Special City Council Meeting to discuss the Charter Assessment conducted by the Collins Center
Meeting held June 2, 2021 at 11:30am
COMMUNICATIONS
1. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting charter assessment: review and reform.
To: Louis A. Depasquale, City Manager
From: Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor
Subject: Charter Assessment: Review + Reform
Date: 4.29.2021
Cc: Cambridge City CouncilA communication from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting an update on the Charter Assessment Review.
CHARTER REVIEW AND REFORM
As outlined in the communication on March 18, 2021, The Collins Center has prepared the second memo regarding the proposed formal review of the City of Cambridge Plan E. Charter. The attached memo contains an overview of the individual discussions with each Council member, recommendations and alternatives for the Council to consider, and potential next steps for this process. The Collins Center will be available at our request for a special meeting to discuss both memos.
The Collins Center will be available at our request for a special meeting to discuss both memos.
2. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting an update on the Charter Assessment Review (March 18, 2021 City Council meeting).
CHARTER REVIEW AND REFORM
Pursuant to the unanimously adopted policy order of July 27, 2020, the City Council has begun the formal review process of the city’s Plan E. charter. On September 23, 2020, the Council held a special meeting to discuss the proposed review with a presentation by The Collins Center for Public Management, who outlined the process for a formal charter review.
On January 29, 2021, the City executed a professional services agreement with The Collins Center, with deliverables including 2 memoranda presenting the major options of Forms of Government available to Cambridge, the key differences between these options, and a second memo summarizing the Council’s feedback regarding the current Charter and Form of Government, providing options for pathways the Council might consider moving forward, respectively.As of March 11, 2021, the Collins Center delivered the draft first memo, which includes background on forms of government in Massachusetts, history of Cambridge’s Charter and potential options for change. During the week of March 15, 2021, the Collins Center team met with each Councillor individually (individual meetings to conclude on 3/19/2021) to discuss the draft first memo, and to hear Councillor’s perspectives and feedback regarding the proposed options.
The next steps for the project will be to draft the second memo, based on the information drawn from the individual discussions and any recommendations that resulted from these conversations. The two drafts will then be provided to the Mayor and City Manager for review. All feedback from the Mayor and City Manager will then be complied into the final versions of the memoranda. The Collins Center (at the request of the City Manager or Council) will present the final memoranda, as well as answer any questions at a regular meeting of the City Council.
Cambridge Charter Review Project Memo #1 – Mar 11, 2021
HOW TO BREAK A POLITICAL MACHINE – Collier’s Magazine, Jan 31, 1948
3. A communication was received from Michael Ward of the University of Massachusetts, regarding Second Presentation to the Cambridge City Council on Charters and Charter Processes.