[2:03] and.

[2:52] >>

[2:54] good afternoon everyone.

[2:56] My name is ed flynn.

[2:58] District city council.

[3:00] I am the chair of the boston

[3:02] city council committee on city

[3:02] services.

[3:07] Today is AUGUST 31st 2026.

[3:11] The exact time is 203.

[3:15] This hearing is being recorded.

[3:18] It is also being live streamed

[3:20] at boston.Gov/city council dash

[3:24] tv broadcast on xfinity channel

[3:29] eight rcn 82 fios channel 964.

[3:33] Written comments MAY be sent to

[3:36] the committee email at sk dot

[3:39] csv city@boston.Gov.

[3:42] And will be made part of the

[3:43] record and available to all

[3:44] city councilors.

[3:48] Public testimony will be taken

[3:49] at the end of the hearing.

[3:52] Individuals will be called on

[3:54] in order in which they sign up

[3:55] and will have two minutes to

[3:56] testify.

[3:58] If you are interested in

[4:00] testifying in person, please

[4:01] add your name to the sign up

[4:03] sheet near the entrance of the

[4:03] chamber.

[4:06] When you walk in if you are

[4:08] looking to testify virtually,

[4:10] please email our central staff

[4:14] liaison shane pack and shane

[4:18] and dot pack@boston.Gov.

[4:20] For the link and your name will

[4:21] be added to the list.

[4:22] Before I begin I do want to say

[4:26] thank you to shane and ethan

[4:27] for being here.

[4:28] They're our city

[4:30] council central staff and we

[4:31] want to thank them for their

[4:33] for their work and

[4:33] professionalism.

[4:37] Today's hearing is on docket

[4:38] 0335.

[4:41] in order for a hearing to

[4:44] discuss accessibility issues in

[4:44] boston city hall.

[4:48] This matter is sponsored by

[4:49] myself and city council erin

[4:51] murphy who was referred to the

[4:53] committee on FEBRUARY 11th,

[4:54] 2026.

[4:59] Today I am and I am joined by

[5:01] city councilors in order

[5:01] of arrival.

[5:05] Councilor fitzgerald, city

[5:08] council PRESIDENT Breadon, city

[5:09] councilor louijeune.

[5:11] At this time I do want to

[5:13] acknowledge a letter of absence

[5:15] I did receive from one of my

[5:15] colleagues.

[5:19] I'll read it into the record,

[5:21] dear chair flynn.

[5:23] MR. Clerk, city

[5:24] council colleagues, I regret to

[5:26] inform you that I'm unable to

[5:27] attend this morning's committee

[5:30] on city services on docket

[5:33] 033135 order for a hearing to

[5:34] discuss accessibility issues in

[5:34] boston city hall.

[5:38] I will follow up with

[5:39] additional questions upon

[5:42] reviewing my staff's notes and

[5:44] watching the recording.

[5:45] Please do not hesitate hesitate

[5:47] to contact my staff with any

[5:48] questions.

[5:50] Sincerely, enrique pepen boston

[5:52] city council district five.

[5:57] I have the honor of introducing

[6:01] two exceptionally um well

[6:03] qualified advocates in the

[6:05] disability community and worked

[6:07] with both of them for a number

[6:10] of years on accessibility

[6:11] issues.

[6:17] But before I ask both casandra

[6:20] xavier and bill todd before I

[6:22] ask them to give an opening

[6:24] statement um, I do want to give

[6:26] an opportunity to my city

[6:28] council colleagues to provide

[6:29] an opening statement.

[6:32] I do want to give my colleagues

[6:36] as much time as necessary, um,

[6:37] for their opening statement.

[6:39] I'm going to give I'm going to

[6:41] give five minutes if if you go

[6:42] over five minutes that's okay.

[6:43] Continue going.

[6:45] And I will not cut you off.

[6:47] Let me start with

[6:47] councilor fitzgerald.

[6:50] Councilor fitzgerald you have

[6:50] the floor.

[6:52] Thank you very much chair.

[6:53] I do appreciate it and I am

[6:55] happy to be here for this

[6:55] important hearing.

[6:58] Uh, regarding accessibility,

[6:59] uh, in and around boston city

[7:00] hall but also just the wider

[7:01] city in general.

[7:04] Uh, and I think how we, uh,

[7:06] show up, uh, for accessibility

[7:09] in and around the property that

[7:11] we manage here at city hall uh

[7:13] should certainly be the

[7:14] forefront and the leader of how

[7:16] we, uh, provide accessibility

[7:18] to the rest of the city if we

[7:19] can't do it in our own

[7:19] backyard.

[7:20] Uh, it's going to be pretty

[7:22] difficult for people to think

[7:23] we can do it elsewhere in their

[7:24] homes and in their

[7:24] neighborhood.

[7:26] So, um, I look forward to

[7:28] learning a lot, uh, from both

[7:29] cassandra and bill.

[7:31] Uh, thank you for being here

[7:31] today.

[7:33] Uh, and for educating us on

[7:35] what the problems that persist

[7:37] uh, what some of the new

[7:39] problems are, uh, and how we

[7:41] can best learn and, uh, react

[7:43] to what we're seeing out there

[7:46] and, um, from you guys who are

[7:48] living it every day, uh,

[7:50] putting us in your shoes and

[7:51] telling us what you need and

[7:53] how best we can support you.

[7:54] Uh, I think it's very

[7:55] important.

[7:56] So I thank you for taking the

[7:57] time to be here.

[7:58] Uh, and chair and I look

[7:59] forward to both working with

[8:01] the administration, uh, the

[8:02] advocates and my colleagues,

[8:04] uh, to make sure that we can

[8:05] see sure that some of these

[8:06] things are followed through on

[8:07] to make life a little bit

[8:08] easier for our residents.

[8:08] Thank you.

[8:09] Thank you.

[8:11] >> council fitzgerald city

[8:12] council PRESIDENT And

[8:13] council PRESIDENT.

[8:13] PRESIDENT.

[8:14] You have the floor.

[8:15] Thank you.

[8:18] >> uh, councilor flynn,

[8:18] mr chair.

[8:21] Good afternoon, bill and

[8:21] cassandra.

[8:23] So nice to have you here.

[8:27] Um, I'm this is an important

[8:28] discussion just to evaluate

[8:30] where we're at in terms

[8:31] of accessibility, uh, in and

[8:33] around boston city hall.

[8:36] I know we've made incremental

[8:37] improvements over the years and

[8:38] it's an ongoing project.

[8:39] We're not there yet.

[8:42] Uh, so I'd love to hear your,

[8:45] um, impressions, your

[8:48] suggestions and hopefully we

[8:51] can, uh, actualize, uh, some

[8:53] of your suggestions and make

[8:55] our city hall until the city

[8:56] hall plaza on the environment

[8:59] around, uh, here in government

[9:01] center, uh, more accessible to

[9:02] everyone and across the city.

[9:03] So thank you for being here.

[9:05] Thank you, council PRESIDENT.

[9:07] Councilor louijeune, you have

[9:07] the floor.

[9:09] Good afternoon everyone.

[9:11] I'm happy to be here.

[9:13] Thank you to my colleague, uh,

[9:14] councilor flynn for hosting

[9:14] this hearing.

[9:16] And I want to thank cassandra

[9:17] and bill for being here.

[9:18] We need to make sure.

[9:20] Yes, cassandra are our policy

[9:21] queen.

[9:22] Thank you for being here and

[9:23] our advocacy queen.

[9:25] Um, it's important that we make

[9:26] sure that the doors of city

[9:28] hall are open to everyone and

[9:28] that it's accessible.

[9:30] We don't have a city for

[9:31] everyone if we're not, uh,

[9:32] remembering to bring the

[9:33] margins and making sure that

[9:35] those who have been

[9:36] historically excluded from our

[9:37] spaces and places that they are

[9:38] centered.

[9:39] And so I want to continue to

[9:40] learn from all of you to think

[9:41] about what we can do better

[9:42] here in the city of boston and

[9:44] work alongside the

[9:44] administration and my

[9:45] colleagues to make that

[9:45] possible.

[9:48] I think that was only 40s so

[9:49] I'll I'll yield all my time

[9:49] back.

[9:50] Thank you.

[9:52] Thank you, councilor louijeune.

[9:55] I believe the americans with

[9:56] disabilities act is arguably

[9:58] one of the most important

[10:00] pieces of federal legislation

[10:00] on the books.

[10:02] I filed this hearing order

[10:05] because it is critical that we

[10:06] make accessibility a top

[10:09] priority for all in our city,

[10:11] especially our seniors persons

[10:12] with disabilities.

[10:15] We know that over the years

[10:16] boston city hall has made

[10:18] improvements to ensure

[10:19] compliance with the ada

[10:21] american disability act and

[10:22] improve accessibility for

[10:24] persons with disabilities.

[10:26] Some of these examples include

[10:28] a new accessible entrance on

[10:31] the second floor and a sloping

[10:32] promenade in the city hall

[10:36] plaza renovation in 2022, which

[10:37] began under the leadership

[10:40] of mayor marty walsh throughout

[10:42] mayor janey's time and

[10:43] completed a the mayor will.

[10:46] There was also the installation

[10:48] of a vertical lift at city

[10:50] hall's third floor entrance to

[10:51] the mezzanine area.

[10:54] However, there is more work to

[10:55] be done to improve

[10:57] accessibility inside the

[10:57] building.

[10:59] Aging infrastructure continues

[11:02] to limit accessibility in

[11:04] certain areas such as the

[11:05] broken escalators connecting

[11:08] the second and third floor as

[11:10] well as the halfway between the

[11:13] second and third floor and city

[11:15] hall labeled the third floor on

[11:15] the north elevator.

[11:18] As we all know, these elevators

[11:19] have been down for quite some

[11:21] time and it is important to

[11:23] review access within other

[11:24] parts of the building to ensure

[11:26] those with disabilities can

[11:30] fully access access all floors

[11:32] departments meeting rooms when

[11:33] they are in city hall.

[11:35] Residents and neighbors tell

[11:37] me it MAY be difficult and

[11:39] confusing for them sometimes to

[11:40] navigate city hall when they

[11:42] are trying to obtain city

[11:44] services, especially when they

[11:45] have to reach multiple

[11:46] departments.

[11:48] They MAY come in from the city

[11:50] hall plaza or congress street

[11:51] from the garage area.

[11:53] They MAY use the south

[11:55] elevators to go to to go and

[11:57] pay a ticket or get a birth

[11:59] certificate on the second floor

[12:02] while visiting a assessing on

[12:04] third floor but with the

[12:05] escalator down they have to

[12:06] take the stairs to navigate

[12:09] their way to find the north

[12:10] elevator to get up to the tax

[12:12] collection division or a

[12:15] taxpayer assistance center in

[12:18] that kind of half between the

[12:19] mezzanine area on the third

[12:21] floor and second floor.

[12:23] It does sound confusing if

[12:24] you're not familiar with the

[12:25] building.

