2013 CCJ Notes
[items moved from main page]

Nov 26 - I just love playing with ballot data. If anyone wants to know who would replace each of the recently elected Cambridge city councillors should there be a vacancy during the next term, tune in to Cambridge InsideOut on CCTV this Tuesday (Nov 26) at 5:30pm and 6:00pm. I have lots of other fun facts to share such as #2 vote distribution, slate effectiveness and more. - RW

Nov 12 - Please tune in tonight (Tues, Nov 12 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm) to Cambridge InsideOut (The Sequel) on CCTV if you would like to hear detailed information about the recent Cambridge election results, a possible recount, and some interesting facts about different methods of surplus transfer in PR elections that may be worth considering. Last night I ran a series of experiments using the Cambridge tabulation software and ballot data from the very close 2001 and 2009 School Committee elections and the results are quite interesting.

In a few days I'll also be posting some preliminary information on the cost of the recent election. Since some of the greatest costs are incurred during the days immediately before the election, it would be highly inaccurate to give any such information until at least after the mid-November campaign finance information becomes available. Significant campaign costs will continue to be paid through the end of the year, but the mid-November figures will at least give preliminary estimates. - Robert Winters

Episode 17 of Cambridge InsideOut - A detailed look at the 2013 Cambridge election results and possible recount:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7T2H2pzF1M    [Comments?]

Episode 18 of Cambridge InsideOut - Boulder vs. Cincinnati vs. Fractional transfer methods in Cambridge's PR elections:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noxcL2EHJEs    [Comments?]

If you would like to look at the demonstrations used in these videos, you'll find them at http://rwinters.com/experiment/.

When Worlds Collide

As many of you know, my REAL job is teaching mathematics at MIT (and a weekly class at the Harvard Extension School). Elections and, for that matter, the Cambridge Civic Journal are more like full-time hobbies, though in a week like the one just past it seems like I've been working two full-time jobs. With the controversy over the closeness of the City Council results and what will almost certainly be a recount to follow sometime after next Friday's official results are known, I've been approached by many people asking for explanations of the Cambridge election method and especially about the way surplus ballots are chosen and transferred in the PR Count. If ever my two worlds of mathematics and civics/politics collide, this is it.

I plan on writing up a lot more about the election, proportional representation, the Cincinnati Method, and possible modifications that may be worth considering. If there's anything you would like me to include, just drop me a line. There's a lot that needs to be said, and much of it may surprise you. - Robert Winters

Unofficial 2013 Cambridge Election Results (Nov 6)

Nov 6, 8:30pm - The plot thickens in the City Council election. At the end of Tuesday's ballot count, there were only 51 votes separating the 7th through 10th candidates with only 15 votes separating the 9th place candidate (Nadeem Mazen) and the 10th place candidate (Minka vanBeuzekom) in the decisive 16th Count. When Wednesday's auxiliary ballots were included, the gap between the 7th through 10th candidates (Kelley, Carlone, Mazen, vanBeuzekom) narrowed to just 20 votes and only 6 votes now separate the 9th place candidate (Nadeem Mazen) and the 10th place candidate (Minka vanBeuzekom) in the decisive 16th Count.

At this point the winners have not changed, but the margin of victory is now shockingly small. There will be one last official count on Friday, November 15 that will include any overseas absentee ballots and provisional ballots. In some recent elections, due to the method of surplus distribution, the addition of just a few extra ballots has caused swings of 20 or more votes in the tabulation.

City Council (in order of election): Leland Cheung, David Maher, Denise Simmons, Tim Toomey, Dennis Benzan, Marc McGovern, Craig Kelley, Dennis Carlone, Nadeem Mazen. [Detailed Report]
Incumbents defeated: Ken Reeves, Minka vanBeuzekom

School Committee (in order of election): Patty Nolan, Fred Fantini, Richard Harding, Kathleen Kelly, Fran Cronin, and Mervan Osborne. [Detailed Report]
Incumbents defeated: None

Unofficial Election Results - City Council and School Committee (PDF)

Comments?

Preliminary 2013 Cambridge Election Results (Nov 5)

Nov 6, post midnight - It was an interesting night at The Count. Susana Segat and I did the live broadcast from the Senior Center and had many guests on the show including many of the City Council and School Committee candidates. In years past I would have been the first person to deliver the results, but tonight we were busy from the beginning of the show at 9:00pm all the way until 11:30pm or later. In case you have not yet heard the preliminary results, here they are:

City Council (in order of election - modified Wednesday to reflect actual order of election in final round): Leland Cheung, David Maher, Dennis Benzan, Tim Toomey, Denise Simmons, Marc McGovern, Craig Kelley, Dennis Carlone, Nadeem Mazen. [Detailed Report]
Incumbents defeated: Ken Reeves, Minka vanBeuzekom

School Committee (in order of election): Patty Nolan, Fred Fantini, Richard Harding, Kathleen Kelly, Fran Cronin, and Mervan Osborne. [Detailed Report]
Incumbents defeated: None

The City Council election quota was 1713 with 17,128 valid ballots counted. Only Leland Cheung exceeded quota with a surplus of 604 ballots.

The School Committee election quota was 2292 with 16,040 valid ballots counted. Three candidates reached quota on the 1st Count: Patty Nolan with a huge surplus of 1502 ballots, Fred Fantini with a surplus of 493 ballots, and Richard Harding with 3 surplus ballots.

It's important to emphasize that these are the preliminary figures. There are an additional 710 additional City Council ballots that will be inspected and included on Wednesday. Many of these may be blank ballots, but most will likely contain valid choices. In the City Council race, in the deciding round the vote totals for the 7th through 10th place candidates were: Kelley 1517, Carlone 1510, Mazen 1481, and vanBeuzekom 1466. That's only a 15 vote margin between 9th and 10th place, so it's possible that the unofficial results on Wednesday could change.

In the School Committee race, there are an additional 1,673 ballots to be inspected and counted on Wednesday. Most of these will likely be blank ballots without valid choices. However, even if there is a substantial number of valid ballots yet to be counted, the margins between candidates are such that it's essentially impossible for the results to change.

I'll be at the Senior Center on Wednesday and will post the final, unofficial results when they are known. - RW

Comments?

Some thoughts on the 2013 municipal election campaign on the eve of Election Day

Now that it's just a couple of days before Election Day, it's a good time to reflect a bit on what many have thought would transpire and what has actually transpired as the campaign has played itself out. Some of the factors that were expected to be significant are these:

• Two incumbent women (Davis, Decker) did not seek reelection. This contributed to the emergence of a large field of City Council candidates - 7 incumbents, 4 repeat challengers, and 14 new challengers - a total of 25 candidates for 9 seats.
• In the School Committee race, two incumbents did not seek reelection (McGovern, Turkel). This created a field of 4 incumbents, 2 repeat challengers, and 3 new challengers - a total of 9 candidates for 6 seats.
• Two prominent zoning petitions in the Central Square and Kendall Square areas in addition to the deliberations of the Red Ribbon Commission and the K2C2 process catapulted the issue of real and perceived development plans for these areas into prominence. Indeed, at least one organization (Cambridge Residents Alliance) was spawned by what they perceived as the threat of new development. On the flip side, the K2C2 process focused on the positive possibilities that might grow out of new investment in these areas through zoning and other incentives. A group called "A Better Cambridge" emerged as an advocate for "smart growth" principles and good urban design.
• The choice of Richard Rossi last December to succeed Robert Healy as City Manager was nearly unanimous and not at all unexpected, but it aggravated some activists who vowed to make this an election issue.
• Some activists introduced initiatives to distinguish themselves as agents of change in the interest of the quality of life of residents.
• Anti-development activists teamed up with local climate change activists to introduce a "net-zero" zoning petition that was timed so as to be a defining issue in the City Council election.
• On the School Committee side, the dichotomy of "excellence vs. equity", especially in the context of the "Innovation Agenda", was once again a defining issue. There was even some talk about a move to eliminate AP classes at the high school in the name of "equity".

So how much of this actually panned out as defining issues in the election? We won't really know until after the election results are determined, and even then it won't be possible to read the minds of those who voted to know their motivations. We can, however, make a few pre-election observations.

First, the significance of "two women leaving the Council" doesn't appear to be carrying the day, though it will certainly be a factor. Marjorie Decker has thrown her wholehearted support to Council candidate Marc McGovern (who in turn has been urging his supporters to vote for Kathleen Kelly to succeed him on the School Committee). Some women voters will certainly look to new candidates Kristen von Hoffmann and Janneke House, but it's just as likely that voters who prefer woman candidates may vote in significant numbers for incumbents Denise Simmons and Minka vanBeuzekom.

On the Kendall and Central fronts, many of us expected the ultra-political Cambridge Residents Alliance (CRA) to do a major mailing filled with their usual frightening misrepresentations as a means of swinging the election in favor of their chosen candidates. It's possible that such a piece may still arrive in the Monday mail, but this is looking less likely. They appear to have placed all of their political chips on challenger Dennis Carlone to carry their message and claims of the coming "tsunami of development marching down Main Street and Mass. Ave." and wall-to-wall skyscrapers displacing businesses and residents in their wake. It's not so clear whether many potential voters are drinking the CRA Kool-Aid, but there's no doubt that some have already drunk their fill.

On the matter of choosing the City Manager with minimal process, opponents have chosen to focus their attention on what appears to have been a minor technical violation of the open meeting law - the only consequence of which was how many names appeared as sponsors of the resolution to hire Richard Rossi. There were going to be 7 votes regardless of the technicalities, and that's all that really mattered. Nonetheless, the activists have continued to portray this as some kind of betrayal because they were not given maximal opportunity to chime in on the process. In truth, there were only a handful of us who attended the Government Operations Committee hearings on this matter, and anyone who was actually there could clearly see where the outcome was heading. This hasn't stopped the bloggers from blogging about what they continue to call "a lack of transparency". Apparently, crystal clear is not sufficiently transparent for some activists and their blogger friends. Perhaps they should have come to the public meetings.

Similar claims of lack of transparency and procedural missteps have also been directed at the passage of the MIT-Kendall zoning petition earlier this year. When MIT representatives sent word during City Council deliberations that their "memorandum of understanding" (which was the basis upon which the votes of several city councillors depended) would be null and void if an 11th hour amendment was approved, this led to Mayor Davis' decision to rescind her vote for that amendment. The zoning petition was then able to pass as expected. Because some activists did not like the outcome, they took issue with the procedures. Do you detect a pattern here?

One entertaining initiative of this past year was the "Teague Petition" - a zoning petition that would have imposed restrictions on some kinds of outdoor lighting. This petition would have had little or no effect on existing problematic intrusive lighting. Some people, myself included, argued that this was a matter better addressed through a separate municipal ordinance than via zoning. The Planning Board and the City Council agreed and there is now a task force coming up with a proposed ordinance. This seems like a far better approach, but it didn't fit in well with petition supporters who (I believe) had hoped to score big "quality of life" points with their petition in the upcoming election. Sorry, Charlie.

The Net Zero Petition was somewhat more impactful in terms of the election campaign. Though the legality (and certainly the practicality) of this petition was highly questionable, it did lead some City Council candidates (Carlone, Mazen, vanBeuzekom, Seidel, von Hoffmann) to jump fully on the Net Zero bandwagon. Several other prominent challengers (Benzan, McGovern) had serious issues with the proposal, and it's pretty clear that most of the incumbents were not supporters. The political dynamic has been tricky in that anyone with objections ran the risk of being tarred and feathered by environmental zealots - even if their objections were based on potential threats to new housing construction, including affordable housing. In the end the City Council found a workaround to avoid outright voting down of the petition. They voted to ask the City Manager to form a task force of all stakeholders to navigate a way toward the energy efficiency and other environmental goals upon which there was minimal disagreement. This way the Net Zero crowd was able to claim victory even as their proposal was allowed to quietly expire. It was still a topic at candidate forums, but it became less of a defining issue.

On the School Committee side, there have been a number of prominent issues that have come up at candidate forums and on street corners around the city. What I find most interesting is the way language is being twisted so that candidates can avoid being pinned down as taking a side on the "excellence vs. equity" issue. To be clear, this shouldn't really be a dichotomy. Everybody agrees with the goals of quality education and fairness to students regardless of background or current ability. The devil is in the details. More specifically, should students be allowed to attend separate classes based on their proven performance and interests? Or should students of all ability remain in the same classroom using such devices as "differentiated instruction" to manage differing abilities? Some people have even gone so far as to recommend that all Advanced Placement (AP) classes be eliminated at the high school. Candidates have generally danced around these issues by using phrases like "quality education for all children" (nobody disagrees) to mean that no provision should be made for advanced students unless the same provisions are made for all students. In short, they're perfectly happy to deny opportunities to "advanced learners". Personally, I feel that providing opportunities for advanced learners is just as much of a civil right as ensuring that other students be guaranteed a quality education.

There's more that could be said, but I'll leave it at that for now. My sense is that we may see a modest increase in turnout in this year's election - in large part due to all the new candidates. I have a secret list of who I believe will be elected, but I'm not telling. It's more difficult to make predictions this year for a number of reasons. First, the use of social media tools and other new toys create more possibilities for the younger, more tech-savvy candidates to bring nontraditional voters to the polls. That's a real wild card in an election. It's also hard to know how effective candidates really are when they meet voters face-to-face when knocking doors. Some candidates will benefit greatly from that kind of contact and only they know how well they have been received. - Robert Winters

Cambridge Candidate Pages

Comments?

Cambridge School Committee 2013 Campaign Finance Summaries (updated Dec 15)

Note: The figures shown are through the Oct 18, 2013 reporting deadline. Post-election reports will show different results.

Comments?

Oct 30 - The "Random Draw of Precincts" took place recently at the Cambridge Election Commission. This determines the order in which ballots from precincts throughout the city are counted in the election. Though this has a relatively minor effect on the tabulation of the ballots (because of the "Cincinnati Method" used to transfer surplus ballots), it can potentially make a difference in a very close election. Here's the ordering determined by lottery (read down the columns):

A milestone - Even with daily efforts of late to drive down traffic from spammers by banning many offending IP addresses, the combined traffic on rwinters.com and cambridgecivic.com continues to show healthy growth. We just surpassed 10,000 unique visitors per month (averaged over the past year) as of the end of September. [It's been above that mark on isolated months in the past, generally around election time, but this is the 12-month average which is far less volatile.] This will almost certainly spike to a much higher number as the municipal election draws near and people flock to the Cambridge Candidate Pages before heading to the polls. Here's the latest graph:

Aug 18, 2013 - A Better Cambridge response to Connolly Net Zero Zoning Petition

Voter Turnout by Age - November 2011 vs. November 2012 Cambridge Elections

The overall percent voter turnout (including active and inactive registered voters) in the November 2011 municipal election was 26.4%. The overall percent voter turnout in the November 2012 federal election was 71.9%. Turnout always varies considerably by age. The chart below shows the percent turnout by age in four-year increments. The municipal election is in blue and the federal election in maroon.

Comments?

2013 Cambridge City Council Campaign Finance Receipts (Jan 1, 2013 through Nov 1, 2013)

Note: Receipts include candidate loans which can greatly increase the percentage from Cambridge. Fees are included and reduce total receipts. Percentages for unions/PACS and identifiable real estate interests (RE) are shown. The total receipts in the first graph below includes all receipts reported by the bank. Bank receipts in some cases do not yet match the reported itemized receipts. All figures taken from Mass. Office of Campaign & Political Finance (OCPF) reports.

Total Itemized Receipts – 2013 (through end of October)

Percentage of Itemized Receipts from Cambridge – 2013 (through end of October, minimum $2000)

Percentage of Itemized Receipts from Cambridge w/o Candidate Loans

Percentage of Itemized Receipts from Real Estate/Developers – 2013 (through end of October, minimum $5000)

Comments?

Members Needed for Cambridge's "Getting to Net Zero" Task Force

Cambridge City Manager Richard C. Rossi is seeking volunteers to serve on a new "Getting to Net Zero" Task Force that will advise the City Manager on ways to advance the goal of putting Cambridge on the trajectory towards becoming a "net zero community," with focus on carbon emissions from building operations. This includes reducing energy use intensity of buildings and taking advantage of opportunities to harvest energy from renewable resources.

The Task Force will work collaboratively to examine strategies and develop recommendations that address the following topics:

· reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment
· improve energy efficiency and conservation in existing and new buildings
· support renewable energy generation both on- and off-site
· best practices to engage/educate users and influence occupant behavior

The City seeks individuals with a high degree of experience and expertise in these topics and demonstrated ability to work effectively on a team with diverse opinions to craft consensus solutions. The intention is to create a task force that includes subject matter experts in topics such as building design, construction and operation, development economics, energy efficiency, and renewable energy technology & policy, including the concept of Renewable Energy Certificates, as well as community advocates/residents, business/property owners/developer representatives, and representatives of local universities/the Cambridge Climate Compact.

The Task Force will work collaboratively to develop actionable recommendations that are comprehensive, practical and implementable and at the same time bold in their vision; these may include changes to City ordinances, zoning, policies and other directives. The work of the Task Force should continue to advance Cambridge's role as a regional and national leader in addressing environmental issues.

It is expected that Committee appointments will be made by the City Manager before the end of the year. The group will meet at least monthly starting December 2013 and deliver final recommendations by December 2014.

To apply, please send a letter by Nov 12, 2013 describing your interest in the study and any experience you have working on similar issues to:

Richard C. Rossi, City Manager
City of Cambridge , 795 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139
Email: citymanager@cambridgema.gov
Fax: 617-349-4307

Nov 5 - We'll be broadcasting Election Night coverage of The Count on CCTV Channel 8 from the Cambridge Senior Center tonight starting at 9:00pm. The hosts will be Susana Segat and Robert Winters. We'll be providing current and historical information, explaining exactly how our proportional representation elections work, and interviewing candidates and others. The program will also be livestreamed at http://cctvcambridge.org/cambridgeelection2013.

It's also a lot of fun to be there in person, so come on down for the excitement! - RW

Traffic report - The Cambridge Candidate Pages [http://vote.cambridgecivic.com] on Nov 4, Election Eve had 14,436 page visits. There will be lots more today as people make up their minds before voting. Polls are open until 8:00pm.

Update - The Candidate Pages had an additional 4,336 visitors on Election Day, Nov 6 with 25,283 page visits.

PS - I predicted that voter turnout would be about 18,000 and I think it will be within about 200 votes of that prediction.

The visits to the Cambridge Candidate Pages peaked dramatically on Election Day.
With about 18,000 voters, it would appear that perhaps
25% or more may have consulted the Candidate Pages this year.

Toomey Highlights Work on Grand Junction Train Issues, Vision for Future Bike Path

On Wednesday, City Councillor Tim Toomey released a new video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6jv5rJJPjk) highlighting his work on issues related to the Grand Junction Railroad in Cambridge. The Grand Junction, which traverses several Cambridge neighborhoods, has become a hot button issue in recent years with proposals for Commuter Rail trains and ethanol transport being considered at the state level. Toomey, who resides in East Cambridge several blocks from the tracks, has been a strong supporter of creating a mixed-use bike and pedestrian path in the Grand Junction's right-of-way.

"Grand Junction is an incredible asset for our community," Toomey said Wednesday. "While it has an important regional significance, being the only rail link between the northern and southern halves of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, it is also essentially a large swath of undeveloped, lightly-used land in the heart of Cambridge. With the exception of Commuter Rail maintenance trains and a freight train that carries produce to Chelsea several times per week, the tracks are seldom used. It's pretty clear that there are many outside of Cambridge that have an eye on it, but unfortunately their plans tend not to benefit abutters of the tracks in any way."

In 2010, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) began studying ways to use the Grand Junction Railroad for Commuter Rail service from Worcester to North Station. Their plans, which included more than twenty trains per day travelling at high speeds through six intersections in Cambridge and Somerville, were met with intense community skepticism and opposition. Councillor Toomey's outspoken opposition helped force the state to more closely study the plan, and it was eventually shelved.

"That was a real victory for our community," said Toomey. "There is such a strong need for better public transportation in our state, but that was not the way to do it," Toomey said, adding that the Massachusetts Sierra Club joined in opposition to the state proposal. "By blocking that proposal, we kept Grand Junction open to uses that will provide tangible benefits to Cambridge residents."

In 2013, Toomey emerged as a leading voice in the fight to stop a Fortune 500 company's plan to use railroads in Cambridge and Somerville to move millions of gallons of flammable ethanol each week. The plans included the possibility that Grand Junction could be used for trains carrying more than 60 tanker cars full of flammable chemicals. This proposal was met with intense community opposition not only in Cambridge, but in many of the surrounding communities. After a successful push by legislators at the State House, Global Partners, the petroleum company behind the proposal, backed down from their plans.

"Again, this was an immense victory for our neighborhood and the entire region, really," Toomey said. "An accident in a place like Cambridge or Somerville would have disastrous effects. While we have one of the best trained and best equipped fire departments in the entire country right here in Cambridge, an ethanol accident in an urban residential area would necessitate a regional response capability that just does not exist right now," Toomey said, adding that this was another plan that would have potentially precluded a positive community use for the Grand Junction Railroad.

"I think the fact that our community has had to fight back against destructive uses of these tracks twice in as many years highlights the urgency of building the rail trail," said Toomey, referring to a proposal to use unused space next to the Grand Junction railroad tracks to construct a mixed-use bike path. "This corridor passes through Kendall Square, where we have seen enormous growth in the numbers of people who bike and walk to work as opposed to driving cars," said Toomey. "The rail trail would offer a safer place for people to commute and recreate. The demand is already there."

In a video released on Wednesday, which can be found on Toomey's website, the City Councillor describes work he has done to bring the rail trail closer to construction, including his work to include the path in the East Cambridge Open Space Planning Study and secure $500,000 in funding from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

"More and more people are realizing just how much sense this project makes," Toomey said. "Just as we have been successful in opposing problematic proposals in the past, I firmly believe we can be successful if we support the rail trail with the same intensity."

Note: This was taken from a press release.

"A Better Cambridge" (ABC) Grades the City Council Candidates

Oct 26 - "A Better Cambridge" (ABC), the Cambridge resident group that describes itself as "working to build a more diverse and livable city on the path towards sustainable growth," has released the results of its 2013 City Council Candidate ratings. Since its inception, ABC has been a consistent supporter of the planning principles of "smart growth" and transit-oriented development, especially housing for a broad spectrum of incomes. Of the 18 City Council candidates who responded to the group's questionaire, top scores went to Leland Cheung and Marc McGovern, and lowest scores went to Dennis Carlone and Ron Peden.

"A Better Cambridge looks forward to working with all 9 members of the next City Council to help build a more diverse and livable city," said ABC chairman Jesse Kanson-Benanav. He added: "We believe a better Cambridge is a Cambridge that grows smart and sustainably, taking advantage of Cambridge's proximity to public and alternate transportation to expand housing choices for all Cambridge families." The full ABC mission and vision may be viewed at http://www.abettercambridge.org/our_mission.

ABC's analysis, including charts listing the candidate ratings on the individual question plus summary analyses of each candidate's positions, may be found at the ABC website: http://www.abettercambridge.org.

The group's press release noted that its candidate questionnaire and analysis is intended to give information about how the various candidates stand on the issues that ABC has focused on and is not intended to be an exhaustive analysis of their stance on every issue currently facing Cambridge.

ABC's Candidate Grid (2 page PDF)     ABC's Candidate Analysis (56 page PDF)

The ABC questions/topics posed to the candidates were:

• DIVERSITY: If elected, what policies will you support or propose to help strengthen the diversity of our community through increased affordable housing and greater economic opportunity for all Cambridge residents?
• SUSTAINABILITY: If elected, what policies or initiatives will you support to ensure that there is adequate housing near public transportation that supports sufficient retail to meet neighborhood needs, meets the needs of current and future residents, reduces auto usage and encourages energy efficiency?
• GROWTH: Do you agree that in order to support diversity and meet the housing needs of sustainable growth in Cambridge increased density may be necessary? If elected, what specific policies or initiatives will you support to achieve sustainable urban growth and to increase low and moderate income housing for all populations, including families?
• LIVABILITY: What traits of Cambridge neighborhoods do you find most distinctive? If elected, what policies or initiatives will you support to help reinforce these characteristics through new development, public and open spaces and other means?
• DIALOGUE: In your opinion, do public planning processes in Cambridge support open and constructive engagement between stakeholders? If elected, how will you help ensure transparent and mutually respectful planning for the future of Cambridge?
• K2C2: Which three K2C2 recommendations do you believe should be top priorities for the City of Cambridge over the next few years? What specific policies or initiatives recommended will you support to ensure these priorities are achieved during the next City Council term? Are there policies and recommendations that you oppose?
• CONNOLLY "NET ZERO" PETITION: Does this candidate oppose the Connolly Petition?
• BUILDING HEIGHTS: Does this candidate support the possibility of increased height allowances for certain transit-oriented developments?
• MORATORIUM ON NEW DEVELOPMENT: Does this candidate oppose a moratorium on development?
• CITYWIDE MASTER PLAN: Does this candidate oppose a master planning process that freezes smart growth projects?

Comments?

P A N G E A
Parents for a Global Education Association

Dear Cambridge Families,

Six of the nine (6 of 9) School Committee candidates participated in our forum on World Languages: Fran Cronin, Alfred Fantini, John Holland, Elechi Kadete, Patricia Nolan, and Mervan Osborne. One (1) candidate responded that she was a strong advocate for world languages, but was not able to answer the questions: Joyce Gerber. Two (2) candidates did not respond: Richard Harding and Kathleen Kelly.

We are grateful to have received responses from 6 candidates. We have enclosed these here in alphabetical order.

You can also find them on PANGEA's website under latest updates: www.pangeacambridge.com

We have reached out to all the candidates and are hopeful that other responses will soon follow. If you know any of the candidates who have not responded and desire to hear their opinions on these issues, we'd encourage you to reach out to them and ask for their responses.

When we receive further responses, we will forward them along.

