information on the use of a Councillor Activity and Interest Board

CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL Craig A. Kelley City Councillor MEMORANDUM To: Cambridge City Council From: Craig A. Kelley, City Councillor; Mark Gutierrez, Council Aide Date: March 21, 2018 Subject: City Councillor Activity and Interest Board 1. Summary City Councillors work on an important and diverse set of issues for the community. The City Council already serves constituents by connecting them to different resources and services and to address topical issues, but residents, City staff and other Councillors often do not have greater knowledge about the issues various Councillors are working on. Councillors often work on the same issues, but in parallel without realizing that until a formal communication or policy order is reviewed at Council meetings or a committee meeting is held on the subject. This memo provides a potential solution to the challenge of keeping Councilors, City staff and the general public informed about Council work while honoring, in letter and in spirit, the requirements of the Open Meeting Law. 2. The "Activity and Interest Board" Councillor Kelley plans to use a "Activity and Interest Board" (see attached example) to let people know what he is working on and what he is interested in from a policy perspective. This board, if adopted by other Councillors, would contain a column for each Councillor, and each issue they are working on or are interested in would be listed underneath their name. It would be placed in a publicly accessible area in City Hall, such as on the window outside the Council Aides office, and would serve as a public display of what Councillors are interested in and what they're working on. CITY HALL, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02139 (617)349-4280 FAX [phone removed] TTY/TDD: [phone removed] EMAIL: ckelley@cambridgema.gov

The board would be updated as Councillors find appropriate. The board would not be meant for, or used for, communication between Councillors as its only purpose is to openly share information. The Division of Open Government at the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office confirmed that this would not be in violation of the Open Meeting Law. I have attached my email communication with the AG's office (including a sample fictitious draft workflow/interest board) and the Activity and Interest Board I am planning to display. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Attachment A: Email Exchange with AG's office, March 2018 Attachment B: Councillor Kelley Activity and Interest Board 2

Attachment A: Email Exchange with AG's office, March 2018 From: Manganaro, Kevin (AGO) [mailto:[email removed]] Sent: Monday, March 19, 2018 10:20 AM To: Kelley, Craig <ckelley@cambridgema.gov> Subject: RE: Question about posting City Councilor work flow and interests on a public door Mr. Kelley, Thank you for your e-mail. As you describe the "work flow" lists, I don't think it would violate the Open Meeting Law. However, as a caveat, I would caution that the lists may not be used as a vehicle for communication between councilors. Further, any formal delegation of assignments should be done during a meeting. Please let me know if you have further questions; I'm happy to discuss. Thanks! • Kevin W. Manganare Assistant Attorney Genera Division of Open Governmen One Ashburton Place, 20# Floor Boston, MA 02108 Direct: [phone removed] [email removed] From: Kelley, Craig [mailto: ckelley@cambridgera.gov] Sent: Friday, March 16, 2018 11:17 AM To: Openleeting (AGO) <[email removed]> Cc: Gutierrez, Mark <mgutierrez@cambridpema.gov> Subject: Question about posting City Councilor work flow and interests on a public door Hello: I would like to put up the topics that I, as a Cambridge City Councilor, am working on and am interested in on the door to the Council assistants office. It would be visible to anyone who comes up on the second floor of City Hall and looks at it, It would also let other Councilors, and anyone else who were to look at this list, know the subjects I have taken a particular interest in, who i am meeting with and so forth. I would like other Councilors o do the same and wonder if we could put something like the attached sheet (which does not reflect anythin hat anyone else is working on-the topics and names are just there as filler examples) on public display Would this be legal? If not, do you have suggestions about how Councilors might share their work with the general public and each other in a less formal way than at City Council meetings? You may reach me at 617-349- 4279 If you'd like to learn more about this issue before giving me advice. Thanks a lot. Craig Kelley Cambridge City Council 3

Attachment A (attachment sent to AG's office): What are your City Councillors working on/interested in? Councillor Mayor councillor Councillor Vice Mayor councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Quinton | Jan Devereux Marc McGovern Sumbul Siddiqui Denise Simmons Dennis Carlone Craig Kelley Allana Mallon Tim Toomey Zondervan Bike Flat Roof Drainage issues enforcement alteration for and relevant on the Opioid issues by Marijuana Marijuana grow Surveillance Police and DHSP exterior statistical Cambridge enforcement Boston Medical issues Common drainage analysis Depaving homeless work facility tour center and education (city interaction with WAZE and Rats UBER Brick sidewalks Dockless bikes Post-Resiliency Committee followup

Attachment B: Councillor Kelley Activity and Interest Board What are your City Councillors working on/interested in? Councillor Quinton Zondervan Marijuana enforcement and education Opioid issues by Boston Medical center Bike enforcement and relevant statistical analysis Police and DHSP homeless work City interaction with WAZE and UBER Flat Roof alteration for exterior drainage Marijuana grow facility tour Surveillance issues Brick sidewalks