Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

June 1, 2026

Doubling Down – June 1, 2026 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council,recycling — Tags: , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 1:36 pm

Doubling Down – June 1, 2026 Cambridge City Council meeting

After the lunacy of the previous meeting, one might think this would be a good week for reflection and adjustment. We’ll see…City Hall

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a federal update including an update on relevant court cases. [text of report]
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Simmons-Absent)

Budget Adoption and related money matters

Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to amendments to the FY27 Submitted General Fund Budget. [text of report]
Recommendations Adopted, Referred to Committee Reports #3 and #3A; Placed on File 8-0-1 (Simmons-Absent)
General Fund Adopted as Amended 8-0-0-1 (Al-Zubi – Present)
Water Fund Adopted 9-0
Public Investment Fund Adopted 9-0

“These increases will bring the total FY27 Operating Budget for the City to $1,033,209,502 (up from the $1,032,959,502 originally submitted FY27 Operating Budget) and an increase of $41,028,182 or 4.1% from the FY26 Adopted Budget. The projected tax levy to support the FY27 Budget is $725,608,519, an increase of $46,756,048 or 6.9% from the FY26 tax levy. The actual tax levy will be determined in the fall as part of the property tax and classification process.”

Unfinished Business #2-14. Loan Authorizations totaling $109,980,000.
All Loan Orders Adopted 9-0 except UB#5 Adopted 8-1 (Al-Zubi – No)

Committee Report #1. The Finance Committee held a public hearing on Tues, May 5, 2026 on the City and School budgets covering the fiscal period July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 8-0-1 (Simmons – Absent)

Committee Report #2. The Finance Committee held a public hearing on Wed, May 6, 2026 on the City and School budgets covering the fiscal period July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 8-0-1 (Simmons – Absent)

Committee Report #3. The Finance Committee held a public hearing on Tues, May 12, 2026 on the City and School budgets covering the fiscal period July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 8-0-1 (Simmons – Absent)

Communications & Reports #4. Communication from Finance Co-Chairs: Process for Identifying Future Budget Priorities, Part 3. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0

Councillors Nolan and Al-Zubi do hereby declare that the future Cambridge budget priorities are public housing, shelters, and childcare. I was kinda hoping that fiscal restraint and infrastructure resilience might make the Top Three, but apparently not with this Group of Nine.

Board Appointments

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the reappointment of Conrad Crawford to the Board of Directors of the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority for a term of five years. [text of report]
Appointment Confirmed 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to reappointments to the Community Preservation Act Committee (CPAC) [Chandra Harrington, Mary Flynn, Kevin Foster, Ellen Schacter]. [text of report]
Appointments Confirmed 8-0-1 (Simmons-Absent)

Tweeting or Bleating

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to AR26-25 regarding a review of the City’s social media platform usage policies. [text of report]
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Simmons-Absent)

Public Safety and Tinfoil Hats

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a summary of Surveillance Technology Impact Reports (STIRs) in calendar year 2025. [text of report]
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Simmons-Absent)

Order #7. That the City Council approve of the Surveillance Technology Impact Report for Open Architects student data platform as discussed in the May 20, 2026, hearing.   Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #8. That the City Council disapprove further use of SoundThinking’s Acoustic Gunshot Detection Technology (ShotSpotter) by the City pursuant to the Surveillance Technology Ordinance 2.128.060 (C).   Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 5-2-0-2 (Al-Zubi, McGovern, Nolan, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui – Yes; Flaherty, Simmons – No; Azeem, Zusy – Present)

Regardless of any pushback received as a result of the May 18 vote, the same subgroup of councillors is doubling down this week with a prohibition of ShotSpotter via ordinance – regardless of what the Cambridge Police Department or the City Manager may advise.

I went for a while to last night’s meeting – just in time for one of the most obnoxious displays of non-collegiality I have ever witnessed. The Order declaring the City Council’s authority to ban ShotSpotter under the Surveillance Ordinance was the agenda item. Ms. Al-Zubi was recognized by our problematic mayor and Al-Zubi immediately “called the question” forcing a vote – even though Councillor Flaherty had proposed some amendments that had been circulated to the councillors and to the public prior to the vote. The same five councillors who had voted to ban ShotSpotter on May 18 voted in favor of calling the question and preventing the Flaherty amendments as well as any discussion on the matter. The Al-Zubi Order was then passed in the same 5-2-0-2 vote as May 18 with only Flaherty and Simmons voting “No”, and Zusy and Azeem again voting “Present”.

I have been Council-watching for nearly four decades, and this ranks way up there in my list of obnoxious actions by city councillors. The five councillors who disdained democracy so much that they would not even allow their colleagues to speak are Al-Zubi, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui, Nolan, and McGovern. If ever you hear people chant “This is what democracy looks like” at a rally, these five councillors should not even enter the picture.

Committee Report #5. The Public Safety Committee held a public hearing on Tues, Apr 7, 2026 on the Cambridge Police Department’s federal immigration enforcement tracker, CM26#32. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 8-0-1 (Azeem – Absent)

Order #11. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Cambridge Police Department and Law Department to develop and implement a policy requiring the posting of “Know Your Rights” informational and educational materials in all police department facilities.   Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 9-0

Health & Environment

Order #3. Zero Waste Master Plan Ordinance changes.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Zusy
Charter Right – Simmons

Manager’s Agenda #10. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to proposed changes to the City’s Zero Waste Master Plan. [text of report]
Tabled 9-0

Order #4. That the City Manager, in collaboration with the Urban Forestry Division, DPW, CDD and Inspectional Services, is requested to develop recommendations for updates to the Tree Protection Ordinance that will provide further protection to the City’s significant public and private trees for the greater good of the City.   Councillor Zusy, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Flaherty
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Committee Report #4. The Health and Environment Committee held a public hearing on Tues, Mar 31, 2026 to review and discuss the Cambridge Net Zero Action Plan (NZAP) Annual Report and the Climate Committee’s review and report. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 8-0-1 (Azeem – Absent)

Order #9. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments and community organizations to provide the City Council with a comprehensive Food Access Report that includes, but is not limited to, an accounting of existing programs, expenditures, outcomes, and unmet needs to inform a public hearing on food insecurity and related City policies, programs, and expenditures.   Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted 9-0

Housekeeping

On The Table #2. A communication from City Councillor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler transmitting the proposed 2026-2027 Rules of the Cambridge City Council. [Charter Right – Flaherty, May 11, 2026; Tabled May 18, 2026]
Rules Adopted as Amended 9-0

Communications & Reports #2. A communication from Mayor Siddiqui transmitting a memorandum regarding information from the School Committee. [text of report]
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Azeem – Absent)

Communications & Reports #3. A communication from Mayor Siddiqui transmitting a memorandum regarding updates to the 2026-2027 City Council Committee Appointments. [text of report]
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Azeem – Absent)

Councillors Simmons and McGovern will swap committee appointments with Simmons moving from Housing to Economic Development and McGovern doing the reverse.

