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HI FOLKS.IT'S FIVE 30, SO WE'LL GET STARTED.
[ROLL CALL]
BEING PRESENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL.I WANTED TO CALL TONIGHT'S MARCH 9TH, 2026 MEETING TO ORDER.
THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS PRESENT.
YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED AS PRESENT.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE AND PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
PER CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2025, ADOPTED BY MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT AND APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE CITY IS AUTHORIZED TO USE REMOTE PARTICIPATION AT MEETINGS OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL.
IN ADDITION TO HAVING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL PARTICIPATE REMOTELY, WE'VE SET UP ZOOM TELECONFERENCE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE MEETING VIA THE CITY'S OPEN MEETING PORTAL OR ON THE CITY'S CABLE.
CHANNEL 22 TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU HAVE TO SIGN UP@WW.CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV SLASH PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL WRITTEN COMMENTS FOR THE RECORD TO THE CITY CLERK AT CITY CLERK@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV.
WE WELCOME YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOU CAN SIGN UP UNTIL 6:00 PM PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDS THIS MEETING AND MAKES IT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR FUTURE VIEWING.
IN ADDITION, THIRD PARTIES MAY ALSO BE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING.
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT.PUBLIC COMMENT MAY BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS.
CHAPTER 30 A SECOND SECTION 20 G AND CITY COUNCIL RULES 20 3D AND 37.
ONCE YOU FINISH SPEAKING, THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CALLED INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO ALLOCATE THEIR REMAINDER OF THEIR TIME TO OTHER SPEAKERS.
I ASK THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA YOU'RE SPEAKING ON.
WE HAVE 18 SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP.
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS NATHAN HIAN HARVEY, FOLLOWED BY MARLENE LUNDBERG.
NATHAN, IF YOU CAN TURN THE MIC ON.
HELLO, MY NAME IS NATHAN HEF HARVEY.
I LIVE AT 22 HASKELL STREET IN CAMBRIDGE.
I'M A GRADUATE STUDENT AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK AND A SOCIAL WORK INTERN IN COUNSELOR MARK MCGOVERN'S OFFICE.
I'M HERE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR POLICY ORDER NUMBER ONE, OPPOSING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S PROPOSED RECLASSIFICATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEGREES AND POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO, RECOGNIZING MARCH, 2026 IS NATIONAL SOCIAL WORK MONTH.
SOCIAL WORKERS WORK IN MANY DIFFERENT SPACES AND SERVE IN A VARIETY OF ROLES.
FOR EXAMPLE, SOCIAL WORKERS MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF THE BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE IN THE UNITED STATES.
SOCIAL WORKERS ARE ALSO AMONG OTHER THINGS, CASE MANAGERS, ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, NONPROFIT LEADERS, GRANT WRITERS, POLICY ANALYSTS, AND EVEN ELECTED OFFICIALS.
WHAT UNITES ALL SOCIAL WORKERS OR CORE VALUES LIKE SERVICE TO THOSE IN NEED AND THE DIGNITY AND WORTH OF ALL PEOPLE? THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S PROPOSED RECLASSIFICATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEGREES WOULD EXCLUDE NURSING, SOCIAL WORK, AND OTHER HELPING PROFESSIONS.
PROFESSIONAL DEGREE CANDIDATES CAN BORROW UP TO $50,000 ANNUALLY IN FEDERAL LOANS WHILE STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT ENROLLED IN PROFESSIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMS ARE LIMITED TO BORROWING 20,500 ANNUALLY.
TUITION FOR FULL-TIME MASTER'S SOCIAL WORK PROGRAMS IN THE BOSTON AREA RANGE FROM $40,000 TO ALMOST $80,000 PER YEAR.
MANY LOW AND MODERATE INCOME PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PURSUE CAREERS IN SOCIAL WORK WON'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT.
UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S PROPOSED CHANGES, THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS PROJECTS A DEFICIT OF 74,000 SOCIAL WORKERS PER YEAR.
FOR THE NEXT DECADE, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S CHANGES BUT ONLY MAKE THE SOCIAL WORKER DEFICIT WORSE.
I ASK THAT THE COUNCIL VOTE IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDERS NUMBER ONE AND TWO.
PLEASE OPPOSE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S DAMAGING RECLASSIFICATION PROPOSAL AND CELEBRATE NATIONAL SOCIAL WORK MONTH.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARLENE LUNDBERG, FOLLOWED BY ALEX MATTHEWS.
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MARLENE, YOU'RE UNMUTED.WE'RE GONNA SKIP MARLENE AND COME BACK.
ALEX MARTIN? YES, MARLENE, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
NICOLE, IF YOU CAN JUST MUTE HER.
ALEX MATTHEWS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
I AM THE VOLUNTEER CHAIR OF DIGITAL FOURTH.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW ON THE COUNCIL, WE ARE A LOCAL GROUP OF VOLUNTEER CIVIL LIBERTIES INTERESTED PEOPLE.
WE INCLUDE ATTORNEYS, NERDS, REGULAR CITIZENS, AND WE FOCUS ON ISSUES OF PRIVACY AND GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE.
AND SINCE 2012, WE HAVE WORKED WITH MAINLY CAMBRIDGE, SOMERVILLE, AND BOSTON AND ALSO ON BEACON HILL TO ADVISE ON PRIVACY AND GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE ISSUES.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER ONE ON THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA, THE ANNUAL SURVEILLANCE REPORT.
THE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU ALL IS THAT OUT OF ALL THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE ON THERE, WE HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH 68 OF THEM.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ARE EIGHT THAT WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT.
THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT AS CITY COUNCILORS, YOU HAVE FULL POWER ANNUALLY TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF ANY SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE DEPLOYED BY THE CITY.
UNDER THE TERMS OF THE SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE, THE ITEMS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING THAT YOU REVOKE APPROVAL FOR THIS YEAR ARE ONE OF THEM A LITTLE BIT OF A FORMALITY.
THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION, BECAUSE YOU GUYS ALREADY REVOKED THE CONTRACT FOR FLOCK SAFETY, WE PROPOSE REVOCATION OF AUTHORIZATION TO DEPLOY SHOT SPOTTER AND ALSO THE CCTV CAMERAS AT CENTRAL SQUARE.
WE HAVE EX EXTENSIVE WRITTEN TESTIMONY FOR YOU, WHICH WE WILL BE SUPPLYING BY EMAIL AFTER THE MEETING.
TO GO INTO THE REASONS FOR THOSE PROPOSALS, THERE ARE TWO TECHNOLOGIES, UM, THAT WE BELIEVE NEED MORE INFORMATION AND AUDITING.
ONE OF THEM IS THE CITY'S PARTNERSHIP WITH BRICK, THE BOSTON REGIONAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER, AND ONE IS THE MAGNET FORENSICS CELL PHONE INTRUSION TECHNOLOGY.
THERE ARE THREE TECHNOLOGIES THAT NEED RESTRICTIONS, THE CAMBRIDGE PDS USE OF COVERT COM CAMERAS, WHETHER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE PERMITTED TO USE THE SPROUT SOCIAL SOCIAL MEDIA SURVEILLANCE SOFTWARE, AND ALSO SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE THE DATA IS GOING FOR THE WATER DEPARTMENT'S AUTOMATED METER READERS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY ON THESE ISSUES, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONSIDERATION BY THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE OF THE MORE CONTROVERSIAL TECHNOLOGIES AMONG THE MANY THAT ARE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.
WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO MARLENE LUNDBERG, FOLLOWED BY MARYLEE MEYER, THEN YOUNG KIM.
PLEASE GO AHEAD, MARLENE, YOU DON'T NEED TO PRESS ANYTHING.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UH, I LIVE AT FOUR CANAL PARK CAMBRIDGE.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO WEDNESDAY'S MARCH 11TH ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, I AM REQUESTING SOME FINE TUNING OF THE CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING REGULATIONS.
I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING.
NUMBER ONE AND MOST IMPORTANT CA CAREFUL RE EXPERT REVIEW OF ANY PLANS FOR BIOLAB.
IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT THE CITY REVIEWS
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EACH BIOLABS BIO RISK MANAGEMENT TO MAKE SURE IT WILL SAFELY CONTROL THE HANDLING, STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL OF BIOLOGICAL AGENTS AND TOXINS.THERE MUST BE NO BIOLAB, AS OF RIGHT.
NUMBER TWO, ANNUAL REPORTS ON NET COUNTS OF TREES, RETAIL SPACE, MARKET RATE, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IE THE AMOUNT DEMOLISHED AND CONSTRUCTED FOR EACH OF THESE.
NUMBER THREE REAR SETBACKS, 10 FEET TO ALLOW FOR GREEN PLANTINGS AND SMALL TREES.
NUMBER FOUR, HEIGHT STEP BACKS 45 DEGREES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET, SPECIFICALLY 10 FEET ON THE FIFTH AND SIXTH FLOORS.
AND NUMBER FIVE, OPEN SPACE WHEREVER POSSIBLE TO MAKE THE STREET MORE HUMANE.
IN CLOSING, I WANT TO RE RESTATE THE IMPORTANCE OF MY FIRST POINT.
WE MUST HAVE CAREFUL REVIEW OF ANY PLANS FOR LABS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARYLEE MEYER, FOLLOWED BY YOUNG KIM MARYLEE.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
HI, MARYLEE MEYER 10 DANA STREET.
TODAY'S AGENDA REMINDS ME OF COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES WHEN IT COMES TO PASSING PET PROJECTS.
THE GOAL IS THE FINAL VOTE, NOT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO GET THERE.
WE SAW THIS WITH CERTAIN COUNSELORS IGNORING THE ZONING HISTORY AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE DOVER EXEMPTION AS A SOLICITED RELIGIOUS GROUPS FOR MULTIFAMILY ZONING.
SUPPORT THE MULTIFAMILY ZONING OPEN PANDORA'S BOX, SHOWCASING RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL EXPANSIONS INTO NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHILE THIS IS A FEDERAL ISSUE, CAMBRIDGE WAS EXEMPT.
IS THERE A VIABLE PATHWAY TO AMEND GUARDRAILS FOR EDUCATIONAL EXPANSIONS? THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO.
THE BIGGER ISSUE NOW THAT BOTH MASS AND CAMBRIDGE STREET REZONING HAS BEEN, UM, USHERED THROUGH IS WHAT IS LACKING IN CRITICAL DISCUSSION.
THE MODE OF OPERANDI CONTINUES TO BE RAPID APPROVAL AND TOO LITTLE DISCUSSION BEFORE CONSEQUENTIAL VOTES.
ONE COUNSELOR TOUTED AT ONE POINT 83 AMENDMENTS IN THE, UM, A HO PROVING THAT THEY DO LISTEN.
BUT WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO FIX ALL THOSE DETAILS PRIOR TO THE FINAL VOTE? IT IS A WASTE OF TIME.
CAMBRIDGE STREET ADDRESSED, UH, HEIGHTS FROM EIGHT STORIES TO SIX STORIES, UH, AS A SINGULAR, UM, CHECK BOX.
BUT WHAT ABOUT LABS? OPEN SPACE, SETBACKS AND DESIGN ELEMENTS PUSHED OFF FOR LATER DISCUSSION.
WHEN CAMBRIDGE STREET ADVOCATES WANTED TO CONTINUE THESE TALKING POINTS, THEY WERE DISMISSED AGAIN, VOTE NOW, FIX LATER.
PERHAPS THE MANTRA OF THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE, WHICH SEEMS TO THINK THAT REEXAMINING ONGOING ISSUE IS TANTAMOUNT TO RE RELITIGATION.
THIS IS, THESE ISSUES SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BEFORE THE FINAL VOTE, NOT AFTER THE COORDINATED PUSH.
NEXT UP, CENTRAL SQUARE, WHERE THE SAME ZONING COUNSELORS WILL AGAIN IGNORE CRUCIAL, UM, DISCUSSION COUNCIL, UM, WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE MACHINE PUSHING THROUGH THEIR AGENDA.
I HOPE PERSONAL AND CIVIL, UM, ENGAGEMENT, WHICH TENDS TO BE LACKING IN THESE MONUMENTAL CITYWIDE CHANGES ARE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
PLEASE RESOLVE THESE ONGOING ISSUES FOR A BETTER PRODUCT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS YOUNG KIM, FOLLOWED BY SUSAN MARKOWITZ, THEN SHELLY REMAN YOUNG.
ITEM NUMBER ONE P 20 DASH 50 IN THE CONTEXT OF CMA NUMBER FIVE, WHEN YOU PLACED IT AGENDA ITEM SIDE BY SIDE, WHAT PICTURE DO YOU SEE OR PICTURE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE OR SETTING OF DANGER? PRESIDENT THE COUNCIL ASKED THIS COURT, THIS COMMITTEE TO INCLUDE DISCUSSION OF EXTERNAL ITEMS RELATED TO THE ZONING AMENDMENT AND UPCOMING MEETING.
EVEN THOUGH THAT AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED BARELY TWO MONTHS AGO, EMA NUMBER FIVE EXPLAINS THE REASON.
IT STATES THAT DURING THE COUNCIL REVIEW OF THE
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CTD IS NOW PREPARED TO DISCUSS WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION AND POTENTIALLY TO HAVE FOLLOW UP ZONING AMENDMENT.THIS RAISES HERE IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION ABOUT PRESIDENT.
I WILL NOW ADAPTING MAJOR JOINING AMENDMENT WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT ADDITIONAL AMENDMENT WILL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW BEFORE THE EFFECTS AND THE IMPACTS OF THE REASON ADAPTIVE CHANGES HAVE EVEN BEEN OBSERVED OR EVALUATED.
WE SAW SOMETHING SIMILAR DURING THE MULTI SEMI HOUSING ZONING DISCUSSION.
THAT PETITION MOVE FORWARD EVEN THOUGH THEY ZONING PROPOSALS AFFECTING NON A H TWO CORRIDORS AND NON A HS SQUARES WERE ALREADY ANTICIPATED AND WAITING IN THE RING AND WE ARE SEEING IT AGAIN WITH THE AVENUE NEW CORRIDOR AMENDMENT.
IN FACT, ONE DEVELOPER WAS SUFFICIENTLY CONSTANT THAT THE AMENDMENT WOULD BE ADOPTED.
THE COMMUNITY MEETING OF, AGAIN, PRELIMINARY P WORK DEVELOPED AND THE PLANNING BOARD ADVISORY REVIEW WITHIN WEEKS OF WHICH ADAPT ADOPTION OVER THE PAST YEARS, THE SERIOUS ADAPTIVE, SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT ZONING AMENDMENT, EXPANSION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERLAY, THE ELIMINATION OF ACCESSORY PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND QUALITY REASONING ON MASS APP AND CAMBRIDGE STREET.
EACH OF THESE CHANGES AS ITS OWN POLICY OBJECTIVES, BUT WILL ADOPT IT INCREMENTALLY AND WITHOUT COMPREHENSIBLE ASSESSMENT OF THE COMBINED, COMBINED EFFECTS, THE RESULTS CAN BECOME EVALUATE.
MEANWHILE, THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF MICRO ZONING CHANGES ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO APPEAR ALONG MASS AVENUE, BETWEEN WAREHOUSE, WAREHOUSE STREET AND
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
Y FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US THE REMAINDER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN MARKOWITZ, FOLLOWED BY SHELLY REMAN.
SUSAN, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HI, UH, MY NAME IS SUSAN MARKOWITZ.
I'M SPEAKING TO CHARTER RIGHT NUMBER ONE AT THE UPCOMING MARCH 11TH ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING ABOUT THE CAMBRIDGE STREET GROUND FLOOR ACTIVE USE.
I'M URGING YOU TO ALSO INCLUDE DISCUSSION OF THE FOLLOWING, CAMBRIDGE STREET NEIGHBORS POSITIONS.
ONE, NO LABS AS OF RIGHT IN PARTICULAR WET LABS, TWO REAR SETBACKS OF 10 FEET TO IN ORDER TO AVOID WEED INFESTATION, THREE STEP BACKS, A 10 FOOT STEP BACK ABOVE THE FOURTH FLOOR IN BUILDINGS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET.
AND ANY ADDITIONAL SETBACK FROM THE SIDEWALK CAN THEN BE SUBTRACTED FROM THE 10 FEET.
FOUR OPEN, OPEN SPACE ADJACENT TO MILLER'S RIVER.
APARTMENTS SHOULD BE REZONED AS OPEN SPACE FIVE PROJECT REVIEW, ONE COMMUNITY MEETING FOR BUILDINGS ABOVE THREE STORIES.
TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS FOR BUILDINGS ABOVE FOUR STORIES.
SIX ANNUAL REPORTING MARKET UNITS CREATED AND DESTROYED.
AFFORDABLE UNITS CREATED AND DESTROYED ANNUAL RETAIL, CREATED ANNUAL STREET TREES PLANTED AND DESTROYED AND ANNUAL STREET TREES THAT HAVE DIED.
THESE POSITIONS REFLECT WHAT THE CAMBRIDGE STREET STUDY CALLED FOR, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE NOT DISCUSSED DURING THE PREVIOUS RAPID APPROVAL PROCESS OF THE CAMBRIDGE STREET UPZONING PETITION IN JANUARY.
DISCUSSING THEM NOW DOES NOT MEAN APPROVAL, BUT IT DOES MEAN CONSIDERATION.
CAMBRIDGE STREET IS ONE OF THE LAST UNIQUE NEIGHBORHOOD FOCUSED STREETS AND MANY OF US WOULD LIKE TO PRESERVE IT.
HOPEFULLY WITH DISCUSSION WE CAN COME UP WITH A MORE FINE TUNED ZONING AND IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AT THE NEXT ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, THEN I REQUEST THAT AN ADDITIONAL MEETING BE SCHEDULED.
UM, AS AN ASIDE, MY HUSBAND IS NUMBER EIGHT AND HIS COMPUTER DOESN'T WORK.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO SPEAK AS NUMBER EIGHT ON MY COMPUTER? YES, SUSAN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHELLY RYMAN, FOLLOWED BY RICHARD KNICK.
SHELLY, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
HI, THIS IS SHELLY REMAN, 2 0 1 FRANKLIN STREET IN CAMBRIDGE.
I'M SPEAKING AT ABOUT THE CAMBRIDGE STREET UPZONING AND THE UPCOMING ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
THE CAMBRIDGE STREET GROUP OF NEIGHBORS ARE AN INSPIRATION TO ALL CANTER BRIDGES.
THEY HAVE MET AND FLYER AND REACHED OUT TO NEIGHBORS AND
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BUSINESSES ALL ALONG CAMBRIDGE STREET.THE AREA ENCOMPASSES MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES AND LIFESTYLES AND GROUPS WHO HAVE VARIED NATIVE LANGUAGES.
WHAT THEY ALL HAVE IN COMMON IS THE RIGHT TO BE PART OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESSES THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES AND THEIR SPECIFIC VICINITY, INCLUDING EAST CAMBRIDGE MILLERS RIVER, THE AREA NEAR THE GALLERIA MALL.
WEBSTER AVE, THE VALENTI LIBRARY IN KING OPEN SCHOOL COMPLEX AND INMAN SQUARE THESO.
THEY LACK COMMUNITY INPUT AND A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
I'M WRITING TO ASK THAT THE REASONABLE CONCERNS OF THE CAMBRIDGE STREET NEIGHBORS BE RESPECTED AND THAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE LISTENED TO.
AT THE 11TH MEETING ON THE 11TH IN, UH, INCLUDING REGARDING FIRST FLOOR USES, NO WET LABS, SETBACKS AND STEP BACKS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.
INMAN SQUARE IS A WONDERFUL HISTORIC SQUARE.
MORE DEVELOPMENT THERE WOULD RUIN THE TRANQUIL YET PURPOSEFUL FEEL OF THE OF INMAN SQUARE.
I LIVE ON FRANKLIN STREET STEPS AWAY FROM THE C CAMBRIDGE CENTRAL SQUARE LIBRARY.
WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD FEELING AND IDENTITY HERE, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS SO MUCH BUSTLE AND ACTIVITY IN CENTRAL SQUARE.
CENTRAL SQUARE COULD NEVER BE LOWKEY OR RELAXED LIKE INMAN SQUARE.
IT'S A TRANSPORTATION HUB, BY DEFINITION IS TRANSIENT.
I KNOW CENTRAL SQUARE REZONING IS THE NEXT BIG PROJECTS.
NEXT BIG PROJECT RESIDENTS WILL WANT TO PRESERVE WHAT WE CAN OF THE HISTORY AND CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'LL HAVE THE CAMBRIDGE STREET NEIGHBORS AS INSPIRATION AND ROLE MODEL.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK FOR THE CITY WE LOVE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RICHARD KNICK, FOLLOWED BY HENRY H WARDIS, THEN LEE HARRIS.
RICHARD, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UH, AS A MEMBER OF THE CAMBRIDGE STREET NEIGHBORS GROUP, UH, YOU'VE HEARD, UH, SEVERAL ITERATIONS OF OUR, UH, LIST OF SIX PRIORITIES.
SO I OF COURSE, ALSO ARE MASKING FOR THE SAME THING.
UH, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT THERE WERE TWO VERSIONS OF THE SETBACKS MENTIONED.
UH, I SUPPORT THE ONE THAT SIMPLY CALLS FOR A 10 FOOT SETBACK ABOVE THE FOURTH FLOOR.
UH, AND IF THERE'S A SETBACK ON THE SIDEWALK THAT CAN BE CREDITED AGAINST THE 10 FEET ON THE FOURTH FLOOR, UH, THESE SHOULD BE DISCUSSED NOW AS REQUESTED, UH, AND NOT KICKED DOWN THE ROAD AND DEALT WITH IN A NEW PETITION IN THE LONG-TERM PLANNING COMMITTEE OR FAILING THAT BY A CITIZEN'S PETITION.
THESE OTHER ALTERNATIVES ARE JUST GONNA BE MORE INEFFICIENT.
THEY'RE GONNA TAKE MORE OF THE COUNCIL'S TIME.
IT SHOULD BE DONE AS REQUESTED BY US RIGHT NOW IN A VERY EFFICIENT MANNER.
AND IT, AND WE'VE ELIMINATED A LOT OF REQUESTS.
WE JUST HAVE SIX THAT NEED TO BE DISCUSSED AND IT CAN EASILY BE DONE IN, IN ONE MEETING, SO PLEASE DO THAT.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SPEAK IN, UH, REGARDING THE PROPOSED CONSOLIDATION OF HOUSING OFFICES INTO A SINGLE, UH, OFFICE, UH, REFLECTING THE POSITION THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED BY THE CAMBRIDGE HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION.
UH, WE REALLY THINK THAT, UH, ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL TENANTS SHOULD NOT BE FOLDED IN TO ACTIVITIES THAT, UH, DEVELOP AND BUILD HOUSING.
WE THINK IT, THE MISSION IS REALLY DIFFERENT ENOUGH THAT IT SHOULD RETAIN ITS SEPARATE IDENTITY, AND WE THINK THAT IDENT IDENTITY SHOULD BE HOUSED IN A NEW OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY, UH, MIRRORING MANY OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THE, THAT THE OFFICE SIMILAR OFFICES IN BOSTON AND SOMERVILLE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
AND THAT WOULD NOT ONLY CONTINUE THE WORK IN SUPPORT OF INDIVIDUAL TENANTS THAT CURRENTLY HAPPENS IN OUR CITY, BUT IT WOULD ADD TO THAT THE RESEARCH AND PUBLIC INFORMATION FUNCTION AND, AND ADVOCACY FOR NEW POLICIES TO REDUCE DISPLACEMENT AND CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS FOR THE LOWEST INCOME RESIDENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HENRY H WARDIS, FOLLOWED BY LEE FERRIS.
HENRY, THREE MINUTES PLEASE GO AHEAD.