[12:27] Last NOVEMBER I reached out to

[12:29] commissioner shelton who

[12:31] mentioned that the existing

[12:32] escalators have been fully

[12:34] decommissioned as they are

[12:36] beyond repair, not

[12:37] code compliant and no longer

[12:39] considered to meet

[12:40] accessibility standards.

[12:42] He also mentioned that the city

[12:43] is working to replace these

[12:45] escalators with new stairs in a

[12:48] fully accessible four stop

[12:49] elevator.

[12:51] And while the design phase is

[12:51] ongoing.

[12:52] But the.

[12:54] >> timeline for construction

[12:56] and completion remains unclear.

[12:58] I also highlighted the safety

[13:00] of the main staircase on the

[13:00] third floor.

[13:03] In my hearing order, the short

[13:05] length of the bricks in the

[13:07] reflective shine make it

[13:09] difficult to see, especially

[13:10] when you're walking down from

[13:12] the fifth floor to the third

[13:13] floor.

[13:16] And while the current

[13:18] guardrails help, I believe the

[13:19] safety of these stairs need to

[13:21] be enhanced to prevent people

[13:24] from tripping and getting

[13:25] serious hurt seriously hurt.

[13:27] Many people know exactly where

[13:28] I'm talking about where they

[13:32] have um the podium for speakers

[13:34] and the mezzanine level.

[13:36] But right next to it is the

[13:40] lift for the um for people that

[13:41] are in a wheelchair so that

[13:42] they can get up.

[13:46] But I believe those stairs are

[13:49] pretty dangerous if you fall

[13:50] um, you'll literally fall the

[13:52] whole flight off the stairs.

[13:55] Um, I look forward to this

[13:57] hearing to discuss these issues

[13:57] .

[13:59] Improving accessibility on the

[14:00] second and third floor must be

[14:01] a top priority.

[14:04] And for nine years this is

[14:06] probably been my number one

[14:09] issue is how we ensure persons

[14:11] with disabilities are treated

[14:14] with respect and dignity and

[14:15] that's something I'm going to

[14:16] continue to work on.

[14:18] Um we're honored to have

[14:20] cassandra and bill and I do

[14:22] want to give cassandra and bill

[14:24] an opportunity to introduce

[14:26] themselves, give an opening

[14:29] statement and after that we

[14:32] will go to questions from my

[14:32] colleagues.

[14:34] But I don't want to rush you so

[14:36] I'm going to probably give each

[14:39] person maybe maybe 12 minutes

[14:42] and then and then after that

[14:43] we'll go to questions.

[14:46] So bill or cassandra who would

[14:47] like to go first?

[14:50] Uh I'm going first.

[14:53] Okay bill, you're going first.

[14:55] Just give me an opportunity, um

[14:57] ,to set the timer.

[15:01] Um, so bill, you have 12

[15:01] minutes.

[15:02] Introduce yourself.

[15:05] Give us a give us your

[15:06] background.

[15:07] What's important to you in

[15:08] terms of a person with

[15:09] disability?

[15:11] Um, any recommendations that

[15:14] you might have and, um, want to

[15:15] say thank you to you, bill, for

[15:16] your commitment to, um, civil

[15:18] rights bill, you have the

[15:18] floor.

[15:20] Good afternoon.

[15:23] Um, thank you for inviting

[15:25] me to this hearing.

[15:29] I have a long journey becoming

[15:30] blind.

[15:34] I was declared blind APRIL

[15:37] 22nd, 2025.

[15:43] I used to live in boston and I

[15:46] recently moved to cambridge

[15:48] because it's a brand new

[15:50] building and an accessible

[15:52] apartment.

[15:54] And I want to thank the mass

[15:55] commission for the blind for

[15:59] helping me have this wonderful

[16:01] place to live.

[16:05] There are many issues facing

[16:06] the city of boston.

[16:09] They go beyond city hall.

[16:13] I'm going to talk about one

[16:16] of them that has become quite

[16:18] frankly one of the most

[16:22] important issues for me as a

[16:23] person who is blind with low

[16:26] vision and a senior citizen.

[16:30] The lack of public bathrooms in

[16:32] the city of boston.

[16:33] The city should be ashamed

[16:34] of itself.

[16:39] The city it thinks that

[16:40] bathrooms and fire departments

[16:43] and police stations are public

[16:43] bathrooms.

[16:47] Firemen have told me they're

[16:49] concerned because they don't

[16:50] want people out digging in the

[16:51] bathrooms when they have to

[16:52] respond.

[16:55] To a911 call.

[16:59] The boston I spend most of my

[17:01] time in the city now between

[17:02] city hall and back bay.

[17:07] The bathroom at the souvenir

[17:09] concession store at the park

[17:12] street closes at 4:45 P.M..

[17:16] If you don't know where the

[17:17] other bathrooms are.

[17:18] Good luck!

[17:21] There is a temporary bathroom

[17:22] just before you cross the

[17:24] street to go to public gardens

[17:24] .

[17:29] I attended jaylen brown's

[17:30] magnificent event yesterday.

[17:33] Those bathrooms were closed for

[17:37] regular maintenance per a

[17:38] boston police officer.

[17:40] Fortunately there were potter

[17:41] parties there.

[17:45] What happens if it's not

[17:48] bathrooms closed walk down the

[17:48] hill.

[17:51] You just go to but you want to

[17:54] go to the red line kind of go

[17:55] back up the hill.

[18:01] The city says that hotels are

[18:04] considered public bathrooms to

[18:06] all the hotels in the city know

[18:07] that.

[18:11] I also received information

[18:12] that the city has a website.

[18:14] For bathrooms.

[18:16] Great.

[18:17] But what if.

[18:18] >> you are one of the more 2

[18:20] million international visitors

[18:21] that come to the city and you

[18:23] have a five year old child.

[18:25] That needs a bathroom?

[18:26] You're really going to look for

[18:28] that website?

[18:29] No.

[18:31] This is a big concern.

[18:35] Additionally, there are many

[18:36] resources available.

[18:39] Uh.

[18:40] >> we'll briefly talk about.

[18:41] a couple of them.

[18:44] One is the carroll center for

[18:45] the blind in newton.

[18:47] I'm an alumnus.

[18:50] That school transforms.

[18:51] People's lives.

[18:53] The other.

[18:55] One is achilles international.

[18:55] It's for.

[18:57] >> athletes with disabilities.

[19:02] Offices around newbury street.

[19:03] You can find out more

[19:04] information on the website.

[19:07] City guides.

[19:08] There are.

[19:09] Many resources.

[19:15] Available to people who um any

[19:16] citizen anybody.

[19:19] With sign any have a

[19:19] disability.

[19:21] But there's a.

[19:24] Huge problem in the city

[19:24] of boston.

[19:25] There is.

[19:29] No way for any person to find

[19:31] out all the most magnificent

[19:32] resources the city has.

[19:34] Because every.

[19:36] Department, every commission.

[19:38] Has its own silo.

[19:41] The question is.

[19:43] >> what's the city going to do

[19:43] about it?

[19:45] A little background.

[19:46] About me.

[19:49] I am serving now my sixth year

[19:51] on the city's eight strong

[19:52] commission senior advisory

[19:53] council.

[19:54] So some of them.

[19:55] >> are warmness of the.

[19:57] Council, some for the blind.

[19:59] Thank you to the school.

[20:03] I am also a community

[20:05] accessible monitor certified by

[20:06] the state office.

[20:07] On disability.

[20:10] I don't.

[20:11] >> have political power.

[20:13] But I can tell you about.

[20:15] things you need to improve.

[20:18] The sandra.

[20:19] >> is going to talk.

[20:20] About city hall.

[20:21] And the.

[20:23] Infrastructure of the city.

[20:27] We both know it's yeoman's

[20:27] work.

[20:31] Last thing couple.

[20:31] Last things.

[20:36] Anybody want any city

[20:37] council staff wants to come to

[20:38] the council on.

[20:40] You can reach me.

[20:41] Through council.

[20:42] Funds office.

[20:46] Happy to take you on a.

[20:47] >> tour of this incredible

[20:48] place.

[20:50] The second.

[20:51] Thing and the last thing.

[20:53] >> is I've made.

[20:55] This offer and no city

[20:56] council has taken me up on

[20:56] that.

[20:57] It's all repeated again.

[20:59] You want me to.

[21:01] Come to your district walk with

[21:02] you citywide?

[21:03] Any place.

[21:04] Any time.

[21:07] Happy to be your tour guide.

[21:08] We will both.

[21:09] Learn from each other.

[21:11] Once again.

[21:13] Thank you for the opportunity.

[21:16] To speak at this important

[21:16] hearing.

[21:19] Thank you bill.

[21:20] Thank you for your testimony

[21:21] for the important work you were

[21:22] doing.

[21:25] We're also joined by city

[21:26] councilor brian were all city

[21:28] council ben weber as well.

[21:33] Um, cassandra and same with

[21:33] you.

[21:36] Um, I'm going to give you I'm

[21:38] going to give you 12 minutes

[21:41] but um, if you feel like you

[21:43] need more time um, please take

[21:43] it.

[21:45] I will not cut you off.

[21:47] Okay, but you have the floor.

[21:50] Hello, everyone.

[21:53] My name is cassandra xavier and

[21:55] I'm a resident of the north

[21:55] end.

[21:59] I am a disability advocate and

[22:01] I'm here once again to continue

[22:05] the advocacy efforts for

[22:08] residents of all backgrounds in

[22:08] boston.

[22:11] Um, my the thing I would like

[22:16] to bring forward is the most

[22:18] difficult part in that is the

[22:20] concurrent street crossings.

[22:25] That is incredibly important

[22:28] that we address the issue

[22:31] of concurrent street crossings

[22:34] along with the already

[22:37] concerning infrastructure of a

[22:39] huge portion of the city the

[22:41] street the concurrent street

[22:42] crossings are incredibly

[22:43] dangerous.

[22:45] Now some of you MAY be

[22:46] wondering what a concurrent

[22:49] street crossing is and in the

[22:52] most simplest terms concurrent

[22:55] street crossings are is when

[22:58] the vehicle and a pedestrian

[23:00] can cross and drive at the same

[23:00] time.

[23:04] For some strange reason.

[23:08] The overseers of this does not

[23:10] believe it is a concern that

[23:12] needs to be fixed.

[23:17] Now imagine your child or

[23:19] yourself or someone you know

[23:21] who's elderly or with a

[23:23] disability trying to cross the

[23:25] street and as they have the

[23:29] right to cross a large vehicle

[23:31] of any kind is also turning in

[23:36] towards them thus leading to a

[23:40] preventable serious accident or

[23:40] tragic incident.

[23:45] I was on the radio gbh talking

[23:47] about this not too long ago and

[23:49] how dangerous it is.

[23:51] I really really believe that

[23:54] needs to be fixed and along

[23:56] with the concurrent street

[23:58] crossings which I hope to have

[24:00] some of you come see with

[24:03] me one day would be the city's

[24:04] infrastructure.

