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May 16, 2007 GAC Update
The Council Finance Committee met on Monday to continue discussion on the FY 08 budget. The Council meets next Monday.
Vice Mayor and State Representative Timothy Toomey is our guest at the GAC monthly meeting next Tuesday, May 22 at noon in the Chamber Board Room. Please contact Terrence Smith, Director of Government Affairs by e-mail at tsmith@cambridgechamber.org or by phone at (617) 876-4213 if you plan to attend.
The Cambridge Public Health Department is sponsoring a full-day seminar titled Risk Assessment for Nanomaterials: Current Developments and Trends on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at MIT. Information on this seminar is available at Nano-Workshop. On the same topic, if your organization is involved in nanotechnology research and development, use nano-materials or have an interest in this issue please contact Terrence Smith, Chamber Director of Government Affairs who is putting together a list of companies to keep informed about regulatory issues related to nanotechnology.
The Cambridge Energy Alliance is actively soliciting property owners interested in improving the energy efficiency of properties. The Chamber is an active participant in this project and members are encouraged to contact Terrence Smith, Director of Government Affairs, for more information.
The Council Ordinance Committee has scheduled a hearing on the proposed Hotel Worker Retention Ordinance for Wednesday June 6 at 6:15 in the Sullivan Chamber, City Hall
May 14, 2007 City Council Budget Hearing
The Council Finance Committee met on Monday and discussed budgets of a number of departments including Tourism and Community Development. The Council learned that the Office of Tourism actively works to encourage residents of Greater Boston to visit Cambridge and is actively working to take advantage of opportunities to attract Japanese tourists who are being drawn to the area.
An issue raised in the discussion of the Community Development budget was the continued availability of small incubator space for start-up companies. Department staff noted that the recent rezoning of the Concord-Alewife area was designed to encourage that type of space in that area. One Councillor suggested that with improved public transportation existing space in the Cambridgeport neighborhood would be attractive for start-up companies. City staff were praised for the City presence at Bio07 and asked about a City presence at Bio08 in San Diego next year. The Manager reported that the City presence could not be as extensive.
