Committee Report CR-2

The Civic Unity Committee held a public hearing on October 6, 2009 at six o'clock and ten minutes P.M. in the Walden Square Community Center.  The hearing was held for the purpose of initiating a community conversation on strengthening the community for a safer neighborhood.

Present at the hearing were Councillor Marjorie Decker, Chair of the Committee, and City Clerk D. Margaret Drury.  Present from the City administrative staff were Eileen Keegan Bongiorno, Division Head of Community Schools Programs, Michelle Farnum, Division Head of Youth Programs DHSP, Melissa Castillo, Youth Programs, DHSP, Merline Sylvain-Williams, 1 Walden Square Road, outreach worker for the Center for Families, DHSP, Superintendent Steve Williams, Cambridge Police Department (CPD), Sergeant Kathleen Murphy, CPD, Officer Oswaldo Ortiz, CPD, Officer Devon Brooks, CPD, Officer Michael Daniliuk, Shirley Santos, 50 York Street #205, Director of the North Cambridge Crime Task Force.  Winn Management Residential was represented by Sarah Benjamin, Property Manager, Walden Square, and Dr. Wayne Montague, Director of Community Relations. The following Walden Square residents were present:  Sarah Clement, 6 Walden Square Road, Apt 205, Joan Colwell, 18 Walden Square Road Apt. 420, Delia Machone, 3 Walden Square Road Apt 116, Tom Jones, 13 Walden Square # 320, Esther Ellis, 21 Walden Square Road, Paula Gawin, 12 Walden Square Road and Marlene Belony, 8 Walden Square Road Apt. 218 and Virgen M Ortiz, 15 Walden Square Road #403.  Also present were Chris Rouches, 60 Linnaean Street, Jonathan Strangio, 60 Linnaean Street, Meqdes Mesfin, Brad Cappellini, 110 Greenough, Alexis Dalcol, Harvard, Max Kenyi, Harvard and Hugh Martin, Harvard.

Councillor Decker convened the hearing and explained the purpose.  She introduced Superintendent Williams and Sergeant Murphy to begin.  Superintendent Williams said that there was concern about violence in North Cambridge in the late spring.  Over the summer the Cambridge Police Department, the Cambridge Housing Authority and the Department of Human Service Programs worked collaboratively to increase police and human services profile and presence in the North Cambridge neighborhood. Several programs ran all summer, for example youth night basketball, girls' soccer and girls' empowerment programs.  Police and DPHS staff both worked closely with the youth and developed relationships with several of them.  After these programs began the number of incidents dropped way down.  Superintendent Williams said that he sees this summer program as a model program going forward.  Superintendent Williams emphasized the need of the Cambridge Police Department to interact with members of the community.  Sergeant Murphy agreed.  She said that residents can feel free to tell the police about any troubling conditions in the community, for example streetlights that are not working.  Police officers will then make sure that the right city departments are notified of the need to rectify problematic conditions.  She informed the residents that there are also ways to provide information about criminal activity anonymously.  There is an anonymous "text a tip" program and there is a drug hotline where callers do not need to give their names.   They also described the community alert system that residents can sign up for.

Councillor Decker informed the residents that there is a new neighborhood group, the Richdale Neighborhood Group and encouraged residents to become involved.  She then invited DHSP staff members to describe the many human service programs that residents can take advantage of.  Ms. Sylvain-Williams described the services and activities available through the Center for Families for families with children from birth to age 6, including family fun nights, baby time, playgroups and a midwife who will visit families with new babies.  Ms. Castillo described the youth centers programs focusing on the Gately and the new Russell centers, as they are the closest to Walden Square.  Ms. Keegan Bongiorno described the community schools programs, noting that the closes programs for Walden Square residents would be those at the Peabody School and the Graham and Parks School.  The programming is year-round, with full-day camps in the summer and afterschool enrichment programs during the school year.  There are also programs for seniors and adults.  Ms. Santos described the activities of the North Cambridge Crime Task Force, including Ethiopian outreach, a free soccer week for 6-12 year-olds, workshops for parents on bullying and an upcoming Halloween party.

Councillor Decker emphasized the importance of residents coming together and bringing their needs to the attention of city government.  When the community came together with their concerns about violence in their neighborhood, the City responded by listening and providing additional resources for the community, and the number of incidents went down.  She urged the residents to participate in the neighborhood association.  Councillor Decker then thanked all those present for their participation.  The hearing adjourned at 7:40 P.M.