Boston Council advances school and safety funding

A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Boston was held in the Christopher A. Iannella Chamber, City Hall on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 12:14 P.M. President Breadon in the Chair. Present Councilors Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, and Worrell. Absent Councilor Coletta Zapata. Sarah Harbaugh, a Multifaith Chaplain at Dana-Farber, delivered the invocation, and the meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. The Chair moved to adopt the minutes from the June 24, 2026 City Council Meeting. Motion prevailed.

ROLL CALL

APPROVAL OF THE JUNE 24, 2026 CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

COMMUNICATIONS FROM HER HONOR, THE MAYOR:

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to appropriate the amount of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000.00) for the purpose of paying the costs of a feasibility study and schematic design associated with a project for the Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, located at 75 Malcolm X Blvd, Roxbury, MA 02120. This includes the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto, and for which the City of Boston may be eligible for a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”), said amount to be expended under the direction of the Public Facilities Department on behalf of the Boston Public Schools.

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to appropriate the amount of Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($850,000.00) for the purpose of paying costs of a feasibility study and schematic design work associated with window, door, and roof projects at the following schools: Boston Adult Academy, Joseph J. Hurley School, Ellis Mendell Elementary School, Joyce Kilmer K-8 School, and Lyon Upper 9-12 School. This includes the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto, and for which the City of Boston may be eligible for a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”), said amount to be expended under the direction of the Public Facilities Department on behalf of the Boston Public Schools.

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend a gift of a Percheron Gelding Horse, valued at Eight Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($8,500.00) from the Friends of the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit. This gift is awarded to the City of Boston through the Parks and Recreation Department for use by the Mounted Unit of the Boston Park Rangers.

Message and order for the confirmation of the appointment of Jessica Carless as a Member of the Highland Park Architectural Conservation District Commission, for a term expiring June 30, 2028.

Message and order for the confirmation of the appointment of Seth McCoy as a Member of the Highland Park Architectural Conservation District Commission, for a term expiring June 30, 2028.

Message and order for the confirmation of the appointment of Felicia Jaques as a member of the Boston Planning and Development Agency Board, for a term expiring August 15, 2029.

Message transmitting certain information under Section 17F regarding the City of Boston's efforts to address drink spiking and drug-facilitated sexual assault in nightlife establishments, including safety training programs, prevention initiatives, communications with licensed venues, and the status of records maintained by the City regarding these efforts. (Docket #0595 passed by Council on 3/18/2026, and Docket #0874 passed by Council on 4/29/2026).

REPORTS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND OTHERS:

Notice was received from the Mayor of the reappointment of Raymond Boly as Chair of the Board of Review effective immediately, for a term expiring January 7, 2030.

Notice was received from the Mayor of the reappointment of Arlene Calderon as a Member of the Board of Review effective immediately, for a term expiring January 7, 2030.

Notice was received from the Mayor of the reappointment of Hinlan Wong as a Member of the Board of Review effective immediately, for a term expiring January 7, 2030.

Notice was received from the Mayor of the appointment of Hinlan Wong as Interim Commissioner of the Assessing Department effective July 1, 2026.

Communication was received from the Boston Parks and Recreation Commission regarding a vote to approve Diana Fernandez Bibeau to serve on the Community Preservation Committee, as the representative of the Boston Parks and Recreation Commission.

Notice was received from the City Clerk in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1979 regarding action taken by the Mayor on papers acted upon by the City Council at its meeting of June 3, 2026.

Notice was received from the City Clerk in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1979 regarding action taken by the Mayor on papers acted upon by the City Council at its meeting of June 10, 2026.

Notice was received from the City Clerk in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1979 regarding action taken by the Mayor on papers acted upon by the City Council at its meeting of June 24, 2026.

Communication was received from Council President Liz Breadon regarding City Council nominations for the Transgender, Gender-diverse, Intersex, and LGBTQIA2S+ Oversight Commission.

