Both Winter Hill and Healey
have been under this grant before, but not since June of 2008. "We are
allowed to apply for new funding for any school that's been off funding
for at least a year," says Gretchen Kinder, organizer of this meeting
and Coordinator of Research and Development in the Somerville Public
School system. This particular grant lasts five years. "Six years ago
Winter Hill and Healey were awarded this five year grant from the
Department of Education. And it ended in 08; so those two schools have
been without money the last year," Kinder tells us. So in order to help
these two Somerville schools and the hundreds of children who learn in
them, Kinder held this hour-long discussion where anyone with an
attachment to Somerville education was welcomed to join. She was quick
to say parents were most welcome in this small meeting, saying
oftentimes they know more about the children than those in the school
system.

To make the grant proposal appealing for those in the
State House there have been some changes since the last time it was
applied for. Instead of having one focus, this proposal will try to
address two types of learning in the educational system: social and
academic. On a large paper board, Kinder wrote down several possible
desired outcomes for both academic and social development within the
schools. Some of the academic ones written down were math reasoning
skills, social studies and homework ability. Some of the social ones
were public speaking, being able to work well with others, and
improvements of the after-school program. "After-school programs should
not be considered as separate from the school day; it complements the
school day," Kinder says, addressing the small assembly. In a small
interactive part of the assembly, Kinder asked all those present to put
stickers by the outcomes they see as most desirable for their students
and children. In social outcomes, most chose communication skills,
relationship with adults and peers and improvements in after-school. In
academic outcomes, most chose homework ability, science and reading
skills; no one chose social studies.

Tony Pierantozzi,
Superintendent of Somerville Public Schools had to leave this meeting
early but before doing so, he instructed those present that academic
success was his main concern. Pierantozzi sees the benefit of social
development; however he was determined to fix Somerville's academic
problems above all else, saying "We are primarily interested in direct
improvement of our academic achievement." He continued, "I'm not
talking about MCAS; I'm talking about their [a student's] ability to
express themselves through their academics.

At the time of the accident, car 187 was driven by
officer Stephen Jones. Jones and the other driver were both a bit
bruised and banged up, they were transported to an area hospital where
they were both treated and released. The cause of the accident is still
under investigation.

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

Popular
Ward 1 School Committee member and Chairwoman – Maureen Bastardi will
be having a fundraiser this coming Tuesday night from 6 pm to 8:30 pm
at Bread & Company, located at 394 Broadway in Winter Hill. Maureen
does a great job for the residents and students throughout the ward
down in East Somerville as well as the rest of the city.

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

Speaking
of the Bread & Company in Winter Hill, if you haven't been there at
all you should go, the food is fantastic and everyone there is super
friendly. Our favorite is the breads they make, and this week while
some of us where there for lunch, bought their Carrot Bread (Brazilian
style) one word describes it as "fantastic" – if nothing else, check
out the breads and in particular Carrot Bread (Brazilian style) – and
mention The Somerville News.

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

Guess some
BU students don't think their graduation speaker, our own Congressman
Mike Capuano, has enough "sizzle" – they want someone else. Judging by
way he grilled the largest bank presidents on their bonuses, these
students might be in for a surprise. Then again if Mike wanted to teach
them what sizzle was all about, he could use his influence and borrow
President Obama's chief speech writer, North Reading's own Jon Favreau.
Give 'em hell Mike – make them sizzle!

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

Have
you noticed that the Farm Team paper has lost its size and page
content? We aren't the only ones that have noticed; their boxes don't
even have their papers until sometimes on Friday and lots of papers
left over at the end of the following week. Now an article by Dan
Kennedy who is the Assistant Professor at NU School of Journalism, did
a story on the outlook of Gatehouse and that they will be announcing
major cutbacks and downsizing very soon, Gatehouse owns the Farm Team.
To bad the tradition of the Dole Family ownership fades as the days go
by.

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

Meanwhile The Somerville News is
growing every month – since January of this year we have gone from 150
locations in Somerville to now 163 locations. We are even considering
printing more papers and by the end of the year we will easily be up to
175 locations. The Somerville News and all "real" locally own and
operated papers throughout the Boston area are in better shape then the
big out of towners.

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

Looks like the cone
of silence is down around the DPW yard – or is that the code of
silence? Either way we heard from a reliable source that apparently
there was an accident one day last week, involving one DPW worker that
ran another DPW worker over in the city yard with a city truck that was
pulling a city trailer. But nobody is saying anything, or are they?
Stay tuned!

