It would be difficult to identify a City Council meeting in recent history as potentially consequential as this one. The opening act will be the City of Cambridge Scholarship Awards Ceremony starting at 4:00pm. The Regular Meeting starting at 5:30pm includes the vote on the FY2023 Budget ($754,373,160 General Fund; $13,537,970 Water Fund; and $41,163,235 Public Investment Fund) as well as a total of $159.9 million in loan authorizations. Then there’s the matter of the 6:00pm Special Meeting to choose among four finalists who will be the next City Manager (Iram Farooq, Cheryl Fisher, Yi-An Huang, or Norman Khumalo) with a possible Executive Session thrown in if there are any contract matters to negotiate. It should be noted that there is no guarantee that five votes will coalesce on one candidate. There could be multiple ballots or the can might be kicked down the road a bit if they can’t get to five.
There are other agenda items as well – including the initial steps toward a Charter Review Commission. Here are the items that seem interesting and/or highly consequential:
City Manager Selection
6:00pm The City Council will hold a Special Meeting to appoint one of the following finalists as the next City Manager: Iram Farooq, Cheryl Watson Fisher, Yi-An Huang and Norman Khumalo.
The City Council Meeting to discuss the City Manager hiring process will convene in open session. The City Council may then go into an Executive Session to conduct contract negotiations with a candidate for City Manager. The City Council will return to open session.
Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting information regarding the Executive Session for the City Manager hiring process.
Order Adopted 9-0; Executive Session held
Here’s a little note from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA):
THE ROLE OF ELECTED OFFICIALS
Under the council-manager form, the elected officials (e.g. the council or board) are the legislative body and the community’s policy makers. Power is centralized in this body, which approves the budget and adopts local laws and regulations, for example. The elected officials also focus on the community’s big-picture goals, such as community growth and sustainability.
The elected officials hire a professional city, town, or county manager based on that person’s education, experience, skills, and abilities and NOT on their political allegiances. The elected officials supervise the manager’s performance, and if that person is not responsive and effective in their role, the elected officials have the authority to remove her or him at any time.
I am mentioning this primarily in response to some of the lobbying effort I have seen over the last several days – including a video promoting one particular candidate and featuring a City Council aide as well as others with known political affiliations. There have also been mass emailings sent by political organizations lobbying for other candidates. There is nothing illegal about any of this, but my hope is that each of the nine city councillors will make their decisions on behalf of the residents of the city and the City’s workforce – independent of any and all of this political lobbying.
I do have a favorite candidate and I have communicated that preference to the candidate as well as to several city councillors, but I want to be very clear that my inclinations have absolutely nothing to do with any organized group in the city nor any narrow agenda, and I fervently hope that whoever is chosen will not be beholden to any political interest or individual. – RW
By the way, I don’t know that there’s necessarily a required procedure for how the selection will take place. This is not like the vote for Mayor where each councillor in turn names his/her selection for Mayor followed by possible vote changes prior to the gavel being struck three times signifying the end of the vote. The selection may happen via a motion by one of the councillors to hire one of the finalists and if that candidate receives five votes (with or without changes in the vote) then the matter is settled. I’m not sure if a Motion to Reconsider or the exercise of the Charter Right is permissible in this matter.
Yi-An Huang selected by Cambridge City Council as next City Manager
June 6, 2022 – The Cambridge City Council tonight voted 8-1 to select Yi-An Huang as the next City Manager to succeed Louis DePasquale when his contract ends on July 5, 2022. The initial City Council vote was 6-3 with Burhan Azeem, Dennis Carlone, Alanna Mallon, Patricia Nolan, Quinton Zondervan, and Sumbul Siddiqui voting for Yi-An Huang and Marc McGovern, Denise Simmons, and Paul Toner voting for Cheryl Watson Fisher. Subsequently, Paul Toner and then Marc McGovern changed their votes to Yi-An Huang to make it a final 8-1 vote.
