For Your Consideration on the May 3, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting agenda Here are the things I found interesting, alarming, or downright absurd this week: Manager's Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a COVID-19 update. Placed on File 9-0 Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting questions for the COVID-19 update. Placed on File 9-0 It was a pleasure going for a walk this weekend without the mask (except when in close proximity with other people). Let's hope that things continue on the road to normalcy (or at least close to normal). Manager's Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of The Port Infrastructure Project Working Group, effective May 3, 2021 for a period of 12-15 months. Placed on File 9-0 Manager's Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-25, regarding a report on monitoring drought conditions and an update on demand projections. Placed on File 9-0 Manager's Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-66, regarding a report on establishing a Black and Brown-Owned Business Task Force. Placed on File 9-0 Manager's Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the FY2022 submitted budget and appropriation orders. [FY2022 Summaries] [FY2022 Budget Book] Referred to Finance Committee 9-0 I like to track how the budgets of the various City departments change from year to year and in the long term. Here's a chart showing the one-year and two-year changes as well as the 17-year changes. The big jumps upward this year are for the Law Department (up 23.4% in one year and 38.6% over two years), the Executive Department, i.e. the City Manager's Office (up 14.3% in one year and 28.8% over two years), and the Animal Commission (up 12.4% in one year but just 0.9% over two years). It is notable that the Mayor's Office budget dropped 15.3% from the previous year. The overall proposed budget is up 4.7% from the previous year and 10.5% from two years earlier. It's not so easy to ascertain from just the summaries how the Covid-19 pandemic expressed itself in the FY22 Budget, but perhaps that will become more clear when information about positions purposely left unfilled is known. There will also be $83.9 million in Loan Authorizations for Capital Projects that will appear on next week's agenda. Charter Right #1. That the City Manager is requested to present a plan to the City Council to increase the affordable homeownership stock over the next 10 years by financing the construction of affordable homeownership units through a bond issue of no less than $500 million. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS IN COUNCIL APR 26, 2021] [Order #3 of Apr 26, 2021] Order Adopted as Amended 9-0 As I said last week: “I think it's a great idea to encourage and even facilitate homeownership - especially for those who have lived in Cambridge for a long time or possibly their entire lives. Of course in Cambridge-speak, the phrase ‘affordable homeownership’ doesn't just mean facilitating the purchase of a home. There are always strings attached with ‘social housing,’ and ultimately a ‘homeowner’ could never actually build up any significant equity in the property. For many prospective homeowners, looking elsewhere would still likely be the better long-term option. A program I could definitely warm up to would be one involving loan guarantees to assist prospective homeowners seeking to buy housing in the big wide housing world with fewer strings attached.” Order #6. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Community Development Department, the Affordable Housing Trust, and other relevant City departments to provide options to update the HomeBridge and Affordable Home Ownership Programs to better align with the City’s values, and promote racial equity and socioeconomic justice.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan Order Adopted as Amended 9-0 See above. The Housing Division of the City's Community Development Department is so addicted to control of the city's housing stock that it's doubtful they'll ever shift their priorities toward actual home ownership and economic equity. The Cambridge municipal view of “socioeconomic justice” generally involves some form of government control and limited or nonexistent equity. Charter Right #2. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Cambridge Police Department to present a plan to the City Council for demilitarization, including the destruction and recycling of all rifles and shotguns, and elimination of the Lenco Bearcat. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS IN COUNCIL APR 26, 2021] [Order #5 of Apr 26, 2021] Order Adopted as Amended by (McGovern) Substitution 8-1 (Zondervan - NO) See my comments from last week on this item. To repeat: “I don't believe most city councillors ever consider the really exceptional circumstances where greater security is needed. They see only situations where people engaged in protests are offended by ‘the optics’ of large vehicles, weapons, and extra defensive gear. It's a great luxury (and privilege) to never have to consider the exceptional circumstances.” On the Table #4. That the City Council shall have its own budget for outside legal research to be utilized at the discretion of the Council when designated by a majority of members in pursuance of the Council’s authority to exercise the legislative powers of the City as specified in the City charter. [TABLED IN COUNCIL APR 26, 2021] [Amended Order #8 of Apr 12, 2021] Adopted as Amended 7-2 (Simmons, Toomey - NO) On the Table #5. A communication was received from City Solicitor, Nancy E. Glowa, transmitting Legal Opinion Regarding Request to Have Legal Resources Committed to Assist City Council with Legal Research and Drafting of Ordinances Pursuant to Orders Voted Upon in Public at Scheduled City Council Meetings. [TABLED IN COUNCIL APR 26, 2021] [Late Communication of Apr 26, 2021] Placed on File 9-0 My comments from last week, including in the aftermath of the Late Communication from City Solicitor Nancy Glowa (who was simply stating facts and not "defending her turf" as some have described her comments): “If this were to happen there is no doubt whatsoever that we would soon see five councillors hand-picking their own lawyer who would then be pitted against the City Solicitor - a recipe for chaos. Furthermore, the City Council is under no obligation to abide by the legal advice of the City Solicitor - though that would generally be a rather poor choice.” Ms. Glowa's well-researched and informative communication includes the following: “However, it is not possible, legally or ethically, to provide independent legal counsel to the City Council that would not be under the direction of and reporting to the City Solicitor for the reasons set forth above. It could lead to "dualling lawyers", representing different components of the same client - the City of Cambridge - a situation which “creates a serious potential for confusion and contradiction in the direction of the City's litigation, as well as the potential for disruption of the City's business in the event that the advice rendered differs between each attorney.” In addition to this Late Communication, the City Solicitor forcefully reminded the City Council of the potential jeopardy of proceeding with the Order as originally written. Specifically, Section 107 of the Plan E Charter (which is part of the Mass. General Laws) states that “Neither the city council nor any of its committees or members shall direct or request the appointment of any person to, or his removal from, office by the city manager or any of his subordinates, or in any manner take part in the appointment or removal of officers and employees in that portion of the service of said city for whose administration the city manager is responsible. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the city council and its members shall deal with that portion of the service of the city as aforesaid solely through the city manager, and neither the city council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinate of the city manager either publicly or privately. Any member of the city council who violates, or participates in the violation of, any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both, and upon final conviction thereof his office in the city council shall thereby be vacated and he shall never again be eligible for any office or position, elective or otherwise, in the service of the city. After the April 26 meeting Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler opined that this section of the Charter was only meant to prevent a councillor from forcing the firing of a City employee. That is a woefully incorrect reading of this clause. Some councillors appeared to be mock-offended at the suggestion of jail time, but it should be obvious to anyone who can read that the greater penalty would be removal from office and the prohibition from ever seeking that office again. Unfinished Business #7. A Zoning Petition has been received from Amy Oliver, regarding that the City require the installation of GREEN ROOFS vegetated or BioSolar on future construction and significant rehab of buildings that are 20,000 square feet and larger. [PASSED TO A SECOND READING IN COUNCIL APR 12, 2021] [Text as Amended on Apr 26, 2021] Ordained as Amended 6-0-0-3 (Mallon, Simmons, Toomey - PRESENT) Though the Planning Board voted 8-1 against this petition as originally drafted, our compulsively prescriptive City Council will likely ordain this by a comfortable margin. Order #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to ensure that additional funding for Housing Stability shall be made available throughout FY22 if the City Council advises that the need is present.   Councillor Simmons, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui Order Adopted as Amended 9-0 Order #3. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with Community Development and Traffic, Parking and Transportation to include an EV requirement in their review of development projects, including that a minimum of 25% of all parking spaces shall be EVSE-Installed, meaning a parking space equipped with functioning Level 2 Chargers, or the equivalent thereof must be provided, and that all parking spaces be EV-ready, meaning raceway to every parking space, adequate space in the electrical panel, and space for additional transformer capacity; the City approved EV Requirement Equivalent Calculator must be used if chargers other than Level 2 Chargers are installed.   Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone Order Adopted 9-0 There is little doubt that with electric vehicles becoming more common there will have to be a lot more rethinking about how "filling stations" give way to "charging stations". Even with the best of new battery technologies it's unlikely that the time needed to charge up an electric vehicle will ever be close to the time it takes to fill up the gas tank. It's not hard to imagine a future where charging is widely available in most garages, but it's not nearly so easy to imagine how cars parked on the street will routinely access the necessary charging. I imagine long road trips will also have to be reimagined to allow time and the means for charging. All this makes me think of a relevant song by Phil Ochs. Order #5. That the Cambridge City Council goes on record in support of the Bathroom Bill of Rights being sponsored by Free to Flush.   Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan Order Adopted 9-0 I wonder if this Bathroom Bill of Rights will encompass the right to deal and inject drugs or provide sexual services like the toilet now parked on City Hall property on the Inman Street side. The red indicator on the door used to mean "occupied" but now means "open for business." Order #7. Free The Vaccine Resolution.   Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Nolan Order Adopted 9-0 I believe resolution of this is already happening even without a Cambridge City Council resolution. Order #8. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department to apply for the Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program and if grants are received to work with the community before implementation of a program.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Mallon Order Adopted as Amended 9-0 It's nice that the Cambridge City Council recognizes some of the adaptation and success that has come about thanks to the initiative of the Central Square BID in cooperation with the City administration, but I don't really know what role, if any, the City Council has played in any of this other than the photo ops. Order #9. That the Cambridge City Council go on record standing in solidarity with the MNA nurses campaigning for fair contract negotiations with Cambridge Health Alliance.   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor McGovern Order Adopted 9-0 Committee Report #1. The Ordinance Committee met on Dec 9, 2021 to conduct a public hearing on the Cannabis Delivery-Only Zoning Ordinance petition. Report Accepted, Placed on File, Order Adopted 9-0 It's all about the money - and picking the winners. Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting charter assessment: review and reform. [2nd Memo provided late] Placed on File 9-0 Rarely have I seen a more vacuous communication as this. It refers to the attached memo that supposedly contains “an overview of the individual discussions with each Council member, recommendations and alternatives for the Council to consider, and potential next steps for this process.” There was no attachment other than a link to the previous memo from nearly 7 weeks earlier. It's pretty clear that conversations on this topic have been happening but only in this Council's characteristic lack of transparency. - Robert Winters Comments?

