City Council « Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

June 28, 2021

Campaign Trailhead and Summer Vacation – June 28, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: Alewife, boards and commissions, Cambridge, cannabis, Central Square, City Council, Early Voting, elections, housing, Plan E, proportional representation, zoning — Robert Winters @ 8:31 am

Campaign Trailhead and Summer Vacation – June 28, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

This is the last City Council meeting until the Midsummer meeting in August and then again in September. These are the days when councillors are setting the table for their respective political sales pitches with an eye toward the November municipal election. Here are the items that seem most notable:

Note: Even though City Hall is open, only 4 councillors (Toomey, Siddiqui, Nolan, Carlone) bothered to actually show up while the other 5 continued to call in from the privacy of their own homes. I went there just to reacquaint myself with the surroundings.

Public comment seems to be dominated by people who want to sell dope and want to have money funneled their way via City ordinance. It’s also worth noting that this meeting was not accessible via the Open Meeting Portal nor via the new streaming video link. I was only able to access the meeting via Zoom. It is somewhat bewildering how we can never seem to master our chosen technologies. On Vacation

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-41, regarding a report on closing Mass Ave from Prospect Street to Sydney Street on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Charter Right – McGovern

While we may respect the intention of the Order that led to this report, there are significant reasons for not routinely shutting down this important thoroughfare. It’s also not necessary since so much of the action is on the sidewalks and places of business. That said, we really should revive something like the Central Square World’s Fair and host a few really signature events each year in Central Square. It really is the most happening place in Cambridge.

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to recommendation from the Planning Board and communication from Community Development Department and Law Department staff related to the Cannabis Delivery Zoning Petition. [Law Dept. memo] [recommended amended text of petition]
Placed on File 9-0

Unfinished Business #7. ORDINANCE 2021-8 Cannabis Delivery Zoning Amendments. [PASSED TO A SECOND READING ON JUNE 14, 2021; TO BE ORDAINED ON OR AFTER JUNE 28, 2021]
Amended 8-0-1 as proposed in Mgr #8 (Toomey PRESENT); Ordained 8-0-1 (Toomey PRESENT)

Order #11. That the Chairs of the Ordinance Committee convene a hearing on amending the Cannabis Business Permitting Ordinance to extend the preference period. Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Carlone
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

While I can certainly respect the notion of affirmatively acting to give some disadvantaged people a leg up in economic opportunities, there does come a point where you cross over into the realm of political patronage and we may now be crossing that line. I will add that we may very soon see at least four cannabis retailers in Central Square in addition to any “cannabis courier establishments.” Meanwhile, Graffiti Alley, the parking lots, the sidewalks of Central Square, and even the public toilets continue to see a thriving environment for drug sales – cannabis and otherwise.

Charter Right #1. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $65,019,211, received from the U.S. Department of Treasury through the new Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (CLFRF) established by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), to the Grant Fund Finance Department Other Ordinary Maintenance account which will be used to. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN IN COUNCIL JUNE 21, 2021]
Sobrinho-Wheeler Motion to Table Fails 2-7 (JSW,QZ – YES); Order Adopted 9-0; Reconsideration Fails 0-9

The Manager’s report on this topic last week was very informative, and also served as a reminder of just how much effort and money was expended during this pandemic on the essential services need to get through this dark tunnel. I seriously hope the Council rhetoric doesn’t devolve into wish lists and giveaways. I will be far more interested to see if forthcoming federal infrastructure legislation can somehow tip the balance to turn some desirable projects from infeasible to not only feasible but recommended, and that includes things like bridges connecting the Alewife Triangle and Quadrangle and other desirable connections. We should have some "shovel ready" plans in place in order to take advantage of any federal funds for such permanent improvements. Let the pandemic relief and recovery money go to pandemic relief and recovery.

Charter Right #2. That the City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to determine the feasibility of establishing a pilot reparations program that would take a to-be-determined percentage of revenue from local cannabis sales and distribute these monies to local Black-owned businesses and to economic empowerment applicants. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN IN COUNCIL JUNE 21, 2021]
Tabled 9-0 (Simmons)

Please note that this proposal is characterized as a “pilot reparations programs” which suggests that there will be more proposals to come. I absolutely agree with the idea of economic empowerment and providing strategic advantages, but I absolutely disagree with the concept of reparations.

Charter Right #3. That the City Council go on record in favor of filing of the attached Home Rule Petition entitled: AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO INCLUDE A BALLOT QUESTION ON THE NOVEMBER 2, 2021 MUNICIPAL BALLOT RELATIVE TO THE HOME RULE CHARTER. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR TOOMEY IN COUNCIL JUNE 21, 2021]
Late Amendments unseen by the public Approved 8-1 (Toomey – NO); Order Approved as Amended 8-1 (Toomey – NO); Reconsideration Fails 0-9
Apparently, there will be one track that asks Attorney General to opine on legality, then straight to municipal ballot; other track is Home Rule petition to state legislature.

There were only two extremely-low attendance Zoom meetings on this topic, and the proposal to hand over the authority to approve all appointments to City boards and commissions is nothing more than a power grab guaranteed to politicize all City boards and destroy any possibility of proportionality in the membership of those boards. This would be a major structural change with not only unintended consequences but, more fundamentally, intentional consequences. In short, if five city councillors want to have the Planning Board or any other board be 100% compliant with their point of view (or their endorsing organization’s point of view) – even if the appointees have no other qualifications – they will be able to do so if this proposed change is approved. The other two proposed changes are benign – requiring an annual review of the City Manager’s performance and a review of the Charter every decade (unless 5 city councillor can completely control who participates in the charter review – see above).

Unfinished Business #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to proposed amendments to the Tree Protection Ordinance. [PASS TO A SECOND READING ON JUNE 14, 2021; TO BE ORDAINED ON OR AFTER JUNE 28, 2021]
Amended 8-0-0-1 (Toomey – PRESENT)
Ordained as Amended 7-1-0-1 (Toomey – NO; Simmons – PRESENT)

Order #1. That the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge be amended to insert a new row in section 4.31 “Residential Uses” regarding the service of post-operative care for a dog. Councillor McGovern, Vice Mayor Mallon
Referred to Ordinance Committee & Planning Board 9-0
Reconsidered 9-0; Adopted as Amended by Substitution 9-0

This is an example of what the City Council actually should be doing, i.e. recognizing a problem and fixing it – no ideology required. There apparently was a recent BZA case where it was decided that providing care for the pet of a friend was a technical zoning violation. This zoning amendment is intended to remedy that zoning malady.

Order #2. City Council support of HD.3403 and SD.2340, An Act Relative to Fare Free Buses. Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #3. City Council support of the Cambridge Transit Advisory Committee’s suggested configuration for the #47 Bus. Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #4. City Council endorsement of the Agassiz Neighborhood name being changed to the Baldwin Neighborhood in honor of Maria L. Baldwin. Councillor Simmons, Mayor Siddiqui
Charter Right – Nolan

Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Personnel Department, and other relevant City departments to examine and implement a flexible, permanent remote work policy for City employees who can perform their tasks remotely. Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 8-0-1 (Toomey ABSENT)

I agree completely that there should be continued flexibility for some City workers, but I see no reason whatsoever at this point for city councillors not showing up in person at City Council meetings.

Order #6. That the City Manager is requested to work with the DPW and the family to install a suitable memorial in a meaningful location, including a new tree planting, to honor the life of Luca Gibson. Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #7. That the City Manager is requested to instruct the City Solicitor to prepare an ordinance which allows individual condominium owners the ability to obtain a City construction permit to repair known structural and other safety violations even without a majority of the building’s condominium owners’ vote of approval. Councillor Carlone, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted 8-0-0-1 (McGovern PRESENT)

This would open some interesting legal cans of worms. Even more fundamentally, the transition over the last 40 years from individual ownership of whole properties to condominium ownership has produced more than a few unintended consequences and long-term maintenance issues that could use a fresh look. Unilateral action by one condo owner leading to assessments for all owners may not be the best or even the legal solution.

Order #8. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Finance and Personnel Departments to examine stipend models for the City’s multi-member bodies. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted 9-0

I suppose that examining the issue is harmless, but I still cannot warm up to the idea of paying members of boards and commissions. I would rather see a change in culture that rewards constructive civic participation in other ways. Former Mayor David Maher understood this and hosted events thanking residents who volunteer to serve on City boards and commissions. Covid notwithstanding, it’s a shame that subsequent mayors failed to see the value in such recognition. This isn’t all about money.

Order #10. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Law Department, Cambridge Development Department, and the City Manager’s Housing Liaison to discuss and advise on a condominium conversion ordinance. Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted; Referred to Law Department and to Housing Committee 7-1-0-1 (Toomey – NO; McGovern – PRESENT)

Those horses left the barn 25 years ago and much of the city’s multi-family stock has already been converted (and with it one of the most time-tested routes to middle class stability). This is just a political attention-getting move now.

Committee Report #1. The Neighborhood and Long-Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebrations Committee and the Housing Committee conducted a joint hearing on Wed, Feb 17, 2021 to discuss the elimination of single and two-family only zoning and restrictions on the type of housing that can be built city-wide.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

This is the kind of actual conversation that we should be having – as opposed to intense densification proposals like the so-called "Missing Middle" petition that will soon be expiring and could potentially be reintroduced (likely an even worse iteration). There are strong arguments in favor of liberalizing zoning to allow multi-family homes in all residential zones, and it is also reasonable to review the allowable densities every once in a while without necessarily opening the floodgates to demolition and redevelopment in places that are now functioning well. Cambridge has an interesting brand of density that works in its own curious ways in most neighborhoods, but it also has a variety of densities that provide choices for people with different needs and preferences. We need a little more Jane Jacobs and a little less Robert Moses. Perhaps most of all we need to have local zoning ordinances that allow reasonable people to do reasonable things.

Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Anthony Wilson, City Clerk, transmitting information regarding the Early Voting Home Rule Legislation.
Modified Home Rule Petition Re-Filed 9-0; Report Placed on File 9-0

This matter has been on the City Council Calendar for ages and may even become obsolete depending on what the state legislature finally decides regarding permanently establishing such things as "no excuse absentee voting," ballot dropboxes, and other accommodations. The City Clerk has readied this for re-filing the Home Rule petition, but I’m not so sure that this will be necessary or even advisable at this point. I also would not want to burden the Election Commission staff unnecessarily if there are other perfectly good alternatives. – Robert Winters

Comments (1)

June 21, 2021

Chartering a Course to Nowhere – Featured Items on the June 21, 2021 Cambridge City Council Agenda

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: Agassiz, Cambridge, Cambridge Public Library, Central Square, charter reform, City Council, City Manager, COVID-19, Plan E, proportional representation — Robert Winters @ 2:20 pm

Chartering a Course to Nowhere – Featured Items on the June 21, 2021 Cambridge City Council Agenda

SS Minnow As we wend our way to a summer without masks, with more fun, and with (hopefully) less Zoom, we are also fast approaching the day (July 1) when municipal election candidates may pick up nomination papers and start collecting signatures in their quest to represent or misrepresent the citizens of Cambridge. Meanwhile, up at the virtual Sullivan Chamber (could you bozos PLEASE get off Zoom and start meeting in person?) there are these items up for consideration on the summer solstice:

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on COVID-19 vaccination rollout.
Placed on File 9-0

Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting questions for the COVID-19 Update.
Placed on File 9-0

Unfinished Business #5. Amending City Council Rules for Remote Participation. [ADOPTED IN COUNCIL JUNE 14, 2021; MUST BE ADOPTED AGAIN IN COUNCIL JUNE 21, 2021 PURSUANT OF RULE 36B]
Adopted 9-0

Permitting remote public comment is a good thing, but not if it’s just script-reading orchestrated via social media. As for councillors meeting remotely, if you’re physically able to show up you should show up.

Manager’s Agenda #3. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $1,000,000 from Free Cash, to the Public Investment Fund School Department Extraordinary Expenditures account to conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of our older elementary school buildings in the City.
Order Adopted 8-0-1 (JSW – Absent)

Manager’s Agenda #6. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a request for authorization of a spending limit of $1,900,000 for Fiscal Year 2022, for the Renewable Energy and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction revolving fund (Revolving Fund), pursuant to Chapter 3.24 of the Municipal Ordinance titled “Departmental Revolving Funds”.
Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-37, regarding renaming the Central Square Library. [June 21, 2021 Law Department response]
Placed on File 9-0

Essentially, the authority to rename a City library building rests with the Library Board of Trustees appointed by the City Manager and ultimately with the City Manager. The City Council Order has been heard and Library officials and the City Manager will now establish a task force to determine how best to proceed.

Order #4. That the City Manager is requested to work with all appropriate City Departments to issue a second RFP that will work in conjunction with the current RFP, to assess the feasibility of building housing above the Central Square Library, and this RFP should include information on funding possibilities. Councillor McGovern, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Simmons, Mayor Siddiqui
Adopted as Amended 9-0

This is rapidly turning into a competition for who can propose the largest changes for the Central Square library at the greatest cost. One councillor last week even proposed a 19-story subsidized housing project for the site. Another suggested eliminating the Green Street Garage completely based on the belief that cars will soon be disappearing.

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Mayor Siddiqui and Councillor Simmons transmitting information about the community process for changing the name of Agassiz / Neighborhood 8. [Agassiz neighborhood Council letter]
Accept Report, Placed on File 9-0

Growing up in New York City, all of the public elementary schools and junior high schools had numbers instead of names. They also had names (I think), but nobody used those names and most people didn’t even know those names. It wasn’t until high school that your school had an actual name (like Flushing High School, in my case). Looking back, maybe this wasn’t such a bad system – just like identifying Cambridge neighborhoods by the numbers on that ~1950 map drawn up by Mark Fortune and the Planning Department staff at that time. A rose is a rose is a rose. If the residents in the currently-named Agassiz neighborhood want to make a change, so be it. The name of my Mid-Cambridge neighborhood will likely stand thanks to its lack of reference to any real person. Then again, perhaps Mark Fortune had a friend names Jonathan MidCambridge who hopefully didn’t harbor any dreadful theories.

Manager’s Agenda #10. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $65,019,211, received from the U.S. Department of Treasury through the new Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (CLFRF) established by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), to the Grant Fund Finance Department Other Ordinary Maintenance account which will be used to ……
Charter Right – Zondervan

As the Manager says, “Funds are intended to: • Support urgent COVID-19 response efforts to continue to decrease spread of the virus and bring the pandemic under control; • Replace lost public sector revenue to strengthen support for vital public services and help retain jobs; • Support immediate economic stabilization for households and businesses; and • Address systematic public health and economic challenges that have contributed to the inequal impact of the pandemic on certain populations.”

I’m sure this won’t stop councillors from proposing all sorts of ways to break into this newfound piggy bank.

Unfinished Business #4. Live Acoustic Entertainment Ordinance. [PASSED TO SECOND READING IN COUNCIL JUNE 7, 2021; TO BE ORDAINED ON OR AFTER JUNE 21, 2021]
Ordained as Amended 9-0

This is pretty much guaranteed to be ordained, and that’s probably a good thing – even though no thought whatsoever has been paid to possible unintended consequences.

Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to determine the feasibility of establishing a pilot reparations program that would take a to-be-determined percentage of revenue from local cannabis sales and distribute these monies to local Black-owned businesses and to economic empowerment applicants. Councillor Simmons, Councillor Nolan
Charter Right – Zondervan

I suspect this violates state law, but even if it doesn’t explicitly violate state law it’s still a dreadful road to follow when you begin earmarking revenue based on race.

Order #2. That the City Council go on record in favor of filing of the attached Home Rule Petition entitled: AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO INCLUDE A BALLOT QUESTION ON THE NOVEMBER 2, 2021 MUNICIPAL BALLOT RELATIVE TO THE HOME RULE CHARTER. Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Carlone
Charter Right – Toomey

I seriously hope one of the councillors exercises his or her Charter Right to delay this. There were only two extremely-low attendance Zoom meetings on this topic, and the proposal to hand over the authority to approve all appointments to City boards and commissions is nothing more than a power grab guaranteed to politicize all City boards and destroy any possibility of proportionality in the membership of those boards. In short, if five city councillors want to have the Planning Board or any other board be 100% compliant with their point of view (or their endorsing organization’s point of view) they will be able to do so if this proposed change is approved. The other two proposed changes are benign – requiring an annual review of the City Manager’s performance and a review of the Charter every decade (unless 5 city councillor can completely control who participates in the charter review – see above).

Committee Report #1. The Ordinance Committee met on Mar 10, 2021 to continue discussion on the Real Estate Transfer Fee Home Rule Petition.
Accept Report; Placed on File; Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

The endless quest continues to raise more revenue without any regard to potential impacts. I seriously hope there are enough people in the state legislature who have the capacity to assess the cumulative effect of all these proposals, but I’m not so sure that this is the case. – Robert Winters

Comments (1)

June 14, 2021

Craven Attention – June 14, 2021 Cambridge City Council Agenda

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: Alewife, Cambridge, cannabis, Central Square, City Council, cycling, Tree Protection Ordinance, Urban design — Robert Winters @ 4:53 pm

Craven Attention – June 14, 2021 Cambridge City Council Agenda

Here’s my first pass at this week’s effort: City Hall

Manager’s Agenda #5. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $500,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Library Extraordinary Expenditures account to fund a comprehensive Library Building Program Study and Feasibility Study for the Central Square Branch Library.
Order Adopted 9-0

Many of us who spend a lot of time in Central Square and think about Central Square will likely agree that even though the proposed improvements are appreciated there should really be a Grand Vision for the library and the Green Street parking garage in the context of the whole district. For example, unless you believe that all cars and all parking should be abolished (in which case you should really take up farming or ascetic religion), proposals to build on surface parking lots (or continue Starlight Square) might want to consider where those vehicles might park (at least until the Rule of Robots). A couple more parking levels on Green Street might make sense even if only as a place for the robots to live.

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-18, regarding a report on the City’s annual stationery expenditures and percentage spent at local retailers.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #12. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to first Progress Report due under the Cycling Safety Ordinance (Chapter 12.22 of the Cambridge Municipal Code), which is required to detail “…progress towards meeting the requirements set forth in Subsections C, D, E, F, G, and H. Such report shall include details on the Separated Bicycle Facilities planned for the coming twelve months.”
Referred to Transportation and Public Utilities Committee 9-0

No comment.

On the Table #3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to further proposed amendments to the Tree Protection Ordinance and draft regulations. [TABLED IN COUNCIL MAY 17, 2021] [May 17 memo] [changes] [regulations]
Passed to 2nd Reading as Amended 7-0-0-2 (DS,TT – PRESENT)
Note: Special thanks to Councillor Toomey for pointing out the hypocrisy of the City Councillors eagerly wanting to relieve the Cambridge Police of various public safety responsibilities while adding on the responsibility of enforcement of the Tree Protection Ordinance. The ordinance was subsequently amended.

Committee Report #1. The Ordinance Committee met on Apr 28, 2021 to discuss the Tree Protection Ordinance. [proposed amendments to the Tree Protection Ordinance]
Reports Accepted, Placed on File 9-0; Ordinance Passed to 2nd Reading 7-0-0-2 (DS,TT – PRESENT)

Committee Report #1B. The Health & Environment Committee met on Oct 13, 2020 to discuss amending the Tree Protection Ordinance based on the findings of the Urban Forest Master Plan Task Force.

