CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA
1. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a supplemental appropriation of $200,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures account to fund the abatement and demolition of Vail Court.
Order Adopted 9-0

Apr 30, 2018
To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am hereby requesting a supplemental appropriation of $200,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures account to fund the abatement and demolition of Vail Court.

As you may know, we previously had a contract for this work. Due to the litigation on this property, and the resultant delay, the previous contractor executed their rights under the contract to terminate the contract after having completed a certain amount of prep work.

The City revised the bid documents and then rebid the balance of abatement and demolition work. On Mar 29, 2018 two bids were received which was much higher than the previous contract, given the prep work already completed. The lowest responsible bidder is Lambrian Construction Corp. with a bid of $652,175. After costs paid out to the previous contractor, it leaves the project with a $200,000 shortfall, which includes a contingency fund for any unforeseen conditions that may occur.

We expect the abatement and demolition to take place this spring, and will host a community meeting on this work after we receive a schedule from the contractor.

Very truly yours, Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager

10. A communication was received from Dina Dudkin, regarding bell ringing.

From: Dina Dudkin
Sent: Sunday, Apr 22, 2018 9:32 AM
To: Lopez, Donna
Subject: I'd move to East Cambridge, create jobs, develop commercial areas BUT for the bell ringing

That same city hall bell hourly chiming that creates a deafening chime every hour on the hour, daily, 8am-10pm and even shockingly on weekends which can be heard blocks away even with all windows closed in many of the older built properties of East Cambridge is the one that both drove me out of East Cambridge as a Harvard graduate student decades ago just a few weeks after living there, and it is also that nightmare sound that keeps me away from coming back to this great area decades later as an investor, a job creator and developer (both commercial and residential). East Cambridge is a wonderful area with many great resources and benefits. Yet, we are no longer in the farming days when everyone needs to wake up at 5am to feed the cows. In those days, centuries ago, yes, such a chime would have been very helpful for everyone. However, these days, we have so many workers who work the night shift including our emergency personnel, doctors, nurses and other health care providers, parents with babies or special needs children that wake up at night that desperately need to catch up on sleep, workers who speak to international teams abroad at different time zones and people like me -- with chronic pain problems that require getting up in the middle of the night sometimes along with the need to catch up on sleep sometimes during the day. When I lived there decades ago, people told me "you will get used to it." But I didn't. Many of my friends who tried to live there didn't either. They moved out. After I moved out, a young physician moved in to my place and could not stand it for more than a few weeks either! He put in a vast music system throughout the house. He said "the house must be absorbing noise. I am desperate. I cannot sleep. I cannot live like this." He had to stay in a hotel for a few days just to catch up on sleep and then broke his lease and moved out. Nothing worked. Even if that first chime could have interrupted his sleep cycle hourly but allowed him to go back to sleep that 7th chime for 7pm simply would not! He worked throughout the day and night to serve his community. Unfortunately, sleep is impossible in East Cambridge around the area of city hall for dozens of blocks all around. Maybe a few very hardened individuals who happen to be super heavy sleepers can do this, but the majority of human beings cannot. And no, they will not "get used to it." What a horrible thing to be told. Even brand new housing with brand new windows doesn't help. I have tried ear plugs, noise cancelling headphones, music, noisemakers, fans, even loud power tools to drown out the noise and all sorts of contraptions. Decades later I now come back to the Boston area as an investor. The money I have to invest is simply due to the great financial strides from my husband's work in Texas over the past two decades. Yet now, I cannot invest, not in East Cambridge. It would have been a wonderful spot. It is close to both Boston and Cambridge so wherever my children go to College, whether Boston or Cambridge, I know I will be close by. My husband and I have enough money to revitalize and buy large properties and create brand new residential or commercial areas. But just imagine if I revitalized an apartment building and invested this way. Who can live there? Would they run off the way I did after just a few weeks due to the deafening noise of the bells? Clearly I would not be able to expect any tenant to obey a one year residential lease. And with residential customers that run off constantly and an area that must suffer huge turn-overs in the apartment buildings, which commercial clients will sign a 5 year lease? I think to be honest, the historical restoration that was involved with restoring the city hall bell was a terrible mistake. However, now that the mistake has been committed, don't you think it's at least time to reform both the 1) volume level and 2) the frequency and timing of the bells? For example, why not simply ring the bell during national holidays such as on the 4th of July or on Labor Day or Memorial Day at noon? If such a change were to occur, I would be delighted to invest my money in East Cambridge -- a truly promising area with great potential and resources. At this time, for me at least, it would be a horrific nightmare. Without sleep, people cannot live. I had tried writing to a huge variety of local and state political leaders, people in the media, those interested in historical restoration and other developers. Nothing worked. No one seems to care whatsoever. There might be people dying from lack of sleep who recently moved to the area but no one seems to care. I know I am not the only that complained about this years ago and yet nothing has happened. People called the historical societies, people wrote letters to City leaders, yet no response came. In fact, when I called decades ago, I was told that others complained about the noise too and that I was not the only one. In that case, why not listen to the residents and actually DO something about this booming problem? There was no response, no change, not even a weekend reprieve for those who wish to sleep in after a Saturday night of shopping and attending local restaurants. Nothing. I doubt anything will get done to ameliorate the situation. I guess people will still be woken up at 8am on saturday and sunday mornings. At this rate, no one will go out to eat from the local area on Friday and Saturday nights. And that means depending on tourists to get to East Cambridge trickling in after a visit to Harvard or MIT rather than using your own locals for economic growth. This is a very sad story about a wonderful area that has made it impossible to sleep for the residents living there. In my personal opinion, I believe that the governing leaders of a region must care for the physical health and well-being of the residents. They must also be responsive to the residents and enact the change necessary to make an area livable once again. At this time, if I came back to East Cambridge I think I would end up in the hospital due to sleep deprivation.

RESOLUTIONS
1. Congratulations to the recipients of the Outstanding City Employee Awards.   Mayor McGovern

R-1     Apr 30, 2018

MAYOR MCGOVERN

WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge strives to provide the very best customer service to those who work and live here, as well as those who come to enjoy the many attractions Cambridge has to offer; this could not be possible without the hard work of the hundreds of dedicated City employees who comprise our workforce; and

WHEREAS: Each year, the city recognizes the contributions of employees who go the extra mile to provide exceptional service, and who inspire those around them to work harder and provide the best possible service to our constituents; and

WHEREAS: This year, the City of Cambridge is recognizing the exceptional work of the following City employees:

▪ Keplin Allwaters, Assistant City Solicitor, Law Department

▪ Melinda Camara, Fiscal Manager, Fire Department

▪ Louis Cherubino, Jr., Police Sergeant, Police Department

▪ Sandra Christie, Principal Clerk, City Clerk’s Office

▪ Keith Fay, Danehy Park Site Supervisor, Human Services Department

▪ Michelle Godfrey, Site Director/Center for Families, Human Services Department

▪ Muna Kangsen, Program & Event Coordinator, Library

▪ Jennifer Lawrence, Sustainability/Associate Planner, Community ▪ Development Department

▪ James Rebello, Water System Maintenance Dispatcher, Water Department

▪ Rainier Rosado, Parking Control Supervisor, Traffic, Parking & Transportation Department

▪ Tracy Rose-Tynes, Clinical Manager School Health Services, Public Health Department

▪ Charles Sullivan, Executive Director, Historical Commission

▪ Patricia Tuccinardi, Executive Assistant, Community Development Department

WHEREAS: Each of these individuals has continually demonstrated a superior work ethic, a dedication to providing the best possible service to those who rely upon them, and they help make the City of Cambridge such an extraordinary place for all; and

WHEREAS: These individuals shall be publicly recognized at a ceremony on Friday, May 11, 2018 at 9:00am in the Sullivan Chamber in City Hall for their exceptional service; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record congratulating the individuals who are being recognized as 2018 Outstanding City Employees in the City of Cambridge; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward suitably engrossed copies of this resolution to the Outstanding City Employees in the City of Cambridge on behalf of the entire City Council.

O-3     Apr 30, 2018
VICE MAYOR DEVEREUX
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
WHEREAS: During the 2016-2017 City Council term, the Council requested that the City Manager review Chapter 12.16, Section 12.16.170 of the Municipal Code, (the “Street Performers Ordinance”); and
WHEREAS: On June 26, 2017, City Manager and the City Solicitor brought forward a red-lined document showing proposed amendments to the Street Performers Ordinance; and
WHEREAS: The City Council voted to refer the proposed amendments to the Ordinance Committee for consideration, however a hearing was never held; and
WHEREAS: The matter was placed on file at the end of the 2016-2017 Legislative Term because an Ordinance Committee hearing was not held to review the proposal; and
WHEREAS: The proposed amendments reflect a significant process undertaken by the City Manager and City staff in collaboration with community artists, street performers, businesses, and residents; and
WHEREAS: The Street Performers Ordinance was originally adopted by the City Council in 1996 and set regulations for street performing and busking in the City of Cambridge, yet contains hefty fees and regulations that made it challenging for performers of all ages and income levels to share their talents with the City; and
WHEREAS: It is timely that the Ordinance Committee review the proposal that was already put forward by the City Manager; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the Ordinance Committee be and hereby is requested to schedule a public hearing to consider the proposal put forward by the City Manager to amend Chapter 12.16, Section 12.16.170 of the Municipal Code, (the “Street Performers Ordinance”).

