Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

September 21, 2020

All Things Reconsidered… at the Sept 21, 2020 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 11:27 am

All Things Reconsidered… at the Sept 21, 2020 Cambridge City Council meeting

Here are a few items of note up for consideration (or reconsideration) at this week’s meeting:City Hall

Reconsideration #1. That the city council extend the current contract with city manager Louis DePasquale for a period of 18 months.
Reconsideration Failed 3-6 (Nolan, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Zondervan – YES)

Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Councillor Nolan, transmitting a memorandum on Filing for Reconsideration.
Placed on File 9-0

Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from Anthony I. Wilson, City Clerk, transmitting a communication from the City Solicitor with a red-lined corrected version and a clean corrected version of the proposed contract that was before the City Council at its meeting of Monday, September 14, 2020.
Contract Approved 6-3 (Nolan, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Zondervan – NO); Reconsideration Fails 9-0

Reconsideration of a hasty vote is entirely proper. However, regarding taking a raise during a pandemic, there’s this (as of July 1, 2020 – during pandemic – according to Open Data Portal):

Councillor salary increased by $2,253 to $85,844 (2.7% increase)
Mayor’s salary increased by $3,365 to $128,194 (2.7% increase)
Council Aide increased by $14,890 to $67,831 (28.1% increase) – partially deferred due to COVID
plus benefits for all.

The rhetoric from Councillor Nolan and some activists suggests that there was great confusion associated with the final contract proposal introduced only very late and approved during last Monday’s meeting. It’s true that those details should have been available long before that – maybe even weeks before – but almost all of the proposed contract is the same as the previous contract, including the annual 2.5% raises on July 1 of each year – the same as other City employees, including city councillors (see above). The only deviations are (a) that there should be a 2.5% increase at the signing of the contract; (b) the end date of the contract is July 5, 2022 (just 5 days after the final 2.5% raise); and (c) the removal of the provision for annual evaluations – which is not surprising given the fact that all indications are that this is a terminal contract extension.

My sense, and I have not spoken with anyone about this, is that the additional increases are more like consolation for an incredibly qualified city manager who is receiving a terminal contract extension for the most superficial of political reasons. There will be another municipal election a year from now and we can only hope that (a) some better candidates emerge who are more than just single-issue revolutionaries; and (b) that Cambridge voters somehow come to realize that City government is about more than just a few predictable hot-button issues. Maybe a big jump in residential property taxes will wake some voters from their slumber, but that likely won’t raise even an eyebrow among other voters not actually writing the check to the City – even if the increases are factored into their rent.

Charter Right #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-39 and 20-40, regarding contacting the new owners of Jerry’s Pond and discussing next steps in the potential restoration and improvements to Jerry’s Pond and its surrounding areas. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY MAYOR SIDDIQUI IN COUNCIL SEPT 14, 2020]
Referred to NLTP Committee 9-0

Charter Right #2. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department, the Economic Development Department, the Harvard Square Business Association, the Harvard Square Neighborhood Association and Harvard University on the implementation of closing several blocks of streets in Harvard Square as soon as possible to vehicular traffic, with the exception of deliveries, using the attached map as one possible vision. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS IN COUNCIL SEPT 14, 2020]
Adopted as Amended 8-0-0-1 (Toomey – PRESENT)

By the time any such changes might be implemented it will be late Fall or early Winter and any advantages for Harvard Square businesses will be moot. Maybe these might make sense in the Spring, but hopefully things will be better by then on the COVID front. Also, the particular plan proposed leaves a lot to be desired.

Applications & Petitions #1. A Zoning Petition Has been received from Cambridge Redevelopment Authority regarding a Zoning Ordinance to reflect the proposed changes to the KSURP.
Referred to Ordinance Committee & Planning Board 9-0

The proposed changes are related to the alternate site within the MXD District for the electrical substation that was the subject of much controversy over the last couple of years. In addition to the siting of the substation, the proposal also adjusts the timing for when previously planned housing will be delivered, increases permissible heights to 250 feet throughout the MXD District with the allowance of up to 400 feet for one residential building, plus other changes.

Order #2. Support for Extended Outdoor Dining PO.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 9-0

This Order is about easing the permitting process for the use of outdoor heat lamps in order to allow restaurants to maintain their outdoor operations later into the season.

Order #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with Claude Jacob, Chief Public Health Officer, as to the feasibility of creating such a program [antibody testing for COVID-19] and report back to the City Council on this matter by Oct 12, 2020.   Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Carlone, Councillor McGovern
Order Adopted 9-0

I’m not so sure what the added value of extensive COVID-related antibody testing will be at this point, but I look forward to the response from Claude Jacob. Information is great, but primarily if it can be used for a good purpose.

Order #6. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to notify all tenants of abutting properties whenever property owners are notified, addressing them by name if known or as “RESIDENT” if not.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Toomey
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

I’m sure my tenants will be absolutely captivated by this information judging from all those copies of glossy City publications that go sight unseen into the recycling bin.

