City Council

Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 12 p.m. (Boston time), Council Chambers

Video of the meeting

On the agenda

Roll-call votes

Documents

Summary

The Boston City Council meeting of February 11, 2026 was called to order by Council President Liz Breadon with a quorum present. The meeting featured presentations honoring Dr. Michelle Icean-Smith, principal of the Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and Vineet Gupta, retiring Director of Policy and Planning for the Streets Cabinet, plus early remarks on a Ramadan resolution. The Council approved $9.5 million in school repair appropriations (dockets 0128 and 0129, read a first time), passed two fire department grants (dockets 0130 and 0136), and adopted resolutions on the South End library reopening, cold weather shelter policies after the death of Carvell Curry, a crossing guard corps at Trotter Elementary, Haitian temporary protected status, Irish-American Heritage Month, and Ramadan. Numerous hearing orders and ordinances were referred to committees, including dockets on pest control, e-bike regulation, an immigrant emergency response fund, BPS audits and graduation requirements, ranked choice voting, and an emergency hearing on school bus delays. The meeting adjourned in memory of several individuals including Judge Leslie Harris and Carvell Curry.

Transcript

0:41 I'm.

7:38 I'm I'm.

9:46 Well, here we go.

9:48 Good afternoon.

9:50 I'll be ready.

9:54 good afternoon everyone.

9:57 I call to order today's meeting

9:59 of the boston city council.

10:01 Viewers can watch the

10:04 council meeting live on

10:06 youtube@boston.Gov backslash

10:08 city dash council dash tv.

10:10 At this time I ask my

10:11 colleagues and those in

10:12 attendance to please silence

10:14 your cellphones and electronic

10:15 devices.

10:18 Also pursuant to rule 42 I

10:20 remind all in this chamber that

10:22 no demonstration of approval or

10:23 disapproval from members of the

10:24 public will be permitted.

10:27 Thank you, mr clerk.

10:29 Would you please call the roll

10:29 ?

10:30 Please call the roll to

10:32 ascertain the presence of the

10:32 quorum.

10:34 Councilor breadon here.

10:36 Councilor colletta.

10:36 Zapata.

10:37 Councilor.

10:38 Culpepper.

10:40 Councilor durkan here.

10:41 Councilor fitzgerald.

10:42 Councilor.

10:42 Flynn.

10:44 Council louijeune.

10:45 Councilor.

10:46 Mejia.

10:47 Councilor murphy.

10:49 Pippin.

10:50 Councilor.

10:50 Santana.

10:51 Councilor.

10:52 Weber.

10:53 And councilor.

10:54 We're here.

10:55 a quorum is present.

10:56 Thank you.

10:59 it is now my pleasure to

11:02 introduce, uh, to call on

11:04 councilor uh, reverend culpeper

11:05 to introduce today's clergy.

11:14 After we have the invocation we

11:15 will also recite this the

11:16 pledge of allegiance.

11:17 Thank you, MADAM PRESIDENT.

11:22 It's my pleasure to introduce

11:24 to you and to present to others

11:26 the reverend reggie smalls,

11:29 pastor of the bethel

11:30 pentecostal church in

11:32 dorchester on humboldt avenue.

11:34 Reggie smalls have been active

11:35 in the community for many years

11:39 as a pastor working especially

11:41 when youth violence was at its

11:42 height.

11:43 It was reverend smalls that was

11:46 in the street with the young

11:48 folks to help bring the peace

11:49 that we celebrate today.

11:53 So I now bring to the platform

11:54 reverend reggie smalls.

11:56 Hear ye him.

11:58 He's a grown man.

12:00 Let him speak for himself.

12:07 Maybe I'll prepare to pray.

12:08 Bow your heads.

12:09 Close your eyes.

12:10 Heavenly father, we thank you

12:11 lord for this day.

12:13 We thank you lord for all that

12:15 you're doing and all that you

12:15 have done.

12:17 Lord, during a time where there

12:19 was so much going on in our

12:20 city and our state and in our

12:22 world, we need to turn to you

12:23 more.

12:24 So we turn to you now asking

12:25 for your guidance.

12:27 Asking for your protection.

12:29 Asking lord that you show us

12:30 what it is you would have for

12:31 us to do.

12:33 i pray lord, that you look upon

12:35 each counselor, everyone in

12:37 leadership lord that you would

12:38 just be with them.

