Posted a week late but, heh, it’s free!
Off the Deep End – Cambridge City Council Nov 23, 2020 Agenda
Seriously, I think the Cambridge City Council has now lost its collective mind. More on that later. [Please note that the regular 5:30pm meeting will be preceded by a 3:00pm Special Meeting to discuss the COVID 19 trajectory with health and science experts.]
Here are some agenda items sure to draw the maximum of 120 seconds per person public comment (especially Charter Right #3 and Order #4):
Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a Covid-19 update.
Placed on File 9-0
Manager’s Agenda #2. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $9,277,190 from Free Cash to the General Fund School Department Salaries and Wages account ($7,446,360), General Fund School Department Other Ordinary Maintenance account ($1,781,455), and General Fund School Department Travel and Training account ($49,375), to fund additional costs associated with the reopening of schools with health and safety mitigations related to COVID-19.
Order Adopted 9-0
Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a request to move to Executive Session to discuss the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property.
Placed on File 9-0
Charter Right #2. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to explore the feasibility of keeping Riverbend Park open beyond Nov 29. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR TOOMEY IN COUNCIL NOV 16, 2020] [Order #8 from Nov 16, 2020]
Order Adopted as Amended 7-2 (Simmons, Toomey – NO)
Charter Right #3. That the City Manager confer with the Metro Mayor’s Association to close indoor dining, gyms, casinos and other non-essential indoor activities as soon as possible and That the City Manager, Community Development Department, the Economic Development Division, the Assessing Department and other relevant City Departments organize a small business and restaurant relief program that will assist during this second shutdown and our efforts to stop community spread of COVID-19 and keep schools open. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR TOOMEY IN COUNCIL NOV 16, 2020] [Order #10 from Nov 16, 2020]
Substitute Order [Order Adopted as Amended 7-1-1 (Toomey – NO; Simmons- ABSENT)]
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
VICE MAYOR MALLON
WHEREAS: Citywide, Cambridge businesses, the Cambridge Public Health Department and Cambridge Public Schools have implemented protective measures and strategies to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 throughout the community; and
WHEREAS: Though these protective measures have kept Cambridge COVID-19 positivity rates lower than neighboring cities, Cambridge’s positive cases do continue to increase daily; and
WHEREAS: Epidemiologists recommend targeted interventions to stop the spread of COVID-19 to keep schools open; and
WHEREAS: Research suggests a strong correlation between indoor activities and the rise of COVID-19 community spread; and
WHEREAS: Indoor activities are contributing to the rise in cases in Cambridge, getting our metrics dangerously close to closing schools and resuming remote only learning again; and
WHEREAS: We must take action to stop the spread of COVID-19 in order to keep our schools open and prioritize our scholars and their educations as we navigate through the next phase of the public health crisis; and
WHEREAS: Our efforts must be part of a regional response in order to not unfairly penalize Cambridge restaurants and small businesses; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager confer with the Metro Mayors’ Association to temporarily restrict high risk indoor activities, such as indoor dining and gyms, and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager, Community Development Department, the Economic Development Division, the Assessing Department and other relevant City Departments organize a relief program to assist and financially support businesses affected by these temporary closures.
ORDERED: That the City Manager and all relative Departments, begin meeting immediately with the business community and the Covid-19 Expert Advisory Panel to discuss what interventions can be universally implemented to make indoor business activities safer.
Resolution #6. Resolution on the death of Francis H. Duehay. Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Toomey, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan
Order #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to explore the feasibility of hiring a consultant to perform an Equity Audit on the Cambridge Arts Council, and to report back to the City Council by Jan 4th, 2021. Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Simmons
Order Adopted 9-0
Order #2. That the City Council formally go on record in asking the City Manager to work with the appropriate City Staff in formulating an RFP for a public arts project that will acknowledge the unfinished work of the 19th Amendment, the importance of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and how the two pieces of legislation ultimately complemented one another in helping to shape a more perfect union, and that the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on this matter in a timely manner. Councillor Simmons, Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan
Amended; Charter Right – Nolan
Order #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Community Development Department and other pertinent City staff to establish a Black and Brown-Owned Business Taskforce, to be focused upon strengthening the City’s outreach efforts, information-sharing, assistance mechanisms, and overall relationship with local Black and Brown-owned businesses, and to establish a rolling set of recommendations designed to ensure the City spares no effort in assisting these businesses. Councillor Simmons, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Toomey, Vice Mayor Mallon
Order Adopted 9-0
Order #4. Policy Order to strengthen community bonds and ensure equitable access to neighborhood organizations. Councillor McGovern, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Nolan
Charter Right – Nolan
This is actually nuts.
Order #5. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to appropriate the funds necessary to procure the work of the Collins Center as outlined in their submitted proposal. Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Mallon
Order Adopted 9-0
My guess is that "charter change" simply translates into "more Council authority and privilege" regardless whether that leads to anything better. – Robert Winters