Order #7. That the City Council go on record in support for requiring large sources of stormwater pollution to obtain permits under the Clean Water Act.   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor McGovern
Order Adopted 9-0

Good idea, but I think the main sources of pollutants that lead to cyanobacteria blooms are most likely upstream from Cambridge.

And then there’s this:

A Special City Council meeting is scheduled for this Wednesday, September 23 at 5:30pm "to discuss a charter review with representatives of the Collins Center." A number of Cambridge listservs are now actively commenting on the notion of possibly changing the city’s Plan E Charter. I have no idea if there are five votes on the City Council to pursue such a thing, but it does strike me as a strange pursuit based primarily on some city councillors simply not getting their way on every little thing.

I have some questions currently about whether our Proportional Representation election system is actually now producing a representative City Council and School Committee, but I lay the blame for that primarily on the laziness of voters rather than on the election system itself. It’s also a big problem that we typically get candidates for City Council and School committee who are more interested in inflammatory single issues or ideology than they are in helping to effectively guide city government or the public schools. This, of course, has become a problem here and elsewhere regardless of the election system.

Regarding the matter of having professionally managed government with the City Council setting general policies versus a "strong mayor" system, I will simply suggest that you should be careful what you wish for. Strong mayor systems, like Boston, inevitably mean even weaker city councils and if a mayor owes his or her election to a slim majority in a popular election it’s not at all uncommon that those who didn’t vote for the mayor may be entirely shut out. It’s also quite common that once elected, a mayor becomes "mayor for life" – in contrast with our tradition of having the Chair of the City Council and the School Committee turn over with some frequency.

In short, I think it’s good to have an occasional review of the pros and cons of our Plan E Charter, but I wouldn’t trust this current City Council, or the advocacy groups to whom some of them seem to be accountable, to decide on what, if anything, might preferably be changed. – Robert Winters

September 15, 2020

Cambridge InsideOut Episode 472: Sept 15, 2020

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge InsideOut,City Council,elections — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 10:38 pm

Episode 472 – Cambridge InsideOut: Sept 15, 2020

This episode was broadcast on Sept 15, 2020 at 6:00pm. Topics: Sept 14 Cambridge City Council meeting; Disaster funding for arts organizations?; Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) – passed to 2nd Reading; Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding for FY2021; Charter Review?; Cycling Safety Ordinance amendments; City Manager’s contract extension; Sept 1, 2020 Primary Election Results. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in this episode]

September 14, 2020

What’s Up? – First Look at the Sept 14, 2020 City Council Agenda

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 3:27 pm

What’s Up? – First Look at the Sept 14, 2020 City Council Agenda

The Second String Debate Club returns this week from its summer vacation. Here are a few items of note:City Hall

COVID and COVID-related:

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on COVID-19.

Manager’s Agenda #3. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $52,158.29 received from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), Shared Streets and Spaces Program Grant, to the Grant Fund Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Other Ordinary Maintenance account which will be used for expenses associated with the Starlight Square temporary place-keeping intervention in Municipal Parking Lot 5 in Central Square.

Charter Right #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a proposed restatement of an amendment to the Mayor’s Disaster Relief Account, entitled “The City of Cambridge Restated and Amended Mayor’s Disaster Relief Account” (“Account”). [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS IN COUNCIL JULY 27, 2020]

Order #8. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Community Development Department and any other appropriate City personnel to establish a means of providing technical support to marginalized, underrepresented business owners and non-profit arts organizations in applying for and obtaining the critical funds from the Mayor’s Disaster Relief Fund Grant and Loan program, and/or from other similar State and Federal assistance programs, and to report back to the City Council on this matter in a timely manner.   Councillor Simmons

Many of us have heard plaintive cries regarding this matter due to the precarious position many arts organizations are now in due to shutdowns and diminished capacity caused by the pandemic. This fund has already been re-purposed to provide loans/grants to small businesses severely impacted by the pandemic. However, it is a legitimate question to ask just how broadly available a fund initially created to assist residents affected by a major fire or similar disaster should be. It’s not at all clear if Councillor Simmons new Order adds anything to this discussion.

Order #4. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department, the Economic Development Department, the Harvard Square Business Association, the Harvard Square Neighborhood Association and Harvard University on the implementation of closing several blocks of streets in Harvard Square as soon as possible to vehicular traffic, with the exception of deliveries, using the attached map as one possible vision.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Carlone

The basic criteria so far regarding street closures/restrictions to help businesses and residents during this pandemic has been feasibility and a reasonable chance of positive impact. The proposal in the attached map doesn’t seem to work for the #1 Bus and may result in traffic woes, and the fact that this is being proposed in September seems a bit late in the game. That said, shared street and slow streets are going to continue to be a topic of discussion and planning in the future. You can count on it.

