Good afternoon.

For the record, my name's Ben Weber.

I'm the District Six City Councilor and the Chair of the Boston City Council Committee on Ways and Means.

Today is April 14th, two thousand twenty-six, and the exact time is two oh three PM.

This hearing is being recorded, it is also being live streamed at Boston.gov slash city dash council dash TV and broadcast on Xfinity Channel Eight, RCN Channel Eighty Two, and FIOS Channel Nine Sixty Four.

Okay.gov slash council dash budget.

Our scheduled hearings dedicated to public testimony, uh, you know, which we call listening sessions, are in person on Tuesday, April twenty-eighth at six PM, and here again at City Hall on Thursday, eight uh May twenty sixth at six PM.

You can give public testimony either in person here in the chamber or virtually via Zoom for in-person testimony.

Please come to the chamber and sign up at the uh on the sheet near the entrance.

For virtual testimony, you can sign up using our online form on our council budget review website by emailing the committee at ccc.wm at boston.gov or by emailing uh Karishmachon.

That's K-A-R-I-S-H-M-A dot C H O U, H A N at Boston.gov.

When you are called to testify, please state your name and affiliation of your residents and limit your comments to a few minutes to ensure all comments and concerns are heard.

You can also file written testimony with the committee by emailing it to CCC.wm at Boston.gov.

Submit a two minute you can or sorry, you uh you can submit a two-minute video of your testimony through the forum on our website.

For more information on the city council budget process and how to testify, please visit the city council's budget website at Boston.gov/slash council dash budget.

In-person public testimony will be taken at the be uh uh let's see uh in-person public testimony will be taken uh following the uh panelists' presentation.

Um is that accurate?

No.

We're not doing it, yeah.

Okay, we'll be taking it will take in-person testimony after a first round of questions from the council.

Each person here to testify or virtually online.

We'll have two minutes again.

If you're interested in testifying virtually, uh, you can email uh K A Karishma Chohan, that's K-A-R I S H M A dot C H O U H A N at Boston.gov uh for the zoom link, and your name will be added to the list.

Today's hearing, uh, this afternoon's hearing is on uh docket numbers 0733 to 0740 for an overview of the FY27 capital budget.

Uh this is one in a series of hearings to review uh the budget of and um these matters were sponsored by Mayor Michelle Wu and referred to the committee on April 8th, 2026.

We uh have been joined by uh three of my colleagues in order of arrival, counselor Flynn, Council President Braden, and Councillor Culpeper.

Um I believe we've also received a letter of absence from Councillor Coletta Zapata.

Uh so I we'll you know we're we're generally waiving opening statements uh for these hearings.

Uh there'll be many, and people have lots of chances to speak.

So we're gonna go to our uh presentations.

I'm just gonna introduce our panelists.

Uh we're being joined again by uh Chief Financial Officer Ashley Groffenberger and uh budget director uh Jim Williamson, and now also joining us this afternoon.

We have Chief of Operations Dion Irish, interim chief of streets, Nick Gove, Chief Climate Officer Brian Sweat, uh Senior Deputy Superintendent of Operations for Boston Public Schools, Dr.

Sam DePina, uh, and we uh I'm sorry, we've uh Kathy Baker Eclipse is not not here.

Okay.

Kathy Baker Clips is over there.

Um sorry, I didn't introduce everyone.

Ian and then uh deputy director for Capitol, Ian Donnelly.

Okay.

Uh so I guess if we have questions for the parks commissioner, she'll be here to answer them uh on hand.

Okay.

Um so I I don't know what you hopefully you're not all gonna speak simultaneously.

Uh you have some, you know how you want to do this.

I can call on people if if that's how you want to do it.

No, uh so I'll do uh an overview presentation and then I um I like this hearing because I get to bring friends and so you can uh direct questions to any of us here.

Um so I'll run through this uh quickly.

Um the FY 2027 through 2031 capital plan uh that we're uh presenting to you today uh totals 4.4 billion dollars across 321 projects in all of our neighborhoods, making investments in BPS facilities, libraries and municipal buildings, parks and open space, sidewalks, roadways, and other state of good repair projects all across the city.

We've seen some great improvements come online in the last year, uh notably the Carter School, PJ Kennedy, about a dozen park and playground innovations, uh, decarbonization efforts at Boston Housing Authority, and the completion of the Bill Russell Bridge among dozens of other state of good repair projects at municipal facilities all across the city.

And as always, this plan maximizes the city's triple A bond rating while maintaining strong fiscal responsibility.

Just a quick overview on what the plan is and how we use it.

So the capital plan is really a roadmap for how we intend to improve our inventory of capital assets, hundreds of miles of roadways, dozens of bridges, parks, municipal buildings, and schools.

It is not a budget, but it does align with revenue projections and is made up of individual programs and projects, with programs representing annual recurring improvements at different locations and projects associated with a discrete improvement at a specific location.

The projected expenditures that are printed in the plan may be sufficient for advancement or may need increasing investment to actualize the full project.

The city uses a combination of general obligation bonds, other city funds, and grants such as federal, state, and other resources to finance the capital expenditures necessary to implement capital projects that support repairs of existing assets and the acquisition of new assets.

So we'll get into a little bit about how we finance the capital plan.

So there's kind of three key phases of how we do capital planning and funding here in the city.

So the first phase is kind of what we are here to discuss today.

It's the capital plan.

It's our intention of planned projects over the next five years.

And it's a plan, it's five years, but we come and talk about it every year, so we're constantly updating it on a rolling basis.

And again, like I mentioned earlier, it's really our roadmap for how we intend to address facilities and other capital needs in the city.

The next critical piece is what are known as loan orders.

So this is the authorization from the city council to expend and finance a particular capital project.

So we come to you annually with a loan order for the city and one for BPS, and that includes a list of projects, and we get approval from the council to begin work on those projects.

And then we have the financing component.

And so once a project has been authorized through a loan order, the city is allowed to expend funds and issue debts to finance the project.

Capital project and design, capital project design and construction typically happens after receiving loan authorization and before we secure financing.

Projects are commonly authorized over multiple loan orders and multiple debt issuances.

These bonds are direct general obligation debt of the city and are backed by the full faith and credit of the city of Boston.

The principal and interest are repaid on an approved schedule in accordance with our debt management policies, and annual payment is reflected in the annual operating budget.

The city is allowed to issue debt against certain projects based on the loan orders and appropriation orders that the council authorizes and the mayor approves.

And we take this approach because financing capital assets over time, you're able to do more work than if the city paid for cash for projects up front.

Going forward, annual bond proceeds are expected to moderate to align with our debt management policies.

The debt management policy states that debt service shall not exceed 7% of the operating budget, and that the principal or the amount we are borrowing is repaid rapidly, with 30% of the principal repaid in five years and no less than 55% repaid within 10 years.

We also have a policy around variable rate debt, of which we currently have none.

The reason we maintain this policy is to both reinforce strong fiscal management, limit our overall debt exposure, and the impact to the operating budget, and really it's to recapture borrowing capacity more quickly, allowing us to do more projects more often.

This policy, along with the city's conservative budgeting and responsible fiscal management of long-term obligations, is frequently cited as a uh in our credit rating opinions from Moody's and SP.

In the next five years, we expect to approach that 7% policy limit that I just spoke of.

It's important to note that the 7% limit is not necessarily a goal or a target, and that there are practical consequences to being at that limit.

One being it limits our flexibility in accommodating projects at the margin, and we become more sensitive to growth in the operating budget.

Increasing the limit on debt service in the operating budget may or may not have an effect on the city's overall credit rating, but the city would need to explain and contextualize the shift in policy to rating agencies and the investment community.

However, increasing debt service as a percent of the operating budget does have an impact on the overall operating budget and reduces funds available for other costs such as salaries programs, grants, and other fixed costs.

And of course, there is more need than we have the ability to finance under this policy or have the capacity to do, but this policy allows us to strike an appropriate balance.

So recently the city and BPS completed the facility condition assessment, which provides data backed information for all of our cities or facilities, which allows us to uh do apples to apples comparison across facility types and user departments and helps to support long-term planning efforts for state of good repair investments.

Um as projected revenue is constrained, the city's focus on capital investment increasingly turns to targeted state of good repair projects, uh and this facilities condition assessment allows us to compare those choices.

Okay, we'll just quickly roll through a couple of major accomplishments and things that are in progress and then um turn it over to the council for questions.

So as I mentioned, um in the uh last few years, we've seen successful completions of school projects, including the PJ Kennedy and the Carter School.

Uh we have work ongoing at the Fields Corner Library and the Grove Hall Community Center.

Um we have completed work on Clifford Playground as well as Codman Square Park.

Um a kind of constant source of work for us is our roadway resurfacing and ramp construction, um, which is included in this five-year plan.

So that work is uh ongoing and always happening, and then um improvements at Pleasant Street for neighborhood safety.

And then just a few uh ways in which we share information about capital projects uh publicly.

So the um capital team up at OBM uh operate or maintains this capital projects dashboard, which allows members of the public to click in and see uh projects that are happening across the city.

So that's an interactive dashboard for uh folks to use.

And then uh recently, the uh planning department in consultation with the planning advisory council developed the citywide project tracker, which provides a little bit more information about projects and process, their status, it also includes any relevant materials from community meetings, dates of community meetings.

So there's um a couple of different ways that we can you know the public can interact with our capital projects on our websites.

And so just to quickly wrap up, um, as I mentioned, this is a very robust plan at 4.4 billion that is seeking to make investments across all of our asset types across the city.

Um it builds on great success from the past years, and um the amount of capital investment possible is a function of our operating budget, and we continue to maximize our bond rating and our total bond revenue.

And with a focus on targeted state of good repair projects along with signature projects, the capital plan delivers a strong vision and roadmap to ensure that every constituent has resources they need to thrive here in the city.

So that is the conclusion of our presentation, and we are uh we welcome your questions.

Okay, I uh just could can you go back to slide seven.

I just had a question in my um or page seven.

It's the the graph of uh yearly it's the past and projected bondage issuances.

Yep.

So just in terms of there's like a dip in 2024, it looks like we're coming down uh from 2025.

But is there just do you have an explanation for the number 2025 number higher than usual for some reason or as well?

Yeah, so um uh I'll start and then Ian can jump in if there's anything I missed.

But um in 2024, we did a smaller uh issuance um in the fall.

Um, and for you know, reasons, market conditions, other reasons, and at the beginning of 2024 did not go out and do another sale.

So we I think that was only about 250 million of borrowing in 2024, so that we had capacity um to borrow more in 2025.

So you see it's kind of I don't want to, I don't know if it's historically high, maybe it is historically high, but you see a a greater borrowing in 2025, and then in the future years it's aligning with both our uh cash needs as well as our capacity to borrow um going into the future.

Okay, yeah, I think that that's helpful.

Um okay, so uh we have been joined by Vice Chair uh Fitzgerald and Councillor Pepin.

Uh so we're gonna start off.

It's Councillor Flynn, Council President Braden, Councillor Culpepper, Vice Chair Fitzgerald, Councilor Pepin.

Um we're gonna go with uh six minutes, and uh then we will we'll have time for second rounds and and things like that.

So uh maybe more.

Thank you.

Uh Councillor Flynn.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

This is the fifth budget as a city council that I've voted on with Mayor Wu.

Um all votes that I've taken, I believe 12 of them, 12 votes up operating capital and BPS have voted 12 times to support uh the mayor's proposal, the mayor's budget.

My question is what is the status of the South End Library?

It was on the accelerated um construction plan.

There's nothing taking place.

It's been shut down for a long period of time due to flooding.

It's in the middle of the most diverse neighborhoods between Villa Victoria and and Ruth Barkley public housing.

Um Cathedral Public Housing down the road from Roxbury and Lennox.

Why is this taking so long?

What is the status?

When is when is construction going to start with the South End Library?

Council Finn, thank you for that question.

So the council the um South End Library is near completion of design.

We're currently just working through some challenges to ensure that we can um accommodate the uh public works uh ability to you know provide services, you know, via the alley that um abuts the library.

So we're we're very near complete with that.

Um and so we expect to conclude the design phase by late spring.

Thank you, Dion.

Dean, is is it possible to um have a meeting um with the South End residents with some of the elected officials and and talk about the status of the library?

Residents are concerned that nothing is taking place, and I'm I'm confident now when I heard from you that it's something is going to take place, but would you be willing to meet with the friends of the South End Library and some of the elected officials and neighbors?

Because I want to I want to see this project move forward.

No, absolutely, and and it was always our ex uh our plan that when we completed design that we would go back and engage community to update folks on some changes that may we may need to make to accommodate the new project.

So, yes.

Okay, thank you, Dion.

Um another project that I've been focused on, and I know you've been focused on as well.

Give us an update on the Chinatown library, please.

Very happy to say that it's under construction.

Um we have a public meeting schedule is being planned actually for May to update folks on the interior design of the library.

So that's the update that I have at this moment.

Thank you.

I know residents are looking forward to that.

It's been 50 years, as you know, since we've had a permanent library.

The temporary library is is good.

The the workers there are exceptional, but I'm looking forward to the permanent library and one of the most diverse neighborhoods of the city.

Dion, there was money placed in the budget for the Mel King School in the South End for infrastructure improvements.

Maybe Sam, I don't know.

Do you want to answer that?

Can you give me an update on that, Sam?

Sure, yes.

Um, we're currently doing um uh exterior upgrades to that site, and uh we'll be doing uh window renovation projects and some building envelope of work uh it's about 500,000 dollars that's allocated for that.

Okay.

The Blackstone school is is a priority for all of us, I believe.

Kids from the neighborhood can't obviously use the swimming pool any longer because of the uh condition of the school and the this the pool was broken and will it will not be fixed unless a new school is built.

I know there's money in the budget for the Blackstone school.

Where are we with that, Sam?

Sure.

So um as you can see in the budget, we've done a lot of work with um clarifying what projects are in design study versus uh where they are at the actual project completion.

