Call this meeting to order.

This is a meeting of the city council.

It is Thursday, January 8th.

I've lost my glasses already.

What a start.

Good evening, everyone.

Pursuant to chapter two of the acts of 2025.

This meeting of the city council is being conducted.

No, that's the wrong.

That's the wrong thing.

Let's try this again.

Note that video and audio of this meeting is being recorded and maybe shown live on local access government channels and on the City of Somerville website and will be available for future review.

Would the clerk please call the roll?

This is roll call.

Counselor Ewan Campen?

Here.

Counselor Link.

Yes.

Here.

Councilor Scott.

Present.

Councillor Klingon?

Present.

Councillor Strasbo?

Present.

Counselor Saeed?

Here.

Counselor Wheeler?

Here.

Counselor Hart?

Here.

Councilor McLaughlin?

Here.

Councilor Mbaugh.

President.

Counselor Davis.

Here.

With all counselors present, we have quorum.

All right, thank you.

Pursuant to our Rule 32.

Let it be known that the City Council salutes the flag of the United States of America.

And let us recall our oath to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the Commonwealth to the best of our abilities and understanding.

We begin our meetings with a moment of silence.

Are the counselors wishing to say a few words about members of our community tonight?

Councilor Ewan Campen.

Go ahead.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I have two tonight.

Mary was a lifelong resident of Somerville in Ward 3 on Spring Street.

She was one of eight siblings.

Many of us may know her sister Sheila Tracy, who serves on the Commission for Persons with Disabilities, and many of her other siblings who are very active in Somerville.

And she was a longtime part of the Walnut Street Center for many, many, many years.

She actually was very recently up here at City Hall.

I know she met many of the counselors when this city council gave a citation to firefighter O'Hearn about a children's book that she had written.

Mary was up here.

And I just want to send our deepest condolences to the family.

Yes, Mr.

President.

This one is not about Somerville.

A woman named Renee Nicole Good was murdered in Minneapolis by masked federal uh agent working for ICE.

Um this was in broad daylight, um caught on multiple cameras within hours.

The president of the United States was telling bald-faced lies about this murder that all of us could see with our own eyes, as were other federal officials, libeling this woman when everyone who can see um saw exactly what happened.

This was a mother of a young child, a beloved member of her community.

I encourage everyone to read up on her really just impeccable um reputation in the community.

Um it's hard to know what to say about this.

We are in uncharted territory.

Um describing the facts straightforwardly.

We have a masked federal agent killing a U.S.

citizen, completely unaccountable, protected by the president, um, as part of this just outrageous, disgusting effort to terrorize cities across the country, particularly immigrants, particularly anyone who doesn't look white.

Um and tragedies like this are the predictable outcome of this garbage.

Um it is horrifying beyond words, and tonight I ask that we keep um Miss Good's memory in our hearts and pledge to honor her memory.

Thank you.

Others councilor Scott would like to sign on to that one, I would as well.

I see the whole council would like to sign on to that one as well.

Okay.

I I I believe a few others had also prepared some words about uh about this uh remembrance.

If you'd like to say anything, you're welcome to this would be time would be appropriate.

If not, certainly we can sign on to the words of Councillor Ewan Campan.

Um seeing no fur no further remembrances would uh everyone in the chambers please rise as you are able uh in uh and uh recognize a moment of silence for the aforementioned individuals.

Madam Clerk, next item.

That brings us to item one point three, approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of November 25th, 2025.

Any discussion?

Seeing none, that item is approved.

Next item.

Next item is 3.1, a grant of location.

Ever source applying for a grant of location to install approximately a total of 2.7 feet of conduit in Highland Avenue from an existing manhole 1894 to an approximate point of pickup at 185 Highland Avenue.

All right, I declare this public hearing to be open.

Is there anyone here to speak on this item?

Jackie Duffy.

Hi, how are you tonight?

We're well, thank you.

How are you?

I'm good, thank you.

I would like to install approximately three feet of conduit in Highland Avenue to provide electric service to 185 Highland Avenue.

Okay, is there anyone else here to speak on the item?

All right, seeing none, I declare the public hearing to be closed.

Any discussion?

I gotta figure I gotta remember now where all y'all are seating sitting now, looking at the wrong the wrong direction.

Any discussion?

No discussion?

All right, that item is approved.

Next item, please.

Item 3.2, a grant of location.

Ever source applying for a grant of location to install approximately a total of 110 feet of conduit in Jack Street from utility poll 182 over four to an approximate point of pickup at 146 Jack Street.

I'd declare this public hearing to be open.

Is there anyone here to speak on the item?

Jackie Deputy Eva Source would like to install approximately 110 feet of conduit in Jack Street to provide electric service to 146 Jack Street, please.

Anyone else here to speak on the item?

All right, uh seeing none.

Uh anyone else online now.

Okay.

Uh so I declare the public hearing to be closed.

Any discussion?

No.

All right.

Um that item is approved.

Uh so we have a few items that we go that we'd like to uh take out of order at the request of the administration.

Um the first is item 7.4, and then the second will be 7.1.

Uh 7.1.

I believe Mayor Wilson is here to speak on that uh to speak to uh speak to us on that item, but um the administration said they would like to start with 7.4.

So if there's no objection, Madam Clark.

That brings us to item 7.4, a mayor's request requesting approval to accept and expend a $50,000 grant with no new match required from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to the Health and Human Services Office of Food Access and Healthy Communities for the Somerville Mobile Farmers Market.

Any discussion?

Any questions on the item?

Uh yes, Council Wheeler.

Um I just wanted to to share an understanding for those watching at home that um my understanding is that the uh the typical way that the council will handle um most financial matters will be to refer the relevant items to the finance committee.

But when there's um a particular reason why an item should be addressed immediately, uh that makes sense, that's appropriate, then we try to consider it as a council and skip that step.

Uh if that understanding isn't quite correct, clerk or president, please correct me.

Just thought I'd share that for people who might be watching their first meeting.

An excellent reminder, um, and you uh you got that exactly right.

Um I will always meet with the uh with the clerk's office and with the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs earlier in the week, uh so they can flag some of these items so we have a discussion about it.

Sometimes things come up after that and and uh you know we communicate that as uh as they come up.

But uh but yeah, no, that's exactly right.

So in this in this case, um the the hope is to get this moving.

Um counselor Scott.

I'm sorry.

Council Wheel, you all set?

Okay, Council Scott.

Uh thank you, Mr.

President.

Just for folks at home.

Uh if you were look take a look at uh page 24 of the attached document, it describes the scope of services.

This is just money uh granted from the Commonwealth for us to run the Somerville uh farmers market, so mobile farmers market.

So uh this looks in order to me, Mr.

President.

I'd recommend approval.

Move to recommend remote.

Speak up a little at your microphone, please.

You got it, Harry.

Thank you for that reminder.

Yes, eat your microphones as much as you can.

All right, very well.

Um so seeing no further discussion.

Do we need a roll call on that one?

No.

All right, that item is approved.

Let's take us to 7.1 then.

And 7.1, a request of the mayor requesting approval to use available funds in the executive administration salaries account and the amount of four thousand five hundred and forty-three dollars and four cents to fund executive liaisons public, executive liaison community partnerships, and executive liaison legislative positions.

President Davis, honorable counsel.

So you understood what this was as part of uh sort of greater reorganization we're looking at doing in the city.

