[Frances Nwajei]: So a couple of folks have time constraints. So I would just like to move forward with the agenda the way it's written so that we can honor everyone's time that's here. Did everybody have an opportunity to review the meeting minutes for March and April? Yes.
[Unidentified]: Yes. Yep.
[Frances Nwajei]: Okay, so I will turn it over to you because I can't make the motions.
[Munir Jirmanus]: Make a motion to accept all the, whatever, three sets of previous minutes.
[Chelli Keshavan]: I'll second. Thank you. Thank you.
[Frances Nwajei]: So I wanted to also let you know that we have quite a few applicants. for commissioner positions. I received something from our city solicitor letting us know that I think it's either today or as of Friday, the amendment that was made to the open meeting law that permits us to meet virtually expires. And if that is not renewed, then we will have to go back to meeting in person. I feel like this will severely hamper people's ability to be in the same space, because there'll be no option. And now we have to look at work times, right? So will all these people who applied still be interested? I don't know. But I did want to throw it out there that I would like to invite them to our September meeting, because it's my understanding that The committees sometimes take July and August off or just August off. Not sure. So I wanted to sort of throw all of this out and get your feedback and your guidance.
[Munir Jirmanus]: So this has happened once before. during the pandemic and they did extend and allow Zoom meetings for another whatever period of time. So I'm not sure whether this is going to happen again or not. In my situation, It would be very difficult for me to attend in-person meetings because of whatever, my extended family situations and duties. So I'll just have to say, I'll wait and see what happens. We have discussed the option of having hybrid meetings. So I don't know if that will still be open.
[Frances Nwajei]: Thank you. I, I did say to everyone in the email, I'll keep you all updated in Kim is going to keep department heads updated because for me my, my whole thing is where we all going to fit right kids, it's not just this commission that meets on a Wednesday. But I'll also, you know, I don't know what trumps, whether it's the ordinance or whether it's the open meeting law, but I think like these are some of the things that have to be looked about, looked at in terms of how we do business now. I mean, I just can't imagine, Chief, you getting in the car to, you know, everybody just like getting in the car to drive here when, you know, people can just like click on quickly from where they are. But we'll see what happens.
[Jack Buckley]: What was normal is no longer normal. The pandemic has changed a lot of the things that we used to do. I have received some information. It's secondhand that the legislature will address it before Friday and plans on extending it. But that's secondhand information. I don't like to vote for it, but it is in the positive direction. But there will be a point in time where we're going to have to address that. How do we handle in-person meetings? Will they allow hybrid? Will they not?
[Frances Nwajei]: Agreed. I think it definitely needs to be addressed on a much larger scale level. I mean, I think about the way the virtual platforms are being used now, the ability to learn from other states and attend other state trainings and things of that nature from my office in Medford. It's huge. Versus before, you'd have to buy a ticket, and that's if somebody would pay, then go to the airport, get on a plane. All right, so I just wanted to share that. Then the other part of it was, is it true that you take August off, July and August, or is that optional?
[Chelli Keshavan]: I'm remembering that it's true. I don't remember meeting the previous August. It kind of felt like, wait, weeks leading up to the start of school and possible vacations and just giving folks a couple weeks break all culminated to coming to the decision that we would not convene for August and then kind of come back in whatever version of refreshed September means or not, but kind of hit the ground running for the fall.
[Munir Jirmanus]: Yeah, traditionally I indeed that's that's what we've done. I'm, I have a feeling that last, I think we may even have taken July and August off. I was, but, but I think last year during the pandemic when we had, we had some urgent issues to deal with. We agreed to still meet, but I think it's basically up to us. If we really think there's something urgent, then we can discuss the possibility of meeting in August. Otherwise, I agree with Charlie, August would be off.
[Frances Nwajei]: All right, so I will plan for everybody to be off in August, and then we'll reconvene in September. And this will give me time to send the meeting invitation out to the applicants. And just, you know, they can come attend, introduce themselves, you know, talk about what their vision is of the Human Rights Commission, and it gives you an opportunity to engage in conversation with them as well. And after a couple of meetings, you can all meet as a group with me, without me, or during a meeting, tell me who you feel would be most appropriate to recommend. I always suggest recommending at least two or three people, just in case somebody's life situation changes. I, I have nothing else but fun stuff. Well, some, yeah, I've nothing else but fun stuff to share. We like fun. We don't have. Oh, Judy has a hands up. Hi Judy.
