Speaking before The
Somerville News staff at a contributor's meeting last Friday, Sullivan
remarked upon the goals he set out in accepting the presidency last
year – and the developments made in the year since.

At the
inaugural ceremony last January, Sullivan declared his commitment to
public safety and "re-establishing community policing." As President of
the Board this year, Sullivan approved the hiring of 14 new Police
Officers and 12 new Firefighters. He also authorized funding for the
creation of East and West Somerville Police substations and the
operation of Engine 4 Fire Station, initiatives also outlined in his
inaugural address last January.

"Those are things I'm most proud of," he said.

He
also spoke of accomplishments in environmentalism and sustainability,
including the addition of four Smart Cars to the fleet of city-operated
vehicles, the institution of a recycling program at City Hall, and the
Board's ordinance for the recycling of plastic bags in stores larger
than 5,000 square feet.

"We've got to do everything we can do," said Sullivan.

As
a former member of the School Committee, Sullivan began his tenure as
president with the explicit priority to "lead this Board to the
complete rebuilding of a new efficient and revitalized school," for
those students displaced by the "devastating" fire at the East
Somerville Community School.

In comments delivered to this
newspaper, Sullivan wrote he has since received "periodic updates on
the East Somerville Community School and approved funding for expert
analysis and demolition." In comments at last week's contributor's
meeting, he also remarked there has been recent favorable progress made
in the rebuilding of ESCS.

"I think we will have some great news," he said, without remarking further.

Turning
to economic conditions, Sullivan praised the "fiscal restraint," of the
city's leadership in the past year. Acknowledging "the economy is
hurting a lot of people," he said the city "is doing a better job than
most communities." He said still worries about mid-year state funding
cuts, and possible state tax initiatives such as the raising of a meal
tax, which could further hurt struggling businesses in developing areas
like Union Square.

"I recognize the need for personal revenue," he said, "but one or two percent could really hurt them."

As
his presidency ends, Sullivan said he has truly enjoyed the intimate
connection he has formed with many of the city's residents and public
servants. He reflected upon occasions riding alongside safety officers,
"to understand what they are facing…what tools they need," and his
"Neighborhood Office Hours" – "in your backyard" community hearings he
has famously held throughout the city. Sullivan said he looks forward
to continuing to serve as a member of the Board of Alderman, and has
yet another list of resolutions for the city's next year.

not a constituent was complaining, not even about their increased tax bill.

With a new, strict chief that has taken over the helm;

His new revised rules have all the police officers eagerly overwhelmed..

The economy is down and in a big slum;

But Davis Square is alive and kicking and no longer a dump.

The zoning was upgraded from what the neighbors have read in the papers;

That Union Square is now awaiting some new big skyscrapers.

There's talk in the streets about big new plans;

Now that Bob Kraft's new stadium will be built for his many soccer fans.

Traffic and parking has been improved and now passes the test;

While there's still no sign of the missing SPD evidence desk.

The alderman are all waiting for Mayor Joe to announce a run for a higher move;

So that they can all run for mayor and prepare the voters for their new election fundraiser groove.

The Farm Team's freeloader has launched a series of attacks;

Slandering wrong people and causing them to watch their backs.

The city is lucky enough to have two papers that we can call our own;

But remember which one can really call Somerville home.

The big hole that was dug for the foundation on Cross Street has ended up in the bin;

Soon the owner of the property might get a letter from ISD to fill the hole in.

We might lose our hospital, oh what a big loss;

The solution could be that the doctors might need a new boss.

With a strayed elf caught on film counting bills from copy machines while kneeling on the rubber,

Only to look at his new future fate to wake up every morning with "Bubba."

A state rep who almost lost more than his way with missing papers and no one to blame;

To a sure bet that never came through by a man named Bob Trane.

The DPW has both a Stanley and a Barry;

But we no longer have a Mike Buckley that we will have to carry.

Somerville also has a man named Frankie the skipper;

Some say that he is as smooth with a slight resemblance of Flipper.

A man named Obama who one lived in the 'Ville;

He was once a guy from Harvard who forgot to pay his Somerville excise tax bill.

A man named Sullivan, an alderman at will;

Became the board president just in case the man in the corner office was to get ill.

We have two Billy's who are aldermen to help run the city right;

But remember the one with dark hair is named Bill White.

A young girl named Rebekah who loves Chinese food and cameras for posing;

Helped keep the late night restaurant offender's doors from closing.

There is a alderman named Jack be nimble jack be quick;

Jack Connolly beat his last opponent with a big old ugly political stick.