Barney

Resolution #2. Condolences to the family of Barney Frank.   Councillor Simmons
Charter Right – Simmons

May 15, 2026

Charting Right Toward Chaos – May 18, 2026 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,Charter,City Council,recycling — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 1:06 pm

Charting Right Toward Chaos – May 18, 2026 Cambridge City Council meeting

Perhaps the funniest thing about the most recent City Council meeting was the suggestion that our current mayoral selection method breeds ill will among councillors. The flurry of Charter Right invocations at that meeting suggests that perhaps the backroom scheming associated with the mayoral selection isn’t really the greatest source of conflict among our otherwise peace-loving local representatives. Indeed, Councillor Flaherty called it “a very positive experience – politics at its finest, outstanding.” Compared to the conflict over things like ShotSpotter, segregated bike lanes, and densifying our way toward Flushing, maybe the mayoral wrangling for votes is a quiet, peaceful harbor in a sea of difference.Peoples Republic

There is little doubt that the do-over of several items on the Charter Right list will bring out the usual suspects in need of repeatedly repeating their repetitive public commentary – especially those fiction-loving fans of ShotSpotter removal. In any case, here are the items I think may be most interesting in this next gathering in the Merry Month of May.
[It’s my birthday today, by the way, and as Elaine Stritch sang so sweetly, “I’m Still Here”.]

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a federal update including an update on relevant court cases. [text of report]
pulled by Siddiqui; comments by Siddiqui, City Solicitor Megan Bayer, Franz LaBianca (Law), Flaherty, Nolan; Placed on File 8-0-1 (Simmons Absent)

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $30,000 from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Land Conservation Assistance Grant. [text of report]
Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $450,000 to support the purchase of four parcels of land located within the town of Lincoln, MA. [text of report]
pulled by Flaherty; comments by Flaherty, Mark Gallagher (Water), Dave Kaplan (Watershed Manager), Yi-An Huang, Kathy Watkins, Nolan, Zusy; Orders Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $350,000 from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Drinking Water Supply Protection Grant. [text of report]
pulled by Nolan along w/Order #5; Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appropriation of $251,320.90 from the Federal Fiscal Year 2024 Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) Community Connections Grant. [text of report]
Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #10. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a report on Social Housing. [text of report]
pulled by Siddiqui along w/Order #11; comments by Siddiqui, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Al-Zubi, Zusy, Nolan, Flaherty, Melissa Peters (CDD), Yi-An Huang; Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #11. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments to the Social Housing Task Force. [text of report]
pulled by Siddiqui along with Order #10; Appointments Confirmed 9-0

How many euphemisms for public housing are we up to now? I am quite certain that whatever the next scheme brings it will boil down to actual private property owners subsidizing even more housing units and their upkeep through higher and higher property taxes.

Order #1. City Council support of H.968, H.886/S.647, H.1023, and S.570 and S.571 to enact extended producer responsibility and product stewardship in recognition that these laws will relieve municipalities of rising costs, and incentivize producers to sell products that are less toxic and easier to reuse and recycle, by requiring such producers to bear the costs for the proper recycling and responsible disposal of their products.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Al-Zubi
pulled by Nolan for comments; Order Adopted 9-0

Order #2. That the appointment of Interim City Clerk Paula M. Crane be extended for an additional period not to exceed six months.   Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Zusy
pulled by Siddiqui along w/ Comm. & Reports #2 for comments; Order Adopted 9-0

Communications & Reports #2. A communication from Mayor Siddiqui transmitting a memorandum regarding the search process for a permanent City Clerk. [text of report]

Charter Right #1. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the relevant departments to immediately request Empower to resign from the Massachusetts High Technology Council and consider options for transitioning the City of Cambridge out of Empower and transferring its retirement accounts into one of the City’s other retirement programs should Empower continue to be a member of the MHTC. [Charter Right – Sobrinho-Wheeler, May 11, 2026]
Comments by Sobrinho-Wheeler, Simmons; Order Withdrawn by Unanimous Consent

This is yet another example of the intolerance of the current City Council. Simply because an entity espouses a different point of view, the knee-jerk response is to disaffiliate. By the way, I still use Twitter daily – and it’s nice to know that it’s like wearing a cloaking device where I can be invisible to city councillors who could never possibly admit that they will be seen anywhere but Bluesky or another approved social media. I also continue to happily bank at Citizens Bank.

Charter Right #2. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments including the Law Department to ensure that there is no new data collected by ShotSpotter devices and all existing data shall be kept, used, or deleted only as required by law under our Welcoming Community Ordinance and Surveillance Technology Ordinance. [Charter Right – Azeem, May 11, 2026]
Comments by Acting Police Commissioner Pauline Wells, Yi-An Huang, Azeem, Al-Zubi, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Simmons (proposes to Table), Flaherty (notes the false narratives during public comment), Zusy (clueless), Nolan, McGovern, Siddiqui; Motion to Table Fails 4-5 (BA,TF,DS,CZ – Yes; AAZ,MM,PN,JSW,SS – No); Order Adopted 5-2-0-2 (AAZ,MM,PN,JSW,SS – Yes; TF,DS – No; BA,CZ – Present)

This Order is an outgrowth of the comically inept Public Safety Committee meeting that I attended on April 29 at which virtually all of the public comment came from DSA members. They expressed their belief that their private conversations were being recorded. However, the presentation from the Cambridge Police clearly stated: “There has never been a conversation recorded in Cambridge.”

The Order asserts that “ShotSpotter … has a false positive rate of about 82 percent in Cambridge.” I know math is hard for some people, but I will simply point out that if ShotSpotter detected even a single car backfire or a firecracker and if there were zero gunshots in Cambridge, the false positive rate would be 100%. The fact that most detections are not caused by gunfire should perhaps best be understood as Cambridge having relatively few gunfire incidents – an unequivocally good thing.

Let’s be clear what Councillors Al-Zubi, Sobrinho-Wheeler, McGovern, and Nolan are calling for in this Order (as it speaks volumes about the low priority they apparently afford public safety): (1) That the City Manager … rescind prior approval of ShotSpotter, including ending any and all contracts with ShotSpotter; and (2) That the City Manager … direct the Police Department to stop using ShotSpotter, including turning off and physically removing the surveillance tools no later than 90 days. This is just crazy.

Charter Right #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Mayor’s Office, Law Department, Election Commission, and other relevant City Departments to engage the Collins Center in assisting the City in reviewing policy options for allowing Cambridge voters to directly elect the City’s Mayor. [Charter Right – Simmons, May 11, 2026]
Comments by Simmons, Sobrinho-Wheeler, McGovern, Nolan, Al-Zubi, Flaherty, Zusy, Megan Bayer, Yi-An Huang, Siddiqui; proposed amendments (Simmons, Flaherty) partially Adopted; Al-Zubi proposed amendment to change to a directly elected Executive (effectively eliminating our city manager form of government) Fails 2-7 (AAZ,JSW – Yes; all others No); Order Adopted as Amended 7-1-0-1 (Zusy – No; Al-Zubi – Present)

Though this Order calls only for “reviewing policy options”, let’s be clear that this is really about the desire of some councillors – and especially our current Mayor – to eat their cake and have it too. There was a recent Charter Review process – one in which Ms. Siddiqui placed her thumb on the scale in the appointment of the Charter Review Committee – which resulted in a new Charter that was adopted only a few months ago. Perhaps the greatest flaw in that entire flawed process was that it ultimately placed essentially all choice in what would be presented to voters into the hands of incumbent city councillors. Then again, simply going with what a slim majority of the Charter Review Committee recommended would have been even worse. It was a small miracle that most of the really crazy stuff received enough push-back that we managed to somehow get a proposed Charter that preserved most of the good aspects of the previous Plan E Charter.

