Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

April 26, 2020

Elected, Injected, Inspected, Detected, Infected, Neglected and Selected Highlights on the April 27, 2020 City Council Agenda

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge government,City Council — Tags: , , , — Robert Winters @ 11:36 pm

Elected, Injected, Inspected, Detected, Infected, Neglected and Selected Highlights on the April 27, 2020 City Council Agenda

Another week of Covid-19 updates and policy proposals. Here are a few things that struck me as more interesting than drinking Clorox or having miniaturized Fantasic Voyage actors in the USS Proteus injected into my arteries equipped with tiny little ultraviolet ray guns.Fantastic Voyage

Manager’s Agenda #7. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $500,000 donated to the City by Harvard University ($250,000) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($250,000), to the Grant Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures Account for the construction and operation of the War Memorial Temporary Emergency Shelter at 1640 Cambridge Street.

While I can’t speak to what else Harvard has done in the midst of this pandemic, it’s worth highlighting that in addition to these donated funds, MIT has also transformed its Johnson Skating Rink into the fully licensed 75-bed "Sean Collier Care Center" that will serve members of the MIT community and residents who are referred from the Cambridge Health Alliance and Mt. Auburn Hospital who need medical care for Covid-19. The center is staffed, operated, and funded by MIT.

Sean Collier Care Center

MIT also suspended rent for all of its retail tenants in Central Square, Kendall Square, and on campus – including 27 small businesses. There have been plenty of additional initiatives taken by MIT to address this crisis. Perhaps most significantly, many of the research scientists here and around the world now working on therapies and vaccines have roots at MIT.

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on COVID-19.

This has become the primary agenda item for City Council meetings. I look forward to the day when this need no longer be the case.

Charter Right #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to repurpose the War Memorial facility into only a COVID-19 testing and temporary quarantine site for unhoused individuals awaiting their test results.

Last week’s Special Meeting was very informative and highlighted the extraordinary efforts of a wide range of City staff and partners who are diligently providing solutions even as the circumstances change from day to day. While thoughtful questions and suggestions from elected representatives are appreciated, the wise choice remains to let the professionals do their job and make the best use of their experience and judgment. Reaching quota in a Cambridge PR election does not miraculous confer expertise in either medicine, public saftety, or epidemiology. Also, this is not the time for coronagendas to transform society according to your own personal politics.

Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments to restrict third party delivery services fees to restaurants and disclose to customers of how delivery charges are allocated.   Councillor Nolan, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui

Delivery services right now are in great demand, but the costs should be commensurate with the service, and the primary beneficiaries of any additional cost should be our struggling retailers. I hope this Order can help to shape the fee structures for the better while still providing incentives for these services. In the meantime, if anyone wants to drop off some lettuce, canned tuna, and a quart of light cream for my morning coffee I’ll be your best friend and maybe even throw a few bucks your way. We’re also running low on cheese and crackers.

Order #2. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to issue an emergency order to make wearing a cloth face covering in public mandatory for all persons in the City of Cambridge, and that such a covering must be worn outdoors, inside essential businesses, and when entering and exiting residential buildings.   Councillor McGovern, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Toomey

People can argue about just how much freedom can or should be compromised in an actual emergency, but to me the most important fact is that the greatest potential for reduction in the transmission of the coronavirus is a mask worn by a carrier – even if that person is not symptomatic or even aware that he/she is a carrier. So I’ll go with making the masks mandatory for at least the short term. Walking along Memorial Drive the other day was like seeing Idiots on Parade – almost nobody wearing a mask as they were biking and running past leaving their vapors in their wake.

Order #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to establish what specific steps will be made to ensure the safety of the workforce upon the re-opening of City offices, and what specific options will be made available to those City workers who are more susceptible to severe covid-19 infections and may require the ability to work remotely until such time as this crisis passes.   Councillor Simmons

I have no suggestions at all about next steps, but I do find something promising in the fact that people are at least thinking about how we can get back to "normal" even if it proves to be a very different kind of "new normal." Even Boo Radley had to emerge eventually. – Robert Winters

April 21, 2020

Cambridge InsideOut Episode 462: Apr 21, 2020 – More Inside than Out

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge InsideOut — Tags: , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 8:11 pm

