Former Romney official joins Mayor’s team
By George P. Hassett

   Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced Friday that economic development and environmental policy expert Douglas I. Foy has agreed to serve as a senior policy advisor on a wide range of urban development plans and projects in the city.
   Foy was appointed by Gov. Willard Mitt Romney as the first secretary of the State Office of Commonwealth Development, and charged with the task of linking agencies as diverse as transportation, environment, and housing. He was president of the Conservation Law Foundation for 25 years.

  This week Curtatone said the entire city will benefit from Foy‚Äôs expertise. Foy will donate his services to the city for free.
  ‚ÄúDoug Foy is one of the nation‚Äôs leading experts in smart growth planning,‚Äù Curtatone said. ‚ÄúHe‚Äôs been an effective and influential governmental leader and public advocate for over three decades ‚Äì and we‚Äôre incredibly fortunate to have access to his wisdom and advice as we map out a sustainable, balanced, long-term development agenda for the city of Somerville.
   Curtatone said he would be asking Foy to provide technical assistance in shaping development strategies for the Assembly Square district, Union Square, the planned Green Line corridor, and the Brickbottom, Inner Belt and Boynton Yards development areas.
    During his three year tenure with Romney, Foy was credited with playing a crucial role in getting the state to approve plans to extend the MBTA Green Line into Somerville. He also won praise for reducing air pollution from the state‚Äôs dirtiest power plants, encouraging development of public property near transit stops, and for increasing communication between the multiple state agencies he oversaw. He said he is excited about his new venture in Somerville.
   ‚ÄúSomerville under Mayor Curtatone has been a regional leader in embracing an innovative, transit-friendly, sustainable approach to economic and neighborhood development,‚Äù he said. ‚ÄúI believe the growth prospects for Somerville are very impressive, and that the city can be a showcase for smart growth policies and principles. I look forward to working with the city‚Äôs political, business and community leaders to realize the rich potential of their neighborhoods, city squares, urban renewal zones and transit corridors.‚Äù
     Foy studied engineering and physics at Princeton and geophysics at Cambridge University before graduating from Harvard Law School. He was a member of the four-man US rowing team at the 1968 Summer Olympics.