Preview of May 12, 2008 City Council meeting:

Charter Right #2 - That the Ordinance Committee be directed to draft language to rescind Ordinance #1138 regarding posting of handbills and to prepare new language to provide that non-profit organizations and community groups may post flyers on utility poles with contact information and the responsibility to remove the posters after a specific amount of time. [Charter Right exercised by Councillor Kelley on Order Number Twenty-one of Apr 28, 2008.]

This item is carried over from the last meeting. Councillor Reeves made the most sense in the previous discussion when he noted that this is really a solution in search of a problem. (I don't recall Reeves' exact words.) As with the case of letting people park in the 'No Parking' zones near churches on Sunday, selective enforcement of the existing ordinances makes the most sense. You can't neatly codify every possible human activity - not even in Cambridge.

Resolution #7 - Retirement of Paul J. Schlaver from the Consumer Council/Division of the License Commission.   Mayor Simmons

Paul's a great guy. Everyone should go out an buy him a beer to celebrate his transition to gentleman farmer - just not all at once.

Preview of April 28, 2008 City Council meeting:

April 28 - It's Budget Season! Tonight's the night when the FY2009 Budget Book becomes available (but only after each and every city councillor gets his or her copy - they are very sensitive about this!). I've always found this to be the most mischievous part of the year for city councillors. It's the time when quiet discussions happen behind the scenes and we only learn about the product of those discussions when we read it in print - and it's a long established fact that once it's in The Book, the likelihood of the City Council voting down an appropriation is essentially zero. Two years ago, this is how we learned about the 54% increase in the Mayor's Office Budget to fund the Sullivan Chambermaids, i.e. "research assistants" for each councillor. What will be this year's surprises?

The bottom line for this year's budget is an operating budget of $416,128,365 (up from $394,375,940 in FY2008 - a 5.5% increase), Water Fund at $17,998,625 (paid almost entirely by water rates, up from $17,898,685 in FY2008 - virtually unchanged), and a capital budget of $12,236,615 (up from $11,538,660 in FY2008 - a 6% increase).

Also of interest on tonight's agenda are a couple of "Reconsiderations" by Councillor Maher of matters passed on April 14 - a zoning-related matter and an Order regarding public/private aspects of e-mail to and from public officials. That could be an interesting discussion, but perhaps they've already had it via e-mail.

In addition to the Budget Book, there are a number of other big ticket items on the agenda:

Mgr #23. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $8,630,000 to continue sewer projects in the Cherry Street/South Massachusetts Avenue, Agassiz, and Fresh Pond areas of the City.

Mgr #24. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,000,000 to fund extensive improvements to the Lafayette Square Fire Station and Fire Headquarters.

Mgr #25. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $6,700,000 to fund the replacement of all City and public safety radio systems.

Those must be some seriously good radios at almost $7 million dollars.

Then there's this item:
Mgr #22. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 08-18, regarding a report on the methods to provide long-term protection for Joan Lorentz Park.

The recommendation is to not change the designation of the park into something out of the hands of future City Council control, e.g. a designation that would require approval of the State Legislature in order to make even minor modifications. Makes sense, methinks.

Potentially the most contentious item is:
Charter Right #1: That the City Manager is requested to review the process by which the Board of Zoning Appeal turned down a variance request to build a new hotel in Porter Square, where the Porter Square Neighborhood Association and the majority of the abutters supported the proposal and the only opposition was from a neighborhood association not located in Porter Square and there was commentary that zoning was the domain of a given councillor. Charter Right exercised by Councillor Kelley on Order Number Eight of Apr 14, 2008.

This one had all the makings of a schoolyard fight on April 14 until Councillor Kelley shut it down via Charter Right before Councillor Decker had a chance to vent. They may need to call out the Fire Department tonight. There's also a new zoning petition (Applications and Petitions #6) relating to this matter introduced at tonight's meeting by the Kaya Hotel owner/developers. Councillors Reeves and Decker received substantial campaign donations from the developer and there's no doubt some watchers will be viewing the commentary through this lens.

Councillor Decker has four Orders on behalf of union workers at the Marriott Hotels, the Cambridge Housing Authority, and Millennium Pharmaceuticals. She should have no trouble finding people to hold her signs during her next campaign.

