December 13, 2006 GAC Update
Monday’s Council meeting opened with a presentation of funds from the Friends of the Council on Aging to the City to purchase a bus for the senior center and the regular session ended an hour later with the Council moving to executive session to discuss pending litigation.
The Ordinance Committee meets tonight on a number of issues including changes to the noise affidavit in building/construction permit applications and changes to the Zoning Ordinance related to B, BA-1 and B-2 districts. The Council meets for the last time this year next Monday.
The City is looking for Cambridge businesses to join the Climate Leaders program. The deadline for submitting letters of interest to join the citizens’ advisory committee to assist in the hiring of a new Police Commissioner is December 28.
Upcoming GAC Events
The 2006 Government Affairs program is sponsored by Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research.
Vice Mayor and State Representative Toomey Guest at January GAC
Cambridge Vice Mayor and State Representative Timothy Toomey, Jr. will address the January GAC meeting and luncheon on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at noon in the Chamber of Commerce Board Room. Vice Mayor Toomey was first elected to the City Council in 1989 and to the State Legislature in 1992. He is in his first term as Vice Mayor. Prior to his election to the Council he served two terms on the Cambridge School Committee. Please e-mail tsmith@cambridgechamber.org or phone (617) 876-4213 if you plan to attend.
December 11, 2006 City Council Meeting
Monday’s meeting opened with a presentation of a $36,350 donation from the Friends of the Cambridge Council on Aging to the City to purchase a new bus to replace the shuttle bus used to support the City’s Council on Aging Activities. The donation was announced by former Councillor and Mayor Sheila Russell, who is the current President of the Friends of the Cambridge Council on Aging, Gisella Margotta the organizations treasurer and a Vice President at East Cambridge Savings bank, and board members Norm McIver and Carl Barron. The City Council appropriated $24,500 in Free Cash to match the donation. he Council thanked the Friends and all who contributed to this worthy cause.
Be a Climate Leader
The Cambridge Climate Leader program offers Cambridge businesses and organizations the opportunity to be part of a citywide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A number of Chamber members have signed-on including Genzyme, Pfizer, Camp, Dresser McKee, Shire Human Genetic Therapies, Abt Associates, Cambridge Innovation Center, Trinity Property Management, The Inn at Harvard, and the Cambridge Brewing Company.
For more information go to the City’s Web site at Cambridge Climate Leaders program
Assist the City in Hiring a New Police Commissioner
The City Manager is assembling a citizens’ advisory committee to assist in the hiring of a new Police Commissioner. As you may know our current Commissioner Ronnie Watson will be retiring next year. The Manager has used a similar process in when selecting previous Police Commissioners. If you are interested you need to forward a letter of interest to the City Manager by December 28, 2006. Letters can be sent to Robert Healy, City Manager, City of Cambridge, 795 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 or by e-mail to citymanager@CambridgeMA.GOV. The City Manager’s report to the Council on this matter is available at City Manager Agenda Item 20.