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

We want to welcome Isabella
Hoske Vieira to the 'Ville. Isabella is a foreign exchange student from
Belo Horizonte, Brazil that has been studying in Kansas since September
but wants to now come visit Somerville before her long journey back
home to Brazil in June. Welcome to Somerville!

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

At
one of the Board of Aldermen subcommittee meetings last week they were
discussing the possibility of raising the fine for public smoking of
weed, from $100.00 to $300.00. When one of the Aldermen asked how was
it going to be enforced if the police saw a minor smoking the weed. The
city treasurer Ms. Elizabeth Craveiro was heard to say that she would
have a lien placed on the parent's home to enforce. Well that might be
one way of doing it – she was then asked what if they were tenants, and
Ms. Craveiro was heard to say, same thing, place a lien on the
landlords house! Now we're not lawyers here at Newstalk, but we can't
believe that it's legal to do that, is it?

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

For
the idiot over on the Farm Team, get your facts straight, Vinny Piro
went through 3 trials – first two no verdict and last one he was
acquitted, and by the way that was 25 years ago. He did more for the
City of Somerville in state aide and assistance then the current
legislators combined – get your facts straight. You probably didn't
even live here in 1985 – just another PDS, off the wall wacko who heard
from one person who heard it for another from his cousin who used to
live here! To some of us here at Newstalk, Vinny was a nice man who did
a lot for the everyday person here in the city. And we can say that
because some of us actually know him, personally!

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

Somerville
Climate Action will be hosting the first-ever Living Green Festival
this Saturday, May 16th at Somerville High School from 10 am to 2 pm.
Admission will be free. The festival will showcase a wide variety of
sustainable living options, through hands-on workshops and
demonstrations. Highlights will include a sustainable cooking
demonstration by Nadine Nelson of Discerning Taste, a mock-wall
insulation demonstration by Tony Shirley of Energy All Stars, and free
basic bike adjustments by Joshua Kampa of Open Bicycle. For more
information, call Dave Madan at 617-461-9393 or email him at
livinggreenfestival@gmail.com.

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

Joe
Squillante, a graduate of the SHS Class of 1986, died suddenly this
past week. Our condolences go out to the family, especially his wife
and their young child. He will be waked at Dello Russo's in Medford on
Wednesday night. He will be missed.

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

The
Somerville Sunsetters for 2009 are looking for eager and excited local
students to participate, along with a number of returning members – to
get that final group of 20 performers fleshed out. They're looking for
student between the ages of 12 and 18, who will be auditioning for and
then selected by our own Jimmy Del Ponte – check out Jimmy's column
this week for details.

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

The 2009 All City
Elementary Spring Concert will be Thursday, May 14th at 7 pm in the
Somerville High Auditorium (81 Highland Ave). This is always a terrific
show and we encourage everyone to try and make it – tickets will be
available at the door.

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

The Executive
Office of Transportation, the City of Cambridge and City Councilor and
State Representative Tim Toomey are sponsoring a community meeting to
discuss the relocation of Lechmere Station and the Green Line Extension
Project. The meeting will feature presentations on the overall Green
Line Extension as well as specifics about the new Lechmere Station and
associated roadway changes including multiple new pedestrian crossings
of McGrath/O'Brien Highway. The meeting will be held on, Wednesday May
20th from 6 – 8 PM at the Kennedy-Longfellow School Auditorium, 158
Spring Street Cambridge.

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

But don't tell them that – oh no.

And
who the Hell says it is too early to start railing on politicians,
political wannabes and pod people? Nomination papers are available
since this Monday, so now it will be time to separate the herd and see
what's what and who has the intestinal fortitude to step up and put
their name on a ballot – to put their rhetoric to the test and actually
do something about it, if it's really that bad here. There is at least
one person willing to go up against an incumbent this year, and from
what we hear, there will be a few more jumping into the fray.

There
is a lot of talk about who will be running for office this year, but
until those papers are pulled – and then actually handed back in and
certified – talk means nothing in this city. There will be some
candidates who will have a terrific chance to unseat an incumbent or
two – we hope – and there will be a candidate or two that will most
likely be crushed so bad, they will never ever run for office again –
we hope.

