General Membership Meeting Meetings – September 8, 2025

President and Host: Bill Walczak
Corresponding Secretary: Elizabeth Doyle
Treasurer: Michelle Miller
Asst. Treasurer: Des Rohan
Recording Secretary/Minutes: Doreen Miller
Number in attendance: ~20+ (in person); 25 (Zoom)

Police Report

• Captain Sweeney introduced several officers in attendance with him.
• Nineteen new officers started today at the station.
• He updated us on the August 22 shooting on Old Colony Terrace and Savin Hill Avenue.
  • It was an attempted carjacking gone wrong.
  • The owner of the vehicle had stopped to secure his load in the back of his pick-up truck.
  • When two suspects on a scooter attempted to car jack his car, he resisted and was subsequently shot in the stomach.
  • The two suspects rode off down Savin Hill Ave along Pattens Cove and were videotaped by the porch cameras along the way.
  • The victim is recovering.
  • No arrests have yet been made.
  • It is an ongoing investigation.
• Just before the meeting, the police cleared away vagrants at Edward Everett Square.
• 679 Columbia Road has been an issue with homeless people and drugs. An arrest was made in the back of the property.
• It’s been a busy summer
  • Along Grampian Way
  • In the Park
  • At the basketball courts
    • Players have a right to be there.
    • They do not have a right to smoke pot or drink in public.
    • The lights go off at 9 PM.
• This morning at 4 AM the corner of Freeport Street and Dorchester Avenue shots were fired, and police investigated.
• Overall crime rate is down in our district. Statistics to date include:
  • Two homicides have been committed to date – on January 21, and June 9 on Levant Street.
  • Aggravated assault is down from 156 (2024) to 134 (2025).
  • Commercial breaking and entering is down from 40 (2024) to 36 (2025).
  • Car thefts are down from 283 (2024) to 212 (2025).
  • Shoplifting is down from 673 (2024) to 664 (225).
• The captain was asked about the rumor of a carjacking in front of Cristo Rey. No reports have been filed. It is most likely just a rumor.
• Scooters are a problem.
  • Many have no license plates and no insurance.
  • Some have bogus plates.
  • All scooters that can go faster than 20 mph need to be registered and have a plate and insurance.
  • Scooters are driving the crime as perpetrators flee on them.
    • Police have tried towing and impounding the scooters when they are left unattended.
    • Some jump the fence to reclaim their scooters.
    • Owners have the right to go to the tow yard and reclaim their scooters.
    • They try to hit them with big fines to discourage them.
    • If you see scooters in your area, do notify 911.
  • Police say there is a no-pursuit policy in place for scooters.
• Member comments include:
  • There have been recent issues with
    • Loitering on Grampian Way
    • Scooters driving the wrong way on streets.
    • Scooters driving up on the sidewalks.
    • People going into people’s yards and snooping around.
  • There were three recent incidents on Sagamore Street.
    • 9/5, at 9 PM there was someone standing on a neighbor’s porch acting suspicious.
    • 9/5 around midnight, someone’s motion detector went off. The owner discovered someone snooping around his shed in the back yard.
    • 9/6, 6:30 AM, a different person was passed out in front of #25 Sagamore.
      • EMS came, but the person refused help. They gave him a blanket, and he slept there for another hour or so.
      • The police arrived two hours later, but he was gone by then.
    • Other neighbors have mentioned people snooping around their properties as well.
    • The member will make sure that a police report is filed for the 9/5 incidents.
  • Member J. Price has a video from 8/17 of the same person in front of 25 Sagamore snooping around her house. She will forward the video to Sargent Golden.
  • It seems Honda logos are being stolen from the hoods of vehicles in the area. It is said they can get $2,000 a piece for them.
• Officer Keaney updated the members on recent activity in our area.
  • 8/12, 1:10 AM, a breaking and entering of a car was reported in progress near 206 Savin Hill Avenue and Grampian Way. Three juvenile suspects were stopped on Morrissey Boulevard and positively identified. They had glass breakers on them and were arrested on the spot.
  • 8/21, 7:34 PM, a breaking and entering was reported at 761 Columbia Road. The 12- 15 year-old suspects had also assaulted someone in the Star Market parking lot earlier.
  • 8/25, 11:30 AM, police were ticketing cars
    • on Buttonwood and Grafton streets.
    • Cars were also ticketed for turning on a no right on red sign at Savin Hill Avenue and Dorchester Avenue.
    • A 34 year old was arrested and fined for driving with a suspended license, his mother’s car towed.

Councilor Fitzgerald Updates on Neighborhood Issues

• Tomorrow is election primary day. Get out and vote.
• Exam school admission policy is being changed.
  • The city is going from 8 tiers to 4 tiers, which improves a student’s chance of being admitted.
  • Three options are currently being discussed, but the city favors the following
    • The top 20% get in by merit of their test scores. Councilor Fitzgerald feels that percentage is too low. He would like to see it increased to 50% in order to keep the quality of students high.
    • The rest (80%) are chosen according to tiers.
• Carney Hospital discussions are moving forward.
  • Expect public meetings to take place sometime in late October into November.
  • A health care component is in the package with perhaps the reopening of an ER facility.
  • The rest of the site will most likely include residential units to some degree. He would like to see senior housing included.
• Squares & Streets and Zoning
  • This proposal has been put on hold until after the election.
  • Many complaints on the implementation thereof have been lodged.
  • We need further conversation on sizes and density on the blocks. Fields Corner and Glovers Corner will be impacted by final decisions.
  • Once this zoning is set, the public is taken out of the process and loses leverage as to what gets built (design) and who builds it.
  • Get involved now before we lose control over our neighborhoods.
• Property Taxes and the City Budget
  • Several things are happening that will negatively impact revenue income.
    • The devaluation of commercial buildings means less money coming in.
    • There is the real potential of loss of federal money.
  • If there is a big loss of money, the city council together with the mayor will need to prioritize and decide how to trim the budget. What services are essential and what can be cut?
  • Ideas to increase revenue inflow include:
    • Turning empty lab spaces and offices into residential units, but that is ultimately up to the owners.
    • Reinventing Newmarket to create jobs and clean up the area.
  • Savin Hill and parts of Dorchester have seen a disproportionate increase in assessed property values and tax burdens. Something needs to be done.

