City Council — Regular Meeting, June 29, 2020

City Manager's Agenda (2)

• CMA 2020 #146A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on COVID-19
• CMA 2020 #147A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the new appointment of the following persons as associate member of the Board of Zoning Appeal for a term of 5-years, effective June 29, 2020: Matina Williams and Jason Marshallzoning

Communications (25)

25 resident communications received for this meeting — police safety (15) · housing general (6) · tenants rent (6) · budget (3) · homelessness (2). Individual letters are summarized in the city's agenda and are not republished here, by policy.

Policy Orders (9)

• POR 2020 #155That the City Council go on record in full support of the state legislation “An Act relative to saving black lives and transforming public safety” as a first step in changing law enforcement standards, use of force, and reporting in Massachusettspolice-safety
• POR 2020 #156That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Director of Cambridge Public Libraries and the Cambridge Library Staff Association to develop new and expanded ways to distribute physical library materials to Cambridge youth over the summer, including possible mobile checkout sites
• POR 2020 #157That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the appropriate City personnel to establish a plan designed to provide a thorough, system-wide review of the entire municipal government to identify and remove any vestiges of systemic racism and/or racial bias in any and all City departments, to establish clear, transparent metrics that will help further this critical endeavor, and to report back to the City Council on this matter no later than September 14, 2020
• POR 2020 #158That the Chair of the Civic Unity Committee schedule hearings to discuss how to best incorporate language into the City Council’s rules that will call for anti-bias, anti-racist, and cultural sensitivity training's to be held on a yearly basis
• POR 2020 #159That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Assistant City Manager of Community Development to determine how to best protect and preserve our commercial spaces that support our small business operators and maintain continuity in our commercial districts, and report back to the City Council with recommendations at the September 14th City Council meeting
• POR 2020 #160That the City Council go on record in support of H. 3924, An Act Enabling Local Options for Tenant Protections, which is currently under consideration before the Massachusetts State Legislaturetenants-rent
• POR 2020 #161That the City Manager work with the Department of Human Services Recreation Division and other relevant departments to determine the feasibility of identifying one evening or day per week that the Fresh Pond Golf Course can be open to the public for general use
• POR 2020 #162That the City Manager is requested to confer with the City Manager’s Housing Liaison and Multi Service Center on implementing a Tenants Rights and Resource Notification Act that would require owners and management companies to include tenant rights and resource information when issuing eviction notifications including at the initial Notice to Quit stage and report back to the City Council on July 27, 2020housing-generaltenants-rent
• POR 2020 #164The Cambridge City Council goes on record condemning this action by the management at Whole Foods on River Street, and strongly encourages them to work collaboratively with their employees to resolve this issue

Resolutions (5)

• RES 2020 #172Resolution Thanking Sailaja Joshi for Book Donation
• RES 2020 #173Thanking Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers’ (MAPS) Senior Center in Cambridge for distributing culturally appropriate meals to our senior citizens
• RES 2020 #174That the Cambridge City Council go on record congratulating Josué J. López on his remarkable achievements upon graduating from MIT
• RES 2020 #175Resolution on the Death of Michael Hawley
• RES 2020 #176That the Cambridge City Council recognizes the generous devotion of Meade S. Fasciano and Anne Lowell to the well-being of their neighbors as well as their exemplary contribution to community life in Cambridge

Applications & Petitions (1)

• APP 2019 #69An application was received from Coffee Bagel Brands, requesting revocation of Bond #106832755 in the amount of 3000.00 for awnings at the premises numbered 1876 Massachusetts Avenue. Approval has been received from Inspectional Services, Awnings have been removed📖 read 📄 PDF

Other Business (9)

• AR-20-25Report on changing the name of the bus stop from “Massachusetts Avenue at Churchill Avenue” to “Matignon High School at Churchill Avenue”schools
• AR-20-26Report on placing four Anti-Racist Free Little Libraries in a variety of neighborhoods, including the Port (Harvard and Windsor), the Coast (Putnam and Magazine), Brattle Street and North Cambridge (Rindge and Massachusetts Ave.)
• AR-20-27Report on the advantages and disadvantages of continuing with Civil Service, and the process by which Cambridge could exit Civil Service
• AR-20-28Report on immediately publishing a list of all upcoming temporary tow-zones in the Port neighborhood and distribute this list to residents

• a report from Councilor Simmons, Chair of the Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee, for a public hearing held on February 19, 2020
• a report from Councilor Simmons, Chair of the Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee, for a public hearing held on March 12, 2020
• the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee (CEOC) Update and Outreach Project Report 📖 read 📄 PDF
• considerations about reopening schools this fall 📖 read
• POR 2020 #163 : That the City Manager confer with the Cambridge Public Health Department to discuss the feasibility of providing mobile testing at locations throughout the city for families, students and school staff.

That the City Manager provide an update to the feasibility of placing mobile testing sites by July 27, 2020 in order to provide ample time to prepare for the upcoming school year and keep our students and staff safe [schools]

Committee Reports (2)

• Government Operations Rules & Claims Committee hearing of 2020-02-19 — No Action Taken
• Government Operations Rules & Claims Committee hearing of 2020-03-12 — No Action Taken