City Council
City Council
mar, 8 de septiembre de 2026
Puntos de agenda
Registros de votación
Resumen del debate
Transcripción
RESUMEN DE REUNIÓNGenerado por IA
Concejo Municipal de Quincy — 8 de septiembre de 2026
Esta fue una extensa sesión ordinaria notable por un prolongado foro público dominado por la preocupación de los residentes sobre el uso por parte de la ciudad de cámaras de lectura automatizada de placas vehiculares (ALPR, por sus siglas en inglés) de Flock Safety, seguido de una presentación del jefe de policía sobre privacidad de datos, dos resoluciones sobre la ley de reuniones abiertas y varias órdenes y resoluciones de fondo.
Foro Abierto de Residentes — Cámaras ALPR/Flock Safety
Más de una docena de residentes se inscribieron para hablar, casi todos enfocados en el uso por parte de la ciudad de las cámaras ALPR de Flock Safety. El concejo votó dos veces de manera unánime para extender el foro más allá de su límite estándar de 20 minutos para dar cabida a los oradores.
Los residentes plantearon una amplia gama de preocupaciones: objeciones constitucionales bajo la Cuarta Enmienda al rastreo masivo sin orden judicial de los movimientos de vehículos; el historial de Flock Safety de inducir a error a los municipios sobre quién puede acceder a sus datos; una actualización de febrero de 2026 a los términos de servicio de Flock que, según la ACLU, eliminó una prohibición sobre la venta de datos de clientes y otorgó a Flock una licencia perpetua para usar los datos incluso después de que los contratos finalicen; vulnerabilidades de seguridad documentadas en las cámaras (incluidas CVE que no requieren contraseña para ser explotadas y transmisiones sin protección accesibles en Internet abierto); y casos en Wisconsin, Milwaukee y New Bedford donde oficiales utilizaron indebidamente los sistemas ALPR para acechar a personas, y el uso indebido fue descubierto no mediante auditorías internas sino a través de herramientas FOIA de terceros.
Varios oradores citaron un fallo reciente del Tribunal Judicial Supremo de Massachusetts (*Commonwealth v. McCarthy*) que establece que el rastreo generalizado mediante ALPR puede constituir una búsqueda sin orden judicial. Otros señalaron que más de 200 municipios en todo el país —incluidos casi dos docenas en Massachusetts— han rescindido contratos con Flock, con 90 cancelaciones solo en agosto de 2026. Un orador citó el caso de Grass Valley, California, donde Flock reinstalo cámaras sin permiso después de que la ciudad puso fin a su contrato.
Una residente, Helen Shiner, ofreció una perspectiva distinta y pidió al concejo que considerara casos en los que el sistema ALPR podría ser de ayuda —citando el secuestro y agresión de una mujer en la estación de tren de Wollaston y el uso de ALPR en alertas Silver Alert y Amber Alert— y expresó confianza en la integridad del Chief Kennedy.
Un orador diferente, Bill Zamzo, planteó una preocupación distinta: una nota al pie en un informe de calificación de bonos de julio de 2026 que sugería que la ciudad podría utilizar casi la totalidad de su margen de $24 millones en impuestos sobre la propiedad sin utilizar para financiar el presupuesto del año fiscal FY2027, lo que advirtió podría producir un aumento del impuesto sobre la propiedad de entre el 9 y el 10,5 % y dejar a la ciudad cerca de sus límites de la Proposición 2½ durante años. Instó al concejo a presionar públicamente a la administración sobre su plan de financiamiento presupuestario antes de la fijación de la tasa impositiva en diciembre.
Quejas sobre la Ley de Reuniones Abiertas — Reunión del 22 de junio de 2026
El Presidente Mahoney presentó la revisión del concejo de dos quejas presentadas ante la División de Gobierno Abierto del Fiscal General.
Queja 1 — Leah D'Gloria: La queja alegaba que la Sra. D'Gloria fue retirada de manera indebida de la reunión del comité de supervisión del 22 de junio y se le negó el acceso a la reunión especial del concejo municipal. La revisión del concejo determinó que la reunión especial del concejo había comenzado brevemente y se había suspendido casi de inmediato (de las 7:03 a las 7:04 p.m.), y que a la Sra. D'Gloria se le pidió que se retirara durante un período de desorden en la reunión del comité de supervisión —no debido a su punto de vista, sino para restablecer el orden, de conformidad con la autoridad legal del presidente bajo la ley de reuniones abiertas. Mahoney señaló que desde entonces se habían revisado los procedimientos para manejar interrupciones con los presidentes de comité y el Chief Kennedy para mejorar la consistencia en el futuro.
Votación: Moción del Concejal Riley, secundada por la Concejal Yuan para no encontrar violación y autorizar una respuesta escrita al Fiscal General. Aprobada 9–0.
Queja 2 — James Perkins (respecto al Concejal Hubley): La queja alegaba que el Concejal Hubley violó la ley de reuniones abiertas al comunicarse con un exconcejal de la ciudad de Leominster sobre legislación pendiente (la derogación de los aumentos anuales para funcionarios electos). El concejo no encontró evidencia de que esto constituyera "deliberación" —definida como comunicación entre el quórum del cuerpo— ya que parecía tratarse de un concejal individual recopilando información de antecedentes, lo cual está expresamente permitido.
Votación: Moción del Concejal Riley, secundada por la Concejal Jacobs para no encontrar violación. Aprobada 9–0.
Privacidad de Datos y Cumplimiento — Sistema ALPR del Departamento de Policía de Quincy (Punto 3)
El Chief Paul Kennedy se dirigió al concejo con una presentación detallada sobre el uso de la tecnología ALPR por parte del QPD. Puntos clave:
Quincy opera 50 cámaras ALPR; de 237 oficiales juramentados, solo 47 tienen acceso al sistema. El propio jefe no tiene acceso.
El QPD ha optado por no participar en el intercambio de datos a nivel nacional mientras se evalúan salvaguardias adicionales.
El sistema opera como una red "cerrada" — ninguna agencia externa, local, estatal o federal, tiene acceso directo a las cámaras o transmisiones en vivo.
Todas las búsquedas están vinculadas a números de caso. En los últimos 30 días, se captaron 704.000 placas, pero solo 134 fueron efectivamente buscadas —una tasa de búsqueda del 0,02 %. Todas las placas no buscadas se eliminan dentro de los 30 días.
Kennedy enfatizó que el ALPR es una herramienta de investigación, no de vigilancia, y que el departamento no crea perfiles de ciudadanos que respetan la ley.
Kennedy reconoció las preocupaciones de los residentes como legítimas y señaló que asistió al evento comunitario "Get the Flock Out of Quincy" en la biblioteca. Enmarcó el tema como un equilibrio: "La seguridad pública y las libertades civiles no son mutuamente excluyentes."
El Presidente del Concejo Mahoney y la Concejal Yuan indicaron que el asunto sería remitido al comité de supervisión para una audiencia pública completa, con preguntas enviadas al jefe con anticipación. No se tomó ninguna votación sobre la presentación en sí.
Orden 2026-104 — Uso de la Tecnología Flock Safety por la Ciudad (Punto 4)
La Concejal Yuan presentó esta orden para solicitar formalmente una audiencia pública y una sesión informativa sobre el contrato ALPR/Flock de Quincy. Yuan señaló que la ciudad comenzó a usar Flock en 2020 sin notificación pública ni participación del concejo, calificándolo como un patrón de "tomar decisiones por las personas, no con las personas." También señaló el rechazo bipartidista a nivel nacional, citando las medidas de Florida y Texas para restringir o eliminar los sistemas ALPR.
Votación: Moción del Concejal Ash, secundada por el Concejal Riley para aprobar y remitir al comité de supervisión. Aprobada 9–0. Se programará una fecha para la audiencia pública en una noche que no coincida con una reunión del concejo, tentativament a principios de octubre.
Orden 2026-105 — Arrendamiento de Energía Solar, Estacionamientos de General McConville Way (Punto 5)
Postergada a solicitud de la administración. Sin debate ni votación.
Orden 2026-106 — Supervisión del Fondo de Mejoramiento de Obras Públicas, Cap. 92, Actos de 2004 (Punto 6)
La Concejal Riley presentó esta orden como complemento de una auditoría pendiente de Corey Hills Associates (Orden 2026-081). Explicó que el Capítulo 92 de los Actos de 2004 —una petición de autonomía local que establece cómo se distribuyen los ingresos del arrendamiento del Corey Hills Recreation Complex— exige informes anuales al concejo antes del 1 de marzo, un requisito que, según dijo, aparentemente nunca se ha cumplido. El fondo asigna el 50 % a proyectos de carreteras y aceras del DPW, el 10 % a la supervisión operativa y el 40 % al fondo general.
La Concejal Yuan planteó preocupaciones adicionales: la administración había procedido a gastar aproximadamente $700.000 del fondo en una ampliación de un estacionamiento sin informar al concejo, lo cual fue descubierto solo cuando los concejales encontraron una licitación publicada en el sitio web de la ciudad. También señaló que la cuenta de supervisión del 10 %, que financia un salario de $120.000 para un gerente de proyecto, acumula un déficit de aproximadamente $175.000 porque los depósitos anuales ($82.000–$90.000) son insuficientes para cubrir ese salario.
El Jefe de Gabinete Walker, presente en la sala, ofreció proporcionar un balance completo, pero señaló que no había visto las cifras específicas mencionadas. Mahoney indicó que la petición de autonomía local para extender el arrendamiento de Corey Hills expiró en el Senado estatal el 31 de julio, lo que significa que los términos del arrendamiento de 2003 permanecen vigentes.
El concejo enmendó la moción para agregar una congelación del gasto: ningún fondo del Fondo de Mejoramiento de Obras Públicas podrá ser desembolsado, transferido o comprometido para el propuesto proyecto de estacionamiento de Nickerson mientras dure la revisión del comité de supervisión.
Votación: Moción de la Concejal Riley (según enmienda), secundada por el Concejal Ryan. Aprobada 9–0. Remitida al comité de supervisión.
Resolución 2026-107 — Actualización del Proyecto de Banda Ancha Municipal (Punto 7)
El Concejal Hubley presentó esta resolución solicitando una actualización integral sobre la iniciativa de banda ancha municipal de la ciudad, que comenzó hace aproximadamente siete años en respuesta a la falta de competencia en servicios de banda ancha. Señaló que el mercado ha evolucionado significativamente, con nuevos competidores privados ingresando al mercado, y pidió al concejo evaluar si la justificación original del proyecto sigue siendo válida.
Votación: Moción para aprobar y remitir al Comité de Tecnología Municipal (MunTech). Aprobada 9–0.
Resolución 2026-108 — Carta de Apoyo para la Aplicación de la Pregunta Ballot Question 1 de 2024 (Punto 8)
La Concejal Riley presentó esta resolución solicitando al concejo que envíe una carta de apoyo a la Auditora Estatal Diana DiZoglio y a los legisladores estatales instando al cumplimiento de la 2024 Ballot Question 1, que los votantes aprobaron por más del 70 % a nivel estatal (y por márgenes similares en cada precinto de Quincy) para autorizar una auditoría de la legislatura estatal. Riley señaló que la Cámara ha ofrecido su propia versión de la solución en lugar de cumplir con la pregunta de la boleta tal como fue redactada.
Votación: Moción de la Concejal Riley, secundada por la Concejal Jacobs. Aprobada 9–0.
Resolución 2026-109 — Nombramiento de la Pista de Hockey de Brill Field en Honor a David "Andy" DiBona (Punto 9)
La Concejal Jacobs presentó una resolución solicitando que la nueva pista de hockey en cancha deportiva de Brill Field sea nombrada "David 'Andy' DiBona Memorial Hockey Rink" en honor a David Andrew DiBona, residente de toda la vida en Quincy y líder comunitario de House Neck, quien falleció el 27 de julio de 2026, a los 54 años, tras una batalla contra el cáncer.
La resolución detalló la vida de DiBona: graduado en 1991 de Quincy Vocational High School, plomero maestro, fundador de First Class Plumbing and Heating, presidente durante mucho tiempo del House Neck Community Council, organizador del Chowderfest anual y de las noches de cine de verano, y receptor de un premio de logros de toda una vida en 2026. Varios concejales ofrecieron recuerdos personales, señalando que DiBona continuó siendo voluntario y asistiendo a vecinos con emergencias de calefacción incluso mientras recibía tratamiento contra el cáncer, y que durante mucho tiempo construyó pistas de hielo informales en House Neck para que los niños patinaran.
La resolución será enviada a la oficina del alcalde para su remisión a la Junta de Parques y Recreación para aprobación formal.
Votación: Moción de la Concejal Jacobs, secundada por el Concejal Hubley. Aprobada 9–0.
Calendario de Consentimiento — Donaciones y Otros Puntos
Los siguientes puntos fueron aprobados sin debate sustantivo:
2026-110: Donación de $975 de varios donantes al DRAC. Aprobada.
2026-111: Donación de $3.000 de varios donantes al DRAC. Aprobada.
2026-112: Donación de $10.000 de la Copeland Family Foundation al DRAC. Aprobada.
2026-113: Donación de $7.500 de la Copeland Family Foundation al Quincy Animal Shelter. Aprobada.
Actas del 4 de mayo al 22 de junio de 2026 (reuniones combinadas del concejo, comité y finanzas) aprobadas por votación en voz.
Orden de tránsito 2026-103 (estacionamiento para personas con discapacidad en 15 Walker Street, Distrito 6) retirada del comité de ordenanzas y aprobada por el pleno del concejo, 9–0.
Las solicitudes de tránsito para nuevas señales de alto y espacios para personas con discapacidad en los Distritos 1, 2, 4 y 6, y una solicitud de concesión de servicios públicos, fueron remitidas a los comités correspondientes para su publicación.
Anuncios y Remonstraciones
El Concejal DiBona rindió homenaje a Thomas Pecarero, un inspector municipal de plomería y gas durante mucho tiempo, quien falleció recientemente tras una carrera de 30 años con la ciudad.
El Concejal Ryan solicitó un informe de la Secretaria Municipal Nicole Crispo sobre la participación de votantes en las elecciones primarias por distrito y precinto.
El Concejal Hubley anunció los eventos continuos de "Saturdays in the Park" en Safford Park durante septiembre, organizados por la Wollaston Hill Neighborhood Association.
La Concejal Jacobs recordó a los residentes el Chowderfest anual de House Neck el 19 de septiembre, de 2 a 6 p.m.
La Concejal Yuan planteó preocupaciones de que el proyecto planificado por la administración para un centro cultural de nativos americanos puede no haber involucrado directamente a los aproximadamente 200 residentes nativos americanos de Quincy, señalando que el jefe de la tribu le indicó que ningún miembro de la tribu vive en la ciudad.
La Concejal Riley ofreció una extensa remostración sobre el acoso en línea de funcionarios electos y miembros de la comunidad, instando a la civilidad, particularmente al regreso de los estudiantes a la escuela.
El Presidente Mahoney felicitó al saliente Comisionado del DPW Al Grazioso por su jubilación y dio la bienvenida al entrante Comisionado Ed Brennan.
Próximas Reuniones
Próxima reunión ordinaria del concejo: 22 de septiembre, con una audiencia pública sobre un asunto de servicios públicos a las 6:30 p.m. y una reunión del comité MunTech a las 6:35 p.m.
Se está programando una reunión combinada de los comités de finanzas y supervisión (fechas por confirmar, probablemente alrededor del 14 de septiembre).
Audiencia pública sobre ALPR/Flock Safety: tentativament a principios de octubre, en una noche separada de una reunión ordinaria del concejo.
Reunión del comité de ordenanzas sobre aumentos salariales para funcionarios electos: tentativament el 5 de octubre.
Puntos Clave
El asunto ALPR/Flock Safety se dirige a una audiencia pública completa. La abrumadora oposición de los residentes, las fallas de seguridad documentadas y las cancelaciones de contratos a nivel nacional llevaron al concejo a remitir por unanimidad la orden de supervisión de la Concejal Yuan al comité, con una audiencia pública dedicada esperada para principios de octubre. El Chief Kennedy defendió el uso restringido de la tecnología por parte del departamento, pero recibió con agrado un mayor escrutinio.
El Fondo de Mejoramiento de Obras Públicas de Corey Hills está bajo una congelación de gastos. El concejo votó para detener los desembolsos del fondo para el propuesto estacionamiento de Nickerson mientras dure una revisión de supervisión, en medio de hallazgos de que una ley estatal de 2004 que rige el fondo aparentemente nunca ha sido cumplida y de que el fondo acumula un déficit.
Dos quejas sobre la ley de reuniones abiertas fueron desestimadas. El concejo no encontró violaciones ni en el retiro de un asistente a la reunión del 22 de junio ni en la conversación del Concejal Hubley con un exfuncionario de Leominster, pero reforzó los procedimientos internos para manejar futuras interrupciones.
