The Public Service Committee of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, February 3. The committee’s purview includes issues pertaining to transportation, public safety, licensing, and public works matters.
Chair Michael Reiskind and members Gert Thorn, Peter DeCotis, Purple Reign, David Brewster, Sarah Freeman, and Willie Mitchell were on hand for the session.
The main business of the meeting consisted of a discussion of the committee’s initiatives and goals for the coming year. Reiskind shared a list of the priorities that have been identified in the past. Those include:
— Improving accommodations for bicycles and Blue Bike locations, including such items as more bike racks, better signage (especially around Jamaica Pond), licensing and insurance for bicycles, and education on bike safety;
— Improving pedestrian traffic flow and safety at crosswalks;
— Adding speed bumps near schools, transit stations, and around White Stadium, and making New Minton St. one-way;
— Additional parking restrictions around White Stadium;
— Advocating for the expeditious implementation of the pending DCR public safety multimodal projects on the Arborway;
— Extending the Green Line to Hyde Square;
— Support the use of foot patrols by the Boston P.D. in all “Main St.” districts throughout the city;
— Implement the master plan for Centre and South Sts. between Jackson Sq. and Forest Hills;
— Improve the cleanliness of the JP business districts;
— Conduct a community process regarding so-called parking “space savers” for parking spaces on residential streets; and
— Work to improve the brightness of LED street lights
Thorn, noting that some of these matters have been on the table for more than a decade, suggested that the committee narrow the list in order to focus on a smaller number of projects that can be accomplished in the coming year.
“I agree with Gert,” said Mitchell. “There are some things on that list that are going to be hard to get done.”
The members will take a vote on which initiatives they wish to pursue in 2026 at their next meeting.
The members engaged in a lengthy discussion about policing matters and the benefits of foot patrols in neighborhoods.
“We got to know the officers in our neighborhood who were walking the beat and they got to know us on a first-name basis,” said Purple Reign, referring to the beat patrols that were common throughout the city in her youth.
However, Reiskind reminded the members of the fiscal realities facing the city and the present shortage of officers in the Boston P.D.
The members also discussed ICE enforcement efforts in the area, particularly in the Mildred Haley housing complex.
The committee took up one licensing matter. The Ethiopian Cafe, 377A Centre St., came before the committee seeking approval for its request for three licenses, “a 7-day Common Victualler license, an All-Alcohol Beverages license, and a take-out license, with a 10:00 p.m. closing hour.”
Prominent Boston attorney Kristen Scanlon represented the Ethiopian Cafe. Firehiwot Bekele Zeieke, the owner of the business since 2017, also briefly addressed the committee.
Scanlon noted that the cafe had been approved by the city for an all-alcohol license in 2021, but none were available at that time. However, the recent state legislation has opened up the availability of all-alcohol licenses in the city. Scanlon also noted that Zeieke has operated a similar establishment in Dudley/Nubian Square since 2019.
The committee members unanimously voted to approve the issuance of the licenses. The business now will go before the full JPNC for its approval and then will move on to the city’s Licensing Commission in order to receive the licenses.
Reiskind reported that the city’s Licensing Commission approved license-related requests for the Jeanie Johnston Pub at 14 South St., JP Convenience at 546 Centre St., Oda Bar and Bites at 38-40 Washington St., and Tonino at 669 Centre St., but rejected a license request from the Tropical Market at 371 Centre St. He also noted that the new Behan Caffe at 380 Centre St. will be coming before the Licensing Commission this month.
The next meeting of the Public Service Committee is set for Tuesday, March 3.