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As Gov. Charlie Baker prepares to hand the keys to the corner office over to Governor-elect Maura Healey in 57 days, the outgoing administration is prioritizing disaster preparedness, winter weather preparation and state budget briefings for members of the incoming administration's transition team.
FRANKLIN WEEK AHEAD
Monday, Nov. 14
Franklin Housing Authority agenda
4:00pm
Tuesday, Nov 15
School Comm. Redistricting Advisory Subcommittee agenda
6:00pm
Wednesday, Nov 16
5:45pm
7:00pm
Thursday, Nov 16
8:30am
Senior Coffee Hour w/ State & Local Officials
8:30am
7:30pm
STATE HOUSE AND BEYOND
A nearly two-year campaign cycle is in the rearview mirror, and now begins the process of preparing for the turnover and handoffs up and down state government. Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Kary Polito, Auditor Suzanne Bump and Attorney General Maura Healey should think about starting to clean out their offices if they haven't already as Healey prepares to move across the street to the corner office and Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll, Auditor-elect Diana DiZoglio and AG-elect Andrea Campbell get ready for their new roles. Healey and Driscoll already had their first formal meeting with the sitting governor and lieutenant governor to discuss the transition, which Driscoll herself will chair with assists from longtime Baker aides. They're likely to head back to the State House as soon as next week to sit down with legislative leaders with -- and, if Democrats struggle to unite behind trifecta control, against -- whom they will work starting in early January. It's also time for the governor-elect and her team to dream up the concrete policy actions needed to follow through on her campaign promises to cut taxes, make Massachusetts more affordable, expand housing production, and fortify both early education and clean energy sectors.
But before Baker's "lone walk" and Healey's inauguration, and before the House and Senate begin their 2023-2024 terms, there will be another eight weeks of informal sessions to wrap up unfinished business. Legislative leaders may find a new appetite to take up as many bills that they didn't get to before the election as they can during this stretch, when any single lawmaker's objection can stall advancement. They chipped away at their to-do list this week when negotiators found a path forward on a stalled public lands conservation bill, sending Baker a measure that would enshrine in state law a "no net loss" policy that calls for replacing any land whose Article 97 protections are lifted with newly protected land of equal environmental value. "We want public space for ecological reasons, for quality of life reasons, for public health reasons, and for meeting the challenge of the climate crisis," Rep. Ruth Balser, who co-chaired the conference committee, told the News Service. "This bill has been a long time coming. Environmental organizations have been advocating for this for more than two decades, and today's a great day." That bill landed on Baker's desk shortly before he signed off on almost all spending in the revived and scaled-back $3.8 billion economic development and fiscal 2022 closeout package (H 5374).
Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022
TRAHAN ON 4: Congresswoman Trahan is the guest on "Keller At Large." (Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV Ch. 4)
CAMPBELL ON 5: Attorney General-elect Andrea Campbell is the guest on "On The Record." (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)
Monday, Nov. 14, 2022
SPILKA AT MWRTA: MetroWest Regional Transit Authority hosts a legislative breakfast. Senate President Spilka attends. (Monday, 8:30 a.m., MWRTA Operations and Maintenance Facility, 15 Blandin Ave., Framingham)
GAMING COMMISSION -- AD ROUNDTABLE: Mass. Gaming Commission hosts a roundtable on sports wagering advertising and media, similar to sessions it has held with potential sports betting operators. Participants include the American Gaming Association, Massachusetts Broadcasting Association, Boston 25, New England Sports Network and Major League Baseball. After introductions, lawyers from the commission's hired firm Anderson & Kreiger will set the stage with "High-level guidance on constitutional limits, restricting advertising." The commission will then ask participants to talk to them about a host of issues specifically identified in the meeting notice. "The Commission has identified that the frequency and intensity of sports wagering ads may be disruptive and pose concerns for viewers -- how does your company or organization address marketing saturation?" the commission asks in one of six questions. (Monday, 10 a.m., More Info)
ASSANGE RALLY: Organizers rally to defend Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks who faces 18 federal counts alleging he published classified documents related to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Assange, who has lived outside of the U.S. for years, was detained in London in 2019 and may face extradition. (Monday, 11 a.m., Park Street Station in Boston Common, Boston)
HOUSE AND SENATE: Both branches hold informal sessions. (Monday, 11 a.m., House and Senate chambers | House Livestream | Senate Livestream)
