Cambridge InsideOut - August 18, 2020

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Temporary Relocation of 14 Polling Sites in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Aug 13, 2020 – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to protect the safety of Cambridge residents, voters, and election staff, the Cambridge Election Commission has announced that Cambridge polling sites located in high-risk facilities will be temporarily relocated for the upcoming 2020 State Primary and General Election.

If a voter’s polling site has been relocated, the new polling location will be based in the same ward and precinct or near their regular polling place. Additionally, signage will also be posted at the regular polling site to help direct voters to their temporary polling sites.

In the next few weeks, Cambridge voters will receive an Early Voting Guide and a Voter Notification Card via the U.S. Postal Service. Voters are strongly encouraged to read both documents, as they contain information pertaining to any relocated polling places and other critical election-related information for the 2020 fall elections. This information is also available via an Interactive Polling Place Map and Polling Place PDF on the City’s website.

As a reminder, in order to vote on Election Day, you must be registered. To check voter registration status , and to find information on how to register to vote, visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website: www.registertovotema.com. If an individual needs to register to vote, they may do so online. A license, or an I.D. issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles is required to apply online. To be eligible to vote in the State Primary on September 1st, residents must register to vote or make any necessary changes to their voter registration by the deadline of Saturday, August 22nd at 8 p.m.

All voters will be asked to wear a face mask or covering and to practice physical distancing in the polling sites on Election Day to help minimize public health risks.

Additional information and updates related to COVID-19 and voting can be found on the City’s website at www.cambridgema.gov/covid19/voting.

Revised List of Cambridge Polling Places

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Mail-in and In-person Voting Options, Temporary Relocation of Polling Sites, and Designated Early Voting Locations, Dates and Hours for the State Primary

Aug 10, 2020 – In order to provide increased voting options in response to COVID-19, House Bill 4820 was passed and signed into law as Chapter 115 of the Acts of 2020 “for the immediate preservation of public health and convenience.” Accordingly, early voting is available to all voters for the State Primary, September 1st and the State/Presidential Election, November 3rd. Early voting is available by mail and in person to all registered voters and no excuse is required.

To vote by mail, all you need to do is:

Complete a Vote by Mail Application; you can download an application at www.MailMyBallotMA.com;
Applications can be sent by: email to elections@cambridgema.gov, mail to Election Commission, 51 Inman Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, or fax to 617-349-4366
Vote when your ballot arrives;
Return your ballot to the Cambridge Election Commission by mail or in-person. The Election Commission is open to the public by appointment only.

The deadline to submit a Vote by Mail application for a mailed ballot for the primary is Wednesday, August 26th by 5:00pm.

The deadline to return a Vote by Mail ballot is September 1st by 8:00pm in order to be counted.

To vote in-person, visit any of the three (3) early voting locations offered in Cambridge during the period of Saturday, August 22nd to Friday, August 28th for the State Primary. You must be a registered voter in Cambridge to vote at the early voting locations. Please refer to the city’s designated early voting schedule below.

The deadline to vote early in-person is Friday, August 28th at 5:00pm.

Please be advised that once a voter has cast an early voting ballot, the voter may no longer vote at the polls on Election Day.

City of Cambridge Designated Early Voting Locations, Hours and Days

Moses Youth Center – 243 Harvard Street, Main Entrance

Cambridge Water Department – 250 Fresh Pond Parkway

Valente Library – 826 Cambridge Street, Side Entrance on Berkshire Street

Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
August 22	August 23	August 24	August 25	August 26	August 27	August 28
2pm - 8pm	9am - 3pm	9:30am -5pm	9:30am - 5pm	9:30am - 5pm	9:30am - 5pm	9:30am - 5pm

The Election Commission office located at 51 Inman Street will NOT be an early voting location for the State Primary, September 1st. Voters must go to one of the designated early voting locations listed above.

Additional Voting Options

Voting on Election Day will still be available for those who may want to vote at the polls. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, some polling sites like those in high-risk facilities were temporarily relocated for the upcoming 2020 State Primary, September 1st. Your temporary location will be in the same ward and precinct or near your regular polling place to provide voter convenience and to minimize voter confusion. In the next few weeks, voters will receive an Early Voting Guide and a Voter Notification Card. Both will have information pertaining to any relocated polling places and other important election related information. Signage will also be posted to help voters find their temporary polling sites.

For anyone wanting to vote early in-person, vote by mail or vote on Election Day, the first step is making sure you are registered. To check to see if you are registered to vote, and to find information on how to register to vote, you may visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website: www.registertovotema.com. If you need to register to vote, you may do so online. You a license, or an I.D. issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles to apply online. To be eligible to vote in the State Primary, September 1st, you must register to vote or make any necessary changes to your voter registration by the deadline of Saturday, August 22nd at 8:00pm.

Whenever possible, we ask voters to wear a face mask or covering in the early voting locations and on Election Day at the polling sites and adhere to social distancing requirements to help mitigate public health risks. In addition, hand sanitizer will be available for use by voters upon entering and exiting the voting area. We encourage all our citizens to exercise their right to and take advantage of the voting options available.

Updated Proposal for Reopening Schools: August 4, 2020 [Link]

Dear CPS Community - CPS logo

I am writing to provide an update on my proposal for reopening schools this fall. Here is a brief summary of my updated proposal, which the School Committee will discuss tonight (Tuesday) at 5pm and consider for approval on Thursday at 5pm.

Proposal:

CPS would run a remote learning model for Grades 4-12.
CPS would provide an in-person school option as a choice for some families of our youngest learners, who are at lower risk of infection of COVID-19 (preschool to 3rd grade). At grades 2 and 3, this option will have limited in-person capacity.
CPS would provide an in-person school option as a choice for families whose students have specialized needs, including students in substantially separate special education and sheltered English immersion programs (preschool-grade 12).
CPS would open in stages to provide more time for educator planning and training, to provide time for students and families to practice new routines, and to focus first on relationships and student well-being. Students will begin school with half days on September 16 and transition to full days on October 5.
CPS has put in place significant precautions to keep students, staff, and families safe and healthy, including preparing facilities, improving air quality, providing personal protective equipment, and employing hygiene practices to minimize transmissions.

There is no perfect plan to reopen schools this fall. Every approach will leave some families and staff dissatisfied and concerned. My revised proposal attempts to reflect feedback from the community while providing some families with safe in-person learning opportunities for students with specialized needs.

This is an important decision for our community and I know that we will come together to support students, families, and staff this school year. Please see the upcoming list of community meetings and a more detailed proposal below.

Sincerely, Kenneth N. Salim, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Upcoming Community Meetings:

August 4 | School Committee meeting (Live-streamed at www.cpsd.us and broadcast on Cambridge Educational Access TV (CEATV) Channel 98/99)
August 5 | 2PM: School Committee Sub-Committee: Special Education and Students Supports
August 10 | 4PM: Town Hall: CRLS Families (Tentative)
August 11 | 11AM: CPS Staff Q&A Session
August 11 | 3PM: Town Hall with Special Education Families, Office of Student Services
August 11 | 5:30PM: Joint City Council and School Committee Roundtable
August 12 | 4:30PM: Town Hall: Spanish-speaking families
August 12 | 5:30PM: Town Hall: Haitian Creole speaking families
August 13 | 4:30PM: Town Hall: Bengali speaking families
August 13 | 5:30PM: Town Hall: Amharic speaking families

Proposal Details:
Feedback from community on previous proposals:

Acknowledge that students, families, and staff of color are at increased risk of COVID-19
Address the potentially higher transmission rate for older students, ages 10 - 17
Define metrics to determine if CPS schools will open partially or completely Start fully remote with exceptions for students with increased needs
The previously proposed model that had students rotating in some time in school with some time at home during the week potentially created increased exposure, was difficult for educators to plan for, and could leave students insufficiently supported on remote days.
Bringing some students into school means there would be different expectations for some staff.
A more equity driven approach would provide some students with the greatest needs fully in-person learning instead of providing all students with some in-person learning.

Detailed proposal

Remote learning (at home) will be the default option for all families.
Some families will have the choice to “opt-in” to in-person learning at school four times per week. We are prioritizing students who are at lower risk of transmitting COVID-19 risk and students who have specialized needs:
- All students in preschool and JK - 1
- All students in substantially separate special education programs (preschool, grades JK-12)
- All students in Sheltered English Immersion programs (grades JK-12)
Every elementary school building will open up to two classrooms for Grade 2 and Grade 3. Seats will be prioritized for students experiencing homelessness, students with disabilities, English language learners, and former English language learners. If additional seats remain, schools will identify students most in need of in-person instructional opportunities based on district criteria.
All students ages 10+ (grades 4 - 12) will engage in remote learning at home.

Staged approach:

Stage 1, Planning (Sept 1 - 11): Staff planning and training
Stage 2, Planning & Family Conferences (September 14 - 18): Beginning September 16, students begin at-home / online learning experiences in the afternoon.
Stage 3, Half Days (September 21 - October 2): Focus on well-being, building relationships and SEL skills, practicing safety routines. For those students in-person, grab & go lunch
Stage 4, Full Days, with Wednesday Half Days (October 5)
Stage 5, Reflection & Future Plans (Mid-late October)

Safety Precautions:

School/Classroom Setup

Desks & tables spaced 6 feet apart
Sinks in every classroom, additional sanitizer in the rooms
Virus shields placed in some high traffic areas
Quarantine rooms in every building
10 -12 people in typical classroom (depends on the size of the room)

Air Quality

Most buildings have up-to-date HVAC systems
CO2 meters for all buildings to check air quality
200 HEPA Air scrubbers to clean air
Engineering firm advising on HVAC practices
Window box fans to circulate fresh air
Each classroom at least one easily operable window

Cleaning

Additional custodial staff being for daily cleaning & sanitizing
Purchased electrostatic sprayers to disinfect buildings
Removed things that are difficult to clean or disinfect
Cleaning & disinfectant supplies for every classroom

Masks, Face Shields, Gloves

CPS has ordered 230,000 masks; 5,000 child-size face shields; and 1,000,000 pairs of gloves.

Testing

Working with city health department to provide testing for all staff before school starts

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Temporary Relocation of 14 Polling Sites in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

All voters will be asked to wear a face mask or covering and to practice physical distancing in the polling sites on Election Day to help minimize public health risks.

