Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

December 7, 2023

Cleaning Out the Pantry – December 11, 2023 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,Charter,City Council — Tags: , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 5:48 pm

Cleaning Out the Pantry – December 11, 2023 Cambridge City Council meeting

The clock is winding down on the 2022-23 City Council and with Festivus approaching this may be the time for not only clearing out all the stuff beyond their expiration dates but also for the airing of grievances and the taking of a few parting shots.Running Down the Clock

Of special note is the opinion from the Acting City Solicitor regarding the forwarding of pending matters (and some really moldy ones) to the new City Council term. My fervent hope is that the current City Council votes to forward only significant pending matters and that the other items on “Awaiting Report” be allowed to fade into history or be re-introduced fresh in the new Council term.

Regarding the Festivus tradition of “airing of grievances”, Mr. Zondervan is back with his withdrawn Order from last week in which he tries to “educate” the Cambridge Police Department. This term can’t end soon enough.

There’s also a request from the Charter Review Committee requesting a one-month extension. This reminds me of the old joke we used to say when I worked (for 14 years) at Wellesley College:
  Q: How many Wellesley students does it take to change a light bulb?
  A: Just one, but she needs an extension.

Anyway, here are the items I found noteworthy in this penultimate City Council agenda:

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item 23-57, regarding rodent control measures. (CM23#296) [text of report]
pulled by Nolan; comments by PN, Owen O’Riordan, John Nardone, Dave Powers, QZ, AM, SS; Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the Cambridge Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Update. (CM23#297) [Cover Letter] [NHMP presentation] [NHMP 2023 Update]
pulled by Nolan; comments by PN, DC, Sam Lipson, Iram Farooq, QZ, Owen O’Riordan, Tom Cahill; Plan Adopted 9-0, Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an update on the City of the Cambridge and Harvard University memorandum of agreement regarding Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT). (CM23#298)
Placed on File 9-0

Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Cambridge Police Department to fundamentally change how it responds to situations that could lead to violence and death.   Councillor Zondervan (PO23#215)
pulled by Zondervan; Charter Right – Zondervan

Order #2. Transferring Items from the 2022-2023 Legislative Session.   Mayor Siddiqui (PO23#216)
pulled by Nolan w/Comm. & Reports #2; comments by PN, SS, QZ; Order Adopted 9-0

Communications & Reports #2. A communication from City Clerk Diane P. LeBlanc, transmitting legal opinion regarding Carry Over Procedures for City Council Business. (COF23#228)
pulled early by Nolan; Placed on File 9-0

Communications & Reports #4. A communication from the Cambridge Charter Review Committee Chair, Kathleen Leahy Born, transmitting a memorandum with a request for an extension through Jan 31, 2024. (COF23#230)
pulled by Siddiqui; comments by BA (who seems to think the Charter Review Committee was “nonpolitical”), PN (notes general lack of public involvement until very last meeting), DS (concerns about participation by committee members); one-month extension approved 9-0; Placed on File 9-0

December 3, 2023

Robots Rule – December 4, 2023 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge government,Charter,City Council — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 8:28 pm

Robots Rule – December 4, 2023 Cambridge City Council meeting

Robot - Lost in SpaceThe first thing that struck me when I looked over the meeting agenda was the list of 387 Communications – more than twice anything I’ve seen before (except for that Bergman stunt many years ago with messages submitted on paper plates – but that’s another story). So I decided to look them over in some detail. The main thing is that 288 of them were nearly identical concerning that Gaza order from the Nov 20 meeting and were sent via a robot (from “actionnetwork.org”) and addressed to “City Clerk Alex Geourntas” – who happens to be the City Clerk for Boston. [Our actual City Clerk is Diane LeBlanc, by the way.] So much for doing your homework, but I suppose even robots may have dogs who like to eat their homework. Perhaps the funniest of these was the one signed by former Cambridge City Clerk Margaret Drury who apparently didn’t take notice of the addressee in the robotic message that was sent under her name to the wrong City Clerk.

There are 333 messages in favor of the Gaza order, 8 opposed, 4 who suggested that the City Council should instead focus on local matters (there’s a concept), and one suggesting that such communications should be limited to actual Cambridge residents. There were 148 of 288 robotic Gaza messages from Cambridge residents and 139 from non-residents. There was also one Somerville resident who defiantly stated that “you have lost my vote.” They never had your vote, Einstein.

