Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 2 p.m. (Boston time), Boston City Hall, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201
Hearing on Dockets #0270, #0291-0292
Committee: City Services Committee
The City Services Committee, chaired by Councilor Flynn, held a hearing on three dockets concerning snow removal relief options, the creation of a snow corps, and the purchase of snow melters, following two major winter storms. Councilors gave opening statements, heard from a disability-rights panel (Cassandra Xavier and Bill Taub), questioned administration officials including Interim Chief of Streets Nick Gove and Disability Commissioner Kirsten McCosh, and took extensive public testimony from residents and advocates. Councilors pressed for improved pedestrian access, sidewalk and curb-cut clearing, accountability for property owners, and exploration of models from New York, Rochester, Minneapolis, and Montreal. The chair committed to a follow-up hearing within 30 to 60 days and to a working session on the snow corps initiative.
1:34 amen.
1:37 Good afternoon.
1:42 for the record my name is ed
1:44 flynn, district two city
1:45 council chair of the boston
1:47 city council committee on city
1:47 services.
1:50 Today is MARCH 3rd 2026.
1:54 The exact time is to 201.
1:57 The hearing is being recorded.
2:00 It is also being live
2:01 streamed@boston.Gov.
2:04 City council dash tv broadcast
2:06 on xfinity channel eight rcn
2:11 channel 82 fios 962 written
2:13 comments MAY be sent to the
2:18 committee email at c c dot
2:20 csi@boston.Gov and will be made
2:21 part of the record and
2:22 available to all city councils.
2:26 Public testimony will be taken
2:28 at the end of the at the end
2:30 of the hearing at the beginning
2:31 of the hearing and throughout
2:31 the hearing.
2:36 Individuals will be called on
2:37 an order in which they signed
2:39 up and will have two minutes to
2:40 testify.
2:42 But I don't like to cut people
2:42 off.
2:45 If you take an extra minute to
2:47 three minutes I think that's
2:47 okay.
2:50 If you are interested in
2:51 testifying in person, please
2:54 add your name to the sign up
2:55 sheet near the entrance of the
2:57 chamber next to the television
2:57 over there.
2:59 If you are looking to testify
3:00 virtually, please email our
3:03 central staff liaison shane
3:06 paquette, shane shk and don
3:09 pack pack@boston.Gov for the
3:10 link your name will be added to
3:11 the list.
3:18 Today's hearing is on docket
3:18 0270.
3:20 order for a hearing to explore
3:22 snow removal relief in options
3:22 .
3:27 The several the several dockets
3:28 so I'm going to read them into
3:28 the record.
3:29 This matter is sponsored by
3:31 city councilor enrique pepen
3:35 referred to the committee on
3:38 FEBRUARY 4th 2026 docket 0291
3:39 order for hearing to discuss
3:41 the creation of a snow core in
3:45 boston sponsored by council as
3:47 well realm here in council is
3:50 pepen referred to the committee
3:54 on FEBRUARY 4th docket 029 to
3:55 order for a hearing to discuss
3:57 the city of boston purchasing
4:00 snow melt as the matter is
4:02 sponsored by councilor flynn
4:03 councilor here I'll refer to
4:07 2026.
4:07 the committee on FEBRUARY 4th
4:11 Today I'm joined by colleagues
4:13 in order of arrival.
4:19 I MAY not necessarily have the
4:20 correct arrival.
4:21 Um.
4:25 And if I don't, I'll make a
4:25 note of it.
4:29 Uh, councilor murphy,
4:30 councilor santana.
4:33 Councilor durkan.
4:39 Councilor pepen,
4:40 council PRESIDENT Breadon.
4:55 I would like to give every city
4:58 council the opportunity to make
4:59 an opening statement.
5:01 Then we're going to go to the
5:04 panel here from the panel
5:07 community panel and then uh, go
5:09 to q&a then we'll have the
5:09 opportunity for the
5:11 administration but we'll make
5:13 sure everybody has the
5:15 opportunity to testify for the
5:15 public as well.
5:19 Um, but since councilor pepen
5:22 is an original sponsor as a
5:23 sponsor of one of the dockets.
5:25 councilor pepper, would you
5:26 like to go first, please?
5:27 Absolutely.