Additional information and updates related to COVID-19 and voting can be found on the City’s website at www.cambridgema.gov/covid19/voting.

Revised List of Cambridge Polling Places

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Mail-in and In-person Voting Options, Temporary Relocation of Polling Sites, and Designated Early Voting Locations, Dates and Hours for the State Primary

To vote by mail, all you need to do is:

Complete a Vote by Mail Application; you can download an application at www.MailMyBallotMA.com;
Applications can be sent by: email to elections@cambridgema.gov, mail to Election Commission, 51 Inman Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, or fax to 617-349-4366
Vote when your ballot arrives;
Return your ballot to the Cambridge Election Commission by mail or in-person. The Election Commission is open to the public by appointment only.

The deadline to submit a Vote by Mail application for a mailed ballot for the primary is Wednesday, August 26th by 5:00pm.

The deadline to return a Vote by Mail ballot is September 1st by 8:00pm in order to be counted.

The deadline to vote early in-person is Friday, August 28th at 5:00pm.

Please be advised that once a voter has cast an early voting ballot, the voter may no longer vote at the polls on Election Day.

City of Cambridge Designated Early Voting Locations, Hours and Days

Moses Youth Center – 243 Harvard Street, Main Entrance

Cambridge Water Department – 250 Fresh Pond Parkway

Valente Library – 826 Cambridge Street, Side Entrance on Berkshire Street

Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
August 22	August 23	August 24	August 25	August 26	August 27	August 28
2pm - 8pm	9am - 3pm	9:30am -5pm	9:30am - 5pm	9:30am - 5pm	9:30am - 5pm	9:30am - 5pm

Additional Voting Options

City of Cambridge to Relocate Temporary Emergency Shelter at War Memorial Recreation Center to 1575 Cambridge Street
New East Wing Emergency Shelter at Spaulding Hospital will open following renovations

Aug 10, 2020 – Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale announced today that the City of Cambridge has entered into an agreement with Spaulding Hospital-Cambridge, Inc. to create a City-funded temporary emergency homeless shelter in the east wing of the facility located at 1575 Cambridge Street. City Seal

This new temporary 57 bed shelter will replace the shelter currently located at the War Memorial Recreational Center and will serve as an adult homeless shelter for non-COVID-19-infected guests. The first and second floors of the presently empty east wing will undergo renovations to prepare the site for the new temporary shelter which is expected to open in November.

The War Memorial emergency shelter, which opened in April 2020, helped the City address the urgent needs of Cambridge residents who were experiencing homelessness during the rapidly evolving COVID-19 public health crisis that emerged this spring. The shelter was built with three distinct services areas, which included a quarantine area, isolation area, and shelter area for non-symptomatic persons experiencing homelessness who do not have access to day or overnight services. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts now provides quarantine and isolation facilities, and only the shelter for non-COVID-19 infected guests is currently being operated at the War Memorial site.

“The War Memorial location was highly desirable due to its extensive space, proximity to the Cambridge Hospital, and ability to be quickly converted into a shelter. However, this space was always intended to be temporary and returned to the school department for academic use,” said Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “I want to thank Spaulding Hospital for leasing the City part of its facility on Cambridge Street so that we can relocate the temporary emergency shelter from the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School campus. I want to especially recognize and thank Maureen Banks, President, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cambridge and David Storto, President, Spaulding Rehabilitation Network. Their commitment to this initiative and the Cambridge community were critical to reaching a successful agreement that will allow the City to continue supporting our most vulnerable populations for the duration of the pandemic.”

“We have enjoyed a high degree of cohesiveness and community safety during operations of the War Memorial emergency shelter and we look forward to a seamless transition to Spaulding Hospital, where we remain committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure we maintain the highest overall levels of community safety,” said Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard, Jr.

The War Memorial emergency shelter was set up to allow existing shelters to reduce overcrowding to make guests in all of Cambridge's shelters safer and to provide a site that guests who were leaving the shelters could move to. The War Memorial also provided important shelter for guests who had been served by seasonal shelters that were closing such as the Warming Center and Harvard Square Homeless Shelter.

“We are grateful to Bay Cove Human Services and to Healthcare for the Homeless who have provided a high level of services to our homeless guests and who will be continuing to provide the onsite services as the emergency shelter moves to Spaulding,“ said Assistant City Manager Ellen Semonoff.

As part of the agreement between the City and Spaulding Hospital, the first and second floors of the east wing located at 1575 Cambridge will be leased, renovated and converted into a shelter space by the City. The City of Cambridge will fund the entirety of the shelter operation. This project is CARES Act funding eligible and the City expects to submit approximately $ 3.4 million for reimbursement to support this critical initiative. The City Manager and Commissioner of Public Health have issued an emergency order temporarily suspending enforcement of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance at Spaulding Hospital to allow the space to be used as a homeless shelter.

“By continuing to provide a Temporary Emergency Shelter for Cambridge residents experiencing homelessness, we will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 among our most vulnerable residents,” said Dr. Assaad Sayah, Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Cambridge. “The more we can do to keep all residents safely distanced, regardless of where they call home, the greater chance we have to prevent increased illness due to this epidemic.”

As this new initiative gets underway, the City will be creating a dedicated webpage, phone number, and email address to respond to community questions or concerns. For more information and updates on COVID-19, please visit the City’s dedicated information page: https://www.cambridgema.gov/covid19.