There are also 17 communications from people who are apparently pissed off at the City Council’s Nov 20 “Present” vote on the matter – apparently an attempt to sidestep taking a definitive position. Voting on foreign affairs has never been off-limits in the past, but I guess this one is different because of the various constituencies and the political consideration of siding with or opposing something associated with our local “Squad” representative in the U.S. Congress.

I think the new City Council should consider a rules change to address this proliferation of robot-generated messages – perhaps replacing them with a single communication of the form “sundry messages (288) received in support of Nov 20 order re: Gaza.” Together with new AI tools becoming available all the time, we may otherwise soon see weekly bundles of hundreds or even thousands of communications generated every week bearing little connection to matters actually relevant to Cambridge.

Also noteworthy is the message sent by a member of Siddiqui’s hand-picked Charter Review Committee in which she wants to know the head count of all those making public comment or submitting (robotic) communications on either side of the issue. Perhaps the next iteration of the charter recommendations will include a proposal for popular plebiscite to determine public policy. Give us Barabbas. I honestly believe the entire Charter Review business should be restarted with a properly selected charter commission and all meetings held in public session rather than the Zoom-based insular meetings of the current failed process that had negligible public participation.

By the way, the minutes of the Nov 20 meeting indicate that of the 159 people who spoke in person or remotely, 100 supported the Gaza order, 47 were opposed, and 12 others addressed matters that were actually relevant to the business of the Cambridge City Council.

One last note: I am especially appreciative of the Nov 30 public comment and the Dec 4 communication from Cara Seiderman re: the Gaza ceasefire order. It takes a good deal of bravery for a prominent City employee to make a statement opposing the Gaza order as written in an environment where many of the people with whom she regularly interacts may be hostile to her point of view. Cancel culture has unfortunately become part of Cambridge culture – and not just on the Harvard campus.

There is an actual agenda for the Dec 4 meeting that contains a few interesting items. Here’s a sampler:

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a report on the evaluation of the 2023 Street Cleaning Pilot. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the evaluation of the 2023 Street Cleaning Pilot and recommended language for special legislation to increase fines.
Order Adopted 7-2 (DS,PT-No)

Manager’s Agenda #5. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $4,280,000, from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Human Services Extraordinary Expenditures account to support major ongoing improvements at Danehy Park including turf field and track replacement, irrigation improvements, water feature replacement, and capital improvement planning. [text of report]
Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a Planning Board recommendation not to adopt the Pierson, et al., Zoning Petition.
Placed on File 9-0

Charter Right #2. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a Home Rule petition regarding the Fire Chief position. [Charter Right – Toner, Nov 20, 2023]
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #8. A late communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, regarding a home rule petition for taking the Fire Chief position out of civil service. (CM23#290)
Placed on File 9-0

Unfinished Business #5. An Ordinance 2023 #10 has been received from City Clerk, relative to the Municipal Code of the City of Cambridge be amended in Chapter 8.16.081, Leaf Blowers. [Pass to 2nd Reading Nov 6, 2023; Eligible to be ordained on or after Nov 28, 2023] (ORD23#10)
pulled by Toner; comments by PT, PN, QZ; Ordained as Amended 9-0

Committee Report #6. The Ordinance Committee held a public hearing on Nov 28, 2023 to discuss proposed changes to the Cambridge Municipal Code that would lead to a phased-out ban of the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in Cambridge. The Committee voted to send the proposed ordinance language as amended in Committee to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation that the language passed to a second reading on Nov 6, 2023 be further amended to reflect the change in transition date, (8.16.081.4 – Transition, 2. and 3.) from March 15, 2027 to March 15, 2026. (text of report)
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Unfinished Business #7. An Ordinance 2023 #11 has been received from City Clerk, relative to Chapter 2.131 – American Freedmen Commission. [Passed to 2nd Reading Nov 20, 2023; Eligible to be ordained on or after Dec 4, 2023]
Ordained as Amended 9-0

Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments and with state and federal regulators to establish an orderly testing and deployment strategy for Full Self Driving on Cambridge roads.   Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #2. That the City Council go on record requesting that MIT withdraw its objection to Eversource and the City of Cambridge proposed transmission line route so that the project can move forward expediently.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Order #3. That the City Manager is requested to work with CPD to fundamentally change how it responds to situations that could lead to violence and death.   Councillor Zondervan
Order Withdrawn