[24:10] There are there's a lot of uh,

[24:15] street curbs and sidewalks that

[24:17] really need to be addressed.

[24:21] Um, it's a lot of accidents

[24:22] waiting to happen or have

[24:25] already happened to a lot

[24:26] of pedestrians and I've been

[24:28] talking about this relentlessly

[24:29] over and over.

[24:31] Every time I come here.

[24:33] Every person I've been

[24:35] interviewed with by

[24:36] news reporters it's been the

[24:40] same exact concern

[24:41] infrastructure of boston and

[24:43] many other places need to be

[24:45] corrected and addressed.

[24:47] The concurrent street crossings

[24:49] need to be addressed in

[24:51] truncated domes need to be

[24:52] corrected.

[24:54] And if you're also wondering

[24:56] what an in truncated dome is,

[24:58] it is the little strips on the

[25:00] ground at the end of the curb

[25:02] that you could cross and there

[25:03] are bumps on the ground.

[25:05] It's not just for decoration.

[25:07] It's for someone with a

[25:08] wheelchair.

[25:09] Someone who uses a white cane.

[25:13] Uh rollerbladers and strollers

[25:14] to know that they're on the

[25:16] edge of the sidewalk so that

[25:18] they are able to stand at the

[25:20] end of the street safely.

[25:22] Some of those in truncated

[25:25] domes are broken and those need

[25:25] to be corrected.

[25:30] Um, and once again, my name is

[25:31] cassandra xavier.

[25:33] I am a disability advocate and

[25:36] i live in the north end and.

[25:39] Thank you for your time and

[25:41] I'll hand the floor back.

[25:45] Thank you.

[25:46] >> cassandra.

[25:49] Thank you for your testimony.

[25:52] Thank you for your leadership

[25:54] in advocating for persons with

[25:56] disabilities here in boston but

[25:58] also across the commonwealth as

[26:00] a commonwealth of massachusetts

[26:00] and we.

[26:03] Have tremendous respect, um,

[26:04] tremendous respect for you.

[26:08] Um, I'm going to start with

[26:09] councilor fitzgerald.

[26:12] I'm going to give each city

[26:14] councilor six minutes and if a

[26:16] city council needs more time,

[26:17] I'm not going to cut them off

[26:19] and they can they can take the

[26:19] time that they need.

[26:21] But I'll give everyone six

[26:22] minutes and then start with

[26:23] council fitzgerald and

[26:24] council breadon

[26:26] council louijeune council we're

[26:27] all councilor weber.

[26:30] Um council fitzgerald you have.

[26:31] >> the floor.

[26:32] Thank you very much chair and

[26:34] again thank you cassandra and

[26:35] bill for your advocacy and

[26:36] testimony today.

[26:37] Um.

[26:39] So just sort of going over what

[26:40] what we just.

[26:41] Heard I heard truncated domes,

[26:44] concurrent signals, uh,

[26:45] bathrooms around the city.

[26:46] Um.

[26:49] What else would you add to that

[26:52] list that we think is and

[26:53] without having to delve too

[26:54] deep into any of that, I see

[26:56] the look on on bill.

[26:56] But if.

[26:58] We really want to know right.

[26:59] Like what are some of the

[26:59] things that.

[27:03] persist uh, that affect uh many

[27:04] with disabilities?

[27:04] Bill, why don't you go ahead

[27:06] you could just start maybe you

[27:06] can just rattle.

[27:06] Some off.

[27:07] I'm just.

[27:08] Wondering what some of the

[27:09] other ones that are pertinent

[27:11] to what you think are you know,

[27:11] what.

[27:12] >> would you would prioritize?

[27:15] I would oh my gosh I would

[27:16] prioritize the concurrent

[27:18] street crossings.

[27:18] Yep.

[27:19] Not just for myself.

[27:21] There are many of us with all

[27:24] kinds of backgrounds invisible

[27:25] disabilities and very visible

[27:25] disabilities.

[27:28] Um we're outside.

[27:32] We are active people or trying

[27:33] to become more active out and

[27:37] about and we should not have to

[27:40] be in fear of our safety just

[27:41] across the street.

[27:43] You know, it is the most

[27:45] disconcerting experience to be

[27:47] someone who went through

[27:49] numerous years of mobility

[27:51] training for their white cane

[27:54] and to have the right of way to

[27:55] cross the street properly and

[27:57] to still almost get hit by a

[27:59] motorcyclist or a car.

[28:01] That takes all of your skills

[28:03] and training and it flushes it

[28:04] right down the drain.

[28:05] Concurrent street crossings

[28:07] need to be addressed

[28:08] immediately please.

[28:08] Yep.

[28:10] Understood.

[28:11] >> so the truncated domes

[28:12] concurrent signals?

[28:13] Yes.

[28:15] Uh, and anything else that.

[28:16] >> you would.

[28:18] Sort of that you come into, you

[28:19] know, on a daily basis where

[28:20] you say this is lacking in

[28:22] terms of accessibility and

[28:22] could be better.

[28:24] Sidewalk infrastructure.

[28:25] Yep.

[28:27] >> you get your canes or your

[28:29] mobility aid caught in the

[28:31] crack of a ground or you twist

[28:33] your ankle on a sidewalk where

[28:36] there are missing bricks, you

[28:38] know and that's just not cool.

[28:40] Yeah I agree and this this is

[28:42] not something again not for

[28:42] anyone.

[28:44] Not even an accessibility issue

[28:46] uh, necessarily for those that

[28:46] have any impairments.

[28:48] But I mean this is for

[28:48] everybody.

[28:49] My guess.

[28:49] It's everybody.

[28:50] Right, mike?

[28:51] >> I turn my ankle in a loose

[28:53] brick all the time walking the

[28:53] streets.

[28:55] I completely I get it and I

[28:55] should seek.

[28:58] Someone deserves access to a

[28:59] sidewalk without rolling their

[29:00] ankle.

[29:00] Yes.

[29:01] >> understood.

[29:03] >> it hurts.

[29:04] I believe we built anything

[29:04] then.

[29:05] Yes.

[29:08] >> to follow up on consensus

[29:09] priority.

[29:12] When I lived on west foxboro I

[29:14] took a city employee for road

[29:15] tire.

[29:17] To walk center street.

[29:19] And here's.

[29:22] >> what you face on one side is

[29:25] the latest equipment to cross

[29:25] the street.

[29:26] Some talk.

[29:28] Some don't.

[29:29] On the.

[29:30] other side there's nothing.

[29:34] On one side is a yellow tone

[29:34] path.

[29:36] On the other side there's

[29:37] nothing.

[29:39] You also have brown.

[29:42] Well, folks, there's a reason

[29:44] why I wear this yellow cap in

[29:45] the city hall.

[29:48] It's a reminder yellow is a

[29:52] better color than brown or.

[29:52] >> black.

[29:53] For those tone pants.

[29:53] Okay.

[29:56] >> why does the city have

[29:57] sewers?

[29:58] But the curb cut outs.

[29:59] ?

[30:03] Blind people I know can lose

[30:06] their came if they don't have

[30:07] this ball.

[30:09] If they have a regular stick

[30:10] and it comes into the sewer.

[30:13] No.

[30:15] >> what are you going to do

[30:16] about it?

[30:17] When I was here in MARCH

[30:18] talking about accessibility and

[30:21] snow, the question for the

[30:23] city's administration what are

[30:26] your plans to make sure

[30:28] sidewalks are more accessible

[30:31] to everyone next winter storms

[30:32] are coming.

[30:33] Are you ready?

[30:35] I offered a suggestion that not

[30:39] one city council took me up on

[30:40] create what I called the snow

[30:43] upgrade briefly pay the kids.

[30:47] The money goes not.

[30:49] >> in an amazon card into a

[30:49] bank account.

[30:51] Now one.

[30:53] City councilor approached

[30:54] me afterwards.

[30:56] That's embarrassing for the

[30:56] city.

[30:58] Council because it's.

[30:59] >> going to happen again.

[31:01] Snow doesn't go away.

[31:03] cassandra's priority.

[31:05] It's also my priority.

[31:09] I walk all over back bay

[31:11] downtown crossing city hall

[31:11] class.

[31:13] >> of the city.

[31:14] Did a great job with copley

[31:15] square park.

[31:17] Much more accessible.

[31:19] I'm usually there.

[31:20] >> every tuesday and friday for

[31:21] the farmers market.

[31:24] It's a great place, it's more

[31:25] accessible and I feel.

[31:27] Safe from right.

[31:29] So what's the city.

[31:30] Going to do about snow removal?

[31:32] It's coming just a few months

[31:33] away.

[31:34] What's the plan?

[31:37] I asked the question and then

[31:39] lastly mayor wolf, I've been

[31:41] trying to speak to you for two

[31:42] years in person about this.

[31:44] And your.

[31:45] >> staff has never responded.

[31:49] Thank you.

[31:50] Thanks, bill.

[31:52] I'm sure you're not alone there

[31:52] .

[31:53] The truncated domes.

[31:55] Uh.

[31:56] They are going around and.

[31:57] Repairing them now.

[31:57] Right there is.

[31:58] >> a federal lot to.

[32:00] What I believe that was taking

[32:01] place and so I know it's a

[32:01] long.

[32:03] Process but is it not?

[32:03] Uh.

[32:04] They're going around to try and

[32:06] make them even on both sides.

[32:07] >> of the road and.

[32:08] Taking it piece by piece from

[32:09] what I understand.

[32:12] Uh, and as for the uh, the the

[32:13] snow brigade.

[32:14] Um, I think as.

[32:16] Many councilors do here in our

[32:16] own districts.

[32:18] Uh, we do have a typical we try

[32:20] to buy the kids ice cream if

[32:21] they shovel out, uh, a

[32:23] neighbor's sidewalk or a

[32:24] hydrant, uh, or an elderly

[32:26] neighbor or things of that

[32:26] nature.

[32:26] So.

[32:28] Uh, we do what we can with.

[32:29] >> what we've got, bill.

[32:31] But I agree it could be more

[32:32] organized and substantial.

[32:34] But again, uh, that is my time.

[32:35] Thank you, uh, to both.

[32:37] >> of you for your suggestions.

[32:38] >> look forward to, uh, talking

[32:39] in the future.

[32:40] Thank you chair.

[32:42] Thank you,

[32:42] councilor fitzgerald.

[32:47] Um, I do want to, um I do want

[32:50] to acknowledge my city

[32:51] council colleagues.

[32:54] They did go on record in

[32:57] support of my proposal on to

[32:59] eliminate basically concurrent

[33:02] street lighting several times I

[33:02] believe.

[33:05] But I do want to acknowledge my

[33:06] colleagues for the important

[33:08] work and leadership they have

[33:09] provided on that issue.

[33:11] Certainly we have more work to

[33:13] do to try to convince the

[33:14] administration that we need to

[33:16] make a complete change.

