Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

Framing the Campaigns – August 2, 2021 Cambridge City Council (Midsummer) Agenda

The Midsummer City Council meeting usually brings an enormous number of resolutions and several volatile policy orders and other actions guaranteed to draw a crowd. Strangely, this year brings a short agenda from the City Manager, relatively few resolutions, only ten policy orders, and not a whole lot of controversy. Perhaps the greatest amount of fervor will be outside City Hall starting at 5:00pm when there is a "Save The Trees" rally scheduled that is certain to bring out incumbents and challengers as various groups struggle to frame the issues leading up to this November’s municipal election. By the way, the deadline for submitting nomination signatures is 5:00pm on Mon, Aug 2 – no exceptions.

Actually, the pre-meeting show says more about what has gone wrong in Cambridge than anything else. The “Rally for Cambridge Trees” was apparently already planned, but the “Rally for Our Youth” was also scheduled for the same time and place. That’s all well and good – the City Hall lawn can handle multiple gatherings – but the real dysfunction has been in the competing rhetoric on the various listservs. Based on the principle that walking and chewing gum simultaneously is not physically possible, the insufferably righteous have effectively declared that if you want to preserve trees you must clearly not care about gun violence, or housing affordability, or anything else.

We live in a time of binary thinking. You either want no cars or you hate cyclists. You either want to hug trees or you want to cut them all down in order to pack in as much building as humanly possible. Perhaps the only thing people agree on is that murdering people is bad, but I haven’t yet heard a whole lot of wisdom about what to do about it or if “doing something” will even accomplish anything. Well, at least we can all have rallies ‘n stuff.

OK, here’s some agenda stuff:

Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a recommendation of the Cambridge Historical Commission to approve the final Landmark Designation Report for the Alberta V. Scott House at 28 Union Street.
Placed on File; Order Adopted 9-0

This was my friend Ann’s house until last year. She is the undisputed Compost Queen of Massachusetts. So this house is doubly significant. By the way, I love reports like this from the Cambridge Historical Commission. It’s great living in a city with a lot of history and historical buildings. Hopefully the single-minded density dudes won’t tear them all down in their quest for population supremacy.

Charter Right #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-41, regarding a report on closing Mass Ave from Prospect Street to Sidney Street on Friday and Saturday evenings. [Charter Right exercised by Councillor McGovern in Council June 28, 2021]
Tabled 9-0 (McGovern)

The real action is on the sidewalks and the patios, not in the middle of the Mass. Ave. – occasional festivals notwithstanding. Let’s again talk when you have a big event planned.

Charter Right #2. City Council endorsement of the Agassiz Neighborhood name being changed to the Baldwin Neighborhood in honor of Maria L. Baldwin. [Charter Right exercised by Councillor Nolan in Council June 28, 2021]
Order Adopted 9-0

Reparations or patronage – you decide

On the Table #4. That the City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to determine the feasibility of establishing a pilot reparations program that would take a to-be-determined percentage of revenue from local cannabis sales and distribute these monies to local Black-owned businesses and to economic empowerment applicants. [Charter Right exercised by Councillor Zondervan in Council June 21, 2021; Placed On The Table in Council June 28, 2021]

Order #8. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to establish a restitution program that would take a to-be-determined percentage of revenue from local cannabis sales and distribute these monies to current and former Cambridge residents who have been harmed by the war on drugs, with a targeted launch date of July 2022.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Nolan
Tabled 9-0 (Simmons)

It’s been interesting to see just how thick the conflicts of interest run in this Acapulco Gold Rush. The latest I’ve heard is that the advocates want to delay “until September so there is more time for community engagement so these policies to reflect the will of the community and time for adding language that reflects a historical reckoning and acknowledges the city of Cambridge’s founding role in slavery.” But seriously, it’s all about the money.

Resolutions & a message from the President

Communication #11. A communication was received from Peter Valentine, regarding life security.

Thanks, Peter, as always.

Resolution #8. Resolution on the death of Priscilla McMillan.   Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Carlone

Resolution #10. Resolution on the death of Robert Moses.   Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Zondervan

While we’re remembering Bob Moses, let’s not forget the mission of The Algebra Project which is even more relevant today than it was in 1982. Many of us who teach mathematics understand that the road to empowerment is paved with a good education, and that includes a good mathematics education.