Committee Report #1. The Finance Committee held a public hearing on Oct 31, 2023 to discuss updates on the Participatory Budget and ARPA. (text of report)
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #2. The Neighborhood and Long-Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebrations Committee held a public hearing on Tues, Nov 14, 2023 to discuss the City’s proposed Linear Park redesign. (text of report)
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #3. The Public Safety Committee held a public hearing on Nov 15, 2023 to discuss and receive updates from the Community Safety Department and HEART. (text of report)
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #4. The City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the City Managers evaluation process held a public meeting on Nov 17, 2023 to discuss the updates on the evaluation process. (text of report)
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #5. A public meeting of the Ordinance Committee was held on Tues, Nov 28, 2023. The call of the meeting was to consider an amendment to the Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance that would require new covered properties to achieve net zero by 2030. The Committee voted to send the following amendment language back to the City Council with no recommendation. (text of report)
pulled early by Toner; comments by PT, Yi-An Huang (feels this is not good policy in terms of cost/benefit), QZ (disagrees, proposes amendment), PN, DC, MM, Iram Farooq, Megan Bayer (Acting City Solicitor), QZ proposes amendments (passes 5-4 (BA,AM,DS,PT-No); Passed to 2nd Reading as Amended 5-4 (BA,AM,DS,PT-No); Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Late Resolution #3. Resolution on the death of Bernard Goldberg.   Councillor Toner, Councillor Simmons

November 26, 2023

Voter Success and Number of Candidates – Cambridge Municipal Elections

Filed under: City Council,elections,School Committee — Tags: , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 8:00 am

Voter Success in Cambridge Elections

The table below indicates the percentage of ballots for which the #1 ranked candidate was elected; the percentage of ballots for which the #1 or #2 ranked candidate was elected; and the percentage of ballots for which the #1, #2, or #3 ranked candidate was elected. (updated Nov 26, 2023 from Nov 2017 original posting)

Voter Success in Cambridge Elections
Election elect candidates valid invalid total
ballots		 Quota Pct #1
elected		 Pct #1 or #2
elected		 Pct #1, #2,
or #3 elected		 Pct none
elected		 Pct
blank
1997 Council 9 19 16879 350 17229 1688 88.7 96.2 97.6 1.6 0.3
1999 Council 9 24 18777 384 19161 1878 76.5 92.5 95.5 3.0 0.5
2001 Council 9 19 17126 562 17688 1713 83.8 94.0 96.2 2.8 1.1
2003 Council 9 20 20080 878 20958 2009 72.7 87.0 91.0 6.7 2.0
2005 Council 9 18 16070 132 16202 1608 78.7 93.4 96.1 2.6 0.5
2007 Council 9 16 13633 88 13721 1364 79.3 93.2 96.0 2.9 0.4
2009 Council 9 21 15995 118 16073 1596 75.1 90.9 94.1 4.3 0.6
2011 Council 9 18 15845 126 15971 1585 77.8 92.6 95.5 3.3 0.5
2013 Council 9 25 17743 103 17846 1775 68.6 87.8 93.0 4.9 0.4
2015 Council 9 23 17854 105 17959 1786 71.7 90.4 94.8 3.3 0.3
2017 Council 9 26 22524 72 22596 2253 68.7 87.0 92.8 4.7 0.2
2019 Council 9 22 21239 85 21324 2124 70.5 89.4 95.4 2.2 0.2
2021 Council 9 19 21814 260 22074 2182 75.1 91.2 95.4 2.5 0.8
2023 Council 9 24 23339 173 23512 2334 72.2 88.4 94.3 2.2 0.3
Election elect candidates valid invalid total
ballots		 Quota Pct #1
elected		 Pct #1 or #2
elected		 Pct #1, #2,
or #3 elected		 Pct none
elected		 Pct
blank
1997 School 6 8 16386 285 16671 2341 83.3 96.4 97.6 2.4 0.1
1999 School 6 13 17961 307 18268 2566 76.0 91.1 94.4 4.7 0.1
2001 School 6 10 16489 1160 17649 2360 76.2 90.5 92.6 7.1 4.8
2003 School 6 8 18698 2210 20908 2672 81.9 89.7 90.0 10.0 8.8
2005 School 6 8 15470 719 16189 2211 77.4 90.6 93.1 6.9 4.2
2007 School 6 9 13276 433 13709 1897 77.0 91.2 92.7 7.1 3.0
2009 School 6 9 15423 549 15972 2204 72.6 90.1 91.6 8.4 3.3
2011 School 6 11 15290 614 15904 2185 77.6 90.3 92.2 6.9 3.6
2013 School 6 9 16592 1128 17720 2371 80.9 90.0 91.2 8.5 6.2
2015 School 6 11 16797 1062 17859 2400 69.2 84.7 88.0 11.1 5.7
2017 School 6 12 20708 1744 22452 2959 67.2 81.5 85.2 13.3 7.7
2019 School 6 11 19425 1712 21137 2776 69.9 84.8 87.8 11.6 8.1
2021 School 6 9 20017 1824 21841 2860 75.5 87.0 89.6 9.9 8.0
2023 School 6 11 21255 1837 23092 3037 66.1 84.1 87.8 11.6 7.5

Note: Almost all of the invalid ballots were blank ballots. It’s common that some voters will vote only the City Council ballot and cast a blank School Committee ballot.