AMHERST SOLAR ARRAY: Town of Amherst holds ribbon-cutting event at a new solar array at Amherst's North Landfill. (Monday, 12:30 p.m., 740 Belchertown Rd., Amherst)
TRIAL BY JURY: Discovering Justice and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts hosts a forum called "Trial by Jury: Does the American Jury System Bring About Justice." Discovering Justice's executive director Matt Wilson facilitates a conversation between senior U.S. District Judge William Young, Harvard Law School clinical professor Dehlia Umunna, former Massachusetts federal public defender Miriam Conrad, and assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao. (Monday, 4 p.m., John J. Moakley Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Way, Boston | Register)
BUS NETWORK REDESIGN MEETING: MBTA staff host a virtual public meeting to discuss the proposed Bus Network Redesign, which seeks to boost bus frequency across the system by 25 percent over a five-year period and double the number of high-frequency routes. (Monday, 6 p.m., More Info)
STATE HOUSE ART EXHIBITION: State House hosts art exhibition "Southie Then and Now - A Neighborhood Transformed." The exhibition, by artist Jared Katsiane, highlights the changing landscape in South Boston over the last 50 years. The show was supported by the Mass Cultural Council via Local Cultural Councils and toured nine libraries around the state in 2021 and 2022. At each library, visitors were welcomed to draw and write ideas for change in their community on a large canvas. These canvases will hang as part of the exhibition. The show can be viewed on the 4th floor outside the House gallery. (Monday - Friday, 4th Floor, Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon St., Boston)
WIND DEADLINE: Department of Public Utilities, which granted Commonwealth Wind's request for an extension, has given the developer until the end of Monday to say whether it will move forward with its 1,200 megawatt offshore wind project under the contract terms already agreed to or ask state regulators to no longer consider the essential agreements. Commonwealth Wind, which is the largest single offshore wind project in the state's pipeline, said late last month that it is no longer viable without changes to the contracts between it and Bay State utilities. (Monday)
Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022
STRETCH CODE "PEOPLE'S HEARING" | Mass Climate Action Network holds a "People's Hearing On A True Net-Zero Stretch Code." Governor-elect Maura Healey has promised to power up the clean energy sector and groups like the climate network, the Mass Power Forward Coalition, 350 Mass, Mass Sierra Club, and ZeroCarbonMA are calling on the next administration "to take immediate action and make amendments to the specialized stretch code that will lower the cost of utility bills, reduce the health effects of burning fossil fuels in homes, combat the climate crisis, and support the creation of good paying jobs." The state Department of Energy Resources in September released its final language for the state building code changes that it hopes will encourage builders to shift away from fossil fuel heating in favor of electrification, but some activists are want lawmakers to compel changes before the new code takes effect. "While there are many positive provisions in the updated language, and every municipality will significantly benefit from opting-in to it, the proposed specialized stretch code falls short of being truly 'net-zero' by providing a clear pathway for new buildings to utilize natural gas," wrote MCAN Interim Executive Director Logan Malik. "The Baker Administration has refused to take the necessary action to meet the climate crisis. However, with a new administration comes new opportunities." (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Access Info)
DESE BOARD MEETS: Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meets. Agenda topics include discussion and vote on the board's fiscal year 2024 budget proposal and a budget committee report, a postsecondary enrollment and workforce earnings report, grants approved by Commissioner Riley, and family engagement. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 75 Pleasant St., Malden | Agenda | Livestream)
PRIM INVESTMENTS: Treasurer Goldberg chairs meeting of the Pension Reserves Investment Management (PRIM) Investment Committee. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Agenda and Access Info)
APPRENTICESHIP FORUM: Massachusetts Apprentice Network hosts a forum called "Your Future Talent Today" to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week. Speakers, including Massachusetts Secretary of Labor & Workforce Development Rosalin Acosta and Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce President and CEO James Rooney, will discuss the benefits of creating and increasing apprenticeships to build talent for Massachusetts' business community. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Accenture Boston Office, 888 Boylston St., Suite 1300, Boston)