Monday Night Live - Featured Items from the April 26, 2021 Cambridge City Council Agenda Here you go: Manager's Agenda #12. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. Placed on File 8-0-1 (Simmons ABSENT) Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting questions for the COVID-19 update. Placed on File 8-0-1 (Simmons ABSENT) Manager's Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-16, regarding creating a Commercial Composting Pilot program. [Report from DPW] Placed on File 9-0 Manager's Agenda #9. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to proposed amendment to Section 8.66 of the Municipal Ordinance related to Tree Protection and related Orders. [attachment A][attachment B][attachment C][attachment D] Orders Adopted 8-1 (Toomey - NO) to (1) pass the amendment through all stages of legislation in one session pursuant to City Council Rule 20, and (2) to extend the temporary moratorium to June 30, 2021. Another Ordinance Committee meeting is scheduled for this Wed, Apr 28 to take care of any remaining details prior to ordination. It is my understanding that even though the current proposal calls for permits for removal of "Significant Trees" even on small lots, there is at least some recognition that exceptions should be made re: mitigation – e.g. dead and dangerous trees, exceptional circumstances, etc. I just hope that if a homeowner has a sensible plan there won't be any burdensome costs imposed or other punitive actions. Homeowners should have a right to make reasonable choices without government intervention. It's worth noting that developers of subsidized housing projects can do whatever they damn well please. Manager's Agenda #11. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to follow up materials relative to the Green Roofs Zoning Petition. [Report] Referred to Petition 9-0 Unfinished Business #4. A Zoning Petition has been received from Amy Oliver, regarding that the City require the installation of GREEN ROOFS vegetated or BioSolar on future construction and significant rehab of buildings that are 20,000 square feet and larger. [PASSED TO A SECOND READING IN COUNCIL APR 12, 2021 TO BE ORDAINED ON OR AFTER APR 26, 2021] Amended and left on Unfinished Business for another week This will likely have the votes necessary for ordination either this week or next week. Debate continues on whether an all-solar option should be allowed. This proposal would only apply to new construction with gross floor area in excess of 25,000 sq ft.. It was a bit chilling, however, to hear one city councillor suggest that this should apply to a roof as small as 1,000 sq ft even for renovations. While I think it would be great if homeowners were willing to do such a roof treatment, it is likely that maintaining a "green roof" (as opposed to some solar panels) would be neither simple nor inexpensive. Anyone who has ever had to diagnose and correct a roof leak will understand this. It's worth noting that developers of subsidized housing projects can do whatever they damn well please. Charter Right #1. That the City Council shall have its own budget for outside legal research to be utilized at the discretion of the Council when designated by a majority of members in pursuance of the Council’s authority to exercise the legislative powers of the City as specified in the City charter. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS IN COUNCIL APR 12, 2021] Amended 9-0; Tabled 5-4 (DC,AM,MM,DS,TT - YES; PN,JSW,QZ,SS - NO) LATE COMMUNICATION Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from City Solicitor, Nancy E. Glowa, transmitting Legal Opinion Regarding Request to Have Legal Resources Committed to Assist City Council with Legal Research and Drafting of Ordinances Pursuant to Orders Voted Upon in Public at Scheduled City Council Meetings. [original] Tabled 5-4 (DC,AM,MM,DS,TT - YES; PN,JSW,QZ,SS - NO) To repeat: “If this were to happen there is no doubt whatsoever that we would soon see five councillors hand-picking their own lawyer who would then be pitted against the City Solicitor - a recipe for chaos. Furthermore, the City Council is under no obligation to abide by the legal advice of the City Solicitor - though that would generally be a rather poor choice.” In addition to this Late Communication, the City Solicitor forcefully reminded the City Council of the potential jeopardy of proceeding with the Order as originally written. Specifically, Section 107 of the Plan E Charter (which is part of the Mass. General Laws) states that “Neither the city council nor any of its committees or members shall direct or request the appointment of any person to, or his removal from, office by the city manager or any of his subordinates, or in any manner take part in the appointment or removal of officers and employees in that portion of the service of said city for whose administration the city manager is responsible. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the city council and its members shall deal with that portion of the service of the city as aforesaid solely through the city manager, and neither the city council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinate of the city manager either publicly or privately. Any member of the city council who violates, or participates in the violation of, any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both, and upon final conviction thereof his office in the city council shall thereby be vacated and he shall never again be eligible for any office or position, elective or otherwise, in the service of the city. After the meeting Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler opined that this section of the Charter was only meant to prevent a councillor from forcing the firing of a City employee. That is a woefully incorrect reading of this clause. Some councillors appeared to be mock-offended at the suggestion of jail time, but it should be obvious to anyone who can read that the greater penalty would be removal from office and the prohibition from ever seeking that office again. Order #1. Divestment from Fossil Fuels and Private Prisons.   Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Zondervan Adopted as Amended 9-0 It's not so clear that the City of Cambridge has ever invested in either fossil fuels or private prisons. This Order seems to be directed more toward investment choices of the Cambridge Retirement Board. Though I'm sure such advice should be seriously considered, it's not at all clear whether the City Council should be directing how the Cambridge Retirement Board invests funds for current and future retired City employees. Order #3. That the City Manager is requested to present a plan to the City Council to increase the affordable homeownership stock over the next 10 years by financing the construction of affordable homeownership units through a bond issue of no less than $500 million.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Simmons Charter Right - Simmons I think it's a great idea to encourage and even facilitate homeownership - especially for those who have lived in Cambridge for a long time or possibly their entire lives. Of course in Cambridge-speak, the phrase “affordable homeownership” doesn't just mean facilitating the purchase of a home. There are always strings attached with “social housing,” and ultimately a “homeowner” could never actually build up any significant equity in the property. For many prospective homeowners, looking elsewhere would still likely be the better long-term option. A program I could definitely warm up to would be one involving loan guarantees to assist prospective homeowners seeking to buy housing in the big wide housing world with fewer strings attached. Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Cambridge Police Department to present a plan to the City Council for demilitarization, including the destruction and recycling of all rifles and shotguns, and elimination of the Lenco Bearcat.   Councillor Zondervan Charter Right - Simmons When I read an Order like this, my mind immediately drifts back to that day some years ago when the President of the United States and the President of China made a visit to Sanders Theater/Memorial Hall at Harvard. There were thousands of people lining the streets and the security was impressive - with one exception. I was able to step out onto a roof overlooking the motorcade with a direct line of sight from four stories up (think Texas Book Depository). A few minutes later a swarm of police rushed up to that rooftop to very politely escort me and another person from this roof that they previously had no idea was accessible. Worry not, there were snipers who would have prevented any bad intentions on my part. The reason this little adventure comes to mind is that I don't believe most city councillors ever consider the really exceptional circumstances where greater security is needed. They see only situations where people engaged in protests are offended by “the optics” of large vehicles, weapons, and extra defensive gear. It's a great luxury (and privilege) to never have to consider the exceptional circumstances. Order #7. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Director of Personnel and the Law Department on updating the City of Cambridge’s Parental Leave Policy for City of Cambridge employees.   Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons Order Adopted 9-0 Committee Report #1. The Housing Committee will conduct a public hearing to receive updates from the Community Development Department, the Cambridge Housing Authority, Homeowners Rehab, Inc., and Just-A-Start on the work they are currently engaged in, and the impact of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic upon their operations. Accept Report, Placed on File 9-0 Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Mayor Siddiqui, communicating information from the School Committee. Placed on File 9-0 Lots of informative reading for your civic pleasure. - Robert Winters Comments?