[33:18] I also want to acknowledge and

[33:20] the council fitzgerald

[33:22] mentioned it but um I do know

[33:24] councilor worrell was active

[33:28] and is active on trying to uh

[33:30] continue to work with the city

[33:33] administration on the street um

[33:35] snow removal and we had a

[33:37] hearing several months ago but

[33:38] I think council all wants to

[33:40] have another one over the next

[33:41] month or two months.

[33:44] Um, but let me go to the city

[33:46] council PRESIDENT For six

[33:47] minutes.

[33:49] Um, council PRESIDENT Breadon,

[33:49] you have.

[33:50] >> the floor.

[33:51] Thank you very much.

[33:52] And, um.

[33:57] I really the I share your

[33:59] concerns about the concurrent

[34:00] street crossings.

[34:04] Um in and I feel that there's a

[34:07] level of lack of enforcement

[34:10] and safety challenges with

[34:11] crosswalks in general.

[34:12] Like I was talking to someone

[34:14] recently in the last few weeks

[34:16] about just the sheer number

[34:18] of incidents like we've had

[34:19] fatalities on crosswalks in

[34:21] allston, brighton.

[34:24] We have had near-misses and

[34:28] injuries were uh drivers don't

[34:28] stop.

[34:29] They stop, they slow down.

[34:31] They stop and and the person's

[34:32] like three quarters of the way

[34:34] across but they run the drive

[34:35] on and then they clipped them

[34:38] on the shoulder with the wing

[34:39] mirror and breaker on.

[34:41] That has happened in our

[34:42] district.

[34:45] So I think and the other aspect

[34:47] just the demography the

[34:48] demographics of our of our city

[34:50] is we have an we have an aging

[34:51] population.

[34:53] Uh, as we get older we have

[34:54] more mobility problems.

[34:56] We have vision and hearing and

[34:57] sensory issues that new folks

[34:59] can speak to very well.

[35:06] Um and it it seems to be that

[35:10] our um, streets are not safe

[35:13] for all road users and I think

[35:17] it's really challenging like

[35:19] how do we in terms of your

[35:22] knowledge, bill and cassandra

[35:24] of other municipalities maybe

[35:26] either globally, nationally or

[35:29] locally the people places where

[35:30] they do things differently that

[35:31] we might learn from.

[35:33] Have you any any any thoughts

[35:34] on that matter?

[35:35] Yes.

[35:37] >> the city.

[35:40] Belongs as a member of the open

[35:41] mobility foundation.

[35:44] It has had.

[35:47] Staff lead that organization.

[35:50] The question.

[35:51] >> is and I don't know the

[35:52] answer.

[35:53] .

[35:54] What is the.

[35:55] City doing to.

[35:57] Use the technology.

[35:58] That's open source.

[36:01] To improve monitoring of.

[36:05] Transportation and vehicles.

[36:06] ?

[36:09] >> for example, minneapolis has

[36:10] been a pilot.

[36:12] Program with.

[36:15] Major companies like pps to

[36:17] make sure the curb cut outs and

[36:17] up.

[36:21] Walked along times as far as.

[36:23] What city councilor fitzgerald.

[36:24] Said.

[36:25] >> that class.

[36:26] Action lawsuit said the city

[36:28] had 23,000.

[36:34] Miles sidewalks to fix those.

[36:37] Curb cut outs, according to.

[36:39] The settlement, the city only

[36:44] has to fix 1600 a year in 2024

[36:48] to meet the goal 2025 the city

[36:51] was proud it fixed over 1700

[36:52] folks.

[36:53] Do the math.

[36:55] How long is it going to fix

[36:56] those 23,000.

[36:58] And they'll.

[36:58] Never all get.

[37:01] Fixed because it's just going

[37:03] to start over again.

[37:04] The law changes.

[37:07] I know city government moves

[37:08] slower than.

[37:09] Turtles.

[37:10] >> but the city needs to move.

[37:11] Faster because the.

[37:13] >> world moves faster.

[37:17] Getting feedback.

[37:19] Hold on.

[37:23] That feedback is coming.

[37:24] Okay.

[37:26] >> feedback on way.

[37:28] Sort of question.

[37:30] Is what are you going to do

[37:31] about these sidewalks and

[37:32] streets?

[37:34] What are you going to do about

[37:34] the trees and the roots?

[37:38] Roots don't go down they go

[37:38] out.

[37:40] Like I.

[37:42] Said happy to.

[37:44] >> come any time any place to a

[37:46] city council district and city

[37:47] wide walk with.

[37:48] >> me.

[37:51] And also cassandra on MARCH 9th

[37:53] hearing she saw the very

[37:55] impactful video she made.

[37:58] Anybody looked at it since it

[37:59] was shown.

[38:01] MARCH 9th 2026.

[38:04] There's a lot the.

[38:06] City can do but the problem is

[38:07] it's all in silos.

[38:11] I don't know how well city

[38:12] agencies work together.

[38:14] I'm an.

[38:15] >> outsider, not an insider.

[38:17] Thank you.

[38:20] >> um.

[38:24] >> in terms.

[38:24] Of the.

[38:28] The tactile pads or the the

[38:29] truncated domes as they're

[38:32] called, um it seems that some

[38:34] of the the yellow ones which

[38:38] are more visually on the um.

[38:43] Yes accessible that very often

[38:44] the materials are made in is

[38:45] degrades very quickly

[38:47] especially if it's been

[38:47] exposed.

[38:49] Is that something that you

[38:50] folks are observing in your

[38:53] travels like uh just the

[38:56] comments that the the truncated

[39:00] um pads deteriorate and

[39:02] basically need replacement in

[39:02] very.

[39:03] >> short order?

[39:04] Yes.

[39:07] >> uh, speaking of in truncated

[39:09] domes that need to be replaced

[39:11] by the edward brooke

[39:11] courthouse.

[39:16] Um, there is a there is an inch

[39:17] truncated dome that is

[39:21] completely ripped off and it's

[39:21] missing.

[39:23] I don't know if they plan on

[39:25] fixing it any time soon or if

[39:27] it was taken off intentionally

[39:27] .

[39:30] Um, but.

[39:33] That's a concern and I believe

[39:34] that they should all be a

[39:37] standard color like yellow for

[39:40] easy visibility, for low vision

[39:42] and for anyone that you know

[39:46] needs to be able to see it at a

[39:47] distance or up close to know

[39:49] where to stand properly.

[39:51] Um yeah.

[39:53] Thank you.

[39:55] >> that's that's my time.

[39:57] I have a place to talk.

[39:58] Two places to talk.

[39:58] About the.

[39:59] Follow up.

[40:00] At the.

[40:02] Corner of charles and beacon

[40:03] street.

[40:06] There's a fire hydrant right

[40:08] where the curb cut out should.

[40:09] Be as.

[40:10] >> you cross the street from

[40:12] charles to go to the public

[40:13] gardens next.

[40:15] And I saw this when I had

[40:15] better.

[40:17] Eyesight walk out the.

[40:19] back bay commuter rail station.

[40:21] Turn right to go down dartmouth

[40:21] .

[40:24] Street at the intersection.

[40:25] >> of dartmouth and.

[40:25] Stewart street.

[40:27] Couple of years.

[40:29] Ago there was no curb cut out.

[40:31] I saw.

[40:32] >> a mother.

[40:33] Push a.

[40:35] >> child in a wheelchair and

[40:36] had to go up.

[40:37] Stewart street.

[40:39] In the street.

[40:41] I actually got a phone call

[40:42] from some consultants.

[40:43] >> I couldn't figure.

[40:45] Out who owns that curb cut off

[40:45] .

[40:48] I was told it was the mass

[40:48] turnpike.

[40:49] It still.

[40:52] >> hasn't been fixed as of last

[40:52] friday.

[40:56] I hope no other mother has to

[40:59] push a child in a wheelchair up

[41:02] stewart street to wherever she

[41:02] was going.

[41:04] I think it.

[41:05] >> was a doctor's.

[41:05] Appointment because I.

[41:05] Asked her.

[41:09] >> that's just 1.

[41:10] >> or 2 simple examples.

[41:10] A fire.

[41:15] Hydrant at a curb cut off and a

[41:16] mother having.

[41:16] >> to walk.

[41:18] >> up stewart street because

[41:19] there's no curb cut out there.

[41:24] Make a thank you, bill.

[41:25] Thank you, MISTER Chair.

[41:28] Thank you, council PRESIDENT.

[41:31] Um, councilor louijeune, you

[41:31] have the floor.

[41:32] Thank you.

[41:34] >> and I want to thank you both

[41:35] for your for your testimony,

[41:36] bill.

[41:37] i do want to take you up on

[41:37] your offer.

[41:39] Um, to walk through the

[41:40] neighborhood.

[41:42] Um, for me, I live on the

[41:44] street and I want to thank the

[41:46] council and they're not here or

[41:47] they're not coming right to the

[41:47] disability commission.

[41:48] I know their staff.

[41:49] Okay?

[41:50] But I have been there.

[41:51] They have been really gracious

[41:53] and the administration has come

[41:55] out to my street to really look

[41:56] at the disability and

[41:56] accessibility issues.

[41:58] And so I think that we do need

[41:59] to do more of that.

[42:01] Um, I wonder and because

[42:02] they're not here it's a

[42:03] difficult question to ask.

[42:06] Uh, we there are so many silos

[42:09] where like regardless of the.

[42:09] Issue.

[42:11] >> especially when it comes to

[42:12] the needs of folks who are too

[42:13] often marginalized.

[42:15] I'm wondering if anyone knows

[42:17] whether the disability

[42:18] commission right now has

[42:19] meetings where they try to

[42:20] bring everyone together where

[42:23] the top where the issue is just

[42:24] on accessibility and

[42:24] disability.

[42:27] Um, I'd.

[42:28] >> like to speak about

[42:29] commissioner councilor t.

[42:30] >> uh.

[42:32] They do yeoman's work.

[42:33] They need to.

[42:33] >> be.

[42:35] Trained put up for.

[42:36] >> major projects.

[42:40] They have to evaluate 217 city

[42:41] buildings for accessibility.

[42:45] Thousands of miles of sidewalks

[42:45] .

[42:46] And you got to figure out.

[42:49] she told me who owns the

[42:49] sidewalk?

[42:51] >> who owns the bridge?

[42:53] I think it's really complicated

[42:53] .

[42:56] And when you're looking at road

[43:00] diet I was told you have

[43:01] federal, state and city laws.

[43:04] They conflict with each other

[43:04] on many.

[43:06] Levels and that.

[43:08] >> was from the project manager

[43:10] who managed the road diet

[43:12] program and a project from west

[43:13] roxbury.

[43:17] Thank you.

[43:19] >> I'm happy to speak to

[43:19] afterwards.

[43:20] Thank you.

[43:22] Thank you for taking me up on

[43:23] my offer for the commissioners

[43:23] team.

[43:24] That's great work.

[43:27] They need more people and they

[43:28] need better budget, more money.

[43:31] Thank you.