Uh so the Blackstone, we we have marked $500,000 for study to really continue to work on um trying to figure out how best to approach that work.

So there's money allocated for that, and we anticipate that to start sometime between the 528 or so um really going on.

Okay.

Dion, is there a chance of a library in South Boston?

I know there's money that's been in the very initial phase for a long period of time.

Nothing has ever moved, but um, will we ever get a new library in South Boston?

I think it's the second oldest now in the city.

I can't say give a specific time now, but what I can tell you is that um uh that library is uh in relatively good shape, and we are making investments in maintaining a state of good repair.

Um confident at some point in the future that that would likely be um subject for a bigger project, but I just can't speak to that now.

Okay.

Maybe we'll speak um maybe next week um offline.

Is that okay, Dean?

Absolutely.

And then I'll follow up with you in Reverend Cole Pepper and John Fitzgerald about arranging a meeting on the South End Library with the um friends of the South End Library if that works as well.

Um I'm almost out of time, so Mr.

Chair, and I did tell you at the beginning I'm I have to leave at 3 15 for a course I'm taking, so um I do apologize about leaving early.

All right, yeah.

Thank you very much.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Did you have one more follow-up?

No.

Okay.

Okay.

Uh thank you.

Um I believe uh sorry, just forgetting my order here.

Uh Council President Braden.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, and thank you all for being here this afternoon.

Got a full team.

The full deck here.

Um I think you probably uh anticipate what I want to talk about today.

I want to talk to talk about the um the Jackson Man Community Center and why yet again it seems to be pushed off and not any uh clear commitment with a start do finish timeline for a five-year uh capital plan for the Jackson Man.

Um it's uh it's a very sad and tragic reflection of how we plan projects in the city of Boston.

Um I have a document that goes back to 1993 of projects for improvements to maintain state of good repair improvements to the Jackson Man uh community center and schools uh that basically never happened over since 1993.

We're going back a long way.

30 30 something years.

And uh to be scheduled to be scheduled to be scheduled as usual.

Um and right now we were uh the building was considered inappropriate for its designated uses in 2016 because of the the consequences of this 30-year neglect and under and main under mean being under maintained.

Um now we want and we need a new community center.

We've been promised a new community center.

Um the Jackson Man site serves the all of the district, all of Alton Brighton, and we are a neighborhood that's the size of the city of Somerville.

We have about 80,000 people or four and a half square miles, and we have one community center in a building that is was designated as inappropriate for its designated use 10 years ago, and we're not moving forward.

I know there's 10 million dollars being put in the line here, but money saying there's $10 million for the community centre doesn't mean anything.

It doesn't mean anything if we don't see uh start, do finish.

What exactly are we doing?

We've had a programming study, we've had a sighting study, we've had a land use study that looked at all different test fits for different uses there.

And we desperately need a community centre.

We this is it.

We we have one that's barely able to function.

The programming for the summer BCYF programming for all of our neighbourhoods, all of our community centres all across the city, have long lists of activities for our students and our young people, and there's nothing at the Jackson Man community centre.

And this is an inequ this is an equity issue for our neighborhood.

We have a population of about 80,000 people.

We have 33% of the population is under the age of 25.

Approximately 12 and a half percent are aged 60 or over.

35% of residents age five and older speaker language other than English at home, with nearly 15% reporting limited English proficiency.

Roughly a 30% of residents are foreign-born, slightly above the city average.

Over 40% identify as a race or ethnicity other than white, and more than 40% of residents are below the poverty line, making a making up 11.7 of Boston's impoverished population, and the third highest share after Dorchester and Roxbury, and we have to practically crawl on our hands and knees to get the city to commit to build us a community centre for our community, and this is not acceptable.

And right now, I want to know why it is that our neighborhood is not progressing in a plan to build a new community centre.

There's something not right about this picture.

We've been talking about this for 10 years.

We've been raising this issue since I've been at we had a 300, about 300 people turned out for a city council hearing at the Jackson Man in 24.

Like, what is it that it we just not cannot?

What is not happening?

Why is it not connecting that we in this neighborhood of Alston Brighton need a community centre?

Just one, just one, not eight.

District one has eight community centres, including two swimming pools, and they're getting a new community centre that's been bonded for a hundred and ten million dollars, and we cannot get a commitment from the city of Boston to rebuild us a new community centre.

This is totally unacceptable.

It's totally unacceptable.

I'm scolding, I'm I'm really not happy, and this is the very basic level.

Like we actually should be asking for more than one community centre given given our needs, but it's really unacceptable.

So I'd love to know what exactly is happening.

Why are we not moving ahead with a plan?

Given that we've had, you know, since 1993, a litany of deferred maintenance neglect, and a facility that is the home for our community centre.

We desperately need a new community centre.

Our basketball teams have to go to Madison Park for competitions because we don't have a full-size basketball court.

Our elder volleyball program can't it's been going for 50 years, can't get into the building on Saturdays because it's controlled by BPS and they won't open the building on a Saturday.

It's a cooling centre, and we don't have a HVAC system that works in an in a documented urban heat island in Alston.

So what is it that's wrong with this picture?

So I don't know.

Can anybody give me an answer?

Like, why is it yet again that we have been pushed to the end of the line?

We've been consistently at the bottom of the heap in terms of capital investment in Alston Brighton forever, but especially in the last six years.

We've been bottom, number eight or number nine in the list.

And we're this we're the second largest neighborhood in the city after Dorchester.

There's something wrong with that picture, and it just absolutely astounds me that we've we still have to talk about this because I've been talking about this for five years.

Can anybody offer any insight because this is not acceptable?

And our community are feeling betrayed and neglected.

We might be out there on the edge.

Because we're out on the edge of the city, doesn't mean that you can go across the line from West Roxbury into into to make a plane to go to a program.

You can't get there from here.

You'd have to go into if you're reliant on public transport, you have to go into town and go out of town.

It'll take you an hour and a half in public transit to get West Roxbury from Alston Brighton.

And it this is this has been designated the most appropriate site for a community centre.

We've done the programming study, we've done the test fits for land use.

And here we are.

For if 10 million doesn't mean a damn thing.

Doesn't mean a damn thing if we don't have a commitment to go start to finish and have a program, a five-year program to build a new community center.

And I know Dion, you've heard this all before.

I've been talking about this forever.

But why are we here again?

Yet again.

You give us a little glimmer of hope that we're moving forward, and then bang, stop.

Put the brakes on, we're not doing anything.

This is not fair.

Can I respond?

Thank you, Counselor.

And I really truly appreciate your passion for this, and I can tell you that we also the administration agrees that Austin Brighton needs a community center.

Unfortunately, for us, a lot of the projects that we see moving now have taken far too long to get to where they are now.

But I can assure you that there is a commitment to the center.

That's why it's in the plan.

As you said, we've done studies.

We we've recently done a at the request of community to take a look at at the site as a whole to see if there's opportunities to leverage different capital investments to help fund this.

We're at the near conclusion of that.

We expect to have a report in the next week or two and begin to um engage community on that.

You know, we're having um conversations with BPS who has to take a look at the their entire you know long-term plan and and make decisions and in consulting consultation with community and the school committee.

So you know things are not moving as fast as any of us would like, but they're moving and and the commitment um it is still there.

Well, you're slow walking this thing.

The price of building the thing is going to double in the time that's taken to build it.

We could build it for half the price.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I appreciate your time.

Thank you very much.

Uh Councillor Culpepper.

I want to piggyback on uh Councillor Flynn's question regarding the Southern Library reconstruction.

And we know it's in the design phase, but I noticed it didn't appear on the facilities, libraries, project list, alongside with other projects on the facility, the civil days department website.

And this project was initially funded in fiscal year 25.

It's and we know from your testimony and from what counselor Flynn said that it's still in the design phase.

Can you provide more of a status update and why it wasn't on the uh facilities, libraries, project list alongside the other projects that are either budgeted or into the design phase?

Councillor, can you clarify what lists you're referring to?

Uh on the um facilities, public facilities department website.

They list the projects that are either budgeted or in design.

When we look, we didn't see the South End Library on the public facilities department's website.

I was wondering why it wasn't on the website.

The next question is when will construction begin.

And whether there have been any changes along with that design to the scope, the timing, or the funding.

I can tell you, I'm not sure about the first part of the question, but that project is actually on our dashboard, I believe.

So we can is your dashboard the website, the public facilities website?

Yes.

It's not yeah, there is a lot of different things.

So we can look more deeply into that, but it should be.

Um as I said, we're completing design.

Um that has not increased um scope.

We're uh not scope, but um budget.

And um our Ian makes sure of that.

Um so we're we're currently on on track.

When will the design be completed?

Late spring, as I said, we're we're just finishing up some challenges that we that we discovered around um trash removal that we're addressing for for the library?

Exactly.

So the the way that the um the library and folks who live in that area get their trash removed is through an alley that abuts the library because we have increased the size of the library, we've encountered some challenges with trucks being able to maneuver the alley.

So we're currently working with our architects to address those.

So it's not actually the library, it's the rear alley to the library.

Yes, the the library actually has created this challenge that we're now we have some solutions for it, but we're doing working through those.

Okay, and and so with regard to your solutions, what are they?

We're still in the process of like presenting those.

We we'd need to present them internally and then also meet with a butters to go over what the different options are.

What about a timeline?

I think we're we're very close.

I think late spring.

I know.

You want me to give you an exact date.

This is a historical design.

No, the design is actually has been moving at a normal pace.

If you look at, I mean, and we've gotten a lot of questions about this.

I'm sure Council Finn is Flynn is getting the questions too.

Can we kind of put together um a timeline for this project that would at least include uh a groundbreaking and construction, some kind of timeline that we can work with you on?

Because it's been quite a while now.

And the residents are I don't know how much they're pressing uh you, but I know they're pressing me, especially when I was running, that's all I heard.

That library, the library, the library.

I'm gonna email you the message, all the messages I got on this.

So you can see how serious the folks in the South End are to try to get.

So we're we're willing and committed to having that conversation as you and Council Finn has asked for.

Around a timeline?

Yes, around the project.

And in the the meeting with the abutters, why is the meeting with the abutters necessary?

If we make changes to say the traffic um patterns in the alley and parking, like it will affect director butters that we want to make sure we're engaging with them on those options.

Okay.

Um with regard to the uh orchard garden issue that we've been raising regarding the auditorium.

I didn't see that in the budget at all.

And and Deputy Senator Penny, you may want to respond to that.

Sure.

Um good to see you by the way.

Likewise, good afternoon, Council.

Um, so the way I would answer that is that capital projects are normally the bigger projects in scale, and uh for project to make it to the capital budget around our Torians, we probably do like we're doing with Brighton High School, the wholesale um renovation of the entire auditorium.

Where the things that you're talking about, we can handle more internally um as well.

But if we're looking to uh do a complete auditorium rehab over our chicken, we could talk about that um for future planning.

But for now, um I'm aware of the issues with the the chairs that are broken, and we're working on that.

But as you know, we're currently in a freeze right now, and we're um um figuring out how best to spend the dollars we have on that project, but it is on our list to look at and repair.

Um so we have not forgot about it.

So we talked about the emergency because of the seats.

That's right.

And Mr.

Chair, I know um uh if you're getting close to my time.

But you're over.

Uh if you can follow up.

Or do you want me to pick it up on the second round?

Uh I you it's your choice, but if you want to do it now, that's what you were saying.

I'll do it now.

Yep.

Um, so we know he talked about making it an emergency because of the safety issue with the seats.

Can you find out, and I know you probably don't know now, when the that safety uh issue is going to be resolved, when the seats are going to be at least fixed so that they can be used.

They can't use them right now in the auditorium.

Right.

So the seats that are broken, we do um at all schools when that happens, we typically take them offline, we button them up, we remove some of them if we have to, and then you know, cord them off as best possible so students are not and staff are not using them, and then we have to work uh on uh designing a plan to do those replacements and repairs.

So we'll continue to have it.

You weren't on that call when we had Dion and Colton on the call.

Colton said that because that was a safety issue, they were going into the emergency uh uh work to get them completed.

My question is can you find out when they're gonna get them completed?

Sure.

Because he considered them a safety emergency.

Sure, I'll I'll connect with Carlton.

Sure.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you, Council.

I'll back up with you.

Culpepper, yeah.

Uh, and we can work on that if you know the answer by the end of today.

Uh Councilor Fitzgerald, you're up.

Uh thank you, Chair.

Uh I did have questions on the South End Library, but I think Councillor Culpepper had one for every day he's been in office so far.

I don't know where Sash is.

But uh I just want to advocate.

Thanks, Liz.

Um I just want to advocate for the South End library as well, representative.

That's certainly something that I hear along with the other um South End representatives and Council Flynn and Council Culpepper.

So thank you.

Um in the capital investment uh possible is a function of the operating budget.

I think that's what I read in the in the slides here.

Do we know what percentage of the capital plan could be underway given this year's operating budget if it's you know if the amount we can do is correlated uh to the operating budget, we've got some constraints on the operating budget.

So does is there like a percentage of those plans, or at least do we know a percentage of how much we could be completed this year?

Am I or am I understanding this incorrectly?

Because I please explain if I have to.

No, I understand your question.

I'm just not sure how to answer it.

Yeah, fair enough.

I'll take that as a good question.

I I think it is a good question.

I would say it's it's maybe not the exact right way to be thinking about how we structure the plan and how we structure projects.

Um as Ashley mentioned, it's a because it's a five-year rolling plan, right?

Some of the projects in there have already been financed, you know, 90% of it has been financed, and only 10% needs to be some of the projects are out in the four years and and we don't actually have any existing authorization tied to them yet.

Some projects don't even exist yet, right?

In three years, new things will come up that we need to respond to.

So I think in general, what I would say is that we are uh all the projects that we have in the plan are projects that we're committed to doing and moving forward on.

Um, and the financing mechanism of sort of the back of the house math is it becomes a very complicated equation for us to actually be able to break down.

Yep.

No, uh understood.

