Message from Jim Braude, Chair of the Government Operations Committee:

Dear Colleagues:

Attached are the goals of the City Council for FY2002.

The goals are the product of a long and exhaustive process: nine community meetings, including six in neighborhoods throughout the city; and one each for seniors, students at the High School, and small business people. In addition, there was a telephone poll and, in a first for the City, a survey was sent to all 40,000 households in Cambridge. At the conclusion of that effort, the full City Council and members of the City Manager’s staff met in a daylong meeting followed by shorter sessions.

The eight goals set forth within represent the areas identified by the Council as its top priorities. While the order of the goals is the order voted on by the nine members of the Council, it is the Council’s intention to focus on all the goals, not simply those at the top of the list. All eight of the areas are essential to the health and vitality of Cambridge.

Additionally, each of the goals is followed by several policy guidelines. These are meant to identify some of the issues subsumed under each goal. They should not be viewed as exclusive, but rather as a way of providing some guidance to the City Manager in developing the implementation strategies that he will report to the City Council in January for Council approval.

Finally, the Government Operations Committee recommends that the Council votes that, for the first time, our goals be printed in brochure form and made available to all who are interested. Additionally, the committee recommends that the goals be posted at appropriate public buildings and locations throughout the city.

Sincerely,
Jim Braude, Chair
Government Operations Committee

Community Values:

All City policies and their implementation must reflect and integrate these values:

• Cultural and socioeconomic diversity
• Commercial diversity and vitality
• A healthy environment
• The unique character of our city

CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL FY2002 GOALS
(WITH CITY MANAGER’S KEY IMPLEMENTATION GOALS)

The Goals of our City Council:

1. Provide high quality ongoing services to residents.

Policy guidelines include:

• Support appropriate programming and services; monitor current levels for feedback on their appropriateness and quality.
• Continue new building, renovation, and maintenance through capital planning.
• Maintain fiscal responsibility to fund programs and facilities for those services.

City Manager’s Key Implementation Goals:

• Continue an aggressive capital improvement program mixing pay-as-you-go projects, funded through current revenues, with debt financed projects. Develop a multiyear debt placement strategy for the City’s extensive capital improvement budget. Maintain City’s AAA municipal credit ratings, and conduct necessary bond sales required to fund approved projects.
• Maintain a comfortable excess levy capacity, an unreserved fund balance equal to 8-10% of the City’s budget, and an expenditure program that is measured through quantifiable goals and performance measures.
• Continue to assure the provision of high quality services In all sectors of government through regular monitoring of service quality and appropriateness of programs and services. Monitoring will take place through a variety of mechanisms including: the annual budget process and review of performance measures; surveys; and discussion groups.
• Develop design for Main Library restoration and expansion. Substantially complete construction for City Hall Annex at 57 Inman Street. Design and construct environmentally responsible/“Green” public buildings, utilizing LEED Green Building Rating System.
• Complete the construction of a new running track, artificial surface soccer field and related site improvements at Danehy Park. Initiate major capital improvement projects at Donnelly and Russell Fields. Complete designs for portions of Fresh Pond Reservation (Neville to Luisitania Field), and parcels in Area 4, including the open space to be at 238 Broadway.

2. Preserve and expand the supply of permanent affordable housing, supporting socioeconomic diversity

Policy guidelines include:

• Create and preserve housing opportunities for low, moderate, and middle income residents.
• Provide housing support services for low, moderate, and elderly residents.

City Manager’s Key Implementation Goals:

• Create and preserve affordable rental and home ownership opportunities in Cambridge through non-profit acquisition and development, first-time homebuyer education and financing, affordable housing loan improvement programs, and preservation of “expiring use” buildings. Provide financial and technical support to middle-income homebuyers with Harvard University loan funds. Provide technical assistance to private developers creating new units through the Inclusionary Zoning ordinance. Update and expand the City’s Incentive Zoning (“Linkage”) ordinance to generate additional housing funds. Continue to advocate for federal and state housing resources, develop new policies and programs to meet Cambridge’s needs, and maximize the use of city resources by leveraging additional financing for affordable housing development.
• Continue to work with the Cambridge Health Alliance and Neville Communities, Inc. to facilitate development of the affordable assisted living facility and a new skilled nursing facility to meet the needs of Cambridge elders.
• Provide housing search assistance and stabilization for families, individuals and senior citizens.
• Provide enhanced case management and housing stabilization services to elders to assist them in continuing to live independently and/or to assist them in accessing appropriate long term care resources.