5:29 um, first of all, thank you,
5:30 mr chair, for hosting and
5:31 sponsoring this important
5:32 hearing.
5:34 Um, it's good to see a lot of,
5:35 um, advocates in the room.
5:37 I see some former colleagues in
5:37 the room.
5:39 Um, and they're just just
5:40 thankful for all the advocacy
5:41 work that's happening from the
5:42 community side about these
5:42 topics.
5:45 Um, here in boston we know that
5:46 living in new england means
5:46 preparing for brutal winters.
5:49 Snow is not new to us, but the
5:50 challenges it creates for our
5:52 residents are very real.
5:54 In my district I consistently
5:55 hear concerns about access
5:57 sidewalks that remain
5:58 uncleared, intersections that
5:59 are difficult to cross.
6:00 Seniors and residents with
6:03 disabilities who feel isolated
6:04 and they're not able to do
6:05 their own fair share of work.
6:07 For many families, snow isn't
6:09 just an inconvenience it
6:11 becomes a barrier to safety, to
6:12 mobility and daily life.
6:15 In response when the first
6:17 storm happened, our office
6:18 launched pepen snow angels uh
6:20 the volunteer initiative to
6:21 connect neighbors willing to
6:22 shovel for those who cannot.
6:25 Um, we were able to see 39
6:26 individuals sign up to
6:26 volunteer.
6:28 That speaks to the spirit
6:30 neighborhoods.
6:30 of the community in our
6:32 However, I also want to just
6:34 express my deep appreciation to
6:35 the city departments that do
6:37 step up during the snow storms
6:38 because it is not an easy lift.
6:40 Um, our public works department
6:44 um really does an amazing job.
6:46 Um, especially during this past
6:48 blizzard we were able to see
6:49 quite a significant improvement
6:50 in terms of the response to it
6:52 and our streets looked amazing.
6:53 Um 311 call takers.
6:55 I also just want to give a
6:56 shout out to them because they
6:57 work 24 hours throughout the
6:58 day receiving a lot of phone
6:59 calls.
7:00 So I just want to make sure
7:01 that my appreciation is shared
7:01 there.
7:04 Um their efforts do not go
7:05 unnoticed by my office.
7:07 But today's hearing I want to
7:08 make sure that this isn't about
7:09 any type of criticism.
7:10 It's about improvement.
7:12 It's about asking how we can
7:13 build on what's working and
7:15 what's not working and how to
7:16 explore new ideas in our city.
7:18 Um, including models like a
7:20 snow corp or similar to one
7:21 that's being implemented in new
7:22 york city.
7:23 My hope is that we continue
7:25 striving to be a city that
7:27 welcomes innovation, and I
7:28 really looking forward to
7:28 hearing the public testimony
7:30 today because I think that your
7:31 voices are very important to
7:32 this topic.
7:33 So you have my commitment to
7:34 work on this.
7:35 Thank you for being here.
7:36 Thank you.
7:39 um council pepen let me go
7:39 to council.
7:39 Murphy.
7:41 Council murphy of the for.
7:42 Thank you.
7:43 chair flynn.
7:43 um.
7:44 Thank you.
7:45 it's always great when we
7:47 have a hearing in the.
7:49 Chamber is full and so looking
7:51 forward to this hearing today.
7:54 As you'll hear probably again
7:56 and again that I heard from
7:56 many.
7:57 Residents across every.
7:58 Neighborhood during.
8:00 and after the storms and it
8:02 is clear they were frustrated
8:04 with the snow removal response
8:04 when.
8:06 Sidewalks are not cleared
8:09 promptly, when bus stops are
8:09 buried.
8:10 and when streets remain
8:10 difficult.
8:11 To navigate.
8:13 That affects our seniors,
8:14 families, small.
8:16 Businesses and especially
8:17 residents with disabilities.
8:20 Our frontline city workers put
8:22 in long hours under difficult.
8:24 Conditions and I'm grateful for
8:24 their effort.
8:27 At the same time, we have to
8:28 acknowledge that too many
8:30 people felt stuck and unheard.
8:32 Today's hearing is an
8:34 opportunity to take a hard look
8:36 at what didn't work whether it
8:38 was coordination,
8:39 communication, contractor
8:41 oversight, equipment readiness
8:43 or resource deployment.
