Cambridge InsideOut - June 20, 2023

Official 2023 Cambridge Municipal Election Calendar (and advice for candidates)

Please Note: Potential changes to state law regarding voter registration
and early voting for Municipal Elections may require a revised calendar.

Mon, July 3:	Municipal Election Nomination Papers available at Election Commission office. Nomination papers for City Council and School Committee will be available beginning Monday, July 3 at the Election Commission office, 51 Inman Street, Cambridge. The office will be open on Monday, July 3 from 8:30am until 8:00pm. The deadline to file nomination papers is Monday, July 31 at 5:00pm. When visiting the Election Commission office please use the side entrance located on Inman Place until further notice. The 2023 Municipal Election Calendar is posted on the Commission’s website. The requirements to run for City Council or School Committee are: 1. The person must be a registered voter in Cambridge. To register, one must be 18 years of age by Election Day, a U.S. citizen and a resident in the City of Cambridge. 2. The person must file no fewer than fifty (50) and no more than one hundred (100) certifiable signatures of registered voters in the City of Cambridge. The Commission has prepared an information kit for candidates containing important dates, Commission policies, services, and publications. The kits will be available with the nomination papers on July 3. Election Day is Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Nomination papers will be available through the July 31 submission deadline, but it is advisable that a candidate pick up papers early and get started collecting signatures. The process is an excellent way for a new candidates to “get their feet wet” and acclimate to the process of asking for support. ALL pages of your nomination papers must be notarized and there are a total of three sheets. You will also want to get a current database of registered voters. This is available from the Election Commission free of charge to any candidate who has pulled nomination papers. Voter history files and the street listing are also available.
Mon, July 31:	5:00pm deadline to submit nomination papers & statements of financial interest for candidates. A minimum of 50 valid signatures must be filed and a candidate may submit up to 100 signatures. Once a voter's signature has been recorded for a particular candidate, it cannot be used for another candidate in the same race. That is, a voter should sign for exactly one candidate for City Council and one candidate for School Committee. Candidates should submit as many signatures as possible over the minimum of 50 because it is very likely that some signatures will not be certified. It is advisable that all signatures be checked against the voter registration list before submitting them. Candidates do not have to submit all their signatures at one time, and it is advisable that signatures be submitted as each sheet becomes full. The Election Commission staff traditionally checks signatures soon after they are submitted, so it is possible to know how many signatures have been tentatively certified in case it is necessary to obtain more signatures to reach the minimum of 50 certified signatures. Actual certification is only official when the Election Commission votes to approve them.
Mon, Aug 14:	5:00pm deadline for Election Commission to certify signatures on nomination papers.
Wed, Aug 16:	5:00pm deadline for municipal candidates to file withdrawal of nomination.
Sat, Oct 28:	5:00pm deadline to register to vote in municipal election. In person registration hours are 9:00am to 5:00pm at Election Commission office. (Mail in registration must be postmarked by Oct 28).
Mon, Oct 30:	Deadline for School Committee candidates and Political Committees to file Municipal Campaign & Political Finance Reports. (City Council candidates should consult their OCPF packets regarding depository-filing requirements). City Council candidates are required under state law to set up a depository account at a bank. The bank will report all deposits and expenditures directly to the state's Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF). School Committee candidates are not required to set up a depository account, but they must file a campaign finance report in mid-October and at the end of the year.
Tues, Oct 31:	5:00pm deadline to apply for absentee ballot by mail.
Mon, Nov 6:	Noontime (12:00pm) deadline to apply for absentee ballot for over-the-counter voting.
Tues, Nov 7:	Municipal Election. Polls are open 7:00am until 8:00pm. All vote-by-mail ballots (except Overseas Absentee Ballots) must arrive at the Election Commission office by 8:00pm to be counted. Ballot count begins at Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square after the polls close. Overseas Absentee Ballots are due by 5:00pm on Friday, Nov 17, but must be postmarked by Nov 7. It is expected that the Election Commission will report preliminary election results Tuesday evening (Nov 7), but this tally does not include auxiliary ballots (write-in ballots and other ballots not yet counted for a variety of reasons). These will be scanned and tabulated on Wednesday. Unofficial election results are expected to be announced on Wednesday when all of the auxiliary ballots have been included. The official election results will not be complete until any overseas absentee ballots and provisional ballots have been included on Fri, Nov 7.
Wed, Nov 8:	9:00am-5:00pm. Ballot count resumes at Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square.
Fri, Nov 17:	Overseas Absentee Ballots and Provisional Ballots will be counted at 5:00pm.

In-person early voting and drop box locations and hours will be posted online at www.cambridgema.gov/election and will be available at the Election Commission Office.

Regular Election Commission Office Hours: (Unless otherwise indicated)
Mondays: 8:30am to 8:00pm
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays: 8:30am to 5:00pm
Fridays: 8:30am to Noon

Holidays: The Election Commission will be closed for the following holidays:
Independence Day - Tuesday, July 4
Labor Day - Monday, September 4
Indigeonous Peoples/Columbus Day - Monday, October 9

2023 Official Municipal Election Calendar

Preview - June 12, 2023 Cambridge City Council meeting

Tis the season for pushing through political agendas prior to the ever-important business of gathering nomination signatures and soliciting support during the lead-up to the November municipal election. Here are the items that struck me this week like a velocipede blowing through a red light: City Hall

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the proposed structure for the Cambridge Community Electricity program (CCE) for the period 2024-2025. [presentation]
pulled by Nolan; comments by PN, QZ, BA, DS; Placed on File 8-0-1 (SS-Absent)

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 23-31, regarding potential amendments to the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO).
pulled by Zondervan; comments by QZ, MM, DC, Iram Farooq explains that CDD supports disparate zoning standards for different developers; Mallon cuts off Carlone’s questions; Carlone explains that City purchasing land for the purpose of building mixed-use projects would be the preferred route; Simmons and Azeem are all-in for “sky’s the limit” amendments to AHO; Nolan expresses concern about changes to open space and setback requirements; Farooq comments sound almost like she works for the housing developers; AM comments; Amended language adopted as a City Council zoning petition 8-0-1 (SS-Absent); Referred to Planning Board and Ordinance Committee 5-3-1 (BA,AM,MM,DS,QZ-Yes; DC,PN,PT-No; SS-Absent)

The ABC propagandists have been lighting up their mailing lists over this proposal to accelerate the transition from relatively dense residential housing to extra-high density subsidized housing in the Squares and along all of the major “corridors” in Cambridge. Expect a long line of Zoom speakers reading scripted comments. It should be noted that this proposal is not currently in the queue of proposed zoning amendments. It is likely that some version of this will now be put in the queue to be considered during the next several months and likely be woven prominently into upcoming political campaign propaganda and used to malign anyone who opposed or even questions to “wisdom” of the proposal.

A sampler of what is proposed:

There shall be no maximum FAR for an AHO Project within an AHO Square or AHO Corridor.
There shall be no minimum lot area per dwelling unit for an AHO Project.
Where the District Dimensional Standards set forth a maximum residential building height of more than 65 feet, an AHO Project shall contain no more than 13 Stories Above Grade and shall have a maximum height of 150 feet. [The proposal had called for buildings in areas zoned for heights above 50 feet to go up to 9 stories with a maximum height of 80 feet, but after “consultation with local affordable housing builders”, CDD jacked up all of the proposed maximums.
An AHO Project within an AHO Square shall contain no more than fifteen (15) Stories Above Grade and shall have a maximum height of one hundred and seventy (170) feet....
An AHO Project within an AHO Corridor shall contain no more than twelve (12) Stories Above Grade and shall have a maximum height of one hundred and forty (140) feet....
An AHO Project shall have no minimum front yard setback.
An AHO Project shall have no minimum side yard setback.
An AHO Project shall have a minimum rear yard setback of 15 feet. [CDD revised this down from 20 feet.]

We really need to ask that a new hand be dealt in this November’s municipal election.

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Policy Order 2023 #81 directing City staff to recommend what new city regulations and council action or changes to existing regulations or ordinances are needed to put in place in order to implement the Craig Kelley et al. Zoning Petition for residential car sharing and renting of EV charging stations. [cover letter] [CDD memo] [Solicitor’s Legal Opinion]
pulled by Nolan; Unf. Bus. #2 before Council; comments by Nolan; Petition language amended by substitution of CDD language 8-0-1 (SS-Absent); QZ, DC comments; Ordained as Amended 7-1-1 (DC-No; SS-Absent)

Unfinished Business #2. An Ordinance has been received from Craig Kelley et al, relative to amend the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge regarding EV and car share Zoning change. [Passed to 2nd Reading May 15, 2023; To Be Ordained on or after June 5, 2023; Expires Aug 1, 2023] (ORD23#2) [First Publication]
Petition language amended by substitution of CDD language 8-0-1 (SS-Absent); QZ, DC comments; Ordained as Amended 7-1-1 (DC-No; SS-Absent)

As I have stated before, this is a fundamentally good idea with potential unintended consequences - not the least of which would be resident homeowners with parking spaces relocating their vehicles to on-street parking in order to operate their EV-equipped driveways and yards as a commercial enterprise. I am sure that apps will follow to direct people to these addresses just like Airbnb and Waze. Another question would be whether a portion of the residential property should then be taxed at commercial property tax rates.

