Saturday, November 16, 2019

City Council Destruction of Cambridge, MA, USA, Tree Canopy Proceeds - Magazine Beach - ELECTION DAY.

City Council Destruction of Cambridge Tree Canopy Proceeds - Magazine Beach - ELECTION DAY.

The following is our letter to the Cambridge City Council and City Manager delivered on November 13, 2019 to each, the former through the City Clerk for receipt on November 18, 2019.  The index is better than the one they received.  I figured the photo of the latest tree the self-proclaimed tree protectors destroyed was more valuable on the first page in their copy..

The Cambridge City Council has had a major change, as Cambridge goes, on Election Day.  One fake environmentalist was defeated by a first time candidate who sounded good.  Pols listening to the formal presentation of results were highly surprised.  The destruction of that tree on election day shows the level of confidence by the fake environmentalists.

One piece of terminology which is distinctive in this world of hypocrisy.  Note the SECRET votes hidden in Community “Preservation” Act funding.  I do not know the details, but I presume the bureaucrats are telling some government agency that DESTROYING is CREATING, and, for that matter, the Cambridge City Council is blessing this nonsense.

Oops, two sections 3.A.(5), sorry about that.  MAJOR SECTIONS TO MAKE IT WORSE.  There are also two typos I corrected by hand which are corrected her manually.

1. Prequil.
2. Election Day Outrage
3. Selected Achieved Outrages
A. General.
B. City Council and MDC Destroy Two Excellent Trees Looming Over Magazine Beach Overpass.
(1) These Victims.
(2) Remnants of Two Looking Through the Void Created.
(3). There is now a very big hole at the overpass.
C. Other destruction already achieved by Cambridge City Council and DCR.
(1). Ornamental Next to 80 year abandoned bathhouse and above Charles River. [2533]
(2). Magnificent Mulberry above the Charles River.
(3). Destruction in Middle of Magazine Beach Park.
(4) Destruction who knows where, from area of the middle of the second SECRET CPA votes.
(5). Starvation barrier firmed up to keep Charles River White Geese from their food for most of their 38 year residence.
(5) Poisoning of the Charles River. [Ed: duplicate number on MAJOR sections,]
4. Coming outrages.
A. General.
B. The magnificent willow at the southwest corner of the playing fields / southeast corner of the park.
C. The magnificent grove overhanging the playing fields at the middle of its western edge.
D. The magnificent park in the middle of Magazine Beach of which 30 or more trees are doomed.
E. The MicroCenter Grove west of the Magazine Beach Swimming Pool.
F. The Wild Area.
G. The Goose Meadow.
5. The Solution

1. Prequel.

Several weeks ago, we provided the Cambridge City Council with the following photo of a doomed HEALTHY tree at Magazine Beach.  Photo courtesy of Phil Barber.

NINE City Councilors communicated their support of destruction of the Tree Canopy of the City of Cambridge with their silence about the imminent destruction of this healthy, mature, tree.  The markings showing in the lower left are the marks of doom.  They were very familiar during the destruction of hundreds of trees east of the BU Bridge in January 2016 BY CAMBRIDGE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION.

DESTROYED ON ELECTION DAY

2. Election Day Outrage.

Phil Barber Comments, November 6, 2019.  His photos follow.

* * * * * *

Sadly,. new photos for you. They took down the doomed maple. Must have been yesterday. As you can see from the stump, the tree was healthy, no rot. The crown broke in a storm in the last year so it was too unsightly I guess for the fabulous new Magazine Beach. Nothing like "loving" a carefully manicured imitation of nature.

* * * * * *



As Phil stated, MOST DEFINITELY A HEALTHY TREE.

This sort of outrage was normal in the hundreds of trees destroyed by Cambridge and the DCR east of the BU Bridge in January 2016. See our video at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTplCCEJP7o.
Plans for destruction at Magazine Beach FILED WITH THE CAMBRIDGE CONSERVATION COMMISSION WERE PRESENTED TO THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL by letter dated June 6, 2017, AND MULTIPLE FOLLOW ON’S are posted at http://focrwg.com/agenda1.html. Planned and accomplished tree destruction now is 60 or more.

