By George P. Hassett

Marty Martinez’ election night party at Sagra Restaurant in Davis Square was supposed to be a party. It was supposed to celebrate the election of Martinez as the city’s newest alderman. Well that is what was supposed to happen.

Instead Martinez’ opponent John M. Connolly came from 400 votes behind in the primary to upset him by 558 votes in the general election. And at Sagra that night the biggest complaint Martinez supporters had was the Board of Aldermen would continue to be a legislative body too willing to blindly follow the wishes of Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone without the necessary level of debate.

“I think the board is insufficiently independent, if Marty was elected more people would get cable. They would be interested in the level of debate that would have happened,” state rep. Denise Provost said last week at the Davis Square restaurant.

Provost said aldermen were too willing to accept Curtatone’s proposals without thinking critically of the consequences.

“During the last budget sessions, when I offered compromises on ways to reduce the budget, my colleagues {on the Board of Aldermen} reacted as if I was trying to cut their personal allowances,” she said.

Provost caused the special election when she resigned from her position on the board to concentrate full time on her duties as state representative.

Martinez supporter Todd S. Kaplan called the Board of Aldermen “a rubber stamp” for the mayor as he was leaving the disappointed crowd.

Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz also said the board was not independent enough from Curtatone. The only major piece of legislation proposed by Curtatone and outright rejected by the board was the Connect CTY dispute last year. Aldermen defeated the resolution to buy the service that allows city officials to call residents directly and warn them of snow emergencies or public safety issues. It was eventually given to the city for free for a trial use and funded in this year’s budget.

  Alderman-at-Large William A. White endorsed Martinez in March. At the time he said he did so because the at-large positions are an important balance to the ward aldermen who must rely on the mayor to deliver city services to constituents. Aldermen-at-large are better equipped to be independent voices checking the mayor‚Äôs power, he said. White said Provost had done a good job of filling that role and felt Martinez was best suited to succeed her in it.

However the voters said differently last week and sent Connolly, the Ward 6 alderman for 22 years until he lost in 2005, back to the board. Connolly said he will not be shy in criticizing Curtatone when he disagrees with the mayor. He said he has already opposed Curtatone last year when Curtatone introduced a controversial measure to revise the rules surrounding condominium conversions in the city. Connolly was not on the board at the time.

“Do I have to oppose the mayor on everything to be independent? I don’t think so. But if the mayor does something that doesn’t make sense, I’ll step up and say something,” he said.

Ward 1 Alderman Bill Roche said he has opposed the mayor on two important issues, the condominium conversion and a “City of Hope” resolution which would have asserted Somerville as a place that welcomes all immigrants regardless of their documentation status.
“That’s not supporting the mayor all the time.”

For his part, Curtatone said he tries to work well with the board but understands they are a separate body. He said he welcomes debate from aldermen.

“They don’t give me everything I want. I don’t get unanimous votes on everything, they have turned me down before,” he said.

He said there may be a different reason why Martinez’ supporters were raising the issue that night at Sagra.

‚ÄúSounds like sour grapes to me,‚Äù he said.