3. Strengthen and support public education and other learning in Cambridge for the benefit of residents of all ages.

Policy guidelines include:

• Provide the resources necessary for high-quality public education in which the public has pride and confidence.
• Maintain and enhance preschool, after-school, youth, and adult programs.

City Manager’s Key Implementation Goals:

• Through a collaboration of the Department of Human Services, the School Department, Cambridge Health Alliance, Public Library, Police Department and community partners, implement strategies to achieve the two goals adopted by the Kids’ Council for the Agenda for Children: Children and their parents need to be able to read Children and youth need access to supervised activities in nurturing and safe environments
• In collaboration with the School Department, implement and evaluate the recently funded 21st Century Community Learning Center grant for extended day at the Fletcher/Maynard Academy and continue development and evaluation of the pilot Harrington Extended Day program.
• Maintain a full range of adult literacy and English for speakers of other languages courses. Strengthen the access to technology of undereducated adults.
• Provide an array of summer and after school opportunities to meet the physical, social, and emotional needs of children through Community School, Recreation, Youth, Child Care and Library programs.
• Work collaboratively with the School Department, community organizations and employers to expand the number of community-based experiences for youth which incorporate a work and academic component.

4. Improve and simplify public access to city services and provide more and better opportunities for the public to participate in governing.

Policy guidelines include:

• Continue to improve and coordinate public information functions.
• Increase utilization of new technology for easier access to services and information, and for encouragement and support of public input.
• Support workforce development and training opportunities for city employees (technical, management capacity, and customer service orientation).

City Manager’s Key Implementation Goals:

• Create and promote an “Office for Constituent Services,” located in City Hall, to provide residents with an easily accessible point of contact within City government. This Office will provide information, referral and guidance on City services and programs, and strive to make Cambridge more responsive to needs of residents. This Office will also lead citywide efforts to improve customer service.
• Redesign and increase the functionality of the City’s webpage in order to allow for greater interaction with City residents and service recipients. Increase the number of payment options for City Services to include initial web enabled transactions as well as direct debt transactions.
• Increase the number of public access computers through the installation of computers at the O’Neill, Valente and Central Square Branch Libraries.
• Maintain consistent employment processes to ensure open, accessible and responsive applicant intake systems using a variety of outreach methods focused on local recruiting.
• Continue to build a City workforce which is representative of the diversity within the City of Cambridge.
• Provide training and professional development opportunities to all employees through internal and external training and through the tuition reimbursement program.

5. Foster community. Support opportunities for citizens to know each other within their neighborhoods and across the city.

Policy guidelines include:

• Support opportunities for new Cambridge residents to get to know the history, values, cultural resources, and fellow residents of the city.
• Support institutions that promote local interaction, such as youth sports leagues, art activities, volunteer senior citizen corps, etc.
• Support internet opportunities such as policy forums or chat rooms on community oriented topics.
• Identify the positive organizing opportunities for members of the community that are inherent in shared experiences or issues of residents.
• Continue to support celebrations, both neighborhood and citywide, as important opportunities for people to be together.

City Manager’s Key Implementation Goals:

• Welcome and orient new residents to the City of Cambridge using a variety of mechanisms including a direct mail piece: “A Guide to City Services.” Develop a video on Cambridge, also to be used to welcome and orient new residents.
• Support community celebratory and educational events, both large and small – such as Danehy Park Family Day, National Night Out Against Crime, and neighborhood block parties to facilitate opportunities for people to get together.
• Continue to work with local arts organizations to provide park-based arts programs in the summer for families as well as neighborhood potlucks, block parties and cultural celebrations.
• Strengthen role of branch libraries as neighborhood centers and gathering places through programming, outreach and collaboration with community groups. Continue regular book discussion groups at all public library locations to promote community and cultural exchange.