[Joan Cyr]: Hi. Don't we have three positions open.
[Frances Nwajei]: Yes.
[Joan Cyr]: Okay, thank you.
[Frances Nwajei]: Yeah. I just meant recommend multiple numerous people.
[Joan Cyr]: I understood that.
[Frances Nwajei]: Yeah. So the fun thing that I wanted to share is the Bangladesh community in Medford is hosting a Boston Bangla Festival. It is the first of its kind for the city. It is going, it's like a street festival, like a proper fair. It's going to be huge. Wow. Yes. And I realized how huge it's going to be because I keep getting more and more food permit licenses, but they are really really playing paying tribute to their culture. And they want to share that with everyone so I have been asked to help, you know, share their flyer and spread the word. So you will, you know, you'll receive that in your inbox as a way of invitation. But they have musicians that are coming in, you know, internationally. They have a proper hydraulic stage. Do we know when this is happening? That's happening next Saturday. Oh, like right now? Yeah, yeah. The 16th or the 23rd? 23rd. Sounds good.
[Munir Jirmanus]: So have they been advertising this somewhere else?
[Frances Nwajei]: I'm sure that they have been advertising it, but probably not through the typical route of where we do our adverts. One thing that I can tell you is that their events, people travel from far. People are taking the airplane to come to this. People travel from far, yes.
[Munir Jirmanus]: So is this going to be in Medford then?
[Frances Nwajei]: It's in Medford and it's at Andrews Field.
[Munir Jirmanus]: Oh, it's at the theater.
[Frances Nwajei]: Andrews Field.
[Munir Jirmanus]: Oh, Andrews Field, okay, yeah, yeah, okay, okay. Well, I mean, perhaps we can, I don't know who the appropriate person to connect to, perhaps we can ask the city to display this on their website. I mean, this can be a request from the Human Rights Commission if they don't want to receive a request directly from that community.
[Frances Nwajei]: But I think that would be, I mean, yeah, I, I don't know how that works because I've not done it before. I've typically, like the city events, I've typically displayed but I can find out, you know how that works. Laura O'Neill over at the Chamber is displaying it on her, on the Chamber's website. And they'll be doing some promo but I can ask communications like how does that work, because if we open. If we display one organization one non city event. We have to be willing to display all others.
[Chelli Keshavan]: Francis, is this a particular organization? I'm sorry if you already said.
[Frances Nwajei]: No, it's not a specific organization. It's the people from Bangladesh, basically the community. So it's a Bangladesh community, some of them have, you know, are from Boston, some of them live in residence of Medford. So they've all come together. They've actually, Manu, who let me know about this, told me that they have actually been trying to do this for three years. They wanted to do it, initially they wanted to do it in Cambridge and they ran into a lot of obstacles like nobody would even, you know, open the door to have a conversation is what I'm told. And they tried Somerville and the conversation couldn't go any further because the pandemic occurred. But this is free. This is all free to people. Methods, police department will be there for the touch a truck. The fire truck will be there. Do you see me getting all excited? I'm like, yes! The fire truck will be there for children to, you know, to interact with and I believe that Sean from Armstrong Ambulance is going to be bringing an ambulance as well so that, you know, little, you know, little children and grown children like myself can enjoy pushing buttons and, you know, making sounds.
[Munir Jirmanus]: So is there some kind of a flyer that we can receive a copy of electronically?
[Frances Nwajei]: Yes, I will share with you. I wanted to give you a heads up so that you didn't just see in your box, but I will share the flyer that they sent to me with you. And yeah, there'll be ethnic foods, everything from foods from their culture all the way to hot dogs, hamburgers and fried dough. And Richie Slush and now Ice Cream. I think it'll be, I'm looking forward to it and it's a long festival but I don't feel that that means that we have to be there that long. It starts at noon and it ends at nine. Yeah, so that's the fun thing that I, you know, I wanted to share. Medford has a lot of activities. It's like this zip code, man, I'm starting to spend more time here. Every weekend there's something going on.
[Joan Cyr]: Yeah. Well, this one sounds exciting.
