2026-10-13 - City Council Committees

00:01Town Development Committee to order for

00:05October 13, 2026. Roll call, please.

00:09>> Chairwoman Major Madre,

00:11>> present.

00:12>> Chairwoman PZ,

00:13>> present.

00:13>> Council Field,

00:14>> present.

00:15>> Council Vice President Hogan,

00:16>> present.

00:16>> Council Laapier, absent.

00:20Council President Ellens,

00:22>> present.

00:24>> We have a quorum.

00:27>> All right. Thank you for joining us

00:29today. This is the first downtown

00:31committee meeting. So, um really excited

00:34to be here. Um wish we were on different

00:36terms. Um as many of you know, recently

00:41there have been a lot of um encampments

00:44in the downtown area and we wanted to

00:48really just highlight what the council

00:51can do and should be doing moving

00:53forward in regards to what has been

00:55happening. Um, in the past, um, both

00:59counselor and Sasha Madrimadri and I

01:01have been joining meetings at, uh, the

01:04police station, hearing from residents

01:06and different service members, um,

01:09service providers on issues that have

01:11been arising and

01:14um, really just allowing others to take

01:19the lead um, on what that looks like. if

01:23there is an area that has seen to be an

01:26issue, really coordinating with other

01:29stakeholders to make sure that people

01:31are getting the services that they need.

01:35As conditions have been changing in the

01:37downtown area, we've seen an increase of

01:40people who need support in our downtown

01:43areas. and the mayor has called for um

01:48an executive order on a task force that

01:50both um counselor and major Marie and I

01:53will be participating in. So for this

01:56meeting, we're asking to

01:59suspend the rules and allow for the

02:01public to speak if there's anyone who

02:04would like to make some of their

02:06comments available for the p for the

02:09council to be aware of.

02:11>> Motion to suspend the rules. Second.

02:13>> Motion has been made and seconded.

02:16>> All right. So, if there's anyone in the

02:18audience.

02:19>> Wait, do we need a roll?

02:20>> We need a roll. We'll do a roll code.

02:22>> Co-chairwoman Madre.

02:24>> Yes. The rules.

02:26>> Co-chair chairwoman PZ.

02:28>> Yes.

02:28>> Council Field.

02:29>> Yes.

02:30>> Council Vice President Hogan.

02:31>> Yes.

02:31>> Council President Alens.

02:32>> Yes.

02:34>> Rules has been suspended for public

02:36comment.

02:37>> All right. So, if there's anyone in the

02:38public that would like to speak on what

02:41has been happening um within the

02:43unhoused population, etc., this is an

02:46opportunity for you to come to the

02:48podium and express um what you're

02:51seeing, what you would like the council

02:52to consider. I will note that moving

02:56forward within our legislative powers um

03:00we could um consider drafting

03:03ordinances, etc. So really being mindful

03:06of what the conditions are and what the

03:08best steps forward that align with our

03:11resources and um what you're seeing

03:14would be really helpful. Um so please

03:17come up

03:27>> also. Can you say your name and address

03:29for the record?

03:30>> Yes. Mary Wheeler 12 Gage Street is my

03:32home and 100 Willow Street is my work.

03:35Are we allowed to ask questions or we

03:37can just make a comment

03:38>> through the chair?

03:42>> So, you're allowed to ask questions

03:44through the chair?

03:45>> Yes.

03:46>> Okay. I have um what is the likelihood

03:50that the city is going to propose a

03:52camping ban which has been proven to

03:55increase overdose fatalities and disrupt

03:58homeless communities and have a negative

04:00impact on health?

04:03>> I think that's an excellent question.

04:05Obviously, we've seen neighboring um

04:08municipalities enact these obviously or

04:11not obviously, but has um for the time

04:14being stepped away from that really

04:17think taking a human first approach of

04:20what's happening on the ground and

04:22providing services. Something that we

04:24have heard is that there aren't

04:27necessarily consequences for not

04:29accepting these services. So thinking

04:31mindfully of if we were to um implement

04:36a new strategy and we needed an extra

04:40support or tool to ensure that people

04:43are being tended to. Um there is a

04:47possibility that we would have an

04:49encampment ordinance. However, we would

04:51want to do it being mindful of the

04:54people that it is impacting. Um,

04:57something that I've spoken to our

05:00solicitor Mara about is really thinking

05:03about what that threshold would be to um

05:07to take people off the streets. How many

05:09touch points we have to think about in

05:12terms of engaging with a person who is

05:15in crisis both from a clinical

05:17perspective but also from an enforcement

05:19perspective. what what makes sense in

05:21that case scenario and something that

05:23we'll continue to explore through the

05:26task force

05:27>> and will the ordinance council or the

05:30task force be using evidence-based

05:32practice across the board.

05:34>> So as we develop it that would be the

05:38goal is to figure out what the best

05:39practices are. I think to your point is

05:42there hasn't been a successful way to

05:44deal with this issue. So really being

05:47innovative and taking in new

05:49perspectives of how to tackle it that is

05:52both um taking the local perspective but

05:55also a database perspective. And would

05:57the city consider a service audit to

06:01interview service providers in the city

06:03to better understand the barriers we

06:05face when we're trying to access

06:06services for people because we offer

06:09services every day all day 100 times a

06:11day. And the real case from getting

06:15somebody in crisis in the street to

06:17long-term successful care is extremely

06:20difficult. And so I think it would be

06:23helpful if the committee and the task

06:25force take a really good look at what

06:28how the line really goes when you send

06:30someone to shelter and they need

06:31housing. Um people losing paperwork,

06:34people not getting put at the top of the

06:36list because staff don't like them, wide

06:38variety of things. So,

06:40I would hope that they take um a really

06:44good holistic look at what's going on

06:47and a lot of the people downtown are

06:49engaged in services. They might not be

06:50services that some people agree with

06:52philosophically, but they are attending

06:54services every day at one or more

06:56locations. Thank you.

06:58>> Thank you. And I think just to answer or

07:02to add a comment to that, I have

07:05recently joined the Lynn continuum of

07:07care as well as counselor Avery and

07:10state rep. Shawn Reed. So, one of the

07:13things that I've been wanting to focus

07:14in on is what are the services that are

07:17being provided and how we can really

07:19think about what the current gaps are

07:22and adapt to that. So, so we are really

07:25or my hope is that we take a more

07:28profound look at what is currently

07:30happening and how we can improve.

07:32>> Thank you.

07:35>> Okay. Anybody else would like to speak

07:37or councelor Hogan?

07:38>> Yes. I have a um question just if you

07:40could let the public know who's on the

07:42task force and that email address if you

07:45could say it since we are on TV. There

07:47is an email address that people can

07:49reach out to. I maybe you could say that

07:50over that. I don't have that in front of

07:52me, but if you could the task force and

07:54the email address would be great since

07:56we're on TV.

07:58>> I will get back to you on that because I

08:01don't have it off the top of my head and

08:03my phone is all the way over there. Um,

08:05but there is a phone number available.

08:09It is on the city of Flynn social media

08:14pages as well.

08:16Um and then for the task force

08:20right now it is being managed by the

08:25current public health director Lisa

08:27Tobin and ch our police chief um Chief

08:32Kelly. So they are the two that will be

08:35both from their on the ground

08:37perspective and um rules within the city

08:40will be managing it and have chosen

08:42folks to be on it. Um but yeah and then

08:45there are different service providers

08:47that are included in that task force

08:50including different business

08:51organizations and ideally there will be

08:54residents on it as well.

08:56>> Great council.

08:57>> Thank you. I'm happy to share the email

08:59if that's

09:01uh safety downtown at linmma.gov and

09:03I'll spell that out. S A F E T Y D O W N

09:11[clears throat] T O W N

09:14L Y N M A.gov.

09:18Again, that's safety downtown all one

09:21word at linmma.gov.

09:24>> Thank you so much.

09:25>> Of course,

09:28council.

09:28>> Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to

09:30answer some of Mary's uh questions and

09:32concern. Um I probably a lot of you

09:36don't know this. Mary and I used to walk

09:38the streets for like 5,000 years ago. Um

09:41we do a lot of um work in the community

09:44more than 20 years ago. So I exactly

09:47knew all of her questions and rest

09:49assured all of those will be discussed

09:52and we need your input as well because

09:54as we develop like what chairwoman Pas

09:57mentioned we're in the early stage of

09:59this discussion and that's why I was

10:01rushing here to be here just to attend

10:03this meeting because this is really

10:05important because we have been bombarded

10:08by a lot of calls and emails about

10:10downtown in general from businesses to

10:13residents and even advocates or even

10:16general residents who who were driving

10:18the area and saw it. So, so yes, the

10:21short answer to your question is yes.

10:24>> Thank you, Madam Chair.

10:26>> Um, would anybody else like to speak?

10:42Hi, I'm Dian Kua. and I work at my

10:44brother's table. I just have a quick

10:46question. Um,

10:47>> sorry, can I just stop you? Could you

10:48just say your and your address for the

10:50record?

10:50>> Dian Kuja Hills. I work at my brother's

10:53table, 98 Willow Street.

10:56Um, I have a question. A few of our

10:58guests were asking us if there would be

11:00an opportunity for them to be able to um

11:04voice their concerns and their um

11:07questions. You know, the folks that are

11:08currently living outside, we're

11:10wondering if there'd be a forum for

11:12them. Um, a lot of them are worried

11:14about their anonymity or getting in

11:17trouble for saying anything. So, I'm

11:19just wondering if there'll be an

11:20opportunity for them to speak as well.

11:22Thank you.

11:25>> Thank you. That's a wonderful question.

11:27I do know that we have had discussions

11:30um with um director of public health

11:33Lisa Tobin around what makes sense in

11:36terms of having these discussions.

11:38Sometimes people don't feel comfortable

11:40expressing themselves when you're

11:42surrounded by people that don't

11:43necessarily appreciate you as as a

11:47person. Um, so in the past in August

11:50they had a meeting with some of the

11:53unhoused population. I think having more

11:57conversations it makes sense um and

12:00something that we can definitely share

12:03back with um with Lisa Tobin.

12:16>> Hi, my name is Ma Acres. Um I live at

12:19350 Washington Street. That is the Lynn

12:22Shelter Association. Um, I'm here to

12:24speak on behalf of a lot of the people

12:26that are under the bridge who feel that

12:27they can't come and speak to you guys.

12:29Um, I'm with these people every single

12:31day. I live with majority of them or

12:33have lived with majority of them for the

12:35past 10 years. And there is no help for

12:38them. There is no help. And and I mean

12:41this kindly, but all of you guys who sit

12:44here may live here, drive by there,

12:46nobody gets out and asks them how their

12:48day is. Nobody gets out and offers them

12:50any help. Nobody gets out and does

12:52anything for them, but you guys

12:53constantly keep trying to kick them out

12:55of the freaking city. And that is not

12:57fair to them when their whole entire

12:59life is here. Nobody speaks to them.

13:03Nobody does anything for them. But

13:05constantly it's a problem about the fact

13:08maybe try to figure out why they're on

13:09the streets. Maybe try to figure out why

13:11they keep going back to the streets.

13:12Maybe try to figure out why they keep

13:14using drugs. maybe try to figure out why

13:16they feel safer being outside than being

13:18in a place that offers them help

13:21because I live in the shelter and I've

13:23lived there for the past 10 years off

13:25and on. They don't offer no help and

13:27nobody tries to help us. We speak up.

13:30Them sleeping outside acting the way

13:32that they acting. That is them speaking

13:34up for themselves. Showing you that it

13:36doesn't get worse than that. They're

13:38outside under a bridge because they got

13:40forced from in front of the shelter

13:41where the only services that Lynn offers

13:45is all in the same area. You can eat at

13:47that place. You can go to sleep at that

13:48place. You can shel shower at that

13:50place. You can get clean drug services

13:52at that place. You can, you know, all

13:54the stuff is in that area. And they got

13:55forced out of that area and they had

13:57nowhere else to go but to go under that

13:59bridge. And I hear what you're saying

14:01right now there's not going to be an

14:03encampment ban, but try to understand

14:06them. I've done a lot of research and

14:08stuff and I'm not saying it's something

14:10that you have to do, but there's other

14:12states in the United States that have

14:14safe zones for people that are literally

14:17for stuff like that. It is it's a safe

14:19zone for people who want to be outside,

14:21for people who want to use drugs, for

14:23people who unfortunately that is the

14:26reality for some of the people out

14:27there. They want to live that way. And

14:30who are we to tell them how to live

14:32because it makes us uncomfortable?

14:34That's not fair. That's not fair to

14:35them. They're human beings, too. At the

14:37end of the day, that's not fair to them.

14:39And they don't feel that they can speak

14:41up. They don't feel like they're heard.

14:42And they don't feel like they're seen.

14:43And that's why they keep acting the way

14:45that they're acting, cuz they don't have

14:46people who actually support them. They

14:48don't have people who actually speak on

14:50their behalf, who can do something about

14:52it. We're people who try our best, but

14:55we're not in a position to do anything

14:57for them. You guys are the ones that are

14:59in the position to do something for

15:00them. And there should be more that is

15:02being done for them. There is more that

15:04can be done for them. And it's not and

15:06it's not because there's not the

15:08resources. It's just because that makes

15:10you uncomfortable and maybe it's easier

15:12to sweep it under the rug than face the

15:14reality of it.

15:17>> Thank you so much for sharing that.

15:18>> Thank you. Thank you. Um I feel your

15:21passion and we feel it. So we are with

15:25you. We appreciate you speaking out.

15:27Thank you.

15:40My name is uh Denny D. Roia, 12 Gauge

15:43Street, Lynn. Uh I also work at 100

15:46Willow Street, My Brother's Table

15:47Multi-ervice Center at the Needle

15:49Exchange, Healthy Streets. Uh I'm a

15:52third generation Lena. Um, I've watched

15:55the same families eat at this shelter at

15:5812:00 and four o'clock

16:00and never see the rotation change except

16:03from father [clears throat] to son or or

16:06mother to daughter. Um, and we didn't

16:09see anything happen uh like uh this

16:12drastic change until these folks their

16:15community moved from 100 Willow Street

16:17to under the bridge. um where I feel

16:20like there are times where people uh

16:22that are like the people that are under

16:24the bridge aren't treated with the same

16:25dignity and passion that other folks are

16:27treated as. When you enter their

16:29community, you should be entering it

16:31with like respect to that community. And

16:34a lot of times they get the the the

16:36rough end of the stick. Um when I was

16:38there helping with the folks uh one

16:40morning some woman said that she was

16:42scared to approach them to a police

16:45officer [clears throat] where the police

16:46officer automatically sided with her.

16:48And when I asked the woman how many

16:50times have you tried to approach them?

16:52Um the answer was zero. And it took 2

16:55days for her to go down there and

16:56approach him and realize that there was

16:57some really nice and sweet and emotional

16:59people that lived there. And I think

17:01that that needs to be heard is that

17:04these are not just people that use

17:05drugs. These are people that are down on

17:07their luck and these are emotional and

17:09and really good-hearted people. So, just

17:13take that into consideration.

17:16>> Thank you.

17:21>> Last call for anyone who else would like

17:23to speak.

17:27>> All right. And then do we want to have a

17:29discussion with the counselors?

17:33You got anything?

17:36You got anything? No.

17:40>> All right.

17:42>> So, with that, we are going to

17:45>> um hold on madam chair. I really

17:47encourage you to have constant meetings

17:49like this and having suspending

17:52suspension of the rules so that we want

17:54to hear from our constituents also

17:57moving forward like business owners and

17:59residents in the area. uh like what I

18:02mentioned Mary this is an a a

18:04conversation the good thing is there's a

18:07lot of municipalities and cities that

18:09already have applied some of the

18:11policies that we might uh take some best

18:14practices from but again we will make it

18:16as a a lin um policy moving forward

18:20>> that's all continue if you want to do it

18:23next meeting pre future meetings please

18:25do so this is really important to have

18:27constant conversations

18:29>> I agree and I think as a council it's

18:32really important to really adapt

18:34policies to our local conditions and how

18:37we see them. So having these open

18:39conversations are really helpful. Um but

18:42as I mentioned before both Natasha and

18:45uh councelor Major and I will be on that

18:47task force. So we will also keep you all

18:49updated as to how things are developing.

18:52>> Thank you to both. Thank you to you.

18:54>> All right. What is the wish of the

18:56committee?

18:56>> Motion to adjurnn.

18:58>> Motion. Second.

19:03>> All right.

19:06>> Nice job.

19:08>> Election subcommittee uh for Tuesday,

19:10October 13th. Uh roll call, please,

19:12Madam Clerk.

19:13>> Councelor Avery,

19:14>> present.

19:14>> Present. Councelor Field,

19:16>> present.

19:16>> Present. Councelor Mlan, absent. Councel

19:19Paz,

19:20>> present.

19:21>> Present. Councelor

19:24>> Laapia.

19:24>> Lapia absent.

19:27>> Okay. And

19:28>> Oh. Natasha

19:29>> Madre.

19:30>> Thank you.

19:31>> Uh thank you. Um I wanted to bring this

19:34uh subcommittee uh ahead before our

19:37election coming up on in November. Uh,

19:39and I wanted to invite our city clerk

19:41and chief of elections uh, attorney Jim

19:45Lammana uh, to kind of go over uh, early

19:48voting uh, where we stand with early

19:50voting uh, the current active voter list

19:52and status verification uh, with the

19:54census and also whether individuals are

19:57listed as inactive and then kind of just

19:59kind of go over any deadlines uh, for

20:01early voting and all that. So, at this

20:03further time, I'll I'll turn it to uh,

20:05our chief of elections and city clerk

20:06Jim Lammana.

20:07>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate

20:09this opportunity to uh to uh educate the

20:12voters of what we got coming up because

20:14we do have a busy uh few weeks. Early

20:16voting starts here at Lind City Hall on

20:18October 17th and it runs right to the

20:1930th. So the first day will be Saturday,

20:22October 17th. Uh the following day,

20:24Sunday, October 18th. The following

20:26weekend, the 24th and 25th, Saturday,

20:28Sunday. Uh early voting will be here at

20:308:00 a.m. to 2:00 right here in Lin City

20:32Hall. Most days it's going to be right

20:34in front of the auditorium. We do have a

20:36couple concerts where we'll be directing

20:38people to come down to to vote uh in

20:40room 205

20:42uh during the week during city hall

20:44normal hours during that twoe period.

20:46Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8:30 to

20:484:00 at Lyn City Hall early voting. We

20:50fully staffed uh both Tuesday the 20th

20:53October and Tuesday the 27th of October,

20:558:30 a.m. to 8:00 pm. So, uh you have a

20:58extended day after work to come in here.

21:00Friday, October 23rd. Friday, october

21:0230th is is a shorter day because we

21:04close at 12:30, but you still have an

21:06opportunity to vote on th on those on

21:08those two days. Um, I urge people uh if

21:12they have not uh sent in a a voted by

21:15mail application, this is a great

21:16opportunity to vote. You never know

21:17what's going to happen on election day.

21:19Sometimes life gets in the way. Your

21:21boss asks you to complete a project. Uh

21:24two weeks is uh we only had one week in

21:26the primaries. This is a second week's

21:27been added for the final election. You'd

21:29asked about the inactive voters. Uh we

21:31had over 44,000

21:34uh voters that did not respond to the

21:35street listing annual census and through

21:38a mailing that we went sent out. Um and

21:41people that were voted in the primary at

21:4444,000 is has come down by approximately

21:468,000. It was 36,892

21:50inactive voters as of 11:00 today. I can

21:53say we got two big boxes of mail today

21:56that I brought up to the office and

21:57we're still getting postcards. Believe

21:59it or not, we're still giving censuses.

22:00We got about four censuses today.

22:02They'll be scanned in. They'll be made

22:04active. As far as their ability to vote,

22:06just as in the primary, uh, an inactive

22:09voter will be able to vote. They would

22:10be asked to show some type of proof of

22:12residence, whether it's a government ID

22:14or a utility bill, uh, they'd be also

22:16asked to sign a book saying that they

22:18affirm that they reside in the address

22:19that this the city election office has

22:22them down uh, as voting in. and and uh

22:26uh I I'm pleased to report there was

22:28really no issues in the primary. I was

22:30concerned particularly what's going on

22:31on a national level about asking voters

22:33for some type of ID. I think the the

22:36council and the mayor's office did a

22:38good job through social media and a

22:40number of meetings here from the

22:41election commission and an article in

22:43the item to explain what the inactive

22:45voting process is. Uh but no one will be

22:48turned away because they're an inactive

22:49voter. Um, if you were an active voter

22:52and voted in the primary, whether it was

22:54in person, by mail, or uh or early, you

22:58automatically been turned into an active

23:00voter. So, you will not have to appear

23:02and show up with a government ID or a

23:04utility bill. So, you're on you're off

23:06the naughty list um moving forward. So,

23:09you no special precautions need to be

23:11made on November the 3rd. So, on

23:14November 3rd, that is our election day.

23:16Uh we have eight polling places in the

23:17city of Lynwood. 111 votes at Shoemaker

23:20School 26 Regina Road. Wards 121314

23:23Sison School 56 Canomo a ward two wall

23:27St. Pius Lower Church Hall 215 Maple

23:29Street. W three all Then Marshall Middle

23:31School 100 Brookline Street. W four hall

23:34all Harrington Elementary School 21

23:36Dexter Street. W five all Linvoke Tech

23:39Annex at 90 Commercial Street. W six all

23:42is Lynvoke Tech Fieldhouse at 80 Neptune

23:45Boulevard. and ward seven all will be at

23:46Breen Judy High 90 O' Calahan Way. You'd

23:50ask for some updates on some important

23:51uh dates to come up. October 24th will

23:54be the last day to register to vote. I

23:56did receive in the mail today uh five or

23:59six uh registrations to vote. So, people

24:02are still registering uh as we approach

24:05the mail-in application deadline set by

24:07the state is October 27th at 5:00. I

24:10would urge people that although they

24:12have until October 27th at five o'clock

24:14to to to drop off a mail-in ballot. The

24:17sooner you do it, the better. Uh that

24:19they were that I I would not want to be

24:21the post office, the mailman for uh Lin

24:23City Hall today bringing in two two

24:25trays of ballots and and and whatnot. Uh

24:28that's cutting it close if you wait till

24:29the 27th, but that is the deadline is

24:31October 27th, 5:00. We sent out a a

24:34large batch of uh over 4,000 ballots uh

24:38two weeks ago. Uh we sent out another

24:40large batch of ballots today. We

24:42continue to stuff and scan. I I do think

24:45it's important to let all voters know

24:47that this is this ballot in it will be

24:49in English and Spanish and it will be

24:51three pages. So, um I I I urge the

24:55voters of Lynn to either go online or

24:57come to my office. There's a there's a

24:59booklet um that has a summary of all the

25:02ballot questions. Um it if you if you

25:05show up without any preparation, you may

25:08be there at the ballot, you may be there

25:09at the polling place a while because

25:11there are nine ballot questions and some

25:14worded a little confusingly and I think

25:15LCTV had a a very good program last week

25:18explaining the ballot questions that I

25:20was fortunate enough to be a guest upon.

25:22Uh in-person voting, as I indicated, an

25:25important date, October 17th to October

25:2730th. And finally, election day is

25:28November 3rd. Polls open at 7:00 and

25:31close at 8:00 p.m.

25:34>> Great. Thank you. Uh and I had an

25:36opportunity uh to watch the LCTV with

25:38Cal's World uh with you and the item

25:40reporter going over all those eight

25:42questions. So, that's great uh that the

25:43community uh has a little better

25:45understanding of those eight questions

25:46and that the red book is available. Uh,

25:48I know at our last meeting, um, we

25:50talked about possibly, uh, like a

25:53robocall, um, going out, uh, since our

25:56turnouts have been so low and getting

25:57people out to vote and also possibly

25:59some banners and things of that nature.

26:01Any update as far as that goes?

26:03>> I did speak with ISD and and was evident

26:06infor National Grid now has a policy

26:08that they do not allow banners to be

26:10strung across the across the street. I

26:13will work with the mayor's office uh

26:15regarding uh a robocall uh prior to the

26:19prior to the election. I'm going to be

26:21reaching out to the DPW uh the police

26:24department and fire department. They all

26:25have electronic billboards that are

26:27located throughout the city. Um that uh

26:30at least will be a reminder of of what's

26:33going on. Uh I don't see in this

26:35election a lot of lawn signs, which

26:37often is is some is a reminder to people

26:39as they're driving to and from work. But

26:40I I don't think you can turn on the

26:42television right now and go through uh

26:44three commercials without seeing some

26:46political ad and hopefully that that

26:47will be a reminder to the public. But a

26:49robocall I will strongly advocate for uh

26:52in advance of the November 3rd election.

26:54>> Perfect. Thank you. I'll open up to any

26:56of the committee members for any

26:57questions, comments, or concerns.

26:59>> Answer my question. Three three pages of

27:01ballot questions.

27:01>> Great. Fantastic. I'll entertain.

27:04>> Motion.

27:04>> Motion to adjurnn.

27:05>> Second.

27:06>> Motion made uh by council fails to

27:08adjurnn. Seconded by Hel. All in favor?

27:11>> I

27:11>> I that has it. Thank you very much.

27:21>> Call the committee of the whole for

27:22Tuesday, October 13th. Uh together. Roll

27:25call, please.

27:27>> Chairman Field,

27:28>> present.

27:28>> Council Avery,

27:29>> present.

27:29>> Council Vice President Hogan,

27:31>> present.

27:31>> Council Laapierre,

27:32>> present.

27:33>> Councelor Matul, absent. Council Mlan,

27:36>> absent. Councelor Meanie,

27:37>> present. Council Medi Madre

27:39>> present.

27:39>> Councelor Net

27:40>> present.

27:41>> Councelor PZ

27:42>> present.

27:42>> Council President Alens

27:44>> present. We have a quorum. Mr. Chairman.

27:46>> Thank you. Attorney Lammana. Um just

27:48before we get started, um I just want to

27:51acknowledge that John Tibo's here from

27:53the mayor's office and and and Chief

27:54Kelly is here from the police

27:56department. Um, back at our September

27:598th meeting uh for public safety and

28:02public um

28:05we had a discussion as far as the flock

28:08cameras. That's why we're here today.

