2019: The year in review

On January 1, 2020, in Latest News, by The Somerville Times

By The Times Staff

As another year passes, we look back now and highlight some of the local stories of particular interest that we covered in 2019.

The year began with the City of Somerville’s legislative body officially becoming the Somerville City Council (formerly the Board of Alderman) on January 31. The name change was approved when Gov. Charlie Baker signed a home rule petition on January 1 requesting the switch to City Council.

“I am very happy not to be called an elder man anymore,” said City Council President Katjana Ballantyne.

The process to switch from the Board of Aldermen to City Council began in early 2018 when Councilor At-Large Bill White submitted a request that the City get permission (through a home rule petition) from the state to change the name of the legislative body in the City charter.

“I am glad that the state approved the home rule petition that I had introduced last year and that on February 1, I will be a City Councilor At-Large,” said White. “Our work certainly won’t change, but I thought it was important that we adopt a modern and inclusive name for the legislative body of our city.”

Soon after the elation over the new City Council designation settled down, the harsh realities of what was to come to the streets and bridges of Somerville began to sink in.

As the eminent Ball Square Broadway Bridge closure in March approached, many wondered just how badly traffic congestion throughout the immediate vicinity and neighboring areas would be.

City Councilors called for traffic calming measures to be deployed in the Ball Square neighborhood to slow the speed of cut-through traffic before the bridge closed, as scheduled by the GLX Team.

The next phase of work on the Green Line Extension Project, the Washington St. bridge, in East Somerville near McGrath Highway, was scheduled to be closed for construction in two separate phases: first, from April 8 through approximately November 2019, then again from about April 2020 through August 2020.

During closures, all traffic was detoured around the bridge’s underpass, including motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, and MBTA bus routes 86, 91, and CT2.

Further traffic headaches developed as The Medford St. bridge, in Gilman Square behind Somerville High School (SHS), closed for construction in May 17, and is expected to remain closed through the spring of 2020. Traffic was detoured around the work zone via Pearl St. and McGrath Highway.

In January, an order was put forward at a meeting of the then Board of Aldermen requesting that the Director of Health and Human Services report on the feasibility of situating a safe injection facility in Somerville.

Safe injection facilities are legally sanctioned, medically supervised facilities designed to provide a hygienic and stress-free environment in which individuals are able to consume illicit recreational drugs intravenously and reduce nuisance from public drug use.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced in August that he intends to open a supervised consumption site (SCS) somewhere in the city in 2020.

In February, the City of Somerville filed a suit alleging violation of RICO, public nuisance, fraudulent misrepresentation, among other claims against 19 manufacturers and distributors of highly addictive prescription drugs (opioids).

In a statement released by the city, Mayor Curtatone said, “Our investigation into the opioid epidemic in Somerville points directly to these opioid manufacturers and distributors who we believe acted dishonestly and without compassion for patients, instead placing profits above all else.”

A hit and run driver took the life of Watertown educator Allison Donovan on February 8. A region-wide search for the hit and run driver who struck her and another pedestrian down in the crosswalk at Powder House Boulevard and Hardan St. was immediately undertaken.

Edward Clark, of Norwood, was subsequently charged with leaving the scene of an accident causing death, in connection with the fatal hit-and-run.

The incident initiated a series of actions by the city to facilitate traffic calming and safety measures, in particular on Powderhouse Blvd.

Two additional hit and run deaths on Mystic Ave. spurred further discussion on traffic safety in the city, although no concrete measures for improvement have yet been taken.

A pair of bills were filed by Sen. Pat Jehlen and Rep. Christine Barber aimed at preventing deaths such as that suffered by Laura Levis while waiting for treatment outside outside of Somerville Hospital. “Laura’s Law” is intended to assure patients that they will have access to an emergency room at all times if needed.

A request put forward to the Somerville City Council’s Legislative Matters Committee by Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone that a Home Rule Petition (HRP) to provide legal voting rights in municipal elections for residents aged 16 and 17 years old be approved for submittal to the state was taken into consideration at the Committee’s February 7 meeting.

The request was kept in Committee pending the results of a proposed public hearing and further study of the legal ramifications of the HRP.

On May 9, the Somerville City Council passed an ordinance regulating the distribution of plastic straws and stirrers in an effort to address the issue of plastic waste. The ordinance is scheduled to go into effect on February 9, 2020.

On February 28, the Somerville City Council voted unanimously in favor of a resolution supporting Tufts University dining hall workers in their fight for their first union contract. Finally, a year after voting to unionize, the workers ratified a collective bargaining agreement with the university on April 3.

On March 20, Mayor Marc C. McGovern and Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced this morning the establishment of the United Legal Defense Fund for Immigrants, a partnership between the Mayors’ Offices and the Cambridge Community Foundation.