[Frances Nwajei]: I mean, I'm really excited because I've seen a lot of street festivals. We used to have them all the time in England. I'm really excited to see how this all comes together here. Because it sounds to me, again, there's a picture of a Ferris wheel on the flyer, but I never had a conversation about a Ferris wheel. I think that that picture is just to give the feeling of what to expect. But knowing what they have spent or invested to highlight their culture, I'm really looking forward to this. I mean, I heard, oh, I heard hydraulic stage, professional sound system. Yeah. So I think it will be a great time for, you know, I hope lots of families come out, bring a blanket, plonk a chair somewhere, you know, dancers, the whole nine yards. So will anybody from the Human Rights Commission be representing us for dancing? I'm pointing right at Chief.
[Jack Buckley]: And I'm laughing.
[Frances Nwajei]: I was just teasing. I just wanted to see who was going to roll with this. But yeah, so that's what I have. Anybody else have anything that they'd like to add? Yes, Munir.
[Munir Jirmanus]: So I'll go back to some old business just to report that the so-called subcommittee which is now really a committee of Safe Medford that's working to submit a proposal about what, you know, and recommendations for the Human Rights Commission as to perhaps a new charter or, you know, So we are meeting and Judy and Steve are on this committee and we are making progress. I'm not sure whether by September we'll have some final report to submit to the entire Human Rights Commission. But along the same vein, we had a tabled motion a couple of months ago to disband our subcommittee, the human rights subcommittee to this. So I might bring it up again because we did not have a quorum at that time to vote on it. So it's a formality just so that we'll close the books. on the Human Rights Commission. So if that's okay with everybody, I would like to sort of resubmit that motion to disband the Human Rights Subcommittee that was discussing the future of future recommendations for the Human Rights Commission.
[Joan Cyr]: Do you need a second? Yes, Judy.
[Unidentified]: Is there any discussion or objection or should we vote on it? Looks like you can vote. You can vote. All in favor?
[MCM00001269_SPEAKER_08]: Oh, wait, Rob, were you going to ask a question? I was just going to clarify, Muneer, it sounds like you are a party to the subcommittee and that you would recommend that we disband at this time. It's not as though something that's against the subcommittee's wishes.
[Munir Jirmanus]: That is correct, Rob, yes.
[MCM00001269_SPEAKER_08]: Gotcha. OK.
[Munir Jirmanus]: Chelly and myself and Judy were on that subcommittee.
[Unidentified]: That's all I have then. Are we voting? I'm in favor. All in favor. Aye. Are we doing roll call? Aye. Looks like. Sounds good, I think.
[Frances Nwajei]: Wonderful, thank you for bringing that up, Munir. It had actually escaped my mind. Sure thing. Anything else? I don't know if you're all aware of all the different changes that are happening to bus routes and things of that nature, and you're all receiving that information. Are you aware of the press release that went out in regards to the ARPA funds, where information is being, you know, if you've got information, if you could fill out the survey? Is everybody aware of that?
[Joan Cyr]: Yes. I did it today.
[Frances Nwajei]: Okay, all right, so you've all received it. I'm just trying to think of what currently just got put out this week. Okay.
[Joan Cyr]: I just want to make note of the fact that West Medford is losing a significant amount, if that's the right word, of transportation options with this proposed change. As one of the active people at the West Medford Community Center said to me, it's not going to happen. So they're planning a protest or some or, you know, to
[Frances Nwajei]: Yeah, I, you know, I, it's, you know, when you look at the, the presentation, of course, you know, it says like, oh, increased access to this and increased access to that. I mean, I was just looking over the one for Winthrop, because at least, like, it's the, I know the streets, and I know what's nearby, right? So when this, when the route is no longer available, I'm like, oh, yeah, that doesn't make a difference, because you just go to the next street, and that's where you're picking it up. But it's just, it's interesting. It's just, for Winthrop, it looks, to me, it looks interesting. It's almost like you just took the green buses and now you made them blue buses and on different streets. But I, you know, again, I'm not the expert. We are just there on the water, so.
[Joan Cyr]: West Medford is losing serious, options, including access to Medford Square.
[Frances Nwajei]: Yeah, and that really is a concern. How does that become possible? Because Medford Square has businesses that people would come in to work at. So how do you cut off? What's the alternative?
[Joan Cyr]: There is no public transportation to Medford Square from West Medford under this plan, if I remember correctly.
