16:00:03 Okay, hold on. I know what to do for that. Okay.
16:00:08 Is there a new link in the email? What does that mean?
16:00:16 858. It's the right number, Harriet. It should work now.
16:00:24 Okay. And then host tools. No, I already did that. So how do I let people come in? Okay, Crystal. Okay, JT.
16:00:40 Okay, that's our note taker. That must be leonor. I think that's how low ticket.
16:00:49 It's true bunny actually wearing like a DPW. The Leonora Galen, though? Yeah, yeah. It's Leonora… You don't want them thinking like some yahoo.
16:02:16 Hello, everyone. If you can raise a hand or move around so I know you can hear me.
16:02:22 We're in a new room. We're just trying to make sure that we can get the screen to display a little bigger.
16:02:30 So please bear with me.
16:03:18 Hi, Holly.
16:03:32 All right, I got you. Sweet. Hi.
16:03:30 Sorry, we were on mute. Only issue is maybe it is my display of… Actually, press the view button wow, I like, who's it there?
16:03:48 Christ, well. Yeah, trademones used to be great.
16:03:52 Oh, it doesn't do anything on there. It just changes yours.
16:03:57 You should have a podcast. So we have like a thousand years.
16:04:04 You gave excellent advice.
16:04:09 So our problem is that we can only see one on the screen, but on my screen, we can see everything.
16:07:20 Holly's device is still muted, just in case you're unaware.
16:07:25 Oh, okay.
16:07:41 Ready to go.
16:07:41 Hello, everybody.
16:07:47 She absolutely can. Yeah. Yeah, we can do speakerphone.
16:08:07 Frankly, I have my reply back. Oh.
16:08:13 I thought I handed it to you. Okay. Awesome.
16:08:18 I'm going to start the meeting. Yes, you may. And I'm recording this so that we have a video to post and i am Got the closed captions going.
16:08:33 And… Crystal, would you do me a favor? Can you click closed captions at the bottom down here?
16:08:42 And then see if you can view full transcript to see if that's working.
16:08:47 It lets you see it. That's just another tool. It won't let me, if I see it, I'm not sure if that's just because it's my zoom It's working.
16:08:57 It is working as after I turned on the captions for my device So it is per device. So if your captions are already on on your device, you will be able to get the the live transcription.
16:09:11 Right. Grab my iPad.
16:09:15 And let's log Helenin if we can.
16:09:23 So, everyone, I'm going to Never bring my gavel. Call this meeting to order of the Somerville Commissions for Persons with Disabilities.
16:09:31 My name is Holly Simeoni I thank everyone for coming today. Is there any way you can move that over?
16:09:42 Yes, I can put it. Right in front of you. That's great. And I'm trying to set up a tablet for you.
16:09:51 To log into so you can have it just for the captions. Okay. Okay. I wish.
16:09:57 I thought to bring my laptop. Thank you. That's great.
16:10:05 You're fine. You don't have to. Can you open up on your phone what the link is for the meeting?
16:10:13 So I want to welcome everyone today.
16:10:19 And… Thank you for your patience. Thank you for having so many guests here with us today. I'm going to go through and just do a roll call. Helen, if you can say here or presence.
16:10:33 Harriet here. Frank? Here. Nick is not able to join us tonight.
16:10:41 I am here, Ms. Ingrid. Thank you for joining. Pauline.
16:10:44 Here.
16:10:48 She's still trying to get on. She may call me back and then I'll put her on speaker okay Michael? Yeah. Nicole?
16:10:58 Here.
16:10:59 Thank you, Marshed. Nikki? Deborah.
16:11:06 And Sheila. One, two, three.
16:11:11 Four, five, six, seven, eight. Nine. So we have nine members present One still trying to get connected, actually eight members present. Yeah, you have to allow yourself up.
16:11:24 Because I'm this signed in as you. But just go there and allow Oh, I got the waiting room. Yeah, there we go.
16:11:34 Was Colleen able to get in? You definitely need to.
16:11:43 Yes. I think she was.
16:11:48 Do you want me to mute this one? No.
16:11:54 That's the one that we were able to hear, Holly. Now we don't hear you. I was just sending Frank a text suggesting that the tablet be muted.
16:12:02 So that you don't get the echo.
16:12:07 But we can't hear you right now.
16:12:12 Hello? Hello.
16:12:15 And…
16:12:15 Pauline. Yes. Success. Thank you for not keeping up.
16:12:22 Well, I'm ready to scream.
16:12:22 Having a mild. Well, we're not going to scream. We're just going to thank everyone for rearranging everything and for being here tonight and for supporting all of us.
16:12:34 I'd like to thank the library for being so gracious. I'd like to thank the library for being so gracious. I'd like to thank the library for being so gracious. I'd like to thank the library for being so gracious. I'd like to thank them.
16:12:44 Why are we repeating?
16:12:50 That's what… Sure.
16:12:49 Oh, boy.
16:12:55 Okay.
16:12:54 Now I've got to get those captions going again. Councillor Scott, I'm so glad you could join us We can make it bigger.
16:13:05 Happy to be here briefly. I'm not sure I'll be able to make it for the duration. I got to go cook dinner here.
16:13:04 I can read that.
16:13:10 Okay, that's okay. There we go. There. Okay, that's good. What?
16:13:17 Not anymore. A recording in progress.
16:13:27 Okay. Echo's gone? Yep. Wonderful.
16:13:35 Yep. Can you hear me?
16:13:32 Everyone hear us? Okay. Yes, I can. And I'm so glad everyone's here. Okay, so we're going to move all around today.
16:13:43 The first thing I want to recognize is Seltzer, seltz, I'm gonna I should be able to pronounce your name properly.
16:13:54 Cider, I can't see from there. Would you mind unmuting and just introducing yourself quickly?
16:13:59 I would love to. My name is Alessandra Sider. I use she or they pronouns. I am the Chair of the Pedestrian and Transit Advisory Committee, and I'm very excited to talk to all of you today about the Union Square walk audit that we are hosting and hoping that SCPD will
16:14:18 Offer to co-host, but also offer insights on how to ensure that it meets the needs of this committee as well as the community.
16:14:29 So thank you. Yes, I was contacted by PTAC and we were talking about how our commissions and committees have a lot in common. Always trying to invite other groups in and also attend other meetings of other groups.
16:14:46 And you reached out about a Union Square walk and you have this amazing program already designed and groups that lead different routes throughout Union. I believe there And you asked if we would like to join. And I said, sure, I'll put it on the agenda. We'll discuss it and vote it.
16:15:06 And so we're here to just quickly discuss that, answer any questions.
16:15:12 What I'm asking that what this is completely voluntary, and I think it's a wonderful opportunity for us to invite not just members from our commission, but members within our own groups that have mobility visual, sensory, different disabilities.
16:15:31 And other people to help walk with those users and of many ages to go along this route and give some collect data and give real feedback.
16:15:41 And so If anyone has any questions.
16:15:46 Alex, if you want to share just a little few more tidbits
16:15:50 Yes, yeah, I'd be happy to. Just didn't want to get ahead of myself, Polly. But thank you for the time.
16:15:57 So essentially where the idea for this walk audit is coming from is There has been a longstanding effort to rethink the way that Union Square works in terms of the streets and the streetscape.
16:16:14 And um kind of the mobility as a whole in union square and there has been this long-term project called the Union Square Plaza and Streetscapes project that is setting out kind of a new vision for how the square is set up, how people can move through it, what kinds of public spaces there are, what kind of green spaces there are.
16:16:36 And it's a great plan. I recommend reviewing it if you haven't had a chance to do so. It's up on But the earliest that that project can start is likely 2028. And it's a little less certain that it will happen even that soon, given the uncertain federal funding situation.
16:16:59 But Union Square is and continues to be one of the most heavily trafficked squares in the entire city in terms of both pedestrian and cyclist traffic.
16:17:11 It's a huge mobility hub, obviously. There's the Green Line Station. There are a number of bus routes that move.
16:17:17 Move through it. And it is home to several very high crash corridors, which means that there are streets where multiple crashes happen per year Both among motor vehicles, but also pedestrian involved, cyclist involved.
16:17:35 We on the committee think it's a really important area in terms of safety and livability in our city.
16:17:44 And want to make sure that it is as safe and easy to move through as possible for the next three, four, five years until the big project can happen.
16:17:54 And so what we're hoping to do with this walk audit is to identify key locations low cost, short-term, but high impact improvements can be made.
16:18:06 To improve the pedestrian experience in the shorter term. And we, of course, are very mind. We try to be very mindful on our committee of the fact that a location is not truly safe or livable unless it is also accessible for people with disabilities and so
16:18:29 We really would love to really have some participation among folks who can and are interested in joining this walk.
16:18:37 From this committee and from the community that's being represented by this committee.
16:18:43 And as Holly mentioned, we are planning on hosting three routes during the walk audit. So one route, they're kind of, they vary in length. So one route will be kind of up Prospect Street down Webster Ave and then around the square, it should take about an hour to an hour and a half to complete with all of the stops involved where folks
16:19:05 Pause and talk to the group and fill out a worksheet that we've created.
16:19:11 The second route will be about 45 minutes to an hour in length and it'll go kind of up and down Bow Street.
16:19:21 Down Prospect Street and then up and down Mo Street. And then the third route will take about 30 to 45 minutes probably. And it'll just go straight from Union Square Station.
16:19:31 To the 87 bus stop on Somerville Ave. And after the walk audit, we are hoping to, well, I guess I should say we are inviting city councilors and other public officials to the walk audit as well as some news outlets.
