On Love and Elections

City of Cambridge Mayor Emeritus, Sheila Doyle Russell recently passed away peacefully in her home. She was my friend, but like most things I expect to write here, that seems an inadequate summation. I served as her Campaign Manager for the 7 elections she won for Cambridge City Council and as her Chief of Staff during her tenure as Mayor. These roles set me on my own path in public service, but ultimately were just functions I performed which don’t do much to define our friendship. Notwithstanding, since I did write most of the narrative media used to both request and justify support from the thousands of constituents she served so well in her public service career, these functions provide me a unique, although certainly not definitive, perspective on her life. I never wrote anything for her audience of many without first writing it for the review and approval of Sheila.

I preferred watching Sheila review those materials in person, as I valued her initial expressions while she read as a means to dissect what would always be her more measured assessments in conclusion. As both audience and subject of those narratives, her feedback, positive or negative, was part of an extended ongoing conversation we had about who she was, and how she viewed herself as a public servant. Always insightful, often argumentative, and sometimes unequivocally final in her rejection, I learned about her while she also taught me about myself. I’m acutely aware that this writing is my first on Sheila as the subject that will not receive her corresponding critique and approval. I find that circumstance daunting, but whenever I’d get reluctant to write something, Sheila would say “just give it a go.”

Sheila knew me since childhood as one of many Cambridge kids from a close group of mid-century working-class families helping each other stake a claim to the American dream. Amid stories of JFK and Tip O’Neil, they created their own Cambridge version of what is often referred to as the Irish immigrant political machine. I think Sheila would prefer the Gaelic term “Clann” to describe her constituency, not just for its Irish origins, but because the original meaning is flexible and inclusive depending on how it’s used. Perhaps this ambiguity is part of the reason its original meaning has been so corrupted in modern terminology. It’s root, literally and figuratively, is to plant and grown extensions that are connected. It embodies the family you are born into, the family you choose, and/or the family that welcomes you without prejudice. To care for your Clann means to grow beyond yourself.

Sheila’s Clann was planted in the Catholic Irish working class, but like the neighborhoods she knew so well, it grew extensions with each wave of change. The Irish, Italian, French, and Haitian families that shared the same faith in the same parishes as well other African American, Armenian, and Jewish families who shared similar dreams and challenges found representation in Sheila’s Clann. As a working class widowed woman and mother, Sheila’s own journey reflected the challenges and frustrations other Cambridge women of her generation experienced as the simple American dream of their youth evolved to be both more inviting and more elusive. She won over more than the occasional academic atheist as well with her genuine wit, wisdom, and humor.

Conversely, I would often use the more accessible, albeit banal words such as “community” and “constituency” to describe the people of this common good. Yet after nearly 15 years of watching Sheila read the words I wrote for the purpose of telling people who she was, I know she found terms like these, with their presumptive emphasis on simple demographic attributes, insufficient and unsatisfying. As a politician Sheila was a romantic. Not in the sloppy sentimental mockery of the term, but in the purest philosophical definition of the word. She possessed an awesome natural ability to connect with people as individuals through her genuine empathy and her capacity to validate the importance of anyone that approached her. In a word, she loved them.

As her campaign manager, I was typically more utilitarian in grouping these people by their attributes. In my mind, democratic elections were about candidates marshaling limited resources to optimize public support for a set of positions and ideas to be represented within the institutional bodies of government. I thought in terms of wards, precincts, and probabilities. I constructed the scaffolding and trellis around Sheila’s Clann, but she tended its growth. I targeted voters, but Sheila knew them and loved them.

Even to her last days, she maintained a deep encyclopedic knowledge of the people in her Clann. Not only in the academic attributes of my comfortable utilitarian domain, but in the meaningful romantic connections of the living Clann. When her personal recollections didn’t register with me, Sheila would usually begin a seemingly boundless recitation of associations; “she lived across the street from” or “you played hockey with his brother” or “she was married to Jimmy who worked with Leo at the gas company”. Sometimes she would throw me a more utilitarian bone such as “always voted absentee because she couldn’t do the stairs”. I never reached the limits of her depth on the people she cared about. After several failing attempts to jog my utilitarian memory, she would usually look at me silently for a moment, perplexed at my incomprehension. At first, I wondered if she was judging me, but I realized later that she always had another option to offer but was assessing if continuing on the current path would just freak me out. Sheila could always dive deeper, but I think she worried that it would give me the bends.

Sheila lived her entire 87 years as a native, lifelong Cantabrigian. However, where she existed was that inexpressible space in between the romantic and the utilitarian. Sheila’s Clann was not a collection of individuals that shared some things in common. It was a beating, breathing life of its own, defined as much by the connections and interactions between as by the individuals themselves. As social media platforms increasingly promote the vain promises of their connection algorithms, it has often occurred to me that these are nothing more than pale mutations of how Sheila’s mind worked organically. We are increasingly living in that mutated world of algorithms that is all utility and no romance. John Stuart Mill, the great English philosopher once wrote that whoever could master both romanticism and utilitarianism would possess the entire English philosophy of their age. I suspect that Sheila would smile and quip that the Irish easily find what the English are still looking for.

True also for the proportional representation election system used in Cambridge, which Sheila would reference in shorthand to the uninitiated as the “Irish System”. She had a deep intuitive understanding of how rank voting improved how people expressed their representative preferences, but more importantly, how it incentivized candidates like her to emphasize our connections rather than our differences. In the days of paper ballots, Sheila relished attending “The Count” where full consideration of voter’s choices recorded in penciled preferences took almost a week to fully tabulate. For Sheila, “The Count” wasn’t just about the suspense and drama of the protracted process. It was about the time spent with the friends and supporters of her Clann gathered in the designated watch area. Together we watched and learned how she achieved the requisite proportion of votes (quota) from her primary supporters woven together with additional support cultivated among the secondary preferences of voters that initially made other choices. Each PR count was a lesson in the importance of cultivating connections rather than forcing voters into hard choices. Often it was a hard lesson to learn for many first-time ego-driven candidates more suited to the traditional yet inferior winner-take-all elections. In other words, it was a lesson in growth.

It’s why I chose the photos included here to represent the Sheila I want to remember. As someone who made a personal practice of reading the expressions of Sheila as they pertain to her public persona, I think these photos capture her at one of her most cherished moments, one vote away from achieving the election quota and removing her name card identifying her as a candidate in the running. No ballrooms or podiums. No canned speeches in opposite pockets, depending on the outcome. Just friends, and friends of friends and associates and colleagues and fellow citizens gathered together in the same space to congratulate the elected and to console and thank the defeated for their best efforts in representing the public interest. This is Sheila as her best public self, caught on camera in the inexplicable space between the romantic and utilitarian sides of political life, perfectly balanced and at ease. To me, this is her true self, and will remain my lasting image of Sheila.

People often ask me why, with my years of campaign experience and ardent interest in election reform, I haven’t offered my services to other candidates. My standard answer is that every election campaign I managed took place before social media was invented, and I haven’t been able to identify, let alone adapt, to the utility of that new order. That’s true enough, but the more pertinent answer is simply that I’ve never met another Sheila. I’m still just the apprentice to the master, learning how to be part of something that can grow beyond myself.

I visited Sheila at her home shortly before her death. Her body was frail and failing, but the Clann algorithms were still processing like they always did. She told me how much she missed reading the newspapers. She could still see them if held close, but her arms could not keep steady enough to read them the way she enjoyed, usually cover to cover. She didn’t say this as a lament for her present infirmity. She said it as a problem to be solved, as if she was contemplating some combination of prosthetics and contraptions that would allow her to continue learning about the people in the places she cared for. I didn’t say goodbye to Sheila the last time a saw her, only because she didn’t give any indication she was going somewhere. I don’t regret that at all. It was pretty much on brand for Sheila.

I patiently await the long anticipated new birth of freedom when we have an election system for representative governance that allows Sheila’s approach to public service to be more rule than exception. There are positive signs. The good people at FairVote.org who are advocating for this exceptionally important right, and the existence and hopefully eventual adoption of The Fair Representation Act; and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences creation of the “Our Common Purpose” plan for sustaining the American experiment. Right smack in the middle of Cambridge is Harvard Professor Danielle Allen, who for me is the closest contender for the title of next-gen Sheila 2.0 with the academic chops to document and teach what Sheila demonstrated so naturally.

Increasingly, there are more people who understand and can reconcile our shared cultural history with our changing world without sacrificing the romantic ideals of personal and civic connection on the altar of expedient political utility. I remain hopeful that we’ll recognize and preserve the value in what Sheila demonstrated for us during her life of public service. If we succeed, we may take some comfort in knowing that government of the romantics, by the romantics, for the romantics, shall not perish from the earth.

Sincerely and Hopefully,
David R. Goode

Comments?

Dec 12, 2022 – Former Mayor Sheila Russell passed away early this morning at her longtime home on Hawthorn Park in West Cambridge.

RUSSELL, Sheila T. (Doyle) Of Cambridge and Hull, Massachusetts, passed away Monday, December 12th peacefully at home. Wife of the late Mayor Leonard J. Russell; mother of Lenny and his wife Sandy Russell of Hull, Eileen and her husband John Struzziery of Hull, Nancy and her husband Ed Grabowski of Somerville, Katie and her husband Scott Somers of Peabody and predeceased by her son William “Billy” Russell. Loving grandmother of Alyse Brussard and her husband Tom of Boxford, Courtney Hooson and her husband John of Hull, Emily Struzziery of Hull, Caitlin Russell and her fiancé Bobby Murphy of Cambridge, Molly Struzziery of Hull, Meghan Russell of Westport, Patrick and Timmy Grabowski of Somerville and Niamh Walsh and Nolan Somers of Peabody. Great-grandmother of Hazel and Tripp Brussard and Ellie Hooson. Beloved sister of Nancy (Doyle) Navin, the late Marylou (Doyle) Crowley and James “Buddy” Doyle. She also leaves behind many extended family and friends, especially her gang fondly nicknamed “The Murphy Chicks”.

Sheila was fortunate to have been able to raise her five children in Cambridge and Hull, then enjoyed a rewarding career serving on the City Council and then as the Mayor of the City of Cambridge. Sheila touched the lives of so many. She would often talk about her cherished memories and friendships from St. John’s, St. Peter’s, the Hull Yacht Club and the Russell campaign trail. During her tenure as Mayor, Sheila was very proud of bringing the Irish famine monument to the Cambridge Common. As a City Council Woman, Sheila was a champion for many causes, Cambridge businesses and especially for the elderly and for elder services. She was a tireless leader for establishing the Cambridge Citywide Senior Center. In her retirement, her work and dedication were honored in the opening of the Sheila Doyle Russell Community and Youth Center. Although Cambridge was always first in her heart and mind, she enjoyed spending summers at home, entertaining on her front porch and enjoying the beautiful breeze off Hull Bay.

Relatives and friends are invited to Visiting Hours at Saint John’s Church, 2254 Mass Ave. in North Cambridge on Monday, December 19th, from 4-7pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in the church on Tuesday, December 20th at 11am. Burial to follow in Cambridge Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to The Cambridge Program Friends, for Individuals with Special Needs, 1 Hardwick Street, Cambridge, MA 02141.

Dec 13 – My coffee cup this morning. The passing of a great friend will also be occasion for reunions with other great friends.

Comments?

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A few comments culled from the early issues of the Cambridge Civic Journal:

Nov 1997 – The comic highlight occurred when an Order came up congratulating Councillor Ken Reeves on his upcoming guest appearance in “The Nutcracker” at CRLS. Sheila Russell commented that “I usually do old-fashioned melodramas myself. The last one I was in was ‘The Scheme of the Shiftless Drifter’”. You just gotta love Sheila.

Dec 1997 – This meeting wasn’t exactly one for the ages, but Mayor Sheila Russell showed the good humor that has characterized her term as Mayor. After a discussion about posting “No Dogs Allowed” signs at City tot lots, Sheila said, “All we have to do now is teach the dogs how to read.” Later in the meeting, after a long discussion about whose responsibility it was to clean up the fall leaves after street sweeping was over and whether or not to extend the street cleaning season, Sheila suggested that we should put an Office of Tree Trainer in next year’s budget whose responsibility would be to train trees to drop their leaves directly into the barrels. We don’t yet know who’ll be Mayor this term, but already I’m missing Sheila’s way of keeping everyone at ease.

Jan 1998 – What Makes a Mayor: In my opinion, there are two Councillors who are entirely suitable for the job - Frank Duehay and Sheila Russell. Both have the experience and are moderate enough to be widely acceptable to the public. They are both capable of bringing disparate interests together and of promoting consensus and bipartisanship, ideals that are often elusive in a council elected via proportional representation.

Feb 1998 – Who reads the papers? – The next order of business was a discussion of the costs of legal advertising in local newspapers. The City principally advertises in the Cambridge Chronicle, but deadlines and legal requirements often require that ads go into the Tab, especially those of the Planning Board. The Boston Globe is considerably more expensive. The highlight of the discussion occurred when Counc. Russell asked why we wouldn’t use the Herald since some people never read the Globe. Ken Reeves asserted that some people never read the Chronicle, a clear reference to past differences he’s had with the Chronicle. Councillor Russell responded by saying, “Some people say they never read it but they know every word that was there.” Everyone laughed.

Feb 1998 – Councillor Born and Councillor Russell reminded the Council of how flocks of sheep in roads in Ireland could serve as an effective traffic-calming tool. [Yes, they were joking.]

Mar 1998 – The highlight of this meeting for me was Councillor Sheila Russell’s heartfelt account of the role played by the Marist Fathers and the Holy Union Sisters at Our Lady of Pity Church in North Cambridge, widely know as “The French Church.” She described in wonderful detail growing up in that area and of the good-natured rivalry between children from St. John’s Church and the French Church and of the dedication of the nuns at both churches to serving their community. “That parish was a wonderful, vibrant parish. They did everything for their parishioners. They had plays, they had shows, they had suppers, and they just kept all the traditions alive. So we thank them for what they did for the North Cambridge community and we will miss them.” A short while later, Councillor Russell said “I met my husband at that church. They used to have the University Trio - Nellie, Oscar, and Spike.” It is for moments like this that I continue to go to City Council meetings and to listen to the stories that are told there.