I guess I was just trying to maybe a better way to ask it would have been you know what percentage of the capital budget would be completed given this year's operating but like which ones are we gonna see you know get fully funded and and be done this year.

And I guess I could ask it for which ones getting started.

But I I I given the time, I don't want to I don't need to know right now, we can follow up.

Um a couple just to plug, I know it's more of a BPS thing, but I know that there's still some schools, Sam, that don't have air conditioning.

I think there was like five schools that don't have air conditioning.

I just wonder if there's a I could probably ask us at a different hearing, but just while you're here, um, do we have an update on if and when how many of those schools could be retrofitted to to have AC?

Sure, yeah.

We're working um off of a grant that we got from the state um to um do some upgrades to some of those schools.

Um so I can give you more of an update when we do have our hearing around the facilities update.

Great, thank you.

Um and this one is a BPS community center one, but I I just want to make sure I'm hearing things uh correctly when I'm out in the community that uh at the Murphy School, the Leahy Hollering.

Uh there was a lot of work done there in the last two years.

We had to move programming down to Southie, I think to the Perry or something like that.

But I heard someone say to me recently, and I'm just checking in, that more work has to be done, and those programs will have to go to South E again this summer.

Is that is that um someone grab me on the street about that?

Just want to either put it to bed or ask why if that's possible.

So there's no work being done at the Leahy Hollering for the HVAC or anything this current summer that would necessitate moving any programs.

That's mine, Stean, but we can consult and double check.

Yeah, just double.

Can you just double check that because someone someone grab me and I just want to either tell them they're wrong or um or if they're correct as to why that would happen.

Um I guess uh lastly, um in the debt servicing, we're approaching uh I saw in the coming years by 2030, 2031, we're approaching that seven percent of repayment.

Um that kind of uh, you know, there's some consequences to that.

What actually happens and what does that mean for several years from now for on that trend to be at that seven percent and sort of pay some of those penalties or whatever comes with that, um, and and what is the best way to reverse that sort of long-term, not for this year's budget, but kind of long-term budgeting.

How do we avoid come back down from that 7% ceiling?

Um, yeah, so it's uh it's a projection based on um an anticipated level of budget growth going forward.

There's no penalty necessarily for exceeding the 7%.

It is our own internal policy limit.

Um, but again, it's something that we hear from rating agencies and other investors that it's you know a responsible policy, so they like that.

So I don't think we would want to intentionally violate our own policy.

Um so it it moves every year based on how much the budget's actually growing.

So in a year like this, where the budget is not growing by as much, you're gonna tick up closer to that you know seven percent limit, but if you know in a future year, if it grows more than we're anticipating, it creates a lot of space.

So it's something we monitor over time and we structure our um expected bond issuances such that we do not violate that policy.

Yep, gotcha.

So it's fair to say that the only way we need to see more growth to have that number sort of come back down away from the seven, which would affect our bond rating in the future.

More growth or you know, less borrowing, you know, less debt, right?

Like you're paying off less debt.

Um and so it's l it's less of a percentage of your overall operating budget.

Would a I'll just throw this out as the as the last one would would make a reduction in the overall budget, as in like cutting spending uh and going back, even if there is growth, would it help that would that speed that number up to be low of further away from the seven to dip down from that seven?

Um to keep the rate.

So it would like in a year where the budget's like negative, right?

That would be I think that if we if we reduced operating spending, that would actually make us closer to the ceiling because it's seven percent of our operating operating budget.

Right.

So we we want the budget to be as large as possible to make that seven percent threshold as high as possible.

Like Ashley said, we could also reduce the amount that we're plan to borrow and the amount of debt that we plan to issue, which would also bring the the debt service budget itself down.

Gotcha.

That's a catch 22 though, because you we don't want the budget as large as possible because that means we'd be taxing our people as much as possible, right?

Like so there is this line.

Okay, I guess I understand.

Uh thank you for your time.

Appreciate seeing you all.

Thank you, Chair.

Yeah, thank you.

Just I mean, I feel like that's that is like that's a warning light in this this whole conversation is if if our if our you know seven percent of the entire operating budget and the operating budget, you know, or our revenues are sort of capped two and a half percent or you know, something like that.

And then it's also more expensive to build things because the just you know, everything the cost of everything is kind of.

I mean, I guess you know what are we just gonna be building less in the future?

Like, you know, what do we think?

Yeah, you should be a dollar buys you less.

Uh so it's it's sort of the in the percentage is sort of like uh a benchmark of like uh your debt burden is it's talk it's all it's often analogous to like people's own individual debt burden, like what percentage of your income goes to paying your debt on a you know, so uh so the but but you're right, part of the PAN's uh plans constraint is inflationary cost of construction that makes you buy less project.

And I guess just to follow up on that last thing, and then Counselor Pippen is up.

I mean what what happens if we just decide to spend less on capital projects, like instead of you know, just take out less money or plan less what's the impact on the city and I mean I mean it's yeah, I mean it it could look like doing more sort of targeted state of good repair projects rather than more uh you know large sort of keystone projects.

Um, there's also there's subtle ways that we can do that too, right?

Where we look at the the uh specific amenities that are included within a renovation um or project.

Well, also, I mean we're talking about new libraries and things, but isn't the majority of the capital budget spent on maintenance of existing buildings?

So the the majority of the capital plan by projects is on those sort of small state of good repair projects.

The majority of the capital plan spending is on our larger projects because a large project, right?

A one 250 million dollar project could represent, I'm I don't know if I'm gonna do the math right, but you know, 20, you know, 20 million dollar projects.

Okay.

Okay, thank you.

I apologize to my colleagues.

So uh we've been joined by Councillor Durkin, uh Councillor Santana, Counselor Louis Gen, Counselor Murphy, uh I have uh Councilor Pipin, you're up.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

And it's good to see a full bullpen here as panelists, so thank you so much for being here.

I very much was looking forward to this conversation as well because I feel like a lot of the things that this the residents get to see tangibly are part of the capital budget, and it's usually what we get a lot of questions on.

Uh I had a pretty successful um virtual meeting with Councillor Weber, and most of the questions were about the capital budget.

So I do have a few of them for you.

I want to start off with a bigger one that I think could be helpful for all of us to understand.

There was a project on River Street for the Boston Public Health Commission building that had tons of money in the capital budget, and then we got an update that it was completed for a lesser amount.

So it got that money was removed away from Mattapan, and now we don't see it anymore in the in the in the capital budget.

One, what happens with the remaining amount of money that wasn't used for that project?

Two, the question that I got from the residents was how come that money doesn't remain in Mattapan for another capital project.

And who decides like what happens next?

So the the to your second question, um we tend to look at when we're choosing uh investments to make, particularly in that sort of realm of a of a smaller state of good repair type project, um, which in this case was uh completed, I believe, by BPHC just within their operating capacity.

Um we we look at those investments not necessarily on a uh picking and choosing neighborhoods.

We look at it uh on a facility basis.

Um this is something that our FCA, this the facility condition assessment, um, is going to be very helpful for.

That we we look at it as where is their specific need within the facilities so that we can look across the city, we can look across departments, um, we can look across facility types so that we aren't accidentally investing way more in a certain type of facility or in a certain neighborhood, and that we can be equitable and fair across the city and be investing where it needs to be invested.

Um to your first question about what happens to that money, um it it remains in our uh we call it our our authorized but unissued um sort of uh bucket of of funding that has been authorized by the city council um but has not been spent, it goes into sort of a reserve for us.

Um those funds may be reallocated, they may be reused in the future if something else comes up at River Street or another project in a similar loan order or something like that.

Yeah, that's very good clarity, and I'm glad you broke it down like that because just if I am bringing in the voices of the residents, they're just like what happened.

Yeah, you know, and I wasn't able to explain to them what happened.

So um I will love there if there ever is a a way for if it's the residents or if it's the counselors to advocate for if that project is not gonna happen anymore, some or a huge chunk of that money isn't going to be used for the at least it remains in the neighborhood, especially one like Matapan, where they have the group that I met with, they were able to show like there is a lack of investment in big capital projects in that neighborhood.

So just want to make sure I was pitching that in and thank you for the clarity at least.

Um Matapan, there was a hundred and thousand dollars in place for a B3 police station um study for a new station.

It's a they have one of the biggest forces in the entire BPD, but a very old and small police off dumb gestation.

What happened to that money?

I saw that it was gone, it's it's not there anymore.

Yeah, so similar type of story where we uh this year especially we took a hard look at a lot of the projects that are in the capital plan, um, particularly things that are early on um in the process.

Um working with the police department as we work with all of the departments and developing the capital plan.

Um we didn't hear this as something that they were particularly asking for, especially in a year of uh you know stronger fiscal constraints.

We asked departments to be sort of targeted and specific for us.

Um so we we also through the FCA, we I believe we identified an additional project that we're going to start doing some initial study on.

It doesn't appear in the plan just because we want to scope it out and figure out what the actual needs are.

Does it make sense as an actual capital project?

Does it make sense for something that BPD could handle with their operating budget before we sort of move forward?

But we're definitely still committed to making sure that uh the station has and all stations have what they need.

Um we just want to make sure that we're doing it in sort of a uh reasonable and targeted way.

Yeah, that'll be helpful just because I've been able to visit them and they really do have a lot of officers there, and it's a pretty tight space.

Yeah, so I don't know exactly what the process is that you guys decide what station are gonna get improved in the near future, but I would love to advocate for B3.

Um they're they're they're really good right over there.

Thank you.

My time's winding down, so I'm gonna do a little bit of like just ask many questions and then you guys can answer them.

Um I would love an answer for the or an update for a chief Irish on the Hyde Park municipal building.

I I can see that finally the million dollar investment is now moving forward to in construction phase.

So I would love to know um when could we expect that to be completed?

The residents are very excited for that for Commissioner Gove.

Um there are two big projects in my district, one of them that's almost completed, the Cummins Highway project.

I would love to know like when are we expecting to see that completed?

Um residents are very excited to see the workers out of there, and then um there's one that hasn't started yet, which is still in planning, is the Wood Avenue project.

I want to know how that's looking in the planning phase, and then I have other questions, but away for the second round.

That's it.

I also I mean I I just you have your six minutes uh and I mean you you asked put those questions on the record.

I get if you can answer them quickly, but I think those are pretty short answers.

And I stopped talking at the six minute work.

Yeah, I know, but uh we we could have there's a potential yes, spend six minutes asking questions, they can spend an hour and start you did ask some questions before I was able to start though.

Okay.

Um for BCYF Hyde Park, we've recently unboarded the designer, and the scope for their project includes the roof security upgrades, splash band, and a youth lounge.

Thank you.

Very quickly, uh Cumins Highway is scheduled for completion this summer.

Uh and what have is hopefully scheduled to start this summer.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

Yeah, no, I'm just uh that was fine, just warning to my colleagues.

Uh okay, so it's we have Councilor Santana, then Durkin, then Louie Jen, then Murphy for the first round.

Uh so counselor Santana.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, and good afternoon.

Um, thank you so much for being here.

Um I'm gonna start at uh BPS.

So um Dr.

Sandapina Knight, so good to see you, and thank you for the work that you do.

Um I want to just talk about swimming pools um that are owned by BPS.

Uh are there any ones that are gonna be expected to be closed this summer?

Um, or are there any ones that are gonna be opening up by summer?

Yeah, um, most of our pools are up and running um right now, except that we have a few that are down.

Um the MATA hunt is currently closed.

Um we're getting some repairs done.

Um specifically the chemicals that are being balanced and stair less the steer ladders in the pools.

Um so we're working on that now with I Steve.

The Hennigan, we're still waiting for um uh parts to come in.

So yeah, but but most of them will be up and running barring any emergencies that may arise that we may need to repair.

So um, so as of now we only have two that are down, but they should be up and running, hopefully, uh so I get in the Matter Hunt.

Yes.

I know the Hennigan one.

We've been waiting on the part for a few years now.

Uh uh different parts have broken and we have to order different parts, so it's not the same part.

Okay.

I just want to add on that.

We expect to have like 75% of our pools open this summer, which is tremendous because we we had to do a lot of like investments that you know uh we weren't investing in enough in the past that and we are now, and there's great coordination between BPS and BCYF and property management.

So very happy, and we'll hope it at you know we can share more at a later date.

Yeah, and Chief Irish, when you say that 75% is that includes all pools in the city of Boston.

Yes.

Okay, great.

Um awesome, thank you.

And I think um that's the BPS question I had.

I I do want to harp on and I think capital for the capital project.

I think that's an at-large city councillor.

For me, it's important to support my district um colleagues um and their projects in their neighborhoods.

Um, and I've been very proud to support Councillor Braden and the Austin Bryant community.

And you know, it I don't want to necessarily have a question because I think Councillor Braden did that, but I I do want to go and say that we do need that community, the Austin Bright community does need um uh a center.

Um the residents have been advocating for for many years.

Um, and as Councillor Braden mentioned, I think last time, last year, the budget cycle, I think we were hitting momentum of you know, we had 300 plus people in the at that community hearing.

Um, and if it fell, I think that's as you mentioned, like it was like we move forward and then now we're moving backwards again.

Um what do we I mean what do we say to the awesome Brighton residents?

I'm actually gonna go to a rally after this hearing later on today.

Like, I mean, how do what what do I communicate to Austin Bryant residents who who have been demanding this for many years?

Um I'm kind of in the loss of words here for anyone.

Councilor Fine.

I do not want to tell you what to say.

Uh if you really want me to, I could send you some talking points.

But I think the main thing is that you know, we share your commitment, and that's what that's what I would hope that you would share with them that that the mayor and the administration is also committed, and we're working towards that.

But there's no is there a timeline, Irish that we can share with them.

Is there I I wish I could give a timeline for every single project within this five year plan, but the reality is that I we can't, but we're taking tangible steps.

Um counselor Braden will tell you that we've been meeting uh almost every other month just to make sure that um she's updated with meeting with community leaders, and we're gonna continue to do that, and we're we're looking forward to having this latest um study be made public so we can engage the community to show um the work that we've done to to look at the things that we were asked to look at.

