(Boston Orange 摘譯) 波士頓市議會議長愛德華費連
(Ed Flynn) 訂9月14日(週四)下午2點召開公聽會，就所有波士頓市相關會議，以實體、網上同步方式舉行的做法，邀市民發表意見。
市議會議長辦公室表示，愛德華費連議長希望所有的市府會議，鄰里會議、市議會委員會的聽證會，以及市政府相關業務會議，都能以實體及網上會議的混和方式舉行，以方便殘障人士和有其他需要的人參與。
這次的聽證會，還將討論把波士頓市區劃委員會（ZBA）、許可委員會、大麻委員會和波士頓規劃和發展局委員會（BPDA）的會議都帶回實體開會的可行性。
召開這公聽會是6月份，在聯邦政府已宣佈結束全國性公共衛生緊急狀態時，為使市政府恢復正常，重新評估市府會議只在網上舉行做法時提出的。
在城中區的行人流量逐漸恢復之際，不同地區的恢復情況有別。劃為金融區的2個郵政編號地區，行人流量仍然只有2019年欣冠病毒流行前的47.8%，辦公室的總空置率為20.4%，報告也顯示，今年第1季，波士頓市辦公室空間靜吸收量為負340萬平方呎，也是連續第4年，公司把空間放回到市場上。和市中心商業房地產高管、餐廳、咖啡店和其他小企業業主的談話，也突顯了他們對市中心未來的嚴重擔憂。
波士頓市委員會會議恢復實體會議舉行，並容許公眾及殘障人士網上參加，將容許各界人士回到會議現場，進咖啡店、餐廳消費，對地方經濟具潛在的支持力度
查詢詳情，可連繫波士頓市議會議長 Flynn的辦公室，電話：617-635-3203，電子郵件：Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov。
Council President Flynn Schedules Hearing to Bring all City of Boston Meetings Back In-Person with Hybrid Accessibility for Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 2 p.m.
BOSTON - Boston City Council President Flynn has scheduled a hearing on Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 2 p.m. to discuss bringing all City of Boston Meetings, abutters meetings, City Council committee hearings and related business back in person, with a hybrid option for accessibility and persons with disabilities. The hearing will also discuss bringing back meetings including the City of Boston Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), Licensing Board, Cannabis Board, and Boston Planning and Development Agency Board (BPDA).
This hearing order was filed in June in part to reevaluate the practice of remote-only City of Boston meetings in an effort to return to a sense of normalcy, with the federal government having announced the end of national and public health emergencies earlier this year. It comes in response to reports of high office vacancies and a slower economic recovery of the Financial District and Downtown Crossing. In addition, business leaders have also expressed serious concerns about the future of the city’s office space, and asked for assistance from local, state, and federal officials to play a key role in helping to bring more workers and foot traffic back Downtown.
While foot traffic in Downtown is rebounding, it is rebounding unevenly in different parts of Downtown. Foot traffic in the two zip codes that make up the Financial District is still at 47.8% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels, and office vacancies overall are at 20.4%. Reports indicated that the first quarter of the year saw 3.4 million square feet of negative net absorption in office spaces in Boston, marking the fourth consecutive quarter in which companies are putting space back on the market. Conversations with commercial real estate executives, restaurants, coffee shops, and other small businesses owners in Downtown have also highlighted serious concerns about the future of Downtown.
Resuming City of Boston Board Meetings in person, with a hybrid option for public accessibility and persons with disabilities, would allow for all members of the various city boards, attorneys representing clients, proponents of a particular project, interested members of the public, and City Hall staff to return on site and provide the potential to support our local economy by visiting restaurants, coffee shops, and other businesses. All City Council committee hearings returning in person could possibly have a similar economic effect as well.
“Downtown Boston plays a key role in driving our economy. It wasn’t all that long ago that we all made it a central focus to support our small businesses when we saw the pandemic disrupt our local restaurants, bars, cafes and shops. Once again, local businesses are asking the government to do all that we can to support them, and I think it’s critical that the city continue to examine any and all ways to bring foot traffic back Downtown,” said Council President Flynn. “I want to thank Mayor Wu and her team for their continued efforts on this important issue. I am hoping for a productive conversation as we work to continue to bring foot traffic, business, and vibrancy back onto our streets.”
For more
information, please contact Council President Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203
and Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov.
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