Somerville by Design

The City of Somerville’s “Somerville by Design” community planning series continues this month with Visioning Sessions for the East Somerville and Davis Square neighborhoods. The Visioning sessions will be the second of four events in each process to help the City create a roadmap for future development based on community needs and wishes in these areas. Somerville by Design series were conducted for Station Area Planning surrounding the proposed Green Line Extension in 2012. Upcoming meetings in each neighborhood are as follows:

• East Somerville: (choose one of two nights, sessions are the same) Tuesday, July 16^th, OR Monday, July 29^th. 6:30 p.m. at the Capuano School, 150 Glen St.
• Davis Square:  choose one of two nights, sessions are the same) Wednesday, July 17^th, OR Tuesday, July 30^th. 6:30 p.m. @ First Church Somerville UCC, 89 College Ave.

Somerville by Design is a cutting-edge approach to community planning that uses resident know-how to solve challenging physical planning and urban design issues. It makes planning fun, using highly visual, interactive techniques such as “Open Studio” design sessions, neighborhood meetings, block walking and online surveys. Most important, it provides multiple ways for the public to get involved in generating and refining physical design plans for sites and neighborhoods that are driven by community member’s preferences and creative ideas. In 2012, hundreds of residents and businesspersons participated in the Somerville by Design “Station Area Planning Series” for Gilman Square, Lowell Street / Magoun Square, and Ball Square neighborhoods that will soon be served by the Green Line Extension.

Two additional meetings in each series will take place in September and October 2013.

Additional information is available on the City of Somerville website at www.somervillebydesign.com. 

GROUNDBREAKING AND RIBBON CUTTING

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Ward 1 Alderman Maureen Bastardi announce two events to celebrate the ongoing renovation along East Broadway. On Monday, July 15^th the City of Somerville will partner with East Somerville Main Streets (ESMS) for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the East Broadway Reconstruction Project that began in Fall 2012. The City will also officially re-open the recently renovated Chuckie Harris Park on Cross Street East. The events will begin at 6 p.m. at Chuckie Harris Park, followed by a short walking tour of East Broadway led by the Mayor. A reception will follow the tour, and light refreshments will be served at Harris Park prior to the speaking agenda.

“East Somerville is on the brink of a total, positive transformation, and the reconstruction of East Broadway and the addition of a new and exciting play space for children and families really highlights all the tremendous progress being made in that neighborhood,” said Mayor Curtatone. “Renowned restaurateurs, developers and executives have already recognized East Somerville’s potential and new restaurants and businesses have cropped up over the last several months. Though work has been ongoing, we are excited to welcome Chuckie Harris Park, and to celebrate summer by highlighting the great progress being made in East Somerville.”

“Residents of East Somerville have long awaited the changes that are finally coming our way, and as we already start to see the changes and positive results, we look forward to showing the rest of Somerville, and the entire metro area, the unique flavor, diversity, and thriving local business district that East Somerville has fostered for so long,” said Alderman Bastardi.

The East Broadway Streetscape Project will include major upgrades to safety and traffic operation systems, including the addition of bike lanes in each direction, infrastructure improvements and streetscape improvements such as wider sidewalks, new trees and sidewalks. The project began in late 2012 and is expected to be completed in 2014. Construction updates and additional information are available at www.somervillema.gov.

"The East Broadway renovation and the new Harris Park design both do such a nice job of playing off of the East Broadway Business District's existing asset, a vibrant street life,” said Carrie Dancy, Executive Director of East Somerville Main Streets. “The wider sidewalks will quickly make East Broadway the city's outdoor dining destination - and the seating and movie screen at the park convert it in an instant community hub. We can't wait to see even more people out enjoying the neighborhood and business district." 

Chuckie Harris Park, a formerly vacant, paved lot on Cross Street East, underwent significant reconstruction over the last year. The park honors the memory of Somerville resident Chuckie Harris. Upgrades to the park were designed with significant community input, and the park now includes more than 70 new trees, multi-functional recreational and meeting spaces, and 100% ADA accessibility, transforming the space from a vacant lot to an urban oasis.

Monday’s events will begin with a brief speaking agenda, followed by a ribbon cutting officially re-opening Chuckie Harris Park. Mayor Curtatone will then lead a short walking tour up Cross Street East, left onto Broadway, finishing at the East Branch Library, during which participants will learn about and see firsthand the work ongoing on Broadway. Demonstrations of bike lanes, café seating, and more will be available along the route. At the end of the tour, everyone is invited to a reception to be hosted by the East End Grille.