REGIONAL JOB FAIR - DAY ONE: With many employers desperate to fill vacant positions, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and MassHire Department of Career Services hold a virtual New England Regional Job Fair Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days on the Premier Virtual platform. Employment sectors featured on Tuesday include health care, education, and hospitality. "I encourage jobseekers from all over New England and beyond to see what great career opportunities Massachusetts has to offer," said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta. "High-demand industries like hospitality, education, healthcare, STEM, finance and banking, and the trades, are looking for workers with different levels of experience and the New England Regional Job Fair is a great opportunity for the Commonwealth's employers to directly connect with jobseekers." (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Register | More Info & List Of Participating Employers)
GATEWAY CITIES AWARDS: MassINC hosts its 10th annual Gateway Cities Innovation Institute awards and summit, focusing this year on social infrastructure. Executive director of the institute Ben Forman and director of Gateway Hubs Project at MassINC Andre Leroux will speak. Award recipients include Salem mayor and Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll, Sen. Lesser, Groundwork USA Executive Director Heather McMann, transformative development initiative fellow at MassDevelopment Adelsa Mendes, Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority administrator Noah Berger, executive director of Viva Fall River Patti Rego, and executive vice president of community development at MassDevelopment Marcos Marrero. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Register)
SEAL AND MOTTO COMMISSION: The behind-schedule Special Commission Relative to the Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth holds a meeting to discuss "$100,000 budget approval and the status of efforts to secure deadline extension" and to be presented with survey results on proposed terms and symbols for a revised state seal and motto. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., More Info)
WILDFIRE HEARING: Joint Committee on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management holds a virtual informational hearing on the state's preparedness status to manage and respond to wildfires. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Livestream)
NATICK BRIDGE MEETING: MassDOT staff host virtual public meeting to present the design for proposed reconstruction of the Boden Lane bridge in Natick, which officials say was taken out of service after being struck in 2019. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., More Info)
CAPE COD BRIDGES MEETING: Staff working on a project to replace the Bourne and Sagamore bridges over the Cape Cod Canal host a virtual public meeting to present updates on the effort, which could carry a price tag of nearly $4 billion. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., More Info)
GAMING REVENUE: Mass. Gaming Commission is due to report gross October casino gaming revenue from Plainridge Park Casino, MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor. (Tuesday)
Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022
MASSDOT BOARD: Department of Transportation Board of Directors meets virtually. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Agenda and Livestream)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - DISTRICT COURT: Governor's Council interviews former Parole Board executive director Michael Callahan for a seat on the District Court bench. He served from 2015 to 2018 under Parole Board Chairman Paul Treseler, who was confirmed to a Boston Municipal Court judgeship in 2019. Callahan is a former Suffolk County prosecutor and currently practices in Worcester. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)
PRIM REAL ESTATE: Treasurer Goldberg attends meeting of PRIM's Real Estate and Timberland Committee. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., Access Info)
REGIONAL JOB FAIR - DAY TWO: With many employers desperate to fill vacant positions, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and MassHire Department of Career Services hold the second day of a virtual New England Regional Job Fair on the Premier Virtual platform. Employment sectors featured Wednesday include manufacturing, engineering, construction, and transportation/warehousing. "I encourage jobseekers from all over New England and beyond to see what great career opportunities Massachusetts has to offer," said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta. "High-demand industries like hospitality, education, healthcare, STEM, finance and banking, and the trades, are looking for workers with different levels of experience and the New England Regional Job Fair is a great opportunity for the Commonwealth's employers to directly connect with jobseekers." (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Register | More Info & List Of Participating Employers)
DISABILITIES COMMISSION: Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities plans to meet virtually. The commission was created by a late 2020 law with a mandate to "advance the cause of persons with disabilities," including the improvement of access to transportation, food, housing and work. Rep. Garlick chairs. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., More Info TBA)
