PILOT Agreements, Institutional and Intergovernmental Relations on September 22, 2026

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1:55 TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET

1:57 1338.

1:58 ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS

2:00 REESTABLISHING A POST OFFICE

2:01 LOCATION IN ALLSTON.

2:02 THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY

2:04 COUNCILOR LIZ BREADON AND

2:04 REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON

2:05 JULY 8TH, 2026.

2:11 THIS MORNING I'M JOINED BY MY

2:13 COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL

2:14 UM COUNCILOR BREADON AND

2:16 COUNCILOR ED FLYNN.

2:18 UM AND UH, I WANTED TO GIVE A

2:20 MOMENT.

2:20 UM, UH, SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE

2:23 MARK FLANAGAN FROM ED MARKEY'S

2:24 OFFICE FIRST.

2:26 UM, BUT FIRST I WANT TO SAY

2:27 GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU TO

2:29 EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.

2:30 I'M GRATEFUL TO BE CHAIRING

2:31 THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AT

2:32 THE REQUEST OF MY COLLEAGUE,

2:33 COUNCIL PRESIDENT LIZ BREADON.

2:35 THE ALSO COMMUNITY HAS NOW GONE

2:36 NEARLY SEVEN YEARS WITHOUT A

2:38 POST OFFICE.

2:39 IN APRIL, USPS REVERSED ITS

2:40 COMMITMENT TO MOVE A NEW UM

2:42 MOVE IT TO A NEW BUILDING WHERE

2:43 IT HAD ALREADY NEGOTIATED A

2:44 LEASE AND CONSTRUCTION PLANS

2:46 ARE IN PLACE.

2:46 WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ALLSTON

2:48 ISN'T AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.

2:50 I KNOW COMMUNITIES HERE IN

2:51 BOSTON AND ACROSS THE

2:52 COMMONWEALTH ARE FACING SIMILAR

2:53 CHALLENGES.

2:54 TWO YEARS AGO, RESIDENTS IN

2:55 MISSION HILL RECEIVED NOTICE

2:57 OUT OF THE BLUE THAT USPS WAS

2:58 CLOSING THEIR POST OFFICE

3:00 THANKS TO A PARTNERSHIP WITH

3:01 THE PROPERTY OWNER.

3:02 OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

3:03 AND SENATOR MARKEY.

3:05 OUR OFFICE WAS ABLE TO GET USPS

3:08 TO RENEGOTIATE ITS LEASE.

3:09 BUT THAT OUTCOME CANNOT BE

3:11 TAKEN FOR GRANTED.

3:11 THE POSTAL SERVICE SERVES AN

3:13 IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR

3:15 COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY LOCAL

3:16 BUSINESSES AND SOME OF OUR MOST

3:17 VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.

3:18 IT IS IMPORTANT, UM, THAT

3:20 PEOPLE RECEIVE THE IMPORTANT

3:22 COMMUNICATIONS THEY RELY ON

3:23 THEIR GOVERNMENT BENEFITS AND

3:24 OTHER SERVICES THAT THEY NEED

3:26 AND THEY UM AND THAT THEY'RE

3:27 ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN

3:28 ELECTIONS AND STAY CONNECTED TO

3:29 THEIR COMMUNITIES.

3:31 USPS IS FACING SIGNIFICANT

3:32 OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL

3:33 CHALLENGES, BUT THOSE

3:34 CHALLENGES SHOULD NOT MEAN OUR

3:35 COMMUNITIES ARE LEFT WITHOUT

3:36 THE GOOD SERVICES THEY RELY ON.

3:38 OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE CLEAR

3:41 COMMUNICATION GOOD FAITH FOLLOW

3:41 THROUGH.

3:42 COUNCIL PRESIDENT BREEDEN HAS

3:44 BEEN DEDICATED TO ADVOCATING

3:45 FOR RESIDENTS OF ALLSTON AND

3:47 BRIGHTON AND BRINGING OUR

3:48 CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AND

3:49 STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE STATE

3:51 TOGETHER TO FIGHT FOR THE

3:52 AWESOME POST OFFICE.

3:52 WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT THAT

3:54 EFFORT THIS MORNING BUT ALSO

3:56 TALK ABOUT PROTECTING ACCESS TO

3:57 ESSENTIAL SERVICES IN

3:59 NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS BOSTON.

4:00 THANK YOU TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT

4:01 BREEDEN FOR BRINGING THIS ISSUE

4:03 BEFORE US AND TO LABOR

4:05 REPRESENTATIVES, CITY

4:06 OFFICIALS, RESIDENTS AND OTHER

4:07 STAKEHOLDERS FOR JOINING US

4:08 THIS MORNING.

4:09 UM, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM

4:11 MARK FLANAGAN FROM SENATOR

4:12 MARKEY'S OFFICE BECAUSE I KNOW

4:13 HE HAS ANOTHER COMMITMENT AND

4:14 THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE

4:16 LEAD SPONSOR, COUNCILOR LES

4:17 BREADON.

4:19 GREAT.

4:20 THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN

4:21 .

4:21 UM, I HAVE MARK FLANAGAN FROM

4:23 SENATOR MARKEY'S OFFICE.

4:24 I HAVE A STATEMENT FROM THE

4:26 SENATOR ON THE TERMINATION

4:27 PROCEEDINGS IN AUSTIN.

4:28 UH, AND THAT READS THE AUSTIN

4:30 NEIGHBORHOOD WAS PROMISED A

4:31 POST OFFICE AND THEY DESERVE A

4:32 POST OFFICE.

4:33 SINCE THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE IN

4:35 2019, I'VE PERSISTENTLY CALLED

4:37 ON THE POSTAL SERVICE TO

4:38 EXPEDITIOUSLY REOPEN A LOCATION

4:40 IN AUSTIN.

4:41 MOST RECENTLY ON JUNE 5TH, I

4:42 WROTE IN COORDINATION WITH

4:44 BOSTON CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

4:45 LIZ BREEDEN AND OUR FEDERAL,

4:47 STATE AND LOCAL DELEGATIONS TO

4:48 URGE YOU TO STAND BY YOUR 2025

4:51 PROMISE TO RESTORE A POSTAL

4:52 PRESENCE TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

4:53 THESE TERMINATION PROCEEDINGS

4:55 ARE A BETRAYAL OF THAT PROMISE.

4:57 UNFORTUNATELY, THIS CLOSURE IS

4:58 PART OF A TROUBLING PATTERN

5:00 OF POSTAL CLOSURES ACROSS

5:02 MASSACHUSETTS.

5:02 THE UNITED STATES POSTAL

5:04 SERVICE IS MEANT TO BE THE

5:05 FRONT FACE OF THE FEDERAL

5:06 GOVERNMENT IN EVERY COMMUNITY,

5:07 BUT IT IS TURNING ITS BACK ON

5:09 NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE

5:10 COMMONWEALTH.

5:11 AS USPS UNDERTAKES THESE

5:12 PROCEEDINGS FOR THE SAKE OF OUR

5:13 POSTAL WORKERS AND TO THIS

5:15 COMMUNITY, USPS SHOULD REVERSE

5:16 THEIR DECISION TO TERMINATE A

5:18 POSTAL PRESENCE IN AUSTIN.

5:19 GO BACK TO THE NEGOTIATING

5:20 TABLE WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER

5:22 AT 47 HARVARD AVE AND REOPEN AN

5:24 AUSTIN POST OFFICE WITH ALL

5:25 AVAILABLE SPEED.

5:26 THANKS SO MUCH.

5:27 THANK YOU SO MUCH MARK.

5:28 UM, THANK YOU TO SENATOR MARKEY

5:29 AS WELL FOR ALL OF HIS

5:30 LEADERSHIP.

5:31 AND WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE

5:32 LEAD SPONSOR, COUNCILOR LIZ

5:34 BREEDEN FOR HER OPENING

5:34 STATEMENT.

5:35 GOOD MORNING.

5:36 THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND GOOD

5:37 MORNING EVERYONE.

5:38 UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

5:41 UH, I WANT TO THANK CHAIR

5:42 DURKAN FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING

5:44 AND ALL OF THE PANELISTS

5:45 PRESENT, UH, FOR BEING HERE

5:47 TODAY.

5:49 AS A DISTRICT

5:50 COUNCIL REPRESENTING ALLSTON.

5:50 I SPONSORED THIS HEARING TO

5:52 DISCUSS THE UNCERTAIN STATUS

5:54 OF THE AUSTIN POST OFFICE

5:55 BRANCH AND TO CALL ON THE

5:57 UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE TO

5:59 REESTABLISH THIS BRANCH.

6:00 THIS IS NOT THE FIRST HEARING

6:02 ON THE POSTAL SERVICE WE'VE HAD

6:03 IN RECENT YEARS ON THIS

6:05 COUNCIL.

6:06 IN 2024 I CHAIRED A SIMILAR

6:07 HEARING SPONSORED BY

6:09 COUNCILOR DURKAN AS WAS THE

6:11 CASE UH, AS WAS THE CASE THEN,

6:14 USPS HAD FAILED TO RESPOND TO

6:16 AN INVITATION TO REQUEST TO

6:17 TESTIFY IN THIS HEARING.

6:20 TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT, THE

6:22 ALLSTON POST OFFICE BRANCH WAS

6:23 PREVIOUSLY HOUSED IN A BUILDING

6:25 LOCATED AT 47 HARVARD AV IN

6:28 AUSTIN VILLAGE.

6:28 DUE TO STRUCTURAL ISSUES THIS

6:31 WITH THIS BUILDING.

6:32 THE USPS SUSPENDED SERVICE AT

6:34 THE US POST THE ULSAN POST

6:36 OFFICE AND IN DECEMBER OF 2019

6:39 AND 2021 THE SITE WAS PURCHASED

6:42 BY A BOSTON BASED REAL ESTATE

6:44 FIRM ETON PROPERTIES.

6:46 A MIXED USE RESIDENTIAL PROJECT

6:48 FOR THE SITE WAS APPROVED BY

6:49 THE CITY AND IS NOW UNDER

6:51 CONSTRUCTION.

6:51 EDEN PROPERTIES WORKED WITH

6:54 USPS TO INCLUDE THE POST OFFICE

6:55 BRANCH IN THE UH IN THE NEW

6:57 SITE, AGREEING TO THE TERMS

6:59 OF THE LEASE WITH THE USPS IN

7:02 JUNE OF 2025, USPS SENT A

7:05 LETTER TO MAYOR WU AND MYSELF

7:07 CONFIRMING ITS FINAL DECISION

7:09 TO RELOCATE AND REESTABLISH THE

7:12 BOSTON ALLSTON POST OFFICE

7:14 BRANCH.

7:15 THIS LETTER EXPLICITLY STATES

7:17 THAT THE USPS STANCE INTENDS TO

7:20 REESTABLISH RETAIL OPERATIONS

7:21 FOR OUR CUSTOMERS IN ALLSTON,

7:23 MASSACHUSETTS FOR THE LONGER

7:24 TERM AND THAT AND THAT THIS

7:27 REPRESENTED THE FINAL DECISION

7:29 OF THE POST OFFICE WITH RESPECT

7:31 TO THE MATTER AND THERE WAS NO

7:33 RIGHT TO FURTHER ADMINISTRATION

7:34 OR JUDICIAL REVIEW OF THIS

7:36 DECISION.

7:37 WE ALSO THAT WAS GOOD NEWS THIS

7:38 TIME LAST YEAR.

7:40 NOW AFTER YEARS OF PUBLIC

7:42 ENGAGEMENT, PLANNING AND

7:44 ANTICIPATION, USPS HAS HAS

7:46 REVERSED THIS DECISION AND IS

7:48 MOVING TO PERMANENTLY CLOSE THE

7:50 ALLSTON BRANCH IN EARLY

7:52 SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR 2026

7:55 ALLSTON RESIDENTS RECEIVED A

7:56 WRITTEN NOTICE FROM USPS THAT

8:00 ANNOUNCED ITS PROPOSAL TO

8:01 PERMANENTLY CLOSE THE ALLSTON

8:03 POST OFFICE.

8:04 THIS ABRUPT REVERSAL IS

8:06 INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING FOR OUR

8:08 COMMUNITY.

8:08 FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, THE

8:10 APPROXIMATELY 87 87,000

8:13 RESIDENTS OF ALLSTON BRIGHTON

8:14 HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO RELY ON A

8:16 SINGULAR POST OFFICE LOCATION

8:18 IN BRIGHTON FOR ESSENTIAL

8:19 POSTAL SERVICES.

8:21 IN CONTRAST, OUR NEIGHBORING

8:23 CITY OF NEWTON, WHICH HAS A

8:24 SIMILAR POPULATION IS SERVED BY

8:26 TEN POST OFFICES.

8:29 ALLSTON IS A DIVERSE COMMUNITY

8:30 WHERE MANY RESIDENTS SMALL

8:32 BUSINESS OWNERS RELY ON USPS

8:35 FOR THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT

8:37 IT PROVIDES.

8:38 WE ARE HOLDING THIS HEARING

8:39 TODAY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE

8:42 CURRENT STATE OF THE STATUS

8:43 OF THE ALLSTON POST OFFICE.

8:45 SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE

8:46 OF THE AUSTIN POST OFFICE

8:47 BRANCH AND ACCESSIBLE POSTAL

8:49 SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY AND

8:51 REJECT EXCUSES THAT CALL ON YOU

8:54 AND CALL ON USPS TO HOLD THIS

8:56 TO THIS DISCONTINUATION STUDY.

8:59 I LOOK FORWARD TO THE

9:00 DISCUSSION AHEAD OF US TODAY

9:03 AND AT THIS TIME FOR THE USPS.

9:05 IT IS TIME AND PAST TIME FOR

9:07 THE USPS TO HONOR ITS

9:09 COMMITMENTS.

9:10 THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

9:11 THANK YOU SO MUCH

9:13 COUNCIL PRESIDENT.

9:13 UM AND WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY

9:15 COUNCILOR ED FLYNN.

9:16 COUNCILOR ED FLYNN, DO YOU WANT

9:17 TO GIVE A, UH, OPENING

9:18 STATEMENT?

9:20 THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

9:22 AND THANK YOU TO

9:23 COUNCIL PRESIDENT BREADON FOR

9:25 BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE

9:26 FORWARD.

9:27 I'M HERE TO SUPPORT MY

9:29 COUNCIL COLLEAGUE IN ADVOCATING

9:33 A POSTAL OFFICE IN ALLSTON

9:35 AREA.

9:36 UM, I WANT TO THANK THE PANEL

9:38 FOR BEING HERE.

9:39 THANK THE RESIDENTS OF ALLSTON

9:41 AND BRIGHTON FOR ADVOCATING FOR

9:43 THIS AS WELL.

9:45 AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE,

9:47 UM, TONY DESIDERIO AND THE

9:52 DESIDERIO FAMILY LONG TIME

9:54 RESIDENTS.

9:55 UM, FOR THEIR ONGOING

9:58 COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY AND

10:00 TO OUR CITY AS WELL.

10:01 I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO

10:03 THE POSTAL WORKERS THROUGHOUT

10:05 THROUGHOUT MASSACHUSETTS,

10:07 THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT DO

10:08 AN EXCEPTIONAL, EXCEPTIONAL

10:09 JOB.

10:10 UM.

10:10 THANK YOU SO MUCH.

10:11 UM, AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO

10:13 ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED

10:14 ABSENCE LETTERS FROM COUNCILORS

10:16 ENRIQUE PEPEN AND

10:18 COUNCILOR RUSSI LOUIJEUNE.

10:19 UM, BOTH OF THESE ABSENCE

10:21 LETTERS UM SHARE THE IMPORTANCE

10:23 OF A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS

10:25 AND UM SHARE THEIR SUPPORT FOR

10:26 ALLSTON AND BRIGHTON AND THE

10:28 COMMUNITIES AND UM, YOU KNOW

10:30 WHAT IMPACT THIS WILL HAVE?

10:32 UH, LACK OF SERVICE.

10:33 SO I WANT TO THANK MY

10:33 COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR ABSENCE

10:34 LETTERS.

10:35 UM, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO

10:36 START WITH THE PANEL.

10:37 LET'S START WITH UH, NOAH WHO

10:39 IS ON ZOOM AND THEN WE'LL GO

10:40 THROUGH THE LINE.

10:44 UH UH GOOD MORNING, CHAIR DEREK

10:46 AND COUNCILOR BREADON

10:47 COUNCILOR FLYNN.

10:48 CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME?

10:49 ALL RIGHT.

10:49 YES.

10:50 OKAY, GREAT.

10:51 UH, THANK YOU FOR THE

10:53 OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.

10:55 UM, MY NAME IS NOMADLAND AND

10:57 I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF EON

10:59 PROPERTIES.

11:00 UH, WHEN WE PURCHASED THE

11:01 HARMON AVENUE PROPERTY IN 2021,

11:04 THE ALLSTON POST OFFICE HAD

11:06 ALREADY BEEN CLOSED FOR NEARLY

11:07 TWO YEARS.

11:08 FROM OUR EARLIEST CONVERSATIONS

11:10 WITH COUNCILOR BRAEDEN.

11:12 UM ALLSTON CIVIC ASSOCIATION

11:14 TONY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY

11:16 WE UNDERSTOOD HOW IMPORTANT

11:17 RESTORING POSTAL SERVICE WAS TO

11:19 ALLSTON.

11:20 UH, WE MADE THAT A REAL

11:22 PRIORITY IN PLANNING THE

11:23 REDEVELOPMENT, UH, OF THE

11:25 PROPERTY BEGINNING INTO 2022.

11:28 WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE USPS

11:30 TO IDENTIFY A GROUND FLOOR

11:32 LOCATION AND ULTIMATELY DESIGN

11:34 THAT SPACE AROUND THE NEEDS

11:36 OF A NEW POST OFFICE.

11:37 WE AGREED ON THE BASIC BUSINESS

11:39 TERMS OUTLINED IN A MUTUALLY

11:41 AGREED UPON LETTER OF INTENT,

11:43 AND USPS PROVIDED DETAILED

11:45 BUILDING REQUIREMENTS THAT WE

11:47 INCORPORATED INTO THE PROJECT

11:48 BY LATE 2025.

11:50 WE WERE TOLD THE LEASE AND WORK

11:53 LETTER, BOTH DRAFTED AND ISSUED

11:55 BY USPS HAD BEEN REVIEWED AND

11:57 APPROVED BY USPS LEGAL AND WE

12:00 WERE JUST WAITING FOR THEM TO,

12:02 UH, EXECUTE THE LEASE.

12:04 AND USPS.

12:06 HAS ALSO FORMALLY COMMUNICATED

12:08 ITS INTENTION TO RETURN TO

12:10 ALLSTON IN ITS JUNE 2025 FINAL

12:12 DECISION LETTER.

12:13 THE POSTAL SERVICE SAID IT

12:15 PLANNED TO RELOCATE THE BRANCH

12:16 NEARBY TO REESTABLISH RETAIL

12:18 OPERATIONS AND MAINTAIN LONG

12:19 TERM SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

12:21 WE WERE DISAPPOINTED WHEN USPS

12:23 SUBSEQUENTLY PULLED BACK AND

12:24 DID NOT SIGN THE LEASE.

12:26 IT WAS AN UNEXPECTED EXPECTED

12:28 REVERSAL AFTER SEVERAL YEARS I

12:30 MEAN REALLY FOUR YEARS OF WORK

12:31 AND AFTER WE UNDERSTOOD TO BE A

12:33 CLEAR COMMITMENT TO RESTORE

12:34 SERVICE MORE RECENTLY WE WERE

12:37 EVEN MORE DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN

12:38 THAT USPS IS CONSIDERING

12:40 PERMANENTLY DISCONTINUING THE

12:41 AUSTIN BRANCH.

12:43 WE UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION

12:44 IN THE COMMUNITY.

12:46 RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES HAVE

12:47 BEEN WAITING YEARS FOR THE

12:49 RETURN OF THE LOCAL POST OFFICE

12:51 AND WE KNOW THAT SERVICE

12:53 CONTINUES TO MATTER.

12:54 EDEN REMAINS READY TO WORK WITH

12:56 USPS, THE CITY AND THE

12:58 COMMUNITY IF THERE'S STILL A

12:59 VIABLE PATH TO RESTORING.

13:00 THE BRANCH.

13:01 AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO NEED

13:03 TO PLAN RESPONSIBLY FOR THE

13:05 FUTURE OF THE PROJECT AND THE

13:06 NEEDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD OVER

13:08 THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS WE HAVE

13:09 AN IMPORTANT WINDOW TO MAKE

13:11 SURE THE GROUND FLOOR SPACE CAN

13:12 ACCOMMODATE OTHER USES AND TO

13:14 BEGIN IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL

13:15 PARTNERS.

13:16 WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE THAT

13:17 OPPORTUNITY AND ULTIMATELY

13:18 LEAVE THE COMMUNITY WITH A

13:19 VACANT OR INACTIVE STOREFRONT.

13:21 OUR PREFERENCE REMAINS TO.

13:23 SEE POSTAL SERVICE RESTORED,

13:25 BUT IF USPS ULTIMATELY DECIDES

13:27 NOT TO REOPEN THE ALLSTON

13:28 BRANCH, OUR FOCUS WILL BE ON

13:30 FINDING ANOTHER USE THAT BRINGS

13:32 ACTIVITY TO HARVARD AVE AND

13:33 CONTRIBUTES POSITIVELY TO THE

13:35 NEIGHBORHOOD.

13:35 OUR COMMITMENT THROUGHOUT HAS

13:37 BEEN TO LISTENING TO THE

13:38 COMMUNITY WORK COLLABORATIVELY

13:39 AND BUILD A PROJECT THAT

13:41 STRENGTHEN THIS PART OF ALLSTON

13:42 .

13:42 THAT REMAINS OUR GOAL AND I'M

13:44 HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

13:46 THANK YOU SO MUCH NOAH.

13:48 UM AND THEN WE'RE JOINED BY

13:49 RAYMOND BELL, THE PRESIDENT

13:50 OF THE AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS

13:52 UNION AND THE BOSTON METRO

13:54 REGION.

13:54 SCOTT HOFFMAN, UH, NATIONAL

13:56 BUSINESS AGENT FOR NEW ENGLAND

13:58 FOR THE AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS

14:00 UNION.

14:01 JUSTIN DELORIA, UM COORDINATOR,

14:04 MASSACHUSETTS POSTAL WORKERS

14:05 UNION ALVARO LIMA, DIRECTOR

14:07 OF RESEARCH FOR THE BOSTON

14:08 PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

14:09 AND TONY ISIDORA, PRESIDENT

14:10 OF THE ALLSTON CIVIC

14:11 ASSOCIATION.

14:12 SO WE'RE GOING TO LET YOU GUYS

14:13 ALL GO DOWN AND INTRODUCE

14:15 YOURSELVES.

14:15 BUT UM, THANK YOU TO

14:17 COUNCILOR RUBIN'S TEAM FOR, UM

14:19 ,CREATING SUCH A GREAT PANEL.

14:21 GO AHEAD.

14:22 I'M, UH, PHILLIP GRANBURY.

14:24 I'M A DEMOGRAPHER AND A

14:25 RESEARCHER IN THE PLANT UH, THE

14:28 RESEARCH DIVISION, UH, FOR THE

14:29 CITY OF BOSTON.

14:31 THANK YOU.

14:32 I'M OBVIOUSLY, UM, DIRECTOR.

14:34 OF RESEARCH.

14:35 FOR THE.

14:35 PLANNING DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY

14:36 OF BOSTON.

14:38 TONY DESIDERIO, PRESIDENT

14:39 OF THE ALLSTON CIVIC

14:41 ASSOCIATION.

14:43 JUSTIN DELORIA, UH, COORDINATOR

14:45 .

14:45 FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS.

14:46 POSTAL WORKERS.

14:46 UNION ASSIGNED TO INVESTIGATING

14:48 AND CONDUCTING.

14:50 RESEARCH FOR POST OFFICE

14:51 CLOSURES AND POSTAL COMPLIANCE

14:52 WITH FEDERAL LAWS.

14:55 UH, SCOTT HOFFMAN, A NATIONAL

14:58 BUSINESS AGENT FOR THE POSTAL

14:59 WORKERS UNION.

15:00 UH, AND I'M JUST HERE TO SPEAK

15:04 FOR FOR THE COMMUNITY.

15:05 REALLY?

15:05 AND I DID HAVE TO MAKE NOTE

15:07 THAT RAY BELL, UH, HAD A FAMILY

15:10 EMERGENCY, UH, AND COULD NOT

15:12 MAKE IT TODAY.

15:14 UH, BUT YOU KNOW THAT HE'S HE'S

15:16 DEEP INTO THIS AND YOU CAN

15:18 COUNT COUNT ON HIM FOR ANYTHING

15:20 THAT YOU MAY NEED COMING COMING

15:22 UP IN THIS FIGHT.

15:23 I THOUGHT HE MIGHT BE ON THE

15:24 ZOOM.

15:24 WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO HIM FOR

15:26 HIS TESTIMONY AT OUR LAST

15:27 HEARING.

15:28 WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY

15:29 COUNCILOR JOHN FITZGERALD.

15:30 THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

15:32 UM, SO, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR

15:34 YOUR INTRODUCTIONS.

15:35 UM.

15:36 I WANT TO, UH, IN CASE YOU

15:38 GUYS HAVE ANY OPEN DO YOU GUYS

15:39 HAVE ANY OPENING STATEMENTS?

15:41 OKAY.

15:42 SEEING NONE I'M GOING TO HAVE

15:43 UM, COUNCILOR WAS BREADON WHO

15:45 IS, UM, OUR PRESIDENT AND, UM,

15:48 THE LEAD SPONSOR ASK ANY

15:49 QUESTIONS THAT SHE HAS.

15:51 THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

15:53 UM, I HAD A, UM SINCE, UM, NOAH

15:56 HAS ALREADY UM, UH, SPOKEN I

15:59 HAD A QUESTION.

16:00 UM, SO, UM, AS A REPRESENTATIVE

16:04 FROM EDEN PROPERTIES.

16:05 NOAH, WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE?

16:07 BEEN WORKING WITH THE USPS TO

16:10 REESTABLISH THE LOCATION IN THE

16:12 COMMERCIAL SPACE ON 2935?

16:14 UM, CAN YOU PROVIDE AN

16:16 OVERVIEW?

16:17 I THINK YOU'VE ALREADY

16:17 MENTIONED IT, BUT YOU KNOW,

16:20 JUST TO ILLUSTRATE, I THINK

16:21 IT'S BEEN A LONG DRAWN OUT

16:23 PROCESS AND VERY INVOLVED AND

16:24 DETAILED CONVERSATIONS.

