Vol. 4, No. 4
February 23, 2004
Contents
1) MORE ASSEMBLY SQUARE MEETINGS!
A) Vital "Public Information" Session
I must start by confessing that the reason I consider tonight's meeting to be "vital" to the future
of Assembly Square is just because it has had virtually no publicity. I was first informed of it
by an e.mail sent after 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, which read:
"ASSEMBLY SQUARE PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION
Mayor Joseph Curtatone and the Office of Housing and Community Development invite all
interested parties to an information session on the redevelopment of Assembly Square:
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2004
6 PM
Somerville High School Auditorium
Somerville High School
91 Highland Avenue
Contact Tuck O'Brien at 617-625-6600 x2500 for more information"
What I have been able to learn is that this meeting is likely to be "several hours" long, and will
"break into small groups to discuss various issues, such as transportation." I fully expect that
whatever hopes for development are voiced at this meeting will henceforth be put forward as the
"community vision" guiding the future planning of Assembly Square.
Birth of a "Community Vision"?
By late in the day on Feb. 12, when the e.mail notice was sent, many people had left town for
the long weekend, or for the vacation week, or were about to do so. The only notice of the
Monday, 2/23 meeting in the Feb. 19 SOMERVILLE JOURNAL was a brief entry in the
"Calendar" section. What kind of "community vision" can come from a meeting held on short
notice, minimally advertised over a popular vacation period - 'under the radar' of most of the
community?
We'll know very soon what sort of "vision" emerges. It will greatly depend on who has heard
about the meeting, and who decides to participate. Think about it. And, please, tell your friends.
B) Committee Meetings Scheduled
The aldermanic Committee on Legislative Matters has two more meetings scheduled this week
to discuss Assembly Square. The Board is not in a position to consider the proposed new zoning
for Assembly Square, because the administration has announced its intention to put forward new
zoning on Thursday, Feb. 26, at the earliest. In the absence of specific zoning, the Board's focus
is moving toward more general planning considerations.
The tentative agenda for the Tuesday, Feb. 24 meeting calls for presentations by Assembly
Square Limited Partnership, Ikea, and the Mystic View Task Force. On Weds., Feb. 25,
consultant Steve Cecil will be making a presentation. Both meetings are scheduled for 7:00 p.m.,
in either the aldermanic committee room or in the Aldermen's Chamber on the second floor of
City Hall.
2) LATER CLOSINGS FOR LIQUOR LICENSEES?
(NOTE: IF YOU LIVE NEAR A BUSINESS WITH A LIQUOR LICENSE, THIS ISSUE
AFFECTS YOU)
The Proposal
A number of businesses holding All-Forms 7-Day Restaurant Licenses (for liquor, that is) have
asked to extend their hours of operation by one hour. Such a change would push closing times
for such businesses from 1:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Needless to say, such a change could be a
significant quality-of-life issue for many people in Somerville who live close to establishments
with liquor licenses.
The Public Hearing
The Somerville Licensing Commission will be holding a special meeting on Monday, March 22,
2004, to take testimony on this proposed rule change. The Licensing Commission expects to
make a decision on the request to extend business hours at a second special meeting to be held
the following Monday, March 29. That meeting will be open to the public, but no testimony will
be taken.
Want to Send Written Comments?
The Secretary to the Liquor Licensing Commission is Joanne Burke, reachable through the
general City Hall number, 617-625-6600. I would expect her e.mail address to be
jburke@ci.somerville.ma.us.
Please contact her if you have any questions.
3) "GANG LOITERING" ORDINANCE RETURNS
History
As readers may remember, a proposed "gang loitering" ordinance proposed for adoption by
Somerville was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Safety of the Massachusetts legislature
in December 2002. Senator Jarrett Barrios and Rep. Tim Toomey, both of whom represent parts
of East Somerville, chair that committee, which held a public hearing on the proposed ordinance
at the East Somerville Community School on April 8, 2003.
Nothing was heard from the legislature about the ordinance until November 2003, when Senate
Counsel sent back a version of the ordinance with a changed definition of "gang loitering." The
new definition addresses constitutional problems perceived by Senate Counsel. It now cites five
kinds of specific misconduct, rather than sheer physical presence, that can trigger a violation of
the ordinance. There is also an "intent" clause which I find a bit ambiguous; read literally, it
pertains only to the last of the five "triggers;" the City Solicitor, however, believes that is
intended to modify all five.
The ordinance came back to the aldermanic Committee on Legislative Matters last November
with the question whether the amended language fairly represented the intent of the Board. The
amendment was approved in committee, and sent back to the legislature. At the November 12,
2004 Board of Aldermen's meeting, an Assistant City Solicitor submitted a communication
asking the Board for a roll call vote on the amended language.
What now?
A communication has been sent asking Senate Counsel to clarify the application of the "intent"
clause. In the meantime, the ordinance itself has been referred back to the Committee on
Legislative Matters, which is substantially occupied with new plans and zoning proposals for
Assembly Square at the moment. Anyone wishing to see the amended text of the ordinance
should contact City Clerk John Long at jlong@ci.somerville.ma.us
4) SCHOOL COMMITTEE NEWS
A) Powder House School Cited under "No Child Left Behind"
On January 28, 2004, the state's Department of Education (DOE) sent a letter to Superintendent
Argenziano notifying him that the Powder House Community School "has been identified for
Corrective Action under Section 1116(b)(7) of Public Law 107-110, the No Child Left Behind
Act of 2001 (NCLB), in the area of mathematics.": This finding by DOE makes the Somerville
School Department responsible for devising a plan for Corrective Action which will increase
"the likelihood that...[its students] will meet or exceed the State's proficient levels of
achievement...."