[43:32] >> thank you bill.

[43:35] Um, either casandra or bill on

[43:36] the issue of general

[43:37] accessibility on the issue

[43:39] of uh, concurrent street

[43:39] crossings.

[43:40] Are there examples of cities

[43:41] who are doing it?

[43:43] Um or doing.

[43:45] Uh.

[43:47] >> accessibility in ways that

[43:47] we need to.

[43:50] Copy or model or examples that

[43:51] you've seen in other places

[43:52] because you don't have to raise

[43:53] a hand the light source.

[43:56] So accessibility concerns

[43:58] should always be.

[44:01] It should be prioritized.

[44:05] Oftentimes whenever an

[44:06] accessibility need is brought

[44:08] up to the forefront.

[44:10] Um or is at least attempt to it

[44:12] is always an afterthought.

[44:15] you know, I always remind

[44:16] everybody at some point you're

[44:19] going to many of us will become

[44:22] older and we will develop

[44:23] disabilities by age.

[44:26] So right now many of us can

[44:26] avoid.

[44:29] Those cracks in the road if

[44:31] we're walking in a really fast

[44:32] speed.

[44:34] But sooner or later maybe 20 to

[44:36] 30 years you MAY not have the

[44:38] same agility or quickness that

[44:40] you once did in the past and or

[44:43] at some point anyone can become

[44:45] a part of the disability

[44:45] community.

[44:47] Uh no one is exempt from

[44:50] acquiring a disability not even

[44:50] 20 minutes from now.

[44:54] So whenever these things are

[44:57] being whenever construction and

[44:58] reconstruction of certain

[44:58] places.

[45:00] Are is is happening.

[45:04] Accessibility should always be

[45:06] woven into these things.

[45:09] You know it's a compliance

[45:12] thing and I'm going to keep

[45:13] repeating it over and over and

[45:15] over until we see it happening

[45:15] .

[45:17] And I'm also.

[45:18] Open to.

[45:19] Some further discussion after

[45:21] this hearing as well with

[45:22] anyone.

[45:23] Thank you cassandra.

[45:25] Other areas in the city that

[45:27] you think are like the most

[45:28] problematic, the most difficult

[45:31] ,the most inaccessible for our

[45:31] residents here.

[45:35] Oh my gosh I can list one

[45:35] of the many of them.

[45:40] Um along common ave in the area

[45:41] by the area where they have the

[45:45] elephant standing those streets

[45:48] or those blocks on the uh,

[45:49] commonwealth area.

[45:52] a lot of them do not have apps

[45:54] buttons and that's shortened

[45:56] for audible pedestrian signals.

[45:59] Those are incredibly dangerous

[46:00] street corners.

[46:03] Um, and I believe that is where

[46:05] someone had unfortunately

[46:09] passed away because of lack of,

[46:10] you know, the audible

[46:11] pedestrian signals and the

[46:12] street crossing signals.

[46:15] And that is also where the

[46:17] concurrent street crossing

[46:19] issue is also heavily noticed

[46:20] as well.

[46:21] Okay.

[46:23] >> um.

[46:25] I'm not qualified to talk about

[46:25] other.

[46:27] Cities but the problem.

[46:28] With cassandra said.

[46:30] I don't know who said it.

[46:31] But everybody.

[46:33] >> in the world has a

[46:33] disability in waiting.

[46:36] Just of don't know when it's.

[46:36] >> going to show up.

[46:39] I do not know.

[46:43] Till 2015 that I had an

[46:45] isolated disease called my kill

[46:48] generation of any of the city

[46:48] councilors.

[46:50] Talk to all the doctors at

[46:52] mount sinai or doing research.

[46:54] For doctors.

[46:55] Who are teaching.

[46:57] Students that the college of.

[46:59] Optometry you want to.

[47:00] >> meet them.

[47:02] Come and see me.

[47:03] I'll introduce you to talk to

[47:04] ross at the normal.

[47:05] College of optometry.

[47:07] Amazing woman.

[47:08] Amazing doctor.

[47:10] Amazing research is still here.

[47:11] That's just.

[47:13] One example.

[47:14] >> of my journey.

[47:18] Thank you.

[47:20] um, I wanted to follow up on

[47:21] something that you stated

[47:22] earlier.

[47:23] Bill and I want to read it just

[47:26] to make sure that I, um.

[47:29] Uh, just to make sure that I

[47:29] got it right.

[47:30] I think when you were talking

[47:33] about the issue of public

[47:35] bathrooms, you were stating you

[47:39] stated that hotels in the city

[47:40] of boston or is it in the

[47:41] commonwealth of massachusetts

[47:44] that they are by right by law?

[47:45] Public?

[47:45] No.

[47:45] Okay.

[47:47] I just wanted to clarify what

[47:48] the what you stated.

[47:48] Okay.

[47:51] >> I filed the complaint with

[47:53] 311 about the lack

[47:54] of bathrooms.

[47:55] I received.

[47:56] The form letter from crystal

[47:58] with cautions office.

[47:59] It stated.

[48:03] It to the.

[48:05] City considers public bathrooms

[48:06] and hotels.

[48:08] What are you going to do.

[48:10] Parts for public bathroom?

[48:11] Yeah.

[48:13] >> I use the bathrooms, said

[48:15] the company fairmont hotel a

[48:17] lot because it's a shorter walk

[48:19] than going to the library.

[48:20] And what happens if the library

[48:22] is close at 5:00 and you got a

[48:24] five year old kid who needs to

[48:25] use the bathroom?

[48:26] They're not going to look at

[48:27] the websites.

[48:29] They're not going.

[48:29] >> to look at wayfair.

[48:31] That's in the letter that I

[48:33] perform whenever I receive.

[48:36] I recognize the person across

[48:38] the commission team has human

[48:38] work.

[48:42] i can't talk about what other

[48:43] cities do.

[48:43] I only know.

[48:44] About boston.

[48:46] I'm just beginning to learn

[48:46] cambridge.

[48:48] It's a.

[48:49] >> fascinating journey.

[48:50] Come on.

[48:51] Come and join me.

[48:55] You'll find out what it's like

[48:57] to become blind in the city

[48:57] of boston.

[49:00] Sometimes it's amazing,

[49:01] sometimes it's hilarious.

[49:02] And some.

[49:04] Times this christian just says

[49:05] it's tight.

[49:07] Rome dangerous to navigate

[49:08] these streets.

[49:10] And we're.

[49:11] >> in better shape than some

[49:12] other cities.

[49:15] My mobility husband's from

[49:15] mexico.

[49:16] Jesus christ.

[49:18] Is where he lives.

[49:18] Oh my GOD.

[49:21] Good thing she has sights.

[49:23] .

[49:25] >> so is the city.

[49:28] Going to move slow or is it

[49:30] going to move fast and be

[49:30] careful.

[49:34] You've got over 200 million to

[49:35] 2 million visitors that come

[49:37] here every year from across the

[49:37] world.

[49:40] We've got a great example for

[49:40] world cup.

[49:42] They're coming.

[49:43] Back folks.

[49:44] What are you going to do to

[49:46] make sure they know about

[49:46] accessibility in in this

[49:47] wonderful city?

[49:49] That's the question.

[49:51] I don't have the answers.

[49:54] Well thank you.

[49:56] Thank you for your, uh for your

[49:57] time and your testimony.

[49:59] I started my day today at the

[50:00] national braille press.

[50:03] Um, and I just know that it's

[50:04] important that we do everything

[50:06] that we can for, um.

[50:09] Uh uh, all of our communities

[50:10] here especially those.

[50:13] Who are living and trying to

[50:14] thrive with disabilities.

[50:15] So thank you for your

[50:16] testimony, bill.

[50:17] Um.

[50:19] >> and to you, cassandra and

[50:20] for everyone at the national

[50:20] braille.

[50:21] >> press for.

[50:22] The work that they do to make

[50:23] sure accessibility is a real

[50:24] thing for everyone.

[50:25] Later I'd like to hear about

[50:25] it.

[50:28] And by the way, if any city

[50:30] city councilor my go to find

[50:32] links to come and see it talk

[50:33] to me.

[50:35] Brian the ceo will welcome you

[50:36] with open arms.

[50:38] Thank you.

[50:40] Thank you.

[50:42] >> thank you,

[50:46] councilor louijeune and, um,

[50:48] next up is councilor.

[50:50] We're all just stepped out.

[50:53] Um, one thing I do want to

[50:53] mention I'll go.

[50:56] I'll go to council whether I

[50:57] visited the carroll center for

[50:59] the blind several years ago.

[51:02] Uh, serving all ages in all

[51:04] stages of vision loss.

[51:07] But talking to bill and

[51:07] cassandra.

[51:10] Um, I plan to do a visit

[51:12] sometime in OCTOBER and would

[51:13] like to invite all of my

[51:15] colleagues if they are able to

[51:15] join us.

[51:16] I'll give.

[51:18] And I'll give people plenty

[51:18] of notice.

[51:21] Um, but I think cassandra

[51:22] cassandra is going to join

[51:23] me and ride over with me.

[51:24] Yeah.

[51:25] >> over to newton.

[51:26] Then we're going to go to one

[51:28] of those ice cream places after

[51:29] I think so, yeah.

[51:30] Oh, my.

[51:32] >> uh my colleagues are, um,

[51:33] welcome to join us.

[51:35] Um, next up is council weber.

[51:36] Council weber.

[51:37] You have the floor.

[51:39] Okay.

[51:40] >> thank you very much.

[51:40] Uh.

[51:42] Nice to see the panelists.

[51:45] Um, uh, and I see bill.

[51:47] But cassandra, like bill was

[51:49] talking about, you know, he,

[51:51] uh, other cities and you know,

[51:52] he knows what's going on here.

[51:55] Uh, is there is there another

[51:57] city you know, in the country

[51:58] somewhere else that we should

[52:01] be looking to for, you know,

[52:03] how to approach these issues as

[52:03] somebody?

[52:07] Uh, other cities that we

[52:07] should.

[52:11] Look into for like I would say

[52:17] minneapolis minneapolis has uh

[52:20] ,very how do I say?

[52:26] They can be an example of how

[52:26] to.

[52:27] Make sure.

[52:32] A city can be as accessible as

[52:34] possible, especially the

[52:36] southeast minneapolis area.

[52:39] Uh, audible pedestrian signals.

[52:46] Um, a lot of infrastructure

[52:47] accessibility in many ways.

[52:50] But it has been a while since I

[52:51] had last visited minneapolis.

[52:56] Um, but when I went there I

[52:57] found it to be pretty cool.

[52:58] Like well.

[52:59] >> not.

[52:59] cool but.

[53:00] >> like.

[53:01] Be accessible because I was

[53:04] there at a training center for

[53:07] the blind at the time and.

[53:08] It was.

[53:11] Pretty easy to navigate.

[53:15] And though every city is not

[53:18] perfect but I kind of was

[53:21] wishing that minneapolis and

[53:21] massachusetts could trade.