16:26 IT WASN'T JUST A VAGUE CONCEPT

16:29 THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.

16:31 YEAH.

16:32 THANK YOU,

16:32 COUNCILOR BREADON.

16:33 SO UH, I IT'S.

16:34 IT'S DEFINITELY WE'VE PROBABLY

16:36 SPENT MORE TIME ON UM, WORKING

16:39 ON THIS TENANT THAN ANY TENANT

16:42 WE'VE EVER WORKED WITH EVER.

16:44 UM, AND UH AND I THINK IT

16:47 STARTED REALLY WITH YOUR HELP

16:48 TO EVEN IDENTIFY WHO TO SPEAK

16:50 TO AT USPS UM, TO EVEN UH, UM,

16:54 KICK OFF THIS PROCESS AND TRY

16:56 TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER THERE WAS

16:57 A VIABLE PATH FOR THEM TO

16:59 REESTABLISH, YOU KNOW, IN THE

17:00 NEW BUILDING.

17:01 UM, SO WHEN WE PURCHASED THE

17:03 PROPERTY IN UH 2021, UM, LIKE

17:07 WE DO IN ALL OF OUR PROJECTS,

17:09 WE JUST START TALKING TO FOLKS

17:11 ABOUT THE IDEAS THAT WE HAVE

17:13 AND UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT THE

17:15 NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE AND

17:17 ,UH, YOU KNOW, THE

17:18 REESTABLISHING THE POST OFFICE

17:19 WAS NUMBER ONE ON EVERYBODY'S

17:21 LIST.

17:21 SO, UM, WE DILIGENTLY STARTED

17:24 TO TRY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

17:27 SO WE WERE CONNECTED WITH THE

17:28 REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST AT USPS.

17:31 UM, AND I THINK BY YOUR OFFICE,

17:33 UM, CURTIS BULLARD AT USPS WHO

17:37 THEN SAID YES, WE WE'VE BEEN

17:38 LOOKING FOR A SITE AND TO

17:41 REESTABLISH AND THEN CONNECTED

17:43 US WITH THEIR THEY THEY

17:44 ESSENTIALLY UH WHEN THEY WHEN

17:46 THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A SITE AND

17:48 BEGIN NEGOTIATING THEY ASSIGN

17:49 IT TO THEIR REAL ESTATE BROKER

17:52 WHICH MANAGES YOU KNOW, I GUESS

17:53 ALL THEIR NEGOTIATIONS UM,

17:56 WHICH IS WITH JONES LANG

17:57 LASALLE OUT OF WASHINGTON DC

17:59 AND SO WE ARE CONNECTED WITH

18:01 THEM AND UM AND THEN WE STARTED

18:05 UH TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT

18:07 THEIR NEEDS ARE FOR THE SITE.

18:08 THEY EXPLAINED THAT THEY WANTED

18:11 A REESTABLISH A RETAIL LOCATION

18:13 THAT WOULD PROVIDE POST OFFICE

18:15 BOX SERVICES, YOU KNOW, REGULAR

18:17 MAIL SERVICE, PASSPORT PHOTOS,

18:19 THAT KIND OF STUFF.

18:21 AND UM.

18:21 AND WE TRIED TO START

18:23 UNDERSTANDING LIKE WHAT THEIR

18:25 THEIR NEEDS WERE FOR UM FOR

18:27 RENT UM, WHAT THE TERMS OF THE

18:30 BUSINESS TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT

18:31 ,HOW MUCH SPACE THEY WANTED UM

18:34 AND AND WE CAME TO AN AGREEMENT

18:35 WITH THEM I BELIEVE IN C ONE

18:38 WAS IT?

18:40 UM AND UH, IN OCTOBER 2023 WE

18:45 HAD A LETTER OF INTENT THAT WAS

18:47 DRAFTED BY JONES LANG.

18:48 SO WITH ALL THE BUSINESS TERMS

18:49 THAT THAT'S THE TYPICAL PROCESS

18:51 IN A LEASE YOU COME UP WITH A

18:52 LETTER OF INTENT FOR THE

18:53 BUSINESS TERMS AND ONCE THAT'S

18:54 AGREED UPON YOU COMMENCE

18:57 NEGOTIATING THE ACTUAL LEASE.

18:58 SO THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN

19:01 OCTOBER 2023.

19:01 IT HAD A DETAILED LIST OF THEIR

19:03 WORK REQUIREMENTS.

19:05 UM, EVERYTHING FROM.

19:07 THE THE STRENGTH OF THE

19:09 CONCRETE IN THE FLOOR TO THE

19:10 THE HVAC SYSTEM THAT THEY

19:12 NEEDED.

19:13 UH AND THEN WE PROCEEDED TO

19:14 NEGOTIATE THE TERMS OF THE

19:15 LEASE, UM, THAT UH THAT

19:18 CONCLUDED IN UM YOU KNOW, LATE

19:22 2025 AND IN FACT WE WE STARTED

19:24 CONSTRUCTION ON THE BUILDING.

19:26 UH, AT THE END OF.

19:27 LAST YEAR 2025 BOUGHT OUT THE

19:32 CONTRACT UM THE CONSTRUCTION

19:33 CONTRACT AND IT INCLUDES VERY

19:35 SPECIFIC UH, SCOPE ITEMS

19:38 DEDICATED TO THIS SPACE TO MEET

19:40 THEIR REQUIREMENTS.

19:41 SO WE OWN UH, UH, ELECTRIC HEAT

19:43 PUMP SYSTEM, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR

19:46 THE PROJECT THAT SPECIFICALLY

19:48 MEETS.

19:48 THEIR NEEDS.

19:49 YEAH.

19:49 UM, SO IT HAS BEEN A VERY

19:51 DETAILED DRAWN OUT PROCESS.

19:53 IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME.

19:54 I WE UNDERSTOOD.

19:55 FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THAT

19:56 YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT

19:58 OF STEPS ALONG THE WAY.

19:59 UM, BUT UM BUT.

20:01 WE'VE WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TO

20:03 TRY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

20:04 AND UM, YOU.

20:06 KNOW.

20:06 WE THOUGHT BECAUSE THERE WAS.

20:07 YOU KNOW.

20:09 CONSTRUCTING A NEW BUILDING,

20:10 YOU KNOW, TAKES TIME AND

20:11 PERMITTING TAKES TIME THAT IT

20:13 WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD LOCATION

20:14 BECAUSE WE KNEW THE USPS

20:16 PROCESS TAKES TIME AND IT

20:18 ALIGNED PERFECTLY.

20:19 UM, SO UM, YOU KNOW, IT GOES

20:22 WITHOUT SAYING WE WERE JUST.

20:24 DEVASTATED THAT THEY WALKED

20:26 AWAY.

20:26 ONE THING NO, I JUST WANTED

20:28 TO CLARIFY IN THE RECENT LETTER

20:30 TO TO CUSTOMERS AND ALSTOM, THE

20:34 USPS STATED IN THE LETTER THAT

20:35 THERE WAS NO SUITABLE

20:36 ALTERNATIVE QUARTERS AVAILABLE

20:38 FOR THE U.S. AND FOR THE ALSTOM

20:40 POST OFFICE, WHICH SEEMS TO BE

20:42 TOTALLY CONTRARY TO WHAT OUR

20:44 UNDERSTANDING OF THE SITUATION

20:45 IS AND YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH

20:46 THEM VERY CLOSELY TO BUILD OUT

20:50 A UH, RETAIL POST OFFICE SPACE

20:52 TO THEIR SPECIFICATIONS.

20:53 UM, SO THIS STATEMENT THAT NO

20:56 SUITABLE ALTERNATIVE QUARTERS

20:57 ARE AVAILABLE SEEMS TO BE

20:59 UNTRUE.

21:00 WOULD YOU AGREE?

21:02 I WOULD I WOULD 100% AGREE AND

21:03 I THINK I SENT YOU LAST NIGHT.

21:05 THE EXHIBIT D OF THE.

21:08 LEASE THAT.

21:09 THEY AUTHORED OR SCHEDULE ONE

21:12 OF THE.

21:12 LEASE THAT THEY AUTHORED WHICH

21:14 INCLUDES THEIR DETAILED

21:17 SPECIFICATIONS THAT WE HAVE

21:18 INCORPORATED INTO THE DESIGN

21:19 OF OUR BUILDING.

21:20 SO HAPPY TO PUT THAT ON THE

21:22 RECORD AS YOU KNOW AND UM.

21:25 YEAH.

21:26 THANK YOU.

21:27 HAVE YOU DONE FOR TIME?

21:30 YOU CAN HAVE AS LONG AS YOU

21:31 WANT.

21:33 UM SO I THINK THE NEXT QUESTION

21:35 I WOULD HAVE IS FOR UM, OUR

21:37 FRIENDS FROM THE POSTAL UM

21:40 WORKERS UM UNION

21:42 REPRESENTATIVES UM, WHEN

21:46 PROPOSING TO PERMANENTLY CLOSE

21:47 A POST OFFICE BRANCH I MY

21:50 UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE USPS

21:52 MUST FOLLOW A SPECIFIC PROCESS

21:55 AS REQUIRED UNDER TITLE 39 PART

22:00 241 OF THE CODE OF THE FEDERAL

22:01 REGS.

22:02 CAN YOU SPECIFICALLY DESCRIBE

22:05 OR BRIEFLY DESCRIBE WHAT THAT

22:06 PROCESS IS IS REQUIRED?

22:09 AND IN YOUR EXPERIENCE DOES THE

22:11 USPS TYPICALLY FOLLOW THEIR OWN

22:13 OR THEIR OWN PROCESS OR DO THEY

22:15 VARY FROM IT?

22:16 OKAY SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION

22:19 AND I CAN ANSWER RIGHT OFF AND

22:20 SAY NO BECAUSE WHAT WHAT THE

22:23 GENTLEMAN'S DESCRIBED THERE IS

22:26 PLAYING OUT AGAIN UH I CAN USE

22:30 AN EXAMPLE OF MEDWAY MASS HAD A

22:32 SATELLITE POST OFFICE THEY WENT

22:35 OUT THE POSTAL SERVICE

22:37 ADVERTISED TO THE PUBLIC.

22:38 WELL WE LOST THE LEASE.

22:40 UH, NOTHING WE CAN DO.

22:44 SORRY WE WE PUT IN UH,

22:47 INQUIRIES, YOU KNOW, UH, RIGHTS

22:48 ON THE LABOR LAW TO TO LOOK

22:50 INTO VARIOUS THINGS AND FOUND

22:52 OUT THAT NOT ONLY DID THE

22:57 LANDLORD SAME HERE BENT OVER

23:00 BACKWARDS THEY WERE EXPANDING

23:02 THE STRIP MALL AND IT ACTUALLY

23:03 OFFERED TO, UH, MAKE IT TO THE

23:07 PARAMETERS, YOU KNOW, THESE

23:08 ASPECTS THAT THE POSTAL SERVICE

23:10 NEEDED UH, AND THE POSTAL

23:12 SERVICE JUST LET IT FALL BY THE

23:14 WAYSIDE.

23:14 THE LEASE LEFT THE PROPERTY

23:16 OWNER HOLDING THE BAG AGAIN AND

23:18 THEN HAD THE AUDACITY TO TELL

23:20 THE COMMUNITY THAT IT WAS THE

23:23 LANDLORD.

23:25 SO DISPLAY IT IS IS SOMETHING

23:28 THAT THEY DO ALL THE TIME.

23:30 BUT MY COLLEAGUE JUSTIN WILL

23:34 PROBABLY RATTLE OFF A FEW

23:36 OF THE STATUTES THAT THEY'RE

23:38 SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THAT FROM

23:40 WHAT I CAN SEE AND WHAT WHAT

23:41 WHAT JUSTIN HAS SHARED WITH ME,

23:43 THEY HAVEN'T FOLLOWED ANY

23:46 OF THE STATUTES, YOU KNOW, TO

23:47 THE LETTER OF THE LAW UM,

23:49 INCLUDING YOU KNOW, PUBLIC

23:50 INPUT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH

23:53 ,ANSWERING RESPONSES TO THE

23:54 PUBLIC FEASIBILITY STUDIES, ALL

23:57 OF THAT.

23:58 UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN

24:00 THE UNION UH, REQUESTED THROUGH

24:03 THE PROCEDURES TO GET THE

24:05 INFORMATION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,

24:06 WE HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN

24:08 OURSELVES, UH, IN ADDITION TO

24:11 THE COMMUNITY, UH, THE POSTAL

24:13 SERVICE HAS VIOLATED FEDERAL

24:14 LABOR LAW BY FAILING TO PROVIDE

24:17 OVER THE DOCUMENTATION BECAUSE

24:19 OBVIOUSLY WE ALL KNOW IT'S THE

24:21 SMOKING GUN.

24:23 SO SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS

24:24 ENTWINED HERE THAT THE POSTAL

24:26 SERVICE IN THEIR EFFORT TO GET

24:28 RID OF THIS POST OFFICE THEY

24:29 DON'T FOLLOW AND AGAIN JUSTIN

24:32 JUSTIN WILL PROBABLY UH LET YOU

24:35 KNOW A FEW OF THEM BUT THEY'RE

24:36 NOT FOLLOWING FEDERAL STATUTE.

24:39 THEY'RE NOT FOLLOWING THEIR OWN

24:41 PROCESS AND PROCEDURES THAT ARE

24:44 NECESSARY TO SHUT DOWN THE POST

24:45 OFFICE, UH, WHETHER IT BE

24:47 TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT, THEY

24:49 DON'T FOLLOW ANY OF THEIR

24:51 REGULATIONS.

24:52 THEIR GAME JUST SEEMS TO BE

24:54 TRYING TO TELL THE PUBLIC IT'S,

24:56 UH IT'S AN EMERGENCY AND IN

24:58 THIS CASE IT WAS.

25:00 BUT THEY HAVE ALTERNATE MEANS

25:03 TO SERVICE THE COMMUNITY.

25:04 ORIGINALLY THEY PUT THE A

25:06 MOBILE POST OFFICE OUT THERE

25:08 BUT THEY JUST DIDN'T WANT TO

25:09 SPEND THE MONEY TO PUT THE

25:10 MOBILE POST OFFICE SO THEY

25:12 SUSPENDED THAT SERVICE AS WELL.

25:14 SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS THERE'S

25:17 VERY SPECIFIC PROCESSES AND

25:19 PROCEDURES THEY NEED TO FOLLOW

25:22 AND THEY EITHER IGNORE THEM IN

25:23 THEIR ENTIRETY OR COME UP WITH

25:26 SOME TYPE OF UH YOU KNOW UH

25:30 BASTARDIZED PROCESS TO SAY THEY

25:34 THEY HAVE PERFORMED THEIR DUE

25:36 DILIGENCE AND THEIR

25:38 REQUIREMENTS BUT THEY

25:40 ABSOLUTELY HAVEN'T AND I FEEL

25:42 COMFORTABLE HERE SAYING THAT IN

25:44 PUBLIC BECAUSE THEY CLEARLY

25:47 HAVE IT.

25:49 SO YOU KNOW I KNOW SOMEBODY

25:51 REFERENCED IT BEFORE BUT I'LL

25:52 TELL YOU RIGHT NOW IF YOU'RE

25:55 TALKING TO US POSTAL SERVICE

25:57 SPOKESPERSON IF THEIR MOUTHS

25:58 MOVE IN THEY'RE LYING.

26:00 THANK YOU.

26:02 UM.

26:02 MADAM CHAIR, HOW WE DO.

26:03 YOU CAN KEEP GOING.

26:04 UM, SO YOU DID HIT SEVEN

26:06 MINUTES, WHICH IS WHAT I'M

26:07 GOING TO GIVE TO EVERYONE ELSE,

26:08 BUT, UM, BUT GIVEN THAT THIS IS

26:11 ABOUT YOUR DISTRICT, IT HAD.

26:12 WELL, THANK YOU AND I

26:13 APPRECIATE IT.

26:13 MY COLLEAGUES, UM, FORBEARANCE

26:15 ON THIS ONE.

26:16 UM, HOW OFTEN DOES THE POST

26:19 OFFICE REVERSE OR FINAL

26:20 DECISION?

26:21 UM, YOU KNOW, HOW OFTEN DO THEY

26:26 REVERSE THEMSELVES?

26:28 UH UH.

26:28 WELL, USUALLY WITH DAY TO DAY

26:31 BUSINESS DECISIONS THEY WON'T

26:32 THEY'LL THEY'LL GO DOWN WITH

26:34 THE SHIP ON ON THESE TYPE

26:36 OF MATTERS.

26:37 UH YOU CAN GET REVERSALS BUT

26:39 IT'S USUALLY AFTER, YOU KNOW, A

26:42 MAJOR HUE AND CRY FROM THE

26:44 PUBLIC WHICH IS WHICH IS WHY WE

26:46 NEED THESE KIND OF MEETINGS AND

26:48 WE NEED THE ASSISTANCE OF, UH,

26:50 ELECTED OFFICIALS.

26:51 UM, SO WE'VE HAD SOME WE'VE HAD

26:55 SOME SUCCESS ON REVERSALS OR

26:58 KEEPING LOCATIONS OPEN BUT

27:00 THERE ARE THOSE ARE ALWAYS WITH

27:02 A MAJOR BATTLE BECAUSE WHAT

27:05 THEY TRY TO DO IS WHAT YOU

27:06 KNOW, SIMILAR TO HERE IS LET A

27:08 PERIOD OF TIME GO BY.

27:10 SO PEOPLE THEY HOPE PEOPLE KIND

27:12 OF GET USED TO DOING WITHOUT OR

27:14 THEY MAY HAVE NO OUTRAGES UH TO

27:17 CAUSE US TO FIGHT OVER A NUMBER

27:19 OF YEARS.

27:20 SO THEY JUST WANT TO KIND

27:22 OF JUST LET THIS PEACEFULLY GO

27:23 OUT.

27:24 SO I'M NOT GIVING UP TOTAL HOPE

27:27 YET BECAUSE I THINK IF YOU MAKE

27:29 ENOUGH NOISE YOU'LL BE ALL

27:31 RIGHT.

27:31 AND AND IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES

27:33 I HAVE SEEN REVERSALS IN

27:36 AUSTIN'S UNIQUE IT'S THE IT'LL

27:37 BE THE ONLY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE

27:39 CITY WITHOUT A POST OFFICE AND

27:41 THE VOLUME I MEAN THE

27:43 POPULATION YOU.

27:45 COULD DO COMPARISONS.

27:46 THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND I'D

27:48 SAY YOU'D BE HARD PRESSED TO

27:49 FIND A LOCATION WITH 34 35,000

27:53 RESIDENTS VOID OF ANY TYPE

27:56 OF POSTAL PRESENCE IN THAT ZIP

27:58 CODE OR IN THAT COMMUNITY.

27:59 THAT'S A VERY NICE SEGUE

28:01 BECAUSE WE HAVE OUR FRIENDS

28:02 HERE FROM THE DEMOGRAPHY

28:04 DEMOGRAPHERS WHO JUST TELL US

28:06 EXACTLY WHAT METRICS WE HAVE.

28:07 YOU KNOW THAT AREA OF ALLSTON

28:09 AND ALSO BRIGHTON WE HAVE SEEN

28:11 A HUGE AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL

28:13 DEVELOPMENT AND.

28:15 UM WELCOMING IT LIKE THIS VERY

28:16 LOCATION IS GOING TO BE

28:18 DEVELOPED INTO HOUSING.

28:19 COULD YOU SPEAK TO US ABOUT THE

28:20 CHANGES IN POPULATION IN

28:22 ALLSTON OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS

28:23 SINCE UH SINCE ALL OF THIS UM,

28:26 TRANSPIRED?

28:27 THANK YOU.

28:28 THAT'S IT.

28:28 UH, CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT UH

28:33 UH BREADON MADAM CHAIR DURKAN

28:36 AND COUNCILOR FLEEING AND

28:38 FITZGERALD UH, AS DIRECTOR

28:40 OF RESEARCH FOR THE CITY

28:42 OF BOSTON, THE 2020 CENSUS WAS

28:44 MY SECOND CENSUS.

28:46 UH, I'M GOING TO SPEAK VERY

28:49 BRIEFLY ABOUT THE THE

28:49 UNDERCOUNT OF THIS CENSUS.

28:51 I KNOW MY COLLEAGUE PHIL GRAMM

28:53 THERE WAS A DEMOGRAPHER TO TALK

28:55 SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE

28:57 NEIGHBORHOOD OF AUSTIN.

28:58 UH, IN EVERY CENSUS THERE IS

29:00 ALWAYS AN UNDERCOUNT AND THIS

29:03 UNDERCOUNT IS THE UNDERCOUNT

29:04 OF THE SO-CALLED HARD TO COUNT

29:07 POPULATION TO REDUCE THIS

29:09 UNDERCOUNT TO THIS CITY, UH,

29:11 WORK WITH WHAT WE CALL THE

29:14 COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE WERE

29:16 INVOLVED AND CITY OFFICIALS,

29:19 ELECTED OFFICIALS, COMMUNITY UH

29:22 ,LEADERS, ORGANIZATIONS SO

29:24 THAT WE CAN REDUCE THE THE

29:26 UNDERCOUNT AND THE THE 2020.

29:30 CENSUS WE HAD THESE PROBLEMS.

29:32 WE HAVE ALSO A HISTORICAL

29:33 PROBLEM OF COUNTING THE

29:35 POPULATION OF BOSTON THAT'S THE

29:37 POPULATION OF 18 TO 24 YEARS

29:40 OLD.

29:40 THAT'S HARD TO COUNT.

29:42 AND ALL THAT WAS COMPOUNDED BY

29:45 COVID.

29:46 IT START IN APRIL.

29:47 EXACTLY WHEN WE STARTED TO

29:49 CANCEL THE CENSUS.

29:51 WE COULDN'T.

29:52 DO OUR JOB BECAUSE IT WAS

29:54 IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT PUT TOGETHER

29:55 A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD GO

29:57 OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TO ASK

29:59 PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN THE CALL IN

30:00 THEIR IN THE CENSUS UH THE

30:03 CENSUS DID THE BEST JOB THAT

30:05 THEY COULD DO UNDER THE

30:07 CIRCUMSTANCE THE STUDENTS WERE

30:09 OUT OF TOWN SOMEWHERE IN HOTELS

30:12 SOME OF THE POPULATION ARE LEFT

30:14 TOWN AND THAT'S PROVOKED A HUGE

30:17 UNDERCOUNT OF THE POPULATION

30:19 OF BOSTON AND PARTICULARLY

30:21 OF THE POPULATIONS THE

30:22 NEIGHBORHOODS WITH JUST

30:23 POPULATION STUDENTS FOR EXAMPLE

30:24 .

30:26 UH WE.

30:27 UH HAD MANY.

30:28 MEETINGS WITH THE CENSUS UH WE

30:30 DID A LOT OF WORK SHOWING THAT

30:33 YES, HAD THE STUDENT DISAPPEAR

30:35 IN 2020 BUT THEN WE APPEARED IN

30:38 2021.

30:39 WE HAVE THE DATA BECAUSE THE

30:40 CITY COUNCIL HAS UP UH

30:43 ORDINANCE.

30:43 WE'RE DOING YOUR BEST TO HAVE

30:45 IT TO TELL LIES OF MANY

30:46 STUDENTS UH, IN BOSTON.

30:48 WHERE THEY LIVE.

30:50 SO WE DID EXTENSIVE WORK ON

30:53 THAT TO HAVE ALL THIS

30:55 DOCUMENTATION CAME BACK TO THIS

30:56 CENSUS.

30:57 THEY AGREED WITH US THAT UH OUR

31:00 COUNT WAS RIGHT BUT THERE WAS

31:02 NO PROCESS TO ACT LAST

31:04 SEPTEMBER AND CORRECT TO THE

31:05 CENSUS THE ACCEPT WAS THE GROUP

31:08 QUARTERS BUT NOT THE OTHERS.

31:10 SO WE HAD.

31:11 WE WERE FORCED TO DO OUR OWN

31:13 PROJECTION OF OUR POPULATION TO

31:15 CORRECT FOR THE UNDERCOUNT.

31:18 UH UH.

31:18 WILL YOU.

31:19 ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO TALK

31:21 EXACTLY THE WORK THAT WE DID

31:23 ABOUT THE WORK WE DID IN IN

31:25 THOUSAND?

31:26 THANK YOU.

31:28 ALVARO.

31:28 UH, SO BASICALLY WE HAVE

31:31 DEVELOPED A METHODOLOGY TO

31:32 ADDRESS THE CENSUS, UH,

31:34 UNDERCOUNT UH, AND BASICALLY

31:38 COMPARING UH.

31:40 TODAY WITH THE AMERICAN

31:41 COMMUNITY SURVEY, THE 2020 UH

31:44 2024 OR 5 YEAR ACS.

31:46 THERE'S AN UNDERCOUNT

31:48 OF ROUGHLY UH 10,000 PEOPLE.

31:52 SO IF THAT'S TRUE IN OTHER

31:53 WORDS, IF UH IF THE POSTAL

31:54 SERVICE IS LOOKING AT THE

31:55 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY,

31:57 THEY'RE SEEING A MAJOR

31:58 UNDERCOUNT.

31:59 I SAW YOUR NUMBER YOUR NUMBER

32:00 WAS 34,000.

32:01 WE HAVE ROUGHLY AROUND 32,000.

32:03 AND SO YOU'RE RIGHT IN THE

32:04 BALLPARK.

32:05 UH, ALLSTON IS A NEIGHBORHOOD

32:07 THAT HAS BEEN GROWING, UH, YOU

32:10 KNOW, UH, WE'VE SINCE 2010 UH,

32:14 ROUGHLY UH, 2000 UH, HOUSING

32:17 UNITS HAVE BEEN ADDED.

32:18 UH, THE POPULATION UH FROM UH

32:24 UH 2020 TO 2025 UH HAS GROWN UH

32:28 BY 7.2% WHILE THE CITY HAS

32:30 GROWN AT 2.4%.

32:32 SO FOR BY EVERY METRIC NOT ONLY

32:33 IS IT HARMFUL THAT YOU LOSING A

32:36 POST OFFICE, BUT THERE'S A MORE

32:37 OF A.

32:38 NEED FOR A POST OFFICE.

32:39 UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE WE

32:42 REALLY WANT TO CAUTION THAT

32:43 THAT IF THE IF THE POSTAL

32:44 SERVICE IS USING THE AMERICAN

32:45 COMMUNITY SURVEY NUMBER WHICH

32:47 YOU KNOW, UH, THEY'RE USING THE

32:50 WRONG NUMBER UM.