Allston Multimodel Project

Aug 10, 2020 (Mass. DOT) – On Friday, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration took the next step in the environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project by releasing the Scoping Summary Report (SSR) for the project. The full document (including appendices totally over 450 pages) is available in its full form for download on the project website: https://www.mass.gov/doc/national-environmental-policy-act-review-scoping-summary-report-i-90-allston-multimodal-project/download

The Scoping Summary Report serves several purposes in the NEPA process. The Scoping Summary Report documents the opportunities provided for public comment during the scoping process and provides responses to some frequently received comments. Most importantly, the SSR lays out the key elements that will ultimately be used to define the “preferred” version of the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project: a set of alternatives proposed to be carried forward into the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and a statement of the project’s purpose and need and set of selection criteria that will be used to compare those alternatives and decide on a “preferred” alternative.

All of the “build” alternatives in the SSR that are being carried forward into the DEIS process are multimodal and make transformative changes to the portion of the project on the former Beacon Park Yards. All include:

a new Turnpike interchange and street grid;
a new multimodal West Station that provides four tracks, three platforms and an express track to serve current and future Worcester Main Line and future Grand Junction rail service as well as buses; and
Bicycle and pedestrian improvements including an at-grade bicycle and pedestrian connection to the Charles River and its parks and a wider Paul Dudley White path which separates cyclists and pedestrians.

There are three different options carried forward for the area known as the “throat”, each suggesting a different approach:

Build a new I-90 Viaduct to carry the Turnpike, one that is further from the Charles River and does not require any construction in the River either during construction or permanently;
Put Soldiers Field Road on a new viaduct and I-90 at grade, requiring construction in the Charles River but leaving no permanent infrastructure in the River; or
Eliminate any viaduct and put all rail tracks and roadways at- or below-grade, an alternative that requires construction in the Charles River and leaves some infrastructure in the River permanently.

All of these are carried as “build” alternatives, meaning that they fulfill the purpose and need of the project as defined in the SSR. The SSR also carries forward what is called a “no build” alternative, an option that does not meet the project’s purpose and need but does involve re-building the existing, structurally deficient viaduct. Instead of building the multimodal project, MassDOT would replace the deck of the I-90 Viaduct in Allston where it currently exists and leave all other transportation infrastructure in their current alignment. This No Build option would simply reconstruct the viaduct and would not include the construction of a new West Station or Paul Dudley White bicycle and pedestrian path.

The next NEPA document produced after the SSR is the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and so there is no specific public engagement or stakeholder process that occurs at this point in the NEPA process. MassDOT, however, welcomes and expects a continued discussion of this vital infrastructure project as we move to the next phase of the process. MassDOT will spend the next 30 days compiling additional information to better inform this fall’s focus on comparing the three “throat” options against each other and the project purpose and need and selection criteria. We will release this information and hold additional public meetings in September.

Cambridge to Expand Small Business Recycling Program

July 28, 2020 – The City of Cambridge announced the expansion of the Small Business Recycling Program beginning November 1, 2020. A pilot program, which offered free curbside recycling collection to 125 businesses, was successfully launched in November 2018. Recycling symbol

“I am so pleased to be able to expand this free curbside recycling program, which is great way to support our small businesses and help them reduce their waste,” said Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “It also aligns with our overall goals to reduce trash and greenhouse gas emissions in Cambridge."

Small businesses with less than 50 full time employees are invited to apply for the program. An additional 125 businesses will be added through this expansion. Selected businesses will receive free collection of up to 3 recycle carts twice per week. The collection service and the carts are provided by the City of Cambridge at no cost to the selected businesses.

The City of Cambridge will be hosting an online public forum to answer questions about the Small Business Recycle Program on Monday, August 10 at 1 pm. Register here.

To apply, fill out an application here by September 9, 2020. The City will notify selected businesses by October 9, 2020.

For more information, contact Deb Albenberg, dalbenberg@cambridgema.gov.

Cambridge City Manager and Commissioner of Public Health Amend Temporary
Emergency Order Preventing the Use of Reusable Bags at Retail Establishments
Reusable bags allowed effective on July 25; 10 cent fee on establishment provided bags resumes on August 10.

July 23, 2020 –  Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale and Commissioner of Public Health Assaad J. Sayah, MD announced today amendments to the March 23, 2020 temporary emergency order that restricted customers at retail establishments from using reusable bags after purchasing retail products because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the amended order, customers are permitted, effective on Saturday, July 25, to bring reusable bags to retail establishments for use at checkout. Until August 10, retail establishments are prohibited from charging the required fee of 10 cents for each recyclable paper bag or compostable plastic bags provided by the retail establishment. City Seal

Beginning August 10, the city’s mandatory 10 cent fee for recyclable paper bags or compostable plastic bags provided to the customer at the point of sale, and all provisions of Cambridge’s “Bring Your Own Bag” ordinance will be in effect. The city’s ban on single use plastic bags has always remained in place.

