At Its Last Meeting Before the Election, Boston's Council Sent an Elected School Committee, 311 and Four South Boston Hearings to Committee and Took $5.7 Million in Grants

The Boston City Council's Oct. 28 meeting, its last regular session before Tuesday's election, opened new fights on an elected School Committee, the city's 311 system and a South Boston bike lane, while confirming a new zoning board alternate and taking up about $5.7 million in grants, according to the council's agenda and docket records.

Most of the new hearing orders were referred to committee rather than voted on, as is customary. A docket summary compiled by docketcity.com from the city's legislative records lists the elected School Committee order (Docket #2044), the 311 review (#2045), the 2030 Census order (#2046) and Councilor Ed Flynn's four South Boston orders (#2047 through #2050) as referred.

Councilor Julia Mejia's order asks for a hearing on how to "best implement" an elected Boston School Committee, including its services, programming and community engagement, according to The Boston Report's summary of the agenda. A home rule petition Mejia and Councilor Brian Worrell filed earlier this year (Docket #0162) would create a 13-member board with nine elected district seats and four mayoral appointees and was referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

Boston voters approved a nonbinding ballot question in favor of an elected School Committee in November 2021, 78.7% to 21.3%, according to city election results. Any change would need approval from the council, the mayor, the Legislature and the governor.

Councilor Erin Murphy requested a hearing on Boston's updated 311 system, how service requests are managed, and accountability. The city has been moving 311 onto a new platform in phases, according to its 311 modernization project page. Councilors Liz Breadon and Ruthzee Louijeune requested a hearing on proposed federal changes affecting the 2030 Census under Parts 60 and 70 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Flynn filed four hearing orders: one on the city's permitting and decision process for a block party in South Boston (#2047), one on the community process behind building and then removing the O'Connor Way bike lane (#2048), one on public safety and quality-of-life concerns in South Boston (#2049), and one on lithium-ion battery safety and storage for e-bikes and scooters (#2050). He also offered a resolution supporting a waiver of the 10-year residency requirement for Boston Police civilian employees who become sworn officers (#2052). Councilor Culpepper filed a petition for a special law to waive the police maximum age requirement for one applicant (#2042), and Councilor Coletta Zapata requested a hearing on the opportunity gap for young women and women of color (#2043).

One item passed outright. Mejia's information request about youth jobs under Section 17F of the city charter (#2051), which requires the administration to answer the council's questions in writing, passed 13-0, according to The Boston Report's council vote tracker.

The council confirmed Mercy Robinson as an alternate member of the Zoning Board of Appeal, with a term to May 1, 2029, by a vote of 12 in favor with one member not present, the tracker shows.

The administration asked the council to accept six grants totaling about $5.67 million: $2.41 million from the U.S. Department of Labor for a youth employment program for ages 14 to 24 under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; $1.82 million in WIOA adult funds for job training, apprenticeships and support services; $760,000 from the state for the Boston Fire Department's hazardous materials team; $300,000 from Harvard University for a Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Fellow in the Law Department; $190,105 from the Department of Labor for pre-apprenticeship pathways; and $187,000 from Massport for the East Boston Senior Center.

Two matters heard by the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee on Oct. 26 were listed for possible action: an order on resources for the Boston Police Crime Laboratory (#0180) and one on in-custody deaths at the Suffolk County House of Correction (#0870), according to the agenda summary.

A separate hearing notice posted by the city shows the Committee on Planning, Development and Transportation has scheduled a hearing on Docket #1718, a proposed text amendment to the Boston Zoning Code that would prohibit data centers in all zoning districts. The notice did not list a vote date.

The resolutions and hearing orders do not change city law on their own. Referred orders go to committee, where the chair decides whether and when to hold a hearing. Recorded votes and meeting video are posted on the city's Legistar site and on Boston City Council TV.

Still unknown: when the Government Operations Committee will hold a hearing on the elected School Committee petition, and whether Murphy's 311 hearing will be scheduled before the end of the year.