2021 Outstanding City of Cambridge Employee Award Winners

Apr 29, 2021 – City Manager Louis A. DePasquale is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Outstanding City Employee Award. The annual award recognizes a select number of employees for superior performance, positive attitude, hard work and dedication to public service. The recipients will be honored at a virtual ceremony on Friday, May 14, 2021 - 9:30am. The ceremony will be rebroadcast on channel 22.

During the ceremony, the City Manager will also present the Brian Murphy Award for 2020 and 2021 to two individuals who are committed to making government improve the lives of others.

Congratulations to our 2021 Outstanding City Employees:

• Angela Brathwaite, Manager of Revenue & Treasury Operations, Finance Department
• Devon Brooks, Police Officer, Police Department
• William Connell, Assistant Distribution Manager, Water Department
• Catiria Cotto-Morales, Senior Clerk Typist, Election Commission
• Michael DeSantis, Systems Administration Manager, ITD
• Michael Donovan, Fire Lieutenant, Fire Department
• Kenneth Flibotte, Fire Captain, Fire Department
• Kathleen Penny, Manager of Collection Services, Library
• Maura Pensak, Housing Liaison, City Manager’s Office
• Melissa Peters, Director of Community Planning, Community Dev. Department
• Crystal Rosa, Project Coordinator/Office Manager, Human Rights
• Naomie Stephen, Executive Assistant to the City Council, City Council Office
• Robert Stone, Public Works Supervisor, Public Works Department
• Natalie Sullivan, Assistant Purchasing Agent, Purchasing Department
• Ini Tomeu, Public Information Officer, Public Information Office
• Alice Trifone, Senior Account Clerk, Police Department
• Eta Tsegaye, System Administrator, Department of Human Service Programs
• Raymond Vaillancourt, Deputy Chief, Fire Department
• Joshua Wolff, Data Analysis & Open Data Program Manager, ITD

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City of Cambridge Releases Comprehensive Digital Equity Study

Apr 20, 2021 – The City of Cambridge today released Digital Equity in Cambridge: Data and Strategic Recommendations, the final report for the city’s comprehensive digital equity study. The report provides a complete and clear understanding of the problems and gaps preventing Cambridge residents from making the most effective and meaningful use of broadband (high speed internet access) in the city. Additionally, the report suggests a range of solutions for the city to pursue to address the findings that emerged around broadband access, affordability, digital skills, and device ownership.

Cambridge partnered with CTC Technology (CTC) to conduct the study. CTC is a nationally recognized firm that offers independent strategic, technical, and financial guidance primarily to public sector and nonprofit entities. The report will serve as the foundation for the city’s future digital equity and broadband initiatives. CTC has helped develop digital equity strategies for other cities including Austin, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington.

“We are creating a comprehensive approach to ensure digital equity and 21st century broadband access in our city,” said Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. "The Digital Equity in Cambridge report will inform our strategy to ensure affordable broadband access, digital skills, and device ownership for all residents.”

The Digital Equity in Cambridge report surfaces and explores key findings based on the robust data collected, including:

• Comcast remains an effective monopoly in much of Cambridge’s fixed internet market, but NetBlazr has expanded, and a new provider, Starry, recently began competing in the city;
• Comcast’s $10 Internet Essentials plan appears significantly underused by potentially eligible residents in Cambridge;
• Speed tests conducted over several weeks in Comcast customer homes demonstrate a need for user education in managing in-home networks;
• Citywide internet usage survey shows most residents are connected to the internet but point to more problems with affordability, devices, and skills for older and lower-income residents;
• Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) internet usage survey finds many residents face significant challenges related to affordability, device maintenance, and computer skills;
• City stakeholders defined a variety of gaps and made programmatic suggestions;
• Interviews with residents of CHA and subsidized housing units reveal some pay $10 monthly while others pay $264 monthly to Comcast; and
• Strategies outlined by subject-matter experts and practitioners in other cities that have proven effective elsewhere in the country.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on the critical role that internet access, device ownership, and digital skills play in successful online learning, job searching, remote work, and telemedicine,” said City of Cambridge Director of Communications Lee Gianetti. “This new report provides the city with a framework for expanding existing programs, creating new initiatives, and learning from digital equity efforts in other cities.”

The study provides a range of recommended strategies the city can deploy to address the digital equity challenges within Cambridge, including:

• Convene a digital equity and inclusion coalition to guide implementation efforts;
• Expand the city’s $50,000 pilot program into a Digital Equity Fund emphasizing device and skills programs;
• Consider establishing a community digital equity specialist position or similar public support function;
• Engage local philanthropic organizations to broaden the reach of broadband equity initiatives;
• Partner with organizations that provide low-cost devices and training to Cambridge residents and expand loaner programs;
• Establish a digital skills training corps;
• Develop a strategy that explores municipal and other options for increasing broadband competition;
• Facilitate the provision of additional providers of low-cost service in more CHA developments; and
• Expand public Wi-Fi and charging stations in core areas, such as Porter and Central squares.

“In the 21st century, digital equity spans nearly every dimension of life, from education and work, to social engagement and civic participation,” said Cambridge Chief Information Officer Patrick McCormick. “Like other inequities, the pandemic exacerbated how anyone lacking online tools and connectivity became disadvantaged in their daily lives. Fortunately, the pandemic also created richer data and tangible use cases to spark conversations and inform analysis. The Digital Equity Study provides clear and compelling insights and recommendations to build a more equitable and inclusive digital future for Cambridge residents and businesses.”

In response to some early study findings and challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Cambridge has already taken specific actions to:

• Launch a $50,000 pilot program to assist up to 415 families in obtaining $10 Internet Essentials subscriptions;
• Redirect study resources to allow CTC later this year to conduct a preliminary high-level engineering and cost estimation work for high-speed residential broadband service in three CHA developments: Newtowne Court, Washington Elms, and the Manning Apartments;
• Engage in preliminary discussions with Life Science Cares, a nonprofit organization that funds anti-poverty programs and expressed interest in being part of a public-private partnership to address digital inequities;
• Accelerate the Cambridge Public Schools laptop and hotspot provision efforts, providing all students with laptops and (where needed) hotspots. The Cambridge Public Library also began its first-ever technology lending programs; and
• Partner with the Cambridge Public Library, the MetroNorth Regional Employment Board, and Cambridge Community Foundation to provide essential technology, including Chromebooks, hotspots, and webcams, to adult learners participating in Cambridge Community Learning Center programs.