Number of Candidates

Here’s the whole history of the number of candidates going back to 1941 (CC for City Council and SC for School Committee).
Any significant write-in candidates are included in the totals. (updated from Oct 2017 original posting)

Number of candidates in Cambridge municipal elections: 1941-present
Year CC SC     Year CC SC     Year CC SC     Year CC SC     Year CC SC
1941 83 28   1961 23 16   1981 25 13   2001 19 10   2021 19 9
1943 39 19   1963 22 17   1983 16 16   2003 20 8   2023 24 11
1945 37 14   1965 24 13   1985 22 9   2005 18 8        
1947 34 18   1967 20 18   1987 19 13   2007 16 9        
1949 40 16   1969 26 14   1989 28 8   2009 21 9        
1951 27 15   1971 36 22   1991 19 12   2011 18 11        
1953 35 18   1973 34 26   1993 29 11   2013 25 9        
1955 41 19   1975 25 16   1995 19 11   2015 23 11        
1957 35 26   1977 24 10   1997 20 8   2017 26 12        
1959 31 21   1979 23 12   1999 24 13   2019 22 11        

November 22, 2023

Cambridge InsideOut Episodes 601-602: November 21, 2023

Filed under: 2023 election,Cambridge,Cambridge InsideOut,campaign finance,Charter,City Council,Deaths,elections,School Committee — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 8:22 pm

Episode 601 – Cambridge InsideOut: Nov 21, 2023 (Part 1)

This episode was recorded on Nov 21, 2023 at 6:00pm. Topics: Notable Passings: Teresa Neighbor, Gregg Moree, Kevin Glynn; a personal tale of candidacy, the politics of personal destruction, the lack of a viable local press, and “taking one for the team”; Gaza takes center stage; municipal election results – City Council and School Committee; election mechanics, configuration files, ballot data files; the problem of ballot order dependence and how to fix it. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

Episode 602 – Cambridge InsideOut: Nov 21, 2023 (Part 2)

This episode was recorded on Nov 21, 2023 at 6:30pm. Topics: Replacements in the event of a vacancy; The Comedy of Voting Errors; Ward/Precinct #1 Vote distribution; neighborhood bases of support; great disparity in voter turnout among precincts and disproportional representation; #2 Vote Distribution from the ballot data; Cost per #1 Vote; some history of proportional representation historically and in the United States and in Massachusetts; Question: Proportional to what? Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in these episodes]

November 20, 2023

Cambridge Does Gaza – November 20, 2023 Cambridge City Council Agenda

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge government,City Council,Deaths — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 3:06 pm

Cambridge Does Gaza – November 20, 2023 Cambridge City Council Agenda

All the world is watching as Cambridge takes on the Middle East. </sarcasm>Peoples Republic of Cambridge

Here are the featured menu items for tonight’s meal:

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a Home Rule petition regarding the Fire Chief position.

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 23-72 regarding mechanisms to support Cannabis Business in Cambridge. (CM23#274) [text of report]

Unfinished Business #2. An Ordinance has been received from City Clerk, relative to proposed changes to Cannabis Business Permitting Proposed Ordinance 2023-6. [Passed to 2nd Reading Oct 16, 2023; Eligible to be Ordained] (ORD23#6)

Manager’s Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the Planning Board’s recommendation on the Hen-keeping Zoning Petition and amended zoning text. (CM23#275) [text of report]

Unfinished Business #5. An Ordinance has been received from City Clerk, relative to a Zoning Petition by the Cambridge City Council to amend Articles 2.000, 4.000, 5.000, and 23.000 of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance for the purpose of allowing hen-keeping as a permitted accessory use to principal residential (excluding transient accommodations as defined in Section 4.31.i), religious, and educational uses; with limitations and subject to regulation and permitting by the Cambridge Public Health Department. [Passed to 2nd Reading Oct 16, 2023; Eligible to be Ordained; Expires Jan 8, 2024] (ORD23#9)

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the East Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District Study. (CM23#277) [text of report]

The East Cambridge Neighborhood District Study is a great document – the continuation of great work of our peerless Cambridge Historical Commission. What the City Council will do with this or should do with this is a matter of some concern. Normally this would be an easy decision, but the spirit of New York’s Robert Moses continues to permeate current Cambridge politics – an environment where tearing down historic buildings, or any buildings, is apparently welcomed in favor of going higher and denser regardless of all other considerations. The spirit of Jane Jacobs will return at some point, and the only question is the extent of damage carried out in the interim.