6. Support neighborhood preservation and enhancement

Policy guidelines include:

• Encourage vibrant neighborhood centers with appropriate public plantings, traffic patterns, institutional and commercial activities.
• Balance commercial and residential activities in the city to preserve neighborhoods while recognizing the need for appropriate growth and development.
• Provide staff support for neighborhood planning centers undertaken with strong community involvement.
• Support responsible preservation and maintenance of our existing open space while striving to expand our inventory, particularly in areas of the community where it is most needed.

City Manager’s Key Implementation Goals:

• Implement planning initiatives throughout the city to manage ongoing physical change and to balance neighborhood quality of life and economic growth and change. Complete follow-up on zoning issues generated by the Citywide Rezoning Petition. Work with Planning Board and City Council on review and implementation of the recommendations from the Eastern Cambridge Planning Study. Complete Riverside Neighborhood Study to develop recommendations for urban design, land use, zoning and transportation. Continue open space improvements in Cambridge neighborhoods.
• Support the City’s commercial districts by continuing to implement the facade improvement program. Continue to work closely with the Cambridge Street Business Association and the Central Square Business Association to improve and promote these business districts. Implement the Central Square Action Plan.
• Administer Cambridge’s historic and neighborhood districts, landmarks and protected buildings through public hearings and staff review. Review demolition permit applications to preserve 50+ year old buildings important to Cambridge’s social and architectural history. Protect significant buildings through landmark designations and easement donations.
• Effectively maintain parks, playgrounds, squares and plazas, and fully implement a program of arborculture for approximately 12,000 public street trees and 3,000 trees in parks and the Cambridge Cemetery.
• Work to acquire additional open space in the eastern part of the City, as recommended in the Green Ribbon Open Space Report.

7. Foster creative approaches to traffic, parking and transportation needs of residents and businesses within the context of growing congestion, and the need to improve air quality.

Policy guidelines include:

• Continue to explore the questions around density and livability.
• Develop coexistence strategies for bicyclists, pedestrians, T users, and drivers.
• Continue to support non-Single Occupancy Vehicle transportation options for employees and residents.

City Manager’s Key Implementation Goals:

• Reduce congestion and air pollution through review and monitoring of PTDM plans and other traffic mitigation initiatives, planning improvements to public transportation, promoting use of alternative fuel vehicles, implementing City employee trip reduction measures, and community education around walking, cycling, and public transportation.
• Plan and carry out infrastructure improvements to make walking and cycling safer and more pleasant, reduce conflict among users of different modes of travel, and direct traffic away from residential streets. Efforts include carrying out traffic calming projects, installing onroad bicycle facilities and bicycle parking, improving intersections for pedestrians, planning off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and planning major roadways projects such as Cambridgeport Roadways, North Point, and Cambridge Street.
• Continue to work to protect natural resources and reduce potential human exposure to toxic substances. Working with a task force of citizens, local experts, and representatives of local businesses and institutions, complete and begin to implement an action plan to reduce the city’s output of greenhouse gas emissions.

8. Maximize the benefits of new and existing economic development and university activities to improve the life of the city.

Policy guidelines include:

• Support public/private partnership opportunities.
• Understand the new economy better to optimize opportunities for our community.
• Support workforce development and training opportunities for residents.

City Manager’s Key Implementation Goals:

• Research the employment needs of emerging, businesses, including biotechnology and information technology, to help guide educational and job training programs to best serve Cambridge residents.
• Foster a strong property tax base; support and enhance a healthy business climate.
• Cultivate a supportive environment for entrepreneurship by assisting small businesses. Provide technical assistance, guidance in obtaining capital, and educational programs to small businesses. Help small businesses assess target markets and improve the competitiveness of their businesses.
• Work closely with the Workforce Investment Board to define the skills necessary to succeed in the new economy and disseminate this information to the broader employment and training community. Work with the Housing Authority to design programs which improve the vocational skills of public housing residents.
• Aggressively pursue formal agreements with both Harvard and MIT that would protect the City’s future economy and ensure no negative financial impact upon taxable commercial and residential property. The City has serious concerns about the future removal from the tax rolls of currently taxable property owned by both universities.

May 2024 Values Statement and Goals

FY2012-2013 Goals    FY2011-2012 Goals

FY2010 Goals     FY2008 Goals     FY2006 Goals     FY2002 Goals