Manager’s Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 23-27, regarding the Charter Review Timeline Legal Opinion Request. [Solicitor’s Legal Opinion]
pulled by Nolan; comments by Nolan, Zondervan, Azeem; responses by City Solicitor Nancy Glowa, Election Commission Exec. Director Tanya Ford-Crump; Nolan expresses desire to have a Special Election in 2024; Placed on File 8-0-1 (SS-Absent)

Late Order #8. That the City Manager is requested to have the Legal Department answer several questions related to the timeline on voting a possible charter change. Councillor Nolan
comments by PN, MM, DC; Order Adopted 6-1-1-1 (QZ-No, SS-Absent, DS-Present)

Under G.L. c. 43B, §11, a proposed charter amendment approved by the City Council pursuant to a two-thirds vote and approved by the Attorney General shall be submitted to the voters for their approval or disapproval at the “first regular city election” … “held at least two months after the order proposing such charter amendment becomes effective.” (Nov 4, 2025 at the earliest) An alternative would be that “Upon local approval by vote of the City Council, the charter or charter change can be filed as a bill by a member of the City’s delegation to the General Court, with the bill proceeding through the legislative process in the same manner as other legislation. … The special legislation, if passed by the Massachusetts General Court and enacted and signed by the Governor, would then go before the voters on the next municipal ballot.” … “The election on potential amendments to the City’s charter could theoretically be conducted during either the City’s biennial municipal election or the City’s biennial state election, depending on the final language in the home rule petition that the state legislature approves and the Governor signs. Likewise, the language … does not preclude the City from requesting a special election on potential charter amendments in its home rule petition to the state legislature. … The state legislature may object to a local election detracting from the state/federal election in the state’s fourth largest municipality. Tanya Ford, the Executive Director of the Election Commission, has noted that conducting two simultaneous separate elections on the same day would also require increasing staffing and resources.”

I don’t believe that the current City Council would be so reckless as to rush through such an important matter, but there are clearly precedents for such recklessness.

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the recommendation of the following appointments and reappointments of members to the Avon Hill, Half-Crown-Marsh, and Mid Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District (NCD) Commissions. These appointments are for three years and are effective June 12, 2023 unless otherwise noted; Levin Campbell, Ruby Booz, Aaron Kemp, Donna Marcantonio, James Van Sickle, Kathryn Moll, Nan Laird, Catherine Tice and Charles Redmon
Appointments Adopted 8-0-1 (SS-Absent)

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointments and reappointments of the following person as members of the Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship (CIRC) Commission for a term of three years effective June 12, 2023; Maximus Daniel De Medici, Debra Klein, Vanessa Sarmiento, Tsamchoe Dolma and Ana D. Mejia
Appointments Adopted 8-0-1 (SS-Absent)

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following persons as members of the Public Arts Commission (PAC) for a term of three years, effective June 12, 2023; Diana Smith, John Ravenal, Frank Shirley, Jennifer Lawrence, Gabrielle Domb and Keisha Greaves.
Appointments Adopted 8-0-1 (SS-Absent)

Will this be the moment when the City Council invokes its veto power to reject volunteers to City boards who fail to meet their ideological and other tests? Even more problematic (and as suggested in prior meetings of the Government Operations Committee), are city councillors quietly vetting candidates prior to the City Manager’s appointments? Inquiring minds would like to know. How might that jibe with the usual claims of “transparency” - let alone the Open Meeting Law? We are currently in unchartered waters.

Manager’s Agenda #10. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the establishment of a Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Stabilization Fund.
Order Adopted 8-0-1 (SS-Absent)

Manager’s Agenda #11. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $10,000,000 from Free Cash to the Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Stabilization Fund. Funds appropriated to and held by the UPK Stabilization Fund, will be expended for the provision of programs and services related to establishing, maintaining and expanding a Universal Pre-Kindergarten program and other early childhood programs in the City of Cambridge.
Order Adopted 8-0-1 (SS-Absent)

Manager’s Agenda #12. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $1,000,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Department of Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures account for technical assistance in assessing and implementing the City’s Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance (BEUDO) for new and existing City-owned buildings.
Order Adopted 8-0-1 (SS-Absent)

Manager’s Agenda #13. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $250,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Department of Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures account, for a conditions assessment and preliminary feasibility study for the City’s property at 119 Windsor Street.
pulled by Zondervan; comments by QZ; responses from Deputy City Manager Owen O’Riordan; Order Adopted 8-0-1 (SS-Absent)

Manager’s Agenda #14. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $660,866.80 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures account. Funding will support projects to convert inefficient lighting to energy-saving LEDs at the Healy Public Safety Building, Main Library, Alice K Wolf Building, Longfellow-Broadway School and First Street Garage.
pulled by Nolan; comments by PN, BA, DC, QZ; Order Adopted 8-0-1 (SS-Absent)

“As of June 12, 2023, the City’s Free Cash balance is $142,269,242 from an initial certified amount of $199,259,756.” These appropriations would further reduce that. Many people have also suggested that substantial commercial tax abatements may be forthcoming which would, presumably, further reduce our unreserved fund balance.

Charter Right #1. That the Transportation and Public Utilities and Neighborhood & Long-Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebration Committees work with the City Manager and appropriate city departments and staff, to hold a joint hearing to receive input from city staff and the community to review the effectiveness and develop recommendations on methods to collect data and establish measurable benchmarks and standards as it relates to the Cycling Safety Ordinance. [Charter Right – Azeem, June 5, 2023]
Azeem comments and amendments; Toner, Nolan, Zondervan, Carlone, McGovern comments; original sponsors added to substitute order 7-1-1 (QZ-No, SS-Absent); Amendments Adopted 7-1-1 (QZ-No, SS-Absent); Order Adopted as Amended 7-1-1 (QZ-No, SS-Absent)

This should again bring lots of public comment. The only real question is what particular phrasing Councillor Azeem will propose to effectively say “that under no circumstance shall any data collected, benchmarks, or standards in any way alter any provisions or timelines of the Cycling Safety Ordinance. “and the Judge wasn’t going to look at the twenty seven eight-by-ten color glossy pictures with the circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was to be used as evidence…”

Unfinished Business #3. Ordinance entitled “Building Energy Use,” Chapter 8.67 of the Municipal Code of the City of Cambridge Building Energy Use Disclosure and Emission Reductions BUEDO (Ordinance 2021-26) [Passed to 2nd Reading June 5, 2023; To Be Ordained on or after June 26, 2023] [First Publication]

Order #1. Proposed amendment to BEUDO. Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone
pulled by Zondervan; comments by QZ who wanted to exercise Charter Right (cannot), Tabled 7-1-1 (PT-No, SS-Absent)

Order #2. Fossil Fuel Free Demonstration Pilot. Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Zondervan; comments by MM, QZ; Charter Right - Zondervan

Regarding these proposals, I refer you to the remarks of Patrick Barrett who understands these issues far better than any of the currently elected city councillors. It’s getting beyond tiresome when late amendments arrive with virtually zero time for members of the public and affected property owners to digest them.

Order (withdrawn). That the City Manager is requested to work with the Executive Director of the Cambridge Housing Authority to extend the deadline for submitting applications to fill the Resident Board Member vacancy on the CHA Board of Commissioners, and to invite the Alliance of Cambridge Tenants to submit a list of names for this position. Councillor Zondervan

The deadline has already been extended. Meanwhile, the “Alliance of Cambridge Tenants” is in chaos with some of its most prominent figures either resigning or being excluded. It would seem that the Cambridge Housing Authority is exercising an alternative option by posting the open position in the common spaces of all of its properties. It’s also quite possible that the current board member may be reappointed which would make this whole matter moot.

Order #3. Golf Course Demographic Information PO. Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone
pulled by Toner; comments by QZ, PT, PN, DC, MM, AM; Charter Right - Zondervan

I don’t really know how we got to the point of recording racial and other characteristics of people who choose to play golf. This is madness. Let’s also not forget that City Council Order from January 2022 that suggested closing part of the golf course in favor of such things as high density affordable housing development. That original Order was proposed by Councillors Nolan, Carlone, Zondervan, and Azeem.

Order #4. That the City Manager is requested to amend the Cambridge Math Circle budget up by $100,000 annually. Councillor Carlone, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Carlone; comments by DC, PN (add as cosponsor), PT; Charter Right - Toner

This is a worthwhile proposal definitely worth funding, but the real question is: “Why is this proposal coming from three city councillors?” Isn’t this the province of the Cambridge School Committee? I would really like to better understand the background of why this is coming in as a City Council Order.

Order #5. City Council support for MIT GSU’s right to a fair contract. Councillor Azeem, Councillor Zondervan
pulled by Toner; comments by BA, PT; Charter Right - Toner

Order #6. That the Home Rule Petition titled “PETITION FOR AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO EMPLOY AUTOMATED ENFORCEMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE” be forwarded to the state delegation in order to forward to the General Court for adoption. Councillor Nolan, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Toner, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
pulled by Zondervan; comments by PN; QZ motion to make unanimous adopted 8-0-1 (SS-Absent); Order Adopted as Amended 8-0-1 (SS-Absent)

I love the contradictory positions of this City Council being suspicious of surveillance and now potentially in favor of automatic traffic enforcement. That said, the background of this Order is pretty clearly an effort to jump on yet another nationwide bandwagon questioning the use of uniformed police officers to enforce traffic laws. It’s worth noting the provision: “No photographs taken in conformance with this chapter shall be discoverable in any judicial or administrative proceeding other than a proceeding held pursuant to this chapter without a court order. No photograph taken in conformance with this chapter shall be admissible in any judicial or administrative proceeding other than in a proceeding to adjudicate liability for such violation of this chapter without a court order.” In contrast, when a police officer does a traffic stop there’s always the possibility that there may be outstanding warrants (or worse).