The legislature destroyed the predecessor to the MDC at least in part because the MDC was so incompetently destructive of that part of the world for which it was responsible. The legislature divided the MDC properties on the Charles River between the DCR and the Department of Transportation. The MDC “planners” went to the DCR with their incompetent, destructive plans. On the Charles River, they have found a government in Cambridge of comparable mentality.
MassDOT has been the adult in the room with these two destructive entities. MassDOT has stood up to Cambridge and the DCR at valuable points when the other two were fighting for nonsensical destruction.


Having the legislature transfer ALL DCR responsibilities on the Charles River to MassDOT would give the legislature the level of responsible behavior it should have been able to get when it destroyed the MDC.


* * * * *

CAVEAT: In previous reports, we have provided ONCE AGAIN, the destruction plans filed by the DCR with the Cambridge Conservation Commission, taking those plans from our June 6, 2017 letter at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTplCCEJP7o.  This report is communicating photos of the truly reprehensible things the returning City Council has done and is working on doing.  Even reducing the photos being provided, this report exceeds twenty pages.  Please check our June 6, 2017 letter for the destruction plans filed on the first 54 outrages.

Added destruction is SECRET and, as near as we are aware, has been provided in public record TO NO EXTENT.  This previously SECRET destruction is yet another example of the traditional malfeasance and lack of fitness of the DCR to do the work it is supposedly doing.  Thus, please check the June 6, 2017 letter for the destruction plans which have not been kept totally secret.

3. Selected Achieved Outrages.

A. General.

The Cambridge City Council does a lot of lying about itself.

The City Council’s con game at Magazine Beach dates back to the May Day 2017 vote.

City Councilors stood on City Hall steps and praised their supposed environmental sainthood.  Then they went inside and voted to praise the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s irresponsible plans for Magazine Beach and to promise funds.

Funds have been provided which were blatantly destructive as the city council hypocritically proceeded with nonsense about protecting trees.

Reality has been Tree Destruction, River Poisoning and Animal Abuse.

Reality has been the election of a first time candidate who has provided very good words  The defeat of one of the NINE PROVEN IRRESPONSIBLE COUNCILORS shows, TO NO SURPRISE, that the electorate wants responsible people on the City Council.

That action by the electorate communicates exactly what anybody who understands the TRUE reality of Cambridge Politics knew.  The electorate has spoken.

Reality, however, is that returning city council incumbents loudly lie of concern for the environment and prove their lovely words so much nonsense where it counts.

B. City Council and MDC Destroy Two Excellent Trees Looming Over Magazine Beach Overpass.

(1) These Victims.

DESTROYED EXCELLENCE

(2) Remnants of Two Looking Through the Void Created.

Phil Barber                                                                                
 Ph
Phil Barber                                                         

(3). There is now a very big hole at the overpass.

Here are before photos of this excellent grove from the Memorial Drive side and the Magazine Beach side. They excellence of the grove did interfere with light when viewed from the Memorial Drive Side.


TWO TREES NEAREST OVERPASS DESTROYED
MORE DESTRUCTION PLANNED IN THIS GROVE

Please see our June 6, 2017 letter for destruction plans at http://focrwg.com/agenda1.html, page 19.

TWO TREES NEAREST OVERPASS DESTROYED

MORE DESTRUCTION PLANNED IN THIS GROVE


The Destruction Plans presented in our June 6, 2017 letter, http://focrwg.com/agenda1.html, and frequently repeated, indicate that the Cambridge City Council and the DCR have more excellent trees to destroy even in this excellent grove.

Additionally, however, wanton destruction commonly has exceeded publicly announced plans.  One such example is the fine, NOW DESTROYED, tree next to the baseball diamond which is the lead topic of this letter.

The strongest thing the Cambridge City Council has going for it is the constant INCORRECT belief, “They would never stoop so low.”  This nonsense is created by the nonstop false claims of environmental sainthood. 

Yelling at the other guy and keeping SECRET outrages including but not limited to Magazine Beach, the river poisoning and the heartless animal abuse is a fraudulent basis for the nonstop claims of environmental sainthood.