Thank you, Chief.

Um I think for me it's like and I want to support my district colleagues.

I I know I've been sitting out there with Austin Brian.

I want to go out today, and um I I want to support our youth.

Yeah, I think whether that's an operating budget or the capital budget, our youth need to feel supported, and I'm gonna continue to advocate for the awesome bright um community.

Um those were my questions that I had.

I think a few others were answered um prior to me, so I'll yield back my time.

Really appreciate um the work that you all do.

I know we're not extremely difficult here, but I think you know, for us, our job is to advocate and advocate on behalf of the community.

Um, and that's what we do, you know, every single day.

So um thank you so much for being here, and thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Okay, thank you, Councillor Santana.

Uh Counselor Durkin.

Thank you, Chair.

Um, and thank you to our esteemed panel.

I know we've been working on a lot of stuff in our neighborhoods, and this is my chance to flex that I have five neighborhoods, and they have a lot of needs.

So I just want to go through some of the things that I've been working on with the administration.

Um personally, um it is just such a deep honor to get to represent the neighborhoods that I represent and have constituents come to me with their issues.

Um, I had a conversation with Dan Murphy, who's on your team this morning.

Um, and uh it's I just want to shout him out because um uh commissioner uh chief gove um because I think it's so important to have like those folks that are doing projects in our neighborhoods, working deeply with constituents.

Um so my team did an audit of all the back bay alleys, um, as you know.

Um we have audited a bunch of things, um, including the bricks on Charles Street, the bricks on the North Slope.

Um I have a lot of uh which an audit for me means taking a picture of the conditions um of our streets and our sidewalks.

Um at first, I think the streets cabinet found it annoying, but now I think I think everyone understands I'm just kind of obsessed with this stuff.

So um the Back Bay alleys, I know we're working on getting um at least two of those prioritized.

I want to keep working with your team on that.

Um we are working to get the thorough path repaved.

I do want to thank the mayor for her work.

Um she has been deeply involved.

Um I am heartened to see that the intersection of Alverdeer and Huntington, which needs to be repaved, is in the Capitol budget.

So uh grateful for that and the thoroughpath in the West End.

Um we are um I did see that citywide there are some work happening regarding signal timing.

I want to advocate for Boylston and Kelmark and that area being prioritized in that process.

Um I know that signal timing is expensive.

Um it's the top thing I hear from everyone who lives on Boylston Street in the Fenway.

Um I am really excited about some of the things I have seen within the Capitol budget.

I think it was over a year ago.

Um, Dion, we were at the we were in the Tobin gym talking about AC.

I'm proud to see that it's here.

Um I know that John Jackson um is you know, he uh is potentially nearing the end of his time with the city.

He's an incredible leader.

Um I want to see the AC go in before he leaves.

I think that would be, and obviously the Tobin Gym is used by a lot of people in District 7 as well, so it's just a huge um opportunity for us to.

It's a historic gym.

A lot of amazing athletes have come out of that gym, so I just want to make sure that the AC is being prioritized.

Um I see that the speed hump program is also in the citywide stuff.

I would like to advocate for speed humps on West Cedar Street and Walnut Street.

Um there are also some historic um speed humps that were on Pickney Street that need to be replaced.

Um Pickney Street in particular, right after the speed humps are removed for Boston Water and Sewer work, a car flipped over on Pickney Street.

So and then West Eater, um, and uh we are just I I constantly am seeing speeding on that street.

So uh the other project that I see that's missing from the Capitol budget in the Back Bay Triangle, as some of us call it, um, which is on St.

Germain Street is the bricks um on that street.

So I just want to make sure that that is put into the mix of something that we should talk about.

The property owner themselves have patched the problem areas and the make safes, and it used to be an ideal street.

There's also some um there's also some drainage issues.

All of the trees are dying on that street, and we need to figure out it's it used to be an ideal street.

We still love it, it's still beautiful, but we have more work to do on that street.

So Mission Hill, I got an email yesterday from a constituent.

There are so many sidewalks that are in total disrepair.

Last year I advocated for a city, sorry, a Fenway and Mission Hill sidewalk contractor.

I didn't get an update of what was fixed, and the things that I sent in were not getting fixed quickly.

So in this process, I do want to figure out what's happening, and if we have a sidewalk contractor for those two neighborhoods again this year, um, or if that contract even went out, because um it is clear to me that we have a lot of work to do in Mission Hill, and because it has the lowest home ownership, you know, in the city, um, you know, it's also in Brighton and then Mission Hill.

I feel like those sidewalks are not being prioritized because we're not hearing on 311 from homeowners.

Um, we know that there's bias in 311 reporting um that places with homeowners um are reported more.

So um just want to make sure that I'm gonna send a list of sidewalks that I would like to be looked at.

I know that some of this is capital and some of it is um, you know, and some of it's operating.

Um, but um specifically outside of um Mission Maine and Mission Park, um, those are areas with a lot of seniors, um, a lot of people with um you know diverse disability needs.

I want to make sure that the sidewalks there are in good shape.

Um and then uh I have some questions about the blue bikes um program, which I will ask at a later date.

Um obviously the top blue bikes um users are in district eight.

I know I'm running out of time.

Um I am really thrilled to see all the um investments in uh the Boston Common and the Public Garden.

Um obviously that is where the majority of the money for Beacon Hill is going.

Um there is a stair, um, and I know Dan Murphy will get on this as soon as we um there's a stair that has had some issues because there was a crash, which would have been prevented if there were speed hums on Walnut Street, just saying.

Um there was a crash that happened where a car went into the Boston Common.

Um that is being fixed, that stairway is being fixed.

Um I am particularly um interested in in that getting fixed as soon as possible.

It's definitely in a core entryway to the Boston Common, in addition to the other great work that is in the Capitol Plan.

Um, and I know I'm out of time.

I want to thank um, and I just want to say I had an issue last year where a bunch of my neighborhood stuff was in other neighborhoods.

Um that did happen one again.

The thorough path is being put in the government center area.

The thorough path is in the west end, so I would like that corrected.

Um, thank you so much, Chair.

And I know I just talked at you, but we have a whole budget season, so I'm thrilled to get to work on all the stuff with all of you.

Okay, thank you very much, Councilor Dirkin, Counselor Louis Jen.

Uh thank you um so much for being here.

Thank you for your work.

Um my first question will be a BPS one.

And it will be on like the status of the SHA tailor.

Sure.

Um so we are progressing along through the um M C B A project phase um and make a lot of progress with that if there's an update for specifically you need to know.

Yeah, have we um has there been a site location at Dell?

No, that's still in the process of working that up with the MSBA, so that's still ongoing.

Okay.

Once we do have the option, we will be coming about.

Are there options on the table that we're looking at?

Uh yes, we're looking at um the current space, we're looking at current space at the tailor.

Yeah, and then just looking at all the sites in that area in the Matwell building over on the bigger well.

So we're looking at a few of them.

Yes.

Okay, we'd love these final thoughts.

Okay, thank you.

As soon as anything's finalized, would love to love to know because we've been hearing different things out in community, and I just want to be able to know what what's happening so I can um adequately uh give and offer information.

Sure.

Um next question.

I think my my colleagues and I I also wanted to state as counselor Santana stated that as an at-large counselor, it is really important for me to support and elevate um what my district counselors have been advocating for and hearing about.

Um, I obviously have as someone who met in Hyde Park.

I have been care about the entire city, uh, but I want to make sure that um I elevate council council president Braden's um request and requests from community for Austin Brighton.

Um we get ahead of criticism of you know treating not being treated like all the other neighborhoods when we are investing in other in neighborhoods that feel like they don't have the resources the other neighborhoods have.

I I never want a neighborhood to be like you're giving this neighborhood everything.

We should all be in rowing in the same direction.

Um and it it's harder when people visibly see that there are an investments happening.

So I I just ask that you all help us prevent that from happening by investing in neighborhoods, investing in our libraries.

Um I know the Southland community since I started um has been really keen to see us get them a new library and so wanted to just support that advocacy.

Um of the things, you know, uh Ross Field, I believe, was on here in Hyde Park.

You correct me if I'm wrong, Chief Sweat.

Um was on here last year uh uh in study, Ross Playground, and I don't see it on here now at all for High Park.

A friend Kathy, you want to uh and I could be confusing.

I know I ad but I've been advocating heavily, and I believe last year it was in study and I don't see it here this year.

Is this one working?

Okay.

Um Kathy Baker Eclipse, interim commissioner for parks.

Um we did not have a study for Ross, but we are doing the uh the basketball court right now.

So we're doing the basketball court, this the street hockey court, which is being converted into a bike town with uh with Mona and the early office of early childhood.

Um so we're doing the basketball and tennis and the street hockey court this spring, so that will be done by by mid-June, should be done by mid-June.

Um and then we're gonna be I think in the long-term goal that's not in the in the capital plan right now.

Ross is on the list of like what do we what's the long-term plan for that?

And why isn't Ross on here right now then if if they are it's just like because we're using uh just operating dollars to do that work?

The the courts are being paid for from the various courts line.

So there's a project that's city w courts city.

Oh, okay, and the council.

So that that funding is paying for that, and I think there's no I don't think the grant funding worked out.

I was hoping there might be some grant funding.

But so that we're doing that as part of a citywide court assessment um and working with the with the Office of Early Childhood to bring in a bike town to the street hockey court as well.

Like the one that like the one that's in Mowgli.

Yes, we like the one that's at Mowgli.

Yeah.

Okay.

So I think long term we know that Ross is a problem, but it's not in the plan at this point yet.

Okay.

It's it's a good flag.

I mean, it's similar to sort of the um ramp repairs, like we have some capital programs where we're not gonna call out necessarily in the plan the specific parts, but for courts for tennis courts, um, for uh some of the field renovations for some of the lighting work where it's a discrete intervention.

You know, it doesn't rise to the level of sort of a full-blown separate capital project.

Yeah.

But it does do a separate process.

I understand that.

Yeah, it just high park looks pretty low, and so I do in terms of capital investments, and so if you disaggregate it and actually give them that, you know, find ways it could it could be helpful, but I understand.

Um while we're talking about Ross uh fields, um I know it's gonna be an issue in Council and you know, getting warm weather, park maintenance, trash maintenance, uh music maintenance, if we can just try to be on top of that.

Yeah, we are trying to be as much as possible.

That'd be great.

Yeah, so we had a meeting with the leagues.

This is not capital budget related, but um, but we did have a meeting with the leagues to talk about what the rules are, what the expectations are, how to contact us, if there's problems with the fields, with the permits, the lights, with any of the infrastructure there, um, and as something we're gonna be continuing to con to um monitor over the summer so that uh so that issues don't rise to the to the level.

Um and we're also shifting the hours of um over the weekends to be pretty much wrapped up by 6 p.m.

So what will enforcement look like for that?

I think working closely with BT BPD on that um because they're the ones that are in the field enforcing the rules for us.

Great.

Um council, thank you.

Those are my questions on Ross Field.

Um, and great to know that uh by the end of June we should see updates or end of the summer.

And just end of June.

End of June.

Great, thank you.

Um my colleague, counselor, is that my time?

Yes.

My count my colleague, Councillor Durkin uplifted the need for uh speed bumps, and I just wanted to put it here again.

We I know we spoke about this, but um in Mission Hill speed bumps up and down Smith Street, especially around Pauline Bennett Way.

Um so just wanted to elevate that, Commissioner Gove.

Um, and then and that's coming from Mrs.

Uh Willie Pearl Clark.

Um, really been something she's been advocating for.

I feel like I have one more on the tip of my tongue, but my time is out.

Oh, I had questions about debt service.

Um I will wait.

Okay, thank thank you, Councillor Lugen.

Counselor Murphy.

Thank you.

Um thank you all for being here.

I'm sorry, could I ask you your name?

You're not on the list.

My name's uh my name is Ian Donnelly.

Um I'm the deputy budget director for capital planning.

Well, I'm I'm very impressed.

You've been answering the questions great, so thank you.

Thank you for being here.

Um asset to the team, I can tell.

So thank you.

Um Kathy, sorry, uh, you walked away, but it reminded me if um we could just get an update um on Walsh Park flooding.

I know we all love when we put these investments in, but we need to make sure, as you know, I called you on this about making sure that when like the curly community center and others that when we need to go back and fix things that we prioritize that before we start new projects.

Yeah, so we are uh working with the contractor who performed the work to fix the work uh because it was not installed correctly.

So we're in the process of doing that now that the weather, the ground is warm, we can get it.

So we did find out that it wasn't installed correctly.

I think there's some there were maybe some field changes that were made.

I don't know all the details of it, but there were some some changes that were made or it's not performing to the level that we need it to, so that is a remedy that we have in the contract that we can go back to.

And we have the funding ready to go for them to do that.

We're gonna see how much of it is covered as part of a warranty.

Yeah, yeah.

So okay, thank you.

Yeah, like I said, when I sent you pictures that morning when I was walking my dogs, and the neighbors love the new park, and it is a great asset in the neighborhood, but we want to make sure, especially the softball season starts and all that.

Yeah, it's it's where it needs to be.

Um the center street, Walter Street traffic cones there, where are we there?

There seem to a lot of neighbors call about that and feel like it was paused for a long time, or if we can get an update on that just to clarify that this is the city's center and Walter Street project.

Yeah, well, the one that's because is it all city where it's in front of the Hebrew Life Center?

Yeah, right on Center Street there.

The one that is currently under construction, that is a DCR project, and then I think they I think they're on schedule for completion later this year.

Is that where they turn off into the park side?

Is it all DCR there?

The the one that's active on center at the top of Salt, yes, that one is all VCR.

We do have a future project and planning for Walter Street.

On the side going into Rosenville.

Okay, thank you.

So I mean, I I looked at, you know, like I do every year.

There seems to be significant investments across all neighborhoods.

I know that as district counselors, we we definitely go deeper and look, you know, into is there enough?