Episode 462 – Cambridge InsideOut: Apr 21, 2020 – More Inside than Out

This episode was broadcast on Apr 21, 2020 at 6:30pm. Topics: Covid-19 updates; The Empty City – continued; Are emergency shelters being occupied?; Business Impacts of Shutdown; Disparate Impacts – Tough times in Chelsea while Cambridge debates access to recreation; Resiliency in Focus; price in oil dropped below zero; What Happens Next? What will change permanently? Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in this episode]

April 13, 2020

Coming Up at the April 13, 2020 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge government,City Council — Tags: , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 12:23 am

Coming Up at the April 13, 2020 Cambridge City Council meeting

While we all strive to "level the curve" and hope for the best, City Council business continues even as most other businesses do not (at least for now). Springtime is usually the season of hope and renewal and that’s rarely been more relevant than this year – at least for those of us who have not lived through World Wars or civil wars (which always struck me as a oxymoron).City Hall

Here are the items on this week’s agenda that I found most noteworthy:

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

Manager’s Agenda #4. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $215,450 from Free Cash to the General Fund Human Service Programs Other Ordinary Maintenance account to support the Homeless Shelter / Local Restaurant Community Meals Program.

While people can debate whether every action has been the right choice, there is no question that the City Manager and City departments have really been responsive in dealing with this horrible crisis. I’m looking forward to how we go about the transition from crisis to manageable threat. In any case, a lot of practices adopted during this crisis will persist for a very long time. Don’t go expecting a handshake from anyone any time soon, and I expect that masks and gloves may become a regular practice on all public transportation for the foreseeable future.

Charter Right #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the relevant City departments to give the Council a financial impact summary on how the local Covid-19 response will be impacting the City’s free cash and ability to budget looking into July 1, 2021, and to report back to the City Council in a timely manner. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS ON APR 6, 2020]

Communications & Reports #5. A communication was received from Anthony Ivan Wilson, City Clerk, responding to a question regarding parliamentary procedure.

Pointless kerfuffle. The issue is whether the latter (Apr 6 Order #1 which asks about the effect on next year’s budget and free cash) duplicates the former (Mar 30 Order #5 which asks about current year’s/next year’s budget and free cash). The City Clerk is correct, but the City Council has filed repeated orders on various topics in the past regardless of what the rules may say.

Order #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to appoint and convene a Small Business Recovery Advisory Committee.   Councillor Simmons, Vice Mayor Mallon

Order #2. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to appoint and convene a COVID-19 Advisory Committee to review the impact of the pandemic on local communities of color, to propose ways to better disseminate information on Impact to Communities of Color.   Councillor Simmons

I think the real distinction here has more to do with income levels and job categories than anything else. Some people can avoid public transportation and work from home and maybe have a good health plan and enough savings to ride things out. Others don’t have such luxuries.

Order #3. That in absence of revised City Council goals for the new term, the most recent approved goals are used in all Council business, particularly the budgetary process.   Councillor Carlone, Councillor Simmons, Mayor Siddiqui

One would hope that they would at least pencil in the one additional goal of providing sufficient resources to continue to deal with the Covid-19 crisis and its effects on residents and businesses. I really don’t want to see a lot of resources dedicated to things that are fundamentally optional when there are necessities that have to be addressed right now.

Order #4. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Public Health Department to develop and implement stricter public health regulations to protect our grocery store workers.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui

Absolutely, but not just because of an anecdote or two. Sometimes I think Twitter and neighborhood listservs are the primary source of Cambridge public policy.

Order #5. That the City Council go on record in full support of this petition and of Harvard graduate students as they courageously stand up for their needs in a time of crisis.   Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Zondervan

Order #7. That the City Manager examine expanding the City’s jobs programs for those unemployed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Carlone

Order #8. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to repurpose the War Memorial facility into only a COVID-19 testing and temporary quarantine site for unhoused individuals awaiting their test results.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler

One week the War Memorial facility is set aside as an emergency shelter primarily to prevent infection, and now this Order calls for it to be used only as a COVID-19 testing and temporary quarantine site. It will be interesting to hear from City Management on this, but it sure seems like a couple of city councillors are making a career out of second-guessing city management and those in charge of public health and public safety.

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, transmitting the 2019 Annual Report.