28:09The flock system that we have the

28:11license plate reader in the city and I

28:13know there's been some uh some concerns

28:16going on around the the city around the

28:18state around the country um around this

28:21particular system. We invited um former

28:24chief ready to come here and and and

28:26have a discussion with us and during

28:29that meeting there was a motion made to

28:30open it up to the public uh for for

28:33those for the public's comments um have

28:35an opportunity to uh to share their

28:38concerns and their ideas or or what. So

28:40that's what this public hearing, this uh

28:42committee of the whole is is designed to

28:45do is is open up this forum um and and

28:48what councilors can be here in

28:50attendance to listen to you, to listen

28:51to your concerns and [snorts] uh and and

28:54and and bring that forward as we move

28:56forward as a as a city. Um

28:59before we begin um with that open

29:02portion for everyone to speak um

29:07I just want to go over some rules that

29:09we're bound by um and some that we're

29:11not. Um, in particular, um, I'm going I

29:15I highlighted a few of those areas that

29:17I just want to go over now so that we

29:19can just keep a decorum here or

29:22respectful to to others whether you

29:24agree or disagree with how someone's um

29:28position on this is um we're going to

29:32allow anyone to speak. So I just ask

29:35that you remain respectful to whether

29:38you agree with the with the p person

29:40that um has chosen to speak in favor or

29:43against. Um

29:45any questions will be going through the

29:47chair. Um and again I'm going to read

29:50the highlighted um points that I just

29:52want to make before we do begin. So as

29:55far as rule one on council meetings

29:58under letter E when the council shall

30:01determine to go into the committee of

30:03the whole which this is now the

30:05president shall appoint the member who

30:06shall take the chair and as the chair of

30:09public safety council president yellen

30:12has appointed myself to oversee this

30:14particular u

30:17committee of the whole today. Letter F.

30:19All meetings of the Folk City Council

30:21regular special public hearings shall be

30:24held in the Lynn City Council chambers

30:26for the purpose of broadcasting,

30:28executive sessions, and emergency

30:29meetings are exempt.

30:31Letter H. The citizens of the city of

30:34Lynn shall have the right to speak

30:35before the Lynn City Council at public

30:37hearings. Each speaker recognized by the

30:40president or chair or by request of an

30:44individual counselor through the

30:45president shall limit his or her

30:47discussion to an item specifically

30:49listed on the agenda and keep his or her

30:52presentation to within 5 minutes or

30:54less.

31:08Under rule 10, under the rules, under

31:10letter A, rules of debate, a member of

31:13the city council may speak on any one

31:16subject, a member of the city council

31:18may not speak again until all other

31:21members who wish to have been heard have

31:23spoken, and no member shall speak more

31:25than twice on any subject unless

31:27authorized by the city council. See

31:30Roberts Rules of Orders.

31:32Rule [snorts] 11, public participation.

31:36Letter A. The public shall have the

31:38right to speak before the council during

31:40the specific time specified within the

31:42agenda's order of business. Each speaker

31:45shall limit his her discussion to his

31:47her subject and shall keep his her

31:49presentation to within 5 minutes or less

31:52unless the council shall by a twothirds

31:54vote of its full membership allow a

31:56longer time. The majority I'm sorry

32:00number 11 letter B. The majority of the

32:03Lynn City Council shall have the right

32:05as well as the president of the council

32:06to determine what reasonable contact of

32:10people appearing before them shall be. A

32:12motion may be made by any member that

32:15some party in the audience is out of

32:17order and that unless he she ceases and

32:19desists, he she will be held in contempt

32:22of the body. If that motion is seconded,

32:24it shall be voted upon immediately and

32:26taken presidents precedence over any

32:29motion then on the floor. And letter C,

32:33public members attending council

32:35meetings shall observe the same rules of

32:37proprietary decorum and good conduct

32:40applicable to members of the council.

32:42Any person on the agenda who when

32:45recognized to speak by the president

32:48shall state his her name and address in

32:50an audible tone for the record. All

32:53remarks and questions shall shall be

32:55addressed to the council as a whole and

32:57not any individual member thereof. All

33:01remarks and questions addressed to the

33:03administration of the city shall not be

33:06addressed to any individual city

33:07employee. No person other than the

33:10members of the council and the person

33:11having the floor shall enter into any

33:14discussion either the directly or

33:16through a member of the council without

33:18the pres permission of the presiding

33:20officer.

33:23Under rule 13, letter C, councilors by

33:27by right may request a legal opinion of

33:29the city solicitor and our city attorney

33:32is here um present for for those

33:35questions. Letter D, the city solicitor

33:38shall likewise have the privilege of the

33:39floor on the introduction of

33:41interpretation of any existing or

33:44proposed ordinance or resolution or any

33:46question of legal procedure.

33:49And I hope everybody understood those.

33:52Again, please be respectful to anybody

33:54speaking. It's not an in favor or

33:57opposed. If you would like to line up,

33:59please keep your comments to within 5

34:01minutes to allow everyone that would

34:03like the opportunity to speak. Our

34:05scheduled time was 3 p.m. and our next

34:08subcommittee is scheduled at 4 p.m.

34:10We'll try to be respectful of those

34:12times.

34:14Please come ahead. State your name, your

34:17address.

34:18Thank you.

34:21Good afternoon.

34:23>> Good afternoon.

34:24>> I'm Adam Kazinski, 37 Morton Hill, Lynn.

34:28Um I'm president of [clears throat] the

34:29Northshore Labor Council. Thanks for

34:31holding this discussion today. Uh it's

34:33time we had an honest conversation about

34:35the state of security in our city. I

34:38have some concerns about the presence of

34:39flot cameras in Lynn and about the usage

34:42of automatic license plate readers in

34:44general. As a union rep, I spend a lot

34:47of time thinking about how we can how we

34:49can best balance a right to privacy

34:51while keeping everyone safe. Employers

34:54often want to put up cameras in the

34:55workplace so they can discipline

34:57employees for behavior that violates

35:00company policy. It's our job as the

35:03union to negotiate with the company how

35:05that works in practice and to represent

35:07the employees to make sure that their

35:09rights are not violated.

35:11It's not just a matter of cameras or no

35:13cameras. It's an issue of the extent of

35:15surveillance. How many cameras? Where

35:17are they placed? How that collected data

35:20is stored? What is it used for? What

35:23safeguards are in place to pro protect

35:25from its misuse. These are all issues we

35:28deal with in the workplace.

35:30It's a similar issue here with flock

35:32cameras, except it's on a much larger

35:34scale, and we're figuring these issues

35:36out after the fact and not beforehand.

35:39We've already seen the abuses that are

35:40enabled by flock. officers stalking

35:42their exes, keeping tabs on their

35:44family, officers searching flock

35:47databases to give that information to

35:48other agencies, etc. This has happened

35:51all around the country, including right

35:53here in Lynn. These abuses are so

35:55prevalent that the nonprofit Institute

35:58for Justice keeps a database tracking

36:00all the reported instances of these

36:01violations. This is not a flaw in the

36:04system. This is fundamentally what the

36:07system is designed to do. We should not

36:09be surprised that the system that gives

36:11real-time location about every person in

36:13America is used for stalking because the

36:16system itself is a mass stalking

36:17machine. These abuses are going to

36:19happen. There's no denying that. But

36:22there are safeguards. Flock itself has

36:24tried reforming its privacy and data

36:26sharing policies. Entities like the Lynn

36:28Police Department have restricted who is

36:30allowed to access the database. These

36:32measures can cut back on the potential

36:34abuse of the system, but they have

36:36proved that they aren't enough because

36:37the problem is with Flock itself.

36:40The Flock system itself is the security

36:43concern. And no amount of safeguards can

36:45solve the problem. Flock is designed to

36:47share data with outside agencies. When

36:50you think even for a minute about how

36:51that system works, then of course the

36:53company wants that data easily

36:54accessible. What's the point of

36:56capturing all that data if nobody's able

36:58to use it? They want Flock used in as

37:00many crimes as possible so they have

37:02good numbers to report on its

37:03usefulness. That's why Flock agreements

37:06still give the company the right to

37:07share data with other users even if the

37:09individual department opts out of data

37:11sharing. The ACLU has found that Flock's

37:15default agreement with police

37:16departments gives the company the right

37:18to share data with federal and local

37:20agencies for investigative purposes,

37:23even if a local department chooses to

37:24restrict data to its own officers.

37:27But even if our contracts are structured

37:29in a way that guarantees his data is

37:31only accessible locally and isn't

37:32shared, Flock system is so insecure that

37:35there's no way of actually enforcing

37:36that. Boston had to end their

37:38partnership with Flock because their

37:39data was being shared with third party

37:41agencies even though it was agreed on

37:43paper that wouldn't happen. What's

37:45stopping the same issue from happening

37:47here in Lynn? These cameras may help

37:49solve crimes, but we have safeguards on

37:51our rights for a reason. Police are not

37:53allowed to arbitrarily stop cars and

37:55conduct s searches without reasonable

37:57suspicion. Why are we allowing so much

37:59data to be collected about our real-time

38:00location and movements? I believe Flock

38:03itself has proved to be so insecure and

38:05unreliable as a company that they are

38:06more of a public harm than good. I

38:08question the need for automatic license

38:10plate reading cameras in general, but if

38:12we're going to have them in this city,

38:13then there needs to be strong public

38:15oversight in the process. I want to

38:18reiterate what we are asking for.

38:20immediately end the sharing of all data

38:22collected by Flock with outside

38:23agencies. Create a roadmap to take down

38:25all Flock cameras by the end of the year

38:27and create an oversight committee

38:29consisting of both community leaders and

38:31city officials to research and select

38:33any new ALPR or surveillance enforcement

38:36devices to be used within city limits

38:38and how they function. Only with these

38:40steps can we begin to have a transparent

38:42safety policy in the city that maximizes

38:44individual privacy, involves the

38:46community, and enables law enforcement

38:48to do their important jobs. Thank you.

38:51>> Thank you.

38:53[applause]

38:59>> Thank you. Please state your name and

39:01address.

39:01>> Good afternoon. Um, my name is Isa

39:04Leashko and I am not a Lynn resident.

39:07I'm a Salem resident, but I am speaking

39:10today at the invitation of Lynn

39:12residents.

39:13>> Address for the record, please.

39:14>> Um, I can give it to you off on the

39:17side.

39:17>> Thank you.

39:18>> Um, I was invited to speak because I led

39:20a coalition of 17 grassroots

39:23organizations who successfully

39:25campaigned for the city of Salem to

39:28terminate its contract with flock safety

39:31and enact meaningful guard rails around

39:33its usage for a new ALPR system. As you

39:38know, ALPRs record automatically and

39:41timestamp license plates uh for every

39:44vehicle that passes them along with its

39:46location. Most of Flux customers share

39:49their data on an AI enabled network that

39:52is used by at least 6,000 law

39:55enforcement agencies and organizations

39:57across the country, including those that

40:00have been deputized by ICE to enforce

40:02immigration.

40:04These agencies routinely search this

40:06network to find motorists in real time

40:09and track their mo prior movements

40:11without any warrants or probable cause

40:14or even suspicion of wrongdoing. There

40:17are no guard rails in place at a

40:19national or state level surrounding the

40:22use of this incredibly powerful

40:24technology.

40:25Salem activists began our campaign after

40:28we discovered that the Salem Police

40:30Department was sharing its flock data

40:33widely on the outofstate police

40:35departments and widely with outofstate

40:38police departments and other law

40:40enforcement agencies. We had analyzed

40:43two months worth of audits and found

40:46that our data had been searched for

40:48immigration enforcement reasons and also

40:51by states with strict bans on

40:53reproductive and/or gender affirming

40:56healthcare. In fact, we found that

40:59approximately 92% of our queries were

41:03made by agencies outside of New England,

41:06primarily from Florida and Texas.

41:10Whenever someone queries the flocked

41:12network, they need to specify the reason

41:14for the query. Our review had found that

41:17most searches um were for extremely

41:21vague reasons like investigation or

41:23invest or info. These searches can mean

41:26anything, including investigations into

41:29immigration, abortion, gender affirming

41:32healthcare, or even protests against the

41:34Trump administration. [snorts] So, what

41:36is the flock? Uh, what does Lynn's flock

41:40data show? I would really love to tell

41:43you that, but the Lynn Police Department

41:45has been unwilling to share their flock

41:47audit data with locals who have

41:49submitted public record requests.

41:57Locals have asked for two types of

41:59audits. organizational audits that

42:01document the searches conducted by

42:03officers within the Lynn Police

42:05Department and network audits that

42:07document searches conducted by external

42:10law enforcement entities. The Lynn

42:12Police Department refused to release

42:15both of these audits types of audits

42:18because doing so would allegedly

42:20compromise investigative efforts

42:22underway. This assert assertion strains

42:26credul

42:28for organizational audits. Lynn PD can

42:30redact or remove individual searches

42:33that pertain to ongoing investigations.

42:36It's unreasonable for Lynn PD to assert

42:38that all queries conducted by Lynn

42:40police officers pertain to ongoing

42:43investigations.

42:45Furthermore, there is no reason to

42:47withhold network audits, which are

42:49queries from external law enforcement.

42:52This lack of transparency is quite

42:54disturbing and should concern every

42:56member of this body. This lack of

42:59transparency is especially important um

43:03or to be concerned about because ALPRs

43:06pose clear threats to public safety. We

43:09know that there have now been at least

43:1183 cases in which ALPR technology has

43:15been used to stalk uh police uh have

43:18been abused by police to stalk romantic

43:21partners and exes.

43:23This has locally happened in River Stow

43:26and New Bedford. And as you know, two

43:29Lynn police uh officers are under

43:31investigation as well as a swamp scot

43:33police officer who might have abused

43:35Lynn's ALPR data.

43:38Nationally, there have been several

43:40instances of innocent motorists being

43:42pulled over, detained at gunpoint, and

43:44even jailed due to ALPR errors. Errors

43:48relating to ALPR usage can lead to

43:50devastating consequences, erode trust in

43:53law enforcement, waste department

43:55resources, and expose the city to

43:57liability claims.

43:59In addition, local municipalities

44:01inadvertently assist ICE when they

44:03subscribe to an NCIC immigrant violator

44:07hot list. I ask that this body take

44:10these uh the lack of transparency

44:14seriously and heed the the requests of

44:18local um of locals who are uh asking for

44:23flock to be removed from this from Len.

44:27Thank you.

44:27>> Thank you.

44:32Thank you. Please state your name and

44:34address.

44:37Please state your name and address for

44:38the record, please.

44:39>> My name is Richard Felton. I live at 11

44:41West Green Street Land, Massachusetts.

44:44I'm here on a twofold mission. One is

44:47that I understand why Flock is being

44:50used. I was a Massachusetts state

44:52trooper for 27 years until I retired.

44:56And I understand that they need a tool

45:00to

45:01catch and apprehend criminals that move

45:04throughout the city, throughout the

45:06Commonwealth, and throughout the

45:07country. I truly understand that because

45:10I was in the system myself and I had

45:12tools that I had to use to apprehend the

45:15felons that trying to evade and do harm

45:19to the citizens of Massachusetts in the

45:21city of Lynn. So please understand me

45:24when we say that flock is a tool that is

45:28very viable but is incorrectly used

45:31right now is incorrectly used because

45:34it's a system after 9/11 that was

45:37created to share uh internal information

45:40between locals and the state the state

45:43and the federal government. And there's

45:45no way of getting around that because

45:46right now I is utilizing those tools to

45:50apprehend and destroy this city in the

45:52Commonwealth by apprehending peoples off

45:54the streets. And when they apprehend the

45:56peoples, not everyone in a car, a

45:59vehicle or truck is a criminal. But yet

46:02they control everything and everyone in

46:05that vehicle. So we have this system

46:09that need to be evaluated and evaluated

46:13by this body and the mayor and the city

46:16and the state. We have to take and come

46:19up with a proposal and a plan that can

46:22be controlled and evaluated by the

46:24citizens of this city because without

46:27any oversight we have the problem of

46:31illegal personnel within the department

46:33and it's not just land department other

46:36departments across the commonwealth are

46:38utilizing them inadvertently for their

46:40own personal gains or their family

46:41gains. So we need to really look at it

46:45as a closed perspective system that are

46:48not entirely

46:50uh evil but is is for the good of our

46:54citizens of this city and the

46:55commonwealth and the country but we just

46:58have to take and manage it in a proper

47:00manner not with rules and regulation

47:01within the police department because

47:04every department has rules and

47:05regulation but they will be broken and

47:07they're going to be broken. That's just

47:08the way the system is made because we

47:10are human beings. But we need to

47:14stop racially profiling

47:17using that as a system of controlling

47:20our citizens. We need to take and truly

47:23come up with a leadership plan of how we

47:27can and the police department can

47:29control the system itself. If it's not

47:32this system, then let's create another

47:34system that we can take and work with.

47:37Also, when the flock is coming to a city

47:40and town, it's come up under agreement

47:42between the city and town. What about

47:44bringing in the state? Let's take make

47:46it not only a city and town policy and

47:48rules and regulations, but make it a

47:50state city and town regulation. That

47:53mean that we are governed and with

47:55oversight but we need the input of the

47:57citizens not just the police department

48:00and the city says okay let's get into a

48:02contract that contract is a evil one

48:05right now because no one can control it.

48:09So my conclusion is under the

48:12circumstances the city of Lynn must take

48:14decision actions to end the use of flock

48:16and expose alternate ter of tools and

48:19systems approachable to creating a

48:22communitybased oversight

48:25until and useless. The state can also

48:28take immediate action to strengthen its

48:31use of the fly cameras by coming into

48:33agreement with the cities and towns. We

48:37have to take and come up with a program

48:39that we all can agree on. And I urge

48:41this city council and the mayor to

48:44cancel any flock use until fuzzing

48:47notice until we can come up with a

48:49better system. Thank you.

48:50>> Thank you.

48:55[applause]

48:57>> Thank you. If you could state your name

48:58and address for the record, please.

48:59>> Um, Javier Lueno. Uh, I'm from the ACLE

49:03of Massachusetts. I'm the deputy field

49:05director for regional engagement. Thank

49:06you. Uh I'm here invited by concert. Um

49:13I was planning to talk a little bit

49:15about what the technology of flock does

49:17or doesn't but I have see that advocates

49:19are highly highly aware and have

49:23educated themselves quite a lot in

49:26relationship to what vlog does and

49:28doesn't do. One of the things that is

49:31really important to understand is that

49:32this is not just how to make a license

49:34plate reader. This is a fingerprint of

49:37your car. It's not only about a license

49:39plate. It's also about if my car has a

49:42dent in the side, is this brand? Is this

49:44kind of car doesn't really matter if

49:47you're the suspect of anything.

49:50You are just added and added and added

49:53and added to a database. the ACLU

49:57Western Mass office. It's in South

49:59Congregational Church. There is no way

50:02that I have anybody going to that office

50:04without passing by a flock camera. Which

50:08means that everybody, immigrant, LGBTQ

50:11plus, anybody who passed through that

50:14camera is being captured and added to

50:17the database. The same with Lynn. many

50:20many ways. Most of the ways to get to

50:23this building

50:25implies you having to drive through a

50:28flock camera.

50:31People have the right to know how the

50:33information is being used. People have

50:36the right to understand how municipal

50:39money is being spent. People have the

50:42right to hold their council and their

50:45police department to a standard that

50:48protects communities above everything.

50:52We're living in a stage in this country

50:55that any kind of data that is being

50:57gathered can be used against us.

51:02A lot of the

51:04police departments and law enforcement

51:06agency across the nation that have

51:08access to flock that are participant in

51:11the national database have 287g

51:15agreement signed by with ICE. For people

51:19who don't know what a 287g agreement is,

51:22is a deputization of local law

51:24enforcement as ICE agents. For example,

51:26the New Hampshire state trooper body.

51:30It's not only state trooper but also ICE

51:32agents because they have a 287G which

51:34means that any town that has a 287G

51:37across the nation and have access to

51:39flock by then to the national database

51:42by then to the LIN police department

51:45participation of flock can access and

51:48know if I my car or anybody else's drove

51:51by today coming to this hearing.

51:55[sighs and gasps]

51:56We need to understand something really

51:58simple.

51:59the community and elected officials

52:01asking to ban the technology or regulate

52:05the technology because there is no

52:06regulations standing right now are not

52:09alone in Massachusetts.

52:12In October, the Milton Select Board

52:15voted to end the town's contract with

52:17flock and removed LPR cameras around the

52:20town.

52:21The same with Rochester. Somebody

52:25mentioned um new bet for

52:29sadly one of the top ways how flock has

52:32been the news is because of the misuse

52:34of the technology because of the lack of

52:36regulation

52:39law enforcement agents stalking former

52:41partners people being stuck coming from

52:44out of states to get an abortion to

52:46Massachusetts.

52:49The time is now to ask the right

52:52questions to regulate a technology that

52:55is indiscriminately unregulated.

52:59The city council approves the budget in

53:02the city. By then, the city council has

53:05a responsibility and how those resources

53:08are being used

53:10is really simple.

53:13I understand that this is probably the

53:16beginning of the conversation,

53:18but the city of Lynn and its city

53:21council should be aware that this

53:24technologies and is not regulated, can

53:28be used indiscriminately. And even when

53:29we're talking about audits, the audit is

53:32postfacto,

53:34which means that it will show us that

53:37policies were violated or was misused

53:40after the misuse happened. after the

53:43violation and after the excess was done.

53:47Vlog is a company that has been known

53:49for unilaterally

53:51changing the customer agreement without

53:54having or they feel that they don't have

53:57to let the city or the law enforcement

54:00department know about the changes of the

54:03use of the data of the contract or how

54:06the policy is going to change.

54:10City councils across Massachusetts,

54:12across the government will have a

54:13responsibility.

54:15We are proud of the ACLU to see local

54:18advocates working on this, elected

54:20officials locally interested to learn

54:23about this and creating conscious that

54:25this technology.

54:28It's being abused and can be used

54:30heavily against our community. Thank you

54:32so much.

54:33>> Thank you.

54:35[applause]

54:41Thank you. You state your name and your

54:43address for the record, please.

54:44>> Amanda Brows, Ward Three, and I already

54:46gave my address on the side.

54:48>> Thank you.

54:49>> Um, thank you for holding this forum

54:52today. Although moving it to this time

54:54created missed opportunities for other

54:56constituents that work or have school

54:58pickups at this time. I encourage

55:01creating an alternative option for those

55:03that cannot be here to have their voices

55:06heard.

55:08For those that weren't here for open

55:09comment in September, I gave you a list

55:12of cities and towns that have not

55:14renewed or completely terminated their

55:16contracts with black safety.

55:19Unfortunately, Lynn has still not joined

55:21this ever growing list despite having an

55:25internal misuse investigation here in

55:27our city and two neighboring

55:29municipalities, Swampskit and Rivier.

55:33Even more alarming is the external

55:35misuse by the technology itself that

55:38municipalities have no control over.

55:42the AI algorithm that categorizes your

55:45license plate, make, model, color,

55:47bumper stickers, where you're going,

55:50when you're coming back, who you're

55:52going to see, doctor's appointments,

55:54shopping.

55:57One out of 10 plates ends up being

55:59logged with the incorrect state. This

56:02has led to false arrests and

56:04imprisonment.

56:06There's a severe lack of oversight on

56:08what these companies are doing with this

56:10information.

56:14selling our information to the highest

56:15bidder without our consent. We should

56:18not need to sign a terms of use

56:21agreement just for leaving our house.

56:24This technology also causes

56:26disproportionate harm to our im

56:28immigrant community already facing

56:31extreme hardship here in Lynn.

56:35The council has the power to vote on an

56:37ordinance banning this technology

56:39altogether as seen in Framingham and I

56:41highly encourage you to consider doing

56:43that. Increased surveillance does not

56:46increase safety. Flock out of Lynn.

56:52[applause]

56:59Anyone else like to share any comments?

57:21Thank you. If you'll state your name and

57:22address for the record, please. Thank

57:23you.

57:24>> Um, I'm the Reverend Dr. Victoria

57:26Weinstein. I'm at 50 Phillips Avenue in

57:29Lynn, W three. Hi. Um, I'm a local

57:32clergy person and uh serving a

57:35congregation that is in Swampscott. I'm

57:37a Lynn resident of 13 years and I'm also

57:41here just representing a lot of

57:42concerned people from my congregation in

57:45my community. I'm um my congregation is

57:47a member of ECHKO, Essex County

57:49Community Organization, which is a

57:50multiffaith social justice coalition. I

57:53I'm not going to say anything that

57:55anybody else hasn't said. I just wanted

57:57to speak um on behalf of the the

58:00perspective that this is an

58:02authoritarian tactic, you know, this

58:05surveillance uh this this ratcheting up

58:07of surveillance and being having it be

58:09used indiscriminately. And those of us

58:12who have um studied the tactics of

58:14authoritarian governments and movements

58:16know that these these technologies are

58:20used to terrorize everybody. And so it's

58:23not community building and it's not

58:25public safety. I don't think it's at all

58:28an investment in the city of Lynn. It

58:30really breaks my heart how many people

58:32have to uh be already nervous, paranoid

58:37to leave their homes, even if they're

58:39documented. There's just this sense of

58:42uh the destruction of our community as

58:45people have have realized that they're

58:48really going to be um targeted for

58:51special attention

58:53based on the color of their skin or

58:55their status. So, I think that these

58:58cameras are a deterrent to community in

59:01general and they're a threat to all of

59:03us. And now, I'm not being terribly um

59:07you know, I I've had a rough day in

59:09ministry. Um, sorry. Um, but I I just

59:14the the the level of pain that is

59:16experienced with this sense of being

59:18watched and surveiled even though you've

59:21done nothing and to have this be used by

59:24people who are um, you know, there it's

59:28not regulated. It's not regulated

59:30technology. We know because of news

59:33stories around the use of the flock

59:35cameras and other whatever what are they

59:37called the uh license plate readers.

59:40These are being used to hunt people.

59:42This technology has been used to

59:45actually hunt individuals and that's

59:48scary for everybody regardless of your

59:51um behavior or action.

59:54So, I I really urge Lynn to follow in

59:58the other uh to follow the other

1:00:00communities that have broken these

1:00:03contracts or ended these contracts. I

1:00:05just feel like we're better than this. I

1:00:07feel I'm embarrassed that in the state

1:00:09in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

1:00:12that we even have to have this

1:00:14conversation. Quite frankly, this is the

1:00:17Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I don't

1:00:19think we do this here. So, that's all I

1:00:22have to say. Uh, thanks for listening

1:00:25and thanks for your work and your

1:00:26deliberation and discernment.