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an Equity Inclusion Fall 2023 Update. (CM23#278) [text of report]

This is worth looking at primarily as an illustration of how bureaucracies grow.

Manager’s Agenda #9. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the American Freedmen Commission Ordinance. (CM23#279) [text of report]

Committee Report #2. A public meeting of the Cambridge City Council’s Ordinance Committee was held on Thurs, Nov 9, 2023, to consider changes to the Cambridge Municipal Code that would establish the American Freedmen Commission. The Committee approved a motion that the City Manager be and is hereby requested to direct the Law Department and any other relevant department to review the proposed ordinance language to create the Freedmen Commission and provide any recommendations in writing to the City Council by Nov 20, 2023. The Committee voted favorably to send the proposed language to the City Council with a favorable recommendation that it be passed to a second reading. (text of report)

It will be interesting to see how this unfolds and whether this will amount to something constructive or just garden-variety political patronage.

Manager’s Agenda #10. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report 22-40, regarding a Community Engagement Update. (CM23#280) [text of report]

This is clueless on so many levels. For example, “Additionally, each department is at a different point on its community engagement journey: the Department of Public Works (DPW) for example, started building its community relations team in the early 2000s …” In fact, our Department of Public Works has been a model of community engagement and personalized service delivery for many decades. Only a bureaucrat would see otherwise. On the other hand, the “community engagement” of some other departments will continue to be mainly performative in the sense that most decisions have already been made by staff or mandated via City ordinance with little room for discussion or change.

Manager’s Agenda #11. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the 2023 Cambridge Resident Satisfaction Survey Results. (CM23#281) [text of report]

Manager’s Agenda #12. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $500,000, from Free Cash, to the Public Investment Fund Executive Extraordinary Expenditures account to support an evaluation of the Rise Up Cambridge Cash Assistance for Families Program. (CM23#282) [text of report]

The bottom line is that this program was only made possible because of the federal windfall of ARPA dollars growing out of the Covid disruption. What followed in so many cities was political opportunism – enacting initiatives that otherwise would not have been financially feasible or even legal. We are now in the phase where “studies” are being proposed and funded to extend this new add-on local welfare program.

Unfinished Business #3. ORD23#8A To amend Chapter 2.76 – Human Rights Commission and Chapter 2.119 Domestic Partnerships. [Passed to 2nd Reading Oct 2, 2023; Further Amended Nov 6, 2023; Eligible to be Ordained as Amended]

Resolution #3. Resolution on the death of Teresa Solano Neighbor.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons

I attended the November 11 memorial service for Teresa at Bigelow Chapel in Mount Auburn Cemetery and, as is often the case, it served as a reunion of many friends. Teresa was the Executive Director of the Election Commission during the period when we computerized our municipal elections and when I served on the Technical Working Committee for the Computerization of the Cambridge Elections (TWCC). That was a very rewarding experience for many of us who were involved in that project, and Teresa was a great partner in that initiative.

Order #1. Special Meeting on City Manager Review.   Mayor Siddiqui

Order #2. Automated Parking Enforcement.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Azeem, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Carlone

Order #3. Resolution in support of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s Call for a Ceasefire.   Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui

This last item, of course, will likely consume most of the evening and accomplish nothing. – RW

November 6, 2023

Proportional Representation: The Silent Ballot Question – Nov 6, 2023 Cambridge City Council Agenda

Filed under: 2023 election,Cambridge,City Council,elections — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 3:14 pm

Proportional Representation: The Silent Ballot Question – November 6, 2023 Cambridge City Council Agenda

Tomorrow’s municipal election may be about choosing 9 people out of 24 City Council candidates and choosing 6 people out of 11 School Committee candidates, but there’s also the unspoken ballot question of the efficacy of our proportional representation (PR) elections. Elsewhere in the USA in years past, cities that used PR for their local elections gave up that election method when it yielded perverse results – either real or received. New York City quit using PR after two Communists were elected back in the 1930s (the actual story is a bit more nuanced). Other cities gave it up because some felt it was too “complicated” – a point of view not shared by me, though I admit that explaining how the tabulation works can be a challenge. That said, the idea of ranking your approved candidates doesn’t seem very difficult to understand.Countdown

There is a possibility that this year’s election could produce perverse results, or (hopefully) it will yield a group of candidates who are both rational and representative of the people of Cambridge. [I am, of course, quite biased since I am also a candidate this year.] I have often jokingly referred to myself as “the junkyard dog of Plan E and PR” in that I could be counted on to defend our system against any unwarranted or wrongheaded criticism. There are points worthy of criticism and there are opportunities to make some positive changes, but I do have some serious concerns about the efforts by some to turn Cambridge into the worst kind of populist government. [These concerns are the main reason I chose to be a candidate this year.]