8:44 We need a clear accounting
8:46 of how decisions were made and
8:48 what supports MAY be needed
8:49 before the next storm.
8:51 Boston residents doesn't
8:53 deserve a snow response that is
8:54 timely, equitable and
8:56 dependable in every
8:57 neighborhood and that is the
8:59 standard we must meet and it is
9:00 a standard that I'll.
9:01 continue to push.
9:02 For here today.
9:02 So thank you.
9:05 And I just want to also note
9:05 that.
9:07 The first council.
9:08 Hearing after.
9:10 the snowstorm we had three
9:12 colleagues file hearing orders
9:14 not exactly the same but to
9:15 address the you know, the
9:17 heightened response that we
9:18 were hearing from residents.
9:19 So I just want to uplift the
9:20 residents for.
9:21 Bringing it to.
9:22 our attention to a level
9:23 where three council is
9:25 filtering orders to make sure
9:27 that we we don't do this again.
9:28 So thank you for that.
9:29 Thank you chair.
9:31 Thank you council murphy.
9:33 Um, let me go to council.
9:36 Um henry santana
9:36 council santana.
9:38 Thank you, mr chair.
9:40 And thank you for sharing this
9:40 hearing.
9:42 And, um, thank you to all the
9:42 sponsors.
9:45 Um, I think this is a very
9:46 important topic.
9:47 I really love to see the
9:48 community, the residents, uh,
9:50 different organizations, um,
9:50 who are here.
9:52 Um, and I think as my
9:54 colleagues mentioned, I think
9:56 um, all of our residents were
9:57 affected by the snowstorm and I
10:00 think um, for me, um, you know,
10:01 definitely want to give a shout
10:02 out to public works and the
10:03 work that they do.
10:05 Um, and working in extreme
10:06 difficult, um, conditions.
10:08 Um, I also wanted to, uh, give
10:09 a shout out to the community
10:11 engagement cabinet I know after
10:13 this past, um, um, snowstorm I
10:15 know that the ladies arms got
10:16 together, um, and every
10:19 neighborhood and and rallied
10:21 of volunteers um, to to help
10:22 with shoveling.
10:24 Um, I think this is a it's a
10:25 topic that many of our
10:26 residents really care about
10:28 because it's something that um,
10:28 affects them.
10:29 Right?
10:30 And affects um, all of them
10:31 and.
10:31 Um.
10:33 you know, I have family um,
10:34 that lives in public housing.
10:36 I know that, um, I had to go
10:38 out um, and and help my parents
10:39 get shoveled out and public
10:39 housing.
10:41 So I definitely have a lot
10:42 of questions about um, the
10:44 operations, um, and making sure
10:45 that we're taking care of our
10:46 seniors, um, patients with
10:47 disability.
10:50 Um, and uh, you know, I think
10:52 we I'm really proud to be part
10:53 of a council that, um, wants to
10:54 strive for excellence.
10:55 Our residents deserve this.
10:58 Um, and, um, it's about, you
10:59 know, quality of life and basic
11:00 city services.
11:01 So I'm looking forward to this
11:01 hearing.
11:03 I'm looking forward to hearing
11:04 from residents.
11:06 I I will have to step out um,
11:07 due to another commitment.
11:08 Um, but know that I will I'll
11:09 be listening in.
11:10 Um, thank you, mr chair.
11:12 Thank you, councilor santana.
11:14 Councilor durkan, you're up
11:14 next.
11:16 Thank you so much, chair.
11:17 Um, the city was prepared for
11:19 both storms and city workers
11:21 work day and night each time.
11:22 This most recent storm brought
11:24 more consistent temperatures
11:25 and more predictable snowfall,
11:26 which allowed teams to
11:28 pre-treat the roads and plan
11:29 deployments more effectively.
11:31 Each storm is different and the
11:33 specific conditions shape how
11:34 response unfolds.
11:35 Once when officials asked
11:37 residents to stay home in this
11:38 most recent blizzard, they did.
11:40 That gave more room for city
11:42 crews to do the work of snow
11:43 clearing without interference.
11:44 Every neighborhood is
11:45 different.
