Somerville Democratic Committee Meeting

As many of you might already know, Kate Chang resigned as Chairperson of the Somerville Democratic Committee recently.

The City Committee will be meeting on Monday, April 1st at 6.30pm at the VNA located at 259 Lowell Street to elect a new chairperson and to fill any other executive positions that may become vacant as a result of the election of a new chair.

Unfortunately, I have a neighborhood meeting that evening and will be unable to attend this one.  If you are a member of any Ward Committee in Somerville you are entitled to a vote and I encourage people to attend.  I am told the agenda for that evening is as follows:

1. Election of a new City Committee Chair and if the chair comes from the ranks of Executive Committee officers the back filling of that position.

2. A straw poll of members in attendance on their choice for the US Senate Election.

3. A motion to authorize the Executive Committee to establish standing committees to assist in the work of the city committee.

Street Sweeping Starts April 1st

SOMERVILLE STREET SWEEPING STARTS APRIL 1: Don't get surprised by the street sweeper (or a ticket) by checking signs in your neighborhood and signing up for email reminders at http://www.somervillema.gov/sweeper. Street sweeping not only keeps the city looking good, but also helps keep storm drains clear for those April showers.

Road Race Anyone?

4^th ANNUAL SHAPE UP SOMERVILLE /

 RECREATION ROAD RACE TO BE HELD APRIL 7^th

Race Includes Children’s “Fun Run,” Adult Race & Walk; Refreshments, Music, Activities Follow Race on City Hall Concourse

                                                

SOMERVILLE – Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced that the City’s annual Shape Up Somerville / Somerville Recreation Road Race will be held on Sunday, April 7^th, starting and ending at the Somerville High School concourse, 93 Highland Avenue.  The day will begin with a 1-mile children’s “Fun Run” at 10:30 a.m., followed by a 2.7-mile walk at 10:30 a.m. and a 2.7-mile adult race at 11:00 a.m.  Registration is open to all community members at a price of $5 for youth under age 10, and $20 for adults.  Price includes a commemorative t-shirt, refreshments and activities and light refreshments immediately following the adult race. Adult runners are also invited to a post-race celebration at Casey’s, located at 173 Broadway.

To register, please visit www.somervilleyouthrecf.org, or visit City Hall or the Recreation Department (19 Walnut Street) for printed applications.  Checks should be made payable to Somerville Youth and Recreation Foundation, and can be mailed or delivered to Somerville Recreation, 19 Walnut Street, Somerville, MA 02143. 

Top male and female finishers in each category will receive awards.  For additional information, please call the Somerville Recreation Department at 617-625-6600 ext. 2980.

The British are Coming....The British are coming....

Patriot's Day Celebration

When:  Monday, April 15, 2013

Where:  Foss Park, Fellsway West & Broadway

             10:00 - 11:30 am / rain or shine

Come to Colonial Fair and play games 

Bring family and friends 

Complete a “Colonial Passport” 

Greet Paul Revere –and his horse! 

Interact with period-dressed figures 

Enjoy period refreshments and music by the 

   SHS Band 

You are encouraged to join us in Colonial Clothing! For ideas and more information, 

contact Historic Somerville at www.info@historicsomerville.org or the Somerville 

Historic Preservation Commission via Brandon Wilson at bwilson@somervillema.gov 

or 617-625-6600 ext. 2532 or Casey McNeill at cmcneill@somervillema.gov. 

- - - - -

Growing up I always boasted to anyone who would listen that the Paul Revere Park located right at the fork in the road on Broadway & Main Streets was the smallest National Park in the United States.  To this day when I have friends visiting from out of state I always include this small park in my grand tour of Somerville.  Yes!  I do give my out of town guests  tours of Somerville - after all we are so rich in history.   Actually, I find it or should I say I find their reactions to my tours to be pretty amusing because usually they "had no idea" and are usually always "impressed & amazed."  But I've always been impressed with Somerville and our history and well - I'm not letting them know it's not considered the smallest National Park.........wink.  

If you follow this link and this link you will find some pretty "impressive & amazing" historical facts about Paul Revere Park and Somerville.  

Summer Jobs Program by Nancy Bacci

Don't we all remember our first job? That sense of earning our own money (to spend as we like), the independence it gave us and the responsibility that went along with it. Well, here is an opportunity for Somerville's youth to have that same experience. This program is a great opportunity for Somerville youth!

 

Requirements:

Must be a Somerville Resident, enrolled in high school, and be at least 16 years of age. The Mayor's 2013 Summer Jobs Program provides opportunities for City youths to work within the community during the summer months in both the public and private sector.

 

April 1-30 (Applications available in the Personnel department and on City website) Applications MUST be returned to the Personnel Department by close of business on April 30

May 20-23 (Interviews take place)

July 1-August 16 (these dates are for the summer REC staff only)

July 8-August 16 (these dates are for all other City department staff)

For additional information, please contact.................

