By Izak Shapiro

A community budget meeting Thursday, Feb. 27, at the West Somerville Neighborhood School drew a fairly small audience. The meeting is one of three organized by the city in an effort to solicit input and tap the creativity of its residents. The first meeting was Feb. 24 and the third was held March 1.

“Budgeting impacts who we are,” Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, who opened the proceedings, said. “We want our residents to rise up and take control of their values.”

Ideally, he said, the budget of a city reflects its residents’ values. Education receives more funding—29 percent of Somerville’s budget—than any other department. The main topics of the meeting were community engagement, immigrant outreach, arts and culture, recreation and public health.

“Investing in public health is critical to everything we do,” Curtatone said.

Director of Public Health Paulette Renault-Caragianes echoed Curtatone’s sentiment.

“Shape Up Somerville isn’t just a program, it’s a strategy,” Renault-Caragianes said in reference to the city’s initiative to involve all people of Somerville in increasing access to healthy foods and physical activity. “It’s a way to help people make healthy choices.”

She went on to cite the city government’s impact on kids’ choices. Since the mayor took over in 2003, students in Somerville High School have reduced their alcohol use by 33 percent, marijuana use by 25 percent, and oxycontin use by 60 percent.

The city knows it does not reach all of its residents. For example, a third of Somerville’s population does not speak English as their first language. Through on emphasis on communication, the city government hopes to engage all of its residents. At the far table during the budget meeting, a group of Spanish-speaking women sat together, listening as a translator reiterated everything the speakers had to say.

Gregory Jenkins, director of the Somerville Arts Council, emphasized the city government should take the initial steps, but success depends on whether the residents continue to create the Somerville they envision.

“It’s not just people having a good time; it’s creating spaces for people to get together,” he said in reference to both government and art events. “It’s the way the city acts as a catalyst to help people solve their problems.”

After hearing complaints from parents about having to drive their children to suburbs for quality sports programs, Recreation Director George Scarpelli did what he could and created Somerville sports programs such as soccer and winter baseball.

“Most of our programs are affordable so every child can participate,” Scarpelli said, who also cited the often expensive price tag that comes with the territory of suburban youth sports. “We use these programs as a feeder system for our high school sports”

This idea of give and take, listen and provide feedback occurred within the budget meeting itself. After each of the four city speakers said their piece, residents in attendance formed small groups, brainstormed ideas and discussed their conclusions directly with the city leaders. The city encourages residents to call 311 to provide ideas, email the government with any complaints or proposals and communicate via the city’s social media platforms.