There are also these:
Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to direct the City Solicitor to draft a new ordinance that would replace the original ordinance (Ordinance #1138) to provide that non-profit organizations and community groups may post flyers on utility poles.   Councillor Seidel, Councillor Kelley and Councillor Decker

Order #16. That the City Manager is requested to investigate locations near and around community centers, and where permission is provided create and install Information Posting Boards for use by and for the community.   Mayor Simmons

I can understand why you might want to allow some flexibility for posting on lampposts and telephone poles, but exactly where shall the line be drawn? Are election campaign flyers acceptable? What about announcements from the Ward 5 Democratic Committee? Is that a community organization or a political organization? Does it depend on what they're hawking? As far as Order #16 goes, it's a nice sentiment but these almost invariably degenerate into depositories of commercial advertising and rubbish.

Then there are these two items:
Order #18. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council on the status of the multiple small holes in street pavement found in groups on various City streets, to include who is responsible for drilling them, what sort of permits are required to drill them, who is responsible for filling them and what threats they might pose to maintaining safe and even streets.   Councillor Kelley

Why is this even on the agenda? Can't you just pick up the phone and ask someone, Craig? Jeez.

Preview of April 14 City Council meeting:

It's mainly fund transfers within the School Department capital budget and minor appropriations this week on the relatively short City Manager's Agenda. Much more interesting are several City Council Orders:

Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Director of Information Technology, the City Purchasing Agent, the City Clerk and the Assistant to the City Council to report back to the Government Operations and Rules Committee on the feasibility of a paperless City Council agenda.   Councillor Maher

This isn't a bad idea, but I can assure you that for any newcomers to City Council meetings who are already somewhat bewildered by the proceedings, this could put them completely in the dark. They'll have to keep at least a little paperwork available for the public to know what's going on. Personally, I always just bring my own printed PDF version of the meeting agenda, but I do like to read in advance of the meeting the printed materials not available via the City website, especially the communications of some of the stranger characters.

Order #5. Questions regarding public/private aspects of e-mail to and from public officials.   Councillor Kelley and Councillor Seidel

This promises to be a nice "acting out" of the current (mainly contrived) tempest regarding e-mail sent to the School Committee via their website. My sense is that this whole matter is just a way of creating political cover for reconsideration of the School Superintendent's contract extension. To every member of the public who wants to say something privately to a public official, here's some advice: Don't do it via e-mail or even by letter. Say it face-to-face. Clear enough?

Order #6. That the subject of the use of City Council meeting time to make public announcements be referred to the Government Rules and Operations Committee to determine an appropriate procedure to make such announcements.   Councillor Toomey

This is noteworthy mainly in relation to a recent Order regarding possible changes to the Public Comment portion of City Council meetings. Councillor Toomey understands that it's not just the public who needs to follow some basic rules.

Order #8. That the City Manager is requested to review the process by which the Board of Zoning Appeal turned down a variance request to build a new hotel in Porter Square, where the Porter Square Neighborhood Association and the majority of the abutters supported the proposal and the only opposition was from a neighborhood association not located in Porter Square and there was commentary that zoning was the domain of a given councillor.   Councillor Reeves

This should be fun. Who is the offending councillor? Nothing like a little jealous indignation to spice up a local legislative body. You may also want to look into the campaign finance reports to see who received $500 checks from the developer seeking the variance.

Order #10. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council with a line item explanation accounting for every dollar given to the Cambridge Health Alliance, specifically to what department and for what project the money was given; said narration should be a dollar-to-dollar review.   Councillor Decker

Order #11. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council whether the Cambridge Health Alliance is committed to maintaining women’s health services, specifically OB/GYN and access to midwife care, at the East Cambridge Neighborhood Health Clinic.   Councillor Decker

I love it. Note the phrase "line item explanation accounting for every dollar given to the Cambridge Health Alliance." I'm sure that both of these Orders are all about using this year's Budget hearings and process to leverage restoration of services at the Windsor Street Health Clinic - regardless whether such restorations make any fiscal or policy sense (which they might). -- Robert Winters 

Preview of April 7 City Council meeting:

The City Manager's Agenda this week consists primarily of routine appropriations of grants from state and federal sources. There's also a report on the decision of the Mass. Appellate Tax Board that telecommunication companies are now taxable on poles and wires. From the report: “... the City of Cambridge should benefit by approximately $900,000 to $950,000 in additional personal property taxes on poles and wires on public ways on the Verizon system alone. Since the case is still in the appeal process through FY08, the City of Cambridge cannot realize any of the potential tax revenue at this time. Although this represents a sizable increase in personal property taxes it still only represents a portion of the revenue which could be realized under the proposed Municipal Partnership Act, which would allow for taxation of other items currently exempt by Massachusetts General Law.”

