City Council — Regular Meeting, November 30, 2020

City Manager's Agenda (4)

• CMA 2020 #269A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a Covid-19 update📖 read
• CMA 2020 #270Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $1,250,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Emergency Communications Extraordinary Expense account which will be used for site maintenance and the replacement of critical infrastructure to support the City of Cambridge radio system
• CMA 2020 #271Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to two appropriations totalling $9,500,000 related to the Foundry as follows: $6 million from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Department of Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures Account; and $3.5 million from the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority to the Public Investment Fund Department of Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures Account
• CMA 2020 #272Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $450,000 from Free Cash to the General Fund Law Department Other Ordinary Maintenance account which will be used to cover unanticipated increases in costs relating to legal matters handled by outside counsel legal services, stenographers and court reporters, constable services, consultants and experts, as well as filing fees and related costs in matters pending in courts and/or administrative bodies

Communications (13)

13 resident communications received for this meeting — housing general (3) · transit traffic (2) · affordable housing (2) · zoning (1) · broadband (1). Individual letters are summarized in the city's agenda and are not republished here, by policy.

Policy Orders (7)

• POR 2020 #278That City Manager be and hereby is requested to implement a program similar to the patio heater reimbursement program for purchasing air sanitizers that meet or exceed the above specifications for Cambridge businesses
• POR 2020 #279Council Opposition to Comcast Data Cap
• POR 2020 #280Expanding Testing in Nursing Homes PO
• POR 2020 #281That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to present the City Council with a comprehensive data report on a weekly basis, for the duration of the pandemic emergency, including (but not limited to) regional and Cambridge-specific trends
• POR 2020 #282That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant departments to implement comprehensive contact tracing in Cambridge including the ability to conduct backwards contact tracing facilitated with technology such as the use of QR codes, and to report back to the City Council on this matter as soon as possible
• POR 2020 #283That the City Manager confer with the Cambridge Department of Public Health on the feasibility of launching mobile COVID-19 testing vans in December and report back to the City Council as soon as possible
• POR 2020 #284That the Cambridge City Council believes in the dignity of all people and their right to respect, and equality of opportunity and participation in civic life free of abuse, and values the strength that comes with difference and the positive contribution that diversity brings to our city. That we condemn homophobic bullying and intimidation anywhere in the city, and we encourage all neighborhood groups and organizations to enact policies to prevent and sanction such abusive behavior that serves the opposite goal of these groups and organizations

Resolutions (5)

• RES 2020 #291Resolution on the death of Manuel C. Sousa
• RES 2020 #292Resolution on the death of James E. Fitzgerald, Jr
• RES 2020 #293Congratulations to the Cambridge Rindge and Latin Boy's Cross Country team on winning a league championship
• RES 2020 #294Congratulations to the Cambridge Rindge and Latin boy's soccer team on winning a league championship
• RES 2020 #295Resolution on the death of Cecelia Griffin

Other Business (5)

• AR-20-65Report on exploring the feasibility of hiring a consultant to perform an Equity Audit on the Cambridge Arts Councilarts
• AR-20-66Report on establishing a Black and Brown-Owned Business Taskforce, to be focused upon strengthening the City’s outreach efforts, information-sharing, assistance mechanisms, and overall relationship with local Black and Brown-owned businesses, and to establish a rolling set of recommendations designed to ensure the City spares no effort in assisting these businesses
• AR-20-67Report on working with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to explore the feasibility of keeping Riverbend Park open beyond
• AR-20-68Report on a request by the Council for the City Manager to confer with the Metro Mayor’s Association to close indoor dining, gyms, casinos and other non-essential indoor activities as soon as possible and organize a small business and restaurant relief program that will assist during this second shutdown and efforts to stop community spread of COVID-19 and keep schools openschools

• (untitled) 📖 read

Committee Reports (2)

• Ordinance Committee hearing of 2020-11-12 — Accepted [Unanimous]
• Committee hearing of (unknown date) — Passed To A Second Reading [Unanimous]