Order #6. The City Manager is requested to work with Claude Jacob, Chief Public Health Officer of the Cambridge Public Health Department to appoint a Vaccine Task Force to develop a plan that keeps equity at the forefront.   Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler

Frankly, I’m pretty sure that equity is already being discussed as a priority in future vaccine distribution. The greater challenge may be getting people to trust in the safety of the various vaccine candidates – even after extensive clinical trials have been completed.

Order #9. That the City Manager confer with the Department of Public Works, the Cambridge Water Department and other relevant partners to create a pilot program for wastewater testing for evidence of COVID-19.   Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Toomey

This is a pretty good idea. I would be surprised if this is not already being done in at least some limited way in Cambridge considering the wealth of research capacity in our local universities and biotech firms.

The Police:

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-35, regarding an update on the Cambridge Police Patrol Officers’ Association union contract negotiations.

Charter Right #2. The City Manager look into transferring primary traffic enforcement responsibilities from the Cambridge Police Department to unarmed, trained enforcement personnel in the Traffic & Parking Department, Department of Public Works, Health & Human Services, or another suitable department. [CHARTER EXERCISED BY VICE MAYOR MALLON IN COUNCIL JULY 27, 2020]

My favorite City Manager response is a terse one that states, as this communication does, that we’re doing what we’re supposed to do be doing and we’re doing it well, and it’s not the role of the City Council to intervene in matters such as municipal contract negotiations. There are currently 56 items on Awaiting Report with only 4 of them addressed this week. Most of the remaining items could be dispensed with via a brief paragraph each.

Water:

Manager’s Agenda #9. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-38, regarding a report on lessons learned from 2016 and on plans in place to institute water savings measures and to inform the public as soon as practicable about the possibility of dry and drought conditions.

Housing (not including AHO):

Manager’s Agenda #20. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to additional amendments to the draft amendment to the Municipal Code introducing a new ordinance entitled Chapter 8.71 – Tenants’ Rights and Resources Notification.

Unfinished Business #7. That the Cambridge City Council amend the Municipal Ordinances of the City of Cambridge to insert a new Chapter 8.71, entitled Tenants’ Rights and Resources Notification. [PASSED TO A SECOND READING IN COUNCIL JULY 27, 2020. TO BE ORDAINED ON OR AFTER SEPT 14, 2020.]

Order #12. That the Cambridge City Council go on record in strong support of H.4878, and in urging the legislature to pass it immediately.   Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler

While having a "Tenants’ Rights and Resources Notification" policy in place as a municipal ordinance seems like a good move, there is something about the possibility of a $300/day fine that seems excessive, and I’d hate to see this applied retroactively in the event that relations between a landlord and tenant break down. Well-intentioned initiatives can sometimes have the perverse effect of creating a chasm between a landlord and tenants that can do more harm than good.

Jerry’s Pond:

Manager’s Agenda #21. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-39 and 20-40, regarding contacting the new owners of Jerry’s Pond and discussing next steps in the potential restoration and improvements to Jerry’s Pond and its surrounding areas.

I’m glad to see that there’s the potential of some cooperation between the new owners, the MBTA, DCR, and the City. The real challenge will come when the new owners come forward with development plans. That’s usually when there’s sufficient leverage available to realize objectives that might not be possible simply by good will.

Fossil Fuel Zoning:

Manager’s Agenda #22. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a Planning Board recommendation to adopt, following further study and refinement, the Fossil Fuel Zoning Petition (Amendments to Article 22.000 of the Zoning Ordinance).

On the Table #5. That the City Manager is requested to direct the City Solicitor, Community Development, Public Works, Inspectional Services and any other related departments to review the proposed amendments regarding the prohibition of Natural Gas Infrastructure in New Buildings. [TABLED ON JAN 27, 2020]

The proposal is sensible in that it encourages good outcomes recognizing the feasibility and cost of installing systems not dependent on fossil fuels. In light of recent legal opinions regarding proposals for outright bans, this seems like a good path to follow even if the zealots are disappointed. But they’re always disappointed anyway.

Affordable Housing Overlay:

Manager’s Agenda #23. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a Planning Board recommendation to adopt the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) Zoning Petition.

Manager’s Agenda #24. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Affordable Housing Overlay Zoning Petition CDD staff follow-up on items requested by the Ordinance Committee at its hearing on Aug 19, 2020. [attached petition text]

Committee Report #3. A report of the Ordinance Committee Meeting held on July 8, 2020 regarding the Affordable Housing Overlay.

Committee Report #7. A report of the Ordinance Committee Meeting held on Aug 19, 2020 regarding the Affordable Housing Overlay.

Suffice to say that I continue to see this as a dreadful proposal that is based on a philosophy of transferring as much private residential property as possible into the hands of government and/or its taxpayer-funded partners. Inclusionary Zoning is founded on a philosophy of maintaining a balance between market housing and subsidized housing in new construction. This proposal does the opposite. It also establishes greatly different development standards in terms of height, density, and setbacks and, perhaps worst of all, it effectively eliminates the ability of an abutter to object. This is in many ways Eminent Domain Lite.

