By The Times Staff

The past year was an eventful one for many in the city, including further recovery by local businesses after the major threat posed by COVID-19 had been substantially quelled and life moved forward more normally as the weeks and months passed.

Somerville’s new mayor, Katjana Ballantyne, settled in her job for another year as the city’s chief administrator and held the reins steadily as she took on the issues of interest for the city.

Redevelopment and new construction projects played an important role in shaping events throughout 2023. The Somerville Redevelopment Authority (SRA) reviewed the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) draft to go forward with the redevelopment plans for 90 Washington Street at its December 21, 2022 meeting. Through the RFQ process, interested developers were asked to share their qualifications, past project experience, how they will secure financing for the project, experience promoting the participation of minorities and women, and the inclusion of minority-owned and women-owned businesses in past projects.

The public weighed in on the project, questioning several of the proposed plans for the building.

The Green Line Extension (GLX) finally opened in late 2002, with all stations becoming fully operational as the ensuing months passed by. Temporary shutdowns of certain sections of the system for repairs were a sometime vexing problem for commuters, but on the whole it ran fairly smoothly throughout most of the year.

Some controversy arose in January when the city demanded that the Somerville Media Center relocate its operations, as had been requested months earlier. Many on the City Council and in the community strongly objected to the order and voiced their disapproval of the plan in kind.

The Somerville Building Commissioner, in consultation with the Somerville Fire Chief, ordered that the City’s 90-92 Union Square building close to the public on August 31 due to public safety risk.

The Somerville Media Center secured a temporary site in Somerville effective September 1, at Somernova, a 7.4-acre innovation campus and community located just outside Union Square.

In February, Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Department of Racial and Social Justice (RSJ) announced the launch of the RSJ Community Engagement Ambassadors program. The newly onboarded Community Ambassadors would actively work with the city to expand engagement with the Public Safety for All Initiative with the aim of building new avenues for participation and empowering community voices.

A search for a new Chief of Police for Somerville was launched after Chief David Fallon retired from the Somerville Police force in December 2020 after 21 years of service. Chief Charles Femino accepted the role of Acting Chief at that time taking on pandemic public safety emergency response duties as well as the ongoing work of the department.

Similarly, the Somerville School Committee voted to reopen the application process for a new Superintendent of Schools. The School Committee hoped to select a new Superintendent by July 2023, in advance of the new school year. The Committee ultimately selected Dr. Rubén Carmona to serve as the next Superintendent of the Somerville Public Schools. Dr. Carmona was one of four finalists who participated in site visits and public interviews during the week of March 27.

In early March, the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) hosted a public hearing on a proposed plan designed to tackle access to affordable housing in the city. The HOME Investment Partnership American Rescue Plan Program (HOME ARP) Allocation Plan was in need to be spent by April 2030.

According to figures from the meeting, $1.2 million dollars are proposed to be allocated for supportive services with the rest of the funds given to non-profit organizations designed to tackle homelessness in Somerville.

Also in March, a Home Rule petition to establish rent control to combat the rising rent costs across the city was introduced by the City Council.

In addition to the petition, there was also resounding support for the protection of Somerville tenants. Massachusetts State Representative Mike Connolly filed the Tenant Protection Act in 2021 and said he believes tenants who are at risk of eviction are the ones who are disproportionately affected by wealth and social inequalities.

Towards the end of March, the Somerville City Council made history by passing groundbreaking non-discrimination ordinances protecting polyamorous families and relationships. The ordinances make Somerville the first city in the United States to extend explicit legal protections to polyamorous and other non-nuclear families and relationships.

A Community Safety Meeting was held to discuss the March 21 gunfire incident in Winter Hill, with cars and storefronts damaged by stray bullets in Somerville, and gun activity in Somerville in general. An overview on understanding violence-related trauma and where to find mental health resources were also be provided.

On April 11, the city announced that it has adopted a plan for a bicycle network. A public statement was released stating that after more than a year of engagement, research, and analysis, the city of had released Somerville’s first-ever citywide Bicycle Network Plan.

The Plan documents Somerville’s community-based vision for an 88-mile network of connected streets and paths where people of all ages and abilities will be able to bike safely and comfortably.

In 2022, the city announced its first ever Participatory Budget, an initiative that would let residents decide how it would spend $1 million of its fiscal 2023 budget. Since March 20, 2023, residents had been able to add ideas to a map on the official website, pbsomervillema.poepublic.com, or submit suggestions via telephone.

In May, the City Council’s Land Use Committee, put forward an order requesting that the Director of Economic Development update the Council on the implementation of the Union Square Covenant, which includes local and veterans preference in hiring.

Also in May, mayors from Somerville, Cambridge, Lynn, and Salem joined with leaders from the City of Boston and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll to sign the CommonWealth Development Compact, committing to historic 25 percent Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) evaluation criteria in public real estate development projects within their municipalities, as well as groundbreaking DEI considerations in private real estate projects.

Later in May, Mayor Katjana Ballantyne joined Greystar and Consigli to celebrate the topping out of 74M, a 17-story, 465,000 square foot purpose-built lab office building in the Assembly Square district of Somerville, which is redefining itself as a hub for research and development.

The Somerville Homeless Coalition opened a new Engagement Center in May to support Somerville’s unhoused residents.

The Engagement Center has been operating with federal American Rescue Plan Act funding provided by the city. This facility, open during the day when shelters frequently are not, allows clients to drop in on an as-needed basis and also enables Homeless Coalition staff to invite unsheltered clients to meet privately indoors.

In June, Somerville Schools officials and city administrators began looking for ways to safely and efficiently reassign students at Winter Hill Community School to alternative classrooms to finish out the school year after a piece of concrete fell onto a stairwell inside of the school last week.

While no one was inside the building at the time of the incident, the alarming event became a cause for immediate concern and the school was closed down permanently for the duration of the school term while structural engineering crews began the process of inspecting the building to assess the extent of the damage and deterioration present.

The Green Line Extension (GLX) Community Path opened to the public on Saturday, June 10.

In July, the City Council discussed the de-prioritization of enforcement against cyclists who view stop signs as yield signs and red lights as stop signs. It was noted that in recent months the police department had accepted a grant and was engaging in targeted enforcement with warnings and tickets to cyclists who continue to travel through red lights. According to one council member, the federal government has concluded that the Idaho stop actually leads to increased safety and reduced injuries.

On August 1, a virtual public meeting was held to discuss the future of the historic Somerville Armory building. The Somerville Arts Council members were present to discuss the different approaches to the future of the historic building’s management. They said that creating a sense of belonging is essential for the artists currently involved in the space, and that for visitors the space needs to be inviting and inspiring. The Arts Council stated that the city currently owns the Armory and plans to remain the owner.

Also in August, parents of students attending the summer session at the Edgerly Education Center were notified that classes would end three days early due to disruptions caused by construction crews working in and around the building. The school had been undergoing renovations in preparation of accepting students from Winter Hill Community Innovation School in the fall.

Somerville City Council members requested that the mayor declare homelessness a public state of emergency at the Somerville City Council meeting on August 24.

In October, a federal jury in Boston convicted Attorney Sean O’Donovan of two counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.

The citywide election for the City of Somerville took place on November 7. A number of City Council seats were contested, along with a challenge for the Office of Mayor. In the race for mayor, incumbent Katjana Ballantyne prevailed to win her second term.

2023 was a year characterized by the usual accomplishments and controversies that are to be expected in this dynamic City of Somerville. May 2024 bring even more of the best that the city has to offer.