City Council — Regular Meeting, October 20, 2025

City Manager's Agenda (9)

• CMA 2025 #251A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a federal update including an update on relevant court cases📖 read
• CMA 2025 #252Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $24,020 received from the Office of the Attorney General, Local Consumer Aid Fund, to the Grant Fund License Commission (Consumer’s Council) Salaries and Wages account. The funds will be used to allow the Consumers' Council to continue the mediation of consumer complaints from individuals in Cambridge as well as in Somerville, Arlington, Belmont, Watertown and Waltham which do not have their own complaint mediation program
• CMA 2025 #253A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the reappointment of Charles J. Marquardt as an Election Commissioner for a four year term, effective through March 31, 2029
• CMA 2025 #254Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $274,577.93 received from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, State 911 Department, to the Grant Fund Emergency Communications Department Salary and Wages account ($172,691.93), the Grant Fund Emergency Communications Department Other Ordinary Maintenance account ($4,753.00) and the Grant Fund Emergency Communications Department Travel and Training account ($97,133.00). This formula-based reimbursement grant will support training of Emergency Communications Center personnel, classroom fees, and training materialspolice-safety
• CMA 2025 #255Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $48,000.00 to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Salary and Wages account ($40,398.00), to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Other Ordinary Maintenance account ($5,064.00), and to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Travel and Training account ($2,538.00). The grant is provided through funds from the Herb and Maxine Jacobs Foundation, and will provide support for Bridge Program advising, coaching and mentoring; advising and outreach for the ESOL/Certified Nursing Assistant Program; and career advising for other CLC students. The funds partially support staff salaries and program suppliesschools
• CMA 2025 #256Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $275,237.00 to the Grant Fund Human Services Other Ordinary Maintenance account. The funds are authorized by MHSA to provide emergency individual shelter services at the Cambridge Salvation Army. Funds will be used to support the operation of the Men’s Shelter, which provides 35 shelter beds, and to support the Salvation Army’s Daytime Drop-in Centerhomelessness
• CMA 2025 #257A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 25-53, regarding a request that the City Manager consult with relevant departments about the implications of deploying license plate readers and provide recommendations as to whether adjustments in plans for deployment should be made in light of changes since approval in Februarypolice-safetytransit-traffic📖 read
• CMA 2025 #258A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment and reappointment of members to the Committee on Public Planting for terms of three years
• CMA 2025 #259A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 25-34 regarding curb cut disputes📖 read

Communications (23)

23 resident communications received for this meeting — zoning (7) · housing general (6) · climate (5) · transit traffic (4) · budget (3). Individual letters are summarized in the city's agenda and are not republished here, by policy.

Policy Orders (9)

• POR 2025 #144City Council support for Massachusetts’ community colleges and state universities and urging the state Legislature to pass the DRIVE Act with an amendment to cover student supports and other cuts beyond research grants as a first step toward public higher education funding that adequately supports students, faculty and staffschools
• POR 2025 #145That the City Manager is requested to reach out to representatives from Eversource to coordinate at least four public open-house meetings in the coming weeks regarding heat and electricity costs
• POR 2025 #146City Council support of H.811, An Act authorizing cities and towns to provide for citizen-funded election campaigns
• POR 2025 #147City Council support of the unionization efforts of Massachusetts State House legislative staff and H.2093/S.1343, and urge the recognition of the Massachusetts State House Employee Unionlabor
• POR 2025 #148That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments to report back to the City Council on current efforts towards poison ivy control in the Fresh Pond Master Plan as well as recommended improvements for signage and regular maintenance planning
• POR 2025 #149That the City Council supports House Bill H.3564, An Act Relative to Infrastructure Replacement Projects, and House Bill H.3446 /Senate Bill S.2248, An Act Relative to Municipal Voices in Gas Utility Work that are currently before the Massachusetts Legislature
• POR 2025 #150City Council support of Bill Lifting Caps on Municipal Solarclimate
• POR 2025 #151City Council opposition to Harvard University’s efforts to strip union protections from workers in the Harvard Graduate Students Union bargaining unit, and to all forms of union busting, and go on record urging the Harvard administration to engage in good faith with the demands of our residents organizing with HGSU, HAW, and the Harvard Undergraduate Workers Union (HUWU), including fair pay, healthcare, and workplace harassment and discrimination protectionslaborschools
• POR 2025 #152That the City suspend using Flock cameras, and all ALPR technology currently in use, until the City Council votes to reinstate or revoke the use of such devices

Resolutions (10)

• RES 2025 #227Condolences on the death of Margarida Santos
• RES 2025 #228Condolences on the death of Ronald Mederios
• RES 2025 #229City Council thanks to the Sufi Service Committee (Boston) and its volunteers for a decade of selfless service to our most vulnerable neighbors, and in recognizing and the Committee for their vital contributions to addressing food insecurity, homelessness, and poverty in Cambridgehomelessness
• RES 2025 #230Condolences on the death of Joseph J. McGuirk
• RES 2025 #231Condolences on the death of Shirley Ann Towne
• RES 2025 #232Gratitude to Cambridge’s Own Lewis “Doc” West, Musician and Mentor, and best wishes for his continued success
• RES 2025 #233Condolences on the death of Joan F. Grainger
• RES 2025 #234Condolences on the death of William "Bill" Mangone
• RES 2025 #235Condolences on the death of Jacqueline Richardson
• RES 2025 #236Resolution on the death of Kimberlee Costanza. That the City Council formally go on record in expressing its deepest condolences to the family of Kimberlee Costanza for their tremendous loss

Ordinances (1)

• ORD 2025 # 15An Ordinance has been received from City Clerk, relative to the Martin Bakal, et al. Zoning Petitionzoning

Applications & Petitions (1)

• APP 2025 #39An application was received from Brian Albrecht, requesting permission for a curb cut at the premises numbered 239 Brookline Street; said petition has received approval from Inspectional Services, Traffic, Parking and Transportation, Historical Commission and Public Works. Response has been received from the neighborhood associationtransit-traffic📖 read 📄 PDF

Other Business (5)

• ARS-25-26Awaiting Report Status Update 10.20.25affordable-housinghousing-generalpolice-safetyschoolstransit-traffic📖 read
• AR-25-60The City Manager is requested to work with the Department of Public Works, the Department of Public Health, and any relevant environmental consultants to provide a comprehensive report on Gold Star Mothers Memorial Park
• AR-25-61The City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments, state agencies, and the property owner IQHQ to provide an update on efforts to maintain cleanliness and safety in the area on Alewife Paths near Russell Field
• AR-25-62The City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments to consider a plan to better utilize the Russell Youth and Community Center

• an update regarding legislative activity 📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF 📄 PDF

Committee Reports (3)

• Neighborhood & Long Term Planning Committee hearing of 2025-09-25 — Accepted [Unanimous]
• Ordinance Committee hearing of 2025-10-07 — Accepted [Unanimous]
• Committee hearing of (unknown date) — Defeated [Unanimous]