Mar 1998 – Councillor Russell: “That’s why it’s so hard to get people to serve on boards. We hear criticism of the Manager for not making timely appointments to boards. Why should people serve if they’re treated so shabbily?”

Apr 1998 – The comic highlight of the meeting occurred when Councillor Galluccio was needled by fellow councillors about his late entry in the running of the Human Services Road Race the day before. Apparently the good councillor neglected to set his clock forward to daylight saving time and had to be roused out of bed. Councillor Russell and City Mgr. Healy both made reference to the infamous Rosie Ruiz entry in the Boston Marathon. Mayor Duehay said of his vice-mayor, “I depend on you to be there!” Councillor Russell got the biggest laugh when she said, “I was a sleeper in that race.”

Apr 1998 – One of the strangest exchanges occurred during a discussion of Councillor Russell’s Order, responding to a constituent’s call, to refer the issue of “wind chimes” to the Noise Subcommittee of the Environment Committee, chaired by Councillor Born. Councillor Russell facetiously said, “This is a very serious situation. It is the cause of great deliberation and I know I put it in the right hands.” I have come to enjoy the mutual needling of the dynamic duo of Councillors Born and Russell. … Not to be outdone, Councillor Reeves said, “This is one of those moments when I really should just shut up. This worries me. The day will come when someone is wearing a certain shade of yellow and someone else will say ‘That offends me.’ You live in the city. You coexist with a lot of things or you live in the desert and you have no problems....In Somerville, they’re not talking about wind chimes.”

Apr 1998 – A discussion among councillors about the relative merits of supposedly self-cleaning public toilets took place in response to a communication from Central Square Business Association president Carl Barron concerning public urination. Councillors Reeves and Triantafillou heartily recommended these facilities. Councillors Born and Davis expressed some reservations about them. Councillor Russell volunteered to go to Paris on a fact-finding mission.

May 1998 – Councillor Russell provided the biggest smiles of the evening when, in referring to a VFW parking lot on N. Mass. Ave., had some fun by giving as neutral and non-Boston a pronunciation as she could muster to the words “park” and “parking” and then referred to it as a “vehicle storage area”.

June 1998 – The ever-wise Councillor Russell remarked about how most neighborhoods in Cambridge have their share of festivals and other events. “It’s what makes Cambridge Cambridge. It is being a good neighbor to partake in these things and to accept a little extra noise.” Regarding newly arrived residents, she said, “There should be a ‘Ten Commandments’ of how people should be tolerant in Cambridge.”

June 1998 – Councillor Russell: “I feel the same way. I've lived in Cambridge my whole life. When I first moved to my neighborhood, on Huron Ave. you could go to a five-and-dime store, a drug store, a barber shop, a hardware store. Now we have art galleries. Councillor Reeves is right. Now we have to put nets around the ball fields so that the ball doesn’t bounce into people’s yards.”

Sept 1998 – Mr. Yoder’s remarks about wildlife in the Alewife area led to various jokes from councillors about geese and goose droppings at the golf course. Councillor Triantafillou noted the increase in the skunk population which caused Councillor Russell to joke that she would put in a Council Order to regulate skunks.

Oct 1998 – With the City Council taking calls that night for input on its goals and objectives, Councillor Russell suggested that they should have a call-in to get Vice Mayor Galluccio a date. He responded by saying, “How many lines do they have up there?” To this, Councillor Russell responded, “One will be enough.”

Oct 1998 – Among other topics that came up was the possibility of requiring pitbulls to be muzzled. (Bill Jones suggested that their owners should be muzzled.) When discussion turned to the subject of people bringing their dogs to the Cambridge Cemetery, Councillor Russell said, “I think this meeting’s going to the dogs!”

May 1999 – The time since the last issue of the CCJ has been a time of great civic angst for this writer. The announcements by Mayor Frank Duehay and Councillor Sheila Russell that they will not be seeking reelection this fall have been very unsettling. These outstanding civil servants have been the most stable influences on the City Council for some time and the prospect of City Hall without them gives me no comfort. We can only hope that the elections this fall lead to future councillors who can match the wit and wisdom of these two individuals.

Mar 1999 – The closing moments of the meeting featured several councillors reciting their favorite “Washington's Rules of Civility” from a Globe piece distributed by Councillor Davis. Sheila Russell’s choice: “Be not tedious in discourse, make not many digressions, nor repeat often the same manner of discourse.”

May 1999 – When Councillor Born asked if the Cook Petition would preclude garden statuary, Mr. LaTremouille said that it would, because it was taking up space, drawing a parallel with the recent art controversy at Fresh Pond. He said there could be an enormous statue that would take up the whole backyard. Councillor Russell asked if this meant she couldn’t have a statue of the Blessed Mother or some other shrine. Apparently, the petition as written would prohibit this. (This provision was revised the next day to allow shrines.)

May 1999 – During a discussion of the proposed new rules for the City Council meeting, Mayor Duehay quipped, “I think they love us as we are.” To this, Councillor Russell responded, “I take the pulse of the city, and it’s erratic.”

May 1999 – Councillor Galluccio spoke to his order welcoming back the New England Patriots, noting that his mother has been watching the Patriots for 25 years. To this Councillor Russell responded, “I thought she’d made better use of her time.”

May 1999 – The most significant business at this meeting was the passage of the FY2000 budget and the accompanying orders. Of somewhat less significance was Councillor Russell’s order to explore the use of mimes in crosswalks to demonstrate pedestrian safety.

Dec 1999 – Since this was the last meeting for three outgoing city councillors, farewell remarks by Sheila Russell, Frank Duehay, and Katherine Triantafillou were in order. Councillor Russell gave a brief speech and left her magic wand for the next mayor “to use wisely.”

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Sheila Russell To Leave City Council Position (Harvard Crimson, May 3, 1999)
Former mayor to retire after 14 years in office

“She has been the glue that holds the council together,” said Preceptor in Mathematics Robert Winters, the publisher of the Cambridge Civic Journal, a monthly political newsletter. “She became one of the binding agents that builds a bridge between the different factions,” he said.
…

Russell was first elected to the council in 1985, when her husband, former Mayor Leonard Russell, died. She served as mayor from 1996 to 1997. An Independent, Russell became known as an advocate for elderly residents as well as for residents of West and North Cambridge, Winters said.

CITY OF CAMBRIDGE

ADDRESS OF THE MAYOR
UPON THE
FIRST ORGANIZATION
OF THE
CITY GOVERNMENT

MAY 4, 1846.

PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
CAMBRIDGE:

PRINTED BY ANDREW REID,
CORNER OF MAIN AND MAGAZINE STREETS,
1846.

MAYOR’S ADDRESS.

Gentlemen of the City Council: –

On this occasion of the first organization of a City Government for Cambridge, it seems appropriate to advert briefly to the nature of the change we have made in our form of government, and the reasons which have led us to it. We may thus be enabled to appreciate more justly the interests confided in our care, and to understand and perform our duties better.

Under a town organization, all the business, which appertains to the interests of the people, and is subject to municipal regulation, is transacted immediately by the people themselves, that is, by those who are legally qualified to vote., assembled in town meeting. They exercise for themselves immediately, without delegating it to others, the right to deliberate and decide. They constitute the legislative department, and choose Selectmen and others to act for them as executive officers. Such, in brief, is the theory of town government. It is the simplest for; the most purely democratic; has existed in New England from the earliest period of the Colonial history; has done more to cherish the spirit of freedom in the breasts of the people; is regarded by them with feelings of strong attachment; and is not changed for any form of government, except for good and substantial reasons. Nay, the people will submit for years to great practical evils in the administration of town affairs, rather than change a form of government, to which they are attached by so many and such strong associations.

But, as a town increases in population beyond a certain limit, this theory of government, in itself so simple, becomes less and less practicable; a smaller and smaller proportion of the legal voters can be assembled in town meeting for the transaction of business; and the alternative presents itself as unavoidable, of a small minority of voters doing the whole business of the town, or the adoption of a form of government, by which municipal affairs shall be transacted through delegates or representatives elected. for that purpose. The number of inhabitants, contemplated by the Constitution of the Commonwealth to be such as to render a City Government expedient or necessary, is twelve thousand. The population of Cambridge exceeded this number by nearly five hundred, a year ago; and it may be reasonably presumed, that, at the present moment, it is between thirteen and fourteen thousand. It must be obvious to every one, at all acquainted with the mode of transacting town business, that the great interests of the population, relating to the management of the public property, the instruction of two or three thousand children, the support and employment for some part of the year of nearly two hundred paupers, the care of the roads and bridges requiring uninterrupted labor, the maintenance, direction and control of the Fire Department, the raising by taxation, and appropriating annually to specific projects, forty or fifty thousand dollars, cannot be judiciously or satisfactorily in a town meeting, in which by one-fifth or one-sixth of the voters are present, of whom many are but temporary residents, and few perhaps possessed of any considerable stake in the affairs of the town.

A City Government, with two council boards, each having a negative on the other, comprising a limited number of those in whom the electors have reposed confidence, by delegating to them the power to deliberate and act instead of themselves, affords a surer guaranty for a mature consideration of important measures, and a wise and satisfactory administration.

In regard also to accountability, for measures pursued, and for the expenditures of the public money, a city form of government affords far greater security. Where several boards of officers are authorized each to draw upon the treasury, and there is nothing to interpose an efficient check, and where each board looks to the interests of its own, and either does not know, or does not regard, the claims of any other department, it can hardly be otherwise than that specific appropriations will be exhausted before the end of the year; money intended for one purpose will be drawn out for another; some of the great interests of the town will suffer for want of the pecuniary means that had been provided; the treasury will become embarrassed; and a debt will be incurred that must be provided for by increased taxation the succeeding year.

If, moreover, the several boards of town officers act by sub-committees, and each subcommittee shall be swayed, it may be unconsciously, by local feelings, the interest of the whole will suffer by a care which is unequal; one section will be benefitted at the expense of another; and it may be, that one board of officers will be called on the make satisfaction for injuries supposed to have been done by another. The mode also of choosing those town officers, who are not chosen by ballot, that is, by nomination at large in town meeting, where the presiding officer is expected to propose the name which first strikes his ear, is, perhaps, of all modes that could be devised, the one which is the least likely to secure the services of the most suitable individuals.

The police regulations of towns, it is well known, are generally weak and inefficient. In places, where the conduct of every individual is exposed to the observation of all others, and the public sentiment is brought to bear directly upon it, there is less occasion for police restraint. But in regard to a town, situated like Cambridge, in immediate proximity to a large and overflowing commercial metropolis, crowding out into the suburbs, from year to year, its surplus population, large numbers of whom require, from their habits, more efficient restraint than a town administration affords, it may be necessary to resort to a City Government for adequate self-protection. There are many incidents, appertaining to such a local situation, and a rapidly concentrating population, which call for vigilant and efficient officers of police to give that protection to his person and property, which every individual has a right to demand of his government.

Exposed as our citizens are to have the quiet of their homes disturbed by riotous noises at night; to have their persons or lives endangered by the furious driving of horses through the streets, by those who have lost, in a measure, the capacity to guide them; to have depredations committed upon their own or the public property; their fences injured, their enclosures entered, their trees set for ornament and shade destroyed, their windows broken, their buildings set on fire, hospitals prepared for the sick attacked and partially demolished; to have the morals of the youth, the hope of the age, perilled by the establishment of places of low and vile resort, where the gambler and the profligate lie in wait to entrap the inexperienced and unwary; is there not occasion to adopt that form of government which is most likely to afford the adequate protection?

Under our City Charter, the administration of municipal affairs is vested in the City Council, composed of two Boards; of which, from the mode of election, the one represents the general, and the other the local, interests of the city The executive powers of the city, and administration of the police, with all the powers heretofore vested by law in the Selectmen of the town, are vested in the Mayor and Aldermen; and they are required to perform all the duties which the law requires of Selectmen of towns.

All the powers, which were heretofore vested by law in the town, or in the inhabitants, as a municipal corporation, are now, Gentlemen, vested in your two Boards, constituting, in their joint capacity, the City Council; and are to be exercised by concurrent vote, each Board having a negative on the other. You will establish your own rules of proceeding; such as are best calculated to facilitate the orderly transaction of business. You have the power to make all needful by-laws, which shall take effect without being submitted for approval to any court. You are required, in the language of the Charter, to take care that no money be paid out from the treasury, unless previously granted and appropriated; you are to secure a just and prompt accountability from all persons entrusted with the receipt, custody, or disbursement, of the monies or funds of the city. You are to have the care and superintendence of all the property of the city; and exclusive authority and power to lay out streets, construct drains and sewers, and to estimate the damages which any persons may sustain thereby. The powers are transferred to you, which have heretofore been vested in the Board of Health; and you may provide for the appointment of all officers necessary for the good government of the city, not otherwise provided for, prescribe their duties and fix their compensation.

Such, Gentlemen, is the nature of the change we have made in our form of government; and such are some of the powers now vested in you, as the City Council. The possession of powers implies corresponding duties, and involves responsibility for their faithful performance.

After completing the organization of the two Boards, by the election of the Clerk, and when existing vacancies in other Boards of officers shall have been filled, and a City Treasurer and a Collector of Taxes, with other subordinates required by law, shall have been chosen, you will be prepared to enter upon the duties bearing directly on the great interests of the city.