We are doing a restructuring at the mayor's office.

As a result, we've introduced uh we've repurposed two roles for two new roles.

That's what this is.

This is the salaries for those folks.

Uh we have a now a mayor's public liaison, Jesse Moose.

We have a community partnerships liaison, Brennan Broderick.

Uh as a result, uh we needed to move some salary around.

So that's what you're seeing before you.

Um we wanted to I wanted to come explain that to you and ask that you uh please approve this tonight.

Happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Mr.

President, through you, uh Mayor Wilson.

Uh can you please give uh just a quick description of each of the roles?

Absolutely, through the president.

Uh happy for that question.

Uh the mayor's public liaison is basically the conduit between the mayor's office and the public.

Uh that role is also has it has some social media uh responsibilities as well as is just uh making sure that the public uh has someone they can talk to and make sure that their concerns are elevated to the mayor's office uh and then bring that communication right back to them.

Uh I feel it's very important that the people feel connected to their mayor, and this position is a key part of making that happen.

Uh the other role, the community partnerships liaison, uh it's been my observation that we have not historically done a great job of coordinating efforts between the city and our many community partners.

Uh I could name them, I don't want to leave anyone out, but you know from uh you know the organizations working with the homeless to uh main streets organizations.

We have so many community partners who do incredible work, invaluable work for us, and it was a really important priority for me to make sure that we are involving them and making sure that we're all on the same page so we could aren't duplicating efforts, that the work is getting done, and that's why this position is such an important one.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Follow-up on that to come um Mayor Wilson.

Um thank you for that.

Um with the social media uh work of the the is it public executive liaison who may be doing that.

Um will that be in the communications department or is that a separate entity?

And um uh can you just quickly describe the necessity of separating that if it is uh separate from the commute communications department, the purpose of that, etc.

Absolutely, through the president.

Uh I thought it was important that the mayor's social media account is the voice of the mayor.

Um, for example, went and cut a video.

What was that yesterday?

I don't know, time blurs.

Uh announcing that the chapter 40 B filing that was done in Davis Square.

Uh we got a lot of very good feedback on that.

We're gonna be doing other similar things like that.

I think it's very a very important channel for us to connect with people and get the word out to the community about important things going on.

We're gonna be looking to do much, much more of that.

Uh it there's coordination with comms, obviously, on anything on the social media side.

Uh I just thought it was important to have that divide between the mayor's social media account and the city social media account because we haven't always seen that clear divide in the past.

Counselor Scott.

Uh thank you, Mr.

President.

Um excited to hear about this.

Also just excited to hear update on plans uh coming in.

I really appreciate it.

Uh our mayor knows how much I pay close attention to the budget book.

So as I was looking at the descriptions of the positions posted, uh they're both listed as grade threes.

Uh when I look at the last year's budget book, I see a few different positions in here that are listed as uh grade three S's.

Are some of these are these positions being reclassified as part of that?

Maybe if you could just help me understand the work char bit.

Absolutely.

Through the president, uh, in consultation with our CAO.

Uh we felt that the the grade three S class classification wasn't necessarily the the best use of that classification there.

And so as a result, we moved to a grade three.

Uh you know, we just believe that that's uh the best captures the the qualifications required for these positions and puts them uh more in alignment with one another.

Okay, and then through you, Mr.

President, just to make sure I understand.

So these would be the two three S legislative liaison positions from last budget.

The current director of IGA line remains unchanged.

Uh director of IGA line is is uh we're currently in negotiation with a new director.

Uh uh well there's a hiring process underway.

We're hiring a new director of intergovernmental affairs.

All right.

Uh to be to be determined on that front.

Uh I will say the reason why you see an increase there is we felt it was important to have uh equity and parity between these three roles.

And so we're putting bringing them they're all three liaisons doing different things, and it was important to to me uh to our office to bring them in at the same level salary-wise, and that's why you see that the that's why we're bringing in this money is to is to accomplish that.

I think that's important to do.

Yeah, thank you.

Uh thank you for that, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh uh, Mr.

President, as I was looking at it, I was just trying to understand the uh breakdown here because moving from a 3S down to a three would appear to be less money, but then the the requisition here for a little bit extra.

What am I missing?

Moving pieces here.

All right.

Uh yes.

Uh we could have moved things around a number of different ways.

You know, you recalled uh thank you for all the thank you for the appropriation that was passed um for the transition team expenses.

Uh we felt this was the best way to tackle this, uh, just in light of where we are now in the hiring process, not just for IGA director, but also for an executive administrative assistant position.

Where those are the two we're looking to hire.

Uh we're in the phone screen phone screen interview for the latter uh interview like first proper round of interviews for the first one.

All right.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um that answers the questions I had.

I appreciate it.

Just uh trying to do my best to keep an eye on things uh between now and the next budget season.

And Mr.

President, can I add we could have come to you way later for this?

I thought it was important on principle just to come to you and explain the restructuring that was going on.

I took full advantage of an opportunity, you know, just to come before you here at your first meeting and just as a gesture of what we're looking to do, bring you all along on this and make sure you know what's happened in the mayor's office.

Uh appreciate it, sir.

It's always a pleasure to see the mayor when they're not here to scold us.

Uh uh, Councilor Wheeler.

Through the chair.

Um I just wanted to say welcome to those who are new for working for the city, uh, both in the mayor's office and uh and throughout the staff.

Uh and congratulations to those who are continuing to work for the city moving from one role to another.

And I hope everyone um can see that summer role is a place where dedication and public service services uh and servants is recognized and uh careers flourish.

Thank you.

Mr.

President, can I add on that front?

Um I didn't introduce her because she's continuing on, but uh Yasmin Rodasi uh is your continuing to be your legislative liaison, so you all have her contact info.

Uh she's part of this though, so I just uh belated recognition to uh to Yasmin.

Any further questions?

Discussion?

All right, seeing none, that item is approved.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

All right, that will take us back to our regular order of business then.

And that brings us to item 4.1, an ordinance by counselor Davis amending chapter 2, Article 3 of the Code of Ordinances by adding a new section establishing the time and place of regular meetings of the city council.

All right, this will be referred to legislative matters.

I want to note what I um shared with the chair of legislative matters that um as if folks have will have seen, hopefully, if you've looked at this, this includes so the charter requires that we set we set um the the uh time that we are that we meet, the the timing of our meetings by ordinance.

Um there's a suggestion in here that we then move to a different day, Tuesday, and a different time um in two years.

That's a suggestion.

That's what's in the ordinance now.

My my the my reason for setting this to legislative matters is so we can have that conversation.

So um I want folks to take it in the in that spirit.

Um we'll have a robust discussion and and certainly if there's if there's a uh you know feeling there's a need for have a larger discussion on it, we can uh we can either do that at the council level or that's probably where we do it at this council level rather than a uh committee of the whole.

I don't think it would probably rise to that level.

So um but that's the I wanted to preface the uh the uh discussion here with that sort of intent.

Any uh country councillor Scott said, you want to speak to the item at all?

Uh of course, if there's any preliminary thoughts from counselors, uh happy to hear them tonight, but otherwise happy to take it into committee.

And if there are strong opinions about having this as a committee of the whole, feel free to refer them to me and I will take it under advisement, sir.

Thank you.

Very well.

And and as always, as I said, we can also do that at the council level as as we see fit.

Any discussion or questions at this stage?