Anyway, we’ll either be heading over the cliff tomorrow or pulling back from the brink. We’ll know soon enough. Meanwhile, there is a City Council meeting on Election Eve – traditionally one of the shortest ones, but I suppose all it takes is one difficult councillor to ruin everyone’s evening – unless the exercise of the Charter Right puts an end to the mayhem. Here are the items I found interesting this week:

Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report #23-61, regarding the demographic information of dues-paying members of the municipal golf course.
pulled by Zondervan; QZ wants City to continue to collect information on race, age, and gender; Adam Corbell response that any such data collection will be voluntary; PT was under belief that such demographic information was NOT being collected at golf course; ambiguous response from Corbett; PN notes that this was report only on demographics (and not on other aspects of original City Council Order); MM addresses women’s sports scholarships; Placed on File 9-0

Hopefully this will mark the end of the silliness initiated by Councillors Nolan, Carlone, Zondervan, and Azeem back in January 2022. On the other hand, doubling-down on dumb ideas is not uncommon these days in politics from the local level to the national level and beyond.

Charter Right #2. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Law Department and other relevant City departments and prepare a report regarding the efficacy of establishing a dual reporting system for the Director of Public Health, the process by which the City could establish by ordinance a Commissioner of Public Health who would report directly to the City Manager, and the reestablishment of a Health Policy Board. [Charter Right – Simmons, Oct 30, 2023]
Simmons explains her use of Charter Right, wants to tease this Order out regarding what it aims to achieve; DS wants to Table and/or send back to Health and Gov’t Operations Committees; AM says many of these questions were asked at committee meeting, says there will be additional meetings; PN notes that this Order asks only for additional information from Law Department; MM suggests removing clause re: hiring a consultant; DS says that getting information is OK but concerned about whether a consultant should be hired; PN,AM,SS have had conversations with former MM motion to delete 2nd “Ordered” passes 5-4 (BA,MM,DS,PT,SS-Yes; DC,AM,PN,QZ-No); Adopted as Amended 8-0-0-1 (DS-Present)

Committee Report #4. The Government Operations, Rules and Claims Committee and the Health and Environment Committee held a joint meeting on Tues, Oct 17, 2023, to discuss the relationship between the City and the Cambridge Health Alliance, the budget of the Public Health Department, and best ways to serve the community’s public health needs. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

I can’t say for sure what this is all about, but my suspicion is that this is rooted in the desire on the part of several city councillors to gain more control over our local health care options. I will remind everyone that there were very good fiscal reasons to spin the Cambridge Hospital off with state legislation that established the Cambridge Health Alliance and to separate this out from the City’s Operating Budget. I am very curious what the actual motivation is here.

Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to more fully explore the Commonwealth’s recommendations from the Separated Bike Lane document, especially for all squares and along small business districts, schools, and key park entries, and with a focus also on the integration of pedestrian and biking infrastructure.   Councillor Carlone (PO23#202)
Adopted 9-0

I expect that Councillor Azeem may exercise his Charter Right on this one in order to give him time to ask Chris Cassa and others associated with the Cambridge Bike Safety group what he is allowed to think.

Order #2. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to direct CDD, the Law Department and any other relevant Departments to review this citizens zoning petition and provide any recommendations in writing to the Ordinance Committee on Nov 29, 2023.   Councillor McGovern, Councillor Zondervan
Adopted 9-0

This concerns the Zoning Petition from Allene R. Pierson et al. relating to where Lodging Houses are permitted as-of-right and, presumably, how this relates to the proliferation of quasi-hotel uses (AirBnB) that have been gobbling up rental housing in Cambridge. If I misread this, please disabuse me of my interpretation.

Committee Report #1. The Transportation and Public Utilities Committee met on May 5, 2022, to discuss municipal broadband. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #2. The Human Services Committee conducted a public hearing on June 16, 2022, to discuss the recent MBTA bus network redesign. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #3. The Transportation and Public Utilities Committee conducted a public hearing on June 28, 2022, to discuss the recent MBTA bus network redesign. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Looking back in time at meetings held more than a year ago.