For more information about either of these projects, visit www.somervillema.gov or contact the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and community development at 617-625-6600 x2500.

Staying Cool When You Don't Have Air Conditioning

In summer, heat waves can strike areas of the country where cooler climates are the norm. In these areas, many homes do not have air conditioning, and surviving in the extreme temperatures becomes a challenge for everyone. The following steps can help you keep cool during a heat wave even if you have an air-conditioned home.

1. Use box fans and ceiling fans to promote air circulation throughout your home. Opening doors in the house and using box fans to push hot air outdoors can function as an "exhaust" system and draw cooler evening air into the house. In the cooler evenings, open all windows and promote as much air circulation as possible. When the sun rises, close all doors and windows, making sure to close curtains and blinds as well, to keep the indoors cool for as long as possible. When the outside air cools to a lower temperature than inside (usually in the evenings or at night), open up the windows and turn on the fans again.
2. Take advantage of the cooling power of water. Fill buckets or basins and soak your feet. Wet towels and bandannas can have a cooling effect when worn on the shoulders or head. Take cool showers or baths, and consider using a spray bottle filled with cold water for refreshing spritzes throughout the day.
3. Head downstairs. Since hot air rises, the upper stories of a home will be warmer than the ground floor. A basement can be a cool refuge from the midday heat.
4. Eliminate extra sources of heat. Incandescent light bulbs can generate unnecessary heat, as can computers or appliances left running. Eat fresh foods that do not require you to use the oven or stove to prepare.
5. Remember to maintain an adequate level of hydration, which means you'll need to consume more water than you usually do when it's hot. If you're sweating profusely, you will also need to replace electrolytes by eating a small amount of food with your water or by drinking specially-formulated electrolyte replacement drinks. Thirst is the first sign of dehydration; you should drink sufficient amounts of fluids before you feel thirsty in order to prevent dehydration.
6. Avoid alcoholic beverages and caffeine, as both of these substances can act as diuretics and promote dehydration.
7. For a homemade "air conditioning" system, sit in the path of a box fan that is aimed at an open cooler, or pan filled with ice.
8. Try to visit public buildings with air conditioning during the hottest hours of the day if the heat becomes unbearable. Libraries, shopping malls, and movie theaters can all be good places to cool down.
9. Don't eat large, protein-rich meals that can increase metabolic heat and warm the body.
10. Be able to recognize the symptoms of heat-related illnesses and true heat emergencies (heat cramps, heat rash, heat exhaustion, heat stroke). Call emergency services (911) in the event of a heat emergency and try to cool the victim until help arrives.
11. Finally, remember that pets also suffer when the temperature rises.Cooling animals (dogs, rabbits, cats) by giving them a "cool" bath or shower will help keep their body temperature down. A cool towel on a tile floor to lay on, a cool towel or washcloth laying over the skin next to a fan will also help cool the animal. Make sure they have plenty of cool water to drink as well. Signs of a heat stroke in a pet are:

• rapid panting,
• wide eyes,
• lots of drooling,
• hot skin,
• twitching muscles,
• vomiting and
• a dazed look.
• Call your vet if you think your pet has a heat stroke.

FREE MEAL FOR ALL SOMERVILLE YOUTH

FREE MEALS FOR ALL SOMERVILLE YOUTH THIS SUMMER: On Mondays through Fridays, July 8 through August 23, any Somerville youth under the age of 19 can stop by one of several sites around the City to get a free breakfast and/or lunch. (For locations, please see the accompanying photo or visit http://bit.ly/1cML1Ny.) The free meals will be prepared by Somerville's award-winning Food and Nutrition Services Department. If you have questions or would like more information about the Summer Meals Program, please call 617-625-6600 ext. 6080.

Letter From Mayor Curtatone

JULY 2, 2013

I want to thank the Board of Aldermen for their prudent management of taxpayer money in this year’s budget process. The Board spent long nights reviewing the proposed fiscal 2014 budget, asking thoughtful questions with care and seriousness, as they do every year.

This budget holds dear the values of patience, of analyzing the facts, projecting the long-term effects and then modestly investing in the growth of our city, while remaining ever-mindful that residents expect and deserve for us to maximize every last tax dollar.

On their last night of budget deliberations, I told the aldermen that I knew they, too, share those values, and that any savings they proposed for our constituents would be based on fidelity to the facts and to an efficient, strategic and inclusive government that always keeps its eyes firmly on the horizon.

The honorable Board did just that. In total, the aldermen cut $834,215 from the City’s $181.8 million budget proposal for the coming year, including:

·         $350,000 in building insurance, savings available due to the City receiving and selecting an insurer’s bid lower than what had been conservatively budgeted.

