When Boston Mayor Michelle Wu put an end to the street outdoor dining in the North End to the dissatisfaction of restaurant owners, she committed to the formation of a Task Force to think through what a permanent program could look like in the heavy populated community with numerous restaurants.
Wu has kept her commitment announcing that a Task Force of eleven members made up of residents and the business community.
The group will be empowered to work with city officials and other stakeholders to evaluate the status of a program that makes sense for everyone involved.
Reportedly, the city is looking forward to working with the group to develop a set of recommendations for consideration.
The Task Force is not a voting group, it will only make suggestions on the program’s future status.
The eleven-member group consists of: Joe Bono, Gaetano Trotta, Mivan Spencer, Ted Kennedy, Linda Riccio, Vincent Colafella, Cheryl Del Greco, Norma Reppucci, Rosina Fabbo, Darlene Romano and Stephen Passacantilli.
The first Task Force meeting took place on May 24 at City Hall.
The agenda included: introduction of the group, establishing shared meeting norms, establishing the categories of concerns, reviewing transportation, schedule, quality of life and review and confirm a schedule for upcoming meetings for 2023.