“The City of Cambridge takes deliberate and measured steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, protect our community, and reopen the city in a controlled manner,” said Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “The Cambridge community cares deeply about recycling whenever possible and I am pleased to see reusable checkout bags returning to our retail environment. As a city, we move cautiously in our public health decisions and utilize our Expert Advisory Committee to understand the potential impacts on new or modified public health measures and guidance. The community’s compliance with these measures have made a difference in Cambridge, and we will continue to use data and expert advice to inform our strategies to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Our goal is to protect the health and wellbeing of our residents.”

The city encourages consumers to frequently wash, sanitize, or disinfect their reusable bags. Additionally, the city recommends that employees placing items in reusable checkout bags for customers wear disposable gloves as an additional safety measure. All retail establishments are required to comply with the Commonwealth’s Sector Specific Workplace Safety Standards.

View the full emergency declaration on the COVID-19 Website.

The City of Cambridge and the City’s Public Health Department continue to work closely together to identify resources to reinforce the city’s response and preparedness activities. For more information and updates on COVID-19, please visit the city’s dedicated information page: https://www.cambridgema.gov/covid19.

Midsummer Night's Dream - Or Is It Real? - Agenda Items for the July 27, 2020 Cambridge City Council meeting

The summer meeting is often the time when battle lines are drawn and City Council business becomes Publick Theatre. Perhaps that's what Monday will bring, but that's pretty much what we've been seeing for months, and the theatrics are getting really old. This week's skirmishes are likely to be the culmination of kerfuffles past, e.g. what constitutes "military" equipment in the Police Department inventory, and the next chapter in the Overlay Express to move as much of the housing stock into "social ownership" as our revolutionary misrepresentatives can manage. This is also the Penultimate Meeting on the City Manager's contract extension - a matter of considerable importance and something of a litmus test of just how much some councillors misunderstand the Plan E Charter and the whole idea of a city manager form of government. There are also some practical suggestions, e.g. using the recent sale of the Grace properties at Alewife as a possible opportunity to make something better of the Jerry's Pond area. In any case, here are a few things that for one reason or another seem to stand out among the others: City Hall

Resolution #3. Resolution on the death of Barbara Ackermann. Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons

Suffice to say that former Mayor Barbara Ackermann was a class act in every way.

Manager's Agenda #6. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $10,489,930 received through the Coronavirus Relief Fund as part of the Federal Cares Act, to the Grant Fund Finance Department Other Ordinary Maintenance Account which will support expenditures related to core municipal services; public health; and services and supports to residents.

Manager's Agenda #30. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a proposed restatement of and amendment to the Mayor’s Disaster Relief Account, entitled “The City of Cambridge Restated and Amended Mayor’s Disaster Relief Account” (“Account”).
Charter Right - Simmons

Order #2. The Mayor be and hereby is requested to schedule a Roundtable/Working Meeting for members of the City Council and School Committee for Tues, Aug 11 at 5:30pm at City Hall, in the Sullivan Chambers, 795 Massachusetts Ave, to discuss CPSD reopening school plans. Mayor Siddiqui

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting information from the School Committee’s summer meetings.

No comment here other than to say that years from now we'll look back at 2020 (and perhaps beyond) as the year defined by the virus and how it reshaped so many things - some temporarily and some permanently. It is worth noting that while the councillors debate revolution and trivia, the School Committee and the Mayor are in the unenviable position of making extremely consequential decisions on how our public schools will operate come this fall.

Manager's Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-16, regarding feasibility of eliminating Library late fines.

In some colleges/universities where I have worked, the policy was that there was no time limit on how long a faculty member could keep a library book. Some of the books I took out just stayed on my bookshelf forever.

Manager's Agenda #27-28. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-33, regarding implementing a Tenants’ Rights and Resources Notification Act that would require owners and management companies to include tenants’ rights and resources information when issuing eviction notifications including at the initial Notice to Quit stage.
Passed to a 2nd Reading 9-0

In principle, having complete information is a good thing. I have been a landlord for 35 years and never had to give anyone the boot, but if I ever did I guess it's not so much to ask that I give an informational pamphlet along with the eviction notice. Anything beyond that is someone else's job.

Manager's Agenda #29. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an updated response to Calendar Item #9, regarding Gas Infrastructure Ban.
Referred to Health & Environment Committee

It should surprise no one but the zealots that the MA Attorney General is of the opinion that a comparable ban in the Town of Brookline violates state law and the Constitution of the Commonwealth. "The Attorney General agrees with the policy goals behind the Town’s attempt to reduce the use of fossil fuels within the Town. However, the Legislature (and the courts) have made plain that the Town cannot utilize the method it selected to achieve those goals." My guess is that unless an adult intervenes, the Cambridge City Council will pursue it anyway - because that's what zealots do.

Manager's Agenda #31. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-34, regarding a report on an itemized statement of all materials, tools, and property owned by the Cambridge Police Department.
Referred to Public Safety Committee (there was also a late communication from Police Commissioner Bard)

Late Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Police Commissioner, Dr. Branville G. Bard, Jr., transmitting a memorandum regarding some semblance of understanding as to how and why municipal police departments, like here in Cambridge, came to require the type of weaponry listed in the inventory contained in response to Council Order O-9.

This will likely be the main attraction at the meeting - debating ad nauseum whether this or that type of weapon or apparatus is or is not "military." I imagine it will also be prime time for the Zondervan/Sobrinho-Wheeler vs. Commissioner Bard sideshow in which the "abolish the police" gang explains in great detail all that they will never understand about law enforcement and public safety.

