City Council

[Applause] good evening welcome to the first city council meeting of 2025 today is Monday January 6 at 6:30 Madame clerk please call the role counselor Ash councelor Campbell pres councelor dine pres councelor D pres councelor Harris Council leang Council mccy pres councelor mitton pres president King pres nine members thank you madam clerk uh please stand with me for a moment of silence please use this moment as you will please turn to the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge 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 Madam clerk please 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 un received by those present and are deep acknowledged and permissible thank you madam clerk uh first item on the agenda honoring quiny firefighters step swe and Sean Brin well first I want to thank uh all firefighters for being here tonight and for the chief for bringing this to my attention uh last week he gave me a call and told me a wonderful story about an Act of Valor uh that uh two of your comrades engaged in in a brain tree uh situation that sounded very unfortunate but it turned out for all the best uh so tonight we're here to honor uh firefighters Steven S and Shan bresin and I'd like to ask Chief Jackson to come up to the podium to tell this great story before we present uh commendations thank you very much for having us good evening Happy New Year to everybody uh thank you council president for having us up here for this so uh the story goes as best as I can tell it and they'll put a level in what I say if incorrect but on October 29th um Steve sweet and Sean Brin they're both residents of brain tree October 29th Steve swe received um a text message that there was a fire going on just a couple of doors down from where sea Brin lives in brry uh Sean read the text message and took a walk down to the house and uh he actually he made contact with this woman she was up in the Second Story window um calling for help and this is prior to any he fire apparatus arriving she John um he made a an attempt to get in uh get upstairs to to perform a rescue and he wasn't able to get in because of the Heat and the smoke so when he came out to address the woman once again and tell her reassure her that people are coming she was gone and he assumed incorrectly so uh she had become overcome by the smoke and she was now passed out behind the apron of the window so um upon arrival of the first brain tree apparatus uh sham was able to uh direct them to throw a ground ladder and make an immediate rescue and there's no doubt about with such an active fire burning you know seconds count here no you know never mind minutes um if Steve didn't pass this on to Shan and sha and didn't act on it it would have been a lot different for this woman in question here no doubt about it so you know just a good example it's a good good way to start 2025 with a a good story of our guys even when they're off duty they're on duty right they're still working together and they're on duty tonight they both work up at the wallison firehouse together but anyways that's the story and uh I thank you very much for uh for recognizing them for this I think it's it's worthwhile thing to do no thank you for bringing to our attention and thank you uh gentlemen we uh we on behalf of the city council we have commendations to present to you the first is uh presented to firefighter Steven site with heartfelt gratitude we commend your quick thinking and calm professionalism during the brancher house fire on October 29th 2024 your Swift decision to contact firefighter bresin who was nearby was instrumental in saving lives and Expediting the rescue of a trapped resident this decisive and selfless act exemplifies the courage dedication and teamwork that Define the firefighting profession it is a privilege to honor your exemplary service and commitment to protecting others and secondly for firefighter Sean bresin with immense gratitude we commend your exceptional bravery quick thinking and calm demeanor displayed while off duty on October 29th 2024 your actions not only refle reflect the spirit of heroism but also your unwavering dedication to the firefighting profession whether on or off duty your rapid response and decisive actions were instrumental in saving lives and assisting your fellow braan firefighters in rescuing a resident trapped on the second floor your leadership courage and commitment during this crisis serve as an inspiration and a testament to the values that Define every firefighter it is an honor to recognize your outstanding service today let's please take a minute to honor both these gentlemen yeah I'd like to invite uh the two you to come up and uh we usually take a a moment recess we take a picture in the well with the group and we can give you uh your commendations [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] okay uh Madam clerk next item on the agenda please number one 2025 001 nomination and election of the president of the city council uh president recognizes or is there a okay president recognizes councelor Campbell thank you Mr President thank you um for this time I would like to um