Zoning Commission head learned he'd been fired only when he didn't get an agenda for an upcoming meeting and he tried to find out why

1) The mayor appoints the zoning commissioners based on pre-defined criteria for the make-up of the commission (like AFL-CIO nominated members, members of real estate boards, members of neighborhood organizations, etc.). They get 3 years per term. Jay's last term expired in 2022 and he continued to sit on the board because nobody had replaced him...but also, nobody had re-nominated him to 2025 either.

2) A month ago on August 7th, Jamie McNeil was nominated to fill the AFL-CIO commission seat until 2025...at the time, currently place-held by Hurley. That's a full week before the "net zero" vote on Aug 14 where Hurley shirked Wu's plan for the city.

3) McNeil's nomination was approved by the City Council on Aug 28th and he replaced Hurley at that time.

So, now, you tell me what happened first...did Wu tell Hurley she wanted Net Zero passed before August and he shirked her so she nominated someone who would do it because he's past due for a replacement? Did the AFL-CIO decide it wants someone different since they had to nominate him/his replacement and just finally got around to it? Did the August 8th nomination of McNeil ruffle Hurley's feathers so he shot down Net Zero in spite and not because he's "worried about too many regulations" like he says now?

What I can't believe is that he was somehow "surprised" that he was being replaced since he's 2 years past his last actual term AND Wu proposed a replacement a month ago AND the Council approved that 2 weeks before the next Commission meeting. But I'm not surprised Wu didn't give him a personal send-off given that he blew up her Net Zero proposal.

Now, on to your "no reason for them to exist"...there's no provision for the mayor to remove anyone. His term was expired 2 years ago. Additionally, the mayor gets to appoint the entire board (within the limitations of the criteria for each membership based on the act creating the commission). The Council then has to approve that nominee. They get to serve their 3 years after that (as long as they show up to 67% of the meetings). This isn't even close to a "fig leaf" metaphor. Additionally, the mayor SHOULD be able to achieve what they were elected to do and Wu was elected to enact more progressive policies. So, if she wants the shape of the Zoning Commission to do that, then within the confines of the laws governing the commission, she should be able to do that.

If by "you're fired" you mean "your term ended 2 years ago, maybe you shoulda asked to be renominated in 2022 if you wanted to serve to 2025".

But Scott posts as "Contrarian Boston" and not "Completely Normal and Well-Researched Boston"...so it seems to fit his chosen style to go with Hurley's framing that he had "no idea" he was being replaced than ask him "well, why does the commission website say your term expired in 2019 and your latest term was to 2022...which suggests you've been bad as chairperson for not managing the commission's legal requirement to accurately portray its membership and terms...oh, and also, if your last term ended in 2022 then why didn't you ask to be re-upped to 2025 and also what makes you so surprised you could be replaced at any moment...and also why didn't the AFL-CIO re-nominate you this time since Wu has to choose from 2 people they nominate for your commission seat and she doesn't get to decide who they put in front of her?".