16:19:49 And then we are planning to kind of collate all of the feedback that we hear from the worksheets, from all of the conversations that happen on the walk and distill it into a letter that we send to the mayor and city council and all other relevant departments and players.
16:20:07 Yeah, I think that's everything. Do you think that's everything, Holly?
16:20:11 Wonderful. And… Absolutely. Hello, Pauline. Please go ahead.
16:20:12 I have a question.
16:20:19 When is this supposed to take place and is it done all at once?
16:20:24 Excellent.
16:20:23 That is a great question. Through the chair, I need to get used to saying that. We don't do that on PTAC.
16:20:32 That's a great question. We are hosting it on April 29th, which is a Tuesday.
16:20:37 We are planning to meet at six o'clock p.m. Right in front of the Life Alive next to the Union Square T station.
16:20:51 Anyone else have i had
16:20:48 Okay, thank you. Does that cover the whole uh three routes that you talked about.
16:20:58 Yes, through the chair, we will be doing all three routes on that night, just different, we'll be in different groups.
16:21:06 Okay.
16:21:07 And we're also planning on starting each route in a slightly scaffolded way. So a little bit later than each other.
16:21:13 To account for folks who arrive at a slightly different time as well.
16:21:18 And the safety I see you, Harriet. Just give me one second.
16:21:20 Okay.
16:21:24 The Safe Streets is also participating in this. Um and uh the one thing that I really liked well just I like that this is all organized that all we are here to do is support your event and we as residents can show up
16:21:44 And walk and share. And I reached out to you and a gentleman from Safer Streets to say that we have two blind members And should they choose to attend, if we could have people that that would walk with them as opposed to like myself and who I've learned so much when I first walked with Harriet. It's a very different experience so
16:22:13 Yes, it was as a matter of fact.
16:22:08 I don't know, Colleen, if that was something that you were thinking about, but the more people Half, my friend. So there will be lots of time to make sure that people are matched up.
16:22:24 And they have a whole process. I just wanted to know, are you expecting there to be any like safety or traffic police or anything being there when are we going to be sort of out on the road or I mean, I do, but I feel I should ask that.
16:22:43 That question.
16:22:41 Yeah. Yeah, totally. Thank you for the question. So we are planning on having all of our group leaders, there will be six of them, two for each route.
16:22:53 They'll be wearing high visibility vests. So those like kind of bright neon vests And when we stop at our little review locations, we'll make sure to do so in areas that are large enough to accommodate everybody in the group.
16:23:08 On the sidewalk so no one is like you know shunted to the street We do not plan to have any sort of like escort on this walk.
16:23:19 But we will have at least one representative from the mobility department who's joining us.
16:23:27 Who they are well versed in navigating the traffic of Somerville.
16:23:34 That's our plan in terms of safety. I'm happy to entertain any concerns or additional measures that we might take.
16:23:43 Harriet, you have some questions? I just wondered, is it possible that you might Any one of these walks twice.
16:23:55 In other words, so that if the 29th you know we're something critical for a person who really wanted to attend will there be a second option And for example, if I want to walk All three roots.
16:24:10 I can't be in three places at one time. So I don't know.
16:24:18 Thank you. Over excitement.
16:24:22 We want to do all of it all the time.
16:24:24 I'm so sorry. I was having trouble hearing because I don't think the mic is quite picking up folks at the other side of the room. Could you just quickly maybe summarize?
16:24:33 Harry, it might… I'm so sorry, Michael. I'll take my mask down. That'll be better.
16:24:39 Sorry about that. I just, this is Harriet. And I just said.
16:24:48 I, for one, would like to have an opportunity to walk all three routes.
16:24:53 And so I was wondering if a thought had been given to at least one other or two other alternatives at a date Eventually, maybe I could walk all three of those areas you know those roots to get a sense of it. What a big picture that could be.
16:25:15 And also, I would love to offer as a blind individual just to your work altogether to your altogether ways and tactilely representing your roots. That's just a whole separate category but i wanted to mention it anyway so one is
16:25:33 I want to walk all three routes Will there be any repetitions? That's all. Thank you.
16:25:40 That's great. I love that. Thank you so much for also, I love that. Thank you for the comment and for repeating it, Harriet.
16:25:47 So I will say that the longest route will encompass a lot of the other two routes.
16:25:55 So even if you can't walk two of them, you'll at least get a sense of if you take the longest route, you'll at least get a sense of kind of what's represented on those other two routes as well. They don't completely overlap, but that will at least get you a good
16:26:11 A good representation. That said, I mean, I think if If this committee, for example, were interested in identifying like, you know, one or two additional dates just for like a smaller group to walk you know um other other routes
16:26:28 I don't think there would be any reason not to do so and kind of roll that up in the feedback that we give to the city So very happy to work with you guys offline to schedule something else as well if there's interest.
16:26:43 Thank you, Michael. Just out of curiosity, have you thought of the idea of putting it online and letting people walk it themselves or would you prefer they walk with your group?
16:26:55 That's a great question.
16:26:56 That's a great point. Um… I don't think there's necessarily any reason why folks should feel the need to come to our event over just walking with themselves other than we would probably have to think about like having some sort of cutoff date for like when they would need to walk so that we can actually like incorporate folks' feedback.
16:27:21 But let me talk to our working group about that because we might be able to get something up like on the um the event listing or the city website or something that says like if you want to walk this route yourself, then please email us your feedback or fill out these worksheets by X date. I think that's a great suggestion. Thank you.
16:27:45 I did one of these walks with Tufts University and they also had a list of questions that they wanted people to think about as they were walking.
16:27:55 If you haven't thought of that, that might be a good idea. If you have, then We're of the same mind.
16:28:00 Yes, that one I can say that we have done that. So we actually adapted worksheets from aarp that has like, you know, little checklists, questions, like, is this present on the street? Is this safety feature present on the street? Does this feel safe on the street? Et cetera, et cetera.
16:28:21 And one of our other walk partners is Groundwork, the youth empowerment organization in Somerville.
16:28:28 And they helped us think about some questions that would pertain specifically to the youth in high school participants.
16:28:34 And also made sure to integrate questions that were specific to folks with disabilities as well.
16:28:41 So I did send that worksheet to Holly in case folks wanted to look it over and suggest additional questions that might be useful to review on the walk.
16:28:50 Very, very happy to take those suggestions as well. And we don't need them until the day of the walk themselves necessarily.
16:28:57 I'll be happy to send those around to everyone. Miss Ingrid, yes.
16:29:02 Hi, through the chair. It sounds great. Thank you so much for thinking of us and trying to pull us in.
16:29:10 My issue, I'm physically disabled, so I can't engage in a walk.
16:29:15 So it's a little bit of just something that there's a large portion of disabled community, even though like the commission may be a co-host that can't engage in the actual walk.
16:29:26 And I'm assuming you don't have like a fleet of scooters or a golf cart or anything like that.
16:29:33 Yeah, is there any… thing for people who aren't as mobile to have an option to enjoy it or is that just kind of like, no, this is able thing physically tough break.
16:29:49 If you would… if you would join us, if we were able to find you the right mobility aid, would that be possible?
16:29:56 I mean, sure. I'm just like kind of, yeah, yeah, sure. And I don't, I'm not trying to be like rude or pushback or anything like that.
16:30:04 It sounds great. I just think this whole time thinking like, oh, I can't really walk that far, so I can't.
16:30:10 I can't do that. So I'm just like… You know, I'm trying to think if there's like, I don't know another We can hand out water. I don't know.
16:30:20 I don't know. I'm just trying to think of a way where I can be involved as someone on the commission, but like.
16:30:21 Fire.
16:30:26 Not actively participate in the walking part of it which for someone with a physical disabilities kind of a tricky thing to sign on for because I can't actually walk very far. So that's yeah That's all.
16:30:42 Crystal, do you have a suggestion here?
16:30:46 So this is Crystal through the chair. My suggestion is to clarify the goal of the event because when I heard about this.
16:30:54 My understanding was, ah, we're going to do a walk assessment four different modes of four different like mobilization to understand like you know if there are residents who cannot cross this street within 20 seconds or whatnot, we want to know that for when the next time they change the signaling for the crosswalk
16:31:17 Signs like it's information that gets fed back into the city to make the city safer.
16:31:22 So this might be particularly like my grad program does some of this, but like like doing a walking assessment can be specifically with the goal of making the city more accessible to people who have disabilities and needs like that. And so it's particularly important to include like
16:31:44 You know, if nobody on this walk has like is using a cane, then you might never catch that like the lip is just going to catch everybody who's using a crutch and like you want that feedback to give back to the city to make it safer.
16:32:02 Like that sort of thing.
16:32:04 Yes, of course. It's just I can't get to the crosswalk. So that's why I give feedback. I understand that like we need feedback from people with disabilities. I'm like, but it's a walk and I can't walk.
16:32:15 So I completely understand. Yeah, I understand both sides of it, of course. Of course.
16:32:21 I totally, well, I'm sorry, through the chair, Holly, may I speak?
16:32:24 Absolutely.
16:32:26 So Ingrid, this is a really useful thing for me to hear and for you to bring up.
16:32:32 I guess I would ask you like what is there something that would feel meaningful to you in terms of participating Like, for example, like you would obviously be more than welcome to like join at Union Square, for example, and like
16:32:48 You know support like I'm going to be kind of like calling the shots day of, for example, like, you know, you could stand with me and like observe like what's happening and share your observation. I don't know. I don't know what would be meaningful to you very open.
16:33:00 Great, great. Fantastic.
16:32:57 I'd have to sit. I can't stand with you. Yeah, I don't know. I'm just kind of thinking about it because I'm like listening to this invent like really engaged and it sounds great, but also like So like I said, it sounds totally fun and awesome. I just need to, that's a good question. Let me think about that.