All right, seeing none, that will be referred to legislative matters then.

Item 4.2, an order by Councillor Streso that the director of housing report to this council.

How many new units have been approved for development year by year since adoption of summer vision 2040?

And of those numbers, how many are permanently affordable and how the department defines affordability?

Councilor Sazo.

Can you please send this to housing community development and equity?

That is uh approved and with copy sent to Housing Community Development and Equity.

Thank you.

With all the commas in the right spot.

Next item.

Item 4.3, an order by Councillor Streso that the Director of Housing Stability discuss the current status of residents facing displacement and the number of households seeking rental assistance.

Council Strezzo.

Same thing.

Can you please send this there?

Housing Community Development and Equity.

All right, see no discussion.

That item is approved with a copy to Housing Community Development Housing Community Development and Equity.

Item 4.4 order by Councillor Streso that the Director of Parks and Recreation provide an update on upcoming inclusive playground accessibility plans and redesign projects.

Council Strozo.

See no discussion that item is approved.

Yep.

Committee, yep.

Housing community development.

Housing.

We need it.

We did a good acronym.

H C H C D E Housing Housing Committee.

We'll come up with something.

Probably put that, should have put that E somewhere else to maybe make it a little bit more of a better.

Housing Community Development and Equity, it is.

Yeah, right.

And item 4.5, an order by Councilor Streso that the Commissioner of Public Works and Relevant Departments discuss the future community use of founders rink for 2026 and beyond.

You're here.

Councilor Shezo.

Game on.

Please send it to Housing Community Development and Equity.

All right.

See no discussion.

That item is approved with a copy to Housing Community Development and Equity.

Next item.

Brings us to item 4.6, an order by Councillor McLaughlin that the Director of Mobility provide an update on the Kensington Connector.

Council McLaughlin.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

All of my orders are items that I've previously submitted, and I'm resubmitting them.

It's not gonna stop me from making a speech though.

Um Kensington Connector.

I think I've been advocating for this as long as I've been on the council.

I believe Chris Duan is keeping a tracker of the amount of times I've submitted this order.

For those of you who don't know, there's a highway that divides my community, two highways actually.

Uh but I-93 separates East Somerville from assembly.

We have a little underpass there that's dangerous and disgusting.

Uh we had uh Mass DOT come by, put some safety measures in there.

But uh, this is about beautification.

This is about making this a place people actually want to walk.

Lighting, artwork, security, something down there to just make it so not unpleasant.

Uh, I've been asking for several years, a lot of passing the buck.

I'm hoping this new mayor takes it on and we get it done this year.

All right, Council Strezzo.

Um yeah, I would just approve this item.

Councilor Strauss would like to sign on.

Do you want to speak to the item as well?

It actually, yeah, and I'd love to send this to Housing and Community Development Committee or public utilities or something.

I think that keeping it in committee and discussing it, there's a use for that.

Any objection to that?

Council McLaughlin gives the thumbs up from Councillor McLaughlin.

Uh preference on the committee.

Council McLaughlin?

Okay.

I mean, I'm happy to take it in mind, which by the way, I do want to say that the Kensington uh underpass is smelly and gross and scary at times.

My beloved dog Martha and I like to go in that region.

Um there have been times when people have been setting things on fire for some unknown reason at that moment.

Um the artwork that was put up by East Somerville Main Streets years ago.

Somebody slashed it, so it's just dangling there and tattered, and that's really unfortunate too.

Um it is scary at times, it is not well lit.

Um, and then of course that doesn't even count for the fact of of trying to cross the streets on both end and hoping no one gets killed.

So, yes, it is quite an important issue.

It should be addressed this year.

And can we do that, please?

Thanks.

All right.

Just to add to that, Mr.

President.

Uh, people have been killed down there.

Uh we had one unhoused person who died under that bridge, and then someone else was hit by a car as well.

So it is definitely something I would like I'd like it done before my time here is done.

That's for sure.

Very well.

All right.

Council Link.

Uh I guess just a question for this the you said beautification through the chair, sorry.

Um, this is a beautification project.

Um, is there any because it's with the DOT, is there any opportunity to fix the lighting the the crosswalk lights setup is not particularly safe.

Um is that something that could be discussed or is that not?

In this particular care to put put the question to Council McLaughlin.

Is that the intent?

Uh yes.

Council McLaughlin.

I would say I would think they're two separate things, but we can obviously have that conversation in committee.

Uh right now, I was pretty satisfied with a lot of the work Mass DOT did to make that uh uh area safer.

Uh and as far as how as far as I know, this has been approved by Mass DOT for some time, and that's what I mean by passing the buck.

I keep hearing that oh, we're waiting on the state, we're waiting on the state, and the state is saying that they're ready to work.

So I'm hoping the city is ready to work as well.

Okay.

All right.

So seeing no further discussion, that item is approved with a copy to housing community development and equity.

Very well.

Next item.

Item 4.7, a resolution by Councillor McLaughlin that the Director of Human Resources and the Chief of Police work with state officials to provide crossing guards on McGrath Highway.

Council McLaughlin.

This is another item, Mr.

President, that I've been told is a state issue, and then I talked to the state, and uh my rep Mike Connolly says they're ready to work on this, ready to do something.

I'm hoping the new mayor takes it up.

Um this will be public health and safety, I would say.

Councilor Chesson.

Thank you.

Yes, I'm I'm glad this is coming forward as this has been an issue.

And while we have the crossing guards uh on Medford Street and McGrath, that there still isn't any on Broadway, and despite years of the passing of the book of it's the city's job to hire it.

No crossing guards.

It's the state's job.

I I I've heard nothing but that back and forth three years as well, and I just don't understand, and I do want to sign on to this order, but we should absolutely be addressing this in committee.

I think it should be on record um that someone has an answer as to who hires them.

We've had the blessing of there being crossing guards continuously on Medford Street in McGrath, but that's an anomaly in this region, despite the fact that we're about to lose the crossing bridge over McGrath.

I am very concerned about safety in this region.

So we need some actual steps instead of pointing fingers to make sure that everyone can cross the street and not die in this region in the corridor of death.

Great.

See no further discussion.

That item is approved with a copy to where did you say uh public health and city?

Public health and public safety.

Very well.

Next item.

Item 4.8, a resolution by Councilor McLaughlin that the administration collaborate with East Somerville Main Streets and the Ward 1 city councilor to promote E Out and East to support East Somerville immigrant-owned businesses.

Councilor McLaughlin.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

This is also an item I previously submitted, but it is unfortunately very timely uh due to what happened in Minnesota this week.

I actually had uh representatives from St.

Paul reach out to me to ask what we're doing to address ICE in Somerville.

And I gave them my frank assessment as I tell everybody what we can do, what we maybe can't do, and the real the reality of having the federal government behaving in such a way, how we can respond to this.

And one of the things I said to them is that one of the basic things we can do is just be here for each other and be here for members of the community, for the immigrant community and the immigrant businesses, and also everyone who's affected by this, people who witness uh abductions on the street and seeing what uh what's going on in this community, what's happened before.

And this is a very simple idea that uh activists in the community have started, and I've supported them on this, is just once a week come down to East Somerville, eat at the local businesses, which are 75 percent immigrant-owned, come down, walk around the neighborhood, be visible, make sure people feel safe in the streets, not asking for anything outrageous.