take a few moments and say a few nice things about uh current president um Ian Kane and uh nominate him for uh uh another one year for the uh president's position um one of the first calls I got uh when I got on the council back in January or actually probably November was uh from counselor uh Kane and he was very supportive very kind uh very helpful and he always went out of his way to make sure that uh the communication that need to happen was happening and little did I know uh going into that January how uh exciting I'll use air quotes exciting uh last year was going to be in all of the items that we were going to attack and I think that um based on all of what we did Cover over the past year um I think that the leadership that um president Kane showed during that time was one of the reasons why it went as smoothly as it did even as complicated as it was I think that um his leadership really showed the way so uh it is my honor to be the person to um nominate uh Council Yan Kane for president for uh this session thank you Council Campell uh president recognizes councilor leang thank you Mr President I am I'm so excited to be able to be part of this nomination for your second term as president um I think I had been asking you since we got elected almost 10 years ago to run for president so when you finally decided to um I was thrilled I was over the moon it was about time and I think you know the the best way I can sum it up is there's this picture um that I've seen a bunch of times online in like leadership forms and stuff like that and it's a cartoon kind of picture where there basically is like a side-by-side comparison where one picture you know there's a guy who's like standing up and there's a bunch of people in front of him like pulling a stone you know and he's like got a whip in his hand and it's like boss right and then there's one next to it where that leader is actually at the front like pulling with all those people and this is leader and that picture I think is the best way to summarize who you are to me frankly as a counselor and and somebody who's serving under you under your presidency I think that you know we don't always agree most of the time we don't right we're usually on the opposite sides of the spectrum on things um but that's what I love about your leadership is that you challenge and you push and you do so with this real steadiness and confidence that I think is contagious to all of us right and so you not only make sure that we as a body function well together um in a way that again is steady and confident but that as individuals we're doing so as well with our own initiatives and so I'm just thrilled to have you on as again um again as president and glad you're finally doing it thank you counc is that a second yes so we have u a motion made by councel Campbell to nominate councelor Cain in a second on the floor on the motion seeing none Madam clerk please call the RO councelor Ash yes councelor Campbell yes councel Devine yes councel Deon yes Council Harris yes Council leang yes Council mcafe yes councelor mitton yes president King yes nine members congratulations thank [Applause] you uh point of personal privilege want to thank my colleagues for their confidence in allowing me to take this role for yet another year um it has been a great experience serving as your council president and I have felt um that this has been one of the strongest bodies uh in the 10 years that I've served uh in this role that have actively and collectively worked together to achieve positive outcomes so I appreciate um your your trust in me thank you very much um Madam clerk next item please number two 2025 002 adoption 2025 city council meeting schedule motion to approv made by councelor the Yang seconded by councelor Divine uh Madam clerk please call the rooll councelor ash yes councelor Campbell councel Devine Council D yes Council Harris yes Council leang Council McCoy councelor mitton yes president Kane yes nine members thank you madam Clerk next item please number three 20253 in order adoption of the 2025 political calendar motion to approve made by councilor advine seconded by councelor Campbell Madam clerk please call the rooll councelor ash yes councelor Campbell yes councelor Devine yes Council D yes councelor Harris yes Council leang yes Council McCarthy yes councelor Minon yes president King yes nine members thank you madam clerk next item please number four 20254 a gift for $5,000 for Copeland Family Foundation Inc to friends of wallon beach motion to approve made by Council d seconded by councel McCarthy Madam clerk please call the rooll councelor ash yes councelor Campbell yes councelor Divine yes councelor DB yes councelor Harris yes Council leang yes Council mccy yes councelor mitton yes president King yes nine members thank you madam clerk that concludes our regular schedule for the evening approval of previous meeting minutes motion approve me Council executive by councelor Campbell all those in favor those opposed eyes have it Communications and reports from the mayor other City officers and City boards Madam clerk I do have a a utility request to refer to Public Works committee