Communications & Reports #6. A communication was received from Councillor Quinton Zondervan, transmitting thoughts on planning for the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I won’t comment on the particulars, but I do appreciate that we are at least beginning to think of next phases to this thing. Unlike some of the foolishness I hear from Washington, D.C. about "reopening the country" as though it was some kind of on-off switch, any rational person needs to understand that this will have to be an extended transition during which some aspects of normalcy will take longer than others and some things will likely change permanently. – Robert Winters

April 5, 2020

We’ll Meet Again – What’s on the Agenda for the April 6, 2020 Cambridge City Council Virtual Meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge government,City Council — Tags: , , , , — Robert Winters @ 11:43 pm

We’ll Meet Again – What’s on the Agenda for the April 6, 2020 Cambridge City Council Virtual Meeting?

The address of Queen Elizabeth to the people of England today is still resonating with me, especially the subtle reference to the Vera Lynn song from the days of World War II. It really choked me up listing to the old gal weave together past, present, and future. If only we had that kind of moral leadership at the top of our political heap. Perhaps we will again some sunny day.Vera Lynn - We'll Meeting Again

Meanwhile, back in our Cambridge, here are a few agenda items this week that I found interesting:

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a request for the City Council to adopt a statutory small business exemption for personal property accounts equal to or less than $10,000 in assessed value, and if approved as a special act by the Legislature and Governor of the Commonwealth, for personal property accounts equal to or less than $20,000 in assessed value.

This is a relatively modest assist to small businesses, but it’s also a sign that maybe there’s a realization that small businesses are deserving of benefits now reserved entirely for resident homeowners. There’s also the added benefit of bureaucratic simplification.

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on COVID-19.

We’ve all come to appreciate the daily updates from the City administration, but perhaps this will be an opportunity to get some insight into the larger picture of how the City is responding and will continue to respond to this public health nightmare.

Order #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the relevant City departments to give the Council a financial impact summary on how the local Covid-19 response will be impacting the City’s free cash and ability to budget looking into July 1, 2021, and to report back to the City Council in a timely manner.   Councillor Simmons, Councillor Carlone

I can’t help but be reminded of how often some councillors would view the City’s fund balance as some kind of untapped piggy bank just waiting to be broken open for pet projects and populist initiatives. I guess it takes an actual rainy day to fully understand the value of maintaining a "rainy day fund."

Order #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the relevant City departments to report back to the Council on what efforts have been made to work with other municipalities on this issue and to work with Cambridge’s State Delegation and the Governor’s office for a comprehensive regional housing plan to be put in place to house the homeless during the COVID-19 emergency.   Councillor Toomey, Councillor Simmons, Councillor McGovern

ALL housing solutions have to be understood regionally. Unilateral solutions are not solutions. They never were and they never will be.

Order #4. That the City Manager expand tax-filing and stimulus benefit assistance to low-income and unhoused residents.   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan

With so many banks in every city square and elsewhere, one might think that these could provide the financial infrastructure for stimulus benefit assistance through coordination between the federal government and all of these banks. The same goes for providing low-interest or zero-interest short-term, government-insured business loans and mortgage assistance. Waiting several months for an across-the-board $1200 check to every resident seems like the least effective way to get through these difficult months of temporary unemployment and loss of income. As for those who lack a bank account or a home address, how to receive the federal benefit seems like just one more problem heaped on top of a host of other problems. – Robert Winters

March 29, 2020

Not an April Fool’s Joke – Featured Items on the March 30, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 10:27 pm

Not an April Fool’s Joke – Featured Items on the March 30, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda

The City of Cambridge and its residents continue to act affirmatively to address the needs of our neighbors and struggling businesses as the local count of COVID-19 confirmed infections continues to rise (70 in Cambridge as of Mar 29 including one fatality). The Cambridge City Council has, for the most part, focused on the current crisis rather than engaging too much in other agendas. However, that apparently doesn’t stop some councillors from overreaching. See Resolution #2 below (which isn’t really a resolution so much as an overly broad declaration). Here are the agenda items I found most noteworthy this week:City Hall

Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the recommended reappointment of Christopher Bator as a member of the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority for a term of 5-years.

The reconfiguration of the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority starting with the appointments by former City Manager Robert Healy on April 9, 2012 has worked out remarkably well with those inspired appointments. All five Board members continue to serve today: D. Margaret Drury, Chris Bator, Conrad Crawford, Kathleen Born, and Barry Zevin (Governor’s appointee).

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the use of the War Memorial Recreation Center and Field House on Cambridge Street, which is adjacent to and part of the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School campus, for an emergency shelter for the homeless due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

This was a late addition to the Manager’s agenda. A lot more people will be aware of the need for emergency management when this crisis wanes – hopefully sooner than later – and the City has definitely been looking out for everyone, including people currently without a home or adequate shelter.