Uh just building a community and making sure people are there for each other.

I've spoken to the mayor about this already and how we can get city assistance to make this happen, because if we just allow it, if we leave it up to activists alone, uh things like this can fall apart.

And I would like to see a full press from the city government to assist these businesses to assist East Summerville specifically, and to make sure that people feel safe in the community.

So I would take this up in public health and safety as well.

Any further discussion?

Council Chuzlin?

Yes.

Um if you want to uh through Ms.

President to Council McLaughlin, I also suggest bringing in economic development on this.

It should be pivotal in the in there pushing for the campaign of supporting small businesses and to the other additional level.

Um and yes, if it doesn't go to public health, public safety, which uh you may I think you're on that committee.

Yeah, so all right.

Enjoy the conversation, but always happy to talk about it too in housing and community development as well.

But yeah, you want a public health to public safety makes total sense.

See no th no further discussion.

Uh that is approved, and I think public health and public safety is fine.

Certainly since Councilor Show, we've already loaded up your committee pretty well.

Uh so uh that is uh a copy sent to public health and public safety.

Next item.

Item 4.9, a resolution by Councilor McLaughlin that the director of engineering and the director of mobility work to block off the end of Virginia Street and Aldridge Street to through traffic.

Traffic and parking, please.

No further discussion, that item is approved with a copy to traffic and parking.

Item 4.10, a resolution by Councilor McLaughlin that the director of planning, preservation, and zoning drafted an amendment to the zoning ordinances for transit-oriented height and density bonuses for additional affordable housing and other enumerated community benefits.

Councilor McLaughlin.

So this is the upzoning item, citywide upzoning.

It's been on our agenda for a few years now.

I have faith that this is gonna be the year.

Landious, please.

Very well.

Um so I think I think it was originally uh yourself.

Um counselor Wilson and and me were the three uh uh initial sponsors, so I'll I'll sign my name onto this one again.

Uh certainly um do we want to send this to committee as a as a as a uh reminder as a as sort of a holding item?

Yeah, it's a placeholder for the land use committee.

Okay, very well.

Um counselor site would like to sign on, Council Wheeler, Council Hart, and Counselor Link and Councilor Baught.

And Councilor Strazo.

Good.

Councilor Scott.

Very well.

Um that will be approved with a copy to land use.

Item 4.11, an order by Councilor Wheeler and Counselor Ewan Campin that the director of mobility discuss with this council the recommendations of the pedestrian and transit advisory committee regarding the 25% design documents of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation McGrath Boulevard project.

Council Wheeler.

Uh thank you.

Through the chair, um many of you and many people watching will be familiar with the uh mass department of transportation's McGrath Boulevard redesign project.

Uh, but some will not.

Uh the elevated portion is being taken down.

There's going to be an extensive uh change to what McGrath looks like on the ground.

And it's really great that it's happening.

I think uh I I am thrilled.

I know many colleagues are thrilled.

Uh there was an open house about the latest stage of this uh that was uh hosted uh here at the high school in December.

Uh I had the chance and other people had the chance to speak with members of the design team for this project.

Uh and they're paying attention to a huge number of details and and doing really great work.

That said, there are some areas where there is a trade-off between the convenience of drivers from outside Somerville uh and the safety of Somerville residents, particularly children at places like the Otis Street crossing where there's a playground and the edgerly with the Winter Hill School is nearby.

Um, and uh for the ability of neighborhoods on either side of McGrath to be connected to each other as one seamless neighborhood, not as a neighborhood that ends at a traffic wall.

Um so uh there's I think really thoughtful and uh attentive and specific feedback that our uh pedestrian transit advisory committee has produced.

Uh I would love for that to be the beginning of this council um articulating articulating as a whole um any areas where we want to urge MassDot to continue working and refining.

Thank you.

Council Ewan Campen.

Thank you, Mr.

President, and thank you to my colleague for leading on this.

Um can I ask that we read item 10.4 also, which is the recommendations from the PTAC.

We need to take take them up together.

Yeah.

Item 10.4, a public communication by the pedestrian transit advisory committee submitting comments for the McGrath Boulevard.

Um thank you, Mr.

President.

You know, I I think as my colleague just said, our hope is there are a lot of people who have really important feedback, and what we need to all do is sort of speak with one voice, right?

When we're dealing with a state agency like DOT, if we have this group of advocates saying this and the city council saying this, and the mobility department and the mayor's office saying this, they're gonna tune that out.

We need to try to have one voice that that is how we're gonna get our feedback heard.

So I'm looking forward to having this conversation in traffic and parking, you know, with the mobility department who have a lot of expertise working with state agencies.

Okay.

Council McLaughlin would like to sign on.

Counselor Lincoln, do you want to speak to Okay?

Just give give me a give me a wave if you want to that way I write your name down.

Counselor Link.

Through the chair.

I just want to uh thank Councilor Wheeler and Councillor Ewan Campen for bringing this up.

Uh and I just want to emphasize the the the very first one, which is the Hawk signal um on on Oda Street, which uh Councilor Wheeler mentioned.

And uh I you know I just really really hope that um that we can get that back to a signalized um crossing okay counselor Scott.

Mr.

President, Hawk signals, one of my favorite topics of discussion.

Those who are uh not uh frequent followers of the city council can see some greatest hits footage over the year uh as it relates to the Hawk signals on Beacon Street.

So uh on that one, I was told it was too late to make a change, but I'm gonna keep holding on to Councilor Needergang's advice.

It's never too late to correct the mistake.

So uh let's uh let's all join in the fight together.

I look forward to it, sir.

Counselor Cling.

Thank you, Mr.

President, through you.

Thank you, my colleagues.

As the one of the counselors who uh uh one one side of the McGrath is Ward 4, the other side is Ward 1.

Well, sort of um I do not like Hawklights at all, especially not for there.

Um, but you know, uh I would be remiss not to mention I know I've heard the maze offer, they heard a bunch of different things.

I know State Representative Mike Conley is uh very much sort of hands-on with this project, so naturally um that one voice would include his voice, of course.

Um, but yeah, I I appreciate this conversation because I I'm not totally satisfied with what we have there.

I know that uh as usual, budgets are the constraint, but uh I think we can with the right advocacy uh we can get there.

So thank you both.

Okay.

Councillor Say would like to sign on.

All right.

Councilor Link would like to sign on.

Counselor Klingon would like to sign on twice.

Council.

All right, very well.

Uh so that is approved with a copy to traffic and parking.

Is that the request?

Yeah, okay.

Next item is item 4.12, an order by Counselor Wheeler that this counselor work with the administration to clarify understanding of the rules for accessory dwelling units or affordable dwelling units as detailed within.

Councilor Wheeler.

Uh thank you.

Through the chair.

Uh so uh legalizing accessory dwelling units uh is a move intended to be a gentle way to add homes to our city without displacing existing residents.

Um, however, across the multiple layers of government that have policy related to housing, uh there are often tricky ambiguities about different definitions, different terminology.

Uh, and there's some questions that have come up uh in our community about clarifying some of these some of these questions, some of these ambiguities uh related to terminology, related to height limits in different documents, and related to the relationship between the primary structures and these secondary structures behind them.

And in particular, uh an aspect of this that I'm curious about is um whether there is a pattern happening of uh some developers interpreting ADU rules to split what might otherwise be a single building that would be subject to inclusionary zoning because of its number of units into two smaller structures that each avoid the threshold.