We have a Senator and her name is Pat;

She is sometimes called the mighty leader of the PDS and a Moonbat..

There is a nice women who's in charge of ward two;

If only she would smile a bit more, then we'd vote for her too.

A gift of brains would be a great thing to give to a few people in the city;

But a double dose of it would be well fit to give to the members of the charter review committee.

The
Condo Review Board should be an interesting and productive committee
where to sit;But instead all the fun is taken out of it because most of
them are full of bullshit.

Rebekah's condo proposal project was full of some very big flaws;

At one point she even got criticized by the one and only Mr and Mrs Santa Claus.

As the Big School Cheese shouts out "come Dancer, come Prancer, go Donner and Blitzen";

This year the School Committee needs all the help in the world, with plenty of fixin'.

This year the city yard has a high mountain of salt that Santa can dive off of wearing his new Speedo;

But some started rumors that igloos were being dug for people to hide in, like lady Torpedo.

During the snow emergency, hundreds of buried cars were towed and thousands were presented a big fat ticket;

The lines of residents standing on Holland Street in front of Traffic & Parking were pissed and ready to picket.

Our Historical Commission is constantly on the lookout for new renovations and are fining homes that a violator owns;

But one of these days they are going to dig deep enough to find dinosaurs remains and maybe even some Jimmy Hoffa bones.

A citizen name Ross blasted the Journal as he wrote his letter to the editor and got no call back;

But maybe Kat Powers is hiding and now realizes that her writer was wrong and is nothing but a big time PDS hack.

Soon Governor Patrick will throw a big wrench and cut services so extra money for Somerville will be no more;

Some department heads like Frumpy's should start to trim her fat before she is also kicked in the ass and out the door.

Tom Champion has a voice that we all know and love when he calls for a public message to be heard;

But when he calls our home for no reason at three in the morning, his voice becomes a bit absurd.

Joe Curtatone does a good job campaigning the 'Ville and moving higher might be easy as a piece of cake;

With good speeches big crowds and food he puts out "just a like Mama used to make."

The Big attorney's trial is finally over and yes he lost his drivers license and almost fainted;

Now the big slumlord should tend to his union square properties that all need to be painted.

The Homan's building on Medford Street is still vacant and most of the windows are shattered;

The last tenant that was in there had to remove his boat and re-renting it obviously never mattered.

A candidate for court clerk who's wish never came though;

Who held on to his alderman's seat that he almost gave up in lieu.

An alderman named Walter who always walking his dog;

He once tried to close the social club by looking in their window and catching them when it was dark as a bog.

A tall alderman named Tommy who doesn't always agree;

He learned all those big words when he got his degree.

So Christmas is here and so far saying Merry Christmas has caused no big fight;

We wish you all the best and have a good night.

It was just past 5 p.m.
last Thursday evening, downstairs at the Somerville Boys & Girls
Club, the din of the after-school crowd fading as the evening wore on.
Jeam-Louis, 11, a six grader at Prospect Hill Academy Charter School,
was enjoying this time with the paints, as he likes his art classes at
school. But this is the first time that he has worked on a public
project that will forever grace Union Square.

Under the
direction of local artist Tova Speter, a group of seven students-hand
selected by the Somerville Boys & Girls Club for showing the most
interest-have been working for the past two months on a 24- by 12-foot
six-piece mural (each panel is four- by eight feet) that will serve as
the new sign for the Somerville Boys & Girls Club. They plan to
finish the mural shortly after the New Year. Funding for the mural came
from the Somerville Target store.

"I enjoy working with the
community," Jeam-Louis said. "It's pretty neat that when this sign is
done, I'll know that I was one of the people who worked on it."

Grace
Stewart, 13, an eighth-grader at Prospect Hill Academy, sat nearby,
hunched over the black background for the middle panel, the piece
comprised of varying hues of greens and yellows.

"This is more
of a group effort than a school project, so to me it's about all of us
being together," she said, referring to the group of students who
carefully painted around her. She smiled as she had to admit that she
typically doesn't like painting because it's so messy, but through the
project she has learned what it's like to have fun with art.

Speter
perked up when she heard Stewart's comment, as part of working with the
community on projects like this is about exposing children to the world
of art. A trained art therapist who has worked on community projects
all over the area, Speter worked with the Somerville Boys & Girls
Club to create a diversity mural two years ago.