Because these different rules for different owners are being baked into zoning, once established it will take a two-thirds Council majority to change back to equitable standards, and that’s a virtual political impossibility. The entire zoning proposal was effectively written by those entities that stand to benefit by it.

Community Preservation Act (CPA):

Manager’s Agenda #25. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the recommendations of the Community Preservation Act Committee (CPAC) for FY2021. [FY21 CPA Vote_Chair Letter to City Manager] [FY21 Project Recommendations Book]
[09142020 CPA orders] [CPA appropriation orders]

80-10-10 as always and non-debatable. I stopped going to the hearings (actual and virtual) years ago once it became clear that the fix was in.

Elections and Voting:

Charter Right #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to look into suspending street cleaning on Sept 1, 2020 and Nov 3, 2020; that he work with the Elections Commission to order 8 additional drop boxes and to inquire whether CHA will have additional locations for drop boxes. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR TOOMEY IN COUNCIL AUG 3, 2020]

I honestly have no idea why Councillor Toomey exercised his Charter Right on this matter. The feasibility of having additional mail-in voting drop boxes is really dependent on the ability to guarantee security of the ballots and to retrieve them in a timely manner. Hopefully the recent Primary Election provided good lessons on best practices for the November election.

Canal District Zoning Petition:

Applications & Petitions #3. A Zoning Petition has been received from BMR–Third LLC c/o BioMed Realty, L.P. regarding a Zoning Amendment Petition for a new Planned Unit Development PUD District CDK. [Petition w/o images] [images from petition]

Meet the new petition, same as the old petition.

Bicycles:

Committee Report #2. A report of the Ordinance Committee Meeting held on July 7, 2020 regarding Cycling Safety Ordinance.

Same old, same old. Politically motivated lobby wants stuff and the councillors will provide with little or no critical analysis.

City Manager’s Contract Extension:

Committee Report #4. A report of the Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee Meeting held on July 20, 2020 regarding an extension of the current City Manager’s Contract.

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Councillor Simmons the City Manager’s Contract extension.   Councillor Simmons

The latest proposal is for an 18-month contract extension after which the future Council will likely seek a new city manager with no ties to Cambridge or the current administration. Personally, I think Louis DePasquale has done a great job under difficult circumstances. My only criticism has to do with (a) some of his appointments to certain City Boards, and (b) his limited pushback to some City Council requests – even though I am very aware that some residents would prefer that he simply roll over and comply whenever 5 city councillors float a notion.

City Council Rules:

Committee Report #6. A report of the Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee Meeting held on July 22, 2020 regarding amending the rules of the Cambridge City Council.

A great man – a former City Councillor and former Mayor – once said to me that the most sure sign of a dysfunctional organization is the degree to which its members focus on their by-laws rather than on their mission. – Robert Winters

September 1, 2020

Cambridge InsideOut Episode 471: Sept 1, 2020

Filed under: 2020 Election,Cambridge,Cambridge InsideOut — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 11:46 pm

Episode 471 – Cambridge InsideOut: Sept 1, 2020

This episode was broadcast on Sept 1, 2020 at 6:00pm. Topics: Virus tales; spending actual money; Primary Day – ballots, MA 4th CD, runoffs and Ranked Choice Voting; Constitutional curiosities; yearning for better politics; Socialism vs. choices of an affluent society; Political conventions and the rhetoric of chaos and violence – perception vs. reality; Shared streets – an appraisal; Revising the Charles; Starlight Square; slow reopening of schools, libraries, senior centers; emergence of “learning pods as a school alternative; good virus news from universities. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in this episode]

August 18, 2020

Cambridge InsideOut Episode 470: August 18, 2020

Filed under: 2020 Election,Cambridge,elections — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 10:27 pm

Episode 470 – Cambridge InsideOut: Aug 18, 2020

This episode was broadcast on Aug 18, 2020 at 6:15pm. Topics: 19th Amendment, Voting Rights Act; cyclist fatality in Harvard Square; Democratic National Convention; Markey-Kennedy; Ranked Choice Voting & Mass. 4th CD; USPS mailbox controversies, Board of Governors & Postmaster General, local postal delivery; Cambridge voting options; Starlight Square; Future of Central Square; Covid-19 ups and downs and university plans; coming attractions. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in this episode]

Voting in Cambridge – 2020 – September Primary

Filed under: 2020 Election,Cambridge,elections — Tags: , , , , — Robert Winters @ 10:25 am

Aug 18, 2020 – You have a number of voting options if you are a registered voter in Cambridge:
Mail-In Voting, Early Voting, Absentee Voting, and Election Day voting

If you applied for a mail-in ballot, you may choose to (a) mail it using the envelope provided; (b) drop it off at the Ballot Drop Box at 51 Inman Street (see below); (c) or drop it off at one of the three Early Voting Sites (Aug 22-Aug 28 – see below).

If you plan to vote in person, please be aware of the necessary safety precautions (see below). Your options are Early Voting (see below) or at your precinct’s polling place on Election Day. Please be aware that 14 polling locations have been changed for this year’s elections (see below).