12:40 Help them to lead with

12:42 integrity, with truth, with

12:43 grace and with knowledge.

12:46 I pray lord that you will help

12:47 this city to be united and not

12:47 divided.

12:50 As you go forth in this new

12:50 year.

12:53 We thank you and we acknowledge

12:55 you as the leader of all of us

12:55 .

12:56 In jesus name we pray.

12:57 Amen.

13:00 Just.

13:04 a pledge of allegiance to

13:07 the flag of the united states

13:08 of america and to the republic

13:11 for which it stands one nation

13:14 under GOD, indivisible with

13:16 liberty and justice for all.

13:28 We are now on two

13:28 presentations.

13:30 We have two presentations

13:33 invited by councilor flynn and

13:33 myself.

13:36 First, um I want to recognize.

13:39 I never do this before.

13:42 Uh, first I want to recognize

13:44 boston university students

13:48 joining us today uh, from

13:48 salon.

13:49 Thanks.

13:50 Uh, thank you all for coming in

13:51 to council.

14:00 Um, so the two presentations.

14:01 Councilor flynn, would you like

14:03 presentation?

14:03 to come up and and make your

14:16 Thank you, MADAM PRESIDENT and

14:16 MADAM PRESIDENT, with your.

14:18 Permission, MAY I ask.

14:21 Council colette a to join me,

14:21 please?

14:30 At this time I would like to

14:31 ask um.

14:32 Doctor michelle.

14:34 isan smith, the principal

14:37 of the horace mann school and

14:39 um, jodie, if you'd like to

14:40 please come forward as well.

14:56 Thank you.

15:01 it is my honor to.

15:03 Introduce doctor michelle ice.

15:04 and smith, who is the

15:07 principal of the horace mann

15:08 school for the deaf and hard.

15:09 of hearing.

15:12 Also with us is jody who is

15:14 helping facilitate

15:15 communications with us today.

15:19 Doctor eyes and smith is a

15:19 dedicated.

15:21 Experienced educational.

15:23 Leader and teacher who is

15:25 deeply committed to ensuring

15:26 the deaf and.

15:27 Hard of hearing students.

15:29 Receive the high quality

15:32 education that's language.

15:34 Rich in inclusive education.

15:36 Under her dynamic.

15:38 Leadership, the horace school.

15:40 Mann school.

15:42 Continues to foster academic.

15:44 Excellence, accessibility.

15:46 And a strong supportive.

15:49 Community for students and

15:50 families alike.

15:53 I have visited several times

15:54 and the location.

15:56 And in charlestown, the school

15:57 and charlestown.

15:59 But what I've really noticed is

15:59 how.

16:04 Compassionate the teachers are

16:04 and.

16:07 Working with the students and

16:07 that.

16:09 Compassion and.

16:10 love of learning.

16:11 I know the.

16:13 Teachers take and learn from

16:14 their.

16:16 Exceptional principal.

16:18 I also want to highlight.

16:21 The role of city

16:24 council colletta zapata whose

16:26 district um this school is

16:27 located and.

16:28 I do want to ask.

16:30 Council quiroz to if she would

16:31 like to.

16:33 Offer opening remarks or

16:35 opening comments before.

16:36 Before the principal.

16:38 But I do want to highlight one.

16:42 One issue is the.

16:45 Boston public library is

16:47 offering lessons right now in

16:48 sign language for.

16:51 Emergency situations, helping

16:53 to ensure that the most that

16:54 members of our community.

16:55 Are prepared.

16:56 and able to communicate when

16:58 it matters most.

17:00 Please feel free to reach out

17:02 to my office if you'd like more

17:04 resources.

17:04 information about these

17:05 This is about.

17:08 Ensuring that everybody.

17:09 Is included and everybody is

17:12 treated with respect and

17:12 dignity.

17:13 At this time council colletta

17:14 zapata.

17:18 Thank you so much councilor.

17:19 Flynn for always ensuring that

17:21 we are creating spaces to honor

17:22 the best of us here in boston

17:24 and it's always a great day

17:25 when we're here to celebrate

17:27 our school leaders who are

17:28 shaping and molding young minds

17:30 ,folks who are going to think

17:31 critically about the world and

17:33 be successful with the tools

17:34 that we give them here and

17:36 veeps and I can't think

17:38 of anybody better than doctor I

17:40 had MISS Here but doctor we're

17:41 going to put some respect on

17:41 her name.