ENBRIDGE EXEC TALKS TO BIZ LEADERS: New England Council hosts its latest virtual talk in the "Inside the Corner Office" series, featuring Enbridge executive vice president Cynthia Hansen, who also serves as the company's president of gas transmission and midstream. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Virtual)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - SOMERVILLE MAGISTRATE: Governor's Council holds public hearing on Gov. Baker's nomination of longtime Boston Juvenile Court assistant clerk Katherine Barkowski to serve as clerk magistrate of Somerville District Court. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL: Governor's Council meets and could vote on confirmation of two new Appeals Court justices -- Worcester prosecutor Christopher Hodgens and Judge Paul Hart Smyth. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)
MWRA BOARD: Mass. Water Resources Authority Board of Directors meets, with an agenda that includes bargaining unit pay equity adjustments, a Strategic Business Plan annual update for fiscal 2022, and an executive session to discuss watershed land acquisition. Agenda also includes contracts for security guard services at various MWRA facilities, harbor and outfall monitoring, odor control and HVAC system improvements at Nut Island Headworks in Quincy, and pipe and boiler replacement at Wachusett Dam Lower Gatehouse. (Wednesday, 12:30 p.m., Agenda and Access Info)
INFRASTRUCTURE LAW A YEAR LATER: Special Advisor to the White House and Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu joins Pluribus News for a virtual discussion on how states and municipalities are implementing the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, which took effect Nov. 15, 2021. (Wednesday, 12:30 p.m., Register)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - SUPERIOR COURT: Governor's Council interviews William Bloomer, director of the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission's Division of Standards, who was nominated by Gov. Baker to a Superior Court judgeship. Bloomer served in the U.S. Attorney's Office for 18 years, is a former Middlesex prosecutor, and worked in the Attorney General's Office under AG Reilly. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)
LOTTERY 50TH ANNIVERSARY: Treasurer Goldberg hosts live drawing of the Midday Numbers Game at the State House as part of the State Lottery's 50th anniversary celebration, joined by the Lottery's interim executive director, Mark William Bracken. Drawing is at 2 p.m. followed by light refreshments in the Great Hall. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., Grand Staircase)
McKEOWN SCHOOL OF EDUCATION: Salem State University holds formal dedication of its McKeown School of Education, named in memory of James "Jamie" McKeown '77, a former Cummings Properties president who died unexpectedly at the age of 41. Naming ceremony, which features a ribbon-cutting and unveiling of new signage, follows a $10 million gift from the Cummings Foundation. Salem State said in August that it was "the largest cash contribution ever made in the history of the nine Massachusetts state universities." Participants include Salem State University President John Keenan, trustee Robert Lutts, and McKeown School dean Joseph Cambone. Denise McKeown speaks on behalf of the family. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., North Campus, 352 Lafayette St., Salem)
SPILKA AT METROWEST CHAMBER: Senate President Spilka speaks at the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting. (Wednesday, 5:30 p.m., Verve Crowne Plaza, 1360 Worcester St., Natick)
DAVIS STATION MEETING: MBTA hosts virtual public meeting to discuss accessibility improvements to Davis Station. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., More Info)
I-495, I-90 INTERCHANGE MEETING: MassDOT hosts virtual public meeting to discuss planned improvements to the interchange between Interstate 495 and Interstate 90. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., More Info)
GREENFIELD RESURFACING MEETING: MassDOT hosts virtual public meeting to discuss road resurfacing work in Greenfield. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., More Info)
Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022
HEALTH PLANS CONFERENCE: Massachusetts Association of Health Plans hosts its annual conference to "examine the health care challenges and opportunities that Massachusetts and the nation will be facing in the years ahead, with a focus on public health, provider prices and health equity." Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota will deliver the keynote speech, and Dr. Alon Peltz, instructor at the Department of Population Medicine at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Harvard Medical School, will deliver research study findings on telehealth use in Massachusetts since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Speakers include Gov. Baker, Gov.-elect Healey, Health & Human Services Secretary Sudders, and experts from the field. WBZ Medical Reporter Mallika Marshall will emcee. (Thursday, 7:30 a.m., Seaport Hotel, 1 Seaport Lane)
MBTA BOARD: MBTA Board of Directors meets virtually. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Agenda and Livestream)
MASSPORT BOARD MEETS: Massachusetts Port Authority Board of Directors convenes its final scheduled meeting for 2022. (Thursday, 9 a.m., More Info)