Sincerely,
Paul Ciampa, PANGEA member
Jane Chiang, PANGEA member

Fran Cronin responses (2 pg. PDF)

Fred Fantini responses (6 pg. PDF)

John Holland responses (4 pg. PDF)

Elechi Kadete responses (5 pg. PDF)

Patricia Nolan responses (11 pg. PDF)

Mervan Osborne responses (2 pg. PDF)

PANGEA is an organization of parents and community members advocating for the development, support, and promotion of language immersion programs in Cambridge for all children. We believe that effective cross-cultural and communication skills are integral to a global education. Language immersion programs are one way to fill that need. Strong world language programs can also provide these skills. Families should have the option of choosing the model that best fits their circumstances.

Comments?

Oct 17 - There was a pretty good School Committee candidates forum last night at the Main Library that would definitely have caused people who pay attention to shift their anticipated ballot rankings. I'll try to distill some of what was said in the next day or two. - RW

Oct 17 - It's been interesting watching some of the side effects of 3 City Council candidates (Carlone, House, Mazen) announcing the other day that they are running as a slate (the "clean slate" as they are calling it). Just as interesting as who is on that slate is the matter of who is excluded from that slate - either because of not wanting to be part of it or not being asked. It's also very interesting that candidate Carlone is instructing voters to specifically give a #2 vote to House and a #3 vote to Mazen [Note: This has now been changed to a more neutral statement.] When the CCA ran slates of candidates in years past, endorsed candidates naturally asked for the #1 vote but NEVER advised anyone how to assign the rest of the rankings but simply to "vote the whole slate". The CCA also at least tried to have some diversity in their endorsed slates. The whole matter of candidate slates is something that deserves a more extensive writeup - perhaps a project for the next few days. - RW

City Manager Seeks Members for Fresh Pond Advisory Board

City Manager Richard C. Rossi is seeking Cambridge residents to fill vacancies on the Fresh Pond Advisory Board. The Fresh Pond Advisory Board was created in 2001 to advise the City Manager and City boards and commissions on implementation of the Fresh Pond Reservation Master Plan, which was adopted by the City Council in January 2001. The Master Plan provides guidance for the maintenance and improvement of Fresh Pond Reservation, a critical element of the City's water supply, and the City's most heavily used open space.

The primary purposes of the Advisory Board are to oversee the general stewardship of Fresh Pond Reservation in accordance with the Master Plan and to maintain collaborative relationships among City departments and user groups that impact the Reservation. The Advisory Board also provides a forum for public discussion and evaluation of proposals for land-use and land-management projects.

The Fresh Pond Advisory Board includes up to 18 members (up to 12 of whom are resident volunteers with active, long-term knowledge of the Reservation, who are not City employees or consultants to the City). Board members are appointed for three-year terms and may be reappointed at the City Manager's discretion. Persons with expertise in landscape architecture, park management and environmental management are encouraged to apply. The Fresh Pond Advisory Board meets at least four (4) times annually, on Thursday evenings.

For more information, call Sam Corda, Managing Director, Cambridge Water Department at 617-349-4770 or scorda@cambridgema.gov. Interested persons should send a letter and/or resume via e-mail, mail or fax by Friday, October 24, 2013 to:

Richard C. Rossi, City Manager
City of Cambridge
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Ph: 617-349-4300; Fax 617-349-4307
E-mail: citymanager@cambridgema.gov

Oct 25 - City Council Candidate Tim Toomey Touts 2013 Endorsements (added to his Candidate Page)

Oct 7 - School Committee candidate Elechi Kadete letter to Cambridge Chronicle

Excerpt: "I am running for School Committee because I believe I can make a difference as I am in touch with Cambridge youth. I feel blessed that in Cambridge, I was able to attend school with others from various walks of life. My schoolmates were the children of University Professors, doctors, High tech specialists as well as people who were on public assistance. My schoolmates were of different races and religions, but we sat in one class and we were friends and remain so. I have seen the many struggles and many successes of my schoolmates. I have seen kids who were smart and qualified to go to college unable to go because they could not get the necessary funding. Some have ended up on public assistance. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, yet in Cambridge, with all its resources, it happens too often."

Oct 6 - School Committee candidate Mervan Osborne announces 2013 policy proposals

1) Universal access to Pre-K: "I propose that every family should have access to a quality preschool for their child."

2) Address the Achievement Gap Challenge: "I propose the creation of an Achievement for All working group that calls on the expertise and experiences of school leaders, parents, community members and outside experts."

3) Foreign Language in all CPS Elementary Schools: "I propose a review of the World Language program to introduce curricular opportunities on our JK-5 campuses and examine the possibility of requiring a foreign language for all three years in grades 6-8."

Oct 5 - City Council Candidate Luis Vasquez Visits CRLS

This past week, Cambridge City Council Candidate and 2006 CRLS graduate, Luis Vasquez returned to his old stomping grounds to tour the newly renovated facility and to be a guest speaker in a civics class for senior students.

Vasquez started the classroom conversation with a message, "First off, I'm jealous. You guys are spoiled. The renovation left you with a beautiful school to enjoy and to feel even safer in than before. CRLS is packed with resources driven by people that have 'been there done that'; I urge you to use them. I didn't, and that's my only regret. What I got by with, was adults seeking me out to push me ahead because they believed in me. We can taste success quicker once we realize our own potential. That didn't happen for me until I was 18 and I found out I would be a father. The biggest blessing of my life to date." [Click above link for full story]

A quick word on another City Council candidate forum

Oct 8, 2013 - Congratulations are in order to the good folks of the Porter Square Neighbors Association (PSNA) for putting on an excellent, well-attended City Council candidate forum tonight. There were other sponsors, but this was clearly a PSNA production. Alice Wolf moderated the forum and did a great job managing things with just the right tone and sense of humor. I was especially appreciative of the choice of questions presented to each of the three panels of candidates. They were fair and relevant - a big improvement over last week's MCNA candidate forum. I am grateful that Erin Baldassari from the Cambridge Chronicle was there taking notes, and I will defer to her report for most of the details of what was actually said and emphasized by the candidates.

One thing that distinguished candidates was their differing views of new residential and/or commercial development in the city. Several of them spoke of the need for a "master plan" which, quite frankly, makes me think of Robert Moses and others who felt they had all the answers. This was softened to some degree by a call for "neighborhood planning" which was not really defined and which could, quite easily, be just a code word for "not in my backyard". Some candidates (who I will refrain from naming for now) spoke only of their fear of any redevelopment in Central Square. The final candidate of the night was the only one who emphasized the importance of training local residents to take advantage of job opportunities in developing areas such as Kendall Square.

On a personal note, I have to say that I was gratified to see some people in the audience who had with them material printed from the Cambridge Candidate Pages. I also greatly appreciated the fact that several candidates referred to material I have posted on the Cambridge Civic Journal. I wonder sometimes why I continue to do this civic journalism, and it helps a lot when I see people actually making good use of what I produce. The next four weeks are going to be brutal in terms of the misinformation and outright falsehoods that are going to be spread about the candidates and about various issues. I'm already seeing some of it in listservs and pamphlets distributed at these forums. At some point self-appointed oracles will tell you which candidates you should vote for and who you should not vote for. As tempting as it may be to go up to the mountaintop and come down with a few inscribed tablets commanding you who you should vote for, I will continue to resist that urge and, once again, ask you to consult what the candidates submit to the Cambridge Candidate Pages and post on their own websites, use your own judgment, and decide on your own how to rank the candidates. Above all, I urge you to ignore any advice from self-anointed pundits regarding which candidates you should vote for. - Robert Winters

A quick word on an unsatisfying candidate forum

Oct 3 - Last night was the second major City Council candidate forum of the campaign season - this one sponsored by the Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Association (MCNA) which featured the same multiple-table discussion format that they've done for the past several election cycles. The format is great in that there's a lot of interaction (and even a little argument) among the candidates and opportunity for conversation between the candidates and the attendees. On the down side, the selection of topics and questions posed to the candidates was biased to the point of being downright comical. The draftees were pretty clearly aligned with those activists who would block most new residential and commercial construction - especially in areas close to transit. The questions also revealed a viewpoint dominated by the belief that corruption and conspiracies guide much of what the current city councillors say and do. Quite a few of the questions posed to candidates were of the "When did you stop beating your wife?" variety.

In short, the format was great but I'd really like to know who was on the MCNA subcommittee that drafted the topics and questions. I think I can guess and I'm pretty sure which candidate they're backing, but I'd still like to see the list so that I can "unfriend" them. Candidate forums should be about the candidates and not about the biases of the forum sponsors. - RW

Candidates Night Out

Sept 27 - There was a City Council Candidate Forum tonight - the first of the season - sponsored by the East Cambridge Planning Team and held at the Dante Alighieri Society Center at Hampshire and Portland Streets in the Wellington-Harrington neighborhood of Cambridge. All 25 City Council candidates were there - a full banquet. One thing you have to understand about candidate forums, especially the first of the campaign, is that it's not especially important WHAT the candidates say, but HOW they connect with the audience. Nonetheless, reporters will likely give detailed accounts of candidate statements, size up the candidates accordingly, and thereby completely miss the point.

The candidates who have a chance of being elected are the ones who actually speak directly to the audience without sounding as though they're reading from note cards. They address their audience and appeal to them in human terms. The better candidates also say substantive things without being evasive. This projects both competence and honesty.

At the risk of appearing to play favorites, the candidates who were most successful at tonight's forum were (in no particular order) Ken Reeves, Mark McGovern, Denise Simmons, Dennis Benzan, Leland Cheung, Tim Toomey, and David Maher. Also showing promise were Minka vanBeuzekom, Craig Kelley, Dennis Carlone, Logan Leslie, Luis Vasquez, Jefferson Smith, and Sam Seidel. To a lesser degree, Nadeem Mazen and Ron Peden also had some good moments. This is not to say that the other candidates were especially dreadful (well, maybe one or two) - just that they didn't especially connect with the audience at this event. This will likely change in subsequent forums, especially next week's MCNA Forum at Cambridge College where candidates will talk with individual voters around tables. Some candidates do much better in direct conversation than they do addressing an entire room.

Questions posed to the candidates included such topics as affordable housing, transportation, the City Manager and city government, funding for school construction, and perceived dysfunction of the current City Council. They were also asked to comment briefly on the season's most overblown issue, the "Net Zero Petition," and relatively few candidates offered unqualified support. The two challengers who appear to be running the strongest campaigns were both clearly opposed to this petition as currently written.

The audience at this event was, as is often the case, largely composed of people who were there supporting particular candidates, but there were definitely some non-affiliates at the forum who were there to actually learn about the candidates. The event was recorded by CCTV and should be viewable soon either on Cable TV or via the CCTV website. - Robert Winters

Town and Gown - Cambridge City Council candidates seek improved relations with Harvard through more communication, financing, and student involvement (Harvard Crimson, 1st of 5 articles to appear on the upcoming municipal election)

Excerpts:
"There wouldn't really be a Cambridge if Harvard hadn't founded their college here...Our histories are intertwined and that one would not be successful without the other," said current City Councillor and candidate Leland Cheung.

"Like it or not, people can live here 100 years, but no one will have been here longer than Harvard. Like it or not, Cambridge is defined by its universities. To not embrace that is to the detriment to both Harvard and the town...Cambridge is because of Harvard," said Logan E. Leslie '16, who is running for a seat on the Council.

Asked to characterize Harvard's relationship with city government in the last two years, candidates gave conflicting responses.... "I don't think there has ever been a relationship," said Craig A. Kelley, a current city councillor who is seeking reelection.

Voter Registration and Absentee Ballots for the Municipal Election, November 5th

The 2013 Cambridge Municipal Election will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2013. For Cambridge residents not already registered, the last day to register to vote was Wednesday, October 16, 2013 until 8pm. The polls will be open on Election Day from 7:00am until 8:00pm.

Absentee Ballots are now available at the Cambridge Election Commission office. Any voter who is unable to go to the polls on Election Day due to physical disability, religious belief, or absence from the City may request an Absentee Ballot from the Commission by Noon on Monday, November 4th. Absentee Ballots may be mailed to voters, or such voters may choose to vote at the Commission office during regular city office hours: Monday, 8:30am-8:00pm; Tuesday-Thursday, 8:30am-5:00pm; Friday, 8:30am-Noon. The office will also be open for Absentee Voting on Friday, November 1st from 8:30am until 5:00pm and Saturday, November 2nd from 9:00am until 5:00pm.

For any additional information, please visit the Cambridge Election Commission office at 51 Inman Street, call (617-349-4361) or visit our website at www.cambridgema.gov/election.

Gripes for a Wednesday Afternoon

Oct 2 - Sometimes during the day-to-day business of alerting people to what's coming up at City Hall or trying to inform voters about the candidates in the upcoming election, there are some things that deserve comment that don't necessarily fit comfortably in any specific category. I guess these would have to simply be called Gripes. So... at the risk of offending a few people, here are a few Gripes for a Wednesday Afternoon:

1) I'm getting kind of sick of reading letters submitted to the Cambridge Chronicle (and elsewhere) that are OBVIOUSLY generated by people associated with current political campaigns. If the campaign staff and workers of a particular candidate want to place a political advertisement in a local paper, shouldn't they pay the going rate and include the phrase "Paid Political Advertisement"?

2) Has anyone taken notice of the fact that the parking skills of Cambridge car drivers have plummeted lately? The law requires that cars not be parked more than a foot from the curb, yet I routinely see cars parked several feet from the curb. When was the last time a parking control officer tagged a vehicle for parking like an idiot? Dishonorable mention goes to those drivers who don't understand the meaning of the word "parallel" in the phrase "parallel parking".

3) A special award should be issued to all of the novice cyclists on Hubway bikes now occupying the street like molecules in a hot gas. Not a day goes by without encountering at least one of these characters either drifting across a busy street without looking or careening wrong-way down a bike lane.

4) Tonight I'll be attending yet another "Net Zero" event. It amazes me how quickly some local activists who never paid any attention to environmental concerns suddenly "got religion" on global warming when they realized it could potentially be used to block new commercial and residential development in Cambridge.

Perhaps I should make this a regular Wednesday "Hump Day" tradition. Anyone else have some gripes? - Robert Winters

Comments, Gripes?

Sept 14 - All of the Cambridge City Council Candidate Pages were updated today to include a link to their profiles recently published in the Cambridge Chronicle. All of these can be found in the special section in the Chronicle on this year's municipal election.

300 Mass. Ave./Forest City project gets final approval

Sept 3, 2013 - The Cambridge Planning Board tonight gave its unanimous final approval to the design of the proposed building at 300 Mass. Ave. that had been the subject of multiple iterations of a zoning petition by Forest City/MIT.

300 Mass. Ave. - Proposed Design (June 2013)

300 Mass. Ave. - Approved Design (Sept 2013)

This marks the successful final step of what has been a very long process that began with the initial filing in February 2011 of a zoning petition to extend the Cambridgeport Revitalization Development District (CRDD) to include this Mass. Ave. frontage from MIT's Random Hall up to Blanche Street (commonly referred to as the "All Asia Block"). In a sense, this story really began several decades ago with the original plans for University Park that included this block but which was subsequently excised due to different property ownership. Only in recent years have those other owners been willing to enter into the arrangement that led to the proposal now finally approved and proceeding toward demolition and construction.

The February 2011 zoning petition was eventually withdrawn but was re-filed in March 2012. That zoning petition spawned a backlash when, at the City's urging, a slender residential tower at Sydney and Green Streets was included in the plans. Amid complaints over excessive shadows and the loss of a small park, the residential component was removed from the proposal in its Ordinance Committee. In a curious twist, many of the same people who objected to the proposed housing morphed into housing activists as they objected to the proposed commercial building. This zoning petition was then allowed to expire in August 2012. It was re-filed in substantially the same form in December 2012 along with a revised memorandum of understanding that reaffirmed a variety of housing commitments and added the promise of new affordable housing units in the future. That zoning amendment eventually passed unanimously in February 2013.

With the new zoning in hand, there was still the design review process required under the zoning. The architects had an initial review before the Central Square Advisory Committee in June followed by the initial Planning Board hearing on July 9. There were some objections from the Board and unresolved issues with an abutter, so another hearing was scheduled for August 6. Rather than get the go-ahead as expected, there were still a few substantial objections remaining - primarily concerning the significant amount of glass on the Mass. Ave. facade, so yet another hearing was scheduled. At the September 3 hearing the architects presented much more aesthetically pleasing plans and the Planning Board gave an enthusiastic and unanimous vote of approval.

In addition to a very good building, the plans include a cooperative plan with the City to transform Blanche Street between Green Street and Mass. Ave. into a "shared street" or woonerf, a Dutch word that means "living street" where pedestrians and cyclists have legal priority over motorists. Two examples of this kind of treatment are Palmer Street and Winthrop Street in Harvard Square. There will also be a significant row of new small-scale retail along the Mass. Ave. frontage.

It has to be noted that, as has happened before in Cambridge, this development proposal left a political vestige - the opposition group that calls itself the Cambridge Residents Alliance (CRA). Their primary activities to date include (1) a zoning proposal that would have preserved in perpetuity the surface parking lots in Central Square and harshly capped all building heights and densities in and around Central Square, (2) a proposed citywide moratorium on most large-scale residential or commercial development, (3) an activist core that presents highly disputable claims of "a tsunami of development" and "crush hour on the Red Line", and (4) the inevitable effort to promote anti-development candidates for City Council in the upcoming election. Another group called "A Better Cambridge" (ABC) was formed that generally supports "smart growth" principles and good urban design but remains apolitical.

The ABC group has been largely supportive of the recommendations that grew out of the 2011-2012 Central Square Advisory Committee and its predecessor Mayor's Red Ribbon Commission. The CRA has been primarily opposed to any of the recommendations that would permit any substantial new construction or redevelopment in Central Square (and elsewhere in Cambridge). So even as the Forest City/MIT plans for 300 Mass. Ave. proceed toward construction, the seeds have been sown for the latest episode in the never-ending competition of visions for the future of Cambridge and Central Square - just in time for this year's municipal election season. Indeed, a very good case can be made that the current "Net Zero Petition" (introduced by many of the same activists who have been opposing new construction) is a proxy to stop all new large-scale residential and commercial construction. - Robert Winters

Comments?

Candidates on the ballot for the November 5, 2013 Cambridge Municipal Election

Online Voter Registration Search Now Available

The City of Cambridge Election Commission is proud to announce the launch of the new Online Voter Registration Search. Voters will now be able to access a voter registration search page which has been added to the Election Commission website at https://www.cambridgema.gov/election/voterregistrationsearch.aspx.

Voters will be prompted to enter their first name, last name and date of birth. If they are registered, they will be able to check the address where they are registered, active or inactive status, political party affiliation, elected officials and their polling place information, including a link to a map of the polling place.

For residents who are not registered in Cambridge, there is a link to a voter registration form that can be printed and mailed to the Election Commission.

For voters in the 5th Congressional district, the deadline to register to vote for the Oct 15, 2013 Special Primary is Sept 25, 2013 at 8pm. For all Cambridge voters, the deadline to register for the Nov 5, 2013 Municipal Election is October 16, 2013 at 8pm.

City Manager Seeks Members for Recycling Committee

Cambridge, MA - City Manager Richard C. Rossi is seeking Cambridge residents and local professionals interested in serving on the Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC). The RAC is an all volunteer committee which as requested shall provide advice, assistance and recommendations to the Department of Public Works (DPW) regarding recycling, composting, reuse, extended producer responsibility and waste prevention.

Over the long-term, DPW strives to meet the goals of the MassDEP Solid Waste Master Plan to reduce residential trash. The RAC does this through research, feedback, public outreach and event planning. The Committee has been active for over 20 years and should consist of at least nine members with a demonstrated interest in the topics listed above. Members serve a three-year term and are expected to attend monthly meetings (Sept-June).

The City seeks members that represent local businesses and property managers going green, Cambridge residents and users of the Recycling Center, non-profit organizations and social service agencies whose goals overlap with waste reduction. RAC member requirements include:

• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities needed:
• Marketing
• Advocacy for state and federal policy on extended producer responsibility
• Knowledge of the reuse industry
• Familiarity with the Cambridge Public Schools
• Knowledge about using recycled materials
• Knowledge about non-toxic alternatives to everyday items
  
• Duties, Responsibilities and Minimum Requirements include:
• Attend/participate in monthly meeting, held the second Wednesday of the month (Sept-June). An alternative meeting day and time may be selected by new members.
• Participate in creating committee direction and implementation of ideas.
• Take a leadership role in projects, such as doing research, organizing & attending events, advocating for Extended Producer Responsibility legislation, etc.
• Work with the Public Works Recycling Division, Climate Protection Committee and other appropriate City staff to provide feedback on City initiatives and collaborate on projects.
• Research different approaches to communication, education and best practices for recycling, composting, reuse and waste reduction programs.
• Disseminate outreach materials and post fliers in the community to educate the public.
• Write articles for all varieties of media promoting City programs and services including newspaper editorials, blog posts, newsletter articles, etc.
• Initiate, plan, attend and manage events to promote recycling, composting, reuse and waste reduction.
• Recruit additional volunteers for specific events and projects.
• Meet with the community and participate in at least 2-3 events, such as Danehy Park Family Day, Area 4 Community Pride Day, Urban Ag Fair, City Sprouts Festival, Family Fun Day, Fresh Pond Day, Arts in the Park, Summer in the City, block parties.
• Continually promote positive recycling, composting, reuse and waste reduction whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Interested persons should submit an email by Tuesday, Oct 22, 2013 describing their relevant experience and their professional interest in these issues to Owen O’Riordan, Acting Commissioner, Dept. of Public Works 147 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, MA 02140; or e-mail to: theworks@cambridgema.gov. For more information, visit our website, www.cambridgema.gov/theworks.aspx.

Current Committee members interesting in serving again must submit a letter of interest by Oct 22, 2013.

Cambridge Watershed Bike Tour - October 19

Cambridge, MA -- Explore where your water comes from! Join Cambridge Water Department (CWD) staff on a guided bike tour of the watershed Saturday, Oct 19, from 8am-4pm. The 34-mile loop will take cyclists from the Walter J. Sullivan Purification Facility at 250 Fresh Pond Parkway in Cambridge, to the watershed lands and reservoirs in Lincoln, Lexington, Weston and Waltham. Rain date is Sunday, Oct 20.

The tour will include stops at the CWD Field Office, Winter Street Dam and Gatehouse, Stony Brook Dam and Gatehouse, and Paul Revere Capture Site. Advanced registration is required; registration closes on Oct 15. Participants must be comfortable with the 34 mile distance and must provide their own bike (road or hybrid), helmet and lunch. Technical assistance will be provided by Urban AdvenTours.

To register, please contact Katie at kbooras@cambridgema.gov or call 617-349-7712. For more information, visit http://www.cambridgema.gov/Water/Programs/watershedbiketour.aspx.

Alewife Reservation Constructed Wetland Grand Opening Ceremony - Tuesday, October 15

Cambridge, MA – After a long and collaborative effort between the City of Cambridge's Department of Public Works, the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA) and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the three agencies are pleased to announce the grand opening of the Alewife Constructed Wetland just west of the Alewife T Station along the Alewife Greenway Extension multi-use path, Tuesday, Oct 15, from 2:00-5:00pm. (See more detailed directions below).

Alewife Reservation Constructed Wetland during restoration - August 2012

Alewife Reservation Constructed Wetland - October 2013

The 3.4-acre wetland is designed to store and treat stormwater runoff before it enters the Little River. The new wetland will slow down the flow of stormwater through contact with a series of marsh systems, allowing sediment to settle, and removing nutrients and pollutants from the water. Several types of habitats, ranging from emergent marsh to riparian woodland have been created to enrich and enhance the biodiversity that already exists in the Alewife Reservation. The wetland also provides recreational amenities, including a boardwalk and scenic overlooks, environmental education opportunities, an amphitheater designed with seating for a class of students, interpretive signage, and links to the Alewife Greenway Extension's bike and pedestrian paths.

"This newly constructed wetland not only improves water quality in the Little River and Alewife Brook, but also provides a new and unique recreational and educational open space for the community to enjoy," said Richard C. Rossi, City Manager.

This project is funded by the City of Cambridge, MWRA and the Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust through the Clean Water SRF program administered by MassDEP.

Please visit the City's website to learn more about this innovative stormwater management project and new urban wild at www.cambridgema.gov/theworks/cityprojects.aspx (select Cambridge Park Drive Area Drainage Improvements and Stormwater Wetland Project).

Directions to Alewife Reservation Constructed Wetland:
Walking directions to the Basin Amphitheater via Alewife Greenway Extension:

From DCR Discovery Park Lot - 100 Acorn Park Drive, Cambridge

• Exit DCR parking lot at driveway entrance.

• Turn LEFT out of parking lot going SOUTH to walking trail at the Corner of Acorn Park Dr., approx. 90 ft.

• Turn LEFT on walking trail going EAST to Alewife Station Access Rd., approx. 900 ft.

• Turn RIGHT on Alewife Station Access Rd. going SOUTH over the Little River to Alewife Greenway Extension, approx. 450 ft.

• Turn RIGHT on Alewife Greenway Extension going WEST to Basin Amphitheater, approx. 1300 ft.

From MBTA Alewife Station - Intersection of Alewife Brook Parkway and Cambridge Park Drive

• Exit Alewife Station to Alewife Station Access Rd.

• Turn RIGHT out of Alewife Station going NORTH under parking structure overpass, approx. 500 ft.

• Turn LEFT to cross Alewife Station Access Rd. going WEST to Alewife Greenway Extension, approx. 80 ft.

• Stay STRAIGHT on Alewife Greenway Extension going WEST to Basin Amphitheater, approx. 1300 ft.

Cambridge Human Rights Commission Vacancies

Cambridge City Manager Richard C. Rossi is seeking persons interested in serving on the Cambridge Human Rights Commission (CHRC). Made up of 11 members who serve three-year terms, the CHRC meets on the first Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. The Commission seeks Cambridge residents representing the diversity of Cambridge.

Commissioners are expected to work with other members of the Commission and staff to fulfill the goals and objectives of the Cambridge Human Rights Commission Ordinance (CMC Chapter 2.76). Commissioners are expected to attend monthly meetings, participate in subcommittees on outreach and public education, and work with Commission staff on the investigation, mediation and resolution of complaints filed with the Commission which allege discrimination in housing, public accommodation, employment or education based upon race, color, sex, age, religious creed, disability, national origin or ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, family status, military status or source of income.