Updates from Senator Collins

• Dorchester Bay City
  • There is an impasse between the abutters and the Chapter 91 license as to easement on the road to access the site and the amount of green space.
• Morrissey Commission should continue.
  • The administration wants more time to continue the process to include K-Circle.
  • There is an environmental bond bill regarding the shoreline.
    • The Boston Water and Sewer Commission is working together with the Army Corps of Engineers on a plan to deal with storm water.
    • The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for 75% of the plan.
  • The state would like to shelve the idea of berms as they are too expensive and take up too much space. This includes the plans for a berm at Moakley Park as well.
  • Don Walsh
    • Expressed our frustration with Mass DOT.
    • Stated that CSHCA is in conversation with Kairos Shen and the BPDA on creating a Northeast Dorchester District for the purposes of comprehensive planning.
• The Problem at Mass and Cass
  • The state is working on legislation to make changes.
    • They need to declare a state of emergency to make things happen faster.
    • There is a need for a drug treatment facility.
    • Changes they are looking to create include:
      • A social worker needing to make an evaluation prior to any drug treatment discharge
      • Making involuntary commitment to a facility possible
      • Having a mandate for treatment up to 90 days with a court order needed for earlier discharge
• White Stadium
  • $2 million has been allocated for the redesign and renovation of JFK /UMass station.
  • Investments need to be made to upgrade the #16 bus route.
• Property Taxes
  • Mayor Wu requested to temporarily increase commercial rates to take the burden off residential owners.
  • She submitted her numbers late, which proved to be not doable.
  • The budget drives the tax rates and collection.
  • The spiking in bills is an accounting issue.
  • Attempts should be made to
    • Increase the senior circuit breaker tax.
    • Use surplus funds to provide residential relief without affecting the bond ratings.
• As to a question about the Long Island facility
  • There is a planning study taking place.
  • There is a court case from Quincy.
  • We need to declare a health emergency as 10,000 have overdosed in the past three years.

CSHCA Doorhangers

• Two thousand CSHCA door hangers have been printed and are ready for distribution in our area.
• Consider volunteering to help distribute them by covering a few streets.
• Sign up at meetings or contact Bill Walczak for more information.

Committee Reports

            Community Benefits Committee (Don Walsh)

• We are still pushing for comprehensive planning for the development coming to our area.
• With the help of Councilor Fitzgerald, the $750,000 donation from Copper Mill will be forthcoming with “X amount” for CSHCA usage.

Beautification Committee (Elizabeth Doyle)

• The committee requests $250 to cover the purchase of 450 bulbs for their Bulb Sale.
• Membership voted to approve.
• They plan on selling the bulbs either at the Music in the Park Event on 9/21 or at the Halloween Parade.

Events Committee (Alix Giannetti)

• We hosted one event each month this summer.
• Thanks to Heidi for organizing the Neighborhood Yard Sale. A record 56 houses participated.
• The Pleasant Street Block Party was very crowded and successful.
• The committee has T-shirts for $20 and Totes for $10 for to fundraise for future events.
• Musicians are encouraged to sign up now for the Music in the Park Event, 9/21, from 11 AM to 1 PM by emailing savinhill@outlook.com

Planning Committee

• 33 Crescent Avenue’s ZBA date was deferred to 9/23.
• 78 Harborview Street is seeking a curb cut for parking, but there is a property line dispute.
• 51 Moseley Street is seeking a ZBA date. One member reported that it has already been approved!
• We are experiencing issues with the city not informing us of abutters meeting or ZBA hearings.
• The planning meeting on 9/9 on Zoom will focus on Murphy Funeral Home’s plan for development of its parking lot into housing and commercial space. It will be an informational meeting only.
• Membership will vote on 180-182 Savin Hill Avenue – the Tomasini house. They are seeking
  • To increase the living space of the third floor by adding a dormer.
  • To add a curb cut for 2 parking spots with EV charging.
  • There is confusion as to it being a two or three family as city records conflict.
    • It is assessed for tax purposes as a two-family.
    • The BPDA has it listed since 2012 as a three-family.
    • The developer claims the record will be straightened out once it is built.
  • There is no ZBA date yet as they are waiting on the CSHCA vote tonight.
  • Some members posted comments in the chat concerned about the driveway being on a bend with a stop sign that most cars ignore leading to accidents in the busy intersection.
  • Another member in the chat questioned why the Tomasini’s did not correct its designation as a two family on their tax bill for 13 years.
  • There was also concern about the rear porches encroaching on their neighbor’s property and their privacy.
  • If you have further questions on the project, you can contact James Christopher at jchristopher@686arch.com
  • According to the planning  chair membership voted in support as follows:
    • Support:
    • Oppose:
    • Abstain:

Final Business: Former Mayor Marty Walsh will be at the October meeting on October 6 to discuss what is happening in our area.