I know councillor Braden knows where I stand on the Brighton project, just overall making sure that all our community centers, if it's small parts to make sure the pools are open, if it's major renovations, I think we always should invest in that.

Um but we know we're just operating on a tighter budget.

We had the hearing this morning, we know that there's less money and it costs more to build.

Which project and the capital budget is fluid in a sense, right?

It's kind of like a wish list, it's five years, we're investing money.

Which projects are far enough along that we know that they're going we're gonna see them through completion, and which ones do we feel or why don't we just start with that?

If we know certain projects that are definitely going to be seen through, at least as of today, we can confidently say that these won't be paused.

I would say anything that's in construction, we feel very confidently about.

Um that's not a full answer.

Um I think our intention in general with the capital plan is that anything that is in here is more than just a that it that the capital plan represents more than just a list of facilities, it represents a list of projects that we have full intention to move forward on.

Um in general, you know, what I can say too is that the the things that are farther along, the things that are in construction, we're actually committed to those, even things that are far along in design.

We're we're we're committed to proceeding with those projects.

Sometimes, especially in years like this where there's financial challenges, you have to sort of make those challenging uh choices around timing.

Yeah, but I think that where we have to do that, it is it is in that realm.

It's a it's a timing question, not on a do it or not do it question.

Okay.

And maybe this is for you, Dion.

But if pauses or changes happen, how will that be communicated to us as on the council?

Or is that not really something that happens anyway?

Is there some sort of commitment that if changes, especially this year, where we could probably expect that maybe we're not gonna go in and start a whole lot of new projects if we're gonna need money elsewhere?

Yeah, thanks for the question, counselor.

Um you can um be assured that any changes on on timing or significant changes to a project we will be communicated to city council and to members of the community.

Okay, the the community also will now?

Yes.

Okay.

Um we submitting an SBA MSBA core program application?

The deadline's coming up any day now.

Have we already?

Yes, we're submitting the Mel King Academy for for this round.

Um so milking economy, yes.

Is that the only one on the list?

Yes.

Okay.

Um I think that's it.

I'll give my 10 seconds to you reverent call pepper, but you're not ready for it.

You're kind of fallen asleep over that.

So we'll go back to round two.

The exchange is down.

Um I know it's uh all of our interesting.

I do think we're we're having a hearing tomorrow at 9 30 on the MSBA for uh Mel King, so we can vote on it uh at the at the council meeting tomorrow.

Um I just I just had a couple questions before we go.

We're gonna go.

Do we have public testimony?

Um if we have public testimony, it'll be uh after my questions before we start a second round.

Um so just in terms of like when we vote on the capital budget and you know, uh if we approve it, then like what is the next step that this what are the next steps that the city takes?

You just explain what happens on your end.

Yeah, so when you vote on the uh the docket before you um you're voting on the loan order that we're submitting for a new set of authorizations for a new set of projects.

Um of these projects are in the plan and have existing authorization, some of the projects are brand new projects.

Umce we get uh your your two votes um then the authorization gets set up in our financial system and gives us the authorization to begin expending against those projects or using that authorization to start expending for those projects.

Um so some of it, some of the authorization that's before you is intended for future years.

Um projects uh that are in the plan are going to be dependent upon that vote for us to be able to move into construction.

Okay, and then so is there are there funds that are attached, like at what point do the the funds attach to a specific project?

So the the loan order itself lists out a list of projects, um specific projects.

Um the legally we cannot use the loan order funding for any project or subproject that's not included within that loan order.

So it's an exhaustive list.

Um so that is that's part of why we come back every year to to ask for additional funds, um, is so that we can do the new things that we would like to be able to do in the future.

Okay, and then uh just Councillor Pippin, I think, was talking about reserve uh reserve fund and for what so if we've sort of attached uh project of the funds to a project, but we don't spend that money.

You can just where does it where does that money go?

Um it it exists in the city's authorized but unissued uh uh funding that we can there's no there's no time limit on the auth on the debt authorization, the loan order authorizations.

So it's it's authorization that exists that we can use in the future if we would like to.

Um it sort of it it sits a little bit ethereally, um if you will.

It's not necessarily supported by cash remote financing transaction.

Right.

I think yeah, authorization is a little bit different from actual you know bond proceeds attached to it.

There is a time clock on bond proceeds.

We have I think 18 months uh to utilize it.

So uh authorization can last unlimited, but when we actually bond for something, we have a short window for which we can use the funds.

This is why um in the presentation uh that Ashley went through earlier, she mentioned on that slide that had the the three triangles, right?

We get the loan order authorization, and then after that is when we finance the project.

We typically finance retrospectively on projects starting construction because of that time limit that IRS rules and regulations put upon uh bond proceeds.

Okay.

So again, like if the if this the because there's no time limit, but let's say we just never move forward on the project, what happens then?

So it with the loan order specifically and the authorization, we would not be able to start expending funds uh for those particular projects detailed in the loan order.

So those projects would not happen.

Okay, and then what what happens to the the dollars?

I don't know if you're there there are no dollars necessarily attached to it because we will we get the authorization, we start spending, and then we finance.

Okay.

Um I guess uh in terms of like we talked about the pressures and this sort of BPS uh, you know, on how to stretch money, you know, and it's it seems like it's gonna we're gonna have uh only a little bit more in costs are going up.

Uh is that trend impacting like our long-term facilities plan or spending in BPS?

Um we're we're budgeting as best possible with what the dollars we do have.

I mean, for FY26, we're spending about 48 million dollars in FY27 will be spent spending about 179 million, so we're like working real closely with the team to you know work on the projects, identify the key products and areas, and we we do see a funding source is that available, we just have to live within the concrete we have.

We want more money, sure.

We'd love to have more money and do a lot of investment, but we just you know tied to what we have and we're picking the most of it.

Okay, and then um for uh Chief Gove, I guess what is being budgeted for um I guess you know, for speed humps for potholes uh for road safety improvements, and then how are we gonna spend that money if nothing is going forward because uh and is there a plan to move on from the 30-day review?

Sure.

So you know, our our FY27 of 31 recommended capital plan, you know, is valid at 1.42 billion dollars.

Um, and you know 70 percent of our capital funding over the last three years has gone into maintenance and repair of roads, sidewalks, bridges, etc., and all the programs that you mentioned.

Um we're very confident that in FY27 with the planned almost 29 million in capital funding um that we have adequate resources uh for resurfacing, speed humps, um, safety and accessibility improvements, etc.

But I get it it it is are those projects gonna move forward.

Yeah, we are we are we have uh uh first uh round of speed humps that we are working on now for the for the spring uh of this year.

We hope to have our resurfacing uh schedule out soon for the year.

So yes, all of all of that is in process.

Okay.

Uh thank you.

Uh we'll have more conversations on that.

I think we just scheduled a hearing in Councillor Durkin's committee on uh the 30-day review and a bunch of other issues uh related to that.

Um okay, so we're gonna do a second round, but before that we're gonna have public testimony.

We have three people uh signed up here.

Any online?

No uh online.

So I have Evet uh first, yes, uh, and then I uh I think it's Mar Marlene, okay.

And then uh Gregory Maynard third.

So yeah, if you could just uh tell us uh your name, what your you know, either your where you live, if you're with an organization, what organization you get two minutes.

Okay, thank you.

My name is Yvette Jaro, and I'm the leader of the Friends of the South End Library.

And um I live in the South End.

Um, and I'm first of all grateful for the work that you all do.

And counselors, thank you for having this hearing.

Um I've reviewed carefully as I can with what I know the budget, the capital budget, where the line item is for the South End Library.

And what I notice is what's been spent already, and the fact that there's a 750,000 for the remainder of this fiscal year, a million planned excuse me, for next fiscal year, and 29.8 million for years two to five, which I calculate to be some time either June, the year ending June 28 or later.

Um I guess what I would like to know is how does this capital plan impact the construction of our building?

When is our building going to start construction?

Um have the construction drawings been issued out for bidding.

Um what's the target that for demolition of the existing building?

Um will construction begin and when will the library be completed?

And I'm gonna then step back for a second and say, wow, we've not had a community meeting for any discussion of the project itself, which I see on the website is about 92 percent through design.

Um we haven't had any communication since May 28, 2025.

So the neighborhood is not happy, and the friends are not happy, and I would like to know also how does this and when does this release of funds for our project happen so that some of this other stuff can go on?

So those are my questions, and I appreciate being listened to.

Okay, thank you very much.

Uh yeah, I mean we don't do question and answer during this period.

I I'm sure your district councillor can follow up, and if we will get answers by the end of today, I think.

Uh sorry, Marlene, yeah.

Hello everyone.

Um I am Marlene Nienhous.

I am the founding president of the friends of the South End Library, and the South End, the library, and I am extremely we are all extremely lucky to have Yvette, who took my place about six years ago.

She's been outstanding, a passionate advocate for the library.

Um I founded the Friends of the South End Library to get a renovation and an expansion of the building, which had only 7,000 usable square feet of space for a population of some 28,000 in the South End.

Um that year, uh there was we organized a meeting at the library uh with representatives from Mayor Menino, who we had met with several times, the parks commissioner, because we have a park next to the library, and the president of the Boston Public Library, Bernie Margolis.

We also had an architect friend volunteer who proposed a certain design that would make sense for this library.

It all went very well at the end of the meeting.

Bernie Margolis came up to me and he said, Marlene, um very nice presentation, take a ticket and stand in line for 20 years.

And I said, but then I'll be 80.

Well, I'm 78, so you have two more years to go, and you'll miss the deadline.

Because the money has not the obviously the design is not yet done.

It will take six months at least for the bidding process, two years for the construction, and another six months to load the library with equipment, furniture, and books.

I urge you, I implore you to do everything you can to speed up this process, and to understand that we've been without a library for four years in May, we'll start the fifth year, and by the end of this, we'll probably not have had a library for eight years, if not nine.

I thank everyone, um, councillors callpepper, um, Flynn, also uh counselor Murphy, um, for speaking up on behalf of our library.

Please keep us in line, and also counselor, of course, Fitzgerald, keep us in mind and do the best you can to plug this hole in our community.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you, Mr.

Maynard.

I have a statement, but that uh yeah.

Uh I think you have just c come around here.

Hello.

Uh my name is Gregory Maynard.

I am the co-founder and executive director of the Boston Policy Institute.

Um, there's a major issue that was touched on in this hearing that needs its own standalone hearing.

The Boston Public Schools long-term facilities plan.

The Boston City Council has not held a public standalone hearing on the BPS long-term facilities plan in years.

This is part of a more general trend.

The council did not hold a hearing on school closures and mergers in 2025, despite the Boston School Committee acting to close, merge, or reconfigure 11 schools in two different processes and votes, one in March 2025 and one in December 2025.

Now BPS is facing a capital budget that's changed enormously compared to last year.

BPS is planning to spend 16% less in FY27 than a plan to spend in FY26.

At the same time, BPS is planning to spend 50% more in the last four years of the capital budget than in the version of the capital budget we saw last year.

BPS's decline in FY27 spending and rise in FY28 to 31 spending is best captured through three projects.

The two school new school building projects that are not associated with the MSPA have seen their funding slashed.

The Alston Elementary School design is budgeted at 500K in in FY27 compared to 10.2 million dollars last year.

And the Blackstone Elementary School is budgeted for 500,000 for this year compared to 20 million in the FY26 capital budget.

At the same time, the implementation of long-term facilities plan at several schools has grown more than five acts from a total of 124 million dollars last year to $665 million this year.

Reviewing the long-term facilities plan documents on the district's website, it's not at all clear what that $665 million is being spent on.

Boston needs answers on BPS's long-term facilities plan, and this hearing is clearly not going to answer them.

If this issue is a priority for the council, then it must demonstrate that by holding a standalone hearing.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Uh we're going to go to a second round of questions.

Um let's see, I'm trying to figure out what the order is here.

Uh somebody's whispering cold paper.

Um, councillor uh pres Council President Braden is in front of you.

We do four minutes uh for the second round here.

Very good, thank you.

Okay.

Um so we we got um a million dollars of ARBA funding to help adapt and fit out a location for the community center and wherever it would land because we initially thought it was going to land in the high school, but now it's down at the at the former at the site of the former Horace Mann's group for the deaf.

Um I'm just curious, how was that money spent?

Uh was it spent by BPS or was it spent by BCYF?

Um I don't think we spend a million dollars because we took down a few walls and we put some paint on the walls um and we put in some furniture.

We didn't refinish the gymnasium, we didn't refinish the dance studio.

So what exactly did the million dollars go to?

Does anyone know?

It went towards um some of the utility costs opening out of that with being some of the staff we cost through that goes along with as well custodial staff.

We do do some projects as well.

Um I think that's the uh high level is how I describe it as well.

Yeah, I'll just add on to that that deal with some like my critical repeaters of the program that um was made with that with the funding as well.

So we still have a hole in the roof with water on the gym floor.

Uh it's a million dollars, that's a lot of money.

I'm really yeah, anyway, that's fine.

You don't know the answer.

Uh the other question I have who which entity controls the sites at the Jackson Man uh there's the back building, Armington Street.

Who owns who controls that?

And then the front building, which is the former community center, who controls that?

Do we do we know who who has site control of both those?

That's all BPS.

It's not my understanding is that public facilities already control the front building.

Um my standing is that this BPS property.

Yeah, but public facilities property management is supporting BCYF, but this building is being um maintained and managed by BPS.

I think somewhere in the registry of deeds, it says something different.

Um we're happy to look at it more closely, but that's obviously transferred public facilities in 87.

If you could share what you're looking at, I'm happy to take a closer.

Yeah, I I haven't seen the I just I just got a communication that that was I would say council because I I hear often folks think that property belongs to public facilities.

The public facility commission votes on transfer of properties, but they don't actually hold possession or care and custody of any property, neither does the public facilities department.

So it's typically like a BPS, BCYF, or some other city department that actually has care and custody of property.

Okay.

Despite our ownership.

Okay.

