Council files a wide slate of hearing orders on housing, schools, spending and surveillance
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Summary
Councilors introduced or refiled dozens of hearing orders covering housing, White Stadium procurement and costs, Boston Public Schools facilities, surveillance technology oversight, budget oversight, and workforce/human-services topics; nearly all were referred to the Committee of the Whole for hearings.
At its first regular meeting the Boston City Council introduced and refiled an extensive list of hearing orders covering topics that will shape the term’s oversight agenda. Filing offices included councilors leading on housing, education, budget, public safety, and equitable contracting. Highlights include:
- A hearing order on Boston Public Schools facilities, public assets, and the White Stadium redevelopment (Docket 0188). Sponsor Councilor Julia Mejia said aging school buildings, deferred maintenance and unequal access to extracurricular spaces required a comprehensive facilities review and specific scrutiny of White Stadium’s governance and access for students.
- Multiple orders to audit procurement processes, grants to small businesses, the distribution of federal and state funds, and the effectiveness of local contracting commitments tied to projects such as White Stadium and Parcel P3.
- Surveillance and privacy oversight (Docket 0192) — Councilor Mejia refiled a hearing to audit surveillance equipment and procurement, citing concerns about technologies like ShotSpotter, Flock, Tandos, and Chorus and the lack of public notice when pilots begin.
- Budget and fiscal oversight dockets (0201–0203) to begin FY27 operating-budget hearings, audit prior-year budget amendments, and review the city’s approach to neighborhood street-safety projects under recent 30-day mayoral reviews.
Councilors emphasized that the breadth of filings reflects constituent concerns about housing affordability, school resources, public safety, and procurement transparency. Most hearing orders were referred to the Committee of the Whole; sponsors flagged the need for data requests, fiscal impact statements, and cross-departmental coordination before committee hearings.