As has been pointed out many times, the position of Mayor in Cambridge is really comparable to the position of President of the City Council in cities like Boston and elsewhere. The CEO of Cambridge is its City Manager who is hired by majority vote of the City Council. A directly elected mayor is more appropriate to a strong mayor system of local government – and that is not the form of government that voters approved last November.

Charter Right #4. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council on the projected fiscal impact of maintaining the current exemption for seniors, along with any administrative steps necessary to do so. [Charter Right – Sobrinho-Wheeler, May 11, 2026]
comments by Sobrinho-Wheeler, McGovern (w/proposed amendment to make fee free w/voluntary check-off); Azeem, Huang, Zusy, Simmons, Flaherty, Al-Zubi, Nolan (w/proposed amendment to have $25 fee w/voluntary check-off); Nolan amendment Fails 2-7 (BA,PN – Yes, all others No); MM/JSW amendment Adopted 5-4 (AAZ,MM,JSW,CZ,SS – Yes; BA,TF,PN,DS – No); Azeem proposed amendment for a one-year review of check-off option Adopted 9-0; Order Adopted as Amended 7-2 (BA,TF – No)

This seemed to be the consensus at the April 28 meeting of the City Council’s Transportation (etc.) Committee. I really hope this Order prevails if for no other reason than that the permit fee is a nuisance. Meanwhile, in neighboring Arlington, there’s this: “COA Parking Sticker entitles the sticker-holder to park for FREE in Arlington at metered parking spots and in municipal parking lots, up to the maximum time posted on the meter (4 hours).”

Charter Right #5. That a special Committee of the City Council be formed to conduct a full and complete analysis of each of the proposed changes to the Rules of the City Council, with the goal of a transparent understanding of each of the proposed changes and the implications. [Charter Right – Sobrinho-Wheeler, May 11, 2026]
Taken up w/Charter Right #5; comments by Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui, Flaherty, Simmons, Azeem, Nolan, McGovern, Zusy; Order Fails 3-5-0-1 (TF,DS,CZ-Yes; BA,MM,PN,JSW,SS-No; AAZ-Present)

Perhaps the most interesting proposed Rules change is this:
Rule 17A. All regular meetings of the City Council shall be held that week starting on Monday and ending on Tuesday. The City Council meeting shall start on Monday at 5:30pm and shall continue until either the conclusion of all business on the agenda or until the meeting recesses at 9:00pm, whichever occurs sooner. If the meeting is recessed on Monday at 9:00pm, the City Council meeting will resume the following Tuesday at 1:00pm and shall continue until the conclusion of all business on the agenda or until 5:00pm, whichever occurs sooner.

I think this is a terrible idea. – RW

Charter Right #6. A communication from City Councillor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler transmitting the proposed 2026-2027 Rules of the Cambridge City Council. [Charter Right – Flaherty, May 11, 2026]
Taken up w/Charter Right #5; four proposed amendments by Al-Zubi re: Public Comment time allotment, end time for meetings, restrictions on Council discussion; proposed amendment by Nolan; comments by Siddiqui; Al-Zubi Amendment #1, Part 1 adopted 8-1 (PN-No); comments by Nolan re: proposed Al-Zubi Amendment #1, Part 2, comments by City Solicitor Megan Bayer re: legal requirement for public comment at a public hearing; Al-Zubi Amendment #1, Part 2 Adopted 9-0; comments by Al-Zubi on proposed Al-Zubi Amendment #2 (to Rule 31B), comments by McGovern, Simmons, Megan Bayer, Azeem, Elliot Veloso, Zusy, Flaherty; Amendment #2 Adopted 9-0; Al-Zubi on proposed Amendment #3 (to Rule 17A, end mtgs. at 10pm), Siddiqui, City Manager Yi-An Huang, McGovern, Azeem, Zusy, Nolan, Simmons, Sobrinho-Wheeler; Al-Zubi Amendment #3 Adopted 7-2 (TF,DS-No); Amendment #4 (AAZ and PN) re: Rule 23FG and limitations on Council discussion, comments by Al-Zubi, Simmons, Nolan, Azeem, McGovern, Siddiqui; Amendment #4 Fails 3-6 (AAZ,PN,JSW-Yes; BA,TF,MM,DS,CZ,SS-No); Flaherty motion to adjourn and refer to special committee ruled to be out of order by City Solicitor, add’l comments by Simmons; Azeem motion to Table remainder of proposed amendments, Tabled 6-3 (AAZ,JSW,SS – No).

June 6, 2025

Mixed Bag – June 9, 2025 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council,history,recycling — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 1:05 pm

Mixed Bag – June 9, 2025 Cambridge City Council meeting

Last week’s meeting cleared most of the leftovers out of the back of the legislative fridge. Here are some of the remainders and some new additions:City Hall

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a request to move to Executive Session to discuss strategy with respect to litigation known as Said S. Abuzahra, Trustee of Equity Realty Trust, et al. v. City of Cambridge (Mdsx. Super. Ct. C.A. No. 2017- cv-2459); and strategy with respect to litigation known as Lubavitch of Cambridge, Inc. v. Jim Monteverde as member of the Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeals et al. (Land Court Docket No. 24 Misc 00622), John W. Toulopoulos Trustee of the Toulopoulos Realty Trust, et al. v. Lubavitch of Cambridge Inc. et al. (Land Court, Docket No. 24 Misc 000528), and Lubavitch of Cambridge, Inc. v. Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeal and City of Cambridge.
Convened in Executive Session 8:34pm-9:52pm 9-0; Placed on File 9-0

Keywords: (1) Vail Court, (2) Dover Amendment

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 25-24 regarding a critical drought status report. [text of report]
pulled by Nolan; comments by Nolan, Owen O’Riordan, Zusy; Placed on File 9-0

The entire report is quite interesting, but the current status is: On May 20th due to continued above average precipitation, the State Drought Task Force held a special mid-month meeting, and the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs downgraded the drought level for the Northeast region to Level 0-Normal.

Manager’s Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the submission of the Zero Waste Master Plan. [text of report]
pulled by Nolan; comments by Nolan, McGovern, Recycling Director Michael Orr, Zusy, Wilson, DPW Commissioner Kathy Watkins, Simmons, Siddiqui; Placed on File 9-0

This is not just about recycling. The only comments I’ll make right now are that I’m still in the skeptical camp regarding rigid mandates and a possible Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program for waste disposal, and that everyone should understand the difference between advocacy and implementation and public acceptability. Most of the people involved in producing this and other proposals are advocates. It is the job of elected representatives to weigh advocacy vs. public acceptability. The matter of separated bike lanes, loss of parking, and the rigidity of the current Cycling Safety Ordinance come to mind.