This study, prepared throughout late 2019 and 2020, did not presuppose what the problems were or what the solutions should be. It thoroughly explored access, affordability, digital skills, and device ownership. The study methodology included the following activities:

• Analyzed consumer and FCC pricing and availability data to understand the local broadband market, the presence of competition, and any market changes since the City of Cambridge commissioned its earlier broadband study;
• Through a variety of means (surveys, resident interviews, and conversations with local broadband providers) gathered data on the usage of existing low-cost broadband subsidy programs, particularly the $10 Comcast Internet Essentials program;
• Conducted a statistically valid mail survey of a sample of the entire city population to understand broadband usage patterns, sentiments, and gaps;
• Conducted a statistically valid mail survey of a sample of residents of the Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) and of subsidized housing for a closer look at lower-income residents and any challenges they face;
• Interviewed a range of stakeholders representing city departments, nonprofits, schools, library, and others (we also have appended the work of the Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition, which separately conducted a survey of local nonprofit staff);
• Interviewed a sampling of Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) and subsidized housing residents who volunteered to be interviewed as part of our mail survey, to understand what they pay for services, and what challenges they face;
• Conducted in-home internet speed tests of Comcast customers to take hourly measurements over a period of weeks to evaluate service quality and assess potential sources of reported problems, albeit at an anecdotal level;
• Interviewed practitioners and experts who have studied or implemented digital equity plans and programs in other cities to glean lessons and suggest strategies that might assist the city and its stakeholders in implementing solutions; and
• Developed several strategic and programmatic recommendations based on all of the above research and data, informed as well by the examples of models in other cities.

Creating a digital equity and inclusion coalition to help guide and support implementation of study recommendations will be one of the early action items. While the Digital Equity in Cambridge study lays out strategies to address digital equity challenges within Cambridge, implementation will require engagement from a variety of internal and external stakeholders and the establishment of an implementation timeline. Detailed planning and implementation plans will be managed by staff from the Information Technology Department and the City Manager’s Office.

Download a copy of the report, Digital Equity in Cambridge: Data and Strategic Recommendations. Print copies are available upon request. Please call the Cambridge City Manager’s Office at 617-349-4300 to schedule a pick-up.

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6153 tested positive - This is an increase of 5 testing positive from the previous day and 4443 over 174 days.
122 confirmed deaths (76 in long-term care facilities, 46 in general community - one new fatality in last 8 days)
Click on graph above for latest Cambridge data.

May 4, 2021 Breakdown of Cases (465 known active cases) - a decrease of 12 active cases from the previous day.
There have been 4064 recoveries - an increase of 13 from the previous day.

Things are improving thanks to vaccinations, and the 7-day averages of new cases are now clearly falling.

Harvard University COVID-19 data     MIT COVID-19 data

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City of Cambridge to Advance to Phase IV, Step 1 on May 6, 2021, and Relax Outdoor Mask Requirements, Effective April 30, 2021 — City reminds residents and visitors that masks may only be removed outside when 6 foot social distancing is possible

April 29, 2021 – The City of Cambridge today announced that the city will advance to Phase IV, Step 1 of the Commonwealth’s Reopening Plan, as set forth in Governor Baker’s COVID-19 Order No. 66 on May 6, 2021. The city has remained at a modified Phase III, Step 2 since March 22, 2021. Gathering limits in the city for event venues and in public settings will increase to 100 people indoors and 150 outdoors on May 6, 2021, in accordance with Governor Baker’s COVID-19 Order No. 63 as amended on March 22, 2021.

All businesses, organizations, and activities in Cambridge that are identified as Phase IV, Step 1 enterprises and all gatherings shall continue to follow any and all orders, protocols, or guidance pertaining to mitigating the spread of COVID-19 issued by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the City of Cambridge, including its License Commission, Public Health, Public Works, and Inspectional Services departments.

Additionally, on May 6, 2021 the City is rescinding its Emergency Order with additional requirements for Fitness Center and Health Club Operations, which has been in place since December 26, 2020. Fitness Centers and Health Clubs must continue to comply with all applicable sector-specific safety protocols.

Since early April, the city has experienced a sustained decline in the number of cases and hospitalizations and has maintained a low COVID-19 positivity rate. Cambridge’s percent positivity for the past two weeks is 0.44%. Additionally, as of the Commonwealth’s last reporting on April 29, 59% of Cambridge residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination. The city will continue to closely monitor the public health data and the specific conditions in Cambridge and, as it has done throughout the pandemic, issue additional guidance or restrictions as needed. The City continues to offer its free COVID-19 testing program.

Effective Friday, April 30, the City of Cambridge will align with the Commonwealth’s updated Face Coverings Order with regards to outdoor mask wearing. All other provisions of the city’s Emergency Order on Wearing of Masks or Face Coverings remain in effect.

Under the City’s amended order, masks or face coverings will not be required outside in public spaces when individuals are able to remain at a safe distance (six feet) from others. Similar to Cambridge’s approach last summer, masks or face coverings may only be removed outside when six foot distancing is possible. Masks or face coverings are required at all times at indoor and outdoor venues and events, except when eating or drinking, and, in residential buildings of two or more units, masks are required prior to entering any common area. The City of Cambridge continues to require that employees of places of business may remove masks or cloth face coverings only when working alone in an individual office with a door closed or when working alone in an office suite with no other individuals present. Masks must be worn at all other times in places of business.

If public health metrics justify continued safe reopening in Cambridge, the city expects to more closely align future reopening decisions with Governor Baker’s April 27, 2021 announced plans for continued reopening, but may do so on a delayed schedule. Any such plans will be announced and posted at www.cambridgema.gov/covid19.

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Down the road a bit - Growing rumblings of the 2021 municipal election year

Dec 14, 2020, updated May 2, 2021 – I really hate to get started on this topic so early in the game, but there are already rumors of possible candidates for 2021 and several potential candidates have already filed the paperwork with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) so that they can start raising campaign donations. At least four incumbent city councillors have already sent word to supporters about seeking reelection, but most or all of the incumbents are likely to follow. Here's a brief list:

