Civic Action

Somerville Climate Action and Rep. Denise Provost present a free film,

Empowered: Power From the People

Tompkins County, NY is one of the cloudiest, least windy places in the country, and yet its residents…

The Community Access Project has submitted a public information request to the Somerville Housing Authority (SHA) to gain Access For All to its 2012 Annual Plan (which is currently online in inaccessible format); and, to gain a listing of the SHA program’s accessible project-based voucher sites and units.

The Friends of the Community Path sent this letter to the George Proakis and the Planning Board on August 17, with no reply so far:…

Prior to and on statewide Elections Day, the MA Secretary of State’s Office publishes arguments for and against every ballot measure that is placed before the voters of the Commonwealth.  In 2012, Massachusetts voters will…

A crowd of 80 Union Square residents and other Somerville supporters gathered last night to proclaim Union Square as the heart of diversity with their message: “We support an affordable, diverse Somerville: Let’s keep Union Square a place for everyone!”

Clearly, Curtatone dodged his responsibility to properly ensure the event was accessible for persons with disabilities. We deserve better from our mayor!

Check out Ken Brociner’s column

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has led a somewhat charmed political life. After being defeated in his first run for mayor in 1999, Joe Curtatone’s political career has been on a steadily rising trajectory. In 2003, he was elected mayor in a …

In my efforts to understand and follow the business of city government in Somerville, I have tried to view or download official minutes of official meetings of boards, departments, commissions and one Authority which are identified on the public minutes and meeting agendas page of the city website.…

Given the City’s clear interest in having a functioning HRC to protect the civil and human rights of Somerville residents, and given the difficulty with growing our membership, it makes little sense to have an out-dated quorum rule so high that it prevents us from meeting.

My friend and Somerville hacktivist, Adam Friedman, recently alerted me to two new local transparency groups which both seem to have a strong Somerville focus and include another Somerville hacktivist Michael @Morisy (from the FOIA-made-easy site MuckRock).…

The City’s transparency initiative has again fallen into neglect.…

Last week, Mayor @JoeCurtatone retaliated against Somerville accessibility rights advocate Eileen Feldman after she blew the whistle on the City’s attempt to have the U.S. Surgeon General’s March 23rd health grant event held at the then-inaccessible Armory…

Here’s what I’ve learned so far via the following Twitter conversation (in chronological order):…

The following letter was submitted to the resistat blog on 3/5/2012 after its writer read David Dahlbacka’s announcement of upcoming HUD Plan hearing:…

A MuckRock.com public information request for a complete and current copy of the amended MaxPac covenant between Developers and City of Somerville is submitted, effective January 17, 2012.

“We should not have to tell you we are doing well. We should be able to show we are doing well. And if we are falling short in some areas, then you should be able to see that too. ” – Mayor Curtatone, in his 7/15/2011 op-ed to the Somerville News announcing his new ACE program and stating a customer bill of rights.

Surely there are many Somervillians among the many patrons and fans of Traders Joe national (specialty) retail grocery stores. While of little comparison to the retail behemoth in the news these days, Trader Joe’s is not without its problems. The following notice may be of interest.…

Perspective on the proposed charter by Stephanie Hirsch, a Somerville parent and Director of SomerPromise, a joint effort of the City, Schools, on-profit providers, residents, Tufts, and the Somerville Housing Authority to increase coordination and to use data-informed decision-making to improve life outcomes for children in Somerville.

Over 80% of Somerville’s new sidewalks and curb cuts, installed since 2004, are hazardous for people with various types of disabilities (one-in-five). These infrastructure improvements don’t even adhere to basic, standard building code. See a listing of the first 50 locations that the City of Somerville promises to re-do, equalling about $500K wasted the first time around- for starters.

October, 2011:  The Somerville Community Corporation is organizing strategy sessions to get more affordable housing in Somerville by “strengthening our city’s inclusionary zoning ordinance.”

The Community Access Project has placed a FOI request to the…

Disabled residents of Somerville experience disproportionate poverty, substandard housing conditions, and face pervasive exclusion, even in the city’s inclusionary and affordable housing opportunity programs. Today, a FOIA request was lodged to learn how four influential nonprofits guide the City to step up to its obligations to affirmatively further Fair Housing for economically disadvantaged residents.

Although the City of Somerville is well aware that the Armory facility is still inaccessible at the entrance ramp, the Mayor continues to hold important events and meetings here. At the same time, the Architect and Owner continue to claim that various City Departments are refusing to accept an accessible design. Who’s benefitting from this back-and-forth?