1:00:28>> Thank you, Reverend.

1:00:31[applause]

1:00:37>> Is there anyone else in the audience

1:00:38that would like to participate in the

1:00:40discussion?

1:00:47again if we can keep the comments under

1:00:49five minutes so that all all

1:00:51participants can participate. Thank you.

1:00:54>> How's it going?

1:00:54>> State your name and address for the

1:00:55record.

1:00:56>> Uh my name is Rafael Molina, 145 Quinn

1:00:58Roadland, Mass.

1:00:59>> Thank you.

1:01:00>> Uh I want to talk about the Flock

1:01:03cameras in uh probably a different light

1:01:06[clears throat] than a lot of people

1:01:07have said so far.

1:01:10Um,

1:01:12information is knowledge, right, in in

1:01:15power. And it's all a responsibility.

1:01:19And what flaw cameras do is they sell us

1:01:24the the

1:01:26that it's a a surveillance for safety,

1:01:29but in reality, it's just data

1:01:31collection and it goes into an algorithm

1:01:35and it does pattern recognitions. And I

1:01:39think that's

1:01:40a very serious issue. Everybody that's

1:01:43up here is a part of the community. You

1:01:46guys are human beings. You guys are

1:01:48leaders, but you guys are at the end of

1:01:50the day just people. The cops back here.

1:01:55Every single one. The chief of police,

1:01:56everybody. They're all humans. Once they

1:01:58take the the uniform off and go home,

1:02:01we're just human human beings.

1:02:04They're the ones that are supposed to

1:02:05protect us here in Lynn. the police back

1:02:08there and you guys are supposed to

1:02:10enforce things and and keep us safe as

1:02:12well.

1:02:14Who's to say that they're not using this

1:02:16information to track, you know, uh

1:02:19police routes, what time they go in and

1:02:22out of the in and out of the station, uh

1:02:24what time how long does it take them to

1:02:26get home, uh the response times to get

1:02:29to an emergency. I think that those

1:02:32things are important to keep in mind

1:02:34because if we can't rely on their

1:02:36safety, if if if flock cameras

1:02:39can basically spy on them, obviously

1:02:43they're spying on us. What are the

1:02:46algorithms going to do? What are they

1:02:47using this information for? If we can't

1:02:50rely on police department safety, you

1:02:54know, the these are things that should

1:02:55be kept in house. Um

1:03:00what you know what who's gonna who's

1:03:02going to keep us safe at the end of the

1:03:05day? Um

1:03:07yeah, that's pretty much what I wanted

1:03:08to talk about. So

1:03:10>> thank you.

1:03:10>> Thanks.

1:03:13[applause]

1:03:15>> Anyone else wishing to speak? Please

1:03:17state your name and address for the

1:03:18record, please.

1:03:19>> Hello. Um thanks everyone. Uh my name is

1:03:22Gabe Cohen Glenn. Um uh I'm an organizer

1:03:25with Neighbor to Neighbor here in Lynn.

1:03:26Um, I'll share my address separately.

1:03:28>> Thank you.

1:03:28>> Um, I'm a resident of Somerville. Um,

1:03:31and I don't have a lot to add to what

1:03:32folks have already said, but um, I think

1:03:34for me the most concerning thing about

1:03:36um, this whole thing is when I heard

1:03:39that there's a flock camera at and I

1:03:41could be wrong. If I am wrong, please

1:03:43correct me that there's cameras at the

1:03:44entrance and exit of Kerwin Circle. Um,

1:03:46to me, I can't see a way in which that's

1:03:48not racial profiling. Um, in which

1:03:51that's not racially discriminatory. Um,

1:03:53I think I can't imagine coming and going

1:03:55from home. Um, every time I come and go

1:03:58from home, I know that I'm on camera.

1:04:00Um, so I just wanted to add that and I

1:04:02and I think that my advoc advocacy in in

1:04:05in addition to what has been said and

1:04:07backing up what has been said is that

1:04:08whatever the path forward is is that

1:04:10folks most impacted have to be part of

1:04:11the conversation to figure out whether

1:04:13you know what the ordinance is, what the

1:04:15regulations are, what the change of um,

1:04:17whether it's you know removing flock or

1:04:19whatever it is. I leave that to this

1:04:20community. But but we need to have folks

1:04:22who are directly impacted um

1:04:24working-class people who are under

1:04:25surveillance from many different in many

1:04:27different forms whether it's in the

1:04:28court or in the streets um need to be

1:04:30part of that conversation. Um so thank

1:04:32you.

1:04:33>> Thank you.

1:04:35[applause]

1:04:38>> Anyone else wishing to speak?

1:04:46>> Thank you. Please state your name and

1:04:48address for our record.

1:04:49>> Good afternoon. Isaac Simon Hodes at

1:04:52Flint Street in Ward 7.

1:04:53>> Thank you.

1:04:58>> So, I'm sure like many people, I can

1:05:01think of plenty of moments when I wish

1:05:04there had been video surveillance of

1:05:06something. My car got smashed into by a

1:05:08drunk driver middle of the night while

1:05:10it was parked. It would have been nice

1:05:12to know where I could have gotten that

1:05:15fixed. Never did. um and of course much

1:05:18more serious things that people could

1:05:20point out up to an including loss of

1:05:23life.

1:05:25But I think this kind of fundamental

1:05:28erosion of our basic civil liberties, of

1:05:30our basic right to privacy is something

1:05:33that we cannot uh sacrifice

1:05:36um for for particular incidents.

1:05:40And

1:05:42I think one one thing that really is

1:05:44important to me is this is not just

1:05:46grabbing you know video uh images here

1:05:50and there combined with the kind of

1:05:54artificial intelligence the LLM large

1:05:57language models we're seeing now. This

1:06:00can create a record of a map of exactly

1:06:05where a huge portion of our population

1:06:08of our city has been over the course of

1:06:10a day, over the course of a week, over

1:06:12the course of a month. Um, it it

1:06:14potentially has predictive capabilities,

1:06:16right, in terms of patterns of where

1:06:18people are. Um, I know there's been talk

1:06:21about how there's limitations of what

1:06:23kind of data sharing goes on with other

1:06:25agencies.

1:06:27I mean, I I think we've already seen the

1:06:28limitations of of um those kind of

1:06:31policies, right? How how easy it is for

1:06:33it would it be for this kind of

1:06:35information to be shared with another

1:06:37agency within Massachusetts, which is

1:06:38the current limitation? How do we know

1:06:41where that agency, whether it's by

1:06:45policy or an individual officer, is

1:06:46sharing information on whether it's to a

1:06:49federal source, whether it's to ICE,

1:06:50whether it's to somewhere else. Once you

1:06:52have this data, it's there. It's going

1:06:54to be misused. it's going to be abused.

1:06:56We've seen that in Lynn, in Swamps Sky,

1:06:59across the country.

1:07:02I'd also say this is kind of a pattern

1:07:04where we we have a new technology, a new

1:07:06capability that's really powerful and

1:07:09some corporation puts it up to make

1:07:11money and we grab onto it and start

1:07:14using it and then the policy discussion

1:07:16comes later. What are we giving up? How

1:07:19is this having big long-term impacts on

1:07:22our society? And that comes later. and

1:07:25the, you know, the horse is out of the

1:07:26barn. And I think this body has a chance

1:07:29right now to get that horse back in,

1:07:32close the gate, and then have a real

1:07:35serious discussion, not one or two

1:07:37sessions, but a real serious discussion

1:07:38about what this policy means, what this

1:07:41kind of technology means. You know, I

1:07:43personally think we cannot give up our

1:07:45our basic right to privacy, but we

1:07:48should have that debate and the policy,

1:07:50the decision should be made, you know,

1:07:51by public bodies having debates in

1:07:54public, not by an individual agency, an

1:07:56individual department. And that's that's

1:07:58not just directed at the police

1:07:59department. There should be no agency or

1:08:01department that's making that kind of

1:08:03fundamental decision um for our city

1:08:06sort of on the fly or on its own without

1:08:10a on there vote by the public officials

1:08:12who represent us and and I think you can

1:08:14see in how this has evolved the the the

1:08:17kind of concerns there, right? I I read

1:08:20that initially all officers had access

1:08:23to this technology on their personal

1:08:25cell phones. That's that's nuts. And I'm

1:08:28glad that's been shut down now, but the

1:08:30fact that that was ever the case just

1:08:32kind of speaks to the fact that this

1:08:33something this powerful, we can't just

1:08:35kind of do it on the fly. Um, you know,

1:08:38I saw that that the audit process now,

1:08:41uh, as someone mentioned, that's after

1:08:42the fact. That's problematic. But the

1:08:44audit process, a big chunk of that

1:08:46depends on the tools provided by this

1:08:49company itself, right? Which has a

1:08:51vested interest obviously in not having

1:08:54audits show seriously problematic

1:08:57patterns beyond a certain threshold or

1:09:00that'll raise further concerns.

1:09:07Um, I think in terms of the kind of

1:09:08chilling effect this has, even when it's

1:09:11not misused, right, that's very real.

1:09:13And and even in in publicly reported

1:09:15comments in the item, I think there was

1:09:17already an official from the LIN police

1:09:19talking about using this for parades and

1:09:21public events, right? What does that say

1:09:24to people who are already concerned

1:09:26whether it's from experiences elsewhere

1:09:28in other countries or here with

1:09:30political repression? We hear all the

1:09:32time, are we allowed to protest? Are we

1:09:34allowed to have a picket line?

1:09:37Right? And those questions are

1:09:38concerning enough. But then when you

1:09:40have this technology that's being openly

1:09:42spoken of of surveilling public events

1:09:47by advocates for it, that's terrifying.

1:09:50So, I'd urge this body to please put a

1:09:52stop to this and then if we want to have

1:09:54a debate, let's do it. But let's not

1:09:56have the technology run ahead run by

1:09:58this corporate uh profit driven actor

1:10:01and then figure it out later. Thank you.

1:10:04>> Thank you. [applause]

1:10:11>> Is there anyone else that would like to

1:10:12speak during the discussion?

1:10:17>> Thank you. Please state your name and

1:10:19address for the record.

1:10:21>> Hi everyone. My name is Zosa Van Meter

1:10:23and I provided my address to Miss Young

1:10:25uh earlier.

1:10:26>> Thank you.

1:10:26>> I am a Lynn resident and an immigrant

1:10:28neighbor. The sign that I brought here

1:10:30with me today bears the phrase who

1:10:32watches the watchmen derived from a

1:10:34Latin phrase that roughly translates to

1:10:37who will guard the guards themselves.

1:10:40It's been frequently used in modern

1:10:41context to shine light on the idea of

1:10:43holding people in power, government

1:10:45officials and law enforcement

1:10:47accountable. Accountable meaning subject

1:10:49to giving an account and capable of

1:10:51being explained. So, let's establish a

1:10:54recent timeline for context.

1:10:56August 19th from the item, two Lynn

1:10:59police officers have been placed on paid

1:11:01administrative leave after an audit of

1:11:03the department's flock license plate

1:11:04reader system uncovered a concerning

1:11:06pattern in some searches. August 24th, a

1:11:10Freedom of Information Act request or

1:11:12foyer request was submitted to the LPD

1:11:14for flock search records and information

1:11:16about existing 287G agreements, ICE

1:11:19activity on city-owned properties, and

1:11:20enforcement follow-through from our

1:11:22local government for violations of the

1:11:24mayor's executive order. This request

1:11:26for public record was originally met

1:11:28with a price tag of $750

1:11:31and appealed to the state. Thankfully,

1:11:33the state did not find that to be

1:11:34reasonable and the cost was reduced to

1:11:36$250, which was paid out of pocket by a

1:11:38private citizen so we could obtain that

1:11:40information. Some documents have been

1:11:42released, but not completely. The

1:11:44request, however, to date remains open.

1:11:47The Massachusetts Public Record Act

1:11:48requires responses to to these requests

1:11:51to be completed within 10 business days,

1:11:53and it has been 35 business days since

1:11:55the date of the request.

1:11:57September 4th from the item, a Swamot

1:11:59police officer has been placed on paid

1:12:01administrative leave after the

1:12:02department was notified of concerns

1:12:04involving possible misuse of Lynn's

1:12:06flock system, a flock license plate

1:12:08reader system. September 8th, Chief

1:12:11Ready stated access to the flock

1:12:13database quote was available to all

1:12:15members of the Lynn Police Department up

1:12:17until the recent pullback. End quote.

1:12:19which alludes to the fact that the

1:12:21database wasn't just available to police

1:12:22officers. It was available to all

1:12:24members of the police department,

1:12:25including office staff.

1:12:28September 10th, department metrics were

1:12:30published to Facebook on an AI generated

1:12:32flyer. In response to a recent foyer

1:12:34request, the Lynn Police Department

1:12:35stated, "Unfortunately, our CAD system

1:12:37does not maintain a reliable data field

1:12:39identifying whether each individual CAD

1:12:41call resulted in an arrest.

1:12:43Understanding there may be multiple

1:12:44records uh recordkeeping systems used, a

1:12:47request has been made for the data to

1:12:48determine the metrics released to the

1:12:50public. September 12th, a foyer request

1:12:54was submitted to LPD for all contact all

1:12:56contract budget documents and audit

1:12:58data, both organizational audits and

1:13:01network audits audits regarding any

1:13:03automatic license plate reader

1:13:04technology used by LPD. Some contracts

1:13:07and invoices were sent, but the request

1:13:09for audit data was met with a denial.

1:13:11The LPD stated, "We are currently unable

1:13:13to release these files under exemption F

1:13:15of the public records law, and this wide

1:13:18application of the exemption has been

1:13:19appealed to the state." September 15th,

1:13:22a foyer request was submitted to the LPD

1:13:24for records of their CAD calls. There

1:13:25were multiple requests to limit the

1:13:27scope of the search, and I did. The

1:13:29purpose of this information was to try

1:13:31to discern why flock cameras were placed

1:13:33at the entrance and exit of Kerwin

1:13:34Circle. We were told that it was because

1:13:36of police activity. So, I am pulling the

1:13:38data to confirm that statement. The data

1:13:40was just sent to me about an hour ago,

1:13:42and I'm looking forward to diving into

1:13:43it later this week. Accountability has

1:13:46been a buzzword this election cycle

1:13:47along with transparency, but they fall

1:13:49short when public records are not

1:13:51released, and the requests are met with

1:13:52barricade after barricade and excuse

1:13:54after excuse. Getting answers from our

1:13:56local government shouldn't be this hard,

1:13:58especially when the former chief of

1:13:59police spoke about building trust within

1:14:01the community in last month's meeting.

1:14:04Trust is something you earn, not just

1:14:05with words, but with actions. And the

1:14:07actions over the past few months have

1:14:09broken that trust and the evasion of

1:14:11sharing public records has eroded it

1:14:12even further. So I ask you, Chief Kelly,

1:14:16Mayor Nicholson, and the city councilors

1:14:17before me today. After everything that

1:14:19has been said here today, after

1:14:21everything that has happened over the

1:14:22past few months, do you really believe

1:14:24that the Lynn police deserve our blind

1:14:26trust in regards to Flock cameras?

1:14:28Because that's what you're asking for.

1:14:30Soul source procurement of the software.

1:14:32A letter from Flock stating they're

1:14:34above board and a letter from the chief

1:14:35of police agreeing. Avoiding releasing

1:14:37data to the public, placement of cameras

1:14:39without notification, metrics divorced

1:14:42of any context and with no supporting

1:14:43detail or disclaimer for criteria, a

1:14:46letter from the chief of police to the

1:14:47Lind City Council about why LPD needs

1:14:49flock that wasn't made available to the

1:14:50public. This level of transparency feels

1:14:53opaque.

1:14:54There's enough fear and scarcity sown in

1:14:57our streets from the effects of the

1:14:58federal government and we deserve to

1:15:00feel protected by our local government.

1:15:02So work with us, please. The ask isn't

1:15:05to abandon the police and strip away

1:15:06their ability to do their jobs. The ask

1:15:09is to do it in a way that people feel

1:15:10safe. Yes, take the flock cameras off

1:15:14the streets by the end of the year, but

1:15:15work with us, the community you're

1:15:17supposed to be keeping safe to find a

1:15:19suitable replacement. The police deserve

1:15:21to have enforcement tools that help them

1:15:23excel at their jobs. And the people of

1:15:25Lynn deserve to feel safe and confident

1:15:27in these systems. Both things can be

1:15:29true. And I believe in our local

1:15:31officials and the Lynn Police Department

1:15:32to be able to work with the community

1:15:34leaders and find a replacement

1:15:35enforcement tool that does not

1:15:36jeopardize the safety of its people.

1:15:38Thank you.

1:15:41[applause]

1:15:50Is there anyone else in the audience

1:15:51that would like to participate in the

1:15:53discussion?

1:15:56Please come to the podium. State your

1:15:58name and address for the record.

1:16:02>> For was Abu Shark for Harrison Road and

1:16:05Salem Mass.

1:16:06>> Thank you.

1:16:08I'm going to [clears throat] repeat I'm

1:16:10not going to repeat what they were

1:16:11saying. Uh

1:16:14I know for a fact that no police

1:16:17department want to get rid of the

1:16:18cameras no matter what it is. It's a

1:16:21tool as they claim and also no state or

1:16:24local government want to give their tool

1:16:27of spying on the people very strong.

1:16:31At the same time I come from a community

1:16:34as a Palestinian as a Muslim as an

1:16:37immigrant where this might become

1:16:40dangerous.

1:16:41So I think the conversation why not

1:16:44flock especially flock because who they

1:16:46share the information with is dangerous.

1:16:50They don't just share the information

1:16:52with enforcement and state police and

1:16:54stuff. They share it with foreign

1:16:58governments as well. And I would specify

1:17:02the state of Israel as one of those

1:17:05governments. And to me as a Palestinian

1:17:08this is dangerous and this is important.

1:17:10I [snorts] want to be protected and I

1:17:12want this to be with people that I

1:17:16trust. So I think the question here

1:17:19becomes which company

1:17:22camera company that we need to have so

1:17:25the police and the government can spy

1:17:28safely

1:17:30and at the same time

1:17:33where is the data is stored who has

1:17:36access to it and what permissions do you

1:17:40need to get to that information

1:17:42and this is I think where the solid and

1:17:46the major protection needs to be if we

1:17:50can have the cameras because I doubt I

1:17:52mean I'm totally against it and I do not

1:17:54believe in surveillance don't get me

1:17:56wrong I'm not you know trying to promote

1:17:58or preach for the cameras but I'm living

1:18:01with the reality that because we did it

1:18:04in Salem we did it in many cities and I

1:18:06know for a fact they're not going to get

1:18:08rid of the cameras so let's have a

1:18:11conversation

1:18:13which company and more important about

1:18:16the data, who shares it, and if federal

1:18:20or state or anybody outside the city

1:18:23needs to get it, I think uh a court

1:18:26order should be the way to get it. It

1:18:28should be, you know, privileged

1:18:30information for the city that has the

1:18:32cameras. And from there, I think we will

1:18:36have more protection, but it's not what

1:18:39we're looking for or what we're hoping

1:18:41for, but at least it will make everybody

1:18:44happy, I guess. Thank you.

1:18:46>> Thank you.

1:18:50[applause]

1:18:52Did anyone else want to speak during the

1:18:54public portion of this discussion?

1:18:59Does anyone else want to share anything

1:19:01during our discussion?

1:19:05>> Please state your name and address for

1:19:06the record.

1:19:07>> Hi, my name is Joe Pazera. I live at 80

1:19:10Broad Street.

1:19:11>> Thank you. Um, almost everyone that has

1:19:14come up here has expressed feelings of

1:19:16uncertainty,

1:19:18of feeling unsafe, of feeling oppressed.

1:19:23And I just want to ask the question of

1:19:25what kind of community do we want to

1:19:26live in because

1:19:29everyone here seems to be unsatisfied

1:19:32with this contract in one way or

1:19:33another. Um, I'd like to point out that

1:19:37there is no entrance or exit to the city

1:19:39of Lynn. that is not covered by these

1:19:42cameras.

1:19:44You cannot go south to Revier on the

1:19:46Linway or Western Nav. You cannot go

1:19:49west to Sus. You cannot go north to

1:19:52Salem or Peabody. We essentially live in

1:19:55a geoence of these cameras.

1:19:59And I I simply find that unacceptable.

1:20:03Knowing that our community is in fear

1:20:06entering and leaving this city is

1:20:08unacceptable.

1:20:10and I just wanted to get up and voice

1:20:12that. Thank you.

1:20:14>> Thank you. [applause]

1:20:21>> Is there anyone else in the audience

1:20:22that would like to participate in our

1:20:24discussion?

1:20:27Is there anyone else seated here that

1:20:29would like to participate in our

1:20:31discussion?

1:20:34Anyone else present that wants to share

1:20:35anything with our discussion?

1:20:38Seeing none, I close that part of the

1:20:39public hearing. This time I invite Chief

1:20:42Kelly to come ahead.

1:20:51Thank [clears throat] you, Chief. Um, on

1:20:53Friday, the city councilors were given a

1:20:56um delivered their packet. There was a

1:20:57letter in it from you, and I invite you

1:20:59ahead to uh to share some of that with

1:21:02the community. Thank you.

1:21:05I could read the letter in whole if

1:21:07you'd like, please.

1:21:09>> Dear members of the city council, I am

1:21:11writing to you in advance of the October

1:21:1313th, 2026 public hearing regarding the

1:21:16use of Flock automated license plate

1:21:18ALPR technology in Lynn. I am deeply

1:21:21aware of the concerns surrounding ALPR

1:21:24technology, not only here in Lynn, but

1:21:26throughout communities across the

1:21:28Commonwealth and the country. Public

1:21:30trust is fundamental to effective

1:21:32policing and I believe it is our

1:21:34responsibility to ensure that any

1:21:36technology used in the limb police

1:21:39department is accompanied by clear

1:21:41limitations, meaningful oversight,

1:21:44transparency, and accountability. With

1:21:46that in mind, I am confident that the

1:21:48new Lim Police Department ALPR policy

1:21:51established some of the most

1:21:52comprehensive safeguards governing the

1:21:54use of this technology in the

1:21:56Commonwealth. We took considerable time

1:21:58to review the policy, examine areas of

1:22:00concern, and reestablish clear standards

1:22:03regarding who may access the system, how

1:22:05information may be retained and used,

1:22:07and what uses are strictly prohibited.

1:22:11Based on my review of the policies from

1:22:13other law enforcement agencies, I

1:22:15believe this policy establishes an

1:22:17exceptionally high standard for access,

1:22:19retention, and oversight. Three changes

1:22:22are particularly significant that we've

1:22:24made to our ALPR policy. First, no

1:22:27member of the limb police department

1:22:28below the rank of lieutenant is

1:22:30authorized access or use to the flock

1:22:33system. This establishes a very high

1:22:35threshold for access and ensures that

1:22:37the use of the system is limited to

1:22:39experienced supervisory personnel.

1:22:42Second, flock data will be retained for

1:22:44only 7 days. This significantly limits

1:22:47the amount of historical information

1:22:48maintained by the department and reduces

1:22:50the potential for information to be

1:22:52retained longer than necessary. Third,

1:22:55mandatory policy audits will occur every

1:22:57seven days. This provides for frequent

1:23:00review of the system, the system use,

1:23:02and creates an additional layer of

1:23:04accountability to ensure the policy is

1:23:06being followed. Together, these

1:23:07provisions create a significant level of

1:23:09oversight and accountability while

1:23:11substantially limiting both access to

1:23:14and retention of ALPR information. I

1:23:17have not found any safeguards with

1:23:19stricter and higher standards in any law

1:23:21enforcement policy. Our [snorts] policy

1:23:24also clearly establishes not only what

1:23:26the system may be used for, but perhaps

1:23:28more importantly, what it may not be

1:23:30used for. The policy expressly prohibits

1:23:33the use of ALPR technology for purposes

1:23:36involving reproductive rights, political

1:23:39speech or activity, protected classes,

1:23:42immigration enforcement, personal use,

1:23:45monitoring acquaintance or family

1:23:47members, and and other protected

1:23:49constitutional, civic, religious, or

1:23:51labor activities. Residents should never

1:23:54be concerned that their movements are

1:23:56being monitored because of who they are,

1:23:58what they believe, who they associate

1:24:00with, and or what lawful activities they

1:24:03participate in. Our policy is

1:24:06specifically designed to prevent that.

1:24:08The policy places strict limitations on

1:24:11information sharing. The limp police

1:24:12department personnel are prohibited from

1:24:14sharing ALPR information outside of

1:24:16Massachusetts or with federal law

1:24:18enforcement except when where a

1:24:21specifically authorized legal exception

1:24:23applies. These provisions are intended

1:24:25to ensure that the system is used only

1:24:28for legitimate law enforcement purposes

1:24:30outlined in our policy and never for

1:24:34purposes that we are expressly

1:24:36prohibited. We [snorts] also have made

1:24:38clear that the city of Lynn owns the

1:24:40data generated through the system and

1:24:43that Flock or any other vendor does not

1:24:45have the authority to sell, disseminate,

1:24:47or otherwise use that information for

1:24:49its own purposes.

1:24:51Our policy establishes a legal framework

1:24:53requiring the use of the system to

1:24:55remain consistent with constitutional

1:24:57protections, Massachusetts law, the

1:25:00Massachusetts Declaration of Rights, and

1:25:02applicable judicial decisions. It also

1:25:04establishes accountability measures and

1:25:06provides for discipline when an employee

1:25:08uses the system in violation of this

1:25:10policy. At the same time, I want to be

1:25:12candid about why I believe this

1:25:13technology remains an important

1:25:15investigative tool for Lynn. During my

1:25:1730 years with the Lynn Police

1:25:19Department, I have personally seen Flock

1:25:21assist investigators in solving

1:25:23homicides, shootings, and other serious

1:25:25violent crimes. These are not simply

1:25:28statistics to me. Behind every one of

1:25:29these cases are victims, surviving

1:25:32family members, witnesses, and members

1:25:34of our community who deserve justice.

