QHS Environmental & Sustainability Club Hosts Quincy’s 3rd Annual Green Apple Day!

QHS Environmental & Sustainability Club Hosts Quincy’s 3^rd Annual Green Apple Day!

As Club Leader of Quincy High School’s Environmental & Sustainability Club, Science Teacher Evaline Hsu ledThe Green Team QHS in hosting the City’s 3^rd annual participation in Green Apple Day of Service - a global green initiative sponsored by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. The event was held in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) and in partnership with the City of Quincy Planning & Community Development Department (PCD). For the 3^rd year in a row, Quincy’s participation in Green Apple Day of Service could not have been possible without the unwavering support of Mayor Thomas P. Koch, whose office continues to embrace opportunities that enhance Quincy’s Green Communities designation, and Dr. Richard DeCristofaro, Superintendent of Quincy Public Schools, who has welcomed student participation in the City’s broad-reaching sustainability initiatives.

In 2012 the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council hosted the first ever Green Apple Day of Service, marking Quincy’s first year of what has become an annual participation. Now in its fourth year, Green Apple Day projects are student sponsored events within which students, teachers, parents, and citizens can come together to support healthy safe and efficient schools and communities, while increasing awareness of the meaningful, lasting local and global impacts of sustainable living practices through individual actions. The Green Apple logo was a natural choice to promote these events because apples have been rooted in American tradition as a symbol of education since the 1920s. The symbol was adopted from a practice originating in Denmark and Sweden in the 1700s when poor families gave teachers apples in place of traditional payment. To this day, apples are common gifts given to teachers as a sign of gratitude.

Originally scheduled as part of the 2014 Green Apple Day of Service, the event got postponed due to stormy winter weather, but the students were undeterred and determined to hold the event when the weather cooperated. “HELP SAVE THE BEACH!!!” Wollaston Beach Clean Up was finally held on one of the most beautiful, sunny summer Saturdays! The event proved a tremendous success, showing a diverse turnout of community members committed to environmental stewardship. Because of Quincy’s annual participation in this event, the City was awarded a Green Apple Day mini-grant from the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. The Green Team students used the award funding for the Wollaston Beach Clean-Up, designing their own posters and T-shirts which the team wore to help advertise the event, pictured below.

With its 27 miles of beautiful coastline, this event successfully achieved its goal of demonstrating the importance of celebrating and maintaining the aesthetic and ecological health of Quincy’s most prized amenity, as well as showing the importance of recycling. Why is recycling important? - because it conserves our natural resources, protects and preserves wildlife habitats, prevents the pollution of soil, sea, and sky, mitigates global climate change by reducing carbon emissions, supports public health, creates green jobs, and diverts thousands of tons of reusable trash from ending up in landfills. Best of all, recycling saves money and energy - and it’s as easy as a day at the beach!

One person can make a difference!

Please join The Green Team & PCD in making a difference in Quincy!!!

Mark your calendars for Quincy’s 4^th annual participation in Green Apple Day of Service, which will take place on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015.

The Green Team QHS Hosts Successful Green Apple Day of Service Event:

          

   QHS Science Dept. Chair Ed Smith and The      

    Green Team QHS Club leader Evaline Hsu

                     

                                                        

  

                      Matthew Pham                                     Yusra Ahmed, Manal Khan, Maysoon Khan

Wollaston Beach Clean-Up Volunteers (l-r): Habib Jacq Laracy-Karim, Evaline Hsu, Anna Zheng,

Stephanie Lopez, Manal Khan, Maysoon Khan, Yusra Ahmed, John Dinh, Matthew Pham 

    

Susan C. Karim

Assistant Planner

Dept of Planning & Community Development

City of Quincy

34 Coddington Street, 3^rd Floor

Quincy, MA 02169

617-376-1372

skarim@quincyma.gov

Mayor Walsh Announces Trash Day Web and Mobile App

Mayor Walsh Announces Trash Day Web and Mobile App

Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced the launch of Trash Day, a new web and mobile app that allows residents to easily access their trash and recycle collection schedules and sign up for reminders via text, email or phone. "We are always looking for ways to be responsive to residents' needs in new and innovative ways," said Mayor Walsh. "This tool is a simple way for us to share information that affects nearly all of Boston residents on a daily basis." Residents can decide when they want to get their Trash Day reminders, which will also include helpful details such as what's being picked up that week and information on special collections (e.g., leaf and yard waste). Trash Day also makes it easy to find out how to dispose of various items, including recyclable or hazardous waste. "The easier it is to look up what you can and can't recycle, the more likely you are to put items in the right bin and divert waste away from a landfill," said Interim Commissioner of Public Works Michael Dennehy. "Every little bit helps." This project was undertaken after an analysis of calls to the Mayor's Hotline showed a high volume of inquires related to trash collection, especially during holiday weeks. Now, Trash Day will automatically notify residents if their pickup schedule is adjusted due to a holiday. Trash Day reminders and collection schedules are available through the City's website and through the free iOS or Android mobile app. The launch of Trash Day is supported by the City's Department of Innovation and Technology's Digital Team, and is one of many efforts to deliver a more welcoming and useful digital experience to members of the Boston community. For other issues citywide, residents are encouraged to call the Mayor's 24 Hotline at 617-635-4500 or use the Citizen's Connect smartphone app. Trash Day reminders and collection schedules are available through the City's website and through the free iOS or Android mobile app.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES CITY OF BOSTON RECEIVES NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS AWARD

