Public Comment

Transcript (~3 min @ 17:56)

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▶ 17:54 Maya Jamaleddine: I will motion by Anonymous consent to open the floor for public comment. seeing no objection We are now open for Public public comment. And this is the portion of the meeting where anyone from the public which to speak on any item of the agenda. They do so at this time.

▶ 18:15 Maya Jamaleddine: Is seeing no participation from the audience anyone.

▶ 18:21 Speaker 4: There's no online right now, but I do have a letter that.

▶ 18:24 Speaker 2: Go ahead Mr. Clark.

▶ 18:26 Speaker 4: So the following is a letter from Miss caddy Kennedy and it reads every time I hear siren. I say a prayer maybe be safe safe. I'm not sure. When I started doing this, but I can't remember time when I haven't performed this ritual. I pray that the firefighters ambulance Personnel police officers people who are experiencing a medical episode car crash victims individuals at risk of violence and persons impacted by life-altering losses due to fire among others or remain safe and be helped. As I hunkered down over the weekend, I worried about those who did not have the luxury of staying home in a warm space during our historic and record-breaking cold snap. I was especially concerned about the members of the Melrose Fire Department. The recent small town Secrets investigation on NBC 10 documented summer temperatures in the high 80s inside fire headquarters as well as having inadequate heat in the building frequently. During the time of during the time. Of the interviews with Ed Kalina and Bob Driscoll, the fire station had no heat at all. The media disclosure about the deplorable conditions of the station including rats sewage plumbing and overall structural Integrity of the building in which our public servants of the fire service work must be handled immediately. Put off Solutions. Any longer is a dishonor to the men and women who put their lives on the line for the rest of us. Unfortunately it often. Takes shocking facts to be wildly known in order for governments and politicians to do something. The negative publicity about the Brazil Street and neighborhood trauma the Citywide rat and sanitation nightmares and the recent Melrose teachers contract Fiasco. Seemed to meet motivate the city to act. Melrose was shamed into responding. The state of the Melrose Public Safety buildings in general and the Fire Department headquarters in particular is a moral issue. I implore elected officials as a budget process begins to use arpa funds and free cash to fund a temporary alternative building now. Finally, I challenge Paul Broder to look at fire headquarters when he pulls into his designated parking space. If the mayor's truthful he will not be able to say that the building is a safe place for anyone.

▶ 20:51 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you, Mr. Clark.

▶ 20:54 Maya Jamaleddine: And if there is no objection, I would like to close public comment.