Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcoming to the program, newly elected squinc councilor at large and City Council president Ann Mahoney. Hi, Ann.
[00:00:07] Speaker B: Welcome. Hey Joe, how are you? So happy to be here. Thank you for inviting me on.
[00:00:11] Speaker A: You're very welcome. I appreciate you keeping up the tradition of speaking with us here at QATV the mornings after the city council meetings. We've been doing it for quite a while now, so I know the next two years.
[00:00:22] Speaker B: Me too, me too.
[00:00:24] Speaker A: So what a night last night. What did you think about it?
[00:00:26] Speaker B: Oh, it was incredible. I mean, I've been sworn in before and it was just an electrifying meeting last night. It just felt really good to be in that. Well with all the newly elected people and you know, are they in Richard and Noel who are coming back? You know, we have. I just am very excited about the team that we're going to be able to work together with for the city council.
[00:00:45] Speaker A: Yeah, it was, you know, mostly a ceremonial event last night. Right.
[00:00:50] Speaker B: And that's why it was, it just, it was just a very exciting night because there's so many new people and you could just see their excitement. So.
[00:00:56] Speaker A: Yeah, sure. Do you have any, I guess, kind of advice for the new city councilors joining this year?
[00:01:03] Speaker B: Well, it's funny, I've talked to each one of them and I said, and I've never been a ward counselor, so it's different to be a ward counselor than a counselor at large. And what I explained to my newly elected ward councilors is like, you know, or your day to day business is taking care of, you know, your ward, making sure you know what's happening, you know, get in touch with your principals, make sure you stop into the fire stations, get, get in touch with the police and find out any of the hotspots that are happening for the day to day operations. Work with your dbw, understand what streets are being done. It's all of the, the basic things that residents are looking for. But when you come to the council, you're one of nine and your ward is important to represent, but you are making decisions based on your votes for the whole city. And that's where it becomes a different, you know, ball game. And really asking those questions up front and not being afraid to ask for more information because you don't feel like you have enough to make an informed decision. Nobody should ever feel like they have to make a decision, be pressured into making a decision when they don't have all the facts. And that's my advice to them. And it's been my advice to Anybody, anybody I've ever worked with or have trained, brought in to work within my own team. Like, we can't work well together unless you feel fully informed. And when you aren't, come to me and we can talk about it and we can try to get you what you need to get there. And I think it makes for better discussions, better deliberations, and certainly improves the outcome of whatever you're working on.
[00:02:25] Speaker A: Is there like a council school, Ann, for, you know, to learn the rules, basically?
[00:02:30] Speaker B: So there is. MMA has a conference for new newly elected counselors from all over the state. And it's a great opportunity to go and listen to and, and review some of the things that will be happening within your town. Each, each group does it differently, so you really have to absorb that information and take away with it what you need.
MMA also has a lot of great conferences that you, or just webinars that you can join. You know, an hour lunch hour, just explaining finances, things that happen Again, it's. You have to take the information and adapt it to what your town or city needs. And then the city does host and the sun this Saturday, they'll be hosting at 10 o' clock in the morning, kind of a review to the counselors, what to expect, how to deliberate, you know, what, what constitutes open meeting violations, those types of things, which is really important because this is a whole new way of communicating. And you know, it's not something you do in the private sector. You do not have to worry about your, what meetings you're having and where you're having them and what you're talking about, but you do when you're an elected.
And it's important that we follow those rules.
[00:03:31] Speaker A: Sure. Last night you talked a little bit about some of your hopes this year. Accountability, transparency, thoughtful decision making. You mentioned how do you kind of plan to achieve those goals.
[00:03:42] Speaker B: So just like I said, there'll be some ordinances that will come back before the city council, but I do think, I think we're going to have a working council. And again, when I was chosen to be the council president, I spoke with each individual counselors. I was explaining to them that I was going to be very selective of who I was putting in what chairs and why.
And, you know, I really think that we have to have strong communications with the administration, make sure we're getting the information that we need back from them. And then also, you know, we do not.
One of the counselors, actually two of the counselors basically asked if they could get the information a week ahead of time. And I said that would be lovely, but it's not realistic. But the realistic way we can approach that is we don't have the information in a timely manner, no matter what the pressure is. If we have to have this voted on tonight, we have to remind the administration that we can't vote things unless we have the information and feel confident about what we're providing. So there'll be no rush to, you know, we need to get this into committee, out of committee, and voted on tonight without the proper information. And unfortunately, that type of transparency hasn't been happening. It's more of a we need this done tonight. And it happened when I was on the council too, and I certainly didn't appreciate it because I can't be handed something, a 40 page document and be told it's just basic things that are changing. Nothing to worry about here. I like to read things and I'm pretty thorough when I read things. And if I don't understand something, just it's the advice I've given to other people. People make sure you ask those questions because once you vote on it, it's done.