After the vote, the City Council went into Executive Session to discuss strategy for contract negotiations as well as any possible procedure for choosing an Acting City Manager until Mr. Huang assumes his new role.
PS – The City Council also voted to appoint DPW Commissioner Owen O’Riordan to serve as Acting City Manager after Louis DePasquale leaves and before Yi-An Huang takes over. Excellent choice. – RW
FY2023 Budget Adoption and Loan Order Authorizations
Manager’s Agenda #1. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order authorizing the City Manager to transfer necessary funds needed to maintain appropriation control as part of the fiscal end-of-year closeout process.
Order Adopted 9-0
Unfinished Business #2. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $14,600,000 to provide funds for the Municipal Facilities Improvement Plan. [Passed to a 2nd Reading May 2, 2022; To Be Adopted on or after May 23, 2022]
Order Adopted 9-0
Unfinished Business #3. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $15,000,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of a multi-use paths Danehy/New Street Path, Linear Park and Grand Junction Path, which runs from Henry Street to Gore Street on both City, MIT and MassDOT property. [Passed to a 2nd Reading May 2, 2022; To Be Adopted on or after May 23, 2022]
Order Adopted 9-0
Unfinished Business #4. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,800,000 to provide funds for the replacement of existing gas boilers at the Morse and Cambridgeport schools. [Passed to a 2nd Reading May 2, 2022; To Be Adopted on or after May 23, 2022]
Order Adopted 9-0
Unfinished Business #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $78,500,000 to provide funds for the construction of sewer separation, storm water management and combined sewer overflow reduction elimination improvements within the Port, Alewife and Central Square areas as well as the Sewer Capital Repairs Program and climate change preparedness efforts. [Passed to a 2nd Reading May 2, 2022; To Be Adopted on or after May 23, 2022]
Order Adopted 9-0
Unfinished Business #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $13,000,000 to provide funds for the reconstruction of various City streets, sidewalks and bike facilities. [Passed to a 2nd Reading May 2, 2022; To Be Adopted on or after May 23, 2022]
Order Adopted 9-0
Unfinished Business #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $37,000,000 to provide additional funds for the construction of improvements at the Fire Station Headquarters Building located at 491 Broadway. [Passed to a 2nd Reading May 2, 2022; To Be Adopted on or after May 23, 2022]
Order Adopted 9-0
Committee Report #1. A communication was received from Anthony I. Wilson, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Patricia M. Nolan, Chair and Councillor Dennis J. Carlone Chair of the Finance Committee, for a public hearing held on May 10, 2022, May 11, 2022 and May 17, 2022 to discuss Fiscal Year 2023 Budget.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0
Zondervan motion to amend budget to reduce Police Dept. to $68,731,130 Fails 1-8 (QZ – YES)
General Fund Budget of $754,373,160 Adopted 8-1 (QZ-NO)
Water Fund Budget of $13,537,970 Adopted 8-1 (QZ-NO)
Public Investment Fund Budget of $41,163,235 Adopted 9-0
Though I don’t think there will be any controversy over these votes other than the usual token NO vote, it goes without saying that this is perhaps the single most consequential vote of the City Council in any given year. The only vote more consequential is the vote to select a City Manager.
Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to proposed amendments to the Truck Safety Ordinance, Chapter 8.112.080 of the Cambridge Municipal Code (“Ordinance”). [Manager’s Letter] [Revised Truck Ordinance (red-lined)][Revised Truck Ordinance (as ordained)] [Proposed Order 6A] [Proposed Order 6B]
Order 6A Adopted 9-0; Order 6B Adopted as Amended (Zondervan) 9-0
Memorial Drive Closure Kerfuffle
Charter Right #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Director of the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department to limit the blocking off of Memorial Drive to vehicular traffic to Sundays.
Tabled 8-1 (QZ-NO)
Communication #13. A communication was received from Lynn Cetrulo, regarding Traffic planning and road layouts.