Se propone nombrar la nueva pista de hockey de Brill Field en honor a David "Andy" DiBona, un querido líder comunitario de House Neck que falleció en julio. La resolución pasa ahora a la Junta de Parques y Recreación.
Un residente planteó una advertencia presupuestaria significativa, citando una nota al pie en un documento de bonos que sugiere que la ciudad podría necesitar utilizar casi la totalidad de su margen de $24 millones en impuestos sobre la propiedad para financiar el presupuesto del año fiscal FY2027 —lo que podría desencadenar uno de los mayores aumentos de impuestos residenciales en el estado.
Resumen generado por IA a partir de una transcripción de voz a texto. No es el registro oficial. Verifique los detalles importantes con los documentos fuente vinculados arriba.
Qué ocurrió en esta reunión
Foro Abierto para Residentes y Comentarios Públicos - President Mahoney
# Summary: Residents Open Forum and Public Comment with President Mahoney
President Mahoney opened the Residents Open Forum and Public Comment period, explaining procedures that allow city residents to speak for three minutes each during an initial 20-minute period (extendable to 45 minutes by council vote). Hank Dondiero raised concerns about intimidation of city employees in fire, police, and DPW departments, calling for council action. Multiple residents, including Marie Rucker, a newer resident who is the daughter of a former police officer, Brendan Morak (Ward 3), and Ellen Nelson (28 Village Drive), expressed concerns about Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) and Flock Safety cameras being installed in Quincy, citing privacy and constitutional concerns. Ellen Nelson specifically noted that nearly two dozen Massachusetts towns have terminated similar contracts and requested the city cancel all ALPR contracts and remove existing Flock cameras. President Mahoney made a motion to extend the public comment period to ensure all residents could be heard, marking the first time the council allowed open forum before voting.
President Mahoney opened the Residents Open Forum and Public Comment period, explaining procedures that allow city residents to speak for three minutes each during an initial 20-minute period (extendable to 45 minutes by council vote). Hank Dondiero raised concerns about intimidation of city employees in fire, police, and DPW departments, calling for council action. Multiple residents, including Marie Rucker, a newer resident who is the daughter of a former police officer, Brendan Morak (Ward 3), and Ellen Nelson (28 Village Drive), expressed concerns about Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) and Flock Safety cameras being installed in Quincy, citing privacy and constitutional concerns. Ellen Nelson specifically noted that nearly two dozen Massachusetts towns have terminated similar contracts and requested the city cancel all ALPR contracts and remove existing Flock cameras. President Mahoney made a motion to extend the public comment period to ensure all residents could be heard, marking the first time the council allowed open forum before voting.
Revisión de Quejas sobre la Ley de Reuniones Abiertas relativas a la Reunión del 22 de junio de 2026 - President Mahoney
# Summary: Review of Open Meeting Law Complaints regarding June 22, 2026 Meeting
The Council reviewed two Open Meeting Law complaints arising from the June 22, 2026 meeting. President Mahoney presented circumstances surrounding disruptions in the chamber that evening, including the removal of spectators Miss Logan and Mr. Gloria, with the Council finding no violation regarding Leah Dloria's complaint—determining that the chair's actions to remove disruptive individuals were appropriate for maintaining order and not based on viewpoint or subject matter (motion passed 9-0). The Council also reviewed a second complaint filed by James Perkins regarding Councilor Walter Hubley's alleged communications about pending legislation (2026-031, repeal of annual raises for elected officials), and similarly found no violation of the Open Meeting Law, determining there was no evidence of a quorum deliberating outside a posted meeting or consensus-seeking among council members (roll call vote passed 9-0). President Mahoney and Councilor Riley were authorized to issue written responses to the Attorney General's office regarding both findings.
The Council reviewed two Open Meeting Law complaints arising from the June 22, 2026 meeting. President Mahoney presented circumstances surrounding disruptions in the chamber that evening, including the removal of spectators Miss Logan and Mr. Gloria, with the Council finding no violation regarding Leah Dloria's complaint—determining that the chair's actions to remove disruptive individuals were appropriate for maintaining order and not based on viewpoint or subject matter (motion passed 9-0). The Council also reviewed a second complaint filed by James Perkins regarding Councilor Walter Hubley's alleged communications about pending legislation (2026-031, repeal of annual raises for elected officials), and similarly found no violation of the Open Meeting Law, determining there was no evidence of a quorum deliberating outside a posted meeting or consensus-seeking among council members (roll call vote passed 9-0). President Mahoney and Councilor Riley were authorized to issue written responses to the Attorney General's office regarding both findings.
Actualización/Descripción General sobre Privacidad de Datos y Cumplimiento Normativo de la Quincy Police
# Summary: Data Privacy and Compliance Update on Quincy Police ALPR Program
Chief Kennedy presented an overview of the Quincy Police Department's Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system, emphasizing it as an investigative tool with strict restrictions: closed system access limited to 47 of 237 officers, no nationwide data sharing, and case-number-associated searches. However, multiple residents raised significant concerns that the compliance review failed to address, including vendor security vulnerabilities and Flock's February 2024 terms changes that removed prohibitions on selling customer data and granted perpetual license to city data post-contract termination. Residents cited Commonwealth v. McCarthy and noted that operating 50 cameras creates legal liability risks for unconstitutional search, urging the council to either codify QPD restrictions into law or join 30+ cities in restricting ALPR usage; Councillor Yuan additionally criticized the lack of public notification before the city adopted Flock technology in 2020, arguing citizens deserved input on surveillance decisions affecting their privacy.
Chief Kennedy presented an overview of the Quincy Police Department's Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system, emphasizing it as an investigative tool with strict restrictions: closed system access limited to 47 of 237 officers, no nationwide data sharing, and case-number-associated searches. However, multiple residents raised significant concerns that the compliance review failed to address, including vendor security vulnerabilities and Flock's February 2024 terms changes that removed prohibitions on selling customer data and granted perpetual license to city data post-contract termination. Residents cited Commonwealth v. McCarthy and noted that operating 50 cameras creates legal liability risks for unconstitutional search, urging the council to either codify QPD restrictions into law or join 30+ cities in restricting ALPR usage; Councillor Yuan additionally criticized the lack of public notification before the city adopted Flock technology in 2020, arguing citizens deserved input on surveillance decisions affecting their privacy.
2026-104 – Order - Sobre el uso de Flock Safety por parte de la City of Quincy - Councillor Yuan
# Summary of Discussion on Order 2026-104 – City of Quincy's Use of Flock Safety ALPR Cameras
Councillor Yuan introduced Order 2026-104 requesting a public hearing and informational session on the City of Quincy's use of Flock Safety automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, citing lack of advance public notice when the system was implemented in 2020 and the need for citizen input on privacy tradeoffs. Multiple residents testified about Fourth Amendment concerns with warrantless scanning of license plates, inadequate data retention safeguards (police store data 30 days locally while vendors retain it 120 days), low effectiveness rates for solving serious crimes, and documented misuse cases including officers using cameras to stalk romantic partners in Massachusetts and beyond. Residents highlighted that Quincy has one of the largest ALPR concentrations in Massachusetts and noted that 90 communities nationwide canceled Flock contracts in August alone, citing security vulnerabilities, data sharing with third parties, and interconnections with national surveillance networks as evidence that restrictive policies fail to prevent abuse. Police Chief Kennedy defended the system, emphasizing that of 704,000 plates captured over 30 days, only 134 were searched for legitimate purposes (99.98% deleted unaccessed), and arguing public safety and constitutional rights are not mutually exclusive. The Council voted to move the order into committee, with Councillor McKe recommending an off-night public hearing on October 5th to allow adequate time for comprehensive discussion of both concerns and benefits.
Councillor Yuan introduced Order 2026-104 requesting a public hearing and informational session on the City of Quincy's use of Flock Safety automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, citing lack of advance public notice when the system was implemented in 2020 and the need for citizen input on privacy tradeoffs. Multiple residents testified about Fourth Amendment concerns with warrantless scanning of license plates, inadequate data retention safeguards (police store data 30 days locally while vendors retain it 120 days), low effectiveness rates for solving serious crimes, and documented misuse cases including officers using cameras to stalk romantic partners in Massachusetts and beyond. Residents highlighted that Quincy has one of the largest ALPR concentrations in Massachusetts and noted that 90 communities nationwide canceled Flock contracts in August alone, citing security vulnerabilities, data sharing with third parties, and interconnections with national surveillance networks as evidence that restrictive policies fail to prevent abuse. Police Chief Kennedy defended the system, emphasizing that of 704,000 plates captured over 30 days, only 134 were searched for legitimate purposes (99.98% deleted unaccessed), and arguing public safety and constitutional rights are not mutually exclusive. The Council voted to move the order into committee, with Councillor McKe recommending an off-night public hearing on October 5th to allow adequate time for comprehensive discussion of both concerns and benefits.
2026-105 – Order - Aprobación de Ubicación y Contrato de Arrendamiento para la Implementación de Energía Solar en los Estacionamientos de General McConville Way - Mayor Koch
Item 2026-105 regarding approval of location and lease for solar energy implementation on General McConville Way Park and Garages was tabled for the evening at the request of the administration, who indicated they needed more time before proceeding.
Puntos de agenda (9)
Procedural (3)
1ProceduralForo Abierto para Residentes y Comentarios Públicos - President Mahoney
Los residentes tendrán la oportunidad de hablar durante el foro abierto y proporcionar comentarios públicos a los líderes de la ciudad.
Qué ocurrió
# Summary: Residents Open Forum and Public Comment with President MahoneyPresident Mahoney opened the Residents Open Forum and Public Comment period, explaining procedures that allow city residents to speak for three minutes each during an initial 20-minute period (extendable to 45 minutes by council vote). Hank Dondiero raised concerns about intimidation of city employees in fire, police, and DPW departments, calling for council action. Multiple residents, including Marie Rucker, a newer resident who is the daughter of a former police officer, Brendan Morak (Ward 3), and Ellen Nelson (28 Village Drive), expressed concerns about Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) and Flock Safety cameras being installed in Quincy, citing privacy and constitutional concerns. Ellen Nelson specifically noted that nearly two dozen Massachusetts towns have terminated similar contracts and requested the city cancel all ALPR contracts and remove existing Flock cameras. President Mahoney made a motion to extend the public comment period to ensure all residents could be heard, marking the first time the council allowed open forum before voting.
2ProceduralRevisión de Quejas sobre la Ley de Reuniones Abiertas relativas a la Reunión del 22 de junio de 2026 - President Mahoney
Los líderes de la ciudad revisarán las quejas de que la reunión del 22 de junio de 2026 pudo haber violado la Massachusetts Open Meeting Law.
Qué ocurrió
# Summary: Review of Open Meeting Law Complaints regarding June 22, 2026 MeetingThe Council reviewed two Open Meeting Law complaints arising from the June 22, 2026 meeting. President Mahoney presented circumstances surrounding disruptions in the chamber that evening, including the removal of spectators Miss Logan and Mr. Gloria, with the Council finding no violation regarding Leah Dloria's complaint—determining that the chair's actions to remove disruptive individuals were appropriate for maintaining order and not based on viewpoint or subject matter (motion passed 9-0). The Council also reviewed a second complaint filed by James Perkins regarding Councilor Walter Hubley's alleged communications about pending legislation (2026-031, repeal of annual raises for elected officials), and similarly found no violation of the Open Meeting Law, determining there was no evidence of a quorum deliberating outside a posted meeting or consensus-seeking among council members (roll call vote passed 9-0). President Mahoney and Councilor Riley were authorized to issue written responses to the Attorney General's office regarding both findings.
3ProceduralActualización/Descripción General sobre Privacidad de Datos y Cumplimiento Normativo de la Quincy Police
El Quincy Police Department proporcionará una actualización sobre cómo protege la privacidad de los datos de los residentes y cumple con las normas de cumplimiento.
Qué ocurrió
# Summary: Data Privacy and Compliance Update on Quincy Police ALPR ProgramChief Kennedy presented an overview of the Quincy Police Department's Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system, emphasizing it as an investigative tool with strict restrictions: closed system access limited to 47 of 237 officers, no nationwide data sharing, and case-number-associated searches. However, multiple residents raised significant concerns that the compliance review failed to address, including vendor security vulnerabilities and Flock's February 2024 terms changes that removed prohibitions on selling customer data and granted perpetual license to city data post-contract termination. Residents cited Commonwealth v. McCarthy and noted that operating 50 cameras creates legal liability risks for unconstitutional search, urging the council to either codify QPD restrictions into law or join 30+ cities in restricting ALPR usage; Councillor Yuan additionally criticized the lack of public notification before the city adopted Flock technology in 2020, arguing citizens deserved input on surveillance decisions affecting their privacy.
Order
4Order2026-104 – Order - Sobre el uso de Flock Safety por parte de la City of Quincy - Councillor Yuan
El concejo municipal decidirá si aprueba el uso de la tecnología Flock Safety en Quincy, la cual utiliza cámaras para leer placas de matrícula.
Qué ocurrió
# Summary of Discussion on Order 2026-104 – City of Quincy's Use of Flock Safety ALPR CamerasCouncillor Yuan introduced Order 2026-104 requesting a public hearing and informational session on the City of Quincy's use of Flock Safety automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, citing lack of advance public notice when the system was implemented in 2020 and the need for citizen input on privacy tradeoffs. Multiple residents testified about Fourth Amendment concerns with warrantless scanning of license plates, inadequate data retention safeguards (police store data 30 days locally while vendors retain it 120 days), low effectiveness rates for solving serious crimes, and documented misuse cases including officers using cameras to stalk romantic partners in Massachusetts and beyond. Residents highlighted that Quincy has one of the largest ALPR concentrations in Massachusetts and noted that 90 communities nationwide canceled Flock contracts in August alone, citing security vulnerabilities, data sharing with third parties, and interconnections with national surveillance networks as evidence that restrictive policies fail to prevent abuse. Police Chief Kennedy defended the system, emphasizing that of 704,000 plates captured over 30 days, only 134 were searched for legitimate purposes (99.98% deleted unaccessed), and arguing public safety and constitutional rights are not mutually exclusive. The Council voted to move the order into committee, with Councillor McKe recommending an off-night public hearing on October 5th to allow adequate time for comprehensive discussion of both concerns and benefits.
5Order2026-105 – Order - Aprobación de Ubicación y Contrato de Arrendamiento para la Implementación de Energía Solar en los Estacionamientos de General McConville Way - Mayor Koch
La ciudad busca aprobación para instalar paneles solares en los estacionamientos de General McConville Way y ha seleccionado una ubicación y los términos del arrendamiento para el proyecto.
Qué ocurrió
Item 2026-105 regarding approval of location and lease for solar energy implementation on General McConville Way Park and Garages was tabled for the evening at the request of the administration, who indicated they needed more time before proceeding.6Order2026-106 – Order - Supervisión del Public Works Enhancement Fund - Councillor Riley, Ch. 92 Act of 2004, Councillor Jacobs
El concejo municipal supervisará cómo se están gastando los fondos del Public Works Enhancement Fund en mejoras para la ciudad.
Qué ocurrió
# Summary: Order 2026-106 – Public Works Enhancement Fund OversightCouncillor Riley presented Order 2026-106 regarding oversight of the Public Works Enhancement Fund under Chapter 92 Act of 2004, noting that required annual reporting to Council by March 1st has not occurred for at least six years and questioning the $500,000-$700,000 parking lot expansion spending without proper authorization. Councillor Yuan raised additional concerns about the lack of community input and public meetings before the parking lot project was announced, and questioned the $120,000 annual salary for a project manager paid from the 10% oversight account, which receives only $82,000-$90,000 annually, creating a significant budget deficit. Mr. Walker from the administration acknowledged the Council's purview to review fund spending and offered to provide a complete historical report. The Council unanimously approved referring the matter to the oversight committee with a friendly amendment imposing a moratorium on all fund expenditures pending the committee's review of Chapter 92 compliance.
Resolution
7Resolution2026-107 – Resolve - Solicitud de una Actualización Integral sobre el Municipal Broadband Project y Consideración del Camino a Seguir ante la Competencia Privada Emergente - Councillor Hubley, Councillor Ash, Councillor Jacobs
Los concejales solicitan una actualización detallada sobre el proyecto de banda ancha de la ciudad y desean debatir cómo avanzar a medida que empresas privadas comienzan a ofrecer servicios de internet en competencia.