The Community Access Project did a reality check of the 2010 East Somerville Safe Routes 2 School Map. We found that less than 20% of the pedestrian features are even up to basic standard code. “Safe” is a misnomer.

These streets ain’t fit for walkin’.

As the following examples indicate, the Curtatone administration routinely ignores, delays, or over-charges for data sought under the state’s public records law, in contrast to what the Mayor calls an “open, transparent and efficient government”.…

Rising rents, increased privately-funded housing development, excessive rental burdens, and physically inadequate subsidized housing stock are contributing to Somerville’s transformation into an less diverse, more expensive place to live.

To evaluate city services, the city is asking for volunteers to sign up as “mystery customers” through ResiStat. City workers beware! Find out more from Somerville Patch at: http://somerville.patch.com/articles/wanted-undercover-agents-to-evaluate-city-services?ncid=M255…

The following email was sent to me as a subscriber to Change.org. I have forwarded the body of the notice, and you will find the link to the online petition in the text of the story. It brings to mind the maxim that if it sounds too good to be true (as with the detente reached by parties to  Assembly Sq. development/IKEA), it probably is.…

Join us for an evening of festivities, fun and film as we kick off our new campaign
to get 350 NEW actions to make Somerville a cleaner, greener, healthier place to live

When Watertown, MA resident Mark Pickering received a parking citation during a visit to a friend in nearby Somerville, he figured a simple letter to the Office of the Parking Clerk would result in a scheduled hearing or a ticket dismissal. Instead, he received an anonymous note of rejection with an extra $5 fine. [See Mark's letter in the SJ : Parking ticket appeal system needs work]…

A FOIA request was placed via Muckrock on April 7, 2011 for all documents related to new construction of 12 ADA ramps at 4 municipal locations.

On May 16, 2011, the City of…

Neighborhood Meetings in Each of the City’s Seven Wards Start May 9

Meet with the Mayor, your ward and at-large aldermen, City officials, Somerville Police representatives, and your neighbors to get updates on City and Ward news and discuss the issues important to you. Each meeting will include a presentation as well as an open Q&A from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. where you can bring up your concerns and ideas. A Meet & Greet with light refreshments from 7:30 to 8 p.m. will follow and conversations can continue there. All locations are wheelchair accessible.…

A pair of developers with a history of unfulfilled promises, bankruptcy and faulty construction have found a willing partner in the City of Somerville, which will soon enter the final phase of ushering their most embattled plans into reality.

 …

Following the last update on this story in late February, T&P Director Matt Dias offered and provided the requested data including a column indicating whether each ticket appeal was made online or not. Even better, the cost was $30 less than his original quote.…

“Your opinion matters,” Fischman says. “Please tell us your highest priorities for work to end poverty where we live. We will share the information with the City government and other community organizations so we can work together on the issues the community needs most to resolve.”

More than 50 Somerville residents signed a petition requesting a hearing by the Board of Alderman on union jobs and local hiring.

The hearing will be at 6:00 PM on February 17. There will be a short rally beforehand at 5:45 PM.…

Happy snow emergency! Do you know where your towing dollars go?

After obtaining copies of the most recent campaign finance reports for Somerville’s mayor and Board of Aldermen, Post Somerville has begun analyzing the data by putting it into spreadsheets.

When Watertown, MA resident Mark Pickering received a parking citation during a visit to a friend in nearby Somerville, he figured a simple letter to the Office of the Parking Clerk would result in a scheduled hearing or a ticket dismissal. Instead, he received an anonymous note of rejection with an extra $5 fine.

The groups fighting for the inclusion of local residents and union jobs on the proposed MaxPac development petitioned the Board of Aldermen on December 22 to hold a hearing on the Covenant language for union jobs that KSS Realty signed with the City of Somerville.

We will be prioritizing our action list this meeting. We are looking for new members to help us with our mission of extending the Community Path (along part of the future Green Line route) to the Charles River.
Meeting is at the VNA, 259 Lowell Street.

This is the true story of how the City of Somerville stonewalled my request for public records and then went out of its way to satisfy a very similar request by BU’s New England Center for Investigative Reporting (NECIR).…

Residents of Somerville concerned about the development of the old MaxPak paper factory where 199 units of new housing are being built will picket and rally for jobs at the entrance to the site (56-61 Clyde Street) in Somerville, MA on Thursday, Dec 2 from 6:00 to 9:00 AM.…

Mayor Curtatone says the SPD won’t “assume the role of federal authorities in terms of immigration enforcement”, but this would mark a departure from how local police have been operating.