You may also apply for an absentee ballot (see below).

Vote!

BALLOT DROP BOX HOURS

Every Day from 8:00am – 8:00pm
51 Inman Street

Voters: please note that you must deposit your ballot in the drop box
by Tuesday, September 1 by 8:00pm in order for it to be counted.

You may also deposit your ballot into a drop box at any Early Voting Site
at the following locations during early voting hours:

Moses Youth Center – 243 Harvard Street Main Entrance
Cambridge Water Department 250 Fresh Pond Pkwy.
Valente Library, 826 Cambridge Street Side Entrance (on Berkshire St.)

Early Voting Schedule:
Saturday, August 22: 2:00pm – 8:00pm
Sunday, August 23: 9:00am – 3:00pm
Monday – Friday, August 24 – 28: 9:30am – 5:00pm

For more information please visit the Cambridge Election Commission website at:
www.cambridgema.gov/election
or call 617-349-4361

THANK YOU!

Ballot Drop Box - 51 Inman Street
Ballot Drop Box w/Joyce Gerber

Note: If you submitted an application for a mail-in ballot and have not yet received it, you can check the status at:
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/wheredoivotema/track/trackmyballot.aspx

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Temporary Relocation of 14 Polling Sites in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Aug 13, 2020 – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to protect the safety of Cambridge residents, voters, and election staff, the Cambridge Election Commission has announced that Cambridge polling sites located in high-risk facilities will be temporarily relocated for the upcoming 2020 State Primary and General Election.Vote

If a voter’s polling site has been relocated, the new polling location will be based in the same ward and precinct or near their regular polling place. Additionally, signage will also be posted at the regular polling site to help direct voters to their temporary polling sites.

In the next few weeks, Cambridge voters will receive an Early Voting Guide and a Voter Notification Card via the U.S. Postal Service. Voters are strongly encouraged to read both documents, as they contain information pertaining to any relocated polling places and other critical election-related information for the 2020 fall elections. This information is also available via an Interactive Polling Place Map and Polling Place PDF on the City’s website.

As a reminder, in order to vote on Election Day, you must be registered. To check voter registration status , and to find information on how to register to vote, visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website: www.registertovotema.com. If an individual needs to register to vote, they may do so online. A license, or an I.D. issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles is required to apply online. To be eligible to vote in the State Primary on September 1st, residents must register to vote or make any necessary changes to their voter registration by the deadline of Saturday, August 22nd at 8 p.m.

All voters will be asked to wear a face mask or covering and to practice physical distancing in the polling sites on Election Day to help minimize public health risks.

Additional information and updates related to COVID-19 and voting can be found on the City’s website at www.cambridgema.gov/covid19/voting.

Revised List of Cambridge Polling Places

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Mail-in and In-person Voting Options, Temporary Relocation of Polling Sites, and Designated Early Voting Locations, Dates and Hours for the State Primary

Aug 10, 2020 – In order to provide increased voting options in response to COVID-19, House Bill 4820 was passed and signed into law as Chapter 115 of the Acts of 2020 “for the immediate preservation of public health and convenience.” Accordingly, early voting is available to all voters for the State Primary, September 1st and the State/Presidential Election, November 3rd. Early voting is available by mail and in person to all registered voters and no excuse is required.

To vote by mail, all you need to do is:Vote

  1. Complete a Vote by Mail Application; you can download an application at www.MailMyBallotMA.com;
  2. Applications can be sent by: email to elections@cambridgema.gov, mail to Election Commission, 51 Inman Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, or fax to 617-349-4366
  3. Vote when your ballot arrives;
  4. Return your ballot to the Cambridge Election Commission by mail or in-person. The Election Commission is open to the public by appointment only.

The deadline to submit a Vote by Mail application for a mailed ballot for the primary is Wednesday, August 26th by 5:00pm.

The deadline to return a Vote by Mail ballot is September 1st by 8:00pm in order to be counted.

To vote in-person, visit any of the three (3) early voting locations offered in Cambridge during the period of Saturday, August 22nd to Friday, August 28th for the State Primary. You must be a registered voter in Cambridge to vote at the early voting locations. Please refer to the city’s designated early voting schedule below.

The deadline to vote early in-person is Friday, August 28th at 5:00pm.

Please be advised that once a voter has cast an early voting ballot, the voter may no longer vote at the polls on Election Day.

City of Cambridge Designated Early Voting Locations, Hours and Days

Moses Youth Center – 243 Harvard Street, Main Entrance

Cambridge Water Department – 250 Fresh Pond Parkway

Valente Library – 826 Cambridge Street, Side Entrance on Berkshire Street

Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
August 22 August 23 August 24 August 25 August 26 August 27 August 28
2pm – 8pm 9am – 3pm 9:30am -5pm 9:30am – 5pm 9:30am – 5pm 9:30am – 5pm 9:30am – 5pm

The Election Commission office located at 51 Inman Street will NOT be an early voting location for the State Primary, September 1st. Voters must go to one of the designated early voting locations listed above.