Qué ocurrió
Councillor Hubley presented Item 2026-107, a resolve requesting a comprehensive update on the municipal broadband project. Hubley, with 25 years of experience in the broadband industry, explained that the city initiated this effort approximately seven years ago due to lack of competition. He noted that while the original impetus remains valid—people need reliable internet access for work and school—the competitive landscape has evolved significantly with new private competitors entering the market. Hubley requested the resolution be referred to the municipal technology committee to reassess the city's approach and determine the most appropriate path forward. The Council unanimously approved the resolution with a 9-0 roll call vote.8Resolution2026-108 – Resolve - Carta de Apoyo para la Aplicación de la Medida de Votación de 2024 - Councillor Riley
El concejo municipal considerará el envío de una carta en apoyo de la aplicación de una medida de la boleta electoral de 2024.
Qué ocurrió
Councillor Riley presented a resolve requesting a letter of support for enforcement of the 2024 Ballot Question 1, which called for a state audit of the legislature and received overwhelming support from over 70% of Quincy voters across every precinct. Riley noted that the House has since put forth their own version of the bill and urged the City Council to send a written statement of support to the state auditor, legislators, and governor expressing support for the bill as originally written. The motion passed unanimously with a roll call vote of nine members in favor.9Resolution2026-109 – Resolution – Solicitud de que la Nueva Cancha Deportiva de Hockey sobre Hielo de Brill Field sea Nombrada en Honor a David «Andy» Andrew DiBona - Councillor Jacobs, Councillor Mahoney
Se solicita a la ciudad que nombre la nueva cancha deportiva de hockey sobre hielo de Brill Field en honor a David «Andy» Andrew DiBona.
Qué ocurrió
Councillor Jacobs introduced a resolution requesting that the new Brill Field sport court hockey rink be named in honor of David 'Andy' Deona, a lifelong Quincy resident, master plumber, and dedicated community servant who passed away on July 27, 2026 at age 54. Jacobs read the full resolution detailing Deona's extensive contributions including founding First Class Plumbing and Heating over 25 years ago, volunteering to teach at Quincy Voc, serving as president of the House Neck Community Council, and organizing community events like the annual housing charter fest and summer movie nights. A motion was made to refer the resolution to the mayor's office so it can be forwarded to the Parks and Recreation Board for formal approval, with a permanent commemorative plaque to be installed at the rink in his honor.Votos adicionales registrados en actas
Extend open forum 10 minutes (first extension)
aye 9
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanaye
Extend open forum 10 minutes (second extension)
aye 9
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanaye
Find no Open Meeting Law violation – DeGloria complaint (June 22, 2026)
aye 9
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanaye
Find no Open Meeting Law violation – Perkins complaint re: Councillor Hubley (June 22, 2026)
aye 9
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanaye
Approve 2026-104 and refer to Oversight Committee (Flock Safety Technology)
aye 9
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanaye
Approve 2026-106 as amended and refer to Oversight Committee (Public Works Enhancement Fund)
aye 9
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanaye
Approve 2026-107 and refer to Muni-Tech Committee (Municipal Broadband)
aye 9
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanaye
Approve 2026-108 (Letter of Support for Enforcement of 2024 Ballot Question 1)
aye 9
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanaye
Approve 2026-109 and refer to Mayor's office (David 'Andy' DiBona Memorial Hockey Rink)
aye 9
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanaye
Approve 2026-110 – Gift $975.00 to D.A.R.E. Camp
aye 8 · absent 1
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanabsent
Approve 2026-111 – Gift $3,000.00 to D.A.R.E.
aye 8 · absent 1
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanabsent
Approve 2026-112 – Gift $10,000.00 from Copeland Family Foundation to D.A.R.E.
aye 8 · absent 1
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanabsent
Approve 2026-113 – Gift $7,500.00 from Copeland Family Foundation to Quincy Animal Shelter
aye 8 · absent 1
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanabsent
Approve minutes 5/2/26 through 6/22/26
aye 9
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanaye
Take all pending traffic ordinances out of committee for a vote
aye 9
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanaye
Approve 2026-103 – Traffic – Add Handicap Parking @ 15 Walker St.
aye 9
Anne Mahoneyaye
David Jacobsaye
Deborah Rileyaye
Maggie McKeeaye
Noel DiBonaaye
Richard Ashaye
Virginia Ryanaye
Walter Hubleyaye
Ziqiang Yuanaye
Transcripción literal disponible
469 segmentos de transcripción indexados
We're going to call the Tuesday, September 8th city council meeting to um to order. Could you please call the to call the order? Councelor Ash, present. Councelor Debona, present. Councelor Hubley, present.
Councelor Jacobs, present. Council McKe, Council Riley, present. Council Ryan, Council Yuen, present. President Mahoney, present. If we could all stand for a moment of silence. And if we could turn and pledge allegiance to the flag.
Pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. That's not my alarm. Um, Madam Cler, could you read the open meeting law?
Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium. Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.
Thank you. So the first item on the agenda is going to be open forum. And if you could just bear with me, I'm going to reintroduce open forum and how it will work for the remaining meetings. Um when you come forward tonight to speak, I'm going to be asking to for you to state your name, your address, and the city for the record.
City residents will be allowed to speak first. After city residents, if there's time allowing, we will be able to have people from outside the city. Each speaker will have three minutes. Under the council's rule, open forum begins with a 20-minut period.
If additional time is needed, a member of the council may move to extend open forum. If any extension will require a vote of the city council, open forum may exceed may be extended by that vote by 10 minutes per um aotment, but in no event will it exceed 45 minutes so that we can complete the remainder of the council's working agenda.
We will recognize Quinsey residents first if time remains. After residents who want to speak or outside residents who want to speak will be heard, we will open the forum to the others. that point. We will also ask that several speakers that are making the same point for considering this to keep your comments to a concise as possible.
You are certainly entitled to make your own comments, but shortening the repetitive remarks will help give as many people as possible an opportunity to be heard. If we reach the end of the aotted time before everyone has had the opportunity to speak, we apologize.
Open forum is intended for primarily to give the constituents of the city an opportunity to address their council and we will do our best to hear from as many people as possible within the time available.
I also want to be clear about the three minutes speaking limit. When your time expires, you will be advised that your time has concluded. If you and you'll be asked to wrap it up if you continue speaking, the microphone will be turned off.
If you continue speaking after that and you've been directed to stop or otherwise disrupt the meeting, you may be asked to leave. These rules will be applied consistently regardless of the viewpoint being expressed.
And we thank you all for your cooperation. And now we will begin open forum. Is this which one's first? Okay. Hank Dondiero. Thank you. Hanged on Darrow 65 man at the net. Uh just an amazing uh night tonight.
This place is GMAC. A lot of different new faces. Hadn't seen him before. I wonder where the firm. Uh I would like to acknowledge first of all that uh Friday is September 11th, 25 years ago. On that day, 2,977 souls were lost through a terrorist act.
Uh, ever vigilant. Ever vigilant. Ever vigilant, folks. That's what it takes. Ever vigilant. Not passing up the opportunity to stand down, but stand for what's right and what's American. Uh, I would like to address a couple of things.
First of all, a book was written in 1973 by Robert Ringer uh winning through intimidation. Now, what does this mean? It's something very simple. If you're intimidated, you're being posed as weak. If you're not being intimidated, if you're the intimidator, then you're appear to be strong.
And we have a lot of that going on in the city right now. uh a lot of verbal and non-verbal intimidation that takes place with city employees, fire, police, uh city workers, DPW, etc., etc. Uh it's certainly doesn't belong in the city, at least the city I've lived in all my life, but it's taking place now.
Uh should it continue? No, of course not. But will anything be done about it? Uh I certainly hope so. it's really uh important to be addressed by the city council and start playing games with it. And you folks know who it is that's doing it.
Uh I won't mention any names. Uh the second thing is uh a term called useful idiots. Who are useful idiots? Well, they're naive or credulous persons who can be manipulated or exploited to advance a cause or a political agenda.
Uh seeing a lot of useful idiots uh posing on read it without their real names. Uh if they want to step forward and be addressed properly, it would be a worthwhile uh effort. But again, it's a game and you're losing it and it's going to take place.
Uh, right here. Right here, folks. Right here. Right here. One and done. 2027. Adios. Thank you, Hank. Next, we have Marie Rucker. Hello. Marie, can you state your address and your city? Um, Marie Rucker, 17 Darl Street.
And, uh, you said city, right? I mean, I live in Quincy. So, live in Quincy. Um but um I come here today. Um a lot of new people I never met with y'all. Um and uh I'd like to talk about um the ALPRS, the Flex Safety cameras that are being installed in Quincy.
Um most of my issue with these ALPRs is not um QPD's issues themselves. In fact, I have great respect for their current restrictions they put on them, but it is more the vendor themsel that uh causes most of the issues.
Um in fact you know I read their their presentation in the addendum uh for this for the meeting. Um they said they talked about how have they have strong authentication for their access like 2FA and um strong passwords but the most of the issues with these do not come from uh passwords or anything like that is it is uh security failures from the vendor.
Um I have a document right here. There's CVE 2025 59 59403. There's no password needed to take care of a lot of these. Um there's access of them on the internet without even any authentification. Um things like that.
Um sorry if I'm a little bit new to this y'all. Uh please bear with me. But um I'm really concerned about the usage uh the potential risks legally that um city of Quincy takes on by expanding these and not as as well with the uh art with a recent um lawsuit from Commonwealth versus McCarthy.
Uh the MA Supreme Judicial Court ruled that while limited ALPR usage is legal, widespread tracking of a person's life that is a search requiring a warrant. And we are operating 50 of these cameras, this distance density risks in being construed as a unconstitutional search which could cause expensive legal trouble for the city.
Um, there's also a wide rest of these that I've got right here. And I'd like I'd really hope that we could join um the 30 plus cities nationwide that are restricting our usage on these. I personally recommend that we codify the current uh QPD restrictions that they have on the usage into law.
I very much agree with those and and I um appreciate their restrictions on this such as um caping capping data retention um not sharing it the data nationwide and restricting them to extremely like violent and intense crimes.
Um that's pretty much all I have to say. Thank you very much. Thank you. Nina West is next. I don't I do notice that there's a lot of flock on the list here tonight. We want to invite you all up. If we we're hearing repeats, if we could just move them along so every more people will have a chance.
So, Nina West. Thanks, Nina. Um Nina West, 200 Falls Boulevard. Um, I want to thank you for providing this forum for residents to speak so freely. Um, before the chief presents his executive summary, data privacy compliance review, I want to point out some things that are important that it doesn't address.
Page four states, and I'm quoting directly, that the department opted out of nationwide data sharing until the vendor implements enhanced access controls that allow the city to fully restrict access to its ALPR network.
Now, I want us to sit with that word until. It means those controls don't exist yet. There is currently some level of access to Quinsey's data that the city cannot fully restrict. That the document doesn't tell us who's, not whether it's flock employees, the Boston Regional Intelligence Center that connects to Homeland Security and the federal government or third party AI systems running on the back end.
It also doesn't mention that Flock updated its terms and conditions in February of this year. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, those changes removed the flat prohibition on Flock selling customer data and granted Flock our perpetual license to use that data even after the contract ends.
None of that appears in tonight's data privacy compliance review. Now, Mountain View, California, Shbboan, Miss Shbboan, Wisconsin, excuse me, and closer to home, Bellingham, Mass, all had assurances by Flock that the company could be trusted with their data.
And each one of those municipalities was wrong. I've included articles about these examples in the email I sent you all earlier today. In each case, the problem wasn't what the police department chose to do.
It was what Flock quietly did in the background. Now, switching vendors isn't the answer either. The ACLU, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, National Public Radio have all said this month that data governance problems follows the contract, not the company name.
And we need to discuss whether any ALPR program, as currently governed, meets Quinsey's standards. Now, I came to this research expecting that better oversight would be the answer, and the more I've learned, the less certain I am.
I asked the council to hold a full public hearing on the city's ALPR program and invite experts and professionals in the technology, legal, and civil liberties fields to speak and consider to consider every alternative, including a ban on ALPRs as a reasonable choice.
Thank you. Paulo Carrera, could you state your name and address and city? Paulo Carrera, 49 Home Street, Quinzy. Thank you. Good evening, council members. Automatic license plate reader systems scan thousands of plates without warrants or suspicion, creating digital records of where people have been.
This violates the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches. Our founders understood that government surveillance of movement is a hallmark of tyranny. Courts across the country, from California to New Jersey, have recognized this.
Warrantless ALPR data collection treats all citizens as suspects first and assumes guilt by location. Data shows that ALPR effectiveness in solving serious crimes is minimal. These systems generate enormous numbers of false leads wasting police resources.
In some jurisdictions, hit rates for actual stolen vehicles or wanted suspects are under 1%. Our officers are stretched thin already. They should be focused on real leads, not chasing down innocent people whose plates were scanned by errorprone ALPRs.
This technology enables mission creep. Once normalized, it expands. ALPR data has been sold to private companies, accessed by bad actors, and misused by officers. Would you rather have your children be stalked by jealous exes than having reasonable barriers to unconstitutional searches?
Your location history shouldn't be a searchable database. This chills freedoms. People avoid lawful activities knowing movement is tracked. I'd rather not have any ALPRs at all, but at the very least, we must require judicial warrants before ALPR searches.
Protect the data that is collected. This approach respects constitutional limits while allowing targeted, accountable policing when there's actual probable cause. No less a founding father than Benjamin Franklin said, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Trust and safety come from constitutional policing.
I urge you to protect both. Thank you. Ariana Brazelle, not sure I'm pronouncing your name correctly. Sorry. Good evening. As a proud resident of this wonderful city of Oh, sorry. I'm sorry. You have to name, address, and city.
Sorry. 10 Mry Mount Road. Okay, perfect. Thank you. I'm deeply concerned about our right to privacy and our shared right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in our own city of presidents. After reviewing flock records from the Quincy PD along with their presentation accompanying today's council meeting agenda, I'm left with these questions and comments.
Why are there so many 50 in total ALPR cameras in the city? Why are there so many ALPRs necessary? How does the QPD intend to prevent the abuse by law enforcement of the data made available by ALPRs? For instance, the QPD's intelligence-led policing approach stipulates that ALPRs can identify patterns, connections, and investigative leads, which leads me to wonder, what recourse do we have as Quinsey residents?
Should our private information be not only stored but saved, categorized, and inappropriately searched under the guise of identifying patterns? The safeguards and accountab account accountability measures the QPD have provided leave much to be desired.
As one can envision many instances in which members of the QPD can argue a search is related to an ongoing case when it is not. This has already occurred in other Massachusetts jurisdictions. In New Bedford, for example, it's been reported this week that two police officers were misusing ALPRs.
One of them concocted an elaborate account of their flock and other records searches as being related to a narcotics investigation when they were using these databases to secure information on a former romantic partner and their new partner.
The QPD is allowed to save ALPR data for up to 30 days locally. Why does the QPD allow for AOPR vendors to retain our data for up to 120 days? Quinsey residents have found their personal information unilaterally provided by the QPD to a third party vendor.
Therefore, the QPD has the obligation to refine and amend their contracts with these vendors to prevent the protracted retention of our data. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Isaac Collens. I'm not sure if I'm saying that name correctly.
My name is Isaac Collins and I live at 77 Beach Street. I am a vocal opponent of flock cameras and other ALPR devices as somebody who fled oppressive laws in the deep south. But oh, I cannot read my own handwriting.
I'm so sorry. Um, I am here to tell you the story of a man named Assad Zahir who lived in Kentucky. He was convicted for tracking his ex-girlfriend 24,048 times from January to May of this year with more than 200 searches under a restraining order.
This happened only two weeks ago when he got arrested allowing for unknowable amounts of searches in that time. I am deeply opposed to ALPRs in all of Massachusetts, but at the very least, I'm a strong proponent of both I'm a strong proponent of both uh regulations and monitoring of exactly where they are, as I'm sure many women in Massachusetts are, as this has already occurred at least twice in Massachusetts.
Thank you. Next up is Howard Chen. My name is Howard Chen. I live on 11 Willlet Street. Um I'm also uh against uh any flock and uh ALPR cameras. Um, one of the main things is because of the violation of the fourth amendment and how how um, bad actors tend to not have a warrant and just search for things.
Anyway, um, the other thing about uh, the flot cameras is that it's not just a license plate readers. Um they build um a database and they basically take all information about you including your face, your voice um and your behavior and create a profile on you and put it into a national database that let's just say is a little too easy to access for bad actors to basic for most recent examples is uh stalking uh exes or just general inappropriate searching of of people.
Um, and yeah, that's that's all I have for now. So, we have time for one more before we'll have to have a vote of the council and that's going to be Max Field Caprice. I'm not sure if that's the right thing.
Okay. Hello, my name is Maxfield Capron and I live at 118 Green Leaf. Thank you all for having me here and having everyone else here um in and I strongly oppose the the flock camera systems, ALPRs and whatnot.
But I do not oppose the enforce the um the policing that we use for that in regards to AOPRs. Um so I've been a resident of Quincy Ward 1 for some some time now and I've seen the wonderful things that the city is capable of.