32:51 AND YOU.

32:52 ALWAYS MAKE THAT CLEAR WHICH

32:53 APPEARS AS IF YOU'RE ALREADY

32:54 DOING UH UH THIS UH AS AS

32:58 ALVARO ALLUDED TO, WE HAVE MET

32:59 WITH THE CENSUS BUREAU THERE

33:00 THEY SEE WHAT WE'VE DONE.

33:02 THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH IN

33:03 AGREEMENT.

33:04 .

33:04 UH.

33:05 BUT THEY NEED TO.

33:05 DEVELOP A METHODOLOGY SO THAT

33:07 THEY CAN BETTER COUNT UH,

33:09 COLLEGE STUDENTS.

33:10 UH, SO I WOULD JUST NOT TO GET

33:12 TOO MUCH DETAIL.

33:13 UH, BUT.

33:14 EVERY TEN.

33:15 YEARS THE CENSUS BUREAU WOULD

33:18 FOR BOSTON WOULD.

33:20 WOULD HAVE TO READJUST UH, FOR

33:23 A PLACE LIKE AMHERST WHERE

33:24 THERE'S UMASS THEY HAVE A WHAT

33:25 THEY CALL A COLLEGE FIX

33:27 PROGRAM.

33:28 UH, BUT WE'RE SEEING THIS NOT

33:30 AS A COLLEGE TOWN.

33:31 UH, AND SO THEY DON'T ADJUST

33:33 THAT, UH, BOSTON'S POPULATION

33:35 THE WAY THEY DO IT.

33:36 BUT WHEN THE 2020 CENSUS COMES

33:38 OUT, YOU WE WE'RE EXPECTING A

33:40 NEWER NUMBER.

33:40 UH, BUT BECAUSE OF THE

33:42 UNDERCOUNT WE DIDN'T GET THAT

33:45 NUMBER WE'RE HOPEFUL WILL BE

33:46 CORRECTED IN THE 2030 CENSUS.

33:48 UH, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW WE ARE,

33:51 UH.

33:52 LEFT WITH AND THIS IS THE

33:53 REASON WHY WE HAVE DEVELOPED

33:54 OUR OWN UH, POPULATION UH,

33:58 ESTIMATE, UH, METHODOLOGY.

33:59 SO USING YOUR METHODOLOGY TO

34:01 TRY AND ADDRESS THE UNDERCOUNT

34:02 IN THE 2020 CENSUS, WHAT'S

34:04 YOUR, UM, ESTIMATE OR YOUR

34:07 PREDICTION?

34:07 YOUR GUESS NOT GUESS YOUR

34:10 INFORMED BUT SURE.

34:11 UH, OPINION ABOUT THE

34:15 POPULATION AND IN ALLSTON IN

34:17 THAT ZIP CODE LIKE 02134.

34:19 AND UH IN 2020 WE HAD THE

34:22 POPULATION UH UH 29,000 668 UM

34:27 AND AND THE 2020.

34:31 AND AND SO WHICH WAS A UM, YOU

34:36 KNOW, SIGNIFICANT UNDERCOUNT UH

34:37 ,PART OF THAT WAS TO THROUGH

34:39 WHAT WAS CALLED UH, THE DORM

34:41 POPULATION BUT IT UH BUT THE

34:42 OTHER PART OF IT WAS DUE TO THE

34:44 HOUSEHOLD POPULATION.

34:45 THANK YOU.

34:46 I UM AND I DO KNOW THAT.

34:48 YOU'VE WORKED AS WHEN WE DID

34:49 THE WE WE WENT THROUGH AND DID

34:51 THE THE CONGREGANT CONGREGATE

34:54 HOUSING WE WE TRIED TO WE

34:56 WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR

34:58 OFFICE WITH YOU FOLKS UH.

34:59 AND THE DONAHUE INSTITUTE.

35:01 I DID UMASS TO TO CORRECT THOSE

35:03 NUMBERS SO GET A BETTER

35:05 ESTIMATE.

35:06 SO THANK YOU SO MUCH MADAM

35:07 CHAIR.

35:07 I FEEL I'VE TAKEN A LOT

35:08 OF TIME.

35:09 I'D LIKE TO LET MY COLLEAGUES

35:10 HAVE A CHANCE TO ASK THEIR

35:11 QUESTIONS.

35:11 WELL, CAN I COME BACK WITH FOR

35:13 FURTHER QUESTIONS?

35:14 THANK YOU SO MUCH.

35:15 AND, UM.

35:16 YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SPEAK TO,

35:18 UH, THE ELEMENT OF BLAMING THE

35:20 LANDLORD BECAUSE THAT'S

35:21 DEFINITELY WHAT WAS HAPPENING

35:22 IN MISSION HEALTH.

35:23 AND SO I THINK THAT IS

35:25 HAPPENING A LOT WHERE IT'S AND

35:27 I JUST TO HEAR WHAT UM EDEN

35:30 PROPERTIES HAS GONE THROUGH

35:32 BUILDING OUT THE SPACE TO

35:34 SPECIFICATIONS OF THE POST

35:36 OFFICE AND TO HAVE THIS UM, YOU

35:39 KNOW, BE IT BUT TO BE AT THE

35:40 STAGE THAT IT'S AT UM I JUST

35:42 WANT TO SAY TO NOAH THANK YOU

35:44 FOR ATTEMPTING TO GET THE POST

35:45 OFFICE IN THAT LOCATION AND I

35:47 HOPE THAT THIS HEARING, UM,

35:49 SERVES AS A REMINDER AND AND UH

35:51 ,YOU KNOW, ADVOCACY PUSH FOR,

35:54 UH, THEM TO DELIVER ON THE

35:56 PROMISES THAT THEY'VE MADE.

35:58 WELL.

35:59 I DO WANT TO MAKE A POINT IS

36:01 EVEN THOUGH THE GENESIS OF THIS

36:04 POST OFFICE CLOSING WAS

36:05 ORIGINALLY AN EMERGENCY BUT NOW

36:08 IT'S TURNED INTO A LEASE ISSUE,

36:09 THE EMERGENCY HAS COME AND GONE

36:12 AND THE POSTAL SERVICE IS NOW

36:16 WEAPONIZING LEASES,

36:19 DELIBERATELY ALLOWING THEM TO

36:20 EXPIRE UH, THINGS LIKE THAT AND

36:23 THEN SAYING WELL THE LEASE IS

36:26 UP, WE GOTTA GO.

36:27 WE'RE LIKE IN MISSION MAKING

36:29 UP ISSUES, YOU KNOW, SAYING OH

36:30 THIS LINE WE JUST CAN'T COME TO

36:32 AN AGREEMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR

36:34 LINE AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE YOU

36:36 KNOW IT'S VERY EASY YOU KNOW

36:38 WHEN YOU GET A BUNCH OF LAWYERS

36:39 IN THE ROOM TO COME UP WITH A

36:42 LINE THAT SOMEONE CAN ACCEPT.

36:44 WELL AGAIN, UM, SOMETHING LIKE

36:46 THIS GOES TO YOU KNOW ONE TIME

36:50 IT COULD BE OVER ONE LINE BUT

36:52 WHEN YOU PULL BACK THE SCOPE

36:54 AND YOU SEE THROUGHOUT THE

36:55 COUNTRY AND YOU SEE HERE THAT

36:58 THE GENESIS OF THE OVERWHELMING

37:01 MAJORITY OF THESE TEMPORARY

37:04 SUSPENSIONS THAT SLIDE INTO

37:06 LONG, UH, DORMANT SUSPENSIONS

37:09 THAT TURN INTO PERMANENT

37:11 CLOSURES, THE IT'S THE LEASES

37:15 SO.

37:16 IT IT.

37:17 THERE'S ONLY SO MANY TIMES YOU

37:18 CAN CRY IT'S AN ACCIDENT OR OUT

37:21 OF YOUR CONTROL.

37:23 BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS

37:24 THEY ALLOW THE LEASES TO EXPIRE

37:28 OR THEY MAKE ONEROUS DEMANDS SO

37:30 THAT THEY CAN'T INK IT WITH

37:32 BECAUSE THEIR BOTTOM LINE

37:34 PURPOSE IS TO GET RID OF POST

37:37 OFFICES.

37:38 AND I THINK PART OF WHAT I YOU

37:40 KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY DEFINED

37:42 POWER HERE AT THE CITY

37:44 COUNCIL ON POST OFFICE ISSUES.

37:46 BUT PART OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN

37:47 ABLE TO DO IS SEE THROUGH THE

37:49 BUS, TALK TO THE PEOPLE THAT

37:51 ARE INVOLVED AND GET TO THE

37:53 BOTTOM OF WHAT YOU KNOW IS

37:54 ACTUALLY HAPPENING AND I THINK

37:56 THAT THERE'S SOME POWER TO

37:58 THAT.

37:58 SO I THINK TO ANYONE WHO'S

38:00 ASKING WHY IS THE BOSTON CITY

38:02 COUNCIL HAVING A HEARING ON THE

38:03 POST OFFICE?

38:03 IT'S TO UNCOVER UM, THOSE

38:06 DETAILS IN WHICH THE POST

38:08 OFFICE WOULD LIKE YOU KNOW,

38:10 THEY IT TO REMAIN OBSCURED.

38:12 UM, SO I THINK THIS HEARING IS

38:14 VERY IMPORTANT AND I WANT TO

38:15 THANK MY COLLEAGUES FROM OTHER

38:16 DISTRICTS FOR UM FOR COMING UH,

38:19 TO UM SO I WANT TO FIRST GO TO

38:21 COUNCILOR FLYNN AND THEN WE'LL

38:22 GO TO COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.

38:24 UM, YOU HAVE SEVEN MINUTES.

38:26 THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

38:29 AGAIN, THANK YOU TO

38:30 COUNCILOR BREADON FOR BRINGING

38:32 THIS FORWARD.

38:33 I'M HERE TO SUPPORT MY

38:35 COLLEAGUE AND TO SUPPORT THE

38:38 THE RESIDENTS OF ALLSTON.

38:39 I THINK THIS IS ABOUT FAIRNESS

38:42 AND I'M ALSO HERE TO SUPPORT

38:43 THE POSTAL.

38:44 WORKERS AS WELL.

38:47 UM, LET ME LET ME ASK A

38:49 QUESTION TO UM TO TONY.

38:54 WITH WITHOUT A POST OFFICE

38:57 WHERE IS THE WHERE IS THE

38:59 CLOSEST POST.

38:59 OFFICE TO UM TO THE RESIDENTS.

39:03 RIGHT NOW?

39:04 COUNCILOR, THE USPS IS FRAMING

39:07 BRIGHTON AS THE CONSOLIDATED

39:10 POST OFFICE.

39:11 SO WE JUST HAD A PUBLIC MEETING

39:13 .

39:13 UH, THEY GAVE US A WHOLE 30

39:15 MINUTES TO DISCUSS IT AND THEY

39:17 SEEM TO BE DIRECTING US TO THE

39:19 BRIGHTON POST OFFICE.

39:23 IN IN.

39:24 THE NEIGHBORING TOWN OR UM OR

39:27 CITY IS NEWTON AND I UNDERSTAND

39:30 THAT NEWTON HAS MANY OFFICES,

39:35 POST OFFICES AND OBVIOUSLY ALSO

39:37 ALLSTON DOESN'T HAVE ANY BUT

39:39 WHY.

39:40 ISN'T THIS A QUESTION REALLY

39:42 OF FAIRNESS?

39:43 NEWTON HAS SO MANY AND ALLSTON

39:45 DOESN'T HAVE ANY AND AND AND

39:47 THEY THEY MIGHT BE ROUGHLY THE

39:48 SAME POPULATION MAYBE.

39:52 I I HAVE A BRIEF OPENING

39:54 STATEMENT AND UH I TURN TO THE

39:58 COUNCIL UH THE COMMITTEE CHAIR

40:01 UH, WHETHER THEY WANT TO DO IT

40:02 AS PART OF TESTIMONY UH, DO IT

40:04 NOW UH, TO ADD SOME

40:05 PERSPECTIVE.

40:06 I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO

40:07 THAT.

40:08 UH, NO, TONY.

40:09 ABSOLUTELY.

40:10 WE ALSO HAVE A LIST OF, UM,

40:12 PEOPLE WHO'VE WRITTEN IN OFTEN

40:14 I JUST WANT TO SAY AND NOT TO

40:15 TAKE FROM MY COLLEAGUES TIME.

40:17 OKAY.

40:18 UM, THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT,

40:20 UM, PART OF THE NEED FOR A POST

40:22 OFFICE IS WHEN PEOPLE ARE YOU

40:24 KNOW, PEOPLE ARE WORKING THERE

40:26 ,UM, VULNERABLE THEY, YOU

40:29 KNOW, ARE RENTERS.

40:30 THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT

40:32 BASICALLY HAS IS NOT BEING

40:35 GIVEN IT'S IT'S FAIR.

40:37 SO I I RESPOND TO THE

40:38 COUNCIL.

40:38 QUESTION AND THEN AT SOME POINT

40:40 I'D LOVE TO DELIVER MY OPENING

40:43 REMARKS BUT COUNCIL ABSOLUTELY

40:45 IT'S A QUESTION OF EQUITY.

40:48 UM WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN MY

40:49 OPENING REMARKS IS THERE IS A

40:51 HISTORY OF UM ALLSTON BEING NOT

40:57 TREATED WITH A LOT OF DIGNITY

40:58 AND RESPECT AND SOMEHOW,

41:00 SOMEWAY AS A COMMUNITY WE'VE

41:02 OVERCOME IT.

41:03 THE RESULTS MAY NOT BE WHAT WE

41:05 STARTED WITH, BUT I TALK A

41:07 LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EXTENSION

41:09 OF THE MASS TURNPIKE.

41:10 I TALK ABOUT URBAN RENEWAL

41:12 TAKING AWAY BARRY'S CORNER.

41:15 UM I TALK ABOUT A FEW OTHER

41:16 SITUATIONS THAT AND OF COURSE

41:18 WE'RE FIGHTING NOT FOR JUST A

41:20 POST OFFICE BUT FOR COMMUNITY

41:21 CENTER AND A NEW PRE-K TO SIX

41:24 SCHOOL.

41:24 SO YES, YOU KNOW IN SOME WAYS

41:26 SOMETIMES COUNCIL YOU THINK TO

41:29 YOURSELF IS IT BECAUSE OF WHO

41:30 WE UH AND WHERE WE UH THAT

41:33 WE'RE BEING TREATED DIFFERENTLY

41:35 AND YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED IN

41:38 MY COMMENTS, UH UH, SEEING

41:42 YOU'RE A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR

41:43 SENIORS, PEOPLE WITH

41:45 DISABILITIES, UH, FAMILIES WITH

41:47 SMALL CHILDREN, IMMIGRANTS,

41:49 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THEY'RE

41:51 ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK HERE

41:52 AGAIN.

41:53 THEY'RE TAKING THE HIT.

41:55 UH, THE POST OFFICE SIMPLY

41:57 WANTS THEM TO GO ELSEWHERE.

41:59 UH, EVEN THOUGH, UH, THE IMPACT

42:03 OF DESIGNATING BRIGHTON AS THE

42:05 GO TO POST OFFICE COUNSELOR GO

42:07 UP THERE ANY DAY YOU WANT AND

42:09 THE LINE IS OUT THE DOOR.

42:11 SO ALREADY THE IMPACT AND THE

42:13 PROBLEM WITH THE POST OFFICE IS

42:15 THEY ARE USING IN ANALYTICS TO

42:17 MAKE THESE KIND OF DECISIONS

42:18 INSTEAD OF GETTING DOWN TO THE

42:19 HUMAN LEVEL AND REALLY

42:22 UNDERSTANDING AS WAS PREVIOUSLY

42:23 STATED, THE TREMENDOUS GROWTH

42:25 AND REBIRTH AND RENAISSANCE

42:28 OF ALLSTON HOW WE'RE GOING TO

42:29 HAVE SO MANY MORE PEOPLE LIVING

42:31 IN OUR COMMUNITY DON'T LOOK AT

42:32 IT LIKE WHAT YOU BRIGHTON IS

42:34 ONLY A MILE AND A HALF AWAY

42:35 THAT DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE

42:37 ISSUE.

42:38 THAT THAT A MILE AND A HALF

42:41 AWAY IS VERY CHALLENGING AND

42:43 DIFFICULT FOR SENIORS FOR FOR

42:46 PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.

42:48 UM AND IT DOES IT DOES HAVE AN

42:50 IMPACT IF YOU ARE A SENIOR ARE

42:52 YOU A PERSON WITH DISABILITIES

42:53 AND YOU YOU WALKING A MILE AND

42:56 A HALF TO GO TO THE POST

42:57 OFFICE, YOU WALKING BACK A MILE

42:59 AND A HALF UM A33 MILE COMMUTE

43:02 FOR A.

43:03 PERSON WITH DISABILITIES.

43:04 OR SENIOR IS CERTAINLY

43:06 CHALLENGING AND IT'S UNFAIR AND

43:12 YOU KNOW IT HURTS.

43:13 IT HURTS THE MOST VULNERABLE

43:15 PEOPLE.

43:16 THAT'S WHAT THAT THAT'S WHAT

43:17 GETS ME.

43:18 IT HURTS THE MOST VULNERABLE

43:19 PEOPLE IN SOCIETY.

43:23 YOU KNOW OTHER OTHER PEOPLE

43:24 MIGHT HAVE THE ABILITY TO UM

43:27 GET TO BRIGHTON OR GET TO

43:28 ANOTHER POST OFFICE.

43:30 BUT IT DOES IMPACT NEGATIVELY

43:32 ON OUR SENIORS AND IN IN IN

43:36 PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.

43:37 UM, MADAM CHAIR, I DON'T HAVE

43:40 ANYTHING FURTHER TO TO SAY

43:42 OTHER THAN UH UH THIS IS ABOUT

43:45 JUSTICE FOR THE RESIDENTS

43:46 OF ALLSTON I SUPPORT THEM I

43:48 SUPPORT THE POSTAL WORKERS AND

43:51 I'LL DO WHATEVER I CAN TO

43:52 SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL.

43:53 THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

43:54 THANK YOU SO MUCH.

43:56 COUNCILOR FLYNN.

43:56 UH, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.

43:58 THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR.

44:00 UH, AND THANK YOU.

44:01 TO, UH.

44:02 PRESIDENT DURKAN.

44:03 UH, FOR BRINGING.

44:04 THIS FORWARD.

44:05 PRESIDENT DURKAN NOW.

44:06 COUNCIL PRESIDENT.

44:07 BRUTON BREADON.

44:09 UM, THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO SAY.

44:10 I APOLOGIZE.

44:11 SCHOOL JUST OUT OF YOU.

44:13 GUYS RIGHT.

44:13 IT'S ONLY A WEEK TO DROPPING

44:15 THE KIDS OFF.

44:15 WE'RE RUSHING IN.

44:17 UM, MAYBE ONE DAY.

44:18 SHARON.

44:19 UM.

44:21 IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT IF WE

44:22 LOOK ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOP

44:24 OF THE POST OFFICE CHAIN, UH,

44:26 THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO

44:26 DISMANTLE THE POST OFFICE TO

44:28 PRIVATIZE IT, TO PROFIT OFF IT

44:30 AND TO CONTROL THE FLOW

44:31 OF INFORMATION I IMAGINE.

44:33 RIGHT.

44:33 THAT'S SORT OF WHERE MY MIND

44:35 GOES TO IT.

44:35 BUT, UM.

44:37 I THINK.

44:38 MORE IMPORTANTLY I FEEL LIKE

44:39 IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE

44:41 WORKS NOW THAT IT'S ALWAYS

44:42 ABOUT PRIVATIZING THIS UH, AND

44:46 LIKE A LANDLORD WOULD LET A

44:48 BUILDING GO INTO DILAPIDATION,

44:50 THEY SAY, OH, NOW WE HAVE TO

44:52 KNOCK IT DOWN.

44:52 RIGHT.

44:53 UM, AND I KIND OF FEEL LIKE

44:55 THAT'S HAPPENING.

44:56 I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL AGREE,

44:57 BUT FROM WHAT I'M HEARING

45:00 THAT'S HAPPENING IN COUNCIL.

45:02 BRADEN'S DISTRICT, UM, I KNOW

45:04 IS ALSO A POTENTIAL HAPPENING

45:06 IN FIELDS CORNER.

45:07 UM, BECAUSE A A DEVELOPER

45:10 BOUGHT THE BUILDING THAT IT IS

45:11 IN AND SAID THEY WOULD HONOR

45:12 THE LEASE.

45:13 UH, THE INTENT WAS TO HONOR THE

45:15 LEASE AND NOW BECAUSE A IT IS A

45:17 NEW OWNER THEY ARE SORT

45:19 OF SAYING OH WE HAVE TO TAKE A

45:21 LOOK AT THIS AGAIN AND FOUND AN

45:22 OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY RIGHT, UM

45:24 ,KIND OF STAKE THEIR WAY IN

45:25 AND CAUSE A WEDGE AND SO UM I

45:28 KNOW THAT WOULD BE DEVASTATING

45:29 FOR THE PEOPLE OF DORCHESTER.

45:30 WELL SO I THINK WE'RE.

45:31 WE'RE REALLY ON THE SAME PAGE

45:33 OF LOSING THE SERVICES.

45:35 UM.

45:36 I WAS ACTUALLY JUST TEXTING

45:38 WITH MY MAILMAN TO TO TO SEE

45:40 JUST NOW I SAID HEY TELL

45:42 ME WHAT YOU WHAT YOU FEEL IS

45:43 GOING ON, YOU KNOW, UM AND HE

45:45 SAID THAT THE DISRUPTION TO THE

45:46 ROUTE TO THE ELDERLY, TO

45:47 EVERYONE ELSE THAT RELIES ON

45:48 THE WHAT HE DOES ON A DAY TO

45:51 DAY BASIS IS BOOTS ON THE

45:52 GROUND.

45:52 HE SAID IT WOULD BE DEVASTATING

45:53 TO THESE.

45:53 COUNCILOR FITZGERALD I JUST

45:54 HAVE TO SAY IT'S A REAL FLEX TO

45:56 HAVE YOUR POST MAN'S NUMBER.

45:57 SO I.

45:58 THINK EVERYBODY.

45:59 SHOULD UH.

45:59 I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD UH YOU

46:01 KNOW I MEAN IT'S A IT'S A

46:03 WONDERFUL JOB AND THERE'S NO

46:05 THERE'S NO PERSON THAT UH CAN

46:06 SPILL THE TEA MORE IN THE

46:07 NEIGHBORHOOD AND UH THEN THEN

46:09 YOU LOOK AT THE MAILMAN.

46:11 UM.

46:12 BUT SO I FIRST JUST WANT TO

46:15 SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING

46:16 HERE.

46:16 I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU ALL

46:18 SHOWING UP ALVARO AS A FORMER

46:19 COLLEAGUE NOAH MASLIN GREAT TO

46:21 SEE YOU.

46:21 LONG TIME MY FRIEND.

46:22 UM.

46:23 BUT UH, TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS

46:26 ON WHAT IS.

46:27 IT THE.

46:27 STEPS WE NOW CAN TAKE IF WE

46:30 KNOW THAT THIS IS.

46:31 SORT OF.

46:32 THE BLUEPRINT TO SAY ALL

46:33 RIGHT, THIS IS THE GAME THEY'RE

46:34 PLAYING.

46:34 WHAT DO WE HAVE IN OUR LEGAL

46:37 POCKET?

46:37 UH, IN OUR JUDICIAL POCKET.

46:39 IN OUR COUNCIL POCKET?

46:40 WHAT ARE.

46:41 THE TOOLS.

46:41 THAT YOU ALL FEEL IN IN YOUR

46:43 UNION'S POCKET THAT FEEL THAT

46:45 WE CAN EXERCISE.

46:46 TO SORT OF BATTLE BACK AT THIS?

46:48 UH.

46:49 WELL, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE

46:51 THIS IS A START, BUT WHERE

46:55 JUSTIN IS PROBABLY GOING TO SAY

46:57 THE VARIOUS STATUTES THAT

46:59 THEY'RE VIOLATING AND THEIR OWN

47:01 POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

47:03 SO IT STARTS BY HOLDING THEIR

47:06 HANDS TO THE CHECKS AND

47:08 BALANCES THAT EITHER CONGRESS

47:10 PUT IN PLACE OR THE POSTAL

47:12 SERVICE WAY BACK WHEN THEY

47:14 ACTUALLY WANTED TO ACT LIKE A

47:16 PUBLIC SERVICE THAT PUT IN

47:18 PLACE, YOU KNOW, TO TO MAKE

47:20 THEM ADHERE TO THE PROCESSES.

47:24 SO EVEN JUST TODAY WHAT I WHAT

47:25 I CALLED UH A GREAT

47:29 INVESTIGATION WE'VE ALREADY

47:30 HEARD THEY HAD ALL AN ALTERNATE

47:32 LOCATION PICKED OUT, YOU KNOW,

47:33 MADE TO THEIR SPECS.

47:36 SO YOU KNOW, EVEN IN MINIMAL

47:39 TESTIMONY TODAY WE'RE FINDING

47:40 OUT HOW EGREGIOUSLY THEY'RE

47:44 VIOLATING ALL THE STEPS THAT

47:45 ARE NECESSARY TO ACTUALLY SHUT

47:47 IT DOWN.

47:47 YOU KNOW, AND PART OF THE

47:49 REASON, UH, THEY SO INVOLVEMENT

47:54 WITH THE COMMUNITY HELPING US

47:55 GET SOMETIMES EVEN GETTING THE

47:58 SMOKING GUNS YOU KNOW I KNOW

47:59 THEY'LL SAY TO THE CITY

48:01 COUNCIL WOULD WE DON'T HAVE TO

48:02 ANSWER TO YOU AND THEY'LL SAY

48:04 TO US, UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO

48:06 GET YOU THOSE DOCUMENTS EVEN

48:08 THOUGH WE'RE ENTITLED TO THEM

48:09 AND WE HAVE TO GO TO THE LABOR

48:11 BOARD.

48:12 SO BACKING US UP WHEN WE'RE OUT

48:14 THERE TRYING TO GET THE GOODS

48:15 ON THEM IT IS IS ONE WAY UH,

48:20 GETTING THE PUBLIC OUTRAGED

48:22 AGAIN.

48:22 THIS IS A SLIPPERY ISSUE HERE

48:25 BECAUSE YOU YOU'VE MENTIONED

48:26 FIELDS CORNER.

48:27 WHAT'S NEXT I LIVE IN ROSEDALE

48:29 .