16:33:20 Yeah.
16:33:19 Okay. And maybe Holly can share my contact information with you and we can brainstorm together offline a little bit.
16:33:26 Sure, of course, yeah.
16:33:28 Thank you both. We have two more questions here. Three, go ahead.
16:33:34 Thank you. Just talk loudly. Nikki.
16:33:40 Yeah, this is Nikki through the shared. I think Alessandra kind of answered my first question which is I think determining if you would get more value from finding a way to participate in the event that works for you.
16:33:55 Versus if you would find more value and it sounds like possibly even helping with the organization.
16:34:01 Which I think would be great, but also could probably be an offline conversation. I agree.
16:34:07 But also a side plug for a thing I'm excited about.
16:34:14 We just this week updated the 311 form for sidewalk complaints.
16:34:20 Just to help. A little bit more information.
16:34:21 Nice.
16:34:24 Which I think is pretty cool. And we appreciate you being on this commission with us.
16:34:33 But yeah, so previously it just asked, has anyone been injured is the side, right? I'm not sure what we do with that data, is the sidewalk.
16:34:43 Craft crumbling or missing. So now there are just additional questions and fields which will hopefully help us.
16:34:51 Hone in on which are accessibility related issues which are missing the textable warning panels.
16:35:00 Thank you very much. We love Dana. Michael, you are next.
16:35:08 Through the chair, this is Michael. For Ingrid, you know, I would think one of the ways that you might be able to be very helpful, and it is unfortunate that you're not able to actually walk the the um walk the
16:35:20 The root. But I think you know the questions to ask. I think you know that there needs to be a certain amount of benches every certain so or what you're talking about.
16:35:31 The curb and everything. So that would be a way to help participate by telling people what they need to look for to see if those things are actually there.
16:35:42 So just a suggestion. And then Helen, and then we're going to need to vote.
16:35:43 Yeah, of course. Yeah, absolutely.
16:35:49 On to our next item. Just a brief question from you.
16:35:55 I forgot her name. Crystal. Crystal. Is this?
16:36:01 Going to be considered a teaching program.
16:36:05 Because I find people who walk don't seem to pay much attention to lights.
16:36:13 All the cars coming. It creates dangerous situations.
16:36:22 Through the chair. That is a good question. I think that is not the explicit purpose of the walk necessarily We will be practicing extremely careful and safe methods of walking.
16:36:39 On the walk, you know, stopping for all crosswalks, crossing together in a coordinated way, looking for cars So I think that there will at least be a secondary demonstration of kind of best practices for walking.
16:36:58 But we're not planning on doing any like formal training, for example, on the walk itself.
16:37:04 Okay, I'm going to um i'm going to if there aren't any other comments or questions.
16:37:13 I'm going to put it to a vote. I'm going to motion that we vote to participate in this event.
16:37:23 Oops. With… PTAC and um Do I have a second? I'm sorry.
16:37:32 Second. Second.
16:37:32 Second.
16:37:33 We have four seconds. I'm going to roll call the vote so that we have it accurate.
16:37:42 Helen? Yes. Harriet? Yes.
16:37:46 Neck, not here. Me. Yes. Ingrid. Pauline.
16:37:50 Yay.
16:37:53 Michael. So I can't do it, so I'm going to abstain.
16:37:52 Yes.
16:37:57 Oh, okay, sure, absolutely.
16:38:02 Nicole? Oh, sorry, Mershey's not here. Nikki And Sheila. Yes. Okay.
16:38:11 When I've seen the eyes have it Motion passes. Alex, we're legit. We are working together with you.
16:38:18 I know that we talked about helping with some Excuse me.
16:38:26 With some clipboards and some bottled water And we just as a commission need to vote to allocate some of our funds to provide water for our walkers and some clipboards.
16:38:39 I would say that that's probably less than $50. You have a question, sir? Well, an offering. I have some clipboards you can all borrow. I don't know how many you need, but I have to Several. Okay. That'd be lovely.
16:38:52 Hey, so we're down to water. I would say that's probably $20 or $25.
16:39:00 I'm going to motion that we vote to allocate $25 towards some water for the walkers.
16:39:09 Do I have a second? Second. Harriet, all those in favor, I'm going to roll call again.
16:39:11 Second.
16:39:17 Helen? Yes. Harriet? Yes. Yes, Gingrid.
16:39:23 Yes.
16:39:24 Colleen. Michael? Yes. Nikki? Yes.
16:39:26 Yes.
16:39:30 Sheila. Excellent. Motion passes.
16:39:35 You have $25 allocated for water. And some donated Temporarily don't. Temporarily that she'll be returned back. Okay.
16:39:45 We're going to move on to move on. Some funding projects. Our scholarship applications have arrived.
16:39:54 There are 20 some odd applications in here. This will be year number three.
16:40:00 And I'd like to open it up to people who would like to take the time to review the applications.
16:40:09 I participated in the first year. You participated in the second year.
16:40:14 If someone else would like to lead reviewing these applications.
16:40:21 Do I just want to make a comment? Sure. This is Shayla. I just want to mention that we did it last year, myself and Deborah and Harriet.
16:40:31 Um and I really thought it was a good idea to have different people do it each year because it was a very rewarding process we went through. I think there's 21 um applications this year last year.
16:40:46 Reading the narratives of these students was really, really, really impressive. And I think it would be good for more and more of the members of the commission to see the types of things that they open up and talk about, the things that they've overcome to get where they are.
16:41:00 So I appreciate that. I'll be happy to help out because I did it last year and i'm They're going to be able to help us. So I'll be happy to help out, but I think you still want to have
16:41:10 I think we wanted three people reviewing. Sure. So for those who may not be aware, we partner with the Somerville High School Scholarship Foundation and the Somerville Public Schools.
16:41:24 The foundation manages all of these different scholarships from different organizations and Ours is in the booklet, but it's not really a big published anything it's just our name is there. It doesn't talk about what we're looking for. People don't know to apply for it. It's not a box that they check
16:41:47 We use the same standard application that each student fills out with their school counselors.
16:41:53 And what we do is we redact it to almost nothing other than if they've been a best buddy.
16:42:01 And I believe there's three, maybe four essay questions. And so they're answering the questions openly.
16:42:09 And based on the information that's in there, we've been looking for students who who openly disclosed their disabilities through these essay questions.
16:42:21 Which are not designed to have someone do that. They're designed for students to open up about their life and their challenges and how they've overcome things and what their goals are and why they want to do things with education.
16:42:32 And… looking at that information and also where they're going to school and what they're going to be studying, whatever group is doing this.
16:42:42 Agrees on however many of the applications. They could agree on one, they could agree on 50.
16:42:47 And we take the total amount and we divide it up.
16:42:51 And what happened the first year is we had $50,000, we had 10 that were picked from 20 some odd. They each got $5,000. Last year, it ended up that the group found 10 or 12 and came back and said, we have these 12, but we'd like to offer them each $5,500. And we voted and we increased it.
16:43:12 The last time we did this, we voted to keep it at 50 and allow whatever group is formed to decide to choose who they feel of the applicants.
16:43:21 And then to let the group know what their feelings are as far as should we increase it or how do we divide it up?
16:43:29 Then this is our third year and we've fine-tuned the process.
16:43:34 From a treasurer perspective and we will be providing to each of the candidates that evening when they get their, it's almost like a little diploma It's a wonderful night when they present all of this. And the students have no idea what they've won.
16:43:50 They are just told to be there. And… we don't know their names until that evening.
16:43:57 And we had many of us participated and read information from their applications and why they were chosen and how incredible they were.
16:44:05 Um and So they will be handed a packet with a tax form and instructions and it'll be also emailed to their adults.
16:44:17 So that that information will be clear. It'll explain what is required, what constitutes proof of enrollment.
16:44:27 And the timeframe from when we receive all of these documents to when they can expect a check.
16:44:33 And so that their expectations are set ahead of time. And… But those pieces are not part of this review. This is a team to review these and I heard that Helen would like to join this year.
16:44:51 Anyone else on the phone? Nikki Ingrid?
16:44:58 Absolutely.
16:44:56 Can I ask a question? Through the chair. So my whole concern, Ingrid, my whole concern with it is that I'm not going to be able to say no to anybody.
16:45:07 It's like, if I read 20, is it difficult to pick the people who are worthy? Because I'm just going to want to give it to everybody. So I'm just like, I want to do it, but I'm nervous. I'm going to like have trouble picking.
16:45:18 I'm just going to quickly respond to that. It would be wonderful.
16:45:21 Yeah, do it.
16:45:22 Had 20 wonderful candidates and the group picked 20 and we divided up amongst 20. There are no rules. It is whatever the group decides.
16:45:31 And you discuss it amongst yourselves and you bring it back.
16:45:33 Again, you're not going to have names. We're just going to explain they were these candidates. This is what we went with.
16:45:40 We vote. So it's really your process.
16:45:45 Go ahead, Sheila. It is difficult. I mean, we didn't have difficult when we wanted two additional ones that we hadn't had the funds for you know the commission came back and we voted to add those in and appropriate more money.
16:45:59 One of the things you have to remember is there has to be some either the person discloses their own disability or they're going into some kind of work with disability or they're already volunteering with Best Buddies or other organizations or other organizations
16:46:14 Disabled people because kids worked in you know some camps with disabled kids and now they wanted to go into some kind of work that included that So they're all different Most all of the ones we chose last year had disabilities sometimes.
16:46:29 And again, we would never legally or ethically put on an application. Do you have a disability?
16:46:37 But what is natural and so organic is the questions are not designed for people to disclose anything about their personal traits. They're designed to get them to talk about something. And through that process, they are naturally talking about that.