When I came to the city I felt welcomed and safe. But when I learned of the existence of the installation of LPR flock, LPRs by Flock and other uh companies such as Axon, um I grew nervous about the surveillance of innocent residents such as myself and everyone else in our community.
These cameras, while being advertised as just simple ALPRs, have been the subject of numerous privacy and security issues within just the past few years. These privacy concerns have led over uh 200 214 cities and towns nationwide, many right here in Massachusetts to not renew their contracts, remove the cameras, with 90 of those cancellations coming in August of just this year of just August alone.
Uh despite this, the company Flock has ignored these concerns and continued to collect data and install even more cameras even after administrative access actions were taken to disable them. Uh, for example, Cambridge, Massachusetts, uh, ordered its cameras deactivated in October, and Flock continued to install cameras afterwards.
Anyway, a breach of trust that led the city to terminate its contract later that month. Um, and yep, uh, they claimed that ALPRs only take still images and store them for 30 days, but this limit can be overwritten per their contract at any time, and if no limit is explicitly stated, it will remain in their database for a year or more.
Their services create heat maps of traffic, build profiles of citizens, tracks how often they pass by locations, and learns their habits through AI software that has been layered into this uh system since 2022.
Uh despite their claims that this kind of data is not created, this information while initially advertised as being shared and not shared or sold to third parties, has since been proven false as ICE and third party advertisers have had access to these databases spanning the nation.
While cities have had control over whether or not they can share their local database with federal networks, it shows a lack of trust on their word. Most of these features were enabled without approval after the after the contract had been signed even or even that the knowledge that these features existed in the first place.
With all this information, I want to ensure that my statements are properly cited. So, we have organized some packets um to share with all of you if you are interested. Um, and I just want you all to consider uh whether or not uh these uh flock cameras and other cameras um by Axon are working in the best interest of Quincy residents or working in their own best interests.
Thank you. I want to recognize that councelor Ryan has joined and if we could I'm going to be looking for my counselors to make a motion to either extend we have have to extend this past the 20 minutes we're at 20 minutes now so councelor um McKe sorry I did wrong I didn't sorry okay Sorry.
That's okay. So, I move to um take a vote on whether to extend. So, your motion is the open forum for 10 minutes. Do you have a motion to extend? Do we have a second? Council Hubley. Do you want Do you need to speak on it?
Sure. Sorry. Through you and I guess to you. How many more speakers do we have registered? just to give us we have um on this list we have 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 and I don't know if there's any more on the back but they're all flock related and I do want to mention to everybody here tonight that we will be having a presentation from Chief Kennedy and later in the evening council is introducing something that will go into oversight and we will have a public hearing specifically for flock which we'll be asking you all to come back to as well for that.
So, if you don't get to speak tonight, there's plenty of other opportunities, but we just wanted to mention that as well. Sure. Then I'd be happy to second an additional block and then Okay. So, for 10 more minutes, we'll continue.
Okay. So, um council for a second. Sorry. Thank you, Madame President. I think if people already made an effort to all the way come here to give speech, we should give them the opportunity to express their concerns.
And I also think this issue is non due to be discussed. You can see how serious concerns people have. So I do think we should give them the opportunity later everyone who want to speak to speak today.
Okay. Anybody else? It's a roll call vote. Council Ash, yes. Council Deborn, yes. Council Hubley, yes. Council Jacobs, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes. Council Yuan, yes.
President Muhammad, yes. Nine members. So, next up is Kylie Slater. Uh, Kylie Slater, 12 Main Street. Um, so yes, I'm basically saying the same as everybody else, but um, this is really if there's anybody who thinks that ALPRs are useful or helpful in any any way, um, you should know and care about the fact that hyper surveillance harms everybody.
Um even if you are perhaps white and not an immigrant and have a roof over your head, um you should also care about people other than yourself who this is this will affect uh more vulnerable populations um who face the brunt of these um technologies.
Um, and it feels like every day we are being nudged more and more to accept the unacceptable and to let it become commonplace and inevitable and therefore not worth paying attention to like climate change, genocide, AI data data centers being built everywhere, including our water and our air.
Um, none of this is good for a healthy society. None of this is normal or natural. And you may think ALPRs are harmless and nothing to worry about, but our federal and local governments will make note of what we allowed to let slide and keep pushing until we can no longer push back.
Thank you. Next up is Ethan King. Uh Ethan 95 West Quantum Street. Uh thank you city council for your time tonight. Uh you know I I want to speak about the Quincy PD's current policies that they will be presenting on tonight um and the and the compliance review published in the amended agenda.
As everyone knows here, obviously, Flock has become a pariah across the nation. Uh, as it's made its business model to embed itself in local municipalities and just lie to law enforcement, city governments, and the American people.
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, there was a case of an officer using flock safety cameras to stalk their exartner over 200 times they made searches uh on their partner. The city of Milwaukee put the officer on leave and added further restrictions to who can use the cameras as well as uh limiting it to 7-day retention.
Uh after that, there was another case of a Milwaukee officer using the the cameras. This time it was the investigator looking into the first officer that was caught. Uh both of these important note is both of these cases were not caught because of internal audits.
They were caught because the residents were using a a third-party site called defa uh have I been flocked and they found through FI FOA requests that they had been searched. This was not because of internal audits.
After this uh the city of Milwaukee added even more restrictions and promised to do even more audits. Uh after which just two weeks ago they uh they found two additional officers are currently being investigated for using Flock.
uh against the policy. So clearly these restrictions are just not working in Milwaukee. And then there's also the city of Shbboen. Um they have the same 30-day retention as the city of Quincy. And the Shbboan a was offered by the Flock company to buy 5 years worth of their data.
This was not in their contract. They had 30-day retention, but this data was being scrubbed, retained by flocked, scrubbed of their identifiers for up to 5 years, and then being sold back to the city and also to third party companies.
So, even if the police officers are saying that there's only 30 days, Flock is just lying. Flock treats our legitimate privacy concerns and these clear violations of their contract as nothing more than PR issues to be spun and lied through.
Many of these new policies have already been rolled out elsewhere and have failed elsewhere. This is not this meeting tonight and the the presentation is not addressing our concerns. It's window dressing.
The legislation has clearly not caught up to this technology and until the legislation does catch up, these cameras should be banned in the city of Quincy, not just Flock. All ALPR cameras should be banned until further legislation is created.
Thank you. Zachary Christopher. Name and address, please. Hi, Zachary Christopher, 67 Montlair A, Quinsey, Massachusetts. Um, ward three, Walter Hubli, love you. Doing a great job. Same with the rest of the council.
Great work. Uh, of course, I'm here to speak on flock cameras and a lot's already been said, but don't worry, I've got something different. So, we've all seen Terminator, right? You know Skynet, right?
It started as a net of AI surveillance cameras and a push for automated robotics. So the question right now that we're all here to discuss is, hey, do you guys think we should build Skynet? I remember watching that movie, Please Don't Build Skynet.
I just think it would be really cool if we did, though. And this is bigger than just Flock cuz there's also Ring cameras owned by Amazon. Every private business has their own publicfacing security cameras on CCTV systems.
There's traffic cameras owned by municipalities. There's satellites taking images all the time. Google Maps taking images of every street on the planet. This is a full coordinated net of mass surveillance and that could be taken over by certain bad actors like a guy on YouTube who discovered dozens of security flaws in flot cameras.
His name is Ben Jordan. About an hour of content on the topic details a bunch of hardware, software, and firmware hacks to completely take over the cameras both online and in person. Don't do that. That's a crime.
and other tidings of woe from the dangerous corners of the internet, such as Instagram reels, where there have been inconspicuous tutorials on the fastest and quietest way to cut through aluminum pipes.
Again, that's a crime and nobody should do it. But you should be aware of the surveillance net around you. And two good resources if you're concerned about privacy in a net of surveillance. Look into maps.dlock.org or the cctv.m Massachusetts piratesparty.org map.
These take from open street maps and they map surveillance in the entire world. So you're out of time. Thank you. Thank you. Andrew Carlen. Andrew Carlen is next. Um, Andrew Carlen, 63 Brook Road. Um, good evening counselors.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight and for the extended time. Um, like many others, I'm here to talk about our city's contract with Flock Safety. Um, I'll try to not be repetitive, uh, if possible, but, um, I have I have no reason to doubt the good intentions of the Quincy Police.
Um, I think Chief Kennedy has fostered a level of professionalism and responsiveness on the part of the department that is truly admirable. Um, I'm sure this contract was signed with the best of intentions with the goal of keeping our community safe.
That being said, it's your job as our elected officials to keep the big picture in mind, to weigh the trade-offs inherent in any such deployment, and to strike a balance between security and the right to privacy that is the very basis for all of our rights as Americans.
The degree to which one trusts Quinsey PD to use this technology responsibly is is largely irrelevant. Uh, as has been said by others tonight, Flock's business model depends on these cameras being tied into a national network accessible by myriad organizations that are not beholden to Quincy taxpayers.
Flock has a long documented history of misleading police departments about who can access their data and for what reason. Our city doesn't exist in a bubble of our own provincial concerns. It exists in an era in which the federal government is using whatever tools it can to brutalize immigrant families, criminalize political opposition, and harm protesters in our street.
It's in an era in which red state law enforcement agencies are utilizing tools like Flock to track women seeking reproductive health care across state lines. I believe the people of Quinsey deserve a say in whether our city wants to be a collaborator in the authoritarian project being facilitated by big technology oligarchs.
It was mentioned earlier but according to secure justice 90 communities across the US canceled their contracts with flock last month alone. That is three cities and towns per day. I think we should be interested in why.
I know in other countries they have struck a different balance between safety and privacy. In China or even the UK, people are used to a level of surve surveillance that we're not used to here. But I'm an American and I am not comfortable with being habituated to my government spying on me.
Thank you again for the time. Joanne Collins is next. Good evening. Joanne Collins, 88 Hillside A. I'm going to just dance around this because I'm not going to repeat what's already been said. Um, I do object to the Flock APR systems.
Um, I want to first be very clear that my objection is not, as Andrew said, because I do not trust or support our Quinsey police officers. Strong rules protect residents and officers for allegations of misuse.
Quinsey appears to have the largest or one of the largest concentrations of automatic license plate readers of any municipality in Massachusetts. The city currently has more cameras than Boston, Weimoth, LOL, Brainree, Worcester, and more.
Yesterday I visited the Quinsey Mass uh Police Department's transparency portal page. It said it was updated yesterday. Um and it states data owned by Quinsey Mass Police Department is never sold to third parties.
The distinction I'd like to make between never sold and never shared is an important one. Flock expressively allows law enforcement officers to share access with other police agencies, individuals regionally, statewide, and depending on the agency settings, nationwide.
I've heard the argument, if you're not doing anything wrong and you have nothing to hide, then why do you care? However, privacy isn't isn't about having something to hide. It's about limiting the government's power to know where innocent people go, whom they associate with, and what they do.
They can track whether you visit a doctor or therapist's office, your religious institution, political meetings or protests, a reproductive clinic or addiction treatment facility, for example. The other common argument is that flock cameras help fight crime.
Cameras do not prevent crime. They can only provide information after a crime has been committed. I understand that law enforcement needs effective tools to investigate crimes and protect the public. But what that does not mean But that does not mean we should surrender our freedoms or give the government unlimited surveillance authority in the name of public safety.
Warrantless searches of people or of their homes, indiscriminate phone tracking, and many other intrusive practices could also provide law enforcement with useful information. But our constitutional protections intentionally place limits on the government's investigative powers.
Those limits exist for a reason. Flock isn't watching only criminals. It's watching all of us. Another contention is the cameras are in public. There's no expectation of privacy on a public street. Seeing one car on one street is a different thing from creating a searchable history of someone's movements.
I appreciate your time and listening to my concerns. Thank you, Elizabeth Dietrich. Hello, good evening. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. I'm Elizabeth Dietrich. I'm at 95 West Quantum. Um, like so many of the others here, I am here to voice my objections to the use of flock cameras by the city of Quinsey.
Like the previous speaker, I've also heard the common talking point that in favor of the cameras, that if you aren't doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about. But in addition to concerns about government surveillance, I also worry about private citizens and flock employees who could potentially be watching those feeds and misusing that data.
To be clear, I am not criticizing the Quincy PD and their use of ALPRs to date. But the fact remains that flock data is incredibly insecure and has already been misused by many bad actors. For instance, there have already been more than a dozen cases across America of corrupt police officers using the cameras to stalk women.
Flock's own employees have reportedly pulled up the feeds of um kids gymnastics classes as part of demonstrations of their systems. It's kind of creepy, I think, that they had those feeds on file in the first place.
Um, and the cameras themselves are easy to hack. Um, as prior speakers have mentioned, you can go on YouTube and watch people doing it. Um analysts have found dozens of flock feeds that are being streamed unsecured on the internet.
And this is just the malfeasants that we know about the stuff that has made the news. Um who knows who could really be watching Quinsey residents either now or in the future. We already live in a surveillance society.
Our every click on the internet is tracked. Our purchasing information is sold to marketers and our phones are logged by every cell tower that they ping as they pass by. Um, Quinsey PD already has so so many tools at their disposal for solving crimes.
I trust that they can get by without ALPRs. Please don't force Quinsey residents to be tracked by Flock or any of the other companies that offer similar services. Many of the other speakers have made excellent points about uh asks for what could be done about this.
So rather than repeating them, I'd like to specifically ask that the city adopt a written plate reader policy and ban audio sensors on the cameras at a minimum and ideally enact a ban on all contracts and installations of new ALPRs.
Thank you, Emily Johnson. Emily Johnson. Okay, sorry. Hello. Um, for the record, I'm Emily Johnson. I live at 118 Greenleaf, uh, Street, Quincy, obviously. Um, and rather than repeating the speakers that came, uh, prior to me, I just want to say thank you for the opportunity for all of us to be able to speak here.
and um do our civic duty of um sharing what we we believe um as someone who is newer to Quinsey who's been here for only a few years um I moved up here from uh Virginia and up here for opportunity and um with with that being said I carry my background with me and that background being a daughter of a former police officer so I understand the PD's role in safety and I understand um and deeply respect um the officers.
Um however, something that I did grow up as a big um a big talking point um in my childhood was the importance of safety and the importance of not being tracked, the fear of surveillance. Um as I heard from my my father growing up, um who was a detective and did a lot of various things through the police field.
Um, I grew to be wary and always question things. And by having a mass surveillance, constantly watching and not having the correct um, bills in place, um, I fear my surveillance and I fear um the surveillance of all of my other residents of of Quinzy.
So I'm just here to say that um as somebody who is you know not been here for for quite very much time I came here for opportunity in my career and in my life my 20s and I want to be able to do so without having fear of surveillance.
Thank you. Thank you. Next up we have Brendan Morak. Brendan. How's it going everyone? Um my name is Brendan. Uh I just moved to Ward 3. Um living in Wallist now. Um could you provide your address? I'm so sorry.
Uh 39 Park Street. Thank you. Um, personally, uh, lived in Quinsey for a while now. Um, grew up around the South Shore. Grew up on the Northshore with family on the Southshore. I love these areas. Um, my hometown on the Northshore also is uh, getting criticized for these cameras.
Um, that's also a town that I just can't afford to live in. Uh, I was fortunate enough to be able to kind of find a place down here in proximity to my family. Um, and you know, I have a lovely girlfriend and we've made kind of a life here together and I would like to make a life here.
Um, I know this is a different kind of angle than everyone else has taken, but um, you know, I'd like to raise a family here ideally. I think it's a beautiful city with a lot of diversity and a lot of strengths.
Um, a history of hardworking people. And you know, despite being a 20some that I hear oh so often, I you know, we don't work hard enough. I like to think of myself as a hard worker. And to think that not only is it, you know, a technology that I don't particularly want to raise kids around, but it's also something that, you know, it kind of hurts to know that, you know, I'm paying for it.
Uh it's not the not the greatest feeling, but um you know I I would seriously like people to consider uh the angle of um you know the concerns of the next generation. Um I think a lot of us speaking tonight have been on the younger side, but I also think we have you know some people are already established and I think that you know it's a broad swath.
I think a large percentage of people, you know, in this city, in this state, in this country are really, really worried and, you know, I'd like to see I'd like to see some change certainly. So, thank you.
Thank you, Elen Nelson. Hi, I'm Elen Nelson. I live at 28 Village Drive in Quinsey. Uh, thank you Quinnsey City Council for this public comment session for residents uh to express themselves freely. Um, I also am speaking on the ALPRS.
Um, very concerned about cameras that passively track and record all of my movements. my daughter's movements, everyone's movements in Quinsey and um not just vehicles tied to criminal investigations, but just everyday private residents going about their lives.
