An estimated 140,000 children in
Massachusetts are in need of mental healthcare, with 100,000 unable or
too afraid of stigmatization to receive help.

The Nov. 5 event
served as a collaboration between the city's Making Connections mental
health campaign and the state-wide The Time is Now Children's Mental
Health Campaign, which stopped here as part of several regional forums
held across Massachusetts.

At the meeting were calls for
advocacy mixed with stories from parents affected by authorities'
inability to properly address their children's health needs.

One
mother recounted her struggle against a local school system to keep her
child in school despite a behavioral and emotional disorder. Due to her
child's acting-out behaviors, she was expelled from school and daycare
programs without getting help for the underlying issues. After being
rejected from various programs and landing in a hospital, she said her
7-year-old daughter said she wanted to kill herself.

Her case, she said, highlighted the need for sweeping changes.

"We can't tinker around the edges," the mother said. "We really have to think hard about reform."

Another
young Somerville resident expressed frustration that his friend had
been thrown in jail after reaching his 20s without ever having received
attention for mental health issues that had been present for years.

"I
can't help my own best friend," he said. "Tons of crimes are committed
because of mental (issues) and the help people aren't getting. I'm
asking for help."

Matt Noyes, a representative from Health Care
for All who helped organize the forum, spoke of the need for more
legislation from Beacon Hill to help buoy the 2008 legislation, An Act
Relative to Children's Mental Health, meant to reform children's mental
healthcare.

Noyes urged parents to send postcards to their
representatives in support of An Act for Coordination of Children's
Mental Health Services, which would allow mental health clinicians to
bill private insurance for time spent coordinating a child's care with
collateral contacts such as parents, doctors and teachers.

Massachusetts
currently houses several large mental health state agencies, but Noyes
said they are often unable to work together. The campaign's new
legislation calls for the commissioner of the Massachusetts Department
of Health to take the lead in coordinating them.

Noyes also
addressed the stigma associated with mental illness, which he said has
held back the cause as other health issues continue to receive
attention both from the public and legislatures.

"If you had
diabetes, you would not hesitate to get treatment, with or without
insurance," Noyes said. "The brain is part of our body. We need to
raise awareness of the validity of mental health as just as serious as
other physical illnesses … We shouldn't be ashamed."

Anne
Herzberg, an English Language Learners counselor at Somerville High
School, said the school is doing its best with the resources it has.

"The
school's responsibility is to provide skills to promote life-long
success," she said. "Of course, when a parent comes forward asking for
more help, the school will try to help, but there are limitations."

"A lot of students are slipping not because they aren't asking," she added, "but because they get lost in the shuffle."

Tom Nash contributed to this report.

The
report, overseen by former John Hancock CEO David D'Alessandro,
concludes that the MBTA masked massive debt and left 57 "urgent" safety
projects unfunded, the total cost of which would be $543 million.

Among
the safety issues highlighted is a water leak between the Harvard and
Alewife T stations along the Red Line, which includes Somerville's only
T stop in Davis Square.

"The Alewife/Harvard Project has been
proposed and unfunded for three straight years as conditions worsen,"
the report states. "In addition to the potential of derailment, if the
situation exacerbates, speed along that portion of the Red Line could
slow to 10 mph. This will have a residual service impact with delays
along the entire Red Line."

D'Allessandro told WTKK-FM after the
report's release he would not ride along that portion of the Red Line,
although he backed away from the statement in later interviews. Gov.
Patrick has since sent inspectors to the area to monitor the situation.

Among
the report's recommendations is that expansion of MBTA service take a
back seat to improving the safety of the existing system, stating "(it)
makes little sense to continue expanding the system when the MBTA
cannot maintain the existing one."

Asked whether this could have
implications for the Green Line extension project into Somerville,
legally mandated by the federal government as a way to offset pollution
from the Big Dig project in Boston, Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone said
any attempt at delaying the project further would see a quick response
from the city.

"There are no questions, there is no discretion,"
Curtatone said of the federal mandate. "If [the MBTA] does delay or
tries to play games, we will sue them and we will win."

Curtatone
said he had not had any discussions with the MBTA about the safety
issues addressed in the report relating to the Davis Square Red Line
station.

"I was disappointed but not shocked," Curtatone said of
the report's findings. "You had years of deferred maintenance
liabilities, and the problems compound over time."

"If we want
a 21st century economy, we will need a 21st century infrastructure," he
added. "The T and the transit system in this commonwealth are grossly
underfunded … and the buck is just being passed around."