C. Other destruction already achieved by Cambridge City Council and DCR.

Both trees on this page {ed:  next two] destroyed with part of the funds provided in the second SECRET Community “Preservation” Act destruction, with extra money SECRETLY added..  INSOFAR AS DESTRUCTION HAS NOT BEEN KEPT SECRET, Please see our June 6, 2017 letter for destruction plans. They are spread out at http://focrwg.com/agenda1.html, pages 19 to 43.  So much of the outrage is related to the little guys’ park and to associated trees.

We have provided photos of the remaining roots in a number of letters to the Cambridge City Council.
DE
(1). Ornamental Next to 80 year abandoned bathhouse and above Charles River. [2533]

DESTROYED


(2). Magnificent Mulberry above the Charles River.


                                Phil Barber
MAGNIFICENT MULBERRY DOMINATING PICTURE, BASE AT RIGHT

DESTROYED

(3). Destruction in Middle of Magazine Beach Park.

Before


Highlighted Trees Destroyed Photo and Edit by Phil Barber

After


                               Phil Barber


(4) Destruction who knows where, from area of the middle of the second SECRET CPA votes.

This SECRET Community “Preservation” Act money was supplemented on a separate SECRET vote by NINE city councilors.

This increased destruction count to POSSIBLY two (or more) more than previously disclosed.


                               :Phil Barber

(5). Starvation barrier firmed up to keep Charles River White Geese from their food for most of their 38 year residence. [Ed.  Duplicate number with following section.]

First SECRET Community “Preservation” Act Photo which was the basis of the vote bore no resemblance to created barrier.  Additional barrier being built as part of the middle SECRET votes which destroyed so many trees above.

                                     
             Phil Barber

NEW STARVATION BARRIER                   

The exact heartless animal barrier being created in the second SECRET Community “Preservation” Act funding is not yet certain.  From the description, it is clear that, given the animal abusers involved, it will create a heartless starvation barrier comparable to the one instituted across from the Hyatt Regency Hotel, upping the Starvation Attacks on the Charles River White Geese.

EVERY TREE ACROSS FROM THE HYATT REGENCY HOTEL WAS DESTROYED.  Lots of photos in our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTplCCEJP7o

38 year resident Tourist Attraction Charles River White Geese are shown in a middle of the night video feeding here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2-xSIYrB5o., created by Ernie Sarno



The targets of the starvation barriers, the Charles River White Geese have resided in a mile long habitat on the Charles River centered of the BU Bridge for 38 years, beloved by those familiar with them.  They have admirers from Cambridge, from the suburbs, from elsewhere in the United States and even from around the world.  Commuters admire them as they carefully cross the Memorial Drive ramp to get to forbidden food under Memorial Drive.


A Group of The Abused

Charles River White Geese

Admire their loved Charles River

from the ghetto which is the last undestroyed

part of their 38 year habitat.

Videos and photo presentations of the Charles River White Geese are very frequent on the Internet.  The heartless starvation attacks by the DCR, Cambridge and friends are yet another example of the destructive incompetence from which the legislature tried to protect the Charles River when it destroyed the hated Metropolitan District Commission.

(5) Poisoning of the Charles River [ed.  Duplicate number with preceding section.]

Friends of the DCR loudly bemoaned the Algae blight created by the poisoning as it befowled the Charles in 2019.  The poisoning got frequent press coverage.

The friends of the DCR “neglected” to notice that DCR, Cambridge and the Charles River Poisoner did it.  Such “shortsightedness” keeps a truly reprehensible situation going.


                 City of Cambridge Assisted Poisoning by removing the remnants of valuable
                 vegetation destroyed as part of the anti-vegetation fetish practiced by the
                 Charles River Poisoner. December 2017.
  



            The DCR and Cambridge introduced poison “maintenance” at the Magazine Beach
            Playing Fields in the 2000's. To keep poisons out of the Charles River which should
            not even be put on the banks of the Charles River, they spent big bucks creating a
           drainage system.
  

THE CHARLES RIVER POISONER BLOCKED THE DRAINAGE  

                                Phil Barber

FIRST PART OF 2019'S CHARLES

RIVER HEALTH EMERGENCY

Infestation Commenced next to the blockage(above), then off Magazine Beach

and then spread to the rest

of the Charles.