Committee Report #1. The Ordinance Committee held a public hearing on Wed, May 24, 2023 on the Citizens Zoning Petition received from Charles Jessup Franklin et al., regarding allowing new construction hat is similar in size and shape as existing buildings for the purpose of promoting housing and first floor retail. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 8-0-1 (SS-Absent)

I’m not sure where this is headed, but I would love to read what the Planning Board has to say. As I stated last week: “The Franklin et. al. Petition would essentially double and triple allowable densities broadly across all residential zones and mixed-use zones. Though it claims to be an effort to “restore” the right to build structures similar in size and shape as existing buildings, this is entirely not the case in most areas that would be affected by the proposed zoning change. It also substantially reduces setback and open requirements. It also would require ground floor nonresidential uses in many settings - even as retail continues to struggle. … This proposal needs a lot more than just a review for consistency.” If you add this on top of the proposed AHO amendments, I can’t even begin to describe what a miserable urban environment may be in our future. The sheer dishonesty and misrepresentation of it all is enough to make you retch. - Robert Winters

Comments?

BEUDO + AHO = Performance Art - a message from Patrick Barrett

June 11, 2023

Mayor Siddiqui and Cambridge City Council,

I am asking you to do a couple of things tomorrow night but first and foremost I ask that you attempt to take a look at the current state of our city. We are teetering on breaking into a billion dollar budget where our schools consistently underperform and nearly 8% of families have abandoned the system in just the last couple of years, small and large businesses are still failing at an accelerated rate burdened by excess pandemic debt and an ecosystem that has evaporated, Kendall Square is facing a 30% vacancy rate, drug dealers own Central Square emboldened enough to mug and strip a man naked in broad daylight for failure to pay a drug debt, and the general sense among those who do the work is that we are currently leaderless. Where in all of this is our City Council, Manager, and Department Heads? In truth many of you have little to no substantive connection to the City at all. Most of you do not have young or school aged children. Most of you do not now nor have you ever run a business in Cambridge. Most have not built the home they live in or any structure in Cambridge. Some have lived here generationally and that is terrific but we are talking policy and whether you’ve lived here for a day or seven centuries there are those with “skin in the game” and those that have none. Most, if not all of you, are activists each having their own area of “expertise” where the actual power to drive policy on these issues rests with the State or Federal government not the Cambridge City Council. Thus as stewards of the city you’ve very little that directly impacts you regarding schools, business, development, crime or even the lofty goals of your activism. Do any of you own or live in a BEUDO property? Are any of you currently on the waiting list for affordable housing? Do any of you have a child waiting to take algebra in 8th grade only to find out that has been taken off the table? I could go on for days ... this takes me to Monday night:

1) The AHO has always bothered me. It is a set of rules specially designed for a small group of developers with direct access to municipal funds that allows them to ignore anachronistic and obtuse zoning rules everyone else has to obey. If you are a homeowner and want to add additional bedroom or play room for your growing family it likely means a variance or special permit you’re never going to get but for the AHO developer there is no such impediment. It seems an odd result that home owners and property owners should face such steep headwinds for minor quality of life adjustments and that for a small group of developers they can simply do whatever they like. The amendment to the AHO is another reminder to me that when it comes to housing policy and zoning we really are just winging it. Anyone who builds anything (which is none of you currently on the Council) knows very well that 12-15 stories or infinity stories as previously contemplated is highly likely to produce nothing. Your current inclusionary zoning is so horribly broken your director of CDD is doing backflips to hide this fact. When San Francisco reduces from 25% to 12% and says it still doesn't work you can bet the same rules apply here or worse. Lastly, you received a communication from Susan Connelly last week that is the most coherent salient and informative communication I’ve ever read on the subject and you’d all be wise to read what she says and listen to her. 100% spot on. I hope you hit the pause button on this one and become a serious legislative body again. I do not care about heights, density, or anything else the so called NIMBY folk are accused of (the whole nimby v yimby game is another level of performance art) but I do care about results and like the 99.9% of Cambridge citizens who are not City Councillors it is baffling that we should face so many real immediate issues and yet you’ve chosen to not address any of them but instead have spent a year or more on what is essentially small town theatre.

2) BEUDO is another performative piece of legislation on the docket for Monday night. Will it reduce greenhouse gases in commercial and residential buildings? Of course not. The grid is 80-85% fossil fuel based and likely to stay so well past the 2030’s. CDD identified 20 buildings as the largest producers of GHGs in the city all of which are labs that will be exempt of gas hook up bans and are well capitalized enough to weather this new tax. Why focus on 20 buildings producing more than 50% of our GHGs when you can draft an incoherent set of rules that will devastate the least able to bear it? BUEDO will make residents and business owners rip out perfectly functional HVAC equipment, displace commercial and residential tenants, and further compress our economy during the worst commercial financing conditions of our time. This is obviously the work of people who do not trouble themselves with the details. Further, the amount of resources Eversource will now have to redirect to Cambridge will deny essential resources to other communities on the State’s 2050 timeline and create more havoc when the infrastructure we need rapidly needs to be located within our communities. You still haven’t even addressed the building to building or citywide infrastructure needed for any of this to work; unless of course this was all just about the tax. One billion dollar budget and you need a new tax? Really? Further, our 6.32 square mile billion dollar city will be pushing the remaining 10,559 square miles to the side so we can not only be “first” but the only one out in front of the State. This isn’t “green washing,” it’s “green bullying” and something as a City and as individual residents we should only feel shame in being a part of. To anyone watching, and there weren’t many, the entire “process” was a sham. CDD has ceased to adequately function for at least a decade now but their “work” on BEUDO highlighted a deep and powerful incompetence that I personally found stunning. However I think much like the Council, CDD is also primarily comprised of activists. Thus we have lots of policy and very little substance. In the end this will hurt any individual with a commercial or residential property swept up in a tax scheme they cannot comply with. In effect Cambridge is sending a message through this Council to pack up and leave ... only MIT and Harvard need apply. Message heard. In the meantime I ask that you vote Zondervan’s amendment down. CDD did not include it for good reason and what little policy was shaped by a transparent process with actual stakeholders ought to be preserved if for no other reason to not add more drama to the second act.

3) Gas Hook-Up ban. The final act in local theatre production is another light on substance heavy on pain for small businesses and especially those in the restaurant industry. I do not think there is anyone on the City Council who works in or owns a restaurant; yet another example of no skin in the game. We should absolutely NOT sign on the pilot program. We passed the specialized stretch code and we are about to pass BEUDO. We do not need any further constraints on small businesses. The pain of the pandemic which this Council absolutely exacerbated in yet another performative opera of incompetence is still very much with us. Restaurants will be feeling this pain for a generation. In Central Square only 11% of restaurants received any relief and even the ones that did closed. Gas hook-ups are essential to many different types of cuisine and are still industry standard though I do recall Councillor Nolan and Susan Rasmussen both stating the “high end” chefs prefer induction. I asked at the time for a source and am still waiting. It might be worth mentioning that induction stoves cost more, require specialized pots and pans, and are about 4-5 times more costly to fix ... I know I know ... details right? This type of prohibition was blocked by the Ninth Circuit court fought by a Restaurant lobby only a few short months ago. Lastly, the pilot will not affect medical facilities nor will it affect labs and that is how we know that this is yet another piece of performance art. Gas stoves are used by many Cambridge residents and chefs, and it’s hard to imagine in the home of Julia Childs we could be so neglectful to this industry. Do not approve this policy order and do not join this so called pilot program ... you’ve all done enough damage for one Monday.

There is so much more going on in our city besides affordable housing and regurgitated faux environmental policies that are currently failing everywhere they’ve been adopted. No matter what we do we cannot be “The First.” However we do have it within us to be The Model, but only if we pull back and get serious people in the room. We can get to better places on housing, environmental issues, crime/policing, and more but not with activists who only read the CliffsNotes nor a Community Development Department that is at its core broken. In the meantime please vote down Zondervan’s amendment and put the breaks on any AHO amendment to merge this policy with a comprehensive strategy that includes market rate housing and fixes inclusionary; a real housing policy for Cambridge. I would be remiss in not mentioning that this year will be C2’s tenth birthday. Ten years have passed since we had the chance to rezone and create thousands of new housing units in one of the last places in Cambridge to truly redevelop, but instead of working on that we push a bunch of nonsense that will produce nothing but distrust and enmity among residents; why? I'm not really much of a critic of the arts but this is absolutely the worst play I’ve ever seen.

PS: to those who act, perform, sing, and dance in actual theatre I love you and mean no harm.

Respectfully,
Patrick W. Barrett III

Preview - June 5, 2023 Cambridge City Council meeting

Here are a few select items on this week’s agenda, starting with the expected adoption of the FY2024 Budget: Coins

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to amendments to the FY24 Submitted General Fund Budget.
pulled by Nolan; Orders #3 and #4 and Committee Reports #1, #2, and #3 taken up early (see below); Zondervan asks Manager to increase tax levy by an additional 4% instead of applying Free Cash; Manager explains why this would not be prudent; Order Adopted 9-0, Referred to Finance Committee Reports

“With these changes the estimated increase in the property tax levy for FY24 is approximately 9.2% (from the original FY24 estimate of 8.8%).” Please note that even though the rate of inflation has gone up, the City’s tax levy has gone up even more.