Um so that's that's a particular question that I have.

Um I think we should get clear about uh what our city's interpretation uh of these different definitions is um and whether we want to clarify interpretations uh or whether we want to consider any possible change to the rules.

Thank you.

Uh so uh through you to counselor wheeler, um ADUs are buyright.

And this is one I know this is um it's a good opportunity to just listen and connect with department heads and find out more information about ADUs because it is complex.

However, there's a lot of work that has been done about this that can be outside of an order and don't necessarily have to be in order.

Um there's a lot of good work in ADUs and um a lot of conversations happening as well.

So uh I am excited to talk further about accessory dwelling units and cottages and backyard cottages and what the next year and years to come will look like.

But uh let's uh let's uh research, look, and listen and learn from each other too.

Thank you.

Counselor Bob would like to sign on and uh Counselor Say, that sounds like a good conversation to have in land use.

All right, very well.

That that will be approved to the copy of land use.

Brings us to item 4.13, a resolution by Counselor Wheeler that the administration consider convening issue specific community meetings for residents to share their perspectives and experiences on long-term issues such as mobility and transportation, school integration, inclusion, choice, and specialization.

Counselor Wheeler.

Through the chair, thank you.

And um first I want to just also appreciate my colleague, Counselor Strezzo, uh, and your point about doing homework before we bring orders.

Uh, and I appreciate everyone's uh everyone's grace and and patience as I get up to speed.

Um this is uh an idea that was um brought up by by someone else to me.

It's not, I don't claim that it's my idea, but I I think it's promising.

Uh so many people have observed that in Somerville and so many other places in our country in our world, uh, there seems to be a lot of division and uh perhaps more than there used to be.

Uh this may be related to it being the era of social media and smartphones and the internet um and ways that we sit in our own homes and have opinions rather than encountering each other uh and and interacting with people from more walks of life in our day-to-day life.

I don't know.

Um but I do know that when people get together and have the chance to work together towards articulating a common vision, that experience can be uh transformational and really powerful and can really help reweave a community together.

Um way I had the chance to experience something along these lines recently was that the Davis Square Neighborhood Council organized uh a meeting at that was hosted in a space at Tufts University, um, and there were a large number of different people from all over Somerville and some nearby towns because the Davis Square catchment area includes some of Arlington and Cambridge.

And um and we split into small groups and articulated uh a vision for where we might like to see development continue in Davis Square.

Uh it was a powerful experience, and I think we could we could do more of these, whether it's city organized or organized through nonprofit partners or some kind of combination.

Uh there's a lot of existing work along these lines, our participatory budgeting process as our communications director Denise Taylor uh pointed out to me, and such a great point.

Um there's a lot of this in that, and a lot of this and why that's a powerful experience.

So this is a sort of a uh vague idea at the moment, admittedly.

I would love to see um some exploration of this.

Uh and uh that's something where you know I think we would need to find who on the council, who in the administration is really interested in in helping to move an idea like this or something possibly similar forward.

Thank you.

Any further discussion?

All right, so that item is approved.

I think if you know uh hopefully that discussion will go forward.

So I just want to as a little procedural step.

Um this is an excellent example of a of bring an idea to the table.

The administration has now heard it.

We can have a conversation, we get something a little more formal.

You can submit a new item, send that to committee.

Not everything has to go to committee committee, so that's great.

Um I also want to note I and I appreciate the the uh exchange.

Um we also have a new mayor, and so as I look at some of these items, and it's it's always the case with the new council that there's gonna be things that are brought that have been brought before, sometimes multiple times before, as we heard from our good counselor from Ward from Ward One and uh Councilor Nadegang, who he um who he invoked used to love to put forth request to key account.

Um that totally okay, and especially in this scenario, I think we I I think we so far we have seen reason to expect different results this time.

So no reason not to uh to raise issues again.

Um and we certainly can can bring all the the um the you know the expertise and learning that we've um that we've gained from the previous discussions to those discussions.

So a little little procedural note from the chair here.

So um before we go to the next so that so that item is approved.

Um before we go to the next item, I actually want to circle back to 10.4 because uh counselor you and camp and slipped that one in and um I neglected to uh designate a disposition for that one because uh separate from the item that with which we considered it.

Um so that item is is placed on file with a copy to committee to follow the other items.

So that conversation can be had together, but it's just we we don't approve comments from uh the uh public.

Those items are those are placed on file, then they're there for everyone to see.

All right.

Very well.

Next item then.

Item 414, order by counselor link that the chief assessor provide this council with an inventory of city-owned parcels as detailed within.

Councillor Link.

Uh yeah, this is something uh, you know, I heard a lot on the the doors uh uh you know, talking about um what are we doing with the buildings that uh you know the lights are always off on uh and uh you know can we turn these into some sort of like supportive housing or affordable housing?

Uh so I I would um I'd love to just know um if we even know as a city what we have um uh in terms of of our our properties and our buildings.

Uh I'm not sure what committee this would be best in.

Councillor Link, I think this is a an excellent example of another item that perhaps doesn't need to go to committee, but I we have I would suspect that's probably gonna be under the uh under the umbrella of uh asset management.

Um so that I encourage you to follow up with IGA to um I'm sure we have a list somewhere and figure out where that is.

And if not, and we need to make one, then we can have that conversation committee.

All right, so that item is approved.

Counselor Baugh would like to sign on to that one.

Okay.

Next item, please.

Item 4.15, a resolution by Counselor Link that the Commissioner of Public Works and the Director of Engineering explore the feasibility of establishing a teen center at the coming school, accessible via school street, considering current building uses, and provide this council with an analysis on space availability, operational considerations, community impacts, and potential next steps.

Counselor Link.

Uh Mr.

Chair, so uh I received a clarification from Director Uh Rish and I want to acknowledge there there's an assessment at the coming school already underway um through IAM and Councilor Link.

Can I can I ask you to just swallow that microphone while I talk and just make sure everybody can hear your wise words?

Is that better?

Perfect.

Sorry.

Uh it's my first day.

Uh we uh we all forget as well, so don't worry about it.

So um yeah, so uh as I said, uh Director Rish uh um let me know that uh there is already assessment of the coming school um underway through IAM and capital projects.

Uh so I'm glad that it sounds like there's work there, and I'm just hoping that we can continue to be looped into that process.

Uh and you know, given how um frequently I've heard um both from this council and uh outside of this council how we need more spaces for our teens.

Um I you know I'm really hopeful that we can find uh you know something like this.

Uh so uh I'm happy to amend this item as requested by Director Raish, um, directing it to uh infrastructure and asset management and would like to refer to the school buildings facilities and maintenance committee.

All right, so Councilor Link moves to amend the item to change the reference from Commissioner of Public Works and Director of Engineering to if to for changing both of those to infrastructure and asset management.

Is that yes, okay to uh that that uh to direct it to infrastructure and asset management to make that request.

Um seeing no objection, that amendment uh is approved.

Um and then sorry, Mr.

Chair, just could I sign on to that?

Could I sign on to that item?

Yes, let's let's uh let's let the ink dry on the on the amendment first.

Um so uh councilor wheeler would like to sign on to the item now as amended.

Um I would also reference folks to there was a discussion in specifically as it related to um overflow space uh or swing space for the school department um that that um uh uh uh was you know specific to the the coming school, so I would encourage folks to take a peek.