Committee Report #1C. The Health and Environment Committee met on Nov 10, 2020 to continue discussing amending the Tree Protection Ordinance based on the findings of the Urban Forest Master Plan Task Force.

The updated ordinance should be approved this month – probably next week. The final draft regulations are not as onerous for homeowners as they could have been, but the onward march of government control over your property continues.

Blue Heron Bridge

Order #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Community Development Department, the Assessing Department, the Finance Department, and other relevant City departments to explore the feasibility of purchasing properties for sale in the Alewife area to address City goals. Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Carlone
Adopted 8-0-1 as Amended (TT – ABSENT)

Order #2. That the Mayor be and hereby is requested to schedule a Roundtable meeting to discuss how the American Rescue Plan funds may best be utilized in Cambridge. Councillor Simmons, Councillor McGovern, Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui
Adopted 9-0

Order #10. That the Co-Chairs of the Finance Committee schedule a hearing to discuss the $65 million Cambridge is eligible to receive from the American Rescue Plan, and to begin the discussion on how the money can best be spent to advance racial, economic, and environmental justice in our community. Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Carlone
Adopted 9-0

Note: “General infrastructure spending is not covered as an eligible use outside of water, sewer, and broadband investments or above the amount allocated under the revenue loss provision.” I really wish we could take some of that money and build a couple of bridges connecting the Alewife Triangle and Quadrangle and maybe build a pedestrian bridge over the Little River connecting to the Science Park area.

Order #4. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Public Health Department, the Inspectional Services Department, the Cambridge Housing Authority, and other relevant City departments to determine if the City has the discretion to waive this rule (state sanitary code re: heating & cooling), and the circumstances in which the City could administer this waiver, and report back to the City Council. Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui
Adopted 9-0

This Order grew out of the recent heat wave and the strange fact/claim that the change from heating to cooling in CHA buildings couldn’t happen until June 15 regardless of conditions. The world might be a better place if we just put the administrators out to pasture and put the supers and custodians in charge.

Order #6. Amending City Council Rules for Remote Participation. Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Adopted 9-0 as Amended

The State Legislature seems to be on the verge of extending the right of elected officials to continue “phoning it in” (we’ll see tomorrow), but I hope they don’t. I really hope we return to in-person meetings. The matter of public comment is a somewhat separate matter that can be adjusted simply by amending the City Council Rules – hence this Order. I wish they would at least restrict remote public comment to Cambridge residents and invited guests. Elected officials and City staff should simply show up in person unless they are physically unable to attend.

Order #7. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to adopt certain policies related to Open Space. Councillor Carlone, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor McGovern
Adopted 9-0 as Amended

Order #8. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Traffic & Parking Department to make these immediate improvements to the safety of this intersection (Cardinal Medeiros Avenue, Binney Street, and Bristol Street) and to all intersections in the city that are similarly malfunctioning, and to implement longer term changes as soon as possible. Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Nolan
Adopted 9-0

Order #9. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with City staff to provide an update on the cost of each license and permit required by businesses in Cambridge. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan
Adopted 9-0

The would be useful information to see in one place, and I think most of use will readily agree that fees should be reasonable and bear at least some connection with the costs associated with the regulations. As far as continuing to waive or significantly reduce fees, unless you waive the enforcement and reduce the personnel, all you’re doing is moving the cost over to the property tax.

Committee Report #2. The Ordinance Committee met on May 12, 2021 to conduct a hearing on the Cannabis Delivery Zoning Amendments and Municipal Code Amendments.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Perhaps I should make a short list of the highest priorities of this Council term and the previous term. Cannabis promotion would high on that list.

Committee Report #3. The Public Safety Committee met on Jan 6, 2021 to conduct a public hearing on the Cambridge Police Department inventory list.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

The Zondervan/Sobrinho-Wheeler war on law enforcement continues. – Robert Winters

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June 4, 2021

Solicited and Unsolicited Advice – June 7, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council,covid — Tags: budget, Cambridge, City Council, COVID-19, Harvard Square, housing, Judy Nathans, Plan E, zoning — Robert Winters @ 4:25 pm

Solicited and Unsolicited Advice – June 7, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

There are a number of interesting items on this week’s agenda – especially the legal analysis of City Solicitor Nancy Glowa on a number of topics. City Hall

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-39, regarding the status of the Gold Star Mothers Pool opening plans for the June through September summer season of 2021.
Placed on File 9-0

Communications & Reports #4. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting questions for the COVID-19 Update.
Placed on File 9-0

Resolution #9. Thank You Claude A. Jacob. Mayor Siddiqui
Tabled 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #11. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-23, regarding a report on permanently extending remote participation in City Council and board and commission meetings.
Placed on File 9-0

I’m really looking forward to the day when Covid updates are relegated to history rather than daily updates. I’m also eagerly looking forward to the day when City Hall, the City Hall Annex, the libraries, and all other City buildings are fully reopened. The justification for keeping them closed is rapidly fading, and when the Governor’s emergency declaration expires on June 15 (or another date if the state legislature approves an extension) there will be no legal basis for denying public access.

As for the matter of the continuation of remote access to public meetings, please read the opinion of the City Solicitor in Mgr’s Agenda #11. In my opinion, we should return forthwith to in-person meetings with the option of remote access for Cambridge residents and invited guests. Elected officials and City staff should no longer be "phoning it in" unless they are physically unable to attend in person.

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a summary of a Planning Board Meeting on the 2020 Town-Gown Reports and Presentations.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to new appointments and reappointment of members of the Harvard Square Advisory Committee.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a Planning Board recommendation not to adopt the Missing Middle Housing (Fuller, et al.) Zoning Petition.
Refer to Petition 9-0

Order #6. That City Manager be and is hereby requested work with the Law Department to provide an analysis of what impact the recently enacted state Housing Choices law has on the Missing Middle Housing Zoning petition. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Simmons, Vice Mayor Mallon
Refer to Petition 9-0

I stand by my well-considered opinion that this is a terrible petition that has only grown worse as amendments to the proposal have been introduced in order to garner political support. At this point its passage has more to do with the fealty of some elected officials to the “A Better Cambridge” group than in doing what is best for the city and its residents. There is certainly a reasonable case to be made for allowing multi-family housing to be built in all residential zones and relaxing some parking requirements (especially near transit), but that is not what this zoning proposal is primarily about. It also has nothing to do with addressing any historical remnants having to do with race – in spite of the purposefully misleading rhetoric of the proponents. This is a proposal for dramatically increasing residential density – and not just in areas that currently have lower densities.

Many of us feel that Cambridge is already a relatively dense city – in fact, one of the most dense in the country – and that this proposal has more to do with creating development opportunities than it has to do with either housing affordability or good urban planning. There is also an element of hubris implicit in this petition, i.e. the notion that Cambridge can unilaterally address housing supply issues that properly must be addressed at a regional level and with modifications to the regional transportation system. There are opportunities for transit-oriented residential development that can and should be considered, but that is not part of this proposal. Perhaps the most telling comment was stated by one of the letter-writing proponents on a personal web page, “I am creating a better strategy for investments. I own multiple units in upstate NY, Rhode Island and Ohio. I currently reside in Massachusetts and am trying to find a few deals here.” Enough said.

It is interesting that Councillors Sobrinho-Wheeler, Simmons, and Mallon are so concerned about how many votes will be minimally required to ram this travesty through. Perhaps the time has come to consider how many votes may be needed to elect or replace some councillors this November.

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-2, regarding the possibility of implementing a Sheltered Market Program, and Awaiting Report Item Number 21-4, regarding conducting a Spending Disparity Study on City Purchasing.
Placed on File 9-0

This is a very interesting legal analysis in spite of the somewhat cryptic "Sheltered Market Program." At issue is the degree to which City purchasing may give advantages to "historically disadvantaged groups" without running afoul of current laws and judicial decisions. It’s not always clear where "doing the right thing" ends and where political patronage begins. The City Solicitor recommends “that the City, in order to determine whether a sheltered market program under G.L. c. 30B, § 18 can be implemented in Cambridge, first conduct a disparity study to review and analyze whether there are present effects of past discrimination for which such a program would be intended to address. If it is determined that a basis exists for the City to implement a sheltered market program following a disparity study, the next step to implement such a program would be for the City to authorize the Purchasing Agent to establish such a program by: (1) a vote of a majority of the City Council; and (2) the approval of the City Manager.”

Manager’s Agenda #9. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a request for support for the City of Cambridge to join in the formation of a Boston Cambridge Tourism Destination Marketing District.
Placed on File; Order Adopted 7-0-0-2 (JSW,QZ – PRESENT)

Manager’s Agenda #10. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a response regarding the City Council having its own budget for outside legal research.
Placed on File 9-0

The saga continues. I sometimes get the impression that the “bold, progressive change” councillors will simply never accept the notion that whatever they want to do still has to conform to existing laws, and that any opinion to the contrary is met with open hostility. The City’s Law Department has created a mechanism through which most or all of their needs can be met, but perhaps that’s not the real point. The combination of calls for charter change in conjunction with pursuits such as this is really about gathering more power and authority to the local legislative body. In my opinion, this is a wrongheaded quest – and the fact that this is taking place behind the veil of Covid-related limitations to transparency makes it all the worse.