Additional Voting Options

Voting on Election Day will still be available for those who may want to vote at the polls. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, some polling sites like those in high-risk facilities were temporarily relocated for the upcoming 2020 State Primary, September 1st. Your temporary location will be in the same ward and precinct or near your regular polling place to provide voter convenience and to minimize voter confusion. In the next few weeks, voters will receive an Early Voting Guide and a Voter Notification Card. Both will have information pertaining to any relocated polling places and other important election related information. Signage will also be posted to help voters find their temporary polling sites.

For anyone wanting to vote early in-person, vote by mail or vote on Election Day, the first step is making sure you are registered. To check to see if you are registered to vote, and to find information on how to register to vote, you may visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website: www.registertovotema.com. If you need to register to vote, you may do so online. You a license, or an I.D. issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles to apply online. To be eligible to vote in the State Primary, September 1st, you must register to vote or make any necessary changes to your voter registration by the deadline of Saturday, August 22nd at 8:00pm.

Whenever possible, we ask voters to wear a face mask or covering in the early voting locations and on Election Day at the polling sites and adhere to social distancing requirements to help mitigate public health risks. In addition, hand sanitizer will be available for use by voters upon entering and exiting the voting area. We encourage all our citizens to exercise their right to and take advantage of the voting options available.

August 4, 2020

Cambridge InsideOut Episode 469: Aug 4, 2020

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge InsideOut,Central Square,City Council,elections — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 10:36 pm

Episode 469 – Cambridge InsideOut: Aug 4, 2020

This episode was broadcast on Aug 4, 2020 at 6:15pm. Topics: The importance of mail-in voting; Starlight Square; Picture Show – Around Town; Midsummer City Council meeting – traffic enforcement by non-police, police inventory, gas infrastructure ban runs afoul of state law and constitution, zoning petitions. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in this episode]

July 27, 2020

Midsummer Night’s Dream – Or Is It Real? – Agenda Items for the July 27, 2020 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 1:18 am

Midsummer Night’s Dream – Or Is It Real? – Agenda Items for the July 27, 2020 Cambridge City Council meeting

The summer meeting is often the time when battle lines are drawn and City Council business becomes Publick Theatre. Perhaps that’s what Monday will bring, but that’s pretty much what we’ve been seeing for months, and the theatrics are getting really old. This week’s skirmishes are likely to be the culmination of kerfuffles past, e.g. what constitutes "military" equipment in the Police Department inventory, and the next chapter in the Overlay Express to move as much of the housing stock into "social ownership" as our revolutionary misrepresentatives can manage. This is also the Penultimate Meeting on the City Manager’s contract extension – a matter of considerable importance and something of a litmus test of just how much some councillors misunderstand the Plan E Charter and the whole idea of a city manager form of government. There are also some practical suggestions, e.g. using the recent sale of the Grace properties at Alewife as a possible opportunity to make something better of the Jerry’s Pond area. In any case, here are a few things that for one reason or another seem to stand out among the others:City Hall

Resolution #3. Resolution on the death of Barbara Ackermann.   Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons

Suffice to say that former Mayor Barbara Ackermann was a class act in every way.

Manager’s Agenda #6. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $10,489,930 received through the Coronavirus Relief Fund as part of the Federal Cares Act, to the Grant Fund Finance Department Other Ordinary Maintenance Account which will support expenditures related to core municipal services; public health; and services and supports to residents.

Manager’s Agenda #30. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a proposed restatement of and amendment to the Mayor’s Disaster Relief Account, entitled “The City of Cambridge Restated and Amended Mayor’s Disaster Relief Account” (“Account”).
Charter Right – Simmons

Order #2. The Mayor be and hereby is requested to schedule a Roundtable/Working Meeting for members of the City Council and School Committee for Tues, Aug 11 at 5:30pm at City Hall, in the Sullivan Chambers, 795 Massachusetts Ave, to discuss CPSD reopening school plans.   Mayor Siddiqui

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting information from the School Committee’s summer meetings.

No comment here other than to say that years from now we’ll look back at 2020 (and perhaps beyond) as the year defined by the virus and how it reshaped so many things – some temporarily and some permanently. It is worth noting that while the councillors debate revolution and trivia, the School Committee and the Mayor are in the unenviable position of making extremely consequential decisions on how our public schools will operate come this fall.

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-16, regarding feasibility of eliminating Library late fines.

In some colleges/universities where I have worked, the policy was that there was no time limit on how long a faculty member could keep a library book. Some of the books I took out just stayed on my bookshelf forever.

Manager’s Agenda #27-28. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-33, regarding implementing a Tenants’ Rights and Resources Notification Act that would require owners and management companies to include tenants’ rights and resources information when issuing eviction notifications including at the initial Notice to Quit stage.
Passed to a 2nd Reading 9-0

In principle, having complete information is a good thing. I have been a landlord for 35 years and never had to give anyone the boot, but if I ever did I guess it’s not so much to ask that I give an informational pamphlet along with the eviction notice. Anything beyond that is someone else’s job.