I can't recall that if that happened in school building facilities and maintenance or if whether it's the school committee, it might have been both.

Um can you help me out my or or or otherwise uh advise us as where folks can look at the to catch up on the discussion?

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Yes, it was in school building facilities and maintenance, and we'd be happy to have this sent to that committee so that we can continue to give those updates at a regular cadence.

Perfect.

All right, very well.

So um that will be approved with a copy to school buildings, facilities and maintenance.

Thank you.

Next item.

Item 4.16, a resolution by counselor link that the director of mobility install a no turn on red sign at the intersection of Bow Street and Warren Avenue to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety and report back to this council on implementation timing.

Counselor Link.

Uh really straightforward one.

That light only ever turns red if there's a pedestrian pushing a button.

Um so it seems like a really low-cost safety improvement that we could um easily make to make the world a little more safe.

Any further discussion?

I think we'll want to send that one to traffic and parking so that it can make its way to the traffic commission, assuming they're the ones that would need to do that, but maybe not.

I may have the the priorities wrong.

But either way, we'll uh send a cut we'll approve that with a copy to traffic and parking to make sure it gets to the right spot.

Next item.

Item 4.18, a resolution by Counselor Link that the director of public space and urban forestry develop and report on a standardized green score for public parks and identify appropriate benchmarks and expectations for publicly owned parkland.

Counselor Link.

Uh yeah, so we've made some really great progress in the city with new parks and open spaces.

Um but we have some older parks that are uh notably less wonderful.

Uh so uh I'm just really hope um hopeful that we could build on, you know, we require a green score uh for our private um properties and developments and having something uh of a uh uh you know would probably be different, um, but having something similar uh for our own public parks and open spaces so that we can uh understand where we're doing really well and where we might not be doing so well and maybe need to pay some attention, for example, Perkins Park.

Uh I'm not sure which committee would be best.

Any further discussion?

No, I so this could go to a couple committees, but I think that it might make sense to send it to open space.

Well, no, what do we call it now?

Yeah, that's sustainability infrastructure.

That's the one.

Um, which is where items that would have gone to open space environment and energy will now be captured and we'll have those good conversations.

So um see no further discussion that is approved with a copy to sustainability and infrastructure.

Next item.

Item 4.19, a resolution by counselor link that the administration explore the feasibility of a year with no swag as detailed within.

Is it possible to live for a year without swag?

Counselor Link, tell us how it will be so.

So yeah, I I suspect that my wife is probably going to think that this is about my war against tote bags in our house.

But actually I'm uh I'm I'm in all seriousness.

I am curious, like you know, how much as a city we could um save money if we didn't have uh quite as much swag maybe for 2026 uh in a year where we're looking at maybe uh a tighter budget um and what maybe better things we could do if all of it was gone for just a you know a year um you know to make sure that we're spending things on our uh best priorities.

Councilor McLaughlin.

We still got to keep about badges though, right?

How dare you call it classify our badges as swag, Counselor McLaughlin.

There's such a hard fought.

Uh okay, Counselor Well, Wheeler.

I just want to say it through the chair.

Um I think you know, as fun as this uh this item is in a way, um it's also serious.

And I think um always it's good for us to take a step back and ask ourselves is the way that we're doing something something that we want to keep doing.

Does it make sense overall?

Um so I'm glad that we're asking questions like this.

Thank you.

Counselor Scott.

I look forward to the discussion here.

Uh I will say though that uh the the materials that are produced by, for example, health and human services to distribute uh Narcan and other uh overdose prevention supplies.

You know, hopefully we can still put some city of summary branding and get those out there.

But I uh I appreciate the overall sentiment to reduce the amount of plastic crap we put into the world.

Thank you.

And with that, um I you a beautiful segue to where I think we might actually send this for it to committee is it's I I see this as as much of an environmental issue as anything else.

Um so if there's no objection, I I think it goes to sustainability infrastructure seems like the right spot for it.

And I I echo my good colleague at large's uh point that it's good to think about things a little differently.

So I appreciate this.

All right, next item.

Item 5.1, an order by Councillor Street, that this city council discuss the safety of the summer street bike lane design around or near Putnam Street to Benton Road and how and if additional safety modifications can be made.

Councilor Shezzo.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

He's not here, so just send it to committee and we'll talk about it there.

I guess um could we please put it public?

I know this is traffic and parking.

I I'm I'm right here.

I'm here.

But I can't hear you.

I assume the folks in the room might not be interested.

Including the ones that are at the in the back waving, saying that they can't hear you.

All right, fine.

Okay.

This is me talking.

So is this better?

All right.

Yes, beautiful.

Leaning slightly closer.

Um I do want to talk about this.

Uh but I'm not on traffic and parking.

It seems like a good avenue for that.

But I guess can we send it to a committee like public safety, public works, or who is the chair of traffic and parking now, if I can bring this forward.

There's a constituent that very much wants to speak on this, and I think that he should.

Um with all the um uh dysregulation of last uh couple um uh couple meetings uh that happened, uh they they weren't able to come and speak on this, and they really want to speak on this, and I think they should.

Okay.

So I think there's there's a few committees that this could go to.

I think traffic and parking, I would agree, seems like the the most likely.

And uh because that is a uh because uh I guess still most of our committees are are are three people.

That was an intentional decision so that other counselors can come and speak to an item and without there being a quorum concern.

So um you can work with the chair of traffic and parking as appropriate for the on scheduling if you care to if you care to come speak to it and to um to ensure that this uh member of the public might have an opportunity as well.

Um so if that makes sense.

I see face.

Pardon me.

Um, there's space.

Very good cue.

Um no, thank you.

And I don't mind that, but it just seems like one more burden on the chair to have to figure that out, Chair of Traffic and Parking, and I don't mind that, but um I don't mind going to traffic and parking.

I guess there's there's several opportunities where this could go.

I think uh housing community development equity would be fine.

I think public safety, public works would be make a copy of cheat sheet on the committees.

You made it small though, which is problem.

I can't.

Kind of, kind of, yes.

I am gonna have to go to CVS and get those little itty bitty glasses.

I'm not looking forward to that.

Anyhow, um I mean yeah, you know what?

Can we send it to just uh I'm on public health, public safety.

Can we send it there?

Do you mind, Mr.

Chair?

Uh, through you to uh Mr.

Chairman to public health public safety public safety.

I'm not on am I oh okay.

Council Young Campbell, do you care to weigh in on this uh uh and the big debate of this appropriate committee?

Uh Mr.

Chair, I think.

No, my uh Yes, that's exactly what we should be doing.

Uh Mr.

Chair, we have no committee report, so we gotta make this meeting less somehow.

Yep.

I think it's relevant uh which staff attends these meetings to give the the kind of feedback they were looking for.

The this the traffic and parking has mobility and engineering staff attend it regularly.

I believe that those are the relevant staff for this.

Um that that would be my recommendation.

But yep.

Uh Mr.

President, uh I hear uh through you to uh counselor you and campen.

Yeah, I hear that.

However, um there have been pan instances where an agenda item that I'm concerned about.

I I comes in passes and goes and is already put on the committee report, and I don't um and I missed that opportunity.

And this was a really important issue for this person to bring forward.

And I want to give them that space.

So yeah, let's just please send it to public health and public safety.

Thank you.

All right, seeing no objection, that is approved with a copy to public health and public safety.