Cambridge Police Charter Right #1. Cambridge HEART Proposal. [Charter Right exercised by Councillor Zondervan In Council May 25, 2021]
Approved 8-0-0-1 (Toomey – PRESENT)

Communications #9. A communication was received from Judith Nathans, regarding H.E.A.R.T Proposal and Public Safety Task Force Recommendations.
Placed on File 9-0

The bottom line is that whether ideas and recommendations come from a City-appointed Task Force or as suggestions from a small group of activists, any implementation will still lie with the Police Commissioner and the City Manager – presumably guided by need and best practices and informed by some of the programs that have been successful elsewhere. There is simply no value in casting this matter in terms of a political quest to “Defund the Police” or the absurd notion of “Abolish the Police” either in whole or in specific locations in Cambridge. There is also no value in casting this as a choice between “H.E.A.R.T. proposal vs. Task Force Recommendations.” If there are good ideas that make sense in the context of Cambridge, I would rather put my trust in those who understand public safety and who have proven themselves to be open to creative solutions, e.g. Police Commissioner Branville Bard.

Adopting the Budget

Committee Report #1. A communication was received from Anthony I. Wilson, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor E. Denise Simmons, Chair and Councillor Dennis J. Carlone Chair of the Finance Committee, for public hearings held on May 11, 2021 commencing at 9:00am and May 18, 2021 commencing at 10:00am and on May 19, 2021 commencing at 6:00pm to discuss Fiscal Year 2022 budget.
General Fund Budget of $707,104,105 Approved 7-0-0-2 (JSW,QZ – NO)
Note: Zondervan motion to reduce Police Dept. Budget to $65,000,000 failed 2-7 (JSW,QZ – YES)
Water Fund Budget of $13,016,825 Approved 9-0
Public Investment Fund Budget of $38,610,865 Approved 9-0 Coins

Unfinished Business #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $5,000,000 to provide funds for the reconstruction of various City streets and sidewalks. [Passed to a Second Reading In Council May 10, 2021; to be Adopted on or after May 24, 2021]
Order Adopted 9-0

Unfinished Business #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $10,000,000 to provide funds for the Municipal Facilities Improvement Plan. … [Passed to a Second Reading In Council May 10, 2021; to be Adopted on or after May 24, 2021]
Order Adopted 9-0

Unfinished Business #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,800,000 to provide funds for various Schools for projects that include: asbestos abatement in various schools, replace the front plaza and failing masonry wing walls and recaulking the building at the Haggerty School, replace emergency generator and extend exhaust at Cambridgeport, recaulking precast panels at CRLS Field House, unit vents engineering at the Fletcher Maynard Academy and Longfellow building and replace the gym floor at the Amigos School. [Passed to a Second Reading In Council May 10, 2021; to be Adopted on or after May 24, 2021]
Order Adopted 9-0

Unfinished Business #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $28,500,000 to provide funds for the construction of sewer separation, storm water management and combined sewer overflow reduction elimination improvements within River Street and Harvard Square areas as well as the Sewer Capital Repairs Program and climate change preparedness efforts. [Passed to a Second Reading In Council May 10, 2021; to be Adopted on or after May 24, 2021]
Order Adopted 9-0

Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from Councillor Zondervan, transmitting information on the FY22 police budget.

In most years the Budget Adoption and approval of Loan Orders for major capital projects tends to be rather pro forma with most councillors lavishing praise on all those involved (often well-deserved) and some councillors choosing to take a stand either on principal or simply to gain some political advantage. On the School Department budget, I have to side with Councillor Nolan, in particular, who may have seemed contrarian but was simply pointing out that we often don’t maintain very high standards for our schools and we achieve even less. Expressing disapproval may seem cruel in light of all the Covid-related difficulties of the past year, but even that should not let the School Committee or the School Department off the hook. Personally, I have for a long time felt that the focus of Cambridge schools has been far more about social engineering and indoctrination than about academic excellence. It’s particularly grating to listen to School Committee members who have developed their own dialect of "edu-speak" that allows them to "talk around" just about any matter of substance.

As for the rest of the City budget, I fully expect there to be plenty of grandstanding from the “bold progressive change” crowd on either the Police budget or the IT budget (because of the municipal broadband saga) and maybe a few other items before the Bottom Line comes to a final (presumably successful) vote.

Unfinished Business #9. Zoning Amendments related to Retail and Consumer Service Establishments as amended on May 17, 2021 (Ordinance # 2021-3) [Passed to a Second Reading on May 17, 2021; to be Ordained on or after June 7, 2021]
Ordained 9-0

Unfinished Business #10. Zoning Amendments related to Home Occupations (ORDINANCE #2021-4) [Passed to a Second Reading on May 17, 2021; to be Ordained on or after June 7, 2021]
Ordained 9-0

These could be ordained at this meeting, but I would be lying if I told you that I understood much about the proposed changes or the potential intended or unintended consequences.

Order #5. Live Acoustic Entertainment Ordinance. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Carlone
Passed to 2nd Reading 9-0

This might be OK, but the fact that percussion is considered acoustic and requires no amplification causes me some concern. Then again, the proposal does suggest that any performances must still conform to existing laws, including the Noise Ordinance. That said, I would be happier if the License Commission still had a role in at least reviewing these things and effecting compromises when appropriate. There is also a level of ambiguity in the proposal when it says “within the perimeter of their business.” Does this include outdoor patios? What about the case of relatively loud acoustic performance in a location abutting a residence – possibly where someone is working from home like so many of us are doing these days?

Order #7. That the City Manager and staff be requested to examine car storage policies and discuss potential updates with the City Council at a meeting of the Transportation Committee. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted 9-0

Regardless of any other merits this proposal may have, let’s at least be aware of the fact that it proposes to eliminate residential and commercial parking minimums citywide and (though it doesn’t explicitly say so) significantly jacking up residential parking permit fees. So if you do choose to own a motor vehicle there will be greater competition for on-street parking and significantly greater expense for the “privilege” of doing so.

Committee Report #2. Neighborhood & Long-Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebration Committee – Committee Meeting – May 26, 2021 at 10:00am.
Report Accepted, Placed on File, Order Adopted 9-0

The purpose of the meeting was to consider the reappointment of Conrad Crawford to the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority Board (slam dunk) and to discuss the pilot of street closures in Harvard Square. Street closure discussions in Cambridge are often a witch’s brew of "ban cars" sentiments and creative ideas for improving street life and local retail. The bottom line is that emergency vehicles still need to get through, and it is often the case that when you ban vehicles from one street it becomes just a game of "Whack-A-Mole" when the vehicles simply shift to alternate routes. The Great Exceptions to this are those streets that have been designated (or should be designated) as "woonerfs" – a Dutch term for what is essentially a shared, low volume street. In Cambridge, think Winthrop Street (by Grendel’s Den), Palmer Street (Club Passim), and the yet-to-be made spectacular Blanche Street at the edge of Central Square (which is still just a delivery alley at best). There are some other streets that could be operated as shared streets or ban all but emergency vehicles without creating a cascading vehicular hellscape. Making Palmer Street an interesting street (and not just artsy fartsy) would be a good place to start. Even a hot dog vendor would be a great improvement.

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Mayor Siddiqui, transmitting information about Homelessness Working Group.
Placed on File 9-0

There is no doubt that more is needed in this arena, but these investigations can end up as reports on shelves – and the simple truth is that these are regional problems and when one well-meaning city like Cambridge does things to address these problems it often ends up paradoxically increasing the problems in that city as individuals migrate to where the enhanced services are to be found. For example, when Boston cracks down on Methadone Mile, some of that just relocates to Central Square. – Robert Winters

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May 24, 2021

Who’s Zoomin’ Who? – May 24-25, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: Cambridge, Cambridge Police, City Council, Gaza, Israel, natural gas ban, Palestine, water — Robert Winters @ 3:15 pm

Who’s Zoomin’ Who? – May 24-25, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

A temporary cease-fire may be going into effect in Israel and Gaza, but that won’t stop the Zoom speeches this Monday. Lots of rhetorical rockets were fired last week. This week there’s likely to be a lot of response and maybe even some skirmishes. What all this has to do with the City of Cambridge escapes me. [Note: This meeting was recessed and continued to a May 25 Special City Council meeting starting at 5:30pm.] City Hall

Here are some things that struck a chord or a nerve:

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a request the adoption of a statutory small business exemption for personal property accounts equal to or less than $10,000 in assessed value and the authorization for an exemption for personal property accounts equal to or less than $20,000 in assessed value, by requesting a special act from the Legislature and the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Orders Adopted 9-0

This exemption has been in effect for the current FY21 fiscal year, and the City sought and received a Special Act of the legislature to allow the City to make the exemption permanent. Perhaps most notable in this communication is this: “Not only will this tax exemption assist small businesses financially and administratively, but it will also relieve the burden upon the City for the collection and accounting of small accounts.”

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a request to approve the acquisition of land in Lincoln, Massachusetts for the purpose of adding to the City’s watershed lands for water supply protection and conservation purposes. [Water Board Letter] [Map/Plot Plan]
Orders Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #8. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the PFAS Treatment Grant in the amount of $115,680.00 received from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection ‘s Drinking Water Program (DEP) to the Public Investment Fund Water Extraordinary Expenditures account which will assist in the effort to remove Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from our finished water and will also help to offset the costs of the ongoing Cambridge Water Department bench-scale study to determine the effectiveness of granular activated carbon (GAC) to remove PFAS from our water.
Order Adopted 9-0

Unlike other items on this meeting agenda (see below) that have no connection whatsoever to the City of Cambridge but which will draw public comments galore, these two items have everything to do with one of the most essential services provided by our local government – the provision and security of clean drinking water. These items will likely draw little, if any, public comment.