1:25:36When this technology helps identify the

1:25:38person responsible for a violent crime,

1:25:40it can provide answers to a family that

1:25:43may otherwise never receive them. And

1:25:45when an individual responsible for a

1:25:46violent offense is identified and

1:25:48arrested, we are not only addressing

1:25:50what has already happened, we may also

1:25:52prevent that person from victimizing

1:25:54another community member. The value of

1:25:56the technology is not limited to violent

1:25:58crime. It has also assisted in

1:25:59addressing quality of life issues that

1:26:01directly affect our neighborhoods,

1:26:03including illegal dumping, and other

1:26:05offenses that negatively impact our

1:26:06residents and the community. It has been

1:26:09used to help investigate missing person

1:26:10cases, property crimes, pedestrian hit

1:26:13and runs, and other offenses that have a

1:26:16significant impact on victims and their

1:26:18families. There are countless examples

1:26:20where this technology has provided

1:26:21investigators with an important lead

1:26:23that otherwise may not have been

1:26:25available for the victims and families

1:26:27involved. Those investigative leads can

1:26:29make a meaningful difference. I also

1:26:31understand that these benefits must be

1:26:33balanced with legitimate concerns

1:26:34regarding privacy and civil liberties.

1:26:37As a lifelong LIN resident, I understand

1:26:39these concerns personally. I do not

1:26:41believe public safety and individual

1:26:43privacy have to be opposing principles.

1:26:46Our responsibility is to establish

1:26:48appropriate boundaries and hold

1:26:50ourselves accountable for the for

1:26:52following them. This is what we have

1:26:54attempted to do with this policy.

1:26:58I will listen carefully to every concern

1:26:59raised during the October 13th hearing.

1:27:02I welcome the discussion and I will take

1:27:04the concerns and recommendations

1:27:05expressed by our elected officials and

1:27:07our residents seriously as we continue

1:27:09to evaluate our policies and practices.

1:27:12I also want the council to know that I

1:27:13remain available to appear before you at

1:27:15any future meeting or hearing to to

1:27:17discuss the ALPR policy, our safeguards,

1:27:20accountability measures, or any other

1:27:22questions you may have. The trust of our

1:27:24residents is something I value

1:27:26tremendously. As chief of police, I

1:27:28believe we have an obligation to protect

1:27:30both safety of our community and the

1:27:31rights of the people we serve. Our ALPR

1:27:34policy is intended to do both. Thank you

1:27:37for your continued partnership and your

1:27:38commitment to the residents of Lynn.

1:27:40Thank you. Thank you, Chief. Do you have

1:27:41any other further comments?

1:27:43>> I would just like to add to the council

1:27:44since Chief Ready um met with the

1:27:46subcommittee, we have implemented

1:27:48probably one of the strictest policies

1:27:50in the entire Commonwealth, if not the

1:27:51nation. the ones I just highlighted in

1:27:53that letter. Um, as far as the 7-day

1:27:56retention, the 7-day audit system, and

1:27:59the rank of lieutenant above, and with

1:28:02the language that we put in strictly

1:28:03prohibiting the uses of flock, I believe

1:28:06balances the need for public safety with

1:28:09the privacy and civil liberty concerns

1:28:10that we've heard addressed by our

1:28:12community members today. I will add, um,

1:28:15as I spoke candidly in that letter about

1:28:17behind every statistic, there's a

1:28:19family. In my previous jobs um in the

1:28:22LIN Police Department, I've been at the

1:28:24front line of those scenes. I've given

1:28:27life-saving medical um to some of these

1:28:31people that have been shot and stabbed

1:28:32and then met with their families, not

1:28:34just in the immediate aftermath, but for

1:28:36years afterwards. We go to grand jury

1:28:39and then we go to motions to suppress

1:28:41and then we go to trial. And this

1:28:42process takes years. And I've spent

1:28:44years with these families. And when you

1:28:46see justice get brought to these

1:28:47families and when they're crying in the

1:28:49aftermath, they're not just crying

1:28:51because they receive justice. You know

1:28:52what they they normally tell me? They

1:28:54say, "I'm crying because no other family

1:28:56should feel the pain and suffering that

1:28:58we felt for the last years and we're

1:29:00going to carry for the rest of our

1:29:01lives." And that's truly I could stand

1:29:04here and tell you Flock makes this city

1:29:06safer. As elected officials, chief of

1:29:08police, I believe we can balance both

1:29:10that need for public safety with the

1:29:12responsible use of this technology. And

1:29:14I think this policy does both and I

1:29:16think that we're better a better city

1:29:18for it.

1:29:20>> Thank you, Chief. Right, Chief, if you'd

1:29:22like to have a seat uh right here in the

1:29:23front, I'm going to open up um any

1:29:25questions or discussion among my

1:29:28colleagues in the council.

1:29:31[applause]

1:29:36>> Council President Ellensson.

1:29:37>> Thank you, Mr. chairman and thank you

1:29:39for running this meeting and thank you

1:29:41to all of our guests for the insights

1:29:44and and information. You know, on my way

1:29:47here, I got a call from a reporter of

1:29:49Lynn item and asked me about my feelings

1:29:54or input about flock. I might have my

1:29:58personal opinion about it, but as an

1:30:01elected city councelor of this city, I

1:30:04have to have an open mind as we

1:30:06represent everybody in this city and I

1:30:09need to educate myself and I need to get

1:30:12as many information as possible. On my

1:30:14way here, I did some research because as

1:30:17an immigrant and a member of LGBT

1:30:20community, we're always have that

1:30:24feeling that, you know, somebody's

1:30:25watching us, somebody's reporting. So, I

1:30:28have to really educate myself. And um I

1:30:33noticed that there's roughly 200 towns

1:30:35and cities in the state that has flock

1:30:38system and 30 of them have terminated

1:30:41it.

1:30:42I also know for a fact that uh in my

1:30:46ward alone, this system has helped

1:30:49resolve some uh arrested some of the

1:30:52individuals who murdered two uh

1:30:55individuals in my ward and other other

1:30:58um incidents. But I also also looking

1:31:02forward to have a conversation. I listen

1:31:04to a lot of them. What I heard all the

1:31:06time is conversation conversation. We

1:31:09need to fix our ordinance. We need to do

1:31:11this right. So I am um reserving. I'm

1:31:16only one vote. I am not influencing

1:31:19anybody but I am reserving to benefit

1:31:22myself and my my information about this

1:31:25issue. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

1:31:27>> Thank you Mr. President. Would anybody

1:31:28else like to hear anything? Council

1:31:30Mlan.

1:31:31>> Yeah. I would like to speak to Chief um

1:31:35right last name.

1:31:36>> Kelly.

1:31:36>> Kelly.

1:31:37>> Neil one.

1:31:38>> Uh yeah Kelly. So, I didn't want to say

1:31:40the wrong name. All I had in my head was

1:31:42ready. But, um, Chief Kelly, I just want

1:31:45to ask about the placement of these Flo

1:31:47cameras and what research was done in

1:31:49order to place them. I'm hearing from

1:31:52the community that there's uh, two

1:31:54placed at uh, Current Circle and they're

1:31:58also placed at the entrances and exits

1:32:00of the city. So, I wanted to hear more

1:32:01about how many we have, where are they

1:32:03placed, and why were those places why

1:32:05were those spots picked? We have 23

1:32:08cameras in the city. They're all placed

1:32:10on public roads, highly traveled public

1:32:12roads at key intersections and

1:32:14thoroughares. Uh these these cameras

1:32:17were placed in order to best serve the

1:32:20city to get the full grass. City is uh

1:32:23this city is very large and very dense.

1:32:25We don't have these on side streets

1:32:27where cars are less traveled. They're

1:32:29purposely placed on highly traveled

1:32:31roads. So, if we do have a victim of a

1:32:34crime or um someone a missing person or

1:32:37an elderly person that has dementia that

1:32:40um has gotten into vehicles and drove

1:32:41away, we want these cameras placed in

1:32:43highly traveled areas for that purpose.

1:32:46And that's exactly what we've done in

1:32:48this case.

1:32:50>> And the ones at Curran Circle, is that

1:32:52accurate that there's two there at the

1:32:55Curran Circle project?

1:32:56>> There are cameras at Cerwin Circle.

1:32:58Current Circle is a unique um set of

1:33:00circumstances where um there was some

1:33:03money from Lynn Housing at the time that

1:33:05was able to purchase some flock cameras

1:33:07and they were added to the limb police

1:33:10uh flock system. So um those cameras

1:33:13were placed. It's basically a horseshoe

1:33:15where cars go in and go out. So

1:33:17therefore they're placed on either end

1:33:19of that horseshoe.

1:33:21>> And what was the reason for that? It was

1:33:23just housing authority decided to put

1:33:25them there.

1:33:26>> It was a public safety concern. We had

1:33:28very violent crimes being committed down

1:33:30in that area. We had um a high level of

1:33:33victimization. Um shootings, other uh

1:33:36violent crimes. And at the time there

1:33:38were no flock AOPR cameras cuz Holy Oak

1:33:41Street in that area of Cerwin Circle is

1:33:44not a highly traveled area but for that

1:33:47area uh that complex. So therefore they

1:33:49were added um in light of that uh surge

1:33:52in violence in that neighborhood.

1:33:55>> Okay. So, thank you for that answer. Um,

1:33:58I have another question about the policy

1:34:00that has been created. Um, I commend the

1:34:03BIM Police Department for creating the

1:34:05policy, but hearing from the community,

1:34:07it does um give me pause because the

1:34:10larger surveillance of flock seems to

1:34:13not be regulated from what I'm hearing.

1:34:15So, how are you what safeguards are

1:34:18placed on that information that lower

1:34:20level ranking officers cannot um is

1:34:24there some kind of error message that

1:34:25comes up when they try to access certain

1:34:28information like how are they stopped?

1:34:30How is it what is the prevention looking

1:34:32like to make sure that policy is really

1:34:34being implemented that you speak of and

1:34:36where can people find that policy?

1:34:39>> Um we can make that policy public. We

1:34:41can share it with the council.

1:34:42Absolutely. Um

1:34:45that policy is um has some of the

1:34:48strictest language as far as

1:34:50accountability goes. Right now if you

1:34:52have to be higher than the rank of

1:34:53lieutenant lieutenant or higher to

1:34:55access the system, we do weekly audits

1:34:58and we only retain the data for 7 days.

1:35:01And the city of Lind um is the sole um

1:35:05person that has access to that data. We

1:35:08do not share it without um any agency

1:35:10outside of Massachusetts and Flock does

1:35:13not sell, share or disseminate that

1:35:15data. Lynn is the owner of that data.

1:35:19And as far as far as the safeguards when

1:35:21people are accessing the the system, is

1:35:23there any error messages or any other

1:35:26real implementation to stop um lower

1:35:29ranking officers from being able to

1:35:31access information? When I say like an

1:35:32error message, if someone goes in and

1:35:34tries to see if someone's coming to Lynn

1:35:37for, you know, gender affirming care or

1:35:39if they're trying to figure out who what

1:35:41someone's address is and they're a lower

1:35:44ranking officer, is there something that

1:35:46will stop them in the system from being

1:35:47able to access that information?

1:35:49>> Lower ranking officers do not have

1:35:51access to our system. Only lieutenants

1:35:53and above have access. But even to

1:35:55further the safeguard, you need a

1:35:57legitimate law law enforcement purpose

1:35:59in a case number that has to be entered

1:36:02into the system in order to access any

1:36:04data. So again, there's no lower level

1:36:06officers with access to the system. Only

1:36:09um the rank of lieutenant or higher have

1:36:11access and those safeguards exist in the

1:36:13system themselves. is a digital

1:36:15footprint with a case number that has to

1:36:17be logged in and the reason for that

1:36:19search and during the weekly audits any

1:36:22suspicious or anomalies that come up

1:36:24will be further investigated. So there

1:36:26are safeguards built in and no other

1:36:28city or town has these high level of

1:36:30safeguards u built into their policy. I

1:36:33can assure you that.

1:36:35>> Okay. And my last question would be

1:36:36about the uh swamp scot officer. Um is

1:36:39can you tell us more about that or what

1:36:41is going on with that? Is that something

1:36:43that you're at liberty to speak about?

1:36:45>> Unfortunately, I would not comment on

1:36:46another department or another city's

1:36:48employee. I will say at one point um

1:36:51access was shared or given to outside uh

1:36:55Lynn, a swamp officer. Right now, we do

1:36:58not again no officer outside of this the

1:37:01department has access and no one under

1:37:02the rank of lieutenant has access. We

1:37:04have tightened up the policy immensely

1:37:07and that was one of the ones um that we

1:37:09move forward with.

1:37:10>> Okay. Thank you. I have nothing else.

1:37:12Council

1:37:12>> Vice President Hogan,

1:37:13>> first I want to say uh Flock does have

1:37:16flaws, a lot of flaws. Um, but to Chief

1:37:19Kelly, um, I was down at Warren Street

1:37:22for a basketball game years ago when I

1:37:24first got on the city council and

1:37:26[clears throat] there was a shooting

1:37:28and, um, I was stuck behind the lines,

1:37:30behind the tape, and this guy right here

1:37:33was the first one through and just just

1:37:36to his character, what he saw over those

1:37:38years,

1:37:39he saw homicides, which I saw that day

1:37:42on the ground, but what he says about

1:37:45working with families, he did that. He

1:37:46He works with the families. He works

1:37:48with the victims. He's worked with the

1:37:49people that was destroyed by seeing

1:37:52those events. I was destroyed. It took

1:37:54me a year to get myself back to where I

1:37:56was. But this guy would call, check in

1:37:58on me, make sure I was all right. But he

1:38:00did that with all the families, too, cuz

1:38:02it there wasn't just some families. Both

1:38:04families were affected by this here. The

1:38:07reason I bring that up because he was a

1:38:08homicide detective, but he was on the

1:38:11ground watching this stuff. And let me

1:38:14tell you something. when he got when he

1:38:15got to be the chief of police, I reached

1:38:18out to him and talked to him about the

1:38:19flaws with this flock system and he

1:38:21said, "Council Hogan, we're going to

1:38:23make this right and we're going to

1:38:24protect the city of Lynn." And I believe

1:38:26this guy, all right, but I'll tell you

1:38:28what, this city council will not put up

1:38:30with it. And this police chief will not

1:38:32put up with it. If people want to abuse

1:38:34this system, they're going to be held

1:38:35accountable. They're going to be held

1:38:37accountable in the city. We're not going

1:38:39to put up with this here. All right? And

1:38:41we're going to put safeguards in place

1:38:42if we decide to keep this system because

1:38:44it's going to be up to us if we keep

1:38:46this system or not. And if we do, but

1:38:49I'll tell you what, all of us, all of us

1:38:52will be accountable for our residents,

1:38:54for our communities, for our

1:38:55organizations that we all protect. And

1:38:58I'll [clears throat] tell you what, this

1:38:59guy here is a real deal. And I'll tell

1:39:01you, he's going to do the right thing by

1:39:02us. He's going to do the right thing by

1:39:04the city of Lynn. And if he doesn't,

1:39:06we'll hold you accountable, too, Chief.

1:39:08And you know that. And you said that to

1:39:09us right away. And I want to thank you

1:39:11for being who you are as a person. All

1:39:13right? So, we will do the right thing.

1:39:15And if we have to vote on this here, we

1:39:17will sit down. We will take all this

1:39:18information from everybody that spoke

1:39:20tonight and we will make a vote on this.

1:39:22And we will do this. We will protect our

1:39:24city. We will protect our residents and

1:39:27everything. So, I want to thank

1:39:28everybody.

1:39:31>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, thank you,

1:39:32Chief, for being here. Uh, I have a

1:39:35question. So, is there a cost to these

1:39:3725 uh uh flock cameras? If there's a

1:39:40cost, who pays for it and how do we pay

1:39:43for it? We have a contract with um Flock

1:39:47the camera system that we have the 23

1:39:49cameras and I don't have all the

1:39:51particulars as far as the warranties and

1:39:54the cost for upkeep but there is a set

1:39:57cost which I think a lot of that is

1:39:59built into but I'll be happy to get

1:40:00those direct answers to you um shortly

1:40:03after this meeting and break down the

1:40:05cost and repairs and anything related to

1:40:08the cameras.

1:40:09>> Okay. Thank you, Chief.

1:40:11>> Council me. Um, yes. Thank you, Chief.

1:40:14Um, couple of questions. So, the first

1:40:15one I had a question about the seven

1:40:17days. So, let's say that there's an

1:40:20accident at a street that has a camera

1:40:24>> and the person's on vacation. They come

1:40:26back and it's day 10. So, there's no way

1:40:28to go back and access that information.

1:40:31So, is it how is it deleted? Can you

1:40:33talk a little bit about um how that

1:40:35process goes? Is it something like the

1:40:37system just automatically does to delete

1:40:39the information or what? So that's

1:40:42exactly right. After the 7-day period,

1:40:45literally

1:40:46right at that 7-day period, that image

1:40:49is gone forever. It is wiped out of the

1:40:51system. Now, that is part of the

1:40:53balancing of public safety with privacy

1:40:57and civil liberties that we talked

1:40:58about. In an ideal world, we'd possibly

1:41:01have a longer uh retention period

1:41:03because of um times where people go on

1:41:05vacation, they return home, or even

1:41:07during uh an investigation, leads

1:41:09develop after that 7-day period. But

1:41:12that's what we're willing to balance. It

1:41:15shows the compromise, the need for

1:41:17public safety with the the balance of um

1:41:19privacy and civil liberties. And that

1:41:227-day retention, I think, is one of the

1:41:24biggest reasons why I can stand here and

1:41:27tell you that we are taking these

1:41:28concerns seriously and that we're

1:41:31willing to balance that public safety

1:41:32with those privacy concerns. But yes,

1:41:35after the seventh day, that image is

1:41:37gone forever. It cannot be accessed.

1:41:39>> So, just a followup. So if there, let's

1:41:41say there was an accident at 3 days ago

1:41:44and a regular citizen goes into the

1:41:47police department, they would be able to

1:41:50have somebody look at that footage. How

1:41:52does that work? So, if there was a hit

1:41:55and run involving a motor vehicle or a

1:41:58pedestrian was involved and they came to

1:42:00the police station and they wanted

1:42:01access to find out what happened to

1:42:03their car or their individual, they

1:42:05would obviously then a police officer

1:42:07would then have to get a lieutenant or

1:42:09hire someone of rank to further that

1:42:13investigation using Flock. But it would

1:42:15it would flow through the normal channel

1:42:16like in any investigation. a report gets

1:42:19taken at the front desk, that incident

1:42:21report gets filed. The detectives um in

1:42:24the criminal investigation division or

1:42:25perhaps the domestic violence or the

1:42:27traffic unit, wherever that case is best

1:42:29suited to be further investigated, that

1:42:31incident will then get put into that

1:42:33special unit for further investigation.

1:42:35And if there was a flock need, they

1:42:37would get someone with that lieutenant

1:42:39rank or higher then to access the camera

1:42:41system.

1:42:42>> Great. Thank you. And just to clarify

1:42:44again, um, is there a cost to the person

1:42:47that would go there like to try to find

1:42:49that information?

1:42:50>> Well, I can tell you we would never

1:42:52charge anybody for a police

1:42:53investigation. Um, that is our job 24

1:42:55hours a day, 7 days a week is to protect

1:42:57this community. We are never going to

1:42:59charge somebody to further investigate a

1:43:01property crime or some sort of personal

1:43:04crime. Absolutely not.

1:43:05>> Great. And I was just wondering, so like

1:43:07let's say you if you just have seven

1:43:09days and you go and you file your report

1:43:11and it's day three and the police

1:43:13department is very busy and they don't

1:43:14get a chance to get through those

1:43:16rankings, then what would like is that

1:43:18um like is there a way to pause like

1:43:20that footage for a certain time or is it

1:43:22just 7 days and that's it? It's just

1:43:24deleted or because now you have an open

1:43:27investigation then will is there a way

1:43:29to pause you know or to keep that

1:43:32record? No, the retention is seven days.

1:43:35There's no gray area. That's a black and

1:43:37white issue where we've purposely put

1:43:40that retention at probably the lowest

1:43:42level to show that we are understanding

1:43:45the concerns of these privacy concerns

1:43:47and civil liberties. Again, I'm sure

1:43:50some detectives in the back of the room

1:43:51would want that for 30 days for these

1:43:53reasons you're talking about, but again,

1:43:55we're balancing public safety with

1:43:57privacy concerns, and that's why we have

1:43:59the 7-day retention. But you cannot

1:44:00pause it now. Okay, [clears throat]

1:44:02that's great to know. Um, another

1:44:04question, one of the things I heard was

1:44:06that um, a foyer request wasn't

1:44:09completed or was denied. Could you talk

1:44:11a little bit about why that happened?

1:44:13>> So, I can tell you that we the city of

1:44:15Lynn, the Lynn Police Department, we

1:44:16comply with every public records request

1:44:18and then we we have oversight um, at the

1:44:21secretary um, level at the state that

1:44:24for records and sometimes things get

1:44:27delayed. Um there was a case earlier

1:44:29talked about there was initial price

1:44:31quote for that and then it was dropped

1:44:33down. So there's going to be built-in

1:44:35delays. Um some of this flock material

1:44:38it's only searchable at 30 days at a

1:44:40time. And when people come in and

1:44:42request more than a month, whether it's

1:44:446 months, a year, 6 years even they've

1:44:47been requesting. It's astronomical the

1:44:50amount of data that we're talking about

1:44:52that would have to be condensed down and

1:44:54then redacted. So the there's there

1:44:57there have been some time concerns, but

1:45:00again we will follow every public

1:45:02records request legally sent into us.

1:45:05And again, we are um part of the state

1:45:08um program that has oversight built into

1:45:10it as well.

1:45:12>> Great. Thank you.

1:45:13>> Thanks, Chief. I have councelor Avery,

1:45:15then council mul, then councel mevery.

1:45:18>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh first again

1:45:20I want to thank former Chief Freddy

1:45:22who's here tonight um or conversation a

1:45:25few weeks ago uh and our new chief uh

1:45:27Chief Kelly who um every time I've had a

1:45:31question or concern has always been

1:45:33there. I've known him since I've been a

1:45:35kid and when Council Hogan talks about a

1:45:37guy that really cares about his city and

1:45:40a guy that really wants to do the right

1:45:41thing, I have full confidence in Chief

1:45:43Kelly to just do so. um after speaking,

1:45:47you know, to Chairman Fields about this

1:45:49issue, um and and really kind of getting

1:45:52a deep dive into this, uh and listening

1:45:54to the residents tonight, um I, you

1:45:57know, I I think that there's a lot of

1:45:59gray area. There's a lot of concerns. Uh

1:46:02I think they're being addressed, uh and

1:46:04and more needs to be addressed and we

1:46:06need to look at this a little deeper.

1:46:08So, uh, in order to do so, after

1:46:10speaking again, uh, with council Fields

1:46:12and and and really ensuring that the

1:46:14public understands that we're not

1:46:15putting this on the back burner and we

1:46:17are going to work towards, um, a

1:46:19solution and and and make affirmative

1:46:21decision and and work with the police

1:46:23department and the mayor and our city

1:46:24departments to make sure that this

1:46:26process is fair and transparent. I would

1:46:29like to enter a motion on the floor.

1:46:32>> Are we holding the motion until

1:46:34everybody has a chance to speak?

1:46:35>> Sure. Um, but I guess I'll enter the

1:46:38motion at the end, but uh I I just

1:46:40wanted to comment on that and I and I

1:46:42feel that I'll have a motion at the end.

1:46:43Thanks.

1:46:43>> Thank you, Councelor. Council Matul.

1:46:47>> Councelor Matul.

1:46:49>> Uh, yes. [clears throat] Thank you, Mr.

1:46:50uh, Chair. I just I just had a question.

1:46:52Uh, Chief, um, do we have a contract and

1:46:55when when does the contract expire?

1:46:57>> I will get the full details of the

1:46:59contract to the council. I don't have

1:47:01the current contract in front of me, but

1:47:03it is a uh signed contract that we will

1:47:05get um made available to the council.

1:47:09>> Attorney Slattery, you have a question

1:47:11for us.

1:47:13>> Thank you.

1:47:13>> Thank you.

1:47:14>> Good afternoon.

1:47:15>> Thank you,

1:47:16>> members of the council. The contract uh

1:47:18was signed on June 29th, 2026. It is a

1:47:22two-year contract, so it expires on June

1:47:2529th, 2028.

1:47:27>> Thank you. And I believe earlier there

1:47:30was a uh request for the contract total.

1:47:33The uh annual recurring total is

1:47:35$30,000. There's some implementation

1:47:38fees. And so the 2-year contract price

1:47:40is $64,000.

1:47:42>> Thank you.

1:47:43>> And uh running on that, does does the

1:47:45does the budget does the cost for that

1:47:47come from the city budget or

1:47:49>> Yeah, that that that was my

1:47:51understanding is that that approval was

1:47:52in this uh latest city budget and uh

1:47:55that's why it went in June 29th of 2028.

1:47:57Okay. Uh, are we by law allowed to know

1:48:00as as a council, are we allowed to know

1:48:02the locations of the flock cameras?

1:48:05>> If so, can you provide them to us?

1:48:07>> I do not have the locations of the flock

1:48:09cameras. That's for police. I um and I

1:48:12don't know what the what their policy is

1:48:14on disclosing that. As a matter of uh

1:48:16public record, obviously, you could know

1:48:18where they are, but as a matter of

1:48:19whether or not it's going to be

1:48:20effective, uh that may be something that

1:48:22the police want to weigh in on, right?

1:48:25because the the idea is to be able to um

1:48:28keep an eye on who's coming in and out

1:48:30of the city. Um I I did hear a number of

1:48:32the questions. So I I would just note

1:48:34that at this point in time uh the

1:48:36Supreme Judicial Court has looked at

1:48:38this and they have not determined it to

1:48:40be an unconstitutional invasion of

1:48:42privacy, Commonwealth versus McCarthy.

1:48:44and most recently um two cases down in

1:48:47Fall River, one in July of uh this year.

