January 9, 2008 GAC Update
Without a Mayor the senior member of the Council serves as Chair of both the Council and School Committee. In that capacity Councillor Kenneth reeves has called a Special Meeting of the School Committee for tomorrow, Friday, January 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the Henrietta S. Attles meeting room, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, 459 Broadway, for the purpose of convening in executive session to discuss strategy for contract negotiations with nonunion personnel. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the School Superintendent’s contract. This is an unusual meeting in that the School Committee usually waits until a Mayor has been elected to make major policy decisions. The notice is available on the School Committee website at http://www.cpsd.us/schcomm/notice.cfm.
January 7 Inaugural City Council Meeting
The Cambridge City Council held its inaugural meeting this Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. Following the administration of the oath of office and the usual pomp and circumstance the council took the first vote for Mayor of this term. The result was no election of a Mayor and the matter moved to unfinished business. The vote was:
Councillor Denise Simmons 3 (Simmons, Councillors Kelly and Seidel)
Councillor Timothy Toomey 2 (Toomey and Councillor David Maher)
Councillors Davis, Decker, Murphy and Reeves 1 vote each, each voting for her or himself
The Council will meet next on Monday January 14, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. Councillor Reeves, as senior member of the Council will serve as Chair of both the Council and the School Committee (which held its inaugural meeting Monday evening) until the Council elects a Mayor. Election of a Vice Mayor and appointment of members of the Council Committees will follow election of the Mayor.
For those unfamiliar with the process five votes are required to elect a Mayor. There is no required time by which the Council must elect a Mayor. The last three Councils have elected the Mayor at the inauguration meeting. The last time a Mayor was not elected at the inaugural meeting was 2000 when the Mayor was elected in mid-February.
For a listing of public meetings, visit the Public Meetings link or the Public Meeting Notices area of the City of Cambridge Web site.
Upcoming GAC Events
2008 Leaders Event Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Mark your calendar for Wednesday January 23 for the 2008 Leaders Event. Meet your elected representatives and senior officials from state and local government. We may also have some special guests. The Hotel Marlowe will be our host and the time is 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Thanks to Comcast, Alexandria Real Estate and Cambridge Savings Bank for sponsoring Leaders 2008. Registration and additional information are available on the Chamber website at Cambridge Leaders 2008.
February 16, 2008 GAC Meeting and Luncheon
Speaker TBA
Noon, Chamber Board Room