Um I found the ca the flock camera near my house that tracks my daily movements, which is very creepy. Saw it on the way here. Um and it's mass surveillance. I don't Yeah, I just don't I can't imagine anyone would want to be in a mass surveillance society.
Uh many and many towns in Massachusetts have already ended their contracts. um not just Cambridge but Abington, Attalboroough, Auburn Air, Bellingham, Dartmouth, Douglas, East Bridgewater, um almost two dozen towns um have terminated their contracts and over privacy and constitutional concerns that everyone's spoken about.
And I ask our Quinsey City Council and Mayor Ko to cancel any and all current and future AOPR contracts, including flock safety, remove the existing flock uh surveillance cameras, and please protect the privacy of our residents.
Thank you. So, we're at the second. We're at the second. So, we have about 1, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight more people left. So, we need another vote to extend it a little bit longer. Sorry, I'm still in summer break.
Um, so I would like to make a motion to extend it and and um I actually I think because this is the first time when we're taking a vote, we've sort of this council is the first council that allowed open forum before there was no opportunity to speak.
So we're kind of learning as we go. Um I think that um moving forward we'll try I would like us to have more public hearings about specific topics like flock um so that we can then really keep public the open forum session to to 20 minutes so we can get more of our agendas done.
Um but this time since it's the first time we're really um kind of doing doing the thing where we take votes I would like us to be able to hear from everyone. So I I mo I make a motion to extend. Do you have a motion to extend?
Do we have a second? Seconded by council. Okay. Can we have a roll call vote? Council Ash, yes. Council Dana, yes. Council Hubley, yes. Council Jacobs, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes.
Council, yes. President Mahoney, yes. Nine members. All right. So, moving on, we have Thanks. I'm sorry. Um, Diego just I'm not sure if I'm saying your name correctly. Diego, thank you. If you could just state your name and address.
All right. I'm Diego Alejandro. Um 11 Willlet Street. Uh I'm going to keep this pretty short because there are a lot of people in here and quite a few opinions tonight. These cameras are sold to QPD with the intention of public safety.
That's not something I'm opposed to because Quincy sets a pretty high standard in a state that already tops the charts. That's something we really should be proud of. The problem is Flock does not care about our standards.
We've already seen the headlines and we heard it tonight. About a month ago, the Grass Valley Police Department ended their Flock camera contract. A few hours ago, it came out that Flock reinstalled the cameras without permission, then turned around and blamed the city for it.
They said they took them down too quickly. In February, they gave themselves the right to sell your every move. And then Flock revealed that they can turn any camera into a Flock camera by just installing some software.
That's pretty concerning because someone earlier tonight said that in Florida and Georgia their employees are watching kids in gymnasiums. Now, we don't know if they've done it here largely because flock is about as transparent as that wall behind you.
If you walk down that way, there are two flock cameras right next to the Quincy like not Quincy the Stop and Shop HQ. There's one around just about every school and park in Quincy. The middle school down there has one about 500 ft right next to the Taco Bell.
I understand that QPD wants to keep us safe, but Flock AI tells other police departments that innocent people are violent criminals. Some of our residents, and I assume some people on QPD are veterans.
They went and fought for our freedoms. The flock CEO says he wants us to compromise on our freedoms. This doesn't sound like a company that wants us safe or free. The city government has a pretty important job to do, but part of that is to protect our constitutional rights, even if it means we can't implement technologies that sound great on paper, but in practice or abused.
The founders understood this 200 years ago. There's a reason they wrote the Fourth Amendment. And there's a reason that Ben Franklin said that when you abandon freedom to achieve security, you lose both and deserve neither.
We are the city of presidents. It's on our motto. Quincy Adams walked our streets. We should take a page out of their book because this is about more than the cameras that exist. This technology is dangerous.
It's unamerican. And I hope that our city can consider whether flock promises whether flocks promises of security are worth compromising on our freedoms. Good night. Thank you. Next up is Bill Zamzo. Good evening.
I didn't think you'd make it down to me. Um, we're going to have a change of subject. I come before you with an impending dire financial problem concerns. The problem funding the mayor's fiscal year 2027 budget.
I reviewed the numbers and so found ugly, serious ugly. I also found a further troubling footnote buried at the bottom of page 21 of the city's official statement dated July 14, 2026 standard and pores ban bond rating report.
The footnote, arguably a due diligence disclosure states that the city expects to use the majority, if not all of this amount for the purposes of the 2027 budget. The reference amount is the city's 24 million in untapped property tax levy.
Tapping all of the levy would give rise to a roughly $600 property tax increase on the medium assessed value property residents on top of the typical several hundred annual property tax increase with the end result a conservatively projected 9 to 10 and a half% increase in residential property tax bills come 2027.
Such an increase would be on the order of twice most other communities increases in 2027 as well as at least close to the largest property tax bite in the Commonwealth on a duly weighted assessed value basis.
Granted, there's some variables, not to mention some unknowns. However, the footnote fits abandoned glove at my pro for calculations. Also note that taking down the untapped levy poses further ugly. For starters, the city's reserves down would be taken down to a fifth of recommended best practices and city guidelines, tapping all the level.
It would also leave the city of Quinsey uh hard upon its Prop 2 and a half spending limits and taxing limits come 2028, as well as for years to come. As such, likely serious cuts to local services, perhaps a call for a prop 2 and a half override, as well as all but surely another cut the city's credit rating to to one that would be among the lowest in the mun municipal rating in the Commonwealth are likely.
Accordingly, I call upon the council to press the administration on the record as soon as possible on how it plans to fund its 2027 budget come tax rate setting time in December so that local owners can provide for what is looking to be a record-breaking property tax increase in 2028.
That and how the administration plans to both set and then fund city budgets going forward. Thank you for your time and consideration. Brian Hurley. Hello, I'm Brian Hurley from 44 Summer Street. Um, mine is also about flock, but luckily I've crossed off large chunks, so hopefully it'll be quick.
Um, I like to think I'm a very technical person. I work as a systems engineer deploying different servers and systems at my job. I also have a passion for cyber security and one of the systems that I administer is partially a facial recognition system.
Um, so I personally don't quite care for the ALPR systems, but I'm trying to avoid my personal bits. So, I'm just going to talk about like the things I would generally consider if I was thinking about deploying it at my job.
Um, you can go up to most of those cameras, push the button on the back of them a few times, they'll open up a little Wi-Fi access point that you can connect to. You type in a command and you have full admin access on the device.
Um, they also set up a demo website. any one of us, we could just right click on it, view the source code, there's an API key on there. You could use that to then connect to a lot of, you know, production environments similar to our own.
Um, also a lot of security researchers who have worked with them basically said that they didn't really respond that well to them and they tried to have them sign NDAs so that way they couldn't share the information that they found.
A a lot of people say that that's generally not a good thing to do because that makes it hard to have a thriving secure environment. Um so I would like for us to you know cancel contracts and remove those.
Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Aaron Cooper. Aaron Cooper. Okay, we're gonna move on. I don't see anybody moving. Um, Christristiana Kohler, Christina, I'm sorry, Christina. No, all good. Hi, Christina Kohler, 64 Glendale here in Quinsey.
Um, I don't have a I don't have a prepared statement like so many of the wonderful speakers beforehand. Um, I am just a concerned mom of a toddler whose bedtime I'm missing, who ran out right before dinner being like, I feel very strongly that I need to come and say something here because I do not want to be raising my family in a mass surveillance state and that's what we're setting up here in Quinsey.
Um, and that's what is growing exponentially here. We have seen the way that this goes in other municipalities. other folks have cited so many wonderful examples um that I will not um come to to repeat to all of you.
But just to summarize what freaks me out about this so much and what I've heard other folks say here, I think that we know from what we've seen that restrictions and audits internally don't work in having the impact.
Um, and we can have almost everybody internally here um, at the QPD be using this with the best of intentions and then there all you need is like one or two folks to sort of be working around as bad actors in the background to have really devastating results.
And I really respect the restrictions that have put in place. But those just don't accomplish the outcomes that we need. there is no way to restrict yourself into having the outcomes that you need on this huge unfettered access to just an inordinate amount of data.
Um we know that flock is insecure and is getting all over the place. The the information as many folks have cited that flock says is secure is just not and can be accessed by way too many people. We should not be leaning into that.
This is not something that like I'm I'm a tech worker as well. I'm a software engineer. this is not something that I would ever bring into my home. Um, and I think we also know that Flock is so clearly out for themselves.
They are not out for us the same way that our public institutions are. We should not be relying upon them to be accomplishing what we want from this. They are like so many big tech companies out there.
They are going to be selling their data to anybody who is going to buy it. They are going to be doing as much nonsense behind the scenes as we have seen time and time again with them. changing contracts, adding new features, not sharing this information, they are going to be doing and are doing whatever they can possibly get away with to just make the most out of our money.
Even though we are paying the money in the contract, the thing that we are actually selling them is our personal information, the video of me and my child walking down the street. I ask you to please not sell that to them and please not have us be the product that they are making money off of in all of their under all of their other behind closed doors contracts that they are then going into and doing with our data behind the nice public face of oh we're here to work with public institutions like this.
That's not where they are ultimately making their money. That's not what their product ultimately is. Um so I'd ask you to please cancel the contracts. Thank you. Elizabeth Bedrich. Oh, you already spoke.
Okay. You were listed twice. Um Helen Shiner. Oh, sorry. Are you Elizabeth? Yes, I am. Okay. All right. So, it's Elizabeth Budrey, 949 Hancock Street in Quincy. I'm going to keep it really, really short.
Um, thanks for allowing us to speak, city council. I know many of you ran on platforms of transparency and standing up to power. And so I ask you to ask hard questions of uh of Flock and Quincy PD as we move forward on this.
I think Christina covered a lot of the things points I wanted to make about Flock being a tech company that makes money off of us. Um we've all gotten really used to tech companies. um just keeping our data and making money off of it and it's convenient, but I think more and more of us are realizing that maybe there's like a a price to that convenience and maybe we don't want to live with that anymore and we want to at least um push back on it.
So um thank you. That's all. Thank you. Thank you, Helen. Good evening. My name is Helen Shiner. I live at 23 K Clapley Street in Quinsey. Um I think we've heard from a lot of people their uh discomfort with Flock and maybe some of the other companies.
I think we've also heard a lot about people talking about living under a mass surveillance state. I have a slightly different question that I'd like to pose to you. For those of you that have lived in Quinsey the last few years, you may remember a woman that was abduct abducted at Wallist train station.
The woman was raped and she was held for a protracted period of time. If we had had something like this in place, would that have helped to end that woman's suffering a little bit earlier? Would have it would have aided the police in finding the perpetrator any quicker?
Some of the other things that we look at are silver alerts. So, our parents and grandparents with Alzheimer's that need to be brought back home safely in a more timely manner. Abductions, Amber Alerts.
These are some of the things that we need to think about. And while I understand Flock may not be the company, there is benefit. And I ask you to think about some of those things. I ask you to think about that woman that was held for days and raped.
If we could have gotten to her quicker, if the police could have gotten to her quicker, is there a benefit to that? Now, you know, I've known Chief Kennedy for a number of years in his role as a police officer and now as the chief.
I have the utmost confidence in his efforts to restrict this as much as he can and I think most of you know that he's also an attorney. I think we have to have to have some faith in the people that are leading this and that are telling us that we need some of these tools and again I fully understand Flock may not be the company.
This may not be the right technology but you have to think about you know I I've I've heard people talking about I don't want to be filmed walking my child. I I feel like I'm being monitored. So if we find the right technology that's protected and that information is not mass distributed, there is benefit and I ask you to keep the people that have suffered because they couldn't be helped in a quick time frame.
Thank you. Thank you. This will be our last speaker for this evening. It's Susanna Woodford. Good evening, council members. My name is Susanna Woodford. I live at 27 Taber Street in Quinsey. I moved to Quinzy from Florida 5 years ago um next month in October of 2021.
First I lived in Wiston and now I live near the BJs. When I left Florida, I sought freedom in Massachusetts, hoping I could outrun the policies of the very same Floridaian politicians who are now destroying our country.
I was a special education teacher in Florida when I had to make the decision to uproot my entire life because my school district was becoming unsafe for me, a queer disabled person to work in. However, due to the 50 and growing number of ALPRs in our city, I am feeling more and more unsafe.
I am a domestic violence survivor. I escaped two years ago. The data shows that ALPRs are frequently used by abusers to find their escaped partners. I fear for myself and other survivors who by leaving their house to do anything could be stalked by their abusers.
I urge you council, please remove all of the flot cameras, cease the contracts, and never install them or anything like them again. Make Quinsey safe for those of us who need a safe haven. And in doing so, make Quinsey safe for everyone.
Thank you. So, at this point, we're going to close the open forum, but I do want to remind everybody who's here in regards to flock tonight, we will be having a public forum, and we will want you to come back and and restate some of the things we had because it's it's really the record that we needed on, but we do have it from this evening as well.
So, I thank everybody for coming out. I apologize if there was anybody who did not get to speak. We are trying to make sure we can get our work done at the same time. So, thank you for that. All right, we're going to move on to um item number two, which is review of the open meeting law complaints regarding the June 22nd, 2026 meeting.
So, at this point, everybody in your pack everybody should have in your packets the um there was two complaints that were sent to the council. I'm going to start by saying um there there are two complaints.
The first one is a complaint filed by Miss Leah Dloria concerning a June 22nd oversight committee meeting and special council meeting. The second is a complaint filed by Mr. James Perkins concerning councelor Hubli and alleged communication regarding pending legislation.
Um we're going to take them up separately. So we're going to start with Leah Dloria's complaint to the council. Um so madam clerk and members of the council. The first complaint before us this evening is Mr.
Dloria's regarding the June 22nd 2026 oversight committee meeting and special council meeting. I want to begin by making it clear the council takes all open meeting laws seriously. We have reviewed the complaint.
the meeting sequence, the minutes, the contemporaraneous reporting and the re and the record of what occurred that evening. The complaint states that Mr. Gloria was asked to leave during the oversight committee meeting and that she was denied access to the 7:00 special city council meeting.
The complaint was also alleges lack of warning, denial of access, viewpoint, discrimination, and interference with her right to observe a public proceedings. The council's review tonight is focused on whether the open meeting law was violated.
The meeting timeline is important. The minutes show that the oversight committee meeting began at 6 pm in the great hall with chairman Jacobs presiding. The committee was was addressing the council and aging department's head um that the the theft and the federal charges um along with related oversight questions.
The minutes show that the oversight committee was recessed at 6 6:49 p.m. After that, the rules committee met briefly and the special city council meeting opened at 7:03 p.m. and was recessed at 7:04 p.m.
That timing matters. The special city council meeting was not an o ongoing full council meeting at that point. It was opened, the roll call was called, the open meeting law was read, and it was recessed almost immediately and the body returned to the oversight work committee.
The oversight committee later adjourned at about 8:31 p.m. The special council meeting was not reopened for substitent council business until 9:54 p.m. that evening. Based on that record, I do not believe the meeting sequence supports the claim that Mr.
Gloria was removed from the oversight committee and immediately excluded from ongoing special city council meeting. The special city council meeting had opened briefly and recessed almost immediately.
The council also reviewed the conditions in the chamber that evening. The circumstances were difficult, disorderly, fast-moving. Contemporary reporting described the meeting as tense and stated that the purchasing agent and a um in and a spectacular were ordered to leave spectator was ordered to leave amid disruptions, chaotic exchanges with counselors.
The record also reflects that this disruption involved more than one person. The meeting minutes note that the purchasing department after was after after what was described as an outburst directed at counselors and the chairman Jacobs later commented on that conduct.
The Patriot Ledger reported that Mr. Gloria could be heard from the audience criticizing council president and chairman Jacobs ordered um ordered both Miss Logan and Miss Dloria to leave the premise with Mr.
Gloria shouting expletives as she departed. The council understands that microphones were turned off during the portions of the disruption and that not all statements from the audience were captured in the meeting, audio or police report.
That is part of why it is important to look at the full record including the minutes, the sequence of the meeting and the in the and the accounts of the meeting. The open meeting law protects the public's right to attend and observe meetings public bodies.
The council recognizes and respects that right. At the same time, the open meeting law does not prevent the chair or presiding officer from maintaining order, enforcing meeting rules or addressing conduct that disrupts an orderly conduct of a meeting.
Massachusetts law states that if after a clear warning from the chair, a person continues to disrupt, the chair may order the person to withdraw. In ordinary circumstances, that is the preferred practice is to provide a clear warning before any person is removed from a public meeting when circumstances are allowed.
However, that evening, the room was not moving in a good direction. The chair was attempting to regain control of the meeting so the public business could continue. Mr. Gloria was asked to leave as part of that effort to restore order, not because of her viewpoint or the substance of anything that she said.