Name	Address	Filed w/OCPF	Notes
Frantz Pierre	22 Water Street #808, 02141	Nov 10, 2020	not listed as registered voter as of Nov 2020 at given address, case worker at Margaret Fuller House
Tonia Hicks	337 Pearl Street, 02139	Nov 13, 2020	campaign Chair lives in Colorado, Treasurer lives in North Carolina
Dana Bullister	155 5th Street #1, 02141	Nov 23, 2020	listed as own campaign Chair and Treasurer, was rumored as candidate in 2019
Joe McGuirk (new website!)	314 Columbia St. #1, 02141	Dec 7, 2020	bartender at Highland Kitchen in Somerville, and the Lexington at Cambridge Crossing
Santos Carrasquillo	188 Harvard St. #3B, 02139	Jan 11, 2021	occupation unknown
Theodora Skeadas	988 Memorial Drive #185, 02138	Feb 19, 2021	Executive Director of Cambridge Local First; previously filed w/OCPF in Dec 2016 as a candidate but did not pursue at that time
Nicola Williams	8 Brewer St. #5, 02138	actively fundraising, ran in 2019	business owner, community activist, organizer of the Cambridge Carribean Carnival, serves on the board of several Cambridge non-profit and neighborhood organizations
Paul Toner	24 Newman St., 02140	not yet declared, initial campaign deposit 4/18/21	Senior Director of National Policy, Partnerships and Northeast Region for Teach Plus; former VP and president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association (2006-2014), and of the Cambridge Teachers Association (2001-2006); middle school social studies teacher, lawyer, and former teacher union leader. He previously ran for City Council in 2017.
Roy Ribitzky	163 Webster Ave. #3, 02141	4/26/21	Guest Experience Professional in the Food and Beverage Industry; currently Bar Lead & Shift Supervisor at The Smoke Shop BBQ, Somerville.
Burhan Azeem	35 Speridakis Terr., 02139	5/2/21 announced via email (ran in 2019)	Works at startup that does at-home COVID & post-op care for patients in India.
Rumored possible City Council candidates - either new or returning
Patrick Barrett	41 Pleasant St., 02139	not declared	prime mover for Central Square BID, author of multiple successful and well-received zoning petitions, owner/builder of new hotel/restaurant in Central Square
Jeffery McNary	116 Norfolk St. #201, 02139	expressed interest	ran in 2019 w/o accepting donations
Sam Gebru	812 Memorial Dr. #614A, 02139	recently made $200 candidate loan to acct.	ran in 2017 and has kept campaign account active
Incumbents who have declared intention to seek reelection or are actively fundraising (there are certainly others)
Dennis Carlone	9 Washington Ave. #6, 02140	declared	first elected 2013, 4 terms on City Council
Marc McGovern	17 Pleasant St., 02139	declared	first elected in 2013, 4 terms on City Council
Quinton Zondervan	235 Cardinal Madeiros Ave., 02141	raising money	first elected in 2017, 2 terms on City Council
Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler	187 Brookline St. #3, 02139	actively fundraising	first elected in 2019, 1 term on City Council
Denise Simmons	188 Harvard St. #4B, 02139	actively fundraising	first elected in 2001, 10 terms on City Council
New School Committee candidates (presumably all incumbents will be seeking reelection)
Nancy Alach	346 Concord Ave., 02138	filed paperwork with Election Commission	Principal of Early Childhood, Prospect Hill Academy Charter School; former Assistant Principal, Cambridge Friends School
Andrew King	40 Essex St., 02139	filed paperwork with Election Commission	Board member, Citizens for Public Schools (funded primarily by teacher unions); member of Our Revolution Cambridge’s education committee; doctoral candidate in public policy, UMass Boston

Please send me any additions, corrections or credible rumors at Robert@rwinters.com.

If you know of any great potential candidates for either Cambridge City Council or School Committee, please encourage them to consider being a candidate in the 2021 municipal election.

2021 Cambridge Candidate Pages (preliminary)

Cambridge City Council Campaign Receipts 2021

Note: The "A Better Cambridge" PAC filed its Dissolution Report on April 14 - apparently in favor of operating all of its political campaign financing via its Independent Expenditure PAC. The significance of this change is that an ordinary political action committee (PAC) is required to file monthly bank reports (twice/month during the active campaign season). An Independent Expenditure PAC has no such reporting requirements, i.e. there is very little transparency.

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Interim (?) Cambridge School Superintendent Finalists Chosen

Mar 25, 2021 – The Ad-Hoc Superintendent Search Subcommittee announced the three finalists for the role of Interim Superintendent of Schools. There was a total of 17 applicants and the Ad-hoc Subcommittee moved to interview 5. On Thurs, Mar 25 they recommended the following three finalists to move forward in the interview process:

• Dr. Victoria Greer, Superintendent of Schools, Sharon Public Schools
• Dr. Monica Henson, Interim Superintendent of Schools,
  New Hampshire School Administrative Unit #44
  [this candidate has withdrawn]
• Dr. Brian Metcalf, Chief Executive Officer, Tindley Accelerated Schools

As part of the Superintendent Search process, the School Committee will be hosting Candidate Forums on Apr 8, with three separate panels of 1) students 2) family representatives and 3) educational staff who will interview each finalist. These forums will be held from 5:00pm-8:00pm and members of the community will be able to watch in three ways:

• Live via Zoom on April 8, 5:00pm-8:00pm
• Recordings on the CPS website will be available to watch any time, beginning Fri, Apr 9
• Recordings on CEA-TV Channel 99:
  • Saturday April 10th
    • 9:00am-12:00pm: Student Forum
    • 1:00pm-4:00pm: Family/Community Member Forum
    • 5:00pm-8:00pm: Staff Forum
  • Monday, April 12th
    • 9:00am-12:00pm: Student Forum
    • 1:00pm-4:00pm: Family/Community Member Forum
    • 5:00pm-8:00pm: Staff Forum
  • Wednesday, April 14th
    • 9:00am-12:00pm: Student Forum
    • 1:00pm-4:00pm: Family/Community Member Forum
    • 5:00pm-8:00pm: Staff Forum

  Tues, Apr 27

  5:00pm   Virtual Special Meeting of the School Committee  (virtual)

  There will be a Virtual Special Meeting of the School Committee at 5:00pm on Tues, Apr 27 for the purpose of interviewing finalist candidates for the position of Interim Superintendent of Schools and for the purpose of considering the appointment of the Interim Superintendent of Schools. It is anticipated that this meeting will end by 10:00pm 9:00pm. Votes will be taken and there will be no public comment.