Charter Right #1. In Support of H.R.2590, “The Palestinian Children and Families Act”. Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern [Charter Right exercised by Councillor Nolan In Council May 17, 2021]
Resolution Adopted 9-0

Charter Right #2. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Purchasing Department to review Cambridge’s corporate contracts and identify any companies that are in violation of Cambridge’s policy on discrimination, including (but not limited to) Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Hewlett Packard Incorporated over their role in abetting apartheid in the Middle East, and to suggest alternatives for Cambridge to explore in order to ensure the city embody the values it put on paper. Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Carlone [Charter Right exercised by Councillor Nolan In Council May 17, 2021]
Order Adopted as Amended by Substitution 9-0 (see notes below)

Note 1: Zondervan introduced an amendment to the substitute language specifically calling out Hewlett-Packard (and implicitly endorsing BDS).
Amendment Fails 3-6: YES – DC,JSW,QZ; NO – AM,MM,PN,DS,TT,SS

Note 2: Zondervan introduced another amendment to the substitute language saying same but w/o specifically calling out Hewlett-Packard (yet still implicitly endorsing BDS).
Amendment Fails 3-6: YES – DC,JSW,QZ; NO – AM,MM,PN,DS,TT,SS

Note 3: Zondervan introduced another amendment regarding right of people to defend themselves and specifically calling out Israeli government attacks against Palestinean people (replacing Netanyahu w/Israeli government and removing any reference to any negative actions by Hamas and Israel’s right to exist).
Amendment Fails 3-5-0-1: YES – JSW,QZ,SS; NO – AM,MM,PN,DS,TT; PRESENT – DC

Note 4: Sobrinho-Wheeler introduced an amendment to the substitute language amending “ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with the Purchasing Department to review Cambridge’s corporate contracts and purchases to identify any vendors or manufacturers whose products are used to perpetuate violations of International Human Rights Laws and Cambridge’s policy on discrimination.”
Amendment Passes 6-3: YES – DC,AM,MM,JSW,QZ,SS; NO – PN,DS,TT

Approximately 25 communications relating to last week’s Resolution and Policy Order regarding Israel, Gaza, and boycotts.

At last count on Monday morning, there were 426 people signed up for Public Comment with the overwhelming majority of those signed up expected to comment on these two matters that have nothing whatsoever to do with the City of Cambridge. A Special Meeting was scheduled for Tues, May 25 to continue the meeting. The Monday meeting was all Public Comment (apparently 537 people

Applications & Petitions #1. A petition was received from Loren Crowe, requesting that the City Council ordain ordinance language relative to the creation and operation of Neighborhood Conservation Districts in the city. [Text of Petition]
Referred to Ordinance Committee 8-0-1 (Carlone ABSENT) [Note: QZ motion to Place on File failed 1-7-1]

This petition appears to be the latest skirmish in a battle that began when some people in East Cambridge sought to create a neighborhood conservation district a couple of years ago. This tit-for-tat battle has now turned into a “cause” for those who see preservation as antithetical to their idea of “progress.” What comes to mind when I see these battles for power and control are Jane Jacobs vs. Robert Moses in New York City, and the demolition of over half of Boston’s West End to make way for Jerome Rappaport’s Charles River Park. “If You Lived Here You’d Be Home Now” – but only if you never lived here before.

Order #2. That the City Council amend the Article 22 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge entitled “SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT” to insert a new section 22.24.4 (Ordinance #2021-13). Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Nolan
Referred to Ordinance Committee & Planning Board 8-0-1 (Carlone ABSENT) – This is same zoning peition filed in April, re-filed due to expiration.

This is being billed by its authors as the “Cambridge Green New Deal Zoning Petition.” It is presented as being primarily about reporting requirements for emissions associated with the construction and maintenance of new buildings and is being pitched in terms of “green jobs” and “economic opportunity and climate justice for our most vulnerable residents.” However, it appears to really be about forcing the elimination of natural gas as a fuel source (which cannot currently be banned according to a ruling from the Mass. Atty. General), and additional government control over property, e.g. “The developer will present a payment schedule for how to zero out the Total Emissions of the building, using a social cost of carbon formula approved by CDD. The payment schedule may be annualized over a period not to exceed 10 years. The outstanding balance shall act as a lien on the property in case it is sold. Any offset must demonstrate direct benefits to low-income and minority communities in Cambridge, including economic opportunity through job creation and or financial savings through e.g. utility bill reductions.” Oh yeah, and “any residential buildings that include affordable units” will be exempt from any of the proposed requirements.

This current City Council can be characterized best by one word: “Control”

Order #3. Cambridge HEART Proposal. Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Carlone
Charter Right – Zondervan

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Councillor Simmons and Councillor McGovern, transmitting a memorandum regarding the Report for Future of Public Safety Task Force.
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Carlone ABSENT)

The so-called "HEART proposal" comes from the group that calls itself “The Black Response” and is fundamentally rooted in the abolition of traditional police. It appears that its presentation at this moment is meant as a challenge (more like a short circuit) to the report from the Task Force which nonetheless shares some similar ideas. We are fortunate to have a Police Commissioner and a City administration open to reasonable suggestions and it will be interesting to see if some helpful reallocation of resources grows from these suggestions without jeopardizing public safety. The deliberations of the Task Force have been far from transparent, but there was at least some effort to involve a greater cross-section of the community. Emphasis is needed about what exactly constitutes “the community” with councillors and residents alike routinely claiming what is not theirs in any reasonable sense. Contrary to some of rhetoric offered at the recent FY22 Budget Hearings, a proposal from a small unrepresentative group of advocates does not translate into “the community has spoken.” – Robert Winters

Don’t forget about these:

Tues, May 25

3:00pm The City Council’s Health and Environment Committee will meet to discuss proposed amendments to the Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance (BEUDO) that would drive down energy use and emissions in existing buildings in Cambridge as well as an update on the Net Zero Action Plan 5-Year Review process and recommendations. (Sullivan Chamber) [Chair = Zondervan]

Wed, May 26

10:00am The City Council’s Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebrations Committee will conduct a public hearing on the reappointment of Conrad Crawford to the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority Board and to discuss the pilot of street closures in Harvard Square. (Sullivan Chamber) [Chair = Nolan]

12:00pm Special Meeting of the City Council (Sullivan Chamber)
Note: There has been no notice whatsoever of the purpose of this Special Meeting.
Late Breaking News: The City Clerk finally posted the agenda for this Special Meeting on Monday afternoon. “The City Council will hold a special meeting to discuss the charter assessment conducted by the Collins Center.”

Thurs, May 27

Time Unknown The City Council’s Civic Unity Committee shall meet to discuss the recently released ‘Social Equity Legislation in Cannabis: A National Study of State and Local Approaches’ by the Initiative organization. (Sullivan Chamber) [Chair = Simmons]

Tues, June 1

3:00pm The City Council’s Economic Development and University Relations Committee will conduct a public hearing on the small business grant and loan programs managed by the Economic Development Division of the Community Development Department throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. (Sullivan Chamber) [Chair = Mallon]

Wed, June 2

2:00pm The City Council’s Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebrations Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss the Alewife Envision Plan. (Sullivan Chamber) [Chair = Nolan]

5:30pm The City Council’s Ordinance Committee will meet to conduct a public hearing on an order to amend the Municipal Code of the City of Cambridge to insert new section Restricting the Use of Chemical Crowd Control Agents and Kinetic Impact Projectiles. (Sullivan Chamber) [Co-Chairs = Carlone, McGovern]

Tues, June 8

11:00am The City Council’s Economic Development and University Relations Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss strategies and opportunities to alleviate permit and license fees for small businesses, through possible consolidation or elimination. (Sullivan Chamber) [Chair = Mallon]

Wed, June 9

11:00am The City Council’s Health and Environment Committee will meet to discuss the city’s progress on our Zero Waste Plan, and relevant items referred to committee, including eliminating single use plastics. (Sullivan Chamber)

5:00pm The City Council’s Neighborhood and Long-Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebrations Committee will hold a public hearing to follow-up from the initial neighborhood group hearing and further discuss how the City can work with groups. (Sullivan Chamber) [Chair = Nolan]

Thurs, June 10

5:30pm The City Council’s Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing on the Cambridge Missing Middle Housing Zoning Petition (Ordinance #2021-2). (Sullivan Chamber) [Co-Chairs = Carlone, McGovern]

Tues, June 15

11:00am The City Council’s Government Operations Committee will meet to discuss the hiring of the next City Manager. (Sullivan Chamber) [Chair = Simmons]

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May 17, 2021

Foreign Affairs and Other Adventures – May 17, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: 2021 election,Cambridge,City Council — Tags: Alewife, Cambridge, Central Square, City Council, elections, Envision Cambridge — Robert Winters @ 2:49 pm

Foreign Affairs and Other Adventures – May 17, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

Election-year dynamics are in full swing as our incumbents tailor their appeal to voters whose attention lies both inside and outside the borders of our little 6.39 square mile peoples republic. Here are the items that drew my attention this week:

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-58, regarding a report on creating a comprehensive digital, postal, and traditional media outreach campaign educating residents on the Cambridge eviction moratorium, tenants’ rights, and resources available to at-risk tenants.
Placed on File 9-0

Now that the Governor has announced that we’re going to 100% Reopening as of May 29 and all the Covid indicators are rapidly trending in a good direction, is there any legal justification for maintaining the eviction moratorium? By the way, there is no indication of any “tsunami of evictions” coming any time soon in Cambridge, and the communication notes that “Thankfully, numbers have been very low in Cambridge, and we believe this is due in part to the strong and ongoing partnerships the City has built and continues to build with property management companies.” It is, however, an election year, so I expect to see a tsunami of rhetoric coming regardless.

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-3, regarding a report on the parameters on eligible expenses from Free Cash.
Referred to Finance Committee 9-0 (Mallon)

This is great to have some clarity for our research-challenged councillors. There are definitely some councillors who would like nothing more than to hand out cash and prizes – especially to those whose memories run until at least next November – but state law and the Mass. Constitution does not grant such ease to cities and towns. We are obliged to be creative (as in paying restaurants to provide meals on a fee for service basis during the pandemic) or at least to cast such expenditures in terms of broad public benefit even if the resources are going directly to individuals (as is the case with most housing programs).

