By David R. Smith

The citations awarded to former Ward 3 alderman Tom Taylor last week – the longest-serving ward alderman in the city’s history – was filled with deep and sincere expressions of love and gratitude.

But it also came with plenty of laughs, such as the story Mayor Joe Curtatone shared about Taylor and his less-than-friendly relationship with the pigeons that nested under the McGrath Highway overpass (for all the obvious reasons).

As the mayor explained: “Tom had his causes. Like us, he fought for the Green Line –that’s going to happen, Tom. You worked with us on Assembly Square, kids’ education … and he also had a deep, a deep and profound concern about the pigeon problem in the city.

“I became an aldermen in 1996, and every meeting there was an order that the mayor drive the pigeons out of Somerville, that the DPW chase the pigeons out of McGrath Highway, that someone exterminate, infiltrate, fumigate, sterilize, paralyze … It was always pigeons, pigeons, pigeons. Finally, Tom had the idea: We’re going to pass the pigeon ordinance. It was innovative; some say it was the best practice. We passed the pigeon ordinance that there be no feeding of the pigeons on McGrath Highway. Tom finally had it; this would solve all our problems. A couple weeks go by, and Tom comes to the next meeting, infuriated. He says, “Can you believe, the pigeons are still eating on the McGrath Highway?” I said, “Tom, they just didn’t read the ordinance.”

With the hope that the overpass will someday soon come down, future generations of pigeons will be deprived as one place to assault cars from above. Curtatone told Taylor that his pleas have not gone unheard.

“We said to the contractor and to the state, ‘Please get rid of these pigeons … for Tom Taylor.’ And I’m pleased to report, as of this date, they’re gone,” Curtatone said.

And among the solemn citations and certificates of appreciation, Taylor was presented with an inscribed pigeon figurine “from the pigeons of Somerville.”

“You were a worthy nemesis,” it read.