O-4     Apr 30, 2018  Amended
COUNCILLOR TOOMEY
WHEREAS: According to the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, during the 2017 campaign year more than $860,000 was spent by candidates for campaign activities totaling $38.20 per #1 vote and with 7 candidates spending more than $50,000 each; and
WHEREAS: The Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) recently reported that statewide “In calendar year 2017, the zip code with the highest amount of contributions of $1,000 or less was 02138” totaling $413,184; and
WHEREAS: Other zip codes in Cambridge provided significantly lesser amounts of such contributions, specifically 02139 55% of the 02138 total; 02140 39% of the 02138 total; 02141 14% of the 02138 total; and 02142 9% of the 02138 total; and
WHEREAS: It is desirous that candidates for Cambridge municipal elections receive a significant amount of their campaign contributions from residents of Cambridge, particularly from their neighbors, but the impact of the socio-economic reality of very diverse median incomes by zip code and neighborhood inherently fosters an uneven playing field in the ability and the amount of campaign contributions residents can provide; and
WHEREAS: Potential public financing of municipal elections in Cambridge, does not, in and of itself, create a level playing field for municipal elections; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City of Cambridge develop a program the “Cambridge Publicly Financed Municipal Election Program” for City Council and School Committee candidates, the eligibility for which will be based on a candidate meeting certain income eligibility requirements, such as those utilized by the Cambridge Housing Authority or a similar eligibility indicator;
That the program would provide:

1. An eligible candidate for City Council would receive $15,000, and for School Committee $10,000, for non-personnel related campaign expenditures;

2. Such candidates for City Council would raise no more than an additional $20,000 and candidates for School Committee would raise no more than an additional $15,000 during the two-year municipal election cycle; said amount raised to be used for any valid campaign expense authorized by the OCPF;

3. Such candidates for City Council would expend in the aggregate no more than $30,000 and candidates for School Committee would expend in the aggregate no more than $20,000 during the two-year municipal election cycle;

4. Such candidates for City Council and candidates for School Committee would agree to accept no more than $200 from an individual during the two-year municipal election cycle;

5. Such candidates would release a copy of their most recent Federal tax return within 45 days of being certified as a candidate for City Council or School Committee;

6. Such candidates would agree not to accept donations from persons residing outside the Commonwealth of Massachusetts;

7. Such candidates shall return to the City of Cambridge any unspent amounts of publicly funded campaign funds within 60 days of the date of the municipal election and be subject to audit to ensure compliance with regulations of the program; and be it further

ORDERED: That, in concert with the “Cambridge Publicly Financed Municipal Election Program”, or as a standalone program, the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Cambridge Election Commission to establish an official “Cambridge Municipal Election People’s Pledge” program, which would be voluntary and include the following components:

1. Candidates for City Council would expend no more than $30,000 and candidates for School Committee would expend no more than $20,000 during the two-year municipal election cycle;

2. Candidates for City Council would raise no more than $35,000 and candidates for School Committee would raise no more than $25,000 during the two-year municipal election cycle;

3. Candidates for City Council and candidates for School Committee would agree to accept no more than $200 from an individual during the two-year municipal election cycle;

4. Candidates for City Council and School Committee would release a copy of their most recent Federal tax return within 45 days of being certified as a candidate for City Council or School Committee;

5. Candidates for City Council and School Committee would agree not to accept donations from persons residing outside the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and be it further

ORDERED: That the Election Commission would establish a program to notify the voters which candidates are participating in the “Cambridge Municipal Election People’s Pledge” program, mailing such information to voters 10 days before the date of the municipal election and prominently displaying such information on the Cambridge Municipal website; and be it further
ORDERED: That the Election Commission would determine the feasibility of including such information on the Municipal ballot; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to instruct the City Solicitor to draft any required Home Rule legislation to be submitted to the City Council on this matter; and be it further
ORDERED: That this matter be referred to Government Operations, Rules and Claims Committee.

O-5     Apr 30, 2018  Amended
COUNCILLOR TOOMEY
COUNCILLOR MALLON
WHEREAS: The Constellation Charitable Foundation is planning on selling the site known as Parcel C in Kendall Square; and
WHEREAS: The Constellation Charitable Foundation has had a long history of ownership of Parcel C; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to provide a report on the history of the property including tax status, the zoning history and other relevant information on the site; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Community Development Department to ensure that the use of Parcel C will have some community benefit in the form of an arts and cultural component in any future development that occurs there; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to ask that the sale of the Constellation Center land not be consummated until the City has had the opportunity to investigate the issues and respond to the issues raised in this policy order.

O-6     Apr 30, 2018
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: It has been established that six of ten seniors living alone, and four out of ten senior couples, do not have the income to meet their basic needs; and
WHEREAS: Healthcare is the second largest expense seniors face, second only to housing, and the Health Connector affordability schedule indicates that individuals under 300 percent Federal Poverty Line [FPL], which is approximately $36,000/year, should pay no more than five percent for health insurance premiums; and
WHEREAS: Many seniors with incomes under 300 percent FPL, who do not have MassHealth or other assistance, spend 20 percent or more of their income on insurance premiums alone; and
WHEREAS: Medicare does not cover dental health, vision, hearing, or podiatry, and seniors are likely to incur serious costs in addressing health concerns impacting these areas; and
WHEREAS: The Massachusetts healthcare reform (and the Affordable Care Act modeled on it) have made gains in making healthcare more affordable by expanding Medicaid and offering subsidies to people under 65 who receive income up to 300 percent FPL, but did not extend the same benefits to those aged 65 and over (for whom benefits cut off at 150 percent FPL or lower); and
WHEREAS: The federal government recognized the high out-of-pocket costs of Medicare established Medicare Savings Programs to assist lower income elders with these costs and enabled states to expand eligibility beyond the federal minimum requirement; and
WHEREAS: Eleven states, including Alabama, Arizona, Mississippi, New York, and Connecticut have expanded Medicare Savings Programs beyond the federal minimum, yet Massachusetts has not; and
WHEREAS: Every $1 the Commonwealth invests in expanding Medicare Savings Programs will leverage $7 in federal funding and benefits; and
WHEREAS: Medicare Savings Programs will cover the cost of the Medicare Part B premium ($1,608 per person per year) and automatically enroll beneficiaries in a federal prescription assistance program, Low Income Subsidy, valued at $4,000 annually; and
WHEREAS: The Massachusetts Senate has supported expansion of Medicare Savings Programs by passing Amendment 120 to the Senate Healthcare Cost Containment Bill (S.2202), which mandates the development of a plan to move funds in order to increase income eligibility for Medicare Savings Programs, while the Massachusetts House of Representatives has not yet passed an equivalent bill; now therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record encouraging the Massachusetts House of Representatives to pass H.615, and S.640, which, if signed and supported by Governor Baker, would serve to expand Medicare Savings Programs by raising the income eligibility level and disregarding the asset test to qualify for Medicare Savings Programs; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record supporting the Bridge The Gap To Affordable Senior Healthcare campaign of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record joining Massachusetts Senior Action Council in urging the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to simplify, streamline, and make more comprehensible the application process for assistance programs so as to ensure that the maximum number of seniors who are eligible for the programs become aware of them and able to successfully apply; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward suitably engrossed copies of this resolution to the Cambridge Delegation to the State Legislature and to Governor Charles Baker on behalf of the entire City Council.

O-8     Apr 30, 2018
COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
VICE MAYOR DEVEREUX
WHEREAS: Cambridge collects annual fees in order to offset the operational cost of administering the residential parking permit program; and
WHEREAS: The parking permit fee was raised from $8 to $20 annually in 2011 and then by another $5 to $25 in 2013; and
WHEREAS: The operational cost to the city in providing this program is almost certainly greater than $25 per permit by now, not counting the potential real estate value of the land; and
WHEREAS: Somerville charges $40 for its annual permit; and
WHEREAS: The Transportation and Public Utilities Committee conducted a hearing on potentially increasing the fee in December 2016 in response to a policy order referred to that committee; and
WHEREAS: No further action was taken on the matter, nor was any update reported back to the City Council to date on the matter; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the Ordinance Committee be and hereby is requested to review and consider the attached proposed amendment to §10.17.070-- “Fees for Residential Parking Stickers” for a hearing and report.

Amend §10.17.170 (Fees for Residential Parking Stickers) as follows:
“The fees for residential parking stickers shall be thirty-five dollars effective with the 2020 permits and forty dollars effective with the 2022 permits and thereafter per permit per household. The Traffic Director shall grant relief of this fee to applicants demonstrating a significant financial hardship. The Traffic Director shall provide notice to citizens that any person who desires to make a contribution in excess of any amount of the fees required by this section may do so and such contribution shall be appropriated as set forth in Section 10.17.150.”

