Public Comment

Transcript (~7 min @ 1:10)

Speakers identified by voice; unnamed voices are numbered within this recording. Auto-caption text — verify against the video.

▶ 0:54 Jeff McNaught: Pursuant to Governor Baker's March 12th, 2020 orders suspending certain provisions of the open meeting law and under the governor's March 15th, 2020 order imposing strict limitations on the number of people that may gather in one place, this meeting of the Appropriations Committee will be conducted via remote participation to the greatest extent possible. We will post an audio or video recording, transcript, or other comprehensive record of these proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting on the City of Morrow's website and on mmtv3.org.

▶ 1:37 Jeff McNaught: We're now at the point of the meeting where we will vote to open the floor for public comment.

▶ 1:43 Robb Stewart: Motion to open public comment.

▶ 1:47 Speaker 2: Second.

▶ 1:49 Jeff McNaught: Motion to open public comment by Councillor Stewart, seconded by Councillor Eccles. This is, Madam Clerk, I'm just going to say before you take the role, This is a portion of the meeting where in any member of the public may come forward to speak to any item on the agenda. That's all we ask is that you speak any item on the agenda. Madam clerk. Can you please call the role?

▶ 2:12 Speaker 1: I'm not yes. Yes, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes, Councilor Migliorelli. Yes, Councilor Stewart. Yes. Councilor Thomas. Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine. Yes, President Sinella. Yes. 11 yes.

▶ 2:43 Jeff McNaught: Motion passes we are now open for public comment. And Adam Clark, if we could look in the attendee list to see if anyone has their.

▶ 2:53 Speaker 1: digital hand raised sure so if anyone would like to speak if you could just on the bottom right of your device raise your digital hand

▶ 3:05 Speaker 1: just give it a minute a bunch of people in the room tonight oh we have one person mr mcsweeney i will make you

▶ 3:15 Speaker 3: unmute you now thanks everybody um happy new year i just was calling because um i saw the mmtv appropriation tonight on the agenda. And last time MMTV made an appropriation, I think it was last summer, and Ms. McAteer-Margolis specifically called out, you know, access during COVID as why it was so important to do the appropriation at that time. There was a letter from her attached to that meeting, but I didn't see anything tonight from MMTV or the administration about, you know, specifically what the funds were going to be used for. And as, you know, folks probably already know, I've been trying to really highlight the great job that the city has done on remote access during COVID and the fact that it's my really strident hope that the city can make some sort of investment in continuing to do that going forward. So I was hoping that the council tonight could try to get some information if anyone from MMTV or the administration is here to speak to the appropriations about whether or not part of that is going to make an investment in making what's happening right now more sustainable going forward in terms of live access to the meetings And just as critically, all the archived recordings, it's, you know, like I said, everyone's just, it's been so great to have access to this during COVID. I was really worried that it was going to be less access, but it's actually more. And I think that going forward, I really hope that the city develops a plan. I really think the city needs to develop a plan. And I'm hopeful that the council can try to get some answers on whether or not, you know, this appropriation is going towards making an investment and what that investment is. Or if it's not this one, you know, when is it going to be? Because this is hopefully the year, right, where things start to open up a little bit. And I don't, speaking for myself and I think probably a lot of others, I don't want to go back to the old way of doing things. I want the city to embrace this current format and work on expanding access to as many people as possible. You know, anyone can go back to any meeting basically all year last year and see exactly what happened. And you contrast that with the sort of really sporadic nature of how minutes used to be posted. You know, go look at a traffic commission meeting during COVID. You can watch them. Now go try to find a traffic commission set of minutes from 2019 before COVID. They're not there. Where are they? Who knows what was discussed? No idea. It's great for transparency to have these meetings recorded, and it's great for equity and for access to have people be able to call in. So I just, you know, I really want to continue to advocate for that, and I hope that someone can try to come up with a plan sooner rather than later. Thanks everybody. Happy New Year.

▶ 6:34 Jeff McNaught: Thank you, Mr. McSweeney. Can you just state your name and address for the record?

▶ 6:37 Speaker 3: Sorry, Fin McSweeney, 160 West Wyoming.

▶ 6:43 Jeff McNaught: Thanks so much. Do we have anyone else in the queue for public comment, Madam Clerk?

▶ 6:49 Speaker 1: Checking the list at this time. Anyone else would like to speak? We don't have the time to do so.

▶ 7:02 Speaker 1: I do not see anyone else.

▶ 7:06 Speaker 4: Motion to close public comment.

▶ 7:08 Jeff McNaught: 2nd, I should close public comment made by councilor Stewart, seconded by councilor Thomas. Madam clerk, may please will you please call the role.

▶ 7:18 Speaker 1: Chairman not yes. Yes. Counselor yes. Counselor McMaster. Yes. Yes. Councilor Grigoraitis yes. Yes. Counselor Stewart yes. Councilor Thomas? Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine? Yes. President Sinella? Yes. Levin, yes.

▶ 7:46 Jeff McNaught: Thank you, Madam Clerk. And at this time, before we move on to suspending the rules or any other business on our agenda, I would like to give the floor to President Sinella for a moment, who has asked for a moment of personal privilege.