Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 12 p.m. (Boston time), Council Chambers
The Boston City Council met on March 18, 2026, under Council President Liz Breadon. The meeting featured presentations honoring Women's History Month honorees, the 40th anniversary of the Boston Groundwater Trust (declared Boston Groundwater Trust Day), and Winter Street Cinema in Jamaica Plain. The Council adopted collective bargaining appropriations for municipal police officers (dockets 0567–0568), a $256,500 energy-efficiency outreach grant, five state earmarks for older-adult programming, and an adult literacy grant. New hearing orders were introduced on telehealth access, primary care access, property tax assessments, higher education transparency, transportation philosophy and funding, nightlife safety, police overtime, and World Cup fan marches. The Council passed a resolution supporting the 21st Century Road to Housing Act and recognized Transit Driver Appreciation Day. A resolution opposing additional roof decks in South Boston was sent to committee after Councilor Mejia objected to suspending the rules. The meeting adjourned in memory of several deceased residents.
6:39 i'm.
10:19 Right.
10:20 yeah.
10:22 Good afternoon everyone.
10:24 I call to order today's meeting
10:25 of the boston city council.
10:28 Viewers can watch the
10:31 council meeting live on
10:31 youtube@boston.Gov.
10:35 Backslash city council dash tv
10:35 .
10:38 At this time I ask my
10:39 colleagues and those in
10:40 attendance to please silence or
10:41 cell phones and electronic
10:42 devices.
10:45 Also pursuant to rule 42.
10:47 I remind all that this all in
10:49 this chamber that no
10:50 demonstration of approval or
10:52 disapproval from the members
10:53 of the public will be
10:53 permitted.
10:54 Thank you.
10:56 MR. Clerk, would you please
10:58 call the roll to ascertain the
10:59 presence of the quorum?
11:05 Councilor breadon here.
11:06 Councilor coletta.
11:06 Zapata.
11:08 Councilor culpeper here.
11:09 Councilor durkan.
11:10 Councilor.
11:11 Fitzgerald.
11:12 Councilor.
11:12 Flynn.
11:13 Yeah.
11:14 Councilor louijeune here.
11:15 Councilor.
11:15 Mejia.
11:16 Yeah.
11:17 Councilor murphy.
11:17 Yeah.
11:18 councilor vipin.
11:20 Council.
11:20 Santana.
11:23 Councilor weber and
11:24 councilor earl here.
11:25 A quorum is present.
11:27 thank you, MR. Clerk.
11:29 Uh, MR. Clerk, could you
11:31 please, uh, do us the honor
11:32 of opening our meeting this
11:33 morning with an invocation?
11:38 After which we will do a pledge
11:38 of allegiance.
11:42 Good morning everyone.
11:44 Please stand.
11:49 Let's pray.
11:52 Spirit of life and love which
11:53 moves through us and through
11:54 all the world.
11:57 MAY we this day be grateful for
11:59 .
11:59 the gift of life which is ours
12:01 Remembering today and always
12:03 that the life we have and hold
12:05 is to us a mystery and
12:05 precious.
12:09 MAY this day be reminded of the
12:11 responsibilities we carry not
12:14 so that we are intimidated or
12:15 overwhelmed, but so that we MAY
12:18 be true to them so that we MAY
12:19 be faithful in carrying them
12:20 forward.
12:23 MAY we MAY we this day maintain
12:25 a sense of perspective
12:27 remembering who we are,
12:29 engaging the task at hand and
12:32 understanding our limitations,
12:33 understanding her own
12:34 shortcomings, forgiving others
12:38 of perfection.
12:38 and others if we fall short
12:40 MAY we this day be inspired, be
12:42 filled with new breath, be
12:44 filled with new enthusiasm.
12:45 Be ready to see fresh
12:48 opportunity, new perspectives,
12:49 unnoticed avenues for action
12:52 and resolution and MAY we this
12:54 day remember those virtues that
12:56 bless our lives and bless the
12:57 lives of others.
12:59 The virtues of caring and
13:01 concern, the virtues of honesty
13:03 and respect, the virtues
13:05 of charity, industry and
13:05 patience.
13:09 And MAY the members of the city
13:10 council maintain a high sense
13:11 of their calling.
