(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

By Joseph A. Curtatone

A monthly look at ways to get involved with your city: Don’t just live in Somerville, be Somerville!

State Primary Election, September 4

The September 4^th State Primary Election is quickly approaching and sample ballots are available now. Find them along with information about polling place locations and other important upcoming election dates like voter registration for the General Election and the early voting schedule by visiting www.somervillema.gov/elections.

GLX Community Meeting to Discuss Upcoming Bridge Closures, August 29

Drop-in Q&A Sessions Continue throughout September

Although timelines are subject to change, current plans for the construction of the Green Line Extension (GLX) call for the full closure of the Broadway Bridge, just east of Ball Square, for one full year beginning in late 2018. While the bridge is closed, detours will be in place for cars, bikes, pedestrians, and MBTA bus routes 80 and 89.

Please join City of Somerville staff, Ward 5 Alderman Mark Niedergang, Ward 6 Alderman Lance Davis, and representatives from the GLX team for a community meeting on Wednesday, August 29, at 6 p.m. to discuss the upcoming bridge closure and detour routes. The meeting will be held at the Somerville Community Baptist Church, 31 College Ave.

Additional temporary bridge closures for varying periods are also planned for later construction phases in 2019 and 2020, including on Washington St. (between Union Square and Inner Belt), Medford St. (outside of Union Square), and School St. The meeting will touch upon these, but the Broadway Bridge closure will be the longest, most complex, and likely most impactful of all the bridge closures planned. This meeting will, therefore, focus primarily on upcoming construction and mitigation efforts in the Ball Square neighborhood this fall and through 2019.

Drop-in Q&A sessions featuring City staff along with representatives from the MBTA, MassDOT, and GLX Constructors will continue at various community events throughout the month of September. Please note the following schedule is subject to change:

• Saturday, September 8, 12 p.m.: Riverfest at Assembly Row
• Sunday, September 9, 11 a.m.: Rock & Roll Yard Sale in Union Square
• Sunday, September 16, 2 p.m.: SomerStreets on Highland Ave.
• Saturday, September 29, 3 p.m.: Evolution of Hip Hop Festival in Union Square
• Sunday, September 30. 11 a.m.: Tufts Community Day at 419 Boston Ave.

For more information, including a complete schedule of events and the latest proposed detours, please visit www.somervillema.gov/glx.

Public Meeting to Discuss Updates to Parking Changes on Central Hill Campus Rescheduled for Thursday, September 27

Join City staff Thursday, September 27, at 6 p.m. in the Academy Room at the Somerville Public Safety Building (220 Washington St.) for the third in a series of public quarterly meetings for updates about parking changes to the Central Hill Campus, which includes Somerville High School, City Hall, and the Somerville Public Library. New data collection and strategies for impact mitigation will be discussed. This meeting was rescheduled from Wednesday, September 19, due to Yom Kippur. All interested persons are encouraged to come including residents and local business owners, as well as City and school staff.

In addition to the meetings, an online form has been created to give community members and City and School staff an opportunity to submit questions, comments, and/or suggestions about the parking changes. A residential parking survey regarding current parking habits is also available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole. Please only fill out one survey per household. The feedback form and survey, along with additional information about the High School project and resulting parking impacts, can be found at www.somervillema.gov/shsparking.

Questions? Contact Mike Tremblay in the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, at mtremblay@somervillema.gov.

Apply for a Spot on the New Jobs Creation and Retention Trust Board of Trustees by September 14

The City of Somerville is currently seeking applicants for the newly created Jobs Creation and Retention Trust (JCRT) Board of Trustees. Responsibilities for members will include managing the JCRT fund, working with the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) staff to implement strategies outlined in the workforce development strategic plan released early this year, identifying target industry sectors and resident demographics for job training programs, soliciting project proposals, and more.

In addition to the Mayor, Board of Aldermen President, and Superintendent of Schools (or their designees), the JCRT Board of Trustees will be made up of the following representatives:

• Two representatives from local workforce development nonprofits
• Two Somerville residents, with a preference given to those who have participated in the City’s workforce development programs
• Two representatives from local businesses

In order to stagger the terms of the non-municipal members, initial appointments of one member from each of the above categories shall be for two years. The other members will serve for three years.

Interested parties will need to submit a resume and brief answers to five specific questions to Economic Development Specialist Ben Sommer at bsommer@somervillema.gov by noon on Friday, September 14. The questions for applicants to answer – and more information about the JCRT – is available online at www.somervillema.gov under ‘latest news’ on the home page.

City Alerts

Get important City notifications for snow emergencies, construction, detours, and other public safety matters delivered to your phone (voice and text) and/or your email. Sign up for alerts at www.somervillema.gov/alerts.

City Newsletter 

For weekly updates on city cultural and civic events, City services, job openings, and more, sign up for the City e-newsletter at www.somervillema.gov/newsletter.

City Calendar

Look up city events and meetings (as well as agendas and minutes) 24/7 on the City calendar at www.somervillema.gov.