[53:24] Resources in a way.

[53:26] Mhm.

[53:27] >> if that answers.

[53:28] >> your yeah yeah.

[53:29] No that's that's good.

[53:31] Uh I have the I don't know if

[53:31] the.

[53:35] Current former the city

[53:36] councilor for minneapolis on on

[53:36] speed dial uh we.

[53:37] Were in.

[53:39] >> touch during this.

[53:42] Tour so uh I can I can give him

[53:43] a call and and see what they're

[53:44] doing there.

[53:45] Great.

[53:45] Uh, yeah.

[53:45] Bill.

[53:47] City council member to

[53:48] interrupt you since you're

[53:49] going to make that phone call.

[53:52] Minneapolis is one of the

[53:54] cities that runs pilot projects

[53:56] for the open mobility

[53:57] foundation that I mentioned

[53:57] earlier.

[53:58] I want.

[53:59] >> to ask.

[54:00] >> him or.

[54:02] Her what their involvement is

[54:05] with the military foundation.

[54:06] It's a nonprofit.

[54:08] In cities.

[54:10] Across the world belong.

[54:12] To it and that includes.

[54:13] Boston, massachusetts.

[54:16] Good question to ask them.

[54:18] Thanks for bringing.

[54:19] >> up minneapolis.

[54:20] oh yeah.

[54:21] Minneapolis is one of those

[54:22] special cities for me.

[54:23] Mhm.

[54:24] >> okay yeah I've been there.

[54:26] Uh I went to law school in iowa

[54:27] so took some trips up to

[54:29] minneapolis is really

[54:31] interesting city and uh yeah I

[54:32] can't wait to reach out.

[54:35] Um uh so I guess cassandra, you

[54:37] also mentioned uh, concurrent

[54:40] lighting and as the chair

[54:41] mentioned, you know, we filed

[54:42] uh resolution I think at least

[54:44] one that you know, we we voted

[54:46] in favor of of getting rid

[54:48] of them in the city and the

[54:50] reason why one of the reasons

[54:52] why I support it is because

[54:53] right in my district on hyde

[54:55] park ave uh, where I think you

[54:57] you made your video this winter

[54:59] and tower uh, glen ingram was

[55:01] killed by a bus on a concurrent

[55:03] light and and so he was

[55:04] crossing in a green a couple

[55:05] of years ago.

[55:07] Um, I mean, we heard from the

[55:08] chief of streets we asked him

[55:10] the I think I think the chair

[55:12] asked him about concurrent

[55:13] lights and I think the response

[55:16] was if we if we did a blanket

[55:17] concurrent light ban across the

[55:19] whole city, it would cause a

[55:21] lot of a lot more traffic, a

[55:23] lot more, you know, a lot

[55:24] of some insurmountable issues.

[55:25] Is there I guess my question

[55:28] for you is is there a way to do

[55:30] it in a targeted way where we

[55:32] create zones where there's no

[55:34] concurrent lights or are you

[55:36] just thinking would you just

[55:38] want you know, the entire city

[55:40] just to ban them from one side

[55:40] to the other?

[55:43] My thing is I would ask this

[55:45] person what do they think is

[55:48] more important the safety of a

[55:48] person.

[55:50] On the street.

[55:55] Walking around or a car stuck

[55:55] in traffic?

[56:00] You know the person they just

[56:02] need a couple of seconds extra

[56:03] to cross the road.

[56:05] The car could always get to

[56:08] their destination a lot faster

[56:08] than a person.

[56:12] So it's like I mean I've never

[56:14] I've never driven in my life

[56:14] before.

[56:16] I've always been living with

[56:17] blindness and deafness together

[56:18] .

[56:21] So I don't know what the

[56:23] urgency is to be behind the

[56:27] wheel and want to rush through

[56:28] even with someone trying to

[56:29] cross.

[56:31] I've always been the pedestrian

[56:35] but maybe some of the most

[56:39] active or highly um trafficked

[56:41] spots in the city could have no

[56:45] concurrent street crossings and

[56:47] as it might just get rid of it.

[56:48] >> just get rid of it.

[56:48] Okay?

[56:49] >> just just take it out.

[56:50] Yeah.

[56:50] Take it out.

[56:51] Okay.

[56:51] It's okay.

[56:52] They can stand in the traffic

[56:54] light a little bit longer.

[56:55] They have air conditioning in

[56:55] their car.

[56:57] They have a heater in their

[56:57] car.

[56:59] The pedestrians are exposed to

[57:00] the heat and the cold.

[57:00] They'll be fine.

[57:02] So sounds good.

[57:03] Uh.

[57:04] And I just take.

[57:04] >> it off.

[57:04] Yeah.

[57:05] >> okay.

[57:06] >> bill, you got your hand up.

[57:07] You know.

[57:09] >> as a person who used to be

[57:10] able to drive.

[57:13] And I.

[57:14] Lived on one spot street and

[57:15] now I'm.

[57:17] Just watching center street, I

[57:19] think to myself I used to drive

[57:20] on that road.

[57:20] What am I.

[57:22] >> what am I crazy?

[57:23] Okay.

[57:25] And that's that's before and

[57:26] after the road diet.

[57:29] So since you brought it up, how

[57:31] about doing a pilot project in

[57:31] west roxbury?

[57:33] You've already got road diet.

[57:34] You still got problems.

[57:38] I know it's still a big issue

[57:39] for you as a city councilor,

[57:41] but you got the bike riders who

[57:43] are here in full force and then

[57:44] .

[57:44] >> MARCH.

[57:47] Pick a neighborhood, pick a

[57:48] street.

[57:49] What they're don't.

[57:52] Pick the street he wants to do

[57:52] the pilot.

[57:52] Project is.

[57:55] It's dangerous out there.

[57:57] You know.

[58:01] The question is how many

[58:02] fathers are going to get killed

[58:04] with a stroller with a three

[58:07] year old and I'm and I know I'm

[58:08] being very blunt and very

[58:08] direct.

[58:09] How long.

[58:11] >> is it going to take for

[58:12] another adult to get killed on

[58:14] the streets of summer street in

[58:14] west roxbury?

[58:16] That happened a few years ago.

[58:18] I almost got killed crossing.

[58:19] Center street.

[58:21] A few years ago when I still

[58:22] had I was not legally blind.

[58:26] how many deaths?

[58:28] It's a kind of take for that

[58:31] person to wake up and have a

[58:32] pilot project.

[58:34] And I know I'm in your face and

[58:37] I'm being direct I don't care I

[58:38] don't want another person to

[58:39] get killed on the streets

[58:42] of boston because you got

[58:43] concurrent things.

[58:45] You got drones that don't work

[58:47] about lighting on one side

[58:48] there's a button on the other

[58:49] side there's nothing.

[58:52] I've walked center street from

[58:53] roach brothers all the way to

[58:55] the fight in the hospital more

[58:56] than once.

[58:58] I live about a mile away.

[59:00] You want to come on a walk with

[59:02] me to center street anytime,

[59:02] anyplace?

[59:05] Okay, I think thanks, but I see

[59:06] my time is up.

[59:08] I just have one quick follow up

[59:09] bill.

[59:10] This is free for you.

[59:12] Uh, and I waited till my time

[59:14] was up, so we just a short and

[59:15] I'll try not to.

[59:16] Be long.

[59:18] Well, no, not yet, but just I

[59:20] know you'd be advocated for

[59:21] accessibility at the libraries

[59:21] .

[59:22] I can.

[59:23] Answer that question more.

[59:24] Okay.

[59:25] >> but what.

[59:26] >> I will tell you is ask

[59:27] kristen mccosh that question.

[59:29] Okay.

[59:31] >> so it's something we need to

[59:32] follow up on.

[59:32] Yeah.

[59:33] >> you want to have a

[59:34] conversation with me later?

[59:34] Absolutely.

[59:36] >> let's go to the west roxbury

[59:37] library someday.

[59:39] and let's go to the.

[59:42] Central library and read all

[59:44] you city councilors read what's

[59:46] on the library's website today

[59:46] about accessibility.

[59:50] You might be surprised what it

[59:52] says good and bad.

[59:55] That's an issue.

[59:57] I will tell you this.

[59:59] The library's trying to improve

[59:59] it.

[1:00:02] I'm really working hard at it

[1:00:03] but they've had pitfalls.

[1:00:05] You're going to spend the

[1:00:05] money.

[1:00:07] It always comes down to the

[1:00:07] money.

[1:00:10] Is the city going to give the

[1:00:12] boston public library the money

[1:00:14] to be the best library in the

[1:00:15] world too?

[1:00:17] Well, I suggest you take a look

[1:00:18] at what seattle does.

[1:00:21] Seattle has approximately the

[1:00:23] same size population as the

[1:00:23] city of boston.

[1:00:26] Both cities are under 700,000

[1:00:27] and residents.

[1:00:33] Okay.

[1:00:34] >> okay.

[1:00:34] Yeah.

[1:00:34] Thanks, bill.

[1:00:35] You're welcome.

[1:00:37] Look forward to seeing you in

[1:00:38] west roxbury and, uh.

[1:00:38] Um.

[1:00:40] I still cruise the streets

[1:00:41] of center street at least once

[1:00:42] a month.

[1:00:44] Yeah, well, uh, send me a text

[1:00:46] message when you're there on

[1:00:47] me on the street.

[1:00:47] Um, okay.

[1:00:49] Uh, thanks a lot, chair.

[1:00:51] Thank you.

[1:00:52] Council member.

[1:00:54] I'll also take take six

[1:00:55] minutes.

[1:00:55] Um.

[1:00:59] I'll set the clock now for

[1:01:00] myself as well.

[1:01:05] Thank you, bill and thank you.

[1:01:08] Uh, cassandra for again for

[1:01:09] being here for the important

[1:01:11] testimony you are providing but

[1:01:14] also your incredible leadership

[1:01:17] on civil rights issues.

[1:01:19] Supporting persons with

[1:01:21] disabilities and supporting our

[1:01:22] seniors.

[1:01:25] Ensuring our open spaces spaces

[1:01:26] throughout the city

[1:01:28] commonwealth are accessible.

[1:01:32] Disability rights are civil

[1:01:32] rights.

[1:01:34] Um.

[1:01:41] Cassandra, I know you spoke

[1:01:42] eloquently at the beginning

[1:01:45] about concurrent street

[1:01:47] crossing lighting and we

[1:01:50] continue the conversation and I

[1:01:53] agree with everything you said

[1:01:55] both with both the pedestrian

[1:01:57] and the vehicle can't have the

[1:01:59] right of way at the same time.

[1:02:03] It's it's really to me it's

[1:02:06] really about respect for the

[1:02:07] pedestrian respect for the

[1:02:09] person with disability, respect

[1:02:12] for our senior citizens or a

[1:02:13] parent taking their little kid

[1:02:16] across the street in the in the

[1:02:16] crosswalk.

[1:02:17] Um.