O-10     Apr 30, 2018  Amended
COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN
VICE MAYOR DEVEREUX
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
WHEREAS: The Middlesex District Attorney’s office has released a report on the death of Dr. Bernard “Joe” Lavins, who was killed in Porter Square on Oct 5, 2016 while commuting by bicycle; and
WHEREAS: The report found that Dr. Lavins died as a result of the large blind spot of the tractor trailer that hit him, with “no indication that mechanical failure, conditions of the roadway, or the roadway design contributed”; and
WHEREAS: Recent improvements such as protected bike lanes and bicycle traffic signals made or proposed in other parts of the city including Inman Square and Western Avenue provide additional protection for cyclists by reducing conflict with motor vehicles; and
WHEREAS: City Officials presented a plan to redesign the Porter Square intersection in January 2018, but the redesign does not include protected bike lanes nor bicycle traffic signals; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to prioritize the installation of protected bike lanes and bicycle traffic signals in Porter Square; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to prioritize bicycle and pedestrian safety in all Porter Square redesign efforts to include as appropriate the installation of protected bike lanes and bicycle traffic signals in Porter Square; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to continue community outreach efforts to ensure that various perspectives are heard regarding this project; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on this matter as soon as possible.

TEXT OF COMMITTEE REPORTS
Committee Report #1
The Civic Unity Committee held a public hearing on Tues, Mar 27, 2018 at 2:00pm in the Sullivan Chamber.

The purpose of the hearing was to discuss whether the City's Boards and Commissions adequately reflect the demographic makeup of the community, the proposed Office of Faith Based Initiatives, and the City's ongoing cultural competency trainings.

Present at the hearing were Councillor Simmons, Chair of the Committee; Vice Mayor Devereux; Councillor Mallon; Councillor Siddiqui via remote participation; Councillor Toomey; Councillor Zondervan; Louis DePasquale, City Manager; Lisa Peterson, Deputy City Manager; Lee Gianetti, Director of Communications and Community Relations; Taha Jennings, Assistant to the City Manager; Maryellen Carvello, Office Manager, City Manager's Office; Betsy Allen, Director of Equity and Inclusion; Cliff Cook, Senior Planning Information Manager, Community Development Department; Neal Alpert; Nora Bent; Liana Ascolese; and Deputy City Clerk Paula M. Crane.

Also present were Cheryl-Ann Pizza-Zeoli, Gary Mello, and John Hawkinson.

Councillor Simmons convened the hearing and read the criteria for the remote participation of Councillor Siddiqui.

Councillor Simmons read from prepared opening remarks (ATTACHMENT A).

Councillor Simmons introduced Cliff Cook. Mr. Cook stated that he was prepared to speak about the composition of the overall population in Cambridge but not to the composition of the boards and commissions. He stated that the city is approximately two-thirds white with the remaining one-third comprised of African American, Hispanic, Asian and other races. Councillor Simmons said that the boards and commissions are gateways to public participation. She said that as she has gone into some of the boards and commissions meetings, she has concluded that the people of color and other minorities were glaringly underrepresented. She said that the City Council could adopt a policy that states that the boards and commissions must reflect the citizenry of Cambridge. She said that people who participate on the boards and commissions have the ability to do so because they have the type of job that affords them the ability to participate, whereas some non-affluent residents may not be attending due to time impediments. She asked how the city can recruit multi-ethnic, multi-socioeconomic, and multi-generational members to serve on the boards and commissions.

Vice Mayor Devereux said that diversity is a great thing to strive for. She said that members of boards and commissions serve in a voluntary capacity and added that if there is a socioeconomic barrier, perhaps the idea of a stipend for service may be wm1hwhile. She noted that some sort of incentive could be helpful in achieving diversity on the boards and commissions.

Councillor Siddiqui said that this is a difficult topic. She said that for her it is about the outreach and where that outreach is taking place. She said that a lot of the postings are online and not everyone has the ability to check the newsletters or check online. She said that she thinks about how to make people more aware of the opportunities to serve. She said that the Planning Board has 19 or 20 members which is great, but added that we must look at the population of the board.

Councillor Zondervan said that if a stipend was offered, it could create other potential conflicts of interest. He suggested some sort of mechanism for specific communities to select their own representatives to serve on the boards and commissions. He said that those representatives could be paid a stipend which would create an incentive and they would then serve those who elected them.

Councillor Mallon said that it is different to have this conversation without data to look at. She asked if there is way to conduct a survey to find out who is sitting on boards and commissions and how the city may want to target particular boards and commissions that need more diversity, if it is shown that there are pockets of groups that are less represented.

Lisa Peterson said that there is a shared goal that the boards and commissions are representative of the community. She said that they are looked at on individual basis. She said that the City Manager is looking to ensure that the city is not automatically rolling over members. She explained that there is an online application process for boards and commissions but added that interested persons arc also able to send in letters of interest that are then input into the system. She said that when a person logs in and sets up their profile, address, gender and ethnicity information is requested although not required. She noted that when the City looks at the data, many people arc inputting their gender and ethnicity. She again underscored that there some people who choose not to specify such information as it is not a required field. Ms. Peterson added that Betsy Allen will lead a team to look at recruitment and retention within the city with the goal of creating a comprehensive plan. She said that perhaps recruitment for members of boards and commissions could be part of this process.

Councillor Simmons talked about pipelines for participation. She said that she attended a board meeting recently and they had a very diverse group in the committee but in later meetings that demographic slipped away. She said that we must think about potential impediments that may be the reason for the lack of continuing participation in the meetings moving forward. She said that receiving data is useful and it may be helpful to find out why people stopped attending the meetings. She said that if participating in a meeting at 5:00pm is a deal breaker, since that is the dinner hour, maybe the solution is to have refreshments at our meetings. She said experience has shown that providing a meal does tend to increase attendance.

Councillor Simmons asked who oversees the boards and commissions. Ms. Peterson responded that boards and commissions fall under the City Manager's Office. She noted that Mr. Jennings is a liaison between the City Manager's Office and four or five boards and commissions. She said that different departments have staff at different boards and commissions. She added that she is not aware of any board or commission that does not have some type of City staff support.

In response to a question by Councillor Simmons, Ms. Peterson explained that the City does have a boards and commission web page. She noted that the City is working with the Granicus data system to be a consistent place for information on boards and commissions with the ability to add notices of upcoming meetings and minutes of meetings online.

Lee Gianetti stated that on the City's website, every board and commission has a description of what they do, where people can apply, and current members that are serving. He explained that when the boards and commissions moved into the new Accela data system, they did not have any historical data in terms of gender, age, or ethnicity of those already serving on boards and commissions. He noted that City staff assigned to each commission is also listed. Councillor Simmons asked if Accela could provide a more detailed picture of the makeup of the members of the boards and commissions. Mr. Gianetti responded that the City would have to develop a survey tool, along with a preamble explaining why this information is being collected, and then manually enter the information into the system via the City Manager's Office. Councillor Simmons commented that this would certainly make the information factual as opposed to anecdotal, and it would give us a better sense of who sits on our boards and commissions.

Betsy Allen said that we should begin with the premise that the boards and commissions should be diverse. She said that when the City does not have a diverse board or commission, there is a voice that is not being heard and a constituency whose voices are not represented. She said that we should look to remove the systematic barriers of preventing certain people from participating. She said that time of day for meetings is an impediment for some people. She said that in Somerville they would have open houses and invite the members of the public to learn about the boards. She said that a stipend is something that helps, as they were offering $3,000 per year for membership in larger committees and there were never any vacancies on those committees. She noted that some boards do not attract a lot of people and we need to understand why that is. She said that if we take an integrated model and work on increasing diversity, it would permeate to people who are staffing those boards and they would have a better incentive to diversify.

Taha Jennings stated that be works with the Citizens Committee on Civic Unity and the LGBTQ+ Commission, as well as with several other boards that focus on human rights issues, to collaborate on events and programs and increase communication between the boards. He noted that different tactics of recruitment and retention will work for different commissions.

Councillor Mallon stated that she is working on the idea of a Citizens Academy where citizens can learn about all aspects of the city. She said that this could be a useful resource for a number of things but could also serve as a pipeline to inform people of all the opportunities for a person to be a part of the civic community. She said that this is an opportunity for people to learn about all the things going on in Cambridge. She added that Lexington has had a great success rate in this area.

Councillor Zondervan said that a Citizens Academy is a great idea. He said that in the private/nonprofit sector, they face the same challenges when trying to attract volunteer members who arc diverse in various ways. He said that one model is to create pathways which have been relatively accessible. He said that you would create an advisory board with less meetings and responsibility without any pressure. He said that some people may then become engaged and interested enough to move up into another role. He said that lower barrier entry to boards and commissions may be a way to fill the pipeline. He said that another idea that is not popular in the United States but is in other parts of the world: the use of quotas. He explained that there is very good participation as a result because they must meet quota. He said that the City could consider this idea on some boards and commissions where it makes sense.

Vice Mayor Devereux stated that if the survey is done, another metric could be length of service on that board and number of boards that the person has served on. She said that we are competing for people's limited time and the people holding today's discussion see civic participation through the lens of being a city employee or official. She said that we need to look carefully at the roles of these boards and commissions. She said that most are in an advisory capacity which brings ideas and suggestions from a community. She said that their role is to advise the staff that is implementing the goals and policies that are set by the City Council. She said that some people who have served on boards and commissions feel that they were better able to contribute to the community in another voluntary capacity. She said that we must be more deliberate about recruiting.