Order #3. That City Manager is requested to adjust the Health Alliance Budget to ensure that all services provided to the City of Cambridge by the Health Alliance for Public Health Department needs and staff are fully funded, and to adjust the Capital Budget to ensure all necessary repairs are made to the Windsor Street Clinic. Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #4. That the City Manager is requested to increase the Affordable Housing Trust budget in FY24 by 7.1% to equal the increase of the overall city budget, increase the Affordable Housing Trust budget by $20 million through a free cash appropriation, outside of the FY24 budget, and engage in creating a 3-year plan to increase the Affordable Housing Trust budget to 10% of the overall City budget. Councillor Simmons

Order Divided:
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to increase the Affordable Housing Trust budget in FY24 by 7.1% to equal the increase of the overall city budget.
Order Adopted 9-0

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to increase the Affordable Housing Trust budget by $20 million through a free cash appropriation, outside of the FY24 budget.
Order Adopted 5-4 (BA,MM,DS,QZ,SS - Yes; DC,AM,PN,PT - No)

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to engage in creating a 3-year plan to increase the Affordable Housing Trust budget to 10% of the overall City budget.
Order Adopted 6-3 (BA,AM,MM,DS,QZ,SS - Yes; DC,PN,PT - No)

Committee Report #1. The Finance Committee conducted a public hearing on Tues, May 9, 2023, from 9:00am-5:00pm to discuss the City and School budgets covering the fiscal period July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #2. The Finance Committee conducted a public hearing on Wed, May 10, 2023, from 6:00pm-11:00pm to discuss the School Department budget covering the fiscal period July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #3. The Finance Committee conducted a public hearing on Tues, May 16, 2023 and reconvened on May 18, 2023, to discuss the City and School budgets covering the fiscal period July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Zondervan motion to reduce the Police budget and defund Shotspotter:
That the Police Department Budget be reduced to $73,000,000 and that funding for Shotspotter be discontinued in FY24.
Fails 2-7 (QZ,SS-Yes) - [Not surprising that Zondervan voted this way, but now Mayor Siddiqui has officially gone on record in favor of “Defund the Police”]

General Fund Budget of $834,684,910 Adopted as Amended 8-1 (QZ - No)
Water Fund Budget of $15,502,965 Adopted 9-0
Public Investment Budget of $18,056,905 Adopted 9-0
All Loan Orders Adopted 9-0
Reconsideration Fails 0-9 on all Budget-related items

Unfinished Business #3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $50,000,000 to provide funds for the reconstruction of the Mass Avenue between Waterhouse Street and Alewife Parkway. [Passed to 2nd Reading May 1, 2023; Referred to Finance Committee] [text of order (May 1, 2023)]
Order Adopted 9-0

Unfinished Business #4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appropriation and authorization to borrow $35,350,000 to provide funds for the Municipal Facilities Improvement Plan. Funds will support upgrades to the 689 Mass Avenue Interior; upgrades at the Moses Youth Center; Interior fit-out of Rindge Pre-K building; electric vehicle charging station infrastructure at several municipal buildings; and additional work at Inman and East Cambridge Fire Houses; First Street Garage upgrades to stairs and elevator; and other City building upgrades. [Passed to 2nd Reading May 1, 2023; Referred to Finance Committee] [text of order (May 1, 2023)]
Order Adopted 9-0

Unfinished Business #5. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appropriation and authorization to borrow $2,500,000 to provide funds for the construction of the Peabody School Playground and Corcoran (Raymond Street) park. [Passed to 2nd Reading May 1, 2023; Referred to Finance Committee] [text of order (May 1, 2023)]
Order Adopted 9-0

Unfinished Business #6. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,800,000 to provide funds for financing school building upgrades. [Passed to 2nd Reading May 1, 2023; Referred to Finance Committee] [text of order (May 1, 2023)]
Order Adopted 9-0

Unfinished Business #7. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $51,500,000 to provide funds for the construction of sewer separation, storm water management and combined sewer overflow reduction elimination improvements within the Port and River Street areas as well as the Sewer Capital Repairs Program and climate change preparedness efforts. [Passed to 2nd Reading May 1, 2023; Referred to Finance Committee] [text of order (May 1, 2023)]
Order Adopted 9-0

Unfinished Business #8. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $26,000,000 to provide funds for the reconstruction of various City streets, sidewalks and bike facilities. $15,000,000 of this loan order is attributable to the improvement project related to sewer infrastructure upgrades on River Street, which include full depth roadway reconstruction, new sidewalks, new street trees and various other street improvements. [Passed to 2nd Reading May 1, 2023; Referred to Finance Committee] [text of order (May 1, 2023)]
Order Adopted 9-0

When you consider the rapid rise in the tax levy coupled with expected property tax reductions and abatements for the many commercial properties that are currently underutilized, there is a good chance that residential property tax bills this fall may jump significantly. Meanwhile, our City Council continues to advocate for even more discretionary spending.

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to AR23-29, regarding amendments to the Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance. (CM23#155) [cover memo] [Summary Chart] [Amendment_redline] [Amendment_clean]
Passed to 2nd Reading 8-0-0-1 (Simmons - Present)

The proposed amendment of the “Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance” was first introduced on Nov 8, 2021, was referred to the Ordinance Committee on Jan 24, 2022, and has since been the subject of much criticism - especially from condominium owners who could potentially be hit with significant costs. Some of the provisions would also greatly affect commercial properties - particularly in regard to mandated electrification and its associated hardware and access. There are also feasibility questions in regard to electrical supply and how Cambridge’s mandates might divert resources away from other communities. The name of the ordinance really should be amended to something more like “Building Energy Use Mandatory Retrofit Ordinance” (BEUMRO) since this clearly would no longer be just about “disclosure”.

When exactly did notions like encouragement and incentive give way to mandates?

Unfinished Business #9. An Ordinance has been received from Craig Kelley et al, relative to amend the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge regarding EV and car share Zoning change. [Passed to 2nd Reading May 15, 2023; To Be Ordained on or after June 5, 2023; Expires Aug 1, 2023] (ORD23#2) [text of report (May 15, 2023)]
No Action Taken

There is a lot of merit to this proposal, but that pesky “Law of Unintended Consequences” continues to be a concern. Will residential properties become the 21st Century equivalent of “filling stations”.

Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to direct the Community Development Department to provide further study on the proposed changes by the Franklin Petition, as well as a careful review of the language to remove any potential conflicts and ambiguities and is requested to direct the Law Department to provide guidance on any legal issues and questions raised by CDD and the Planning Board by the Franklin Petition. Councillor Zondervan, Councillor McGovern, Vice Mayor Mallon
Order Adopted 9-0

The Franklin et. al. Petition would essentially double and triple allowable densities broadly across all residential zones and mixed-use zones. Though it claims to be an effort to “restore” the right to build structures similar in size and shape as existing buildings, this is entirely not the case in most areas that would be affected by the proposed zoning change. It also substantially reduces setback and open requirements. It also would require ground floor nonresidential uses in many settings - even as retail continues to struggle. This Order asks the Community Development Department and the Law Department to review the petition language for potential conflicts and ambiguities especially as they relate to “climate planning, affordable housing, and inclusionary zoning”, but this proposal needs a lot more than just a review for consistency.

Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to establish a new phone number and email address for Inclusionary Tenants to utilize for complaints and emergency issues as they arise, ensuring that their voices are heard and their concerns are addressed in a timely and effective manner. Councillor Simmons
pulled by Simmons; Order Adopted 9-0

It’s interesting how the comfort level among some people has been increasing in asking to have different rules and mechanisms for different people.

Order #2. Recognizing June 19, 2023 as Juneteenth in the City of Cambridge, and in urging all Cambridge residents to reflect upon the meaning of this important day. Councillor Simmons, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Toner, Councillor Zondervan
pulled by Simmons; Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

At the risk of being attacked for pointing this out, why exactly is the Juneteenth flag displayed on the front of City Hall 365 days per year? Juneteenth takes place on June 19. [This reminds me of the song by Roy Wood’s Wizzard called “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday”.] It’s also worth considering Renee Graham’s recent column in the Boston Globe entitled, “The gentrification of Juneteenth”.

Order #8. That City Manager is requested to ensure adequate funding to fully repair the irrigation system in Danehy Park immediately. Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Carlone, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Toner (PO23#106)
pulled by Nolan; Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Hopefully things will be better for this year’s Cambridge Jazz Festival on June 29-30. Last year’s event was more like Burning Man due to the scorched grass.

Order #10. That the City Manager is requested to direct the Fire Department, the Police Department, Emergency Communications Department, Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department, the Department of Public Works and the Harvard Square Business Association to determine if permanent automatic bollards could be feasible in the area of Winthrop Street. Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Mallon; Order Adopted 9-0

Order #11. That the Transportation and Public Utilities and Neighborhood & Long-Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebration Committees work with the City Manager and appropriate City departments and staff, to hold a joint hearing to receive input from City staff and the community to review the effectiveness and develop recommendations on methods to collect data and establish measurable benchmarks and standards as it relates to the Cycling Safety Ordinance. Councillor Toner, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Toner; Charter Right - Azeem

This is likely to dominate Public Comment. I anticipate an amendment from at least one of the councillors of the form “as long as this in no way affects any aspect of the Cycling Safety Ordinance”. Some councillors are quite content to never reevaluate their decisions. – “and the Judge wasn’t going to look at the twenty seven eight-by-ten color glossy Pictures with the circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each One explaining what each one was to be used as evidence…”

Order #12. That the City Manager is requested to work with the appropriate departments to provide a legal opinion on whether the city could, without violating state law, use traffic cameras, regulated under the Surveillance Ordinance, to inform motorists of potential traffic violations or dangerous actions, without issuing any citations or formal warnings. Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone
Order Adopted 9-0

Please don’t do that. Pretty please with sugar on it. - Robert Winters

Comments?