Manager’s Agenda #7. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $70,000 from the Mitigation Revenue Stabilization Fund to the Public Investment Fund Community Development Extraordinary Expenditures account from mitigation funds contributed by Regency Centers to the Harvard Square Improvement Fund as a condition of special permit #PB334 which will be used for the purchase and installation of public space improvements on Palmer Street in Harvard Square.
Order Adopted 9-0

This expenditure is pocket change, but the intention (I believe) is to work with the abutting property owners on Palmer Street to recreate it as a much more active and interesting space where the boundary between private and public space is intentionally blurred. This alley is necessary for deliveries and other utilitarian needs, but with very little other traffic it’s a perfect location for music and other performances. Movies, hot dog vendors, and other street food would also be nice. Making this a spectacular space will likely cost significantly more than $70K, but I’m sure some of the abutters can chip in. Maybe we can have a pickup game of stick-ball there sometime. If you hit the Coop bridge on the fly, that has to be at least a triple.

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to revised versions of the Retail Zoning Petition and Home Occupations Zoning Petition.
Petition Amended by Substitution (CDD text) 9-0; Passed to 2nd Reading 9-0

Committee Report #1. The Ordinance Committee held a public hearing on Apr 14, 2021 regarding the Retail Uses Zoning Recommendations – Refiled (Ordinance #2021-3) and the Home Occupations Zoning Recommendations – Refiled (Ordinance #2021-4).
Report Accepted, Place on File 9-0

Much of this is long overdue, but the list of proposed changes is just long. Would anyone like to translate and simplify for the rest of us?

On the Table #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-64, requesting Home Rule language to allow for acoustic live entertainment performances in small businesses under certain conditions without a license. [TABLED IN COUNCIL FEB 22, 2021]
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #9. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to additional information on a Acoustic Music response currently On the Table. [License Commission Mar 9, 2021 Memo] [License Commission Feb 22, 2021 Memo]
Placed on File 9-0

This new response from the License Commission makes a lot of sense. One area that never gets the attention it deserves is how the City and the License Commission balance competing interests in mixed use zones, e.g. when a venue that could generate noise is in close proximity to apartments. This becomes especially important with more people working from home.

Manager’s Agenda #10. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-13, regarding next steps on implementation of Universal Pre-K.
Placed on Table 9-0 (Sobrinho-Wheeler)

I like reading these kinds of things. All too often the refrain from City leaders is about public assistance rather than economic and personal empowerment; and education – from pre-K on up to college-level classes – is a big part of what constitutes empowerment.

Manager’s Agenda #11. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to further proposed amendments to the Tree Protection Ordinance and draft regulations. [Attachment A] [Attachment B] [Attachment C]
Placed on Table 9-0 (Zondervan)

Please, councillors, just let homeowners make reasonable choices about how we manage our property without inflicting onerous requirements or excessive costs just because you think you know what’s best. That may involve a little trust. Is that something you can warm up to?

Charter Right #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with all relative City departments, the Central Square BID and the MBTA to close Mass Ave. from Prospect Street to Sydney Street on Friday and Saturday evenings from 7:00pm to 1:00am through September 2021 and report back to the Council. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN IN COUNCIL MAY 10, 2021]
Order Adopted 8-0-0-1 (Zondervan – Present)

Order #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Community Development Department, the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department, the City Manager’s Small Business Advisory Committee, the Cambridge Business Coalition, and other relevant City Departments to outline a plan for future outdoor dining and necessary City supports to ensure its’ success. Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Toomey, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

It has been great seeing how creative some business owners (and business associations and business improvement districts) have been as they navigated the pandemic working cooperatively with City departments. I expect this will continue long after the pandemic. That said, just closing down a street for the sake of saying you closed down a street isn’t especially helpful. Shutting down Mass. Ave. every Friday and Saturday night would have a lot of ripple effects on transportation and on the surrounding streets, and it’s not at all clear what, if any, benefits might result. The action is on the sidewalks and outdoor patios right now and not in the middle of the street. Save the full closures for a few targeted events on some summer and fall weekend afternoons. Definitely make the extended patios a permanent part of the non-winter pedestrian experience in places like Central Square.

Charter Right #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to instruct the Law Department to review the proposed ordinance to reduce or limit campaign donations, POR 2020 #240, and respond to the City Council, in a reasonable time, with suggested edits, comments and recommendations. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN IN COUNCIL MAY 10, 2021]
Order Adopted 9-0

Charter Right #4. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the City Solicitor’s Office to draft a Home Rule Petition that would cap campaign contributions to any City Council candidate to $200 per person, per year, per candidate. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN IN COUNCIL MAY 10, 2021]
Order Adopted 7-2 (Carlone, Zondervan – NO)

I seriously think this is more political distraction than anything else. There’s a morality faux fight implicit in all this that’s borderline pathetic. If you simply shine a very bright light on candidates whose campaigns are fueled from questionable sources, that should be enough.

Resolution #5. Resolution on the death of John E. "Jack" Flynn. Councillor Toomey
Resolution Adopted 9-0

This was really sad news. I hadn’t heard a word about Jackie in years. He was once upon a time a fixture in the City Clerk’s office and at City Hall.

Resolution #6. Death of Jenna Santos. Mayor Siddiqui
Resolution Adopted 9-0

I read about this in a School Committee communication. It has been a rough year for current CRLS students and some recent CRLS graduates. I heard just the other day about another recent CRLS graduate who died of a drug overdose in Central Square.

Resolution #7. In Support of H.R.2590, “The Palestinian Children and Families Act”. Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern
Charter Right – Nolan

Order #6. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Purchasing Department to review Cambridge’s corporate contracts and identify any companies that are in violation of Cambridge’s policy on discrimination, including (but not limited to) Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Hewlett Packard Incorporated over their role in abetting apartheid in the Middle East, and to suggest alternatives for Cambridge to explore in order to ensure the city embody the values it put on paper. Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Carlone
Charter Right – Nolan

I respectfully disagree.

Order #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to (1) refresh the rainbow benches outside of City Hall by June 1, 2021, (2) re-paint the crosswalks in colors that represent the Trans Flag, the Pride Flag, the Bi Flag and the People of Color Pride Flag by June 1, 2021, and (3) light City Hall up in rainbow colors in recognition of Pride Month from June 1, 2021-June 12, 2021. Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted 9-0

This is all well and good, but at some point the question has to be raised regarding how long any given “statement” should remain on City Hall or the surrounding area. For example, the “Juneteenth” flag appeared on City Hall last summer when that day (June 19) was recognized. One might reasonably think that the flag would come down after the holiday and return again this summer, but it remained all year – most likely because of the racial theme during a difficult year. What is awkward here is that even the suggestion that such a flag should be removed until the next celebration could likely be viewed as a hostile act. Nobody is likely to ask about policies regarding such matters because of the discomfort, but there really should be policies and practices that apply to such commemorations and statements. While I’m risking offense, I may as well also note that those POW-MIA flags have been flying now probably since the Vietnam Conflict was still raging. Here’s a suggestion – charge the Civic Unity Committee with making recommendations regarding how and for what duration flags and similar things should be displayed.

Order #2. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Massachusetts State Police, and MassDOT to develop a holistic plan for managing the traffic and congestion in the Alewife area and report back to the City Council. Councillor Nolan, Vice Mayor Mallon
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Cambridge comes full circle. For those who didn’t just move here, let me remind everyone that this is precisely what kicked off the whole adventure that resulted in the “Envision Cambridge” process. It’s almost like our “Envision” needs a new prescription every year.

Order #4. The City Manager be and hereby is requested to consult with relevant Department heads and the nonprofit community on "Digital Equity" and report back to the Council with an implementation plan, schedule, and request for appropriation. Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Toomey, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Order #5. That the City Manager be and hereby is ordered to consult with relevant Department heads on other broadband benefits programs offered by the Federal government, and report back to the City Council on the City’s plans to leverage these funds in pursuit of Digital Equity. Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Toomey, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

I often wonder these days how many City Council orders are ghost-written on Cottage Street or Laurel Street or in some Somerville apartment. By the way, I signed the original petition for municipal broadband, but the more this drags on the more my doubts grow regarding whether that’s even a good road to travel. Sometimes it just seems more like just a wedge issue that exists primarily to argue for charter reform and/or clear-cutting the City administration. – Robert Winters

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May 10, 2021

Of interest on the May 10, 2021 City Council Agenda

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: budget, Cambridge, campaign finance, Central Square, City Council, COVID-19, cycling, elections, traffic, transportation — Robert Winters @ 2:56 pm

Of interest on the May 10, 2021 City Council Agenda

Big ticket loan authorizations, juggling finances, tax implications, political machinations and more. City Hall

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a COVID-19 Update.
Placed on File 9-0

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui transmitting questions for the COVID-19 Update.
Placed on File 9-0

I have been updating the COVID data and graphs every day for over a year now, and there is nothing I would like more than to see the daily new infections drop to zero so that the graphs will have literally nothing to show and we can all just call it a day and start focusing on other things. We are now down to single digits, and you can actually see faces emerging again.

Manager’s Agenda #2. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the FY2021 Cultural Investment Portfolio Program Grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council in the amount of $12,100 to the Grant Fund Historical Commission Salaries and Wages account ($12,100) which will continue to support part-time archives assistants, who maintain the public archive of Cambridge history.
Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-11 regarding filling vacant positions.
Placed on File 9-0

Leaving budgeted positions unfilled was a key component of the City’s strategy for navigating the pandemic with its diminished revenue and added expenses. This year’s Budget Book shows that FY2020 had an Adopted Budget of $665,550,940 but actual expenditures of $639,240,005 – a savings of $26,310,935. The FY2021 Adopted Budget was $702,432,985, but the Projected FY2021 expenditures are $705,360,745 – just $2,927,760 more than was adopted in June 2020. The new total FY2020 Budget is $735,203,865.