For more information, contact Nancy Schlacter, Cambridge Human Rights Commission, at 617-349-4396 or nschlacter@cambridgema.gov. Letters of interest, including resume and/or applicable experience, can be sent via mail, fax or e-mail by Friday, October 18, 2013 to:

Richard C. Rossi, City Manager
City of Cambridge
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Ph: 617-349-4300; Fax 617-349-4307
E-mail: citymanager@cambridgema.gov

Sept 26 - PANGEA (Parents for a Global Education Association), a new parent group, has made the following request for questions to be directed to Cambridge School Committee candidates. They would like to get questions no later than Oct 7 and plan to publicize candidate responses by Oct 24. (Questions can be sent to info@pangeacambridge.com):

Dear Cambridge Families,
We feel that world languages are an important part of an elementary education. Over the past few years, there has been a vigorous debate around exactly what type of language instruction the City will provide. Given the upcoming election, we feel that it is important to ask specific questions of the candidates and request their written responses. To this end, we are reaching out to the Cambridge community to see what questions they'd like to ask the candidates for School Committee on this issue. If you have a question you'd like to ask, please email us at info@pangeacambridge.com or send us a letter in the mail to: Jane Chiang, 245 First Street, Suite 1800-18020113, Cambridge, MA 02142

ALL QUESTIONS NEED TO BE IN OUR HANDS BY OCTOBER 7 TO BE CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION.

We will read through these questions, and from these responses, send a list of questions to the candidates. We will then aggregate their responses, send them to the broader Cambridge community, and post them on PANGEA's website: www.pangeacambridge.com.

We'd note that not every question sent to us may be submitted to the candidates. We will attempt to capture the key themes/questions that reflect the community as a whole.

Thank you.
Paul Ciampa, PANGEA member
Jane Chiang, PANGEA member

PANGEA (Parents for a Global Education Association) is an organization of parents and community members advocating for the development, support, and promotion of language immerson programs based on best practices in Cambridge for all children. We believe that effective cross-cultural and communication skills are integral to a global education. Language immersion programs are one way to fill that need. Strong world language programs can also provide these skills.

Comments?

Cambridge Arts Council Announces Launch of its 2014 Grant Cycle

New applications and guidelines

Grant Program Community Meeting and Info Session
Monday, August 19th, 6-8pm, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor Conference Room

Grant Writing Workshop
Monday, September 23rd, 6-8pm, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor Conference Room

Grant Submission Deadline
Tuesday, October 15th, 5:00pm

Cambridge Arts Council City Hall Annex 344 Broadway, 2nd Fl. Cambridge, MA 02139 617-349-4380 www.cambridgeartscouncil.org The Cambridge Arts Council is supported in part by the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, New England Foundation for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts and many corporate and individual donors. The Cambridge Arts Council exists to ensure that the arts remain vital for people living, working, and visiting Cambridge.

Dima Snow, 2012 CAC Grant Recipient

Cambridge Works Transitional Jobs Program Gives Cambridge Residents a Helping Hand

Cambridge Works, the City's transitional jobs program for younger residents who haven't been able to get or keep jobs, celebrated its 11th graduating class Sept 26 at Cambridge City Hall.

The program provides a temporary job with the City, and/or other partner employers, while also offering intensive care management, soft skills development and job search assistance to help participants secure an unsubsidized job upon program completion. Cambridge Works is coordinated through the Office of Workforce Development for the Department of Human Services Program (DHSP).

Congratulations to the September 2013 Cambridge Works graduates: Quiahna Aiguier, Corey Anderson, Paul Dottin-Carter, Hailemelkot Kahassai, Christopher Rodriguez, Wesley Thorpe and Douglas Treadwell, Jr.

City Manager Richard C. Rossi congratulated the graduates, thanked the worksite supervisors for their contribution toward the program's success and praised the dedication of the Cambridge Works staff. "They are not only dedicated to the program, but to the individuals. They will follow up and mentor these participants and really help them turn their lives around," Rossi said of the staff.

The 2013 Worksites included: Cambridge Dept. of Public Works, Cambridge Housing Authority, Hyatt Regency, Spaulding Hospital, Tasty Burger and United Security Inc.

Below are comments from some of the 2013 graduates:

"The (Cambridge Works) staff helped me get my foot in the door and enhance my confidence." - Wesley Thorpe

"The professional development classes were so helpful and I really loved my job. I can't thank the (Cambridge Works) staff enough for really being in my corner." - Quiahna Auguier

Cambridge Works is currently recruiting participants for its next session. For more information, contact Susan Mintz, at 617-349-6070 or smintz@cambridgema.gov.

Cambridge Works graduates and program staff at the 2013 ceremony

Voter Registration and Absentee Ballots for the Special State Primary, October 15th

The Special State Primary will be held on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 for the office of Representative in Congress for Massachusetts 5th Congressional District to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Edward Markey. For Cambridge residents not already registered, the last day to register to vote was Wednesday, September 25, 2013 until 8pm. The polls will be open on Election Day from 7:00am until 8:00pm.

Please contact the Cambridge Election Commission office to find out when the Absentee Ballots will be available. Any voter who is unable to go to the polls on Election Day due to physical disability, religious belief, or absence from the City may request an Absentee Ballot from the Commission. Due to the observance of Columbus Day, Monday, October 14, 2013 the deadline to apply for an Absentee Ballot is Friday, October 11, 2013 at 5pm. Absentee Ballots may be mailed to voters, or such voters may choose to vote at the Commission office during regular city office hours: Monday, 8:30am-8:00pm; Tuesday-Thursday, 8:30am-5:00pm; Friday, 8:30am-Noon. The office will also be open for Absentee Voting on Friday, October 11, 2013 from 8:30am until 5:00pm.

For any additional information, please visit the Cambridge Election Commission office at 51 Inman Street, call (617-349-4361) or visit our website at www.cambridgema.gov/election.

Rainbow over Central Square - morning of Sept 1, 2013, photo by Patrick Barrett

Dedication of The Alice K. Wolf Center - Saturday, Sept 28, 2:00pm at 5 Western Ave.

The City of Cambridge will host a special ceremony to dedicate the renovated building that now houses the Community Learning Center, Multi-Service Center and Cambridge Housing Authority as the new Alice K. Wolf Center, in honor of her many years of public service for Cambridge and Massachusetts.

Previously housing the Cambridge Police Department, the 80-year old building, an historical landmark, underwent an $18 million "green" conversion expected to lead to a high gold "LEED" certification by the US Green Building Council. The dramatic transformation of the building has incorporated the latest in sustainable technology, from its building systems to the furnishings.

Sept 26 - There will be a Community Meeting on the Proposed Security Camera Policy in Cambridge tonight at 6:00pm in the Sullivan Chamber at Cambridge City Hall. The meeting will be hosted by City Manager Richard Rossi and Mayor Henrietta Davis. [A draft of the Security Camera Policy can be viewed here.] It is expected that the ACLU will bring out the troops to protest what they see as an unconscionable violation of the civil liberties of citizens, and they may well succeed in squelching any efforts by the City Council and the Cambridge Police to bring serious criminals to justice. Once that's done the City Council will go back to banning sugary drinks, plastic bags, and styrofoam; telling you which electricity suppliers you are required to use; and making it as difficult as possible to own and operate a motor vehicle in Cambridge. At least you won't have to worry about having your picture taken as you flee from a crime scene. - Robert Winters

Sept 24 - As a sometimes expert of election methods, I will be watching today's Boston mayoral preliminary election with a smile. With 12 candidates and the top 2 continuing on to the November election, this is an example of an election where the method plays as big a factor as the voters - perhaps more. The top 2 finishers will likely earn a ride to the November election primarily due to vote-splitting, and there's a real possibility that neither of these 2 candidates will exceed 25% of the vote. This is a good example of an election that would have benefitted from ranked-choice balloting and Instant Runoff to determine the winner(s). - RW

Community Meeting on Proposed Security Camera Policy in Cambridge, Sept 26

You are invited to attend a Community Meeting to discuss the proposed Security Camera Policy in the City of Cambridge.

Thurs, Sept 26, 6:00pm
Cambridge City Hall, Sullivan Chamber, 2nd Floor
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139

Hosted by:   
City Manager Richard C. Rossi and Mayor Henrietta Davis

A draft of the Security Camera Policy can be viewed here. [Link to Public Meeting Notice]

Understanding Hoarding: Saturday, Sept 21, 9:30am - Noon

Cambridge Senior Center, 806 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
Light refreshments will be provided.

Join us as we learn more about hoarding and the people affected by it. We will begin with a brief Hoarding 101, followed by a film that documents a family's struggles to solve the problems associated with severe hoarding. My Mother's Garden is an emotionally charged documentary that addresses many of the complex issues that affect not just the person described as a hoarder but the entire community.

Following the film there will be a discussion facilitated by Sarah Dowal, MSW, MPH. Presented by the Cambridge Council on Aging. To register, please call 617-349-6055.

Danehy Park Family Day Saturday, Sept. 21

The City of Cambridge will host the 18th Annual Danehy Park Family Day on Saturday, September 21, from 11:00am to 4:00pm. Enjoy a fun-filled day of children's amusement rides, arts and crafts, music and roving performers, plus free hot dogs, chips, sodas and T-shirts while supplies last! Check out performances throughout the day at the children's stage. Other special giveaways include colorful kites that appeal to kids of all ages! The rain date is Sunday, Sept. 22.

Danehy Park is a 55-acre facility located at 99 Sherman Street in North Cambridge (adjacent to Garden and New Streets). This free event, sponsored by the City of Cambridge, attracts over 4,000 people annually and offers something for everyone.

Shuttle buses will be running throughout Cambridge to provide transportation. Danehy Park can be reached by public transportation: #74 bus or #78 bus from Harvard Square; #83 bus from Central Square; or take a shuttle bus from the Alewife MBTA Station. Picnics and lawn chairs are encouraged.

For more information, call 617-349-4301 or visit www.cambridgema.gov.

Images of PARKing Day 2013 - Fri, Sept 20

PARKing Day 2013 - Fri, Sept 20

This really is a lot of fun checking out all the creative ideas sprouting up in parking spaces scattered around the city. You will likely find me at the 9 hole miniature golf course in Lafayette Square set up by Patrick Barrett and the Central Square Business Association. - Robert Winters

More information on the CDD website

The Trees of Cambridge

The Cambridge DPW has put together a fabulous map of all the trees on all the public streets and parks in Cambridge.

Municipal Election Year Programming on CCTV: Cambridge Inside Out - The Sequel

In the coming weeks, I'll be teaming up with former School Committee member Susana Segat to do some CCTV broadcasts initially focusing on the upcoming elections, the issues, and the candidates. The shows will also be live-streamed on the web and later posted on YouTube. Our consecutive half-hour time slots are Tuesdays at 5:30pm and 6:00pm starting this Tuesday, Sept 10.

Glenn Koocher was agreeable to our using the name "Cambridge Inside Out" for the program. As many of you may recall, Glenn hosted a memorable local show by that name from 1989 through 2001. Regular panelists then included Barbara Ackermann, Marty Foster, Saundra Graham, and Tom Rafferty.

Our plan is to do some live shows and also some pre-recorded programs leading up to a reprise of our live broadcast on election night, Tues, Nov 5. If all goes well, we may continue the program beyond that date. We hope to have some of the candidates on the show either during live broadcasts or on video gathered by our roving reporter (Susana). - Robert Winters

Commercial Parking Control Committee Members Vacancy

City Manager Richard C. Rossi is seeking to fill vacancies in the Commercial Parking Control Committee. Pursuant to City Ordinance 10.16, the Commercial Parking Control Committee (CPCC) reviews applications and decides whether to issue Commercial Parking Permits. The Committee also decides if spaces have improperly or illegally been operated as Commercial Parking spaces. Commercial Parking Space means parking space available for use by the general public at any time for a fee.

Committee members are appointed by the City Manager for staggered terms of three years. No person shall be appointed to the Committee who has a financial interest in commercial parking in Cambridge.

Meetings will be held as needed on weekday evenings, generally no more than twice per year, unless a Commercial Parking permit application or enforcement action is pending. Hearings will be staffed by the Cambridge Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department.

Committee members must be a Cambridge resident and have experience that may include a background as a planner, architect, engineer, lawyer, sustainability, public health; neighborhood involvement is also a plus.

For more information, contact Adam Shulman, Transportation Planner at 617-349-4745 or ashulman@cambridgema.gov.

Please send cover letter and/or resume indicating your qualifications and why you are interested in being a member of the Committee by the application deadline of Friday, Sept 20, 2013 to:

Richard C. Rossi, City Manager
c/o Susan Clippinger, Director
Cambridge Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department
344 Broadway, 2nd Floor
Cambridge, MA 02139
Email: Susan Clippinger at sclippinger@cambridgema.gov

Affirmative Action Advisory Committee Vacancy

Cambridge City Manager Richard C. Rossi is seeking applications for candidates to serve on the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee (AAAC).

The Affirmative Action Advisory Committee discusses policies affecting municipal employment and its impact on affirmative action issues and serves in an advisory capacity to the Director of Affirmative Action, Personnel Director and the City Manager.

The role of the AAAC is to:

• Discuss developments in the law impacting the City ‘s Affirmative Action Plan
• Provide assistance to the AA Director in updating the Plan and monitoring progress
• Offer assistance to the City in its recruitment efforts
• Provide advice and assistance to the City Manager to further the City’s AA efforts.

Interested persons should send a letter of interest and/or resume via e-mail, mail or fax by Friday, Sept 20, 2013 to:

Richard C. Rossi, City Manager
c/o Duane Brown, Affirmative Action Director
City of Cambridge
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
E-mail: dbrown@cambridgema.gov

Cambridge Candidate 2013 Match Game (PDF)

Can you match the candidate names, occupations, and birthdates? The list includes all 34 City Council and School Committee candidates.

Comments?

Aug 21 - Kendall Square initiative moves toward design phase (MIT News)

Urban-design firm to be selected; community meetings will be set for fall.
An exploration of alternative approaches, has been posted on MIT’s Capital Projects website (view PDF).

Map: Massachusetts water usage and cost, by town (Boston Globe)

Saturday Morning Comedy

July 20 - There was a Boston Globe editorial this morning generally praising former City Manager Robert Healy. The closing paragraph stated: "Yet while Healy's tenure may provide few lessons for less generously funded communities, it is a model of how a city can play a winning hand. Healy left Cambridge a better city than when he began. It can be a better city, still." The editorial provoked a comment from someone using the moniker JEM007. Here are a few excerpts:

"The well-intentioned, but ignorant, morally undeveloped Globe editors continue to extoll the winning successes of the ruling power elites in Boston, Cambridge, and elsewhere by avoiding any mention of unintended or undesired results. In the 1940's & 50's, Cambridge had more than a million residents, mostly poor or middle class, many of whom had labored mightly during WW II to aid the mobilization of our country's war effort."

Sorry to break this to you, JEM007, but the Cambridge population topped off at about 120,000 or so in 1950 - a bit shy of the more than one million residents you imagine it once had. Cambridge had a much more substantial middle class back then, but it has always had its fair share of wealthy and poor residents going back to colonial days.

"Bob Healy just rode this tsunami of unusual, huge financial success, mostly unrelated to any effort of his, while advancing his personal interest, in a most undesirable manner. He played the usual 5-4 split betwen the conservative vs. liberal city councilors superbly, knowing where the bodies were buried, overlooking common corruption, and discrimination, even abuse, to maintain an appearance of a city in which nothing bad ever happened. So much easy money was falling into everyone's laps that they quickly turned a blind eye, seeking their advantage, too."

When anyone in Cambridge these days uses the word "tsunami," it becomes pretty clear where they're coming from. This is the battle cry of the so-called Cambridge Residents Alliance - a group that opposes any new construction in Cambridge and which has repeatedly used the term "tsunami" to characterize any proposed or potential new development. I am especially amused by the characterization of Bob Healy as some kind of masterful hustler who could manipulate the nine city councillors at any given time through blackmail and abuse in order to secure all the buried treasure. Apparently, at least according to JEM007, the combined IQ of all city councillors over the last 32 years was negligible and they could all be manipulated like wooden marionettes. - RW

H Mart readying for move into Central Square this fall (July 10, Boston Globe)

The new H Mart will occupy 18,000 sq. ft. in the space formerly occupied by the Harvest Market (which moved across the street) and an adjacent space. The new store will also have a food court featuring a Japanese restaurant (Go Go Curry), a Japanese noodle restaurant (Sapporo Ramen), and a bakery shop (Paris Baguette) that will also serve sandwiches and beverages.

This will be a great addition to Central Square.

City Offers Help to Retailers and Restaurants by Sponsoring Best Retail Practices Program
Free Workshop, One-On-One Consultations and Access to Business Improvement Grants

The City of Cambridge Department of Community Development is pleased to announce that the City will once again be offering its Best Retail Practices Program to assist retailers, restaurateurs and storefront business owners in Cambridge Best Retail Practices (BRP) brings professional advice to independent retailers in the areas of store and restaurant design, layout and visual merchandising, customer service and both traditional and social media marketing through workshops and one-on-one consultations.

Cambridge's BRP's 3-part program begins with a free 2½ hour workshop in which visual examples of current best practices are shared. Everyone is sure to learn something new! The workshop will be held Tuesday, Sept 17, from 8-10am, in the Community Room of the City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway. We will also be providing more in-store consultation opportunities, with up to 16 in-store consultation appointments available for eligible Cambridge businesses.

Retail expert Christine Moynihan of Retail Visioning will present the free workshop and conduct 10 individual consultations. Since 2003, she has brought the "tips, tools and tricks of the trade" of this program to over 1,000 business owners across the state and provided specific recommendations to over 370 shops, salons and restaurants. Following the workshop, qualified owners of shops, restaurants and store front service businesses in Cambridge may apply to be one of the businesses that will receive a one-on-one, in-store consultation session with Moynihan – also for free! These businesses will then receive a written report with specific ideas and recommendations for improving their businesses now and for the future.

Qualifying businesses will also have the opportunity to apply for up to $2,000 in federal grants to implement recommended improvements. Criteria for the consultations and eligibility to receive the grant money will be explained at the workshop.

Seating is limited and registration is recommended for this highly popular program. For more information on the workshop, consultations and grants -- and to register for the workshop --please contact Pardis Saffari at: 617-349-4654 or by email: psaffari@cambridgema.gov.

Sept 11 - Cambridge Election Commission approves ballot designs for municipal election

The Cambridge Election Commission today approved the layout of the preferential ballots to be used for the Cambridge City Council and School Committee municipal election on Nov 5, 2013.

The School Committee ballot will once again use the landscape format with space for the 9 qualified candidates plus space for 6 write-in candidates. Voters are allowed to rank up to 9 candidates.

The large field of 25 candidates in the City Council election plus the legal requirement that there be space allotted for up to an additional 9 write-in candidates presented challenges in the ballot design. There are also other limitations imposed by the optical scanners used to record the ballots. The Election Commission voted to use a portrait format for the City Council ballot and to permit up to 18 rankings to be expressed by each voter.

Though this will have an insignificant effect on the election (fewer than 5% of voters even express this many preferences and almost all of the ballots of those voters are credited toward earlier preferences), it is the first time in the history of PR elections in Cambridge that there has been a cap placed on the number of preferences. The law governing the Cambridge municipal elections (Mass. Gen'l Laws Ch. 54A) has always had the option to cap the number of preferences to "not less than fifteen choices for any particular body or office." - Robert Winters

[Update: At the Sept 18 meeting of the Election Commission, the City Council ballot format was changed again - back to 25 ovals instead of just 18 - so voters will be able to rank all of the candidates on the City Council ballot. I'm guessing that this also means that it will be in landscape format, but I'm waiting to find out.]

Community Preservation Act Committee Meeting Sept. 10

The Community Preservation Act Committee (CPAC) will hold a committee meeting on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 at 5:30pm, in the Ackermann Room at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue.

The purpose of the meeting will be for the CPAC to vote on the percentage allocation to CPA expenditure categories and on particular projects to be funded with Community Preservation Act Funds for FY14. These funds may be allocated to affordable housing, open space and historic preservation.

For more information, contact Angela Pierre, Principal Budget Analyst, at 617-349-4267 or apierre@cambridgema.gov.

Aug 18, 2013 - ImprovBoston's "So That Happened" hosts City Council Candidate Luis Vasquez

Food drive to benefit Cambridge's Weekend Backpack Program, Sept 7 through Sept 13

Whole Foods Market at Fresh Pond & River St. are holding a food drive to benefit Cambridge's Weekend Backpack Program starting THIS Saturday, September 7th through September 13th.

The Weekend Backpack Program sends two lunches, two breakfasts, milk, and fresh fruit home to Cambridge public school students whose primary source of nutrition is the school cafeteria. The healthy meals are packed discreetly in the students' backpacks each Friday afternoon and help stop food insecurity in its tracks.

This program ensures that the students, who would normally be undernourished over the weekend, receive enough food to eradicate their food insecurity and help them to be better prepared to learn. The weekend backpack program will be starting up at the 5 Cambridge Public Elementary Schools in October, so please support the program by purchasing the specially selected food items on your next trip to Whole Foods Market this week! Look for the signs at Whole Foods.

To read more about the Weekend Backpack program and how it is benefiting our students and their families: http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/08/26/op-ed-school-backpack-food-program-cambridge

Aug 28 - Kathleen Kelly is honored to receive the endorsement from The National Association of Social Workers of MA for Cambridge School Committee.

Campaign Finance - 2013 Cambridge City Council candidates (updated June 27)

It's still early in the 2013 municipal election cycle, but the campaign finance reports are beginning to tell a story about which candidates are planning to make a serious run for a seat on the Cambridge City Council. The figures from January 2013 through the latest (June 15, 2013) reports are posted at http://cambridgecivic.com/?p=2660. There may be additional candidates and some of the incumbents and challengers may decide against running. This story and the table will be updated periodically.

At this stage the most striking thing is the $30,550.06 raised so far this year by challenger Dennis Benzan (as of June 15). Marc McGovern ($12,552.71) and Kristen von Hoffmann ($11,224.09) have also raised significant campaign funds. Money, of course, is not the only indicator of a serious candidate - especially with at least two new very serious contenders who have not yet opened their campaign accounts. We'll be watching! - RW

Comments?

Come Join the Parade - Thurs, Aug 22, 6:30pm from City Hall to Lafayette Square with the Dirty Water Brass Band

(with stops along the way)

Cambridge Riverfront Mobile Food Program 2013 Season is Under Way

The successful Riverfront Mobile Food Program is back with new and exciting offerings for the 2013 season. The City of Cambridge invites applications from qualified Mobile Food Vendors to sell freshly-prepared food and beverages at designated spaces at riverside parks.

This year will include more vendors at Riverbend Park on Sundays during the Memorial Drive road closure, as well as vendors at our new location at North Point Park on Saturdays, along the Charles River. New vendors include Baja Taco Truck, Bon Me Foods, Life Force Juice, Pennypackers Food Truck and Veebops Ice Cream. Returning vendors include Culinary Cruisers. Be sure to follow them on TWITTER for the exact locations of the food trucks. The City of Cambridge is still accepting applications from qualified vendors for the remainder of the 2013 season. For more information, visit: http://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/econdev/smallbusiness/foodtrucks.aspx

March On 50 Years Forward and the Legacy of the 1963 March on Washington D.C.

The City of Cambridge Employees' Diversity Committee will host an event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, D.C. Thurs, Aug 22, from 6-7:30pm, in the citywide Senior Center, 806 Mass. Ave. This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

The event will feature a keynote address by Professor Jemadari Kamara, Professor of Africana Studies and Director of the Center for African, Caribbean and Community Development at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. In his address, Dr. Kamara will touch on the historical context of the march, its impact on the civil rights and economic policy debates of the era and its continuing implications for civil and economic rights in contemporary America.

The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which took place 100 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, was a milestone in the movement for civil rights in the US. The march brought together over 250,000 people at the National Mall for a peaceful demonstration to promote civil rights and economic equality for African Americans. The March culminated in Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, which envisioned an America free of racial segregation.

The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was instrumental in applying pressure on the Kennedy Administration which resulted in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1964, the ratification of the Twenty Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution outlawing the poll tax in 1964, and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1965.

Cambridge Rindge and Latin School Renovation Achieves LEED® Gold Certification
Design provides greater sustainability and improved space utilization

Aug 6, 2013 - The City of Cambridge is proud to announce that the comprehensive renovation project for Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) has earned LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Designed by HMFH Architects, Inc., the highly visible 400,000 square foot high school fulfills the City's ambitious sustainability goals through substantial reductions in energy consumption and water use, and significant increases in indoor environmental quality, natural ventilation and daylighting.

The sustainable design strategy for the three-building complex, which was originally constructed in 1932 and expanded in 1978, includes a chilled beam HVAC system – well-suited to incorporation in existing concrete frame buildings—and a rooftop photovoltaic array. These retrofits, coupled with high-efficiency lighting fixtures and daylighting contribute to the school's net energy savings, lowering the operating costs by more than $335,000 annually, and reducing energy use by more than 1.3 million KWh of electricity and nearly 44,000 therms of natural gas.

Monitors in the lobby displaying real-time energy data and a small rooftop garden tie environmental stewardship to the curriculum and provide educational opportunities for the school's 1,800 students. Other visible features include low-flow fixtures that provide an annual savings of 1.3 million gallons of water, operable windows and outdoor bike racks. Beneath the playground for the onsite daycare center, a rainwater collection tank stores runoff from the roof and is used to irrigate the landscaping, eliminating potable water use.

While achieving high points in the categories of Sustainable Sites, Energy and Atmosphere and Water Efficiency, the project was cited with exemplary performance for construction waste management by diverting 95% of waste from landfills back into the manufacturing process. The revitalization and refresh of classrooms and shared core spaces required careful selection of finishes; recycled and low-VOC materials, FSC-certified wood, and durable rubber flooring that requires no harsh cleaning chemicals, contribute to the overall indoor air quality to provide a healthy learning environment.

