Cambridge InsideOut - February 21, 2017

Thurs, Feb 23

6:00pm Black History Month Event - Bernice L. McFadden (Main Library, Lecture Hall: 6:00pm dinner, 6:30 Program

Bernice L. Mcfadden is the author of nine critically acclaimed novels including Sugar, Loving Donovan, Nowhere Is a Place, The Warmest December, Gathering of Waters (a New York Times Editors’ Choice and one of the 100 Notable Books of 2012), and Glorious, which was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award. Her latest novel, The Book of Harlan, a Washington Post Notable Book of 2016, has been nominated for the 2017 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work.

This Black History Month event is sponsored by the Office of Mayor E. Denise Simmons, Cambridge Employees’ Committee on Diversity, and the Cambridge Public Library. For more information about Black History Month events in and around Cambridge, visit www.cambridgema.gov/mayor/blackhistorymonth, or contact the Office Mayor E. Denise Simmons at 617-349-4321 or dsimmons@cambridgema.gov.

The City of Cambridge is currently recruiting applicants to take the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Open Competitive Examination for Police Officers on March 25. Learn more at an informational open house for Cambridge residents Monday, February 6, 2017, from 6-7:30pm, at Robert W. Healy Public Safety Facility, 125 Sixth St., Cambridge. To apply go online to www.mass.gov/civilservice or call 617-878-9895. Also visit http://CambridgeMA.Gov/CPD.

City Announces First Minibond Issuance, Invites Residents to Directly Invest in Cambridge

Jan 23, 2017 – The City of Cambridge is pleased to announce that it intends to offer Cambridge residents the chance to invest directly in Cambridge infrastructure by purchasing minibonds. Minibonds enable residents to earn tax-exempt interest and invest for the future while supporting the Cambridge capital budget.

A minibond is similar to a traditional municipal bond in which investors loan money to a city or public agency for an agreed period of time, receive interest on the investment, and get their loan paid back when the bond matures. The City will use minibond proceeds to support capital projects such as school building renovations, municipal facility upgrades, and implementation of the Complete Streets plan.

All municipal bonds previously sold by the City were sold in denominations of $5,000 or more. Minibonds are different because residents can purchase them for as little as $1,000, making them more accessible than traditional municipal bonds for potential investors.

The City is working with Neighborly Securities* to issue the minibonds. Neighborly is not affiliated with the City of Cambridge in any way, other than as the broker-dealer for this sale of minibonds.

The City expects to sell up to $2 million of minibonds in its first minibond sale, which will take place from February 17-23, 2017. Each Cambridge resident may purchase up to 20 minibonds for a total possible investment of $20,000 (20 x $1,000/minibond). The interest rate on the 2017 minibonds will be determined on February 17, 2017 and interest will be paid semiannually. Principal on the 2017 minibonds will be paid in five years in 2022.

Minibonds will only be offered to investors following release of a Preliminary Official Statement of the City that will describe the terms of the minibonds and provide other financial information concerning the City. The City expects to issue a Preliminary Official Statement by February 13, 2017.

Residents who are interested in buying Cambridge minibonds will need to create an account through Neighborly.com before the order period ends or purchase minibonds through their own broker. Once a minibond order is submitted through Neighborly, Neighborly’s investment team reviews it for approval and allocation. If the order is approved, minibonds will then be allotted and filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Neighborly representatives will be at Cambridge City Hall on Wednesday, February 15 from 6-8pm and Tuesday, February 21 from 6-8pm to provide assistance and discuss the minibond process.

For questions about setting up an account with Neighborly to purchase minibonds, please contact Neighborly at (866) 432-1170, support@neighborly.com, or www.neighborly.com/cambridge.

For general questions about Cambridge minibonds, please visit http://minibonds.cambridgema.gov or contact the City’s Budget Office at minibonds@cambridgema.gov or (617) 349-4270.

*Minibonds will only be ordered through Neighborly Securities, member FINRA, SIPC & registered with MSRB, pursuant to a preliminary and final official statement to be made available during the ordering period. This information does not constitute an order to sell or the solicitation of an order to buy any securities. You will be responsible for making your own independent investigation and appraisal of the risks, benefits, and suitability of any securities to be ordered and neither the City of Cambridge nor Neighborly Securities is making any recommendation or giving any investment advice.