It remains to be seen what the net effect of the pandemic will be on revenues and the resulting tax rates that will be determined in the Fall. Suffice to say that commercial tax revenues are tied to income generation from those properties, and many of them remained vacant or partially vacant for much of this past year. I would like very much to learn more about the property tax abatement applications and whether or not this could result in a significant shift of the tax burden from commercial properties onto residential properties – even if only for a year or two. Needless to say, revenue sources like the hotel/motel tax will be a fraction of what they have been prior to the pandemic and many fees have been reduced or waived.

The Budget Hearings start tomorrow (Tues, May 11). This week’s hearing will include the Cambridge Police Department (CPD) Budget along with many other department budgets. Look for plenty of political grandstanding. The FY2020 CPD Adopted Budget was $63,384,730 and the FY2020 actual expenditures were $61,191,815. Last June the CPD Adopted Budget was $65,925,945 amidst the confused complaints of those who thought we were Minneapolis, and the FY2021 projected CPD expenditures should ring in at around $63,919,100. The FY2022 Budget calls for $68,731,130. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the City Council insisted on reducing this by some token amount just so they could include that in their campaign literature.

Don’t be surprised if by Tuesday evening you find me arguing in favor of replacing proportional representation elections by a system of random selection of 9 people from the Registered Voting List.

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-31, regarding funding for housing stabilization assistance in the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $28,500,000 to provide funds for the construction of sewer separation, storm water management and combined sewer overflow reduction elimination improvements within River Street and Harvard Square areas as well as the Sewer Capital Repairs Program and climate change preparedness efforts.
Passed to 2nd Reading 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #9. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,800,000 to provide funds for various Schools for projects that include: asbestos abatement in various schools, replace the front plaza and failing masonry wing walls and recaulking the building at the Haggerty School, replace emergency generator and extend exhaust at Cambridgeport, recaulking precast panels at CRLS Field House, unit vents engineering at the Fletcher Maynard Academy and Longfellow building and replace the gym floor at the Amigos School.
Passed to 2nd Reading 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #10. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $10,000,000 to provide funds for the Municipal Facilities Improvement Plan. Funds will support improvements at the Department of Public Works Complex, Moses Youth Center HVAC Design, fire notification system installation at 11 buildings, Coffon building bathroom rehab and upgrades and MFIP study. Also, included is funding to support fire station improvements including: Lafayette Square fire station improvements (floor slab, kitchen and gym flooring replacement), Taylor Square fire station improvements (decontamination showers, installation and parapet improvement), East Cambridge fire station improvements (sanitary storm system replacement and generator installation) and Lexington Ave. fire station driveway construction.
Passed to 2nd Reading 8-0-1 (Simmons Absent)

Manager’s Agenda #11. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $5,000,000 to provide funds for the reconstruction of various City streets and sidewalks.
Passed to 2nd Reading 9-0

These loan authorizations (bonds) total $45,300,000. In addition, the FY2022 Public Investment Budget (Pay-As-You-Go) is proposed to be $38,610,865. This brings the total proposed amount for Public Investment to $83,910,865. The funding sources are: Bond Proceeds ($16,800,000), Chapter 90 ($2,706,330), Community Development Block Grant ($1,549,380), Departmental Revenue ($6,027,155), Mitigation Revenue ($3,403,000), Parking Fund Revenues ($1,150,000), Property Taxes ($15,725,000), Sewer Bond Proceeds ($28,500,000), Sewer Service Charges ($2,750,000), Water Fund Balance ($1,800,000), and Water Service Charges ($3,500,000)

The amounts associated with bonds will be paid over time through the Debt Service budget which was $74,269,970 (actual) in FY2020, $78,854,890 (projected) in FY2021, and $82,441,070 (proposed) for FY2022. Just for the sake of comparison over the years, the Debt Service was $8,277,290 in FY1992, $11,493,110 in FY2000, $23,917,070 in FY2005, $43,293,670 in FY2010, and $50,446,035 in FY2015. The choice to pay for much of the capital investments via bonds is at least in part due to the low interest rates we can get thanks to our AAA bond ratings.

Manager’s Agenda #13. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the first Cycling Safety Ordinance report which analyzes the block-by-block impacts of installing quick-build separated bike lanes on four specific segments of Massachusetts Avenue, as identified in Section 12.22.040 (E) of the ordinance.
Refer to Transportation & Public Utilities Committee 9-0

The rhetoric will be entertaining. Parking is now referred to as "private vehicle storage" in order to characterize it as diametrically opposite to "community benefit." The underlying presumption is that all righteous people will soon travel and shop via bicycle – except for those surly laborers who actually deliver your goods, fix your plumbing, install your solar panels and vegetated roofs, etc. By the way, how was your latte this morning?

Order #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with all relative city departments, the Central Square BID and the MBTA to close Mass Ave. from Prospect Street to Sydney Street on Friday and Saturday evenings from 7:00pm to 1:00am through September 2021 and report back to the Council. Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons
Charter Right – Zondervan

I don’t yet know of anyone in the Central Square business community who supports this, and I’m sure that the traffic that’s diverted to the parallel residential streets will go over superbly with the residents on those streets. I’m not saying that there can’t be some positive aspects to this, but it strikes me as naive and political as opposed to informed and practical. Selectively re-purposing some streets in Central Square during certain hours and certain days has a lot of merit (and some of this is already planned), but vacating the Massachusetts Ave. roadway on weekend evenings seems neither necessary nor helpful. A more helpful suggestion would be to help facilitate a few summer weekend closures for festivals with music – assuming, of course, that the Covid numbers continue to drop.

Order #2. In support of H. 3559, An Act Relative to Public Transit Electrification. Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Carlone, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Toomey
Order Adopted 9-0 as Amended

This is specific to public transit and calls for (a) blocking any proposed conversion to fuel-powered buses on any of bus routes now powered by overhead wires; (b) having an all-electric MBTA bus fleet within approximately a decade; and (c) converting all commuter rail lines from diesel to electric. While I find a lot of this to be unnecessarily rigid, especially in terms of the durability and route flexibility of the buses, I would like to see not only the electrification of many of the commuter rail lines, but also the folding of some of those lines into an expanded rapid transit system with far more frequent service.

Committee Report #1. The Ordinance Committee met on Feb 24, 2021 conduct a public hearing on the following ordinance amendments.
(1) That the City Council adopt a municipal ordinance to reduce or limit campaign donations from donors seeking to enter into a contract, seeking approval for a special permit or up-zoning, seeking to acquire real estate from the city, or seeking financial assistance from the city.
(2) The Cambridge City Council direct the City Manager to work with the City Solicitor’s Office to draft a Home Rule Petition that would cap campaign contributions to any City Council candidate to $200 per person, per year, per candidate and limit candidate loans to $3,000 per election cycle.
Charter Right – McGovern

We have heard variations of these proposals more times than I care to count, and the legal complications of some of the proposed ideas aren’t even worth repeating at this point. It’s as though proposals like this are integral parts of the campaign rhetoric of some candidates – and whether they are ever implemented in some form is almost irrelevant.

Local political campaigns nowadays do not necessarily require a fortune to be successful – and there is a lot of evidence that the keys to a successful campaign have more to do with social media and shoe leather than with mammoth campaign war chests. In fact, there are some voters (like me) who look upon excessively funded campaigns with more suspicion than respect. The increasing role of political action committees (PACs) in local campaigns is not even being raised by city councillors, and that goes especially for those councillors who are backed by these PACs and appear on their candidate slates – even as the campaign accounts of these PACs are being converted to "Independent Expenditure PACs" with little or no transparency. [References: Cambridge City Council Campaign Receipts 2021 and Cambridge City Council Campaign Receipts 2019]

Personally, I would rather see voluntary caps on spending and full disclosure by all players in the political campaigns – including all organizations who are working to unlevel the playing field and influence the outcomes. A roster of all the people associated with these organizations would also be helpful since simply calling yourselves "Better" means about as much as saying "Make Cambridge Great Again" when what you’re really doing is just creating more investment opportunities to exploit (not that there’s anything wrong with investment). – Robert Winters

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May 3, 2021

For Your Consideration on the May 3, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: budget, Cambridge, Central Square, City Council, COVID-19, housing, Plan E, zoning — Robert Winters @ 3:24 pm

For Your Consideration on the May 3, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting agenda

Here are the things I found interesting, alarming, or downright absurd this week:

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a COVID-19 update.
Placed on File 9-0

Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting questions for the COVID-19 update.
Placed on File 9-0

It was a pleasure going for a walk this weekend without the mask (except when in close proximity with other people). Let’s hope that things continue on the road to normalcy (or at least close to normal).

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of The Port Infrastructure Project Working Group, effective May 3, 2021 for a period of 12-15 months.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-25, regarding a report on monitoring drought conditions and an update on demand projections.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-66, regarding a report on establishing a Black and Brown-Owned Business Task Force.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the FY2022 submitted budget and appropriation orders. [FY2022 Summaries] [FY2022 Budget Book]
Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

I like to track how the budgets of the various City departments change from year to year and in the long term. Here’s a chart showing the one-year and two-year changes as well as the 17-year changes.

The big jumps upward this year are for the Law Department (up 23.4% in one year and 38.6% over two years), the Executive Department, i.e. the City Manager’s Office (up 14.3% in one year and 28.8% over two years), and the Animal Commission (up 12.4% in one year but just 0.9% over two years). It is notable that the Mayor’s Office budget dropped 15.3% from the previous year. The overall proposed budget is up 4.7% from the previous year and 10.5% from two years earlier.

