In its first meeting since Turner Broadcasting Company’s advertising stunt brought sections of Boston to a standstill last week, the City Council said the company has not been penalized enough for exhausting the city’s emergency services.
Councilor John Tobin (Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury) said Turner Broadcasting, which wrote a check for $2 million to reimburse the city’s emergency crews, benefited from the attention its ad ploy stirred up for the company. Last Wednesday, Boston officials removed numerous lighted magnetic devices placed across the city, including underneath the BU Bridge, because they originally suspected the devices were bombs.
“[Turner Broadcasting] will have the last laugh,” Tobin said, “because at the end of the day, $2 million is a small amount compared to the revenues they will generate.”
Councilor-at-Large Michael Flaherty said emergency crews’ response time to a hit-and-run car accident Wednesday was slowed because the crews were too busy dealing with the possible bomb scare. Flaherty said the victim was left on the sidewalk for nearly half an hour until a private ambulance brought the man to a hospital.
“The precious resources of the city were drained when taxpayers needed them,” he said.
Councilor Jerry McDermott (Allston, Brighton) said the two local artists who were arrested for placing the lighted devices, which depicted characters from the company’s “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” cartoon, were arrogant and smug.
Councilors commended Mayor Thomas Menino, the Boston Police Department and EMTs on the quick response they managed to each incident.
“The emergency response teams did what they had to do,” Tobin said. “They passed with flying colors.”
McDermott said he is disgusted by the response from area college students, who he said have made light of the situation.
“I am disgusted by this generation that sometimes seems to have already forgotten 9/11,” he said.
The Council passed a unanimous, undebated resolution calling on Massachusetts lawmakers to urge the Federal Communications Commission to investigate broadcast companies’ market strategies to ensure they do not create a chaotic situation similar to last week’s.
The Council also briefly announced a $14 million grant Boston will receive from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to support extra planning, equipment and operational needs pertaining to public safety.
Injecting some levity into the meeting, Tobin and Salvatore LaMattina (North End, Charlestown) presented honorary keys to the city to stand-up comedians the Walsh Brothers, Charlestown natives Chris and David.
The brothers, who arrived in flashy vintage suits and carried huge keys made of duct tape, said they are heading to Los Angeles, where they will try to break into the stand-up circuit.
“It is not an easy job to make people laugh in Boston,” Tobin said.
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