Nancy Bacci, M.Ed.

Youth and Volunteer Services Coordinator

City of Somerville

165 Broadway

Somerville, MA 02145

617-625-6600 x 2250

617-945-3982 (cell)

617-623-1483 fax

nbacci@somervillema.gov

Advisory Committee Formed - Zoning

CITY PLANS TO OVERHAUL ZONING ORDINANCE, FORMS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

   

Proposed Zoning Overhaul Seeks to Implement SomerVision, Somerville by Design Goals

                                                

SOMERVILLE – Mayor Joseph Curtatone and the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) announce the formation of a Zoning Advisory Committee, a team of 20 individuals from a variety of backgrounds, which will advise the Mayor and Planning Staff as they seek to overhaul the Somerville Zoning Ordinance.  The team will serve as a sounding board as the City develops strategies to develop the new Somerville by Design Zoning Ordinance that will implement the goals of the SomerVision Comprehensive Plan. The new zoning will also implement the transit-oriented goals of the recent Station Area Planning series and address concerns addressed in last summer's report submitted to the Board of Aldermen about the RA and RB zoning districts.

The SomerVision Plan recommended over a hundred changes to the Somerville Zoning Ordinance. The most recent overhaul of the zoning was 23 years ago, and while zoning best practices have changed, and Somerville has changed, the structure of Somerville's zoning ordinance has not.

“Somerville has been widely regarded as a leader in best practices, from open government and customer service to our innovative programs and policies,” said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. “An updated zoning ordinance, based on national best practices and local needs, will provide more clarity and certainty for the developers and residents alike. I look forward to an immersive and transparent process which will benefit all stakeholders in the City.”

“The core of the Somerville Zoning Ordinance has remained unchanged since 1925,” said George Proakis, Somerville's Director of Planning, “Past updates to the zoning have always focused on protecting the iconic character of Somerville’s neighborhoods, fostering the City’s vibrant town squares, and balancing the powerful market pressures for infill development with the concerns of existing residents. Each amendment was made to address the concerns of the time using the best regulatory tools that were available to planners and administrators. But, the trade-off with this approach was that the rules became increasingly complex for local property owners, architects, lawyers, and administrators to understand. With a new revision, it is my hope that the Zoning Ordinance can protect residential neighborhoods while encouraging new transit-oriented development, and this advisory committee will help us determine the best way to achieve those goals."

The Zoning Committee is comprised of:  Ward 4 Alderman Tony LaFuente; Brandy Brooks, SomerVision Steering Committee member; Natasha Burger, Historic Preservation Commission; Adam Dash, Attorney; Rich DiGirolamo, Attorney;  Ben Dryer, Contractor; Deborah Fennick, Design Review Committee; Susan Fontano, Zoning Board of Appeals; Lenore Hill, Vice President, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage; Tom Lichoulas, Ward 3 resident and Developer; Courtney O’Keefe, Ward 5 resident; Kevin Prior, Planning Board; Peter Quinn, Architect; Jeff Roberts, Ward 6 resident and Planner; Kat Rutkin, Somerville Local First; Rebecca Schrumm, President of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce; Courtney Koslow, Ward 5 resident and Developer; Mark Chase, Ward 3 resident; Phil Ercolini, Ward 1 resident; and Anne Tate, Ward 4 resident.

Career Workshops Offered at Library

SOMERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY HOSTS 

CAREER WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT APRIL

Job & Career Accelerator Workshops Include Resume and Cover Letter Writing, Interviewing and Networking Techniques; Workshop is Free, Offered 5 Times through April 25^th  

                                                

SOMERVILLE – The Somerville Public Library announces a free workshop for any community member seeking to advance job seeking skills.  The LearningExpress Job & Career Accelerator provides personalized, step-by-step assistance for job seekers at all experience and education levels, and includes information on creating professional resumes and cover letters, interviewing and networking techniques, and preparing for occupation-related exams.  The workshop will be offered throughout the month of April, as follows:

·         Tuesday, April 9^th, 7:00 p.m.

·         Tuesday, April 16^th, 11:00 a.m.

·         Saturday, April 20^th, 10:00 a.m.

·         Tuesday, April 23^rd, 7:00 p.m.

·         Thursday, April 25^th, 3:00 p.m.

All workshops are held at the main branch, 79 Highland Ave.

For more information, or to register for one of the workshops, please contact the Somerville Public Library at 617-623-5000 ext 2955, or email raugarten@minlib.net.

Somerville Family Learning Collaborative April Calendar

The Somerville Family Learning Collaborative (SFLC) is the Somerville Public School's Community Outreach Program, launched several years ago to assist the District's (very important, IMO) goal of increasing family and parental involvement in their students learning. The SFLC offers programs, trainings and seminars, free and open to all Somerville families, year-round on various topics related to building family and community partnerships focused on overcoming challenges and barriers for Somerville's students.  