In the first place, an object of special care will be provision for the public schools. The very full and able report of the School Committee, which has been recently distributed, shows, that, in regard to instruction, discipline, and the manners and morals of the pupils, the schools have been improving from year to year, and are now in a condition more satisfactory than they have been at any previous period. There is also a marked improvement in the attendance of the children. The teachers are commended for a “laudable ambition and faithfulness,” and as not often disappointing the high expectations entertained. The great want in reference to the schools, – a want, which, more than all others, presses upon attention every year, and which is the unavoidable result of our rapidly increasing population, – is that of additional or larger buildings for their accommodation. There is a want, in this respect, existing in each of the Wards, but especially in the Second and Third. I refer you to the statements contained in the Report of the Committee, for the particulars; and add the expression of my hope, that the suggestions therein contained may receive your early and favorable consideration. The whole number of public schools is thirty; of teachers and assistants thirty-seven. The whole number of children in town, a year ago, as ascertained by the census, between the ages of four and sixteen, was two thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, – being an increase in a single year of two hundred and thirty-nine, if the preceding census was correctly taken, of which there is some doubt. But taking a period of six years immediately preceding May 1st, 1845, the average annual increase in the number of children in Cambridge, between the ages of four and sixteen, has been one hundred and forty; rendering unavoidable a provision every year for at least two additional schools. I would here throw out the suggestion, though I do it with diffidence, whether it would not be expedient to require that a child, before entering the public schools, should have attained the age of five years.

The conviction exists in my own mind, that it will soon be necessary to make some changes in our school system. At present there are three schools, one in each Ward, combining the characters of a classical and grammar school. The multiplicity of studies is too great, and the time of the instructor too much divided, to allow of proper attention to the pupils in the higher department. What would be the best substitute for the present system, – whether the establishment of one school, centrally located, devoted exclusively to classical studies, or an arrangement, which perhaps might be made, for the admission of a larger number of pupils, on the part of the city, into the Hopkins’ School, or some modification of the two, – I do not feel prepared at present, to suggest.

In this connection I will say a word in reference to the Normal Schools. You are aware that they are institutions, mainly established and supported by the State, for the preparation of teachers for the common schools. There are three of them at present in the Commonwealth, sending out annually, as I am informed, about one hundred and fifty teachers. They have more than realized the sanguine expectations of the friends of the system; and are doing much to supply what has so long been complained of as the greatest want in the common school system of Massachusetts. Just previous to the close of the session or the Legislature, I attended, as a member of the Committee on Education, an examination of one of these schools, – that at West Newton; and the evidences exhibited of the thoroughness of the course of instruction, and of the great proficiency of the pupils, were in the highest degree satisfactory. In the Algebraic department particularly, a gentleman present, who had officially attended as an examiner at the Military Academy at West Point, pronounced the instruction at the Normal School to be a nearer approximation, than any he had elsewhere witnessed, to that in the above institution. I cannot refrain from expressing the hope, that, in order·more highly to elevate our own standard, hereafter, in the choice of teachers, when vacancies are to be filled, preference will be given by the committee to those who have been instructed at one of the Normal Schools.

A successful experiment has been made the past year of Teachers’ Institutes, as another means for the improvement of the teachers of common schools. They had previously been tried in the States of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, and had commended themselves to the friends or education. The aid of our own State treasury has been extended to them by a recent act of the Legislature, making an annual appropriation of twenty-five hundred dollars, without limit in regard to time. At these Institutes, teachers, in number not exceeding one hundred, are brought together, arranged in classes so as themselves to constitute a school, and instructed from day to day, for two or three weeks, by those most experienced and having the highest reputation in their profession. Ten of these Institutes will probably he held in different parts of the State, the present year, and it would seem important that the teachers of our own schools should be able to avail themselves of the advantages thus offered.

For the appropriations that will be needed for the purposes of instruction the present year, and for the erection of new school-houses, and the repair of the old, I refer you to the report of the school committee, in the confident belief, that you will cheerfully provide the means which are necessary to extend equal school privileges to all of the rising generation who are the objects of our care, and enable the schools of our new City to sustain the high reputation which they now enjoy.

In the next place, gentlemen, I ask your attention to the affairs of the Almshouse. Here is a large establishment, of which the value is estimated, in round numbers, at twenty thousand dollars, having afforded relief, in the course of the last year, to one hundred and eighty-seven paupers, of whom only twenty-three had any legal settlement in this Commonwealth, one hundred and sixty-four being State paupers, and one hundred and thirty-nine of these last foreigners; and some of the preceding being insane and others idiotic; and one hundred and fifty of the whole number, as stated in the return made by the Overseers to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, made paupers by intemperance; an establishment, which, in connection with the roads, draws from the treasury annually between eight and nine thousand dollars; but concerning the affairs of which, what the town has known has, for years, been comparatively nothing. Of the management of its concerns, no report has been made since I have had any acquaintance with the affairs of the town. Labor, to a vast amount in the course of the year, is performed upon the highways, by the inmates of this establishment; and I do not know but the value of that labor may be a full equivalent for the whole expense; but it would be some satisfaction to the citizens to be informed as to the fact, or at least to have presented to them from some authentic source an estimate of the balance, whether of profit or of loss.

The town has voted more than once, that all monies, paid for labor·performed by inmates of the Almshouse and the town teams, should be accounted for to the treasurer; but that vote seems not to have been regarded; and though it is well understood that considerable amounts, at various times, have been paid to those having the direction of the work, no account has been rendered to the treasurer, to the auditor, to the committee on finance, or to the town; and the citizens therefore have been kept in ignorance of the actual cost of supporting the establishment. My own conviction is that a parallel to this state of things is hardly to be found elsewhere in the Commonwealth. Let me not be understood as intimating that the money referred to has not been faithfully and properly applied toward defraying necessary expenses; but I speak of the mode of transacting the business as altogether improper, and express my trust, gentlemen, that you will adopt such measures, as in your judgment will secure in this case, what our Charter requires in all, a just and prompt accountability.

The interest upon the original cost of the Almshouse establishment, which should be added to the average annual expenditure for its support, is about equal to the deduction that should be made on account of the allowance from the Commonwealth for the support of State paupers; an allowance, however, of such doubtful expediency and uncertain continuance, that it would seem to be wise for us to protect ourselves for the time, probably not very remote, when it shall be withhold altogether.

It may be proper that I should state to you, in this connection, if you are not already apprized of the fact, that a portion of the town’s claim upon the Commonwealth for the support of State paupers the last year was disallowed by the Legislature. But the amount was small in the case of our own town, when compared with most others, having been but one hundred and sixteen dollars and nineteen cents; and the credit was awarded by the Committee on Accounts to the Overseers of the town of Cambridge alone, of having fairly and openly presented that particular part of the claim, as being distinct in its character from the rest, and of doubtful legality, though sanctioned by a previous loose construction, which the Legislature itself had given to the law.

The subject of the public roads is one of great importance, and will require no small portion of your attention. So great is their extent, such the nature of the soil in many places, and so difficult is it to procure the most suitable material for repair, that probably you will find, as has been found heretofore, that, in this department, it is more difficult than in any other to make that provision which will prove satisfactory, either to yourselves, or to the citizens generally. The town has been subjected, from year to year, to the payment of damages and legal costs, by reason of defects or obstructions in the highways. Nearly three hundred dollars were paid on this account the last year. No human foresight can guard against all contingencies; but it would seem as though, in some of the instances referred to, there could hardly have been exercised the requisite precaution.

Claims, however, to a much larger amount, have been brought against the town the past year, for indemnity to societies and to individuals, for injury they have sustained by the work of reducing the level of the streets by the side of their buildings. Some of these claims have been allowed and paid by the Selectmen. Others will be immediately presented, gentlemen, for your consideration; and I have no doubt that it will be your purpose to take such action thereon, and without unnecessary delay, as justice and equity shall require.

The expenditure for the repairs of bridges the last year has been, as anticipated, more than usually great, having amounted to nearly three thousand dollars; of which the largest proportion was spent upon Prison Point Bridge. What amount will be required for this object the present year, it is not easy to anticipate. Part of one of the piers at the old Brighton Bridge is gone, and some of the remainder is in such tottering condition as greatly to endanger the draw on the passage of vessels. The caps and stringers of the bridge on the Brighton side are so much decayed that the transit of heavy teams has, for some time, been considered unsafe. It will require, and I trust will receive, your earliest practicable attention. Within a few days the draw of the bridge over the canal between the lower Port and East Cambridge has been broken down by a vessel, which was driven against it in the night, as alleged, by a sudden gust of wind. The Selectmen have thought it necessary to commence the work of reconstruction, the prosecution and completion of which will now be subject to your direction.

Pursuant to a Resolve of the Legislature, the sum of three hundred dollars has been paid to our treasury, on an obligation given by the town to the Commonwealth to assume and lay out Magazine street, in Ward II, heretofore belonging to the State, as a public highway, and put and keep the same in good repair. This obligation, given in behalf of the town under the hands and seals of the Selectmen, stipulates that the. work of repair shall be completed within six months from the date of the indenture, that is, from the 17th of March last, and your attention, gentlemen, is respectfully asked, to see that this engagement be literally fulfilled.

It may not be out of place, in this connection, to apprize you of an act, just passed by the Legislature, and not yet published, rendering towns liable for injuries upon any private ways within their limits, or roads that have been opened to the public, though not laid out or accepted as town ways, unless notice be posted up that such ways or roads are unsafe for travel.

By the report of the Committee on Finance, you perceive that nearly two thousand dollars have been expended the year past for the construction of main drains and common sewers. This work has been done under a law enacted in 1841, and accepted by the town, which authorizes the Selectmen to make such drains, and to apportion and assess the cost upon those who may enter into them their particular drains, or who, by any more remote means, shall receive any benefit thereby, for draining their cellars or lands. Of the above amount the larger portion has been reimbursed, by the payment of the assessment; but, in some instances, individuals assessed have withheld payment, on the plea that they were not benefitted, and have made their appeal to the County Commissioners. Their cases remain undecided. You will doubtless be notified of the time of hearing. Several other cases await the issue. Petitions for the construction of other drains have been presented to the Selectmen, but they have deemed it expedient to defer action thereon.

And now, gentlemen, I ask your attention to a few remarks in reference to the Fire Department. By the report of the condition of the Department, made to the Selectmen by the Chief Engineer, on the 1st of April last, there are five Engines, with companies attached consisting each of about forty members, all of which are in good condition, and one of them is new. The same is reported of the apparatus generally, particularly the suction, (twenty-seven feet,) and leading hose, (five hundred feet,) and hose carriages, some of which are new. Two of the engine houses are in good condition, one of them new. The house of No. 2 is said to be out of repair, and needing to be set back from the street. The house of No. 4 is reported as in a very bad condition, and a petition has been presented for a new one. There is one Hook and Ladder Company, consisting of twenty-two members. There is another engine, No. 5, which is pronounced indifferent; no company is attached to it, and it is kept in a hired house. Each of the five companies has a compensation of four hundred dollars, and the Hook and Ladder Company two hundred dollars, amounting to twenty-two hundred dollars, exclusive of the pay of the Engineers.

The Fire Department is certainly one of great and growing importance to Cambridge, where buildings are multiplying with such rapidity, and where, in many parts, they are placed in such close proximity. If well regulated and efficient, it gives a feeling of security to the citizens, which could not otherwise be purchased; and they are, in no small measure, reimbursed for the cost of maintaining it, by the reduced rates at which they can effect insurance on their property. What is the best system for the management of such a Department, I feel not qualified to judge. Whether, and under what conditions, minors should be admitted as members; whether the services of volunteers are to be accepted; and if so, under what restrictions; are some of the questions which should receive mature consideration. The act of the Legislature, passed in 1832, establishing the Fire Department in Cambridge, placed the entire control of it in the hands of the Selectmen, authorizing them to appoint the officers and members, to fix and establish their powers and duties, and to ordain rules and regulations for their government. Such rules and regulations have been made by the Selectmen, and duly published. The power and authority which were by law vested in that board have now, by the City Charter, been transferred to and vested in the Mayor and Aldermen. Whether any additional provisions will be required, gentlemen, for the better government of the Department, I submit to your judgment. The members of the several companies have always displayed a commendable degree of alacrity and promptness in repairing, upon alarm, to the scene of danger; their operations have been skilfully and efficiently directed; and a spirit of ambition has induced efforts to excel. In all those respects, I doubt not they will sustain a creditable comparison with any Fire Department around us. Their services have always been duly appreciated by the inhabitants, and by the officers of the town; and the necessary annual appropriations, now amounting to at least four thousand dollars, have not been withheld.

If, however, beyond all this favorable appreciation of their services, the members of the department expect to be indulged in every request to go abroad, it may be hundreds of miles with their engines, for display, at times too, when their services are required at home, and seek opportunities to manifest their resentment at refusal; if their spirit of emulation, so laudable and useful when confined to proper objects, is allowed to break out into acts of insubordination, toward their own officers, or the municipal authorities; if they show themselves actuated by such an esprit du corps, as shall lead all the members to make common cause with any one, who may subject himself to censure for disobedience of orders, or neglect of duty; if, beyond this, leaving their proper sphere, and their usual party connections, they combine in measures to influence elections, and calling the department together by preconcerted signals, striking the bells to create an alarm of fire, and this too on the Sabbath, they concert their measures for the defeat of particular candidates; it becomes a serious question, whether we are not fostering the growth of a power in our midst, which will one day lead, if unrestrained, to the enactment among us of the scenes which have rendered the same department in Philadelphia so notorious; and the dangers of which will far·outweigh all the benefits conferred.

But I leave a topic on which I should not thus have spoken, had I not felt compelled, by a sense of public duty, to disregard those personal considerations, which, of themselves, would have constrained me to be silent.

It will be your duty, gentlemen, to make an estimate of the probable wants of the City for the year, and to provide the ways and means that will enable you to meet them. The report of the committee on finance, recently printed and in your hands, shows the condition of the treasury on the first of March. Since that time $1402 29 have been received, and $1534 39 have been paid out, leaving a balance in the treasury at the present time of $135 29. The expenditures of the year ending March 1st, for ordinary purposes, were $39,142 03, and, in addition, there had been paid, towards a reduction of the town debt, one half of the note due to the Lowell Institution for Savings, viz.: $5000, thus making the aggregate expenditure $44,142 03.