Order #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Personnel Department and provide an update on the Cambridge Police Patrol Officers’ Association union contract negotiation at the City Council’s regular meeting on Sept 14th, 2020. Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #5. The City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Personnel Department and City Solicitor to generate a report detailing the Sole Assessment Process, the Civil Service HRD process, the reason for choosing the Sole Assessment Process over the Civil Service HRD process, and the projected costs associated with both processes. The City Manager be and hereby is requested to present this report at the Sept 14th regular City Council meeting. Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #14. The City Manager look into transferring primary traffic enforcement responsibilities from the Cambridge Police Department to unarmed, trained enforcement personnel in the Traffic & Parking Department, Department of Public Works, Health & Human Services, or another suitable department. Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Charter Right - Mallon

The first two Orders seem to indicate the desire of the current City Council to blur those inconvenient boundaries established by the Plan E Charter regarding the role of the City Manager in managing the City and, in particular, in handling matters involving appointments and personnel. I suppose it's possible that they'll confine their remarks to matters of policy, but micromanagement is so much fun. Then again, some of them seem so ripe for charter change and the desire for greater control that I'm sure they won't be able to contain themselves.

The third Order (Order #14) seems like just the next chapter in the "Defund the Police" playbook. This is not to say that asking Traffic & Parking or DPW or Human Services to take on additional enforcement roles is unthinkable. I just think that when a parking control officer or rubbish collector or social worker pulls over a car for running a red light it will be quickly followed by hysterical laughter emanating from the offending vehicle. Then again, if the offender is a serious bad guy it won't be so funny.

Applications & Petitions #1. A Re-Submission of a Rezoning Petition has been received from Salvatori Zimno, Vice President, Development, BMR-THIRD LLC., regarding rezoning petition for a proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance and the Zoning Map of the City of Cambridge which upon adoption, would result in a new Planned Unit Development ("PUD") District CDK. [Petition w/o images] [images from petition]
Referred to Ordinance Committee & Planning Board

Applications & Petitions #5. A Zoning Petition has been received from Arvind Srinivasau regarding zoning language for the Alewife Quadrangle Northwest Overlay district. [text of petition]
Referred to Ordinance Committee & Planning Board

Applications & Petitions #6. A Zoning Petition has been received from Francis E. Donovan regarding new zoning amendments to increase Affordable Housing. [text of petition]
Referred to Ordinance Committee & Planning Board

Zoning, zoning, and more zoning returns. The first of these (Canal District PUD) offers a vision of what might finally happen in and around the Constellation Center site in Kendall Square that never materialized. The second is the next iteration of a recurring petition for the northwestern end of the Alewife Quadrangle area between Fresh Pond and the RR tracks. [As with the previous versions, this proposed zoning comes with a proposed pedestrian bridge over the RR tracks.]

The third petition has some interesting ideas and alternatives to the current "Affordable Housing Overlay" petition that is currently going through the process. Of course that also means that the AHO Express advocates will likely be dismissive of it. The interesting contrast between this new petition and the AHO is that the new petition (a) emphasizes the relaxation of single-family zoning rules in favor of multi-family housing, and (b) has an emphasis on having more ownership units. Simplistically, it's a contrast between the "social ownership" emphasis in the AHO that would put an ever-higher percentage of housing into the hands of government and their non-profit partners, versus making somewhat more intensive use of existing properties and promoting home-ownership. Unfortunately, the two viewpoints are intertwined with political organizations and their affiliated elected officials.

People can talk all day and night about charter change, but the more fundamental problem is that we have only the most imperfect ways of assessing what the voters of this city actually might favor (hint - municipal elections do a lousy job of measuring public opinion). When it comes to "abolishing the police" or making consequential decisions about housing policy and weighing tenant needs vs. property rights, a coin flip or a Ouija Board would probably do as good a job or better than the people who supposedly represent us.

Order #8. The Mayor be and hereby is requested to call a Special Meeting of the City Council and invite a representative from the Collins Center to present on the process and benefits of Charter Review and Reform. Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 9-0

And so it begins. The rhetoric surrounding the possible extension of City Manager Louis DePasquale's contract has been accompanied by hints of charter change because, after all, why did Louis wait so long to allow us to use our reusable shopping bags? Personally, I don't think it's a bad thing to think about our form of government every decade or so, but when I listen to the current rhetoric from the current councillors I really just want to take a rain check until the ideologues and the zealots and the power-hungry have gone to pasture.

Order #10. That the Cambridge City Council pass the attached Real Estate Transfer Fee Home Rule Petition. Councillor Carlone, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Referred to Ordinance Committee 9-0

I suppose I shouldn't really care about proposals like this because my building is unlikely to be transfered to anyone else in my lifetime, but I remain eternally suspicious of this City Council's endless quest to curtail the rights of property owners and to extract as much money out of every source possible to fund their eternal campaign to move residential property into "social ownership." At least this proposal puts the hit on those buying and/or selling property. Councillor Carlone, on the other hand, has now loudly proclaimed his wish that residential property taxes be jacked up to near the maximum possible even if that means shocking homeowners with a 50% increase in their residential property tax bills. The City Manager, in contrast, seems to be dedicated to maintaining a much slower rise in residential property taxes (thanks, Louis).