Our Alder(wo)men and School Committee Members are elected to represent us. In order to do that, they need to hear from us and let us know what’s going on at City Hall.  This gets me wondering if there’s a good way to score / track / rate them on how well they communicate with constituents. Perhaps you and I can come up with a set of criteria and then collectively keep tabs on how they’re doing.…

On October 5th, I submitted the following request to the Director of Somerville Historic Commission:

Last night, I was the only member of the public to attend a City planning meeting for the renovation of the North Street Playground.

Some recent commenters on this blog have expressed an interest in running for an Alderman seat or for Mayor. Have you? For what office?  Why? What’s holding you back? Have  you been a candidate? Do you know someone whom you think would be a good candidate? Please share your thoughts with us.…

Somehow, like magic, the tax cut will only cut funding for things we don’t like. We have been hearing this message since 1979, when Ronald Reagan was running for office. I was a lie thirty years ago, and it remains a lie today. Cutting taxes does not create more effective government.

By law, public officials in Massachusetts have to disclose a lot of information regarding where they receive their campaign funding from, and what they spend it on. These reports paint a vivid picture of who scratches whose back, and can help map political connections and motivations. Unfortunately, many of these reports are relatively inaccessible to the general public.

It was confirmed yesterday that Bill Galvin would rather hide away from the voters, and hope they blindly follow him again, than actually face questions from the people he is charged to serve.  GALVIN IS

Submitted a Public Information request regarding the City’s Municipal Needs Analysis and the Municipal Master facilities Plan again this month (This is the 3rd request since August, 2009.).  Per M. Tintocalis, Principal Planner, Economic Development…

The Somerville Homeless Coalition is hosting the 2nd Annual Tina DeLellis Luncheon on October 29 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., at The Highland Kitchen. The luncheon is held in memory of Tina DeLellis…

Please come to a Sleeping Bag Rally (bring your sleeping bag & pillows to show that everyone needs a place to sleep)

Thurs, Oct 14, 6-7:30 PM

Outside City Hall

On Sept…

Harvard and Tufts try to help solve Somerville organizing and calendar problems

I would like to let people in Somerville and anywhere else know about a rally against the mayor and his wrong budget choices.

WHEN:  June 22, 2010 6 pm

WHERE:  City Hall, 93

Before the emergence of Coffee Parties, we saw, locally, the advent of Somervillevoices.org, a courageous and worthy experiment in a 21st Century democratic, community- controlled public media forum, and of the much heralded, government- built Resistat program…

The AGO, through its Division of Open Government is requesting public comment on proposed alternatives to the notice posting requirement in the Open Meeting Law. Comment should be submitted by April 23, 2010.

Through a public records request, I recently obtained scanned copies of the City’s trash contracts with the FW Russell company. The fine print challenges the claim made at the March 2nd BOA Legislative Matters Committee meeting by former City Solicitor, John Gannon, that only the Mayor has the power to break a contract.…

Well, she doesn’t scare this citizen and I doubt she scares you, dear reader, but her sojourn into the birthplace of this here nation sure calls for a strong non-violent response.

Residents have a right to know whether the FW Russell Company voided its contract with the City when it was found to have intentionally violated state wage and hours laws by AG Coakley’s office.

What’s Next For the Powder House Community School?

WHY :       The City is moving ahead with plans to rezone and sell the Powder House School property.

WHAT :    Join your neighbors to…

Approximately fifteen people crowded around two small tables this afternoon at the Danish Pastry House in Medford to share their concerns and questions in a wide-ranging conversation with State Representative Carl Sciortino at his first district coffee hour of the year.  …

Davis Square Task Force Meeting

Wed. Feb. 24, 7:00 PM

Tufts Administration Building (TAB)
169 Holland St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the Davis…

Banks and Verizon need to be held to the kind of standards they use to torture their customers.

Committee on Legislative Matters

Tues. Feb. 9 7:00 PM

Aldermen’s Chamber
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is…

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In this close race, your vote counts more than ever!

Find your polling place here and then go vote while you can before 8pm…

Are you a Somerville resident 21-35 years old? 

Do you have recommendations to offer to improve city services?

Are you interested in becoming more active in the Somerville community?