The diversity
mural used to hang outside the Somerville police station in Union
Square, but was moved across the street to the Boys & Girls Club a
few months ago. It can't be missed, the colorful piece rendered from
the images of the students' faces, as one drives into Union Square. The
new sign features similar colors-as Speter wanted the two murals to
align together-and will hang next to the diversity piece.

Scarlett
Rauch, 14, an eighth grader at Prospect Hill Academy, had also worked
on the diversity mural. She said this project has been a great
opportunity to catch up with the others.

For Polyanna Silva,
16, of Malden High School, working on the mural is a welcomed departure
from the demands of high school-finals, MCAS. She also enjoys working
in the community and catching up with her Somerville peers. At home in
Malden she helps out with the big Fourth of July party in the park and
volunteers for school functions.

"Plus, working on a project
like this, it doesn't matter where you are from, how your talk, who you
are; which is what the Boys & Girls Club is all about," said Silva,
who also worked on the diversity mural.

Speter added that she
enjoys working in the Somerville community. She lives in Cambridge, but
has a studio at Vernon Street, so she identifies herself as a
Somerville artist.

"There's such a strong arts community here
that is so accepting about involvement," said Speter, who has worked on
other community projects over the years, including the Lexington Park
mural in 2007, the pedestrian walkway connecting Beacon Street to
Somerville Avenue (with JFK Elementary School students) and a switch
box by Dali Restaurant on the corner of Washington and Beacon Streets.

Climate
change may be the issue that most powerfully illustrates our
institutions' abject incapacity to meet our needs. Without
institutional transformation, the multi-billion-dollar green energy
investments proposed by the president-elect, the tedious global warming
arguments among our factionalized policy makers will, in the long run,
amount to little more than disagreement over the color of our caskets.

Of
course, there are still some fools who embrace the lies broadcast by
demagogues whose narrow self-interest is to gain just a little more
money by selling, or a little more power by protecting, planet-killing
technologies. They tell us that the following are merely tragic blips
in the climate cycle:

· A piece of Antarctic ice the size of Hawaii fell into the sea.

· Midwest dust storms caused $10 billion in damage, and floods caused much more.

·
The length and strength of great storms like hurricanes increased 50%
in the last 25 years; their frequency is increasing as well.

· 120 glaciers melted in Glacier National Park

· California wild fires burned more than a million acres.

· A ten-day heat wave in Europe killed 30,000.

The
mythical Northwest Passage over the pole is mythical no more, but the
polar bear soon may be. Forecasts beginning in the 1890s of a
fossil-fuel economy's consequences have become realities.

Fossil
fuels' dominance would not be possible without $17 billion annually in
government subsidies, tax breaks, research grants and waived royalty
fees. But Terry Tamminem, former director of California's EPA, says
that the true costs are closer to $1 trillion per year-damage to
forest, rivers, buildings and human health; taxes and jobs lost
overseas; and the costs, excluding the Iraq War, to defend the
industry's overseas infrastructure.

Our political and economic
institutions keep producing false solutions that divert desperately
needed resources, deepen the nation's deficit, waste precious time and
enrich special interests. They gave us the ethanol scam.

The
fossil-fuel energy used to irrigate, fertilize, grow, transport and
refine corn into ethanol, compared to just burning fossil fuel, is 1.3
to 1. For gasoline itself, it's 5-to-1.

Ethanol damages the
environment. In addition to consuming huge amounts of fossil fuel,
industrial-scale cornfields silt up the Mississippi River and create a
vast dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Burning corn ethanol is as dirty
as conventional gasoline and does little to solve global warming.

Nor
is ethanol an antidote to foreign oil dependence. If the entire U.S.
corn crop were used to make ethanol, it would replace only 12% of
current gasoline use.

The ethanol scam is largely the
accomplishment of one huge but shadowy company. Half of Archer Daniels
Midland's profits come from products subsidized or protected by the
U.S. government. The company spends millions in lobbying and campaign
contributions to influence policy. Sen. Barack Obama, for example,
co-authored legislation to raise production of synfuels to 60 billion
gallons by 2030.

In the last days of his campaign, Mr. Obama
said that he would "look at" clean coal technology. He should take a
hard look, because it's the next scam.

The Bush Energy
Department launched "Future Gen" in 2003, a $1 billion partnership to
design a coal-burning power plant with minimal emissions. After
spending $1.8 million, they gave up in 2007.

To remove CO2
emissions, coal burners must either use enormous amounts of energy to
first gasify it, or scrub CO2 out of burning coal's exhaust. Either way
adds 20% to the cost and lowers output by up to 40%.