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EZ 1 0 6 BERKSHIRE STREET, UH, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR REVOLUTION, UH, CAMBRIDGE WITH RESPECT TO CAMBRIDGE STREET, I JUST WANNA MAKE ONE SIMPLE POINT.THAT IS THAT THE NEEDS TO BE A SERIES OF UPDATES, PERHAPS AT THREE MONTH INTERVALS TO LET THE COUNCIL KNOW WHETHER AS THE RESULT OF REZONING, THERE IS AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF UNITS AVAILABLE TO LOW AND MODEST INCOME RESIDENTS.
IF INSTEAD, THE REZONING RESULTS IN A CONTINUOUS FLOW OF DISPLACEMENT, THAT IS THE LOSS OF HOUSING BY, UH, UH, DESTRUCTION AND REBUILDING, THEN IT IS UP TO THE COUNCIL TO REVIEW ITS REZONING AND TO RESET THE ZONING PARAMETERS SO THAT WE DO NOT, UH, ACHIEVE GENTRIFICATION AND DISPLACEMENT AS A RESULT OF POLICIES MEANT TO INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LEE FERRIS.
I'M LEE FERRIS, UH, NORFOLK STREET IN THE PORT.
UM, I'M SPEAKING FOR THE CAMBRIDGE RESIDENCE ALLIANCE ON THE ISSUE OF WHAT TO DISCUSS IN THE SECOND CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING PETITION.
I LIVE A BLOCK FROM CAMBRIDGE STREET AND I'VE GONE TO, UH, RESTAURANTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES ALONG THE STREET FOR YEARS.
UM, THE CAMBRIDGE RESIDENCE ALLIANCE APPRECIATES THAT THE COUNCIL LOWERED THE HEIGHTS TO SIX FLOORS ALONG MUCH OF CAMBRIDGE STREET IN THE PREVIOUS SONY.
UM, WE SUPPORT ADDING REQUIREMENTS FOR ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR USE AS IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT PIECE OF ZONING.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE JOINED WITH DOZENS OF NEIGHBORS WHO, UH, WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS OTHER ISSUES, UM, DURING THIS SECOND PIECE OF ZONING.
UH, ALTHOUGH WE RAISED THESE CONCERNS DURING COMMENT ON THE PREVIOUS PETITION, UH, THE COUNCIL DID NOT TAKE UP THESE ISSUES AND WE SEE THESE AS FINE TUNING THE PREVIOUS ZONING.
UM, WE'D LIKE THE COUNCIL JUST TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES.
LABS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED AS, AS OF RIGHT, UH, WHILE LABS ARE OVERBUILT.
NOW, THERE WILL BE A TIME WHEN DEVELOPERS WANNA BUILD THEM AGAIN AND CAMBRIDGE STREET WOULD NOT BENEFIT FROM HAVING LABS AS AS OF RIGHT.
UH, WE THINK THERE SHOULD BE SIX, UH, REAR, REAR, EXCUSE ME, REAR SETBACKS OF 10 FEET BEHIND A BUILDING.
PEOPLE WHO LIVE OR WORK IN THE BUILDING WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THIS OPEN SPACE AND THE SPACE SHOULD BE PERMEABLE, NOT PAVED.
THE DEVELOPERS SHOULD HOLD A COMMUNITY MEETING FOR INPUT ON A BUILDING OVER THREE FLOORS, AND IF THERE'S OVER FOUR FLOORS, THERE SHOULD BE TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS BECAUSE THE TALLER BUILDING WILL HAVE MORE IMPACT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET.
THERE SHOULD BE A STEP BACK ABOVE THE FOURTH FLOOR.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO SEE THE SPACE IN FRONT OF MILLER'S RIVER APARTMENTS BE OPEN SPACE, EITHER THROUGH REZONING OR DEED RESTRICTION.
WE'D LIKE TO SEE THE ANNUAL REPORT OF CHANGES ON CHA ON CAMBRIDGE STREET BE REQUIRED, AS YOU'VE HEARD.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE, UH, THE RESIDENCE ALLIANCE THINKS THE CITY SHOULD PROACTIVELY CONTACT RESIDENTS, UM, RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL TENANTS WHEN A BUILDING IS SOLD TO INFORM THEM OF THIS, THIS FACT, AND EXPLAIN THEIR RIGHTS AND ANY CITY'S ASSISTANCE.
AND WE SUPPORT THE OBJECTIVES AND PROPOSALS OF ECPT REGARDING ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR.
UM, IF THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AT THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE ON WEDNESDAY, THEN WE'D LIKE THERE TO BE AN ADDITIONAL ORDINANCE MEETING, UH, SCHEDULED, AND WE THINK IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES NOW, UM, THAN HAVE A THIRD PETITION LATER ON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GAIL SHARPER, FOLLOWED BY DAN TOTTEN, THEN BARREL LIPTON.
GAIL, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
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STREET IN THE PORT, AND I HAVE LIVED THERE 37 YEARS.I ALSO HAVE A BLOCK FROM CAMBRIDGE STREET AND SPEND A LOT OF TIME WALKING THROUGH AND SUPPORTING THE BUSINESSES IN THAT UNIQUE LAND PART OF CAMBRIDGE
I JOIN OTHER CITY RESIDENTS IN THE FOLLOWING TO HAVE THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE AT ITS NEXT MEETING DISCUSS ALL THE PERTINENT ISSUES IN THE, UM, SECOND UPZONING PETITION REGARDING CAMBRIDGE STREET UPZONING.
I SUPPORT THE COUNCIL'S GOAL OF ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR USE, BUT THIS PETITION FAILS TO ADDRESS CRITICAL ISSUES THAT MANY CAMBRIDGE STREET RESIDENTS HAVE RAISED DURING THE PREVIOUS RAPID APPROVAL PROCESS IN JANUARY.
THESE ISSUES HAVE ALREADY BEEN DES DESCRIBED, BUT I'LL QUICKLY SAY THE LABS.
WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THEM AS OF RIGHT OPEN SPACE AS HAS BEEN DESCRIBED, SETBACKS, STEP BACKS AND OTHERS.
I JOIN OTHER RESIDENTS IN WANTING TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES AT THE NEXT ORDINANCE COMMITTEE HEARING MARCH 11TH.
IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME AT THAT MEETING, I CALL FOR AN ADDITIONAL ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING TO BE SCHEDULED TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES WHICH ARE URGENT FOR THE CAMBRIDGE STREET NEIGHBORHOOD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAN TOTTEN, FOLLOWED BY BAR LIPTON, THEN HELEN WALKER.
DAN, THREE MINUTES PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UH, MY NAME IS DAN TOTTEN, 54 BISHOP ALLEN DRIVE.
UM, I DO WANNA START BY SAYING I SUPPORT SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF COUNSELOR DESI'S ORDER ABOUT CAMBRIDGE STREET, ESPECIALLY THE PIECE AROUND NOT ALLOWING AS OF RIGHT BIOTECH DEVELOPMENT, AND I HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL CAN FIND AN APPROPRIATE FORUM FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, I ALSO WANNA TALK ABOUT SOCIAL HOUSING SINCE IT'S ON THE AGENDA TWICE TONIGHT.
I'VE BEEN A PART OF THE TEAM THAT HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR YEARS THROUGH THE CAMBRIDGE HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION.
IT FELT LIKE A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH LAST SEPTEMBER WHEN THE PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED SUCH A CLEAR AND SPECIFIC POLICY ORDER.
THEN WE HAD A HEARING IN DECEMBER, WHICH WE WERE TOLD AT THE TIME COULD ONLY HAPPEN IF CITY STAFF DID NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY.
NOW, WE'VE REACHED THE REPORT BACK DATE FROM THE POLICY ORDER SIX MONTHS LATER.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED WITH A VAGUE TIMELINE IN WHICH NOTHING WILL HAPPEN FOR TWO MORE MONTHS.
AND THEN IT DOESN'T EXACTLY INSPIRE CONFIDENCE THAT ANYTHING'S GONNA HAPPEN BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE WE'RE KICKING THE CAN.
UM, I DO APPRECIATE THAT CENTRAL SQUARE SEEMS TO BE PROCEEDING A GREAT DEAL MORE THOUGHTFULLY.
UM, AS A RESIDENT OF THE DISTRICT, I CAN ATTEST THAT MYSELF AND MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THE UPZONING WILL MEAN FOR OUR ABILITY TO REMAIN IN THE CITY.
THIS ISN'T WEST CAMBRIDGE OR EVEN MID CAMBRIDGE.
THE, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORKING CLASS RENTERS JUST TRYING TO HANG ON ON MY STREET.
COME, COME HANG OUT ON MY BLOCK IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME.
UM, ANOTHER EXISTENTIAL CONCERN ABOUT CENTRAL SQUARE IS THE FACT THAT ALL OF THE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND NIGHTLIFE SPOTS ARE LOCATED ON LARGE ONE STORY PARCELS.
THE EXACT KIND OF PARCEL THAT WOULD BE DEVELOPED UNDER THE REZONING.
I'M NOT AGAINST TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO BUILD MORE HOUSING IN THE SQUARE AT 20% INCLUSIONARY, BUT DO WE CARE ABOUT HAVING A CULTURAL DISTRICT? AND DON'T TELL ME THAT WE'RE GONNA GET TH THERE THROUGH THE CAMBRIDGE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES PROCESS.
THAT IS YET ANOTHER PROCESS COMING OUT OF NOWHERE BLINDSIDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD BASED ON A STUDY THAT HAD MINIMAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE CAN'T RELY EXCLUSIVELY ON THE PUBLIC LOTS TO KEEP THE CULTURAL DISTRICT THRIVING.
UM, FINALLY, I JUST WANNA SAY I SUPPORT A COMPROMISE OF TWO MINUTES ON PUBLIC COMMENT UNLESS THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
I BELIEVE BOSTON SWITCHES DOWN TO TWO MINUTES AT 80 PEOPLE, WHICH IS LARGELY IN LINE WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, ONE MINUTE IS CHALLENGING AND BENEFITS PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED GIVING PUBLIC SPEAKING.
SO IT ACTUALLY, UM, HAS THE OPPOSITE EFFECT OF YOUR AND THE INTENT.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID, OH, PUBLIC COMMENT'S NOT INCLUSIVE, BUT IF YOU LOWER IT DOWN TO ONE MINUTE, YOU MAKE IT EVEN LESS INCLUSIVE.
UM, I'LL GIVE UP THE REMAINDER OF MY 40 SECONDS, UH, TO SHOW THAT I'M BOUGHT TO THE TWO MINUTES AS A COMPROMISE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BERYL LIPTON, FOLLOWED BY HELEN WALKER.
UM, I AM HERE TO, UH, ALSO CONVERSATION ABOUT ZONING ON CAMBRIDGE STREET AS PART OF THE FORTHCOMING DISCUSSION RELATED TO FIRST FLOOR RETAIL.
I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY TO THE COUNCIL THAT I HAD SUBMITTED A PUBLIC RECORD CLASS FOR MORE DETAILS AND DATA RELATED TO THE PREVIOUS PETITION FOR ZONING ON CAMBRIDGE STREET.
[00:35:01]
STAND DATA AND DETAILS AND THE RECORDS AND THE INFORMATION THAT IS BEING USED TO CREATE SOME OF THESE PROPOSALS.AND IT IS A BIT FRUSTRATING THAT AFTER HAVING PAID THE FEE, LIMITING THE REQUEST TO ONLY THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS THAT WOULD'VE INCLUDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING WOULD'VE INCLUDED, AND THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS RELATED TO FIRST FLOOR RETAIL AND PAYING $150 AFTER TWO MONTHS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, PUBLIC RECORDS LAWS ARE EXIST.
BERYL, WE'VE LOST YOUR AUDIO BERYL.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
BERYL HAS A MINUTE AND 36 SECONDS.
WE'LL TRY TO COME BACK TO HER AT THE END.
OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HELEN WALKER, FOLLOWED BY PHYLLIS BREATH HOLDS.
HELEN, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
HELEN WALKER, 43 LINEAN STREET.
THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK ON CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING AND ON INSTITUTIONAL USE REGULATIONS.
WE ALL WANT TO GET THESE RIGHT REGARDING LAMPS.
AS OF RIGHT, OUR CAMBRIDGE STREET SAYS, LIMIT CERTAIN TYPES OF LAB USE ON CAMBRIDGE STREET.
REMEMBER, A BSL THREE LAB IS SUITABLE FOR WORK WITH AGENTS THAT MAY CAUSE SERIOUSLY OR POTENTIALLY LETHAL DISEASE THROUGH INHALATION THAT DOESN'T BELONG NEXT TO SIX STORIES OF APARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WILL BE LOWER EXHAUSTING UP TOWARD THE APARTMENTS AND THE MECHANICAL SYSTEM WILL BE VERY NOISY.
WHAT ABOUT THAT REAR SETBACK OF NONE FOR SIX STORY BUILDINGS? CD'S, JUNE, 2025, PRESENTATION TO HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD LONG-TERM PLANNING SAID REAR SETBACKS ARE USED TO TRANSITION FROM THE MAIN STREET TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT GAVE THAT NUMBER SPECIFICALLY AS 10 FEET.
SO HOW DID 10 FEET BECOME NONE? WHAT KIND OF TRANSITION IS THAT? WHAT KIND OF VIEWS OR PRIVACY IN THE FUTURE ARE YOU PLANNING TO REGULARLY PAINT AND CAULK THE CEMENT FIBER PANELS BY STAGING OVER THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY AND TREES? THEN WHAT ABOUT CD'S JUNE, 2025 NARRATIVE? GOOD MAIN STREETS HAVE SOME SCATTERED OPEN SPACES WITH LIKE POCKET PARKS AND PLAZAS.
THERE'S EVEN A PHOTO CALLED VIEW OF MILLERS RIVER APARTMENTS SET BACK FROM CAMBRIDGE STREET.
MAYBE THE ONLY ONE SINCE THIS ZONING REQUIRES NO OPEN SPACE FOR SIX STORY BUILDINGS.
PLEASE PROTECT THIS PARTICULAR ONE BY REZONING IT AS OPEN SPACE.
WE ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS OF INSTITUTIONAL USE REGULATIONS.
IT'S OKAY TO EDIT, TO CONFORM WITH STATE LANGUAGE, BUT WE'RE NOT DONE.
WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE PLANNING BOARD ADVICE TO SECURE AGREEMENT FROM OUR INSTITUTIONS TO CONCENTRATE GROWTH WITHIN EXISTING CAMPUSES AND TO PROVIDE MORE STUDENT HOUSING.
OR WE NEED A NEW HOME RULE PETITION REGARDING A NEW EXEMPTION FROM THE DOVER AMENDMENT.
NEVER FORGET THAT THE NEW HARVARD HOUSE SYSTEM AND PEABODY TERRORISTS EVICTED OVER 300 FAMILIES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PHYLLIS BREATH, FOLLOWED BY JOHN PICKEN.
PHYLLIS, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UM, LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING TO THE CITY COUNCILORS AND MAYOR SIDIKI THAT I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY, UM, LOWERED THE HEIGHTS OF BUILDINGS ON CAMBRIDGE STREET, AND THAT IS OF SIGNIFICANT DIS MOSTLY TO SIX, UH, STORIES, AND I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
UM, I'M ALSO SPEAKING TO THE ISSUE OF THE SECOND CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING PETITION AND AM URGING YOU TO INCLUDE IN YOUR DISCUSSION THE FOLLOWING POINTS, WHICH WERE NOT TAKEN UP DURING THE COUNCIL'S PREVIOUS COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
UM, I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HAVING BEEN GIVEN, UM, THE, UH, CHARTER WRITING, THIS GAVE SOME OF US AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK A LITTLE MORE DEEPLY ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE CONCERNED WITH.
UM, SO NUMBER ONE IS THAT NO LABS SHOULD BE ALLOWED AS OF RIGHT SINCE THEY WOULD, THIS WOULD DO NOTHING TO INCREASE HOUSING, WHICH WE SORELY NEED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CAMBRIDGE STREET.
THERE SHOULD BE A STEP BACK ABOVE THE FOURTH FLOOR WITH A 45 DEGREE ANGLE TO REDUCE THE SHADOW CAST AND THE IMPACT ON NEIGHBORING STREETS AND HOMES BECAUSE IT WILL BE
[00:40:01]
DRAMATICALLY, UH, IMPACTED BY THE TALLER BUILDINGS.THE SPACE IN FRONT OF MILLER'S RIVERS APARTMENTS SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE PRESERVED AS OPEN SPACE THROUGH REZONING OR DEED RESTRICTIONS.
OUR SENIORS, UM, I AMONG THEM THOUGH I DON'T LIVE AT IN, IN THOSE APARTMENTS, DESERVE AN OPEN SPACE.
AND THAT'S BECOMING LESS AVAILABLE ALL OVER THE CITY.
THERE SHOULD BE REAR SETBACKS OF 10 FEET BEHIND BUILDINGS AND IT'S CRITICAL THAT IT SHOULD BE PERMEABLE, NOT PAVED.
SO PEOPLE WHO LIVE OR WORK THERE CAN USE THIS SPACE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE DEVELOPER SHOULD HOLD A COMMUNITY MEETING FOR INPUT ON A BUILDING OVER THREE FLOORS.
AND IF THE BUILDING IS OVER FOUR FLOORS, THERE SHOULD BE TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS SINCE THE TALLER BUILDING WILL HAVE A GREATER IMPACT.
AND I'M ALSO VERY AWARE THAT WHEN I WALKED ALONG CAMBRIDGE STREET A FEW WEEKS AGO AND TALKED TO THE MANAGERS AND OWNERS OF MANY OF THE BUILDINGS, THEY HAD HEARD NOTHING YET OF THE, UM, PLANS FOR THIS, THE STREET, AN ANNUAL REPORT OF CHANGES ON CAMBRIDGE STREET SHOULD BE REQUIRED, INCLUDING BOTH AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AND MARKET-BASED UNITS.
THOSE HAVE BEEN CREATED AND THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN ANY ACTIVE FLOOR SPACE, FIRST FLOOR SPACE THAT'S BEEN CREATED OR DESTROYED, AND ALL THE STREET TREES THAT HAVE BEEN PLANTED OR DESTROYED.
I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHN PITKIN, FOLLOWED BY JACOB BROWN, THEN GARY MELLOW.
I LIVE, UH, UH, AT 18 FAYETTE STREET.
I'M SPEAKING ABOUT THE CAMBRIDGE STREET REZONING.
CAMBRIDGE STREET IS A UNIQUE NEIGHBORHOOD, FOCUSED STREET, AND MANY RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TO PRESERVE THIS CHARACTER.
A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET IS A MICROCOSM OF AMERICA, AND I URGE YOU TO REMEMBER HOW JESSE JACKSON DESCRIBED AMERICA.
IT IS NOT, HE SAID LIKE A BLANKET, ONE PIECE OF UNBROKEN CLOTH, THE SAME COLOR, THE SAME TEXTURE, THE SAME SIZE AMERICA.
AND I SAY CAMBRIDGE STREET IS MORE LIKE A QUILT.
MANY PATCHES, MANY PIECES, MANY COLORS, MANY SIZES, ALL WOVEN AND HELD TOGETHER BY A COMMON THREAD.
THE WHITE, THE HISPANIC, THE BLACK, THE ARAB, THE JEW, THE WOMAN, THE NATIVE AMERICAN, THE BUSINESS PERSON, THE ENVIRONMENTALIST, THE PEACE ACTIVIST, THE YOUNG, THE OLD, THE GAY, AND THE DISABLED MAKE UP THE AMERICAN QUILT.
THE TWO YEAR CAMBRIDGE STREET STUDY WAS A COMMUNITY EFFORT TO FIND A COMMON THREAD TO HOLD THE NEIGHBORHOOD QUILT TOGETHER WITH YOUR DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF THE STUDY'S RECOMMENDATIONS, HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME UP WITH ZONING THAT DOES THIS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACOB BROWN.
JACOB, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
HI, UM, MY NAME IS JACOB BROWN.
I LIVE ON MAGAZINE STREET IN AMBRIDGE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, I GUESS, CHARTER RIGHT NUMBER THREE AND THE PROPOSED UPCOMING RESTRUCTURING OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND OBVIOUSLY THE HOMELESS SERVICES.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO UPON THAT, I GUESS.
YES, I BELIEVE THAT WITH THIS RESTRUCTURING AND THE CHANGE THAT IT ENTAILS AND POTENTIAL EFFICIENCY IT ENTAILS, UM, JUST TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS ALSO REPRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF HOW WE VIEW HOUSING AS A CITY AND SORT OF TAKE IT FROM THE VIEW THAT IT'S A COMMODITY AND THE CITY IS TO BEST MANAGE ITS, I GUESS, EFFECTIVE PROVISION AS A COMMODITY TO REALLY BEING SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AS A PUBLIC GOOD.
UM, AND THIS WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY DONE BY I GUESS JUST, YEAH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE THROUGH INCREASED PROGRAMS FOR SOCIAL HOUSING.
AND I THINK THAT THIS RESTRUCTURING IS A CHANCE TO REALLY PUT THE CITY'S EMPHASIS ON A SOCIAL HOUSING FORWARD POLICY.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT RESTRUCTURING INTO, I GUESS, AFFORDABLE RENTAL PROGRAMS
[00:45:01]
AND HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAMS, UM, THAT A POTENTIAL PILLAR OF THIS COULD BE SPECIFICALLY A DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL HOUSING UNDERNEATH THIS RESTRUCTURE.AND THAT, UM, BY CONTINUING WITH THIS, YEAH, I, I THINK THAT IT WOULD JUST BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THAT THE CITY CARES ABOUT PROVIDING BETTER THINGS FOR ITS FOR ITS CITIZENS.
UM, FURTHERMORE, I THINK JUST THAT THE CURRENT TIMELINE OF STUDY FOR SOCIAL HOUSING IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE MOVED UP AND THAT I, I WOULD JUST LOVE TO EMPHASIZE THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY IS AN URGENT NEED IN THE CITY.
AND I WOULD JUST LOVE TO SEE THAT CAMBRIDGE IS ABLE TO EMPHASIZE IN THE STRUCTURE OF ITS VERY GOVERNMENT, THAT IT'S CAPABLE OF AND WILLING TO PROVIDE SOCIAL HOUSING FOR ITS RESIDENTS IS SOMETHING THAT'S TENANT MANAGED.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YEAH, I YIELD MY TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GARY MELLOW, FOLLOWED BY HEATHER HOFFMAN.
MY NAME IS GARY MELLOW AND I LIVE ON FRANKLIN STREET.
YOU GUYS DON'T SEE A WHOLE LOT OF ME.
I'M NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN A BROAD RANGE OF TOPICS AND TONIGHT'S COMMENTS LARGELY REPEAT OLD STUFF I LAST RAISED YEARS AGO, CD MANAGER'S.
ITEM NUMBER TWO IS THE ANNUAL PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK, MULTIPLE AAA BOND RATINGS.
WHILE THERE ARE SOME V VULGAR TERMS FOR THAT RITUAL, LET'S JUST SETTLE FOR SELF GRATIFICATION.
AAA BOND RATING IS INDEED IMPORTANT AS AN INDICATOR OF MARKETS CONFIDENCES IN OUR CREDIT WORTHINESS.
PLENTY OF MUNICIPALITIES QUALIFY.
NEW YORK CITY, WHICH IS A BASKET CASE IS A NOTCH AND A HALF BELOW, STILL IMPRESSED.
WHAT IRKS ME IS THE SUGGESTION THAT CAMBRIDGE IS RECOGNIZED BY THREE MAJOR AGENCIES.
THESE, THESE RATINGS AREN'T EARNED, THEY'RE PAID FOR, AND THAT EXPENSE RUNS INTO SIX FIGURES SERVING ONLY REDUNDANT PURPOSES.
A MUNICIPAL BOND RATING IS KIND OF LIKE YOUR OWN PERSONAL FCO SCORE.