16:46:56 Ms. Harriet, yes. I would like to sort of clarify, and I think is possible that we can.
16:47:08 If we feel all 20 of these, and I would like to be among the reviewers, though I need someone to read it with me, but will we meet together, we get more.
16:47:17 And the other thing is we can conceivably.
16:47:24 Add more money if we think all 20 are really winners.
16:47:30 21. Is that correct? We have in the past. It comes down to that group that's reviewing the scholarships.
16:47:39 Meeting independently and bringing back your results. And I think that having different people each year let's opens the opportunity to have a different conversation about it.
16:47:54 I was in tears reading them. It's amazing. We have such incredible students And the first year we all got thank you cards that I read throughout a meeting that were sent directly to the commission.
16:48:10 Last year, something got lost with the cards and I don't believe that any of the groups received their thank you notes.
16:48:16 But maybe again this year we'll get some feedback from the students.
16:48:21 I just… I think it's a wonderful program.
16:48:26 Yep. Yes, Harriet. Also, Holly is saying that others of us could participate Leaving the time consideration aside.
16:48:38 Because if you go to the event, and that's another thing, we invite you to go to the graduation or the presentation or scholarships event You can see, and I'm blind, but I was with And we walked about When these students go in the room, because after they receive their grants
16:48:58 They walk in the other room. They open the envelope and they are and amazed.
16:49:06 That we are. So bountiful with our grips. Let me tell you, there's nothing more rejoicing and we all know then nobody can afford college in this country so you know Let's get to it. So we would need to vote.
16:49:24 On our at our May meeting. We can talk a little bit more about that. Jesse.
16:49:30 Thank you for joining. Michael, do you have interest in joining? Okay.
16:49:38 So we have… One, two, three, four members.
16:49:43 Okay. No, I was going to say I'd be willing to volunteer, but if we have four, that's fine.
16:49:43 Yes, Ms. Ingrid.
16:49:49 I think we can man i think you all can manage that.
16:49:54 So I'll reach out to you. I will scan these applications.
16:49:53 Okay.
16:49:59 And then um and then I'll reach out to you to see what the easiest way to get this all to you. If you want me to drop copies off.
16:50:07 And then… We'll talk about when you'll need to come back and have voted.
16:50:12 And if you get stuck, you can reach out to myself or Sheila if you have a question. We've done it before. Harriet's participated before as well.
16:50:21 And it's really I appreciate everyone making the effort to review all of these and I hope that people will also be willing to show up on May 29th.
16:50:33 At Somerville High at six o'clock. I'd have to be there at 5.30-ish. And at that point, we will have these students and we'll be able to say a few words about each of them as we have them come up.
16:50:44 And that's also a lot of fun. Okay, so we have our group.
16:50:50 Let me just write that down. We have Helen. Nikki.
16:51:00 Yes, ma'am. Nikki, Helen.
16:51:06 And yourself. Okay.
16:51:09 Ingrid.
16:51:11 Next, we have, there was a variance. It was for 259 Lowell Street and it was regarding handrails.
16:51:20 And I received this variance. We sent it out to everyone with the March materials. And shortly after our meeting, they rescinded the request.
16:51:34 And I always reach out to Michael Muewe from Boston Center for Independent Living.
16:51:41 They are the resource assigned to the city of Somerville when we receive Variance requests for anything that's non-compliant within the city.
16:51:50 And he and I looked it over. And I always tend to walk it and take some pictures.
16:51:59 And then bring it back to the group. But like I said, they withdrew and we didn't get a chance to talk to it.
16:52:04 But what was concerning to me is that 259 Lowell Street is doing.
16:52:11 Is doing accessible and ADA compliant upgrades. This building was built in 1999.
16:52:22 Yep.
16:52:18 It should have already been fully ADA accessible. So I don't know if this is because it needs repairs and maybe the path to the building.
16:52:29 Has eroded or maybe the regulations have changed. I know it is undergoing a large amount of upgrades because it's physically changing hands and ownership.
16:52:39 When what they were saying. Was that there were not accessible bathrooms in the lobby and there were upgrading to the kitchens and the bathrooms and making them accessible in some of the units.
16:52:50 And I was concerned that i was concerned that why didn't this get done the first time?
16:52:56 And after asking them that question. Shortly after they did rescind their request.
16:53:04 So I was curious, Nikki. Um uh if there is a way for us to look at what the designs were, how that was built And just, I just want to understand if this is a timeline Where at the time they were fully compliant and they're upgrading it.
16:53:25 Or along the way, the MAB changed and now they're doing it differently.
16:53:30 But they will have to put in fully compliant handrails. They'll have to be continuous.
16:53:35 And they were saying that $70,000 was too much and would not provide enough benefit to persons with disabilities. But I'm thinking if you're a building that is assisted living only.
16:53:47 That it would actually be even more important to have continuous safe handrails for everyone in the building.
16:53:54 Especially where that's a means of egress if there was a fire using those handrails.
16:54:00 So maybe we can talk about that at a later time and then see what there is and if we need to bring it back to the commission. But I'm going with in good faith that they are upgrading this building.
16:54:11 And making wonderful, bringing it to modern times and There's nothing going on, but I would just like to understand what the process was there now.
16:54:23 Does that sound reasonable okay yeah and interiors don't usually go through engineering For EDA. Oh, sorry.
16:54:35 Very loud, please. Sure. I wouldn't be reviewing the interiors.
16:54:41 I would be responsible for any exterior sidewalk okay And there is a whole mix of things that were being upgraded, which I'm excited that it's being upgraded. And again, I'm I'm happy that it's being modernized. The question to clarify is
16:55:02 They rescinded the variance request. Once I asked them about are they or are they not?
16:55:09 Actually upgrading these handrails. I think the question is to understand when it was originally built.
16:55:19 And we reviewed it, was it a different set of building codes? I just want to understand sort of the history of that.
16:55:27 And then bring that back to the group. I think it just helps us understand when these variances come in.
16:55:36 Any other questions or comments about that one? I'd like to add that Michael did put in a report and a letter stating that he had concerns because of the age of the building and that it should have already been fully compliant.
16:55:52 And I wanted to do something similar. But now that it has been removed, I'm not sure that our letter would really have any weight.
16:56:03 So unless anyone has a different thought On this, again, I'm going with this is a good thing and they're going to make all of those handrails compliant.
16:56:13 And just to really understand the timeframe. We haven't ever had a building that was built in that era before. Everything has been very historical.
16:56:25 And… 80, 100 years old before the ada Okay, I will take silence.
16:56:36 There is another. I'm sorry. Oh, sorry, Helen. Go ahead. This has to have a lot. My question is… Is this something is this something that the… commission would be expected to do.
16:56:55 I mean, I mean. There are so many good things that the commission does.
16:57:00 And we're getting involved in a private organization and paying for something that maybe they could do themselves.
16:57:09 So part of the law when you have a variance when you cannot follow the ada the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board or AAB, requires that you send your application for variance to the city or town, to their disability commission.
16:57:33 To the city or town's building inspector, I believe. And also to that city or towns assigned In our case, it's Boston Center for Independent Living, who looks at it from their perspective as well. And every city and town has a different
16:57:49 Group that they align with. So they are required by law and we are required to review them And we have written many letters and walked about several different places in Union Square.
16:58:01 And we've invited some of these builders to come and talk to us about their concerns. And we've tried to explain why the importance of something being a certain way or we've tried to find sort of the middle ground. And in the past.
16:58:16 Handrails need to be continuous so that you can hold them all the way down across the landings.
16:58:22 The code is they have to be continuous on both sides, but sometimes the middle ground is, well.
16:58:28 Maybe they only need to be continuous on the exterior or the interior. And as long as a person knows who has a mobility need or a visual impairment, they still have a safe and accessible path And the handrails at the right height.
16:58:43 So we are supposed to be engaged in these things. Does that make sense? We haven't had one in a while, Helen.
16:58:52 Well, yes, I really don't understand it. I know. So many when the ADA came in so many places had to so many places spend a lot of money to become accessible.
16:59:11 Companies pay for what they had done. Or was that government help?
16:59:21 I'm not sure if you're talking Crystal, I saw your lips, but I didn't see.
16:59:27 It's a very good question. I believe that they had a certain amount of time to review, just like our city had a certain amount of time. We had an ADA transition plan. You had so many years to produce that.
16:59:39 You then were supposed to have everything done. One second, and I will call on you next.
16:59:43 You had to have everything done in a certain amount of time and you had to continue to update that plan.
16:59:49 And as we know, the costs are extremely high. And there are some programs like the grant that the city gave to that was given to the city for the task force. There are different grants and different things that people do.
17:00:03 But at the same time, it's the two lanes, right? You're doing things in remediation And then in parallel, you're also making sure that new work is done in a compliant manner.
17:00:16 But it is a heavy lift and a lot of money.
17:00:20 One second, Helen, Harriet. Go ahead, Lily. Through the chair to clarify through you to Helen, just to clarify your question If I'm understanding you right. You're concerned that like that this private entity isn't paying for this themselves and they're trying to like mush off the city or the commission in some way
17:00:42 Yeah, that's what i was that's what I heard in your question. Yes, that's correct. Oh, so I didn't understand that part. Thank you for… adding that we don't pay for this.
17:00:53 They still are responsible for doing the work and paying for those.
17:00:58 Those changes, what they're saying is it is technically infeasible or there is no way to do this or it will not provide enough benefit. There are sort of taglines in which they can use that.
