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Election week at City Hall: ballot processing, a noon council meeting and four council hearings, Nov. 2-6

The council meets the day after the state election, with its agenda not yet posted. Hearings cover condo conversions, school buses, security guards, bike lanes and trucks, and Blue Hill Avenue.

By Boston Politics staffUpdated

Boston votes Tuesday, and City Hall stays busy around it. Here is what is on the public calendar from Monday, Nov. 2, through Friday, Nov. 6, from the city's public notices and the council's records. Times can change, so check the notice before you go.

Saturday through Monday: early ballots

The Elections Department will process early-voted ballots and remove them from their envelopes in Room 801 at City Hall, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 (notice for Nov. 2). Processing continues on Election Day from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. (notice). The city says 443,178 voters are registered (city release). Our earlier story explains when results are expected.

Monday, Nov. 2

  • 10 a.m., condo conversions. The Government Operations Committee holds a virtual working session on Council President Liz Breadon's ordinance to update condo conversion protections for tenants (docket 1711; notice; our story).
  • 2 p.m., school buses. The Education Committee holds a hearing on BPS transportation performance at the start of the school year (docket 1920; notice; our story).

Tuesday, Nov. 3: Election Day

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to the Elections Department. The council voted Oct. 21 to make Election Day a holiday for its own staff and to call on the city and state to do the same (docket 1975; our story).

Wednesday, Nov. 4

  • 9:30 a.m., Madison Park. A Public Facilities Department committee meets to shortlist firms to manage the Madison Park Technical Vocational High School project (notice). See our separate story on the project.
  • Noon, City Council. The council's weekly meeting is in the Iannella Chamber. The notice says the agenda will follow (notice). It is the first meeting after the election and one of the last few of the year (our look at the backlog).
  • 5:30 p.m., School Committee. The Boston School Committee meets. Its posted agenda lists no items yet (agenda).

Thursday, Nov. 5

  • 9 a.m., Residency Compliance Commission. The board that checks whether city workers meet Boston's residency rule meets online (notice). The council is weighing a resolution on residency rules for civilians who become police officers (our story).
  • 10 a.m., security guards. Government Operations holds a working session on City Councilor Henry Santana's ordinance requiring training for unarmed security guards (docket 1541; notice; our story).
  • Noon, Municipal Lobbying Compliance Commission meets in the Piemonte Room (notice).
  • 2 p.m., bike lanes and trucks. The Planning, Development, and Transportation Committee holds a hearing on City Councilor Benjamin Weber's orders on the bike network plan and heavy truck safety (dockets 1418 and 1542; notice). See our separate preview.
  • State Senate. The Senate plans to take up a $2.61 billion supplemental budget, WBUR reported.

Friday, Nov. 6

  • Blue Hill Avenue. The council's hearing on transit dockets 1340 and 1341, for which the council voted to summon MBTA General Manager Phil Eng (notice; our story).

How to take part

Council hearings and meetings stream at boston.gov/city-council-tv. Most notices list a committee email for written testimony, and in-person hearings take public testimony in the chamber.