Mission
The Algebra Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) national, nonprofit organization that uses mathematics as an organizing tool to ensure quality public school education for every child in America. We believe that every child has a right to a quality education to succeed in this technology-based society and to exercise full citizenship. We achieve this by using best educational research and practices, and building coalitions to create systemic changes.

Resolution #13. Thanks to Branville G. Bard, Jr. for his four years of service to the Cambridge Community, and in wishing him great success as he enters his exciting next chapter.   Councillor Simmons, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Toomey, Councillor Nolan, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Carlone
Adopted as Amended 8-1 (Zondervan – NO)
[Note: Councillor Zondervan said, "I have trouble wishing him great success as he enters his exciting next chapter." Mayor Siddiqui then said, "I’m not sure where your manners are." When Zondervan tried to continue, Mayor Siddiqui used her discretion to cut him off – much to the satisfaction of the rest of the City Council.]

I have a lot of respect for Branville Bard – not only for his approach to police work in Cambridge but also for his forthrightness in responding to elected officials who often talk more than they think. We have had a good run of Police Commissioners ever since the position was created – Perry Anderson, Ronnie Watson, Robert Haas, and Branville Bard and those who have served in the interim. In choosing the next Commissioner, I hope great consideration is given to some of the great people currently serving in the Cambridge Police Department.

Resolution #17. Farewell and Best Wishes to Matthew McLaughlin.   Councillor Carlone

Fare thee well indeed, but perhaps it’s past due for a conversation about the practice of having political activists and elected officials from neighboring cities acting as City Council Aides. My tax dollars and all that.

Addressing violence and public safety

Resolution #11. Resolution on the death of Robert R. “LB” Favreau, III.   Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Toomey

Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Department of Human Service Programs, the Peace Commission, and other relevant City departments to explore the feasibility of providing Equity Roadmap with regular funding for Friday Night Hype.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Toomey, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Order #3. That the Executive Assistant to the City Council confer with the Dedication Committee to designate a suitable street corner, square or the Pemberton Basketball Courts in honor of Xavier Louis-Jacques.   Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #4. Policy Order Re Addressing Increased Gun Activity.   Councillor Simmons, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon
Order Adopted 9-0 [Motion by Zondervan to delete the "Ordered" calling for police involvement Failed 1-7-1 (Zondervan YES, Sobrinho-Wheeler – ABSENT)]
“Call for the wailing women to come; send for the most skillful of them. Let them come quickly and wail over us till our eyes overflow with tears and water streams from our eyelids.” – Jeremiah 9:17-18 (thanks to Denise Simmons)

I have no idea what the best course of action is in addressing gun violence in Cambridge or elsewhere, but I do sometimes think about the fact that if I was a young man in Cambridge these days my choices for fun wouldn’t be so great. Of all the suggestions I have heard, the only one that rings true to me is simply giving people some alternatives, e.g. sports, music, streetcorner philosophizing, math, science, computers. I really don’t think politicians have a whole lot to offer here, but I’ll definitely be listening to My Brother’s Keeper.

Committee Report #1. The Public Safety Committee and the Human Services & Veterans Committee met on Jan 19, 2021 to hear from community experts on possible ways to design a community-centered public safety response service.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #2. The Ordinance Committee met on June 2, 2021 to conduct a public hearing on an order to amend the Municipal Code of the City of Cambridge to insert new section Restricting the Use of Chemical Crowd Control Agents and Kinetic Impact Projectiles.
Report Accepted, Placed on File, Order Passed to 2nd Reading 9-0

Order #2. City Council support of HD.3457 and SD.2309, An Act Relative to Electric Bicycles.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted 9-0

I suppose this is a good thing, but you know what the scariest, craziest thing I see on the roads these days is? People zipping along at high speed on electric skateboards and scooters – right side and wrong side of the street, weaving through traffic, onto and off of sidewalks, and passing at high speed to the right of right-turning motor vehicles. I wonder how they fit into this bill.