Getting Board & Commissioned

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointments of Florrie Darwin, Scott Kyle, and Michael Rogove and the reappointments of Chandra Harrington, Joseph Ferrara, Elizabeth Lyster, Yuting Zhang, Gavin Kleespies, Paula Paris, and Kyle Sheffield to the Cambridge Historical Commission.
Charter Right – Sobrinho-Wheeler

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment Sarah Holt, Emily Oldshue, and Ruth Webb and the reappointments of Marie-Pierre Dillenseger, Donna Marcantonio, and Peter Schur to the Half Crown-Marsh Neighborhood Conservation District Commission.
Charter Right – Nolan

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment of Nondita Mehrotra, and the reappointments of Constantin von Wentzel, Heli Meltsner, McKelden Smith, Theresa Hamacher, and Freweyni Gebrehiwet to the Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District Commission.
Charter Right – Nolan

On The Table #4. That the City Manager is requested to explore with the Government Operations Committee whether the functions of the Peace Commission may be improved and enhanced by bringing them within another City Commission or Department, such as the Human Rights Commission, and report back in a timely manner. [Charter Right – Simmons, May 19, 2025; Tabled June 2, 2025]

Manager’s Agenda #14. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a revised draft of the “Eastern Cambridge Community Enhancements” Zoning Petition. text of report]
pulled by McGovern (along w/Committee Report #2); comments by McGovern, Nolan; Referred to Petition as Amended by Substitution 9-0; Placed on Unfinished Business 9-0

Committee Reports #2. The Ordinance Committee held a public hearing on May 20, 2025 to discuss two Zoning Petitions. The first Petition was by Mushla Marasao, et al. to amend the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance in Sections 5.28.21, 8.22.1, 8.22.2, and Table 5.1. The second Petition was by BMR-320 Charles LLC c/o BioMed Realty, L.P. to amend the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance in Article 20.000 with the intent to create a new overlay district called the East Cambridge Community Enhancement (ECCE) Overlay District. The Ordinance Committee voted favorably to forward the BioMed Realty Zoning Petition regarding the ECCE Overlay District, with proposed amendments from BioMed dated April 18, 2025, to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation. [text of report]
pulled by McGovern along w/Manager’s Agenda #14; Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0; Petition Passed to 2nd Reading as Amended 9-0

Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments to determine whether the City Council can revoke an already approved curb cut application if said application was incomplete due to applicant failure.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zusy
pulled by Zusy; comments by Zusy, Toner, McGovern, Azeem, Nolan, Simmons, City Solicitor Megan Bayer; Order Adopted 6-1-0-2 (Toner – No; Wilson, Simmons – Present)

One week the City Council is in near unanimity regarding delegating curb cut approvals to City staff, and now they want to know how and when they can rescind curb cuts. Go figure.

Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to work with the City Clerk, the Information Technology Department, the Law Department, and any other relevant departments to draft an ordinance establishing the City of Cambridge Electronic Records Archiving Policy.   Mayor Simmons, Vice Mayor McGovern, Councillor Toner, Councillor Zusy
pulled by Zusy; comments by Zusy, McGovern, Simmons (shoutout to Barbara Carrera); Zusy added as sponsor 9-0; Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

This is important. Just like those old 8-track tapes, cassettes, vinyl records, and even CDs and DVDs become obsolete, the preservation of public records (often in perpetuity) needs to be addressed – especially in an historic city like Cambridge. There needs to be delegated custodians of these records and best practices for preservation, chain of custody, authenticity, integrity, and ease of public access. This is especially true in this age of electronic record-keeping.

Order #3. Policy Order urging Governor Healey, the MBTA Board of Directors and General Manager Phillip Eng to amend the MBTA Alewife Station Complex redevelopment RFP to include as a priority eliminating untreated Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) sewage in our neighborhoods by incorporating green and gray infrastructure as central components of the project. The order further calls on the MBTA to collaborate with the MWRA, DCR, DPH, the City of Cambridge, and the community to address this public health threat.   Councillor Zusy, Councillor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor McGovern, Councillor Wilson [photos]
pulled by Nolan; comments by Nolan w/concerns re: lack of specificity in Order – has a Substitute Order (not acted on); comments by DPW Commissioner Kathy Watkins w/concerns re: Order (98% reduction in CSO for Charles River, 85% CSO reduction in Alewife), notes extensive work by City – complex projects w/complex trade-offs, cost effectiveness, feasibility, Order is too prescriptive, notes plans for storage at Sherman St./Bellis Circle; Zusy comments; Amended (Zusy); Charter Right – Simmons

Note: Though I appreciate the intention of this Order, I have some questions about whether the proposed solutions violate the Laws of Physics.

Charter Right #1. That the exception language in Chapter 2.129.040 Section J of the Cambridge Municipal Code be revised with language clarifying that Cambridge city employees shall not participate in federal immigration enforcement operations and that the sole role of Cambridge city employees during any action by ICE is only to protect public safety and not to assist or facilitate the work of ICE. [Charter Right – Toner, June 2, 2025]
Comments by Toner, City Solicitor Megan Bayer (ICE agents not required to provide name or badge number), City Manager Yi-An Huang (ICE has been notifying local law enforcement), McGovern (add as sponsor), Wilson (add as sponsor), Zusy, Sobrinho-Wheeler (wants CPD to not do traffic enforcement or crowd control and only address public safety, refers to ICE arrests as “abductions”), Siddiqui, Nolan, Simmons (w/concerns about some of the directives in this Order, risk of escalation); [McGovern, Wilson added as sponsors 9-0]; Order Adopted as Amended 8-0-0-1 (Simmons – Present)

This is all well and good, but I have a hard time envisioning Cambridge Police aggressively challenging the actions of ICE employees, taking badge numbers, or doing anything other than simply keeping the peace in a delicate situation involving different law enforcement agencies.

Charter Right #2. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments to ensure that there is full open access for all users to Linear Park from Westley Avenue as an additional community access point. [Charter Right – Toner, June 2, 2025]
Comments by Toner, Nolan, Owen O’Riordan, Transportation Director Brooke McKenna, Sobrinho-Wheeler (w/absurd comparison with Brookline St.), Zusy (concerned about Linear Park being transformed into a “transportation corridor”), McGovern (w/amendment), Siddiqui, Azeem (if opening of gate proves problematic, can always close it again), Wilson (struggles w/lack of consistency of City Council); Amendment Adopted 9-0; comments by Simmons (Who would operate the gate every day?); Sobrinho-Wheeler curiously connects this matter to Multi-Family Housing issue, bristles at notion that single-family homes are being given favorable treatment; Order Adopted 5-4 as Amended (BA,MM,PN,SS,JSW – Yes; PT,AW,CZ,DS – No)

248 Communications – mainly calling for a STOP in the planned installation of separated bike lanes and massive loss of parking on Broadway.

The subtext of both of these matters is how to balance citywide and legislative priorities against legitimate local concerns. In recent years, the trend has been toward the former – often leading to the perception that city councillors and City staff don’t really listen to the residents of the city. That has increasingly become my perception, and that’s a real shame.