Wig
Zamore, a member of the MBTA Rider Oversight Committee and Somerville
Transportation Equity Partnership added that the state stands to lose
five times the amount of money it would spend on building the Green
Line if the project were delayed beyond the mandated 2014 completion
date.

"I think D'Alessandro did a good report (but) the report
didn't really look at the regulatory context," Zamore said. "The
federal regulations require that the state has to be proceeding on
schedule."

As to the safety of the Red Line between Harvard and
Alewife, Zamore said the possibility of a derailment along the Red Line
needs to be put in context.

"The truth is all users of
transportation in Massachusetts are at some risk," he said, noting the
state ranks 46th in the country in the amount spent on bridge repair.
"I think (the report) is correct that there are a number of scary
situations, but the only solution is to roll up our sleeves."

Meanwhile, Somerville resident Andrea Lenco rides the Red Line to and from Davis Square as many as four times a day.

"That's
[expletive]," Lenco said after being told of the safety issues as she
was waiting for an inbound train. "Honestly, I don't know if it's going
to keep me from riding this route. I'd rather be on the T than a bus
that doesn't come for 45 minutes."

The Massachusetts Department
of Transportation will present its latest assessment of the Green Line
extension project at Somerville High School on Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. The
D'Alessandro report is available at www.mbtareview.com.

As recently as the 1970s, most issues that affected a
large majority of people would generate much public debate and
involvement in the democratic process of electing people to represent
us – local, county, state and national. The number of small PDS-like
types of grassroots organizations throughout the 1970s and into the
very early 1980s was amazing to watch if you were lucky enough to have
lived here during that time.

After that, public interest on a
local level seemed to wane around here. Maybe it was the crazed '80s
that kept us all so busy we didn't notice things happening around us.
Low voter turnout, still to this day, is somehow translated by some to
mean people are "happy with things the way they are."

Don't buy
it – the real heart of the problem is simply that people are too busy
trying to stay afloat to notice every single issue. It seemed so
shocking at the time when the Mystic View Task Force took up the fight
to put Assembly Square on the right track – like they were fighting the
"old boy network" on some level. It seemed even more shocking when
other small politically-based movements started to pop up here and
there, some managing to take hold of different segments of the voting
population.

That's the problem – none of this is new – and none
of it should be simply dismissed as "old" vs. "new" Somerville. We all
live here, and see the changes that are happening. Some of us more than
others, and that's okay – but maybe we can start coming together on
more issues instead of being divisive and perpetuating myths and trying
to act like we all don't want the same things – safe schools for our
children, adequate police and fire protection, honest representation in
local government. Maybe then we can work in the little things that we
selectively desire from an ideological standpoint – collaboratively,
not closed-mindedly.

We have to start be being more involved –
not just blow the roof off the barn because parking times were lowered
and fees were raised, not just because our property taxes have gone up,
not just because one person favors a certain set of ideological
principles over the next person. There has to be more collaboration,
cooperation and working together to get these types of things moving in
the right direction.

It starts by going out to vote, especially
if you can't spend time working with a local community group, sit on a
local board, or put yourself out there by running for office. It's not
just your right, it's your responsibility to those people, like them or
not, agree with them or not, that put themselves out there every day
and night – the true believers that we can make a change right here,
right now. We did it when we elected Barack Obama President – we can
certainly do it when it comes to local elections.

The Nov.
5 hearing, held jointly by the Board of Aldermen Land Use Committee and
the Somerville Planning Board, saw six residents speak in favor of the
proposal that would revitalize Broadway.

The plan prepared by
the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development will expand
zoning policy in the hope of attracting new commercial development to
help revitalize the Winter Hill and Sullivan Square areas.

"It
is not financially feasible to redevelop under the current zoning
ordinances," said Rob May, Somerville's director of Economic
Development.

The plan will allow businesses to expand the
square area of their property through an increase in the allowable
height and density of buildings along the Broadway corridor. Depending
upon the particular district, the maximum allowable height of a
commercial building will increase anywhere from five to 20 feet
compared to current zoning standards.

Comments from both officials and residents focused on Winter Hill, expressing the need to bring new business to the area.

"Winter
Hill is struggling," said Monica Lamboy, executive director of OSPCD.
"The truth is, people just aren't shopping there anymore."

"Winter Hill has a very tired look," Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero added.
"It needs revitalization, it needs this kind of zoning to bring in new
activity. With the Green Line coming, I think the rezoning will add
great residential and commercial developments to the area and be a
value to the larger community here in Somerville."

Carrie
Dancy, executive director of non-profit East Somerville Main Streets,
said the new zoning guidelines would help create a walkable corridor
that is more community centric.