17:01:10 And we as reviewers can say. We've looked at this and we agree you really can't put it anywhere else. We tried all these other suggestions and we understand. And instead of there being four, you have three. We'll make sure that everything accessible is on a floor that can be reached. Now, there are ways to move things around. So it's
17:01:30 It's actually a really nice thing to have that input from the commission and from residents.
17:01:34 And that's why we have members like Nikki here as part of our commission to review it. So it is not us giving them money to do that work.
17:01:43 It is them. Asking for an exception from the law.
17:01:51 Does that, please go ahead. Try to clarify also a little bit more. Any work done to a building or any new buildings need to be accessible and ADA compliant.
17:02:04 And if a builder or a designer doesn't think that that's possible for some reason, that's when they apply for the variance from the state.
17:02:12 To say we can't complete, we can't make this accessible. So then it comes to this commission partially to help make the decision of whether we grant them an exception.
17:02:27 Yes, and it goes before the state's MAAB hearing board, which I will go online and testify, send a letter. We will review that letter and vote.
17:02:37 That that's something that then gets put in the public record and they are very pleased when our commission or any commission participates and sends in a letter recommending or not approving and then they do allow us to testify.
17:02:57 It's a cool process. I can show it to you someday.
17:03:06 I'm so sorry, Harriet, please go ahead. I think it's been clarified beautifully. Fine. It doesn't involve any money on our part.
17:03:16 It just involves our Time are reviewing.
17:03:21 And time and recommendations, right? In the past, we had someone who didn't like rounded handrails. They wanted to use square ones and they felt it was more aesthetically pleasing And they didn't want to have landings of a certain size.
17:03:42 Or a certain width of the width of of the path in and out of the ramp. And one of our members explained not only do people use power chairs, which are larger footprint than a typical chair But they also sometimes have a guide dog with that chair. And it is very difficult to be able to navigate into a, and this was an apartment building that was being built brand new.
17:04:09 Um and um I always appreciate one members bring up something that is unique to themselves and educates all of us.
17:04:22 But I will say that that person withdrew their request also.
17:04:27 But we have had great luck. Partnering and coming up with solutions. That's really what it's about.
17:04:34 Any other questions? You want to do your finance update?
17:04:40 Sure. Thank you. Do we have… When is the last numbers updates that we got?
17:04:49 Well, this is February. Okay. This was our march meeting so okay thank you. Again, it's our February financial report.
17:04:58 So the revenue brought in in the month of February was for fines and fees. And again, for anyone here that's not familiar.
17:05:06 We received the fines and fees that are given out for fines attributed to accessible parking.
17:05:13 Flopping a ramp, talking in an accessible parking space without a pocket, that type of thing.
17:05:18 So the dollar amount for the fines and the fees was $10,800 and interest earned and again For anyone who's not familiar, that account is kept with the city treasurer and she's charged with investing the money We get reports monthly and we get reports monthly
17:05:36 As treasurer, I need to reconcile those accounts. So the interest earned this month was $1,179.66.
17:05:45 So total revenue for February was $11,979.66.
17:05:54 The total balance we have here is not the
17:05:59 Error that we found in one of the reports. And finance is correcting those others. But what we have is a 240 5,348 so it's It's just about $52,000. I finally was able to get the finance department to correct an error that happened several months ago.
17:06:21 And there are a few other things that happening with our finances. We also have the finance department is correcting and reclassifying a number of invoices that happened last year as we were reconciling we realized that a number of invoices totaling about $1,000.
17:06:40 Was charged to the commission's fund when it should have been charged to RSJ.
17:06:45 So we reconcile that. We've submitted it to finance and they're going to reclassify that money to charge it back to RSJ.
17:06:54 The report I mentioned earlier, the immunity report, was simply an input error.
17:06:59 But we've been trying to get it corrected for a while and have asked For assistance with that, but I finally just had to talk directly to finance to get that done.
17:07:09 And the other problem we still have ongoing is that we don't get the documents for payments that go through. I found when I got this report that the tickets for the Red Sox game we paid, but did not get any of the information that went along with it.
17:07:22 We're still waiting for that. It's very difficult to reconcile the accounts. There's nothing down there.
17:07:29 When we don't have that information, not able to reconcile completely.
17:07:35 So I'm working with finance on correcting those things. We currently have the Red Sox game the tickets have been purchased and paid for 103 tickets.
17:07:48 For just under $6,000. 103 tickets. Including accessible seating that is seniors children, residents, family, veterans.
17:08:04 Party goers lovers of baseball and lovers of community.
17:08:13 Sorry, I just get excited. And as we know, we also provide food for the participants and that is now being processed. It hasn't been paid yet but it's three four hundred thirty four dollars so the total just for those two items the food and the tickets is $9,408.
17:08:31 We authorized 16,000. And so we have a remaining balance of 6591 what remains is the transportation.
17:08:43 And based on what we paid last year. We probably will have enough unless we have other expenses that come up along the way. Do you know what we paid for the bus the first time?
17:08:53 Roughly 2,800. Okay, so I'm going to stop you just on that event because so we can go back to events.
17:09:03 Okay, well then. Thank you. I'm going to go back to our funding projects or events, which includes the Red Sox.
17:09:13 And as Sheila said, we have the tickets. We are seated in the same area.
17:09:21 Arranged for the box meals to be delivered to the guests as it is not possible for 106 persons with disabilities to stand in a line and and receive and manage some transactions with gift cards.
17:09:35 And we will not be making shirts this year because instead of hats, the gift is actually a Red Sox shirt.
17:09:43 We had great success with getting people there with the bus transportation. However, the bus was not booked properly and it was not reset so that it was wheelchair accessible.
17:09:55 Although I will say that a lot of people who took the bus in, many took a card one of those $5 trolley cards and went home earlier. Those that had children, especially as the bus left when the game left.
17:10:07 And I think with 106 people this year, we should be looking at two buses and still working on the having tea passes for anyone. I don't know if any other members who attended or were part of the planning have any other feedback
17:10:27 Or things they would like to do differently. I know we talked about it. We did a debrief after the event.
17:10:34 I don't remember. Anything other than what I just said.
17:10:41 Lots of good feedback.
17:10:46 Go ahead. Just to emphasize the bus issue, that's so important for us to let you always touch base in the very end with the vendor to say, make sure it is because the driver came and said You know, they didn't prepare for wheelchair use.
17:11:02 That's right. You have a question?
17:11:09 Anchored, yeah.
17:11:09 Oh, I just wanted through the chair, Ingrid here, I just wanted to clarify that um Last year, we left at nine. So we left it like the seventh inning.
17:11:19 So we didn't leave at the very end of the game. So it wasn't like a night like nightmare getting out of there. We did leave a little bit early so There's that. That even if you take the bus, you're not stuck there till like 11 o'clock at night.
17:11:29 That was… Yes. Okay.
17:11:34 Yeah.
17:11:35 Anyone else have any feedback? Okay, so we need to talk about that event.
17:11:43 And um Let me just go back to the CPAC item. So CPAC was one of the, that's the several special education parents
17:11:57 Committee. They were kind enough to fill out some surveys when PSEF was looking for feedback on the swings And many of those CM families have come to the Red Sox event also.
17:12:12 And they had talked with me about the lack of accessible after school and summer programming.
17:12:20 And there's a program that's being worked on That is about, it's a bicycle program.
17:12:28 Sort of like a bicycle program in a box. It's something that you pay X. It is designed. It is managed.
17:12:35 And it is being done through CPAC along with the Parks and recreation department, parks and Recreation.
17:12:46 No. No, it's not. Nicole.
17:12:51 George. At…
17:12:58 At the recreation department, excuse me, George Scarplli. And unfortunately. She wasn't able to join today, but what they're doing is we've always been trying to find resources for more accessibility and more inclusion for after school, for education, for accessible play. So at this point, there isn't a plan or an actual ask of something that we may be able to discuss using funds for.
17:13:28 For that types of programming. But there is wonderful conversations being had between other groups about the need, which we all know there is a need.
17:13:40 And as soon as there is something more concrete, we will have to come back, excuse me, or other stakeholders to talk if there is something that we could help with.
17:13:53 We creating an after school program, I don't believe is something that we should be doing.
17:13:59 Working with a group who could use funding towards that, that's different.
17:14:03 And again, we would discuss that and discuss what their proposal and their need is. So that's what that item was.
17:14:12 And she will be reaching back out when she will when they have more information on that.
17:14:19 Okay, so… parking group. Oh, yes. Okay. So the parking group The parking group met with the builder copper mill about Davis.
17:14:36 I went to the public meeting. I stood in the back until almost the very end.
17:14:42 We were there. We were all there. And they were looking for groups that they could talk to about interests in what should be built there. And I said, well.
17:14:51 I'm a resident. I'm a member of the disabilities commission I'm sure the Disabilities Commission would love to share with you as individuals what our insights are about parking. We rallied really hard We had incredible support when we worked with the parking minimums.
17:15:10 To try to have that not removed from the ordinance to maintain the same amount of accessible parking for each of the HP units that would be mandated into all new construction.
17:15:22 But this gentleman wanted to talk to the parking group. And we shared the same information that went into our letter that we wrote to the city.
17:15:32 It was about preserving spaces. It was about finding maybe a creative way to have things that are accessible or time sensitive.
17:15:40 And unfortunately, one of our members here who lives in an accessible unit and uses a wheelchair also was not able to go to those meetings but was able to share just how important it is to be able to have a car.
17:15:56 If you wanted to. So that is the only update I have from the parking group.
17:16:04 I don't know. I think there will be future hearings with that builder and what they decide to do.
17:16:11 Again, we're all residents. We all go to lots of great things. Again, bringing things back to us to talk about it.
17:16:20 So communications group, the websites Any updates on social events? I know it's been a little while.