13:13 Remember that they are invested
13:15 here with honor and call to a
13:17 wider version a wider vision
13:19 of the world a world made more
13:22 fair, more just, more equitable
13:23 by their efforts.
13:24 Amen.
13:29 pledge allegiance.
13:31 To the flag of the united
13:33 states of america and to the
13:35 republic for which it stands
13:38 one nation under GOD,
13:39 indivisible, with liberty and
13:40 justice for all.
13:44 Thank you, mr clerk.
13:49 um, at this moment I'd like
13:50 to invite councilor murphy to
13:51 come forward.
13:54 Uh, we had a wonderful
13:55 celebration of the incredible
13:57 contributions of women in the
13:59 city of boston just a few
14:00 reception.
14:00 minutes ago with a lovely
14:01 And I want to thank all my
14:02 colleagues for being in
14:04 attendance and all the great
14:04 folks who are here.
14:06 But I leave the I leave it to
14:08 councilor murphy to, uh, for
14:09 remarks and then after that
14:11 will have all of your honorees
14:12 and our council colleagues up
14:13 for a photograph.
14:17 So thank you, council PRESIDENT
14:18 Breeden.
14:20 Um good afternoon everyone.
14:23 I'm erin murphy and we just
14:24 celebrated women's history
14:26 month here at the city
14:28 council and all of our
14:28 colleagues had the opportunity.
14:31 To nominate and honor a woman,
14:33 um, who, you know, just makes
14:35 the city better and we I think
14:37 most of them were able to come
14:40 here and enjoy um, being
14:41 recognized here at the
14:41 council too.
14:44 So I do just want to share who
14:46 was recognized from
14:47 councilor breadon.
14:48 She recognized.
14:48 Hello.
14:50 Isa maria carvalho.
14:51 She's a community organizer.
14:54 Councilor culpeper honored
14:55 brandy crew third a wellness
14:55 leader.
14:58 Councilor fitzgerald honored
15:00 brianna gaw, a community
15:00 builder.
15:02 Councilor flynn honored
15:04 cassandra xavier, a disability
15:06 advocate councilor louijeune
15:08 honored stacy thomas, a
15:10 community anchor council member
15:12 here on it all nita any lavelle
15:15 a social justice leader myself
15:16 I honored tracy walker griffith
15:19 a school leader council at pep
15:22 in honor marilyn smith coco a
15:24 community advocate
15:25 councilor santana honored not
15:28 just not just flores the doctor
15:29 but his mom who she is her
15:30 mom's doctor.
15:32 So that was very special who's
15:34 not just a but she's also a
15:35 health equity leader.
15:37 Councilor weber honored for
15:39 polanco a doctor and public
15:40 health leader across the city
15:41 and council.
15:43 Morrell honored gil latimore, a
15:44 community developer.
15:46 So if you were able to join us
15:47 back here in the chamber, if
15:49 you could join us up here and
15:50 my council colleagues so we
15:52 could get a a photo before we
15:54 Thank you.
15:54 start our council meeting.
16:02 So.
16:16 because I think this is to.
16:20 make it.
16:26 And people can come up here too
16:26 if you need space.
16:30 You want to come up here.
16:37 Oh so.
16:38 we all fit.
16:39 Thank you.
16:43 Councilor culpeper do you want
16:44 to join up here so you're not
16:45 too far out of the stream?
16:47 Please join us.
16:49 Okay.
17:11 bailey and bonnie.
17:12 have the best camera so make
17:13 sure you look at the.
17:17 Awesome picture.
17:20 thank you everyone.
17:29 Awesome.
17:30 thank you.
17:39 Oh yeah.
17:41 Thank you so much.
17:43 Thank you everyone.
17:43 yeah.
17:48 We now move on uh to we have
17:49 two presentations today.
17:51 Uh I want to call on constable
17:53 durkan first uh, consider
17:53 durkan.
17:56 Would you like to join me up on
17:57 the podium?
18:00 And then we'll be that will be
18:02 followed by constable weber.
18:09 Thank you so much.
18:10 Council PRESIDENT Breadon.
18:12 Um, I'm really glad to be here
18:13 today.
18:13 Uh, with.
18:14 some leaders.
18:16 Who have done a lot to support
18:17 our infrastructure.