Next item, please.

And that brings us to item 7.2, a request of the mayor requesting approval of a time-only contract extension for three months with the new expiration date of March 31st, 2026 for Stan Tech Consulting Services Incorporated for design services for the Spring Hill Sewer Separation Project.

Uh that is referred to finance.

Mr.

Council Wheeler.

Uh I just want to make a quick comment on this because uh I didn't quite know what time only meant, and I imagine many other people might not know.

Time only means this is a contract that's not asking for more money.

It's just asking for the legal ability to keep working given what we've already committed to paying.

Correct me if that is wrong.

Just for anyone who's wondering.

Once again, nailed it.

Appreciate it.

All right.

So that is a referred to finance for this for discussion.

Or for a rec for uh recognition.

Next item, please.

Item 7.3 Wheeler.

Uh oh.

Any more committee?

Uh motion to refer this to the finance committee.

Well, we uh I uh counselor moves to wave the reading.

Uh refer to Oh, sorry.

Point point of order.

I'm a little confused about what's going on.

Um I understand this is a finance related item.

I'm not quite sure what that means that we do about it next.

So uh oftentimes when there's items that we're gonna refer to committee, they will be um posted when something goes to committee, it is then posted on the committee agenda, so folks have a chance to see what it is.

Um and oftentimes when there's a whole list of things, we will waive the readings just in the interest of saving time.

We certainly don't need to do that.

Sometimes it makes sense to hear this the item read out so that everybody knows what it is, the public knows what it is.

Um sometimes maybe that's less less critical.

Um it's it's uh ultimately at the discretion of the chair um to do that.

Um so if you'd like to uh uh whereas we're at 7.3.

Um I would be inclined to waive the reading.

Is that a motion?

I'm sorry, point of order.

I move to wave the reading, Mr.

Chair.

All right.

See no objection, that item is sent to finance.

Next item.

Item seven point five.

Mr.

Wheeler.

I move to wave the reading and refer this item for the case.

I don't know.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

So uh actually no, uh so let's um I'd like to take a few items out of order.

We have a number of uh confirmations here.

Um note that I had a conversation with the chair of confirmation of appointments this week as well as um from the clerk's office and uh and the administration.

Um there's there's I'm gonna recommend that there uh actually uh Chair Ba is gonna make two motions here.

If one is gonna be to uh send some of these items to um confirmation appointments, and the other is gonna be to prove them this approve them this evening.

The first batch is uh our new appointments, those three new appointments and then two police uh promotions.

Our practice has always been to send that type of item to committee.

So if there's no objection, uh uh Councilor Ba would like to to move to uh take to wave the readings of items 710, 715, 78, 72, and 723, uh and send those to confirmation of appointments.

Counselor uh counselor Bach.

I'm surprised that you actually speaking on my behalf.

You know, I had this conversation with the with the good president.

If you say Councillor Umba I'm right here, I have to make the motion myself.

Go right ahead, Councilor.

Thank thank you, Mr.

President.

And so to my new colleagues, you know, uh in the past, this is the first time that we are having uh department heads come to us.

So and in consultation with the president, you know, we agree that this if the uh reappointment is how people we already know, you know, it's uh it's uh necessary that we approve tonight unless any member of this body thin that they deem anybody to go to committee that we'll send it to the case.

So the the uh the items that we that there are before us are 710, 715, 7.8, 722, and 723.

These are three new appointments for uh uh department heads and two police promotions.

Yes.

So on those items, you'd like to send those to to confirmation of appointments.

I would like to uh wave you know the readings of 7.6 to 7.9, 7.11 to 7.14, 7.16 through 7.17, and 7.19 through 7.21 to approve those tonight because this are the appointments.

Okay.

So council Ba moves to waive the readings of seven dot six through seven nine, seven eleven through seven fourteen, seven sixteen through seven seventeen, and seven nineteen through through seven twenty-one.

These are all department heads who are currently serving in their role that have that were not previously appointed by the city council.

Um the charter, the new language in the charter or the the the continuing government's language in the charter um could be interpreted to say that a reappointment is not is not required.

In fact, that's the word required is what is used.

Uh Mayor Wilson has submitted these for um for reappointment out of uh act of good faith.

Um so council Baum moves to uh to um approve those items this evening.

Is that correct?

Yes, Mr.

President.

Unless of course there's an objection, in which case we can send any particular specific item to uh to committee.

All right.

So seeing no objection.

So those items are approved.

We don't need a roll call on any of those, right?

All right, very well.

And then another motion, Councilor Bob.

Yes, Mr.

President.

I move to waive the reading of 7.10, uh 7.15, 7.18, 7.22 through 7.23, and send those one to confirmation of appointments.

Okay.

Seeing no objection, those items are sent to confirmation of appointments.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Next item.

Next item is 7.24.

A request of the mayor requesting that city councillors submit budget funding priorities by March 26, 2026.

Uh just briefly on that item.

If anyone has any questions about that, um any of the new members, um, please feel free to reach out to me.

Feel free to reach out to the uh really any of us.

Um and we can we can have a conversation.

Um but uh seeing no discussion this evening, that item is approved.

Item 7.25.

Mayor's communication conveying the temporary appointment of Kevin Klein as interim director of inspectional services.

Item is placed on file.

Next item.

Item 7.26, a communication of the mayor conveying the temporary appointment of Neil Viner as interim director of water and sewer.

That item is placed on file.

7.27, a communication of the mayor conveying an updated end of term report at the request of former mayor ballantine.

That item is placed on file.

Brings us to item 8.1.

An officer's communication, city clerk requesting acceptance of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 91 relating to the appointment and removal of constables.

That items referred to legislative matters.

Councilor Wheeler, do you want to speak on that item?

Through the chair, if I may.

Um just another quick definition.

This was like point of confusion for me.

I heard constable and thought some type of police officer, but as I understand it, constables are municipal officers who serve legal documents like summonses and subpoenas, collect debts, and sometimes do assist with some procedures like evictions.

Um so that was just a bit of context that I found useful.

Councillor Scott.

Uh thank you, Mr.

President.

That is correct, although uh it is uh they they also go armed around the city.

Uh so it is one of those things that the city has uh this council has uh reviewed at several times in the past.

Uh there was there's some history there where uh at one point it was required that the city of Somerville uh appoint constables because otherwise constables from other communities would come in and perform the so uh oh I will swallow this more.

Uh I look forward to I it'll be an interesting discussion.

It's one of the things that comes out of our last charter.

Uh Mr.

President, I appreciate you referring this, and I would also ask that you refer uh eight dot two, eight dot three uh to legislative matters as well.

And you can weigh the readings of those or you can read them in.

Councilor Scott Moose will wave the readings of 8.2 and 8.3 and refer those to legislative matters.

Seeing no objection.

And that brings us to item 8.4, an officer's communication, city clerk conveying information regarding the city council's responsibilities pursuant to the 2025 city charter.

We I there's a note here to lay this one on the table.

And I don't think we had that conversation.

So I move to I I suggest that we lay this one on the table so we can figure out why that is and we'll take it up in two weeks.

Next uh next item.

That brings us to item 9.1.

Councilor Hart.

Um I'd like to move that we waive the readings of 9.1 to 9.7 and approve.

Oh, now I do remember that conversation.

I apologize, Madam Clerk.

Yes, I'm on the last one.