48:29 WHAT'S NEXT?

48:30 WE STOLE WE STOLE ALL SENSE.

48:31 WELL WE'LL GO FOR ROSLINDALE

48:33 AND THEY'LL PICK OFF THE CITY.

48:35 UH, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER

48:37 OF COMMUNITIES THAT ARE THE

48:39 DISENFRANCHIZED.

48:41 SO JUST BECAUSE BRIGHTON IS A

48:42 MILE AND A HALF AWAY, WHAT DOES

48:44 THAT MEAN?

48:45 EVERYBODY THAT'S GOING TO

48:46 BRIGHTON HAS EMPTY HANDS.

48:47 I WAS GOING TO LEAVE THERE.

48:48 WOULD EMPTY HANDS.

48:49 IT'S THE THEY'RE VERY.

48:51 SHALLOW ARGUMENTS THEY USE UM

48:55 SO TO ME IT'S ALMOST A UH A

48:58 WATERLOO TYPE ISSUE.

49:00 NOW IF THEY HAVE THE THE THE

49:02 GUTS TO GO AFTER A NEIGHBORHOOD

49:05 IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT SIZE

49:09 AND SAY THAT A LOCATION OF THAT

49:12 SIZE YOU CANNOT YOU DON'T HAVE

49:15 TO SERVICE THE THE GATES ARE

49:18 OPEN.

49:19 SO TO ME THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT

49:22 ALLSTON.

49:23 IT'S ABOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON

49:24 BECAUSE THEY'RE CLEARLY LOOKING

49:26 TO PICK OFF POST OFFICES LEFT

49:28 AND RIGHT.

49:30 SO TO ME IT'S PUBLICITY.

49:33 IT'S SHOWING WHERE THEY'RE

49:34 DEFICIENT IN THEIR OWN

49:37 PROCEDURES AND POLICIES SHOWING

49:39 WHERE THEY VIOLATED THE LAW.

49:41 YOU KNOW, GET GET GET THE

49:43 SENATORS INVOLVED.

49:45 UH, I YOU KNOW I KNOW IN

49:46 PARTICULAR MARKEY'S YOU KNOW

49:48 CRAZY FOR THE POST LOVE CRAZY

49:50 GOOD SO THE POST OFFICE UM BUT

49:53 THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

49:54 BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CORPORATION

49:56 NOW THAT DOESN'T CARE.

49:57 THEY'LL THUMB THEIR NOSE IN

49:59 ANYBODY.

50:00 UH, THE DISINGENUOUS AS YOU CAN

50:04 BE THEY THEY REALLY UH AND EVEN

50:06 THE THE THE THE INPUT YOU KNOW

50:09 THEY DID WANT VIRTUAL ONLINE

50:11 YOU.

50:11 KNOW THE PROCEDURES SAY THEY'RE

50:12 SUPPOSED TO ANSWER INDIVIDUAL

50:14 INQUIRIES BACK.

50:15 THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.

50:16 THEY'VE DONE ANYTHING.

50:18 SO SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS PART

50:20 OF THE PROCESS.

50:21 YOU JUST GET GET THE COMMUNITY

50:24 INVOLVED AND WE'RE GOING TO

50:25 HAVE TO GET THE ELECTED

50:27 OFFICIALS CITY COUNCIL WHETHER

50:28 THEY TRULY HAVE A

50:30 JURISDICTIONAL ISSUE OR NOT.

50:34 IT THEIR INPUT IS CRITICAL.

50:36 AND I KNOW ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO

50:38 THE CITY COUNCIL DID THE SAME

50:40 THING AND WE PUSHED BACK A LOT

50:42 OF NEIGHBORHOOD CLOSURES.

50:43 BUT THE POST OFFICE HAD HALF A

50:46 CONSCIENCE BACK THEN.

50:48 THEY HAVE NONE NOW.

50:49 THE GOAL AS YOU SAID, IS TO

50:51 PRIVATIZE SO THEY'LL STEAMROLL

50:54 AND FRUSTRATION BY DESIGN.

50:57 IT IS THEIR METHOD.

51:00 RIGHT ON THE DOT.

51:01 UM I.

51:02 JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU

51:03 AGAIN.

51:04 I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS

51:05 WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD

51:06 ANYTHING.

51:06 I KNOW YOU COULD PROBABLY

51:07 SQUEEZE ONE MORE QUESTION IN

51:09 BUT THAT'S VERY QUICKLY

51:10 RETURNING.

51:11 JUST JUST REAL QUICK COUNSELOR

51:13 I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOUR

51:15 ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION.

51:16 I THINK THE U.S POST OFFICE IS

51:18 STAGING THEIR ORGANIZATION FOR

51:21 PRIVATIZATION AND THEY CLEARLY

51:22 ARE MOVING MORE TOWARDS TAKING

51:25 THE NEIGHBORHOOD OUT OF RETAIL

51:27 POSTAL SERVICE AND MAYBE JUST

51:30 LOOKING AT MUCH LARGER, MORE

51:32 MODERN BUT CENTRALIZED MALL

51:35 LOCATIONS.

51:35 I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN

51:37 ABSOLUTE DISASTER IF THAT WAS

51:38 THE WAY TO GO.

51:39 CHAIR COULD I JUST ASK IF

51:41 ANYONE WHO PROFITS OFF OF THAT

51:43 AND PRIVATIZING THE POST OFFICE

51:45 WHO WOULD.

51:45 PROFIT UPS FEDEX ANYBODY THAT

51:49 STARTS UP A DELIVERY INDUSTRY?

51:52 IT'S A YOU KNOW TO PUT THINGS

51:55 IN PERSPECTIVE TO.

51:55 POST ON THAT.

51:56 YEAH BUT ANYTHING THAT DOES

51:58 SHIPPING.

51:58 ANY ANYBODY ANYBODY THAT SHIPS

52:01 STANDS TO GAIN THAT PERIOD.

52:04 SO I MEAN BUT TO PUT IT IN

52:06 PERSPECTIVE YOU KNOW THE THE

52:07 POSTAL SERVICE HANDLES MORE IN

52:10 A DAY THAN U.P.S. DOES IN A

52:11 YEAR.

52:12 THAT'S HOW BIG THE

52:13 INFRASTRUCTURE IS.

52:14 IT TOOK 250 YEARS TO BUILD IT

52:17 UP SO THAT WE CAN REACH EVERY

52:18 HOUSE YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY SIX

52:20 DAYS A WEEK AND SERVICE THE

52:22 COMMUNITIES.

52:23 IT'S $1 TRILLION INDUSTRY SO

52:27 TRILLION DOLLARS YOU CAN DIVIDE

52:28 THAT UP A NUMBER OF WAYS AND

52:30 STILL GET RICH AND THAT'S WHAT

52:31 THEY WANT TO DO AND THIS IS

52:33 JUST PART OF IT.

52:34 THIS IS PART OF THE

52:36 DISENFRANCHIZING THE PUBLIC

52:37 FROM THEIR PUBLIC POSTAL

52:39 SERVICE SO THAT YOU THROW YOUR

52:41 HANDS UP AND THEN GO TO PRIVATE

52:43 INDUSTRY SO YOU KNOW THAT

52:45 THAT'S THE END GAME.

52:46 I, I DON'T THINK I CAN PUT IT

52:48 ANY SIMPLER.

52:48 AND YOU PICKED UP ON IT YOU

52:50 KNOW I THINK EVERYBODY HAS

52:51 PICKED UP ON IT.

52:52 WELL I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK

52:53 YOU.

52:53 ALL YOU GUYS DO IS BRING ME MY

52:55 BILLS.

52:55 BUT STILL IT'S A RIGHT THAT I

52:56 WANT TO MAINTAIN.

52:57 WELL.

52:58 WE WANT TO WE WANT YOU TO

52:59 MAINTAIN YOUR YOUR CREDIT

53:00 RATING I.

53:00 APPRECIATE THAT.

53:01 I COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU

53:02 GUYS.

53:02 SO I DO APPRECIATE THANK YOU

53:04 CHAIR.

53:04 THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD

53:05 .

53:06 UM, YEAH.

53:07 I JUST WANT TO RESPOND TO SOME

53:08 OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN

53:09 MADE BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, I

53:12 ACCIDENTALLY GOT FORWARDED AND

53:13 THIS WAS IN THE NEWS.

53:14 I GOT FORWARDED AN EMAIL, UM,

53:17 OF USPS SAYING THE LAST HEARING

53:19 WE HAD AT THE CITY COUNCIL THAT

53:21 THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL HAD A

53:22 POLITICAL AGENDA.

53:24 I DON'T THINK THAT WANTING TO

53:26 HAVE A POST OFFICE IN YOUR

53:27 COMMUNITY IS HAVING A POLITICAL

53:29 AGENDA.

53:30 I ACTUALLY THINK IF THAT'S A

53:31 POLITICAL AGENDA WE HAVE A

53:32 POLITICAL AGENDA.

53:33 I THINK UM IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT

53:36 US TRYING TO STAND UP FOR OUR

53:37 COMMUNITY MAKES US PAINT IT.

53:39 IT'S LIKE WE ARE ELECTED TO

53:40 REPRESENT CONSTITUENTS WHO NEED

53:43 ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT SERVICES.

53:45 WE THINK THAT GOVERNMENT CAN BE

53:46 A FORCE FOR GOOD.

53:47 UM, BUT I THINK THAT THAT

53:49 SHOULD BE UH, YOU KNOW, A

53:50 REQUIREMENT TO BEING AN ELECTED

53:52 OFFICE IS THINKING THAT

53:53 GOVERNMENT SHOULD SERVE THE

53:55 PEOPLE.

53:55 AND SO, UM, SO IF THAT'S A

53:57 POLITICAL AGENDA, YOU KNOW, SO

53:59 BE IT.

53:59 BUT I THINK ALLSTON DESERVES A

54:01 POST OFFICE MISSION DESERVES

54:03 POST OFFICE FEELS CORNER

54:04 DESERVES A POST OFFICE.

54:05 ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

54:06 DESERVE A POST OFFICE.

54:07 UM, AND I'D BE REMISS IF I

54:10 DIDN'T MENTION SOME OF THE FINE

54:12 WORK THAT SENATOR MARKEY HAS

54:13 BEEN DOING HAS REALLY BEEN

54:15 AROUND.

54:16 I MEAN, THE, UH, PERFORMANCE

54:18 STANDARDS THEY'RE CHANGING THEM

54:19 .

54:20 UM, BECAUSE IT'S VERY CLEAR

54:21 THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT RECEIVING

54:23 THEIR MAIL AT THE SAME CLIP

54:25 THAT THEY WERE THREE YEARS AGO.

54:27 UM, PARTLY YOU KNOW, WE'VE

54:29 WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE SCAMS

54:31 THAT GO ON.

54:33 UM, IN ORDER TO FOR USPS TO SAY

54:36 THAT THEIR PERFORMANCE METRICS

54:37 ARE JUST AS GOOD AS BEFORE.

54:39 UM, BUT SOME OF IT'S SCANNING

54:41 THINGS LATE.

54:42 YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT'S UM YOU

54:43 KNOW, SCANNING IT ON THE YOU

54:45 KNOW, ON THE DAY IT'S LEAVING

54:46 VERSUS THE DAY THAT IT ARRIVED

54:47 AT THE POST OFFICE.

54:48 THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS

54:50 IN WHICH, UH, THEY ARE TRYING

54:52 TO SCAM THE SYSTEM AND BOTH

54:54 SENATOR MARKEY AND UM

54:57 REPRESENTATIVE AYANNA PRESSLEY,

54:58 WHO WAS AT ONE OF OUR LAST

54:59 HEARINGS HAD UNCOVERED SOME

55:01 OF THOSE UH, WAYS IN WHICH UH,

55:04 THE PERFORMANCE METRICS ARE

55:05 NOT, YOU KNOW, HITTING SO IT'S

55:08 NOT JUST ABOUT THE YOU KNOW, I

55:10 GUESS THE CITY COUNCIL'S ISSUE

55:12 AND WE GET EMAILS FROM TIME TO

55:14 TIME ABOUT POSTAL SERVICE.

55:16 UM, POSTAL SERVICES NOT JUST

55:20 THE CLOSURES OF OF THE POST

55:22 OFFICE.

55:23 IT'S ALSO WE'RE RECEIVING A LOT

55:25 OF UH YOU KNOW, WE I HAD A

55:28 CONSTITUENT WHO REACHED OUT

55:29 LAST WEEK WHO MAILED SOMETHING

55:31 IN FEBRUARY AND IT JUST ARRIVED

55:33 YESTERDAY.

55:34 I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED

55:35 BUT UM BUT THAT YOU KNOW, BUT

55:37 SOME OF THESE THINGS.

55:38 SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU

55:40 COULD, UH, YOU KNOW, ELABORATE

55:41 ON SOME OF THE PERFORMANCE

55:43 METRICS.

55:43 UM.

55:44 WELL YOU'RE RIGHT YOU THEY

55:47 DEVELOPED, YOU KNOW, SCANS

55:49 BECAUSE THE SCANS DON'T LIE.

55:51 BUT WHAT YOU DO LEADING UP TO

55:54 POST SCANS USE CLEARLY

55:57 MANIPULABLE SO IS THEY'LL PUT

55:59 MAIL THE SIDE THAT SHOWED UP

56:01 AND THE THE WON'T SCAN UNTIL

56:03 THE FOLLOWING MORNING OR IF

56:05 THEY REALLY WANT TO GET

56:06 DISHONEST THEY'LL PUT THAT THEY

56:08 MADE AN ATTEMPTED DELIVERY WHEN

56:10 THAT PIECE NEVER LEFT THE POST

56:12 OFFICE.

56:12 YOU KNOW THE CARRIERS ARE

56:14 ALREADY OUT.

56:14 IT'S LATE IN THE AFTERNOON.

56:16 SO THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS THAT

56:18 YOU BOX LINE MAIL BECAUSE THE

56:20 PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW THAT LETTER

56:22 WAS REALLY THERE TODAY.

56:23 THEY GET IT TOMORROW THEN

56:26 THEY'RE UNAWARES.

56:26 BUT THE POSTAL SERVICE WILL

56:28 HAVE YOU SCAN IT ALL UP.

56:29 THAT IS IF EVERYTHING THAT WAS

56:32 COMMITTED FOR THAT DAY IS IN

56:33 THAT BOX YET IT'S SITTING ON

56:35 THE FLOOR RIGHT THERE BECAUSE

56:36 THEY DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER

56:38 BECAUSE THE NUMBER ONE METHOD

56:41 UH, ASIDE FROM TRYING TO SHED

56:45 ITSELF OF FACILITIES IS

56:49 DROPPING STAFFING TO, YOU KNOW,

56:51 LEVELS WHERE YOU DON'T EVEN

56:53 HAVE ENOUGH RAW STAFF TO

56:55 COVER THE BASIC HOURS

56:58 OF OPERATION.

57:00 SO UH, TO MAKE UP FOR THAT,

57:02 THEY JUST CAN'T FLAT OUT GET

57:03 THE JOB DONE.

57:04 THEY'VE PEERED BEYOND THE BONE

57:06 MARROW OUT NOW.

57:08 SO SO IT'S IT'S REALLY

57:11 INSIDIOUS WHAT THEY DO, I

57:14 BELIEVE.

57:15 IT WAS YOU MISSED THE FIRST

57:17 SHOW THE DISINGENUOUS FORMULAS

57:19 .

57:19 EVERY FORMULA THEY HAVE CAN CAN

57:22 ONLY GO IN ONE DIRECTION.

57:23 SPIRAL DOWN.

57:25 AND I'LL GIVE YOU FOR INSTANCE

57:26 ,THEY DON'T STAFF ENOUGH TO

57:28 KEEP A POST OFFICE OPEN FOR THE

57:30 ENTIRE DAY.

57:31 SAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE OPEN

57:33 830 TO 5.

57:33 WELL WE CUT THE TWO JOBS.

57:36 SO-AND-SO RETIRED.

57:37 WE'RE NOT GOING TO CALL

57:38 OVERTIME.

57:39 SHUT THE BUILDING DOWN FOR

57:41 LUNCH.

57:41 WELL, THE POSTED HOURS

57:43 OF OPERATION SAY 830 TO 5 IF

57:46 YOU SHUT THE BUILDING DOWN FOR

57:47 AN HOUR AT THE BUSIEST TIME

57:49 OF THE DAY WHEN MOST PEOPLE ARE

57:51 RUNNING TO THE POST OFFICE ON

57:53 THEIR LUNCH.

57:55 NOW YOU'VE CUT, YOU KNOW, A

57:57 QUARTER OF THE ABILITY FOR THE

57:59 CUSTOMER TO ACCESS.

58:01 AND YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE

58:02 HEAD.

58:02 SO THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING ON

58:03 CHARLES STREET.

58:04 SO OF.

58:05 COURSE YEAH THE THE SALES GOES

58:07 DOWN BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GO IN.

58:10 TO BUY OR.

58:11 UTILIZE THE POST OFFICE.

58:14 SO BUT SO THERE THIS STAFFING

58:16 SYSTEM GOES ALL IT ALWAYS

58:19 SPIRALS DOWNWARDS.

58:19 THEY GO ON UH ON A CONCEPT

58:22 CALLED EARNED YOU EARN TIME

58:24 WHICH THE THE MOST SUCCINCT WAY

58:26 I CAN PUT THAT IS EVERY DAY FOR

58:29 THE LAST 20 YEARS I TOOK ME TWO

58:32 HOURS.

58:33 I NEEDED TWO HOURS WORTH OF GAS

58:34 TO DRIVE TO PORTLAND, MAINE.

58:35 WELL, THEY CAME UP WITH A

58:37 FORMULA AND SAYS.

58:38 WELL WE DID IT ONCE AT 2:00 IN

58:40 THE MORNING.

58:41 WITH NO TRAFFIC WITH THE YOU

58:43 KNOW, ON A SCOOTER AND.

58:45 WE SAY YOU ONLY EARN AN HOUR

58:46 AND A.

58:47 HALF WORTH OF GAS.

58:48 WELL IN REALITY I'M GOING TO

58:51 RUN OUT OF GAS A HALF HOUR

58:52 SHORT ON A MISSION.

58:54 WELL THEY DO THAT WITH STAFFING

58:55 .

58:57 YOU ONLY EARN YOU ONLY EARNED

58:59 THIS.

59:01 IT TAKES WHAT IT TAKES TO

59:02 CONDUCT THE TRANSACTION.

59:04 THEY THEY ESTIMATE FLAT RATES.

59:07 SO, UH, THEY'LL GIVE US 21

59:09 SECONDS TO SELL A BOOK

59:10 OF STAMPS.

59:11 NOW WE ALL KNOW THAT'S

59:13 IMPOSSIBLE.

59:14 NEXT, PLEASE.

59:15 YEAH.

59:16 OH, YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE STOCK

59:17 .

59:18 OKAY, HERE'S THE FLAGS AND

59:20 HERE'S THE EAGLES AND.

59:21 HERE'S THE FLOWERS.

59:22 OKAY, WHO CHOSE THIS?

59:24 AND THEN THE BASIC OPERATION

59:25 OF THE COMPUTER ITSELF.

59:27 SO THAT.

59:28 TRANSACTION TOOK A MINUTE AND A

59:29 HALF.

59:30 THE POSTAL SERVICE ONLY

59:31 CREDITS.

59:33 21 SECONDS AS REAL.

59:35 WORK AND I.

59:36 KNOW NO LONG THAT TAKES BECAUSE

59:38 WE HAVE A OUR MY LIAISON FOR MY

59:40 DISTRICT FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE

59:41 IS A STAMP COLLECTOR AND WE

59:43 HAVE GONE IN TO LOOK FOR VERY

59:45 SPECIFIC SUPPLIES.

59:46 SO THE MOST SO ALL THE POST

59:49 OFFICE EARNED FOR THAT

59:50 TRANSACTION WAS 21 SECONDS.

59:52 ANYTHING BEYOND THAT THEY

59:54 CONSIDER FRIVOLOUS AND.

59:56 FAT AND THEN THEY ADD UP ALL.

59:58 THAT FRIVOLOUS AND.

59:59 FAT TIME AT THE END OF.

1:00:00 THE YEAR AND SAY YOU ONLY

1:00:01 EARNED TWO CLERKS AND YOU HAVE

1:00:03 FOUR.

1:00:04 SO WHAT?

1:00:04 CUT IT ALL.

1:00:05 NOW YOU.

1:00:06 HAVE.

1:00:06 TWO CLERKS TO COVER A 40 HOUR

1:00:08 OPERATION.

1:00:09 THEY HAVE IT.

1:00:10 YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE ENOUGH

1:00:12 BODIES TO BE IN THE BUILDING

1:00:13 FOR THE HOURS IT'S OPEN.

1:00:15 IT'S LIKE SAYING YOU ONLY.

1:00:16 EARNED TWO SURGEONS.

1:00:17 WELL, THE.

1:00:18 HOSPITAL'S OPEN.

1:00:18 YOU NEED THE DOCTOR'S ON DUTY

1:00:20 WHETHER SOMEONE'S COMING.

1:00:22 IN THE DOOR SICK OR NOT.

1:00:23 THE LIGHTS.

1:00:24 ARE STILL ON.

1:00:25 YOU GOT TO BE OPEN FOR

1:00:25 BUSINESS.

1:00:27 SO IT THEY THEY'VE DEVELOPED A

1:00:29 SYSTEM TO SPIRAL DOWNWARD AND I

1:00:33 AND I DID SEE I THINK IT WAS

1:00:35 THE ARTICLE IN THE BULLETIN

1:00:36 WHERE THEY WERE CITING THEIR

1:00:39 FORMULAS WITH DECREASED SALES.

1:00:41 WELL OF COURSE THIS DECREASED

1:00:43 SALES.

1:00:43 YOU AIN'T OPEN IT YOU KNOW

1:00:45 NUMBER ONE NUMBER TWO YOU'RE

1:00:47 CREATING LINES OUT THE DOOR TO

1:00:49 FRUSTRATE PEOPLE TO TO GO TO

1:00:50 COMPETITORS.

1:00:51 SO IT'S IT'S DELIBERATE.

1:00:53 AND AGAIN.

1:00:53 WHAT SCARES.

1:00:54 ME THE MOST.

1:00:55 ON THIS ONE.

1:00:56 MOST OF THE.

1:00:57 OTHER LITTLE POST OFFICES

1:00:58 THEY CLOSE SAY IN MASSACHUSETTS

1:01:00 OR THEY TAKE THEY MAKE A GRAB

1:01:02 FOR A LIKE A SATELLITE OFFICE A

1:01:04 SECOND SMALLER OFFICE IN A TOWN

1:01:07 .

1:01:07 BUT IF THEY GET AWAY WITH

1:01:08 GRABBING A CITY.

1:01:10 NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A POPULATION

1:01:12 THAT BIG, THEY'RE GOING TO GRAB

1:01:15 EVERYTHING THEY CAN BECAUSE TO

1:01:17 ME WE REALLY GOT TO PUT THE

1:01:19 FIGHT UP HERE FOR ALLSTON.

1:01:21 THERE'S NO WAY ON EARTH JUST

1:01:22 THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ALLSTON

1:01:24 THAT BIG KID CAN GO WITHOUT A

1:01:26 POSTER.

1:01:26 ABSOLUTELY.

1:01:27 AND I KNOW THAT TONY ISIDORA

1:01:29 HAS, UM, A STATEMENT THAT HE'D

1:01:31 LIKE TO MAKE, SO, UH.

1:01:33 SO TONY.

1:01:33 GOOD.

1:01:34 GO AHEAD.

1:01:34 THANK YOU MADAM.

1:01:36 THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I

1:01:37 APPRECIATE THAT.

1:01:38 UM, I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE

1:01:40 OTHER THING TO WHAT I FIND

1:01:41 ABSOLUTELY AMUSING IS THE

1:01:44 PROLIFERATION OF SCAMS IN THE

1:01:47 SYSTEM WHERE CHECKS ARE BEING

1:01:49 ALTERED AND STOLEN AND WHAT

1:01:50 HAVE YOU.

1:01:51 ISN'T IT AMAZING THAT THE USPS

1:01:53 INFORMS THE COMMUNITY IF YOU

1:01:55 GOT A MAIL LETTERS, DON'T PUT

1:01:57 IT IN YOUR MAILBOX.

1:01:58 DON'T PUT IT IN AN OUTDOOR

1:02:01 MAILBOX BECAUSE THEY'RE

1:02:02 STEALING THOSE KEYS AND PEOPLE

1:02:03 ARE BREAKING IN AND ALTERING

1:02:05 CHECKS AND WHAT HAVE YOU

1:02:07 PHYSICALLY GO INTO THE POST

1:02:09 OFFICE AND MILL YOUR LETTERS?

1:02:11 WELL THINK ABOUT A SENIOR.

1:02:12 THINK ABOUT A PERSON WITH

1:02:13 DISABILITIES.

1:02:14 THINK ABOUT UH, A FAMILY YOUNG

1:02:17 KIDS AS HECTIC A DAY AS THAT IS

1:02:19 AND YOU'RE GOING TO ASK THOSE

1:02:21 PEOPLE WELL, IF YOU WANT TO

1:02:22 MAIL YOU LETTERS AND YOU WANT

1:02:23 TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, JUST

1:02:25 DRIVE AS FAR AS YOU HAVE TO GO

1:02:27 OR WHATEVER.

1:02:27 TAKE TRANSPORTATION.

1:02:28 IT'S JUST SO IRONIC.

1:02:30 IT IS JUST SO SILLY.

1:02:31 BUT LET ME THANK YOU, MADAM

1:02:33 CHAIR.

1:02:33 I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

1:02:34 I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO

1:02:36 WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY

1:02:37 COUNCILOR CULPEPER.

1:02:38 YES.

1:02:38 UM, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US,

1:02:39 COUNCILOR CULPEPER.

1:02:39 UM, TONY.

1:02:40 GO AHEAD.

1:02:41 THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

1:02:42 UH, MADAM CHAIR.

1:02:43 UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HOLDING

1:02:45 THIS IMPORTANT HEARING AND

1:02:47 THANK YOU TO OUR DISTRICT

1:02:49 COUNCIL PRESIDENT LIZ BREADON

1:02:50 FOR BEING THE CHIEF SPONSOR.

1:02:52 AND I WANT TO ALSO THANK

1:02:53 DISTRICT COUNCILS FLYNN

1:02:55 FITZGERALD AND NOW CULPEPER FOR

1:02:57 JOINING US THIS MORNING.

1:03:00 MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE

1:03:02 COUNCIL.

