Cambridge City Manager

There is a lot that Louis DePasquale has never explained.

Voting to extend his contract

From this report:

  • Councillor Toomey supports DePasquale.
  • Nolan pointed out that he has not delivered a list of sites for affordable housing, asked for four years ago in 2016.
  • Carlone pointed out he just goes along with developers.
  • 16 out of ~24 public commenters spoke out against him.
  • The five members of the committee that vote on extending his contract are: Zondervan, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Simmons, Toomey, and McGovern.
    • Zondervan and Sobrinho-Wheeler voted to extended his term by only one year. The others voted to extend by two years.

Extending his contract

Simmons threatened, on his behalf, that he'd quit without a raise and extension.

Arguing in favor:

  • Toomey argued they needed stability.
  • McGovern said it would take a long time to search for a replacement.

Arguing against:

  • Sobrinho-Wheeler pointed out it's still the highest paid municipal position in Massachusetts. Candidates will be found.

The extension was approved by a 7-2 vote. (An earlier shorter extension of one year was voted down 6-3.)

Given that the existing contract called for just “written notice to Mr. DePasquale” on Monday that an extension was wanted, Sobrinho-Wheeler said he agreed the “optics just don’t make sense.”

When he said it, however, Simmons took offense. “I just don’t want [Sobrinho-Wheeler] or anyone else to think that I was trying to do something in the dark of night. It’s unfortunate that it came at this at this hour, but I will not have my character sullied by the use of inappropriate language,” she said.

Shutting down libraries while leaving businesses open

https://www.cambridgeday.com/2021/01/04/hold-on-library-book-pickups-may-go-longer-called-after-dramatic-uptick-in-staff-covid-19/

#cambridge #politics