The renovated school, which shares its urban site with two other City-owned LEED Silver buildings – War Memorial Recreation Center, also an HMFH design, and the Cambridge Public Library – completes the civic campus of sustainable buildings and aligns with the City's sustainability initiatives.

"As far as we know, less than 10 renovated school buildings nationwide have achieved LEED Gold, so we are especially proud," said Cambridge City Manager Richard C. Rossi. "This project is a perfect example of what can be achieved with civic commitment and strong community support. It also validates and expands our city-wide efforts to manage all of our resources in the most sustainable way. The revitalization of CRLS represents an ongoing commitment to modernize our educational facilities, to promote the highest levels of learning and achievement for all students, and to reduce our community's carbon footprint."

The City and the CRLS Project Manager worked closely with its architects, utilizing their expertise in both educational environments and sustainable design, to turn this project from a basic reconstruction into a stunning example of how to integrate 21st century learning and environmental responsibility. This effort resulted in improved classrooms, library and teaching facilities, and corridors with new windows, flooring and wall finishes. Additionally, the renovation also enlivens common areas and provides clear circulation and more internal transparency. The re-designed science core includes larger labs that accommodate teaching areas as well as space for experiments, and the theater is redesigned and equipped for live broadcasts.

The City of Cambridge is proud to have worked with HMFH Architects, Inc., a local firm that has been in business since 1969 on two award winning renovated municipal buildings that serve as models for sustainable and healthy community development.

CRLS Panorama - photo by Ed Wonsek

Municipal Election Year Programming on CCTV

I'll be the guest this Tuesday (Aug 6, 5:00pm) on Ann Cowan's CCTV program "'Meet the Candidates." Though not a candidate, I hope I'll be able to help frame some of the issues in this year's municipal election. In the coming weeks, I'll also be teaming up with former School Committee member Susana Segat to do some CCTV broadcasts (also live-streamed on the web) on the upcoming elections, the issues, and the candidates. The plan is to do some BeLive shows and some produced programs leading up to a reprise of our live broadcast on election night, Tuesday, November 5. Details to follow. - Robert Winters

Talking about Cambridge elections and other stuff - Robert Winters with Ann Cowen on CCTV, Aug 6, 2013

Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0RRLUgmTtE

Affordable Rental and Homeownership Programs Information Session - Monday, August 12

The City of Cambridge will be holding a series of free Walk-In Informational Sessions on affordable rental and homeownership programs at different locations in the coming months.

The next session will be held Monday, Aug 12, from 6-8pm, at Jefferson Park Community Room, 1 Jackson Place, Cambridge. Housing personnel from the Community Development Department will be available to discuss the city's affordable rental and homeownership programs. For more information, call 617-349-4622.

Community Preservation Act Committee Public Hearing - Monday, August 12

The Community Preservation Act Committee will hold a public hearing on Monday, Aug 12, at 6pm, in the Sullivan Chamber of Cambridge City Hall, 795 Mass. Ave. The purpose of the hearing will be to take public comment regarding allocation of Community Preservation Act Funds for FY14. These funds may be allocated to affordable housing, open space and historic preservation. For more information, contact Angela Pierre, Principal Budget Analyst, at 617-349-4267 or apierre@cambridgema.gov.

Longfellow Bridge Rehabilitation Project -MBTA Red Line Weekend Diversion - August 10 and 11

On Saturday, August 10 and Sunday, August 11, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will close the Longfellow Bridge to all motor vehicle travel, except MBTA buses. The closure is to implement an MBTA Red Line diversion related to bridge construction. Buses will replace Red Line trains for service between Kendall/MIT Station and Park Street Station, with a stop at Charles/MGH Station. [Map of bus route and stops]

Bus service will be in place for Boston and Cambridge-bound Red Line customers from the start of service on Saturday, August 10 to the end of service on Sunday, August 11. Red Line trains will resume service on Monday morning. The diversion is necessary for MassDOT's design/build contractor, White-Skanska-Consigli JV, to perform work in close proximity to the Red Line tracks that is not allowed during MBTA service hours. Please visit the MBTA's service updates webpage for additional information.

MBTA buses will be the only motor vehicles permitted on the bridge. All other motor vehicles including passenger vehicles, trucks and all other buses will need to use one of two routes shown on the attached detour map to reach Boston. One route uses Memorial Drive westbound to make a U-turn at Ames Street for access to Memorial Drive eastbound to Land Boulevard and Charles River Dam Road (Monsignor O'Brien Highway/Route 28) to reach Leverett Circle. A second route uses 3rd Street and Binney Street to reach Land Boulevard. Truck restrictions are in place for Memorial Drive. [Map]

Emergency response, bicycle and pedestrian access will be maintained across the bridge during this weekend diversion. Please note: Bicyclists will be asked to walk their bikes on the sidewalk across the Longfellow Bridge to ensure the safety of all bridge users.

The Cambridge-bound detour remains in place using a signed route from Charles Circle following Charles Street to Leverett Circle, Monsignor O'Brien Highway/Charles River Dam Road and Edwin H. Land Boulevard. [Map]

For more information on the project and traffic management plans, visit the website at www.mass.gov/massdot/longfellowbridge. For questions, to report issues and concerns related to construction or to be added to the project email distribution list, please call the project hotline at 617-519-9892 or email longfellowbridge@state.ma.us.

The Candidates (updated as candidates pull papers and submit signatures - updated Aug 5) - FINAL

* The deadline to file nomination papers was Wednesday, July 31st at 5:00pm. 50 certified signatures are required and candidates can submit no more than 100 signatures. Signatures are unofficially certified by staff in the Election Commission office, but actual certification is done by the Election Commission during July and possibly as late as Aug 14. When officially certified, the number of certified signatures will be indicated in bold.

Comments?

Cambridge Candidate Pages - 2013

2013 Campaign Event Listings and Candidate Forums     [Send event listings to election2013@cambridgecivic.com]

Where's Alice?

July 22 - Nomination papers for candidates for City Council and School Committee have been available since July 1 and the deadline for submission is Wed, July 31. All candidates who were expected to take out nomination papers (plus a few more) have now taken out papers except one - Alice Turkel. Several people have asked what's up, and I've sent a few e-mail messages to Alice asking her what's up. So far, I've received no response. One city councillor speculated that Alice might run for City Council, but that seems a bit far-fetched. Besides, without nomination papers you're not running for anything.

Anyone know what's up? Has Alice joined the Foreign Legion? Was she drafted by the Boston Celtics? Has she taken a job with the CIA? Where's Alice?

Update (July 31): Alice Turkel is not running for School Committee.

NPR story on my new friend Zev Dickstein

Zev is the 11-year-old campaign manager for School Committee candidate Joyce Gerber. He was the subject of a recent WGBH radio story which aired June 21 and was subsequently picked up on NPR's Weekend Edition on June 29. [Listen to the 3-minute audio segment]
Honestly, Zev is by far the most refreshing thing so far in this municipal election season.

A few weeks ago, President Obama was in town for a political rally. Zev had a business card he wanted to give to the President, and he did. In fact, not only did he hand his business card to Mr. Obama, as the pictures below indicate, the President actually stopped to read it. Though not recorded in pictures, Mr. Obama put Zev's business card in his pocket. You never know when he might need another campaign manager. - RW

Paul Toner announces candidacy for National Education Association (NEA) Executive Committee

July 16, 2013 - It's Official...... Paul Toner announced his candidacy for the NEA Executive Committee. There was a great kickoff at the close of the NEA Representative Assembly on July 9th, with more than 100 volunteers from Massachusetts, Alaska, New York, North Carolina, Colorado, and other state affiliates joined in. Paul invites you to help spread the word about his campaign and invite all your friends to check out his website at www.toner4nea.com and on Facebook at Toner4NEA. You can also sign-up for updates about his campaign.

Paul looks forward to talking to NEA members about the issues and challenges we are facing in public education during the campaign. The election takes place at the 2014 Representative Assembly in Denver, Colorado. There will be a fundraiser in the Fall to help support Paul's campaign. [NEA website]

Questions, questions, questions..... (updated July 11)

Question #1: What, if any, relationship is there between the number of City Council vacancies and the number of new candidates elected? There will be two City Council vacancies (two incumbents who are not seeking reelection) in the election this November, and people are asking what this might foretell. The basic answer is that there are too many other factors in play. There have been elections with no vacancies and 4 challengers elected, and there have been elections where the existence of vacancies has had no effect on the incumbents. It is, however, more common than not that the number of newly elected candidates exceeds the number of vacancies. See the table below.

Question #2: How does the candidate who gets the most #1 votes fare in the next election? Generally, if you're the "top dog" in one election, you will almost certainly do well in the next election, though there is one notable exceptions. A "top dog" has never been defeated in the next election. See the table below for how well the previous "top dog" fared in the next election.

In 25 of 35 City Council elections, the number of challengers elected exceeded the number of vacancies.
In 7 elections in which there were 2 vacancies, an incumbent was defeated in 5 of these elections.

In 20 of 35 School Committee elections, the number of challengers elected exceeded the number of vacancies.
In 10 elections in which there was 1 vacancy, an incumbent was defeated in 9 of these elections.
In 15 elections in which there were 2 vacancies, an incumbent was defeated in only 4 of these elections.

Note to City Council and School Committee candidates (updated June 30):

Please let me know soon if you've made any decisions regarding your intention to be on the November 2013 municipal election ballot. If so, please send me any relevant information about your campaign (website, Facebook page, Twitter, e-mail address, phone number, where to send donations). You can also submit any other information relevant to your candidacy (background, priorities, etc.). If you have any ideas on topics that all candidates should be asked to provide statements, please send me those suggestions.

Also, if you (or anyone else) have suggestions on what topics should be presented to all City Council candidates and/or all School Committee candidates in the 2013 election, please let me know soon. Candidates are already submitting responses.

The 2013 Candidate Pages are meant as a resource not only for voters but also for reporters and supporters who may wish to get in touch regarding your campaign. I'm also happy to list any dates for campaign kickoffs or other significant candidate events in the Election Calendar. - RW

Mayor Henrietta Davis will not seek reelection to the Cambridge City Council

Message from Mayor Davis

It is not easy to make the decision to leave behind being a Cambridge City Councillor, a job I have loved, but after 8 years on the school committee and 18 years on the City Council-26 years in all-- I've decided not to seek reelection. Thank you to my colleagues - past and present - and to the people of Cambridge for supporting me all of these years.

This recent term as Mayor has been especially gratifying. Despite the obvious challenges, there were many great days and opportunities to make a difference and to continue the mission of making Cambridge a better place.

I'm not planning to leave all the issues behind - I'll still be fighting for equity and opportunity for all Cambridge citizens (especially young people), and making sure Cambridge continues to become a model for a healthy, sustainable city, and a community that is welcoming and supportive to all our residents.

But after thirteen successful elections I'm putting away my yard signs and leaving the campaign events to others.

I will miss walking up and down our beautiful streets and the face-to-face meetings with Cambridge residents at their homes and hearing their ideas and concerns.

I'm grateful to the voters of Cambridge who have given me the opportunity to serve, to have a career through which I could follow my passion, and make a difference locally and beyond. With six more months as Mayor, I look forward to serving the rest of the term, fully engaged. There's a lot left to do this year. Then, the time will come to head in a new direction. Thank you Cambridge for what will be 26 great years.

-Henrietta

Comments?

Completing the Square Central Square in Cambridge has once again become a focal point for planners, activists, property owners, developers, elected officials, and residents. There is much that can be said, but the primary point of this picture book is to emphasize the opportunities that exist in what may be a narrow window in time to "Complete the Square" in a manner that should satisfy most people. Here are a few images (mostly taken on Monday, June 10, 2013) to help tell this story. It's important to understand that Central Square today is just an echo of the days when it was a prime shopping district for the residents of Cambridge and elsewhere. There are proposals today that would encourage a more diverse mix of retail and bring more residents close to the Square. This may require some creative changes in the zoning laws to bring about these positive changes. There's plenty of room for debate on location, height and density but there are good opportunities now to make some great changes for the better. - RW This was once the site of the Cambridge Athenaeum which also served for a time as City Hall There seems to be something missing next to the beautiful facade of the Barron Building. This site at Pearl Street could be so much more vital than it is today. Another strip of "taxpayers" - one story structures that occupy space formerly occupied by far more appropriate structures. The rhythm of Mass. Ave. benefits from a mixture of taller and shorter structures, especially when the sides of the taller buildings have something to offer visually. This is one of the most deficient parts of the Central Square streetscape - a site where new retail and residential uses would be a great benefit. Today the most prominent feature is the graffiti next door. Central Square could be so much better than prominent displays of vandalism. There should be great buildings all the way to Norfolk St. The site of the Middle East Restaurant today occupies what was a building with several stories. It could use some upstairs space. Many of us remember this block when you could rent tools in one location, watch a movie in another, buy clothes at another, and enjoy some great Chinese food. This block is improving, but we could still do better. One of the blocks that seems to be missing a lot. The Central Square Cinema and other storefronts once occupied this space. Lafayette Square now hosts Jill Brown-Rhone Park. This end of the Square can only improve with more residents in proximity. Standing like a lone soldier in what should be a series of great buildings. Miracle of Science at the eastern edge of the Square The park is beautiful and tries to draw attention from the scene's most prominent feature - a blank pink wall. This may be the most incomplete corner in all of Central Square. The decaying billboard on the roof guards the deficit. The U-Haul is convenient for those who are moving, but this stretch of Main Street would be so much better with residential uses. One of the many Quest sites recently sold which may soon potentially enhance this area. Another missing tooth. The outline of a former building is apparent on the blank brick wall. Ideally, the future Central Square would still retain some of its industrial past, but maybe people could live next door to the chocolate factory. The view from Main Street across Lafayette Square The view toward the hotel at University Park. Ideally, Central Square should have more of a rhythm of heights and density. Architecturally Lacking - #1 Architecturally Lacking - #2 This end of Columbia St. would be so much better with more activity. A great Central Square building   Central Square Hardware and Tool Rental was once here until a spectacular fire destroyed the building. It's now a parking lot. A view of what this block once looked like is shown at right.   Another great Central Square building The Odd Fellows Hall (now the Dance Complex) seems to be missing a neighbor. Vacancies where there was once a very active street Though this site at Pearl Street is just feet from public transit and should support more height, the existing building seems to be in good shape. The site of the former Manhattan Market has cycled through multiple commercial tenants in recent years. The old signage on the side of the Barron Building This block could stand to have a lot more character. The Barron Building - another great Central Square building Here's an example of a good-looking tall building in Central Square. Most of us agree that we don't want this kind of tall building again. The often-criticized Holmes Building was supposed to have cafes and other amenities on the ground floor. Instead we got banks and phone stores. With the old pool removed, we get a brief look at the YWCA prior to new housing construction on Temple Street. Looking across the Temple Street lot toward City Hall The ultimate eyesore - Vail Court still vacant after decades Lost opportunity - Vail Court still vacant on Bishop Allen Drive View from the balcony of the new Alice K. Wolf Center View of the Holmes Building from the Alice K. Wolf Center View of City Hall from the Alice K. Wolf Center Comments?

Cambridge LGBT Senior Information Fair Monday, July 29

The Cambridge Council on Aging and the Cambridge GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) Commission are holding a LGBT Senior Information Fair on Monday, July 29, 2013, from 6-7:30 p.m., at the Cambridge Senior Center, at 806 Massachusetts Avenue. Light refreshments will be served, generously provided by Cadbury Commons, a residence for seniors). There will also be musical entertainment.

A number of organizations, including the LGBT Aging Project, AARP, Cambridge Human Services, Cambridge GLBT Commission and others will have representatives and information tables. This is an opportunity to socialize, eat and receive interesting and pertinent information. We encourage seniors, caregivers and friends to attend this fair.

The needs of LGBT seniors are often more extreme since they are more likely to have fewer family members to support them and even in Cambridge they may fear prejudice from service providers and caretakers. The LGBT Senior Fair supports the Cambridge Council on Aging's continued commitment to create a culture of respect for diversity in the aging population.

For more information, please contact Alicia Johnson at 617-349-6220 or at aliciaj@cambridgema.gov.

Building Pathways Pre-Apprenticeship Program Information Session July 24

The Cambridge Employment Program is hosting an information session for the Building Pathways Pre-Apprenticeship Program on Wednesday, July 24, at 6:00pm, at 51 Inman St., Cambridge.

Building Pathways Pre-Apprenticeship Program is looking for qualified people who want to begin careers as electricians, plumbers, sprinkler fitters, laborers and more. Building Pathways provides seven weeks of career exploration and hands-on experience in the building trades followed by placement in a union apprenticeship. Applicants must be 18 or older, have a high school diploma or GED, and an interest in the construction trades. They must also attend an information session in order to apply for the program.

For more information or to register for the session, call Brett Thomason at 617-348-6750.

James L. Sullivan Cambridge City Manager June 28, 1968 - April 1, 1970 April 1, 1974 - July 1, 1981	Robert W. Healy Cambridge City Manager July 1, 1981 - June 30, 2013	Richard C. Rossi Cambridge City Manager July 1, 2013 - present
The City Clerks and City Managers of Cambridge

Plan for Ethanol Trains Derailed

July 1, 2013 - Opponents of the plan by Global Partners to transport ethanol via high-volume trains through Cambridge, Somerville, and other towns east of Worcester to a planned blending facility in Revere scored major victories today. The "Ethanol Amendment" in the state's annual budget that would effectively have prohibited the planned terminal in Revere was passed by the State Senate Conference Committee and sent to the Governor's Office for ratification into law.

Roseann Bongiovanni of Chelsea, a principal citizen opponent of the plan, said, "A big thank you goes out to our legislative champions Senator Sal DiDomenico and Senator Anthony Petrucelli! Without their leadership and support, and that of their great staff (Ingrid and Anthony G.), this would not be possible. Representatives Reinstein and O'Flaherty should also be recognized for their advocacy in favor of this amendment. A special thank you also goes out to Attorney Rubin who drafted the amendment language."

The amendment was H.3538 which read as follows:

"SECTION 81. Section 14 of chapter 91 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:
An ethanol storage or blending facility that stores or blends or is intended to store or blend more than an average of 5,000 gallons of ethanol per day and is located within 1 mile of a census block that has a population density of greater than 4,000 people per square mile shall not be granted a license under this chapter. For the purposes of this section, ethanol shall be defined as any mixture composed of not less than 30 percent ethanol.

Upon final passage, many people believed that even with the Governor's signature, a legal challenge would be sure to follow. For example, U.S. Congressman Michael Capuano wrote several months ago in a letter to the Cambridge City Council:

Therefore, I am compelled to inform the Council it is my understanding that neither federal nor state law seems to provide ways to prevent ethanol from being transported through any community. There are laws and regulations available to ensure safety, but bans on the transport of hazardous materials have not been upheld in court. The Council may know that the Washington DC City Council enacted a ban on hazmat transportation through the city, but it was struck down in federal court. As far as I know, no other city has passed legislation banning the transit of hazardous materials and had the ban stand up in court. Of course, if others can identify alternative paths to judicial success, I stand ready to support them.

With this view as backdrop, opponents of the ethanol transport plan were thrilled to receive word that Global Partners has decided to cancel their plans. Noting significant opposition from local groups such as the Chelsea Creek Action Group, Global Partners stated that they are "a good company that doesn't want to go against the wishes of the local community."

Comments?

Cambridge Awarded $112,800 to Fight Homelessness through Prevention Services

July 10, 2013 - The Patrick Administration's Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) awarded the City of Cambridge $112,800 in federal Emergency Solutions Grant funds. These funds will be used to expand upon existing resources to develop a multi-faceted approach to providing homelessness prevention services in the city.

The award will help build on the foundation of prevention service delivery at the Multi-Service Center (MSC) by creating a coordinated homelessness prevention program that integrates existing case management and financial assistance at the MSC with tenancy preservation services at the Cambridge District Court and eviction prevention legal services.

ESG is an annual federal grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that was expanded under the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009 to include funding for prevention and rapid rehousing services in addition to funding for shelter beds.

"We are thrilled to have received this award that will enhance existing services that help individuals and families quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis," said Assistant City Manager for Human Services Ellen Semonoff.

Note: This story is taken from a City press release.

Janneke House to Run for City Council

Janneke House is pleased to announce her candidacy for Cambridge City Council.

Janneke is the daughter of a police officer and a school teacher and said: "My parents taught me about the importance of public service and working for the common good."

"I grew up in a middle-class family that struggled at times. I know from personal experience how important it is to get a good education, have a roof over your head, and secure a job that pays a living wage. I will make sure that the City of Cambridge does everything it can to ensure the best possible opportunities for every citizen."

Ms. House graduated from the University of Utah with a Masters of Urban Planning, worked for Mayor Rocky Anderson in Salt Lake City on economic development and small business planning. She was the first Executive Director of Cambridge's Local First and is currently Director of Member and Community Relations for the Kendall Square Association.

Janneke House is a proud Democrat who believes in the Democratic foundation of social justice, including living wages to support families, housing availability for all levels of life's progress and a voice for everyone in their government.

She serves on the board of Emerge Massachusetts, an organization that trains and recruits women to run for office and is an active member of the Ward 8 Committee and the Cambridge Democratic City Committee.

"In my political and professional life, I support pragmatic solutions, consensus building, and good civil discourse. I recognize the strengths that make Cambridge attractive to employers, students, residents, and workers from all over the world."

"With a new city manager, a retiring councilwoman, and the continuing evolution of our neighborhoods, this election is the voters' opportunity to elect new and collaborative voices on the Council."

"I want to put my experience in local government, business, economic development, urban planning, and community building to work as a full-time City Councillor for the residents of Cambridge."

The Janneke House for City Council kickoff will be held on Sunday July 14, 2013, 4-6pm at Tasty Burger in Harvard Square. Everyone is welcome. For more information visit: www.votehouse.org.

Cambridge Candidate Pages - 2013

2013 Campaign Event Listings and Candidate Forums     [Send event listings to election2013@cambridgecivic.com]

2013 Municipal Election: Nomination Papers Available Starting Monday July 1

Nomination papers for City Council and School Committee will be available beginning Monday, July 1st at the Election Commission office, 51 Inman Street, Cambridge. The office will be open on Monday, July 1st from 8:30am until 8:00pm. The deadline to file nomination papers is Wednesday, July 31st at 5:00pm. The 2013 Municipal Election Calendar is posted on the Commission's website: www.cambridgema.gov/election.

The requirements to run for City Council or School Committee are:

1. The person must be a registered voter in Cambridge. To register, one must be 18 years of age by Election Day, a U.S. citizen and a resident in the City of Cambridge.

2. The person must file no fewer than fifty (50) and no more than one hundred (100) certifiable signatures of registered voters in the City of Cambridge.

The Commission has prepared an information kit for candidates containing important dates, Commission policies, services and publications. The kits will be available with the nomination papers on July 1st.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2013.

Luis Vasquez Officially Launches Campaign for City Council

Over 115 supporters gathered this past Sunday night (July 7) at the Midwest Grill on Cambridge Street to officially launch Luis Vasquez' campaign bid for a seat on the Cambridge City Council.

"I want to represent possibilities," remarked Vasquez. "I want us to take this City by storm and create a Cambridge that is welcome to everyone, just like it used to. Why stop at affordable housing? Let's take it a step further and fight for affordable living as a whole."

Vasquez emphasized the importance of civic engagement, "My name may be on those stickers, but this is a together thing. We are gathered here today because we love our community. Let's make sure that nobody gets left behind on November 5th. I challenge you to find five people that are not registered to vote and you talk to them about why they should. I challenge you to find the voters that only vote every four years for the president and you tell them why they should vote this November, as I will be. Whether you vote for me or not, just make sure you show up at the polls. At the end of the day, if we can work through these challenges together, Cambridge wins."

Full story and pictures on Luis Vasquez' Candidate Page.

City Manager Seeks Members for Fresh Pond Advisory Board - Application Deadline Extended to July 12

City Manager Robert W. Healy is seeking Cambridge residents to fill vacancies on the Fresh Pond Advisory Board. The Fresh Pond Advisory Board was created in 2001 to advise the City Manager and City boards and commissions on implementation of the Fresh Pond Reservation Master Plan, which was adopted by the City Council in January 2001. The Master Plan provides guidance for the maintenance and improvement of Fresh Pond Reservation, a critical element of the City's water supply, and the City's most heavily used open space.

The primary purposes of the Advisory Board are to oversee the general stewardship of Fresh Pond Reservation in accordance with the Master Plan and to maintain collaborative relationships among City departments and user groups that impact the Reservation. The Advisory Board also provides a forum for public discussion and evaluation of proposals for land-use and land-management projects.

The Fresh Pond Advisory Board includes up to 18 members (up to 12 of whom are resident volunteers with active, long-term knowledge of the Reservation, who are not City employees or consultants to the City). Board members are appointed for three-year terms and may be reappointed at the City Manager's discretion. Persons with expertise in landscape architecture, park management and environmental management are encouraged to apply. The Fresh Pond Advisory Board meets at least four (4) times annually, on Thursday evenings.

For more information, call Nancy Schlacter at 617-349-4396. Interested persons should send a letter and/or resume via e-mail, mail or fax by Friday, July 12, 2013 to:
Robert W. Healy, City Manager
City of Cambridge
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Ph: (617) 349-4300
Fax 617-349-4307
E-mail: citymanager@cambridgema.gov.

Question: What do you call it when a 37-year Congressman in one of the most Democratically lopsided states in the USA beats a Republican unknown in a U.S. Senate race by a margin of 55-45%?

Answer: A landslide.

Cambridge City Manager to Serve Fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School

Cambridge MA -- Robert W. Healy, who has served as Cambridge City Manager for the past 32 years and in city government for more than 40 years, has been named a Taubman Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's (HKS) Taubman Center for State and Local Government and the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, it was announced today by HKS Dean David T. Ellwood. Healy will begin the Fellowship in mid-July after leaving his city government position.

The Fellowship will allow Healy to work with faculty, scholars and students on a range of academic and research projects and to participate in seminars, workshops and public events. Healy will also teach at the Kennedy School as an adjunct lecturer.

