4 items for Feb 18 Agenda Meeting
josiah lee auspitz
All,
Many thanks to Ron for setting up this google group.
1. I have down that we have Agenda planning meeting on Wednesday the 18th at 5:15 at Au Bon Pain, for our meeting on Monday the 23rd. Did I get this right? The Agenda setting meeting should be announced to the general list a renewed call for items to be presenting directly or through on of the agenda committee (the old notice just named Monica and Rebekah).
2. Chair for Feb 23 meeting: If he is willing, I would propose Brian, who has taken the initiative in this matter. (Rebekah remains the facilitator to whom Brian will turn over the meeting after appropriate introductory remarks about our new procedure).
3. Agenda items
a) report on our subcommittee and invitation to add members/ prospective chairs. We need to settle the minutes problem.
b) crime, esp. after 2 am weekend closings—we have now had a second Saturday night criminal incident, all quite predictable as Davis becomes a destination area with multiple 2 am bar closings. It would be appropriate to have invitations extended to any or all of the following: bars with 2 am licenses, the licensing commission, Police Chief
c) Davis Square Futures series—I have received a request from Stephen Mackey, Director of the Chamber of Commerce to give a presentation on steps to increase daytime business, including zoning changes in floor-to-area-ratios (FARs) and height limitation. This suggests that we might try to have a regular series on the Future of Davis Square over five meetings in the coming year in which various people would be invited to present and an hour would be devoted to discussion. Here are some examples:
Business Future: CoC, Home First, Darbi, OSPCD
Green Future: Somerville Climate Action, City Environmental Director, Garden Club, Bike Committee
Residential Future: Som Historical Commission, appraisers office/Planning Board, zoning issues, Somerville Corporation and others on affordability
Public Services: Police, Traffic and Parking, DPW
The chairman for each meeting would be responsible—with appropriate political assistance—for lining up the presenters. As these topics are recurring, a once-a-year intensive review of each would be appropropriate in any case.
d) HUD Plan—OSPCD has completed a HUD plan that is open for comment. People should be encouraged in our meeting notice to read this plan and pose any Davis-related questions to an OSPCD rep at the Feb 23rd meeting.
Lee
PS Isn’t Brandon Wilson also on our Agenda Group
Josiah Lee Auspitz
17 Chapel Street
Somerville MA 02144
fax -9441
Please note my email address is now jlau...@comcast.net. Delete l...@sabre.org from your address book and replace with jlau...@comcast.net. As a backup address josiahle...@yahoo.com is still valid.