Councillor Simmons said that because we are a resource rich city, it is her expectation that we will use every method available to have diverse boards and commissions. She said that there is a lot to be learned by attending these meetings.

Councillor Simmons asked if members are given training before serving on a board or commission. Ms. Peterson said that some members are given training, but she noted that the training component could certainly be strengthened. Councillor Simmons suggested that having more uniform trainings for new members of all boards and commissions might be a wise idea.

Mr. Gianetti said that the easiest way to start the process is to look at what data we want to collect. He noted the importance of only asking questions for information that we want, and of not being too broad. He said that there should be a clear definition about what information we want to capture and then a survey can be easily conducted. He pointed out that it is important to keep the survey brief, focused, and deliberate.

Councillor Mallon said that asking for a household income would be appropriate as it relates to the socioeconomic aspect. She added that she is interested to know how members found out about the boards on which they are serving. Councillor Simmons added that asking for a salary range rather than a specific salary could be helpful. Councillor Mallon and Councillor Simmons agreed that if you want socioeconomic diversity, it is imperative to figure out a way to ask for it.

Ms. Peterson said that the City is discovering that the boards and commissions are not representative of the young people in the city. She said that the median age of Cambridge residents is 30, and it would be beneficial for young people to serve on boards and commissions. Mr. Cook noted that many residents under the age of 30 are here for higher education purposes, do not see themselves as permanent members of the community, and that they may be more difficult to engage.

Vice Mayor Devereux asked how economically diverse the city is. Mr. Cook said there has been a lot of loss in the median range. He said that there is a large population of lower income residents. Vice Mayor Devereux said that it will always be difficult to attract parents of younger children to the boards and commissions. She said that it would take a big motivation for a parent of a younger child to serve on a board or commission.

Councillor Simmons said that the City must give its very best to see what we can be done to change that and move the dial from 20% diversity to 40% diversity which is better than where we are currently.

Councillor Simmons gave a summary of agreed upon information that the committee would like to see included in the survey of board and commission members. She said the survey will seek information on race, gender, neighborhood, socioeconomic status, education, age, length of service, and how many boards the individual is serving on. Councillor Zondervan said that language, religion, country of origin, and immigrant status could be added.

Councillor Simmons pointed out that this should not be a difficult task because the survey would go to members who are currently serving. Mr. Jennings asked to clarify if we are seeking obtaining getting detailed information for each individual member, or if we are trying to obtain information on the boards and commissions in totality across the city. Councillor Simmons responded that the committee wants to ascertain who is serving on boards and commissions, along with demographics. She said that this information will then be submitted to the Civic Unity Committee for further discussion.

Ms. Peterson commented that she has some concerns regarding capturing data on immigration status at this point. Councillor Zondervan said that when he spoke about immigration status he was not implying whether a member is documented or not, but whether someone is an immigrant or a permanent resident.

Councillor Toomey said he reaffirmed the goal that the boards and commissions are reflective of the residents living in the city. He said that he looks forward to expanding diversity in the boards and commissions.

Councillor Simmons then moved to the conversation to the second topic at hand: the idea of an Office of Faith Based Initiatives. She noted that she has not yet spoken with any members of the interfaith community about the creation of such an office, but she hoped to receive input and then discuss the idea with the members of the Civic Unity Committee. She said that establishing such an office might help the City better coordinate efforts with others who do important work in the city. She said that this office could aid in better service delivery to the community, particularly in communities that don't currently have a relationship with the City.

Councillor Siddiqui said that she would be curious to know about the existing relationship the City has with the faith based community. Ms. Peterson responded that it is an important relationship. For example, she explained that there is a formal program with the Police Department in terms of the Chaplaincy program. She noted that Councillor Simmons has always had a very strong relationship with the faith based communities. She noted that the administration worked very closely with then-Mayor Simmons to liaison with the faith based community. Ms. Peterson said that the City Manager's Office recognizes that this is a relationship that needs to be strengthened.

Councillor Simmons said that City has historically had a working relationship with the interfaith community via the City Manager's Office, so the relationship would not rise and tall on the political tide. She explained that, in decades past there had been an annual interfaith event on issues regarding housing, poverty, education, etc. She noted that this had taken place for at least twenty years, but had frayed throughout the years prior to her first term as Mayor. She agreed that the best “home”· for this initiative would be within the City Manager's Office, which would guarantee its continued action. She said that the faith based community wants a non-political affiliation with the City. Councillor Mallon added that this would be a way to formalize such work. She noted that having meetings at churches throughout the city would ensure inclusivity.

Vice Mayor Devereux said that there is a new City Manager Advisory Committee that meets four times per year. She stated that she could see the creation of a similar advisory committee composed of interfaith groups. She said that this could be a standing board and commission with two-way communication through City staff. As it relates to holding meetings in churches, she noted that neutral public buildings may be better.

Councillor Siddiqui said that as it relates to the service delivery aspect, some members of her mosque would like to learn English and they thought that it would be great for a class to be taught at the mosque. She noted that the members want to know if there is any way that the City could help in this regard. She said that there are questions on both sides regarding gaps and needs and how these gaps can be addressed.

Councillor Simmons, in speaking to how it would be advantageous to have a stronger working relationship with the interfaith community, cited the example of how the interfaith community has not always been pleased when it comes to the idea of having road races on Sundays. She noted that places of worship did not get information on these events with sufficient lead time. Councillor Simmons explained that currently the road races do not always take place on a Sunday and added that modifications have been made. She said that it is about relationship building.

Councillor Simmons said that she will survey the interfaith community regarding their thoughts and ideas as it relates to an Office of Faith Based Initiatives and what it could look like.

Councillor Simmons then shifted the conversation to ask about the City's cultural competency training. She explained that the City Council and School Committee, along with the City administration, took part in an anti-bias training with a commitment to continue that important work. She said that this work must be done in the public domain so that it can move forward. She asked Ms. Peterson or Ms. Allen to discuss this work further. She said that Ms. Allen and Mr. DeJesus from the School Department were going to work on stating the vision of the City Council and School Committee which is one of the goals that came out of that training session. She said that the goal was how to be trained to remove barriers in society which trickle down to the workplace around bias.

Ms. Peterson responded that there was a lot of discussion about tools and best practices. She said that staff developed a draft vision on which they would like to receive comments (ATTACHMENT B). She added that there was a discussion to develop a comprehensive plan and training program which started with a high-level vision. Ms. Peterson said that she looks forward to feedback on this vision. Ms. Allen gave an overview of the work that she and Mr. DeJesus have undertaken as a result of the training as it relates to climate. recruitment, promotion and employee development and leading and managing in a diverse environment. She explained that City staff discussed topics that were then channeled into aligned areas. She stated that the strategies fall into her work in creating an RFP for a consultant to strategically give the city a road map for all future recruitment, promotion and retention in the city. She explained that accountability and sustainability arc metrics that must be put in place to ensure that everyone is following this plan. She said that diversity is a foundational element to excellence.

Councillor Siddiqui asked if the consultant has been hired. Ms. Allen responded that the City is in the process of releasing the RFP in the next week to hire the consultant and added that this will be a multi-phase process.

Councillor Zondervan said that these are great principles and actions. He said that diversity and inclusion is an ongoing process and conversation. He encouraged the ongoing conversation into these practices so that staff can benefit from the ongoing dialogue.

Councillor Simmons noted that Ms. Peterson would like the Civic Unity Committee to make a favorable recommendation to the full City Council to adopt the vision statement on diversity and inclusion. She explained that after adoption by the full City Council, the vision statement will be sent to the School Committee.

Councillor Simmons opened the hearing to Public Comment at 3:32pm.

Chery-Ann Pizza-Zeoli said that as a member of the Affordable Housing Trust, the Envision Housing Working Group, and CEOC board she has experience in a different setting. She shared a report from the University of Massachusetts from 2007 (ATTACHMENT C) on diversity in state and local government. She said that it is interesting to look back ten years. She said that she would include housing tenure in the survey. She said that there are some committees that include representatives of the bicycle community yet we have not thought to have representatives of the low-income tenant community as an automatic thing. She said that this is something to think about. She explained that she attended Affordable Housing Trust meetings for many years because she wanted an understanding of how the housing system worked. She said that there is something about how meetings are run and how people experience participation. She said that a person can sometimes feel empowered and sometimes feel marginalized, depending on the setting. She said that there is not a tenant slot on the Affordable Housing Trust while noting that the Cambridge Housing Authority Board does have a tenant commissioner. She said it is important to determine why people fall away.

John Hawkinson said that he is not sure that a survey of board and commission members is required to get to the desired information. He said that the City has age information for every resident excluding those who opt out of the state-mandated citywide census. He said that he suspects that very few residents who serve on boards and commissions choose to opt out, however, where they do it may be indicative of socioeconomic or immigration status that also includes citizenship data insofar as voters are citizens and all others are generally not. He said that for those who respond to the census but are not citizens, it includes their country of origin. He added that this includes gender information as well. He added that the City has property ownership data that is imperfect, especially if a property is held through a trust or other entity. He said that surveying the staff to each committee to ask them to report the racial/ethnic makeup of each committee might be the easiest way to get the information with a reasonable degree of accuracy.