The news is not all bad for the MASC and other
advocates of educational support though. School funding for fiscal year
'09 will not see a lull, as the state has made the decision to allocate
monies from the federal stimulus package to cover the net loss from the
aforementioned state budget cuts. Even with severely weakening revenue
streams, the state of Massachusetts will be able to avoid a significant
lapse in the monetary funds that it allots to its public schools–at
least for this year.

Mary Jo Rossetti, an MASC member and the
Somerville School Committee Representative for Ward 7, knows that there
is much work still to be done to ensure the long-term vitality of
Somerville's public school system. One pertinent issue that Rossetti
points out is that the money that will now be allocated to Somerville
and other local communities is now channeled through the federal
government "We were excited when we all heard that education was
getting X amount of dollars, it was wonderful news," says Rossetti. "I
will tell you though, that since this memo came out that this was going
to happen, every other week there was a memo from the [federal]
government saying, oops we didn't think about this, or oops we didn't
think about that. So they are directing our superintendents, and our
mayors, and our governor on how that money should be expended….our
hands are tied as to how we can spend the money."

The other
issue, still to be worked out, is how these funds are to be obtained by
local municipalities. Due to federal guidelines, cities might have to
apply for money through grants and will be forced to wait and see when
and if they receive full economic support. This can make it quite
difficult to forecast a local budget for FY10, something that
Somerville is currently in the process of doing. "I am exuberant that
we are getting this money," says Rossetti, "but it is difficult because
one of our [budget] lines is assuming that we are going to get some
stimulus money, and we are crossing ours fingers and toes that that is
going to be real."

Assuming Somerville obtains full grants
dollars from the federal stimulus package, the key for 2009 will be
moderation. As Mitchell Chester, commissioner of Elementary and
Secondary Education, said at the "Day on the Hill" event, "it is going
to be a very funky ride for the next couple of years. The challenge is
that we are expending stimulus funds now; i.e. fewer funds will be left
to expend in FY10 and FY11…you need to be thinking not simply one
year at a time this time, but for the next two years."

School
boards are looking to be more creative with current school budgeting in
an effort to weather the storm for FY11 and beyond. Some ideas include
regionalization, the pooling together of resources from separate school
systems to save money, and in increase in sales tax, which is supported
by Somerville's Mayoral administration and could bring much needed
revenue to public schools and the city as a whole.

In terms of
specific cuts for the upcoming year, it is still too early to tell how
Somerville schools will be affected. One thing that Somerville
residents can hang their hat on though, is the experience and
competency of the people running our schools and the administration
that works behind the scenes. "You are not going to get a better
education than you will in the Somerville Public Schools," says Mary Jo
Rossetti. "The schools are superb, the staff is extremely dedicated."
Rossetti, who will be running for re-election this year, knows that
there is hard work to be done and difficult decisions to be made, but
is certainly up for the challenge. "I want to be a part of this team
because it makes me feel proud to see the outcome of all of these
students and what Somerville public schools have done for each of them.
No matter what the unfunded regulations are, we don't quit"

There
are crucial decisions to be made in the upcoming months in regards to
education and the impending financial concerns, and the MASC encourages
everyone to participate in the decision making process. "We need you to
work with us-and with your legislators! The governor's recently
released budget is closely tied to federal monies through the stimulus
package. How these funds will be distributed is unclear at the moment,
but your voice and outreach is critical in reminding elected officials
that public schools are our nation's most vital piece of
infrastructure."

However, The Brune Scholarship "is not the
only [one] we give. We're going to give about 45 this year," said
Noreen Santucci, Corresponding Secretary of the Somerville High School
Scholarship Foundation.

There are copious reasons for Evitt's
truly deserving this scholarship. In 2008, the Dartmouth Book Award
came his way. Holding a class rank of 3rd in his class and maintaining
a G.P.A. of 4.48, the senior at Somerville High School will commence
his collegiate experience, as an engineering major. "I am currently
wait listed at the school of my choice, Brown University. If I am
unable to gain admittance there, I will be attending Harvard University
in the fall," he said. In addition, he was accepted to Duke and the
University of Pennsylvania.

Because Evitt excels in Mathematics, he earned the honor of SHS Top Scorer in the New England Math League Competition.

