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(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 Jack Connolly
No doubt thousands of participants ran/walked and enjoyed the Somerville Homeless Coalition 5K Road Race, and the street bands happening known as the Honk! Festival this past weekend in hip and happening Davis Sq.
Beneath those thousands of feet of onlookers and revelers alike perambulating around and about the Square over the weekend, there lurked the tell-tale signs of benign neglect and lack of repair to crosswalks, tree wells, curbing, street signals, and park lawn in Seven Hills Park.
Take a look at the crosswalks at Highland Ave. and College Ave., Elm St. and Day St., for the asphalt patchwork filler over the well-worn brick pavers and ever-fragmenting mortar, that the shoes and sneakers of all passing over endured.
Take a walk over in front of Boston Burger and JP licks Ice Cream in the Plaza and notice the loose bricks in the tree wells, the lopsided asphalt patches and uneven surfaces where thousands walk throughout the day.
Since you are looking around Davis Sq., notice during the daytime that all of the street lamps are on all day and all night, going back to June 1. Who is responsible for noticing that the lamps are on during the day, and to repair the timers? Taxpayers are paying for that unneeded electricity. Hey, it adds up.
Keep walking across Holland St. (carefully) and notice the walkway going into Seven Hills Park where large puddles form after rain storms along the uneven brick pavers, and check out the state of the dead grass and dust bowl park lawn and trees. It doesn’t take a trained eye to notice the sad state of streetlights, parking meters, and traffic signal poles bent out of shape throughout the square.
Rather than me droning on in words, let me point you towards the most graphic display of the decay of Davis Sq. by going to the website DavisNow.Org, a site listing the Davis Square Punch List. Not only can you see the stunning visuals and narrative, but you can add your name and comments for future updates and meetings dealing with the need to “repair, restore, and maintain the elements of the public realm to assure that Davis continues to be attractive, pleasant and welcoming.”
Huge props and credit go out to Mr. Chris Iwerks and his Davis Sq. colleagues, residents (called DavisNow), business owners, and concerned citizens who have collectively observed, photographed, and chronicled in minute detail what isn’t being maintained in Davis Sq. Here is the link: http://online.flipbuilder.com/havm/ixly/
Not only have Chris and colleagues detailed a punch list of 18 items, but he has compiled an estimated cost to do it now estimated at $740,000 (See D.S. Punch list pg.51). Despite much ballyhooed plans for Davis Sq. a few years ago, zero dollars were put into the current city budget (see pages 52-53 of Davis sq. Punch List) for capital improvements for Davis Sq. over the next 10 years.
It has been over 32 years since the combined work of the city during Mayor Brune’s tenure (1980-89), where the city, MBTA and the federal funders known as the Urban MA Transit Authority, neighborhood residents and Davis sq. businesses known as the Davis Sq. Task Force, planned and transformed Davis Square as a day and night destination. Opening the Red Line T Stop in the square, installing brick sidewalks, constructing the Davis Sq. Plaza, reusing the old railway, and planting street trees had a transformational effect in making Davis Sq. “the Paris of the Nineties.”
Mayor Brune commented recently that the prodigious planning back in the 70’s and 80’s was “…to make Davis Sq. a viable destination to live work, shop, dine, and most important, still keep it a neighborhood square. It saddens me throughout the past several years that just simple and not expensive maintenance was lacking, and necessary repairs were not attended to.”
So … what’s next?
Certainly it’s up to the city to move the work necessary from the ‘to do’ list today, to the ‘to be done’ list now.
Maybe the November 1 ward 6 Resistat 6:30 p.m. meeting (54 Chester St.) where the mayor and key city administration team members trot out info relative to the city and ward 6, could deal with their respective response(s) to the Davis Square Punch list.
It looks like the DavisNow folks are going to be active and willing participants in not only detailing the deterioration of Davis Sq., but are willing to reactivate the spirit of the once powerful and respected Davis Sq. Task Force, and involve citizens and residents alike in the reclamation of the worn down Davis Square. Their message appears to be: If you care, reach out and restore Davis Square … now!
Born, raised, and lifetime resident of Somerville. St. Clement High School graduate; BA (Cum Laude) and M. Ed from Boston College; Attended Tufts Univ. and Harvard Univ. JFK School of Government; Licensed Insurance Broker and award-winning Small Business Owner (WCC Insurance Agency Inc.) 19 College Ave. Davis Sq. Somerville MA since 1996. Ward Six Alderman eleven terms 1984-2005, Alderman At-Large; 1 special election and five terms 2007-2017, and the distinction of being the longest serving Alderman in Somerville History.