IF YOUR BANK GIVES YOU A COMPLIMENTARY FICO FROM LET'S SAY EXPERIAN, DO YOU THEN RUN OUT AND PAY TRANSUNION AND EQUIFAX JUST TO PUFF OUT YOUR, YOUR CHEST WITH THREE IDENTICAL NUMBERS? SO THIS YEAR, INSTEAD OF CONGRATULATIONS, CONGRATULATING THE CITY MANAGER FOR BEING ONE OF ONLY 27 CITIES.
DUMB ENOUGH TO WASTE THE MONEY FOR THE TRIPLE, TRIPLE, LET'S HAVE HIM COMMISSION DONE IN BRADSTREET, THE KROLL AGENCY, AND EAGAN JONES REPORTS FOR ANOTHER A HUNDRED GRAND.
WE'LL BE THE ONLY CITY IN AMERICA WITH SIX YES, SIX AAA BOND RATINGS WITH NOTHING WORTHWHILE FOR THE EFFORT.
PS NO SNEAKING THE PARKING STICKER THING IN TONIGHT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HEATHER HOFFMAN, FOLLOWED BY MARK TRUANT.
HEATHER, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
HELLO, HEATHER HOFFMAN, TWO 13 HURLEY STREET.
I'M GONNA START WITH THE LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT.
I HOPE THAT YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOT APPROVE ANY PAYMENT UNTIL THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT IS MADE PUBLIC.
THIS IS PUBLIC MONEY BEING SPENT AND THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO KNOW HOW IT IS BEING SPENT.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE CITY COUNCIL RULES, I AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS, HOUSING AND ZONING AND ALL OF THESE THINGS, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS DECIDED THAT EFFICIENCY IS THE GREAT THING THAT IT SHOULD CHASE, AND THAT GOOD GOVERNANCE SHOULD ALWAYS GIVE WAY TO WHAT IT CONSIDERS EFFICIENCY.
CUTTING OFF PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE IT'S INEFFICIENT TO LISTEN TO THE GREAT UNWASHED, UM, CUTTING OFF CONSIDERATION OF WHAT PROPOSED LEGISLATION IS BASED ON AND WHAT IT IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE.
AND THEN DETERMINING WHETHER IT ACTUALLY DID PRODUCE THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST CUTS OFF THE STRING OF WINDS.
YOU PASS SOMETHING, YOU MOVE ON.
I THINK THAT EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU IS BETTER THAN THAT AND I WOULD BE THRILLED IF YOU WOULD PROVE IT TO ME.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO, UM, THE AAA BOND RATING, UM, I AM ALWAYS AMAZED AT THE NOTION THAT CAMBRIDGE EXERCISES FISCAL, UH, DISCRETION WHEN YOU'RE SPENDING $7 MILLION ON LINEAR PARK AND VARIOUS OTHER THINGS THAT ALL OF US COULD NAME.
UM, I I I GUESS THEY DON'T TALK TO PEOPLE LIKE ME.
PEOPLE HAVE BEFORE ME HAVE SAID WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID ON CAMBRIDGE STREET? YOU WERE EVER SO
[00:50:01]
EFFICIENT, YOU GOT YOUR WIN AT THE LAST MINUTE AND YOU JUST DO NOT WANT THAT INTERFERED WITH, EVEN THOUGH YOU KNEW THAT YOU HAD MOVED FORWARD ON SOMETHING THAT NEEDED AMENDING.I DON'T SEE THAT AS EFFICIENT, BUT I'M ME AND YOU'RE THE ELECTEDS.
NOW, WITH RESPECT TO THE HOUSING AND ZONING PRIORITIES, I WANNA READ YOU SOMETHING.
CBD IS ENGAGED WITH A CONSULTANT WHO IS WORKING ON A NEW NEXUS STUDY AND FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING REQUIREMENT AND RECOMMEND POSSIBLE CHANGES.
FUNNY THING THAT NONE OF THAT WAS THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE YOU PASSED ALL OF THESE UP, ZONINGS ASSURING YOURSELVES AND THE PUBLIC THAT INCLUSIONARY ZONING WAS PERFECT AND YOU DIDN'T NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE WERE GONNA GET THAT STUFF, REALLY.
OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS MARK TRUANT.
MARK, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UH, MARK TRUANT, UM, WARREN STREET IN CAMBRIDGE WHERE I'VE LIVED WITH MY FAMILY FOR, UH, 40 YEARS NOW.
UM, ABOUT CAMBRIDGE STREET, CAMBRIDGE STREET, UH, WERNER GUMPERTZ, AN MIT PROFESSOR AND FOUNDER OF SGHA, UH, WORLD RENOWNED ENGINEERING CONSULTING FIRM.
ONCE SAID, THERE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE TIME TO FIX PROBLEMS AFTERWARDS, BUT NEVER TIME TO DESIGN THINGS CORRECTLY UPFRONT.
WE ALWAYS SEEM TO FIND THE TIME AFTERWARDS TO FIX THEM WHEN WE HAVE TO FIX THEM.
HIS FIRM WAS FREQUENTLY HIRED TO REPAIR BUILDINGS THAT LEAKED SO BADLY PEOPLE COULDN'T AFFORD, UH, COULDN'T INHABIT THEM.
FAILURES THAT TOOK YEARS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO FIX.
I WORRY WE ARE SEEING A SIMILAR PATTERN WITH THE CAMBRIDGE STREET UPZONING ORDINANCE AS ENACTED.
IT SHOWS A STRIKING LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF SCALE, FORM, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUILDINGS AND OPEN SPACE, THE THINGS THAT TRULY MAKE A CITY LIVABLE.
IF YOU WOULD, JUST FOR A MOMENT, UH, PICTURE YOURSELF STANDING ON CAMBRIDGE STREET, UH, IF ALL OF YOU KNOW WHERE THE RAILROAD TRACKS ACROSS CAMBRIDGE STREET WHERE THE GRANT JUNCTION, UH, HOPEFULLY WILL BE THE WALKWAY AND, AND LOOK TOWARDS LEACH MIRROR.
AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS 75 FOOT HIGH CONTINUOUS WALLS STRETCHING MORE THAN HALF A MILE TO LECH MIRROR ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET WITH NO OPEN SPACE IN SIGHT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE OUTCOME OF THE ZONING THAT HAS BEEN ENACTED.
AND, AND SOME BUILDINGS ALONG THE WAY WILL BE TALLER THAN 75 FEET, UM, DOWN BY LECHMERE.
BUT ALSO IF PEOPLE BUILD, UH, WITH HHO, UM, GUIDELINES.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE, AND TO GIVE YOU A POINT OF REFERENCE, 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW OR KNOW MANY BUILDINGS THAT ARE 75 FEET TALL, BUT AT THE HEAD OF, UH, CAMBRIDGE STREET, CAMBRIDGE STREET, AND, UM, QUINCY RUNNING BETWEEN BROADWAY AND QUINCY IS, UH, WHAT WAS THE SACKLER MUSEUM AT HARVARD? UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S A MUSEUM ANYMORE.
UM, AND THAT BUILDING IS 75 FEET TALL, SO THAT COULD GIVE YOU SOME POINT OF REFERENCE.
IT WAS ALSO DESIGNED BY A WORLD CLASS ARCHITECT WHO, UM, DID SOME THINGS WITH THE BUILDING TO, UH, REDUCE THE SCALE AND EFFECT OF THE, OF THE MASS.
IT ALSO IS A, IS A BUILDING THAT RUNS, UH, BETWEEN CAMBRIDGE AND BROADWAY.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, VERY LONG THAT WAY, WHICH IN MOST OF CAMBRIDGE STREET ESPECIALLY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
FEEL FREE TO THANK YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
PLEASE EMAIL THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT.
WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO BERYL, WHO IS JOINING US IN PERSON.
BERYL, YOU HAD ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF LEFT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME HAVE THE REMAINDER OF MY TIME SO I COULD RUN OVER HERE.
UM, AS I SAID, I WOULD LIKE MY RECORDS.
I ASKED FOR THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.
IT SEEMS LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED THINGS RELATED TO FIRST FLOOR RETAIL AND I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE CONVERSATION IF WE COULD HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THOSE THINGS ARE AND AREN'T BEING CONSIDERED.
I DON'T MUCH LIKE HAVING TO BE IN AN ANTAGONISTIC RELATIONSHIP
[00:55:01]
WITH, UH, MY CITY.AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UH, HAVE SOME DETAIL WITH WHICH WE CAN ALL BE HAVING A SORT OF COMMON CONVERSATION.
UM, AS I SAID PREVIOUSLY, I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HEIGHTS FROM THE FIRST PETITION.
IT WAS SORT OF THE, UM, PROBLEM WITH HOW EVERYTHING WAS COMING TOGETHER.
AND I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT WHAT WE DO HAVE FROM THE, OUR CAMBRIDGE STREET PROPOSAL DID REALLY HIGHLIGHT HOW IMPORTANT FIRST FLOOR RETAIL WAS TO EVERYBODY.
THOSE PICTURES DID HAVE SETBACKS AND I FULLY SUPPORT THE IDEA OF COLLECTING MORE DATA SO THAT AS WE GO ON AND HAVE MORE OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, WE CAN ACTUALLY BE LOOKING AT HOW PROGRESS IS BEING TRACKED.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UM, REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
I DO THINK THAT SLOW IS SMOOTH AND SMOOTH IS FAST, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT IN A WAY THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF.
THAT IS ALL THAT WE'RE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO'VE, UH, SPOKEN AT PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, WE'LL NOW GO AHEAD AND ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR NOLAN TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THOSE AGAINST, THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE SUBMISSION
[SUBMISSION OF THE RECORD]
OF THE RECORD.THERE ARE TWO SETS OF MINUTES, CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 24TH, 2025 AND MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2025 ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN TO PLACE THESE TWO SETS OF MINUTES ON FILE.
THOSE RECORDS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AND PLACED ON FILE.
THERE ARE NO RECONSIDERATIONS IN THE FEW MINUTES WE HAVE LEFT.
WE'LL GO AHEAD TO THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA
[CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA]
ITEMS AND POLL, WHICH ITEMS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PULL.SO, PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, AND THEN COUNCILLOR NOLAN.
UH, NUMBER SIX, COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, POLLS NUMBER SIX.
PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL COUNSELOR ZUBIE THREE.
WE'VE PULLED, UH, ALL THE ITEMS SINCE WE ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES LEFT.
UM, I GUESS WE CAN GO QUICKLY TO NUMBER ONE.
UM, USUALLY ACTION IS TO REFER THIS TO, UH, TO COMMITTEE.
SO, BUT FIRST WE CAN GO TO IT.
THIS IS THE COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO THE TO 2025 ANNUAL SURVEILLANCE REPORT CONCERNING CITY DEPARTMENT'S USE OF SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY OR SURVEILLANCE DATA.
UH, ACCORDING TO OUR SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE, WE, AS YOU SAID, WE'RE REQUIRED TO HOLD A HEARING ON THIS REPORT BY THE END OF MAY.
SO I'LL BE PLANNING TO HOLD A HEARING BY LATE MAY, UM, IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGIES THAT COUNSELORS AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WISH TO DISCUSS FROM THE REPORT.
AND I'LL ALSO NOTIFY MY COLLEAGUES IN ADVANCE OF THE HEARING TO SUBMIT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGIES THAT YOU CARE ABOUT OR WANT TO DISCUSS IN THE COMMITTEE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE EFFICIENT USE OF STAFF TIME.
I'LL ALSO NOTE THAT I'LL BE INTENDING TO HOLD A STANDALONE MEETING ON SHOTSPOTTER, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ALSO I, I BELIEVE SOUND THINKING BECAUSE THAT IS A TOPIC OF SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY INTEREST.
I'LL YIELD ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND REFER THIS ITEM.
HEARING NONE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR ZUBIE TO REFER CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR A HEARING.
CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE IS REFERRED.
AND SO AT SIX 30, UM, WE WILL BE MOVING, UH, TO OUR NEXT PUBLIC HEARING.
SO WE'LL COME BACK TO ITEMS TWO, WHICH WERE PULLED BY COUNSELOR NOLAN.
SHE PULLED TWO, THREE, AND FOUR.
NUMBER FIVE WAS PULLED BY COUNSELOR ZU ZUBI, AND THEN NUMBER SIX WAS PULLED BY COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER.
SO PACKED AGENDA, CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA AFTER, BUT NOW WITH THE TIME ALMOST BEING SIX 30, UH, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND SWITCH TO THIS PUBLIC HEARING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MOMENTARILY.
SO THE TIME OF SIX 30, HAVING ARRIVED,
[01:00:01]
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL RECESS THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND MOVE TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, PERSUADING TO ACTOR, EXCUSE ME, TO ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION FIVE DASH ONE OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, TO CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY MANAGER IAN HUANG, ON THE REORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO CONSOLIDATE CITY HOUSING AND HOMELESS SERVICE PROGRAMS CURRENTLY PROVIDED ACROSS THREE CITY DEPARTMENTS INTO ONE CITY DEPARTMENT, AND RESUME THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL TO RECESS.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDING THE AFFIRMATIVE.
SO WE'VE ADJOURNED FROM THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'RE GOING TO BACK, WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA.
WE HAVE ITEMS 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 TO GET TWO.
IT'S ALMOST SEVEN 30 AS A TIME CHECK.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD TO CITY MANAGER.
I THINK I PERSONALLY WE'LL, WE'LL GO AHEAD.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL.
MOVING IN BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THE SHARING A QUORUM.
ABSENT, COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER.
AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED PRESENT, ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, RETAINING ITS AAA RATING FROM THE NATION'S THREE MAJOR CREDIT RATING AGENCIES.
COUNCILOR NOLAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR SIDIKI AND THROUGH YOU TO THE STAFF.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THESE REPORTS.
OVERALL SOLID RATINGS CONTINUES OUR TRACK RECORD.
I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT AND THANK THE STAFF AND APPRECIATE THE REFINANCING OF THE DEBT, WHICH SAVED $2 MILLION.
I NOTICED THAT IN THE REPORTS.
UM, AND ALSO I WANNA NOTE THAT THE KEY ELEMENT OF STRENGTH TO REMIND US ALL AS WE ENTER THIS BUDGET SEASON IS THE AVAILABILITY OF OUR FUNDS, INCLUDING RESTRICTED FUNDS, WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT THE BENCHMARK IS ABOUT 35% OF BUDGET, BUT ALSO THE UNRESTRICTED FUNDS ABOUT 10%.
AND WE DO MEET THOSE GOALS, BUT IT IS CRITICAL TO THEIR RATING, WHICH OF COURSE THEN REDUCES OUR, UH, BORROWING COSTS, WHICH IS ONE REASON WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE $2 MILLION.
SO, I JUST AS WE TIE THIS ALL TOGETHER, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US IN THIS, WE'RE WE'RE GONNA ENTER A FAIRLY CHALLENGING BUDGET TIME THAT WE ARE, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING GREAT, BUT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THESE.
IT'S THE ONE AREA WHERE I THINK THE CITY CAN BE PROUD TO BE A LITTLE BIT CONSERVATIVE.
UM, VERY HAPPY TO HAVE CONFIRMATION THAT WE'RE IN A STRONG POSITION.
AND YET HAVING READ THROUGH SOME OF THE REPORTS, THERE ARE SOME NOTES OF CAUTION.
UM, NOTABLY, PENSION IN OUR OPEP AND DEBT SERVICE ARE AREAS FOR MONITORING AND CAUTION.
IT IS RAISED IN ALL OF THE REPORTS THAT IT'S KIND OF WITHIN SOME PARAMETERS THAT ARE SET, AND YET IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, IS HIGHER THAN SOME MANY OTHER, UH, MUNICIPALITIES AND, AND SIMILARLY SITUATED CITIES.
SO GIVEN THAT, THAT, THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT I PICKED OUT AT ONES, AND WE KNOW THAT THE DEBT SERVICES, 'CAUSE WE DO PHENOMENAL WORK, AND YET WE DO NEED TO, AND OUR OWN PLANS ARE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T, UH, BLOW UP FURTHER.
UM, ARE ANY ACTIONS OR CONTEMPLATED, UH, REVIEWS OR CHANGES BEING CONSIDERED TO ENSURE THAT THOSE ELEMENTS IN PARTICULAR ARE TAKEN CARE OF AND, AND DON'T CAUSE US TO HAVE AN EVEN MORE CHALLENGING BUDGET SEASONS? 'CAUSE AS WE KNOW, OUR PROJECTIONS ARE ON JUST A, A PRETTY STEADY STATE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE VERY LARGE INCREASES IN OUR TAX RATES AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
SO ANY COMMENTS ON THOSE PARTICULAR ONES? AND THEN I HAVE, UM, ONE MORE QUESTION THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI, CFO, SENATOR.
UM, COUNCILOR NOLAN, UM, FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR QUESTIONS, UM, I THINK I MOSTLY WANNA SAY, AND THEN I'M GONNA ASK, UM, UH, BUDGET DIRECTOR TAHA TO SHARE A FEW WORDS.
BUT, UM, EACH YEAR WHEN THE CITY GOES THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IT'S AN EXTREMELY RIGOROUS PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH TO PULL INFORMATION TOGETHER AND TO PREPARE BOTH FOR OUR MEETINGS WITH THE RATING AGENCIES, UH, BUT ALSO TO PULL TOGETHER ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE TO PULL TOGETHER IN ORDER TO PUT TOGETHER A BOND SALE, UH, USING OUR BOND
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COUNCIL AND PUTTING OUT AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT.UM, AND SO I DO WANNA FIRST APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, THE, UM, ASSESSING DEPARTMENT, THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT DOES TO, TO DO THIS EACH YEAR BECAUSE, UM, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT, UM, FOR US IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO, UM, BE ABLE TO INVEST IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE FACT THAT, UM, WE BOTH CONTINUE TO GET OUR AAA RATINGS, UM, WHICH CONTRIBUTES, OR IS, IS, IS IN PART IS, IS FULLY, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR HOW LOW OF AN INTEREST, UM, UH, RATE THAT WE GET.
AND IN FACT, THIS YEAR WITH OUR TRUE INTEREST RATE OF, YOU KNOW, JUST BELOW 2.2%, THE LOWEST INTEREST RATE THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY, UM, HAD SINCE 2021, UM, I THINK WAS, UM, REALLY A GREAT RESULT FOR US.
UM, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, MADE A DECISION, UH, BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO REFUND SOME OLDER DEBT, UM, AND THE FACT THAT BY, BY, YOU KNOW, REFUNDING OR ESSENTIALLY REFINANCING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE, UH, $2 MILLION, UH, IN FUTURE INTEREST COSTS ON THAT.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK I'LL, I'LL I'LL TURN IT TO, TO, UH, MR. JENNINGS TO SORT OF TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE, UM, ITEMS THAT THE RATING AGENCIES ACTUALLY PARTICULARLY NOTICED ABOUT OUR FINANCIAL, UH, MANAGEMENT THAT, UM, REALLY HAS RESULTED IN THESE RATINGS.
AND THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, UH, TO COUNCILOR NOLAN.
IN TERMS OF, UH, THE MESSAGING THAT WE GOT BACK FROM THE RATING AGENCIES, I'D LIKE TO ALWAYS POINT OUT THAT WE DON'T BUDGET TO GET A AAA RATING, BUT WE GET AAA RATING BECAUSE OF HOW WE BUDGET AND HOW WE MANAGE OUR FINANCES.
UH, THE RATING AGENCIES REALLY LOOK AT CRITERIA RELATED TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY, UH, THE CITY'S MANAGEMENT, UM, OUR FINANCIAL SITUATION, INCLUDING OUR RESERVES AND OUR DEBT BURDEN.
AND GETTING THE RATINGS IS REALLY A, A STRONG, UM, OUTSIDE OBJECTIVE OPINION ABOUT THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STRENGTH, OUR FINANCIAL STABILITY AND PLANNING, UM, OUR POLICIES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, AND NOTABLY OUR ABILITY TO WITHSTAND OUTSIDE FACTORS AND ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT A LOT OF TIMES ARE NOT IN OUR DIRECT CONTROL.
AND I THINK, UH, WE'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CURRENT ENVIRONMENT ARE, ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THERE ARE SOME BENEFITS THAT COME ALONG WITH GETTING AAA RATING.
WE AS, UH, MS. SPINNER, UH, NOTED WE CAN BORROW MONEY AT LOWER RATES.
UM, AND IT REALLY DEMONSTRATES, UM, OUR FISCAL DISCIPLINE AND SEND A STRONG MESSAGE THAT THE CITY IS REALLY A SAFE AND RELIABLE INVESTMENT OVERALL.
AND I THINK INCLUDE, IT ALSO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDES, IT VALIDATES OUR POSITION AS A FISCAL LEADER.
AND, AND THAT CAN A LOT OF TIMES TRANSLATE INTO OTHER AREAS AS WELL.
UM, JUST IN TERMS OF BEING AT THE FOREFRONT AND, AND HOW WE'RE DOING THINGS, UH, TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT THE RATING AGENCIES NOTED AS, YOU KNOW, AREAS TO WATCH MOVING FORWARD.
UM, WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH THESE AREAS.
WE, WE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE POTENTIAL FOR IMPACTS RELATED TO THINGS LIKE PENSION LIABILITY, OP E, OUR DEBT BURDEN.
AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE, UM, AS YOU HAVE IN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, MORE COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNCIL AS WE LOOK TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES AND, AND COME UP WITH STRATEGIES LOOKING FORWARD.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE RATINGS THAT WE RECEIVED.
IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF WORK, BUT I THINK YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S A TEAM KIND OF EFFORT.
IT'S, IT'S CITY COUNCIL, IT'S MANAGEMENT, IT'S THE DEPARTMENTS AND IT'S EVEN, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY BUY-IN ON THE IMPORTANCE OF, OF BEING STRONG AND FISCALLY SOUND.
'CAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S ALLOWING US TO MAKE THE KINDS OF INVESTMENTS THAT WE DO IN, IN THE CITY THAT WE'RE ALL VERY PROUD OF.
AND, UM, APPROVE ALL OF THAT HARD WORK THAT WENT INTO IT.
AND YET ALSO BOTH PENSION AND OPEP AND DEBT SERVICE ARE SOME OF THOSE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN NOTED AS ONES THAT ARE SLIGHTLY ABOVE WHERE WE WOULD WANT.
AND I KNOW FOR INSTANCE WITH, I THINK WAS THE PENSION OR OPEP, WE ACTUALLY EXTENDED THE TIMELINE AND THAT GAVE US A, AN ABILITY IN OUR BUDGET OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
HOWEVER, THAT JUST PUTS IT OFF, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE, THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES, WE'RE AHEAD OF SOME, BUT WE'RE ALSO LIKE IT.
AND OURS IS SO LARGE, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE WATCHING IT CLOSELY AND CERTAINLY WE STAND HERE TO, TO WORK WITH YOU TO ADDRESS THAT, UM, IN THE FUTURE.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD ABOUT, UM, ANY ASSESSMENT OF HOW THE RATING AG AGENCIES UNDERSTAND THE RISK FOR OUR FINANCIAL FUTURE.
[01:10:01]
OF COURSE, THAT WE HAVE REALLY STRONG UNDERLYING FINANCIALS, AND YET IT WAS ALSO THE CONCENTRATION OF OUR ECONOMIC ENGINES IS VIEWED AS A CREDIT CHALLENGE.YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS AGO IT MIGHT'VE BEEN A STRENGTH 'CAUSE WHO WAS GONNA ATTACK HIGHER EDUCATION OR BIOTECH.
AND THIS YEAR IT'S EVERYBODY IS KNOWS THAT FINANCIALLY THERE'S A BIG ATTACK ON EXACTLY THOSE TWO OF OUR STRONGEST, UH, ECONOMIC DRIVERS.
AND, AND ALSO ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS OF RISK THAT WAS NOTED WAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL RISK.
THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS US DIRECTLY, THE HURRICANES AND THE, AND THE WEATHER CHANGES, WHICH WILL BE VERY RELEVANT TO OUR PLANNING, OUR, UH, CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN SEWERS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE.
THAT'S ALSO NOTED THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING OF A RISK.
