City data to be posted on innovative “OpenData” cloud-based service to provide easier access for residents, including 311, DPW stats and more
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Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone  announced that the City of Somerville has partnered with Socrata, Inc to use the Seattle-based company’s hosted OpenData service to provide direct public access to large amounts of municipal data covering a variety of departments.   With the cloud-based service, the City of Somerville will be able to share data collected through its 311 constituent service system directly with the general public in an interactive format.  When the new data portal site goes live sometime in July, the web address will be data.somervillema.gov.  Although Socrata supplies similar services to a number of communities across the nation, including Seattle, Chicago, New York, New Orleans and Baltimore, Somerville is the first city in New England to adopt the OpenData application.

By Joseph A. Curtatone

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

It’s going to be a busy summer.  Right now, we’re in the middle of budget season, and our Aldermen are working their way through the proposed FY2013 budget.  I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to do with this year’s $171.7 million budget, which represents a net increase of only 1.2 percent over last year while at the same time funding substantial new investments in our schools and recreation programs.

The Four Point Restraints.

By Sanjeev Selvarajah

Four Point Restraints held a CD release party at the Davis Square Theatre on Elm Street and played smack dab in between Giantist and Dave Crespo’s After Party. A quote from the Restraints read, “EPIC. Thanks so much everyone for making our EP release so damn fun!” Will Barry, lead guitarist of The Restraints, confessed early on that he just hoped everybody would have a good time. Dave Crespo’s reaction captures the weight of the night and the sheer volume of people that showed up in spite of the Celtics game, “Saturday’s show was a staple in the fold of a new book of rock n’ roll in Davis Square. Now with three awesome venues in Davis the area is becoming the new Central Square.”

By Jim Clark

As Somerville police were alerted to be on the lookout for a stolen 2008 Lexus around midnight last Wednesday, an officer picked up the car’s LoJack signal and proceeded to track the vehicle’s whereabouts.

Somerville High freshman Daishawn Ulysse shows his stuff at the city’s first skateboard-friendly public park, which officially opened on Saturday. In the background is Community Police Officer Bill Carr. – Photo by Elizabeth Sheeran

Park makeovers include skateboard space

By Elizabeth Sheeran

When the sun finally came out to stay last weekend, city dwellers went out to play. And West Somerville residents had not one but two new parks to enjoy.

City officials cut ribbons Saturday on the new and improved Morse-Kelley and Dickerman Playgrounds, both on Craigie Street between Summer Street and Somerville Avenue. And the twin projects breathed new life into neighborhood spaces that by most accounts had fallen into disrepair and disuse.

– Photos by Bobbie Toner

A section of Chester Street was blocked off Monday night as Redbones hosted the 16th Annual Bike Party to benefit Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike) and New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA). Originally held during Bike Week in May, the party moved to June three years ago to benefit from warmer weather, additional daylight, and more cyclists on the road for the season.

– Photos by Bobbie Toner

The Somerville Public Schools hosted the annual Special Olympics School day Games at Dilboy Stadium Thursday, June 7. The event began with a Parade of Athletes participating in the games.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone presented a budget proposal to the Board of Alderman on June 5.~ Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Francisco L. White

Fiscal year 2013 begins in July and the City of Somerville is in great shape financially. Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone presented a budget proposal to the Board of Alderman on June 5. According to that proposal, fund appropriation for the coming fiscal year, July 1 through June 30, is $171,726,330; this is a $2,054,489 (1.2 percent) increase from fiscal year 2012, which the mayor has explained is “well below the rate of inflation.” Somerville Public Schools will benefit most, receiving $52.2 million of the funds.

What’s going on up at Magoun Square? The city just spent millions doing over the entire square. New sidewalks, streets, and when it was done it looked really good – until the company that did the work did it wrong. We hear that Alderman Sean O’Donovan has been so upset over this being done to the residents and business owners he’s asked the administration to sue the company. The streets are a mess and the cost is more than just tearing things up and repaving. What about the five police officers standing there getting paid, the loss to businesses, and the pain of driving through? Hopefully, that company will pick up that bill. But when all is said and done what a huge stupid mistake for the residents of Somerville to go through. One wonders if this was Newton would they allow this to happen? There should be a penalty for these companies that do this. If they made a mistake then not only should they pick up the cost of doing it over but a fine by the city for the inconvenience to the businesses should be levied, and those funds should be given to the local businesses as compensation.

By June of 2018, all Greenline stations will be completed through College Ave.

By Emmanuel Vincent

This past Thursday, June 7, a Ward 7 community meeting was the held at the Tufts Administration Building.  It was the first of two meetings that will take place this year. Approximately 100 people were in attendance. They had a chance to get feedback and also were able to ask questions if they needed answers. The speakers at the meeting included members of the police force and Mayor Curtatone.