Up in Smoke

Unfinished Business #5. An Ordinance has been received from City Clerk, relative to Chapter 5.50 CANNABIS BUSINESS PERMITTING. [Referred to Ordinance Committee Mar 17, 2025; Passed to 2nd Reading May 19, 2025; Eligible To Be Ordained June 9, 2025] (ORD25#5)
pulled by McGovern; Ordained 9-0

Unfinished Business #6. An Ordinance has been received from City Clerk Diane P. LeBlanc, relative to Zoning Petition to remove the repackaging prohibition as a City Council Zoning Petition. [Passed to 2nd Reading May 19, 2025; Eligible To Be Ordained June 9, 2025] (ORD25#6)
pulled by McGovern; Ordained 9-0

Committee Reports #1. The Government Operations, Rules, and Claims Committee held a public hearing on Friday, May 1, 2025 to discuss the 2025 City Manager’s Annual Goals and Review Process. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

May 20, 2025

Cambridge InsideOut Episodes 645-646: May 20, 2025

Filed under: 2025 election,Cambridge,Cambridge InsideOut,Charter,City Council,cycling,elections,Harvard Square,MBTA,MIT,recycling — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 11:22 pm

Episode 645 – Cambridge InsideOut: May 20, 2025 (Part 1)

This episode was recorded on May 20, 2025 at 6:00pm. Topics: Reflections on 70 years on Earth – 47 years in Cambridge, Mayoral Proclamation; Ranked Choice Voting and limited PR elections for Boston – how it came to be; Review of recent City Council actions and discussions; Cambridge Charter Home Rule pending – relatively few changes from current Plan E Charter; dilemma of when to report a controversy; 2025 municipal candidates emerging – Candidate Pages; opportunities to serve of Boards and Commissions; sunsetting/redefining discretionary Boards, e.g. Peace Commission (Cambridge Commission on Nuclear Disarmament and Peace Education); civic unity; the problem of single-issue advocacy; controversy of firearm replacement, activist payback, DSA organizing; ARPA funding expiration, RiseUp successor. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

Episode 646 – Cambridge InsideOut: May 20, 2025 (Part 2)

This episode was recorded on May 20, 2025 at 6:30pm. Topics: Cambridge Charter Home Rule Petition – big assist by Law Department, restoring citizen petitions, leaving out poison pills – just like Somerville; AAA bond ratings; Nexus studies for Incentive Zoning and for Inclusionary Zoning; reconsidering Linkage, Inclusionary requirements; Barrett letter; deaths Pebble Gifford, Robert Campbell, Doane Perry; thankless job of being head of a neighborhood association; bicycle lane controversies, reckless plans and policies, bullying by Cambridge Bike Safety group, Broadway as route for emergency vehicles; Harvard Square – Gerald Chan properties, MBTA tunnel innovative ideas; retirement of Diane LeBlanc, Owen O’Riordan; Kathy Watkins to be Deputy City Manager; Budget Hearings, new reality of limitations, shifting of tax burden from commercial to residential, extra heavy burden on single-, two-. and three-family homeowners – Claire Spinner memo; TWC, vouchers, RiseUp, municipal broadband not so fundable; federal updates and clarity of City Manager Yi-An Huang, City Solicitor Megan Bayer, Police Commissioner Christine Elow; federal targeting of Harvard, MIT and downstream repercussions. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in these episodes]

April 28, 2025

Budget Season – April 28, 2025 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge government,City Council,recycling — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 2:56 pm

Budget Season – April 28, 2025 Cambridge City Council meeting

This week brings the FY2026 Budget with the Budget Hearings to commence next week. Here are the items of special interest this week:Coins

The Budget and the Loan Orders

Manager’s Agenda #2. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the FY2026 submitted budget and appropriation orders for the General Fund, Water Fund, and Public Investment Fund. [text of report]
pulled by Nolan; Nolan notes that FY2026 Budget now exceeds $1 billion, asks councillors which departments should be pulled, requests questions to be submitted in advance, objects to a recent department head exit not being included in the Budget, wants more detailed information on Loan Orders – will pass to 2nd Reading and refer to Finance Committee; brief comments by City Manager Yi-An Huang, Asst. City Manager for Fiscal Affairs Claire Spinner, Budget Director Taha Jennings; Councillor Wilson asks about process for seeking greater tax increases; additional McGovern, Simmons comments re: reducing residential exemption, increasing property taxes and public engagement; Yi-An Huang, Claire Spinner, Taha Jennings note that City has kept Council apprised much earlier in the process due to new economic environment, fact that setting of tax rates depend on other factors to be known later, altering residential exemption would only shift money around and not the tax levy which is a 7.8% increase, possible shift from commercial to residential taxpayers; McGovern entertains notion of increasing taxes to fund pet projects; Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Because the City decided this year to decouple employee benefits from the individual department budgets, it’s a bit difficult to do my usual multi-year comparisons of individual department budgets. Some of the key features of the FY26 Budget are:

a) an overall 3.7% increase in the Operating Budget [from $955,584,350 in the FY25 Adopted Budget to $991,181,320 in the FY26 Submitted Budget;

b) a Public Investment Budget of $41,204,770 and Loan Authorizations of $109,936,000 (see below) yielding a Total Capital Budget of $151,140,770;

c) a total property tax levy of $677,732,415 to support the General Fund Operating and Capital Budgets – an increase of 7.85% from the FY25 property tax levy; and

d) 19 new full-time positions.

Manager’s Agenda #3. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $7,500,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of open space at Ahern Field and surrounding amenities. [text of Loan Order]
#3-#11 pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #4. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $16,500,000 to provide funds for the reconstruction of various City streets and sidewalks. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #5. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $11,100,000 to provide funds for the Municipal Facilities Improvement Plan. Funds will support significant building improvements and deferred maintenance projects. Proposed projects include but are not limited to upgrades of Public Works facilities, municipal offices, youth centers, branch libraries, fire stations, and deferred maintenance. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #6. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $19,986,000 to provide funds for financing school building upgrades. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #7. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $27,500,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of surface enhancements and sewer and drainage infrastructure improvements in Central Square. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #8. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $3,000,000 to provide funds for the sewer Combined Sewer Overflow Program and for planning and design of a floodwater storage tank. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #9. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $7,500,000 to provide funds for the sewer Capital Repairs Program and projects related to climate change preparedness efforts. (CM25#99) [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #10. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $15,250,000 to provide funds for Ozone Generator replacement; Lead Service Line replacement; and water works construction projects in coordination with DPW street restoration projects, which include repair and or replacement of water infrastructure at Dana Street, Sciarappa Street, Massachusetts Ave 4, Haskell Street and Hillside Avenue. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #11. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,600,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of open space at Wilder Lee Playground and play areas at 359 Broadway. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

A Work in Progress

Manager’s Agenda #13. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an update on the Community Safety Department. [text of report]
pulled by Sobrinho-Wheeler; comments by Sobrinho-Wheeler, Yi-An Huang notes that Community Safety Director Liz Speakman will be moving on to the Boston Area Race Crisis Center, to be succeeded by Marie Mathieu (who has been social worker at libraries and more recently as Asst. Director of Clinical Services with the Community Safety Department); comments by Marie Mathieu, Liz Speakman; Sobrinho-Wheeler tries to stoke controversy over existence of a parallel co-response initiative within the Cambridge Police Department (per Harvard Crimson article); McGovern comments; Nolan discusses definitions of co-response vs. “alternative response” and rationale for there being a clinician within Emergency Communications (well-explained by Owen O’Riordan & McGovern); Nolan notes the George Floyd period and how CSD can to exist, very inappropriately asks Liz Speakman if tension of not realizing the full potential of CARE and the stress of perhaps not feeling fully supported part of the reason you are leaving; Simmons notes that this is a very inappropriate question; Liz Speakman makes a personal statement expressing gratitude; Zusy comments about redundant services; Azeem asks about # of phone calls expected (8-10 calls/day); Siddiqui, Wilson, Simmons comments; Yi-An Huang notes great strides of CPD in “progressive policing”, offers explanation of distinction between CPD and CARE responses; Placed on File, Referred to Public Safety Committee 9-0

I really want this new department to be successful, but I am not all clear about what its actual function is.