Compressing
the removed CO2 into a supercritical fluid uses 10% more energy, and
pumping it underground, another 10%. Then you must keep it under
pressure and hope that it doesn't migrate through cracks in the earth,
create pools of an invisible, odorless asphyxiant, trigger earthquakes,
or damage freshwater drinking supplies.

By the time that
technologies could be developed to do all this, virtually every form of
renewable energy will be cheaper. Large scale wind and solar would be
much cheaper, easier, and quicker to build.

As with tobacco
industry executives who knew the truth for decades, coal company CEOs
know that there is no safe way to burn coal in the foreseeable future.
As with cigarettes, coal's death merchants' strategy is to lie. As with
both industries, our economic and political institutions protect their
homicidal greed.

When evidence of tobacco's lethal effects
became overwhelming, the death merchants increased their advertising.
This summer, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity launched
a $35 million media campaign. You've probably seen their television
ads. They're aimed at reassuring you in the tradition of 1960s tobacco
ads, and at generating support for 65 coal plants in development.

Once
again, this scam is aided and abetted by political leaders. Ohio,
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Missouri-swing states in this year's
elections-mine and burn a lot of coal.

The Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change comprises the top climatologists across the
world. Their alarming warnings represent their consensus. But such
bellwethers as Greenland's glaciers or the polar ice cap are hard
evidence of the planet's heating up much faster than forecast in their
computer-model projections. These projections estimate that average
earth temperatures will increase 11.5 degrees by 2100, raising sea
level by 23 inches. But the geological record shows that 3 million
years ago when temperatures increased only 5 degrees above today's
level, the sea rose 80 feet.

In response to this evidence, our
economic and political institutions produce scams that protect
themselves, reward their masters, and hasten our demise. By their very
nature, they are incapable of doing otherwise. The
too-large-to-let-fail corporations buy the policy they want from
too-small-for-courage politicians. And the institutions select for both.

Economists
describe our institutions' incapacity to place a proper value on clean
atmosphere and the planet's future as a "market failure." In fact, it
is the inevitable evolution of the market itself. In every industry, at
the end of every round of competition, there are fewer players left,
with more power. Eventually they have power sufficient to warp the
government and the market to their own ends.

The unambiguous
evidence that our institutions long ago outlived their usefulness to us
remains invisible to many Americans. And the climate-change point of no
return for our oceans and atmosphere happens long before we can see it
with our own eyes. I pray that we will see both before humanity's
future is cooked.

The Guidance Center is a nonprofit
organization that leads 17 different programs for Somerville and
Cambridge children with "emotional and behavioral imbalances," said
Elizabeth Gilmore, co-president of the Center's board of directors.

Youkilis
was arranged to appear for the Center through a deal swung by board
member RoAnn Costin. Costin won two tickets to sit next to Youkilis at
Friday's Boston Celtics game through a Jimmy Fund auction, but after
winning Costin said she called Youkilis and offered a swap: she'd
forfeit the tickets if he came and spoke to the Center's kids.

Youkilis said he accepted her offer because he'd rather speak to kids than sit with strangers at a basketball game.

"It's
a lot of fun to see the smiles on their faces and that's why I came,"
he said. "To have fun for an hour and pretty much give the kids some
more joy this time of year."

Youkilis also heads his own charity, Hits for Kids, which funds six different charitable programs.

Four
young Somerville residents, Dylan Zarket, Michaela Wayshak, Lucas
Sargent and Nolan Alessandro, sat together and watched the door,
awaiting Youkilis' arrival. All four said they were big red sox fans.

Youkilis spoke about the importance of school and then fielded questions from the young crowd.

"Who are your best friends on the Red Sox?" asked Wayshak, a fifth-grader at the Healey School.

"Everyone is," Youkilis tactfully answered.

But
some of the Center's children showed the prowess of a seasoned
reporter: "Are you going to sign a long-term contract with the Boston
Red Sox?" asked one.

Bernard
L. Madoff, a financier and former wall street trader, allegedly raked
in an estimated $50 billion over the past 48 years through what he
called "a giant Ponzi scheme," according to reports.

A Ponzi
scheme is an investment ruse that promises big payoffs to investors but
instead pays dividends through money put in by later investors.

In
2005, Tufts invested $20 million in the investment fund Ascot Partners,
"which in turn invested the entire sum with Madoff Securities," Bacow
wrote in an email Friday.

But the loss "will not significantly
affect [Tufts'] operations," he said. It represents less than two
percent of the school's $1.5 billion endowment.