In March, 1842, the debt amounted to $41,527 41. Since which time, $19,527 41 have been paid, leaving the debt at the present time $22,000, of which $7000, being the amount of a note to Catherine E. Thompson, will become due on the 16th of December next.

An apprehension has been felt by many, which has disinclined them to favor the adoption of a City Government, that its administration would be attended with increased taxation. I do not believe, however, that such is a necessary result; and, though some additional expenditures may be required at first, yet the improved mode of transacting business, and the more strict system of accountability from those entrusted with the disbursements, must furnish a guard against abuse, and conduce to economy. If additional expense be the result, is it not compensated for by the removal or diminution of public evils, and the acquisition of greater security to person and property?

Possessing as we do a building so large and commodious as that we now occupy, a building erected but about sixteen years since, and probably as centrally located as any one could be, a building, which, with some small alterations, I judge, may be made suitable to accommodate, for the present, each of the two boards constituting the City Council, and leave a Hall of sufficient size for those general meetings of the inhabitants, occasions for which are contemplated by our Charter to arise, I do not suppose, gentlemen, that you will think it expedient to provide for the erection of any other building as a City Hall.

Called upon as you will be to make appropriations more than ordinary for the schools, one of which is now held in this building, but which must soon, I presume, be removed, and several other objects presenting claims that cannot, with a due regard to the public interest, be postponed, I feel assured, that, without suggestion from me, you will be disposed to guard against all unnecessary expenditure.

We have reason to be gratified at the prosperity and rapid increase of our population, attended with an annual addition of seven or eight hundred thousand dollars to the taxable property; but a necessary attendant upon this rapid growth is a progressively increasing expenditure, though not necessarily an increase in taxation. With us the ration of assessment has never been higher than 51 cents on $100; for each of the last two years it has been 48 cents;– while, in the town of Marblehead the last year, it was nearly 83 cents; in Newburyport, 78; Beverly, 68; Lowell, 66; Fall River, 63; Danvers, 62; Salem, 58; Manchester, 54; in all of them exceeding our own, and all of them except two under a town government. The comparison, I am inclined to think, if further extended, would, in most instances, be favorable to ourselves. Some allowance must probably be made, however, for a difference in the system of taxation; – some towns making the assessment on a full, and others on a reduced, valuation.

And now, gentlemen, having presented to you these considerations, as not inappropriate to the occasion, and in discharge of the duty imposed on me by the Charter, to communicate to your boards such information, and recommend such measures, as the interests of the City in my judgment may require, I have only to add in conclusion, that: – entering, as I do, upon an untried field of duty, with little experience to guide me, I shall need your indulgent consideration, and that of my fellow citizens. I shall be liable to err in judgment. From mistakes and errors none can be exempt. I can only pledge my sincere endeavors to discharge my duty according to the best of my ability and understanding. I feel strong in the assurance that I can rely on your aid and cooperation. An important trust has been reposed in us. Let us not be unmindful of the obligation to execute that trust with strict fidelity; with a single eye to the public welfare; and unswayed from duty by regard to popular opinion. Guided by that wisdom which is from above, a guidance at all times needed, to supply human deficiency and correct human error, may we be enabled so to administer the affairs of our new City, that none will regret the change. May we secure for our measures the favor, confidence, and respect of all good men; and, above all, may we secure for ourselves that richest of rewards, which springs from the consciousness of sincere and upright endeavor.

---

City of Cambridge.

In Common Council, May 4, 1846.
ORDERED, That Messrs. Norris, Valentine and Saunders, be a Committee, with such as the Aldermen may join, to wait upon the Mayor, and request a copy of his address to the City Council, for publication.

Sent up for concurrence.
CHAS. S. NEWELL, Clerk of Common Council

In Board of Aldermen, May 4, 1846.
Concurred; and Aldermen Hastings and Batchelder are joined.
LUCIUS R. PAIGE, City Clerk.

Note: The Mayor in 1846 was James D. Green

A word or two about Cambridge property tax increases

There’s a phrase that the Cambridge City Administration has been including in its annual “Dear Residents and Taxpayers of Cambridge” mailing for years that goes something like this: “For FY23, 80% of residential taxpayers will see a reduction, no increase, or an increase of less than $250.” This phrase used to end with “or an increase of less than $100”, but I suppose the percentages are much more appealing with the change. One might actually be led to believe that the tax levy is going down based on the initial reading of this annual message. In fact, this year (FY23) the tax levy went up by 7.4%, and the increases in recent years were 4.7%, 7.85%, 6.9%, 5.3%, and 3.8% (reverse chronologically). Much of the tax increases were picked up by commercial properties due to tax classification and City’s tax policy decisions, but the residential tax burden has certainly been on the rise.

One major source of confusion in the competing narratives of “80% of residential taxpayers will see a reduction…” and the “the tax levy went up by 7.4%” comes down to the fact that condominiums now comprise a very large percentage of residential tax bills, and condo owners have been getting a pretty sweet deal while much of the burden has shifted onto single-, two- and three-family property owners (as well as new residential buildings). Here’s a chart showing the median annual changes in residential tax bills (including the residential exemption) over the last 15 years:

Median Annual Tax Increases - Cambridge
Tax Year	condo	single-family	two-family	three-family
FY2009	$ 18	$ 40	$ 24	$ 72
FY2010	$ 69	$ 119	$ 47	$ 41
FY2011	$ 77	$ 306	$ 132	$ 154
FY2012	$ 60	$ 269	$ 177	$ 215
FY2013	$ 65	$ 159	$ 80	$ 85
FY2014	- $ 38	$ 109	$ 110	$ 201
FY2015	$ 15	$ 11	$ 334	$ 253
FY2016	- $ 18	$ 64	$ 101	$ 217
FY2017	$ 11	$ 324	$ 237	$ 336
FY2018	$ 76	$ 136	$ 33	$ 61
FY2019	$ 21	$ 124	$ 292	$ 469
FY2020	$ 43	$ 449	$ 366	$ 369
FY2021	$ 3	$ 246	$ 131	$ 218
FY2022	$ 33	$ 545	$ 301	$ 335
FY2023	- $ 107	$ 419	$ 269	$ 379
5 year average	- $ 1.40	$ 356.60	$ 271.80	$ 354.00
10 year average	$ 3.90	$ 242.70	$ 217.40	$ 283.80
15 year average	$ 21.87	$ 221.33	$ 175.60	$ 227.00
current number of properties	14841	3910	2292	1168

As you can see from these figures, it’s the large number of condominiums (nearly 15,000) that enables the City to declare that “80% of residential taxpayers will see a reduction, no increase, or an increase of less than $250.” For owners of single-, two-, and three-family homes, the story is quite different - especially during the last 5 years. Indeed, this year is the sweetest deal of all for condo owners. This year’s median change for condo owners is a reduction of $107, while it’s increases of $419 for a single-family, $269 for a two-family, and $379 for a three-family.

Comments?

Melrose Man Arrested for Child Pornography Offenses (US Attorney’s Office Press Release, Dec 9, 2022)
Defendant allegedly stored over 400 videos depicting child sexual abuse on external hard drive

ARREST REPORT, 12/07/2022, 5:02pm – INMAN PLACE – Patrick Baxter, 42, 20 Gooch Street in Melrose, was arrested for a federal warrant issued out of United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Patrick Baxter, Engineering Manager - Traffic, Parking and Transportation, City of Cambridge

“The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”

City of Cambridge to Make Free Rapid Antigen At-Home Test Kits Available

Dec 22, 2022 – The City of Cambridge announced today that on Wed, Dec 28 and Thurs, Dec 29, COVID-19 rapid antigen at-home test kits will be available for the public to pick up at all Cambridge Public Library branches, City Hall, and the Cambridge Public Health Department, while supplies last.

“We continue to support our community accessing important tools like rapid antigen tests to keep themselves, their families, and our community safe, and we want to thank City staff for making this public distribution effort possible,” said Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui and City Manager Yi-An Huang in a joint statement. “It is important that residents continue to take precautions to help slow the spread of COVID-19, including getting vaccinated and receiving the most recent COVID-19 booster dose recommended for you by the CDC.”

“Rapid tests play an important role in preventing the spread of COVID-19” noted Derrick Neal, Chief Public Health Officer at the Cambridge Public Health Department. “People who test positive should observe isolation guidance and wear a mask around others. If individuals need support to be able to isolate at home, our public health investigators are ready to help. Residents can call 617-933-0797 with questions and to get connected to treatment, masks and tests, and even food and other basic community resources while they isolate.”

People who live or work in Cambridge can pick up tests kits at the following locations during the dates and times listed below while supplies last:

Wed, Dec 28:

• 9:00am to 4:00pm at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue
• 10:00am to 4:00pm at Cambridge Public Health Department, 119 Windsor Street
• 9:00am to 9:00pm at Main Library, 449 Broadway
• 10:00am to 8:00pm at Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Avenue
• 10:00am to 6:00pm at Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl Street
• 10:00am to 8:00pm at Collins Branch, 64 Aberdeen Avenue
• 10:00am to 8:00pm at O’Connell Branch, 48 Sixth Street
• 10:00am to 8:00pm at O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Avenue
• 10:00am to 8:00pm at Valente Branch, 826 Cambridge Street

Thurs, Dec 29:

• 9:00am to 4:00pm at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue
• 10am to 4:00pm at Cambridge Public Health Department, 119 Windsor Street
• 9:00am to 9:00pm at Main Library, 449 Broadway
• 10:00am to 6:00pm at Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Avenue
• 10:00am to 9:00pm at Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl Street
• 10:00am to 8:00pm at Collins Branch, 64 Aberdeen Avenue
• 10:00am to 8:00pm at O’Connell Branch, 48 Sixth Street
• 10:00am to 6:00pm at O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Avenue
• 10:00am to 6:00pm at Valente Branch, 826 Cambridge Street

Signage will be posted at the entrances of pick-up locations to indicate where people should go to pick up test kits.

Test kits will be available at these locations until supplies run out. Expiration dates on iHealth rapid antigen test kits have been extended and check at https://camb.ma/datecheck.

As a reminder, every home in the U.S. is now eligible to order four free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests, which will be mailed to your household. Residents can learn more and order tests at www.covidtests.gov.

Insurance companies are also required to cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 tests. This means that most people with private health coverage can go online or to a pharmacy or store, buy a test, and either get it paid for up front by their health plan or get reimbursed for the cost by submitting a claim to their plan. Many stores and pharmacies throughout the city have supplies of at-home test kits readily available for purchase.

More information about rapid test kits and their availability for pickup at these sites is available at www.cambridgema.gov/hometest.

Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang Announces Staff Appointments and Changes to Organizational Reporting Structure

Dec 13, 2022 – Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang announced this week the appointment of Owen O’Riordan as the Deputy City Manager and Chief Operating Officer for the City of Cambridge. Mr. O’Riordan has been Acting Deputy City Manager since September 6, 2022.

“I am delighted that Owen has agreed to fill this role permanently,” said City Manager Huang. “As I have indicated previously, I view the Deputy City Manager as the Chief Operating Officer for the city, responsible for managing the major operating departments and overseeing core infrastructure maintenance and capital programs in the city. Owen has a strong track record of leadership, execution, judgment, empathy, and a commitment to transparency which will help us navigate the complex agenda ahead of us.”

Before being appointed Deputy City Manager, Owen O’Riordan served as the Commissioner of Public Works for eight years and, following appointment by the City Council, served as Acting City Manager from July through September 2022. Deputy City Manager O’Riordan has worked for the City of Cambridge since 1997.

City Manager Huang also announced two additional appointments. First, Acting Commissioner Kathy Watkins has been appointed as the permanent Commissioner of Public Works. Ms. Watkins has been Acting Commissioner for the past two months and the City Engineer for the past eight years. She has worked for the City of Cambridge since 1997. Second, Rebecca Fuentes will serve in the new position of Deputy Chief Operating Officer. Reporting directly to the Deputy City Manager, the Deputy Chief Operating Officer will work with departments to implement operational and organizational improvements to support the efficient delivery of high-quality public services. Ms. Fuentes has served as Transition Manager in the City Manager’s Office for the past five months and has been the Assistant Commissioner for Administration and Planning at Public Works (DPW) since 2009. She has worked for the City of Cambridge since 2001.

“I am grateful to Kathy and Rebecca for their leadership and dedication to the city and their partnership during my transition and onboarding. Each has a proven track record and is committed to civic engagement and being responsive to the real challenges our departments and community face daily,” said Huang.

These appointments create immediate vacancies at the Department of Public Works, and the city will begin the hiring process for a new Assistant Commissioner for Engineering / City Engineer and Assistant Commissioner for Planning and Administration immediately.

Finally, City Manager Huang, during his first three months, has been focusing on creating a strong leadership team and an effective organizational structure. In support of this endeavor, City Manager Huang has announced several organizational moves under the Deputy City Manager. These reporting relationships are consistent with historical responsibilities under the Deputy City Manager and will provide greater clarity on organizational roles and responsibilities.

The following departments now report directly to the Deputy City Manager:

• Animal Commission
• Department of Public Works
• Electrical Department
• Facilities and Facilities Construction
• Inspectional Services Department
• License Commission
• Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department
• Water Department

Cambridge Commission for Persons with Disabilities Advisory Board Vacancies

Nov 28, 2022 – Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang is seeking to fill vacancies on the Cambridge Commission for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) Advisory Board.

CCPD works to increase access to all aspects of Cambridge community life for people with disabilities. CCPD raises awareness of disability issues and promotes equal opportunity for people with a range of abilities, including physical, mental, and sensory. CCPD also provides information, referrals, guidance, and technical assistance to individuals and their families, employers, public agencies, businesses and private non-profit organizations.