18:21 Um, this morning, uh, we heard
18:22 essentially an oral history
18:24 of how the boston groundwater
18:25 trust started.
18:27 I'm proud to be a trustee this
18:29 morning we're joined behind
18:30 me by executive director
18:33 christian simonelli, board
18:34 co-chairs gary sanders and rob
18:36 whitney and a long time member
18:37 of the board of trustees the
18:38 first executive director
18:39 elliott laffer.
18:41 So grateful to you all for
18:44 being here this body back um
18:46 the city council established
18:48 the groundwater trust 40 years
18:51 ago in 1986 something that many
18:53 people don't realize is that
18:55 much of boston, beacon hill
18:57 east boston, fenway south end
18:59 was built on felled land.
19:01 What that means is that these
19:02 areas stand on wood pile
19:03 foundations that need to stay
19:05 submerged and groundwater to
19:05 remain stable.
19:08 When groundwater levels drop,
19:10 those foundations begin to
19:11 deteriorate, putting buildings
19:12 and the stability of our
19:13 neighborhoods at risk.
19:14 For the past 40 years, the
19:16 boston groundwater trust has
19:18 neighborhoods.
19:18 quietly been protecting our
19:19 They monitor groundwater levels
19:21 across the city, maintain
19:23 wells, collect data and partner
19:24 with the city and state
19:26 agencies, engineers and
19:27 residents to make sure
19:28 development and infrastructure
19:30 decisions don't just jeopardize
19:32 don't jeopardize groundwater
19:32 levels.
19:34 Their efforts have provided us
19:36 with a regulatory framework and
19:37 data informed approach to
19:38 sustain boston's history and
19:40 resilience for years to come,
19:42 and this work only becomes more
19:43 important as we think about
19:45 climate change, sea level rise
19:46 and changing weather patterns.
19:48 Boston truly would not be what
19:49 it is today without the
19:51 dedication and expertise of the
19:54 men behind me and the women who
19:56 are here in the crowd as well.
19:59 Um, the recognition also kicks
20:00 off programing and public
20:01 engagement from the groundwater
20:02 trust.
20:04 So uh, spread the word and stay
20:05 tuned for the upcoming year.
20:08 Lastly, I want to add that as
20:09 uh, trustee of the boston
20:10 groundwater trust, it's been a
20:11 privilege to work alongside
20:12 this group.
20:14 I want to thank, uh, the former
20:15 council PRESIDENT,
20:16 councilor flynn, uh, for giving
20:18 me the boston city council seat
20:19 ,uh, something I'm not willing
20:21 to give up because I care so
20:23 much about this issue and I
20:24 hope my colleagues will join
20:26 me in recognizing the 40th
20:27 anniversary today.
20:30 But before then, um, I have uh
20:31 we are going to start with
20:33 christian simonelli and then
20:34 we're going to go down this
20:35 list because I want to hear
20:36 from these leaders who have
20:38 been so essential to protecting
20:41 our physical infrastructure but
20:45 also bringing awareness to how
20:45 important this issue is.
20:49 Thank you, MADAM Councilor.
20:51 Um, he's executive director
20:52 of the groundwater trust.
20:54 It is my great honor to stand
20:55 before you today as we
20:56 celebrate this important
20:57 milestone our 40th anniversary
20:57 .
20:58 Um.
21:00 our organization exists
21:01 because of your leadership
21:02 vision and forcing.
21:05 For the past 27 years I've had
21:06 the distinct pleasure
21:07 of working for the trust,
21:08 witnessing its growth, pursuit
21:10 and enduring commitment to
21:11 protecting boston's groundwater
21:12 resources.
21:15 In 1986 this council recognized
21:17 a simple but profound truth
21:18 that the stability, history and
21:20 character of boston quite
21:21 literally rests on the health
21:23 of groundwater and would pass
21:25 beneath our feet from low
21:26 beacon hill to the back bay
21:27 from the south and to the
21:29 fenway from bay village to
21:30 chinatown, from the leather
21:32 district to four point channel
21:33 and from the north end to east
21:34 boston.
21:35 Our neighborhoods and the
21:37 buildings that define them
21:38 depend on resources most people
21:39 never see.