SO IN THOSE AREAS, JUST WHAT'S THE SUMMARY OF THE ASSESSMENT OF HOW THE RATING AGENCIES UNDERSTOOD THOSE? 'CAUSE I THINK WHILE THEY'VE BEEN MENTIONED IN THE PAST, PARTICULARLY THAT ENVIRONMENTAL RISK HAS JUST GOTTEN MORE AND MORE CHALLENGING AND AND WORSE, AND WE KNOW FOR SURE THE ECONOMIC ENGINES HAS CHANGED BECAUSE THE ENTIRE ECONOMY AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS FOR OUR TWO LARGEST SECTORS, HIGHER EDUCATION AND UH, BIOMEDICAL HAVE, HAVE CHANGED PRETTY DRAMATICALLY SINCE THE LAST TIME.
SO ANY THOUGHTS OR, OR, UM, AGAIN, RATING AGENCY'S COMMENTS ON THAT, THAT WE SHOULD KNOW.
AND THEN THAT WAS MY SECOND QUESTION.
I WILL YIELD OH, THROUGH YOU, UM, MAYOR SIDIKI TO YOU.
COUNCILOR NOLAN, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
AND I MAY LET YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE CITY MANAGER WILL CHIME IN AS WELL, BUT I THINK THE, THE, THE OVERALL TENOR OF OUR CONVERSATION WITH THE THREE RATING AGENCIES, BECAUSE WE WERE VERY FORTHCOMING IN OUR OWN, UM, YOU KNOW, PRESENTATION OF DATA ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THIS MOMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, OF A, A COMMERCIAL SOFTENING IN THE REGION AND IN, AND IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, BUT ALSO NOTING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE OVERALL STRENGTH OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY IS STILL THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, HARVARD AND MIT ARE SIGNIFICANT INSTITUTIONAL ANCHOR IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE VERY HIGH PER CAPITA INCOME, VERY HIGH EDUCATION, UM, UH, VERY HIGH EDUCATION OF OUR POPULATION.
UH, IN ADDITION, UM, STILL A LOT OF ECONOMIC, UM, ACTIVITY HAPPENING IN CAMBRIDGE.
AND SO AS DEVELOPMENT IS SLOWING DOWN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, WE NOTED IS THAT SOME OF THE SLOW DOWN OF THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, LEAVES THAT SPACE FOR SOME OF THAT VACANCY TO GET ABSORBED.
SO THE MARKET RESPONDING IN SOME WAYS AND ALLOWING US TO, UM, ABSORB.
AND SO, YES, YOU KNOW, WHILE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A CAUTION IN OUR, YOU KNOW, OVER, UH, WHERE WE HAVE LABS, UH, BEING ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SECTORS, FOR ME, I FELT THAT THE TENOR OF THE CONVERSATION, AND EVEN IN THE REPORTS, NOT A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON.
BUT I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY REALLY NOTED WAS HOW THE CITY IS PLANNING AND DOING OUR OWN ANALYSIS BASED ON SOME OF THOSE POTENTIAL WEAKNESSES AND MACROECONOMIC HEADWINDS THAT WE'RE FACING.
AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER, UH, TO, UH, YOU KNOW, PUT IN PLACE THOSE, UM, BUDGET, UM, TARGETS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR, UM, REAL ESTATE, UH, PROPERTY TAX, UH, TARGETS IN ORDER TO CONSERVE THAT EXCESS, UM, PROPERTY, UH, PROPERTY TAX LEVY THAT WE HAVE, UH, DULY NOTED IN, IN, UH, I THINK IN ALL OF THE, UM, OF THE RATING, UM, AS WELL AS DOING THINGS LIKE BEGINNING TO PULL BACK ON SOME OF OUR, UM, UH, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN OUR DEBT.
UM, I THINK IT WAS DEFINITELY NOTED, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SUCH STRONG FINANCIAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, SO I THINK THE UPSIDE OF THAT WAS A REAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THE CITY'S FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND OVERALL MANAGEMENT, RIGHT, OVERALL TEAM MANAGEMENT, BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY NOTE AS WELL IS STRONG.
AND WE ARE LOOKING AHEAD IN OUR PLANNING.
WE WILL MOVE TO COUNSELOR ONE MORE COULD.
AND ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL RISK.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR? YEAH, WE'VE ALREADY ASKED.
IT WAS PART OF THE OLD ONE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL RISK, UM, THROUGH YOU MAYOR SIDIKI.
YEAH, JUST IN TERMS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL RISK, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT ARE, UM, THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, INCREASED FLOODING RISK, RIGHT? SO, AND THAT COMES BOTH IN TERMS OF THE PLANNING THAT CLAIRE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE FLOOD VIEWER, YOU THINK ABOUT THE RESILIENT ZONING THAT THE COUNCIL PASSED.
UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE REALLY CRITICAL WAYS THAT WE'RE PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY, PROTECTING NEW DEVELOPMENT, PROTECTING EXISTING RESIDENTS.
UM, WE ALSO, WHEN WE'RE TALKING AND OVERVIEWING THE CAPITAL PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DOING, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR ONE OF THE BIG, UM, PIECES OF WORK THAT WE'RE FUNDING IS IN THE PORT.
[01:15:01]
AND YOU KNOW, THAT THAT WORK IS BEING LED BY THE FACT THAT THAT IS AIR MO'S VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOOD IN TERMS OF FLOODING.AND SO IT IS A PRIORITY INVESTMENT AREA IN TERMS OF OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM.
UM, AND SIMILARLY WITH THE COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOWS, RIVER STREET, AND A NUMBER OF OUR OTHER CAPITAL PROGRAMS. SO BOTH ON THE PLANNING SIDE AND THE CAPITAL IMPLEMENTATION SIDE, WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MORE RESILIENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE, LESS, UM, SUSCEPTIBLE TO, YOU KNOW, HEAVY FLOODING.
UM, AND SO THAT IS A THEME THAT COMES OUT BOTH IN THE PRESENTATIONS AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE DOING, UM, WITH EACH OF THE RATING AGENCIES.
AND IT IS SORT OF A FUNDAMENTAL PIECE OF THE WORK, AND I THINK IT DOES LEAD TO THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY BEING THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THESE RISKS AND WORKING TO DECREASE THE RISK TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR SUZI AND TWO QUESTIONS, AND THEN WE CAN GO AGAIN.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, CHAIR SIDIKI.
I FEEL VERY LUCKY THAT WE ARE, OUR FINANCES ARE SO ABLELY MANAGED AND HAVE BEEN FOR SO LONG.
SO I, I I THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK, SO WHAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF OUR DEBT NOW? SO WE'VE HAD BEFORE, UH, OUR NEW OBLIGATIONS, WE HAD 694 MILLION IN DEBT, AND THEN WE ASKED FOR ANOTHER 110.6, BUT THEN WE HAD 42.2 MILLION TO REFINANCE.
SO THE NUMBER I CAME UP WITH WAS JUST OVER 750 MILLION IN DEBT.
IS THAT RIGHT? BECAUSE SOMEWHERE IN HERE IT LISTED LISTED AS 800 MILLION, BUT IF WE WERE REFINANCING OLD DEBT, WOULDN'T WE BE AT LIKE SEVEN 50? I'M GONNA ASK, UM, THROUGH YOU, UM, MAYOR CITY, I'M GONNA ASK, UM, A DEPUTY FINANCE DIRECTOR MICHELLE KINCAID TO SPEAK TO IT.
BUT, BUT YOU ARE RIGHT THAT, THAT ESSENTIALLY THE REFINANCE DEBT IS NOT NEW DEBT.
UM, ARE WE, WE ONLY BORROWED 110 IN, UM, IN NEW, UM, IN NEW DEBT.
AND, UM, I I THINK PERHAPS YOU WAS THAT, WAS THAT IN THE, UM, IN ONE OF THE RATING AGENCY COUNCILOR ZUZI? UH, SOMEWHERE IN ONE OF THE REPORTS THAT LISTED LISTS THE DEBT AT 800 MILLION.
BUT I, I, I THOUGHT IT, I THOUGHT IT, I THOUGHT IT WAS 750, I THINK, UM, THROUGH YOU, UH, MAYOR SIDIKI.
I MEAN, I THINK, UM, PROBABLY IT'S HELPFUL.
THERE'S A SNAPSHOT IN TIME IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH DIRECT DEBT WE HAVE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S ABOUT 700 MILLION IN 2025, UM, WHICH IS THE LATEST NUMBER.
UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, WHEN WE COME AND AUTHORIZE ADDITIONAL DEBT, UM, FROM THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING ABOUT CAPITAL IN THE LAST FINANCE COMMITTEE, UM, I THINK WE JUST WANNA ALSO NOTE THERE'S DEBT THAT WE AUTHORIZE THAT WE CAN THEN GO OUT ON THE MARKET TO BORROW.
UM, BUT THEN EXACTLY THE PROCESS OF ISSUING BONDS, UH, IS WHAT ENDS UP ADDING TO THE TOTAL DIRECT DEBT.
AND THEN AS WE MOVE OUT OVER TIME, SOME OF IT IS THAT WE'RE TAKING ON NEW DEBT, WE'RE ALSO PAYING OFF EXISTING DEBT.
SO THAT 700 MILLION IS ALSO COMING DOWN AS WE PAY OFF SOME OF THE BONDS THAT, UM, THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE NOW AT THE END OF THEIR 10 YEARS.
UM, SO THERE'S A BIT OF A CASCADE IN TERMS OF AS WE RAMP UP ON NEW PROJECTS, BUT THOSE OLDER PROJECTS WE'RE PAYING OFF.
UM, SO I WOULD PROBABLY SAY WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT LIKE WHICH DATE YOU WANT AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF GIVE YOU THE NUMBER.
UM, BUT, BUT TRYING TO CALCULATE SORT OF FORWARD IN TERMS OF NEW DEBT WE'RE TAKING ON, YOU'D HAVE TO ALSO GET THE NUMBER OF DEBT THAT WE'RE PAYING DOWN, WHICH WE'D HAVE TO LOOK UP.
I'D LOVE TO KNOW THAT NUMBER AS AND, UM, AS COUNCILOR NOLAN WAS SAYING, YOU YEAH, I ALSO WAS NOTING THAT WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR LEVEL OF DEBT, AND THEY ALSO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PENSION AND OPEB, UM, OBLIGATIONS.
AND IN THE, IT IS 800, WHICH REPORT? PLUS THE ONE 10? YEAH.
UH, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IT'S THE SPENCER, DO YOU MIND SPEAKING TO THE MIC? YEAH, I WILL SPEAK TO THE MIC.
ON PAGE 1 24, IT SAYS, AND MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND THIS BETTER.
SO IT SAYS, THE CITY'S NET OPEB LIABILITY OF 728 MILLION WAS 6% FUNDED AS A FISCAL 2025, AND REPRESENTS 5% OF PERSONAL INCOME.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS.
MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND IT.
IT SOUNDS A LITTLE SCARY TO ME IF WE'RE, IF, IF, IF WE HAVE A LIABILITY OF 728 MILLION AND IT'S ONLY 6% FUNDED, AND I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
[01:20:01]
YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING, UM, CAREFULLY, BUT I'M, I'M JUST WANT, I KNOW WE HAVE A VERY GENEROUS, UM, PENSION PROGRAM.WE HAVE GENEROUS SALARIES, WE HAVE A GENEROUS PENSION PROGRAM, BUT I WONDER IF IN THE LONG TERM THAT SOMETHING WE'LL NEED TO BE THINKING MORE ABOUT.
THROUGH YOU MAYOR SIDIKI TO COUNSELORS.
S SO, UM, OPEP STANDS FOR OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY THAT, UM, SO THE THREE THINGS THAT THEY NOTE THERE OF OUR LONG-TERM LIABILITIES DEBT, UM, AND WHICH WE ARE TALKING HERE ABOUT, AND, AND THE NUMBER IS APPROXIMATELY 800 MILLION IN DEBT NOW THAT WE'VE ADDED THE 110.
BUT AS THE CITY MANAGER SAYS, AS WE GET TO THE END OF FY 26, SO 694 WAS THE AMOUNT OF DEBT THAT WE HAD AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2025.
AND AS YOU KNOW, OUR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT THIS YEAR IS 109 MILLION, OF WHICH 75 MILLION OF THAT APPROXIMATELY IS ACTUALLY PRINCIPLE.
SO WE'RE PAYING OFF PRINCIPLE EVERY YEAR, AND THEN WE'RE ADDING SOME DEBT.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF OUR LEARN LONG TERM LIABILITIES, DEBT IS OBVIOUSLY SIGNIFICANT.
ONE, WE HAVE VERY STRONG DEBT, UH, POLICIES AROUND THERE IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH DEBT WE WANT TO, UH, BE PAYING OFF AT ANY ONE TIME AS A PERCENTAGE, OUR DEBT SERVICE AS A PERCENTAGE OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
UM, AND WE HAVE VERY STRONG POLICIES IN TERMS OF HOW QUICKLY WE RETIRE OUR DEBT.
SO TYPICALLY, UH, AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE A POLICY THAT SAYS WE RETIRE 70% OF OUR DEBT WITHIN 10 YEARS OF BORROWING IT.
AND AT THIS MOMENT, ACTUALLY OUR, THE RATE AT WHICH WE'RE RETIRING, OUR DEBT IS ABOUT, I THINK AROUND 85% OF OUR DEBT IS RETIRED WITHIN 10 YEARS.
SO THAT LETS YOU KNOW THAT ANY YEAR WE ARE PAYING OFF DEBT VERY AGGRESSIVELY, EVEN AS WE ARE BORROWING MORE TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OUR, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEN WE HAVE OUR, OUR PENSION LIABILITY, UH, THAT, UH, COUNCILOR NOLAN NOTED THAT WE DID IN THIS PAST YEAR, UH, CHANGE OUR, UM, OUR FUNDING, UH, PLAN TO EXTEND IT SLIGHTLY.
SO, UH, WE ARE NOW, UH, HAVE OUR, OUR, OUR FUNDING PLAN HAS US FULLY FUNDING OUR PENSION LIABILITY BY 2029.
SO, UM, THE PLAN IS THAT BY 2029, WE ARE FULLY FUNDED IN OUR PENSION LIABILITY, MEANING THAT OUR PUN PENSION FUND WILL HAVE ENOUGH ASSETS TO ESSENTIALLY BE SELF-SUPPORTING, UM, TO SUPPORT OUR RETIREES PAYMENTS, PAYMENTS, ESSENTIALLY ZUZI.
AND WE CAN, WE CAN TALK LATER.
YEAH, BECAUSE I WAS CONFUSED BY, ON PAGE 109, THIS IS IN THE MOODY'S RATING REPORT.
IT LISTS, UM, UH, IT LISTS THE, IT LISTS THE DEBT AND THEN IT LISTS OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES AND IT LISTS, UH, 592,709.
SO THAT DOESN'T RELATE TO PENSION.
WELL, THE THIRD, THE THIRD PIECE IS THIS OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, BEYOND OUR PENSION SYSTEM, WE ALSO HAVE OBLIGATIONS FOR THE HEALTH, UH, INSURANCE OF OUR RETIREES.
UM, AND SO THAT OPEP, THE, UM, IS OUR LIABILITY, UH, RELATED TO THE, OUR HEALTH INSURANCE OBLIGATIONS, OUR LONG-TERM HEALTH INSURANCE OBLIGATIONS TO OUR RETIREES.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN MAKING SOME MODEST, UM, INVESTMENTS IN MOVING TOWARDS FUNDING THAT.
UM, AND OUR LONG-TERM PLAN IS, AS WE HIT OUR FULLY FUNDED POINT WITH OUR PENSION SYSTEM, IT IS TO MOVE SOME OF THE, THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING INTO GETTING OUR PENSION SYSTEM FULLY FUNDED, THEN WE WILL START MOVING THOSE, UM, FUNDS INTO TRYING TO GET OUR OPE LIABILITY FUNDED TO BRING DOWN THAT LONG-TERM LIABILITY.
SO WE HAVE THIS OVERALL PLAN BOTH IN DEBT PENSION AND OPE, UH, TO BASICALLY ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE LIABILITIES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
SO ANYWAY, I'M, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE PLANNING FOR THAT AND, UM, YEAH, THAT MAKES, THAT MAKES ME NERVOUS.
I YELLED, ARE THERE QUESTIONS FROM THE BODY? COUNCILOR FLAHERTY.
THANK YOU, MADAM MAN, THROUGH YOU.
UH, MS. BENNETT, HOW IMPORTANT IN YOUR ESTIMATION WAS THE EXCESS
[01:25:01]
TAX LEVY TO THE, UH, BOND RATING? AND SECONDLY, WHAT IS THE OBSTACLE, IF THERE IS ANY, TO REFINANCING A LARGER PORTION OF OUR DEBT? QUESTION NUMBER ONE, THROUGH YOU MAYOR SIDIKI TO, UH, COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY, I, I THINK IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR OVERALL FISCAL PICTURE, OUR EXCESS LEVY CAPACITY, THAT ALONG WITH OUR RESERVES BOTH ARE, UM, ASSIGNED AND UNASSIGNED RESERVES.SO BOTH OF THOSE COMPONENTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT, UH, IN TERMS OF THE RATING AGENCY.
AND SO, I MEAN, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT FREE CASH, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T CALL IT FREE CASH IN THE RATING AGENCY OR IN OUR FINANCIAL, BUT THOSE ARE OUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCES BALANCE.
SO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
UH, IN TERMS OF REFINANCING, IT'S PRETTY TECHNICAL.
ONCE WE BORROW THE MONEY, WE, WE CAN'T JUST IMMEDIATELY REFINANCE ANYTHING.
THERE ARE TERMS IN OUR BORROWING.
AND AS, AS, UM, THERE COMES A MOMENT AT SOME POINT SEVERAL YEARS IN, I, I WOULD HAVE TO ASK, UH, DEPUTY, UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR TO GIVE US THE SPECIFICS.
BUT AT EACH MOMENT THAT WE HAVE A, UH, OLDER BOND THAT IS, UM, AVAILABLE FOR REFUNDING, WE TAKE A LOOK AT IT TO SEE IF IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO, UM, INCLUDE IT IN OUR BOND SALE.
IT COSTS US A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY TO, TO REBAR MONEY.
THERE'S FINANCING COSTS AS I'M SURE WE'RE ALL AWARE OF WHEN WE, WE BORROW FOR OUR OWN HOMES.
AND SO WE DO THAT ANALYSIS, UM, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO MAKE A DECISION IF THERE IS ANY OLD DEBT THAT IS ELIGIBLE FOR REFUNDING.
AND IF IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO DO IT IN THAT YEAR.
WELL, THA AND I JUST CONGRATULATE YOU ON THE, UH, ON THE REFINANCING INTEREST RATE YOU WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN FOR THE CITY.
THAT'S, UH, EXCEPTIONAL VICE MAYOR.
UM, SO I FORGOT WHAT NUMBER WE SETTLED ON FOR THE DEBT.
UH, WHAT WAS THE CURRENT RATE? DO YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI? GO AHEAD.
INTEREST RATE, OR, UH, THE TOTAL DEBT NUMBER, UH, IT, IT'S APPROXIMATELY 800 MILLION, UH, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO WHERE WE WERE ON, ON ON JUNE 30TH, 2025 AND ADDING THE NEW ISSUE.
SO, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING, 'CAUSE I HAD MANY CURIOUS QUESTIONS, I THINK MY FIRST TIME AROUND ABOUT THE AAA BOND RATING AS WELL, IS THAT THE REASON TO GET IT FROM THREE AGENCIES IS THAT DIFFERENT LENDERS WILL USE DIFFERENT AGENCIES AS METRICS, UM, OR BASELINES.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI? I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS.
I THINK THAT IT IS, WHEN WE HAVE A TRIPLE, WHEN WE HAVE TRIPLE A RATINGS FROM ALL THREE RATING AGENCIES, IT ACTUALLY RESULTS OVERALL IN OUR HAVING AN OVERALL LOWER RATE.
UM, AND WHILE IT DOES, YOU KNOW, COST US A LITTLE MORE TO GO TO THREE DIFFERENT RATING AGENCIES, UM, IT IS ALSO JUST A LONG-TERM, UM, BENEFICIAL FOR THE CITY TO GET THE ABSOLUTE LOWEST RATE EACH TIME WE GO OUT TO, UH, TO THE MARKET TO BORROW.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY BECAUSE EVEN IF WE SAVED LIKE 0.01%, THAT'S LIKE $80,000 A YEAR, UH, BECAUSE OUR DEBT IS SO LARGE.
ALRIGHT, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT UP.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS FROM THE BODY? YES.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THIS INFORMATION.
I ACTUALLY JUST WANNA LEAVE US WITH A COMMENT ON THE FRAMEWORK HERE BECAUSE AS WE PRAISE THE RATING, I, I JUST WANNA REFLECT ON NOT FORGETTING OUR VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UH, MANY OF US ATTENDED THE FIRST DAY LISTEN FORUM HOSTED BY THE CAMBRIDGE ECONOMIC ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION, WHICH WAS A VERY INSIGHTFUL AND PRODUCTIVE EVENT.
AND THAT NIGHT WE HEARD FROM A VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBER TALK ABOUT HOW FOOD INSECURITY MAKES IT VERY HARD FOR HER TO FEED HER FAMILY.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HER AND HER SON GOING HUNGRY.
OUR AAA BOND RATING IS A TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY'S SUCCESS.
UM, BUT THE QUESTION I'M HOLDING IS, WHAT DOES THAT SUCCESS MEAN IF IT COMES AT THE COST OF OUR NEIGHBORS GOING WITHOUT FOOD OR SHELTER? UH, THE PURPOSE, IN MY OPINION OF STRONG FINANCES IS TO ENSURE A DIGNIFIED LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND NOT NECESSARILY TO PROTECT A RATING FROM THE JUDGMENT OF FOR-PROFIT CREDIT AGENCIES.
BECAUSE WHEN WE ADEQUATELY SERVE OUR RESIDENTS, WE'LL ALSO ATTRACT, ATTRACT MORE INVESTMENT.
IF ANYTHING, I'LL YIELD ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM THE BODY BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND PLACE THIS ON FILE.
[01:30:01]
GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN TO PLACE CITY MANAGER.AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO ON FILE.
CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO IS PLACED ON FILE.
WE NOW MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, TRANSMITTING A COMMUNICATION FROM CITY MANAGER YAN WONG, RELATIVE TO THE 20 25 20 26 GREEN JOBS INITIATIVE REPORT.
BEFORE I JUST ASK MY QUESTION, SINCE SOME OF THE STAFF IS NEW, IT MIGHT BE GOOD THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIKI OF THE CITY MANAGER, INTRODUCE THE FABULOUS GREEN JOBS TEAM.
UM, THROUGH YOUR SIDIKI, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WALSH AND, UH, DIRECTOR MINCE.
UH, MAYBE DO YOU WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELVES? HELLO, WE'RE SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.
I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ADULT AND FAMILY SERVICES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS. AND I'M SUSAN MINZ.
I'M DIRECTOR OF THE CITY'S OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN, UH, MS. ARIANA, WE ARE JOINED TONIGHT BY OUR RELATIVELY NEW GREEN JOBS SPECIALIST, REBECCA ANO.
COUNCILOR NOLAN, YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE A GREEN JOB SPECIALIST.
IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY TO GET HERE.
UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THIS ANNUAL REPORT IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE GREEN JOBS ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN 2023.
UH, WE DIDN'T GET A REPORT IN 2025, SO THIS IS THE FIRST REPORT WE'VE KIND OF SKIPPED A LITTLE BIT.
AT SOME POINT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL MAYBE AS PART OF OUR CHARTER REQUIRED ORDINANCE REVIEW DOWN THE ROAD TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A CALENDAR OF ANNUAL REPORTS, NOT JUST FROM THIS, BUT FROM OTHERS, YOU KNOW, THEY GET THE OTHERS.