                               Phil Barber

Sept. 2018, infestation off Magazine Beach

Playing Fields

                               Phil Barber

Sept. 2018, infestation off Magazine Beach

Playing Fields

     
                     
                              Phil Barber

Sept. 2018, infestation off Magazine Beach

Playing Fields

OFFICIALLY DECLAREDA PUBLIC HEALTHEMERGENCY  

City Council rewarded this outrage by funding the Charles River Poisoner for environmental work behind the swimming pool.

(a) To repeat her attacks on vegetation proudly displayed by Somerville but against which she has a fetish.  Attacking this  vegetation was her stated excuse for what in reality was the poisoning of  the Charles River.  Her fetish excuse was favorably quoted by City Council in its funding decision.

(b) To do initial planning which will result in the destruction of the MicroCenter grove.  Photo below.
Here is the key part of a sign posted by the DCR in the area of the blocking of poison drainage: Their euphemisms are “chemicals” and “fertilizers.”  The poisons were first introduced onto the banks of the Charles River in the Magazine Beach Playing Fields by DCR and Cambridge City Council in outrages of the 2000's which were managed by Mr. Rossi., who later served as City Manager.

Here is the key part of a sign posted by the DCR in the area of the blocking of poison drainage: Their
euphemisms are “chemicals” and “fertilizers.” The poisons were first introduced onto the banks of the Charles River in the Magazine Beach Playing Fields by DCR and Cambridge City Council in outrages of the 2000's which were managed by Mr. Rossi., who later served as City Manager.


* * * * * *

When it rains, the chemicals wash from the playing fields and toward the river.  If the phosphorus reaches the river, it can cause algae blooms that use up oxygen in the water, creating a harmful environment for fish and other wildlife.


Wetlands are the gatekeepers that prevent this from happening.  Constructed in 2009, these wetlands trap and filter out damaging fertilizers that would otherwise wash into the river.


* * * * * *

Current plans by ALL THE CONTINUING MEMBERS of the City Council and by the DCR are obviously to continue the poisons and, apparently, to expand poison use to the Magazine Beach Park and to the area behind the swimming pool.  The City Councilors claim innocence.  Golly gee, all they have done is consistently praise the DCR plans, with full  blank checks, plus sharing in funding as determined by the DCR.  The DCR is threatening to introduce poisons into the I90 rebuild on the Boston side of the Charles River.  Poison use decision is to be made after it is too late for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to prevent it, of course.

Plus, naturally, the funding / hiring of the Charles River Poisoner by ALL THE CONTINUING city councilors. All have thus made it very clear which side of the poisons those City Councilors  are on.

Here is a photo of the museum quality display created by A RESPONSIBLE ADJACENT COMMUNITY, Somerville, at the shared Alewife Reservation.  The display proudly shows vegetation being attacked by Cambridge and by the Charles River Poisoner in accordance with the two’s shared fetish.


                               Phil Barber. 
                                    
                                    The Cambridge City Council’s idea of “improvements” at Alewife was to 
                                    destroy 3.4 acres plus of, to quote many City Council pontifications, 
                                    “irreplaceable” Silver Maple Forest at Alewife..

4. Coming outrages.

A. General.

Destruction, construction and planning as stated in our letter of June 6, 2017 are posted at http://focrwg.com/agenda1.html, and any and all subsequent expansions of these plans or related actions should be terminated.

Continuation and expansion of the Poisoning of the River Banks of the Charles River or the Charles River by whatever euphemism, i.e. fertilizer, chemicals, etc.  Hiring the Charles River Poisoner emphasizes the contempt for the environment by the Cambridge City Council.

Abuse of resident animals either on Magazine Beach or on other parts of the Charles River or areas abutting the Charles River, including but not limited to poisoning the environment and to the installation of barriers to access to food by whatever name is convenient this time.

Some of the tree targets for THE COMING DESTRUCTION follow.

B. The magnificent willow at the southwest corner of the playing fields / southeast corner of the park.

Please see our June 6, 2017 letter for destruction plans at http://focrwg.com/agenda1.html, page 23.




