Mayor Curtatone shared some ideas with those in attendance at the Ward 1 ResiStat meeting held Monday night at the East Somerville Community School.

By Jack Adams

The Ward 1 ResiStat meeting took place May 19 at the East Somerville Community School. City officials, the Ward 1 captain and deputy of police, and Mayor Curtatone spoke about pertinent city issues, and residents had the chance to ask questions after each official spoke.

Curtatone spoke first, opening the meeting talking about how he wants to make Somerville a more walkable and bikeable city.

“This impacts not just our ability to get around, but overall our health, our economy, and overall our quality of life,” he said.

Curtatone said potholes have also been an issue, and he described the city’s efforts to fill them as a “war of attrition.” To improve streets, in addition to fixing potholes, Somerville relies on Chapter 90 road-repair and maintenance funding from the state, in addition to funds generated by the city.

“For every dollar we invest now [in our streets], we save four to six dollars down the road,” Curtatone said.

He said the city is working on several major improvements, including transforming East Broadway. The improvements will be completed within the calendar year.

Somerville Police Captain Stephen Carrabino (above) and design specialist Brad Ross (below) also addressed important issues confronting Ward 1 residents.

He also mentioned the Community Preservation Act (CPA) passed a few years back. It is a surcharge on property tax bills, which directs money to creating or expanding affordable housing, open space, recreational space, and/or historic preservation efforts. He said 30 percent of the money generated goes to those areas (10 percent to each), while a CPA committee, elected by statute, decides upon the use of the other 70 percent.

Curtatone said that as part of SomerVision, the city’s comprehensive 20-year plan, Somerville officials hope to create 6,000 new units of housing in the next two decades, 1,200 of which will be deeded as permanent affordable housing.

“Density is really good for sustainability, for the environment, for the economy, for diversity,” he said. “The more sprawl, the worse it is for Somerville.”

After Curtatone, Meghan Eckermann “talked trash,” as Curtatone put it.

She began by talking about rats. Eckermann showed a graphic with the number of calls reporting rats in Somerville. In 2012 and 2013, the number of calls increased dramatically, with over 600 calls. She said some of the factors controlling the number of rats are open trashcans and pet food and water left outside.

To help combat the problem, Somerville is offering residents one free visit from pest control if it’s determined that there truly is a rat infestation. In addition to regular extermination methods, Somerville has agreed to be a testing ground for a new rat birth control drug called SenesTech, which will make rats infertile. Curtatone jokingly called it “Planned Rat-hood.” He said the effects of the SenesTech should be apparent next year. The city will also begin providing residents with tighter-sealed trash containers beginning next month.

Newly promoted police captain Stephen Carrabino, in charge of Ward 1, spoke about safety. He said that so far in 2014, robbery has been down by 47 percent compared to the last three years, and assaults have been down by 41 percent.

Carrabino said commercial burglaries are an issue. He gave an example of a series of burglaries around Pearl Street. After the police picked up a man who fit a description of the criminal suspected in the robberies, the crimes ended.

“One person can wreck our neighborhood,” he said.

Brad Ross. — Photos by Jack Adams

He advised people not to wear ear buds while walking, to walk with friends, to leave a light on when leaving the house, to cover the ATM pin pad, and to lock car doors.

“Don’t do things that are going to attract a criminal to you, because crime is going to be here,” he said. ”It’s not going to end; just use common sense.”

Brad Ross ended the meeting discussing design. He said he is open to suggestions from residents. He also talked about the need to update the technology used for cataloging and planning Somerville’s neighborhoods.

Moving forward, Somerville’s neighborhoods need to be walkable, accessible, vibrant, funky and full of that “diverse, culturally-dynamic Somerville spirit,” Ross said.

He lamented zoning regulations that make it possible to box in porches, yet do not allow for adding new porches.

“Our residents love this form, and we know that data supports that it is part of our culture here in Somerville, which our regulations don’t necessarily support,” he said.