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES CITY OF BOSTON RECEIVES NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS AWARD

City to Create Artists in Residency Program within City Government; One of 69 Awardees Nation-Wide

BOSTON - Thursday, July 16, 2015 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced a $100,000 Our Town award to the City of Boston from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support an Artists in Residency program within city government, hosted by the Mayor's office of Arts and Culture.   "This Our Town award signifies the City's dedication to engaging and growing with the arts," said Mayor Walsh. "I thank the National Endowment for the Arts for recognizing Boston's important role in maintaining and enhancing our cultural capital." "The City of Boston demonstrates the best in creative community development and whose work will have a valuable impact on its community," said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. "Through Our Town funding, arts organizations continue to spark vitality that support neighborhoods and public spaces, enhancing a sense of place for residents and visitors alike."   As part of the City's Cultural Planning Process, called Boston Creates, the Artists in Residency program will work to directly connect local artists with city departments and the municipal planning process, informing policy around civic practice and the role of artists in government and community work. The City is working to identify which departments will host these artists, and will use this program as a pilot learning lab for how artists in residence can be institutionalized in other departments and agencies. The cohort of artists will receive capacity development, training and support focused on the growth of their ability. More information about this process will be available in the coming months.   The mission of the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture is to foster the growth and well-being of the cultural community and promote participation in the arts. Recognizing the importance of creativity across all policy areas, the Office seeks to promote access to arts and culture to all of Boston's residents and to make Boston a municipal arts leader. The Office will partner with the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) to implement the Artists in Residency program. "The Mayor has charged us with thinking about ways that the arts can be integrated into initiatives and functions across city government," said Chief of Arts and Culture Julie Burros. "We want to explore ways in which creativity can help us deliver city services. Embedding artists in city departments will certainly result in great collaborations." MassArt is a natural partner to collaborate with the City of Boston on this project. As a public institution, MassArt is dedicated to accessibility and community engagement, as well as excellence in arts programming, and MassArt maintains a network of public, private, non-profit, local, city, state, national and international relationships. "We are proud to be the City's primary partner for this important initiative," said Acting President of MassArt Kurt Steinberg. "Civic and community engagement are at the core of MassArt's mission and I am excited for the MassArt community to contribute its creative talents, expertise and energy to the City of Boston's Artists in Residency program."   "The Our Town project is another step in the City of Boston's leadership in arts policy," said NEA Director of Design Programs Jason Schupbach. "It's a fantastic example of putting artists at the center of government innovation, and the NEA is excited to see where it leads." In total, NEA announced 69 awards of almost $5 million through the Our Town program's fifth year of funding. The NEA received 275 applications for Our Town this year and will make grants ranging from $25,000 to $200,000.  The Our Town grant program supports creative placemaking projects that help to transform communities into lively, beautiful and resilient places with the arts at their core. Since the program's inception in 2011 and including these projects, the NEA has awarded 325 Our Town grants totaling almost $26 million in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

麻州彩券銷售破紀錄 五十億元

只是賣彩券，一年也可賣出五十億元？麻州財政廳長高柏珂（Deborah Goldberg）十四日宣佈，麻州去年的彩券銷售成績就打破了這紀錄。

            高柏珂表示，麻州的彩券銷售已經一連四年打破紀錄，剛結束的上一會計年度還待核實銷售總額，更第一次超過五十億美元。

            來自這五十億一千元元銷售成績的利潤，估計為九億八千三百五十萬元。彩券部門的報告指出，去年的銷售成績為四十八億六千萬元。

            彩券部門也說，在六月三十日結束的上一會計年度中，發放出去的獎金數額也破紀錄，高達三十六億四千萬元，其中包括被領走的一千五百萬元刮刮樂（instant ticket）獎金。

