5. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an order authorizing the City Manager to transfer necessary funds needed to maintain appropriation control as part of the fiscal end-of-year closeout process. (CM24#122)
pulled by Nolan; comments by Nolan and Taha Jennings; Order Adopted 8-0-1 (DS-Absent)

Agenda Item No. 5     June 10, 2024
ORDERED: That pursuant to the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 33B, and prior to the close of books for FY24, the City Manager is hereby authorized to transfer appropriations from the allotments with available balances to those needing supplementation.

CHARTER RIGHT
1. That the City Manager is requested to explore the feasibility of delaying the Mass Avenue reconstruction project to minimize its impact upon the busy season for restaurants and other affected businesses, and, should this not be found feasible, a method of providing financial assistance to the impacted businesses to cover the costs of removing their outdoor dining structures, designed to mitigate some of the financial impacts upon them, should be established. [Charter Right – Simmons, June 3, 2024] (PO24#70)
comments by Simmons on amendments, Nolan, Owen O’Riordan, Kathy Watkins (explains why paving must take place no later than October), Nolan does not support Simmons amendments, McGovern, Wilson, Simmons, Toner (suggests doing job in July); Amendments Adopted 9-0; comments by McGovern (does not support delay), Azeem, Nolan (does not support delay); Tabled as Amended 8-1 (Nolan-No)

O-4     June 3, 2024  Amended; Charter Right - Simmons
MAYOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR TONER
COUNCILLOR PICKETT
COUNCILLOR WILSON
WHEREAS: It has come to the attention of the City Council that the next phase of the planned Mass Ave reconstruction repaving project is set to significantly impact ground-floor businesses (particularly those between Hancock Street and Sellers Street in and just outside of Central Square) with outdoor dining structures, right as these establishments are gearing up for their most lucrative season of the year; and
WHEREAS: These businesses are facing substantial financial burdens due to the requirement to remove their outdoor dining infrastructure to accommodate the reconstruction repaving work, in addition to the expected loss in revenue from reduced dining capacity during their busy season; and
WHEREAS: The economic vitality of our local businesses, especially those providing outdoor dining, is crucial to the vibrancy, attractiveness, and economic health of our community, and it is imperative that the City take pains to protect the viability of our small businesses; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Public Works Department to delay Mass Avenue reconstruction repaving between Hancock Street and Sellers Street until November 1 explore the feasibility of delaying the Mass Avenue reconstruction project to minimize its impact upon the busy season for restaurants and other affected businesses, and, should this not be found feasible, a method of providing financial assistance to the impacted businesses to cover the costs of removing their outdoor dining structures, designed to mitigate some of the financial impacts upon them, should be established; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on this matter within 14 days of this Policy Order being passed.

3. Resolution for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program’s 50th Year.   Mayor Simmons

R-3     June 10, 2024
MAYOR SIMMONS

WHEREAS: Since its inception in 1975, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program has empowered local and state governments with essential resources to cultivate viable urban communities through the provision of decent, affordable housing, the creation of a suitable living environment, and the expansion of economic opportunities, primarily benefiting individuals of low and moderate income; and

WHEREAS: The CDBG Program was born from community input and support, offering communities across the country the autonomy to make local decisions on the best use of these funds, thereby ensuring that the specific needs and priorities of each community are addressed, and it is one of the longest-running initiatives of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and

WHEREAS: Over the past 48 years, the City of Cambridge has been the recipient of a cumulative total of $162,926,336 in CDBG funds, which have been instrumental in funding a diverse array of projects, significantly enhancing the quality of life for our citizens and transforming our neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS: The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the CDBG Program, an occasion that will be celebrated with various recognitions and events throughout the year, providing an opportunity for the City of Cambridge to join the other 1,200 communities nationwide in honoring the program’s enduring legacy and its substantial contributions; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record designating 2024 as a year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Community Development Block Grant Program, acknowledging its significant impact upon enhancing our housing stock, infrastructure, public services, and the overall economic vitality of our community.