[00:05:08] Speaker A: So will there be, you know, a public comment period during the council meetings under your tenure? Ann?
[00:05:15] Speaker B: I believe there will be. So that is another thing that we really want to encourage. It's part of, it's part of what we're supposed to do now. But we want to make, we want to make sure that we're being, we're going to bring that in as well as something that we're going to discuss. How, you know, when we'll have it, if will it be the first meeting, last meeting, will it be the beginning or the end? But we will definitely make an opportunity in people to be able to come and talk because as oftentimes people will come and they think they can participate, but they can't. Now, I did remind everybody on the council if we do open this up to do that, that it is not a back and forth conversation. Much like the school committee, we invite people up and you'll have a certain amount of time that you can speak and we cannot respond back to you. So don't feel offended if nobody's speaking back to you.
As I told my fellow counselors, the best thing to do is take down people's names and if it's something that you feel passionate about, reach back out to that constituent and talk to them. That is how I've conducted business for the last hundred years. I've been around. It feels like I'm tired today.
[00:06:11] Speaker A: Joe that Was a long night, I'm sure, and quite different to have the state auditor as a guest speaker.
[00:06:18] Speaker B: Yeah, it was very special to have her come.
She's friendly with Maggie, and Maggie was the one who helped establish that relationship to come. I've met her, and I can say that I've met her several times over the course of our crossing paths. But Maggie had been reaching out and talking to her and mentioned that we might need somebody because we had a unique situation. There's normally a passing of the guard, like the former president would pass it on to the new president. But Ian Cain has resigned from being a counselor, decided to stop running, and all the more power to him, and I wish him all the best. And I completely understand that you need a break. You know, it's. It's, you know, I have to tell you that you don't realize how much it takes of your life until you do it. And.
And obviously, I still love my city and I'm willing to do it again.
[00:07:07] Speaker A: Sure, sure. So, in terms of ordinances, Ann, are there any that you can talk about that'll take priority coming up?
[00:07:14] Speaker B: Not yet. I think I want to allow them.
There's councilors that have talked to me about them, but I need them to really flush them out, and they'll be working on them, so they'll definitely be something to talk about after our next council meeting.
[00:07:28] Speaker A: Okay, I look forward to that, too.
You mentioned the chairs. Can you talk about the chairs of the committees?
[00:07:33] Speaker B: Yeah, sure. So for finance, it's going to be Deborah Eiley.
Deb has a knack of looking at finances and really kind of really digging into them, and I think she's a great selection for that. I have Maggie McGee McGee McKee as the ordinance chair, and she's a great researcher, and she loves to make sure that we're. We're in line with, you know, that with how other towns are doing and other cities are doing it. And then I also put David Jacobs in charge of oversight and oversight. As I explained last night, it's not. It's not something just to, you know, to. It's really meant to be able to review and do our jobs. Oversight is an important committee. It hasn't really met a lot, even when I was on the council, but it's an incredible tool of the council to be able to bring different departments and our different issues that are going on just to make sure that we're clear and understanding how something might have happened or how it can be addressed, and then it can move into whether it needs to be moved into. Maybe it's an ordinance that it grows into, or maybe it's a financial question that it grows into. But it's a great place to. It's a great place to start those conversations.
[00:08:37] Speaker A: Okay, so those are committees of the whole. Any other chairmanships to talk about?
[00:08:41] Speaker B: I do, but, you know, I don't have my list with me right now, so I apologize. And I knew I basically was like, oh, I have to get that filled up, but I didn't have time to get that for you this morning. I'm sorry.
[00:08:51] Speaker A: That's okay. And in terms of process, then, you know, how does the setting of the agenda for the council work?
[00:08:57] Speaker B: So I will be as. I spoke to Mayor Koch last night, and we're going to set some time aside this week, hopefully on Friday, that we'll be able to sit down and discuss that. I believe that we'll meet as a. As a team that his team and myself and I'll bring forward with the ordinances or the resolves that people want to bring in from the committee. And then he'll be bringing the administration side as to what he would like to present to the council.
You know, and then, like I said, we're going to have working committees. So when we. When we put things into committee, I'm going to be looking to those chairs that chair those committees to start pulling them out and start working on them. And that's where it can be difficult because you have to push the depart to be able to provide the information.
But that's where I'll be looking to work collaboratively with the mayor and his city departments to make sure that we can work in that way, in that fashion, so we can get some things done. So I think. I think we will be able to do that. I have a really good relationship with most of the department heads, and I understand, you know, politics are politics. When we run against each other, it can be uncomfortable, but, you know, at the end of the day, we're all human beings and we all want the best for Quincy. So I know we will all work well together.
