By Fernando Cervantes Jr.

On Wednesday, June 2, the Somerville Health and Human Services Department held their monthly meeting for the Somerville Commission for Women. The meeting was led by commissioner Crystal Turner and attended by three other commissioners. They discussed the prospects of the establishment of an Executive Director for the Commission.

After initial presentations from the co-chairs, the Commission began discussion of a letter received from Mayor Joseph Curtatone in response to a request from the Commission for the establishment of an Executive Director position.

According to the letter, “This individual [Commission Coordinator] will staff both the SCW as well as the Human Rights Commission.”

In other words, the plan outlined provides the Commission with an Executive Director. However, they would have to share this person with the Human Rights Commission, rather than employing a full-time director as requested by the Commission.

This was met by fierce criticism by the commissioners, especially by Co-Chair Turner, who then spoke on the effects of this plan.

A memo from the Commission to the Finance Committee of the City Council, outlines Turner’s criticism. “The Commission respectfully disagrees with this proposal as an adequate resolution of existing challenges. In addition, it does not meet the requirements of the city ordinance.”

Furthermore, in an email to the City Council, the Commission also argued that the city’s decision was unilateral, without any sort of feedback from the co-chairs of the Commission for Women.

“This arrangement was made without the input of the current commissioners. Despite persistent requests and invitations from the Somerville Commission for Women, the Administration has declined to attend a public meeting about the possible ways to improve support for the commission.”

Currently, Somerville is going through the budget process for fiscal year 2021, and the Commission is trying to secure funding for the coming year.