1:03:02 MY NAME IS TONY DISORDER.

1:03:03 I'M PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN

1:03:05 CIVIC ASSOCIATION.

1:03:07 ONCE AGAIN AUSTIN IS IN A FIGHT

1:03:09 FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC

1:03:11 JUSTICE.

1:03:12 THIS TIME IT'S THE FEDERAL

1:03:14 GOVERNMENT WHO DARES TO DEPRIVE

1:03:16 US OF OUR DIGNITY AND THE

1:03:17 QUALITY OF LIFE WE NOT ONLY

1:03:19 DESERVE BUT ARE ENTITLED TO

1:03:22 MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

1:03:23 MAKE NO MISTAKE THIS IS AN

1:03:26 ATTEMPT TO TO SUBVERT AND

1:03:30 MARGINALIZE THE PEOPLE

1:03:31 OF AUSTIN.

1:03:32 IF YOU BELIEVE THE UNITED

1:03:34 STATES POSTAL SERVICE IN THE

1:03:36 NAME OF OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

1:03:38 IS APPLYING THAT STANDARD

1:03:40 EQUALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YOU

1:03:42 ARE SORELY MISINFORMED.

1:03:45 IN A CITY THAT IS WIDELY

1:03:46 REGARDED AS HIGHLY RECEPTIVE TO

1:03:48 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AND

1:03:50 STUDENTS SENIORS, PEOPLE WITH

1:03:52 DISABILITIES, FAMILIES WITH

1:03:54 SMALL CHILDREN, IMMIGRANTS AND

1:03:56 LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE

1:03:59 ONCE AGAIN ON THE CHOPPING

1:04:00 BLOCK.

1:04:01 BUT I COME TO YOU TODAY WITH A

1:04:03 MESSAGE OF HOPE THAT THOSE WE

1:04:05 ENTRUST TO REPRESENT US WILL

1:04:08 JOIN OUR FIGHT TO SUCCESSFULLY

1:04:10 RESTORE A RETAIL POST OFFICE TO

1:04:12 AUSTIN.

1:04:13 WHY AM I OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OUR

1:04:16 CHANCES?

1:04:20 WE HAVE ENDURED.

1:04:21 I'M SORRY.

1:04:23 UH.

1:04:26 WE WOULD NOT HAVE LOST MY WAY.

1:04:27 OKAY.

1:04:29 UH.

1:04:31 WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A GREAT

1:04:34 DEAL OF CHANGE IN OUR

1:04:36 COMMUNITY, UM, AND CHALLENGES

1:04:38 IN OUR COMMUNITY.

1:04:39 FIRST AND FOREMOST WAS THE

1:04:42 MASSACHUSETTS, UH, TURNPIKE.

1:04:45 UH UH.

1:04:46 WE WE HAVE.

1:04:48 UH WE FOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A

1:04:51 PROJECT THAT TOOK AWAY OUR

1:04:53 HOMES, TOOK AWAY OUR BUSINESSES

1:04:55 ,TOOK AWAY OUR COMMUTER RAIL

1:04:57 CAPABILITY, ENVIRONMENTALLY

1:04:59 CHALLENGED US SIGNIFICANTLY

1:05:01 BECAUSE THE CITY OF BOSTON WAS

1:05:03 HURTING ECONOMICALLY AND UH, WE

1:05:06 FOUGHT THAT AND NOW WE'RE ON

1:05:09 THE BRINK OF RESTORING ALL THAT

1:05:11 THROUGH THE AUSTIN 1990

1:05:13 MULTIMODAL PROJECT.

1:05:15 AND UM, UH, WE ARE LOOKING

1:05:17 FORWARD TO RECONNECTING OUR

1:05:19 COMMUNITY AND TO RESTORING WHAT

1:05:21 WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM US.

1:05:23 SO THAT WAS UH, A TREMENDOUS

1:05:25 VICTORY.

1:05:26 JUST THINK THAT LATER ON THIS

1:05:28 UH YEAR WE ARE GOING TO HAVE

1:05:30 SOUND BARRIERS INSTALLED ALONG

1:05:32 LINCOLN STREET IN ALLSTON,

1:05:34 BRIGHTON.

1:05:35 WE'VE ONLY BEEN ON THE LIST FOR

1:05:37 50 PLUS YEARS AND UH, MASSDOT

1:05:39 IS FINALLY GETTING AROUND TO

1:05:41 ACHIEVING THAT PROJECT.

1:05:43 UH, IT'S INTERESTING HOW NEWTON

1:05:45 AND WELLESLEY NEVER HAD TO WAIT

1:05:47 AS LONG AS THAT FOR THEIR SOUND

1:05:49 BARRIERS, BUT THAT GOES WITHOUT

1:05:50 SAYING.

1:05:51 UM, WE'VE ALSO DEALT WITH, UH,

1:05:53 INSTITUTIONAL EXPANSION

1:05:55 SIGNIFICANTLY AND UH, WHAT

1:05:58 STARTED OUT AS A LOT

1:06:00 OF MISTRUST AND UM, UH, BAD

1:06:03 COMMUNITY RELATIONS WE HAVE NOW

1:06:05 FORGED A VERY TRUSTFUL AND UH,

1:06:08 HONEST RELATIONSHIP WITH

1:06:11 INSTITUTIONS.

1:06:11 UH, WE.

1:06:12 JUST.

1:06:13 NEGOTIATED A SIGNIFICANT UH,

1:06:15 REDEVELOPMENT UH, PROJECT IN

1:06:17 ALLSTON THAT WILL HELP FUTURE

1:06:19 GENERATIONS TO COME.

1:06:20 SO THERE IS ANOTHER VICTORY AS

1:06:22 WELL.

1:06:24 WE ALSO FOUGHT URBAN RENEWAL

1:06:26 THE TAKING OF BARRY'S CORNER.

1:06:28 WE HAD A, UH, A WORKING CLASS

1:06:30 COMMUNITY THAT WAS WIPED OUT BY

1:06:32 URBAN RENEWAL.

1:06:34 UH, THEY WANTED TO REPLACE IT

1:06:35 WITH A TEN STOREY LUXURY

1:06:38 APARTMENT BUILDING.

1:06:39 AND ALTHOUGH WE LOST THAT

1:06:41 COMMUNITY THROUGH, UH, THE

1:06:43 PASSION OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE

1:06:44 ENGAGED IN THE FIGHT ON A DAILY

1:06:46 BASIS, UH, WHAT HAPPENED WAS WE

1:06:49 CREATED CHARLES VIEW WHICH WAS

1:06:51 100% AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH,

1:06:54 COMMUNITY WHICH NOW IS ON THE

1:06:55 WESTERN AVE AND IS THRIVING AND

1:06:57 WE'RE WE'RE SO PROUD OF THAT.

1:06:59 SO WE HAVE A HISTORY.

1:07:01 UH, WE HAVE A HISTORY OF UH

1:07:05 OF FIGHTING BACK AND NO

1:07:07 COMMUNITY SHOULD EXPERIENCE

1:07:08 WHAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH.

1:07:11 UH, BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE AND

1:07:14 WHERE WE LIVE TODAY WE ARE

1:07:16 FIGHTING FOR A RESTORED RETAIL

1:07:18 POST OFFICE, A NEW COMMUNITY

1:07:19 CENTER AND A NEW PRE-K TO SIX

1:07:22 SCHOOL HIGH LIVING COST AND

1:07:25 LIMITED HOUSING CONTINUE TO BE

1:07:27 NOTABLE CHALLENGES.

1:07:28 WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR OUR

1:07:30 YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE FUTURE

1:07:31 BLESSED WITH GOOD HEALTH AND

1:07:33 HAPPINESS.

1:07:34 DEMOCRACY WORKS BEST WHEN

1:07:37 CITIZENS ARE ENGAGED.

1:07:39 INSTITUTIONS ARE ACCOUNTABLE,

1:07:40 RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED AND

1:07:42 GOVERNANCE IS INCLUSIVE AND

1:07:44 TRANSPARENT.

1:07:45 FOR ALMOST SEVEN YEARS THE

1:07:47 POSTAL SERVICE HAS CONTINUED

1:07:49 THIS CHARADE OF STOPS AND

1:07:52 STARTS SLICK, WELL-ORCHESTRATED

1:07:54 PUBLIC MEETINGS AND A RELIANCE

1:07:57 ON ANALYTICS RATHER THAN

1:07:59 FOCUSING ON THE ISSUE AT A

1:08:00 HUMAN LEVEL.

1:08:02 ALLSTON RESIDENTS ARE A DIVERSE

1:08:04 ,ENERGETIC AND COMMUNITY

1:08:05 DRIVEN MIX WHO HAVE A RICH

1:08:07 HISTORY OF STANDING UP TO

1:08:09 INJUSTICE.

1:08:10 WE NEED YOUR HELP AND YOUR

1:08:13 VOICE IF WE ARE TO BUILD

1:08:16 SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES IN A

1:08:18 CITY THAT WE ALL LOVE.

1:08:19 THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

1:08:21 THANK YOU SO MUCH, TONY.

1:08:22 UM, AND WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY

1:08:25 COUNCILOR CULPEPER.

1:08:25 YOU HAVE SEVEN MINUTES.

1:08:28 MADAM CHAIR.

1:08:30 THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS

1:08:32 HEARING.

1:08:33 AND THANK YOU TO PRESIDENT

1:08:35 REAGAN.

1:08:35 BRINGING THIS DOCKET.

1:08:37 FORWARD TO OUR PANELISTS AND

1:08:40 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR

1:08:41 JOINING US ALSO HAS NOW GONE

1:08:44 PUT ON THIS NEIGHBORHOOD POST

1:08:46 OFFICE SINCE 19 2019 WHEN THE

1:08:50 U.P. USPS SUSPENDED OPERATIONS

1:08:54 .

1:08:54 I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN TALKING

1:08:55 ABOUT THIS ALL MORNING SO I'M

1:08:57 NOT GOING TO READ THE ENTIRE

1:08:59 STATEMENT BUT I DO THINK YOU

1:09:01 HAVE TO FIGHT BACK.

1:09:02 I DO THINK WHEN THE FEDERAL

1:09:04 GOVERNMENT MAKES A DECISION TO

1:09:07 BRING THE POST OFFICE BACK AND

1:09:10 THEN DECIDES TO PAUSE IT AND

1:09:12 THEN BACKS OUT OF A CONTRACT

1:09:16 THAT THEY'VE ENTERED, I THINK

1:09:17 NOT ONLY IS INCUMBENT UPON THE

1:09:20 CITY COUNCIL TO FIGHT BACK, BUT

1:09:22 THE COMMUNITY SHOULD REALLY

1:09:23 COME TOGETHER TO FIGHT.

1:09:25 AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE

1:09:27 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND YOU

1:09:28 THINK ABOUT THIS POST OFFICE

1:09:29 AND YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY

1:09:30 DID YEARS AGO WHEN THAT POST

1:09:33 OFFICE MASTER GENERAL WAS FIRST

1:09:35 APPOINTED AND YOU LOOK AT THE

1:09:38 DEBACLE THAT TOOK PLACE AFTER

1:09:39 THE ELECTION, YOU LOOK AT THE

1:09:42 DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE

1:09:44 NOW IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ALL

1:09:46 OF US TO STAND UP AND TO FIGHT

1:09:49 WITH PRESIDENT BRAVEN AND THE

1:09:51 ALTON BROWN COMMUNITY.

1:09:53 SO COUNCIL CULPEPPER IS WITH

1:09:54 YOU 100%.

1:09:56 LET US KNOW WHAT YOU NEED US TO

1:09:58 DO.

1:09:58 AND YOU KNOW, IF NOTHING ELSE,

1:10:00 I KNOW HOW TO FIGHT AND SO

1:10:02 LET'S FIGHT TO GET THIS POST

1:10:04 OFFICE RESTORED AND TO BRING

1:10:06 REASONABLE SERVICE TO OTHER

1:10:08 POST OFFICES THAT HAVE

1:10:10 EXPERIENCED TERRIBLE SERVICE

1:10:13 LIKE THE POST OFFICE AND

1:10:14 ROXBURY POST OFFICE AND GROVE

1:10:16 HALL.

1:10:16 WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SENATOR

1:10:19 UH, MARQUETTE SENATOR WARREN

1:10:22 BECAUSE OF THE SERVICE AND SO

1:10:25 WE KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM THERE

1:10:26 AND I THINK IT STARTS FROM THE

1:10:29 GROUND UP FROM THE GRASSROOTS

1:10:31 TO BEGIN TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

1:10:32 THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

1:10:34 UH, DO I HAVE TIME FOR

1:10:36 QUESTIONS?

1:10:36 YOU DO.

1:10:37 HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

1:10:38 ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD WAS

1:10:42 HOW DID IT GET TO THE POINT?

1:10:44 AND WHAT CHANGED BETWEEN THE

1:10:48 UPS 25, 20 AND 25 DECISION WHEN

1:10:51 THEY FINALLY DECIDED TO

1:10:53 REESTABLISH IT IN THE APRIL

1:10:55 2026 DECISION WHEN THEY DECIDED

1:10:57 TO PAUSE IT.

1:11:01 UH, I.

1:11:02 CAN'T TRULY ANSWER THAT

1:11:04 QUESTION.

1:11:04 YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE UH,

1:11:06 CHANGE AT THE TOP.

1:11:08 UH, MAYBE THEY THEY WANT TO

1:11:10 ACCELERATE THEIR PRIVATIZATION

1:11:12 PLANS.

1:11:13 UH, COULD BE ANY ONE OF THEM.

1:11:15 UM, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE WE

1:11:19 HAVE, UH, DIRECT EVIDENCE THAT

1:11:21 THIS IS A PLAY IN THEIR

1:11:22 PLAYBOOK.

1:11:23 IT'S PART OF PUTTING THE

1:11:24 COMMUNITY TO SLEEP.

1:11:26 EXTEND IT OUT.

1:11:27 EXTEND THAT OUT.

1:11:28 DON'T WORRY.

1:11:29 WE WON'T TAKE IT.

1:11:29 AND THEN THEY REJECT THE LEASE

1:11:31 AND.

1:11:32 SAY NOW WE GOT TO.

1:11:33 CLOSE IT DOWN.

1:11:34 SO IT'S PART OF THEIR LONG GAME

1:11:36 .

1:11:37 UH, I I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER

1:11:39 SAYING OH, IT'S BECAUSE OF THIS

1:11:41 BUT IT SEEMS TO BE PART

1:11:44 OF THEIR STRATEGY TO

1:11:46 SYSTEMATICALLY, UH, YOU KNOW,

1:11:48 SHUT DOWN THE POSTAL SERVICE

1:11:50 WHETHER IT'S BE INCREMENTALLY

1:11:54 IN DEGRADING THE SERVICE IN A

1:11:55 PARTICULAR LOCATION OR GRABBING

1:11:58 A WHOLE POST OFFICE ITSELF THAT

1:12:00 THAT'S THAT THAT'S THE

1:12:01 DIRECTION THEY'RE GOING IN.

1:12:03 UH, SO I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC

1:12:06 ANSWER BUT YOU KNOW, YOU HAD

1:12:08 ALREADY SAID THAT HALF OF THE

1:12:10 HALF OF THE ANSWER TO COMBAT IT

1:12:12 IS FIGHT IT AND DRAG IT OUT

1:12:14 INTO THE LIGHT OF DAY BECAUSE

1:12:17 WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS OPERATE

1:12:19 UNDER THE RADAR IN THE DARK

1:12:21 WITHOUT THE PUBLIC KNOWING,

1:12:23 WITHOUT PUBLIC OFFICIALS

1:12:24 KNOWING SO SO BUT I CAN'T POINT

1:12:28 TO ONE THING THAT I COULD SAY

1:12:30 WHY THEY WOULD, UH, RENEGE ON A

1:12:34 LEASE THAT UH THAT A LANDLORD

1:12:37 BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO BUILD TO

1:12:39 THEIR SPECS.

1:12:40 THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'M

1:12:41 BASICALLY HEARING IT SO ONCE

1:12:44 COULD BE AN ACCIDENT TWICE.

1:12:47 AND I KNOW IF WE LOOK FURTHER

1:12:48 THEY PROBABLY DONE IT BEFORE.

1:12:50 I JUST WANT TO GIVE NOAH CHANCE

1:12:52 TO RESPOND.

1:12:53 YEAH.

1:12:54 THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

1:12:54 UH, UM, COUNCILOR CULPEPER AND

1:12:57 IT IS IT IS A BIT MIND BOGGLING

1:12:59 BECAUSE IN TERMS OF WHAT

1:13:02 CHANGED DURING THAT TIME

1:13:03 PERIOD, I CAN SAY THAT WE WERE

1:13:05 LITERALLY GOING BACK AND FORTH

1:13:07 WITH THE USPS ON THEIR SPECIFIC

1:13:10 CHANGES TO THE LEASE THAT THEY

1:13:12 WANTED AT MULTIPLE TIMES,

1:13:13 OF WHICH WE PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS

1:13:15 SAID YES.

1:13:16 AND UM AND IN FACT THEY HAD

1:13:18 SIGNED OFF ON THE WORK LETTER

1:13:21 IN UH EARLY 2025.

1:13:23 THEY CAME BACK TO US AND SAID

1:13:25 NO, ACTUALLY WE HAVE YOU KNOW,

1:13:26 FIVE OTHER CHANGES WE WANT TO

1:13:27 MAKE TO THE WORK LETTER.

1:13:29 WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL

1:13:30 OF THAT AND UM AND SO IT'S IT

1:13:33 IT'S CONFUSING TO US WHERE WE

1:13:36 SPENT ALL THIS TIME UM EVERY

1:13:39 MONTH WORKING WITH THEM TO GET

1:13:41 TO THE POINT WHERE AT THE END,

1:13:43 YOU KNOW, IN NOVEMBER

1:13:45 ESSENTIALLY UM,

1:13:48 OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2025 WHERE

1:13:48 EVERYTHING HAD BEEN WORKED OUT

1:13:50 HAD CONFIRMATION FROM THEIR

1:13:51 BROKER UM, THEN THE REAL ESTATE

1:13:54 SPECIALISTS THAT EVERYTHING

1:13:55 THEN WORKED OUT THAT USPS

1:13:58 INTERNAL LEGAL HAD REVIEWED THE

1:14:00 LEASE AND UH AND WAS FINE WITH

1:14:02 IT.

1:14:02 THEY HAD COME BACK WITH TWO

1:14:04 ADDITIONAL CHANGES WE AGREED TO

1:14:05 THOSE UH AND THEN YOU KNOW AND

1:14:07 THEN THERE'S TOTAL 180.

1:14:09 SO UM, IF SOMETHING HAD CHANGED

1:14:12 IT CERTAINLY HADN'T UM, THAT

1:14:14 MESSAGE HADN'T GONE TO THE

1:14:16 PEOPLE THAT WE WERE WORKING

1:14:17 WITH THAT HADN'T GONE TO THE

1:14:18 REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST FOR

1:14:19 THEIR BROKER WHO'S RESPONSIBLE

1:14:21 FOR UH, EXECUTING THESE LEASES

1:14:24 UH, ALL THROUGHOUT THE

1:14:25 NORTHEAST.

1:14:26 HEY, ETHAN.

1:14:27 WHAT EXCUSE DID THEY GIVE YOU?

1:14:29 OH, NO.

1:14:30 UH, FROM YOU KNOW.

1:14:31 I'M SORRY.

1:14:32 NO, SIR.

1:14:34 YES.

1:14:35 YES, THEY THEY THEY THEY'RE

1:14:38 THEY'RE EXCUSES.

1:14:40 UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE'RE

1:14:41 HAVING FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES

1:14:43 AND THIS IS THE DECISION WE'VE

1:14:44 MADE.

1:14:45 AND SO HOW.

1:14:46 MUCH WORK OR EXPENSE DID AIDEN.

1:14:50 UH HOW MUCH HAVE YOU UNDERTAKEN

1:14:52 SPECIFICALLY TO ACCOMMODATE THE

1:14:54 UPS US AND AND WHAT WORK WAS

1:14:57 LOST.

1:14:58 AND WHAT WAS MADE MORE

1:15:02 EXPENSIVE.

1:15:02 AS A RESULT OF THE LAPSE

1:15:04 OF TIME.

1:15:05 BETWEEN WHEN WELL STARTED.

1:15:07 NEGOTIATING AND WHEN THE WHEN

1:15:08 THEY PAUSE.

1:15:09 UH, WELL I I HAVE TO ADMIT I, I

1:15:14 HAVEN'T GONE BACK TO ACTUALLY

1:15:15 CALCULATE HOW MUCH YOU KNOW,

1:15:17 TIME AND MONEY WE'VE SPENT UM

1:15:20 UH, AND YOU KNOW, LEGAL COSTS

1:15:22 OR CONSTRUCTION COSTS BUT I CAN

1:15:23 JUST TELL YOU CONCRETELY WE

1:15:26 HAVE A BUILDING UNDER

1:15:27 CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.

1:15:28 WE'VE ALREADY PURCHASED AN

1:15:30 ELECTRIC HEAT PUMP SYSTEM THAT

1:15:32 IS COMPLETELY TO THEIR

1:15:33 SPECIFICATION TO INSTALL IN

1:15:35 THIS BUILDING.

1:15:36 YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FOUR PAGES

1:15:37 OF A WORK LETTER WE NEGOTIATED

1:15:39 TOGETHER AND WE IN GOOD FAITH

1:15:41 INCLUDED THAT ALL THAT SCOPE

1:15:43 OF WORK IN OUR CONSTRUCTION

1:15:45 CONTRACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NOW

1:15:47 OWN.

1:15:48 SO UM SO IF IF WE END UP WITH A

1:15:52 DIFFERENT TENANT WHO CAN USE

1:15:53 THAT EXACT AMOUNT OF SPACE AND

1:15:56 THAT EXACT YOU KNOW HAS SYSTEM

1:15:58 GREAT BUT IT'S IT'S UNLIKELY.

1:16:00 SO UM, YOU KNOW THERE IS THERE

1:16:03 IS A BUNCH OF WASTE HERE

1:16:04 UNFORTUNATELY.

1:16:05 AND SO MY FINAL QUESTION, MADAM

1:16:08 CHAIR, WITH.

1:16:08 REGARD TO THE CAUSE.

1:16:11 IT MAKES SENSE TO AT LEAST

1:16:12 LOOK.

1:16:13 AT WHAT THE COST WAS THAT WENT

1:16:15 INTO.

1:16:15 THE WORK ALREADY.

1:16:17 WHAT YOU MAY.

1:16:18 HAVE LOST AND MAYBE GET BACK

1:16:20 TO US JUST SO WE.

1:16:21 KNOW WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IN

1:16:24 TERMS OF LOSS ON BEHALF OF EDEN

1:16:26 PROPERTIES THANK YOU.

1:16:28 THANK YOU.

1:16:30 THANK YOU SO MUCH.

1:16:31 NO AND THANK YOU SO MUCH,

1:16:32 COUNSELOR CULPEPER.

1:16:34 UM I THINK UH THAT QUESTIONING

1:16:36 WHICH OBVIOUSLY FROM OUR LAWYER

1:16:38 ON THE COUNCIL UM THAT

1:16:40 QUESTIONING IS IS IT JUST

1:16:42 ILLUMINATES THE AMOUNT OF WORK

1:16:44 AND TIME THAT AND HONESTLY LIKE

1:16:47 HOW ON CALCULABLE YOU KNOW HOW

1:16:50 IT'S VERY HARD TO CALCULATE THE

1:16:52 TIME LOST ALSO THE COMMUNITIES

1:16:55 ENERGY THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S

1:16:57 ENERGY ALL THE ENERGY THAT'S

1:16:58 BEEN PUT IN UM FROM THE

1:17:00 COMMUNITY SIDE UH, TO DELIVER A

1:17:02 POST OFFICE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

1:17:04 UM AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK

1:17:06 COUNCIL PRESIDENT BREEDEN FOR

1:17:08 HER LEADERSHIP.

1:17:09 UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT EASY TO

1:17:11 YOU KNOW, IT CAN FEEL LIKE

1:17:14 INSURMOUNTABLE TO BE TAKING ON

1:17:15 THIS FEDERAL ISSUE, BUT IT VERY

1:17:17 MUCH IMPACTS PEOPLE ON THE

1:17:18 LOCAL LEVEL AND OUR CITY

1:17:20 COUNCILORS AS DISTRICT

1:17:21 COUNCILORS WE ARE SO IN THE

1:17:23 WEEDS AND I IT MAKES A LOT

1:17:25 OF SENSE THAT YOU KNOW ALL THE

1:17:26 PEOPLE HERE TODAY, UM, OUR

1:17:28 DISTRICT COUNCILORS WHO WANT TO

1:17:30 SUPPORT YOU BECAUSE WE KNOW

1:17:32 EXACTLY HOW IMPORTANT WE'RE THE

1:17:33 CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE AND WE

1:17:35 KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH UM YOU

1:17:39 KNOW HOW MUCH THIS IS GOING TO

1:17:41 IMPACT RESIDENTS, UM, NOT

1:17:43 HAVING A POST OFFICE.

1:17:44 SO, UM SO WE URGE USPS TO TURN.

1:17:47 OF COURSE I HOPE THAT THEY

1:17:48 WATCH THIS HEARING.

1:17:49 WE URGE YOU TO TURN CAUSE WE'VE

1:17:51 RECEIVED A LOT OF EMAILS AND

1:17:53 LETTERS UH, IN THIS REGARD.

1:17:55 UM, AND JUST WANT TO GIVE OUR

1:17:58 COUNCIL PRESIDENT, UM, LIZ

1:17:59 BREADON THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK

1:18:01 ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND

1:18:02 THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO

1:18:03 PUBLIC TESTIMONY.

1:18:05 THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

1:18:07 UM.

1:18:08 I THINK JUST TO BE REALLY CLEAR

1:18:09 AS IN THE PREVIOUS UM, HEARING

1:18:12 THAT WE HAD A FEW YEARS AGO

1:18:13 WHEN COUNCILOR DUNCAN'S UH UH,

1:18:16 IN COUNCIL DURKIN'S DISTRICT

1:18:17 THE THE MISSION HILL POST

1:18:18 OFFICE WAS UNDER THREAT.

1:18:20 UH, USPS DECLINED TO ATTEND UH

1:18:25 AND PARTICIPATE AS A PANELIST

1:18:27 IN THIS.

1:18:28 SO THIS FEELS LIKE A REALLY UM

1:18:30 YOU KNOW THAT THAT OUR VOICES

1:18:33 AND THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE

1:18:34 THAT WE REPRESENT, THE USPS

1:18:37 CUSTOMERS THAT THEY DON'T

1:18:39 MATTER.