Order #7. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Assistant City Manager for Community Development and the City Solicitor to provide the City Council with a draft amendment to the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance to provide for using square footage as an alternative way to calculate the required donation in order to provide units with more than two bedrooms to further the City Council goal to support family housing in Cambridge.   Councillor Maher and Vice Mayor Murphy

I have no comment on this Order except to ask: When did the phrase “square footage” become the new term for area or floor area? Should we measure the volume of a liquid in “gallonage” and the length of City Council meetings in “hourage”? -- Robert Winters 

A few thoughts before the March 31, 2008 City Council meeting:

City Manager's Agenda - The nature of the Manager's Agenda changes from week to week. Some weeks feature one or two major fiscal items such as last week's setting of the water & sewer rates, the mid-May vote on the annual budget, and the setting of the property tax rates in the fall. (The Manager always correctly points out that the City Council merely votes on tax classification, exemptions, and various other parameters, and the Mass. Department of Revenue sets the rates.) The primary focus of this week's Manager's Agenda is catching up on Council requests for reports on various matters. Of the 26 items on "Awaiting Report", the Manager answers 10 this week covering topics from parking meters to bicycles to rodents to block grants to tree plantings to bricks on Cedar Street. Not too sexy or controversial, but these are all part of managing a city.

Last week's Council Order from Mayor Simmons regarding possible changes to the rules governing Public Comment at City Council meetings is sure to elicit further response from the usual suspects. It's been funny watching the reactions to this highly non-specific Order that doesn't actually propose any changes, though you would never know it from the reactions. A little history may be helpful here. There are few people among those who now attend Council meetings who go back to times before the current protocols were in place, but I am one of them. The reporters, in particular, have no basis for comparison. It used to be that if you wanted to speak on a particular item, you waited until that item came up during the meeting and you stepped up to the microphone and were recognized by the Chair. The great advantage of that system was that members of the public were obliged to address a specific agenda item at the time the item was under discussion. I preferred that system because it allowed those who had something serious to say to do so when that topic was before the Council. It was not uncommon that there would even be some interaction between the councillors and the person making the comments. The major down side of that system was that you had to stick around until your item came up, and some of those meetings could run pretty long.

Because rent control was always the big deal of the day, this meant that you could count on seeing Mike Turk, Connie Thibault, Bill Noble and others from the Cambridge Tenants Union dutifully occupying their usual seats in the Sullivan Chamber just in case anything involving rent control came up during the meeting. We were also blessed with the presence of Bill Jones who would regularly offer his perspectives on current events and local history (though not always accurately) when he was not partaking of the plentiful food provided in the Council's Green Room. Though everyone was supposed to address specific agenda items, it was an unwritten rule that Mr. Jones could stray somewhat from the agenda. Say what you will about Billy, but none of the would-be comedians who now work the Sullivan Chamber can hold a candle to Mr. Jones in terms of pure entertainment. More importantly, just about everyone liked Billy Jones. That cannot be said of today's crop of crabby complainers.

One East Cambridge woman at last week's meeting who generally speaks intelligently on matters of substance during Public Comment seemed upset at possibly being lumped in with the "nut cases". Let's be clear about this. Whether or not you want to see some changes in the protocols governing Public Comment, no one wants to curtail the rights of any member of the public to speak on relevant matters before the City Council. The principal problem, as I see it, is that some members of the public feel they have license to use this opportunity to mock and attack anyone and everyone for no purpose other than to draw attention to themselves. I agree with Councillor Toomey that the rules as they stand do not need to be changed. They merely need to be enforced - perhaps, in some cases, with an iron hand. Most or all of the principal abusers of Public Comment have “blogs” in which they freely express themselves - just as I freely express myself on this website (as I am doing now). Nobody is obliged to read my erratic ramblings. Anyone can similarly read “From the Port” or “Enough Room” if they want to listen to the erratic ramblings of Councillor Podgers or Councillor Bercaw. Free speech reigns.