for scheduling an advertising a grant to location Mass Electric Hannon Parkway and mccon way okay thank you very much Madam clerk unfinished business and proceeding meeting seeing none uh reports of committies chair recognizes uh president recognizes chair leang thank you we just have one out of War I 202 24-1 161 at hanap parking to 26 Plymouth Street motion to approve motion to approve made by Council seconded by Council Campbell Madam clerk please call the role councelor Ash yes councelor Campbell yes councelor Divine yes councelor d yes Council Harris Council leang yes council mcy councel mitton president King yes nine members thank you thank you madam chair uh presentation of petitions memorials and remonstrant uh president recognizes Council Campbell thank you Mr President and I wanted to extend um great wishes to the desar family they lost their matriarch uh Mildred she was 87 years old born educated and lived in quinsey for her entire life um she was a fiery wonderful Italian woman uh from the south quiny area uh she was a dedicated home Homemaker for six kids she had 13 grandchildren uh and I want to say there was about five great-grandchildren um she uh raised her children and then she worked at Bay banks for a few years and then made her way over to Bradley's where she worked for uh 15 years I believe and um she was married to her husband Joe uh who for 69 years and they lived um a great life together um she ruled with an iron fist but loved like no other and um she had some uh great kids Deb Ryan was uh her daughter Dena Earl Diane sponzo Donna Maye Joe Jr and and Ronnie dear were the loves of her life and she was a tremendous woman um and a legend I think in that neighborhood and will not soon be forgotten as Joe Jr made sure that everybody in the uh The Parlor of Sweeney funeral home uh gave one final salute and and uh the best way possible to the neighbor across the street that's what they wanted to make sure they gave that one final salute so uh she'll be missed She Will Be Loved and remember for a long time uh as a great family patri a matriarch for a wonderful family thank you Council C uh president recognizes councelor Harris thank you um it's uh with a heavy heart that um Quincy resident uh and a resident of uh Marina Bay John SW balis uh Boston Police Department uh uh of quinsey passed away on Tuesday December 24th uh he was 80 years old um he was born in Boston uh to Josephine Ambrose and Joseph suis and took great pride in being raised in sou Boston he attended ended South Boston high school and went uh went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts from Boston State College after serving in the US Army and achieving the rank of Sergeant uh um Sergeant uh John went on to serve his community working as a police Boston police officer he patrolled Roxbury before achieving uh before achieving a detective in 1983 John exemplified what it meant to be an out uh an upstanding officer he cons he uh consistently went above and beyond the Call of Duty in his many years as an officer and detective after saving someone's life he received the uh Award of Honor from the Boston patrolman's Association and recognition of his bravery above and beyond the Call of Duty he was the recipient of the award of of Merit in 1978 1983 and 1984 honoring ongoing commitment to the safety of citizens of the city of Boston in 1982 he was awarded the keys to the town of spener and recognition of exemplary action in apprehending an armed criminal responsible for the death deaths of two fellow officers he was also responsible for founding the Boston Police Athletic League to help facilitate positive interactions between the Boston Police Department and the city's youth uh when Raymond Flynn Raymond Flynn was elected mayor of the city of uh the mayor of the city of Boston John was assigned his head of security many jobs uh one one career Boston's future John was a standup officer that not only put his life on the line to protect the city he loved so much but also went on went even further beyond the Call of Duty to ensure a bright a brighter future for Boston his devotion is admired by many and will continue to inspire fellow officers for many years to come John had an active social life being a proud member of the Elks and the Lithuanian Club he had a big personality which I knew very well that was known by many and loved by all who knew him beloved husband of Susan E McMahon suis of quinsey devoted father of John walis and his wife manque of brry and Susan Schwarz and her husband John of Waymouth adoring grandfather to Jake and Jack suis also survived by many nieces and nephews I had the the the the great pleasure of meeting John um uh I think it was the my second uh my the second time running for for the board six and uh it was in the newspaper and he came to a fundraiser and uh Susan his lovely wife and my wife uh hit it off very well and we we all hit it off we became friends um uh we came we became friends and uh like I said earlier uh when he was in the room he was he uh actually uh held held the room pretty uh um you know and let's just say he he ruled it so with that uh my my heartfelt