17:16:30 Ingrid or michael or ingrid or What?
17:16:33 Yes, not necessarily up until this point. I've had my hands full with my Kids, sorry. But no, I think we were talking about I'm not seeing what kind of interest we could amass and then planning an event for hopefully
17:16:47 I don't know, maybe later on like early maybe in june or something Just some sort of like some something social, but it's yeah still in the ether holly it's Not there yet.
17:17:00 Need any support. Or just time.
17:17:03 Just time. Okay, thank you.
17:17:04 Have all the time you need. Thank you.
17:17:13 I wasn't sure if you were referring to the projects we're doing. You talked about something else.
17:17:19 If you wanted to prepare the mental health group If you had any updates that you wanted to share from that piece.
17:17:30 I am the project that I'm spearheading with the workshop is on for May 7th from 630 to 8. And Christopher Willard, a very well-known speaker on mindfulness and meditation will be talking about mental health.
17:17:49 And how it affects both adults and children. It does affect all adults. So anybody can come. You don't necessarily have to have a family to come.
17:18:00 But he will be talking specifically about kids and about adults.
17:18:05 And again, that will be on online. So if you look out for the the advertisements, please do.
17:18:17 There's also a book reading on um complex PTSD.
17:18:25 Run by a very passionate, intelligent fellow His name is Michael Schatz. I've heard of him before. He's an author. He's an author. Multi-book author and he has a YouTube channel.
17:18:42 I don't know if I'm allowed to say. You are allowed to be a person, even in this room. He's going to, he's going to be talking from reading from his book, My Journey with Complex PTSD at the West Library on May 14th.
17:19:00 From 7 to 9 and there'll be a discussion And yes, he does run a YouTube channel named my journey with complex PTSD.
17:19:12 And I'm also doing a PSA next week on Mental Health Month.
17:19:16 Wonderful. Okay. Do you need any other support? No, no. Okay.
17:19:24 I know you have, we have Chris's invoice. We have his W2.
17:19:32 If you can check. If that is all set.
17:19:39 I don't know. We can talk afterwards, but we did vote.
17:19:45 To fund that. So I just want to make sure that we get that queued up with plenty of time.
17:19:51 So that after He delivers this show. He will be paid, Michael.
17:19:57 Yes. Okay.
17:20:04 Watching his show, you should volunteer to be a part of it.
17:20:08 Okay, so that um is there anything else that anyone wants to bring up?
17:20:17 Or any new ideas. We have… April's meeting. Yes, Ms. Harry.
17:20:25 Chair, you're probably about to get there very quick. Excited about you. God.
17:20:32 Participating in art being about our disability pride month event and about you know uh monster passions Now, meantime, which we participated successfully in the last year If that's what you mean by events or one of the ways I think, and I think that's really helpful
17:20:53 Wonderful thing if people have been on the commission that long or we have friends from the public And just to say, you know.
17:21:02 We're sort of putting out the call if anybody sees great opportunities where we can we're actually bringing in a fifth of our community known to us not known i mean not known to us.
17:21:15 Of a variety of visible and invisible disabilities. So we need to represent and do not need to all these events.
17:21:23 So that's all. Thank you. Okay, that brings us to the RSJ collaboration piece.
17:21:32 Absolutely. Before we get to that important? I did want to bring up the idea of people with trans people people who are people who are trans, who are covered under the um Section 504 for accommodations.
17:21:52 And that trans, even though I struggle with the idea that it's recognized as a disability because it's They are people.
17:22:01 Who are who are you know um But it is considered a disability based on the BSM. Based on the DSM.
17:22:13 Body dysphoria. And so I just, I'm struggling to figure out how we can help support um all people but also specifically people in Somerville who might be having difficulty so I would certainly say if anybody would like to reach out to me and I can help in any way.
17:22:38 I would like to do that. Can I do a PSA on it? Are you thinking maybe a PSA on that?
17:22:46 When it gets to a little probably in July, because Disability Pride Month. No.
17:22:54 Than Jew. Sorry, June. June. Probably in June for that one.
17:23:02 And yeah, so I'm just struggling to see how the committee might be able to help support them. And to be honest, we did have the the 504 with the 504 That's a very good point. Yes. Yes. And that went very well. Do you want to address that? Do you want to talk about that? Sure. Thank you. As you said, 504, I realized that was a legislative update.
17:23:24 So we had an additional very fast special meeting, just like we had now a couple of weeks ago when Harriet and Frank had done a lot of advocacy at the Statehouse and amongst other groups about the 504.
17:23:36 And we partnered with Jesse Klingen and other members of city council who've been great supporters of us.
17:23:43 And… We wrote a proclamation.
17:23:46 Proclamation. And it was wonderful to be there. Harriet spoke and so did the former director of the art Leo.
17:24:01 Sarkeesian, thank you. He spoke and we did offer that same opportunity up to the mayor if they would also choose to I know there's proclamations and there's another official term. They would like to send something, do something with the commission just acknowledging the importance of that.
17:24:20 So thank you all for jumping in when we had that opportunity. Thank you, Michael, for reminding me of that.
17:24:27 So we're going to go back now to collaboration. And our March meeting
17:24:37 Was a very difficult meeting for many of us. I appreciate that everyone is here today in good faith And to work together and to support us.
17:24:49 And I just, there's been a lot of confusion as far as What happened? Why did that end the way it did?
17:25:00 And for those of you who weren't physically in the room, you did not see what happened after the cameras were cut off.
17:25:07 And I was asked, I was sponsored to speak at city council on this um And it was very hard for me to talk about it. And it was very hard for me to say that it's been going on for more than three years.
17:25:24 And that this meeting in February that Sheila, myself, and Harriet were called to was really the piece that just made me realize that if i if i didn't discuss it openly.
17:25:38 That we were going to lose members. And we've actually lost One member, although it's really clear if they are clear just not going to be renewing or requesting renewal or if they're done now but For now, Deborah.
17:25:59 Is not going to be pursuing having her term renewed. And also, I wasn't able to share at the March meeting that Laurie decided to step down.
17:26:10 Just because of time constraints. So we now are we now 13 member board with 12 seats that have been constituted and
17:26:25 10 members. 10 seated.
17:26:31 What happened at that meeting I talked about, I tried to remain very calm And I tried to represent it as this is But something that I've been experiencing.
17:26:45 And that many people have not. And I've been shouldering that and What rolled out after that is not is not or was not in my control.
17:26:55 And there's been a lot of emails and concerns about if that represents all of us.
17:27:02 Or if that only represents my experience and um how that relationship is being reviewed right now.
17:27:13 And our requests um to have a different liaison and to be part of a different department within the city of Somerville.
17:27:25 A lot of this comes from I think sort of just a misunderstanding of how our commission may be a little different than other commissions. We are created by statute.
17:27:40 We have specific roles. And I think that Not everything was said.
17:27:47 At that meeting. That maybe would have given more information to people who have not seen any of this happening. But at the same time.
17:27:57 And I appreciate that you put in this matter, but I really had hoped that this would have been resolved outside of City Council. And thankfully uh Harry was able to find a location.
17:28:11 And we still have not officially heard from the mayor's office on what they're going to do.
17:28:18 They're very respectful. They want us to continue as a commission and to continue to meet.
17:28:24 And I think that I'm waiting for the mayor's office to meet with leadership To talk about next steps.
17:28:34 And so this meeting isn't to is to finish what didn't get done.
17:28:42 And to answer any questions about what's going on.
17:28:52 And I know, Harriet, you wanted to share a few things.
17:28:57 I don't want to put you on the spot. And I know, Michael, you've raised some things that you wanted to share also.
17:29:06 I don't want to share it as uh I don't wish you had like this. Okay, I appreciate that.
17:29:16 Yes, Harriet. Through the chair. I think… I think the biggest problem was a sense of transparency that and also And since this is an intangible and it's my opinion.
17:29:42 Because it has felt as if our commission is an imposition on those who administer the work that we're doing. And the stages of that process
17:30:01 Were so often delayed without so often without I'd like to say in planning, it's really important to say We don't have an answer.
17:30:12 And then say, by this date. We'll do our best if that doesn't succeed We will give you interim updates And then we'll repromise a more realistic day.
17:30:27 None of that kind of communication was available to us. So what that almost Well, first of all, as individual residents and now members of the commission, and that's always been a For some people, a question, what's the difference between
17:30:45 Being a commissioner and being a resident. Because if I have disability.
17:30:52 I feel I can speak to anybody. In any department.
17:30:58 And if I'm speaking for self or the whole community It's okay.
17:31:05 Because if all of our communications, and we have been informed that all of our communications must go through Oh, liaison and through RSJ.
17:31:19 And the difficulty there is we've read that were timely And we've been made to feel we're inappropriate.
17:31:33 And how we go. Directly to people who could give us answers.
17:31:39 And so it's probably felt like I mean, it's sad that we've been disrespectful.
17:31:47 The administration. And the issue is the issue We haven't been able to create a mutual path of communication.
17:31:57 And then been shamed on top of that as if We didn't read all the rules correctly.
17:32:04 And as far as I role of a liaison.
17:32:11 Is a different role from an ADA coordinator. And the liaison in different commissions and committees is someone who can be a channel who listens carefully.
17:32:24 And then we'll take matters to other people, other departments and so on or the mayor's the mayor's office primarily i think that's correct.
17:32:35 Yet. And yet we've gotten a different Experience.
17:32:43 And it sort of branches into so many areas you know We've had an embosser in the city.
17:32:50 Since 2020. And as individual commissioners who tried really hard to support that this embosser gets put in place.