1:48:50Uh said it's not the number of cameras

1:48:52that are located that creates a privacy

1:48:54interest. The issue is whether or not it

1:48:56will in its totality tell you what a

1:48:59single person is doing and it builds a

1:49:00historical profile. I think that uh

1:49:03Chief Kelly has addressed that issue uh

1:49:06by making sure that it only is uh

1:49:08retained for seven days. Hard to build a

1:49:10historical profile based on seven days

1:49:12travel. Also the uh fact of the matter

1:49:14with respect to location uh you want to

1:49:17put it location into thorough affairs

1:49:18where they're coming in and going out of

1:49:20the city. If you start building it into

1:49:22side roads or you start putting it at

1:49:24schools or you start putting it at

1:49:25churches where you can build sort of a

1:49:27fabric of a person's life, well then

1:49:30that may reach the threshold of an

1:49:32unconstitutional search or seizure. The

1:49:34Supreme Judicial Court has not ruled on

1:49:36that and they chose not to establish a

1:49:38bright line. But um that is not what you

1:49:40have here in Lynn. My understanding is

1:49:42they're placed at major thorough affairs

1:49:43the way the SJC has ruled is

1:49:45appropriate.

1:49:47>> Who makes the call where we place them?

1:49:49The the chief or the mayor?

1:49:51>> I believe that the chief in concert with

1:49:53flock will determine uh where to place

1:49:56those.

1:49:57>> Thank you.

1:49:58>> You're welcome,

1:50:00>> Council Me. [clears throat]

1:50:02This question's uh for the chief

1:50:04attorney Slatterie. So you said that

1:50:06Lynn only retains the data for 7 days,

1:50:08but we just had an expert from the ACLU

1:50:10said it's unregulated and they can share

1:50:12with whomever they want. How can can you

1:50:15comment on that? It seems like two

1:50:16conflicting points of view here.

1:50:18>> What what exactly is the question

1:50:20whether we retain it for seven days or

1:50:22was flock sharing the information which

1:50:24>> Well, what I'm saying is yes and I

1:50:25believe that your your policy of of your

1:50:27department is sharing the flock for

1:50:29seven days. However, we just heard that

1:50:31Flock just rewrites contracts whenever

1:50:33they want to and they can do whatever

1:50:34they want with whatever they want with

1:50:36their data. How can you be so certain

1:50:38that that data is only being retained

1:50:39for 7 days?

1:50:41>> We have a contract with this company

1:50:43that u this company has never been

1:50:45breached. They have everything in a

1:50:47cyber cloud that is confidential.

1:50:50They've never had a single breach of

1:50:51their data. Uh it would clearly be a

1:50:54breach of contract if they were to sell

1:50:56or disseminate or share. It's expressly

1:50:59written in the contract. The city of

1:51:00Lynn owns that data that they cannot do

1:51:03any of those things I just listed. And I

1:51:05can assure you that right now our

1:51:07retention is only 7 days. So anything

1:51:09after 7 days is uncarchable. Those are

1:51:11wiped from the record. Um I can't

1:51:14comment on a hypothetical from the ACLU.

1:51:17I don't know which community they're

1:51:18referring to, but it's not Lynn.

1:51:21>> Okay. Thank you.

1:51:23>> I can address that council. under our

1:51:26contract. First of all, nobody gets to

1:51:27rewrite our contract. Uh if they rewrite

1:51:30attempt to rewrite our contract without

1:51:31our ascent, that's a breach of contract.

1:51:33In article 4.2, uh which discusses

1:51:36agency data, it says as between flock

1:51:39and the agency, in this particular

1:51:40instance, it's the police department,

1:51:42the city of Lynn, which is the agency,

1:51:44all right, title, and interest in the

1:51:45agency data belong to and are retained

1:51:48solely by the agency. That's the

1:51:50specific language of our contract.

1:51:55I just want to comment on this like this

1:51:57this technology is is clearly ripe for

1:51:59abuse and I'm not saying any individuals

1:52:02are are abusing this but you know this

1:52:05is an egregious um violation of civil

1:52:07liberties and this reminds me of a quote

1:52:10from Ben Ben Franklin that said that

1:52:12those who give up you know temporary uh

1:52:15sorry essential liberties for temporary

1:52:17security deserve neither liberty nor

1:52:19security and this this holds true in

1:52:21this case. Thank you,

1:52:25Council Lepier.

1:52:27>> Thank you, Chair Field. Um, I had a

1:52:29couple of clarifying questions for Chief

1:52:31Kelly and then I had a follow-up for

1:52:33attorney Slatterie. So, the first

1:52:35question I had, Chief, is we've known,

1:52:38um, it's been stated that there are 23

1:52:40flock cameras throughout the city of

1:52:42Lynn. Are there any additional cameras

1:52:44that are not operated by flock?

1:52:47Um, we have mobile uh ALPRs that we have

1:52:51in a few of our marked cruisers. We've

1:52:54had these for years, but um, as far as

1:52:56fixed block cameras, no, just the 23.

1:52:59>> And is that through like Axon, those

1:53:01mobile ones? You

1:53:02>> uh, no, it's actually it's a different

1:53:04company. It's not Axon. Yes.

1:53:06>> So, would this policy extend to that

1:53:08company as well?

1:53:09>> The ALPR policy covers both mobile and

1:53:11fixed. Yes.

1:53:12>> Thank you. And um I recall Chief

1:53:15Freddy's coming before us in the past

1:53:18around I might get the facts straight.

1:53:20It's been maybe a maybe a year. Um, but

1:53:23these were these the cameras that were

1:53:26part of a grant funded through the

1:53:30Boston Encore Harbor uh casino where we

1:53:34weren't a host community, but we were

1:53:36considered a nearby community and we

1:53:39qualified for some money to spend on

1:53:42cameras. That's a general statement

1:53:45about what I recall, but I don't know

1:53:47specifically because when attorney

1:53:48Slatterie mentions around 30,000 a year

1:53:51for these flocks, a total of 64,000.

1:53:55I wonder if some of it was reimburseable

1:53:57or we got some funding for this purpose,

1:54:00but I might be totally wrong about its

1:54:02purpose for Flock.

1:54:04>> Um, I would have to say right now I

1:54:06don't believe that money was for Flock.

1:54:08It was for city cameras, but not Flock

1:54:10cameras. Yes.

1:54:12Yes.

1:54:13>> And then um thank you, Chief Kelly. Uh

1:54:16Attorney Slatterie, when you spoke of

1:54:18the 2-year agreement and that it would

1:54:20be uh concluded around June 29th of

1:54:242028, is there any early termination and

1:54:27what would the fee be for that if you

1:54:29don't have the answer to?

1:54:30>> No, no, I do. There there is a there is

1:54:32a early termination for cause obviously

1:54:34if there's termination for cause uh it's

1:54:37terminated and Flock is not entitled to

1:54:39any payment. There is a termination for

1:54:41convenience.

1:54:43>> That's what I'm looking at.

1:54:44>> Yeah, there's a termination for

1:54:46convenience. Um, if the uh city is not

1:54:49fully satisfied with the uh flock

1:54:51services, they can uh terminate it and

1:54:54there's a onetime fee of $500 per flock

1:54:57camera for removal of the hardware.

1:54:58>> So, thou roughly,000 bucks.

1:55:01>> Um, well, there's 20

1:55:03>> 23 cameras, so uh basically 12

1:55:07>> 11.

1:55:07>> Math is not my strong suit. That's why

1:55:09I'm a little

1:55:10>> We got to double it. Yeah, it's 12,000.

1:55:11Okay. We got to add a zero.

1:55:13>> Yeah.

1:55:13>> Per camera. So, per 23,

1:55:15>> right? $500 per camera for removal.

1:55:17>> So, about 12 grand.

1:55:18>> Yeah.

1:55:19>> Okay. Thank you very much.

1:55:20>> You're welcome.

1:55:21>> Question.

1:55:22>> Council PZ.

1:55:24>> Um, [clears throat]

1:55:25thank you for answering questions and um

1:55:28really listening to some [clears throat]

1:55:30of the feedback and adapting the

1:55:31policies to comply with that. I guess

1:55:34one of the overall questions or what has

1:55:38come up with this conversation is really

1:55:40the not so much the city approach but

1:55:43the um system itself of flock. Has the

1:55:47city considered other um systems that

1:55:51could be used as an alternative to flock

1:55:53that would serve similar purposes as

1:55:56we've seen?

1:55:56>> Like [clears throat] sale

1:55:57>> I honestly um having thought that um the

1:56:01company we use now the the safeguards

1:56:04that we have built into this new policy

1:56:07um I don't think there's a company that

1:56:08would come in and have better safeguards

1:56:10and um this is searchable. the fact that

1:56:14uh Flock has never been breached. That's

1:56:16that's a 100% certainty right now that

1:56:19their company has never had a data

1:56:21breach and we're only retaining that

1:56:22data now for 7 days. So I don't think

1:56:25bringing in another company with another

1:56:27set of cameras would have that level of

1:56:29security that Flock has provided um for

1:56:33since their existence. So I would say if

1:56:35we were going to keep the ALPR system,

1:56:37the one we have in place has been the

1:56:39most secure network um in the nation.

1:56:43Right. I guess there's just some

1:56:46contradictions from what some of the

1:56:48folks have presented in that um for

1:56:51example one saying that we will or that

1:56:55your department will delete the

1:56:57information after 7 days. There's still

1:56:59this question of is Flock going to

1:57:04continue to do that? And um are there

1:57:06any mechanisms on our end that we can

1:57:08think about in terms of how to hold

1:57:10Flock accountable to their contract?

1:57:13>> Yeah, I mean as of right now um as

1:57:16attorney Slatterie had said, they would

1:57:18be in total violation breach of the

1:57:20contract. If they sold, disseminated or

1:57:25shared our data or if they kept it past

1:57:27the seven days, then the city could go

1:57:30after them. They would be liable for

1:57:31breach of contract. But at this point,

1:57:34those safeguards are built in for those

1:57:35purposes.

1:57:37>> Yeah. I just think it's really important

1:57:39to also think about if there are

1:57:43reservations around the company itself

1:57:45to make sure that the city's also being

1:57:48proactive about what those things are

1:57:50from what we've heard. Making sure that

1:57:52they actually are complying with it and

1:57:55figuring out how how to do that in in a

1:57:58meaningful line. And again, I don't have

1:57:59an answer for that. I [clears throat]

1:58:00don't expect you you to have one either,

1:58:02but something to think about for sure.

1:58:05>> Thank you, councelor PZ.

1:58:09>> Okay, just as chair, I don't I I guess

1:58:11I'll go last, but Chief, thank you for

1:58:13being here explaining um some of the

1:58:15questions that my colleagues had. Um,

1:58:18Attorney Slatterie, and I I I want to

1:58:21commend the public because that's what

1:58:23this this forum was designed to do is to

1:58:26bring everybody here that wanted to

1:58:27share um some concerns, some ideas, and

1:58:31it helps educate us and it's a process.

1:58:35We're here to represent the public. Um,

1:58:37we're here to protect just like the the

1:58:39police are. You know, obviously, we take

1:58:42our positions um seriously. So, I'm I'm

1:58:44glad everybody had an opportunity um to

1:58:47be here. Everybody's um full attendance

1:58:50um and and everybody I know was

1:58:53listening to those concerns and and uh

1:58:57and how we can continue working to a a

1:59:01more perfect solution for our residents

1:59:03um to feel safe, but also um to protect

1:59:06their constitutional rights. So, with

1:59:08that said, Councelor Avery.

1:59:11>> Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh as

1:59:13mentioned uh earlier uh I would like to

1:59:17uh put this in a form of a motion um

1:59:19that over the next um 90 days that the

1:59:23police uh provide us with status updates

1:59:26how the systems being used compliance

1:59:27with safeguards and any misuse or

1:59:29unauthorized access within 45 days. We

1:59:32should ask the legal department to

1:59:33provide illegal options and propose next

1:59:35steps including a framework for

1:59:37ordinance and they'll review address

1:59:38oversight ofability, privacy

1:59:40protections, accountability for misuse

1:59:42and authority to prohibit the systems.

1:59:44And within 90 days that this body comes

1:59:47back together to revisit the issue with

1:59:50full community input, the evidence and

1:59:52legal guidance and decide on a clear

1:59:54path forward. Our residents deserve safe

1:59:56neighborhoods. They also deserve privacy

1:59:59and a meaningful voice in this decision

2:00:01that affects them all. For those

2:00:03reasons, tonight I ask my colleagues to

2:00:05uh to tonight to commit to this timeline

2:00:07for meaningful enforcement actions which

2:00:09will allow us all to have these

2:00:11questions that we asked tonight answered

2:00:12and I work along with the new chief to

2:00:14give him an opportunity uh to come out

2:00:17on top of this and keep our city safe.

2:00:19>> Thank you, councelor Avery. We have a

2:00:21motion on the floor from councel Avery.

2:00:24>> Meanie second

2:00:25>> second by councelor Meanie. Any

2:00:27discussion?

2:00:32>> Anyone have a discussion? Yep. Council

2:00:33McLean

2:00:34>> like to um

2:00:34>> Can you just

2:00:35>> Do I have a copy of

2:00:36>> Council McLean?

2:00:37>> Do I have a copy of this? I'm sorry. Do

2:00:38I have a copy of this um motion

2:00:41>> in my folder?

2:00:42>> The motion was just made

2:00:45>> cuz I I'm I would need it to be restated

2:00:47because I didn't really understand what

2:00:48was being said.

2:00:49>> So, could you just say it again, please?

2:00:51Slow slower.

2:00:53>> Sure. I'll read my motion that I entered

2:00:55onto the floor tonight. Uh that over the

2:00:58next 90 days that we should receive

2:00:59regular status updates from the police

2:01:01department on the system and how the

2:01:03system is being used, compliance with

2:01:04safeguards and any misuse or

2:01:06unauthorized access within 45 days. We

2:01:09should ask the legal department to

2:01:10provide us with legal options and

2:01:13proposal next steps including a

2:01:14framework for an ordinance. The review

2:01:16should address oversight, enforcability,

2:01:19privacy protections, accountability for

2:01:20misuse, and our authority to prohibit

2:01:23the system if needed. Within 90 days, we

2:01:26should revisit this issue in full with

2:01:28this body with community input, the

2:01:31evidence, and the legal guidance, and

2:01:32decide on a clear path forward. Our

2:01:34residents deserve safe neighborhoods.

2:01:36They also deserve privacy and a

2:01:37meaningful voice in the decisions that

2:01:39affect them. For those reasons, I will

2:01:41ask my colleagues tonight to commit to

2:01:43this timeline for meaningful enforcement

2:01:44actions and to give our new chief an

2:01:46opportunity to work with us to keep our

2:01:49city safe. Thank you. I

2:01:51>> think we have a motion. We have a second

2:01:52and any further discussion?

2:01:55>> I think that makes a lot of sense. M

2:01:59>> um in part there have already like the

2:02:02sheep has already put together some

2:02:05different policies and I think really

2:02:07figuring out what those gaps are

2:02:10particularly from the system itself

2:02:12versus what the city itself is doing so

2:02:15we can protect ourselves and our

2:02:17residents um as data is being gathered.

2:02:20Um, I think this is also just a really

2:02:23important conversation to have as we are

2:02:26using AI and more generative systems

2:02:28through throughout our daily lives and

2:02:31figuring out what that um what that's

2:02:34going to look like, right? Um, we could

2:02:36say the same thing for like using chat

2:02:38GPT, etc. Um it it's a new it's a new

2:02:41way of interacting and doing

2:02:44surveillance um which does come with its

2:02:47cost and and really figuring out what

2:02:49those costs are and if we can have a

2:02:52different solution to it towards it. So

2:02:55um excited to see what you guys come up

2:02:58with and revisiting this.

2:03:01>> Any further discussion? I'll come back.

2:03:03I would like to close unless other

2:03:05counselors uh yeah councelor Majimari

2:03:08but um

2:03:10>> you have to give everybody a turn. I'll

2:03:11come right back. Yep.

2:03:12>> Sorry. I just wanted to add really

2:03:13quick. I just wanted to say to everybody

2:03:15who came here tonight to speak and um

2:03:19thank you for taking the time out to

2:03:20come out and speak. It's so important

2:03:22for us to hear from from you and and it

2:03:25really just means a lot to to hear from

2:03:28the residents and I heard every single

2:03:30comment and I really really appreciate

2:03:32you taking the time even at an

2:03:34inconvenient time for some and thank you

2:03:37for that.

2:03:38>> Um yeah that that is exactly what I was

2:03:40trying to say Mr. Chairman is that

2:03:42>> I'll close that with you. I just want to

2:03:43make sure anybody doesn't

2:03:44>> you want to close this is in alliance.

2:03:46I'll let councelor McLean

2:03:47>> y council mlean again

2:03:48>> I don't want to close I don't have to

2:03:49close. Oh, you don't have to tell your

2:03:52>> I just want to just make sure I'm on the

2:03:54record um of saying how

2:03:57[snorts]

2:03:58important this is and to make sure that

2:04:00um while the Lim Police Department needs

2:04:04to do its job, that our residents came

2:04:07here tonight to make sure that they feel

2:04:09safe as well. And the statement of what

2:04:12kind of community are we creating is a

2:04:16real important question that we should

2:04:19all leave here trying to answer. I

2:04:21understand the timeline that um

2:04:23counselor Avery just uh set set out for

2:04:27us, but um my personal uh discomfort,

2:04:33especially with the cameras at uh

2:04:35current circle and with the uh

2:04:39unregulated

2:04:41um portion of the flock system itself.

2:04:45Um, I'm not leaving feeling comfortable

2:04:48with what is being um put forward

2:04:51tonight. I'm just going to say that as a

2:04:53counselor at large uh here in the city

2:04:55of Lynn, I feel uncomfortable with the

2:04:58system and and I hope we can move

2:05:01forward and make sure that every no

2:05:04stone goes unturned when we're talking

2:05:07about making sure our community and our

2:05:09police officers can our community is

2:05:12safe and our police officers can do

2:05:14their work effectively.

2:05:16>> Thank you, Council Mlean.

2:05:18[clears throat]

2:05:18>> Just before Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

2:05:20>> Just before you, Mr. Mr. President, I

2:05:21just want to commend um Councelor Avery

2:05:23on that motion. I think it's respectful

2:05:25to to what we've been trying to do. Um

2:05:29as a committee for public safety, um

2:05:33Chief Freddy is here, Chief Kelly's

2:05:34here. This is our second um open

2:05:36discussion here in the chamber. The

2:05:38public um has participated.

2:05:41We're hoping that this is a beginning

2:05:44over the next 90 days is what was

2:05:46mentioned in the motion to continue this

2:05:48discussion to reach out to to to the 11

2:05:51of us to reach out to the mayor's office

2:05:52to reach out to the police department to

2:05:54reach out to other community

2:05:55organizations to build this coalition to

2:05:58to to come up with a more perfect

2:06:00solution where public safety is

2:06:03paramount along with our constitutional

2:06:05rights as citizens in the city for to to

2:06:08prevent surveillance. Um so I commend uh

2:06:12my colleague from W 7 um for putting

2:06:14forth and just for a point of

2:06:16information for um the record 90 days

2:06:19would bring us to the first meeting in

2:06:21January I believe um with now being our

2:06:25first meeting in October. So why don't

2:06:27we set that firm as our [clears throat]

2:06:28first meeting in January um to be that

2:06:32if if it's passed.

2:06:33>> Yeah. more than make make that a

2:06:35friendly amendment that it'll be the

2:06:36first meeting in January and it be a

2:06:38committee of the whole.

2:06:40>> Thank you,

2:06:42Council President Alensson.

2:06:43>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would

2:06:45strongly would like to second and um

2:06:48commend Councelor Avery's uh motion. Uh

2:06:52by then 90 days, we are fully equipped

2:06:55with all of these information and we can

2:06:57confidently say and make decisions about

2:07:00FL by then.

2:07:02>> Thank you, Mr. Present. We have a

2:07:05motion. It's been seconded. We've

2:07:06discussed. Any further discussion?

2:07:09Roll call, please.

2:07:10>> Chairman Field,

2:07:12>> yes.

2:07:12>> Council Avery,

2:07:13>> yes.

2:07:14>> Council Vice President Hogan,

2:07:15>> yes.

2:07:16>> Council Laapierre,

2:07:17>> yes.

2:07:17>> Council Matul,

2:07:18>> yes.

2:07:19>> Council Mlan,

2:07:21>> yes.

2:07:22>> Council Meanie,

2:07:23>> yes.

2:07:23>> Council Medi Madre,

2:07:24>> yes.

2:07:25>> Council Net,

2:07:26>> yes.

2:07:26>> Council PZ,

2:07:27>> yes.

2:07:28>> Council President Elens,

2:07:29>> yes.

2:07:29>> Unanimous vote of the committee of the

2:07:31whole. Motion passes 11 nothing.

2:07:36>> What's the wish of the committee?

2:07:37>> Motion to adjurnn.

2:07:38>> Second.

2:07:38>> Motion to adjurnn. Second. All in favor?

2:07:40>> I opposed.

2:07:43>> Thank you.

2:07:45>> All right. Thank you. Hi everybody.

2:07:51>> Thank you. I would like to call the

2:07:52council appointment subcommittee to

2:07:54order for Tuesday, October 13, 2026.

2:07:58Roll call, please. Chairwoman Meni Madre

2:08:02>> present.

2:08:02>> Council Avery

2:08:03>> present.

2:08:04>> Council Hogan absent. Council Matul

2:08:07>> absent. Council PZ

2:08:08>> present.

2:08:09>> Council Mlan

2:08:10>> present.

2:08:11>> Madam Chairwoman, we have a quorum.

2:08:13>> Great. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And what is

2:08:15on the agenda for today?

2:08:18>> Okay, just give me one second.

2:08:20>> First, the first item on the agenda is

2:08:22an interview for the Lynn Human Rights

2:08:25Commission.

2:08:26>> With Natasha Bastian Sha.

2:08:32would ask Natasha to come to the podium

2:08:35and I would ask for quiet in the in the

2:08:37council chambers.

2:08:40>> Is Natashia Bastian Shaw here?

2:08:45>> Come on.

2:08:49>> Hi.

2:08:50>> Thank you for coming. Please state your

2:08:52name and address for the record, please.

2:08:54>> My name is Natasha Bastian Shaw. My

2:08:56address is 23 Deer Park.

2:09:01>> I'm sorry, I didn't hear that.

2:09:02>> My name is Natasha Bashenshan. My

2:09:04address is 23 Deer Park.

2:09:06>> Great. Thank you so much. Thank you for

2:09:08your interest in being part wanting to

2:09:10be part of the Lynn Human Rights

2:09:12Commission. Can you please tell us uh a

2:09:14little bit about your background and why

2:09:16you want to serve on the Lynn Human

2:09:18Rights Commission, please?

2:09:19>> Um so my background I have um

2:09:22>> Sorry, try to speak up. I know it's a

2:09:24little loud.

2:09:24>> Okay. Um, my background,

2:09:28um, I've worked in Lynn for about 20

2:09:31years. I've lived in Lynn for like the

2:09:34past eight years. I've been in and

2:09:36around Lynn for 30 years. Um, from like

2:09:40Massmar to working in group homes with

2:09:42mentally ill, homeless, developmentally

2:09:45disabled. So, I have a good

2:09:47understanding of like a lot of um the

2:09:51communities that are are underserved in

2:09:54the community. Um I went to school at

2:09:57Northshore Community College. I got my

2:09:59graduate degree in public administration

2:10:01at SUFFK. So, I've been um I think I

2:10:04have a good background for this position

2:10:07in the committee.

2:10:09>> Great. Thank you so much. Do any

2:10:11committee members have any questions?

2:10:14Councelor

2:10:19Avery.

2:10:19>> Uh thank you, Madam Chairwoman. Um and

2:10:22Natasha, it's great to see you here. Um

2:10:25as your ward counselor and someone

2:10:27that's got to know you uh in my few

2:10:29months as being a counselor, you've been

2:10:32a steward to W 7 and helped us on many

2:10:34initiatives and and bringing neighbors

2:10:36together. So, it's great to see when you

2:10:38reached out and you asked that you

2:10:39wanted to get more involved uh and that

2:10:41you've taken the perseverance to be here

2:10:43and the courage to be here. I had a

2:10:46great time uh reviewing your your resume

2:10:48cuz I learned so much more about you

2:10:50than I already knew. Um as you mentioned

2:10:53um your education uh your masters in

2:10:56public administration and this in

2:10:59particular human rights commission means

2:11:01so much to me. It was one of the first

2:11:03commissions I was appointed on uh by the

2:11:06city council at a young age uh and

2:11:08resigned when I became a city councelor

2:11:11um and the former chairman. So um I I I

2:11:14like that you have the education

2:11:16experience. I like that you have human

2:11:18services uh experience

2:11:21um and that you live in our city. Um, I

2:11:23know this board doesn't require that

2:11:25anymore, but I really strongly believe

2:11:27that residents um that are willing to

2:11:29step up and do the job that are

2:11:31residents here in our city is important.

2:11:33My question to you, and it's a question

2:11:34I always ask, and especially as the

2:11:36former chairman, um, you know, we they

2:11:39typically meet once a month. Uh,

2:11:40attendance can be an issue a lot of the

2:11:42times where we don't meet with a quorum.

2:11:44We don't have a quorum. Can you commit

2:11:46today to us that you would do everything

2:11:48you can to make sure you attend these

2:11:50meetings and continue so we have a

2:11:52quorum and that meeting and that

2:11:54commission is happening?

2:11:56>> Uh thank you uh Mr. Avery. Um as we've

2:11:58worked before I have um made it a

2:12:01priority to make attend meetings.

2:12:04>> Perfect.

2:12:05>> We'll do that.

2:12:05>> My next question was what is human

2:12:07rights to you? Human rights is a basic

2:12:11um privilege that everybody has for you

2:12:15know their privacy, security, safety. Um

2:12:18so I think it's important to for

2:12:21everybody to have basic human rights um

2:12:24for their autonomy and living and I want

2:12:27to be able to serve that in the

2:12:28community.

2:12:29>> Great. My next question is be what would

2:12:31be like one initiative or something that

2:12:33you think you would really want to work

2:12:34on if you were selected to be the next

2:12:36commissioner on the human rights

2:12:37commission?

2:12:39>> Um

2:12:44I'm not sure. Um

2:12:47I'm not sure. I'd have to uh look at uh

2:12:51look more into that. Try to understand.

2:12:54>> Okay,

2:12:55>> perfect. Thank you. [clears throat]

2:12:56>> Great. Thank you so much. Uh, wait. Um,

2:12:58sorry. Is there any other committee

2:13:00members that would? Councelor Mlan.