Are you interested…

In RE: Joe Lynch on Joe’s Original Crosswalks

The situation you describe, Joe, in which the Magoun Square project consultant told you that cost is the reason that a principal location, one…

As part of ‘Our Voices, Our Vote,’ a civic participation campaign, Centro Presente would like to invite you to an Electoral Forum (Oct 7, 6pm) to hear from local candidates on the issues of concern to the community of Somerville, to talk about how to increase civic participation in the city, and to educate ourselves about the next electoral process.

I received this via email from Sean O’Donovan, my alderman, as a follow-up to a phone conversation about trash citation screw-ups.  Would it be useful for others to contact their aldermen as backup?…

2 degrees of warming. 350 parts per million. Does it seem as though we are on track to achieve these? Are you concerned about the chance of passing a meaningful global climate treaty in Copenhagen? Do you want to have a say in the future of our planet? Come to our Climate Action Party! [October 3rd, 7 p.m.] We will broaden our local network of activists, strategize how to make our voices heard, and plan for the days between now and December.

A new online tool exists to plot crimes on a searchable map. This would empower residents to know how safe their neighborhood is and where and what to watch to deter crime. It would probably catalyze neighborhood crime watches and make our streets safer.

Q:  Why Didn’t the Rolling Somerville Pedestrian Cross the Road at the Crosswalk?

A:  Because the City of Somerville Deciders have been playing chicken with standards.

This photo essay will show 30 lost opportunities to create a safer community on Mayor Curtatone’s watch.

About a month ago, on Aug 16th, I submitted a 311 service request through the new SeeClickFix tool to repair a loose utility wire tied to the fence at Hodgkins-Curtin Park along Simpson Ave (see photo below). After an initial flurry of promises from a Somerville 311 rep to have the issue fixed asap, it was ignored. Today the wire is still there, menacing passers-by and testifying to the failure of the 311 system.…

Almost half of the Aug 27th BOA mtg agenda (pdf) basically consists of 311 service requests like orders to fix potholes and sidewalks. The other half contains some interesting items including these highlights (emphasis added by me):

Note that Ward 7 Alderman Bob Trane was the only member to not have sponsored any items. The Aldermen each earn a salary of $24,521.03 in FY2010.…

On Monday, August 31, 2009 beginning at 6:45 p.m., the Somerville School Committee will conduct a public hearing on the issue of participating in the inter-district-choice program for the 2009-2010 school year. …

Sign a 350-ft. banner for a national climate change project – first stop Somerville! Send a message to the Obama administration
for strong global climate policy.

to Jaclyn Rossetti <JRossetti(at)somervillema.gov>
cc Thomas Champion <TChampion(at)somervillema.gov>,
John Gannon <JGannon(at)somervillema.gov>
date Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 9:16 AM
subject Public Records Request : 311 Service Requests

Dear Public Information Officer Jackie Rossetti, (cc…

In preparation for the parking tickets story, I have submitted the following request for public records to the City:

—————–

to Jaclyn Rossetti <JRossetti(at)somervillema.gov>
cc Thomas Champion <TChampion(at)somervillema.gov>
date Tue, Aug…

In preparation for the parking tickets story, I have submitted the following request for public records to the City:

—————–

to Jaclyn Rossetti <JRossetti(at)somervillema.gov>
cc Thomas Champion <TChampion(at)somervillema.gov>
date Tue, Aug…

In preparation for the parking tickets story, I have submitted the following request for public records to the City:

——————

to Jaclyn Rossetti <JRossetti(at)somervillema.gov>
cc Thomas Champion <TChampion(at)somervillema.gov>
date Tue, Aug…

In preparation for the parking tickets story, I have submitted the following request for public records to the City:

——————

to Jaclyn Rossetti <JRossetti(at)somervillema.gov>
cc Thomas Champion <TChampion(at)somervillema.gov>
date Tue, Aug…

In preparation for the parking tickets story, I have submitted the following request for public records to the city:

——————

to Jaclyn Rossetti <JRossetti(at)somervillema.gov>
cc Thomas Champion <TChampion(at)somervillema.gov>
date Tue, Aug…

The SeeClickFix tool on the Globe’s local Somerville website allows anyone to report and track 311 service requests on a map of the city.  You can even include a photo of the problem. All reported requests are visible to everyone, so it’s easy to view what others have submitted and add your support to those that you care about.…

Thanks to SomervilleVoices for providing this venue to post our Public Information Requests -and to share the responses (or lack therof) that we receive.

Here’s one example of a PIR response that raises red…

I just submitted the following query through ResiStat’s public Q/A tool called SomerBlog:
What types of information are stored with each 311 request? (e.g. request, date + time of request / resolution, service…

Thursday’s event at City Hall was a far cry from the tense, emotion-high fracas that went down at the Traffic Commission meeting two weeks ago. The stately Aldermanic chamber was likewise filled with concerned Somerville citizens, but this time, the city’s controversial May 21 vote was the agenda.…

Click here to listen: link

Get some bike tune-up help and tips with Ace Wheelworks

and learn how to get involved in the International Day of Climate Action on October 24th

with Somerville

So I get a trash violation citation in the mail — all but illegible & addressed to a misconception of my name — dunning me for $50 for putting out trash too early and in…

Rite Aid warehouse workers in Lancaster, California need our support. Before workers voted to form a union in 2008, Rite Aid committed dozens of unfair labor practices. And since then, in an effort to prevent them from achieving a first contract, the warehouse workers have faced continuing anti-union terror.

This public hearing will be convened by the Traffic Board in the Aldemanic Chamber at City Hall. I initially noticed this in Deb Filcman’s Aug 7 SJ blog post.  For background about the parking changes, visit the SPARC blog , check out the just-posted video of the 7/27 interview on SCAT’s Progressive Voices of SPARC-co-founder Courtney Koslow,  or see the recent articles on Somerville Voices/Journal/News.…

Take action on climate change, learn skills, and build community! · Help to weatherize a Somerville house · Learn skills you can take back to your own home · Decrease carbon-emissions · Make new friends. … Here’s your chance to make a difference and learn something in the process…

How do we get the silent majority of residents in Somerville — most in this city are either blue-dog, conservative or liberterian — more active and attend city meetings to voice our displeasure with the…

It seems as if the Somerville Traffic Commission has a sticky situation on it’s hands. I attended the regularly scheduled Somerville Traffic Commission meeting at the Tufts Administration building this evening, and from what was printed on the agenda, I expected a fairly run-of-the-mill session. But the 75-odd residents who packed the TAB cafeteria had a different agenda in mind…

I am excited to see that the City has launched SomerBlog: “the open community forum associated with the Somerville ResiStat program.”. Started on July 14th and managed by ResiStat’s Stephanie Hirsch, the blog adds to the City’s growing array of online communications with residents which started with CTY emails and Google email groups targeted by ward and demographics. …

We will look at what makes a radical organizing method by examining winnability, strategy/tactics, coalitions, spirituality, building a majority movement, role of political education, and the effectiveness of well known organizing methods such as 1-1’s, story-telling, relationship-building. The format will be group discussion.

We’re working on educating the public about the incredible amount of money spent on weapon systems, and the need to get the government to redirect that money to basic human needs, such as jobs, education, housing, and health care. … and that’s where you can help. We’re going to ask the Board of Aldermen of Somerville to endorse the campaign. As preparation for that, we’re asking you to call your alderman/ woman to urge their endorsement of this campaign.

Hello my name is Clivia Camara I am a youth member of the Welcome Project.  As a supporter of the Welcoming  Massachusetts Campaign I’m forwarding this information hoping to see you at this such important meeting as part of your support to the Welcoming Massachusetts Compaign and the immigrant  youth of Somerville.…

These are my notes from the great Freedom of Information conference, held at the Boston Globe, 5/1/09 (Bill Shelton was there and had taken part in the planning of it as a member of the sponsoring New England First Amendment Coalition) As an aside, I will say I’ve already used www.pipl.com a bunch of times since the conference and the information that comes up is frequently quite interesting!…

[kml_flashembed movie="http://blip.tv/play/AYGC4AqD4zE" width="320" height="270" wmode="transparent" /]

Please join The Welcome Project on June 7 for a graduation celebration for some special people from cultures and countries all over the world. These are the students in our youth language interpretation and adult language learners programs who have just completed a year’s worth of learning as language interpreters and English language learners.

Forum on Gentrification and Displacement!
Thursday, May 14th, 6 PM
Elizabeth Peabody House
277 Broadway (at Broadway & Grant Street) Somerville, MA

The City of Somerville, as an Entitlement Community, receives millions of Federal dollars from HUD each year from the Community Development Block Grant, Emergency Shelter Grant, and HOME programs.  These monies must be spent on…

The rain date is Sunday, May 10th. For information on where to go in your neighborhood, see: http://www.somervillema.gov/newsDetail.cfm?instance_id=144

Saturday, 5/9, 10:00 a.m., Locations throughout the City…