The letter asks the Superintendent "to document the corrective actions that you have or will be
taking" on an attached form. The letter also contains a reminder that "NCLB requires that
districts continue to make available the option for students to transfer to another school that is
not identified for improvement or corrective action, provide supplemental services to students
who remain in the school, and give technical assistance to the school."
The above summarizes the essence of the letter. I will provide a copy of the "corrective action"
plan when it becomes available.
B) Superintendent's Latest Proposal
Although I was unable to attend the Feb.11, 2004 meeting of the School Subcommittee on
Finance and Facilities, I have had the benefit of reading some excellent notes taken at that
meeting. Brown School parent Richard Wood has kindly given me permission to reprint his notes
here. The next meeting of this subcommittee is scheduled for March 4, probably at the
Powderhouse School.
Meeting Notes, Courtesy of Richard Wood
Dr. Argenziano presented preliminary budget numbers based on level funding of Chapter 70 by
the State. FY '04 budget is $46.2 million. With step & increment increases as well as negotiated
raises, level staffing would require a budget of $47,448,000. This would require a real increase
of $1,248,000 to maintain current staff levels, or require a cut of $1,248,000 to compensate. A
one percent cut in funding would require a total of $1,710,000 in cuts. Dr. Argenziano proposed
three options:
1. Do nothing (approve $47.5 million budget and hope it gets funded).
2. Cut staff across the board (between 45 and 50 jobs).
3. Cut $1.6 million by moving students out of Powderhouse School and moving all
administrative offices into Powderhouse. Dr. Argenziano made the point several times that if we
get the budget he is expecting (i.e. less than $47.5 million), then this is the only option he would
recommend.
(4. A final option brought up later is that, should the city agree to earmark funds from a
building sale, the Edgerly students would be moved to Powderhouse and the Edgerly building
would be sold; a portion of the funds would be used to make up the funding difference for
school budget. Edgerly may be worth $3-4 million)
To elaborate on option 3 savings:
1. $435,000 Cut leases at TAB and Boys' & Girls' Club
2. $700,000 PHCS Moves: Staff cut: Principal, Secretary, Para, 2 Custodians, 10 teachers
(15 layoffs)
3. $120,000 Vocational Dept: Carpentry and culinary arts teachers cut (2 layoffs)
4. $215,000 District Admin: 3 layoffs
5. $97,000 Edgerly: 2 staff and 1/2 custodians cut (2.5 layoffs)
PIC would remain at the Powderhouse School, and leases would be cut at the TAB Building
(SCALE & Somerville Community Schools) and at Boys & Girls Club (School Central Offices
& Special Ed Offices), and these would move to Powderhouse. Unidos would move to East
Somerville Community School ( this would also save about $250,000 in operational expenses
for busing from E. Somerville to Powderhouse). Special Ed would be spread out among all
schools. Brown & West Somerville would absorb the 85 neighborhood school kids (out of 124
currently at Powderhouse). Next Wave/Full Circle could also fit there if School Dept. needed
to close Edgerly.
Dr. A again mentioned that Somerville has lost 1000 kids in the school system since 1997(?).
He does not expect to get more than $45.7 million, and feels that we would be really lucky to
get $46.2 million..
No School Left Behind?
In reading the notes on Dr. Argenziano's "options" for the Fiscal Year '05 budget, it occurred
to me that "Option 3" might amount to the Superintendent's plan for "Corrective Action" for
the Powder House School. It certainly gives new meaning to NCLB's "option to transfer"
requirement.
5) RUTHERFORD OVERPASS COMING DOWN - THIS TIME FOR REAL?
The Plan
The City of Boston has notified the City of Somerville that the long-delayed demolition of the
Rutherford Avenue overpass is finally scheduled to begin in three to four weeks. Boston has
stated its intention first to hold another Neighborhood Meeting about the demolition project, the
details of which have not been set. The meeting will supposedly be advertised in the "local"
paper, who knows what this phrase means to the City of Boston.
Another Neighborhood Meeting?
The demolition supposedly will not take place until after the Neighborhood Meeting. I will pass
on better information as I receive it. Located in Sullivan Square, Charlestown, the overpass is
part of the scenic gateway to East Somerville from Boston. Because the demolition will require
remediation work to the rotary in Sullivan Square, it represents an opportunity that those of us
on the Somerville side should not miss.
6) SOMERVILLE DESTINATION OF THE MONTH
I take it for granted that everyone in the city knows by now that 'Lil Vinnie's in Magoun Square
is a superb restaurant, one of Somerville's best. But taking things for granted sometimes leads
me to miss important details. So, while I knew that 'Lil Vinnie's serves lunch (except on
Mondays), I did not until recently realize that it serves some of the best soup available
anywhere.
There is, to my way of thinking, no more satisfying food on a cold winter's day than soup. On
a recent weekday, 'Lil Vinnie's was offering not just one, but three freshly made varieties:
minestrone, pasta e fagiole, and, new to me, so I ordered it, stracciatelli. This exquisite soup
consists of fresh spinach and boiled egg in a tasty and satisfying chicken broth.
The bowls are generous, the bread is crusty, and comes with a flavorful olive oil for dipping.
There are any number of cold winter days - and cold spring days - still before us. Make the best
of it. Have lunch at 'Lil Vinnie's.
[Note: This advice is not advertising, it is my personal opinion.]
copyright 2004 Denise Provost
This file has been converted from WordPerfect
Using wp2html.exe by Andrew Scriven