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February 7, 2007 GAC Update
The Council met Monday and issues discussed included the City’s bond rating, the noise ordinance, the liquor license cap policy, climate change, and rubbish. On Tuesday, the Planning Board held its annual meeting to discuss Town-Gown Reports.
Upcoming GAC Events
The 2007 Government Affairs program is sponsored by Genzyme.
February GAC
To be announced
City Manager Robert Healy Guest for March GAC
Cambridge City Manager Robert Healy will be out guest at the March 27 GAC luncheon and meeting which will be held at noon at the Chamber Board Room. GAC members mentioned last fall that they would to hear from the City Manager annually so this is your opportunity.
Please e-mail tsmith@cambridgechamber.org or phone (617) 876-4213 if you plan to attend.
February 5, 2007 City Council Meeting
On Monday the City Manager reported that the City again has been given AAA bond ratings by the three municipal bond rating agencies. He also responded to a Council request for information on additional penalties for second-time violators of the City noise ordinance and whether large scale projects are defined in the ordinance. The Council also submitted orders related to the liquor license cap policy, climate change, and changes to the rubbish ordinance.
City Again Receives AAA Bond Ratings
The City is selling $32.2 million in bonds to finance several capital improvement projects. As part of this process the City’s financial performance is evaluated by three rating agencies; Fitch Ratings, Moody’s, Investor Services, and Standard and Poor’s. The rating determines the interest rate on the debt. The City, as it has every year since 1999, again received Triple A ratings from all three organizations which allows the City to pay lower interest rates on the bonds. In discussion during the meeting the City manager reported that the City’s savings in interests over the ten years beginning in 1999 will be $4 million.
A copy of the City Manager’s letter to the Council is available at City Manager Agenda Item 4. Note that the report on-line does not include attached documents from the rating agencies.
Enforcement/Possible Changes in the Noise Ordinance
The Council received a report form the Manager in response to an order asking if the noise ordinance provides for additional fines for second offenders and whether the ordinance defines “large scale” projects. The Manager reported that the ordinance does not provide for additional fines for second offenders and does not define “large scale” projects. The fine for violating the ordinance is $300 per day and the ordinance also provides provisions for suspension or revocation of a license or permit and a stop work order. In discussion the Manager reported that the City has levied fines and issues stop work orders under the current ordinance.
The Manager’s response was referred to the City’s ordinance Committee for a hearing at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 13. A copy of the Manager’s report is available at City Manager Agenda Item 9.
Liquor License Cap Policy
The Council’s Economic Development, Training and Employment Committee is holding hearings regarding the License Commission’s Liquor License Cap policy. At a recent meeting the Committee asked the License Commissioner and the Director of the City’s Economic Division to work together to draft language that would be used as a starting point for future discussions on the cap policy as it relates to the City’s larger economic development goals.
On Monday, the Council passed an order formalizing this request while being careful to assure that the Council was not usurping the statutory authority of the License Commission. A copy of the Council Order is available at Council Policy Order 20
Climate Change
The Council passed an order endorsing the US Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement as amended at the 73rd annual US Conference of Mayors and committing the City to work with other organizations to track progress and implantation of this agreement. A copy of the order is available at City Council Policy Order 3.
Rubbish
The Council passed two orders regarding rubbish. The first asks that the City Manager report back to the Council on a Home Rule petition to the State Legislature to tighten enforcement for violations that are causing rodent problems. The second asks the City Manager for an analysis of the City of Boston’s Site Cleanliness Ordinance. Two year’s ago the Council amended the rubbish ordinance to address rodent problems in the City and the proposals in the ordinance are a continuation of the Council’s response to concerns about rodents.
The orders are available at City Council Policy Order 14 and City Council Policy Order 21.
Town-Gown Reports
On Tuesday the Planning Board held its annual meeting to receive Town-Gown Reports from Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Lesley University. This annual meting is held to allow the Planning Board and the public to learn about the plans for future development on each institutions campus. The institutions also use this as an opportunity to highlight practices that respond to the City’s larger development goals including programs to reduce automobile commuting, improve environmental practices and add street life to neighborhoods.
The City has established a web-page that includes information on this year and past year town-gown reports at Town-Gown Reports.