1:18:39 SO IT'S A REAL SLAP ON THE FACE

1:18:42 THAT IN THIS INSTANCE WHEN

1:18:43 THEY'RE CLOSING A A REALLY

1:18:45 IMPORTANT, UH, PUBLIC UH,

1:18:48 AMENITY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

1:18:50 UH.

1:18:51 A NEIGHBORHOOD OF 30,000

1:18:52 PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE CLOSING

1:18:53 DOWN THE POST OFFICE AND THAT

1:18:55 THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THE

1:18:56 RESPECT TO TURN UP AND BE HERE

1:18:58 AND ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS AND

1:19:00 THAT THEY'RE DISREGARDING THE

1:19:01 OPINIONS AND THE, UH, JUST HOW

1:19:04 IMPORTANT THIS IS FOR OUR

1:19:05 NEIGHBORHOOD.

1:19:06 SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO GO ON

1:19:08 THE RECORD TO SAY THAT USPS HAS

1:19:10 DECLINED TO ATTEND THIS HEARING

1:19:11 THIS MORNING.

1:19:13 UM, JUST IN TERMS OF UM I KNOW

1:19:15 WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM JUSTIN.

1:19:16 I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE UH

1:19:18 ,FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS POST

1:19:20 IN TERMS OF JUST PROCESS.

1:19:22 AND AND WHAT THE BIGGER PICTURE

1:19:24 IS LIKE.

1:19:25 UH, I COULD YOU SPEAK TO THE

1:19:26 ISSUE THAT.

1:19:27 YOU KNOW.

1:19:29 WHERE EXACTLY AND THEY'RE

1:19:31 NOT NOT ABIDING BY THEIR OWN,

1:19:33 UH, PROTOCOLS AND AND WHAT IS

1:19:35 THE IMPACT OF THAT ACROSS NOT

1:19:37 JUST HERE PARTICULARLY HERE IN

1:19:39 IN IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BUT

1:19:41 YOU KNOW, MAYBE FURTHER AFIELD

1:19:43 IN MASSACHUSETTS.

1:19:47 AND JUST LEAVE THEM ALONE.

1:19:49 SOMEBODY SWITCH IT ON FOR YOU.

1:19:51 THANK YOU.

1:19:51 THANK YOU PRESIDENT.

1:19:52 BREADON AND MADAM CHAIR FOR THE

1:19:54 OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE

1:19:55 TODAY.

1:19:55 UH, RELATED TO THE COUNCILMAN'S

1:19:58 QUESTION ON WHAT LAWS WE HAVE

1:20:01 IN OUR POCKET TO UTILIZE, UH,

1:20:03 TO FIGHT THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE

1:20:05 POSTAL SERVICE, FRANKLY, TO

1:20:07 ABIDE BY THEM.

1:20:08 UH, I HAVE UH NON-EXHAUSTIVE

1:20:11 LIST HERE, UH, WHICH IS TO BE

1:20:13 MORE SPECIFIC TO YOUR QUESTION,

1:20:15 THE MAIN AND MOST IMPORTANT

1:20:19 LITERATURE THAT I HAVE CITED IN

1:20:21 EVERY CASE INCLUDING FOR

1:20:22 ALLSTON AND WATERTOWN, UH, IN

1:20:24 THE BOSTON AREA IS THE POSTAL

1:20:28 REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1970 AND

1:20:29 THE POSTAL ACCOUNTABILITY

1:20:31 ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2006, WHICH

1:20:32 STATES MAINLY THAT THE POSTAL

1:20:35 SERVICE IS REQUIRED.

1:20:39 TO PROVIDE PROMPT, RELIABLE

1:20:40 SERVICE IN ALL AREAS AND ALL

1:20:43 COMMUNITIES.

1:20:44 FURTHERMORE, THEY ARE REQUIRED

1:20:46 TO PROVIDE A MAXIMUM DEGREE

1:20:48 OF REGULAR AND EFFICIENT

1:20:49 SERVICE AND TO THE GENTLEMAN'S

1:20:51 COMMENT EARLIER WHEN YOU GO TO

1:20:53 SOMEWHERE LIKE BRIGHTON WHICH

1:20:54 NOW HAS A LINE OUT THE DOOR,

1:20:56 THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING EFFICIENT

1:20:57 SERVICE ANY LONGER BECAUSE

1:20:59 IT'LL CONTINUE TO COMPILE INTO

1:21:02 LESS SERVICE FOR THE CUSTOMERS

1:21:04 ,NOT ONLY MAKING THEM TRAVEL

1:21:06 FURTHER TO OBTAIN POSTAL

1:21:08 SERVICES BUT ALSO TO MINIMIZE

1:21:10 THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE

1:21:12 INSTALLATIONS THAT THEY'RE

1:21:13 DIRECTING THEM TO.

1:21:15 AS FAR AS THE PROCESS GOES,

1:21:17 THERE'S NUMEROUS LAWS

1:21:18 THROUGHOUT TITLE 39 UH, THAT

1:21:21 THEY ARE FAILING TO COMPLY WITH

1:21:25 UH ALSO IN ADDITION TO THE

1:21:26 HANDBOOKS AND MANUALS OF THE

1:21:27 POSTAL SERVICE THAT THEY

1:21:28 PUBLISH THEMSELVES, A LOT

1:21:30 OF THE LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE

1:21:31 THAT WE CITE COINCIDE WITH THE

1:21:34 LAWS UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THEY

1:21:37 INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION TO

1:21:39 CLOSE A POST OFFICE, THEY'RE

1:21:40 SUPPOSED TO CONDUCT WHAT'S

1:21:42 CALLED A FEASIBILITY STUDY.

1:21:43 THERE'S MUCH CRITERIA IN THESE

1:21:46 FEASIBILITY STUDIES THAT HAVE

1:21:47 TO BE MET IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE

1:21:49 DONE PROPERLY.

1:21:49 SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT IS THAT

1:21:52 THEY ARE REQUIRED TO FILL OUT

1:21:54 CERTAIN DOCUMENTS UH, SUCH AS

1:21:56 SURVEYS, UH WORKLOADS, UH

1:21:59 DETERMINING THE EFFECTS ON THE

1:22:01 COMMUNITY, THE EFFECTS OF THE

1:22:03 EMPLOYEES UH, AND THE EFFECTS

1:22:06 OF ECONOMIC SAVINGS WHICH ARE

1:22:08 ALSO PART OF TITLE 39 AND THE

1:22:10 HANDBOOKS AND MANUALS THEY ARE

1:22:12 ALSO SUPPOSED TO CONDUCT AN ON

1:22:13 SITE INVESTIGATION, UH, FOR ANY

1:22:16 SAFETY ISSUES IF THEY'RE

1:22:18 SUSPENDING A POST OFFICE OR

1:22:19 SAFETY.

1:22:20 I HAVE NOT SEEN OR BEEN

1:22:23 PRIVILEGED ANY INFORMATION

1:22:24 INDICATING THAT THE POSTAL

1:22:26 SERVICE WHO ARE CONDUCTING THE

1:22:28 OFFICIALS WHO ARE CONDUCTING

1:22:29 THESE FEASIBILITY STUDIES HAVE

1:22:31 CONDUCTED AN ON SITE

1:22:32 INVESTIGATION ANYWHERE, UH,

1:22:34 INCLUDING OUTSIDE THE BOSTON

1:22:35 AREA.

1:22:36 THEY ARE ALSO SUPPOSED TO POST

1:22:38 A NOTICE AT LEAST 60 DAYS IN

1:22:40 ADVANCE TO THE PUBLIC.

1:22:42 TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE

1:22:43 THEY HAVE FAILED TO COMPLY WITH

1:22:44 THAT PROVISION AS WELL.

1:22:46 THEY ARE REQUIRED TO POST A

1:22:48 NOTICE OF AN OFFICIAL PUBLIC

1:22:49 HEARING FOR THE CUSTOMERS AND

1:22:53 RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNS TO

1:22:54 SUBMIT COMMENT AND CONCERN AND

1:22:58 ADDITIONALLY THEY ARE SUPPOSED

1:22:59 TO RECEIVE THEIR COMMENTS IN

1:23:01 WRITING AND RESPOND TO EACH

1:23:03 OF THOSE PEOPLE IN WRITING UH

1:23:06 WITH THEIR CONSIDERATIONS AND

1:23:08 CONCERNS TAKEN INTO EFFECT

1:23:09 PRIOR TO MAKING A DECISION.

1:23:11 THE POSTAL SERVICE OFFICIALS

1:23:15 WHO WE CONTACTED FOR OUR

1:23:18 INFORMATION REQUESTS AS FAR AS

1:23:20 WE CONDUCT OUR INVESTIGATIONS

1:23:21 THROUGH OUR COLLECTIVE

1:23:22 BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE

1:23:23 POSTAL SERVICE HAVE BEEN ISSUED

1:23:26 MULTIPLE TIMES ON MULTIPLE

1:23:28 OCCASIONS REQUESTING ANSWERS

1:23:30 THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND

1:23:32 TESTIMONY TO THE COMMENT

1:23:34 OF COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.

1:23:36 OF WHO'S NOT SAYING WHAT WHAT

1:23:38 DON'T WE KNOW?

1:23:39 WHY DON'T WE HAVE THE ANSWERS

1:23:41 TO THESE QUESTIONS THAT THE

1:23:43 COUNSELORS ARE ASKING IN THESE

1:23:44 HEARINGS?

1:23:44 WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TO

1:23:45 THESE QUESTIONS ALSO IN PART

1:23:48 OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THESE

1:23:49 PROCESSES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT

1:23:52 RESPONDING TO OUR INFORMATION

1:23:54 REQUESTS.

1:23:55 NOT ONLY DOES THAT VIOLATE OUR

1:23:57 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS,

1:23:58 BUT IT HINDERS OUR ABILITY TO

1:23:59 BEAR OUR BURDEN OF PROOF TO

1:24:02 DEMONSTRATE THROUGH THE

1:24:03 APPROPRIATE CHANNELS AND OUR

1:24:04 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE THAT

1:24:05 MANAGEMENT IS VIOLATING FEDERAL

1:24:07 LAW AND THEY'RE NOT COMPLYING

1:24:08 WITH THEIR OWN HANDBOOKS AND

1:24:09 MANUALS.

1:24:11 SO TO YOUR QUESTION OF THEIR

1:24:13 PROCESS, ASIDE FROM THE

1:24:17 LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE HERE THAT

1:24:19 I BROUGHT TODAY WHICH I WILL

1:24:20 MAKE AVAILABLE TO YOU UPON

1:24:22 REQUEST SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO

1:24:23 RETAIN IT.

1:24:26 THE OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY

1:24:28 AND THEIR REQUIREMENTS TO NOT

1:24:31 ONLY RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM THEM

1:24:33 AND HEAR THEIR CONCERNS BUT TO

1:24:34 RESPOND TO THEM AND THEN TAKE

1:24:36 THOSE INTO EFFECT ALONG WITH

1:24:37 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS PRIOR TO

1:24:39 MAKING A DECISION SEEMS TO BE

1:24:41 WIPED OFF THE TABLE AND BE NOT

1:24:44 CONSIDERED AT ALL.

1:24:46 UM AS FAR AS PROVIDING A VALID

1:24:50 REASON IS ALSO A REQUIREMENT

1:24:51 OF THE HANDBOOKS AND MANUALS.

1:24:53 THEY CANNOT ARBITRARILY CLOSE

1:24:54 THE POST OFFICE.

1:24:56 THEY HAVE TO HAVE A SUFFICIENT

1:24:57 REASON TO DEMONSTRATE UH, NOT

1:24:59 ONLY TO THE RESIDENTS BUT TO

1:25:01 THE STAKEHOLDERS OF THE POSTAL

1:25:02 SERVICE AND THEY SEEM TO BE

1:25:03 SKIPPING OVER THAT PROVISION AS

1:25:05 WELL.

1:25:06 SO FROM THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT

1:25:08 I'VE CONDUCTED SO FAR IN THE

1:25:11 STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS, IT

1:25:12 SEEMS LIKE SOMEONE SOMEWHERE

1:25:14 AND POSTAL MANAGEMENT IS JUST

1:25:17 TRYING TO COVER THEIR BASES TO

1:25:18 THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY AND

1:25:20 CHECK OFF BOXES OF HEY, THIS

1:25:23 PROVISION SAYS WE HAVE TO DO

1:25:24 THIS SO LET'S JUST DO THAT REAL

1:25:25 QUICK AND THEN JUST SAY WE DID

1:25:27 IT.

1:25:27 AND THE PARTS OF CONSIDERATION

1:25:30 THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR THEM TO

1:25:31 TAKE SEEM TO BE TAKING A

1:25:33 BACKSEAT AND THEY WANT TO READ

1:25:35 IN BETWEEN THE LINES OF THE

1:25:36 LANGUAGE AND CHERRY PICK WHAT

1:25:38 THEY WANT TO FOLLOW AND THEN

1:25:40 AND ILLUSTRATE TO US THAT

1:25:42 THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE AND THAT

1:25:44 THEY ARE DOING NO HARM.

1:25:46 THANK YOU JUSTIN.

1:25:47 THANK YOU.

1:25:48 I THINK OUR EXPERIENCE THAT WE

1:25:49 HAD A PUBLIC MEETING ONLINE

1:25:51 THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR UM A

1:25:55 FRIDAY AFTERNOON 1:00 1 TO 130

1:25:58 .

1:25:58 THEY COULD NOT WAIT TO CLOSE

1:26:00 THE MEETING.

1:26:01 THEY STARTED TALKING ABOUT OH

1:26:03 WE'LL TAKE ONE MORE QUESTION AT

1:26:04 ABOUT 20 20 MINUTES INTO THE

1:26:07 CONVERSATION AND UH, I THINK I

1:26:09 SPEAK FOR TONY COULD MAYBE

1:26:11 ADDRESS THIS BUT WE GOT VERY,

1:26:12 VERY UNSATISFACTORY ANSWERS TO

1:26:14 THE QUESTIONS AND WE HAD

1:26:15 MULTIPLE I THINK THERE WAS OVER

1:26:17 100 QUESTIONS ASKED AND THE MAY

1:26:19 I ANSWERED ABOUT 15 OF THEM.

1:26:21 SO IT WAS A VERY UNSATISFACTORY

1:26:23 EXPERIENCE OR SO-CALLED PUBLIC

1:26:25 PUBLIC MEETING WAS WAS REALLY A

1:26:27 STRETCH TO CALL IT A PUBLIC

1:26:29 MEETING.

1:26:31 UM UH JUST TO THAT COMMENT I

1:26:32 JUST LIKE TO CAPITALIZE ON THAT

1:26:33 FOR A MOMENT.

1:26:35 I BELIEVE THE REASON THAT

1:26:35 THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING US WHAT

1:26:37 WE'RE ASKING FOR IN THESE

1:26:38 INFORMATION REQUESTS IS FOR

1:26:39 THAT REASON THEY DON'T WANT US

1:26:41 TO UNCOVER AND THEN SHED LIGHT

1:26:43 ON ALL THESE THINGS THEY'RE

1:26:44 SUPPOSED TO COMPLY WITH THEY'RE

1:26:46 NOT DOING OR THEY DON'T HAVE.

1:26:49 SO YOU KNOW, TO THAT REMARK

1:26:51 IT'S BEEN EVIDENT TO US THAT IF

1:26:54 THEY HAD NOTHING TO HIDE THEY

1:26:56 WOULD GLADLY PROVIDE THE

1:26:57 INFORMATION AND SAY SEE WE'RE

1:26:59 DOING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO

1:27:00 WHAT'S THE NO PROBLEM HERE?

1:27:02 BUT WHEN WE ASKED MULTIPLE

1:27:03 TIMES, UH, FOR INTERVIEWS TO

1:27:06 INTERVIEW POSTAL OFFICIALS AND

1:27:08 OBTAIN DOCUMENTS TO ENSURE THAT

1:27:09 THEY COMPLIED AND THEY'RE BEING

1:27:12 EXTREMELY UNCOOPERATIVE, WHICH

1:27:14 IS ALSO AGAINST FEDERAL LAW

1:27:15 THROUGH THE NATIONAL LABOR

1:27:17 RELATIONS ACT THAT WE HAVE THE

1:27:18 RIGHT TO THE INFORMATION, UH,

1:27:20 TO PROCESS OUR CASES THROUGH

1:27:21 OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

1:27:22 AGREEMENT.

1:27:23 IT'S BECAUSE THEY EITHER DON'T

1:27:24 WANT US TO SEE THE DOCUMENTS OR

1:27:26 THEY WERE NEVER GENERATED IN

1:27:27 THE FIRST PLACE.

1:27:28 I THINK THE OTHER ISSUE I'D

1:27:30 LIKE TO JUST PUT ON THE RECORD

1:27:31 IS THAT OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE

1:27:33 ARLINGTON POST OFFICE WAS IT

1:27:35 CLOSED UH, AS AN EMERGENCY

1:27:37 CLOSURE IN LATE 2019 JUST UH

1:27:41 JUST BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS LIKE

1:27:44 IN MID-DECEMBER?

1:27:45 UM, IT CLOSED BECAUSE THERE

1:27:47 WERE STRUCTURAL ISSUES WITH THE

1:27:48 BUILDING.

1:27:49 IT WAS IN DANGER.

1:27:50 IT WAS DANGEROUS TO BE IN THERE

1:27:52 AND THEY CLOSED IT AND THEN

1:27:53 THEY SENT OUT THE VAN THE POST

1:27:56 OFFICE FAN.

1:27:56 UM BUT THEN COVID HIT.

1:27:59 WE HAD A MASSIVE DECREASE IN

1:28:01 OUR POPULATION LIKE WE

1:28:03 RECOGNIZED AT LEAST 6000 PEOPLE

1:28:04 LEFT ALLSTON AS A RESPONSE TO

1:28:07 COVID.

1:28:08 AND OF COURSE THE NUMBERS.

1:28:11 WEREN'T AND NO ONE WAS GOING TO

1:28:13 STAND IN THE QUEUE IN THE POST

1:28:16 OFFICE.

1:28:17 UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE

1:28:18 DEMAND FOR THE SERVICE WASN'T

1:28:21 DECREASED AT THAT TIME BUT I

1:28:22 THINK TO USE THAT AS A

1:28:24 JUSTIFICATION FOR CLOSING OF A

1:28:25 POST OFFICE THAT HAS GOT IN A

1:28:27 NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS GOT

1:28:28 30,000 PEOPLE IS UH,

1:28:30 DISINGENUOUS AT BEST IT.

1:28:32 YOU'RE BEING POLITE WHEN YOU

1:28:34 SAY DISINGENUOUS IT THEY IT'S

1:28:38 REALLY THEIR METHODS UH CATCH

1:28:41 US CATCH US IF YOU.

1:28:42 CAN BECAUSE AS JUSTIN SAID THEY

1:28:46 HAVE SPECIFIED PROCEDURES IN

1:28:49 ORDER TO SHUT IT DOWN BUT IT

1:28:52 REQUIRES TRANSPARENCY.

1:28:54 UH, AND THEY.

1:28:55 HAVE TO.

1:28:56 LEGITIMIZE THEIR ANSWERS.

1:28:57 THEY CAN'T WHAT THEY'RE DOING

1:29:01 IS JUST WRONG.

1:29:02 IT'S CONTRARY TO TO YOU KNOW,

1:29:04 THE STATUTES IT'S CONTRARY TO

1:29:06 THEIR OWN, UH, MANDATES AND

1:29:09 POLICIES.

1:29:11 SO THE BEST WAY TO NOT GET

1:29:13 CAUGHT IS IS TO IS TO HIDE AND

1:29:16 THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.

1:29:18 SO EVEN WHEN YOU GET AN ANSWER

1:29:20 IT'S A GENERALIZED ANSWER.

1:29:21 YOU DON'T GET A SPECIFICS AND

1:29:24 YOU'RE RIGHT THEY'RE NOT AFRAID

1:29:25 TO USE UH SEGMENT OF TIME THAT

1:29:28 THEY HAD DURING COVID AND

1:29:31 PRESENTED AS AS NORMAL BUSINESS

1:29:33 THAT THAT THEY'RE NOT AFRAID TO

1:29:36 DO THAT THEY'LL THAT'S WHAT

1:29:37 THEY DO.

1:29:38 UM AND LIKE YOU SAID THAT

1:29:40 THEY'VE HAD THE WHEREWITHAL TO

1:29:41 PUT A MOBILE BRANCH OUT THERE

1:29:44 THE ENTIRE TIME THEY'LL SIT.

1:29:47 BEHIND THE PLANT.

1:29:48 DOWN BEHIND SOUTH STATION.

1:29:51 THEY'LL HAVE MOBILE.

1:29:52 UNITS SITTING THERE NOT BEING

1:29:55 UTILIZED WHEN THEY COULD.

1:29:57 IT COULD BE OUT SERVICING

1:30:00 EITHER THE ENTIRE OR AT LEAST A

1:30:02 PORTION OF THE HOURS

1:30:03 OF OPERATION OF ALLSTON.

1:30:04 THEY JUST DON'T CARE.

1:30:06 THEY DIDN'T WANT THEY THEY ALL

1:30:08 GET THEIR BONUSES ON

1:30:09 SUPPRESSING WORK HOURS WHETHER

1:30:12 THEY BE REGULAR WORK HOURS OR

1:30:13 ALL THE TIME WHATEVER.

1:30:14 AND I WAS IN IOWA AND THEY ALL

1:30:16 PAT THEMSELVES ON THE BACK WHEN

1:30:18 THEY SUPPRESSED WORK HOURS.

1:30:20 SO WHO'S EVER IN CHARGE OF THAT

1:30:22 ALLSTON AREA?

1:30:23 THAT'S THEMSELVES ON THE BACK

1:30:24 EVERY DAY THEY DEPRIVE THAT

1:30:26 COMMUNITY OF SERVICE BECAUSE

1:30:28 THEY'VE HAD THE MEANS AND

1:30:30 WHEREWITHAL TO DO IT, YOU KNOW,

1:30:31 AND NOT NOW TO YOU KNOW, AGAIN,

1:30:34 I KEEP GOING BACK.

1:30:36 UH.

1:30:37 TO TO THE PROPERTY OWNER

1:30:40 IT'S.

1:30:41 THE THEY THEY'VE SHOWN.

1:30:43 THAT THEY THEY MOST.

1:30:45 PLACES WANT.

1:30:46 THE POSTAL SERVICE THERE

1:30:47 LIKE IN THE STRIP MALLS IN THE

1:30:49 SMALLER COMMUNITIES.

1:30:50 IT'S THE ANCHOR.

1:30:51 OF THE STRIP MALL.

1:30:52 I GOT TO GO TO THE POST OFFICE.

1:30:54 I'LL PICK UP MY SANDWICH OFF.

1:30:55 I GOT TO GO TO THE POST I

1:30:56 WAS.

1:30:56 I'LL GRAB MY SIX PACK.

1:30:58 WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE I'LL

1:30:59 GO TO THE CVS SO.

1:31:01 THE COMMUNITIES.

1:31:03 DO WANT.

1:31:04 THE POST OFFICE.

1:31:04 THEY'RE NOT JUST FOR POSTAL

1:31:06 SERVICE BUT.

1:31:08 IT TENDS TO ENHANCE OTHER

1:31:11 BUSINESSES.

1:31:11 YEAH SO SO BUT THEY THEY.

1:31:14 BUT WE I WOULD LOVE TO ADD

1:31:16 SOMETHING TO THAT PIECE BECAUSE

1:31:17 THE USPS USED TO BE THEY WOULD

1:31:20 SIGN REALLY LONG LEASES AND YOU

1:31:22 WOULD KNOW AND IT WOULD BE

1:31:23 PREDICTABLE YOU'RE WORKING WITH

1:31:24 THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

1:31:26 UM THAT WAS ONE OF THE STICKING

1:31:27 POINTS IN THE MISSION HALL

1:31:28 LEASE.

1:31:29 THEY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO

1:31:30 VACATE WHENEVER THEY WANTED.

1:31:31 YEAH.

1:31:32 AND SO I GUESS IT'S REALLY

1:31:34 IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT LIKE THE

1:31:35 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IT WOULD BE

1:31:36 GREAT IF USPS WAS A GREAT

1:31:38 TENANT AND WAS SIGNING TEN YEAR

1:31:40 LEASES BECAUSE THAT MAKES

1:31:42 SENSE.

1:31:42 THAT'S A COMMITMENT TO THE

1:31:43 COMMUNITY THAT THAT YOU'RE

1:31:45 SERVING.

1:31:46 UM AND THAT IS NOT WHAT THEY

1:31:48 YOU KNOW, THE MORE THAT I HEAR

1:31:50 ABOUT MEDFIELD AND ALL OF THESE

1:31:51 OTHER COMMUNITIES IN WHICH

1:31:53 THEY'RE DOING THE SAME THING,

1:31:55 UM, IT'S CLEAR THAT THEY DON'T

1:31:57 WANT TO SIGN LONG LEASES AND

1:31:58 THEY DON'T WANT TO BE

1:32:00 ENCUMBERED AND I'M

1:32:02 SORRY GOVERNMENT YOU KNOW,

1:32:03 YOU'RE ENCUMBERED BY THE DUTY

1:32:05 YOU HAVE TO THE PEOPLE

1:32:06 OF BOSTON AND TO THE PEOPLE

1:32:07 OF THE UNITED STATES

1:32:08 OF AMERICA, YOU KNOW.

1:32:09 AND SO IT'S IT IS UH IT'S

1:32:12 FRUSTRATING.

1:32:13 THEY SHOULD BE GOOD TENANTS AND

1:32:14 THEY SHOULD BE GOOD TENANTS TO

1:32:17 EAT AND PROPERTIES AND UH, TO

1:32:19 HEAR NOAA'S TESTIMONY HERE

1:32:22 ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE

1:32:23 DONE TO BUILD IT OUT TO

1:32:25 SATISFACTION REALLY A COMMUNITY

1:32:27 BENEFIT, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU,

1:32:29 UH, NOAA FOR EDEN PROPERTIES

1:32:31 WORK ON THIS UM AND TO HAVE

1:32:33 USPS, YOU KNOW, GO BACK ON

1:32:35 THEIR DECISION YOU KNOW WHILE

1:32:37 THEY'RE MID BUILD IS IS REALLY

1:32:40 INFURIATING AND CRAZY.