Um then uh this I'm I'm gonna give you guys a break.

Um I would love to know uh what uh are the plans to continue the safety surge in Alston Brighton.

I think this might be a question for Nick.

I know we've we've got seven speed bumps along Fanial Street where the kid was hit by a car on a crosswalk.

Um are there any plans to expand and continue that?

And what's the timeline?

Yep.

Councilor, yes, we will be continuing the safety surge work.

Uh as I mentioned earlier, we have an initial uh group of um speed humps that we'll be rolling out in the spring, and that will be along with our annual resurfacing program, sidewalk reconstruction, um all of all of that work.

And and are are we getting on the front of the queue this time?

Because we only got our speed bumps last August, so it's like we've had them for a few months.

Are we in the front of the queue or where are we at in the lineup?

We we will follow up with you on on schedule for where and when in Brighton.

Very good, thank you.

Um I think my time's up.

There you go.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Okay, thank you.

Um sorry, Councillor Culpepper left.

No, just Councillor Culve is here.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh one final question on the South End Library.

I know there was $32 million in the budget for the library.

Mike, correct?

I think it I think it was $32 million.

Knowing that it's been in the budget for three years.

I assume that the cost of the rebuilding is going to increase.

I added three million dollars to our requested.

I wish I could add it, but I requested that three million dollars be added to that $32 million so that the cost that's increasing over the two or three years would be covered by at least three million dollars more.

How can we accomplish getting another three million dollars to that $32 million, knowing that over the three years the costs have increased?

Do you want that?

Well, you can get back to me because I my time is running out of the year.

So one uh very quickly, what I would say, and Dion, please jump in if you want to say anything too.

Um when we come up with cost estimates um early in the design process for buildings, um the public facilities departments uh can usually come up with relatively accurate costs pretty far in ahead.

Um we build in uh you know inflationary costs, we build in other contingencies so that by the time that we are ready to construct, the S the bids that we get back are usually in line with the estimates that we've had, even for years in in previously.

Um so I think we remain confident that the cost uh that we have budgeted will be the cost that we foresee for construction.

And if it's not if it's not, um then we will look to uh other flexibility and other authorizations that we might have in place in order to uh backfill that gap.

So I so you're telling me I don't have to add anything else.

You got it.

Yes.

Thank you.

Uh I had another question, uh Dean.

This is public facilities regarding the Grove Hall community.

And I'm so glad it finally got finally got started.

But one of the requests that the folks, the seniors have been fighting for there is for a steam room for the Grove Hall Community Center.

And I haven't heard that it was going to happen or it wasn't going to happen, but can you check and see?

Because that was something that was requested early on.

There's been back and forth before I became a counselor, I was told that they weren't gonna have it because of the maintenance issue.

And I just said we are not foreclose a possibility of a steam room because there's a maintenance issue.

We just have to do better at keeping the rooms clean that we had the bathrooms and pool area clean.

And so can you check on that in terms of that steam room?

Because they're digging now, and if it's going to be included, I want to be able to give them some good news in the Grove Hall community area.

Can I respond now?

You've got 15 seconds.

Sorry, uh it'll be quick.

But no, but thanks for that question.

That's one of those projects that was asked for since the 90s.

So glad it's family happening.

I can see right now the steam room is not in the current design.

We've went through an extensive community engagement process with seniors, with youth, with everyone in the community to get feedback as to what should be in the project that was part of that.

That was part of the request.

I think that was in the conversation.

But it was, yeah.

But you said no.

My point is, can we get that in the conversation and possible in the development?

You don't have to answer that now.

Only got seconds, seven seconds, and then one more question.

I do want to pick on Senator uh Council Durkins letter that's going in regarding those sidewalks and the South End, because the Claremont uh neighborhood association when we were on the call several nights ago, made the request that those sidewalks are just in such tough shape.

We'd rather try and get something done so that folks aren't tripping, which will lead to other tort kind of claims.

So I'll submit a letter on the hills of Senator Durkins with the streets that we need to get done in the South End.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

And if I can sure will allow you.

Okay, this one's uh so uh uh I was I was correct earlier about the Works Regarde and Chairs.

We did secure them and make them safe.

A vendor has been out to assess them and we're waiting on the price and quotes to see what was new.

So we uh our team has been up.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Culpepper.

We can come back if you have additional questions.

Uh Councilor Fitzgerald.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Chair.

Um couple of questions, comments.

Uh one uh Uphams Corner Library.

I know that is one that is uh in design and that um is also a public-private partnership.

Uh do we know where we are in the private part of it?

Because I can imagine we can't just do move ahead with our capital piece if we don't know where the top half of the building is going to be.

Um is there any update on that as to where they might be looking at my notes here?

It looks like so the interior library design is on schedule.

I believe we are still waiting on um things to move forward on the private side of this project.

Yes.

Uh so we don't know the up, but not necessarily have an update.

Gotcha.

Um Harrison Albany redesign that's in the South E.

I I know the last time that it was it was it was hot in the community for a while.

We realized that things were gonna be underway and going, but then there was uh I know there were talks about it having to be delayed further due to some of the other additions that want to go in, and I think we we chatted about the South End just saying just give us the uh cookie cutter, just just finish paving the street.

We don't need any fancy other stuff that might cost more money or delay it any extra.

Um, to be quite honest.

I just forget where we settled on if it's just the I think they only wanted like some planters and aesthetics and not like the the crazy curb cuts or anything like that.

But um what's the latest uh from there, sir?

Thank you, counsel.

Yeah, the the Harrison Av project is will it will move into construction in the summer.

In the summer.

And you know, which is it is it uh where did we end up?

Sort of the more cookie cutter approach, or is it the uh you know lots of uh slight modification to the original to what was project okay?

Great, thank you.

Um there is at least the speed bumps I've had out there for over two years now, um, and uh have spoken with the administration at length around these.

I have about 10 to 12 streets uh that were promised to me.

Uh and so I look forward to having those prioritized, and I can get you the lists too if you need as well.

And then uh fountains, big fan of fountains, guys.

Don't know if you knew that about me.

Um I think they're beautiful, think they help the aesthetic.

And uh it'd be great to see some going.

I know there's one the Coppin Square Fountain uh in Meeting House Hill.

Uh I can imagine, much like pools, uh fountains is probably a you know, in terms of maintenance and care and building, it is just like a uh burns a hole in the pocket.

Um and I can surmise that that's why nothing has been done in the past I think it's 15, 20.

I don't know when the last time the Coppin Square Fountain was actually up and running.

Um but uh just want to throw that out there because I think it really uh is a community builder and um much like a pool, it it's it is money, but it is also uh a beautiful aesthetic and a place that will bring people to the open space in that community.

So um just want to put a plug in for that as well.

Um yeah, I'm happy to answer a question.

Um, I think we are very close to putting out construction documents for that, putting out a bid set for that.

Um it had been on the table for a long time.

We were advancing it through the design work, um, and just recently were able to dust it off with a commitment from the friends of the friends of Cap and Square to help maintain that that fountain, which is the major obstacle to us being able to provide that beautification.

Um, so we have that commitment from them that they're gonna help with the maintenance of it.

So we're dusting it off recording with streets because there's been some updates to some of the um some of the approaches from when we we finished the documents, so now we're we're just putting the final touches on that and hope to put it out.

I think spring summer forbid.

Great.

Thank you so much.

Um I'm awesome.

Mr.

Chair, if I could also give him a quick update if you don't mind.

Sure, please.

Uh sorry, I I was able to confirm we do have some operating projects going on at the Murphy as well as uh the renewed Boston Trust project to replace the water pump there.

So yes, they will be relocating to the ferry, and we're working with the um Criso Rivera and her team on that.

They've been there a couple years ago, they're familiar with the site.

So it was the water pump.

That was not what was working previously, it was the HVAC from right that we were doing two years ago.

Yeah, that was something different.

Yeah, this is the the water pump with the Boston Renew Trust and some other projects that happen in the book.

Okay, more than thank you.

Councillor Fitchell, you check out Kansas City, the city fountains.

Yeah, it's known as there's like 200 something.

Listen, if we weren't in the constraints that we're under, I'd say we need more downtown, we put one back.

There was one here in the plaza originally, right?

Years ago.

Yeah, what the hell do we do?

Right?

We're getting rid of phones every look in the group.

Okay, uh I look forward to that uh battle.

Um okay, Councillor Pipin.

Thank you.

I don't have any fountains in District 5, unfortunately.

Um what's funny is that if if we do encourage residents to put pennies and quarters into the fountains where you can collect them for more budget money.

Just kidding.

Um I just have more follow-up questions for some projects in my district that I would love to get some updates on.

The um I recently visited the High Park Library, and I pleasantly see that there's still $500,000 in there for upgrades to the roof facilities, etc.

Um, their roof is chipping at the moment, and it's like it looks in really terrible shape.

And what's special about that specific room is that it's it's the Hyde Park Historical Society Room.

So there's like hundred-year-olds um memorabilia from when Hyde Park was not part of the city of Boston.

So I would love to know what's the update on getting that um fixed up there.

Yeah, so we we've had this project in the plan for several years, as I'm sure you know.

Um I think that we're interested in we want to look into what is a project there look like, right?

The thing that happens with facilities all the time is that we see that the roof is chipping, and then we start mucking around with stuff, and then it turns out that a dozen other things are also wrong.

So we want to make sure that we can uh still deliver on the things that need to be fixed without accidentally turning it into a multi-year, you know, unaffordable project.

Um so I think that we're uh definitely this year looking going planning on looking into uh getting some sort of scoping study, figuring out what we can do, making sure that the facility continues to work.

Um my wife works in historic preservation, so I I understand the uh I adhere with the sentiment.

Yes, no, I appreciate that.

And it that room always blows my mind away because it feels like you're walking back in time.

But I looked up and I was like, oh, this needs some help.

So I would just put in some advocacy behind them for this work to be done.

So thank you.

Um for BPS.

There is a there are two auditoriums that always catch my attention.

It's the new mission high school auditorium.

It's a beautiful school, but it's it's very it's outdated, the sound system is outdated.

Um it's it's new mission continues to just be an outstanding high school in our city.

So I would love to advocate for when there are um plans to upgrade any auditoriums and that new mission high school is considered.

And then there's one right now that I was able to visit for a community meeting, which was the Mildred Av, the Mildred School's auditorium.

Some other seats have been, they're just literally like destroyed, and so they're not there anymore.

So advocating for new seats at the Millager Schools Auditorium.

Thank you.

And then in regards to New Mission High School, and Kathy, you don't you don't have to come speak, but I just want to I I I want to let you know that Ross Playground is the closest playground to New Mission High School, and New Mission High School has great sports, but they've never had a dedicated field for them.

And I see a great opportunity there for a partnership between New Mission High School and Ross Playground, so that at least one of the baseball diamonds could be dedicated to their team or their um and also I know that the soccer coach of New Mission High School had reached out advocating for um nets or something to be at Ross Playground.

So that that would be huge for my neighborhood.

And then it's very hard for me to ignore the fact that Rosendell's capital investments is significantly lower compared to other neighborhoods, other than the Sarah Roberts school, which I mean, but it's open by now, and it's just I'm just saying, well, what like what happened here?

But then I went over to the multiple neighborhood section.

And I know that there's investments there for Ross, and though I will love to know what is the best way for me as a counselor to say, how can I ensure that some of these transportation grants, some of these facility grants, some of these random allocations that are being used for projects.

How can I make sure that I'm advocating for the neighborhoods that I represent that aren't getting as much capital, specifically capital budget investments?

Yeah, I think I think in some uh chair, do you mind if I reply?

Yes.

I mean, uh no, I don't mind.

I'll I'll take that as that I can reply.

Um I think this is this is one place that we continue to work on, right?

If you notice that the multiple neighborhoods, um, absolutely there are stuff baked in there that affect multiple neighborhoods.

Um the the citywide investments also, right?

That is a that is our largest neighborhood of investment, but obviously citywide investments touch every neighborhood, right?

I'm thinking of our roadway reconstruction, I'm thinking of our sidewalk reconstruction programs.

We classify those as citywide investments, but where those investments actually happen is in the specific neighborhoods.

That is the program that gets uh Beach Street repaved in Rosalindale, right?

We don't reflect that and we don't we don't capture that.

It's something that we continue to work on so that you can know what work is happening so that residents can know what work is going to happen so that they can feel better informed by the investments that we are going to make.

And I really appreciate that.

The last thing I'll say is just like that that right there is an example of like how even us as communicators to our residents that we can show them that there is in fact capital investments to our neighborhood, despite them not being part of the the the book that we got at the breakfast this past week.

So I just thank you for that.

And if there's ever I know that sometimes we get updates from IGR who does a great job of letting us know when like construction is happening in our districts.

We I continue to encourage that.

That is very helpful for us to be able to share with our residents too.

Yeah, absolutely.

So thank you.

Did Pip N get a book because I didn't get one?

Oh, that yes, yeah, yeah, we do have a folder.

Um okay, great.

Um Councilor Jerkin, you got four minutes.

Four, oh my god.

Okay.

Okay, I have a lot to do with the.

I'm hearing you want three.

No, it's okay.

Chair, I respect you.

Um so I I really think the only way to get anything done in the city is through partnership.

Um, and and that's partnership with the highest on the totem pole, the lowest on the totem pole, and again, all of our city workers are amazing.

So I am grateful um for the prioritization of the Kenmore block of the Comav Mall.

Um, it is obviously part of like the crown jewel of all of our park spaces.

Um, we definitely um delayed um, you know, we didn't put up a tree this year, we didn't do our normal stuff in Kenmore Square because we thought that they were gonna get started.

I just was curious if there was an update on exact timeline for the Kenmore block of the Com Av Mall, which I know is in partnership with the Friends of the Public Garden.

I think we're weeks away, weeks or days away from putting up construction fences there.

We're just coordinating doing the final coordination with MBTA because that that block is directly over there, the uh T tunnel.

So we're just getting the final sign-offs from them, and then construction fences should go up very shortly.