[MCM00001269_SPEAKER_08]: I know it's certainly not a viable option for everybody in all circumstances, but do we know if there's going to be, I know the city's moving to incorporate blue bikes in the next, the newsletters keep saying short while, But I just wonder if that might be something that comes into play as well if they'll be prioritized docking stations in areas that are losing access to public transit and I want to double down on the fact that I completely understand that that is not a viable option for all people in all circumstances, but something that that might be an option for some folks.
[Frances Nwajei]: It could be an option for some folks, Rob but the reality is that West Medford is a historically black community and black people are not biking to work periods, there's no equity in being cut off from your city square. You know, if we were looking at ways to. you know, support our environment. I think that that's something that I would, you know, I would definitely hands down be like, oh, that's great. But I'm just, I'm just concerned that we have a whole, you know, my job is to help unite the community. And now we have a whole section of the community that could very well be cut from its square. I know West Medford has a square. And again, as I said, I do have the link which I can share with the group after the meeting. I don't know the names of all the streets. So maybe my interpretation of what I'm looking at is off.
[Joan Cyr]: But there just seems to be a lot of seems to be there seems to be a slight improvement for North Medford or Fulton Heights, whatever you call that neighborhood, which has really suffered without adequate bus transportation. So if you look at the whole picture, I mean, I'm really glad to know that because that's been, you know, if we can talk about food deserts, we can talk about transportation deserts, But I mean, and we are spoiled in West Bedford because we have, I once counted 13 ways to get home from downtown Boston, if you're willing to walk a little. So we are spoiled, but we don't have to lose it all at one time. And it's primarily the, you know, the black community is primarily an elderly community now. because prices are driving people out. And so I would venture to say that the assumption is that, you know, the demographics of West Medford have changed and age and background and most of the people probably drive to work or take the train. But the fact that you can't get to Medford Square by public transportation. It's really annoying.
[Frances Nwajei]: And that'd be something to look at, because Medford Square is the Harvard vanguard, like this area. Is that considered the beginning of Medford Square or no?
[Joan Cyr]: Yeah. I mean, City Hall is Medford Square. You can't get to your own City Hall by public transportation. It's disgusting.
[Chelli Keshavan]: I think it also says outwardly facing. I'm sorry, Judy.
[Joan Cyr]: No, I'm done.
[Chelli Keshavan]: I think it says that Medford wants folks who are part of a double income no kid set up in their family where folks are high earners and are not bringing children anywhere near our community. Because if you're not going to have transport, you can't make moves. And you have to be very wealthy to have own vehicle or more than one. So we should be cognizant of what we're saying.
[Joan Cyr]: Well, we do have the train, but we but and also we're being threatened with the Green Line. So, you know, they may think they use the black community as as an argument for the Green Line extension to Route 16 conveniently. And, you know, now they're abandoning us. And Steve has his hand up.
[Steve Schnapp]: Thank you. Um, I'm just curious. Do you know what the impact of the proposed cuts are on, um, communities, uh, such as public housing? Uh, the, particularly the family developments with, uh, predominantly people of color and kids of color.
[Unidentified]: Good point. Good point.
[Frances Nwajei]: I don't know. I really don't know I was looking I was just looking at the link that was sent like what's currently happening and then what's proposed in case I didn't like it just to me I'm not there was no familiarity there. So I looked at I asked them to send me the one for Winthrop, and I looked at the one for Winthrop and as I said it just seemed to me like you took from one place and they just put it somewhere else. But I did worry more about the impact in Medford.
[Steve Schnapp]: I do know that in the past, there have been young people, high school students on the Human Rights Commission. And at least a couple lived in public housing developments, and they raised the issue of transportation. uh, to the high school, to the square, et cetera.
[Unidentified]: Yeah.
[Steve Schnapp]: So I'm just curious. I don't know myself what the impact is, but be curious. I wonder if anyone, um, I'd be willing to reach out to Lisa Tonello, who, uh, is, um, works with residents in public housing. I know her from the, um, Medford, uh, Medford just blanking on the name. Medford Health Matters. So I'll reach out to her. Maybe she might know what the impact, if any, is on folks in public housing. And I'll send that around prior to the next meeting.
