Speaker 0: In a new draft. All those in favor please indicate by saying I oppose nay. The ayes have it. The docket is passed. Congratulations. Madam Clerk, would you now please read docket 0896 Docket 0896.
Speaker 3: Issues to which is referred on August 18, 2021. Docket number 0896 Communication was received from Anita Tavares, Chair of the Board of Elections, for your approval, a citizen's petition entitled and elected Boston School Committee for the placement of a local non-binding public opinion advisory question on the ballot of the next regular municipal election on November 2nd, 2021 , submits a report recommending the petition to pass.
Speaker 0: Thank you, Madam Clerk. The chair now recognizes Chair Lydia Edwards, Chair of the Committee on Government Operations. Councilor Edwards, the floor is yours.
Speaker 2: Thank you very much. The committee had an excellent hearing about this specific question. This would be a non-binding question put to the people of Boston again in November to essentially ask their thoughts or their opinions, if you will, about whether we should have an elected school committee. The question reads as follows Should the current appointed school committee structure be changed to a school committee elected by the residents of Boston? I want to thank the residents of Boston who actually brought this to our attention and for their reason, many of whom are here today. We are having this vote now. They came forward. They did the citizen petition and then properly filed that with the elections department. The Election Elections Department certified them as properly before our body. We had a hearing and discuss this as well. During that hearing, I could say honestly, majority of our colleagues supported at least allowing the people of Boston to have an opinion about that about this topic. So I also want to thank Councilor Ricardo Arroyo also. I believe he has been part of this movement and has a whole petition that will also we'll be discussing later on this year. So and of course, I want to thank the election department. I just want to give a shout out to them. I know a lot of people had been concerned about results and so on and so forth. I want to acknowledge they're the hardest working department, especially now. And as while we have a lot of cameras on them and a lot of pressure on them, I do want to acknowledge and I think they deserve a round of applause for all the work that they are doing for us. Including quickly turning around these ballot questions. We will now have three ballot questions on the November 1st. Excuse me. Oh, sorry about that. Sorry. On the November 2nd election. This one is binding as a charter amendment. We have now after your vote, the East Boston substation. And if you vote for this, we will have the elected school committee question as well. I recommend you vote. Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you. Chair Edwards, any further discussion on Docket 0896? The chair recognizes the district council from Hyde Park Council. Arroyo, the floor is yours.
Speaker 1: Thank you. And I just want to acknowledge again, the Elections Department certainly has had a long night and they've had many, with course, in the last couple of years. So their work but also some of the folks who were behind making this happen are here today. And so I wanted to thank them for taking this monumental step. The question about what we do with our Boston Public Schools as Boston School Committee specifically has been a question since the right to elect our members was taken. And to see that put to a vote to the citizens and the residents of Boston is going to be a.
Speaker 0: Big deal to get an.
Speaker 1: Idea of where and what they'd like to see the future of their schools be. I think we're now nearing almost 20 years of this is more than enough time for the city to have a real analysis or a frank opinion on where how we should move forward. And so as this moves forward, I just want the city and the residents to know that that home rule petition that has been placed before this body is a template is something that will be fed by both the members of this this council, but also informed by what voters decide to do and how they add their voice to this. And again, thank you to the Council for passing this. And thank you well, hopefully for hopefully passing this and to the residents of Boston who took it upon themselves to bring this moment forward.
Speaker 0: So thank you. Thank you. Council royal chair now recognizes the At-Large council from Dorchester Councilor Julian. Me here.
Speaker 5: Okay, Mr. President. And I also would just kind of like I echo Councilor Royal's point in terms of how important it is to really seize this moment, to acknowledge the power of the people and really what it looks like when we are led by those who are living the realities and doing the work. So I just really want to like emphasize and underscore the importance of really honoring who it is that we're here to work for and on behalf of and doing so in ways that. Encourages us to. Sometimes it's important for us to step to the side and others others lead. And so that is what these residents are doing, is holding us to task to that work and so incredibly grateful for their leadership in this space. And I'm looking forward to a favorable response and a yes vote so that we can let the people do the people's work. Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you, Councilor. The chair now recognizes the At-Large Council from Dorchester Councilor side B George. The floor is yours.
Speaker 2: Thank you very much, Mr. President. And I do want to just say very clearly first that although I do not support an elected Boston school committee, I think that this is a really important referendum and it's, of course, non-binding. So it creates an added level of community discussion, of public discussion around this very specific question. So I look forward to participating in this opportunity to discuss the governance structure of the Boston School Committee in greater detail with the public. I look forward to its helpful passage today because I think it's an important question to put before the people of Boston. And I'm just grateful to the lawmakers for this effort, certainly the leadership of our city's residents who have put this before us and the work of the chair. Thank you, Mr. President.
Speaker 0: Thank you very much, Councilor. So be George. Any further discussion on docket 0896? Seeing Noncancer Lydia Edwards, chair of the Committee on Governance Operations, seeks acceptance of the committee report and passage of Docket 0896. All those in favor please indicate by saying I am opposed. Nay. The ayes have it. The docket has passed. Now, moving on to matters recently heard for possible action. Madam Clerk, would you please read docket 0775?
On the Communication referred on August 18, 2021, Docket #0896, was received from Eneida Tavares, Chair, of the Board of Election, for your approval a citizen petition entitled "An Elected Boston School Committee" for the placement of a local nonbinding public opinion advisory question on the ballot of the next regular municipal election on November 2, 2021, submits a report recommending that the petition ought to pass.
The report was accepted; the petition was passed.