DECARBONIZATION KICK OFF: Boston Mayor Wu kicks off Vicinity Energy's electrification plans with the deconstruction of a steam turbine at the Kendall Green Energy Cogeneration Facility. Vicinity Energy, a Boston-based energy company with the nation's largest portfolio of district energy systems, will install an electric boiler in the steam turbine's place in pursuit of the company's goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions across its operations by 2050. "When the electric boiler begins service in 2024, all Vicinity’s customers in Boston and Cambridge will have access to carbon-free, renewable energy instantly," the company says. (Thursday, 9:45 a.m., Kendall Square Cogeneration Station, 21 Athenaeum St., Cambridge)
PENSION AUDIT COMMITTEE: Treasurer Goldberg attends meeting of PRIM's Administration and Audit Committee. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Access Info)
BOSTON CITY HALL PLAZA REOPENING: City of Boston hosts a ribbon-cutting and reopening of the newly renovated City Hall Plaza. Boston Mayor Wu announced a family-friendly event featuring tours of the renovated plaza and live entertainment. The recently completed renovation "transformed the Plaza into a civic space for all residents, with universal accessibility, new communal spaces, increased environmental sustainability, and critical infrastructure improvements," according to the mayor's office. The renovation also includes 3,000 new spaces for people to sit, 12,000 square feet of playscapes for children and 11,000 square feet of terraces for interactive public art. An estimated 10,000 to 12,000 visitors will now be able to meet on the main plaza, and there's room for 20,000 to 25,000 people to gather on the entire plaza. "City Hall Plaza is a space to bring people together and build community," Wu said. "I'm grateful for the work of all our City workers and partners to transform the plaza into a welcoming, resilient, and accessible space for residents and visitors to enjoy." Starting at 5 p.m., The city's Arts and Culture Cabinet also hosts an event with music by DJ WhySham, a lineup of local poets emceed by Porsha Olayiwola and digital projection and lighting installation by Jeff Grantz/ILLUMINUS Boston featuring images by Artists for Humanity that will light up the building. The event will also feature public art installations. (Thursday, 11 a.m., City Hall Plaza)
PRIM COMPENSATION COMMITTEE: Treasurer Goldberg attends meeting of PRIM's Compensation Committee. (Thursday, 11:45 a.m., Access Info)
STATUS OF WOMEN HEARING: The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women holds a public hearing seeking testimony from women "on issues that matter most to them to inform legislative and policy priorities." (Thursday, 5 p.m., Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield Public Library, 1 Wendell Ave., Pittsfield | Register by Nov. 14)
CAPE COD BRIDGES MEETING: Staff working on a project to replace the Bourne and Sagamore bridges over the Cape Cod Canal host a virtual public meeting to present updates on the effort, which could carry a price tag of nearly $4 billion. (Thursday, 6 p.m., More Info)
GOLDBERG FETED BY ISRAEL BONDS: Israel Bonds Boston honors Treasurer Goldberg at its annual "Beverage Industry Event." (Thursday, 6 p.m., Pine Brook Country Club, 42 Newton St., Weston | RSVP Info)
ROUTE 3A RESURFACING MEETING: MassDOT staff host virtual public meeting to discuss road resurfacing work on Route 3A in Burlington and Billerica. (Thursday, 6:30 p.m., More Info)
Friday, Nov. 18, 2022
PANDEMIC IMPACT ON LABOR MARKETS: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston hosts its 66th economic conference, titled "Labor Markets During and After the Pandemic," where speakers will discuss COVID-19's impact on work patterns and what changes are most likely to endure. The conference will be livestreamed. (Friday, 8:30 a.m., 600 Atlantic Ave., Boston | More Info)
CANCER CARE AWARDS: Massachusetts Society of Clinical Oncologists holds annual meeting and grants 2022 MSCO Awards which are intended to honor individuals who make a significant impact on the field of oncology and patient care. This year's winners include Senate President Karen Spilka, Dr. Steven Come, oncologist at Beth Israel Deaconess, and Dr. Aditya Bardia, oncologist and director of breast cancer research at Massachusetts General Hospital. "These winners have set the standard for innovation and dedication to the field of oncology in Massachusetts," said society president Dr. Kala Seetharaman. "These awards are a testament to their skill, ingenuity, and vision of oncology treatments and patient care." (Friday, 5:30 p.m., Westin Waltham Boston, 70 3rd Ave., Waltham)
HATE CRIMES PREVENTION: Applications are due to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for a round of competitive Hate Crimes Prevention grants "to support the implementation of programs designed to prevent hate crimes and incidences of bias in public schools as defined under M.G.L. Chapter 22C, Section 32.
OCTOBER JOBS REPORT: Preliminary October and revised September unemployment rate, labor force and job estimates for Massachusetts will be released. The state reported a September unemployment rate of 3.4 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from August, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics' preliminary job estimates indicated Massachusetts gained 13,800 jobs in September. (Friday)
