The Eve of the Ides – March 14 Cambridge City Council meeting highlights
With the announcement last Friday that City Manager Richard Rossi would not be seeking a contract extension at the end of his term this summer, things got really interesting really fast around City Hall. People are already speculating on possible successors. Let’s just hope that the relative peace that we’ve see so far this term manages to reign – even as those with divergent points of view jockey for position to influence the process to come. The City Council’s Government Operations, Rules, and Claims Committee will meet at 10:00am on Wed, Mar 23 to continue the discussion of the process and schedule for selecting the next City Manager.
In the meantime, we do have a regular meeting this week. Here are a few items of some interest – with minimal comment:
Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the City of Cambridge retaining the noteworthy distinction of being one of approximately 36 municipalities in the United States with three AAA ratings from the nation’s three major credit rating agencies.
This has become an annual event that is treated almost as routine – but it isn’t. It speaks volumes regarding the fiscal policies of the City Management balanced against the policy initiatives of the City Council.
Charter Right #1. That the City Manager is requested to form a special working group that will be tasked with developing a framework for the continued stewardship, curatorship and oversight of the Out of Town Kiosk in Harvard Square.
The discussion of this item during the previous City Council meeting had more than a few hints of the desire of some city councillors to micromanage a process best left to the kind of public process that is generally followed in projects like this. Now if only half that much attention could be focused on Central Square.
Resolution #3. Resolution on the death of Margaret Carney-Myers. Councillor Mazen
Resolution #8. Resolution on the death of Steven Warren Reckhow. Councillor Maher
I remember Margaret from 25 years ago when some of us expended great effort organizing "Earth Day" events for Cambridge. Though they divorced some time ago, it is worth noting that Margaret was once married to former Cambridge City Councillor Jonathan Myers. The last time I saw her was several years ago while giving some lessons on composting at a community garden in Cambridgeport.
Steve Reckhow’s rapid health decline and death came as quite a shock. Steve and his wife Sylvia have owned the property next to me on Broadway – the former Hubley’s auction house – for a number of years now. They redeveloped that property and the triple-decker behind me with great attention to energy conservation and historic preservation. The Broadway building now houses the Barismo/Dwelltime coffee shop and the Wildflower Montessori School.
Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to consult with relevant City departments to develop data on residents of housing developments with 16 units or more to capture such demographic information as the City might find relevant for future planning, to include the number and age of residents, as well as the percent of owner-occupied units, broken down by unit size, specific building and building location. Councillor Kelley, Councillor Devereux
I like information as much as anyone, but this seems a bit on the intrusive side. Perhaps they can just take the information from the annual street listing and be satisfied with that. Do we really need to categorize everything and everybody to such a degree?