Exit, Stage Left – June 27, 2022 Cambridge City Council meeting
This will be the last regular City Council meeting until the Aug 1 Midsummer Meeting and then in the fall on Sept 12. This will also be Louis DePasquale’s last regular meeting as City Manager. Here is my first pass at the interesting stuff:
Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a COVID-19 update.
Placed on File 9-0
The case numbers and other statistics are already easily accessible. I would really like to hear more from the experts about what we might expect for the rest of the summer and into the fall – especially in regard to some of the newer Omicron variants.
Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to new appointments and reappointments of the following persons as members of the Cambridge Health Alliance Board of Trustees. New Appointments: Danielle Allen (Cambridge, 1-year term), Joseph Curtatone (Somerville, 3-year term) Reappointments: Lori Lander (Cambridge, 3-year term), Claire Laporte (Cambridge, 3-year term), Bryan Simmons (Somerville, 3-year term)
pulled by Zondervan; Placed on File 9-0
A former gubernatorial candidate and a former Somerville mayor – not your typical Board appointments.
Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a request from the Board of Election Commissioners recommending the relocation of polling sites, in accordance with Chapter 255 of the Acts of 2020, as amended by Chapter 5 of the Acts of 2021 and Chapter 29 of the Acts of 2021.
Order Adopted 9-0
These are relatively simple changes in polling sites. I have heard that there are some people associated with the Cambridge School Department who object to the use of school buildings as polling sites, and that’s just ridiculous. School buildings are used for this purpose just about everywhere.
Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 22-32 relative to an update on progress made in regard to LGBTQ+-Friendly Housing efforts.
pulled by Simmons; Placed on File 9-0
Manager’s Agenda #7. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $500,000, from Free Cash to the Public Works Public Investment Fund Extraordinary Expenditures account to fund the purchase of a Mack LR Electric rubbish packer.
pulled by Nolan; Order Adopted 9-0
Manager’s Agenda #8. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of appropriation and authorization to borrow $4,500,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of building renovations to the vacant City owned property at 105 Windsor Street.
pulled by Simmons; Charter Right – Zondervan
[Note: Councillor Simmons has been seeking a site for a Cambridge history museum for a number of years. Whether this site is appropriate for this use (among other uses) is an open question. An ideal site would be one that would draw a critical mass of visitors, and it’s not clear that this would meet that criterion.]
“Possible uses include community meeting spaces, spaces for public art, education and exhibitions, as well as a Cambridge history museum and City offices.”
Manager’s Agenda #11. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the authorization of a spending limit of $1,650,000 for Fiscal Year 2023, for the Renewable Energy and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction revolving fund (Revolving Fund), pursuant to Chapter 3.24 of the Municipal Ordinance titled “Departmental Revolving Funds.”
pulled by Zondervan; Order Adopted 9-0
Manager’s Agenda #12. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a request from Boston Properties Limited Partnership (“Boston Properties”) asking to modify two existing open space restrictive covenants on two parks, Broadway Park (also known as South Park) and Binney Park (also known as North Park). Boston Properties has indicated that this request is being made to facilitate the relocation of Eversource’s proposed electrical substation from its property at 135 Fulkerson Street to the so-called “Blue Garage” site within the Mixed-Use Development (MXD) District in Kendall Square owned by affiliates of Boston Properties Limited Partnership (“BPLP”), as contemplated by the zoning amendment ordained by the City Council on February 3, 2021 as Ordinance No. 2020-17 (the “2021 MXD Amendment”) and the further build-out of this site as described below and will include replacement of the open space that will be lost due to this project. [12A Late Order] [12B Late Order] [12C Late Order]
pulled by Zondervan; 3 (Late) Orders Adopted 9-0; Reconsideration Fails 0-9
I look forward to hearing what neighbor Heather Hoffman might have to say about this. The Manager’s letter notes: “The current Broadway and Binney Park covenants total 21,785 square feet of public open space in the area. This plan will increase the overall amount of publicly dedicated open space to 28,455 total square feet, resulting in a new open space that is larger in area and more functional for the public than the existing Broadway and Binney Parks.” I have to also note the following: “Broadway Park (also known as South Park)”. I have a few interesting ideas now that I know Cambridge has within it a place called “South Park.”