I hope that people also develop a renewed interest in broader planning goals, e.g. the importance of having essential needs like basic food and household goods at affordable prices available in all neighborhoods. Perhaps we’ll also better appreciate the importance of ensuring that deliveries to homes and businesses is not prevented by other priorities. Internet access has also been elevated to the category of an essential need – regardless whether it’s provided via an existing company or municipal broadband.

Resolution #2. Moratorium on rent payments, mortgage payments, evictions and foreclosures.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Carlone

While we can all appreciate the goal of having everyone consider renegotiating existing contracts, including rental agreements, this resolution makes no reference to the ability or inability of a tenant or owner of a property with a mortgage to pay their rent or mortgage. It’s just a flat out call for a moratorium on payments. Perhaps the authors of the resolution believe that all landlords are billionaires who charge excessive rents. I would love to see the current scale of rents and home prices change to more rational levels, and maybe that will happen to some degree when the dust settles and that all parties – lenders, property owners, and tenants – find ways to be kind to one another during this challenging period. This resolution has more to do with politics than kindness or reasonableness. The details in Order #1 below are by far the more reasonable things to ask.

Order #1. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with the Cambridge Housing Authority and other appropriate personnel to enforce compliance with this order in publicly owned housing, publicly subsidized housing, and federally assisted housing.   Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler

Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Director of Traffic, Parking, and Transportation on streets in each neighborhood that could be closed to all non-essential traffic for the duration of the Health Emergency and report back to the council as soon as possible.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler

Order #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with DCR to explore closing Memorial Drive for the duration of the Stay at Home order to give people in Cambridge a safe space to exercise and be outside without violating social distancing practices.   Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler

Order #4. That the City Manager explore short-term solutions to expand essential Internet access to Cambridge residents who lack it during the pandemic until such time that a municipal broadband network can be implemented.   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Nolan, Councillor McGovern

Once again, the focus of the Council orders is on getting through the current crisis, and that’s appreciated. I do, however, detect more than a hint of a separate agenda in at least one the above orders. – Robert Winters

March 22, 2020

Checking In Virtually – Select Items from the March 23, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge government,City Council,East Cambridge — Tags: , , , , — Robert Winters @ 10:46 pm

Checking In Virtually – Select Items from the March 23, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda

As I said last week, the only things they should be focusing on now are matters relating to the current emergency and basic maintenance of the city. For the most part this seems to be the case. This is not the time for separate policy agendas.

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to recommendations for the block rates for water consumption and sewer use for the period beginning Apr 1, 2020 and ending Mar 31, 2021. [Manager’s Letter]

Same basic story as last year: 0% increase in the water consumption block rate and an 6.3% increase in the sewer use block rate, resulting in a 4.8% increase in the combined rate for the period beginning April 1, 2020 and ending March 31 , 2021. Last year it was 0%, 7.0%, and 5.2%, respectively.City Hall

Charter Right #1. That the “2020 Cycling Safety Ordinance” be forwarded to the Ordinance Committee for discussion and recommendation. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER ON MAR 16, 2020.]

This is not the time for separate agendas. This matter should be tabled for the time being. Besides, if you read the details of the proposal it’s the single worst example of micromanagement by councillors I’ve seen in 35 years.

Resolution #1. That a suitable resolution be prepared on the death of Sal DiDomenico Sr.   Councillor Toomey, Councillor Simmons

Resolution #4. Resolution on the death of Jimmy Albert Smith.   Councillor Toomey, Councillor Simmons, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern

Two very large trees have fallen in our Cambridge forest. My heart goes out especially to my friend and State Senator Sal DiDomenico whose dad has been a fixture in his East Cambridge neighborhood for many decades. I look forward to the day when a celebration of his life can be held during better times.