[00:10:05] Speaker A: Sure. It was mentioned last night the council's now female majority. Does that kind of change the dynamic since last time you were on?
[00:10:12] Speaker B: It does, but it's just. It's special more to me that it's the reflection of our community. The two Asian women, Asian American women that are on our committee.
It's great that we have five women. We have people from all different age. It ranges from, you know, from, you know, young, you Know, Richard Ash is the youngest, I think, and to, you know, our seasoned veterans and you know, as Noel would like to say, we've been together for a long time, Ann. And you know, it's hard to believe that Noel and I would be the longer serving people. But you know, that just really reflects what's happening in our community. And we had a lot of young people last night that were coming up to me and talking and letting me know that they really feel like they're being represented. And it's not because of five women. I do believe it's because of the makeup of not only the council, but also also the school committee. It's an important step for our community and I'm very proud. Yeah.
[00:11:06] Speaker A: Interestingly you mentioned all both you and he served on the school committee prior.
[00:11:10] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. I mean my passion for Quincy, you know, started just because I live in my great grandparents house and I'm down the street from my parents. Right. I mean I've always told that story and it's the facts and the schools were very important to me because no, you can leave and go to another community for AKA better schools or you can make your community stronger by being a participant in how we actually deliver the services that we have. And that's what started me in politics. I ran because I didn't feel that when I was talking to people I was getting, you know, the answers or, you know, this is how we've always done it. That's always been something. Even to this day when somebody says, starts the conversation, well, this is how we've always done it. I'll always think. But things have changed and we should really look at things, you know, from a different lens every once in a while otherwise we'll get really far behind and not be able to catch up. And you know, I was really proud when I worked on the school committee and I've been exceptionally proud of being a city councilor as well. And I'm really proud of this newly elected city council because everybody worked really hard and obviously who was really paying attention were the voters because elections like this don't happen unless voters are engaged and want to see change as well. So I thank all of the Quincy voters who came out and voted and we've heard you and we are listening to you and we are going to work very hard for you.
[00:12:26] Speaker A: You mentioned folks coming up to you last night. Will there be an open line of communication for folks between you and the constituents? Ann?
[00:12:33] Speaker B: Oh, there always is. So you know, you can always us, we, we have all of our school be. My cell phone I guess is taking a little longer to set up than the others, but everybody has cell phones so when you call the main office it will bounce over into our cell phones. And like I always tell people, all of us work full time jobs. It's a very, you know, it's, it's, it's a lot to be a city councilor but at the same time. So I, I have, my message will be set up and I always tell people if you leave a message I will call you back either at lunchtime or after working hours. But I always call people back and email is another way they'll be able to reach us. And you know, there's, even while I wasn't on the council, people were calling me. So I, I have a full belief that everybody has my phone number. But yeah, yeah.
[00:13:14] Speaker A: And of course Jen Manning as the clerk can take messages as well.
[00:13:17] Speaker B: She can, yeah. So she's going to be monitoring because I don't have a phone yet. She'll be monitoring my messages for now and you know, we'll work with it to get my, my stuff set up, so.
[00:13:26] Speaker A: Okay, great. Anything else you want to share right now, Ann?
[00:13:29] Speaker B: I just want to wish everybody a happy New Year. I think we're off to a good start here in Quincy and I look forward to working with you, Joe and qatv. And like I said last night, I really do appreciate all the hard qatv. You do get the information out as well as our local newspaper, Quincy sun and the Patriot Ledger. But QATV is really the heart of where people get to hear and see things when it comes to our council meetings, the real things if they tune in. So I'm looking forward to engaging as always with qatv.
[00:13:54] Speaker A: Thanks, we appreciate that. And we couldn't do it without our volunteers here as well. So we thank you.
[00:13:59] Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. That's the best part. It's a very. Well, I will say that I was also surprised. We had code blue last night from Holbrook, a student that was coming to film the, the swearing in last night and she was very excited. She was like, this is so exciting. And it was, it was great for me to see. I was, she, she interned for me last summer and she's just a great, she's a junior in high school and it's just great to see access, public access being shared and I, I'm a big believer of it.
[00:14:25] Speaker A: Joe, that's great, that's great. That's, that's the true heart and soul of what local access is.
[00:14:30] Speaker B: It is. It is. Yeah.
[00:14:32] Speaker A: We'll catch up with you on. Actually, it'll be January 21st. Right. Cause the next meeting on the 20th.
[00:14:38] Speaker B: It is. Yep. So it will be here before we know it.
[00:14:40] Speaker A: So thanks again, Anne, as always.
[00:14:43] Speaker B: Thank you, Joe. Have a great day.
[00:14:45] Speaker A: You too.
[00:14:45] Speaker B: Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.
