[00:00:02]
[ROLL CALL]
AFTERNOON EVERYONE.A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL BEING PRESENT.
I WANTED TO CALL TONIGHT'S MAY 4TH REGULAR MEETING OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.
THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS PRESENT.
ABSENT, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER.
DID YOU WANT SO SHE CAN'T HEAR US, SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND FIX THAT.
COUNCILOR SIMMONS, PRESENT, PRESENT, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER.
PRESENT, PRESENT, COUNCILOR ZUI.
YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AS PRESENT AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
PER CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2025, ADOPTED BY MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT AND APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE CITY IS AUTHORIZED TO USE REMOTE PARTICIPATION AT MEETINGS OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL.
IN ADDITION TO HAVING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL PARTICIPATE REMOTELY, WE'VE SET UP ZOOM TELECONFERENCE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE MEETING VIA THE CITY'S OPEN MEETING PORTAL OR ON THE CITY'S CABLE.
CHANNEL 22 TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU MUST SIGN UP AT WWW.CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV/PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL WRITTEN COMMENTS FOR THE RECORD TO THE CITY CLERK AT CITY CLERK@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV.
WE WELCOME YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOU CAN SIGN UP UNTIL 6:00 PM PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDS THIS MEETING AND MAKES IT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR FUTURE VIEWING.
IN ADDITION, THIRD PARTIES MAY ALSO BE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING THIS MEETING.
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT.PUBLIC COMMENT MAY BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS CHAPTER 30 A SECTION 20 G AND CITY COUNCIL RULES 20 3D AND 37.
ONCE YOU'VE FINISHED SPEAKING, THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CALLED INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT PERMITTED 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.
WE HAVE 37 SPEAKERS WHO'VE SIGNED UP.
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
WE'LL GO AHEAD TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS LOUISE VENDEN.
OUR SECOND SPEAKER IS WILLIAM.
WILLIAM HANSBERRY, CONSULATE FLAHERTY.
OUR THIRD SPEAKER, OH, SORRY WILLIAMS IN PERSON.
UH, MY NAME IS WILL HANSBERRY.
I'M A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE AT 2 31 NORFOLK STREET.
SPEAKING ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
UM, JUST WANNA START BY SAYING JUST THIS FRIDAY, UM, AS COUNSELORS MAY HAVE SEEN, PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED THAT HE BE TAKING IMMEDIATE ACTION TO QUOTE UNQUOTE TAKE OVER CUBA.
NOW MORE THAN EVER, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE COUNCIL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY DECLARE THAT THIS RECENT CRIMINAL AGGRESSION, AS WELL AS THE CRIMINAL AGGRESSION OF THE PAST, HAS SERVED NO CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT OR AMERICAN CITIZEN IN SOLVING THE ISSUES THEY FACE HERE AT HOME.
AT A TIME WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS CUTTING SOCIAL PROGRAMS IN OUR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, THE BLOCKADE AND RESOURCES SPENT TO ENACT IT HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT CAUSE SUFFERING AND PAIN FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE.
I'D LIKE TO AGAIN, URGE THE COUNCIL TO STAND AGAINST THIS AGGRESSION AS IT HAS IN THE PAST WITH A POLICY ORDER PASSED IN 2021.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TARA SANDLIN, FOLLOWED BY ABIGAIL WALTERS.
I AM A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AT NINE ROBERTS ROAD.
I'M ALSO A RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONAL AND I AM SPEAKING TONIGHT ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
I TRAVELED TO CUBA JUST OVER A MONTH AGO, UM, WITH PASTORS FOR PEACE TO DELIVER AID FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE, AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL TO HEAR ABOUT JUST A FEW OF MY EXPERIENCES WHILE THERE, WHILE I WAS IN CUBA, THE NATIONAL POWER GRID UNEXPECTEDLY FAILED FOR THE THIRD TIME IN A SINGLE MONTH.
[00:05:01]
IS IN ADDITION TO SCHEDULED BLACKOUTS AND POWER OUTAGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THE US BLOCKADE, BUT THESE UNEXPECTED FAILURES ARE A RE A DIRECT CONSEQUENCE OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S TOTAL FUEL BLOCKADE.IN RECENT AGGRESSION, WE ALSO VISITED WILLIAMS, SO PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL.
THIS USED TO BE THE FLAGSHIP HOSPITAL AND INDEED IS THE FLAGSHIP HOSPITAL IN CUBA FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER AND WITH HEART ISSUES.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAVE HAD TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SURGERIES THAT THEY PERFORM EACH YEAR.
IN 2019, THEY PERFORMED 10,000 SURGERIES FOR THESE CHILDREN AND THEY PREDICT THAT THIS YEAR THEY MAY NOT EVEN REACH 1000 IN ADDITION TO REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF SURGERIES THEY'VE HAD TO REDUCE THE TYPES.
FOR INSTANCE, THEY'RE UNABLE TO PERFORM LIVING DONOR TRANSPLANTS BECAUSE THEY CANNOT COUNT ON THE FACT THAT THEY WILL HAVE ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO KEEP TWO PEOPLE ALIVE AT THE SAME TIME.
THIS ALL HAS AN IMMENSE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON THESE CHILDREN WHO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE A CURABLE ILLNESS AND THAT THEY HAVE A MEDICAL TEAM WHO WANTS TO HELP AND HAS THE KNOWLEDGE TO HELP.
BUT THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT HAS SAID THAT THEY DO NOT DESERVE TO LIVE.
I ALSO VISITED A COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC WHERE THEY TREAT 800 PATIENTS A DAY SOLELY WITH SUPPLIES FROM SOLIDARITY GROUPS LIKE OURS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PURCHASE THEM.
DESPITE ALL OF THIS, THE CUBAN PEOPLE HAVE REMAINED RESILIENT WORKING TO LIVE THEIR LIVES WITH DIGNITY AND BUILD A SOCIETY THAT PRIORITIZES HUMAN LIFE.
THEY'VE ASKED US TO ADVOCATE FOR AN END TO THIS CRUEL BLOCKADE, AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO REAFFIRM YOUR EARLIER COMMITMENT BY AGAIN VOTING YES ON THIS RESOLUTION.
OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ABIGAIL WALTERS, FOLLOWED BY SHAVON MCDONOUGH.
HI, MY NAME IS ABBY WALTERS AND I'M A RESEARCHER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY WHO STUDIES HOW POLICIES AFFECT CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
CAMBRIDGE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF STANDING UP ON MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE AND TONIGHT I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL TO DO SO AGAIN.
VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TO CALL ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO END THE CRUEL BLOCKADE ON CUBA.
ON CUBA TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDER TO DELIBERATELY CUT OFF OIL MEDICINE AND BASIC NECESSITIES TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE.
WE KNOW THAT THESE ARE CONDITIONS THAT HARM CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN WAYS THAT CAN LAST A LIFETIME.
NOW, TRUMP SAYS HE WANTS TO TAKE OVER CUBA IMMEDIATELY.
THE CUBAN PEOPLE DESERVE TO KNOW THAT WE STAND WITH THEM AND REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS INJUSTICE.
IT'S CRIMINAL AND THIS CRIMINAL BLOCKADE SERVES THE INTEREST OF THE BILLIONAIRE CLASS, NOT THE WORKING PEOPLE OF CAMBRIDGE OR CUBA.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHAVONNE MCDONOUGH, FOLLOWED BY NYLA CONAWAY.
MY NAME IS SHAVONNE MCDONOUGH.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA, NUAW LOCAL 2320, THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF LEGAL SERVICES WORKERS, AND I AM HERE SPEAKING TODAY IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER TWO, UH, CALLING FOR AN END TO THE BLOCKADE OF CUBA.
UM, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COUNSELORS WHO PROPOSED THIS RESOLUTION AND THE ORGANIZERS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING TO PUT IT FORWARD.
UM, THIS BLOCKADE BEGAN MORE THAN 65 YEARS AGO IN RESPONSE TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE ASSERTING THEIR RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND TO OWNERSHIP OVER THEIR COUNTRY'S RESOURCES AND INDUSTRIES.
IN RESPONSE, THE US INSTITUTED THIS BRUTAL BLOCKADE THAT CAUSES SHORTAGES OF FUEL OF FEW FOOD AND OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES THAT LEADS TO DISEASE AND MALNUTRITION AMONG THE CUBAN PEOPLE.
THIS IS A BLOCKADE WITH AN EXPLICIT GOAL OF REGIME CHANGE THEN AND NOW.
THAT WAS THE GOAL WHEN IT WAS FIRST INSTITUTED AND THAT REMAINS THE GOAL TODAY EXPLICITLY ADVOCATED BY THE PRESIDENT AND HIS ADMINISTRATION.
TRUMP IS RAMPING UP HIS THREATS TOWARDS CUBA AND HE IS AMBLING US TOWARDS ANOTHER IMPERIALIST INVASION.
IF WE DON'T STAND UP TO OUR BLOODTHIRSTY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ITS CLIENT STATES, WE ARE COMPLICIT IN THEIR ATROCITIES, WHETHER IN CUBA OR IN LEBANON, IRAN, VENEZUELA, OR PALESTINE.
THIS PAST FRIDAY WAS MAYDAY OR INTERNATIONAL WORKERS' DAY.
UH, I KNOW I SAW SOME OF YOU OUT THERE CELEBRATING.
UM, SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE STAND IN SOLIDARITY TODAY WITH THE OPPRESSED PEOPLE OF THE WORLD PASS POLICY.
ORDER TWO AND END THE BLOCKADE.
WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO LOUISE VENDEN.
[00:10:02]
ON YOUR END.LOUISE VENDEN 10 ROGERS STREET.
I'M SUBMITTING A STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER NUMBER 82, REQUESTING THAT THE CITY MANAGER EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR COMMISSIONING A HOUSING NEEDS STUDY THROUGH A QUALIFIED RESEARCH INSTITUTION.
SHORTLY AFTER MOVING HERE AND GETTING LOST MANY TIMES IN TWISTED STREETS WITH INADEQUATE SIGNAGE, I WAS TOLD THAT OLD NEW ENGLAND ADAGE, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING, YOU SHOULDN'T BE GOING THERE.
CAMBRIDGE HAS ADOPTED AMBITIOUS ZONING POLICIES AND OFFERED INCENTIVES TO STIMULATE ADDING MORE HOUSING, ESPECIALLY SINCE 2020.
HOW DO WE KNOW IF THESE POLICIES HAVE CREATED THE HOUSING NEEDED TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE, FAMILIES, LOW INCOME, MIDDLE INCOME, AND ELDERLY PEOPLE REMAIN A PART OF OUR ROBUST DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
THE COUNCIL HAS ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION ON THE SCOPE OF THIS PROPOSED STUDY BECAUSE THE CITY HAS CONDUCTED MANY STUDIES IN THE PAST, BUT SO MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN.
AND THE ADOPTION OF BOLD HOUSING POLICIES CREATES A SENSE OF URGENCY TO UNDERSTAND THE INVENTORY OF EXISTING HOUSING, ASSESS RESIDENT HOUSING NEEDS, AND ESTABLISH MEASURABLE GOALS IN ORDER TO, AS THEY SAY, KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING.
THE STUDY WILL BE KEY FOR TO GUIDE FUTURE HOUSING DECISIONS AND THE CITY SHOULD REACH OUT TO OUTSIDE RESEARCH FIRMS WITH EXPERTISE IN EVALUATING MUNICIPAL HOUSING NEEDS.
THE STUDY WILL REPLY, RELY UPON SECONDARY CENSUS, STATE AND CITY SOURCES, INTERVIEWS WITH POLICYMAKERS AND SURVEYS OF RESIDENTS, BUSINESS, NONPROFIT, EDUCATIONAL FIRMS, LOCAL DEVELOPERS AND HOUSING ADVOCACY LEADERS TO GENERATE EVIDENCE-BASED ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDING QUANTIFYING UNMET HOUSING NEEDS FOR SENIORS, LOW INCOME FAMILIES, YOUNG PEOPLE, 25 TO 32 IN EMPLOYERS, SMALL AND LARGE, ESTABLISHING PRO PRODUCTION GOALS BY MEASURING THE EXISTING HOUSING INVENTORY AGAINST THE NEEDS OF THESE GROUPS, IDENTIFYING NEW HOUSING GOALS BY TYPES SIZE, TENURE, AFFORDABILITY, AND ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION, JOBS, FOOD AND RETAIL STORES, AS WELL AS CHILDCARE.
YOU CAN EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NYLA CONAWAY, FOLLOWED BY MADELINE DERRY.
I AM A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AT 300 WESTERN AVENUE AND A SOCIAL WORKER.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO TO IMPLORE CONGRESS TO END THE BLOCKADE ON CUBA.
IN SUPPORT OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE, THEIR LIVELIHOODS AND TRULY IN SUPPORT OF WORKING PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, THE US HAS BEEN DETRIMENTALLY IMPACTING CUBAN LIVES FOR GENERATIONS THROUGH THIS BLOCKADE AND ARE CONTINUING TO MAKE THREATS OF ESCALATING THE TERROR.
OUR VOICES MATTER MORE THAN WE THINK IN MOMENTS LIKE THIS AND IS OUR DUTY AS RESIDENTS OF THE CITY, WORKING CLASS PEOPLE AND GOOD HUMANS TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE OF CUBA, THEIR SOVEREIGNTY AND DIGNITY.
OUR CITY MANAGER NOTED THAT CAMBRIDGE HAS SHARED VALUES OF SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY, INCLUSIVITY, AND THE ABILITY TO BE FORWARD, FORWARD LOOKING.
LET OUR CUBAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS SHAPE THEIR OWN FUTURES INDEPENDENTLY AND WITHOUT INTERVENTION FROM THE US THEY DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK FORWARD TO A SAFE, ACCESSIBLE, INCLUSIVE FUTURE AND MORE, AND THEY'RE COUNTING ON US TO SUPPORT THEIR ABILITY TO DO SO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MADELINE DERY, FOLLOWED BY ISABELLE WALCOTT IN MARILYN FRANKENSTEIN.
HI, UM, MY NAME IS MADELINE DEAR AND I BECAME A RESIDENT AT 12 INMAN STREET, UH, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CITY HALL.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
I'M DEEPLY PROUD TO CALL CAMBRIDGE MY HOME AND TO BE A PART OF THIS INCREDIBLE CITY.
I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS NOW AND I ACTUALLY JUST GOT MARRIED IN THIS VERY ROOM JUST OVER A MONTH AGO.
UM, BUT THE REASON THAT I'M PROUD TO CALL CAMBRIDGE MY HOME IS BECAUSE OF HOW THE CITY COUNCIL HAS STOOD ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY ON THIS VERY ISSUE.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF VISITING CUBA IN 2022 FOR AID TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE, AND WHAT I SAW THERE COULD NOT BE IGNORED WHEN I VISITED IN THE WAKE OF COVID.
IT WAS HEARTBREAKING TO SEE THAT A COUNTRY THAT HAD THE SCIENTIFIC PROWESS TO DEVELOP FIVE DIFFERENT COVID VACCINES COULD NOT ADMINISTER THEM.
DUE TO THE US BLOCKADE ON SYRINGES, POWER OUTAGES ARE CONSIDERED THE NORM AND PEOPLE GO HUNGRY EVERY DAY DUE TO THE US BLOCKADE AND DESPITE THEIR STRUGGLES.
THE ONLY THING THAT CUBAN PEOPLE ASK US WAS THAT WE GO HOME AND SPREAD AWARENESS OF THE US BLOCKADE AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP OVERCOME IT.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE FIRST STEP AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE TO STAND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ISABEL WALL.
I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AT 71 HIGHLAND AVE AND A HEALTHCARE
[00:15:01]
WORKER HERE STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH MY MEDICAL COLLEAGUES IN CUBA.IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO, THE CUBAN PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN A STATE OF ACUTE CRISIS DUE TO THE INHUMANE BLOCKADE THAT HAS LONG BEEN IMPOSED BY THE UNITED STATES AND MADE EXPONENTIALLY WORSE BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
ACCESSING AND PROVIDING HEALTHCARE IN THIS COUNTRY IS DIFFICULT ENOUGH.
IMAGINE TRYING TO DO THAT WHEN THERE IS NO FUEL TO POWER VENTILATORS AND NICU INCUBATORS, NO SYRINGES TO ADMINISTER VACCINES AND LITTLE FOOD FOR ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS.
DESPITE THIS, THE CUBAN PEOPLE ARE PRIORITIZING HEALTHCARE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, ENSURING THAT IT IS STILL ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.
DESPITE THIS CRUEL BLOCKADE, THE PEOPLE OF CAMBRIDGE ARE SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH THE PEOPLE OF CUBA FIGHTING FOR OUR COLLECTIVE HEALTH, DIGNITY, AND LIBERATION.
MEDICAL SYSTEMS AND HUMAN HEALTH MUST NOT BE FODDER FOR IMPERIALIST AGENDAS.
I ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION, TO SEND A MESSAGE TO OTHER CITIES AROUND THE NATION THAT WE WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS ATTACK ON THE HEALTH OF OUR SIBLINGS IN CUBA.
AND DEMAND THAT THERE NOT ONLY BE NO FURTHER ESCALATION BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, BUT AN END TO THE BLOCKADE ONCE AND FOR ALL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARILYN FRANKENSTEIN, FOLLOWED BY SUZANNE B AND ANDREW KIM.
UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
MARILYN FRANKENSTEIN, 40 PLUS YEAR RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE VISITOR TO CUBA FOUR TIMES SPEAKING TO URGE CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT AND END THE BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA.
THIS INTENSIFIED BLOCKADE IS CAUSING AN INCREMENTAL GENOCIDE IN CUBA.
AS THE POLICY ORDER DETAILS, THE BLOCKADE HAS GREATLY HURT THE CUBAN PEOPLE.
THE ONLY THREAT CUBA IS TO THE UNITED STATES IS THAT PEOPLE WENT THERE AND SAW THE AMAZING PUBLIC HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS, INSTITUTIONS THAT RESULT IN PEOPLE'S AVERAGE LIFESPAN EQUAL TO OURS IN SPITE OF THE POVERTY CAUSED BY THE PREVIOUS SLIGHTLY LESS VICIOUS BLOCKADES BY THE UNITED STATES.
THEY MIGHT MORE DEEPLY ASK WHY WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF HEALTHCARE IN OUR COUNTRY.
ALTHOUGH SYMBOLIC SYMBOLS COUNT THEIR REFLECTION OF OUR HUMANITY AND CAN SERVE TO INSPIRE MORE HUMANE BEHAVIOR IN OUR CITY.
AND OUR CITY CAN BE A MODEL FOR OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND IF THE BLOCKADE IS DROPPED, WE IN THIS COUNTRY CAN BENEFIT GREATLY FROM THE ADVANCES IN MEDICINE BEING MADE IN CUBA, IN DIABETES, LUNG CANCER, AND PERHAPS NOW ALZHEIMER'S.