All right.

9.1 through 9.7.

Uh Council Hart moves to waive the ratings and approve this evening.

Any discussion.

These are various licenses, so if there was any concern with any of the businesses or otherwise, uh, we could certainly send any individual item to committee.

Um, but see no objections, those are approved.

Item sorry, item 9.8, a public communication from Cole Rainey Slavic, submitting comments about cannabis social consumption.

That item is placed on file.

And item 9.9, a public communication from Harriet Ranvig submitting comments about the commission for persons with disabilities.

That item is uh council wheeler.

Um thank you through the chair.

Um just a quick comment uh on writing uh public communications in general, talking about difficult matters.

I don't want to speak about the particular uh uh particular claims that are in this letter, but I do want to recognize that speaking up publicly about something, complicated things, is difficult.

It's often perceived as being impolite or out of turn.

And I always welcome sincere efforts to engage with complicated things responsibly.

Uh and I hope that we uh keep in mind being welcoming to voices speaking up about problems.

Thank you.

Here, here.

All right, that item is placed on file.

Thank you.

Item 9.10, a public communication from Crystal Huff.

So many comments about surveillance cameras.

That item is placed on file.

Brings us to item 10.1.

So item 10.1 and item 10.2, we will uh lay on the table for discussion at next meeting.

Umless we want to send those directly to committee.

Council campan.

Um Mr.

President, when uh I have a moment, I I have a brief comment on a previous item 9-10 that we just passed by.

Let's let's hand it these.

Um so council Schazo, do you have a preference to to do want to speak if you want to speak to these at the council level, we can do that in two weeks, or we can send them to committee.

Yeah, Mr.

President, I wanted to send right right to committee.

It's totally fine.

That's what I was hoping.

And just as a little uh procedural point, so um there's a little bit of a gray area, but sorry, there's a little bit of a gray area between our uh the council rules and the um the open meeting law requirements for setting an agenda.

Council rules require that items be submitted at a certain time on Monday to go on the agenda that is published prior to the day of the meeting.

Um, but where items uh and then items submitted subsequently um are on the supplemental list of supplemental items that is published um in the morning, Saturday, Thursday morning.

Um as I said, there's there's because the the open meeting law says anything that that is that the the chair believes will be uh reasonably believes will be discussed within 48 hours or more than 48 hours um should be on the agenda.

So um like I said, there's a little bit of a gray area, but uh we want things to to we want there to be transparency, we want things to uh to be um uh discussed, and so uh for items that like this, unless there's a uh unless it's something that you know a new and time-sensitive issue, then certainly we we will see examples where something is discussed.

Um, but otherwise we want to make sure that the public knows about an item before we take an action on it or before we deliberate on it, which is what the law requires.

So in this case, um what would you say?

Lay on the table or send to committee.

You said sending a committee?

HD C D E.

So because so we um we'll send these to committee um without uh without an action.

So that would be just referred to committee.

Um that way the the council has not taken an action on them when uh if and when they go on an agenda for for that committee, the public will be aware of it, they will they will be duly noticed, and then we can deliberate pursuant to open meeting law.

So that's just little inside baseball um explanation for everything.

Very well.

So items uh 10.1 and item 10.2 are referred to uh housing community development and equity.

Yes.

Very well, thank you.

Next item, Adam Clerk.

Mr.

President.

Yes, so yeah, you're sorry, Council Ewan Campen.

You had a um is can I make a brief comment on item nine dot 10, which is a public communication from Crystal Huff about flock cameras?

So councilor Ewan Campen moves to reconsider item nine dot 10 and hopes that reconsideration fails.

Would anybody like to change we did yeah yeah, we did place that on file.

So um all right, that item is now seeing no objection, that item is now back before us.

Um council and campen.

Uh thank you, Mr.

President.

Um I I just wanted to make a brief comment on this because uh I've received a lot of uh input from the public concern about this security camera company called Flock for folks who follow surveillance.

This is a company that there have been a lot of news reports.

This company Flock is partnering with federal agencies, and there's a lot of concern that it's being used to track people by the federal government.

Um there's like a persistent misunderstanding that Flock is being used in Somerville by the Somerville government.

It is not, and I want everyone to be very clear about this.

We have in Somerville a surveillance oversight ordinance.

All surveillance technologies have to be approved by this city council following a public process.

No Flock cameras have been approved in Somerville.

Um I think one of the areas of misunderstanding, we have these uh traffic ticket sticks, like the one in Davis Square that automatically, and that that company is called MPS.

I forget what it stands for, municipal parking solutions.

And if you Google them, um that company has entered a partnership with Flock.

That is concerning.

Um I reached out to Director Rinfret from our traffic and parking.

She uh got it within like an hour of me writing, had it in writing from the vice president of the MPS company that although that partnership exists for other technologies, that would be a violation of the contract that they have with Somerville.

They do not share any information from Somerville with any third party absent uh permission from the city of Somerville or a court order.

Um there is no data sharing with Flock from those.

Um there was a uh an advocate put together a website of Flock camera locations, and it is my understanding that in Somerville at Assembly Square in one of the private buildings, there are some, and at on the Tufts campus on in the private buildings, there are some.

Um it is my understanding that this city council cannot regulate the you know purchasing behavior of um private individuals, but the city of Somerville as a government does not use flock cameras, and I want the record to be clear on that.

Thank you very much.

Okay, so that item is placed on file.

Thank you.

Next item.

That brings us to item 10.3, a request of the mayor requesting approval of a transfer of 103,421 dollars from the salary contingency account to various departmental personnel services accounts to fund a memorandum of agreement with the Somerville Municipal Employees Union Unit B.

Items referred to finance.

I would like to wave the councilman.

I guess we are it's too late to wave the reading of the item, but yes, I would like to refer it to finance for approval.

Thank you.

Um none of you yet have uh have reached the the the level of counseling Yan Pampen, which I think I may yeah, Pompin and which my myself may uh be uh challenged to ever beat.

Uh all right, thank you very well.

So that is um that is referred to finance.

Next item.

Um Scott.

Uh just wanted to say this is uh this is actually uh ratification of an agreement that was signed by councilor by Mayor Ballantyne on December 15th before leaving office, uh, which just pertains to vacation policy.

This is just moving some money to ensure that the union agreements that have been settled uh will actually get paid out.

So um happy to take it up in committee, but also I I feel like this is one that pretty simple.

But uh you know what?

Heck, let's do a fun one on our first time, huh?

All right, thank you, Mr.

President.

And I I would like just to clarify through the chair, um there's no uh if there's any issue in delaying, I I wouldn't want to keep people getting their retirement uh or vacation money.

They'll get paid.

It's fine.

All right, very good.

So that is referred to finance.

Next item.

And that brings us to the last agenda item 10.5, a public communication from Marjorie Williams, submitting comments on the ballot question.

That item is placed on file.

Are there any late items?

Are there any late items?

Sorry, no.

No late items.

All right, good job, everyone.

Uh with that, Councilor Clink moves to adjourn.

We are adjourned.

Councilor Clingen, on adjournment.

We wrap, I just want to recognize uh first timer here as uh our city clerk.

Great job.

Thank you very much, Clerk Clotelier.

Assistant Clerk Vatelier.

Is it the city clerk that tells you what you get a new you should get a new title?

Matty works.

Excellent.

Very good.

Thank you, everyone.

We are adjourned.