Anyone who reads my ramblings can easily discern some of my likes and dislikes of elected officials and others who work in the City administration. Most have picked up on the fact that I'm generally supportive of candidates (new ones in particular), elected officials, department heads, and City workers. I actually believe Cambridge is a well-run city - as compared to many other Massachusetts cities, especially those without a city manager form of government. This doesn't mean I believe there's no room for improvement. I think we do a piss-poor job of community policing, we don't do nearly enough to address problems of vandalism and loud cars, and I believe there are a number of City programs that exist primarily to preserve the jobs of those who work in them. I will likely never be convinced that city councillors need personal aides (perhaps better referred to as Sullivan chambermaids or manservants). I am flabbergasted by some of the salary levels in the City administration and how the elected officials go along to get along just as long as we're flush with property tax revenue. It bothers me that the executive director of the Election Commission treats one of the best friends the commission ever had like an enemy for no rational reason, and I still believe that the Dept. of Traffic & Parking owes me $80 for towing my VW Bus away without warning. Then again, my mechanic has been holding my Bus hostage in Natick since December 13, so T&P is looking pretty good in comparison.

Cambridge water is good enough to win prizes, and that doesn't happen by accident. The Cambridge Department of Public Works has a public service philosophy that can't be beat. If anyone wants to complain about the condition of Cambridge sidewalks or snow plowing, they should visit almost any other city or town in Massachusetts to see just how good we are in comparison. Cambridge is way ahead of most cities in terms of recycling and environmental initiatives - and the City Manager deserves most of the credit for this. I attended a public hearing last week about the Cambridge Energy Alliance and the programs they will be providing for Cambridge residents and businesses, and it made me feel very proud to live in this city. Though some of the City Manager's appointments are, in my opinion, driven by the desire to avoid trouble rather than to improve things, I still believe Mr. Healy is possibly the best in the business and, unlike some of the naysayers, I believe our multiple AAA bond ratings speak volumes about how well this city is managed.

Hmmm... maybe I should say that during Public Comment, but it's not on the agenda and I don't know if I can squeeze it in under three minutes.  -- Robert Winters

Coming up at the March 24, 2008 City Council meeting:

Water and Sewer Rates - "That the City Council approve the following block rates for water consumption and sewer use for the period beginning Apr 1, 2008 and ending Mar 31, 2009. The City administration and City Council continue to recognize that it is important to mitigate the effects of water and sewer increases both for FY09 and future fiscal years as much as possible. Therefore, I am pleased to submit a recommendation that calls for a 2.1% increase in the water rate, a 4.8% increase in the sewer rate and a 3.9% increase in the combined rate."

Resolution #15. Resolution on the death of Isaac Meyers.   Councillor Davis
Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council on how the March 17 accident in Central Square happened and that said report back contain a copy of the relevant police report to the extent that that information may be shared.   Councillor Kelley, Councillor Seidel and Councillor Davis

Suffice to say that this intersection where trucks turn right from River St. onto Mass. Ave. is hazardous for pedestrians - especially for those who don't consider the mechanics of a turning truck with a long wheel base. The death was both horrible and preventable.

Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council on the City's policies and regulations concerning the number of unrelated people living in the same dwelling unit and any suggestions to modify that number.   Councillor Kelley

Monkey See, Monkey Do. The City of Boston just put limits on the number of unrelated people who may live in a single household, and the Boston Globe wrote a story about it. Is this really a problem in Cambridge? Why is this being brought up now? This seems like a solution in search of a problem.

Order #6. That the Mayor is requested to hold a special combined meeting, to be open to public comment and to be televised as with a normally scheduled meeting, of both the School Committee and the City Council to start a discussion on how to best coordinate various youth services.   Councillor Kelley, Councillor Seidel, Councillor Maher and Councillor Toomey

I expect this to generate discussion and future committee meetings, but it's worth noting that not all youth centers and other activities draw many participants. Part of this is political - building youth centers and establishing related programs makes for good copy on political campaign brochures, but this does not necessarily imply either good planning, good allocation of resources, or practical benefits. Cambridge politicians love to build youth centers on which they can hang their hats (and possibly their names) even if nobody shows up at them. My model program would integrate the Police Department and the Recreation Department in a manner similar to the Police Athletic League in New York City. In such a model, you would get all the best aspects of community policing as well as better security and supervision. In my opinion, there is far too much emphasis on youth centers. Whatever happened to the community schools model? Does it make any sense to have school buildings and their facilities open only during school hours and a limited range of after-school activities?

