A COVID-19 update ResiStat meeting planned for today, October 20, and a ResiStat meeting geared toward seniors planned for tomorrow, October 21, have been postponed. New meeting dates will be announced as soon as they are available. For more information on this fall’s series of ResiStat meetings, visit the City’s website.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and City Council President Matt McLaughlin announced today their intention to undertake a comprehensive review of the City’s charter, committing to working together to complete this effort as expeditiously as possible. The charter is the City’s constitution and determines how the City is structured and run. It establishes the responsibilities of the Mayor, City Council, School Committee, and other decision-making bodies and informs governance in Somerville.

The Somerville Public Schools and the City of Somerville will be jointly hosting a second online Schools Reopening Town Hall on local efforts related to the 2020/2021 school year amid the coronavirus pandemic, including updates on building ventilation efforts and COVID-19 testing plans. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, at 6 p.m. Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole interpretation will be available.        

Participate in the Town Hall online or by phone:

The MBTA is hosting a virtual public meeting on Thursday, November 5, at 6 p.m. to discuss the Porter Square Retaining Wall Repairs project. The meeting will include a project overview, anticipated construction schedule, and Q&A.
 
This project will make critical safety-based infrastructure repairs to the retaining wall under Somerville Avenue and along the Commuter Rail right-of-way. Work began earlier this fall and is expected to continue through the summer of 2021.
 

Three of Somerville’s polling places have been relocated for the November 3 election to accommodate COVID-19 safety measures. All other polling locations will remain the same as they were for the September primary election. If you plan to vote in person on November 3, don’t forget to double-check your polling location.

To help support the holiday spirit, the City of Somerville and the Somerville Arts Council are offering some fun ways to celebrate Halloween safely this year. The City is hosting a citywide Howl-o-Ween, inviting community members to don a face covering and then give their best Halloween growls, ghost boos, or to just politely holler out their COVID-19 woes and frustrations (keep it family friendly, please) from their doors and windows at 6:30 p.m. on Halloween, Saturday, October 31.

Learn more at https://www.somervillema.gov/departments/elections/vote-by-mail

Tufts University and the Cities of Medford and Somerville today announced they have entered into a novel partnership that will bring COVID-19 surveillance testing to the cities’ public school systems, using a new, more efficient pooled testing method developed by Tufts in collaboration with Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. The new method could improve and expedite communities’ ability to return to and maintain in-person education.

Following months of suspended enforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Somerville will resume residential parking enforcement December 1, 2020.

City data indicates most residents have already renewed their expired permits in 2020 (thank you!). Those who still need to renew an expired permit or obtain a new permit are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

A new quick-build bus priority lane is scheduled to be added in late November to the eastbound section of Mystic Avenue (Route 38) between Main Street in Medford and Wheatland Street in Somerville. The project is a joint effort between the cities of Somerville and Medford and MassDOT,  designed to create shorter bus rides, better reliability, and more social distancing along the MBTA 95 bus route.