Communication was received from Council President Liz Breadon to address an Open Meeting Law complaint and respond accordingly on behalf of the Boston City Council.

Communication was received from Councilor Flynn calling for a public safety summit.

Communication was received from Councilor Flynn calling for Boston Police enforcement on main streets and commercial corridors for mopeds and e-bikes.

Communication was received from Councilor Flynn regarding the lack of community engagement and public safety considerations for 3 A.M. last call.

Communication was received from Councilor Flynn requesting a supplemental budget to support recently laid off Boston Public Schools (BPS) employees.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES:

On the message and order, referred on May 13, 2026, Docket #0970, authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of One Million Seventy-Three Thousand Two Hundred Thirty-Nine Dollars and Thirty-Four Cents ($1,073,239.34) in the form of a grant, the FY26 Senator Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative, awarded by MA Executive Office Of Public Safety & Security to be administered by the Police Department. The grant would fund regional and multi-disciplinary approaches to combat gang violence through coordinated prevention and intervention, law enforcement, prosecution, and reintegration programs, the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass.

On the message and order, referred on May 13, 2026, Docket #0968, authorizing the City of Boston, acting through its Mayor’s Office of Housing, to accept and expend payments in the amount of Thirty Million Dollars ($30,000,000.00) given to the City of Boston’s Inclusionary Development Policy Fund. The City of Boston’s Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) Fund was established by Executive Order in February 2000 to support the production and preservation of affordable housing in new market rate housing developments. The IDP required all developers of residential development projects with ten or more units to include affordable units in their projects as a condition of receiving relief from the Boston Zoning Code. Further, the Executive Order provided the option for developers to make contributions to the IDP Fund in lieu of providing on-site affordable units, subject to the approval of the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA), the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass.

MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS:

Petition for a Special Law re: An Act Relative to Increasing Civil Penalties for the Illegal Possession, Use, and Sale of Fireworks in the City of Boston.

Order for a hearing to discuss the impacts of recent Boston Public Schools (BPS) personnel cuts on students with disabilities.

Order for a hearing to discuss the status of HVAC updates in the Boston Public Schools.

Order for a hearing to discuss the status of the Blackstone Pool and an independent engineering study on repairs.

Order for a hearing to discuss the potential impacts on City revenue in the event that Boston receives an unfavorable court judgment on commercial property assessments.

Order for a hearing to discuss fulfillment of community benefits funded by development projects.

Order for a hearing to discuss reestablishing a post office location in Allston.

Order for a hearing regarding housing voucher discrimination and fair housing civil rights enforcement in Boston.

Order for a hearing to examine the civil rights implications of rapid transit inequities in the City of Boston.

Resolution in support of evaluating an Orange Line extension along Blue Hill Avenue.

Resolution calling on Boston Public Schools to fully partner with the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Program.

Resolution denouncing the United States Supreme Court's decision allowing the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian nationals and affirming Boston's support for TPS holders.

Resolution in support of Senate Bill 3112, "An Act Authorizing Municipalities to Opt-in to a Temporary Pilot to Extend the Hours of Liquor Licenses and to Allow for Public Consumption in Designated Districts in Summer 2026."

Resolution in support of a fair contract for MAB Community Services' group home direct support staff.

Resolution calling for an immediate briefing on Boston's summer safety plan and a collaborative review to strengthen public safety.

WITHDRAWN.

Resolution to use a supplemental budget to restore funding for Boston Public Schools (BPS) employees.

WITHDRAWN.

Resolution to support maintaining and adhering to Proposition 2 1/2 in the City of Boston.

Resolution of unequivocal denouncement against any violence, assault, or harassment towards Boston Police Officers, our dedicated first responders, and city officials.

Resolution in support of declaring July 11th as MADMOMS Day in the City of Boston.

PERSONNEL ORDERS:

Councilor Breadon for Councilor Mejia offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employee Jackson Phagelo Niclas in City Council, effective July 4, 2026.