1:32:42 SO UM SO NOT TO CUT OFF

1:32:44 COUNCILOR BREADON UM,

1:32:45 COUNCIL PRESIDENT IF YOU HAVE

1:32:46 ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BUT THE

1:32:47 MORE WE HEAR AND THE MORE WE

1:32:49 TALK ABOUT THE MORE THE MORE

1:32:50 FRUSTRATING.

1:32:52 IT JUST.

1:32:52 SAYS OH GO AHEAD JUSTIN.

1:32:55 THANK YOU.

1:32:55 I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE TO

1:32:57 YOUR COMMENT, PRESIDENT BREEDEN

1:32:59 ON UH, STRUCTURAL ISSUES FOR

1:33:01 POST OFFICES, UH, AND OSHA

1:33:03 RELATED EVEN COVID IF YOU WANT

1:33:05 TO INCLUDE IT IN THAT FOR

1:33:06 SAFETY AND HEALTH.

1:33:07 THIS IS A EXCERPT FROM THE OWN

1:33:10 POSTAL SERVICE HANDBOOKS AND

1:33:12 MANUALS THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED

1:33:13 TO COMPLY WITH.

1:33:14 THEY PUBLISH THEM THEMSELVES

1:33:16 AND THIS IS FROM SECTION 213.

1:33:18 I'D LIKE TO KNOW THIS FOR THE

1:33:19 RECORD CIRCUMSTANCES IS

1:33:22 INSUFFICIENT TO JUSTIFY A

1:33:23 DISCONTINUANCE STUDY.

1:33:24 THE FOLLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES

1:33:25 CANNOT BE USED TO JUSTIFY

1:33:27 INITIATION OF A DISCONTINUANCE

1:33:29 STUDY IN ONE OF THOSE STATES

1:33:31 OSHA REQUIREMENTS THE POSTAL

1:33:33 SERVICE MAY NOT CONSIDER

1:33:34 COMPLIANCE WITH THE

1:33:36 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

1:33:37 ACT OF 1970.

1:33:39 IN MAKING A DISCONTINUANCE

1:33:41 DETERMINATION WHAT THEY ARE

1:33:42 REQUIRED TO DO IF THERE IS A

1:33:43 STRUCTURAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

1:33:44 ISSUE THAT DANGERS THE PROPERTY

1:33:47 OCCUPANTS, THE EMPLOYEES OR THE

1:33:49 RESIDENTS THEY ARE REQUIRED TO

1:33:52 UH SEEK COUNCILOR ON REPAIRING

1:33:54 IT AND PROVIDE ALTERNATE

1:33:56 LOCATIONS DURING THE QUOTE

1:33:58 UNQUOTE SUSPENSION OF THE

1:33:59 POSTAL SERVICE FOR OSHA

1:34:01 REASONS.

1:34:01 BUT IT'S VERY CLEAR IN THE

1:34:03 LANGUAGE HERE AGAIN WHICH I

1:34:05 WILL PROVIDE TO YOU, UM, IF YOU

1:34:07 WISH THAT THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED

1:34:09 TO JUSTIFY AN INITIATION

1:34:11 OF DISCONTINUANCE SOLELY ON A

1:34:13 STRUCTURAL ISSUE.

1:34:15 THANK YOU.

1:34:16 SO.

1:34:17 UM, I.

1:34:18 GOT TONY NEEDS IS MIKE OKAY?

1:34:20 THERE YOU GO.

1:34:20 JUST, UH, JUST TO ADD ON TO THE

1:34:23 COUNTLESS COMMENTS AND

1:34:24 EVERYTHING, ISN'T IT A LITTLE

1:34:26 BIT DISINGENUOUS WHEN THEY

1:34:27 BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE OF THE

1:34:29 MOBILE UNIT IN THE PUBLIC

1:34:30 HEARING, THEY FAILED TO MENTION

1:34:33 THAT THE MOBILE UNITS DO NO TO

1:34:36 NO PACKAGES, NO PASSPORTS?

1:34:40 UH NO OF COURSE P.O BOX IS

1:34:42 BASICALLY JUST STEMS SO

1:34:44 OF COURSE THEY MEANT TO YOU

1:34:45 KNOW WE PUT IT OUT THERE AND IT

1:34:46 WASN'T REALLY UTILIZED THAT

1:34:47 MUCH.

1:34:48 OF COURSE WHEN YOU ELIMINATE

1:34:49 ALL THOSE SERVICES WHO WOULD

1:34:51 END UP USING IT?

1:34:52 AND TO REITERATE WHAT THE

1:34:54 COUNCIL SAID ABOUT THE PUBLIC

1:34:55 HERE, ISN'T IT AMAZING THAT ALL

1:34:57 OF A SENSE OF OH SEVEN YEARS

1:34:59 INTO THE PROCESS THEY'RE NOW

1:35:00 TRYING TO GO THROUGH THE FORMAL

1:35:03 DISCONTINUANCE PROCESS WITH THE

1:35:04 PUBLIC HEARING THE SURVEY, THE

1:35:07 QUESTIONNAIRE AND ALL OF THAT.

1:35:09 THE HALF HOUR WAS A SLICK,

1:35:13 WELL-ORCHESTRATED UH, PUBLIC

1:35:16 HEARING ZOOM THAT I'M SURE THEY

1:35:18 USE THAT MODEL ALL AROUND THE

1:35:20 COUNTRY WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO

1:35:21 CLOSE DOWN POST OFFICES.

1:35:23 EVERYBODY MUST GET WELL TRAINED

1:35:25 AND PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THE

1:35:27 PUBLIC AND GET THEM THROUGH

1:35:29 THAT HEARING.

1:35:29 IT WAS.

1:35:30 UNBELIEVABLE.

1:35:30 YOU KNOW, 100% RIGHT BECAUSE

1:35:32 THEY GOT MURDERED 15 YEARS AGO

1:35:35 WHEN THEY'D HAVE TRUE PUBLIC

1:35:37 INPUT MEETINGS.

1:35:38 SO NOW THEY ASK FOR QUESTIONS

1:35:40 AHEAD OF TIME.

1:35:41 THEY CHERRY PICK THE ONES THEY

1:35:42 WANT TO IT'S UH THEY THEY FORCE

1:35:44 IT IN A HALF HOUR FORUM AND GET

1:35:46 OUT OF DODGE SO IT'S

1:35:49 PERFUNCTORY AT BEST.

1:35:50 HUNDRED PERCENT.

1:35:51 YOU KNOW CHUCK IN THE BOX.

1:35:52 UH, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT?

1:35:53 JUST GO.

1:35:54 OH NO.

1:35:55 OKAY.

1:35:56 UM SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE

1:35:59 FOR WE HAVE FIVE PEOPLE THAT

1:36:01 WANT TO TESTIFY.

1:36:03 UH, MIKE DORGAN IS FIRST IN

1:36:05 PERSON.

1:36:05 AND A CHAIR.

1:36:07 OH GO AHEAD COUNSELOR.

1:36:08 QUESTION JUSTIN.

1:36:10 ABOUT THE DISCONTINUANCE STUDY.

1:36:12 WHERE ARE THEY IN THAT.

1:36:14 DISCONTINUANCE STUDY AND WHEN

1:36:16 YOU THE TWO LAWS THAT YOU CITED

1:36:19 COULD YOU JUST CITE THOSE

1:36:21 AGAIN.

1:36:22 I MISSED THEM AS YOU WERE GOING

1:36:24 A LITTLE FAST BUT.

1:36:25 I WANT TO SEE WHERE THE

1:36:26 DISCONTINUANCE.

1:36:27 STUDY WAS.

1:36:28 WE NEED THIS MIKE ON OKAY.

1:36:31 UH THANK YOU COUNCILOR, TO

1:36:33 ANSWER YOUR QUESTION

1:36:34 DEFINITIVELY WE DON'T KNOW.

1:36:35 AND THE REASON THAT WE DON'T

1:36:37 KNOW IS AS I STATED EARLIER

1:36:39 THROUGH THE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

1:36:41 AND OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

1:36:42 AGREEMENT WE HAVE SUBMITTED

1:36:43 INFORMATION REQUESTS WHICH

1:36:45 INCLUDE INTERVIEWING POSSIBLE

1:36:47 OFFICIAL OFFICIALS TO DETERMINE

1:36:48 WHERE THEY ARE AT, WHAT THEIR

1:36:51 FEASIBILITY STUDY, WHO HAS

1:36:52 AUTHORIZED IT, WHO IS

1:36:53 CONDUCTING IT, WHERE THEY ARE

1:36:55 IN THE PROCESS AND WHAT THEIR

1:36:57 DETERMINATIONS ARE AND IF THEY

1:36:59 HAVE TAKEN INTO EFFECT ANY UH,

1:37:02 CONSIDERATION FOR THE EMPLOYEES

1:37:03 ,THE RESIDENTS AND COSTS AS

1:37:05 THEY'RE REQUIRED.

1:37:07 AND AS I STATED EARLIER, THE

1:37:09 POSTAL SERVICE HAS BEEN VERY

1:37:11 UNCOOPERATIVE IN PROVIDING ANY

1:37:12 OF THOSE INFORMATION OR

1:37:14 REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE SENT.

1:37:16 UH WE HAVE FILED CHARGES WITH

1:37:17 THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS

1:37:18 BOARD, UH, FOR VIOLATION

1:37:20 OF SECTION EIGHT OF THE

1:37:22 NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT

1:37:23 OF FAILING TO PROVIDE US TO TO

1:37:24 THE INFORMATION NECESSARY FOR

1:37:26 US TO PROCESS OUR CASES.

1:37:28 UH, SO I'D LOVE TO TELL YOU

1:37:29 WHERE THEY ARE, UH, IN THE

1:37:30 PROCESS BUT THEY SEEM, UM, VERY

1:37:34 COOPERATIVE IN NOT TELLING US.

1:37:37 THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND

1:37:39 DISCONTINUING.

1:37:40 I'M SORRY, YOUR MICROSOFT.

1:37:41 OFFICE THIS I.

1:37:43 JUST WANT TO FOCUS A LITTLE ON

1:37:45 THE DISCONTINUANCE.

1:37:47 STUDY BECAUSE THAT WOULD LEAD.

1:37:49 TO THE DISCONTINUANCE.

1:37:50 THE OTHER.

1:37:50 THING IS THOSE.

1:37:51 TWO LAWS THAT YOU CITED IN THE

1:37:53 BEGINNING.

1:37:53 WERE UH, ONE OF THEM WAS THE

1:37:57 FROM THE POSTAL REORGANIZATION

1:37:58 ACT OF 1970, UH, AND ALSO THE

1:38:02 POSTAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND

1:38:04 ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2006 WHICH

1:38:06 STATES THAT THE POSTAL SERVICE

1:38:08 IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE

1:38:10 EFFICIENT SERVICE UH, IN ALL

1:38:12 AREAS AND ALL COMMUNITIES.

1:38:14 AND THE REASON THAT I BROUGHT

1:38:16 THAT UP IS WHEN THEY TAKE A

1:38:19 POSTAL SERVICE FROM A COMMUNITY

1:38:21 AS THE GENTLEMAN EARLIER STATED

1:38:22 YOU CAN HAVE TEN POST OFFICES

1:38:24 IN NEWTON BUT THE NEWTON

1:38:26 COMMUNITY IS IN THE ALSTON

1:38:28 COMMUNITY.

1:38:28 SO AS SOON AS YOU TAKE A POST

1:38:30 OFFICE OUT OF ONE COMMUNITY,

1:38:31 THEY'RE FAILING TO COMPLY WITH

1:38:32 THEIR OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE

1:38:33 POSTAL SERVICES IN ALL AREAS IN

1:38:35 ALL COMMUNITIES.

1:38:36 AND THE OTHER ONE WAS THAT THEY

1:38:39 ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A

1:38:40 MAXIMUM DEGREE OF REGULAR AND

1:38:43 EFFICIENT SERVICE AND ALSO TO

1:38:45 THE GENTLEMAN'S COMMENT WHAT

1:38:46 THESE MOBILE POSTAL UNITS

1:38:47 THEY'RE DOING IF THEY'RE NOT

1:38:48 PROVIDING ALL THE SERVICES

1:38:50 THEY'RE FAILING TO COMPLY WITH

1:38:51 THAT LAW ALSO AND IN ADDITION

1:38:55 THEY ARE REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE

1:38:56 WITH TITLE 39 TO PROVIDE LETTER

1:38:58 P.O BOX AND COLLECTION SERVICE

1:39:00 ALONG WITH GENERALLY POST

1:39:02 OFFICE AVAILABILITY.

1:39:03 SO THE POSTAL SERVICE IS

1:39:05 CIRCUMVENTING THE PROVISIONS BY

1:39:07 SAYING WE'RE PROVIDING POSTAL

1:39:08 SERVICE, POSTAL SERVICES AND

1:39:11 POST OFFICE AVAILABILITY JUST

1:39:12 OVER IN THE NEXT TOWN.

1:39:15 SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS ARE GOING

1:39:17 TO WASHINGTON TO PROTEST.

1:39:17 UH-UH.

1:39:19 WHEREVER WE GOTTA GO WE GO.

1:39:21 THANK YOU SO MUCH

1:39:23 COUNCILOR CULPEPER.

1:39:24 UM AND THE PANEL IS RELIEVED.

1:39:26 SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR

1:39:28 SERVICE TODAY AND UM, THANK YOU

1:39:29 FOR BEING HERE.

1:39:31 UM, WANT TO GIVE, UM, A CHANCE

1:39:32 FOR COUNCIL PRESIDENT BRATTON

1:39:34 TO SAY ANY LAST REMARKS AND

1:39:35 THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO.

1:39:36 PUBLIC TESTIMONY.

1:39:36 YES.

1:39:37 UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU

1:39:38 ALL FOR BEING HERE.

1:39:39 UM, WE SEEM TO HAVE BEEN

1:39:41 THROUGH THIS RODEO BEFORE WITH

1:39:42 THE THE MISSION HILL

1:39:44 CONVERSATION BUT UH, AS AS

1:39:46 EVERYONE HAS STATED ALLSTON

1:39:48 BRIGHTON IS IS IS A HUGE

1:39:50 NEIGHBORHOOD WITH 30,000 PEOPLE

1:39:52 .

1:39:52 UH, TO TAKE THE POST OFFICE

1:39:54 AWAY IS NOT ONLY WRONGHEADED,

1:39:57 IT IS UNJUST AND UH, DOESN'T UH

1:40:01 MAKE ANY SENSE FROM THE

1:40:03 COMMUNITY POINT OF VIEW.

1:40:04 WE NEED A COMMUNITY.

1:40:05 WE NEED UH IT'S A BIG COMMUNITY

1:40:07 .

1:40:07 WE NEED A POST OFFICE.

1:40:09 AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING

1:40:10 HERE.

1:40:10 UH, JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW

1:40:11 WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, UH,

1:40:14 PRESS CONFERENCE IN RALEIGH AT

1:40:15 THE POST OFFICE SITE ON

1:40:18 OCTOBER 5TH AT 4 P.M. UM, IF

1:40:20 NEIGHBORS AND FOLKS WANT TO

1:40:22 COME ALONG AND VOICE THEIR

1:40:23 SUPPORT UH, PLEASE TURN UP UM,

1:40:26 AND UH, YOU KNOW WHEN AS AS

1:40:28 TONY ALREADY MENTIONED, UH, WE

1:40:30 DON'T GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT

1:40:32 IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON.

1:40:33 SO, UM, I THINK, UM, THIS IS

1:40:36 WHERE WE'RE NOT GOING QUIETLY.

1:40:38 UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE OUR

1:40:40 POST OFFICE AWAY WITHOUT A

1:40:41 FIGHT.

1:40:41 THANK YOU.

1:40:42 UH, JUST REAL QUICK.

1:40:43 WOULD YOU LIKE A NON-EXHAUSTIVE

1:40:45 A COPY OF THE LAWS AND

1:40:46 PROVISIONS THAT I'VE BROUGHT

1:40:47 TODAY?

1:40:48 YEAH, WE CAN PUT IT AS PART

1:40:49 OF THE RECORD.

1:40:49 YEAH, WE WERE GOING TO LEAVE

1:40:50 THEM HERE FOR YOU, UH, TO

1:40:51 ASSIST YOU IN YOUR ENDEAVORS.

1:40:53 I MEAN, APPRECIATE THAT.

1:40:54 THANK YOU SO MUCH.

1:40:54 THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

1:40:57 OKAY.

1:40:58 AND NEXT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR

1:40:59 FROM MIKE JORDAN WHO'S AN

1:41:00 AUSTIN RESIDENT.

1:41:02 BUT I WANT TO GIVE EVERYONE A

1:41:03 CHANCE TO UM TO CLEAR THE

1:41:07 FLOOR.

1:41:16 THANK YOU SO MUCH.

1:41:19 THANK YOU OKAY SO MIKE YOU HAVE

1:41:23 TWO MINUTES.

1:41:23 THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

1:41:25 OKAY.

1:41:26 UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

1:41:27 UM, THANK YOU TO THE, UH, MADAM

1:41:30 CHAIRMAN, UH, PRESIDENT AND

1:41:31 COUNCILOR.

1:41:32 UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE LIVED IN

1:41:35 AUSTIN FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS.

1:41:37 UM, IT'S KIND OF IRONIC.

1:41:39 UM, MY UNDERSTANDING LOOKING

1:41:40 AT, UH, THE BRIGHTON AUSTIN

1:41:43 HISTORICAL.

1:41:43 SOCIETY IT SOUNDS LIKE, UM IT

1:41:45 WAS THE.

1:41:47 CREATION OF.

1:41:48 THE POST OFFICE THAT

1:41:49 ACTUALLY.

1:41:50 ORIGINATED THE NAME OF AUSTIN.

1:41:52 YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE WHEN THEY

1:41:53 CREATED THE 02134 POSTAL

1:41:56 CODE UM, IS WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT

1:41:58 HAD THEN BEEN JUST BRIGHTON,

1:41:59 YOU KNOW PREVIOUSLY LITTLE

1:42:01 CAMBRIDGESHIRE UM YOU KNOW,

1:42:04 SPLIT OFF AUSTIN UH, THE

1:42:06 ELIMINATION OF THE AUSTIN UM

1:42:09 BRANCH UH, IT FEELS JUST LIKE A

1:42:13 CONTINUATION OF, YOU KNOW, A

1:42:15 PROGRESSIVE DESIRE, UH, TO

1:42:18 ELIMINATE AUSTIN.

1:42:20 IDENTITY AS A SEPARATE, YOU

1:42:22 KNOW, GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH, UH

1:42:24 ,YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT

1:42:25 CHARACTERISTICS HISTORICALLY

1:42:26 AUSTIN'S BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, A

1:42:28 POINT OF IMMIGRATION FOR LOTS

1:42:30 OF PEOPLE COMING IN AND

1:42:31 BECOMING U.S. CITIZENS.

1:42:32 UM, SO WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE

1:42:35 THAT.

1:42:36 I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO

1:42:37 HAVE AUSTIN HAVE ITS UNIQUE

1:42:38 IDENTITY AS A COMMUNITY, NOT AS

1:42:43 A DORM, UH, FOR THE

1:42:45 INSTITUTIONS AND UH, BASICALLY

1:42:48 I GUESS WORKING DORMS.

1:42:49 YOU KNOW, I LIVED IN JAPAN AND

1:42:51 WE HAD DORMITORIES FOR THE

1:42:52 COMPANIES, YOU KNOW, ALL SINCE

1:42:54 BECOMING A DORMITORY COMMUNITY,

1:42:55 UH, THE DEVELOPMENTS ARE A

1:42:57 SINGLE BEDROOM OR YOU KNOW, UH

1:42:59 ,COMMUNITY, UH, LARGE GROUP

1:43:02 BUILDINGS.

1:43:03 UH, WE WANT TO PRESERVE AUSTIN

1:43:06 AS AUSTIN AS A NEIGHBORHOOD

1:43:07 COMMUNITY SERVING ALL PEOPLE,

1:43:09 NOT JUST ONE GROUP.

1:43:11 AND UH, YOU KNOW, THE

1:43:12 ELIMINATION OF THE POST OFFICE

1:43:13 IS, UH, JUST A CONTINUATION

1:43:15 OF THE, UH, ATTEMPT TO

1:43:18 ELIMINATE AUSTIN AS AN ENTITY.

1:43:20 UH, I'M ALSO VERY CONCERNED

1:43:22 ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S

1:43:23 SUPPOSED TO BE A VERY PUBLIC

1:43:25 PROCESS IF YOU'RE GOING TO, UH,

1:43:27 GET RID OF A POST OFFICE AND

1:43:29 THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE, YOU

1:43:31 KNOW, DETAILED WHAT IS THE

1:43:32 IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY, WHAT'S

1:43:33 THE IMPACT TO THE LABORERS,

1:43:35 WHAT'S THE COST SAVINGS, ETC.

1:43:37 ETC. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY

1:43:39 OF THAT INFORMATION.

1:43:41 UM, YOU KNOW AND YOU KNOW, AS A

1:43:44 RESIDENT I CAN'T SAY THAT THIS

1:43:46 HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION

1:43:47 THROUGH THE POST OFFICE.

1:43:48 IT'S BEEN PRIMARILY THROUGH UM,

1:43:50 YOU KNOW, OTHER OTHER SOURCES

1:43:52 OF INFORMATION.

1:43:54 SO I THINK THAT GOVERNMENT

1:43:57 NEEDS TO PUSH BACK.

1:43:58 I MEAN, I GUESS IT'S MORE AT

1:44:00 THE STATE LEVEL.

1:44:00 THE ATTORNEY GENERALS HAVE BEEN

1:44:02 SUING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

1:44:03 FOR ALMOST EVERYTHING.

1:44:04 UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A CLEAR

1:44:07 INJUSTICE.

1:44:08 UM, THEY'RE NOT FOLLOWING THEIR

1:44:10 OWN REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES

1:44:11 AND I THINK THEY NEED TO.

1:44:13 THANK YOU SO MUCH, MIKE, AND

1:44:14 THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

1:44:16 UM, SO ONLINE WE HAVE UM I

1:44:19 THINK IT SHOULD ALLEN MEGHAN

1:44:20 MCMANUS FIRST THEN ARTHUR

1:44:23 DOWNEY JR UM, IS ON DECK AND

1:44:27 ANDREW FISHER IS IN THE HALL.

1:44:55 ELAINE YOU HAVE TWO AND A HALF

1:44:57 TWO MINUTE.

1:44:58 THANK YOU.

1:44:59 UM.

1:45:00 SO HI, I'M MARLENE MCCAULEY

1:45:01 MEEHAN.

1:45:02 I AM A 30 PLUS YEAR RESIDENT

1:45:06 OF AUSTIN AND BRIGHTON.

1:45:07 UM, I ACTUALLY SAY AUSTIN AND

1:45:09 BRIGHTON BECAUSE, UH, WHEN I

1:45:11 FIRST MOVED HERE IT WAS

1:45:12 DEFINITELY AUSTIN OR BRIGHTON.

1:45:15 UM, I'M ACTUALLY QUITE PROUD

1:45:17 OF THE FACT THAT IT IS AUSTIN

1:45:18 IN BRIGHTON THERE WERE 87,000

1:45:20 PEOPLE STRONG.

1:45:22 UM NEWTON HAS 90,741 PEOPLE IN

1:45:26 IT.

1:45:26 THEY HAVE SEVEN POST OFFICE

1:45:29 OFFICES.

1:45:29 SOMERVILLE HAS 84,211.

1:45:32 THEY HAVE FOUR POST OFFICES.

1:45:35 I WILL TELL YOU GROWING UP THE

1:45:37 SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ZIP

1:45:40 CODE TO ANY GEN X PERSON WAS

1:45:46 021 3480 2134 BECAUSE ZOOM.

1:45:49 TOLD US HOW TO DO A SASSY WHICH

1:45:52 WAS A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED

1:45:54 ENVELOPE VISIT SISTERS OF SAINT

1:45:56 JOSEPH TAUGHT US WHAT WE NEEDED

1:45:58 TO DO UH WITH THOSE SO I WORK

1:46:01 FOR THE ALLSTON BRIGHTON HEALTH

1:46:02 COLLABORATIVE.

1:46:03 WE'RE A NETWORK

1:46:04 OF ORGANIZATIONS AND

1:46:04 INDIVIDUALS WORKING TO IMPROVE

1:46:07 HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

1:46:08 OF ALLSTON BRIGHTON.

1:46:09 WE FOCUS ON FOOD ACCESS,

1:46:12 TRANSPORTATION, CLEAN AIR AND

1:46:13 EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS ROOTED

1:46:15 IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND COMMUNITY

1:46:17 EMPOWERMENT.

1:46:18 WE KNOW FROM THE HEALTHY

1:46:20 NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE WORK

1:46:22 THAT WE DID WITH THE BETH

1:46:23 ISRAEL, THAT COMMUNICATION AND

1:46:25 MENTAL HEALTH ARE HUGE

1:46:28 COMPONENTS OF WELLNESS IN

1:46:30 AUSTIN AND BRIGHTON.

1:46:32 WE ALSO KNOW BECAUSE

1:46:34 COMMUNICATION IS WHAT THE

1:46:36 UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE

1:46:38 DOES THAT IT WOULD BE IT IS A

1:46:40 HUGE LOSS TO NOT HAVE 02134

1:46:45 WITH ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE, YOU

1:46:46 KNOW, SEND IT TO ZOOM UM THERE

1:46:50 AND HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE

1:46:52 JUST RAISED THE FIFTH

1:46:54 GENERATION OF MEANS IN UM THE

1:46:58 AREA AND UH I HAVE TO SAY I

1:47:02 AGREE THAT, UM, THEY'RE DOING A

1:47:06 PRETTY GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO

1:47:08 DISMANTLE US AS A COMMUNITY BUT

1:47:11 THEY ARE PUSHING AGAINST THE

1:47:12 WRONG PEOPLE.

1:47:14 WE ARE STRONG.

1:47:15 YOU KNOW, I HAVE A.

1:47:17 UNCLE WHO IS IN EAST HAMPTON,

1:47:20 MASSACHUSETTS WHO IS A LETTER

1:47:21 CARRIER STEWARD JIM MCCAULEY

1:47:24 WHO IS YOU KNOW, SEWARD AND HIS

1:47:26 UNION.

1:47:26 UH, MY BROTHER'S THE LETTER

1:47:28 CARRIER IN MASON, OHIO.

1:47:30 I WILL TELL YOU WHAT THE MAIL

1:47:32 CARRIERS AROUND HERE ARE OUR

1:47:35 FRIENDS.

1:47:35 THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WATCH

1:47:37 THINGS.

1:47:37 THEY KNOW OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

1:47:39 THEY KNOW WHO WE ARE.