"I
believe my active involvement in my community made me an ideal
candidate for Mr. Brune's scholarship," he said. From a tender age, he
possessed a keen interest in fundraising for local organizations. "I
perceived [that endeavor], as particularly worthwhile, which included
Project Bread and the Somerville Mathematics Fund.  I have raised over
$2,500, specifically for these organizations."

His community
service extends even farther, for he has been very active in "Dollars
for Scholars." For years, he raised over $200, annually, giving his
time in the Walk for Hunger. For eight years on a biannual basis, Evitt
participated in Community Outreach Events for the Historic Preservation
Commission.

After having completed his degree, he envisions
helping others in the classroom. "With hopes of pursuing a career in
teaching, I have been a member of Somerville High School's Future
Teachers of America club for the past two years."

Over the
years, Evitt has accumulated numerous awards, both academically and
athletically. This year, he is serving, as President of the National
Honor Society. He received the Coaches Award and the Captains' Award,
as well as his being chosen as a GBL All-Star in indoor track in 2008.

"Undoubtedly
my favorite activity is running on the school's cross country, indoor,
and outdoor track teams," said Evitt, for which he was chosen as
Captain. Therefore,"Track has been an invaluable part of my high school
career, affording me confidence, [as well as] a strong network of close
friends."

One local non-profit organization, to which he still
gives his time, is the Somerville Mathematics Fund. "They routinely
organize community "Math Nights" at neighborhood elementary schools,
award grants to deserving math teachers, and sponsor generous
scholarships for high school seniors, interested in pursuing math in
college," he said.

How does Brune select the next lucky winner
of his scholarship? On an annual basis, the Somerville High School
Scholarship Committee provides Brune with a list of eight or nine
deserving students, from whom to select the winner of that year's
scholarship.

However, to be considered, students must meet
certain requirements. "The criteria is just being a Somerville High
School student and showing that they're very active in the community,
active in school. Their marks don't have to be top marks, but they need
to qualify for college, or a training school, and that they are of good
moral character," said Brune.

Such volunteer work could include
"a road race for cancer or being a volunteer at the library or the
hospital — helping others."

Although Brune believes that
personality traits are difficult to glean from a simple application,
"You can determine, on paper, just what [students] have done in life.
It kind of shows their personality — getting along with their peers,
possibly being a member of the National Honor Society, possibly being a
captain on one of the sport teams — things that show that they can
get along with their peers."

Additionally, the Somerville High
School Scholarship Foundation's annual drawing was an enormous success
this year, despite the wavering economy. This year, 242 of the 250
available tickets, were purchased for the 2009 raffle. Each cost $100
apiece.

However, "The scholarship raffle has nothing to do with
the Eugene C. Brune Scholarship, expect that I give it through that
organization. I'm a chairman of the $10,000 [annual] drawing that we
have." Every bit of the money, which that organization gathers, is
allocated for prizes or augments the Scholarship Foundation's funds.

"The
Somerville High School Scholarship Foundation was founded in 1990 by
then Headmaster Anthony V. Fedele," according to the organization's
website.

The goal of the foundation is to enable the greatest
number of students to be financially able to attend institutions of
"higher learning." Although Brune did not found it, he was on the
committee, which was responsible for so doing.

The 25th Annual
Eugene Brune Breakfast happened on Sunday, May 3 at Anthony's
Restaurant in Malden. Donations from that event cushion the funds for
Brune's annual scholarship. This year, Evitt's uplifting remarks during
his scholarship acceptance speech, brought the crowd to a standing
ovation.

1978
was the year after I graduated from college, but there were more
notable happenings back then. Grease, Animal House and Superman were at
the movies. The Bee Gees controlled the radio waves with music from
Saturday Night Fever. The President was Jimmy Carter (great year for
Jimmy's). Unfortunately the Yankees beat the Red Sox for the American
League Championship. We were hopeful that the Viet Nam War would stay
ended, and committed to taking care of our wounded heroes. We were also
nursing the heartache of losing sons, brothers, husbands, wives and
friends in that horrible war. We were trying to find happy things to do
and one August day we got very happy.

I'm pretty sure that the great summer concert of 1978 was sponsored by Somerfest.

You
remember Somerfest don't you? A crew of youth workers would show up
with a truck and block off a street. People would set up lawn chairs or
sit on their porches and listen to a concert. When my band showed up it
was a rock concert that could be heard for blocks. We played on my
aunt's street, the bass player's street, my street, the lead guitar
player's street and even in front of my grandmother's house. When we
played on my street, we used my house as the "dressing room" and
backstage area. Big Sal was in charge of setting up the stage and
blocking off the street. He is still my friend to this day.