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A few observations on density

Feb 16, 2021 (w/Feb 17 addition of S. Normandy Ave.) - Several years ago I was thinking about the past, present, and future of Central Square and decided to simply take a walk through the Square with a camera with as objective an eye as I could manage. The result of that walk was something I called "Completing the Square" - a little math joke tied to the main observation that regardless of any opinions about how tall or dense Central Square may be or should be, there were lots of missing teeth and locations which could be improved by the presence of some new or enhanced buildings. That was before the new Mass & Main complex (now Market Central) was built.

In a similar vein, a couple of days ago I had the notion to do something of a virtual walk (in my head) along some streets with which I am quite familiar just to imagine how they might change under the proposed "Missing Middle Housing" zoning proposal. In my opinion, most of these streets function pretty well as they are and many of them (in particular those now zoned as Res C-1) would be considered pretty dense by any reasonable standard. I downloaded the City's Assessors Database (thank you Open Data Portal!) and painstakingly reassembled all the living area information from the many condominiums in order to recreate the total living area to go with the total land area for each respective lot. (This was like reassembling puzzle pieces in some cases.) I then calculated the FAR (floor-area-ratio) for all lots on 28 representative streets (somewhat alphabetically biased as I went through them).

Prior to calculating some statistics on each of these streets I decided to exclude a few anomalies such as parks (no housing will be going there under any zoning revisions), municipal parking lots, City buildings (like City Hall, the Annex, DPW, etc.) as well as some lots that are in zoning districts unaffected by the proposed "Missing Middle Housing" zoning proposal, e.g. the Central Square BB district.
[You can view the data for each of these streets here.]

The summary sheet is below. Since there are already some nonconforming lots with FAR even greater than what is proposed in the petition, the increases noted below actually understate the increases under full build-out. On the other hand, it's not likely that anything close to full build-out would happen any time soon (if the petition were to prevail), so this should be viewed more as a measure of what could eventually happen as opposed to what will happen in the near future.

Note that even a relatively dense C-1 street like Cherry Street in The Port could see a 66% increase in density. Chalk Street (Res C) could see a 72% increase. Cornelius Way could have a 175% increase (that's 2.75 times the current density). Near me, Antrim Street could go up 47%, Maple Ave. could go up 84%, and Lee Street could go up 50%. In the leafy western "suburbs", a Res B street like Appleton St. could go up 137% (2.37 times the current density) and Lakeview Ave. (a mix of Res A-1 and Res B) would nearly triple in density. In contrast, Berkshire St. in Wellington-Harrington might only rise 2%, so I suppose this is the ideal street by the "Missing Middle" standard.

It's also worth noting that there's really nothing in the petition that would in any way ensure that the chief beneficiaries would be middle class residents. The petition is primarily a vehicle for increasing densities and this could just as easily translate into larger homes for those who can afford them or the freedom to add on significant additions to existing homes. In other words, the "middle" part of the "missing middle" petition is missing.- RW

Street	zoning on street	total land area	total living area	gross FAR	median FAR	max FAR	min FAR	MM factor	MM increase
Amory St.	C-1	166187	146798	0.88	0.89	2.25	0.00	1.40	40%
Andrew St.	C-1	39671	36841	0.93	0.94	1.46	0.44	1.33	33%
Antrim St.	C-1	215140	182351	0.85	0.85	1.59	0.45	1.47	47%
Appleton St.	B	362349	167623	0.46	0.53	1.11	0.00	2.37	137%
Arlington St.	A-2,B,C-2	162551	82694	0.51	0.51	0.94	0.31	2.45	145%
Avon Hill St.	A-2,B	159726	86824	0.54	0.64	1.04	0.25	1.95	95%
Bellis Circle	B,C-1A	134257	86705	0.65	0.69	1.24	0.36	1.80	80%
Berkeley St. & Pl.	A-2	335663	147702	0.44	0.44	1.08	0.18	2.87	187%
Berkshire St. & Pl.	C-1	142900	162073	1.13	1.22	2.42	0.00	1.02	2%
Bigelow St.	C-1	98544	99178	1.68	0.99	2.48	0.55	1.27	27%
Bristol St.	C-1	105743	98448	0.93	0.89	2.09	0.34	1.40	40%
Brookline St.	B,C,BA-1,C-1,BB,SD9	462788	420848	0.91	0.88	2.59	0.00	1.41	41%
Buena Vista Pk.	C-1	58147	42787	0.74	0.75	1.05	0.46	1.67	67%
Centre St.	C-1	112030	118881	1.06	0.86	1.81	0.58	1.46	46%
Chalk St.	C-1	59707	40178	0.67	0.73	1.35	0.30	1.72	72%
Chatham St.	C-1	45415	43055	0.95	0.87	1.73	0.61	1.44	44%
Cherry St.	C-1	140624	83033	0.59	0.75	1.26	0.00	1.66	66%
Columbia St.	C1,BA,BB-CSQ	419529	435148	1.04	1.01	3.33	0.00	1.24	24%
Coolidge Hill Rd.	A-2,A-1	155629	65633	0.42	0.55	1.85	0.00	2.26	126%
Cornelius Way	C-1	67640	31196	0.46	0.45	0.83	0.30	2.75	175%
Dudley St.	B	162444	135259	0.83	0.83	1.48	0.24	1.51	51%
Hurley St.	C-1	185549	196004	1.06	1.09	2.45	0.42	1.15	15%
Inman St.	C-1	386571	347610	0.90	0.88	2.36	0.34	1.41	41%
Lakeview Ave.	A-1,B	717287	299854	0.42	0.42	1.07	0.15	2.99	199%
Lee St.	C-1	184726	167663	0.91	0.83	2.17	0.48	1.50	50%
Maple Ave.	B,C-1	198500	132455	0.67	0.68	1.57	0.36	1.84	84%
Norfolk St.	C-1,B,BA	445240	445634	1.00	0.88	3.31	0.00	1.41	41%
Pleasant St.	C,C-1,BA-3	387351	425992	1.10	0.93	2.27	0.36	1.34	34%
S. Normandy Ave.	B	69538	24909	0.36	0.38	0.51	0.19	3.26	226%
all sample streets		6181446	4753376	0.77

gross FAR = total living area divided by total land area
median FAR = median FAR of all lots on the street
max FAR = largest FAR for all lots on the street
min FAR = smallest FAR for all lots on the street (note that there may be vacant lots with FAR of 0)
MM factor = ratio of proposed "Missing Middle" FAR of 1.25 to current median FAR for street
MM increase = percent increase in FAR from current median FAR under full build-out

Comments?

