City Council Preview: Investments, Expanding Democracy

BOSTON — The Boston City Council is convening for its weekly meeting Wednesday on St. Patrick’s Day at noon, with no shortage of items to discuss. Here’s a short list of some of the grant acceptances, motions, orders and resolutions on the agenda:

• FY 2021 Jail/Arrest Diversion Grant: The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health is offering $40,000 to help fund crisis intervention training for officers.
• Ordinance Relative to Investments of the Treasury: Councilors Lydia Edwards and Michelle Wu are proposing restrictions on the city’s investment to more closely align with its mission to combat climate change.
• Ordinance Expanding Access to Local Democracy in the City of Boston: Government meetings have been broadcast online in the state of Massachusetts since the beginning of the pandemic, per Massachusetts guidelines. Councilors Edwards and Liz Breadon are proposing this remain a permanent fixture to keep public access high. Some regulations would include posting agendas at least seven days prior to a meeting, and informing the public of how they can view and participate in meetings remotely.
• Order for a Hearing on Digital Infrastructure and Electronic City Services: Councilors Edwards and Ed Flynn are proposing a discussion about how Boston can improve its online resources and transparency.
• Resolution in Support of an Act Relative to Medication Assisted Recovery and Care: The act in the Massachusetts Legislature is seeking to align state guidelines with federal guidelines for opioid treatments. The council’s resolution says that when long-term outpatient treatment centers use medications, it can be life saving.
• Resolution in Support of the Striking Nurses at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Worcester: Councilors Edwards and Flynn are seeking to stand in solidarity with the nurses, who have said that the hospital is not staffing enough nurses, and it’s creating an unsafe environment for patients.
• Resolution to support an act “Relative to the Structure of the Fiscal Management and Control Board”: The act seeks to add a member of the Board that would be appointed by the mayor of Boston. “With the critical role that the MBTA plays in our city’s transportation system, and the large role that Boston plays in terms of ridership and operations for the MBTA, it would be appropriate that the City of Boston is represented on the FMCB,” the resolution says.

Watch the meeting and find the agenda here.