[Frances Nwajei]: I probably need to take a drive, I need to go to West Medford in a manner so that I can better understand it and better see it. Because it's not, I'm not familiar with it at all nor am I familiar with many parts of Medford. But it's, I always thought before I went for the city that that was Arlington kiss the way I go it takes me right up route 16 but it's not it's West Bedford. And apparently there's a commuter rail station that people are convinced that I've been by and I've like I've never seen a commuter rail station. Yeah, so I do want to take, I do want to at some point, you know, go and just, you know, do random driving around to take a look at it because the other thing I realised is many of the events that the city has, not just the city as in City Hall, but the city that I've noticed seem to be centred more towards this area. You know, we've had Circle the Square, we did Pride, so I own that one, but the fields that we use tend to be more this way. So the Condon show is over here, the farmer's market is over there, I don't know, there very well could be a farmer's market in West Medford, but if the transportation is obstructed or non-existent, right, We are basically saying, you don't belong, you're on your own.
[Chelli Keshavan]: And in the reverse accessing, there are also many events that get hosted at Duggar. And for folks without vehicles, it can be hard to get over there. And then it feels like those events get siloed by, for a couple of reasons, but at first glance, it often looks racial, which is all the problems we already noticed.
[Frances Nwajei]: So I will drop the links that were shared with me for everybody to feel free to take a look. And if I hear any information or receive any information about what people can do to advocate or to make their opinions known, I'll be sure to share that as well.
[MCM00001269_SPEAKER_08]: Another way we might be able to, draw more awareness to the issue. We spoke earlier about the city soliciting input for how to spend the relief funds. I wonder if that might be something. I don't know if there's any precedent for a city-specific subsidy to the MBTA to maintain routes. I know that towns like Lexington and other towns in the area have shuttles that operate locally and go from one area to the town, one area of the town to the other. Perhaps that's something that could simply be suggested in in those feedback forms, if nothing else, as a way to draw more attention to the issue. I'm not intimately familiar with where we are in the process of changing the bus routes so if it makes sense to speak out and target folks at the MBTA or it's a decision that's already been made. But I think that raising the issue more and more certainly can't hurt.
[Frances Nwajei]: Judy you said you filled out your survey I can't remember but Rob, I think you're right, I think. There might be a sector where you get to like do some free, where you do some free commenting, right? And not just putting things in a box. But I remember seeing something about infrastructure and this could, this seems like it would fit under infrastructure. But if you haven't done the survey already and you wanna, you know, have a look-see, that certainly sounds like another way. Because again, it's about the impacted communities, right?
[Munir Jirmanus]: Yeah, so I haven't been aware of this specific issue when it was officially the statement was made, but I know that the MBTA had cut certain bus routes that were helpful in getting students to get to the high school. And that happened, I think, like a week or two ago. So is this a separate thing now? Or is this part of the same picture? Does anybody know? Because I've seen, there's been all sorts of, you know, online communications with people volunteering to give rides to folks who are trying to get to the, you know, to students who are trying to get to the high school and now have lost the option of public transportation. So, but I mean, yeah, I mean, we need to somehow advocate for more public transportation rather than cuts in public transportation. And if there is an official way that we can do it, I would think we should definitely participate.
[Frances Nwajei]: I will check. I will check from upstairs. I will look at the email again, make sure I forward you all the links but I'll also check from upstairs to see if there is anything that speaks to. What's the thing, public comments or whatever, because I feel like this really rests with the MBTA. And I just want to make sure that we all have the information because as we talk about it, it's actually, you know, it's like, oh, wait a minute, you know, Munir, I remember when I first started, somebody told me that, you know, I wanted to know like why, Why is there a bus coming to the school? And they said, what, Fulton Heights or something, North Medford? There's no transportation going up that way, is what I was told by the person that I was with at the high school. I can't confirm or deny that. I don't even know where Fulton Heights is, but I've probably driven by it and have no idea. I don't know. I just know how to get to work, and that's it. But again, transportation is huge. The other thing that makes me nervous is that we do have a population of people that are disabled, you know, they can't use the commuter rail. They can't go from point A to point B because the station that they might need to get to is not accessible. So that impacts if they want to go hang out, if they want to have jobs, where they're going to have medical, you know, medical treatment, heaven forbid, they're having psychological issues where they're going to have, you know, where they're going to receive their care, basically. So they now become reliant on the ride, but there isn't enough ride transport. you know, or on shop doing their grocery shopping where it's convenient versus where their money can stretch. So it's a lot of different things that are mixed into this that make me, you know, make me worried. And, you know, Medford does have a higher percentage of seniors than some other communities. So we just want to make sure that folks are not cut off. That breeds isolation, it breeds all different kinds of crime, right?