[1:02:25] So on that note I, I was at a

[1:02:27] location and there was a there

[1:02:29] was a guy that was driving a

[1:02:32] car and he had on new york

[1:02:35] license plate and he was making

[1:02:37] the turn at the same time when

[1:02:38] people were trying to cross.

[1:02:40] Him and.

[1:02:44] He he almost missed them.

[1:02:47] He was about 1ft or 2ft away

[1:02:48] from the person in the

[1:02:49] crosswalk.

[1:02:52] And I said to him, um, you

[1:02:53] know, you have to let the

[1:02:54] people by cross.

[1:02:57] He said he said to me he didn't

[1:02:58] know me.

[1:02:58] I didn't know him.

[1:03:00] He said, well why do you have

[1:03:02] but the light he had the right

[1:03:04] of way which he does have the

[1:03:04] right of way.

[1:03:07] Um he said I have the right.

[1:03:09] And I said, well, you do have

[1:03:11] the right of way but so does

[1:03:12] not the pedestrian.

[1:03:15] And he said, well this is my

[1:03:16] first time here.

[1:03:17] How do I how do I know that.

[1:03:17] Mhm.

[1:03:19] >> well now he knows but.

[1:03:21] But now he knows that's that's

[1:03:22] right but what about someone

[1:03:25] else that doesn't know the city

[1:03:26] that doesn't know that

[1:03:30] particular intersection and

[1:03:32] they're they're they're making

[1:03:34] the right turn at the same time

[1:03:35] pedestrians are crossing.

[1:03:38] Um but it's really not that

[1:03:40] person's fault because they

[1:03:41] really don't know the

[1:03:42] neighborhood.

[1:03:44] They don't know the lighting

[1:03:45] and I'm not I'm not here to

[1:03:46] blame anybody.

[1:03:49] But why can't we come together

[1:03:50] ?

[1:03:53] Acknowledge that it is a public

[1:03:55] safety problem that we have in

[1:03:56] the city.

[1:04:00] And if the if they're not going

[1:04:02] to make change here at city

[1:04:04] hall, I do believe we might

[1:04:06] have to make change in the

[1:04:07] court system.

[1:04:09] Absolutely because I don't

[1:04:11] think I don't think the chief

[1:04:12] of streets is going to make the

[1:04:12] change for us.

[1:04:14] I've asked them a bunch

[1:04:14] of times.

[1:04:16] My city council colleagues have

[1:04:17] asked them as well.

[1:04:18] They're not going to make the

[1:04:19] change.

[1:04:20] um.

[1:04:23] >> but but do you think we can

[1:04:23] bring this to court?

[1:04:25] That's my question.

[1:04:27] Um, I would like to ask one

[1:04:28] question first.

[1:04:28] Sure.

[1:04:29] Go ahead.

[1:04:30] Is the chief of street even

[1:04:31] from boston?

[1:04:35] Like do they live in the

[1:04:36] perimeters of the area to even

[1:04:38] see this themselves?

[1:04:40] I think I think every

[1:04:42] department head is required to

[1:04:43] live in the city.

[1:04:43] Okay, good.

[1:04:49] And then the other part is yes

[1:04:51] it needs to be escalated to a

[1:04:51] higher level.

[1:04:54] We've already tried everything

[1:04:55] we could to reason with them.

[1:04:58] We've done the best we could to

[1:05:00] reason to make sure the

[1:05:02] pedestrians are safe, but they

[1:05:06] don't want to, you know, make

[1:05:09] that simple gesture to be like

[1:05:09] okay, cool.

[1:05:11] Pedestrians are important too.

[1:05:13] And not just the drivers.

[1:05:14] Yes.

[1:05:18] So without any further just

[1:05:19] just let's just go to the next

[1:05:20] level with it.

[1:05:23] Yeah I am concerned the longer

[1:05:25] we wait the likelihood that

[1:05:27] there could be another accident

[1:05:27] .

[1:05:29] We want to stop that.

[1:05:30] That's exactly right.

[1:05:31] You're exactly right.

[1:05:33] We want to stop it before it

[1:05:33] gets worse.

[1:05:36] And what happens if it's a

[1:05:38] child in the crosswalk?

[1:05:40] Um, what happens if it's a

[1:05:41] senior citizen?

[1:05:43] What happens if it's a person

[1:05:44] in a wheelchair?

[1:05:46] What happens if it's anybody?

[1:05:48] it's a preventable situation

[1:05:51] that could have been avoided

[1:05:53] and that needs to be addressed

[1:05:54] immediately.

[1:05:55] Like as soon as possible

[1:05:56] hopefully before the end

[1:05:59] of this year to take them to

[1:06:01] court for it if if it's even

[1:06:02] possible.

[1:06:06] And if possible me and bob can

[1:06:08] go along and certainly well to

[1:06:08] the court.

[1:06:09] Yeah.

[1:06:11] Yeah.

[1:06:13] Let's go to court and make sure

[1:06:15] you know pedestrians lives

[1:06:16] matter to.

[1:06:18] Yeah I agree I don't I don't

[1:06:20] think anyone really wants to go

[1:06:20] to court.

[1:06:22] I think that's our last option

[1:06:22] .

[1:06:24] But I don't like you cassandra

[1:06:25] .

[1:06:28] I don't want to wait until an

[1:06:29] accident happens again.

[1:06:33] Um, I know there have been

[1:06:34] several deaths in the city

[1:06:35] of boston because of this.

[1:06:36] Yeah.

[1:06:37] Um.

[1:06:39] >> concurrent jurisdiction,

[1:06:40] street lighting related issue.

[1:06:45] Um, but my time is almost up.

[1:06:50] Um, let me let me just ask one

[1:06:51] final question.

[1:06:52] I'm going to I'm going to shut

[1:06:54] off the, um, the clock in one

[1:06:54] second.

[1:06:55] It's about two.

[1:06:56] It's about one.

[1:06:56] Um.

[1:07:00] So one issue that I've I've

[1:07:04] focused on along for a while is

[1:07:07] the lift for peop for people in

[1:07:10] wheelchairs on the on the third

[1:07:12] floor the entrance to the third

[1:07:14] floor on city council.

[1:07:17] Um the plaza area when you're

[1:07:20] going in where the bricks and

[1:07:21] you go through the security and

[1:07:24] you kind of go around uh past

[1:07:25] the elevators in there's the

[1:07:27] lift that will bring you up to

[1:07:29] the mezzanine with it's a lot

[1:07:31] of kind of civic events.

[1:07:34] I don't believe that area is

[1:07:37] necessarily accessible to

[1:07:38] persons with disabilities.

[1:07:39] Yes, we do have a lift.

[1:07:45] Um, but it can be challenging.

[1:07:48] I know, I know many people have

[1:07:51] not used the lift um, for for

[1:07:55] various reasons but I am

[1:07:56] uncomfortable at that

[1:07:58] particular area of city hall

[1:07:59] and I love I love this building

[1:08:01] but I am uncomfortable with

[1:08:04] that part of the building

[1:08:06] because I feel it is not

[1:08:08] accessible to persons with

[1:08:10] disabilities and seniors.

[1:08:10] Mhm.

[1:08:13] Seniors also trying to walk up

[1:08:16] the stairs coming from the

[1:08:17] third floor senate plaza.

[1:08:18] Very challenging.

[1:08:21] Very very difficult.

[1:08:23] Also the hand railings if you

[1:08:25] notice the hand railings are

[1:08:27] kind of awkward and they're

[1:08:30] almost in the center the center

[1:08:33] of the of the brick stairs.

[1:08:34] They're not laid out properly

[1:08:35] and in my opinion.

[1:08:37] I do want us to.

[1:08:42] Study on how we can make it

[1:08:42] more accessible.

[1:08:45] But bill I think you wanted to

[1:08:46] speak and want to give you the

[1:08:47] opportunity because I'm I'm out

[1:08:48] of time.

[1:08:49] But bill, you have the floor.

[1:08:53] I actually visited the third

[1:08:54] floor last friday.

[1:08:57] There's a wonderful volunteer

[1:08:58] is only there on fridays.

[1:09:00] His name is jerry.

[1:09:02] He probably knows the building

[1:09:03] better than all of us.

[1:09:05] according to one of the

[1:09:07] volunteers that was there

[1:09:07] today.

[1:09:10] He did bring me to the lift.

[1:09:13] He said you just have to have

[1:09:15] security or volunteer help you

[1:09:16] to open it to go on.

[1:09:18] I didn't do it.

[1:09:20] So I can't address them.

[1:09:21] I will talk about the railings

[1:09:22] across the city hall.

[1:09:25] I brought that up when we did

[1:09:26] the walkthrough earlier this

[1:09:26] year.

[1:09:29] A lot of the rail, all the

[1:09:30] railings, a rectangle.

[1:09:34] Why not have a round look?

[1:09:37] Are canes easy to handle?

[1:09:40] Now there is a problem with

[1:09:42] city hall and it looks

[1:09:42] beautiful.

[1:09:47] The stairs are nice and shiny

[1:09:47] foyer.

[1:09:49] I think they are dangerous now

[1:09:50] that I'm legally blind but to

[1:09:52] my side people dangerous from

[1:09:56] the beginning even more so I

[1:09:59] think I walk very slowly up and

[1:10:00] down those stairs and I can

[1:10:03] demonstrate to you folks how I

[1:10:04] was taught at the college

[1:10:05] center for the blind by a

[1:10:06] wonderful mobility trainer

[1:10:07] named augustine.

[1:10:09] Yeah, I'm giving him a plug.

[1:10:12] He saved my life a number

[1:10:13] of times recently through his

[1:10:16] training and I can demonstrate

[1:10:19] to you after this how I was

[1:10:23] taught to navigate crosswalks

[1:10:25] that don't have these systems.

[1:10:28] It's very interesting to watch

[1:10:30] the traffic stop because

[1:10:31] of what I was taught.

[1:10:33] All the railings in this

[1:10:35] building need to be changed

[1:10:37] very expensive but they'll be

[1:10:39] safer for the seniors who come

[1:10:41] to this building actually

[1:10:41] anybody.

[1:10:42] mhm.

[1:10:45] Because they're not rectangle

[1:10:46] round you know round.

[1:10:51] I will in closing thank

[1:10:53] commissioner mccosh because she

[1:10:55] and I she addressed a very

[1:10:56] serious question I had about

[1:10:57] the new elevator.

[1:11:00] There were buildings in the

[1:11:02] city commercial buildings.

[1:11:04] They don't have the button

[1:11:05] panel anymore on the elevator.

[1:11:07] Everything is video monitored.

[1:11:10] Thank GOD for security when I

[1:11:11] was doing work two years ago

[1:11:14] when this he put area

[1:11:16] commissioners was the cautious

[1:11:16] response was wonderful.

[1:11:19] She said I'm not going to quote

[1:11:20] to paraphrase.

[1:11:23] There will be no video monitors

[1:11:24] in the elevators in this

[1:11:25] building.