Unfulfilled Wish Lists and Good Enough For Now

Manager’s Agenda #15. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 25-8, regarding a request to create a plan with a schedule and milestones to move forward with the creation of a Municipal Broadband Network and present it for consideration by the Council at a Finance Committee meeting in the context of capital projects for coming years. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0

Order #3. That the City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate departments to review the city’s digital equity work to date, assessing whether residents’ digital needs are or could be better provided for and to propose how we can better meet their needs.   Councillor Zusy, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Azeem
pulled by Zusy; comments by Zusy re: delay in municipal broadband, Chromebooks distributed but no one knows how to use them; Nolan comments on past Digital Equity Study; Wilson notes that Manning Apts. residents did receive some training with the Chromebooks; Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #18. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager regarding the Transition Wellness Center (TWC). [text of report]
pulled by Sobrinho-Wheeler who wants to fund anything and everything; comments by McGovern who would still like to fund TWC for another year; comments by Wilson who “wants to move some dollars around to make this work”; Zusy notes that there is $48.7 million and $15.5 Million for homelessness and housing stability in FY26 Budget for housing – very generous; Nolan comments; Simmons notes that Yi-An Huang recommends not continuing the TWC and has explained the basis for this recommendation, additional comments that this was never meant as a permanent solution; Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #3. The Finance Committee held a public hearing on Thurs, Mar 27, 2025 to receive a status update on the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding in Cambridge, as well as to review and discuss the Police Department budget for FY26 before it is submitted to the City Manager, as required under Cambridge Municipal Code Chapter 2.74.040, and to further discuss the Free Cash Appropriation Requests, CM25#40 and CM25#41, referred to the Finance Committee on Mar 17, 2025. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

I suppose it’s fair to say that elected officials (and candidates) are often judged on what they promise to deliver and not necessarily on their ability to deliver on those promises. It’s also easy in our system to play good cop/bad cop with the City Manager and the City Administration by making a show of how hard you tried to establish and fund an initiative that may actually make little sense on financial or practical grounds. One great example is the proposal for municipal broadband – and I take note of a City Council Order this week to focus instead on “assessing whether residents’ digital needs are or could be better provided for and to propose how we can better meet their needs.” A more recent example is the divided vote on whether to reverse course and continue the Covid-era Transition Wellness Center. The Manager is recommending to proceed with its planned closure and to find alternate accommodations for its few remaining residents. It remains to be seen whether the City will find a suitable alternative to the “Rise Up” local welfare program that was created from the ARPA windfall.

The Little Stuff That Counts

Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to establish a Lost and Found program at Cambridge City Hall.   Mayor Simmons, Vice Mayor McGovern
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Community Development Department to assemble a list of public and private spaces available to the public, indoors and outdoors, noting contact information and any associated requirements, ensuring that there are public meeting places identified in each neighborhood.   Councillor Zusy, Councillor Toner, Mayor Simmons, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Zusy; comments by Zusy noting that CDD used to have a listing of indoor meeting spaces and that this should be restored and to also include outdoor spaces; Order Adopted 9-0

I like these kinds of bread-and-butter initiatives – practical and ordinary stuff. I will suggest that any accounting of available public and private meeting and event spaces should include outreach to the many churches and related buildings that are actually plentiful.

It’s A Job

Order #4. City Council requesting that the Chair of the Government Operations, Rules, and Claims Committee initiate the process of re-appointing the City Auditor.   Mayor Simmons, Councillor Toner
pulled by Sobrinho-Wheeler; Simmons notes that the Order already states that this is to be referred to Gov’t Operations Committee (though the Order actually only refers this to the Chair of the committee); McGovern, Nolan, Toner comments; Order Adopted, Referred to Gov’t Operations Committee 9-0

There will also have to be a process to appoint a new City Clear when our dear Diane LeBlanc retires next month. Paula Crane will serve as Interim City Clerk in the meantime, and I hope she’ll at least consider taking on the City Clerk role for the next three years.

That moment when you celebrate the retirement of someone you knew when he first took the job 33 years ago.

Resolution #7. Congratulations to Officer Victor Martignetti on his retirement from the Cambridge Police Department.   Councillor Toner, Councillor Wilson, Mayor Simmons

You really become aware of the passage of time when you see people who you knew when they started a job now retiring decades later. Victor isn’t the first. There have been quite a few long-term City employees whose long careers began and ended on my watch.

Committee Report #1. The Economic Development and University Relations Committee held a public hearing on Mar 20, 2025. The meeting was a Cannabis Roundtable with cannabis businesses to discuss issues facing the retail cannabis industry in Cambridge and discuss potential changes, including adjustments to the current 1,800-foot buffer zones and introduction of social consumption. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

I continue to be amazed at the degree to which our City Council caters to this one industry. If only they could be as receptive to the concerns of the rest of us.

Committee Report #2. The Health and Environment Committee held a public hearing on Mar 25, 2025 to review and discuss the update to the Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP) 2.0. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

November 1, 2024

The Eve of Derangement – November 4, 2024 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council,elections,recycling — Tags: , , , , — Robert Winters @ 12:31 pm

The Eve of Derangement – November 4, 2024 Cambridge City Council meeting

American flagThe night before a national election often feels strange – when our local government meets to talk about things like hazardous waste collection, speed bumps, and bikes lanes while on the national stage many people are in crisis mode imagining civil war breaking out if the candidate they hate gets elected as President. It often brings to mind the Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” So let’s fix those potholes and catch up on those old SeeClickFix requests while much of the country readies for derangement. “Don’t follow leaders, watch the parking meters.”

I have of late been thinking a lot about what the word “democracy” actually means – a way of governing which depends on the will of the people. What exactly does that mean then “the people” are almost evenly divided between highly divergent viewpoints? Does this mean that 50.1% should translate into imposing policies that are abhorrent to 49.9% of the people or that an Electoral College win should be viewed as a mandate to run roughshod over the interests of the losing party? Extreme partisanship is a deranged view of democracy. If the country (or the city, for that matter) is nearly evenly divided on an issue, the better democratic option is to find whatever common ground there is and to work out compromises that a clear majority can accept and maybe even embrace. It should never be about “winner take all”. The American System is in some ways inferior to parliamentary systems where coalition governments have to be formed when there is no clear majority. Even Cambridge’s system of proportional representation raises the essential question: “Proportional to what?”

A good friend of mine once wrote an essay about our local Cambridge political factions in the 1980s and 1990s when rent control was THE defining local issue. The notable quote about those factions was simply: “They both benefit from the existence of a problem.” In other words, finding actual compromise solutions would dilute their political clout – even if it would be in everyone’s best interest to solve the existing problems. Partisanship continued to be rewarded right up to the point when Question 9 caused the entire political house of cards to come tumbling down.