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If you think Ward 6 and 7 appear in disarray, take a stroll around Ward 3 and you will be appalled. Dead trees, no trees, treacherous sidewalks, regularly overflowing trash in city bins, trash discarded everywhere, giant rats, broken parking meters, burned out street lights, city parks unkept, weeds and overgrown grass, missing street signs, etc. It’s completely out of control. I keep reporting the stuff I see to 311 like my good alderman advised me to do when I contacted him about these issues, but nothing gets done. As Flavor Flav once said so eloquently about 911 in his town, “311 is joke in my town.”
I’ve got some advice for Mr. Campen, if you intend to continue representing the people of Ward 3. You better start paying attention to the details and the little things that bring everyday quality of life to the hard-working residents of Ward 3. For some reason you just don’t seem to get it, maybe it’s because you’re too busy fancying yourself as some sort of national legislator, or more likely, it’s just beneath your entitled self. Either way, you’re doing a terrible job at fulfilling your role as a local representative.
Focus less on Washington and more on what is deteriorating in your own backyard. For example, the resolution you’re putting forward Thursday night opposing the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court. Why?? Waste of time dude! It will do nothing to change the fact the clown was already appointed. That ship has sailed. Other than you and your Our Rev Bernie Brahs slapping fives and feeling good about yourselves, it will do nada. You should be putting forward resolutions to address all the issues you’ve neglected in your own Ward. Also, for “someone who lives in a glass house, you shouldn’t throw stones.” Be careful about the criticism you lob towards others when you have your own skeletons. Do you believe those disgusting d*$% pics are not going to surface? From what I’ve seen, you have more to worry about than Brett Kavanaugh. To be continued…
P.S. You, Niedergang and several other members of the BOA should be ashamed of yourselves for exploiting Will Mbah for your own political gains. I honestly do not know how you sleep at night doing this to Will. I attended last weeks’ Open Space, Environment and Energy Committee meeting that was Chaired by Alderman Mbah. Wow, is all I can say! I truly felt bad for the guy as it was so obvious to everyone in attendance that he has no business being the chair of any committee, let alone an Elected Official. In fact, he has zero understanding of anything going on. I don’t blame Will though, I blame you and the others who propped him up enough to get elected. Mark, next time you should stand at the podium holding Will’s hand throughout the meeting. Watching you, JT and Bill White continuously give him the answers to get through the meeting was something else in itself. I’ve honestly never seen anything like what I witnessed last Wednesday. By the end of the meeting it was tough for White and Rosetti to hide their frustration with his inability to properly Chair the meeting. Here is a video link to the meeting, I challenge anyone to watch and dispute what I and others in attendance saw take place with our own eyes. Shameful!
http://somervillecityma.iqm2.com/Citizens/SplitView.aspx?Mode=Video&MeetingID=2778&Format=Agenda
Jack,
Keep up the heat on this Administration and BOA. They must be held accountable for their lack of care to the basic fundamentals of being an elected local official. This new BOA is the most self-serving, special interest beholden bunch that has ever graced the 3rd floor chambers. They like to spout off about no more “rubber stamps” at City Hall, but what they fail to realize is they done nothing during their term but “rubber stamp” the special-interests of Our Revolution.
What they’re doing now is literally no different then what they all ferociously claimed was taking place at City Hall prior to them getting elected. Nothing has changed except the recipients of the rubber stamp. The adage goes, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” Hypocrisy at it’s finest folks.
It has been over three decades, but there are other parts of the city that have been waiting longer still.
And while the brick pavers look nice, they do not hold up well enough. They should really be replaced with materials that will last longer. Look at all the cross walks that are less than a decade old and already missing bricks.
Good local governance is boring but important quality of life stuff….but that is what the BOA should be concerned with: rats, pot holes, dangerous intersections, bike lanes etc….Not passing resolutions on the Supreme Court, Nuclear Power or other national stuff. Our Revolution are comically inept….but they are very politically active. They seem to pack every 5:30 P.M meeting – because they either don’t have jobs or kids to attend to.
The BOA … Bufoons,Oafs and Asses!
Speaking of the current awful conditions in the City. Is it just me, or could City Hall use a fresh coat of paint? Does anyone know if there is anything in the works to freshen up City Hall? If you didn’t know any better and were just passing through the City you would think Somerville is on the verge of bankruptcy.
The only thing I have seen an increase of in Davis Square recently are beggars and bums. This must be the great diversity wanted by Our Revolution Somerville.
Most of the city looks dirty and it’s disgraceful. The Administration was warned when they installed all of the brick walkways and crosswalks. They don’t hold up well through New England winters, and even when they’re not coming up, they are a hazard to elderly and disabled residents. Yet another instance of something the Disabilities Commission should be up in arms about. But I’ve heard no outcry. But the city had enough money to re-paint all of the lane markings on Cedar Street just last month, then Tuesday morning the street was ripped up again! Not sure why, haven’t seen any work done on it all week.