Boston has a new mayor, and from time to time, she's had to deal with factions of the city that are not as welcoming or positive as others. Recently this was true as she dealt with North End restaurant owners. What happened?
Of course, I don't know all the details, but it appeared that Mayor Wu quickly added a fee to North End Restaurants to cover the added public works costs related to outdoor dining. The fee appeared to catch the restaurant owners unaware eventually angering them.
The same day this story emerged, I read a friend's ideas about service. His ideas noted that when serving others you have to start with a conversation with those people so that you understand what they need and want because people typically know what's best for them. The ideas made me think back to my teaching days. It was always great to work with leaders and benefactors that spoke with teachers and asked us what we needed to do our best teaching, and it was always suffocating and oppressive to work with leaders and benefactors who layered on what they thought we needed without talking to us.
So similar to a local news channel editorial, I think Mayor Wu needs to meet with these restaurant owners and come up with a win-win solution to the problem. The news channel editorial suggested that the city use COVID funds to support the extra public works service needed--that might be an idea that works.
Like most people in New England, I enjoy visiting the North End and don't want to see the culture there change. Yet, I do understand the needs to support a healthy, clean infrastructure in that old time, tight, seaside neighborhood--it does cost money to keep city neighborhoods clean and healthy, particularly old, crowded neighborhoods like the North End.
I'm sure, in time, there will be a peaceful resolve to this issue. I believe Mayor Wu is a smart, dedicated leader who will lead Boston ahead. She's at the helm during a time when the city is reopening after the severe pandemic limitations we all faced. As we've noticed in many arenas of society, this reopening after the pandemic brings with it some unsurprising and surprising adjustments. Onward.