By Jim Clark

An order was put forward and approved at the latest regular meeting of the Somerville Board of Aldermen on November 9 asking that the Director of Capital Projects or the Director of Communications share with the Board their plan for keeping community members informed on a regular basis about the high school building project.

Co-sponsor of the order, Ward 5 Alderman Mark Niedergang, expressed his feeling that more communication from the Director of Capital Projects regarding the high school project should be shared with the public on a regular basis.

“Alderman Rossetti has kept us very informed about the progress of the high school project, but unfortunately the same is not true of the public,” Niedergang told the Board. “There have not been regular communications. I put this item in because a number of School Committee members have mentioned this to me and say that they’re concerned about it.”

Niedergang indicated that the School Committee members were not aware of what the high school communications plan consists of and that the communication has not been very good.

“I’m not aware of what the communication plan is and I haven’t seen regular communication,” Niedergang said. “There is a lot of communication coming out of City Hall, but I haven’t seen much on the high school. I hope there’s a plan, and I hope to see it.”
Alderman At-Large Mary Jo Rossetti agreed, saying, “The last time I reported out to you all from our last meeting, I had been given the powers by the Committee to step it up for communication. I had raised the concern in the Committee meeting itself that we needed to increase communication.”

Rossetti stated that she held multiple conversations with Ward 3 Alderman Bob McWatters on the matter, who is equally concerned, as well as Tim Snyder from the Mayor’s Office and Robert King from the Capital Projects and Planning Department.
“Every time I see Mr. King I have that stern conversation that if you don’t call me soon I’m gonna throw a major hissy fit,” Rossetti said. “So, Alderman Niedergang put this order in and as early as this morning I reminded Mr. Snyder that I am still waiting for an answer on that.”

Rossetti said that she is as frustrated as Niedergang is regarding the matter, and that certain School Committee members are feeling the same way.

Board President and Alderman At-Large William A. White Jr. expressed surprise that these School Committee members did not bring the issue up with him, since he attends their regular meetings.

Rossetti emphasized the need to increase communication and credited Alderman McWatters for his efforts to help improve the communication issue.

Ward 7 Alderman Katjana Ballantyne asked to be added as a co-sponsor of the order, reminding the Board that she herself addressed this issue last year.