Don't Forget

Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, the Somerville Office of Commissions and the Somerville Public Schools announce the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration event, entitled, “The Dream: Equality for All,” to be held on Monday, January 20^th in accordance with national MLK Day remembrance.  The 2014 event will be held at the East Somerville Community School from 11am – 1pm, and will include featured speaker Professor Adenrele Awotona, UMass/Boston Center for Rebuilding Sustainable Communities After Disasters as well as live music, readings from Somerville student essays in response to the 2014 theme “Equality for All,” and an award presentation to community members who exemplify MLK’s legacy in the Somerville community.  The event is free and open to the public.

Additionally this year, the City of Somerville and MLK Jr. Day Committee are sponsoring a “Day of Service,” which will include a Red Cross Blood Drive and canned food drive.  The American Red Cross mobile unit will be stationed outside of the East Somerville Community School from 11:00am to 4:00pm.  To make an appointment, please call 1-800-733-RED-CROSS, or visit redcrossblood.org.  Donations of canned and non-perishable food will be accepted at the event, to support local food pantries.

The Mayor 2014 Inaugural Address

Congratulations Mayor Curtatone on your 6th term as Mayor of the City of Somerville.

Thank You & Congratulations

It has truly been an honor and a privilege to have served the residents of Ward One for this past decade - not only as School Committee Representative but also as your Alderman for this past year.

I love this City and I love Ward One!  I believe this Mayor, his administration, the School Committee and the Board of Aldermen have done some amazing things over this past decade that have put Somerville on the map and I am so happy to have been a part of it.

I'd like to thank everyone - absolutely everyone - with whom I have had the privilege of working with over the past 10 years - especially the residents of Ward One.

I'd like to congratulate our new Alderman - Matt McLaughlin and offer my assistance if there is any way I can help out.  I would also like to pass along Matt's information (which is below) should anyone need to contact him.  I would also like to give Matt the email addresses of the people who have been receiving updates from me this past year.  If I do not hear from you I will assume it is o.k. for me to pass along your email address so Matt can continue to keep everyone updated. 

Matt's website has been linked in the sidebar.

Once again - Thank you everyone!  And good luck Matt!

Matt McLaughlin
184 Broadway
Somerville, MA  02145
617-684-5475
MMcLaughlin@Somervillema.gov  **
mattforward1@gmail.com
Matt's web site - just click here
Matt's Facebook page - just click here
Matt's Twitter Feed - just click here

**  Currently the City is working out some kinks in Matt's City email address so he has asked me to include the additional one. 

Thank you!
Maureen Bastardi

Traffic Commission Agenda

Traffic Commission Agenda

January 16, 2014

Where:  Tufts Administrative Building, 167 Holland St, 2^nd floor

When:  Thursday January 16, 2014 at 6pm

Item #1 – Acceptance of Minutes from December 19, 2013 Traffic Commission Meeting

Item #2 – Request for Handicapped Parking

27 Berkeley St

11 Putnam St

Item #3 – Request for Drop Off/Pick Up, School Zone, 7am-8am and 2:30pm-3:00pm, Monday-Friday, September-June on Cross St at the Edgerly School replacing the existing restriction No Parking School, 7am-3pm, Monday-Friday, September-June.  Revert to Residential Permit Parking during non restrictive periods.

Item #4 – Request for Drop Off/Pick Up, School Zone, 7am-8am and 2:30pm-3:00pm, Monday-Friday, September-June on Morrison Av between Willow Av and Josephine Av currently restricted for Residential Permit Parking.  Revert back to Residential Permit Parking during non restrictive periods.

Item #5 – Request for No Parking along the south side of Medford St from Prospect Hill to Washington St beginning on 1/1/14 through 6/30/14 for the McCarthy Overpass Construction Project (previously approved through 12/31/13).

Item #6 – Request for No Parking Any Time on Medford St, left side, from Washington St to Somerville Av beginning on 1/1/14 through 6/30/14 for the McCarthy Overpass Construction Project (previously approved through 12-31-13)

Item #7 – Prior Business

1. 15 Minute Parking at 514 Medford St; approved for 90 day trial period in September 2013.
2. No Parking on Cedar St at Franey Rd, first two spaces, approved for a 90 day trial period in September 2013.