ANYWAY, THANKS TO STAFF FOR GETTING THIS REPORT TO US.
UM, AGAIN, A LITTLE DELAYED, BUT I'M THRILLED THAT TO MEET THE, THE STAFF IN PLACE.
AND AFTER, UH, TALKING WITH STAFF, THEY'VE INDICATED WE'LL ALSO GET THE NEXT UPDATED REPORT POSSIBLY IN JUNE IN ORDER TO GET BACK ON TRACK TO THE REPORTING SCHEDULE.
SO I JUST WANT TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT IS THAT TIMING? AND I HOPE AND EXPECT THE UPDATED REPORT AT THAT POINT WILL INCLUDE, WHICH I ASKED THE STAFF FOR SMART GOALS IN ORDER TO TRACK PROGRESS OVER TIME.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT THE CORRECT TIMELINE THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THAT, AT WHICH POINT WE MIGHT THEN HAVE A HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING A AFTER THAT, WHENEVER THAT UPDATED REPORT IS IN AND HAVE A, HAS THE STAFF MOVED TO DEVELOPING SMART GOALS FOR THE GREEN JOBS INITIATIVE? SO YOU, MADAM MAYOR, UM, THANK YOU.
AND, UM, OUR HEARTFELT APOLOGY FOR NOT GETTING THE REPORT IN ON TIME.
UM, AND WE ARE PLANNING TO SUBMIT THE REPORT IN JUNE WITH A FOCUS ON THE WORK.
UM, AS I HAD SAID TO THE COUNSELOR, WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE A LOT OF CHANGE IN LABOR MARKET INFORMATION IN ONE YEAR OR EVEN IN TWO YEARS, OR A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN ONE OR TWO YEARS.
WHAT WE HOPE TO SEE IS AN INCREASE IN AWARENESS AMONG RESIDENTS, PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WITH EMPLOYERS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WILL HAVE IN OUR REPORT, AND WE WILL TRACK THOSE AND NAME THOSE WITH SMART GOALS.
AND YES, WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND EVEN THERE'S SOME POSSIBLE ROLLBACK AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT WE'RE TOTALLY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE NEED BOTH AND THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT DOING ITS WORK, AND YET WE CRITICALLY NEED IT TO ADDRESS EMISSION POLLUTION, ALSO JOBS IN THE CLEAN ENERGY SECTOR.
SO WE, WE, WE CAN DO THAT LOCALLY.
THERE'S, AND ALSO POSSIBLY WITH BUTO AND MANY OF THE OTHER DECARBONIZATION EFFORTS GOING ON, WE ACTUALLY WILL SEE SOME ACTION.
AND THIS WAS PARTICULARLY STARTED IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT OUR LOCAL, UH, RESIDENTS ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THESE, UH, TECHNICAL AND CRITICALLY IMPORTANT JOBS.
AND I, I KNOW THAT COUNSELOR ZUBIE, WHO IS HERE, SHE SENT ME YOUR QUESTIONS IN CASE SHE WASN'T ABLE TO STAY, BUT I KNOW SHE'S A COUPLE QUESTIONS AS WELL.
SO, AGAIN, THANKS FOR THE REPORT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO IT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, WORKING MORE CLOSELY WITH, UH, WITH MS. ANO.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR ZUBIE AND THEN COUNCILLOR
I, I KNOW I GOT THE CHANCE TO REACH OUT TO YOU ALL.
I'M GLAD THAT I CAN, UH, I CAN BE HERE.
UM, UH, I'LL FOCUS ON ONE OF THE SETS OF QUESTIONS THAT I, I SENT TO YOU ALL, UM, FOCUSED ON THE STRATEGIES BEING DEPLOYED, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN I NOTICED THAT WE ARE IDENTIFYING THAT RECRUITING MORE WOMEN, PEOPLE OF COLOR AND YOUTH INTO THE PROGRAM IS A PARTICULAR CHALLENGE.
SO WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO TO ADDRESS THAT?
[01:35:01]
UM, HAVE WE CONSIDERED MARKETING CAMPAIGNS LIKE SUNNY CAMBRIDGE TO INCREASE AWARENESS? BECAUSE I, I DID A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH AND I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING NECESSARILY COME UP.SO LIKE, WHAT ARE WAYS THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING ACCESS TO THESE OPPORTUNITIES? HOW ARE THEY FINDING WAYS TO ENGAGE? AND HAVE WE CONSIDERED REACHING OUT TO ANY SPECIFIC, UH, LOW INCOME HOUSING PROJECTS LIKE THE ORANGE TOWERS OR NEWTOWN COURT? THANK YOU.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION ON OUTREACH.
SO I THINK, UM, IN PARTICULAR, UH, YOU HAD NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A NEW PROGRAM STARTING UP IN SOMERVILLE, AND YOU KNOW, HOW WE HAD GOTTEN THE WORD OUT ABOUT THAT.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT FOR MOST OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE AWARE OF, WE ARE WORKING THROUGH OUR CAMBRIDGE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, WHICH IS DIRECTOR MIT'S STAFF.
AND SO THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS AND RESIDENTS WHO ARE LOW INCOME, USUALLY INDIVIDUALS OF COLOR.
AND SO IF YOU'RE COMING TO US, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS IN TERMS OF, UM, GETTING THE WORD OUT TO FOLKS WHO ARE UNAWARE OF THESE.
THAT IS WHAT REBECCA IS GOING TO PUT MOST OF HER ENERGY INTO BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING FROM ALL OF THE REPORTS FROM MASS, CEC AND OTHERS THAT THERE JUST ISN'T AWARENESS.
AND SO WE ARE TARGETING WOMEN, PEOPLE OF COLOR, LOW INCOME RESIDENTS FOR OUTREACH.
AND REBECCA WITH THE TEAM IS IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING MARKETING MATERIALS RIGHT NOW THAT WILL START TO TAKE SOME OF THIS INFORMATION THAT IS PRETTY INACCESSIBLE.
THERE'S A LOT OUT THERE ALREADY, BUT PACKAGING IT IN A WAY THAT WE CAN GET IT OUT TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING TO THE SCHOOLS.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING TO CREATE MARKETING MATERIALS FOR PARTICULAR AUDIENCES, AND WE ARE ALSO UPDATING THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE, UM, AS REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE AND WANTED TO DO THAT ANYWAY, SO THAT THERE WILL BE A SPECIFIC LANDING PAGE ON GREEN JOBS.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING TO ADDRESS THAT PIECE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THAT THAT WORK EVOLVES.
WHILE YOU'LL COUNCIL SUZI, UH, THANK YOU THREE, UH, CHAIR SIDIKI A GREAT REPORT.
AND I REALIZE THIS IS REALLY FOR 23 AND 24, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE 25 REPORT.
UM, I, I JUST WONDERED HOW MANY CAMBRIDGE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE SOMERVILLE HVAC PROGRAM.
AND I ALSO WONDERED ABOUT HOW MANY CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS ARE IN GREEN JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS. AND I APOLOGIZE 'CAUSE I SHOULD HAVE SHARED THOSE QUESTIONS EARLIER, BUT I'D LOVE TO HAVE A SENSE FOR THAT.
AND I REALIZE AS COUNCILOR NOLAN WAS SAYING, IS, UM, THIS MAY BE A CHALLENGING TIME TO BE RECRUITING PEOPLE FOR GREEN ENERGY JOBS IN A, UM, WHEN OUR PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION IS NOT SUPPORTING GREEN JOBS.
BUT I, I, I LOOKED, I I I'M EAGER TO HEAR HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED.
UM, RIGHT NOW WITH THE, CAME WITH THE SOMERVILLE PROGRAM FOR HVAC, IT'S A BRAND NEW PROGRAM.
UM, RESIDENTS MUST LIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOOD IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT PROGRAM.
SO IN CAMBRIDGE, THAT'S VERY SMALL NUMBER OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, AND IT'S FOR ADULTS, IT'S NOT FOR YOUTH.
THERE ARE TWO CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS THERE ARE ENROLLED IN THAT HVAC PROGRAM.
NOW, THE PROGRAM STARTED IN FEBRUARY.
WE'VE ALSO HAD AT LEAST TWO RESIDENTS THAT HAVE GONE TO OTHER HVAC PROGRAMS SINCE AUGUST.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAS COME THROUGH OUR DOOR THAT WE ARE AWARE OF IN TERMS OF, UM, INDIVIDUAL TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE MORE REGIONAL SYSTEM.
I ASKED FOR DATA ON HOW MANY CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ENROLLED IN GREEN JOBS TRAINING OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
AND THAT'S THROUGH, THAT'S FEDERAL MONEY COMING INTO THE SYSTEM.
SO WHAT THAT SAYS IS THERE'S NO AWARENESS OF THESE PROGRAMS. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PROGRAMS, BUT THERE'S ALSO NO AWARENESS OF THESE PROGRAMS. AND SO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TWO CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THIS BRAND, BRAND NEW PROGRAM, UM, IN SOMERVILLE IS IMPRESSIVE.
WELL, I'M THANK, I AM GRATEFUL TO COUNCIL ZUBIE FOR ASKING ABOUT OUTREACH EFFORTS, BECAUSE CLEARLY THAT WILL BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, MS. RASEN, I DON'T THINK IT'S JUST OUTREACH.
THERE ARE, SOMETIMES THERE ARE OTHER SOCIAL IMPEDIMENTS THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE DRILLED DOWN DEEP ENOUGH.
YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD THE GREEN JOBS PROGRAM OR SOME VERY SIMILAR INITIATIVE, WHAT
[01:40:01]
WE FOUND WAS SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO A VEHICLE.UH, AND THAT WAS A HUGE PIECE.
SO I WOULD NOT PUT THIS ON JUST OUTREACH ALONE.
I THINK THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING IN THE SCREENING WHEN YOU GET APPLICANTS TO APPLY.
IF THEY'RE APPLYING, IF THEY, IF IT SAYS ON THE APPLICATION YOU MUST HAVE A MASS DRIVER'S LICENSE, BUT THEY'RE NOT GONNA APPLY.
AND SO MAYBE YOU TAKE THAT OFF TO GET THEM IN, BECAUSE GETTING A MASS DRIVER'S LICENSE, NOW YOU HAVE SOME OTHER, SOME OTHER KIND OF IMPEDIMENT, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, YOU CAN GET AROUND THAT.
SO I DON'T WANNA PUT US, I DON'T WANT US TO PUT US OUR EGGS ALL IN THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.
WE'RE NOT GETTING THE WORD OUT ENOUGH.
NUMBER TWO, PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY, THERE'S A FEELING AMONGST SOME PEOPLE IN SOME QUARTERS OF THE CITY THAT YOU CAN APPLY TO THE CITY, BUT DON'T, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A JOB.
SO JUST USING THE USUAL METHODS OF OUTREACH AREN'T ALWAYS GOING TO WORK.
YOU MAY HAVE TO USE AMBASSADORS, PEOPLE THAT KNOW PEOPLE, PUTTING SOME MONEY INTO PEOPLE THAT PROVIDE THE CONTACT WITH PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S A GREAT PLACE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL THAT IN THE TIC-TAC, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE THE PEOPLE YOU WANT, THEY'RE NOT COMING.
SO IT'S, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE, IT'S NOT AS, UM, SIMPLE IN MY OPINION ABOUT OUTREACH.
IT'S SOMEONE WHO'S DONE OUTREACH A LOT, KNOW HOW MUCH IT TAKES TO GET PEOPLE TO CROSS THE THRESHOLD.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO JUST KIND OF REVISIT THAT A LITTLE BIT AND COME UP WITH SOME OTHER PRACTICES AND, AND WAYS OF DOING OUTREACH.
WE HAVE A OUTREACH PERSON THAT WE'VE HIRED THAT, UM, DOES THAT FOR THE CITY.
UH, HAVE YOU SAT DOWN WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL TO DEVELOP AN OUTREACH PLAN? I'M JUST CURIOUS.
I WOULD SAY WE'VE NOT SAT DOWN WITH THAT PERSON YET.
UM, WE ARE, AS YOU KNOW, UM, WITHIN THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND WITHIN DHSP, VERY FAMILIAR THE BARRIERS THAT, UM, OUR RESIDENTS ARE FACING THAT PREVENT THEM FROM ACCESSING OR, UH, SUSTAINING PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS. SO I ABSOLUTELY THINK YOU ARE SPOT ON.
IT'S LICENSES, IT'S ACCESS TO VEHICLES.
UM, SO THERE IS AN ISSUE OF OUTREACH AND WITH REBECCA ON BOARD, WE NEED TO GO WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE.
WE NEED TO GO INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO IS ANOTHER PART OF THE CHALLENGE, UM, IS THAT WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT AND WE CAN REACH OUT TO RESIDENTS AND THE RESIDENTS NEED TO HAVE THE SKILLS MM-HMM
AND SO IT'S MAKING SURE THAT EVEN AS WE'RE INTRODUCING THESE OPPORTUNITIES, WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT FOLKS AREN'T COMING TO US NECESSARILY FOR THE SKILLS THAT THEY NEED.
AND SO HOW DO WE MAKE THAT MATCH? MM-HMM
FOR ADULTS, IT'S GONNA BE A LONGER ROAD IF YOU'RE NOT COMING WITH THOSE SKILLS ALREADY.
IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, REBECCA IS WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ADULTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THESE FIELDS, BUT JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THEM.
THOSE FOLKS ARE GONNA BE RELATIVELY EASY.
IT'S INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMING TO US WHO EITHER HAVE NO AWARENESS OR REALLY WANT THESE OPPORTUNITIES MM-HMM
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, I THINK I CALLED YOU BY YOUR WRONG NAME, BUT THAT'S WHAT I DO.
SO IT COMES WITH NOT ENOUGH AIRFLOW, I GUESS.
SO WHAT I'M BASICALLY SAYING, BECAUSE WE HAVE AN OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, LET'S USE THAT INDIVIDUAL IN HIS, IN HIS, HER DEPARTMENT.
LET'S BE A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE.
I THINK WHAT IT, I SHOULDN'T SAY AGGRESSIVE 'CAUSE I THINK YOU'RE BEING AGGRESSIVE, BUT WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING THE SAME WAY, LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT RESULT.
WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT BEFORE, BEFORE WE CAN RULE OUT A PROGRAM OR WHILE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT ROLLING OUT A PROGRAM, WHAT A PART, WHAT HAS TO BE A PART OF IT IS HOW DO WE DO AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT? AND I'M GONNA ARGUE, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO PUT SOME MONEY.
THE CITY HAS TO, IF YOU REALLY WANT THE PROGRAM TO PAY THE DIVIDENDS, YOU HAVE TO PUT PEOPLE IN FRONT OF PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE THEM, THAT THEY TRUST.
IT DOESN'T MEAN, DID YOU SAY THE WOMAN'S NAME IS REBECCA? RIGHT HERE.
UM, I'M SURE REBECCA'S, REBECCA'S VERY NICE, BUT IF REBECCA, REBECCA WALKED UP TO ME IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I MIGHT GIVE YOU SIDE EYE 'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT PART OF MY COMMUNITY.
SO ALL I'M SAYING IS WE HAVE TO WORK AT FINDING FOLKS, I'M GONNA CALL THEM AMBASSADORS THAT GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS.
AND OR GOING TO DEPARTMENTS OR ORGANIZATIONS OR AGENCIES THAT HAVE RELATIONSHIPS BE INVITED BY THEM.
SO YOU BECOME A TRUSTED ALLY, OTHERWISE YOU'RE NOT A LEADER.
YOU'RE JUST OUT TAKING A WALK.
SO I'M GONNA ASK THAT WE DO GET A REPORT BACK IN WRITING TO TELL US WHAT THE COMMUNITY
[01:45:01]
ENGAGEMENT PLAN IS GOING TO BE.YOU KNOW, EVERY ONE OF US HERE HAVE A, A GOOD IDEA WHAT A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS.
'CAUSE WE DO IT EVERY OTHER YEAR.
WE CAN, IT'S CALLED GETTING ELECTED.
THAT'S WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DO.
NOT TO SAY THAT IT'S A CAMPAIGN, BUT IT IS.
AND THE CAMPAIGN IS TO GET PEOPLE TO, IN THIS PROGRAM THAT WE FUND THAT FUNDS YOUR POSITION AND WE WANT IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
I YIELD THE FLOOR COUNCILOR, GOVERNOR, AND TIME CHECK.
UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, I WOULD AGREE AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE NEED TO DO OUTREACH AND TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE.
AND PART OF THAT BEING ALSO FINDING OUT WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES AND HOW WE CAN HELP THEM OVERCOME THOSE OBSTACLES.
IT'S ONE THING TO, YOU CAN DO ALL, YOU CAN NOTIFY EVERYBODY IN CAMBRIDGE ABOUT A PROGRAM, THAT'S GREAT.
BUT IF THEY CAN'T ACCESS THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET TO THAT PROGRAM, OR USUALLY WE DON'T PAY PEOPLE FOR PARTICIPATING IN THESE PROGRAMS, RIGHT? SO DO I HAVE TO GIVE UP MY JOB TO GO PARTICIPATE IN A PROGRAM THAT MAYBE SOMEDAY DOWN THE LINE IS GOING TO GET ME A, ANOTHER JOB WHERE I CAN MAKE MORE MONEY? THAT'S A, THAT'S A LOT, YOU KNOW, TO ASK OF PEOPLE.
SO IF WE CAN THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE OUTREACH AND LETTING THEM KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, HELPING THEM OVERCOME THOSE OBSTACLES.
AND I KNOW YOU, YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, AND I JUST THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE, UH, IN, UH, I THINK ON PAGE SEVEN HERE, HE TALKS ABOUT, UM, THE COLLABORATION WITH, UH, PATHWAYS, THE JOB CONNECTOR, THE UNIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ESTABLISHING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE'RE, IT, IT'S DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT ADDING NEW EXPENSES TO THINGS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FINANCIAL ISSUES FACING THE CITY.
BUT, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE, I KNOW MAYOR SIDIKI HAS, HAS TALKED ABOUT THIS TOO ON THE SCHOOL SIDE, BUT LIKE, IT BOGGLES MY MIND THAT RISTA DOESN'T HAVE PROGRAMS AND FOR ELECTRICIANS AND HVAC, RIGHT? I MEAN, I'VE SAID THIS A MILLION TIMES, I'VE SAID THIS WHEN I WAS ON, ON SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
YOU CANNOT OUTSOURCE AN ELECTRICIAN.
YOU CANNOT OUTSOURCE A PLUMBER.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE GOOD JOBS, GOOD JOBS WHEN THEY'RE CONNECTED TO UNIONS, GOOD JOBS WHEN PEOPLE CAN GO INTO BUSINESS FOR THEMSELVES.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY, THEY'RE NOT SO GOOD THAT THEY CAN HELP SOMEONE BUY A $2 MILLION HOUSE IN CAMBRIDGE, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THEY ARE THE GATEWAY TO THE MIDDLE CLASS AND THEY HAVE BEEN.
AND, AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, REALLY, YOU KNOW, HAVING LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS AND TALKING WITH THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT IN ANDRIS A UM, IT, IT CAN'T ALL BE ABOUT THE INNOVATION ECONOMY AND BIOTECH.
THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, GOOD OLD FASHIONED LABOR JOBS THAT YOU CAN DO VERY WELL IN.
AND SO AS LONG AS I HOPE WE KEEP THOSE CONVERSATIONS GOING AND LOOK AT EXPANDING, YOU KNOW, ARISTA INTO SOME MORE TRADITIONAL TRAITS, I, I YIELD, I DUNNO, WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING BEFORE WE PLACE THIS ON FILE? I'LL JUST SAY, REBECCA, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, ESPECIALLY ON THE ARISTA PIECE AND OTHER THINGS.
SO, UM, MY OFFICE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP ON THAT AS IT PERTAINS TO, UH, THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE WORK.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? OH, THANK YOU.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR VALID CONCERNS.
I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS JOB.
IT REALLY COMES AT THE INTERSECTION OF MY PASSIONS OF, OF SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY WORK, UM, TO SPEAK, UH, TO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
UM, I, I THINK YOU MADE REALLY A LOT OF REALLY GOOD POINTS THERE.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA, RIGHT ON THE BOARD OF INGLEWOOD COMPTON, LENNOX WATTS.
UM, SO I KNOW WHAT IT, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO COME FROM A, A VERY HARD BACKGROUND.
I UNDERSTAND THAT CAMBRIDGE IS NOT LA AND IT'S NOT BOSTON.
UM, AND I'VE ALSO BEEN AN ACTIVE COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, UM, FOR WELL OVER EIGHT YEARS NOW.
UM, AND I CAN REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS WHEN YOU SAY IT'S NOT JUST, OH, YOU KNOW, I HOPE SOMEBODY SEES THE FLYER.
IT'S MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS.
I DON'T MIND COLD CALLING, SHOWING UP AND REALLY EXPLAIN TO FOLKS WHERE THEY ARE, WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT AND WHY IT'S NEEDED.
AND TO ALSO TO, UH, SPEAK TO SOME OF THE, THE, THE, UM, THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP TONIGHT.
WE KNOW THAT THE BIGGEST BEAR TO ENTRY INTO GREEN JOBS FOR WOMEN, PEOPLE OF COLOR, YOUTH AND LOW INCOME FOLKS IS SIMPLY LACK OF AWARENESS.
SO THAT'S WHERE I'M REALLY EXCITED TO POUND THE PAVEMENT, UM, AND GET OUR CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED, UM, TO REALLY, UH, EDUCATE THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE ALL ABOUT GREEN JOBS.
UM, AND I THINK ALL OF YOUR POINTS ARE VALID AND VERY WELL TAKEN.
AND THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR SIDIKI.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY COUNSELOR NOLAN TO PLACE CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE ON FILE.
CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE IS PLACED ON FILE.
[01:50:01]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER.ITEM NUMBER FOUR, TRANSMITTING COMMUNICATION FROM IAN HUANG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO THE APPROPRIATION OF THE MASS SAVE COMMUNITY FIRST PARTNERSHIP GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $256,500 TO THE GRANT FUND, OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, OTHER ORDINARY MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT.
THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED TO CONTRACT FOR OUTSIDE SERVICES TO SUPPORT ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS FOR RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
COUNCILLOR NOLAN, YOU HAVE THE FOUR.
VERY NEEDED TO SUPPORT ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS FOR RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
MY QUESTION IS, SO WHAT IS THE EXPECTATION OF THE IMPACT OF THESE FUNDS? THE MEMO STATES THAT SOME OF THE FUNDING, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF IT IS SOME OR ALL OF IT, OR WHAT, HOW MUCH OF IT WILL GO TO MAILERS AND MARKETING? AND WE JUST TALKED ABOUT OUTREACH AND THE EFFECTIVENESS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF OUTREACH.
SO DO WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT STEPS WE HAVE TAKEN ALONG THOSE LINES ARE EFFECTIVE? I'VE RECEIVED MAILINGS AS A RESIDENT IN CAMBRIDGE TO SIGN UP.
I'VE ALREADY DONE MY MASS SAVE THINGS EVERY FEW YEARS THAT I CAN.
BUT I'M REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF THOSE MAILINGS? HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY SIGNED UP? HOW MANY FOLLOWED THROUGH? HOW MANY ACTUALLY DID THE, UH, TOOK THE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT THEIR CARBON EMISSION, THEIR EMISSION POLLUTION WENT DOWN? SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AS, AS, AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUTREACH, THAT THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY.
WHAT EXACTLY DO WE EXPECT? HAVE WE SET GOALS AND GIVEN OUR PAST EFFORTS AT MARKETING AND, UH, MAILERS AIMED AT PEOPLE TO TAKE SOME OF THESE STEPS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MASS SAVE, WHAT WERE THE RESULTS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HOW HAVE WE ASSESSED THE IMPACT? AND I WILL NOTE IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THESE DAYS BECAUSE THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS NOW POSSIBLY EVISCERATING THE PROGRAM OF MASS SAVE, TAKING AWAY A BILLION DOLLARS OF THE 4.5 BILLION.