Feb 16 MIT meetings on future plans for Volpe site

Full MIT Presentation Abridged Version

Feb 14 School Committee/City Council Roundtable:
Increased transportation costs and increasing enrollments
Friction between School Committee members and among Councillors

Looking Ahead

Possible City Council and School Committee candidates for 2017 (with age at time of election)

City Council Candidate	Birthdate	Age	address	Notes
Timothy J. Toomey	6/7/1953	64	88 6th St., 02141	incumbent, first elected in 1989, recently filed w/OCPF to change campaign acct. from state rep. to City Council
E. Denise Simmons	10/2/1951	66	188 Harvard St. #4B, 02139	incumbent, first elected in 2001
Craig Kelley	9/18/1962	55	6 Saint Gerard Terr. #2, 02140	incumbent, first elected in 2005
Leland Cheung	2/11/1978	39	157 Garden St., 02138	incumbent, first elected in 2009
Dennis Carlone	5/7/1947	70	9 Washington St. #6, 02140	incumbent, first elected in 2013
Marc McGovern	12/21/1968	48	15 Pleasant St., 02139	incumbent, first elected in 2013
Nadeem Mazen	9/20/1983	34	720 Mass. Ave. #4, 02139	incumbent, first elected in 2013
Jan Devereux	5/13/1959	58	255 Lakeview Ave., 02138	incumbent, first elected in 2015
Dennis Benzan	1/25/1972	45	1 Pine St., 02139	served 2014-15, likely to seek reelection
Paul Toner (new)	4/28/1966	51	24 Newman St., 02140	definitely running, not yet registered with OCPF
Quinton Zondervan	9/15/1970	47	235 Cardinal Madeiros Ave., 02141	announced, registered with OCPF, actively fundraising
Alanna Marie Mallon	12/6/1970	46	3 Maple Ave., 02139	announced, registered with OCPF
Ronald Benjamin	1/5/1971	46	172 Cushing St., 02138	announced, registered with OCPF
Sean Tierney	3/10/1985	32	12 Prince St. #6, 02139	definitely running, registered with OCPF
Sam Gebru	11/20/1991	25	812 Memorial Dr., 02139	announced, registered with OCPF
Vatsady Sivongxay	2/20/1982	35	59 Kirkland St. #2, 02138	not yet announced, but registered with OCPF, actively fundraising
Olivia D'Ambrosio	9/13/1983	34	270 3rd Street #305, 02142	not yet announced, but registered with OCPF
Sumbul Siddiqui (new)	2/10/1988	29	530 Windsor Street, 02141	not yet announced, but registered with OCPF
Theodora Marie Skeadas	8/16/1990	27	988 Memorial Drive #185, 02138	not yet announced, but registered with OCPF
James Williamson	1/13/1951	66	1000 Jackson Pl., 02140	perennial candidate
Ilan Levy	11/1/1967	50	148 Spring St. 02141	ran in 2015, seems to be planning to do it again
Andrew King	4/17/1986	31	40 Essex St., 02139	conflicting reports on whether or not a candidate
Romaine Waite	6/7/1991	26	60 Lawn St. #5, 02138	not announced, but may try again
School Committee Candidate	Birthdate	Age	address	Notes
Fred Fantini	6/8/1949	68	4 Canal Park #203, 02141	incumbent, first elected in 1981
Richard Harding	10/16/1972	45	189 Windsor St. #1, 02139	incumbent, first elected in 2001, speculation he may run for City Council
Patty Nolan	8/28/1957	60	184 Huron Ave., 02138	incumbent, first elected in 2005
Kathleen Kelly	3/8/1960	57	17 Marie Ave. #1, 02139	incumbent, first elected in 2013
Emily Dexter	3/16/1957	60	9 Fenno St., 02138	incumbent, first elected in 2015
Mannika Bowman	11/27/1979	37	134 Reed St., 02140	incumbent, first elected in 2015
Will MacArthur	5/24/1998	19	18 Shea Rd., 02140	definitely running for School Committee

There are others who are likely to be candidates but who have not yet chosen to be identified as such. Please let me know of other candidates. Not all of the individuals listed above may wish to be identified as candidates, and I will be more than happy to remove those names (unless I am absolutely certain they will be running!). Anyone who has filed papers with OCPF (Office of Campaign & Political Finance) is assumed to be running for City Council. - RW

Monday the 13th - Featured Items on the Feb 13, 2017 Cambridge City Council Meeting Agenda

This is a very short agenda this week. Here are a few things of possible interest:

Manager's Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the revised and annotated version of the Central Square Restoration Zoning Petition.