Grading on a Curve: The 2022-2023 Cambridge City Council

Jan 10, 2022:
Order to appoint a 20-25 person Cycling Safety Ordinance (from Dec 21, 2021);
Order to amend Alewife Overlay Districts 1-6 to insert a new section entitled Section 20.94.3 - Temporarily prohibited uses;
Chair of GovOps to serve as the City Council’s designee to coordinate with Randi Frank Consulting, LLC;
appointments to the City Council Committees

Jan 24, 2022:
Cambridge Net Zero Action Plan 2021- Update and Executive Summary;
Congratulations to Christine Elow on her appointment as Commissioner of the Cambridge Police Department;
Order opening up possiblility of other uses for golf course - Nolan, Carlone, Zondervan, Azeem;
Councillors Simmons and Toner to lead ad-hoc committee for the City Clerk and City Auditor positions;

Jan 31, 2022:
DePasquale memo on proposed amendments to the Municipal Code relative to recent charter changes;
report on potential modifications or adjustments to the recent improvements made on segment of Mass. Ave. from Dudley Street to Alewife Brook Parkway;
Mgr report on feasibility of creating a Cycling Safety Ordinance Advisory group;
Planning Board recommendations to not adopt the Cushing, et al., Zoning Petition and the Yamin, et al., Zoning Petition;
Ordinance Committee report on Yamin, et al., Zoning Petition;
Planning Board recommendation not to adopt the Francis Donovan, et al., Zoning Petition;
Resolution on retirement of David Albert - QZ votes NO;
Reintroduction of proposed Wage Theft Ordinance

Feb 7, 2022:
Zoning Ordinances of the City of Cambridge be amended to insert a new section 10.600, titled “On-Site Fossil Fuel Infrastructure” (killed Feb 28);
provide a legal opinion on whether the City Council can delegate the authority of curb cut approvals;
Order calling for eliminating all parking minimums in all residential zones;
Order calling for spending ARPA money on direct support for households and individuals;
Appoint Denise Simmons and Paul Toner as members of the City Clerk preliminary screening committee;
Municipal Code to add a new section titled “Article III Green Jobs.”
Article 22 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge entitled “Sustainable Design And Development” to insert a new section
GovOps report on reviewing next steps in the City Manager search process;
Mayor Siddiqui appoints Fare Free Bus Pilot Working Group

Feb 28, 2022:
AAA rating from the nation's three major credit rating agencies;
Climate Resilience Zoning Task Force Report;
Zoning Petition from Craig A. Kelley regarding The Cambridge Transportation De-Carbonization and Congestion-Mitigation Bill;
support of potential Green Line extension to Porter Square;
amend all existing Community Host Agreements previously issued by the City by reducing the Impact Fee to 0.05% of Gross Revenue;
Proposed amendment to Chapter 2.78 of the Cambridge Code of Ordinance, entitled “Historical Buildings and Landmarks.”
Final Report of the Cambridge Advisory Committee on City Art, Monuments, & Markers

Mar 7, 2022:
report on reviewing Cambridge's contracts and purchases to identify vendors, manufacturers whose products used to perpetuate violations of International Human Rights Laws and Cambridge's policy on discrimination;
$730,000 from Free Cash for additional costs associated with the implementation of the Cycling Safety Ordinance;
update on status of planned implementation of cycling safety improvements in Porter Square;
disposition of property located at 35 Cherry Street to the Affordable Housing Trust;
Mallon Late Order to have City Manager explain the City's current policy regarding a remote work policy;
communication from Councillors Toner and Simmons regarding the search for the next City Clerk

Mar 21, 2022:
block rates for water consumption and sewer use for the period beginning Apr 1, 2022 and ending Mar 31, 2023;
Nolan auditioning for Purchasing Agent;
City Manager is requested to amend all existing Community Host Agreements;
direct the Community Development Department to immediately convene an Alewife Overlay District Zoning Proposal Working Group;
City Council supports H.3457/S.2309 in Mass. General Court re: regulation of e-bikes;
Mallon memo regarding updates on the City Manager search

Mar 28, 2022:
Manager/DCR communication re: Riverbend Park opening and potential expansion;
Petition requesting changes to the Cycling Safety Ordinance City Council;
support urging the Massachusetts Legislature and the residents of Cambridge to oppose House Bill 1234 and the proposed 2022 state ballot initiative;
Mallon, Nolan to work with Manager to appoint 3 senior City staff to screening committee for the City Auditor along with 2 other councillors

Apr 4, 2022:
pilot of SMART Box and SMART Pipe rodent control technology;
Amendment waiving dog license fees passed to 2nd Reading;
report from the Climate Crisis Working Group

Apr 11, 2022:
report on expediting the demolition and rebuilding permit process in the event of a natural disaster;
update on MassAve4 and request for approval for the approach and timeline for implementing separated bike lanes;
report on conducting a study to collect relevant economic data relating to business impacts from bike lane installations;
feasibility of purchasing property from Lesley University to address City goals;
recommendation from the Planning Board to adopt with additional considerations the Alewife Overlay Development Zoning Petition;
MBTA Communities Draft Guidelines presentation;
feasibility of implementing a program similar to NYC and any other ways to enforce the anti-idling law (bounty hunters);
consider a guaranteed income program that expands on Cambridge RISE and targets families in poverty in Cambridge ($22 million);
feasibility of providing all CRLS students free Charlie Cards

Apr 25, 2022:
Report regarding eliminating hostile architecture;
update from Planning Board on discussions of allowing Multifamily Housing citywide;
Amendment waiving dog license fees ordained 9-0;
Kelley zoning petition re-filed;
8 resolutions from Toner congratulating police officers - voted NO by Zondervan;
Request Manager Report on Boards and Commissions; 2 orders from Toner, Carlone, Simmons re: bike lanes fail 3-6 and 2-7;
consider smaller trash toters

May 2, 2022:
FY2023 submitted budget and appropriation orders & 7 loan orders;
$23,100,176 ARPA fund appropriation - Charter Right Zondervan;
Two Ordinance Committee reports re: Alewife Development Moratorium

May 9, 2022:
Manager response re: GLX project funding;
Manager response re: trash bin sizes;
Responses re: Alewife Moratorium proposed zoning amendments;
$23,100,176 ARPA fund appropriation;
Two Housing Committee reports re: raising the linkage fee rates

May 16, 2022:
Solicitor response to question raised at the May 9, 2022 Council Meeting concerning the Alewife Overlay Development Zoning Petition; Councillor Carlone notes that Alewife Triangle should not be included;
Order requesting info on progress on the Terminal Road connection (Alewife Quadrangle);
Zondervan, Carlone Order to allocate the remaining ARPA funding across community-serving applicants - Charter Right QZ;
drafting and finalization of the questions for the interviews of the City Clerk finalists;
drafting and finalization of the questions for the interview of the City Auditor finalists

May 23, 2022:
Special Meeting to unanimously appoint Joseph McMann as City Auditor and Diane LeBlanc as City Clerk - both for three-year terms;
appropriation of $11,000,000 from Free Cash to support major capital improvements at the Danehy Park Complex;
QZ, DC Order to allocate the remaining ARPA funding amended to reduce to $10.5 million; referred to Finance Committee mtg 2 days later which was then cancelled;
Linkage fee Petition Referred to Ordinance Committee and Planning Board;
Alewife Moratorium amended 5-4 (DC - NO) to exclude Triangle; Ordained 9-0;
drafting and finalization of the questions for the interview of the City Manager finalists;
Simmons Order to limit the blocking off of Memorial Drive to vehicular traffic to Sundays (Charter Right - Toner);
endorsing the establishment a Massachusetts Public Bank;
confer with City departments and gather community input to draft report on the impacts of the MBTA Bus Network Redesign;
Deputy City Clerk Paula Crane be appointed interim City Clerk as of June 1, 2022;
Government Operations, Rules and Claims Committee report on new guidelines for Boards and Commissions appointments;
Health and Environment Committee report on “Article III Green Jobs”

June 6, 2022:
City Council voted 8-1 to select Yi-An Huang as the next City Manager;
Special Meeting to negotiate an interim Acting City Manager contract on behalf of the City Council with Owen O’Riordan;
amendments to the Truck Safety Ordinance limit the blocking off of Memorial Drive to vehicular traffic to Sundays - TABLED;
FY2023 submitted budget and appropriation orders Adopted
Patrick Barrett remarks on BEUDO
Simmons Order to “develop a standardized, transparent, and cohesive community engagement plan for the entire, department-wide municipal government.”;
Creation of an Ad-Hoc Committee (Siddiqui, Mallon, Nolan, Toner) for reviewing and selecting self-nominated residents and stakeholders to be on the Charter Review Commission;
Zondervan motion to amend budget to reduce Police Dept. to $68,731,130 Fails 1-8 (QZ - YES);
Siddiqui communication about the Charter Review Committee

June 13, 2022:
Planning Board report with no positive or negative recommendation on the Craig Kelley, et. al. Zoning Petition;
Planning Board recommendation to adopt, with additional comments, the Emissions Accounting Zoning Petition;
second Progress Report due under the Cycling Safety Ordinance;
$49,000,000 to provide additional funds for the construction of the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools;
eminent domain - 689 Massachusetts Avenue: $11,551,208 + $2,212,349 + $2,750,000;
Creation of an Ad-Hoc Committee for the purpose of reviewing and selecting self-nominated residents and stakeholders to be on the Charter Review Committee;
Sundry communications were received, regarding the Bike Lane Lawsuit;
work with DCR and all relevant City departments to expand Memorial Drive closures in the summer and fall of 2022

June 27, 2022:
Louis DePasquale last meeting;
appropriation and authorization to borrow $4,500,000 for design, renovations to 105 Windsor Street (Charter Right - Zondervan);
Modify open space covenants w/Boston Properties in MXD;
$49,000,000 for Vassal Lane School finalized;
Congratulations to Louis A. DePasquale on his retirement;
Congratulations to James P. Maloney on the occasion of his retirement;
Congratulations to Arthur Goldberg on his retirement;
Congratulations to James Monagle on his retirement;
Direct $5 million to Traffic Calming, Traffic Signals and Vision Zero infrastructure;
plan for piloting more Harvard Sq. street closures for pedestrianization;
Two late abortion-related Orders;
ordinance amending Parking minimums and maximums referred to Planning Board and Ordinance Committee

July 5, 2022:
approve a contract with Owen O’Riordan as Acting City Manager

July 20, 2022:
vote on City Manager Huang’s contract;
Discuss Ad Hoc Charter Committee’s recommendation for a chair and appoint Kathleen Born as Chair

