Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

Zero Waste Master Plan Draft open for comment

For more than a year, the City has been developing a Zero Waste Master Plan. The City is seeking your feedback on the Draft Plan and the six Appendices. Visit CambridgeMA.Gov/ZWMP to review and submit comments until March 15, 2019. The final Zero Waste Master Plan will be made public by April 4.

Feb 28 – The City of Cambridge has embarked on a path to Zero Waste to build upon its current waste management system and programs. The development of a Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP) and strategy is intended to assist with achieving the City’s goals of reducing waste and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The public is invited to review a draft version of this plan and send comments through March 15, 2019, to recycle@cambridgema.gov.

The recommendations developed for the ZWMP will help support the Department of Public Works’ (DPW) guiding principles of providing high-quality public services, protecting and supporting the health of employees and the public, and managing costs and reducing trash. Learn more about how the City’s 25,000 tons of trash, recycling and composting is sorted – what’s landfilled, incinerated, recycled and composted – in Appendix 1 of the Zero Waste Master Plan.

The Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP) will guide the City in:
• Meeting trash reduction goals of 30% reduction by 2020 and 80% reduction by 2050 from 2008 waste levels.
• Maintaining high quality public services to manage waste disposal
• Maximize operational efficiency
• Protecting employee health and safety
• Evaluating costs for managing waste
• Exploring the impact of waste reduction on GHG emission goals

The ZWMP will also coordinate with the efforts of the citywide comprehensive plan, Envision Cambridge.

For more information, visit CambridgeMA.gov/zerowastemasterplan.

Upcoming Waste Events
Fri. 3/15: Last day to comment on Draft Zero Waste Master Plan.
Mon. 3/25: MassRecycle Summit, Sheraton Hotel Framingham.
Thurs. 4/4: New recycling program begins–TBA in March.
Sat. 4/6: Hazardous Waste Day for Cambridge residents, near 125 Munroe St.
Sat 5/18: Fix-It Clinic at Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway.

All Cambridge Dog Licenses Expire March 31, 2019

State law requires that all dogs over 6 months have a current dog license. The dog license period in Cambridge, MA runs from April 1 of the current year until March 31 of the following year.

Cambridge residents can apply for or renew their dog’s license online or download the paper application to renew via mail or in person, following instructions on the respective form.

In order to obtain a dog license, you will need:

• A rabies vaccination certificate with an expiration date or copy of medical records with rabies expiration date;
• Proof of spay or neuter (if not shown before), actual surgery certificate or if noted on Rabies/Medical History;
• FEES: Spayed Female/Neutered Male ($10); Un-Spayed Female/Un-Neutered Male ($30)
• If licensing by mail, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope;
• Please make check or money order payable to City of Cambridge, or payments can also be made in cash. Credit cards are not accepted in the office, but can be used for online renewals.

The Cambridge Animal Commission is located at 344 Broadway and its hours of operation are: Monday – Friday, 8:30am-7pm.

For more information, please contact Cambridge Animal Commission at 617-349-4076 or animalcommission@cambridgema.gov.

City of Cambridge Announces Inman Square Loyalty Program
The Program Encourages Patrons to Support Local Inman Square Businesses During Construction

The Cambridge Community Development Department will launch the Inman Square Loyalty Program on Friday, March 1. The Loyalty Program is designed to encourage Cambridge residents, employees, and visitors to continue supporting local businesses in the Inman Square business district during the Inman Square Intersection Improvements Project construction period. Those who participate in the Inman Square Loyalty Program will be entered in a monthly raffle.

To participate in the Inman Square Loyalty Program:

• Pick up an Inman Square Loyalty Card at participating Inman Square businesses.
• Make six purchases at participating businesses each month and get your Loyalty Card stamped after each transaction.
• Return your completed Loyalty Card to drop boxes located throughout Inman Square.

The Community Development Department will select two winners at the end of each month through a raffle drawing. Winners will receive a $50.00 gift certificate to an Inman Square business of their choice. Customers are limited to submitting one completed Loyalty Card per month.

