Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

Featured Items on the Nov 14, 2022 Cambridge City Council Agenda

I suppose more fur will fly when they take a second pass at last week’s Order re: traffic disruptions caused by the partial one-way conversion of Garden Street for bicycle comfort (as well as the new questionably executed Brattle St. bicycle facilities). Predictably, there were zillions of communications both last week and this week both from less frequent commenters caught by surprise as well as the usual suspects who can always be counted on to toe their particular party line regardless of actual facts.

Here are the items that seem most interesting to this toeless observer:

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a public health update.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Climate Resilience Zoning. [cover letter] [draft zoning]
pulled by Nolan; Referred to Health & Environment Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 22-72, regarding a report outlining the efficacy of the Private Property Rodent Control Program and the SMART Digital Rodent Control Boxes, and any changes being contemplated to these current programs; and the status of the Rat Liaison position. [report]
pulled by Mallon; Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #4. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $586,000 from Free Cash to the General Fund Public Works Other Ordinary Maintenance account to support the continuation and expansion the City’s rodent control program utilizing SMART box technology and to fully fund the residential property rodent control program. [letter and order]
pulled by Mallon; Placed on File, Order Adopted 9-0

It would be great if they sold smaller indoor units for mice – ones that actually work.

Charter Right #1. Policy Order Regarding Traffic Flow on Garden Street. [Charter Right – Simmons, Nov 7, 2022]
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

87 Communications – all but two of which focus on the Garden Street “experiment”. It’s worth noting that only 13 of the 87 communications arrived after the Nov 7 meeting, but since the relevant Order was delayed via Charter Right they’re all still timely.

Let me guess – 100 people will Zoom in during Public Comment reading scripted comments about how wonderful the bicycle comfort lanes are, or how the Traffic, Parking & Transportation lives to make driving as difficult as possible (true), or how if anyone disagrees with any aspect of the Bicycle Safety Ordinance they must be passively trying to kill people. There are good reasons why I generally skip Public Comment these days.

On the Table #2. Policy Order Seeking Development Analysis. [Charter Right – McGovern, Oct 17, 2022; Tabled Oct 24, 2022]
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Order #1. Improved Marketing for Green Plus Cambridge Community Electricity.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan, Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Toner
pulled by Nolan; Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

I’ll take the cheapest one, thank you.

Order #2. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the appropriate departments to extend the Outdoor Dining Policy and continue to allow winter outdoor dining as has been the case in the last two years.   Councillor Zondervan
pulled by Nolan; Order Adopted 9-0

Many of the Covid-inspired street patios are really past their prime and should be phased out or scaled back to sidewalk-only. That said, the Central Square patios on the south side of Mass. Ave. have become a real destination – even if some reconfiguration and scaling back is in order. Other Covid-inspired accommodations such as Starlight Square need some revision or relocation as we return to more normal times. A blocked-off area with little or no active use most of the time adds little to the vitality of Central Square.

Late Order #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the appropriate departments to consider extending the current reduced fee schedule for another year and to report on this matter by Nov 30, 2022.
Order Adopted 9-0

Committee Report #1. The Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee met on Oct 25, 2022, to discuss potential changes to the City Council Rules. [text of report]
Moved to Unfinished Business 9-0

As I noted several weeks ago, former Mayor Frank Duehay once told me that the death knell of any organization is when they spend excessive time and emphasis on their by-laws instead of their mission. I am also reminded of those annoying kids in high school who obsessed over “rewriting the student constitution.” I guess they grow up and become city councillors.

Committee Report #2. Health & Environment Committee [to discuss and amend the draft Net Zero Action Plan update, and next steps in implementing and updating the City’s NetZero Action Plan including setting SMART goals for action items, accelerating timelines in line with the Climate Protection Action Committee review and the Climate Crisis Working Group discussion and any other issues related to the Plan] – Oct 28, 2022, 9:00am [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

I expect even more unfunded mandates from “progressive” councillors who feel obliged to tell you how to think, what you can and cannot do or say, what you should or should not buy, what vehicle you should or should not drive, what you should or should not eat, how you should heat your home or cook your food, and pretty much anything else that used to go under the category of “choice”. All they have to do is say there’s an emergency and anything goes.

Wed, Dec 14 (Hearing Schedule)
3:00pm   The Public Safety Committee is holding a public meeting to discuss the implementation of the new Community Safety Department and integration with HEART.

The so-called “H.E.A.R.T. proposal” (Holistic Emergency Alternative Response Team) was first introduced in May 2021 by activists who were openly hostile to police and who repeatedly referred to police as “slave-catchers”. Everyone, including Cambridge Police, agree with the idea that not all emergency calls need to be or should be handled by uniformed and armed police. The City came back with a more rational proposal with the creation of a new Community Safety Department along with a system called CARP (Cambridge Alternative Response Program) that would integrate alternate emergency response with Emergency Communications – in contrast with the activist proposal that would have created a completely separate system divorced from City government (except for the funding). The availability of federal ARPA money with minimal strings attached led to the activists seeking an alternate way to justify their existence. Since then I have heard rumors that the people behind the HEART proposal had an inside track to get a contract under the new department – something some of us consider highly problematic. I hope this is just an unfounded rumor. Some city councillors, Mr. Zondervan in particular, continue in their effort to assume an executive role by asserting that the Community Safety Department will be integrated with HEART even though there is no such reference in the FY2023 Budget. It continues to astound me that Mayor Siddiqui chose to appoint Councillor Zondervan as Chair of the Public Safety Committee. – Robert Winters