Mayor Curtatone shows off the city’s second Sustainaville/GreenTech pilot program solar powered charging station. — Photo courtesy of Sustainaville/GreenTech

By Haley ED Houseman

The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris is scheduled for December, but Somerville’s Mayor Curtatone has stepped up ahead of talks to offer his signature to the Compact of Mayors.

The design firm of Weston & Sampson presented their proposed plan for the recreational areas of Somerville’s Lincoln Park to curious residents and local officials at a public meeting on October 24.

By Mariya Manzhos

The plan for the redesign of the Lincoln Park playground was presented to the Somerville residents at a meeting hosted by the Park and Open Space department and Weston & Sampson’s design studio on October 24 morning at the Argenziano School Cafeteria.

There was an extremely low turnout on Election Day yesterday. What with the lack of candidates who wanted to run and the general feeling out there that most people here are not interested in city government, what do you think is the problem? Not that long ago we would have multiple office seekers in every ward and for At Large, but for some reason the citywide elections are of no concern to most folks. So the other day we asked what was the difference in enrollment here in the city. In 2006, according to the election department at City Hall, there were 20,167 registered Democrats, 14,919 registered Independents and 2,247 registered Republicans. This year there are 23,509 registered Democrats, 19,170 registered Independents and 1,817 registered Republicans. A big increase of registered Independents as well as an increase in registered Democrats. In a city of about 75,000 residents, we have a total of 44,496 registered voters and yet fewer than 14% voted. There are times we think that elected city officials owe it to the public to get more participation, especially in our local city government. Don’t you agree?

By Tom Bannister

Following many months of conversation with stakeholders, local business owners, community activists, and residents, city officials released a draft neighborhood plan for Union Square at a well-attended meeting of the Civic Advisory Committee this past Wednesday.

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

The old MBTA power switching station at the corner of Avon and School AND the adjacent gas station at the corner of School and Summer have been purchased by a luxury condo developer. According to the city planning dept. we can expect at least nine units on the gas station site, plus at least two more units on the MBTA site. If the new zoning passes, the gas station site would permit 27 units! It’s astonishing how fast the situation is spinning out of control, thanks to the corrosive influence of unbridled greed. Somerville Ave is already a sea of green particle board. In a few years from now the old Somerville will be unrecognizable, its history and culture utterly erased, and much of its current population displaced.

Eagle Feathers #90 – Somerville Spirits

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

Somerville’s roots run deep. As a city, she goes back to 1872. As a town, she goes back to 1842; and as Charlestown, Beyond the Neck, she dates back to 1628. This was two years before Boston was established in 1630.

Arrests:
*

Rickey Perry, of 1374 Broadway, October 27, 1:48 a.m., arrested at Broadway on warrant charges of operation of number plate violation, unregistered motor vehicle, and uninsured motor vehicle or trailer.

Rainsfor Rouner, of 35 Beacon St., Chelsea, October 27, 6:34 p.m., arrested at Beacon St. on charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and violation of city ordinance open container.

Our guest columnist this week is Union Square resident Kirk Etherton:

One great thing – or problem – about my living here in “Greater Somerville” (which includes Boston) is that there are always so many very good events, it’s easy to miss something great.

Alex Munteanu explores what it means to be fenced in – even when we think we are not. Munteanu is a junior at Endicott College, studying Creative Writing and Photography. She has been published in The Endicott Review, for which she is an editor. Alexandra enjoys writing poetry and fiction.

— Photos by Donald Norton

Alderman at Large:

Jack Connolly 3670

Sean Fitzgerald 3512

Mary Jo Rossetti  4128

Dennis Sullivan  4350

William White  4035