"Bob Healy is an extraordinary public servant who has devoted more than four decades of his life to his hometown. As City Manager, he created and maintained a mutually beneficial partnership between Harvard and Cambridge, bringing people together to identify and support common interests and opportunities. The result is a stronger community for all and a remarkable wealth of insight and expertise that Bob will share with future leaders studying at the Kennedy School of Government," said Drew Faust, President of Harvard University.

"We are pleased that Bob Healy has chosen to join us at the Kennedy School," said Dean Ellwood. "Bob brings knowledge and expertise in so many facets of local governance -- from budgeting and housing to education and health care -- and we look forward to both learning from and engaging with him."

Healy will be anchored at the Taubman Center, whose mission it is to improve the governance of states, metropolitan areas and cities through research, teaching and public events.

"Local government leaders are dealing with myriad challenges, particularly during these times of budget belt tightening and economic stagnation," said Edward Glaeser, Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics and director of the Taubman Center and the Rappaport Institute. "Bob Healy has met and tackled these difficult challenges for decades, allowing the city of Cambridge to grow and prosper, all the while constantly evaluating and improving critical city services to meet the needs of citizens."

Healy was named City Manager in 1981, shortly after Proposition 2 1/2 had been passed and the city's credit rating was suspended by Wall Street rating agencies. During his tenure the city has seen its financial position improve substantially, and since 1999 Cambridge has been one of only a few dozen cities in the country to earn and maintain three Triple A bond ratings from the three major credit rating agencies. Under Healy's leadership the city has completed a multi-million dollar sewer and storm water system reconstruction project, renovated virtually all opens spaces in the city, and constructed a new architectural award winning main library and state of the art public safety facility.

"It is a great honor to become part of Harvard Kennedy School and the Taubman Center for State and Local Government," said Healy. "During my over 40 years of municipal administration, I have learned that character and unwavering commitment to professional governance defines great leaders. I am excited to share my many years of practical experience in the creative environment offered at HKS, to inspire and engage our next generation of leaders by fostering the courage, perseverance and dauntlessness necessary to meet the everyday challenges of local governance."

Healy holds a Master's Degree from UMass, Lowell; and has earned certificates from MIT Sloan School of Management, Urban Executive Program, and from the Kennedy School's State and Local Executive Program.

This story is taken from a Harvard press release (May 24, 2013).

Comments?

Kendall Square News and Events (from the Kendall Square Association)

Longfellow Bridge Public Meeting - Phase 1 Briefing
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
7:00-9:00pm
MIT, Building E25, Room 111 (E25-111)
45 Carleton Street, Cambridge, MA

Rehabilitation of the iconic Longfellow Bridge will begin soon. The purpose of the meeting is to present details on Phase 1 of the Longfellow Bridge Rehabilitation Project and the Traffic Stage 1 shift that the design/build (D/B) team, White-Skanska-Consigli (WSC), will implement in mid-July. Stage 1 will close the west side of the bridge for construction and shift Boston bound traffic to the east side. Cambridge bound traffic will be detoured using a signed route from Charles Circle to Land Boulevard using Leverett Circle and Monsignor O'Brien Highway. D/B staff from WSC will also describe traffic monitoring and management plans. Pedestrian and bicycle access and MBTA Red Line service will be maintained throughout construction.

The rehabilitation project will address the bridge's current structural deficiencies, upgrade its structural capacity and bring it up to modern code, including improved multimodal access and bridge-to-city-street connections to meet accessibility guidelines. The repairs and modifications will be consistent with the historic character of the bridge and comply with environmental standards. The end result will be a signature bridge ready for many more years of service.

Preliminary work on the Main Street median will begin on Thursday, July 27th.

To be added to the project email or US Mail distribution lists, contact Stephanie Boundy, Public Outreach Coordinator for MassDOT's Accelerated Bridge Program, at 857-368-8904 or stephanie.boundy@state.ma.us. For construction related questions, complaints or issues, contact the project hotline, 617-519-9892, or email address, longfellowbridge@state.ma.us

Key Points:

• This project will start in July 2013 and construction will last approximately 3½ years with a completion date of September, 2016.
• Bridge will be closed to all outbound traffic (into Cambridge).
• The project will have one inbound lane (into Boston) and bike, pedestrian and train access both ways.
• The bridge will be closed for 25 weekends, except for bike and pedestrians (T passengers will be bused from Park St. to Kendall/Central)
• After completion of the project, historical features will be restored, it will look much of the same as it is now, but with one lane coming into Cambridge, clearer bike lanes and wider sidewalks

More information:  Overview of the project    PDF of the project details    Youtube video showing the construction phases

The City of Cambridge offers FREE commuter information to post in common areas of your office or distribute directly to employees.

City Employees Bid a Fond Farewell to Retiring City Manager Robert W. Healy

City of Cambridge and Cambridge Public Schools elected officials past and present, as well as a large group of city Employees bid farewell to retiring City Manager Robert W. Healy at a special ceremony at City Hall on June 20. This was one of a number of events to honor Healy who has dedicated almost four decades to public service. He leaves behind a great legacy but told city department heads and city employees at the gathering that they were a big part of his legacy with their level of professionalism and commitment to public service. Although Healy is retiring on June 30, he won't be away from Cambridge for very long. Healy will begin a Fellowship at Harvard in mid-July. The Fellowship will allow Healy to work with faculty, scholars and students on a range of academic and research projects and to participate in seminars, workshops and public events. Healy will also teach at the Kennedy School as an adjunct lecturer.

Nadeem Mazen Kickoff Event, candidate for Cambridge City Council

Cambridge, MA – Nadeem Mazen, candidate for Cambridge City Council, will be holding his kickoff event July 13th, from 3:00pm-5:00pm, at Central Square restaurant ZuZu.

At the ZuZu kickoff event, Nadeem will also be releasing The Cambridge Happy Streets Project, a free online interactive map exploring over 125 Cambridge resident and visitor interviews. Each interview investigates a community member’s happiness with Cambridge – what they appreciate about the city and what they wish could be changed.

Nadeem, a first-time candidate for City Council, is running on a platform of technology and media-based access to municipal government called Byte-Sized Politics, in which Cambridge’s unique innovative background is leveraged to make the city’s government more easily understood and engaged via new media and technologies.

Nadeem lives in Cambridgeport and owns two small businesses in Central Square. danger!awesome is a storefront for arts skill-sharing and professional development classes and Nimblebot.com specializes in developing educational media and interactive software. Nadeem moved to Cambridge over a decade ago to attend MIT.

The event is open to the public and will feature music, a cash bar, and free appetizers.

Facebook Event: http://on.fb.me/14y9UuB

Kathleen M. Kelly Announcing Campaign For Cambridge School Committee

Cambridge, MA – Kathleen M. Kelly will announce her candidacy for the Cambridge School Committee at an event on June 26 at the Atomic Bean Cafe in Cambridge.

Kelly brings an unusual combination of education and experience, having both an MBA and an MSW.  Her financial, analytic and evaluation skills will be unique assets to the School Committee in its work to determine and implement education policy in relation to the CPS budget.  Kelly’s background in social work gives her a professional understanding of and insight into the challenges families and students face, and what can be done to support all students as they work to achieve their potential.

"I highly recommend Kathleen Kelly for election to the Cambridge School Committee. Cambridge is fortunate to have a candidate with her experience, education, perspective, temperament and knowledge of the city's diversity,” says Frank Duehay, former Mayor of Cambridge and former Assistant Dean, Harvard Graduate School of Education."

Kelly decided to run after receiving encouragement from friends and fellow public school parents from across Cambridge. “In Cambridge, we have a unique opportunity to realize public education's potential as an economic and social asset for all our students and our city.  When my husband died and I became a single mom, the City of Cambridge programs and the Cambridge School Department resources made a difference to my family's well-being and my son's academic success.  I believe every child's education improves when all families and students receive support for their particular challenges and gifts.  With thoughtful policy decisions, our good public education system can become excellent for all our students,” said Kelly, explaining her reason for running.

As a member of the School Committee, Kelly plans to focus on three core values:  equity, access, and excellence.  Equity is critical for all students to receive an education that leads to academic success, as well as successful and civically engaged adult lives.  Access to the wealth of our educational resources and opportunities must be available to all students and families.  Excellence requires us to provide the resources necessary to address the breath of strengths and challenges our students bring to the classroom.  Additionally, all students should experience high expectations from their teachers and through this experience learn to set high expectations for themselves. Kelly understands that the School Committee is ultimately responsible for using policies that reflect the social justice mission citizens have valued in the Cambridge Public Schools to address the challenges so many of our families and students face. 

"Kathleen Kelly's decision to run for School Committee made it much easier for me to run for City Council,” said outgoing member Marc McGovern. “She is a thoughtful, level-headed collaborator who has the education, experience and commitment to make a significant difference on the School Committee. With an open seat, we need to elect someone who not only understands the educational issues facing our city but also knows how to work with others to pass sound policy for the good of all children in our district."

Kelly served on the King Open School Council and the King Open Extended Day Advisory Council.  She earned an MBA from Simmons and an MSW from Boston College.  As a social worker and activist, she has worked to create greater access to educational resources and opportunities for all children, mitigate the social and emotional effects of violence on youth, families, and neighborhoods, and engage parents with different experiences and backgrounds in public school activism.  As a small business consultant, she worked with immigrants and women who created successful businesses.  In 2012, she served as the Citywide Canvass Coordinator for the Elizabeth Warren campaign in Cambridge and is currently co-chair of the Ward 6 Democratic Committee. A resident of Mid-Cambridge for over 20 years, Kathleen lives on Marie Avenue with her husband, Brian Corr, and son, Liam, a CRLS freshman.

Kelly's campaign kickoff event will be on Wednesday, June 26, 2013 from 7:00 to 9:00pm at the Atomic Bean Cafe, 904 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. For more information, visit www.kathleenmkelly.com.

Cambridge Candidate Pages - 2013

2013 Campaign Event Listings and Candidate Forums     [Send event listings to election2013@cambridgecivic.com]

Kendall Square News and Events (from the Kendall Square Association)

Longfellow Bridge Construction Update
Last month, the KSA held a discussion with the design build team from Mass DOT about how our commutes will be impacted due to the Bridge closure. Below are key details and links for more information to circulate to employees and others who were not able to attend the briefing.

Key Points:

• This project will start in early July (exact date to be determined)
• Construction will last approximately 3½ years with a completion date of September, 2016
• Bridge will be closed to all outbound traffic (into Cambridge)
• The project will have one inbound lane (into Boston) and bike, pedestrian and train access both ways.
• The bridge will be closed for 25 weekends, except for bike and pedestrians (T passengers will be bused from Park St. to Kendall/Central)
• After completion of the project, historical features will be restored, it will look much of the same as it is now, but with one lane coming into Cambridge, clearer bike lanes and wider sidewalks

More information:  Overview of the project    PDF of the project details    Youtube video showing the construction phases

The City of Cambridge offers FREE commuter information to post in common areas of your office or distribute directly to employees.

Cambridge Human Rights Commission Vacancy - Application Deadline Extended to June 28

Cambridge City Manager Robert W. Healy is seeking persons interested in serving on the Cambridge Human Rights Commission (CHRC). Made up of 11 volunteers who serve three-year terms, the CHRC meets on the first Thursday of every month at 6pm. The Commission seeks Cambridge residents representing the diversity of Cambridge.

Commissioners are expected to work with other members of the Commission and staff to fulfill the goals and objectives of the Cambridge Human Rights Commission Ordinance (CMC Chapter 2.76). Commissioners are expected to attend monthly meetings, participate in subcommittees on outreach and public education, and work with Commission staff on the investigation, mediation and resolution of complaints filed with the Commission which allege discrimination in housing, public accommodation, employment or education based upon race, color, sex, age, religious creed, disability, national origin or ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, family status, military status or source of income.

For more information, contact Nancy Schlacter, Cambridge Human Rights Commission, at 617-349-4396 or nschlacter@cambridgema.gov. Letters of interest, including resume and/or applicable experience, can be sent via mail, fax or e-mail by Friday, June 28, 2013 to:
Robert W. Healy, City Manager
City of Cambridge
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Fax 617-349-4307
E-mail: citymanager@cambridgema.gov.

Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District Commissions Seek New Members

The Cambridge City Manager is seeking individuals to fill vacancies in the membership of the Half Crown-Marsh, Mid-Cambridge and Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District (NCD) commissions. Each of the three commissions meets monthly to review applications for demolition, new construction and alterations to buildings in the districts.

The Half Crown-Marsh NCD is an area of 200 properties located west of Harvard Square, while the Avon Hill NCD is an area of 250 properties west of Porter Square. Mid-Cambridge, the largest of the districts, is bordered by Prospect Street, Massachusetts Avenue, Prescott and Kirkland streets and the Cambridge/Somerville boundary. Each district exhibits unique architectural characteristics and development patterns. Among the purposes of a neighborhood conservation district are to conserve and maintain the distinctive features of the sites and structures that compose the neighborhood and reflect the history of that part of the city.

Appointments are made by the City Manager with regard to the diverse viewpoints expressed in the creation of the districts. Minority candidates are particularly encouraged to apply. Statutory requirements provide that some appointments be filled by homeowners or residents of the districts who have professional qualifications related to real estate, architecture, historic preservation, landscape architecture, urban planning, law or geotechnical engineering. Candidates must demonstrate knowledge and concern for the improvement, conservation and enhancement of the district.

Individuals interested in being considered should submit a letter of interest and a resumé by Friday, June 14, 2013 for the Half Crown-Marsh and Avon Hill districts and by June 28, 2013 for the Mid-Cambridge district. Submissions can be sent to the attention of:
Robert W. Healy, City Manager
City of Cambridge
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Fax 617-349-4307
E-mail: citymanager@cambridgema.gov.

Legislature Allows Establishment of Mount Auburn Cemetery: June 23, 1831

ON THIS DAY...
...in 1831, the legislature granted the Massachusetts Horticultural Society permission to purchase land for use as an experimental garden and a rural cemetery. Located on the border of Cambridge and Watertown, the garden failed, but the cemetery became world famous. As the first rural cemetery in America, Mount Auburn pioneered the idea of burying the dead not in urban churchyards but in a beautifully designed, naturalistic landscape on the outskirts of the city. The idea caught on and eventually led to the creation of public parks in metropolitan areas. 180 years after the cemetery was consecrated, the dead are still being laid to rest along Mount Auburn's winding paths, in her wooded dells, and on her gentle hillsides.

Listen to this moment:http://www.massmoments.org/audio/JUNE231%2Em3u
Read more about this moment: http://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=183
Visit Mass Moments to search past moments: http://www.massmoments.org

June 17, 2013 – City and School Officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School & Putnam Avenue Upper School Monday, June 17. The existing structure at 100 Putnam Ave., Cambridge will be replaced with a new energy efficient NET ZERO building design. The final construction phase shall begin following final project bids due in December 2013 and occupancy is scheduled for September 2015.

Striking a Positive Note

June 16, 2013 - Today I received a copy of a note sent by City Council candidate Luis Vasquez to his fellow candidates. His positive tone is worth mentioning. Wouldn't it be great if all candidates this year could adopt and maintain this tone?:

My fellow Cambridge City Council candidates,

It is a pleasure to reach out to you guys. As we are fully aware by now, there's a lot of us in this field. As challenging as that can make things on our end, voters have a strong pool to choose from which is a beautiful thing. It's an exciting election, and it's mostly because of our, the candidates, desires to prioritize needs over wants for our City. At the end of the day, Cambridge wins.

Each of us bring a unique set of traits, views, and characteristics to the table. It's up to us to set the tone of this election. We represent change. We're the face of new energy. But we can only be successful if we stand united.

I urge you to support one another, as I will be, and have been doing. I'm in this race because I love my City, and not to feed a personal agenda. I'm excited to see how things play out and I do remain hopeful that many of us are elected in November.

See you on the campaign trail, my friends. - Luis Vasquez

Ken Thomson, 66; cofounder of cohousing community

[Boston Globe story, June 16, 2013] Ken Thomson was not only a co-founder of Cornerstone Village Cohousing on Harvey Street about 15 years ago, he remained as a resident and leader until his recent death from prostate cancer on May 24. While looking back at my own observations made when the Cornerstone Cohousing proposal faced opposition and was finally given the green light by the Cambridge City Council in early 2000, I found the following remarks in the archives:

Feb 3, 1998 Planning Board: "In the second item, the Board approved the Cornerstone Cohousing project for Harvey Street in North Cambridge. Following the vote, N. Cambridge activist Joe Joseph launched into a scathing criticism of the Planning Board for voting to approve this housing."

Apr 27, 1998 City Council: "Several prospective residents of the Cornerstone cohousing project proposed for Harvey St. in North Cambridge voiced their opposition to a downzoning proposal for the Linear Park area that would severely restrict their ability to build this housing."

Feb 14, 2000 City Council: "Public comment was extensive, dominated by a very impressive turnout by supporters and future residents of Cornerstone Cohousing on Harvey Street. Special Permit approval by the Planning Board two years earlier spurred conservative forces in North Cambridge to file zoning petitions and lawsuits in a failed attempt to prevent this housing from being built. Future residents were made to bear significant costs due in large part to mixed messages sent by the City Council during the course of multiple filings and expirations of zoning petitions. Resident efforts actually began seven years earlier."

The group opposing Cornerstone Cohousing during those years was the North Cambridge Stabilization Committee. Some of their principle members continue today in a similar role with the Association of Cambridge Neighborhoods (ACN). - Robert Winters

Silver Maple Forest - letter from Kristen von Hoffmann

On Friday, June 14th I attended the Silver Maple Forest Day of Action, a peaceful gathering organized by Green Cambridge, TROMP, and Friends of Alewife Reservation to protest cutting down the Silver Maple Forest in the Belmont Uplands adjoining the Alewife Reservation. Cutting down this forest would be required to build new condominiums that are part of the proposed development plan for this area.

While we need to focus on planning for density in and near Cambridge, we must do so with the intent to create sustainable systems, and to build a city that can thrive well into the future. By sustainable, I mean a city that preserves critical aspects of Cambridge that are unique and special, while also accounting for elements that must change.

Sustainability means building and planning with the natural environment in mind, and with respect to neighborhoods, businesses, and universities. When I look at an issue like the development of our precious, few remaining acres of wetlands, I am appalled.

How can we be so short-sighted? We are living in a world, a city, and a context that demands leadership that will fight to preserve our precious remaining open spaces. We are living in a world that demands innovative leadership, not the status quo. Instead of destroying this forest, we need to think creatively about how to design for the future, and how to build housing in places that can accommodate new development with the least hazardous impact. Razing a beautiful and rare space such as the Silver Maple Forest and uprooting a rich wildlife corridor that runs through Cambridge, Belmont, and Arlington is simply unacceptable.

The forest and wetlands are extremely important in the age of climate change, as they absorb water runoff after storms and flooding. As we are seeing greater increases in rainfall and more destructive storms, it is crucial to preserve this important open space that acts as a natural sponge and mitigates the effects of these storms.

The citizen-based Belmont Coalition and the Friends of Alewife Reservation are both plaintiffs in an active lawsuit to stop this development, and their continuous appeals have kept the forest intact so far. But time is running out. I urge you to contact your city councilors, town selectman and state legislators directly, and to ask them to stop this development from happening.

This is not the time for complacency. Please make your voices heard.

Thank you,
Kristen von Hoffmann
Candidate for Cambridge City Council

Comments?

Major Greenways Link for Watertown-Cambridge Greenway Acquired (June 4, 2013, City of Cambridge)

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the City of Cambridge are pleased to announce the acquisition of a key land parcel that will create the final link in the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway. The development of the newly acquired segments will complete DCR's goal of a comprehensive network of off-road recreational corridors between greater Boston and its western suburbs.

"Once constructed, this link will add enormous recreational and green commuting opportunities in some of the most densely populated suburban and urban areas of Eastern Massachusetts," said DCR Commissioner Ed Lambert. "DCR, on behalf of Patrick-Murray Administration is committed to providing a statewide system of greenways and trails that connect communities and promotes use of healthy and green trails."

The Watertown-Cambridge Greenway is designed to provide an alternative route for cyclists and commuters utilizing sustainable modes of transportation that are traveling between the west and urban centers in Arlington, Cambridge and Boston. It also serves as a recreational greenway and passive park with abundant native plantings and wildlife. Phase 1, a one mile segment completed and opened to the public in 2011, connects the Watertown Mall and local businesses at the intersection of Arlington, Nichols and Coolidge Streets to residential areas of Watertown and Domenik Flippello Park, a popular recreational facility in Watertown. The new properties acquired on May 22 are critical leaps forward for Phase 2, which will link the Charles River corridor, Fresh Pond Reservation, Fresh Pond Shopping Center, Alewife Greenway and T station, the Minuteman Bike Path and the Mystic River Reservation.

"I'm thrilled to see DCR continuing to make steady progress in connecting its network of paths," said Senator Will Brownsberger. "I deeply appreciate DCR's dogged pursuit of the long term vision of off-road thru-travel for cyclists and pedestrians."

The overall project serves to enhance the aesthetics of the area, improve air quality by reducing the number of motorists traveling from the western suburbs to the greater Boston area, provide a passive recreation corridor for walkers and joggers, and, when complete, provide a commuter corridor that meets all state and federal off-road pedestrian and bicyclist standards.

"With this acquisition, we are on the verge of realizing a vision pursued over the course of 20 years by many dedicated residents and several of my predecessors," said Representative Jonathan Hecht. "This is a huge moment for cleaner, healthier transportation and a better quality of life in Watertown, Cambridge and surrounding communities."

The recent acquisition from B&M Rail Road, is a $1.3 million investment in the Commonwealth's greenways, purchased with $829,000 of DCR's Land Acquisition funds and $470,000 of federal funds for green transportation The corridor is 4.2 acres located between Grove Street in Watertown and Huron Avenue in Cambridge.

"The City of Cambridge is pleased to work with the DCR to help develop this multi-use path which will provide a vital off-road transportation link that can be used by cyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities, as well as provide important open space in the region and this neighborhood of Cambridge," said Richard C. Rossi, Deputy City Manager. "We look forward to its completion."

In a separate but equally critical transaction, the City of Cambridge also acquired from B&M Rail Road, a section of former railroad corridor to the north, between Huron Avenue and Concord Avenue with Community Preservation Act funds. Cambridge reserved for DCR a 14-foot-wide trail easement over the 2,000 linear feet above Huron Ave. These two acquisitions have more than doubled the length of the original greenway; expanding the greenway from 4,600 feet to 10,200 feet in length, and connecting it with many more miles of trail.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School & Putnam Avenue Upper School
Groundbreaking Ceremony Monday, June 17 at Noon.

Cambridge, MA -- The City of Cambridge will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School & Putnam Avenue Upper School Monday, June 17, at 12:00pm, 100 Putnam Ave. (rear), Cambridge.
Note on Directions: Please access site from Kinnaird St. or Hayes St. only. Please do not use Magee St. This is an active construction site so please stay inside marked barriers for your safety.

Project Background
In July 2012, the city’s project architect, Perkins Eastman, presented City officials with its Feasibility Study for the new Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Construction Project. Three options were considered and the final decision was to replace the existing structure with a new energy efficient NET ZERO building design. During the design phases, the occupants participated in the building programming, which included education of what a NET ZERO design consists of, and why their actions when using the building will help control the energy consumption. This design is scheduled to be completed for bid in early Fall 2013.

The Construction Manager at Risk, the Rich-Caulfield Venture, began abatement of hazardous materials and demolition in April 2013. These activities should be completed by the end of October 2013. The construction start date for the foundations, steel and geothermal wells is anticipated for early Fall 2013. The final construction phase shall begin following final project bids due in December 2013 and occupancy is scheduled for September 2015. The present total project costs approved by the City Council in September 2012 was $84,550,000. Design features of the 187,000 square foot building and indoor parking garage include:

• Geothermal Wells which extract heat from the ground thus helping keep energy costs low;
• Daylight Harvesting which includes glass and other design elements that enable natural light to pass through the building;
• Automatic Lighting Dimmer System which helps conserve energy use;
• Gray Water Storage System which helps conserve water use;
• 30 kBtu/sf/year which describes the building’s energy use and efficiency performance. The average K-12 school in America has an efficiency rating of 169 kBtu/sf/year. This design goal of 30 kBtu/sf/year means the new school will be 82% more efficient than the average American school.

The school will contain all new facilities and equipment for its classrooms, library, auditorium, gymnasium, community rooms, new outdoor play space and improved parking. For project updates, visit the Martin Luther King Construction Project Webpage, http://www.cambridgema.gov/cmanager/mlkjrschoolconstruction.aspx.

HISTORICAL COMMISSION ANNOUNCES PRESERVATION AWARDS

The Cambridge Historical Commission is pleased to announce the recipients of its annual Cambridge Preservation Awards. Inaugurated by the Commission in 1997, the program celebrates both outstanding historic preservation projects and notable individuals for their contributions to the conservation and protection of the city’s architecture and history.

The award winners include exterior renovations of homes at 1531 Cambridge Street, 8 Cleveland Street, 8 Cottage Street, 31-33 Fayette Street, 24 Highland Street, 102-104 Inman Street, and 122 Oxford Street. The Anthony C. Platt award for an exceptional project in a neighborhood conservation district was awarded to Adrian Catalano for the restoration of the two-family home at 38-40 Arlington Street in the Avon Hill district. Other restoration projects to receive awards are the Great Dome and Barker Library Reading Room at M.I.T.’s Building 10, Christ Church on Garden Street built in 1761, the YMCA in Central Square with its Central House residential rehab, and the former Immaculate Conception Lithuanian Church and Rectory at 424-430 Windsor Street that were successfully adaptively re-used for affordable housing by Just A Start Corporation.

Individuals to be honored for their unique contributions to preservation are Catherine Korsgren, who donated a preservation restriction to Historic New England for her Italianate home at 10 Hollis Street, the board members of the Longview Corporation at 983-986 Memorial Drive for adopting a window restoration policy, and Jane Carbone, Robert Costa, and Deb Hall, three project managers at Homeowner’s Rehab, for their many excellent examples of rehabilitation of older buildings for affordable housing in Cambridge.

