President and Host: Bill Walczak
Vice President: Eileen Boyle
Treasurer: Des Rohan
IT Manager: Taufiq Dhanani
Corresponding Secretary: Elizabeth Doyle
Minutes: Doreen Miller
Number in attendance: 25 (in-person); 31 (Zoom)
Announcements
- Last weekend was the 100th anniversary of the Nome Serum Run, a dog sled relay that saved diphtheria victims in the outbreak of 1925 in Nome. It is used as part of the Iditarod Trail today. There is a statue commemorating the lead sled dog Barto in Central Park, NY.
- Postcards have been mailed by the city to residents announcing the coming of speed humps “soon.” No specifics were included.
- According to a message from Representative Hunt, the MBTA will be removing the graffiti along the highway and repairing the wall. They will explore how to block access to the area to prevent future tagging.
- There is a Conservation hearing tomorrow by the Parks Department on expanding the batting cage at McConnell Park. There is an interest in having a dog park along the north side where Eversource laid down power lines.
- Madison Foley (ONS), city liaison, will have an update on the batting cage by the end of the week. A dog park is feasible but will be expensive to dig up and reinstall if there is a need by Eversource to access the area for problems.
- The old Venice Pizza place as reopened. It is now a hamburger joint with non-meat options.
Police Report
- General Area
- The police will be looking at the intersection of Columbia Road and Buttonwood Street between 4-6 PM with regards to pedestrian safety.
- They are sending a new team down to the parks at our beach to survey the area.
- Overall crime is up 1%, with mostly shoplifting in the area stores the major culprit. They have placed patrol cars in key locations to deter theft, and it seems to be helping.
- Last weekend there was an arrest for a firearm on Levant Street. A person was shot in the head.
- The first homicide took place on Ridgewood Street by Draper. There is an active investigation.
- The second homicide occurred today, 2/3, at 2:40 PM. There are no details as of yet.
- In the past month there have been 4 robberies, but none in the past two weeks.
- Overall, aggravated assaults are down across the district.
- Updates from Officer Keamy
- January 7, 2:38 AM, a BMW was speeding down Hancock Street. The police caught up with it on Pleasant an East Cottage, but the occupants took off. There was a foot chase along Columbia Road and Pond Street. The culprits were arrested and charged with larceny for a number of items in the car. Later that same night, a revolver was found at 275 East Cottage Street.
- January 13, around midnight, surveillance was set up in the area in search for a 19-year-old man wanted for murder in New Bedford. He was caught on Moseley Street and arrested for 5 felonies including murder.
- January 22, 2:20 PM, 375 Morrissey Boulevard, a breaking and entering in progress was reported. The 38-year-old suspect as identified on the home’s video was found on Foxpoint Road and arrested.
- February 1, 4:16 PM, Howes Street. A fight between roommates resulted in one culprit stabbing a door with a knife and injuring himself. He was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon.
- Request from the community
- Members would like to see some enforcement on weekends at the intersection of Sydney Street and Savin Hill Avenue with cars double parking. It is bad and creates a dangerous situation for both pedestrians and moving vehicles.
Administrative Business
- The January Minutes were approved by membership.
- The treasurer’s report shows a balance of $17,703 as of January 31.
Updates from Councilor Fitzgerald
- Postal Service Problems
- There have been complaints about postal service in our district and across the city.
- Some residents claim they receive mail only a few times a week.
- Councilor Fitzgerald says there is not much he can do about it as it is a federal issue, but he will remain vocal about it.
- One member stated that he has witnessed problems in the sorting facility and will get the name of the person to contact to the councilor.
- The Eversource Project
- Once the project is complete, Eversource will repave the roadways and restore sidewalks.
- One member noted that we have been losing curb height in the area. Some sidewalks are level with the roadway creating a safety issue.
- Once the roadways are repaved, the speed humps can then be installed by the city.
- Word is this may be done by the fall of this year.
- Property Taxes
- The hearing at City Hall focused mostly on the evaluation of properties, not so much the rate.
- There is a major discrepancy in assessment increases across the city. On average:
- Back Bay rose 4.6%
- Chinatown rose 4.9%
- Southie and parts of Dorchester rose 10-11%
- Savin Hill area rose 13.5%, which is substantially greater than anywhere else.
- It seems the working-class family neighborhoods are bearing the brunt of the increases.
- The hearing on how the city evaluates properties resulted in nebulous answers. They claim to use a software program that analyzes aggregate data, yet there seem to be no definitive definitions to terms such as “modern” or “semi-modern.” It is “more art than science” according to city officials.
- Residents asked if they could get a copy of the questions and data points that officials plug into the system.
- The city is looking at
- Allocating $15 million to help out small businesses, but how any small businesses are there, and will this be enough?
- Increasing the senior exemption for low income.
- Increasing the small business personal property to 30,000.