17:43 Doctor michelle isan smith who

17:45 has done incredible work in

17:47 charlestown I think after five

17:49 locations 5 or 6 locations I'm

17:49 not sure.

17:51 Maybe you can, um correct me on

17:53 that of the horsemen being in

17:56 boston they found a home in in

17:58 charlestown at the old edward's

17:59 building a couple of years ago

18:02 and it has been such an honor

18:05 and a privilege to have these

18:08 programs in 02129 our beloved

18:09 one square mile in charlestown.

18:11 If you haven't gotten a chance

18:13 please do.

18:13 to go over and visit them

18:16 I had the privilege of getting

18:18 a tour from doctor isan smith

18:20 and seeing up close the

18:21 exceptional and dedicated staff

18:24 that are providing everything

18:25 that a child needs again to be

18:27 successful to achieve their

18:30 highest potential and the kids

18:32 themselves they are amazing.

18:34 I think last year it was

18:36 leading up to the 250th

18:37 anniversary of the battle

18:39 of bunker hill and there was a

18:41 teacher who was talking about a

18:43 photo that depicted the battle

18:45 and that prompted questions I

18:46 mean that a stranger comes into

18:47 their classrooms, a classroom

18:49 and they asked who is this?

18:50 What do you do?

18:51 And I said that I'm their

18:52 elected official.

18:53 I work for you.

18:54 And it prompted such poignant

18:56 questions better than boston

18:57 globe some time and other other

18:59 other media outlets about what

19:01 I do, what my job is about

19:02 government and representation

19:04 and it was just such a

19:05 beautiful moment so I'm so

19:05 happy to be here.

19:06 Thank you again to

19:07 councilor flynn for inviting

19:09 me, um, to come up and uh,

19:11 honor you in this way but just

19:12 thank you for everything that

19:12 you've done.

19:14 Uh, doctor, thank you to your

19:15 staff and to the entire school

19:16 community at the hausman.

19:20 And now we can honor and have,

19:22 and say a few words.

19:22 uh, doctor isaac smith come up

19:25 thank you so much for the

19:28 opportunity in this recognition

19:28 .

19:30 I'm humbled to be here in front

19:32 of all of you for accepting

19:33 this recognition.

19:35 But without my school community

19:37 I would this would not be

19:37 possible.

19:39 So thank you for our continued

19:40 partnership to do what's best

19:42 for deaf and hard of hearing

19:45 children in boston boston best

19:46 city without your support none

19:49 of this would be um possible to

19:50 educate our students.

19:51 So I want to thank you all for

19:53 the partnership and continuing

19:54 to work together.

19:55 Thank you so much.

19:55 Thank you.

20:04 we have.

20:08 Uh this is an official

20:09 resolution offered by

20:09 councilor flynn.

20:11 Be it resolved that the boston

20:13 city council extend its

20:14 recognition to horace mann

20:15 school for the deaf and hard

20:17 of hearing principal doctor

20:20 michelle isan smith in

20:21 recognition as the first deaf

20:23 leader in the school and the

20:25 school's history, you have set

20:26 a powerful example

20:29 of excellence, representation

20:30 and possibility through your

20:32 visionary, visionary leadership

20:34 and unwavering commitment to

20:36 bilingual education and sign

20:38 language in english you have

20:39 created an inclusive and

20:40 empowering environment where

20:42 students are encouraged to

20:43 thrive and.

20:43 Lead and.

20:45 Believe in their own potential.

20:47 Your dedication to language

20:49 access, community and student

20:51 success continues to inspire

20:52 lasting impact within the

20:55 school and throughout the deaf

20:56 and hard of hearing community.

20:57 So thank you.

20:58 Uh.

21:00 Well thank.

21:01 you so much.

21:03 Could could I ask my colleagues

21:05 to please join us for a photo?

21:07 Workshop?

21:10 what if you.

21:11 sent something center.

21:15 Staff.

21:27 I'm going to.

21:33 We're going to wait for the

21:33 staff.

21:34 Oh, yeah.

21:36 So?

21:40 yeah.

21:41 Come on.

21:42 I'm okay.

21:43 Um.

21:43 Yeah.

21:54 Thank you.

21:55 Okay.

21:57 So.

22:02 Thank you everyone.

22:04 thank you, thank you.

22:04 Um.

22:14 Okay.