2:13:03[laughter]

2:13:03>> Hello. Um, thank you so much for your

2:13:06willingness to be on a commission here

2:13:08in the city of Lynn. Um, as a previous

2:13:10member of the Lyn Human Rights

2:13:12Commission myself, I noticed that the

2:13:16putting putting initiatives forward and

2:13:18making sure things are seen to fruition

2:13:20like things actually happen within this

2:13:22committee ha um has been a sticking

2:13:25point. And I'm wondering for yourself um

2:13:28coming into the committee and now having

2:13:30that knowledge that sometimes

2:13:32initiatives aren't really seen to the

2:13:34end and uh a lot of times things don't

2:13:37come to light for the Lyn Human Rights

2:13:38Commission. What are some things that

2:13:40you think you would be able to bring to

2:13:42the table to help move things forward

2:13:45and help initiatives actually

2:13:47materialize?

2:13:49Um, I think I would bring to the table a

2:13:51a lot of communication, um, consistency

2:13:55and, um, continuing to keep, you know,

2:13:59ideas and projects together and being

2:14:02organized,

2:14:03>> you know, organized. That's Thank you so

2:14:05much for answering that.

2:14:06>> Yeah.

2:14:07>> Great. Any other committee members would

2:14:09like to speak? Any any questions? No.

2:14:12Okay. Oh, council

2:14:13>> That was probably a lot better uh, uh,

2:14:16Council Mlean asking that way than the

2:14:17way I did. what's your one initiative.

2:14:19So, thank you for that. Uh, and just to

2:14:21just to say um I I like I mentioned I I

2:14:23I gotten to know my uh my constituent

2:14:27recently and um our first W 7 family

2:14:30funday um she happened to be on the

2:14:32planning committee and let me tell you

2:14:33when we talk about initiative uh her and

2:14:36my team uh which was only very few of us

2:14:38put it on for 500 kids and families uh

2:14:41at Barry Park. So, I know that

2:14:42initiative is in her. So, good luck in

2:14:44the process.

2:14:45>> Thank you.

2:14:46>> Great. And so again, we want to thank

2:14:48you for your time and your interest in

2:14:51giving back to the city. And what is the

2:14:53wish of the committee?

2:14:56Is there Oh, I'm sorry, Council Avery.

2:14:59>> Are the two other applicants withdrawn

2:15:01or just not attending?

2:15:02>> They were not able to come today.

2:15:05>> Yeah, but we do need to fill the

2:15:07position. I make a motion to motion to

2:15:11approve uh to make uh to appoint um

2:15:14Nasha Bon Sha to the Human Rights

2:15:17Commission.

2:15:18>> So the motion has been made and

2:15:19seconded. Roll call.

2:15:21>> Chair Chairwoman Mitchi Madre.

2:15:23>> Yes.

2:15:23>> Council Avery,

2:15:24>> yes.

2:15:25>> Council Hogan, absent. Council Matul,

2:15:27absent. Council Pas,

2:15:29>> yes.

2:15:29>> Council Mlan,

2:15:31>> yes.

2:15:32>> That motion passes. And congratulations

2:15:35and welcome.

2:15:36>> Thank you. [applause]

2:15:38And what is the wish of the committee?

2:15:40>> Make a motion to adjurnn.

2:15:42>> Motion to adjurnn and seconded. We are

2:15:44adjourned.

2:15:49>> Hey.

2:15:51>> The val the veteran and military affairs

2:15:54meet committee is now in session. Can I

2:15:56have a roll call, please?

2:15:57>> Co-chair Chairwoman Mlan,

2:15:59>> present.

2:16:00>> Co-chairman Meanie,

2:16:01>> present.

2:16:02>> Council Council Field,

2:16:03>> present.

2:16:04>> Council Vice President Hogan,

2:16:05>> present. Council Laapierre

2:16:07>> present.

2:16:07>> We have a quorum. Madam Chairwoman,

2:16:09>> thank you so much. So, good evening

2:16:11everyone. We're going to have our VSO

2:16:14Mike Sweeney come forward and talk to us

2:16:16about the Veterans um and first

2:16:18responders parade that has been

2:16:20rescheduled.

2:16:24>> Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I have

2:16:26uh I want to first off say thank you to

2:16:29the council and everyone who's been

2:16:31involved in putting out the word because

2:16:33who knew we were going to have to uh

2:16:35postpone a parade two weeks in a row. So

2:16:37September 20th and September 27th we had

2:16:40uh rainy weather. We couldn't do it. So

2:16:42the Veterans Council has uh rescheduled

2:16:45the parade. All of you have this and

2:16:47it's on our social media. May 16th,

2:16:49Armed Forces Day weekend. We're going to

2:16:51we're going to do it hopefully three

2:16:53times as a charm. This gives us 215 more

2:16:57days to let people know about the

2:16:58parade. That's the upside to it.

2:17:00>> Awesome.

2:17:00>> Big crowd. Big crowd.

2:17:01>> So, that's what we're trying to do. So,

2:17:03we we really the veterans council and

2:17:04and you've heard me before talk about

2:17:07the DPW, police, fire, every the city,

2:17:10the mayor's office, the council,

2:17:11everyone's been so helpful in getting

2:17:13this together. What we really need to

2:17:15spend those 215 days is letting our

2:17:17residents know to come out and watch it

2:17:20because this is something is it's a it's

2:17:22a once in a great while kind of parade

2:17:25and and it's privately uh much most of

2:17:28it's privately raised and it's a

2:17:29volunteer effort. So we want to make

2:17:31sure they come out. It's a veterans and

2:17:32first responders parade for our uh armed

2:17:34forces weekend. Um with that also

2:17:37there's a many many more events coming

2:17:39up in the next couple weeks. This is

2:17:40some of our busy time as you might

2:17:42imagine. Obviously, Veterans Day is

2:17:43November 11th.

2:17:45Um, as well, and we'll be uh posting

2:17:48that. It's already posted on social

2:17:50media. We'd love to have some help

2:17:51pushing it out. We have a breakfast down

2:17:53here in the foyer of city hall and then

2:17:54a ceremony in the auditorium. Um,

2:17:59and one thing I'd be remiss if I didn't

2:18:01mention, and I want to say thank you to

2:18:02you, C um,

2:18:04Council Mlan, for this, uh, the the

2:18:06discounts for veterans throughout

2:18:07Veterans Day weekend for you and the

2:18:09committee. Uh, thank you so much for

2:18:11putting that out. We're sharing that out

2:18:12broadly. Um, also, um, I want to say,

2:18:17uh, the Knights of Columbus is hosting a

2:18:20Veterans Day event.

2:18:21>> Awesome. Awesome.

2:18:22>> Um, and they really do good work. They

2:18:23really do good work. Um, every year, um,

2:18:27you know, it's so it'll be November 8th,

2:18:29uh, 7 a.m. for for the mass and then,

2:18:32uh, it follows at Nights at Columbus

2:18:34itself. Bringing us back to what we're

2:18:36doing here in city hall. Uh, one of the

2:18:38things I'm proud that we've been able to

2:18:39do throughout the last few years is we

2:18:41organize uh, service birthdays. So, I

2:18:44probably should have started with this.

2:18:45Uh, Council Meanie, happy birthday. It's

2:18:48a Navy birthday today.

2:18:50>> Happy birthday.

2:18:52>> So, [laughter]

2:18:53on Friday, we'll be hosting our the

2:18:56251st Navy birthday celebration and flag

2:18:59raising. Um, we invite the public to

2:19:01come down, anyone who has any connection

2:19:02to the Navy. Uh, we're gonna cut the

2:19:05cake. um have some light refreshments.

2:19:07Uh there there'll be some uh speaker uh

2:19:09my good friend uh his name is Rob

2:19:11Santiago. He's a commissioner of uh uh

2:19:14veteran services for the city of Boston.

2:19:15He'll be our guest speaker. The mayor

2:19:17will read a proclamation. It's a really

2:19:18great event. Um and uh after that we'll

2:19:23be doing the Navy birthday on November

2:19:259th. And I know

2:19:26>> the Marine Right.

2:19:28>> Oh Marine birthdays. There's so many I

2:19:29forget myself.

2:19:30>> Yeah.

2:19:30>> So the Marine if if it isn't the Army

2:19:32honestly I kind of forget what it is.

2:19:34So,

2:19:35>> off the record,

2:19:36>> the Marine the Marine birthday is is on

2:19:38November 11th. On November 9th, we're

2:19:39having a ceremony here in City Hall as

2:19:41we've done every year. This year, we're

2:19:43lucky enough to have with us, not only

2:19:45all the Marines, they're going to come

2:19:46down and is uh we're going to have uh

2:19:48students from St. Mary's High School are

2:19:50going to come down. They've done an

2:19:51incredibly interesting project with the

2:19:53um with the uh national cemeteries where

2:19:56they've they've I think three different

2:19:59World War II Marine veterans that

2:20:01they've really been able to research and

2:20:02they're going to tell us all about it. I

2:20:04invite everyone to be there. So with

2:20:06that, um as you can see, we have an

2:20:07awful lot. Please, shameless plug, uh

2:20:10Lind, it's facebook.comlinads.

2:20:14It's on the Lind City uh web page. It's

2:20:16on our Facebook page. Please uh the the

2:20:19more you come out, I always tell people

2:20:21really for the people that are doing all

2:20:22the work, for the volunteers, it means a

2:20:24lot. So, thank you. Thank you for giving

2:20:25me the time.

2:20:26>> Yeah. And thank you. Thank you so much.

2:20:27Do we have any questions for Mike or any

2:20:29comments?

2:20:31>> None.

2:20:33>> Okay. Thank you so much, Mike. Thank you

2:20:34for coming out.

2:20:36>> And um I I also want to take some time

2:20:38to thank the um businesses that were

2:20:42able to uh provide discounts for

2:20:44veterans this um this year. On November

2:20:4611th, we have uh Brothers Delhi, Lacopa,

2:20:49Elrand Haguar, Oldtime Italian, Ivory

2:20:53Bakery, Papa Vivvi, Scopa, Soul City

2:20:56Yoga, Victoria's International

2:20:58Restaurant, Broadway Family Dental, Mass

2:21:01Green Retail, Tony's, Lin YMCA, Sheer

2:21:04Magic Salon, Alfredo's Italian Kitchen,

2:21:07and So Lynn. All of these um businesses

2:21:11are offering discounts to our veterans.

2:21:13If you are a veteran, please go to these

2:21:15um businesses on November 11th with uh

2:21:18proof of veteran status and request your

2:21:20discount. Thank you so much. Um with

2:21:23that, what is the wish of the committee?

2:21:24>> Ajourn second.

2:21:28>> Thank you.

2:21:28>> Ajourned.

2:21:32>> All right. Hello everyone. We are going

2:21:34to begin the environmental affairs

2:21:38committee meeting on October 13th.

2:21:42Um, can I have a roll call?

2:21:43>> Sure. Ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch

2:21:44ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch P P P P P

2:21:45P P P P P P P P P P P P P P PZ,

2:21:45>> present.

2:21:46>> Council Laapierre,

2:21:47>> present.

2:21:47>> Council Matul,

2:21:48>> present.

2:21:49>> Council Mlan,

2:21:50>> present.

2:21:50>> Council mere

2:21:51>> present.

2:21:52>> We have a quorum, Madam Chairwoman.

2:21:53>> All right. Well, this is our first

2:21:55environmental affairs committee meeting.

2:21:57So really excited to have this as

2:22:00something that the city is focusing on.

2:22:02It is a passion of mine. And over the

2:22:06past few months, we've been talking a

2:22:08lot about municipal aggregation.

2:22:11um along with the um in partnership with

2:22:14the mayor's office who has been working

2:22:17on this for the past few years. So

2:22:19really excited to see it move forward.

2:22:23Um today we are going to have a

2:22:24presentation. Um but before that I'm

2:22:27going to have um uh the mayor's chief of

2:22:32staff, John Tibo.

2:22:41Thank you uh madame chair and appreciate

2:22:44all of your help over the past few

2:22:45months have we've uh narrowed down and

2:22:48selected our uh partner for community

2:22:50choice aggregation. Um, as the council

2:22:53had mentioned, this is something that

2:22:55the city has been interested in um, for

2:22:57the past few years and has really taken

2:22:59steps um, to move forward with community

2:23:02aggregation um, probably over the past 6

2:23:05months um, and again with the help of

2:23:07council pers. We put out a call for

2:23:09responses from potential consultants um,

2:23:11and ultimately selected MassPower a

2:23:13choice to move forward with developing a

2:23:14plan for Lynn residents. really excited

2:23:17about the cost savings that um this will

2:23:20provide our residents with when it comes

2:23:22to energy, which we all know how how

2:23:24high bills are and how how much people

2:23:26struggle with making ends meet. Um so

2:23:28we're excited about the savings uh that

2:23:30the that are at potential here and also

2:23:33excited about the uh community

2:23:35engagement that Mass Power Choice will

2:23:37um bring forth for our residents. So,

2:23:40um, we have a couple of representatives

2:23:41from Mass Power Choice here to, um, go

2:23:44over what, [clears throat] uh, what the

2:23:46process will be like, and I'd like to

2:23:47invite them up at this time if it's okay

2:23:49with you all to to review.

2:23:52>> Yes.

2:23:59>> Um, thank you, John, Madam Chair, and

2:24:01thank you very much for the taking the

2:24:02time to listen to us today. I'm Paul

2:24:04Gromer. I'm with Mass Power Choice.

2:24:06We're an aggregation consulting firm.

2:24:08Um, we do have a packet with a few

2:24:10slides. There a number of slides in

2:24:11there. I'll just sort of blitz through

2:24:13and focus pause maybe on some of the

2:24:16more important ones and we can certainly

2:24:18answer any questions that you have. So,

2:24:20just to introduce us as a company. We're

2:24:23a municipal aggregation consulting firm.

2:24:25We work with 43 cities and towns across

2:24:27the Commonwealth um including the city

2:24:30of Worcester, the city of Chelsea, the

2:24:32city of uh River, Beverly, a whole host

2:24:35of others. Um, and we work with cities

2:24:37and towns who have interests similar to

2:24:39yours trying to provide price stability

2:24:41and savings for their residents through

2:24:43aggregation programs. For those who

2:24:46aren't familiar with what municipal

2:24:48aggregation is, um, it's basically group

2:24:51buying for electricity where a city or

2:24:53town is able to secure an electricity

2:24:55supply for the residents and businesses

2:24:57in the city. It's very popular in

2:24:59Massachusetts. Over 200 cities and towns

2:25:02have these programs, including the ones

2:25:04I mentioned, the city of Boston, the

2:25:05city of Cambridge, a whole host of

2:25:07others. Um, these programs really have

2:25:10three key benefits. One is stable

2:25:12electricity prices with an opportunity

2:25:14for savings. Um, the next is new

2:25:16electricity choices and there's also an

2:25:19opportunity for cleaner or greener

2:25:21electricity for folks who are interested

2:25:23in that. Um, participating in these

2:25:25programs is easy and seamless. you're

2:25:28still remain a customer of National

2:25:30Grid. The billing is done through

2:25:32National Grid just like today. Very few

2:25:35changes on your National Grid bill. Um

2:25:38savings were mentioned and I do have in

2:25:40the presentation there on slide five

2:25:43just a graph of the experience of

2:25:44another city uh in this area what's the

2:25:48how their prices compared to the

2:25:49national grid basic service price over

2:25:51time. And you can see the national grid

2:25:54price which is in blue changes every six

2:25:56months. can be quite volatile. The

2:25:59program price gets locked in for two or

2:26:01three years at a time and the goal is to

2:26:03try to be lower than national grid on

2:26:05average over the course of the contract.

2:26:08And you can say that's been certainly

2:26:10been the case for this city and where

2:26:12the the biggest benefits have come have

2:26:15been at those times when electricity

2:26:16prices have really spiked um as they did

2:26:19during the early days of the Ukraine war

2:26:21which is that big spike there in the

2:26:23middle of the page. residents in an

2:26:25aggregation program saved a great deal

2:26:27of money during those times and avoided

2:26:29that price volatility. Um, and then I'll

2:26:32just skip ahead to the public engagement

2:26:35slide because I know that's always an

2:26:37interest for cities and towns. So, it's

2:26:40required. Um, this is a, you know, a

2:26:42regulated program regulated by the state

2:26:44department of public utilities. Certain

2:26:46requirements for public outreach just as

2:26:48a minimum. Um, everyone who will be

2:26:50enrolled in the program gets a letter

2:26:52about it in the mail first. the city's

2:26:54obligation obligated to do media

2:26:56releases, public information sessions,

2:26:59social media announcements, postings on

2:27:01old-fashioned bulletin boards if that's

2:27:03something that you do. Um, and

2:27:05distributing the information around the

2:27:07city as best you can. Um, we'll help you

2:27:10to develop an outreach plan to sort of

2:27:12meet the residents of the city in the

2:27:14best way, the way you know is effective.

2:27:16We'll draft and design all the outreach

2:27:18materials. We'll deliver the public

2:27:20presentations on your behalf. We'll

2:27:22bring in translators and interpreters as

2:27:24needed. Our c and our customer support

2:27:27staff, the folks who answer the phone to

2:27:29answer customer questions. Um, two of

2:27:31our representatives are bilingual in

2:27:32English and Spanish. Um, we'll develop

2:27:35and we'll develop a website for you and

2:27:37then can help out with other sorts of

2:27:39community engagement as you need it. So,

2:27:42that's a summary from me. A lot of

2:27:44information fast. Um, happy to answer

2:27:46any questions if there are any. Thank

2:27:48you.

2:27:49>> Thank you so much, Paul. um from the

2:27:51committee. Are there any questions?

2:27:58>> Um

2:27:59>> just um Madame Chair, just an obvious

2:28:01question for our gentleman um guest. How

2:28:04did you avoid the Ukraine spike by

2:28:06aggregate because of the bulk purchasing

2:28:08just that alone was able to keep the

2:28:11prices lower?

2:28:13>> It's um it's it had the it had to do

2:28:16with um the timing of the contract. So

2:28:19the cities, most of them had locked in a

2:28:21price that was fixed for 2 or 3 years.

2:28:23Whereas by law, the national grid price

2:28:26changes every 6 months. So when there's

2:28:28a spike in the market, Exactly. Right.

2:28:30National grid price reflects it, but the

2:28:33city prices were able to avoid that and

2:28:36and stay stable.

2:28:37>> Thank you.

2:28:41>> Well, any other questions from committee

2:28:44members?

2:28:46Okay. Well, Paul, once again, thank you

2:28:48so much for this presentation. This is

2:28:50something I'm really excited about. I

2:28:52think it's a really new opportunity for

2:28:55our residents to um one decrease their

2:29:00their energy bills, but also to move

2:29:02into more renewable energy sources and

2:29:05um and also like an opportunity for job

2:29:08creation and other things of that

2:29:10matter. Um so, thank you so much for

2:29:12your presentation. I would also like to

2:29:16sus and I don't know if there's any

2:29:18other comments. No one else.

2:29:20>> That's it for us. Yes.

2:29:21>> Okay. Thank you.

2:29:22>> Thank you very much.

2:29:23>> Thank you. And then I would like to

2:29:26suspend the rules to allow residents to

2:29:29speak. Um can I get a second from the

2:29:32committee?

2:29:34>> Entertain a motion to suspend the rules

2:29:36to allow a resident to speak.

2:29:37>> So moved.

2:29:39>> Seconded.

2:29:39>> Second.

2:29:40>> Okay. Roll call.

2:29:40>> Roll call.

2:29:41>> Chairwoman PZ.

2:29:42>> Yes. Council Laapierre,

2:29:44>> yes.

2:29:44>> Council Mullell,

2:29:45>> yes.

2:29:45>> Council Mlan,

2:29:46>> yes.

2:29:46>> Council Medi Madri,

2:29:47>> yes. Unanimous vote to suspend the

2:29:49rules, Madam Chairwoman.

2:29:50>> All right. And would anybody like to

2:29:53speak on on behalf of this program?

2:30:05>> Evening, counselor Hernandez, 24 Mount

2:30:08Vernon Street. Um, just wanted to say

2:30:11very excited that the city is taking

2:30:13this into consideration. As a municipal

2:30:15employee in another municipality who

2:30:17also manages municipal aggregation

2:30:19programs, I have seen how programs can

2:30:21save homes and businesses money. So, I

2:30:24am very excited that the city is

2:30:25considering adding another tool to its

2:30:27toolbox to try to address the very

2:30:30pressing topic about affordability in

2:30:32our community. So, very excited about

2:30:34that. Thank you so much.

2:30:36Um,

2:30:37>> would anybody else in the audience like

2:30:38to speak?

2:30:42>> [snorts]

2:30:54>> Just really quickly, I know that

2:30:56something had gotten brought up about

2:30:58Rosy and in the Lynn journal it said

2:31:00that ecology scholarships were now being

2:31:04offered to any school in the whole

2:31:06nation. And it was they had a get

2:31:10together on the common with Mr. McGee

2:31:13and Mr. Carpenter uh Kevin and I think

2:31:17the other one was Mr. Pñena and one of

2:31:19the kids said he was told he could not

2:31:21go to college if he didn't get a rifle

2:31:23from Rosy to graduate and get a

2:31:26scholarship. And the next journal came

2:31:28out. It had a picture of Sheriff

2:31:29Carpenter about something. And then on

2:31:32another page of that Lynn journal, it

2:31:34said any school in the country ecology

2:31:37scholarships. So whoever was speaking

2:31:40about the ecologies just now, I hope

2:31:42that they will elaborate in that a lot.

2:31:45So I heard a comment about Fleco or

2:31:47something earlier during the police

2:31:49presentation. Well, maybe we won't have

2:31:52a flako if we get them some good jobs

2:31:54and good college uh scholarships and

2:31:57ecology. All right. Thank you.

2:31:59>> Thank you, Jeffrey.

2:31:59>> Thank you, Jeffrey.

2:32:02>> I love you all.

2:32:03>> I love you, too.

2:32:05>> All right. Um that concludes our public

2:32:08speaking portion. Um open for discussion

2:32:13on for the committee or did anybody else

2:32:16want to speak?

2:32:18I um thank you, Madam Chair. Uh are you

2:32:21looking for a motion to support or move

2:32:24this forward to I just don't know where

2:32:26we stand. It's obviously a great

2:32:27initiative and I know the mayor's office

2:32:29has put in a lot of time and effort. I

2:32:31don't know what you're looking for from

2:32:33this body, but I'm happy to support

2:32:35forformational purposes and to move this

2:32:37along to its next approval um that we

2:32:41should move forward with it from this

2:32:42committee. So, I would if you want an if

2:32:45you would entertain a motion to that

2:32:47effect, I'm happy to make that motion.

2:32:49>> Yeah. So, um I don't know if John you

2:32:52want to talk about the process of what's

2:32:55next. Um right now, as I understand, the

2:32:59council has to approve. Um you can

2:33:03>> Yeah, I think that's right. I think we

2:33:04would be asking for the council's

2:33:06approval for the mayor to enter in a

2:33:08contract and so that we can get going

2:33:09and um they have to get to the you know

2:33:12put together the whole community plan go

2:33:14to the DPU. So at this point I think

2:33:16having uh this uh subcommittee's support

2:33:18would be helpful um if if you would be

2:33:21willing to uh entertain that motion to

2:33:23support.

2:33:24Yeah, I would make it in the form of a

2:33:26motion to engage in the contract with

2:33:28the that the mayor should engage in a

2:33:30contract with Mass Power Choice about

2:33:32the um municipal electric electricity

2:33:35aggregation coming to Lynn. I would make

2:33:37that in the form of a motion.

2:33:38>> I will second that.

2:33:40>> Thank you. Roll call.

2:33:42>> Chairwoman PZ.

2:33:43>> Yes.

2:33:43>> Council Laapier,

2:33:44>> yes.

2:33:45>> Council Matul,

2:33:46>> yes.

2:33:46>> Council Mlan,

2:33:47>> yes.

2:33:47>> Council mere.

2:33:49>> Yes.

2:33:49>> Unanimous vote of the committee. Motion

2:33:51to approve.

2:33:52>> Excellent. and

2:33:56do I just adjourn?

2:33:57>> Entertain a motion to adjurnn.

2:33:58>> Uh entertain a motion.

2:34:00>> Uh so move.

2:34:01>> Yeah. Seconded.

2:34:02>> All right. Thank you so much.

2:34:06>> Roll call, please. Attorney Lmano.

2:34:08>> Chairman Field

2:34:09>> present.

2:34:09>> Council Avery absent. Councelor Hogan

2:34:11>> present.

2:34:11>> Council mere

2:34:12>> present.

2:34:13>> Councelor Net

2:34:14>> present.

2:34:14>> Council President Alens

2:34:16>> present.

2:34:16>> We have a quorum.

2:34:18>> Excellent.

2:34:20First item on the agenda is a liberty

2:34:23livery company new sophisticated luxury

2:34:25transportation 39 Norton Street.

2:34:30>> Is anybody here representing

2:34:31sophisticated luxury transportation?

2:34:34You are Miss Rodriguez.

2:34:36>> Yes.

2:34:37>> Leave.

2:34:38>> Yes.

2:34:39>> Okay. And councelor U Cronin, you

2:34:42pointed something out. Do you want to

2:34:44just explain um that at the podium for

2:34:46us,

2:34:48>> please?

2:34:51So, in reviewing the packet this week,

2:34:54um I we observed that Ms. Rodriguez

2:34:57filed an application for a livery

2:34:59service license. She also filed an

2:35:03application to operate as a taxi cab

2:35:06operator. I believe that the taxi cab

2:35:08operator application was filed in error

2:35:10and she likely intended to file as a

2:35:12delivery service operator in addition to

2:35:14a delivery service.

2:35:15>> You don't want to drive a taxi, correct?

2:35:17>> Uh, no.

2:35:18>> No. Okay, that's all that that's all we

2:35:20needed to confirm.

2:35:21>> Thank you. We don't want to make that

2:35:23decision for you without you knowing.

2:35:25So,

2:35:26>> um we caught it.

2:35:27>> So, for sophisticated luxury

2:35:29transportation, what's the wish of the

2:35:30committee?

2:35:30>> Motion to approve.

2:35:31>> We have a motion to approve.

2:35:33>> Second. Any discussion? None. All in

2:35:35favor? I opposed. That license is

2:35:37granted. And then the delivery operator

2:35:40>> herself.