About Board Members and Terms
The CCPD Advisory Board has 11 members who serve as volunteers for three-year terms. It is a City of Cambridge goal to expand and deepen community engagement with a focus on strengthening the diversity and inclusion of its various boards and commissions.

Duties, Responsibilities, and Minimum Requirements include:

• Must be Cambridge residents representing different disabilities, diverse cultures and races, and all areas of Cambridge.
• Attend monthly meetings, currently held virtually on the second Thursday of every month at 5:30pm.
• Take part in Working Groups and work on projects as needed.
• Work with other members and the office staff to carry out the CCPD Ordinance (Cambridge Municipal Code Chapter 2.96).

The City of Cambridge is committed to advancing a culture of antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. All board and commission members in Cambridge must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies. Women, minorities, veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply
Applications can be submitted to the City Manager’s Office using the City’s online application system at Cambridgema.gov/apply. A cover letter, resume or applicable experience can be submitted during the online application process. Paper applications are available in the City Manager’s Office at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue. Applications are due by Wednesday, December 28.

If you need help filling out your application or have any questions, please contact CCPD at:
• ccpd@cambridgema.gov     OR     • 617-349-4692 (voice)     OR     • 711 (relay)

Cambridge Seeking Members for the Black, Indigenous, People of Color-Owned Business Advisory Committee
New Application Deadline is Monday, December 19, 2022

Nov 8, 2022 (updated Dec 7) – The City of Cambridge is looking for volunteers to serve on the Black, Indigenous, People of Color-Owned (BIPOC) Business Advisory Committee for a two (2) year term. The goal of this group is to work with City staff to build policies and programs to better assist BIPOC-owned businesses and entrepreneurs.

The Committee has 13 members representing a range of business sectors (e.g. retail, restaurant, non-profit organizations, and personal and professional services) and the full diversity of the Cambridge BIPOC business community. There are five (5) vacant seats.

Who should apply?

• Any Cambridge small business owner identifying as Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian, Asian Pacific Islander, Latinx, or other historically marginalized group
  • Especially residents who have never served on a board or committee
• Organizations serving Cambridge whose principal mission is to represent BIPOC businesses

Why should I apply?
Joining the BIPOC Business advisory committee will allow you to:

• Advise the City on ways to uplift BIPOC-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in Cambridge
• Help spread information about resources for businesses in Cambridge
• Network with other Cambridge BIPOC business owners and entrepreneurs, as well as City staff

What’s involved?

• Attend monthly meetings
• Provide feedback and ideas about improving:
  • Business programs
  • Policies
  • Outreach efforts
  • The City’s overall relationship with BIPOC-owned businesses

How to apply

• Submit a cover letter and resume by Monday, December 19, 2022 at 8:00pm
• Apply online at: www.cambridgema.gov/apply

Questions?
Contact Allyson Allen at AAllen@CambridgeMA.gov or 617-349-9122.

Akriti Bhambi has submitted her resignation from the Cambridge School Committee - effective Nov 15.

Nov 2, 2022 (updated Nov 19) - Under the Plan E Charter, Bhambi’s replacement will be determined from among eligible candidates who ran unsuccessfully in the 2021 School Committee election using a PR Count to elect one person from the quota of ballots that were used to elect Bhambi in 2021. The Election Commission will now have to officially contact all potential candidates (Caroline Hunter, Daria Johnson, and Christopher Lim) to determine if they wish to be considered and remain eligible for this vacancy recount. The Vacancy Recount will take place on Dec 1, 2022 at 5:30pm at City Hall Annex, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 344 Broadway.

Who would replace each of the elected city councillors and School Committee members should a vacancy occur? Replacements are determined from the ballots used to elect each councillor or School Committee member. I ran the tabulation software with the 2021 ballot data and here’s what I found (assuming all candidates are still eligible):

City Council Replacement Azeem Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler Carlone Nicola Williams Mallon Sobrinho-Wheeler McGovern Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler Nolan Nicola Williams Siddiqui Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler Simmons Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler Toner Joe McGuirk Zondervan Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler

School Committee Replacement Bhambi Caroline Hunter Fantini Caroline Hunter Rojas Villarreal Christopher Lim David Weinstein Daria Johnson Rachel Weinstein Caroline Hunter Wilson Daria Johnson

Nov 21 Update: A vacancy has been created in the School Committee due to the resignation of Akriti Bhambi, effective November 15, 2022. Pursuant to the Cambridge Charter and Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 54A, the Cambridge Election Commission will hold a Vacancy Recount to fill the seat.

This Vacancy Recount of Akriti Bhambi’s ballots will be held on Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 5:30pm at the City Hall Annex, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 344 Broadway, Cambridge MA. Tanya L. Ford, the Election Commission Executive Director, has been designated as the Director of the Count for this purpose.

The following is a list of candidates on the 2021 School Committee Ballot who were not elected:

• Caroline M. Hunter, 23 Rockwell Street
• Daria A. Johnson, 2 Leighton Street
• Christopher Lim, 48 Pleasant Street

Dec 1 Update - Caroline Hunter was elected to replace Akriti Bhambi. See how the transfers proceeded (tabulated in Nov 2021).

Members Sought for Cambridge Police Review & Advisory Board

Nov 9, 2022 – Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang is seeking Cambridge residents interested in serving on the Police Review & Advisory Board. Made up of volunteer members, the Board serves as a fair and impartial body that provides oversight of the Cambridge Police Department (CPD).

About Police Review & Advisory Board
Created by City ordinance in 1984, The Police Review & Advisory Board is a City department with a board of five residents. Completely independent of the CPD, the Board is authorized to receive, investigate, and mediate complaints against members of the CPD and review complaint investigations completed by the CPD’s Professional Standards Unit. Following its review, the Board then issues recommendations on investigative findings, discipline, and departmental policies and procedures. The main responsibilities of the Board are to:

• Provide for citizen participation in reviewing CPD policies, practices and procedures;
• Provide a prompt, impartial, and fair investigation of complaints brought by individuals against members of the Police Department;
• Develop programs and strategies to promote positive police/community relations and to provide opportunities for productive discussions, improved understanding, and innovative ways of resolving differences.

About Board Members and Terms
The Board consists of five Cambridge residents who are broadly representative of the City's racial, social and economic composition. Board Members serve five-year terms and must have demonstrated an active interest in public affairs and service and be a resident of the City of Cambridge. For more information, visit www.cambridgema.gov/prab.

Duties, Responsibilities, and Minimum Requirements include:

• Reviewing and evaluating completed investigations to make findings on the allegations contained in each complaint;
• Identifying needs for changes to Police Department policies, procedures or training and reporting findings and recommended solutions to the Police Commissioner and the City Manager;
• Assisting in public education and outreach activities to promote awareness and understanding of the Board and strengthen community-police relations;
• Receiving training on a regular basis outside of regular monthly meetings on: civilian oversight of law enforcement, understanding investigations, and the history and culture of policing in Cambridge; CPD training on police policies, procedures, practices, and training; effective outreach and community engagement; and understanding public meetings, public records, and ethical standards and requirements.

The City is committed to advancing a culture of antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. All board and commission members in Cambridge must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies. Women, minorities, veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Helpful Knowledge, Skills and Abilities for Prospective Board Members:

• Possess a reputation for fairness, integrity, and responsibility;
• Ability to be fair and impartial in their decision making;
• Understand implicit and explicit bias and work to mitigate bias in their efforts.

Meetings
The Board currently meets virtually on the last Wednesday of the month at 6:00pm. To learn more about the Board’s work, please consider attending an upcoming virtual meeting on December 7 at 6:00pm, via the Zoom platform. For the link, please visit Cambridgema.gov/calendar and find the listing for this meeting. For more information, contact Brian Corr, Executive Director at 617-349-4694 or bcorr@cambridgema.gov or visit www.CambridgeMA.gov/PRAB.

How to Apply
Applications can be submitted to the City Manager’s Office using the City’s online application system at cambridgema.gov/apply. A cover letter, resume or applicable experience can be submitted during the online application process. Paper applications are available in the City Manager’s Office at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue. Applications are due by Monday, December 12.

Members Sought for New Mass Ave Partial Construction Working Group

Nov 9, 2022 – Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang is seeking volunteers to serve on a new Working Group to help guide the Mass Ave Partial Construction Project on Mass Ave, from Waterhouse Street to Alewife Brook Parkway.

Project Goals
The project was initiated in response to the city’s Cycling Safety Ordinance (CSO) and the goals include:

• Improving the safety and comfort for people walking, biking, and taking transit;
• Reducing travel times and improving the reliability of MBTA buses;
• Maintaining loading and short-term parking access to support local businesses;
• Implementing changes in line with the Cambridge Bicycle Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan and the Cambridge Cycling Safety Ordinance (CSO), which requires separated bike lanes on Mass Ave.

Individuals who are excited about shaping the future of Mass Ave and want to work collaboratively with City staff to accomplish the goals above are encouraged to apply.

Membership and Meetings
The Working Group is anticipated to be made up of 15-20 members, representing a diverse set of interests along the Mass Ave corridor to ensure that each perspective is heard and that there is adequate representation reporting back to the larger community. The Working Group will include residents, business owners, institutional representatives, and a variety of people that use the corridor to live, work, walk, bike or take the bus.

It is anticipated that the group will meet eight to ten times between January 2023 and December 2023. Meetings of the Working Group will be open to the public.

Working Group members will have two overall responsibilities:

• Serve as a community representative to advise the City Manager and staff on key issues related to the design of improvements on Mass Ave;
• Help communicate the process and design of the project back to the larger community.

There are several key elements where the Working Group will be asked to help shape the design of the Mass Ave corridor:

• Design of separated bicycle lanes;
• Evaluation of existing crossing locations for pedestrians and recommendations for additional crossing opportunities;
• Curb use regulations (i.e., understand where parking/stopping/loading is possible and not possible, and advise on curb use regulations);
• Options for bus priority.

How to Apply
Individuals interested in being considered should apply by using the City’s online application system at cambridgema.gov/apply and selecting “MassAve Partial Construction Working Group” in the list of Current Vacancies. A letter of interest can be submitted during the online application process. Paper applications are available in the City Manager’s Office at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue. The deadline for submitting applications is Monday, December 12, 2022.

Members Sought for City of Cambridge Recycling Advisory Committee

Nov 8, 2022 – Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang is seeking Cambridge residents, business owners, and local professionals interested in serving on the Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) beginning in January 2023.

The RAC is a volunteer committee which provides advice, recommendations, and assistance to the Department of Public Works (DPW) regarding recycling, composting, reuse, and waste reduction. The RAC does this through research, feedback, public outreach, and event planning. The RAC has helped the city implement the Zero Waste Master Plan, curbside composting, Fix-It Clinics, marketing and education, and other important initiatives that have made Cambridge a national leader in waste reduction.

About Recycling in Cambridge
Recycling in Cambridge began in 1989 with a few volunteers dedicated to beginning a recycling program. Today, the city recovers more than 10,000 tons/year of recyclables from more than 44,000 households and 200 small businesses. Approximately 32,000 households and 64 businesses have access to curbside composting, reducing the city’s trash and helping control rodents. More than 7,000 tons of food waste has been collected since the city began a pilot compost program in 2014.

The City of Cambridge has goals to reduce trash 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. As of 2021, the city has reduced trash by 26% since 2008.

About RAC Members and Terms
The Committee has been active for more than 30 years and consists of at least nine members with an interest in the topics listed above. Members serve a three-year term and are expected to attend most meetings. Meetings are held monthly, except in July and August. The city seeks members that represent local businesses and property managers, Cambridge residents, and users of the Recycling Center, universities, non-profit organizations, and social service agencies whose goals overlap with waste reduction.

Duties, Responsibilities, and Minimum Requirements include:

• Attend and participate in monthly meetings, held the second Wednesday of the month (September-June);
• Participate in creating committee direction and implementation of ideas;
• Take a leadership role in projects, such as doing research, organizing, and attending events, and advocacy;
• Work with the Public Works Recycling Division, the Climate Protection Action Committee, and other appropriate city staff to provide feedback on city initiatives;
• Research different approaches to communication, education, and best practices for recycling, composting, reuse, and waste reduction programs;
• Disseminate outreach materials and help educate the community;
• Initiate, plan, attend, and run events to promote recycling, composting, reuse, and waste reduction;
• Participate in at least 2-3 events, such as Danehy Park Family Day, Public Works Week events, Fresh Pond Day, May Fair, block parties.

Helpful Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Marketing
• Outreach and community engagement
• Article writing for newspapers or blogs to promote recycling
• Project Management
• Advocacy for state policies
• Familiarity with the Cambridge Public Schools

The city is committed to advancing a culture of antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. All board and commission members in Cambridge must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies. Women, minorities, veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Meetings
The RAC currently meets virtually on the second Wednesday of the month at 8 a.m.To learn more about the committee’s work, please consider attending an upcoming virtual RAC meeting on December 14 at 8:00am, via Zoom: https://cambridgema.zoom.us/j/88399786374. Additionally, interested applicants may attend a virtual information session to learn more the city’s waste reduction efforts on Monday, December 5 at 4:00pm, via Zoom: https://cambridgema.zoom.us/j/81687152054.

For more information, contact Michael Orr, Recycling Director, at 617-349-4815 or morr@cambridgema.gov or visit www.CambridgeMA.Gov/Recycle.

How to Apply
Applications can be submitted to the City Manager’s Office using the City’s online application system at www.cambridgema.gov/apply. A cover letter, resume or applicable experience can be submitted during the online application process. Paper applications are available in the City Manager’s Office at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue. The deadline to submit an application is December 19, 2022.

Members Sought for the Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women

Nov 8, 2022 – Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang is seeking persons interested in serving on the Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women.

The Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women (CCSW) recognizes, supports, and advocates for all who self-identify as women or with womanhood, including transgender, gender fluid, and non-binary persons.