Committee Report #2. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Dennis J. Carlone and Councillor Leland Cheung, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for an additional public hearing held on Feb 2, 2017 to discuss the Central Square Restoration Zoning petition.

It is expected that the Central Square Restoration Zoning petition will be passed to a 2nd Reading at this meeting. This will put it in the queue for ordination at the Feb 27 meeting - hopefully by a unanimous vote.

Resolution #5. Wishing Ken Reeves a Happy Birthday. Councillor Toomey

When Ken was on the Council it was a tradition to not only wish him a happy birthday on his Feb 8 birthday, but to also commemorate him for the entire month of February. It's nice to see Councillor Toomey continuing the tradition - at least for the day. Happy Birthday, Ken!

Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to consult with the Department of Public Works, the City Arborist, and any other appropriate City department to establish a Tree Task Force to better protect the urban canopy. Councillor Devereux All Hail Marx and Lennon

This is the only City Council Order on the agenda this week. Perhaps such a task force could be established within the Public Planting Committee rather than duplicating effort. More generally, this is a good time to take a look at all of the City's various Boards, Commissions, Advisory Committees, and Task Forces to make sure that the right issues are being addressed, there is no duplication of effort, and that volunteer energy is being best utilized.

Committee Report #1. A communication was received from Paula Crane, Deputy City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Jan Devereux, Chair of the Economic Development and University Relations Committee, for a public hearing held on Jan 12, 2017 to review City Ordinance 12.08.010 regarding sandwich board and A-frame signs.

The littlest issue had its day in committee. Most seemed to agree that some basic guidelines should be established and that the permitting of such signs should be done in the future by City staff without the need for City Council approval of every such sign. An ordinance change will be required to make it so. - Robert Winters

Comments?

On tap at the February 6, 2017 Cambridge City Council meeting

Patriots - Super Bowl Champions Here are some items of possible interest this Monday. Budget Season is on the horizon. More importantly, pitchers and catchers report February 13 and position players on February 16. Even more importantly, wasn't that come-from-behind Patriots victory in the Super Bowl just spectacular?

Manager's Agenda #1. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of of $3,709,949 in funds from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) Grant to the Public Works Public Investment Fund Extraordinary Expenditures account for the Alewife Sewer Separation Program.

Order #4. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Department of Public Works to set and meet a firm 2017 deadline for fully completing all remaining parts of the Huron A, Huron B, and Concord Avenue contracts, provide a full accounting of all costs (to-date and future) compared to the original contracts and budgets and schedule a community meeting as soon as possible to update the public on the schedule and budget for completing the project, as well as a complete list of all remaining punch list items for each of the contract areas. Councillor Devereux

Manager's Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $2,300,000 to provide funds for the design, drainage, and installation of new field surfaces at Russell Field and the Graham and Parks School.

Manager's Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,100,000 to provide funds for the construction of sewer separation, storm water management, and combined sewer overflow reduction elimination improvements within the Cambridgeport Neighborhood.

Manager's Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,000,000 to provide funds for the reconstruction of various City streets and sidewalks.

Call me an infrastructure geek, but I just love this kind of stuff - how all the systems of a city run from water supply to sewerage to electric service and everything else that goes on unseen and underappreciated (until something goes wrong).

Charter Right #8 (Order #3 of Jan 23, 2017). That the City Manager is requested to hire an independent consultant who shall assess the efficiency and effectiveness of how all City Departments conduct their work, who will begin implementing whatever necessary adjustments are deemed to be necessary, and who will report back to the City Manager and the City Council on his or her progress in regular monthly intervals. [Charter Right exercised by Mayor Simmons on Jan 23, 2017. Placed On Table on motion of Mayor Simmons on Jan 30, 2017.]

My understanding is that better language was being worked out and this item should be voted on Monday. Most importantly, any consultant hired by the City should advise the City Manager, but it's still entirely the Manager's decision how to structure City departments. As I mentioned last week, this may also be a good time to look at the structure of all the City's volunteer Boards and Commissions, and maybe the City Council should also give some thought toward how its subcommittees function (or not function).