Councilor Breadon for Councilor Murphy offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employees on Councilor Murphy's staff in City Council, effective July 4, 2026.

Councilor Breadon for Councilor Santana offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employee Matthew Lyder in City Council, effective July 4, 2026.

Councilor Breadon for Councilor Weber offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employee Michael Fishbein in City Council, effective July 4, 2026.

Councilor Breadon for Councilor Durkan offered the following: Order for the appointment of temporary employee Vivian Tsitso in City Council, effective July 25, 2026.

GREEN SHEETS:

Legislative Calendar for July 8, 2026.

CONSENT AGENDA:

Resolution recognizing Mission Hill Neighborhood Housing Services.

Resolution recognizing Boston Building Resources.

Resolution recognizing July 11th as "Noah Kahan Day" in the City of Boston.

Resolution recognizing Sweet Teez Bakery.

Resolution recognizing the Harbor Point Juneteenth Committee.

Resolution recognizing Marcus King.

Resolution recognizing Michael Brun.

Resolution recognizing Steve Bulpett.

Resolution recognizing Rose Presume.

Resolution recognizing Patrice Dumont.

Resolution recognizing Jean-Claude Desir.

Resolution recognizing Sandra McCroom.

Resolution recognizing Chadd Rolfe.

Resolution recognizing Dereck Barringer.

Resolution recognizing Claudino Cardoso.

Resolution recognizing Peter Vergados.

Resolution recognizing Katarzyna Smolarek.

Resolution recognizing Haitian community members.

Resolution recognizing Hawa Yusuf.

Resolution recognizing Jose Estrella.

Resolution recognizing Tom McDonough.

Resolution recognizing AAA Restaurant.

Resolution recognizing Rainbow Nail Salon.

Resolution recognizing Alto Rango Jewelry.

Resolution recognizing Dhanya Ramlal-Whyte.

Resolution recognizing Sylvaine Lestrade.

Resolution recognizing Stacy Mark.

Resolution recognizing Brenda Inez Richardson.

Resolution recognizing Maria Fernandes-Barros.

Resolution recognizing Jazz Urbane Cafe.

Resolution in memory of Reverend Dr. William H. Bennett II.

Resolution recognizing Syvalia Hyman III.

Order for a hearing regarding a Community-Based Summer Public Safety Plan for the City of Boston.

Councilor Santana, on behalf of the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice, submitted the following:

Councilor Durkan, on behalf of the Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation, submitted the following:

Councilor Santana called Docket #1035, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Twenty-Four Thousand Ninety-Five Dollars ($24,095.00) in the form of a grant, FY24 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement, awarded by United States Department of Justice, passed through the Massachusetts State Police / Crime Laboratory, to be administered by the Police Department. The grant would fund training and continuing education for forensic examiners, criminalists and laboratory personnel, from the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. No objection being heard, the matter was properly before the body.

Councilor Santana called Docket #1225, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) of credits from Anthropic to strengthen the City’s cyber defenses. These credits are granted by Anthropic through the State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) Cyber Defenders Program. The credits will be utilized to automate the scanning, triaging, and patching of our City’s technology infrastructure using Claude Opus 4.8, the latest model of Anthropic’s generative AI tool. This initiative will help to significantly elevate our cybersecurity posture against increasingly sophisticated, AI-driven threats, from the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. No objection being heard, the matter was properly before the body.

The Chair stated that in absence of objection, one late-filed matter would be added to the Agenda. No objection being heard, the following matter was added:

The Chair moved adoption of a Consent Agenda containing the following items:

The items contained within the Consent Agenda were severally adopted.

Adjourned at 4:45 P.M. on motion of President Breadon, and in memory of Chris Summers, Manuel “Manny” De Jesus Castillo Flores, Jim Galvin, Jean A. Tochterman, Rose Marie Nicholas, Chris Conway, Richard Weston, Paula Ryan, John Raymond, and Michael Young, to meet again on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 at 12:00 P.M. Attest: Dassie Bheecham Assistant City Clerk