Gary Mello, 324 Franklin Street, read from a prepared written statement regarding qualifications and obligations of specific commissions (ATTACHMENT D). He said that he was disappointed that fair compensation for zoning and planning did not get full discussion at a previous City Council meeting. He said that a reasonable stipend would draw more applicants from all walks of life. He said that Somerville offers zoning and planning members a $5,400 annual stipend which is well worth it. He said that lesser amount for other commissioners may be the best way to ensure attendance and participation of members who may then feel obligated to show up.

On a motion by Councillor Simmons to close Public Comment at 3:41pm, the roll was called and resulted as follows:
YEAS: Vice Mayor Devereux, Councillor Mallon, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Simmons. Councillor Toomey – 5
ABSENT: None – 0
and the motion - Carried.

Councillor Simmons thanked all those present for their attendance.

On a motion to adjourn by Councillor Simmons, the roll was called and resulted as follows:
YEAS: Vice Mayor Devereux, Councillor Mallon, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Toomey
ABSENT: None
and the motion- Carried.

The hearing adjourned at 3:42pm.

For the Committee.
Councillor E. Denise Simmons, Chair

Committee Report #2
The Transportation & Public Utilities Committee held a public hearing on Wed, Apr 11, 2018, at 3:01pm in the Sullivan Chamber.

The purpose of the hearing was to discuss topics related to the MBTA bus service, including Cambridge's participation in the upcoming MBTA Service Plan, a brief update on upcoming pilot projects of dedicated bus lanes and transit signal prioritization, and a brief update on the upcoming construction of the bus tunnels in the Harvard Square META station.

Present at the hearing were Vice Mayor Devereux, Chair of the Committee; Councillor Carlone; Councillor Kelley; Councillor Mallon; Councillor Zondervan; City Manager Louis DePasquale; Director, Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department Joe Barr; Assistant City Manager for Community Development Iram Farooq; Director, Environmental and Transportation Division, CDD Susanne Rasmussen; Transportation Project Planner Bill Deignan; Transportation Project Planner Tegin Teich; and City Clerk Donna P. Lopez.

Also present were Max Wolpoff, 636 Beacon Street; Melissa Zampitello, Alewife TMA; John Attanucci, 608 Huron Avenue; Heather Hoffman, 213 Hurley Street; Nancy Ryan, Ashburton Place; Itamer Tamar Trurting, 139 Oxford Street; Arthur Strang, 60 Fresh Pond Parkway; Robert J. LaTremouille; Saul Tannenbaum; Emily Dexter, School Committee member; Bob Simha, 6 Blanchard Road; and Andrew McFarland, Livable Streets.

Vice Mayor Devereux convened the hearing and explained the purpose. She announced that the hearing was being privately audio recorded. An agenda was distributed (ATTACHMENT A). There have been many discussions in the City Council about transportation sustainability and safety. She wanted to discuss Cambridge's transit goals and needed META service improvements. She recently attended a transit conference in Denver and wanted to discuss and share what she learned with this Committee.

Introductions were made.

Vice Mayor Devereux turned the hearing over to Ms. Rasmussen, who gave a PowerPoint presentation (ATTACHMENT B). Ms. Rasmussen began with an overview of the City's Transit Strategic Plan, which was published in 2015.

Ms. Rasmussen outlined the importance of transit in Cambridge and of having sustainable and equitable modes of transportation. By 2035 there will be 30% more transit riders in the region than currently. The MBTA is investing in Red Line equipment to improve service. All Red Line cars are being replaced and will provide 500/o more service. There has been an increased focus on improving bus service because it is more flexible than rail and less costly to add routes. The need for transit is essential for those who do not drive or own cars. The City has become a stronger partner in planning and coordinating bus service and transit. She stated that the City has control over the streets in Cambridge. The City Council adopted the Transit Strategic Plan in 2015. A high-level strategic plan was developed rather than an implementation plan. She explained the role of the Transit Advisory Committee and said that its membership is broadly representative. The committee is now working on an implementation plan. She explained that monthly coordination meetings with the MBTA are held. She stated that the MBTA wanted early notification on development projects. She explained other MBTA related initiatives that the City is involved with.

Ms. Teich spoke about service planning. She spoke about the MBTA planning process and how the City can work with MBTA. The MBTA planning process is called the "Better Bus Project" (BBP). The goal is to achieve better travel time, reliability and service. There will be tiered recommendations. She explained that the public outreach has not begun. She stated that performance is being assessed. There will be incremental improvements to bus service, but not a transformative overhaul of all routes. She spoke about the public outreach planned by the MBT A. She explained how Cambridge could help with outreach. Graphics and mapping are being planned so the public understands what is being proposed and can provide feedback. She stated that public meetings would be held to get feedback.

Ms. Teich spoke about the Mount Auburn Street Bus Priority Pilot. She showed a map of various ongoing local and state initiatives. DCR conducted a study to improve mobility at the intersection of Fresh Pond Parkway and Mt. Auburn Street, which would allow traffic to flow better through the Mt. Auburn/Fresh Pond Parkway Corridor from the Eliot Bridge to Huron Avenue. She highlighted the importance of this corridor and the #71 & 73 bus routes that carry 12,000 weekday daily passenger trips combined and that there are several private shuttle buses that also carry many passengers along this route. Transit carries far more people than cars and when buses and shuttles are stuck in car congestion more people are delayed, so transit ridership decreases because people can't rely on it being on time. The goal is to make bus transit a more viable option for more people. This route experiences significant delays due to traffic congestion at a couple of choke points between the Watertown line Belmont Street and Mt Auburn Street and along Mt Auburn Cemetery to Coolidge A venue. She explained the pilot will include a bus-only Jane and bus signal priority on a couple of sections of Mt Auburn Street. There will be no construction; only (red) paint will be used to separate the lane. This needs to be implemented in close coordination with the short~tem1 improvements that were recommended in the DCR study. She spoke about the proposed bus priority lane and outlined the timeline. It is expected to be implemented this summer. She explained that there would be enforcement of the lane and that evaluations will be carried out in the summer and fall. The paint is intended to wear off by winter and then next steps will be planned based on the evaluations. The goal is for the bus priority lane to be permanent, assuming it works as intended.

Joe Barr spoke about transit signal priority (TSP), which allows buses to communicate with traffic signals to extend a green signal for a specific amount of time or to turn signal green more quickly to allow buses to keep moving. He explained the impacts and the outcomes. He spoke about the strategy. He stated that the MBTA and the City both are interested in implementing TSP. The MBTA will help fund the pilot. The goal is to roll this system out in high ridership corridors. As the City upgrades the traffic signals it wants to ensure that it has the technology to move this forward. He spoke about the Harvard Square bus tunnels. A full renovation of the roadway and other structural elements will be done by the MBTA, necessitating that one tunnel be closed at a time, starting in late 2018 and continuing into spring 2019. Originally it was thought the tunnel work would begin this summer. The MBTA is working on scheduling detailed briefings.

Councillor Carlone stated that if the Mt. Auburn pilot is successful, staff should consider expanding it further south going towards river. Ms. Teich stated that reliability is key. Riders cannot plan how long the trip will take. Councillor Carlone spoke about the asphalt being painted one color continuously rather than staccato sections that could confuse drivers. Ms. Teich stated that the goal is to not confuse people and that education and outreach will be needed. Grant funding will also go towards enforcement and education.

Vice Mayor Devereux asked for clarification on where the affected bus stops are located. Ms. Teich stated that there are stops at Star Market and 2 stops along Mt. Auburn Cemetery. She stated that the stops will be evaluated during the pilot to see if they continue to work in the new configuration and may be eliminated or combined, if needed.

Councillor Zondervan spoke about how confusing travelling through this corridor is and asked if the pilot will resolve this. Ms. Teich stated that the idea is that the striping will instruct people clearly on where to drive because the bus lane will have its own travel lane at the far right of the street going inbound (toward Harvard Square). Both the inbound bus and through-traffic travel would stay to the right at the points where there are left turns. Councillor Zondervan stated that the traffic currently wants to stay in left lane to avoid the buses. Ms. Teich stated that the marking will be clear that if a motorist wanted to turn left they would need to move to the left lane. Mr. Barr stated that this will be marked clearly. This is a pilot and adjustments can be made quickly as people understand the new layout. Councillor Zondervan asked about the Harvard Square tunnel work. He stated that there are numerous complaints about the bathroom in Harvard Square station and asked if this this can be fixed. Ms. Teich stated that there is daily cleaning service and a monthly deep cleaning. The only plan is to make the bathroom more accessible. Councillor Zondervan stated that the single occupancy bathroom is frequently locked and this is causing problems. This needs to be reevaluated on how it works. He spoke about the #68 and #69 bus routes. There are 5 buses that run on the #69 route before school and that those students often get to school on time. He stated that there is only 1 bus on #68 that often makes students late. Ms. Rasmussen stated that #68 low ridership is linked to the infrequent and the irregular service. If the service were better there would be more ridership. Councillor Zondervan stated that during morning ridership the bus is full and needs general improvements.

