And the Good morning.

For the record, my name's Ben Weber.

I'm the district six city counselor and the chair of the Ways and Means Committee.

Today is May 21st, 2026, and the exact time is ten fifteen AM.

Apologize for the late start.

So I have a few preliminary things to go through, and then we're going to have a presentation from the panel and then questions from my colleagues.gov slash city dash council-tv and broadcast on Xfinity Channel 8, RCN Channel 82, and FIOS channel nine sixty-four.

The council's budget review process encompasses a series of public hearings that begin in April and run through June.

First, for a full hearing schedule, please look at our website, Boston.gov slash council dash budget.

You can give public testimony by attending any one of our hearings.

If you are looking to testify virtually, please uh you can sign up using the online form on our council budget review website, or by emailing the committee at ccc.wm at Boston.gov, or by emailing Karishma Choan at K A R I S H M A.

C H O U H A N at Boston.gov.

Yeah, once you're called on, you'll have two minutes to testify.

Uh please tell us your name, uh uh where you live in the city and if you're with an organization, your affiliation, and uh you'll again have two minutes to make comments.

Um, in uh you can also testify in person or virtually at the fourth of four of our listening sessions.

Our last one will be Tuesday, May twenty sixth here in the chamber at six p.m.

Again, you can testify at that hearing in person or virtually.

Uh, in lieu of testifying at one of the hearings, you can email written testimony to the committee at ccc.wm at Boston.gov.

You can also submit a two-minute video of your testimony through the form 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 counsel dash budget.

Uh, in-person testimony again, will be taken following the first round of counselor questions, and in each person will be given two minutes to testify.

Uh, if you again, if you're online and looking to for a Zoom link, you can get one uh by emailing our director of legislative budget analysis, Karishma, at K A R ISHMA.

C H O U H A N at Boston.gov for the zoom link, and your name will be added to the list.

This morning's hearing is on docket number zero seven three three to 0740, an overview of the fiscal year 2027 operating budget for the Boston Public Health Commission.

This hearing, this morning's hearing will cover topics including the uh BPHC uh BPHC overview, emergency medical services, recovery services, and homeless services.

This is one in a series of hearings to review the fiscal year 27 budget.

This afternoon, we'll be hearing from uh the Boston Public Health Commission, where we'll be covering the topics of infectious disease, child adolescent and family health, violence prevention, and behavioral health and wellness.

So if your questions are on those topics, uh we can save those for the afternoon.

Uh again, that hearing is starting at three.

Uh usually started two.

We started three uh advocates, I think wanted to come and and speak, and so I really want to thank BPHC for being accommodating to that.

It really helps us uh, you know, um do our jobs.

Uh so these matters were sponsored by Mayor Michelle Wu and referred to the committee on April 8th, 2026.

This morning I'm joined by my colleagues Norva Arrival.

We have Councillor Flynn and Councillor Braden.

We've received letters of absence from Councillor Santana and Counselor Louis Gen.

I believe we may also have questions submitted by uh Councillor Coletta Zapata, who gets special dispensation for being on maternity leave.

I will read her questions for you to answer if I receive them.

That is not, unless somebody is on maternity leave or paternity leave.

I am not extending that invitation to any of my colleagues, so don't get any ideas.

Um so I'm just gonna introduce the panel and then hand things over.

Uh we're joined this morning by the Chief of Public, uh, the Chief of Public Health Commission.

Uh I don't know if I got that right.

Uh Dr.

Basola Ojikutu.

Uh, we're joined by the Public Health Commission budget director, Chris Valdez, and we're joined by the Chief of Emergency Medical Services and my constituent, Jim Hooley.

Uh, nice to see you.

Uh, and uh, I believe you're my constituent.

If I do I have that wrong, maybe I have increasing 14.

Yeah, I think that's me.

But if you were in Pepin's district, you're now in mine.

So, thank you very much.

It's really nice to see everyone.

If you have a presentation, the floor is now yours.

Great, good morning, Chair Weber and distinguished counselors.

I'm honored to be here today before you on behalf of the Boston Public Health Commission and our over 1400 dedicated employees who are working every day to build a healthier Boston.

For the record, my name is Dr.

Vasola Ojikutu.

I am the Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Boston and the executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission.

This morning, I'll be providing an overview of the Commission's work and detailing some of our accomplishments over the past fiscal year, specifically focused on the areas of recovery services and homeless services.

I will also provide an overview of Live Long and Well, our city's first population health equity agenda, which is focused on closing gaps in life expectancy in our city.