The council is also seeking clarification regarding the physical boundaries of the council chamber, the purpose of the meeting, management, and the pro public access. The council's understanding has been that the chamber includes not only the main floor, but also the balcony up above and the area immediately adjacent to the glass doors on the second floor.
We want that to be clarified so expectations are clear for members and the public, council leadership, staff, and public safety personnel going forward. After the June 22nd meeting, it became clear that council committee chairs, staff, public safety personnel should have a more consistent procedure on how warnings, removals, and public access issues are handled during meetings.
That is why prior to tonight's council meeting, I met with the committee chairs with the police chief Kennedy and supervisors to review and tighten procedures for responding to disorderly and unruly or disruptive conduct from the public meetings.
The purpose of that meeting was to make sure everyone is on the same page going forward. This is not an admission that the open meeting law violation occurred. It's a recognition that we should improve our process to protect both the public access and the orderly conduct of public meetings.
This response is not based on anyone's viewpoint or the subject matter of the discussion. It is based on the meeting record, the sequences of events, the conditions in the chamber, and the council's obligation to conduct business in an orderly manner.
For the purposes I do not believe, For these purposes, I do not believe this record supports the finding of council violating the open meeting law. And at this point, I'd like to open up to anybody's questions.
And if there's no questions, then I'm going to ask that we move to have a motion. And I'm going to read the motion. I just need somebody to to to say they they move the motion. I move that Quincy City Council find that no violation of the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law occurred with respect to the complaint filed by Miss Leah Dloria concerning the June 22nd, 2026 oversight committee meeting and the special council meeting and the council authorized that the president council may that would be me to issue a written response to the attorney general's office of open government on behalf of the council.
Can I ask that state a motion for that? I just need somebody to to say so moved. Councelor Riley. So, do I have a second? Second about council Yuan. Can we have a roll call vote for that? Council Ash.
Yes. Council Debana. Council Hubley. Council Jacobs. Council McKe. Yes. Council Riley. Yes. Council Ryan. Yes. Council Yen. Yes. President Mahoney. Yes. Nine members. Excellent. Moving on to the second open meeting law.
Um this came from James Perkins in regards to councelor Hubley. Um for the second complaint before us tonight, Mr. James Perkins regarding councelor Walter Hubley alleged communications concerning pending legislation.
The complaint alleges that during I believe it was the same night, June 22nd, it was a good night. 2026 meeting, councelor Huby referred to speaking to a former member of the Lemonster City Council uh regarding an ordinance under consideration.
The complaint identifies council Hubli as the person as the person alleged to have committed the violation and concerns of discussion related to agenda item 2026-031 repeal of annual raises for elected officials.
The question before the council is whether that whether that alleged communication con constituted deliberation in violation of the open meeting law. The open meeting law defines deliberation as communication between or among a quorum of the public body, a public business within the jurisdiction.
It does not prohibit every conversation or individual counselors may have with a non-member of the council. Based on the complaint and the records before us, there is no evidence that councelor Hubli communicated with a quorum of the city Quinseek City Council outside a posted meeting.
There is no evidence that the person he allegedly spoke to was acting as an intermediary or conduit for communications among the Quinsey city council members. No evidence that members were pulled. No evidence that consensus was sought or reached.
no evidence that opinions of a quorum were exchanged outside of the public meeting. The communications alleged that the complaint appeared to involve counselor seeking a rece council seeking or receiving background information from a person outside of Quinsey City Council and then referencing the information during a public meeting itself.
That does not establish deliberation among a quorum of the city council. The council also notes the counselors are not are permitted to gather information, speak with residents, speak with subject matter contacts and prepare for public meetings.
What the open meeting law prohibits is a private deliberation among a quorum of the public body or a serial communication used to accomplish the same results outside a posted meeting. Based on this complaint reviewed, I do not believe this complaint establishes a violation of the open meeting law.
So again, I'm looking for somebody to say so moved. I move that the city of Quinsey the city of Quinsey council file that no violation of Massachusetts open meeting law occurred with respect to the complaint filed by Mr.
James Perkins concerning councelor Walter Hubley and the alleged communication regarding pending legislation and that the council authorized me to issue a written response to the attorney general's division of open government.
So moved by councelor Riley, seconded by councelor Jacobs. Roll call, please. Councelor Ash. Yes. Council Deona. Council Hubley. Council Jacobs. Yes. Council McKe. Council Riley. Yes. Council Ryan. Yes.
Council UN. Yes. President Mahoney. Yes. Nine members. So now we're moving on to item number three. Update and overview of data privacy and compliance with the Quinsey Police Department ALPR system. Thank you very much.
Welcome, Chief Kennedy. Thank you, counselor. Um, good evening, President Mahoney, members of the council, and members of the public. Uh, thank you for giving me the opportunity to come before you tonight to provide an update on the Quinsey Police Department's use of automated license plate reader technology, or ALPR as it's commonly known.
Uh, I want to begin by thanking the members of the council and residents of Quinsey and everyone who has taken the time to raise questions and concern about this technology. Uh, I have been listening.
I've listened to the questions raised by members of the council. I've listened to members of the public and I attended the recent Get the Flock Out of Quinsey event at the library. While I may not agree with every character characterization of ALPR technology technology that I heard that evening, I did hear legitimate concerns about privacy, data security, government power, and the protection of civil liberties.
And I believe those concerns deserve to be taken seriously. That's why as chief of police, I directed my command staff to conduct a comprehensive data privacy and compliance review of our ALPR system, which was sent to each of you uh and is now posted on our department website.
Uh I didn't do that because I believe the system is inherently problematic or that we were using it inappropriately. I did it because I believe we should constantly be asking ourselves whether we can do things better.
As a result of that review, we have taken additional steps to make Quinsey's system even more restrictive. Quinsey is now operating as a closed ALPR system, meaning that no outside law enforcement agency, local, state, or federal, has direct access to Quinsey's cameras, our network, or our live camera feeds.
Access to the Quinsey ALPR network is limited to a small number of detectives, specially trained uh traffic investigators, and supervisors. And just to put things in perspective, out of the 237 sworn Quinsey police officers, only 47 have access to the system.
I do not have access to the system. I do not need access to the system. We have also elected to opt out of nationwide ALPR data sharing while we while we evaluate additional safeguards. In addition, we maintain administrative controls, authorization requirements, and auditing of system use.
These aren't just words in a policy. These are restrictions we have put in place to govern how the technology is actually used. And I think that distinction is important. I also want to clear up what I believe are some fundamental misunderstandings about ALPR technology.
The Quinsey Police Department does not use ALPR as a tool to watch the people of Quinsey. It is not a surveillance tool. We do not use it to follow residents going about their daily lives. We do not use it to monitor someone's activities because we're curious about where they go.
We do not use it to build profiles on law-abiding citizens. ALPR is an investigative tool. It's another tool available for our detectives when they're investigating a crime. When an investigator has a legitimate case and needs to determine whether a particular vehicle may have been associated with that crime, ALPR technology can potentially provide an investigative lead.
And importantly, our searches are associated with case numbers. We use this technology incredibly sparingly. The fact that hundreds of thousands of plates may be captured by cameras does not mean that hundreds of thousands of people are being investigated.
Those are two very different things. The overwhelming majority of vehicles captured by our cameras are simply vehicles driving through Quinzy. As of this morning, during the past 30 days, our cameras captured over 704,000 license plates.
However, only 134 were actually searched. and all plates searched were for a legitimate investigative purpose. Put another way, of all the plates captured during the past 30 days, 99.98% were never searched and will be deleted from the system within 30 days.
I want to say something personally because I've heard a lot uh about tonight about civil liberties. I am a strong supporter of civil liberties. I don't believe that the government should have unlimited power simply because technology makes something possible.
In fact, I think one of the most important responsibilities of a police chief is to understand that the power we have been given by the public comes with an enormous obligation to use that power responsibly.
Public trust is hard-earned and easily lost. This police department has spent decades building trust with our community and I assure you I will not be the one to lose it. We do not live in a police state and I don't want to run a police department that operates like one.
Our officers respect the constitution. We respect people's privacy. We respect civil liberties and I believe public safety and civil liberties are not mutually exclusive. We can protect people's constitutional rights while also giving our officers the tools they need to investigate serious crimes.
In fact, I believe we have an obligation to do both. But there is another side to this conversation. When we talk about ALPR, we understandably talk about privacy. But I also think we have to talk about the people who are victims of crime because there is another side to this discussion that sometimes gets lost.
There is a victim. There is a survivor. There is a child who is missing. There is the family waiting for answers. There's the person who is the victim of a violent crime and wants to know who did this to them.
And as chief of police, I have a responsibility to those people, too. If we have a homicide, a sexual assault, a kidnapping, an armed robbery, a serious hit and run, or a missing or endangered person, I want my detectives to have every lawful investigative tool available to them.
Not because we want more power, but because we want more answers. In criminal investigations, time matters. A tool that can give an investigator a lead in minutes instead of days or hours can make an enormous difference.
It can help identify a suspect, establish a timeline, recover evidence, corroborate information, locate a vehicle. In the case of a missing person, it can and has helped us bring them home. I also want to make something very clear.
ALPR does not solve crimes. The cameras don't interview witnesses. They don't conduct interrogations, obtain search warrants, establish probable cause, or make arrests. My officers do that. ALPR is simply another tool in the toolbox.
The men and women of the Quinsey Police Department are the ones who take the information, investigate it, corroborate it, develop probable cause, and ultimately bring cases forward for prosecution. Technology doesn't replace good police work.
It makes good police work more efficient. Ultimately, I think this conversation comes down to a very simple principle. We should never use technology simply because we can. We only use it when there is a legitimate public safety purpose and we put reasonable safeguards around it to prevent misuse.
I will always listen to legitimate concerns about privacy. I will always be willing to examine our policies. I will always be willing to make our practices more restrictive when doing so makes sense. But I will also continue to advocate for the men and women of this department and their ability to use lawful investigative tools to protect the people in this city.
Because I don't believe protecting civil liberties requires us to leave our police officers with one hand tied behind their backs. And I also don't believe protecting public safety requires us to sacrifice people's constitutional rights.
We can and we do do both here in Quinsey. At the end of the day, this isn't about watching Quinsey. It's about protecting Quinsey. It's about helping a detective find the person responsible for a serious crime.
It's about giving a victim an answer. It's about giving a family hope. It's about finding a missing child, a vulnerable adult. And it's about giving my officers another tool to do the job that I ask them to do every single day.
I never want to stand in front of a victim, a survivor, or a family member and tell them that we could have done more to find the person who hurt them or to find the person they love. We just chose not to.
That's not the police department that I want to lead. I want a department that protects people, respects their rights, operates transparently, and uses technology responsibly. And I believe that's exactly what we're doing here in Quincy.
Uh thank you again for allowing me to speak and I'm happy to answer uh any questions that you may have. So at this point I'd like to open up to our counelors but I do want to remind we we will be having this going into oversight as well.
So for this presentation this evening does anybody like to ask any questions? Go you. Thank you. Thank you madame president. So when I introduce that order I want to like give uh public hearing. So usually you need a 10 days notice on newspaper.
So give people sufficient time to be aware of it and to prepare their questions. And uh I didn't know you will present give a presentation until last Thursday. So and I request you uh put the summary on the online but um that's that's only last a week.
So I don't know if people have time to read your um summary and uh raise question. So I suggest um we we can save the uh Q&A section at the public hearing section. So uh by that time people have time to digest your um presentation and raise further questions and we will invite you come to the public hearing answer people's questions.
So um so so I think maybe we can save Q&A section at the public hearing because immediately after presentation people probably haven't time to digest and doing research certainly. So thank you very much Kenny.
I think what's what's happening is I think this was I as we spoke earlier um we were all getting a lot of emails, phone calls. I believe you were getting the same thing and and I do think it's important that we hear from the people tonight and that we have a public hearing for people to come out and speak again.
And then what we can do is we can come back and kind of work through some of the some of the questions that people have and help if we need to tighten things up or potentially talk about other options that we have.
But I do think it's an important thing just like you said tonight. You want to make sure you have the tools for your police department to be able to get what they need to be done. But and we are do we are respectful of ci people's civil civil liberties but at the same time we have to make sure that we're empowering the people who are trying to protect us as well.
I think this is a bigger picture throughout the whole country because of the tool itself the technology itself and how it's being used by third parties not necessarily how you're using it. So it's there's a lot to dive into.
I don't know if there's anybody else that has any questions at this point tonight, but I think our best point might be to move on and have it um at the oversight meeting. Would it be okay with you, Chief, if we submitted some questions in advance, too?
Yeah, that'd be fantastic. Okay. Thank you. Pass it. I'm sorry. We're having a little sidebar up here. Okay. So, so we're having a we're having a sidebar to make sure that we're going to pass it um pass Miss UN's um Council UN's um ordinance to put into oversight and then that's what will be taken out.
So, when we put into oversight, we'll publicize the the public hearing and then we'll have you back and we'll send some questions ahead of time. In the meantime, if there's any other questions, people can continue to email us, email Chief Kennedy, and then we'll try to make sure everybody's questions are being answered.
But I do thank you very much for your patience to stick around and talk to us about this and for all the support that the Quincy Police has been for all of our residents. So, thank you. Thanks for having me.
Absolutely. I'm going to read it in first. Yeah. Number four, 2026 0104 order regarding the city of Quinsey's use of flock safety technology. So this is council. Do you want to speak on it and committee?
Uh thank you madame president and uh I want to talk about the reason we introduce this order to um request to have a public hearing andformational section about Queen's use of block safety is because as we heard um people have a serious concerns about using of uh flock um al uh city council have received numerous communications from from residents and we introduce this order and is a is ask to give a public hearing, give people an opportunity to speak out their concerns and ask a specific questions after um after the police chief gave the presentation.
Um, so I sorry I do have a question but the police chief already have we're going to but we're going to put into committee so I think we're going to have a chance to Oh okay. And I want to briefly say people push back this flock technology is from white political spectrum.
It's not just a liberal versus a conservative issues. Blue states, purple states, red states are all pushing back against the flock. So, Texas governor just announced to stop spending state money on flock surveillance cameras.
and the Florida governor administr governor's administration and the Florida Department of of Transportation ordered the physical removal of all automated automated license plate readers from state highway rights of way within 30 days and across the country people have serious concern and push back.
So can you read that? Yeah. I think when communities across the political spectrum are asking the same questions about the privacy, data sharing, accuracy and accountability. We should take those questions seriously.
I also have a two major concerns. First, the government did not inform people before deciding to use flock, the mass mass surveillance tool. Quincy started using flock in 2020. People were not informed.
They found out on their own. Then in the public pressure, the administration began updating some of its policies. And after six years of using flock, we are now giving people a presentation about it. Letting people know after the fact does not build trust.
Second, the government made the decision for people but not with people. We all understand there is a serious tradeoff between privacy and security. But instead of discussing with residents whether this is a tradeoff they are willing to make the government simply made the decision for them.
Parents can make decisions for their young children but American citizens are adults. They have a voice. They deserve a say in decisions that affect their privacy and their freedom. How does the government know that the people are willing to give this much privacy for this level of security?
And as an immigrant who came from a country and the centralized government, I want to tell you liberty is precious. As John Adams said, liberty once lost is lost forever. Do you think John Idens will agree the government use mass surveillance to track people in his hometown in whole country and my speeches stop here.
Thank you. If we need to make a motion just for passage and to refer it into committee. Do we have a motion? Motion for motion. Motion by Richard Ash. Sorry, Richard. Go ahead, Richard. So the question so motion is to move this order to oversight committee then discuss which date for a public hearing.
So we're going to make a motion to refer it to passage and to refer it to committee and then later in the evening we will talk about the dates for that committee. Okay. Just one. Yeah. We have a motion by council.
We have a motion by councelor Ash. So we have a second councelor Riley. Good. Second by council Riley. Um, do we need a roll call vote? Roll call vote, please. Council Rash, yes. Council Deborna. Council Hubley?
Yes. Council Jacobs? Yes. Council McKe? Yes. Council Riley? Yes. Council Ryan? Yes. Council UN? Yes. President Mahoney and members? Yes. That'll be referred to to oversight. Um, moving on to number five.
2026 05. order approval of location and lease of solar energy implementation on general mcconville way park and garages. So we're going to table that. We had got information from the administration that they want to table that for this evening.
So we're going to put that on number six 2026 106 order oversight of public works enhancement fund chapter 92 active 2004. It's councelor Riley. That's Riley. Thank you. Thank you, President Mahoney. I'm bringing this item forward to supplement council order 2026-081, which is a resolve to audit the lease deductions, expenses, and payments by Corey Hills Associates brought by council Ryan.