THE, THE, THE SENATE HAS NOT YET DONE THAT, BUT THE HOUSE ALREADY DID.
AND IT'S DEFINITELY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK, PARTLY BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE INTERSECTION OF EVERY DOLLAR THAT THIS GOES TO, THAT GETS PEOPLE, EXCUSE ME, TO DECAR TO WORK ON THEIR ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
IT WILL SAVE THEM $3 IN FUTURE ENERGY COSTS.
SO THIS IS NOT THAT WE'RE JUST SPENDING THIS MONEY.
WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE SPEND IT ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY, IT REDUCES NOT ONLY POLLUTION, BUT FUTURE SPENDING.
BUT I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA ALLOCATE THESE FUNDS AND SPECIFICALLY LASER FOCUSED ON THE EFFECTIVENESS.
UM, I'M HOPING, UH, CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER JULIE WORMSER IS ONLINE.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO JULIE.
AND THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI.
UM, SO THIS IS A THREE YEAR GRANT.
IT'S THE SECOND TIME WE'VE HAD THIS GRANT THROUGH MASS SAVE.
SO IT GIVES US ABOUT $85,000 A YEAR, UM, IN ORDER TO HIRE A FULL-TIME PERSON.
IT'S NOT A STAFF PERSON, IT'S FROM ALL IN ENERGY.
AND WE GET ACCESS TO ALL THEIR TECHNICAL SUPPORT AS WELL.
ALMOST ALL OF THAT MONEY GOES TO THAT STAFF TIME ABOUT 2,500 IS TO ACTUAL, UM, MATERIALS.
UM, WE DO DO MAILINGS, BUT IT'S NOT FROM THIS GRANT.
UM, SO THIS IS PART OF OUR COMMUNITY FIRST PARTNERSHIP WE DO WITH, UM, EVERSOURCE.
WE PROVIDE A LOT OF INFORMATION TO PEOPLE AS, AS YOU MENTIONED ABOUT, UM, MASS SAVE, BOTH THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT PEOPLE CAN GET AND ALSO THE SUBSIDIES AND GRANTS PEOPLE CAN GET.
THIS IS OUR PROGRAM THAT IS FOR NON-BETA BUILDINGS.
SO IT'S FOR ALL RESIDENCES AND FOR, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND IN THE ANSWER IN TERMS OF HOW WELL DO WE KNOW WE'RE DOING, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE DATA ON, UM, ENERGY USE POST, UH, PARTICIPATING IN OUR PROGRAMS UNTIL THIS ROUND OF MASS SAVE.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT EFFECTIVENESS DATA AND THAT HAS, UM, LIMITED OUR ABILITY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, DO A AND B TESTS ON, ON WHAT WORKS BEST.
BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
SO THIS FUNDING, IT'S ABOUT A QUARTER OF OUR OVERALL BUDGET FOR NON BUTO COMMUNITY ENERGY PROGRAMS. UM, I WOULD SAY THAT I WOULD SAY ALSO IN TERMS OF THE, UM, BILLS GOING THROUGH THE STATE HOUSE, WE ARE RIGHT IN THE MIX WORKING, UM, IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE TO TRY TO GET THE BEST WE CAN.
NOT JUST ON MASS SAVE, BUT ON OTHER POLICIES.
UM, AND FUNDING TO MOVE US OFF FOSSIL FUELS.
THE SENATE IS MUCH MORE PRO, UM, CLIMATE.
WE'RE HOPING WE CAN WIN THAT BACK.
I ALSO THINK THOUGH THAT THE, THE ORIGINAL BILL FILLED BY THE HEAL ADMINISTRATION REALLY DID SOME VERY IMPORTANT REFORMS TO MASS SAVE
[01:55:01]
THAT MADE IT MUCH EASIER FOR RENTERS AND MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS TO USE.AND THAT'S BEEN A WEAKNESS OF THE PROGRAM.
SO WE NOT ONLY WANT TO BRING THAT FUNDING BACK, WE WANNA POINT IT TOWARDS THE FOLKS WHO ARE MOST, UH, CHALLENGED IN TERMS OF, UM, ENERGY CONSERVATION AND, AND DECARBONIZATION.
COUNCILOR NOLAN, THANKS FOR THAT.
UM, YEAH, I, THE REASON I THOUGHT IT SAYS IT'S TO PERFORM OUTREACH SERVICES AND IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS A STAFF PERSON WILL ACTUALLY BE DEVELOPING AND SENDING MAILERS AND OTHER MARKETING COLLATERAL.
BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE, I KNOW WE HAVE SOME DATA.
THIS IS THE SECOND GRANT WE'VE TRACKED BEFORE.
'CAUSE I'VE ASKED FOR IT AND, AND GOTTEN IT.
LIKE, HOW MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY GET THE MASS SAVE AUDIT THEN TAKE THE NEXT STEP? DO WE NOT HAVE ANY OF THAT DATA FOR THE LAST YEAR? WE HAVE DATA.
SO THIS IS OUR, THIS SHOULD BE OUR FIFTH YEAR.
UM, EVEN BEFORE IT WAS CALLED COMMUNITY FIRST PARTNERSHIP.
IT WAS CALLED MASS SAFE MUNICIPAL PARTNER.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 2021.
RIGHT? UM, WE CAN TELL YOU DATA ON OUR EFFORTS, WHICH IS TO REACH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, UM, NOT JUST WITH MAILINGS, BUT IN PERSON.
UM, WE CAN TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE WE TALKED WITH THROUGH THE CAMBRIDGE ENERGY HELPLINE, BUT WHAT WE HAVEN'T HAD UNTIL THIS THREE YEAR, UM, RENEWAL OF MASS SAVE IS THOSE FOLKS WE SPOKE WITH ADDRESSED BY ADDRESS, DID THEY DO SOMETHING WITH IT? SO WE DON'T TRACK IN TERMS OF THAT FOLLOW THROUGH.
WE TRACK IN TERMS OF OUR EFFORT TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THESE PROGRAMS BECAUSE WE, WE WOULDN'T, DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS FROM EVERSOURCE FOR THAT DATA UNTIL THIS ROUND.
THAT'S JUST SURPRISING 'CAUSE I HAVE DATED IN MY OFFICE FROM WHEN WE TRACKED IT IN THE PAST AND WE FOLLOWED UP OURSELVES.
SO I ENCOURAGE US TO DO THAT OURSELVES, EVEN IF IT'S NOT DIRECT FROM THE PROGRAM.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE WE HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS IS EVEN WORKING.
SO I KNOW, YEAH, IT, IT, IT MAY BE CHALLENGING, BUT I KNOW WE HAD IT 'CAUSE I, YOU KNOW, I GOT IT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
SO I ENCOURAGE US TO LOOK IN OUR OWN RECORDS AND FIGURE THAT OUT.
'CAUSE IT'S CRITICALLY, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO IT BECAUSE WE KNOW EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT ACROSS THE CITY NEEDS SUPPORT.
SO I'M GLAD THAT'S GOING ON, BUT I, I DO HOPE THAT AT THE NEXT TIME WE TALK ABOUT THIS, WE, WE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET THAT DATA.
'CAUSE I KNOW IT EXISTS AND WE, WE SHOULD BE FOLLOWING UP WITH PEOPLE EVEN IF IT'S NOT COMING DIRECTLY FROM EVERSOURCE.
AND SO WITH THAT, YEAH, WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AS NORM.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I, AGAIN, WE JUST NEED IMPACT
'CAUSE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM.
WITH THAT MAYOR SADIKA YIELD, ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS APPROPRIATION BEFORE WE DO A ROLL CALL? HEARING NONE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR NOLAN TO APPROPRIATE THESE FUNDS.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED.
AND THE AFFIRMATIVE, THE ORDER IS ADOPTED.
WE DO NEED TO PLACE THE, UH, COMMUNICATION ON FILE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR NOLAN TO COM TO PLACE THAT ON FILE.
AS OPPOSED TO SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT.
WE'RE GOING ON TO CITY MANAGER.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, THE COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO THE 2026 DASH 2027 HOUSING AND ZONING PRIORITIES.
COUNCILLOR ZUBIE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE SOCIAL HOUSING PIECE OF THIS.
I NOTICED THAT THE TIMELINE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING DOESN'T START UNTIL MAY, AND EVEN THEN IT ONLY SAYS SCOPING UNDERWAY THROUGH WHAT SEEMS LIKE THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, I, I AM REPRESENTING A LARGE NUMBER OF CONSTITUENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANT TO SEE IMMEDIATE ACTION ON SOCIAL HOUSING.
SO ARE YOU ABLE TO BETTER HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT IS MEANT BY SCOPING UNDERWAY, WHY THAT ACTIVITY DOESN'T BEGIN UNTIL MAY, AND WHY IT'S THE ONLY STEP ON THE TIMELINE? YEAH, THANK YOU.
UH, SO WE, UM, ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AMBITIOUS WORK PLAN, UH, FOR THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
IT REALLY IS, UM, LOOKING AT CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES, UH, REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS, AND KIND OF A CULMINATION OF OUR, OUR, UM, HOUSING STRATEGY TO KIND OF WRAP UP SOME OF THE ZONING PRIORITIES, UM, THAT WE STARTED THE LAST COUPLE, UH, YEARS.
AND, UH, SOCIAL HOUSING IS A NEW IDEA.
UH, WE DO KNOW THERE ARE SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO, UH, WHETHER THAT BE A TASK FORCE OR, OR OTHER FORMAT TO BETTER DEFINE WHAT SOCIAL HOUSING IS AND THEN THINK THROUGH,
[02:00:01]
UH, WHAT THE FINANCING AND OPERATIONAL MODELS WILL LOOK LIKE.AND SO, UM, WE HAVE, UM, SEEN SOME IDEAS THAT, UH, STAFF ARE COMMENTING ON AND, UM, WE ARE, UH, WORKING WITH SOME COUNSELORS TO KIND OF REFINE THAT.
UM, AND WE DO HOPE TO, TO START, UH, IN MAY.
BUT THE, THE ACTUAL DETAILS OF THE FREQUENCY OF THAT, UM, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS STILL YET TO BE DETERMINED.
I I APPRECIATE MORE OF THAT INFORMATION.
UH, I WILL SAY IT IS A, IT'S A BIT DISAPPOINTING TO SEE HOW THE PACE OF THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN MOVING.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER HOUSING PRIORITIES AND PIECES THAT, THAT I SEE ON THE, ON CD'S PLATE.
UM, AND, AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A POLICY ORDER PASSED UNANIMOUSLY LAST FALL THAT CALLED FOR SPONSORED BY THIS EARLY SPRING.
AND IT WAS IN THE INTENTION THAT'S ALSO BEING MINDFUL OF CD'S PLATE.
LIKE YOU ALL HAVE A LOT TO DO ON YOUR PLATE.
AND, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE EFFORT YOU'RE POURING INTO THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, THE HEARING THAT ALSO HAPPENED IN DECEMBER WAS A GOOD START TO THE CONVERSATION, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS ALSO THAT STAFF WEREN'T PRESENT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO PARTICIPATE, WHICH IS OKAY, AGAIN, RECOGNIZING THAT THERE'S A LOT ON YOUR PLATE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO NOW SIX MONTHS LATER AFTER THE COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY ASKED FOR SOMETHING WITH EXPLICIT STEPS ON WHAT THINGS WE CAN LOOK AT.
AND WE'RE SITTING HERE HAVING TO WAIT ANOTHER TWO MONTHS AND THAT TWO MONTHS IS WAITING FOR THINGS TO START BEING SCOPED AND GETTING UNDERWAY.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARILY THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT THIS AND, AND FEEL THAT IT ENCOURAGES THE TYPE OF, UM, CYNICISM THAT WE SEE RIGHT NOW WITH THE WAY OUR GOVERNMENT WORKS.
UH, SO BETWEEN THE TWO PIECES ON THE POLICY ORDER AND THEN THE HEARING, I, I BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN A LEVEL OF CLARITY GIVEN ON WHAT SOCIAL HOUSING MEANS INTO ITS RESIDENTS.
IT'S PUBLICLY OWNED, IT'S TENANT GOVERNED, AND IT'S PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE.
AND WE CAME IN WITH THAT, MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAST COUNCIL WE CAME IN WITH RECOGNIZING THAT WE WANNA LOOK AT THINGS LIKE FUNDING MODELS, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE PUT A LOT OF YEAR, UH, A LOT OF YEARS IN TIME INTO THIS WORK TO HELP MOVE IT FORWARD AND, AND BROUGHT A LOT, A LOT OF DETAIL AROUND WHAT THIS COULD LOOK LIKE.
SO IF, IF STAFF NEED FURTHER CLARIFICATION FROM THE COUNCIL ON FINER POINTS, I THINK IT COULD BE GREAT TO GET LIKE A REPORT BACK ON, ON A MEMO OF SOME SORT THAT LAYS OUT SOME OF THE TRADE-OFFS FOR OUR CONSIDERATION.
I KNOW YOU ALSO BROUGHT UP THE TASK FORCE.
WE CAN ALSO WORK ABOUT GOING THAT TRACK PATH SO THAT WE CAN ALSO DISCUSS THESE TOPICS MORE DEEPLY.
I JUST DON'T THINK I AGREE WITH THIS TIMELINE.
UM, WE, WE CAN'T REALLY JUST PUT THE MAJORITY OF OUR STAFF RESOURCES INTO ZONING DISCUSSIONS AND THINK THAT IT'S GONNA PRODUCE THE SOLUTION THAT WE NEED TO THE CRISIS.
I, I REALLY DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO START BEING MORE SERIOUS ABOUT CONVERSATIONS AROUND PRIORITIZING SOCIAL HOUSING.
UM, AND, AND JUST BEFORE I YIELD, I, I JUST WANNA NOTE THAT FOR THE RECORD THAT I'M, I'M LEAVING RIGHT NOW TO ATTEND A RELIGIOUS OBLIGATION AS WE HAVE ENTERED THE LAST 10 NIGHTS OF RAMADAN.
SO ANY ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS THAT I HAVE, I'LL, I I CAN RAISE THEM WITH THE CITY MANAGER AS NEEDED.
AND I'M SENDING ALL OF MY BLESSINGS TO YOU.
I'LL YIELD, I'LL YIELD, UH, THROUGH YOUR MAYOR SIDIKI.
UM, I THINK HAPPY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES HAS BEEN MORE CLEARLY SCOPING WHAT WE MEAN BY SOCIAL HOUSING, NOT NECESSARILY IN TERMS OF THOSE HIGH LEVEL, UH, PRINCIPLES, WHICH I THINK HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR, UH, YOU KNOW, PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE, PUBLICLY FINANCED, PUBLICLY OWNED.
UM, I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS SITUATING WHAT THE MORE HYBRID MODEL BEING PROPOSED LOOKS LIKE COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
UM, I THINK CAMBRIDGE IS VERY UNUSUAL IN TERMS OF, UH, THE VERY HIGH INCLUSIONARY RATE THAT WE CURRENTLY REQUIRE.
AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT MARKET RATE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE A 20% INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENT, 20% INCLUSIONARY IN MANY OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY IS SEEN AS SOCIAL HOUSING.
AND IN FACT, THE PUBLIC FINANCING, UH, TO, TO ACTUALLY CREATE THOSE PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE UNITS AT A 20% THRESHOLD IS OFTEN SEEN AS SOCIAL HOUSING.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, AND WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HIGHER THRESHOLDS, LIKE 30 OR 40%.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE CHALLENGE IS IN TERMS OF HOW WE THINK ABOUT PUBLIC FINANCING.
AND SO IF WE'RE PUBLICLY FINANCING, UM, IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE PUBLICLY FINANCING A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THAT IS OUR CURRENT SORT OF BREAD AND BUTTER.
IT'S EVERYTHING WE DO THROUGH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST.
WE'RE DEPLOYING, YOU KNOW, 250 TO $300,000 PER UNIT OF PUBLIC TAXPAYER DOLLARS, UM, TO PRODUCE A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THE ADVANTAGE IS WE'RE LEVERAGING STATE AND FEDERAL TAX INCENTIVES AND TAX DOLLARS.
UM, THE CHALLENGE IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE FIGURING OUT THIS MODEL, WHICH WE'RE VERY COMMITTED TO EXPLORING AND, AND PUSHING FORWARD, IS WHAT IS THAT MIDDLE GROUND WHERE IF WE'RE ACTUALLY PRODUCING SOCIAL HOUSING
[02:05:01]
AT A 40% THRESHOLD, UH, BUT WE'RE PAYING FOR THAT WITHOUT ANY STATE OR FEDERAL TAX CREDITS, WE'RE GONNA BE SPENDING A LOT MORE FOR THOSE AFFORDABLE UNITS.AND SO I THINK SOME OF THAT IS BOTH WORKING OUT THE MODEL AND THINKING THROUGH HOW WE CREATE THAT HYBRID, AND I WOULD SAY ENSURING THAT WE'RE DOING IT TOGETHER.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE NERVOUSNESS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE ISSUES WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO IS, UH, SETTING THE WRONG EXPECTATIONS IN TERMS OF SETTING UP A TASK FORCE, BUT WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY FIGURED OUT THE APPROPRIATE SCOPE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION AND THE FEELING THAT WE NEED TO MOVE MORE QUICKLY.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALSO WHERE IT DOES TAKE UP A LOT OF STAFF TIME TO WORK OUT THOSE DETAILS.
UM, AND I THINK ONCE WE GET THAT NAILED, WE'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO MOVE A LOT FASTER.
UH, THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, I, I DEFINITELY HEAR YOU ON SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS.
I WILL SAY YOU MISS, UH, YOU MISSED A SPECIFIC TENANT TO SOCIAL HOUSING, WHICH IS TENANT GOVERNANCE.
AND SO WHEN, HOW WE, WE APPROACH THESE MODELS, A BIG PIECE OF HOW WE DEFINE IT, WHETHER YOU'RE ENGAGING WITH, UM, MARKET RATE HOUSING AND INCLUSIONARY ZONING, THAT THAT PIECE OF TENANT GOVERNANCE ALSO HELPS IDENTIFY REALLY WHAT STICKS OUT THESE OTHER MODELS THAT WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE US AND IN A, ACROSS THE WORLD.
UM, SO DEFINITELY WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT PIECE, BUT I, I THINK DIRECTOR COTTER, YOU ALSO WANTED TO, TO SHARE A COMMENT OR TWO.
THANK YOU TH UH, THROUGH YOU MAYOR CITY.
JUST TO ADD, I THINK THE OTHER PIECE THAT WE'VE THOUGHT, AND WE WERE AT THE MEETING IN DECEMBER AND APPRECIATED THE PRESENTATIONS ON SOCIAL HOUSING AND THE PERSPECTIVES AND THE MODELS, BUT I THINK THE OTHER TAKEAWAY THAT WE HAD WAS THERE REALLY IS MORE THAT WE NEED TO, TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE IN SOME WAYS THE SOCIAL HOUSING MODEL IS VERY, UH, SIMILAR AND IN FACT THERE MAY BE SOME OVERLAP WITH, UH, SOME OF THE, THE A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, THAT WE DO THAT IS FULLY AFFORDABLE.
UH, SOME OF THE SAME GROUPS MAY BE INTERESTED IN, UH, DEVELOPING THAT, THAT, THAT TYPE OF HOUSING.
UH, CERTAINLY THE COMMUNITY CONTROL, PUBLIC OWNERSHIP, UH, MAKES YOU THINK OF, UH, PUBLIC AGENCIES LIKE THE HOUSING, CAMBRIDGE HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT, THAT OWNS AND OPERATES HOUSING.
UH, ALSO BRINGS TO MIND THAT, UH, THE COMMUNITY CONTROLLED HOUSING THAT'S OPERATED BY NONPROFIT, UH, HOUSING PROVIDERS.
SO I, I THINK THAT THERE, THERE, IT'D BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A BIGGER CONVERSATION.
AND, UM, I THINK THE OTHER PIECE THAT, THAT CAME UP WAS LOOKING AT THE INVESTMENT THAT WOULD BE NEEDED AND THINKING ABOUT HOW THOSE DOLLARS ARE INVESTED AS THE CITY MANAGER SAID, AND WHAT'S THE RETURN, UH, IN THAT, WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF WHAT IS THE, UH, EXPECTATION FOR EFFICIENCY OF THAT INVESTMENT IN TERMS OF LEVERAGING OTHER RESOURCES THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE OR TRYING A NEW MODEL.
IF THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THAT'S, UH, UM, IF THERE'S A, A DIFFERENT PIECE THERE THAT, THAT, UM, UH, WOULD BE GOOD TO TO, TO PILOT.
I THINK THOSE ARE THE DISCUSSIONS THAT I THINK WE WANNA HAVE WITH THE, THE COUNCIL.
UH, THE OTHER PIECE THAT'S AFFECTING THE WORK PLAN IS A LITTLE BIT OF, I THINK WHAT WE MENTIONED HERE AS WELL IS JUST THE VOLUME OF WORK THAT, UH, WE HAVE UNDERWAY WITH THE FULLY AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENTS.
AND TAKING AWAY FROM THAT, THAT DISCUSSION, UH, A CLEAR, UH, IDEA THAT, THAT THE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS THEMSELVES, UH, THE, THOSE OF US THAT ARE WORKING WITH THE, THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST, REALLY NEED TO BE, UH, IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, LOOKING AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
UH, AND RIGHT NOW THAT TEAM IS REALLY OVERWHELMED WITH ALL THE A HO DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE MOVING ALONG AND KIND OF LOOKING AT THIS.
THIS IS WHERE WE THINK THAT THAT PROBABLY BEST SLOTS IN THOUGH, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH, AND YOU'LL GET A REPORT ON THE A HO, UH, AT AN UPCOMING MEETING.
UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE VOLUME OF ACTIVITY WITH THE A HO DEVELOPMENTS HAS REALLY OFF THE CHART.
IT'S BEEN, BEEN HUGELY SUCCESSFUL, WHICH HAS REALLY HAD A BIG IMPACT ON OUR, OUR CAPACITY FOR THAT, THAT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT WORK.
SO, UH, LOOKING AT THAT AND FACTORING ON TOP OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON, JUST THINKING ABOUT WHEN, WHEN REASONABLY WE, WE THINK WE COULD COME TO THAT, UH, AND GIVE IT THE ATTENTION THAT IT NEEDED TO, TO REALLY SURFACE SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP FROM THAT MEETING.
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO GET GOING.
WE HAVE TO, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO CHIME IN ZUBIE.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU ONE LAST WORD, BUT THEN WE HAVE TO MOVE ON.
YEAH, I WAS, I WAS GONNA SAY THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, I, I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING MORE ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PIECE, AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT WORK HAPPENING AND, AND REALLY DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THIS TO JUST BE KICKED DOWN THE ROAD.
VICE MAYOR ZIM, AND THEN COUNCILLOR NOLAN, AND THEN COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN.
UM, I JUST HAD A QUICK POINT, UH, FOR, UH, MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILLOR ZU, JUST SAYING THAT, UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE THE COMMITTEE'S A LITTLE BIT DELAYED.
UM, OR THE WORKING GROUP PERHAPS.
I WAS GONNA SAY, HAPPY TO THINK ABOUT COMMITTEE HEARINGS AS WELL, OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE, UM, I THINK THAT WE CAN ALSO DO SMALLER DISCUSSIONS, PERHAPS WITH STAFF IN LIKE, LESS FORMAL SETTINGS.
I THINK THAT MAYBE LIKE GETTING A FEW COLLEAGUES TOGETHER AND JUST TALKING ABOUT IT, I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY MOVE THROUGH SOME OF THE DETAILS QUICKER THAT MAYBE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A COMMITTEE HEARING, WHICH CAN TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO ORGANIZE.
BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO BE PART OF THOSE.
[02:10:03]
YEAH.ON THAT, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, UH, ON SOME OF THIS.
SO WE WILL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET OTHERS INVOLVED, UH, ON NEXT STEPS ON THAT PIECE.
