Somerville City Council Regular Meeting - August 27, 2026

The Somerville City Council met on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at approximately 12:15 PM (the meeting began in the evening due to technical delays). The meeting was called to order by President Lance Davis after resolving audio and closed captioning issues. All 10 members were present, establishing a quorum. The council addressed a wide range of items including consent calendar approvals, multiple resolutions on social justice, labor, and transit, public hearings for utility installations, and a major appropriation for a firefighter union contract.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the regular meeting of June 25, 2026.
• Approved a citation for Dan Amlin for eight years of service in the Engineering Division.
• Approved citations for Ramon Bueno (nine years) and Eliza Johnston (17 years) for their service on the Commission on Energy Use and Climate Change.
• Approved multiple routine items including block party licenses, planning board reports, and communications from the school committee.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Morgan Pinney (Save Somerville Wildlife): Expressed full support for banning rodenticides on municipal property, citing confirmed deaths of owls and hawks from anticoagulant rodenticides, and argued that poison exacerbates the rat problem rather than solving it.
• Ray Santana (Mystic Tenant Association): Described personal and community hardship due to understaffing at the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), leading to lost SNAP benefits for eligible residents. He urged hiring more caseworkers.
• Christopher Molinari (Tufts University Graduate Workers Union): Expressed support for a fair resolution for an international graduate student at Tufts, alleging retaliation and improper grade changes following the student's advocacy.
• Stanley Washington III (Security Guard and SEIU 3 BJ steward): Urged support for affordable health care for security guards and airport workers, citing that 15% of security officers and 30% of airport workers are uninsured.
• James Good (SEIU 3 BJ, Tufts University facilities worker): Asked for support in contract negotiations, noting that Tufts' wage proposal of 2% below cost of living and refusal to reduce health-care premiums is insufficient.
• Alessandra Seiter (inirtually): Spoke in favor of retaining MBTA Route 80 bus service, arguing it is not redundant with the Green Line extension and is vital for neighborhoods with limited transit options.
• Ann Ryan (Cbble Hill tenant): Expressed fear about development at 90 Washington Street, warning that it would destroy green space and harm quality of life for elderly and language-isolated residents.

Discussion Items

• Rodenticide Ban on Municipal Property (4.2): Councillor Hart and Link sponsored an ordinance to ban use of rodenticides on city property. Multiple councilors supported the measure, noting that poison kills natural predators like owls and does not control rats. The item was referred to legislative matters.
• SNAP Access Crisis (4.3): Councillor Hart presented a resolution citing that 91.5% of callers to DTA could not reach staff from January to April 2026, and SNAP caseload in Somerville dropped 15% (about 992 residents) since November 2024. The resolution urged the state to hire more caseworkers. Approved and copied to state delegation.
• International Graduate Student at Tufts (4.4): Councillor Umba sponsored a resolution urging Tufts to correct allegedly retaliatory grades and provide financial compensation for a student whose program was terminated. The resolution stated it does not seek reinstatement but a fair path forward. Approved.
• Security and Airport Workers (4.5): Resolution expressing solidarity and urging affordable health care for security officers and airport service workers in Greater Boston. Approved.
• Tufts Facilities Workers (4.6): Resolution supporting SEIU 3 BJ workers at Tufts, noting the university's wage proposal is below cost of living and health-care premiums are high. Approved.
• Retaining MBTA Route 80 (4.12): Resolution opposing MBTA's plan to cut Route 80 bus service, which councilors argued is not redundant with the Green Line. Public comment is open until September 8, 2026. Approved.
• Body-Worn Cameras (7.29 & 7.30): Updated Technology-Specific Surveillance Use Policy and Surveillance Technology Impact Report. Manager Hellman outlined improvements including prioritizing public records requests from civilians and strong oversight language. Referred to legislative matters for public hearing.
• Civlian Oversight of Police (4.1): President Davis called for a public hearing to establish an entity for civilian oversight of the police department, following a commitment made during the body-worn camera vote. The item was referred to legislative matters, with plans for executive sessions on collective bargaining followed by open public discussion.

Key Outcomes

• Approval of Firefighters Union Contact (7.4): The council approved a $937,409 transfer from salary contingency to fund a collective bargaining agreement with Somerville Firefighters Local 76. The vote was 10-0. The contract was hailed as a model of efficient and respectful negotiations.
• Appointment to Elections Commission (7.26): Michael Avery was confirmed to the Elections Commission by a unanimous vote to ensure adequate staffing ahead of the primary election.
• Approval of Multiple Small Dollar Transfers (7.9-7.11): Three interfund transfers of $1,000 each were approved for sewer project expenditures.
• Gift Acceptance (7.1): Accepted a donation of 200 soccer balls (value $5,000) from the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
• Police Promotions and Commissions (7.21-7.25 & 7.27): Five police promotions and one appointment to the Commission for Persons with Disabilities were approved.
• Referral of Items: Several items were referred to committees, including the rodenticide ban (legislative matters), body-worn camera policies (legislative matters), short-term rental enforcement (housing and community development), and street harassment near warming center (public health and public safety).
• Other Approved Resolutions: Resolutions supporting accessible housing (4.10), fall citywide trash pickup (4.11), street painting at Belmont Street/Spring Hill Terrace (4.13), and crossing guard pay increases (4.14) were all approved without dissent.