Unfinished Business #10. A proposed amendment to the Ordinance entitled "Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge" to insert in Article 11.00 a new Section 11.800 Medical Marijuana. [The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Feb 6, 2017. Planning Board hearings were held Nov 1, 2016 and Jan 3, 2017. Petition expires Feb 7, 2017.]

The deadline is here, and there are still a lot of unanswered questions.

Order #7. That the City Manager is requested to work with the relevant City staff to make available the City’s GIS system data regarding the total number of parking spaces designated as resident-permit only by street address, the total number of residential off-street parking spaces by street address, and the total number of cars registered in Cambridge by street address. Councillor Devereux, Councillor Mazen

Councillors Devereux and Mazen are gathering data to make the case for removing parking on several major streets, including Broadway, Cambridge St., Hampshire St., and Mass. Ave. in order to remove bicycles from the roadway. They have apparently neglected to inquire about parking for schools, City buildings, churches, day care facilities, funeral homes, and all businesses. They also neglected to inquire about parking needs by times of day. I'm sure it was just an oversight. And pigs can fly. - Robert Winters

Comments?

Civic Infrastructure (from Dec 1, 2015)

Civic landscape today dominated by single-issue advocacy and neighborhood groups that often do not represent their neighborhoods. Common pattern is that some dominant characters eventually drive out other participants rendering the group a narrow agenda-driven entity. Some groups (PSNA, Agassiz-Baldwin) generally have a better focus such as (a) children (Agassiz), or (b) cooperation with the local business community (PSNA).

Groups like the Cambridge Residents Alliance are dominated by zoning and, arguably, efforts to slow or stop new development - residential or commercial/office/lab. The Fresh Pond Residents Alliance is of this type (in addition to serving as a launching point for a City Council candidacy).

For the Cambridge Schools there are also advocacy groups (Special Ed and others), but not necessarily a general forum for broader discussion.

June 7, 2009 - Once upon a time there was a civic organization in Cambridge known as the Cambridge Civic Association (CCA). It was formed in 1945 out of several organizations that had been existed through the 1930s and that had lobbied the state legislature to create the Plan E Charter option (1938) which featured a city manager form of government and proportional representation elections for city council and school committee. These reforms were central to model charter reform movements active in the United States from the early 1900s. The central theme of the CCA in its early days was "good government" in the sense of being anti-patronage and for professionally managed local government. This changed with the introduction of rent control at the end of the 1960s after which the CCA shifted leftward and became permanently lashed to the mast of the rent control vessel. Though the CCA still exists on paper (I believe), it rapidly declined after the statewide abolition of rent control (late 1994) and essentially disappeared a decade later (early 2005).

I bring up the ghost of the CCA today only to point out that when it was created it had some very admirable goals. Here's the original Mission Statement of the CCA:

Purposes: This association is formed for the following purposes:

1. To promote businesslike, honest, and efficient conduct of local government, open to public scrutiny.

2. To induce residents to take an active interest in the affairs of the City of Cambridge.

3. To encourage and support the candidacy of men and women seeking election to public office and to support intelligent, wholesome leadership in public affairs.

4. To assure that the best qualified persons are appointed to positions in the City government after consideration of all qualified candidates.

5. To promote among the citizens of Cambridge equitable distribution and benefit of public services and equal opportunity for economic security, education, and social advancement.

Possible additions:
6. To foster an environment of mutual cooperation between local business districts and the neighborhoods they serve.

These are pretty good founding principles for a civic organization.

One founding principle of the CCA that fell into disuse over the years is listed above as #3: To encourage and support the candidacy of men and women seeking election to public office and to support intelligent, wholesome leadership in public affairs. Indeed, I can personally testify to the fact that in its dying years the only reason the CCA made endorsements at all was because the CCA-endorsed incumbents wanted the benefit of having an advertised CCA slate of candidates that would help secure their reelection. There was precious little effort to recruit new candidates or to support them. Today, the benefits of incumbency are greater than ever. The cost of political campaigns have become absurdly high and most of the incumbents now have (City paid) staff who are inevitably political appointees who directly or indirectly assist in the reelection efforts of their bosses. The deck is increasingly stacked against challengers. Furthermore, the salary and benefits for elected councillors are now so sweet that it is unlikely that any of them would ever want to move on to another job.