Perfect.

People are really eager, so great great to hear that.

Um, so and and I just want to make sure it's fully funded at this moment.

Okay, perfect.

Um, so I also wanted to ask a question about Blossom Street.

Um, part of this money came from the Reagan building.

We we've seen the Reagan building has come up, and it's it's basically Bells, it's up down construction, so we're still years away from that being open.

Uh, but one core piece of that was uh of their mitigation was the reconstruction of Blossom Street.

Could we talk about that a bit and timeline?

Thanks, Counselor.

We we don't have a timeline at the moment, but yes, that that that project still is in the in the planning phase.

As you mentioned, there was a private contribution for that, so that is still in our in our five year old.

And I know there is some specific timing, so I think we can talk offline, but there's specific timing that needs to take place in order for there.

There's other construction happening in the area that like there's there is a tight timeline in a way, so we do need to have a plan, and I just want to advocate for there to be a plan um sooner rather than later.

And I know I've seen one version of a plan.

Um so um the thorough path again.

Thank you.

I want to thank the mayor for her prioritization of this project.

Um people it's a level one arboretum, and it's really the only, even though it's not technically a park, it's really the only park space in the West End that um that people enjoy.

So I just want to thank uh the mayor for prioritizing that project.

Um there is some stairs um in uh in uh mission hill that need on f along Fisher Ave that need um, and I know that there is some work being done, and I can see in the Capitol budget that there's some citywide, it's part of a citywide program to fix stairs.

There specifically on Fisher Av, there is a missing um there there is a missing um rail, and it's really dangerous, and I've been talking about it for years, so I just want to make sure that gets prioritized within um within the work that's happening in the capital budget.

Um and then um there I have been advocating for years for a mid block cross at the Roxbury Crossing T station.

Unfortunately, a mother and um their uh child lost their lives there.

And I know it's needed to be in partnership with the it is technically in district seven, but it's used by a lot of district eight residents, and it's like right on the line.

I think I think the where I want the crosswalk is the line of the district, and I feel like sometimes things along the edge um don't get prioritized.

Um that's gotta be prioritized this year.

Um I just I really scared of something happening there, and I I um I I it I feel horribly that I cannot remember the woman's name who passed away, but um I will um make sure that um make sure that I advocate in her memory and her child's memory for for that to be fixed because it it's just um the most vulnerable folks in our city um are you know need access uh to a cross, it's it's the desire line, so it's very important.

I've also advocated in the comav mall for there to be crosswalks uh mid-block.

I understand why there's a concern, but people are going to use it that way, and that's the way the park system has been designed.

So even just some paint on the road doesn't have to be expensive.

Um there's a lot of little details that are not super expensive, and in this tough financial time, we need to think about those details that are really gonna make a difference for quality of life.

Um, and those things that might not seem expensive, you know, or or aren't expensive, but could really you know deliver on something for our neighborhood.

So um I try to be reasonable because I understand that like I represent you know one ninth of the city.

Um, but sometimes, especially these places where we've had multiple uh instances of like really horrible things happening.

Um we need to lead with data and just make sure that we're prioritizing those places and spaces.

So um I I just the Roxbury crossing um I've been told is that mid-block cross outside of the T station is going to be prioritized.

Um so I just love a timeline on that, and then I'm sorry, Chair I went over.

We will get you an update on the timeline for that mid-block.

Thank you so much, and um, thank you to all of you for all the work that you do.

Okay, I thank you very much.

Uh just a couple questions before we go for a third round.

Um West Roxbury High School.

Uh we've gone from uh like 16 million dollars, some you know, number 16 million to 500,000.

Is it uh what what should I be telling my constituents?

Sure.

So I think um the broader message is um we've gotten real clear on our um budget line this year to distinguish between what's a placeholder for potential projects to actually aligning it to where it is in the project phase.

So really we talked about three phases.

West Roxbury is in the study phase, so we are allocating all projects that are in the study phase 500,000.

Okay.

Um is so is there gonna be a study done?

Yeah, eventually, yeah.

Well, eventually, but by now uh we will put in the placeholder for that money um um so that we can do some design thinking.

We do have schools that always reach out to us that are interested in going over there, but um, we're gonna fold that into the broader long term facilities plan conversation.

Okay, uh uh uh Kathy Baker eclipse come on down.

I feel like what is this prices right?

I can't remember uh I know Counselor Louie Jen is the game show famous is that every right game show.

Uh yeah, okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Um so uh Jamaica Pond Boathouse, it's been moved up from to be scheduled to study underway, and I think there's a public meeting tomorrow night uh about that.

So I mean what can people expect?

What's what's happening around the boathouse?

So that uh meeting and that project is is being run by the public facilities department in conjunction with the parks department as the the owner of the property.

Um so it's really focused on the physical conditions of the project in this meeting.

Um, and then we're gonna get into what the site would need in terms of bringing it up to code or what the buildings would need in terms of bringing them up to code um and and what there what possible uses there would be there could be.

Okay, and then so at what point like can community members like you know provide their input for the building.

I mean, is that starting tomorrow?

Yeah, tomorrow night there should be um opportunity to have conversations with the community and with the design team and with the with the city.

Okay, and we're so where should we be a year from now?

Uh I think we will have completed the study and then figuring out what's the uh most important parts to prioritize in terms of the the facility um and what is needed to stabilize the facility.

Okay, and this so the study should be should be done, I think.

Yeah.

I believe so, yeah.

I think the timeline, I think they'll go over the timeline tomorrow, but I believe it is um wrapping up.

It's a it's not a long-term study, it's a 2027.

2027 what is when the study is expected to be complete.

Oh, okay.

Um, and while I have you up here, uh Millennium Park restrooms that I uh there's um you know, West in West Roxbury.

Uh I think it's still in the design, I think in the design phase.

Uh how long I mean these are bad pub just bathrooms outside.

Anyway, so what where what's the timeline for for those?

There's no there's no definite timeline.

Um it's a facility that that we would like to see.

Um there's some a small amount of money to advance it, um, but we don't have a timeline for it.

That would also probably be maybe we haven't had conversations with PFD to really determine whether that's gonna be a project that's led entirely by PFD or whether it's small enough that our department could lead it.

Uh we haven't gotten to that level, and I think we're really trying to prioritize taking care of the assets that we have at this point rather than adding new new assets that don't need to have up would have operating impacts for us to maintain moving forward.

Okay, and then just is there any technical issues with I mean I think that these would be on top of the landfill essentially.

Can we build bathrooms?

Yeah, it was envisioned in the 2000s or you know, around right around 2000 that there would be a restroom facility in this location.

Um so there are utilities stubbed to that location, um, and it's just a matter of what is what does the final facility look like, how big it is, how are we maintaining it, how are we um operating it so that it's safe for for everybody?

Um so those are a lot of the considerations that that would go into the next phase of work.

Okay, and then I just like to advocate this is in Councilor's district, but uh JPU soccer uses Pagel Field uh and the organization rents lights to make it use so kids can practice during the the week and they they spend thousands of dollars that they don't really have, and it's like gas-powered lights.

I just I think I feel like that would be a good space for just having permanent lights in, also that it would be better uh because we've seen at Murphy Field, you know, the lights light up the field and not the neighborhood around it, and we wouldn't have to use gas to to power them.

I don't know if how do we advocate for lights at pay goal?

I think it's it's something that we've had some some in quick investigations of it would be very disruptive to install the lights to trench through the that site, which is rather narrow to trench through that site um to put in the lights, and we just redid the field less than five years ago.

So I think we want to um in an ideal world we do a much larger renovation that to add lights if possible, redo the field and and make some other um capital improvements all at the same time so that the lights go in and then the field gets renovated.

Okay, okay.

Thank you.

Thanks uh for that.

Counselor Louis Jen, did you have uh a second round?

Uh we're doing four minutes.

Yes.

Okay.

Can I have 10 minutes?

You can buy my second and my third.

For you, it's three.

Yeah.

Don't quit your day job.

Um I just had a question.

Um I mean, this is I think both of my my questions will be more for the first panel for the earlier one.

Um just wanted to, I know, and I know that we're there's lots of trade-offs.

Um, just wanted to express sort of a little bit of disappointment at the cut to the mayor's office of arts and culture, especially in a year where we have so much going on.

Um, and to the mayor's office of uh economic inclusion and opportunity.

Um, how are we going to ensure that even with those cuts we're going to be able to put on the programming that we want to see that we want to see for the summer when it comes to uh the 250 when it comes to FIFA World Cup when it comes to tall ships?

Um that we're not sort of scaling back on our commitments to doing the work of um economic opportunity and inclusion.

Um I think in many cases we're able to leverage um external funds and other resources to continue with that programming.

I think a lot of that programming, particularly around the 250th, um is externally funded as well.

Um and then since you know, particularly for World Cup, the bulk of that is happening in the previous fiscal year.

Um so leveraging resources that may still exist in FY26 to help with that programming, but it's always been a bit of a patchwork of funding.

Um, and I don't think we have any uh expectation that we won't be able to move forward with some of the things that we've already planned because of the uh operating budget we've put forward.

Thank you.

Um we're still waiting to have the grants come out regarding the uh FIFA World Cup that are gonna come from um Office of Arts, uh, the cultural grants and from the cultural grants.

We did I did mention that if they're insufficient, what would it look like to you know in fiscal year 27 to have some allocation because these events will be going on at the current of currently based on what the budget looks like, um that does not seem to be like a promising avenue.

So I just want to reiterate how important it's going to be to ensure that we're doing everything we can to have our small businesses participate.

You really did give me three minutes to have our small businesses participate and uh to make sure that we're able to have community celebrations.

Um and then I think my questions were about um the debt, my other questions were about debt service.

So it says bond issuance becomes more sensitive to the annual growth rate of the operating budget.

So I take that to mean sort of the if the growth if it like less growth is that the debt service is taking up more of the exactly, yeah, exactly.

So is our budget uh if it's growing less, your overall debt service represents a greater share of the overall budget, and so that's what could you know get you closer to that seven percent.

But unless like I mean, it's at the end of the day, it is a policy choice.

Um, what is it about the policy choice the policy choice that we're making that is it is so pegged to the idea of us um uh to strong fiscal policy.

I'll I'll just say that.

Meaning what I guess why is having that 7% limit so important?

I so it's been in place for uh a long time.

Um so we've had this policy in place for a while, and it's really about striking that balance between you know ability to do projects while also continuing to deliver on the operating budget and trying to just keep it as constrained as possible because if we increase the limit, we issue more debt, that's just less money that's available for grant programs or other things, right?

So it's a it's a uh balance that's served us well, um, and we plan to continue with it.

But also in this year, we do see it is it right that it's at 5.9%, right?

That's the percentage of that we're at.

Uh is that right here?

Yeah, that's right.

Which is less than 6.4, which freezes up, which freeze which should free up a bit more in the operating budget for other line items.

And I think that the uh in the in the operating uh budget deck um earlier today, there's a reduction in the debt service budget.

That's one of the ways that I think the operating budget is is helping to see those savings this year and mitigate other harms in other places.

So that reduction in debt service this year is sort of a temporary decrease in the future.

We expect to see it continuing to go back up.

When is the last time that we've been that we've been able to do that?

So the uh or have we done that before?

So the the debt service budget it it can sort of bounce up and down, or the the percentage, I guess, can bounce up and down.

It doesn't necessarily increase linearly.

Um so it it depends, I'm not sure the most recent other time that we've sort of made an intentional choice to decrease it.

I think in you know fiscal times that that is one of the things is to reduce the borrowing.

It's it's uh to is you say that again in tight fiscal times.

You you would reduce the size of your borrowing, so instead of borrowing 350 million you borrow 250 million, and that saves you when you're operating dollars.

I just to uh you you can ask a follow-up, but um so in terms of the debt service budget going down, how much of that is because we're sort of uh stretching out the time where we're paying off the debt.

It's mostly associated with the refunding we're planning to do in the spring.

And um I I right and and maybe a timing, a timing on um one of our debt payments.

So it's not the the savings you're seeing in FY27 aren't necessarily associated with the policy changes I spoke of earlier.

You'll kind of see those in future years.

Um but it's the savings in FY27 are mostly uh related to the refunding and the restructuring that we spoke of.

And can you talk about the restructuring again?

Just I just want to make sure I understand.

So yes.

So we issued a 10-year, we did a 10-year borrowing in 2024.

And you're amortizing it now over 20 years.

Yes.

So we're gonna refund it and amortize it over what it would have looked like had it been our on our like regular GO schedule.

Which is 20.

A longer period of time.

Yeah, yeah.

Which is 20 years.

Yeah, but that to me then that to me then is then we will see in 27 a change as a result of a policy change that we've made.

A savings as a result of the policy change.

Yes, and we are seeing that.

That's at thir, I think 13 million dollars.

Right.

But like the the change we talked about, the rate of the principal retirement rate that we talked about, I don't think we're seeing that savings reflected yet in the 27 budget.

And what is it again that you're gonna do with the principal retirement?

We um let me just pull it up.

We have eased the uh rapidity of the repayment.

So previously our policy said that 35 to 40 percent of debt is retired within five years, 65 to 70 percent is retired within 10.

Uh we've modified, we've kind of set a new floor to say that no less than 30% of the debt be retired within five years, and no less than 55% of the debt be retired within 10.

So it just gives us a little bit more flexibility.

I think it's but that's uh that's what I was referring to, and you said that that's not we're not seeing the impact of that in the 2000s.

Yeah, not in 27.

So that's the 27, the no, the 27 impact is the 10 to 20 yeah in amortization and then the longer term is like just like the scale.

Yeah.

I mean, it's interesting that uh this is my end of my question.

I'm trying to in my head think about whether it makes I mean we're doing it now because of the financial constraints, but I'm just trying to think about whether like it would be good to see what these changes would look like in a time of just not maybe not even prosperity, but in normal times, to see if it's something that we could do more long term, because I think that without it impacting sort of our triple A bond rating, because I do think a lot of other cities do do a 30-year right, and like I think about there are a number of different factors that make our uh that make Boston fiscally strong, and it would be it would be good to be able to try to um isolate like what what really is having an impact.

