Rebekah Gewirtz

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Looking Towards the New Year 2010

Dear Friends,
Well 2010 is here and with it there is much to tell you about that's happening throughout Ward 6 and citywide. I'm happy to let you know that at the inauguration ceremony on Monday night January 4th, I was elected Vice-President of the Board of Aldermen for 2010. I want to thank my colleagues for their support. I'm looking forward to the coming year!

In this newsletter you will find information mostly pertaining to events and happenings in the month of January. As more information and meetings get scheduled this winter I will likely send out another bulletin. As always, if you have information you'd like me to share with others through my e-newsletter, send me an email to Rebekah@rcn.com.

Best wishes in the New Year!
Rebekah

In this E-Newsletter

Ward 6 Fun Fact
Constituent Corner: Bowl and Board space at 255 Elm Street, Environmental Initiatives, CitizensConnect for Somerville
Community Events: Letter writing party with Groundwork Somerville (1/6), Green Roof Forum (1/7), Somerville Democratic Caucuses (2/8)
Neighborhood and Alderman Meetings: Housing and Community Development meeting about Green and Orange Lines (1/6), Parks and Open Space meeting about Hodgkins Park (1/6), Bowl and Board Space at 255 Elm Street Neighborhood Meeting (1/13), First Alderman meeting of the year (1/14), Davis Square Visioning Meeting (1/25), Davis Square Task Force Meeting (2/24)
Announcements: Parking regulations take effect Jan 4th, Special election for the US Senate Jan 19th, I'm supporting Martha Coakley

Ward 6 Fun Fact

Did you know there are multiple websites and blogs about Davis Square and Ward 6? You can find out all about what's happening in the community and new ways to get involved through these sites:

Constituent Corner

In this section of my e-newsletter, I'm looking to hear from you on important issues facing the city. Click on the link at the end of each question and let me know what you think. Getting your feedback on these issues is very important to me, and I hope this feature of my newsletter will encourage you to share your thoughts, ideas, and concerns. As always, feel free to contact me via email at rebekah@rcn.com or 617-718-0792.

255 Elm St, formerly Bowl and Board...what do you think of the new plan? Several months ago, Bowl and Board went out of business and left Davis Square. I was disappointed by this and also that it meant the loss of a locally owned retail store in Davis. In place of Bowl and Board, Ken Kelly, owner of the Independent in Union Square, has proposed a new restaurant and lounge, and to re-open the theater downstairs. What do you think of the plan? See the planning board staff report by clicking here.

Send me an email to Rebekah@rcn.com [mailto:Rebekah@rcn.com]or come the community meeting I've schedule for Jan 13th at 6:30pm at 255 Elm St. (more details on that in the neighborhood meeting box below).
Environmental Initiatives for 2010... what's your idea for a sustainable Somerville? This year, I plan to focus on several environmental initiatives. My criteria for what I have prioritized so far has been the feasibility of the idea and the environmental impact/benefit of adopting it. Last term, I proposed and the Board of Aldermen passed the first in New England Plastic Bag Recycling Ordinance and the first in Somerville Tree Preservation Ordinance. This year I have already laid out plans to advocate for a car sharing program in the city and to initiate a green roof pilot plan. I'm interested in taking on at least one more initiative. Send me your idea and based on the criteria above I will aim to select one more initiative and prioritize it in 2010. Email me your idea to: Rebekah@rcn.com.
CitizensConnect for Somerville.. would you use it? At the last Board of Aldermen meeting in 2009, I discussed a new initiative just launched in Boston called CitizensConnect. It is an application for the iphone that allows residents to contact city hall using their iphone and track the progress of their complaint through the tool. This idea was brought to my attention by a constituent. If Somerville launched a tool like this, would you use it? For more information on Boston's program check out: http://www.cityofboston.gov/mis/apps/iphone.asp

Community Events

Letter writing party with Groundwork Somerville, January 6, 2010 6:30-8pm, 240 Elm St in Davis Square
Join Community Corridor Planning to write letters to Mass DOT during their Draft Environmental Impact Review (DEIR) comment period. If you have strong feelings about the design of the Green Line Extension through Somerville or you care deeply about equity, environmental justice, land-use design, or any other issue relating to the Green Line then stop by this fun, social letter writing party. Pizza and Cider will be provided. For more information check out: http://www.groundworksomerville.org/

First Ever Green Roof Forum, January 7, 2010, 7pm at the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA)
This event, which I am co-sponsoring with Somerville Climate Action will be an opportunity for community members to learn more about Green Roof initiatives and what the city is doing to advance this innovative technology. Green Roof technology has many environmental benefits including reducing the "heat island effect" felt most especially in dense cities with little green space; reducing our carbon footprint; and making our city more attractive and livable.