This matter tonight is specifically on the city's use of those funds once received by the city. Chapter 92 act of 2004 established that 50% allocated for DPW road and sidewalk projects, 10% to oversight of the Corey Hills operation and 40% to the city's general fund.
This order was introduced on November 10th, 2003 by then city councelor, now state senator, John Keenan. It was introduced after the city negotiated a new lease with Corey Hills Associates for the operation of the Cory Hills Recreation Complex.
Specifically, it sets reporting requirements to the city council each year, no later than March 1st. What had been used in a prior year and what was planned from the city's pavement management plan for the coming year.
That oversight has not been followed for it seems to be quite some time, if it ever was. Now that we have the city spending over $500,000 for a parking lot, not an allowed use. This was a home rule petition which needed the approval of the state legislator legislature to make it a law and yet it has not been followed.
So I will ask the city solicitor why hasn't this law been followed and will you uphold this law? Now, I ask that we refer this to the oversight committee for further discussion along with the C Cory Hills audit and that no money be expended from this line until this matter is resolved and the law upheld.
Thank you. So, do we have a motion to move it into passage and move it into oversight? Yes. Move into oversight, please. Do we have a second for that? Second by council Jacobs. On the motion, do we also Did you also have a motion for no money?
I want to make sure we're doing this correctly. Did do you also see no money? I am suggesting that no money should be spent from this line until this matter is resolved. This is a law, okay, that has not been followed.
I I would like to also make one more footnote here. Um the home rule petition granting Corey Hills a new lease has died at the state house. The matter was not voted out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee by July 31st and therefore the current lease remains in effect under these 2003 terms.
Yeah, but but they're going to be expending the money. She wants to vote open. um if you're gonna have it. So, we have a roll call vote for putting it into committee and we'll come back on um to we'll start there.
Okay. Right. Council. Thank you, Madame President. I have some comment about this order. This order started with a simple concern. The administration planned to spend around 700,000 to expand a parking lot for a future indigenous culture center without informing the city council.
councilors found out about the project only after seeing the bead posted on the city's website and when the administration held a community meeting about this project last Wednesday the process had already closed.
So I want to ask why hold a community meeting to ask a resident for their opinions after the city has already put out the beat. Isn't this the same pattern as we just talked about with flock? The government makes the decision first, then tells people afterward.
And quite often resident or even counselors found out about it on their own. That does not build trust. And going back to the issue of the fund this fund 10% of cory hill le income goes into the oversight account and how has the administration been spending this money.
The administration hired a project manager to provide oversight and pay pays his 120,000 salary from this account. But look at the numbers. In physical year 2023, the count the account received 82 82,000 814.982.
In fiscal year 2024, it received 87,904. fiscal year 2025 84,000 62 620 and the fiscal year 2026 90,000 514. So clearly the a new revenue coming into this account is not enough to cover 120,000 salary.
No wonder the account has a deficit of 174,989.77. So my question is where does the city get the money to cover the difference? Which account is paying for it? Where is the transparency? and uh and is this really the best way to use this money?
Why not create an oversight committee with residents, counselors, and community members with relevant expertise? Many people are willing to serve the city just as they volunteer do on other boards without costing taxpayers another $120,000 a year.
This is my comment. Is it a comment or a question to um if if uh chief of staff Mr. Walker can answer the question? Well, I'd like to keep it to a limit just just because it's going to go into committee, but I'd be happy to open.
Thank you, Madam Madam President. That was basically going to be my question. we're litigating this evening or if we are putting this into committee has been the practice and advised by this body. Um some of the numbers that have been raised in a couple of these comments I have not seen I do not know at this point in time.
We're happy to talk about that. It's certainly within the council's purview to review these numbers. Uh certainly within the council's purview to have a discussion about this. Uh and we're happy uh to come back with a full report on how that money has been spent over the years and what good it has done for the community.
But um it's certainly up to this body how they want to litigate this. But it does feel at times that the administration gets asked to provide stuff in advance and then I'm being asked questions from numbers I don't.
So again I I think what we're having here is that we're all in this situation. Um with all due respect, Mr. Walker, we were a bid went out and money was being spent and we were quote unquote ear air ear tags here.
Free money was what was said it was. And it's not free money. It's actually um it's part of the it's part of the public works enhancement and that is supposed to be that was created in 2004 acts of 2004 chapter 92 and it does state in that in that act in 2004 when it was passed that we that the council will have a meeting every March to give us an update on that.
I don't believe it ever happened in my six years that I was on the council. Um back on the council this past spring didn't happen then. there is a there is a resolve um I believe it's in either finance or oversight also for the audit of granite links and I think what's really happening here is you know the summer is a busy time the city was moving ahead with some of these things and it came as a surprise for many people now I think what I'm hearing here and I just want to clarify first we had a resolve that we were putting it into oversight to talk about the chapter 92 public works enhancement fund but I'm also hearing a second piece so I just actually think we need to amend the language to say it's going into committee.
And then pending completion of the oversight committee's review of compliance with chapter 92 of the acts of 2004, no monies from the public works enhancement fund shall be expended, transferred, incumbented, or committed or otherwise obligated for proposed Nickerson parking lot project.
That's what I'm hearing from what I heard tonight. That's that's partly what I'm hearing. And it's because we haven't had a chance to have that meeting. Once that meeting once we have that meeting, we can certainly debate the the facts there, but that $700,000 that's been put aside for that needs to come back here and oversight and be explained how the money has been used historically and what the rules are around that.
Um, so I had a motion, I believe, by councelor Riley put it into oversight. Was that true? Yes. Do you accept my friendly amendment? I would gladly accept your friendly amendment. I have it written down.
It was seconded by councelor Ryan. And now a roll call vote to put this into oversight. Council Ash, yes. Council Debon. Council Huley. Council Faker. Yes. Council McKe. Yes. Council Riley. Yes. Council Ryan.
Yes. Council UN. Yes. President Mahoney. Yes. Nine members. Okay. Moving on to item number seven. 2026 107. resolve requesting a comprehensive update on the municipal broadband project in consideration of a path forward in light of emergence emerging private competition.
And I'm going to turn this over to council hub. Thank you, Madam President. Um so yeah, I'm putting forth this resolution to get an update on the municipal broadband uh effort that the city undertook started undertaking um some number of years ago, maybe seven or so years ago.
Um, having worked in the broadband industry, it was like my first career that I was in for about 25 years, working for all kinds of different fiber and coax uh based broadband and wireless providers. When I heard the city was embarking on this effort, I thought I was quite excited about it just both from a technology perspective and from a consumer perspective, paying a lot of money for Comcast and and the like.
Um but over time the marketplace has evolved, the environment has evolved and the original reason why the city uh started looking into doing this was the lack of competition. Uh and that's clearly what people wanted.
People get frustrated. You have an outage at your house. You can't work from home. You can't, you know, get your kids schoolwork turned in. It's very frustrating. It's become very utilityike. Um, so I think in light of the changing landscape of different competitors, it's worth revisiting where we are with this effort and to determine, you know, the most appropriate way to move forward.
So, I'm excited to dig into this and would love my colleague support in approving this and referring it to the municipal tech committee, which I'm going to give an early plug. I'd love to schedule. Pardon me.
Early plug. I'd love to schedule it. I'm just trying to get ahead of everyone else. All right. We have councelor Uubi who's referring um 2026 107 um for the comprehensive municipal broadband into MUNCH.
Correct. Mhm. Do we have a second on that? Second. Second by councelor Riley. Do we need a roll call vote for that? Yep. Okay. Council Rash. Yes. Councilor Deona. Yes. Council Hubley. Yes. Council Jacobs.
Yes. Council McKe. Yes. Council Riley. Yes. Council Ryan. Yes. Council UN. Yes. President Mahoney. Yes. Nine members. Okay. Next is number 8, 2026 108 resolve letter of support for enforcement of the 2024 ballot question one.
And this is going to go over to councelor Riley. Thank you, President Mahoney. Yes, I am bringing this um this resolve forward to um to follow the lead of some other communities that have expressed um you know concern that the ballot question number one from 2024 where the the um voters overwhelmingly over 70% of the voters voted to support the state audit to audit the legislature.
Um, and since then the House has put forth their own version of the bill um or their own version of the solution, I guess. Um, so I would like for this body to to um send a letter of support to the auditor and our state legislators and the governor expressing support for the bill as it was written.
Um, I double checked all of the Quinsey uh voting records from that time and every single precinct voted nearly in the 70% range in support of this question. So, I think we need to send a a written statement of support for the auditor and the work that she's trying to do with this.
Do we have that in a motion? A motion, please, to send the letter. Yes. Thank you. A second. Councelor Jacobs, a second on the motion. Does anybody have any questions? Roll call vote. Council Ash, yes.
Council Deorna. Council Hubley, yes. Council Jacobs, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes. Council Yuen, yes. President Mahoney, yes. Nine members. Number nine, 2026 109. Resolution request the new Brillfield Sport hockey rink be named in honor of David Andy Andrew Debana.
I'm going to council Jacobs. Hi. Yes. Um I'm introducing this tonight um in memory of David Dabona. Al we called him Andy. Um I'm just going to read it in its entirety. audiences. Whereas uh David Yandra Deona was a lifelong resident of Quinsey and a proud member of the housed dedicated his life to his family and his profession um and in the service of others.
And whereas Dave was born Quinsey January 6th, 1972, June 6, 1972, sorry, and graduated from Quinsey Vocational High School in 1991 where he learned plumbing, a trade that would become his life's work.
Whereas more than 25 years ago, Dave founded Firstclass Plumbing and Heating and became a respected master plumber known throughout our community for his honesty, integrity, professionalism, and commitment to quality workmanship.
And whereas Dave generously shared his knowledge, volunteering his time to teach at Quinsey Vette, mentoring young people, and entering the plumbing and trades and providing continuing education opportunities for his employees.
And Dave's love for the Quinsey and particularly hous inspired many years of dedicated community service including his leadership as president of the House Neck Community Council which I had the pleasure of serving with him on that for many many years.
Whereas though uh whereas through his work with the community council, Dave devoted countless of hours to organizing neighborhood events, creating opportunities for residents and families to come together, the annual housing charter fest holding a particularly special place in his heart as well as the summer movie nights.
And whereas Dave possessed a remarkable ability to make everyone he uh met feel welcome, valued, and part of something larger than themselves. And whether they were a neighbor, a friend, a fellow trades person, or young person just beginning their career, even while courageously undergoing treatment for cancer, Dave continued to speak proudly and enthusiastically about House Neck and the community events that meant so much to him.
Whereas in recognition of his extraordinary service and dedication to House Neck in the city of Quinsey, Dave was presented a lifetime achievement award in 2026. And above all else, Dave was devoted husband to his wife Terry and a loving father to his children Giana and David and cherish son of my neighbors uh David Deona and Kathleen Deona and a beloved brother to his sister Amy and loyal friend to countless others.
Dave passed away on July 27th, 2026 at the age of 54 following a courageous battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy of leadership, generosity, friendship, and service that will continue to inspire the people of Aeneck and the entire city of Quinsey.
The new sport court, the hockey rink at Brilfield, will serve as a place where children, families, friends, and neighbors can gather and play and strengthen the bonds of community, reflecting those same values that guided Dave throughout his life.
Now, therefore, be resolved that the Quinsey City Council respectfully requests that the new sport court hockey rink at Brilfield be formerly named the David Andy Deona Memorial Hockey Rink. in lasting recognition of his exceptional leadership, his many years of service to House Neck in the city of Quinsey, and his lifelong commitment to bringing people together.
And be it further resolved that an appropriate permanent sign or a commemorative plaque bearing his name be installed at the rink so that future generations can learn of Dave's contributions and inspired by his example of community service.
And be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Dave's wife Terry and his children Giana and David and his parents David and Kathleen and sister Amy as an expression of the city council's deepest sympathy, gratitude, and enduring appreciation for a true community leader whose legacy will forever remain part of our neck.
Thank you. Um so we'll need a motion. This is going to go to the mayor's office to be referred to the part of the wreck, right? to be referred to park and rec. They'll be the ones that make the determination.
But if you could make a motion to refer to the mayor's office to pass on. Yes. So I'd make a motion to uh refer this to the mayor's office so that way it can be uh put on to the parks and recck board to have this formally passed through the parks and rec board.
Do we have a second on that? Second by councelor Hubley on the motion. Anybody have any questions? Um councelor Hubley. Oh, sorry. Yeah, just a brief few few brief words. Um I don't even know where to begin on this one.
Um, you know, Mr. Dabono was an incredible community builder. Um, in fact, it was the housing council that I encountered, my wife Katherine and I encountered, gosh, back in 2010, maybe that really inspired us to start the Wallist Hill Neighborhood Association.
In fact, we leaned on the team there quite heavily on how how to form it. Um, we we we essentially looked at what they were doing down in House Neck and said, "We'd like what they're having." Um, that's actually how I put it.
Um, and just in and I'm Dave was just a a common fixture and his dad his whole family uh in so many things that happened in down in house neck and we've been volunteering I think for every my wife and I for every Chowderfest since 2010ish I want to say.
Um, and and always there always there for everything and for everyone. Um, so I would very I fully support this recommendation to the parks board uh for this type of naming. Just a great guy. So, thank you.
Is anybody else on the council? Thank you, ma'am. Thank you, Madam President. Um, I too um knew Dave over the years. Um, they told him he had one to two years to live and he he lived three and he was helping everybody up until the last days of of his cancer.
and um long lasting lasting um person in the community and I want to thank um Mr. Jacobs here, uh, Councelor Jacobs for bringing this forward. Um, he very instrumental person in the community, all of Quinsey, just to help other people.
That's that's what all he was about, whether it be the Chowderfest or stuff for the House Neck Community Council or anything. He he would do anything he could to help people. So, um, I think this would be a great uh memorial for him um, up at Krill Field, which is for the hockey rink there.
Thank you. Anybody else? So, I just might take a point of privilege. Oh, sorry. Can I take one more? You can go right ahead. Yeah, I just want to add a few more things that um came to my mind. Um, you know, one of the things Dave did every year was build an ice rink for kids to to skate on.
So, I think this would be a very good, you know, memorial for him. Also, I just want to say, you know, as a member of the community, being on the uh the community council, uh you had lots of great ideas, change changed a lot of things, did a lot of great things, but one thing that I will never forget was during the snowstorms that we had and the power was out um in Marimo like for almost 24 hours.
And um you know, he we had no heat calls. He just went out and he didn't say, "Oh," he goes, "I'm going out at 5:00 am. I'm gonna leave at 4 and I'm I'll I'll hit those three people's houses on the way out of house neck and we'll get their heat on." Uh, one person who most of us know uh was having pretty difficult problem and he went back there over and over again until that uh problem was solved.
So, uh he was just a really great guy, a really great neighbor, a really great friend and he is, you know, he needs to be remembered. So, I'm hoping the mayor's office will pass this forward and the parks board will will pass it as well.
All right. Thank you. So, I you stole my you stole my thunder. I knew um I've known I've known Dave's family for quite some time. I can't put the exact date on it, but I feel very honored to have known both his parents and his family and gotten to know them and they are truly and I counselor I mean um clerk just said salt of the earth.
They truly are. And when you think about this man had stage four cancer and during the last winter, this past winter that we were going through, he was out helping people that needed plumbing needs because their heat was off.
And he put many people ahead of himself. He put his family his family is the the really this whole purpose why he was here. He's so proud of that. And the only thing other than the housing council as well as um his family might have been his boat.
So So I'll never forget um bubbles up. So, I too hope that this skating rink because for years they were putting it together themselves, flooding the area down there and piecing together a skating rink.
And now there's a beautiful rink down there for people to use. And and I would be so thrilled if I knew that was named after um David. I didn't know him as Andy Deona. And I'm sure the Deona family would feel um a little bit more loved by their community if we were able to do that.
So, I'm just going to end there because they're very close friends of all of us. I think anybody that's ever gone to anything in House Neck would have to know a Dona for that. Um, so we have a motion on the floor second.
Do we need a roll call vote? Roll call. Council Ash, yes. Council Dana, yes. Council Hubley, yes. Council Jacobs, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes. Council, President Mahoney, yes.
Nine members. Next is item number 10 20226110 a gift for $975 from various donors to deer camp. Do I have a motion to approve by motion to approve by council Dona? Second by councelor Jacobs with a note to be sent.
We'll call vote. Council Ash. Council Dana. Yes. Council Hubley. Council Jacobs. Yes. Council McKe. Yes. Council Riley. Yes. Council Ryan, yes. Council unan, yes. President Mahoney, yes. Next. Number 11, 2026 1111.
Gift for $3,000 from various donors to deer. Motion to approve. Motion by councelor Deon, second by councelor Jacobs. Thank you. A letter to thank you that to thank the donator. Donator. Um, roll call vote, please.