21:41 And really think about your
21:43 decision to create a dedicated
21:44 trust was a protection
21:46 of boston's history, identity
21:47 and architectural legacy.
21:50 Simply put, none of our
21:51 accomplishments would have been
21:52 made possible today without the
21:53 council's willingness to see
21:55 the invisible and act before
21:56 problems grew larger over the
21:58 past four decades, the trust
21:59 has dedicated itself to
22:01 monitoring, protecting and
22:02 advocating for boston's
22:03 groundwater and woodpile
22:04 supported structures.
22:06 We've installed and maintain
22:08 hundreds of observation wells,
22:10 obtain thousands of water level
22:11 readings, researched thousands
22:12 of building permit files for
22:14 foundation information and
22:15 aided in establishing the
22:16 groundwater conservation
22:17 overlay district.
22:19 Together we worked hand in hand
22:21 with city and state agencies,
22:22 engineers, community groups in
22:25 residences we've turned what
22:26 was once an invisible challenge
22:28 into a shared civic
22:29 responsibility.
22:32 Today we celebrate not only an
22:33 organization but a community
22:34 of people who understand that
22:35 protecting groundwater wood
22:37 piles is protecting boston's
22:37 future.
22:39 So the generations of trust
22:41 board members, trust field
22:43 engineers, advisors, counselors
22:44 ,mayoral administrations and
22:46 department heads who have
22:47 continued to champion the
22:48 stability and resilience of our
22:49 neighborhoods.
22:50 Thank you.
22:51 To gary saunders and tim
22:52 mitchell, a longtime co-chairs.
22:54 Thank you both for your
22:56 diligent, diligent work and
22:58 diligent and tireless work and
22:59 shaping the trust into the
23:01 institution it has become today
23:01 .
23:02 Your years of committed
23:03 leadership and wise
23:04 councilor have left a lasting
23:06 legacy that continues to guide
23:08 our mission and serve the
23:08 community.
23:10 Tim mitchell retired from the
23:12 trust in 2024.
23:14 He was replaced by rob whitney,
23:15 the trust representative from
23:16 the beacon hill civic
23:18 association where rob was most
23:20 recently as a board chair and
23:21 was a board member for 18 years
23:21 .
23:24 Our leadership remains strong
23:25 to our inaugural executive
23:26 director elliott laffer.
23:28 Thank you for your steady
23:29 leadership, thoughtful guidance
23:31 during the formative years in
23:33 the trust your clear vision,
23:34 patience and generous
23:36 mentorship helped lay the
23:37 strong foundation that
23:39 continues to sustain and guide
23:41 our work to cs environment
23:43 department and the boston water
23:43 and sewer commission.
23:45 Thank you for your continued
23:47 support and contributions which
23:49 enables the trust to operate at
23:50 its most effective level to
23:52 advance our work in protecting
23:53 and managing boston's
23:54 groundwater resources for the
23:56 benefit of the entire community
23:56 .
23:58 And to everyone here today,
24:00 thank you for recognizes the
24:01 value of this issue that is
24:03 often unseen but absolutely
24:04 essential whether you've
24:06 contributed resources,
24:07 expertise or simply your
24:09 curiosity, you are part of this
24:10 success story.
24:12 In closing, I just like to say
24:13 anniversaries aren't only about
24:13 looking back.
24:16 They're about recognizing what
24:17 our past makes possible.
24:19 Today, bos has confronted with
24:20 new challenges as the
24:22 councilor uh stated sea level
24:23 rise, changing rainfall
24:24 patterns, stronger storms,
24:25 increased demands, our
24:27 underground infrastructure our
24:28 work has ever been more vital
24:30 unnecessary than it is today
24:31 and art and its importance
24:33 continues to grow and these
24:35 challenges intensify.
24:37 And thanks to your support, our
24:39 partners, our stakeholders, our
24:41 neighbors we are prepared to
24:42 meet the next 40 years with the
24:43 same dedication and
24:44 collaboration that got us here
24:46 as we look toward the next 40
24:48 years, we do so with great deep
24:49 gratitude for the foundation
24:50 you lead figuratively and
24:50 literally.
24:52 together we will continue to
24:53 protect the neighborhood
24:54 structures and stories that
24:56 define the city of boston.
24:57 So on behalf of the groundwater
24:59 trust, thank you for your