The fund is intended to facilitate the distribution of grants to help support immigrant community members who live and work in the Cambridge and Somerville area, among them young Dreamers, TPS holders, unaccompanied minors, victims of trafficking and/or domestic violence, and those seeking asylum from violence and persecution.

On March 21, the Somerville Legislative Matters Committee passed a revised Condominium/Cooperative Conversion Ordinance. A condo conversion ordinance – enacted back in 1985 – was already on the books, but the committee approved revisions that substantively increase and update tenant’s rights.

The ordinance was opposed by many, most vocally by the Somerville Property Owners Coalition (SPOC) group.

Also in March, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced the launch of a new Cold Case Unit to investigate unsolved homicides, suspicious deaths where foul play is suspected and missing persons cases.

In April, Somerville Stop & Shop workers walked out after a contract deal could not be reached with the management of the food chain. Over 31,000 employees across New England joined the walkout as negotiations between the retailer and union representatives continued. Demonstrators at the Somerville location were joined by city officials who lent their support to the striking workers.

An agreement was reached on April 21 that included increases in pay and sustained health coverage benefits for the Stop & Shop’s employees.

A resolution was put forward at the March 28 meeting of the Somerville City Council calling for improved accessibility at the forthcoming Union Square Green Line Station.

Somerville resident Denise Cosby, mother of Justin Cosby, who was murdered on the campus of Harvard University in 2009, penned a searing look at the loss of her son, the court cases that followed, and the impact on greater Boston community. The subject of media headlines for years, the death of Justin Cosby focused attention on issues of race and privilege against the backdrop of an Ivy League school. The book, entitled Murder at Harvard’s Kirkland House: A Mother’s Worst Nightmare, was released on April 27.

A Rhode Island man was arrested and charged in federal court in Boston on May 23 in connection with an armed robbery at the Middlesex Federal Savings Bank in Somerville on May 1 that resulted in shots being fired.

Daniel Rosado, 32, of Providence, R.I., was charged with one count of armed bank robbery, one count of brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In May of 2019, the City Council passed new regulations for short-term rentals (for example, rooms or units rented on sites like AirBnB or HomeAway), which go into effect on January 1, 2020. The purpose of these regulations is to allow Somerville residents to operate short-term rental units, but to also ensure that those units remain part of the housing stock and do not negatively impact the neighborhood. Those wishing to operate a short-term rental must remain in compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and building codes.

In June, an ordinance banning the use of facial recognition technology in Somerville was discussed, in consultation with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and advocated specifically by Ward 3 Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen.

According to advocates of the ban, using this technology dismantles the first amendment, the right to speak freely, the ease of privacy in our own homes and the peace of mind that we are safe from misidentification or identity theft.

The vote to ban the use of facial recognition technology in the City of Somerville was unanimously approved by the Council.

On June 5 , the Somerville City Council debated the transparency of the budget for the 2020 Fiscal year, in which the budget – amounting to some $254,654,111 – was presented by Mayor Joseph Curtatone.

Ward 2 Councilor J.T. Scott called the budget the “least transparent document this city has put out since 2006” during the meeting, while the mayor described it as “one of the most transparent documents in the Commonwealth.”

Sgt. George R. Schipani was finally returned to his hometown of Somerville for the first time in almost 70 years. Schipani, who was killed in action during the Korean War in early 1951, was buried with full military honors, including a procession led by Massachusetts State Police and the Somerville Police Department, at Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery on Saturday, June 22.

In July, the city of Somerville passed an updated and cohesive Tree Preservation Ordinance making it harder for homeowners and developers to cut down trees on their private property.

The ordinance, which many homeowners voiced their objections to, went into effect on August 1, and will likely impact developers looking to cash in on Somerville’s “buy and flip” real estate mania.

From My Heart To Yours, a documentary education project, was screened for the first time for the public on July 31 at VOX POP, Somerville Media Center’s summer community arts and events space.

“We wanted to talk about it [the opioid crisis] because we’ve known that it’s impacted Somerville to such an extent, over the years since the early 2000s,” said Matthew Mitchell, Preventions Services Manager of the City of Somerville Dept. of Health and Human Services.

At the August 22 meeting of the Somerville City Council, former Somerville Mayor Eugene Brune was honored with a citation from the Council commemorating his 90th birthday.

After the presentation of the citation, Brune offered some of his own thoughts to those in attendance saying, among other things, “I’m very happy to be here, and I thank you very much for inviting me. You know, we all say from time to time that time goes by so swiftly. And it does. It’s been forty-two years since I sat in that seat, and that seat, and that seat. And maybe another seat. And so much has happened before that and so much happened since that.”

As part of the City of Somerville’s Winter Hill in Motion project, new dedicated bus lanes, separated bike lanes, and more mobility upgrades were implemented on Broadway.

Bright red “Bus Only” lanes along both sides of Broadway between McGrath Highway and Main Street, one of the city’s most congested commuting corridors have been installed.