Aug 1, 2022:
report on funding received through the housing linkage program;
Affordable Housing Overlay Annual Report report on options to update the HomeBridge and Homeownership Programs;
extend authorization for City Manager to grant street obstruction approvals for sidewalk/street until June 30, 2023;
105 Windsor Street $4,500,000 appropriation order Tabled 9-0;
Lotsa retirements: Cheryl DePasquale, Maryellen Carvello, Thomas Riordan (DPW);
Order to ban Sale of Fur Apparel Products;
Order requesting to establish Task Force on Cambridge’s African American/Black Residents; Black Men and Boys Commission;
Incentive Zoning Program Data;
free bus service;
E bike delivery program;
NLTP, Human Services, Ordinance Committee (BEUDO) reports;
Climate Change Working Group report;
Fare Free Working Group report;
communication re: appointments to Charter Review Committee

Sept 12, 2022:
Community Preservation Act Committee (CPAC) for FY2023;
Planning Board report with negative recommendation on the Accessory Parking Requirements Zoning Petition;
Resolution on the death of Peter Valentine;
Health and Environment Committee to hold a public hearing to discuss the issue of PFAS;
refer zoning petition regarding lab use to the Ordinance Committee and Planning Board - Charter Right, referred to committee;
Committee reports re: Linkage, parking minimums

Sept 19, 2022:
legal opinion on questions regarding proposed amendments to the Cannabis Business Permitting Ordinance;
death of Elie Yarden;
City Council go on record thanking Chief Gerard Mahoney for his service;
Order requesting to convene a North Massachusetts Avenue Corridor District Zoning Proposal Working Group;
Order to review and revise the Cambridge Street Code

Oct 3, 2022:
communication from Yi-An Huang re: Chief People Officer, Director of Community Engagement, Director of Emergency Management;
Planning Board report with a recommendation not to adopt the Incentive Zoning Rate Increase Petition;
Tax rate Hearing;
Cambridge Chamber of Commerce regarding joint Business/Institutional BEUDO letter;
Revised Cambridge Street Code order (Toner);
Elim. Parking minimums passed to 2nd Reading

Oct 17, 2022:
Linkage fee increased from $20.10 to $33.34/sq ft with exemptions;
Zoning Petition from Suzanne P. Blier, et. al - Harvard Square Zoning Petition, modification regarding frontage of financial institutions;
communication from Joan Pickett re: status of the citizens’ petition signed by 97 registered voters living on or near Brattle Street;
Resolution re: renaming Vassal Lane Upper School;
Simmons Order Seeking Development Analysis;
Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee - potential changes to the City Council Rules

Oct 24, 2022:
report on Boards and Commissions;
3 rules changes proposed, including requirement for a second.
Policy Order Seeking Development Analysis - Tabled;
Removal of Parking Minimums Ordained 8-1 (Carlone NO);
Fur Sales Ban Ordained 9-0

Oct 31, 2022:
Toner motion to Place Kelley Petition on File fails 4-3-1-1;
Zoning Petition received from Patrick Barrett et al. North Mass Ave BA-5 Zoning District;
Petition Zoning Petition from Duane Callender (really Zondervan/Totten), et al. - Cambridge Lab Regulation Zoning Amendment;
Order asking City Solicitor to research questions re: requiring name/address during public comment;
Order to schedule a Roundtable meeting on Municipal Broadband;
Zoning petition re: quicker nexus study Passed to 2nd Reading

Nov 7, 2022:
Solicitor rejects proposal for fund designed to assist those City employees in same-sex marriages with paying for surrogacy services;
Planning Board report with a recommendation to adopt the Incentive Zoning Rate Study Petition, with clarifying changes;
MANY communications re: Garden Street and Brattle Street bike lanes and traffic changes;
Policy Order Regarding Traffic Flow on Garden Street;
Order to Ban Turns on Red Citywide;
Order to provide free MBTA Pass to all City employees;
Roundtable on Broadband scheduled (Nov 28);
Order asking for Capitol Projects Finance Meeting;
Order endorsing Revised MBTA Bus Redesign

Nov 14, 2022:
Climate Resilience Zoning Draft;
Charter Right item re: traffic flow on Garden Street, 85 out of 87 Communications re: Garden Street;
Order calling for Improved Marketing for Green Plus Cambridge Community Electricity;
Order calling for extending Outdoor Dining Policy;
Gov't Ops. On Rules Changes;
Health & Environment Committee - amend draft Net Zero Action Plan, accelerating timelines

Nov 21, 2022:
Manager response re: continuing the outdoor dining season and considering the extension of the reduced fee schedule;
Cambridge Redevelopment Authority to identify spaces in Central Square that would support the creation and protection of cultural and human services;
Municipal Property Inventory;
$ for Central Square area;
municipal property needs assessment and planning study;
resuming the use of the city-owned water supply on Nov 19, 2022;
review of the proposed language for Ordinance #2022-18, the Incentive Zoning Rate Study Petition;
14 Rules changes;
Amendments to the Affordable Housing Overlay - outrage, referred to committees;
Order requesting Workforce Housing Special Tax Assessments Zones;
Charles Sullivan regarding the Proposed Friendly Amendments to Ch. 2.78, Art. III;
Health & Env. Committee Report on water;
NLTP report on Neighborhood Conservation District Citizen’s Petition

Nov 28, 2022:
Roundtable - Municipal Broadband

Dec 5, 2022:
Home Rule Petition for a special act regarding a fire cadet program;
Planning Board report with a recommendation to adopt the Emissions Accounting Zoning Petition (Version 3) with clarifying comments;
Planning Board Zoning Petition to consider adoption of the attached Climate Resilience Zoning;
City Manager’s 90 Day Report;
Manager communication to suspend the Saturday closures of Memorial Drive between Greenough Boulevard and Western Avenue for the remainder of this year;
provide at least one vaccine clinic in December which will provide gift cards to residents who receive a COVID19 vaccination or booster;
work with the appropriate departments to conduct street cleaning without towing starting with the 2023 season;
Gov't Ops report on City Manager’s Annual Evaluation process

Dec 12, 2022:
Roundtable - Open Space Planning and Programming

Dec 19, 2022:
$ for purchase of water from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA);
appropriation of $700,000 for purchase of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) testing equipment;
appropriation of $9,812,215.88 from Free Cash to other categories consistent w/DOR protocoals;
changing the name of the City’s Climate Protection Action Committee’s (“CPAC”) to the “Cambridge Climate Committee.”;
Planning Board recommending adoption of the BZA Stipends Zoning Petition;
Planning Board report recommending adoption of the Suzanne Blier, et al., Zoning Petition;
to discuss strategies to mitigate and reduce overflow and cut through traffic (Garden St.);
death of Sheila Doyle Russell;
Information requests re: BEUDO, tree canopy;
Econ Dev report on BEUDO;
Human Services report re: Central Square;
Ordinance Committee report on BEUDO passed to 2nd Reading

Jan 9, 2023:
fatal officer-involved shooting in Cambridgeport;
Planning Board report recommending that City Council not adopt the Patrick Barrett, et al., Zoning Petition;
Planning Board report recommending that the City Council not adopt the Duane Callender, et al., Zoning Petition;
Cambridge Net Zero Action Plan 5-Year Review and Update;
Stretch Energy Code and Specialized Energy Code;
appointment of Vivek Sikri, Kimberly Kaufman, and Kathryn Carlson to the Cambridge Traffic Board;
possible ordination - Emissions Accounting Zoning Petition;
Zoning Petition from Douglas Brown regarding Amending Article 4, 5 and 8 incrementally modernizing residential zoning;
direct the Law Department to research whether the Barrett et al. petition would need to be refiled should there be a Letter of Commitment attached to the rezoning;
Expanding Municipal Employee Benefits Home Rule Petition;
Law Department to examine the Citizen’s Petition submitted by Suzanne P. Blier;
committee reports on Lab Ban #1, BZA Compensation, Citizen’s Petition submitted by Suzanne P. Blier, Community Safety Department and integration with HEART

Jan 18, 2023:
Special Meeting (Part 1) on Faisal shooting, Police Policies, Procedures

Jan 23, 2023:
report on feasibility of banning turns on red signal indications;
report on feasibility of conducting street cleaning without towing;
money for design of a transportation connection between Terminal Road and Wheeler Street;
Planning Board report recommending that the City Council adopt the Climate Resilience Zoning Petition;
Lotsa communications on Brown Zoning Petition and Faisal shooting;
Order asking to determine the feasibility of purchasing the property located at 37 Brookline Street;
Ordinance Committee reports on Barrett Petition and Callendar Petition

Jan 25, 2023:
Special Meeting (Part 2) on Faisal shooting, Police Policies, Procedures

Jan 30, 2023:
Roundtable w/School Committee

Feb 6, 2023:
bar on repetitive petitions;
Police Review and Advisory Board quarterly reports;
itemized statement of all materials, tools, and property owned by the Cambridge Police Department;
possible ordination of Removing the Limit on BZA Compensation;
Resolution on the death of Alice Wolf;
proposed BEUDO language to change the net zero deadline from 2050 to 2035 - Zondervan;
begin process of obtaining police body worn cameras for the Cambridge Police Department;
direct Police Commissioner Elow to work on providing publicly-accessible traffic stop, arrest and citation police data;
convene a meeting on Police Budget including body camera discussion;
look into the feasibility of automated traffic enforcement in Cambridge;
direct the Police Commissioner to explore additional less-than-lethal alternatives;
engage a third party, independent firm/consultant or university partner to review and examine the Cambridge Police Department’s policies and practices;
Apr 13, 2022 Ordinance Committee report on proposed ordinance number 2022-2, Charter Change Municipal Code Amendments;
Apr 20, 2022 report on continued public hearing on proposed BEUDO amendments;
Government, Operations, Rules, and Claims Committee wants more control over other Boards;
Jan 26, 2023 Ordinance Committee report on proposed Climate Resilience Zoning;
Diane LeBlanc, City Clerk, regarding the Douglas Brown Petition

