City Council — Regular Meeting, October 26, 2020

City Manager's Agenda (10)

• CMA 2020 #237Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $921,062 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund, Emergency Communications Extraordinary Expenditures account to procure a new Records Management System (RMS)
• CMA 2020 #238Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $11,712.78, received from various donations to the Council on Aging, to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Other Ordinary Maintenance account which will be used to support services for Cambridge Seniors, including support for the new virtual platform for instruction
• CMA 2020 #239Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of new Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the amount of $551,448 to the Grant Fund Human Services Salary and Wages account ($57,294) and to the Other Ordinary Maintenance account ($494,154) which will be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic among individuals and families who are homeless, will support shelter operating costs and provision of essential services to homeless persons outside of a shelter setting, and will support the administration of this granthomelessnesshousing-general
• CMA 2020 #240Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP) grant in the amount of $15,000 to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Other Ordinary Maintenance account which are used annually to supplement fuel assistance paymentshomelessness
• CMA 2020 #241Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance grant funded by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in the amount of $112,119.46 to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Salary and Wages account ($95,118.25), Other Ordinary Maintenance account ($15,401.21), and Travel and Training account ($1,600.00) which will be used for costs related to the Carey Men’s Permanent Supported Housing Program operated by the Multi-Service Centerhomelessnesshousing-general
• CMA 2020 #242Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of a grant from the Museum of Science to the STEAM Initiative in the amount of $34,000 to the Grant Fund Human Services Other Ordinary Maintenance account which will be used to provide professional development training and to purchase STEAM related supplies for Early Childhood and Out of School Time educators around STEAM contentschools
• CMA 2020 #243A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-24, regarding a report on the distribution of gator bags
• CMA 2020 #244A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 19-49, regarding a report on restrictions on signage specific to retail establishments that sell e-cigarettes and other vaping devices📖 read 📄 PDF
• CMA 2020 #245A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-15, regarding a report on the feasibility of limiting the number of Saturdays and holidays any one developer can be permitted for any one construction project📖 read
• CMA 2020 #246A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-22, regarding a report on working with the Inspectional Services Department to increase the fines for absentee property owners who continue to have violations stemming from rodent infestation📖 read

Communications (15)

15 resident communications received for this meeting — zoning (5) · tenants rent (5) · housing general (3) · police safety (2) · homelessness (2). Individual letters are summarized in the city's agenda and are not republished here, by policy.

Policy Orders (8)

• POR 2020 #237That the Executive Assistant to the City Council confer with the Dedication Committee to consider the request from Denise Cosby for a suitable dedication in the vicinity of Blackstone Street and River Street in honor of her late son, Justin Cosby
• POR 2020 #238That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Community Development Department and other relevant City personnel to establish a plan that will allow for greater outreach to women-and-minority-owned businesses, technical assistance to these businesses in applying for financial relief, and a clear plan to ensure that those small businesses that have not yet received financial assistance be granted every opportunity to access any future City funding should it be made available, and to report back to the City Council on this matter in a timely manner
• POR 2020 #239That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to raise this issue with the appropriate representatives of the Cambridge Crossing buildings, and with the appropriate representatives of the Governor’s Office, to ensure that these businesses are not in violation of any current statewide Covid-19 protocols
• POR 2020 #240That the City Council adopt a municipal ordinance to reduce or limit campaign donations from donors seeking to enter into a contract, seeking approval for a special permit or up-zoning, seeking to acquire real estate from the city, or seeking financial assistance from the city; Ordinance #2020-27. PLACED ON THE TABLE IN COUNCIL NOVEMBER 8, 2021 PASSED TO A SECOND READING IN COUNCIL DECEMBER 6, 2021 TO ORDAINED ON OR AFTER DECEMBER 20, 2021zoning📖 read
• POR 2020 #241That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with the Solicitor to draft Ordinance language to prohibit the use of tear gas in Cambridge
• POR 2020 #242That the City must work with all major housing providers to eliminate or reduce the filing of evictions during the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis. REFERRED TO HOUSING COMMITTEE IN COUNCIL OCTOBER 26, 2020housing-generaltenants-rent
• POR 2020 #243That the City Council go on record in full support of the All-At-Grade Alternative as the Preferred Alternative in the next phase of state and federal environmental process and in urging MassDOT to further revise the All-At-Grade Alternative to narrow Soldiers Field road lanes to existing parkway standards and make other roadway modifications to maximize space for parkland and pathways in the throat area and to avoid intrusion into the Charles River,
• POR 2020 #244Policy Order re No Street Cleaning on November 3

Resolutions (10)

• RES 2020 #260That the City Council go on record congratulating Virginia B. Johnson on the release of Hillbilly Elegy and celebrating her work as a costume designer, small business owner, and community member here in the City of Cambridge
• RES 2020 #261Congratulations to Erinn Pearson and Christopher Breedy
• RES 2020 #262That the City Council go on record congratulating Andrea White on her historic appointment as President and CEO of Naveo Credit Unionlabor
• RES 2020 #263That the City Council go on record congratulating Dr. John Goodson for celebrating 45 years of dedicated service as a primary care physician
• RES 2020 #264Resolution on the death of Michael Sheehan
• RES 2020 #265Resolution In Recognizing Clergy Appreciation Month
• RES 2020 #266Resolution on the death of David P. Kennedy, Sr
• RES 2020 #267Resolution on the death of Joan Qualls Harris
• RES 2020 #268Resolution on the Death of Dorothy Brown
• RES 2020 #269Resolution on the Death of Gregory Holloway

Applications & Petitions (1)

• APP 2020 #42An application was received from The Smoke Shop BBQ Restaurant, requesting permission for a projecting sign at the premises numbered 8 Holyoke Street, approval has been received from Inspectional Services, Department of Public Works, Community Development Department and abutter📖 read 📄 PDF

Other Business (4)

• AR-20-52Report on determining what impact the Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping may have on the City of Cambridge and its community partners and what options the City may have to work around this order
• AR-20-53Report on how Cambridge might participate in PACE Massachusetts pursuant to the PACE Act including exploring all options for incentivizing participation
• AR-20-54Report on drafting an ordinance requiring the city to only purchase goods that are made in full compliance with USA environmental and labor standards

• COF 2020 #61 : A communication was received Mayor Siddiqui, transmitting information from the School Committee. [schools] 📖 read