But as a
result of the current recession, the university is reevaluating its
financial outlook: "We're taking a very hard look at expenses; we're
hiring, but we're hiring very selectively," said Tufts spokeswoman Kim
Thurler. "Our number one priority is protecting our students, so we are
increasing our budget for financial aid because we anticipate students
will be needier."

As for a possible lawsuit against Madoff,
Thurler said the school is "investigating all of [its] options. We
haven't made any decisions yet."

But going forward, Bacow said
Tufts will learn from the experience. He wrote, "You have my word that
we will look closely at our experience in this case so that we can
strengthen our investment process for the future."

A Ponzi
scheme is an investment ruse that promises big payoffs to investors but
instead pays dividends through money put in by later investors.

In
2005, Tufts invested $20 million in the investment fund Ascot Partners,
"which in turn invested the entire sum with Madoff Securities," Bacow
wrote in an email Friday.

But the loss "will not significantly
affect [Tufts'] operations," he said. It represents less than two
percent of the school's $1.5 billion endowment.

But as a
result of the current recession, the university is reevaluating its
financial outlook: "We're taking a very hard look at expenses; we're
hiring, but we're hiring very selectively," said Tufts spokeswoman Kim
Thurler. "Our number one priority is protecting our students, so we are
increasing our budget for financial aid because we anticipate students
will be needier."

As for a possible lawsuit against Madoff,
Thurler said the school is "investigating all of [its] options. We
haven't made any decisions yet."

***************

Speaking of the storm cleanup,
Mayor Joe showed his appreciation to the many DPW workers; PCOS, Police
Officers, tow and snow plow operators that teamed up for hours to
battle the fierce storms that Mother Nature blanketed on the City.
During a well-needed late hour break the Mayor treated the large group
of workers with all you can eat Leone's Pizza – it was a class act and
a real nice gesture to show his thanks to them for a job well done as
well as it was the first chance that all the crews finally got to meet
each other after so many years of working for the same cause year after
year.

***************

The City has suffered the sad
passing of two very nice people this past weekend. Our condolences go
out to the families of John DeOliveira and Clifford Rubera. Both
gentlemen were longtime Somerville residents and great guys – many will
miss them both.

***************

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone
and Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston announced today that a community
meeting will be held on Monday, December 29, 2008 to present the most
recent report on the Brickbottom Maintenance Facility, and the City's
efforts to date. The meeting will be held at Brickbottom at 6:00 p.m.
All interested parties are invited to attend. For more information,
please contact Jessie Baker in the Mayor's Office at 617-625-6600 ext
2104.

***************

Off duty Somerville Police Officer
Jean Jacques is one reason why cops shouldn't be replaced by flagmen.
Having that extra cop on the streets is always a benefit for all of us
– if off duty Officer Jacques wasn't there the other night – then the
two shooting suspects would still be at large shooting up the 'Ville
like as if they were in Dodge City. Officer Alan Monaco, knowing the
risk involved that he could become a victim himself, still approached
the suspects and did his job to take them down – as well as Officer
Neil Collins for his dedication to his job in assisting in the arrest
and getting the job done with their bravery, commitment and quick
thinking after what they did as a team to bring those two shooting
culprits down even after hearing that there was a risk of getting shot
themselves because of the nature of the call that officer Jean Jacques
broadcast across the air. Three true Somerville heroes.

***************

Receiving
High Honors at Chapel Hill Chauncy Hall School are Fanghe Li and Robert
Merrell for the academic year. The school is a college preparatory day
and boarding school in Waltham which embraces differences in learning
styles and culture.

***************

The Somerville News
"Best of Somerville" for 2008, is ending this coming week, so call in,
email in, or send us a letter with your nominations – balloting ends
December 31st . We've already received hundreds of votes for various
businesses around the city.

***************

Welcome
back to Somerville – Joe DaSilva, formerly of ERA Norton – who about 3
years ago moved to Florida to enjoy the warm weather has moved back to
Somerville because he missed the snow, what a great weekend for him to
come home.

***************

With the economy the way it
is, and jobs being lost, you'd think that in some places around the
city that the help would be just a little grateful for a job? Has
anyone else experienced some of the rude employees at Stop & Shop?
Some of us didn't notice how bad it was until a discussion on help and
attitude at various Dunkin' Donuts and stores in the city. Speaking of
Dunkin' Donuts, the Magoun Square one has changed drastically over the
past few months – competition is definitely good!

***************