Order #7. That the Government Operations Committee review City Council policy on Public comment with a view towards making any necessary amendments and report back to the City Council on this matter.   Mayor Simmons

I'm not sure what the mayor has in mind with this order, but we would all benefit from changes that limit the role of the narcissists that now dominate public comment at City Council meetings. There's an old phrase we used to hear a lot around Cambridge: “The bad drive out the good.” When nut cases (do I really have to name them) turn the opening of every City Council meeting into a circus side show, this benefits no one and does nothing to promote democracy. Of course you don't really have to refer this to a committee for a solution. All it takes is a mayor with a firm hand and a heavy gavel. Enough already!

Order #8. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council on the impact an exodus of bio-tech companies from Cambridge may have on the tax base of our city, and further report back on Northpoint and what likelihood there may be for further development.   Mayor Simmons, Councillor Reeves and Councillor Toomey

I mention this item only to note the changing tone over the course of the last 10 to 15 years. There was a time when entities like the Cambridge Citizens for Livable Neighborhoods (CCLN) and it's cousin, the Cambridge Citizens for Growth Management (CCGM) were very vocal in opposing any kind of development in Cambridge, and many elected officials would butt heads with City planners and the City Manager over development issues. Nowadays, the tone seems to be consistently one of maintaining the revenue stream to support every imaginable affordable housing program and human services program in addition to a parade of major capital projects. I offer no opinion on this shift in political winds - I merely note the change in the weather.

On the City Council Agenda - Monday, Oct 29, 2007 [Click for detailed agenda]

This week's agenda is something of a table-setter in the sense that there are a number of Planning Board reports and other reports on the City Manager's Agenda and items on Unfinished Business that make it likely that some matters may come to a vote this week and be recorded prior to next week's municipal election. Here's a sampler of agenda items:

City Mgr. #5. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 07-65, regarding the financial impacts of development delays for the North Point project. (see below)

It appears that the pieces are all falling into place for the North Point development to get back on track. The court-ordered sale of the interests of both parties has attracted multiple serious bidders and a sale is likely before the end of the year. With the state legislature on board with a new "filled tidelands" bill that will almost certainly be signed by the governor (who proposed it), things will likely be back on track, more or less, by next year.

City Mgr. #6. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 07-116, regarding a report on analyzing bicycle parking in the City with recommendations for additional parking.

This is good news for us cyclists. The City is installing or planning to install additional bicycle parking in and around the major squares of the city. Now if we can only cart away all the dead bikes that are clogging up the racks and keep City officials from harassing those who lock their bikes to parking meters, lampposts, etc., then life will be just peachy for two-wheelers.

City Mgr. #7. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to a recommendation from the Planning Board on the refiled Cott, et al petition to rezone the area bounded by Broadway, Lee Street, Harvard Street, and Hancock Street from a Residence C-1 designation to the Residence B designation.

Unfinished Bus. #17. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Brian Murphy, Chair of the Ordinance Committee, for a hearing held on Sept 19, 2007 for the purpose of considering a proposed amendment to the Zoning Map for the area bordered by the centerlines of Broadway and Harvard, Hancock and Lee Streets from the existing Residence C-1 district designation to Residence B, a/k/a Re-filed Cott Petition. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Nov 5, 2007. Petition expires Dec 18, 2007.

These two items suggest a possible vote on this Mid-Cambridge zoning petition on Election Eve. The Planning Board report recommends against adoption of the petition, but there's a municipal election coming up and there are three challengers (Janik, Seidel, Ward) who live within a block of the area affected by the petition. I expect some votes will be swayed as a result, but it seems unlikely that there will be the necessary 7 votes to pass the petition. However, stranger things have happened when an election is imminent.

City Mgr. #9. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to revisions to Chapter 8.24 of the Cambridge Municipal Code on Refuse and Litter. This ordinance has been further revised to reflect changes requested at the Sept 19th Ordinance Committee meeting.

