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Alderman At-Large Dennis Sullivan is having his campaign kickoff this Thursday night, May 18, at the Old Magoun’s Saloon, 518 Medford Street in Magoun Square. Dennis has been a solid voice on the Board for the residents, asking the right questions all the time. He’s the only one that does “meet the Alderman” out in public in various parts of the city, and is very accessible to the community. Step up and join him this Thursday night.
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Somerville Council of PTA’s is having its 43rd Annual PTA Scholarship Dinner Dance on Friday, May 19 at Anthony’s of Malden, celebrating the accomplishments of the honorees and scholarship recipients. Another great Somerville scholarship program. For information and tickets contact Leah Arredondo, Treasurer, 10 Harvard Place, Somerville, MA 02143.
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Mark your calendar for Thursday, June 1, at the Cantina La Mexicana in Union Square. The very popular Alderman At-Large Bill White will be holding his campaign kickoff/fundraiser. Bill has been known as one of the smartest alderman on the board, even by his fellow alderman. He’s been elected and re-elected as President of the Board now for a few years. We think Bill has been a good alderman for the people here in the city for many years and hope he continues. So come out and show your support for him. We think Bill is very dedicated to the city and who crunches the figures better and asks the right questions when budget time comes around.
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We had a call from Somerville resident Lucille Bordonaro who saw a comment online from Ann Lanzillo and was wondering if she was the Ann from the old West End in Boston. If anyone is from the old West End and lives in Somerville let us know. Lucille would love to get in contact with some old neighbors from the Leverett St. area or that old West End area.
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Happy birthday this week here in the Ville: Happy birthday to Melissa Hurley (Sullivan) the wife of Dennis Sullivan. We wish Melissa a great day and week. Happy birthday to Caroline Shea Rosas, who is celebrating this week as well. We hope she has a great day. To a former Somerville resident, well-known Scott Diamond, who grew up off North Street. We hope he has a great birthday. To all others celebrating this week, we hope you have a great day!
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Still only eight candidates for Alderman At-Large. One more makes a primary. The top eight will run in the final November 7 election when the four will be elected. The job pays $40K a year and requires the aldermen to attend two monthly meetings of the full Board, as well as many of the committee and neighborhood meetings. Not bad for $40K a year.
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A political rumor flying around has it that one – maybe two – of the present aldermen are not being very nice with their fellow aldermen. They are allegedly involved with people running against certain aldermen. We will have more about this in the next few weeks. We even have an exclusive interview lined up that will spill the beans on the one or two aldermen in question. Should be interesting!
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Remember, the 175th birthday of our city is this year. Celebratory events are scheduled throughout the coming year. Contact City Hall for more information about events you might be interested in.
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On June 24, the Second Annual East Somerville Reunion will happen at the Somerville City Club on Innerbelt Road, across from Holiday Inn. The last event two years ago was very successful, and many have asked for another. All those that grew up in East Somerville in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s are cordially invited to come enjoy and reacquaint yourself with old friends. On Facebook go to the page “Somerville reunion 17” and let them know you’re attending. Come and have some fun. Hook up with old friends. Eat, drink, and dance your ass off to a live band. Tickets available at City Club Bar. $10 each at the door. This is an adults only event. No one under 21 allowed.
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You are invited to join Alderman At-Large Jack Connolly for his birthday celebration and kick-off fundraiser on Wednesday, May 24 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing Company, 14 Tyler St, Somerville. Jack has decades of experience and has watched Somerville become a beautiful city by supporting job growth and development with the support of projects including the Green Line Extension and the building of the new Somerville High School. As your Alderman At-Large, and with your support, Jack continues to fight for working families, immigrant safety, senior services, and a major focus on the local opioid epidemic.
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A broad coalition of community groups will rally on May 18 urging a “no” vote by the city’s Planning Board on Federal Realty Investment Trust’s request for a waiver from the requirement that 20 percent of its 500 proposed luxury units at Assembly Row be made “affordable.” The rally is at 5:00 p.m. at Somerville City Hall.