Committee Report #5. The Health and Environment Committee held a public meeting on Wed, Oct 25, 2023, to discuss, review, and evaluate the Zero Waste Master Plan and plan reports and updates, and to discuss possible ways to further reduce waste in Cambridge including exploring how the city might eliminate single-use plastics including but not limited to nips, bottled water, and utensils. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

I would love to see these nuisance plastics go away, but sometimes I feel as though our City Council just doesn’t like small businesses when they take actions that cut into the very narrow margins that allow these businesses to simply exist. Has persuasion been tried? Must everything be a legal mandate? – Robert Winters

November 5, 2023

Vote Wang for Solidarity

Filed under: 2023 election,Cambridge,Cambridge government,City Council,cycling — Tags: , , , , , , — Hao Wang @ 8:13 am

Vote Wang for Solidarity

The curtain for the 2023 election will drop after about one Cambridge Day; all the candidates and activists will soon take a bow. We will again reflect on who we were and what we have done.

The apparent take is that, as one of the wealthiest cities in the U.S. and one of the most sophisticated crucibles for ingenuity, we could have done better. We had an election season roiled by hatred, disrespect, social shaming, and gross mischaracterization. An all-or-nothing, either-or type of thinking epitomizes our political arena.

Many of our activists were quick in condemning, social shaming, minimizing any voice of reason, and grossly mischaracterizing the pragmatic approach the city badly needs. In today’s Cambridge, one cannot be a practical bike lane supporter. It would be best if you were a zealous, our way or highway advocate. Otherwise, you will be labeled as an opponent to saving lives, only trying to rip off the bike lanes. In today’s Cambridge, quick-to-shame activists will label many moderate views on civic issues as “homophobic” or “transphobic.”  Anyone who differs from a single component of their agenda will be quickly treated as an unforgivable opponent. In their belief, being a moderate is “just supporting the other side.”

Angry and hostile tones permeated this election, and group allegiance came out as a kind of mentality disorder and hate politics, grossly deterring the balanced approach the city needed to bring itself together. Even our esteemed Harvard Crimson may have forgotten the noble tradition of Walter Cronkite in journalism, mistaking allegation with verification, conviction with indictment. In some reporters’ minds, a judge and jury will no longer be necessary; the accused is automatically guilty as charged.

In this toxic arena, we are no longer capable of building a consensus. There can be no rational political dialogue. In this climate, Cambridge did not treat our centrist, moderate, or independent respectfully. A balanced candidate was hard to win. The “us vs them,” “all or nothing” mentality is almost certain to harm everyone ultimately.

It may be very late in this election, but we need our solidarity back. Diversity will not hold without solidarity. Equality starts with solidarity. As a city, we will need to transcend cultural and political boundaries. We must signify once again our unity, mutual support, and our shared sense of community. We must show compassion and regain our ability to empathize with others and stand by their side for their needs and ways of life. We need to offer our cooperation and support to each other. The polarization is toxic. The apathy must go. The divisive politics must go.

 

Hao Wang

2023 Cambridge City Council Candidate

https://votewang.com

October 30, 2023

Seeking Six Lame Ducks – Oct 30, 2023 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: 2023 election,Cambridge,Cambridge government,City Council,elections,School Committee,schools — Tags: , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 4:29 pm

Seeking Six Lame Ducks – Oct 30, 2023 Cambridge City Council meeting

The circus that is this year’s municipal election will soon be over and we’ll know in a couple of weeks whether Cambridge will step back from the brink or careen over the edge. Hopefully events at the national and international scale will be enough to convince people locally of the dangers of the democratic socialists, the “intersectional left”, and others (like DSA, Our Revolution, and even the little old ladies of the Cambridge Residents Alliance) who casually embrace antisemitism hidden behind Halloween masks of liberation as they celebrate murder, rape, and kidnapping.City Hall

Speaking of elections, I was able to skip some City Council candidate events this week in order to focus on more important things like the School Committee election and, in particular, an event in East Cambridge entitled, “What’s Algebra Got to Do with It? – a School Committee Forum on Math and Academic Challenge.” I may write about this elsewhere, but the bottom line is that the participating incumbents had virtually nothing of substance to say other than the usual School Committee jargon, and several of the new candidates really shone – particularly Elizabeth Hudson, Alborz Bejnood, and Eugenia Schraa Huh. Bobby Travers also showed great promise as a candidate who has seen it all over the years working within the Cambridge Schools. Honestly, the only incumbents I see as worth retaining are José Luis Rojas Villarreal and Caroline Hunter. That’s an even 6. All too often the School Committee election is the forgotten stepchild of Cambridge elections – but their $245 million budget and the fact that the education and future prospects of so many Cambridge children is largely dependent on having good schools suggests that maybe voters should pay a little more attention.

