Tuesday, May 14
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Register for the Zoom
This legal body will discuss the new police station as part of the Winter Hill Urban Plan. Come understand their perspective and be consider preparing a public comment!
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Contact your city councilor
Speak up at meetings
In case you have trouble deciding what to say, here are some examples to help get you started.
"Hello, I'm [your name], one of your constituents. I'm calling to ask that you please vote against the Public Safety Building project planned for 90 Washington Street. A $102 million police station is not what our city needs a stone's throw from a new Green Line station. Please support a new Site Selection study to find a better approach."
If you have any personal anecdotes about why the planned PSB is not right for you, this is a good place to bring them up. If not, and your councilor asks why you are calling, feel free to mention that you were moved to act by this website.
These phone calls are usually short, often under a minute.
Subject: Constituent concern about 90 Washington Street PSB plan
Body:
Dear [Councilor name],
I'm writing to ask that you please vote against the Public Safety Building project planned for 90 Washington Street. A $102 million police station is not what our city needs a stone's throw from a new Green Line station. Please support a new Site Selection study to find a better approach.
[If you have any personal anecdotes you feel might be relevant, add them here.]
Thank you for your attention on this issue.
Yours,
[Your name]
"Hello. I'm [your name], and I live at [your address or ward, as you feel comfortable sharing]. I do not want to see a new police station at 90 Washington Street. It is a bad use of the valuable land next to a T stop, and a bad use of the city's money. Thank you for listening."
We recommend calling your ward councilor and at least two of the at-large councilors.
Calling much more effective than email. Councilors can receive hundreds of email each week, but probably only a handful of phone calls each day.
To identify your ward councilor, either enter your address into this map, or use the City's website.
Here are the councilors by ward:
Ward 1: Matthew McLaughlin. His email is mattforward1@gmail.com, phone (617) 999-0924
Ward 2: J. T. Scott. His email is jtscott@somervillema.gov, phone (857) 615-1532
Ward 3: Ben Ewen-Campen. His email is benforward3@gmail.com, phone (617) 702-2613
Ward 4: Jesse Clingan. His email is aldermanclingan@gmail.com, phone (617) 290-1904
Ward 5: Beatriz Gomez Mouakad. Her email is gomezmouakad.ward5@gmail.com, phone (617) 216-0199
Ward 6: Lance Davis. His email is lancedavisward6@gmail.com, phone (857) 261-1909
Ward 7: Judy Neufeld. Her email is judyforward7@gmail.com, phone (617) 684-5112
The four Councilors-at-Large each cover the entire city.
Jake Wilson. His email is jwilson@somervillema.gov, phone (617) 468-8969
Kristen Strezo. Her email is strezoatlarge@gmail.com, phone (617) 209-9915
Charlotte Kelly. Her email is ckelly@somervillema.gov, phone (617) 902-0539
Willie Burnley, Jr. His email is wburnley@somervillema.gov, phone (617) 475-0203
You can find more about the City Council on their website.