·         $236,366 in salaries across City departments, savings available due to those positions not being filled immediately on July 1.

·         $93,349 in debt service, savings available due to the City receiving lower than conservatively budgeted interest rates on borrowing.

·         $16,017 from the water and sewer enterprise funds.

In fulfilling their obligation to our constituents, the Board of Aldermen reaffirmed its belief in our city and our strategy of playing the long game, not relying on short-term gimmicks for revenues or cuts now that become a burden later. The Board and City Hall listened to our residents who said they want more education funding, more efficient city services that reach every person in Somerville, and a long-term sustainable fiscal strategy for this city, all while identifying strategic savings where possible.  This budget delivers that to our residents,  both now and in the future.  

 Like the Board’s deliberations, every budget request sent to the Board was carefully born of a fastidious process based on our core values. We are not satisfied with the status quo, but remain patient in a strategy recently lauded by Moody’s Investors Service, which specifically cited our “conservative budgeting approach” and “ambitious economic development plan” in reaffirming the City’s highest-ever credit rating.

We continue to maximize every last tax dollar, spending nearly the least per capita in Massachusetts while providing far more in services than most, and continuing to have a tax rate that, accounting for the residential exemption, remains lower than all of our neighbors save for the gigantic commercial base that is Cambridge.

This city has achieved so much in the past decade, with the help of a Board of Aldermen that has supported boldness in the face of ever-dwindling outside support, rising fixed costs and dwindling state aid. But we believed in ourselves, and that’s why others believe in Somerville today. We invested in ourselves, and that’s why others are investing in our city.

I thank Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston for her steady leadership as chairwoman of the Finance Committee and each alderman for their leadership and thoughtful debate: Board President and At-Large Alderman Bill White; Vice President and At-Large Alderman John Connolly; At-Large Aldermen Bruce Desmond and Dennis Sullivan; and ward aldermen Maureen Bastardi (Ward 1), Tom Taylor (Ward 3), Tony Lafuente (Ward 4), Courtney O’Keefe (Ward 5), Rebekah Gewirtz (Ward 6) and Bob Trane (Ward 7).

With this budget and the Board of Aldermen’s thoughtful, critical work, we carry on that belief in ourselves. We reject the status quo. We believe that good government can improve the lives of our residents and fulfill our vision of an ever more prosperous future.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

Trash!

This summer, Russell Disposal, the City of Somerville’s contracted trash hauler, will be adding trucks to their daily routes, helping to ensure that trash and recycling are picked up as early as possible. With this in mind and as we head into the warm summer months, the City of Somerville and Somerville Department of Public Works remind all residents of proper trash and recycling storage and disposal procedures to help keep the City clean. Please remember that receptacles must be placed curbside after 4 p.m. the night before and no later than 7 a.m. the day of your collection.

When storing trash on your property, please also remember that City Ordinance requires that trash be kept in sealed containers. Improperly stored trash will result in fines to property owners. In addition to keeping the City clean, these procedures will also help to reduce rodent activity.

For additional information on trash and recycling guidelines, please visit www.somervillema.gov/departments/dpw.

Thank you, and have a wonderful summer!

Medford Street Bridge Construction

As preparations continue throughout the City of Somerville in anticipation of the Green Line Extension Project, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will begin intensive repairs to the Medford Street Bridge in July that will require the full closure of Medford Street between Somerville Ave. and South Street through July 21^st. Beginning on Friday, July 5^th, this portion of roadway will be closed to vehicles 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the next three weeks. Pedestrian access will be maintained, and detour signage has been posted in these areas. Throughout construction, details and information can be found at www.greenlinextension.com, or by calling 1-855-GLX-INFO.

Detours in the Medford Street and South Street area will be as follows:

·         Left on South Street to Windsor Place (approximately 0.5 miles)

·         Right on Webster Ave (approximately 500 ft)

·         Right on Prospect Street (approximately 0.25 miles)

·         Right on Somerville Ave (approximately 1.2 miles)

·         Right on Cambridge Street (at Lechmere Station) 

Repairs to the Medford Street Bridge have been ongoing since March 2013, and will continue through July 2014 as the State prepares to install the first of six new Green Line stations in Somerville, the first to be situated in Union Square. The project officially broke ground in December, 2012 at a press conference with Governor Deval Patrick, MassDOT Secretary Richard Davey, Congressman Michael Capuano and members of the state delegation.  

For more information about the project, and for ongoing construction updates, please visit www.greenlineextension.com or www.somervillema.gov. or call 1-855-GLX-INFO (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).