COMMITTEE REPORTS
1. The Ordinance Committee held a public hearing on May 21, 2024 to discuss Citizen’s Zoning Petition from Khalida Griffin-Sheperd, et al. to amend the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance in Section 11.206.1 and Subsections 11.206.1 and 11.206.2, AP24#10. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0
Present: McGovern, Pickett, Siddiqui, Sobrinho-Wheeler
Remote Present: Azeem, Nolan, Toner, Wilson
Absent: Simmons

2. The Ordinance Committee held a public hearing on May 22, 2024 to discuss a City Council Zoning Petition to amend the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance in Articles 2.000, 4.000, 5.000, 6.000, 11.000, 13.000, 14.000, 17.000, 20.000, and 22.000, AP24#12. The Committee voted to send the Petition as amended to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation to Pass to a 2nd Reading. [text of report]
Passed to 2nd Reading as Amended 9-0; Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0
Present: McGovern, Nolan, Pickett, Wilson, Simmons
Remote Present: Siddiqui, Sobrinho-Wheeler
Absent: Azeem, Toner

A. An Ordinance has been received from the Ordinance Committee, relative to proposed: Zoning Petition to amend Articles 2.000, 4.000, 5.000, 6.000, 11.000, 13.000, 14.000, 17.000, 20.000, and 22.000 of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance. (ORD24#2)

3. The Ordinance Committee held a public hearing on May 28, 2024 to discuss Citizen’s Zoning Petition by Joseph S. Ronayne et al. to amend the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance in Articles 4, 5, and 8, AP24#14. The Committee voted to send the Petition back to the full City Council with a recommendation that it be sent to the Housing Committee. [text of report]
Report referred to Housing Committee 9-0; Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0
Present: McGovern, Nolan, Pickett, Siddiqui, Toner, Wilson, Simmons
Remote Present: Azeem
Absent: Sobrinho-Wheeler

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1     June 10, 2024
COUNCILLOR PICKETT
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR TONER
WHEREAS: In 2018, the City developed a 43 building, 13 year municipal facilities improvement plan (MFIP) based on an assessment of all municipal buildings; and
WHEREAS: At the time of the assessment, it was believed the City had five years of deferred maintenance and recent building projects brought before the City Council for funding have been to address deferred maintenance issues; and
WHEREAS: The City Council has recently passed significant new climate resiliency standards and the Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance (BEUDO) which have implications for the facilities improvement plan; and
WHEREAS: Maintaining high performing facilities is critically important for the public, staff and occupants of these buildings and should be one of the highest priorities; and
WHEREAS: Estimated costs for capital projects have increased greatly due to the lingering impacts of COVID, high inflation and supply chain challenges; and
WHEREAS: The City is focused on moderating its capital spending and will need to set priorities over the next several years; now therefore be it
ORDERED: The City Manager be and hereby is requested to provide an update to the MFIP including revised cost estimates to help inform the FY26 and ongoing capital budget priorities in a timely manner.

O-2     June 10, 2024  Amended
VICE MAYOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR WILSON
WHEREAS: The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is currently in the process of planning a major reconstruction project of the BU Rotary/Reid Overpass, which will have significant impacts on the Cambridgeport neighborhood; and
WHEREAS: The Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association has asked MassDOT to enhance their civic engagement efforts on this project, including specific requests for a project web page and a community meeting once MassDOT’s design consultant has completed their initial technical analysis and alternatives evaluation, before they undertake any significant engineering or design work; and
WHEREAS: In their typical process, MassDOT would not have a public meeting for this project until the 25% design hearing, at which time MassDOT would have already selected a design approach and invested significant time and money into design development; and
WHEREAS: By that point, MassDOT would be very reluctant to have meaningful engagement with the residents of Cambridge and Cambridgeport about a project that will have major effects on our city and our neighborhood for the next century; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the Cambridge City Council go on record requesting that MassDOT begin engaging with Cambridge residents and the Cambridgeport neighborhood early and often throughout this process; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to Monica Tibbits-Nutt, Secretary of MassDOT; Brian Arrigo, Commissioner of DCR; Governor Maura Healey; and the Cambridge delegation in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate.

