Home

City Council to Vote Wed. on Proposed Polling Place Changes: 4 for COVID-19 Safety, 1 for Voter Convenience

Saturday, August 1, 2020
 On Wednesday, August 5, the Somerville City Council will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. One item on the agenda will be a vote on moving five polling places. Four of the changes are being made to allow for necessary COVID-19 safety precautions to be taken. A fifth change, which moves a polling location from the Kennedy School to the Dilboy Post, was made in response to routing concerns voiced by both pedestrians and drivers. This public meeting will be held virtually, and will also include public testimony on Tufts University's reopening plan.

Town Halls on School District COVID-19 Planning (SCHEDULE UPDATE)

Monday, July 27, 2020
 The Somerville Public Schools and the City of Somerville will be jointly hosting three upcoming (not four) online School Planning Town Halls (two in English, one multilingual) on local efforts to prepare for the 2020/2021 school year amid the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, due to the pandemic, the Somerville School Committee will be holding two additional summertime meetings.  

Submit Your Vote by Mail Application by August 26! State Primary Sample Ballots Now Available

Monday, July 27, 2020
 All Massachusetts voters will be able to vote by mail in both the September 1 State primary and the November 3 general election this year. The Secretary of State has mailed all eligible voters (who have not already requested an absentee ballot) a vote by mail ballot application. Voters can use that application to apply for a ballot for the primary election, general election, or both. Please note that in-person voting is also an option for both elections.

Next Phase of Shared Streets to Be Rolled Out Starting July 31

Monday, July 27, 2020
 Somerville’s Shared Streets initiative will roll out new routes starting Friday, July 31. Shared Streets open up low-volume or residential side-streets to pedestrians, cyclists, and other users while still allowing vehicle access for residents who live on the street or who need to use the street to get to their homes, their guests, and service vehicles such as first responders, delivery drivers, sanitation trucks, and street sweepers.

Somerville’s Cambridge Health Alliance Testing Site Moved to Assembly Square

Monday, July 20, 2020
 As of Monday, July 20, the COVID-19 testing site previously located at the Somerville Hospital has moved to 133 Middlesex Avenue (near the former Kmart site) in Assembly Square. The testing site is part of a larger COVID-19 mitigation strategy by the City of Somerville in partnership with Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA). Patients can arrive at the site via vehicle, walking, or bicycle, and testing procedures will be the same as at the previous location:

Phase 3 Business Reopening in Somerville Pushed to August 3 -- At Earliest

Friday, July 17, 2020
 Somerville’s planned Phase 3 Step 1 business reopening is now on hold until at least Monday, August 3, as local officials grow increasingly concerned about potential impacts amid rising new case averages in the metro area and growing concerns about the efficacy of the State’s contact tracing program.

Residents Sought for Mayor’s Commission on Energy Use and Climate Change

Thursday, July 16, 2020
 Mayor Curtatone is seeking applications from Somerville residents to serve on the Mayor’s Commission on Energy Use and Climate Change (CEUCC). The CEUCC advises the City and the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Environment on climate change and energy policy issues and assists the City in program design and outreach related to these topics. 

Memorialization Committee Seeks Two Resident Members

Monday, July 6, 2020
 The City of Somerville’s newly formed Memorialization Committee, which will name public assets like buildings, streets, and parks, is accepting applications for two resident positions. The Committee will also develop policies and procedures to follow when choosing names. The committee will meet when needed to name a public asset. Appointees will serve a two-year term and must be confirmed by the City Council. If you are interested in applying, please send a statement of interest to [email protected] by Friday, August 7.

Somerville Public Library to Offer Contactless Pickup Starting July 6

Tuesday, June 30, 2020
 The Somerville Public Library will be offering contactless pickup for library patrons starting Monday, July 6. Patrons can request Somerville library materials online using their Minuteman account. Library staff will then notify patrons by either email or phone when their items are ready to be picked up.

Somerville to Host Town Hall Discussion and Small Group Listening Sessions as Part of Ongoing Conversations on Systemic Racism

Thursday, June 25, 2020
 As part of a continuing conversation on systemic racism in Somerville, the City of Somerville is holding a virtual Town Hall Discussion on Race and Equity in Policing and launching a series of small group listening sessions for residents. Tackling systemic racism in Somerville requires input from diverse voices in our community, and both the Town Hall and listening sessions are meant to be ways for the City to get feedback, ideas, and suggestions from the community on how we move forward as well as to answer related questions.

Applications Available for Fiscal Year 2021 Community Preservation Act Funding

Wednesday, June 24, 2020
 Applications for this coming fiscal year’s Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds and the fiscal year 2021 Community Preservation Plan, which sets the funding allocations and priorities for the year, are now available. An estimated $630,000 is available for projects that preserve Somerville’s historic resources and/or expand and improve our parks and recreation land.

Mayor Curtatone Submits FY21 Budget with Belt-Tightening, But No Cuts to Services & No Layoffs

Tuesday, June 23, 2020
 On Friday, June 19, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone submitted a proposed $262.7 million fiscal year 2021 budget to Somerville’s City Council that avoids the austerity measures being seen in cities and towns throughout the region. The FY21 budget preserves all City services and contains no layoffs or furloughs to City or School employees, while also making new racial and social justice investments.

Somerville Small Business COVID-19 Relief Fund Loan Recipients Announced

Friday, June 19, 2020
 Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone today announced that $1 million in Somerville Small Business COVID-19 Relief funds will be awarded to 123 local, small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by federal Community Development Block Grant monies, the Fund will issue forgivable loans to businesses in the city that collectively employ about 600 people.  

Pages