17:33:06 But it seems like we don't have sufficient IT people to help the department directly.
17:33:12 And so, you know, we're paying you know we're paying RSJA is paying a huge amount of money each month They're not huge, but $9 a page For braille documents to be produced at Parkinson.
17:33:30 And it's sort of been weird. Awesome. And I was so shocked at a public meeting The mayor said, and we have an imposser It's not an improvement to have it if it can't be used.
17:33:47 And so you see what I mean? It's just all these different ways in which There may have been no intention at all on our state but in which we don't get information We're not allowed to contribute to how that works.
17:34:04 And how that might work better. When we individuals As commissioners with disabilities or children with disabilities are the whole nine yards.
17:34:17 You know, departments don't come to us and say Can you help us with this project as it has impact?
17:34:25 On the one out of five people who are disabled in any place in the United States of America, but here in particular, Summer.
17:34:33 So. It's like… just a desire to contribute. And I want all of you to know And it's not just the leadership, but Frank, who's an assistant I'm an associated commissioner.
17:34:51 Holly, Sheila. And I and others.
17:34:55 But hours and hours into the research in the background. Of what we are trying to support here.
17:35:02 And yet, so hard. Can feel recognition such that we are being an effective condition to support the residents.
17:35:14 And so that's good. Yes, please.
17:35:18 Thank you, Henry. To the chair, this is Michael. I have a little bit of a different take.
17:35:28 As a commissioner who is not involved with the chairs, I do know there's a lot of things that I do not know.
17:35:33 There's a lot of things that I do not have. I'm not privy to.
17:35:41 But I do know what I see and what i saw last week were two people yelling at each other.
17:35:50 Two very respected people. Yelling at each other.
17:35:54 And as a commissioner, as a citizen, as a human being.
17:35:58 As somebody with CPTSD, it threw me. It threw me.
17:36:05 I do not expect to see that kind of behavior from the people who are running the commission.
17:36:14 And who are who are in charge of being able to you know Be our voice be our voice.
17:36:22 People who are representing us.
17:36:27 And, you know. I have experienced in this commission not being sued. I talked about that before. I expressed it Unfortunately, in a way that I'm not 100% proud of in october But I have experienced continually asking for support on a project I want to work on.
17:36:51 I consistently ask to be, you know, to run the mental health. And as you know, you chose Harriet to do it instead of me.
17:36:59 Which threw me for a loop because I'm the one who talked about it for eight months.
17:37:05 And, you know, before my And I was supposed to speak that day and there was no time for me to speak because we had spent time on other things that were important to the people who had made the agenda.
17:37:23 And I'm I don't always feel seen on this commission.
17:37:28 I don't. And that is the responsibility of the chairs to make sure that everybody feels seen and heard.
17:37:36 And I'm a vocal guy. I will stand up for myself. I will probably go home after this and have a nervous breakdown. I hope not. I will. No, I will, because this is very hard for me to do.
17:37:51 Because this is very important to me. Being on this commission is one of the most important things I will do in my life. And I mean that with so much importance to me.
17:38:04 That, you know. I don't have a lot in my mind.
17:38:09 This is one of the things that I have in my life. And when I see this kind of disconnect.
17:38:14 When I see this kind of anger and malice and put downs and screaming and control. It's beyond what i would expect to happen.
17:38:32 Both through an RSJ person and through the Commission of Disabilities.
17:38:37 Chance. I understand that we are all advocates and at times advocates do need to yell.
17:38:42 I understand we need to talk louder sometimes people don't hear us because we are an invisible group of people that many people don't look to and say, what do you need?
17:38:56 I understand that. But I just felt I expected more.
17:39:04 And I'm disappointed. And I'm struggling. It's the word I just keep using. I'm struggling with.
17:39:13 What to do with the way I feel. I'm struggling with that. Can I ask you who What chair was yelling? Because I never raised my voice.
17:39:23 You may feel that way. It came across to me as as as very strong very strong very well you said i yelled and screaming and i i'm just… If you felt it was like that screen to… talking very loud and very forcefully and very strong.
17:39:46 If you want that, we'll do that. But that is the way I see it. And you have a right to how you felt the conversation went, and I respect that. Absolutely.
17:39:56 I appreciate it, but it's always hard for me when people tell me I have something that I know about.
17:40:01 I know that. I know them. So I'm telling you what I'm seeing and you can argue with me and tell me that you disagree with the words I'm saying, but I'm telling you how I feel and what I'm saying.
17:40:14 And I respect that. I was just asking that question. You're asking that to show something.
17:40:24 I'm asking for one. And it's violent pause to the chair.
17:40:29 For what reason? Because you don't like what I'm saying? Excuse me, I just said a pause. I'm asking why.
17:40:38 I'll answer you in one minute, okay? So we're going to do a pause.
17:40:42 Well, asking, are we willing to take I'm willing to stop talking, but I don't want to take a pause because you're uncomfortable with what I'm saying.
17:40:52 Is not why I'm saying. I think she's just trying to diffuse the situation. It's going to make me feel like I'm saying something that she doesn't like. So I'm just saying that with make me uncomfortable to stop me in the middle of talking
17:41:08 To take a pause. Because I think I'm being respectful. I'm telling you what I think. And I have every right to say what I think.
17:41:16 And this is what I think. And so I don't want to take a pause.
17:41:21 But I'm willing to stop talking because I think I made my point.
17:41:26 All right. I was just trying to ask questions.
17:41:31 And I'm glad that you shared that. And I'm sorry that that is how you experienced this.
17:41:36 But when you say you're sorry, you have to feel that. I got to tell you, it's a very bad expression.
17:41:41 It's a very bad expression. What would be a better way to say that for you?
17:41:47 Nothing just you just that you hear what I'm saying. How about that? If you hear what I'm saying, it's so much better than… saying you're sorry for something that I feel.
17:41:59 I feel I have every right to feel that way. You don't have to feel sorry for me for feeling that.
17:42:03 I'm just saying it's just the wording is you use it quite often. It's not the best wording.
17:42:09 With somebody when you're talking to somebody I can't say why.
17:42:16 Oh, Sheila, thanks. One of the things that the leadership has been dealing with for some time is meetings where We have treated similarly to whether we were in the March meeting.
17:42:32 Disrespected. Raised voices to us.
17:42:37 Very difficult, difficult meetings we have had. And we as a leadership field That's our burden to bear. We'll deal with it and we'll work through it.
17:42:48 When we have the meeting in February, however. It really crossed a line.
17:42:53 For all of us. And I, as one of the leadership, felt really strongly that we had to let the commission members know that this is what's happening.
17:43:02 That in fact may not be respected, not being treated as well. We would totally be dishonest. We were told that we were not treat, we offended people and were rude to them when they came to our commission.
17:43:12 I don't know if people have had a chance to look at the transcript, but take a look at it and see the kinds of things we were told that we did that never happened.
17:43:21 And I felt strongly that the commission members have to know this because this has been going on for a long time.
17:43:28 And it came to a head at the March meeting. But that came to a head because we wanted to report out what happened at the February meeting.
17:43:34 When we were terribly disrespected. And accused of things we did not do. It wasn't just us. The commission was accused of these things.
17:43:42 Mistreating people that came before the commission, not being honest in that meeting alone.
17:43:46 At the February meeting, we were told we weren't being honest.
17:43:50 So this was our way to let the commission members know because I think they have a right to know.
17:43:56 What the leadership is dealing with in between our monthly meetings. We come in here, I have our monthly meetings.
17:44:02 Very composed everybody you know makes the you know their points But they don't know what's going on behind the scenes.
17:44:11 And there's a lot of it and there's more of it than we've even talked about yet.
17:44:16 And that's why we felt we needed to have a change.
17:44:19 Because that was the last straw to some of us. At the moch meeting when because we don't have control of our meetings we don't have control of anything that we do and that is a conflict with state statute that tells us what our role is.
17:44:34 And how we spend our money. We are not allowed to do what the state statute tells us we should be doing because rules have been put in place.
17:44:41 That conflict with that law. So what we're doing is bringing it to everybody.
17:44:47 So let people know that this is what we have been doing on behalf of the commission.
17:44:52 In the hopes that people would understand it, that understand why we've asked for a change.
17:44:59 Sure, go ahead, Michael. There was one meeting that we had, and I believe it was about the swings. I believe it was about somebody from the um from the city.
17:45:13 And I sat in that meeting and I did feel that the commission was very strong about their beliefs.
17:45:21 Very strong at the very strong talking at the person, not listening to what that person was saying about some of the rules and regulations.
17:45:27 Now, again, granted, maybe there's a lot I don't know. Maybe there's a lot I've proven to, but I even said something.
17:45:32 I even said something at that meeting to say, you know what i what this person was saying did make sense. There are certain things that have to be done, certain things that we want, certain things that have to be done.
17:45:43 But the way we presented ourselves, I do feel that we presented ourselves in a way was you know we want you to do what we want you to do.
17:45:53 And, and There were times that it can come across that way.
17:45:57 There are times that I feel that people sound that way.
17:46:01 And so I think this person, whoever it was, if it's the same one, then I can certainly back her up. It wasn't her.
17:46:07 It was a her and a him. Okay, I can back her up. I don't know a hymn that I thought this way about.
17:46:13 But I think there are times that we can be very strong.
17:46:16 Too strong to people that don't I'll say this, deserve to be that strong act.
17:46:23 People who are just there to help support us. And that is what my experience was during that one time that the person came.
17:46:33 I'm just going to see if there's anyone else. I see Ingrid waving her hand.
17:46:42 Hi, Ingrid through the chair. So we're talking about the meeting in October.
