Cambridge InsideOut - July 26, 2016

Topics:

1) Remarks on last week's show - two part program recorded in 1996 (20 years ago) on demise of rent control with Bob Moncrieff and Saundra Graham.

2a) On July 1, CPS welcomed Dr. Kenneth Salim as our new Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Salim brings experience leading district-wide academic initiatives that increase teacher quality and student results as well as national expertise on professional learning. He comes to Cambridge from the Weymouth Public Schools, where he served as Superintendent since 2012.

2b) City Council returns for its Midsummer Special Meeting this coming Monday, August 1 at CRLS. The agenda for this meeting will be available Thursday night (July 28). Here are some notable scheduled meetings coming up for late July and August:

Tues, July 26

6:00-8:00pm   Mass+Main Open House  (435 Mass. Ave. - former Quest Diagnostics Building)

Wed, July 27

5:30pm   The City Council's Public Safety Committee will conduct a public hearing to hear from public safety officials on training equipment, response and communication policies pertaining to demonstrations, protests, memorials and similar actions involving large numbers of people in public space, ranging from CRLS student walkouts to Black Lives Matter memorials to the “let out” time of bars to Pokemon Go chasing and similar internet-driven meetups.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Thurs, July 28

10:00-11:00am   Polystyrene Ordinance Info Session  (City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor Conference Room)

The Polystyrene Ordinance, which goes into effect October 20, 2016, prohibits food establishments from dispensing prepared food or beverage in single-use disposable polystyrene containers. To learn more and find alternatives, we encourage you to attend one of the two information sessions hosted by DPW.

6:00-8:00pm   Cambridge Pedestrian Committee Meeting  (Star Market, 699 Mt. Auburn Street)

Walk - Meet in front of Star Market, 699 Mt. Auburn Street, Cambridge. July’s meeting will feature the DCR Corridors Study as we walk the Mount Auburn Street Corridor.

6:00pm   Community Preservation Act Committee Public Hearing  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Aug 1

5:30pm   Special Midsummer City Council meeting  (Dr. Henrietta S. Attles Meeting Room, CRLS, 459 Broadway)

Tues, Aug 2

10:00-11:00am   Polystyrene Ordinance Info Session  (City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor Conference Room)

The Polystyrene Ordinance, which goes into effect October 20, 2016, prohibits food establishments from dispensing prepared food or beverage in single-use disposable polystyrene containers. To learn more and find alternatives, we encourage you to attend one of the two information sessions hosted by DPW.

Wed, Aug 3

3:00pm   The City Council's Public Safety Committee and Housing Committee will jointly meet.  (Sullivan Chamber)

5:30-7:30pm   Transit Advisory Committee meeting  (Room 124, MIT Stata Center - Building 32 (32-124))

Mon, Aug 15

5:30pm   The City Council's Housing Committee will meet.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Thurs, Aug 25

6:00pm   The City Council's Neighborhood & Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebration Committee and Civic Unity Committee will conduct a joint public hearing to discuss improving voter turnout for municipal elections in Cambridge through voter reward options.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Aug 29

5:30pm   The City Council's Neighborhood & Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebration Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss different models for campaign finance reform and publicly-funded municipal elections in Cambridge.  (Sullivan Chamber)

3) Recap of meetings of July 19 on Airbnb (short term rentals) and possible reconfiguration of traffic patterns and street alignments in and around Inman Square.
[possible reconfigurations for Inman Square roadways]

4) Updates on search process for the next City Manager - Focus Groups met with GovHR USA during June 9-June 16. Government Operations Committee met on Wed, June 29.
Apply for Cambridge City Manager    Brochure for Cambridge City Manager position

Nominations Sought for City Manager Search Process Preliminary Screening Committee

July 21, 2016 – In anticipation of the expected great interest in the City Manager position, City officials are assembling a 19-member Preliminary Screening Committee, facilitated by its consultant, GovHR USA, to screen résumés and conduct preliminary interviews with the highest-qualified candidates. The Preliminary Screening Committee will determine the finalists to be presented to the City Council for their consideration.

The Preliminary Screening Committee will be composed of:

(4) City Council members;

(3) Resident representatives* (who have demonstrated advocacy in support of community needs);

(2) Business related representatives (with demonstrated partnership experience, ideally from a large and a small business);

(1) Representative from Cambridge School Committee or a senior School Department administrative representative;

(1) Public Safety representative (Police/Fire departments);

(1) Person with demonstrated knowledge of municipal finance;

(1) Health and Human Services/Public Health representative;

(1) Representative with knowledge of City Planning and Development (experience in urban design and transportation issues preferred);

(1) Higher education/institutional partner;

(1) Public art and/or recreational representative;

(1) Affordable housing advocate;

(1) Non-profit community representative;

(1) Representative who advocates for the quality of our community’s civic and social well-being;

* Please note: The total number of resident members will be significantly higher as many of the designated category representatives will be Cambridge residents.