Unfinished Business #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $49,000,000 to provide additional funds for the construction of the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools project located at 197 Vassal Lane. [Passed to 2nd Reading June 13, 2022; To Be Adopted on or after June 27, 2022]
pulled by Carlone; Order Adopted 8-1 (Zondervan NO); Reconsideration Fails 0-9
This will simply finalize the appropriation vote from two weeks ago.
Multiple Communications re: bikes lanes, the Cycling Safety Ordinance, and lawsuit filed by Cambridge Streets for All.
Resolution #8. Congratulations to Louis A. DePasquale on his retirement from his position as City Manager for the City of Cambridge. Councillor Toner, Councillor Simmons
pulled by Toner; Resolution Adopted 9-0
Resolution #11. Congratulations to James P. Maloney on the occasion of his retirement from the position of Chief Operating Officer of the Cambridge Public Schools. Councillor Toner, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
pulled by Toner; Resolution Adopted as Amended 9-0
Resolution #14. Congratulations to Arthur Goldberg on his retirement from the position of Deputy City Solicitor for the City of Cambridge. Councillor Toner, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
pulled by Mallon; Resolution Adopted as Amended 9-0
Resolution #15. Congratulations to James Monagle on his retirement from the position of City Auditor for the City of Cambridge. Councillor Toner, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
pulled by Mallon; Resolution Adopted as Amended 9-0
I have known all of these men for a long time and they all deserve praise for all that they have contributed over the years.
Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to more fully review the dramatically growing need for expanded Traffic Calming, Traffic Signals and Vision Zero infrastructure through the city. Councillor Carlone, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan
pulled by Carlone; Amended 9-0; Charter Right – Simmons
What the Order really should say is: “ORDERED: That the City Manager, along with his staff, be and hereby is requested to more fully review the dramatically growing need for expanded Traffic Calming, Traffic Signals and Vision Zero infrastructure through the city; etc.” Not everything the City has done in recent years has been without criticism and much of it could have been done better. The Order as stated simply wants to spend another $5,000,000 on more of the same, and I hope City staff is willing to evaluate what has been done before prior to simply spending more money.
Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department, the Harvard Square Business Association, the Office of Tourism, and the Harvard Square Advisory Committee, and other area stakeholders on a plan for piloting more street closures for pedestrianization. Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0
I’m interested in seeing where this might lead. Selective street closures can make for better venues for events and street entertainment, but it could simply relocate traffic to other streets or create more obstruction than opportunity. This is also something we talk about in Central Square (you know, that other Zip Code).
Committee Report #1. The Transportation and Public Utilities Committee met on Apr 5, 2022 to conduct a public hearing on Ordinance #2022-8, an ordinance amending Parking minimums and maximums. [Transcript of meeting]
Accept Report, Placed on File 9-0; One Order Adopted 9-0; 2nd Late Order (zoning petition) referred to Planning Board and Ordinance Committee 9-0
Nothing like a 25-page computer-generated meeting transcript to really cut to the chase. Let me know how the novel turns out. Relevant quotes from staff: (1) “The parking study will take about a year.”; (2) “…one change could be to make it easier for people to use that parking. So that even if the number of spaces is reduced, it doesn’t make people’s daily lives any harder.” [Now there’s a shockingly sensible thing to hear.]. All of the Public Comment was from the density boys of ABC. Personally, I think there are parts of the city where it makes sense to eliminate parking minimums and other parts of the city where it makes sense to keep them. Such a nuanced point of view – very out of fashion. – Robert Winters
Late Order #6. That the Cambridge City Council go on record stating its enduring commitment to the protection of abortion rights, reproductive health care rights, and individuals’ rights to make reproductive decisions about their own bodies; and that the Cambridge City Council declare its support for the Executive Order signed by Governor Charlie Baker on June 24th, 2022. Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Toner, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0
Late Order #7. That Chapter 5 of the Municipal Code be amended to ban “limited services pregnancy centers” that present themselves as providing pregnancy related services but instead seek to persuade people against having an abortion. Councillor Zondervan, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0
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.
Yi-An Huang selected by Cambridge City Council as next City Manager
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.