Cambridge City Council
Resolution 12
February 13, 2012

COUNCILLOR REEVES
COUNCILLOR CHEUNG
COUNCILLOR DAVIS
COUNCILLOR DECKER
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
COUNCILLOR MAHER
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR TOOMEY
COUNCILLOR VANBEUZEKOM

WHEREAS: It has come to the attention of this City Council that D. Margaret Drury will retire from the City Clerk's Office effective April 5, 2012; and

WHEREAS: Margaret began her employment in April 1982 in the position of Assistant Counsel for the Rent Control Board; and

WHEREAS: In January 1985, Margaret was elevated to the position of Assistant Director of the Rent Control Board and held this position until February 1986; and

WHEREAS: Margaret was named Executive Director of the Rent Control Board in February of 1986 and held this position until October of 1989; and

WHEREAS: In 1989, Margaret transferred to the Community Development Department as General Counsel for Affordable Housing; and

WHEREAS: Margaret was appointed Temporary City Clerk on June 1, 1992 and City Clerk on August 12, 1992; and

WHEREAS: During her tenure in the City Clerk's Office, Margaret has been instrumental in bringing technology to the City Clerk's Office in areas such as computerizing the City Council Record, digitizing and scanning vital records. Margaret was a major contributor in creating the City Council database of City Council documents; and

WHEREAS: Margaret was also author of municipal code laws such as Domestic Partnership, making Cambridge the first city in Massachusetts to have such an ordinance in their code. Many communities have since used Cambridge Ordinance as a guide for their own ordinance or regulation; and

WHEREAS: Margaret will be historically known as the first City Clerk in Massachusetts for taking the first marriage intention for same sex couples as well as performing the first marriage of same sex couples in Massachusetts; and

WHEREAS: Under Margaret's leadership, with the use of Community Preservation Act Funds, the City Clerk's Vital Records Room was renovated which added further archival protection to Cambridge's vital records; and

WHEREAS: Margaret administered her first Oath of Office to a constable on June 22, 1992 and subsequent to that has administered the oath to 92 City Councillors, 60 School Committee Members, 25 City department heads, 293 police officers and 97 firefighters; and

WHEREAS: Margaret has received many commendations for her service from department heads, City Manager Robert W. Healy, former Mayor Francis H. Duehay and residents; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That this City Council go on record expressing its appreciation to D. Margaret Drury for her thirty-one years of dedicated service to the citizens and to the City of Cambridge and wish her much happiness in her retirement; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to D. Margaret Drury on behalf of the entire City Council.