The Commission stands with and for all women and girls, regardless of immigration status, sexuality, race, ethnicity, ability or religion. Commissioners support staff in their mission to promote equity for all women and girls, and advocate on their behalf with other City departments, officials, and local organizations to increase their opportunities through policy recommendations and program development.

Commissioners also help staff create and promote programs and services that:

• Foster the advancement of women and girls within the city;
• Create and promote programs that increase public awareness and understanding of multiple issue areas, including but not limited to gender-based violence, women’s history, women’s health, racism, and workplace equity;
• Provide technical assistance, information, and referral to individuals, community organizations, businesses, and other City departments related to women’s and girls’ services;
• Work with community organizations and coalitions to promote the advancement of Cambridge women and girls.

Experience
While experience working with women and girls is not a requirement, a commitment to and an interest in principles of anti-racism, equity, anti-oppression, autonomy, and dignity for women and girls is required. Additionally, all Commissioners must be Cambridge residents.

The City is committed to advancing a culture of antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. All board and commission members in Cambridge must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies. Women, minorities, veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Commissioners should be able to:

• Participate in a collaborative process;
• Consider diverse ideas and perspectives;
• Represent the Commission at community meetings;
• Bring the needs and issues of the communities you connect with back to the Commission;
• Be aware of your own privilege and power; how you use it and how it influences your experiences in the world.

Meetings
Under the provisions of the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, meetings are usually required to be in person. However, the Women’s Commission has been meeting remotely under the temporary Open Meeting Law provisions established during the COVID-19 pandemic and will likely continue to meet remotely through March 2023. Currently, the Women’s Commission meetings are held virtually on the second Wednesday of every month, at 6:00pm for two hours. Commissioners are expected to attend these monthly meetings, in addition to community events, programs, and meetings as needed and as able. The position is a three-year term.

Women who may have a harder time meeting these time commitments – single parents, jobs requiring evening hours, unstable computer access, etc. are also encouraged to apply and we will work to accommodate as best we can.

How to Apply
Individuals interested in being considered should apply by using the City’s online application system at www.cambridgema.gov/apply and selecting “Commission on the Status of Women” in the list of Current Vacancies. A cover letter and résumé or summary of applicable experience can be submitted during the online application process. Paper applications are available in the City Manager’s Office at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue. The deadline for submitting applications is December 12, 2022.

City of Cambridge Seeking Volunteers to Serve on Foundry Advisory Committee

Nov 8, 2022 – Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang is seeking volunteers to serve on the Foundry Advisory Committee (FAC). Help the City of Cambridge ensure that the Foundry located at 101 Rogers Street, remains a community space for arts, technology, and workforce development.

Foundry Advisory Committee Role
The FAC serves in an advisory capacity to the City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority (CRA), to help ensure that the Foundry building’s redevelopment and ongoing operation remains consistent with the Vision and Objectives established in the Demonstration Plan that grew out of an extensive community planning process. The Foundry’s nonprofit operator, the Foundry Consortium, is managing the building and stewarding community activities in the various community spaces, including the performance space, maker workshops, dance studio, art class rooms, and multi-purpose rooms. Learn more about upcoming events and available spaces at Cambridgefoundry.org. Additional information regarding the Foundry building is available on the project webpage, Cambridgeredevelopment.org/foundry.

As a member of The FAC, duties may include:

• Provide regular updates to the City Manager and to the CRA Executive Director on anticipated building operations;
• Review performance metrics to assess how the building is meeting its mission;
• Review any proposals for significant capital changes, to assess how they affect the community objectives;
• Provide annual updates to the CRA Board at regular Board meetings, which provides an additional forum for public input.

The City Manager seeks persons with demonstrated ability to work effectively on a team with diverse perspectives to craft consensus recommendations. Ideal candidates will have experience and expertise in visual and performing arts, technology, maker-spaces, entrepreneurship, and workforce development, as well as representation from various neighborhoods within the city, and local non-profit and community organizations.

The City of Cambridge is committed to advancing a culture of antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. All board and commission members in Cambridge must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies. Women, minorities, veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Membership and Meetings
The Committee is made up of seven community members who serve three-year terms. Meetings are held quarterly and are open to the public. Meetings are currently held in-person at the Foundry and have accommodations for online participation.

How to Apply
The deadline for submitting applications is Monday, December 12, 2022. Applications can be submitted to City Manager Yi-An Huang using the City’s online application system at Cambridgema.gov/apply. A cover letter and resume, or an overview of relevant experience, can also be submitted during the online application process. Paper applications are available in the City Manager’s Office at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue.

Note: If you have an AOL email address or an earthlink email address and a yahoo email address, there’s a good chance that any email messages sent by me to you will be blocked. Just get yourself a gmail account or some other dependable email account. Otherwise you may as well not even bother contacting me because there’s a good chance I won’t ever see your message or that you’ll never receive my response. - RW

Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang Seeks New Members for the Cambridge Traffic Board
Application Deadline is 11-21-22

Oct 24, 2022 – Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang is seeking new members for the Cambridge Traffic Board, a three-member board established to review petitions regarding the adoption, alteration, and repeal of the city’s Traffic Rules and Regulations and to provide advice and consultation to the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department.

Board members are appointed by the City Manager; a chairperson will be designated by the City Manager each year from among the three members. Members serve a three-year term and are eligible for reappointment.

The Traffic Board was established pursuant to Chapter 455, Acts of 1961, an Act establishing a Department of Traffic and Parking in the City of Cambridge as amended by Section 7 of Chapter 786 of the Acts of 1962, Chapter 340 of the Acts of 1972, Chapter 239 of the Acts of 1977, Chapters 166, 424, and 585 of the Acts of 1981 and Chapter 441 of the Acts of 1991.

Applicants must be Cambridge residents. Persons holding public office in Cambridge and salaried employees of the City of Cambridge are not eligible for appointment.

The City of Cambridge is committed to advancing a culture of antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. All board and commission members in Cambridge must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies. Women, minorities, veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Members of the Traffic Board should be able to:

• Participate in a collaborative process with other Board members;
• Consider diverse ideas and perspectives with empathy and respect;
• Willingness to Work with the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department;
• Review and understand the city’s policies, rules, and regulations related to the regulation of the city’s streets and wider transportation network;
• Understand issues related to the safety, sustainability, and accessibility of the city’s transportation network and its operations;
• Demonstrate strong attentiveness and listening skills to complex presentations and discussions.

The Traffic Board meets on an as-needed basis based on submission, if any, of petitions and for necessary consultation with Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department leadership. Under the provisions of the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, meetings are usually required to be in person, although the Traffic Board may meet remotely under the temporary Open Meeting Law provisions established during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Members must review petitions and petition materials prior to each meeting they attend.

Individuals interested in being considered should apply by using the city’s online application system at www.cambridgema.gov/apply and selecting “Traffic Board” in the list of Current Vacancies. A cover letter and résumé or summary of applicable experience can be submitted during the online application process. Paper applications are available in the City Manager’s Office at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue. The deadline for submitting applications is Monday, November 21, 2022.

In Cambridge, it’s the distinct voices of city workers that you hear at crosswalk signals (Boston Globe, Oct 13, 2022 - updated Oct 16)

Pedestrians have noticed some local-sounding flair at select intersections, where accessibility improvements are guiding pedestrians to their destinations.

… and there’s this letter in response from Megan Brook (Oct 23, 2022):
Dear Mr. Buell,

I read your report on the local voices used for Cambridge’s audible traffic-signal prompts. It’s a nice little article. I appreciate the Globe’s policy of including a few human-interest, positive stories along with all the dire news it has to feature. Any attention to our sound environment by Traffic depts. is a good thing.

As a resident of the Inman Square neighborhood, currently undergoing huge traffic changes, I noticed one important omission from your piece: who the audible signals are not for. They are not to entertain sighted people using public spaces (or to drive them nuts) and most emphatically not to help them get a Walk signal, or to get one faster. They are to help visually impaired people get safely across the streets (as you noted). And the sign above the buttons basically says so. But who’s reading it?

At street crossings for decades, pedestrians wanting to cross would press a very similar-looking button. In some situations this action would give the desired result. (In some others it was just a fake, to calm pedestrians while they waited for an automatic sequence of lights to turn.) In any event, millions of pedestrians have a confirmed habit of pressing a button on a traffic-light post, and now that the purpose of the button is only to produce a voice signal for the sight-impaired, they don't even notice the sign above the button or think about its meaning. They have come to believe they have to press the button to get across, or to get across sooner.

As a result of this, places like Inman Square, where there are numerous crossings in a fairly small area, are now a din of unheeded voices. Typically someone on foot is long gone by the time the voice they have summoned starts talking. Sitting on the bench by the local coffee shop, attempting to enjoy the moment, I can often hear several of these signals going at once with not one walker in sight.

I know two sight-impaired people who want to use Inman Square. One of them tripped on something “temporary” left unmarked by the contractor, and got hurt; the other won’t try to cross the intersection while the current work is going on (and it’s taking a very long time to complete). His dog is confused by the unusual construction. Most of the people pressing the buttons in Inman Square appear to me to be ordinary sighted individuals. (Who don’t read...!)

Having to hear these signals is just an added irritant to those locals who feel either that the project is taking far too long or who object to the results. We get little solace from the fact that City workers are voicing them, even if that’s a cute idea. Now that I know whose they are, hearing them will remind me how my voice and those of other civic-minded residents were ignored by the City of Cambridge when these changes were planned.

We all support any signals to help visually impaired people to get around safely. Local voices are nicer than robotic versions. But I wish you had mentioned that the buttons do nothing to help sighted people cross faster, and that doing so without thinking just adds to the background noise.

I wish to close by thanking you for your article despite my quibble with it, and to wish you the best as you continue to report stories for the Globe.

Megan Brook, Cambridge MA

Advance Removal and Depositing of Ballots for the State Election, November 8, 2022

Under the provisions of “The Votes Act”, early voting ballots may be processed in advance of Election Day. The City of Cambridge Election Commission will conduct advance removal of voted State Election ballots on Mon, Oct 31; Tues, Nov 1; Wed, Nov 2; and Thurs, Nov 3 beginning at 9:00am at the Citywide Senior Center, Windsor House, 806 Mass. Ave., Basement Level, Rear Entrance located on Green Street. The voted ballots will be removed from their sealed envelopes and prepared for advance depositing. The advance depositing of voted State Election ballots will be conducted on Fri, Nov 4, 2022, beginning at 9:00am at the Citywide Senior Center, Windsor House, 806 Mass. Ave., Basement Level, Rear Entrance on Green Street. The voted ballots will be placed in a tabulator and counted.

Both processes will be open for public observation. If you would like to observe the advance removal and/or depositing of ballots, we ask that you arrive at the rear entrance of the center on Green Street on the scheduled days. Observers are strongly encouraged to use face coverings. If you have any questions, please call (617) 349-4361.

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Post-Processing of Ballots for the State Election, November 8, 2022

Under the provisions of “The Votes Act”, ballots returned by mail for the State Election may be received up to 5:00pm on Nov 12, 2022 if postmarked by Nov 8, 2022. The City of Cambridge Election Commission will conduct post-processing of ballots on Tues, Nov 15, 2022 beginning at 9:00am at the Citywide Senior Center, Windsor House, 806 Massachusetts Ave, Basement Level, Rear Door located on Green Street.

This process will be open for public observation. If you would like to observe the post processing of ballots, we ask that you arrive at the rear entrance of the center on Green Street on the scheduled days. Observers are strongly encouraged to use face coverings. If you have any questions, please call (617) 349-4361.

City Manager Yi-An Huang Seeks New Members for the Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeal

Oct 14, 2022 (updated Nov 3) – Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang is seeking persons interested in serving on the Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeal. Beginning in January 2023, BZA members will receive an annual stipend of $3,500, and Associate BZA Members will receive an annual stipend of $2,000. The BZA application deadline has been extended to Monday, November 14.

The Board of Zoning Appeal (BZA) has an important role in decisions that help shape the use and appearance of buildings in our community. Under the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance, certain uses and types of development may require a variance, special permit, or a comprehensive permit from the BZA, a quasi-judicial body that conducts public hearings on all applications and appeals before it and issues decisions. The Board also hears appeals of Zoning Determinations made by the Commissioner of Inspectional Services.

The BZA is made up of five members and up to seven associate members. The members are appointed by the City Manager, and then approved by the City Council. Regular members generally serve a 5-year term, while associates serve a 2-year term. While board and commission members in Cambridge do not receive compensation for their time, the city is exploring offering a stipend for high time commitment boards such as the BZA.

The BZA meets twice each month on Thursday evenings for approximately 3-4 hours. Members are expected to attend all meetings, and associate members attend on an as-needed basis. Under the provisions of the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, meetings are usually required to be in person; although the BZA has been meeting remotely under the temporary Open Meeting Law provisions established during the COVID-19 pandemic and may continue to meet remotely through March 2023.

Members must review application and petition materials prior to each meeting they attend. Materials may include development plans and specifications, narrative descriptions, analyses of the applicability of provisions of the Zoning Ordinance to applications, petitions, and appeals before the Board, information from city departments, written comments from the public, and other documents.

The City of Cambridge is committed to advancing a culture of antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. All board and commission members in Cambridge must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. All BZA members must be Cambridge residents. While there is no requirement for a technical background to serve on the BZA, an interest and understanding of development, architecture, urban design, and zoning law is desirable. Additionally, members of the BZA should be able to:

• Participate in a collaborative process with other Board members;
• Consider diverse ideas and perspectives;
• Apply the provisions of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance and the state’s Zoning Act to the facts presented in applications and petitions to the Board in quasi-judicial proceedings;
• Demonstrate strong attentiveness and listening skills to long and complicated presentations and discussions.

