Giacoppo Addresses April GAC Meeting and Luncheon
Michael Giacoppo, Superintendent of Support Services and Lieutenant Steven Williams of the Major Crime Unit of the Cambridge Police Department who gave a presentation on planning for a new police headquarters at our April 26 GAC meeting and luncheon. A site has been selected and the City is in the process of purchasing a property at 125 Sixth Street in East Cambridge for the headquarters. 

Superintendent Giacoppo noted that 25 years ago the City had an architect do an assessment of the existing headquarters. That assessment found that the building needed significant renovation and expansion to meet the needs of the Cambridge Police Department. In the interim years other projects, including renovating and rebuilding schools, the Library expansion saga, and improvements to the water plant took precedence in the City’s capital planning process. He noted that in one of the first meetings with senior staff then newly appointed Police Commissioner Ronnie Watson vowed that replacing the Police Headquarters would occur before he left the Cambridge Police Department.

During the past year, with leadership from the Commissioner, City Manager Robert Healy, and City Councillor Henrietta Davis, Chair, of the Council’s Public Safety Committee, committee members Timothy Toomey and Denise Simmons, and the rest of the City Council significant movement was made toward siting a new headquarters. The Police Department, led by Superintendent Giacoppo and Deputy Mike Walsh, has done extensive outreach to the community detailing the need for improvements to Police Headquarters. The current building was completed in 1932 and has not been renovated since it was opened. The building lacks facilities needed for a modern police headquarters and has serious air quality, heating and cooling, and pest problems. The current facility also has inadequate parking for police vehicles, staff, and visitors.

The City was looking at sites throughout the City when they became aware of the facility at 125 Sixth Street. Police and City staff took a tour of the building and found that it can meet the Department’s needs today and for the next thirty years. The next steps, upon completion of the acquisition, will be design, bidding, and construction. The new facility should be completed by 2008.

A question was asked about accessibility to the new site. Giacoppo noted that the City surveyed use of the current headquarters and found that approximately 70 people visit the headquarters on any day for assistance ranging from filing a report to asking directions. In community meetings the only neighborhood that expressed concern about moving the station was Central Square, where the station is currently located. In the other neighborhoods location was not an important issue. The Police are moving to providing more services, such as filing reports, on-line and police vehicles are being fitted to serve as “mobile offices.”

Another question was asked about police morale with the announcement of the new headquarters. The Superintendent reported that there is till some skepticism given that this has been discussed for so many years. The poor condition of the existing headquarters has had an impact on morale for years. Giacoppo believes that once the city acquires the property and construction begins morale will improve greatly.


Senate President Addresses March 22 GAC/Executive Speaker Luncheon
State Senate President Robert Travaglini addressed more than 100 business leaders at the March 22 GAC/Executive Speaker Luncheon. The Presidents remarks focused on an ambitious legislative agenda with a focus on the first item on that agenda; stem cell research legislation. Following stem cell legislation the legislature will work to address health care and pass the state budget.

President Travaglini has introduced stem cell research legislation because addressing this issue is necessary to save lives, attract the best and brightest minds to the Commonwealth, and maintain Massachusetts competitiveness in the life sciences industry. He pointed out that this research holds promise to bring relief to individuals suffering from diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s and to treat spinal cord injuries and provides hope to the families of these individuals. He also noted that Massachusetts must continue to be a leader in life sciences; noting that even in the worst of recent economic times the life science industry grew at an annual rate of six percent.

In response to questions from the audience he noted that he has great concern about cuts in the Medicaid program being considered in Washington that could cost the Commonwealth $400 million in reimbursements in the coming fiscal year.  He is also concerned about the future of Hanscomb Air Force base.

In a question about education he stressed the need to adapt and change in response to the fact that, ten years after passing major educational reform legislation, more than 100 school districts are still underperforming. The challenge is to understand why some districts are not performing to standards and to assist these districts to improve.

The Senate President was asked about recent economic development initiatives announced by the Governor. President Travaglini noted the importance of providing strong services and support to those businesses currently operating in Massachusetts. He views supporting businesses in the state and helping those businesses thrive and grow as of much more importance than chasing businesses from out of state.

President Travaglini opened his remarks by noting that former Speaker of the House Thomas Finneran was in the audience and thanking the former Speaker, who is now President of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, for his assistance and cooperation during President Travaglini’s first term as Senate President.  Cambridge Mayor Michael Sullivan welcomed the crowd to the event and Jeff Lockwood of Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research introduced the Senate President.

April 25th City Council Meeting

Council Approves Funding, Taking, and Naming of New Police Headquarters
The City Council passed an order appropriating $49,500,000 to acquire and build out 125 Sixth Street for the new Police Headquarters. The Council also passed an order to complete the City’s taking of the property and an order naming the new headquarters in honor of City Manager Robert Healy.

A copy of the appropriation order is available at http://www.cambridgema.gov/cityClerk/cmOrder.cfm?item_id=4167&order=1

Concord-Alewife Study
The City Manager transmitted the Planning Board’s proposed changes to the Concord-Alewife area. The recommendations follow the work of a study committee that met in 2003 and 2004. The changes are designed to encourage a mix of uses, encourage housing, create a framework for transit oriented development at Alewife, establishes a base district that allows current as of right development to remain conforming in use
FY 06 Budget, and establishes a special permit process which may allow for increase density and height within established design guidelines. Information about the Concord-Alewife Study is available on the City website at http://www.cambridgema.gov/~CDD/cp/zng/concalew/index.html

Manager Transmits Fiscal Year 2006 Budget
The City Manager transmitted the Fiscal Year 2006 (FY 06) budget to the Council.  The budget calls for $363 million in spending, and increase of four percent from the current year.  Most of the increase is in employee health care costs and agreed pay increases for City staff. The budget will require a 2.5% increase in the tax levy, the smallest increase in a decade.  The budget submitted by the City manager is available at http://www.cambridgema.gov/deptann.cfm?story_id=692. The Council’s Finance Committee will begin budget hearings on Wednesday May 4.

Joint Meeting of Special Committee on Property Taxes and Finance Committee
The first meeting of the Special Committee on Property Tax, a joint meeting with the Council’s Finance Committee, was held on April 14 and reported at the April 27 City Council meeting. This committee was formed in response to concerns about increases in property taxes after last year’s city-wide reassessment. The Committee identified a number of options to address this issue and categorized them as those requiring no legislative changes, those requiring legislative changes, those requiring administrative actions, and other. Legislative changes would require changes to state law. 

Ideas ranged from improving the information provided to the public regarding both taxes and spending to changing state law to allow for taxing non-profit institutions. Other sources of revenue, such as an increase in the meals tax or a commuter tax, were also discussed.  A copy of the committee report is available at http://www.cambridgema.gov/cityClerk/CommitteeReport.cfm?instance_id=207

State House News

Stem Cell Research
The House and Senate have agreed on language to address differences in the stem cell research bills approved by both houses.  The Senate has passed the bill with the new language and the House is expected to act next week. The majorities have been large enough to over-ride a veto threatened by the Governor, it is unclear whether he will carry through on that threat.