* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [ROLL CALL] [00:00:05] A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL BEING PRESENT. I WANTED TO CALL TONIGHT'S MAY 18TH, REGULAR MEETING IN THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL. TO ORDER THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS PRESENT. COUNCILOR ZUBIE, PRESENT VICE MAYOR Z. ABSENT. COUNCIL COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. PRESENT. PRESENT. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. ABSENT, COUNCILLOR NOLAN. PRESENT, PRESENT, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. PRESENT. PRESENT, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. PRESENT, PRESENT, COUNCILLOR ZUI. PRESENT. PRESENT, MAYOR SIDIKI. PRESENT. PRESENT. YOU HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE IS PRESENT AND TWO RECORDED AS ABSENT FOR OUR RULES. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OF ABLE AND CALL 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 MEETING, FUTURE VIEWING. IN ADDITION, THIRD PARTIES MAY ALSO BE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING THIS MEETING. WE'LL [PUBLIC COMMENTS] NOW GO 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 FINISH 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, SPEAKING ON. WE HAVE ABOUT 50 SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES. WE'LL GO AHEAD TO POP A COMMENT. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JOHN HAWKINSON, FOLLOWED BY YOUNG KIM ALEX MAR MARTHAS, THEN SIOBHAN MCDONOUGH. JOHN, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING COUNSELORS. JOHN HAWKINSON. AS ALWAYS, I TRY TO ADDRESS YOU ONLY ON MATTERS OF FORM OR RULES AND TONIGHT THAT IS COF 20 26 73. THE RULES PACKAGE ON YOUR AGENDA IS CALENDAR UNFINISHED BUSINESS NUMBER SIX. I'M TROUBLED BY THE PROCESS HERE. THE RULES PACKAGE PROPOSES SOME QUITE RADICAL CHANGES TO THE FORM OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS LIKE ENDING THEM AT 9:00 PM WHICH WERE NOT AIRED AT THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS MEETING ON JANUARY 29TH. THE POINT OF THE COMMITTEE PROCESS IS TO ALLOW THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN SUGGESTIONS NOT TO BRING THEM IN FROM LEFT FIELD ON A COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM THAT WAS NOT EVEN PUBLISHED ON TIME AT LAST WEEK'S MEETING. IT WAS OMITTED FROM THE THURSDAY AGENDA PACKET AND NOT MADE AVAILABLE ALONG UNTIL FRIDAY, SO IT WAS NOT EVEN RIGHT FOR DISCUSSION LAST WEEK UNDER THE OPEN MEETING LAW. REGARDLESS, I'M TROUBLED BY THE IDEA OF TAKING THE PROCESS USED FOR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, A FAKE TWO HOUR LIMIT THAT IS SO REGULARLY EXTENDED AND IT OFFERS ZERO PREDICTIVE VALUE TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND STAFF ABOUT THE LENGTH OF MEETINGS. INDEED, IT IS MORE HONORED IN THE BREACH. I'M TROUBLED THAT IT'S OFFERED AS A MODEL FOR REGULAR MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE SUGGESTION DOES HAVE MERIT IF NOT THE PROCESS USED TO GET THERE. A FORMER CITY CLERK SUGGESTED THAT CAMBRIDGE DID IT BACKWARDS, THAT THERE SHOULD BE A TIME LIMIT ON BUSINESS MEETINGS WITH THE COUNCIL, BUT NO TIME LIMIT ON COMMITTEES WHERE THE REAL WORK SHOULD HAPPEN. PERHAPS THAT'S RIGHT. PERHAPS IT'S NOT. I'M FURTHER TROUBLED BY THE LACK OF AN ATTEMPT TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOT A VOTE, IT IS NOT A POPULARITY CONTEST. IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE HEARD, BUT WHEN THAT TIME IS REDUCED BETWEEN BENEATH TWO MINUTES, ALL BUT THE MOST EXPERT AND PREPARED PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE ARTICULATING ANYTHING BEYOND A ME TOO AND OF COURSE, A ME TOO TYPE STATEMENT IS NOT GOOD INPUT TO THE POLICY MAKING PROCESS. A POLL YOU TAKE AT PUBLIC COMMENT REFLECTS THE EFFORTS THAT THE ISSUE ORGANIZERS HAVE TAKEN TO TURN PEOPLE OUT, NOT THE UNDERLYING MERITS OF POPULARITY OF AN ISSUE. INSTEAD, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU EXPERIMENT WITH WAYS TO SHIFT PUBLIC COMMENT ON DIVISIVE ISSUES AWAY FROM REGULAR BUSINESS MEETINGS AND INTO COMMITTEE MEETINGS. GETTING THAT BALANCE RIGHT IS GOING TO BE HARD, BUT THE NEW CHARTER GIVES YOU THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO IT. GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES, BUT DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU. YOU NEED TO EXPERIMENT AND TRY AND FAIL A FEW TIMES BEFORE YOU GET IT RIGHT, BUT YOU DON'T APPEAR TO BE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THAT ATTEMPT. PLEASE WORK ON THAT AT THIS POINT. I THINK COUNCILOR FRIDAY'S SUGGESTIONS TO DO THIS AS THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MAKES THE MOST SENSE. THERE HASN'T BEEN SUFFICIENT AIRING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS YOUNG KIM YOUNG. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOUNG KIM 17 NOR STREET [00:05:01] FIRST ON CMA NUMBER NINE, THE APPROPRIATION REQUEST FOR THE PROJECT BREAST SUMMER EACH GRANT. I WANT TO THANK GENEROUS CANTER REGIONS AND OTHER CARING FRIENDS, INCLUDING EAST CAMBRIDGE SAFES BANK WHO SUPPORT THE HEALTH TEAM FOOD FOR FREE RAISE 8,000 $142 IN THIS YEAR'S WORK FOR HUNGER THIS SUMMER. EACHS GRANTS DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR FOOD INSECURE NEIGHBORS. SECOND, I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO TABLE TONIGHT'S BORROWING AND APPROPRIATION VOTES ON CALENDAR ITEMS NUMBER SEVEN THROUGH 18. UNTO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FORMALLY REVIEW CMA NUMBER 14 FROM THE APRIL 27TH CITY COUNCIL AGENDA CONCERNING PROJECT LEVEL CAPITAL FUNDING, VISIBILITY AND RECONCILIATION AS EXPRESS EXPRESSLY TEMPLATED BY PR 20 26 38 PRIOR TO ADDITIONAL CAPITAL APPROPRIATION. TO DATE THAT REVIEW HAS NOT OCCURRED. ADDITIONAL DETAILS ARE CONTAINED IN MY MAY 15TH LETTER TO THE COUNCIL. ALSO, UNLIKE LAST YEAR'S FINANCIAL ACTION AGENDA TONIGHT, THE AGENDA CONTAINS NEITHER FINANCE WITH REPORT NOR AN OVERARCHING FISCAL YEAR 27 PUBLIC INVESTMENT FRAMEWORK. TYING THESE POWERING ITEMS TOGETHER, PROCEEDING TOGETHER TONIGHT WITHOUT RESULTING THESE THREE ISSUES, RISKS, UNDERMINING BOARD COUNCIL'S OWN POLICY, ORDER PROCESS, AND THE BROADER OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES REFLECTED IN CANADA. ITEM NUMBER FIVE AND SIX, CONCERNING THE PROPOSED CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC CHANGES INCLUDING LANGUAGE RECOGNIZING COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MONITORING IMPLEMENTATION OF COUNCIL POLICIES. I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE PROPOSED. THANK YOU YOUNG. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED YOU. IF YOU CAN PLEASE EMAIL THE REMAINDER. THANK YOU. CAN I, UH, WRAP UP ONE SENTENCE SO YOU CAN EMAIL US THE REMAINDER? THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU. NO, THANK YOU YOUNG. YOUR TIME IS UP. SORRY, WE HAVE MANY SPEAKERS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEX MATTHEWS. FOR EVERYONE, IF YOUR TIME RUNS OUT, PLEASE SEND US YOUR COMMENTS TO CITY COUNCIL@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV. ALEX, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. HI, MY NAME IS ALEX MATTHEWS. I AM THE CO-CHAIR OF DIGITAL FOURTH, AND YOU ALL KNOW HOW WE AND OTHER CIVIL LIBERTIES FOLKS FEEL ABOUT THE SHOTSPOTTER SYSTEM, AND YOU'VE HEARD FROM ME BEFORE, AREN'T IT? SO TONIGHT YOU'RE NOT GONNA HEAR DIRECTLY FROM ME. I HAVE THE, A VOICE RECORDING OF A TESTIMONY OF A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT ON THE, UM, ON THE TOPIC OF SHOTSPOTTER. I'M GONNA PLAY IT AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A TRANSLATION AS I GO ALONG. IT'S NOT COMING THROUGH WELL ON THE MICROPHONE, AND THAT'S OKAY. I CAN SEND THE, I CAN SEND IT TO YOU, BUT THIS IS THE TRANSLATION. MY NAME IS ANGELLA AND I SPEAK TODAY FOR THE FAMILIES OF CAMBRIDGE WHO LIVE IN FEAR. I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. I LIVE AND WORK IN CAMBRIDGE. I HAVE A MIXED STATUS FAMILY AND I FEAR FOR MY SITUATION EVERY DAY. OUR CITY COUNCIL NEVER VOTED TO APPROVE THE SHOT SPOTTER SYSTEM, YET ITS MICROPHONES CONTINUE TO LISTEN FOR OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, MANY WITH UNCERTAIN IMMIGRATION STATUS. THIS SECRET SURVEILLANCE ISN'T ABSTRACT. IT IS A REAL THREAT. ESSENTIAL WORKERS, NEIGHBORS WHO BUILD THIS CITY DESERVE TO KNOW WHAT TECHNOLOGY IS WATCHING THEM. TRANSPARENCY PROTECTS THE MOST VULNERABLE. I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN I WENT TO A LOCAL COMMUNITY MEETING AND FOUND OUT WHY IS IT KEPT A SECRET? WE NEED MORE TRANSPARENCY IN CAMBRIDGE. I THOUGHT MY FAMILY WAS SAFE HERE. WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY, THERE IS NO TRUST. WITHOUT TRUST, THERE IS NO REAL SAFETY FOR CAMBRIDGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHAHAN MCDONOUGH, FOLLOWED BY ANDREW KIM HARRIET LINDEMAN, THEN VIRGINIA SUAREZ SHAHAN. TWO MINUTES PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS SHAVONNE MCDONOUGH. I LIVE ON WALDEN STREET. I'M A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST OF AMERICA AND UAW 2320. I'M HERE FIRST TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF CHARTER EIGHT THREE, UM, ESPECIALLY AS AMENDED BY COUNCILOR ZUBIE. UM, IT'S A NON-BINDING FIRST STEP TOWARDS DEMOCRATIZING CAMBRIDGE'S EXECUTIVE BRANCH DEMOCRACY IS A CORE CAMBRIDGE VALUE. WE HAVE THIS PROPORTIONAL COUNCIL, WE HAVE THESE [00:10:01] PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES. WE HAVE AN ENGAGED GROUP OF RESIDENTS, BUT WITH THERE'S THIS ONE GLARING EXCEPTION WHERE OUR EXECUTIVE BRANCH CAN VETO SPENDING AND CONTROLS POLICING AND CITY OPERATIONS AND IS ENTIRELY UNELECTED. CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS DESERVE TO CHOOSE THEIR LEADERS. I'M ALSO HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF CHARTER RIGHT TOO, TO REMOVE THE HIDDEN MICROPHONES IN WORKING CLASS MAJORITY BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR CITY. EVERY TIME THIS COMES UP BEFORE THE COUNCIL, YOU HEAR THE OVERWHELMING PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO THESE MICROPHONES. YOU'VE HEARD BEFORE ABOUT COMMONWEALTH V DENISON, A CASE WHERE SHOT SPOTTER RECORDED A CONVERSATION AND THE COURT EXCLUDED IT AT TRIAL. UH, THE COURT SAID THERE THAT SHOT SPOTTER WAS EFFECTIVELY AN ILLEGAL WIRETAP AND YOU MIGHT MAKE, YOU MIGHT THINK THAT THAT WOULD MAKE SOME IMPRESSION ON HOW SOUND THINKING OPERATES, BUT DID IT CHANGE THEIR BUSINESS MODEL? DID IT CHANGE THE DATA THAT THEY COLLECT? NO. THEY CONTINUED COLLECTING THIS DATA. THEY CONTINUED OPERATING THESE ILLEGAL WIRETAPS ON CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS. THOSE RECORDINGS MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO LEGALLY APPEAR IN COURT, BUT THEY EXIST UNDER THE CONTROL OF A PRIVATE SURVEILLANCE CONTRACTOR WITH A BUSINESS MODEL THAT IS TOTALLY RELIANT ON DONALD TRUMP'S DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF CAMBRIDGE. AS THEY TELL YOU OVER AND OVER, STOP WIRETAPPING CAMBRIDGE. TAKE DOWN SHOT SPOTTER IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW KIM. ANDREW, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO, MY NAME IS ANDREW KIM. I LIVE AT DUDLEY STREET AND I'M WITH THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST OF AMERICA. I'M HERE ONCE AGAIN TO TALK ABOUT THE SHOT SPOTTER SYSTEM. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY WAYS THAT THE PEOPLE OF CAMBRIDGE HAVE VOICED THEIR DISCONTENT WITH THE SHOT SPOTTER SYSTEM. PEOPLE HAVE VOICED THEIR DISTRUST IN THE SYSTEM AND HOW IT INCREASES THEIR TRU DISTRUST OF THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT. PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOICED HOW THE CONTRACT WITH SOUND THINKING WAS ARRIVED AT BY MEANS THAT REMOVES CAMBRIDGE'S CONTROL OVER THEIR DATA AND PROVIDES AVENUES FOR THAT DATA TO BE USED TO HARM OUR NEIGHBORS. PEOPLE HAVE VOICED HOW SHOT SPOTTER HAS BEEN DEPLOYED IN A WAY TO FURTHER INEQUALITY AND SYSTEMIC RACISM IN CAMBRIDGE. THERE'S EVEN BEEN EVIDENCE PROVIDED ON SHOT SPOTTERS INE EFFECTIVENESS ACCORDING TO PUBLICLY AVAILABLE IN FOR UH, DATA. ITS ACCURACY IN CAMBRIDGE IS 49%, WHICH TO MAKE A DIGRESSION IS TERRIBLE. THAT'S WORSE THAN A COIN FLIP. WE SHOULDN'T BE GETTING OUT OF BED FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN 80% AND SHOT SPOTTERS CLAIMED 90% ACCURACY IN THEIR CONTRACT WITH CHICAGO, AND THAT'S A HEURISTIC THEY HAVE FAILED TO MEET IN THAT CITY DURING THE ENTIRE CONTRACT PERIOD. I'VE TRIED NOT TO BASE MY COMMENTS ON SHOTSPOTTER'S CAPABILITY SINCE MY OPPOSITION TO THE SYSTEM IS BASED ON THE DISTRUST AND DANGER IT READS BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE CITY GOVERNMENT. AND ADDITIONALLY, THE LACK OF ANY PUBLIC INPUT INTO ITS ADOPTION. BUT IT DOES NEED TO BE SAID THAT THE SYSTEM IS BROADLY INEFFECTIVE. BACK TO MY LARGER STATEMENT, YOU HAVE HEARD AS A COUNCIL SIGNIFICANT OPPOSITION TO THE SHOTSPOTTER SYSTEM, WHICH BRINGS ME TO WHAT I BELIEVE SHOULD BE AN OVERWHELMING REASON TO PASS CHARTER RIGHT TO SHOTSPOTTER SHOULD BE REMOVED BECAUSE WE THE PEOPLE WANT IT REMOVED AND WE ARE ASKING YOU OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TO REPRESENT US BY REMOVING A SYSTEM. WE ARE SO DISCONTENTED, BUT WE ARE CALLING ON YOU TO PERFORM YOUR PUBLIC DUTY AND WIELD THE POWERS OF YOUR STATION TO REPRESENT US. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HARRIET LINDEMAN. HARRIET TUB MINUTES PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, MY NAME IS HARRIET LINDEMAN. I'M A SOMERVILLE RESIDENT AND RECENT GRAD OF HARVARD DIVINITY SCHOOL. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE POLICY ORDER TO END THE USE OF SHOT SPOTTER DEVICES IN CAMBRIDGE AND TO MAKE SURE WE HEAR FROM NEIGHBORS MORE DIRECTLY IMPACTED THAN I AM. I WILL ALSO BE SHARING A RECORDED NOTE FROM A PUTNAM GARDENS RESIDENT. HE'S UNABLE TO BE HERE, BUT FEELS THAT SHOT SPOTTER SURVEILLANCE PUTS HIM AND HIS FAMILY AT RISK. I'VE ALSO SENT IN AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION. [00:15:48] THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VIRGINIA SUAREZ, FOLLOWED BY KAYLA GOODA, VIRGINIA. TWO MINUTES PLEASE GO AHEAD. I THINK VIRGINIA HAS SWITCHED OVER TO ZOOM, VIRGINIA. IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. UM, I THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY REAL QUICK, UM, AGAINST, I'M AGAINST THE SHOTSPOTTER AND I WANTED TO NAME THAT SOME OF US ARE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT GOING IN PERSON AND I THINK THAT IT IS VALUABLE TO JUST NAME THAT. UM, JUST LIKE WE HEARD FROM HENDERSON JUST NOW AND FROM OTHERS, UM, THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO, THEY'RE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT GOING IN PERSON. UM, I'M CURRENTLY WITH A SICK CHILD AND THERE ARE OTHER REASONS WHY I AM NOT ABLE TO GO IN PERSON, BUT I AM A BLACK AND BROWN PERSON AND SO PLEASE CONSIDER ME AS IF I WERE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU GUYS AND SAYING TO PLEASE TAKE AWAY THE CHAT SPOTTER. THEY DO NOT MAKE OUR CITY SAFE. WHAT WOULD MAKE OUR CITY SAFE IS TO HAVE, UM, TO HAVE SPACES TO HAVE RESOURCES DISTRIBUTE, TO BE TO, TO BEFORE THINGS HAPPEN. NOT AFTER THINGS HAPPEN, BUT BEFORE THINGS HAPPEN. TO, UM, PROVIDE SPACES FOR THE YOUTH TO HAVE JOBS FOR THE YOUTH TO HAVE, UM, UM, PLACES TO, TO BE AT. AND THAT, AND THAT DOES NOT START WITH, UM, THE AFTERMATH. SO PLEASE REMOVE THE SHOTSPOTTER DEVICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAYLA GOODA, FOLLOWED BY ANDREW FELDMAN. THEN STEPHANIE DURAN. KAYLA, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. HELLO, MY NAME IS KAYLA GOODELL. I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AND DSA MEMBER AND I LIVE OVER AT 3 39 BROADWAY. I AM HERE AGAIN TO DISCUSS MY SUPPORT FOR CHARTER RIGHT TWO, THE DISCONTINUATION OF CAMBRIDGE'S USE OF SHOT SPOTTER. THIS COUNCIL HAS HEARD MANY REASONS THE RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE OPPOSE THE CONTINUATION OF SHOT SPOTTER OVER THE PAST WEEKS AND YEARS. AND AGAIN, TONIGHT I'LL REITERATE THEM QUICKLY. SHOT SPOTTER IS UNFETTERED SURVEILLANCE ON THE LARGEST POPULATIONS OF BROWN AND BLACK RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE. SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT SHOT. SPOTTER DATA HAS BEEN THROWN OUT IN COURT IN MASSACHUSETTS FOR VIOLATING OUR ALL PARTY AUDIO RECORDING LAW. SHOTSPOTTER'S APPROVAL DID NOT GO THROUGH THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL. SHOTSPOTTER IS FUNDED BY DHS AND UNDERMINES CAMBRIDGE'S STATUS AS A SANCTUARY CITY AND OUR COMMITMENT TO NOT COLLABORATE WITH ICE. I'M GOING TO KEEP IT BRIEF TONIGHT BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL HEARD THIS MANY TIMES AND I HOPE YOU TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS YOU MOVE FORWARD. AND THEN, UH, BRIEFLY, I'M ALSO IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER NOTE NUMBER ONE THAT IS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW FELDMAN. ANDREW, TWO MINUTES. HELLO, MY NAME IS ANDREW FELDMAN. I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT LIVING AT TWO ERHARDT STREET AND I'M TESTIFYING TO SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDER TO STOP SHOT SPOTTER. THE COUNCIL HAS HEARD ALREADY FROM MANY VOICES ASKING FOR THE REMOVAL OF SHOT SPOTTER. UH, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME BRIEF ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS. FIRST, I KNOW FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES WHO PLAN THEIR DAILY MOVEMENTS TO AVOID FLOCK CAMERA SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS BECAUSE THEY FEAR BEING TARGETED BY RACIALIZED POLICING. AND I WORRY ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER HAVING A SIMILAR EFFECT, UH, MAKING MY FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES FEEL UNSAFE. GENERALLY, WHEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS FIND OUT WHAT SHOT SPOTTER ACTUALLY IS, THEY ARE OPPOSED TO IT. HOWEVER, THEY MAY NOT SPEAK, FEEL COMFORTABLE SPEAKING OUT PUBLICLY AS OTHERS HAVE SAID. SECOND EMPHATICALLY, THIS POLICY ORDER IS EVIDENCE-BASED DRAWING ON NATIONWIDE DATA SHOWING THAT THESE MICROPHONE SYSTEMS DO NOT BRING A BENEFIT TO OUR COMMUNITIES. A SYSTEM LIKE SHOTSPOTTER, WHICH IS INEFFECTIVE, DOES NOT ADDRESS COMMUNITY MEMBERS' CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY AND THEREFORE [00:20:01] IS NOT WORTH THE RISKS THAT IT BRINGS. I HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL WILL VOTE TO REMOVE SHOT SPOTTER FROM CAMBRIDGE AND REMOVE THESE DEVICES FROM OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STEPHANIE DURAND. STEPHANIE, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. OKAY. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE. I AM A NEAR LIFELONG CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. I'M A BLACK WOMAN WHO GREW UP IN NEWTOWN COURT. I EVEN WENT TO SCHOOL WITH MAYOR SIDIKI JUST AS PROOF THAT I ACTUALLY AM A CANTER BRIDGE IN, I URGED A CITY COUNCIL TO END ITS USE OF SHOTS SPUTTER IN CAMBRIDGE AS A SANCTUARY CITY, CAMBRIDGE SHOULD NOT ALLOW ICE FUNDED SURVEILLANCE INFRASTRUCTURE TO BYPASS OUR MUNICIPAL AUTONOMY AND OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. THE CITY ITSELF IS NOT EVEN A PARTY TO THE CONTRACT YET. THESE MICROPHONES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED HERE FOR OVER A DECADE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH HAS SIDESTEP OUR, OUR LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND PUBLIC CONSENT. AND I THINK OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS WE HAVE HEARD THAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT CONSENT. UM, AS SOMEONE FROM THE COMMUNITY MOST IMPACTED BY THIS SURVEILLANCE INFRASTRUCTURE, I FIND THIS VERY, VERY DOUBLING. CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS DESERVE TRANSPARENCY AND OVER, UH, AND OVERSIGHT OVER ITS POLICIES AND NOT SOME BACKDOOR SURVEILLANCE PARTNERSHIPS THAT, THAT ARE TIED TO FEDERAL FUNDING FROM IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. WE SHOULD INVEST IN COMMUNITY-BASED SAFETY AND, UH, STRATEGIES THAT BUILD TRUST AND SUPPORT WITH RESIDENTS. WE SHOULD NOT EXPAND SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES THAT UNDERMINE OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES AND LOCAL CONTROL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GLORIA CORMAN. GLORIA, TWO MINUTES. GLORIA CORMAN, 91 MONTGOMERY STREET. HERE TO SPEAK ON CHARTER RIGHT NUMBER TWO. GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER AND WHY IT DOESN'T BELONG IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M ASKING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND POLICIES THAT ALIGN WITH OUR CITY'S VALUES AND WITH MY OWN VALUES. AS A MEMBER OF THE FIRST PARISH IN CAMBRIDGE, UNITARIAN AND UNIVERSALIST, I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BLACK RESPONSE WHOSE LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZING INSPIRED ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT. AND LET ME BE CLEAR, OPPOSITION TO SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT OPPOSITION TO PUBLIC SAFETY. WE ARE HERE FOR SAFETY THAT WORKS, SAFETY, THAT IS COMMUNITY CENTERED, ACCOUNTABLE AND GROUNDED IN EVIDENCE. CAMBRIDGE DOES NOT DIRECTLY CONTROL SHOT SPOTTER. IT OPERATES THROUGH THE CITY OF BOSTON AND A FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT. THAT MEANS CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS ARE BEING SURVEILLED THROUGH A PROGRAM WITH LIMITED LOCAL OVERSIGHT. AND THERE ARE ALSO REAL CONCERNS ABOUT WHERE THIS DATA CAN GO, INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE SHARING WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES LIKE DHS AND ICE. AND THAT PUTS US IN DIRECT TENSION WITH CAMBRIDGE'S IDENTITY AS A SANCTUARY CITY AS PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HAVE TONIGHT HAVE DEMONSTRATED. AND THEN THERE'S THE QUESTION OF EFFECTIVENESS. SHOTS. SPOTTER GENERATES FALSE ALERTS 82% OF THE TIME AND IN MOST CA CASES THERE'S NO CONFIRMED GUNFIRE AND THAT RISKS UNNECESSARY POLICE DEPLOYMENT AND ESCALATION. AND THIS TECHNOLOGY IS A CONSTANT FORM OF SURVEILLANCE. THE MICROPHONES ARE ALWAYS ON AND CAPABLE OF CAPTURING CONVERSATIONS FROM SIGNIFICANT DISTANCES EVEN THROUGH WALLS. SO WHEN YOU COMBINE LIMITED OVERSIGHT, QUESTIONABLE EFFECTIVENESS RISKS TO PRIVACY AND CIVIL RIGHTS, IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO JUSTIFY CONTINUING THIS PROGRAM. CAMBRIDGE CAN DO BETTER. WE SHOULD INVEST IN HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH, YOUTH OPPORTUNITY, AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION STRATEGIES THAT ACTUALLY BUILD SAFETY AND TRUST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 12 OF 53 SPEAKERS. LOIS MARKHAM, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS LOIS MARKHAM. I LIVE AT THREE 16 RIDGE AVENUE IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M SPEAKING ABOUT CHARTER RIGHT NUMBER TWO. I'M HERE TO REGISTER MY STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE SHOT SPOTTER SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM. THERE ARE SO MANY NEGATIVE ASPECTS TO THIS HIGHLY INEFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY THAT I HARDLY KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. ONE, IT DOESN'T WORK AS ADVERTISED. THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT ITSELF HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT HAS AN 82% FALSE POSITIVE OUTCOME. TWO, IT CAN PICK UP HUMAN VOICES A VIOLATION OF THE COMMONWEALTH'S PRIVACY LAWS. THREE, THE DATA INCLUDING HUMAN SPEECH GENERATED BY SHOTSPOTTER IS THE PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE CORPORATION, NOT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. FOUR. THE FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT THE SYSTEM IN CAMBRIDGE WERE PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PARENT ORGANIZATION TO ICE. THAT ALONE SHOULD MAKE THE CITY LEERY OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE DATA GENERATED BY SHOTSPOTTER FIVE. IT IS DEPLOYED DISPROPORTIONATELY AND PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS [00:25:02] CREATING THE STRONG POSSIBILITY OF OVER-POLICING IN THOSE AREAS. AND SIX, THE CITY COUNCIL, AN ELECTED BODY THAT IS ACTUALLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE VOTERS IN CAMBRIDGE NEVER APPROVED SHOT SPOTTER AND HAS NO CONTROL OVER ITS USE. IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BLACK RESPONSE WHICH STARTED THE STOP SHOT SPOTTER COALITION FOR ITS TIRELESS EFFORTS TO GENERATE AND DISSEMINATE RESEARCH ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER AND TO ADVOCATE FOR ALTERNATIVE EFFECTIVE MEASURES METHODS OF PROMOTING PUBLIC SAFETY. PLEASE FOR THE SAKE OF ALL THE RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE AND CAMBRIDGE'S PARTICIPATION IN THE SHOT SPOTTER PROGRAM. EQUALLY IMPORTANT, MAKE SURE THAT ALL SHOT SPOTTER MICROPHONES ARE REMOVED FROM THE CITY AND FINALLY INVEST IN COMMUNITY-LED EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES TO PUBLIC SAFETY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARILYN FRANKENSTEIN. MARILYN, TWO MINUTES PLEASE GO AHEAD. MARILYN FRANKENSTEIN, 43 YEAR RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE TESTIFYING IN SUPPORT OF THE POLICY ORDER TO STOP SHOT. SPOTTER COUNSEL'S HEARD ALL OUR CONCERNS. TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS COUNCILOR SIMMONS' CONCERNS ABOUT OUR TESTIMONIES LAST MONDAY. FIRST, I AM SO VERY SORRY FOR YOUR TRAGIC LOSS. I CANNOT IMAGINE THE PAIN THAT YOU WILL CARRY EVERY DAY FOR FOREVER FROM THAT LOSS. I WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT THE COALITION STRUGGLE AGAINST SHOTSPOTTER IS BECAUSE OF THE OVERWHELMING NATIONAL EVIDENCE THAT IT DOES NOT HELP COMMUNITY SAFETY EVIDENCE FROM A NUMBER OF CITIES LIKE ATLANTA, CHICAGO, AND SAN ANTONIO CITIES WITH A MAJORITY PEOPLE OF THE GLOBAL MAJORITY, THESE CITIES HAVE STOPPED USING SHOTSPOTTER FURTHER. ONE SCHOLAR WHO TESTIFIED AGAINST SHOTSPOTTER AT THE APRIL 29TH PUBLIC SAFETY HEARING GREW UP IN NEWTON COURT. SHE IS CO-FOUNDER OF THE BLACK RESPONSE CAMBRIDGE, THE GROUP, WHICH IS THE ORGANIZER OF THIS CAMPAIGN TO STOP SHOTS SPOTTER. AND THE BLACK RESPONSE HAS PROPOSED NUMEROUS IDEAS THAT DO HELP COMMUNITY SAFETY. FINALLY, I APPRECIATE THAT LOTS OF WHITE DO-GOODERS ARE QUITE CONDESCENDING TO PEOPLE OF THE GLOBAL MAJORITY, BUT THERE ARE OTHER WHITE PEOPLE WHO REALIZE THAT ALL OUR DESTINIES ARE TIED TOGETHER. THAT WE ARE NOT JUST ALLIES, BUT PARTICIPATING COMRADES IN STRUGGLES FOR JUSTICE. AS MARTIN LUTHER KING SAID IN HIS LAW, FROM A BIRMINGHAM JAIL IN JUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE. EVERYWHERE WE ARE CAUGHT IN AN INESCAPABLE NETWORK OF MUTUALITY TIED IN A SINGLE GARMENT OF DESTINY, WHATEVER AFFECTS ONE DIRECTLY AFFECTS ALL INDIRECTLY. PLEASE VOTE TO REMOVE SHOT SPOTTER FROM OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BEN AMATO, FOLLOWED BY LILY GROB. BEN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. TWO MINUTES. HELLO, MY NAME IS BEN AMATO. I LIVE ON HURLEY STREET IN EAST CAMBRIDGE. UM, AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER. UH, SO SHOT SPOTTER IS A SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM CONSTANTLY LISTENING TO BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. IT'S TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE'S VERY REAL TRAUMA AROUND GUN VIOLENCE AND PRESENTING UNACCOUNTABLE SURVEILLANCE AS A SOLUTION. AND I SAY THAT AS SOMEONE WHOSE FAMILY HAS ALSO EXPERIENCED, UH, GUN VIOLENCE, NOT EXPLICITLY HERE IN CAMBRIDGE, BUT I JUST BRING THAT UP TO SAY THAT I CAN RELATE TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE TRAUMA AND THE, THE STRUGGLE OF HAVING GONE THROUGH LOSING SOMEONE IN SUCH A VIOLENT WAY. UM, BUT WE KNOW THAT INCREASED POLICING AND INCREASED SURVEILLANCE ARE NOT THE WAY TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. THE WAY TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS IS THROUGH BUILDING UP COMMUNITIES AND IN AND EMPOWERING WORKING CLASS PEOPLE. AS OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT CONTROLLED BY THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. THAT MEANS CITY COUNCIL AND CAMBRIDGE POLICE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHO THE COMPANY SOUND THING SHARES THAT DATA WITH. UM, WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT, UH, SOUND THING SHARES THAT DATA WITH ICE, BUT I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE CONCERN RIGHT THERE, RIGHT? IS THAT WE WON'T KNOW. WE DON'T HAVE A SAY IN WHETHER OR NOT THEY DO THAT. AND THIS PUTS BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES IN CAMBRIDGE IN VERY REAL DANGER, RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT ICE HAS SORT OF BEEN GIVEN A MANDATE AND APPROVAL FOR USING RACIAL PROFILING IN THEIR ARRESTS. SO IF WE HAVE THE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES IN CAMBRIDGE WITH DATA THAT ICE COULD IN FACT GET ACCESS TO, THAT'S NOT PROTECTING THOSE COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? THAT'S ENDANGERING THEM. THAT'S INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY MIGHT COME IN CONTACT, NOT ONLY WITH CAMBRIDGE POLICE [00:30:01] RESPONDING, THINKING THAT THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER IN THE AREA. IT'S ALSO INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY COULD COME FACE TO FACE WITH ICE, AN AGENCY THAT IS EXPLICITLY TARGETING BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'RE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 15, LILY GROB, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS MURPHY. THEN SUMIA M LILY. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS LILY GROB. UM, I LIVE AT 22 BEACH STREET IN CAMBRIDGE AND I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT HERE. I RECENTLY GRADUATED SOCIAL WORK SCHOOL AND I'M HERE IN MY CAPACITY AS A NEWLY MINTED SOCIAL WORKER. UM, TO SPEAK ABOUT CHARTER RIGHT, TOO RELATED TO SHOT SPOTTER, I RIGOROUSLY ADVOCATE THAT THE COUNCIL SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDER TO END THE CITY'S USE OF SHOT SPOTTER MICROPHONES AND TO REMOVE THE DEVICES FROM CAMBRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS. AS A SOCIAL WORKER, IT IS MY ETHICAL DUTY TO PROMOTE SOCIAL JUSTICE, LIBERTY WELLBEING FOR ALL THE USE OF SHOT SPOTTER, WHICH DISPROPORTIONATELY TARGETS MARGINALIZED BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, IS UNJUST AND DIRECTLY THREATENS THE LIBERTY AND WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITIES. AS A SOCIAL WORKER, I WORK PRIMARILY WITH BLACK AND BROWN LOW-INCOME AND IMMIGRANT CHILDREN IN THEIR FAMILIES. MORE THAN EVER, THESE COMMUNITIES ARE LIVING UNDER IMMENSE FEAR, WHICH I SEE ACTIVELY AS MANIFESTING AS A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. REMOVING THESE MICROPHONES IS A CRITICAL AND NECESSARY STEP TOWARDS RESTORING WHATEVER SENSE OF SAFETY AND TRUST WE CAN FOR THESE FAMILIES. AND BRINGING, UM, MENTAL WELLBEING TO THESE CHILDREN WHO ARE LIVING IN CONSTANT FEAR. WE SHOULD BE INVESTING IN PROGRAMS THAT ACTUALLY REDUCE VIOLENCE AND IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITIES, LIKE YOUTH PROGRAMS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AGAIN, AS A SOCIAL WORKER WITH A CODE OF ETHICS TO SUPPORT SOCIAL JUSTICE AND THE WELLBEING FOR ALL, I SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDER TO END THE CITY'S USE OF SHOT SPOTTER MICROPHONES, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO REMOVE ALL OF THE DEVICES FROM OUR CAMBRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS ON BEHALF OF MYSELF, A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT FOR MY WHOLE LIFE AND ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES IN CAMBRIDGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS MURPHY, FOLLOWED BY SAMIA M THEN MARYAM AHMAD. CHRIS, TWO MINUTES. HI, MY NAME'S CHRIS MURPHY. I LIVE AT 43 ROYAL AVE AND I'M BACK SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF CHARTER RIGHT TWO. UM, UH, SO THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL HAS A HISTORY OF OPPOSING EXTERNAL SOURCES OF SUPPOSED SECURITY THAT GO AGAINST THE VALUES OF OUR CITY. FOR EXAMPLE, LAST OCTOBER, THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO SUSPEND FLOCK CAMERAS. UM, THE CONTRACT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TERMINATED IN DECEMBER DUE TO TRUST ISSUES WITH THE COMPANY. UM, BUT BACK IN SEPTEMBER, THE STATED CONCERN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, THE STATED CONCERNS, UH, WITH FLOCK WERE THAT ICE IS ACTIVE IN CAMBRIDGE, CAMBRIDGE AND THEY HAD TAKEN ACTIONS IN SOMERVILLE AND OTHER LOCAL AREAS THAT RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE LEGALITY OF THE ACTIONS TAKEN. ADDITIONALLY, THE CURRENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION WAS USING SURVEILLANCE DATA COLLECTED AND SOLD BY THESE COMPANIES TO CARRY OUT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. UM, SO GIVEN THAT YOU'VE HEARD BOTH THIS WEEK AND LAST WEEK AND BEFORE THAT A LOT OF RESIDENTS EXPRESSING THE EXACT SAME CONCERNS HEAR ABOUT SHOTSPOTTER AS YOU DID ABOUT FLOCK. AND GIVEN THAT YOU GOT RID OF FLOCK NINE TO ZERO LAST TIME AROUND AND THAT SEVEN OF YOU ARE AGAIN PRESENT HERE, I WOULD EXPECT TO GET AT LEAST SEVEN VOTES TO GET RID OF SHOT SPOTTER TONIGHT. UM, AND THIS HISTORY OF GETTING RID OF EXTERNAL SOURCES OF SUPPOSED SECURITY GOES BACK FURTHER. SO IN 2011, UH, THEN COUNSELOR MARJORIE DECKER BROUGHT FORTH A POLICY ORDER INVESTIGATING WHY THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS TRAINING WITH THE ZIONIST ENTITY ON A TRIP FUNDED BY THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE. UH, AFTER THAT POINT, NO FURTHER TRIPS, UH, TRAINING TRIPS FOR THE CDP OCCURRED. UM, SO THERE IS DEFINITELY HISTORY HERE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO, TO STAND UP FOR THINGS LIKE THIS AND I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET RID OF SHOTSPOTTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SAMIA M SAMIA. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO. UM, I AM HERE TO VOICE MY UTMOST SUPPORT FOR POLICY NUMBER THREE ON REVIEWING POLICY OPTIONS TO ALLOW CAMBRIDGE VOTERS TO DIRECTLY ELECT THE MAYOR. AS A LONG TIME CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT, I'VE CAREFULLY NOTICED THAT WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY HAVE NEVER REALLY HAD A SAY IN ELECTING OUR MAYOR LIKE THE MAJORITY OF CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I GREW UP IN THE CITY GOING TO ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL HERE, AND I'VE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT WHAT THE IMPORTANCE OF UPHOLDING DEMOCRATIC PROCEDURES IS AND IN A WAY THAT IS EQUITABLE FOR ALL AND CENTERS PEOPLE'S LIVED EXPERIENCES. I HAVE WITNESSED HOW THESE PEOPLE CENTERED PROCESSES CAN BE VERY IMPACTFUL. HOWEVER, [00:35:01] IT HAS NOT MADE SENSE THAT WE DO NOT DIRECTLY ELECT OUR OWN MAYOR, BUT THE CITY COUNCIL APPOINTS ONE FROM ITS OWN MEMBERS. UM, APPOINTING A MAYOR INTERNALLY CAN BE QUITE BIASED AND IT ONLY MAKES SENSE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY TO CHOOSE WHO THEY WANT TO BE LED BY. OUR VOICES MATTER TOO. CAMBRIDGE IS AN INCREDIBLY SMALL BUBBLE, BUT WE STILL SET THE PRECEDENT, PRECEDENT FOR SO MANY OTHER CITIES AND STATES TO FOLLOW SUIT WITH POLICIES, UM, THAT ARE ULTIMATELY FOR THE PEOPLE. SO THIS WHOLE MAYORAL ELECTION PROCESS MUST BE FACILITATED BY THE PEOPLE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE MAYOR AUTOMATICALLY BECOMING THE HEAD OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE CAN BE QUITE ARBITRARY AS WELL BECAUSE THE APPOINTED INDIVIDUAL MAY NOT BE QUALIFIED FOR THAT POSITION. THAT ROLE MUST BE DESIGNATED TO SOMEONE WHO IS FULLY EQUIPPED TO SERVE THE STUDENTS OF OUR CITY AS WELL. AND I OVERALL BELIEVE THAT THE OVERALL PLAN E GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE IS QUITE FLAWED AND IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE. I URGE YOU TO PUSH FORTH POLICY ORDER NUMBER THREE TO STRENGTHEN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ENSURE THE PEOPLE'S VOICES ARE FULLY HEARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MIRIAM AHMAD, FOLLOWED BY PAOLA BUKO. MIRIAM, TWO MINUTES. HELLO, MY NAME IS MARIA EMMA, 42 PILGRIM STREET. AND I'VE BEEN LIVING IN CAMBRIDGE FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS. AND IN CASE IT IS UNCLEAR TO ANYONE, I AM INDEED A BROWN WOMAN AND AS A BROWN WOMAN IN THIS COUNTRY, I HAVE UNFORTUNATELY BEEN OTHERED MANY TIMES AS A BROWN WOMAN WHO IS A SCIENTIST. I HAVE UNFORTUNATELY BEEN SEEN AS THE OTHER MANY TIMES, BUT I REFUSE TO BE SEEN AS THE OTHER IN THE CITY I LIVE IN BY THE PEOPLE I ELECTED TO REPRESENT THIS CITY. I AM NOT THE OTHER. I AM IN FACT YOUR VOTER. SO IN ORDER TO MOVE AWAY FROM OTHERING EACH OTHER, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN COMMON. YOU AND I CARE ABOUT CAMBRIDGE IN A WAY THAT BRINGS US HERE TOGETHER. RIGHT NOW, YOU AND I BOTH LIVE AND WORK IN CAMBRIDGE AND YOU AND I SPEAK TO MANY DIFFERENT CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND YOU AND I DO NOT WISH TO SEE A CAMBRIDGE THAT HAS GUN VIOLENCE AS A PART OF ITS FABRIC SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT LOWERING GUN VIOLENCE IN CAMBRIDGE. SHOT SPOTTER IS INEFFECTIVE TOWARD THIS GOAL, INACCURATE IN ITS REPORTING OF GUNSHOTS INEQUITABLE FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND INVASIVE OF THE RIGHTS OF CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS. IF A PUBLIC SAFETY TOOL IS INACCURATE IN DETECTING GUNSHOTS AND DOES NOT REDUCE VIOLENCE, THEN WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO QUESTION WHETHER THE SURVEILLANCE IT IMPOSES IS JUSTIFIED. IT ISN'T UNHEARD OF FOR A CITY TO STOP USING. SHOT SPOTTER CITIES EVALUATE THE COST EFFECTIVENESS, ACCURACY, EQUITY, AND CONDUCT A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF WHETHER SHOT SPOTTER IS ACHIEVING ITS STATED AIMS. SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT ACHIEVING ITS STATED AIMS WHILE SUBJECTING CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY BLACK, BROWN, AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES TO EXPAND ITS SURVEILLANCE INSTEAD OF INVESTING IN SYSTEMIC REFORM. AS A RESULT, I SINCERELY HOPE THIS COUNCIL REEVALUATES THE USE OF SHOTSPOTTER BECAUSE POLICIES LIKE THIS DO NOT BUILD TRUST OR SAFETY WHEN THEY TREAT MINORITY RESIDENTS AS THE OTHER INSTEAD OF AS EQUAL MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PAULA KO, FOLLOWED BY TRUDY GOODMAN, THEN VALERIE BONDS. HELLO, PAULA? YEAH, I'M PAULA BUCO, 1 79 SPRING STREET. I SUPPORT POLICY ORDER NUMBER ONE BECAUSE INCREASING PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY AND INCENTIVE FOR, FOR SUSTAINABILITY HAS AN IMPACT BEYOND CAMBRIDGE. I'LL FOCUS ON BILL S 570 WITH THE RELEVANT EXAMPLE OF DEVY FIELD NUMBER FOUR, WE ESTIMATED THE FIELD'S NEW INFIELD CONTAINS THE EQUIVALENT OF 3.8 MILLION PLASTIC BOTTLES AND 2000 VIRGIN TREES. EVERY EIGHT YEARS, THIS MATERIAL MUST BE RIPPED OUT, DISPOSED OF, AND ONLY PARTIALLY RECYCLED. THIS IS A MAJOR COST FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AND THE USE OF ALL THESE MATERIALS AFFECTS US. SO POLICY ORDER NUMBER ONE ENCOURAGES RESEARCH AND BETTER SOLUTIONS TO THE DOCUMENTED PROBLEM OF SYNTHETIC TURF AND IT OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO MODEL CLIMATE CONSCIOUS DECISION MAKING IN THE SPIRIT. WHY CAN'T CAMBRIDGE MODEL GOOD DECISION MAKING FOR ITS RESIDENTS AND OTHER CITIES BY INVESTING IN A WELL-MAINTAINED GRASS FIELD AT AHERN INSTEAD OF REPLACING IT WITH SYNTHETIC TURF, WHICH IS A SUBSCRIPTION TO PLASTIC DEAD TREES AND HEALTH CONSEQUENCES? UM, I STILL HAVE TIME, SO I WANNA SAY THAT WE ARE A CITY WHO IS EXTREMELY LUCKY. WE HAVE LOTS OF RESOURCES AND WE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE WITH ALL OF THESE RESOURCES, UM, FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS TO KEEP THEM HEALTHY AND UH, TO KEEP THEM SAFE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT [00:40:01] SPEAKER IS TRUDY GOODMAN. TRUDY HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO NEXT TO SPEAKER NUMBER 21 VALERIE BONDS, FOLLOWED BY TI TI THEN RACHEL BICKMAN. VALERIE, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. GOING OFF SCRIPT A LITTLE BIT, WHEN I CAME HERE TODAY, I NOTICED THE RESERVE PARKING IN THE BACK FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE VEHICLES AND YET MANY OF US WHO HAVE VEHICLES CAN'T FIND A PARKING SPACE ON THE STREETS. ALSO AT THE SENIOR CENTER, WE HAVE FOUR MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL COME TO THE SENIOR CENTER TO TALK ABOUT THE WONDERFUL THINGS THEY'VE DONE FOR CAMBRIDGE, BUT NONE OF THEM MENTIONED THE SENIOR PARKING FEE EXEMPTION. WHERE'S THE TRANSPARENCY THERE? YOU HAD AN ENTIRE AUDIENCE OF SENIORS AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN BRING UP YOUR POSITION WITH SENIOR PARKING EXEMPTION FEE OCCURS. LET ME GET BACK ONTO SCRIPT. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME. CAMBRIDGE SENIORS ARE BEING ASKED TO ABSORB ONE MORE BURDEN WHILE THE CITY IGNORES THE BURDENS WE ALREADY CARRY. MANY OF MY PEERS SUFFER FALSE BECAUSE SIDEWALKS ARE UNEVEN AND BROKEN, ICY OR POORLY MAINTAINED. BICYCLISTS CONTINUE TO FACE DANGER BECAUSE ROAD RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE NOT CONSISTENT AND ENFORCED. AND AN ELDERLY BICYCLIST WAS KILLED ON MEMORIAL DRIVE. THE MBTA IS UNPREDICTABLE AND WHEN BUSES OR TRAINS ARE LATE, SENIORS WITH MISS MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS ARRIVE LATE TO WORK, LOSE ACCESS TO THEIR SERVICES AND FEEL LESS INDEPENDENT. FOR SENIORS WHO STILL DRIVE THE SITUATION IS ALSO DIFFICULT. GAS PRICES REMAIN HIGH, PARKING IS LIMITED OF COURSE OF LESS. YOU PARK AT CITY HALL, UH, STREETS THROUGHOUT CAMBRIDGE ARE CONGESTED AND IN MANY PLACES UNSAFE. D DRIVING IS NOT A LUXURY FOR MANY OLDER ADULTS. IT IS HOW WE GET TO THE DOCTOR, THE PHARMACY, THE GROCERY STORE, RELIGIOUS SERVICES AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS. $75 IS TOO MUCH FOR ANYONE. AND THE POCK AND FEE EXEMPTION IS A RECOGNITION OF THE COMMITMENT THAT THE SENIORS HAVE MADE TO THIS COMMUNITY FOR ME AS A SEP JANE OVER 75 YEARS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE EMAIL THE REMAINDER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, SPEAKER NUMBER 22, BTI GTI BTI, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. UH, HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. HI, MY NAME IS BTI GTI. UM, I'M A MIXED RACE LONG-TERM COMMUNITY MEMBER AND ALSO, UM, A MEMBER OF THE CAMBRIDGE HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION. UH, AND I WANNA SPEAK ON SHOTSPOTTER. UM, I WANNA SUPPORT ALL THE SPEAKERS WHO'VE COME BEFORE ME AND I WANNA SIT BACK AND COME FROM A PLACE OF THINKING ABOUT VALUES. I WANT TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE WE'RE FREE OF GUN VIOLENCE, WHERE ALL RESIDENTS FEEL SAFE, WHERE WE DO NOT FEAR SURVEILLANCE AND OVER-POLICING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. DON'T FEAR BEING DEPORTED. OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE NOT WORRIED ABOUT BEING DISPLACED AND WHERE THE COMMUNITY FEELS CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US HERE CAN AGREE ON. NOW I WANT TO GO TO A LITTLE IMAGINATION EXERCISE. IMAGINE IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CREATED AN APP AND THEY SAID THIS APP WOULD RECORD MY PHONE AUDIO CONSTANTLY TO DETECT GUNSHOTS WITH 49% ACCURACY AND A VERY HIGH FALSE POSITIVE RATE. WOULD I WANT THAT APP INSTALLED IN MY HOUSE? NO. WOULD I WANT THIS APP INSTALLED ON MY PHONE CONSTANTLY LISTENING TO ME? NO. SO IF THIS APP DIDN'T EXIST, IF SHOT SPOTTER DIDN'T EXIST, WOULD I WANT THAT INSTALLED ON MY STREETS? NO. RIGHT? LIKE WE, WE VOTED TO GET RID OF FLOCK LAST YEAR. SO IMAGINE IF SHOTSPOTTER DIDN'T EXIST, WE WOULD NOT BE CREATING IT. SO I WANT US TO WORK TOWARDS THAT WORLD, RIGHT? WE HAVE THE POWER TODAY TO MAKE, TO TO STEP BACK AND TO GET RID OF THIS TECHNOLOGY, WHICH DOESN'T GO AND TAKE US TOWARDS THE CITY. WE WANT ALL, IF SOMEBODY OFFERED ME BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHO NEEDED IT, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS WHO NEEDED IT, CARE FOR TRAUMA, MORE NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT GROUPS, THANK THOSE ARE ALL AMAZING THINGS AND THAT'S THE WORLD I WANNA LIVE IN. SO LET'S, LET'S MAKE THAT HAPPEN INSTEAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO TRUDY [00:45:01] GOODMAN. TRUDY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. OKAY, THANK YOU. I'M SORRY I AM LATE. UH, YOU CAN BLAME THE MBTA. OKAY, SO, UM, I'M SPEAKING AGAINST THE SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY. I WORK FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH. IT'S BEEN USED IN SEVERAL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING WHERE I'M ORIGINALLY FROM, WHICH IS GROVE HALL, DORCHESTER, ROXBURY. IT JUST DOESN'T WORK. YOU KNOW, IT WORKS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY OLD FASHIONED AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE HAVE THE MONEY TO DO THIS. PUT PATROL PEOPLE ON THE STREET, MEN AND WOMEN WHO GET TO KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. I THINK THAT WOULD WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN ANYTHING ELSE. THE STATS ARE PRETTY BAD ON THIS PARTICULAR FORM OF TECHNOLOGY AS TO HOW WELL IT WORKS. AND I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT WHERE IS THE DATA GOING, WHO IS GETTING THE DATA, HOW ARE THEY GONNA USE THE DATA THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCLOSED AND IT HASN'T BEEN DISCLOSED WELL, SO I SAY I WORK FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH. I DEAL WITH PEOPLE ALL THE TIME WHO'VE RECENTLY BEEN INCARCERATED AND EVERYTHING ELSE. WHAT GOES ON IN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES IS THAT PEOPLE NEED HELP AND THEY NEED ALL KINDS OF SOCIAL SERVICES THAT NEED TO BE PROVIDED. UH, PUTTING UP MICROPHONES IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE PREDOMINANTLY LOW INCOME. FIRST OF ALL, I CONSIDER IT JUST A FORM OF NOT HELPING PEOPLE AND OF SEEMING LIKE YOU'RE HELPING PEOPLE GET OUT THERE AND REALLY, REALLY HELP PEOPLE. AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ANYTHING LARGE. IT COULD BE AS SMALL AS THE CITY JUST SHOWING UP AND SHOWING UP IN SUBSTANTIAL WAYS. BUT THIS KIND OF TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT WORK. IT DOES NOT HELP PEOPLE. AND LIKE I SAY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHO'S GONNA END UP WITH THE DATA AND HOW THEY'RE GONNA USE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RACHEL BICKMAN, FOLLOWED BY DANA GROTTEN STEIN, THEN MARGARET AND BRADY. RACHEL, TWO MINUTES. HI, MY NAME IS RACHEL BICKMAN. I LIVE ON TROBRIDGE STREET. UM, AS WE'VE HEARD, THERE'S MOUNTING EVIDENCE AGAINST SHOT SPOTTERS AND ITS TENANCY TO PRODUCE FALSE ALARM AND CLEAR PUBLIC DESCENT HERE TODAY. UM, I THINK IMPORTANTLY, AS AN ASIAN AMERICAN WOMAN, I RECOGNIZE HOW THE OPPRESSION THAT WE FACE AND THAT I FACE IS NOT THE SAME AS BLACK WOMEN, NOR DO I EVER INTEND TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF. BUT LAST WEEK IT WAS QUITE FRUSTRATING AND HURTFUL TO ME TO SEE IDENTITY POLITICS AND THE DIFFERENT ISMS THAT WE FACE CREATE COMPETITION IN COMPARISON AMONG US INSTEAD OF SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT. SO I WILL RE REITERATE THAT THE BLACK RESPONSE FOUND THAT CAMBRIDGE PORT RESIDENTS WERE NOT IN FAVOR OF SHOT SPOTTER. AND I THINK IT'S FAIR FOR HOMEOWNERS AND RESIDENTS TO OPT INTO SURVEILLANCE AND CAMERAS IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEY WANT TO DO AND SOMETHING THAT MAKES THEM FEEL SAFE. I THINK IT'S UNFAIR TO SUBJECT EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT IN, IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO HYPER SURVEILLANCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE KNOW OVER SURVEILLANCE DOES NOT WORK AND PUTS OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS AT RISK. MY CONCERN FOR FALSE ALARMS IS ALSO HOW QUICKLY THESE SITUATIONS CAN ESCALATE WHEN THERE'S FEAR AND CONCERN. AND WITH POLICE, WITH FIREARMS ARE INVOLVED IN A CHAOTIC MOMENT AND HOW THESE OFTEN ESCALATE SITUATIONS AND RESULT IN UNNECESSARY AND PREVENTABLE VIOLENCE. WE CAN ALSO LOOK TO THE CITY OF BALTIMORE AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY RESOURCES LIKE BOLSTERING OUR JOB PROGRAMS, APPRENTICESHIPS, INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITIES LIKE BUILDING SCHOOLS, REC CENTERS, LIBRARIES, POOLS, PLAYGROUNDS, AND HOW ALL OF THIS REDUCES HOMICIDE AND GUN VIOLENCE AND CAN BE EMULATED VERY EASILY IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE RATHER THAN OVER-POLICING AND FEEDING INTO THE MISTRUST WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I ASKED CITY COUNCIL TO TODAY AGAIN, LISTEN TO THE EVIDENCE HE TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND END THE USE OF SHOT SPOTTER IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANA GROTEN STEIN DANA, TWO MINUTES PLEASE GO AHEAD. I HI THERE. UM, MY NAME IS DANA GROTEN STEIN. I WORK IN CAMBRIDGE AS A PUBLIC SERVANT AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE POLICY ORDER TO END USE OF SHOTS SPOTTER DEVICES. I WILL BE SHARING A RECORDED STATEMENT FROM A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT WHO IS UNABLE TO BE HERE AND WHO FEELS SHOTS SPOTTER SURVEILLANCE PUTS HER AT RISK. UM, DANA, I ALSO SENT AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION. DANA. DANA, I'M GONNA SORRY TO TO STOP YOU. SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A RULE 31 B THAT SAYS, UH, ANY INDIVIDUAL APPEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CLAIMING TO REPRESENT ANOTHER, UH, AS AGENT OR OTHERWISE IN THE MATTER BEING HEARD SHALL FILE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION SIGNED BY THE INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATION OR CORPORATION WHOSE INTERESTS SUCH INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTS. SO THIS IS ONE OF OUR RULES, RULE 31 B. AND SO GIVEN THAT RULE, UNLESS THERE'S A WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION THAT'S COME TO US SAYING THAT THIS PERSON SPEAK, UM, IT'S, [00:50:01] UNLESS THERE'S A SUSPENSION, WE CANNOT ALLOW, UM, THAT TESTIMONY. OKAY. UM, I HAVE SENT THE TRANSLATION TO, UH, CITY COUNCILORS SO THEY HAVE IT, BUT YEAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S, YEAH. OKAY. SO FOR THE FUTURE AROUND THIS, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE CAN, UM, SHARE MORE INFORMATION ON HOW THIS, WHAT THIS ACTUALLY MEANS AND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE. UH, BUT BASED ON THESE RULES, UH, WE CAN'T HAVE, UM, THAT TESTIMONY SHARED UNLESS THERE'S THAT WRITTEN COMMUNICATION. SO WANTED TO JUST, UH, SAY THAT SO WE CAN MOVE ON SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THAT WRITTEN CONFIRMATION. YEP. THANK YOU. CAN I, UM, JUST SAY SOMETHING BRIEFLY INSTEAD? YEAH, YOU CAN DEF YOU HAVE YOUR TIME. I TALK MYSELF. YOU HAVE YOUR TIME. OKAY. YEAH. GREAT. THANK YOU. UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAYBE INSTEAD VERBALIZE THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO FEEL FEARFUL OF COMING TO CITY COUNCIL, UM, TO SPEAK FOR FEAR OF REPERCUSSIONS. UM, AND YEAH, AS A, AS A CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SERVANT, I SEE DAY AFTER DAY THE WAYS THAT WE TRY TO PUT TECHNOLOGY IN PLACES TO FIX ISSUES THAT ARE HUMAN ISSUES. UM, AND WE NEED SOCIAL PROGRAMMING THAT FIXES OR ADDRESSES THE ROOT CAUSES OF GUN VIOLENCE INSTEAD OF SURVEILLANCE. THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY FOR NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARGARET ANN BRADY, FOLLOWED BY JOCELYN SORA. MARGARET, TWO MINUTES. HI, I AM MARGARET BRADY. UM, I LIVE IN PORTER SQUARE, CAMBRIDGE FOR OVER 40 YEARS. I'M SPEAKING ALSO IN FAVOR OF, UM, CHARTER RIGHT NUMBER TWO, AND I URGE THE COUNCIL TO END ANY USE OF SPOT SHOTTER TECHNOLOGY. BY NOW, WE HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE THAT SPOT SHOTTER DOESN'T MAKE ANYONE SAFER. IN FACT, IT PUTS MORE PEOPLE AT RISK BY INCREASING THE POLICING OF SOME NEIGHBORHOODS OVER OTHERS. WHEN BLACK AND BROWN CANTE BRIDGES ARE MORE AT RISK FOR SEARCHES SURVEILLANCE SUSPICION, THAT MEANS WE'RE LESS SAFE AS A CITY. THERE'S ABUNDANT EVIDENCE THAT SHOWS THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS INACCURATE AND UNRELIABLE. LET'S PUT OUR RESOURCES INTO THE KIND OF INVESTMENTS THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT TONIGHT THAT ACTUALLY DO REDUCE CRIME. IN A DENSE AREA LIKE PORTER SQUARE WHERE I LIVE, IT'S MUCH MORE LIKELY THAT GUNSHOTS WILL BE RELIABLY REPORTED BY ME OR MY NEIGHBORS THAN BY THIS TECHNOLOGY. IN FACT, I FEEL DEFINITELY LESS SAFE IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I'M SUBJECT TO YET MORE SURVEILLANCE, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS WILLING TO USE ANY EXCUSE TO MAKE THINGS WORSE FOR PLACES LIKE CAMBRIDGE. WHY SHOULD WE PARTICIPATE IN THE COLLECTION OF DATA THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE USED AGAINST US IN THE TIME SINCE THIS TECHNOLOGY WAS FIRST INTRODUCED, THE CITY HAS, HAS HEARD ENOUGH EVIDENCE AND COMMUNITY OBJECTION TO MAKE THIS AN EASY DECISION. SHOT SPOTTER IS COMPLETELY OUT OF LINE WITH OUR STATED VALUES. AS A CITY ISN'T IN LINE WITH OUR PUBLIC PROCESS FOR HOW WE MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT OUR CITY, WE DON'T NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE USE OF PUBLIC MONEY TO ENRICH, UH, YET ANOTHER FOR-PROFIT TECH COMPANY THAT IS UNDERMINING OUR RIGHTS AS CITIZENS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOCELYN. SO JOCELYN, TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, UH, MY NAME IS JOCELYN SOPER. I LIVE AT 4 65 PUTNAM AVENUE, WHICH IS IN CAMBRIDGEPORT, WHICH AS WE KNOW IS A, UM, I, UM, TRAFFICKED AREA FOR, UM, SPOT SHOTTER. AND I'M SPEAKING, UM, LIKE MANY OTHER FOLKS HERE ON CHARTER. ITEM NUMBER TWO. UM, I SPOKE A FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND YOU'VE ALL HEARD THE POINTS MANY TIMES. UM, BUT, UM, THE LACK OF, I WOULD SAY THAT AS SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN CAMBRIDGEPORT, UM, I AM A WHITE WOMAN. UM, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT, UM, THIS SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY, UM, IT STILL REALLY SCARES ME. AND THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY REALLY SCARES ME BECAUSE, UM, WE'VE SEEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN HOW SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY CAN BE WEAPONIZED AND IS PREDOMINANTLY WEAPONIZED AGAINST, UM, PEOPLE OF COLOR. AND I AM SCARED FOR MY NEIGHBORS AND I ALSO DON'T LIKE THAT IT'S IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, SO, UM, I SUPPORT CHARTER, UM, NUMBER TWO. AND THEN I ALSO, UM, REALLY HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE ALL CONSIDERATIONS OF, UM, SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY SHOULD REQUIRE A CITY COUNCIL VOTE, [00:55:01] EVEN IF THE FUNDING IS FROM AN EXTERNAL ENTITY. THE FACT THAT SPOT SHOTTER DID NOT GET A, UM, CITY COUNCIL VOTE, UM, IS HORRIFYING TO ME IN TERMS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. UM, AND WITH THAT, UM, I YIELD MY TIME. THANKS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SPENCER PISTON. SPENCER, TWO MINUTES. UH, HELLO EVERYONE. I'M AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY. MOST OF YOU KNOW ME AS I'VE, UH, PRESENTED BEFORE THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE A FEW TIMES. I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT THE STUFF THAT I'VE SAID THERE. UM, ONE QUICK UPDATE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS FROM THE HORRIBLE SHOOTING LAST WEEK. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WAS ABOUT FOUR BLOCKS FROM A SHOT SPOTTER DEVICE AND THERE WAS NO SHOT SPOTTER ALERT. SO THAT'S THE MILD UPDATE ON WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE UNRELIABILITY OF THE TECHNOLOGY. WHAT I'M HERE TODAY THOUGH, TO DISCUSS IS ANOTHER PURPOSE, WHICH IS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS ESPECIALLY, UH, EXPRESSED LAST WEEK THAT THERE AREN'T A WHOLE LOT OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE REPRESENTED IN THE SHOT SPOTTER DISCUSSION. SO I'VE GOT THREE RESPONSES TO THIS. FIRST IS THAT THERE ARE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE HERE TODAY AND THEY HAVE REGISTERED THEIR OPPOSITION TO SHOT SPOTTER. SECOND, THE BLACK RESPONSE IS A BLACK LED ORGANIZATION AND THEY ARE THE ONES BLACK LEADERS RUNNING THE ANTI SHOT SPOTTER CAMPAIGN. THIRD AND FINALLY, A BRIEF STORY. I GAVE A TALK TO THE CAMBRIDGE TENANTS ALLIANCE, UH, RECENTLY AND AFTERWARD AN ELDERLY BLACK MAN CAME UP TO ME AND HE SAID, FEEL MY HEAD. AND I DID NOT WANT TO FEEL HIS HEAD, BUT HE TOOK MY HAND AND PUT IT ON HIS HEAD AND I FELT A DENT. IT WAS A BIG DENT. HE SAID, CAMBRIDGE POLICE BEAT HIM UP 26 YEARS AGO. I DON'T BLAME ANYONE IN THIS ROOM FOR WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND WHY HE'S NOT HERE. AND I'LL ALSO WANNA BE SURE TO MENTION THAT HE OPPOSES SHOT SPOTTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MCKAYLA LUCAS, FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDRA THORN. THEN GAIL SHARPENS. HERE WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 28 MCKAYLA, TWO MINUTES. GOOD EVENING. I'M A NURSE WHO WORKS IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M COMMENTING ON POLICY ORDER 20 26 98. I'M URGING THE COUNCIL TO END THE USE OF SHOT SPOTTER AND REMOVE THE DEVICES. THANK YOU FOR HEARING THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS, RESIDENTS ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER, ESPECIALLY IN NEWTOWN COURT IN WASHINGTON. ELMS AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK WAS CLEAR THAT THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND PRIVACY VIOLATIONS DO NOT JUSTIFY SHOT SPOTTER'S USE. IN ONE OF MY CONVERSATIONS WITH A RESIDENT OF WASHINGTON ELMS, HE SHARED THAT HE WAS A VICTIM OF GUN VIOLENCE AND HE BELIEVES HIS LIFE WAS SAVED BY THE QUICK RESPONSE OF HIS COMMUNITY AND HE DOES NOT SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY'S USE OF SHOT SPOTTER. I HEARD MANY REFLECTIONS LIKE THAT FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE USE OF SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT CAMBRIDGE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT WE, I AM PART OF, UM, THE COALITION WITH THE BLACK RESPONSE AND WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE RESIDENTS WHO PROVIDED TESTIMONY TODAY. IF WE COULD RECEIVE, I KNOW EMAILS WERE SENT WITH THE TRANSLATIONS, UM, IF WE COULD RECEIVE THE WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION, SO MAYBE THEY COULD COMPLETE THAT BY THE END OF THE DAY TO GET IN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE FOR THEIR COMMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED HERE AS WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GAIL SHARPENS HERE. FOLLOWED, I'M SORRY, IS ALEXANDRA THORN FOLLOWED BY GAIL SHARPENS HERE THEN BROOKE FEINBERG. ALEXANDRA, THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ALEXANDRA THORN AND I'M A VOLUNTEER FOR DIGITAL FOURTH AND LIVE IN SOMERVILLE AND SPEND SIGNIFICANT TIME IN CAMBRIDGE. THANK YOU COUNCILORS. ZUBIE, SABRINA WHEELER, MCGOVERN, AND NOLAN FOR FILING THE POLICY ORDER REQUESTING THAT THE CITY MANAGER END DATA COLLECTION BY SHOTS SPOTTER DEVICES IN CAMBRIDGE. I STRONGLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDER AND RECOMMEND THE IMMEDIATE DISCONTINUATION OF CAMBRIDGE'S USE OF SHOTS SPOTTER, I'M A RESEARCHER AND A DATA SCIENTIST SO I UNDERSTAND, FOR EXAMPLE, THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING A ROBUST SAMPLE SIZE, INCLUDING EVIDENCE FROM CITIES WITH MUCH HIGHER RATES OF GUN VIOLENCE THAN CAMBRIDGE, WHICH HAS SHOWN THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS UNRELIABLE AND DOES NOT DETER GUN VIOLENCE. BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND AS A PRINCIPLE OF GOOD RESEARCH METHODS, THE IMPORTANCE OF DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH AFFECTED COMMUNITIES AND REALLY LISTENING TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. I WAS THEREFORE EAGER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CANVASES WHERE THE BLACK RESPONSE SPOKE WITH RESIDENTS IN THE CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY SHOT SPOTTER. WHAT I OBSERVED IN JUST ONE AFTERNOON OF CANVASSING IS A FACT THAT I THINK WE ALL INTUITIVELY KNOW, BUT SOMETIMES FORGET NO GROUP OF PEOPLE AS A MONOLITH. I SPOKE TO AN OLDER WOMAN WHO BELIEVED SHOT SPOTTER WAS GOOD FOR SAFETY, [01:00:01] BUT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT PRIVACY ISSUES. I SPOKE TO AN OLDER MAN WHO DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE SURVEILLANCE DESPITE HAVING HIMSELF BEEN SHOT YEARS AGO. I ALSO SPOKE TO A YOUNG ADULT WHO AS SOON AS I SAID WE WERE TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER EAGERLY INQUIRED ARE YOU COULD GET RID OF IT. DON'T BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE UNDER SURVEILLANCE ARE SUR ARE ALL SUPPORTIVE OF SHOTS SPOTTER. THE TRUTH IS MUCH MORE COMPLICATED. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDER TO END THE USE OF SHOTS SPOTTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GAIL SHARPENS, FOLLOWED BY BROOKE FEINBERG. GAIL, THANK YOU. I'M GAIL SHARPIER. I LIVE AT MURDOCH STREET IN THE PORT. I'VE LIVED, UH, IN CAMBRIDGE AND ON MURDOCH STREET ACTUALLY FOR 37 YEARS. UH, AND I AM HERE TO, UH, SUPPORT ITEM CHARTER RIGHT ITEM NUMBER TWO TO BASICALLY DELETE SHOT SPOTTER FROM OUR CITY. UM, THERE'VE BEEN AT LEAST TWO PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE HEARINGS ON THIS TOPIC. WE HAVE AMPLE EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT SHOT SPOTTER HAS AN 82% FALSE POSITIVE RATE. THAT MEANS MOST ALERTS DO NOT CORRESPOND TO ACTUAL GUNFIRE. I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING NEW HERE TODAY. CAMBRIDGE DOES NOT HAVE A DIRECT CONTRACT WITH SHOTSPOTTER. INSTEAD IT'S THROUGH BOSTON AND DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT AND THE THE SHI SHOT SPOTTER. MICROPHONES ARE ALWAYS ON. THEY'RE NOT JUST ACTIVATED DURING GUNSHOTS. THE AUDIO MICROPHONES CAN CAPTURE CONVERSATIONS AT NORMAL VOLUME. WHEN I'M TALKING WITH MY FRIEND AS I WALK UP AND DOWN BROADWAY ALMOST EVERY DAY FROM A DISTANCE OF UP TO 50 FEET, INCLUDING THROUGH BUILDING WALLS, WHICH IS HOW THE MICROPHONE IS MEANT TO FUNCTION, I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT SOMETHING COULD CHANGE. YES, THAT WOULD NOT BE GOOD. AND THAT COULD BE YOU COULD COME BACK OR SOME MEMBERS HERE COULD COME BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND SAY, OKAY, WE'LL GIVE YOU A SAY OVER WHAT GETS SHARED OR WE WON'T SHARE ANYTHING, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. AND, UH, THAT I STILL DON'T WANT SHOTSPOTTER EVEN IF YOU TWEAK THIS, UH, ITEM INTO MAYBE MEETING ONE OF OUR DEMANDS OR TWO. NO THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH. THANK YOU. WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 31 BROOKE FEINBERG, FOLLOWED BY DANIEL WILSON, THEN NANCY SEYMOUR BROOKE, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. HI, I'M B FEINBERG 3 38 COLUMBIA STREET. LET'S GO CR TWO. AS A LONGTIME CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT, AND I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE AND INVOLVE COMMUNITY MEMBER, I VOICED MY ANGER HERE IN APRIL ABOUT THIS INTRUSIVE SYSTEM THAT NONE OF MY ELECTED OFFICIALS NOR NEIGHBORS EVER VOTED ON. I SHARED MY CONCERNS ON APRIL 29TH AND THOSE CONCERNS WERE ONLY AMPLIFIED BY THAT DATA AND DIALOGUE AT THE MEETING. CPD READ FROM OLD SLIDES WITH ANECDOTAL STORY STORYTELLING LOOSELY IMPLYING THAT ONE SHOT SPOTTER CALL WAS HELPFUL, BUT IT TURNED OUT THAT WAS A COINCIDENCE AND SOMEONE WAS APPREHENDED, UNRELATED TO THE PROMPT. OTHERWISE, THESE SLIDES WERE FULL OF LOGISTICAL FALLACY AND TIRED REASONING IT SHOULD BE OF GRAVE MORAL CONCERN TO EVERYONE ON THIS COUNCIL, THAT THE SYSTEM IS FUNDED BY DHS THE SAME FEDS THAT FUND ICE AGAIN. I DO NOT CONSENT FOR MY VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS IN OUR WELCOME COMMUNITY SANCTUARY CITY TO BE AT RISK. I DO NOT CONSENT TO BEING UNDER CONSTANT SURVEILLANCE BY NATURE OF JUST MOVING ABOUT CAMBRIDGE. EVIDENCED AS FACT WHEN CPD EXCLAIMED EXPLAINED . THEY RECEIVE AN AUDIO RECORDING A SECOND BEFORE AND AFTER LOUD SOUNDS. OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN PLEADING WITH YOU LONG ENOUGH. IT'S TIME WE DESERVE COUNSEL'S ACTION NOW, REMOVE ALL MICROPHONES NOW PASS LEGISLATION THAT CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS MUST NEVER BE SURVEILLED WITHOUT OUR CONSENT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANIEL WILSON, FOLLOWED BY NANCY SEYMOUR. THEN GLENNA WYMAN. DANIEL HAS NOT JOINED. WE'RE GONNA GO TO NANCY SEYMOUR. I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT SENIORS AND PUBLIC PARKING PERMITS, UH, PARKING PERMITS. UM, IT'S CA UH, CALENDAR NUMBER FOUR. UM, [01:05:01] IF THE CITY NEEDS TO RAISE REVENUE, THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO DO SO WITHOUT CHARGING SENIORS FOR PARKING PERMITS. THIS PROGRESSIVE TAX CREATES YET ANOTHER EXPENSE FOR MANY OF US LIVING ON FIXED INCOMES. IN FACT, A PROCESS THAT REQUIRES PEOPLE TO SAY THAT THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR A PERMIT IS INSULTING AND DISRESPECTFUL. NOW, ALTHOUGH CAMBRIDGE IS BLESSED WITH THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, FEW CITIES OR TOWNS CAN EQUAL MANY OF US NEED CARS TO DRIVE TO AN INCREASING NUMBER OF DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, SHOP FOR GROCERIES, AND RUN ERRANDS. AGING ALSO BRINGS MANY DECREASING MOBILITY. SO A CAR, A CAR BECOMES A NECESSITY, NOT A CHOICE. I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GLENNA WYMAN, FOLLOWED BY ED HENLEY. THEN NATALIE ELLIOT GLENNA. TWO MINUTES. UM, I AM SPEAKING, UH, FIRST DIS DIRECTLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. HOT SPOTTER. HEY, GLENNA, WILL YOU JUST SPEAK INTO THE MIC, PLEASE? OH, OKAY. UM, I'M FIRST SPEAKING ABOUT DISMANTLING SHOT SPOTTER. UH, IT VIOLATES, UH, STATE LAW IN TERMS OF, UH, TWO SIDES GIVING PERMISSION TO BEING RECORDED. UM, IT REDUCES CALLS BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, WHO THINK THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS TAKING CARE OF, UH, AND DETECTING, UM, UH, SHOTS WHEN IN FACT, UH, THE, UH, ERROR RATE IN TERMS OF WHAT SHOT SPOTTER DOES IS 80% INACCURATE IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, DETECTING REAL SHOTS AND NOT DETECTING SHOTS. AS OUR, UM, ONE OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS JUST MENTIONED ABOUT THE, UH, THE, THE SHOTS NEAR MEMORIAL. ON MEMORIAL DRIVE, IT'S FUNDED BY DEPARTMENT OF, UH, DEPARTMENT OF UH, UH, HOMELAND SECURITY, UM, WHICH BY THE WAY, SO ARE THE CAMERAS THAT ARE IN CENTRAL SQUARE THAT THEY, I HOPE THE COUNCIL WILL MOVE ON TO GET THOSE ONES THAT WERE RECENTLY ADDED IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO REMOVED. UM, AND, UM, SO THEY ASK, REMOVE ALL MICROPHONES FROM THE CITY, REQUIRE A CITY COUNCIL VOTE FOR ANY FUTURE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY, EVEN IF FUNDING IS COMING FROM AN EXTERNAL ENTITY LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. ALSO, I'M AGAINST THE ARTIFICIAL TURF IN MY BACKYARD, AND I THINK THAT POOR PEOPLE SHOULD BE IN ON BEING ABLE TO OPT TO SAY THEY CANNOT AFFORD, UM, THE PARKING PERMIT AND, AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO PAY NOTHING, UH, IF THEY CHECK THAT. UM, ALONG WITH POOR SENIORS. THANKS, GLENNA. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ED HENLEY, FOLLOWED BY NATALIE ELLIOT. THEN JESSE BEAR ED, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, MY NAME IS ED HENLEY. I LIVE AT 2 37 FRANKLIN STREET. I'M SPEAKING A MEMBER OF, AS A MEMBER OF MASS SENIOR ACTION, NOT NECESSARILY FOR THEM WITH REGARDS TO THE COST OF PARKING PERMITS, ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS AND LOW INCOME COUNTER BRIDGES, IT APPEARS THAT PARKING PERMITS MAY HAVE BEEN INITIATED TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS HAD ENOUGH PARKING SPACES WHEN YOU LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE AS MOTORISTS FROM OUTSIDE OF CAMBRIDGE WERE MAKING PARKING AVAILABILITY DIFFICULT. NOT SURE IF THIS WAS, THERE WAS ANY CHANGE IN, IF THERE WAS ANY CHARGE INITIALLY, BUT AT SOME POINT IT WAS DECIDED TO CHARGE FOR IT. THAT CHARGE WAS THE BEGINNING OF A SLIPPERY SLOPE OF INCRE POSSIBLE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF INCREASING PRICES OVER TIME. BOSTON APPARENTLY DOES NOT CHARGE FOR SENIOR PARKING. UH, LINKEDIN ALLOWS ONE TO PARK AT METERS FOR FREE AT NO CHARGE. IT SEEMS ODD. IT SEEMS ODD THAT WHEN WE OWN AN AUTOMOBILE AND PAY EXCISE TAXES, THAT THOSE EXCISE TAXES SEEM TO PAY FOR MANY OTHER PROGRAMS BESIDES AUTO RELATED ISSUES. UM, AND THAT, THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT FINANCIAL NEED IN THESE TIMES IS CHALLENGING, BUT PAYING FOR THE FINANCIAL THINGS WE WOULD LIKE TO DO SHOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE POCKETS OF THOSE NEEDING VEHICLES TO MAKE THEIR WAY IN DAILY LIFE. WITH ITS MANY CHALLENGES FOR SENIORS AND LOW INCOME PEOPLES, PLEASE DO NOT ADD COSTS FOR PARKING PI PERMITS. FOR THOSE OF US IN THIS CATEGORY WITH REGARDS TO SHORT SPOTTER, WE LIVE IN A WORLD IN MANY WAYS BUILT ON TRUST. WHEN LEADERSHIP AT, AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS CONTINUALLY [01:10:02] BETRAYS THAT AND IMPLIED TRUST AND SHOULD NOT, WE SHOULD NOT TRUST THAT SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS TO EVERYDAY PROBLEMS WILL NOT BE USED FOR OTHER MORE DEVIOUS AGENDAS. PLEASE STOP CAMBRIDGE'S USE OF SHARP SHOT SPOTTER. PLEASE KEEP THE CURRENT FORM OF MAYOR EARL ELECTIONS. WE HAVE LEARNED WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A LEADER WITH A CONTRARY AGENDA ENDS UP IN THE LEADERSHIP POSITION. THOSE ELECTED TO BE IN CITY COUNCIL HAVE BEEN ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE. THANK YOU, ED, AND WE LIVE IN YOU. UNFORTUNATELY, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THAT'S MUCH SAFER. THANK. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NATALIE ELLIOT, FOLLOWED BY JESSE BEAR, THEN MOLIK, AON. NATALIE, TWO MINUTES. NATALIE, BEFORE YOU SPEAK. UM, I WENT AND MADE, CHECKED WITH, UH, OUR SOLICITOR ON THAT RULE, UH, ONCE MORE. AND, UM, I APOLOGIZE. I, IT WAS, THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING TECHNICALLY, SO IF YOU WANT, UM, MAYBE IF YOU CAN LET FOLKS KNOW, UH, AND THEN WE CAN RE-GIVE THE TIME. UM, I APOLOGIZE THAT WAS A MISINTERPRETATION OF THE RULE, SO, UM, WE'LL MAKE SURE WHOEVER HAD SPOKEN CAN COME BACK, UH, AND SHARE THAT TESTIMONY. SO WE'LL GO TO NATALIE. NATALIE, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS NATALIE ELLIOTT. I LIVE ON HAMPSHIRE STREET, AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU AS THE CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE IN SUPPORT OF CHARTER RIGHT TO AND TO STOP THE USE OF SPOTTER IN OUR COMMUNITY. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRECEDENT WE SET AS A CITY IF WE ALLOW SHOTS, SPOTTER DEVICES TO REMAIN ACTIVE AND COLLECT SURVEILLANCE DATA IN OUR STREETS WITHOUT OUR CITY'S OWNERSHIP OF THE DATA WITHOUT A VOTE FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, AND WITH DIRECT PERPETUATING OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND INEQUITY THROUGH THE TARGETING OF CAMBRIDGE'S BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES. AS MANY SPEAKERS BEFORE WE HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN TO, WHEN WE ALLOW THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SURVEILLANCE TO EXIST IN OUR CITY, OUR COMMUNITY, AND EACH OF US BECOMES VULNERABLE TO THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY BY ANTI-DEMOCRATIC FORCES LIKE ICE. SO WE KNOW SHOTS, SPOTTERS FUNDED BY THE DHS, AS WELL AS VULNERABLE TO THE EROSION OF TRUST BETWEEN OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR COMMUNITY, AND WITH, UM, OUR REPRESENTATIVES. I WANNA THANK MY CAMBRIDGE NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE CONTINUED TO BE AN ACTIVE VOICE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY WITHOUT SURVEILLANCE, WHICH IS BOTH POSSIBLE AND ALSO NECESSARY FOR OUR CITY TO THRIVE. AS MANY FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED SPOT, SHAW SWEATER IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE OR JUST TOOL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. AND I BELIEVE OUR CITY CAN BE CREATIVE AND CARING IN HOW WE TACKLE SAFETY AND CONFLICT. I'M CALLING ON YOU AS OUR COUNSELORS TO ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE STOOD UP AND SPOKEN OUT FOR, WHICH IS TO END CAMBRIDGE'S PARTICIPATION IN SHOT SPOTTER, REMOVE ALL MICROPHONES FROM THE CITY, OR REQUIRE A CITY COUNCIL, VOTE FOR ANY FUTURE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY, AND INVEST IN COMMUNITY-LED PUBLIC SAFETY INSTEAD OF UNPROVEN SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSE VEER, FOLLOWED BY MOLLY AON. THEN JOE QUEST, BERT JESSE, TWO MINUTES. HI, UH, JESSE BAYER 10 POPLAR ROAD. UH, LAST WEEK I TESTIFIED ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER. I DIDN'T FOCUS MY COMMENT ON THE RACISM OF THE SYSTEM BECAUSE I FELT OTHER PEOPLE ADDRESSED THAT WELL. UM, BUT DURING DELIBERATIONS, IT WAS BASICALLY SUGGESTED THAT EVERYONE TESTIFYING ABOUT THE ISSUE WAS WHITE. NOW, I'M USED TO PEOPLE ASSUMING THINGS ABOUT MY RACE, SO I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THAT PERSONALLY. WHAT I DO TAKE ISSUE WITH IS THE IDEA THAT ANYONE IS NOT ALLOWED TO CARE ABOUT RACISM AND BLACK PEOPLE. I HAVE THREE NIECES AND THREE NEPHEWS. EVERY ONE OF THEM IS UN DEBATABLY BLACK, AND I AM ALLOWED TO CARE ABOUT THE WORLD THEY GROW UP IN. MY WIFE UNA IS BLACK, AND I CARE ABOUT HER SAFETY IN THE CITY WHERE SHE'S CHOSEN TO JOIN ME IN MAKING A LIFE TOGETHER. BY THE WAY SHE WISHES SHE COULD TESTIFY HERE TONIGHT, BUT IS WORKING LATE AT THE LIBRARY. UM, I, I THINK THE RULE IS THAT I'M ALLOWED TO SAY THAT SHE IS AGAINST SHOT SPOTTER AS WELL NOW. SO, UH, I'LL END IT THERE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MALIK ABAN. MALIK, TWO MINUTES. HELLO? UH, I'M ALEC. I LIVE AT 3 3 1 HARVARD STREET. I LIVE AND WORK IN CAMBRIDGE. UM, DESPITE, OR I GUESS CONTRARY TO THE OPINIONS OF SOME, I AM BLACK OR BROWN, I WALK BY MULTIPLE SHOT SPOTTER MICROPHONES, UH, VARIOUS SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT, UM, REALLY IN THE FEW BLOCKS IT TAKES TO GET TO MY LOCAL MOSQUE. UH, AND INSIDE I FIND EVEN MORE WAITING FOR ME THERE. I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THE SURVEILLANCE. I, I THINK I SAID THAT AT THE LAST SHOT SPOTTER HEARING, AND, YOU KNOW, NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN. THE TBR, THEY DID A WONDERFUL JOB, UM, SURVEYING THE COMMUNITY, SHOWING THERE'S LIKE WIDE PUBLIC CONSENSUS FOR GETTING RID OF SHOTSPOTTER. DID A GREAT JOB WITH THE PUBLIC EDUCATION PIECE TOO. [01:15:01] UM, AND I WAS ACTUALLY REALLY PROUD OF MY CITY COUNSELORS AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE HEARING A FEW WEEKS AGO. UM, THE QUESTIONS THEY BROUGHT FOR THE BLACK RESPONSE AND THE SHOT SPOTTER PANEL WERE GREAT. UM, I THINK LIKE COUNSELOR NOLAN, HER QUESTIONS FOR THE CITY SOLICITOR WERE INCREDIBLE. I THINK LIKE SHOWING THAT THE SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE APPLIES TO THIS AND THAT, UM, A POINT NO ONE HAS REALLY MENTIONED, WHICH IS INTERESTING, IS THAT THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT GO TO SHOT SPOTTER ARE NOT EARMARKED FOR SHOT SPOTTER. LIKE YOU CAN USE THEM FOR OTHER THINGS. I, I, I THINK IT'S JUST IN THE PURVIEW OF PUBLIC SAFETY. SO THERE'S A WHOLE CONVERSATION WHERE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WE'RE WASTING ON RENTING STORAGE SPACE ON SOME COMPUTER IN CALIFORNIA COULD BE SPENT, YOU KNOW, GETTING PEOPLE REAL RESOURCES THEY NEED RIGHT NOW IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS POLICY ORDER PASSING, BUT ALSO LIKE THE FUTURE OF, OF WHAT WE DO WITH THIS MONEY. UM, AND YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOE QUEST, BERT, FOLLOWED BY THERESA KETTLE BERGER. WE'RE AT SPEAKER 39. HI, JOE QUEST, BERT 1222 CAMBRIDGE STREET. I'M HERE TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF CHARTER, RIGHT ITEM NUMBER TWO, POLICY ORDER 98. WE KNOW THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS ALWAYS LISTENING AND ALWAYS RECORDING. WE KNOW THAT IT CAN PICK UP SOUNDS SUCH AS HUMAN SPEECH. WE KNOW THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS FUNDED THROUGH A DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT AND THAT DHS AND ICE PRACTICE EVER INCREASING SURVEILLANCE TO TARGET PEOPLE THEY DEEMED TO BE THREATS. WE KNOW THAT OUR SHOT SPOTTER DEVICES ARE LOCATED IN AREAS WITH HIGH CONCENTRATION OF BIPOC RESIDENTS. THIS MEANS THAT BIPOC MEMBERS OF THE CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE RECORDED BY SHOTSPOTTER AND THUS ARE MORE VULNERABLE TO POTENTIAL ABUSES OF THE DATA AND RECORDINGS COLLECTED BY THE COMPANY, AS WELL AS DANGEROUS OVER POLICING. SURVEILLANCE DOES NOT EQUAL SAFETY. WE DO NOT NEED MICROPHONES ON TOP OF BUILDINGS LISTENING TO EVERY LOUD NOISE IN THE VICINITY, AND SENDING IN POLICE IN ORDER TO BE SAFE. WE NEED STRONG SOCIAL SAFETY NETS AND TO MEET OUR COMMUNITY'S BASIC HUMAN NEEDS. THAT IS WHAT MAKES US SAFE. I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT POLICY ORDER 98 AND END OUR CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN SHOT SPOTTER FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO DANA GROTTEN STEIN, WHO WAS GOING TO PLAY THAT RECORDING EARLIER, UM, SO THAT WE CAN RETURN THE TIME TO THE SPEAKER. SO, DANA, IF YOU'RE ON, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. HI THERE. YES. THANK YOU. UM, I'LL JUST PLAY THE RECORDING AND I WILL READ THE TRANSLATION. HELLO, I AM SANDRA. I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE WITH MY FAMILY FOR A LONG TIME, WE RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING, HAVE FELT WATCHED AND WE HAVE FELT PUNISHED WHENEVER WE HAVE COMPLAINED OR SPOKEN OUT AGAINST SOMETHING. SO MANY OF US DO NOT ATTEND THESE MEETINGS OUT OF FEAR OF RETALIATION AND OUT OF FEAR OF LOSING OUR HOMES. BUT I WANT TO STATE THAT I DO NOT WANT THESE MACHINES RECORDING US GET THESE MICROPHONES OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. WE DO NOT WANT ANOTHER LAYER OF SURVEILLANCE HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE ARE GONNA GO BACK TO THE LIST. UH, WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 40. WE HAVE 15 SPEAKERS SIGNED UP LEFT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS THERESA KETTLE BERGER, FOLLOWED BY HARINI DESICAN, THEN JACOB BROWN. THERESA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. HELLO. UM, MY NAME IS THERESA KETTLE BERGER. I LIVE ON COGSWELL AVENUE. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE REMOVAL OF SHOT SPOTTER LIKE MANY OTHERS IN MY CAREER, I HAVE ALMOST A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE EVALUATING THE ACCURACY OF MACHINE LEARNING SYSTEMS THAT CLASSIFY AUDIO DATA SPECIFICALLY AFTER READING MANY REPORTS, INTERVIEWS, AND BLOG POSTS FROM THEM, I'VE SEEN SOUND THINKING MAKE CLAIMS ABOUT ACCURACY, [01:20:01] GUN VIOLENCE, AND RACIAL DISPARITIES IN POLICING THAT I WOULD CONSIDER PROFESSIONALLY TO BE DISHONEST. TWO MINUTES IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO GO THROUGH AT ALL. MY OPPOSITION TO SHOT SPOTTER SURVEILLANCE IS NOT BASED ON THE ACCURACY OF THE TECHNOLOGY, BUT INSTEAD, I FIND THIS TROUBLING BECAUSE CAMBRIDGE IS IN THE VULNERABLE POSITION OF RELYING ON SOUND THINKING'S GOOD FAITH. WHEN WE USE SHOT SPOTTER SURVEILLANCE, I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT SOUND THINKING HAS EARNED THAT ASSUMPTION OF GOOD FAITH, AND I DON'T THINK DHS, WHICH PAYS FOR IT HAS EARNED THAT ASSUMPTION EITHER. IN THE LEAK PUBLISHED BY WIRED, UH, WE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE MANY SHOT SPOTTER MICROPHONES ON APARTMENT BUILDINGS, HOSPITALS, AND EVEN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. WHEN WE PLACE MICROPHONES IN PUBLIC SPACES, WE TRADE OUR PRIVACY FOR INCREASED PUBLIC SAFETY. AS MANY HAVE NOTED, THIS TRADE-OFF WAS NOT MADE WITH THE CONSENT OF CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS. INCREASED PUBLIC SAFETY, THOUGH IS NOT A CONCRETE RESULT, BUT A PROMISE MADE BY A COMPANY WHOSE INTEREST IN MARKETING THEIR PRODUCT PUTS THEM AT ODDS WITH OUR COMMUNITY'S MORE LEGITIMATE INTEREST IN TRANSPARENCY. MEANWHILE, INDEPENDENT PEER REVIEWED RESEARCH DOES EXIST AND HAS FOUND NO IMPROVEMENT IN THE RATE AT WHICH GUN CRIMES ARE SOLVED WHEN SHOT SPOTTER WAS INTRODUCED TO CITIES LIKE KANSAS CITY AND CHICAGO. FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT MICROPHONES BE PHYSICALLY REMOVED IF THIS PASSES LEAKED. EMAILS IN THE PAST HAVE SHOWN THAT IN OTHER CITIES MICROPHONES REMAINED ON AND ALERTS CONTINUED EVEN AFTER THOSE CITIES CHOSE NOT TO CONTINUE THEIR CONTRACTS. UH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HARINI DESCON, FOLLOWED BY JACOB BROWN. THEN MILA HALLGREN. HARINI, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI. UM, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO AND REMOVING SHOT SPOTTER FROM OUR COMMUNITIES. UM, I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN CAMBRIDGE, UM, WHERE I LIVE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE, FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS ADDED LAYER OF SURVEILLANCE. BUT I THINK EVEN BEYOND THAT, WHAT'S ESPECIALLY DISCONCERTING ABOUT THIS IS THAT THIS IS NOT SURVEILLANCE THAT FALLS INTO CHARTED TERRITORY. THIS IS ALL DATA THAT'S BEING HANDED OVER TO A THIRD PARTY COMPANY, AND THEY'RE NOT A COMPANY THAT HAS ANY KIND OF INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY AT ALL. THEY'RE A COM. THEY'RE A COMPANY THAT CARES PRIMARILY ABOUT PROFITING. AND SO TO HAND OVER ALL OF OUR PRIVATE INFORMATION TO THIS COMPANY, UM, TO HAND OVER EVERY LITTLE BIT OF THE SHOT SPOTTERS, ALWAYS LISTENING IS DEEPLY DISCONCERTING, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CURRENT ERA AND ADMINISTRATION. WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT THIS COULD BE USED FOR. AS PEOPLE HAVE SAID MANY TIMES, THIS IS LINKED TO DHS AND ICE. WE DON'T WANT THEM HOLDING OUR SENSITIVE INFORMATION. AND BEYOND THAT, THIS REALLY DOESN'T ACTUALLY INCREASE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AT ALL. UM, THIS HAS FAR TOO HIGH OF AN ERROR RECORD AND LIKE FERMENTS DISTRUST IN THE COMMUNITY SUCH THAT MORE TRIED AND TRUE METHODS OF REPORTING SAFETY ISSUES ARE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH IF WE CONTINUE TO PUT IN SURVEILLANCE MACHINES. UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACOB BROWN, FOLLOWED BY MILA HALLGREN, THEN JAMES WILLIAMSON. JACOB HAS NOT JOINED. WE WILL GO TO MILA HALLGREN. UH, HI. MY NAME IS MILA HORE. UM, I HAVE BEEN LIVING AND WORKING IN CAMBRIDGE FOR, UH, THE PAST 10 YEARS. UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE USE OF SHOTSPOTTER SURVEILLANCE. UM, I CURRENTLY WORK WITH THE, UM, UM, PEOPLE, UH, YOUNG ADULTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN HARVARD SQUARE. UM, AND IN SPENDING TIME WITH THEM, I'VE SEEN ALREADY AN EXTENSIVE USE OF SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, ALREADY HAVE ACCESS TO. UM, I'VE SEEN POLICE AND SECURITY OFFICERS DISPATCHED, UM, BASED ON THE USE OF CAMERAS TO IDENTIFY, UM, MISCONDUCT SUCH AS VAPING IN THE VICINITY OF A BUILDING. UM, AND WHEN THESE EVENTS HAPPEN AND, YOU KNOW, OFFICERS ARRIVE, IT PRESENTS, UM, AT BEST AND ANNOYANCE TO THESE PEOPLE, THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. [01:25:01] UM, AND MORE GENERALLY, UM, FEAR, UM, BECAUSE THESE UNNECESSARY INTERACTIONS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT LEAD TO RACIST ARRESTS, THEY LEAD TO, UM, VIOLENT ARRESTS. AND AGAIN, UM, THE, UM, PROBLEM OF POVERTY AND HOUSELESSNESS IN THE CITY IS ONLY GROWING. IT'S URGENT. IT'S A CRISIS. AND THE FACT THAT WE ALL NEED TO SPEND HOURS HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON YET ANOTHER SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY, UH, DOESN'T, DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE TO ME. UM, AND OF COURSE, UH, UM, LIKE I'M, I'M TRYING TO SAY THE, THE PROBLEM IS, IS BROADER THAN SHOTSPOTTER. UM, I, UM, UNFORTUNATELY DOUBT THIS WILL BE THE LAST SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM THAT'S PUT BEFORE THE COUNCIL. UM, THEY'RE GOING TO GET, UM, UM, ESPECIALLY AS FUNDING DRASTICALLY INCREASES FOR SECURITY COMPANIES, AI SURVEILLANCE COMPANIES, UM, WE NEED TO STAND FIRM AS A CITY NOW AND SAY THAT WE REJECT THE FURTHER ENS EXPERIMENT OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS, UM, IN THESE DANGEROUS SURVEILLANCE TOOLS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAMES WILLIAMSON, FOLLOWED BY NEIL ROHR. THEN CHARLES FRANKLIN. JAMES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. THANK YOU. UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, I WANNA, UH, SAY SOMETHING ABOUT AN AGENDA ITEM UNDER UNFINISHED BUSINESS, AN ALLOCATION OF 10. WELL, FOR, UH, AUTHORIZING A LOAN, SEEKING A LOAN FOR $10 MILLION FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF WHAT ARE DESCRIBED AS IMPROVEMENTS FROM ALONG MASS AVE. UM, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THESE SO-CALLED IMPROVEMENTS ARE. EVERYTHING CITY, UH, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENTS, INDIVIDUALS DO, IS ALWAYS DESCRIBED AS IMPROVEMENTS. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IT ISN'T ALWAYS AN IMPROVEMENT, CERTAINLY NOT FOR MANY OF US WHO LIVE HERE. SO I THINK WE SHOULD KNOW, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ALLOWED TO BE PASSED AS OF MAY 18TH, WHICH IS TONIGHT. SO I THINK BEFORE YOU VOTE TO AUTHORIZE $10 MILLION FOR THESE SO-CALLED IMPROVEMENTS, WE DESERVE TO KNOW WHAT THEY SUPPOSEDLY ARE, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE, WHAT IS, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE PLANNING TO DO ALONG MASS AVE? IS IT GONNA BE DEDICATED, YOU KNOW, SEPARATED, UH, BIKE LANES ON BOTH SIDES OF MASS AVE TO, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF MAYBE HAVING THE BIKE LANES ON BISHOP ALLEN AND GREEN STREET, FOR EXAMPLE. ANYWAY, UH, BUT I, UH, THE MAIN THING I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS THE SOCIAL HOUSING, UH, ITEM AND 13 PEOPLE ARE APPOINTED. ONLY TWO OR THREE ARE TENANTS. UM, YES, WE, IT'S NOT BAD TO HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE APPOINTED BE PART OF IT. THEY HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE IN FINANCING. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE OR EXPERTISE IN WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE IN THE HOUSING. UM, AND IF THEY WERE DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB, WHY WOULD WE EVEN BE HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH, WHICH IS SOCIAL HOUSING. BY THE WAY, THE MEMO SAYS THERE'S AN ACT REPRESENTATIVE. THERE IS NO ACT REPRESENTATIVE. SO, UM, WE NEED TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF TENANTS, AND PLEASE DON'T MISREPRESENT THE, THE, THE, THE NATURE OF THE CURRENT REPRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NEIL ROHR. NEIL HAS NOT JOINED US. WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO SPEAKER NUMBER 46 CHARLES FRANKLIN, FOLLOWED BY KIT HAYNES, THEN AISHA WILSON. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSEL. WELL, OKAY, . GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL. CHARLES FRANKLIN, 1 6 2 HAMPSHIRE STREET. UH, EVERYBODY ELSE HAS SPOKEN ON SHOT SPOTTER, SO I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD ON THAT. HOWEVER, I WILL TALK ABOUT, UM, OUR AQUIFER. UH, IT CAN'T HELP TO FEEL, UH, THAT WE ARE ARE SPENDING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD ON OUR ATTEMPTS TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER THAT FEEDS, UH, FRESH POND. WE'VE SPENT MONEY ON LAND PURCHASES, LAWSUITS, AND PFAS FILTERS. ALL IN ALL, IN AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP CLEAN, UH, WHAT AMOUNTS TO HIGHWAY RUNOFF, OUR WATER IS SO BAD THAT ACCORDING TO A 2019 GBH ARTICLE, IT VOIDS WARRANTIES. LET'S FINALLY ADMIT THAT FRESH POND WATER ISN'T FRESH, AND JUST BITE THE BULLET AND SWITCH TO MWRA WATER 24 7 365. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KIT HAYNES, FOLLOWED BY AISHA WILSON. THEN MARTY LEVIN. KIT, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI. SO I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. I'VE BEEN HERE 15 YEARS. I CURRENTLY LIVE AT 1 0 1 REED STREET. FIRST I WANNA SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ELECTED MAYOR. WE VOTE FOR SCHOOL COMMITTEE SEPARATELY. THEN CITY COUNCIL, I WOULD'VE TOTALLY RANKED YOU DIFFERENTLY. ALL, UH, THEN WHAT FEELS LIKE SUPER ARBITRARILY, SOMEONE [01:30:01] FROM THE CITY COUNCIL IS PUT ON THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. THAT'S NOT A JOB WE EVALUATED CANDIDATE FOR. UH, BUT PRIMARILY I'M IN FAVOR OF TRY TO WRITE. NUMBER TWO, I REALIZED BAD SAID THIS EARLIER, BUT IF SHOT SPOTTER DIDN'T EXIST AND ASKED FOR APPROVAL, WE'D HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS LIKE, WHERE ARE THE SENSORS INSTALLED? IF THERE WAS AN INDICATION THAT THESE WOULD ONLY BE INSTALLED IN FORMER REDLINE DISTRICT, WE'D OBJECT. IF IT LOOKED LIKE AFTER THIS WAS THE CASE, THE COMPANY SHARED THAT THEY, THEY WOULDN'T SHARE WHERE THE SENSORS WERE INSTALLED. WE WOULDN'T THINK THAT WAS A SOLUTION. WE'D ALSO WANT TO KNOW HOW THE SENSORS WORKED IF THE POLICE WERE TOLD SOMETHING, SUCH AS, THE SENSORS DON'T WAKE UP UNTIL THERE'S 120 DEATH BY NOISE. AND WE LATER FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECORDING OF SPEECH THAT PROCEEDED THAT NOISE. WE'D WANNA LOOK INTO THAT BEFORE WE INSTALLED THE DEVICES. JUST LIKE FOR FLOCK, OUR TRUS IS BROKEN, AND AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, NO ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO REPAIR IT. I KNOW EVERYONE'S AUDIO ISN'T BEING PUBLISHED, BUT PUBLISHED ISN'T EVERYTHING. SO TO DRAW A METAPHOR THAT MIGHT HELP, UH, AS A MILLENNIAL, I WOULD NEVER TAKE A NUDE SELFIE SITE PUT ON THE CLOUD, NOT EVEN NOT INTENDING TO SHARE THAT. I'VE SEEN WAY TOO MANY CASES WHERE THE COMPANY WASN'T SECURE, AND THEN IT'S PUBLIC WITH CELEBRITIES INVOLVED. LIKEWISE, I NEVER WANNA HAVE MY CONVERSATIONS RECORDED AND SAVED TO A PRIVATE COMPANY. SOMETIMES I'M VULNERABLE IN THOSE MOMENTS. I'M SHARING SOMETHING INTIMATE. SOMETIMES I'M JUST TALKING IN WAYS THAT COULD BE TAKEN WIDELY OUTTA CONTEXT. IF I'M DOING A PUZZLE, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE RECORDED THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR THIS DUDE'S HEAD, WHICH IS A PUZZLE PIECE, AND SOMEHOW HAVE THAT END UP IN A LEGAL CASE. SIMILARLY, I WOULDN'T EVEN WANNA HAVE THE CAMERA ON IF I'M IN THE BATHROOM AND NOT WEARING CLOTHES. THAT'S TOO INTIMATE TO GIVE TO A PRIVATE COMPANY, EVEN IF IT'S PROMISED THAT THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY RECORDING THAT PARTICULAR ZOOM MEETING OR THAT PARTICULAR SENSE. THANKS. THANK YOU. UH, FORMER COUNCILLOR WILSON IS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US. SHE WILL EMAIL HER COMMENTS. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO MARTY LEVIN, FOLLOWED BY CHARLENE WILLIAMS, THEN DENISE HA HAYNES. MARTY. TWO MINUTES. THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. UH, I'VE HEARD IT SAID THAT IF YOU WANNA KNOW ABOUT WHAT A SOCIETY IS LIKE, LOOK AT ITS PRISON SYSTEM. YOU CAN ALSO SAY, WHAT, IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT A SOCIETY IS ABOUT, LOOK AT THE WAY ELDERLY ARE TREATED. I THINK IT'S VERY SHOCKING THAT WE'RE EVEN THINKING ABOUT CHARGING SENIORS FOR PERMIT, UH, PARKING PERMIT. WHY WOULD WE DO THAT TO, UH, SUCH A VULNERABLE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY, UH, THERE, YOU KNOW, UH, ELDERLY PEOPLE OF WHICH I AM, UH, PART OF. WE FACE A LOT OF THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE DON'T FACE, YOU KNOW, MANY ILLNESSES EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, FINANCIALLY. NOW, WHY WOULD WE ADD TO THAT BURDEN? LET'S MAKE CAMBRIDGE A REALLY COMPASSIONATE PLACE, AND THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO ALL OF HUMANITY, WHICH MAY BE LOOKING AT CAMBRIDGE AND NOT CHARGE SENIORS FOR PARKING PERMITS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHARLENE WILLIAMS. CHARLENE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. HI. UM, I'M SPEAKING ACTUALLY ON TWO THINGS. ONE, THE PARKING, I THINK SENIORS WHO CAN AFFORD, UH, PARKING. IE HOMEOWNERS. I LIVE AT THE BOTTOM. EXCUSE ME, MY NAME IS CHARLENE WILLIAMS. I LIVE AT THE BOTTOM OF AVON HILL. UM, THE, A LOT OF RICH PEOPLE, THEY CAN AFFORD IT, AND I THINK THAT'S FINE. I, WHEREAS THE, A SINGLE MOTHER WHO LIVES IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND HAS CHILDREN SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR PARKING THAT, UM, AS WELL AS SENIORS WHO DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY AS WELL. THAT, AND THEN SHOTS SPOTTER. I JUST FIND THAT IT'S JARRING, THAT IT'S CONSTANTLY ON. IT REMINDS ME OF, UM, GEORGE ORWELL'S, 1984, ALWAYS LISTENING, ALWAYS WATCHING. IT MAKES ME FEEL EERIE JUST TO WALK DOWN THE STREET. I CAN'T. AND THAT IS ABOUT ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DENISE HAYNES. UH, DENISE WAS NOT ABLE TO STAY. UM, AND WE WILL EMAIL HER COMMENTS. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO SARAH BERGMAN, FOLLOWED BY HEATHER HOFFMAN. HI, MY NAME IS SARAH AND I LIVE ON TROBRIDGE STREET. I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF CHARTER, RIGHT NUMBER TWO. I AM HERE AS A CONCERNED RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE OVER THE USE OF SHOT SPOTTER IN OUR CITY. I READ SHOT SPOTTER RECORDS FREQUENTLY, UH, RECORD FALSE POSITIVES AS HAS [01:35:01] BEEN STATED BEFORE. AND IT SEEMS LIKE AN INEFFECTIVE WAY TO SOLVE GUN VIOLENCE IN CAMBRIDGE. INSTEAD, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT SERVES TO SURVEIL OUR NEIGHBORS, ESPECIALLY IN PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS. OVER POLICING OUR COMMUNITY AND SIFTING THROUGH FALSE POSITIVES SOUNDS LIKE A WASTE OF OUR CITY'S TIME AND ENERGY. THIS MEASURE WILL CONTINUE TO BREED MISTRUST AMONG RESIDENTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND SOUNDS LIKE A RECIPE FOR FUTURE TRAGEDY. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT I FEEL HEARTENED TO SEE HOW ENGAGED MY NEIGHBORS ARE. THIS IS MY FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT THE COMMUNITY OF CIVIL ENGAGEMENT IN CAMBRIDGE HAS INVITED AND ENCOURAGED ME TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL TODAY IN SUPPORT OF CHARTER, RIGHT, NUMBER TWO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HEATHER HOFFMAN, FOLLOWED BY KOSH NAKA GAWA. HEATHER, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. HELLO, HEATHER HOFFMAN, TWO 13 HURLEY STREET. UM, MY USUAL COMMENT ABOUT LITIGATION, UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE EXTENDING THE TERM OF THE INTERIM CITY CLERK, I REPEAT WHAT I SAID IN YOUR MINUTES THAT ARE THERE FOR APPROVAL. THE CITY CLERK ROCKS. UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE, UM, CHARTER CHANGE TO ELECT THE MAYOR, I CONTINUE TO QUESTION LIKE, WHAT IS WHAT THIS IS FOR? THERE IS JUST NO INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THIS ELECTED MAYOR WOULD BE OR WHY, OR ANYTHING. AND, UM, I DO HOPE THAT GETS FLESHED OUT WITH RESPECT TO BUYING WITH OPEN SPACE AND LINCOLN. YES, I LIKE MY WATER TO BE CLEAN AND ALL OF THAT GOOD STUFF, BUT IT KEEPS REMINDING ME THAT THE ONLY PLACE THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE LIKES TREES IS IN LEXINGTON. AND THE ONLY PLACE THAT YOU SEEM TO LIKE OPEN SPACE IS IN LINCOLN. AND I WISH YOU WOULD REEXAMINE YOUR, UM, YOUR CHOICES WITH RESPECT TO THE PARKING PERMITS. I AM STILL DISGUSTED AT THE WAY THIS WAS FRAMED. IT IS, IT IS SO MUCH LIKE THE PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON THAT WE, WE ARE SUING IN THAT FIRST THING I TALKED ABOUT. IT'S YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED. UM, WITH, WITH RESPECT TO THE CITY COUNCIL RULES. UM, FIRST OFF, EVERYTHING JOHN HAWKINSON SAID, I I AGREE WITH AND JOIN. SECONDLY, UM, I NOTICED THAT A BIG FOCUS IS CUTTING DOWN PUBLIC COMMENT. WE SAW, UM, A FAILED EXAMPLE TODAY, AND I DON'T WANNA SEE THAT. THANK YOU, HEATHER. THANK YOU, HEATHER. MADAM MAYOR, OUR FINAL SPEAKER, KOSH NAWA. KOSH. I APOLOGIZE IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU GOOD? I LIVE ON MADISON A I HAVE SINCE BIRTH, UH, AND I'M SPEAKING AGAINST THE USAGE OF SHOTSPOTTER. I ALSO GRADUATED FROM STANFORD UNIVERSITY WITH A DEGREE IN ENGINEERING. AND ONE THING THAT I LEARNED THERE WAS HOW TECHNOLOGY IS THROWN LIBERALLY AT ALL PROBLEMS WITHOUT PROPER EVIDENCE OF ITS UTILITY. I ALSO LEARNED THAT NOT ONLY DO COMPANIES MAKE SALES FROM LIES, THEY MAKE FURTHER PROFIT FROM THE DATA THEY COLLECT. SHOT SPOTTER IS NO DIFFERENT. IT HAS NOT BEEN PEER REVIEWED. THE CITIES THAT USE IT DO NOT OWN THEIR DATA. AND THERE'S NO, THERE'S BEEN NO INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF THEIR DATA COLLECTION PRACTICES. COMPANIES REGULARLY SETTLE LAWSUITS BECAUSE OF THEIR ILLEGAL DATA COLLECTION. GOOGLE'S DONE IT NOT SO LONG AGO BECAUSE OF ILLEGALLY USING OUR MICROPHONES. SO WHAT HAS SHOTSPOTTER DONE TO EARN OUR TRUST? BUT NOW LET ME SPEAK TO YOU ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. I'M A BROWN PERSON AND I FEEL THE EYES OF THE POLICE WHENEVER THEY'RE AROUND ME. MY FAMILY HAS HAD MANY BAD EXPERIENCES WITH THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE, WHERE THEY PROFILED US AND ESCALATED CALM SITUATIONS. I DON'T WANT THE POLICE SHOWING UP IF MY CAR BACKFIRES OR IF MY NEIGHBOR OR I DON'T WANT THEM IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, IF MY NEIGHBOR SET OFF, UM, FIREWORKS, WHICH I LIVE NEAR RUSSELL FIELD, HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. UM, AND LASTLY, I WANNA SAY LIKE, DID IT SOLVE, DID IT HELP SOLVE THE MURDER OF XAVIER LEWIS JOCKS? HE GRADUATED FROM RIDGE A YEAR AFTER I DID, AND WAS TRAGICALLY KILLED BY GUN VIOLENCE IN 2021 BY THE PEN PEMBERTON BASKETBALL COURTS. DID CHOP SPOTTER HELP SOLVE HIS MURDER? IT DIDN'T. IT'S STILL UNSOLVED. SO I ASK THAT WE DISCONTINUE THE USAGE OF SHOTSPOTTER AND REMOVE ALL THE MICROPHONES ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT IS ALL [01:40:01] THAT WE'RE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THEIR TESTIMONY ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED. WE MOVE ON TO THE SUBMISSION OF [SUBMISSION OF THE RECORD] THE RECORD. THERE ARE TWO MINUTES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL ME MEETING HELD ON DECEMBER 8TH, 2025 AND DECEMBER 15TH, 2025. THERE WAS, UM, A MINOR ERROR, UH, BUT THAT WILL BE FIXED IN THE FINAL, SO WE DO NOT NEED TO DO ANYTHING. WE'LL GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR ZUZI TO ACCEPT TO APPROVE THESE MINUTES AND PLACE THEM ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. THOSE TWO SETS OF MINUTES ARE APPROVED AND PLACED ON FILE. THERE ARE NO RECONSIDERATIONS. SO WE'LL MOVE ON [CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA] TO THE CITY MANAGER MANAGER'S AGENDA. I WILL PULL ONE 10 AND 11 AND THEN PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON OTHERS. THEY'D LIKE TO PULL COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. WE'LL PULL NUMBER FIVE. ANYONE ELSE? UH, COUNCILOR NOLAN? YEAH, I, SINCE IT'S RELATED TO FIVE, I THINK PULLING SIX AT THE SAME TIME. MAKES SENSE. WE'LL PULL NUMBER SIX. HEARING NONE ON THE REMAINDER. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THE REMAINDER OF THE CITY MANAGER AGENDA AS THEY, THERE ARE PREPARATIONS. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. ABSENT COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT. THOSE AGENDA ITEMS ARE APPROPRIATED AND PLACED ON FILE. WE'LL GO AHEAD TO CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE. THIS IS A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO A FEDERAL UPDATE, INCLUDING AN UPDATE ON RELEVANT COURT CASES. AND I JUST PULLED THIS TO MAKE SURE THERE, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE, YOU CAN HAVE THE SPACE. THANK YOU TO YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UM, THERE HASN'T BEEN, UM, MANY DEVELOPMENTS RECENTLY, UH, BUT THERE ARE MAYBE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO MENTION. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ASSISTANT CITY SOLICITOR LE BIANCA TO GIVE US JUST A COUPLE UPDATES. YOU, MADAM. THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UH, THE CITY DID JOIN, UH, AMICUS BRIEF FILED IN THE LOUISIANA VERSUS FDA CASE, UH, WHICH IS, UM, THE ABORTION PILL CASE. UH, BASICALLY THE SUPREME COURT HAS, UH, PUT IN PLACE A STAY PENDING THE FIFTH CIRCUIT'S, UH, RULING ON THE, THE ACTUAL LEGAL ISSUES IN THE CASE, UH, WHICH WILL ALLOW, UM, STATES SUCH AS MASSACHUSETTS TO SHIP, UH, ABORTION, UH, RELATED MEDICINES TO LOUISIANA. UM, SO THAT WE'LL STILL WAIT FOR A FINAL OUTCOME ON THAT ONE. UH, THE OTHER, WE CONTINUE TO, UM, PARTICIPATE IN LITIGATION RELATED TO THE, UH, CONTINUUM OF CARE, UM, FUNDING. AND WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP ON SOME FURTHER, UH, PROCEDURAL MATTERS IN THAT CASE AS WE PROCEED THROUGH THE THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTERS. UM, HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYONE HAS PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY AND DREW, YOU, MADAM MAYOR. HAS ANYBODY SEEN, AND I'M, I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'VE BEEN FILED YET, BUT THE APPELLATE BRIEFS YET IN THE, UH, IN THE HARVARD CASE. I'M JUST INTERESTED BY IT. SO I HAVEN'T LOOKED MYSELF, SO I HAVE NO IDEA. UH, THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, THERE, THE HARVARD CASE INVOLVING FOREIGN STUDENTS. THERE WERE, IF, IF THAT'S ONE OF THE ONES. YOU MEAN THE, UH, COUNCIL FLAHERTY? I'M SORRY. THE ONE IN THE FIRST CIRCUIT WITH THE, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING WHERE, UM, IT'S ON PAGE NINE. UH, NO, THAT, UM, I BELIEVE THAT ONE THERE WAS, UH, THEY ACTUALLY, HARVARD HAS NOT FILED ITS BRIEFING, AND I BELIEVE ON MAY 12TH OR THEREABOUT, THE FIRST CIRCUIT ENTERED AN ORDER SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT INCLINED TO GIVE A FURTHER EXTENSION, BUT I BELIEVE THEY HAVE AN EXTENSION [01:45:01] THROUGH JUNE OR JULY. OKAY. TO FILE THEIR BRIEF. UM, AND THE, THE BRIEF THAT WE HAVE AN AMICUS BRIEF IN THAT WE ACTUALLY, OUR OFFICE FILED IN CONJUNCTION WITH, UH, THE LAW FIRM SAFE FORCE SHAW, WE STILL HAVE NOT SCHEDULED. THERE ARE NO ARGUMENTS SCHEDULED AND THAT ONE YET, THE INTENT OF THE FIRST CIRCUIT IS TO COMBINE, UH, THE FOREIGN STUDENTS CASE AND THE, UH, FUNDING CASE INTO ONE ARGUMENT. SO NO UPDATES YET ON WHEN THAT'S GONNA OCCUR. WELL, GOOD LUCK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR NOLAN. THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI. UM, FOLLOWING UP SOME ON THAT, WE HAD THE, THE COMMUNICATION FROM MIT THIS WEEK ABOUT THE, THE PRESIDENT INDICATING THAT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF FUNDING ARE AT RISK. THEY ARE ONE OF OUR LARGEST, UH, UM, EMPLOYERS AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTING TO THE CITY. I KNOW THE, THE HARVARD CASES, THERE'S MANY, MANY ON THE DOCKET. HARVARD JUST ANNOUNCED THAT IT HAD GONE FROM SPENDING DOUBLE DIGITS, 20 MILLION ON LEGAL FEES TO $120 MILLION ON THE PAST YEAR JUST BECAUSE OF THESE FEDERAL CASES. SO DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF HOW OUR CASES ARE PROCEEDED FORWARD, OR ARE THERE ANY IN THIS THAT RELATE TO THE MIT FUNDING AS WELL? BECAUSE WHAT THEY INDICATED IS THAT NOT ONLY THIS YEAR FUNDING IS DOWN, BUT THAT THEY ANTICIPATE IN THE FUTURE IT'LL REDUCE SIGNIFICANTLY, AND THAT WHILE THEY WILL CONTINUE TO ACCEPT SOME GRADUATE STUDENTS, THAT THE NUMBER WILL BE GOOD DOWN, I THINK 10 TO 20%. SO IS THERE SOMETHING IN THESE LEGAL CASES THAT ARE ADDRESSING THAT, UH, THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR? WE ARE INVOLVED IN COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS VERSUS NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH. UM, THAT IS, BUT IN THAT ONE, MY RECOLLECTION IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS PROBABLY PASSED THE PERIOD TO APPEAL, UM, AT THIS POINT. AND THAT WAS A DECISION, UH, THAT ENJOIN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S CAP ON ALL NEW GRANTS. SO THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE THAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN OR WERE INVOLVED IN. UH, OTHERWISE I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY THAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN DIRECTLY. AND JUST TO ADD, UM, I AGREE WITH, UH, ATTORNEY LE BIANCA. WE ARE NOT INVOLVED IN ANY DIRECTLY, UM, REGARDING MIT SITUATION, BUT BECAUSE MIT SHARES, YOU KNOW, A SIMILAR STATUS TO HARVARD WHERE THE CITY HAS A SIGNIFICANT INTEREST, UH, WE WILL DEFINITELY LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT MIT IN ANY WAY THAT, THAT WE CAN, AND IT'S APPROPRIATE. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. I RECOGNIZE THIS IS A LOT ALREADY ON YOUR PLATE, JUST LIKE HARVARD. THE, UH, WORKLOAD FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO INCREASED DRAMATICALLY, AND YET IT'S OBVIOUSLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITY AND FOR OUR FINANCES AND FOR OUR RESIDENTS, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD. NOT TO MENTION THE LARGER ISSUES OF, UH, SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY AND DEMOCRACY, WHICH ARE AT STAKE, BUT LITERALLY JUST FOR OUR CITY'S OWN, UH, FINANCIAL AND, UM, AND RESIDENTS HEALTH AND WELLBEING. I THINK I'M, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE'LL AT LEAST BE FOLLOWING IT. AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT, I TRUST THAT YOU WILL TELL US. I, I UNDERSTAND THE, UM, SOME OF THE HARVARD CASES, THE BRIEFS ARE NOW NOT DUE TILL TILL JULY, AND SO THERE WAS AN EXTENSION. WE'RE NOT SURE WHEN THAT'LL BE FILED. AND THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AMICUS BRIEF AT THAT POINT BY A RANGE OF, OF PARTIES, INCLUDING HOPEFULLY THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THESE. AND THEN ON SOME OF THE FUNDING AND THE, UH, UH, SOME OF THE CASES RELATED TO OVERREACH BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, NOT JUST ON FUNDING, BUT ALSO HOMELAND SECURITY AND ICE. I APPRECIATE ALL THE ATTENTION THAT THE CITY HAS PAID TO THIS AND HOPE THERE'S NOT FURTHER NEWS AS THEY DO EVEN MORE, UM, EGREGIOUS, UH, FLOUTING OF EXISTING LAW. THANK YOU. WITH THAT, UM, MAYOR SADIKA YIELD. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I DID HAVE ONE MORE UPDATE. YEAH. REGARDING, UH, THE UNITED STATES VERSUS CITY OF BOSTON. UH, THERE WAS A MOTION TO DISMISS, UH, THAT WAS HEARD ON MAY 13TH. THAT IS THE ONE WHERE BOSTON, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SUING BOSTON, SEEKING INJUNCTIVE RELIEF THAT THE ITS SANCTUARY POLICIES VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTIONAL SUPREMACY CLAUSE. AND WE HAVE AN AMICUS BRIEF FILED IN THAT ONE AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER, UM, HANDS UP ON THIS. SO APPRECIATE THE ONGOING WORK. WE'LL GO AHEAD, UH, ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN TO PLACE CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE IS PLACED ON FILE. WE'LL GO TO CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO THE APPROPRIATION OF $450,000 TO SUPPORT THE PURCHASE OF FOUR PARCELS OF LAND LOCATED WITHIN THE TOWN OF LINCOLN, MASSACHUSETTS. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. [01:50:01] AND SINCE THEY'RE RELATED, WE CAN SUSPEND ALL ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALSO BRING FORWARD, UH, SIX, WHICH IS A, UH, APPROPRIATION OF 350,000 FROM THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT AFFAIRS WOULD GO AHEAD AND, UH, AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR ON SUSPENSION TO TAKE THOSE TWO AT THE SAME TIE, SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAIN SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. WE'RE IN SUSPENSION. SO BOTH THOSE ITEMS ARE BEFORE US. I'LL GO TO COUNSELOR FLAHERTY, AND THEN I'LL GO TO COUNSELOR NOLAN. SO JUST TWO QUICK THANK YOU THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. JUST TWO QUICK QUESTIONS. UH, THE FIRST IS, THE SECOND ONE'S KIND OF SILLY, BUT THE FIRST IS, UH, WE ACTUALLY TAKEN TITLE OF THE PROPERTY. 'CAUSE I SAW ON THE DOCUMENTS WE'RE TAKING A FEE INTEREST. AND THE SECOND ONE IS, I THINK I KNOW WHERE THIS IS, AND I'VE STRUGGLED TO UNDERSTAND THE MAP, BUT IF YOU COULD DESCRIBE IT, I THINK IT'S RIGHT ALONG ROUTE TWO, AS YOU PASS, YOU COME DOWN THAT ROAD ALONGSIDE THE WATER, YOU TAKE A RIGHT ONTO ROUTE TWO, AND IT'S ON YOUR RIGHT. AM I CORRECT? IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT'S RIGHT? WHAT, WHAT I'M LOOKING AT ON THE MAP? I, I, I HATE TO DISPLAY MY IGNORANCE, BUT I REALLY DON'T KNOW. UH, YES. UH, THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR. UM, YES. UH, COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY, YES, YOU'RE CORRECT IN THE LOCATION. IT'S RIGHT OFF OF ROUTE TWO AS YOU'RE GOING, UH, YOU KNOW, WEST, HEADING OUT OF THE CITY ON ROUTE TWO, RIGHT AFTER YOU CROSS OVER WHERE YOU CAN SEE OUR RESERVOIR, THE END OF THE HABSBURG RESERVOIR, UH, THE, UH, PROPERTY IS JUST, UH, THAT WOODED AREA OFF TO THE RIGHT, OR EXCUSE ME, OFF TO THE LEFT. UH, AS FAR AS THE, UH, TITLE QUESTION GOES, I'LL REFER TO OUR WATERSHED MANAGER, DAVE KAPLAN, THROUGH YOU MAD MAYOR. YES. OUR INTENT IS TO OWN THIS LAND AND FEE. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. IS THERE ANY FOLLOW UP FROM CITY MANAGER? WELL, I THINK, OH, UH, SURE. I THINK, UM, IN JUST AS ADDITIONAL CONTEXT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS TERM THAT WE'VE COME FORWARD WITH A WATERSHED PROTECTION, UH, PROPOSAL FOR ACQUISITION. UM, I WOULD SAY THE PROPOSAL IN FRONT OF YOU IS EXTRAORDINARILY A BETTER DEAL THAN SOME OF THE ONES WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY FOR IN THE PAST. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE OVERALL CONTEXT IS THAT WE HAVE, UH, AN EXTRAORDINARY WATER DEPARTMENT THAT WHEN WE ACTUALLY RUN THE NUMBERS, WE ARE PROVIDING CLEAN, SUSTAINABLE, DRINKING WATER FOR OUR COMMUNITY AT A MUCH LOWER RATE THAN IF WE WERE TO SIMPLY BUY FROM THE MWRA. UM, WE ARE UNIQUE AS A COMMUNITY IN THAT WE BOTH HAVE OUR OWN WATER SUPPLY, AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY ISSUE, WE CAN JUST, IT'S A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED THAN FLIPPING A SWITCH. UM, BUT WE CAN TURN ON A BACKUP SUPPLY FROM THE MWRA, BUT THE COST IS ACTUALLY MUCH HIGHER IN TERMS OF JUST THE RATE THAT THEY CHARGE COMPARED TO, UH, WHAT IT COSTS US TO RUN OUR OWN TREATMENT FACILITY AND PROVIDE FRESH DRINKING WATER FOR OUR COMMUNITY. UM, THE ISSUE IS, AND THE CHALLENGE, AND THIS IS SORT OF THE CONTEXT FOR THIS PROPOSAL, BUT THE CHALLENGE IS THAT OUR, THE UNDERLYING WATERSHED, WE DON'T OWN A LOT OF IT. AND SO WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY COMES UP, UM, WE DO BOTH LOOK FOR OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING, BUT ACTUALLY BUYING UP SOME OF THOSE PARCELS TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE PROTECTED IS A PART OF OUR OVERALL STRATEGY. UM, AND IT IS MORE EFFICIENT THAN SIMPLY, UH, PURCHASING FROM THE MWA. SO I THINK, I THINK WE'VE DONE SOME OF THESE BEFORE, BUT THAT'S THE OVERALL CONTEXT. HAVE I MISSED ANYTHING? DEPUTY CITY MANAGER OR, OR DIRECTOR? NO, I MEAN, THE, UM, THREE MADAM, THE ONLY OTHER TWO THINGS I WOULD JUST ADD IS THAT FOR FOLKS THAT WERE, WERE AROUND PREVIOUS, UM, WE DID DO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH COUNCIL AT THAT TIME TO, UM, THE CITY MANAGER'S POINT THAT WAS IN THE LAST COUNCIL SESSION. AND THESE THINGS TAKE A LITTLE TIME AND THEN JUST ALSO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN AMAZING SPLIT BETWEEN $450,000 WOULD COME FROM THE WATER FUND TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT. AND THEN AT THE SECOND PACKAGE IS A $350,000 GRANT. SO, AS THE CITY MANAGER WAS SAYING, REALLY TAKING A VERY PROACTIVE, UM, EFFORT TO PROTECT YOUR WATER SUPPLY AND THEN ALSO CONTINUE TO BE REALLY ACTIVE ABOUT GETTING GRANTS TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS. WELL, DREW, YOU MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA AND, UH, I CONGRATULATE FOR YOU, YOU, FOR MAKING THE DEAL. I THINK IT'S OUTSTANDING. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE COUNCILOR NOLAN, AND THEN COUNCILOR SUZI. THANK YOU MAYOR SIDIKI. UM, AND THANK YOU TO THE STAFF WHO WORKED ON THIS. I DID REMEMBER THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION AND KNOW THAT WE HAD BEEN APPRISED THAT THIS WAS AT LEAST A POSSIBILITY. UM, IN THE PAST, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO JUST BE REMINDED OF WHY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO BUY THIS ADDITIONAL LAND. WE ALREADY OWN, I THINK, 1400 ACRES OF LAND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT. AND AS ANYONE WHO FOLLOWS ME KNOWS, I FOR SOME REASON WEEKLY CHECK OUR WATER LEVELS. JUST TO MAKE [01:55:01] SURE I CAN TELL YOU, WHICH IS WHY WE HAD THAT POLICY ORDER TO SAY WE MAY BE HEADED INTO, INTO CHALLENGING TIMES, UM, BECAUSE OF THE LEVELS IN OUR RESERVOIR ARE STILL FAR, FAR, FAR BELOW THE, UM, THE 15 YEAR, UM, AVERAGE. HOWEVER, I THINK WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING IS WHY IS THIS LAND IN PARTICULAR SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR, FOR OUR WATERSHED, UM, MOVING FORWARD, UH, THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR? UM, ANYTIME THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUY, UH, ANY GREEN SPACE, UH, THAT IS IN PROXIMITY IN, UH, ABUTTING OUR RESERVOIRS OR OTHER WATERSHED PROTECTION LAND, I THINK IT'S WELL WORTH IT. UM, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO PURSUE THAT. UM, AND IN THIS CASE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING, UH, 52 PLUS ACRES FOR A TOTAL VALUE OR TOTAL COST OF 800,000, AND WE GOT A $350,000 GRANT FOR THAT. I MEAN, GETTING, UM, THAT TYPE OF, THAT MUCH LAND, SOME OF IT ZONE A IS, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY UNHEARD OF. ESPECIALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, IN OUR WATERSHED AREA WHERE DEVELOPING DEVELOPMENT IS HAPPENING VERY FAST AND PROPERTY IS VERY EXPENSIVE. UM, THERE ARE OTHER ADVANTAGES AS WELL. THIS, THIS PROPERTY IS VERY UNIQUE. IT'S KIND OF A THREE PRONG, UH, SITUATION. UM, BUT OUR WATERSHED MANAGER, DAVE KAPLAN, IS MUCH MORE FAMILIAR AND I'LL, I'LL DEFER TO HIM TO EXPLAIN, UH, SOME OF THE PARTICULARS. THANK YOU, UH, THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UM, WE PRIORITIZE LAND THAT IS CLOSE TO THE WATER RESOURCE. AND WITH THIS PURCHASE WE ARE, UM, OBTAINING LAND. OVER 50% OF THAT ACREAGE IS WITHIN 200 FEET OF A, UM, A WATER RESOURCE THAT'S CONNECTED TO OUR RESERVOIR. SO A TRIBUTARY STREAM OR WETLAND SYSTEMS THAT SURROUND THOSE, UH, STREAMS. SO THEREFORE, UM, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPED LAND, UM, MORE PROXIMAL TO THOSE WATER RESOURCES HAS A DISPROPORTIONAL IMPACT AND A MORE, UH, IT GIVES US A HIGHER SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CONTAMINATION. SO THAT'S HOW WE TRY TO PRIORITIZE SOME OF THESE LAND PURCHASES. COUNCILLOR NOLAN, THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, I LOVE CAMBRIDGE WATER. I FOLLOW IT. AND I ALSO KNOW AND AGREE, AND HAVING READ ALL THE REPORTS THAT THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN WARRANTIES ON, UH, PARTICULARLY CAFE ESPRESSO MACHINES ARE VOIDED USING CAMBRIDGE WATER BECAUSE OF THE HIGH NUMBER OF TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS. NOT THROUGH FAULT OF OUR OWN, BUT BECAUSE THERE ARE, THE PROXIMITY TO HIGHWAYS MEANS THAT THERE'S, THERE'S SOME LEVELS OF CONTAMINANTS IN IT THAT ARE NOT HEALTH RISKS, BUT THEY ARE CHALLENGES THAT THE WATER DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON EVERY DAY TO TRY TO DO WHAT, HOW I SEE THIS PURCHASE IS IT'S TRYING TO BROADEN IT OUT SO THAT WE CAN DIFFUSE SOME OF THAT AND HOPEFULLY GET TO A POINT WHERE WE ARE NO LONGER NEEDING TO, TO HAVE THOSE VOIDED WARRANTIES IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO JUST TO COMMUNICATING, UM, WHAT IT IS THAT, THAT THE, THE PROFILE OF OUR WATER HAS. UM, I'LL NOTE, YES, OUR, OUR WATER RATES ARE LOWER, ALTHOUGH OUR SEWER RATES ARE MUCH HIGHER. SO THE COMBINED RATE RIGHT NOW IS, IS PRETTY COMPARABLE TO MANY OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHETHER WE DO IN THE FUTURE. SO THANK YOU. I VERY MUCH HOPE WE DON'T SWITCH TO MW BERRY WATER IN A MONTH OR TWO, BUT I AM, UH, IF I WAS TAKING BETS, I WOULD SAY WE, WE, WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE OF DOING THAT BASED ON THE RAINFALL. SO THANK YOU MAYOR SADIKA YIELD. WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR ZI. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR FORETHOUGHT AND RESOURCEFULNESS IN ACQUIRING THIS LAND. I WAS CONFUSED 'CAUSE UM, UM, I THOUGHT YOU HAD PURCHASED 65 ACRES. 'CAUSE IT SAYS 27 ACRES OF SURFACE WATER SUPPLY PROTECTION ZONE, A 18 OUTSTANDING RESOURCE, CLOSE TO A TRIBUTARY, AND THEN 20 ACRES OF WOODLANDS. SO WAS IT 65 ACRES OR 52 ACRES THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR? UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S, UM, THE TOTAL ACREAGE OF RESOURCES, SOME OF WHICH OVERLAP THAT ARE OVERLAP. OKAY. WELL, ANYWAY, UM, STILL JUST DOING SOME SIMPLE DIVISION, UH, IT'S LESS THAN, UM, IT'S JUST OVER $8,500 AN ACRE. SO THAT IS REALLY A, A, A GOOD, GOOD PRICE. I GUESS I SHOULDN'T BE SAYING THAT, BUT, UH, GREAT, GREAT WORK. AND, UM, MAY THAT PROTECT OUR WATER. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS FROM THE BODY OR ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID BY CITY STAFF? SO WE'LL GO AHEAD. WE'LL DO TWO SEPARATE VOTES. SO THE FIRST, UH, VOTE, UM, FOR THIS ITEM IS FOR CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM FIVE IS TO ADOPT THE APPROPRIATION AND ADOPT ORDERS FIVE A, FIVE B, AND FIVE C AND THEN PLACE [02:00:01] COMMUNICATION ON FILE. SO WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE GO AHEAD. THOSE, THE, THE PREPARATION'S BEEN ADOPTED. SO WE'LL GO TO CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, AND WE'LL DO ANOTHER ROLL CALL ADOPTING THIS ORDER AND PLACING THE COMMISSION COMMUNICATION ON FILE. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZI? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. MAYOR SIDIKI. COUNCILOR NOLAN. I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE RECONSIDERATION FOR THE PUR, UH, MOVE SUSPENSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECONSIDERATION ON THE TWO VOTES THAT WE JUST TOOK PURSUANT, UH, PERTAINING TO THE VOTE ON THE, UH, PURCHASE OF THE LAND. GOT IT. SO COUNCILOR NOLAN WILL BE MOVING FOR RECONSIDERATION. AND SO, SUSPENSION OF THE RULES, WE'LL HAVE TO DO TWO VOTES. WE'LL FIRST DO THE SUSPENSION AND THEN GO FROM THERE. COUNCIL FLORE ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. NOW WE'LL GO TO THE RECONSIDERATION. COUNCILOR ZUBE? NO. NO. VICE MAYOR ZE? NO. NO. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? NO. NO. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? NO. NO. COUNCILOR NOLAN? NO. NO. COUNSELOR SIMMONS? NO. NO. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. NO. NO. COUNSELOR. EY. NO. NO. MAYOR SIDIKI. NO. NO. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. SO RECONSIDERATION PHIL. SO WE WILL, WE'RE ALL SET THERE. UH, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER AG AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10. THIS IS A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO A REPORT ON SOCIAL HOUSING. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION BY COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER, TO ALSO BRING FORWARD CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11, WHICH IS A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM YAN WONG CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO APPOINTMENTS TO THE SOCIAL HOUSING TASK FORCE. AND ON THAT MOTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. WE ARE IN SUSPENSION. I WANTED JUST TO SAY A FEW WORDS BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO CITY STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN CLOSELY INVOLVED, UH, AND TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST QUICKLY OPEN WITH SOME CONTEXT. UH, I'M EXCITED THAT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, THESE ITEMS BEFORE US. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, SOCIAL HOUSING AND FIGURING OUT WHAT THAT IS FOR SOME TIME. UH, AND SO THIS IS THE BEGINNING. AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GROWING INTEREST IN THE TOPIC ACROSS, UH, THE COUNCIL, ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. AND TO JUST RECAP HOW WE GOT HERE, THIS CAME BEFORE COUNCIL FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST SEPTEMBER WHEN COUNCILLOR SERENA WHEELER MCGOVERN WILSON AND I FILED A POLICY ORDER ASKING THE CITY TO START LOOKING INTO THIS AND TO CONVENE THE HOUSING COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS THIS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL SIDE. THE VICE MAYOR AND I THEN HELD A HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING IN DECEMBER, WHERE WE BROUGHT TOGETHER THE CAMBRIDGE HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION, THE CAMBRIDGE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE JOINT CENTER FOR HOUSING STUDIES AT HARVARD, AND THE CAMBRIDGE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO JUST SET THE STAGE A LITTLE BIT AND HAVE MORE OF A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT SOCIAL HOUSING COULD MEAN MEANS. UH, AND SO THAT INTEREST THAT CAME, THE INTEREST THAT CAME OUT OF THE CONVERSATION, UH, WAS EVIDENT AND IT CARRIED FORWARD TO THIS TERM. AND MOST RECENTLY IT CAME UP AS AN AREA OF INTEREST FOR, FOR ALL OF US, UH, IN A LONG-TERM PRIORITY SETTING PROCESS, WHICH WAS LED BY COUNSELORS, NOLAN AND COUNSELORS ZUBIE AS COACHES, OR FI FINANCE. SO TO WRAP WHAT'S, UH, BEFORE US, UH, WE HAVE TWO CMAS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO ESTABLISH A NEW TASK FORCE PER OUR UPDATED CHARTER, WHICH REQUIRES THAT ALL MULTI-MEMBER BODIES BE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL, ALONG WITH THE HIGH LEVEL SCOPE THAT'S BEFORE US. AND SO I WANNA JUST, UH, REALLY THANK THE CITY MANAGER FOR, AND THEN THE TEAM, MELISSA AND JEN AND CHRIS, UH, ON THEIR PARTNERSHIP IN DOING THIS. I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES, UH, WHO'VE BEEN VERY INVOLVED, COUNSELOR SERENA WHEELER AND, UH, COUNSELOR ZUBIE, UH, AND REALLY A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO'VE WANTED US TO GET HERE. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND, UH, I THINK WE'RE ALL, UH, CURIOUS [02:05:01] AND EXCITED TO, TO GET TO WORK. SO WANTED TO SET THAT CONTEXT. UM, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL. UH, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILOR, COUNSELOR ZUBI. THANKS, UH, MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UH, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS TASK FORCE. I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF 'CAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN OP-ED IN CAMBRIDGE DAY, MYSELF AND, UH, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCILOR ZUBIE TALKING ABOUT THE TASK FORCE AND, YOU KNOW, UH, BACKGROUND BEHIND IT WHERE WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH IT. IF FOLKS HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, WANNA LEARN MORE, THAT OP-ED IS IN CAMBRIDGE DAY. I'LL JUST SAY THIS IS THE LONG TIME IN THE MAKING. UH, FOLKS HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING AROUND FOR YEARS AROUND SOCIAL HOUSING, INCLUDING HERE IN NEW ENGLAND. AND WE COULD TALK A LOT ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS ABOUT WHAT SOCIAL HOUSING IS. UH, IT'S IN MY MIND, A BIG PART OF IT IS GETTING BACK PUBLIC HOUSING BACK TO THE ROOTS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEW DEAL ERA, HAVING, UH, MIXED INCOME PUBLIC HOUSING WHERE PEOPLE OF ALL INCOME LEVELS, ALL BACKGROUNDS CAN LIVE TOGETHER IN A, UH, PUBLIC HOUSING, HAVE HOUSING BE, YOU KNOW, A COMMUNITY RESOURCE, A PLACE, UH, WHERE FOLKS CAN OF ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS CAN LIVE TOGETHER. AND A PLACE WHERE, BECAUSE THERE'S NO, UH, NEED TO PAY BACK INVESTORS, YOU CAN USE THE INCOME FROM THE RENTS TO HAVE GREAT IMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY SPACES AND GREEN SPACES, AND EXPAND AFFORDABILITY, CREATE ADDITIONAL SOCIAL HOUSING. UM, UH, EXCITED TO HAVE THIS COME OUT OF THE POLICY ORDER. AND AS A NEXT STEP AROUND SOCIAL HOUSING, I WANNA THANK, UH, MAYOR SADIKI, COUNCILLOR ZUBI CITY STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK ON THIS, AND THANK THE MEMBERS FOR THE TASK FORCE FOR BEING WILLING TO SERVE. UH, AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO, TO STARTING THE WORK. YOU'LL BACK COUNCILOR ZU. THANK YOU, THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, AND DEFINITELY APPRECIATE WHAT COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER SAID AND WHAT YOU SAID AS WELL, MAYOR. UM, I'LL KEEP MIND ALSO VERY BRIEF. UH, SOCIAL HOUSING IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CREATE VIBRANT HOUSING, UM, FOR RESIDENTS THAT IS PUBLICLY OWNED, PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE, AND CONTROLLED AND GOVERNED BY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE. I JUST WANNA EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN A PART OF THIS FROM THE CITY STAFF, UH, TO THE ELECTEDS THAT ARE HERE AND TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL, WHO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THIS AND HOPEFULLY LEAD IN MASSACHUSETTS ON WHAT SOCIAL HOUSING CAN LOOK LIKE. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO APPROACHING THIS THOUGHTFULLY AND AUTHENTICALLY. AND YEAH, I'LL YIELD COUNCILOR SUZI. UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY HOW EXCITED I AM ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE. TWO, IT'LL BE, UM, EXCITING TO SEE WHERE YOU TAKE THIS. AND I LIKE TO HEAR MY FELLOW CO COLLEAGUES TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY SPACES AND GREEN SPACES FOR LIVABILITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'LL GO TO CITY. OH, GO AHEAD COUNCILOR NOLAN. JUST QUICKLY, I THINK WE'RE ALL EXCITED ABOUT THIS. AS THE MAYOR LAID OUT, IT'S COME OUT OF A LONG CONVERSATION FROM MANY DIFFERENT, UH, AREAS IN THE CITY AND IN PARTICULAR TO HIGHLIGHT THE IDEA OF MIXED INCOME HOUSING AND ENSURE THAT WE HAVE TALKED FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT, ABOUT HOUSING, YET NOT ALWAYS BEEN IN A POSITION TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT IS THAT WE NEED THAT RANGE, INCLUDING MIDDLE INCOME HOUSING. THAT IS OFTEN, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR ABOUT IN THIS CHAMBER. SO, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND, UM, GLAD THAT, THAT THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WE LED IS MOVE FORWARD AND THAT THIS CLEARLY WAS A PRIORITY OF, OF THE WHOLE CITY COUNCIL. AND I THINK IT'S A PRIORITY OF THE WHOLE CITY. SO EXCITED TO SEE THE WORK GO FORWARD AND KNOW THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BE INSTANTANEOUS, BUT ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE REALLY GOOD LEADERS AT THE TABLE. AND WANNA SAY THAT, THAT THE, THE WAY THE TASK FORCE WAS PUT TOGETHER, IT INCLUDES A RANGE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN VERY INVOLVED AND I'M GRATEFUL TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR SERVING, BUT ALSO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY STAFF WHO ARE SERVING. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. I THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. JUST OBVIOUSLY THIS IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT PREDATED ME IN MY TERM HERE, BUT I NOTE THAT THERE IS A, UH, THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADD ADDITIONAL MEMBERS. AND, UM, I, I RECOGNIZE THAT EVERYBODY THERE IS VERY TALENTED. THERE'S A FELLOW, UM, WHO, UH, LIVES IN WEST CAMBRIDGE. HIS NAME IS NEIL MCCULLOUGH. HE WORKS AT THE CORCORAN CENTER FOR REAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AT BOSTON COLLEGE. UH, THE CORCORANS ARE INVOLVED IN REDEVELOPING THE, UH, BUNKER HILL PROJECTS OVER IN CHARLESTOWN, WHICH IS SORT OF A MIXED USE SOCIAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ONGOING RIGHT NOW. UH, AND NEIL HAS BEEN, UH, INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN STUDY OF ALL THIS. SO IF THERE IS ROOM FOR ADDITIONAL MEMBERS, UM, I THINK MAYBE HE'S SOMEONE, I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER HE'D BE INTERESTED OR HAS THE TIME, BUT HE'S GOT THE, UH, RELEVANT EXPERIENCE. AND IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE TO TAP INTO HIM, I THINK IT'D BE VERY HELPFUL. SO I YIELD I THANK YOU COUNCILOR. CLARITY. SO THE CITY STAFF WANNA SAY ANYTHING BEFORE WE GO, BEFORE WE VOTE? YEAH. EXCUSE ME. UM, YEAH, WE JUST SAY WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO START THIS PROCESS. UM, APPRECIATE, UH, THE COLLABORATION [02:10:01] AND THE COMMITMENT FROM THESE TASK FORCE MEMBERS TO, TO WORK ON THIS REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE TO DEFINE WHAT SOCIAL HOUSING MEANS FOR CAMBRIDGE AND HOW IT CAN BE OPERATIONALIZED AND, AND FINANCED IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY. UM, CERTAINLY WE, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO ADDITIONAL MEMBERSHIP. I THINK THAT, UM, WE CAN GET, GET BACK TO COUNSELORS OFFLINE. I, I THINK I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE, THE RANGE AND DIVERSITY OF THE, UM, OF THE CURRENT COMMITTEE. AND, AND I THINK IT REPRESENTS, UM, THE, THE RIGHT FOLKS IN TERMS OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE AND, AND DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF, UH, WHAT WILL BE NEEDED FOR THIS. UM, I'M SURE THIS GENTLEMAN IS JUST AS QUALIFIED AND WE'RE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO HIM AND, AND SEE IF THERE'S A, A ROLE ON, ON THE COMMITTEE AS WELL. SENIOR MANAGER, UH, THANK YOU THROUGH YOUR MAYOR. UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED. YOU KNOW, I THINK, UM, THIS IS AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY AND I, I ESPECIALLY THINK THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE SETTING UP, UM, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE, UH, THE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO SERVE ON THIS TASK FORCE. UM, AND, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF INNOVATION HAPPENING IN THE FINANCING AND GOVERNANCE OF, UH, PUBLIC HOUSING, SOCIAL HOUSING. IT'LL BE A REALLY INTERESTING JOURNEY FOR US TO BE EXAMINING THIS. UH, AND I THINK IN PARTICULAR, UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE TASK FORCE, BOTH ANSWERING SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT SOCIAL HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY? WHAT ARE THE VALUES WANT TO BUILD IN THIS? AND HOW DO WE MAKE IT CONCRETE AND POSSIBLE? UM, AND I THINK TO BE MORE CONCRETE, UH, WHAT IS A PROJECT THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY TURN INTO REALITY? UM, SO I THINK THAT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS. UM, AND, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT GETTING STARTED. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, THE WORK ON THIS. I KNOW A NUMBER OF COUNSELORS HAVE BEEN REALLY INVOLVED, UM, AND PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR US TO, UH, LOOK INTO DIFFERENT MODELS FOR SOCIAL HOUSING. UH, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PROCESS. I WANNA JUST QUICKLY ADD THAT, PUTTING TOGETHER A TASK FORCE INVITATIONS, BIOS, ALL THAT. I WANNA SHOUT OUT MY CHIEF OF STAFF JI FOR, UM, REALLY HELPING ME DO THAT. AND SO THANK YOU JI. UH, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD. UM, FOR THE FIRST VOTE, WE'LL JUST BE TO PLACE THE COMMUNICATION ON FILE AND WE CAN DO A VOICE VOTE ON THAT FOR CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST, SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM 10 IS PLACED ON FILE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11, WHICH IS THE APPOINTMENTS. AND SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THESE APPOINTMENTS. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZIM? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNSELOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THOSE APPOINTMENTS ARE APPROVED. AND WE'LL GO AHEAD ON A VOICE VOTE, PLACE THIS ITEM NUMBER 11 ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST ME KNOW THE AYES HAVE IT. THAT'S PLACED ON FILE. WE ARE DONE WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA ITEMS. SO WE'LL MOVE [POLICY ORDERS] ON TO POLICY ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS. THERE ARE TWO POLICY ORDERS. PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. COUNCILLOR NOLAN, NUMBER ONE. NUMBER ONE. AND I CAN BRIEFLY PULL NUMBER TWO. UM, SO WE'LL GO TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT HOUSE BILL 9 6 8, AND HOUSE BILL 8 8 6, SENATE BILL 6 4 7 HOUSE BILL 1 0 2 3, AND SENATE BILL 7 5 7 0, AND SENATE BILL 5 7 1 TO ENACT EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY AND PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP AND RECOGNITION THAT THESE LAWS WILL RELIEVE MUNICIPALITIES OF RISING COSTS AND INCENTIVIZE PRODUCERS TO SELL PRODUCTS THAT ARE LESS TOXIC AND EASIER TO REUSE AND RECYCLE BY REQUIRING SUCH PRODUCERS TO BEAR THE COST FOR THE PROPER RECYCLING AND RESPONSIBLE DISPOSAL OF THEIR PRODUCTS. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILOR NOLAN, COUNCILOR SABINA WHEELER, MYSELF, COUNCILOR ZUBI. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YOU HAVE THE FOUR. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR SIDIKI. I THINK THESE BILLS ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN LIGHT OF THE WORK THAT THE CITY IS DOING ON SO MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE, UM, RELATED TO EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY AND, UH, ZERO WASTE. IT'S PART OF OUR ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN TO DO A NUMBER OF THESE INITIATIVES. AND THESE ARE STATE LEVEL BILLS WE HAD IN THE PAST, UH, SUPPORTED A COUPLE OF STATE BILLS RELATED TO THIS AREA, AND THE DPW [02:15:01] STAFF AND MICHAEL, OR RECYCLING AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CITY STAFF INDICATED THAT THEY KEEP ON TOP OF THESE BILLS AND SAID IT WOULD BE HELPFUL AND IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNCIL TO EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT FOR THESE BILLS, SINCE IT WOULD, AGAIN, MAKE THEIR LIVES A LOT EASIER. AND I ALSO WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE ADVOCATES ACROSS THE STATE WHO'VE WORKED VERY HARD TO BRING THESE, UM, BILLS TO THE HOUSE IN THE, IN THE SENATE, IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE. MASSBERG AND OTHERS HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO TRY TO BRING SOME RATIONALITY AND SOME, I THINK, REASONABLENESS TO, TO THE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT THESE ADDRESS. AND AGAIN, THE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN, WHICH HE, THIS COUNCIL WILL LIKELY HAVE A, UM, ANOTHER MEETING ON VERY SOON WITH SOME ORDINANCE CHANGES. AND IT'S IN LINE WITH SO MUCH OF THE WORK THAT THE CITY STAFF IS DOING. SO I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THAT STAFF WHO HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD ON, ON THESE ISSUES AND ALSO INDICATED THAT IT'D BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR THE COUNCIL TO, TO BE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THESE BILLS. AND THAT'S, UH, I YIELD. THANKS. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR NOLAN. ANYONE ELSE ON THIS BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND ADOPT? HEARING NONE? WE'LL GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN TO ADOPT POLICY NUMBER ONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. POLICY ORDER NUMBER ONE IS ADOPTED. WE'LL MOVE ON TO POLICY NUMBER TWO AROUND THE CLERK, UH, BEING EXTENDED. UM, I'M GOING TO JUST MOVE THAT WE SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW THE COMMUNICATION ON THIS, UM, FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS. NUMBER TWO, UH, REGARDING THE SEARCH PROCESS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THOSE ITEMS ARE BEFORE US. JUST WANTED TO, UM, THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, COUNCILLOR ZUI, UM, AND COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, AND A NUMBER OF CITY STAFF. UM, AS THE COMMUNICATION OUTLINES, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GONE THROUGH A SECOND PROCESS AND, UH, WE RIGHT NOW ARE, YOU KNOW, JUST PAUSING. UM, AND WANNA JUST THANK, UM, PAULA, UH, WHO'S BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH US AND, UH, HELPING AND REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, THAT, UH, AND THIS GROUP WILL RECONVENE, UM, AND FIGURE OUT SOME NEXT STEPS. UH, BUT WANTED TO JUST UPDATE THE FULL CITY COUNCIL SINCE WE, UM, ALL CAN'T MEET, UH, ON WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO WE'LL GO FROM THERE. DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? NO. GREAT. SO, WE'LL GO AHEAD ON A MOTION, UH, BY COUNCILOR NOLAN TO ADOPT THE POLICY ORDER AND THEN PLACE THAT COMMUNICATION FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. THE POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO HAS BEEN ADOPTED, AND THAT COMMUNICATION FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS, NUMBER TWO HAS BEEN PLACED ON FILE. WE NOW MOVE ON TO [CALENDAR] THE CALENDAR. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ITEMS LAST WEEK THAT WE, THE COUNCIL EXERCISED THEIR CHARTER RIGHTS. SO WANNA JUST REMIND FOLKS, IT'S 7:50 PM UM, THERE'S, UH, A LOT OF FOLKS DID SPEAK ON SOME ITEMS, UH, ALREADY. I JUST WANNA SAY, I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL BE, UM, CONCISE, UH, THIS, THIS TIME AROUND. UH, AND I KNOW NOT EVERYTHING WAS SPOKEN OUT EQUALLY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO REMARK. UH, SO WE HAVE THE FIRST ITEM. THIS IS THAT THE CITY MANAGERS REQUESTED TO CONFER WITH RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS TO IMMEDIATELY REQUEST EMPOWER TO RESIGN FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS HIGH TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL, AND CONSIDER OPTIONS FOR TRANSITIONING THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE OUT OF EMPOWER AND TRANSFERRING, TRANSFERRING ITS RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS INTO ONE OF THE CITY'S OTHER RETIREMENT PROGRAMS. SHOULD EMPOWER, CONTINUE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE MHTC. THIS CHARTER WRIGHT WAS EXERCISED BY COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANKS MATTER. BAYER, I'LL BE SUPER BRIEF. I'M GONNA WITHDRAW THIS POLICY ORDER. UM, THIS RAISED SOME, UH, DISCUSSION AROUND BROADER ISSUES THAT MAY REQUIRE A BROADER POLICY ORDER. UM, BUT I THINK THE CLEANEST WAY IS TO JUST WITH WITHDRAW THIS ONE FOR NOW, A YIELD. SO, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER IS SEEKING UNANIMOUS CASSETTE TO WITHDRAW THIS POLICY ORDER. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL DISCUSSION. YES. DISCUSSION? YES. THANK YOU. AND THAT'S THE MOTION. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR, TO MY COLLEAGUE, UH, SABRINA WHEELER. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU WITHDRAWING ONLY BECAUSE I THINK IT DOES HAVE, THERE IS A, A PLACE TO HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION. SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE TRIED TO DO SOMETHING VERY, VERY SIMILAR AND KIND OF GOT STONEWALLED. AND I'M NOT SAYING THERE WAS NOTHING, ANYTHING ON THE CITY MANAGER'S SIDE OF THE STAFF, WE JUST COULDN'T MOVE THE NEEDLE. AND I DO THINK THERE MAY BE A FEW OTHER COMPANIES THAT WE MIGHT WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN'T STAND UP TO OUR POLICIES, PRACTICES, PROCEDURES, OR HOW WE WANT OUR MONEY INVESTED. SO JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE FORETHOUGHT AND THINKING, YOU KNOW, HOW, LET'S TAKE IT BACK. LET'S TAKE A STEP BACK. LET'S SPEND SOME TIME LOOKING AT IT. IS IT, DO WE WANNA TAKE A BROADER LOOK? SO I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS ON THIS. MADAM CHAIR. I YIELD FLOOR. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCIL LO ZUBE. YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZI? [02:20:01] YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE THAT POLICY ORDER HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN. WE'LL GO TO THE ITEM NUMBER TWO UNDER THEIR CHARTER. RIGHT. THIS IS THAT THE CITY MANAGERS REQUESTED TO WORK WITH RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING THE LAW DEPARTMENT, TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S NO NEW DATA COLLECTED BY SHOTSPOTTER DEVICES. AND ALL EXISTING DATA SHALL BE KEPT USED OR DELETED, ONLY AS REQUIRED BY LAW UNDER OUR WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE AND SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY ORDINANCE. THE CHARTER RIGHT WAS EXERCISED BY VICE MAYOR ZIM. VICE MAYOR ZE. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UM, I ONLY CHARTER WRITE IT BECAUSE I FELT LIKE IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL LAST WEEK WITH THE SHOOTING AND THE INTENT OF THE CONVERSATION. SO JUST WANTED US GIVE SOME TIME TO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MOVE PAST THAT AND, YOU KNOW, UH, DEAL WITH THIS IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT. UM, SO I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH TO SAY. I KNOW THAT THE COMMISSIONER HAD SOME COMMENTS AND SOME EXAMPLES OF WHY SHE THOUGHT THERE WAS VALUE TO SHOTS SPOTTER. AND THEN I HAD SOME COMMENTS, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER THE REST. UH, THEN I'LL YIELD MY TIME. SO, UM, COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU, UM, MAD MAYOR. EXACTLY. ONE WEEK AGO TONIGHT, WE GATHERED IN THIS CHAMBER TO DISCUSS WHAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST BRAZEN ACTS OF GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY HAS SEEN IN RECENT MEMORY. AND WHILE I'M RELIEVED THAT THE SUSPECT AND THE FIREARM USED ARE NOW OFF THE STREETS, AND THOSE INJURED ARE ON THEIR WAY TO RECOVERY, WHAT WORRIES ME IS THIS, THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM OF GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS FAR FROM RESOLVED. IN JUST THE PAST TWO WEEKS, CAMBRIDGE POLICE OFFICERS HAVE TAKEN THREE ADDITIONAL ILLEGALLY POSSESSED FIREARMS OFF OF OUR STREETS AND COMPLETELY UNRELATED INCIDENTS. THESE WERE ALL LOADED WEAPONS, SOME EQUIPPED WITH LARGE CAPACITY MAGAZINES, AND IN EVERY CASE, THE INDIVIDUALS CARRYING THEM WERE CONVICTED FELONS, WHO NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAD A GUN IN THEIR HANDS AT ALL. THEY WERE ARMED, AND THEY WERE WALKING THE SAME STREETS THAT WE WALK EVERY DAY. LAST MON LAST MONDAY'S INCIDENT WAS AN ANOMALY. AND FRANKLY, WE'VE BEEN LUCKY, BUT LUCKY IS NOT A STRATEGY. WHAT SAVED LIVES THAT NIGHT WAS NOT CHANCE. BUT PREPARATIONS, BUT PREPARATION, HAVING THE RIGHT TOOLS AND THE RIGHT TRAINING, SECONDS AFTER THE SHOOTING, CAMBRIDGE POLICE OFFICERS AND A STATE TROOPER WERE ALREADY PROVIDING LIFESAVING CARE. WITHIN MINUTES, CAMBRIDGE FIRE AND PRO EMS WERE ON SCENE, CONTINUING THAT CARE AND TRANSPORTING VICTIMS TO SOME OF THE BEST HOSPITALS IN THE WORLD. THOSE SECONDS MATTERED. THEY MADE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. THE TWO TOURNIQUETS THAT WERE PUT ON BY THOSE OFFICES SAVED THAT MAN'S LIFE. WE CANNOT IGNORE THIS. AND THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 11 TIMES WHEN SHOT SPOTTER DETECTED GUNFIRE IN OUR CITY. AND NOT A SINGLE NINE ONE ONE CALL CAME IN, NOT ONE. THAT MEANS 11 MOMENTS WHEN NO ONE REACHED FOR THE PHONE. 11 MOMENTS WHEN OFFICES WOULD HAVE NO DIRECTION. 11 MOMENTS WHEN SECONDS WERE SLIPPING AWAY AND SHOTS SPOTTED WAS THE ONLY REASON HELP WAS THERE AT ALL. ONE SPECIFIC, UH, EXAMPLE THAT I'D LIKE TO BRING UP IS IN JULY OF 2024, THERE WAS AN INCIDENT OF GUNFIRE ON HOD STREET THAT CRITICALLY INJURED, THAT CRITICALLY INJURED. A 40 YEAR, 48-YEAR-OLD MAN. THIS MAN WAS A LOCAL FATHER, AND HE HAD INJURIES THAT REQUIRED IMMEDIATE MEDICAL CARE. THANKFULLY, DUE TO THE SHOT SPOTTER ACTIVATION AND A PROMPT, PRECISE RESPONSE FROM NEARBY OFFICES, THAT IS WHAT HE RECEIVED. THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THAT REPORT. AN OFFICER WAS ABLE TO FIND A GUNSHOT WOUND IN THE VICTIM'S UPPER THIGH BETWEEN HIS GROIN AND HIS THIGH, WHICH WAS TOO HIGH FOR A TOURNIQUET. HE WENT TO THE MEDICAL BAG AND GRABBED QUICK CLOT, WHICH IS A HEMOSTATIC DRESSING. HE PACKED THE WOUND AS MUCH AS HE POSSIBLY COULD, AND APPLIED PRESSURE UNTIL ANOTHER OFFICER WRAPPED THE BANDAGE AROUND THE QUICK CLOT. LOOK, IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. I, AS THE POLICE COMMISSIONER, AND CERTAINLY THE CITY MANAGER, WILL BE THE ONES STANDING IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY MEETING, ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT ARE WE DOING TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE. WE ARE LITERALLY GOING INTO A COMMUNITY MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT AND TELLING THEM THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE FOLDED DOWN GUNSHOT TECHNOLOGY, GUNSHOT DETECTION TECHNOLOGY AFTER, AFTER AN ACTIVE SHOOTER EVENT. WHY WOULDN'T WE WANT TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE? THANK YOU. COUNSELOR AZI, VICE MAYOR AZI. IT LOOKED LIKE THE CITY MANAGER WAS ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING. GO AHEAD. UM, SURE. THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU, MAYOR, UH, SIMMONS. YOU KNOW, I THINK, UM, S SIDIKI. SORRY. SIDIKI. IT'S ALL RIGHT. MAYOR SIDIKI. I LIKE THE NAME. I MEAN, I JUST DON'T GET THE PAIR OF THE CAR, SO THERE IT IS. WE'RE ALL GETTING, GETTING UP. SPEED. I GET THE RESPECT. THERE YOU GO. THERE'S SOMETHING IN IT. I WOULD SAY LAST MONDAY'S INCIDENT [02:25:01] WAS, UM, A REMINDER THAT GUN VIOLENCE IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE EXTRAORDINARILY RANDOM. THAT THERE ARE VERY DANGEROUS WEAPONS ON OUR STREETS THAT ARE VERY EASILY ACCESSIBLE. MM-HMM . UM, BUT I ALSO JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THE MORE NORMAL, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE NORMAL, BUT THE MORE NORMAL GUN VIOLENCE THAT WE DO ULTIMATELY SEE AS A COMMUNITY, WE ARE A VERY SAFE CITY, AND YET WE ARE A CITY. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I HAD THE POLICE JUST PULL SOME OF THE BASIC DATA OVER THOSE LAST 10 YEARS. AND SO, UM, ACTING COMMISSIONER WELLS NOTED THAT THERE WERE 11 INCIDENTS WHERE SHOT SPOTTER ACTIVATED. WE DIDN'T HAVE A 9 1 1 CALL. AND SO THIS WAS WHAT ALLOWED US TO GO TO THE SCENE, PICK UP A CASING, RESPOND IN CASE THERE WAS ANYTHING ACTIVE, ACTIVE GOING ON AND START AN INVESTIGATION. 11 INCIDENTS DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT OVER THE COURSE OF 10 YEARS, UH, BUT ULTIMATELY, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE EXPERIENCE AS A COMMUNITY OVER THOSE LAST 10 YEARS, UH, WE ON AVERAGE SEE ABOUT 11 SHOTS FIRED INCIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY PER YEAR. SO EACH YEAR, ABOUT ONCE A MONTH, WE WILL HAVE GUNSHOTS IN OUR CITY. OVER THE COURSE OF THOSE 10 YEARS, ON AVERAGE EACH YEAR, WE HAVE 4.7 VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE EACH YEAR. AND OF THOSE AVERAGE 4.7 0.7, SO ALMOST ONE PERSON PER YEAR, IT'S A FATAL ENCOUNTER. AND SO WE'RE NOT WORKING OFF OF HUGE NUMBERS. I THINK ULTIMATELY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR OVERALL COMMUNITY, UM, THESE ARE THINGS THAT SORT OF FADE INTO THE BACKGROUND, BUT THAT'S 115 INSTANCES OF SHOTS FIRED OVER 10 YEARS, OF WHICH 11 WERE ONES THAT SHOT SPOTTER WOULD'VE ACTIVATED. IT WOULD'VE ALLOWED THE POLICE TO RESPOND. AND WE'RE NOT GETTING 9 1 1 CALLS FOR THOSE INCIDENTS. SO IT'S ABOUT 10% OF THE TIME WHEN A GUN GOES OFF, WE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING INFORMATION THAT IS ACTIONABLE AND THAT WE CAN VERIFY THAT THERE WERE ACTUALLY GUNSHOTS FIRED. THIS IS NOT A PERFECT TOOL. AND I THINK TO ALL THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING, WE DO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THESE TOOLS DO HAVE TRADE-OFFS. UM, I DO THINK THAT THE FRAMING IS NOT FOR THIS TOOL TO BE PERFECT. UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE CHEST PAIN AND, AND YOU CALL 9 1 1, YOU ASK, SHOULD I GO TO THE HOSPITAL? THE THRESHOLD IS NOT 80, 90, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME, YOU HAVE TO BE HAVING A HEART ATTACK. I THINK WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE WILLING TO ACCEPT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RISK, BUT, BUT JUST, YOU WANNA GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. IF YOU'VE GOT CHEST PAIN, SHORTNESS OF BREATH FATIGUE. AND I THINK THAT'S THE SAME THING HERE. WE DON'T NEED SHOT SPOTTER TO BE 80% ACCURATE, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DATA A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY, THIS IS ACTUALLY ALLOWING US TO RESPOND MORE QUICKLY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR POLICE LEADERSHIP. I THINK THAT'S BEEN THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE DATA, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO RESPOND MORE QUICKLY. AND EVEN THOUGH MONDAY'S INCIDENT WAS COMPLETELY AN ANOMALY, IT REMINDS US THAT TIME REALLY DOES MATTER IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. UM, AND I THINK WE WILL BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION TOMORROW WITH THE COMMUNITY. UH, AND SO I RECOGNIZE THAT THE COUNCIL WANTS TO ACT TONIGHT THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, PRODUCTIVE COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND DISCUSSIONS. UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT WOULD BE REASONABLE FOR US TO ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION. WE'RE ABOUT TO GO INTO A BIG MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND ASK THEM HOW WE'RE RESPONDING TO THE INCIDENT LAST MONDAY. IT DOES FEEL TO ME PREMATURE FOR US TO TAKE A VOTE TONIGHT. VICE MAYOR AZIM. UH, THANK YOU. UM, I WAS GONNA SAY, I MYSELF AM CONFLICTED ON THIS IN THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE ARE REALLY VALID CONCERNS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE COME, UH, UP, UH, YOU KNOW, AND BROUGHT UP IN THAT, LIKE, I, I DO THINK THAT IT'S, UM, NOT GREAT THAT WE'RE NOT HOSTING OUR OWN DATA. AND I DO WISH THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SIGN A DIFFERENT CONTRACT WHERE THE DATA WAS HOSTED IN CAMBRIDGE, AND WE HAD FULL CONTROL OVER IT. AND I DO THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING POTENTIALLY WE COULD DO. AND I THINK THE RECORDING IN GENERAL, A LOT, UH, NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE BROUGHT UP IS NERVE WRACKING. AND I AGREE, RIGHT? LIKE, IF YOU SAY, HEY, SIRI, HEY GOOGLE, YOU KNOW, SET A TIMER FOR A MINUTE. YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR PHONES WILL GO OFF, AND ALL OF THAT DATA GETS STORED IN THE CLOUD AND, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE COULD GET A WARRANT AND RECORD AND GET ANY OF THAT ACCESS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE INTERACTIONS ARE SO WHENEVER YOU GOT IN PUBLIC, THERE'S THOUSANDS OF MICROPHONES THAT ARE LISTENING, RIGHT? IT'S QUITE NERVE WRACKING. UM, AND I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S INTERESTING TO BE HERE AND TO BE, YOU KNOW, CONFLICTED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I I VERY MUCH SUPPORT HAVING LESS INTERACTIONS WITH THE POLICE. LIKE, I'VE HAD QUITE A NUMBER OF, UM, BAD INTERACTIONS WITH THE POLICE, ESPECIALLY WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER. UM, JUST FEELING LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE GETTING TYPECAST AND STEREOTYPED. UM, AND I THINK THAT MY ANSWER TO THAT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK OF, YOU KNOW, SPEEDING [02:30:01] FOR AN EXAMPLE, IT'S LIKE YOU CAN CHOOSE NOT TO ENFORCE SPEEDING, BUT THEN PEOPLE GET HURT AS A CONSEQUENCE OF SPEEDING. YOU CAN DECIDE TO PUT UP, YOU KNOW, A POLICE TRAP OR SPEED TRAP AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE POLICE OFFICERS KIND OF PULL PEOPLE OVER, BUT THEN YOU HAVE MORE INTERACTIONS WITH THE POLICE, OR YOU COULD HAVE A SPEEDING CAMERA, RIGHT? LIKE, THOSE ARE YOUR KIND OF THREE OPTIONS. AND TO ME, I'D RATHER HAVE LESS INTERACTIONS WITH THE POLICE, BUT ALSO LIKE ENFORCE THE THING. AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S WHY I AM ALWAYS CONFLICTED ABOUT THIS. YOU KNOW, UM, I BOTH, YOU KNOW, WORKED IN THE CITY AS IN, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THE CITY IS PRETTY SAFE. THAT'S NOT BEEN MY EXPERIENCE ENTIRELY. WHEN I WORKED AS AN EMT, THE, YOU KNOW, I WORKED ON THE SAME AMBULANCE AS SEAN COLEY OR DIED ON, RIGHT? AND THEN THERE WAS A SHOOTING IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A GIRL WHO WAS PLAYING BASKETBALL. IT WAS A CROWDED, YOU KNOW, GAME. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SHOTS ARE FIRED AND SOMEONE IS BLEEDING OUT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. EVERYONE ELSE WAS JUST SCREAMING AND RUNNING, AND THERE WAS THREE PEOPLE THERE WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO RESPOND. AND IT'S LIKE REALLY HARD IN THAT MOMENT TO BE LIKE, OH, SHOULD YOU FOCUS ON TYING UP THE BLEEDING OR CALL 9 1 1? RIGHT? YOU HAVE ONLY LIMITED RESOURCES. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN IN THAT CASE, YOU KNOW, UM, ONE OF THE PEOPLE WAS NOT ENDED UP, YOU KNOW, UM, IN JAIL. AND THEY CAME BACK A FEW WEEKS LATER AND THEY COMMITTED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. AND THEY WERE, AND I ENDED UP BEING THE ONLY PERSON WHO GOT IT ON CAMERA BECAUSE I WAS ON NERVE AFTER HAVING GONE THROUGH A SHOOTING. AND THEN I ENDED UP SPENDING A GOOD YEAR OF MY NEXT YEAR GOING TO COURT AND TESTIFYING LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, I WAS THE ONE WHO SAW IT. I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THE VIDEO. AND HERE IT IS. AND, YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T HIT ME UNTIL THOSE MOMENTS THAT ACTUALLY, LIKE, I THOUGHT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD DEFINITELY BE SOME OTHER EVIDENCE, BUT IN FACT, I HAD THE ONLY EVIDENCE, YOU KNOW? UM, AND SO I WOULD SAY THAT IT MAKES ME A LITTLE NERVOUS, YOU KNOW, THE SUMMER IS COMING UP, AND I THINK THAT'S IN GENERAL WHEN WE SEE AN INCREASE IN GUN VIOLENCE IN THE CITY. AND AGAIN, LIKE, I DON'T HAVE LIKE VERY, VERY STRONG FEELINGS. LIKE, I THINK THAT THERE'S WAYS THAT COULD BE BROUGHT ALONG IN TERMS OF HOSTING IN CAMBRIDGE, OR FINDING OTHER ALTERNATIVE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS, FINDING A SUBSTITUTE. YOU KNOW, I JUST WORRY THAT LIKE EVERY MINUTE YOU DON'T RESPOND TO SOMEONE BLEEDING OUT, LIKE THEIR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL JUST GO DOWN QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY. UM, BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, UH, I FEEL LIKE IN GENERAL, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE MADE A DECISION AND HAD HEARINGS. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T NEED TO VOTE. NO, I'LL JUST VOTE PRESENT. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS HAPPENING AND MY COLLEAGUES HAVE REACHED A CONCLUSION. SO THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU. AND VICE MAYOR YIELDS, I HAVE COUNCILOR ZUBIE, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY. THANK YOU. YEAH. CAN I, YEAH, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, SIRI. MADAM MAYOR, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. AND I, I DO UNDERSTAND THE INTENTION BEHIND THE TOOLS TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND PREVENT HARM. UM, I KNOW THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE ABOUT IT ARE REGARDING ITS EFFECTIVENESS, ITS RELIABILITY, AND THE BROADER IMPACT. I MEAN, BEFORE ADOPTING A TOOL LIKE THIS, THERE SHOULD BE CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT IT WORKS. UM, THERE SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY INPUT. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE BETTER APPROACHES THAT ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITHOUT CREATING THE RISKS. AND I'M NOT SURE THE MEDICAL ANALOGY FITS. GOING TO A DOCTOR FOR SYMPTOMS IS BASED ON AN ESTABLISHED EVIDENCE AND PERSONAL RISK. PUBLIC SAFETY TECHNOLOGY SHOULD STILL BE EVALUATED AGAINST MEASURABLE STANDARDS, WHETHER THAT'S ACCURACY OR EFFECTIVENESS OR COST OR COMMUNITY INPUT BEFORE ADOPTION. I DO WANNA APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE PUT IN WORK FOR US TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION INTO MY COLLEAGUES WHO CAME IN ON THIS POLICY ORDER. I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO STOP SHOT SPOTTERS USAGE BECAUSE IT DOES POSE A PRIVACY AND SAFETY RISK FOR OUR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMPANY. AND IT'S NOT RELIABLE. THERE WAS ONCE A TIME OVER A DECADE AGO WHERE THERE WAS AN INTEREST IN THIS TECHNOLOGY, BUT NOW WE KNOW MORE ABOUT ITS EFFECTIVENESS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. THIS TECHNOLOGY TOOL EXISTS AS SOMETHING LARGER THAN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT'S GOT A HIGHER FALSE POSITIVE RATE IN OUR CITY AND CITIES ACROSS THE US IN WHICH CASE, I BELIEVE THE BENEFIT DOES NOT OUTWEIGH THE RISKS OF SITUATIONS WHERE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT MIGHT BE MISLED. IN FACT, OUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES HAVE ASKED QUESTIONS OUT OF CONCERN AROUND SHOTS SPOTTER, AND CITIES AROUND THE UNITED STATES ARE ALSO STOPPING THEIR USAGE, JUST MORE LARGELY. UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, I SAY THIS AS SOMEONE WHO WITNESSED THE SHOOTING THIS PAST MONDAY AND APPRECIATES THE QUICK RESPONSE FROM RESPONDERS AND WHO HAS BEEN CHECKING IN ON NEIGHBORS WITH REPRESENTATIVE MIKE CONNOLLY, I BELIEVE WE NEED MORE PRODUCTIVE STRUCTURAL CHANGES ON THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL FOR JUSTICE, DIGNITY, AND MERCY. I SPOKE TO RESIDENTS WHO ARE AWARE OF OUR CONVERSATION ON SHOTSPOTTER AND THAT ARE CONFUSED AS TO WHY WE HAVE THIS TOOL WHEN IT DID NOTHING TO IMPROVE THE RESPONSE HERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE CONTEXT OF THE SITUATION. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE SAFETY FOR OUR RESIDENTS, WE SHOULDN'T FRAME IT SAFETY ONLY THROUGH SURVEILLANCE OR POLICING. WE HAVE TO BE EXPANSIVE AND THINK ABOUT HOW PEOPLE NEED BASICS TO LIVE. VIOLENCE IS RARELY A CONSTRUCTIVE PATH TO PROGRESS, AND IT OFTEN REFLECTS A DEEPER PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND OR STRUCTURAL PRESSURE, RATHER [02:35:01] THAN ONE SINGLE CAUSE. WE CAN FOCUS ON EVERY TOOL WE CAN THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO ENSURE JUSTICE IS SERVED AFTER HARM IS DONE, OR DURING IT. AND WE SHOULD ENGAGE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND EMPHASIS ON THE, AND HERE, WE SHOULD NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE DISCUSSION OF JUSTICE BEGINS BEFORE THE HARM IS DONE, NOT ONLY IN THE DURING AND THE AFTER. JUSTICE IS NOT A FINITE CONVERSATION ON THIS EARTH. IT'S ONGOING. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN BUILD A CITY THAT IS MORE PROACTIVE ABOUT CARE AND JUSTICE AND LESS OF ONES OF WALLS AND DEFENSIVENESS, BECAUSE WE DO SHARE THIS LIFE TOGETHER AT THE VERY END OF THE DAY. UM, AND WE'RE BETTER OFF SEEING EACH OTHER AS DIGNIFIED HUMAN BEINGS. AND I, I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT ONCE WE NO LONGER SEE THAT, UH, WE, WE'VE MET OUR DOWNFALL, I'LL YIELD COUNCILOR SINA WHEELER. THANKS MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UM, I THINK WHAT UNITES ALL THE COUNSELORS HERE, ALL ACTUALLY ALL THE FOLKS WHO HAVE TAKEN PART IN THIS CONVERSATION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, IS THAT WE'RE UNITED ON TRYING TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MORE SAFE AND AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. AND I, I RESPECT THAT AND REALLY BRING THAT INTENTION HERE. UM, I RESPECT THAT INTENTION HERE FROM, FROM ALL THE FOLKS ON, ON THE SIDE OF IT AND RESPECT THAT WE COME TO DIFFERENT CONCLUSIONS WITH THAT, UH, INTENTION. UM, FOR MYSELF, THAT'S WHY I'M VOTING TO END SHOT SPOTTER TECHNOLOGY. 'CAUSE I THINK IT MAKES OUR COMMUNITY LESS SAFE. WE KNOW THAT IT MISSES MANY OF THE ACTUAL GUNSHOTS AND IT'S DANGEROUSLY INACCURATE AND SENDS POLICE INTO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHEN THERE ARE NO GUNSHOTS, WHEN THERE ARE FIRECRACKERS OR OTHER LOUD NOISES, UH, LIKE COUNSELOR ZUBIE. I ALSO THOUGHT THE, THE HEART ATTACK EXAMPLE JUST DIDN'T FIT HERE. AND I, I, UH, SAY THAT AS SOMEONE WHO WANTS PEOPLE WITH HEART ATTACKS TO AIR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION AND GO TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE MY DAD DIED OF A HEART ATTACK. WE WANT PEOPLE TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF A CAUTION. AND, AND WE'RE WOULD SAY THAT ALWAYS FOR A HEART ATTACK, BECAUSE THE DOCTORS DON'T HAVE GUNS AND BECAUSE A PERSON HAVING A HEART ATTACK IS NOT BEING RECOGNIZED BY THE DOCTOR AS A THREAT, THAT IS, IS NOT THE CASE WITH SHOT SPOTTER. WE ARE, ARE SENDING PEOPLE IN WITH GUNS AND TELLING THEM THAT THE RESPONSE IS A DANGEROUS INCIDENT THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABSOLUTELY ON ALERT ON. AND A LOT OF TIMES IT'S NOT THAT, AND MY FATHER, AS A LARGE BROWN MAN WHO HAD INTERACTIONS WITH THE POLICE, I THINK WOULD, WOULD SEE IT SIMILARLY. IT IS JUST NOT A SIMILAR COMPARISON IN ANY WAY. UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'D TELL THE COMMUNITY TOMORROW, I HOPE WE COULD TELL THEM THAT, THAT WE'RE USING THINGS THAT WORK. IN THIS CASE, IN THE, THE INCIDENT LAST MONDAY, SHOTSPOTTER DIDN'T DEPLOY IT, DIDN'T USE IN THIS SITUATION THAT I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULD WANT TO TELL THEM THAT WE VOTED TO KEEP A TECHNOLOGY THAT HAD NO BENEFIT IN THIS SITUATION. THERE. LET'S, LET'S ACTUALLY USE PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES FOR ALL OF THE THINGS. AND LET'S TELL THAT TO OUR COMMUNITY. RATHER THAN DOING SOME SECURITY THEATER AND TELLING THEM WE'RE DEPLOYING A THING THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY HELPING, THAT DOESN'T ACTIVATE IN A LOT OF THE SITUATIONS. AND THAT IS ACTUALLY ACTIVATING FOR A LOT OF THE WRONG THINGS. I DON'T WANNA TELL OUR COMMUNITY THAT AND PRETEND THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT WORKS, BUT IT DOESN'T. THE LAST PIECE, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER REALLY GOOD POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN BEEN RAISED IN THIS DISCUSSION THAT I WON'T LINGER ON. BUT I THINK THAT THE ONE PIECE I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS THAT WHEN, WHEN THE CITY ADDS A BIKE, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, A PARK REDESIGN, THERE IS COMMUNITY OUTREACH, THERE IS DISCUSSION. WE LET ALL FOLKS COME IN AND SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PUTTING IN THESE EXTRA BENCHES THERE. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE BENCHES? WHAT'S THE INPUT YOU HAVE? WE HAVE PEOPLE FOR AND AGAINST, WE GET ALL THAT DISCUSSION. WE DO THAT ON BIKE LANES ANYTIME WE REMOVE PARKING, WE'RE HAVING THAT FOR EVERY TIME THERE'S A NEW HOUSING PROJECT. WE NEVER DID THAT FOR SHOTSPOTTER. THERE WAS NEVER A CHANCE FOR THE COMMUTER TO WEIGH ON. IT WAS JUST, JUST DEPLOYED. THE ONLY RESPONSE WE HAVE AND ENGAGEMENT ON THIS IS FROM THE BLACK RESPONSE. AND, AND WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE RESPONSES. FOLKS CAN DISAGREE WITH THE METHODOLOGY, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE ACTUAL ENGAGEMENT WE HAVE. AND IT SAYS, FOLKS DON'T WANT THIS. IF THE CITY WANTS TO COME BACK AND, AND TALK TO RESIDENTS, DO THE ENGAGEMENT AROUND THIS TECHNOLOGY AND COME BACK WITH DIFFERENT RESULTS, LET'S DO THAT. BUT WHY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE, WE'RE SAYING THE COMMUNITY WANTS THIS AND WE DEPLOYED IT WITHOUT EVER ASKING THEM LIKE WE DO FOR A BIKE LANE, OR PARKING, OR HOUSING OR PARK REDESIGNS. UH, I'LL BE VOTING TO END SHOTSPOTTER. IT DOESN'T, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MORE SAFE. UH, AND WE HAVEN'T ENGAGED 'EM ON IT. I GET BACK, I HAVE COUNCILLOR SIMMONS AND THEN COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY. COUNCILLOR ZUZI, AND THEN COUNCILLOR NOLAN. UH, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. UM, WHEN THIS, UH, WAS BEFORE US LAST WEEK, I MENTIONED THAT I HAD MY INITIAL INCLINATIONS AROUND SUPPORTING THE, THE POLICY ORDER. THAT IS UNTIL WE START TALKING TO PEOPLE, OR I STARTED TALKING TO PEOPLE FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD. FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, I LIVE IN THE PORT, LIVED THERE FOR 50 YEARS. UM, AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. I, I DO WANNA, BEFORE I GO FURTHER, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK COMMISSIONER WELL, FOR MENTIONING THE LARGER MEETING THAT WE'RE HAVING TOMORROW, UM, WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND BY ACKNOWLEDGING, I CERTAINLY WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE YOU, MADAM CHAIR, YOU AND REP DECKER WHO GOT RIGHT ON IT AND HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING BECAUSE NO ONE HAD FORMALLY REACHED OUT, UH, UP UNTIL THAT TIME. SO THANK YOU. AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE THERE. AND I THINK, UM, I FEEL OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES MIGHT'VE BEEN THERE AS WELL. 'CAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AS SWIFTLY AS POSSIBLE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO, I'M SORRY, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS SC CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC A LITTLE CLOSER? OH, YEAH, SORRY. OKAY. JUST PUT IT CLOSER. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR. [02:40:01] UH, UM, NEVERMIND. NO, JUST KIDDING. , GO AHEAD. SO, I WAS JUST IMPORTANT TO STATE THAT WE, THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE ORGANIZING TO HAVE THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS. AND I DID WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THE CHAIR AND REP DECKER WHO HAD A MEETING, UM, QUITE QUICKLY AFTER, UH, REACHED OUT TO THE ENTIRE RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST TO 8 0 8, 8 12. I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT 'CAUSE IT SAYS THAT WE WERE PAYING ATTENTION AS, AS, UM, A COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE WE WERE REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE. SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON, ON THE RECORD THAT THAT HAD HAPPENED. UM, SO IN MY, MY INITIAL INCLINATION WAS TO SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDER WHEN I FIRST SAW IT. AND THAT IS UNTIL I STARTED TALKING TO PEOPLE FROM MY NEIGHBORHOODS. THERE'S A FEW FROM RIVERSIDE, UM, THEY DIDN'T KNOW, THEY DID NOT KNOW ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT A WAY THAT WE FELL DOWN ON THE JOB IN TERMS OF MAYBE TALKING ABOUT, AND WE CAN EXAMINE THAT. BUT THEY, WHAT, WHAT THE YOUNG LADY, A FEW PEOPLE HAD SAID WAS, IT'S ONE THING TO GET RID OF SOMETHING THAT IS PORTRAYED AS MAKING THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFE, BUT NOT REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING THAT MAKES THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFE. SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE RAISED. AND I THINK THAT'S A, A FAIR CONSIDERATION. IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE SOMETHING, IF YOU THINK SOMETHING IS WRONG, IT, IT'S FINE TO SPEAK UP AGAINST IT. THAT'S WHAT DEMOCRACY TALKS ABOUT. BUT IN SOME INSTANCES, PEOPLE SAYING, SO IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THIS FROM ME, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO PUT IN, IN PLACE? BECAUSE EVERYONE IN, IN RIVERSIDE AND IN IN THE PORT IN PARTICULAR, ARE NOT FEARFUL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS. UH, AND I THINK THAT'S WORTH BEING SAID. NOW, UH, I, WE SAID, WE TALK ABOUT ALL THESE HORRIBLE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AT THROUGH PUBLIC SAFETY. UM, CAMBRIDGE IS NOT PERFECT. THE COUNCIL IS NOT PERFECT. I, ANYONE THAT WANTS TO KNOW, I CAN GIVE YOU A LIST OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CITY COUNCILS HAVE DONE THAT HASN'T BEEN, HAS BEEN LESS THAN KIND TO PEOPLE. UH, BUT THAT'S NOT TODAY'S MEETING. UH, WHAT I'VE LEARNED FROM, UM, FROM SOME FOLKS THAT I HAD KNOWN WAS ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE FELT INCLINED TO UTILIZE THAT TECHNOLOGY IN THE HOPE THAT IT, IT MAY BE ANOTHER TOOL THAT PUBLIC SAFETY COULD USE TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, WHO ENGAGE IN SHOOTINGS THAT ROB ALL OF US, UH, OF OUR LOVED ONES. I'M GONNA SAY THIS AGAIN. I SAID IT LAST MONDAY. YOU KNOW, ANTHONY CLAY, WHO MY SON, WHO IS LONG TIME BEEN, IS DECEASED, DIED BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO KNEW, WHO KNEW WHO SHOT HIM WOULD NOT COME FORWARD. NOW YOU SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, WELL, THEY'RE AFRAID OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. I WOULD SAY THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE AFRAID OF US COMING HERE, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, YOU'RE SHOUTED DOWN, YOU'RE DISRESPECTED, YOU'RE, YOU ARE NULLIFIED. WE CAN'T DO THAT. WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER IF WE, IF WE REALLY WANNA BRING COMMUNITY TOGETHER. AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TAKES TIME, AND IT'S REALLY HARD WORK. AND SO IF WE'RE GOING TO BE BETTER AT INFORMING OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE GOOD OR BAD, WE HAVE TO BE BETTER AT INFORMING THEM THESE SHOOTINGS WHERE, WHERE, WHERE THERE ARE OFTEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE INFORMATION ARE TOO AFRAID TO COME TO CITY COUNCIL, LET ALONE PUB THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT. THEY DISTRUST THE CITY GOVERNMENT. THEY DISTRUST US. SO WE ALL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING BEFORE US AND TALKING TO THEM, TALKING TO US ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE FEELING AND BE. BUT BECAUSE OF THIS, BECAUSE OF THIS RESISTANCE TO COME BE BEFORE THE COUNCIL, UH, THE PERPETRATORS CONTINUE TO WALK FREE. I DON'T THINK WE EVER FOUND CHARLENE HOLMES KILLER. WE HAVE NEVER FOUND ANTHONY CLAY'S KILLER. AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT HERE TO BRING UP PEOPLE'S NAMES. 'CAUSE EVERY TIME WE DO THAT, FOR THE PERSON THAT'S STILL ALIVE, IT OPENS A WOUND. AND I KNOW THAT'S NO ONE'S INTENTION TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL BAD, THAT ALREADY FEEL BAD. THE ARGUMENT IN FAVOR SHOT, SPOKE SPOTTER IS THAT IT MAY HELP THE POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN GATHERING SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE SO THAT EVEN THE ABSENCE OF WITNESSES' TESTIMONY, WE CAN STILL HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. IT'S NOT A GUARANTEE. IT'S NOT A PROMISE OF, IF CAMBRIDGE USES THIS TECHNOLOGY, THEN WE WON'T HAVE ANY MORE UNSOLVED SHOOTINGS, BUT IS ANOTHER POTENTIALLY IMPORTANT TOOL THAT WE CAN USE AND THAT PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WANT US TO USE. I MENTIONED LAST MONDAY, MY GRANDDAUGHTER, WE LIVE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO A PARK. THERE WERE SHOTS IN THAT PARK. SHE WAS AFRAID. I DO MY BEST TO COUNSEL [02:45:01] TO SAY IT'S GONNA BE ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO EMPLOY AND DEPLOY EVERY RESOURCE THAT WE HAVE POSSIBLE AND, AND AT OUR DISPOSAL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING OUR CHILDREN IN PARTICULAR, UH, SAFE. THAT THEY CAN FEEL LIKE THEY CAN GO. AND AS MY KIDS TELL ME, WALK THE GRAND DOG, I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO I DO HEAR THE CONCERNS ABOUT PRIVACY. ALTHOUGH EVERY TIME YOU WALK DOWN THE STREET, SOMEONE'S TAPING YOU IN SOME WAY. AS MY VICE CHAIR, VICE MAYOR HAD SAID, IF YOU'RE ON YOUR PHONE, YOU WALK PAST A TESLA, A RING DOORBELL. WE ARE BEING SURVEILLED ALL THE TIME, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT. IT'S JUST THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN. AND HOW THIS TECH COULD POTENTIALLY SHARE INFORMATION WITH ICE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I HAVE NOT SEEN A COMMUNITY WORK MORE DILIGENTLY AND MORE INTENTIONALLY ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT ICE DOES NOT INVADE OUR LIFE. WE DO IT ALL THE TIME, EVERY TIME AND OVERTIME TO MAKE SURE, PARTICULARLY IN OUR SCHOOLS, THAT PEOPLE FEEL, UH, SAFE. AND I THINK MY RESPONSE WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT BEFORE WE TAKE THE STEP OF COMPLETELY DISCONTINUING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY. MIGHT THERE BE SOME MIDDLE GROUND? CAN WE ASK OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT, OUR CITY SOLICITOR, WHETHER THE CONTRACT CAN BE AMENDED IN SOME WAY THAT GIVES US VETO POWER OVER HOW THIS INFORMATION IS UTILIZED AND AND SHARED. MIGHT THERE BE A WAY TO GAIN CONTROL OVER THIS? MIGHT THERE BE A WAY TO OFFER THE COMMUNITIES WHERE SHOTS SPOTTER IS NOW AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY OR GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, WELL, HERE'S ANOTHER LEVEL OF SURVEILLANCE WE MIGHT LIKE. INSTEAD. AS I MENTIONED LAST MONDAY, OUR, WE DO NOT HAVE CAMERAS ON OUR, ON OUR LIGHT LAMPPOST. BUT AT WASHINGTON EL AND NEWTOWN COURT, AT A MEETING WITH 30 OR 40 PEOPLE THERE, THEY SAID, WE WANT CAMERAS THAT THE CITY WOULD NOT INSTALL. BUT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY DID IT BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN NEWTOWN COURT IN WASHINGTON, ELMS WANTED IT. AND I, I'M SORRY, MAY, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR ANYBODY THAT LIVES IN NEWTOWN COURT IN WASHINGTON ELMS THAT'S HERE, UH, AS I THOUGHT. AND SO, UM, I WOULD SAY RATHER THAN RUSHING TO DISCONTINUE THE USE OF THE TWO THAT MIGHT PROVE BENEFICIAL, UH, PARTICULARLY WITHOUT HAVING THE VOICES OF AUTHENTIC PEOPLE THAT ARE, ARE WHOSE CIVIL LIBERTIES THAT PEOPLE KEEP SAYING THAT WE DON'T WANNA VIOLATE, BUT VIOLATE THEIR HUMANITY ON A REGULAR BASIS. UM, IS THERE SOMETHING THE COUNCIL MIGHT BE WILLING TO EXPLORE TO HAVE A DEEPER, LONGER CONVERSATION? AND I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT WE LAY THIS ON THE TABLE. I WOULD WORK WITH THE MOTION MAKERS IF THEY'RE SO INCLINED WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT, WITH THE CITY'S SOLICITOR TO CRAFT THAT LANGUAGE. OTHERWISE, I'LL BE VOTING, UH, PRESENT ON THIS ORDER. AND WITH THAT, I YIELD THE FLOOR. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, JUST TO CLARIFY, ARE YOU MAKING A MOTION TO TABLE RIGHT NOW? I'M MAKING A MOTION TO TABLE BECAUSE THAT'S NON DEBATABLE. SO I KNOW IT'S A NON DEBATABLE MOTION. UM, WHEN SOMEONE I CAN MOVES TO TABLE, I WOULD HOLD IT IF MY COLLEAGUES WANNA SPEAK ON IT. BUT THAT'S MY INCLINATION IS TO, TO MOVE. SO I, BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO BE MOVED FOR A VOTE WHEN I WANNA MOVE THE TABLE TO HAVE A LONGER, HAVE MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IT. SO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS IS MOVING TO, TO TABLE. WHAT I WAS SAYING IS, I WOULD LIKE TO TABLE THIS MATTER. I DON'T NEC I KNOW IF A VOTE TO TABLE CUTS OFF DEBATE, I WANNA ALLOW MY COLLEAGUES, BUT THEN I DON'T WANT SOMEONE TO BACKDOOR ME. OKAY. AND SAY, AND MOVE THE ADOPTION WHEN THEY KNOW I WOULD LIKE TO EXERCISE THE ABILITY TO LAY THIS ON THE TABLE TO BEGIN FURTHER CONVERSATION. SO USUALLY, NO, WE DON'T HAVE SECONDS. SO I'M GONNA, BECAUSE COUNCILOR SIMMONS IS YIELDING 'CAUSE SHE WANTS, UM, SOME DISCUSSION OR WHOEVER WANTS TO, IF HERE'S HERE, HERE'S WHAT WE'LL DO. IF FOLKS ARE GONNA YIELD, I'D LIKE THEM TO JUST YIELD, UM, SO THAT WE CAN JUST MOVE TO YOUR, TO THE, TO THE VOTE. UM, BUT IF THEY WANNA GET ON THE RECORD RIGHT NOW, I'LL ALLOW THEM TO SPEAK. I HAD COUNSELOR FLAHERTY NEXT, AND THEN I HAD COUNCILLOR ZUI, THEN I HAD COUNCILLOR NOLAN, AND THEN COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN AGAIN. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS HAS DEMONSTRATED INTENT THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO TABLE, BUT IS YIELDING IF FOLKS WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. BUT SO OUR CONVERSATION, YES, MADAM CHAIR, IF THEY DON'T WANT TO AND THEY WANNA YIELD, WE'LL QUICKLY GET TO YOUR MOTION. COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY, THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UH, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. UM, [02:50:03] FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS, I'VE SPENT MY LIFE PROFESSIONALLY AS EITHER A PROSECUTOR OR A CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY. AND, UH, EVEN THOUGH I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN HUNDREDS AND MAYBE THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL CASES, EITHER REPRESENTING SOMEONE OR PROSECUTING SOMEONE, I REALLY FEEL LIKE MY CLIENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, UH, THE CONSTITUTION IN THE MASSACHUSETTS DECLARATION OF RIGHTS. AND I RECOGNIZE, UH, WITHOUT ANY EXCEPTION, THE CONCERN THAT INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE ABOUT THE PROTECTIONS WERE ALL AFFORDED BY THE, UH, FOURTH AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AND ARTICLE 12 OF THE MASSACHUSETTS DECLARATION OF RIGHTS. I TRULY DO. I DO THAT EVERY DAY. I DO THAT WORK EVERY DAY. MY CLIENT IS THE CONSTITUTION. MY INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS, IN MANY MATTERS, A MAJORITY OF MATTERS ARE BLACK AND BROWN. PEOPLE FROM COMMUNITIES, EITHER FROM CAMBRIDGE OR COMMUNITIES LIKE CAMBRIDGE, I'M INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE LIVES THEY LIVE WITH, THE OBSTACLES THEY FACE, WITH THE HARDSHIPS, WITH THE DANGERS, WITH THE SPECIFIC INSTANCES OF TRAUMA THEY'VE ALL SUFFERED IN THEIR LIVES. VIOLENCE, DRUGS, DYSFUNCTION. I'M INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH IT. I PERSONALLY KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN MURDERED IN CAMBRIDGE. IT BEGAN WITH COREY DAVIS MANY YEARS AGO. UH, AND THERE'S BEEN A BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN NORTH AND THE PORT. UM, I I, MY CLIENT I INVITED TO COME AND SPEAK LAST WEEK, YOU MAY REMEMBER CARLOS UMBERTO DAVID, HE TALKED ABOUT THE MURDER OF HIS BROTHER KESSLEY, UH, AND HOW HIS FAMILY LIVED WITH THE HORROR OF THAT. AND THAT REMAINS AN UNSOLVED MURDER. ANTHONY CLAY, I REPRESENTED SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ASSOCIATED IN THAT INVESTIGATION. XAVIER JACKS, WHO WAS MURDERED IN AT RIDGE PARK, WHICH IS NOW KNOWN AS I GUESS PEMBERTON COURTS. THAT'S WHERE I GREW UP AND PLAYED BASKETBALL MY ENTIRE LIFE. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES AS A YOUNG PERSON IN CAMBRIDGE, I'VE PERSONALLY OBSERVED A PERSON WITH A FIREARM. AND WE ARE A SAFE CITY BY STANDARDS. WE'RE A CITY OF 118,000 PEOPLE, AND THE NUMBER OF SHOOTINGS THAT WE EXPERIENCE ARE LESS THAN MANY URBAN AREAS. BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION, NO QUESTION THAT I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THIS. I I LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD AND PEOPLE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A BACK AND FORTH FEUD BETWEEN THE MR PROJECTS AND AREA FOUR. AND THERE IS GUN VIOLENCE AND THERE HAVE BEEN EXCHANGE OF GUNSHOTS. UM, AND IT'S BEEN GOING BACK AND GOING ON, UH, REPEATEDLY FOR MANY YEARS NOW. AND THE PERPETRATORS ARE YOUNG AND THEY DO NEED, UH, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE. THEY DO NEED ASSISTANCE AND HELP, SIMILAR TO WHAT THE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY THAT, UM, WE SEE IN OTHER, UM, ORGANIZATIONS. AND I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. BUT, UM, HAVING SAID ALL THAT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND AND BECAUSE I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH ELECTRONIC WIRETAPPING AND EAVESDROPPING AND, UH, 2 72 99 WARRANTS, UH, THESE, UH, WARRANTS THAT ARE USED TO OBTAIN COURT AUTHORIZATION, UH, SURREPTITIOUS RECORDING. AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR WARRANT. AND IT HAS TO BE A DESIGNATED OFFENSE IN ANY VIOLATION OF 2 72 99 IS A FELONY IN MASSACHUSETTS. IF YOU SURREPTITIOUSLY RECORD, UH, IN, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SPOT CHARTER IS NOT A LISTENING DEVICE USED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND I APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF MOST OF THE SPEAKERS IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WHAT IS RECORDED CAN BE SHARED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I THINK IT'S A FALSE NARRATIVE TO BELIEVE THAT ICE AGENTS, WHO I THINK WE'RE ALL VERY WELL AWARE OF THEIR CRIMINAL CONDUCT RECENTLY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I MEAN, WE DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT. AND I, I, I'M THE FIRST TO STAND UP AND DENOUNCE THAT. BUT I THINK IT'S A FALSE NARRATIVE TO THINK THAT FEDERAL AGENTS ARE MONITORING CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE OVERHEARD BY SHOTS BARTER. THE WAY THE DEVICE WORKS IS RECORDINGS ARE, UH, WRITTEN OVER WITHIN 72 HOURS. UM, SO I I I, I APPRECIATE THE CONCERN. I APPRECIATE THE POSSIBILITY THAT THIS COULD BE DONE, BUT I JUST THINK IT'S A FALSE NARRATIVE. UM, [02:55:02] I, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO RECOGNIZE, AND, AND THE COMMISSIONER SAID IT, THAT WAS A BRAZEN ACT OF VIOLENCE LAST MONDAY, A BRAZEN ACT AND A PERSON, AND I'M SPEAKING ABOUT ME, A PERSON WHO WATCHES AND IS CONCERNED NOT JUST LOCALLY, BUT ACROSS THE STATE, NATIONALLY, ABOUT THESE TYPES OF VIOLENCE. I'VE DONE A LOT OF THINKING ABOUT, UH, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, INCARCERATION, UH, THE EFFECTS OF RACISM. I'VE DONE A LOT OF THINKING ABOUT IT. IT'S BEEN SORT OF MY LIFE'S WORK. UH, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WAS PROBABLY, I THINK, THE MOST SHOCKING EVENT IN MY LIFETIME IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. UH, BUT DESPITE THAT, LAW ENFORCEMENT RAN TOWARDS THE DANGER AND SAVED LIVES, UH, AND SHOTS BARTER HAS BEEN A TOOL THAT HAS SAVED LIVES BEYOND THE RIVER STREET SHOOTING OR THE HARVARD STREET SHOOTING. THERE'S A YOUNG MAN NAMED DAVID SNOW WHO ALMOST DIED IN SOMERVILLE SHOT. AND THE ONLY REASON WHY HE RECEIVED THE FIRST AID AND THE, AND THE LIFESAVING CARE WAS BECAUSE OF SHOTS. THERE WASN'T A A 9 1 1 CALL. UH, I, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE, AS THE CITY MANAGER DID SAY THAT THERE IS ALWAYS, UH, A BALANCE BETWEEN RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES. UM, WHAT WERE, UM, WHAT WE'RE PROTECTING WITH OUR PRIVACY RIGHTS. AND WE DO IT BETTER IN MASSACHUSETTS THAN WE DO ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY. AND WE DO MORE TO, UM, PUSH BACK ON THEIR FRONTS OF ICE IN THIS MUNICIPALITY PROBABLY THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY. UH, AND WE SEE IT IN THE UPDATES FROM THE CITY SOLICITORS AND THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT IN THE AMICUS BRIEFS THAT, THAT WE FILE. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS NOT A LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOL THAT'S USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECORDING AND LISTENING TO PEOPLE'S CONVERSATION. IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. I THINK IT'S A FALSE NARRATIVE THAT IT'S BEING MONITORED AND THEN PEOPLE ARE BEING MONITORED. AND BEYOND THAT, RIGHT NOW, WE'VE GOT SATELLITES THAT ARE MONITORING EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING. UM, AND, AND WE DO HAVE A REDUCED PRIVACY INTEREST. BUT THE EXCHANGE OF THAT IS AN INCREASED PROTECTION AND AN INCREASED ABILITY TO RESPOND TO SITUATIONS INVOLVING VIOLENCE THAT RESULT HOPEFULLY IN EITHER A, UM, A VIABLE INVESTIGATION ARREST, A CONVICTION OR LIFESAVING MEASURES THAT CAN LEAD TO THE REALLY, THE SAVING LIFE MEASURES THAT WE'VE SEEN HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. UH, AND, AND WITH ALL OF THAT, I THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY WITH THIS COUNCIL TO REALLY CONSIDER WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING WITH THIS. AND IF THERE IS A WAY TO MAINTAIN THE TOOL WITHOUT INFRINGING PEOPLE'S PRIVACY RIGHTS, I THEN I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT. AS COUNCIL SIMMONS SAID, AND THE REASON WHY THESE SPOT CHARTED DEVICES, AS PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED, ARE LOCATED IN AREAS WHERE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE LIVE. WELL, JUST AS MRS. COUNCIL SIMMONS HAS SAID THAT PEOPLE LIVE IN WASHINGTON, ELMS, NEWTOWN COURT, WALDEN SQUARE DON'T WANT BULLETS FLYING IN THE STREET. THE SHOOTINGS HAPPEN THERE BECAUSE THE FEUD INVOLVES THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE. UM, SO I WOULD JOIN IN, UH, MY COUNSELOR'S, UH, INTENTION TO, AT THE CONCLUSION OF OF EVERYONE'S YIELD TO LAY THIS ON THE TABLE. SO I YIELD MY TIME. WE WILL GO TO COUNCILOR ZUI AND THEN COUNCILOR NOLAN. I, I WON'T BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THE SAME PASSION AS, UM, COUNSELOR FLAHERTY. BUT I, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I CAME INTO THIS MEETING TONIGHT THINKING THAT I WOULD BE SUPPORTING THIS POLICY ORDER, UM, NOT BECAUSE I THINK SHOT SPOTTER. I'M NOT CONVINCED IT'S EVIL OR THAT IT LISTENS. I AGREE. I, I I THINK THERE IS A FALSE NARRATIVE AND I, I DON'T THINK IT REPORTS TO ICE, BUT I ALSO AM NOT CONVINCED THAT IT'S ACTUALLY A USEFUL TOOL AND WONDER WHETHER IT DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD. I UNDERSTAND THE POLICE WANTING TO USE THIS TOOL, THEY WANT EVERY TOOL, UM, IN THE TOOLBOX THAT WILL HELP THEM TO SOLVE CRIMES. UM, AND, UM, BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT WHO HAS ACCESS TO WHATEVER DATA SHOTSPOTTER COLLECTS. [03:00:01] I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING ON, UM, ON APRIL 29TH. AND I'M SO SORRY, BUT I DID WATCH IT AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A FABULOUS MEETING. AND GOING INTO IT, WHAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT IS WHAT, UM, COUNCILOR SIMMONS HAS BEEN SAYING AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN IS HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO THE FAMILIES AT NEWTOWN COURT AT WASHINGTON ELMS? UM, HAVE YOU TALKED TO BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE? AND I RAN INTO STEPHANIE GERARD AND SHE SAID, YES, I HAVE, AND I THINK STEPHANIE'S WONDERFUL. BUT WHEN I LISTENED TO THE MEETING, WHAT I HEARD IS, I THINK SHE ASKED PEOPLE, WELL, ARE YOU FOR SHOT SPOTTER IF IT LISTENS TO YOUR CONVERSATIONS AND REPORTS YOU TO ICE? AND PEOPLE SAID, NO, THEY DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH SHOT SPOTTER IF IT DID THOSE THINGS, BUT WE'RE NOT SURE THAT IT ACTUALLY DOES THOSE THINGS. SO, UM, I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA TO LAY THIS ON THE TABLE AND TELL THE COMMUNITY HAS A MEETING WITH THE, WITH THE FOLKS, UM, TOMORROW, AND TO REALLY HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. UM, BECAUSE I, I THINK WE, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY MOST, UM, DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE TECHNOLOGY, UM, BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION. SO I, I THINK IT'S SO WISE THING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DATA, UM, AND TO PER AND, UH, TO BE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTION, WHICH IS, OR OR, WITH THAT, WITHOUT A LEADING QUESTION, WITHOUT, WITHOUT SAYING THIS IS LISTENING TO YOUR CONVERSATIONS AND REPORTING YOU TO ICE SAY, DO YOU FEEL THAT THIS TOOL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S IMPERFECT, DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL MORE SAFE? THAT, I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR BACK. SO I THINK I, I, I, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA TO LAY IT ON, LAY THIS ON THE TABLE UNTIL WE HAVE THAT DATA. THANK YOU. I YIELD COUNCILOR NOLAN, THEN COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. THANK YOU. I THINK, LIKE, UH, MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, THIS IS, I'M CONFLICTED. IT'S VERY HARD. THIS IS VERY HARD TO THINK ABOUT. ARE, ARE WE DOING SOMETHING DEPENDING ON WHICH WAY WE GO, THAT IS BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE AND SAFER. UM, AND I THINK IT'S A, A TESTAMENT TO THE FACT THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY THINKING VERY DEEPLY ABOUT THIS. SO I, I THINK THAT'S A POSITIVE THING. UH, GUN VIOLENCE IS IN CAMBRIDGE. IT HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES. WE'VE HEARD THE STATISTICS, OF COURSE, NOT VERY OFTEN. CERTAINLY COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES, IT'S FAR, FAR, FAR LESS. UM, WE HAVE HAD MANY, MANY MEETINGS ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER OVER, I THINK IT'S NOW A FEW YEARS THAT WE'VE, UM, DISCUSSED THIS. AND THERE IS DOCUMENTATION THAT THERE ARE VERY SERIOUS ISSUES WITH SHOTSPOTTER. AS I THINK OUR, ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY MANAGER AND COMMISSIONER ACKNOWLEDGED WE ARE A VERY SAFE CITY. UM, I DO NOT BELIEVE AND DO NOT SEE ANY EVIDENCE THAT SHOTSPOTTER MAKES US ANY SAFER OR THAT IT HELPS SOLVE CRIMES. IT, IT JUST, WE'VE NEVER SEEN ANY OF THAT. UM, WE, WE HEARD TONIGHT, AT LEAST FROM MANY PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO DID SAY FROM VARIOUS BACK, THEY HEARD THE CALL, LIKE THEY SAID, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN PUBLIC HOUSING WHO ARE IN COMMUNITIES. AND THEY CAME TONIGHT TO THIS CHAMBER, INCLUDING, UH, TO, UM, IN SPANISH, WHICH WE DON'T OFTEN HEAR, I UNDERSTAND ENOUGH SPANISH TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE SAYING, WHICH IS THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN IT. BUT THE QUESTIONS MATTER. YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE ASKED, WELL, DO YOU WANT SHOT SPOTTER TO CONTINUE? 'CAUSE IT'S LISTENING TO YOU, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT ANSWER THAN IF YOU WANT A TOOL TO KEEP YOU SAFE. BUT I THINK THOSE ARE TWO POLAR OPPOSITES, AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT HOW THE QUESTIONS ARE PHRASED. TIME OF RESPONSE DEFINITELY MATTERS. AND YET FOR LAST MONDAY, STARTLING AND HORRIFYING ACT OF VIOLENCE AND SHOOTING SHOT SPOTTER WOULD NOT HAVE SAVED ANYONE FROM GETTING SHOT NOR PREVENT SHOTS. IT WAS DUE TO THE BRAVERY OF THE FIRST RESPONDERS AS WELL AS A RETIRED MARINE WHO HAD A WEAPON IN A LEGALLY, UM, UH, LEGALLY HELD GUN. SO I ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO MAKE IT CLEAR AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING TOMORROW, DEPENDING ON WHERE THIS GOES, THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS DOING ITS BEST AND STANDS WITH THE COMMUNITY TO BE A SAFE CITY. SO I, I, I DO NOT WANT ANY INCLINATION OR ANY IDEA THAT PEOPLE WHO VOTE HOW THEY VOTE ARE NOT DOING WHAT THEY THINK IS ABSOLUTELY THE SAFEST FOR THE CITY. BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE SPLITTING THE CITY AND COMPLETELY INEQUITABLE UNFAIR AND NOT A COLLABORATIVE MOMENT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE MAY COME ACROSS, WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON IT, BUT WE ARE ALL DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP IT SAFE. SO IS [03:05:01] SHOT SPOTTER USED BY FEDERAL AGENTS? PROBABLY NOT NOW, BUT THE WHOLE POINT IS IT COULD BE USED THAT WAY. WE HAVE PROOF THAT IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THIS COUNCIL ENDED THE USE OF FLOCK CAMERAS, WHICH I HAD SUPPORTED ENDING THEM. AND YET THAT DOESN'T MEAN I'M AGAINST ALL CAMERAS. I HAVE LONG CHAMPIONED THE USE OF CAMERAS FOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE NUANCES HERE, THAT YOU CAN BE IN FAVOR OF HAVING A TOOL LIKE SHOT SPOTTER, BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN FAVOR OF THIS PARTICULAR VERSION OF IT. THE POINT IS, I'M NOT, AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US ARE AGAINST TECHNOLOGY, EVEN IF THEY HAVE SOME SURVEILLANCE IMPLICATIONS. BUT IN THIS CASE, I DO STAND BY CO-SPONSORING THIS POLICY ORDER TO STOP USING THIS VERY SPECIFIC TOOL BECAUSE OF THE CONCERNS AND THE DOCUMENTED ISSUES WITH IT. AND WHEN THERE'S A BETTER TOOL, WHICH I BELIEVE WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN, I THINK THERE WILL BE A TOOL THAT ADDRESSES THE CONCERNS AND HAS COMPLETELY CITY OWNED AND CONTROLLED DATA AND DOESN'T RAISE THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS OF SHOTSPOTTER. SO I WOULD DEFINITELY CONSIDER SUPPORTING THAT AND WOULD HOPE THE WHOLE COUNCIL WOULD COME FORWARD AND SAY, YES. NOW THIS TOOL IS IS ONE THAT HAS BEEN VETTED AND IS MUCH BETTER THAN THE ONE THAT WE, UH, I PERSONALLY THINK WE SHOULD NOT BE USING. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR NOLAN YIELDS. WE'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, THROUGH YOU. UM, FIRST THING, ACTING COMMISSIONER. I WANNA THANK YOU AND THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE, UH, FOR LAST MONDAY. UM, AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, I OFTEN IN SOME CIRCLES CATCH HEAT FOR SAYING THAT I THINK THAT THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS AN EXCEPTIONAL DEPARTMENT. UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE PERFECT. AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES US EXCEPTIONAL IS THAT YOU DON'T THINK WE'RE PERFECT EITHER, AND THAT THE POLICE, RATHER THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS SORT OF PUT UP THE BLUE WALL AND SAY NOTHING TO SEE HERE, UM, WE'RE A DEPARTMENT THAT CONSISTENTLY LOOKS AT ITSELF AND EVALUATES ITSELF. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I DO, I, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE CAN SOMETIMES, CERTAINLY IN POLITICS TODAY, IT'S, IT'S JUST, THERE'S NO GRAY, THERE'S NO, YOU CAN BE CRITICAL, BUT ALSO BE SUPPORTIVE. YOU KNOW, I THINK OF THAT AS A PARENT. I, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, I DON'T ALWAYS TELL MY KIDS WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR, BECAUSE WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT'S WHAT, WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THEM. UM, AND SO YOU CAN BE CRITICAL AND YOU CAN MAYBE BE NOT SUPPORTIVE IN ONE INSTANCE, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE UNSUPPORTIVE IN, IN TOTALITY. AND SO THESE ARE, THERE'S A LOT OF GRAY IN THESE CONVERSATIONS. UM, IN TERMS OF GUN VIOLENCE IN, IN, IN THE CITY. WE, WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, UNSOLVED CASES. UM, I WAS AT THE HOSPITAL, I'M GONNA GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL. I WAS AT THE HOSPITAL WITH CHARLENE HOLMES' MOTHER THE NIGHT SHE DIED. I WAS THE SOCIAL WORKER FOR THAT FAMILY. AND I WAS IN A MOVIE THEATER, AND I GOT A CALL FROM HER SISTER, WHO'S THE ONE I WAS WORKING WITH, WHO IN TEARS, TELLING ME WHAT HAPPENED. AND I RACED OVER. SO I GET IT. AND AS COUNSELOR NOLAN SAID, YOU KNOW, I REALLY, REALLY HOPE, AND, AND THIS GOES BOTH WAYS. IF SOMEBODY IS VOTES TO KEEP SHOT, SPOTTER, I DON'T WANT ANY, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY WHO DISAGREES WITH THAT VOTE TO GO OUT THROWING ACCUSATIONS AT PEOPLE THAT THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT IMMIGRANTS OR THEY DON'T CARE. THIS COUNCIL CARES ABOUT PEOPLE. AND WE HAVE, MAY HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES IN CERTAIN ISSUES, BUT, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY TO ME IS YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH SOMEONE AND STILL CARE ABOUT THEM AND STILL CARE FOR THEM. AND THIS, YOU KNOW, IF I VOTE TO GET RID OF SHOTSPOTTER, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TALKING ABOUT HOW, I DON'T WANT, HOW, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP CAMBRIDGE SAFE. THIS IS MY G*****N CITY. I WAS GONNA SAY WHAT DAVID ORTIZ SAID, , BUT I DIDN'T, AND GREW UP IN THIS CITY, AND I HAVE KIDS IN THIS CITY. AND FOR ANYBODY TO SUGGEST THAT I DON'T, AND I'VE WORKED WITH KIDS IN THIS CITY MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND FOR ANYBODY TO SUGGEST THAT I DON'T CARE ABOUT SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY, COME SAY IT TO MY FACE. BUT SIMILARLY, YOUR VOTE ON THIS, IF YOU VOTE TO KEEP SHOTS SPOTTER, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT ANYBODY WHO VOTES TO KEEP IT DOESN'T CARE EITHER. THAT'S CHEAP AND IT'S POLITICAL, AND WE SHOULD BE BETTER. UM, I'M ALSO NOT SOMEONE WHO'S AGAINST THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY. I THINK TECHNOLOGY'S IMPORTANT. AND I THINK WHEN USED PROPERLY, TECHNOLOGY CAN BE REALLY IMPORTANT. UM, BUT THIS IS WHERE I START SORT OF THE SHIFT ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. [03:10:01] I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE OR DON'T AGREE. AND I'VE, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS FOR A FEW YEARS, AND I'VE, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ON THE FENCE ABOUT SHOTSPOTTER. I DON'T THINK IT'S LISTENING INTO EVERYBODY'S CONVERSATION AT THEIR KITCHEN TABLE, NOR DO I THINK THE CITY'S GOING TO BE LESS SAFE WITHOUT IT. AND SO, UM, FOR ME, WHAT THIS COMES DOWN TO, AND THIS IS WHERE I PIVOTED ON FLOCK, WAS ABOUT THE INFORMATION, THE CONTROL OF THE INFORMATION, THE ACCESS OF THE INFORMATION NOT BEING IN OUR HANDS. AND UNDER THIS CURRENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION THAT SCARES ME. I MAY FEEL DIFFERENTLY, AND GOD PLEASE, IN THREE YEARS UNDER A DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATION. UM, BUT RIGHT NOW, HAVING HAD COUNTLESS MEETINGS ON THIS, UM, I STILL LAND IN THE, I LAND IN THE PLACE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE NOT THINGS THAT SHOT SPOTTER WOULD'VE PREVENTED OR HELPED. SO IF WE'RE TALKING STRICTLY ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA BE LESS SAFE IF WE DON'T HAVE IT. UM, SO I'M GONNA VOTE FOR THE ORDER. UM, YOU KNOW, I DO AGREE, AND I, I DO, I HEAR WHAT BOTH COUNCILOR SIMMONS AND COUNCILOR ZUZI HAD SAID ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE DATA AROUND IT. I MEAN, I DO THINK HOW YOU ASK A QUESTION WHEN YOU'RE TAKING A SURVEY OR, YOU KNOW, WE GET COUNTLESS PETITIONS ON HUNDREDS OF SUBJECTS, AND YOU READ THE PETITION AND IT'S LIKE, WELL, OF COURSE I WOULD SIGN THIS BECAUSE THE WAY THE PERSON WROTE THE PETITION MAKES IT SOUND LIKE A NO BRAINER, WHEN REALLY, IT'S ACTUALLY MORE COMPLIC. NOBODY WRITES A PETITION THAT HAS PROS AND CONS ON IT. RIGHT? UM, SO, SO I'M A LITTLE SKEPTICAL OF, OF SOME OF THAT, OF SOME OF THAT DATA. UM, BUT IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE A DECISION ABOUT IT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I, I JUST, I DON'T THINK IT MAKES US ANY SAFER. I THINK THE RISKS, RISKS ARE GREAT, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE CON THE CONTROL AND THE ACCESS OF THE DATA. UM, SO I WILL VOTE FOR THE POLICY ORDER THAT I'M A CO-SPONSOR ON, SO THAT'S NOT A SURPRISE. UM, BUT, UM, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU THOUGH, ACTING COMMISSIONER AND THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE, BECAUSE I DON'T SHARE QUITE THE SAME CONCERN THAT IF YOU ARRIVE AT A CALL, IT'S THEREFORE GONNA END IN A BAD WAY, BECAUSE THAT'S TYPICALLY NOT, THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENS REALLY IN, IN CAMBRIDGE. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY AS WELL. SO THAT'S WHERE I AM ON THIS. UM, AND I GUESS I'LL YIELD MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. UM, I'LL SPEAK BRIEFLY, UH, AND THEN WE CAN GO AHEAD TO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL SAY THAT I WANNA JUST, UH, COMMEND MY COLLEAGUES FOR HAVING, UH, THIS DISCUSSION HERE. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS, AND I THINK THERE ARE VARIOUS POINTS OF VIEW ON THIS THAT'S KIND OF DEMOCRACY. UH, AND, YOU KNOW, I DO WANNA COMMEND OUR COMMISSIONER AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, FOR THE RESPONSE. UM, NOT JUST MONDAY, BUT IN MANY, MANY INSTANCES. AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR, UM, JUST THE, THE CARE THAT HAS BEEN EXI HAS OFTEN BEEN, UH, EXHIBITED. UH, AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING, UM, TOMORROW. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE THERE TOO, RIGHT? THESE ARE NOT DONE. I CALLED YOU COMMISSIONER IMMEDIATELY AND SAID, YOU KNOW, LET'S MAKE THAT CONNECTION. LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN. THE FIRST THING YOU SAID WAS ABSOLUTELY, WE'RE ON IT. UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA GET PEOPLE THE INFORMATION. WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEIR QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I REALLY VALUE, I REALLY VALUE THAT. UH, AND SO TO COUNCILOR MCGOVERN'S, YOU KNOW, ELOQUENT POINT, I THINK EVEN IF WE DISAGREE, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WAY WE CAN DISAGREE AND STILL BE A PART OF THE, THE SAME CITY, UH, AND BE IN FRONT OF PEOPLE AND DEFEND WHERE WE'RE AT, UM, AND DO THAT IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER. AND SO, I THINK, UH, I WANTED TO JUST SAY THAT I THINK I'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT, UM, THESE CONVERSATIONS. AND I THINK, UM, A LOT OF WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID ON BOTH, BOTH SIDES IS VERY, VERY COMPELLING. UM, AND I THINK WHERE I LAND, UM, IS, YOU KNOW, THE DATA THAT THE A CLU HAS, THERE'S A LOT OF EVIDENCE IN OTHER CITIES, UM, THAT HAVE CANCELED CONTRACTS. I'VE DO FEEL CONCERNED ABOUT A LOT OF WHAT HAS BEEN SHARED, AND I THINK PERSONALLY, UH, THERE'S REASONABLE DOUBT FOR ME THERE. UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M PREPARED TO VOTE TONIGHT. UM, I THINK A LOT OF THINGS CAN BE TRUE AT [03:15:01] ONCE. WE'RE NOT IMMUNE TO GUN VIOLENCE HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. OUR FIRST RESPONDERS HOLD THAT BURDEN OF KEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE. AND I DON'T THINK THAT THIS TECH TECHNOLOGY ACTUALLY MAKES OUR COMMUNITY SAFER BASED ON EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I THINK IS OUR JOB IS TO INFORM PEOPLE OF OUR DECISIONS, WHAT OUR DECISIONS MEAN, AND HOW WHY WE TAKE THEM. AND I'M READY TO DO THAT. I THINK SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES ARE READY TO DO THAT. UM, BUT WE'LL, YOU KNOW, I, WE WILL STILL WANNA STAND WITH YOU, UH, AND, UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST WHERE I LAND AND I RESPECT WHERE, UM, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALSO LANDED ON THIS. SO, UM, WE CAN GO AHEAD ON COUNSELOR SIMMONS VOTE TO TABLE, UM, AND THEN WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT LANDS, AND THEN WE CAN GO FROM THERE. SO, COUNCILOR SIMMONS HAS MOVED A TABLE. IT'S A NON DEBATABLE MOTION. WE'LL GO TO THE VOTE. COUNCILOR ZUBE? NO. VICE MAYOR? YES. YES. COUNCIL FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? NO. COUNCILOR NOLAN? NO. NO. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER? NO. NO. COUNCILOR ZUI? UH, YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI? NO. NO. AND YOU HAVE FOUR MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, AND FIVE RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. SO THE VOTE TO TABLE FAILS. SO WE CAN GO AHEAD. ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND ADOPT THIS POLICY? ORDER ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR ZUBIE TO ADOPT THE POLICY ORDER. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBIE? YES. VICE MAYOR. PRESENT. PRESENT. COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY? NO. NO. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? NO. NO. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER? YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. UH, PRESENT. PRESENT. MAYOR SIDIKI? YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE FIVE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. TWO RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE, AND TWO RECORDED AS PRESENT. THE POLICY ORDER HAS BEEN ADOPTED. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER THREE THAT THE CITY MANAGER BE IN, HEREBY IS REQUESTED TO WORK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, LAW DEPARTMENT, AND ELECTION COMMISSION, AND OTHER RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS TO ENGAGE THE COLLIN CENTER IN ASSISTING THE CITY IN REVIEWING POLICY OPTIONS FOR ALLIAN CAMBRIDGE VOTERS TO DIRECTLY ELECT THE CITY'S MAYOR. THE CHARTER RIGHT WAS EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THAT WAS SO CLOSE. SO CLOSE. OH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. RELATIVE TO, UM, AS I SAID LAST WEEK, I DO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS, IS THIS IS THE COLIN CENTER, CORRECT. OKAY. YES. YES. UH, UH, WHY PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN, IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE CHOOSE OUR MAYOR, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE, WE ALSO ASK THE COLLIN CENTER TO EXAMINE WHAT THE ROLE OF MAYOR IS IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER, AND THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. MY, AND, UM, WHAT THAT OUGHT TO BE. I DO NOT THINK WE CAN SEPARATE THE MECHANICS OF CHOOSING A MAYOR FROM THOSE OTHER DEEPER GOVERNANCE QUESTIONS. AS I ALSO SAID LAST WEEK, I'M ESPECIALLY CONCERNED THAT ANY FUTURE PROCESS MUST DO A BETTER JOB OF REACHING OUT TO THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO ATTEND MULTIPLE MEETINGS. FOLLOW EVERY COUNCIL DISCUSSION OR ORGANIZE AROUND THESE QUESTIONS ONLINE. SENIORS, WORKING FAMILIES, LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS, AND THOSE WHO SPEAK ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE MAY NOT, MAY MUST NOT BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT IN THIS CONVERSATION. THE CHARTER REVIEW PROCESS SPANNED A GREAT DEAL OF TIME. THE PEOPLE, THE, THE PEOPLE ON THE COMMISSION WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD, AND THIS WAS, WERE STILL SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS WAS BEING DISCUSSED. THAT SHOULD TELL US SOMETHING. YES, PEOPLE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PAY MORE ATTENTION, AND WE ALSO HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO WORK EXTRA HARD TO GET THE WORD OUT. AND IF WE GO DOWN THAT ROAD AGAIN, ARE WE GOING TO DO IT THE SAME WAY, OR ARE WE GONNA WORK EVEN HARDER TO GET MORE VOICES, UH, AT THE TABLE? WITH THAT, I'M OFFERING THE FOLLOWING AMENDED LANGUAGE FOR THIS ORDER, WHICH READS AS FOLLOWS, THAT THE CITY MANAGER BE IN. THE HEREBY IS REQUESTED TO WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, THE LAW DEPARTMENT, ELECTION COMMISSION, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND OTHER RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS TO ENGAGE THE CALL CENTER IN PREPARING A NEUTRAL REVIEW OF THE UNRESOLVED GOVERNANCE QUESTIONS THAT EMERGED FROM THE RECENT CHARTER REVIEW PROCESS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE METHOD OF SELECTING THE MAYOR, THE ROLE OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE MAYOR, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER, AND THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY BEFORE ANY FURTHER CHARTER AMENDMENTS IS ADVANCED. AND BE IT FURTHER ORDERED THAT THIS REVIEW SHALL SUMMARIZE THE PRIOR CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE'S CONSIDERATIONS OF THESE ISSUES, IDENTIFYING, [03:20:01] UH, WE ARE CONSENSUS WAS REACHED AND WHERE IT WAS NOT, AND OUTLINED THE LEGAL, ELECTORAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, FINANCIAL AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO ADDRESS, BE ADDRESSED BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERED ANY ADDITIONAL CHARTER CHANGES, AND BE A FURTHER ORDER THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS BEING, IS HEREBY REQUESTED TO REPORT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER IN A TIMELY FASHION. I YIELD THE FLOOR. MADAM MAYOR, WE'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER. THANKS. JUST A BRIEF, UH, QUESTION FOR COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. UM, I HAD ASKED, UH, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY IF, UH, THE, IF THIS AMENDMENT PASSED, IF THAT WOULD CHANGE HIS VOTE ON THE POLICY ORDER. I WAS THINKING HE WAS THE LEAD SPONSOR. UM, I, AND APOLOGIES, I'M REALIZING IT. YOU'RE THE LEAD SPONSOR COUNCIL. TY SAID THE, THE AMENDMENT, IF IT PASSED IT, IT WOULDN'T CHANGE HIS VOTE ON THE UNDERLYING POLICY ORDER. UM, SO IF THE AMENDMENT, IF THE AMENDMENT PASSES, IF YOU, I WOULD SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT IF IT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO VOTE YES ON THE UNDERLYING POLICY ORDER. IF THIS PASSES, WOULD YOU VOTE YES ON THE UNDERLYING POLICY ORDER OR WOULD YOU I HAVE TO SEE IT. I, IT, I'M, IT'S NOT IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ONE THAT YOU OFFERED INITIALLY? YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS, IT'S IN THE BOOK. IF YOUR AMENDMENT PASSES, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU VOTE YES ON THE OVERALL THING? OKAY. CAN I, COUNCILOR S WHEELER? CAN I, I HAVE TO GO LOOK AT IT. I JUST DON'T REMEMBER IT. OKAY. OKAY. WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU. COUNCILOR SIMMONS, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE A MOMENT. MM-HMM . THANK YOU. UM, WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR GOVERN AND THEN WE'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR NOLAN. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU, UM, TO, UH, COUNCILOR SIMMONS AND, AND COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY. IS THIS, AND MAYBE, MAYBE YOU NEED TIME TO, IS, ARE, ARE YOU ADDING THESE ORDERS ONTO THIS, I GUESS SORT OF A SIMILAR QUESTION. ARE YOU ADDING THESE ORDERS ONTO THE POLICY ORDER THAT YOU USE YOUR CHARTER RIGHT ON? OR IS IS YOU THIS SORT OF A WHOLE SEPARATE I'M LOOKING SO THAT I CAN SEE AND COMPARE AND CONTRAST. IS DO I NEED A MOMENT? I'M JUST WONDERING WHERE, BECAUSE I, I, I COULD BE FINE WITH THESE, BUT I ALSO AM FINE WITH THE OTHER ONE. SO I I IF THIS IS BEING INCORPORATED IN THAT'S YEAH. OR IS IT A WHOLE SEPARATE GOVERNMENT? THANK YOU. SO COUNCILOR SIMMONS'S, WE WANNA KNOW FROM YOU, I GUESS WHERE THIS WOULD BE COMING IN IS, IS THIS A SUBSTITUTE ORDER WHERE IN THE ORDER IT IS. I HAVE A FEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR HANDS UP. COUNCILOR NOLAN, AND THEN COUNCILOR ZUBE. SORRY. DID COUNCILOR MCGOVERN YIELD YOUR OH, YEAH. OKAY. UM, THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU, UH, MAYOR SIDIKI TO THE, TO THE COUNCIL. I, UM, MY CONCERN ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS ARE THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE THIS. WE HAVE A, WHAT, A HUNDRED PAGE 80 PAGE REPORT FROM THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE THAT SUMMARIZED EVERY SINGLE VOTE TAKEN. THAT WAS VERY EXTENSIVE. THAT WORKED WITH THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE, THE CITY THAT DID ALL OF THIS, WHICH IS IT, IT, WE ALREADY HAVE A SUMMARY OF THE PRIOR CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION OF EVERY SINGLE ISSUE. AND THE REASON THIS IS BEFORE US IS THERE WERE SOME ISSUES THAT WERE NOT FULLY DISCUSSED AND WERE REFERRED TO COMMITTEE. SO THE CHARTER THAT PASSED WERE ALL THE OTHER ISSUES. SO THIS POLICY ORDER, WHICH I'M GLAD IS ON THE TABLE, REALLY IS THERE WERE JUST A COUPLE OF LEFTOVER ISSUES THAT HAD NOT BEEN FULLY DISCUSSED. AND MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS IS THAT WE WOULD BE REQUIRING EXTRA WORK THAT DOESN'T NEED TO HAPPEN, THAT IT WOULD NOT MOVE US FORWARD, THAT IT WOULD DELAY THE PROCESS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE ALREADY HAVE AN EXTENSIVE, INCREDIBLE SUMMARY DONE BY THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE. THEY SPENT, WHAT, A YEAR AND A HALF, I BELIEVE, DELIBERATING HAVING MANY, MANY MEETINGS. I WANNA HONOR THEIR WORK, AND I FEEL LIKE THIS DISHONOR THEIR WORK. SO MY, THAT'S MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS, THAT IT, THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE THAT WE PUT FORWARD MAKES MUCH MORE SENSE TO, TO ME, THAT WE WOULD BE MOVE, BE MOVING FORWARD WITH A VERY SPECIFIC TAILORED QUESTION THAT HAD BEEN LEFT UNRESOLVED, THAT WAS REFERRED TO COMMITTEE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE. AND I WOULDN'T WANNA REOPEN EVERY SINGLE OTHER ISSUE THAT HAD BEEN DISCUSSED. AND I WANNA HONOR THE WORK OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE AND NOT HAVE TO, UH, REDO IT. COUNCILOR NOLAN, WE HAVE COUNCILOR ZUBI. THANK YOU, ZU MADAM MAYOR. I'D SHARE SOME OF THE SAME CONCERNS THAT COUNCILOR NOLAN BROUGHT UP. JUST BE CURIOUS TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE. UM, I'LL YIELD MY TIME JUST TO HEAR MORE FROM COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. ANYONE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN ON THIS, WE HEARD A GOOD NUMBER OF FOLKS LAST WEEK, SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO RE-LITIGATE. OKAY. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU. SO NICE TO HAVE, HAVE YOU CALLING ME. UH, IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION, I WOULD DO THAT BECAUSE I WANT US TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY ON THIS. I'M NOT TRYING TO BE OBSTRUCTIONIST. UM, I TOO, I REMEMBER THE PROCESS. I ALSO REMEMBER THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE WHEN ASKED TO BRING IT FORWARD TO US AS, UH, SHOULD WE DIRECTLY ELECT THE MAYOR? IT DID NOT PASS. SO THAT'S WHY IT DID NOT COME TO US. I ALSO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, I, I REVIEWED THE, THE, UH, MINUTES, UH, AND THE, [03:25:01] UH, THE, THE TAPE. SO I, I'VE GOT A LOT MORE INFORMED ABOUT THIS. AND SO, AGAIN, IN THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION, I, IF YOU SUPPORT THESE AMENDMENTS THAT WE ARE OFFERING, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A FULL, REAL ROBUST CONVERSATION. I'M JUST CONCERNED BECAUSE THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE DIDN'T BRING IT FORWARD TO US. AND SO THAT'S PART OF MY, MY CONCERN. AND I ALSO HOPE THAT WE WILL GET BETTER AT OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THE CHARTER REVIEW DISCUSSIONS, WHICH WERE EXTRAORDINARILY IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THEY COVERED AND WHAT THEY TALKED ABOUT. AND THEN LASTLY, BECAUSE THEY, WE DID ADOPT WHERE THE MAYOR NO LONGER SITS AS A CHAIR, THERE IS SOME NUANCE, UH, THAT WE DID NOT HAVE AT THE TIME THAT CONVERSATION WAS BEING HAD A YIELD THE FLOOR. UM, MAD MAYOR, I JUST SAY COUNSELOR SERINA WHEELER. THANK YOU. IF THESE ARE, UH, IF WE'RE ADDING THESE IN ADDITION TO THE POLICY ORDER, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. UM, AND COUNCILLOR SIMMONS AND COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY ARE GONNA VOTE YES ON THE POLICY ORDER. AFTER ALL, HAPPY TO, TO COMPROMISE AND, AND WORK WITH COLLEAGUES ON THIS AND ADD THESE INTO THE ORDER AND THEN VOTE ON THE, THE ADDITIONAL POLICY ORDER. WE HAVE COUNCILOR FLAHERTY AND COUNCILOR ZUI, JUDGE MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU VERY BRIEFLY. I DIDN'T READ THE ENTIRE CHARTER REVIEW SUMMARY, BUT I DID READ THE LETTER THAT WAS OFFERED BY, I BELIEVE IT WAS KATHY BOURNE THAT SAID THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE MET MAYBE 36 TIMES, AND THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO REACH THE REQUIRED TWO THIRDS, UH, SUPPORT TO, UH, BRING THE QUESTION FORWARD ABOUT WHETHER A POPULARLY, UH, ME OR SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. AND THEN I DID A LITTLE BIT MORE DIGGING. AND IT APPEARS TO ME THAT TECHNICALLY THERE'S SOME REAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THIS, UH, WITH, WITH HAVING AN ELECTION WITH PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION AND A PROPERLY ELECTED MAYOR, BOTH POLICY WISE AND TECHNICALLY WISE. SO IT'S A, IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED UNDER UNDERTAKING TO EVEN CONSIDER THIS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE ALL KNOW THAT THE PO PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION, POLICY AND GOAL IS TO ENSURE, UH, MINORITY REPRESENTATION. AND IF WE WERE TO THEN ELECT, UH, OR CONSIDER ELECTING A MAYOR POPULARLY, UM, I MEAN, THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS WE COULD THINK ABOUT DOING THIS. THAT FLIES IN THE FACE OF A PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SYSTEM FOR ELECTING, UH, DULY, UH, CITY COUNSELORS, CITY SITTING CITY COUNSELORS. SO IF WE WANTED TO DO A PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION, VOTE FOR MAYOR FROM EITHER THE BODY OF THE CITY COUNCIL OR THE CITY AS A WHOLE, THAT'S ALSO ANOTHER LAYER OF COMPLEXITY. SO I, I THINK IT'S TO CITY TO COUNCILOR SIMMONS POINT. IT MAKES SENSE. I THINK THIS AMENDMENT MAKES SENSE TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC ISSUES. MY QUESTION, AND I GUESS, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I WASN'T A MEMBER OF THE, OF THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME, BUT IS THE COLLIN CENTER, UM, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD DIFFERENT REPORTS, IS THE COLLIN CENTER THE RIGHT BODY TO DO THIS WORK, CONSIDERING PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION? I KNOW THEY DID SOME STUFF IN WORCESTER, AND, UH, THE INFORMATION I RECEIVED ABOUT THE REVIEW IN WORCESTER WAS THAT IT'S ENTIRELY, UM, UH, UNWORKABLE, BUT I DON'T KNOW. SO I GUESS WITH THE AMENDMENT, MAYBE WE WILL BE ABLE TO FRAME THE ISSUES, PRESENT IT TO THE COLLIN CENTER, AND, UH, AND SEE WHERE WE'RE AT. COUNCILOR ZUZI, UH, I'LL BE VOTING PRESENT ON THESE AMENDMENTS. AND I'LL BE VOTING NO ON THE POLICY ORDER, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE LAST YEAR WAS DEDICATED, LIKE HALF OF THE YEAR WAS TALKING ABOUT MULTIFAMILY HOUSING ORDINANCE, AND HALF OF THE YEAR WAS TALKING ABOUT THE CHARTER. AND AFTER MANY, MANY DISCUSSIONS, WE, UH, WE ADVANCED THE CHARTER AND THE, AND YOU KNOW, THE LEGISLATOR LEGISLATURE ADVANCED TO HOME RULE PETITION IN, UH, SUPPORTING OUR AMENDMENTS. AND THEN THE WHOLE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, OUR VOTERS VOTED TO ADOPT OUR NEW CHARTER. SO I, I FEEL AS THOUGH WE HAVE SO MANY LIKE, REAL THINGS TO DO. I, I WILL TELL YOU, I FEEL, UM, THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS REALLY MADE ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE CITY, CITY MANAGER ON WONG. YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING 'CAUSE UM, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. I, I FEEL LIKE THE BUDGET, WE GOTTA WRAP UP. MY TAKEAWAY WAS THAT WE'RE DOING SO [03:30:01] MANY THINGS THAT ARE RIGHT, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON AMENDING THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING ORDINANCE. WE NEED TO BE PROTECTING, ADDING GREATER TREE PROTECTION. WE NEED TO BE REZONING CENTRAL SQUARE. CAN WE COME BACK TO THE POLICY ORDER? YEAH. SO BACK TO THE POLICY ORDER. I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE REAL WORK TO DO, AND THIS IS A DISTRACTION. WE ALREADY SPENT HALF A YEAR DEBATING THESE THINGS, AND IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON AND REALLY FOCUS ON ADVANCING THE CITY, UM, AND VOTING ON THINGS AND FOCUSING ON THINGS THAT ACTUALLY WILL ADVANCE THE GOOD OF THE CITY RATHER THAN LIKE RE LEGISLATING EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE LEGISLATED. THANK YOU. I YIELD, OKAY, SO WE HAVE THESE AMENDMENTS BEFORE US. THEY'RE, I THINK COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, YOU WANT THEM TO BE ADDED TO THE, THE LIST OF THE ORDERED. UM, I THINK THEY KIND OF, I THINK THE FIRST ORDER, UM, CAN BE REPLACED WITH THE FIRST AMENDMENT. UM, AND THEN WE CAN KEEP THE SECOND ORDERED IN, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO THEN SUBSTITUTE THE LAST TWO. BECAUSE IF YOU, IF WE PULL IT UP, 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T STRIKE SOME OF THIS, IT'S KIND OF A LOT OF SIMILAR LANGUAGE. SO WHAT, YES. COUNCIL WHEELER, CAN YOU THE CITY SOLICITOR QUESTION? YEAH, GO AHEAD. UM, JUST WOULD LIKE TO GET THE STUDY STUDY SOLICITOR DO WE, AND, AND ON THIS, MY, THE INTENT IN ACCEPTING THIS WAS TO, I MEAN THE, THE WHOLE INTENT OF THE POLICY ORDER WAS TO ALLOW THE CITY TO CONTRACT WITH THE COLLIN CENTER, START THE, THE DISCUSSION WITH THEM. IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE AMENDMENT THAT YOU THINK WOULD, WOULD PRECLUDE THAT? IN MY MIND IT IS JUST ADDING SORT OF A ADDITIONAL THINGS TO CONSIDER WOULD, WOULD WANNA GET YOUR UA AND AS A CITY SOLICITOR, WOULD THIS STILL ALLOW THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE POLICY ORDER TO GO FORWARD? UH, YES. THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR. UM, I THINK YOU NEED TO KEEP THE SECOND TO LAST, WHEREAS, WHICH IS ASKING FOR THE IDENTIFY THE FUNDING SO THAT THE CALL AND CENTER CAN BE ENGAGED. UM, AND THEN I, ANOTHER COMMENT LOOKING AT THE, THE FIRST ORDERED PARAGRAPH HERE ON THE AMENDMENT IS, UM, YOU KNOW THAT THIS MAY NOT NEED THE CALL-IN CENTER TO SUMMARIZE THE UNRESOLVED GOVERNANCE QUESTIONS. UM, SO SOME OF THIS WORK WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO WITHIN THE LAW DEPARTMENT, UM, AND BEFORE YOU BRING IN THE CALL IN CENTER TO HELP. UH, SO JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ON. YEAH. SO COUNCIL, THANK YOU. JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ADDING THESE TO THE POLICY ORDER TO KEEP THE, ALL THE LANGUAGE IN THE ORIGINAL POLICY ORDER IS, I THINK WHAT I WOULD WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, AS LONG AS WE'RE KEEPING THE LANGUAGE IN THAT WE'RE, AS I THINK WE'RE OKAY, WE CAN REPLACE REPLACE THE FIRST ORDER IF WE NEED TO REPLACE SOMETHING. AS LONG AS WE'RE KEEPING THAT, THAT LAST WE AS GO AHEAD, CITY MANAGER, UH, THROUGH MAYOR SADIKI. I, I THINK THE ONLY MAYBE QUESTION TO THE BODY, AND I THINK WHERE THERE MAY BE SOME POTENTIAL CLARITY BETWEEN THE AMENDMENT AND THE ORIGINAL POLICY ORDER IS WHETHER THE AMENDMENT IS MEANT TO THE, THE SUMMARY OF UNRESOLVED GOVERNANCE QUESTIONS AND THAT REVIEW IS THAT MEANT TO INFORM THE SCOPE OF THE WORK THAT THE COLLIN CENTER WOULD BE, UH, CONTRACTED TO SUPPORT? UM, I THINK IN, IN SOME WAYS THE ORIGINAL POLICY ORDER SEEMED A BIT MORE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON BRINGING THE COLLIN CENTER IN TO SUPPORT REVIEWING POLICY OPTIONS FOR ALLOWING CAMBRIDGE VOTERS TO DIRECTLY ELECT THE CITY'S MAYOR. TO THE EXTENT, AND I THINK THE, EVEN THE ORIGINAL WHEREASES WERE A LITTLE BIT IMPLYING THAT THERE WERE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS OR TOPICS THAT WERE REFERRED TO GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION. FOR INSTANCE, CHANGING THE VOTING AGE, OTHER TOPICS THAT DIDN'T END UP GOING TO GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY CLEAR FROM THE ORDERED LANGUAGE THAT THAT WAS IN SCOPE. AND I THINK THE QUESTION IN TERMS OF THE NEW ORDERS IN THE AMENDMENTS, WOULD THE REVIEW THAT IS BEING PREPARED INFORM A DECISION ABOUT THE SCOPE OF WORK? OR IS IT SIMPLY MEANT TO BE A REVIEW IN THE CONTEXT OF ONLY TALKING ABOUT A DIRECT ELECTION FOR THE CITY'S MAYOR THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. YEAH. AND COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF, IF THIS WASN'T YOUR INTENT, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS ALL THE ORDERS WERE, WERE JUST ABOUT THIS QUESTION OF THE ELECTION OF A MAYOR. AND THAT WHEN, WHEN YOU AND YOUR LANGUAGE HERE SAID A REVIEW OF THE UNRESOLVED GOVERNANCE QUESTIONS THAT WAS REVIEWING THE, THE CHARTER COMMITTEE'S [03:35:01] WORK. AND YOU'RE, I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CHARTER COMMITTEE TALKED ABOUT THIS. WE JUST WANNA REVIEW THAT DISCUSSION OR NOT OPENING UP NEW TALK TOPICS. RIGHT. 16, THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE MAYORAL ELECTION. THAT WAS MY, MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT. OKAY. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE. SO LOOKING AT THIS, UM, I THINK WE NEED, I THINK WE CAN REPLACE THE FIRST ORDERED, UM, WITH THE AMENDMENT AND THEN YEAH. AND THEN WE CAN KEEP THE SECOND, UH, ORDERED HERE AND THEN ADD IN, UM, THE LAST TWO ORDERED. THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION. MEGAN, YOU'RE NODDING YOUR HEAD OF THE ORIGINAL. THAT'S HOW I TOOK IT. YES. COUNCILLOR NOLAN? YES. JUST KIND OF A CLARIFICATION OR THROUGH YOU, EITHER TO THE CITY SOLICITOR OR COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. I THINK THAT SECOND ORDER ABOUT THE REVIEW, I'M STILL STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE 80 PAGE REPORT FROM THE CHARTER REVIEW, BECAUSE THEY TALKED ABOUT ALL THEIR ISSUES WHERE CONSENSUS REACHED WHERE IT WAS NOT THEY OUTLINED, UM, CONSIDERATION. SO I, I COULD SUPPORT THIS, BUT I WORRY THAT BY PUTTING IT IN THERE, IT MEANS WE'RE GONNA CREATE ANOTHER REVIEW. CITY MCGOVERN. OH, IT'S JUST, LOOK, IF IT'S JUST LOOKING AT THE REPORT THEY ALREADY DID. THAT'S FINE. WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MOVE ADOPTION OF THE, UH, AMENDMENT. CAN WE JUST GO ONE MORE TIME? YES. SO WE'RE, WE'LL DO THIS PIECE BY PIECE. YEAH. SO WE'RE GONNA REPLACE THE FIRST ORDERED WITH THE FIRST AMENDMENT HERE WITH THE FIRST ORDER FOR THE FIRST ORDERED AMENDMENT BY SIMMONS, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS AND COUNCILLOR FE. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. THAT'S REPLACED. WE'RE GONNA KEEP THE SECOND ORDERED IN THE ORIGINAL. WE'RE GONNA TAKE OUT THE BE IT FURTHER BECAUSE THAT'LL GET RELOCATED. UM, AND WE'LL ADD, WE'LL SUBSTITUTE THE LAST ORDERED IN THE ORIGINAL WITH THE TWO ORDERS BEFORE US HERE. SO THEN WE'LL HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4 ORDERED ON THE PLATE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH. YEAH. YES. COUNSELOR NOLAN. AND IT'S CLEAR THAT THE REVIEW IS JUST SUMMARIZING THE EXISTING WORK, NOT CREATING A WHOLE NEW REVIEW. YES. IT SAYS SUMMARIZE THE PARTER PRIOR CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE. OKAY. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THOSE AMENDMENTS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. NOPE. AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. OKAY. THERE IS ONE NO BY COUNCILOR ZUI FOR ALL OF IT. FOR THOSE TWO. LAST TWO, YEAH. OKAY. SO WE HAVE AN AMENDED POLICY ORDER BEFORE US. WE DO HAVE ONE MORE AMENDMENT. THIS IS BY COUNCILOR ZUBY. COUNCILOR ZUBY, YOU HAVE THE FOUR THANK YOU THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR. I'LL BE BRIEF. UM, I KNOW TALKING ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF OUR GOVERNMENT IS IMPORTANT, AND I KNOW WE JUST AMENDED. SO I SENT IN A NEW AMENDMENT BASED ON THE ORDER WE JUST ADOPTED. THAT'S NEW AND SUBSTITUTE IT, UH, SO THAT THE LANGUAGE ITSELF PLACES MAYOR WITH EXECUTIVE AND I, THAT COMES FROM A PLACE WHERE I BELIEVE RESIDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO ELECT THEIR OWN EXECUTIVE BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF WHAT DEMOCRACY SHOULD LOOK LIKE. AND THIS IS OUT OF CLARITY. THIS IS ABOUT A SYSTEM AND NOT A PERSON. UM, WHEN WE ELECT OUR CEREMONIAL MAYOR, WE MISS THE STRUCTURAL PROBLEM AND CAN POSSIBLY CONFUSE OUR RESIDENTS. ALTHOUGH I WILL CONCEDE THAT IT MIGHT GIVE US COUNSELORS MORE PROCEDURAL CLARITY ON THE BACKEND PIECE. UM, I'M LOOKING FOR THERE TO BE CLARITY ON WHAT THIS MEANS IN THE POLICY ORDER SINCE IT IS REFERRING TO OPTIONS AT THE END OF THE DAY. SO I DO HOPE IT PASSES. UM, BUT IF IT DOES NOT, I'LL, I'LL BE VOTING PRESENT. SO, AND I'M HAPPY TO EXPLAIN THE AMENDMENTS IF THEY ARE. SO, COUNCILLOR ZUBIE, WE REPLACED THAT. A AMEND THAT ORDERED WITH THAT. RIGHT? SO I'M AMEND, I'M AMENDING THAT AMENDMENT. YOU'RE AMENDING THAT AMENDMENT. OKAY. YOU'RE GONNA AMEND IT BACK. SO THIS IS NEW. THIS IS NOT YES, YES. PEOPLE HAVE CIRCULATED. SO I HAD AN ORIGINAL AMENDMENT, BUT I JUST ADJUSTED IT SO THAT IT'S RESPONSIVE TO WHAT WE JUST PASSED. IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT WHAT WAS CIRCULATED. IT'S SCREEN. OKAY. I SEE IT. I SEE IT. IT'S NOT WHAT [03:40:01] CIRCULATED. IT'S, UM, ON THE SCREEN BEFORE US. OKAY. I WASN'T LOOKING AT THE SCREEN. OKAY. SO THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT THAT WE PASSED BY COUNCILOR SIMMONS. SO LOOK AT THE COUNCILOR SIMMONS AMENDMENT IN YOUR PACKET. COUNCILOR ZUBI IS AMENDING THAT CORRECT. COUNSELOR ZUBI. YEAH. IT JUST TOOK THE LANGUAGE THAT I ORIGINALLY WAS GONNA PROPOSE AND A ADJUSTED IT. SO IT'S IN LINE WITH WHAT COUNCILOR SIMMONS' AMENDMENT HAD. WHAT I, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT. SO IF YOU LOOK YES, GO AHEAD, COUNCILOR. NO, I WAS GONNA ADD A QUESTION TO COUNCILOR ZUBE ABOUT HER AMENDMENT. YES, GO AHEAD. OKAY. UM, SO, SO ARE YOU SUGGESTING IN THIS, THAT A METHOD FOR THE PEOPLE TO, 'CAUSE WHEN I HEAR EXECUTOR, I THINK OF THE CITY MANAGER. SO ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT PEOPLE TO CHANGE THIS SO THAT THE PUBLIC ELECTS THE CITY MANAGER? CORRECT. THIS IS COMING OFF BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF WHAT I BELIEVE DEMOCRACY SHOULD LOOK LIKE. OKAY. AND I'LL JUST, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE FOR THIS. I MEAN, THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME THAN ANYTHING. THAN, AND, AND, UM, AND I'VE ALREADY SAID THAT I, I SUPPORT THE CITY MANAGER, FORMER GOVERNMENT. I DO THINK THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO CHOOSE OUR MAYOR RATHER THAN HOW WE'RE DOING IT NOW. UM, BUT I WOULD NOT VOTE FOR THE PUBLIC ELECTING THE CITY MANAGER. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. QUICKLY. I, I THINK IT'S, NOW THAT IT'S BEEN CLARIFIED, IT'S NOT AS CONFUSING, BUT I AM NOT GONNA SUPPORT IT. I DO BELIEVE THERE'S A BALANCE ISSUE. I DO THINK HAVING A CITY MANAGER AND A MAYOR, IT SHOULD BE DIFFERENTLY BALANCED OR THE CITY MANAGER AND THE COUNCIL. BUT SINCE THIS WOULD THEN PRECLUDE THAT DISCUSSION, I, I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING IT FOR THE SAME REASONS THAT, UH, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN JUST SAID. ARE THERE PEOPLE ON THIS AMENDMENT? YEAH. I'LL JUST SAY THAT I THINK, UM, ON MY END, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE ORIGINAL, UM, WITH THE INTENT BEHIND THE ORIGINAL, I THINK IT IS TO REVIEW KIND OF THE ROLE OF THE MAYOR, BUT IT NOT TO CHANGE THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT BECAUSE WE DID NOT, WE DISCUSSED IT LAST TERM AND, UM, THERE WAS NOT SUPPORT AT THAT TIME. AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S, UH, SUPPORT NOW. UM, JUST SO I'LL, I'LL BE VOTING, YOU KNOW, NO ON THAT. BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ON THAT. ANYONE ON THIS BEFORE WE GO AHEAD ON THE ROLL CALL ON COUNCILOR ZUBIE AMENDMENT, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. MM-HMM . COUNCILOR ZUBIE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZI? NO. NO. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? NO. NO. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? NO. NO. COUNCILOR NOLAN? NO. NO. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? NO. NO. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUEY. NO. NO. COUNCILOR. I'M SORRY. MAYOR SIDIKI. NO. NO. AND YOU HAVE TWO RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND SEVEN RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. THE AMENDMENT FAILS. SO WE HAVE AN AMENDED POLICY ORDER BEFORE US HEARING NO ONE ELSE. WE CAN GO A DO A ROLL CALL ON ADOPTING THE AMENDED POLICY ORDER. OKAY. COUNCILOR ZUBIE. PRESENT. PRESENT, UH, VICE MAYOR ZE. YES. YES. COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. COUNSELOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI? NO. NO. MAYOR SIDIKI? YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. ONE RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE AND ONE RECORDED IS PRESENT. THE POLICY ORDER AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED. WE ARE MOVING ON TO THE FOURTH ITEM THAT THE CITY MANAGERS REQUEST TO REPORT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE PROJECTED FISCAL IMPACT OF MAINTAINING THE CURRENT EXEMPTION FOR SENIORS ALONG WITH ANY ADMINISTRATIVE STEPS NECESSARY TO DO SO. CHARTER RIGHT WAS EXERCISED BY COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YOU HAVE THE FOUR. THANKS MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UM, THERE IS AN AMENDMENT BY SUBSTITUTION THAT I'M BRINGING WITH, UH, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. I'LL SAY THAT POLICY IS SHAPED, UH, BY REALITY AND DATA. IT'S ALSO SHAPED BY COMPROMISE. YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, A COMPROMISE. IT KEEPS THE INCREASED PERMIT FEE THAT MORE ACCURATELY REFLECTS THE COST OF PARKING, AND AT THE SAME TIME MAKES A CHECKBOX THAT WOULD MAKE THE PERMIT COST $0. FOR ANYONE WHO SAYS THE COST WOULD BE A HARDSHIP OF THEM, REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE. UH, I'M, UH, HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS 'CAUSE I, UH, DON'T THINK THAT MANY PEOPLE WILL CHECK THAT BOX. UM, YOU KNOW, RUNNING THE NUMBERS, EVEN IF 50% OF ALL RESIDENTS CHECK, CHECK THAT BOX ONE OUT OF EVERY TWO PEOPLE, IT WOULD STILL BE A BETTER POLICY THAN THE CURRENT $25 PERMIT FEE STRUCTURE. UM, AND IT IMPROVES OUR CURRENT POLICY OVER THE VISITOR PERMIT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THE VISITOR PERMIT COSTS THE SAME THING AS ACTUALLY GETTING A PARKING PERMIT, WHICH MAKES NO SENSE. AND THIS WOULD, WOULD HAVE DIFFERENT FEES FOR A, A RESIDENT PARKING PERMIT AND THEN VISITOR PERMIT. THIS WOULD STILL BE BETTER POLICY. I THINK IT WOULD BE, IF WE PASS THIS, IT'D BE GOOD TO REVIEW [03:45:01] IN A YEAR AND SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE CHECKING THAT BOX AND SEE IF IT IS 5% OR 55%. I THINK IT'LL BE CLOSER TO 5%. BUT IT'LL BE IMPORTANT TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS AND, AND TAKE A LOOK. BUT THAT IS WHAT POLICY AND GOVERNANCE IS. IS IT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DOING OUR BEST JOB AND THEN LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS AND LOOKING AT THE REALITY AND, AND SEEING HOW THAT STACKS UP. SO I, I HOPE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, UH, AMENDMENT BY SUBSTITUTION. THIS WOULD, WOULD REPLACE THE PREVIOUS POLICY ORDER. UM, IT IS A COMPROMISE THAT I HOPE WE CAN ALL LIVE WITH, AND I HOPE WE CAN PASS THIS, UH, AND IMPLEMENT IT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WORK FORWARD WITH THIS COMPROMISE. AND I'LL YIELD BACK. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A FEW HANDS UP. I GO TO COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN. WE HAVE VICE MAYOR AZI AND THEN COUNCILLOR ZUI, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. OKAY. SO, UM, WE DID THIS AS A SUBSTITUTE ORDER AS OPPOSED TO AMENDING THE ORDER. IT GOT RID OF THE WAREHOUSES. I THINK WE GET INTO A LOT OF, SOMETIMES THE WAREHOUSES ARE HELPFUL AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN NITPICK THE WAREHOUSES ALL DAY LONG AND YOU GET CAUGHT UP IN THAT WHEN THE REAL, THE REAL MEAT IS WHAT YOU'RE ASKING THE CITY TO DO. SO WE JUST KIND OF CUT TO THE CHASE HERE. AND YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS WILL DO, WE THINK IS, AND WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THAT THIS WILL IN EFFECT KEEP THE SENIOR EXEMPTION. SO SENIORS WHO NEED THAT EXEMPTION WILL CONTINUE TO BE CHARGED $0, ZERO, NOT 25, NOT 75. THEY'LL BE CHARGED NOTHING. BUT IT ALSO EXPANDS TO LOW INCOME PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT SENIORS. AND AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING I HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT FROM THE BEGINNING IS THAT MY, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WAS DOING THIS AS A, AS AN ATTACK ON SENIORS, ALTHOUGH I KNOW, YOU KNOW, FOLKS FELT THAT WAY. AND I, I I AM SORRY THAT WE DID SOMETHING THEN WORDED SOMETHING IN A WAY THAT CREATED THAT. 'CAUSE WE COULD HAVE WORDED IT BETTER. UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT THIS WAS FOR ME WAS I WANT THE PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD TO PAY FULL PRICE TO PAY FULL PRICE. AND THE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T TO NOT HAVE TO REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE. RIGHT? AND ACTUALLY, WHEN I'VE TALKED TO SENIORS ABOUT THIS, FOLKS WHO HAVE TESTIFIED AGAINST GOING TO THE $75, AND I EXPLAINED THAT TO THEM, THEY ACTUALLY, A LOT OF THEM HAVE AGREED THAT PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD TO SHOULD PAY MORE. AND THE PEOPLE WHO, UM, CANNOT AFFORD TO SHOULD PAY LESS OR, OR NOTHING. SO THIS WOULD, I KNOW THERE ARE SOME FOLKS WHO WANTED IT TO BE $25. SOME FOLKS WANTED TO KEEP THE WHOLE THING AT $75. THIS, I THINK, IS A GOOD COMPROMISE. SENIORS WILL CONTINUE TO PAY ZERO IF THEY CHECK THAT BOX, AS WILL PEOPLE OF ANY AGE. I KNOW THERE'S SOME FEELINGS ABOUT HAVING TO CHECK A BOX. UM, AND WHAT THAT MEANS, I DON'T KNOW ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT. UM, WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR WEEKS. WE DON'T WANT TO ASK PEOPLE TO PROVE THAT THEY'RE LOW INCOME. I DON'T WANT ANYBODY, YOU TALK ABOUT INVASIVE, I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO HAVE TO BRING PAY STUBS OR TAX RETURN. I MEAN, WE ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WANT THAT. AND SO YOU'RE KIND OF LEFT WITH EITHER YOU EXEMPT EVERYBODY AND IT'S FREE FOR EVERYBODY AND NOBODY HAS TO PROVE ANYTHING. OR IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE SOME PEOPLE PAY MORE AND SOME PEOPLE PAY LESS, THERE HAS TO BE SOME WAY TO DETERMINE WHO'S GONNA PAY LESS. OR IN THIS CASE, ZERO. AND THE LEAST INVASIVE WAY I CAN THINK ABOUT THAT IS THAT YOU JUST CHECK A BOX. AND WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME. IN EVENT, PEOPLE OF ANY AGE, YOU HAVE TO CHECK ALL KINDS OF BOXES WHEN YOU'RE DOING STUFF ONLINE, WHEN YOU'RE APPLYING FOR THINGS, WHEN YOU'RE APPLYING FOR CREDIT CARDS, WHEN YOU'RE, I MEAN, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL, AN UNUSUAL THING. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DO BELIEVE, AND, YOU KNOW, HEARD A LOT FROM THE SENIORS. AND LOOK, THIS IS A DIFFICULT TIME RIGHT NOW. UM, WITH GAS PRICES THE WAY THEY ARE AND EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, GROCERIES THE WAY THEY ARE, THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN $25, YOU KNOW, MAY NOT BE A LOT TO ME, BUT IT IS A LOT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, WHETHER REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE. AND, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THOSE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS. SO THIS, I THINK IS A, IS A FAIR COMPROMISE. AGAIN, ANY SENIOR WHO CANNOT PAY THE FULL PRICE WILL GET A FREE STICKER, AS IS THE CASE NOW. UM, SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. UM, AND I'LL YIELD FOR NOW. THANK YOU. I HAVE VICE MAYOR AZI, UM, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR SIDIKI. UM, I AM A LITTLE BIT, UH, NERVOUS ABOUT THIS AND THAT I FELT LIKE THE FIRST THING WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD OUR $25 WITH OUR SENIOR EXEMPTION, THEN WE RAISED IT TO 75, THEN WE WERE LIKE, WE WANNA BRING THE SENIOR EXEMPTION BACK THEN WE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA START AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, ANYONE WHO'S LOW INCOME, WE, THEY CAN ALL GET AN, ALSO GET AN EXEMPTION. BUT THEN WE WERE LIKE, WE DON'T WANNA PROVE IT'S LOW INCOME. SO ANYONE WHO SAYS THAT THEY HAVE [03:50:01] A HARDSHIP, THEY ALSO GET AN EXEMPTION. RIGHT? AND IF YOU ASK ME LIKE, HEY, DO YOU HAVE AN EXTRA 75 BUCKS LYING AROUND? I'M NOT LIKE FEELING GREAT ABOUT HAVING 75 EXTRA BUCKS, RIGHT? UM, AND THE REASON I FEEL LIKE I, I'M A LITTLE LIKE I BOTH SUPPORT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, BUT I ALSO LIKE WORRY THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE NOT SAYING IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA BE 50% OR ANYTHING, BUT IF 50% OF THE PEOPLE DECIDE TO CHECK THE BOX THAT'S ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, LIKE THIS HAS ALL OF A SUDDEN BECOME A VERY HIGH IMPACT DECISION, UM, FROM A FAIRLY SMALL ONE. AND SO I, I HAD A QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER WHO, I APOLOGIZE FOR DRAGGING BACK IN HERE, BUT I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT WERE WE PLANNING TO DO WITH THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE RAISED? BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THIS WAS PART OF THE BUDGET CONVERSATION, CITY MANAGER, UH, THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI, UH, I MAY HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU IN TERMS OF, TO WHAT WE MAY HAVE SPECIFICALLY ALLOCATED. I MEAN, I I THINK ALSO OVERALL THERE'S A NUMBER. I MEAN, IT, IT WOULD MORE BE A QUESTION OF IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS, UH, WHAT WOULD WE DO ON THE COST SIDE? UM, I MEAN, I I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU THAT I HAVE SOME RESERVATION ABOUT A CHECKOFF BOX WHERE THE ONLY THING YOU HAVE TO SAY IS THIS IS A HARDSHIP AND THEN YOU GET A DISCOUNT. UM, I THINK THAT MY INCLINATION WOULD BE TO EXPECT THAT IT WOULD BE USED LIBERALLY. UM, AND SIMILAR TO THE PRIOR EXPERIMENT WE RAN ON, UH, TOWING, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE EXPECTATION WAS THAT LESS PEOPLE WOULD MOVE THEIR CARS ONCE WE STOPPED TOWING. AND THAT SEEMS TO BE WHAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING. UM, AND, AND I THINK AS PART OF THAT PILOT WE ACCEPTED THAT THAT WAS OKAY. I THINK IN TERMS OF THIS PROPOSAL, AND, AND I WON'T SPEAK FOR THE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT, I THINK THEY CAN TOOK, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, THINK ABOUT IT AND BRING BACK A FULLER RESPONSE. BUT MY QUICK INITIAL REACTION WOULD BE, WE SHOULD EXPECT SIGNIFICANTLY LESS REVENUE. EXCUSE. OKAY. , AZI. UH, YEAH. SO I THINK IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU START COUNTING. LIKE I'M SURE THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, UNLESS TWO THIRDS OF PEOPLE OPT OUT, YOU'LL HAVE MORE REVENUE THAN YOU DO TODAY, BUT LESS THAN WE EXPECTED ONCE WE PASS THE 75 ORIGINALLY. UM, SO I WOULD SAY THAT LIKE, I MEAN, I WOULD BE FINE WITH JUST HAVING THE SENIOR EXEMPTION BACK AND THEN KEEPING IT TO 75. I FEEL LIKE IF WE WANTED TO KEEP IT TO 25, THAT WOULD ALSO BE FINE. BUT I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOTTEN A LITTLE TOO GENEROUS IN THIS CASE HERE, WHERE I FEEL LIKE WE COULD END UP WITH A WORSE OUTCOME OR VERY SIMILAR OUTCOME TO WHERE WE STARTED WITH THIS WITHOUT ALL THE EMOTIONAL TURMOIL. AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT SATISFYING TO ANYONE 'CAUSE WE'VE SPENT SO MUCH TIME ON IT. BUT LIKE I REALLY DO WORRY THAT LIKE WE GOT SOME PUSHBACK AND WE WANNA BE AS GENEROUS AS POSSIBLE AND THEN WE ALL OF A SUDDEN DON'T HAVE A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS THAT WE WERE PLANNING FOR COUNCIL VICE MAYOR AZI YIELDS. I HAVE A FEW FOLKS, I HAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO'D LIKE TO TALK TO THIS. SO I HAVE COUNCILLOR ZUI, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY, COUNSELOR, ZUBIE. UH, I AM OPEN TO THIS AS A ONE YEAR PILOT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS. UM, WE'D NEED TO SEE WHAT SORT OF REVENUE IT BRINGS IN. I AGREE. THIS IS ALL LIKE COUNTERINTUITIVE 'CAUSE WE'RE HAVING FISCAL CHALLENGES, RIGHT? AND WE NEED TO BRING IN MONEY. I FELT LIKE THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION HAS NOT BEEN RATIONAL AT, AT AT ALL. 'CAUSE UM, YOU KNOW, ORIGINALLY WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ASKING SENIORS TO PAY $25, THAT'S LIKE JUST, IT'S $2 AND 10 CENTS A MONTH, WHICH ISN'T VERY MUCH. BUT THEN THERE WAS SUCH INTENSE PUSHBACK BECAUSE IT SEEMED CLEAR THAT SOME SENIORS SAW IT AS A GREAT PRIVILEGE, RIGHT? TO, TO HAVE THE EXEMPTION. AND, AND I THINK WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON, AND THIS IS WHAT'S REALLY NOT RATIONAL, IS THAT AGAIN, WHAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY JUST SO FRUSTRATED, 'CAUSE WE KEEP KEEP TAKING THINGS AWAY, RIGHT? WE, THEY'RE FEWER PARKING PLACES, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE FEELING A LOSS OF CONTROL. SO THEY, THEY LIKE GETTING THAT EXEMPTION. SO, UM, I, I'M NOT EXACTLY HOW SURE HOW I'LL VOTE IN THE END, BUT I'M SORT OF OPEN TO THIS AS A PILOT. UM, UH, BUT I I, I FEEL LIKE IT, WHAT WOULD BE REALLY RE IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE MORE RESPONSIBLE TO KEEP THE $75 FOR MOST PEOPLE. UM, 25 PEOPLE, IF THEY CAN'T PAY THE $75 UNTIL, AND TO ALLOW THE SENIORS GIVE THEM A PASS WITH, UM, DISABLED RESIDENTS FOR THIS, THIS YEAR. I THINK THAT ACTUALLY WOULD RESULT IN MORE REVENUE. BUT LET'S SEE WHAT THE REST OF YOU HAVE TO SAY. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. UH, SO THIS IS AN ISSUE [03:55:01] THAT'S NOW BE BEEN BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL IN VARIOUS ITERATIONS SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS. AND THEREFORE I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY. THAT HASN'T BEEN ALREADY SAID. MY OPPOSITION TO IMPOSING A FEE ON THE SENIORS REMAIN STEAD STEADFAST. ALTHOUGH I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE AND SAY TO MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MCGOVERN AND SABINA WHEEL, I DO APPRECIATE THE, THE THINKING THIS THROUGH AND, AND BEING WILLING TO COMPROMISE AND BRING IT DOWN TO $25 WITH A, WITH A CHECKOFF BOX. BUT I'M, I'M IN OP 0, 5 0, THANK YOU WITH A CHECKOFF BOX. BUT, UM, SO I'M STILL VERY MUCH OPPOSED TO ANY FEAR OF ANY KIND. THE PROBLEM WITH THE CHECKOFF BOX, I JUST, I, MY FEAR IS THEY'RE NOT GONNA, PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA UNDERSTAND. THEY'RE NOT GONNA TAKE FULL, UM, BENEFIT OF IT. YOU KNOW, THE CHECK OFF THE BOX FOR WHAT, WHEN I'VE NOT BEEN PAYING FOR IT AT ALL. JUST, WE DON'T WANNA CHARGE SENIORS NOTHING. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHECK A BOX. WHAT WE, WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR TIME IN MEMORIAL. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. SENIORS ARE NOT GONNA GET THE MESSAGE. THE, WHEN I RECENTLY ASKED ABOUT, UM, HOW WERE WE GETTING THE WORD OUT TO THE SENIOR COMMUNITY AND WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WELL, WE'RE WAITING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE A VOTE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS, I'M NOT EVEN GONNA TELL YOU WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS 'CAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA BE POLITE. UM, SO I APPRECIATE THE CHECKOFF BOX. I JUST WANT SENIORS TO GET THE BENEFIT THEY'VE ALWAYS HAD WITHOUT HAVING TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN TO SHOW UP AND ASK FOR THE PERMIT. I YIELD THE FLOOR. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. TRUE. YOU MAD MAYOR? IS IT, IS IT COUNCIL OWNS TURN? NO, IT'S YOU, IT'S MY TURN. OKAY. UH, THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, LADIES FIRST, BUT I WILL, UH, I WILL SAY THAT THIS AMENDMENT DOES TWO THINGS AND NOT ONE. UM, AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT, UH, AGREES TO AN INCREASE TO $75 FOR THE RESIDENT PERMIT PARKING FEE, WHICH I'M OPPOSED TO. AND IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR, UH, THE SENIOR EXEMPTION TO REMAIN, WHICH I'M IN FAVOR OF. SO, UM, I WILL SAY THE REASON WHY I'M OPPOSED TO IT IS BECAUSE WE HAD A HEARING ON IT AND I LEARNED THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S REVENUE IS ABOUT $22 MILLION. THEY FUND OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY. AND, UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S JUSTIFIED FOR US TO INCREASE OUR RESIDENTIAL, UH, PERMIT PARKING PROGRAM, UH, BY 300%. UH, WHEN THE DEPARTMENT GENERATES $22 MILLION OF REVENUE, 11 MILLION OR 11 AND A HALF MILLION OF THAT IS FOR PARKING VIOLATIONS. THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE IS THROUGH, UH, BUSINESS PERMITS, METERS, GARAGES, ET CETERA. AND YEAH, IT'S CLEAR, IT'S A MONEY MAKING OPERATION. AND SOME OF THE DATA I LOOKED AT FROM THE PRESENTATION, I DON'T HAVE MY NOTES IN FRONT OF ME FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WAS, I THINK PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WERE ESTIMATED TO SPEND 14% OF THEIR TIME ON THE RESIDENT PERMIT PROGRAM, WHICH TRANSLATED TO JUST UNDER $2 MILLION IN PARKING VIOLATIONS FOR THAT SPECIFIC PURPOSE, PLUS THE FEES THAT PEOPLE SPENT WHO WERE LAWFULLY ENROLLED IN THE RESIDENT PERMIT PROGRAM, WHICH IS ALMOST EQUAL TO THE AMOUNT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SAID THAT THIS OVERALL PROGRAM COSTS. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW THE NUMBERS JUSTIFY A 300% INCREASE. SO I'M OPPOSED TO THAT. UH, BUT I WILL SAY THAT WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AS A CITY IS ANYONE WHO'S GOT A REGISTERED AUTOMOBILE IN, UH, CAMBRIDGE, WHO'S OVER THE AGE OF 65, WE SHOULD JUST SEND THEM A, A STICKER. SEND THEM A STICKER IN THE MAIL. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHECK OFF ANYTHING. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING. JUST SEND 'EM A STICKER. AND IT, AND IT REALLY IS A, UM, A, A TRADITIONAL AND WELL SETTLED, UH, EXEMPTION, UH, THAT I THINK IS WARRANTED. AND THEN WE CAN DEAL WITH LOW INCOME PEOPLE THROUGH ANOTHER SYSTEM. BUT, UH, IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME THAT WE'RE INCREASING THE RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING FEE. I YIELD. COUNCILMAN ZUBY. HI. THANK YOU. THREE. YOU MADAM MAYOR. JUST WE'LL BE BRIEF. WANNA APPRECIATE THE AMENDMENT FROM COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER MCGOVERN, IN FACT WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A COLLABORATOR IF THE, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE OR IF NOT, AT LEAST IF THE AMENDMENT PASSES, I'D LOVE TO BE ADDED ON THAT AMENDED [04:00:01] PO IF THAT'S THE BETTER PROCEDURAL STEP. UM, I DO THINK WE SHOULD BE RAISING THE FEE, BUT WE SHOULD NOT RAISE IT ON THE BACKS OF LOW INCOME PEOPLE. THAT SHOULD BE ZERO WHETHER YOU'RE A SENIOR OR NOT. SO THANK YOU. SO COUNSELOR ZUBIE WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THIS, AND SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THAT. A VOICE. OKAY. VOICE VOTE IF FOLKS ARE OKAY WITH IT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. COUNCILOR ZUBI ON THIS. COUNSELOR NOLAN. THANK YOU. . WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE. UM, A FEW THINGS. THERE'S ALREADY A CHECKOFF BOX IF YOU'RE A SENIOR, I USE IT. SO IT'S ALREADY THERE ON THE WEBSITE. SO THERE'S NO CHANGE WITH CHECKOFF. IT JUST IS WHETHER THIS CHECKOFF IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR MORE PEOPLE IS HOW I SEE THIS, UH, POLICY ORDER. UM, AND IT WOULD BE VERY SIMPLE. UM, IT IS, AS WE'VE ALWAYS SAID, PROVING YOUR INCOME IS SOMETHING THAT IS ACTUALLY WE, YOU HAVE TO DO IN SO MANY OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY. SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING WE SHOULD SHY AWAY FROM. ON THE OTHER END, I'M TOTALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA OF A, OF A CHECKOFF. I STILL THINK IT SHOULD BE $25, UM, IF YOU'RE LOW INCOME AND IT'S A HARDSHIP. UM, JUST TO REMIND US ALL, WE ALREADY VOTED ON THE 75 THAT WAS ALREADY DONE. SO UNLESS WE'RE RETHINKING THAT, AND IT WAS BASED ON A RECOMMENDATION FROM TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO FROM THE CITY STAFF SAYING THEY RECOMMENDED THE $75. SO I JUST WANNA REMIND US ALL OF THAT HISTORY. UM, WHILE IT IS A TRIPLING OF THE FEE, WE REALLY WANNA CORRECT THE MATH. IT'S A 200% INCREASE. THAT'S NOT A 300% INCREASE. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT, IT WOULD GO FROM 25 TO 75 FOR MOST PEOPLE. AND THAT'S IN A CITY WHERE PRIVATE PARKING IS A HUNDRED TO $400 A MONTH. SO I STILL, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, VIEW THIS AS A, A, A, A STEAL OR A DEAL FOR THE 75. AND FOR 25, IF YOU ALREADY OWN A CAR, IT IS MINIMAL. AND I HAVE TALKED TO, WE GOT SEVERAL EMAIL TODAY FROM PEOPLE SAYING, WE'RE HAPPY TO PAY THE 75. THAT'S WHAT IT SHOULD BE. INCLUDING, INCLUDING SENIORS, ONE SENIOR IN RESPONSE TO, UH, THE SENIOR ACTION SAYING, HEY, COME AND TELL THE CITY COUNSELOR. YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD KEEP IT FREE. AND THE PERSON SAID, WELL, I'M A SENIOR, BUT I ACTUALLY THINK I SHOULD PAY 'CAUSE I CAN PAY THE 75. UM, SO, AND TO REMIND US ALL THE REASON I'M SO INTERESTED IN THIS COVERING OUR COSTS IS IT COVERS OUR COSTS. THAT'S WHAT THE CITY HAS DOCUMENTED AND IT'S EFFECTIVELY A SUBSIDY. ANYTHING UNDER 75 IS EFFECTIVELY A SUBSIDY FROM FOLKS WHO, UM, TO, FROM FOLKS WHO DON'T OWN CARS, TO PEOPLE WHO DO OWN CARS. SO I THINK THAT'S INEQUITABLE ON THE FACE OF IT. SO I'M WOULD LOVE INSTEAD, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN OFFER AN AMENDMENT TO AN AMENDMENT TO, INSTEAD OF THE LAST LINE BEING FOR FREE TO SAY FOR $25 YOU CAN OFFER AN AMENDMENT TO AN AMENDMENT. UH, WE'RE PLAYING JEOPARDY. UM, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PUT YOUR AMENDMENT UP, WHICH IS, AND WE'LL HAVE TO VOTE IN THE ORDER OF THE AMENDMENT. SO THIS IS TO RECEIVE THEIR STICKER FOR $25 AND TAKE OUT THE FREE RIGHT. AND THE IDEA IS ANY SENIOR OF ANY AGE, ANY PERSON FOR WHOM THEY CAN JUST CHECK IT OFF AND DO IT, BUT I ST I STILL THINK IT MAKES SENSE. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE PAYING NOW, UNLESS YOU'RE A SENIOR HANDICAP, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PAYING THAT. NOW, WHAT THIS WOULD DO IS FOR SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY PAYING 25 TO SAY THEY'RE NOT, AND AGAIN, IT'S ALL ABOUT WE'RE IN A TIME OF FISCAL RESTRAINT. IT'S A SUBSIDY FROM AT LEAST 40% OF THE RESIDENTS IN THE CITY DON'T EVEN OWN CARS. SO THEY'RE EFFECTIVELY SUBSIDIZING. AND WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I PAY FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THAT'S A PUBLIC GOOD. OWNING A CAR IS NOT A PUBLIC GOOD. SO YOU'RE SUBSIDIZING A PRIVATE GOOD. IT'S NOT A PUBLIC GOOD. SO THAT'S WHY NOW IF IT, IF IT DOESN'T, IF IT DOESN'T WORK, THAT'S FINE. BUT I, I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, UH, BE EQUITABLE AND FAIR IN OUR ALLOCATION OF COSTS ACROSS THE CITY. AND THAT'S WHAT THE $75 DOES. SO I THINK EVEN THE 25 IS A COMPROMISE. OKAY. DISCUSSION ON COUNCILOR NOLAN'S AMENDMENT. I HAVE COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER AND THEN COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. THANKS. I'LL BE BRIEF AND, UH, REAL, THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD ARGUMENT FOR THIS. I JUST, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE FIVE VOTES FOR THIS. I THINK WE HAVE FIVE VOTES FOR THE ORIGINAL. WANNA GET SOMETHING DONE? SO I'M GONNA BE BE NO ON THE SENTIMENT. COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN. YEP. THANK YOU. UM, I'M GONNA, I WILL VOTE AGAINST THIS. UM, AGAIN, I I THINK LISTEN TO THE, TO THE FOLKS WHO HAVE COME OUT, LISTEN TO SENIORS WHO HAVE SAID THAT EVEN $25 IS A HARDSHIP. UM, THAT'S WHY WE PUT IN FREE SO THEY WON'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING. THAT'S, THIS IS WHAT COMPROMISE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW PEOPLE ARE [04:05:01] GONNA SAY, I DON'T WANT TO CHECK A BOX OR I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS, BUT THIS IS WHAT COMPROMISE IS. I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE STARTED TO WHERE WE ARE NOW, SENIORS ARE STILL GOING TO BE GET TO PAY $0 IF THAT'S WHAT THEY CHOOSE. AND, UM, AND SO I'M GONNA VOTE AGAINST THIS STICK WITH THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT THAT COUNCILOR, SABRINA, SABRINA WHEELER AND I PUT IN, UM, THERE WAS TALK EARLIER ABOUT JUST GOING TO $75 FOR EVERYONE AND KEEPING THE SENIOR EXEMPTION, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE THEN THAT WOULD MEAN THAT LOW INCOME PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 65 WOULD HAVE TO PAY $75. AND HOW CAN WE SIT HERE AND TALK ABOUT $25 BEING A HARDSHIP IS WHEN, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA RAISE IT TO $75 FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND SAY, THAT'S NOT A HARDSHIP. SO IF YOU ARE LOW INCOME, YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, YOU SHOULD GET THE EXEMPTION PERIOD. AND, UM, SO I'M GONNA STICK WITH THE FREE THANK YOU. I HAVE COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, JUST VERY BRIEFLY THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, TO ARGUE THAT THIS IS A SUBSIDY OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T OWN CARS IS INACCURATE. BECAUSE IF ANYTHING, THE EMERSON COLLEGE TEST SAYS, THE REASON WHY THIS IS NOT A TAX AND A FEE IS BECAUSE WE'RE THE CITY IS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO PARK THEIR CARS IN THE PUBLIC WAY. THAT'S THE SERVICES THE CITY IS GIVING THEM IN EXCHANGE FOR THE PAYMENT FOR A RESIDENT PERMIT, UM, STICKER. BUT THE MONEY FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GOES TO FUND OTHER THINGS WITHIN THE CITY, INCLUDING, INCLUDING, UH, STREET IMPROVEMENTS, LIKE SEPARATED BIKE LANES, ALSO USE OF THE PUBLIC WAY. SO IF WE'RE LOGICALLY THINKING ABOUT SUBSIDIES, THE ARGUMENT CAN BE MADE. AND I'M NOT MAKING THE ARGUMENT, BUT THE ARGUMENT LOGICALLY CAN BE MADE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE RESIDENT PERMIT PARKING PROGRAM ARE IN FACT SUBSIDIZING PEOPLE WITHOUT CARS WHO MAKE USE OF THE SEPARATED BIKE LANES. THAT'S, THAT'S THE LOGIC OF THE EMERSON COLLEGE TEST. IT'S NOT MY, IT'S NOT MY LOGIC, IT'S A SUPREME JUDICIAL CAUSE. AND IT'S BORN OUT BY THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. BUDGET. COUNCILOR ZUBIE AND THEN VICE MAYOR. THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UM, I JUST ALSO, AGAIN, WANTED TO ECHO COUNCILOR MCGOVERN'S POINTS. I WILL BE VETTING NO ON THIS BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE, IT SHOULD BE FREE. AND I MEAN, OUT OF RESPECT FOR ACCOUNT, UH, VICE MAYOR AZI. I WAS GONNA CALL THE QUESTION, BUT I THINK I'LL YIELD TO THAT. SO, OKAY. THERE YOU GO. SO WE'RE JUST GONNA GO TO THE VOTE, UM, ON THIS AMENDMENT. AND SO WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCIL ZUBE? NO. NO. VICE MAYOR ZE? UH, YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? NO. NO. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? NO. NO. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? ABSOLUTELY NOT. NO. NO. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER? NO. NO. COUNSELOR SUSY? NO. NO. MAYOR SIDIKI? NO. NO. AND YOU HAVE TWO MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND SEVEN RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. SO WE'RE BACK TO IT BEING FREE. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS AMENDMENT BEFORE US DISCUSSION? YES. COUNCILLOR NOLAN. YET THE DISCUSSION IS JUST TO REMIND US ALL THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE EMERSON TEST. THE CITY ITSELF HAS SAID THAT THE ACTUAL COST OF DOING THE PROGRAM COSTS $75. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY OF THE OTHER REVENUE OR EXPENSES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. IT IS, DEFINITELY, AND THEREFORE, IF YOU'RE NOT COLLECTING THAT $75, SOMEBODY SUBSIDIZING YOU. ANY LAST CAN GUESS? VICE MAYOR? UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I WILL BE VOTING NO ON THIS, BUT I WILL SEPARATELY VOTE IF THIS FAILS FOR THE SENIOR EXEMPTION. I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING TO LOSE TOO MUCH REVENUE. UM, SO JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR GOVERNOR TO ADOPT THIS AMENDMENT. DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBIE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. NO. NO. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? NO. NO. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? NO. NO. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. NO. COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR ZUI. YES. EXCUSE ME. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE FIVE MEMBERS RECORDING THE AFFIRMATIVE AND FOUR RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. SO THE AMENDMENT PASSES. MM-HMM . THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE VOTE, RIGHT? YES. YEAH. SO THE AMENDMENT PASSES. NOW WE HAVE TO VOTE. NOW WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THE UNDERLINE. SO YEAH, IT'S SIX. YOU KNOW, IT'S ACTUALLY SIX. IT WAS FIVE TO FOUR. FIVE TO FOUR. IT'S THE FOUR. WERE THE FOUR WERE CO COUNCILOR MCGOVERN, MYSELF. [04:10:01] OH, THE AGAINST THE, AGAINST THE FOUR AGAINST WAS VICE MAYOR ZE, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, COUNCILOR NOLAN AND COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. YES. I VOTED NO. YOU VOTED NO. YEAH. YEAH. SHE VOTED AGAINST YOUR AMENDMENT. OKAY. SO NOW WE HAVE TO DO THE LAST THING, WHICH IS TO COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER TO, WE'RE GONNA SU VOTE ON THE UNDERLYING MOTION. YEP. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION BY SUB. YEAH. SO IT'S, IT'S A MOTION TO ADOPT AS AMENDED BY SUBSTITUTION DISCUSSION. VICE MAYOR Z. UM, I WOULD LOVE TO ADD AN ORDER THAT JUST SAYS TO DO A ONE YEAR REVIEW ON HOW MANY PEOPLE OPT OUT OR APPLY FOR THE HARDSHIP. SO VICE MAYOR AZIM IS ADDING AN AMENDMENT VERBALLY. UH, WE'LL GET THAT WRITTEN UP, UH, THAT ORDERED THAT THEIR CITY MANAGER DO A REVIEW ON THE, HOW MANY PEOPLE OPT OUT OF OUR CHECKOFF AND THE IMPACTS ON CITY BUDGET OR ANY, YEAH. YEAH. I'LL, I'LL WRITE IT AND SEND IT. HE'LL WRITE IT. OKAY. COUNSELOR. UM, I MEAN, VICE MAYOR ZEMA IS WRITING AN AMENDMENT AND WE'LL WAIT FOR THAT AMENDMENT. DO OTHER PEOPLE HAVE AMENDMENTS, PLEASE? I'M JUST WONDERING. IT'S, IT'S ALMOST 10 POINT INFORMATION. YES. IT'S KLER SIMMONS. THE EARLIER VOTE WAS ON THE 25 CHECK FOR THING. AND WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME? SORRY, CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC? YOU, IT DID NOT PASS. IT DID NOT PASS. THAT WAS THAT FAILED? AND THEN THE SECOND ONE PASSED. JUST SO YOU YEAH. THAT ORIGINAL ONE TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, THAT WAS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 FOLKS WHO VOTED NO ON THE $25 INSTEAD OF FREE. AND THEN TWO PEOPLE VOTED YES. AND THEN ON THE CHARTER, RIGHT. THE, THE ONE WE JUST DID BY SUBSTITUTION. YES. FOUR PEOPLE VOTED NO. AND FIVE PEOPLE VOTED. YES. SO NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER AMENDMENT, WHICH IS BY COUNSELOR BY, EXCUSE ME. VICE MAYOR AZI. IT SHOULD BE COMING UP. YES. DISCUSSION. YEAH. COUNCILOR ZUI. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO CORRECT. SO I THINK FOR THE, UM, THE AMENDMENT, PATTY'S AMENDMENT TO CHANGE FREE TO $25 SEVEN VOTED NO. AND TWO VOTED YES. YES. THAT'S WHAT I SAID. OKAY, GREAT. THANKS. AND NAOMI, YOU'RE PUT PUTTING IT UP. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN EVERYONE EXERCISES THEIR CHARTER, RIGHT? MM-HMM . AND WE HAVE THE SECOND, THE MEETING AGAIN. OKAY. VICE MAYOR AZI. BE IT. SO THE ADDED ORDERED WOULD BE FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO DO A ONE YEAR REVIEW ON HOW MANY APPLY FOR THE HARDSHIP EXEMPTION AND THE IMPACT ON CITY FINANCES. DISCUSSION? YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN . NO, NO, NO DISCUSSION. OKAY. SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL. 'CAUSE I HEAR NO DISCUSSION ON AN ADOPTING THIS ORDERED COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR Z. YES. YES. COUNCIL FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE AMENDMENT IS PASSED. SO NOW WE HAVE AN AMENDED POLICY ORDER MANY TIMES BY SUBSTITUTION. YEP. UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND HEARING NO ONE ELSE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL PLEASE. ON WHOSE MOTION? ON MY MOTION? COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. NO. NO. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? NO. NO. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND TWO RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE, UH, MOVEMENT RECONSIDERATION. HOPING THE SAME WILL NOT PREVAIL. COUNCILLOR ZAINA WHEELER MOVES TO RECONSIDERATION. WE HAVE TO DO SUSPENSION. SO WE'LL DO THAT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL DO THE, UH, THE RECONSIDERATION [04:15:01] VOTE ON, ON SUSPENSION. WE DO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST. WAIT A MINUTE, SAY NO. COUNCIL FLAHERTY IS RECORDED AS A NO ON SUSPENSION. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO THE RECONSIDERATION VOTE. AND WE NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL FOR THAT. WHO VOTED NO. COUNCIL ZUBIE? NO. NO. VICE MAYOR ZE. NO. NO. COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. NO, NO, NO. IS IT YES OR NO? NO, NO, NO, NO. COUNCILOR NOLAN? NO. NO. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. COUNCILOR SIMMONS'. ABSENT. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. NO. NO. COUNCILLOR ZUI. NO. NO. MAYOR SIKA. NO. NO. AND YOU HAVE ONE MEMBER RECCO. ONE MEMBER RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. SEVEN RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT. OKAY. SO WE'VE DONE OUR RECONSIDERATION VOTE. WE HAVE TO MOVE ON TO A FEW MORE ITEMS. WE'RE ALMOST THERE PEOPLE. SO JUST, IT'S 9 48. LET'S TRY TO GET OUT OF HERE. UM, AS SOON AS WE CAN. UM, WE WILL GET OUT BY TOMORROW. SO WE'RE GOING TO THE ITEM NUMBER FIVE, THAT A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL BE FORMED TO CONDUCT A FULL AND COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF EACH OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE RULES OF THE CITY COUNCIL WITH A GOAL OF A TRANSPARENT UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND IMPLICATIONS. THE CHARTER RIGHT WAS EXERCISED BY COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES JUST TO BRING FORWARD SIX AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH IS THE COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, TRANSMITTING THE PROPOSED 20 26, 20 27 RULES OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL. THAT CHARTER RIGHT WAS EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. THESE, BOTH THESE ITEMS ARE BEFORE US. I'M GOING TO GO TO COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER. THANKS MADAM MAYOR. UM, THERE ARE AMENDMENTS HERE FROM COUNCILLOR NOLAN AND COUNCILLOR ZUBI. UM, MAYBE TOGETHER. UM, I'M DOWN TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENTS THERE, WHICH MAKES SOME SMALL TWEAKS TO, AT THE TAPE, PUBLIC COMMENT LENGTH. UM, MOVE THE LENGTH END GOAL TIME OF THE MEETING TO 10:00 PM INSTEAD OF 9:00 PM. UH, SOME SMALL CHANGES THERE. HAPPY TO ACCEPT ALL OF THOSE. UM, WE'LL NOTE WITH ALL OF THE RULES THAT THEY CAN BE SUSPENDED BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL. SO IF WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO 10:00 PM AND WE NEED ANOTHER 15, 30, EVEN 45 MINUTES, AN HOUR, WE, WE CAN SUSPEND THE RULES TO DO THAT, TO JUST GET DONE ON MONDAY. THIS IS, THESE ARE JUST THINGS TO, THAT WE THINK ARE BEST PRACTICES TO TRY OUT. IF THEY AREN'T WORKING, WE CAN ALWAYS CHANGE 'EM. THEY ARE OUR OWN RULES. THIS IS NOT SET IN STONE AND IRREVOCABLE. THESE ARE THINGS WE'RE, WE'RE TO TRY. I AM DOWN TO ACCEPT THE AMENDMENTS AND, AND TRY THESE, UH, TWEAKS TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND, UH, AND OTHER PROCESSES. UH, AND AGAIN, MOST OF THE RULES ARE, ARE THINGS, UH, SUGGESTED BY THE LAW DEPARTMENT. UM, I KNOW COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY HAD A POLICY ORDER HERE. UM, I THINK WHEN EXERCISED MY, MY CHARTER RIGHT LAST WEEK, COUNCILOR FEHERTY NOTED THAT, THAT MAYBE THE CHARTER RIGHT SERVES THE PURPOSE OF THE POLICY ORDER. WANTED ADDITIONAL TIME TO SPEAK ON THAT. WE HAVEN'T HAVE HAD A WHOLE ADDITIONAL WEEK, HAVE HAD TIME FOR, UH, AMENDMENTS. SO I HOPE COUNCILOR FEHERTY WOULD JUST WITHDRAW THE POLICY ORDER 'CAUSE WE'VE HAD MORE TIME. IF NOT, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO VOTE THAT POLICY ORDER DOWN. 'CAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE COUNCIL RULES. AND THEN TO VOTE ON, UH, COUNCILOR NOLAN AND, UH, COUNCILOR LUBY'S AMENDMENTS AND ADOPT THE RULES THIS EVENING. I GO BACK. SO, YEAH, I DO THINK WE SHOULD DISPOSE OF, UH, THE MOTION BY COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, UM, AND COUNCILOR SIMMONS ON THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE, UH, AND THEN GET TO THE AMENDMENTS. SO, DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION, UM, FROM COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY AND COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY. UH, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. I SAID I, I'LL GO AHEAD. OH, THOUGHT YOU ASKED ME TO SAY SOMETHING. FLAHERTY AND THEN COUNCILOR SIMMONS. I HAD THE FLOOR DREW YOU MADAM MAYOR FLOOR. SO THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ALWAYS OPERATED, ACCORDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL RULES, WITH A MONDAY NIGHT MEETING, BEGINNING AT FIVE 30. HISTORICALLY, IT HAS BEEN, IT HAS BEEN DONE THIS WAY. UH, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR TWO REASONS. IT'S TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE, COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE. PEOPLE WORK. PEOPLE HAVE FAMILY OBLIGATIONS. PEOPLE HAVE PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATIONS. THEY HAVE CIVIC OBLIGATIONS, COACHING BASEBALL OR, UM, TAKING THE KID FOR A BIKE RIDE. ALL OF THESE THINGS INTERFERE WITH PEOPLE'S LIVES, BEING ABLE TO BE MEMBERS OF FULLY INFORMED, UH, CIVIC COMMUNITY. SO THE REASON WHY WE DO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT FIVE 30 ON MONDAY NIGHTS IS TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO, NUMBER ONE, PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENT IF THEY SO CHOOSE. AND NUMBER TWO, TO OBSERVE, NOT DURING BUSINESS HOURS, BUT TO OBSERVE [04:20:01] THE CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS AND VOTES DURING A TIME WHEN THEY'RE FREE FROM THEIR PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATIONS. THAT'S ONE REASON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO THE MEETING AT FIVE 30 ON MONDAY NIGHTS. THE SECOND REASON IS BECAUSE WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO HAVE OBLIGATIONS TO SEEK TO MAYBE SERVE ON THE CITY COUNCIL. CITIZEN LEGISLATORS ARE A, AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR HISTORY AS A COUNTRY FROM OUR EXISTENCE. WE HAVE HAD CITIZEN LEGISLATORS THAT BRING TO BEAR ALL OF THE EXPERIENCES THEY HAVE FROM THE DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE. AND, UH, TO CHANGE THE, THE COUNCIL MEETINGS WOULD IMP IMPAIR THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE WHO WORK FULL-TIME LIKE MYSELF OUTSIDE OF THE COUNCIL FROM BRINGING, BRINGING THEIR, UM, THEIR KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS TO THE CITY COUNCIL. ANYBODY WHO HAS EVEN A, UM, SOME SORT OF A NINE TO FIVE JOB WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SEE THIS RULE AND SAY, I CAN'T SERVE ON THE CITY COUNCIL. I CAN'T RUN THE CITY COUNCIL. SO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO SERVE IN THE CITY COUNCIL ARE BEING DISENFRANCHISED BECAUSE OF THIS RULE CHANGE. FURTHERMORE, UM, SPECIFICALLY TO MY INDIVIDUAL SITUATION, I'VE GOT OBLIGATIONS. UH, IF I TELL A SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE, I'VE GOTTA BE IN CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE WE HAVE MEETINGS AND HE'S SCHEDULED A TRIAL. WELL, I, I CAN'T JUST SAY, YOUR HONOR, I'M GONNA SKIP YOUR TRIAL AND I'LL BE IN THE CITY COUNCIL WHERE WE'RE DELIBERATING THE INCREASE OF A RESIDENT PERMIT PARKING FEE IN CAMBRIDGE. I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. AND WHEN I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL, AS MANY PEOPLE, WHEN THEY RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL, THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PARAMETERS OF THIS JOB ARE. AND THE PARAMETERS OF THIS JOB WERE CLEARLY DEFINED MONDAY NIGHTS FIVE 30, NO EXCEPTIONS. AND, UH, SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS, COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UM, AS YOU CAN MAKE THEM DURING THE WEEK. AND, UH, POLITICAL OBLIGATIONS BEYOND THAT. AND IT'S A LIFT. BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, IF WE'RE EN ENACTING THIS RULE CHANGE, THE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE VOTED FOR ME, MAY BE DISENFRANCHISED BECAUSE I AM ON OCCASION, NOT GONNA BE PRESENT FOR A CITY COUNCIL MEETING BECAUSE OF MY COMMITMENTS, MY PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENTS, AND MY ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO MY CLIENTS. THERE'S NO WAY AROUND THAT. AND THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR ME WILL BE DISENFRANCHISED. SO, UH, THAT'S THE REALITY OF THIS RULE CHANGE. AND FOR THOSE REASONS, THAT'S WHY, UH, I'M ASKING THAT A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE WHOLE BODY, UH, BE ESTABLISHED. AND THIS, THIS, UH, POLICY OUGHT TO BE REFERRED TO A FULL TRANSPARENT DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS OF ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS MEETING ON A TUESDAY, UH, WHEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WON'T BE ABLE TO ATTEND UNLESS THEY'RE RETIRED OR THEY JUST HAVE FREE TIME AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT WORKING. UM, AND SO I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT RULE CHANGE THAT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL WHOLE. AND THE OTHER COLLATERAL IMPACT OF ALL OF THIS, AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THIS, IT IMPACTS THE ABILITY OF CITY STAFF TO DO OTHER THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING DURING THAT TIME PERIOD. ARRANGING FOR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, CONDUCTING THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISION OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, UH, IN THE CITY, KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T HAVE A MEETING AT FIVE 30 EVERY MONDAY NIGHT WITH PUBLIC COMMENT AND CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS. WE'VE HAD A BUSY NIGHT TONIGHT, AND IT'S NOT NEARLY EVEN 10 O'CLOCK. AND IF ANYBODY HERE IS TIRED AND WANTS TO GO HOME AND TAKE A NAP, GO HOME AND TAKE A NAP, I'LL BE HERE. I'M JUST GETTING WARMED UP. THIS IS NOTHING. THIS IS NOTHING. SO I YIELD ON THAT NOTE. TO THE KITTENS, TO THE KITTENS CONCERT SIMMONS . THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN. UM, I'M WITH YOU. LET'S GO. UH, THE PROPOSED RULES CHANGED BEFORE, HAS REPRESENTED A SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE FROM HOW THIS COUNCIL HAS OPERATED FOR DECADES. AND WHETHER ONE AGREES WITH EVERY INDIVIDUAL PO PROPOSAL OR NOT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOME OF THESE ARE NOT MINOR PROCEDURAL AMENDMENTS. THESE ARE CHANGES [04:25:01] THAT COULD SUBSTANTIALLY AFFECT HOW MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED, HOW DELIBERATIONS OCCUR, AND HOW THIS BODY FUNCTIONS MOVING FORWARD. BECAUSE OF THAT, I BELIEVE THESE PROPOSALS MADE A FULL AND IN DEPTH DISCUSSION THROUGH GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS RULES AND CLAIMS COMMITTEE BEFORE THE COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD WITH ADOPTING THEM. THIS IS NOT AN UNREASONABLE REQUEST. IN FACT, I THINK IT'S RESPONSIBLE, IT'S A RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO WHEN CONSIDERING CHANGES OF THE SCOPE AND SEQUENCE. IT ALSO ALLOWS THE PUBLIC, IT BRINGS THEM ALONG, ALLOWS THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING, THINK ABOUT IT, HEAR ABOUT IT IN WAYS THAT THEY PROBABLY WON'T IF WE WERE TO PROCEED IN A DIFFERENT WAY. THE RULES OF THE CITY COUNCIL HELPS SHAPE NOT ONLY HOW WE GOVERN INTERNALLY, BUT ALSO HOW THE PUBLIC ENGAGES WITH AND EXPERIENCES THIS BODY. I BELIEVE COUNCILORS AND RESIDENTS ALIKE DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A THOUGHTFUL, TRANSPARENT REVIEW PROCESS WHERE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE CHANGES CAN BE FULLY DISCUSSED AND UNDERSTOOD. I ALSO BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE CAREFULLY EXAMINE HOW ANY CHANGES ALIGN WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS AND PLAN E FORM OF GOVERNMENT UNDER WHICH CAMBRIDGE OP OPERATES. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DON'T THINK TAKING ADDITIONAL TIME FOR VIEW FOR REVIEW WEAKENS THIS PROCESS. I THINK IT STRENGTHENS IT. A THOUGHTFUL DELIBERATION IS A PART OF GOOD GOVERNANCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE DISCUSSING CHANGES THAT COULD HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON THE OPERATION OF THE COUNCIL FOR YEARS TO COME. ALSO, JUST AS I THOUGHT IT THROUGH, I INITIALLY THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, HAVING BIFURCATING THE MEETINGS WAS A GREAT IDEA. AFTER I'VE SAT AND THOUGHT ABOUT IT, I, I NO LONGER THINK THAT WAY. I THINK SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCIL FLAHERTY SAYS, PEOPLE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO THE, THE MONDAY NIGHT MAY, WE SHOULD PRACTICE A LITTLE, UM, VERBAL PARON AND THE MEETINGS WON'T RUN QUITE AS LONG. SO WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO, UH, I HOPE THAT, I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL, UH, SUPPORT THE, WHAT THE COUNSELOR FLAHERTY AND I ARE HAVE BROUGHT IN. AND WITH THAT, I RESPECTFULLY, WE YIELD THE FLOOR. I'M JUST GONNA SAY SOMETHING REALLY BRIEFLY. I THINK IRRESPECTIVE OF WHERE THIS GOES ON THE POLICY ORDER, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY CAN STRIKE THAT RULE DOWN, UM, FROM THE, FROM THE ACTUAL RULES, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE MAKING AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES. UM, I PERSONALLY DON'T WANNA HOLD UP A LOT OF THE OTHER RULES BECAUSE THEY'RE PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. UM, AND SO I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I DO THINK THERE'S BEEN, I THINK ASIDE FROM THE SCHEDULE PIECE OF IT, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ONES THAT I THINK MAKE SENSE. AND SO I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO VOTE THIS UP OR DOWN, THEN COME TO THE ACTUAL RULES THEMSELVES, WHICH WE HAVE AMENDMENTS AND PEOPLE CAN MAKE, HAVE MADE AMENDMENTS TO THE, AND COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, AT THAT MOMENT, YOU CAN, WE MAKE A MOTION TO STRIKE THAT RULE AND WE CAN DISCUSS THAT. UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY MANAGER, UM, AND STAFF HAVE BEEN KIND OF BEHIND THAT TUESDAY, YOU KNOW, OF, WE'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS AROUND THAT TUESDAY. IF THEY WANNA SAY SOMETHING ON THAT, JUST FOR CONTEXT, THEY CAN. BUT I THINK I JUST WANNA EXPLAIN WHERE WE ARE. SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GOING AROUND IN CIRCLES. I'D RATHER JUST GET TO THE ACTUAL SUBSTANTIVE RULES IN FRONT OF US. SO I HAD THE VICE MAYOR, I HAD, UM, COUNCILOR NOLAN AND COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, UM, AND COUNCILLOR ZUZI. I WAS GONNA SAY, I CONCUR WITH THE MAYOR. I WAS GONNA SAY THE SAME POINTS. UM, I WOULD ONLY ADD THAT, UM, I THINK THAT ALL THE OTHER RULES SOUND FINE. I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT COUNCILOR TY'S, UM, DIFFICULTIES WITH SCHEDULING. SCHEDULING. UH, I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD KEPT SOME OF YOUR, UH, TALKING POINTS A LITTLE SHORTER, COULD IT BE NINE 30 RIGHT NOW? AND MAYBE WE WOULD'VE GOTTEN OUT ON TIME. UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT. I WOULD BE FINE WITH DELAYING THE RULE, UH, FOR THE TWO MEETINGS IF WE WANTED TILL LIKE, NEXT TERM SO PEOPLE KNOW. UM, BUT I DO ACTUALLY THINK IT WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN, AND THEN COUNCILOR NOLAN, AND THEN COUNCILLOR ZUEY. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UM, YEAH, SO I, I MEAN, I WOULD ASSUME, I WOULD JUST ASSUME, SORT OF VOTE THROUGH THE RULE STUFF TONIGHT AND GET IT DONE. UM, AND I CAN SAVE MY COMMENTS ON WHERE, WHERE I STAND ON THAT UNTIL WE GET TO THAT POINT. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD NOT VOTE FOR THIS, JUST NOT BECAUSE I NECESSARILY EVEN DISAGREE WITH A COUNSELOR. I PROBABLY, I'M GONNA VOTE WITH COUNSELOR FLAHERTY ON THAT PARTICULAR RULE. UM, BUT, UH, I'D RATHER JUST GET THROUGH IT. I MEAN, PART OF THE REASON WE FIND OURSELVES IN THESE SITUATIONS IS 'CAUSE EVERY WEEK WE SAY, OH, THE MEETING'S GOING TOO LONG, AND THEN WE KICK THE CAN TO THE NEXT WEEK, AND THEN THE NEXT WEEK GETS, I MEAN, WE JUST, LET'S TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS, CLEAN IT UP, GET IT DONE, MOVE ON. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNSELOR NOLAN. RIGHT. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT BOTH THINGS OR WE'RE TALKING? WELL, LET'S JUST DISPOSE OF THIS FIRST, THIS POLICY ORDER. NUMBER FIVE. OKAY. NUMBER FIVE. OH, ABOUT, OH, AND THEN SEPARATELY WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE RULES. YES. OKAY. SO I, YEAH, I AGREE. WE, [04:30:01] I ALWAYS LIKE TALKING ABOUT THE RULES AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT ONES THAT CHANGE. HOWEVER WE, THIS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. UM, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD. SO I WILL, I DON'T WANT US TO SET UP A SPECIAL, UH, COMMITTEE. WE CAN ALWAYS BRING FORTH RULES CHANGES ANYTIME DURING THE YEAR. UM, AND, AND I HAVE MORE TO SAY ABOUT, ABOUT THE TUESDAY AND THE OTHER LATER, BUT I'LL SAVE THAT FOR THE RULES. SO RIGHT NOW, I, I THINK I'D, I'D LIKE US TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT A SPECIAL COMMITTEE AND VOTE ON SOME RULE CHANGES TONIGHT. COUNCILOR SUZI. OH MY, I I JUST WANTED TO BUILD ON, UH, WHAT COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY HAD SAID EARLIER, BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH CUTTING OFF AT 10. BE I KNOW THAT'S NEXT, BUT, UH, I, I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO DISCUSS THAT FURTHER. 'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE THEN YOU CAN'T HAVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS ON TUESDAY AFTERNOONS, WHICH IS A PROBLEM. WE HAVE LESS TIME. AND THEN I THINK WE MAY WANNA ADD SOMETHING ALSO ABOUT, LIKE, IF SOMETHING IS CHARTER RIGHTED, I DON'T THINK, MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ITEM THAT WAS CHARTER RIGHTED THE SECOND TIME. BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE HAVE TWO HOURS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. AND MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE WE JUST HEARD FROM THEM THE WEEK BEFORE SAYING THE SAME THING. SO I, I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE, I FEEL LIKE MOSTLY YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. I THINK THE AMENDMENTS ARE, ARE GREAT AS WELL. I THINK MOSTLY WE'VE GOT IT. BUT I THINK WE MIGHT WANNA SPEND 40 MINUTES WHEN WE'RE ALL FRESH AT A DIFFERENT TIME TO JUST FINISH THIS UP. I, I DO THINK IT WILL MAKE FOR BETTER MEETINGS. SO YOU ARE NOT, ARE YOU SUPPORTING THE POLICY ORDER OR NOT? YEAH, I, I AM SUPPORTING THE POLICY ORDER. 'CAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD. I THINK WE OWE IT TO THE PUBLIC. I THINK WE OWE IT TO OURSELVES TO DISCUSS THIS WHEN WE'RE FRESH. IT MAY BE A 40 MINUTE MEETING, BUT IT'LL BE AT, AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE ALL FRESH. OKAY. SO I'VE HEARD FROM EVERYONE, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ADOPT POLICY ORDER NUMBER FIVE. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCIL. COUNCILOR ZUBIE. PRESENT. PRESENT VICE ZE. NO. NO. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? NO. NO. COUNCILOR NOLAN? NO. NO. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. NO. NO. COUNCILOR ZUI? YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI? NO. NO. AND YOU HAVE THREE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. FIVE RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. AND ONE RECORDED IS PRESENT. SO THE, UH, POLICY ORDER DOES NOT PASS. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT SET OF, WHICH IS THE RULES. AND THERE'S A FEW AMENDMENTS. I HAVE COUNCILOR ZUBI, THANK YOU THROUGH YOU, MAYOR. UH, TRY TO MAKE THIS BRIEF. I HAVE A SERIES OF AMENDMENTS TO MAKE THAT COME ON THE FLOOR WITH COUNCILOR NOLAN. I'M HAPPY TO WALK THROUGH EACH ONE REALLY JUST, OR ON THE, AT THE VERY END OF THE DAY, THESE AMENDMENTS COME UP FROM A PLACE OF TRYING TO PROTECT WHATEVER INTEGRITY THERE IS IN PUBLIC COMMENT, AS WELL AS KEEPING THE FLOOR DISCUSSION MORE DISCRETIONARY TO SEE HOW THE CONVERSATION'S EVOLVING. SO THE FIRST ONE THAT YOU SEE IS RELATED TO MAKING PUBLIC COMMENT RULES. STRAIGHTFORWARD. THIS WAY, RESIDENTS CAN EXPECT TO HAVE TWO MINUTES ON MOST NIGHTS. AND IN AN EXCEPTION, THEY WILL, THEY WOULD HAVE ONE. UM, THAT'S BETWEEN ONE TO 60 SPEAKERS HAVING TWO. AND ANYTHING MORE THAN 61 WOULD BE ONE MINUTE. AND THEN FOR THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THAT WOULD BE ONE TO 30 SPEAKERS HAVING TWO MINUTES. AND THEN 31 PLUS WOULD HAVE ONE MINUTE. SO THAT JUST APPLIES TO THE COMMITTEE HEARINGS ON THE SECOND AMENDMENT. UH, THIS CLARIFIES THAT PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOT DISCRETIONARY, JUST THAT THE CHAIR CAN DICTATE WHEN IT HAPPENS. THE THIRD AMENDMENT SPEAKS TO MOVING THE TIME BACK TO 10:00 PM WHICH I BELIEVE IS A BETTER SPOT AT ENDING OUR TIME THAN JUST NINE. UM, HAPPY TO HEAR DISCUSSION ON THAT. AND THEN THE LAST AMENDMENT IS GIVING THE CHAIR THE ABILITY TO ASSESS WHERE THE CONVERSATION IS BEFORE MAKING JUDGEMENTS ON TIME AND DISCUSSION. SO STRIKING THE LANGUAGE THERE, YOU KNOW, ON WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ASK TWO QUESTIONS OR HOW MANY TIMES WE TALK INTO SAYING IT SHOULD BE AT THE JUDGMENT OF THE CHAIR TO SAY, TYPICALLY YOU'LL BE AFFORDED FIVE MINUTES PER RECOGNITION UNLESS THE CHAIR DECIDES THAT, UM, IN ORDER FOR EFFICIENT CONDUCT OF BUSINESS, THAT WE NEED TO ADJUST THINGS, UH, THAT'S ALL. SO, COUNSELOR, UM, ZUBIE, UH, IF WE SCROLL UP YOUR FIRST AMENDMENT, UH, FOR REGULAR MEETINGS AND FOR COMMITTEE HEARINGS, THIS IS TO RULE 23. 20 3D FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. CORRECT? I WOULD NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT LISTED HERE, BUT YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YEAH, I CAN TALK MORE ABOUT, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS, RIGHT? YES. YES. 20 3D YEAH, THE FIRST ONE IS [04:35:01] NOT ONE THAT I WAS CO-SPONSORING, BUT THE NUMBER THREE AND FOUR WERE ONES THAT I HAD PUT FORTH TO THE, UM, CLERK AND THEN COUNCILOR ZUBI PUT FORTH BASICALLY SIMILAR, SIMILAR LANGUAGE. SO THOSE ARE DEFINITELY CO-SPONSORED. AND I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT AMENDMENT TWO, AMENDMENT ONE. I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE, UM, CHANGE TO THE TIMING THAT WE HAVE IN THE ORIGINAL, WHICH TO REMIND PEOPLE IT'S THREE MINUTES FOR ONE TO 20 SPEAKERS, TWO MINUTES FOR 20 TO 30 SPEAKERS, ONE AND A HALF MINUTE FOR 30 TO 60 SPEAKERS, AND THEN ONE MINUTE ONCE YOU GET TO 60 SPEAKERS. SO IT DEFINITELY DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT IT KEEPS AT LEAST THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME BEING ABLE TO. SO I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THAT ONE. BUT THE OTHER ONES I WOULD SUPPORT, WE WILL GO AMENDMENT BY AMENDMENT BECAUSE THAT'S THE EASIEST THING TO DO. SO, YES. UM, COUNSELOR ZUBI, TO CLARIFY. YEAH. SO FOR THE FIRST PART ON THE REGULAR MEETINGS, I BELIEVE IT'D BE UNDER RULE 20 3D. AND FOR THE COMMITTEE HEARINGS, IT'D BE UNDER RULE 31 B. YES. OKAY. SO DISCUSSION ON THIS. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS ON AMENDMENT ONE. YEAH. SO THIS AMENDMENT, COUNCILOR ZUBU, YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE, UM, FOR ONE TO 60 SPEAKERS, IT'S, THEY WOULD HAVE TWO MINUTES. 61 PLUS IT WOULD BE ONE MINUTE. THIS IS FOR OUR REGULAR MEETINGS. SO IF I HEAR NO ONE ELSE, THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO RULE 20 3D. WE SHOULD DO A ROLL CALL TO APPROVE THAT AMENDMENT. COUNCIL ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY AMENDMENT ONE. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? NO. NO. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR EY. MM-HMM . YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT AMENDMENT ONE TO THE REGULAR MEETING TO RULE 20. I'M SORRY. ONE RECORDED IS NEGATIVE. ONE IS NEGATIVE, YES. YEP. BUT IT, IT PASSES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING TO RULE 20 3D. SO THEN WE MOVE TO FOR COMMITTEE MEETINGS. THIS IS, UM, TO RULE, UH, 31 B. AND SO THAT'S, IF THERE'S A ONE TO 30 SPEAKERS, THEY'D GET TWO MINUTES, 31 PLUS THEY'D GET ONE MINUTE DISCUSSION. THIS IS IN COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND HOW MUCH TIME PEOPLE GET? YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S, IT WOULD ALSO BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR TO CHANGE THAT, WHICH IS WHAT WE DO NOW. IS THAT STILL WHAT I DON'T THINK, I THINK THE RULES RIGHT NOW WE TYPICALLY, YEAH. RIGHT. SO IT'S, WE DO THREE MINUTES, SO WE'RE REDUCING THE RIGHT, BUT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR CAN CHANGE THAT TIME. THE WAY I, YEAH, YOU CAN SUSPEND THE RULES. OKAY. ALWAYS RIGHT. OKAY. CITY SOLICITOR BEAR, UH, TO YOU MADAM MAYOR, IN THE CURRENT RULE 31 B ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT. UM, AT HEARINGS WE TALK ABOUT WHEN IT'S A HEARING THAT'S REQUIRED BY LAW. SO THAT'S LIKE THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING ON ZONING PETITIONS BECAUSE THAT'S REQUIRED BY LAW THAT THERE HAS TO BE PUBLIC COMMENT. BUT THEN WE SAY FOR MATTERS WHERE A PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT REQUIRED BY LAW, THE CHAIR SHALL DETERMINE IF THERE WILL BE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WHEN IT WILL OCCUR. SO RIGHT NOW, THERE IS DISCRETION WHETHER TO EVEN ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT. I COMMITTEE HEARINGS IN SOME, YEAH. YES. DISCUSSION, COUNCILOR NOLAN. RIGHT. BUT THE QUESTION IS, IF WE CHANGE IT TO THOSE THAT IT, THERE WILL BE, WILL IT STILL BE AT THE DISCUSSION OF THE CHAIR TO CHANGE THAT TIMING IF THEY SO CHOOSE IF THERE'S SO, UH, AMENDMENT TWO SUGGESTED BY COUNCILOR ZUBIE REMOVES THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR TO DETERMINE IF THERE'LL BE PUBLIC COMMENT IN A SITUATION WHERE IT'S NOT REQUIRED BY LAW. AND SO THEN I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE TO MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO VARY THE LENGTH. RIGHT. MY QUESTION IS NOT WHETHER THERE WOULD BE, IT'S THE LENGTH OF IT, WHETHER THE CHAIR COULD SAY, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU MORE TIME. 'CAUSE THAT'S HOW, THAT'S THE PRACTICE HAS ALWAYS BEEN WHEN IT WOULD BE THROUGH SUSPENSION OF THE RULES, BECAUSE THE RULES SET OUT SPECIFIC [04:40:01] TIMES AND COMMITTEE AND THAT RULES WITHIN A COMMITTEE IS THE QUORUM OF THE COMMITTEE. SO, I'M SORRY, LET ME JUST CLARIFY. COUNCILOR NOLAN'S TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST AMENDMENT, SO THE SECOND PART OF THAT. CLEAR? YEAH. OKAY. YES. UM, YES THROUGH YOU MAD MAYOR, BUT I THINK SHE'S THEN ALSO REFERENCING THE SECOND AMENDMENT. SO IF THAT DISCRETION YEAH. IS REMOVED ENTIRELY. UM, IS THERE STILL DISCRETION AS TO THE LENGTH OF PUBLIC COMMENT AND THE WAY THESE RULES ARE WRITTEN RIGHT NOW? NO, THERE IS NOT. AND SO THE WAY TO VARY THE LENGTH OF TIME WOULD BE TO SUSPEND SUSPENSION. OKAY. DO FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT? SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THE SECOND PART OF THIS AMENDMENT FOR COMMITTEE HEARINGS. AND THIS IS TO RULE 31 B. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZIM. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE COUNCILOR ZUBI, THE NEXT ONE. SURE. YEAH. I CAN JUST REMIND EVERYONE. THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS GIVING, AGAIN, A CLARIFICATION THAT PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU KNOW, SHOULD NOT BE DISCRETIONARY. JUST THAT THE CHAIR CAN DICTATE WHEN IT HAPPENS. SO IT'S STRIKING THAT LANGUAGE SAYING IF THERE WILL BE TO SAY WHEN, UM, IN THAT WAY WHAT CITY SOLICITOR, UM, MEGAN BAYER IS REFERRING TO. UM, JUST CLARIFIES THAT. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? UH, YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YEAH. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UM, JUST SO I UNDERSTAND THIS, I, I THINK MY COLLEAGUE IS SAYING THAT THE CHAIR WILL DETERMINE, THE CHAIR SHALL DETERMINE WHEN PUBLIC COMMENT WILL OCCUR. WHEN IT HAPPENS, YEAH. OKAY. IN COUNCIL MEETINGS AND IN SMALLER COMMITTEE MEETINGS, LIKE ACROSS THE BOARD, THIS IS FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS. PUBLIC HEARINGS. PUBLIC HEARINGS. SO ORDINANCE FINANCE. YES. OKAY. VERY GOOD. GOT IT. YES. COUNCILOR GOVERN. THANK YOU. UM, SO I'M FINE WITH THIS, BUT I'M JUST, BUT I'M ALSO JUST WONDERING HOW THESE GO. I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS WE OFTEN HEAR, EVERYONE DOES IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY IN THESE MEETINGS. SO SOMETIMES PEOPLE PUT THE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING, SOME PEOPLE DO IT AFTER THE PRESENTATION. I WONDER IF IT'S JUST, IS IT EASIER JUST TO SAY THAT PUBLIC COMMENT WILL COME AT A PARTICULAR, NAOMI'S SHAKING HER HEAD AT ME? WOULD COME AT A PARTICULAR TIME IN THE, IN THE AGENDA OF A, OF A COMMITTEE MEETING. SO PEOPLE ARE MORE CLEAR ON THAT. 'CAUSE SOME PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED. OH, YOU KNOW, OTHER PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, OTHER COUNSELORS DO IT DIFFERENTLY. I DON'T KNOW. WELL, MADAM MAYOR, YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS, INFORMATION TO MY COLLEAGUE, IT SAYS PUBLIC HEARINGS. SO I'M JUST TRYING, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC HEARINGS, WHICH I THINK, UH, THE SOLICITOR SAYING MEETINGS THAT REQUIRE PUBLIC, A PUBLIC COMMENT AS OPPOSED TO A REGULAR MEETING. I JUST WANNA BE SURE THERE'S REGULAR MEETINGS AND THERE'S PUBLIC HEARINGS IN THE COMMITTEE. SO WHAT IS MY, WHAT IS YOUR INTERPRETATION OF WHAT MY COLLEAGUE IS PUT FORTH? SOLICITOR? UH, THANK YOU. THAT'S WHY WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING IT NOW, BUT THROUGH YOU MAD MAYOR. SO MY INTERPRETATION IS THAT, UM, THAT WE HAVE INTERPRETED RULE 31 B TO APPLY TO COMMITTEE MEETINGS. IT SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT PUBLIC HEARINGS. AND SOMETIMES OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW. AGAIN, LIKE THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE WHEN THEIR HEARING ZONING PETITIONS. AND SO RULE 31 B TALKS TO, IN THOSE INSTANCES, THERE HAS TO BE PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE THERE ARE DUE PROCESS RIGHTS AT STAKE. BUT I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL HAS INTERPRETED RULE 31 B TO APPLY TO COMMITTEE MEETINGS MORE BROADLY THAN JUST LEGAL PUBLIC HEARINGS. AND THEN USES THE TIME, UM, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THERE TO BE WHAT THE TIME IS SET TO AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS. UH, THANK YOU MADAM. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. I GUESS MY QUESTION THEN IS TO THE, TO THE AMENDMENT MAKER, WHAT IS HER INTERPRETATION? IS SHE JUST TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC HEARINGS OR IS SHE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC HEARINGS? COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND COUNCIL MEETINGS? YEAH. THANK YOU COUNCIL. YEAH, THANK YOU. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. I, THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS, WHICH UNDER THE FRAMEWORK OF THE RULES WOULD BE UNDERSTOOD AS A COMMITTEE HEARING BECAUSE UNDER RULE 20 3D, OUR REGULAR [04:45:01] CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE DEFINED AS REGULAR AND OR SPECIAL MEETINGS. SO BY THE LANGUAGE OF THIS DOCUMENT, PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE UNDERSTOOD AS COMMITTEE HEARINGS. AT LEAST THAT'S HOW I'VE, HOW I'VE READ IT. SO THIS IS REFERRING TO COMMITTEE HEARINGS. UH, THANK YOU COUNCILOR SIMMONS. I'M JUST TRYING TO BE CLEAR BECAUSE WE KIND OF ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION OF COMMITTEE HEARING VERSUS PUBLIC HEARING PLUS A COUNCIL MEETING. SO IF I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS JUST FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND NOTHING ELSE. YEAH. JUST A QUICK FURTHER CLARIFICATION THAT UNDER THE RULES UNDER 23, I THINK UNDER 23 A, THE ORDER OF BUSINESS ALREADY DICTATES WHERE PUBLIC COMMENT GOES FOR A REGULAR MEETINGS. SO WE WOULDN'T EVEN BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH CHANGING IT. UM, IT WOULD JUST BE FOR COMMITTEE HEARINGS. I HAVE THE VICE MAYOR. UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE SOLICITOR HOW THIS WOULD IMPACT A COMMITTEE MEETING THAT'S, UH, RESUMING FROM A RECESS. BECAUSE I THINK TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING CONTROVERSIAL. THE FIRST MEETING IS ALL PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE RECESS. AND THEN THAT'S ACTUALLY OUR CHANCE TO DISCUSS IT. SO I WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN DO THAT STILL SOLICITOR, UH, THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR. I DON'T THINK THIS WOULD IMPACT THE ABILITY TO RECESS AND HAVE IT STILL BE THE SAME MEETING THAT JUST PICKS UP AT A LATER TIME. SO YOU ALREADY CAN HAVE DONE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION. ER, AND THEN A ROUND TABLE I THINK IS NOT COVERED BY THIS. BUT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT A ROUND TABLE. THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT. ROUND TABLE TABLES, PUBLIC COMMENT? YES. NO, I JUST WANTED TO ASSURE THAT THIS DOES NOT CHANGE THAT. YEAH. UH, YEAH. THROUGH YOU TO THE CHAIR. THAT IS CORRECT. ROUND TABLES DO NOT HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND SO THEY WOULD NOT NEED TO. COOL. ALRIGHT. THAT WAS IT. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR ZUZI, WILL WE BE ABLE TO SEND MEETING SO 20 MINUTES OR 30 MINUTES AS WE CURRENTLY CAN? IF THIS PASSES, YES, WE WOULD BE ANYTHING FROM YOU BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THIS COUNSELOR? FLAHERTY LAST QUESTION FOR THE SOLICITOR. UM, IS IT JUST SPEAKING TO THE MIC. OH, SORRY. IT'S NOT ON, IS IT, IS IT LAWFUL TO INCLUDE A CLAUSE? AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE DO IT NOW, BUT MAYBE WE CONTEMPLATE THIS, INCLUDE A CLAUSE THAT NO INDIVIDUAL, UM, SHALL BE PERMITTED. UM, EVEN IF THEY HAVE, UM, SUBMITTED A WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION TO PLAY A RECORDING OF ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL'S TESTIMONY BEFORE A PUBLIC HEARING SPECIAL, UM, MEETING IN THE COMMITTEE OR A REGULAR MEETING IN THE COMMITTEE. IS THAT LAWFUL, UH, THE CITY SOLICITOR THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR? UH, I THINK IT LIKELY IS BECAUSE IT'S A CONTENT, UM, RIGHT. NEUTRAL RULE. IT'S NOT MAKING THAT DETERMINATION BASED ON THE CONTENT. IT'S JUST IF THE COUNCIL WANTED TO NOT ALLOW RECORDINGS. CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO THE KU KLU SCHEME. SO WHAT'S BEFORE US IS THIS. SO CAN'T AMENDMENT HEARING NO ONE ELSE ON THIS. I WOULD GO AHEAD AND VOTE TO ADOPT AND STAND THERE AND SAY WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY. THEY CAN'T PLAY A RECORDING AND CUT OUT IF THERE WILL BE AND WHEN IT, AND INCLUDE WHEN COUNCILOR ZUBE. YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE THAT AMENDMENT PASSES. ALL RIGHT. NOW TO THE BIG ONE. UH, THIS IS AMENDMENT THREE AND THIS IS TO 17 A. THIS IS THE WHOLE SCHEDULE PIECE. SO YES. COUNCILOR ZUBE AND THEN COUNCILOR NOLAN. YEAH. SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE PART WHERE COUNCILOR NOLAN SPOKE TO LAST MEETING. UM, THIS I THINK IS A BETTER TIME. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF MAYBE WHY WE SHOULD END AT 10. UM, BUT AGAIN, IF WE PASS THIS, WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND THE MEETING IF WE NEED TO, AND VOTE ON THAT AS WELL. I YIELD COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. I WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE KEPT IT 11 OR 12, BUT DEFINITELY TEN NINE FEELS FAR TOO EARLY AND IS NOTED. WE COULD JUST SUSPEND THE RULES AND, AND EXTEND BEYOND 10, WHICH WE WOULD BE DOING TONIGHT IF WE NEEDED TO. SO BEFORE I GO TO COUNCILOR MCGOVERN, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT JUST TO, FOR, I WANNA HAVE THE CITY MANAGER SPEAK ON THIS, BUT THAT THE KIND OF, SOME OF THE INTENT BEHIND IT. UM, IT WAS NECESSARILY NOT ABOUT BIFURCATING THE MEETINGS, WAS MY UNDERSTANDING, UM, THROUGH YOU MAYOR SIDIKI? YOU KNOW, I THINK, [04:50:01] I THINK WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS, PARTICULARLY IN REGARDS TO THE PRODUCTIVITY OF IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS, UM, LATE INTO THE NIGHT, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT 11 OR 1130 O'CLOCK. UM, AND, AND THAT IS THE CASE WHERE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF POLICY DEBATES THAT HAVE ENDED UP MAKING REALLY IMPORTANT DECISIONS. UM, AND, AND AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I THINK EVERYBODY'S A LITTLE BIT TIRED AND, AND WE'RE KIND OF GETTING TO THE END, UH, OF, OF OUR EVENINGS, UH, TOGETHER. I WILL SAY IT HAS BEEN GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY IN PERSON. I THINK WE'VE HAD A MORE LIVELY MEETING AS A RESULT OF THAT. UM, BUT THAT ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, SOME CITY COUNSELORS DO HAVE DAY JOBS AND HAVE TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING. UM, ALL CITY STAFF WHO ARE STAFFING THESE MEETINGS HAVE DAY JOBS AND WE ALL SHOW UP ON TUESDAY MORNINGS WHETHER OR NOT THE COUNCIL MEETING WENT UNTIL NINE O'CLOCK OR WHETHER THE COUNCIL MEETING WENT UNTIL 1230 INTO THE MORNING. SO I DO APPRECIATE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BEING BROUGHT UP AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TERM, SIGNIFICANTLY THINKING ABOUT STAFF WHO ARE OFTEN HERE REALLY, REALLY LATE. THAT HAS ULTIMATELY BEEN THE CASE FOR A LONG TIME. UM, BUT I THINK THE IDEA OF TRYING TO, UH, HAVE MORE OF OUR IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS WHEN PEOPLE ARE FRESH AND ALSO TRYING TO CREATE SOME EXPECTATION THAT, UH, WE CAN ALL WRAP UP AND STAFF CAN GO HOME BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL GONNA BE BACK HERE, UH, TOMORROW VERY EARLY. UM, SO, SO THAT WAS REALLY THE, THE MOTIVATION. UM, I THINK TO, TO COUNCILOR FLAHERTY'S CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THERE IS A, THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, THIS IS A PRETTY SUBSTANTIVE RULE CHANGE. AND, AND I THINK THERE IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL COUNSELORS HAVE SOME, UM, SOME ABILITY TO BE PRESENT AT WHATEVER MEETING WE WOULD BE EXTENDING THIS TO. IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL LOGISTICS. AND I THINK THIS IS WHERE IT, IT DOES GET A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLEX. WHAT WE DISCUSSED WAS, ULTIMATELY FOR EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT STARTS ON MONDAY AT 5:30 PM UM, WE WOULD SET A TARGET TIME TO END THE MEETING. UM, THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY CERTAINLY TO SUSPEND THE RULES. AND SO IF WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO NINE O'CLOCK, OR IF THE TARGET IS 10 O'CLOCK AND WE THINK WE'RE WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE OF FINISHING THE MEETING, UM, THAT WE WOULD SIMPLY JUST SUSPEND THE RULES AND FINISH THE MEETING. BUT IF THERE ARE REALLY SUBSTANTIVE PORTIONS OF THE AGENDA THAT WE ANTICIPATE NEED ANOTHER HOUR, TWO HOURS OF DISCUSSION, IT MAY BE WORTHWHILE TO HAVE THAT IMPORTANT DISCUSSION ON THE NEXT DAY WHEN, UM, WHEN WE HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITY. UM, THE CHALLENGE IN TERMS OF HAVING THAT SET TIME WOULD MEAN THAT WE WOULD NEED TO NOTICE BOTH THE MONDAY CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND A POTENTIAL EXTENSION ON TUESDAY. UH, SO WE WOULD JUST NOTICE THAT FOR EVERY SINGLE MEETING. AND THEN WE WOULD EITHER, UH, RECESS THE MEETING AND CONTINUE IT DURING THE TUESDAY TIME OR AT THE END OF THE MONDAY MEETING. WE WOULD CANCEL THE TUESDAY TIME. UM, AND SO THERE'S A BIT MORE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS, UH, IN TERMS OF THE OPEN MEETING LAW AND NOTICING THIS, UM, THE ALTERNATIVE. AND WE, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T END UP GOING TOO FAR DOWN THIS ROAD. I THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE SET AN EXPECTATION FOR WHEN THAT NEXT CONVERSATION WAS GOING TO BE. I THINK IT WOULD BE HARDER IF WE WERE POTENTIALLY RECESSING AND THEN WORKING TO SCHEDULE WHEN THAT EXTENSION MIGHT BE. UM, AND I THINK THIS ALSO GETS INTO THE BROADER DISCUSSION OF, WELL, HOW OFTEN DO WE THINK THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN? UM, AND I THINK THAT DOES ACTUALLY DEPEND ON WHERE THE COUNCIL IS THINKING ABOUT SETTING THE TIME. I DO THINK MOST OF OUR MEETINGS ARE ENDING BY 10 O'CLOCK, AND IF WE DID SET A DEADLINE OF 10 O'CLOCK, WE COULD PROBABLY TRY TO MANAGE TOWARD THAT. I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE PAST THAT RIGHT NOW. UM, BUT UM, BUT I THINK, I THINK THAT'S A BIT OF THE CONVERSATION THAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE HAD WITH THIS BODY EITHER NOW OR, UM, AT A LATER DATE. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE FEEL ABOUT A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OR AN EXTENSION TONIGHT, BUT , I THINK WE ARE, WE ARE EVERY, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY WE ARE EVERY MONDAY NIGHT SORT OF LIVING THIS. AND I THINK IT HAS, IT HAS COME THROUGH MY HEAD IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO TONIGHT. IF WE WERE GETTING CLOSE, WOULD WE EXTEND IT OR WE JUST PLOW THROUGH. UM, SO I WILL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE OVERVIEW AND THE CONTEXT. I HAVE COUNCILOR MCGOVERN NEXT. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UM, SO I, I AGREE WITH, I ESPECIALLY, AND I'VE SAID THIS MANY TIMES BEFORE, YOU KNOW, I, I DO REALLY HAVE A CONCERN, UH, FOR THE STAFF MOSTLY, QUITE HONESTLY. UM, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL HAS MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES. UM, IF WE GO TILL MIDNIGHT, WE DON'T, COUNCIL CAN, DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO SHOW UP AT NINE O'CLOCK THE NEXT MORNING IF THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MEETINGS WHERE OUR, OUR CLERK DOES. UM, I THINK WE'VE TAKEN SOME STEPS, AND THIS DOESN'T HELP THE CLERK'S [04:55:01] OFFICE, BUT I THINK WE, WE TOOK SOME STEPS IN CHANGING THE ORDER ON THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY MANAGERS. YOU KNOW, IF WE REMEMBER A FEW TERMS AGO, THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA CAME LATER, WHICH MEANT THAT DEPARTMENT HEADS WERE SITTING AROUND A LOT LONGER, UH, INTO THE NIGHT. UM, WHERE NOW THAT COMES, YOU KNOW, EARLIER, UM, THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE COULD DO AROUND, UM, NOTIFYING THEM. AND MADAM MAYOR, YOU'VE DONE THIS A FEW TIMES AT THE, AT THE BEGINNING OF MEETINGS WHERE YOU'VE SAID, HEY, CAN WE, WHO, WHAT DO, WHAT DO PEOPLE WANNA PULL ON THE MANAGER OUT OF, ON THE MANAGER'S AGENDA TO DISCUSS SO THAT FOLKS WHO, YOU KNOW, WHO AREN'T GONNA GET THEIR ITEM PULLED CAN GO HOME OR, YOU KNOW, OR, OR, OR DO WHATEVER. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE CAN DO THERE. UM, YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN WITH, UM, OF, OF A, UH, ADJOURNING EARLIER IS, I'M NOT SURE WE WILL, I THINK PART OF WHAT WE'RE RUNNING INTO IS OUR DESIRE TO GET OUT OF HERE MORE QUICKLY HAS IN PART LED TO PEOPLE CHARTER WRITING THINGS AT A RATE I HAVE NEVER SEEN. UM, WHICH ONLY KICKS THE CAN TO THE, TO THE NEXT WEEK. I MEAN, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY BROUGHT THIS UP AND LOOKING AT TONIGHT'S AGENDA, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SIX THINGS, I THINK FIVE OR SIX THINGS THAT, THAT WERE ON THEIR, THAT PEOPLE USED THEIR CHARTER WRITE ON THAT BROUGHT, INCREASE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, LONG DISCUSSIONS IF WE HAD JUST, YOU KNOW, BITTEN THE BULLET AS THEY SAID AND GOTTEN THROUGH THAT. UM, I DON'T THINK THAT IT CHANGED. I DON'T THINK CHARTER WRITING THAT CHANGED ANYBODY'S OPINION ON ANYTHING. I THINK SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT YOU CHARTER WRITE THINGS SO THAT IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU KIND OF FEEL TAKEN OFF GUARD BY IT. YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT MORE, OR YOU WANNA WORK WITH THE OR, UM, THE MAIN POLICY MAKER TO SAY, HEY, WHAT ABOUT THESE AMENDMENTS? CAN WE WORK TOGETHER? IT FEELS LIKE SOMETIMES WE'RE JUST CHARTER WRITING THINGS 'CAUSE WE JUST DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT THAT NIGHT, BUT IT DOESN'T GO AWAY. SO, I DON'T KNOW. I THINK WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF POLICING OURSELVES AS OPPOSED TO CHANGING THE RULES, RIGHT? WE DON'T HAVE TO PULL EVERYTHING OFF THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA. YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA, IF THE QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO ASK, YOU WANT TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE YOU THINK IT'S OF A PUBLIC SERVICE, GREAT. IF YOU THINK IT'S GONNA INFLUENCE HOW YOU'RE GONNA VOTE, GREAT. BUT IF YOU'RE ASKING QUESTIONS JUST 'CAUSE YOU'RE CURIOUS, YOU CAN ASK THOSE QUESTIONS OFFLINE. AND I THINK WHAT OFTEN HAPPENS IS WE, WE KNOW WE LIKE TO TALK, RIGHT? AND WE SIT AROUND. SO RATHER THAN CHANGING THE RULES, I WOULD RATHER SELF-POLICE AND LET'S JUST BE A LITTLE MORE COGNIZANT AND, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVE TO DO THAT. UM, AND I DON'T THINK IT HAPPENS VERY OFTEN, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T THINK IT HAPPENS OFTEN. AND SO I ACTUALLY, I I'M NOT, I'M FINE WITH THE RULES THE WAY THEY STAND NOW. I THINK IN MOST CASES THEY WORK. UM, I DO WORRY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO HAVE A MEETING ON TUESDAY, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT OTHER THINGS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO, THAT WE'RE LOSING HALF A WORKDAY? POTENTIALLY. YOU COULDN'T EVEN, YOU WOULD HAVE TO ANTICIPATE, YOU ALWAYS WOULD HAVE TO ANTICIPATE THAT WE WOULD BE MEETING ON TUESDAY BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHETHER WE WOULD OR WE WOULDN'T. AND SO YOU'D HAVE TO CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE. NO COMMITTEE MEETINGS, DEPARTMENT HEADS WOULD HAVE TO SAY, WE CAN'T MEET WITH EACH OTHER DOING OUR CITY BUSINESS BECAUSE WHAT IF THEY, WHAT IF WE HAVE TO BE HERE AT NINE IN THE MORNING? YOU KNOW? SO I I, IT'S TOO, IT'S TOO MUCH CHAOS FOR SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK HAPPENS VERY OFTEN. AND IF WE JUST DO A BETTER JOB OURSELVES, WE'LL BE OKAY. I'M GONNA GO TO THE VICE MAYOR, BUT I'M GONNA SAY JUST BRIEFLY THAT THE BIGGEST THING I'VE SEEN THIS BODY DO, SORRY TO ACT LIKE YOUR MOM, UH, THE BIGGEST THING I'VE SEEN THIS BODY DO IS WE WILL GO AND HAVE A DISCUSSION, DISCUSS, DISCUSS, DISCUSS, HAVE 30 MINUTES ON IT, AND THEN SOMEONE EXERCISES THEIR CHARTER, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK. AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT WHEN WE EXERCISE YOUR CHARTER, RIGHT? IF WE'VE GONNA HAVE THE DISCUSSION AND THEN WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION, THE SAME DISCUSSION THE FOLLOWING WEEK. UH, AND SO IT IS, THAT'S WHAT'S ALSO EATING INTO OUR TIME. SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO REFLECT ON. I'LL GO TO VICE, I HAVE COUNCILOR ZUI AND THEN COUNCILOR NOLAN, THEN COUNCILOR SIMMONS, UM, AND COUNCILOR SIMMONS. WELL, I, I GUESS I JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION OF THE CHARTER, RIGHT? WHICH IS LIKE, I FEEL LIKE FOR MOST TOPICS IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. AND AT LIKE 10 30, I DON'T WANNA BE EDITING BACK AND FORTH. AND I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, YES IT MEANS THAT PUBLIC COMMENT IS REPEATED AND ALL THAT, BUT MY LIKE SENSE IS LIKE IF THERE WAS A MEETING ON TUESDAY, THEN I WOULD LIKE JUST LIKE BE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH A COLLEAGUE ON, YOU KNOW, TUESDAY MORNING AND BE LIKE, HEY, LIKE, IS THIS WHAT YOU MEAN? YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE YOU DOING IT? LIKE, I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S VERY HELPFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE SOMETHING BIG GETS INTRODUCED, LIKE, WE'RE GONNA SPEND A MILLION DOLLARS ON THIS AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE THREE DAYS LATER, AND THEN IT'S LIKE [05:00:01] DONE A MILLION DOLLARS SPENT. IT'S LIKE, I ACTUALLY FIND THE TIME ADDITIONALLY TO BE HELPFUL. UM, AND EVEN JUST CLARIFYING OUT WHAT PEOPLE MEAN BY IT, BECAUSE USUALLY YOUR COLLEAGUES HAVE REASONABLE IDEAS, BUT THE FIRST STAKE, I'M LIKE, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE? UM, SO I THINK THAT THAT SORT OF THING IS HELPFUL. UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT THIS IS THE EASIEST TERM I'VE HAD SO FAR IN TERMS OF LIKE MEETINGS IN THAT WE HAVE NOT BROUGHT UP HOUSING. WE'VE NOT BROUGHT UP BIKE LANES BESIDES A LITTLE BIT OF GARDEN STREET. AND THOSE MEETINGS GO VERY, VERY LONG. AND THOSE ARE HOT TOPICS THAT ONCE THEY START, THEY DON'T STOP. LIKE, I FEEL LIKE MEETINGS OFTEN WENT FAR LATER THAN 10 30 OR 11 OR 12. I THINK THERE WAS ONE TIME WE GOT OUT AT ONE 30. UM, AND SO I DO THINK THAT IT IS HELPFUL TO RECESS. I MEAN, I GUESS WHAT I'VE COME UP WITH IS LIKE, IF WE END UP GOING REALLY LATE, WE CAN ALWAYS JUST DECIDE TO RECESS THE OTHER WAY. I THINK THAT IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO DO THIS IN GENERAL, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR COLLEAGUE, UM, HAS SOME SCHEDULING LIMITATIONS. SO I, I WOULD SAY THAT I'M FINE IF WE DROP THIS. UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT IN GENERAL, LIKE MY PERS PERSPECTIVE WOULD BE TO DO IT. AND I THINK THAT IF MEETINGS GO LATE, WE SHOULD RECESS. BUT, UM, IF IN GENERAL THIS SENSE THE ROCK, UH, THIS WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR ALL COLLEAGUE. UM, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HE THOUGHT HE WAS SIGNING UP FOR. SO, UH, I WANNA MAKE IT WORK FOR HIM TOO. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR SUZI, I HAD A POINT OF INFORMATION, SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS FOR CHANGING THE COUNCIL RULES IS. SO IF, IF WE MOVE TO FINISHING AT 10 AND CONTINUING ON TUESDAYS AT AT NOON OR ONE, UH, IF THAT DOESN'T WORK OUT, CAN WE JUST CHANGE IT? ANYONE CAN BRING AMENDMENTS FORWARD, SO, SO THIS IS SORT OF A PILOT, WE'RE TRYING THINGS, IF THEY DON'T WORK, WE CAN CHANGE THEM. YES. OKAY, GREAT. THANKS COUNCILOR NOLAN. THANK YOU. UM, FEW THINGS, I I I THINK WE HAVE TO REMEMBER WE'RE HIRED, WE'RE ELECTED TO REPRESENT PEOPLE AND TO ACTUALLY DISCUSS ITEMS. AND THIS, OUR MONDAY NIGHT MEETINGS ARE REALLY THE ONLY TIME PEOPLE SEE US IN ACTION. SO I DON'T MIND HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS. I THINK RUSHING THROUGH OR NOT OPINING ON SOMETHING DOESN'T GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE SIT. SO IT'S NOT THAT I THINK WE SHOULD PULL EVERY SINGLE ITEM, BUT I, I THINK WE ALSO, I VIEW IT AS A WAY TO OWE THE PEOPLE TO TELL TO THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED US OR, UM, WHO SERVE IN THE CITY HOW IT IS THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT AN ISSUE. SO I, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT AND TO ENSURE THAT IN A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN OUR THINKING ABOUT, ABOUT VOTES. I ALSO WANNA, UM, SAY AND REMIND ALL OF US, WE DO NOT HAVE A PLAN E FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT IS OVERDONE AND WAS REPLACED WITH THE CHARTER. SO WE, WE, WE NO LONGER HAVE PLAN E. THAT WAS AN, UH, SOMETHING THAT WAS IN THE STATE LAW THAT IS NO LONGER EVEN APPLICABLE. AND WE HAVE A NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT IS THE CHARTER THAT WAS PASSED BY VOTERS WITH I THINK 70% OR SO LAST YEAR. UM, AND THEN AS FOR THE IDEA OF ENDING AT 10 AND AUTOMATICALLY GOING UNTIL TUESDAY, I RECOGNIZE IT COULD BE CHALLENGING TO, UM, FOR SOME WHOSE SCHEDULES MAY BE DIFFERENT. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE ARE PAID A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR. IT'S A PRETTY, IT'S A SALARY THAT I THINK RESIDENTS EXPECT US TO BE VERY CLOSE TO FULL-TIME. IT DOESN'T BE FULL-TIME, BUT IT'S A SIGNIFICANT SALARY AND IT WE'RE EXPECTED. AND I THINK MOST OF US ARE, WE'RE VERY OPEN TO AND ACCESSIBLE AND, UH, WANTING TO SERVE THE PUBLIC. SO I THINK IF WE CAN ORGANIZE OUR SCHEDULE IN SUCH A WAY THAT, OKAY, WELL THE JOB IS NOW MONDAY NIGHTS AND THEN TUESDAY AFTERNOONS, THE LOGISTICS OF WORKING OUT IN TERMS OF THE CITY STAFF, I THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER. IT. IT'S ALSO TRUE IF WE DO THIS AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO USE TUESDAYS, THEN WE HAVE TO CONSIDER, WELL THEN MAYBE WE DO NEED THE TUESDAYS, OR IF WE'RE NEVER USING TUESDAYS, THEN MAYBE WE ADJUST IT TO SAYING WE'RE ONLY GONNA RESERVE FROM ONE TO THREE ON TUESDAY OR FROM THREE TO FIVE. IF WE, THE MOST WE EVER NEED IS, IS TWO HOURS INSTEAD OF THE FOUR THAT'S ANTICIPATED IN THIS CHANGE. SO I CAN SUPPORT THIS. I WAS SOMEWHAT SURPRISED BY IT. I I DO THINK 10 O'CLOCK MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE THAN NINE O'CLOCK. AND THEN TRYING TO SEE IF WE GO TO THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY FOR BOTH THE STAFF AND FOR THE COUNCIL. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. THANK YOU. UM, I THINK IT'S HELPFUL IF WE SPEAK IN I STATEMENTS AND NOT IN WE STATEMENTS. 'CAUSE THIS MIGHT, NOT EVERYONE DOESN'T HAVE THE EXACT SAME LIFE EXPERIENCES. UM, SO ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT. I STRUGGLE WITH IT BEING 10:00 AM WITH THE OPTION TO EXTEND THE MEETING BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING THAT WE PUT ON PAPER AND THERE'S SOMETHING, IT'S SOMETHING VERY, I'M SORRY, 10:00 PM [05:05:02] OKAY, NINE 10. IF IT'S PUSHED TO 10, MY, MY CONCERN IS THAT WE'LL EXTEND THE MEETING AND IF WE EXTEND THE MEETING AND I'M SURE THAT WE WILL, THEN IT WILL HAVE SORT OF DILUTED OR DI CHANGED THE PURPOSE OF HAVING THE MEETINGS BIFURCATED. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT THE DISCIPLINE TO SAY STOP AT 10 O'CLOCK WOULD HAPPEN. I'M, THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A REASON FOR US TO GO. AND SO HERE WE ARE, SAY BETWEEN 11 O'CLOCK. AND THEN I THINK OF THE STAFF THAT ACTUALLY STAFFS THE MEETINGS WHO HAVE NOT NECESSARILY WEIGHED IN ON THIS, HOW THIS IMPACTS, UH, SAY THE CLERK'S OFFICE BECAUSE POINT OF INFORMATION, UH, SORRY, COUNCILOR, I'M ON WRONG ITEM. OH, SORRY. JUST TO, TO THAT PIECE THAT THE, THE CLERK'S OFFICE DID HAVE A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ALL THIS, THIS, THESE AMENDMENTS, UH, INCLUDE THE FEEDBACK FROM THE, IN THE MEETING. ARE WE HAPPY TO LET THE THE CLERK. SORRY. YEAH, THERE FOLKS. IT'S GONNA RUN FASTER IF YOU'RE NOT JUST TALKING TO EACH OTHER. THERE WERE MEETINGS, THE KIRK STAFF TEAM WERE INVOLVED IN THESE DISCUSSIONS ON THE FLOOR WITH THE WHOLE GOVERNMENT, NOT ON, ON THE FLOOR. THERE WAS A SMALLER WORKING GROUP WITH THE GO OPS CHAIR. OKAY. UM, AND SO THAT, THAT'S THE, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. ALRIGHT. I WASN'T PRIVILEGED TO THAT MEETING AND THERE WAS A HEARING AS WELL. ALRIGHT. YEAH. IT, COUNCILOR SIMMONS, IT, I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE 10 O'CLOCK BECAUSE I'M, I'M, MY CONCERN IS THAT THE, THE COUNCIL ISN'T TERRIBLY DISCIPLINED AND PEOPLE HAVE A LOT TO SAY AND THERE ARE FOLKS THAT LIKE TO TALK A GREAT DEAL. AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS, A MEETING COULD VERY LIKELY GET EXTENDED. AND SO NOW WE'RE BLEEDING INTO THE TIME, THAT WOULD BE TUESDAY TIME. SO I PROBABLY WON'T SUPPORT IT 'CAUSE I JUST DON'T THINK THE DISCIPLINE IS THERE FOR THE COUNCIL TO STOP AT 10 O'CLOCK WITH, I THINK THE MEETING WOULD GET EXTENDED, NOT A LOT, BUT OFTEN ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE A HARDSHIP FOR, FOR THE STAFF. SO, UH, I WILL, I'LL JUST, I'LL LET GO. I'LL YIELD THE FLOOR, UH, BASED ON THAT. AND I KNOW THAT IF THE MEETING IS RECESSED, THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WILL FOLLOW BECAUSE THE MEETING WAS RECESSED AND WE ALREADY HAD PUBLIC COMMENT. I HOPE THAT IS GOING TO BE THE STANDARD. AND THEN JUST, JUST, UM, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THINKING THIS THROUGH A LITTLE BIT, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CHARTER, RIGHT, ARE WE THINKING ABOUT PERHAPS HAVING A, A SITUATION WHERE IF SOMETHING, IF WE'VE DISCUSSED SOMETHING AND THEN MOVE OUR CHARTER RIGHT? DO WE NEED TO HAVE A FULL DISCUSSION ON IT THE NEXT DAY? OR PUBLIC COMMENT ON IT? BECAUSE WE HAD PUBLIC COMMENT ON IT BEFORE. SO SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. I YIELD THE FLOOR AND THERE, THERE HAS BEEN AN AMENDMENT, UM, AN ADDITIONAL AMENDMENT, UH, THAT SOMEONE HAS SENT ACCORDING TO THAT. WE'LL GET TO THAT. UM, BUT THAT SOMEONE IS SUGGESTING SOMETHING AROUND THAT. SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO CIRCLE US BACK. SO AMENDMENT THREE BY COUNSELOR ZUBIE, AND THEN COUNSELOR NOLAN WAS TO CHANGE IT FROM NINE TO 10:00 PM SO LET'S DISPOSE OF THAT. OKAY. SO ON THE AMENDMENT TO STRIKE NINE AND MAKE IT 10. MM-HMM . PM FOR RULE 17 A. NO. WE WILL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNSELOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCIL FLAHERTY POINT. WE'RE IN THE ROLL CALL. I'M SORRY. WE'LL HAVE TO CLARIFY AFTERWARDS. WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VOTE. NO, NO. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? NO. NO. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND TWO RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YOUR, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY BY VOTING ON THAT? I WAS JUST MA MAKING THE POINT THAT WE'RE ADOPTING RULE 17 A BY ADOPTING THE AMENDMENT, WHICH I, I'M NOT SURE WAS PROPERLY CONSIDERED BEFORE THE COUNCIL. BUT POINT OF INFORMATION THAT IS NOT THE CASE BECAUSE WE ARE JUST AMENDING THE LANGUAGE. YES. JUST AMENDING THE TIME. WE'RE STILL, HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE BULK OF THE, THIS THIS TUESDAY PART. SO COUNCILOR NOLAN, THE, WHAT I HAVE BEFORE ME, IS YOU STRIKING THAT LANGUAGE OR ARE YOU AT, WHAT IS THIS? THIS IS NOT NOLAN. THIS IS, UM, THIS IS NOT COUNCILOR ZUBIE. THIS IS COUNCILLOR NOLAN. SORRY, GO AHEAD. COUNCILLOR. SABRINA WHEELER. UH, MADAM MAYOR, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE COUNCILOR NOLAN'S AMENDMENT WAS TO, TO STRIKE THE PART ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES A COUNSELOR CAN SPEAK. I DON'T THINK SHE WAS TRYING TO STRIKE THE TIME OF THE MEETING. NO, THERE'S SOMETHING HERE. OKAY. THIS IS, SO THIS BEFORE ME IS NOT, I THINK WE [05:10:01] CAN WITHDRAW THE 4:00 PM THE 4:00 PM I DON'T THINK THAT'S EVEN IN THERE. WHAT IS THAT? OKAY. THAT'S JUST OLD. OKAY. THAT'S, I DON'T THINK, THINK I WAS LOOKING AT SOMETHING VERY OLD. SO MAYOR SIDIKI, THE 10:00 PM GO AHEAD. WAS FROM MYSELF, END COUNT AND COUNCILOR ZUBI. AND THEN THE RULE 20 3G. THE MERGE LANGUAGE THAT COUNCILOR ZUBIE PUT FORTH IS FROM BOTH OF US, WHICH IS THE SAME INTENT AS WHAT WAS ON HERE. SO WAIT A MINUTE. OKAY. OKAY. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME, COUNSELOR? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I GET IT RIGHT. YES. THE, THE ONE WE JUST PASSED FROM STRIKING NINE TO 10 WAS JOINTLY FROM COUNCILOR ZUBIE AND MYSELF. AND THAT WE HAD EACH PROPOSED LANGUAGE AROUND 23 F OR G. YEAH. AND THE, I'M FINE WITH THE LANGUAGE THAT, UH, COUNCILORS THAT'S ON COUNCIL ARBY'S SHEETS, THAT IS, IS THE SAME INTENT. OKAY. AND THE SAME INTENT IS YES, WE'RE GONNA GO AROUND, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA LIMIT THE NUMBER OF TIMES PEOPLE CAN SPEAK. COUNCILOR ZUBIE, DO YOU WANNA EXPLAIN THIS FURTHER? YEAH. AND IF IT MAKES SENSE PROCEDURALLY TO WITHDRAW COUNCILLOR NOLAN'S ORIGINAL, THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL. UM, AMENDMENT FOUR ON THIS LIST IS JUST AGAIN, GIVING THE CHAIR THE ABILITY TO ASSESS WHERE THE CONVERSATION'S AT BEFORE MAKING ANY JUDGEMENTS ON TIME AND DISCUSSION. AND JUST ALSO UNDER THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO USE OUR TIME IN ANY SPECIFIC WAY, LIKE ON THE TWO QUESTIONS PIECE, BUT THAT WE'RE GIVEN A TIME IN WHICH WE CAN APPROACH IT AS WE WISH. SO I COMPLETELY STRIKE THE LANGUAGE, UH, ON RULE 23 FG AND ADDED, UH, NEW LANGUAGE THAT SAYS EACH CITY COUNSELOR MAY BE RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIR TO SPEAK ON A GIVEN AGENDA ITEM. WHEN RECOGNIZED, A COUNSELOR WILL GENERALLY BE AFFORDED UP TO FIVE MINUTES PER RECOGNITION UNLESS MODIFIED BY THE CHAIR TO SUPPORT WITH ORDERLY AND EFFICIENT CONDUCT OF BUSINESS MEMBERS SHALL BE RECOGNIZED IN A MANNER THAT GIVES REASONABLE PRIORITY TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET SPOKEN AND NO MEMBERS SHALL BE INTERRUPTED WHILE SPEAKING WITHOUT CONSENT. EXCEPT ON A POINT OF ORDER DISCUSSION. YES. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. JUST SO I'M FOLLOWING ALONG, WE ARE AMENDMENT FOUR. YES. AND THIS IS TO RULE 23. AND IT'S SO JUST THROUGH YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE, IT SAYS, EACH CUSTODY COUNCIL, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE MIC? COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. EACH CITY COUNCIL MAY BE RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIR TO SPEAK ON A GIVEN AGENDA ITEM WHEN RECOGNIZED, A COUNSELOR WILL BE GENERALLY, WILL GENERALLY BE AFFORDED UP TO FIVE MINUTES PER RECOGNITION. SO WHAT I'M NOT CLEAR ABOUT THROUGH YOU MADAM CHAIR TO COUNCIL ZIBI ZUBIE IS, LET ME THINK OUT LOUD. SO I HAVE THE FLOOR FOR FIVE MINUTES. IS YOUR THOUGHT THAT I YIELD THE FLOOR AND THEN SOMEONE ELSE AND SO THAT NEXT FIVE MINUTES IS AFTER WE'VE GONE AROUND ONCE OR YOU KEEP GETTING FIVE MINUTES UNTIL THE COWS COME HOME. YES. COUNCIL ZUBIE. SO ON THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE THAT WAS THERE, IT SAID THAT WE MAY ASK UP TO TWO QUESTIONS EACH TIME WE HAVE THE FLOOR AND THAT A COUNSELOR, UH, MAY SPEAK UP TO FIVE TIMES EACH TIME THEY HAVE THE FLOOR. BUT YOU GET UP TO TWO TIMES TO SPEAK ON A GIVEN AGENDA ITEM. IN MY OPINION, THAT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. IT SHOULD BE UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR BASED ON THE JUDGMENT OF WHERE THE CONVERSATION IS GOING TO SEE WHEN IT MAKES SENSE TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THE CONVERSATION ALONG. THAT WAS THE FRAMEWORK OF WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM. AND ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SPECIFY WHAT WE USE OUR TIME WITH. JUST THAT WE'RE GIVING AN ALLOTTED AMOUNT OF TIME. HOPEFULLY THAT CLARIFIES THINGS. COUNCILOR SIMMONS DO YOU MADAM CHAIR? NOT THAT THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN HERE, BUT JUST IF YOU'RE NOT HIGHLY FAVORED BY THE CHAIR, MAYBE YOU DON'T GET CALLED ON. SO FOR ME IT WOULD BE THE FIVE MINUTES I'M FINE WITH. BUT FIVE, YOU, YOU HOLD THE FLOOR FOR FIVE MINUTES, YOU RELEASE IT, GO AROUND, COME BACK AROUND AGAIN, AS OPPOSED TO FIVE MINUTES. AND THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES. YOU COULD HOLD THE FLOOR FOR 20, IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. RIGHT. SO I DON'T SUPPORT SORT OF SERIAL FIVE MINUTES. 'CAUSE THAT'S NO LONGER THAN, THAT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW. AS PERSON CAN HOLD THE FLOOR FOR 5, 10, 15 MINUTES. SO IF IT'S FIVE MINUTES AND THEN YOU YIELD THE FLOOR, EVERYONE GETS A CHANCE TO TALK AND YOU COME BACK AGAIN. I'M, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, BUT I DON'T LIKE THE CEREAL. FIVE MINUTES. I, I STILL HAVE THE FLOOR. SO, SO FOR ME, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST GET MY, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING FROM MY COLLEAGUE. IS IT HER INTENTION TO, IS THIS CEREAL FIVE MINUTES? YOU KEEP GETTING FIVE MINUTES. FIVE MINUTES OR IT'S FIVE MINUTES. YOU YIELD THE FLOOR, WE GO AROUND, YOU GET FIVE MINUTES AT THE NEXT TURN. SO I THINK COUNSELOR ZUBI, I THINK THIS IS MAYBE WHERE COUNCILOR NOLAN AND I DIVERGE A LITTLE BIT, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY. UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO EXPLORE [05:15:01] WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I'M, I'M HAPPY TO AMEND THAT LANGUAGE SO THAT IT, SO THAT IT GUARANTEES THAT YOU HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF FIVE MINUTES IF YOU NEED IT. MM-HMM . I LEFT IT AT DISCRETION BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT US TO HAVE TO LIKE LIVE IN THIS STATE OF MIND WHERE WE ARE JUST CONSTANTLY HAVING CONVERSATION AND IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SPECIFIC POLICY THAT'S TAKING LONGER THAN A DIFFERENT ONE, JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CHAIR TO MAKE THAT JUDGMENT. SURE. THROUGH YOU MADAM AND CHAIR. THROUGH MY COLLEAGUE. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT MY CONCERN, AND MAYBE IT'S 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN AROUND HERE A LONG TIME, IS THAT I, SOME PEOPLE LIKE ARE MORE VERBOSE THAN OTHERS AND SOME PEOPLE JUST SIT SILENT FOR VERY LONG PERIODS OF TIME. SO IF YOU DO THE FIVE MINUTE RELEASE, THE FLOOR, EVERYONE YOU GO AROUND ONCE, IF COUNCILOR SIMMONS DOESN'T WANNA SPEAK, THEN THAT'S UP TO COUNCILOR SIMMONS. BUT I DON'T HAVE TO WAIT 20 MINUTES TO GET THE FLOOR. SO I, I WOULD PREFER COUNCILOR THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR, IF IT, IT WAS THE INCREMENTS OF FIVE MINUTES AND THEN I WOULD FURTHER SAY FIVE MINUTES THE FIRST ROUND, THREE MINUTES, THE SECOND ROUND. AND, AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, CLOSE OFF DEBATE. I I REALLY HAVING, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN THAT SERVED YEARS AGO AND NEVER SPOKE. JUST NEVER SPOKE. AND THE CHAIR WAS VERY GOOD ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT AFTER EVERYONE SPOKE, AT LEAST ONCE SHE WOULD ASK WHO HAS NOT BEEN HEARD, HEAR FROM THAT PERSON AND THEN GO BACK AROUND. I JUST THINK IT GIVES, IT'S MORE EGALITARIAN, IT'S MORE EQUAL. YEAH. I THINK IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU CORRECTLY, I MEAN THIS ADDRESSES SAYING THAT MEMBERS SHALL BE RECOGNIZED IN A MANNER THAT GIVES REASONABLE PRIORITY TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET SPOKEN. SO MAYBE THAT'S SPEAKING A LITTLE BIT TO WHAT YOU'RE SHARING THERE. I I KNOW THAT THE INCREMENTS PIECE CAN BE SOMETHING THAT IS JUST UNDERSTOOD OR I'M HAPPY TO ADD THAT LANGUAGE TO THIS AMENDMENT. UM, I KNOW COUNCILLOR NOLAN MIGHT FEEL DIFFERENTLY. SO I ALSO WANNA YIELD TO YOU AS WELL, IF YOU WANNA SHARE YOUR, I MAY AND I'LL YIELD THE FLOOR THROUGH YOU TO THE, TO THE CHAIR. UH, I THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR CONSIDERATION. UH, AGAIN, I WOULD FIVE YIELD THE FLOOR, UM, THE THREE MINUTES, TWO MINUTES. HOWEVER, WE CAN CERTAINLY DISCUSS SOME, SOME MORE. BUT I DO REALLY THINK IF YOU WANT, AND WE USING PARODY AS OUR BASELINE, HOLDING THE FLOOR FOR FIVE MINUTES AND OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS DO THIS. SO I I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN AND BEEN ADVISED THAT WE SHOULD USE IT. IT GIVES EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WHILE IT IS SHARPER IN ON THEIR MIND AS OPPOSED TO WAITING. SO IF, IF IT'S FIVE MINUTES AND THEN YIELD THE FLOOR, I WOULD CERTAINLY SUPPORT THIS. OTHERWISE I WOULD BE, UH, LESS INCLINED. UH, I YIELD THE FLOOR. UM, SURE. THANK YOU COUNCILOR NOLAN AND THEN VICE MAYOR AZI. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO, UM, CONFIRM THAT THE LANGUAGE I HAD PUT FORTH THAT I GUESS NEVER GOT ON THE AGENDA WAS VERY CLEAR TO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS POINT. THAT THAT'S HOW IT WOULD, THAT EACH CITY COUNSELOR MAY ASK UP TO TWO QUESTIONS EACH TIME THEY HAVE THE FLOOR TO SPEAK ON A GIVEN AGENDA ITEM. AND A CITY COUNCIL MAY SPEAK FOR UP TO FIVE MINUTES EACH TIME THEY HAVE THE FLOOR. SO THE IDEA WAS ALWAYS VERY CLEARLY THAT YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES, YOU GO AROUND, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S A CHANCE TO SPEAK. YOU CAN GO AROUND AGAIN, YOU CAN KEEP GOING AROUND. AND IF IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC, SOMEONE MAY SPEAK MORE THAN TWICE. BUT THE IDEA IS TO THROUGH YOU, UM, SIDIKI TO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE LANGUAGE. AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE INTENT THAT COUNCILLOR ZUBIE WAS PUTTING FORWARD ALSO, INSTEAD OF CONTINUING ON, OH, I'LL GIVE YOU FIVE, I'LL GIVE YOU FIVE TO MORE LIKE NO, EACH COUNSELOR HAS FIVE AND THEN WE CAN GO BACK TO COUNSELORS. SO THANK YOU MADAME CHAIR THROUGH YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE. I'M GOING TO, AT THE, AT THE RISK OF BEING REDUNDANT, SO I HEAR YOU SAYING COUNSELOR IS YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR FIVE MINUTES. YOU'VE GIVEN YOUR FIVE MINUTES. NOT INCLU. YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT INCLUDES FOLLOW UPS 'CAUSE YOU CAN STRING IT OUT FIVE MINUTES. YOU'VE, YOU'VE HAD COMMANDED THE FLOOR, THE NEXT PERSON IS CALLED ON. THAT'S WHY. OKAY. VICE MAYOR. UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, PAUSE. I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS AHEAD OF US. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE REALLY TESTING WHETHER, HOW LONG WE CAN GO AND STILL BE PRODUCTIVE. UM, I WAS JUST GONNA SUGGEST THAT, UM, A PERHAPS WE COULD MOVE A LITTLE BIT FASTER, BUT ALSO IF THERE WAS ANY AMENDMENTS TO WHICH PEOPLE WANTED TO GET CITY STAFF OPINION, WE COULD TAKE THOSE FIRST. BUT THEN OTHERWISE AT LEAST LET CITY STAFF GO. WE'RE GETTING THERE. YEAH. CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGER WANNA LEAVE. I MEAN THROUGH, THROUGH YOU. UH, VICE MAYOR APPRECIATE THE CONCERN. IT'S NOT JUST SORT OF US, BUT IT'S ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, IT'S EVERYONE. IT'S EVERYONE. SO IT'S OTHER, OTHER, THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER CITY STAFF WHO ARE HERE UNTIL THE VERY, VERY END. RIGHT. SO EVEN IF WE WERE RELIEVED, WHICH CERTAINLY WE WOULD BE APPRECIATIVE OF, THERE ARE STILL MANY CITY STAFF THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE HERE. YEAH. SO, SO THIS AMENDED [05:20:01] IS BEFORE US ON HOW MUCH SPEAKS, WHICH TONIGHT YOU GUYS HAVE CROSSED THE RECORD. UM, SO WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND VOTE THIS UP OR DOWN. YES. COUNCILOR GOVERN . UM, I JUST HAD A QUESTION ON HOW THIS WOULD WORK IN, IN THAT IF IT'S NOT ONLY CITY COUNCILORS THAT CAN GET VERBOSE AT SOME TIMES. SO I HAVE FIVE MINUTES I ASK A QUESTION. THE CITY MANAGER TALKS FOR FOUR AND A HALF MINUTES. I'M DONE. . YEP. OKAY. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE THE CITY STAFF TO ALSO ABIDE BY THEIR OWN RULES AND NOT TALK AS MUCH AS EITHER. SO WE'LL HOPEFULLY HAVE THAT HAPPEN. UM, THIS, THIS KIND OF DOESN'T. I I'M FINE WITH THE ORIGINAL, SO I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS. UM, 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN DOING KIND OF THE, WHEN WE A FEW MANY, A FEW, YOU KNOW, MEETINGS AGO WE WERE GETTING OUT HERE AT EIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE BEING EFFICIENT. WE WERE DOING THE TWO QUESTIONS. SO I WANNA KEEP DOING THAT. UM, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND YES. COUNCILLOR NOLAN YEAH. THE ORIGINAL LIMITS COUNSELORS TO SPEAKING TWO TIMES ON AN ISSUE. IF IT'S, WE RARELY GO BEYOND TWO TIMES PER ISSUE. BUT IF, IF IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE, I THINK SPEAKING MORE THAN TWO TIMES MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. SO I'M JUST MAKING SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. IF THIS ISN'T ACCEPTED, THEN YOU'RE, YOU'RE LIMITING THE MOST YOU COULD SPEAK UNLESS YOU SUSPEND THE RULES APPARENTLY IS TWO TIMES ON ANY GIVEN TOPIC, WHICH IS SO FUNDAMENTALLY ANTI-DEMOCRATIC THAT I, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WE ALL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. SO RIGHT NOW IT SAYS EACH CITY COUNSELOR MAY HAVE THE FLOOR UP TO TWO TIMES TO SPEAK ON ANY, ON A GIVEN AGENDA ITEM AND MAY ASK UP TO TWO QUESTIONS OF CITY STAFF EACH TIME THEY HAVE THE FOUR YES. THAT THE CITY COUNSELOR MAY SPEAK FOR UP TO FIVE MINUTES EACH TIME THEY HAVE THE FOUR. WE HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN DOING THAT BECAUSE SOME OF YOU SPEAK FOR 10 MINUTES. I'M SORRY. PLEASE. YEAH, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ACTUALLY DOING THIS BECAUSE IT'S A RANGE. SO I DO THINK BACK TO COUNCILLOR GOVERNANCE EARLIER POINT AND THINKING ABOUT HOW WE MAINTAIN OURSELVES DURING MEETINGS. AND I'M NOT TRYING TO CUT DEBATE. I THINK IT'S MORE LET'S BE, LET'S PULL THE ITEMS WE WANNA TALK ABOUT AND PULL THOSE, UM, HAVE APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS. AND WHEN THERE IS A REALLY, YOU KNOW, HOT TOPIC, I AM NOT GONNA STOP YOU. BUT I DO THINK IT'S MORE, THIS GIVES US SOME GUIDANCE. SO THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. POINT OF INFORMATION. YES. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, JUST SO I'M CLEAR, BECAUSE I THINK I HEAR TWO THINGS. I HEAR ONE COLLEAGUE SAYING, YOU GET TO HAVE FIVE MINUTES BACK TO BACK. AND THEN I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMEONE ELSE SAY IT'S FIVE MINUTES AROUND. SO I'M JUST WANNA BE CLEAR, IS IT FIVE MINUTES AROUND OR IS IT REALLY 10 MINUTES? SO FROM MY INTENT, THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, MY INTENT IS THAT IT'S FIVE MINUTES AROUND, NOT 10 MINUTES IN TOTAL. I CAN GET BEHIND FIVE MINUTES AROUND. I CANNOT GET BEHIND FIVE MINUTES, TWO CONSECUTIVE FIVE MINUTES. I, I'LL LOSE MY MIND. VICE MAYOR, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? YES. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? SO THAT'S AMENDMENTS BEFORE US. SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS AMENDMENT FROM COUNCILOR ZUBI. COUNCILOR ZUBI? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. NO. NO. COUNCILOR OF FLAHERTY? NO. NO. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? NO. NO. COUNCILLOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. COME BACK TO ME. WE CAN'T NO, NO. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI? NO. NO. MAYOR SIDIKI? NO. NO. AND YOU HAVE SIX MEN, THREE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE IN SIX. RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. SO WE'VE DISPOSED THAT MADAM CHAIR THROUGH YOU YES. OF THE AMENDMENTS BEFORE US. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. UH, IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION AND COMEDY, I MOVED TO ADJOURN AND REFERRED THE BALANCE TO THE AMENDMENTS TO A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. SO COUNCILOR FLAHERTY HAS MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AND TO REFER THESE, THIS ITEM, THE BALANCE TO A FUTURE SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. YES. MADAM? YES. MAYOR. DISCUSSION. J JUST A QUESTION FOR IS THE GERMAN DEBATABLE? WE JUST VOTED EARLIER NOT TO DO A SPECIAL MEETING. SO CAN, IS THAT A LEGAL MOTION? SOLICITOR? WHAT'S [05:25:01] THE BALANCE? AT FIRST IT WAS, UH, THREE. MADAM MAYOR, ON THE PORTION OF THAT MOTION THAT WAS TO REFER TO A SPECIAL COMMITTEE. I THINK THAT YOU CAN'T BRING THAT MOTION UP AGAIN WITHOUT FOLLOWING THE RECONSIDERATION PROCESS US A POINT OF ORDER. MADAM CHAIR. DISCUSSION. FURTHER DISCUSSION. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, JUST CURIOUS. YOU'RE SAYING YOU CAN'T BRING I DON'T SEE HIM BRINGING THE SAME MOTION. HE'S SAYING THE BALANCE OF SOMETHING WE ALREADY STARTED, NOT THE ENTIRE AGENDA. FIRST MOTION WAS CAN WE TAKE THIS WHOLE THING AND DO IT ON ANOTHER DAY AT 10 O'CLOCK WHEN THE SUN'S SHINING? AS OPPOSED TO BEING HERE TILL MIDNIGHT AND THEN AND BEYOND. SO I SAW HER AS TWO DIFFERENT MOTIONS, IS WHAT I'M SAYING. TAPE. YEAH. UH, THROUGH YOU. I THINK THAT'S TO THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR, WHETHER THAT'S THE SAME MOTION COUNSELOR. I MEAN VICE MAYOR. UH, MAYOR. UM, I WOULD JUST MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THE REST OF THE AMENDMENTS. UM, THE WHOLE TOPIC. MOTION TO TABLE IS NON DEBATABLE, RIGHT? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A BETTER MOTION. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. SO OKAY. IF YOU'LL WITHDRAW WHATEVER YOU . HE, HE OFFERED A MOTION TO ADJOURN. WE'RE GONNA, I THINK, WELL I POINT OF POINT OF INFORMATION IS ARE THERE MORE AMENDMENTS? 'CAUSE WHAT WE DID, WE JUST GOT THROUGH THERE ARE, THERE IS A FEW MORE AMENDMENT. THERE'S ONE MORE AMENDMENT FROM COUNCILOR ZUI ON THE CHARTER. RIGHT? SO WE DID HAVE ONE MORE COME IN. UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE WHERE WE ARE. SO THERE'S MOTION COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, UH, I'M GOING THE, THE BEST, BEST OPTION HERE IS A MOVE TO TABLE THESE RULES AND THEN GO FROM THERE. WHICH, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A FEW ITEMS LEFT. SO TABLE NUMBER SIX, MOTION TO TABLE'S, NOT THE TABLE. SO THIS WOULD BE TABLE CALENDAR. CALENDAR ITEM NUMBER SIX. I, YES. AND IT'S NON DEBATABLE. I WILL. SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO THAT. I'LL WITHDRAW MY MOTION. THANK YOU. YES. WE'LL GO TO THE MOTION TO TABLE CALENDAR. ITEM NUMBER SIX. COUNCILOR ZUBE. NO. NO. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCIL FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. IS THIS THE TABLE? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. NO. NO. COUNCILOR ZUI? YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. NO. NO. AND YOU HAVE SIX MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND THREE RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. THE CHALLENGE CALENDAR. ITEM NUMBER SIX IS MOVE TO THE TABLE. SO WE'RE DONE WITH THE CALENDAR ITEMS. WE ARE NOW [UNFINISHED BUSINESS] GOING TO, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH ON UNFINISHED BUSINESS EXCEPT FOR ONE ORDINANCE THAT CAN BE APPROVED TONIGHT. THIS IS THE ORDINANCE ON THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT WE'VE, UM, ALREADY DISCUSSED. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE, MOVE THE ADOPTION THAT WE ADOPT THE ORDINANCE AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THAT. AND THIS IS UNFINISHED, UH, BUSINESS NUMBER. I'M SORRY, 19 NUMBER 19. MM-HMM . DO THAT NOW. CALL THE ROLE. NO. YES. CALL THE ROLE PLEASE. COUNCILOR ZUBI. YES. YOU HAVE TO DO, UM, COUNCILOR ZUBI. YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. YES. COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNSELOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. ORDINANCE IS ORDAINED. THERE ARE NO APPLICATIONS. THERE ARE 44 [COMMUNICATIONS] COMMUNICATIONS PLACED ON FILE. VICE COUNCILOR SIMMONS MAKES A MOTION TO PLACE ALL THESE ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THOSE ARE PLACED ON FILE. WE MOVE ON TO CONSENT [RESOLUTIONS] RESOLUTION. THERE ARE SEVEN PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I'D LIKE TO PULL NUMBER THREE. COUNSELOR. NO. UM, SIMMONS. SIMMONS IS PUSH PUSHING, , PUSHING, PULLING. NUMBER THREE, NUMBER THREE, NUMBER THREE. AND WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. UM, WE'LL DO A VOICE VOTE ON ADOPTING 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, MAKING THEM UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THOSE THE BALANCES OF THE RESOLUTIONS IS ADOPTED. AND WE'LL GO TO NUMBER THREE. AYE. RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE ON THE DEATH OF VINCENT TURNER. YES. THANK YOU MA'AM. I, YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS JUST FOLDED THE AYE TO BE ADDED. WE WILL ADD YOU ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ADD HER TO THIS RESOLUTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. COUNCILOR SIMMONS IS ADDED. SO NOW WE WILL GO AHEAD AND ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED, MAKING IT UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION. [05:30:02] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. WE KNOW THAT'S ADOPTED AS AMENDED. WE'LL MOVE TO COMMITTEE REPORTS. [COMMITTEE REPORTS] THERE'S ONE COMMITTEE REPORT. MOVE TO ACCEPT THE REPORT AND PLACE ON FILE. HONOR, I HAVE MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ACCEPT THIS REPORT AND PLACE IT ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THAT COMMITTEE REPORTS PLACED ON FILE. WE NOW MOVE ON TO [COMMUNICATIONS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS] THE COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS. PLEASE ON FILE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PLACE, UH, THESE NUMBER ONE AND THREE ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THOSE ARE PLACED ON FILE. ARE THERE ANY LATE RESOLUTIONS? [LATE AGENDA ITEMS REQUIRING SUSPENSION OF THE RULES PER RULE 36A] YES. YES, WE DO HAVE LATE RESOLUTIONS. UM, WE HAVE ONE AND WE DO HAVE A LATE POLICY ORDER. WE NEED TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO BRING FORWARD THESE, THIS ITEM, ALL THOSE, TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO DO THAT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAYING NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. WE ARE IN SUSPENSION. WE HAVE A LATE AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS THE SNS RESTAURANT. IT'S A THANKING THEM. THIS IS BY POLICY ORDER. IT'S A POLICY ORDER. UM, THIS IS THANKING THEM. UH, THIS IS BY COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY AND COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO THANK, UM, US IN SNS DELI AND TO DO A CELEBRATION, UH, TO CLOSE HAMPSHIRE STREET TO, TO THE TRAFFIC WHILE MAINTAINING FULL ACCESS FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES FOR A THREE HOUR BLOCK PARTY ON THE AFTERNOON FOR, UM, OF JUNE 14TH. MM-HMM . TO ALLOW FOR PROPER OUTDOOR CELEBRATION. SO ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? YES. UH, VICE MAYOR Z WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THIS. ALL THOSE IN AND COUNCILLOR NOLAN. OH, OKAY. WE'RE GONNA ADD THE WHOLE GROUP. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ALL ADDING, ALL OF US SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAIN? SAY NO. WE'RE ALL ON IT. UH, SO ON ADOPTING THE AMENDED POLICY ORDER WILL DO A VOICE VOTE TO ADOPT AS AMENDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. MM-HMM . THAT IS ADOPTED. ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES. COUNCILLOR ZUZI. YEAH, I, I MEAN, THERE ARE TONS OF ANNOUNCEMENTS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO BRING EVERYONE'S ATTENTION TO, THERE WAS A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT AT MUSEUM WAY IN CHARLES BANK ROAD TODAY, AROUND ONE O'CLOCK A CYCLIST RAN INTO A MACK TRUCK. AND I, I DUNNO WHAT THE STATE OF THE CYCLIST IS, BUT I, I ASSUME NOT. SO GOOD. SO, UM, ANYWAY, WE'VE WRITTEN TO SAL DE DOMENICO AND HIS AID, AND WE'RE PUSHING FOR, UM, ANOTHER, UH, A MEETING WITH MASTO, WHICH WE'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR, FOR MONTHS. SO, UM, ANYWAY, THINK, UM, KEEP THE CYCLIST IN YOUR PRAYERS AND, UM, AND MAY WE GET THAT INTERSECTION FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. COUNCILOR GOVERN. UH, UH, MONDAY, UM, MEMORIAL DAY ON THE, UH, ON SATURDAY AT 1230, THERE'S GOING TO BE A, UM, A SMALLER SERVICE, UH, FOR VETERANS WHO DIED AT SEA. UM, AND THE INFORMATION IS ON THE VETERANS PAGE. AND THEN ON MONDAY, IT'S MEMORIAL DAY. UM, THESE, THESE, THESE EVENTS USED TO BE HUGE. THEY'RE GETTING THINNER AND THINNER. SO I REALLY HOPE FOLKS SHOW UP AND, AND DO OUR CIVIC DUTY AND, UM, AND SHOW SOME RESPECT. SEE YOU THERE. I'LL BE THERE. COUNCILOR ZUBIE. UH, MADAM MAYOR, TWO EVENTS TOMORROW, 6:00 PM IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER. THERE'S GONNA BE A DEBRIEF AT THE CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER, UM, ABOUT LAST MONDAY'S SHOOTING. AND THEN ON THIS WEDNESDAY, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ON THE ANNUAL SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE, TALKING ABOUT CERTAIN TOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED. UM, AND THAT'S AT 3:00 PM THIS WEDNESDAY. ANYONE ELSE WITH ANNOUNCEMENTS? HEARING NONE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR NOLAN TO ADJOURN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. WE ARE ADJOURNED. IT'S 1106. GOODNIGHT. EVERYONE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.