WHO KNOWS WHAT THEIR RESEARCHERS AND DOCTORS COULD ACHIEVE IF OUR COUNTRY LET CUBA BREATHE.
SUZANNE BLEIER FIVE FULLER PLACE.
AND AS A RECENT VISITOR TO CUBA AND HAVING A NUMBER OF FRIENDS THERE, I ALSO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THEM AND THEIR CRITICAL NEEDS.
BUT I WANNA SPEAK TONIGHT TO POLICY ORDER 82 AND WHAT LOUISE VENDEN SAID, I REALLY COULD NOT HAVE SAID BETTER, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WE GET, UM, A QUALIFIED RESEARCH GROUP TO STUDY THE ACTUAL HOUSING INVENTORY IN NEED.
HERE IS WHY WE KNOW WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SOCIAL HOUSING.
THAT IS A GIVEN, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO KNOW MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE IMPACTS ON HOUSING OF THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING ORDINANCE.
IN PART AND MARKET RATE, DEVELOPERS ARE OFTEN OUT-COMPETING RESIDENTS AND OTHERS FOR PROPERTIES.
LUXURY DEVELOPMENTS PROMOTE TWO FREQUENTLY DETERMINATION OF LEASES OF CURRENT TENANTS FORCING THEM OUT OF THE CITY, AND NEARLY HALF THE KENDALL SQUARE OFFICES ARE EMPTY, MEANING WE HAVE MANY FEWER EMPLOYEES.
HARVARD, MY INSTITUTION, MIT, AND OTHER AREA UNIVERSITIES HAVE CUT WAY DOWN ON GRADUATE STUDENTS AND INCREASINGLY STAFFED.
SO THIS ALSO REPRESENTS A MAJOR LOSS OF FINANCIAL RESIDENTS WHO MIGHT WANT STUDIO OR ONE BEDROOM APARTMENTS.
WE'VE BECOME A CITY TO OFTEN OF THE WEALTHY AND THE POOR, AND WHAT MANY OF US WANT HERE IS ALSO HOMES FOR MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES, MEANING TWO TO THREE BEDROOMS. GIVEN THESE FACTS, IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT OUR CAMBRIDGE HOUSING NEEDS ARE 11 YEARS AFTER ENVISION AND POST COVID, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, POST THE TRUMP DEVASTATION OF OUR UNIVERSITIES AND OUR KEY WORKING, UH, SITES.
CDD DOES NOT HAVE THE TIME TO DO SUCH A STUDY AND HAS TENDED OFTEN TO SUPPORT MARKET RATE.
UM, CREATING A KIND OF NARRATIVE OF TRICKLE DOWN HOUSING AND THE IMPACTS OF THAT WE KNOW FROM VANCOUVER AND OTTAWA THAT OFTEN INCREASES THE PRICE OF HOUSING NOT DECREASING.
BRINGING IN AN OUTSIDE GROUP TO DO THIS STUDY WILL ALLOW FOR A REAL ANALYSIS AND THEN ALLOW THE CITY, THE CITY COUNCIL, AND CDE TO LOOK AT THAT AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WE NEED TO GO FROM HERE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW KIM, FOLLOWED BY MARYLEE MEYER AND JOE
[00:20:01]
ALETTA.I LIVE AT ONE 40 DUDLEY STREET, UM, UH, AND I AM WITH THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST OF AMERICA.
UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SPEAK ON POLICY ORDER TOO AND UM, THANK THE COUNCIL FOR BRINGING IT TO THE TABLE AND URGE THEM TO PASS IT THROUGH.
UH, I, LIKE MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN, UH, GIVING PUBLIC COMMENT AND MANY PEOPLE WHO WILL GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT THINK THAT THE UNITED STATES ACTIONS TOWARDS CUBA THROUGH ITS UNENDING BLOCKADES IS UNCONSCIONABLE.
UM, THAT THE STATE THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS LEFT, UH, THE CUBAN PEOPLE IN ITS CRUEL AND, UH, VICIOUS WITH NO GOOD REASON IF THERE IS EVER A GOOD REASON FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN SUCH CONDITIONS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT CAMBRIDGE TAKING A PUBLIC STANCE AGAINST THIS IS A, AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP IN, UH, BOTH, UH, BRINGING A WIDER AWARENESS OF THE BLOCKADES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND, UH, ESTABLISHING JUST AND BRIGHT RELATIONS WITH THE CUBAN P.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARYLEE MEYER.
I'M MARYLEE MEYER AND DANA STREET.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE CHARTER RIGHTED POLICY ORDER CALLING FOR ADDITIONAL OUTSIDE RESEARCH INTO HOUSING CONDITIONS, RESIDENT NEEDS AND MEASURABLE HOUSING GOALS, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOUNDATIONAL TO THE ORIGINAL ZONING BILLS.
UNLIKE BILL MAYBE BUILD IT WOULD HELP CDD FOCUS ON ON, ON ITS OVERWHELMING RESPONSIBILITIES WHILE GETTING ACCURATE DATA.
WE HAVE SEEN THE CONSEQUENCE OF, UM, STRIPPED OVERSIGHT TO OPENING THE FLOODGATES TO MASSIVE LUXURY HOUSING AND DISPLACEMENT.
HUNDREDS OF, UM, OF VINTAGE HOUSES ARE SLATED TO BE TORN DOWN BY EAGER DEVELOP, UH, DEVELOPERS MAXING OUT ZONING DIMENSIONS.
THE IMPACT ON INFRASTRUCTURE ELECT, UM, ELECTRICITY, GAS, UH, SEWAGE, SOLAR, UH, SHADOWS, UM, THE TREES SUPPOSEDLY PROTECTED BY THE TREE ORDINANCE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY INCLUDED.
THE QUESTION IS, WHO IS BEING SERVED? IS THERE A MORE EFFICIENT SUB, UH, SUB, UM, UH, SUSTAINABLE, UH, LESS IMPACTFUL SOLUTION, INCLUDING REPURPOSING OLD UH, STRUCTURES WHILE ADDING MORE UNITS? IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE LOTS FIRST, LIKE, UM, YOU SHOULD BE DOING IN CENTRAL SQUARE.
THE HOUSING POLICIES ARE SUPERFICIAL AT BEST IF THEY DON'T INCLUDE THESE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES.
CON, UM, CONTEXT AND RESIDENTIAL, UM, EQUALITY WITH THE CURRENT SLOWDOWN IN BUILDING, PLEASE TAKE THIS TIME TO REEXAMINE MEASURABLE GOALS, WHICH WILL HELP THE CITY GROW THOUGHTFULLY ON ITS, UH, SMALL 6.8 SQUARE MILES.
WE DO NOT HAVE A HANDLE ON THIS.
UNBRIDLED DEVELOPMENT TOWERS DO HAVE CONSEQUENCES, BUT WHAT ARE THEY? BY THE TIME THEY'RE IDENTIFIED, IT WILL BE TOO LATE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOE ATA, FOLLOWED BY JANA ODETTE.
UH, I WANTED TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER 82 AND CONDUCTING AN INDEPENDENT HOUSING STUDY.
THE REALITY IS THAT UPZONING AND THE A HO HAS HAD PROFOUND IMPACT ALREADY ON THE CITY, SOME POSITIVE, MUCH NEGATIVE, WHETHER YOU BELIEVE THAT IT'S THE RIGHT CHOICE OR THE WRONG CHOICE, ANY POLICY CHOICES SUCH AS THESE SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BY SPECIFIC GOALS AND MEASURED RESULTS.
I'D LIKE TO USE WHAT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING ON W NINE WYMAN ROAD AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE DOWNSIDE OF WHAT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING AND GOING UNMEASURED BY THE CITY.
A FOREIGN DEVELOPER HAS PURCHASED A CENTURY OLD HOUSE ON A SMALL HISTORIC CALLED DE SAC WITH PLANS TO CLEAR CUT OLD GROWTH TREE CANOPY AND TO BUILD TO MINIMAL SETBACKS.
A SIX STORY MONSTROSITY OF 54 STUDIO AND ONE BEDROOM CONDOS AS SMALL AS 250 SQUARE FEET WITH NO PARKING NOWHERE NEAR REAL PUBLIC TRANSIT.
I CANNOT IMAGINE THIS IS WHAT THE COUNCIL HAD IN MIND AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WANTS.
I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT AN INDEPENDENT STUDY OF WHAT HOUSING IS USED AND NEEDED IN THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN MAKE PROPER POLICY DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JANA ODETTE.
[00:25:02]
WE'LL GO BACK TO JANA.I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AT 21 SERGEANT STREET.
I'M HERE TALKING ABOUT POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO BECAUSE THE US BLOCKADE ON CUBA HAS BEEN CAUSING MASS SUFFERING OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE FOR OVER 60 YEARS.
CAMBRIDGE MASS HAS SOME OF THE BEST SCHOOLS AND MEDICAL FACILITIES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
IT MAKES ME VERY GRATEFUL TO LIVE HERE, BUT AS I LOOK AROUND THE CITY, I SEE HOW STARKLY DIFFERENT THINGS ARE HERE COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
DESPITE LIVING IN THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY ON EARTH, MOST AMERICANS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTHCARE OR EDUCATION.
ACCESSING HEALTHCARE IN CUBA HAS ALSO BECOME DIFFICULT, NOT BECAUSE CUBA DOESN'T VALUE EDUCATION OR HEALTHCARE QUITE THE OPPOSITE ACTUALLY, AS CUBA HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST DOCTOR TO POPULATION RATIOS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, BUT THE US BLOCKADE ON CUBA MEANS HOSPITALS ARE CUT OFF FROM POWER.
PEOPLE'S HOMES DO NOT HAVE ELECTRICITY, FOOD AND MEDICINE DELIVERY HAS BEEN PARALYZED.
IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THAT THE BLOCKADE ON CUBA HAS COST OVER $170 BILLION IN LOSS SINCE IT, SINCE ITS EXCEPT INCEPTION, MEANING OVER $5 BILLION PER YEAR.
THIS IS UNJUST AND THE US HAS NO RIGHT TO DO THIS TO A SOVEREIGN NATION.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS WAGING AN EXTREMELY UNPOPULAR WAR IN IRAN.
AT THE SAME TIME, IT HAS BEEN FOUR MONTHS SINCE THE ILLEGAL KIDNAPPING OF NICHOLAS MADURO FROM VENEZUELA, AND NOW TRUMP IS THREATENING THAT CUBA IS NEXT.
IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER FOR US TO STAND WITH THE CUBAN PEOPLE AND DEMAND AN EDIN TO THE BLOCKADE.
I'M PROUD TO LIVE IN A CITY THAT PASSED A SIMILAR RESOLUTION IN 2021, AND I'M HOPEFUL THIS CITY WILL DO THE RIGHT THING AGAIN TODAY AND BE A MODEL FOR OTHER CITIES TO FOLLOW.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAN DENVILLE, FOLLOWED BY LA LIZA OLIVER AND JACOB ER.
HI, UH, MY NAME IS JAN DENVILLE AND I LIVE AT 3 5 9 COLUMBIA STREET IN CAMBRIDGE.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA AND I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
THE US BLOCKADE OF CUBA IS NOT ONLY AN ACT OF UNACCEPTABLE IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION, BUT A HUMANITARIAN DISASTER.
AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM OTHERS TONIGHT, HAVANA HAS REGULARLY SUFFERED ELECTRICAL BLACKOUTS BECAUSE THE COUNTRY CAN NO LONGER RECEIVE OIL DUE TO THE BLOCKADE.
THESE BLOCKOUTS ARE NO MERE INCONVENIENCE FOR MANY.
THEY ARE A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH VENTILATORS AND HOSPITALS ARE FAILING, LEADING TO THE DEATHS OF MEDICALLY COMPROMISED INDIVIDUALS.
CUBAN DOCTORS WHO HAVE DONE SO MUCH GLOBALLY TO CONTRIBUTE TO PUBLIC HEALTH CAN NO LONGER RECEIVE LIFE-SAVING MEDICINE TO TREAT THEIR PATIENTS, MANY OF WHOM ARE CHILDREN.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? THE US GOVERNMENT ITSELF DOESN'T SEEM TO KNOW.
MARCO RUBIO CLAIMS THAT IT IS DOING ALL OF THIS IN ORDER TO COMBAT THE DRUG WAR, OBSCURING THE FACT THAT CUBA HAS A ZERO TOLERANCE DRUG POLICY.
MEANWHILE, OTHERS LIKE PRESIDENT TRUMP JUSTIFY OUR ECONOMIC WARFARE IN THE NAME OF REGIME CHANGE JUST AS WE DID 65 YEARS AGO.
AS WITH IRAN, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH OUR LEADERS ARE MORE INTERESTED IN STATE COLLAPSE.
NOTHING CAN JUSTIFY COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT NOR SUCH A BRAZEN INCURSION ON ANOTHER NATION'S SOVEREIGNTY.
ALTHOUGH OUR COUNTRY'S FOREIGN POLICY HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY INSULATED FROM PUBLIC INPUT, WE SHOULD STILL VOICE OUR DESCENT AND SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH OUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS IN CUBA.
CAMBRIDGE HAS THE CHANCE TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE EXECUTIVE TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND RESCIND ITS UNCONSCIONABLY CRUEL EXECUTIVE ORDER AND END THE BLOCKADE ON CUBA.
IT CAN ALSO SERVE AS A MODEL FOR OTHER CITIES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LIZA OLIVER.
WE'LL GO TO JACOB ERN, FOLLOWED BY LYANNE TAM JACOB ERN, ONE 18 ELM STREET.
I'D LIKE TO START BY THANKING, UH, MADAM MAYOR, UH, COUNCILOR, UH, SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN FOR AGREEING TO SIGN THE LET YOU BELIEVE PETITION.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK COUNCILORS NOLAN AND SABRINA WHEELER AGAIN FOR SPONSORING THE 2021 POLICY ORDER THAT CALLED FOR THE END TO THE EMBARGO ON CUBA.
I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 20 YEARS AND PART OF THE REASON WHY MY WIFE AND I HAVE STAYED HERE IS BECAUSE OF OUR CITY'S COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONAL LAW, TO HUMAN RIGHTS, TO NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY,
[00:30:02]
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE A LONG TRADITION OF.IN 1982, CAMBRIDGE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES TO DIVEST FROM APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA.
WE'RE STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF A, A LONG LEGACY OF INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MOTIVATING OUR CITY AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'D LOVE TO SEE CONTINUED TONIGHT.
UM, I'M A TEACHER AND I TEACH A UNIT ON GENOCIDE AND THE UN DEFINITION OF GENOCIDE.
I NOTICED IN POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO, IF REVERENCE IS INTERNATIONAL LAW.
I'D LIKE TO READ TO YOU FROM ARTICLE TWO OF THE CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION AND PUNISHMENT OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE.
THE THIRD ACT IS DELIBERATELY INFLICTING ON A GROUP CONDITIONS OF LIFE CALCULATED TO BRING ABOUT ITS PHYSICAL DESTRUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, AND I CANNOT THINK OF A BETTER EXAMPLE OF THIS THAN THE DAMAGE DONE TO CUBA ON PURPOSE DELIBERATELY BY THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, NOT JUST BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
AS WITH ALL THINGS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MAKES, UH, PLAIN AND OBVIOUS WHAT WAS MORE COVERED UP POLICY BEFORE, AS FAR BACK AS 1960, US POLICY WAS TO PURSUE REGIME CHANGING CUBA THROUGH CAUSING, AND I QUOTE, HUNGER AND DESPERATION.
WE ARE NOT A CITY THAT TOLERATES GENOCIDE SUPPORT POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LYANNE TAM, FOLLOWED BY SOPHIA MERRIWEATHER AND LEAH COUGHLIN.
PAUL STREET AND I'M A STUDENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONAL WORKING AT THE INTERSECTION OF POLICY AND HEALTH, AND I'M SPEAKING ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
I'M PROUD TO LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THIS CITY STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD FACING INJUSTICE IN THE PAST.
IT IS TIME FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL TO DO SO AGAIN AND CALL FOR AN END TO THE US BLOCKADE ON CUBA.
FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, THE IMPACTS OF THE BLOCKADE ARE TREMENDOUS.
THE BLOCK, THE BLOCKADE RESTRICTS ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT AND BASIC RESOURCES NEEDED FOR SURVIVAL.
HOSPITALS ARE FACING CRITICAL SHORTAGES, PUTTING THOUSANDS OF LIVES AT RISK, ESPECIALLY IN MATERNAL AND CHILDCARE.
THIS DELIBERATE UNDERMINING OF A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM DOES NOT ONLY CREATE IMMEDIATE CRISES, IT PRODUCES HARM THAT HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO ECHO ACROSS GENERATIONS.
AT THE SAME TIME, CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE ACROSS THE US ARE SEEING THAT INSTEAD OF STRENGTHENING, EXPANDING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE HERE, US POLICY HAS BEEN MORE INTERESTED IN DISMANTLING CUBA'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND SLOWLY AND CRUELLY KILLING AN ENTIRE PEOPLE.
CAMBRIDGE SHOWED LEADERSHIP IN 2021 BY PASSING A SIMILAR RESOLUTION AND I URGED THE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE THAT LEADERSHIP AND STAND AGAINST THE US BLOCKADE ON CUBA.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SOPHIA MERRIWEATHER, FOLLOWED BY LEAH COUGHLIN.
HI, MY NAME IS SOPHIA MERIWEATHER.
I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE AND I WORK AT THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL TO PASS POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO AND CALL FOR AN END TO THE EMBARGO AGAINST CUBA.
THE BLOCKADE THAT THE US GOVERNMENT HAS ENACTED AGAINST THE CUBAN PEOPLE IS CRUEL, UNJUST, AND INHUMANE.
PREVENTING FUEL AND OTHER NECESSITIES FROM GETTING INTO THE COUNTRY ONLY TARGETS THE MOST VULNERABLE, THE CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, AND THE SICK.
IT IS OUR DUTY AS CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST INJUSTICE, ESPECIALLY THAT WHICH IS BEING DONE IN OUR NAMES.
AMONG THE CORE VALUES OF THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE ARE EQUITY, COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLBEING, AND LIVABILITY.
TAKING ACTION AGAINST THE EMBARGO IS IN LINE WITH THESE VALUES, VALUES WHICH ARE NO MORE THAN NICE WORDS UNLESS THEY'RE BACKED UP BY ACTION PASSING.
POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO WILL SEND A MESSAGE TO OUR GOVERNMENT THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL NOT STAND FOR THE STRANGULATION OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE AND IS THE FIRST STEP IN DEMANDING SELF-DETERMINATION, HUMANE LIVING CONDITIONS, AND ECONOMIC FREEDOM FOR ALL PEOPLE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LEAH COUGHLIN, FOLLOWED BY SAMANTHA CAR ARIAS.
GOOD EVENING, CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL.
I'M A BOSTON RESIDENT AT THREE 30 SUMMIT AVE AND AN ORGANIZER WITH THE PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION, WHO HAS WORKED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND ATTENDED UNIVERSITY.
HERE I'M SPEAKING TODAY TO URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO PASS POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO THAT DEMANDS PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE BLOCKADE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA AND URGES THE US CONGRESS TO PASS LEGISLATION TO FINALLY END THE 64-YEAR-OLD EMBARGO.
I ECHO TO THE STATEMENTS OF PREVIOUS SPEAKERS ON THE IMPACT THE BLOCKADE HAS HAD ON THE CUBAN PEOPLE.
WE AS RESIDENTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS ALSO KNOW TO A LESSER DEGREE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 28, OUR STATE IS SLATED TO SEE ALMOST $4 BILLION IN CUTS TO FEDERAL FUNDING FOR OUR RESIDENTS RESULTING IN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS WITHOUT ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE,
[00:35:01]
FOOD, AND THE PUBLIC SERVICES THEY DESPERATELY RELY UPON TO SURVIVE.I MYSELF RECENTLY LOST MY JOB OF 10 YEARS BECAUSE OF FEDERAL CUTS TO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE PROGRESSIVE POLICIES THEY PASS ON BEHALF OF THE ON BEHALF OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY ATTACKED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS SUPPORTERS IN CONGRESS.
AS SUCH, WE ARE BEING PUNISHED FOR SUPPORTING POLITICS, WHICH WE REFLECT OUR CLOSELY HELD VALUES AND BELIEFS.
THE C*M PEOPLE ARE BEING SIMILARLY PUNISHED FOR THEIR DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT AND THEIR ENDURING SUPPORT OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION.
IT SHOULD NOT BE LOST ON US THAT AS WE CELEBRATE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR OWN REVOLUTION, WE CONTINUE TO PUNISH A COUNTRY FOR THEIRS.
WE MUST STAND WITH THE CUBAN PEOPLE AND BY PASSING POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO, WE CAN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SAMANTHA ARIAS, FOLLOWED BY HAMZA SHAZAD AND ANDY MARTINEZ.
MY NAME IS SAMANTHA CARILLO AND I'M SPEAKING ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
I STAND HERE TODAY IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF CUBA AND THEIR SOVEREIGNTY.
EVERYWHERE WE TURN, WE SEE AND HEAR ABOUT THREATS OUR GOVERNMENT IS MAKING AGAINST MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.
THESE THREATS DO NOT REPRESENT THE WILL AND HEART OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AS AN IMMIGRANT MYSELF, I WORRY ABOUT MY FAMILY ABROAD.
THIS ILLEGAL BLOCKADE ON THE PEOPLE OF CUBA MEAN CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, PREGNANT WOMEN AND THE MOST VULNERABLE IN SOCIETY CANNOT RECEIVE THE MEDICAL CARE THEY NEED BECAUSE HOSPITALS CANNOT FUNCTION WITHOUT FUEL.
ALL THE RESOURCES THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS USING TO WAGE WAR ABROAD MEAN THERE ARE FEWER RESOURCES FOR US HERE AT HOME.
WE NEED TO SOLVE THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS AFFECTING MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, AND TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR ENERGY AND MONEY ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST TO US HERE AT HOME, LIKE EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
OUR, I URGE THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO PASS THIS RESOLUTION CALLING ON OUR GOVERNMENT TO END THIS INJUSTICE AGAINST THE CUBAN PEOPLE AND BE AN EXAMPLE TO ALL CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HA HAMZA SHAZAD, FOLLOWED BY ANDY MARTINEZ AND DORIA SUMMERFIELD SALAAM COUNCILORS.
MY NAME IS HAMZA AND I'M AN ORGANIZER IN CAMBRIDGE.
UH, AND I'M SPEAKING ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
IN 1989, THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE PASSED A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE SOUTH AFRICAN APARTHEID.
IN EARLY 2024, THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE PASSED A RESOLUTION CALLING FIRST CEASEFIRE AND GAZA.
THE LEGACY OF CAMBRIDGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LOCAL AND THE GLOBAL, UH, WHICH IS WHY ITS CITIZENS HAVE USED RESOLUTIONS TO SPEAK UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT.
THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE HAS PASSED A SIMILAR RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE END OF THE BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA IN 2021, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT TONIGHT COUNSELORS WILL MAKE A SIMILAR DECISION TO STAND UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT AS THE CITY ALWAYS HAS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDY MARTINEZ.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DORIA SUMMERFIELD.
HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIA SUMMERFIELD AND I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER BASED OUT OF CAMBRIDGE, AND I'VE BEEN ORGANIZING HERE FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS HERE, SPEAKING ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO, I'M ALSO A PARAPROFESSIONAL WORKING AT WIM WITH ELEMENTARY STUDENTS.
LIFTING THE BLOCKADE ON CUBA IS LONG OVERDUE, BUT THIS NEWEST ES ESCALATION, CUTTING OFF OIL AND ENERGY MAKES A DIRE SITUATION TRULY DEADLY.
WHEN I THINK OF THE CHILDREN OF CUBA, I SEE MY OWN STUDENTS, THEIR ACCESS TO EDUCATION LIMITED BECAUSE THEIR BUSES CAN'T FILL UP WITH GAS, A PROBLEM DIRECTLY CAUSED BY OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN LUCKY TO WITNESS, CAMBRIDGE IS A CITY THAT VALUES EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS.
PASSING THIS RESOLUTION AFFIRMS THAT ALL CHILDREN DESERVE A CHANCE TO LEARN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAO PAOLO FERRERA, FOLLOWED BY CHARLOTTE SLA SLAVIN AND YOUNG KIM.
HELLO, UM, MY NAME IS JUAN PA LURA.
UM, I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE BOSTON TEACHERS UNION HAS ALREADY SIGNED AND ENDORSED THE LET CUBA LIVE PETITION, THE SAME PETITION THAT A COUPLE OF THE CITY COUNCILS HERE HAVE ALSO SIGNED ON TO.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I WANNA STRESS THAT, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE SEEING, YOU KNOW, JUST HOW MUCH THE BLOCKADE IS AFFECTING, YOU KNOW, OUR FELLOW CUBAN TEACHERS, STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS.
UM, JUST LIKE THE PREVIOUS PERSON HAD SAID, YOU KNOW, WHERE STUDENTS IN CUBA CANNOT GO TO SCHOOL REGULARLY, UM, JUST BECAUSE THERE'S LITTLE TO NO GAS FOR THOSE, THOSE BUSES AND
[00:40:01]
THE TRANSPORTATION, UM, SCHOOLS THAT HAVE CLOSED DOWN DUE TO LOW EXPECTED ATTENDANCE AS WELL.UH, AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO THINK, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THEIR FUTURE IN A COUNTRY IF THE YOUTH ARE NOT RECEIVING THE RIGHT TO THEIR EDUCATION? AND I SAY THIS AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS GUTTING OR HAS ALREADY GUTTED HEALTHCARE AND, UM, STARTED FUNDING, YOU KNOW, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO ICE AND THEIR TERROR, WHICH HAS LED TO INCREASED HEALTHCARE COSTS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND LOW STUDENT ENROLLMENT IN SCHOOLS.
UM, AND AS A RESPONSE, MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE LAYING OFF THEIR TEACHERS, NOT JUST IN MASS, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO I, I BRING ALL THIS TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS NOT JUST, IS JUST A THREAT TO CUBA AND THE SCHOOLS THERE, BUT THE SCHOOL'S OVER HERE AS WELL.
UM, AND TO CONDEMN THE BLOCKADE IS TO SUPPORT EDUCATION EVERYWHERE.
IT WAS THE CUBAN PEOPLE THAT LED MASS LITERACY CAMPAIGNS ERADICATING LITERACY.
IT IS THE CUBAN PEOPLE WHO EDUCATE, ASPIRING DOCTORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND THEIR UNIVERSITIES.
SO TO SUPPORT THE CUBAN PEOPLE IS TO ADVANCE EDUCATION.
AND FOR THIS, I URGE YOU, CITY COUNCIL TO PLEASE SUPPORT AND PASS POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHARLOTTE SLAVIN, FOLLOWED BY YOUNG KIM AND LAWRENCE ATKINS.
I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER IN CAMBRIDGE, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO AND TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH CUBAN FAMILIES, DEVASTATED BY THE US IMPOSED ECONOMIC BLOCKADE.
I'M A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS CLINICIAN AND A YOUTH WORKER, SO I'M ACUTELY AWARE OF THE INFLUENCE, DETERIORATE, DETERIORATED MATERIAL CONDITIONS HAVE ON THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
THIS ECONOMIC BLOCKADE IMPOSED BY OUR GOVERNMENT MEANS THAT CUBAN CHILDREN CANNOT ATTEND SCHOOLS.
IT MEANS THAT FOOD CANNOT BE DELIVERED TO FEED FAMILIES.
IT MEANS THAT THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN ARE STUCK WAITING FOR SURGERIES DUE TO THE ENERGY CRISIS THIS BLOCKADE HAS CREATED.
THIS IS THE VIOLENCE OF THE ECONOMIC WARFARE.
OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS WAGED ON CUBA, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A DUTY TO STAND AGAINST THIS VIOLENCE.
I'M PROUD OF THE PRECEDENT CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL HAS SET IN THE PAST, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT TONIGHT COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL DO RIGHT BY THE FAMILIES OF CUBA AND VOTE TO PASS THE RELU RESOLUTION TO END THIS INJUSTICE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS YOUNG KIM, FOLLOWED BY LAWRENCE ADKINS AND ANDREW KING YOUNG KIM'S 17 NORRIS STREET, ASKING COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL TO AMEND POLICY ORDER, UH, UH, CHARTER RIGHT POLICY, OR THE THANK YOU THE COUNCILOR JUI FOR INTRODUCING THIS POLICY ORDER AND COUNCILOR SIMMONS FOR EXERCISING THE CHARTER.
I SUPPORT THE INTENT OF HOUSING NEEDS STUDY, BUT FOR FOR IT TO WORK TWO PREREQUISITE MUST COME FIRST, A BASELINE AND POLICY FRAMEWORK.
FIRST, THE ORDER CALLS FOR A CLEAR EVIDENCE BASED UNDERSTANDING OF EXISTING HOUSING CONDITIONS THAT REQUIRES A CURRENT RELIABLE BASELINE, AND WE DO NOT HAVE THAT YET.
AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT BEFORE.
CDD ALREADY HOLDS THE UNDERLYING DATA ACROSS ZONING PERMITS, PROJECT PROJECT TRACKING THROUGH THE QUARTERLY DEVELOPMENT LOG AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS, BUT IT REMAINS FRAGMENTED ACROSS VARIOUS DATA SETS AND WEB PAGES AND HAS NOT YET BEEN CONSOLIDATED INTO UNIFIED, UH, VERIFIABLE BASELINE.
THIS ORDER SHOULD BE AMENDED TO DIRECT THE CDD TO ESTABLISH THE BASELINE FIRST.
SECOND ONE STEP BASELINE IS ESTABLISHED DETERMINING RESIDENTIAL NEEDS AND MEASURABLE HOUSING GOALS IS NOT JUST ANALYSIS, BUT ITS CITY'S POLICY.
THAT POLICY MUST BE ANCHORED IN CITY COUNCIL'S LONG-TERM HOUSING GOALS AND PRIORITIES.
IF THAT IS NOT DEFINED ENOUGH.
FIRST UPFRONT THE STUDY RISK PRODUCING CONCLUSION THAT ARE TECHNICALLY SOUND BUT MISALIGNED WITH THE CITY'S, UH, DESTRUCTION.
THAT FRAMEWORK MUST BE DEFINED BY CITY COUNCIL AT THE OUTSET.
SO THE AMENDMENT IS STRAIGHTFORWARD.
BASELINE POLICY, HOUSING NEEDS STUDY.
AND THEN REPORT BACK, ESTABLISH THE, YEAH, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAWRENCE ATKINS, FOLLOWED BY ANDREW KING AND GABRIELA PEREZ,
[00:45:01]
LAWRENCE ATKINS, 45 HAYES STREET.I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO SPEAK ON AWAITING REPORT.
NUMBER 14, THE INCREASE OF $75 FOR A PARKING PERMIT IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE NEEDS TO BE BETTER ADDRESSED.
I WAS GLAD TO HAVE BEEN IN ATTENDANCE OF THE TPT MEETING TO HEAR THAT THE TRANSPARENCY FOR THE EXPLANATION OF THESE IN THESE EXORBITANT INCREASES AREN'T EVEN THERE.
THE FACT THAT THE CITY ENGAGEMENT, THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.
AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUT THE ALERT OUT THERE TO HAVE THEM IN YOUR FACES DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE STILL NOT KNOWING, AND WE SHOULD DO A MUCH BETTER JOB.
THAT PROCESS IS NOT IN PLACE AT THIS TIME, AND THERE SHOULD BE A MUCH BETTER PROCESS TO INFORM EVERYONE THE ADDITIONAL SEWER CHARGES THAT ARE IN PLACE ON THE CITY BECAUSE THE FORMER PARK, YOUR, I MEAN CAR, EITHER MOVE YOUR CAR AND BE TOLD IS NOT BEING OBSERVED.
I'VE WITNESSED STREETS WHERE CARS NOT EVEN GET TICKETED, BUT THE, THE APPARATUS WAS CLEAN, THE STREETS ZIGZAGGED, AND THERE'S NOTHING DONE.
THIS ALL NEEDS TO BE BETTER, EFFECTIVELY DONE, MADE MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CITIZENS OF CAMBRIDGE BECAUSE THIS, THAT YOU'RE DOING MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE AND IT SHOULD NOT OCCUR TO TELL A SENIOR CITIZEN THAT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE A SERIES OF THIS KIND.
AND THE HONOR SYSTEM IS ALL WE'RE GONNA DEPEND UPON TO DO THIS.
AND I STILL SAY EVEN WITH THAT RATIONALIZATION, IT SHOULDN'T OCCUR AT ALL.
BE TRUTHFUL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE WE, THE TAXPAYERS ARE DUE AT LEAST THAT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW KING.
GOOD EVENING, ANDREW KING, 71 CHILTON STREET.
HERE TO SUPPORT POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
UM, I TRAVELED TO CUBA IN 2010 AND I WAS VERY INSPIRED BY THE HEALTH CLINICS I VISITED.
I WENT TO SOME, UM, I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT NAME.
IT WAS SOME SORT OF A NATIONAL MEDIA CENTER WHERE THEY BROUGHT IN EDUCATORS AND ACTORS FROM COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT THE GLOBAL SOUTH TO RECORD INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS OF THE CUBAN LITERACY METHOD IN THEIR HOME LANGUAGES TO TAKE BACK TO THEIR NATIONS TO COMBAT ILLITERACY THERE.
UM, I URGE THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO END THE DECADES LONG, ILLEGAL AND IMMORAL EMBARGO ON CUBA.
A POLICY THAT AS YOU HEARD TONIGHT, HAS CAUSED PROFOUND AND WELL-DOCUMENTED HUMAN SUFFERING.
THE ESCALATION OF RESTRICTIONS UNDER TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION, PARTICULARLY LIMITS ON FUEL AND TRADE, HAS DEEPENED AN ALREADY DIRE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
AS WE'VE HEARD FAMILIES FACING EXTENDED POWER OUTAGES, SHORTAGES OF FOOD AND LIFE-SAVING MEDICINES, HOSPITALS STRUGGLING TO MAINTAIN BASIC SERVICES AND THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THESE MEASURES THAT CUBA REPRESENTS AN UNUSUAL AND EXTRAORDINARY THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES, UH, DEFIES ALL LOGIC, RIGHT? THE NOTION THAT A SMALL, UH, ISLAND NATION POSES A THREAT TO THE MOST POWERFUL AND SOPHISTICATED MILITARY MACHINE IN THE WORLD, UH, IS, IS ABSURD WHEN TRUMP CALLS FOR REGIME CHANGE IN CUBA.
THIS IS A CASE OF GOLIATH TURNING HIS FULL ATTENTION TO DAVID.
UH, AND IT'S ALL THE MORE IRONIC GIVEN THE, UH, GLOBAL REPUTATION OF CUBA FOR ITS MEDICAL INTERNATIONALISM FOR DECADES.
CUBAN DOCTORS, SURGEONS, HEALTHCARE WORKERS PROVIDING FREE CARE IN HAITI IN 2010 AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE IN WEST AFRICA, AFTER THE OUTBREAK OF EBOLA, UM, DURING THE COVID CRISIS.
UM, SO FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS, WE KNOW THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS OVERWHELMINGLY CALLED ON THE US TO CHANGE COURSE.
THERE'S A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE PATH, STEPS WERE TAKEN UNDER THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.
UM, AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CAMBRIDGE TO ONCE AGAIN TAKE ITS PRINCIPLED, STAND GROUNDED IN HUMAN DIGNITY, INTERNATIONAL LAW, AND A COMMITMENT TO A MORE HUMANE FOREIGN POLICY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GABRIELA PEREZ, FOLLOWED BY MELIN.
HELLO, MY NAME IS GABBY PEREZ.
I'M AN ARTIST AND ORGANIZER IN THE GRANDCHILD OF CUBAN IMMIGRANTS HERE TO SPEAK ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO AND ONE OF HIS FINAL WRITINGS.
SO D ONE OF CUBA'S MOST FAMOUS PATRIOTS WROTE THIS ABOUT THE UNITED STATES MON DAVID.
I HAVE LIVED IN THE MONSTER, AND I KNOW IT'S RAS.
THIS UNFINISHED LETTER WAS WRITTEN AT DO RIOS CAMP IN EASTERN CUBA IN MAY, 1895, WHERE MATTI DIED FIGHTING THE CUBAN, THE WAR OF CUBAN INDEPENDENCE.
THE CUBAN STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE HAS BEEN FOUGHT FOR GENERATIONS, AND IT'S OUR DUTY AS AMERICANS TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST OUR GOVERNMENT'S HARSH TREATMENT OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE FOR OVER 60 YEARS.
WE MUST SUPPORT ALL NATION'S RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND DIGNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE CARIBBEAN WHO ARE INTENTIONALLY BEING SUFFOCATED BY THE EMBARGO AND WHOSE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES BEARING THE BRUNT OF
[00:50:01]
THIS CRUELTY.I URGE THE COUNCIL TO STAND WITH THE GLOBAL OVERWHELMING MAJORITY AGAINST THE US BLOCKADE ON CUBA.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MELIN HOOK, FOLLOWED BY JOE TAHI.
UM, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CAMBRIDGE.
UM, I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER IN CAMBRIDGE, AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS THREATENING CUBA ONCE AGAIN, CLAIMING THE NATION IS A THREAT TO US SECURITY.
THE REAL THREAT IS THE US BLOCKADE ACCRUAL, 60 PLUS YEAR POLICY OF CONTROL THAT IS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SAFETY OF AMERICAN PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH BILLIONAIRE DRIVEN IMPERIALISM.
BECAUSE OF THAT BLOCKADE, CUBAN FAMILIES CANNOT ACCESS FOOD, MEDICINE OR BASIC STABILITY.
A SHIPMENT OF LIFESAVING DRUGS, BABY FORMULA INSULIN ALL BLOCKED.
AND THAT IS, THAT'S NOT FOREIGN POLICY.
WE KNOW THAT'S JUST CRUEL PUNISHMENT.
MEANWHILE, POLLING SHOWS THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, INCLUDING PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN CAMBRIDGE, THEY OVERWHELM OVERWHELMINGLY WANT PEACE AND DIGNITY FOR OUR NEIGHBORS AND NOT MORE SUFFERING.
WE BELIEVE IN COOPERATION, NOT COERCION.
PASSING POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO SENDS A CLEAR, POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT CAMBRIDGE STANDS WITH THE CUBAN PEOPLE.
WE REJECT THE MYTH OF THREAT AND REJECT THE CRUELTY OF A BLOCKADE.
WE CHOOSE SOLIDARITY, SANCTIONS, RELIEF, AND HUMANITY, SANCTIONS RELIEF AND HUMANITY.
I WANT TO BE PROUD OF THIS CITY.
SO I URGE THIS COUNCIL NOT TO STAY SILENT.
PASS THIS RESOLUTION SHOW THAT CAMBRIDGE SAYS NO TO BILLIONAIRE IMPERIALISM, AND YES TO PEACE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOE TASHI, FOLLOWED BY RENA MCGREGOR, FOLLOWED BY JACOB BROWN.
I AM SPEAKING ON POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO STOP DONALD TRUMP TO UNDERSTAND THAT HIS LAWLESSNESS HAS THE, HAS THE FOUNDATION OF THE POLITICAL STATUS QUO THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BY BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS FOR YEARS.
I MEAN, FOR DECADES THE US GOVERNMENT HAS CREATED A SO-CALLED RULES-BASED INTERNATIONAL ORDER WHERE THE US GOVERNMENT SETS THE RULES AND THE REST OF THE WORLD IS EXPECTED TO FOLLOW.
AND FOR DECADES, THE US GOVERNMENT HAS ENFORCED THIS BLOCKADE ON CUBA WITH THE DESIRE OF CREATING MAXIMUM SUFFERING ON THE ISLANDS IN THE FACE OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, VOTING EVERY YEAR AGAINST THE BLOCKADE.
SO DONALD TRUMP, THESE POLICIES WERE CREATED LONG BEFORE HE CAME INTO OFFICE, LONG BEFORE HE STARTED HIS POLITICAL CAREER, AND HE'S USED THEM AS THE FOUNDATION FOR ESCALATING HIS CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.
THIS MAKES IT VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED TO TURN TO A NEW CHAPTER IN US POLITICS WHERE EVERYONE HERE IN THIS COUNTRY AND EVERYONE ACROSS THE WORLD IS TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
THAT MEANS OPPOSING THIS GENOCIDAL BLOCKADE WHOSE MAIN TARGETS ARE CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY AND THE DISABLED BY DEPRIVING SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS AND HOMES OF THE ELECTRICITY THEY NEED TO RUN.
AND I IMPLORE THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO STAND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY TODAY AND VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS POLICY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RENA MCGREGOR, FOLLOWED BY JACOB BROWN.
I'M 32 YEARS OLD AND WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CAMBRIDGE.
UM, SPEAKING AGAINST THE MATTER OF THE COUNCIL RAISING THE PERMIT PARKING FEE FROM 25 TO $75.
UH, THROUGH MY YEARS HERE, I'VE WATCHED MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS FRIENDS AND FAMILY BE FORCED TO MOVE OUT OF THE CITY DUE TO RISING COST OF LIVING, UM, RAISING THE PERMIT PARKING FEE.
SO I MISSED THIS THE LAST TIME, BUT THIS, THE PERMIT IS AN AWAITING REPORT.
AND SO PER OUR RULES, UNLESS THERE'S A A MOTION, RESIDENTS CAN'T SPEAK TO AWAITING REPORTS AND I SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THAT EARLIER WITH THE EARLIER SPEAKER.
UM, SO BECAUSE IT'S ON A RATING REPORTS, YOU CAN'T TECHNICALLY SPEAK TO IT UNLESS WE HAVE A SUSPENSION OF THE RULES MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES.
SO ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR FLAHERTY TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKER TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE ITEM THAT IS AN AWAI REPORT.
COUNCILOR MCGOVERN AB ABSENT COUNSELOR NOLAN? YES.
[00:55:01]
ZUI? YES.AND YOU HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS RECORDED THE AFFIRMATIVE AND TWO RECORDED IS ABSENT.
REINA, PLEASE CONTINUE RAISING THE PERMIT.
PARKING FEE BY 300% WOULD BE INEQUITABLE.
THE PARKING IN CAMBRIDGE IS ALREADY SCARCE, AND WITH THE ADDED BIKE LANES AND EXTENDED SIDEWALKS, IT'S BECOME EVEN HARDER FOR DRIVERS LIKE MYSELF TO FIND PARKING.
IT WOULD BE RIDICULOUS TO RAISE A FEE WHEN THERE'S FEWER PLACES TO PARK.
ALSO, REQUIRING SENIORS TO GO FROM PAYING NOTHING TO $75 IS OUTRAGEOUS.
AT BEST HAVE EVERY RESIDENT, REGARDLESS OF AGE, PAY A FLAT RATE OF $25.
THIS INFLUX OF FUNDS FROM THE 10,000 PLUS SENIORS IN THE CITY WOULD HELP SAID BUDGET CUTS.
I'M URGING THE COUNCIL TO DENY PASSING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACOB BROWN.
OKAY, JACOB IS, JACOB IS NOT IN THE ZOOM.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ZAINA HAS, SORRY IF I MISPRONOUNCED YOUR NAME.
I'M A CLERICAL WORKER AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY.
I FIRST CAME TO THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE OVER 10 YEARS AGO, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN STRONG SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
UM, AS A LATIN AMERICAN IMMIGRANT MYSELF, I HAVE BEEN APPALLED BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S AGGRESSION AGAINST PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD, INCLUDING AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF CUBA FOR THE CRIME OF ASSERTING THEIR OWN SOVEREIGNTY.
CAMBRIDGE IS A CITY FILLED WITH IMMIGRANTS.
I MYSELF WORK PRIMARILY WITH INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AT HARVARD, AND I HAVE BEEN PROUD TO SEE THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE STAND WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU PASSED THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINE, THE RESOLUTION AGAINST SOUTH AFRICAN APARTHEID AND THE RECENT 2021 RESOLUTION AGAINST THE BLOCKADE ON CUBA.
SO I URGE THIS COUNCIL TO STAND WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD ONCE AGAIN, STAND WITH THE PEOPLE OF CAMBRIDGE AND PASS POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
WE WILL GO TO HEATHER HOFFMAN, FOLLOWED BY JUSTIN SAFE.
WE WILL GO BACK TO HEATHER AND GO TO JUSTIN SAFE.
UH, I AM HERE TO, UH, UM, UH, FOR THE, UH, CHARTER RIGHT ITEM ON THE HOUSING NEEDS ANALYSIS, UM, IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, UH, THAT MAKE CLEAR THAT NO ANALYSIS SHOULD FORM THE BASIS AS, UH, UH, TO CALL FOR A MORATORIUM ON HOUSING.
UH, CAMBRIDGE HAS A LARGE HOUSING SHORTAGE, AND THE LAST THING WE NEED TO DO IS PUT ANOTHER ROADBLOCK IN THE WAY OF BUILDING MORE HOUSING IN CAMBRIDGE.
UM, THERE ARE ALREADY CALLS ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, SUPPORTERS OF THIS, UH, POLICY ORDER AND CHARTER RIGHT ITEM FOR A MORATORIUM, UH, IN WHICH A AND B'S ZONING DISTRICTS, UH, ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, WHICH IS COMPLETELY ANTITHETICAL TO THE POINT OF ENDING, EXCLUDING EXCLUSIONARY ZONING.
IT WOULD BE REINSTATING EXCLUSIONARY ZONING, WHICH WE KNOW IN CAMBRIDGE AS ELSEWHERE HAS A HISTORY OF RACISM AND CLASSISM THAT WE SHOULD NOT WANT THE CITY TO TAKE A STEP BACKWARD AND REVISIT.
UM, MOREOVER, THE LIST OF ITEMS THAT ARE INCLUDED, UH, APPARENTLY AT THE LAST MINUTE IN THE MEETING, UH, AS ITEMS THAT THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE OR REPLETE WITH INFORMATION THAT THE CITY VERY MUCH DOES HAVE.
UH, UH, IF THERE'S A NEED FOR CDD TO PULL TOGETHER A LIST OF SOURCES FOR THAT INFORMATION, THAT'S FINE, BUT, UH, IT'S GONNA BE A HUGE WASTE OF TIME, UH, RESOURCES, MONEY, ATTENTION, UH, TO DO AN ANALYSIS FOR INFORMATION THAT WE ALREADY KNOW AND ALREADY HAVE.
WE WILL GO BACK TO HEATHER HOFFMAN.
HELLO, HEATHER HOFFMAN, TWO 13 HURLEY STREET.
I REPEAT MY USUAL COMMENT ABOUT LITIGATION
[01:00:01]
AND SUGGEST THAT PERHAPS WE SHOULD FIND OUT ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE'S EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION SUIT THAT'S BEEN FILED AGAINST THE CITY IN ADDITION TO THE INCLUSIONARY ZONING SUIT.UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE HOUSING STUDY, UH, IT IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL THAT I AM FOLLOWING A BUILD BABY BUILD PERSON WHO ALONG WITH THE OTHER BUILD BABY BUILD FOLKS, SEEMS TO BE UTTERLY TERRIFIED AT THE PROSPECT THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY DO A STUDY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED BEFORE WE GO AND SOLVE SOMETHING THAT WE AREN'T SURE NEEDS SOLVING OR WHETHER THE PROPOSED SOLUTION WILL SOLVE IT.
IN OTHER WORDS, THINK FIRST LEGISLATE AFTER.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO SUPPLIER DIVERSITY, I WAS WONDERING IF LAST WEEK'S, UM, POLICY ORDER ABOUT WORK AROUND CO-OPS COULD BE WORKED, WORKED INTO THIS SAME CONSIDERATION? UM, WITH RESPECT TO CUBA.
I LIVED THERE FROM 1962 THROUGH 1983, AND I REMEMBER THE MIAMI CUBANS VERSUS THE TAMPA CUBANS WHO HAD BEEN THERE MUCH LONGER AND CAME TO MAKE CIGARS.
THEY, THE MIAMI CUBANS WERE WELL KNOWN TO BE THE OLIGARCHS AND SOMETIMES THEIR DESCENDANTS WHO HAD BEEN DISPLACED BY THE REVOLUTION AND WHO HAD CONNED THE US GOVERNMENT INTO FIGHTING THEIR FIGHT FOR THEM.
WE ALL KNEW THAT CUBA WAS NOT A DANGER TO US, AND IT STILL ISN'T.
WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO JANA ODETTE AND JACOB BROWN.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO JACOB BROWN.
I LIVE ON MAGAZINE STREET HERE IN CAMBRIDGE.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT POLICY ORDER TOO REGARDING THE BLOCKADE ON CUBA.
I BELIEVE IT'S CRUCIAL FOR THE CITY TO CONDEMN THIS BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A REPUDIATION OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S BELIEF THAT MIGHT MAKES RIGHT, AND THAT THEY CAN SIMPLY IMPOSE THEIR WORLD, THEIR VIEW ON THE WORLD BY DOMINATING PEOPLE AND EXERTING FORCE.
UM, WE'VE SEEN THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THE CUTS TO U-S-A-I-D HAVE RESULTED IN WHAT WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE BEST OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DUE TO FOREIGN AID AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE CUTS.
UM, THEIR, THEIR FOREIGN POLICIES ESSENTIALLY JUST CENTERED AROUND A BELIEF THAT THEY CAN MAKE THE MATERIAL CONDITIONS IMMEASURABLY WORSE FOR PEOPLE IN NATIONS ABROAD TO COMPEL THEM TO RISE UP AND OVERTHROW THEIR LEADERS.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT TIME AGAIN AND TIME AGAIN HASN'T WORKED.
IT HAS ONLY SERVED TO COMMISERATE PEOPLE AS IT IS CURRENTLY COMMISERATING.
THE PEOPLE OF CUBA RIGHT NOW, FUEL SHORTAGES THERE HAVE CAUSED HOSPITALS TO SPIRAL INTO CRISIS.
DOCTORS ARE REPORTING THAT IT'S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO KEEP VENTILATORS A LOT ONLINE, UNDERGO PROCEDURES SUCH AS CHEMOTHERAPY AND DIALYSIS.
IT MEANS THAT THE ACTIONS ARE ONLY SERVING TO THREATEN THE LIVES OF THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN CUBA.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IT'S CRUCIAL FOR HEMORRHAGE TO STAND UP HERE AND EVERYWHERE, REALLY IN ITS RIGHTS IN BOTH THE SANCTUARY CITY AND A BEACON OF PROFESSOR PROGRESSIVE VALUES.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I DO LOVE THIS PLACE, UM, AND I BELIEVE IT'S CRUCIAL FOR CAMBRIDGE TO STAND UP, TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST THAT BELIEF AND THAT WORLDVIEW AND SHOW THAT IT IS NOT RIGHT TO STARVE A COUNTRY LIKE THIS.
IT'S NOT RIGHT TO THREATEN ITS MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THAT'S ALL WHO HAVE SIGNED UP.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR FLAHERTY.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED.
THERE'S NO SUBMISSION OF THE RECORD.
THERE ARE NO RECONSIDERATIONS.
[CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA]
AGENDA ITEMS. PLEASURE.OF THE CITY COUNCIL, ARE THERE ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PULL? COUNSELOR ZZI NUMBER TWO, PLEASE.
[01:05:02]
ANYONE ELSE? YES.MADAM MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO POLL NUMBER THREE.
SO FAR WE'VE PULLED NUMBER TWO, NUMBER THREE, AND NUMBER SIX.
I DO NOT SEE ANYONE ON THE OTHER ITEMS. SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEMS NUMBER ONE, FOUR, AND FIVE AND WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
THOSE CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEMS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED, PLACED ON FILE.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM YAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO A SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY IMPACT REPORT FOR THE OPEN ARCHITECT STUDENT DATA PLATFORM.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY THAT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE REPORT COULD BE VERY USEFUL.
BUT I'M WONDERING IF IT'S WORTH $44,000 ANNUALLY, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE TEACHERS WOULD ALREADY KNOW THIS DATA.
UM, SO WHAT MY QUESTIONS ARE, WHAT WOULD IT TELL THEM THAT THEY WOULDN'T KNOW OTHERWISE? AND IS, WOULD THIS INFORMATION BE AVAILABLE TO AFTERSCHOOL TEACHERS AND TO TUTORS? SENIOR MANAGER, UH, THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE LEE MCCANN FROM THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT, UH, ONLINE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, THIS PLATFORM DOES PROVIDE, UM, A SET OF EFFICIENCIES BY HAVING ALL OF THESE TOOLS, UH, THAT A TEACHER WOULD NEED IN ONE PLATFORM.
IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO BRING IN DIFF DIFFERENT TYPES OF DATA THAT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE AVAILABLE, UH, DIRECTLY IN, UH, READILY, UH, AT THE TEACHER'S HANDS, AS WELL AS PROVIDING ADMINISTRATORS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT WITH THE ABILITY TO SEE AND MAKE DATA FORMED, UH, DATA DECISIONS, UH, INFORMED WITH DATA TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE THE KIND OF EDUCATIONAL EQUITY OF APPLYING THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO THE PROBLEMS THAT WE SEE.
SO WE DO PR THINK IT'S, UH, WORTH THE $44,000.
WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT OVER TIME, UH, WE MAY BE ABLE TO REDUCE COSTS IN OTHER PLATFORMS, UH, AS THIS BECOMES, UH, YOU KNOW, A, A MAINSTAY OF HOW WE, UH, LOOK AT VISUALIZE AND ACT ON DATA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR THAT.
AND AGAIN, THROUGH YOU MAYOR SIDIKI.
SO WOULD AFTERSCHOOL TEACHERS AND TUTORS ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS DATA? IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IT COULD BE USEFUL.
WE HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT THAT YET.
WE DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A DECISION ON THAT.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD TALK ABOUT WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT.
UH, AND THOSE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, PROBABLY THE, UH, OST OFFICE.
WELL, I SUPPORT THE TRIAL AND IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE, UM, HOW USEFUL THIS, UH, TECHNOLOGY IS TO OUR TEACHERS AND TO OUR STUDENTS.
I'LL GO TO COUNCILOR ZUBIE AND THEN COUNCILOR NOLAN.
I KNOW WE HAVE AN UPCOMING ANNUAL SURVEILLANCE REPORT HEARING ON MAY 20TH.
SO I'D JUST LOVE TO GO AHEAD AND MOTION TO REFER THIS TO THE COMMITTEE FOR A DISCUSSION BEFORE APPROVAL.
COUNCILOR ZUBE HAS MADE A MOTION TO SEND THIS TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY C COMMITTEE.
SO COUNCILOR NOLAN, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN, AND THEN VICE MAYOR AZI.
UM, MAYOR SIDIKI, I AM HAPPY TO HAVE THIS REFERRED.
I DON'T, I'M ASKING SOME QUESTIONS THAT EITHER THEY CAN BE ANSWERED HERE OR WILL BE REFERRED.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE APPROPRIATE, UH, PROTOCOL IS FOR WHEN, WHEN, WHEN THESE GET ADDRESSED.
THE QUESTIONS I HAVE ABOUT THIS, UM, FOLLOWING UP ON WHAT COUNCILOR SUZI ASKED ABOUT HOW THIS WILL BE USED, I'M INTERESTED IN HOW THIS INTERFACES WITH EXISTING SYSTEMS. WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO, UH, RATIONALIZE THEM, STREAMLINE THEM, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT DISPARATE, UM, UH, KINDS OF,
[01:10:01]
UH, INFORMATION, UH, SOFTWARE BEING USED.AND, UM, AS COUNCILOR ZUZI ALSO MENTIONED, WE WANT THIS TO BE INTEGRATED WITH AFTER SCHOOL WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AS WELL.
SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THIS.
I WANNA UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WILL WORK.
THE OTHER IS, HOW DOES THE PLATFORM HANDLE OWNERSHIP OF MATERIALS? IN THE PAST, THERE'S BEEN SOME CONCERN THAT A STUDENT TAKES THEIR INFORMATION OR A TEACHER DOES, AND IT BECOMES THE PROPERTY OF THE, UH, COMPANY INSTEAD OF THE PROPERTY OF THE STUDENT OR THE TEACHER.
I THINK THAT'S A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF, AND IT'S WHY WE HAVE OUR SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY IMPACT REPORT.
AND FINALLY, ON THE BUDGET, IT, IT, I'D, I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THAT WORKS.
IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE TO ME.
'CAUSE THE COST FOR ANY PROGRAM IS NEVER JUST THE SOFTWARE.
IF, IF YOUR BUDGET FOR SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION DOESN'T INCLUDE SUPPORT, TRAINING, MAINTENANCE, AND OVERSIGHT, THEN IT'S NOT A FULL BUDGET.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT UNDERSTAND THAT AND CALCULATE THAT AND UNDERSTAND HOW IT IS THAT WILL BE INTEGRATED, BECAUSE IT WOULD, WE WOULD BE REMISS IN APPROVING AN APPROPRIATION THAT ONLY COVERS THE COST OF THE SOFTWARE.
AND KNOWING THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO INCLUDE WHAT OTHER, UM, IMPLICATIONS FOR THE REST OF, PARTICULARLY ON STAFF TIME IS FOR THIS.
AND IF IT'S NOT ADDITIONAL STAFF, THEN THAT MEANS THAT STAFF WILL NOT BE DOING OTHER WORK.
SO THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS I HAD, AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S APPROPRIATE GIVEN THE MOTION TO REFER TO BE ANSWERED HERE OR TO BE REFERRED TO COMMITTEE.
I THINK WE CAN GET THEM ON THE RECORD.
I'LL CONTINUE ON TO THE OTHER CITY COUNCILORS.
UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH, UH, MY ONLY QUESTION ABOUT THE AMENDMENT IS, IS THERE SOME TIME RESTRAINT ON OR ON THIS CAN DELAYING THE VOTE TONIGHT? IS THAT GONNA IMPACT ANYTHING? I SOLICITOR THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR.
THERE'S NO SPECIFIC TIMEFRAME UNDER THE SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE FOR THE COUNCIL TO ACT, BUT, SO I WOULD DIRECT THE QUESTION TO THE SCHOOLS ON IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC, UM, LOGISTICAL CONSTRAINTS, UH, TIME CONSTRAINTS, THANK YOU.
AND THROUGH YOU TO THE COMMITTEE.
UM, IT IS OUR PLAN TO PURCHASE IN JULY.
SO, UH, A SIGNIFICANT DELAY WOULD PUT US, UH, UH, BEHIND A TIMELINE, UM, FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN THE FALL.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? UH, SO IF THIS IS DISCUSSED AT THE MAY 20TH MEETING, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THAT WOULD CAUSE YOU A DELAY? NO, MAY 20TH WOULD BE FINE.
UH, A SIGNIFICANT DELAY WOULD BE A PROBLEM.
MAY 20TH SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM.
UM, SO NOT EVERYONE IS ON THE COMMITTEE.
SO MY QUESTION WAS JUST, THIS WILL MAKE IT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL, NOT JUST STAY IN COMMITTEE.
SO THE MOTION IS TO REFER THIS, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL.
AND THEN WE CAN HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION.
COUNCILOR NOLAN? YEAH, I JUST, MAYBE I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING.
IT SAYS WE'RE PILOTING THE PROGRAM.
CAN YOU PILOT A PROGRAM THAT INVOLVES SURVEILLANCE WITHOUT THE CITY COUNCIL HAVING APPROVED IT IN ADVANCE POINT OF INFORMATION.
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS STATE YOUR POINT OF INFORMATION.
I THOUGHT YOU CALLED FOR A VOTE IF YOU CALLED FOR A VOTE.
I HAD NO CON CON CON CON CONVERSATION OR DEBATE.
NOT UNLESS THE PERSON NOW SHE WITHDRAW THE PROCESS OF THE VOTE.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO REFERRAL AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNCILOR NOLAN'S QUESTION AND SOLICITOR, YOU CAN SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
COUNCILOR NOLAN HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THIS PILOT.
I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS BEING USED PRESENTLY THROUGH THE PILOT.
UM, AND WE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION FROM, UH, MR. MCCANN.
HOWEVER, UM, THE SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE DOES REQUIRE THAT THE COUNSEL APPROVE EVEN BE, UH, WHEN THERE ISN'T A PURCHASE.
BUT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY, UM, HOW THIS FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS, IF THAT'S THE CASE, IF THERE WASN'T A PURCHASE, BUT POTENTIALLY A FREE PILOT.
THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WHY IT DIDN'T COME TO THE COUNCIL BEFORE, BUT I'M NOT CERTAIN.
I, I DON'T THINK THE SURVEILLANCE
[01:15:01]
TECHNOLOGY ORDINANCE REQUIRES A PURCHASE.IT'S JUST ANY KIND OF SOMETHING THAT'S USED.
SO IF THIS IS BEING PILOTED WITHOUT PRE-APPROVAL BY THE COUNCIL, THAT STRIKES ME AS SOMETHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
SO SOLICITOR, WE CAN FOLLOW UP AND CHECK ON THAT.
IF THIS FELL THROUGH, THEN WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED.
IT'S GOING TO BE FURTHER DISCUSSED AT THE MAY 20TH PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER.
THIS IS A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO A SUPPLIER DIVERSITY UPDATE.
I, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE FOR THIS SPECIFIC UPDATE THAT IF THIS HASN'T, IF THIS HASN'T HAPPENED YET, I, I REALLY WOULD SUGGEST ASKING A RECENT CONTRACTOR WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE ONBOARDING TO BE A VENDOR.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A PARTICULAR QUESTION.
SAY ASK THEM WHAT COULD WE BE DOING BETTER IF THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE YET? BECAUSE I'D IMAGINE THERE ARE STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES AND LISTENING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING BARRIERS OR WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS WOULD PROBABLY BE HELPFUL IN OUR PROGRESS ON THIS.
AND WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.
I'LL YIELD THANK YOU THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR.
I THINK PARTIES AND I CAN BOTH PARTIALLY ANSWER, UM, YOUR QUESTION.
I THINK FOR THE ONBOARDING PART OF THINGS, WHAT WE FOUND IS WORKING IN, UH, COLLABORATION WITH CDD ON A LOT OF THE VENDOR TRAININGS THAT THEY OFFER, THAT'S A PIECE OF WHERE THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO REACH OUT AND PROVIDE INFORMATION TO VENDORS ABOUT HOW THEY CAN REGISTER IN THE NEW E-PROCUREMENT SYSTEM.
BUT THE E-PROCUREMENT SYSTEM THAT THE CITY IMPLEMENTED, UH, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO TO SORT OF HELP FACILITATE THIS, HAS ALREADY HAD A GREAT IMPACT ON THE NUMBER OF VENDORS AND THE, AND THE WIDER REACH THAT THE CITY HAS AND MAKING IT ABLE FOR VENDORS TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY WITHOUT EVEN HAVING TO SHOW UP TO DROP OFF A, A LIVE BID.
UM, THE POST-SURVEY FOR AFTER THE TRAININGS THAT WE DO OR AFTER THEY, YEAH.
UM, WE DON'T DO THE POST SURVEY WITH VENDORS YET, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT AS WE'RE ACTIVELY BEGINNING TO IMPLEMENT SORT OF, UM, A SURVEY WITH THE DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE RECEIVED SERVICES FROM VENDORS IN KEEPING WITH A DIFFERENT, UH, CERTIFICATION THAT THE CITY HAS WITH WHAT'S, UH, WORKING FOR CITIES.
UM, SO IF WE CAN GET BOTH OF THOSE SURVEYS ALIGNED, I THINK THAT WILL GIVE US INFORMATION.
WE DO GET FEEDBACK FROM VENDORS, NOT POST CONTRACT, BUT AT A LOT OF THE TRAININGS THAT CDD HOLDS TO ASK THEM, WHAT ARE YOUR PAIN POINTS WITH DEALING WITH THE CITY? AND I THINK WE GET CONSISTENT ANSWERS ON WHAT THOSE PAIN POINTS ARE.
AND THE CITY'S BEEN TRYING TO ADDRESS EACH ONE AS WE GO ALONG.
UM, SOME ARE MORE COMPLICATED THAN OTHERS.
THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, THAT'S DEFINITELY HELPFUL TO HEAR AND I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT.
IT, IT, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO UNDERSTAND LIKE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE MAIN PAIN POINTS THAT COME UP? IF THERE ARE LIKE ONE TO TWO MAIN ONES THAT YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN, I'D BE CURIOUS TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
BUT OTHERWISE, CAMILLE, UM, THROUGH YOU MAYOR, I THINK, UM, WE ARE TRYING TO RESOLVE THAT.
I THINK ONE PAIN POINT WE FIND AS WELL AS VENDORS IS GETTING CERTIFIED.
SO THAT'S WHY WE STARTED THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON TO, BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE A EASIER CERTIFICATION PROCESS IN THE STATE.
UM, AND OUR SMALL BUSINESS SPECIALIST, TYRONE FELLS, WORKS CLOSELY TO HELP PEOPLE AND PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS PAPERWORK THAT WE, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT THEY HAVE TO GET, BUT WE DO TRY TO HELP THEM WITH THAT PROCESS.
AND I THINK THE OTHER THING IS DEMYSTIFYING THE WHOLE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, ESPECIALLY FOR PROJECTS OVER 10 K, WHICH REQUIRE MORE FORMAL BID PROCESS.
LIZ CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'VE PARTNERED WITH PURCHASING TO PROVIDE THIS KIND OF TRAINING TO SAY LIKE, WHAT DO, WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT? WHAT DOES A BID LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE SOME DOCUMENTATIONS? AND AND WE DO KNOW THAT SOME THINGS LIKE INSURANCE AND STUFF LIKE THAT CAN BE A HURDLE.
AND I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO STILL IN THE CONFINES OF STATE PROCUREMENT LAW, UM, MEET THE STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS AS WELL AS, UM, MAKE IT EASIER FOR BUSINESSES.
COUNCILOR ZUBI SET ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? YES, COUNCILOR ZUZI? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
I I JUST WANTED TO SAY GREAT WORK.
UM, IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE LAST YEAR.
[01:20:03]
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS.WE'LL GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR ZUBE TO GO AHEAD AND PLACE THIS ON FILE CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM THREE, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE CITY MANAGER AGENDA.
ITEM NUMBER THREE IS PLACED ON FILE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, THIS IS A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO APPOINTMENTS TO THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION, EFFECTIVE MAY 4TH, 2026.
COUNCILLOR NOLAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU TO THE TEAM, WHOEVER PUT THIS GROUP TOGETHER.
THE CONSERVATION, UM, COMMISSION IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT COMMISSION WHEN IT COMES TO MUCH OF THE WORK WE DO SINCE WHAT A THIRD OF THE CITY IS BASICALLY ON A FORM OF FLOODPLAIN OR SWAMP IN THIS CONSERVATION COMMISSION.
ANYTIME THERE'S A PROJECT THAT INVOLVES THOSE KINDS OF WETLANDS PROTECTIONS IS INVOLVED, I, UM, PULLED IT TO SAY I REALLY APPRECIATED THE, UM, INFORMATION ABOUT THE BACKGROUND OF BOTH THE, UH, APPOINTMENT, THE REAPPOINTMENT AND THE ASSOCIATE MEMBERS.
AND WAS, WAS, MY QUESTION WAS, I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WERE, UH, 12 APPLICANTS AND FIVE WERE SELECTED FOR INTERVIEWS.
SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS AT HOW IS IT THAT THE CITY GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, OF CHOOSING THOSE, THOSE FOLKS FOR THE INTERVIEWS, AND THEN HOW IT IS THAT THEY GO THROUGH TO CHOOSE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL FOR US TO VOTE ON TONIGHT? UH, THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, I DO WANNA SAY THAT THE CONS, CONSERVATION COMMISSION DIRECTOR JEN LAUR, IS ONLINE.
UM, AND I'M SURE JEN WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS BETTER THAN I CAN, BUT WE DO GO, I MEAN, ONCE WE GET ALL OF OUR APPLICATIONS IN, IT'S SIMILAR TO OUR OTHER COMMITTEES.
UM, WE'LL GO THROUGH THE BACKGROUNDS THAT THEY'VE SUBMITTED, WE'LL DO INTERVIEW QUESTIONS WITH THEM, UH, AND THEN THEY'LL NARROW IT DOWN BASED ON THAT AND CONTINUE TO HAVE A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE, UM, FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.
AND I THINK WE'VE DESCRIBED IT IN THE DOCUMENT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN A, UH, THAT WERE, UM, APPOINTING ALL REALLY HAVE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND REALLY CAN ADD TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE WE'RE PROTECTING OUR WETLANDS AND, AND OUR ALERT WATER BODIES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF JEN IS ONLINE, AND JEN, IF YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT.
COMMISSIONER NAONE AND JEN LANO, SENIOR ENGINEER, CONSERVATION COMMISSION DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY, UM, THROUGH YOU TO COUNCILOR NOLAN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PULLING THIS.
I, I WANNA JUST SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO WORKS REALLY HARD IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, GETTING THESE JOBS POSTED, UM, MAKING SURE WE GET ABSOLUTELY EVERY APPLICANT, UM, TO EVALUATE.
SO, UM, COUNSELOR NOLAN, TO SPECIFICALLY TO YOUR QUESTION, SO, UM, I TAKE ALL OF THE NAMES, I PUT IT IN A SPREADSHEET, AND I GO THROUGH THE QUESTIONS OF DO THEY HAVE CONSERVATION COMMISSION SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE? DO THEY HAVE WETLANDS PROTECTION ACT EXPERIENCE, ANY REGULATORY WORK EXPERIENCE, ANY ENVIRONMENTAL WORK OR EXPERIENCE PROFESSIONALLY OR PERSONALLY? SO I GO THROUGH AND I READ EVERYBODY'S COVER LETTER AND RESUMES, AND THEN, UM, CREATE THIS, FILL IN THIS SPREADSHEET.
AND THEN, UM, WORKING WITH JENNIFER MATTHEWS IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND OUR INTERVIEW TEAM, WHICH INCLUDED KEVIN BUTELL, SUPERVISING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, KARA FOIS, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, LENA FREIER, WHO'S OUR, OUR PROJECT ADMINISTRATOR HERE AT DPW AND MYSELF, UM, FINALIZED THE INTERVIEWS, UH, REFER BACK TO JENNIFER MATTHEWS FOR THOSE, UM, TO GET THOSE CORRECTED.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, TWEAKING THE, THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AS WE GO THROUGH THAT, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTING WHO'S INTERVIEWED AND THEN GOING THROUGH THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS.
UM, EVERYBODY WAS INTERVIEWED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES.
WE REALLY GOT TO KNOW THEM PRETTY WELL.
UM, AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE MET SEPARATELY AND MADE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE, AGAIN, WENT BACK THROUGH JENNIFER MATTHEWS TO MAKE SURE, UM, WE WERE FILLING THE FULL COMMISSION.
UM, I WILL ADD TO THIS, THAT IN, IN 2024, WE ADDED ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIPS.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE SOMEONE ONBOARD AS ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP FOR ONE YEAR THAT REALLY GOT TRAINED.
AND IN THIS ROUND OF INTERVIEWS IS NOW BEING UP TO BECOME A FULL MEMBER.
SO THAT IS GREAT FOR US TO DEVELOP A MUCH DEEPER BENCH OF PEOPLE READY FOR THE COMMISSION.
AND AS I SAID, TO HAVE A, A CHEMICAL ENGINEER
[01:25:01]
AND A ACTIVE PERSON WHO'S GONE THROUGH THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION FUNDAMENTALS, AN AQUATIC ECOLOGIST AND A HYDROLOGIST, THAT'S THE KIND OF EXPERT, THIS IS THE COMMISSION WHERE WE REALLY NEED THAT.AND YET WE ALSO HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS WHO UNDERSTAND THE CITY AS WELL WITH THOSE EXPERTISE.
SO, SO THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.
THEY'VE BEEN ANSWERED AND I YIELD THANK YOU.
I, I ECHO WHAT, UH, WAS SAID IN THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE TO ANYONE, TO ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ON THIS COMMISSION.
IT'S A VOLUNTEER, ONE OF THOSE OTHER VERY IMPORTANT VOLUNTEER POSITIONS.
AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE WHO GOT US TO THE POINT OF BEING ABLE TO VOTE ON THIS RECOMMENDATION AND ALSO THOSE WHO WILL SERVE.
I YIELD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS HEARING? NONE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR NOLAN TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENTS AND PLACE.
CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX ON FILE.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
WE ARE DONE WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S AG AGENDA.
[POLICY ORDERS]
ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS.PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR SIDIKI, COUNCILOR NOLAN, NUMBER TWO AND THREE.
AND NUMBER ONE, WE WILL GO TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER ONE.
THIS IS RECOGNIZING MAY AS NATIONAL WATER SAFETY MONTH.
THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN AND MYSELF, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN.
JUST WANTED TO BRING ATTENTION TO THIS, UM, AS OPPOSED TO JUST PASSING IT ON A VOICE VOTE.
UH, WE'RE ENTERING WARMER WEATHER.
AND THEY'RE GONNA BE, OUR POOLS WILL BE OPENING SOON AND MORE PEOPLE WILL BE GOING SWIMMING.
AND IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO BRING TO THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, DROWNING IS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATHS FOR CHILDREN, UH, AGES ONE TO FOUR, UH, AND THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH, UM, OF UNINTENTIONAL INJURY RELATED DEATH FOR CHILDREN THROUGH THE AGE OF 14.
UM, WE DO A LOT OF PROGRAMS IN CAMBRIDGE, SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT TO FOLKS' ATTENTION.
I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHILDREN TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE PROGRAMS, SWIMMING LESSONS, SAFETY LESSONS, UM, AND TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES, UH, ON WATER SAFETY, UH, FOR THEIR KIDS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT IT A LITTLE BIT AS WE ENTER THIS MONTH BEFORE IT GETS TOO WARM.
I'D ASK TO BE, UM, ADDED AS A SPONSOR TO THIS.
I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOUNG KIDS LEARN TO SWIM.
IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL, FUNDAMENTAL SKILL THAT EVERY CHILD SHOULD LEARN, UM, EARLY ON IN THEIR LIFE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS A PERSON WHO'S, UH, NOT THAT IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT I SWAM MY WHOLE LIFE AND WAS A LIFEGUARD MYSELF.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SITUATIONS WHERE IT'S A, UH, A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT SKILL TO KNOW.
AND, UM, HAVING SPENT SO MUCH TIME IN THE WATER AND SEEING YOUNG KIDS WHO, UH, WANT TO LEARN, MAYBE A CURIOUS, IT BECOMES A, UH, A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE.
NONE OF US NEED TO BE REMINDED OF THE TRAGEDIES THAT WE'VE ENCOUNTERED IN OUR REGION OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A SPONSOR.
I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR MCGOVERN FOR, UH, BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
WE'LL GO AHEAD ON A MOTION TO ADD COUNCILOR FLAHERTY AS A CO-SPONSOR TO A ROLL CALL.
AND YOU HAVE NINE THAT IS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ON THE POLICY ORDER AS AMENDED.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL TO ADOPT COUNCILOR ZUBE.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDING THE AFFIRMATIVE POLICY.
NUMBER ONE, AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED, WE WILL GO TO POLICY NUMBER TWO, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL GO ON RECORD CALLING UPON PRESIDENT TRUMP TO IMMEDIATELY RESCIND EXECUTIVE ORDER.
IMMEDIATELY ENTER MEANINGFUL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT, WITH THE GOAL OF ENDING THE UNITED STATES OIL EMBARGO AND CARRY OUT HIS FOREIGN POLICY AGENDA WITH RESPECT TO THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW.
THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR ZAINA WHEELER, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, AND COUNCILLOR AL ZUBE.
THIS WAS PULLED BY COUNCILOR NOLAN.
[01:30:02]
MOTION MAKER HERE, COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER.THANKS, MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU.
UM, WANNA, UH, EXCITED TO BE INTRODUCING THIS AND WANNA THANK THE CO-SPONSORS, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN AND COUNCILLOR ZUBE.
UH, FIRST I WANNA SPEAK TO THE CONNECTION TO CAMBRIDGE ON THIS.
WE, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD IN PUBLIC COMMENT, AND I'VE HEARD MANY TIMES BEFORE, WE HAVE RESIDENTS WITH DEEP TIES TO CUBA.
WE HAVE RESIDENTS WHO ARE CUBAN AMERICAN RESIDENTS WITH FAMILY WHO ARE STILL IN CUBA, RESIDENTS WHO ARE, HAVE FRIENDS THERE, FOLKS WHO HAVE VISITED MANY TIMES AND HAVE LOVED ONES AND, AND DEEP CONNECTIONS THERE.
IT'S ALSO TIED TO ISSUES THAT CAMBRIDGE HAS WORKED ON FOR A LONG TIME, INCLUDING IMMIGRANT RIGHTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
I THINK TO BACK TO THE FOUNDING OF THE PEACE COMMISSION DECADES AGO, WHICH CAME OUT OF THE WORK THAT CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS WERE DOING INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY WITH EL SALVADOR.
UH, THIS IS AN ISSUE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY.
IT IS ALSO AN ISSUE THAT CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS CARE FOR AND HAS BEEN DEEPLY TIED TO THE WORK THAT CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN DOING IN THE CITY FOR DECADES.
UH, THIS POLICY ORDER IS ALSO ABOUT THE DIRE SITUATION CURRENTLY OF THE BLOCKADE PREVENTING, UH, MEDICINE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, DESPERATELY NEEDED THINGS TO THE FOLKS IN CUBA TIED TO THE MOMENT WE'RE IN WHERE OUR, UH, PRESIDENT HAS THREATENED TO INVADE CUBA THE WAY HE HAS DONE WITH VENEZUELA AND IRAN, AND, AND REALLY STANDING OUT OF PRECIPICE MOMENT AND, YOU KNOW, DEMANDING THAT OUR VOICES WEIGH IN ON THAT.
UM, ALSO, UH, WANT TO BE CLEAR AND CLARIFY FOR THAT.
THIS POLICY ORDER DOES NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT.
UM, NO, NOTHING ABOUT FIDEL CASTRO.
NOTHING ABOUT THAT FOR ANYONE, ANY COUNSELORS WHO MIGHT HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
IT'S INTENTIONALLY NOT ABOUT THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT.
IT IS ABOUT OUR GOVERNMENT AND OUR GOVERNMENT'S ACTIONS.
UH, AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, THINK OF THE EXAMPLE OF IT IS POSSIBLE TO PROFOUNDLY DISAGREE WITH, WITH THE GOVERNMENT, AND STILL NOT WANT THE COUNTRY TO BE BLOCKADED.
I THINK ABOUT OUR OWN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH I PROFOUNDLY DISAGREE WITH MANY OF THE THINGS OUR GOVERNMENT HAS DONE RIGHT NOW, AND THE ACTIONS THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS TAKING.
AND I ALSO WOULD NOT WANT OUR COUNTRY TO BE BLOCKADED BY CHINA OR RUSSIA OR CANADA OR SOME OTHER COUNTRY, AND HAVE THE DAMAGING CONSEQUENCES THAT WOULD DO TO OUR HOSPITALS AND TO MEDICINE AND TO THE RESIDENTS WHO DO, UH, DEPEND ON THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, ALSO JUST WANNA ADDRESS THE CRITIQUE PREEMPTIVELY THAT, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME COMES UP, ANYTIME WE WEIGH IN ON THINGS THAT AREN'T SOLELY IN CAMBRIDGE'S BORDERS.
THIS IS A, A NOT A UNIQUE SITUATION.
WE WEIGH IN ALL THE TIME ON THINGS OUR STATE GOVERNMENT DOES ON STATE BILLS.
UH, WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CUT SNAP, WE WEIGH IN ON THAT.
WE HAVE WEIGHED IN ON, UH, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S ACTIONS ON TRANS RIGHTS AND ABORTION RIGHTS AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS.
I ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT THE, THE ITEM WE PASSED RIGHT BEFORE THIS POLICY ORDER.
NUMBER ONE, RECOGNIZING MAY AS NATIONAL WATER SAFETY MONTH.
IT WAS WEIGHING IN ON A, A NATIONAL ISSUE.
UH, AND, AND WE DID THAT BECAUSE IT IS AN ISSUE THAT AFFECTS CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS THE SAME AS THIS ONE DOES.
AND IN MY MIND, THIS IS AS COMMON SENSE AS NOT NATIONAL WATER SAFETY MONTH IS THE BLOCKADE HAS, DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE.
IT IS A DAMAGING THING THAT OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING IN THE NAME OF CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS.
UH, AND THAT'S JUST THE LAST PIECE HERE IS IN ADDITION TO THE TIES TO THE MANY CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS, THIS HAS BEEN MAINTAINED FOR DECADES ACROSS BOTH REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATIONS DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATIONS.
THAT'S PART OF THE REASON IT'S GONE ON SO LONG, IS 'CAUSE OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SAID, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE THING THAT SHOULD, SHOULDN'T BE CONTROVERSIAL THAT EVERYBODY IN THE UNITED STATES AGREES WITH.
AND THIS RESOLUTION IS A ONE SMALL THING WE CAN DO TO SAY NO.
WE DO NOT ALL AGREE WITH THIS.
THE PEOPLE IN CAMBRIDGE PROFOUNDLY DISAGREE WITH THIS.
YOU'RE NOT DOING THIS IN OUR NAME TO MAINTAIN THIS BLOCKADE.
SO I HOPE WE CAN PASS THIS RESOLUTION, UH, AND THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
TONIGHT I YIELD BACK, I HAVE A FEW PEOPLE.
I'M GOING TO COUNCILOR NOLAN, COUNCILOR SIMMONS.
COUNCILOR ZUBIE, AND THEN VICE MAYOR AZI, AND THEN THIS CORNER.
YOU KNOW, THIS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACTIONS VIS-A-VIS CUBA IS WRONG AND UNETHICAL.
I HAVE CELEBRATED IN PAST WORK THE INCREDIBLE LITERACY, ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTHCARE OUTCOMES IN CUBA, WHICH WE HEARD ABOUT IN PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND THAT SHOULD FRANKLY BE EMULATED HERE AND ELSEWHERE.
THEY ARE FAR AHEAD OF US IN MANY AREAS.
AND IN FACT, I WAS ON THE LEAD SPONSOR ON THE PO REFERENCE FROM 2021.
MY SON SINCE THEN, SPENT A MONTH THERE, LOVED LEARNING ABOUT THE COUNTRY.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I ACTUALLY FACILITATED BRINGING PEOPLE FROM CUBA TO CRLS AND SET UP MEETINGS IN THE CITY ABOUT POTENTIAL HEALTHCARE AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY RELATED COLLABORATION BETWEEN CUBA, CAMBRIDGE, KENDALL SQUARE, MASSACHUSETTS IN THE US.
SO I AM A HUNDRED PERCENT IN SUPPORT.
UM, WE SHOULD SUPPORT THE PEOPLE OF CUBA AND THE BLOCKADE, NORMALIZED RELATIONS WITH THAT COUNTRY.
AND I BELIEVE ALL OF US, ALL RESIDENTS, INCLUDING COUNSELORS, SHOULD TAKE A STAND AND SUPPORT CUBA.
I'VE SIGNED, UH, THE LET THE CUBA LIVE PARTITION, AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD DELIBERATE OR USE TIME DURING REGULAR BUSINESS MEETINGS ON FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES, WHICH I SEE THIS AS.
THOSE ISSUES ARE GREAT TOPICS FOR OTHER TYPES OF MEETINGS, COMMUNITY ACTIVISM, ORGANIZING, NOT FOR OUR REGULARLY MUNICIPAL BUSINESS MEETINGS.
I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED AT OUR REGULAR BUSINESS MEETINGS ON MATTERS THAT MORE CLOSELY ALIGN WITH OUR MUNICIPAL GOALS, OUR NEEDS, AND DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR RESIDENTS.
[01:35:01]
MY COLLEAGUES, I SEE THIS AS FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE RESOLUTION THAT WE JUST PASSED ON WATER SAFETY MONTH, BECAUSE THAT'S ABOUT EDUCATING CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS ABOUT THAT CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE ABOUT WATER SAFETY.COUNCILOR SIMMONS, UH, THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR, TO MY COLLEAGUES.
IT, WHILE I DOUBT THAT THE GOOD INTENTIONS OF MY COLLEAGUES IN INTRODUCING THIS ORDER, IT TOUCHES UPON EACH OF THE COUNCIL HAS DISCUSSED IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO GO ON RECORD IN URGING ITS CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES TO SUPPORT PENDING LEGISLATION, THAT'S FAIR GAME AND IS FAIRLY STANDARD.
BUT POLICY ORDERS LIKE THIS ONE THAT SEEK TO DIRECTLY DEAL WITH FOREIGN FOREIGN POLICY ARE A POOR USE OF OUR TIME.
THE CITY COUNCIL HAS NO ROLE IN SETTING OR INFLUENCING US FOREIGN POLICY.
ANYONE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS A ROLE IN INFLUENCING CURB CUTS IN CAMBRIDGE.
WE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL, NOT JUST FOR THE LINES OF JURISDICTION, BUT ALSO PEOPLE'S TIME.
THE SPONSOR OF THE SPONSORS OF THIS ORDER, DOUBTLESSLY HAVE THE BEST OF INTENTIONS, AND I DOUBT ANYONE IN THIS MEETING DISAGREES WITH THE SENTIMENT BEHIND THE ORDER.
BUT THE ENERGY SPECTRUM BRINGING THIS ORDER COULD BE BETTER SPENT PICKING UP THE PHONE AND CALLING REPRESENTATIVE CLARK, REPRESENTATIVE PRESSLEY AND, AND ASKING THEM TO SPONSOR SOME SOMETHING LIKE THIS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND I'M SURE THAT THEY'LL BE HAPPILY TO TAKE OUR PHONE CALL FROM ANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL.
AND SO FOR ME, UM, GIVEN, GIVEN THOSE MY STATEMENT, I'LL BE VOTING PRESENT, BUT NOT VOTING.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL ZUBE AND THEN VICE MAYOR ZE, AND THEN COUNCILOR FLAHERTY.
I, I, I DO FEEL LIKE THIS ORDER IS PRETTY SIMPLE.
UM, BUT IT ADDRESSES A VERY IMPORTANT VALUE BY CALLING FOR THE RESCISSION OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER IN A MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH CUBA.
WE ADVOCATE FOR A PATH THAT'S ROOTED IN DIGNITY AND INTERNATIONAL LAW, AND WE AS A BODY HAVE AN ABILITY TO SPEAK UP WHEN WE CAN.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD JUST SWITCH UP WHAT WE HAVE.
THE LEGACY THAT WE'VE BUILT IN THE PAST TODAY.
AND AS OTHERS HAVE NOTED, THIS COUNCIL HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS COURAGE BY STANDING UP FOR CUBA IN THE PAST, PASSING MULTIPLE POLICY ORDERS THAT SPEAK TO ADVOCACY FOR CUBA, WHETHER IT'S ON REMOVING CUBA FROM THE STATE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM LIST, OR SUPPORTING MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATION WITH CUBA, OR ENDING THE US EMBARGO ON CUBA.
ALSO, WE'VE ESTABLISHED A SISTER CITY WITH CUBA IN 2005.
THE EMBAR, THE EMBARGO ITSELF HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN THAT RELATIONSHIP.
BUT THERE IS HOPE WHEN WE COLLECTIVELY WORK TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE FOR SOVEREIGNTY AND A STOP TO UNWELCOME FOREIGN INTERVENTION THAT IS MEANT TO PERPETUATE SO MUCH HARM TO VULNERABLE PEOPLE.
SO I, I DO THINK WE SHOULD SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF CUBA.
THEY'RE KNOWN FOR THEIR VIBRANT CULTURE AND WARM HOSPITALITY.
AND WE SHOULD BE CLEAR THAT OUR VALUES DON'T STOP AT ONE BORDER OR JUST IN OUR CITY.
WHEREVER PEOPLE ARE SUBJECTED TO COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT, WHEREVER ENTIRE POPULATIONS ARE DENIED BASIC RIGHTS AND SELF-DETERMINATION, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK UP.
I'LL YIELD, WE'LL GO TO VICE MAYOR.
UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, MY FIRST TWO TERMS ON THE CITY COUNCIL, I KEPT ON SAYING THAT I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE DEALING WITH FOREIGN POLICY.
I DON'T THINK IT'S OUR AREA OF EXPERTISE.
UM, AND QUITE FRANKLY, I STILL THINK THAT, I THINK THAT THESE DISTRACT FROM THE WORK, I THINK THAT WHATEVER IMPACT WE THINK THAT WE ARE HAVING, IN FACT, MOST OF THE PRESS A DOESN'T COVER IT, BUT B IF THEY DO IT IS NOT ALWAYS IN A POSITIVE LIGHT.
THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A SENSE PERHAPS IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT WE HAVE LIKE A SENSE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW HOW TO RUN NOT ONLY OUR OWN CITY, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOREIGN POLICY IN THIS BIG WAY.
UM, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT.
AT THE SAME TIME, I'VE TRIED IN MY FIRST TWO TERMS TO SAY THAT WE SHOULDN'T DO FOREIGN POLICY, AND MY COLLEAGUES HAVE NOT AGREED.
AND EVERY TIME I VOTE NO ON THESE POLICY ORDERS, PEOPLE FEEL LIKE I DISAGREE WITH THEM ON THE MERITS.
AND SO I WOULD SAY SINCE WE'VE SET UP THE RULES THIS WAY, I WILL VOTE FOR THIS TONIGHT.
BUT I THINK THAT IF PEOPLE WANT TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE DO THINGS, THAT WOULD BE FINE GOING, YOU KNOW, IN THE LONGER TERM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THESE GET INTRODUCED TO ME, I WILL VOTE ON THE MERITS OF IT RATHER THAN ON PROCESS.
JUST BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S BEFORE US TODAY.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR FLAHERTY.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, AND THROUGH YOU.
I, I'D LIKE THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT I ALSO BE VOTING PRESENT ON THIS POLICY ORDER AND ANY OTHER POLICY ORDER THAT DEALS WITH INTERNATIONAL ISSUES ON MATTERS OF FOREIGN POLICY LIKE THIS, THAT DON'T DIRECTLY RELATE TO THE LOCAL ISSUES THAT CONFRONT OUR TAXPAYERS AND RESIDENTS ON A DAILY BASIS AND OTHER MATTERS OVER WHICH WE HAVE NEITHER THE SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION OR PERSONAL JURISDICTION TO DEAL WITH.
UH, I, I REALLY HOPE THAT NO ONE INTERPRETS THIS AS ANY SIGNAL OF MY SUPPORT OR LACK OF SUPPORT FOR ANY OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE BROUGHT, UH, THROUGH BY THESE POLICY ORDERS.
UH, I'M SURE I'VE READ THE SAME PAPERS AND WATCHED MANY OF THE SAME NEWS REPORTS THAT THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE AT PUBLIC COMMENT
[01:40:01]
DO.UH, BUT I'M VERY ACUTELY AWARE THAT I WAS ELECTED TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE WHO ARE CONCERNED WITH MATTERS LIKE SNOW REMOVAL, WHETHER A HEARN FIELD SHOULD BE TURF OR NATURAL GRASS, WHETHER THE RESIDENT PERMIT PARKING FEE SHOULD BE INCREASED TO $75 WHILE WE ELIMINATE A SENIOR EXEMPTION.
AND, UH, OUR IMPENDING INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES THAT LOOK LIKE IT JUST MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO CONTINUE, CONTINUE TO DELIVER THE GOLD STANDARD OF SERVICES THAT THE CITY DELIVERS.
SO I MOVE THAT WE REFER THIS, UH, POLICY ORDER, THE GOVERNMENT RATIONS, GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE FOR A HEARING TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT, UH, THIS POLICY ORDER OR ANYONE LIKE IT, WHICH DOES NOT BE DIRECTLY ON LOCAL ISSUES, UH, SHOULD BE APPROPRIATELY, APPROPRIATELY, OR NOT APPROPRIATELY BROUGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE IN THAT COMMITTEE WE'RE DISCUSSING, UH, OUR USE OF OUR TIME AND WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD BE BIFURCATING THESE COUNCIL HEARINGS.
SO COUNCILOR FLAHERTY HAS MOVED TO SEND THIS POLICY ORDER TO THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE.
WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION ON THAT.
UM, IF IT PASSES, IT'LL PASS, BUT IF IT, UH, FAILS, THEN WE'LL RESUME DISCUSSION, UH, AND VOTE UP OR DOWN ON THE POLICY ORDER.
I DO HAVE COUNCILOR ZUZI AND COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK, UM, ON THE POLICY ORDER ITSELF.
BUT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THERE WAS A MOTION WE HAVE TO DISCUSS THAT MOTION.
SO, COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER.
JUST, YEAH, BRIEFLY TO THAT MOTION, I THINK VERY HAPPY TO HAVE A DISCUSSION IN THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE OR THE COUNCIL ABOUT, UH, WHAT TOPICS TO CONSIDER.
WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION LAST TERM ABOUT WHETHER FOREIGN POLICY OR OTHER TOPICS SHOULD BE A THING.
THE COUNCIL CONSIDERS HAPPY TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
I WOULD JUST SUGGEST, UM, THAT THAT CONVERSATION COULD HAP HAPPEN SEPARATELY FROM THE POLICY ORDER.
I THINK IT IS A LITTLE SELF-DEFEATING TO SAY WE SHOULDN'T TALK MORE ABOUT THIS POLICY ORDER AND THEN REFER IT TO COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT IT.
THAT COMMITTEE WOULD THEN GET REFERRED BACK TO THE COUNCIL WHERE WE WOULD DISCUSS EVEN MORE ABOUT IT.
I JUST, IF, IF THE GOAL IS TO NOT TALK MORE ABOUT THIS, THIS IS GONNA LEAD TO TWO OR THREE MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC POLICY ORDER.
SO I, I WOULD SUGGEST MAYBE WITHDRAW THAT AND YOU COULD PUT IN A SEPARATE MOTION, OR WE COULD, COULD CRAFT A, AN AGENDA, UH, ABOUT THIS TOPIC, BUT NOT THIS SPECIFIC POLICY ORDER.
LET'S JUST TRY TO GET THIS POLICY ORDER DONE TONIGHT.
UM, I GO BACK, BACK, SO IF, IF IT'S SOMETHING NEW, I'LL GO TO YOU.
BUT I WOULD SUGGEST WE VOTE THIS UP OR DOWN, UM, THE MOTION, UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO WITHDRAW COUNCIL.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO REFER TO THE, TO THE SUGGESTION THAT IT BE WITHDRAWN.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE SUGGESTION, BUT I ALSO APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME HERE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A CRITICAL ISSUE THAT WE SHOULD DISCUSS.
AND IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO BRING THESE TYPES OF POLICY ORDERS, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WARRANTS A HEARING AT THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE SO WE CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION WHETHER OR NOT THESE THINGS WILL BE CON WILL BE CONTINUALLY BOUGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
BECAUSE AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE PRESENTLY IS DISCUSSING WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE APPROPRIATELY SPENDING OUR TIME DURING THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, MEETINGS AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD BE BIFURCATED.
AND I THINK IF WE'VE GOT A POLICY ORDER THAT CLEARLY THIS CITY COUNCIL HAS NEITHER SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION OR PERSONAL JURISDICTION OVER THIS, UM, POLICY ORDER.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE A DETERMINATION IF THIS IS GOOD USE OF OUR TIME OR NOT, IF THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IS TALKING ABOUT.
MAYBE, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE A HEARING.
WELL, I WAS JUST TO COME TO CLARITY.
SO LET'S, SO I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE JUST A BACK AND FORTH, RIGHT? SO I'M GOING TO, THERE'S FOLKS WHO WANNA SPEAK ON THE AMENDMENT.
SO I'LL GO TO THOSE FOLKS AND THEN LET'S JUST VOTE THIS AMENDMENT, THIS MOTION UP OR DOWN.
I, I'LL SPEAK ON THE AMENDMENT, BUT DEPENDING ON THE VOTE, IF YOU COME BACK TO ME THAT, UH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE IN FAVOR OF REFERRING, UM, COUPLE THINGS.
I THINK I, I DO AGREE THAT IF WE WANT TO HAVE A LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS OUR ROLE IN, IN THESE TYPES OF MATTERS, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY THAT COUPLE THINGS THAT IF WE WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF PEOPLE'S TIME, LET'S NOT DRAG THEM OUT AGAIN TO A, A GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS MEETING, UH, TO DO ALL THE SAME TESTIMONY.
LET'S JUST TAKE CARE OF IT ON THIS ISSUE TONIGHT AND HAVE THE LARGER CONVERSATION, UM, IN THE FUTURE.
I ALSO WOULD SAY THAT, UH, IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN THIS, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP HEARING THAT, THAT
[01:45:02]
WE DON'T HAVE THE JURISDICTION, WE DON'T HAVE THIS, THIS ISN'T A COURT OF LAW.THE CITY COUNCIL HAS A DIFFERENT ROLE TO PLAY THAN, THAN, THAN WHAT WE WOULD IF WE WERE REPRESENTING THIS AS AN ATTORNEY.
WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE STATEMENTS ABOUT THE VALUES THAT WE HAVE TO LET OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION KNOW HOW WE FEEL AS A COUNCIL.
UM, I THINK WE DO HAVE THAT NOW.
I DO, I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME TIMES WHEN WHAT WE ARE DOING HAS A MORE DIFFICULT ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY IS GEN GENUINELY SPLIT OVER WHETHER WE SHOULD SUPPORT SOMETHING OR NOT SUPPORT SOMETHING.
AND THAT MAKES IT MORE COMPLICATED.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE HERE.
AND, AND SO, UM, THAT'S, SO THAT'S MY CO I DO HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT IN GENERAL, BUT I'LL, I'LL YIELD, UM, FOR THIS VOTE ON THE REFERRAL, BUT I WILL NOT, UH, SUPPORT REFERRING IT.
I JUST THINK WE SHOULD PUT IT TO BED TONIGHT.
UH, SO WHAT I WONDER IS, IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE WHAT WE DISCUSS AT A GOVERNMENT RELATIONS MEETING WOULD BE, UM, THE BROADER ISSUE.
MAYBE IF WE WANNA CHANGE OUR COUNCIL RULES OR ADD SOMETHING TO OUR COUNCIL RULES THAT SAYS THAT WE DON'T DISCUSS FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE THAT COULD BE THE SUBJECT OF THAT MEETING.
UM, I THINK, UH, SO MAYBE THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS MEETING WOULD HAVE A BROADER FOCUS BECAUSE I, I DO FEEL LIKE ADDRESSING THIS.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A HISTORY OF THE COUNCIL MAKING PROCLAMATIONS ABOUT ISSUES RELATING TO FOREIGN AFFAIRS, BUT I, I DO THINK IT IS, IT DOES TAKE OUR TIME AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON.
UM, SO I, I WORRY ABOUT THE PRECEDENT OF ADVANCING THIS POLICY ORDER, BUT I, THAT'S WHAT I WONDER IS WHETHER, UM, WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THE BROADER ISSUE OF THE DISCUSSION OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AT COUNCIL MEETINGS AND WHETHER THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE USE OF OUR TIME.
SO I'LL JUST SHARE THAT, YOU KNOW, I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THE REFERRAL.
I KNOW THAT AS CHAIR OF GOVERNOR OPS COUNCILOR SERENA WHEELER HAS, I THINK SEVERAL TIMES ASKED THE BODY ON VARIOUS RULE CHANGES, UH, AND SUGGESTIONS.
UH, I'M SURE MAYBE YOU'D STILL BE OPEN TO MORE, BUT HE HAS DONE THAT FROM THE BEGINNING.
SO, UH, RELATED TO COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN AND WHAT HE SAID, I'D RATHER JUST VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT.
UH, AND SO I'M NOT SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION BEFORE WE VOTE.
I UNDERSTAND AND RECOGNIZE BY COLLEAGUES SAYING THAT CITY COUNCILS DON'T CONTROL NATIONAL FOREIGN POLICY, BUT COUNCILS THEMSELVES ROUTINELY PASS RESOLUTIONS ON GLOBAL ISSUES, LIKE WE HAVE A LEGACY.
SO I AM NOT UNDERSTANDING THE SENTIMENT, THIS AURA THAT WE'RE SWITCHING THIS UP POTENTIALLY AFTER A LEGACY OF BUILDING THAT, THAT'S ACTUALLY VERY WORRISOME TO ME.
UM, US AS REPRESENTATIVES, WE REPRESENT OUR VALUES AND OUR CONCERNS OF OUR RESIDENTS.
NOT JUST WHEN IT COMES TO SNOW REMOVAL, BUT ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON ABROAD, BECAUSE THEY MIGHT THEMSELVES BE CUBAN OR THEY MIGHT THEMSELVES HAVE A TIE, WHETHER IT'S FAMILIAL, WHETHER IT'S ECONOMICALLY, WHETHER IT'S FROM A HUMAN RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE.
SO IT'S NOT OUTSIDE OF OUR ROLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR TAKE A POSITION ON THIS.
IT'S PART OF REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SERVE ALL YIELD.
I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN ABOUT REFERRING, WHICH WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE, I THINK, BUT I'M NOT SURE.
SO INSTEAD, I'LL EXERCISE MY CHARTER.
COUNCILOR NOLAN HAS EXERCISED EXERCISER CHARTER, RIGHT? WHICH MEANS THIS WILL GET CONTINUED TO THE NEXT MEETING.
WE WILL GO AHEAD TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER THREE.
THIS IS THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS REQUESTED TO CONFER WITH RELEVANT CITY STAFF TO REVIEW CITY ORDINANCES REGULATING THE OPERATION OF FOOD VENDORS IN CITY PARKS.
THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR, SERENA WHEELER, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, VICE MAYOR AZI, AND MYSELF.
THIS WAS PULLED BY COUNSELOR NOLAN.
WE'LL GO TO COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER.
THANKS, MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU.
THIS POLICY ORDER, UM, WHICH I'M GLAD TO HAVE THE SUPPORT FROM THE CO-SPONSORS ON, IS ABOUT SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES, UH, INCLUDING, UH, IMMIGRANT OWNED BUSINESSES AND FAMILY RUN BUSINESSES THAT ARE A LOT OF THE FOOD VENDORS WE SEE IN PARKS, UH, AROUND THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS, BOSTON, WHERE VENDORS, UH, ALREADY OPERATE IN BOSTON COMMON AND SOME OF THEIR OTHER PARKS OFFERS A RANGE OF OPTIONS SUCH AS PASTRY, COFFEE, STREET FOOD.
UH, IT REALLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE VIBRANCY AND THE WELCOMINGNESS OF THOSE PUBLIC PLACES.
UH, AND TALKING THIS OVER WITH CITY STAFF, OUR CURRENT CITY ORDINANCES DON'T ALLOW FOR THIS AND ANY PARKS, UH, ACROSS THE CITY.
AND IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THE CITY HAS BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR
[01:50:01]
A WHILE.THIS POLICY ORDER TO BE CLEARED DOESN'T ASK FOR A SPECIFIC CHANGE AT THIS TIME.
WHAT IT ASKS FOR IS CITY STAFF TO LOOK AT THIS AND COME BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITH A RANGE OF POLICY OPTIONS TO CONSIDER AROUND ALLOWING FOOD VENDORS IN PUBLIC PARKS AND SPACES.
THOSE OPTIONS COULD THEN BE CONSIDERED HOLISTICALLY BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND ITS COMMITTEES ALONGSIDE ENGAGEMENT WITH CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
SO THIS POLICY ORDER WOULD BE A, A FIRST STEP TOWARDS A BROADER DISCUSSION, AND I HOPE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH IT TONIGHT.
ARE YOU BACK? COUNCILLOR NOLAN, YOU PULLED THIS? YEAH.
I'M TOTALLY EXCITED ABOUT US MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS AND PULLED IT PARTLY SO THAT, JUST TO ECHO EVERYTHING THAT COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER SAID TO, UM, BE ADDED TO IT, COUNCILLOR ZUBIE, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE ADDED TO IT AS WELL.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILLOR ZUZI? YEAH, I'M, I'M OPEN TO THIS, BUT I, I KNOW WE HAVE A VERY EFFECTIVE FOOD TRUCK PROGRAM.
UH, AND I WONDER, SO I, I GUESS THAT THE REPORT BACK, I'LL BE CURIOUS TO KNOW, LIKE BOSTON HAS SOME REALLY BIG PARKS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT FRANKLIN PARK, THEY'VE GOT THE COMMON, THEY'VE GOT THE PUBLIC GARDENS.
UM, I, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS WOULD BE FOR BIG PARKS, NOT POCKET PARKS.
UM, I KNOW WE ALREADY HAVE ICE CREAM TRUCKS AT MAGAZINE BEACH.
UH, ANYWAY, SO I'M, I'M OPEN TO EXPLORING THIS, BUT I, I WORRY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TRASH.
I WORRY ABOUT RATS, AND I WONDER IF OUR FOOD TRUCK PROGRAM DOESN'T ALREADY, UM, PROVIDE FOR THE FOOD AND VITALITY THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR HERE.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, I'M OPEN TO IT, BUT IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE CITY SAYS.
I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO IT.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADDING COUNCILLOR NOLAN AND COUNCILLOR ZUBE TO THE POLICY ORDER.
AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDING THE AFFIRMATIVE.
COUNCILOR NOLAN AND COUNCILOR ZUBIE HAVE BEEN ADDED.
AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT THIS IS, UM, I THINK REALLY EXCITING AND TO THE POINT AROUND THERE BEING A FOOD TRUCK PROGRAM, I THINK THAT'S BEEN POPULAR.
BUT I THINK THIS IS KIND OF THE NEXT SEGUE OF LIKE, LET'S ACTUALLY LET THE VENDORS BE IN THE CITY.
UM, AND THAT'LL CREATE, YOU KNOW, MORE VIBRANCY.
AND, UH, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESPONSE HEARING.
NO ONE ELSE ON THIS, ON ADOPTING THE POLICY ORDER AS AMENDED.
AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT.
POLICY NUMBER THREE AS AMENDED AS ADOPTED.
UM, THIS CHARTER RIGHT WAS EXERCISED BY COUNCILOR SIMMONS.
UH, LAST MEETING FROM THAT MEETING, WE ALSO HAD, UM, AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS FROM COUNCILOR ZUBE, WHICH IS IN YOUR PACKET.
I KNOW THAT WE ALSO HAVE AN AMENDMENT BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
SO WE'LL FIRST GO TO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
LAST WEEK, WE, I EXERCISED MY CHILD RIGHT IN THIS MATTER BECAUSE I WANTED TO A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO THINK THROUGH THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE ORDER.
I DO BELIEVE THERE IS A VALUE IN HAVING GOOD INFORMATION IN FRONT OF US.
HOUSING IS ONE OF OUR MOST URGENT ISSUES FACING THE CITY, AND WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE LOOK WILLING TO LOOK CAREFULLY AT WHO IS BEING SERVED, WHO'S BEING LEFT OUT, AND WHERE THE GAPS REMAIN.
AT THE SAME TIME, I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR THAT ANY STUDY OR REVIEW WE AUTHORIZE SHOULD INFORM OUR HOUSING WORK, NOT SLOW IT DOWN.
THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY TAKEN SIGNIFICANT VOTES ON HOUSING AND ZONING, INCLUDING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERLAY, THE MULTI-FAMILY, THE MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING ORDINANCE, AND OTHER RECENT ZONING CHANGES.
THOSE DECISIONS WERE MADE AFTER LONG PUBLIC PROCESSES AND THEY CONTINUE, THEY SHOULD CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
THE LANGUAGE I'M OFFERING IS INTENDED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
THIS AMENDMENT SAYS THAT THE ORDER SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD TO BE AS A TOOL FOR INFORMED HOUSING POLICY.
IT SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS A REQUEST TO PAUSE, DELAY OR REVISIT THE IMPLICATION IMPLEMENTATION, EXCUSE ME, OF ZONING ORDINANCES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADOPTED.
IT ALSO ASKS THAT ANY REVIEWER STUDY BE CONDUCTED IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT DELAY THE REVIEW PERMITTING FUNDING OR CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSING, INCLUDING MARKET RATE, MIXED INCOME, INCLUSIONARY, AND A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
EXCEPT WHERE THAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
I THINK THIS IS A REASONABLE CLARIFICATION.
IT ALLOWS US TO GATHER USEFUL INFORMATION WHILE ALSO MAKING CLEAR THAT CAMBRIDGE MUST CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD ON HOUSING PRODUCTION.
[01:55:01]
THE AMENDMENT LANGUAGE I'M OFFERING IS AS FOLLOWS.AND I, I DON'T KNOW, 'CAUSE I KNOW MS. STEFAN IS OUT TODAY, SO I'M JUST GOING TO READ ITS, ITS BRIEF THAT THE AVOIDANCE OF THAT FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, THIS ORDER IS INTENDED TO SUPPORT INFORMED HOUSING POLICY AND SHOULD NOT BE UNDERSTOOD AS REQUEST TO ENDORSE BY THE CITY COUNCIL TO PAUSE, DELAY, OR REVISIT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DUALLY ADOPTED ZONING ORDINANCES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERLAY, THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING ORDINANCE.
AND ANDY RECENTLY ADOPTED ZONING AMENDMENTS AFFECTING MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, CAMBRIDGE STREET, OR OTHER RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS, AND BE IT FURTHER ORDER THAT THE CITY MANAGER BE AND IS HEREBY REQUESTED TO ENSURE THAT ANY REVIEW, ANALYSIS OR STUDY UNDERTAKEN PURSUANT TO THIS ORDER IS CONDUCTED IN A MATTER THAT DOES NOT DELAY THE ACCEPTANCE REVIEW, PERMITTING APPROVAL, FUNDING, ADVANCEMENT OR CONSTRUCTION OF ANY PENDING OF FUTURE MARKET RATE, MIXED INCOME INCLUSIONARY OR 100% AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, EXCEPT FOR OTHERWISE QUIET BY LAW.
SO I'M OFFERING THAT AS AN AMENDMENT, AND I WILL YIELD THE FLOOR.
SO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS HAS THAT AMENDMENT.
WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION ON IT, AND THEN I SAY, WE GO EITHER VOTE UP OR DOWN, AND THEN WE HAVE COUNCILLOR ZUBIE AMENDMENT AS WELL TO HANDLE AFTERWARDS.
AND IT'S 7 26 FOR THOSE WHO WANNA KNOW COUNCILLOR ZUZI.
UH, I AM OPEN TO THE FIRST ORDERED.
UM, THE INTENT OF THE POLICY ORDER IS NOT TO DELAY HOUSING PRODUCTION, BUT TO DO A THOUGHTFUL ANALYSIS OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE PRODUCING.
I THINK THE SECOND ORDERED, UH, IS INAPPROPRIATE BECAUSE WHO KNOWS WHAT WE'RE GONNA LEARN? AND THE WHOLE FOCUS OF THE WHOLE REASON TO DO THE HOUSING STUDY THAT WOULD BUILD ON INFORMATION WE ALREADY HAVE FROM THE UPDATED INCLUSIONARY HOUSING STUDY AND INCENTIVE ZONING STUDY WOULD BE, UH, TO ANALYZE WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE.
AND THOSE NEEDS MIGHT INFORM, UH, THEY MIGHT, YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD INFORM POLICY GOING FORWARD.
SO I THINK TO MAKE A COMMITMENT NOT TO CHANGE EXISTING POLICY, NO MATTER WHAT THE RESULTS YIELD WOULD BE, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT'S CRAZY.
SO I, I, AGAIN, I, I THINK THE FIRST ORDER IS OKAY.
AGAIN, THE INTENTION IS NOT TO DELAY HOUSING PRODUCTION, BUT RATHER TO, TO BE REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR GOALS ARE TO INFORM FUTURE POLICY AND APPROPRIATIONS OF FUNDING.
UM, BUT I THINK THE SECOND ORDERED IS, UH, I, I, I COULD NOT AGREE TO THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, THE WHOLE GOAL OF DOING THIS ANALYSIS IS TO HAVE NEW DATA AND TO GUIDE US TO MAKE BEST CITIES, UH, DECISIONS FOR, FOR THE CITY.
I YIELD WE CAN GO TO COUNCILOR ZUBY AND THEN COUNCILOR GOVERNOR.
THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR FOR COUNCILLOR SIMMONS AMENDMENT.
I WILL BE VOTING PRESENT BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE IN THE AMENDMENT, AS I UNDERSTAND IT DOESN'T HOLD SOME OF THE NATURE OF WHAT OUR COUNCIL'S BEEN WORKING ON.
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LANGUAGE SAYING IT SHALL NOT BE UNDERSTOOD AS A REQUEST OR ENDORSEMENT BY THE CITY COUNCIL TO PAUSE, DELAY, OR REVISIT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DULY ADOPTED ORDINANCES.
DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE SENSE BECAUSE WE JUST REVISITED MASS AVENUE AND CAMBRIDGE STREET IN TERMS OF RETAIL.
SO I, I JUST, I, I DON'T SEE MYSELF SUPPORTING THIS BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T HOLD SOME OF THE NATURE OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON AS A COUNCIL.
UM, JUST A, A QUICK POINT TO COME, UH, THROUGH HUMANA, MAYOR COUNCIL ZUBI, UM, WE DIDN'T REVISIT THE RETAIL ON MASS AVENUE CAMBRIDGE STREET.
THAT WAS PURPOSELY DONE SEPARATELY FROM WHAT, WHAT WE PASSED IN DECEMBER.
SO IT WAS ALWAYS THE INTENT THAT IT WOULD BE BROUGHT UP AFTER THE HOUSING.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSING WAS DEALT WITH BECAUSE WE COULDN'T, THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH HOW THE, THE ORDINANCE WAS POSTED AND WHAT COULD BE TALKED ABOUT AND WHAT DIDN'T, WASN'T TALKED ABOUT.
SO THEY WERE SEPARATE, UH, THINGS.
AND I, I, I HEAR COUNCILOR SUZI'S POINT ABOUT THAT, THE INTENT, UM, OF THIS, UH, AND I WILL, YOU KNOW, I AM GONNA VOTE FOR THE, FOR THE STUDY, ALTHOUGH I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, UM, PARTICULARLY AROUND HOW MUCH IT'S GONNA COST AND, YOU KNOW, HIRING AN OUTSIDE VENDOR AND WHATNOT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ARE GETTING, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE CLEAR WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THE INTENT IS AND IS NOT.
AND WE ARE GETTING EMAILS FROM PEOPLE SAYING, PASS THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, PASS THIS STUDY TO STOP MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING, TO PUT A PAUSE ON MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING.
AND I JUST THINK IT'S, IN ORDER TO BE CLEAR
[02:00:01]
WITH PEOPLE THAT, AND I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THE, I DON'T THINK THE AUTHORS INTENDED IT TO SAY THAT.I THINK PEOPLE ARE READING INTO IT IF THEY, IF THE AUTHORS WANTED IT TO SAY THAT THEY WOULD'VE PUT IT IN.
SO I'M, IT'S NOT ON THEM, BUT I, I THINK PEOPLE ARE INTERPRETING IT THAT WAY.
AND I, SO I THINK IT'S CLEAR TO, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE CLEAR AND SAY THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT A, A MORATORIUM.
THIS ISN'T, THIS IS ABOUT DOING A STUDY TO GATHER MORE INFORMATION.
UM, BUT IT IS NOT MEANT TO PUT THE BRAKES ON WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING UNLESS WHAT COMES BACK IN THAT STUDY TELLS US WE SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
UM, SO I WILL SUPPORT, UM, BOTH OF THESE, UH, AMENDMENTS OR THIS AMENDMENT WITH BOTH OF THESE NEW ORDERED.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR FLAHERTY AND THEN COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER, AND THEN VICE MAYOR FOR YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THE AMENDMENT SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BECAUSE IT'S VERY CLEAR BY THE LANGUAGE IN THE AMENDMENT.
UH, CONSUL SIMMONS HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS A PARALLEL PROJECT PARALLEL TO EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING.
AND SHE SAYS IT IN THE LAST CLAUSE, EXCEPT WE'RE OTHERWISE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY, ANYTHING ELSE THE CITY'S DOING.
IT'S AN INDEPENDENT STUDY, UH, THAT'S GONNA, MIGHT HAVE, MAYBE IT PRUDENTLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE YEARS AGO, BUT IT'S BEING DONE NOW.
AND THAT'S WHAT IT CALLS FOR A PARALLEL STUDY.
SO I YIELD COUNCILMAN WHEELER, VICE MAYOR.
I WAS JUST GONNA CALL THE QUESTION ON THE AMENDMENT.
SO YOU'RE MOVING TO CALL THE QUESTION.
SO COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER IS GOING TO CALL THE QUESTION.
SO WE HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THAT AND THEN GO TO VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT DIRECTLY.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
WE WILL GO TO COUNCILOR SIMMONS AMENDMENTS.
NO, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COUNCILOR SIMMONS AMENDMENTS.
NO, WE HAVE TO CALL THE OH, WE DID THAT FIRST.
AND YOU HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
ONE RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE, AND ONE RECORDED IS PRESENT.
SO NOW WE'LL MOVE TO COUNCILOR ZU BE'S AMENDMENT.
AS I MENTIONED LAST MEETING, I, I DO THINK WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE NEW INFORMATION AND FOR IT TO BE MORE FOCUSED.
AND, AND I NOTED THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA, LIKE HAD, HAD BROUGHT UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD STATISTICAL PROFILE AND THE CAMBRIDGE HOUSING PROFILE DEVELOPMENT LOGS AS EXAMPLES, BUT LIKE, AS AN EXAMPLE ON KEY DATA WE'RE MISSING, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH CONCRETE DATA IN RELATION TO DISPLACEMENT.
SO THIS AMENDMENT'S KIND OF WORKING ON PROPOSING AN ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THE PROS AND CONS OF THIS ARE AND WHAT KEY DATA GAPS THAT CDD DOESN'T HAVE THAT WE COULD DISCUSSION.
WELL, CAN, CAN WE PUT THE AMENDMENT ON THE SCREEN PLEASE, FOR STARTERS? YEP.
AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU SAW THE MEMO THAT MY WONDERFUL AID, NATALIE SANDOVAL, UH, CREATED THAT SORT OF ADDRESSES SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS, COUNSELOR ZUBI.
SO IN, IN THIS MEMO, SHE DOCUMENTS, SHE, UM, ASSESSES WHAT SORT OF DATA WE GOT FROM THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING STUDY IN 1998 AND WHAT SORT OF INFORMATION WE GOT IN THE INCENTIVE ZONING STUDY IN 2015.
SO THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, A WHILE AGO.
AND THEN SHE COMES UP WITH A LIST OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT, UH, WOULD BE USEFUL FOR ANALYSIS.
UM, SO I FEEL LIKE SHE'S DONE THE PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING HERE.
UM, AND I, I WANTED TO ADD, IN ADDITION TO THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES THAT NATALIE HAS OUTLINED, MOSTLY ON PAGE TWO, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE IN ASSESSING FUTURE HOUSING NEED AGAIN, WE MIGHT WANNA THINK ABOUT SROS, COOPERATIVE HOUSING, UH, ROOMING HOUSES, YOU KNOW, UM, HOUSING WITH COMMON KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS AND UNIVERSITY HOUSING ALONG WITH WHAT NATALIE LISTS.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE WOULDN'T, WE'D WANNA DO AN ANALYSIS OF EXISTING DATA, AND THEN WE WOULD WANT TO, UM, ASSESS,
[02:05:02]
UH, AND, AND WE WOULD WANT TO, UM, SORT OF BUILD ON WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING STUDY AND THE UPDATED INCENTIVE ZONING STUDY, AND THEN FILL IN THE GAPS TO ASSESS OUR NEED.UM, AND I REALIZE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS SHOULD BE DELAYED UNTIL THE FALL WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE THE DATA FROM THOSE TWO OTHER STUDIES.
SO WE'LL KNOW WHAT ADDITIONAL DATA WE REALLY NEED TO ADD.
UM, BUT IT, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH, UM, THIS WOULD FILL IN MISSING GAPS AND, UH, COULD INFORM FUTURE POLICY AND APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS.
OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS AMENDMENT? YES, LA MAYOR.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCILOR ZUBIE FOR HER AMENDMENT.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, MY BIGGEST FEAR IS NOT THAT WE DO THE STUDY, I THINK THAT THE STUDY'S A GOOD THING TO DO, BUT THAT WE HAVE TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT IS SUPPLEMENTAL.
IT'S NEW INFORMATION THAT DOES INFORM OUR DECISION MAKING, AND ALSO IS DONE IN A WAY THAT WE ALL FEEL LIKE WE WANT THIS PARTICULAR SORT OF INFORMATION, AND IT WILL INFORM AND DRIVE OUR DECISION MAKING.
AND I JUST SEE THIS AS CLARIFYING AND REALLY STRENGTHENING THAT.
AND ALSO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID LAST TIME, IF WE GET THAT BEFORE THE STUDY RESULTS COME OUT AND ALL OF US AGREE LIKE, HEY, YES, WE WANNA LISTEN TO THIS, IT WILL INFORM OUR DECISION MAKING BEFORE WE SEE THE RESULTS.
I THINK IT HOLDS US TO A HIGHER STANDARD OF HONESTY OF LIKE, WE REALLY MEANT IT WHEN WE WANTED TO.
AND EVEN IF WE DON'T LIKE THE RESULT, I'LL SAY THIS AS MYSELF AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WILL TAKE THEM INTO ACCOUNT.
SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.
COUNCIL NOLAN, THANK YOU, UH, THROUGH YOU, UH, MAYOR SIDIKI.
THIS IS A APPROPRIATE AMENDMENT AND AS WELL AS THE INITIAL PLEA FOR A HOUSING STUDY NOW.
SO APPRECIATE THE MEMO FROM, UH, COUNCILLOR SUZI ABOUT WHY IT IS THAT WE NEED THIS.
AND IT SEEMS IN SOME WAYS, DAUNTING.
THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION, AND YET WE DO NEED THIS AS MAJOR POLICY ACROSS THE CITY.
SO WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE INFORMATION, BRING IT TOGETHER IN A HOLISTIC WAY, AND WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T OVERLOAD THE DEPARTMENT AND THAT IT'S CLEARLY LAYING OUT WHAT THE PROS AND CONS ARE.
SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS AMENDMENT AND THE UNDERLYING POLICY ORDER, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY.
SO THE AMENDMENT'S ASKING FOR A MEMO THAT TELLS US THE PROS AND CONS IN A MEMO ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD DO THE STUDY.
IS THAT RIGHT? DO I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECT? AM I CONFUSING MYSELF? I'LL HAVE ZUI ANSWER.
SO THE AMENDMENT ITSELF IS, IS ASKING FOR PROS AND CONS OF OPTIONS FOR A HOUSING STUDY.
I MYSELF AM ACTUALLY ALSO SUPPORTED O OF THE UNDERLYING POLICY ORDER THAT YOU'RE PUTTING ON THE FLOOR COUNSELORS.
YOU SEE, IT'S MORE SO US BETTER UNDERSTANDING FROM CDD WHAT, WHAT ARE GONNA BE THE PROS AND CONS OF THIS TO SOME EXTENT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE ALSO A VERY PACKED YEAR WHEN IT, WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT CDD IS WORKING ON.
SO THIS IS MORE JUST AN ASSESSMENT FROM THEIR END ON, UM, THE OPERATION SIDE AS WELL AS WHAT CURRENT DATA DO WE NOT HAVE THAT WE COULD HAVE? THAT CDD DOESN'T.
ANYTHING FROM YOU? COUNCILOR FLAHERTY ON THE AMENDMENT? NO, I YIELD.
UH, COUNCILOR MAR, WHEN WAS THAT YOUR HAND UP? UH, I'M DONE.
COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER, HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS IN THE UNDER UNDERLYING POLICY ORDER, UH, CALLED THE QUESTION IN THE AMENDMENT.
SO, COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER HAS CALLED A QUESTION, SO WE'LL DO VOTES.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION AND DO A VOTE.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ON THE UNDERLYING AMENDMENT.
NO, WE'RE DOING THIS AMENDMENT AND THEN WE'LL GET TO THE PO.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
WE'VE DISPOSED OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE BEFORE US.
WE HAVE AN AMENDED POLICY ORDER BEFORE US DISCUSSION BEFORE WE MOVE TO ADOPT VICE MAYOR AZI.
JUST WANTED TO CALL THE QUESTION YOU WANT
WE WANNA GET OUT OF HERE BY EIGHT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CALL THE QUESTION AND THEN VOTE TO ADOPT THE AMENDED ORDER.
[02:10:01]
SABRINA WHEELER.AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THE AMENDED POLICY ORDER.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
THE POLICY ORDER AS AMENDED HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
WE HAVE DONE WITH THE POLICY ORDERS, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING UNDER UNFINISHED BUSINESS TO ACT ON, SO WE'LL MOVE FROM THERE.
[COMMUNICATIONS]
COMMUNICATIONS.SO ON A, IT'S ON FILE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO PLACE ON FILE.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
THE 154 COMMUNICATIONS HAVE BEEN PLACED ON FILES.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE RESOLUTIONS.
[RESOLUTIONS]
PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR FLAHERTY TO PLACE THESE MADAM, I'M SORRY.UM, I WOULD LIKE TO PULL JUST REAL QUICK FOR A QUICK CO COMMENT OF, UM, NUMBER THREE.
COUNCILOR MCGOVERN HAS PULLED NUMBER THREE ON RESOLUTIONS ONE, TWO, AND FOUR.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADOPTING THE BALANCE OF THE RESOLUTIONS, MAKING THEM UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED THE AFFIRMATIVE, THE CONSENT RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED.
WE'LL GO TO CITY COUNCIL, WE'LL GO TO RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS CITY COUNCIL APPRECIATION FOR NATHAN KIN HARVEY FOR HIS SERVICE AS A SOCIAL WORK INTERN.
I JUST WANTED TO PULL THIS 'CAUSE I KNOW NATHAN IS, UH, IS WATCHING AT HOME WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER AND JUST WANTED TO THANK HIM PUBLICLY FOR, UM, FOR HIS WORK.
HE WAS A SOCIAL WORKER FOR THE YEAR.
HE, HE, HE WAS, UM, UH, AN INTERN WITH, UH, CONSULAR WILSON, UH, FOR THE FIRST HALF.
AND THEN, UM, LUCKILY, UH, CAME, CAME TO ME IN THE, THE, THE SECOND SEMESTER.
UM, AND JUST WAS A GREAT PERSON TO HAVE AROUND THE OFFICE.
I THINK EVERYBODY HERE KNEW HIM AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HE WAS, UH, A GREAT TEAM PLAYER AND DID A LOT OF RESEARCH AND A LOT OF HELP.
HE'S GONNA MAKE AN ABSOLUTELY EXCEPTIONAL, UH, SOCIAL WORKER.
SO, GRAHAM, GOOD JOB WATCHING AT HOME.
AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA MISS YOU.
COUNSELOR FLAHERTY THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO CHIME IN AND OFFER HIM MY CONGRA.
I KNOW HE'S STUDYING WITH PROFESSOR CROWLEY AT BU, WHO'S A PERSONAL FRIEND.
SHE SPEAKS THE WORLD ABOUT NATHAN AND HE'S GOT A GREAT FUTURE IN FRONT OF HIM, AND WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE HIM IN OUR COMPANY.
ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR MCG MCGOVERN TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, MAKING IT UNANIMOUS BOND ADOPTION.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE RESOLUTION.
NUMBER THREE HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
[COMMITTEE REPORTS]
TO COMMITTEE REPORTS.THERE ARE TWO COMMITTEE REPORTS.
ACCEPT THE REPORT AND PLACE ON FILE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO PLACE BOTH THE COMMUNITY REPORTS TO ACCEPT THE REPORTS AND PLACE THEM ON FILE.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
THOSE TWO REPORTS ARE PLACED ON FILE.
WE HAVE NO ROUND TABLE MINUTES.
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS]
GO TO COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICER'S.WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON PLACING THAT ON FILE.
[02:15:01]
YES.AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDING THE AFFIRMATIVE THAT COMMUNICATION AND REPORT FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS IS PLACED ON FILE.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY LATE RESOLUTIONS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY LATE POLICY ORDERS ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I WANNA JUST MAKE TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I WANNA CONGRATULATE, UH, VICE ZE ON HIS WEDDING OVER THE WEEKEND.
AND I ALSO WANNA WISH COUNCILOR ZUI A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU.
COUNSELOR SIMMONS AND THEN COUNSELOR NOLAN.
I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THINK, UH, THIS WEEK, MAY 4TH TO MAY 8TH IS NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
WE, I OFTEN SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE KIND OF RULES THE WORLD WHERE EDUCATORS ROCK THE EDUCATION CRADLE.
AND THEY DO HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON OUR CHILDREN.
AND BY THROUGH THIS, THROUGH OUR, OUR CITY, OUR STATE, AND OUR TOWN.
SO I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE OUR TEACHERS, UH, NOT ONLY IN CAMBRIDGE, PARTICULARLY IN CAMBRIDGE, BUT ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THAT DO YEOMAN'S WORK.
MY AUNT WAS A TEACHER, MY UNCLE WAS A TEACHER.
I AM NOT A, UH, BUT I COMMEND THOSE THAT CHOOSE THIS AS A PROFESSION.
SO TO ALL OUR TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, OUR GRATITUDE, COUNCILOR NOLAN.
AND THROUGH YOU TO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
MY SON'S A TEACHER, EXCITING A CS GRAD WHO THEN ENDED UP RIGHT NOW TEACHING.
UM, BUT WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO REMIND PEOPLE OF IS THAT STARTING TOMORROW AT 9:00 AM IN THE CHAMBER, THERE WAS THE FINANCE COMMITTEE BUDGET HEARING SCHEDULE.
WE'LL BE STARTING HERE AT NINE O'CLOCK.
THERE'S ABOUT HALF OF THE CITY DEPARTMENT'S, UH, BUDGETS WILL BE, UH, VOTED ON.
AND, UH, IF ANY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, THEN THEY WILL BE DISCUSSED AT THAT MEETING PRIOR TO ADOPTION.
THEN ALSO THIS WEEK ON WEDNESDAY, UH, MAY 6TH, THERE WAS, UH, JUST ONE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS A SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT BUDGET HEARING WILL BE AT, AT SIX O'CLOCK HERE IN THE CHAMBER AS WELL.
ZUZI, UH, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE CENTRAL SQUARE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT WILL HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE AT THE STREET THEORY COLLECTIVE AT CENTRAL SQUARE TOMORROW NIGHT, FIVE 30 TO SEVEN 30.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOTION BY COUNCILOR FLAHERTY TO ADJOURN.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDING THE AFFIRMATIVE.