11:46 Residents and property owners
11:48 did a better job clearing
11:49 sidewalks during this storm.
11:51 Thanks to city enforcement, we
11:53 operate under a compliance by
11:54 enforcement model.
11:55 Last storm we worked closely
11:57 with code enforcement to report
11:59 non-compliant property owners
12:00 in our district.
12:02 That's never easy but we knew
12:03 if we let it slide the first
12:05 time compliance would begin to
12:05 feel optional.
12:07 This storm the city did a
12:09 better job communicating
12:10 information and towing cars on
12:10 main arteries.
12:13 Again, not something we want to
12:14 do but necessary for safety and
12:16 the mobility of public safety
12:16 professionals.
12:18 That makes it easier for us to.
12:20 Plow curb.
12:22 where possible.
12:22 to curb and remove snowbanks
12:24 An issue we heard about from
12:25 residents on the first storm.
12:27 Constituents have reached out
12:28 last about the most recent
12:30 storm and I take that as a win.
12:32 I woke up to a thank you post
12:33 from the longwood collective
12:35 after the last storm about the
12:36 job done and longwood medical
12:36 area.
12:38 I'm grateful to neighbors and
12:40 small businesses who stepped up
12:41 to clear their sidewalks and
12:42 support one another.
12:44 After the last storm many
12:45 people saw just how much
12:46 individual effort matters.
12:48 There will always be
12:49 opportunities for improvement.
12:52 I look uh to my right and I see
12:53 bike advocates here.
12:55 I want to thank you for your
12:56 advocacy as someone who gets
12:57 around multimodal.
12:59 Your advocacy is why I can
12:59 travel on a bike.
13:01 There will always be room for
13:02 improvement.
13:03 I know of the first storm
13:04 counselor breadon and I
13:05 advocated for the clearing
13:06 of the bike lane.
13:08 Residents got involved when it
13:10 wasn't plowed including the
13:11 view urbanist and boston
13:12 cyclists union.
13:13 And I know before the most
13:15 recent storm the administration
13:16 met with those advocates and I
13:18 really appreciate that.
13:19 There will always be room for
13:20 room for improvements.
13:22 Um I want to highlight uh,
13:23 pedestrian pathways which are
13:24 key to my district.
13:26 It takes partnership between
13:27 the city and community to keep
13:28 everyone safe.
13:30 We know more snow is ahead and
13:31 that kindness matters.
13:33 My team and I were out
13:34 shoveling crosswalks with our
13:35 knees.
13:36 Um, something that I was sore
13:37 for for days.
13:39 It's not easy work and I know
13:41 that some of the crosswalks we
13:42 shoveled here most of them were
13:44 actually not the city's
13:44 responsibility.
13:46 But we know that putting boots
13:46 on the ground matters.
13:49 A constituent walked up to
13:50 me on the sidewalk and said you
13:51 shouldn't be doing this.
13:52 The city should.
13:55 And I proudly proclaimed we
13:55 are.
13:56 I'm your city councilor and
13:57 it's nice to meet you.
13:58 Thank you, councilor durkan.
14:02 uh, council PRESIDENT
14:02 Breadon.
14:07 Thank you.
14:08 Mr uh, chair.
14:10 And thank you everyone for
14:10 being here this afternoon.
14:16 Um, I think uh I'll keep my
14:16 comments brief.
14:19 I really feel that, um, these
14:21 past two storms have really
14:22 challenged our systems in terms
14:25 of, uh, ability to remove, uh,
14:25 snow.
14:29 Um, we had uh, to, uh I would
14:31 say record breaking storms that
14:33 were in the top ten
14:33 of snowstorms.
14:37 Uh, on record and I think, uh,
14:39 what my experience with uh,
14:40 snow white and allston brighton
14:43 was that uh it was very, very
14:43 difficult.
14:45 I did appreciate the fact that,
14:46 uh, public works and the snow
14:47 removal contractors were
14:49 working 24 over seven around
14:51 the clock during the height
14:52 of that storm just to keep
14:53 ahead of it.
14:54 And it was very, very
14:55 difficult.
14:57 So when we woke up, uh, the
14:59 next day after the storm, there
15:00 was a lot of snow on the
15:00 ground.