Committee Report - Leg Matters - 4-2-15 — File 198749

Legislative Matters Committee Page 1 of 3 Printed 4/8/2015 April 2, 2015 REPORT OF THE LEGISLATIVE MATTERS COMMITTEE Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Mary Jo Rossetti Chair Present Mark Niedergang Vice Chair Present Katjana Ballantyne Ward Seven Alderman Present Matthew McLaughlin Ward One Alderman Present William A. White Jr. Alderman At Large Present Also present: Alderman Tony Lafuente, Frank Wright - Law, David Shapiro - Law, Matt Buckley - Law, Bob Collins - Law, Jason Grossfield - Law, Michael Glavin - OSPCD, George Proakis - OSPCD, ed O’Donnell - OSPCS, Leanna Barlow - SomerStat, Oliver Sellars-Garcia - OSE, Omar Boukili - Mayor’s Office, Stephen Mackey - Chamber of Commerce 1. Approval of the March 19, 2015 Minutes RESULT: ACCEPTED 2. Approval of the March 26, 2015 Minutes RESULT: ACCEPTED 198398: That this Board's Committee on Legislative Matters review the current pervious surfaces ordinances for their effectiveness and sufficiency. Alderman Heuston could not attend this meeting and asked the Chair to keep this item in committee until she could be present to be involved in the discussion. Chairman Rossetti requested that all future discussion regarding pervious surfaces be before a Committee of the Whole. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 198251: Assistant City Solicitor submitting a proposed Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance.

Legislative Matters Committee Page 2 of 3 Printed 4/8/2015 Mr. Buckley informed the committee that the City of Cambridge also has a ban on plastic bags, know as the "Bring your own bag" law. It allows establishments to charge and keep a fee if someone does not supply his/her own bag(s). The rate of the fee is set by the Public Works Commissioner. Mr. Sellers-Garcia and Mr. Mackey distributed documents from other sources dealing with this subject. The Solicitor’s Office was instructed to email a copy of the Brookline and Cambridge plastic bag ordinances to the committee. The Solicitor’s Office and OSE were instructed to examine the California ordinances on plastic bags. Mr. Boukili will research how larger stores, e.g., Target, will handle not using plastic bags. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 198544: Requesting approval of a Home Rule Petition to establish a Project Mitigation Contribution (linkage) program and establish a Job Creation and Retention Trust. Mr. Grossfield distributed a document authorizing the establishment of a municipal job creation and retention trust in the City of Somerville and Mr. Proakis discussed same. Mr. Glavin spoke on job training and other eligible activities, e.g., job fairs, and explained that the program is about helping the local community to do better, make more money and grow together as a community. The program obligates developers of new commercial buildings to make payments to the fund. Mr. Mackey distributed a 2013 Cambridge vs. Somerville jobs report, showing that Somerville is 88,091 jobs behind Cambridge. Resident Izak Shapiro, representing Good Jobs, (a Somerville group), stated that residents would be more likely to stay here to work and that the time is now to make training a priority. Members questioned why there was not an exact number of trustees in this petition and asked if the program could be applied to housing, as well. Mr. Glavin will examine that position and report back to the committee. The item was approved, as amended (by adding the words "to be" before the word "established" on the last page 4, section 12 of the petition). RESULT: APPROVED AS AMENDED 197785: Proposing an Anti-Nepotism Ordinance. Members reviewed a draft of the proposed ordinance and discussed its impact on civil service exams. Alderman Lafuente suggested that part time positions not be included in this ordinance. Chairman Rossetti directed the Clerk of Committees to send a copy of the revised ordinance to

Legislative Matters Committee Page 3 of 3 Printed 4/8/2015 the secretary of the School Committee (Supt. Pierantozzi), members of the School Committee and to members of the Legislative Matters Committee, informing them that the BOA plans to vote on this item on April 9th and that any concerns should be made known to Chairman Rossetti before then. (The memo and revised proposal were sent on April 4th) RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE