Toomey befuddles, remains silent on reasons for ‘charter righting’ full city manager agenda
City councillor Tim Toomey, during a 2018 meeting. (Photo: Celildh Yurenka)
While never shy about using his “charter right” to bump a debate or vote to the next meeting, longtime city councillor Tim Toomey seemed to take everyone by surprise by doing it to all five items on the city manager’s agenda Monday.
City Manager Louis A. DePasquale appeared in the doorway behind Toomey in Sullivan Chamber at City Hall just at the moment councillors would be selecting items from the agenda to discuss – but Toomey seized that moment to instead charter right the whole thing, and DePasquale left. His total time in the room couldn’t have been more than a couple of seconds.
Toomey didn’t explain his action at the time, told journalist John Hawkinson during the meeting only that the charter right was “my prerogative under the council rules” and was no more forthcoming after the roughly two-hour meeting.
“It wasn’t to shorten the meeting, it’s just my prerogative,” he repeated, saying there was plenty of precedent for a mass charter-righting of city manager items. “Not only from me, but from a lot of people.”
Lee Gianetti, director of communications and community relations for the city and spokesman for DePasquale, left the meeting amused but reporting himself in the dark about reasons for the action – if appreciating the chance to get more work done before Monday office hours ended at 8 p.m.
The city manager’s agenda for the night included items transmitting the results of the biannual City of Cambridge Resident Telephone Survey; a request for $3 million for snow-related expenses (including $400,000 just for road repairs); a report on replacing failed LED streetlights; and discussion of “efforts to educate cyclists about riding safety and sharing the road especially at intersections.”
Ok, enough is enough. It’s time for the dinosaur to go. Whether it be the result of age, indifference, or an unbalanced mind, this behavior is both disrespectful to the City Manager and demeaning to the office of City Council. Cambridge deserves a councilor that actually cares about governing.
Councilor Toomey steadfastly and loyally represents a large part of Cambridge. He is easily accessible and values each of us living in public housing (as does Councilor Denise Simmons). They are not afraid of the poor, elderly and or disabled. Nor seeks to manipulate them to obtain a vote. As many members of our Council seem to do/be until they bring their donuts and pizza during campaign season. Then, unlike Councillors Toomey and Simmons. They each disappear until the next odd numbered year summer/fall.
I cannot nor will speak about last nights meeting (I was in attendance) since no one yet knows the reasoning for Councilor Toomey’s decisions. But, the insults about a man’s age is typical of the elite of Cambridge. Including the same insults on social media. As a resident of this city and one who has worked to change its face when it comes to serving immigrants. This is the same attitude I faced and continue to face on a daily basis from the elite of Cambridge. Yet, the elite never were able to accomplish what I have when it came to serving our immigrant neighbors. Including those elected and or paid to do so. Highly paid!
From the beginning of my time in Cambridge. Councilor Toomey was the first to encourage my work and along with Councilor Simmons, always supported my efforts, even when they disagreed with me.
Its times like this, that confirms my beliefs that Cambridge is the preeminent example of the high and mighty elite of America…afraid.
I think it’s unfair to condemn everyone in Cambridge because Doug Brown wrote an unfair and inappropriate comment.
It’s bazaar to me that someone actually took from my comment that I was, “condemning everyone in Cambridge.” I find this comment very interesting. As in…who seems to become sensitive to the charge that we have elites in Cambridge.