22:15 Appreciate.

22:21 Thank you for.

22:26 That.

22:28 we have a second

22:28 presentation.

22:30 At this point I'd like to

22:33 invite vineet gupta to come up.

22:53 And councilor durkan is also

22:54 here.

22:57 um welcome, vineet.

23:00 Uh, today I'd like to present

23:02 this citation to vineet gupta

23:04 in honor of the great work that

23:05 he has done for the city

23:07 of boston over the last 37

23:07 years.

23:09 I wow.

23:10 I'm honored to celebrate with

23:14 him as he prepares for his

23:15 retirement at the end

23:17 of FEBRUARY, vineet began his

23:19 career with the city of boston

23:21 parks and recreation department

23:23 working on such meaningful

23:24 planning initiatives as the

23:26 black back to the beaches

23:27 program, which helped to

23:29 reconnect residents and to

23:31 south boston beaches.

23:32 Following his time with the

23:34 boston parks and recreation

23:35 department, vineet has worked

23:37 with the boston transportation

23:38 department for 30 years.

23:41 He currently serves as the

23:42 director of policy and planning

23:44 for the streets cabinet,

23:45 serving under multiple mayors

23:47 and commissioners.

23:48 He's worked tirelessly to

23:50 improve street safety and

23:51 access for all community

23:52 members in boston.

23:55 Vineet has led efforts that

23:57 include the development

23:59 of access boston 2010, the

24:01 city's first comprehensive

24:03 multi-modal transportation

24:03 plan.

24:07 The creation of the surface

24:08 transportation action forum

24:10 working group, a body that

24:11 directly shaped the big dig and

24:14 the rose the rose kennedy

24:16 greenway the development of the

24:18 city's complete streets

24:20 guidelines and the goal boston

24:23 2030 transportation plan

24:25 visionary documents that have

24:27 set the city on the path to a

24:28 sustainable transportation

24:31 future under vinny's leadership

24:33 ,we've seen boston's first

24:36 center running bus lanes, its

24:37 first bike lanes and protected

24:39 bike lanes and a major

24:41 expansion of outdoor dining and

24:42 open streets.

24:43 And through it all he has

24:46 walked the walk taking the tea

24:47 and war and walk or walking to

24:49 city hall nearly every day.

24:52 I am deeply appreciative of the

24:54 needs dedicated work for the

24:56 city, his efforts to make our

24:58 streets safer and his

24:58 continuous work towards

25:00 creating more livable and a

25:02 connected city for all its

25:05 focus on collaboration and

25:06 relationship building will

25:09 leave a long lasting legacy for

25:10 transportation planning in

25:10 boston.

25:12 I also want to personally thank

25:13 him for his partnership over

25:15 the last and over my time in

25:18 the city council and addressing

25:20 transportation and mobility

25:21 issues and allston brighton

25:22 district nine.

25:23 So thank you vineet.

25:24 I just want to allow

25:26 councilor duncan a few um.

25:29 Thank you so much

25:31 council PRESIDENT Brighton um

25:33 vineet is more than qualified

25:34 to have done this work having

25:35 done it for 37 years.

25:37 I cannot stress enough how much

25:39 we are losing and his

25:40 institutional expertise, his

25:42 planning savvy and his

25:43 dedication to boston residents.

25:45 Throughout his career he has

25:46 pioneered new policies and

25:47 designs to make our streets

25:49 safer, more walkable and more

25:50 livable in our neighborhoods.

25:53 Fare free busses ev charging if

25:54 you name almost any

25:56 transportation policy in the

25:57 city over the last two decades

26:00 he's been behind it and he has

26:01 been not only crucial to the

26:03 streets cabinet but has been

26:04 the energy and force driving

26:05 our new ideas in the city.

26:08 To be fully honest, I actually

26:10 ,you know, snuck up here, uh,

26:11 so that I could try to convince

26:11 you to stay.

26:14 But we know we know that's not

26:15 going to work.

26:16 Um, you'd like to retire and

26:18 you've given your life 37 years

26:19 the city of boston.

26:22 So you deserve all the vacation

26:25 every every single bit of com

26:27 um and I want to thank you for

26:28 all of your work.

26:29 I want to say that I'll

26:31 personally MISS You and, um, I

26:32 wish you the best in all and

26:34 all of your retirement.

26:36 Um, and I just want to say on

26:37 behalf of the, um, committee,