Call me naive, if you wish, but I still believe that the great majority of Americans share far more in common than the political partisans would have you believe. So bring on the protests while the rest of us are just taking care of our everyday lives. – RW

Meanwhile, back in The Peoples Republic, here are a few notable agenda items for this eve of derangement:

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 24-56, regarding a request to consider scheduling a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Day and a Paper Shredding Event on a Sunday, instead of having them all on Saturday. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 24-59, regarding the feasibility of speed control bumps on Antrim Street. [text of report]
pulled by Nolan; comments by Nolan, Brooke McKenna (TPT), Simmons, City Manager Yi-An Huang, Toner, Siddiqui, Deputy City Manager Owen O’Riordan; Placed on File 9-0

Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments to prepare a Home Rule Petition to enact legislation which would allow the City of Cambridge to prohibit associations from unreasonably restricting the use of a solar energy system.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Azeem
pulled by Toner; Charter Right – Nolan

Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to prominently incorporate recognition of the Massachusett Tribe during key official events, documents, websites, and communications, establish a living memorial in Cambridge that honors the Massachusett Tribe, with special recognition of Sqa Sachem for her leadership and enduring legacy and place a plaque with this language in a prominent location within City Hall, ensuring that this acknowledgment remains visible and lasting.   Mayor Simmons, Vice Mayor McGovern
pulled by Simmons (to amend to add Wilson, Toner 9-0); comments by Simmons, Zusy (who proposed deleting references to Sqa Sachem), McGovern, Nolan, Simmons, Wilson, Zusy, Simmons, Siddiqui; Zusy amendment Fails 1-8 (Zusy-Yes); Order Adopted as Amended 8-0-0-1 (Zusy-Present)
Note: Sqa Sachem is referenced in various sources, in particular Lucius Paige’s History of Cambridge (1877), Chapter XX, Indian History. Lucius Paige was both the Town Clerk and (after 1846) the City Clerk of Cambridge.

Order #3. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Law Department to draft a home rule petition for the creation of a Cambridge Jobs Training Trust, and report back to the City Council in a timely manner. [support letter]   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor McGovern, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Wilson
pulled by Toner; comments by Sobrinho-Wheeler (with proposed amendment); Charter Right – Toner

Order #4. The City Manager is requested to work with the Department of Public Works (DPW) on the expansion of the mattress and box spring recycling program to include residents living in multi-unit residential buildings, starting with affordable housing properties that charge a fee to their residents.   Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Wilson, Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 9-0

Resolution #10. Congratulations to Robin Harris on being awarded the 2022 National Humanities Medal by President Joe Biden.   Mayor Simmons, Vice Mayor McGovern, Councillor Wilson, Councillor Siddiqui
Comments by Toner, Nolan, Simmons

Resolution #16. Condolences on the death of Alan Steinert, Jr.   Councillor Toner, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Nolan to be added as sponsor

Resolution #19. Honoring Cambridge Veterans and Recognizing Veterans Day.   Councillor Wilson, Vice Mayor McGovern

Committee Report #1. The Ordinance Committee met on Apr 29, 2021 to conduct a public hearing on the Broad Canal Zoning Petition. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #2. The Ordinance Committee conducted a public hearing on June 10, 2021 to discuss the Cambridge Missing Middle Housing Zoning Petition (Ordinance #2021-2). [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #3. The Ordinance Committee met on July 26, 2021 to continue discussion on two proposals to regulate campaign donations. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #4. The Ordinance Committee met on July 28, 2021 to conduct a public hearing on an amendment to Article 22 of the City of Cambridge Zoning Ordinance “Emissions Accounting” (Ord#2021-13). [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #5. The Ordinance Committee met on Sept 29, 2021 to discuss the Neighborhood Conservation District citizen’s petition. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #6. The Ordinance Committee met on Oct 16, 2019 at 2pm on Taxicab use of E-Hail in the Sullivan Chamber. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #7. The Ordinance Committee met on Oct 23, 2019 at 5pm to discuss the Zoning petition to create an Alewife Quadrangle Northwest Overlay District. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #8. The Neighborhood and Long-Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebrations Committee held a public hearing on Oct 10, 2024 to discuss preliminary recommendations from the Central Square rezoning process. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #9. The Ordinance Committee held a public hearing on Oct 15, 2024 which was recessed and reconvened on Oct 29, 2024, regarding a Zoning Petition by the City of Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeal to amend the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance in Articles 2.000 and 8.000 with the intent to add a definition of “dormer” to Article 2.000 and to amend the requirements related to adding dormers to nonconforming one- and two-family dwellings in Section 8.22.1.h.2 in order to allow certain dormer(s) construction as-of-right. The Ordinance Committee voted favorably to forward the Board of Zoning Appeal’s amendments to the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance to add a definition of dormer to Article 2.000 and to amend the requirements related to adding dormers to non-conforming one- and two-family dwellings in Section 8.22.1.h.2, to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation and that it be passed to a second reading. [text of report]
pulled by McGovern; Passed to 2nd Reading 9-0; Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #10. The Health and Environment Committee held a public hearing on Oct 22, 2024 to review and discuss the updates to the Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP). [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

March 26, 2021

Trash Talking – March 29, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council,covid,recycling — Tags: , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 7:23 pm

Trash Talking – March 29, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

Here’s my take on the interesting stuff:

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 #2. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting questions for the City Manager’s COVID-19 update.
Placed on File 9-0

My first vaccination appointment is this week (thanks, Jason and Patrick!) and I remain hopeful that the light at the end of the tunnel is shining more brightly. I am, however, getting anxious about the current rise in the 7-day average for the number for residents testing positive. Everyone I know is taking all the right precautions, but I’m worried that some people, particularly younger people, are getting careless.

Manager’s Agenda #4. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $1,500,000, from Free Cash, to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures account, to purchase and distribute standardized trash barrels to all residential buildings in the City’s trash program.
Order Adopted 9-0Recycle

Though I hope I’m not reading too much in-between the lines, there seems to be just a hint here that standardization and City-issuance of containers may at some point translate into greater regulation of how much solid waste will be permitted per building. That’s perfectly OK by me since my building produces remarkably little trash (well, maybe some trash-talking!). If the City does move forward with this, I hope they can couple the program with requirements for better trash management for multi-family and mixed-use buildings, e.g. managing waste for the building as a whole rather than every unit individually. Some buildings simply have far more containers than they actually need.

When the recycling toters were first introduced I asked if it would be OK to keep a a single modest-sized toter for my triple-decker and use the old blue bins for any overflow, and I was told that would be OK. I hope the same will be the case for the rubbish containers. Many of us have limited space for bulky containers.

Manager’s Agenda #5. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $335,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures account, to purchase and install Big Belly solar compactors on Cambridge Street between Inman Square and Lechmere Station.
Order Adopted 9-0

This seems like a nice addition, but I hope it doesn’t become an expensive maintenance nightmare. The Big Bellies in Central Square are often broken, though our valiant Central Square BID ambassadors do a great job of keeping things clean and reporting any problems.

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 19-58, regarding a report on drafting an ordinance banning single use plastic items.
Referred to Health & Environment Committee 9-0

Here’s what I wrote nearly two years ago when this proposal was first introduced at the May 13, 2019 meeting: “One bit of advice — this time consider heeding the advice of the Advisory Committee and don’t make changes on the fly at a committee hearing. Even better, spend some time learning about the recycling industry – from recovery of materials through the end markets. Recycling is as much about practicality as it is about idealism, and getting out too far ahead of the curve can often be counterproductive.”

