Post-Candlemas: Little Nuggets from the Feb 3, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda
Here are the little nuggets that I found comment-worthy this week:
Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a home rule petition to the state legislature that would lower the voting age to sixteen (16) in municipal elections.
As I said last April when this idea had its day in committee: "As for lowering the voting age for municipal elections to 16 years old, my belief is that the minimum voting age should be the same across the entire Commonwealth and not vary from town to town. If you want to make the case for this, try to convince the state legislature to do it statewide or pursue other matters." As the City Solicitor notes in her message, the City Council submitted home rule petitions in 2002 and 2006 to be permitted to lower the municipal voting age to 17, and neither of those petitions was approved. The current petition asks to drop the voting age even lower.
Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, recommending the appointment of the following person as a member of the Cambridge Housing Authority Board of Commissioners for a term of 5-years, as recommended by the Greater Boston Labor Council: Louis Bacci, III.
That makes two appointments to the Cambridge Housing Authority Board in as many weeks. As noted last week, the CHA Board is one of only two City boards where appointees require City Council confirmation, so the appointment of Louis Bacci (who presumably will succeed Anthony Pini) will likely be referred to the Housing Committee for a formal hearing – maybe even a two-for-one deal along with appointee Gerald Clark. [Members of Cambridge Boards & Commissions (updated Jan 24, 2020)]
Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the Mayor’s recommended appointments of the following member of the Family Policy Council, effective Feb 3, 2020 for the 2020-2021 Council term: Vice Mayor Alanna Mallon and School Committee Member Ayesha Wilson.
Resolution #4. Retirement of Mary Hart from her role as Chief Information Officer for the Information Technology Department. Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Carlone, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Toomey, Councillor Zondervan
Though it’s been corrected in the revised agenda, this resolution initially went in with 9 co-sponsors. Heaven forbid that there would have been a conspiracy among a majority of councillors in defiance of the Open Meeting Law on this purely congratulatory resolution. [Some rules are just plain silly.] I’m a bit curious if retiring "from her role as Chief Information Officer" for IT is the same as retirement from working for the City. In any case, look for the City Council to step up in their call for Municipal Broadband – especially in light of Communications & Reports #2 (below).
Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to review the roles, responsibilities, and compensation of City Council Aides with an eye toward designating this as a full-time position. Councillor Simmons, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Carlone
I dispute the foundation of this Order, specifically the assertion that "This role has, in the ensuing years, greatly expanded and evolved, with Council Aides managing the schedules of their Council members, conducting constituent intakes and triage, planning and participating in Committee hearings, representing their Council member in public and private meetings, serving as liaisons between their Council members and other elected officials, and serving as an additional conduit between the municipal elected officials and their constituents, in addition to their originally outlined duties." Is the new practice of having stand-ins for city councillors something that should be celebrated and rewarded? City Council committees may need additional support to function optimally, but not individual councillors. Let’s also not forget that the primary route to a job as a City Council aide is to work in the election campaign of the councillor. Finally, I will note that efforts to grow this particular form of political patronage have often coincided with mayoral elections and proposed extensions of a city manager’s contract. Again, see Communications & Reports #2 (below).
I will also note City Hall parking that was once open to anyone working in City Hall (except for Monday evenings) is now exclusively for city councillors on all days and all hours regardless when any councillors are in the building.
Order #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Department of Public Works and any other relevant City departments to update the Council on the plans for the Cambridge Recycling Center. Councillor Toomey, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan
As one of the people who argued for the continuation of the Recycling Center after the City began curbside recycling (July 1991) and who recommended some of the features of the current setup, I’m quite interested in how this resource may evolve. Whether the City moves toward having a mobile Recycling Center or a better layout for the DPW Yard, this question is fundamentally linked to the long-term plans for the DPW Yard and whether it will remain at 147 Hampshire Street or be relocated. I sure appreciated being able to bring some heavy scrap metal there this weekend.
Order #5. Improvements to STR Ordinance to Enhance Compliance. Councillor McGovern, Councillor Carlone
Perhaps this is what you get when you choose to have an ordinance go into effect on April Fools Day.
Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Councillor Simmons, transmitting a letter from City Manager Louis A. DePasquale, who is serving formal notice of his desire to enter into formal negotiations with the City Council to extend his contract with the City beyond January 2021.
I’m glad to see that Louis DePasquale wants to continue as City Manager. He deserves an extension simply on the merits of his job performance. That said, I can well imagine more than a few pet projects of individual councillors getting funded in this budget cycle. Just sayin’. – Robert Winters
Committee Report #1. 
Jan 16, 2020 – As expected, David Weinstein was elected at the Jan 16 Vacancy Recount to the Cambridge School Committee seat vacated by Emily Dexter (who was elected in the November 2019 municipal election but decided not to serve the term to which she was elected).
Jan 9, 2020 – A vacancy has been created in the School Committee due to the decision of Emily Dexter to not serve as a member of the School Committee for the term beginning January 6, 2020. Pursuant to the Cambridge Charter and Massachusetts General Law Chapter 54A, the Cambridge Election Commission will hold a Vacancy Recount to fill the seat.
This is the first regular City Council meeting of the 2020-21 term. The mayoral vote at the Jan 6 Inauguration was a single take, and newly minted Mayor Siddiqui broke the record for fastest City Council committee appointments. Here are a few items on the agenda of some interest.