17:46:48 Right. Yes. And the landscape architect was the young woman that came And she was lovely, but she was also, she had worked for the city for two months and she was delivering a message that did not that was um that was
17:47:01 Just like the project we'd been working on for so long was like not ours anymore and that somebody else was going to do it, but not to the extent that we were even going to do it.
17:47:08 And like that there may have been mixed motives so I think it was um like i think it was like Some people on the commission being sort of outraged and seeing what was sort of happening And also this person being sent in totally unprepared like
17:47:21 When she's putting up maps, she's not thinking about it. So to some extent, I feel like maybe it came off harsh because People do not like confronting their own ableism and the things they haven't learned yet.
17:47:33 So to me, more seemed like people were affronted on that like like that us having a little bit of like fire because it's our whole lives, how we move and how we do what we do and how we live our lives.
17:47:47 In this city. So I think that there was passion on our side because it was sort of like we had the rug pulled out from under us.
17:47:55 So I think that we were fiery, but I also think that like people get really offended when they're affronted about Potential ableism or like even being questioned. I thought that that was rough, but I also felt like she was set up a little bit
17:48:10 She worked for the city for two months. That's like nothing.
17:48:14 I felt like she was set up a little bit. And I also just kind of really felt like I knew that it was like, well, that would not be a fun day. She should like have a drink and have a cry and go to bed. Whoa.
17:48:23 But I would not think it would come to like us. I don't think I do not believe that we were not malicious or disrespectful in any substantive way. I really, really don't. All right, that's it.
17:48:36 I have to say it's my turn to talk. Yes, Pauline.
17:48:39 To the chair.
17:48:43 Are we not allowed to be passionate about the things we feel strongly about. What's wrong with being direct?
17:48:56 I think that that's a very good point. You've got thumbs up from others in the group. Clearly, we all have different backgrounds and different tolerances and different experiences and how those types of conversations appear to us as different from someone else.
17:49:17 I would just like to say that Whenever we've had a presenter.
17:49:22 I always speak with them, usually with Harriet. And I explained to them, you're going to come to our meeting.
17:49:30 We have blind members. You have this much time.
17:49:34 I want to understand what it is that you want to get from, what goals you have with working with us. Are you looking for us to accept something?
17:49:42 Are you looking for us to give feedback? Are you looking for like, how can I make this successful for you?
17:49:48 And at the same time, be able to say to that presenter.
17:49:51 We need this much time for things to be embossed. These types of words might upset people, or this is information that we already know or may upset someone if and I would maybe suggest that you word it this way.
17:50:07 This is how those things go. When this particular presentation came about with the swings.
17:50:14 That was when I was told I could not speak to that person.
17:50:18 And that was when everything shifted. And unfortunately, that person, I couldn't talk to them to explain anything.
17:50:26 To give them that feedback to say to them This has been a long time.
17:50:31 This is the history of this. And just so they would understand this isn't an issue with them, but this is the situation so that their time is well spent and our time is well spent.
17:50:43 And that is the crux, I believe, of where that project went but since That began, we have had other interactions where people are emailing the entire body with questions, with information, with policies And that is very troubling to me.
17:51:05 Because the chair writes the agenda. The members know they can submit anything they would like to have on the agenda.
17:51:13 We all bring ideas to the table. Everyone has a voice It's very hard to build an agenda. It's very hard to manage all of our lives and all of our commitments.
17:51:24 But there's been two large messages that came out One was detailing a process in which our funds Now, if anyone has a suggestion on how to use our funds.
17:51:36 Their first job is to go to the staff liaison. That is not how a public public body works that anyone has an idea brings it here.
17:51:43 Yep.
17:51:47 And I hope you all understand why, because if we were to deliberate, it might be a different project or it could be something we decide we don't want to do.
17:51:56 Maybe it's something we get even more feedback. But the point is it's the public body.
17:52:01 Who deliberates that. And those are things that are concerning.
17:52:05 And I know that people were upset.
17:52:10 When someone asked to be put onto the agenda. And I said, this is our meeting.
17:52:17 Everyone is welcome to attend, but we are waiting to work with the mayor's team on the next steps of how this commission will be moved to another group and how we will be supported.
17:52:35 And I do not want to sit here and ramble off a list of things that have happened over the years And the reasons for that, because it is a personnel matter.
17:52:45 And it is not appropriate to say those things. And there will be meetings to discuss that And there will be next steps. But my job is to protect our members and to make sure that we are not In my opinion, we were being bullied.
17:53:02 There are many meetings where we were spoken terribly too. There have been many emails that have been concerning.
17:53:08 But I just want you to know that I believe in all of you.
17:53:13 I believe in all of your voices. We will continue to meet.
17:53:19 We are able to use our own Zoom number, we have security set up so there will not be Zoom bombers. We will continue to meet monthly. We will continue to work through our treasurer with the city to manage those funds appropriately.
17:53:35 We will follow all the rules. But we will not tolerate having these the things that have happened.
17:53:46 And I'm very sorry how, Michael, it feels. But there are certain things that as a chair, I can't take a group of emails of someone's feelings and push them out to all of the members.
17:54:00 That is not an appropriate piece of the chair's role.
17:54:07 I'm glad that Michael was here and others were here and were able to share how they felt about that.
17:54:14 I apologize if anyone else thinks that I was yelling. I tried really hard to be calm. It was very hard for me to say even the few things that we did say.
17:54:25 And… I'm really impressed that we have all of our city councilors here and we have staff from RSJ.
17:54:33 Here as well. But we have had minutes Since we've asked for those minutes to be taken on our behalf because as an as a as an accommodation, they've been inaccurate.
17:54:46 They've been missing facts and details. I don't know what the plan is going to be on how we can go backwards and rebuild all of our minutes.
17:54:54 We had a time where our previous minute taker was posting them in a different location.
17:55:00 Some of them were missing. And it's a very large task. So that is something that will have to be taken up. We might need to have an additional meeting to do that.
17:55:08 I have one last thing to say. I would like to propose that we move our meetings to Wednesdays.
17:55:16 Because I understand that from the last time that we discussed our meetings.
17:55:21 That there was only one member that had a conflict with Wednesdays and Thursdays. However, there were many members who are available to be in person at these meetings.
17:55:31 Or to be more independent when participating at these meetings. So I would like to propose that we move our meetings from Thursdays at 7 to Wednesdays at 6.
17:55:47 Okay.
17:55:45 Second Wednesday. And there's one other, I'll take questions in just a second.
17:55:53 But the second Wednesday of the month. At six o'clock.
17:55:59 And um What that will also allow is a full 48 hours, not over a weekend to have an agenda ready.
17:56:08 And I'm very thankful that we were able to get today's agenda embossed and delivered in time.
17:56:16 And I'm very thankful that we didn't have any interruptions In this Zoom meeting. Does anyone have any comments. Yes, Helen. I'd just like to go back for a minute to the March meeting.
17:56:30 Because I was disturbed by how Michael saw it. Because I saw it differently.
17:56:36 And this has been sort of ongoing. I know what the chair is supposed to do.
17:56:43 The chair runs the meetings. The chair is not always.
17:56:50 I wouldn't allowed is not a good word to use. Sometimes… the liaison seems to misunderstand.
17:57:01 What her duties are. A perfect example at the March meeting.
17:57:07 She proposed. And Luke.
17:57:12 Swat being created. In the first place, it's not in the bylaws.
17:57:18 And it's not her job. To propose things.
17:57:26 And I've seen instances of that in the year that I've been on the Commission, I never spoke up about it before.
17:57:36 But it was very upsetting. That particular night.
17:57:42 It was… It's something I've been to a lot of meetings over my long life.
17:57:47 I've never been to a meeting that ended that way, that's for sure.
17:57:51 And maybe I should be less frank about it I just felt terrible about it. And I feel badly that Michael sees it in a different manner.
17:58:03 But I'm glad that he shares how he fails.
17:58:09 That's our responsibility is to listen and try to understand Does anyone have any objections or concerns about the second Wednesdays?
17:58:21 Moving forward because we would start this in What is the month? May, yes.
17:58:29 Six is such a great time to start. Yes. Okay. How does that work for you?
17:58:38 I can make that work. Thank you. We're about to be removed from this meeting.
17:58:43 Thank you. We will be right out. Does anyone else here have… Any questions or concerns?
17:58:51 Okay, I'm going to move that we change our bylaws to have our meetings on the second Wednesday of the month.
17:59:00 Starting at six o'clock. May I have a second from someone who isn't in the room?
17:59:07 Second.
17:59:08 Thank you for my second. All those in favor, I will do a roll call. Sheila? Yes.
17:59:15 Yes, Helen? Yes. Harriet? Yes.
17:59:21 Ingrid.
17:59:23 Yes.
17:59:25 Pauline.
17:59:27 I'm on the fence. I don't know. I'm going to say… Abstain.
17:59:35 Okay, that we have six yeses and one abstain And I appreciate your honesty, Pauline, and we can talk online offline about this.
17:59:48 Yes.
17:59:45 Of how we can um with what you have at home. Thank you everyone for coming today. I'm going to… Move to adjourn. All those in favor?
17:59:59 Okay, guys have it. Thank you all. You will get information about the where and the when.
17:59:59 Aye.
18:00:00 Bye.
18:00:04 As soon as we figured out the where and the when, please reach out at any time.
18:00:07 And thank you for um For being here tonight.
18:00:11 Thank you, Ollie. Thank you, city councilors. Thank you, everybody. Bye.
16:01:05 Yeah, I didn'
16:04:18 So bear with us another
18:00:16 Jesse, that picture, what is that from? 20 years ago. A three-piece suit piece. Looks so great. Thank you
16:01:30 Holly, you have muted