SO WE'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR NOLAN AND THEN COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN.
I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT TO HAVE THIS WORK PLAN IN FRONT OF US SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT THE WORK IS.
ONE IS RELATED TO THE, UH, MULTIFAMILY ZONING REVIEW AND ANNUAL HOUSING REVIEW.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WILL BE SOME REPORT RELATIVELY SOON, EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION AFTER A FULL YEAR OF THE CHANGE FROM MULTIFAMILY IS THE, AND WE'RE ALREADY SEEING SOME IMPACTS ACROSS THE CITY, SOME OF WHICH WE'RE THRILLED WITH, AND SOME OF WHICH MAY BE AS WE, WE MAY BE ASKING QUESTIONS AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE TIME TO SAY, SHOULD THERE BE ADJUSTMENTS OR AMENDMENTS? THE QUESTION IS, IS THERE AN EXPECTATION THAT THERE WILL BE MORE THAN THIS ONE MEETING THAT'S HERE, WHICH IS THE JOINT AND LTP AND HOUSING COMMITTEE PRESENTATION? 'CAUSE I DO THINK AT SOME POINT, ONCE WE HAVE SOME CONVERSATION AND WE HAVE THOSE REPORTS AND WE GET, UH, SOME MORE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHERE WE'RE MOVING, IS, IS THAT THE EXPECTATION? I JUST WASN'T SURE HOW MUCH OF THIS PLAN WAS BAKED IN.
THROUGH YOU, UH, MAYOR SIDIKI.
UH, SO THE IDEA IS TO KIND OF LAUNCH THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE ANNUAL HOUSING REPORT, UH, TO KINDA SERVE AS A BASELINE OF WHAT HAVE WE BEEN SEEING? HOW COULD WE REFINE AND REFORM THE ZONING MOVING FORWARD? AND THAT THERE WOULD BE SUBSEQUENT, UM, UH, CITY COUNCIL HEARINGS ON THE TOPIC.
AND I BELIEVE COUNCILOR ZUI IS PLANNING TO HOLD SOME NEIGHBORHOOD AND LONG-TERM PLANNING COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND, AND JOIN HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETINGS ON THE TOPIC.
UM, AND THEN ULTIMATELY, UM, GET FEEDBACK FROM A RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS AND THEN LOOK TO STAFF FOR SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO REFORM MULTI-FAMILY ZONING, IF THAT'S THE PATH FORWARD.
AND, UM, THE SECOND QUESTION IS, SO WHEN WILL FUTURE ALE WIPE ZONING HAPPEN? UM, IT, IT'S NOT ON YOUR LIST, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IT'S JUST 2026, BUT I DON'T WANNA FORGET THAT, THAT, SO THERE WERE PARTS LEFT OFF WHEN WE ZONED THE CROWD.
AND I KNOW THAT A CM PETERS WAS CENTRAL TO THE COMMUNITY PROCESS THAT LED TO A VERY SUCCESSFUL REZONING BASED ON A MORATORIUM THAT THIS COUNCIL PASSED.
UM, BUT THERE WAS, UH, THERE WAS SOME PARTS OF THAT THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED.
THE TERMINAL ROAD CONNECTION IS STILL, UH, IN THE AIR, THE SMALL TRIANGLE NEAR THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE, THE FRESH POND MALL.
I KNOW WE HAD ALL SAID WE WOULD GET TO THAT EVENTUALLY 'CAUSE THAT WAS NOT PART OF THIS.
AND YET IT'S AGAIN, THE, THE LAST PIECE OF CAMBRIDGE THAT HAS NOT GONE THROUGH THIS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MBTA DEVELOPMENT MIGHT AFFECT THE TIMING, BUT THAT'S IN A DIFFERENT PART OF, OF THAT AREA.
AND WE DO NEED TO BE PROACTIVE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE HEALTH PEAKS PLANS ARE NOW BEING REFINED.
THEY HAVE NOW ARE, ARE MOVING TOWARDS GOING TO THE PLANNING BOARD, THE MBTA STUDY.
I THINK IT WAS MBTA, BUT THERE WAS A, OR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION STUDY, WHICH WAS TOTALLY EXCITING.
IF PEOPLE HAVEN'T READ IT, READ IT, IT'S REALLY GREAT BECAUSE IT CONCLUDED THERE WAS LIKELY JUSTIFICATION TO ADD A COMMUTER RAIL STOP.
THEY DID A EXTENSIVE STUDY OF THE TRANSPORTATION, WHICH HAS BEEN SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WANTING FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
AND I KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL ALSO BELIEVES WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT THAT IT WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO ADD A COMMUTER RAIL STOP THERE, WHICH WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BRING A BRIDGE INTO THE AREA.
SO THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT ON OUR RADAR? AND IF SO, IS IT FOR 2027 OR SOME OTHER YEAR? YEAH, YEAH.
UH, SO CERTAINLY THE REMAINING AREAS OF A OI ARE ARE ON OUR RADAR.
WE ORIGINALLY PLANNING TO DO IT ALONGSIDE THE MBTA SCHEDULE.
UM, BUT AS YOU KNOW, THEY CANCELED THAT RFP FOR THE, THE A LY STATION REDEVELOPMENT.
UH, WE REALLY DO FIND THAT, UM, THOSE TYPES OF PROCESSES ARE BETTER WHEN THERE'S A DEVELOPER AT THE TABLE.
AND SO REALLY RECOGNIZING THAT, THAT IT'S STILL ON THEIR, UH, MEDIUM TERM PLAN TO CIRCLE BACK TO THAT WHEN MARKET, UM, SITUATION, UH, IMPROVES.
UM, THAT WE CERTAINLY CAN LOOK TO PROCEED THAT OR, OR WAIT FOR THAT TIMING.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A DEFINITE TIME AT, UM, AT THIS POINT, BUT CERTAINLY IT'S ON OUR RADAR.
UH, WE ALSO KNOW THAT, UM, THE FRESH BOND SHOPPING MALL IS OWNED BY A SINGLE OWNER WHO HASN'T EXPRESSED INTEREST IN REDEVELOPMENT.
SO WE DO THINK WE HAVE TIME TO KIND OF WAIT FOR BOTH, UM, MORE, UH, OWNERSHIP ACTIVITY, UM, AND INTEREST AS WELL AS THE ECONOMY TO APPROVE, UM, WHILE WE MOVE FORWARD ON SOME OF THESE OTHER PRIORITIES.
COUNCILOR NOLAN? YEAH, THANKS.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSP STATION IS REBUILDING THAT BRIDGE OVER, RIGHT? I THINK ON FRESH POND PARKWAY.
AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE COMMUTER RAIL STOP, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY OF HEALTH PEAK.
SO GLAD TO HEAR IT'S ON THE RADAR.
UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU.
UM, FIRST JUST, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT.
UH, AND JUST ON THE, UM, I KNOW COUNCILOR ZUBIE LEFT, BUT I'M SURE PEOPLE ARE WATCHING JUST ON THE SOCIAL HOUSING PIECE.
I, I, I JUST, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE BEEN, WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS AND STARTED MOVING FORWARD
[02:15:01]
WITH THIS NOT TOO LONG AGO, ACTUALLY, RIGHT? WITH, WITH SOCIAL HOUSING.AND I HAVE HEARD THE TERM SOCIAL HOUSING AND THE DISCUSSION OF SOCIAL HOUSING MORE IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS THAN I HAVE SINCE I GOT HERE.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS ON IT.
AND THE CITY IS NOW, YOU KNOW, CONCERT.
SABRINA WHEELER BROUGHT IT UP A NUMBER OF TIMES, BUT THE CITY WASN'T REALLY ON BOARD AT THAT POINT.
I DON'T THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL WAS ON BOARD.
NOW YOU'VE GOT NINE CITY COUNCILORS THAT VOTED FOR IT.
THE CITY IS LOOKING AT IT, WHETHER IT'S OFFICIALLY SEEN ON THE, ON THE CHART HERE AS, UM, HAVING AN OFFICIAL PROCESS.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT IS NOW IN THE REALM OF DISCUSSION WHEN ANY KIND OF ZONING IS BEING, THAT'S A LOT OF PROGRESS IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS CHART, THE A HO FIVE YEAR REPORT, IT'S REQUIRED IN THE A HO ZONING THAT'S ALRE.
I MEAN, NOT THAT I'M COMPLAINING, BUT THAT'S ALREADY BEHIND.
IT WAS FIVE YEARS IN OCTOBER OF 2025.
I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT.
I UNDERSTAND IT, BUT IT DOES NEED TO GET DONE, RIGHT.
UM, THE MASS AVE, CAMBRIDGE STREET ACTIVE USE, WE'RE HAVING A, THE FIRST MEETING ABOUT THAT ON WEDNESDAY, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE MORE NEW ZONE, NEW, A NEW ORDINANCE HAS TO BE WRITTEN THERE, OR WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME CORRECTIONS THAT'S GONNA TAKE TIME.
THE ANNUAL HOUSING REVIEW IS ALSO SOMETHING WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO.
MULTI-FAMILY ZONING IS A YEARLY UPDATE THAT WAS PASSED IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR.
UM, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT CENTRAL SQUARE REZONING FOR I THINK SINCE I WAS LIKE FOUR YEARS OLD.
IT FEELS LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF THE SOCIAL HOUSING PROCESS, AND THAT'S NOT, TO ME, THAT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE KICKING IT, KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD OR IGNORING IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT IT, BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME OTHER THINGS THAT, THIS IS A LOT OF WORK.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF THINGS ON YOUR PLATE THAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
AND SO, AND I WOULD ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABOUT TO ENTER THE SEC THE MIDDLE OF MARCH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
AND SO STARTING THIS PROCESS MORE VIGOROUSLY IN MAY IS A MONTH AND A HALF AWAY, AND NO ONE'S GONNA BE BUILDING ANYTHING OR PERMITTING ANYTHING AROUND SOCIAL HOUSING IN THE NEXT MONTH AND A HALF.
SO THIS IS NOT GETTING, THIS IS NOT, I DON'T SEE THIS AS DELAYING THAT.
I JUST THINK YOU HAVE A, YOU HAVE A, A, A WORKLOAD.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO PRODUCE.
UM, SO I JUST DON'T WANT ANYONE I, WHO IS SUPPORTIVE OF SOCIAL HOUSING TO WALK AWAY THINKING, OH, THIS ISN'T HAPPENING THIS MONTH.
AND OTHER THINGS ARE, THEREFORE THE CITY DOESN'T CARE ABOUT IT.
I THINK, I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE A VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AND ONE WE'VE ALL AGREED TO HAVE.
UM, BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS IN FRONT OF IT THAT NEED TO HAPPEN TOO.
SO I JUST, I HAVE A DIFFERENT FEELING ABOUT THAT AND I, AS LONG AS WE GET TO IT IN, YOU KNOW, IN MAY AND HAVE, HAVE IN IN A MORE FORMAL WAY, I, I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE FINE.
UM, AND I WOULD JUST LASTLY, MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I, I, THIS CHART IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT DOESN'T SHOW IS USUALLY EVERY YEAR WE GET ONE, AT LEAST ONE, IF NOT TWO OR MORE CITIZENS PETITIONS.
UM, AND AS WE KNOW, A CITIZEN PETITION BY LAW HAS TO GO TO THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE, HAS TO GO TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
CDD HAS TO DO A TON OF WORK ON THAT.
I FULLY ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL GET ONE OR TWO THIS YEAR AS WE, AS WE DO.
UM, AND WE CAN'T, THOSE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO THOSE WILL JUMP THE LINE IN, IN, IN A LOT OF THINGS.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT REOPENING ZONING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE RECENTLY PASSED TO KIND OF TRY AND, AND FIX IT.
SO THIS DOESN'T EVEN SHOW ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YET.
AND I PROMISE YOU THAT THE THINGS WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YET, WE'RE GONNA KNOW ABOUT AT SOME POINT THIS YEAR.
'CAUSE THEY'RE COMING 'CAUSE THEY ALWAYS DO.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
I HOPE THAT WE AS A COUNCIL CAN SHOW SOME DISCIPLINE, UM, AROUND ADDING MORE TO THIS, UH, WORKLOAD, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR.
AND IF WE CAN GET THROUGH ALL OF THESE THINGS BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR, THAT WILL BE A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR, UH, FOR US.
I THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, AND I THINK THE SCHEDULE, I'M FINE WITH THE SCHEDULE.
COUNCILOR ZUZI AND THEN COUNCILOR FLAHERTY.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS CHART TOO.
'CAUSE IT GAVE ME A BETTER SENSE FOR, UM, YOUR FULL WORKLOAD.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE DOING MANY, MANY, MANY THINGS AND IT'S FABULOUS THAT THERE ARE SO MANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS ON THE DOCKET, UH, TOO.
UM, THE TWO THINGS THAT I DON'T SEE ON THE LIST ARE, UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SOME AMENDMENTS TO THE CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING.
[02:20:01]
WE'LL BE TALKING MORE ABOUT THAT LATER IN SOME COMMITTEE.BUT I, I JUST WANNA URGE US AS WE ZONE FOR THE CITY TO BE TALKING ABOUT MORE THAN THE NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS, WE'VE GOTTA REALLY BE THINKING ABOUT URBAN FORM.
WE NEED TO BE, TO BE DISCUSSING ON THE FLOOR THE NUANCES OF THE ZONING THAT WILL IMPACT LIVABILITY IN THE CITY.
SO I FEEL LIKE WITH, UH, ANOTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT SOME AMENDMENTS TO THE CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING, THERE, THERE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED BEFORE THE ZONING WAS PASSED, UM, THAT, UM, MANY PEOPLE SHARED IDEAS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
BUT I, I FEEL LIKE JUST THERE'S FINE TUNING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
IT'S, UH, DOTTING I'S CROSSING T'S THAT WILL MAKE THAT ZONING SO MUCH BETTER, UM, AND HELP TO PRESERVE THE MAGIC ON CAMBRIDGE STREET.
AND THEN WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT REINTRODUCING INSTITUTIONAL USE REGULATIONS.
OR MAYBE IT WON'T BE THROUGH ZONING.
MAYBE IT WILL BE THROUGH, UM, A, A DIFFERENT MECHANISM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING LONG-TERM PLANNING WITH OUR UNIVERSITIES TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR THE CITY.
SO, UM, I KNOW I WAS READING A PLANNING REPORT FROM THE 1990S AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, THE CITY WOULD MEET QUARTERLY WITH, UM, UH, UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION, CITY ADMINISTRATION AND UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION.
MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WILL BE REQUIRED GOING FORWARD.
BUT IT CERTAINLY, WE, WE'VE GOTTA PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE.
AND, UM, AND AGAIN, THAT MAY NOT BE THROUGH ZONING.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW THAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNED AND THAT WE'RE PLANNING TOGETHER.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, I I THANK YOU FOR OVERSEEING ALL THIS WORK.
IT'S ALL VERY, VERY IMPORTANT WORK AND I'M JUST AMAZED AT WHAT WE ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THROUGH YOU.
SO I WAS WONDERING, UH, IF THERE IS A DROP DEAD DATE ON THE ANNUAL HOUSING REVIEW, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WILL BE THE KICKOFF FOR THE MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING ZONING ORDINANCE.
AND THE REASON WHY I ASK IS BECAUSE I'M AWARE OF SOME REAL CONSTERNATION AND SOME AGITATION FROM PEOPLE ON, UH, ON CUSHING STREET, ON LEXINGTON STREET, ON WYMAN STREET, ON ON, UM, HAWTHORNE, UM, UH, ON JACKSON ON SHERMAN ABOUT PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEIR IMPACTS, UH, ON THEIR LIVABILITY.
SO I'M WONDERING, UH, WHEN SHOULD I EXPECT AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON THIS? YEAH, THANK YOU.
SO, UH, THE JOINT NEIGHBORHOOD LONG-TERM PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR THE WEEK OF THE 24TH.
I BELIEVE IT'S EITHER THE 24TH OR 25TH.
UH, SO THAT HAS BEEN SCHEDULED.
AND SO WE WILL BE, UH, GIVING A PRESENTATION ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PERMITTING ENVIRONMENT, AND THAT WILL BE INFORMED BY WHAT WE'VE SEEN, UM, WITH THE HISTORICAL DEPARTMENT, ISD, UH, CDD HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT WILL HELP TO GIVE A, A BETTER PICTURE FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR SIMMONS, ARE YOU SET? UM, ANYONE ON THIS SIDE? OKAY, SO HEARING NONE, THE ONLY ACTION WE'RE TAKING IS TO PLACE THIS ON FILE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT'S BEEN SAID.
UM, I KNOW THAT OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN IN, IN TOUCH WITH YOU ON THE SOCIAL HOUSING PIECE.
SO, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.
UH, AND THEN LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE OTHER UPDATES THAT YOU EVERY, YOU, YOU ALL YOU ALL WILL HAVE.
SO WITH THAT ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SUI TO PLACE CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE ON FILE, WE'LL DO A VOICE VOTE.
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO CITY MANAGER.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, TRANSMITTING A COMMUNICATION FROM CITY MANAGER IAN HUANG REGARDING A FREE CASH APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $400,000 TO THE GENERAL FUND LAW DEPARTMENT, TRAVEL AND TRAINING JUDGMENT AND DAMAGES ACCOUNT FOR THE SETTLEMENT PAYMENT RELATING TO A HORN VERSUS SIGS SAWYER, INC.
AND CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS.
DOCKET NUMBER ONE DASH 21 DASH CV 1 10 0 7 DASH D JC.
THIS IS PULLED BY COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER.
I WILL BE VOTING NO ON THIS SETTLEMENT.
I AM GONNA SPEAK, UH, CAREFULLY IN MY REMARKS ABOUT THIS VOTE BECAUSE IT IS AN ONGOING LEGAL MATTER, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN
[02:25:01]
EXPLANATION OF MY VOTE.AND THE CITY'S LAW DEPARTMENT HAS REVIEWED MY REMARKS HERE TO CONFIRM THAT I'M NOT, I'M NOT WAIVING ANY ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE IN THEM.
UH, THE FACTS OF THIS CASE HAVE BEEN WIDELY REPORTED BY CAMBRIDGE DAY WCVB AND ELSEWHERE.
FOR SOME REASON, IN 2019, A CAMBRIDGE POLICE LIEUTENANT REMOVED HIS GUN FROM ITS HOLSTER INSIDE A VEHICLE WITH SEVERAL OTHER CITY OFFICERS WHILE ON DUTY AT A PUBLIC EVENT, WHICH ACCORDING TO THE CITY IS NOT AN APPROVED PRACTICE.
A BULLET WAS DISCHARGED, WHICH THANKFULLY DID NOT STRIKE ANYONE ELSE IN THE VEHICLE.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDED DISCIPLINING THE LIEUTENANT FOR THIS INCIDENT WITH HIS GUN.
AND HE IS ARGUING THAT HE DID NOT DESERVE DISCIPLINE BECAUSE OF ISSUES WITH THE GUN.
WHILE I APPRECIATE THE WORK FROM CITY STAFF ON THIS CASE AND THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT WITH THE OFFICER THAT IS BEING BROUGHT BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT, I WILL NOT BE VOTING TO APPROVE THESE FUNDS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT DOING SO WILL ULTIMATELY COST THE CITY MORE MONEY AND CAUSE MORE HARM TO CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS.
DURING MY TIME ON THE COUNCIL EVERY FEW YEARS, THIS BODY HAS BEEN ASKED TO SETTLE A LAWSUIT INVOLVING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SOMETIMES FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE OF THAT SETTLEMENT DETAILS OF THE CASE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN KNOWN HAD THE CASE GONE TO TRIAL ARE AS A RESULT NOT SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC BECAUSE OF THIS FUNDAMENTAL, FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE NEVER ADDRESSED.
AND WE ARE BACK IN THE SAME POSITION A FEW YEARS LATER WITH THE CITY COUNCIL BEING ASKED TO SETTLE ANOTHER LAWSUIT INVOLVING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT A SETTLEMENT WOULD SAVE THE CITY MONEY IN THE SHORT TERM COMPARED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING THE CASE AT TRIAL IN THE MEDIUM TERM AND THE LONG TERM, I BELIEVE SETTLING THE CASE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY COST THE CITY FAR MORE MONEY REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER THE OUTCOME OF THE TRIAL WOULD'VE BEEN, BECAUSE THE SETTLEMENT WILL SWEEP THE DETAILS OF THIS CASE UNDER THE RUG THAT COST IS BOTH IN DOLLARS AND ALSO IN HARM TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPARENCY THAT WE OWE TO CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS.
IN MY FIRST TERM, I WAS IN THE MINORITY OF NO VOTES.
WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO SETTLE A SEXUAL HARASSMENT CASE INVOLVING THE CAM CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR $1.4 MILLION, THAT SETTLEMENT THEN HID HARASSMENT CLAIMS AGAINST A HIGH PROFILE CAMBRIDGE POLICE OFFICER UNTIL DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT WERE REPORTED BY THE BOSTON GLOBE.
NEARLY FOUR YEARS LATER, I BELIEVE BELIEVE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT SETTLEMENT WAS WRONG THEN.
AND I BELIEVE APPROVING THE SETTLEMENT WOULD BE WRONG.
NOW I YIELD BACK, WE, WE'LL GO TO VICE MAYOR AZI.
UM, SO I JUST HAD A QUESTION FROM, FROM MY COLLEAGUE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WHAT THE SETTLEMENT OFFERS NOW I THINK ALL OF US UNDERSTAND THAT IF THIS WAS GO TO TRIAL AND EVEN IF THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, A SMALL SETTLEMENT AGAINST US, WE WOULD BE UNHOOK FOR MANY MORE LEGAL FEES.
THAT WOULD BE A MUCH LARGER INFRACTION.
UM, A MUCH LARGER COST POTENTIALLY IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE.
UM, I THINK THAT IT WAS GIVEN AS AN EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, THIS CASE THAT HAPPENED IN PRIOR, THAT THE DETAILS CAME OUT MANY YEARS LATER.
AND THEN THERE WAS A CLAIM THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, ACTUALLY IN THE LONG RUN, THIS WOULD SAVE CAMBRIDGE MONEY.
COULD YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE? I, I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND THAT POINT OF HOW WE WOULD SAVE MONEY IN THE LONG RUN.
YEAH, AN EXAMPLE I COUNSEL STEVEN WHEELER.
AN EXAMPLE I THINK OF IS THIS IS AN, EVEN THE FIRST, UH, EXAMPLE I CAN THINK OF, OF A POLICE OFFICER DISCHARGING HIS GUN IN A PUBLIC INCIDENT.
WE HAVE A CASE, YOU KNOW, LAST TERM WHERE ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER DISCHARGED HIS GUN, UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL, UH, WHEN IT WAS GOING ON.
UH, THAT WAS THE, THE CASE THERE.
ULTIMATELY, THE, THESE QUESTIONS WE'RE FACING TIE TO WHETHER EVERY POLICE OFFICER SHOULD HAVE A GUN AT ALL THE, THE TIME, UH, WITH, BY PAYING $400,000.
HERE WE ARE IN A SENSE, PAYING TO, UH, PUSH THAT CONVERSATION ASIDE TO BUY THE OFFICER SILENCE.
UM, BY HAVING THIS GO GO PUBLIC, WE COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER EVERY OFFICER SHOULD HAVE A GUN SO THAT WE AREN'T IN THIS SITUATION AGAIN, WHERE ANOTHER OFFICER HAS THEIR GUN DISCHARGED AND WE'RE SETTLING ANOTHER CASE FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A COUPLE YEARS LATER.
UM, THAT'S A PUBLIC CONVERSATION I THINK WE SHOULD BE HAVING, RATHER THAN PAYING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS NOW TO NOT HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, VICE MAYOR, UH, I'M NOT SURE THAT I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC THERE AND THAT THERE'S NOTHING STOPPING US FROM HAVING A CONVERSATION NOW.