So
this concert at Powder House Park was a mega concert. Three bands!
Bands that I mentioned in my April Fools article – only this show was
for real. The Tools (formerly Shadowfax), Dillinger and Zenophon were
the featured groups.

It was a perfect hot summer Saturday and
the crowds began to form early. The Tools set up at the bottom of the
park near the corner of Liberty and Broadway. Dillinger was set up on
the back of a flatbed truck a little way up the hill. Zenophon,
featuring David Stefanelli, was at the very top near the tower. We
started the concert with a brand new song that we had never played in
public before. It went on to be, along with "Love My Money," a 45 rpm
record that we released later that year. It actually was in the
jukeboxes at Harold's Luncheonette and The Embassy Lounge. The song
that began that day long music festival was called "Spark 'Em Up." As
soon as we played the last note of the last song of our set, Dillinger
blasted the first resounding riffs of their set. And to continue the
seamless afternoon of rock, Zenophon started just as Dillinger strummed
their last chord. I can still hear Stef's awesome voice echoing through
the trees and filling the park with righteous rock! 3 bands supplying
hours of continuous rock to a swarm of happy, well behaved rockers. It
was heaven! What a day! What a concert! What a memory (LOL). Lots of
Led (Zeppelin)!

So Bono, we love you man, but you ain't got
nothing on us! We played Powder House Park on a day that a lot of us
will never forget, long before you graced the Somerville Theater stage.
By the way, please come back soon, you rule.

Move it up 30 years
or so and the tradition continues. "Somerville Student Rocks" will be a
concert featuring local talented musicians on Thursday May 28th at the
Somerville High School Auditorium at 7 pm – and it's free! Interested
musicians, singers, song writers, bands, etc. in grades 6 through 12
should show up at auditions on Friday May 15th from 2:45 pm to 6 pm at
the Somerville High School Auditorium. No back tracks or karaoke please
– live – not Memorex! Somerville's new comedy troupe "Klass Klownz"
will open the show with some funny songs and bits.

Continuing
the long tradition of supplying fine entertainment for our great city,
the office of Mayor Joe Curtatone announced a meeting for local teens
interested in this years Sunsetters. We will be rehearsing 4 nights a
week in June and performing 4 nights a week for seven weeks during the
summer. Performances include the fireworks celebration on July 2nd,
Artbeat and the Mayor's Annual Senior Picnic. Those chosen will receive
a stipend of $500.00 for the summer. Interested teens willing to work
hard and be part of an elite group with a n historic reputation for
excellence should come to the Tab Building at 167 Holland St. Thursday
May 21st at 6:30 pm. Who knows, we may have the next Bono, or Cher
Bono, or a huge rock star who eats Bon Bons.

Somerville has
always produced a lot of talent, and this year because we have so much
going on, it promises to be a great summer with lots of excitement.

So
you see, it was nice to have a mega group like Bono and U2 come to
Somerville, but we are a very special city that is packed with our own
talent. The great rock concert of 1978 at Powder House Park was the
closest Somerville ever got to Woodstock. If you were there, you know
what I mean.

This year, the
Somerville Spring Cleanup was organized at seven volunteer sites across
the city, focusing on the city's parks, community gardens, schoolyards
and major squares, according to the press release from Mayor Curtatone.
This year, new locations included Broadway from Winter Hill to East
Somerville, and the city estimated that there were a similar number of
participants as in recent years, perhaps as many as 400 though no
official count was available.

After dropping their garbage bags
off, volunteers headed over to Nunziato Field for a barbecue, and to
the neighboring Community Growing Center for the SomerGreen Festival,
an eco-fair that convened organizations and community groups that
promote green living.

Those who missed Saturday's clean up but
still want to take advantage of Somerville's green programs may want to
consider picking up a city-subsidized composter. The 10-gallon Earth
Machine, which is essentially a three-foot high plastic cylinder with
adjustable vents, is a good option for people looking to reduce their
kitchen and yard waste, and can produce enough soil for a small garden.
With a $40 check and proof of residency, people can pick one up from
the Somerville Department of Public Works, located at 1 Franey Road on
the corner of Cedar Street and Broadway behind Trum Field,
Monday-Saturday, 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.