CCA Origin

The Advent of PR in Cambridge - by David Goode

CIVIC CALENDAR

Tues, Feb 21

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

General Business

1. Update from the Community Development Department

Public Hearings

7:00pm 907 Main Street, Patrick W. Barrett, III, seeks special permits pursuant to Article 2.000 Gross Floor Area exemption for basement and cellar spaces and Section 20.304.6(2) Waiver of Parking and Loading in the Central Square Overlay District to convert the existing mixed use building to a 58 room hotel with ground floor retail and rooftop bar. A small addition is to be constructed on the Columbia Street frontage. (PB#324)

8:00pm 195 & 211 Concord Turnpike, CPC-T Holdings LLC dba Criterion Development Partners seeks special permits pursuant to Section 20.63.7 Parkway Overlay District, 20.70 Flood Plain Overlay District, 5.25.42 Flood Plain Overlay District to exclude above grade parking structure from the Floor Area Ratio, 6.35 reduction of the minimum off street parking requirement, 6.43.3(b) maximum curb cut widths, 17.42.3 height to exceed 60 feet in the Special District 4A, 19.20 Project Review and 17.42.2 to reduce the yard requirements in the Special District 4A to demolish the existing buildings and construct a new 320 unit residential building with approximately 324,440 squre feet of Gross Floor Area and 243 off street parking spaces. (PB#326)

Wed, Feb 22

7:00pm The City Council's Public Safety Committee will hold a public working group meeting to gather feedback on a short-term rental policy for Cambridge. These findings will be communicated to the Public Safety Committee during a meeting scheduled on Mar 1, 2017 at 4:00pm. (Sullivan Chamber)

Thurs, Feb 23

6:00pm Black History Month Event - Bernice L. McFadden (Main Library, Lecture Hall: 6:00pm dinner, 6:30 Program

Mon, Feb 27

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)

Tues, Feb 28

3:00pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct an additional hearing to discuss a petition by the City Council to amend provisions of the Zoning Ordinance related to Inclusionary Housing, including the insertion of new definitions in Article 2.000 and the substitution of revised zoning text for the current text to Sections 11.200 through 11.206. This hearing to be televised. (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, Mar 1

4:00pm The City Council's Public Safety Committee will conduct a public hearing to draft language for short-term rental regulations to be forwarded to the Ordinance Committee. (Sullivan Chamber)

6:00-8:00pm Envision Cambridge Advisory Committee meeting (4th Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)

Mon, Mar 6

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, Mar 8

3:30pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss a proposed amendment to the Municipal Code in Chapter 8.12.010 entitled “Self-service station regulations.” (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Mar 13

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)

Thurs, Mar 16

3:30pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss a zoning petition filed by Richard Harding et al to amend the Central Square Overlay District by amending Sections 20.307.8.1(a) and (b) and 20.307.6.2(a). This hearing to be televised. (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Mar 20

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, Mar 22

3:00pm The City Council's Health and Environment Committee will conduct a public hearing to receive an update from City Staff on recent changes regrading leaf blowers made since a hearing held in June2016, including enforcement, the purchase and pilot of green landscaping equipment, plans for a pilot program in spring 2017 to use green equipment in two parks, and any other updates on efforts the City is taking in regards to leaf blowers. (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Mar 27

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, Mar 29

3:30pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss a proposed Zoning Ordinance amendment to strike out Section 8.23 entitled “Non-conformity” and substitute in place thereof a new Section 8.23. This hearing to be televised. (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Apr 3

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, Apr 5

6:00-8:00pm Envision Cambridge Advisory Committee meeting (4th Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)

Mon, Apr 24

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, Apr 26

3:00pm The City Council's Health and Environment Committee will conduct a public hearing to receive an update on the City’s urban forestry programs, tree inventory and maintenance, planting programs, the role of the Committee on Public Planting, the impacts of the drought on the urban forest, and any other matters related to trees. (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, May 1

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)

Tues, May 2

9:00am The City Council's Finance Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss the FY2018 City Budget. This hearing to be televised. (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, May 8

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)

Tues, May 9

6:00pm The City Council's Finance Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss the FY2018 School Department Budget. This hearing to be televised. (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, May 10

9:00am The City Council's Finance Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss the FY2018 City Budget. This hearing to be televised. (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, May 15

4:00pm 2017 Scholarship Award Ceremony (Sullivan Chamber)

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, May 17

6:00-8:00pm Envision Cambridge Advisory Committee meeting (4th Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)

Mon, May 22

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)