Criteria for Preliminary Screening Committee Membership:
Committee members will be selected by their ability to represent one or more of the identified constituency groups. All applications will be reviewed and the goal is to select a broadly representative and diverse group of committed participants. Experience with executive recruitment is highly desirable. Availability is a key criteria. Participants must commit to each of the following three (3) predetermined days. Day one will be Thursday, Aug. 25 for participant training. The group will convene again for two consecutive days on Wednesday, Sept. 7 and Thursday, Sept. 8 to conduct candidate interviews. Meals will be provided. The Cambridge location for the training and interviews has yet to be determined. This phase of the City Manager hiring process is strictly confidential, and as a result, all Preliminary Screening Committee participants will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement.

How to become a member of the Preliminary Screening Committee:
To be considered for the Preliminary Screening Committee, applicants can either self-nominate or be nominated. Online applications are due by 5pm on Friday, August 12, 2016. The online application can be found on the City Manager Search webpage, www.cambridgema.gov/citymanagersearch.

Paper applications are available upon request from the Personnel Department, Cambridge City Hall, Room 309, 795 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge MA 02139, or by calling 617-349-4332. Completed paper applications must be submitted to the attention of Sheila Keady Rawson, Personnel Director, by 12pm on Friday, August 12, 2016.

If you would like to recommend a participant for consideration or have questions, please email managersearch2016@cambridgema.gov or call Sheila Keady Rawson at 617-349-4332.

The City of Cambridge appreciates your interest and extends its gratitude for your support of this search process. Community involvement and participation is critical to selecting the right and best new City Manager for our great city!

5) Water Board Application Deadline Extended to August 19, 2016

Cambridge Water Board Member Sought
Application Deadline Extended to August 19, 2016

City Manager Richard C. Rossi is seeking a Cambridge resident to fill a vacancy on the Cambridge Water Board.

The Cambridge Water Board is a five-member board appointed by the City Manager that acts in an advisory role to the Managing Director of the Cambridge Water Department. Members typically assist in developing, modifying and approving policy related to Water-Department owned land and land use.

The board generally meets on the second Tuesday of the month, from 5-6:30pm, at the Walter J. Sullivan Water Purification Facility, 250 Fresh Pond Parkway, Cambridge.

Interested persons should send a letter and/or resume via e-mail, mail or fax by Friday, August 19, 2016 to:
Richard C. Rossi, City Manager
City of Cambridge
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Fax: 617-349-4307
E-mail: citymanager@cambridgema.gov

6) Updates on State Rep. and State Senate races and other down-ballot races: Where Do I Vote?
Primary Election is Thurs, Sept 8. General Election is Tues, Nov 8.
Note: There are no Republican, no Green-Rainbow, and no United Independent Party challengers for any of these seats.

Sen. Pat Jehlen vs. Councillor Leland Cheung (Second Middlesex - Senate) – SCAT/CCTV debate to be aired on CCTV

Sen. Sal DiDomenico (Middlesex and Suffolk - Senate)

Sen. Joseph A. Boncore (First Suffolk and Middlesex - Senate)

Rep. Timothy Toomey vs. Mike Connolly (26th Middlesex - House) – SCAT/CCTV debate to be aired on CCTV

Rep. Marjorie Decker vs. Leslie R. Phillips (25th Middlesex - House)

Rep. Jay Livingstone vs. Keith R. Anderson (8th Suffolk - House)

Rep. Jonathan Hecht (29th Middlesex - House)

Rep. David Rogers (24th Middlesex - House)

U.S. Congress

Congresswoman Katherine M. Clark (D), U.S. Congress, District 5

Congressman Michael Capuano, U.S. Congress, District 7 [Philip Mitza is planning to run as a write-in challenger under the Constitution Party of Massachusetts]

Governor's Council
Terrence W. Kennedy (Incumbent, Lynnfield) vs. Stephen Borelli (Boston) vs. Richard J. Dimeo (Boston); Sixth District

Sheriff of Middlesex County
Peter J. Koutoujian (Incumbent, Waltham) vs. Barry S. Kelleher (Wilmington)

7) National politics - The Democratic National Convention and some highlights/lowlights of the Republican National Convention

Note: Alfred P. Baldasaro, the Trump Veterans advisor who called for the execution of Hillary Clinton, is originally from Cambridge. His father worked for many years at the Cambridge Department of Public Works. He is the grandson of former Cambridge Mayor Alfred Vellucci.