1:47:42 WHAT A HUGE DISSERVICE WE ARE

1:47:45 DOING TO OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR

1:47:48 FRIENDS, OUR PEOPLE WHO ARE

1:47:49 LIVING IN OTHER PLACES THAT

1:47:50 WANT TO HEAR FROM US BY NOT

1:47:53 OPENING 02134 BACK UP THEY

1:47:56 REALLY LEAN.

1:47:57 THANK YOU.

1:47:59 OKAY ARTHUR DOWNEY JUNIOR THEN

1:48:02 ANDREW FISHER AND THEN WENDY

1:48:03 SCHWARTZ ARTHUR.

1:48:13 THAT'S SOMEBODY ELSE.

1:48:14 OKAY THAT'S NOT ARTHUR THAT

1:48:16 MIGHT BE ANDREW.

1:48:17 ANDREW UM THANK YOU.

1:48:21 UM, FIRST OF ALL I'D LIKE TO

1:48:23 THANK YOU.

1:48:24 UM.

1:48:25 COUNCILMAN THE COUNCIL CHAIR.

1:48:27 BREEDEN FOR.

1:48:29 UH FOR ALLOWING.

1:48:30 ME TO SPEAK.

1:48:31 BUT ALSO.

1:48:31 FOR.

1:48:31 UM, LEADING.

1:48:32 THIS.

1:48:33 UM, BATTLE.

1:48:35 THAT IS A NECESSARY BATTLE.

1:48:36 WE NEED TO FIGHT.

1:48:38 UM.

1:48:38 MY NAME.

1:48:39 IS ANDREW FISHER.

1:48:40 I LIVE.

1:48:41 AND HAVE LIVED.

1:48:41 FOR.

1:48:42 UM.

1:48:43 CLOSE TO 40 YEARS.

1:48:45 UH.

1:48:46 IN BROOKLINE.

1:48:48 UM, NEAR.

1:48:49 UH.

1:48:51 ABOUT UH, 100.

1:48:52 YARDS FROM THE.

1:48:54 UM FROM THE.

1:48:56 BRIGHTON LINE.

1:48:57 I'M I ATTEND.

1:48:58 SYNAGOGUE IN BRIGHTON.

1:48:59 AND UM.

1:49:00 AND AS I HAVE FOR.

1:49:02 AS LONG.

1:49:03 AS I'VE LIVED HERE.

1:49:05 UH AND I'VE.

1:49:05 BEEN INVOLVED WITH.

1:49:06 UM.

1:49:08 JEFFREY AND EILEEN DUBIN.

1:49:09 AND OTHER NEIGHBORS.

1:49:11 UH.

1:49:12 IN VARIOUS COMMUNITY

1:49:13 STRUGGLES.

1:49:14 AND EFFORTS.

1:49:15 UM.

1:49:17 THIS IS NOT.

1:49:18 ABOUT JUST ABOUT THE UM.

1:49:24 ALLSTON BRANCH OF THE POST

1:49:27 OFFICE.

1:49:27 THIS IS ABOUT.

1:49:29 A MUCH BROADER.

1:49:30 EFFORT TO SHUT DOWN THE POST.

1:49:32 OFFICE AND.

1:49:33 ALLOW PRIVATE.

1:49:33 INDUSTRY TO TAKE OVER.

1:49:35 UH, THIS.

1:49:36 AFFECTS US ALL.

1:49:37 UH, FIRST OF ALL, I USE.

1:49:40 ,UM NOT JUST THE.

1:49:42 THE BROOKLINE.

1:49:43 UH.

1:49:44 COOLIDGE CORNER.

1:49:45 BRANCH WHICH I'M OBLIGED TO USE

1:49:47 NOW BECAUSE THE WASHINGTON

1:49:50 SQUARE I'M SORRY.

1:49:51 THE.

1:49:52 UM.

1:49:54 BROOKLINE VILLAGE.

1:49:56 BRANCH HAS BEEN CLOSED.

1:49:57 FOR SOME.

1:49:58 TIME AND UH, BECAUSE OF, UH, UM

1:50:02 ,FIRE IN THE FLOOR.

1:50:03 UPSTAIRS AND IT'S NOT THE OPEN

1:50:05 AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS GOING

1:50:07 TO BE AN EXCUSE TO NOT REOPEN

1:50:09 IT.

1:50:09 IT'S MADE THE LINES AT

1:50:11 COOLIDGE.

1:50:11 CORNER LONGER.

1:50:13 UM, NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF DAY

1:50:15 YOU COME UM.

1:50:18 IT IT'S TRUE.

1:50:20 I ALSO USE THE, UH, UM,

1:50:24 BRIGHTON BRANCH ON WASHINGTON

1:50:26 STREET, UH, WHICH IS ALSO

1:50:28 BECOME UH FROM A TIME WHEN IT

1:50:31 WAS ALWAYS A UH A QUICK WAY TO

1:50:33 GET IN AND OUT AND IT'S ALSO UH

1:50:36 NOW MORE CROWDED CLOSING THE

1:50:38 ALSO BRANCH WILL ONLY MAKE

1:50:40 PROBLEMS WORTH WORSE NOT JUST

1:50:41 FOR AUSTIN BUT IT.

1:50:43 THIS IS A SYSTEMATIC ATTEMPT TO

1:50:45 CLOSE THE UM.

1:50:46 THE UM POST OFFICE SYSTEM.

1:50:50 UM.

1:50:51 UH I'M.

1:50:52 A RETIRED LAWYER.

1:50:53 I, UH, LEARNED MUCH OF WHAT I

1:50:55 KNOW ABOUT FIGHTING UM, THE MEN

1:50:58 WHO ARE FIGHTING THE

1:50:59 ESTABLISHMENT FROM UH, MY UH.

1:51:04 UH UM, PARTNER IN UH IN LAW UH

1:51:07 NOW COUNSELOR CULPEPER UM.

1:51:10 AND I WANT TO.

1:51:11 SAY AS AN ATTORNEY.

1:51:12 UM, THIS IS NOT JUST A BREACH

1:51:14 OF CONTRACT ALTHOUGH IT IS A

1:51:16 BREACH OF CONTRACT.

1:51:16 IT'S NOT JUST A BREACH

1:51:20 OF FEDERAL STATUTES.

1:51:22 AS THE GENTLEMAN FROM THE

1:51:23 UNION, UH, POINTED OUT, THIS IS

1:51:26 A CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATION.

1:51:28 THE UM.

1:51:30 KNOW THE UM.

1:51:36 HOLD ON IT.

1:51:39 I DON'T HAVE HAD IT HERE.

1:51:41 THANK YOU SO MUCH, ANDREW.

1:51:43 YOU'RE A BIT OVER, SO.

1:51:44 MAY I, UH, JUST CONTINUE ONE

1:51:46 MORE THING.

1:51:47 UM.

1:51:50 YES.

1:51:51 GO AHEAD.

1:51:52 I'VE CONCLUDED.

1:51:53 I JUST THINK IT'S MORE THAN, UM

1:51:55 THIS IS A CONSTITUTIONAL

1:51:57 QUESTION.

1:51:57 THE RIGHT THE RIGHT TO A POST

1:51:59 OFFICE IS EMBEDDED IN THE

1:52:00 CONSTITUTION AND THIS IS A, UM,

1:52:05 FIGHT FOR, UM, OUR RIGHTS UNDER

1:52:07 THE CONSTITUTION AS WELL.

1:52:09 IT'S A CONSTITUTIONAL

1:52:10 VIOLATION.

1:52:10 THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

1:52:11 THANK YOU.

1:52:12 ANDREW.

1:52:12 UM, WENDY SCHWARTZ.

1:52:17 I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO

1:52:18 SPEAK AND I WANT TO EXPRESS

1:52:20 VERY DEEP APPRECIATION.

1:52:23 TO ALL OF THE PANELISTS.

1:52:25 I KNOW THEY'RE GONE.

1:52:26 FOR PARTICIPATING AND FOR THEIR

1:52:28 EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF GETTING

1:52:30 THE POST OFFICE BACK TO ALLSTON

1:52:32 AND TO COUNCILOR BREDON, I

1:52:34 REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS

1:52:35 HERE.

1:52:36 UM I AGREE OF COURSE WITH

1:52:38 WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID.

1:52:39 I AM IN ALL OH TWO AND THREE

1:52:42 FOR HOMEOWNER FOR 2021 YEARS.

1:52:49 UM AND I AGREE THAT IT'S A

1:52:51 CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE.

1:52:53 I THE INCONVENIENCE OF NOT

1:52:55 HAVING A POST OFFICE IS

1:52:57 TANGIBLE AND MEASURABLE.

1:52:59 I MEAN NOBODY'S MENTIONED THE

1:53:00 COST IN TIME.

1:53:01 I MEAN YOU'VE MENTIONED IT IN

1:53:03 VARIOUS WAYS STANDING ON LINES.

1:53:05 UM, AND I'M WONDERING IF

1:53:07 THERE'S A LAWSUIT COMING UP OR

1:53:10 IF THERE CAN BE A LAWSUIT

1:53:12 BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

1:53:14 IS NOT LIVING UP TO ITS

1:53:15 OBLIGATIONS AND THE FACT THAT

1:53:19 IT REVERSED ITSELF I THINK IS

1:53:22 JUST UM, INAPPROPRIATE AND THAT

1:53:26 WE SHOULD KEEP FIGHTING AND GET

1:53:30 OUR POST OFFICE BACK.

1:53:33 SO I CAN'T ADD MUCH MORE THAN

1:53:34 THAT, BUT I HOPE THIS EFFORT

1:53:37 WILL CONTINUE.

1:53:38 THANK YOU.

1:53:38 THANK YOU SO MUCH WENDY.

1:53:40 AND I THINK WE NOW HAVE ARTHUR

1:53:43 DOWNEY JR ON AS WELL.

1:53:44 SO HE'S GOING TO GO NEXT.

1:54:05 OKAY ARTHUR YOU HAVE TWO

1:54:07 MINUTES.

1:54:08 OKAY.

1:54:09 FIRST AND FOREMOST UM I WANT

1:54:12 TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR

1:54:13 BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO

1:54:15 ATTENTION AND I REALLY

1:54:17 APPRECIATE THAT.

1:54:17 UM, I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN 25

1:54:20 YEARS.

1:54:20 UM, I'M THE PROUD SON OF A

1:54:22 FATHER WHO WORKED FOR THE POST

1:54:24 OFFICE FOR 40 YEARS WHO HAD TO

1:54:26 RETIRE IN 94 AFTER HAVING A

1:54:28 QUADRUPLE HEART ATTACK.

1:54:29 UM, IT ABSOLUTELY BREAKS MY

1:54:31 HEART THAT THE POST OFFICE IS

1:54:33 IN THE STATE IT'S IN BECAUSE I

1:54:35 GREW UP WITH A DEEP AND

1:54:36 PROFOUND REVERENCE BECAUSE THE

1:54:38 POST OFFICE PROVIDED FOR MY

1:54:40 FAMILY AND I WOULDN'T BE HERE

1:54:43 WITHOUT THE POST OFFICE.

1:54:44 UM, EVER SINCE THE AUSTIN

1:54:45 BRIGHTON POST OFFICE CLOSED I

1:54:48 HAVE HAD OVER 30 PACKAGE

1:54:50 THEFTS.

1:54:51 I RECEIVED MAIL FROM OTHER

1:54:53 BUILDINGS.

1:54:54 UH, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO FILE

1:54:56 COMPLAINTS WITH THE POST

1:54:57 OFFICE.

1:54:57 IT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.

1:54:59 UM, I NEVER GET REFUNDED.

1:55:00 I HAVE TO GO THROUGH OTHER

1:55:01 ISSUES.

1:55:01 I'VE HAD TO FILE POLICE

1:55:03 REPORTS.

1:55:03 IT'S ABSOLUTELY INSANE TRYING

1:55:05 TO DEAL WITH THE PARADE AND

1:55:06 POST OFFICE.

1:55:07 UM, AUSTIN NEEDS THIS POST

1:55:08 OFFICE DESPERATELY.

1:55:09 I'VE LOST SO MUCH MONEY.

1:55:11 I'VE GONE THROUGH SO MUCH

1:55:13 FRUSTRATION.

1:55:14 UM.

1:55:14 AND I HAVE TO HAVE MY PACKAGES

1:55:16 DELIVERED TO A COMPLETELY

1:55:18 DIFFERENT CITY IN ORDER FOR

1:55:19 THEM NOT TO GET STOLEN, AND

1:55:21 THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

1:55:22 UM, I SO WE NEED THE POST

1:55:24 OFFICE DESPERATELY.

1:55:25 SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR

1:55:26 TIME AND I'LL SEE EVERYONE.

1:55:27 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH AT FOUR.

1:55:29 TAKE CARE AND HAVE GREAT DAYS.

1:55:31 THANK YOU SO MUCH, ARTHUR.

1:55:32 UM, I JUST HAVE A FEW THINGS

1:55:34 I'M GOING TO READ BEFORE WE END

1:55:36 THIS HEARING.

1:55:36 UH, WE RECEIVED A LOT OF PUBLIC

1:55:39 TESTIMONY, UM, VIRTUALLY AND

1:55:41 AND ONLINE AND AND LETTERS.

1:55:43 UM, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT

1:55:44 IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, UM,

1:55:47 A COMMUNITY LIKE ALSTON THAT

1:55:49 HAS LOST ITS POST OFFICE OFTEN

1:55:51 PEOPLE CANNOT TAKE OFF WORK,

1:55:54 UM, TO COME AND MAKE SURE THAT

1:55:56 THEIR VOICE IS HEARD.

1:55:57 THEY HAVE TO THEY HAVE JOBS.

1:55:59 UM, A LOT OF THE FOLKS WHO HAVE

1:56:01 EMAILED US UM, HAVE UH OUR

1:56:03 SENIORS OR HAVE DISABILITIES.

1:56:05 AND SO THOSE ARE UM BECAUSE

1:56:07 THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT MOST

1:56:09 DEEPLY IMPACTS THOSE ARE THE

1:56:11 DISABLED YOUNG PEOPLE.

1:56:14 UM, PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE BANK

1:56:16 ACCOUNTS OFTEN.

1:56:16 UM, SO THE THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC

1:56:18 TESTIMONY WE'VE RECEIVED, UM,

1:56:21 IS A TESTAMENT TO THE FACT THAT

1:56:23 THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE.

1:56:24 SO I JUST WANT TO READ UM, SOME

1:56:26 OF THE SELECTED TESTIMONY THAT

1:56:27 MY STAFF SELECTED.

1:56:28 YES.

1:56:29 ONE IS FROM JOAN PASQUALE.

1:56:31 GOOD MORNING COUNCILORS.

1:56:32 AS A 75 YEAR OLD SENIOR WITH

1:56:34 MOBILITY ISSUES HAVING TO

1:56:35 TRAVEL TO BRIGHTON CENTER OR

1:56:36 COOLIDGE CENTER, COOLIDGE

1:56:37 CORNER IN BROOKLINE TO ACCESS

1:56:39 THE POST OFFICE IS EXTREMELY

1:56:40 DIFFICULT.

1:56:41 I'M ONE OF MANY SENIORS ON

1:56:42 COMMONWEALTH AVENUE.

1:56:44 UM IN MY ALLSTON NEIGHBORHOOD

1:56:45 THAT SHARE THE SAME CONCERNS.

1:56:47 A POST OFFICE IN ALLSTON IS NOT

1:56:48 JUST DESIRED.

1:56:49 IT IS NEEDED FOR MULTIPLE

1:56:51 REASONS.

1:56:51 ALLSTON BUSINESSES AND

1:56:52 RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO

1:56:54 TRAVEL TO NEIGHBORING TOWNS TO

1:56:55 TRANSACT POST OFFICE BUSINESS.

1:56:57 THERE SHOULD BE AT LEAST ONE

1:56:58 POST OFFICE IN EVERY CITY AND

1:57:00 EVERY UM MASSACHUSETTS TOWN.

1:57:03 YET THE US POST OFFICE SERVICE

1:57:05 HAS SHOWN NO INTEREST IN

1:57:07 REESTABLISHING A POST OFFICE IN

1:57:08 ALLSTON.

1:57:09 REGARDLESS OF THE REASON FOR

1:57:10 THE POST OFFICE CLOSURE OR

1:57:12 REPLACEMENT, ALLSTON POST

1:57:12 OFFICE LOCATION SHOULD BE

1:57:14 DESIGNATED TO ACCOMMODATE

1:57:15 ALLSTON BUSINESSES AND

1:57:17 RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.

1:57:18 MY THIS CORRESPONDENCE SERVES

1:57:19 AS MY WRITTEN SUPPORT

1:57:21 OF REESTABLISHING THE POST

1:57:22 OFFICE.

1:57:22 AND THIS IS FROM JOAN ON

1:57:24 COMMONWEALTH AVENUE.

1:57:25 UM THIS IS FOR MILES.

1:57:26 I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE ON THE

1:57:28 RECORD THAT ALLSTON DESERVES

1:57:28 ITS OWN POST OFFICE.

1:57:30 I I I HAVE A I HAVE A FAMILY

1:57:33 MEMBER IN THE POST OFFICE WHO

1:57:35 HAS TOLD ME THAT USPS DOES NOT

1:57:36 INTEND TO BRING BACK POST

1:57:37 OFFICE TO ALLSTON AND THAT MY

1:57:39 OWN AND THAT NOT ONLY DOES IT

1:57:41 MAKE OUR LIVES AS RESIDENTS

1:57:43 MORE DIFFICULT.

1:57:44 IT MAKES MAIL CARRIERS JOB FAR

1:57:46 MORE DIFFICULT TO DRIVE BACK

1:57:47 AND FORTH FROM THE CENTRAL POST

1:57:48 OFFICE NEAR SOUTH STATION.

1:57:50 ALLSTON DOES OFTEN DOES NOT GET

1:57:52 THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AND

1:57:53 PROTECTIONS AS OTHER BOSTON

1:57:54 NEIGHBORHOODS, AND I AM TIRED

1:57:56 OF SEEING SUCH A BEAUTIFUL AND

1:57:57 VIBRANT COMMUNITY CRUMBLE DUE

1:57:59 TO GOVERNMENT NEGLECT,

1:58:00 PREDATORY LENDING AND CORPORATE

1:58:01 INTERESTS.

1:58:02 I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR NEARLY TEN

1:58:04 YEARS AND WATCHING OUR

1:58:05 ALLISON'S DETERIORATION HAS

1:58:06 BEEN HEARTBREAKING.

1:58:07 I WANT SO BADLY TO STAY HERE,

1:58:09 BUT IT'S DIFFICULT WHEN OUR

1:58:10 SOCIAL SERVICES CONTINUE TO BE

1:58:11 TAKEN AWAY FROM US.

1:58:13 A POST OFFICE AND A COMMUNITY

1:58:14 CENTER SHOULD BE THE BARE

1:58:15 MINIMUM FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD AS

1:58:16 LARGE AND AS DENSELY POPULATED

1:58:18 AS THE OLSON.

1:58:18 THANK YOU.

1:58:19 MILES, THIS IS FROM MARIE.

1:58:22 DEAR COUNCILOR BREADON AND

1:58:23 MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, I

1:58:24 WANT TO SUBMIT MY TESTIMONY IN

1:58:25 STRONG SUPPORT OF KEEPING

1:58:26 ALLISON'S POST OFFICE OPEN.

1:58:28 THE BOSTON POST OFFICE PROVIDES

1:58:29 ESSENTIAL POST OFFICE SERVICES

1:58:30 FOR MY COMMUNITY.

1:58:32 CLOSING THIS FACILITY WOULD

1:58:34 CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INCONVENIENCE

1:58:36 FOR THOSE THAT RELY ON IT.

1:58:38 REDIRECTING RESIDENTS TO THE

1:58:39 BRIGHTON POST OFFICE IS NOT A

1:58:40 VIABLE ALTERNATIVE.

1:58:41 THAT LOCATION IS ALREADY

1:58:43 HEAVILY UTILIZED AND ADDING

1:58:44 OLSON'S TRAFFIC CREATES

1:58:45 UNNECESSARY STRAIN ON STAFF,

1:58:47 FACILITIES AND CUSTOMERS.

1:58:48 THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

1:58:49 THIS IS SOMEONE FROM BRIGHTON

1:58:52 UM TO HERE.

1:58:53 AS A LONGTIME ALLSTON RESIDENT,

1:58:55 I USED ALLISON'S POST OFFICE

1:58:57 BIWEEKLY FOR OVER 20 YEARS

1:58:58 BEFORE IT CLOSED.

1:58:59 IT WAS CONVENIENTLY LOCATED

1:59:01 WITH PROFESSIONAL SERVICES,

1:59:02 SHORTER LINES AND OTHER

1:59:04 BRANCHES AND IT WAS A TRUE

1:59:05 PILLAR OF OUR COMMUNITY.

1:59:06 NONE OF THE OTHER BRANCHES ARE

1:59:07 CONVENIENT TO ME AT ALL.

1:59:08 THE COOLIDGE.

1:59:09 CORNER BRANCH HAS RUDE

1:59:11 UNPROFESSIONAL STAFF AND WAIT

1:59:12 TIMES OF UP TO 30 MINUTES.

1:59:13 THE BRIGHTON BRANCH IS TOO FAR.

1:59:15 WHEN I HAVE PACKAGES DELIVERED

1:59:16 FROM OTHER COUNTRIES THEY

1:59:18 AUTOMATICALLY SHIPPED TO THE

1:59:19 BRIGHTON BRANCH WHICH IS

1:59:21 EXTREMELY BUSY WITH LONGER WAIT

1:59:23 TIMES AND IS A HUGE

1:59:24 INCONVENIENCE FOR ME TO GET

1:59:25 THERE.

1:59:25 I KNOW MANY ELDERLY, DISABLED

1:59:27 AND NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING

1:59:28 RESIDENTS OF ALLSTON WHO HAVE

1:59:29 RELIED ON THE AWESOME POST

1:59:31 OFFICE ARE NOW LEFT IN HARDSHIP

1:59:32 BY THE CLOSURE OF THE POST

1:59:34 OFFICE ON HARVARD AVENUE FROM

1:59:37 GLORIA.

1:59:37 DEAR MEMBERS OF THE CITY

1:59:38 COUNCIL AS YOU WERE PROBABLY

1:59:39 AWARE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, USPS

1:59:41 HAS CLOSED OUR POST OFFICE IN

1:59:43 ALLSTON.

1:59:44 THAT FACILITY PROVIDED

1:59:45 IMPORTANT SERVICES TO OUR

1:59:46 NEIGHBORHOOD.

1:59:47 NOW ALLSTON RESIDENTS WHICH

1:59:49 TRAVEL TO BRIGHTON POST

1:59:50 SERVICES TO ACCESS THE SAME

1:59:52 SERVICES.

1:59:53 THIS IS NOT CONVENIENT OR

1:59:55 POSSIBLE FOR MANY RESIDENTS.

1:59:56 OUR COMMUNITIES WITH

1:59:57 POPULATIONS OF A SIMILAR SIZE

1:59:59 HAVE MULTIPLE POST OFFICE

2:00:01 FACILITIES.

2:00:01 HOWEVER, AFTER COMMITTING TO

2:00:03 REESTABLISHING THE NEW POST

2:00:04 OFFICE IN ALLSTON, USPS HAS

2:00:06 WITHDRAWN THAT DECISION.

2:00:07 I ASK THE COUNCIL TO DO

2:00:08 EVERYTHING AND THAT IS POSSIBLE

2:00:10 TO HAVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

2:00:11 REOPEN A RETAIL POST OFFICE IN

2:00:12 ALLSTON.

2:00:13 I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

2:00:15 GLORIA ALLSTON RESTAURANT.

2:00:16 WE'VE RECEIVED MANY MORE

2:00:18 PROBABLY LIKE 10 OR 12 SINCE

2:00:19 THIS HEARING HAS STARTED AND I

2:00:21 KNOW IT WILL.

2:00:21 THEY WILL CONTINUE TO POUR IN.

2:00:23 THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT UM

2:00:26 TOPIC UH, FOR US TO BE

2:00:27 COVERING.

2:00:28 UM, DESPITE US NOT HAVING UM,

2:00:30 YOU KNOW, UNILATERAL POWER OR

2:00:32 REALLY ANY POWER IN THIS MATTER

2:00:33 .

2:00:34 OUR POWER IS REALLY IN, UM,

2:00:36 CREATING AND UM, CONVENING THE

2:00:38 VOICES OF ALLSTON RESIDENTS AND

2:00:40 MAKING SURE THAT THEIR VOICES

2:00:41 ARE HEARD.

2:00:42 UM, AND AS MANY OF MY

2:00:44 COLLEAGUES SHARED, THEY FEAR

2:00:45 FOR THEIR POST OFFICES AND SO,

2:00:47 UM, AS A UNILATERAL BOSTON CITY

2:00:49 COUNCIL, WE ARE STANDING WITH

2:00:50 OUR PRESIDENT.

2:00:51 UM, TO DEMAND THAT ALLSTON

2:00:54 REESTABLISH A POST OFFICE.

2:00:56 UM, AND I PARTICULARLY WANT TO

2:00:58 THANK EDEN PROPERTIES, UH, NOAH

2:00:59 FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

2:01:01 IT REALLY SHINED A LIGHT ON THE

2:01:03 LEVEL AND THE AMOUNT UH AND THE

2:01:05 TIME AND THE WAY THAT THEY'VE

2:01:07 BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO MAKE

2:01:08 SURE THAT US SPACE IN THIS

2:01:10 COMMUNITY BENEFIT WOULD BE, UM

2:01:12 ,REESTABLISHED IN THE

2:01:13 COMMUNITY.

2:01:14 UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, I WANT TO

2:01:16 THANK COUNCIL PRESIDENT

2:01:17 BREEDEN.

2:01:18 DO YOU HAVE ANY LAST REMARKS?

2:01:19 NO.

2:01:19 JUST.

2:01:21 JUST THANK YOU TO EVERYONE I

2:01:22 KNOW FOLKS HAVE JOINED US UH,

2:01:25 VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON AND

2:01:26 THANKS TO A WONDERFUL PANEL

2:01:28 THIS MORNING AND, UH, I WOULD

2:01:30 JUST SAY THAT THE FIGHT

2:01:31 CONTINUES.

2:01:31 THANK YOU.

2:01:32 ABSOLUTELY.

2:01:33 THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT

2:01:34 BREEDEN.

2:01:34 UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, DOCKET

2:01:37 1338 IS ADJOURNED AND WILL

2:01:39 REMAIN IN COMMITTEE.