Order #5. Support for Replenishing the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Toomey
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Committee Report #3. The Economic Development and University Relations Committee met on June 8, 2021 to conduct a public hearing to discuss strategies and opportunities to alleviate permit and license fees for small businesses, through possible consolidation or elimination.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Order #6. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments on how the City can change practices such that all projects will treat trees as essential infrastructure.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
Charter Right – Toomey

I suppose this Order will go hand-in-hand with the rally before the meeting. It will be interesting to see how many councillors who voted to exempt all subsidized housing proposals from tree protections will now be out in front hugging trees on the City Hall lawn.

Quality of Life

Order #7. That the City Manager instruct the Community Development Department to draft zoning amendments requiring special permits be required for research and development, laboratory and research facilities in the districts noted in the attached memorandum to ensure a robust community process.   Councillor Carlone
Order Adopted 9-0

This is a good initiative. If zoning was originally meant in part as a way to create some separation between kindergartens and smokestacks, it seems more than appropriate today to find some way to ensure that residents don’t have to be subjected to the noise of 24-hour-per-day mechanicals and other activity from laboratory and similar buildings.

Order #9. That the City Manager confer with the Department of Public Works, the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, the Community Development Department, and other relevant City staff to discuss the feasibility of committing financial resources to assist in redesigning and/or reshaping the outdoor public ways, natural space and infrastructure including sidewalks, protected bike lanes and tree canopy at the southern edge of Jerry’s Pond along Rindge Avenue to make it more accessible, more green and more equitable and to create a welcoming entryway to Cambridge from the west.   Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted 9-0

This could be be a really great place with a little TLC. I can’t wait until someone calls it gentrification.

Order #10. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to report back to the City Council on how the city is working to get City and Public School staff to 100% vaccinated, including the possibility of mandating vaccinations and decrease the likelihood that COVID-19 spreads via City staff and in City Buildings.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Just require vaccination. Meanwhile, the City Council will be phoning it in from home while they talk about City staff in City buildings.

Order #12. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to immediately reimplement and extend Cambridge’s eviction moratorium until at least October 31, 2021.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted 9-0

Down the Tubes

Committee Report #4. The Government Operations committee met on June 29, 2021 to discuss the hiring of the next City Manager.
Report Accepted, Placed on File, Two Orders Adopted 9-0

I would rather leave this choice to nine random strangers than to this City Council. The only question I have at this point is whether they’ll choose the next city manager for the sake of a “Look at-us!” press release or because they want a compliant rubber stamp.

Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Mayor Siddiqui and Councillor Nolan, transmitting information about the Attorney General’s ruling on Calendar Item #3 (Charter Amendments). [City Solicitor’s Letter (July 19)] [Atty. General’s Letter (July 26)] [Proposed Charter Amendments]
Placed on File 9-0

What they call “a year-long discussion and review” was really virtually no process at all. As for the specific ballot questions: (1) Requiring an annual review of the City Manager is something they have always had the power to require without any need to amend the charter. (2) Reviewing the Charter every decade is also something they could have done all along, but perhaps there really wasn’t the need. (3) Requiring City Council approval of all appointments to City boards and commissions is the surest way to politicize all of the boards with any regulatory authority. I wonder how Councillor Nolan will feel when Historical Commission appointees start being rejected for voting to preserve historic buildings rather than allow them to be torn down for the sake of ever-greater density. I have long felt that the City Manager – whether it was Bob Healy, Rich Rossi, or Louis DePasquale have at least tried to have a good cross-section of residents – even though it has often been challenging to get a rich pool of applicants. In the new regime, all it will take will be 5 councillors to control 100% of the membership of City boards. At this rate, I may be the next person leading the charge for charter reform – just to undo the damage of this City Council.

Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from Mayor Siddiqui and Councillor Nolan, communication regarding the formation of a Climate Crisis Working Group.
Placed on File 9-0

Once again, that that Rahm Emanuel quote comes to mind: “Never allow a good crisis go to waste. It’s an opportunity to do the things you once thought were impossible.” That can bring good things, or that can bring oppressive restrictions simply because they can. – Robert Winters

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