For those without the space
or motivation to mind their own compost pile, Groundwork Somerville
will pick it up, as those stopping by the SomerGreen fest may have
found out. Groundwork Somerville's new fee-based SoilCycle program will
provide weekly compost pick-ups by bicycle, and is advertised as
"youth-run" and "sustainably-powered" – which basically means that its
users can feel good about supporting local youth jobs as well as the
environment.

Vanessa
Rule, of Go Green Somerville, one of the organizers of the event,
described the support mechanisms for such businesses. By providing
consulting services focused on maximizing environmental efficiency, she
said, "hopefully we can make the process easy for those businesses who
might worry that they either don't have time or that it will cost too
much."

Two examples of business leaders who have made the
transition are Jennifer Park and Tucker Lewis, co-owners of the Diesel
Café and Bloc 11. With the help of Save that Stuff, a company that
collects organic waste and distributes it for re-use, the two cafés
have effectively reduced their waste as well as the costs associated
with its removal. "It's easy if you're committed to doing it," Park
said. "We said that, regardless of the costs, we were going to do
this." As it turns out, the financial toll of reducing waste was far
from a problem, as Park predicts that they have saved about $5,000 in
the first year alone.

Another Davis Square landmark, Johnny
D's, is an example of how the environmental movement has evolved from a
fringe issue to one that is inherently linked with successful business
practices. Since the venue underwent renovations designed to increase
its energy efficiency, Carla Dilois predicts they've cut about 10% in
related costs.

The sustainable drive has not been led simply
by shrewd business owners and concerned non-profit groups like
Groundwork Somerville, but also by local governance. In a nod to the
importance of green thinking, especially in one of the most densely
populated cities in the country, Mayor Joseph Curtatone created the
Department of Sustainability and the Environment in 2006. In nearly
every facet of urban planning, environmental concerns now come into
play, from the Green Line Extension project to Shape Up Somerville's
program to curtail obesity in the city. Alongside Groundwork
Somerville, a local non-profit environmental organization, the program
has built gardens in nearly every school in the city–a boon to
physical health as well as to storm water runoff prevention. The
Department of Sustainability is slated to receive up to a half a
million dollars in stimulus funding, said Program Manager David Lutes,
though the use of the money is yet to be determined.

As events
such like the B2Green expo show, it is evident that the environment is
not a fleeting concern. "Green is definitely the new thing," said
Jennifer Lawrence, Executive Director of Groundwork Somerville.
"Especially with the city caring so much about sustainability,
Somerville is mirroring a national trend in awareness." For longtime
activists within the community, the rising tide of environmentalism,
which Rule and Lawrence agree coincided with Al Gore's "Inconvenient
Truth" and the spike in oil prices, is a welcome change. "My sense from
talking to people who have been doing this for a long time was that it
used to be very hard to get anyone to listen to you," Rule said. "Now,
people have seen the limits of consumerism."

Dennis Sullivan, Alderman-at-Large, is kicking off
his spring office hours on Saturday, May 16. Starting at 10 a.m,
Sullivan will be at the East Somerville Police Sub Station, followed by
an 11 a.m. stop at the Dunkin Donuts in Union Square.

Sullivan
will continue the mobile neighborhood office hours on May 23 with stops
at (10 a.m.) the Highland Ave. Dunkin Donuts and then (11a.m.) at the
Winter Hill Post Office. On May 30, Sullivan will set up shop (10a.m.)
in Ball Square, followed by (11a.m. the Somerville Theatre and then
(12p.m.) the West Somerville Police Sub Station.

"The office
hours are my favorite part of being Alderman," said Sullivan. "It's a
chance to connect on the grassroots level and talk to the people who
make this city prosper and succeed."

"For each round of office
hours, we try to introduce another element," Sullivan continued. "We've
had interpreters join us, brought the office inside, offered voter
registration and have tried to highlight different neighborhoods
throughout the more than 90 office hours. This time I will be posting
live updates from each stop." To follow Sullivan's mobile office or
submit a question, friend him at facebook.com.

Sullivan began
the mobile office as another way to connect with residents shortly
after being elected as an Alderman-at-Large in 2004. He's done more
than 90 stops and will conduct the 100th stop sometime this fall. The
office hours – which consist of the original table he used five years
ago and a banner – are weather permitting.