Order #11. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to Contact IQHQ and engage the relevant city departments regarding next steps for restoration, health and environmental protection, improvement, beautification, and making the surrounding areas of Jerry’s Pond publicly accessible and incorporating Jerry's Pond into the adjacent public parklands, with pedestrian and bicycle connections to the MBTA Station, the Alewife Reservation, Minuteman Bikeway, and the Linear Park. Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Order #12. The City Manager be and hereby is requested to take steps to improve the surrounding landscape for residents who live in the neighboring community and the many individuals who commute through the area via the Alewife Red Line, the Minuteman Bikeway, Rindge Avenue and Alewife Brook Parkway. Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted 9-0

These are both very forward-looking Orders that (I believe) have the intention of getting ahead of the curve regarding future plans by the new owners of the former WR Grace properties in the Alewife area. Those properties recently sold for $125 million and it's unlikely that they'll sit idle forever. Like it or not, with significant investment comes significant opportunities for improvement, and boy does that area need some improvement.

Order #15. The City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the appropriate departments to conduct street cleaning without towing for the remainder of the 2020 season, and to employ other methods including (but not limited to) an escalating ticketing schedule that would continue to incentive compliance. Councillor Zondervan
Failed of Adoption 4-4-1 (Nolan, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui, Zondervan - YES; Mallon, McGovern, Simmons, Toomey - NO; Carlone - ABSENT)

Councillor Kelley once suggested this and it's not such a crazy idea. On the other hand, I was pretty happy to recently have my neighborhood streets finally swept clear of debris, and I doubt that would have happened as effectively if vehicles were just tagged and not towed.

Order #16. The City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the City of Cambridge Law Department to review the above changes to the language of the Domestic Partnerships Ordinance and report back to the Council. Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Zondervan
Passed to 2nd Reading 9-0

I have no idea why this proposal has come up now, but I do remember that some aspects of the Domestic Partnership Ordinance lost their impact with the legalization of same-sex marriages. Basically, once marriage was an available option to all it invalidated some of the benefits for unmarried partners. I am curious about the possible unintended consequences of the proposal in that "'Domestic partnership' means the entity formed by two or more persons who meet the following criteria......" Hmm...., does that means I could form a tribe of unrelated persons who "are in a relationship of mutual support, caring and commitment" and declare my tribe to be a domestic partnership so that we could obtain a range of legal benefits? This could get really interesting.

Committee Report #1. A report of the Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee Meeting on Feb 19, 2020 to discuss amendments of the City Council’s Rules.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #2. A report Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee Meeting on Mar 12, 2020 to discuss the City Manager’s request to extend his contract.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

I don't know when they'll vote on a contract extension or what the term of that extension will be. The proposal initially floated was for a two year extension (which seems reasonable), but the revolutionaries seem to want to make it shorter so that they can get started right away on their interplanetary search for somebody as unaffiliated with Cambridge as possible and who will allow them to check all the necessary boxes. - Robert Winters

Comments?

CIVIC CALENDAR (abridged)

Tues, Aug 18

5:30-7:30pm River Street Reconstruction Working Group Meeting #10 (Virtual Meeting)
The next River Street Working Group Meeting will occur on Tues, Aug 18th with remote participation. At this meeting, the Project Team will provide an overview of the River Street design concepts east of Auburn Street, associated transportation analysis, bus operations, and Carl Barron Plaza urban design. Visit http://www.cambridgema.gov/riverstreet for updates. All Working Group meetings are open to the public. [Register for Meeting]

6:30pm Planning Board meeting (Remote Meeting - web only)
Review Information about Remote Planning Board Meetings
Register for Zoom Webinar to participate in real time (before or during the meeting)
Check your e-mail (including spam/junk folder) for confirmation. If you do not have a computer or e-mail address, please call Swaathi Joseph at 617-349-4668.

General Business

1. Update from the Community Development Department

Public Hearings

6:30pm PB# 365
759 Massachusetts Avenue – Special Permit application by GreenSoul Organics, LLC to convert an existing space into a Retail Cannabis Store pursuant to Section 11.800 (Cannabis Uses). (Notice) (Materials)

7:30pm Fossil Fuel Zoning Petition
Zoning petition by City Council to amend the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge by creating a new Paragraph 22.25.2(d) within the Green Building Requirements to submit a plan that uses alternative and renewable energy sources and an analysis of the feasibility and cost of installing such a system compared with a fossil fueled energy system for city and public review without mandating that a non-fossil fuel system be installed. (Notice) (Materials)

5:00pm School Committee Virtual Special Meeting (webcast from Attles Meeting Room, CRLS)

There will be a Virtual Special Meeting on Tues, Aug 18 at 7:00pm with the intent of entertaining a motion to convene in Executive Session for the purposes of discussing strategy for collective bargaining (CEA Units A&B, C, D and E) as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the School Committee.

Votes may be taken in Executive Session and the School Committee will not reconvene in open session.

Until further notice, the Cambridge School Committee will hold its meetings and hear public comment virtually. Meetings will be livestreamed at www.cpsd.us and broadcast on Cambridge Educational Access TV (CEATV) Channel 98/99, as usual.