Item #8 – Informational Item regarding Kidder Ave

All future agenda's and meetings can be found just by clicking here.

PUBLIC INVITED TO HOUSING ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION SERIES TO HELP SHAPE CITY’S HOUSING AGENDA

SOMERVILLE – As more families and individuals seek to remain in Somerville amid market forces that are creating a crunch of affordable and moderate-priced housing across the metro area and in Somerville, the City of Somerville, Somerville Community Corporation (SCC) and Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) invite the community to three public forums starting the first week of February to discuss housing issues in the city and to help inform and shape future housing policy.

The forums, titled Housing Roundtables: A Discussion Series on Housing for Families and Individuals in Somerville, will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 4; Tuesday, Feb. 11; and Tuesday, March 4, with each forum starting with registration and refreshments at 5:30 and discussion running from 6 to 8:30 p.m. All meetings will be held at the Argenziano School, 290 Washington St. in Somerville, and will include childcare and interpretation services.

Community members are encouraged to attend any or all of these forums to contribute their thoughts and experiences around housing issues in Somerville and to share their goals for future City housing policy. Staff members from the City, SCC and MAPC will guide the strategy sessions, which will build upon the community’s vision for housing diversity as laid out in SomerVision, the city’s 20-year comprehensive plan.

“Housing costs are rising across the metro area, but in Somerville we will not stand by and let our lower-income families or our working middle class get pushed out. As Somerville’s appeal grows and more people seek to live or stay here, we must protect those who chose Somerville years ago while we also welcome new families who want to plant roots in our community—and to make that happen, we need forward-thinking housing policy,” said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone.

“We’ve been addressing the challenge of keeping housing affordable through a number of initiatives including passage of the Community Preservation Act, the establishment of our Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and by setting our affordable housing requirements far above the state’s benchmark. And currently, we are also working on new initiatives to expand our affordable housing program to working, middle-class families and to create artist and maker districts through zoning that will protect affordable live/work spaces. But we need to do more,” added Mayor Curtatone. “Through these forums, we will tap the wisdom of the community to ensure we continue to pursue bold, effective strategies for addressing the city’s housing needs. Somerville’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths, and we will ensure that we retain that diversity and that Somerville remains a home for all.”

The first meeting on Feb. 4 will feature special guest Rachel Bratt, Professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University and Senior Fellow at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. At this forum, the community will discuss what exactly family friendly housing is; what kind of housing does the community need to be able to raise a family in Somerville; how the community can work together to meet those needs; and how to best ensure affordable options for a range of incomes.

The second meeting on Feb. 11 will feature special guest Tim Reardon, MAPC Assistant Director of Data Services and a newly released MAPC report “The Dimensions of Displacement,” developed in partnership with SCC and the City of Somerville over the past two years, which delves into gentrification and displacement in Somerville, particularly along the Green Line corridor. At this forum, the community will discuss what gentrification is and why it happens; how displacement resulting from gentrification has shaped Somerville’s history; and how the community can work together to ensure changes coming to Somerville benefit all segments of the city’s population.

At the third and final meeting on March 4, the analysis and discussion from the first two forums will be used by participants to develop concrete strategies and tools for moving forward with a strong and effective housing agenda for Somerville.

Funding for this project is provided in part by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Sustainable Communities Program.

Stay Alert

Over the past three months, there have been three assaults on women in Somerville in the Union and Porter Square areas after dark, in the evening and early nighttime hours. Most recently, indecent assaults were reported on Sunday, Jan. 12, in the vicinity of Hawkins St. in Union Sq., and on Thursday, Jan. 2, in the area of Porter and Summer Streets.

The Somerville Police Department is working to identify and apprehend the suspects as quickly as possible, and we wish to alert residents, especially women, to take safety precautions when walking at night. Do not wear ear buds while walking, avoid poorly lit areas, be aware of your surroundings. Keep your cell phone handy at all times, and if possible do not walk alone. If you are approached by a man you do not know, call 911 right away.

 For more information, including descriptions of the suspects, please call the Somerville Police Department or visit www.somervillema.gov.

 Anyone with information regarding any of these assaults is asked to contact the Somerville Police Department at 617.625.1600.

The Somerville Police Department Tuesday released the sketch of a suspect who may have committed sexual assaults in the areas around Union and Porter squares over the past three months.