These are just some of the municipal meetings and civic events for the coming week. More are on the City of Somerville website.
Pay review for elected officials
Municipal Compensation Advisory Board, 6 p.m. Thursday. The board provides an update on compensation for elected officials, boards and commissions. Annual nonunion employee pay increased to a minimum $65,000 this year based on recommendations of this board, while city councilor and mayoral pay has not increased since 2017. At that time, councilor pay was raised 60 percent, to $40,000 from $25,000. At a candidate debate Monday, all at-large and mayoral candidates said they would support an increase in councilor pay. The group evaluates compensation and allowances for nonunion employees, the mayor, School Committee members, city councilors and certain commissions, including licensing. Watchable via videoconferencing.
Updates on 90 Washington St.
City Council, 7 p.m. Thursday. The mayor wants the council to approve plans for the sale and redevelopment of 90 Washington St.: a combination housing, commercial spaces and civic and green spaces designed sustainably with diversity, equity and inclusion in the process. The city owes previous landowner Cobble Hill Center LLC more than $26.5 million for the 4 acres, which it seized using eminent domain in 2019, expecting it to become a public safety complex with police and fire administration. In person at City Hall, 93 Highland Ave., Central Hill, or watchable via videoconferencing.
Testing of autonomous vehicles
Traffic and Parking Committee, 6 p.m. Monday. The city solicitor is being asked an opinion on whether the City Council can restrict, ban or require a special city permit for self-driving cars – and who would be responsible financially if Somerville issues fines: a person inside that vehicle, or the maker of it. They also want the mayor to share information about discussions with or information from Waymo, a self-driving car company owned by Google, about testing its cars on Somerville streets. Watchable via videoconferencing.
Funds for skills training, jobs
Municipal Job Creation and Retention Board of Trustees, 6:30 p.m. Monday. The board votes for allotting up to $1.3 million for jobs, development training and technical assistance. Some items includes funds for facilities maintenance jobs, workforce development and training for the Asian American Civic Association, and funding the pathway to a career in science, technology, engineering and technology through MassHire Metro North, a workforce board that unemployed people use in job searches. In person in the atrium conference room at 167 Holland St., in the Tufts neighborhood near Teele Square, and watchable via videoconferencing.
Buying church land for schools?
School Building Facilities and Maintenance Special Committee, 6 p.m. Tuesday. A group that includes City Council and School Committee members is asked to weigh in on a resolution by three councilors for the city to look into buying a closed Archdiocese of Boston building next to the Winter Hill Community Innovation School, which is closed for safety reasons and has led to a search for land to host a new campus that might fold in the Brown School population as well. Separately, the city’s director of infrastructure and asset management is asked when the public can expect get use of a promised website detailing all school building maintenance; and why tile panels at the high school – built between 2018 and 2021 – recently fell off, and what steps the city is taking to prevent and mitigate future issues. Watchable via videoconferencing.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.