Councillor Mallon spoke about serving low income communities with better transit as a social justice issue. She asked how people will know there is a dedicated bus lane. Mr. Barr stated that the lane will be painted red, there will be warning signs and signs on the road. He explained that research shows red paint is the most effective and the enforcement will be done by the police. Councillor Mallon noted that roadway stripping is only visible when there are no cars on the road and asked if the lane will be dedicated for buses all day long. Mr. Barr stated that it is intended to be a full-time bus lane. Councillor Mallon stated that it is going to be difficult to educate people if the City is only doing neighborhood education especially when many commuters who do not live in the neighborhood use this. Councillor Mallon stated that she wanted to understand what "pilot" means in this instance. Mr. Barr stated that the goal is for this to be permanent and that the necessary changes will be made. Ms. Rasmussen stated that the data is being collected to understand how it fully operates in the neighborhoods. Councillor Mallon asked if TSP will eliminate bunching of buses. Mr. Barr responded that TSP eliminates this and allows for a better managing of the headway intervals between buses.

Vice Mayor Devereux stated that Everett has a dedicated bus lane pilot, and that they had to eliminate parking to create the lm1e during the morning rush hour, while no parking needs to be removed to create the bus lane on Mt Auburn Street Ms. Rasmussen stated that Everett's pilot is labor intensive because they use orange comes to mark the lane during rush hour, but it is working effectively. Councillor Kelley asked about bikes in marked bus lanes. He asked if it will be clear that bikes can travel in bus lanes. Ms. Teich responded in the affirmative. Councillor Kelley asked about the #77 electric trolley bus. Mr. Barr stated that the #77 bus may continue to operate in some way and it may need to maneuver differently. He does not know the MBTA plans for this. Councillor Kelley stated that this service may be scraped during tunnel work. Mr. Barr responded in the affirmative. Councillor Kelley stated that he wanted a rigorous evaluation on the bus lanes.

Vice Mayor Devereux asked about the status of the TSP project on Massachusetts Avenue. Mr. Barr explained the TSP signaling will be along the entire length of Mass Ave. in Cambridge. Vice Mayor Devereux asked about #72 trolley bus. Ms. Teich explained that there is construction on Aberdeen Avenue and that the MBTA has had problems using the catenary wires because of the construction. Mr. Barr explained that there is an issue with training drivers for trolleys. Vice Mayor Devereux stated that if tunnel work is delayed it may work out better for #71 and #73 bus priority pilot. She stated that it is good for incremental changes and the feedback. Ms. Teich stated that in improving routes there may be realignment and the network is a separate conversation.

Vice Mayor Devereux opened public comment at 4:14pm.

John Attanucci, 608 Huron A venue, stated that he works in the MIT Transit Research Lab and is chair of the Transit Advisory Committee. He stated that he has strong feelings about this topic. This process with the MBTA is not defined and some routes in Cambridge need to be prioritized this year. Cambridge needs to put priorities on table, including changing corridors. East Cambridge and West Cambridge improvements should be discussed, including improving the #68 bus. The Kendall Square Task Force had recommendation for a new route. He spoke about a grade crossing for buses, pedestrians and cyclists. It is critical that Cambridge set priorities and advocate for more significant service improvements.

Heather Hoffman, 213 Hurley Street, stated that East Cambridge is the only community that will lose bus service when the Green extension moves forward. East Cambridge has already lost a lot of bus service. The bus to Lechmere does not go to the main station any longer. The City has gotten poor service to the Court House in East Cambridge. The bus stop has been moved and is not convenient. She wished that the City would advocate for improvements. She wanted the MBTA to reinstate buses that East Cambridge had.

!tamer Tamar Tru1ting, 139 Oxford Street, stated that no parking will be taken away for the dedicated bus lanes. He emphasized the social justice aspect. Most people feel they need a car for commuting because the buses are unreliable. He stated that there may be more of an impact with future bus priority lanes. Good reliable public transportation is the only way for many people to get to work.

Arthur Strang stated that walking is an underrated form of transit. With a 30% transit increase by 2035, he asked how many more commuters will be there. He stated that 30% is not enough. He spoke about the Cambridge outreach. He stated that the #1 bus is often about 30 minutes late and about 150 people are delayed. Outreach in the future with other communities will help to make the buses work better.

Saul Tannenbaum, Cottage Street, stated that it was a pleasure to watch the staff develop the strategic plan. The MBTA service plan is a critical process and much overdue. There are neighborhoods that did not exist when the last service plan was developed. He spoke about the social justice aspect. He spoke about regional shifts. The staff is limited to what they can do. They must maintain professionalism with MBT A. The elected officials have a different relationship with the MBTA and can push for needed improvements. He stated that the City Manager needs to speak with the power of Cambridge.

Emily Dexter, School Committee Member, commented on buses that bring students to the high school. Students need to pay for their own transportation and service is unreliable. He stated that 400 students daily can be late for school because of the unreliable buses. This is a social justice issue. This disrupts the learning environment of students. This wastes resources. She wanted focus in the service plan on serving on low-income students who ride the bus to school.

Bob Simha, 6 Blanchard Road, has observed this problem for 60 years. He shared his perspective on this issue. He praised the staff. He noted that the materials made available do not include a projection of the City's population in the coming decades. This would be helpful for MBTA to understand the needs for Cambridge. He stated that there were 59,000 people in Kendall Square in 1950 and there are about 75,000 to 100,000 now and still only one Kendall Square station. He stated that significant changes need to be made by the MBTA. He stated that improvements are needed to the Red Line station and that this growth might require an additional station. The City needs to make the case for a circumferential service. He noted that these projects take a long time. He stated that the long view needs to be taken and political power needs to be used. He stated that it is impossible to move on Blanchard/Concord A venue during rush hour. If changes are not made, people will not be able to get home or to work. He spoke about parking at Alewife. There is no capacity to accommodate Route 2 traffic.

Andrew MacFarland, of Livable Streets Alliance, gave facts about MBTA bus ridership. He stated that riders are 40% people of color and 43% are low income. Black bus riders spend more time on the bus than white bus riders. During 2015-2018 there was an 8% reduction in bus ridership. Public transit needs to be expanded and improved to get more people to ride public transit. He added that 13,000 more jobs will be added to the Longwood area. Cambridge has done a lot of work to improve bus transit on Cambridge streets. He encouraged the City Council to work with the staff and to identify what it means to improve transit service. He stated that the Mass Ave Corridor needs work.

Nancy Ryan, 4 Ashburton Place, asked why it will take one year to replace the elevator at the Central Square Red Line station.

Astrid Dodds, spoke about the renovation of the Harvard Square tunnel. What has the MBTA planned for this and have users been asked what is needed? Mr. Barr stated that the MBTA is planning to renovate the roadway and the surface where passengers wait, improve accessibility and maintain the public art. No further enhancements will likely be made but the final plans have not been released. Ms. Dodds stated that the tunnels needs better lighting and more seating. She asked why the wall is not being lit to display the public art. Ms. Teich stated that she believes that lighting is part of the plan.

Vice Mayor Devereux closed public comment at 4:56pm.

Vice Mayor Devereux stated that she will continue to lobby the MBTA for what is needed to improve transit in Cambridge. She will discuss with CRLS students the bus access issue because it is a social justice issue.

Councillor Zondervan stated that elevators are complex; one year is not unreasonable. He wanted buses to get similar priority to ambulances.

Councillor Mallon stated that the Central Square elevator needs to be widened per ADA requirements and then the elevator located across the street also needs to be done.

Councillor Kelley stated that to expand parking at Alewife is looking backwards. The discussion needs to change.

A communication was received from Jahnavi Zondervan regarding the #68 and #69 bus that transports students to the high school (ATTACHMENT C).

Vice Mayor Devereux thanked all those present for their attendance.

The hearing adjourned at 5:00pm.

For the Committee,
Vice Mayor Jan Devereux, Chair

Committee Report #3
The Economic Development and University Relations Committee held a public hearing on Mar 28, 2018 at 12:00pm in the Sullivan Chamber.

The purpose of the hearing was to discuss the implementation of several aspects of the Retail Strategic Plan, including pop· up activation of empty storefronts and an update on the potential for an empty storefront ordinance.

Present at the hearing were Councillor Siddiqui, Chair of the Committee; Councillor Mallon; Councillor Toomey; Vice Mayor Devereux; Councillor Carlone; Councillor Zondervan; Louis DePasquale, City Manager; Lisa Peterson, Deputy City Manager; David Kale, Assistant City Manager for Fiscal Affairs; Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development; Lisa Hemmerle, Economic Development Director; Christina DiLisio; Pardis Saffari, Senior Economic Development Specialist, Community Development Department (CDD); Robert Reardon, Director of Assessing; Anna Lee Hirschi; Allison Daley; Matt McLaughlin; and Deputy City Clerk Paula M. Crane.

Also present were Adriane Musgrave, Executive Director, Cambridge Local First; Michael Monestime, Executive Director of the Central Square Business Association (CSBA); Denise Jillson, Executive Director, Harvard Square Business Association (HSBA); Jason Alves, Executive Director, East Cambridge Business Association (ECBA); and Judith Nathans.