Feb 13, 2023:
Final Landmark Designation Report for the Maria Baldwin-Alvaro Blodgett Houses;
Final Landmark Designation Report for the Cambridge Gas-Light Company Building;
Order asking to work with the residents at 931 Massachusetts Avenue to identify and provide a short-term parking spot;
legal opinion on the Doug Brown petition;
Free School Meals For All Students;
ensure the continuation of Riverbend Park closures on Saturdays and Sundays;
Policy Order Regarding Police Details - Toner
HOME-ARP Public Process [$2.3 million in additional ARPA funds]

Feb 14, 2023:
City Council/School Committee Roundtable

Feb 27, 2023:
report from CDD and the Law Department containing clarifying edits to the Climate Resilience Zoning Petition;
legal Opinion on whether the Barrett, et al. petition would need to be refiled;
2023 Goals and Metrics for the Annual City Manager Performance Review;
Executive Session to discuss the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property;
Amendments to Riverbend Park closures Order;
Amended Policy Order Regarding Police Details;
automated traffic enforcement Order adopted as amended;
Ordinance 2022-2 Chapter 2.02 entitled “City Council” ordained;
Flood Resilience Standards Ordained as Amended;
Re-Filed Kelley Petition;
support An Act to Promote Yes In My Backyard;
Harvard Square Zoning Petition as amended be sent to the full City Council with no recommendation;
Callender Petition and Policy Order 2022 #161 to the full City Council with a negative recommendation;
amended proposed Policy Order regarding Labs and Neighborhood Planning to the full City Council
work with Eversource re: infrastructure required to move Cambridge toward electrifying the city

Mar 6, 2023:
convening a North Mass Avenue Corridor District Zoning Proposal Working Group;
extra $40,000 for Charter Review Committee;
AAA ratings;
Annual Surveillance Report;
Emissions Accounting Zoning Petition ordained as Amended;
Retirement of Robert Steck, Sam Corda; Death of David Leslie;
provide language that would amend the Patrick Barrett et al. North Mass Ave BZ-5 Zoning District Petition;
support of the Tenant Protection Act HD.3922/SD.2368;
feasibility of municipally-funded housing vouchers;
City Manager requested to fund the HEART initiative and negotiate a contract for services with HEART;
ensure multi-family properties on the market are reviewed as quickly as possible as potential affordable housing acquisitions

Mar 20, 2023:
Police Commissioner Elow memos on bodycams and review;
block rates for water consumption and sewer use;
Allocation Plan for Cambridge’s HOME-ARP funds;
summary of a Planning Board Meeting on the 2022 Town-Gown Reports and Presentations;
municipal broadband feasibility study;
Ordain Green Jobs 9-0;
Michael Monestime et al. regarding Outdoor Use Zoning Petition for the Central Square Cultural District;
supporting Enabling Legislation for a Real Estate Transfer Fee 9-0;
Policy Order for Garden Street Accommodations

Mar 22, 2023:
Special Meeting w/Presentation from Charter Review Committee Order to give 6-month extension: Charter Right - Zondervan

Apr 3, 2023:
Revised Response to Proposed Amendments to Ch. 2.78, Art. III (Neighborhood Conservation District and Landmarks Ordinance);
Garden Street Safety Improvement Project local traffic analysis;
extension of time for the Special Committee/Charter Review Committee;
Patrick Barrett et al. North Mass Ave BA-5 Zoning District Petition Ordained as Amended 6-3;
139 Communications, esp. Garden St., HEART, AHO;
Request legal opinion which clarifies the state law on zoning petition signature requirements;
amend Rules 38.6, 32B, and 12 to align the City Council Rules with the decision made in Barron v. Kolenda;
Ordinance Committee Report on Chapter 2.78 Historical Buildings and Landmarks, Proposed Ordinance #2022-11;
Housing Committee report on potential amendments to the Affordable Housing Overlay;
Legal Opinion on Recent Supreme Judicial Court Case Regarding Public Comment

Apr 10, 2023:
cricket field in one of the Cambridge parks (Larch Road) and Zondervan Towers;
communication from DCR to the City regarding Memorial Drive closures;
City Manager 2023 Quarter One update;
146 Communications, mainly BEUDO, Garden Street;
Appointment of City Manager Performance Review Ad Hoc Committee;
Request legal opinion on the earliest possible date that potential changes to the charter could be voted on by the electorate;
formally request DCR to reconsider its decision to not close Memorial Drive on Saturdays;
NLTP committee report on potential amendments to the Affordable Housing Overlay;
Finance Committee report on FY24 Police Department’s budget

Apr 24, 2023:
appointment of members of the the Mass. Ave. Partial Construction Working Group;
report regarding exploring additional less-lethal alternatives;
Communication from Joan Pickett - Analysis of Cycling Safety in Cambridge Under the Cycling Safety Ordinance;
working group to conduct outreach in order to discuss and review options for use of the BB&N Field;
develop a policy that would lead to a ban on the use of gas-powered lawn equipment in Cambridge;
Michael Monestime Outdoor Use Zoning in the Central Square Cultural District passed to 2nd Reading

May 1, 2023:
FY2024 submitted budget and appropriation orders (9.9% increase in Budget), $167 million in Loan Orders;
needs assessment of the Danehy Park and recommendations for improvements; and irrigation updates;
Planning Board report with no positive or negative recommendation on the Michael Monestime et. al. Zoning Petition;
Zoning Petition from Ian Ferguson, et al. regarding Pitched Roofs;
Zoning Petition communication from Marie Elena Saccoccio, regarding Proposed Amendments to Ch. 2.78, Art. III.;
promptly draft a zoning petition to be considered for filing by the City Council, based upon the proposed Affordable Housing Overlay amendments now before the Housing Committee;
produce final draft ordinance language for the BEUDO amendments;
Econ. Dev. Committee report on practical impact of various city policies, regulations and ordinances on commercial and residential development and construction projects

May 8, 2023:
Final Landmark Designation Report for the Charles Hicks Saunders House;
Webster Ave. friendly eminent domain taking - Charter Right;
Proposed Cannabis zoning amendment;
Planning Board report with no positive or negative recommendation on the Kelley et. al. Zoning Petition;
update on Afterschool care;
update on the development of the City of Cambridge Community Safety Department;
Order requesting information on Kelley et al. Zoning Petition;
Order to determine the feasibility of purchasing available property from Lesley University to address City goals;
Order re: Online Publication of Legal Notices;
BEUDO Ordinance Committee reports

May 15, 2023:
update concerning the property at 333 Webster Avenue;
Webster Ave. eminent domain taking voted;
Order requesting to fund and implement the grant proposal for a community-scale geothermal heating and cooling system in Cambridge;
Order asking to initiate a planning process to determine the use of several parcels of land along Webster Avenue to accomplish Envision goals;
Order asking for petition(s) to lower speed limit as much as possible on all state highways that fall within Cambridge;
Zondervan Order to establish policy of releasing names of officers involved in any use of force incident - QZ Charter Right

May 22, 2023:
third annual Cycling Safety Ordinance (CSO) Progress Report;
Alewife Overlay District: Quadrangle (AOD-Q) Zoning Petition and Design Guidelines;
Toner Substitute Order re: releasing police officer names adopted 5-4 (AM,PT,QZ,SS - No);
QZ Order for Home Rule Petition regarding electing the Police Review and Advisory Board Fails 1-8;
Order requestion Law Department to provide opinion on whether the City could fund affordable housing construction through a bond issue

June 5, 2023:
amendments to the FY24 Submitted General Fund Budget (and corresponding Orders);
CDD memo re: amendments to the Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance - passed to 2nd Reading;
Loan Authorizations Adopted;
Zondervan motion to reduce the Police budget and defund Shotspotter Fails 2-7 (QZ,SS-Yes);
FY24 Budget Adopted;
Order asking to have Affordable Housing Trust budget to be 10% of the overall City budget - Adopted 6-3 (DC,PN,PT - No);
Order requesting further study on the proposed changes by the Franklin Petition;
Order calling for joint hearing re: effectiveness and recommendations on methods to collect data and establish measurable benchmarks and standards for Cycling Safety Ordinance;
Order for legal opinion on using traffic cameras to inform motorists of traffic violations, dangerous actions without issuing any citations

June 12, 2023:
proposed structure for the Cambridge Community Electricity program (CCE) for the period 2024-2025;
CDD potential amendments to the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO); referred as CC Zoning Petition to Ordinance & Planning Board;
Craig Kelley et al. Zoning Petition ordained;
Charter Review Timeline Legal Opinion, Request answer to several questions related to the timeline on voting a possible charter change;
establishment of a Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Stabilization Fund w/$10,000,000 from Free Cash;
$1,000,000 from Free Cash for technical assistance in assessing and implementing the City’s BEUDO for new and existing City-owned buildings;
$250,000 from Free Cash for conditions assessment and preliminary feasibility study for 119 Windsor Street;
Amended CSO study Order adopted;
Proposed amendment to BEUDO;
Fossil Fuel Free Demonstration Pilot;
Golf Course Demographic Information Policy Order;
Automated Enforcement Home Rule Petition adopted

Featured this week (and more) in the Calendar:

Tues, June 20

5:30-7:30pm Charter Review Committee Virtual Meeting #21 (Zoom)
Note: The fact that the requirement for Charter Review is part of the revised Plan E Charter means that appointments to the committee should have been made by the City Manager subject to review by the full City Council. Instead, all of the appointments were made by an ad-hoc group of 4 councillors without any review of the full City Council. Archived recordings of virtual meetings are available here. The official site is: cambridgema.gov/charterreview

6:00pm School Committee Meeting (Attles Meeting Room, CRLS)
The next Regular Meeting will be held on Tues, June 20 at 6:00pm for the purpose of discussing any and all business that may properly come before the Committee.
Individuals must sign up in advance to provide public comments. The sign-up window is Thurs, June 15 through Tues, June 20 at 12:00pm (by phone) and 5:30pm (online).
To sign up to call in using the ZOOM app on your computer or mobile device visit https://secure1.cpsd.us/school_committee.
To sign up to call-in by phone: contact the School Committee office at 617-349-6620.
Meetings will be live-streamed at www.cpsd.us and broadcast on Cambridge Educational Access TV (CEATV) Channel 98/99, as usual.