Order #1. City Council support of Senator Ron Wyden’s forthcoming legislation calling for the delay of federal REAL ID requirements until September 2021.   Councillor Simmons, Mayor Siddiqui

Order #2. That the Cambridge City Council requests that brokers, landlords, and real estate agents not to show housing units with current occupants during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Simmons

Order #3. That the City Manager is requested to explore the feasibility of using vacant properties and hotels as emergency shelters during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan

Order #4. That the City Manager is requested to present emergency appropriations to the City Council in order to provide appropriate financial relief to businesses and organizations in the city, especially those which are not receiving sufficient state or federal assistance.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler

Order #6. That the City Manager is requested to work with the appropriate City personnel to develop and implement an online portal designed to allow senior citizens who are house-bound due to the coronavirus outbreak to sign up and notify the City that they require assistance with receiving grocery deliveries, other services delivered, and/or wellness checks throughout this crisis.   Councillor Simmons

It’s good to see that this week all of the City Council orders are responsive to the current emergency.

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from City Clerk Anthony I. Wilson, transmitting a letter from New England Development regarding a Pre-Application Conference with the City Council for a CambridgeSide 2.0 PUD-8 Special Permit.

Some planning does have to carry on in spite of the current difficulties. I continue to appreciate initiatives like this one that have the possibility of making our streets and neighborhoods more interesting and inviting even as they deliver greater financial stability to the property owners carrying out these developments.

Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Councillor Zondervan, transmitting COVID-19 Ideas and Suggestions.

Good suggestions all. – Robert Winters

March 15, 2020

Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui and City Manager Louis A. DePasquale Issue Statement Related to COVID-19 Emergency Measures

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge government — Tags: , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 10:44 pm

Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui and City Manager Louis A. DePasquale
Issue Statement Related to COVID-19 Emergency Measures

City SealMarch 15, 2020 – The City of Cambridge has been deeply immersed in dealing with the containment of the Coronavirus crisis. We have closed schools, libraries, Department of Human Services Programs’ preschool and afterschool programs, youth and senior centers, and a number of other public facilities, and we have cancelled all permitted events. We will be closing City municipal buildings to the general public at 5 p.m., Monday, March 16, 2020, until further notice. City Hall will remain open for the City Council meeting, but all City departments at City Hall will be closed to the public starting at 5:00pm on Monday, March 16, 2020.

Our workforce is incredibly committed and responsive to ensuring the City can safely meet the needs of our community. We are particularly appreciative of our Public Health Department, City leadership team, and Public Safety officials in dealing with overall emergency preparedness. There have been many excellent questions raised over the last week and we wanted to address action steps we will undertake over the next week:

  • Scaling the capacity of the City’s workforce and public bodies to conduct many non -public safety operations in virtual or remote environments;
  • Creating and disseminating clear messaging for social distancing best practices for various populations, including out of school youth and young adults, and senior and other vulnerable populations;
  • Collaborating with the non- profit ecosystem on creating a systematic approach to coordinating donations and volunteerism to assist our various community needs;
  • Integrating and monitoring state and federal resources as they are committed to ensure the City is maximizing the use of all available resources to assist our residents, particularly traditionally underserved populations such as our homeless and elderly communities;
  • Discussing the creation of a reserve fund for the Cambridge Health Alliance;
  • Communicating regularly with supermarkets and food stores to discuss operations and supply chain challenges. Governor Baker’s statewide restrictions issued on March 15 do not apply to grocery stores or pharmacies;
  • Enforcing and notifying businesses of Governor Baker’s statewide declaration that all bars and restaurants in Massachusetts will be shut down for on-premise consumption starting Tuesday, March 17 through Monday, April 6, although these establishments can continue to offer food for takeout or delivery. Retail stores can stay open as long as 25 people or fewer are present in them;
  • Educating the public of the Commonwealth’s ban on gatherings of 25 people or more including all community, civic, public, leisure, and faith-based events. This ban also includes sports games with spectators, concerts, conventions, fitness centers, gyms, private clubs, and cinemas and theaters;
  • Communicating with the small business and artist communities on potential resources and relief;
  • Coordinating with our university and business community partners to enlist their support and cooperation and ensure coordination of response efforts; and
  • Establishing an ad hoc advisory working group to assist with the City’s planning and response efforts. This advisory working group, which will report to the Public Health Commissioner, will be comprised of subject matter experts, residents, healthcare providers and City staff to support the ongoing work of the Cambridge Public Health Department. The call for volunteers will be issued the week of March 16.

Aggressive social distancing is a proven public health strategy. It is the key to saving lives and resuming our lives in the future. The City has enlisted and will continue enlisting experts in matters of infectious disease, communication and emergency response and preparedness. We will communicate regularly and strongly encourage the public to regularly visit www.cambridgema.gov/covid19 for updates and resources.