“Our local businesses are an important part of our community and I am pleased that we are piloting this new program to help encourage residents and visitors to continue patronizing businesses during the upcoming construction project,” said Louis DePasquale, City Manager. “I appreciate the close collaboration between our City departments and the local business community to make this pilot a reality.”

“The pilot Inman Square Loyalty Program is part of our efforts to mitigate City construction-related impacts for local businesses,” said Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development. “Inman Square is a vibrant part of Cambridge’s retail economy, and the program encourages people to continue enjoying its diverse dining and shopping options during construction.”

The Community Development Department, Department of Public Works, and City Manager’s Office are collaborating with the East Cambridge Business Association, the Inman Square Neighborhood Association, the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, and Cambridge Local First to provide additional resources and programming that will support local businesses during the Inman Square Intersection Improvements Project.

“Supporting small business owners becomes even more important when they face construction projects,” said Jason Alves, Director of East Cambridge Business Association. “The Inman Square Loyalty Program will help remind people of the positive impact they can have on their community each and every time they make a decision to spend their dollars locally. It will be great to see the community get behind our businesses and win some prizes that will further support those impacted.”

To learn more about upcoming events and resources related to Inman Square construction mitigation efforts, visit cambridgema.gov/ShopInman.

Project Update

Residents, and business owners and staff are invited to stop by a Coffee Talk to meet with City staff and contractors and ask questions related to current and upcoming construction in Inman Square.

Thursday, March 14th
9:00am-10:30am
Olé Restaurant
11 Springfield St.

Additional Coffee Talks will be held monthly throughout the project at different times and locations to accommodate as many interested neighbors as possible.

If you have questions or concerns about the Inman Square project, you may contact Kate Riley, DPW Community Relations Manager at (617) 349-4870 or kriley@cambridgema.gov. More information about the project in general, as well as the December 2018 Construction Update newsletter can be found at www.cambridgema.gov/InmanSquare.

Calling all Cambridge Neighbors!
Cambridge FOUNDRY

In 2021, a new center for the arts and STEM will open at 101 Rogers Street. The Foundry building is a historic building reuse project that will allow the Cambridge community to enjoy performances, be creative and make things, and attend workshops to learn new skills.

Join the Foundry Consortium at Abigail’s Restaurant over coffee and scones for our first discussion about what you would like to see happening at the Foundry.

Saturday, March 16, 2019
10:00am–12:00pm
Abigail’s Restaurant
291 Third Street
Cambridge, MA 02142

Please RSVP by Friday, March 15, 2019. If you know someone who would be interested in joining us, please forward this email or download our flyer.

Cambridge Awarded AAA Ratings
Nations three major credit rating agencies affirm City’s status for 20th year

March 4, 2019 – The City of Cambridge has retained its noteworthy distinction of being one of approximately 33 municipalities in the U.S. to earn AAA ratings from each of the nation’s three major credit rating agencies. Each year since 1999, the city has received these ratings from Moody’s Investors Service, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings.

“I want to acknowledge the City Council’s leadership for adopting and maintaining sound fiscal policies, and city department heads and staff for their commitment to prudently managing their budgets and programs,” said City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “One of the many factors contributing to the city receiving these ratings is our strong and dedicated team.”

The AAA ratings are in conjunction with the city’s sale of $90.6 million in General Obligation bonds. These sales will finance capital projects such as King Open and Cambridge Street Upper Schools and Community Complex, sewer reconstruction, street and sidewalk reconstruction, and other municipal and school building design and renovations.

Over the last 20 years, the AAA rating has enabled the city to finance a variety of major capital projects at very favorable rates that, in turn, result in savings to taxpayers.

As the city undertakes a significant increase in debt issuance over the next few years to fund it’s school rebuilding program, the AAA rating will play a significant role in enabling the city to secure the most favorable interest rates. This is especially important as the city embarks on funding its third school project (Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools) with an estimated cost of $250 million. Overall, including the Tobin School project, the city is projected to spend a total of $505 million for the three school projects. In addition, the bonding schedule includes significant obligations for renovations to Fire Headquarters and other city buildings.