8) Free Food! - or political organizing

Order #12 (June 20). The City Manager is requested to confer with the appropriate departments to organize regular suppers on the second Saturday of each month, starting on the 13th of August, with free food for the Cambridge community in open public spaces throughout the various Cambridge neighborhoods.   Councillor Mazen

Who pays for all the free food?

CIVIC CALENDAR

Tues, July 26

6:00-8:00pm   Mass+Main Open House  (435 Mass. Ave. - former Quest Diagnostics Building)

7:00pm   Planning Board meeting  (2nd Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)

General Business

1. Update from the Community Development Department

2. Adoption of Planning Board Transcripts

Public Hearings

7:00pm   PB#179, Major Amendment #6, North Point, Planned Unit Development to allow modifications to the arrangement of uses, roads, building sites and building masses within the Development Parcel pursuant to Sections 13.70 and 13.50 Planned Unit Development and 19.20 Project Review Special Permit. No change to the total Gross Floor Area or mix of uses is proposed. DW NP Property, LLC is the applicant. This is the second of the two required public hearings for a Planned Unit Development Major Amendment.

8:00pm   PB#313, 135 Fulkerson Street, Construction of 40 residential units pursuant to Section 4.26 Multifamily Special Permit. 135 Cambridge LLC is the applicant.

General Business

3. BZA 010667-2016 80 Erie Street – T Mobile Northeast LLC, Special permit to modify the existing telecommunications facility with replacement of existing equipment and installation of new equipment.

Wed, July 27

5:30pm   The City Council's Public Safety Committee will conduct a public hearing to hear from public safety officials on training equipment, response and communication policies pertaining to demonstrations, protests, memorials and similar actions involving large numbers of people in public space, ranging from CRLS student walkouts to Black Lives Matter memorials to the “let out” time of bars to Pokemon Go chasing and similar internet-driven meetups.  (Sullivan Chamber)

5:30pm   Cambridge Election Commission meeting  (1st Floor Meeting Room, 51 Inman St.)

Thurs, July 28

10:00-11:00am   Polystyrene Ordinance Info Session  (City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor Conference Room)

The Polystyrene Ordinance, which goes into effect October 20, 2016, prohibits food establishments from dispensing prepared food or beverage in single-use disposable polystyrene containers. To learn more and find alternatives, we encourage you to attend one of the two information sessions hosted by DPW.

6:00-8:00pm   Cambridge Pedestrian Committee Meeting  (Star Market, 699 Mt. Auburn Street)

Walk - Meet in front of Star Market, 699 Mt. Auburn Street, Cambridge. July’s meeting will feature the DCR Corridors Study as we walk the Mount Auburn Street Corridor.

6:00pm   Community Preservation Act Committee Public Hearing  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Aug 1

5:30pm   Special Midsummer City Council meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Tues, Aug 2

10:00-11:00am   Polystyrene Ordinance Info Session  (City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor Conference Room)

The Polystyrene Ordinance, which goes into effect October 20, 2016, prohibits food establishments from dispensing prepared food or beverage in single-use disposable polystyrene containers. To learn more and find alternatives, we encourage you to attend one of the two information sessions hosted by DPW.

7:00pm   Planning Board meeting  (2nd Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)

Wed, Aug 3

3:00pm   The City Council's Public Safety Committee and Housing Committee will jointly meet.  (Sullivan Chamber)

5:30-7:30pm   Transit Advisory Committee meeting  (Room 124, MIT Stata Center - Building 32 (32-124))

Thurs, Aug 4

6:00-8:00pm   Cambridge Historical Commission Meeting  (Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Ave.)

Wed, Aug 10

5:30-7:30pm   Cambridge Bicycle Committee Meeting  (4th Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)

Mon, Aug 15

5:30pm   The City Council's Housing Committee will meet.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Tues, Aug 16

7:00pm   Planning Board meeting  (2nd Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)

Wed, Aug 17

5:30pm   Cambridge Redevelopment Authority Board Meeting  (Police Station, 125 Sixth St., First Floor Community Room)

[Meeting Agenda and supporting materials]

Thurs, Aug 25

6:00pm   The City Council's Neighborhood & Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebration Committee and Civic Unity Committee will conduct a joint public hearing to discuss improving voter turnout for municipal elections in Cambridge through voter reward options.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Aug 29

5:30pm   The City Council's Neighborhood & Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebration Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss different models for campaign finance reform and publicly-funded municipal elections in Cambridge.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Tues, Sept 6

7:00pm   Planning Board meeting  (2nd Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)

Wed, Sept 7

5:30-7:30pm   Transit Advisory Committee meeting  (Room 117, MIT Building E25 (E25-117))

Thurs, Sept 8

6:00-8:00pm   Cambridge Historical Commission Meeting  (Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Ave.)

Mon, Sept 12

5:30pm   City Council meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)