O-3     June 10, 2024  Charter Right - Azeem
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR PICKETT
WHEREAS: Local newspapers across the country are disappearing at an alarming rate: Almost 2,900 newspapers have ceased operations since 2005 – a reduction of about 30%, and more than half of U.S. counties can now be defined as “local news deserts,” where residents have little to no access to a reliable local news source; and
WHEREAS: Marketing dollars moving away from traditional print advertising and into digital is partly to blame, with Pew Research Center’s most recent data estimating a drop of advertising revenues for papers nationwide from almost $50 billion in 2005 to less than $10 billion in 2022; and
WHEREAS: A study from Pen America outlines the effect of news deserts on our democracy, citing that citizens are less likely to run for office, significantly less likely to vote, more susceptible to misinformation, and at a higher risk of polarization; and
WHEREAS: Reporting from Democracy Fund describes higher taxes and higher municipal borrowing costs in communities without local news, as well as less efficient government, and less accountability among local leaders; and
WHEREAS: Despite its reputation for higher education and innovation, Cambridge is one of the many local news markets at risk following the retiring of all full-time local reporters at the generations-old, now Gannett-owned Cambridge Chronicle in 2021; and
WHEREAS: Local print news principally comes from the Cambridge Day, run by Marc Levy, as well as some metro coverage provided by The Harvard Crimson during the school year, with a few smaller publications publishing more niche or politically motivated content; and
WHEREAS: The council passed a policy order last term that asked for legal notices to be published in online newspapers, which is now a large revenue source for the Cambridge Day; and
WHEREAS: Local news is a public good and therefore is something reasonable to support with public funds while maintaining editorial freedom through a separation of government influence; and
WHEREAS: John Palfrey, president of the MacArthur Foundation and a leading figure for the Press Forward funding coalition, says: “For local news to be sustainable over the long term, communities will need to stand up and support their local news providers. We all need to invest in local news, the same way that we invest in arts and culture, hospitals, or our alma maters.”; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to support local news production as a public good by conducting a $100,000 per year city-backed news fund pilot for up to three years to be administered through an independent intermediary that will decide on funding criteria and selection of local newspapers that provide material coverage of Cambridge news and report back to the City Council in a timely manner.

O-4     June 10, 2024  Amended
MAYOR SIMMONS
VICE MAYOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR WILSON
WHEREAS: Fenway Health has recently announced the impending closure of its Boomerangs thrift store, a beloved fixture in Central Square since the mid-1990s; and
WHEREAS: Boomerangs was established by AIDS Action, now part of Fenway Health’s Public Health Division, with the mission of supporting HIV care and services through its thrift store operations, and for two decades the shop raised significant funds for HIV services, but Fenway Health has noted that the stores have experienced substantial financial losses over the past six years, leading to the organization’s decision to close the Central Square shop as well as other locations; and
WHEREAS: The Central Square Boomerangs thrift store has been a cherished part of the Cambridge community, providing not only affordable goods but also a sense of community and support for local residents, and the closure of this location has caused considerable grief and sadness among community members who have long relied upon and cherished this store; and
WHEREAS: Fenway Health has acknowledged the impact of these closures upon the approximately 50 employees and upon the broader Cambridge community, but it has not shared whether other options to keep the shops open may have been explored, nor whether a better method of communicating the reasons behind the closures to a community that is feeling the loss of this hub could yet be pursued; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record urging Fenway Health to reconsider the closure of the Central Square Boomerangs thrift store, that the organization is requested to provide a detailed explanation to the community regarding the reasons for the closure of these thrift stores, and that the organization is requested to explore all possible alternatives to maintain this vital community resource; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to Fenway Health on behalf of the entire City Council.

O-5     June 10, 2024
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI
WHEREAS: The City Council held a Health and Environment Committee meeting to discuss the challenging financial situation for Neville Communities, with the nursing home Neville Center facing severe fiscal difficulties; and
WHEREAS: Neville Center is City-affiliated and provides essential services for low-income residents in need of nursing care; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge and City Council are committed to continuing the availability of quality long term care for older residents in need; and
WHEREAS: Nursing homes across the state and country are facing financial troubles, leading the state legislature to consider bills to support such facilities, especially those like Neville Center serving low-income residents; and
WHEREAS: Neville Communities is facing a loan restructuring from Rockland Trust, which has outstanding loans of $14 million to Neville Communities, which are due in October of this year; and
WHEREAS: The City Council wishes to support Neville Center and ensure that any additional financial support the city might provide would be entirely directed to caring for low-income residents and not to profits for a for-profit entity; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record asking Rockland Trust to convert part of their loans to grants in order to allow the City to provide much needed operational support for Neville Center; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to Rockland Trust, Neville Communities, and to the Cambridge delegation on behalf of the entire City Council.

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