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May 23, 2007 GAC Update
The Council met on Monday ad approved the budget, funding for several capital projects, and received reports and passed orders on a number of issues. Vice Mayor and State Representative Tim Toomey was our guest at the May GAC meeting held Tuesday. State Senator Jarrett Barrios announced he will resign from the Senate. The Council will not meet next week in observance of the Memorial Day Holiday. Information about the City’s Memorial Day observance is available at Cambridge Memorial Day Observance.
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, or go to the Web site www.cambridgeenergyalliance.org for more information.
The Chamber has been sent information about a workshop titled "Go Green to Keep Your Office in the Black: A Morning Workshop on Making Offices More Sustainable and Cost Effective" on June 8, 2007, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Staples, Inc. Headquarters, 500 Staples Drive, Framingham, MA. This workshop is presented by Presented by MassRecycle in collaboration with the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston & Massachusetts Operational Services Division. Information on the workshop is available at http://www.massrecycle.org/greenoffice.html.
Toomey Addresses GAC
Cambridge Vice Mayor and State Representative Timothy Toomey, Jr. spoke to the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee on May 21. He reported that the Council had passed the City budget for 2008 and that the State budget process is moving forward with the intention of having a budget passed by July 1, the start of both the fiscal year for both the State ad the City.
Regarding the City budget he said that Cambridge is in an enviable position as other cities and towns are laying off firefighters, teachers, police officers and reducing services while Cambridge is maintaining services and making significant new investments including the library expansion project and the new public safety building.
The state issues are much different. The Governor has proposed a number of changes to increase revenue including closing tax loopholes, requiring telecommunication companies to pay personal property taxes on property currently exempt, and allowing municipalities to locally tax restaurant meals and hotel rooms.
Toomey discussed the importance of the life science industry in Cambridge and said that he was at Bio07 for the Governor’s announcement of $1 billion in research and development funds. He also said that he assisted in staffing the Cambridge booth during the conference. He mentioned that the Cambridge booth was initiated by Mayor Reeves with the support of the City Manager and was a partnership that included the Chamber and other partners. The City is now working to determine what kind of presence it will have at Bio08 in San Diego.
A major issue he discussed was the so-called North Point bill which is being debated to address a recent ruling by the Supreme Judicial Court that found that North Point, and other projects in land-locked tidelands, required review under Chapter 91 of the Massachusetts General Laws. For a number of years DEP has exempted properties such as North Point from these regulations. He said that the legislature is looking at a compromise that would grandfather buildings built prior to the legislature taking action but that would require the Department of Environmental Protection to review all future projects.
He was asked during the question and answer why DEP had exempted these properties in the past and he said it was largely a staffing issue. DEP at one time had twenty people reviewing these plans and currently has five. The legislature would also likely require that sufficient resources be available for timely review of proposed projects in these areas. Toomey mentioned two major concerns regarding North Point. The first is that the North Point neighborhood needs to be full integrated into the rest of the City. The second is ensuring safe access for pedestrians to the Lechmere MBTA station which will be moved across the Monsignor O’Brien Highway.
May 21, 2007 City Council Meeting
The Council approved the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2007, approved funding for capital projects including Harvard Square Street improvements and sewer project across the City. The Council also received a proposed amendment to the zoning regulations of fences and a report regarding enforcement of the trash ordinance and anti-rodent efforts and passed orders regarding chemical storage and banners along Mt. Auburn Street. The Council received a report from the Council’s Economic Development, Training and Employment hearing from a hearing held to discuss the state of workers in Cambridge and an update on organized labor.
Council Passes FY 2008 Budget Passed
The Council passed a $402 million budget for FY 2008 on an 8-1 vote. The City remains in strong fiscal health and most of the Councillors praised the City Manager and his administration for keeping the City strong financially while providing a high level of service. It was noted by several members of the Council that Cambridge is very strong in relation to other Massachusetts communities. The budget is available on the City website www.cambridgema.gov, in PDF format, by clicking FY 08 Submitted Budget under Useful Links.
Funding for Capital Projects Approved
The Council passed orders approving funding for street improvements in Harvard Square and Sewer improvements around the City. The funding orders are available at Unfinished Business 11 and Unfinished Business 12.
Proposed Zoning Amendment on Fences and Report on Trash and anti-Rodent Efforts
The Council received language to amend the zoning ordinance to limit the height of fences and received a response to several orders regarding enforcement of the Trash Disposal Ordinance and anti-rodent efforts.
The changes in the zoning ordinance would limit the height of fences in front yards to three feet if closed and four foot if porous. Other fences would be limited to six feet in height. This issue was initially raised by the City’s Pedestrian Committee citing concerns about site lines and safety when walking on Cambridge streets. A copy of the report is available at City Manager Agenda Item 14. The proposed ordinance was referred to the Planning Board and the Council’s Ordinance Committee.
The City Manager responded in a single report to orders previously passed by the Council regarding the applicability of Boston’s Site Cleanliness Ordinance to Cambridge, enforcement of the Trash Disposal Ordinance, and the City’s rodent prevention efforts. The Manager reported that City staff has reviewed the Trash Disposal Ordinance and identified changes that will strengthen enforcement efforts. City staff is reviewing the Boston Ordinance to determine if similar provisions can be incorporated into Cambridge’s ordinance or whether a Home Rule petition is necessary. The Manager also reported that he has appointed staff to an inter-departmental committee to identify additional rodent control and prevention measures. A copy of the report is available at City Manager Agenda Item 15.
Council Orders on Chemical Storage and Banners
The Council passed an order asking the City Manager for information regarding delivery, storage, availability to the general public of information about specific chemicals stored at specific locations, and coordination of the Fire Department and License Commissions regulatory processes. The order specifically asks about chemicals similar to those at a facility in Danvers, Massachusetts that had an incident several months ago. A copy of the order is available at Policy Order 8.
In response to a petition signed by a number of residents opposing banners along Mt. Auburn Street the Council passed an order asking if amendments were needed to the Municipal Code to ban such banners in the Mount Auburn neighborhood. A copy of the order is available at Policy Order 12.
Committee Report on Workers and Organized Labor
The Council received a report from an April hearing of the Council’s Economic, Training and Employment Committee regarding the state of workers in Cambridge and an update on organized labor. The report lists concerns aired by representatives of a number of unions regarding general and specific issues related to working in Cambridge. A copy of the report is available at Committee Report 5.
Barrios to Resign from the Senate/Primary to fill Travaglini’s Seat Next Tuesday
State Senator Jarrett Barrios, who represents a district that includes much of Cambridge as well as Everett, Chelsea, and parts of Somerville, Revere, Saugus, and Boston announced this week that he would resign from the Senate to become present of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation. The Cambridge Chronicle story is available at Barrios leaving the State House; race is on to replace him.
Barrios departure follows the resignation of former State Senator Robert Travaglini. The primary special election for Travaglini’s district will be held on May 29. There are two candidates listed on the Democratic Ballot for next Tuesday: Anthony W. Petruccelli, a state representative from East Boston, and Daniel Rizzo, a Revere City Councilor. These are the only candidates running to fill this seat. The Special State Election for that seat is scheduled for June 29, 2007.