The structure of the evening will be a three part presentation followed by a discussion.

Karen Weber on the benefits of green roofs
Case study presentation by Apex Green Roof and Prospect Hill Academy about the installation of Somerville's first green roof on the school.
Overview of current state legislation about green roofs, municipal initiatives that have worked, and hurdles that need to be addressed to get green roofs on Somerville municipal buildings.

The presentation will be followed by Question and Answer and conversation about next steps.For additional information, please contact Vanessa Rule of Somerville Climate Action at beckrule@rcn.com.

Democratic Caucuses, Monday, February 8, 2010 at 6:30pm at the Capuano School The caucuses are scheduled to elect delegates to the 2010 Democratic State Convention. Statewide office seekers are being invited to this event and all wards are caucusing at the same location, in the Capuano School that day. For more information please contact Kate Chang of the Democratic City Committee by clicking here Jackson336@gmail.com.

Neighborhood and Alderman Meetings

Housing and Community Development, Wednesday January 6, 2010, 6pm, Alderman committee room 2nd floor, City Hall
At this meeting we will discuss next steps with respect to the Green Line extension and we'll discuss a proposal for a second head house at the future Assembly Square T stop. If you're interested in either topic please attend this meeting. If you have questions, feel free to be in touch with me at Rebekah@rcn.com [mailto:Rebekah@rcn.com] or 617-718-0792. Parks and Open Space meeting about Hodgkins Park, January 6, 2010, 7pm, Alderman committee room 2nd floor, City Hall.

Hodgkins Park is under construction and plans are complete. At this Parks and Open Space meeting we will go over the final plans for the site and ask questions of the parks department staff with respect to the construction. This meeting is open to the public but it will not be a public hearing. You are welcome and encouraged to attend!

255 Elm Street (formerly Bowl and Board) Neighborhood Meeting, January 13, 2010, 6:30pm at 255 Elm Street

At this neighborhood meeting the community is invited to ask questions and give feedback to the proposed proprietor about the proposed restaurant and lounge he seeks to open at this site. The proposed leasee, Ken Kelly (who also owns the Independent in Union Square), also seeks to re-open the theater downstairs. A misleading flyer was recently distributed throughout the neighborhood indicating the plan is for an 800 person nightclub. This is false. To see the plan go to the links above in the Constituent Corner. For questions, please feel free to contact me at Rebekah@rcn.com or 617-718-0792.

First Alderman meeting of the year, January 14, 2010 at 7pm at Somerville City Hall.
Aldermen meetings are held the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. At this upcoming meeting committee reports will be given, orders discussed, and new items put forward. All alderman meetings are broadcast live on Somerville Cable Access television. For more information or if you have an item you'd like me to introduce, please email me at Rebekah@rcn.com. Davis Square Visioning Meeting, January 25, 2009 at 6:30pm at the Tufts Administration Building, 167 Holland St.

This will be the first meeting of a visioning process for our neighborhood. Staff at the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development will be on hand to strategize with us and help facilitate this important discussion. What would you like to see happen in our neighborhood in the years to come? If you have questions or would like more information please send me an email to: Rebekah@rcn.com.

Davis Square Task Force meeting, Wednesday February 24, 2010, 7-9pm at the Tufts Administration Building, 167 Holland St.
The Davis Square Task Force is one of the oldest and longest standing community groups in the area. All meetings are open to anyone who wishes to participate and there is an organizing committee of the Task Force that meets the Wednesday before each meeting to set the agenda. Task Force meetings are typically bi-monthly. For more information or to get on the Yahoo groups mailing list for the Task Force, please send an email here.

Announcements

Parking Regulations take effect -- As of January 4th, 2010
All residential streets not under permit parking rules have switched to permit parking. Signs are in place and parking control officers are now issuing violations to vehicles parked on these streets without resident stickers, guest placards or other valid permits. If the signs on your street have changed, and you have not yet obtained a permit, you can call 311 during business hours for additional information. To learn about the changes online go to: http://www.somervillema.gov/spotlight.cfm?id=75

The Traffic and Parking office at 133 Holland Street is open: M-W 9am-4pm, Th- 9am-7pm, and Fri 9am-12pm.

Special Election
The Special Election for the US Senate seat (left vacant by the death of Sen. Kennedy) is coming up on Tuesday, January 19th. Please remember to vote! I'm supporting Martha Coakley and I hope you will too. For more information about Martha and to learn how to get involved in this important campaign, check out: http://www.marthacoakley.com/

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