         DOOMED, but City Councilors brag of yelling at voters
                      for destroying MUCH smaller trees
  



C. The magnificent grove overhanging the playing fields at the middle of its western edge.




DOOMED IN WHOLE OR IN PART

The story keeps changing. Two dead trees at the left have been destroyed.  Part of the nonsense coming out of the DCR is “inability” to count trees.  The ten trees in this grove have been repeatedly described as three.  



See our June 6, 2017 letter for destruction plans at http://focrwg.com/agenda1.html, page 28.



D. The magnificent park in the middle of Magazine Beach of which 30 or more trees are doomed.

Planned destruction includes all but one tree in the little guys parking lot in the front portion, surrounded by the curved driveway which constitutes the parking lot, which they also want to destroy.  Thus they are taking away access from less “desirables.”  Most doomed trees are much larger than the ones in the little guys parking lot.

Pattern fits the January 2016 outrage.  The City Council yelled at circuses passing through Cambridge on public highways, but “somehow” did not notice the massive destruction on Memorial Drive supported by the bureaucracy.  IN SPITE OF FREQUENTLY DAILY EMAIL REPORTS BY US which started in the Fall.

Please see our June 6, 2017 letter for destruction plans.  They are spread out at http://focrwg.com/agenda1.html, pages 19 to 43.  So much of the outrage is related to this park and trees associated with the park.


ABOUT 30 TREES DOOMED OR ALREADY DESTROYED  


E. The MicroCenter Grove west of the Magazine Beach Swimming Pool.

The Cambridge City Council has already, as secretly as possible, awarded a contract to the Charles River Poisoner for early planning to lead to the destruction of these six magnificent trees..

Careful viewing shows the western (right) end of the parking lot which is being moved on top of this excellent six tree grove.  The Cambridge City Council awarded the Charles River Poisoner funds as part of the third SECRET Community “Preservation” Act money distribution.

The Charles River Poisoner is directed to work on the shared vegetation destruction fetish based on which, the DCR, Cambridge and the Charles River Poisoner created the 2019 Public Health Emergency in the Charles River.

She is being paid to work on destroying the eastern (left) end of that parking lot.  Thus she AND THE CARRYOVER MEMBERS OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL are creating a “need” to destroy the excellent grove.

The paid work is very clearly a direct part of the destruction of this grove.  The parking is being moved here.

The Charles River Poisoner has spent years bragging to people about the “great” things being done at Magazine Beach.

SHE KEEPS THE MASSIVE TREE DESTRUCTION, RIVER POISONING, AND HEARTLESS ANIMAL ABUSE SECRET.  

SIX ADMITTEDLY EXCELLENT TREES DOOMED

The Charles River is in the background of this photo. The returning City Councilors and the DCR want to move the parking lot on top of the six tree grove.
The eastern end of the parking being moved on top of these excellent trees is to the left between the fenced in swimming pool and the Charles River. This is the area which the Charles River Poisoner is being paid by the City Council to plan preliminary to this yet more massive and outrageous tree destruction, and is specifically being paid to further her fetish for destruction of valuable vegetation, her excuse for the Poisoning of the Charles River.
Six admittedly excellent trees are being destroyed by the continuing members of the Cambridge City Council.
Please see our June 6, 2017 letter for the destruction plans, at http://focrwg.com/agenda1.html, page 44. 
  


SIX ADMITTEDLY EXCELLENT TREES DOOMED


In one of the Cambridge City Council’s many SECRET votes on Magazine Beach, the only “explanation” I heard was that the Charles River Poisoner was that councilor’s “kind of activist.”
The Charles River is in the background of this photo.  The returning City Councilors and the DCR  want to move the parking lot on top of the six tree grove.

The eastern end of the parking being moved on top of these excellent trees is to the left between the fenced in swimming pool and the Charles River.  This is the area which the Charles River Poisoner is being paid by the City Council to plan preliminary to this yet more massive and outrageous tree destruction, and is specifically being paid to further her fetish for destruction of valuable vegetation, her excuse for the Poisoning of the Charles River.