Individuals interested in being considered should apply by using the city’s online application system at www.cambridgema.gov/apply and selecting “Board of Zoning Appeal” in the list of Current Vacancies. A cover letter and résumé or summary of applicable experience can be submitted during the online application process. Paper applications are available in the City Manager’s Office at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue. The deadline for submitting applications is November 7, 2022. The deadline for submitting applications has been extended to Monday, November 14, 2022.

Birth to 3rd Grade Partnership is now the Cambridge Office of Early Childhood

The rebrand, including a new website, makes it easier for Cambridge educators and families to access early childhood resources and information.
Oct 24, 2022 – The Cambridge Office of Early Childhood has launched a new website, www.earlychildhoodcambridge.org, to provide a one-stop-shop for the Cambridge community to access information and resources related to early childhood education and programs. The new website culminates a rebranding process for the Office of Early Childhood, formerly known as the Cambridge Birth to 3rd Grade Partnership.

The Office of Early Childhood works to develop an easily accessed, aligned, and coherent system of affordable, high-quality education and care that begins with prenatal care and extends through third grade. Sustained by the City’s Department of Human Service Programs and Cambridge Public Schools, the Office of Early Childhood serves as Cambridge’s central coordinating hub for early childhood information and quality improvement. The Office of Early Childhood is the lead office in designing, developing, and implementing Universal Pre-Kindergarten (Universal Pre-K) in Cambridge.

“The renaming of the Birth to 3rd Grade Partnership to the Cambridge Office of Early Childhood is an exciting change for us. Although our mission and vision will remain the same, our new name provides more clarity around who we serve,” said Lisa Grant, Executive Director of the Office of Early Childhood. “It is our hope to be more visible, to provide greater access to early childhood information, and to serve as the early childhood hub for our community. This will be particularly important as we lead the design and implementation of Universal Pre-K in Cambridge over the next two years.”

The Cambridge Office of Early Childhood website features:

• A searchable database of Cambridge-based childcare centers, providers, and programs for families
• Information about applying for preschool scholarships
• A calendar of events and workshops, with integration options for Google calendar users
• Classroom and program resources for early childhood programs and educators
• Professional development and training opportunities for early childhood educators
• News and announcements related to the Office of Early Childhood initiatives
• Data highlighting the Office of Early Childhood’s impact on the community’s children, families, and educators

“Providing children in Cambridge with a strong foundation of early learning, investing in our early childhood education workforce, and ensuring that Cambridge families have equitable access to childcare and early education options are all crucial factors in closing opportunity gaps in Cambridge and supporting Cambridge families,” said Yi-An Huang, Cambridge City Manager. “I’m excited that the Office of Early Childhood’s rebrand and new website will help our community connect more easily and efficiently with early childhood information.”

“Creating the Office of Early Childhood supports our initiative to implement high-quality Universal Pre-Kindergarten for every 4-year-old and 3-year-old in Cambridge at no cost to families and creates equitable access to early childhood resources,” said Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui. “The Office of Early Childhood’s rebrand and new website provides our caregivers a centralized place for Early Childhood information including training opportunities for early childhood educators.”

“Cambridge Public Schools is deeply committed to equitable access to quality early childhood education programs throughout the city,” said Superintendent Victoria L. Greer. “We are excited for the Office’s rebrand and improved access to information, and will support them in every way possible to ensure that our families are aware of the myriad opportunities and services offered by the Office of Early Childhood.”

This fall, the Office of Early Childhood will continue to focus on the design and development of Universal Pre-K, support the newly launched Early Childhood Education Career Training Program, offer professional development opportunities for early childhood educators, provide school readiness initiatives, and more. For more information, visit: www.earlychildhoodcambridge.org

Cambridge Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day Saturday, November 5

Oct 18, 2022 – The last Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day of 2022 in Cambridge for residents only will be held on Sat, Nov 5, from 9am–1pm, at 50 Mooney Street. Please enter the event via Smith Place off of Concord Avenue.

If you have no proof of residency or are property manager bringing more than 25 pounds or 25 gallons from a Cambridge residential building, please email recycle@cambridgema.gov in advance.

The City’s Department of Public Works (DPW) and Cambridge Police Department will be on site to assist with traffic. To make sure we can accommodate all residents, please take into consideration these tips:

• Please leave items that you do NOT wish to dispose of at home.
• Staff will collect waste from the trunk of your car ONLY. If you have items that are too bulky for just the trunk, please notify staff upon arrival.
• For the safety of DPW staff, city contractors, and the containment of hazardous waste, it’s important that staff manage all handling of hazardous waste.
• Residents should NOT exit their vehicle for any reason at any point during the event. If you have a pickup truck, staff can collect the waste from the bed of the pickup truck. Bins, buckets, boxes, etc. used to hold containers of the hazardous waste will NOT be returned. For example, if you have a bottle of motor oil that you wish to dispose of, don’t place the plastic bottle in a bin you wish to keep; place the bottle directly in the trunk for the contractors to retrieve.
• If you are walking or biking to the event, there will be a station for you to safely drop‐off items. Please ask for assistance from a Cambridge Police officer or DPW employee before entering the site.

Accepted items include:

• Batteries: Vehicle & Non-Alkaline
• Car Fluids: Antifreeze, Brake, Engine Degreaser, Transmission
• Car Tires (max four per household)
• Chemicals: Cleaners, Glues, Removers, Photography & Swimming Pool
• Fluorescent Light Bulbs Mercury Items: Thermometers & Thermostats
• Paints: Oil-Based & Latex
• Poisons: Insecticides, Pesticides & Weed Killers
• Prescription Medicines (accepted year-round at Cambridge Police Dept. 125 Sixth St.)
• Propane Cylinders (20 lbs. or less only)
• Waste Fuels: Antifreeze, Gasoline, Kerosene, Sterno & Motor Oil (motor oil also accepted year-round at DPW)
• Fire Extinguishers

Items not accepted include:

• NO Alkaline Batteries
• NO Ammunition, Fireworks & Explosives (contact Cambridge Fire Dept. at 617-349-3300)
• NO Asbestos (requires proper disposal)
• NO Bleach or Ammonia
• NO Commercial/Industrial Waste
• NO Construction Debris
• NO Empty Aerosol Cans
• NO Compressed Gas Cylinders
• NO Infectious or Biological Waste
• NO Radioactive Waste
• NO Smoke Detectors
• NO Syringes (Contact Cambridge Public Health Department at 617-665-3848)

The Cambridge Recycling Dropoff Center located at 147 Hampshire Street, also accepts some of the items listed above, including non-alkaline batteries, fluorescent bulbs and mercury items. Cans of latex paint may be dried out and set out for curbside trash collection, with the lids off. Let evaporate outside or add kitty litter to speed drying. Hours of operation for the Recycling Center are Tuesday, 4:00-7:30pm, Thursday, 4:00-7:30pm, and Saturday, 9:00am-4:00pm. Learn more at Cambridgema.gov/hazardouswaste.

Roadway Milling and Paving Cambridge Street and Hampshire Street [Oct 19 - Oct 28] - updated Oct 24

Oct 17, 2022 – As part of the Inman Square Intersection Improvements project, the City’s contractor Newport Construction will perform roadway milling (grinding), and final paving, of portions of Hampshire and Cambridge Streets beginning on or about October 19, 2022. The work areas are shown in yellow below. There will be roadway closures and detours required as part of this work (see details below).

What to expect during this construction: (Dates below are “weather permitting”!)

• Work will occur during normal weekday hours of 7:00am-4:00pm.
• Wednesday 10/19 and Friday 10/21: Cambridge Street will be closed to all westbound vehicular and bicycle traffic between Springfield and Prospect Street during work hours. Traffic will be detoured via Prospect and Hampshire Streets. The closure is to allow roadway milling and final adjustment of manhole covers.
• Thursday 10/20: Hampshire Street will be milled between Inman and Prospect Street. The street will remain open to 2-way traffic during this work.
• Weekend of 10/22-11/1: Cambridge and Hampshire will be open to traffic, but will be in a milled/rough surface condition, with raised manhole covers. All traffic, particularly bicycles and motorcycles, should operate with caution. The roadway will be lower, making the curbs higher for parked cars. Please use caution when opening car doors as to not damage them on the curbs.
• Wednesday 10/26: Cambridge Street will be closed to all westbound vehicular and bicycle traffic between Springfield and Prospect Street during work hours. Traffic will be detoured via Prospect and Hampshire Streets. The closure is to allow final adjustment of manhole covers.
• Week of 11/1-11/5: Final paving of Cambridge Street and Hampshire Street within the limits indicated above. Cambridge Street will be closed on Wednesday November 2, with westbound traffic detoured via Prospect and Hampshire.
• Mid-November: Final roadway markings will be applied after the new asphalt has cured. Cambridge Street will re-open to 2-way traffic, in its final configuration.

Parking, Loading, and Abutter Access

• On-street parking spaces will be impacted during this work. Drivers should pay careful attention to parking restrictions, which will be posted at least 24 hours in advance.
• Newport and the City will work with individual businesses to accommodate loading and driveway access during construction.
• Pedestrian access to abutting businesses and residences will be maintained.

View Project Page

Changes Coming to Garden Street: Separated Bike Lanes and Partial One-Way

Oct 14, 2022 – A section of Garden Street between Huron Avenue and Concord Avenue will become a one-way for people driving as part of the Garden Street Safety Improvement Project.

The City of Cambridge expects the road to switch to one-way operation the evening of Monday, October 24, if weather allows workers to make changes to major road markings.

The switch to one-way vehicle traffic heading eastbound (toward Cambridge Common and Harvard Square) accompanies other changes, including new separated bike lanes traveling in both directions, crosswalk improvements, and changes to parking and loading.

It will take about one week to install new traffic signals, update metal street signs, and add major markings to the road. In November, the city will complete the project by adding bicycle stencils, flex posts, and colored surface treatments.

“The new street layout incorporates suggestions that the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department heard in four community meetings,” said Project Manager Stephen Meuse. “The idea to make the road one-way to vehicles comes from community members. Residents asked us to preserve as much parking as possible and preferred one-way bike lanes on each side of the street, instead of a two-way bike lane on one side of the street.”

This project helps the City of Cambridge meet the requirements of the Cycling Safety Ordinance, which mandates the installation of 25 miles of separated bike lanes, including on Garden Street, by approximately 2026.

“Separated bicycle lanes increase comfort for people biking by using a buffer zone and physical barrier to separate them from vehicles,” said Assistant Director for Street Management Brooke McKenna. “This separation increases safety, and building a network of these separated lanes will encourage more people to bike by more-comfortably connecting important destinations throughout Cambridge.”

A small section of planned separated bike lanes between Waterhouse Street and Concord Avenue cannot be fully installed until the MBTA removes overhead catenary wires previously used to power electric trolleybuses. Until then, the block will have a standard bike lane instead of a separated one.

Conditions will also improve for pedestrians: by installing separated bike lanes, crossing distances at crosswalks become shorter and the roadway narrows visually for drivers, encouraging lower speeds. Changing the street to a one-way also means that pedestrians will only have to cross one lane of vehicle traffic. The city will repaint existing crosswalks and install a push-button activated flashing crosswalk sign at Waterhouse Street.

The project also brings changes to parking and loading on Garden Street: the City prioritized retaining permit parking spaces closer to Harvard Square, but the total permit spaces on the street will decrease from 112 to 59. The number of accessible/disability parking spaces will increase from three to five, and a new loading zone will be installed near Shepard Street.

“This project is ‘quick-build’, which means that we won’t dig into the ground or make changes to the width or shape of the road,” said Meuse. “Instead, we’ll make improvements using paint, stencils, flex-posts, and new signage and signals.”

Find plans, FAQs, and more information on the project at www.cambridgema.gov/GardenStHuronMason.

Mail-in and In-person Voting Options, Schedule for Designated Early Voting Locations for State Election, Nov 8, 2022

Oct 13, 2022 – On June 22, 2022, “The VOTES Act” was signed into law. The VOTES Act makes several temporary election administration changes, which were instituted in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, permanent. Early voting is available to all voters for the State Election, November 8, 2022. Early voting is available by mail and in person to all registered voters and no excuse is required.

To vote by mail, all you need to do is:

1. Complete a Vote by Mail Application; you can apply download an application at www.MailMyBallotMA.com
2. Applications can be sent by:
• Email to elections@cambridgema.gov; or
• Mail to the Election Commission, 51 Inman Street, Cambridge, MA 02139; or
• Fax to (617) 349-4366.
3. Vote when your ballot arrives.
4. Return your ballot to the Cambridge Election Commission by mail, in person, or by drop box.

The deadline to submit a Vote by Mail application for a mailed ballot for the election is Tues, Nov 1, 2022 by 5pm.

The deadline to return a Vote by Mail ballot is Tues, Nov 8, 2022, at 8pm, or postmarked by Nov 8, 2022 and delivered to the Cambridge Election Commission by Sat, Nov 12, 2022, by 5pm to be counted.

To vote in-person, visit any of the three (3) early voting locations offered in Cambridge during the period of Sat, Oct 22, 2022, to Fri, Nov 4, 2022, for the State Election. You must be a registered voter in Cambridge to vote at the early voting locations. Please refer to the city’s designated early voting schedule below.

The last day to vote early in-person will be Fri, Nov 4, 2022, at 12pm.

Please be advised that once a voter has cast an early voting ballot, the voter may no longer vote at the polls on Election Day.

DESIGNATED EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS, HOURS AND DAYS FOR THE STATE ELECTION, NOV 8, 2022

Cambridge Water Department - 250 Fresh Pond Parkway

Valente Library – 826 Cambridge Street, side entrance on Berkshire Street

Main Library – 449 Broadway

Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
October 22	October 23	October 24	October 25	October 26	October 27	October 28
9:00am - 3:00pm	9:00am - 3:00pm	8:30am - 8:00pm	8:30am - 5:00pm	8:30am - 5:00pm	8:30am - 5:00pm	8:30am - 12:00pm

Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
October 29	October 30	October 31	November 1	November 2	November 3	November 4
9:00am - 3:00pm	9:00am - 3:00pm	8:30am - 8:00pm	8:30am - 5:00pm	8:30am - 5:00pm	8:30am - 5:00pm	8:30am - 12:00pm

The Election Commission office located 51 Inman Street will NOT be an early voting location for the State/Presidential Election, Nov 8, 2022. Voters must go to one of the designated early voting locations listed above.