Meanwhile, back at City Hall, here are some of the more notable items on this week’s agenda:

Manager’s Agenda #5. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $2,091,000 from Free Cash to the Mitigation Revenue Stabilization Fund. During FY23, the City received mitigation revenues from various developers as a result of commitments related to zoning ordinance amendments and special permit conditions. By law, all mitigation revenues must be deposited into the General Fund and can only be appropriated after the Free Cash Certification is complete.
Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment of Claire Spinner as Assistant City Manager for Fiscal Affairs.
pulled by Carlone; comments by Nolan, City Manager Huang (over 50 applicants); Placed on File 9-0

152 Communications – many either in favor or opposed to the policy order from the previous meeting regarding proposed changes to Linear Park in North Cambridge.

Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to direct the Community Development Department and the City Solicitor to look at possible base zoning changes for a new residential use that has a first-floor mixed-use option or other zoning alternative, to review the city’s permit policy for extending construction hours/days & propose changes that more significantly protect residents’ quality of life, and to work with the Department of Public Health to look at ways the City’s board of health, under the Nuisance Law, might further restrict undue noise.   Councillor Carlone, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Carlone; comments by Carlone, Toner, McGovern; Order Adopted 9-0

None of the current city councillors live in a mixed-use district. I have – for over 45 years. I’m happy to tell you about the pros and cons.

Order #6. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments and the consultant team and deliver an update on Municipal Broadband and Digital Equity by December 2023.   Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan
pulled by Nolan; comments by Nolan; Zondervan added as sponsor; Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

My assumption is that even if all relevant indicators suggest that Municipal Broadband won’t provide a fraction of the benefits its proponents have suggested, and even if it’s cost-prohibitive, a majority of councillors will signal Full Speed Ahead.

Order #7. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments to engage with various stakeholders including recycling advocates, package store owners, and business associations, and report back to the city council with a list of recommendations to reduce the use of miniature liquor bottles.   Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #8. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments to report back to the City Council with an update to the Mar 23, 2021 report on the process of banning various single-use plastics in line with the discussion during the Health and Environment Committee meeting and actions by the state and by various municipalities.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan
pulled by Toner; comments by Nolan, Toner, Carlone, Zondervan, McGovern, Azeem; add Zondervan as sponsor; Order Adopted 9-0

Order #10. City Council support of letter to State Lawmakers on the Mass Clean Heat Platform.   Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #13. City Council support of H. 872 An Act establishing a climate change superfund and promoting polluter responsibility, and the companion bill S. 481.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Carlone, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Zondervan; add Siddiqui, Nolan; comments by Zondervan, Nolan; Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Order #14. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Law Department and other relevant City departments and prepare a report regarding the efficacy of establishing a dual reporting system for the Director of Public Health, the process by which the City could establish by ordinance a Commissioner of Public Health who would report directly to the City Manager, and the reestablishment of a Health Policy Board.   Councillor Nolan, Vice Mayor Mallon
pulled by Simmons; comments by Nolan, Simmons; Charter Right – Simmons

It’s also worth noting the following two items on the Hearing Schedule:

Wed, Nov 8
3:00pm   The Public Safety Committee will hold a public hearing from 3:00pm-5:00pm to discuss the results of the inquest regarding the Police shooting of Arif Sayed Faisal. [CANCELLED]

This is not a local legislative matter. An inquest was conducted and the officer(s) involved were found to have acted in a reasonable and proper manner consistent with their training and responsibilities. A Zondervan hearing on this matter would be nothing more than a political show, and I’m glad the meeting was cancelled.

Wed, Nov 15
3:00pm   The Public Safety Committee will hold a public hearing from 3:00pm-5:00pm to discuss and receive updates from the Community Safety Department and HEART.

As I have said many times, the new Community Safety Department – as a mechanism for handling matters not necessarily requiring Cambridge Police – has the potential to relieve Cambridge Police officers of some of the responsibilities that can be safely managed by others. Cambridge HEART, in contrast, is little more than political patronage for a group of people who have consistently shown nothing but hostility toward Cambridge Police and law enforcement in general. – Robert Winters

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