Six admittedly excellent trees are being destroyed by the continuing members of the Cambridge City Council.  Please see our June 6, 2017 letter for the destruction plans, at http://focrwg.com/agenda1.html, page 44.

F. The Wild Area.

The MDC has been conducting fraudulently advertised presentations concerning future destruction.  Once again, the City Council has had nice words to say about the matter, and lacks concern for reality.

The wording of the publicity states that the work does not go east of the BU Bridge.

Slides used in at least one presentation demonstrate the publicity to be yet more fraud.  The slides show work up to and including the Wild Area east of the BU Bridge.  The slides indicate work in the Destroyed Nesting Area of the Charles River White Geese.  Those slides were provided in an earlier Cambridge City Manager / Council letter.

The plans for the outrage inflicted in January 2016 show significant destruction in those areas which was not accomplished in January 2016.  Such “omissions’ have the usual STENCH of FRAUDULENT omission.

The plans would destroy every tree but one n in the Wild Area which graces the Boston side in its view of Cambridge, graces the view from the BU Bridge and Memorial Drive.  Significant REAL animal habitat would, as usual, be destroyed.  The plans are included in our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTplCCEJP7o.  The relevant portion runs from minute 3:44 to minute 5:29.  More general portions directly relevant now run from minute 19:45 to minute 25:45.  The City Manager mentioned is Rossi.



EVERY TREE BUT ONE TO
BE DESTROYED IN THE WILD AREA  



The white figures in the water are a group of Charles River White Geese still hunting for food in spite of the wanton starvation initiatives taken against them by the DCR and Cambridge.

EVERY TREE BETWEEN THE RAILROAD TRACK AND THE BU BOATHOUSE BUT ONE WOULD BE DESTROYED. G. The Goose Meadow.

G.  The Goose Meadow.

Similarly, this excellent tree would be destroyed in the Destroyed Nesting Area of the Charles River White Geese at the BU Bridge and the on ramp to Memorial Drive east.


MAGNIFICENT TREE DOOMED  

Once again, the plans are included in our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTplCCEJP7o.  The relevant portion runs from minute 3:44 to minute 5:29.More general portions directly relevant nowt run from minute 19:45 to minute 25:45.  The City Manager mentioned is Rossi.

Trucks removing massive amounts of dirts from the Wild Area would, of course, travel through here.  Destruction of habitat in this area has been one consistent activity associated with pretty much any and all DCR work near the area.  Habitat destruction and heartless animal abuse are routine and fully anticipated.  The Charles River White Geese are only the most visible victims of a very heartless agency.

The heartless destruction of its lands and animals is just part of the reasons why the legislature destroyed the DCR’s predecessor.


5, The Solution.

A. Implement the expressed wishes of the electorate.

B. Terminate any and all contracts and / or funding controlled by the City of Cambridge with regard to Construction or Destruction on or adjacent to Memorial Drive, Magazine Beach, the Charles River or land areas associated with the Charles River, with the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and any and all other Government Agencies, Contractors or others, to include but most definitely not be limited to the Poisoner of the Charles River.

C, Order any and all governmental and / or other entities performing any and all construction, destruction, planning or other government work on Memorial Drive, Magazine Beach, the Charles River or such other land areas associated with the Charles River to Cease and Desist such activities.

D. Obtain Emergency Assistance from the Legislature to Cease and Desist any and all construction, destruction, planning or other government work on Memorial Drive, Magazine Beach, the Charles River or land areas associated with the Charles River.

E. Obtain Court Assistance to obtain orders to Cease and Desist any and all construction, destruction, planning or other work on Memorial Drive, Magazine Beach, the Charles River or land areas associated with the Charles River.

F. On an Emergency Basis, obtain Legislative approval to strip all activities and / or funding from the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Cambridge and / or the Charles River, and to transfer same to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

G. Bar the Charles River Poisoner and her ilk from any and all work in Cambridge or on the Charles River.

H. End the poisons.

I. End the heartless animal abuse.

J. Meaningfully allow the destroyed habitat to return, not carefully manicured imitations of nature falsely called “habitat.”

K. End the government destruction of Cambridge’s tree canopy.  Do not just brag about saplings while destroying, destroying, destroying mature trees.  That is fraud.