2:35:41>> Livery operator Maria Rodriguez de 39

2:35:44Newton Street owner. and she's going to

2:35:46be a delivery operator, not a taxi

2:35:48driver if the if the request goes

2:35:49through. What's the wish of the

2:35:50committee?

2:35:51>> Motion to approve.

2:35:52>> Motion to approve.

2:35:52>> Second.

2:35:53>> Second. Any discussion? None. All in

2:35:56favor? I oppose. That license is granted

2:35:58and both licenses are ready right now in

2:36:00the city clerk's office. Thank you.

2:36:02>> Good luck.

2:36:03>> Remaining items on the licensing

2:36:05commission renewals. Would you like to

2:36:06take them as a whole?

2:36:07>> If we can

2:36:07>> take them as a hole.

2:36:08>> We make take them as a whole. We have a

2:36:09motion by uh council Hogan. What's

2:36:12>> We have a second. Any discussion on any

2:36:13of them?

2:36:14>> None.

2:36:15>> None. And all in favor? I oppose. Those

2:36:17are all granted. We have one canning

2:36:19date listed.

2:36:22>> Canning date. Lintech Instinct swimming

2:36:25adults only October 25th 26, 2026 and

2:36:28November 1st, 2026.

2:36:31>> Committee.

2:36:31>> Motion to approve.

2:36:32>> Motion to approve.

2:36:34>> Second.

2:36:35>> Second. Any discussion? None. All in

2:36:37favor? I oppose. That date is granted to

2:36:40Lintch Instinct Swimming. Um, any other

2:36:43business? No other business. Mr.

2:36:45Chairman,

2:36:45>> wish to wish the committee.

2:36:46>> Motion to adjurnn.

2:36:47>> Motion to adjourn.

2:36:48>> Second.

2:36:49>> Second. All in favor? I.

2:36:51>> What's next?

2:36:51>> We'rejourn. See

2:36:53>> present.

2:36:53>> Council mulle absent.

2:36:55>> Could you please uh read uh transfers?

2:36:58>> First transfer 197,592

2:37:01from the wage expense account to the

2:37:03payroll line items of various

2:37:04departments to fund the 193 CBA retro

2:37:07through June 30th, 2026.

2:37:10>> Motion approved.

2:37:10>> Seconded.

2:37:11>> Roll call, please.

2:37:12>> Jim Net.

2:37:12>> Yes. Council President Allen Suck. Yes.

2:37:14Council Avery. Yes. Council Field. Yes.

2:37:16Council

2:37:16>> Matula. Absent. $1,800 from ISD school

2:37:19expense to fund ISD school bill of prior

2:37:22year. Motion

2:37:22>> approve.

2:37:23>> Seconded.

2:37:25>> Roll call, please.

2:37:26>> Chairman Net.

2:37:27>> Yes.

2:37:27>> Council President Allen. Yes.

2:37:28>> Council Avery.

2:37:29>> Yes.

2:37:29>> Council Field.

2:37:30>> Yes.

2:37:30>> Council Matul. Absent.

2:37:33>> $900 from ISD expense to fund ISD bill

2:37:35of prior year. Motion approve.

2:37:37>> Seconded.

2:37:39>> Chairman Net.

2:37:40>> Yes.

2:37:40>> Council President Alens. Yes. Council

2:37:42Avery. Yes.

2:37:42>> Council Field.

2:37:43>> Yes.

2:37:43>> Council Matul, absent. $4,94.75

2:37:47from DPW expense to fund DPW prior year.

2:37:49>> Motion approved.

2:37:50>> Seconded.

2:37:50>> Roll call, please.

2:37:52>> Net.

2:37:52>> Yes.

2:37:52>> Council President Allen.

2:37:53>> Yes.

2:37:54>> Council Avery.

2:37:54>> Yes.

2:37:55>> Council Field.

2:37:55>> Yes.

2:37:56>> Council Matul.

2:37:57>> Yes.

2:37:58>> $245 from DPW expense to fund DPW bill

2:38:00of prior year.

2:38:01>> Motion approved.

2:38:02>> Second.

2:38:03>> Roll call, please.

2:38:04>> Chairman Net.

2:38:05>> Yes.

2:38:05>> Council President Allenson. Yes.

2:38:06>> Council Avery.

2:38:07>> Yes.

2:38:07>> Council Field.

2:38:08>> Yes.

2:38:08>> Council Matul.

2:38:10>> Yes.

2:38:11$66783

2:38:13from DPW expense to fund DPW bill of

2:38:15prior year. Motion

2:38:16>> approved.

2:38:17>> Seconded.

2:38:17>> Roll call, please.

2:38:18>> Manette.

2:38:19>> Yes. Council

2:38:19>> President Alens.

2:38:20>> Yes. Council Avery.

2:38:21>> Yes.

2:38:21>> Council Field.

2:38:22>> Yes.

2:38:22>> Council Matul.

2:38:24>> Yes.

2:38:24>> $92510 from DPW expense to fund DPW bill

2:38:27the prior year. Motion

2:38:28>> approve. Seconded.

2:38:29>> Roll call, please.

2:38:30>> Chairman Net.

2:38:31>> Yes.

2:38:31>> Council President Alens.

2:38:32>> Yes.

2:38:33>> Council Avery.

2:38:33>> Yes.

2:38:34>> Council Field.

2:38:34>> Yes.

2:38:35>> Council Matul.

2:38:36>> Yes. $92510 from DP DPW expense to fund

2:38:40DPW bill the prior year. Motion

2:38:42>> approved.

2:38:42>> Seconded.

2:38:43>> Roll call, please.

2:38:44>> Net.

2:38:44>> Yes. Council President Allen. Yes.

2:38:46Council Avery.

2:38:46>> Yes.

2:38:47>> Council Field.

2:38:48>> Yes.

2:38:48>> Council Matul.

2:38:49>> Yes.

2:38:50>> $579.80 from DPW expense to fund DPW

2:38:53bill the prior year.

2:38:54>> Sure.

2:38:55>> Approve.

2:38:55>> Seconded.

2:38:56>> Roll call, please.

2:38:56>> Chairman Net.

2:38:57>> Yes.

2:38:57>> Council President Alens.

2:38:58>> Yes.

2:38:58>> Council Avery.

2:38:59>> Yes.

2:38:59>> Council Field.

2:39:00>> Yes.

2:39:00>> Council Matul.

2:39:01>> Yes.

2:39:02>> $1,000 from DPW expense to fund DPW bill

2:39:04of prior year.

2:39:05>> Motion to approve. Second it.

2:39:06>> Roll call, please.

2:39:07>> Net.

2:39:08>> Yes.

2:39:08>> Council President Ellens.

2:39:09>> Yes.

2:39:09>> Council Avery.

2:39:10>> Yes.

2:39:10>> Council Field.

2:39:11>> Yes.

2:39:12>> Council Matul.

2:39:13>> Yes.

2:39:13>> $1569

2:39:15from library expense to fund library

2:39:17bill of prior year. Motion

2:39:18>> approved.

2:39:19>> Seconded.

2:39:19>> Roll call, please.

2:39:20>> Chairman Net.

2:39:21>> Yes.

2:39:21>> Council President Allen. Yes.

2:39:22>> Council Avery.

2:39:23>> Yes.

2:39:23>> Council Field.

2:39:24>> Yes.

2:39:24>> Council Matul.

2:39:26>> Yes.

2:39:26>> $175 from the planning expense to fund

2:39:28planning bill of prior year.

2:39:30>> Approve.

2:39:31>> Seconded.

2:39:31>> Roll call, please.

2:39:32>> Net.

2:39:33>> Yes.

2:39:33>> Council President Alens.

2:39:34>> Yes.

2:39:34>> Council Avery. Yes.

2:39:35>> Council Field.

2:39:36>> Yes.

2:39:37>> Council Matul.

2:39:38>> Yes.

2:39:39>> $17,13618

2:39:41from street light expense to fund street

2:39:42light bill of prior year. Motion

2:39:44approve.

2:39:45>> Seconded.

2:39:45>> Roll call, please.

2:39:46>> Manette.

2:39:47>> Yes.

2:39:47>> Council president Alens.

2:39:49>> Yes.

2:39:49>> Council Avery.

2:39:50>> Yes.

2:39:50>> Council Field.

2:39:51>> Yes.

2:39:51>> Council Matul.

2:39:52>> Yes.

2:39:53>> Certified, please.

2:39:54>> $44,960 to the mayor's office from the

2:39:56Massachusetts Executive Office of Public

2:39:58Safety and Security. The fund the FFY27

2:40:01Municipal Road Safety Grant Program.

2:40:03Motion approved.

2:40:04>> Seconded. Roll call, please.

2:40:05>> Annette,

2:40:06>> yes.

2:40:06>> Council President Ellensson,

2:40:07>> yes.

2:40:07>> Council Avery,

2:40:08>> yes.

2:40:08>> Councelor Field,

2:40:09>> yes.

2:40:09>> Council Matul,

2:40:10>> yes.

2:40:11>> $854,55,000

2:40:15to the mayor's office of from the

2:40:17Department of Homeland Security to fund

2:40:18the FFY25

2:40:20assisted to firefighters grants, which

2:40:22will be used to fund the replacement of

2:40:2481 SCBA units and fire and face bases.

2:40:27>> Motion approved.

2:40:28>> Seconded.

2:40:28>> Roll call, please.

2:40:29>> Chairman Chairman Net,

2:40:30>> yes.

2:40:31>> Council President Ellens, yes.

2:40:32>> Council Avery,

2:40:33>> yes. Yes. Council Field.

2:40:34>> Yes.

2:40:34>> Council Matul.

2:40:35>> Yes.

2:40:36>> Work on that grant.

2:40:36>> $150,000 to the mayor's office from the

2:40:38Massachusetts Department of Health to

2:40:40fund the prevention and early childhood

2:40:42grant program.

2:40:43>> Motion approved.

2:40:43>> Seconded.

2:40:44>> Roll call, please.

2:40:45>> Chairman Net.

2:40:45>> Yes.

2:40:46>> Council President Alen.

2:40:47>> Yes.

2:40:47>> Council Avery.

2:40:48>> Yes.

2:40:48>> Council Field.

2:40:49>> Yes.

2:40:49>> Council Matul.

2:40:50>> Yes.

2:40:51>> 125,000 to the mayor's office from the

2:40:53Executive Office of Housing and Livable

2:40:54Communities to fund the ADA

2:40:56self-evaluation and transi transition

2:40:58plan phase two.

2:41:00>> Mush.

2:41:00>> Your approval, please.

2:41:02>> Net.

2:41:02>> Yes. Council President Ellens,

2:41:04>> yes.

2:41:05>> Council Council Avery,

2:41:06>> yes.

2:41:06>> Council Field,

2:41:07>> yes.

2:41:07>> Council Matul,

2:41:08>> yes.

2:41:09>> $2,645

2:41:10to the mayor's office from the Phoenix

2:41:12Hub to fund the FY27 Phoenix Hub

2:41:15community grant project.

2:41:16>> Motion approved.

2:41:17>> Seconded.

2:41:17>> Roll call, please.

2:41:18>> Kevin,

2:41:18>> yes.

2:41:19>> Council President Ellens,

2:41:20>> yes.

2:41:20>> Council Avery,

2:41:21>> yes.

2:41:22>> Council Field,

2:41:22>> yes.

2:41:23>> Council Matul,

2:41:24>> yes.

2:41:26$1,541,625

2:41:29to the Lind School Department by Desi

2:41:30for the FY27 Prism FC592 program. Motion

2:41:34[snorts] approved.

2:41:35>> Seconded.

2:41:36>> Roll call, please.

2:41:37>> Yes.

2:41:37>> Council President Ellens,

2:41:38>> yes.

2:41:39>> Council Avery,

2:41:40>> yes.

2:41:40>> Councilor Field,

2:41:41>> yes.

2:41:41>> Councelor Matul,

2:41:42>> yes.

2:41:43>> $641,250

2:41:45to Lyn School Department by Desi to fund

2:41:46the FY27 CCP

2:41:49FC719 program.

2:41:52>> Motion approved.

2:41:52>> Seconded.

2:41:53>> Roll call, please.

2:41:54>> Net.

2:41:54>> Yes. Council President Ellens,

2:41:55>> yes.

2:41:56>> Council Avery,

2:41:56>> yes.

2:41:56>> Councelor Field,

2:41:57>> yes.

2:41:58>> Council Matul,

2:41:59>> yes.

2:41:59>> $459,312

2:42:01to the Lyn School Department by Dussy to

2:42:03fund the FY27 RTP imple implementation

2:42:06FC 2020 221 program. Motion

2:42:10>> approved.

2:42:10>> Seconded.

2:42:10>> Roll call, please.

2:42:11>> Net. Yes.

2:42:12>> Council President Helens. Yes.

2:42:13>> Council Avery. Yes.

2:42:14>> Council Field.

2:42:15>> Yes.

2:42:15>> Council Matul.

2:42:16>> Yes. $300,000 to the Lyn School

2:42:19Department by Desi to fund the FY27

2:42:21early college support FC460 program.

2:42:24Motion

2:42:24>> approve.

2:42:24>> Seconded.

2:42:25>> Roll call, please.

2:42:26>> Chairman Net.

2:42:26>> Yes.

2:42:27>> Council President Alen.

2:42:28>> Yes.

2:42:28>> Council Avery.

2:42:29>> Yes.

2:42:29>> Council Field.

2:42:30>> Yes.

2:42:30>> Council Matul.

2:42:31>> Yes.

2:42:32>> $120,90

2:42:34to the L school department by Desi to

2:42:36fund the FY27 CFCE patient child plus

2:42:39FC237 program.

2:42:41>> Motion approved.

2:42:42>> Seconded.

2:42:42>> Roll call, please.

2:42:43>> Net.

2:42:44>> Yes.

2:42:44>> Council President Ellen.

2:42:45>> Yes.

2:42:45>> Council Avery.

2:42:46>> Yes. Council Field,

2:42:47>> yes.

2:42:47>> Council Matul,

2:42:48>> yes.

2:42:49>> $190,42

2:42:51to Lind School Department by Desi to

2:42:52fund the FY27 CFCE FC237 program.

2:42:58>> Motion approved.

2:42:58>> Seconded.

2:42:59>> Roll call, please.

2:43:00>> Chairman Net,

2:43:00>> yes.

2:43:01>> Council President Allen, yes. Council

2:43:02Avery,

2:43:03>> yes.

2:43:03>> Council Field,

2:43:04>> yes.

2:43:04>> Council Matul,

2:43:05>> yes.

2:43:06>> $180,000 to Lind School Department by

2:43:08Desi for the FY27 comprehensive school

2:43:10health services program. Motion

2:43:12approved.

2:43:13>> Seconded.

2:43:14>> Roll call, please.

2:43:14>> Council Net.

2:43:15>> Yes. Council President Ellensson,

2:43:17>> yes.

2:43:17>> Council Avery,

2:43:18>> yes.

2:43:18>> Council Field,

2:43:19>> yes.

2:43:19>> Council Matul,

2:43:20>> yes.

2:43:21>> $32,816

2:43:23to Lind School Department by Desi for

2:43:24the FY 27 BR YT LVTI

2:43:29program.

2:43:30>> Motion approve.

2:43:31>> Seconded.

2:43:32>> Roll call, please.

2:43:33>> Net.

2:43:33>> Yes.

2:43:33>> Council President Melenug.

2:43:35>> Yes. Council Avery.

2:43:36>> Yes.

2:43:36>> Council Field.

2:43:37>> Yes.

2:43:37>> Council Matul.

2:43:38>> Yes.

2:43:39$65,325

2:43:41to Lyn School Department by Desi for the

2:43:42FY27 Innovation Career Pathway FC419

2:43:46program. Motion

2:43:48>> approved.

2:43:48>> Seconded.

2:43:49>> Roll call, please.

2:43:50>> Nette,

2:43:50>> yes.

2:43:51>> Council President Alens, yes.

2:43:52>> Council Avery,

2:43:53>> yes.

2:43:53>> Councelor Field,

2:43:54>> yes.

2:43:54>> Council Matul,

2:43:55>> yes.

2:43:56>> $250,000 of the Lyn School Department by

2:43:58the B Foundation for the FY27 for the

2:44:01continued support of the city's arts and

2:44:02science academy. Motion

2:44:04>> approved.

2:44:04>> Seconded.

2:44:05>> Roll call, please.

2:44:06>> Chairman Net.

2:44:07>> Yes. Council President Alens,

2:44:09>> yes.

2:44:09>> Council Avery,

2:44:10>> yes.

2:44:10>> Council Field,

2:44:11>> yes.

2:44:11>> Council Matul,

2:44:12>> yes.

2:44:14>> Um, make

2:44:15>> any other business.

2:44:19>> Make a make a motion to make emergency

2:44:21on all.

2:44:21>> Second.

2:44:22>> Um, okay. Of emergency for all. Please

2:44:26roll call.

2:44:27>> Chairman Net.

2:44:28>> Yes.

2:44:28>> Council President Ellens.

2:44:29>> Yes.

2:44:30>> Council Avery.

2:44:30>> Yes.

2:44:31>> Councilor Field.

2:44:31>> Yes.

2:44:32>> Council Matul.

2:44:33>> Yes.

2:44:34>> If emergencies on all of the transfers.

2:44:36>> Okay. Um any new business or

2:44:40>> adjourned?

2:44:41>> No further business. Uh Mr. Chairman,

2:44:43>> Motion.

2:44:43>> Okay. So, uh what's the motion?

2:44:45>> Journ. Motion to adjourn.

2:44:46>> All right. Thank you. [laughter]

2:44:53>> Good afternoon, everybody. I would like

2:44:54to call the utilities committee uh

2:44:57meeting of Tuesday, October 13th, 2026

2:45:00to order. I roll call, please.

2:45:02>> Chairman Matul,

2:45:03>> present.

2:45:04>> Council Hogan,

2:45:05>> present. Council me

2:45:06>> present.

2:45:07>> Councel Net

2:45:08>> present.

2:45:09>> Council PZ

2:45:10>> present.

2:45:11>> And I do believe that we have uh

2:45:12councelor Meanie.

2:45:14>> I was I was trying to be

2:45:15>> sitting in.

2:45:16>> Okay. Uh we have a number of public

2:45:17hearings this evening uh for a petition

2:45:20national grid to install underground

2:45:21facilities on Johnson Street beginning

2:45:22at a point approximately 100 ft subtly

2:45:24of the center line of the intersection

2:45:25of Cy Place and Johnson Street and

2:45:27continuing approximately 30 ft in a

2:45:29northerly direction. National Grid will

2:45:31install plus or minus 30 feet of PVC

2:45:33conduit from MHG2 M8 existing hand hole

2:45:38and a in the sidewalk in front of 70

2:45:40Johnson Street in Lyn, Massachusetts.

2:45:42>> Do we have anyone from uh National Grid

2:45:44or anybody that would like to speak in

2:45:45favor of this? Please mention your name

2:45:48and your address for the record.

2:45:51>> Good evening. My name is John Jankowski,

2:45:53170 Medford Street in Malden, Mass. I'm

2:45:57representing National Grid. Uh this

2:45:59petition on Cressy and Johnson Street uh

2:46:02the customer is installing um a second

2:46:05building on that lot. Uh obviously we

2:46:08have to provide that service. Um to

2:46:11upgrade the facilities we have to

2:46:13install new conduit, new cable from uh

2:46:15existing handle to a handle on a

2:46:17property line.

2:46:18>> Thank you.

2:46:20>> Councelor Pass, do you have any any

2:46:23comments or anything? This is your word.

2:46:25>> Yeah. How long is um the installation

2:46:27expected to last?

2:46:29>> I'm sorry, I didn't hear that.

2:46:30>> Oh, sorry. Um how long is the

2:46:32installation expected to last?

2:46:34>> Oh, probably one day.

2:46:35>> One day. Yeah.

2:46:36>> Okay. Thank you. Um there's currently

2:46:39been a lot of work in that area. Would

2:46:41it be possible to coordinate around some

2:46:43of that work as well just so to reduce

2:46:47um some disrupties?

2:46:50>> Um

2:46:51yeah, I could do some investigation, try

2:46:53to find out. I know there was work out

2:46:54there last time I was out there, but I

2:46:56don't still

2:46:57>> as well. Yeah.

2:46:58>> Yeah. Okay.

2:47:00>> Public hearing.

2:47:02>> Do we have anybody

2:47:03>> who wants anybody else who wants to

2:47:05speak in favor of this? No. Do we have

2:47:07anybody who wants to speak against this?

2:47:11Anybody who wants to speak against this

2:47:13since this is a public hearing? No. What

2:47:15is the wish of the committee?

2:47:19Um motion to approve with the condition

2:47:23to just investigate other um

2:47:26>> second.

2:47:27>> Roll call, please.

2:47:28>> Yes. Uh chairman Mullell.

2:47:30>> Uh yes. Uh with motions.

2:47:32>> Vice President. Council Vice President

2:47:34Hogan.

2:47:34>> Yes. With motions.

2:47:35>> Council me.

2:47:36>> Yes.

2:47:37>> Council Net.

2:47:38>> Yes. With motion.

2:47:39>> Council PZ.

2:47:40>> Yes.

2:47:41>> All right. So that moves.

2:47:43>> Second petition. petition of Comcast to

2:47:45locate an existing Comcast conduit in

2:47:47placing a 3x3 manhole over the conduit.

2:47:49The petition would permit the excavation

2:47:51of the newly placed manhole 22 plus or

2:47:54minus to replace one 2-in PVC conduit to

2:47:57104 Ocean Street.

2:47:59>> Do we have anybody who would like to

2:48:01speak in favor of this?

2:48:03Come [snorts] to the podium. Please

2:48:04state your name and address for the

2:48:06record.

2:48:06>> Good evening. Dave Flewelling Comcast 9

2:48:08Forbes Road in Massachusetts. would like

2:48:10to speak in favor of the Comcast

2:48:12petition to place a 3x3 manhole and 22

2:48:14ft of conduit to provide the Comcast

2:48:17service to number 104 Ocean Street.

2:48:21>> Uh does the committee have any

2:48:22questions?

2:48:25Do we have uh it is a public hearing, so

2:48:26do we have anybody who wants to speak

2:48:28against this?

2:48:30No. Um what is the wish of the

2:48:33committee?

2:48:34>> Motion to approve.

2:48:35>> Second. Roll call.

2:48:36>> Chairman Matul.

2:48:37>> Yes.

2:48:38>> Council Vice President Hogan.

2:48:39>> Yes. Yes. Council mere.

2:48:40>> Yes.

2:48:41>> Council Net.

2:48:42>> Yes.

2:48:42>> Council PZ.

2:48:43>> Yes.

2:48:44>> Third petition. Petition National Grid

2:48:46and Verizon to install one J pole on

2:48:48Style Street beginning at a point

2:48:49approximately 160 ft of the center line

2:48:51of the intersection of Style Street and

2:48:52Reservoir Road and continuing

2:48:54approximately 23 ft in a northwesterly

2:48:56direction. National agree to install one

2:48:58wooden pole in front of 19 Reservoir

2:49:00Road and number 36 Style Street.

2:49:04>> Do we have anybody who wants to speak in

2:49:06favor of this? Uh, good evening. John

2:49:08Jenkowski, 170 Medford Street in Malden,

2:49:11Mass. Uh, the customer at um, what is

2:49:14the address?

2:49:18Uh, 17 Reservoir Road is installing a

2:49:21second building on the same lot. Um,

2:49:25looking at the facilities out there,

2:49:28it's a corner lot. It being fed from two

2:49:31different streets. So, we are going to

2:49:33install one wooden pole and serve the

2:49:36new customer. Thank you.

2:49:38>> Thank you. Anybody else who would like

2:49:40to speak in favor of this? Nope. Do we

2:49:44have anybody who wants to speak against

2:49:46this?

2:49:47>> No. Uh, what is the wish of the

2:49:50committee?

2:49:50>> Speaking of council Avery from Ward 7,

2:49:53I'm going to like make a motion to

2:49:54approve.

2:49:55>> Second.

2:49:58>> Uh, roll call.

2:49:58>> Chairman Matul.

2:50:00>> Uh, yes.

2:50:00>> Council Hogan. Yes.

2:50:02>> Council mere.

2:50:03>> Yes.

2:50:03>> Council Net.

2:50:04>> Yes.

2:50:05>> Council PZ.

2:50:06>> Yes.

2:50:07>> Fourth petition. Petition to Comcast

2:50:08Xavate and place one 3 in PVC conduit

2:50:12100 plus or minus 110 ft to provide

2:50:14Comcast service to 75 Market Street.

2:50:17>> Do we have anybody who wants to speak in

2:50:19favor of this?

2:50:20>> Dave Halling, Comcast 9 Forbes Road,

2:50:22Wuben, Massachusetts. would like to

2:50:24speak in favor of the Comcast petition

2:50:26to place 110 feet of conduit to provide

2:50:29the Comcast service the number 75 Market

2:50:31Street.

2:50:32>> Thank you. Uh do we have anybody who

2:50:34wants to speak against this?

2:50:37>> No. What is the wish of the committee?

2:50:39>> Um have a question.

2:50:41>> Question.

2:50:42>> How will one how long will the

2:50:45excavation

2:50:46>> I'm sorry

2:50:46>> for the excavation? How what would that

2:50:48look like

2:50:49>> the activity?

2:50:50>> Yeah. where they're going to excavate to

2:50:52place one 3-in PVC conduit 110 ft. Um

2:50:56the work will be done probably in a

2:50:58couple of days.

2:50:59>> Okay. Um and so it'll take a couple of

2:51:02days. Do you have an idea of like when

2:51:04that work will start if approved?

2:51:06>> That will be coordinated with the street

2:51:08opening permit if the granted location

2:51:10is approved.

2:51:11>> Okay. Just because there is a lot of

2:51:12construction on Market Street already.

2:51:14So just want to make sure that it's

2:51:16coordinated especially because it's

2:51:17already on its

2:51:18>> end. Understood. Thank you. Okay.

2:51:21>> Um, so motion to approve.

2:51:23>> Second. Roll call, please.

2:51:25>> Chairman Matul.

2:51:25>> Yes.

2:51:26>> Council Vice President Hogan.

2:51:27>> Yes.

2:51:27>> Council me?

2:51:28>> Yes.