Communication #17. A communication was received from Larry Cetrulo, regarding Traffic planning and road layouts.
I will note that the combination of the long Memorial Day weekend plus Boston Calling plus various commencement activities plus students moving out plus the Memorial Drive closure recently made Mt. Auburn Street and Putnam Avenue into a traffic nightmare. I’ll let others decide whether the overall effect of Memorial Drive closures from Saturday morning through Sunday night is a net benefit or if a smaller window of time would be preferable. I hope this is really more about community benefit than just a generic #WarOnCars.
Notable Orders
Order #1. Urge Harvard University to work as quickly and deliberately as possible to ensure that the human remains of the nearly 7,000 indigenous peoples and 19 enslaved individuals currently in their possession are released to the appropriate parties. Councillor Simmons
pulled by Simmons; Order Adopted 9-0 (voice vote)
Order #4. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the appropriate City personnel and other appropriate parties to develop a standardized, transparent, and cohesive community engagement plan for the entire, department-wide municipal government. Councillor Simmons
pulled by Simmons; Order Adopted 9-0 (voice vote)
Charter Review Commission
Order #8. Creation of an Ad-Hoc Committee for ad-hoc committee for the purpose of reviewing and selecting self-nominated residents and stakeholders to be on the Charter Review Commission. Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Nolan; Amended 7-2 (BA,QZ-NO); Charter Right – Azeem
Communications & Reports #4. A communication was received from Mayor Siddiqui, transmitting a communication about the Charter Review Committee.
pulled by Nolan; Charter Right – Azeem
Sign me up. – RW
A Committee Report (for a change)
Committee Report #2. The Ordinance Committee met on Apr 6, 2022 to conduct a public hearing on a petition to amend the zoning ordinance entitled “Article 22 Sustainable Design and Development” (Ordinance #2022-7).
pulled by Zondervan; suggests this be allowed to expire and be re-filed as amended; Accept Report, Placed on File 9-0 (voice vote)
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The trouble has been brewing ever since the breakup of Middlesex County. Militia Commander Joseph Curtatone mustered Somerville’s Democratic Socialist forces on Prospect Hill and led the convoy south into the former Peoples Republic of Cambridge. Somerville Dictator Katjana Ballantyne ordered troops to mass on the East Cambridge border in what most people believed to be just a routine training exercise. However, when Militia Commander (and former Mayor) Joseph Curtatone arrived, things changed quickly. Some East Cambridge residents initially welcomed the visitors from the north – barely noticing the stylized “S” emblazoned on their drab uniforms. Jay Wasserman, in fact, invited some of the Somervillains in for drinks not knowing their true intentions.
The City’s Transit Advisory Committee, working in concert with the MBTA and the Cambridge Historical Commission, have announced updated plans for new kinda-rapid transit service to Porter Square with the option of extending service further west to Alewife and Belmont Center in the future. On the drawing board for more than a century, the Meigs Elevated Railway will add desperately needed capacity to supplement the new Green Line Extension to Union Square. MBTA analysts decided that it was just too difficult to safely move that many people underground and concluded that the time-tested concept of elevated railway service is an old idea that’s about to become new again.
Spring is springing and the turf wars continue. This week features a citizens petition to modify the Bicycle Safety Ordinance and with it a golden opportunity for city councillors to double-talk their way to stardom. Here are some of the agenda items that I found interesting this week:
This will be the last meeting of the 2020-2021 Cambridge City Council which will likely be remembered for its lack of cohesion and the distant quality of its remote public meetings held in Zoom. The increased access of remote public comment was arguably a plus but any advantages were outweighed by the scripted nature of call-in comments driven by social media and the complete lack of meaningful interaction between members of the public and between elected officials and the public. A two-minute Zoom speech with the clock ticking followed by an abrupt mayoral cutoff is hardly a model for public participation. Perhaps even more problematic was the tendency for consequential policies to be developed and implemented in relative isolation and obscurity.