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CIVIC CALENDAR (abridged)

Tues, May 4

6:00pm   School Committee Virtual Meeting  (webcast from Attles Meeting Room, CRLS)

The next Regular Meeting of the School Committee will be held on Tues, May 4 at 6:00pm held in and broadcast from the Attles Meeting Room, CRLS for the purpose of discussing any and all business that may properly come before the Committee.
Note: There will be a Hearing on State School Choice at the beginning of this Regular Meeting.

6:30pm   Planning Board meeting  (Remote Meeting - web only)

General Business

1. Update from the Community Development Department

Public Hearings

6:30pm   Broad Canal Subdistrict Zoning Petition
Zoning petition by Beals Associates, Inc. on behalf of RREEF AMERICA REIT II CORP, PPP to amend Article 13 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge by creating a new subdistrict within the existing Planned Unit Development 3 (PUD-3) overlay district, called the “Broad Canal Subdistrict”. (Materials)

Board of Zoning Appeal Cases

BZA-017326-2020
2072 Massachusetts Avenue – Comprehensive Permit to construct a new multi-family 100% affordable housing community with 48 residential rental units, ground floor commercial and building amenity space. The proposal includes a nine (9) story building with three (3) accessible parking spaces and two (2) drop off spaces. Art. 4.000, Sec. 4.30 & 4.31.G (Table of Use & Regulations). Sec. 4.21 (Accessory Uses). Sec. 4.37.B.2 (Light Industry). Art. 5.000, Sec. 5.31 (Table of Dimensional Requirements). Sec. 5.11 (General Regulations). Art. 6.000, Sec. 6.36.1 (Parking & Loading Requirements). Sec. 6.42 & 6.43.4.C (Off Street Parking). Art. 19.000 (Project Review). & Art. 20.100 (Mass Ave Overlay District). (Materials) (Staff Memo)

General Business

2. PB# 371
269-301 Vassar Street – Extension Request (Letter)

Wed, May 5

5:30pm   Cambridge Election Commission meeting  (51 Inman Street, Remote Participation via ZOOM)
The meeting may be viewed by the public at this Zoom Link.

I. PUBLIC COMMENT II. MINUTES III. REPORTS 1. Executive Director's Report 2. Assistant Director's Report 3. Commissioners' Reports

IV. ACTION AGENDA Old Business 1. Coordination/Communication with City Council Regarding Proposed Legislative Changes for the 2021 Municipal Election 2.2021 Municipal Election - Polling Locations New Business

Thurs, May 6

6:00pm   Virtual Special Meeting of the School Committee  (virtual)

There will be a Virtual Special Meeting of the School Committee at 6:00pm on Thurs, May 6 for the purpose of considering the appointment of the Interim Superintendent of Schools. It is anticipated that this meeting will end by or before 8:00pm. Votes may be taken and there will be public comment.

Individuals must sign up in advance to provide public comments. The sign-up window is Mon, May 3 through Thurs, May 6 at 12:00pm (by phone) and 5:30pm (online).

Mon, May 10

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

Tues, May 11

9:00am   The City Council's Finance Committee will hold a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2022 budget  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

Budget Overview Mayor’s Office Executive - Leadership Diversity DGVPI Equity and Inclusion Public Information Office     Tourism	City Council City Clerk Employee Benefits     Finance Admin. Budget Personnel Purchasing Auditing	Assessing Treasury/Revenue Information Technology Law Emergency Communications     General Services Public Celebrations Reserve	Animal Commission Electrical Fire Department Police Department Traffic, Parking & Transportation Inspectional Services License Commission Election Commission
Those marked in bold are the ones pulled for discussion.

Wed, May 12

5:30pm   The City Council's Ordinance Committee will meet to conduct a hearing on the Cannabis Delivery Zoning Amendments and Municipal Code Amendments.  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

5:30pm   School Committee Buildings and Grounds Sub-Committee Virtual Meeting  (webcast)
There will be a Virtual Meeting of the Buildings and Grounds Sub-Committee on Wed, May 12 at 5:30pm to discuss the health & safety working group recommended changes/updates to the safety manual, the planned temporary move of the Tobin School and discuss the request from the Cambridge Election Commission. Individuals must sign up in advance to provide public comments. The sign up window is Fri, May 7 through Wed, May 12 at 11:30am (by phone) or 5:00pm (online). To sign up to call in using the ZOOM app on your computer or mobile device, visit http://www.cpsd.us/school_committee/virtual.

Mon, May 17

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

Tues, May 18

10:00am   The City Council's Finance Committee will hold a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2022 budget  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

Cambridge Health Alliance     Public Works Water Community Development Historical Commission	Peace Commission / PRAB     Cable TV Debt Service Library Human Services	Women’s Commission Human Rights Commission     Veterans’ Services MWRA Cherry Sheet	City Overview Section Financial Summaries Section Revenue Section Public Investment Section
Those marked in bold are the ones pulled for discussion.

Wed, May 19

6:00pm   The City Council's Finance Committee will hold a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2022 (School Department) budget  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

Thurs, May 20

9:00am   The City Council's Finance Committee will hold a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2022 budget - if needed  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

Mon, May 24

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

Tues, May 25

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

Wed, May 26

10:00am   The City Council's Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebrations Committee will conduct a public hearing on the reappointment of Conrad Crawford to the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority Board and to discuss the pilot of street closures in Harvard Square.  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

Tues, June 1

3:00pm   The City Council's Economic Development and University Relations Committee will conduct a public hearing on the small business grant and loan programs managed by the Economic Development Division of the Community Development Department throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

Wed, June 2

2:00pm   The City Council's Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebrations Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss the Alewife Envision Plan.  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

Mon, June 7

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

Tues, June 8

11:00am   The City Council's Economic Development and University Relations Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss strategies and opportunities to alleviate permit and license fees for small businesses, through possible consolidation or elimination.  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

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