE GOTTA, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'LL ALIGN OUR, UM, ORDINANCES WITH THE STATE ORDINANCES, WHICH WE'LL DO TOMORROW, UM, AT ORDINANCE. BUT, AND, BUT THEN WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, FIGURE OUT HOW TO BETTER PLAN IN TANDEM WITH INSTITUTIONS FOR THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. I YIELD COUNCILLOR NOLAN. THANK YOU. WE, IT MAY MAKE SENSE TO REFER THIS REPORT TO THE MEETING TOMORROW. I'M NOT SURE WHAT, WHAT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. I WILL SAY I, UM, AGREE. WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS, BUT ALSO REMIND US ALL THAT TOMORROW'S MEETING IS ABOUT ALIGNING OUR ORDINANCE WITH THE, THE, THE FACT THAT IT HAS TO CHANGE BASED ON RUPPA AND ALSO THE MULTIFAMILY ZONING. THAT'S ALL IT'S ABOUT. IF, AND WE LEARNED, WE, WE HAVE VERY LIMITED ABILITY TO, UH, CONTROL AND REGULATE RELIGIOUS USES. HOWEVER, INSTITUTIONAL USES, WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. AND AS, AS COUNCILOR SUZI SAID, WE, WE HAVE INSTITUTIONS IN THE CITY WHO MAY BE MAKING PLANS. IN ORDER TO DO THAT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO SEPARATELY START A TRACK OF ANOTHER HOME RULE PETITION, IF, WHICH WAS ANTICIPATED IN THE LAST MEETING WE HAD ON THIS, THAT THE, THE CITY STAFF PREPARED IT AND SAID TO GO FURTHER, YOU WOULD THEN HAVE TO APPEAL TO THE STATE LAW TO, TO RESTRICT, UM, INSTITUTIONAL. SO TO REMIND US ALL THAT'S NOT BEFORE US YET. AND IF WE WANNA HAVE THAT BEFORE US, I THINK WE NEED TO, TO BRING IT FORWARD AND, AND HAVE IT BE, WHICH I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF BECAUSE WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT WE CAN DO AND, AND MOVE FORWARD. BUT, UM, THAT'S IT. THANKS. THANK YOU COUNCILOR NOLAN, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN. UH, THANK YOU MEMBER. DO, UH, JUST A NOTE, SINCE THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING WAS BROUGHT UP, AND I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THIS, I WILL NOT BE THERE TOMORROW. UH, I WILL NOT BE CHAIRING, I'M HAVING EYE SURGERY, SO, UM, GOOD LUCK. GOOD LUCK. WE'LL BE IN GOOD HANDS WITH THAT COUNCILOR. SABRINA WHEELER. SO I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER HANDS ON THIS. SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE HAVE TO, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO REFER TO THE PETITION AND PLACE THE COMMUNICATION ON FILE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN. WE CAN DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBY? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR EY. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE CITY MANAGER AGENDA. ITEM MEMBER 11 IS REFERRED TO THE PETITION AND THE COMMUNICATIONS PLACED ON FILE. MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 12, A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO THE FINAL RESEARCH REPORT ON RISE UP CAMBRIDGE, THE CITY CITYWIDE CASH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. I JUST WANT TO, UM, SAY THAT I, I APPRECIATE THE REPORT. UM, I THINK THIS RAISES MAKES, UH, SOME VERY GOOD POINTS AND RAISES SOME, SOME VALID QUESTIONS. I THINK WE SHOULD REFER IT TO HUMAN SERVICES AND, AND VETERANS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WANT TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, WHAT OTHER FOLKS THINK. UM, AND I, AND I THINK ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS IS THAT WE, UM, WE HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT THE GOAL OF, OF, OF, OF THIS PROGRAM IS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DATA. I, I DON'T WANT TO, I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME QUESTION ABOUT DID IT OR DID IT NOT HELP MOVE PEOPLE UP THE, YOU KNOW, SOCIOECONOMIC LADDER AND OUT OF, AND OUT OF POVERTY. BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO MITIGATE OR LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THE STORIES THAT PEOPLE TOLD IT, THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT, THE, THE RELIEF THAT PEOPLE FELT THAT HAVING A A LITTLE MORE ROOM IS ALSO IMPORTANT. AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THAT IN ALL THE NUMBERS. UM, THE STORIES ARE IMPORTANT, UM, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS AND IT SHOULD GO TO COMMITTEE. AYE. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS BEFORE WE REFER THIS? AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCILOR, UH, MCGOVERN. I WANNA APPRECIATE THE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL, AND LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING FURTHER DISCUSSION. SO ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR MCGOVERN TO FORWARD THIS, UH, REPORT, FINAL RESEARCH REPORT TO THE HUMAN SERVICES SERVICES AND VETERANS COMMITTEE. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBIE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? [01:35:01] YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR? COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUEY? YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI? YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM MEMBER 12 IS REFERRED. WE WILL MOVE ON TO POLICY ORDERS. [POLICY ORDERS] PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MAYOR, MAYOR SIDIKI. WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. AND THEN COUNCILOR NOLAN POLL NUMBER ONE, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. POLL NUMBER ONE. COUNCILOR NOLAN. I, I HAD A, I DUNNO IF IT'S A POINT OF INFORMATION OR SOME QUESTION. 'CAUSE ON THE, UM, FURTHER ON IN THE AGENDA UNDER CHARTER, RIGHT, THERE WAS A QUESTION ON OUR HOME RULE WHERE THERE ARE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR THE CITY SOLICITOR. I'M NOT SURE IF SHE INTENDS TO STAY HERE FOR THE WHOLE DISCUSSION, AND IF NOT, I WOULD WANNA MOVE SUSPENSION TO BRING IT FORWARD. SHE HAD INDICATED SHE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT I'M NOT SURE HOW TO HANDLE THAT. MAYBE SHE'S STAYING FOR THE WHOLE MEETING ANYWAY. OKAY. SO WE'LL JUST, UM, MOVE FORWARD THROUGH POLICY ORDERS. IS THERE ANYONE YOU'D LIKE TO PULL? UH, NUMBER TWO. MADAM MAYOR NUMBER TWO. YES. MAD MAYOR 12. COUNCIL SEVEN. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN POLLS 7, 7, 3 AND SIX PLEASE. COUNCILOR ZUI POLLS THREE AND SIX. AND COUNCILOR ZUI. POLLS NUMBER FOUR, FOUR AND FIVE. FOUR AND FIVE. ALL RIGHT, WE JUST PULLED ALL OF THEM. , SO GREAT. UM, WE'LL GO TO POLICY RULE NUMBER ONE THAT THE CITY MANAGER BE IN, HEREBY IS REQUESTED TO DIRECT THE RELEVANT CITY STAFF AND DEPARTMENTS TO EXAMINE IF AND HOW THE CITY MAY PREVENT THE HIRING BY THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF ANY SWORN OFFICER WHO WAS HIRED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 20TH, 2025 BY IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS, OR CUSTOMS AND BORDER PATROL, AND REPORT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN A TIMELY MANNER. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER AND COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANKS MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN FOR WORKING ON THIS, UH, WITH ME AND CO-SPONSORING. THIS POLICY ORDER IS IN RESPONSE TO THE HORRIFIC ACTIONS OF ICE WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, INCLUDING THE KILLING BY ICE OF TWO US CITIZENS, EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH IN MINNESOTA. RENEE GOODE AND ALEX PREDDY. TWO WEEKS AGO, THE COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A POLICY ORDER, UH, ASKING THE CITY TO LOWER FLAGS TO HAVE SAF AND RECOGNITION OF THESE KILLINGS. I SAID AT THE TIME, WHEN I INTRODUCED IT, THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO TAKE THAT SYMBOLIC ACTION, BUT IT WASN'T ENOUGH AS A CITY GOVERNMENT. WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT OUR TOOLS AS POLICYMAKERS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO RESPOND TO THESE HORRIFIC ACTIONS. THIS POLICY ORDER AND THE OTHER POLICY ORDER ON OUR AGENDA FOR MAYOR SADIKI, WHICH I AM GLAD TO CO-SPONSOR OUR FIRST ATTEMPT AT FIRST ATTEMPT AT THOSE POLICY RESPONSES. LIKE SO MANY PEOPLE OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, I WATCHED THE VIDEO OF MULTIPLE ICE AGENTS BEATING ALEX PRE AS HE LAY ON THE STREET, AND THEN PULLING OUT THEIR GUNS AND SHOOTING HIM AT POINT BLANK RANGE. IT WAS CLEAR TO MYSELF AND MANY OTHERS WATCHING THOSE VIDEOS IF IT HADN'T ALREADY BEEN CLEAR THAT THE VIOLENCE THAT ICE IS PERPETRATED HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND THE METHODS THAT ICE AGENTS ARE BEING TRAINED IN SHOULD HAVE NO PLACE IN CITY GOVERNMENT, EITHER IN CAMBRIDGE OR IN ANY OTHER CITY. IT'S CLEAR AFTER THE KILLINGS IN MINNESOTA, NO ONE WORKING FOR ICE SHOULD CARRY A GUN FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS POLICY ORDER IS ABOUT. IT IS BASED ON SIMILAR LEGISLATION THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN INTRODUCED IN MULTIPLE STATES, INCLUDING MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, UH, THE ICE OUT, ICE OUT ACT. AND IT IS ASKING THE LAW DEPARTMENT TO EXAMINE IT HERE AS WELL AND REPORT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL. WANNA BE CLEAR THAT THIS POLICY ORDER IS NOT ABOUT SAYING THAT EVERY PERSON WHO WORKED FOR ICE IS IRREDEEMABLY EVIL. I IMAGINE THERE ARE ACTUALLY A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING AT ICE RIGHT NOW WHO ARE DOING SERIOUS SOUL SEARCHING OVER THE EVENTS OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVERYONE IS CAPABLE OF REFLECTION AND CHANGE. THAT'S WHY THIS POLICY WOULD STILL ALLOW FOR FOLKS TO WORK FOR THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY. THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE WATER DEPARTMENT, AND LITERALLY EVERY OTHER CITY DEPARTMENT. THE GOAL OF THIS POLICY ORDER IS TO PROTECT CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS. MAKE IT IS CLEAR THAT THE TRAINING THAT ICE AGENTS ARE RECEIVING IS DEEPLY AT ODDS WITH OUR VALUES IN CAMBRIDGE. AND HAVING EVEN ONE PERSON GO FROM ICE TO THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD PUT LIVES IN DANGER. I WANNA GIVE A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT. WHEN A CAMBRIDGE POLICE OFFICER KILLED SED FAISEL AND WAS INTERVIEWED ABOUT HIS ACTIONS, HE REPEATEDLY INVOKED WHAT HE CALLED THE 21 FOOT RULE, UH, WHICH HE CALLED THE 21 FOOT RULE ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A WEAPON BEING A DANGER WHEN THEY CAME CLOSER THAN 21 FEET. WHEN THE CITY DID AN INVESTIGATION AFTER THAT SHOOTING, IT CAME OUT THAT THE 21 FOOT RULE HAD ALREADY BEEN WIDELY DISCREDITED. AND THAT CPDS OWN TRAINING REGIMEN DID NOT TEACH THE 21 FOOT RULE, WHICH MEANS THE OFFICER WHO KILLED, UH, SED FAISAL HAD LIKELY LEARNED IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. TO BE CLEAR, IF A POLICE OFFICER LEARNS BAD TRAINING IN A PREVIOUS ROLE, IT CAN BE A [01:40:01] MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH FOR CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS. THAT'S WHAT THIS POLICY ORDER IS ABOUT. ALL OF US VOTED FOR THE SYMBOLIC MEASURE TWO WEEKS AGO TO LOWER CITY FLAGS TO HAVE STAFF, AND I WAS GLAD TO INTRODUCE THAT. BUT NOW WE ARE TASKED WITH THE FOLLOWING THAT WITH ACTION AND THE TWO POLICY ORDERS BEFORE US TONIGHT, THERE'S A, A SMALL AMENDMENT FROM COUNCILOR ZUBIE WOULD RECOGNIZE IF IT PASSES, SHE WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR. RECOGNIZE THAT, BOTH OF WHICH I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO. I HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH, UH, COUNCILOR ZUBIE EARLIER TODAY BECAUSE I HAD ASKED HER TO BE A CO-SPONSOR ORIGINALLY, AND I THINK THIS IS A FINE AMENDMENT, BUT WOULD'VE BEEN HAPPY TO INCLUDE IT BEFORE FILING, AND I THINK WE CAN CAN FIGURE THAT OUT. UM, I THINK INITIALLY THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNSELOR ABOUT IF THIS WOULD AFFECT TOO MANY PEOPLE AND ABOUT USING EMPLOYMENT HISTORY AS A LIT LITMUS TEST AND THE REASONS THAT FOLKS JOIN ICE, INCLUDING, UH, YOU KNOW, HEALTH INSURANCE AND STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS. AND THIS ACTUALLY GOES THE OTHER WAY, EXPANDS IT TO MORE ICE OFFICERS. UM, I THINK WE COULD HAVE MAYBE HAD SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS BEFOREHAND, BUT VERY HAPPY TO INCLUDE THIS AMENDMENT AND THEN ADDER AS A CO-SPONSOR. AND I HOPE THE COUNCIL CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS POLICY ORDER TONIGHT SO THE LAW DEPARTMENT CAN TAKE THE NEXT STEPS. UH, WITH THAT, I YIELD BACK. WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MCGOVERN. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. I I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS AND, UH, FOR ASKING ME TO CO-SPONSOR. UM, WE HAD RECEIVED SOME QUESTIONS. SOME FOLKS ASKED ABOUT WHY THE DATE OF, UM, JANUARY 20TH, 2025 WAS IN THE ORDER. AND AGAIN, THIS WAS MODELED AFTER SOME OTHER POLICY ORDERS THAT WERE PASSED IN OTHER PLACES. UM, BUT ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I THINK IF YOU ARE SI LOOK, IF YOU, IF YOU ARE SIGNING UP TO BE AN ICE AGENT UNDER THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION WITH THE, UH, I DON'T EVEN SAY THE PERMISSIONS WITH THE, WITH THE POWER THAT THEY'RE GIVING YOU, WITH THE, WITH THE DIRECTION THAT THEY'RE GIVING YOU, UM, YOU SHOULDN'T BE HAVING A BADGE AND A GUN IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THAT, THAT'S MY OPINION. THIS ADMINISTRATION IS SO OUT OF CONTROL, UM, AND HAS EMPOWERED THIS, YOU KNOW, MILITARY FORCE ESSENTIALLY, UM, AND CONDONES THEIR KILLING AMERICAN CITIZENS BY CALLING THOSE AMERICAN CITIZENS DOMESTIC TERRORISTS. UM, AND SO THE DATE WAS ALSO REFLECTIVE OF THAT. THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT. AND, AND, AND THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE ARE, THERE ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED AFTER THAT DATE THAT ARE NECESSARILY AS COUNSELORS, SINA WHEELER SAID, DOING THESE THINGS. IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THERE AREN'T FOLKS THAT WERE EMPLOYED BEFORE THIS DATE. UM, THE OFFICE, THE, THE ICE AGENT THAT SHOT MS. GOOD WAS, WAS EMPLOYED LONG BEFORE, UM, UH, THIS YEAR, SO, OR 2025. SO, UM, AND WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, UH, TO ME THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEONE WHO'S AN ADMINISTRATOR, YOU KNOW, ANSWERING PHONES AT, AT, AT HEADQUARTERS, AND SOMEONE WHO'S SIGNING UP AND CHOOSING TO UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION TO CARRY OUT, UM, THESE, UH, I THINK HORRIBLE DIRECTIVES. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE ASKING FOR LAW DEPARTMENT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY COME BACK AND SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT WE, WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE CAN. AND I, I, WE HEARD IN PUBLIC COMMENTS SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WANTING US TO DO MORE. I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE'RE LIMITED IN DOING. I THINK PEOPLE HAVE TO JUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SOME AUTHORITY THAT WE JUST AS A MUNICIPALITY CAN'T STOP ALL OF IT. UM, BUT WHERE WE CAN, WE SHOULD. SO, UH, AGAIN, I THANK YOU COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER FOR YOUR, YOUR, YOUR STEADFAST LEADERSHIP ON THIS. AND, UM, I WAS HAPPY TO CO-SPONSOR. AYE, COUNCILOR ZUBIE AND THEN COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. MAYOR, I APPRECIATE COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER'S PIECE ON THE RESTORATIVE ASPECT AND HIS REFLECTION AND HIS REFLECTION ON FACE LAW AS IT PERTAINS TO THE SPECIFIC TOPIC. AS, AS FOLKS KNOW, I, I PROPOSED AN AMENDMENT WHERE I MOVED TO STRIKE THE LANGUAGE, REFERRING TO THE DATE OF HIRE. AND SOME CONTEXT FOR THAT IS, I, I BELIEVE THAT FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS OPERATING UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION ARE ENACTING A CAMPAIGN OF DOMESTIC TERROR AGAINST OUR COMMUNITIES. AND WE WOULD NOT WANT THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. AT THE SAME TIME, FOCUSING ON INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS AND THEIR EMPLOYMENT HISTORIES OBSCURES A MORE SYSTEMIC UNDERSTANDING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AS A FORCE IN OUR SOCIETY THAT MANY OF US FEEL DO NOT SERVE THE PEOPLE. AND IN A WAY, SUBTLY ENDORSES THE NARRATIVE THAT FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS HIRED UNDER THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION ARE DISTINCTLY PROBLEMATIC. THERE WAS NOT A WHOLESALE PERSONNEL TURNOVER WITHIN DHS OR ICE FOLLOWING JANUARY 20TH, 2025. AND MANY AGENTS WHO SERVED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS REMAIN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THIS MURDEROUS [01:45:01] AND ILLEGAL OPERATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNFOLDING IN OUR COMMUNITIES MORE PRAGMATICALLY. I THINK A RESTRICTION EXPLICITLY TIED TO TRUMP'S, UM, TRUMP'S SPECIFIC PIECE ON ICE COULD POTENTIALLY POSE A LEGAL RISK. I'D BE CURIOUS TO, TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, I, I COULD SEE COURTS VIEWING THIS AS POLITICAL DISCRIMINATION UNDER EQUAL PROTECTION BASED ON WHICH ADMINISTRATION EMPLOYED SOMEONE RATHER THAN ON CONDUCT OR QUALIFICATIONS. SO IF WE'RE GONNA PASS THIS, I'M, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE IT PASSES THE LEGAL MUSTER, BUT ABOVE ALL, ICE HAS BEEN BRUTAL ACROSS MULTIPLE ADMINISTRATIONS, NOT JUST THIS ONE. WE NEED TO ABOLISH IT. AND, YOU KNOW, ON TOP OF THAT, WE, WE SHOULD JUST ALSO MOVE FORWARD TO WORK ON SUBSTANTIVE WAYS TO DIRECTLY AID AND PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS, WHICH I KNOW WE'RE DOING SOME OF THAT WORK. UM, SO IF, IF WE'RE WE'RE ABLE TO PASS THIS AMENDMENT, I I WILL ALSO MOVE FORWARD TO, TO CO-SPONSOR. SO WE HAVE THAT AMENDED BEFORE US. WE HAVE, UM, UH, SO WE, THAT'S BEFORE US IF, UM, MY COLLEAGUES WANNA TALK ABOUT IT, BUT WE CAN CONTINUE TALKING TO THE POLICY ORDER, UM, AS A WHOLE. SO, COUNSELOR OR IF, AND IF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS. COUNSELOR FLAHERTY, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, UM, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT ICE'S TACTICS, UH, IN OUR RECENT HISTORY HERE IN THIS COUNTRY ARE ABHORRENT. THE FOURTH AMENDMENT IS BEING TRAMPLED, UH, THE POLICE ABUSES THE EXCESSIVE FORCE IS, UH, TRAGIC AND IN MANY CASES, I WOULD SAY CRIMINAL AND WORTHY OF PROSECUTION. I THINK, THINK IT'S UNFAIR TO DRAW AN ANALOGY BETWEEN THE TRAGIC INCIDENT INVOLVING MR. FASEL HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. THERE WAS AN INQUEST THAT WAS CONDUCTED IN FRONT OF JUDGE COFFEE. 29 SWORN WITNESSES TESTIFIED. THERE WERE 53 EXHIBITS THAT WERE INTRODUCED. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. UH, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY WAS INVOLVED IN IT. UH, THERE WAS NO RECOMMENDATION OF PROSECUTION OR, UM, IN FACT, I THINK THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, CONCLUDING THE INQUEST WAS IT WAS A JUSTIFIABLE, UH, POLICE ACTION. IT'S ENTIRELY UNFORTUNATE AND TERRIBLY TRAGIC FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED, UH, MOST ESPECIALLY, UH, THE VICTIM IN HIS FAMILY. UM, AND I DON'T WANNA OPEN UP ANY WOUNDS, BUT I THINK IT'S UNFAIR TO CREATE AN ANALOGY BETWEEN ICE'S RECENT CONDUCT AND THAT VERY UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT. I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT WAS, UH, THE INTENTION. I, I RESPECT AND I APPRECIATE THE REFLECTION. UH, BUT I THINK IT'S, UH, COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES. SO I YIELD THANK YOU. EVERYONE'S ALLOWED TO SHARE THEIR KIND OF PERSPECTIVES. AND I THINK RIGHT NOW, WHAT'S BEFORE US IS, UH, PASSING THIS. UM, AND SO IF FOLKS HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS AROUND, UM, THE SUBSTANCE FEEL, FEEL FREE TO ADD. WE HAVE COUNCILLOR NOLAN AND COUNCILLOR ZIM. THANK YOU MAYOR SIDIKI. AND THANK THROUGH YOU, THANKS TO THE MOTION MAKERS. I THINK THE, THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION HERE AS COUNCILOR SOBRINO REALER SAID, IS THAT IT'S REALLY HARD ONCE YOU'VE BEEN TRAINED IN ONE WAY TO CHANGE, IF YOU COME INTO ANOTHER CULTURE, WE HAVE PRIDED OURSELVES ON OUR CULTURE FOR OUR POLICE, UH, DEPARTMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL. WE JUST SAW THE SAFETY RESULTS. WHO KNOWS WHY IT IS, BUT ONE OF THEM CERTAINLY IS THE WAY THAT WE HAVE, UH, A POLICE DEPARTMENT OVER TIME THAT HAS, HAS LED TO THOSE STELLAR SAFETY RESULTS IN THE COMMUNITY WITH VERY FEW SHOOTINGS. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S NOT LOTS OF ISSUES HERE. UM, BUT I THINK IT'S, THAT'S WHY I WANNA SUPPORT THIS, IS BECAUSE WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND LEGALLY WHAT WE CAN DO. ARE THERE WAYS THAT WE, IF WE CAN'T WHOLESALE, JUST SAY, WELL, THAT'S CERTAIN KINDS OF DISCRIMINATION. THERE'S THE WAY WE DESPERATELY NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED, NOT ONLY TRAINED, BUT ARE IN A CULTURE WHERE IT IS TOTALLY OKAY. I MEAN, THEY, THEY'RE BEING FILMED AND THEY'RE STILL DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THAT'S WHAT'S SO SHOCKING. IT'S NOT AS THOUGH THIS IS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. THEY ARE BEING FILMED USING LANGUAGE WE WOULDN'T TOLERATE IN ANY CIVIL DISCOURSE, BUT THE VIOLENCE ON PEOPLE WHO ARE ACROSS THE BOARD A RANGE OF, OF, UM, IMMIGRATION STATUS WITHOUT EVEN ASKING. SO I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE CAN DO BECAUSE IF THAT'S THE CULTURE SOMEONE HAS JUST BEEN IMBUED IN, IT WOULD BE VERY CHALLENGING FOR THEM TO JUST SHIFT TO A CULTURE THAT WE HAVE WORKED FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS TO DEVELOP IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO THAT'S WHY I LOOK FORWARD TO THE ANSWER HERE AND UNDERSTAND HOW [01:50:01] IT IS THAT WE MAY MOVE FORWARD. AND I WILL FULLY SUPPORT THIS AND, AND, AND LET, LET'S MAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS. WE ARE STANDING UP VERY STRONG TO SAY WE WILL NOT TOLERATE ANYONE WORKING FOR US WHO HAS ANY SHRED OF SUPPORT FOR THE KIND OF BEHAVIOR THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING IN SOME OF OUR FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS. THANK YOU. WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR AZI. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I'M SORRY, VICE MAYOR. ALL GOOD. UM, UH, I WAS GONNA SAY I WOULD SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDER AND THE AMENDMENT. UH, WANTED TO THANK COUNCILOR ZUBI FOR INTRODUCING IT. UM, I THINK THAT IT FOCUSES CORRECTLY THAT, YOU KNOW, A, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT HAPPENED IN MINNEAPOLIS, A LOT OF THOSE OFFICERS HAD BEEN WITH, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY ICE, BUT ALSO CUSTOMS AND BORDER BORDER PATROL FOR LIKE EIGHT YEARS, 10 YEARS, RIGHT? THE DATE OF HIRE IS NOT NECESSARILY THE MOST RELEVANT FACTOR. UM, THERE'S A WHOLE RANGE OF FACTORS THAT, UH, MATTER THERE. UM, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, AS I THINK EXIST FOR, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU KNOW, OFTEN WE'RE NOT ONLY WORRIED ABOUT DOING THE WRONG THING, BUT EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF DOING THE WRONG THING BECAUSE IT BREAKS THE PUBLIC TRUST. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS SPECIFIC PIECE, YOU KNOW, AT THIS MOMENT WHEN LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE VERY WORRIED TO CALL, YOU KNOW, UH, TO OF LIKE ICE OR CUSTOM AND BORDER PATROL OR OTHER AGENCIES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL ASKING 'EM TO SAY LIKE, HEY, YOU CAN TRUST CAMBRIDGE PD. AND I THINK THAT THERE, IT'S NOT ONLY THE DETAILS OF THE SPECIFIC TRAININGS THAT MATTERS, BUT OF COURSE THAT DOES MATTER. BUT ALSO JUST THE APPEARANCE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, THAT THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE AGENCIES THAT BEHAVE IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS. AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TRUST THAT WE REMAIN THAT, UH, WE'RE SEEING THAT DISTINCTION. SO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT BOTH THE ORIGINAL POLICY ORDER AND THE AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? YES, COUNCILLOR ZUZI. I WILL OF COURSE, BE SUPPORTING THIS AS WELL AS, AS WELL AS THE AMENDMENT. I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE AN ICE AGENT WANTING TO WORK FOR OUR SANCTUARY CITY. SO I THINK THE, THE LIKELIHOOD OF, UM, THIS OCCASION, THIS EVER HAPPENING IS UNLIKELY. BUT, UM, JUST IN CASE, UM, WE WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE, WE WANT ICE OUT. THANK YOU. I YIELD, I THINK EVERYONE HAS SPOKEN. I KNOW THAT THE SOLICITOR, UH, HA DID WANNA MENTION SOMETHING. SOLICITOR, THANK YOU THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UM, AND I'M GONNA LET, UH, FIRST ASSISTANT CITY SOLICITOR, KATE MOLA JUMP IN, UM, TO JUST LET EVERYONE KNOW THERE IS A LEGAL CHALLENGE. WE DO HAVE TO MOVING THIS FORWARD. UM, I, I HEAR THE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT AND I, I DEFINITELY THINK THIS IS A, A NOBLE CAUSE, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME CONSTRAINTS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE OFFICERS, UH, ARE SUBJECT TO THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW. SO I'LL LET KATE, UH, SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. AND FOR YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UM, AS SOLICITOR BAYER SAID, THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE A CIVIL SERVICE POSITION, WHICH MEANS WE NEED TO FOLLOW NOT ONLY THE CIVIL SERVICE STATUTES, BUT ALL ALSO THE RULES AND PROCEDURES THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE HAVE PUT INTO PLACE. UM, SO IN ORDER TO HIRE A POLICE OFFICER IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, WE HAVE TO, UH, FOLLOW THE PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATIVE RULES, I THINK THEY'RE CALLED, WHICH MEANS THAT WE NEED TO ASK FOR A LIST OF ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES TO BE A POLICE OFFICER FROM, UM, HRD, THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION OF CIVIL SERVICE, UH, THEY COMPILE A LIST BASED ON, UH, TEST SCORES AND, UM, MERIT. AND THE MERIT, UH, EXCEPTIONS CAN BE FOR, SAY, A DISABLED VETERAN, A VETERAN, A SON OR DAUGHTER OF A POLICE OFFICER WHO HAS FALLEN IN THE LINE OF DUTY. AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHERS, UH, BUT HRD COMPILES THAT LIST IN ALL CITIES AND TOWNS WHO ARE IN CIVIL SERVICE NEED TO FOLLOW THAT LIST IN THE ORDER IN WHICH HRD PROVIDES IT. UH, THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION TO THAT THAT DOES NOT APPLY HERE, SO I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THAT. UM, IF, SAY CAMBRIDGE WANTED TO BYPASS OR SKIP OVER, SAY THE PERSON IN NUMBER ONE, TO GO INTO THE PERSON WHO'S IN NUMBER TWO, IT NEEDS TO BE FOR, UH, AN APPROVED REASON APPROVED BY THE HRD AND THE CIVIL SERVICE. SO AN EXAMPLE MAY BE, UH, SAY FOR A POLICE OFFICER, IF SOMEBODY HAS A TERRIBLE DRIVING RECORD, THEY'RE GONNA BE EXPECTED TO BE DRIVING CITY PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. UM, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN CIVIL SERVICES ALLOWED US TO BYPASS A PERSON BECAUSE OF A TERRIBLE DRIVING RECORD. UM, IF THEY [01:55:01] FAIL A BACKGROUND CHECK BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN, UM, CONVICTED OF A CRIMINAL OFFENSE THAT THE CITY FEELS THAT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR A POLICE OFFICER TO BE EMPLOYED BY THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, THEY HAVE ALLOWED A BYPASS FOR THOSE REASONS. UM, IF THE CITY WANTS TO BYPASS A CANDIDATE IN ORDER TO GO TO THE NEXT CANDIDATE BEFORE IT CAN BYPASS THIS PERSON, IT NEEDS TO ASK THE CIVIL SERVICE FOR PERMISSION, AND THEY NEED TO GRANT IT BEFORE WE CAN BYPASS THAT PERSON. UM, BASED ON OUR REVIEW OF THE REASONS WHY THE CIVIL SERVICE HAS ALLOWED A BYPASS, WE FIND IT VERY UNLIKELY. IT'S OUR OPINION THAT IT'S VERY UNLIKELY THAT THEY WOULD ALLOW A BYPASS JUST BECAUSE OF WHERE SOMEONE HAS BEEN EMPLOYED IN THE PAST WITHOUT MORE, IT COULD BE FOR CONDUCT, BUT NOT JUST, WE FIND IT UNLIKELY THAT IT COULD BE JUST BECAUSE OF SOMEBODY'S PAST EMPLOYMENT. AND, UH, JUST TO ADD ALSO THAT AN OPTION WOULD BE HERE AS A HOME RULE PETITION BECAUSE, UM, THIS IS PART OF THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW. WE COULD ASK THE LEGISLATURE TO ALLOW SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE, LIKE WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST FOR BOTH THE POLICE CADET AND THE FIRE CADET PROGRAM, WHERE WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO GIVE PREFERENCE TO THE CADETS UNLESS WE GOT LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL. COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER. THANKS. I WAS GONNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY STAFF FOR THAT, UH, RESPONSE AND ELABORATION HELPFUL AND SORT OF, SORT OF UNDERSTANDING THE CASE LAW AROUND IT. UM, WHAT, UH, MS. BAYER SAID WAS WHAT I WAS GONNA SUGGEST OR, OR, UH, SORT OF FRAMING ON IT OF, UM, I THINK WE CAN SORT OF FIGURE OUT NEXT STEPS OFFLINE. AND IF THIS PASSES, HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT OF IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A HOME RULE PETITION, IF WE NEED TO HAVE SOME MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH CIVIL SERVICE. UM, I THINK THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF AGREEMENT HERE. THERE'S SOME, UH, QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO DO IT FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE. AND AS, AS COUNCILOR NOLAN, UH, HAS OFTEN RAISED THE MERITS OF CIVIL SERVICE IN GENERALLY, WHICH WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A, HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT AS WELL. SO, UM, ALL THAT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, AFTER IF THIS PO IF THIS PASSES, I'M DOWN TO FOLLOW, FOLLOW UP WITH Y'ALL AND, AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE, THE NEXT STEP SHOULD BE. SO WE HAVE THE AMENDMENT BEFORE US, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZI? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNSELOR ZUI? YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE AMENDMENT PASSES. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADD COUNCILOR ZUBE TO THE POLICY ORDER AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THAT, PLEASE. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCIL MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR, COUNSELOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. COUNCILOR ZUBI IS ADDED TO THE POLICY ORDER. WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADOPTING THE POLICY ORDER AS AMENDED. COUNCILOR ZUBI? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNSELOR. COUNSELOR NOLAN? YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNSELOR ZUI. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE POLICY ORDER AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED. SO JUST A TIME CHECK. WE'RE AT SEVEN 30. WE HAVE ABOUT, UM, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 POLICY ORDERS TO GO. AND SO WE'LL GO RIGHT AWAY TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO, PROTECTING ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND CONDEMNING ATTACKS ON HIGHER EDUCATION. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN, MYSELF, COUNCILLOR ZUBIE AND VICE INE COUNCILLOR NOLAN. YOU HAVE THE FOUR. THANK YOU MAYOR SIDIKI. AND I'LL BE VERY BRIEF. I JUST WANTED TO REMIND US ALL WE ARE IN A MOMENT OF TREMENDOUS PERIL. AS WE JUST HEARD ON SAFETY, WE'RE ALSO IN A MOMENT OF TREMENDOUS ECONOMIC PERIL BECAUSE OF THE ATTACKS ON, UH, HIGHER EDUCATION AND SCIENCE. AND THE REASON THIS IS IMPORTANT TO CAMBRIDGE SPECIFICALLY, THIS ISN'T JUST A SYMBOLIC MOVE. OUR ECONOMY IS RELIANT ON A HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE INNOVATION ECONOMY THAT COMES. IN FACT, HALF OF KENDALL SQUARE AND HALF OF OUR, UH, DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS THAT HAVE COME IN, IN THE LAST TWO DECADES HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY TIED TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND GOVERNMENT FUNDING, UH, AND THE HIGHER, HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS WE HAVE. SO IT'S A, IT'S A DEEP ECONOMIC ISSUE THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO US. SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND US ALL OF THAT. IT'S NOT ONLY SYMBOLIC, IT IS A MORAL CASE, BUT IT ALSO IS DEEPLY SENT. IT'S REALLY CENTRAL TO OUR EXISTENCE AS A CITY. AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT GIVEN THAT SOME OTHER PLACES IN SOCIETY ARE NOT STANDING UP FOR US TO FIRMLY, FULLY [02:00:01] AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY LET THE, EVERYONE IN THIS SECTOR KNOW THAT WE AS A CITY WILL BE STANDING UP THERE. AND JUST TO LET MY COLLEAGUES KNOW, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THERE'S CITIES ACROSS IN A FEW OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTRY THAT ARE PASSING SIMILAR RESOLUTIONS. THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT HAVE ALREADY PASSED IN CALIFORNIA, AND THERE'S OTHERS THAT WILL BE MOVING FORWARD. SO I HOPE WE CAN PASS THIS WITH STRONG SUPPORT IN ORDER TO, UM, TO TAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT HOW CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IT'S FOR OUR CITY. THANK YOU. I YIELD COUNCILOR ZUBY. YES. SOME QUICK COMMENTS. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, AND MY COLLEAGUES, ESPECIALLY COUNCILOR NOLAN, FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. I WANTED TO PULL THIS ALSO, UH, PULL THIS ALSO TO NOTE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CHILLING EFFECT THIS FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION HAS PUT ON OUR UNIVERSITIES, OUR, OUR NATION, AND THE WORLD. AS A RECENT GRADUATE FROM HARVARD, I WANNA RECOGNIZE HARVARD'S EFFORTS TO PUSH BACK AS A GLOBAL LEADER IN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION AND ACADEMIA. WE NEED TO STAND WITH HARVARD AS THE ADVOCATES FOR ITSELF. WE ALSO MUST RECOGNIZE WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO IN TERMS OF PROTECTING STUDENTS, STAFF AND EDUCATORS, CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ON CAMPUS. AND TO APPRECIATE THAT, LIKE WE DEFEND HARVARD, WE NEED IT TO BE A LEADER IN TRUTH, CARE AND DIGNITY IN, IN THE WORLD AND INNER CITY. I, I'LL YIELD. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS? HEARING? NONE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADOPTION ON COUNCILOR NOLAN'S. MOTION. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE. YES. COUNSELOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNSELOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNSELOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SIMMONS HERE. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE POLICY NUMBER. POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO IS ADOPTED. WE'RE GOING TO POLICY ROOM NUMBER THREE THAT THE CITY MANAGERS REQUESTED DIRECT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY, LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS OF PERMITTING QUALIFIED THIRD PARTY GUARANTORS OR CO-SIGNERS FOR APPLICANTS TO INCLUSIONARY HOUSING UNITS. AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO WHETHER SUCH A POLICY COULD RESPONS FOR THE EXPAND ACCESS UNITS. THIS WAS FILED BY VICE MAYOR AZI, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER AND COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. THIS WAS PULLED BY COUNCILLOR ZUZI. I'LL GO TO VICE MAYOR AZI, IF HE WANTS TO YIELD, HE CAN DO THAT. UM, SOUNDS GOOD. I'LL JUST GIVE A 32ND EXPLANATION OF WHAT OUR INTENT WAS, WHICH IS, LET'S SAY THAT IT WOULD TAKE $60,000 FOR A HOUSEHOLD TO QUALIFY FOR AN INCLUSIONARY UNIT IF THEY MAKE LESS THAN THAT, BUT THEY HAVE A GUARANTOR THAT LIKE, HEY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN DEFINITELY PAY RENT AND OTHERWISE WE'LL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE JUST LIKE FOR NORMAL RENTING UNITS. LIKE, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD EXPLORE? JUST BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MEET THE INCOME THRESHOLD JUST BY A LITTLE BIT. DO ANY OF THE OTHER CO-SPONSORS LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? HEARING NONE? WE'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR ZUZI. UH, THANK YOU, UH, THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI. SO MOSTLY I, I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, I WONDER WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS MIGHT BE. WOULD IT ENCOURAGE PARENTS OF GRADUATE STUDENTS TO CO-SIGN APARTMENTS? AND IF WE, AND WHO DO WE WANT THE INCLUSIONARY UNITS FOR? DO WE WANT THEM? I KNOW MANY GRADUATE STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, HOPE THAT THEY'LL GET THE INCLUSIONARY UNITS, WHICH IS WHY THEY'VE SUPPORTED, UM, SO MANY UPZONING, UM, PROPOSALS. BUT, UH, OR DO WE WANT OUR WORKFORCE TO BE WORK LIVING IN THOSE INCLUSIONARY UNITS? SO I GUESS MY REAL QUESTION IS, UM, I JUST WANTED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WOULD BE. HAS IT BEEN DONE OTHER PLACES? YEAH, PLEASE. UM, PLEASE HELP ME UNDERSTAND THIS BETTER. THANK YOU. UM, I, I WILL JUST ANSWER COUNSELOR, I'M SORRY. VICE MAYOR AZI. I'LL JUST ANSWER BRIEFLY BY SAYING THAT, UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT GRAD SCHOOL STUDENTS AND INCLUSIONARY, UM, FOREVER. AND WE HAVE WAYS OF LIKE PRIORITIZING SINCE THAT THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE, BUT ALSO GRAD STUDENTS, AT LEAST FOR ALL THE MAJOR UNIVERSITIES IN THE AREA, UM, MAKE MORE THAN THIS WOULD AFFECT. AND SO THIS IS REALLY FOR LOWER INCOME THRESHOLD RESIDENTS. UM, I THINK THAT WE'LL GET LIKE, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION BACK FROM CG D ABOUT HOW EXACTLY THEY WOULD IMPLEMENT THIS IN ALL THOSE DETAILS. SO I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS POLICY ORDER, YOU CAN SEE HOW MANY CLAUSES THERE WERE ABOUT LIKE WHAT'S A REASONABLE WAY TO EXPAND THIS AND TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS. AND SO I WOULD JUST SAY THIS IS A FIRST STEP. COUNCILOR SUZI, UM, YES. AGAIN, THROUGH YOU MAYOR SIDIKI, UH, TO COUNCILOR AZI. AND I'M SORRY I DIDN'T TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THIS EARLIER, BUT IS THIS STORY BEING DONE OTHER PLACES? CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT MORE HISTORY ABOUT THIS? THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR AZI. UM, SURE. I THINK THAT EVERY CITY DOES INCLUSIONARY HOUSING [02:05:01] ITS OWN WAY. LIKE THE WAY THAT WE DO IT IS VERY UNIQUE. IT'S ALL CITY ORDINANCES. THERE'S NO STATEWIDE POLICY. EACH CITY CAN DETERMINE NOT EVERYTHING, BUT WITHIN A WIDE RANGE OF SCOPE, EXACTLY HOW THEY WANNA DO IT, WHO IS QUALIFIED, WHO IS NOT QUALIFIED. SO, YOU KNOW, WE DO A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT OTHER PLACES DON'T DO. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, AT OTHER PLACES THERE'S A SET RENT. LIKE, LET'S SAY IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, 30% OF YOUR INCOME, WHICH MIGHT BE $2,000. IN OTHER PLACES IT'S $2,000 AND IT'S SET FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. OURS IS DYNAMICS. IT'S SET. IF YOUR INCOME DECREASES OR INCREASES, THAT 2000 IS ACTUALLY VARIABLE OVER TIME. UM, AND THIS IS JUST ONE OTHER WAY OF TRYING TO GET, YOU KNOW, I THINK A FREQUENT CRITIQUE WE GET IS LIKE, HEY, IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF MORE LOW INCOME RESIDENTS OR EVEN LOWER INCOME COULD QUALIFY FOR INCLUSIONARY. AND THIS MEAN LIKE A VERY SMALL ADJUSTMENT. YOU COULD MAKE ZUZI. THANK YOU. DO FOLKS HAVE OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS ON THIS POLICY ORDER BEFORE WE MOVE ON? HEARING NONE, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THE ORDER. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNSELOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR EY. PRESENT. PRESENT. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. AND ONE RECORDED IS PRESENT. POLICY ORDER NUMBER THREE IS ADOPTED. WE NOW MOVE ON TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER FOUR, THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS HEREBY REQUESTED TO, TO DIRECT THE LAW DEPARTMENT TO DRAFT ORDINANCE LANGUAGE RESTRICTING THE USE OF CITY OWNED OR CITY CONTROLLED PROPERTY FACILITIES, RESOURCES, AND PERSONNEL FOR THE PURPOSE OF FEDERAL CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. AND THAT THE LAW DEPARTMENT EVALUATE WHETHER THESE PROTECTIONS SHOULD BE ADOPTED AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE, AS WE HEARD EARLIER FROM THE CITY MANAGER. UM, AND I THINK AS MY COLLEAGUE, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, UH, ELOQUENTLY STATED ABOUT THE TIME THAT WE'RE IN, UM, A LOT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS AROUND WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING HAD BEEN STARTED BY THE COUNCIL, UH, PROBABLY LIKE A LITTLE OVER 3, 4, 3 WEEKS AGO. I'D SAY BEFORE ANY KIND OF EXECUTIVE ORDER HAD BEEN ISSUED. THINGS, UH, MOVE REALLY QUICKLY. AND SO WHEN BOSTON DOES SOMETHING WE WANNA DO WITH THEM, BUT THE COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON AMENDING OUR, UH, WELCOMING CITY, UH, ORDINANCE, UM, WAS, UH, BEING HAD. AND, UH, I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WHY WE NEED SOMETHING LIKE THIS. AND, UH, WHY, UH, AS A CITY, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT AND WE KNOW OUR WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE, UM, HAS BEEN, UM, A VERY DELIBERATE CHOICE BY THIS COUNCIL. AND TO STRENGTHEN IT LIKE WE DID LAST TERM. WE DID SO. AND I THINK THERE'S ALSO, UH, ALWAYS ROOM TO FIGURE OUT, UH, WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING, UH, WHETHER, UH, WE CAN DO MORE, UM, AND TO REALLY MAKE SURE IT'S IN AN ORDINANCE ITSELF. UH, AND SO THAT'S REALLY THE INTENT AND FOR THE LAW DEPARTMENT, UH, TO COME BACK AND, UH, I SPOKE TO THE SOLICITOR ON THIS AND MY CO-SPONSORS AROUND BRINGING THIS FORWARD AT THIS TIME, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT AS EACH CITY TAKES THESE ACTIONS AS WE DO MORE ON THIS, THAT WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME BA PAGE AND NOT MISSING ANYTHING. SO REALLY, THAT'S THE INTENT, UH, OVER HERE. AND THIS WAS FILED BY MYSELF, COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, AND COUNCILLOR NOLAN. IF THEY'D LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING, FEEL FREE. IF NOT, THERE ARE, OH, GO AHEAD. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. UM, I WAS GONNA SAY, I CAN, I, I CAN WAIT, BUT I DO WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR WORK ON THIS. AND, AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CODIFY THESE, YOU KNOW, THESE CHANGES AND THESE THINGS IN OUR WELCOMING CITY ORDINANCE. WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THAT, UH, OVER THE LAST, OVER THE LAST TERM. UM, AND AGAIN, IT'S SORT OF SIMILAR TO, UH, POLICY ORDER NUMBER ONE IN, IN DOING WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, PROTECTING THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AND, AND THE FOLKS WHO LIVE HERE, UH, FROM THIS OVERREACH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW THAT WE, OH, GO AHEAD, COUNCILOR NOLAN. YEAH, I JUST, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN, BUT WE'RE FACING THIS INCREDIBLE ONSLAUGHT AND A, A ASSAULT, IT'S KIND OF STUNNING AND WHAT'S IMPLICIT IN HERE, BUT NOT AS, I THINK, UM, SPECIFIC AS IT CAN BE. WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE EMPOWERED AND ENTRUSTED WITHOUT ENDANGERING THEMSELVES FROM MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE ENFORCING OUR OWN LAWS. I MEAN, THAT, THAT, THAT'S THIS EXCRUCIATINGLY DIFFICULT POSITION WE'RE IN. THIS IS TRYING TO GET US TO A POINT WHERE WE ARE NOT ENABLING OR HELPING 'CAUSE THAT'S THEIR JOB. IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE, WE NECESSARILY INTERFERE, BUT WE DON'T WANNA DO THEIR JOB. WE DON'T OUR OFFICERS TO DO THEIR JOB. BUT [02:10:01] THERE'S ANOTHER PROBLEM, WHICH IS PEOPLE COMING IN AND BREAKING THE LAW. IF, IF I GO SMASH SOMEBODY'S WINDOW AND DRAG 'EM OUT OF THE CAR, WE WANT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO DEAL WITH ME APPROPRIATELY SO THAT THAT'S WRONG AND AGAINST LAWS. AND YET IT'S A TRICKY SITUATION IF I AND A FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICER DOES IT. IT SEEMS TO HAVE JUST ENDED UP BEING, SO, I, I APPRECIATE THIS, BUT I WANNA REMIND US ALL OF THIS REALLY, UM, ALMOST THIN EDGE THAT WE'RE ON THAT IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE AND WE NEED OUR POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT AROUND. BUT I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU, MAYOR SADIKI, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE CO-SPONSORS ON THIS, TO, WE'RE TRYING TO WALK A FINE LINE AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS AS BEST WE CAN. AND YET, AS YOU INDICATED, WE'RE SOMEWHAT LIMITED BECAUSE OF WE'RE A MUNICIPALITY. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR NOLAN. AND I'LL JUST WANNA ADD, UM, THE BACK AND FORTH THAT I HAVE HAD ON THE SOLICITOR WITH THIS IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, UM, WHILE IMPORTANT, UM, ORDINANCES ARE MUCH HARDER TO CHANGE. UH, AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE HAVE EVERYTHING, THE ORDINANCE. UH, AND SO, UH, THAT'S ALSO A REASON THAT THIS IS HERE. I UNDERSTAND THAT COUNCILOR ZUBIE HAS, UH, AMENDMENTS, SO I'LL GO TO HER FOR HER AMENDMENTS, UM, TO WALK THROUGH US, UH, WALK THOSE THROUGH WITH US. COUNCILOR ZUBE. YEAH. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I, I FIRST WANNA THANK YOU AND SOLICITOR BAYER FOR, FOR YOUR WORK ON HELPING CODIFY CITY MANAGER WONG'S EXECUTIVE ORDER INTO OUR WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE. I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD RESTRICTING FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT FROM USING CITY PROPERTY TO TERRORIZE OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS. I, I WANT TO NOTE AN EARLIER UPDATE FROM THE CITY MANAGER THAT IS, IS, IS SO IMPORTANT THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ENGAGEMENT IN THIS EXECUTIVE ORDERS, ESPECIALLY ON THE ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY PIECE, IS SUPER CLEAR IN THEIR POLICIES AND TRAINING, BECAUSE TO SOME EXTENT, I FEAR THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID IN, IN AN ICE POLICE RESIDENCE SITUATION COULD SURFACE IN THIS APPROACH AS WELL, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO ADD THE ROLE OF, OF LEGAL OBS OBSERVATION TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WHEN THAT HAS NOT NECESSARILY BEEN THE NATURE OF, OF THEIR WORK. BUT IN TERMS OF THIS AMENDMENT TONIGHT, TO ENSURE WE'RE BEING AS AGGRESSIVE AS POSSIBLE AND ALIGNED ALSO WITH OTHER SANCTUARY JURISDICTIONS. A AS WE SAW TWO WEEKS AGO, HSI CONDUCTED AN OPERATION AT LESLIE UNIVERSITY WITH CAMBRIDGE POLICE DETECTIVES ON HAND FOR WHAT WAS DEEMED OFFICER AND COMMUNITY SAFETY. WHILE CPDS RESPONSE TO OUR PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST CONFIRMED THAT THIS INVOLVED A JUDICIAL WARRANT FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND NOT AN ADMINISTRATIVE ICE WARRANT, IT HIGHLIGHTS EXACTLY WHY WE NEED STRONGER PROTECTIONS. I, I THINK RECENT REPORTING HAS DOCUMENTED A SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONAL SHIFT. ICE IS NO LONGER THE ONLY AGENCY CONDUCTING CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. THIS ADMINISTRATION IS NOW DELIBERATELY BLURRING THE LINES BETWEEN MULTIPLE AGENCIES. WE'VE SEEN H-S-I-C-P-B AND ICE AND BORDER PATROL ARE NOW OPERATING UNDER THIS MORE UNIFIED COMMAND STRUCTURE TO CARRY OUT MASS DEPORTATIONS. BORDER PATROL'S TACTICAL UNIT HAS CONDUCTED INTERIOR ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS HERE IN BOSTON. HSI WORK SITE OPERATIONS RESULT PREDOMINANTLY IN CIVIL IMMIGRATION ARRESTS AND NOT CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS. AND SO WHEN THESE AGENCIES DEPLOY JOINTLY, IT BECOMES FUNCTIONALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR LOCAL OFFICIALS TO DETERMINE WHICH SPECIFIC SUB-AGENCY IS EXERCISING IMMIGRATION AUTHORITY. SO THE GOAL IN THIS AMENDMENT FOLLOWS THE MODEL ESTABLISHED BY MINNEAPOLIS, SAN FRANCISCO AND NEW YORK, AND UPDATING OUR LANGUAGE FROM AGENCY-BASED TO FUNCTION-BASED. UM, AND SO RATHER THAN NAMING SPECIFIC AGENCY, WE CREATED IT SO THAT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S DEEMED UNDER FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITY AS ANY FEDERAL ENTITY WHOSE FUNCTION INCLUDES CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS CLOSES A LEGAL LOOPHOLE THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS ACTIVELY EXPLOITING. WHILE PRESERVER PRESERVING ALL FEDERALLY MAN MANDATED COOPERATION, FEDERAL COURTS HAVE UPHELD MATERIALLY SIMILAR POLICIES AND PEER SANCTUARY JURISDICTIONS HAVE DEMONSTRATED THIS APPROACH WORKS. OUR AMENDMENT ASKED SOLICITOR BEARER TO ENSURE THAT CAMBRIDGE'S PROTECTIONS CANNOT BE CIRCUMVENTED THROUGH JURISDICTIONAL SEMANTICS. IF, IF THIS PASSES, I, I, I'D LOVE TO BE AT IT AS A CO-SPONSOR, BUT THAT'S JUST, UH, THE BACKGROUND ON, ON THE SWITCH TO THE FUNCTION-BASED APPROACH, WHICH WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER SANCTUARY JURISDICTIONS. I YIELD. THANK YOU COUNCILOR ZUBIE. UM, WHILE WE HAVE THE SOLICITOR HERE, UH, WOULD LOVE FOR HER TO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANNA SHARE ANYTHING FROM WHAT YOU'VE SEEN AROUND THIS FUNCTION BASED, UM, DEFINITION WHILE YOU GET UP THERE, COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. THANKS. YEAH, I THINK I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. I THINK EITHER FOR COUNCILOR ZUBIE HERE OR MAYBE ALSO THE SOLICITOR IN TERMS OF, UM, COUNCILORS [02:15:01] BE YOU REFERENCE THE, THE LESLIE SITUATION, JUST WANTED TO, TO CLARIFY, SINCE THAT WAS A JUDICIAL WARRANT, THIS WOULDN'T CHANGE AND ANYTHING IN THAT RESPECT, RIGHT. THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE WOULD, WOULD STILL HAVE HAD TO SHOW UP IN THAT, THAT CASE. UH, THANK YOU THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, TO COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. UM, SO I'M JUST SEEING THE AMENDMENTS NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME, BUT IN GENERAL, OUR WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE, UM, DOESN'T RESTRICT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, FROM PARTICIPATING IN CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT OF ANY TYPE. UM, AND SO, AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE LIMITATIONS ON THAT FOR, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS IMPORTANT REASONS. UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THESE AMENDMENTS, UH, OR THE ORIGINAL POLICY ORDER, UH, DO PUT ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF LIMITATIONS IN PLACE. COUNCILOR, THAT'S IT. I HAD VICE MAYOR, SO I WANNA JUST GO TO VICE MAYOR AZI. SORRY, I SKIPPED OVER YOU. OH, NO WORRIES. UM, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT, UM, I HAD BEEN THINKING AROUND SIMILAR LINES AS COUNCILOR ZUBIE. I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THEY WROTE THIS AMENDMENT. UM, UH, I WAS, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT IN MINNEAPOLIS, A LOT OF THE LATER ACTIVITY WAS NOT ACTUALLY DONE BY ICE, BUT BY CUSTOMS AND BORDER PATROL, UM, WITHIN A RADIUS AROUND THE BORDER. THEY HAVE FAR MORE EXPENSIVE POWERS THAN ICE DOES. AND OF COURSE, WE ARE NEAR A BORDER HERE OURSELVES, UH, BEING THE OCEAN. AND SO I THINK THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY A WONDERFUL AMENDMENT, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE IT. UM, AND I WOULD ALSO LOVE TO BE ADDED TO THE FINAL VERSION ONCE WE'RE THERE. COUNCILOR ZUBIE. YEAH, I THINK ALSO A QUICK RESPONSE TO COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER. I DON'T THINK THE NATURE OF THIS IS TO SAY LIMIT THAT ASPECT OF IT. IT JUST OPENED UP A CONVERSATION WITH THIS SPECIFIC INCIDENT THAT WHAT THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION IS DOING IS EX IS BLATANTLY BLURRING THE LINES ON WHO'S DOING WHAT TO CONTINUE TO DO THE DOMESTIC TERROR THAT THEY'RE DOING. SO THAT'S WHERE THAT WAS COMING FROM. I'LL YIELD ANY, SOMEONE, ANYONE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN YET. YES, I APPRECIATE THE GO. GO AHEAD COUNCIL. UM, CITY SOLICITOR. THANK YOU. UM, AND SO JUST GENERALLY, UH, THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, I, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE THAT, UM, AS COUNCILOR A ZUBI SAID, FOCUS ON THE FUNCTION RATHER THAN THE TITLE. UM, IN OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE, WE DEFINE ICE AS, UH, THE US IMMIGRATION, CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, AND ANY OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY CHARGED WITH THE ENFORCEMENT OF IMMIGRATION LAWS. BUT BECAUSE AS WE'VE HEARD, AND WE'VE ALL SEEN, UM, IT'S BEEN AGENCIES THAT MAY NOT NORMALLY BE CHARGED WITH ENFORCEMENT OF IMMIGRATION LAWS THAT ARE TAKING PART IN THAT ACTION, I THINK IT, UM, WOULD MAKE SENSE AND BE SOMETHING WE COULD DO TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH AMENDMENTS THAT MAKE IT, UH, YOU KNOW, IN LINE WITH WHAT COUNCILLOR ZUBIE IS PROPOSING FOR THE DEFINITION, SO THAT IT'S ANY FEDERAL AGENT, YOU KNOW, WORKING IN THE CAPACITY OF CONDUCTING CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. THANK YOU. YEAH. AS, AS WE'VE HEARD, IT'S SUCH A CHANGING LAND LANDSCAPE. AND, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE AS SPECIFIC, UH, AS POSSIBLE. SO THESE ARE THE AMENDMENTS BEFORE US, I WOULD SUGGEST. OKAY. THERE'S COUNCILLOR SUZI WITH A QUESTION. UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I SUPPORT THE AMENDMENTS AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THE POLICY ORDER. OKAY, GREAT. SO WE'LL DO IS GO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENTS FIRST, AND THEN I'LL ADD WHOEVER WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED. SO ON. COUNSELOR NOLAN, UH, COUNSELOR ZUBIE. UM, AMENDMENTS. LET'S DO ROLL CALL. COUNSELOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. YES. COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY? YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE AMENDMENT'S PASSED. SO WE HAVE AN AMENDED POLICY ORDER BEFORE US. THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO ADD COUNSELOR, VICE MAYOR, WE HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR NAME PLATE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY I KEEP LOOKING OVER HERE. IT SAYS, VICE MAYOR, COUNSELOR ZUI. COUNSELOR ZUBI TO THE POLICY ORDER. BUT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO BE ADDED? HEARING NONE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADD THOSE THREE COUNSELORS TO OUR AMENDED POLICY ORDER. COUNSELOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE? YES. YES. COUNSELOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNSELOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNSELOR [02:20:01] SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SERINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE COUNSELORS ARE ADDED. WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GO AND VOTE TO ADOPT THE AMENDED POLICY ORDER. COUNCILOR ZUBI? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA? YES. FOR COUNCILOR SIMMONS. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS CODED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE POLICY. NUMBER FOUR, AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED, WE'RE GOING TO, TO POLICY NUMBER FIVE, THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS REQUESTED TO WORK WITH RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS TO RAISE THE FEE OF THE PARKING PERMIT PROGRAM FOR ALL RESIDENTS TO $75. CONSIDER HOW TO INCLUDE A SELF-IDENTIFIED CHECKOFF OPTIONS SO AS NOT TO INCREASE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR A SUBSIDIZED FEE OF $25. FOR RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE ENROLLED IN A PROGRAM SUCH AS SNAP OR, OR LOW INCOME, REMOVE THE SENIOR EXEMPTION FOR ALL FOR THE RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT PROGRAM AND LOWER THE NUMBER OF CARS THAT INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO GET A RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT FOR FROM FOUR TO TWO. SO THIS IS FILED BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN, COUNCILLOR ZUZI, COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, AND COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN. THIS WAS PULLED BY COUNCILOR ZUBIE. I'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR NOLAN AS THE LEAD SPONSOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI. JUST TO REMIND ALL OF US, WE ACTUALLY PASSED THIS, THE, THE AMOUNT OF THE FEE AND A REQUEST FOR THIS, I THINK FIVE YEARS AGO, AND THEN FOUR YEARS AGO, AND THEN THREE YEARS AGO, AND WE GOT A REPORT BACK. AND TO LET FOLKS KNOW WHERE THE $75, UH, CAME FROM, IS THAT IS LITERALLY THE MINIMUM COST. IT LITERALLY COSTS THE CITY TO EVEN ISSUE THESE PERMITS. UM, AND AS, UH, RESIDENT, UH, GARY MALLOW SAID IN PUBLIC COMMENT, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SAY, IS THERE ANOTHER WAY TO SAVE MONEY? BUT EVERY SINGLE TIME THAT A PER PARKING PERMIT IS ISSUED FOR LESS THAN $75, WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY ARE SUBSIDIZING THAT PERMIT. SO THIS ISN'T A MATTER OF JUST RAISING TAX WILLING ON, ON, ON EVERYBODY, JUST FOR, UH, UM, BECAUSE WE WANNA RAISE MONEY. IT IS LITERALLY TRYING TO COVER OUR COSTS. AND ARGUABLY IT COULD BE A LOT HIGHER THAN $75. THERE IS A, UM, REQUEST IN HERE, WHICH HAD BEEN MADE, UH, OTHER TIMES TOO, TO SAY, BUT FOR LOW INCOME PEOPLE, KEEP IT AT $25. THAT COULD BE, UH, DONE BY JUST A CHECKOFF. RIGHT? NOW, IF YOU GO TO RENEW YOUR LICENSE OR A LITTLE CHECKOFF, ARE YOU OVER OVER 65 OR HAVE A HANDICAP PERMIT, IN WHICH CASE IT'S FREE. THIS POLICY ORDER, IF IT PASSED, DOES SAY, WHY ARE WE SUBSIDIZING A SENIOR WHO MIGHT BE VERY ABLE TO PAY 75, IF NOT 300 OR $400? WHY DON'T WE JUST MAKE IT THAT THE FOLKS WHO GET THE BREAK OF AND HAVE IT BE REMAIN $25 BE LOW INCOME? AND IT IT, IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENT, THAT ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS DON'T GET EVEN HIGHER. THE IDEA IS LET'S HAVE A CHECK, UH, SIMPLE CHECK OFF. I DID CHECK WITH THE CITY'S LISTER WHO BELIEVES THAT IS, UM, LEGAL FOR US TO DO. IT COULD BE UNDER PAINS OF PENALTY AND PERJURY. I CERTIFY THAT I EITHER, YOU KNOW, LIVE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR USE SNAP BENEFITS OR SOMETHING. YOU CHECK AND AUTOMATICALLY IT'S $25. EVERYONE ELSE PAYS $75. AND THEN THE, THE OTHER PROVISION OF WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE HEAR THAT WE ALLOW EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN THE CITY TO HAVE FOUR CARS GET A RESIDENT PERMIT, I THINK THE USUAL RESPONSE IS SOMEWHAT SHOCK. THIS ONLY SUGGESTS LET'S LIMIT IT TO TWO. AND AS HAS BEEN SAID, THERE'S NOT THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO USE THAT. BUT IT, AGAIN, TO, IN GOOD PUBLIC POLICY, YOU ALWAYS WANNA HAVE AS CLEAN A, UH, AN ORDINANCE AS A, A SYSTEM AS POSSIBLE. SO WHAT THIS DOES IS REALLY ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR FOR YEARS AND YEARS. AND THE ONLY THING I MIGHT ADD, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO ADD TO IT, OR JUST LET THE CITY KNOW THAT WE SHOULD ALSO REVIEW THE COSTS EVERY, EVERY FIVE YEARS. MAYBE IF IT TURNS OUT THAT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW IT'S COSTING US A HUNDRED DOLLARS TO ISSUE A PERMIT, THEN IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE INCREASED TO A HUNDRED. JUST TO REMIND PEOPLE, $75 IS FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR OF PARKING ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY IN ANY RESIDENT SPOT. AND IF YOU OWN A CAR, $75 IS NOT VERY MUCH. THE PARKING PERMITS, UH, HAVE JUST BEEN GONE UP TO, I THINK, $40 A TICKET, UM, JUST FOR ONE PARKING VIOLATION. UM, SO I DO HOPE THIS PASSES. I HOPE THE CITY IS HEARING US LOUD AND CLEAR THAT WE WANT THIS TO HAPPEN IN TIME FOR NEXT YEAR. THIS STARTS TO BE, UM, TO BE DONE AND, AND WE ALL GET TO DO OUR PERMITS STARTING IN THE FALL. BUT I, I WOULD SAY, UM, I KNOW IT WAS RAISED, I, IN FULL DISCLOSURE, ALTHOUGH ANYBODY CAN LOOK IT UP IN THE PUBLIC RECORD, I ACTUALLY AM OVER 65. IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT I PAID NOTHING FOR MY RESIDENT PARKING PERMIT THIS YEAR. I'D MUCH RATHER PAY $75 [02:25:01] AND KNOW THAT WE ARE, UM, COVERING OUR COSTS AS OPPOSED TO MAKING EVERYBODY IN THE CITY WHO DON'T, WHO DOESN'T HAVE A CAR, SUBSIDIZE THOSE OF US WITH CARS. SO, I, UM, JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN WHERE THE 75 CAME FROM AND, AND THE CONTEXT FOR THIS. THANK YOU MAYOR SADIKA YIELD. I'M GOING TO GO TO THE OTHER CO-SPONSORS IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD. AND THEN I HAVE COUNCILLOR ZUBE, AND THEN COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. AND THEN COUNCILLOR ZZI. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UM, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT COUNCILOR NOLAN SAID, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE DID HEAR FROM SOME FOLKS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS, UH, SENIORS WHO ARE ON FIXED INCOMES AND ALSO, UH, FOLKS WHO HAVE HANDICAP PLACARDS. SO I THINK WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THOSE, UH, FOLKS THAT ARE IN, UH, WHO CAN'T AFFORD THE $75. BUT I WOULD AGREE THAT, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN, AND, AND AS COUNSELOR NOLAN SAID, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH THIS IS COVERING OUR COSTS, IT IT IS, THAT COST COMES SOME, IT'S, IT'S STILL A SAVINGS, RIGHT? AND, AND, AND, AND SO IT'S, IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT CERTAINLY IN IN, IN THE TIMES THAT WE'RE IN FINANCIALLY, THAT WE, WE, WE, WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WAYS TO SAVE MONEY AND NOT, AND AT LEAST COVERING OUR COSTS IS, IS, IS, IS A PIECE OF THAT. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK $75 IS NECESSARILY ENOUGH TO, TO DISSUADE PEOPLE FROM NOT HAVING A CAR. I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S A CAR ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE THAT LITERALLY HAS NOT MOVED IN TWO MONTHS, AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA MOVE TILL SEPTEMBER BECAUSE IT'S COMPLETELY ICED IN IT, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMEONE WHO, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHY IT HASN'T MOVED IN TWO MONTHS, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY NEED THEIR CAR A LOT. AND YET FOR 25 BUCKS, THEY GET TO PARK IT AND TAKE UP, YOU KNOW, IT TAKE UP A PARKING SPACE. AND SO, AS PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE LOSING PARKING SPACES, WE NEED TO HELP WITH PARKING. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ALLOW SOMEONE FOR 25 BUCKS TO PARK THEIR CAR ON THE STREET AND LEAVE IT THERE AND USE IT TWICE A YEAR, YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD AT LEAST COVER THE COST FOR THAT, THAT, UH, PRIVILEGE. SO, UM, I SUPPORT THIS AND, AND I HOPE IT PASSES TONIGHT. I, YOU KNOW, CONCERT IS ZUZI. YEAH. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I, I ALSO SUPPORT THIS. I'M A CO-SPONSOR. UM, I HOPE THIS TIME MAYBE THE, THE PARKING PERMITS WILL ACTUALLY GO UP SINCE THIS HAS BEEN VOTED ON SO MANY DIFFERENT TIMES. UM, I JUST WANTED TO TELL JASON ALS THAT WE, WE HEARD HIM, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, EMPLOYEES OF SMALL BUSINESSES NEED PLACES TO PARK AND, UM, PERHAPS THIS WILL HELP TO RELEASE SOME SPACES. BUT, UM, I'M HOPING THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UM, COUNSELOR FLAHERTY AND I CAN, WILL BE HOLDING A MEETING, UH, TO FIGURE OUT OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE THAT, UM, COMMERCIAL VITALITY IN THE CITY TO KEEP IT, UH, AS THE PLACE WE ALL WANNA LIVE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SERENA WHEELER. THANKS, MADAM MAYOR. JUST BRIEFLY, AND YEAH, HAPPY TO, TO CO-SPONSOR THIS. I WAS JUST GONNA, UH, SAY, I THINK THE, THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS IS, IS WHAT SUBSIDY THE CITY SHOULD GIVE. IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE ACTUAL COST OF PARKING IS, IF, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE STREET PARKING, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO RENT, TO RENT A PARKING SPOT? YOU LOOK AT ANY GARAGE, ANY SURFACE LOT IN THE CITY, PROBABLY MORE THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, YOU'RE PAYING AT LEAST MORE THAN A HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH. AT LEAST THAT'S MORE THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR. WE ARE CHARGING YOU $75 FOR IT, WHICH MEANS THE CITY IS GIVING EVERY CAR OWNER IN THE CITY A THOUSAND DOLLARS SUBSIDY WHERE WE'RE REDUCING THAT SUBSIDY, YOU KNOW, BY $50. BY MAKE IT 25 TO 75, WE'RE STILL GIVING EVERY CAR OWNER A THOUSAND DOLLARS SUBSIDY THAT WE'RE NOT GIVING TO ANY PERSON WHO DOESN'T HAVE A CAR. SO, CAR OWNERS ARE STILL GETTING A BIG, BIG BENEFIT FROM THE CITY. I HAVE A CAR MYSELF, YOU KNOW, I'M ONE OF THE FOLKS THAT GETTING A BENEFIT. THIS IS THE LEAST WE CAN DO TO, TO, TO MAKE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR THE, THE, UH, SUBSIDY THEY'RE GETTING FROM THE, THE CITY. IT'S A, IT'S A PIECE. AND, BUT JUST TO THINK ABOUT THE TRUE COST OF THAT SUBSIDY AND THE, THE EXTERNALITIES OF THAT, UM, I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE, THAT CONVERSATION. SO, I, YOU BACK. THANK YOU. I WILL GO TO COUNCILOR ZUBY, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, AND THEN COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I, I THINK THIS IS A LEGITIMATE REVENUE RESOURCE TO CONSIDER. I BELIEVE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A SELF-IDENTIFIED CHECKOFF OPTION FOR OUR RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ARE RECEIVING SNAP BENEFITS OR LOW INCOME, THAT IT SHOULD BE LOWERED FROM 25 TO ZERO. MY UNDERSTANDING IN THIS CONVERSATION IS THAT WE DON'T WISH TO ADD ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. AND IF WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD ON A SELF-IDENTIFYING OPTION, I THINK THE FEE FOR THOSE FOLKS SHOULD REALLY JUST BE ELIMINATED AT THE END OF THE DAY. LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, MOST SNAP RECIPIENTS HAVE READILY ACCESSIBLE BENEFITS VERIFICATION FORMS THAT CAN HELP VERIFY THEIR ELIGIBILITY, WHICH WE COULD THEORETICALLY USE, WHICH CAN ALSO BE ACCESSED FOR THEM ELECTRONICALLY AND COULD SIMPLY BE INCLUDED [02:30:01] IN, IN THE APPLICATION. THE CITY SHOULD ALSO, I THINK, HAVE SOME LEVEL OF DATA ON SNAP RECIPIENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN, IN THE ONGOING LITIGATION THAT'S HAPPENING TO CUT PROGRAM FUNDING. I MEAN, FOR US, $25 MAY FEEL INCONSEQUENTIAL, BUT IT, IT CAN BE SIGNIFICANT FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, ECONOMIC SHORTFALLS IN OUR NEED FOR REVENUE SHOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE SHOULDERED AT ALL BY THOSE WHO ARE FIGHTING EVERY DAY TO AVOID BEING PRICED OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND WITH THIS GREAT ADJUSTMENT ON THE SELF-IDENTIFICATION PIECE, WHICH IS GREAT, IT, IT MAKES SENSE TO HELP OUT OUR, OUR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS HERE, , COUNCILOR SIMMONS, UH, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. UH, I, THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE HAD ONCE BEFORE. I DO REMEMBER, UH, DURING A TERM WHERE COUNCILOR KUMI WAS SERVING, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT RAISING THIS, AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, SENIORS IN PARTICULAR. AND ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, IT MAY BE IN RECOMMENDATION THAT HE BROUGHT FORWARD, WAS THAT IF A PERSON WANTED TO PAY MORE, THEY COULD. SO WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, WELL, I AM 65 AND I THINK IT'S TOO LOW, I PAY MORE, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T STOP ANYONE FROM PAYING MORE. SO THAT'S ONE THING. I'M TROUBLED BY THE FACT THAT IT, IT JUST, THE SENIORS NO LONGER GET THEIR EXEMPTION. AND THE ONLY WAY THEY MAY FIND OUT THIS HAPPENS WITH SENIORS A LOT, IS WHEN THEY GET A NOTICE THAT IT'S TIME TO RENEW YOUR PARKING PERMIT. AND OH, BY THE WAY, IT'S $75 AND OH, BY THE WAY, THE WAY YOU NO LONGER GET AN EXEMPTION. SO THAT BOTHERS ME A BIT. AND THEN LASTLY, UH, THE WHOLE IDEA OF MEANS TESTING IT, SAYING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT ARE ON SNAP OR SOME OTHER, UH, SOCIAL BENEFIT, THEY MAY OR MAY NOT WANNA BE STANDING IN LINE AND COME AND HAVE TO SPILL THEIR WHOLE LIFE STORY ABOUT WHY THIS IS A LITTLE BIT HIGH FOR ME TO, TO BE PAID, BUT I DO NEED THE ABILITY TO PARK ON THE STREET. UM, MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF BE, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE DESERVING AND SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. THEY DON'T WANNA BE, UH, HOW I PUT THIS, UH, PUT OUT LIKE THAT. AND SO, UM, I WOULD LOVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO AT LEAST A FEW OF THE CO-SPONSORS ON THIS. SO I DO KNOW MR. ETTE, COUNCIL FLAHERTY WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS. SO, MADAM CHAIR, YOU AS THE CHAIR HAD THE PREROGATIVE. I INTEND TO MOVE MY CHARTER, RIGHT, WHICH I CAN DO NOW, OR I CAN, UH, YIELD TO COUNCIL FLAHERTY. AND THEN, AS OPPOSED TO THIS BEING SET UP FOR A VOTE, IT GOES THE CHARTER RIGHT? PREVAILS, I WOULD SAY SINCE IT'S 8 0 4, LET'S, UH, GO AHEAD AND COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, YOU'VE EXERCISED YOUR CHARTER, RIGHT? SO WE'LL SEE THIS, UM, IN A FEW WEEKS, WE'LL GO TO POLICY RULE NUMBER SIX, THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS REQUESTED TO WORK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS ON THE PROCESS BY WHICH CAMBRIDGE CAN EXPAND FREE EARLY CHILDCARE OFFERINGS, INCLUDING MODELS FOR MEAN TESTED PROGRAMMING AND EXPLORATION OF NON-CITY FUNDING SOURCES FROM THE STATE OR FOUNDATIONS. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, AND MYSELF, AND IT WAS PULLED BY COUNCILLOR ZUZI. I'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR NOLAN. COUNCILLOR NOLAN, UH, THANK YOU. UM, MAYOR SIDIKI, THE POLICY ORDER EXPLAINS WHY IT IS THAT THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF, OF OUR, OUR CITY. I MEAN, IT REALLY IS. BUILDING ON A PROGRAM THAT TOOK 15 YEARS IS ALL DESCRIBED HERE. IN FACT, ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES I REMEMBER I WAS ON SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND, UH, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN WAS ACTUALLY ON THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE AT THE TIME AND WAS CO-CHAIR OF THE BLUE RIBBON TASK FORCE, I THINK, UH, THE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION. THAT POINT IS, WE HAVE DONE THIS. WE ALSO RECOGNIZED, I THINK, UM, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN, MAYOR SIDIKI, AND I, AND I THINK THE COUNCIL RECOGNIZES IF THIS IS TO BE EXPANDED, WE ARE IN A TIME WHEN IT WOULD BE OVER TIME SO THAT THE AUDITOR IS REALLY UNDERSTANDING AND ASKING THE CITY TO SAY, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO EXPAND THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BE IMMEDIATE. IT WOULD BE A BIG, UH, HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON THE, ON THE BUDGET. I WILL SAY PART OF THE REASON I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS IS FOR ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE NATION THAT DO HAVE AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES, QUALITY, AFFORDABLE, OR FREE CHILDCARE, HAVE A HUGE POTENTIAL TO ACTUALLY CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF PEOPLE'S LIVES. IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF WOMEN WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE ALSO, THEY'RE SUBJECT TO, UH, LOWER WAGES, MAKE THE DECISION, I CAN'T AFFORD CHILDCARE, SO I'M GONNA OPT OUTTA THE WORKFORCE ENTIRELY. AND THAT JUST PERPETUATES, UH, A CULTURE THAT LEADS THOSE, UH, WOMEN TO NOT HAVE A JOB AND TO NOT BE ABLE TO, TO RAISE THEMSELVES AND HA AND HAVE THEIR ECONOMIC POTENTIAL BE REALIZED. SO I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ADDRESS THIS AS A MORAL ISSUE AND ALSO AS A, AS AN ISSUE THAT TO ADDRESS THE ONGOING AND LONG-TERM [02:35:01] ISSUE THAT WOMEN HAVE IN THE WORKFORCE, NOT THAT MEN AREN'T PARENTS AS WELL, BUT WE KNOW IT OFTEN THE BURDEN OF WHAT FALLS ON WOMEN, AND AGAIN, WHAT'S REFERENCED IN HERE IS THAT NEW MEXICO, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED THEIR CHILDCARE SERVICE. THEY USED ARPA DOLLARS TO DO IT, AND THEY HAVE SAID THAT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE LIFTED OUT OF POVERTY AS A RESULT IN THEIR STATE FOR THAT. WE ALREADY HAVE A PHENOMENAL CPP PROGRAM WHERE MOST THREE YEAR OLDS WHO ARE LOW INCOME HAVE ACCESS TO CHILDCARE. BUT AS WE KNOW, AND AS COUNCILOR MCGOVERN IS ALWAYS REMINDING US OF, YOU MAY NOT BE PERCEIVED AS LOW INCOME, AND YET LIVING IN CAMBRIDGE, YOU MAY HAVE AN INCOME THAT MEANS THAT YOU CAN'T AFFORD SOME OTHER THINGS AS WELL. SO I REALLY HOPE THIS MOVES FORWARD AND IT REALLY JUST ASKS THE CITY TO WORK ON A WAY TO UNDERSTAND, CAN WE MOVE THIS FORWARD? THANK YOU. MAYOR SKE, YIELD COUNCILOR. GOVERNOR. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. AND I WOULD JUST SAY ALSO THAT, UM, AS PART OF THE TASK FORCE, UM, MAYOR SADIKI, YOU WERE THERE AS WELL AS FORMER COUNSELOR, UH, WILSON. UM, WE HAD, TWO MONTHS AGO, MAYBE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, WE, WE DID HAVE A, A A, AN ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION WITH FOLKS FROM CPP, UM, IN, IN HUMAN SERVICES. AND THERE, THERE WAS DISCUSSION AROUND WAYS TO POTENTIALLY MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO, TO THE PROGRAM, TO, IN A WAY TO TRY AND EXPAND IT, UM, BUT IN A MORE COST EFFICIENT WAY. UM, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THE FINANCIAL SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN. SO THINGS LIKE, UM, MEANS TESTED PROGRAMMING. UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE, THERE WAS CONVERSATION ABOUT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, FREE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TO EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF, OF THEIR INCOMES. SO IF YOU'RE MAKING $2 MILLION A YEAR, YOU GET TO GO FREE. UM, OR IS THERE A WAY TO, UH, POTENTIALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT? IT'S, IT'S, IT, IT'S NOT AN EASY CONVERSATION. IT WOULD MEAN WE, IT WOULD NO LONGER BE UNIVERSAL. IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE WOULD BE PAYING AND OTHERS WOULDN'T. SO, UM, THIS IS TO HAVE FURTHER THAT CONVERSATION. IT'S NOT A CONVERSATION THAT IS GONNA BE A SURPRISE TO ANYBODY. UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY BEEN BEING TALKED ABOUT AS POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS, UH, OR POSSIBILITIES. SO, UM, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT SAYING THAT THIS IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT IT WILL FURTHER THAT CONVERSATION AND MOVE THAT CONVERSATION ALONG. UM, BUT IT IS A CONVERSATION THAT HAS SORT OF BEEN ON THE TABLE. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. AND I HAVE A BUNCH OF HANDS UP. SO I HAD, I WROTE DOWN, IT'S GOING TO BE COUNCILOR ZUBIE, VICE COUNSELOR, VICE MAYOR, AND THEN, UH, COUNCILOR SIMMONS. OH, YOU KNOW WHAT? I APOLOGIZE. IT WAS COUNCILOR ZUZI FIRST, COUNCILOR ZUBE, VICE MAYOR ZE, AND THEN COUNCILOR SIMMONS. COUNCILLOR UZI. OH, OKAY. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UM, I THINK THIS IS A WORTHY THING TO CONSIDER. I JUST REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR CURRENT PROGRAM, WHAT COSTS LIKE $32 MILLION, IT'S A, IT'S A HEAVY LIFT IN, I JUST BUILDING ON WHAT COUNCILOR MCGOVERN WAS SAYING, UM, I THINK IT'S AN IDEA WORTHY OF EXPLORING A MEANS TESTED PROGRAM, BUT I WORRY THAT IT COULD BE PROBLEMATIC, UM, BECAUSE WEALTHIER FAMILIES MIGHT EXIT THE EXISTING PROGRAM IF IT, IF IT'S NOT UNIVERSAL. AND I THINK PART OF THE GOAL OF HAVING UNIVERSAL PRE-K WAS THAT YOU HAD KIDS OF EVERY ECONOMIC GROUP ENGAGING, UH, WHICH, UH, CREATED A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY AND A, A, A BETTER COMMUNITY FOR ALL, ALL THE KIDS. SO I, I THINK IT'S, UH, IT, ITS, IT'S WORTHY OF EXPLORATION. I AGREE. WE, WE DON'T HAVE, UM, WE DON'T HAVE MONEY, EXTRA MONEY TO PAY FOR A LOT OF THREE-YEAR-OLDS RIGHT NOW. AND I KNOW THREE YEAR OLDS THAT, UM, ARE UNDERSERVED, I THINK ALREADY HAVE ACCESS TO THE PROGRAM. SO, UM, I, I THINK THEY'RE ALREADY IN, I DON'T SEE STATE, THE STATE OR FOUNDATIONS FUNDING, UH, THIS PROGRAM IN CAMBRIDGE. UM, I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED AT MAPC AND MASS MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION MEETINGS TO JUST HEAR ABOUT THE DYER FINANCIAL STRAITS THAT LIKE 251 OF THE 351 MUNICIPALITIES IN THE STATE ARE IN. THEY HARDLY HAVE MONEY TO PAY FOR THEIR SCHOOLS AS IS. SO, UM, I, I DO THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAMBRIDGE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR AND THAT WON'T BE YEAH, THAT I THINK IT'S, WE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. SO I'M OPEN TO EXPLORING THIS, BUT I, I DON'T SEE IT BEING IMPLEMENTED ANYTIME SOON. THANK YOU. I YIELD COUNCILMAN ZUBIE. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I'LL, I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF BECAUSE I WANTED TO ASK IF, IF I COULD BE ADDED AS A [02:40:01] CO-SPONSOR I ON THIS AND WOULD JUST LIKE TO NOTE FOR, FOR THE RECORD, FOR US NOT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE CONVERT THE PIECE OF THE CONVERSATION ON CHILDCARE WITH EXPANDING AFTERSCHOOL. AND, AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS CONVERSATION COULD, COULD HELP US INFORM THAT WORK ALL YIELD VICE MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU. UM, UH, OBVIOUSLY I THINK EXPANDING, UM, THE PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT AT THE SAME TIME. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, I'M HAPPY TO VOTE FOR THIS POLICY ORDER. I THINK I'M A LITTLE BIT MORE SKEPTICAL THAN SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT MEANS TESTING. UM, I JUST FEEL LIKE, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY VALUE, EVEN IF THEY CAN TECHNICALLY AFFORD IT. I THINK THAT IT'S NICE BUILDING TO HAVE, FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GETTING SOMETHING FROM THE CITY IN A REALLY MEANINGFUL AND TANGIBLE WAY. AND THE TIME AT WHICH PEOPLE GET MOST STRESSED OUT AND LEAVE OUR CITY IS WHEN THEY HAVE YOUNG KIDS IN PARTICULAR. UM, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT LIKE, ECONOMICALLY, IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE FOR THE CITY, AND EQUITY WISE IT'S IMPORTANT. UM, BUT ALSO I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY HARD TO GIVE SOMETHING TO RESIDENTS AND THEN TAKE IT AWAY. AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, I THINK HAVING SOMETHING TANGIBLE AND VISIBLE THAT RESIDENTS GET FROM THE CITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SO I'M NOT, SO I'LL, I'LL FORWARD, I'LL VOTE FOR THIS TONIGHT, BUT I'M NOT THE MOST EXCITED ABOUT THE CONVERSATION. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, I EXERCISED MY CHEDDAR RIGHT. COUNSELOR SIMMONS EXERCISES OR CHARTER RIGHT ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER SIX, WE'RE GOING TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER SEVEN THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS REQUESTED TO BEGIN DISCUSSIONS WITH MIT CASPAR, THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE HUMAN SERVICES AND VETERANS COMMITTEE, ALL RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE SHELTER RESIDENTS TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO RENOVATE AND EXPAND TO 40 ALBANY STREET IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LOW THRESHOLD SHELTER, HOUSING, AND DAYTIME SERVICES, WHILE ACCOMMODATING SHELTER RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY THE CONSTRUCTION CLOSURE WITH HOUSING AND SUPPORT, INCLUDING LOW THRESHOLD OPTIONS. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNSELOR MCGOVERN, COUNCILOR ZUBIE, COUNCILLOR ZUZI, AND THEN COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UM, SO PROBABLY MAYBE COMING UP ON A YEAR AGO, I THINK IT WAS SPRING OF, OF, OF LAST YEAR, UH, I TOOK A TOUR. I'D BEEN IN TWO 40 MANY TIMES, BUT I, I TOOK A TOUR OF TWO 40 ALBANY STREET WITH COUNCILLOR WILSON. WE WERE CHAIRS, WE WERE CO-CHAIRS OF THE HUMAN SERVICES AND VETERANS COMMITTEE, UH, ALONG WITH THE CITY MANAGER, SARAH GALLUP FROM MIT, OWEN REARDEN WAS THERE. UM, ELLEN SONOFF, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM THE CITY, UH, AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM MIT, UH, AS WELL AS THE FOLKS, UH, THE BAY COVE AND CASPAR, FOLKS WHO WERE RUNNING THE SHELTER, UH, TOOK A TOUR OF THE FACILITY. UM, IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN THERE, I DON'T NEED TO SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME CONVINCING YOU ON HOW AWFUL THAT BUILDING IS. UM, AND THEY ALL READILY ADMIT IT. IT IS, THERE ARE LEAKS IN THE ROOF, THERE IS MOLD THERE, THE SHOWERS DON'T WORK HALF THE TIME, THE BOILERS BREAK. I MEAN, THEY ARE, THERE HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY LITTLE RENOVATIONS DONE IN THAT BUILDING FOR THE 50 PLUS YEARS, UM, CERTAINLY FOR THE YEARS THAT IT'S BEEN A SHELTER, BUT EVEN, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY BEFORE THAT. SO, UM, IT START, THAT STARTED A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN CITY MANAGER'S, OFFICE, MIT, MYSELF, UH, AND SOME OTHERS TO, UH, TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT COULD BE THE FUTURE OF THAT BUILDING. UM, AND SO WE, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE. UH, MI SARAH GALLUP FROM MIT HAD TO DO, YOU KNOW, SOME WORK ON HER END SINCE IT IS MIT'S BUILDING. UM, AND WE HAVE REACHED A POINT, UH, TALKED TO THE MANAGER A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. WE HAVE REACHED A POINT WHERE WE NOW THINK IT IS TIME TO TAKE THIS CONVERSATION INTO A MORE FORMAL CONVERSATION BY CREATING A, A GROUP OF ALL THE RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT COULD THAT BUILDING BE AND WHAT SERVICES COULD THAT BUILDING, UH, PROVIDE, WHAT THAT WOULD COST, UM, WHO WOULD HELP PAY FOR THAT, UM, AND, AND, AND HOW TO ACTUALLY MAKE THAT BUILDING, UH, A FACILITY THAT, UH, IS BETTER SERVING, UH, WITH DIGNITY, THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, NEED IT. AND SO THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHO IS RUNNING THE SHELTER AND WHO IS RUNNING THE PROGRAM. I SH I HAVE, I ALL THE FOLKS THAT HAVE GONE TO OTHER COUNSELORS TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THE STAFF AND SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THEY HAVE ALL COME TO ME AS WELL. THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE TO FACE IN TERMS OF, UM, SOME OF THE, SOME CONCERNS THAT, THAT I SHARE IN, IN, IN, IN THE RUNNING OF THE SHELTER. I ALSO UNDERSTAND FULLY THAT IT IS A CHALLENGING JOB, AND IT IS A JOB THAT IS UNDER-RESOURCED, UNDERFUNDED, AND MORE AND [02:45:01] MORE PEOPLE IN NEED. UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF THAT CONVERSATION. THIS IS ABOUT THE BUILDING. AND THE BUILDING SUCKS. IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS. IT IS NOT DIGNIFIED FOR ANYBODY. AND SO, UM, LET'S JUST FORWARD THIS CONVERSATION IN A MORE FORMAL WAY TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S FEASIBLE. AND I HOPE WE CAN PASS THIS TONIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, I HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNSELORS. UH, DO ANY OF THE CO-SPONSORS WANNA SPEAK BEFORE I GO TO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS? YEAH, COUNCILOR ZUBIE. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UH, I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO COMMENT ON THIS PO AND, AND THANK COUNCILOR MCGOVERN FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK ON HOMELESSNESS. I, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE, UH, THE LEVEL OF CARE YOU HAVE FOR OUR UNHOUSED RESIDENTS, OUR TWO 40 ALBANY SITE. UH, AS COUNCILOR MCGOVERN MCGOVERN SAID, IT IS, IT, IT NEEDS A LOT OF CARE. AND WE BELIEVE THAT OUR RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT BE LEFT OUT OF THAT CONVERSATION, WHICH IS PART OF WHY IT'S IN THE PO. THIS IS A WET SHELTER THAT HAS A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF THE CITY'S CURRENT LOW THRESHOLD BEDS IN, IN OUR CITY IN CAMBRIDGE. AND IT, IT'S CRUCIAL TO SUPPORT THIS WORK, UM, TO MAINTAIN THAT SUPPLY OF THESE BEDS, AND ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR SUPPORT. ALSO, IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH MUCH NEEDED RENOVATIONS ADDITIONS. UH, I THINK IN REFLECTION ALSO WITH HOW THE PROCESS WAS NAVIGATED WITH THE TRANSITION WELLNESS CENTER, IT REALLY MATTERS HOW WE APPROACH OUR RESIDENTS IN THIS PROCESS WITH DIGNITY, ESPECIALLY SO WHEN MANY OF US GET THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING WARM IN OUR HOMES DURING THIS FRIGID COLD WEATHER WHEN SPACES LIKE THESE BECOME LITERAL LIFE LIFELINES. UM, SO I, I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING AT THE TABLE WITH YOU, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN AND, AND OUR COLLEAGUES IN HAVING MORE OF A CONVERSATION ON THIS. I'LL YIELD, I HAVE COUNCILOR ZUZI AND THEN COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. UH, I'M PROUD TO BE A CO-SPONSOR OF THIS. AND AGAIN, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, THANK YOU FOR, UH, DRAFTING THIS POLICY ORDER AND FOR ALL YOUR WORK WITH THE HOMELESS. I SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETHINK THE ARCHITECTURE. I MEAN, NOT ONLY FIX THINGS, BUT TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN LED AN INCREDIBLY POWERFUL HUMAN SERVICE MEETING LAST YEAR, LAST YEAR, WHERE ALL THESE PEOPLE SPOKE UP ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE WRONG WITH ALL ALBANY STREET SHELTER. AND I UN UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A COMPLICATED, UM, THERE ARE MANY, MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AT PLAY THERE. BUT, UM, IT SEEMED CLEAR TO ME THAT LIKE, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, ARCHITECTURE OFTEN DEFINES BEHAVIOR. AND THERE MAY BE SOME WAY THAT WE CAN BREAK THE LARGER GROUP INTO SMALLER PODS SO THAT THERE ARE SMALLER COMMUNITIES AND PEOPLE ARE FEELING LESS ANONYMOUS. I, I GOT THE SENSE THAT AT ALBANY STREET, YOU'RE SORT OF WAREHOUSED. SO, UM, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETHINK THE PLACE TO CREATE A GREATER SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND SAFETY. UM, AND ALSO I HOPE IT WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECONSIDER OUR BROADER PLANNING FOR SERVICES FOR THE UNHOUSED. UM, SO, UH, I, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS, AND I HOPE OTHERS WILL, TOO. I COUNCILOR SIMMONS, UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE SPONSORS OF THIS ORDER AND, AND PARTICULARLY COUNCIL MCGOVERN. 'CAUSE AS HAVING SERVED WITH, UH, COUNCIL MCGOVERN FOR SEVERAL YEARS, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY IS TO HIM, AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT HE PUTS INTO, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE TREAT THEM WELL AND FAIR AND, AND TAKE CARE OF THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE THAN WE ARE. UH, THE CASPER. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS, AND I KNOW I'M SORT OF ON THE CHARTER, RIGHT, TR CHAIN TRAIN THIS EVENING. UH, THE, THE CASPER SHELTER AT TWO 40 ALBANY STREET HAS BEEN SERVING, I, AS WE ALL KNOW, SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS FOR OVER 30 YEARS. AND I SAT AT THE TABLE WHEN THIS WHOLE PROGRAM CAME TOGETHER WHEN WE NEGOTIATED WITH MIT ABOUT THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE LAND FOR, I THINK IT'S A HUNDRED YEARS OR SOME, SO THAT IT COULD HAVE SOME PERMANENCY. AND I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT THE RESIDENTS DESERVE A FACILITY THAT REFLECT THE DIGNITY THAT WE SAY WE BELIEVE IN. AND I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF, OF, OF THAT IN, IN THIS CONTEXT, TO RENOVATE AND MAKE THIS BUILDING BETTER. AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT MAKING IT BETTER FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME. BUT I JUST HAVE TO USE THIS MOMENT TO SAY SOMETHING THAT I'VE SAID BEFORE IN THIS CHAMBER, AND I'M GONNA KEEP SAYING UNTIL I FEEL LIKE IT'S REALLY BEING HEARD. THE PHYSICAL CONDITION OF THE BUILDING IS ONE PROBLEM, BUT THE CONDITION INSIDE IS RESIDENTS, IS HOW THE RESIDENTS ARE BEING TREATED ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. AND THAT'S AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT THE BUILDING LOOKS LIKE. AND COLLEAGUES, YOU'VE HEARD ME RAISE THIS, I'VE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE TREATMENT OF SHELTER [02:50:01] RESIDENTS BY STAFF. I'VE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT OVERSIGHT THE CITY EXERCISES OVER THE OPERATIONS OF THESE FACILITIES. AND I'M RAISING IT AGAIN THIS EVENING. I'M RAISING IT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF TWO 40, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE STANDARD OF CARE INSIDE THAT BUILDING. IT HAS TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. SO THIS IS, IF THIS GOES FORWARD OR WHEN IT GOES FORWARD, I, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE IN ISOLATION OF WHO'S TAKING CARE OF THIS VULNERABLE PO POPULATION BEYOND HAVING THEM IN A WARM FACILITY. IT'S HOW DO, ARE WE TREATING THESE INDIVIDUALS WITH THE DIGNITY THAT THEY DESERVE? WE DON'T KNOW HOW THEY FELL ON HARD TIMES. WHAT'S THAT SAYING? THE THEREFO THE GRACE OF GOD? GO, I, SO I WA I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME. WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE USERS OF THE FACILITY DIRECTLY, I BELIEVE IT WAS YOU, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN THAT HAD A HEARING. IT MAY NOT, BUT I MAY BE MISREMEMBERING, BUT MIGHT KNOW. WE HAD A HEARING WHERE WE HAD PEOPLE COME BEFORE US, AND IT CAME UP THAT THE TREATMENT OF THE FOLKS THAT USED THE FACILITY WAS LESS THAN KIND. THEY WOULD NOT BEING TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY THAT THEY DESERVE. AND THOSE CONCERNS, WHEN THOSE CONCERNS WERE RAISED, I BELIEVE HE TOOK THEM SERIOUSLY. BUT I WANT US NOT TO JUST TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY. I WANT US TO ACT ON THOSE ISSUES. SO AS THESE DISCUSSIONS, DISCUSSIONS, EXCUSE ME, MOVE FORWARD. MIT AND CASPAR AND ALL THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENT, I WANT OVERSIGHT BUILT INTO WHATEVER PLAN COMES BEFORE THIS BUILT THIS BODY. AND I DON'T WANT IT AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT, BUT AS A CORE COMPONENT, CLEAR EXPECTATIONS OF HOW THE PEOPLE, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT USE THE FACILITY, ARE TREATED A REAL, REAL MECHANISM FOR, FOR HOW THOSE THAT, UH, USE THIS FACILITY CAN RAISE THEIR CONCERNS. AND THOSE CONCERNS ARE HEARD, AND AN ACCOUNTABILITY WHEN, WITH SOME KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY BY HOW THOSE EXPECTATIONS ARE MET. A RENOVATED BUILDING IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT A RENOVATED BUILDING WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY IS JUST A NICER PLACE TO BE IGNORED AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. SO I, I JUST WANNA BE ON THE RECORD AS I, AS I'VE BEEN BEFORE, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO BE THAT I'M GONNA KEEP PUSHING FOR OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY EVERY TIME. THIS ISSUE OF TWO 40 ALBANY, OR ANY OF OUR PROGRAMS, UH, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE SERVING OUR IN-HOUSE POPULATION, COME BEFORE US UNTIL I SEE REAL MEANINGFUL PO PROGRESS. SO RATHER THAN EXERCISING MY CHART, RIGHT, I'LL STAND IN SUPPORT OF THE, OF, OF THE POLICY ORDER GOING FORWARD. BUT I DO ASK MY COLLEAGUES, UH, THAT WE PAY AS MUCH ATTENTION TO THE FACILITY, THAT WE GIVE THAT SAME AMOUNT OF ATTENTION TO THE TREATMENT OF THE PEOPLE IN THAT FACILITY. I YIELD THE FLU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, I HAVE COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. UH, THANK YOU AND, UH, THROUGH YOU, THROUGH YOU TO COUNCILOR SIMMONS. I, I, I AGREE WITH WHAT SHE SAID, AND I APPRECIATE THAT SHE HAS BEEN A VERY STRONG ADVOCATE FOR ENSURING THAT, UH, PEOPLE ARE TREATED WELL, UH, IN, IN TWO 40 ALBANY. UM, THAT WILL CERTAINLY BE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, PART, PART OF THE, THE, THE HOPE OF THIS IS REALLY TAKING A LOOK AT NOT JUST THE, THE PHYSICAL PART, BUT THE WHOLE MISSION, THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, WAY IN WHICH IT IS, WAY IN WHICH IT IS OPERATED. AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT FOLKS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT ARE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT DO RELATE BACK TO THE PHYSICAL ISSUES OF THE BUILDING. SHOWERS NOT WORKING, MATTRESSES BEING OLD AND URINE STAINED, UM, BEING WAREHOUSED IN, IN, IN, IN, YOU KNOW, BUNKS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, JUST A FEW FEET FROM THE NEXT PERSON AS OPPOSED TO HAVING, YOU KNOW, SMALLER PODS WHERE MAYBE YOU'RE IN A ROOM WITH TWO OR THREE PEOPLE. SO I, I, I THINK I, I, THERE'S A, THERE'S AN ISSUE AROUND STAFFING AND DECISION BEING MADE AROUND THE STAFF, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT STAFF IS WELL TRAINED AND, UH, AND TREATING PEOPLE, TREATING PEOPLE WELL. AND I'M 100% WITH YOU. UM, I DO THINK A A LOT OF IT THOUGH FALLS BACK INTO THE CONDITION OF THE BUILDING. AND WHEN YOU'RE IN A PLACE, WHETHER YOU'RE A GUEST OR A STAFF MEMBER THAT YOU JUST FEEL IS GROSS AND YOU FEEL IS FALLING APART, THAT ALSO ADDS TO THE MENTAL HEALTH AND, AND, AND THE WAY IN WHICH PEOPLE REACT THERE. SO, UM, THANK YOU COUNCILOR SIMMONS, UH, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I AM WITH YOU ON THAT. WE WILL HAVE THOSE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS. UM, THIS IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE TO BE SURE. I DO NOT SEE ANY OTHER HANDS ON THIS UP. SO WE CAN GO AHEAD ON COUNCIL MCGOVERN'S MOTION TO ADOPT THE POLICY ORDER, DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. [02:55:01] YES. VICE MAYOR ZIM. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YEAH. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE POLICY NUMBER SEVEN IS ADOPTED. WE'RE DONE WITH THE [CALENDAR] POLICY READERS. WE CAN GO ONTO THE CALENDAR. WE ARE GOING TO GO TO THE TWO ITEMS WHERE CO COUNSELORS EXERCISES EXERCISES THEIR CHARTER. RIGHT. NUMBER ONE IS A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO AWAITING REPORT. ITEM NUMBER 25 DASH 69, REGARDING A REVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS HOME RULE PETITION AND ASKED TO PREPARE A NEW PETITION THAT WOULD ALLOW CAMBRIDGE TO ENACT A REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE TO BE SENT TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE. THE CHAIR RIGHT WAS EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN. COUNCILLOR NOLAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MAYOR SIDIKI. YES, THIS IS, UH, LANGUAGE THAT WOULD BE A HOME RULE THAT IF PASSED WOULD GO FROM THE COUNCIL TO THE STATE DELEGATION AND EVENTUALLY FOR A POSSIBLE ENACTMENT BY THE STATE. IT'S AN UPHILL BATTLE TO THINK THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN, PARTLY BECAUSE THE STATE IS ALSO, UM, CONTEMPLATING A STATEWIDE OPTION THAT, UH, COMMUNITIES COULD USE FOR A, TO ALLOW A TRANSFER FEE ON PROPERTY ANYWHERE FROM, UH, HALF A PERCENT UP TO 2%. THIS PARTICULAR ONE SETS IT AS THE PURCHASE PRICE EXCEEDING $1 MILLION. AND IT IS 2%. I DID PULL UP BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME QUESTIONS RAISED IN THE HOME, UH, IN THE, UH, LANGUAGE. IT DOES SAY THAT SOME CHANGES COULD BE MADE BY ORDINANCE. UH, THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE MADE BY ORDINANCE ADOPT ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, EXEMPTIONS AND REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT AND ENFORCE THE FEE CONSISTENT WITH THIS ACT. AND I HAD REACHED OUT TO, UH, SOLICITOR BAYER TO UNDERSTAND IF THAT MEANT BY ORDINANCE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, IF THE STATE DID PASS THIS, STILL HAVE SOME RESTRICTIONS, FOR INSTANCE, ON MULTIFAMILIES EITHER TWO, THREE, OR FOUR FAMILIES OR JUST ALL MULTIFAMILIES BECAUSE THERE'VE BEEN QUESTIONS RAISED SINCE MOST OF THE MONEY CONTEMPLATED, AT LEAST IN CAMBRIDGE, WOULD LIKELY COME FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT TURNS OVER. SINCE THAT WE ARE A CITY WHERE THAT IS THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE VALUE OF OUR BUILDINGS IS IN THE COMMERCIAL SIDE OR SINGLE FAMILY. BUT IT IS IN THAT MULTI-FAMILY THAT AS THAT PRICE GOES UP, THERE'S ALSO BEEN A QUESTION RAISED THAT MAY WELL INCREASE RENTS AS OPPOSED TO, UH, ALLOW US TO HAVE MORE AFFORDABLE RENTS. SO THROUGH YOU MAYOR SIDIKI, I HAD ASKED THE CITY SOLICITOR IF THAT WAS THE KIND OF THING THAT WOULD BE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO BY ORDINANCE. AND THERE WAS ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I ASKED JUST TO PUT IT OUT THERE, A QUESTION OF IF WE DECIDED WE WANTED TO HAVE A TIERED, UH, AMOUNT, FOR INSTANCE, MAYBE 1% FOR 1 MILLION TO 2 MILLION, AND THEN 2% FOR 2 MILLION AND ABOVE, WHETHER THAT WOULD, COULD BE DONE BY ORDINANCE OR NOT. AND I BELIEVE SHE HAS ANSWERS FOR THOSE TWO QUESTIONS. SOLICITOR, THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UM, AS TO THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER WE CAN ENACT ADDITIONAL EXEMPTIONS LIKE AN EXEMPTION ON MULTIFAMILY, UM, I THINK WE CAN. SO THE LANGUAGE OF THIS PROPOSED HOME RULE PETITION, UM, IN SECTION TWO, UH, DOES INCLUDE A COUPLE OR SEVERAL EXEMPTIONS, BUT THEN IT ALSO SAYS IN A COUPLE PLACES THAT BY ORDINANCE WE CAN ADOPT ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, EXEMPTIONS AND REGULATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT AND TO CONSTRUE THIS ACT. SO I THINK THAT DOES, UM, LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN, THAT THERE CAN BE AN ORDINANCE AFTER THE FACT THAT HAS ADDITIONAL EXEMPTIONS AS LONG AS THERE'S SOME RATIONAL BASIS TO WHAT YOU'RE EXEMPTING AND IT'S BEING DONE IN A NON-DISCRIMINATORY WAY. AND THEN ON THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THERE CAN BE, UM, TIERED FEES WITH THE LANGUAGE THAT'S, UM, RIGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS THE SAME LANGUAGE THE COUNCIL SENT TO THE LEGISLATURE IN THE PAST, I DON'T THINK THERE IS THE FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE IT SAYS, UM, THERE'S HEREBY IMPOSED A REAL ESTATE TRANSFER BE EQUAL TO 2% OF THE PORTION OF THE PURCHASE PRICE EXCEEDING 1 MILLION. UM, SINCE THIS HASN'T BEEN SENT TO THE LEGISLATURE YET, BEFORE YOU VOTE TO DO THAT, YOU COULD AMEND THIS LANGUAGE. AND I THINK IF YOU CHANGE THAT EQUAL TO 2% TO UP TO 2%, AND THEN BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY LANGUAGE THAT SAYS THAT YOU CAN ADOPT AN ORDINANCE WITH ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OR REGULATIONS TO CONSTRUE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT, I THINK BY ORDINANCE, YOU COULD, UM, ADOPT TIERS OR SOME OTHER VARIATION TO THE, UM, AMOUNT OF THE FEE IF YOU WANNA HAVE LESS THAN 2% ACROSS THE BOARD, [03:00:01] FOR EXAMPLE. SO IF YOU WANT THAT FLEXIBILITY, I WOULD RECOMMEND CHANGING EQUAL TO UP TO, UM, TODAY BEFORE YOU'VE APPROVED THIS TO SEND TO THE LEGISLATURE. COUNCILOR NOLAN, THANK YOU THROUGH YOU AND THANK YOU TO THE SOLICITOR FOR ALSO STAYING THIS LONG. UM, UH, IN ORDER TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, I'M GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT THE IDEA THAT IF THIS PASSES, WHICH WE KNOW IS AN UPHILL BATTLE ANYWAY AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE, HOWEVER, IF IT DOES, I WOULD BE INTERESTED AND INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM MY COLLEAGUES IF IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR US TO CHANGE IT TO SAY UP TO 2%, UM, GIVEN, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, WHAT THAT MATTERS. BUT I COULD GO EITHER WAY AND I'LL CERTAINLY BE SUPPORTING OF THIS TO BE SENT TO THE LEGISLATURE AND I'M GLAD, UM, THOSE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IF THIS DOES PASS FOR US TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF EXEMPTING, IF WE COULD MULTI-FAMILIES AS A WAY OF ENSURING DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HAVE, UM, MORE AFFORDABILITY FOR PARTICULARLY FOR RENTAL APARTMENTS. THANK YOU. I YIELD VICE MAYOR AZI. UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE'RE TRYING AGAIN, HOPEFULLY THIS TIME, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET IT APPROVED. UM, I'M FINE WITH THE AMENDMENT. UM, IF WE WANNA INTRODUCE IT, UM, I THINK IT'S FINE. IT DOES, IT JUST GIVES US MORE FLEXIBILITY, WHICH IS, UH, FINE. AT THIS STAGE WE HAVE COUNCILOR ZUBIE AND THEN COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THROUGH YOU TO SOLICITOR BAYER. UM, QUICK CLARIFICATION QUESTION. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OR, OR THE IMPORTANCE OF ALIGNMENT WITH THE STATE BILL AND OTHER CITY'S HOME RULE PETITIONS IN IN THE SPECIFIC CONVERSATION, UH, THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR? I THINK IT'S, UM, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME LANGUAGE AND PARAMETERS AS OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. UM, IN ORDER TO SHOW THE LEGISLATURE THAT THERE IS INTEREST FROM MUNICIPALITIES IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE THE STATEWIDE OPT-IN LEGISLATION THAT THEY'RE CONSIDERING. UM, IF THE LEGISLATURE'S GONNA, UH, APPROVE, UH, SEPARATE ACTS FROM EACH MUNICIPALITY, THEY ALSO OFTEN DO SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ACTS IF THAT'S WHAT THE SEPARATE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE PUT FORWARD. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WHEN, UM, THE STATE HOUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE IS, UM, ATTORNEYS ARE REVIEWING THIS, IF THEY'RE CONSIDERING MULTIPLE AT THE SAME TIME, THEY MIGHT, UM, ASK FOR CHANGES AT THAT POINT TO MAKE THEM CONSISTENT. I GUESS THAT'S POSSIBLE. UM, BUT I HAVE SEEN HOME RULE LEGISLATION THAT'S ENACTED THAT DIFFERS SLIGHTLY DEPENDING ON THE COMMUNITY. THANKS. I HAD COUNCILOR FLAHERTY AND THEN COUNCILOR UZI, MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU AND, UH, MADAM CITY SOLICITOR, IS THERE ANY, HAS THERE BEEN ANY THOUGHT TO INCLUDING THE LIABILITY ON THE TRANSFER TAX TAX TO BE SHIFTED FROM THE SELLER TO THE BUYER? AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UM, I KNOW IT WOULD PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WOULD ALIGN US WITH OTHER, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES OR NOT, BUT I KNOW IT'S DONE, UH, MAYBE IN OTHER STATES AND IT SEEMS, UH, THOUGHTFUL TO ME, AT LEAST FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UH, THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, I AM NOT SURE. I THINK THAT OUR LANGUAGE IS SIMILAR TO THE OTHER ONES THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED IN, IN THE TERMS OF THAT IT'S THE LIABILITY OF THE SELLER. UM, AND I DON'T KNOW BEYOND THAT, UM, CHRIS KOTTER MIGHT HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT AS WELL. YEAH, NO, UH, THANK YOU THROUGH MADAM MAYOR TO COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY'S QUESTION. I BELIEVE THAT'S, THAT'S ACCURATE. AND WHETHER IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SELLER OR THE BUYER, WE WOULD EXPECT THAT THAT WOULD GET WORKED INTO THE MARKET AND AFFECT WHAT THE OVERALL PRICE IS, REGARDLESS OF WHO'S FUNDING THE TRANSACTION AT THE CLOSING. SO, COUNCIL FAHERTY. YEAH, MADAM MAYOR, JUST THROUGH YOU AND, AND TO BOTH MR. CARTER AND, UH, MADAM CITY SOLICITOR, IT, IT, IT JUST STRIKES ME THAT THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TASK TAX, WHATEVER THE AMOUNT IT IS, IS ON TOP OF ANY CAPITAL GAINS TAX THAT THE SELLER WOULD BE A, UH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, MAY OR MAY NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN, IN INDIVIDUAL SELLER'S LIVES. BUT IF WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, APPORTION THAT BURDEN TO THE BUYER, MAYBE IT MAKES IT, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE TENABLE TO THE SELLER. AND THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT. AND I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME TALK, OR THERE HAS BEEN TALK IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN OTHER STATES ABOUT EXEMPTING LIKE A SPOUSE, A SPOUSE TRANSFERRING A DIVORCE OR A TRANSFER TO A TRUST WHERE THERE'S NO, UM, [03:05:01] SORT OF, YOU KNOW, REAL TRANSFER OF MONEY. UH, BUT I'M THINKING OF IF THERE'S A, A, A PARTY OR AN ENTITY THAT'S PURCHASING PROPERTY FOR AN INVESTMENT VEHICLE, UM, IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, DOES IT MAKE MORE SENSE TO TRANSFER THE REAL ESTATE TAX, UH, LIABILITY TO THE BUYER RATHER THAN THE SELLER? SO I JUST YIELD, THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT. THANK YOU, ZUZI. UH, THANK YOU. I JUST, I HAD A CLARIFYING QUESTION. SO, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS FOR YOU, COUNCILLOR NOLAN, OR I DON'T KNOW WHO THIS IS FOR, BUT, SO IS IS THE REASON THAT THIS HASN'T MOVED FORWARD IN THE PAST BECAUSE THIS, I I HAD THOUGHT THAT THE STATE ALREADY, I THOUGHT THERE ALREADY WAS A STATEWIDE TAX, BUT, SO CAN, UH, COUNCILLOR NOLAN, CAN YOU HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND? SO IS THERE NOT A STATEWIDE TAX NOW? I, I MEAN, IT DOES SEEM LIKE A GOOD IDEA WHETHER THIS IS A STATE TAX OR A MUNICIPAL TAX. IT SEEMS LIKE A, A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A TRANSFER TAX BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PROPERTY CHANGING HANDS IN THE NEXT DECADE ESPECIALLY, OR 15 YEARS. BUT DO WE, DO WE NOT HAVE SOMETHING STATEWIDE IN TAX, UH, IN PLACE NOW? AND, AND, AND WHY HASN'T, WHY HASN'T THIS IS, IS THAT WHY, WHY HASN'T THIS MOVED FORWARD IN THE PAST? THERE'S A LOT OF LE THERE'S A GOOD AMOUNT OF LEGISLATIVE HISTORY. UH, COUNCILOR NOLAN, IF YOU WANNA GIVE IT BRIEFLY, BUT SURE YOU CAN MORE THAN ME, THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON. AND, UH, A CONCEPT FOR A WHILE THERE IS, THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT FEES THAT HAPPEN WHEN YOU DO TRANSFER PROPERTY. THIS IS A SPECIFIC TRANSFER TAX, AND IN OUR CASE, WE GO A HUNDRED PERCENT TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST AS, AS IN THE ACT. I DUNNO IF YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING, MAYOR SIDIKI OR ANYONE ELSE WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS, OR MR. KOTTER, CHRIS THROUGH YOU, UH, MAYOR SIDIKI. SO, YES, THE, THERE HAVE BEEN BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED IN PRIOR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, UH, IN INCLUDING ONE IN, IN CAMBRIDGE THAT WE'RE MODELING THIS, UH, ONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TONIGHT ON, UH, THOSE BILLS HAVE ADVANCED. UH, THERE IS A ALSO, AS MENTIONED, UH, UH, THE STATEWIDE ENABLING LEGISLATION HAS BEEN PROPOSED IN EARLIER SESSIONS AS WELL. UH, THERE, I THINK MORE THAN 15 COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED SOME FORM OF THIS ASKING FOR THE PERMISSION TO, TO, TO PUT IN PLACE SOME TYPE OF FEE STRUCTURE LIKE THIS. UH, BUT TO DATE, UH, WHILE THOSE BAN THOSE BILLS HAVE ADVANCED, UH, IN PRIOR SESSIONS AND, AND ARE IN CONSIDERATION NOW, UH, NONE HAS, UH, BEEN ADOPTED, UH, AND SIGNED INTO LAW CON. YEAH. THANK YOU. FASCINATING. UM, THANK YOU. YES. VICE MAYOR AZI, I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY SAY IT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, BUT THERE IS A DEED, EX SIZE TAX OF, UH, UH, 0.5% COUNCILOR ZUBE. YEAH. ALSO, MY, MY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE COUNCIL HAD PREVIOUSLY ALSO PASSED SOMETHING THAT WAS IDENTICAL, IF NOT NEARLY IDENTICAL TO THIS SPECIFIC BILL. YES. THERE'S LEGISLATIVE HISTORY HERE FROM THE COUNCIL ON EFFORTS TO DO THIS. SO, COUNCILOR NOLAN, YOU HAD SOME SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO REPEAT THOSE? YEAH, I DID SEND IT TO THE CLERK. AND NAOMI, IT'S LITERALLY PER THE, UH, SOLICITOR ADVICE, CHANGING THE WORD EQUAL TO UP IN THE FIRST LINE OF THE ACT IN SECTION ONE. AND, UM, TO REMIND US THE, THE, THE STATEWIDE COALITION, THE LOCAL OPTION FOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, LOHA COALITION SUPPORTS LEGISLATION MASSACHUSETTS, THAT HAS, ALLOWS IT FROM 0.5% TO 2%. SO IT, IT DOES HAVE SOME VARIABILITY IN IT. SO THIS SEEKS TO HAVE US MORE IN, IN LINE WITH THAT. BUT AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON, I, I WILL SUPPORT THIS IF, I HOPE THIS AMENDMENT PASSES, BUT IF IT DOESN'T, I'LL SUPPORT THE ORIGINAL. YES. NAOMI, MADAM MAYOR, SORRY, WHAT I HAVE IS JUST WHAT COUNCILOR NOLAN SAID. I DON'T HAVE IT TO SHOW YOU IN THE CONTEXT OF THE TEXT. WANT ME TO JUST SHOW THE EMAIL COUNCILOR NOLAN, JUST REPEAT YEAH, I THINK JUST SO THAT THE CLERKS AND EVERYONE HAS IT, YOU CAN SHOW THE EMAIL, THE, YEAH. SECTION ONE IN THE ENACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO IMPOSE A REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE. SECTION ONE. THE FIRST LINE IS THERE IS HEREBY IMPOSED A REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE EQUAL TO 2% OF THE PORTION. AND INSTEAD OF EQUAL, REPLACE THAT WITH THE WORD UP. UP TWO. YEAH. RIGHT. TWO IS THERE, BUT GOT IT. WE LITERALLY JUST HAVE TO YEP. JUST FOR PUTTING UP IN. AND SO ON THAT AMENDMENT [03:10:01] BY COUNCILOR NO, NOLAN, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBIE. PRESENT. PRESENT VICE MAYOR ZE. YES. YES. COUNCIL COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR EY. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, IN ONE RECORDED IS PRESENT. SO WE HAVE AN, UH, AMENDED ORDER, UH, BEFORE US. WE HAD A, UM, TWO WEEKS AGO, I THINK WE HAD A SITUATION WHERE IN THE ORIGINAL, UM, COMMUNICATION, THE ORDER HAD NOT COME THROUGH. UH, AND SO WE WANTED, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP AGAIN. UM, NAOMI, I, I SENT IT TO YOU. IF YOU CAN, UM, BRING THAT UP SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON. AND THEN THE OTHER VOTE THAT WE'LL TAKE IS PLACING THE COMMUNICATION ON FILE. SO WE HAVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PETITION, THE GENERAL COURT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO ENACT THE ATTACHED HOME RULE PETITION ENTITLED, ENACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO IMPOSE A REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE. MEGAN, DO YOU WANT US TO SAY THAT IT'S THE ATTACHED AMENDED HOME RULE, OR YOU'RE GOOD? GREAT. SO, WHO WAS THAT? I'M SORRY. YES, COUNCILOR? YES. UH, FOR YOU, MADAM, UH, MAYOR, POINT OF INFORMATION, I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE ABOUT ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDERS, BUT CAN I MAKE AN ORAL AMENDMENT TO THE, UM, PETITION BEFORE THE BODY TO CHANGE THE WORD, UH, SELLER TO BAYER? WHICH SECTION COUNSELOR FLAHERTY ARE YOU REFERRING TO? SECTION, SECTION ONE AND SECTION FIVE. SO, COUNSELOR, UM, IT, IT'S ALWAYS, IT IS REALLY HELPFUL TO GET SOMETHING IN WRITING. SO IF YOU CAN SEND THAT, I'M SO SORRY TO DO THIS. NO, IT'S OKAY. IT'S SO, SECTION ONE, COUNSELOR FLAHERTY IS SAYING YOU WANT TO CHANGE 10, 11, 12, 13 SELLER, I THINK TO, I, I, IF I, MAY I? YES, GO AHEAD. IT'S LINE 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. IS IT THE BOARD FROM THE BOTTOM 9, 10, 11, LINE 12 OF SECTION ONE. UH, THE FEE SHALL BE THE LIABILITY OF THE SELLER. MAKE AN ORAL MOTION TO AMEND THE WORD SELLER TO BUYER. AND THEN AGAIN, AT SECTION FIVE, LINE TWO AND THREE WHERE IT READS, UM, THE FEE SHALL BE COLLECTED BY THE REGISTER OF DEEDS UNLESS CITY OF CAMBRIDGE PROVIDES THE SELLER WITH AN AFFIDAVIT SAYING THE SELLER IS EXEMPT. CHANGE THAT LANGUAGE TO BUYER SAID THE WORD SELLER TO BUYER IN, IN BOTH LOCATIONS. MAYOR SIDIKI, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION FOR MR. FOR COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. THERE'S ACTUALLY FOUR ELEMENTS, FOUR TIMES SELLER IS MENTIONED IN SECTION FIVE. SO I'M SORRY IF WE'RE CHANGING, WE SHOULD CHANGE ALL OF THEM. YOU'RE CORRECT. SO COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY IS SAYING, BASICALLY HE WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE WORD SELLER TO BUYER IN SECTIONS ONE AND THEN SECTION FIVE. AND THEN THE OTHER SECTIONS ARE, I'M JUST CATCHING HMM. COUNCILLOR NOLAN, WHICH OTHER SECTIONS ARE YOU REFERRING TO? THAT'S IT. UM, IN SECTION FIVE, THERE ARE FOUR MENTIONS OF THE WORD SELLER. GOT IT. LINE TWO, LINE THREE, LINE FOUR, AND LINE FIVE. THAT'S CORRECT, YES. THAT'S MY READING. IN SECTION ONE, I SEE SELLER AGAIN. AND THEN THERE'S TWO MENTIONS OF SELLER AND SECTION ONE. I SEE THREE. SO LET'S MAKE THIS EASIER. OKAY. GO AHEAD, SOLICITOR. UH, THANK YOU. THREE. YOU MAD MAYOR. AND JUST ONE POINT, UM, IN CASE [03:15:01] IT MATTERS TO ANYONE, I'LL, I'LL RAISE IN THE, THE FIRST REFERENCE THAT COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY BROUGHT UP IN SECTION ONE, THAT FULL SENTENCE SAYS, THE FEE SHALL BE THE LIABILITY OF THE SELLER OF SUCH PROPERTY INTEREST. AND ANY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PURCHASER AND THE SELLER OR ANY OTHER PERSON WITH REFERENCE TO THE ALLOCATION OF THE LIABILITY FOR THE FEE, SHALL NOT AFFECT SUCH LIABILITY OF THE SELLER TO THE CITY. SO WHAT THAT SENTENCE SAYS IS, IT'S THE SELLER'S RESPONSIBILITY, AND IT'S THE SELLER WHO'S GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THE CITY THE FEE. BUT THERE CAN BE SOME OTHER AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BUYER AND THE SELLER, OR ANY OTHER PERSON ABOUT WHO IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FEE. SO IF THE BUYER AND THE SELLER WORK OUT SOMETHING ON THEIR OWN, UM, THE SELLER IS THE ONE, THE ONE WHO ULTIMATELY THE CITY COULD GO AFTER IF THE FEE'S NOT PAID. BUT THERE COULD BE SOME CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE PURCHASER AND THE SELLER WHERE THEY SPLIT THE FEE OR THE PURCHASER PAYS IT. SO JUST THEIR, I THINK THE, THE ACT DOES ANTICIPATE THAT THE PRIVATE PARTIES MIGHT FIGURE IT OUT THEMSELVES. BUT THEN IF YOU DO WANNA, UM, CHANGE SELLER TO BUYER, I WOULD ALSO DO IT TOWARDS THE END OF THAT SENTENCE WHERE IT SAYS, SHALL NOT AFFECT SUCH LIABILITY OF THE SELLER TO THE CITY. IF WE'RE CHANGING IT TO BUYER, IT SHOULD BE LIABILITY OF THE BUYER TO THE CITY. OKAY. THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS ON THIS, UH, VICE MAYOR. UM, COULD WE MAKE A MOTION TO CHANGE ALL MENTIONS OF SELLER TO BUYER? WOULD THAT JUST BE EASIER? I THINK I WANNA JUST CHECK WITH THE SOLICITOR. YEAH. IF THAT IS ALL RIGHT TO DO BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND CHANGE ANY MENTION OF THE SELLER IN SECTION ONE, IN SECTION FIVE TWO, BUYER THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, I THINK YOU CAN CHANGE THROUGHOUT PURCHASE, UH, SELLER TO PURCHASER. BUT IN THAT SAME SENTENCE WHERE IT SAYS ANY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PURCHASER AND THE SELLER, IF WE CHANGE ALL THE SELLERS TO BUYER, THEN WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING THE SAME THING, PURCHASER AND BUYER. SO IT JUST NEEDS TO BE CLEAR, HOWEVER YOU DO IT IN THAT SENTENCE, THAT THERE COULD BE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BUYER SLASH PURCHASER AND THE SELLER. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THROUGH EACH ONE? JUST TELL US. LET'S JUST GO THROUGH EACH ONE. UH, THERE'S SOME CONFUSION. YEAH. SO DOES THIS, DO WE NEED TO DO THIS? I, I WOULD SAY, LIKE I, I'M, IT'S ALMOST NINE. IS THIS NECESSARY? UH, SO THIS IS, UH, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY'S PROPOSED AMENDMENT, WHICH WOULD CHANGE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE ULTIMATELY, FOR PAYING THIS FEE. UM, I THINK ONE THING THAT COULD BE DONE IS THIS COULD BE PUT ON THE TA LAID ON THE TABLE IN ORDER TO COME BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING WITH THE AMENDMENT IN WRITING. SO IT'S EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO SEE AND THEN VOTE WHETHER OR NOT TO DO THE AMENDMENT AT THAT TIME. MADAM MAYOR, IF I MAY TURN, GO AHEAD. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I WOULD CONCUR WITH OUR SOLICITOR. THIS IS TOO IMPORTANT TO DO IT. IT'S GETTING LAID AND IT, IT'S TOO IMPORTANT A PIECE OF WORK. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE LAY IT ON THE TABLE, ALLOW THE SOLICITOR TO WORK WITH THE, THE CO MAKERS, UH, ON THE LANGUAGE, AND TO MY COLLEAGUE WHO IS OFFERING THE AMENDMENT SO THAT IT'S DONE IN THE RIGHT, UH, YIELD. THANK YOU. I, SO A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE TO LAY ON THE TABLE. WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT MOTION TO LAY IT ON THAT TABLE. AND WE NEED FIVE VOTES TO DO THAT. I'LL JUST, WE'LL, WE'LL GO AHEAD TO DO THIS, BUT I'LL NEED TO PLACE IT ON THE TABLE WITH COUNCIL. YES, YES, WE WILL DO THAT. I'LL JUST SAY, THIS IS, OUR LAST MEETING WAS JANUARY 26TH. 26TH, I THINK. AND SO, UM, THIS IS NOT GONNA BE BEFORE US UNTIL MARCH 2ND. AND SO JUST WANT FOLKS TO BE AWARE BEFORE WE, AS WE DO THE VOTE. SO I HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTE ON THE TABLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT DEBATABLE. SO LET'S DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBIE? NO. NO. VICE MAYOR? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? NO. NO. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. NO. YES. NO. COUN COUNSELOR. SABRINA WHEELER AS A NO. COUNSELOR. SY UH, YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE SIX MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND THREE RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. THIS IS LAID ON THE TABLE. WE WILL GO TO CHARTER. RIGHT. NUMBER TWO, [03:20:01] THIS IS THE POLICY ORDER THAT ASKS THE CITY MANAGER TO ASK THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS TO REVIEW THE CITY'S DIGITAL EQUITY WORK TO DATE, INCLUDING THE STUDY'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND ALL STEPS TAKEN SINCE THE STUDY CONCLUSION IN ORDER TO UPDATE THE EVALUATION OF EXISTING INTERNET ACCESS PROGRAMS, ASSESSING WHETHER RESIDENTS DIGITAL NEEDS ARE OR COULD BE BETTER PROVIDED FOR, AND TO PROVIDE HOW WE CAN BETTER MEET THEIR NEEDS. AND TO REPORT BACK TO THE COUNCIL BY JUNE, 2026 ON INTERNET PROGRAMS. THIS CHARTER RIGHT WAS EXERCISED BY COUNSELOR RO AL ZUBIE. I KNOW THIS IS SPONSORED BY COUNSELOR ZUZI. SO I'LL GO TO COUNSELOR ZUZI FIRST AND THEN TO COUNSELOR ZUBIE FOR HER AMENDMENTS. UH, THIS MAY, THIS POLICY ORDER MAY LOOK VERY FAMILIAR TO, BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY PASSED THIS POLICY ORDER LAST APRIL 28TH, UM, UNANIMOUSLY, BUT I WAS NEW AND I DIDN'T ASK FOR A REPORT BACK, SO WE NEVER GOT A REPORT BACK. AND SO I REIN, REINTRODUCED THE POLICY ORDER WITH MY CO-SPONSORS AGAIN, AND I, I THANK YOU COUNCILORS, NOLAN, SABRINA WHEELER, AND ZE FOR, UM, CO-SPONSORING AGAIN. UM, AND THE GOAL IS, I, I FEEL LIKE DIGITAL ACCESS IS ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS NEED DIGITAL ACCESS. THIS IS TOO IMPORTANT NOT TO HEAR A REPORT BACK. UM, PART OF WHAT WAS CONCERNING IS I TALKED TO RESIDENTS AT MANNING APARTMENTS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE IN PROGRAMS AND GETTING FREE CHROMEBOOKS, BUT NOBODY WAS USING THE CHROMEBOOKS, AND THEY'D ACTUALLY, THE STARRING INTERNET WASN'T WORKING. SO WE REALLY NEED AN ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF EXISTING PROGRAMS BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET. UM, SO THAT IS WHY THIS LOOKS SO FAMILIAR, AND I HOPE YOU WILL SUPPORT THIS, UH, AGAIN TONIGHT, AND THAT WE'LL GET A REPORT BACK. WELL, THANK YOU. WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL AL ZUBE FOR HER AMENDMENTS. YEAH. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I EXERCISE MY CHARTER RIGHT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT IN THIS CONVERSATION. AND I HAVE SUBMITTED AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO PUT UP ON THE SCREEN IF POSSIBLE. THE MAIN PIECE HERE IS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE THERE TO BRING IN MORE CONTEXT THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN THE CONVERSATION, WHICH WAS ALSO FUNNY ENOUGH PREVIOUSLY PASSED. MOST SPECIFICALLY, THE ADDED ORDERED SECTION, I THINK MIGHT BE WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT WANNA FOCUS, WHICH RECOGNIZES, WHICH RECOGNIZES OUR CURRENT ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS, BUT KEEPS OUR CONVERSATION ON MUNICIPAL BROADBAND ALIVE. UM, MUNICIPAL BROADBAND IS, IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS A BROADER PUSH TOWARDS PUTTING CONTROL OF U UTILITIES IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE. AND IN A PREVIOUS POLICY ORDER, PO O 13 FROM THE WINTER OF 2025, THAT ORDER STATED THAT THE MANAGER BE HEREBY REQUESTED TO CREATE A PLAN WITH A SCHEDULE MILESTONES FOR MUNICIPAL BROADBAND. AND PRES PRESENT IT FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IN, IN THE CONTEXT OF CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR COMING YEARS. SO THAT, THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY NEARLY UNANIMOUSLY PASSED WITH EIGHT YES VOTES AND THE A AMEN. THE AMENDMENTS HERE. BRING IN SOME OF THAT CONTEXT TO ACCOUNT FOR THE DIGITAL EQUITY CONVERSATION. AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT MUNICIPAL BROAD BROADBAND IS NOT FORGOTTEN. ALL YIELD. THESE ARE THE AMENDMENTS BEFORE US. DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENTS. ZUZI? UH, I JUST, I WANNA SAY THAT I, I SUPPORT THE AMENDMENTS. UM, THEY INCLUDE SOME THINGS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED BEFORE, AND I'M ALL FOR, LIKE, THINKING LONG TERM ABOUT MUNICIPAL BROADBAND. I, I JUST, YOU KNOW, MY, MY CONCERN HAS BEEN, I, I JUST DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA BE IMPLEMENTING IT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, MAYBE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS. UM, SO THAT, THAT'S WHY ORIGINALLY THE ORDER FOCUSED ON, SO WHAT CAN WE DO? BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE NEAR TIME TERM, WE CAN'T DO MUNICIPAL BROADBAND. BUT I, I THINK IT'S FINE TO INCLUDE THAT AS A LONG TERM GOAL. UH, MAYBE ONE DAY WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE REALLY WANT THAT REPORT BACK. SO, UM, THANK YOU, UM, COUNSELOR ZUBIE FOR YOUR AMENDMENTS, WHICH I WELCOME OTHER COMMENTS ON THESE AMENDMENTS BEFORE US HEARING NONE. WE CAN GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR ZUBI TO ADOPT THE AMENDMENT. STILL. ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZIM? YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR [03:25:01] MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE CAL. WE'RE DONE WITH THE CALENDAR. WITH THAT POLICY ORDER BEING ADOPTED, THERE ARE TWO APPLICATIONS AND PETITIONS. WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO, OH, WE HAVE TO ADOPT IT. YEAH. COULD, COULD I QUICKLY BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR? SURE. SURE. SO THAT'S ANOTHER, WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR? WE'LL ONLY ADD COUNSELOR ZUBIE AS A CO-SPONSOR AND DO A ROLL CALL. SURE. COUNCILOR ZUBY? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR KIN. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ON THE AMENDED POLICY ORDER ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR ZUBE. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE POLICY ORDER AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED. WE NOW MOVE ON TO APPLICATIONS [APPLICATIONS] AT PETITIONS. PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. COUNCIL. ANY MOTION ON A HEARING? ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR MCGOVERN TO ADAPT THE TWO APPLICATIONS? WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. VICE VICE MAYOR. VICE MAYOR? YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI? YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE TWO APPLICATIONS AND PETITIONS ARE ADOPTED. WE NOW MOVE ON TO [COMMUNICATIONS] COMMUNICATIONS. IT'S ON FILE, . ALL RIGHT. ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO PLACE THE COMMUNICATIONS ON FILE, THERE ARE 66. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILLOR ZUBI. NO. NO. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SUBINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI? YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND ONE RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE PLACED ON FILE. WE'RE ONTO RESOLUTIONS. [RESOLUTIONS] THERE ARE NINE. ARE THERE ANY THAT COUNSELORS WOULD LIKE TO PULL? YES, MA'AM. CHAIR, COUNSELOR SIMMONS. I'D LIKE TO PULL NUMBER THREE, AND I CAN'T SEE THE REST OF THEM, SO YOU MAY HAVE TO COME BACK TO ME. BUT NUMBER THREE, COUNSELOR SIMMONS PULLS NUMBER THREE. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. COULD I, UM, COULD I POLL NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER SEVEN, PLEASE? COUNCILOR FLAHERTY POLLS NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER SEVEN. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. I JUST WANTED TO BE ADDED TO NUMBER FIVE, ASSUMING THAT'S MY NEIGHBOR ON HERE ON AB. IS THAT TRUE? COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? EVERYONE IS ADDED TO THESE. SO, DO YOU WANT TO BE ADDED COUNCILLOR NOLAN AS SECOND. OKAY. SO WE'LL PULL NUMBER FIVE. ARE THERE OTHER ONES? COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. UH, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. PULLED IT, WHICH WAS NUMBER SEVEN. OKAY. SO WE'VE PULLED RESOLUTIONS 2, 3, 5, AND SEVEN. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD. ON COUNCILLOR SIMMONS MOTION TO ADOPT THE BALANCE OF THE RESOLUTIONS, MAKING THEM UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COUNCILOR ZUBY? YES. YES. VICE ZE? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. AFFIRMATIVE. WE, THOSE RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED. WE'LL GO TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO. I'M SORRY. RESOLUTIONS NUMBER TWO, CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF ROBERT K. PATTERSON. SENIOR COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. MADAM MAYOR. UM, BOBBY PATTERSON'S, MY UNCLE. HE GREW UP IN, UH, CORCORAN PARK. SINGLE MOM RAISED HIS FAMILY, AND HER AND AV, HIS WIFE, UH, IS MY GODMOTHER, [03:30:01] AUNT ANN. AND, UH, BOBBY WAS A GREAT MAN. WORKED FOR THE CITY FOR MANY YEARS, WAS VERY ACTIVE, UH, WITH MANY YOUTH SPORTS AND, UH, CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, INCLUDING, UH, WEST CAMBRIDGE, LITTLE LEAGUE, POP WARNER, BOY SCOUTS. HE WAS AN EAGLE SCOUT. HIS KIDS, UH, WERE ACTIVE, AND HE WAS JUST A, UH, HE WAS A TREMENDOUS HUMAN BEING. AND, UH, MY FAMILY HAS A VOID BECAUSE OF HIS PASSING. GOD REST HIS SOUL. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING. HE WAS A GOOD MAN AND A GREAT CITY EMPLOYEE. SO THANK YOU. THANKS, COUNSELOR. CLARITY AND OUR CONDOLENCES TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. HEARING. NO ONE ELSE. WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADOPTING THIS RESOLUTION AND MAKING IT UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION. COUNSELOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YEAH. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, THE POLICY. THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED. WE'LL GO TO NUMBER THREE. THIS IS ON THE RESOLUTION ON THE RETIREMENT OF KATE JOYCE. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS AND MYSELF, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I WANTED JUST TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AN EXTRAORDINARY INDIVIDUAL THAT WORKS A RECENTLY RETIRED FROM THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, KATE JOYCE, MOST OF US. IF, IF YOU HAVE NOT MET HER AND SPENT SOME TIME WITH HER PERSONAL PERSONALLY, YOU HAVE MISSED A RARE OPPORTUNITY. KATE CAME TO THE WORK FOR THE CITY DECADES AGO, AND SHE HAS GIVEN HER ABSOLUTE ALL TO THE CITY. SHE DIDN'T JUST WORK FOR DPW, SHE REALLY ENGAGED WITH INDIVIDUALS, DEPARTMENTS, SHE THOUGHT SHE DID, WHICH WAS, HOW DO I MAKE SURE THAT CITY HALL IS NOT ONLY READY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN IT, BUT READY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO IT? UH, I THINK IT WAS LAST THURSDAY. IT'S ALL A BLUR NOW. SO MUCH HAS BEEN GOING ON THAT WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER, AND WE HAD CLOSE TO A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING JUST TRYING TO SAY HOW EXTRAORDINARY SHE IS. I WOULD READ THE RESOLUTION, BUT I CANNOT OPEN IT ON MY COMPUTER. PERHAPS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL. I HOPE I, IF SHE'S LISTENING IN, SHE CAN'T HEAR IT BECAUSE WE HAVE NO VOLUME. UH, I UNDERSTAND. GOING OUT OVER THE, UM, AIRWAYS. BUT I, I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL ALL JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING HER ON TAKING THIS TIME FOR HERSELF, THANKING HER PER HER TIRELESS SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS AND TO THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, AND WISH HER ALL THE BEST, HER AND HER WIFE, ELLEN, AND WHATEVER SHE CHOOSES TO DO NEXT WITH HER, WITH HER LIFE. AND SO, TO I, IF YOU'RE LISTENING, KATE JOYCE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. FROM A VERY GRATEFUL INDIVIDUAL AND FROM A VERY GRATEFUL COUNCIL. I YIELD THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. AND I JUST WANNA ECHO WHAT YOU SAID. UM, I WAS UNFORTUNATELY, UH, CITY MANAGER AND I MISSED THAT 'CAUSE WE WERE IN, UM, BOSTON THAT DAY. BUT WANTED TO JUST SAY HOW GRATEFUL, UM, I VINDICATE AND SEEING HER FACE. AND IT'LL BE WEIRD NOT TO SEE HER BECAUSE SHE'S, SHE'S EVERYWHERE AND SHE'S THE FIRST PERSON HERE IN THE BUILDING. AND, UM, YEAH. YEAH, I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT SHE'S BEEN JUST SO WARM AND GRACIOUS AND ALWAYS SO HELPFUL, UM, TO ALL OF US. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANNA WISH HER JUST AN AMAZING, YOU KNOW, JOURNEY AND RETIREMENT. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, I'LL CERTAINLY, UH, MISS SEEING HER, UH, AROUND CITY HALL. SO WOULD MY COLLEAGUES LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING? YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I JUST, UM, JUST ECHO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT HAS BEEN SAID. AND, AND, AND KATE, UM, NOT ONLY DID SHE DO SO MUCH AROUND HERE TO KEEP THIS BUILDING AND MANY OF US RUNNING SMOOTHLY, BUT ALWAYS WITH A SMILE OR A JOKE, OR, YOU KNOW, GOOD, GOOD NATURE. AND, UM, ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE HER. SHE LIVES DOWN THE STREET FROM ME, SO I'M SURE I'LL BE SEEING HER, UH, STILL. UM, BUT WANNA WISH HER THE BEST AND THANK HER FOR ALL HER YEARS OF SERVICE. ABSOLUTELY. COUNCIL FLAHERTY. SO, I, I ECHO EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS, TOO. AND, UH, NOT ONLY WAS KATE A GREAT WORK, I BET SHE WAS SHARP AS ATTACK AND FAIR WARNING. SHE TOLD ME ALL YOUR SECRETS BEFORE SHE LEFT. SO, , THANK YOU. KATE . UH, OH. YEAH. WELL, THANK YOU. OH, GO AHEAD. COUNCILOR NOLAN, [03:35:01] JUST ADDING ONTO THIS, THAT, THAT THE REAL, OH, IS SHE HERE? NO, THAT, THAT, THAT, THE SMILE, BUT ALSO THE RISE SENSE OF HUMOR, AND JUST VERY UNDERSTATED. AND YET QUITE, QUITE DELIGHTFUL. I'M SURE SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH WE ACTUALLY, OR SOME OF US ACTUALLY NOTICED HER AND APPRECIATED HER, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE SHE'S FEELING THAT RIGHT NOW. THANKS YOU AND THANKS, UM, FOR PUTTING THIS IN. UH, UM, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS AND MAYOR SADIKI. THANK YOU. AND I WANNA JUST GO TO NAOMI. YEAH. I, I, I DO BELIEVE KATE IS ON THE ZOOM, SO HOPEFULLY SHE CAN HEAR US. . I JUST WANTED TO ADD, UM, THERE'S A LOT THAT HAPPENS IN THIS ROOM IN PARTICULAR, AND THERE'S A LOT THAT HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. AND KATE WAS OFTEN THE PERSON THAT WOULD STAY LATE OR COME IN SUPER EARLY. UM, SHE WOULD COVER FOR OTHER FOLKS IF, IF SOMEONE WASN'T HERE. AND KATE TOOK ON A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE NOT HER JOB. SHE HAS, I, I DON'T BELIEVE SHE HAS THAT IN HER VOCABULARY TO SAY THAT THAT'S NOT HER JOB. AND EVEN SOME OF THE THINGS, UM, THERE WAS A STORY THAT I THINK BEARS REPEATING. SHE TOOK IT UPON HERSELF TO CLEAN UP THE YARD NEXT DOOR FOR THE FOLKS THAT GO TO THE, UM, THE FOOD PANTRY SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE A NICE YARD TO SIT IN. THEY WERE DOING SOME OUTDOOR CLASSES DURING COVID AND SHE TOOK CARE OF ALL THE LANDSCAPING. THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING SHE UNDERTOOK ON HER OWN, AND JUST, JUST INDICATIVE OF WHO KATE IS. AND SHE'S JUST SO KIND AND SO HARDWORKING. SHE DESERVES HER RETIREMENT, AND I HOPE SHE ENJOYS IT. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, KATE, FOR YOUR 22 YEARS. UM, AND WE'LL MISS YOU. UH, AND YOU DESERVE EVERY, UH, AWARD AND HONOR YOU'VE GOTTEN, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. SO YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, MAKING IT UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION. COUNCILOR ZUBIE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNSELOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE RESOLUTION. NUMBER THREE IS ADOPTED. WE ARE GOING TO RESOLUTION NUMBER FIVE. THIS IS FILED BY COUNCILOR FEHERTY, AND THIS IS ON THE CON CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF MARY T. QUINN. AND I MAY SAY THIS WRONG. UM, SCHIFFER DECKER. SCHIFFER DECKER. SCHIFFER DECKER. YEAH. UH, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. AND THEN I'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR NOLAN. SHE WAS A GREAT PERSON, PASSED AT THE AGE OF 97, WAS A, UH, PROUD CONGREGANT AT ST. PETER'S PARISH. JUST A AN EXCELLENT PERSON IN WEST CAMBRIDGE, ST. JOHN'S HIGH SCHOOL, AND JUST A TREMENDOUS HUMAN BEING. AND, UH, GARRA. AND I'LL YIELD TO, UH, COUNCILOR NOLAN, COUNCILLOR NOLAN, UH, THE, THE RESOLUTION SAYS IT ALL. UH, THANK YOU THROUGH YOU, MAYOR TO COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY. THERE'S REALLY ALL OF IT IN THERE. I JUST WANT IT TO BE ADDED BECAUSE THEY DO LIVE LITERALLY RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM ME. AND I SPENT MANY A TIME WAITING AT THE BUS STOP WITH, UH, JOE JUNIOR. UM, SO JUST WANTED TO SAY IT'S, UH, A WELL-LIVED LIFE. UM, AND YET IT'S ALWAYS SAD WHEN THE PASSING HAPPENS TO A NEIGHBOR AND A FAMILY. SO, UH, THANK YOU. WE CAN ADD YOU COUNCILOR NOLAN. BEFORE WE DO THAT, I'LL JUST GO TO COUNSELOR. UM, SIMMONS IS THIS, I WANTED TO, I WAS ASKING YOU TO BE ADDED TO CO NUMBER SEVEN. I THINK YOU'RE NOT ON IT YET. NO. SO LOOK, THIS WAS NOT THE ONE. THANK YOU. OKAY, NO PROBLEM. SO, WE'LL ADD COUNCILOR NOLAN AS THE SECOND AFTER COUNCIL FLAHERTY FOR THIS RESOLUTION. COUNCILOR ZUBIE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. COUNCIL COUNSELOR NOLAN? YES. COUNSELOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUZI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. SO NOW WE'LL GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED. COUNCILOR ZUBI? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNSELOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNSELOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED AS AMENDED. WE WILL GO AHEAD TO RESOLUTION NUMBER SEVEN. THIS IS A CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CAMBRIDGE WARRIORS BASKETBALL TEAM. COUNCILLOR FLAIR, DO YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THIS, UH, THIS PROGRAM IS OUTSTANDING. AND, UM, FOR ALL OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE CAMBRIDGE WARRIORS, YOU'LL [03:40:01] BE SO IMPRESSED BY HOW, UM, HOW SKILLED THEY ARE. THEY'RE THE NUMBER ONE RANKED TEAM IN THE COUNTRY. THEY PLAY AS A TEAM, UH, AND THEY'VE GOT INCREDIBLE COMRADERY. THEY'VE GOT OUTSTANDING COACHING. UH, THEY'VE GOT A TREMENDOUS, UH, FAN BASE. UH, MYSELF AND CONSUL SIMMONS, WERE AT THE WAR MEMORIAL LAST SATURDAY NIGHT. UH, AND WE WATCHED THEM PLAY, AND THEY HANDILY, UH, DEFEATED THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE TEAM. AND, UH, AND THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE PLAYED WELL. SO, I, UH, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEM AND SUPPORT THEM, THEY'RE GOING OUT, UH, TO PLAY IN THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, IF THEY CATCH A BREAK OR TWO, THEY MAY COME HOME WITH A GOLD MEDAL. SO, UH, IT WAS OUTSTANDING, FANTASTIC PROGRAM. AND, UH, DAVID TINES, WHO'S A COACH, DOES AN INCREDIBLE JOB WITH THEM. SO I WANTED TO THANK HIM AND WISH THEM ALL THE VERY BEST IN THEIR FUTURE COMPETITIONS. THANKS, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR ZUBIE. YEAH. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY FOR MAKING YOUR REMARKS ON THE CAMBRIDGE WARRIORS BASKETBALL TEAM. JUST WANNA NOTE, WHEN YOU WITNESS PEOPLE BAWLING OUT, YOU CAN'T DENY THE FACT THAT THEY'RE BALLERS ALL, ALL YIELD . WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR SIMMONS. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT LAST ONE, BUT DON'T INTERPRET IT FOR ME. UH, SO, UH, TO, UH, TO MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCILOR TY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I WANTED TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR. UH, EVERYTHING HE SAID IS WORTH SAYING AGAIN, BUT I WON'T. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY GAIN. IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY TEAM. I WISH THEM WELL IN MINNESOTA FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF REASONS. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, BECAUSE THEY WILL, THEY HAVE JUST REALLY MADE US PROUD BY THEIR EXTRAORDINARY, UH, GAME GAMEMANSHIP. I THINK THAT'S THE WAY YOU SAY IT. IT WAS A WONDERFUL GAME. I, I WON'T EVEN TAKE IT. UH, I'LL TAKE IT AS A NICE, UH, BEING GENTLY CHATTED ABOUT MY ATTIRE IN TERMS OF MY, THAT. SO FLAHERTY HAD SAID, COUNCIL, COUNCIL SIMMONS WILL PLAY, BUT SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT SHOES ON. BUT WE WON'T GET INTO THAT, WILL WE? ? IT WAS A NICE GAME. UM, I LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO THEIR WALKING THEM BACK, UH, WITH, WITH THEIR GOLD MEDALS AND ANN, BUT HOWEVER, THEY MAY, THE WINNERS TO ALL OF US. A YELLOW FLOOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. I'M SORRY I MISSED THE GAME. UM, AND I REALLY WISH THEM WELL IN THE, IN JUNE. MADAM MAYOR, CAN I ALSO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR? YES. SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADDING COUNCILOR SIMMONS AND COUNCILOR ZUBE TO THE RESOLUTION. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE. YES. YES. COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE'VE ADDED BOTH COUNSELORS. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED, MAKING IT UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR . YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNSELOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE RE THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, CAN WE TAKE UP SOMETHING THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PASSED? I DON'T THINK ANYONE PULLED NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS, UM, ACKNOWLEDGES MIKE JOHNSTON. WAS THAT PULLED? NO, IT WAS NOT PULLED. WELL, I WAS TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THIS NEW PROGRAM 'CAUSE I WANTED TO PULL, TO ASK TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR TO THAT, UH, RESOLUTION. I DON'T KNOW IF MY COLLEAGUES WILL GRANT UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO REOPEN THAT, SO THAT I COULD BE ADDED. WE JUST HAVE TO TAKE A ROLL CALL. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. SO, COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR EY. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. SO FOR THAT RESOLUTION, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO BE ADDED TO [03:45:01] THIS? WE'RE ALL ADDED, BUT JUST THE ORDER. NO PREFERENCE. MM-HMM. WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND ADOPT, AND WE'RE GONNA ADD COUNCILOR SIMMONS TO THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. WE'RE ALL ON IT. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUBI? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. YES. COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNSELOR NOLAN. YES. COUNSELOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED, MAKING IT UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION. COUNCILOR ZUBY? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED. WELL, WE'RE NOW ONTO [COMMUNICATIONS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS] COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS. I AM GOING TO JUST PULL NUMBER FOUR BRIEFLY. DO OTHER FOLKS WANNA PULL ANYTHING AS THE BALANCE ON FILE ON COUNCILLOR SIMMONS MOTION? WE WILL PLACE 1, 2, 3 ON FILE. COUNCILOR ZUBIE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHALER. YES. YES. COUNSELOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THOSE THREE ARE PLACED ON FILE. I PULLED COMMUNICATING INFORMATION FROM THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. UH, JUST AS, UH, A WAY TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN, UH, SUMMARIZING OUR MEETINGS, UH, AT SCHOOL COMMITTEE. UM, I, WHILE I'M NO LONGER CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE PER THE RULES, UH, THE MAYOR IS STILL GOING TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN SUBCOMMITTEES. AND SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MADE THAT CHANGE. UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME AS MAYOR, I'M STILL GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN A BUNCH OF THE COMMITTEE WORK, WHICH, UM, YOU KNOW, IS STILL PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE NOW A CHAIR, VICE CHAIR STRUCTURE, I'M STILL VERY MUCH PROBABLY INVOLVED IN EVERY MEETING THAT HAPPENS, UM, WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT. SO, JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. AS WE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE MADE THESE CHARTER CHANGES, LIKE WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IN THE FIRST YEAR? UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT MAYBE, UH, AFTER THE TERM IS OVER, UH, OR TO EVALUATE. AND SO I WANTED TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE DIFFERENT, UM, CHAIRSHIPS AND MEMBERSHIPS I WILL BE TAKING ON. AND WE'LL BE REPORT REPORTING TO ALL OF YOU ACCORDINGLY. SO THAT'S ALL I HAD. UH, BUT THANKS FOR READING THESE. IF YOU READ, IF YOU READ THESE, UH, AND SO ON THAT, YES, COUNCILOR NOLAN, UH, AT LEAST ONE OF US READ THROUGH IT AND ALSO APPRECIATES THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING WE HADN'T QUITE THOUGHT THROUGH, I THINK, WHICH IS THE SUBTEXT I THINK OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. BUT I DID NOTICE YOU'RE ON SEVERAL COMMITTEES THAT, AND WE NEED YOU ON THOSE. 'CAUSE IT'S AN, AN IMPORTANT TIME IN OUR CITY AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO NAVIGATE SOME OF THE, THE ISSUES WITH THE SCHOOL AND THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE AND REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING THESE. I I KNOW THEY WERE, UH, THEIR LAST TERM THAT, THAT YOU WERE MAYOR, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THEM CONTINUE. SO I HOPE THAT, THAT THOSE CONTINUE REGARDLESS OF, UH, YOUR CHAIRSHIP. WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, YES. SO COUNCILOR SIMMONS, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I, I THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, UPDATES. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO. I KNOW IT'S AN, A DIFFICULT AND A NOT DIFFICULT DIFFERENT TIME BECAUSE OF THE VOTE OF THE, BECAUSE OF WHAT THE VOTERS SAID IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE. IT, IT CHANGED THE SYSTEM, BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE ONE'S PARTICIPATION. I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN YOU TO ALWAYS BE VERY ENGAGED WHEN YOU SERVED AS MAYOR BEFORE. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR, TO YOUR UPDATES. I KNOW YOU'RE HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME THERE. UM, AND AT ANY TIME YOU'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, ANYTHING RELATIVE TO THE WORK, I'M THERE TO SUPPORT YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. A YIELD, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADOPTING, ON, UH, PLACING COMMUNICATION FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS. NUMBER FOUR ON FILE. COUNCILOR [03:50:01] ZUBI. YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUZI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS ARE PLACED ON FILE. WE ARE ONTO LATE [LATE AGENDA ITEMS REQUIRING SUSPENSION OF THE RULES PER RULE 36A] RESOLUTIONS. WE DO HAVE ONE LATE RESOLUTION, SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON BRINGING THAT, UH, A ROLL CALL ON SUSPENSION TO BRING THAT FORWARD. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE ARE IN SUSPENSION, SO WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD THE RESOLUTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS ON THE PASSING OF JANET DOUCETTE. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YES. UH, MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE FLOOR. UH, I, I CAME TO MY ATTENTION TODAY THAT, UH, JANET DOUCETTE, LONGTIME CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT MEMBER OF THE PORT PASSED AWAY THIS WEEKEND. I WAS STUNNED. UH, SHE TOOK ILL, UH, RECENTLY AND PASSED VERY QUICKLY. IF YOU'VE WENT INTO THE DOORS OF CEOC, MR. SET WAS THE FIRST PERSON THAT WOULD GREET YOU. SHE WORKED, WORKED FOR CEOC FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WORKING HER WAY. THE RANKS STARTING IN ONE OF THE, I THINK, A COOK IN ONE OF THE CHILDCARE PROGRAMS TO HER LAST POSITION THAT SHE HELD, WHICH WAS HOLDING DOWN THE BUILDING. YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY, I WOULDN'T CALL HER A RECEPTIONIST OR A LEADER, I WOULD CALL HER AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CAMBRIDGE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMISSIONS WORKING ENVIRONMENT. UM, A YOUNG WOMAN, AGAIN, SOMEONE WHO HAD CAMBRIDGE AT THE CENTER OF HER SOUL. AND I WAS JUST REALLY MOVED BY HEARING THAT SHE HAD PASSED AWAY. AND I'M HOPING, UH, THIS IS JUST THE BARE BONES OF AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF HER, HER LIVING, NOT SO MUCH OF HER PASSING. AND AS DETAILS COME, COME FORWARD, I WILL LET THE COUNCIL KNOW SO THAT WE ALL CAN GIVE HER THE RIGHT OR RESPECT AND TRIBUTE THAT SHE DESERVES AS SOMEONE WHO'S GIVEN SO MUCH, UH, TO CAMBRIDGE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SIMMONS. VERY, UM, UNFORTUNATE TO HEAR THAT. AND PLEASE DO SHARE ANY DETAILS ABOUT SERVICES WHENEVER YOU DO HAVE THEM. CORRECT. WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADOPTING THE RESOLUTION, MAKING IT UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZI? YES. YES. COUNCIL FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNSELOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNSELOR EY. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI? YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED. WE ARE NOW ON TWO POLICY ORDERS. WE DO HAVE ONE LATE ONE, AND WE HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL BECAUSE OF SUSPENSION. AND SO WE'LL DO THAT. COUNCILOR ZUBI? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE ARE IN SUSPENSION. AND NOW WE HAVE ONE LATE ORDER. THIS LATE ORDER WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, MYSELF, COUNCILOR SIMMONS AND COUNSELOR AL ZUBE AROUND THE LAMPLIGHTER BREWING COMPANY, UM, AND THEIR EFFORTS TO UNI UNIONIZE THE EMPLOYEES THERE. SO, COUNCIL MCGOVERN, I'LL PASS IT TO YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, UH, THROUGH YOU. I, I APOLOGIZE FOR BRINGING THIS IN AS A LATE ORDER. I PLANNED ON BRINGING IT, UH, FOR OUR NEXT MEETING. BUT, UM, GOT AN EMAIL TODAY THAT IT'S A LITTLE TIME SENSITIVE 'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE THE OWNERS AND, AND THE WORKERS ARE GONNA BE SITTING DOWN, UH, THIS WEEK. UM, SO I HAD TO BRING IT IN AS A, AS A LATE ORDER. UM, THIS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THIS COUNCIL HAS A, A, A, A LONG AND, AND, AND STRONG, UM, RECORD OF STANDING UP FOR UNION WORKERS, UH, FOLKS WHO WANT TO START UNIONS, UM, BELIEVING IN THE PROTECTIONS, UH, OF UNIONS. UM, THE, UH, WORKERS AT THE LAMPLIGHTER BREWING COMPANY, THE, THE TWO LOCATIONS IN CAMBRIDGE, HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS, UH, LOCAL 1445, UM, IN AN, IN, IN THEIR INTEREST TO UNIONIZE. [03:55:01] UM, THIS POLICY ORDER. UM, NOT ONLY ACKNOWLEDGES, UH, SUPPORT, UH, FOR THEM TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND, AND, AND TO WORK WITH THE OWNERS OF LAMPLIGHTER, UH, TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BUT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES, UM, THE GREAT WORK THAT THAT LAMPLIGHTER, UH, AS A, AS A, AS A BUSINESS, UM, HAS DONE IN, IN THE COMMUNITY. AND, AND, AND THEY DO SUPPORT A LOT OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. UM, OUR HOPE, AND MY HOPE, AND I DON'T DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THE CO-SPONSORS, BUT I THINK OUR HOPE IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS CAN SIT DOWN AND, AND, AND WORK OUT, UM, SOME THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR CONCERNS AND, UH, AND LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK BACK, ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I, I, I DID ON, ON WHEN GETTING ELECTED TO THIS COUNCIL WAS, UH, FILING A SIMILAR ORDER IN SUPPORT OF, UM, OF, UH, THE HOUSEKEEPING STAFF AT THE DOUBLETREE HOTEL THAT WAS, THAT WAS OWNED BY HARVARD, WHO WANTED TO UNIONIZE. UM, AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, THIS ORDER IS JUST ENCOURAGING, UH, THAT CONVERSATION TO HAPPEN IS SHOWING OUR SUPPORT FOR BOTH THE WORKERS AND THE ORGANIZATION. I KNOW SOME FOLKS HAVE BROUGHT OUT SOME, SOME CONCERNS ABOUT SMALLER BUSINESSES AND UNIONS AND HOW THAT ALL FITS TOGETHER. I'LL JUST POINT OUT THAT RIGHT HERE, LOCALLY, UH, 1369, UH, COFFEEHOUSE IS UNIONIZED. UH, FORGE, UH, COFFEEHOUSE IS UNIONIZED. BLOCK DIESEL AND PAVEMENT ARE ALL UNIONIZED. AND THOSE, UH, THOSE BUSINESSES ARE, ARE, ARE THRIVING AND, AND HAVE FOUND A HARMONIOUS, UH, RELATIONSHIP. SO, UM, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT'LL, UH, WITH THE LAMPLIGHTER AND THEIR WORKERS, IT'LL BE THE SAME. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I HAVE COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER, AND THEN COUNCILOR ZUBIE. THANKS. MAD WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO BE AT IT AS A CO-SPONSOR, COUNCILOR ZUBIE. YEAH. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I AM, I'M EXCITED. ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SOME NOTES TO, TO SAY IT. IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT THE WORKERS ARE, ARE STARTING THE PROCESS OF FORMING A UNION WITH UFCW, AND, AND I SUPPORT THEIR WORK AS WELL. UNIONS, AS WE KNOW, HAVE HISTORICALLY HELPED SHAPE THE CONVERSATION AROUND DIGNITY AND DEMOCRACY IN THE WORKPLACE. AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US NOT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THEIR LEADERSHIP AND WORKING FAMILY'S ABILITY TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE OR PAY THEIR BILLS. AND, AND THAT'S ONLY AMONGST THE FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS. I KNOW THAT LAMPLIGHTER ITSELF HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNER, AND I ENCOURAGE THE OWNERSHIP TO VOLUNTARILY RECOGNIZE THE UNION AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATING IN GOOD FAITH. I'LL YIELD COUNCILOR NOLAN. THANKS. LIKE ALL MY COLLEAGUES, I DO HOPE THE OWNERS WHO HAVE BEEN REALLY GREAT AND THEY PROVIDE A GREAT PRODUCT AS WELL, AND THEY'RE LOCALLY, UH, OWNED, THAT UH, THEY VOLUNTARILY RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS A BETTER PATH TO BETTER RELATIONS. AND I'D LOVE TO BE ADDED AS WELL. WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ADD ON A MOTION TO ADD COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER AND COUNCILOR NOLAN, DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZI? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MCGOVERN FOR BRINGING THIS WORD. HAPPY TO BE A CO-SPONSOR. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THE POLICY ORDER AS AMENDED. COUNCILOR ZUBI? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. COUNCILLOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE LATE ORDER AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED. WE'RE DONE WITH THE LATE ORDERS. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS. WE HAVE, UM, I'LL JUST BE REALLY QUICK. WE HAVE, UM, AN ORDINANCE MEETING TOMORROW AT 11. UM, WE ALSO HAVE A FINANCE MEETING, 12 ON WES ON WEDNESDAY. THERE'S OUR, ALSO THE, UH, COMMUNITY MEETING FOR THE BUDGET AT THE SENIOR CENTER AT SIX, UH, ON WEDNESDAY. UM, WE DO NOT MEET BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAY ON MONDAY, UH, PRESIDENT'S DAY. AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK IS A ROUND TABLE WITH THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. WE HAD TO FIT THAT IN SOMEWHERE. SO THAT'S THE LONG GAP, UM, UNTIL, UH, MARCH 2ND. SO, JUST A REMINDER, ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE, FROM THE BODY? HEARING NONE. WE'LL GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR FLAHERTY TO ADJOURN. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBI? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. COUNCILOR [04:00:01] SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. GOODNIGHT EVERYONE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.