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Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston and Ward 3 Alderman Robert McWatters invite you to an important informational meeting on the upcoming Somerville Avenue Utility and Streetscape Improvements Project. The project will address flooding issues in Union Square and includes significant streetscape improvements including enhanced pedestrian, transit, bicycle, and traffic facilities, as called for the community-driven Union Square Neighborhood Plan. The meeting will be held Thursday, May 18, at 6:30 p.m. at the Argenziano School Cafeteria, 290 Washington St. For more information and to see current plans, visit www.somervillema.gov/UnionSquareInfrastructure or contact Utilities Project Manager Jessica Fosbrook at JFosbrook@somervillema.gov.
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For the past month, Prospect Hill Academy has been participating in a reading challenge called “Pig Out on Reading” and a teacher, their Principal, and Assistant Principal will kiss Daisy the Pig in front of the entire school, since they read for over 5,000 hours. The Pig Out on Reading Assembly will be held on Friday, May 19 at 1:30 p.m., 15 Webster Ave in Union Square.
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So much for “we the people” at the City Hall rally. Federal Realty is
singing and laughing all the way to the bank. And what of the poop
created for Somerville residents to be pushed into? Are there anger
management groups to address this? If so, send any billing you
receive to City Hall, and addressed to the poop dispensary of the Mayor.
The poster boy of American Cities isn’t looking so shiny this week.
But that political Teflon coat will say that it was a Planning Board decision.
“And so it goes.”
A Terrier, don’t let the Alderman off either. They always had the power to vote the waiver out. I think, have to check procedural rule, that they could still vote it down if they really wanted to.
But yelling about it makes them look better in the news.
Bunaidh, the Aldermen had no vote in this. Zero. So don’t muddy the
water by suggesting they might have. Aside from Capuano Jr, the
rest of the Planning Board were a disgrace. George Proakis did his
job to present the Mayor’s position, which is clearly to allow Federal
Realty to make pots of money. So bad old days money and politics
are still here, and committees are still being populated with nominations
from the Mayor. As the Mayor as CEO has virtually all the power, the
buck really does stop with him. Nice try at confusing the issue, Bunaidh.
The Alderman had the power to vote the waiver down. They have admitted it.
They knew a year ago when the board gave them the original recommendation how the board would vote.
They did not how ever vote the waiver down and now they can blame some one else.
I am muddying nothing by pointing this out.
The Aldermen are muddying it with their hipocrisy.
If they were really this much against the waiver why did they not vote it out?
At least 9 of the Aldermen were against the waiver. Note “at least”.
At no point did they have the power to change it, or to change the
Planning Board’s decision. 7 of them spoke against the waiver at
the first Planning Board/FRIT meeting, as did many others. While
the Mayor writes a very thoughtful and lengthy explanation of this
decision in the Times today, this doesn’t take from the idea that the
Planning Board should have carried the case over, and because
it’s not good government when Joe and his aldermen aren’t on the
same page. And, Bunaidh, get your facts correct.
Ward1 Matt has, on at least one occasion, admitted that the aldermen could have voted the waiver out. Though he never mentions it in his rants.
So, how am I wrong? When they voted to not grandfather FRIT, they could have also voted the waiver out.
This is also the same alderman that told frit to make the building all office space which would have meant no affordable housing for anyone.
Bunaidh, back to the facts. The BOA did vote the waiver down when
FRIT asked for consideration when 20% affordable was being zoned.
Having been declined by the BOA, FRIT used it’s original provision
as a Planned Unit Development to go to the Planning Board to seek
consideration for the waiver a second time. If you doubt this, go ask
BOA Pres. Bill White.
Dorit, the Mayor and the BOA have always stressed the need for more
commercial development to earn taxes and jobs for the City
Now you two snakes go back in your snake hole and quit spreading lies
and innuendo.