2:51:28>> Council Net.

2:51:29>> Yes.

2:51:30>> Council PZ.

2:51:31>> Yes.

2:51:32>> Six. Petition. Petition of National Grid

2:51:33to install underground facilities on

2:51:34Blossom Street beginning in a point

2:51:35approximately 55 ft southwest southeast

2:51:38of the center line of the intersection

2:51:39of Blossom and Harbor Street and

2:51:41continuing approximately 10 ft in a

2:51:42norly northeasterly direction. National

2:51:45grid to install 10 ft of four 4 in

2:51:48conduit from an existing manhole. O-5 to

2:51:51private property to provide permanent

2:51:52underground service at 150 Blossom

2:51:54Street.

2:51:56>> Do we have anybody who wants to speak in

2:51:57favor of this?

2:52:00>> Uh John Jenowski, 170 Medford Street in

2:52:03Malden, Mass. Uh they're going to redo

2:52:05the building at 150 Blossom Street. So

2:52:07we have to provide a new service and um

2:52:10National Grid will install about 10 ft

2:52:12of PPC conduit uh to uh private property

2:52:17to serve the new customer.

2:52:19All righty. Do we have anybody else who

2:52:21wants to speak in favor of this? No. Do

2:52:23we have anybody who wants to speak

2:52:24against this?

2:52:26Any questions from the committee?

2:52:28>> Yes.

2:52:29>> Oh, sorry.

2:52:31>> I think he confused them because he was

2:52:32reading five, but then he's went into

2:52:35two

2:52:35>> Blossom Street and M. This is about High

2:52:38Street. [clears throat]

2:52:39>> Oh, I skipped over five.

2:52:41>> You Yeah,

2:52:43>> you started reading, but then [laughter]

2:52:45>> you jumped.

2:52:47So, can we read it over?

2:52:49>> Sure. We'll start over again. Petition

2:52:50of National Grid to re relocate one J

2:52:53pole on High Street at a point

2:52:54approximately 160 ft southeast of the

2:52:57center line at the intersection of High

2:52:58Street and Oxford and continuing

2:53:00approximately 2 ft in the southwesterly

2:53:01direction. National grid to relocate

2:53:03pole number 2-1 approximately 45 ft east

2:53:06and 25 ft south of the southern sidewalk

2:53:09of High Street.

2:53:12>> Councelor Natasha, is it your word?

2:53:14>> Yes, it is. So you want to make that

2:53:17>> the National

2:53:19Talk about High Street, please.

2:53:20>> Excuse me. So this is the one on uh

2:53:22Riley Way and Marine Boulevard.

2:53:23>> Nope. This is High Street.

2:53:24>> High Street.

2:53:25>> I skipped over High Street by mistake

2:53:26and I went right to Blossom. So I think

2:53:28if you were following the program, you

2:53:29were talking about

2:53:30>> We got to go to number five.

2:53:33>> Does he have

2:53:38High Street at Oxford?

2:53:39>> High Street and Oxford. Yes, that is

2:53:41correct.

2:53:56Uh yes, John Jenkowski, 170 Medford

2:53:58Street in Malden, Mass. Um National Good

2:54:01would like to relocate um

2:54:05one wooden pole uh pole 2-1

2:54:08approximately uh 45 ft to serve a

2:54:10residential home.

2:54:13>> All right. Yep. Uh, councelor Natasha.

2:54:19>> Um, okay. So, it says here that you're

2:54:22going to relocate the pole from one. Are

2:54:24you opening the sidewalk? I'm looking at

2:54:27this cuz I'm looking at the picture and

2:54:29it says you're relocating it from one

2:54:30location to the other. Is that correct?

2:54:32>> Yeah. It's just a um

2:54:33>> high street. [snorts]

2:54:36[clears throat]

2:54:36>> We can't uh provide service to one home

2:54:39if it goes over somebody else's

2:54:40property. That's an aerial trespass. So,

2:54:42we have to relocate the pole to provide

2:54:44service from the street straight to uh

2:54:47the home. Can't be on somebody else's

2:54:49property.

2:54:50>> No, I understand. Are you opening up the

2:54:52sidewall?

2:54:52>> Negative.

2:54:54>> No.

2:54:54>> No.

2:54:55>> Okay. So, the street?

2:54:56>> Yes.

2:54:57>> Okay. And I that street was paved

2:54:59recently and I just want to make sure I

2:55:01put a stipulation in there that it's

2:55:02repaved back to the way you find it.

2:55:05>> Yeah. It'll it'll be just on the

2:55:06sidewalk. The road

2:55:07>> was not the street.

2:55:08>> Excuse me. So, the first question I

2:55:10asked was, "Was it on the sidewalk?"

2:55:12>> It is on sidewalk. Yes, I didn't hear

2:55:14you correctly. I'm sorry.

2:55:15>> Okay. So, it is on the sidewalk.

2:55:17>> I'm sorry. [snorts]

2:55:19>> I'm just trying to figure out where

2:55:20you're placing

2:55:21>> the hole will be on the sidewalk, not on

2:55:23the street.

2:55:24>> Thank you. Okay. So, if you're opening

2:55:26up the sidewalk, I just want to put a

2:55:27stipulation that it the sidewalk will be

2:55:30fixed back to the way you find it.

2:55:31>> Correct. Yes.

2:55:33>> Okay.

2:55:35>> Do you want to put that in a form of a

2:55:36motion, please? Uh, I would make a

2:55:39motion to approve with the stipulation

2:55:40that the sidewalk is put back to the

2:55:42same condition it is currently in.

2:55:44>> All right. Roll call, please. Chairman

2:55:45Mulle.

2:55:46>> Uh, yes. With the motion to put the

2:55:48sidewalk back to uh, the way it was. Uh,

2:55:51>> Council Vice President Hogan.

2:55:52>> Yes. With stipulations.

2:55:53>> Council Council Med.

2:55:55>> Yes. With stipulations.

2:55:56>> Council Net.

2:55:57>> Yes. With stipulations.

2:55:58>> Council Pas.

2:55:59>> Abstain.

2:56:03>> All right. So, the motion moves on. Uh,

2:56:04number six, please.

2:56:05>> Six. I jumped the gun here. So now it's

2:56:07number six. Petition of National Grid to

2:56:08install underground facilities at

2:56:09Blossom Street, beginning at a point of

2:56:10approximately 55 ft southeast of the

2:56:12center line of the intersection of

2:56:13Blossom Street and Harbor Street and

2:56:15continuing approximately 10 ft in a

2:56:16northeasterly direction. National Grid

2:56:18to install approximately 10 ft of 4x4 in

2:56:21conduit from an existing manhole old-5

2:56:23to private property to provide permanent

2:56:25underground service at 150 Blossom

2:56:28Street.

2:56:28>> Thank you. Do we have anybody who's who

2:56:31wants to speak in favor of this?

2:56:33>> Would you want me to you say it again?

2:56:37Uh just speak in favor of this. Uh it's

2:56:39Blossom Street.

2:56:40>> Blossom and and Harbor Street.

2:56:42>> Yep.

2:56:42>> Yes. We're going to install about 10 ft

2:56:44of PVC conduit on Blossom Street to

2:56:47private property to serve the new

2:56:48customer.

2:56:51>> All right. Anybody who wants to speak

2:56:53against this? No. Uh Council Hogan, this

2:56:57is your work.

2:56:57>> Yes. Uh this is great because this is a

2:56:59new business. It's being built right

2:57:00now. It's Plumbers's Warehouse. It's

2:57:02going to be a brand new building um

2:57:04where Northshore News used to be right

2:57:05on Blossom Street. So to get them

2:57:07electrified would be great. So they

2:57:09they're moving pretty good on their

2:57:10construction right now. So I'd like to

2:57:12make a motion to approve.

2:57:14>> All right. Motion has been made. Do we

2:57:15have a second?

2:57:16>> Second. All right. Uh roll call, please.

2:57:19>> Chairman Matul.

2:57:20>> Yes.

2:57:20>> Council Vice President Hogan.

2:57:21>> Yes.

2:57:21>> Council mere.

2:57:23>> Yes.

2:57:23>> Council Net.

2:57:24>> Yes.

2:57:24>> Council Pers.

2:57:25>> Yes.

2:57:26>> Seventh petition. petition national grid

2:57:27to install one so pole on French street

2:57:30beginning a point approximately 50 ft

2:57:31norththeast of the Senate line of the

2:57:33intersection of Silsby Street and Friend

2:57:35Street and continuing approximately 0

2:57:36feet in a north easterly direction.

2:57:39National Gen proposes to install one ESO

2:57:41pole number 17 on Friend Street near the

2:57:44intersection of Silsby Street and Friend

2:57:45Street.

2:57:46>> Thank you. Do we have anybody who wants

2:57:47to speak in favor of this?

2:57:49>> Yes, John Jenowski 170 Medford Street in

2:57:52Maron Mass. Uh this uh petition is to

2:57:56we're going to upgrade the underground

2:57:58facilities in that area, Friend and

2:58:00Silsby Street. Uh to do this, we have to

2:58:04install once solely owned pole on Friend

2:58:06Street.

2:58:07>> Thank you.

2:58:08>> Thank you. Do we have anybody who wants

2:58:10to speak against this?

2:58:12>> No. Uh councelor Natasha, this is your

2:58:14word.

2:58:15>> Great. Thank you. And you? So in this

2:58:17you are opening the street.

2:58:24>> Are you opening the street on on on this

2:58:26project?

2:58:27>> Uh it would be uh probably yes. I'm

2:58:30sorry.

2:58:32>> So thank you. So I would also um want to

2:58:36make sure that this like once the street

2:58:39is open that it's put back to the to the

2:58:41same condition it was that you find it

2:58:42in.

2:58:43>> Mhm.

2:58:44>> All righty. So the motion has been made.

2:58:45Do we have a second?

2:58:47>> Second.

2:58:48>> Yep. Roll call, please.

2:58:49>> Chairman Matul.

2:58:50>> Yes. With the motions or stipulations.

2:58:52>> Council Vice President Hogan.

2:58:54>> Yes.

2:58:55>> Council Council Medi Madre.

2:58:56>> Yes.

2:58:56>> Council Net.

2:58:57>> Yes.

2:58:58>> Council PZ.

2:58:59>> Yes.

2:58:59>> Next. Petition National Grid to install

2:59:01underground facilities on Silsby Street

2:59:02and Friend Street beginning at the point

2:59:03approximately 20 ft south of the center

2:59:05line of the intersection of Silsby

2:59:06Street and Friend Street and continuing

2:59:08approximately 65 ft in a north easterly

2:59:10direction. National Grid to install 65

2:59:13feet of 2 to 4 inch conduit encased in

2:59:15concrete from existing MH8 Silsby Street

2:59:17to a new pole at number 17 Friend

2:59:19Street. All

2:59:20>> righty. Do we have anybody who wants to

2:59:22speak in favor of this?

2:59:25>> Uh yes. I'm sorry. The last petition, we

2:59:27will not open up the the um road itself.

2:59:30It's just going to be one wooden pole.

2:59:32But this petition that's the same here.

2:59:33We're going to open up the uh road

2:59:36itself. It's right next to it. So,

2:59:39um, again, John House, 170 Medford

2:59:42Street in Malden, Mass. Uh,

2:59:45>> adjacent to the previous petition, uh,

2:59:48that same area, we're going to install

2:59:50conduit, uh, from the new pole, uh, to

2:59:53an existing pole on Silsby Street.

2:59:58>> All righty. Do we have anybody who wants

3:00:00to speak against this? Any questions,

3:00:02Councelor Natasha?

3:00:03>> Great. In this one, you will be opening

3:00:06the street, correct? That is correct.

3:00:08Yes.

3:00:08>> Okay. So, in this case, we also want to

3:00:10make sure that the street is put back in

3:00:12the same condition that you find it.

3:00:14>> Yep. Great.

3:00:15>> Right. So, so that motion B with the

3:00:17stipulation that it gets put back the

3:00:18way it's supposed to be.

3:00:19>> Yes.

3:00:20>> In addition to that, on Friends and

3:00:23Silsby Street, there's a number of

3:00:25different organizations and also the um

3:00:28MBTA station. So, how long is this

3:00:31expected to last?

3:00:34>> It'll be probably at least several days.

3:00:37possibly a week. Uh that distance of

3:00:39conduit. Um

3:00:44yeah, I would think uh maybe two to

3:00:46three days with good weather. Yes.

3:00:49>> Okay. And will there be uh communication

3:00:52to also the organizations nearby of the

3:00:55construction?

3:00:56>> No, I don't believe any outages would be

3:00:57involved in that. No.

3:00:58>> Okay. Um and that's just a standard

3:01:01practice or

3:01:02>> Yep.

3:01:03>> Okay. Um, I wonder if we could

3:01:05coordinate maybe. Well, what would the

3:01:08disturbance be? Like, are you going to

3:01:10have to close the street to do the

3:01:11construction?

3:01:12>> No, I don't believe so. No.

3:01:13>> Okay, then it's fine.

3:01:15>> No, they'll probably do half of the road

3:01:18cars will go on the other side and then

3:01:19the next day they'll go on the other

3:01:21side

3:01:21>> and they'll be security detail.

3:01:22>> Oh, yeah. Okay.

3:01:23>> Details, police officers. Yeah.

3:01:25>> Thank you.

3:01:26>> All right. So, we'll go with uh

3:01:27Councelor Natasha's motion with uh the

3:01:30stipulation. Roll call, please.

3:01:31>> Chairman Matul.

3:01:32>> Yes. with stipulations. C.

3:01:34>> Council vice president Hogan.

3:01:35>> Yes. With stipulations.

3:01:36>> Council me.

3:01:37>> Yes. With the stipulations.

3:01:38>> Council Net.

3:01:39>> Yes. With stipulations.

3:01:40>> Council of PZ.

3:01:41>> Yes. With stipulations.

3:01:42>> Ninth petition. National grid to install

3:01:44one J. Oo pool on James Street beginning

3:01:46at a point approximately 64 ft southwest

3:01:49of this line of the intersection of

3:01:50James Street and Stewart Street.

3:01:51National grid to install one J pool at

3:01:5310 James Street.

3:01:55>> Do we have anybody who wants to speak in

3:01:57favor of this? Please come. Put me once

3:01:59more.

3:02:03John Jane Kowski, 170 Medford Street in

3:02:06Malden, Mass. I'm representing National

3:02:08Grid. Uh in this location, um we're

3:02:11removing a um underground facilities.

3:02:15So, we have to um install one wooden

3:02:18pole, new wooden pole to provide that

3:02:21area. So, thank you.

3:02:23>> Thank you. [clears throat] Anybody who

3:02:25wants to speak against this? Do we have

3:02:28any questions from uh the committee?

3:02:29Councelor Natasha.

3:02:32Oh, again this will be opening the

3:02:34street or not?

3:02:39>> Uh, no, just the sidewalk itself.

3:02:40>> Just the sidewalk. So, if it's just the

3:02:42sidewalk, it will be if you disturb the

3:02:44sidewalk, it will the sidewalk will be

3:02:46put back however you find it. Correct.

3:02:48>> Yes. Want to make that in a motion uh

3:02:51with stipulation?

3:02:52>> A motion to approve pen uh with the

3:02:54condition that the sidewalk if disturbed

3:02:56will be put back the same way it's

3:02:58found.

3:02:59>> Thank you. Welcome,

3:03:00>> Chairman Matul. Yes, with stipulations.

3:03:02>> Council Vice President Hogan.

3:03:04>> Yes, with stipulations.

3:03:05>> Council mere.

3:03:06>> Yes, with stipulations.

3:03:07>> Council Net.

3:03:08>> Yes, with stipulations.

3:03:09>> Council PZ.

3:03:10>> Yes, with stipulations.

3:03:11>> 10th and final public hearing tonight.

3:03:12Petition of National Grid to install one

3:03:13JO pole on Riley Way beginning at a

3:03:15point approximately 0 feet southwest of

3:03:17the center line of the intersection of

3:03:19Riley Way and Marine Boulevard.

3:03:20Continuing approximately 820 ft in the

3:03:22southwesterly direction. National G grid

3:03:25to replace relocate pole number 24-84

3:03:28approximately [clears throat] plus or

3:03:30minus 50 ft northwest.

3:03:32>> Do we have anybody who wants to speak in

3:03:34favor of this?

3:03:35>> Yes, John Jenkowski 170 Medford Street

3:03:38in Malden, Mass. I'm representing

3:03:40National Grid. Uh the customer has a um

3:03:43environmental concerns at that location.

3:03:46They're going to um guess it's an ISS

3:03:49situation. So in that area, we have to

3:03:52relocate uh one wooden pole. I think

3:03:54it's a 50 ft if I'm not mistaken. Um

3:03:59uh because of that uh environmental

3:04:01concerns. Thank you.

3:04:02>> All right. Do we have anybody who wants

3:04:04to speak against this?

3:04:07>> No. Councelor Hogan,

3:04:08>> I like to make a motion to approve.

3:04:10>> Motion has made second by councelor

3:04:13Pass. Roll call, please.

3:04:14>> Chairman Matul.

3:04:15>> Yes.

3:04:16>> Council vice president Hogan.

3:04:17>> Yes.

3:04:17>> Council council mere.

3:04:19>> Yes. Council Net.

3:04:20>> Yes.

3:04:20>> Council Pers.

3:04:21>> Yes.

3:04:22>> Do we have any other business?

3:04:24>> Yes.

3:04:25>> Like make a motion for councelor Avery

3:04:28to take four petitions tabled on

3:04:30September 30 13th off the table. And um

3:04:34I'd like to make a motion to grant.

3:04:37So these four would be Cooper Street,

3:04:39Weston Avenue beginning the point uh

3:04:42near Weston and Cooper Dearbornne and

3:04:44near Dearboard and Raden and Reed Street

3:04:47uh near Dearbornne. So the first motion

3:04:49we take off the table with a roll call

3:04:51vote.

3:04:51>> All right, so we have a motion. Do we

3:04:53have a second?

3:04:54>> Second.

3:04:54>> All right, take it off the table. Do we

3:04:56have a roll call for uh to to pass the

3:04:58motion?

3:04:59>> Chair Chairman Matul,

3:05:00>> yes.

3:05:00>> Council Vice President Hogan,

3:05:02>> yes. Council

3:05:02>> Major Madre,

3:05:03>> yes.

3:05:03>> Council Ednet,

3:05:04>> yes.

3:05:05>> Council Pers,

3:05:06>> yes.

3:05:07All right. So, the motion passes. Do we

3:05:08have any other uh

3:05:09>> motion to come off the table now that I

3:05:11think there's a motion to approve by

3:05:12councelor Hogan?

3:05:13>> Yes. Motion to approve.

3:05:14>> All right. So, roll call for motion to

3:05:16approve.

3:05:16>> Second.

3:05:17>> Chairman Chairman Matul.

3:05:18>> Yes.

3:05:19>> Council vice president Hogan.

3:05:20>> Yes.

3:05:20>> Council mere.

3:05:21>> Yes.

3:05:21>> Council Net.

3:05:22>> Yes.

3:05:23>> Council PZ.

3:05:24>> Yes.

3:05:25>> All righty.

3:05:25>> I have no further business on the

3:05:26utilities.

3:05:28>> No. No more business.

3:05:29>> No further business.

3:05:30>> What is the motion? Uh what is the uh

3:05:32the wish of the committee?

3:05:33>> Motion to adjurnn.

3:05:34>> Second.

3:05:34>> Second.

3:05:37Welcome to our first rules and rules

3:05:41committee. Uh today is Tuesday, October

3:05:4413, 2026.

3:05:47Uh Mr. Clerk, I call the meeting to

3:05:51order, please. Roll call.

3:05:52>> Yes. Chairman Net,

3:05:53>> present.

3:05:54>> Council Vice President Hogan,

3:05:56>> present.

3:05:56>> Council Matul,

3:05:57>> present.

3:05:57>> Council Madre,

3:05:58>> present.

3:05:59>> Council PZ,

3:06:00>> present.

3:06:02So um

3:06:04what is the where's the committee and

3:06:07Mr. President go ahead.

3:06:08>> Thank you Mr. chairman and I know I'm

3:06:10not member of this committee but I asked

3:06:13uh chairman um Ned to convene this um

3:06:16meeting because it's been a long time

3:06:19since we have a rules committee meeting

3:06:21in this chamber and we have some rules

3:06:25that needs to be updated with an advent

3:06:27of time uh some

3:06:31concerns we have or some issues that we

3:06:33dealt with and usually sometimes those

3:06:36are the perfect time to check on our

3:06:38rules

3:06:39and it did not coincide with some of

3:06:42that issue. So, I'm glad that we're

3:06:44meeting now. This will be a process. I'm

3:06:46sure there'll be for further meetings

3:06:49and I encourage encourage this this

3:06:52committee to really work hard and and

3:06:55review the rules moving forward. Thank

3:06:56you, Mr. Chairman.

3:06:58>> So, um what's the risk committee on

3:07:00this? Um, are we going to vote on it or

3:07:05we going to vote on this or we can

3:07:07continue on?

3:07:08>> Yes. So, I I I would like to recommend

3:07:11this committee to provide us with an

3:07:12updated list of our rules and then in

3:07:15your next meeting to to work on it. Um,

3:07:20probably review some of it and maybe

3:07:22itemize it. I I I don't know how you

3:07:24will move this forward. All I know is we

3:07:26need to update our rules.

3:07:29>> So, we Okay. I got a motion [snorts] to

3:07:30review and update our rules.

3:07:32>> Okay.

3:07:32>> Second.

3:07:33>> Perfect.

3:07:34>> Okay. So, will you continue to work with

3:07:36um Attorney Cronin on this?

3:07:38>> There's an amendment from Councelor Pi

3:07:40to add time.

3:07:40>> Okay. All right. Uh I think we should

3:07:42put a time in terms of maybe an initial

3:07:46review within the committee of like each

3:07:49of the members. What do you want to see?

3:07:50Like just even looking at the first um

3:07:54it hasn't been updated since 2018.

3:07:56>> Correct. Um it says we meet every fourth

3:08:00t second and fourth Tuesday at 8 pm

3:08:02which is incorrect, right? So there's

3:08:04obviously that's just the first two

3:08:07lines. Um so there's going to be a lot

3:08:10of digging for us to go into. Um I think

3:08:14maybe it makes sense to do a initial

3:08:17review, figure out maybe if there are

3:08:20different counselors that want to take

3:08:21on a different section of it and then

3:08:23review it in that way. Um, but do we

3:08:26want to have a timeline that of when do

3:08:29we want to have that initial meeting and

3:08:32um and how long do we want this process

3:08:35to be? Obviously, we can amend that, but

3:08:37at least it won't be something on the

3:08:39back burner.

3:08:42>> So, attorney Cronin, we have you have

3:08:44any uh addition to this? And

3:08:49>> thank you, Chairman. Um, I would echo

3:08:53councelor PAZ's sentiments that I think

3:08:55there are substantive matters that need

3:08:58to be addressed, but there are also the

3:09:01minutia like the time and so I think it

3:09:04is fair to say this will be a process.

3:09:06What I would suggest is that the

3:09:10counselors

3:09:12decide what sections they may have an

3:09:14interest in or familiarity with um and

3:09:17send your suggestions to me and I am

3:09:20happy to compile them. I'm also happy to

3:09:22look at other municipalities to see what

3:09:24their council rules look like and

3:09:26provide you with copies of those that

3:09:28may help you in brainstorming. Once I

3:09:31have your ideas, uh, then I can

3:09:34distribute a document that all of you

3:09:36can review individually and bring back

3:09:40to me for further comment and we can

3:09:43discuss as appropriate in a rules

3:09:46committee meeting.

3:09:47>> Thank you, Attorney. While you're up

3:09:49there, I guess I just do have a question

3:09:51about open open um

3:09:54>> open meeting

3:09:55>> open meeting laws. Yes.

3:09:56>> Um and for us working on this the entire

3:09:59committee together, what that would look

3:10:00like?

3:10:01>> That would look like this.

3:10:02>> Okay. So, we're only talking about it

3:10:04during these meetings.

3:10:05>> Yes.

3:10:06>> Right. That's why I would advise you

3:10:08send your comments to me directly so

3:10:10that I can compile [clears throat] them

3:10:11and provide a document that you don't

3:10:13deliberate on with one another but that

3:10:16you consider yourselves with your own uh

3:10:20input, thoughts, things like that.

3:10:22>> Sounds good. Thank you. Sure.

3:10:24>> Thank you. I would like to ask the

3:10:26committee uh to schedule for the next

3:10:28meeting on November 24th. Uh what's

3:10:31>> November 24th.

3:10:33>> What's the recent committee on that?

3:10:35What is it? November.

3:10:36>> November 24th.

3:10:37>> So, yeah. November 10. I won't be here.

3:10:40So, November 24th.

3:10:41>> The 27th. Oh,

3:10:44>> no.

3:10:45>> Oh, you're talking November 24th.

3:10:46>> Yeah. November 24th. Yeah.

3:10:48>> He'll be in CB board. Yeah. That's

3:10:50[laughter]

3:10:51>> all right.

3:10:52>> That's right. The next one, right?

3:10:54>> November.

3:10:55>> So, so we'll have another meeting in

3:10:56October.

3:10:57>> Just the 27th. No, just for this.

3:10:59>> Oh, just for that.

3:11:00>> Mhm.

3:11:01>> So, what's the race committee on?

3:11:03November 24th. I'm not a member.

3:11:05>> Yeah. Motion for November 27th.

3:11:07>> November 27th.

3:11:08>> Review.

3:11:10>> Uh this November No, this is No. No. No.

3:11:14Is a

3:11:14>> Okay. November 24th.

3:11:16>> Yes.

3:11:16>> No. November 24th.

3:11:18>> I I misheard. I thought it was next

3:11:19meeting.

3:11:20>> November 24th.

3:11:21>> Yeah. Not 27. 24th.

3:11:25>> Killing me. Thank you.

3:11:26>> So,

3:11:27all right. So, if you agree on November

3:11:2924th, then what's the committee on this?

3:11:31>> Yes. Motion. Yes.

3:11:34>> Second.

3:11:35>> Okay. Second. All right. So, all in

3:11:36favor?

3:11:37>> I.

3:11:38>> Great. Thank you. West committee

3:11:41ordinance.

3:11:43All right. Thank you. 603 buddy.