"There is no continuity to
Broadway," Dancy said. "We are really only a destination district right
now. People come, they get what they need, and they get back in their
car and leave. In order to create the vibrancy that we are looking for,
we need more continuity."

Other residents said the need to
bring in different kinds of businesses to the area, especially after
the closing of the Star Market.

"You only need so many sub shops," Erika Tarlin said. "We need a new market and we really need to give the area a little kick."

The
OSPCD's plan will also coincide with a finalized "streetscaping"
program set to begin soon. Funding has been allocated to the Broadway
corridor to create single lanes, "aesthetic" medians, and more
pedestrian-friendly sidewalks.

"Great streets are not just
about businesses, but also about the community space next to it,"
Lamboy said. "By having great buildings with pedestrian oriented
details, you get the sense of a great street."

Among the
concerns raised was the Board's warning that the OSPCD balance the
"utopic" and the "practical" aspects of initiatives – specifically,
ensuring enough parking spaces in any new development. The OSPCD plans
to give new businesses the option of payment in lieu of mandatory
parking spaces, with the money going into a fund for municipal parking
spaces.

With the public hearing process now closed, the
Planning Board will give its recommendation on the rezoning plans to
the Board of Aldermen in early 2010.

The requirements
for consideration of the Tina DeLellis Distinguished Service Award
include the reasons for its inception — "to keep the memory of Tina
DeLellis alive and to thank someone who embodies Tina's spirit and
values of straight-shooting, honesty and fairness." said Mark
Alston-Follansbee, Executive Director of the Somerville Homeless
Coalition.

Rosemary Nolan of Sillari Realty recently received
the first award, which was presented by Gene Brune, Register of Deeds
and former Mayor of Somerville. "Nolan was the first person willing to
take a chance on renting the Somerville Homeless Coalition an apartment
for one of our clients. She always told us the truth [and] told us if
she thought we were making a mistake — but she is always fair and
willing to work with us."

The process of how DeLellis and Johnny
D's became involved is interesting. "There used to be a wild bar in the
space where Orleans is now. They had a beer run to raise money for the
coalition, but then they got shut down. Johnny D's knew we needed that
money and decided to take over the race," he said.

However, "80
percent of our funding comes from public sources like HUD, the state
and the City of Somerville." Then, the coalition must raise the
remaining funds. Johnny D's is the chief sponsor of the annual Road
Race, which brings in some revenue for the organization.

Initially,
the coalition began in the 1980s, with their "Adult Shelter for
individual adults." Located in the College Avenue United Methodist
Church basement. That was soon followed by the opening a Family
Shelter, which is located in the Hispanic Seventh Day Adventist Church.

In
the mid 90s, Project SOUP "joined the Coalition" and was the first
community meal program in New England, according to Alston-Follansbee.
In the following year, 1997, "We received our first federal grant to
provide case management to any homeless person, family or individual in
Somerville." A few years later the coalition's initial permanent
housing program began.

Since 2007, funds from the United Way
have become available "to prevent people from becoming homeless or to
get them re-housed ASAP, if they are homeless," he said.

Currently,
the coalition aids 125 families and individuals — all of whom inhabit
80 apartments. Beyond the City of Somerville, the communities to which
the organization's services extend include: Arlington, Medford, Belmont
and Winchester.

However, the coalition "just received word
from the state that the administration may cut our Adult Shelter budget
by 15 percent, which would be disastrous and be a loss of over $34,000
a year," said Alston-Follansbee.

Baldasaro told two convenience store owners he was
investigating false currency that had been passed through the business.
He ordered them to turn over large amounts of cash for authentication.

Under
a plea agreement with prosecutors, Baldasaro pleaded guilty to two
felony counts of theft by deception. In exchange two counts of
kidnapping and one count of robbery were dismissed.

Bladasaro is
also accused of posing as a federal agent in Somerville and Cambridge
and stealing thousands of dollars in a fraudulent car sales scheme. He
is alleged to have carried a handgun during his impersonations of
police officers and federal agents.

In all of his schemes,
prosecutors say Baldasaro used intimidation and his impersonated
authority to get his victims to comply with his orders.

Baldasaro was apprehended in New York City in May after fleeing New England to avoid capture.

He
could also face trial in Maine and Vermont in addition to possible
federal charges, including armed robbery, kidnapping and parole
violations. He was previously convicted of robbery in Vermont and was
released in 2008 after serving 12 years.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Jeffrey White said in a statement he is pleased that a lengthy sentence was handed down.