“We take a long-term approach to our fiscal planning, and our fiscal strategies and management practices have real impacts on Cambridge taxpayers,” said City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “We’ve built significant reserves, which in part serve as the city’s insurance policy, and our financial success is only possible because of the collaboration that occurs between the City Council and the city administration.”

Below are excerpts from the Rating Agencies reports. (Download Full Reports)

Moody’s Investors Service
Cambridge, Massachusetts (Aaa stable) benefits from a sizeable and diverse tax base that continues to grow significantly year over year. The city’s economy is driven largely by the presence of Harvard University (Aaa stable) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, Aaa stable) and the impressive research and development sector. The city’s financial position is strong with very healthy liquidity and reserves that are maintained by strong fiscal management. Both the debt burden and long term liabilities for pension and OPEB are conservatively managed and will remain manageable over the near term.

Credit strengths cited include:

• Large and diverse tax base anchored by institutional presences and robust commercial sector;
• Healthy financial position guided by formal policies;
• Strong fiscal management;
• Ample operating flexibility with excess levy capacity under Proposition 2½; and
• Expected to fully fund pension liability by 2026

Fitch Ratings
The city’s ‘AAA’ GO bond rating and Issuer Default Rating (IDR) reflect Fitch Ratings’ expectation for Cambridge to maintain a high level of financial flexibility through economic cycles, consistent with a history of strong operating performance and budget controls. The ratings further reflect the city’s wealthy and growing property tax base, moderate expenditure growth and its demonstrated ability to reduce expenditures during economic downturns.

Fitch expects long-term liabilities to remain low based on the city’s manageable capital needs, rapid principal amortization, continued growth in economic resources and a practice of fully funding actuarially determined pension contributions.

Standard & Poor’s Corporation
The rating reflects our opinion of Cambridge’s extremely strong property tax base that continues to grow within the Boston metropolitan statistical area (MSA), supporting continued positive budgetary performance that has led to improved reserves. The city has a favorable debt profile with the ability to absorb additional debt plans.

Key factors cited include management’s:

• Conservative revenue and expenditure assumptions in the budgeting process that focus on five years of historical information;
• Quarterly reports on budget-to-actual results and investments to the city’s finance and investment committees, respectively;
• Long-term financial plan with credible assumptions;
• Five-year capital plan with identified funding sources, which it is expanding to include a municipal-facilities-improvement plan;
• Robust debt and investment policy it reviews at least annually to demonstrate adherence; and
• Reserve policy that requires maintaining a minimum 15% of expenditures.

Nominations Sought for Outstanding City of Cambridge Employee Awards

March 8, 2019 – Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale is seeking nominations for the 2019 Outstanding City Employee Awards program which recognizes employees for exemplary performance and contributions that go above and beyond job requirements.

Cambridge city government is made up of dedicated employees who strive to provide a high level of quality services to all its citizens. The annual awards ceremony provides a special opportunity to give extra recognition to a few exemplary individuals who will be recognized at a special awards ceremony on Friday, May 10, 2019.

The Outstanding City Employee Awards are designed to recognize contributions that are above and beyond job requirements. Criteria for determining outstanding performance include:

• Demonstrated strong leadership and a high level of commitment to the city and its residents.
• Demonstrated outstanding customer service to the public and/or fellow employees.
• Developed an innovative or creative solution to a problem.
• Made superior contribution to the success of a project, completing work on time and within budget.
• Donated significant time to activities that benefit the Cambridge community. Encouraged and valued community involvement.
• Demonstrated an exceptional ability to work in a multicultural organization.
• Consistently contributed to better city operations.

All City employees are eligible for nomination. Anyone who lives or works in Cambridge may nominate one or more city employees for recognition. Individuals are not limited as to how many employees s/he chooses to nominate, but must submit a separate Nomination Form or letter for each employee. An employee may not nominate her or his own supervisor or department head for recognition.

Nominations are due by Friday, April 12, 2019 and can be submitted online. Alternatively, a signed nomination letter may also be submitted in person to the Personnel Department, Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue, 3rd Floor, via fax to 617-349-4312, or email to mcarvello@cambridgema.gov.

For more information, see this story in the news section of the city’s website, CambridgeMA.gov, or contact Maryellen Carvello at mcarvello@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-4300.