Members of the Somerville Board of Alderman joined with members of the Rodent Taskforce to examine plans and procedures that will be put into effect to try to stem the tide of rat infestation in the city. — Photo by Douglas Yu

By Douglas Yu

“If you have rat problems in your property, call 311 Somerville.”

This is a call from the City of Somerville to residents to address the mounting frustration over rodent infestation. 311 Somerville, part of the Mayor’s Office, provides constituent services that allow residents to obtain valuable information about the city.

The city budget committee hearings chaired by Alderman Tony Lafuente, began this past Monday night. First department before the board’s budget committee members was DPW and all its divisions. It was a long meeting but nothing out of the ordinary. Well, except for one thing, a position that was created by the Board of Alderman last year under Highway Personal called “FLEET MANAGER” which proves maybe you don’t have to be a former Alderman to get a juicy job at City Hall. A well-known figure here in the city apparently is the new “FLEET MANAGER” for the city. Ronald Bonney of the Taxi fame and past President of the Chamber and sources tell us a rather large contributor to various campaigns here in Somerville started work June 1. The discussion was around the salary and maybe slightly higher than the board previously said. Apparently the original salary with the job was $63K but a year later Mr. Bonney being the first person to have this job will now receive little over $80K. Board members requested job description, job specifications and skills needed to fill the job, the DPW commission Stan Koty promised to get the information ASAP for the board members. The committee meeting with just the DPW lasted was recessed just about 11 p.m. This week was Recreation coming before the committee but to late for press time here. A reminder that the committee’s meetings will be taped and on channel 22, look for it and you can go online to get the proposed budget, might make for an interesting reading with a bowl of chips and tonic! By the  way has anyone ever seen the posting for this job? We didn’t…Just saying.

Union Square as it was in the days of old.

By Mary Bridger

After touring four cities in four days the Somerville Redevelopment Authority (SRA) returned for another scheduled meeting at City Hall on June 5, with only the Abbey Group to tour this Wednesday June 11.

Eagle Feathers #54 – The Faithful and the Fearless

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

While walking by, biking, or sitting in Winter Hill traffic, many people have noticed the names of Reilly and Brickley on the front of the city’s fire headquarters and have casually dismissed them without a thought.  On June 10, Somerville firefighters will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Arrow Paper Company fire where two of their fellow firefighters lost their lives and five were injured. Veteran firefighter, George Janus, was buried in the rubble and narrowly escaped with serious injuries.   Four other firefighters were also injured trying to extricate him.

Team Red with coaches and Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd.

To the Editor:

On behalf of Somerville Little League baseball, we would like to sincerely thank all the players, parents, coaches, and everyone who was involved with last Saturday’s 75th Anniversary Celebration and All Star Game. On a picture perfect day, we were able to recognize and honor three volunteers who have given countless hours over the years to help Somerville kids learn more about the great game of baseball. Brian O’Donovan, Mark Ardolino, and Arthur Lanoue all received richly deserved Lifetime Achievement Awards for their selfless efforts teaching and mentoring the kids of Somerville

Somerville may join the growing list of Commonwealth cities and towns that ban or restrict the use of plastic bags, and neither city officials nor most of those questioned in the streets recently oppose the idea. The proposal, promoted by Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz for years, was discussed at a May 27 meeting of the Environment and Energy Special Committee of the Board of Aldermen. Assistant City Solicitor Matthew Buckley told Gewirtz and Ward 7 Alderman Katjana Ballatyne, chair of the committee, that his office sees no problem with a ban. The full story is shown below.

I have known Susan Tepper for a number of years now, and she has not slowed down an iota. She is a consummate New Yorker–she moves fast, talks fast and thinks on her feet. I have read for her at the KGB FIZZ series in the lower east side of NYC, have been on a small press panel she organized for a literary festival at Hunter College and I have published her poetry in The Somerville Times and the Ibbetson Street magazine. Tepper will be in Somerville, Monday June 16 7PM, to read from her latest book The Merrill Diaries, which is a novel told in stories that link one to the next. She will be reading in Gloria Mindock’s Cervena Barva Press Art Space located in the Somerville Arts Armory building. It’s a gathering of writers and poets published by the Cervena Barva Press and the MadHat Press.

Cambridge Poet Populist Lo Galluccio sends us a poem about love. And it ain’t a Hallmark greeting card…if you know what I mean.

Drop in and help shape Somerville’s future through a series of Zoning Workshops this summer. Held each Thursday from June 12 through August 28 from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the community meeting room at 50 Middlesex Ave., behind Style Café in the Public Storage building at Assembly Square, the workshops seek to gather ideas, inform, and answer questions on the City’s new proposed zoning ordinance.

Arrests:
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Kourtney McLean, 23, of 364 Rindge Ave., Cambridge, June 3, 6:11 p.m., arrested at Broadway on warrant charges of being present where heroin is kept and larceny over $250.

Nicholas Evans, 26, of 980 Main St., Woburn, June 3, 6:11 p.m., arrested at Broadway on warrant charges of shoplifting by concealing merchandise and possession of a class A drug.