- The deadline for filing for an abatement on your assessment is today, 2/3. Paul from Senator Collins brought abatement forms with him to the meeting for people to fill out and he would see they got to the city on time.
- Comments from members include:
- Tax bills have gone up from 25- 50%!
- One resident says her assessment went up 5.4% but her property tax bill went up 25%.
- Others have had the assessors out to view their property and are waiting to hear back on any reductions.
- Property taxes are a form of taxation on unrealized capital gains and are the most regressive and punitive of all taxes.
- Suggestions for improving the tax code include:
- Reconsider seniors and those on fixed incomes. 401Ks are not assets per se but money they need to live on for the rest of their lives.
- Revisit non-profits not paying taxes. Many universities and non-profits have large endowments. They should be required to pay something at a rate set by the city.
- Cut the budget.
- Change the tax code to help the elderly and long-term owners stay in their homes.
- Set caps on the tax rate for owners who have lived in their homes a long time.
- The city should not be looking at one’s bank accounts to determine eligibility as many elderly use that money as income to live on. You practically need to be destitute to be eligible for abatements.
- Look at the problem of speculation with LLCs buying up properties and driving up the value of homes nearby.
Updates from Madison Foley, city liaison
- Business owners of Thanh Hair Salon have requested the removal of 4 residential parking spots on Sudan Street to facilitate parking between 10 AM to 6 PM for customers to theirs and other businesses along Dorchester Avenue.
- Bill Walczak recommended they bring this to the attention of the Planning Committee, which meets on February 11.
Committee Updates
- Government Affairs Committee
- Ideas for the development of Glover’s Corner will be presented at the March meeting.
- There are no updates about the Morrissey Commission even with lots of unresolved issues.
- The next committee meeting is February 19, 7 PM on Zoom. The link is on the CSHCA calendar.
- Planning Committee
- There is a ZBA date for tomorrow (2/4) for Sudan Street conversion from 3-4 family.
- The next planning meeting is February 11, 7 PM. The link is on the CSHCA calendar. On the agenda are:
- Columbia Road/Uphams Corner new library and resident units.
- 67-71 Sydney proposal to tear down two homes and put up two three-families.
- 29-33 Romsey Street
- Community Benefits Committee (Don Walsh)
- The donation of $750,000 is still coming according to Copper Mill, the new developer.
- Start thinking about our spending priorities to be discussed in the March meeting.
- What is our vision for our area and the greater NE Dorchester Planning district promised by the BPDA?
- How can we build better relations to other local organizations, businesses, and institutions?
- Read up on ideas presented thus far and come with your own thoughts and feedback.
- Events Committee (Alix)
- We mapped out plans for 2025 that include:
- The Spring Clean-Up
- The Beach Clean-up with Surfrider
- Art in the Park in June
- Community Picnic in August with a rain location
- Neighborhood Yard Sale on September 6, with a rain date of 9/13.
- Music in the Park, 9/21, an acoustic event
- Collaboration with the city tree lighting the Saturday following Thanksgiving at Ryan’s Playground
- Caroling in December with a small group that will walk around
- A historic walking tour.
- Details are still being worked out. Come help us to plan and join us at our next meeting on Tuesday, February 25, 7 PM on Zoom. The link is on the CSHCA calendar.
- There was a question as to possible participation in the Dot Day Parade in June.
- We attempted to participate in the Dot Day Parade for the past three years but were unsuccessful in generating interest and participants.
- We would need a car for some people to ride in, as well as a number of people (more than just 3-4) willing to walk the route.
- If people are interested, they should get in touch with the committee chairs, so we can see if we have enough interested participants to make it feasible.
- We mapped out plans for 2025 that include:
Other and New Business
- Advertising: It was noted that McCormack Civic has placards on telephone poles with a QR code to generate interest and participation their association. Alix noted that we do have water resistant paper that we could use to possibly post CSHCA information and a QR code around the area in a similar way.
- CSHCA elections for officers is coming up soon.
- In March we will need members to volunteer to be on the elections committee.
- These people cannot be a current officer running for a position.
- The Elections committee will be responsible for reaching out to members and creating a slate of candidates for the various positions for voting at the May meeting.
- Members should seriously consider contributing to the association and the well-being of our neighborhood by running for a position. The positions are:
- President
- Vice President
- Treasurer
- IT Manager
- Corresponding Secretary
- Recording Secretary
- All positions are volunteer and have a term of one year.
- In March we will need members to volunteer to be on the elections committee.
- Ideas for future guest speakers include:
- The assessing commissioner for Boston
- A state policeman for updates on areas in their purview
- Someone from MassPort to speak about rules and regulations for flight paths and helicopters (military, coast guard, and other) in light of the disaster in DC and with regards to safety.
- Mayoral Candidates Josh Kraft and Michelle Wu, either separately or together, to address concerns and issues that members of the civic association have, preferably before our summer break.