6:30pm Planning Board Meeting (Remote via Zoom)

General Business

1. Update from the Community Development Department

Public Hearings

6.30pm Ian Ferguson et. al. Zoning Petition
Zoning Petition by Ian Ferguson et. al. to amend Section 5.24.4 “Measurements for minimum yards which are determined by formula” by amending how the denominator in the yard formula is calculated in Section 5.30 for buildings of forty feet or less in height; by amending the language used to determine the average height in a required yard formula for a building with various roof levels in Section 5.24.4.2; and by amending the multi-plane setback formula in Section 5.24.4.3 to account for non-vertical planes and alternative roof shapes. The petition further amends Section 5.24.4 to add a height bulk control plane requirement for One- and Two-Family buildings over fifty feet in length. (Materials)

7.30pm Alewife Overlay District Quadrangle (AOD-Q) Zoning Petition
Zoning Petition by Cambridge City Council to amend Article 20.000 by inserting a new Section 20.1100 entitled, “Alewife Overlay District – Quadrangle”; and by amending Section 20.90 Alewife Overlay Districts 1-6 and Section 20.70 Flood Plain Overlay District to remove references to Alewife Overlay Districts 1 through 4 and insert, “AOD-Q District”, where applicable; and by amending the Transfer of Development Rights regulations in Section 21.40 Alewife Overlay Districts 1-6 to establish requirements that are applicable in the proposed Alewife Overlay District – Quadrangle District. (Materials)

Wed, June 21

12:00pm The City Council’s Ordinance Committee will reconvene to continue the discussion on potential changes to Chapter 2.78 Historical Buildings and Landmarks, Proposed Ordinance #2022-11, as amended in Committee on Apr 26, 2023. This is a continuance of the meeting held on Apr 26, 2023, and there will not be public comment. (Sullivan Chamber and Zoom)

5:30pm Cambridge Election Commission (Zoom)

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

- Municipal Election, November 7, 2023
- Candidate Packet Review

New Business

Thurs, June 22

10:00am-11:00am City Council (City Manager Performance Evaluation Ad Hoc Committee) meeting to discuss the City Manager Evaluation Process. (Sullivan Chamber and Zoom)
This Ad-Hoc committee consists of Councillor Toner (Chair), Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Simmons, and Councillor Nolan.

Mon, June 26

5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber and Zoom)

Tues, June 27

12:30pm The City Council’s Ordinance Committee will hold a public hearing on the City Council Petition to Amend Article 4.30 and Article 11.800 of the Zoning Ordinances. (Sullivan Chamber and Zoom)

5:30-7:30pm Charter Review Committee Virtual Meeting #22 (Zoom)
Note: The fact that the requirement for Charter Review is part of the revised Plan E Charter means that appointments to the committee should have been made by the City Manager subject to review by the full City Council. Instead, all of the appointments were made by an ad-hoc group of 4 councillors without any review of the full City Council. Archived recordings of virtual meetings are available here. The official site is: cambridgema.gov/charterreview

Wed, June 28

3:00pm The City Council’s Ordinance Committee will hold a public hearing the Ian Ferguson et al. Zoning Petition regarding Pitched Roofs, AP23#22. (Sullivan Chamber and Zoom)

Tues, July 18

5:30-7:30pm Charter Review Committee Virtual Meeting #23 (Zoom)
Note: The fact that the requirement for Charter Review is part of the revised Plan E Charter means that appointments to the committee should have been made by the City Manager subject to review by the full City Council. Instead, all of the appointments were made by an ad-hoc group of 4 councillors without any review of the full City Council. Archived recordings of virtual meetings are available here. The official site is: cambridgema.gov/charterreview

Wed, July 19

5:30pm The City Council’s Ordinance Committee will hold a public hearing to discuss a City Council Zoning Petition relative to the proposed Alewife Overlay District: Quadrangle (AOD-Q) and Design Guidelines, AP23#32. (Sullivan Chamber and Zoom)

Tues, Aug 1

5:30-7:30pm Charter Review Committee Virtual Meeting #24 (Zoom)
Note: The fact that the requirement for Charter Review is part of the revised Plan E Charter means that appointments to the committee should have been made by the City Manager subject to review by the full City Council. Instead, all of the appointments were made by an ad-hoc group of 4 councillors without any review of the full City Council. Archived recordings of virtual meetings are available here. The official site is: cambridgema.gov/charterreview

Mon, Aug 7

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

Tues, Aug 15

5:30-7:30pm Charter Review Committee Virtual Meeting #25 (Zoom)
Note: The fact that the requirement for Charter Review is part of the revised Plan E Charter means that appointments to the committee should have been made by the City Manager subject to review by the full City Council. Instead, all of the appointments were made by an ad-hoc group of 4 councillors without any review of the full City Council. Archived recordings of virtual meetings are available here. The official site is: cambridgema.gov/charterreview

Name	Start (Feb 1, 2022)	Total Receipts	% Cambridge	Total Expenditures	Balance	Reported	Notes
Toner, Paul	$1,377.51	$86,140.00	59.0%	$24,734.23	$62,783.28	6/14/2023	incumbent
McGovern, Marc	$13,637.08	$14,898.00	37.1%	$12,762.99	$15,772.09	6/15/2023	incumbent
Azeem, Burhan	$392.61	$12,976.75	34.9%	$12,175.91	$1,193.45	6/8/2023	incumbent
Sobrinho-Wheeler, Jivan	$1,057.29	$4,690.45	31.2%	$445.75	$5,301.99	6/16/2023	previously a candidate, $2500 self-contribution
Simmons, Denise	$15,184.06	$2,162.15	45.1%	$7,961.24	$9,384.97	5/31/2023	incumbent
Zondervan, Quinton	$781.01	$1,688.87	88.4%	$472.63	$1,997.25	5/31/2023	incumbent, $900 refund deducted
Siddiqui, Sumbul	$19,746.53	$1,564.51	3.6%	$1,544.46	$19,766.58	5/31/2023	incumbent
BikeSafety-IEPAC	$1,048.62	$1,500.22	63.3%	$194.71	$2,354.13	5/4/2023	Cambridge Bike Safety
CCC-IEPAC	$5,306.85	$1,200.00	100.0%	$3,365.28	$3,141.57	12/31/2022	Cambridge Citizens Coalition
Nolan, Patricia M.	$13,141.00	$500.00	0.0%	$3,067.66	$10,573.34	5/31/2023	incumbent
ABC-IEPAC	$2,117.19	$140.00	16.7%	$464.16	$1,793.03	12/31/2022	A Better Cambridge
CResA-PAC	$1,078.46	$0.00	-	$483.54	$594.92	5/31/2023	Cambridge Residents Alliance
ORC-PAC	$487.02	$0.00	-	$0.00	$487.02	5/31/2023	Our Revolution Cambridge
Al-Zubi, Ayah	$0.00	$0.00	-	$0.00	$0.00	6/16/2023	new candidate
Hsu, Peter	$0.00	$0.00	-	$0.00	$0.00	5/31/2023	new candidate
McGuirk, Joe	$2,506.07	$0.00	-	$1,868.89	$637.18	6/3/2023	previously a candidate
Pierre, Frantz	$978.34	$0.00	-	$972.92	$5.42	5/31/2023	previously a candidate
Walker, Vernon K.	$0.00	$0.00	-	$0.00	$0.00	6/12/2023	new candidate
Total	$78,839.64	$128,170.95	-	$70,514.37	$136,496.22
Bullister, Dana		$430.93		$495.92	$76.00		previously a candidate
Hicks, Tonia		$0.00		$470.70	$1,331.19		previously a candidate
Ribitzky, Roy		$0.00		$75.00	$2,000.43		previously a candidate
Skeadas, Theodora		$0.00		$83.87	$619.65		previously a candidate
Williams, Nicola		$0.00		$2,272.63	$0.00		previously a candidate

original proposed 1846 Charter (this is not the same as what was passed and sent to Cambridge voters!)	1846 Charter (approved by Legislature and Cambridge Town Meeting)	1846 Charter w/amendments through 1890 appended (as approved by Legislature and voters)	1891 Charter (as approved by Legislature and voters)	1915 (Plan B) Charter (as approved by voters)	1940 (Plan E) Charter (as approved by voters)
M.G.L. Chapter 43: CITY CHARTERS
M.G.L. Chapter 43B: HOME RULE PROCEDURES
M.G.L. Chapter 43C: OPTIONAL FORMS OF MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION ACT

New Video Series Opens With Focus on Cambridge’s Charter Leading to Plan E

Preview - June 12, 2023 Cambridge City Council meeting

BEUDO + AHO = Performance Art - a message from Patrick Barrett

Preview - June 5, 2023 Cambridge City Council meeting

Grading on a Curve: The 2022-2023 Cambridge City Council

Cambridge City Charter Study Group

Tues, June 20

Catching Up on the (Official) Cambridge News

Featured this week (and more) in the Calendar:

Tues, June 20

Wed, June 21

Thurs, June 22

Mon, June 26

Tues, June 27

Wed, June 28

Tues, July 18

Wed, July 19

Tues, Aug 1

Mon, Aug 7

Tues, Aug 15