Participants in the Cambridge Community Development Department’s Façade, Signage, and Lighting Improvement Program received Certificates of Merit for projects at 1166 Cambridge Street (Puritan & Co. Restaurant), 1 JFK Street (The World’s Only Curious George Store), and 1682 Massachusetts Avenue (Giulia Restaurant).

The Cambridge Historical Commission congratulates the commitment and hard work of the individuals who contributed to these projects that make Cambridge a more attractive and desirable place in which to live and work. The awards ceremony was held at Fariborz Maseeh Hall at M.I.T. on Thursday, May 30. Maseeh Hall received a Preservation Award in 2009. It is the university’s largest undergraduate dormitory and has a rich residential history.

For more information, please contact the Historical Commission at 617-349-4683.

Past, Present, and Future?

Former School Committee member Nancy Tauber, current School Committee
member Alice Turkel, and School Committee candidate Kathleen Kelly on Inman St.

The Few, the Proud, the Cambridge voters who never miss an election

May 29, 2013 - I just merged the current registered Cambridge voter database with the voter history files for every city-wide election from 1997 through the recent April 2013 Special Senate primary election. There were 69,800 registered voters at the time of the April 2013 primary. The list of super-voters who have an unbroken streak voting in every Cambridge election since 1997 is now down to just 183 voters. - RW

May 28, 2013 - Voters Take A Pass in 8th Suffolk Primary

Special Primary elections rarely excite voters, and the election to fill the State Rep. seat vacated by Marty Walz proved to be about as interesting as watching paint dry. Jay Livingstone bested Josh Dawson by about a 2-to-1 margin district-wide and now moves on to a meaningless general election next month. In Cambridge the margin was 676-272 (not including write-ins and other ballots that require special handling). That's a total of 948 Cambridge voters expressing a preference out of a total of 4709 registered Democrats and another 3775 unenrolled voters eligible to vote in this Democratic primary (based on the April registered voter list). That's about an 11% turnout of eligible voters - not exactly a mandate. The 8th Suffolk district includes Precincts 2-2, 2-3, 5-1, 5-2 & 5-3.

Comic Tweet - Here's how one prominent elected official tweeted about the primary:

The special state primary election to fill the vagrancy for the 8th Suffolk Rep District. Polls 7-8: http://ow.ly/lmDnP

Sometimes an anonymous note makes your day....

May 24, 2013 - A couple of nights ago I attended a gathering in Somerville about citizen journalism. It was sort of interesting, but what had me smiling was a note I found tucked under the door handle of my 1979 VW Bus when I was heading out. It was twice-folded with a little VW drawing on it. At first I thought it might just be one of the upscale invaders who didn't like the fact that I was taking a parking space best left for a Lexus or an ecologically-correct Prius. Boy, was I wrong! If my Bus could smile (and some claim that it has), then my 34-year-old friend would have been grinning ear-to-ear (or mirror-to-mirror). Here's the note and a couple of pictures. - RW

Hello Recycling & Composting Neighbors! - May/June 2013

Next Hazardous Waste Collection 6/8
Want to Donate Furniture? Super!
Get More Involved and Volunteer
Curbside Recycling… Yay or Nay?
Part-time Job: Organics Program Assistant

Next Household Hazardous Waste Collection 6/8

2013 dates: 6/8, 7/13, 10/19 from 9am-1pm. Click here for more information.

Want to Donate a Couch, Mattress or Other Furniture? Super!

Moving and can’t take it all with you? Plan ahead and call today to arrange a free pickup of your good-condition furniture with a local organization that benefits people in need. Visit CambridgeMA.gov/Furniture for our interactive list with details on pickup, drop-off, and other last minute options. Know that you can also get great gently used furniture from many of these places, too!

Get More Involved and Volunteer

We’d love to hear from you if you can volunteer for a few hours at a community event coming up. It’s fun to talk to people about recycling, composting, and reducing waste. You can enjoy the atmosphere and get a free t-shirt. Email us today at recycle@cambridgema.gov to help!

• 6/1, Riverfest, Noon-6pm (raindate 6/2)
• 6/8, Fresh Pond Day, 10am-2pm
• 6/15, Hoops N Health, 10am-8pm (raindate 6/22)

Curbside Recycling… Yay or Nay?

Yay!

• Large Plastics: We can recycle buckets, broken laundry baskets, crates, toys, etc. Please try to donate and reuse first.
• Paper Coffee Cups: Empty please, and we can even take the plastic top. No Styrofoam.
• Shredded Paper: Just place in a clear plastic or paper bag.
• Frozen Food Boxes: If it rips, we can take it. Rinse out food residue.

Nay!

• Hangers: Reuse and donate, check with your local dry cleaner. Metal hangers accepted at Recycling Center.
• Clothing & Textiles: See our google map of clothing donation spots. Good stuff gets reused and damaged stuff gets recycled.
• Electronics: Find out how to recycle or donate.
• Packaging: No packing peanuts, no plastic wrap, or polystyrene Styrofoam blocks. More info…

Part-time Job: Organics Program Assistant

Seeking reliable and highly motivated individual with excellent interpersonal, public speaking, and organization skills to assist with planning and implementation of 1 year pilot program to collect food scraps from residents to begin spring 2014. Cambridge residents are encouraged to apply. Click here for job description, review of resumes begins May 28th.

• Missed recycling or trash?  Please use iReport or call DPW at 617-349-4800 no later than 12 noon the day after collection to make a request.
• Request for toters, brochures, stickers or posters? Use our online form.
• "Like" the Cambridge DPW on Facebook.
• Please note that during holidays weeks, trash, recycling and yard waste collection is delayed one day. Check the 2013 collection schedule online for full details.

Take the 50% recycling pledge today at www.cambridgema.gov/recycle and get a free sticker!
Recycle More. Trash Less.

CambridgeMA.gov/Furniture

Celebration of Magazine Beach Park - Saturday, June 15

Magazine Beach was an island? People swam in the Charles River? That granite-block building stored gunpowder for ships in Boston Harbor? All of these questions and more will be answered to the tune of Cambridge's finest Best Ever Chicken (bluegrass band), kite flying and races for children, learn-to-row lessons and art at Magazine Beach Park Saturday, June 15, 12-5pm. In case of rain, the art installation in the 1818 powder magazine will still be on and the music and picnic will move into the Riverside Boat Club, just across from Starbucks (at Micro Center/Trader Joe's Plaza), on Memorial Drive.

The Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association, partnering with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Charles River Conservancy, the Riverside Boat Club and many others, will offer Celebration 2013 at Magazine Beach. Their goal: to bring the community together in Cambridge's second largest park and create an awareness of its rich history and great potential: 15 acres along the Charles River. The event is a Cambridge talent show with Artforming and Danielle Sauvé using lights and sound to transform the interior of the 1818 powder magazine into a place of memories and meditation; Nancy Adams, former head of the experimental art group Mobius, leading a performance around the magazine; public artist Ross Miller, David Craft of Gallery 263 and Lars Anderas (UMass Boston graduate student) marking the shoreline of Captain's Island; and Cambridgeport's own If this park could talk signs… all over the park – just for the day – revealing the site's stories. The Riverside Boat Club, home of many rowers preparing for the Olympics, will offer learn-to-row lessons.

There will be food trucks, cold lemonade, a new history of Magazine Beach, and almost everything but swimming in the Charles River. (We're not quite ready for that.) Rain or shine, come to the park for entertainment, fun and community. It's free! For further information, go to www.magazinebeach.wordpress.com or join us on facebook at: www.facebook.com/magazinebeach.

Partners: Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association, MA Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Charles River Conservancy, the Riverside Boat Club, the Cambridge Historical Commission, Cambridge Historical Society, Artforming, Gallery 263 and UMass Boston
Sponsors: New England Grassroots Environmental Fund, Charles River Conservancy, Forest City & Anonymous

Magazine Beach is a DCR park in Cambridge, MA, along the Charles River.

Comments?

Dogtown Wisdom
Intelligence	Ideas	Use Your Head

Grand Opening Celebration and Open House for Cambridge Community Learning Center,
Multi-Service Center and Cambridge Housing Authority - Monday, June 10, 3:00-5:00pm

The City of Cambridge invites you to a grand opening celebration and open house for Cambridge Community Learning Center, Multi-Service Center for the Homeless and Cambridge Housing Authority Monday, June 10, from 3:00-5:00pm at the former site of Cambridge Police Department, 5 Western Avenue/362 Green Street. Light refreshments will be served.

The Community Learning Center (CLC) helps adults improve their lives and increase their community participation through free educational programs, tutoring, basic computer instruction. Programs include:

• English language classes
• Classes in basic reading, writing, and math
• Preparation for the GED examinations
• Preparation for college or a training program
• Preparation for the U.S. citizenship test

The Cambridge Multi-Service Center (MSC) addresses the needs of homeless and near-homeless individuals and families living in our community. We provide direct services, planning and coordination of efforts for persons who are living on the street, in emergency shelters or at risk of losing their housing.

The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) provides more than 5,000 low income families, elders and disabled individuals with affordable apartments or rental assistance.

The CHA fulfills its mission through:

• The ownership and management of over 2,700 units of housing
• The administration of over 2,300 Housing Choice vouchers
• Continued development of affordable units
• A wide range of tenant services

For more information visit their respective websites:
Community Learning Center
Multi-Service Center for the Homeless
Cambridge Housing Authority

Kendall Square Food Truck Festival
Family Day in Kendall Square - Saturday, June 8th from 11:00am-5:00pm

The Cambridge Food Truck Festival is coming to Kendall Square on Saturday, June 8th near 3rd Street and Broadway. Bring your family, friends, and coworkers to make a day of eating, kayaking on the river, shopping, and enjoying a drink after the festival at one of our many restaurants. [More information]

June 5, 2013 - 3-alarm fire at 367 Harvard Street

A 3-alarm fire at 367 Harvard Street around 1pm on June 5 was contained quickly by the Cambridge Fire Department. Check the Cambridge Chronicle for details from reporter Erin Baldassari.

May 20 Late City Council Update

The Cambridge City Council, after much heated rhetoric, defeated (on a 4-5 vote) Order #17 that would have required additional Finance Committee hearings on the School Budget (Cheung, Kelley, Simmons, vanBeuzekom voting YES; Decker, Maher, Reeves, Toomey, Davis voting NO). They then discharged the School Budget from the Finance Committee on a 7-2 vote (Cheung, Kelley voting NO). They also approved Order #9 to schedule a joint Roundtable meeting of the City Council and School Committee on June 10 at 5:30pm. All of the anticipated FY2014 Budget votes then proceeded as originally planned. The General Fund Budget ($472,820,685) passed 8-1 (Kelley voting NO); the Water Fund Budget ($14,238,700) and the Public Investment Fund Budget ($92,715,930) both passed unanimously.

The Great Cambridge School Budget Kerfuffle of 2013

May 4, 2013 - I guess it's fair to say that people like municipal elections. Note where the spikes are in the following graph of total visits per month to rwinters.com and cambridgecivic.com over the time for which detailed statistics are available. Nov 2005, Nov 2007, Nov 2009, Nov 2011. I shudder to think what we'll see later this year.

Cambridge Delegation Partners with MassDOT to Host Ethanol Train Meetings

The Cambridge legislative delegation invites residents, homeowners, local businesses, and community organizations to join them for two public forums about a plan proposed by Global Partners to transport ethanol through the City of Cambridge using the existing rail system. To facilitate participation, two forums will be held. The first meeting will occur on June 4 at 5:30pm at the King Open School, 850 Cambridge St., Cambridge. The second meeting will take place on June 5 at 6:15pm at Graham and Parks School, 44 Linnaean St., Cambridge.

Representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation will present the findings of their ethanol safety study and answer questions from the public. Following this presentation, elected officials will facilitate an open discussion about the proposed plan and explore opportunities for public involvement.

The meetings will be hosted by the Cambridge legislative delegation, including Representatives Toomey, Decker, Rogers, and Hecht, and Senators Petruccelli, Jehlen, and DiDomenico.

MassDOT's ethanol safety study and related documents can be found at http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/Main/CurrentStudies/EthanolSafetyStudy.aspx

Any questions regarding the meeting may be directed to Dan Weber at Daniel.Weber@mahouse.gov or (617) 722-2380.

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Note: Here's what Congressman Mike Capuano had to say about this in an Apr 26 letter that's included in the agenda materials for the Monday, June 3 Cambridge City Council meeting:

Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Michael E. Capuano
7th District, Massachusetts

April 26, 2013

Mayor Henrietta Davis
Cambridge City Hall
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139

Dear Mayor Davis:
I am writing to you in response to recent correspondence I received from the Cambridge City Council regarding a proposal to bring ethanol through several Massachusetts communities by rail. I understand the Council's concerns and support its efforts to find a safer way to transport ethanol through heavily populated areas.

As you know, my office approaches all issues honestly, even when I expect the response may not be what is hoped for. Therefore, I am compelled to inform the Council it is my understanding that neither federal nor state law seems to provide ways to prevent ethanol from being transported through any community. There are laws and regulations available to ensure safety, but bans on the transport of hazardous materials have not been upheld in court. The Council may know that the Washington DC City Council enacted a ban on hazmat transportation through the city, but it was struck down in federal court. As far as I know, no other city has passed legislation banning the transit of hazardous materials and had the ban stand up in court. Of course, if others can identify alternative paths to judicial success, I stand ready to support them.

I am sure the Council realizes that ethanol is currently transported by rail through many urban, rural and suburban communities all over the country, including in Massachusetts. It is my understanding that the Cambridge Fire department is informed pursuant to state and federal regulation of such transits and is prepared to handle emergencies related to them. I have been informed that any local or state restrictions imposed on rail transportation of hazmat are pre-empted by interstate commerce regulations. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) informs me that they do not have jurisdiction to deny ethanol or other hazardous materials transit and do not have the authority to require the use of certain routes. The FRA does regulate track safety, street crossings, operational requirements and the integrity of tanker cars. I have asked that the FRA carefully review the integrity of the infrastructure that could be used for ethanol transport and I am confident this request will be supported.

It is my understanding that substantial work must be undertaken on the rail line that connects to Global Petroleum's ethanol facility in Revere. Improvements may also be necessary elsewhere on the routing lines under consideration before they may be used for ethanol trains. I am confident that FRA will only allow ethanol trains on lines that meet FRA safety and operational standards and I will work hard to ensure that this confidence is well placed.

I have also reached out to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG). It is my understanding that EPA does not have a role in allowing or disallowing the transportation of ethanol. TSA informed me that ethanol is not a Rail Security Sensitive Material (RSSM) and therefore TSA does not require additional safety and/or security measures for its transportation. Please note that if ethanol were deemed an RSSM, it is my understanding that TSA still could not prohibit it. Given that the storage facility is along the water, the USCG is required to approve the facility's security procedures. I have long experience with the Coast Guard and am confident this is a responsibility that the USCG takes very seriously.

While I regret that my initial review of the matter indicates ethanol transport cannot be prohibited, I believe my office can be helpful in other areas. One suggestion would be to have city public safety officials assess the city and region's preparedness for a release of ethanol. I have read the MassDOT report on ethanol and understand that area fire chiefs believe there is a need for staff training and equipment. My office stands ready to aggressively support any municipal or state effort to access federal funding or seek mitigation. I also strongly support making sure first responders are informed in a timely fashion when ethanol will be transported.

Although I am not optimistic that I can prevent this proposal from being implemented, I will continue doing everything I can to be sure that the interests of our communities are protected. Particularly in the aftermath of the Marathon bombings, I understand the unease you may feel and the desire to make sure that everything possible is done to protect public safety. Please keep my office informed of the Council's actions and any support I can offer in your endeavors.

Sincerely,
Michael E. Capuano
Member of Congress

The Board of The Dance Complex Announces the Appointment of Peter DiMuro as Executive Director

CAMBRIDGE, MA: The Dance Complex Board of Directors is delighted to welcome and introduce career long arts administrator and artist Peter DiMuro as The Dance Complex’s new Executive Director. From a pool of dynamic and qualified candidates, Peter distinguished himself with his unique combination of experience leading an international touring dance company, leading service organizations, collaborating with artists, mentoring dancers, developing relationships with producers and funders alike, all in addition to an extensive career performing on stages all across the world. “We are excited about Peter’s arrival and look forward to the wealth of innovative initiatives he has proposed and the terrific ideas for engaging the community and building further partnerships across the city and state, “David Dance, President of the Board of Directors of The Dance Complex states and adds, “Peter’s bio reads like a veritable ‘Who’s Who?’ in contemporary dance, and we feel so fortunate to be the future beneficiary of Peter’s vast network and extensive experience.”

The Dance Complex
Located in the historic Odd Fellows Hall, in Cambridge, MA; The Dance Complex is a volunteer-based, artist run organization dedicated to promoting, advancing, and sponsoring artistic endeavors, creative work and education in dance and the movement arts. The organization, formed from the hard work and collaboration of members of the dance community, lead by pioneering founder Rozann Kraus, has been a model of a successful volunteer-based community engaged in dance study and making since 1991. Culturally, The Dance Complex is a process; we are members of the arts community establishing a resource, referral and support center that is responsive to a wide diversity of needs for both professional dancers and those who enjoy moving.

“This community has made an incredible living, breathing monument to dance in Central Square”, Peter offers. “I look forward to guiding us to a next phase of development.” Through his appreciation of diverse ideas, approaches and people, as Executive Director, Peter will sustain and build positive relationships with other arts organizations, dancers, instructors, the City of Cambridge, and all who are committed to dance. In addition to leading the staff in the identification of best practices and future frontiers for The Dance Complex, the Executive Director will oversee all administrative and programmatic elements of activity.

A biography for Peter appears below. We look forward to introducing Peter, along with upcoming plans at the start of the fall season early in September. Stay tuned for details.

Sincerely,
David Dance
Chairman of the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors: Anne Brown Allen, David Dance, Richard Getz, Mary McCarthy, Jayne Murphy, William Parsons

Peter DiMuro - Biography
Peter DiMuro gladly returns to Boston, where his first professional performance was with Gerri Houlihan’s Boston Dance Project at The Dance Complex of Cambridge. Ruth Birnberg, Susan Rose and Concert Dance Company (dancing the works of Deborah Wolf, Bebe Miller, Lucinda Childs, Wendy Perron, Keith Terry and many others) also provided Peter mentorship early in his career.

He has since woven a career as a choreographer, director, teacher, facilitator and arts practitioner/engager, touring and teaching internationally from Honk Kong to Pigeon Forge, TN, and places beyond and in-between. His Peter DiMuro Performance Associates and his fifteen-year collaboration, including 5 years as Artistic Director, with Liz Lerman Dance Exchange laid the foundation for his current creative umbrella, PDM: Public Displays of Motion, that develops and performs artistic works and cultivates dance/arts literacy, advocacy and engagement.

Peter’s work has appeared on tour and been commissioned by leading presenters, including The Kennedy Center/DC, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center/MD, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Dance Place/DC, DanceNOW at Joe’s Public Theatre/NY, Dance Umbrella, the Emerson Majestic, Bates Dance Festival, American Dance Festival, AURAS Dance/Lithuania, as well as on a nationally aired television commercial for the National Institute on Aging. As a collaborator and artistic lead at Dance Exchange, he directed seminal projects in the company’s history, including “The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Project” and the 17-city tour of “Hallelujah Project”, both engaging communities in dialogue and action to make dance/theatre. “Near/Far/In/Out” and “Funny Uncles”, both dealing with issues bridging straight and LGBT communities, toured nationally. He directs and choreographs for theatre, stage, on-site, cabaret and coaches performance. For the Massachusetts Cultural Council, along with its then Executive Director Mary Kelley, Peter designed and executed the Elder Arts Initiative, offering exchange of ideas and training among artists and caregivers working with seniors.

He was named a White House Millennial Artist in 2000, a 1995 Mayor of Boston/ProArts Arts Award recipient, and his work has received grants from the National Performance Network, the Mass Artists’ Foundation, Mass Cultural Council, MetLife Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2010, he represented the US as an emissary for the Department of State in Madrid, teaching and adjudicating an international competition for emerging artists. Peter has taught several summers at the Cornerstone Theatre Institute/LA, American Dance Festival and Bates Dance Festival and adjudicated several American College Dance Festival Association regional conferences. He has been affiliated with Tufts University (artist in residence), Drexel University (associate professor), Michigan State University (guest artist/commissionee), American University, Emerson College, Boston University, The Boston Conservatory, and several college programs throughout his career.

A believer in the multiple roles artists develop to re-create definitions of their own artistry and the field’s re-definition of artmaking, Peter created several programs for artist development and audience literacy through his directorship of Dance/MetroDC, a local service organization and a regional branch of Dance/USA. He has served on the boards of the Dance Umbrella/Boston, National Performance Network, Dance/USA, Capitol Region Educators in Dance Organization, and as a mentor and panelist for New England Foundation for the Arts, Maryland State Arts Council, D.C. Commission for the Arts. He is host and creative consultant to VelocityDC, an annual DC based showcase for the region’s eclectic dance companies.

He received an MFA in Dance from Connecticut College under Martha Myers; a BFA in Theatre from Drake University, early study with Sally Garfield, and continued study in New York, Boston and at the American Dance Festival.

Originally from Round Lake, IL (population, circa 1970: 250), he is the youngest of three children, the son of the Chief of Police (Dad, born in East Boston) and a machinist/gal Friday (Mom). He has a niece named for the Crayola crayon, Sienna.

ROBERT M. STEVENS - OBITUARY

Robert M. Stevens, 66, of New Bedford, died May 19, 2013, unexpectedly at St. Luke's Hospital surrounded by his loving family.

Born and raised in New Bedford, he was the son of the late William B. and Rita (Pinto) Stevens.

Mr. Stevens was formerly employed as the Assistant Secretary of Administration and Finance under the Administration of Governor Michael Dukakis. He then worked for many years as the Director of Veterans Services for the City of Cambridge until his retirement.

He served two tours of duty in the U.S. Army, as part of the Military Intelligence Unit, during the Vietnam War. He was a graduate of UMass Dartmouth (formerly Southeastern Massachusetts University) where he served as the first minority student trustee.

Survivors include four sons, Derek Stevens and his wife Sheila, Christian Stevens and his wife Dayra, and Darren Drayton, all of New Bedford, and Sean Oliveira of Waldorf, MD; a brother, Michael Stevens of New Bedford; two sisters, Kathleen Stevens of Truro and Barbara Stevens of Provincetown; 14 loving grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was the father of the late Tami J. Roderick and brother of the late Richard Stevens, Bruce Stevens, and William B. Stevens, Jr.

His visiting hours will be held on Thursday from 4-8 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. Following cremation, a private family burial service will be held at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Global Learning Charter Public School, 190 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford, MA 02746. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Voter Registration and Absentee Ballots for the Special State Primary, May 28th

The Special State Primary will be held on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 for the office of State Representative for Eight Suffolk District (Wards/Precincts 2-2, 2-3, 5-1, 5-2 & 5-3) to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of State Representative Martha Marty Walz. The polls will be open on Election Day from 7:00am until 8:00pm. For Cambridge residents not already registered, the deadline to register to vote was Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 8pm.

Please contact the Cambridge Election Commission office to find out when the Absentee Ballots will be available. Any voter who is unable to go to the polls on Election Day due to physical disability, religious belief, or absence from the City may request an Absentee Ballot from the Commission. The deadline to apply for an Absentee Ballot is Friday, May 24, 2013 at 5:00pm. The office will also be open for Absentee Voting on Friday, May 24th, from 8:30am until 5:00pm. Absentee Ballots may be mailed to voters, or such voters may choose to vote at the Commission office during regular City office hours: Monday, 8:30am-8:00pm; Tuesday-Thursday, 8:30am-5:00pm; Friday, 8:30am-Noon.

For any additional information, please visit the Cambridge Election Commission office at 51 Inman Street, call 617-349-4361 or visit our website at www.cambridgema.gov/election.

MIT Police Officer Sean Collier Memorial Service

Oliver S. Brown - contributed by Glenn Koocher

Oliver S. Brown has passed away. Ollie had retired to Maine after leaving the Cambridge Public Schools in the late 1980s.

Ollie turned around the business and operations side of our school department and was regarded as the Babe Ruth of school business officers in Massachusetts. Highly overqualified, this descendant of old Yankee stock gave as much as he took from the likes of Al Vellucci, Tom Danehy, and all the classical independents as he helped cut waste, fraud, and patronage in the Cambridge Public Schools.

We were lucky to have him. Ollie was consulting in Oakland in the early 1970s when the Symbionese Liberation Army executed the superintendent of schools there in the parking lot, and, apparently, his wife, "Lollie" (I am not making this up) told him to enjoy himself in Oakland, but she and the kids were coming back to Boston.

Oliver was also referenced, although not by name in one of the Martin books of fiction (Harvard Yard, the novel). He was a direct descendant of Robert Calef who challenged Cotton Mather's beliefs in witches and had his books burned in the Harvard Yard as a result. To compensate, we asked Derek Bok, at one of our annual dinners, to compensate Ollie $20 for the damage. Bok actually paid and we all enjoyed the evening. That episode was noted in the novel.

Ollie also boasted that however long our families might have lived in Cambridge, he had direct descendants going back to the Revolution and before and had visited his grandmother in Cambridge as a child. So one day, I decided to look up the family and found his great, great, great, great, great grandfather, Calef Brown, had been here at the time of the 1790 census. However, I noted that the household included white males, white females, children, and two slaves. So I explained to Ollie that I wouldn't tell anyone…… except Al Vellucci.

When Ollie retired, we had a great roast for him and raised money for a book fund. Fred Fantini hosted. He took more crap from politicians than he needed to, but he provided the adult supervision to the School Committee's avidity to spend wildly for more than 15 years. - Glenn Koocher

Oliver Schoonmaker Brown, 82
BRUNSWICK -- Oliver Schoonmaker Brown died on Friday, April 5, 2013, at the Togus VA Hospice and Palliative Care Unit in Augusta of complications from Parkinson's Disease. Oliver was born in Boston, Mass. on April 10, 1931, the son of Amos Howard Calef Brown and Dorothy Glennie (Loud) Brown. He graduated from St. George's School in Newport, R.I. and Bowdoin College, class of 1953. Immediately after graduation, he received a commission in the U. S. Army and served in the Transportation Corps in New York and Korea. Following his service, he earned a Masters Degree in Education and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from Harvard University. He later continued graduate studies at Columbia University.