Councelor Ash. Councelor Debana. Yes. Councilor Hubley. Yes. Council Jacobs, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes. Council UN, yes. President Mahoney, yes. Eight members. Next is number 12, 2026112.
Gift for $10,000 from Copeland Family Foundation, Inc. to Dia. Motion to approve. Motion to approve by councelor Dona. Second by councelor Jacobs. Please send a letter of thanks. Roll call vote. Councelor Ash.
Council Debana. Yes. Council Hubley. Yes. Council Jacobs. Council McKe. Council Riley. Yes. Council Ryan. Yes. Council Yuen. Yes. President Mahoney. Yes. Eight members. Number 13, 2026 113. Gift for $7,500 from the Copeland Family Foundation, Inc.
to the Quinsey Animal Shelter. Motion by Deon. Councelor Deon, seconded by Councelor Jacobs. Roll call vote. Council Ash. Council Debana. Yes. Council Hubley. Yes. Council Jacobs. Council McKe. Yes. Council Riley.
Yes. Council Ryan. Yes. Council Yuen. President Mahoney. Yes. Eight members. Okay. So, we're moving on to the approval of previous minutes. We're going to be approving the minutes from 542026 through 6226.
These are the combined council and committee meetings and the finance committee meetings. Do I have a motion to approve? Motion approved by councelor Deona. Second by councelor Riley. All those in favor?
Okay. Um any against? I didn't ask that. Nobody's against. Okay. Communications and reports from the mayor and other city officers, city boards, clerks and traffic utilities. Yes. Um, I do have um some traffic requests to refer to ordinance committee for advertising.
Ward one, councelor Jacobs adds two stop signs on Rock Island Road northbound and southbound intersecting with Bird Street creating an all-way stop. Add two stop signs on State Street eastbound and westbound intersecting with Palm Street creating a two-way stop.
Add stop at Rock Island Road northbound intersecting with Sea Street and add a handicap parking at 189 Taffrell Road number one. Ward two, Councelor Ash at a handicap parking at 99 Chub Street. Ward four, Councelor Ryan at a handicap parking at 19 Conell Street.
Ward six, Council Riley at handicap parking at 6 Pier Street number two. We also have a utility request to refer to public works committee for scheduling and advertising utility grant to location go net speed to 29 SEN street and shed street.
Is that finished? Um so we have unfinished business and proceeding meeting meetings. Nothing. Moving on to reports of committee. Um councelor Hubley. All right. So, um, this report is on behalf of director Kjini, u, director of veteran services.
Uh, so we thought that the sum the time frame between April 1st and June 30th was going to be a little bit of a slower period of time, but uh, there were actually 122 VA claims. Each claim uh, requires significant staff support, including several office visits, follow-up calls, ongoing documentation.
It's a time uh, intensive nature. So, the veteran service office office has been working diligently um for chapter 115 financial assistance. The department currently administers uh for 118 uh eligible veterans and and dependents uh including medical only cases uh state funded program supports low-income veterans, surviving spouses, and eligible dependent children.
Um during this period of time uh there were six new applications and there were eight cases that were closed due to eligibility, relocation or their passing. Uh for employment support services, there are currently three active employment plans.
Participating veterans uh attend weekly meetings, provide job search documentation, and submit regular updates. The goal is to provide long-term self-sufficiency and successful reintegration into the workforce.
Um under burial assistance and grave marker submission, the department provides assistance uh during times of loss uh for bur burial benefits, grave markers. We they submitted 11 marker applications um during that period of time.
And let's see, I think that sums it up. So, as you can as you can hear, uh, veteran services even over the summertime and ear and early summer months, uh, it's a very active office and they're doing great work.
So, I just want to extend my thanks and this report is available on the website for anyone who's interested in more information. Thank you very much, councelor Huby. And then we have uh, reports of committees from ordinance.
Councelor McKe, the one traffic the traffic. Oh, do we have I don't know. Do I have it here? Thank you. Okay. Um Okay. So, a motion to um remove uh 2026103 from ordinance committee and um pass it through the full council.
is to add handicapped parking at 15 Walker Street in Ward 6. So, we have a motion to remove it from motion to remove it uh from the ordinance committee and discuss it and pass it to the full council. Do you have a second for that?
Council Riley second. Do we need a roll call? Roll call vote, please. Council Ash, yes. Council Debon, yes. Council Hubley, yes. Council Jacobs, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes.
Council UN President Mahoney. Yes. So this is now to pass it. Um so to motion to pass 2026103 to add handicap parking at 15 Walker Street in W 6. Okay. So we have a motion to pass. We have a second. Anybody on the motion?
Roll call. Council Ash. Yes. Council Deon. Yes. Council Hubley. Yes. Council Jacobs. Yes. Council McKe. Yes. Council Riley. Yes. Council Ryan. That's the council. You win. Thank you. President, yes. Members, that ends our um reports of committee presentations of petitions, memorials, and remmonstrances.
Oops. Council Dono. Thank you, Madam President. It's a heavy heart to um Thomas Pecarero just passed away this past week. Um Tom was born and raised in Quinsey and graduate of Quinsey Trade School. He was a master plumber and served as the chief of plumbing and gas inspector for the city of Quinsey and inspectional services department.
If anyone knew him, he was a phenomenal guy, very funny. He loved his job and cherished the many friendships he made throughout his 30-year career with the city. Um, he was full of life. He loved being near the ocean and summering at White Horse Beach.
He also enjoyed lobstering, cooking, and entertaining. Most of all, he cherished time spent with family, friends, and especially his grandchildren. Devoted father of Thomas Pecaro Jr. and his wife Maria Taylor Beagette and her her husband Liam.
A loving grandfather of Marcy uh Delila and Alexander, cherished son of late Francis Fran and Dolly uh and Mary W. Dolly Peerro, dear brother of um Marca uh Slagger and her husband James of Quinsey and the late Marilyn Dresky and surviving husband um Donald Ronald.
much more loving uncle of James Slagger and his wife Deborah, Tom Slagger and his wife Dominica of Welsie and great uncle of Bria Neva and Dean, former husband of Maria Pecarero of Quinsey and Tom is loving surviving of a dear friend Amy as well extended Mary um family members, friends and colleagues.
if you can keep the uh Picarero family in your thoughts and prayers um the wake and funeral just this past week and um he will be very dearly missed. I can tell you that much. Thank you. Thank you very much.
Councelor Deona, any other councelor Ryan? Uh to you, Madam President. Uh now that the primary election is over, I would respectfully request that um the city clerk clerk Nicole Kriso and her team if she could just provide us with a summary of the voter turnout um by ward and precinct and if there were any um issues with the census with people not being recorded as a registered voter and the signs.
I know I had asked before about more signs, but if there is a lacking of um employees that can help with the signs, I certainly would raise and help out with putting the signs out and collecting them.
Thank you. Are you asking that to be on the agenda? Uh yes, if that's possible. Yes. Just to do a report on the collection. Yeah. Council. Um Thank you. County Council President and thank you for your questions.
Council, um the results are online so you know anyone can look at them. I can get you paper copies if you want if that's something that you all want. Um but they are online and um it was a very successful election.
I think we had um you know minimal problems um throughout the day. The inactive list is always um a little bit of a challenge, but we've worked really hard to cut it down so that people aren't bogged down by it.
And um and uh I think that, you know, with the turnout that we had, um which was predicted, the rain, you know, um but we had a great day and um it was a big success. Okay. One one question. Do you um compare the results from a prior um election to see if there's an increase or a decrease or if there's um You do.
Okay. Absolutely. And so did you see an increase this election? It was a it was up a couple of um percentage points, but it basically stays about the same. Same. Okay. Yep. All right. So, because this isn't on the agenda and you're asking for it, I think we should probably just maybe a quick update the next meeting.
Sure. Okay. And I will also get that map out to you of um where the signs are throughout this. That would be great. Thank you. We're working on it. Anybody else with councelor Hubé? Yes. Thank you, Madam President.
Um just to let everyone know, uh the Wall Hill Neighborhood Association, of which I'm still a volunteer, uh but is now headed up by Mr. Bob Loracco who's doing a excellent job. Uh they're having their we are having our Saturdays in the park events which is every Saturday in September.
Over the weekend we had uh a great group of people two bands performing uh food and beverages available for sale. So uh we're having events every for the next three Saturdays down at Safford Park on Bee Street.
You can go to wallstonill.com to learn more specific information. So, we'd love to see everyone there and congratulations to the rest of the team that had a great event. And I don't know the date yet for um the Monontlair Wallist Neighborhood Association's Pumpkin Spice Festival, which I was going to get today, but I forgot to, but I'll update that next time.
Thank you, Councelor Jacobs. Thank you. I just want to remind folks that on September 19th, 2 to 6, the House Community Council will be having the annual Chowderfest. I hope to see everyone there. I think usually everybody is there looking around.
Feel like I've seen everybody there. Coming. Chris, you coming? Very good. Um hope you you'll be there. And um you know I forget. Is it the 25th? I think it's the 25th year we're doing it. I think it's the 20th or 20th.
I can't remember. But um yeah. So hope to see everybody there. Again, it's um September 19th from 2 to 6. Okay. Anybody else? Oh, Council McKe. Sorry. Hi. So, it made me really happy to see so many new faces in the audience um of the council today.
Um and I just want to let you all know uh anyone who's a resident of Quinsey anywhere in any ward um is invited to join um something that I started this this year uh called resident councils. So, it's a way to kind of work together with other residents to talk about issues that you would like to see changed in the city improved.
Um, and it's really kind of policy based. Um, so if you go to bit.ly/quinseycounsils, um, you can sign up to join there and then you'll get an invitation to join an online platform, Discord. um to talk about things.
I'm not on that. No one's on the council's on that, but um you can talk with each other. And then once a month, we'll have um an in-person meeting that I do help facilitate. So um yeah, please continue your civic engagement.
I really think that the community is stronger when we're all working together. Thank you, Council McKe. Um so we're going to go back. I just want to make sure that we're staying on target. was presentations or petitions, memorials, or remmonstrances.
It's turned into a um I guess a advertisement. Um council, is this a remmonstrance or kind of Well, we want it to be either it is or it isn't. If it's an announcement for another event, we're not that's what we're doing.
So, council remmonstrous. Okay. So, thank you, President Mo. Um, so I have a comment about this the city's plan to build a culture center for to honor Native Americans. So last Wednesday, city uh held a community meeting and from the national statistic there are around 200 Native Americans living in Quinzy.
So I'm wondering has the administration reach out to this Native Americans to let them know there is a plan to build a culture center for them because looks like mayor only contact with the chief of the Massachusetts tribe nonpaid uh uh band and I did talked with the chief and he told me there's no member of his tribe living in Quincy.
So who are those 200 native Americans living in Quincy? Has city listen to their opinions about this project? And should city also have a community meeting with Native Americans living in Quincy specific about this project to honor them if they even don't know this?
How can you say you are you respect them and um want to honor them? So my question is um have the city made a council and it's a it's a remmonstrance you're making right now. Okay. No question. Okay. Um, so I think if you really care about the people, you should first connect to them and listen to them instead of just make a decision for them.
So back is the same as that flock. Don't make a decision for people, but make decision with people. So that's my comment. Thank you. Do we have any other remmonstrances? Councelor Riley, did you councelor Riley?
Okay. Thank you, Madam President. Um, I would like to take a moment to wish all the students, teachers, and their parents returning to school tomorrow the very best for the coming school year. Schools need to be a safe place in order for learning to take place.
And it is my hope that every student is spared the online bullying that has become so pervasive in this digital age. I'm not sure what brings out such hateful behavior or the desire to humiliate and intimidate one another, but I will say that I believe it starts at home.
Children become what they see from the people they look up to. And I am truly appalled at what I am seeing from grown adults online. People who think their opinions are facts and spread ut utterly false information as truth.
People who think it's okay to bring our families into their online cess poolool. Even more disappointing is the people who like and comment and share the lies. Who spin a whole tale from absolutely nothing factual, who make outrageous assumptions and draw utterly false conclusions, all for likes and clicks and some sort of online validation.
You are parents and grandparents shaping the next generation of human beings. I hope that they don't emulate your behavior as they return to their classrooms. What I believe is that these people have something missing in their sad existence.
Some void they need to fill. Maybe they are jealous. Maybe they feel unloved or unfulfilled. Maybe they have some unresolved trauma. But the behavior says far more about the bully than the bullied. I have pity for you.
I remember when my son was messed with by an older kid in middle school. And when he confided in me about it, I wanted to go all mama bear on the school, the kid, his family. But my son just said to me, "Mom, I heard his dad is in prison.
It kind of explains why he's angry." He showed empathy and understanding from a young age. That makes me proud. And that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to assume that whatever is going on with people who have nothing better to do than to try to tear me and my fellow counselors down that they find peace and happiness in their lives.
We the nine members of this council were duly elected by a majority of the voters and I know that each counselor works very hard to carry out their duties to the best of their ability. I want to thank the people who reach out to me every day, stop me in the store at an event, and say, "Keep doing what you're doing.
This is what we elected you to do." Disagreeing with the administration or questioning decisions isn't disrespectful. It's necessary for a healthy democracy. And for those of you who profess your faith so loudly, I will remind you of this Sunday's second reading from the letter of St.
Paul to the Romans. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no evil to the neighbor. Hence, love is the fulfillment of law. Thank you. Anybody else from the council? Okay. So, I just want to take a moment to congratulate Al Grazioso, who has retired as the DPW commissioner, and welcome Ed Brennan to his first council meeting tonight as the new DPW commissioner.
I just couldn't not do that, Ed, because you sat there so nicely all night. And um and I and you're probably saying to your wife and your kids, I'll be home soon. I'll be home soon. Thinking, when's it going to end?
So, welcome aboard. So, thank you very much. and I wish Al and his family a great retirement with lots of health, happiness, and stories to be told. So, moving on. Do we have any motions, orders, or resolutions?
Excellent. Upcoming meetings. Um, the next council meeting will be September 22nd. There is a PH utility at 6:30 and um, MUN Tech has already been put on there for 6:35. Okay. And the regular council meeting is at 7:30.
Do we have any other committee? Okay. Councelor Riley. Yes, I sorry. Thank you. I would like to check availability for people to um be able to attend a combined finance and oversight committee meeting.
We have a lot of things that are on the agenda, more things that have been brought to the agendas um for September 14th. Um that is a Monday and I'm proposing 6:30 so that we can try to get through as much as possible.
But I need a quorum. So, we're going to have to check with the calendars for everybody. So, I think um I don't think Coun I don't think the clerk can be here. She's saying that right now. Oh, sorry, Jen.
I didn't check with you. I'm sorry. That's okay. Um I did check with um Sue O' Conor. So, well, I will I will work to find a date. We could if we could work and if the counselors can all be available to check their emails to see um what availabilities are, when the next dates are going to be, we'll have that up and updated.
Um is there anybody else who wants to establish any meetings? You might have the same problem. Councelor McKe. Council McK. Yes. So, I I know that we're going to have a public hearing about uh flock and um I believe if we want to notice it um for the kind of typical twoeek period, uh the first opportunity to have that would be October 5th.
Um, so I'm thinking that we could schedule an oversight committee meeting for Flock with a public hearing on October 5th. Yeah. So, one of the concerns I would say is that I believe because Flock has brought so many incredible people out to talk to us about it that we might want to do it on an off night to the council meeting just because we can dedicate the whole evening for Flock, be able to let people talk and ask, you know, come up for pros and against and be able to hear from people.
So, I would suggest that being on an off night to a council meeting. Okay. So, we'll schedule that offline. But um uh then I guess I will schedule um I would like to schedule an ordinance committee meeting for October 5th then instead for the uh to begin talking about the raises and then we should also have a public hearing um about suggested raises um once we once we sort out a date we can I'll work with you.
That's what changed just the last meeting. Okay. All right. So, that's going to be October 5th. Anybody else to schedule meetings? Counc. Thank you, Madame President. Just to clarify, council McKe ask have a public hearing about the pay raise at October 5th council meeting.
correct or just discuss I think committee meeting to discuss the raises. So I'd like to um present some data and then I guess I don't know if we'll have to work together on a do we want to do that on an off night as well or do we want to have a public hearing for that?
We can have a I mean we can I think what we should do is discuss offline exactly what we're doing because I think this is just gonna starting to intertwine with things. So okay, why don't we um we check in with Jen tomorrow and we can schedule these meetings and send out an email to everybody.
All public hearings will be um once they're decided when they're going to be they'll be they'll be online and we'll be able to send out notifications to our to various different ways to people so they can see.
So check the calendar everybody to find out what night you want to come for public hearings. Okay. Anybody else? All right. Do I have a motion to adjourn? Motion to motion to adjourn by councelor Riley, second by councelor Jac.