Wed, Aug 19

5:00pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will meet to conduct a public hearing on a petition to add an Affordable Housing Ordinance to the City’s Zoning Ordinances. THIS HEARING WILL NOT HOLD PUBLIC COMMENT. (Sullivan Chamber, web-only)

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

5:30pm Cambridge Election Commission meeting (Remote Participation via ZOOM)
The meeting may be viewed by the public at this Zoom Link.

I. MINUTES

II. REPORTS

1. Executive Director's Report

2. Assistant Director's Report

3. Commissioners' Reports

III. PUBLIC COMMENT

IV. ACTION AGENDA

Old Business

State Primary, September 1, 2020

- Polling Places

- Early Voting Prep

- Processing and counting of EV ballots

New Business

6:00-7:30pm Central Square Advisory Committee meeting (Zoom)

Thurs, Aug 20

5:00pm School Committee Virtual Special Meeting (webcast from Attles Meeting Room, CRLS)

There will be a Special Meeting on Thurs, Aug 20 at 5:00pm held in and broadcast from the Dr. Henrietta S. Attles Meeting Room, CRLS, 459 Broadway for the purpose of discussing
1) the distance learning report based on spring learning experiences,
2) plans for remote learning for the upcoming school year,
3) voting on Superintendent's consent agenda recommendations and
4) discussing fall plans, including status updates on the School Committee’s Reopening Plan contingencies
and any other business that may properly come before the Committee. It is anticipated that this meeting will end by or before 8:30pm.

Wed, Aug 26

5:00pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will meet to conduct a public hearing on a petition to add a Green Energy Analysis Zoning Ordinance. (Sullivan Chamber, web-only)

Wed, Sept 2

2:30-5:00pm Cambridge Redevelopment Authority Design Review Meeting (Police Station, First Floor Community Room, 125 Sixth St.)

5:30-7:30pm Transit Advisory Committee (Senior Center)

Wed, Sept 9

9:15-11:00am Recycling Advisory Committee (virtual meeting)

Mon, Sept 14

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

Wed, Sept 16

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

6:00-7:30pm Central Square Advisory Committee meeting (Zoom)

Mon, Sept 21

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

Thurs, Sept 24

6:00pm Pedestrian Committee Meeting (City Hall Annex, 4th Floor Conference Room, 344 Broadway)

6:00pm Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship meeting (2nd Floor Conference Room, 51 Inman St.)

Thurs, Oct 1

6:00pm Human Rights Commission meeting (2nd Floor Conference Room, 51 Inman St.)

Mon, Oct 5

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

Cyclist Fatality in Harvard Square

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Temporary Relocation of 14 Polling Sites in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Mail-in and In-person Voting Options, Temporary Relocation of Polling Sites, and Designated Early Voting Locations, Dates and Hours for the State Primary

Updated Proposal for Reopening Schools: August 4, 2020 [Link]

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Temporary Relocation of 14 Polling Sites in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Mail-in and In-person Voting Options, Temporary Relocation of Polling Sites, and Designated Early Voting Locations, Dates and Hours for the State Primary

Fine Free Pilot Program

Cambridge to Expand Small Business Recycling Program

Cambridge City Manager and Commissioner of Public Health Amend Temporary
Emergency Order Preventing the Use of Reusable Bags at Retail Establishments
Reusable bags allowed effective on July 25; 10 cent fee on establishment provided bags resumes on August 10.

Midsummer Night's Dream - Or Is It Real? - Agenda Items for the July 27, 2020 Cambridge City Council meeting

Tues, Aug 18

Wed, Aug 19

Thurs, Aug 20

Wed, Aug 26

Wed, Sept 2

Wed, Sept 9

Mon, Sept 14

Wed, Sept 16

Mon, Sept 21

Thurs, Sept 24

Thurs, Oct 1

Mon, Oct 5

Cyclist Fatality in Harvard Square

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Temporary Relocation of 14 Polling Sites in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Mail-in and In-person Voting Options, Temporary Relocation of Polling Sites, and Designated Early Voting Locations, Dates and Hours for the State Primary

Updated Proposal for Reopening Schools: August 4, 2020 [Link]

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Temporary Relocation of 14 Polling Sites in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Cambridge Election Commission Announces Mail-in and In-person Voting Options, Temporary Relocation of Polling Sites, and Designated Early Voting Locations, Dates and Hours for the State Primary

Fine Free Pilot Program

Cambridge to Expand Small Business Recycling Program

Cambridge City Manager and Commissioner of Public Health Amend Temporary Emergency Order Preventing the Use of Reusable Bags at Retail Establishments Reusable bags allowed effective on July 25; 10 cent fee on establishment provided bags resumes on August 10.

Midsummer Night's Dream - Or Is It Real? - Agenda Items for the July 27, 2020 Cambridge City Council meeting

Tues, Aug 18

Wed, Aug 19

Thurs, Aug 20

Wed, Aug 26

Wed, Sept 2

Wed, Sept 9

Mon, Sept 14

Wed, Sept 16

Mon, Sept 21

Thurs, Sept 24

Thurs, Oct 1

Mon, Oct 5

Cambridge City Manager and Commissioner of Public Health Amend Temporary
Emergency Order Preventing the Use of Reusable Bags at Retail Establishments
Reusable bags allowed effective on July 25; 10 cent fee on establishment provided bags resumes on August 10.