In September 1952, Oliver married Eleanor Appleton Buxton of Concord, Mass., at All Saints Chapel, Orr's Island.

Oliver spent his professional life in education. He taught at the Emerson School for Boys in Exeter, N.H., was a teacher and principal in the elementary schools in Weston, Mass. and served as Superintendent of Schools in the Addison-Rutland Supervisory District in Fair Haven, Vt. from 1961-1965. Following further study at Columbia, he and his family moved to Philadelphia where he became Director of the Financial Planning and Budgeting Project for the Philadelphia Public Schools.

In 1970, Oliver joined Price Waterhouse & Company in Philadelphia and New York as a management consultant primarily in urban school districts. Following his tenure with Price Waterhouse, in 1973 he became deputy superintendent of schools in charge of financial planning and management in the Cambridge, Mass. public school system. He participated as part of a team in the successful racial integration of the city schools and the merger of the vocational and academic high schools among other projects.

After 14 years with the Cambridge School System, he retired in 1987 and founded his own company, Oliver S. Brown Associates, Inc., consulting for another ten years in rural, suburban, and urban public school systems in many parts of the country, including Detroit, Indianapolis, and Rockford, Ill. He and his family moved many times over the course of his career, and he and Eleanor finally settled in Brunswick in 1988 after spending many summers at Orr's Island. Oliver served as editor of the Massachusetts School Principals Association Bulletin, President of the Massachusetts School Business Officials Association, and wrote many articles on school finance for local, state and national publications. From 1978 to 1991, Oliver taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in school finance and management.

Oliver was one of the founders and president of the Friends of Peary's Eagle Island, the home of Admiral Robert E. Peary in Casco Bay. He and Eleanor were communicants at St. Paul's Church in Brunswick and All Saints Chapel, Orr's Island, where Oliver served as treasurer for many years and as chair of the Memorial Garden Committee from its inception. He served on the board and as a volunteer at the MidCoast Hunger Prevention Program.

Oliver enjoyed tennis, downhill and cross country skiing, sailing and boating on Casco Bay, golf, bird watching, genealogy, and especially being at their house on Orr's Island with his family where they spent many summers. His fondness for the poems of Robert Peter Tristram Coffin, whose course he took at Bowdoin, lead to the collection of his works and the memorization of many of his poems.

Oliver was predeceased by his parents; his sister, Ellen Chantal Field, and his brother, Amos Howard Calef Brown, Jr. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, his brother, George Alvin Loud Brown of Camden and his wife, Constance, his sisters, Phebe Haskell Chase of Newport, R.I., and Glennie Wilding-White of Algoma, Wis.; his sons, Edward Olcott Brown and wife, Cheryl, of Gwynedd Valley, Penn., Calef Rogers Brown and wife, Anissa, of Vancouver, Canada, his daughters, Phebe Hart Brown of Brooklyn, N.Y., Eliza Baldwin Brown Cobb and her husband, Edward, of South Portland; and his seven grandchildren.

The family would like to express their thanks to CHANS Hospice of Brunswick, and the staff at the VA Hospice and Palliative Care Unit at Togus for their kind and compassionate care of Oliver.

A celebration of his life will be held at All Saints Chapel, Orr's Island, in June. Condolences and memories can be expressed at www.brackettfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:
The Memorial Garden
All Saints Chapel
Orr's Island, ME 04106 or:
The VA Hospice and Palliative Care Unit
Togus VA Medical Center
1 VA Medical Center
Augusta, ME 04330

Published in Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram on April 9, 2013

Election Commission Officers for 2013

The Board of Election Commissioners elected officers at its Annual Organizational Meeting on Wednesday, April 17, 2013. Elected as follows were: Ethridge A. King, Jr., Chair; Peter Sheinfeld, Vice-Chair; Polyxane S. Cobb, Secretary; and Larry W. Ward, Vice-Secretary. Mr. Peter Sheinfeld was recently re-appointed by the City Manager Robert W. Healy for a term beginning on April 1, 2013.

For any questions or additional information, please visit the Cambridge Election Commission office at 51 Inman Street or call (617-349-4361) during office hours: Monday, 8:30am-8:00pm; Tuesday through Thursday, 8:30am-5:00pm; and Friday, 8:30am-Noon. Please visit our website at www.cambridgema.gov/election.

Hello Recycling & Composting Neighbors! - April/May 2013

Yard Waste Collection Starts 4/1
Clean Out Your Closet and Donate Clothes
Spring Dates for Recycling Tours!
Household Hazardous Waste Collection 4/20
Nominations Sought for Outstanding City Employees

Yard Waste Collection Starts 4/1

Weekly yard waste collection (same pickup day as recycling/trash) begins April 1-5 through December 9-13. Place yard waste in paper refuse bags or loose in barrels, no plastic bags. Request stickers online or call 617-349-4800. From April-October, free compost is available to residents in small quantities at the Recycling Center during open hours: Tues/Thurs 4-7:30pm and Sat 9-4pm. Note that clean plastic plant pots are accepted with curbside recycling. Pemberton Farms sells the SoilSaver backyard compost bin for $60 at 2225 Mass Ave. Make sure your backyard compost bin is at least 50% “browns” (dry leaves, torn up cardboard, crumpled paper) and no more than 50% “greens” (food scraps, grass). Always bury greens or cover up with browns. Keep your backyard compost bin vegetarian (no meat, no dairy, no oils). If you cannot compost at home, find out where you can drop-off food scraps!

Clean Out Your Closet and Donate Clothes

Did you know there are 20+ places in Cambridge to donate clothes to? Did you know that Cambridge residents still trash over 1,000,000 pounds of clothing and textiles each year? Did you know that you can donate clothing and textiles that are torn, stained, broken or missing something, to Goodwill, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Got Books/Clothes, and Planet Aid? These organizations take clothing, shoes, belts, purses, hats, linens, stuffed animals, and fabric scraps. Just no dirty rags, nothing wet, nothing soiled, no carpets, no rugs, and no mildewed items. If it’s not wearable, damaged clothing is recycled into wiping rags and everything else is processed back into fibers used to make paper, yarn, insulation, carpet padding, and sound proofing.  See the attached map which shows clothing drop boxes, thrift stores & consignment shops and second hand stores! [Clothing Donation Map]

Spring Dates for Recycling Tours!

Cambridge residents and City employees are invited to tour the Casella recycling facility in Charlestown on Tuesday, April 16 (morning) or Wednesday, June 19 (afternoon). No children under 16. Tours last about 2 hours and involve walking on narrow catwalks and stairs, close to heavy equipment.  Please note that you must be walk at a steady pace with a group. We meet at DPW and carpool. Email recycle@cambridgema.gov to sign up and we’ll send you more info. Let us know if can drive and how many people you can take. *We will also offer a virtual recycling tour on Monday, April 22 (evening) at Public Works, 147 Hampshire St.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection 4/20

2013 dates: 4/20, 7/13, 10/19 from 9am-1pm. Bring accepted items to the Danehy Park Parking Lot on Field St at Fern St. Cambridge residents only. Items accepted include auto fluids, batteries (non alkaline), car tires, glues, medications, mercury items, paint products, solvents, and propane tanks (20 lbs or less). Click here for a full list of items accepted, alternative options and items you can bring to the Recycling Center during open hours. When deciding what items to bring to a hazardous waste collection, look for products labeled with these signal words: POISON, DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION.

Nominations Sought for Outstanding City Employees

Cambridge City Manager Robert W. Healy is seeking nominations for the 2013 Outstanding City Employee Awards program which recognizes employees for exemplary performance and contributions that go above and beyond job requirements. Nominations will be accepted through Wednesday, April 10 either online at www.cambridgema.gov, by e-mail to mcarvello@cambridgema.gov, by fax to the Personnel Department at 617-349-4312, or by mail/in person to the Personnel Dept, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue.

• Missed recycling or trash?  Please use iReport or call DPW at 617-349-4800 no later than 12 noon the day after collection to make a request.
• Request for toters, brochures, stickers or posters? Use our online form.
• "Like" the Cambridge DPW on Facebook.
• Please note that during holidays weeks, trash, recycling and yard waste collection is delayed one day. Check the 2013 collection schedule online for full details.

Take the 50% recycling pledge today at www.cambridgema.gov/recycle and get a free sticker!
Recycle More. Trash Less.

If you support recycling and finding solutions to pollution, you may also find this interesting:
From garbage to fuel: Santa Cruz nonprofit pushes program to turn plastic pollution into power

Voter Registration and Absentee Ballots for the Special State Primary, April 30th

The Special State Primary will be held on Tues, Apr 30, 2013 for the office of Senator in Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator John F. Kerry. The last day to register to vote was Wed, Apr 10, 2013 until 8pm. The polls will be open on Election Day from 7:00am until 8:00pm.

Please contact the Cambridge Election Commission office to find out when the Absentee Ballots will be available. Any voter who is unable to go to the polls on Election Day due to physical disability, religious belief, or absence from the City may request an Absentee Ballot from the Commission. The deadline to apply for an Absentee Ballot is Mon, Apr 29, 2013 at Noon. Absentee Ballots may be mailed to voters, or such voters may choose to vote at the Commission office during regular city office hours: Mon, 8:30am-8:00pm; Tues-Thurs, 8:30am-5:00pm; Fri, 8:30am-Noon.

The office will also be open for Absentee Voting on Fri, Apr 26th from 8:30am until 5:00pm. For any additional information, please visit the Cambridge Election Commission office at 51 Inman Street, call (617-349-4361) or visit our website at www.cambridgema.gov/election.

Road Closures related to MIT Police Officer Sean Collier Memorial Service April 24

Cambridge Police Department announced various road closures beginning before the morning rush hour on Wednesday, Apr. 24 for the memorial service of MIT Officer Sean Collier at Noon. This service is only open to members of law enforcement and the MIT community with valid MIT IDs.

Road Closures:
   • Vassar St: between Audrey St. and Mass. Ave. Wednesday, Apr 24 at 6am.
   • Mass. Ave: from Albany St. toward Boston Wednesday, Apr 24 at 7am.
   • Memorial Drive: between Mass. Ave. and BU Bridge Wednesday, Apr. 24 at 12am.
   • Mass. Ave. Bridge into Cambridge: Wednesday, Apr. 24, at 7am.

These road closures are going to have a major impact on traffic in the city. Police are asking residents to plan ahead, seek alternate routes, and use public transportation whenever possible. Further updates about road closures and other traffic issues will be posted on the Cambridge Police Department's website at www.CambridgePolice.org. Information can also be found by following @CambridgePolice on Twitter.

It is anticipated that on the order of 10,000 people will be in attendance.

Related Story: MIT announces plans to commemorate slain officer Sean Collier

Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction. -- Blaise Pascal

April 20 - Those who murdered and maimed at the Boston Marathon and who subsequently murdered MIT Police Officer Sean Collier have now been killed or captured. Cambridge, Watertown, and surrounding areas are no longer in a state of siege. There are a few things that come to mind now that I've finally been able to sleep after this ordeal.

• There should now be no doubt that surveillance cameras are valuable tools for identifying criminals and helping to bring them to justice. Elected officials who fail to understand this should not be elected. The argument that these cameras infringe on civil liberties is an argument I no longer wish to hear.
• If ever there was any doubt that the dissemination of local news is important, this should no longer be in doubt. How that information is distributed is rapidly evolving, but it now clearly includes such tools as Twitter and other forms of social media. It's also clear that when so many people are taking part in the rapid exchange of information, it's important that everyone understands that there have to be some rules, especially regarding things that could make it more difficult for the police and other officials to do their work. Those rules are not yet established, but experiences like this help to create them.
• I greatly appreciated all of the people I know who openly expressed their anger and their unvarnished points of view during this ordeal. I find honesty very refreshing. What I despise is when the thought police try to dictate what emotions you're allowed to have. Put it all out there, folks. Repressing your honest thoughts is like stifling a sneeze.
• To all the conspiracy theorists with their "false flags" and other rubbish, get a life. - Robert Winters

Comments?

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day - Saturday, April 20
The City of Cambridge is sponsoring a Household Hazardous Waste collection day on Saturday, April 20, from 9am-1pm, at the Field Street Parking Lot at Danehy Park (on Field St. at Fern St.).

This event is free, and open to all Cambridge residents (proof of residency required). Proper disposal of household chemicals helps protect public health and the environment. For more information, call Public Works at 617-349-4800. To learn more about accepted materials, other guidelines and future dates, visit http://www.cambridgema.gov/theworks/ourservices/recyclingandtrash/hazardouswastecollection.aspx.

April 19 - For updates on the ongoing manhunt for the murderers of an MIT police officer, try Twitter. Also WCVB who have been following it continuously through the night. These are the same subhumans who did the Marthon Day bombings. One of the animals has been killed and the other is being hunted in Watertown in the vicinity of the Arsenal Mall.

''We believe this to be a terrorist,'' Boston police Commissioner Ed Davis said. ''We believe this to be a man who came here to kill people.''

Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev won a scholarship from the city of Cambridge in 2011. He's still on the loose.
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/cambridge/2011/05/cambridge_announces_2011_city.html

Tamerlan Tsarnaev's YouTube page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/muazseyfullah - Allah is the one.
Unbelievable.

It's interesting that ZUBEIDAT TSARNAEV, age 55, the shoplifting woman (probably the mother of the murderers), is listed as an active registered Cambridge voter (registered Feb 24, 2012), though she has not yet voted. How'd she manage to become a registered voter? Is she a US citizen?

Bombing suspects have international ties and have been in US for as long as a year, law enforcement sources say nbcnews.to/11k4DVY - — NBC News (@NBCNews) April 19, 2013

Once Upon a Marathon

April 16, 2013 - I led an 8-mile AMC Local Walk yesterday from the Forest Hills T station to Heartbreak Hill where we then watched the Marathon runners before heading back into Boston. After a walk from the Boston College area to the Reservoir stop on the Green Line, several of us were packed into a trolley heading toward Park Street. We never arrived. We were approximately under the Copley Square station when the bombs exploded above us. I didn't hear them, but when we were evacuated at Arlington Street you could tell that something was extremely wrong. When we got out into the street there were emergency vehicles racing from everywhere. At first nobody knew what was happening. When word started to spread that there had been a bombing, it was accompanied by word that it had been a diversion and that other bombings might follow. There was a lot of worry in the faces of most people. Thankfully, no other bombs followed.

Though I was pretty tired after walking perhaps 9 miles already, I had to then hike over to the Charles/MGH station to get back to Cambridge. Near MGH you could see hospital staff running toward MGH as the ambulances were arriving. I was practically the only one not staring into a cell phone or texting messages to people. It was surreal. From Central Square, yet more walking to get home and even in Cambridge you could see and hear the emergency vehicles racing toward Boston and toward suspicious sites in Cambridge. Like everyone else, watching the TV was like watching a horror movie.

Today I'm reading messages from politicians trying to get in air time. Spare me. Like millions of people in this area, I don't want to hear any more messages from politicians expressing concern. I don't want to hear about peace vigils or about why we should not give in to fear. Any fear passed quickly for most people. I want only that justice be done. Any person or group of people who would do such a thing should be treated like a disease and removed from the civilized world. Any philosophy or ideology espoused by such people should be damned. - Robert Winters

Comments?

Cambridge Delegation Announces Ethanol Train Meeting (see UPDATE below)

Cambridge’s legislative delegation invites residents, property owners, and local organizations to participate in a public forum about a proposed plan to transport ethanol through the City of Cambridge by rail. The forum will be held Tuesday, April 16, 2013 at 6:00PM at the King Open School, 850 Cambridge St., Cambridge. Representatives from MassDOT will present the findings of their ethanol safety study at this meeting, followed by an opportunity for a dialogue between the public and elected officials.

“Ethanol is a highly volatile substance, and this proposal presents a clear and present public safety risk for the people of Cambridge. Without concerted action, the burden of emergency preparedness will fall on Cambridge taxpayers, while a Fortune 500 company pads its profits,” Representative Timothy J. Toomey, Jr. said.  “I hope that everyone who has an interest in the future of Cambridge will attend this meeting.”

“Public safety and the environment remain central issues in the shipment of ethanol through the Commonwealth,” said Senator Anthony Petruccelli. “I continue to stand in opposition to the issuance of the Chapter 91 license to Global and I am committed to working with my fellow legislators in assuring that our public safety officers are prepared to protect our communities.”

“The plan to bring ethanol via train through Cambridge raises serious public safety concerns and potential negative environmental impacts for its residents and for the residents of its surrounding communities,” said Senator Sal DiDomenico. “Ethanol is a highly flammable liquid, and this project will greatly increase the risk of spills, releases, and fires along the route in which the 1.8-million-gallon ethanol-carrying train would pass. I urge all residents to attend the meeting to learn more about these risks and how they can be mitigated. We need answers to these serious questions.”

“Running trains carrying ethanol through densely populated residential neighborhoods carries serious potential consequences,” said Senator Patricia Jehlen. “Cambridge residents should take this opportunity to learn more about the process and ramifications of the proposal, and have their voices heard.”

“This meeting is a great opportunity for residents to learn about MassDOT’s safety study and to speak directly with their legislators about how we can stand together to oppose this plan,” said Representative Marjorie Decker. “Please attend this vitally important meeting.”

Representative David Rogers said, “Shipping ethanol through Cambridge will create an unacceptable transfer of risk from a private company to the general public. I am concerned about both the potential for a catastrophe and the ongoing financial cost to the City of Cambridge.”

This meeting will be hosted by the Cambridge delegation, which includes Representatives Toomey, Decker, Rogers, and Hecht and Senators Petruccelli, Jehlen, and DiDomenico.

MassDOT’s ethanol safety study and related documents can be found at http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/Main/CurrentStudies/EthanolSafetyStudy.aspx

Any questions regarding the meeting may be directed to Dan Weber at Daniel.Weber@mahouse.gov or (617) 722-2380.

UPDATE: Cambridge Ethanol Train Meeting Agenda Changed, MassDOT Safety Study Presentation Being Rescheduled

Due to the tragic and disturbing nature of the events that occurred at yesterday's (Apr 15) Boston Marathon, the Cambridge state legislative delegation has chosen to abbreviate this meeting regarding the transportation of ethanol that was originally planned for 6pm this evening at the King Open School. The delegation has decided that it will go forward with the meeting in a shortened format, and will postpone the presentation of a Massachusetts Department of Transportation safety study by Department officials. Residents who still wish to attend will have an opportunity to discuss their questions and comments with their elected representatives. Residents who attend the meeting will also be able to obtain copies of MassDOT's safety study presentation. The Cambridge delegation plans to reschedule a full meeting with Department of Transportation officials and will announce the rescheduled meeting's date, time, and location in the coming days.

Apr 8 update on the MIT/Kendall Petition

The MIT/Kendall zoning petition was ordained as amended on a 7-1-1 vote with Councillor vanBeuzekom voting NO (as expected) and Vice Mayor Simmons voting PRESENT. The revised Letter of Commitment from MIT was approved unanimously.

Prior to final ordination a series of amendments were proposed by several councillors. Councillor Kelley objected strenuously to the late arrival of the proposed amendments and, in doing so, he came across as the smartest guy in the room. There were so many opportunities to propose amendments during the months, weeks, and days leading to this vote, that there was no excuse for trying to rush these amendments through. Nothing good came of it.

The late parade of amendments began with Councillor Cheung proposing some modifications of the percentages in section 13.83.2(d). This squeaked by on a 5-4 vote with Councillors Cheung, Decker, Reeves, Simmons, and vanBeuzekom voting in favor. Next came Councillor Cheung's amendment to increase the maximum height of the proposed residential tower from 300 ft. to 350 ft. That failed on a 4-5 vote with Councillors Cheung, Reeves, Simmons, and vanBeuzekom voting in favor.

Then Councillor vanBeuzekom proposed a reduction in the maximum permissible nighttime noise levels from 65db to 55db. Councillor Kelley opined that this was a matter that should be viewed in a citywide context. The amendment failed 4-5 with Councillors Cheung, Simmons, vanBeuzekom, and Mayor Davis voting in favor. The next amendment by Councillor vanBeuzekom to require "net zero" energy standards enjoyed a temporary victory on a 5-3-1 vote with Councillors Cheung, Decker, Simmons, vanBeuzekom, and Mayor Davis voting YES; Councillors Kelley, Maher, and Toomey voting NO; and Councillor Reeves voting PRESENT. Later in the meeting, when informed that this burden could threaten MIT's other commitments, Mayor Davis reluctantly asked to change her vote from YES to PRESENT which defeated the amendment 4-3-2. This was a vote change that Mayor Davis clearly did not relish, but she did it for the greater goal of passing the entire package.

The last amendment was from Councillor Decker and will likely be the one that brings some repercussions. She proposed that the $10 million that was to be dedicated to a Community Fund be transferred to a general mitigation fund not tied in any way to the K2C2 principles. It is my understanding that this has the effect of cutting out the role of people from the adjacent neighborhood organizations in the mitigation fund. The amendment passed on a 5-4 vote with Councillors Cheung, Decker, Reeves, Simmons, and vanBeuzekom voting in favor.

It was also revealed that Councillor Decker's Order #1 to increase the Inclusionary Zoning percentage from 15% to 18% was meant to be a citywide proposal. She withdrew her Order and will resubmit it as a citywide proposal at a later date. - RW

April 3 - MIT president, senior faculty and deans ask Cambridge to approve MIT's zoning proposal (MIT News)

MIT faculty/deans support letters for Kendall Square Initiative

Deborah Fitzgerald, Kenan Sahin Dean, School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences; Professor of the History of Technology, Program in Science, Technology, and Society

Marc Kastner, Dean, School of Science; Donner Professor of Science

Adèle Naudé Santos, Dean, School of Architecture and Planning; Professor of Architecture and Planning

David Schmittlein, John C Head III Dean, MIT Sloan School of Management; Professor of Marketing

Ian A. Waitz, Dean, School of Engineering; Jerome C. Hunsaker professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Cynthia Barnhart, Associate Dean, School of Engineering; Ford Professor of Engineering; Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Jaime Pedire, Department Head, Aeronautics and Astronautics; H.N. Slater Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Douglas A. Lauffenburger, Department Head, Biological Engineering; Ford Professor of Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Biology

Klavs F. Jensen, Department Head, Chemical Engineering; Warren K. Lewis Professor of Chemical Engineering

Andrew J. Whittle, Department Head, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Edmund K. Turner Professor

Anantha P. Chandrakasan, Department Head, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Joseph F. and Nancy P. Keithley Professor of Electrical Engineering

Munther A. Dahleh, Associate Department Head, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

William T. Freeman, Associate Department Head, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Stephen C. Graves, Interim Director, Engineering Systems Division; Abraham J. Siegel Professor of Management Science; Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Systems

Christopher A. Schuh, Department Head, Materials Science and Engineering; Danae and Vasilis Salapatas Professor of Metallurgy

Mary C. Boyce, Department Head, Mechanical Engineering; Ford Professor of Engineering

Gareth H. McKinley, Associate Department Head, Mechanical Engineering; School of Engineering Professor of Teaching Innovation

Richard K. Lester, Department Head, Nuclear Science and Engineering; Japan Steel Industry Professor

April 3 - MIT doubles down on Kendall Square redevelopment (Erin Baldassari, Cambridge Chronicle)

April 3 - Roundtables allow councilors to brainstorm (Marjorie Decker, letter to Cambridge Chronicle)

April 3 - Cambridge School Committee approves $151M budget (Erin Baldassari, Cambridge Chronicle)

April 2 - Time to move forward with MIT proposal (Sam Seidel, letter to Cambridge Chronicle)

Apr 6 - Cambridge Redevelopment Authority looks to the future (Leah Burrows, Cambridge Chronicle)

Mar 28 - Cambridge Redevelopment Authority selects new executive director (Erin Baldassari, Cambridge Chronicle)

Cambridge Redevelopment Authority (CRA) members voted 4-0 on March 27 to enter into contract negotiations with MassDOT Transportation Planner Tom Evans to be their next executive director.

East Cambridge Dollars for Scholars

East Cambridge Dollars for Scholars (formally the East Cambridge Scholarship Fund) is currently accepting applications for the 2013-2014 academic year from East Cambridge residents who are attending, or planning to attend, a college or university, graduate school or vocational/trade schools. Applications may be obtained by writing to:

East Cambridge Dollars for Scholars
P.O. Box 410026
Cambridge, MA 02141

or by emailing eastcambridgedfs@hotmail.com. In addition, applications are available at the East End House, the Frisoli Youth Center, the Kennedy Community School Office, the Sixth Street O'Connell Library and State Representative Tim Toomey's office on Cambridge Street. The deadline for submitting an application is April 8, 2013.

Thank you.
East Cambridge Dollars for Scholars

Mar 22, 2013 - A Brief Stop at City Hall on the Way to Something Better

The Cambridge City Council had a Roundtable meeting this morning to ask some questions about the MIT/Kendall zoning petition that's now in the queue for possible ordination in a few weeks. As most of you know, Roundtable meetings do not allow public comment nor are they televised, but in a delightful comic sideshow a couple of people did their best to thwart the purpose of such working meetings by engineering a live internet feed of the meeting. The law certainly permits this, but it seems an especially impotent gesture to set up a live feed purely based on resentment of the Council's majority vote to schedule this as a Roundtable meeting, especially when there have already been many Planning Board and Ordinance Committee meetings on this topic.

