Monday Dispatch:
AI Town Hall, Committee Preview, and that damn Charter.
Let’s just go —> today, let’s:
Verify the date the Waltham City Charter was last updated
Town Hall Recap
Committee Preview
Charter Vision.
1986 or 1987?
Looked back and realized I’d previously written that the Waltham City Charter was last updated in 1986. And/or 19871234.
Looked back at the Charter online and it looks like it’s 1986 — ?
So before I [keep] stand[ing] ten toes down on the Charter last being updated in 1986 (or -7?), I decided to reach out to the City Clerk to ask some clarifying questions, including:
Has the Waltham City Charter been amended since 1986/1987?
Will update when I hear back.
3/31 Town Hall
Neighbors gave lots of input at last week’s Town Hill on AI Surveillance and the Mayor’s new Common rules.
Neighbors told the meeting organizer, Councilor At Large Colleen Bradley-MacArthur,
“We want the [Flock Safety] contract cancelled and the cameras taken down.”
Bradley-MacArthur stated:
“We don’t have the authority to cancel that [Flock Safety] contract…”
The At Large Councilor continued, “We didn’t find out about the contract until after” the Mayor and Chief of Police had signed it.
Bradley-MacArthur said that that the City’s Law Department reviewed the contract — “all before we [the Council] were able to see it” or “ask questions about the contract.”
Full Town Hall replay available here courtesy Channel 781 News.
More on the City of Waltham’s contract with Flock Safety here and here.
4/6 Committees Preview
City Council Committees will meet starting at 6:30pm tonight at City Hall (610 Main Street).
Docket and agendas here.
Coupla few highlights, yoinked straight from the agendas:
Long Term Debt Committee Meeting 6:30 P.M. Council Chamber
“The Mayor respectfully requests a loan authorization in the amount of $10,536,466 for the owner’s project management (OPM) and design services required for the new Police Station located at 155 Lexington Street.”
Licenses and Franchises Committee 7:00 P.M Hoover Committee Room
“Request from Margaret Cannon to name the Northeast Elementary School for Superintendent John J. Daddona”
Tabled Matters:
Annual Outside Dining Resolution
Economic & Community Development Committee 7:00 P.M. Council Chamber
Year 52 Community Development Block Grant Program
Committee of the Whole 8:00 P.M. Council Chamber
Tabled Matters:
Resolution to welcome new Superintendent of Schools (6/24/2024) – Superintendent Mendonsa to attend5.
Finance Committee Meets after Committee of the Whole - Council Chamber
“Acceptance of a state grant of $3,500 from the MA Telecommunications Emergency Response Force for the Police Department – 911 Dispatchers.
Appropriation of $35,339.91 for the handicap items for the Disabilities Services Commission (DSC).
Appropriation of $50,000 to supplement the medical services account for officers injured on duty for the Police Department.”
Ordinances & Rules Committee Meets after Committee of the Whole - Hoover Room
Resolution to Review and Amend the Snow Removal Ordinance to Improve Sidewalk Safety
Tabled Matters:
Resolution Requesting Amendments to Inclusionary Zoning - MAPC
Zoning Amendment for RCI 1 Limited overlay district (Bay Colony/BXP WW)
Zoning Amendment for RCI 2 Limited overlay district (Stony Brook)
Zoning Amendment for RCI 3 Limited overlay district (1265 Main)
Flock Camera Resolution
Dog/Pet Grooming Resolution
Charter Vision
Welp, we’re waiting to hear back from the City Clerk on a few things6, but Clerk Vizard did confirm that re: General Ordinances, “Stuff not in the text can be found at the new laws link.”
Also, the Clerk “will be having updated books printed with these amendments over the summer.”
Clarification pending, will update.
In any case, this was 1987:
Aaaand it’s almost Committee time, so I’m doing a review/edit and hitting send.
Plenty more to come.
-Your neighbor Emily
https://ecode360.com/26926632
https://substack.com/@walthamseed/p-192053636
Tabled matters may be discussed.
Late request [as far as getting info into this week’s newsletter] on my part