Manager’s Agenda #29. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an updated response to Calendar Item #9, regarding Gas Infrastructure Ban.
Referred to Health & Environment Committee

It should surprise no one but the zealots that the MA Attorney General is of the opinion that a comparable ban in the Town of Brookline violates state law and the Constitution of the Commonwealth. "The Attorney General agrees with the policy goals behind the Town’s attempt to reduce the use of fossil fuels within the Town. However, the Legislature (and the courts) have made plain that the Town cannot utilize the method it selected to achieve those goals." My guess is that unless an adult intervenes, the Cambridge City Council will pursue it anyway – because that’s what zealots do.

Manager’s Agenda #31. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-34, regarding a report on an itemized statement of all materials, tools, and property owned by the Cambridge Police Department.
Referred to Public Safety Committee (there was also a late communication from Police Commissioner Bard)

Late Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Police Commissioner, Dr. Branville G. Bard, Jr., transmitting a memorandum regarding some semblance of understanding as to how and why municipal police departments, like here in Cambridge, came to require the type of weaponry listed in the inventory contained in response to Council Order O-9.

This will likely be the main attraction at the meeting – debating ad nauseum whether this or that type of weapon or apparatus is or is not "military." I imagine it will also be prime time for the Zondervan/Sobrinho-Wheeler vs. Commissioner Bard sideshow in which the "abolish the police" gang explains in great detail all that they will never understand about law enforcement and public safety.

Order #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Personnel Department and provide an update on the Cambridge Police Patrol Officers’ Association union contract negotiation at the City Council’s regular meeting on Sept 14th, 2020.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #5. The City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Personnel Department and City Solicitor to generate a report detailing the Sole Assessment Process, the Civil Service HRD process, the reason for choosing the Sole Assessment Process over the Civil Service HRD process, and the projected costs associated with both processes. The City Manager be and hereby is requested to present this report at the Sept 14th regular City Council meeting.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #14. The City Manager look into transferring primary traffic enforcement responsibilities from the Cambridge Police Department to unarmed, trained enforcement personnel in the Traffic & Parking Department, Department of Public Works, Health & Human Services, or another suitable department.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Charter Right – Mallon

The first two Orders seem to indicate the desire of the current City Council to blur those inconvenient boundaries established by the Plan E Charter regarding the role of the City Manager in managing the City and, in particular, in handling matters involving appointments and personnel. I suppose it’s possible that they’ll confine their remarks to matters of policy, but micromanagement is so much fun. Then again, some of them seem so ripe for charter change and the desire for greater control that I’m sure they won’t be able to contain themselves.

The third Order (Order #14) seems like just the next chapter in the "Defund the Police" playbook. This is not to say that asking Traffic & Parking or DPW or Human Services to take on additional enforcement roles is unthinkable. I just think that when a parking control officer or rubbish collector or social worker pulls over a car for running a red light it will be quickly followed by hysterical laughter emanating from the offending vehicle. Then again, if the offender is a serious bad guy it won’t be so funny.

Applications & Petitions #1. A Re-Submission of a Rezoning Petition has been received from Salvatori Zimno, Vice President, Development, BMR-THIRD LLC., regarding rezoning petition for a proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance and the Zoning Map of the City of Cambridge which upon adoption, would result in a new Planned Unit Development ("PUD") District CDK. [Petition w/o images] [images from petition]
Referred to Ordinance Committee & Planning Board

Applications & Petitions #5. A Zoning Petition has been received from Arvind Srinivasau regarding zoning language for the Alewife Quadrangle Northwest Overlay district. [text of petition]
Referred to Ordinance Committee & Planning Board

Applications & Petitions #6. A Zoning Petition has been received from Francis E. Donovan regarding new zoning amendments to increase Affordable Housing. [text of petition]
Referred to Ordinance Committee & Planning Board

Zoning, zoning, and more zoning returns. The first of these (Canal District PUD) offers a vision of what might finally happen in and around the Constellation Center site in Kendall Square that never materialized. The second is the next iteration of a recurring petition for the northwestern end of the Alewife Quadrangle area between Fresh Pond and the RR tracks. [As with the previous versions, this proposed zoning comes with a proposed pedestrian bridge over the RR tracks.]

The third petition has some interesting ideas and alternatives to the current "Affordable Housing Overlay" petition that is currently going through the process. Of course that also means that the AHO Express advocates will likely be dismissive of it. The interesting contrast between this new petition and the AHO is that the new petition (a) emphasizes the relaxation of single-family zoning rules in favor of multi-family housing, and (b) has an emphasis on having more ownership units. Simplistically, it’s a contrast between the "social ownership" emphasis in the AHO that would put an ever-higher percentage of housing into the hands of government and their non-profit partners, versus making somewhat more intensive use of existing properties and promoting home-ownership. Unfortunately, the two viewpoints are intertwined with political organizations and their affiliated elected officials.