I handled the Cambridge Recycling Hotline for at least 5 years and I can’t tell you how many times a "wishcycler" would say something like "well it ought to be recyclable" when they were putting items in the blue bins which had no available market. In the case of plastic utensils there’s the added difficulty that there’s no practical way to distinguish the compostable from the noncompostable utensils, and even the compostable ones can only biodegrade under conditions not available under most composting systems.

I am in full agreement with the recommendations in the report. By the way, I served on the Recycling Advisory Committee for 22 years.

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-23, regarding a report on implementing a curbside textile recycling program.
Referred to Health & Environment Committee 9-0

Kennedy-Longfellow binsOne of the inevitable outcomes of the pandemic and the increased amount of time most people spent at home was the desire to clear out years of accumulated materials – including textiles. This translated into lots of overflowing clothing donation bins as well as donations to various organizations that accept such donations.Once upon a time I set up an arrangement at the Cambridge Recycling Center for donations that would be collected by The Garment District (where the previous owners had family roots as the "rag men" going back many decades earlier). There is absolutely a demand for this service (but don’t discount the value of Freecycle and "Buy Nothing Cambridge" and other online mechanisms for directly sharing things). The DPW report says that there are corrently no donation bins on City property, but I think there may still be one on Fulkerson Street at the Kennedy-Longfellow building.

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to request for approval to submit a Home Rule Petition that (1) would authorize the City of Cambridge (“City”) to relocate land protected by Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution (“Article 97”) at the Father Callanan Playground and Fields in Cambridge (“Callanan Field”) that are adjacent to the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools (the “Site”), and (2) would authorize the City to construct subsurface geothermal wells under a portion of the Callanan Field.
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #3. That the Mayor is requested to work with the Finance Committee chairs to schedule a roundtable meeting of the Council as soon as possible to discuss budget priorities for Fiscal Year 22.   Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 9-0

It’s almost April. The FY22 Budget Book is probably almost ready to go to print. It seems a bit late in the game to ask for a Roundtable meeting to go over budget priorities for FY22. Those discussions should have happened before January. All that’s left is the tweaks – unless the idea is to just crack open the piggy back and spread it around. I know that there are some councillors who openly talk about dramatically increasing property taxes "because we’re a wealthy city". It’s at times like these that I feel thankful for Bob Healy and Rich Rossi and Louis DePasquale and David Kale and many others who have done their best to moderate tax increases and prevent sticker shock over the years. It’s one of the best aspects of our Plan E Charter.

Late Order #4. That the Chair of the Civic Unity Committee be and hereby is requested to schedule a virtual meeting of the Safe Streets, Safe City initiative as soon as possible to provide a forum for the Cambridge Police to report back on any information about the murder of Mr. Louis-Jacques and other recent episiodes of gunshots that can be shared with the community, and for area stakeholders to begin sharing information and planning on how we can all work collaboratively to keep this community safe as we enter the summer months.   Councillor Simmons, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Toomey, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted 9-0

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Mayor, Sumbul Siddiqui, communicating information from the School Committee.
Placed on File 9-0

Teachers and staff are gettin’ jabbed and soon enough the students will join in the jabbing. I never thought I would look forward to the gradual return to normalcy as so unbelievably extraordinary. – Robert Winters

And don’t forget about these:

Tues, Mar 30

6:30pm   Planning Board meeting  (Remote Meeting – web and Zoom only)

Public Hearings

6:30pm   Missing Middle Housing Zoning Petition
Zoning petition by Carolyn Fuller, et. al. to amend the Zoning Map of the City of Cambridge to reclassify all land currently in Residence A-1, Residence A-2, Residence B, Residence C, or Residence C-1 Districts as being in a newly created Residence N District, and to amend Articles 3.000, 4.000, 5.000, 6.000, and 11.000 of the Zoning Ordinance by deleting provisions effective in the Residence A-1, Residence A-2, Residence B, Residence C, and Residence C-1 Districts and creating use and dimensional requirements applicable in the new Residence N District, and by deleting minimum off-street parking requirements for nontransient residential uses, among other amendments. (Materials)

Wed, Mar 31

5:30pm   The City Council’s Ordinance Committee will meet to continue a public hearing on the Green Roofs zoning petition.  (Sullivan Chamber – Televised)

Thurs, Apr 8

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 – Televised)

Wed, Apr 14

5:30pm   The City Council’s Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing on the Retail Uses Zoning Recommendations – Refiled (Ordinance #2021-3) and the Home Occupations Zoning Recommendations – Refiled (Ordinance #2021-4).  (Sullivan Chamber – Televised)

October 27, 2020

Save That Stuff to Provide Cambridge Recycling & Yard Waste Collection Services Beginning November 2

Filed under: Cambridge,recycling — Tags: , — Robert Winters @ 10:59 am

New Contractor to Provide Recycling & Yard Waste Collection Services Beginning November 2

Oct 22, 2020 – The City of Cambridge today announced that, following an open and competitive bid process, Save That Stuff was selected as the City’s residential recycling and yard waste collection contractor, beginning Nov 2, 2020.

While residents’ curbside collection days will not change, residents should be aware that collections may occur earlier or later in the day than they are used to on their regularly scheduled pickup day. All residential waste collection occurs between the hours of 7:00am-4:00pm, and all carts should be placed at the curb by 7:00am on your collection day. Items accepted in recycling or yard waste, and where to place carts for collection, will not change.

“I’m incredibly proud of the work by the Public Works Department to continue to deliver high-quality services to our residents during these challenging times,” said Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “Thanks to the efforts of our residents and the data-driven management of the City’s Recycling Division, more than 8,000 tons of recycling and 2,000 tons of yard waste are diverted from landfills each year.”

To enhance the City’s services, the yard waste collection period will be extended until December 31, 2020.

Below are recommended best practices to help ensure safe and efficient removal of waste:

  • Please place all carts at the curb after 6:00pm the night before collection or by 7:00am on your collection day. All residential waste collection occurs between 7:00am-4:00pm. If your building or household has a missed trash, recycle, compost or yard waste collection, please wait until 4:00pm to report it. All missed collections should be reported at www.CambridgeMA.Gov/311 or by using the Commonwealth Connect app for iPhone/Android.
  • Please break down cardboard to help make it more manageable. If you have cardboard that won’t fit in the cart, nest it inside a larger box and place next to the recycle cart.
  • Help us keep our streets and waterways clean by collecting all leaves, twigs, and branches on sidewalks, curbs, and other areas adjacent to your property. Leaves on streets get into storm drains. Once in the drainage system, phosphorous and nitrogen are released, polluting the Charles River or Alewife Brook.
  • Please be considerate when approaching and passing all collection crews and vehicles. These essential workers are critical to the City’s efforts to protect the public’s health and safety.

For more on what’s accepted in recycling and yard waste as well as other important information, visit CambridgeMA.Gov/Recycle.

To sign up for weekly waste collection reminders, download the “Zero Waste Cambridge” app or visit CambridgeMA.Gov/Subscribe.

Curbside Collection

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