Councillor Siddiqui convened the hearing and read from prepared opening remarks. (ATTACHMENT A).

Ms. Hemmerle gave a summary of a PowerPoint presentation regarding the Retail Strategy for the City of Cambridge (ATTACHMENT B). Ms. Hemmerle noted that this is the same presentation that was given to the Planning Board on Jan 2, 2018 so a lot of the infom1ation included in the presentation is base data. She noted that this plan is also available online on the Economic Development Department and Community Development Department website. Ms. Farooq added that the Economic Development Department has done incredible work in terms of identifying challenges that relate to small businesses and in working with the consultant to come up with strategies that the City can utilize to help solve retail challenges that are not only unique to Cambridge.

Councillor Siddiqui thanked Ms. Hemmerle for the presentation. She said that as a City Councillor and as a Chair of the Committee, one of her goals is to really get a sense of what the progress has been and how the City is executing the goals. She said that she has some questions about the vacant storefront research that she will follow-up with later in the hearing.

Councillor Carlone asked if all of the recommendations by Larisa Ortiz Associates were included in the study. He asked if there were recommendations of the consultant that were not addressed. Ms. Hemmerle responded in the affirmative and explained that the recommendations regarding the ability to offer legal services and the use of CDBG funds are being evaluated to determine if they can be implemented in Massachusetts due to limitations of Massachusetts State laws.

Councillor Mallon asked Ms. Hemmerle if the additional full-time position will be added to the budget. Ms. Hemmerle responded in the affirmative. Councillor Mallon said that one of the things that keeps food trucks from being successful is regional issues as well as processes and licensure. Ms. Hemmerle responded that they have recently learned of this issue and there is interest in strean1lining the process.

In response to a question from Councillor Mallon, Ms. Saffari explained that intercept surveys have been conducted to determine how people are shopping. She noted that New York has combined the survey with other assessments such as parking and transit, retail mix, etc. She noted that a survey was conducted in Central Square with shoppers as well as merchants to receive feedback. She noted that a report from this survey will include information that will be useful to the Economic Development Department and the CSBA to determine how to help in the efforts of the CSBA.

Vice Mayor Devereux said it is great that there is focus on Central Square but noted that Harvard Square needs to get a lot of attention as soon as possible to 11gure out how much intervention is necessary. She explained that at the previous evening's Planning Board hearing, the Abbott building was approved. She said that there will be construction which will impact businesses. She added that there will also be City and MBTA projects added to the mix. She said that the public feeling is that the Harvard Square is on life support and the HSBA does not feel the same. She said that resources need to be devoted tl1ere to keep the square vibrant. She emphasized that this is a priority when thinking about where to focus energy.

Councillor Carlone said that he attended that Planning Board meeting and stated that the project has really improved in a positive urban design. He said that tl1e impact of the project really concerns local business owners who were present at the meeting and they specifically asked if the parking fund could be a fund that would be able to soften the impact of construction on local businesses. He said that the owners are fearful of the impact on the local businesses, especially after the Holyoke Center project. He stated that he is completely supportive of positive improvements and adding more continuity in retail frontage. He questioned if there is a way to help these businesses to stay alive when many factors affect a business during private and public construction. He explained that he wants to see proactive retail planning for a finished product.

Ms. Farooq said that the City has heard the concerns regarding Harvard Square and they are thinking about what might be possible. She stated that her sense, from a non-legal point of view, it that it is not possible in the current formulation of the Harvard Square Improvement Fund to allocate funds to offset parking validation and other things. She said there would be a need to investigate if this could be possible in a modification. She said that construction is disruptive but there may be flexibility on the City side to help support people.

Councillor Carlone spoke about the Huron Avenue area construction project and noted that the value of a retail property goes down because the retail sales go down. He asked if there is a way to have retail owners come in and request an abatement of some sort. He acknowledged that because some small businesses do not own the buildings in which they are housed, there is a complexity to the issue. Mr. Reardon responded that the Assessor's Office looks at every appeal that is filed. He said that in a lot of ways it does not flow to the tenant through a triple net lease. He said that they are more than willing to look to see if something can be done, especially for mitigating multi-year construction projects.

Vice Mayor Devereux said that it would fall to the property owner to come forward to say that they feel that they have a case. She asked if the evaluation of a property could be temporarily reduced. Mr. Reardon said that many property owners will file an appeal, which is encouraged. He said that it is tricky when it is not a triple net lease. He added that if a tenant occupies over 51% of the space, they can apply on their own. Councillor Mallon asked if this would only be available if the project is a city project or could a person apply if it relates to a private development project. Mr. Reardon said that if there is something beyond their control that is impacting value, it will certainly be evaluated. He explained that if market value is impacted, they will take this into consideration. Councillor Siddiqui asked if abatement information is available on the City Assessor's website. Mr. Reardon responded that the abatement application is on the website but it could be expounded upon. He encouraged the business associations to pass along this information to its members as well. He said that any concerns should be addressed to the Assessor's Office.

Councillor Zondervan asked if there are any special considerations or thoughts on how to integrate the newer kinds of business opportunities, such as cannabis, into the retail environment. Ms. Hemmerle responded that they are waiting to see what the regulations will be. She said that the City wants to ensure that the businesses such establishments are not negatively impacted from the standpoint of active uses. As it relates to cannabis, Ms. Farooq added that it is very early for the City to figure out a strategy. She said that they are working to schedule a meeting with the City Council to determine policy directions with clarity before they can talk to businesses about possible opportunities.

Councillor Zondervan asked if there were special provisions for food trucks. Ms. DiLisio responded that that they wanted to ensure that there was enough space for the limited locations. She said that for application process, they asked business owners to self-identify as minority or women-owned. If they identified as such they got a point in the process. The owners were asked if the business had been open for 2 years or less, if they had a brick and mortar location in Cambridge, and if they had any regular vending in Cambridge. She noted that the highest score was 6. She said that this allowed the City to see how food trucks were ranking to determine which would be given space. Councillor Zondervan asked about minority and women-owned statistics. Ms. DiLisio responded that 16 trucks are tentatively scheduled with 14 that self-identified as women or minority owned. Ms. Hemmerle explained that this is the first program in which they have used this set of criteria. She said that the result of the program leads them to think that this strategy can be utilized in other programs in the city, and that the Envision Cambridge process is focused on meeting social equity needs. Ms. Saffari said that the majority of programs are well-attended by minority and women-owned businesses and that they partner with the Center for Women & Enterprise. She said that they have been working on ensuring that that they provide assistance to those who do not have lot of access.

Councillor Siddiqui said that she would love to have a sense of where we are on the progress of helping minority and women-owned businesses. She said that 14 out of 16 minority or women-owned food trucks in the pilot program is an incredible number. She said that we need to figure out how to evaluate the work on that and highlight that work.

Vice Mayor Devereux said that the Table of Uses is being looked at with Envision project and asked if there is any consideration on how parking requirements affect these uses. Ms. Saffari said that they are in preliminary discussions around the retail section of the land use. She said that when looking at the recommendations of the retail strategy, what are the ways to expand or provide new uses. She noted that they are looking at parking and stated that there is more information to come.

Councillor Siddiqui asked about the timeline as it relates to Land Use Classifications. Ms. Farooq responded that they have just begun internal work on that at CDD and they need to have a conversation with City Solicitor to ensure that everything is consistent. She said that they are in the early stages but the hope is that it will be before the full City Council in the next couple of months. She said that they are focusing on the retail side on the Table of Uses. She said that parking is challenging if it is a Change in Use and it triggers a new kind of parking but one of the concerns that they hear from retail clusters and districts is the availability of parking for customers. She said that they are trying to balance all elements.

Councillor Siddiqui said that the Retail Strategy report mentions that the permitting process is onerous. She said that she would like to hear how are we thinking about making permitting less onerous. Ms. Hemmerle said that it is tied to the Land Use classifications in many ways. She said that some of the uses are not allowed. She explained that some of the new types of businesses automatically must get a variance which adds time to the process. She said that in some cases, people are paying rent before they have received permitting for their business.

Adriane Musgrave said that Cambridge Local First has a thriving local business community who is working hard to bring innovative ideas and concepts to Cambridge. She emphasized that some business owners feel dead on arrival. Receiving clear feedback would be very helpful. She said that people sign a lease with the expectation that there will be no problems and that is not the case. She said that when talking about leveling the playing field for an independent business owner versus a large chain, the large chain has the capital to withstand the delay. She highlighted that rents are really high in the city, especially with the construction and on-line buying. She said that in talking to rental experts, some rents are in high traffic areas but there is no ability for all of the drivers to park and go to the businesses. She said that there are small property owners who do not have any idea of what is a fair rent. She said that she would like to see the landlord community come together with a rent analysis to see what is fair and reasonable across the city. She said that it is important for business owners to become more digitally savvy and Cambridge Local First would like to partner with the ongoing efforts to help business owners in this area. She asked about technical assistance that is being provided.

Ms. Saffari said that they have a lot of workshops on social media education with hands-on education. Ms. Hemmerle added that she will be happy to forward information about the Small Business Enhancement Program. She said that EDD is more than happy to think about new ideas, especially as it relates to workshops and educational programs.