L. Get rid of the destroyers and their incompetence, whether governmental, contractor of other malfeasants.

M. Obtain such additional relief from any and all bodies as may be appropriate to protect Cambridge and the Charles River from depredations by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and / or the Charles River Poisoner.

Sincerely,


Robert J. La Trémouille
Chair [Friends of the White Geese]

* * * * *

The official record of his letter is posted in the City of Cambridge records at http://cambridgema.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=2146&Inline=True, communication 4, pages 93 to 115.  The original uses graphics much more skillfully than is possible on this blog.  The official record is more difficult to handle.  

Wednesday, November 06, 2019

Cambridge, MA, USA, Two New City Councilors Elected in City Election on November 5. One incumbent leaves involuntarily.

Cambridge, MA, USA, Two New City Councilors Elected in City Election on November 5.  One incumbent leaves involuntarily.

The terrible things in process on the Charles River are very much not a matter of ONE bad city councilor.  They are the result of NINE bad city councilors OUT OF NINE.  And there are many other issues of interest to the voters than the outrage IN PROCESS on the Charles River.

Cambridge had an election yesterday.  The election is by proportional representation, an electoral format which does result in preferential election of nine at large candidates.  One incumbent did not run for reelection.

Our congratulations go to the newly elected members, Patty Nolan and Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler.

Patty Nolan is a long time School Committee member.

Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler has posted the following Candidate Statement on Cambridge Civic Journal’s (Robert Winters)’s candidate page.  This is copied from http://vote.cambridgecivic.com/sobrinho-wheeler.htm.

* * * * *

Candidate Statement

I work with environmental programs at a nationally-recognized land policy think tank in Cambridge. My work supports land conservation projects around world, and I help land trusts, academic institutions, and community organizations find the tools they need to build sustainable communities.

Outside my day job, I'm also involved in community organizing to make Cambridge and our region more just, equitable, and resilient. I'm a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and have been involved in campaigns to support residents who face eviction, steep increases in rent, and poor living conditions like mold, lack of heat, and flooding. I've also worked with organizations like Our Revolution Cambridge, City Life/Vida Urbana, and Cambridge Bicycle Safety to create a city that works for everyone. You may have seen me testifying before the city council on issues related to tenant protections, bike safety, or efforts to create more affordable housing and stop displacement.

I’m the son of a woman who grew up on a farm in Iowa and a man who grew up in the Portuguese colony of Goa in India. As a result, I speak Portuguese, am conversational in Spanish, and have eaten a lot of sweet corn with butter.

I am a renter, an organizer, the son of an immigrant, and a democratic socialist. I live in Mid-Cambridge between Central and Harvard in a triple-decker with my three roommates.
Learn more about my campaign on my website or via Twitter.

* * * * *

Losing incumbent is Craig Kelley.


* * * * *
.

Geeky supplement.

This system of voting took more than a week when Cambridge was working with paper ballots because candidates were ruled winners or losers one at a time based on whether they could possibly still win the election at any particular point in the count.

Robert Winters of the Cambridge Civic Journal Blog had an early comment that Craig Kelley could still defeat Dennis Carlone based on votes which have still to be manually counted, a relatively small number.  (Naming Winters to avoid plagiarism.  This sort of analysis has been normal in past elections.)

On looking at the numbers based on Mr. Winters tabulation on his blog, this vote count was the final count based on which Kelley was declared the final candidate to be counted out in the “unofficial” election procedure, “unofficial” because paper ballots had yet to be counted.  This tabulation by the election commission was based on “transfers” from Burhan Azeem when it was clear that Mr. Azeem could not win.  Of Mr. Azeem’s 1340 votes when he was counted out, Kelley received 57 and Dennis Carlone received 62, for 1864 and 1923 votes respectively.

Whatever the number of so far not counted votes is, based on these numbers and with Kelley and Carlone the only two remaining candidates to receive transfers, it would be required for Kelley to get an additional allocation of 39 votes to tie Carlone, assuming Carlone gets NONE of the transfers.  The difference in proportion for two candidates who received almost the same number of transfers in the last unofficial count at this stage would be decidedly inconceivable, albeit not impossible.