These dedicated travel lanes are intended to enable the MBTA to provide more efficient, reliable bus service on routes 89 and 101, which support approximately 8,000 boardings per day. According to the city, passengers could save up to 5 minutes per ride and see more buses coming on schedule.

Many residents expressed their displeasure with the changes, and stated that instead of improving traffic flow the dedicated lanes are in fact doing just the opposite.

The Little Sisters of the Poor announced in September that they will be withdrawing from Jeanne Jugan Residence in Somerville.

In making the announcement, Mother Alice Marie Jones, l.s.p., the Little Sisters’ provincial superior, explained, “As part of a strategic plan aimed at strengthening our ministry and bolstering the quality of our religious and community life, we Little Sisters of the Poor have recognized the need to withdraw from a certain number of homes in the United States, while at the same time dedicating our resources to much needed upgrades and reconstruction projects  in several others.”

On September 12, Somerville DPW Commissioner Stanley ‘Stan’ Koty passed away. Koty served the City of Somerville faithfully for over 45 years. He was the only person to ever serve the city in five different positions: Student Representative to the School Committee, Ward 5 School Committee, Ward 5 Alderman, Clerk of Committees to the Board of Alderman, and Department of Public Works Commissioner. Stan was the longest serving DPW Commissioner in the history of the city.

On October 9, Donald F. Norton, late owner/publisher of The Somerville Times, passed away.

Norton’s list of accomplishments included: Appointed to the Somerville Board of Health in 2000 and was appointed to the Licensing Board in 2003. He served as President of the Somerville Rotary Club, Past President Of The ERA Real Estate Council, Founder and President of The Highland Masonic Building Association, Vice president Somerville Property Owners, President Ward Seven Civic Association, Certified Real Estate License Instructor, two times Past Master Of King Solomon’s Lodge, Somerville, a Shriner, Benefactor Of The Little Sisters Of The Poor and a myriad of other Somerville foundations and charities in a list too lengthy to mention.

The citywide election for the City of Somerville took place on Tuesday, November 5, and all incumbents on the ballot won their respective seats.

Mayoral challenger Marianne Walles, who launched her campaign in June, was bested by a wide margin by incumbent Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone.

In November, The Moccia family, proprietors of Ball Square’s iconic eatery, Victor’s Deli, made the following announcement confirming that it is ceasing operations:

“It’s with a heavy heart after 37 years of business we have closed our doors at Victor’s Deli. We have made a decision to move on to the next chapter in our lives. We had a wonderful time serving the community. We had many great years and built friendships, bonds and lasting memories that will stay with us forever.”

Many Somerville residents and visitors to the city have since expressed their sadness and disappointment with the news of Victor’s closing its doors.

On November 14, Somerville residents gathered at the Tufts Administration Building for a public meeting of the Traffic Commission to be updated on and discuss proposed parking fine increases and alterations to certain city streets.

DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners (DLJ RECP), Leggat McCall Properties (LMP), and Shawmut Design and Construction were joined by Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone, City Councilor J.T. Scott, neighbors, and community members on Monday, December 2 to celebrate the official groundbreaking on 101 South Street in the Boynton Yards neighborhood of Somerville.

This nine-story, 289,000 SF Class-A lab building will be the first structure built as part of the largest state-of-the-art lab development in Somerville’s growing life science market. While site and foundation work began earlier this year, the event celebrated the positive progress on the first building as well as the transformative vision for Boynton Yards.

Somerville High Schools students gathered for a vigil they organized to honor CTE Director Leo DeSimone, who passed away unexpectedly on November 26. DeSimone was highly respected by both SHS students and staff, as expressed in a statement released last week: “…he was a trusted, much-loved, and highly respected colleague, mentor, teacher, and friend. His compassion for his students was evident in the way he interacted with them on a daily basis; he was quick to offer a smile, a high five, and a word of encouragement. He took great pride in the exceptional work of his staff, his students, and his colleagues and was the ultimate team player, always putting the best interests of his school community ahead of his own. Leo’s work ethic and commitment to helping students find their professional passion was unparalleled.”

In December, The City of Somerville’s Health and Human Services Department announced that all Somerville municipal buildings are now equipped with Narcan, a life-saving drug that can reverse the effects of opioids, as part of ongoing efforts to save lives and educate the community on overdose prevention.

The City of Somerville Traffic Commission approved a proposal to restrict the issuance of parking permits to future residents of new development located within walking distance to a rapid transit station of the MBTA’s Red, Orange, or Green Line services at its latest meeting on December 12.

On December 12, the City Council voted to approve the administration’s proposed new zoning ordinance, making this the first major overhaul of zoning in Somerville since 1990, and an update of some regulatory elements that have existed since zoning was first adopted in 1924.

It was a busy and eventful year in Somerville and its surrounding communities. We can certainly look for more of the same in the year to come.

 

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