[1:11:27] Thank you, commissioner mccosh

[1:11:28] for being that clear.

[1:11:31] Well thank you bill.

[1:11:32] Thank you cassandra.

[1:11:36] Um, my time is up.

[1:11:40] I do want to give my colleagues

[1:11:42] an opportunity if they want to

[1:11:44] have a closing statement, but I

[1:11:46] do want to give an opportunity

[1:11:47] for cassandra and bill.

[1:11:50] Um, give you the opportunity as

[1:11:50] well.

[1:11:52] If you'd like to give a closing

[1:11:53] statement.

[1:11:54] You're ready.

[1:11:55] Um, first.

[1:11:56] Let okay.

[1:12:01] Let me ask, um, councilor weber

[1:12:01] .

[1:12:02] No.

[1:12:02] I'm sorry.

[1:12:03] I'm sorry.

[1:12:04] Council shouldn't.

[1:12:06] I'm going to give my colleagues

[1:12:07] two minutes for closing

[1:12:07] statement.

[1:12:10] Um, and then and then I'm going

[1:12:12] to give both of you, um, an

[1:12:13] opportunity to give the closing

[1:12:14] statement as well.

[1:12:17] So council louijeune you have

[1:12:17] the floor.

[1:12:18] Thank you.

[1:12:18] >> I'll be brief.

[1:12:19] >> I want to thank you, bill,

[1:12:21] for your advocacy and for being

[1:12:21] here.

[1:12:23] I want to thank you, of course,

[1:12:24] cassandra, for all the work

[1:12:25] that you do put your travel

[1:12:26] fella to be the boss on.

[1:12:27] Really appreciate it.

[1:12:29] Um, and we obviously bill made

[1:12:31] it clear cassandra made it

[1:12:32] clear that the city has a lot

[1:12:33] more work to do and look

[1:12:33] forward to.

[1:12:35] You know, it would be great to

[1:12:36] hear from the disability

[1:12:37] commission or from the

[1:12:38] administration about their

[1:12:39] efforts to see sort of where

[1:12:41] they go down the street from

[1:12:42] their perspective sort of why

[1:12:43] we are lagging behind so much.

[1:12:47] But um, I, I know like I stated

[1:12:48] that even in my neighborhood on

[1:12:49] my street there are

[1:12:50] accessibility major

[1:12:52] accessibility issues that I

[1:12:53] want uh, to help solve in the

[1:12:54] city.

[1:12:55] So thank you for your work.

[1:12:56] Uh, I want to give another big

[1:12:58] shout out to the workers at

[1:12:59] national bill press for all

[1:13:00] that they do.

[1:13:00] For.

[1:13:02] >> uh, all of our communities

[1:13:03] and especially those who.

[1:13:04] Are blind.

[1:13:04] Thank you.

[1:13:06] Thank you.

[1:13:07] >> thank you,

[1:13:08] councilor louijeune.

[1:13:12] I want to give council weber

[1:13:14] the opportunity to give a

[1:13:16] closing closing statement as

[1:13:16] well.

[1:13:17] Um.

[1:13:18] Two minutes, consul weber.

[1:13:18] Okay.

[1:13:19] Thank you.

[1:13:20] Thank you very much.

[1:13:22] Uh, cassandra and bill, it

[1:13:24] just, uh it's it's great to see

[1:13:24] you here.

[1:13:27] Uh, and I, you know, hope you

[1:13:29] realize how much of a

[1:13:30] difference your advocacy makes

[1:13:32] for people in this city.

[1:13:35] Uh, you know, it's like you you

[1:13:36] really elevate this issue and

[1:13:39] we talk about, you know, making

[1:13:40] this a priority when we look at

[1:13:42] all other kinds of issues.

[1:13:44] I know you know myself and the

[1:13:46] chair councilor louijeune my

[1:13:47] other colleagues will be

[1:13:48] thinking about you know, what

[1:13:50] you have said today and what

[1:13:51] you said in many other hearings

[1:13:52] .

[1:13:53] Uh, so I just you know.

[1:13:54] Your hard work.

[1:13:57] Is it's it's it's very valuable

[1:13:59] in this city for people who

[1:14:01] maybe can't even make it here,

[1:14:02] uh, to speak up.

[1:14:03] So I just want to thank you.

[1:14:04] For for.

[1:14:06] Being the folks who who.

[1:14:07] You know, highlight this and

[1:14:09] elevate this, uh, for us to

[1:14:10] sort of taken.

[1:14:13] To more with so, uh, I know we

[1:14:14] have our marching orders and,

[1:14:16] uh, just want to thank you for

[1:14:16] being here.

[1:14:17] Thanks, chair.

[1:14:19] Thank you.

[1:14:20] >> council weber.

[1:14:25] I checked with, um, shayne.

[1:14:28] Uh, we do not have any public

[1:14:30] testimony, but before I give a

[1:14:32] closing statement, I do want to

[1:14:33] say thank you to shane and to

[1:14:37] ethan for, uh, conducting, um,

[1:14:39] organizing a very helpful

[1:14:40] hearing.

[1:14:44] Um, well, I'm going to I'm

[1:14:45] going to hold off on my closing

[1:14:46] statement.

[1:14:48] I want to give, um, cassandra

[1:14:52] and bill the opportunity to you

[1:14:54] to go first and then I'll and

[1:14:55] I'll kind of briefly conclude

[1:14:56] after the after.

[1:14:59] So bill or who would like to go

[1:14:59] first.

[1:15:00] Because I was.

[1:15:01] >> in.

[1:15:01] First place.

[1:15:02] Okay.

[1:15:03] Okay.

[1:15:04] >> because cassandra, you have

[1:15:05] the floor.

[1:15:05] All right.

[1:15:08] Um, I would like to say to

[1:15:10] everyone thank you for taking

[1:15:13] the time to invite us into this

[1:15:18] space to, uh, have our voices

[1:15:19] be heard.

[1:15:19] Um.

[1:15:22] >> I consider these

[1:15:24] opportunities pretty rare and,

[1:15:25] you know, great opportunities

[1:15:29] to be heard to be a part of the

[1:15:32] progress and advocacy

[1:15:33] throughout the commonwealth

[1:15:34] of massachusetts.

[1:15:37] And it's been a long time

[1:15:41] coming for a lot of us to, um,

[1:15:44] speak on really important

[1:15:45] situations.

[1:15:47] Happening and we hope to

[1:15:50] continue coming back for more

[1:15:51] discussions.

[1:15:53] And I hope that what we talked

[1:15:56] about today also makes more

[1:15:58] progress and we get what we are

[1:15:59] looking for so that everyone

[1:16:02] can navigate the commonwealth

[1:16:03] of massachusetts safely and

[1:16:03] comfortably.

[1:16:06] Thank you cassandra.

[1:16:07] Excellent testimony.

[1:16:09] excellent closing statement.

[1:16:12] Um, bill, you have the floor.

[1:16:13] Thank you.

[1:16:17] City council, for and for this

[1:16:19] opportunity to come before the

[1:16:19] council again.

[1:16:23] And the most important thing

[1:16:25] for me is I hope you listen.

[1:16:28] I hope all the commission had

[1:16:30] department heads also listen.

[1:16:32] This is real time.

[1:16:34] It's not facebook.

[1:16:36] It's not instagram.

[1:16:39] When I walk out this door and

[1:16:42] head for the streets I have no

[1:16:42] idea.

[1:16:44] But the two of us will be

[1:16:46] facing changes every minute.

[1:16:50] I thank you for the opportunity

[1:16:51] once again.

[1:16:54] Any time any place in the city

[1:16:55] the district.

[1:16:58] Lastly mayor will you're also

[1:16:59] invited.

[1:17:00] I've been trying for two years.

[1:17:02] Hopefully one of your staff

[1:17:04] members will respond this time.

[1:17:06] Thank you all.

[1:17:09] Last thing I think to see is it

[1:17:10] has a little secret.

[1:17:11] It's a lot of fun.

[1:17:13] I found incredible people over

[1:17:14] the last six years.

[1:17:16] Very lucky.

[1:17:18] Wonderful support.

[1:17:19] Thank you very much.

[1:17:20] Thank you bill.

[1:17:25] I'm going to give myself two

[1:17:26] minutes as well.

[1:17:30] First I want to say thank you

[1:17:31] to my city council colleagues

[1:17:35] for being here for their

[1:17:38] important dialog and input that

[1:17:38] they provided.

[1:17:41] Excellent questions as well.

[1:17:42] I want to say thank you to bill

[1:17:46] and cassandra for your advocacy

[1:17:47] and for being here as well.

[1:17:50] And I think you testimony and

[1:17:52] if testified before this

[1:17:56] committee many times but it's

[1:17:57] important for me it's important

[1:18:01] for our colleagues to listen to

[1:18:05] you, to hear from you, to

[1:18:07] understand what you are going

[1:18:09] through and through your life

[1:18:11] experience, through your

[1:18:11] testimony.

[1:18:14] That makes us better count

[1:18:16] better city councilors because

[1:18:19] we can be more effective in

[1:18:21] advocating for persons with

[1:18:21] disabilities.

[1:18:23] We know.

[1:18:27] Disability rights uh, civil

[1:18:27] rights.

[1:18:29] There's more.

[1:18:30] Work we need to do.

[1:18:35] As a as a member of the

[1:18:36] disability rights community,

[1:18:38] I'm an active member of the

[1:18:39] disabled american veterans.

[1:18:40] Yeah.

[1:18:43] >> I do want to say thank you

[1:18:45] to you because what you are

[1:18:48] advocating for is helping all

[1:18:49] persons with disabilities

[1:18:51] across the commonwealth, not

[1:18:52] just yourself.

[1:18:55] You are making life easier,

[1:18:58] healthier and more accessible

[1:19:00] to so many more people.

[1:19:02] Whether they're older or

[1:19:03] younger.

[1:19:04] But you are setting the example

[1:19:04] .

[1:19:08] For a new generation of persons

[1:19:11] with disabilities to advocate

[1:19:14] on their behalf to ensure that

[1:19:15] they are treated with respect.

[1:19:17] They they are treated with

[1:19:20] dignity because as we all know

[1:19:24] ,disability rights uh civil

[1:19:26] rights absolutely.

[1:19:27] And we can't do enough for

[1:19:29] persons with disabilities in

[1:19:29] this city.

[1:19:32] We have a lot more work to do

[1:19:33] and I'm honored to work with

[1:19:37] you to call you friends and

[1:19:39] let's keep up the conversation

[1:19:40] in advocacy as well.

[1:19:42] Absolutely.

[1:19:42] >> absolutely.

[1:19:43] >> thank you.

[1:19:44] >> thank you.

[1:19:45] Thank you.

[1:19:50] This this hearing on docket

[1:19:52] 0335 order for a hearing to

[1:19:54] discuss accessibility issues in

[1:19:56] boston and boston is concluded.

[1:20:00] Marvelous san.

City Council on 2026-08-31 2:00 PM

Agenda

Transcript