SMACA Meeting – Tues. June 29 by Zoom. 20+ attendees
Agenda and Notes:
Police Report C-11 Police Officer Mike Keaney, the police report. [15 minutes]
June 7 and June 26 - People rummaging through parked cars for valuables. Stolen wallet and Social Security card. Please remember to lock your cars!! June 17 – Vehicle side-swiped 7 cars on Edwin Street, unlicensed operation with licensed owner in seat next to them.
Many recent retirements. Graduated 14 recruits. New Class of 160 in late December/early Jan.
Laurie M – Big difference in number of local fireworks set off compared to last year. Police have clamped down on cars coming from NH where fireworks are legally sold. (Illegal in Mass.) Will add more officers for the Fourth of July weekend – for loud parties and fireworks.
Matt Maranda from the Development Committee, the committee’s responsibilities. [10 minutes]
Laurie M asked him to share some examples. (very helpful). He spoke about 426 Ashmont Street and mentioned that some proposals are in locations shared with other civic associations.
Ryan Grieser from Boston Area Climate Action Change Network, green buildings and greenhouse gas emissions in the Boston area. [15 minutes]
BERDO - Discussion about how climate change is impacting Dorchester and Boston more broadly. A new proposal to provide guidelines for different building use types, especially as Boston neighborhoods see increased building for residential, municipal, educational, medical, industrial, and other uses.
See slides, video, summary, and petition link provided. We will follow up with details about a Boston City Council hearing on BERDO, not yet scheduled, but possibly on July 22.
Patricia McMullin – worked at a hospital for many years and is concerned about the logistical difficulties that hospitals face when new guidelines are introduced.
Hayat Imam – is interested in starting a small SMACA sub-committee to look at Climate Change and the Environment and explore ways to work together for the future of our neighborhood and the planet. Patricia McMullin and some others are also interested. An invitation to continue this conversation will be sent separately and anyone who is interested is very welcome to join this effort.
SMACA member Eva Clark, describing “Can We Talk?”, a program for people in our area to connect, heal, and talk. [10 minutes].
See link to YouTube video.
New member Stephanie Wells, about the problem and possible solutions of dog waste in the neighborhood. [10 minutes].
Also included a more general conversation about neighborhood and park clean-ups
Elected Officials or their representatives will give an update on what is happening at City Hall [10 minutes]
Dustin Gardner – with Andrea Campbell’s office (phone 617-635-3131 or email to [email protected])
Working on What Comes Next? Senior Action Planning Task Force - July 1st, 1-2:30. Following up on the virtual conversation we had with seniors last month, Councilor Campbell’s Senior Advisor, Cheryl Harding, is convening a smaller task force to plan out tangible next steps for senior policy and resource advocacy. Please email Cheryl at [email protected] if you would like to join.
Blue Hill Ave City-Owned Land. If you know any folks in Mattapan/Dorchester interested in starting a business, owning property, or building on city-owned land on Blue Hill Ave. Please send them this link! https://www.boston.gov/buildinghousing/blue-hill-ave-action-plan-b1-sites. 10 parcels of land are in the RFP process and we are trying to get local folks these great opportunities!
Quinn Valcich – with Michael Flaherty’s office. Reach out at [email protected] if there is any way our office can be helpful to you!
Pat Fandell – with the Mayor’s office, wasn’t here tonight.
Community Announcements [10 minutes]
Hayat Imam, about a family on Shepton Street now displaced by a fire in the 2-family home where they lived and ways to help the 3 generations of family members impacted. (Please see a previous message with a GoFundMe link and other suggestions.)
Sheria Morrison : I think Greenovate Boston can also help with neighborhood clean-ups and a few other things that Patricia mentioned earlier.
Future Meetings:
Please mark your calendars for our fall meetings, each on the last Tuesday of the month: September 28, October 26, and November 30
During the summer SMACA will send out news and information relevant to the neighborhood and we will discuss our 2021-22 organizational plans.
Minutes by Sydney Miller