People can talk all day and night about charter change, but the more fundamental problem is that we have only the most imperfect ways of assessing what the voters of this city actually might favor (hint – municipal elections do a lousy job of measuring public opinion). When it comes to "abolishing the police" or making consequential decisions about housing policy and weighing tenant needs vs. property rights, a coin flip or a Ouija Board would probably do as good a job or better than the people who supposedly represent us.

Order #8. The Mayor be and hereby is requested to call a Special Meeting of the City Council and invite a representative from the Collins Center to present on the process and benefits of Charter Review and Reform.   Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 9-0

And so it begins. The rhetoric surrounding the possible extension of City Manager Louis DePasquale’s contract has been accompanied by hints of charter change because, after all, why did Louis wait so long to allow us to use our reusable shopping bags? Personally, I don’t think it’s a bad thing to think about our form of government every decade or so, but when I listen to the current rhetoric from the current councillors I really just want to take a rain check until the ideologues and the zealots and the power-hungry have gone to pasture.

Order #10. That the Cambridge City Council pass the attached Real Estate Transfer Fee Home Rule Petition.   Councillor Carlone, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Referred to Ordinance Committee 9-0

I suppose I shouldn’t really care about proposals like this because my building is unlikely to be transfered to anyone else in my lifetime, but I remain eternally suspicious of this City Council’s endless quest to curtail the rights of property owners and to extract as much money out of every source possible to fund their eternal campaign to move residential property into "social ownership." At least this proposal puts the hit on those buying and/or selling property. Councillor Carlone, on the other hand, has now loudly proclaimed his wish that residential property taxes be jacked up to near the maximum possible even if that means shocking homeowners with a 50% increase in their residential property tax bills. The City Manager, in contrast, seems to be dedicated to maintaining a much slower rise in residential property taxes (thanks, Louis).

Order #11. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to Contact IQHQ and engage the relevant city departments regarding next steps for restoration, health and environmental protection, improvement, beautification, and making the surrounding areas of Jerry’s Pond publicly accessible and incorporating Jerry’s Pond into the adjacent public parklands, with pedestrian and bicycle connections to the MBTA Station, the Alewife Reservation, Minuteman Bikeway, and the Linear Park.   Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Order #12. The City Manager be and hereby is requested to take steps to improve the surrounding landscape for residents who live in the neighboring community and the many individuals who commute through the area via the Alewife Red Line, the Minuteman Bikeway, Rindge Avenue and Alewife Brook Parkway.   Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted 9-0

These are both very forward-looking Orders that (I believe) have the intention of getting ahead of the curve regarding future plans by the new owners of the former WR Grace properties in the Alewife area. Those properties recently sold for $125 million and it’s unlikely that they’ll sit idle forever. Like it or not, with significant investment comes significant opportunities for improvement, and boy does that area need some improvement.

Order #15. The City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the appropriate departments to conduct street cleaning without towing for the remainder of the 2020 season, and to employ other methods including (but not limited to) an escalating ticketing schedule that would continue to incentive compliance.   Councillor Zondervan
Failed of Adoption 4-4-1 (Nolan, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui, Zondervan – YES; Mallon, McGovern, Simmons, Toomey – NO; Carlone – ABSENT)

Councillor Kelley once suggested this and it’s not such a crazy idea. On the other hand, I was pretty happy to recently have my neighborhood streets finally swept clear of debris, and I doubt that would have happened as effectively if vehicles were just tagged and not towed.

Order #16. The City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the City of Cambridge Law Department to review the above changes to the language of the Domestic Partnerships Ordinance and report back to the Council.   Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Zondervan
Passed to 2nd Reading 9-0

I have no idea why this proposal has come up now, but I do remember that some aspects of the Domestic Partnership Ordinance lost their impact with the legalization of same-sex marriages. Basically, once marriage was an available option to all it invalidated some of the benefits for unmarried partners. I am curious about the possible unintended consequences of the proposal in that "’Domestic partnership’ means the entity formed by two or more persons who meet the following criteria……" Hmm…., does that means I could form a tribe of unrelated persons who "are in a relationship of mutual support, caring and commitment" and declare my tribe to be a domestic partnership so that we could obtain a range of legal benefits? This could get really interesting.

Committee Report #1. A report of the Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee Meeting on Feb 19, 2020 to discuss amendments of the City Council’s Rules.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #2. A report Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee Meeting on Mar 12, 2020 to discuss the City Manager’s request to extend his contract.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

I don’t know when they’ll vote on a contract extension or what the term of that extension will be. The proposal initially floated was for a two year extension (which seems reasonable), but the revolutionaries seem to want to make it shorter so that they can get started right away on their interplanetary search for somebody as unaffiliated with Cambridge as possible and who will allow them to check all the necessary boxes. – Robert Winters

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