It’s not so easy to ascertain from just the summaries how the Covid-19 pandemic expressed itself in the FY22 Budget, but perhaps that will become more clear when information about positions purposely left unfilled is known. There will also be $83.9 million in Loan Authorizations for Capital Projects that will appear on next week’s agenda.

Charter Right #1. That the City Manager is requested to present a plan to the City Council to increase the affordable homeownership stock over the next 10 years by financing the construction of affordable homeownership units through a bond issue of no less than $500 million. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS IN COUNCIL APR 26, 2021] [Order #3 of Apr 26, 2021]
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

As I said last week: “I think it’s a great idea to encourage and even facilitate homeownership – especially for those who have lived in Cambridge for a long time or possibly their entire lives. Of course in Cambridge-speak, the phrase ‘affordable homeownership’ doesn’t just mean facilitating the purchase of a home. There are always strings attached with ‘social housing,’ and ultimately a ‘homeowner’ could never actually build up any significant equity in the property. For many prospective homeowners, looking elsewhere would still likely be the better long-term option. A program I could definitely warm up to would be one involving loan guarantees to assist prospective homeowners seeking to buy housing in the big wide housing world with fewer strings attached.”

Order #6. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Community Development Department, the Affordable Housing Trust, and other relevant City departments to provide options to update the HomeBridge and Affordable Home Ownership Programs to better align with the City’s values, and promote racial equity and socioeconomic justice. Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

See above. The Housing Division of the City’s Community Development Department is so addicted to control of the city’s housing stock that it’s doubtful they’ll ever shift their priorities toward actual home ownership and economic equity. The Cambridge municipal view of “socioeconomic justice” generally involves some form of government control and limited or nonexistent equity.

Charter Right #2. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Cambridge Police Department to present a plan to the City Council for demilitarization, including the destruction and recycling of all rifles and shotguns, and elimination of the Lenco Bearcat. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS IN COUNCIL APR 26, 2021] [Order #5 of Apr 26, 2021]
Order Adopted as Amended by (McGovern) Substitution 8-1 (Zondervan – NO)

See my comments from last week on this item. To repeat: “I don’t believe most city councillors ever consider the really exceptional circumstances where greater security is needed. They see only situations where people engaged in protests are offended by ‘the optics’ of large vehicles, weapons, and extra defensive gear. It’s a great luxury (and privilege) to never have to consider the exceptional circumstances.”

On the Table #4. That the City Council shall have its own budget for outside legal research to be utilized at the discretion of the Council when designated by a majority of members in pursuance of the Council’s authority to exercise the legislative powers of the City as specified in the City charter. [TABLED IN COUNCIL APR 26, 2021] [Amended Order #8 of Apr 12, 2021]
Adopted as Amended 7-2 (Simmons, Toomey – NO)

On the Table #5. A communication was received from City Solicitor, Nancy E. Glowa, transmitting Legal Opinion Regarding Request to Have Legal Resources Committed to Assist City Council with Legal Research and Drafting of Ordinances Pursuant to Orders Voted Upon in Public at Scheduled City Council Meetings. [TABLED IN COUNCIL APR 26, 2021] [Late Communication of Apr 26, 2021]
Placed on File 9-0

My comments from last week, including in the aftermath of the Late Communication from City Solicitor Nancy Glowa (who was simply stating facts and not "defending her turf" as some have described her comments): “If this were to happen there is no doubt whatsoever that we would soon see five councillors hand-picking their own lawyer who would then be pitted against the City Solicitor – a recipe for chaos. Furthermore, the City Council is under no obligation to abide by the legal advice of the City Solicitor – though that would generally be a rather poor choice.”

Ms. Glowa’s well-researched and informative communication includes the following: “However, it is not possible, legally or ethically, to provide independent legal counsel to the City Council that would not be under the direction of and reporting to the City Solicitor for the reasons set forth above. It could lead to "dualling lawyers", representing different components of the same client – the City of Cambridge – a situation which “creates a serious potential for confusion and contradiction in the direction of the City’s litigation, as well as the potential for disruption of the City’s business in the event that the advice rendered differs between each attorney.”

In addition to this Late Communication, the City Solicitor forcefully reminded the City Council of the potential jeopardy of proceeding with the Order as originally written. Specifically, Section 107 of the Plan E Charter (which is part of the Mass. General Laws) states that “Neither the city council nor any of its committees or members shall direct or request the appointment of any person to, or his removal from, office by the city manager or any of his subordinates, or in any manner take part in the appointment or removal of officers and employees in that portion of the service of said city for whose administration the city manager is responsible. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the city council and its members shall deal with that portion of the service of the city as aforesaid solely through the city manager, and neither the city council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinate of the city manager either publicly or privately. Any member of the city council who violates, or participates in the violation of, any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both, and upon final conviction thereof his office in the city council shall thereby be vacated and he shall never again be eligible for any office or position, elective or otherwise, in the service of the city.

After the April 26 meeting Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler opined that this section of the Charter was only meant to prevent a councillor from forcing the firing of a City employee. That is a woefully incorrect reading of this clause. Some councillors appeared to be mock-offended at the suggestion of jail time, but it should be obvious to anyone who can read that the greater penalty would be removal from office and the prohibition from ever seeking that office again.

Unfinished Business #7. A Zoning Petition has been received from Amy Oliver, regarding that the City require the installation of GREEN ROOFS vegetated or BioSolar on future construction and significant rehab of buildings that are 20,000 square feet and larger. [PASSED TO A SECOND READING IN COUNCIL APR 12, 2021] [Text as Amended on Apr 26, 2021]
Ordained as Amended 6-0-0-3 (Mallon, Simmons, Toomey – PRESENT)

Though the Planning Board voted 8-1 against this petition as originally drafted, our compulsively prescriptive City Council will likely ordain this by a comfortable margin.

Order #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to ensure that additional funding for Housing Stability shall be made available throughout FY22 if the City Council advises that the need is present. Councillor Simmons, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Order #3. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with Community Development and Traffic, Parking and Transportation to include an EV requirement in their review of development projects, including that a minimum of 25% of all parking spaces shall be EVSE-Installed, meaning a parking space equipped with functioning Level 2 Chargers, or the equivalent thereof must be provided, and that all parking spaces be EV-ready, meaning raceway to every parking space, adequate space in the electrical panel, and space for additional transformer capacity; the City approved EV Requirement Equivalent Calculator must be used if chargers other than Level 2 Chargers are installed. Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone
Order Adopted 9-0

There is little doubt that with electric vehicles becoming more common there will have to be a lot more rethinking about how "filling stations" give way to "charging stations". Even with the best of new battery technologies it’s unlikely that the time needed to charge up an electric vehicle will ever be close to the time it takes to fill up the gas tank. It’s not hard to imagine a future where charging is widely available in most garages, but it’s not nearly so easy to imagine how cars parked on the street will routinely access the necessary charging. I imagine long road trips will also have to be reimagined to allow time and the means for charging. All this makes me think of a relevant song by Phil Ochs.

Order #5. That the Cambridge City Council goes on record in support of the Bathroom Bill of Rights being sponsored by Free to Flush. Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted 9-0

I wonder if this Bathroom Bill of Rights will encompass the right to deal and inject drugs or provide sexual services like the toilet now parked on City Hall property on the Inman Street side. The red indicator on the door used to mean "occupied" but now means "open for business."

Order #7. Free The Vaccine Resolution. Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 9-0

I believe resolution of this is already happening even without a Cambridge City Council resolution.

Order #8. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department to apply for the Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program and if grants are received to work with the community before implementation of a program. Councillor Nolan, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Mallon
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

It’s nice that the Cambridge City Council recognizes some of the adaptation and success that has come about thanks to the initiative of the Central Square BID in cooperation with the City administration, but I don’t really know what role, if any, the City Council has played in any of this other than the photo ops.

Order #9. That the Cambridge City Council go on record standing in solidarity with the MNA nurses campaigning for fair contract negotiations with Cambridge Health Alliance. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor McGovern
Order Adopted 9-0

Committee Report #1. The Ordinance Committee met on Dec 9, 2021 to conduct a public hearing on the Cannabis Delivery-Only Zoning Ordinance petition.
Report Accepted, Placed on File, Order Adopted 9-0

It’s all about the money – and picking the winners.

Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting charter assessment: review and reform. [2nd Memo provided late]
Placed on File 9-0

Rarely have I seen a more vacuous communication as this. It refers to the attached memo that supposedly contains “an overview of the individual discussions with each Council member, recommendations and alternatives for the Council to consider, and potential next steps for this process.” There was no attachment other than a link to the previous memo from nearly 7 weeks earlier. It’s pretty clear that conversations on this topic have been happening but only in this Council’s characteristic lack of transparency. – Robert Winters

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June 28, 2021

Campaign Trailhead and Summer Vacation – June 28, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

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June 21, 2021

Chartering a Course to Nowhere – Featured Items on the June 21, 2021 Cambridge City Council Agenda

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June 14, 2021

Craven Attention – June 14, 2021 Cambridge City Council Agenda

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June 4, 2021

Solicited and Unsolicited Advice – June 7, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

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May 24, 2021

Who’s Zoomin’ Who? – May 24-25, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

Tues, May 25

Wed, May 26

Thurs, May 27

Tues, June 1

Wed, June 2

Tues, June 8

Wed, June 9

Thurs, June 10

Tues, June 15

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May 17, 2021

Foreign Affairs and Other Adventures – May 17, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

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May 10, 2021

Of interest on the May 10, 2021 City Council Agenda

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May 3, 2021

For Your Consideration on the May 3, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting agenda

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