Ms. Musgrave said that the programs that the City offers are phenomenal. She said that one of the biggest problems is that too few business owners know that they are available. She noted that Cambridge Local First is a staff of one and other business associations are strapped for resources. She said that she would love for Cambridge Local First to be a megaphone for the programs that are offered and they have the ability to reach out to all of the businesses. She said that there is a local Pakistani store that would love resources but she needs to stop by in person. She said that Cambridge Local First could be a real resource to help with marketing.

As it relates to the retail components of the land use classification table, Ms. Farooq said that CDD is front-ending the retail component of the land use classification changes. She stated that the issue regarding the price of rents is difficult as it is a private transaction. She said that the City can convene property owners and have the conversation on the importance of supporting, local retailers, but the City cannot set a rental price for a private owner. She said that many property owners recognize the importance of what is on the ground floor in terms of the ability of how to lease the above. She stated that in terms of marketing, they have an extensive mailing list with people who receive information about programs. She welcomed the business associations to be the connection to their members.

Ms. Musgrave said that Cambridge Local First would appreciate the City's ability to convene a property owners summit or informal roundtable to discuss the issue.

Vice Mayor Devereux said that in the residential market, technology has enabled buyers to know the amount of what a property has sold for. She asked if this exists to the same degree in the retail environment. She said that there is a business opportunity to start a platform to open that kind of information because information is power. Mr. Reardon said that this information is available. He explained that it is not as simple as buying a house, per se, and it is market-related transactions. Vice Mayor Devereux asked if the City can make this information available. Mr. Reardon noted that it is proprietary information but added that a business association can purchase a license to the database the city uses to access this information.

Jason Alves said that the Retail Strategy is something that is good to fall back on and is very useful. He said that small business owners worry about rents and external costs. He said that the City's efforts to pick up recycling for small businesses was a huge win for small businesses. He stated that when these things happen it helps to bridge the relationship between small businesses and the City. He said that as it relates to construction, East Cambridge is doing what it can to get ahead of the game before construction takes place. He stated that the news regarding abatements is positive. He said that the ECBA is having the conversations around the issue of cannabis and they are trying to keep people educated.

Michael Monestime said that the City does a great job and he feels well-supported with the resources and opportunities to connect with the City to help improve upon the district. He said that Ms. Jillson does a great job in Harvard Square. He said that the CSBA wants to make Central Square more experiential. He said that in the past, there was an ordinance around vacancies and property owners who leave storefronts vacant for a long period of time. He said that utilizing some of the residential parking that runs parallel to the commercial districts through the day is a way to add additional parking. He questioned if there is a way to offset hours that give more parking in commercial districts. He said that the idea of bringing together property owners is a great idea.

Denise Jillson said that Harvard Square is 95% occupied but the vacancies that they do have are fairly significant. She said that the creation of an ordinance that gives some sort of timeline for vacancies would be beneficial. She said that property owners have an expectation for a certain amount of rent. She said that when buildings are allowed to remain vacant for long periods of time, is it problematic. She said that Harvard Square has had a significant building in the dark for 8 years which causes an adverse economic impact on the businesses in Harvard Square. She said that the other issue that she hears from new businesses is that it is difficult to get permitted in the city. She said that she appreciates the detail around safety and mitigation of disruptions, but somehow it should never take as long as it takes. She talked about an encampment that has been present for many months which has an impact on the business community.

Councillor Siddiqui talked about the handout titled Action Plan w/Roles and Responsibilities (ATTACHMENT C) and said that pop-up activation of empty storefronts should be among the next steps. Ms. Hemmerle said that EDD has begun working on a consultancy project to look at vacant storefront activation strategies. She said that vacancies in Harvard Square are large but the vacancy in Cambridge in retail is 1.5%. She noted that nationally this number is 12%. She said that the City is poised to do well with the purchasing pattern that we are seeing. She said that EDD wants to look at activation strategies that they can look at regionally and nationally. She said that Arlington is the only town in Massachusetts that has a vacant storefront bylaw that focuses specifically on retail vacancies. She said that EDD is speaking to Larissa Ortiz Associates to bring them onboard to identify strategies and best practices which may include pop-ups. She said that they hope to get this process started soon.

Councillor Carlone stated the difference between a vacant storefront and an abandoned property such as the former Evergood Market which exaggerates the fact that the store is empty. He said that it is almost an insult to the neighborhood and added that the property owner does not respond.

Vice Mayor Devereux said that in the Town of Arlington, artwork is placed in the windows of vacant storefronts which makes the properties look more attractive. She suggested that this could be a solution for Cambridge vacant storefronts on an interim basis at properties such as the Evergood Market. She asserted that this would go a long way in making that location more attractive. Vice Mayor Devereux said that attractive banners placed in vacant storefront windows in Harvard Square is a good way to make the storefronts more attractive. Councillor Siddiqui stated that she agrees that this would be a beneficial first step.

Councillor Zondervan asked if there is an inventory of storefronts that have been vacant for longer than one year. He said that there are high profile vacancies in the City and it is necessary to act. Ms. Hemmerle responded that currently there is not a list of vacancies but that the City uses CoStar, the real estate database. She said that it is important to look at the activation strategies to figure out a way to work together to ensure that those spaces are more active. She said that the ECBA proactively identifies areas where they can undertake activation strategies. She said that the business associations can be very helpful in this regard which could be an interim step.

Councillor Zondervan said that activation is great but it does not address the Harvard Square Theater situation. He said that we need to look at encouraging property owners to rent out their spaces and not land-bank them.

Ms. Farooq said that it is clear to her that the committee wants to move more expeditiously. She said that she is cognizant of capacity issues. She said that the City Manager will bring forward new staff person and realistically, this will be a significant program which will require a lot of man hours to implement so it would make sense to have that person on board. She urged the committee to be patient in terms of capacity.

Councillor Mallon said that she is hearing urgency from business owners in Harvard Square and she asked if there is a way to work with the Arts Council to ensure that there is something in vacant storefront windows to activate the space.

Councillor Carlone said that there is no shortage of art-related work or artists willing to show their work in the City but there are complications. For instance, CVS on Massachusetts A venue by Otto Pizza looks empty but it is not. He said that when CVS was approached by students who wanted to put displays in the vacant storefront window, the property owners was amenable but CVS said that they could not due to legal requirements. He said that pop-ups are great in places where there is no activation. He said that it would be important to ensure that the pop-up was non-competitive in nature to the brick and mortar businesses in the area as they are required to pay rent, salaries, etc. Councillor Siddiqui said that it will be critical to involve the businesses and community into the process.

Ms. Musgrave stated that pop-ups and vacant storefronts could be used to experiment with new retail formats. She said that small business owners cannot afford a space buildout so there is a larger educational component that can take place. There are popups happening in the Boston area. She noted that Isenberg Projects has done a lot of cool things. She explained that the woman who runs it used to work in Harvard Square and she is knowledgeable in Massachusetts laws. She said that she is nationally recognized and in our backyard. She suggested that rather than a months' long study, we could contract and experiment with this organization.

Michael Monestime said that there are not a lot of vacancies in Central Square but the Intercontinental storefront has been vacant for over five years and the Out of the Blue is vacant. He noted that the Mass and Main project will bring three blocks of retail to the square but they will be small footprints. He asked if there is a way to incentivize property owners to reduce their footprints to be 2 or 3 in the space of 1.

Public Comment began at 1:48pm.

Judith Nathans, Putnam Avenue, Cambridge, stated that the meetings have been incredible. She asked why these meetings are not recorded and available online. She stated that the minutes are great but you must wait for those to be prepared.

Public Comment was closed at 1 :49pm.

Councillor Carlone stated that the City Council recently passed a Policy Order on Apr 2, 2018 (ATTACHMENT D) asking the City Manager to consult with the City Solicitor regarding the feasibility of requiring property owners to give the City written notice when a storefront becomes vacant with a plan for finding a new tenant and keeping the premises tidy and in compliance with all applicable codes to mitigate any negative effects or safety concerns of the neighborhood. He said that he looks forward to hearing a response to this Policy Order. Mr. DePasquale stated that he will look into this matter.

Mr. Reardon said that there is difficulty when defining abandoned versus vacant. Councillor Carlone stated that there are vacant residential buildings and certainly that would qualify. He stated that although this is a different need, the City could take action. He stated that the impact grows and it affects neighbors. jobs and taxes.

Ms. Jillson suggested a policy that states that if first floor retail is empty or appears to be empty, there are certain things would be required by the City, like requiring storefront be kept clean and tidy.

Councillor Devereux said that she has talked with the owner of former Hidden Sweets location and they are working diligently to lease the space.

Jason Alves reminded the committee that there is a difference in scale when thinking about a resident property owner and a large property owner. He asked the committee to keep the small resident owners in mind when thinking about potential policies that could be implemented. He noted that there could be a detrimental effect on small property owners. He said that an arts-based program that was standardized to homeowners would be a less difficult conversation to have with the owners.

Councillor Siddiqui thanked all those present for their attendance.

The hearing adjourned at 2:01pm on a voice vote.

For the Committee,
Councillor Sumbul Siddiqui, Chair