[Joan Cyr]: Yeah, you're very limited in what shopping you can do if you're going to take the ride, because you have to wait for it. And your ice cream is going to melt, you know, whatever. But I mean, frozen food, which are, which are considered very healthy, and so on and so on. So the ride doesn't show up. Oh, I didn't know that. Well,
[Frances Nwajei]: Yeah, I don't know if it's too late, or what, but I'll find information out and share with and share what I have with everyone.
[MCM00001269_SPEAKER_08]: Thank you. It does look like there's a space for feedback still on the MBTA page specific to the network redesign. I can drop that link in the chat. I wonder if it might not be a worthwhile endeavor if we do find or feel that it makes sense to advocate to pull together some language that folks can cut and paste right if we want, if they want to voice their concerns either on the funds allocation forms or via the MBTA network redesign feedback section. It would have to be something that we spread organically within the group, but I know successful campaigns I've seen in the past will often reach out with a prompt and offer that folks can just cut and paste, and it gets the point across a little bit with a few fewer clicks than it might take otherwise. So I'm happy to take a swing at that. Just given the conversation we've had here today, I'm certainly not the most educated on this issue in West Medford and what's accessible there in general. So I'd be happy for any help or constructive criticism to anything that I might put together from the group. But I can keep that going in the email chain for sure.
[Joan Cyr]: I think people should take advantage of the Facebook groups. and Medford Patch and whatever other online discussion groups there are. I can't even keep track of them.
[Steve Schnapp]: Judy, what's the name of the fellow who is on a transportation committee, a Medford resident, very well informed? Beg pardon?
[Chelli Keshavan]: Is that Jim Silva?
[Steve Schnapp]: No, I'm thinking of somebody else. Ken Kraus. Ken Kraus. Ken Kraus. I think, Rob, you might want to check Ken Kraus. I will look for his email address and put it in the chat.
[Joan Cyr]: Well, Ken Kraus is very, very committed to the Green Line extension coming to Route 16.
[Steve Schnapp]: And someone who has a lot of information about public transportation.
[Joan Cyr]: That's true. Because you know, sometimes I, I just fantasize or whatever, that taking all the roots away from West Medford is blackmail. So that the community will stop opposing the Green Line extension. which I am adamantly opposed to. And anyway, who knows? And the other thing I fear is that West Medford has been redefined as dual income households with children who are white. because that is sort of the primary demographic that you see out on the street walking their COVID dogs.
[MCM00001269_SPEAKER_08]: Just so that I understand a bit more clearly. Did you just say COVID dogs?
[Frances Nwajei]: Well, that's what they are. First of all, Rob, thank you for that suggestion about putting something together. I am sure that folks at the Senior Centre would appreciate it and the West Medford Community Centre would appreciate it. What do you think, Shelley?
[Chelli Keshavan]: The board at the West Medford Community Center owns vehicles. I am the only member that is a straight public transport person. But what I was wanting to piggyback off of, I'm not sure how much this moment interacts with their lives, but I think it should be circulated. But I wanted to piggyback on Rob's comment. And I wonder if there's already some sort of digital campaigns, like a take action or something that like, simplifies the legalese language and then has the easy copy and paste route to like upload to your Instagram or whatever it might be. Because it would not surprise me if younger folks are already in a tizzy over what this will mean online and I personally just haven't stumbled upon it yet or something. So it might be worth it to maybe not reinvent the wheel if we just do a little digging first.
[MCM00001269_SPEAKER_08]: Do you think that's something that Ken Krause or Jim Silva, I recognize Jim, I get the South Medford emails from him. Do you think that's something that they would be aware of if it didn't exist?
[Chelli Keshavan]: Possibly when they are 110% involved, so maybe.
[MCM00001269_SPEAKER_08]: I can certainly reach out to Jim. And then if I do get a note from Ken, do the same there. It sounds like there may be a little bit of a conflict of interest there, though, if Ken's so committed to the Green Line. And just a point of clarification, I am certainly not confused, Judy, that you are not in favor of the Green Line extending to Route 16. But thinking, is the reasoning there that if the Green Line does get the whole way out to Route 16, that that neighborhood will be even more heavily gentrified than it is now? Is that the concern?