AND LIKE THE DETAILS OF THE OTHER CASE WERE MADE PUBLIC, RIGHT? AND SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S REALLY KEEPING US FROM REVISITING THAT CASE.
UM, I I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO HAVE THESE DETAILS MADE PUBLIC IN THAT I DO AS WELL.
UM, AND I THINK AT THIS MOMENT AT LEAST, UH, I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW THE CONVERSATION GOES.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THE RISK OF, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY HAVING A LAWSUIT SETTLE FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT HAVING A BUDGET CRISIS NOW AND HAVING A BUDGET CRUNCH.
AND THOSE MILLION DOLLARS COULD GO TO THESE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT SORTS OF USES IN THE CITY FOR HYPOTHETICALLY HAVING AN EASIER CONVERSATION ABOUT POLICE OFFICERS OWNING OR HAVING GUNS, WHICH I THINK IS ALSO JUST REGULATED AT THE STATE LEVEL, UM, IN LARGE PART AND IN, YOU KNOW, MANY DIFFERENT LIMITATIONS.
UM, AND I THINK WE HAVE LOTS OF OTHER INFORMATION FOR THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.
[02:30:01]
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I DON'T PARTICULARLY, UM, UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT.BUT, UH, EXCITED TO SEE HOW THE CONVERSATION GOES.
JUST SUPER BRIEFLY, YES, IN RESPONSE.
IT, IT'S POSSIBLE THE DETAILS WILL COME OUT LATER.
MAYBE THE GLOBE WILL DO ANOTHER STORY, YOU KNOW, FOUR YEARS FROM NOW, AND WE'LL GET DETAILS, YOU KNOW, YEARS DOWN THE LINE.
UM, AND THE, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT GUNS HAVING POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE GOT THAT ANSWER LAST YEAR.
IT'S, IT'S, UH, WITHIN THE REALM OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR THE STATE TO REGULATE.
IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS TO CARRY GUNS AT ALL TIMES.
GET BACK, FOLKS WHO HAVEN'T STATED ANYTHING WILL GO TO COUNSELOR FLAHERTY.
WELL, JUST BRIEFLY, UM, I, I THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE ABOUT FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITY FINANCIALLY.
UM, AND BY PRACTICE, BY BY TRADE.
I HAPPEN TO BE A TRIAL LAWYER, AND I'VE GOT SOME EXPERIENCE IN THESE MATTERS.
AND, UH, AND I DO KNOW THAT THE, UM, THE FIREARM IN QUESTION HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF MORE THAN A HUNDRED LAWSUITS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND THERE'VE BEEN MULTIPLE, UH, MILLION DOLLAR, UH, VERDICTS AGAINST THE MANUFACTURER OF THE COMPANY FOR A DEFECTIVE, UM, FOR, FOR A DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING, UH, ISSUE WITH, WITH THAT PARTICULAR FIREARM.
NOW, UH, NOT TALKING ABOUT THE, THE FACTS IN THIS CASE, UH, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, IF THE CITY DOES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, RESOLVE THE CASE, WHICH IT APPEARS THAT WE DO, UH, AND LIMIT THE POTENTIAL LIABILITY TO THE CITY IN THIS CASE, WE SHOULD TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF IT VERY QUICKLY.
WE CAN SET ASIDE, UH, ANYBODY'S, UH, POLITICAL OPINION AND EVERYONE'S ENTITLED TO THEIR POLITICAL OPINION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT POLICE OFFICER SHOULD BE ARMED.
MY POLITICAL OPINION, UH, IS DIFFERENT.
AND I'M A FORMER PROSECUTOR AND I'VE GOT AN AWFUL LOT OF EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUES AND POLICE OFFICER ISSUES AND FIREARMS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, BUT I THINK IN THIS CASE, THE REAL ISSUE IS HAVING, UH, A, UH, A RISK ANALYSIS OF THIS PARTICULAR CASE AND WHETHER OR NOT IT MAKES SENSE FOR THE CITY TO ANY EFFECT ROLL THE DICE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD, TO DO OTHERWISE WOULD BE, UH, IM IMP, IMPROVIDENT AND IMPRUDENT.
COUNCILLOR NOLAN, DO YOU WANT ME TO COME BACK TO YOU? WELL, I MAY, I, I, I NEED TO CHECK WITH THE CITY SOLICITOR FIRST TO SEE IF WHAT I'M GONNA SAY IS APPROPRIATE IS LEGALLY ALLOWED.
'CAUSE I DIDN'T DO THAT AS COUNCILOR.
SO CAN I JUST HAVE A MINUTE TO DO THAT BEFORE I WE'LL GO TO OTHER FOLKS WHO HAVEN'T SPOKEN.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THE, UH, MENT OF MY COLLEAGUE, BUT HAVING SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN AROUND FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT, I REMEMBER, UH, TAKING A STAND VERY SIMILAR TO YOURS, AND I STOOD BEHIND IT 'CAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND WE COULD HAVE SETTLED AT THAT TIME AT, FOR FOUR, 4.5 MILLION.
I WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE RIGHT DOWN TO THE LAST DAY.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ENDED UP PAYING 10 MILLION.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I, BUT I, HAVING GONE DOWN THAT ROAD A FEW TIMES, YOU KNOW, 4.5 VERSUS 10 MILLION, UH, WE DO THE MATH, SO WE DON'T, I UNDERSTAND, ON THE ONE HAND, I DON'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID, LIKE COMPARING WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS CASE WITH WHAT HAPPENED IN ANOTHER CASE.
'CAUSE THEY WERE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT.
THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE, SOMETIMES WE, IT, IT MAY BE MORE, DID YOU SAY PRUDENT TO ACCEPT THE SETTLEMENT IF WE WANNA DO SOME GROUNDBREAKING INVESTIGATORY WORK AFTER THE FACT TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
I'M ON BOARD WITH THAT, BUT I'M JUST VERY CONCERNED ABOUT ROLLING THE DICE TO USE MY COLLEAGUE'S TERM AND THEN END UP THREE YEARS PAYING, YOU KNOW? SO I RESPECT YOUR DECISION.
I DON'T AGREE WITH BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO WITH THAT, I YIELD THE FLOOR.
I, UM, WILL NOT SAY WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS I REALLY WISH WE WERE NOT IN THIS POSITION.
I DON'T AGREE WITH THE CLAIMS, AND I AM, UH, SAD THAT WE'RE HERE.
AND YET I DO, UH, I HAVE DECIDED THAT FOR, UM, UH, TO, FOR THE CITY FINANCES, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE RECOMMENDATION.
ANYONE ON THIS SIDE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING FURTHER? I KNOW COUNCIL ZUBIE IS NOT HERE.
UM, BUT I THINK WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH THE VOTE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'LL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T SAY TOO, TOO MUCH, BUT, UM, I FEEL LIKE REASONABLE MINDS COULD DIFFER ON THIS MM-HMM
[02:35:01]
I DO APPRECIATE KIND OF WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING.UM, I, I THINK I DO FIND WHAT COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER, UM, IS SAYING COMPELLING, UM, HAVING REMEMBERING, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT PRIOR SITUATION.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE RISK ASSESSMENT AND THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE POINTS MADE.
UM, SO I WILL, YOU KNOW, I'LL VOTE WHEN THE VOTE COMES.
I THINK IT SEEMS FROM THE CONVERSATION, THERE IS A MAJORITY TO SUPPORT THE APPROPRIATION.
YOU ONLY NEED FIVE VOTE VOTES TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO I THINK, GIVEN THAT, NO, I THINK WHILE NOT EVERYONE HAS SPOKEN, I, I THINK I HAVE CLARITY THAT I NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VOTE.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION CALL THE QUESTION TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE ADOPTION OF WHATEVER PREPARATION ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
AND FOR THAT WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL.
COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER? NO.
AND YOU HAVE SIX MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
THE APPROPRIATION IS APPROVED.
SO WE ARE DONE WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA.
DO WE HAVE TO PLACE THE MATTER ON FILE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT.
THE COMMUNICATION IS PLACED ON FILE.
[POLICY ORDERS]
TO THE CALENDAR.THE CALENDAR HAS A POLICY ORDER.
WHAT IS, OH NO, WE'RE GONNA NOT SKIP OVER THE POLICY ORDERS.
WE HAVE TWO COUNCIL MEMBER MCGOVERN.
DID YOU WANNA PULL THEM OR ARE YOU ALL SET? UM, I THINK WE CAN VOTE THEM ON A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCGOVERN TO ADOPT POLICY ORDERS ONE AND TWO.
THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT.
THOSE POLICY ORDERS ARE ADOPTED.
WE NOW MOVE ON TO THE CALENDAR.
THE CHARTER RIGHT HERE WAS ON CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING AT THE UPCOMING ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING ABOUT ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR USE NUMBER ONE.
UM, THIS WAS EXERCISED BY COUNCILOR ZUBIE.
I WANTED TO JUST POINT OUT SOMETHING.
THERE WERE TWO POINTS OF ORDERS FROM MY COLLEAGUE.
AND UPON REFLECTION, I THINK MY PRACTICE MOVING FORWARD, AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE A FURTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS, IS THAT I, I WILL GO TO THE PERSON WHO HAS EXERCISED THEIR CHARTER OR THEIR CHARTER.
UNLESS, UM, I'LL ALWAYS GO TO THEM UNLESS, UM, WE HAVEN'T HEARD IN THE PRIOR MEETING FROM THE LEAD SPONSOR.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IF WE'VE HEARD FROM THE LEAD SPONSOR, THEN WE'LL GO TO THE PERSON WHO THEN HAS EXERCISED THEIR CHARTER LIGHT BECAUSE THAT PERSON HAS ALREADY SPOKEN AT MM-HMM
PROBABLY LENGTH ON THE MATTER.
AND SO I WILL ALLOW THE PERSON WHO'S DONE THE CHARTER RIGHT.
AND THEN WE CAN HAVE ALL THE SPONSORS, OTHER FOLKS WHO'VE PRESUMABLY ALREADY SPOKEN ON IT TO RESPOND TO THE PERSON WHO'S EXERCISED THEIR CHARTER.
AND THEIR ARGUMENT HERE, COUNSELORS ZUBIE IS NOT IN THE ROOM.
SO I WILL, I HAVE, I KNOW COUNCILOR EY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, BUT SURE.
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY? JUST VERY QUICKLY, BECAUSE COUNSELOR ZUBIE IS NOT HERE AND, AND DUE RESPECT TO HER, BUT MY, I MEAN, I KNOW MY OTHER COLLEAGUE IS HERE AS WELL.
DID WE WANNA GIVE HER THE, SO SHE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO IT? AND SHE WAS THE ONE THAT EX SHE, DID SHE EXERCISE HER CHARTER, RIGHT? OR WAS IT SOMEBODY ELSE? YES, YES, SHE DID.
RIGHT, BECAUSE SHE DID EXERCISE HER CHARTER.
I, IN, IN RESPECTS RESPECT TO HER, I WOULD SOMETHING WRONG, UH, COUNSELOR, I WILL, I'VE CHECKED, CHECKED IN WITH HER TO KIND OF KNOW WHERE SHE'S AT.
AS LONG AS IT'S ALL RIGHT WITH HER.
I MEAN, IF I MOVE MY CHARTER RIGHT ON SOMETHING AND WASN'T HERE TO SPEAK TO IT, I MIGHT TAKE BE A LITTLE TAKEN ABACK IF I WASN'T, IF IT WAS VOTED IN MY ABSENCE.
IF YOU'VE TALKED TO HER AND SHE'S GOOD WITH IT, THEN I'M GOOD WITH IT TOO.
I AM NOT SURE WHEN COUNSELOR ZUBIE IS BACK.
I'LL COME TO YOU IN HOPEFULLY NO, BE
HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A ADJOURNED BY THE YES, YES.
SO I, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WILL BE MOOT IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING WITH THIS TODAY, BUT I, I,
[02:40:01]
I GUESS I RESPECT THOUGH I WOULD LIKE THESE THINGS TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING THIS WEEK.I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE, UM, THE LEADERS OF THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE DON'T THINK THERE WILL BE TIME TO DISCUSS THESE ITEMS. SO I WILL INTRODUCE A NEIGHBORHOOD AND LONG-TERM PLANNING MEETING WHERE WE WILL DISCUSS THESE ITEMS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO WITHDRAW THIS POLICY ORDER AND WE WILL DISCUSS THESE ITEMS, BUT AT A DIFFERENT FORUM.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO WITHDRAW THE POLICY ORDER.
SO COUNCILOR ZUZI HAS A MOTION TO WITHDRAW THAT WILL REQUIRE UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
YEAH, JUST REAL, REAL QUICKLY.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THROUGH YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY FOR CERTAIN HOW LONG THE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY IS GONNA GO.
IT'S REALLY MORE OF A QUESTION OF, THE CALL OF THE MEETING DOES NOT INCLUDE THESE TOPICS.
SO JUST FOR FOLKS WHO CALLED IN TODAY WHO ARE PROBABLY LIKELY GOING TO CALL IN ON WEDNESDAY TO TALK ABOUT THE ITEMS THAT COUNCILOR SUZI RAISED, WE WILL, THAT IS NOT THE CALL OF THE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY.
THOSE ISSUES WILL NOT BE DISCUSSED BY CDD.
I HOPE COLLEAGUES DON'T DISCUSS THEM EITHER.
UM, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO KEEP THEIR COMMENTS TO THE CALL OF THE MEETING.
SOUNDS LIKE COUNCILOR SUZI'S GONNA SCHEDULE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT THOSE ISSUES.
SO IF YOU'RE WATCHING, PLEASE STICK TO THE CALL OF THE MEETING.
SO COUNCILLOR ZI HAS MOVED FOR UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
UH, MADAM MAYOR, I WAS GONNA SAY, UM, I, I THINK THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF LONG TERM, UH, PLANNING MEETING MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
AND AS BOTH OF THE CO-SPONSORS, I'M ON THAT COMMITTEE AS WELL.
I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE ONE THING I'D LOVE TO FIGURE OUT AS WE GO INTO THAT IS THAT IT WAS NOT ON THE CDD TIMELINE.
SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA PUSH IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT CAMBRIDGE STREET? JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT CDD IS A BIT CAPACITY CONSTRAINED.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP AS WE TALK ABOUT SCHEDULING.
OTHER POINTS FROM THE BODY BEFORE WE PROCEED TO THAT VOTE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL.
AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT.
THAT POLICY ORDER HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY TABLED ITEMS OR IN UNFINISHED BUSINESS TO GET TO TODAY.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY APPLICATIONS, UH, OR PETITIONS.
[COMMUNICATIONS]
COMMUNICATIONS ON A MOTION BY MOVE TO PLACE ON FILE COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO PLACE ALL COMMUNICATIONS ON FILE.[RESOLUTIONS]
RESOLUTIONS.THERE ARE THREE PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTIONS AND MAKING THEM UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION.
WE'LL GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTIONS, MAKING THEM UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION.
THOSE RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED.
[COMMITTEE REPORTS]
MOVE ON TO COMMITTEE REPORTS.THERE ARE TWO COMMITTEE REPORTS.
MOVE TO TAKE ACCEPT THE, UH, COMMITTEE REPORTS AND PLACE THEM ON FILE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ACCEPT THESE TWO COMMITTEE REPORTS AND HAVE THEM PLACED ON FILE.
AGAIN, THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT.
THE TWO COMMITTEE REPORTS ARE PLACED ON FILE.
WE NOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY ROUND TABLE MINUTES, SO WE MOVE ON
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS]
TO COMMUNICATION AND REPORTS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS.COUNCILLOR NOLAN? UH, NUMBER TWO, COUNCILLOR NOLAN POLLS NUMBER TWO ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER TO PLACE COMMUNICATIONS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS ONE AND THREE ON FILE.
THOSE TWO ARE ONE AND THREE ARE PLACED ON FILE.
WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATION FROM CITY SOME.
COUNCILLOR NOLAN TRANSMITTING A CALENDAR UPDATE ON THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU MAYOR SIDIKI, AND THROUGH YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES AND INTO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I DID PULL THIS SINCE IT'S A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTING A CALENDAR UPDATE ON THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE.
I HAD, UH, WORKED WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THE, AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WANTED, I WANTED TO PROVIDE A CLEAR SCHEDULE SO THAT PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO PREPARE FOR VARIOUS DISCUSSIONS IN ADVANCE.
MANY OF THESE TOPICS ARE NEWER, INCLUDING THE
[02:45:01]
VERY EXCITING, UH, GEOTHERMAL, THE, UM, THERMAL ENERGY NETWORK PILOT WORK, WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED THIS WEEK AT THE CLIMATE COMMITTEE.AND IT'S BEEN ONGOING FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
BUT MUCH OF THE, UH, SCHEDULE BUILDS ON PREVIOUS WORK WE HAVE DONE TOGETHER IN THE COUNCIL, INCLUDING THE UPDATED ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN, THE FOREST MASTER PLAN REVIEW OF THE NET ZERO ACTION PLAN.
SO I, I WANNA PUT THIS OUT THERE SO MY COLLEAGUES UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PLAN IS FOR THIS YEAR, AND ALSO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE'S ANY ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON HERE OR THAT SHOULD BE FURTHER DISCUSSED IN AS PART OF ANY OF THESE, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UH, GET THEM ONTO THE AGENDA AND WE CAN LET FOLKS KNOW WHEN IT IS THAT, THAT IT MAKES SENSE.
SO, UH, AGAIN, I, THE, THE LETTER IS THERE, THE, UM, PLANS ARE THERE, SOME OF THE DATES ARE SET, THE STAFF IS WORKING TO ESTABLISH THE DATES FOR THE OTHERS.
BUT I, I DID HOPE THAT WE WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND GET A LOT DONE THIS THIS YEAR IN HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF REALLY IMPORTANT TOPICS WE'LL BE WORKING ON.
THAT WAS, IT WAS A VERY HELPFUL DOC AND A GOOD GOVERNING AGENDA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? HEARING? NONE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR NOLAN TO PLACE THIS ON FILE.
COMMUNICATION FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS.
ARE THERE ANY LATE RESOLUTIONS CLERK? THERE IS ONE.
IT'S A RESOLUTION SPONSORED BY COUNCILOR SIMMONS.
WE'LL HAVE TO BRING IT FORWARD AND WE'LL DO A, WE'LL MOVE SUSPENSION.
WE'RE IN SUSPENSION WITH THE LATE RESOLUTION CLERK.
COUNCILOR SIMMONS IS THE SPONSOR AND IT'S CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF RAYMOND T. COLEMAN ON HIS PASSING.
I RISE IN HONOR AND RESPECT TO RAYMOND T. COLEMAN.
MR. COLEMAN, UH, IS A MEMBER OF THE PRINCE HALL GRAND LODGE OF MASON'S PAST GRAND HISTORIAN, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY HAD A VERY DOMINANT HAND IN THE PLACING OF THE PRINCE HALL MEMORIAL, WHICH IS ON THE CAMBRIDGE COMMON.
UH, FINE GENTLEMAN, VERY GOOD FRIENDS OF RED TEAM MITCHELL, WHO MOST OF YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOU MAY NOT.
UM, WHO HAS SERVED, WHO RED BEING OF CAMBRIDGE RAY NOT.
BUT HE SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME PUTTING HIS HEART AND SOUL INTO THE HISTORY OF PRINCE HALL AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL THAT CAME WITHIN HIS EAR.
ANYWAYS, UH, WE'D KNOW MORE ABOUT HIM, UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AWAY, UH, JUST A FEW DAYS AGO.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING THIS IN AS A LATE RESOLUTION.
I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT IT, UM, TO, TO HIM AND HIS FAMILY IN THE GRAND LODGE ON WEDNESDAY EVENING AT THEIR FUNERAL, SHOWING THAT WE DO RESPECT AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIS PASSING.
I YIELD THANK YOU COUNCILOR SIMMONS ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ADOPT THE LATE RESOLUTION.
THE LATE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.
THERE ARE NO LATE POLICY ORDERS.
ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE BODY? YES.
COUNCILOR ZI, UH, ON TUESDAY NIGHT, TOMORROW NIGHT, THE HARVARD SQUARE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION WILL HAVE A MEETING AT ST.
JOHN'S, AT LESLIE UNIVERSITY AT 91 BRATTLE STREET.
AND THEN ON THURSDAY AT THE LIBRARY, UH, I KNOW GAVIN SPEES WILL BE INTRODUCING A PROGRAM ABOUT GEORGE WASHINGTON'S TOUR OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND THEN FINALLY ON, ON FRIDAY THE 13TH, BETWEEN FIVE AND EIGHT, UM, THERE'LL BE AN EXHIBITION O UH, OPENING OF, I THINK FEATURING SIX ARTISTS AT THE MOD MORGAN ART CENTER.
UM, THEY'RE ALL, IT'S ALL ARTWORK OF MAYO IRELAND.
UH, SO THEY ALL SOUND LIKE FUN.
WE'LL GO TO VICE MAYOR ZIM AND THEN COUNCILOR MCGOVERN.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LOOK AT THE CITY CALENDAR.
AT THE END OF THE MONTH, WE'LL BE HAVING TWO HOUSING COMMITTEE HEARINGS, ONE THAT WILL BE JOINED WITH NLTP, WHICH WILL GO OVER, UH, THE ONE YEAR REVIEW OF THE MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING ORDINANCE AND WHAT, UH, THE RESULTS HAVE SHOWN.
UH, THE GOAL OF THAT CONVERSATION IS JUST TO START IT WITH THAT REVIEW.
THERE WON'T BE ANY AMENDMENTS INTRODUCED AT THAT MEETING.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S A SEPARATE MEETING ON CENTRAL SQUARE.
AND AGAIN, NO ZONING, UH, WILL BE INTRODUCED AT THAT MEETING.
THE GOAL IS TO REVIEW WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE LAST YEAR AND TO FIGURE OUT AGAIN, HOW TO PICK UP THAT CONVERSATION.
SO, JUST WANTED TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF BOTH MEETINGS, BUT ALSO TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE ARE HOPEFULLY BE, UH, LOWER STAKES REINTRODUCTIONS TO THE CONVERSATIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, GOVERNOR, AND THEN COUNCILOR NOLAN.
UM, ON WEDNESDAY, UH, 11 TO ONE, THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE, HUMAN SERVICES AND VETERANS COMMITTEE, UH, WILL BE HOLDING A MEETING, UH, REGARDING DISABILITY SERVICES, UM,
[02:50:01]
UH, IN THE CITY, LOOKING AT A FEW DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WILL BE PRESENTING ON, UM, WHAT SERVICES ARE, ARE AVAILABLE TO FOLKS WHO ARE DISABLED, BUT ALSO HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT THE NEEDS OF DISABLED RESIDENTS IN OUR PLANNING.SO IT SHOULD BE AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION.
AND THEN, AS WE ALREADY MENTIONED, UM, ON WEDNESDAY TWO 30 TO FOUR 30, THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE MEETING TO TALK ABOUT ACTIVE USE, UH, ON MASS AVE, NORTHERN MASS AVE AND CAMBRIDGE STREET.
COUNCILOR NOLAN, IT'S, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR SIDIKI.
IT'S A REMINDER THAT TOMORROW AT 10 O'CLOCK WE'RE HAVING A FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING ON THE, UH, REQUIRED, UH, POLICE DEPU POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET FOR FY 27.
JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE, WE DID GET A, A COMMUNICATION, UH, FROM OUR CLERK'S OFFICE TODAY WITH THE PRESENTATION, IT IS A LITTLE CONFUSING 'CAUSE WE ARE HAVING THE MEETING BEFORE WE ACTUALLY KNOW FOR SURE WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET IS.
HOWEVER, THE IDEA IS TO HAVE A, UH, HEARING AND A FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE SUBMISSION OF THE, OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SO THEY CAN GET SOME INPUT ON THAT.
SO THAT'S AT 10 O'CLOCK TOMORROW IN THE SULLIVAN CHAMBER HEARING NO OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR FLAHERTY TO ADJOURN.