Official Ballot Drop Box Locations– (Cambridge voters only please)

Open 7am to 8pm every day beginning Sat, Oct 15 until Nov 8 at 8pm.

1. City Hall - Near the back door of the building located at 795 Massachusetts Avenue
2. Morse School - Near the front entrance of the building located at 40 Granite Street
3. Cambridge Police Headquarters - Right-side of the front of the building located at 125 6th Street
4. Maria L. Baldwin School - Right-side of the Oxford Street entrance of the building located at 28 Sacramento Street
5. O’Neill Library - Adjacent to the entrance stairs of the building located at 70 Rindge Avenue
6. Coffon Building - Right-side of the front of the building located at 51 Inman Street

IMPORTANT: Please make sure your voted ballot is sealed inside of the jurat envelope (yellow envelope) and the affirmation on the jurat envelope has been signed prior inserting the envelope into the drop box.

To vote in person, visit any one of the three (3) early voting locations offered in Cambridge during the period from Saturday, October 17th to Friday, October 30th for the State/Presidential Election. You must be a registered voter in Cambridge to vote at the early voting locations. Please refer to the City’s designated early voting schedule below. The deadline to vote early in person is Friday, October 30th at 5:00pm.

Additional Voting Options

Voting on Election Day will still be available for those who may want to vote at the polls. Please note that due to the 2022 Reprecincting, your polling location may have changed for the upcoming 2022 State Election, November 8, 2022. Please double check your polling location before going to vote. To find your polling location and precinct information, visit www.cambridgema.gov/pollinglocations. In the next few weeks, voters will receive a Guide to Ward and Precinct Changes, Early Voting Guide, and a Voter Notification Card. They will have information pertaining to any relocated polling places and other important election related information. Signage will also be posted to help voters find their polling sites.

For anyone wanting to vote early in-person, vote by mail or vote on Election Day, the first step is making sure you are registered. To check to see if you are registered to vote, and to find information on how to register to vote, you may visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website: www.registertovotema.com. If you need to register to vote, you may do so online if you have a license or an I.D. issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). If you don’t have an RMV ID, you will need to print and sign your registration form and mail it to the Cambridge Election Commission, or you can register to vote in person at the Election Commission office during regular office hours. The office will also be open for voter registration on Saturday, October 29, 2022, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. To be eligible to vote in the State Election, November 8, 2022, you must register to vote or make any necessary changes to your voter registration by the deadline.

We encourage all our citizens to exercise their right to and take advantage of the voting options available.

Cambridge Distributing Free Finished Compost from Yard Waste Program October 29

Oct 13, 2022 – The City of Cambridge will be distributing finished compost free of charge to Cambridge residents on Saturday, October 29, from 9am-1pm, at Joan Lorentz Park, (in front of Cambridge Public Library), 449 Broadway, Cambridge. The rain date is October 30 at same time and location.

The finished compost was processed by the city’s contractor, Save That Stuff. Cambridge residents send approximately 2,000 tons of yard waste to their processing site in West Bridgewater, MA each year. To receive finished compost, residents must bring their own bins to the event. There is a limit of 20 gallons per household. Information about recycling and composting will also be available at this event.

For several years, the Cambridge Department of Public Works has distributed finished compost to residents. Supporting local gardening and community gardens is important for improving the air quality and quality of life for Cambridge residents. There are 14 active community gardens located throughout the city, serving as areas of beautification, vegetable production, and community gathering places.

Yard waste (grass, leaves, twigs, etc) is prohibited from trash disposal and must be collected separately. The city offers yard waste curbside pick-up weekly, from April 1- December 31. Yard waste should be placed in paper yard waste bags or in your own personal barrel (with a red “Yard Waste Only” sticker on it). Request a sticker here.

Collecting yard waste on streets, sidewalks, and yards is important to protecting our waterways. When residents collect yard waste, they keep it from being carried into storm drains. When leaves and twigs get into storm drains, phosphorus is released into the Charles River and Alewife Brook. In water, phosphorus acts as a pollutant, causing toxic algae blooms which can harm fish, humans, and pets. For more information about composting, recycling, and yard waste, visit Cambridgema.gov/recycling.

Jack Thomas, journalist who poignantly wrote of his terminal diagnosis, dies at 83 (Oct 3, 2022, Boston Globe)

I just learned I only have months to live. This is what I want to say.
I’ve been a journalist for more than 60 years. So after doctors delivered the news, I sat down to do what came naturally, if painfully: Write this story. (Jack Thomas, July 21, 2021, Boston Globe)

A professor’s final course: his own death
In this 1995 story for the Globe, Jack Thomas wrote about Brandeis professor Morrie Schwartz, who would later become the inspiration for the bestseller “Tuesdays With Morrie.” By Jack Thomas, updated Oct 19, 2022

City of Cambridge Online Resident Opinion Survey is Underway

The survey is open to all Cambridge residents through October 9, 2022
Sept 23, 2022 – In its ongoing efforts to identify ways to better serve the community, the City of Cambridge is currently conducting its biennial resident opinion survey. The survey, conducted since 2000, serves as an important evaluation tool that enables residents to rate city services and offer input on what the City of Cambridge does well and where it can improve.

The online survey is open through 11:59pm on October 9, 2022. This year, the online survey will be available in three languages: English, Spanish, and Chinese (simplified), the three most commonly spoken languages in the city.

Cambridge residents can complete the survey at https://camb.ma/residentsurvey. It should take approximately 10 minutes to complete the survey.

The online resident opinion survey complements the randomized telephone survey conducted by Polity Research Consulting LLC, a public opinion and market research firm founded by Ernest Paicopolos. Mr. Paicopolos is a research professional with over 40 years of experience in public opinion research, market research, and public affairs consulting; he has coordinated all of the city’s resident opinion surveys. The firm completed its telephone survey of 400 randomly selected Cambridge households (including cellphone-only households) from September 15-18, 2022. Every household had an equal chance of being called.

Once the online survey is completed, Polity will generate a report that will be presented to the Cambridge City Council and available on the city’s website in late 2022.

For more information, please email pio@cambridgema.gov.

Editor’s Note: When I taught a statistics course, one of the most important lessons was that a voluntary response survey, especially an internet survey, typically has little or no validity. Only the randomized telephone survey has a chance of yielding credible results, but even there so much depends on how the survey questions are worded and interpreted.

Sept 10, 2022 – I learned today from Bill Cunningham that Elie Yarden passed away on Sept 5. [Green Party Remembrance]

Monthly Updates from City of Cambridge DPW Recycling Division - September 2022

Exciting Updates on Food Waste Diversion

Compost participation has increased 20% compared to Spring 2022. The reason: with the launch of the new trash carts, many homes have started or resumed the curbside compost program.

Over the summer, we had thousands of conversations with residents. We talked about the most important step for rodent control: removing food sources. Placing food waste into sealed compost carts provided by the City is one of the best ways to cut off their food sources. Rodents use their sense of smell to locate food. The lock or latch on curbside compost carts seal in the odors from the outside so rodents are less likely to be attracted to the waste.

Plus, composting protects the climate and reduces disposal costs to the City. Composting is a win-win-win program! To help residents continue to compost, visit your local library in September to get one roll of compost bags, while supplies last.

If you would like to start composting or would like to volunteer to help us grow the program, contact us!

(NYC is resuming their curbside compost program and are encouraging participation as a means to mitigate the rodent issue: “If the organic material is in a separate, sealed container, rats have a much harder time getting into it.” said Josh Goodman, the assistant commissioner for public affairs at the Department of Sanitation.)

Small Business Compost Pilot Expands!

The City is expanding the Small Business Compost Pilot. The Pilot began in November 2021 with 60 participating businesses. The City plans to add 40 more businesses to the weekly collection program starting October 24, 2022.

Beginning November 1, 2022, a State law goes into effect banning commercial generators that produce more than 1,000 pounds of food waste per week to send their food waste to the trash. To help small businesses in Cambridge with this state regulation, the City will provide the service and carts at no cost to participating businesses.

Read more and apply for the program here.

Update: Recycle Right Campaign

In 2018, the recycling industry was undergoing major changes. After years of increasing contamination, Cambridge needed to clean up our recycling. In response, we launched the Recycle Right Campaign to reduce contamination. The contamination rate is the percent, by weight, of unacceptable items in our recycling (i.e. plastic bags, electronics, food/beverages). We cut our contamination rate from 11% in 2018 to 4% in 2020. As a result, the City has saved $90,000 per year by keeping contamination below 5%.

(And, yes all recyclables collected in Mass. are still recycled despite what some news outlets are reporting. While the market value of recyclables may shift based on macroeconomic conditions, all recyclables will be recycled and recycling has a net positive environmental impact.)

Our contamination rate in 2022 is approximately 4.5%. We could use your help educating neighbors that:

1. Plastic bags, electronics, clothing, and excess food/liquid should never be placed in recycle carts.
2. Review the list of accepted items. Sometimes people forget that pizza boxes are recyclable, or that plastics need to be a rigid container to go in recycling.
3. If you need extra carts for recycling, don't hesitate to request it here. Or email us if you need an extra label for the top of your recycle cart.

Tour the Recycle Facility!

Ever wonder what happens to your recycling after it is collected? You’re in luck! We're touring the Casella Recycling Facility in Charlestown on the morning of Sept 21, 2022. Registration required; sign up here.

Binder Giveaway

For several years, the DPW Recycle Center has collected binders to be reused. We give them away each fall for students going back to school. On Aug 27, DPW visited a Community Fair at the King Open School and gave out dozens of binders to be reused. Thank you for your donation!

Tell your tenants and new neighbors about the Zero Waste Cambridge App

With the Zero Waste Cambridge App you can:

• Set reminders and view calendars for trash, recycling, compost collection, and street cleaning.
• Get alerts for collection day delays due to holidays or weather events.
• Use the Get Rid of It Right tool to find out how to dispose of waste.
• Test your recycling skills with an interactive waste sorting game — fun for kids and adults!

Download the app for iOS or Android or find it online here.

Take Our Waste Survey

Help us improve our services, please take our Waste Survey. Visit CambridgeMA.Gov/WasteSurvey to take it. Thank you!

Upcoming Dates

• Sat. 9/17: Shred Event, 9:30am-1pm. Cambridge Senior Center, 806 Mass Ave.
• Wed. 9/21: Tour the Recycle Facility
• Sun. 10/23: NO FRILLS ALL FUN CLOTHING SWAP + REPAIR DAY, 11 Sanborn St, Somerville.
• Tues. 11/1: Textiles and mattresses banned from trash disposal
• Sat. 11/5: Household Hazardous Waste Event, 50 Mooney St.

Email us to share other waste-related events!

Join Our Mailing List!

What Are We Reading?

Plan presents ‘blue sky’ ideas for a greener city... (Cambridge Day)
Will “deprinting” reduce the paper industry’s carbon footprint? (Marketplace)
Oyster Shell Recycling Added To Annapolis Curbside Compost Program (Chesapeake Bay)
From Buy Nothing to Freecycle, gifting groups help bolster budgets and build community (CNBC)

City of Cambridge Meet Your Neighbor Day Sunday, September 18
Cambridge residents encouraged to organize gatherings that bring their neighbors together.

Sept 8, 2022 – The Cambridge Peace Commission and the City of Cambridge Citizens’ Committee on Civic Unity are convening the fifth annual “Meet Your Neighbor Day” on Sunday, September 18.

Individuals, neighborhood groups, and organizations are invited to organize something fun and easy to do that can bring together neighbors, such as an open house, block party, neighborhood potluck, a volunteer service project, or area clean-up.

The Peace Commission has posted ideas for events, frequently asked questions, suggestions, event templates, and more.

If you’d like to let the Peace Commission know about and post your event, fill out the Meet Your Neighbor Event Submission form (a Google Doc).

A regularly updated map with the details of all the events can be found here.

Please email any questions to peace@cambridgema.gov

City of Cambridge Danehy Park Family Day — Saturday, September 17, 11am-3pm

Sept 1, 2022 – The City of Cambridge will host Danehy Park Family Day on Saturday, September 17, from 11am-3pm. Rain date is September 18.

Enjoy a fun-filled day of amusement rides, arts and crafts, music, and roving performers, plus food, T-shirts, and colorful kites (while supplies last). Check out performances throughout the day at the children's stage. This year, we will not be serving hot dogs, but will instead be distributing snacks (while supplies last).

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 8,000-10,000 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.

Please note masks are recommended for all people when riding the shuttles.

For more information, including free shuttle and entertainment schedule, visit Cambridgema.gov/danehyparkfamilyday.

Free Document Shredding Event Saturday, September 17

Sept 1, 2022 – The Cambridge Consumers’ Council will be helping residents safely dispose of unwanted records at a free document shredding event on Saturday, September 17, from 9:30am-1:00pm, in front of the Cambridge Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Avenue. This event, for Cambridge residents only, will be held rain or shine.

Reserved parking is available on Bigelow Street adjacent to City Hall. Any meter that has a Reserved parking sign can be used temporarily for this event.

Documents will be destroyed on the spot in a highly advanced technical mobile shredding truck and sent for recycling. Please note that this is a free event based on first come, first served, or until the truck is full to capacity. Limit 5 paper size boxes per household or equivalent. Information on consumer rights and safety will also be available at this event.

The Cambridge Consumers’ Council works in cooperation with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. For more information, or to request a reasonable accommodation, please call the Consumers’ Council at 617-349-6150 or e-mail consumer@cambridgema.gov. [Event Flier]