[Joan Cyr]: That was the concern until it already has basically happened. And the secondary concern is traffic congestion. This is designed to be a station with no parking garage.
[MCM00001269_SPEAKER_08]: HAB-Masyn Moyer): Gotcha.
[Joan Cyr]: So we already you already can't drive on route 16 on a Saturday morning. HAB-Masyn Moyer): Afternoon. HAB-Masyn Moyer): So the weekdays. Now, now we'll have the weekdays or with all the cars from Winchester and Arlington, you know, idling while they're waiting to pick somebody up HAB-Masyn Moyer): Yes, so HAB-Masyn Moyer): That's the primary concern and there's not much parking around there. They may have a parking lot possibly, but they're not going to have a parking garage. So it's an environmental issue as well. But it's mostly it's a quality of life issue for
[MCM00001269_SPEAKER_08]: brings things full circle because the whole reasoning behind the extension was the offset from the environmental impact of the big dig. So yeah, thank you for that clarification, Judy. That's very helpful. And I can certainly say, I live in South Medford, not far from the college station, soon to be college station. And that certainly had a tremendous effect on the neighborhood here. And it's not even open yet.
[Chelli Keshavan]: Yeah, I'd say Milam steps from what's going to be college, but I feel maybe the opposite, that if we don't extend to 16, then this Tufts, this so to speak Tufts spot becomes like an ad hoc transport for the Tufts community and doesn't necessarily speak to Medford at large. And I think if you're going to add a full on train station, you're going to have to manage with the growing pains that that means. So I think the traffic and the congestion and building out the kind of business culture around is just inevitable.
[Joan Cyr]: Well, there was hardly anybody who could walk to College Avenue, you know, who could walk to the Route 16 station who couldn't also walk to the College Avenue station, although it's, you know, it's a ways, but I do it all the time. So not to go to the station, but just to walk. in the neighborhood, or not the neighborhood. That's a different neighborhood. But anyway, I just want to say, Francis, if you're driving around West Bedford, come see my garden.
[Frances Nwajei]: I'll email you because I'll probably I need to make a list of places that I'm supposed to stop at so I will definitely email you I am familiar with the horror of route 16. I, when I was an assessor for the state coming in from the, what you call that area central west part of the state. almost three to four times a week, I've been getting stuck by Concord and just not leaving and feeling like, okay, now I'm on, you know, now I'm close, I'm close to Route 16 and just living on Route 16. So I feel you about the traffic.
[Joan Cyr]: Take High Street, take High Street instead.
[Frances Nwajei]: Okay. And I also remember being very afraid to drive on Route 69. I was like, oh my God, they think our roads are terrible. What the heck kind of road is this? It felt like it was an obstacle course, you know, because if you're not familiar, it's really not a... not a route that you should take. And for the longest time, I would only use the outside lane. I don't care if that meant that I had to go a really long way and turn around, because I was afraid that the cars would glide into each other.
[Joan Cyr]: That's part of the Boston theory of traffic and traffic signs, that if you don't If you don't know where you're going, you have no business going there.
[Frances Nwajei]: All right. Anybody have anything else? Any announcements? Kelly, do you want to reshare your announcement for... I don't think Judy was on when you shared that wonderful news.
[Chelli Keshavan]: Oh, yeah, Judy. So I started the meeting by being like, I have to leave early because I would like to get into Tufts. I got into Tufts, but there is a fellowship at stake, which includes 100% scholarship. And so I'm trying to get my hands on that because it is like city volunteer based. And I feel like I've shown up for Medford in the last three years. So I'd like that to work in my favor. So maybe at some point I'll be adjunct. Maybe that's goal number one. We'll see. But I'm rushing out in a minute or two to go talk to the public policy program. So that was announced. Thanks for rounds of that, Francis. I appreciate it. Very cool.
[MCM00001269_SPEAKER_08]: Well, that in mind, I think we need a quorum to end the meeting. So we should probably do that when we have a quorum. As much as it pains me, I extend a motion to end today's meeting. Second.
[Munir Jirmanus]: Third.
[Frances Nwajei]: Well, I wish you a wonderful summer, everybody. Steve, let's talk maybe.
[Munir Jirmanus]: Thank you for everybody. Thank you.
[Frances Nwajei]: Appreciate you guys.
[Munir Jirmanus]: Take care.
[Joan Cyr]: Thank you. Bye, everybody.