Um we have property rate, like if we become like other cities, a lot of those other cities don't have triple A bond ratings, but as I as I understand it, another strength of ours is property taxes compared to those cities that don't have a triple A have A, I think is what they have.

Um wepan our 30-year schedule.

So I'm just trying to think about what it what of these policy changes should be, larger structural changes, and I don't know if we'll get the data from to understand that in l in a and in a challenging time.

That that's all I'm trying to think about.

Yeah.

But thank you, thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Well, and then I don't know if there's any opinions or thoughts on that, but chime in on the I I mean the the only thing I might mention is that uh right when we have our policy of rapid repayment of debt, what that means is that when we borrow in the short term, we're paying back a lot of it very quickly.

And that means that in the long term, our cost of capital, the amount that we are paying as a city in totality over that 20-year amortization is relatively low.

Because we're paying back so much of it so fast, the interest rate is relative or the amount of interest is relatively low.

If we relax the policy and we pay back less debt in the short term, we will we can see short-term gains, but in the long term, we will end up paying substantially more.

So you know, you can look at it in like a in a five-year window.

It might look like we can borrow so much more, but when you look at it over a 20-year period, actually the amount that we're able to borrow has decreased in totality because of our debt service requirements.

Yeah, I guess but isn't there a pro to building more?

Like if we just spent more than if we went over the 7% and we we built more, it's not just all money we're spending.

There things are, you know, I don't know, we're getting more in tax revenue because uh things are worth more.

I I don't, you know, how do you make that determination whether to go over seven percent?

I I no, yeah, I think it's it is that that balance that we continue to talk about.

The sort sort of uh I think I think yeah, sometimes capital can be viewed as sort of a stimulus to economic um in fact that used to be a recurring thing to say how many like short-term construction jobs are created, how many long-term jobs uh, but it's it's the implications for the operating is sort of how debt burdened are you becoming by by adding these and they have to be municipal assets.

That's that's the tech exam component of it.

Okay, I know my colleagues are sticking around.

So uh Councilor Braden.

Um brief because I have to leave, but uh I just wanted to give a shout out to the parks um and uh Kathy Baker at Clips Center team.

Um we have had many parks in our list for a long, long time, some of them for uh McKinney Park.

Um I'd love to uh Kathy, if you're still Kathy's still here.

Still here, yeah, good.

Um we've had many bumps in the road with cat with McKinney, but I'd love to know when we're when we're anticipating getting started on the work with McKinney.

We're gonna be bidding at the end of this month.

End of this month, so probably July one.

July, okay.

And then Ringer, um really important one for us because it's right in the middle of a heat island.

Um how's the progress going on that?

I know it started last year, yeah.

We started last year, we added some scope, so we are working furiously to try to get it done this summer.

Yeah.

And then uh Chandler Pond um phase two.

Is it yeah?

So there was there was uh some funding added to the capital budget to make up for the the loss and some other funding that we were we were hoping for.

So that is in the budget.

Um then I know we have other bits and bobs in the in the mix, but uh really just want to thank you and your team because we've we've been in this together in the in the we've had state funding, we've had city funding, we go beat the bushes for developers to get money, we uh push to get money out of institutional master plans and developers to really help support our parks in the neighborhood.

So um, and it's a team effort, so I want to thank you and your team.

It's um it's exciting to see some of these parks, especially McKinney.

It was just once to start the reconstruction of Fannial Gardens, it's going to be a haven for all those kids that need to need an a respite from construction.

So thank you.

Absolutely.

Yeah, go at we'll be able to celebrate in some parks this summer, I think.

Excellent.

Yeah, thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Okay, thank you.

Um I just uh before we go to Councillor Culpeper.

Uh just so you know, we uh April 6th, I guess you know, we receive the two uh appropriation orders, uh I think BPS and non-BPS, and they're the projects listed in those.

That so the the projects that are actually listed, there's money authorized.

Um again, my vocabulary is probably off, but what what do we take?

What's the significance of something being listed there?

So uh a few a few things.

One, um, not to to tag on the vocabulary, uh, and maybe this is the the sort of answer of the back and forth we have we're having before on those loan orders, we are the city council is authorizing the city to spend, it's not an appropriation order.

So I think that's the distinction between when you're asking about you know when when money is there but it's not spent, where is it?

It's not actually appropriated.

So money hasn't actually been moved anywhere.

Um it's just been authorized for us to be able to spend.

Um specifically though, if you look in the budget book on the project profiles, um there's a uh in the the authorizations tab, and I'm getting a little bit specific, but if you look in there uh in the authorizations tab, it'll say existing money, FY27 and future, and that FY27 number, that will total to the same amount that is on the loan orders in totality.

Um so that's what it what it represents in the loan orders themselves.

We don't break out how much money is allocated to each project, um, just because it it's not a requirement that we do that um for the the legal purposes of what the loan order is, um but in the budget book you can see how much we are allocating to each project from within that loan order in that FY27 authorization amount.

Okay, and so where that where that number is zero or there was like existing and then the FY27 number zero, what does that mean?

So if the FY27 number is zero, that means that they were not asking for any new authorization this year.

However, that existing number represents authorizations that have been passed in the in the past, and so that is authorization that exists that we are uh that you have given us the approval to spend on.

So that's why there are some projects that are um you know, Fields Corner Library is a great example of this, I think.

There is 32 million dollars of existing authorization.

That project is actively under construction.

We're not asking for any new money because we already have the money to do that that construction project.

Okay, and then when it's authorized, do you have a specific dollar figure for the for e the each individual project?

So we we allocate it um when we put the plan together, um, and that's what the budget book represents.

Um there is some flexibility that exists to move between projects on an as needed basis, um, but we we don't we try to do that as minimally as possible.

Do you do you have the data?

Um sorry, Councilor Culpepper, you you're right.

Uh do you have the data for um you know the historical breakdown of the data uh you know that's uh authorized you know the existing that could we piece that together for like 10 years going back for projects uh you know that I guess have gone on that long, but um I I think the answer is yes, um, but I think that we we would be interested in working more with the okay, yeah.

We we can figure out exactly what would be helpful.

Okay, thank you very much.

Counselor Culpepper, you have four minutes uh for the final round and Mr.

Chair, yeah.

So I wanted to ask about a project or Trotter Park.

So in the um capital budget, there's 165,000 for the playground for the school at Trotter Park.

We also put in a request for work to be done on the Trotter Park Park itself that we didn't see appear in the budget.

And so my question is what do we have to do to get something in the budget that the community and myself think is critical because you're now gonna have the school playground that's gonna be redone.

The park's not gonna be redone.

But last time they did the park, Trout of Park, they took the tennis court out, right?

And and put two basketball courts there.

When the community said just the opposite, leave the tennis court there.

So what do we have to do in D7 to get something done that we've asked that the community needs, like to redo Trot Apart.

I remember May Mayor Peace, Mayor Needle said, Don't worry, we got that cover.

There's people who are gonna take you a trot apart.

May I wall say the same thing is people don't worry, we got it covered.

Now, as city council, I put it in, we still didn't get anything for the what do we have to do?

So somebody tell me.

Well, so what I I think what I'll say, and then Kathy, please uh correct everything that I say is that the 160K um that we have in the plan right now, that represents just the initial design uh and study money to get for the school playground.

For the I So I think there's there's a couple, sorry, Ian.

Um there's the there's the playground in front of the school, there's a playground behind the school, and there's a playground to the side of the school.

Right.

That's the part.

Right.

The playground to the side of the school is the parks department.

The ones in front and behind our BPS.

Uh I think the one behind was done through CPA funding, and the one through uh on the front is in the current batch of CPA funding requests for open space.

So those so the one in the back is done, the one in the in the front will be done uh with CPA funding, and the one on the side is the 165 for if there is a playground there, there's a court there, there's a splash pad, there's a plaza, and there's some trees and that lovely fencing with the the wavy uh so it was the parks department that kept saying that they were going to redo Trotter Park itself.

Yes, it never happened.

So what do we have to do?

You're just for BP for the schools, right?

Oh, for the parks.

Yeah, so I'm I'm the parks commissioner.

Oh, great.

So yes, so that's okay.

We'll talk after this.

I don't know.

Yes, happy to talk more talk to you.

But we are beginning the design process to talk about what the community would like to see there.

Okay.

If there's a if there's um happy to have conversations about the tennis, basketball, what the playground looks like, whether it's flashback.

I got it.

I got so that we don't have construction funding yet, but but uh we do have money for to advance the design.

I'm gonna come see you because we got a budget next year.

We'll have a budget next year.

I'm gonna come and see you.

The other thing, Dion.

Thank you, Commissioner.

What do we have to do?

So I understand the process for Grove Hall Community Center.

I understand the discussion about the steam room.

In fact, we even sat with I think the commissioner at the time and looked at where a steam route can go at Grove Hall Community.

What do we need to do to get a steam room?

I mean, can't we get something we asked for?

The men and the senior women, can't they?

I mean, look, the community, parcel three, white stadium, center bus lane.

When you look at all the stuff that we have to fight for, can't we at least have a steam room after all these fights to go someplace to sit and relax and talk about victories?

I mean, what do we need to do to get a steam room?

Because I thought when those men said we want a steam room, I thought it was critical that we try and deliver something that they've asked for, especially when you look at the disinvestment in D7.

So thanks for the question, Counselor.

Uh and I'm glad that you you also brought up other projects that have been long asked for, like White Stadium, um Madison Park, Grovewall Community Center, right?

You can keep we can keep going, and we're glad that we're acting on them now.

Uh happy to follow up with you.

I think we've done some analysis at as to what it would take, um, what type of impact to the project it would be if we were to change course now.

So we're happy to sit down with you and show you what that would look like.

Uh I do know there was robust engagement on it.

I I personally wasn't in all those conversations, but uh I will dig it, you know, research it a little bit further, and like I said, happy to follow up to show you what it would take for us to get a steam room there.

Yeah, and I would put part of that robust engagement that's robust in right now.

But whatever it takes, because I think at some point we gotta say some bring some good news to folks that have just been patiently waiting, um being good residents and looking for some good things to happen.

I look, I agree with you on White Stadium and the soccer team.

I agree, 10 years from now, everybody's gonna be saying that Dion was brilliant to fight for that white stadium.

Maybe not now, but at some point they will.

But but I do think that in the meantime that we need to try and bring something to folks that they can cheer and be happy about that the city heard them and not only heard them but delivered for them.

No, he loves and clearly counselor.

I do want to make sure I say for the record that there's a lot in that community center that the community asked for that folks are happy about, but we're willing to revisit the starter conversation with you.

Thank you, thank you.

Thank you, Dion.

I mean, thank you, Ms.

Iris.

Yeah.

I appreciate coming back with that answer.

Uh it means a lot to folks in the district.

I think everything we can get does, and uh in fact, the no books no ball was really hot on those seats.

So I can go back now and tell them that uh uh deputy superintendent Sam DePina delivered for them.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ashley.

Thank you, Jim.

Thank all of you.

And and it's it's good to be able to have these kind of conversations because results come out of these conversations that would never come out if we didn't have them.

And so just I just thank all of you on the panel.

Thank you, public works.

Uh thank you.

We okay.

I think we got I think we got the gist.

Uh um I did just uh, you know, um did was there an answer for when construction is gonna start on the South End Library and what is the community process going to look like.

Dion is that no, so the the answer is the same.

Um as I mentioned, we're wrapping up the um design, and we're gonna be working with um uh neighborhood coordinator to set up a community meeting so we can meet with with the uh residents and the elected officials to talk about.

The answer is TBD is uh both.

TBD, but but not but in the near future, like I just don't have a date right now.

Okay, well that that may not be the answer you're looking for, but uh you know it's an answer.

Uh okay.

I wasn't gonna ask them anymore.

Meetings for the South End Library really won't be about the South End Library, they'll really be about how they can make that alley passable for trucks and different vehicles that are going to be going up the alley.

Because it's not about the library.

That design is done, right?

Yeah, but you know, we don't intend to come and just talk about like just the alleyway, so we'll wouldn't they have a full conversation.

But the alleyway is the reason why it's not moving into the construction phase.

No, I mean before the alleyway, we always um committed to the community that we'd be coming back before construction that we'd be meeting with the community again.

No, I understand that, but I'm saying the issue right now that's holding up any further movement is resolving the alleyway issue.

Yeah, we're completing design.

Okay.

And when will that be completed?

For the alleyway.

Mr.

Chair, this is the alleyway now.

Okay.

That you opened up.

Yeah.

When will the design for the alleyway be completed?

So you can then be because I think the community they don't understand there's another piece to the issue, which is the alleyway.

And so, yeah, no, no, I think some community members are are well aware that this is an issue that needs to be resolved.

So I'm currently working with Chief Gove and his team.

Um we've gone out there and done test runs with different vehicles.

We've come up with some, we've asked our designer to come up with some solutions that we're now looking at the different options.

So we we're very close to conclude.

Okay, okay.

Okay.

Sounds like it's the same answer.

Uh different question.

Uh the design of the element for the library is completed, right?

No, because the che um things that we're looking at does affect the overall library design, right?

Oh, okay.

So the library may be not necessarily the building, but the um the the property.

Right, the rear.

And yeah, the park next door, other things that are also very important to the community.

Okay, okay.

Okay, th thank you very much, Council Cold.

Your questions were were great.

Uh uh, but we do we are constricted by time and uh I know um I just want to thank everyone for for being here, especially uh you know Ashley Graffenberger and Jim Williamson have been here all day.

Uh thank you very much.

Um and I'm sure we'll have more questions throughout this process, you know, uh and uh I look forward to the answers and uh you know getting closer to the to the vote in June.

Um okay, so this hearing on uh oh no, is there anyone else?

Okay uh this hearing on Dockett's uh numbers um 0733 to 0740 is now adjourned.