We need our entire community, in collaboration with state and federal agencies, to be involved in mitigating and slowing this pandemic. We know that the current situation will worsen before it improves. We want to ensure the public that the City’s team, your elected officials, and our community partners are thoughtfully approaching this rapidly evolving pandemic. We are committed to addressing the challenges and needs of the community today and into the future. Because of careful strong City management and sound fiscal policies set by the City Council, the City is in a financial position to strategically use our free cash reserves to support our COVID-19 pandemic response. We are here for you today and we are confident the Cambridge community will, as always, rise to the occasion to respond this challenge.

Is This an Essential Public Meeting? – March 16, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda Items

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council,cycling — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 10:21 pm

Is This an Essential Public Meeting? – March 16, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda Items

City HallI will not be attending this meeting even if it goes forward on schedule. Whether or not the City comes up with some mechanism for public input relating to what would otherwise be public meetings, the simple truth is that it will be inadequate; and any city councillor who chooses to push any significant public policy agenda unrelated to the current emergency or basic maintenance of city affairs should reconsider his or her priorities/ethics. Now if this meeting actually does go forward as scheduled, here are some of the agenda items of significance:

Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-20, regarding a response on coronavirus preparedness.

Order #1. Coronavirus mitigation.   Councillor Simmons, Councillor Carlone, Mayor Siddiqui

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Councillor E. Denise Simmons transmitting Coronavirus Preparation.

Order #6. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to take all necessary actions to protect the population, including, but not limited to, cancelling all non-essential events and gatherings, allowing staff to work from home when possible, providing visitor screening at senior living facilities, and preparing emergency medical facilities for treating respiratory infections.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Nolan

Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui regarding COVID-19 Student Supports and Resources List.

These are the only agenda items that should even be addressed at this meeting.

Manager’s Agenda #6. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $4,000,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures Account to support the Complete Streets Reconstruction Program and for repaving portions of streets that are part of the separated bicycle network.

Order #2. That the “2020 Cycling Safety Ordinance” be forwarded to the Ordinance Committee for discussion and recommendation.   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Zondervan, Vice Mayor Mallon

Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, transmitting comments on the 2020 Cycling Safety Ordinance.

Other than the expenditure for street repaving, none of these significant matters should be forwarded at this time. Many of the people who could be adversely impacted will simply not be willing to come to a public meeting at this time. In addition, any gathering of 25 or more people is prohibited under the current state of emergency.

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $7,250,000 for the reconstruction of Glacken Field and playground with an update on lighting. This is also in response to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-17.

Manager’s Agenda #12. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-66, regarding establishing a Young Adult Civic Unity Committee.

Glad to hear it.

Unfinished Business #3. That section 11.202(b) of Article 11.000, entitled SPECIAL REGULATIONS, of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge, be amended the table as follows: Jan 28, 2020 (Annual Adjustment) $19.10 per square foot (amended to $20.10) [Passed to a 2nd Reading on Feb 24, 2020, to be Ordained on or after Mar 8, 2020.]

If the inclination is to ordain this now, just do it and adjourn.

Applications & Petitions #2. A Zoning Petition has been received from Salvatore Zinno Vice President, BMR-Third LLC, to Amend the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance by adding section 13.200 Planned Unit Development at Canal District Kendall PUD-CDK Amendment.

Applications & Petitions #5. A Zoning Petition Has been received from Tom Hartingson, requesting that the City Council Ordain the Zoning language set forth relative to the Alewife Quadrangle Northwest Overlay District.

I personally welcome both of these zoning petitions (though I have yet not reviewed all the details), but they can be referred and action delayed for the time being.

Order #3. That the City Council approve a Real Estate Transfer Fee Home Rule Petition.   Councillor Carlone, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler

There are competing bills in the state legislature. There are significant details yet to be worked out.

Order #4. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Inspectional Service Department to increase the fines for absentee property owners who continue to have violations stemming for rodent infestations.   Councillor Toomey

I’m still interested in the previous Council order that called for negligent property owners to cover some of the costs of neighbors impacted by rodent infestations.

Order #5. That the City Council go on record stating its intent to have Cambridge be one of the pilot communities if Senate Bill 2553 passes.   Councillor Nolan, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Carlone

This is a pilot program of automated traffic enforcement, i.e. cameras catching drivers running red lights and committing other infractions. I’m just curious how this will fit into the current campaign against surveillance technologies. – Robert Winters

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