End of Summer Update: Working for One Boston

Dear Friends and Supporters,

I hope that you and your loved ones had a restful, enjoyable Labor Day Weekend. Celebrating Labor Day, and all of the achievements of working women and men in the United States, has a special poignancy this year as so many of our friends and family are struggling in this economy. I hope that we will find the collective resolve to work together to help our neighbors and our neighborhoods through these difficult times.

As my first term on the Boston City Council enters its last four months, I am writing to update you on my efforts to strengthen each neighborhood by working for One Boston – a livable city with great schools, safe streets, a strong local economy, and healthy, sustainable neighborhoods.

During the summer, I convened four hearings in Jamaica Plain, Grove Hall, Back Bay, and Charlestown as Chair of the City Council’s Special Committee on a Livable Boston. These hearings have been focused on listening to you and every resident of Boston about how we can work together to improve quality of life across our City. By bringing the City Council to the neighborhoods, these hearings have enabled the City Council to hear directly from hundreds of residents about their ideas on how to make Boston more livable. If you would like to learn more about the continuing work of the Livable Boston Committee or serve as a Steering Committee member, please e-mail me at john@connollyforboston.com.

Throughout the summer, I have also been focused on my work as Chair of the City Council’s Education Committee. As thousands of children return to our Boston Public Schools this week, I will reconvene a hearing to receive an update from Boston Public Schools and Boston Public Health Commission on the City’s preparedness and plans for dealing with the possible increase in H1N1 flu cases. With the new school year, I am also very excited to continue my favorite part of serving on the City Council, visiting our schools. Throughout my first term, I have made every effort to visit Boston’s schools so that I can see and hear firsthand from parents, students, teachers, and principals about the successes and challenges in working to give our children a world class education. Last week, I had the pleasure to meet with the principal and teachers at the Haynes Early Education Center where the faculty had the highest attendance rate in the City last year.

Finally, in a further effort to keep you informed of my work for One Boston, I am pleased to let you know that the Public Safety and Accountable Government sections of my One Boston platform are now available at www.ConnollyforBoston.com.

As always, thanks for giving me the opportunity to serve in this job that I love.

With best wishes,

John R. Connolly
Boston City Councillor At-Large