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April 25, 2007 GAC Update
The Council met on Monday and received the FY 2008 Budget, reports on the Leaf Blower Task Force, the Liquor License Cap policy, and parking/moving violation ticket quotas. The Council passed orders regarding a major employment initiative and thanked the organizers of the Cambridge Science Festival and expressed support for technology companies coming to Cambridge.
The deadline for nominations for the 2007 GoGreen Business Awards is this Friday April 27. Information is available from the City website at GoGreen.
The Council budget hearings begin this Saturday April 28 at 10:00 a.m. and the Council meets next Monday.
Next Tuesday Terrence Smith, Director of Government Affairs at the Chamber will attend the conference mentioned in last week’s update on Nanotechnology Regulation at Northeastern University. Information on this conference is available at nsrg.neu.edu.
April 23, 2007 City Council Meeting
The Council received the budget for FY 2008 and reports from the City Manager regarding a working group to study liquor license options, recommendations from the Leaf Blower Task Force, and an order regarding parking and moving violation tickets.
The Council passed an order calling for a major employment initiative with Cambridge employers, passed one order and rejected a second regarding the Urban Ring and passed orders regarding transit services, bike rentals, green zones and emission reduction.
The Council also thanked the organizers of the Cambridge Science festival, welcomed Microsoft to Cambridge, and asked for City staff to extend a welcoming hand to Google in the company’s search for office space in Cambridge.
Manager Submits FY 2008 Budget
The City Manager submitted the budget for Fiscal Year 2008 (FY08) at Monday’s meeting. In his Budget Message the Manager writes that the $412,274,625 budget is an increase of 3.75% over the current year budget. Increases, according to the City Manager, result from a 3% increase in employee salaries, a 12.7% increase in employee health insurance, a combined 4.5% increase in assessments from the State and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, a 15.1% increase in debt service and a 14.7% increase in energy costs. The FY08 budget anticipates a 5% increase in the tax levy which will be set in the fall.
The Manager’s transmittal is available at City Manager Agenda Item 1. A report from the Council’s Finance Committee preliminary Budget hearing is available at Committee Report 2 and the entire proposed budget is available in PDF format on the City’s website from the homepage www.cambridgema.gov.
Report on Working Group to Study Liquor Policy Options
The Council received a report from the City Manager regarding appointing a working group to study various liquor policy options. The report states that Richard Scali, Chair of the license Commission, is developing a list of interested participants in the Alcohol Cap Policy Task Force and that this group will include representatives from the City, businesses and business associations, neighborhood coalition members, Harvard, MIT, and the Cambridge Prevention Coalition. The order includes a working document that will be used as a starting point for discussions.
In the Council’s deliberations a number of Councillors noted the need to address the high cost of license transfers. Councillors expressed concern about going beyond expanding wine and beer licenses to all alcohol licenses. An issue of closing hours was also raised by one Councillor while others noted that nuisance issues from licensed establishments is generally an issue of management of establishments, issues that the license Commission has proven effective in addressing. A copy of the report is available at City Manager Agenda Item 6.
Report and Recommendation of the Leaf Blower Task Force
The Council received a report from the City Manager on the actions of the Leaf Blower Task Force. The Task Force recommends changes to the City ordinances regarding type of leaf blowing equipment, education and training requirements, and limiting times of use.
In discussion Councillors asked why the report does not recommend a ban. City staff reported that this would increase resources required for enforcement and noted that research by members of the task force found that enforcement in most communities that have banned this equipment has been weak. The task force recommends policies that will reduce the need for enforcement actions by allowing use of leaf blowers meeting the specific national noise level standards, requiring training for commercial operators, establishing specific times when this equipment can and cannot be used, and limiting the number that can be used at a site. A copy of the report is available at City Manager Agenda Item 10. The report was referred to the Ordinance Committee.
No Quota for Parking/Moving Violations
The Council received a report from the City Manager regarding the issuance of tickets for parking and moving violations. The report was in response to a Council order asking whether there is a quota or requirement for issuance of parking tickets or moving violations. The Manager response is that there is no quota or other requirement. The Manager writes that: “To ensure the safety and well being of Cambridge residents and visitors, it is necessary to enforce traffic laws.” A copy of the report is available at City Manager Agenda Item 9.
Major Initiative with Cambridge Employers
The Council passed an order calling for the City Manager to use all available resources to launch a major employment initiative with major employers. This initiative would focus on employment opportunities for lesser skilled individuals and those without high levels of education particularly those between the ages of 18 and 30. In discussion it was suggested that major employers including universities, property managers and developers, and life science companies should commit 200 jobs for this labor pool. A copy of the order is available at Policy Order 28.
Urban Ring
The Council had two orders regarding the Urban Ring on the agenda. The Urban Ring is a proposed transit project designed to improve transit connections between locations surrounding the existing transit hubs in downtown Boston. It will, for example, connect the Kendall Square area with the Longwood Medical area in Boston. These connections are currently made in the projects first phase using standard transit buses running express services. The next Phase planned is am enhanced bus service called Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Phase 3 would be a fixed rail system similar to the Green Line.
The Council passed an order asking the City Manager to provide a recommendation for a preferred option/alignment for the Urban Ring on an 8 in favor and 1 against vote. An order opposing Phase 2 of the project failed on a 6 against, 3 in favor vote. A copy of the order that passed is available at Policy Order 20. More information on the Urban Ring is available at The Urban Ring.
Bike Rental Program
The Council passed an order asking the Manager to investigate the feasibility of a program similar to the bicycle rental program in Lyon and Paris France. The expansion of the Lyon program to Paris was recently reported in the Boston Globe. A copy of the order is at Policy Order 3 and the article is available at City of Lights will soon become City of Bikes.
EZ Ride
The Council passed an order asking to encourage increased readership of the EZ Ride Shuttle by increasing publicity to residents and businesses in the areas served by this service. EZ Ride is a shuttle bus service provided by Chamber member Charles River Transportation Management Association. Information about EZ Ride is available at CRTMA and a copy of the order is available at Policy Order 9.
Green Zones
The Council passed an order asking the City Manager to report to the Council regarding establishing “green zones” where, among other things, owners of housing in new developments would be restrictions on parking in these zones. The order that was passed substituted an agenda item tabled at the April 9, 2007 meting that asked whether the City could add restrictions to units in new housing developments banning residents of units from receiving resident parking permits. A copy of the order is at Charter Right 1.
Policy on Emissions Reduction
The Council voted to adopt the policy goal of reducing the city’s CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050. A copy of the order is available at Policy Order 22.
Congratulations and Welcomes
The Council congratulated all involved in the first ever Cambridge Science festival which started last Saturday and runs into this weekend. The Council also welcomed Microsoft to Cambridge and encouraged the City to assist Google in their search for office space in Cambridge. The Science Festival order is at Resolution 44, Microsoft is welcomed in Resolution 49 on the Resolution List for April 23, 2007 and request that City staff assist Google is at Policy Order 12.