Interpretation and Translation is available at all SFLC programs and the staff is outstanding at communicating with families from all of the diverse backgrounds we are blessed with in Somerville; especially immigrant families and English Language Learners (ELL).

Attached please find links to this April (which starts next week -yikes!) calendars for the SFLC.


In English

En español

em Português

Nan kreyòl ayisyen

4th Annual Mayor's Fitness Challenge

Spring is here (though you wouldn't know it from the snow) and the Fourth Annual Mayor's Fitness Challenge kicks into high gear in April 2013.  The Mayors Fitness Challenge is a program of the City's Shape Up Somerville initiative, designed to encourage active living, healthy eating, and overall wellness among community members of all ages.  

Last year, more than 500 residents joined us for the Challenge, and we
hope to increase that number this year through additional programming
and special offers.   This year in addition to the Fitness Challenge
Teams and Fitness Pledge we've added the Pedometer Challenge, Businesses
Challenges, new extra point events and extended the Challenge to ten
(10) weeks.

I hope that you'll join us at the Mayor's Fitness Challenge Kick Off and
Registration, Saturday, April 13th from 11 am-3pm at the Somerville High
School and Atrium.  

Working Cities Challenge

“Working Cities Challenge” Grant Could Bring $700,000 to Somerville for Programs, Development

           

SOMERVILLE – Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development invite all interested residents to submit their ideas for the City’s application to the “Working Cities Challenge,” a competition hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The City of Somerville is eligible to compete for up to $700,000 – over the course of three years – to create cross-sector, system-level change that will improve the economic health and well-being of Somerville’s lower-income residents.  Somerville is one of 20 smaller cities throughout Massachusetts eligible to participate in the program.

The goals of the Working Cities Challenge include:

·      Supporting bold, promising approaches that have the potential to transform the lives of low-income residents and the communities in which they live;

·      Building resilient, cross-sector (public-private-nonprofit), civic infrastructure that can tackle complex challenges facing smaller industrial cities;

·      Moving beyond individual programs and projects to create a  network of people, groups and institutions who either haven’t worked together, or are working together in some new way, to solve a problem or deliver a service across multiple systems and issues;

·      Driving private markets to work on behalf of low-income residents by blending public, private, and philanthropic capital and deploying it in catalytic investments;

·      Accelerating and learning from promising work already underway; and

·      Creating a successful model for New England and beyond.

As the City prepares to apply for this grant, and in accordance with the program guidelines, we invite residents and business owners to share their ideas with our team.  How can we best improve the economic well being and quality of life in our community, especially for lower income residents?  What unique models, or partnerships, should we explore?

 Please submit any of your ideas by April 10, 2013, even in draft form, to:

Amanda Maher
Economic Development Specialist
Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning & Community Development
amaher@somervillema.gov

617-625-6600 x2528

For more information about the grant or the application process, feel free to contact Amanda directly. 

Trash Bash: Somerville’s First Recycled Art Competition May 19

Wait, don’t throw that recycling away just yet! Announcing Trash Bash, Somerville’s First Recycled Art Competition & celebration on May 19. Artists & crafters of all ages are invited to submit creations made from recyclable materials (apply by May 3) for a chance at good prizes (including a $100 savings bond for the youth winner donated by Winter Hill Savings Bank and $100 cash for the adult winner donated by ReCover Green Roofs). For inspiration, click through the gallery of recycled art below. Then, on Sunday May 19, we’ll have live music, workshops, food & more at the exhibition & award ceremony. Admission is $5: 11am-5pm at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave. Signup & info here.

Patriots Day Volunteers Needed

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR PATRIOT’S DAY CEREMONIES
Volunteers Needed for 2013 Colonial Fair at Foss Park, Monday, 4/15
           
SOMERVILLE – The City of Somerville’s Historic Preservation Commission is seeking volunteers for the 2013 Patriot’s Day ceremonies, scheduled for Monday, April 15th from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at Foss Park.  Help the City re-live Paul Revere's historic ride from Boston through Somerville and onto Lexington and Concord.  Adults and high school students are needed to volunteer at the City's annual Patriots Day Colonial Fair.
 
Volunteers will help residents learn about life in the late 1700s by leading Colonial era games, serving refreshments, and distributing and stamping Colonial Passports.  To set the scene, all volunteers will dress in Colonial era clothing, and we have clothing to lend and tips for what to wear of your own.  We’ll also teach you games to lead, including hop scotch, cat’s cradle, hoop rolling and ring toss.  Volunteers are needed to help set up beginning at 9:00 a.m., and to break down until noon.
 
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Brandon Wilson at BWilson@somervillema.gov, or 617-625-6600 ext 2532.