Planning Board Chair Hugh Russell opened his remarks by noting that the zoning for this area in Kendall Square has remained largely unchanged since the original enactment of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance in 1924, with the only serious change being the citywide rezoning that took place around 12 years ago. [The adjacent area is under the control of the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority which is covered under the zoning ordinance but as several planned unit development (PUD) zones.] The current petition would, in addition to some other incentive provisions, restore in this area much of what was reduced in the citywide rezoning. Hugh noted that the physical reality of the area has not kept up with the intellectual activity of the area, and that some "tweak" in the zoning was appropriate to achieve the best outcome. He characterized the K2C2 study as an enormous contribution and, while noting that they've been on this topic since 2010 deliberating and consulting everyone, it is time to act now and to move on to other matters. The Planning Board is happy with the MIT part and the design guidelines, and they are eager to move on to the Central Square piece and the other areas of the K2C2 study.

Stuart Dash (CDD) spoke of the many City efforts to balance work and housing in Cambridge, including 4000 units of housing built or in development since 2001. NorthPoint is only now commencing new housing construction, and the Twining development (Kendall Square) and the Faces site (Alewife) are nearing completion. He referred to the Osborne Triangle area between Kendall and Central Squares as potentially providing additional housing to accommodate some of those who work in Kendall Square.

Councillor Leland Cheung noted recent concessions as part of this zoning petition to address setback issues adjacent to the Red Cross building in Kendall Square, placing a cap on parking, and ensuring a better retail environment. He was also very pleased by the recent appointment by MIT of Prof. Clay to chair the study now underway on housing needs for graduate students and post-docs (and others) affiliated with MIT. [This is an issue being exploited now by reactionary activists opposed to the MIT/Kendall petition.] Councillor Cheung also commended MIT's commitment to providing pathways for apprenticeships for local residents.

In response to a question about the need to significantly alter the area adjacent to the Kendall Square T entrance, architect David Manfredi noted that this entry to the MIT area now seems more like a narrow alley than a gateway to MIT and that some greater width was necessary. This might necessitate some alteration or removal of the MIT Press building, though he later emphasized that too much width can drain the energy of the space. He said that to create human scale, it is helpful to have buildings set back above the second story and to have multiple retail tenants on the ground floor. He said that streets need to be "a little messy" in order to be great streets, and that this is often not the case when the principal tenant of a building wants to use their ground floor "to make a corporate statement." He noted that MIT's intent here was the contrary - to create a sense of place - and that storefronts would ideally be 20-30 feet wide instead of 200 feet wide. He said that MIT already was rich in iconic images such as its domes and the Infinite Corridor, and that anything designed in Kendall Square should be equally iconic. Above all, he stressed that whatever design is developed should be inviting - open and welcome. "We don't want to build walls. We want to build an open, inviting network of connections."

In response to questions from Mayor Davis, David Manfredi noted that along Main Street the median will be removed, on-street parking would be restored, and that sidewalks would be widened to 16 feet from building to curb. He also explained that building heights would be capped at 150 ft. at Memorial Drive. The current height limit is 120 ft. but some existing buildings like 100 Memorial Drive are twice that height.

In response to questions from Councillor vanBeuzekom, David Manfredi noted that sidewalks that are too wide can dissipate energy, and stated that two-sided retail is preferable to have a great street. He again noted that when a corporate tenant decides to dedicate their ground floor to retail, this can have negative consequences on the pro forma of the building, i.e. it can be more profitable to not include this retail. It's a question of priorities. In the development world, it's most unusual to dedicate most of the ground floor to retail, but this is a statement of MIT priorities to create a sense of place in this area.

Councillor Reeves in his statement used the unfortunate phrase "raped buildings" to describe historic buildings with radically altered facades. This led to Councillor Decker objecting to the term and Reeves reluctantly agreeing to the phrase "stripped buildings." Only at this point were the familiar interpersonal problems among some councillors starting to emerge. I have no idea what the councillors said after that because I had to leave to head to MIT for our weekly staff meeting and Friday seminar.

Down at MIT we were treated to a fabulous seminar with Professor David Kaiser on the interwoven histories of politics and general relativity - with a special emphasis on Albert Einstein. My day only got better as it wore on. Did you know that after Einstein became a worldwide celebrity when his general theory of relativity was demonstrated in a 1919 total solar eclipse, massive demonstrations followed in Germany against relativity theory? The theme at these rallies was that all great theories were discovered by Aryans. I am a huge fan of David Kaiser. Last year he gave a talk at the Democracy Center in Harvard Square entitled "When the Hippies Saved Physics." You have to love life in Cambridge. - Robert Winters

Kendall Square, a brief historical sketch - by Sam Seidel (Mar 17, 2013)

Quick Notes on what went down at the Mar 18, 2013 City Council meeting:

1) Many people showed up to protest the impending termination of the Longy School's Preparatory and Continuing Studies program. The City Council's University Relations Committee will address this at a meeting on Wed, Mar 20 at 2:00pm in the Sullivan Chamber of City Hall.

2) Throngs of soccer players, parents, and coaches came out to question Councillor vanBeuzekom's Order #9 that recommended delaying the installation of artificial turf on soccer fields at Danehy Park. The Order was subsequently withdrawn. (It would likely have been defeated.)

3) Open Houses on the MIT/Kendall Square Initiative (zoning petition) are scheduled for Sat, Mar 23 from 10:00am to noon and Tues, Mar 26 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at One Broadway, 1st Floor, next to Firebrand Saints. Look for the blue windows.

4) There was a somewhat disjointed discussion on the appropriateness of a proposed Ordinance Committee roundtable meeting this Fri, Mar 22 at 9:30am to discuss the details of the MIT/Kendall petition. The debate centered on whether it should be televised and whether public comment should be permitted. The procedural compromise was to change this to a City Council roundtable meeting (which are not televised and where public comment is not permitted). Ordinance Committee Chair David Maher promised that there would be another Ordinance Committee meeting on this topic prior to a final vote on ordination. It was also stated that this petition will expire on April 15 rather than April 24 as previously established. Apparently even though state law sets the deadline at 90 days after its first Ordinance Committee hearing, section 1.52 of the City's zoning ordinance sets the deadline at 90 days after its initial Planning Board hearing (who knew?). The Law Dept. recommended the Apr 15 deadline. After the discussion the City Council passed the petition to a 2nd Reading. This puts it in the queue to be voted for ordination after Mar 28 and before the Apr 15 expiration date.

5) Councillor Decker announced that the state has designated Homeowners Rehab, Inc. (HRI) as the agency to negotiate the sale of the 2 Mt. Auburn St. housing currently owned and managed by Harvard University. She indicated some hope that good news may follow regarding the long-term affordability for tenants of this building. - RW (additions and corrections welcome)

Shredding Day - Saturday, March 9, 2013

Local officials from the Consumers' Council, Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, the U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service will be helping residents safely dispose of unwanted records at a free document shredding event. On March 9th, consumers are invited to bring their personal documents to the Central Square Post Office, 770 Mass. Ave., from 10:00am to 2:00pm to use these shredders.

This free event will take place outside the Central Square Post Office – held snow, rain or shine – and will provide an opportunity for the public to securely dispose of personal and confidential paper documents. Documents will be destroyed on the spot in a highly advanced technical mobile shredding truck. Ten minute drop-off parking will be available on Massachusetts Avenue (between Sellers & Pleasant Street), Pleasant Street (between Mass. Ave & Green Street), and Inman Street (between Mass. Ave & Bishop Allen Drive). Please contact the CCC's Consumer Information and Public Assistance Hotline with any questions at 617.349.6150 or consumer@cambridgema.gov, or visit our website at http://www.cambridgema.gov/consumercouncil.aspx.

Cambridge council approves new life sciences building in Central Square (Brock Parker, Boston Globe)
An objective, fact-based account of the vote on the Forest City petition.

Central Square: Third time's the charm for Forest City (Erin Baldassari, Cambridge Chronicle)

Feb 25 Update: The Cambridge City Council tonight unanimously ordained the MIT/Forest City zoning petition. Later in the meeting they voted 7-2 (Kelley, vanBeuzekom NO) to approve the contract with Richard Rossi as Cambridge's next City Manager starting July 1, 2013. Then they had a recess to sign the contract and have a few photos taken. Here's one sent by Councillor Leland Cheung:

Who Speaks for your Neighborhood?

Feb 13, 2013 - Tonight I attended a forum organized by the Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Association (MCNA) that was supposed to focus on "the proposed new vision for Central Square" that grew out of the Central Square Advisory Committee 2011/12 recommendations (which still have not been formulated into any zoning proposal). I went there naively hoping that the MCNA might actually put on a balanced presentation that focused on facts and not distortion. The forum was a disappointment. The MCNA does a very poor job of promoting its events, and attendance at the forum was dominated by adherents of the Cambridge Residents Alliance (CRA), the group that has distinguished itself over this past year primarily by its misinformation campaigns regarding Central Square and elsewhere. There were also, not unexpectedly, an array of City Council aspirants eager to get their names and faces around town and to capitalize on the CRA's alarmist rhetoric.

The forum organizer/moderator was John Pitkin who I might have thought would understand the value of "smart growth" and of the energy efficiencies that could be possible with the provision of new housing close to public transit. He is, after all, one of the most outspoken people I know regarding climate change. I came away from the forum with the feeling that it was little more than reactionary conservativism toward any change to what exists today - especially any change that might involve new construction in Central Square. The online flyer for the event stated that there would be a 3-person panel consisting of one representative of the Cambridge Residents Alliance (Jonathan King); another person (Jesse Kanson-Benanav) representing A Better Cambridge (ABC), a group that embraces smart-growth principles; and one member of the Central Square Advisiory Committee 2011/12 (Esther Hanig) who also identifies with ABC. Upon arrival, two additional CRA advocates (Bill Cunningham and Lee Farris) were added to the panel to tilt the balance in their favor. The misinformation regarding Central Square plans flowed freely.

The falsehood that there was ever a plan to tear down the public housing at Newtowne Court was again repeated. It was stated that the current Forest City zoning petition seeks to double the allowable density on the 300 Mass. Ave. site - also false. Mr. King stated that Jill Brown-Rhone Park came about as a result of a hard fight by community activists - which is totally false. The design of that park was promoted by the planners within the Community Development Department (CDD) for many years. It was universally supported by all parties. Mr. King painted a picture of Cambridge as a place where kids would no longer be able to get to soccer practice due to the traffic, and where seniors would no longer be able to cross the street. He cynically suggested that City planners might one day build housing projects on Joan Lorentz Park, on Dana Park, and on other parks. It was a stunning performance and all recorded for future editing as part of this year's municipal election campaign. It's so good to know that the MCNA is doing its part to spread falsehoods. There was fortunately one representative from CDD (Stuart Dash) who was able to dispel many of the falsehoods, but there's only so much you can do to hold back a tsunami of misinformation.

This unpleasant experience got me to thinking of the status of the various neighborhood associations that exist or once existed in Cambridge. Nobody believes these associations are in any way representative of their respective neighborhoods, but some of them have been known to accomplish some good things or provide useful services.

The Agassiz Neighborhood Council continues to soldier on in its longstanding service-oriented tradition. I remain a fan.

The Porter Square Neighbors Association (PSNA) maintains a very active and informative listserv and has regular meetings. They also have managed to maintain some balance in their prespective - no small feat in a Cambridge environment.

The East Cambridge Planning Team has been an active participant in all matters relating to Kendall Square and East Cambridge, though their website seems to now be abandoned. They have some excellent Board members.

The Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association has been growing a bit sketchy of late, but they do meet somewhat regularly and maintain an active neighborhood listserv (though its moderation policies could use a little scrutiny).What they could really use is some new blood.

The Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Association (MCNA) has been around for decades, but they remain insular, their website has been "under construction" for ages, and they have proven themselves incapable of setting up and managing a neighborhood listserv. [I actually created a Google Group for this purpose and volunteered to help get it going, but the MCNA never responded. It may be time to just move forward on this independently if the MCNA has no interest in fostering a broader neighborhood conversation.]

The Area 4 Coalition exists apparently as a listserv and they reportedly meet occasionally. They have always suffered, like other neighborhood associations, with being dominated by factions that eventually drive others out. Their once-interesting and useful website has been abandoned.

The Wellington-Harrington Neighborhood Association seemed to revive a few years ago and they still have a website, but it has not been updated in nearly 3 years.

Vision Central Square was a nice group that did their best to promote Central Square as a family-oriented area, but their website is now abandoned and they have not met in ages. Their listserv still exists, but only a few people seem to participate.

There's also a Cambridge Highlands Neighborhood Association, but their website appears to be no longer maintained and I don't know if they have an active neighborhood listserv.

The North Cambridge Stabilization Committee long ago became the private playground of a few activists, and their website has not been updated in a long time except for meeting notices. It appears that you have to be part of their Yahoo Group to hear about their meetings. I'm not at all convinced whether people in North Cambridge ever saw them as representing their neighborhood.

It's unclear whether the Harvard Square Defense Fund exists any more, though I suspect they do still exist on paper even if only for the sake of threatened litigation.

We are pretty clearly at the point where neighborhood associations have become marginal players in the landscape of civic affairs. Many of them exist only so that a few individuals can appear to be more influential than they actually are. We have become a city of individuals, and that's probably a good thing. I suspect the most valid associations now are centered around youth sports and around the religious congregations and, though I'm not at all religious, this seems like a perfectly good thing. Perhaps we should abandon the neighborhood designations and go back to parishes. At least charity would then be a part of the mission.

Among city-wide organizations, the Cambridge Civic Association (CCA) might still exist on paper, but it essentially folded for good about 10 years ago. Other organizations with an axe to grind have tried unsuccessfully to sell themselves as citywide civic organizations - like the Association of Cambridge Neighborhoods (ACN) and now the Cambridge Residents Alliance (CRA) which share many of the same members as the ACN, but these entities will continue to be limited by their narrow vision, their one-sided views, and their oppressive negativity.

I find myself these days wishing that something like the CCA of its early days existed today - an organization that at least sometimes tried to promote "good government" and a well-managed city while creating a structure under which civic-minded people could cooperatively become involved in City affairs. The CCA was also a vehicle through which candidates of far greater substance than the ones now coming out of the woodwork could contemplate seeking public office. I fear that this year's municipal election may well turn into a circus in which rational voters will have no choice but to stick with as many incumbents as possible - and that's hardly the ideal most of us would like to see.

More to follow. I have a few more things to say. - Robert Winters

Feb 28 - Distinguished Boston elections lawyer killed in Southie car accident (Dave Wedge, Boston Herald)
We know Bill McDermott in Cambridge as well. He provided legal services for several Cambridge city councillors in relation to the municipal elections, especially recounts. Bill was elections commissioner under former Boston Mayor Kevin White.

I found a picture I took of Bill making a point at the Cambridge Election Commission in 2003 in his element - surrounded by petitions for a controversial referendum. Click on the photo for larger resolution. - RW

Feb 26 - I just came back from an Ordinance Committee meeting on the MIT/Kendall petition that had a scheduled start time of 4:30pm. After brief presentations from the petitioners and from the Community Development Department, we were treated to three city councillors filling out the time until 6:30pm with their thoughts. I was not the only member of the public who had intended to speak but gave up waiting for the opportunity. Maybe I'll write up my comments and post them here or mail them in to the City Council, but I think it will be some time before I again choose to waste two hours waiting before giving up. - RW

On the agenda for the Feb 25, 2013 Cambridge City Council meeting:
Proposed contract between the City of Cambridge and Richard C. Rossi as the next City Manager for the City of Cambridge.

[original PDF from Communications & Reports from City Officers]

Feb 24, 2013 - Kristen von Hoffmann announces candidacy for Cambridge City Council

Cambridge resident Kristen von Hoffmann has formally announced her candidacy for Cambridge City Council.

Von Hoffmann, who currently works as the Sustainability Manager for the Cambridge Public Schools, plans on bringing her experience in sustainable practices, financial savings, and education to the municipal government.

Kristen previously taught 5th grade for several years in the area and also founded a local 501(c)(3) non-profit, Greenfox Schools, Inc., that has taught environmental science and math curriculums in Cambridge Public Schools. She was hired in 2010 as the first Sustainability Manager for the Cambridge Public School District. Notably, while she has served as Sustainability Manager, initiatives launched by her office saved the school district $300,000 in under two years.

In regards to her campaign, she states, "I look forward to spending this year listening to the residents of Cambridge, engaging in conversations that explore our values, and using our skills and experience together to improve the well-being of our city."

Janie Katz-Christy, Director of the Green Streets Initiative and a local Cambridge parent says, "I've known Kristen for many years now, as a colleague and friend, and have been impressed with her effectiveness, intelligence, and ability to collaborate. I am confident she will be a force for the best interests and overall well-being of the City of Cambridge."

Election Day is on Tuesday, November 5th. For more information about Kristen and her campaign, please visit www.kristenforcambridge.com or email info@kristenforcambridge.com.

Kristen's Candidate Page can be found at http://vote.cambridgecivic.com/vonhoffmann.htm.
All of the announced and prospective candidates can be found on the 2013 Cambridge Candidate Pages.

Feb 21 post-midnight - Another successful collaboration with the DPW crew doing some midnight snow clearing on Broadway. I showed them where the storm drains were and they cleared away most of the snow and ice with a bulldozer. I finished the job with a shovel. This is how it's supposed to work, fellow Cantabrigians. - RW

Feb 20 on Facebook - I used to have great misgivings about bike lanes, and in some cases I still do. I don't like the fact that to some people it means that cyclists MUST stay in their separate lane. Cyclists can and should occupy whatever position in the road offers the greatest safety, and sometimes this is NOT the bike lane. It's also true that according to state law, motorists making a right turn are required to move as far right as possible prior to their turn. This means that they SHOULD occupy the bike lane at that point if the bike lane is at the far right road position. I find it infuriating that motorists often turn across the bike lane. I also find it infuriating that cyclists will pass a right-turning vehicle on the right. This is INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS.

Cycle tracks are even more dangerous at intersections because turning vehicles are often unaware of a cyclist hidden behind parked vehicles and a variety of sidewalk features. The cyclist often only becomes apparent as you're turning into him. There are other reasons why cycle tracks can be intrinsically dangerous in urban settings. That's why as a daily cyclist I am resolutely opposed to them on ordinary streets. They're fine and even useful alongside limited access roads. It's unfortunate that there are City planners who promote them without question and actively squelch any concerns or objections. - RW

Jan 30, 2013 - Update on the Forest City Zoning Petition: The City Council's Ordinance Committee had its second public hearing on this matter. Forest City representatives submitted a revised letter of commitment clarifying payments to be made and a timeline for those payments should the zoning petition be approved. The letter also makes official the change to 25 affordable low-income deed-restricted dwelling units to be built as well as the commitment to extend the affordability period for existing dwelling units within the existing University Park area. Rather than read my interpretation or any other person's interpretation, you should read the actual letter of commitment.

It is likely that the Ordinance Committee report will be on the Feb 11 City Council agenda. The matter might then be passed to a 2nd Reading and be in the queue for ordination as soon as Feb 25. How this throughly reasonable proposal is ultimately voted at the City Council will speak volumes about the existing city councillors. I look forward to the twists and turns of rhetoric. - RW

Jan 29, 2013 - Donald Hornig, former President of the Cambridge Water Board, passed away last week at the age of 92. Professor Hornig, formerly a resident of Longfellow Park in Cambridge, also served as the President of Brown University and worked on the Manhattan Project. He was a remarkable man. - RW

Former Brown University President Passes Away (Harvard Crimson, Jan 29, 2013)

Jan 25, 2013 - The City Council's Ordinance Committee met last night to hear testimony on the MIT/Kendall petition. Sometimes the testimony you hear at these meetings might lead you to believe that Cambridge had passed a mandatory hallucinogen ordinance - where reality is abandoned and fantasy reigns. One example last night was an MIT professor effectively claiming that the MIT faculty was opposed to the petition as filed. It's certainly true that there is an MIT faculty newsletter that's been around since 1988 that supports this point of view, but the good professor fails to say that he was one of the originators of this newsletter and that it has always been his mouthpiece for expressing HIS point of view. My impression is that most of the MIT faculty are neutral on this petition. Elsewhere in the materials for this Ordinance Committee meeting was a report from the Faculty Task Force appointed by the MIT Provost that contained these:

These are all reasonable recommendations and I doubt whether you'll find many MIT affiliates who disagree. The filed zoning petition simply defines the envelope of what could be built in the zone that's primarily bounded by Main St., Wadsworth St., Memorial Drive, and Ames Street. (There's also an important part that contains the property at One Broadway up to the Broad Canal.) The ultimate decision regarding what happens in this zone will grow out of internal discussions within MIT involving its administration, the faculty, and the MIT Investment Management Company (MITIMCo). Any member of the MIT faculty who has issues with the current plan should be arguing his case within MIT - not at the Cambridge Planning Board. Ultimately any development plan will still have to go through a design review process with the Planning Board.

It was also suggested at this meeting that this area south of Main Street was being sacrificed to commercial development instead of being reserved for "the academic mission" of MIT. It's abundantly clear that the street frontage on the south side of Main Street has always been in commercial use. The proposed plan would add several buidings along and immediately behind Main Street that would have commercial uses, but the remainder of the 26 acres would reman dedicated to academic uses and housing. Unless you looked at the maps provided, you might never have guessed this from some of the fantastic testimony. - RW

Jan 22, 2013 - The Cambridge Planning Board tonight unanimously recommended the current Forest City zoning petition. The City Council's Ordinance Committee held a public hearing on the petition on Jan 16 and forwarded it to the full City Council w/o recommendation while also keeping the matter in committee. It could be passed to a 2nd Reading as soon as Mon, Jan 28 which would make it eligible for ordination as early as mid-February. There will be another Ordinance Committee meeting on the petition on Wed, Jan 30. The expiration date of the petition is Apr 17. (Zoning Petitions)

It has become abundantly clear that there is a group of people now trying to use opposition to this petition as a launching point for a political campaign focusing on the Nov 2013 Cambridge municipal election. They have made no secret of their desire to "replace the City Council." Some of the organizers identify themselves as the "Cambridge Residents Alliance" which began as a group of Essex Street residents opposed to the building of housing on the parking lots on Bishop Allen Drive. Others in this group are recent veterans of the "Occupy" movement (let's call them Occupants) who oppose anything associated with corporations (and property owners in general). Others identify with a group called the "Association of Cambridge Neighborhoods" which claims nonprofit status and which is about as representative of Cambridge neighborhoods as a ham sandwich.

It will be interesting to see how this petition is eventually voted at the City Council. The Occupants have repeatedly accused several of the elected councillors of corruption - a fabulous way to win friends and influence people. If rational behavior is the standard for City Council votes, there should be a near-unanimous vote to approve the petition and move on to more important matters. The proposed amendment and related development plan aligns well with recent recommendations of the Central Square Advisory Committee 2011/2012. It will dramatically improve the retail frontage of a block that has been an embarassment for decades. The new retail will focus on local businesses. The new development will provide office space (primarily) for Millennium - a locally spawned company that works primarily in oncology research and development, i.e. cures for cancer. The latest letter of commitment also promises the development of housing wherever a future Cambridge site can be located that will include a minimum of 25 "affordable" inclusionary housing units.

Every election year brings its share of familar faces, interesting new candidates and campaigns, and also its share of annoying and obnoxious people. I suppose this year is no exception. Maybe this will be the year when some of the new people will show up to vote in the municipal election. These include many people who actually work for a living in places like Kendall Square and elsewhere. It will be good to hear from the many people who would like to see more middle-income housing opportunities in Central Square and elsewhere. Those voices will be a lot more interesting than those who never miss a public hearing and claim to represent working people but who have never worked a day in their lives (while occupying publicly-supported housing). - RW

Thanks to Cambridge Public Library Archivist Alyssa Pacy for forwarding this gem from the Sept 28, 1861 issue of the Cambridge Chronicle found by Dan Sullivan:

"THE END OF THE WORLD, postponed from 1843, is to take place on Saturday, the 12th of October, a fortnight from to-day, at least so say the Millerites. Unless the end comes before breakfast in the morning, we shall publish the Chronicle as usual on that day."

Subscribe to The Cambridge Room for plenty of tasty Cambridge history.

CITY OF CAMBRIDGE SOLICITING MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
FOR THREE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITEES

Application deadline is Friday, January 11.

BICYCLE COMMITTEE
This committee works to improve conditions for bicyclists in the City of Cambridge and promote bicycling as a means of transportation. Activities include organizing and participating in public events such as biannual community bike rides; reviewing plans for road construction; commenting on proposed development projects; creating promotional materials to encourage bicycling in the city; and working with City departments on network planning. This committee generally meets on the second Wednesday of each month from 5:30–7:30pm at City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway.

PEDESTRIAN COMMITTEE
This committee works to promote walking and to help create a more comfortable, safe, and pleasant environment for walking in Cambridge. It advises on the design of roadway projects and policies related to traffic calming, traffic signals, and sidewalk design. It also identifies intersections and other locations where it is difficult to walk, makes suggestions about proposed development projects as they affect people on foot, and undertakes other activities to promote walking. This committee generally meets on the fourth Thursday of each month from 6:00–8:00pm at City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway. (November and December meetings are on the third Thursday.)

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
This newly established committee will advance an agenda for a robust public transportation system for those who live and/or work in Cambridge. The committee will be composed of a cross section of stakeholders including businesses, large institutions, commuters, persons with disabilities, low income, elderly, youth, students, and advocates. The committee will guide city positions and policies regarding long term sustainable funding for transit by the Commonwealth, service planning for expansion or modification of bus routes, and service reliability and improvements including ways to better design our street network to prioritize bus transit. This committee will generally meet on the first Wednesday of each month from 5:30–7:30pm at City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway beginning in 2013.

Beginning in 2013, in place of individual committee meetings, these three committees will meet jointly on occasion to advise the city on higher level sustainable transportation policy.

APPLY
Applications are sought by dedicated individuals who live or work in Cambridge. Members are expected to attend monthly meetings as well as engage in projects outside of regular meetings. To apply, please prepare a cover letter indicating which committee you are interested in, a description of your interest in the topic, and any specific issues you would like to contribute time to working on. Please be sure to include your mailing address, phone number, and email. Send to:

Robert W. Healy, City Manager
c/o Jane Maguire,
Community Development Department
344 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139
Email: jmaguire@cambridgema.gov

Application deadline is Friday, January 11.

Appointments are made by the City Manager and are for two years of service. For more information, call 617-349-4610.