Unfinished Bus. #14. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Brian Murphy, Chair of the Ordinance Committee, for a hearing held on Sept 19, 2007 for the purpose of considering proposed amendments to Chapter 8.24 of the Municipal Code: Refuse and Litter. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Oct 29, 2007.

City Mgr. #10. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to revisions to Chapter 13.16 of the Cambridge Municipal Code "Sewer System Regulations."

I must admit that I like these kinds of basic operations and infrastructure items. It's a lot more interesting and relevant than passing City Council orders on Burma, Iraq, Mongolia, or Mars.

On the Table #9. That the Neighborhood and Long Term Planning Committee schedule a meeting to discuss with the new owners the impact on the 55 Magazine Street tenants of the recent sale of the building and their concern about their security as tenants and the new owners' plans for the building, especially any plans to convert the building to condominiums. [Charter Right exercised by Mayor Reeves on Order Number Forty-Seven of Sept 10, 2007. Placed on table on motion of Councillor Simmons on Sept 17, 2007.]

Though I doubt there will be any movement on this item, there is no doubt that it's a politically volatile item because of the close relations between some of the city councillors and the developers who are (apparently) trying to clear out this building and convert the apartments into condominiums.

Unfinished Bus. #12. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillors Michael A. Sullivan and Brian Murphy, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a hearing held on July 12, 2007 for the purpose of continuing to consider a proposed amendment to the Noise Ordinance to regulate leaf blowers. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Aug 13, 2007.

Yup, regulation of leaf blowers is a hot political item in the new "quality of life" political climate. I'll give a damn about leaf blowers right after the City Council and the Police Department do something about the cars with the obnoxious sound systems that cruise Broadway in front of my house and elsewhere in Cambridge.

Unfinished Bus. #15. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Brian Murphy, Chair of the Ordinance Committee, for a hearing held on Sept 19, 2007 for the purpose of considering a proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to incorporate requirements for LEED standards for certain projects of 25,000 square feet or more. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Oct 29, 2007. Petition expires Dec 18, 2007.

This one will look good on the last round of political literature and on Council candidate websites. [It's also a good idea.]

Unfinished Bus. #16. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Brian Murphy, Chair of the Ordinance Committee, for a hearing held on Oct 3, 2007 for the purpose of considering a proposed amendment to the Municipal Code to add a new Section 2.125 entitled "Cambridge Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Commission. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Oct 29, 2007.

I expect this piece of outright pandering to come to a vote. The part of this that doesn't sit well with me is the provision that creates a full time paid executive director position for this commission. [I'm told it's a part-time position, but the point still stands.] If anything, the City of Cambridge should be trimming down on its commissions and consolidating or eliminating inessential staff (like the proposed position).

Order #4. That the City Clerk and Assistant to the City Council arrange for a workshop on parliamentary procedure for the City Council at the beginning of the new Council term.   Councillor Simmons

My main recommendation for improving the way the City Council conducts its meetings is to require a "second" before any topic can come up for discussion at a meeting. This is how the School Committee and most deliberative bodies conduct their business. Requiring that any matter have at least two members before it can be discussed would cut down on much of the bullshit that councillors and the public have been subjected to over the last several years. Must I name names?

Order #8. That this City Council go on record requesting the Massachusetts legislature to pass and Governor Deval Patrick to sign into law, H. 2729, sponsored by Representative Byron Rushing, "An Act Relative to Investment in Companies Doing Business in Burma," which uses the Commonwealth's pension fund investments to promote democracy and human rights in Burma.   Councillor Decker

Please see above items regarding rubbish and sewer regulation.

Order #17. That the petition to amend the Zoning Ordinance (Section 5.40 Special Dimensional Regulations) by adding a new section to protect solar energy systems to be referred to the Planning Board and the Ordinance Committee for a hearing and report.   Councillor Davis and Councillor Kelley

Order #19. Proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance regarding bicycle sheds.   Councillor Murphy

These are some interesting proposals regarding the prevention of new structures blocking light from reaching solar panels, and providing equity in the zoning code between garages that contain automobiles (which are not factored into floor-to-area ratios) and sheds that contain bicycles. The danger, of course, is that a builder may add on a structure for bicycles that is subsequently used for other purposes (no different than how garages are now used for other purposes or, even worse, rented out for cash).