Confrontational residents of Ward 6 questioned official policies and practices at the Ward 6 ResiStat get-together last week. - Photo by Meghan Frederico

By Harry Kane

Tempers flared at the final ResiStat meeting in Ward 6 last week, as Mayor Joseph Curtatone came under fire from angry residents in the community. Several of the community’s impassioned members descended on Mayor Curtone for mainly one issue, the Summer Street Project.

These unidentified citizens commented extensively on their dislike of recent activities amidst the ongoing project. Specifically they felt that the open meeting laws had been violated during a planning board meeting. One disgruntled woman, only referred to as Liz, accused the Somerville government of corruption.

Other interesting topics of conversation included the Powder House Circle. There has been a growing problem this year with 17 crashes on the Powder House Rotary. Most of the crashes occurred in the afternoon hours on weekdays. According to the study on Somerville motor vehicle accidents between the years of 2008 to 2010, 3,046 collisions were reported in Somerville, totaling a 38 percent  decrease in annual crashes.

In the crime analysis section, the major disconcerting violent crime statistic is the rise in rape from previous years. Between January 1st and May 27 of 20ll there have been 12 rapes in Somerville. This is a 200 percent  rise from 2010 and a 300 percernt change from 2009. When asked, police stated that all of these rapes have been solved. Domestic assaults are also up 44 percent  from last year while robbery has decreased 49 percent since 2009. Residential Burglary is down 45 percent while commercial burglary is up 24 percent  since last year. Vehicle theft is on par with last year’s data of 68 stolen automobiles.
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On a positive note, the Assembly Square Development is on track, and according to one city official, the new city project will beak ground this Autumn or early next Spring. Assembly Square has been in strategic planning for the last 15 years. In the past 20 years there has only been a 4% increase in commercial space. The impact of the Assembly Square development will greatly increase the number of jobs in Somerville and contribute over $17 million in new taxes.