wishes go out to those folks too secondly um I need to during this time mention that tomorrow night at 6:30 um I know letters got to the homes by by Saturday but uh tomorrow night at 6:30 um at the old squantum school uh there's going to be a meeting to inform the neighborhood of the beginning stages of the impacts that will take place uh as we start doing the the city starts doing the work we have many of the department heads and all the people who' have done such a great job uh making this uh 9-year project uh uh come come to place and with the thanks of this Council and the past members of the council who have always supported every time we had to come in front of the body to push it Forward uh our mayor uh who um obviously has done what when it comes to schools him and his Department all the people who find the money through the state programs to have all these beautiful schools that are being built um there's a lot of a lot of uh thanks that has to go out so with that tomorrow night at 6:30 and this meeting will be to deal with uh the impacts of the navis and uh I appreciate you indulging my time thank you thank you councelor uh president recognizes councelor Campell just one other quick one that really doesn't shouldn't be a quick one but we because we'll uh acknowledge it later after the season's over but I did want to give a a shout out to Alyssa Hops uh Quincy High School girls basketball she scored her thousandth point last Monday uh she is the two-time MVP player of the year for Patriot league as a sophomore junior and hopefully her a senior year um she is um going to Babson College on on a basketball scholarship so uh great kudos to her and her team they're undefeated um and North quiny is right along with them and the girls so U very happy for them all but I wanted to at least acknowledge Alyssa's great accomplishment thank you counselor okay um we quiny lost another uh political and sort of community Titan uh recently and that's Francis X bolot who uh passed away at the ripe old age of 101 a longtime quiny resident but passed away in hangam where he' Liv for uh some recent years uh but he died in the comfort of his home surrounded by his loving family uh Frank was born in Boston to the late Peter V and Mary petrielli Botti raised and educated in Roxbury he was a graduate of Boston English High School class of 1940 he earned a bachelor's degree from tus University in 1947 and a jurus doctor degree from Boston College in 1952 he lived in hangman for the last eight years previously in wallison section right around the street from uh my parents were they live now where my grandparents lived before uh for most of his life Frank was a World War II veteran having served in the United States Navy as an intelligence and athletic officer in the scouts and Raiders which was a precursor to the US Navy Seals he received the European African theater ribbon the Asiatic Pacific ribbon one star a presidential unit citation and a victory ribbon during World War II Frank was a prominent figure in the Massachusetts political and business scenes for decades he served as lieutenant governor from 1963 to 1965 and wanted to serve three terms as attorney general from 1975 to 1987 after leaving office he worked in the private sector and helped found the Arbella Insurance Group in the 1980s he also served as a chairman of that company Frank received many awards and accolades throughout the years in n in 2001 uh Frank received the National Association of Attorneys General uh they established award in his name presented to a member of the Society of Attorneys General ameritus whose work has furthered that mission Frank had served as president from that organization from 84 to 85 and in 2012 The quiny District Courthouse was renamed in his honor in 2024 just this past fall he was honored with a bronze plaque in the Navy park at squantum point in recognition for his military service Frank's Legacy lives on through his 11 surviving children his 25 grandchildren and his 17 great grandchildren who continue to honor his memory through their own acts of service um there was a private ceremony for the family that was held and uh there was Arrangements that were made through Sweeney Brothers uh there's some more details that we can put online on um any memory people would like to convey uh in Frank's honor uh there's uh some donations that are being suggested through the quiny veterans Council uh as well as the tunel to Towers foundation in New York uh but Frank was a larger than life Larger than Life person in the city of quiny he will be missed uh and we pass along our most sincere blessings and prayers to his entire family okay uh motions orders and resolutions scheduling of committee meetings and public hearings we have our next regularly scheduled city council meeting on Monday January 2 1st at 6:30 p.m.

be there or be square yep it says Monday here sorry no it's okay it's not your fault I just wanted to make sure I could read so Tuesday January 21st 6:30 p.m. thank you I'll for going uh and with that motion to adjourn all those in favor have a good night everyone [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]