            高柏珂表示，她很高興財政廳採行的分析方法及策略又一年的為麻州市鎮提供了有價值的融資來源。

            高柏珂是麻州財政廳長，兼任彩券局主席。

波市公校首名華裔總監張欽棠公佈百日計畫

波士頓市首名華裔公校總監張欽棠（Tommy Chang）昨（十五）晚六點向學校委員會遞交新學年的百日計畫，誓言處理黑人及西語裔學生的成就差距問題，並免除讓校長們無法專注於學習的行政任務。
張欽棠表示，他向學校委員會遞交的這首個百日計畫，旨在容許教育者決定，怎麼做對學生，學校最好，同時也讓所有高中的畢業要求更一致。
波士頓公校系統共有 57,000名學生。張欽棠接任後，不但制定短期的百日計畫，還訂立了長期目標，包括要把處境不佳的麥迪遜公園職業高中（Madison Park Technical Vocational High School）變成一個模範職校，並把進階工作課程，向所有希望註冊入讀的四到六年級學生開放。
今年四十歲的張欽棠，七月一日正式上任。他表示，老師們都相信可以為孩子們做得更好，所以為何不給孩子們更多機會，而不必把學生們從四年級起分開。他們要把更多精力放在四年級學生身上。
不過在九月八日新學年開始前，張欽棠說他會把精力放在確保順利開學上。
張欽棠的百日計畫是根據家長，學生，老師，社區份子在過去三個月中所提出1300項建議制定的。基本根據五項原則，包括所有學生都能有高成就，學生應可在他們的住家附近上好學校，應容許教育者做決定，並負起責任，以有創意的教學方法來啟發良好表現，這個學區需要一個源自溝通的統一文化。
張欽棠公佈的這百日計畫，將是他預定2016年九月公佈三年計畫的起點。
雖然張欽棠七月一日才正式就任，但他早從今年四月初，就帶著他的交接團隊，拜訪了30多所波市公校，和不下1500名社區人士座談，在“聽、學”之旅中了解各方面的看法。
張欽棠訪問的學校之一是波士頓新來者國際學校（Boston International Newcomers Academy）。他在那兒看到移民學生以自己的本土語言學習主要科目，一邊藉由特別設計的課程學習英語。
他說，他會支持更廣泛的雙語項目及課程，讓每一個年紀很小的學生都有機會接觸多種語言。
查詢張欽棠的百日計畫，可上網http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=1。

圖片說明：

張欽棠正式上任波士頓公校總監。（圖片取自波士頓公校網站）

昆市市長候選人古楚（Doug Gutro）向亞裔選民拜票

昆士市今年將改選首名一任四年市長。候選人之一古楚（Doug Gutro）上週末在居民鄒毅家中辦小型聚會，成為首名公開向亞裔選民拜票的昆士市長候選人。

古楚上週才宣佈在興國（Hancock）街795號成立競選總部，繼而在選民家中闡述決定參選緣由，提出多項市政改革需要，也使他成為更認真，更有份量的市長候選人。

昆士市今年的市長改選，因為當選者將成為該市首位一任四年市長，參選人數破歷年紀錄。不但曾經兩度向昆士現任市長柯奇（Tom Koch）挑戰的馬洪妮（Ann Mahoney），前任昆士市長費林（William Phelan）都再度出馬，昆士市現任不分區市議員古楚也加入戰局，總共有不下六人參選。

昆市坊間咸認前述四人是今年選舉的重量級人馬，但過去半年來，除了有人陸續宣佈參選，有候選人支持者零星的站街舉牌外，昆市一直並沒有多少競選氣氛。

古楚的上週設立競選總部，成為第二位設競選總部市長候選人，隨即在選民家中開小型政見發表會，有著把昆市正式帶入選舉季節的味道。

古楚在支持者鄒毅家中舉辦小型聚會時，向選民介紹自己，說明為何決定參選，強調要聽選民意見，要讓市政更透明，要給選民表達意見機會。

他認為昆市是個很美好的城市，有歷史，有風景，但管理不善，財政及發展前景令人擔憂。

            古楚說，昆士市中心重建計劃遇挫受阻，房屋局維修部門被接管，醫療中心關閉，水災區地圖擴大，公共交通系統營運不良，市府招聘資料不對外公開，鏟雪費用超支驚人，房地產稅可能漲30%等，都讓他覺得昆市管理不善，應該換人經營。

            古楚指出，昆市醫療中心的關閉，使得昆市成為全麻州唯一一個市內沒有醫院的大城市。昆市今年鏟雪費用高達一千三百五十萬元，但道路面積和昆市差不多的羅爾市（Lowell），以及道路面積約為昆市兩倍多的屋斯特市，依序才花了四百五十萬元，六百六十萬元鏟雪，加起來都還沒昆市多，讓人質疑原因何在。

            古楚又指昆士市長柯奇沒向聯邦政府上訴，修訂水災區地圖，不但讓1400戶民宅被劃入水災區，原本在水災區內的2700戶居民的保險費率也將被提高。

            當天出席聚會的一昆市居民表示，昆市府有哪些職位空缺，竟完全不公開，市府人事部門網頁還公開表示，由於市府內許多工作機會是工會職位，一有空缺先在內部張貼，供市府內符合資格的工會會員競標，人事部門將在有需要時才辦額外招聘。

            鄒毅則以昆市警察局早前竟然在大門上張貼請居民自帶翻譯告示，指昆市府忽視英語不佳居民的需求。

            古楚覺得他自己擔任昆市第五區市議員10年，擔任不分區市議員4年，在薩福克（Suffolk）大學擔任客座教授，在聯邦政府環保局（EPA）工作26年，如今擔任政府及社區關係主任，和麻州351個市鎮首長都以建立良好關係，可以借鏡，求經，找出改良市政的最佳做法，把昆市帶向更美好的未來。

            古楚認為，昆市正在發展路上，但卻未像尚莫維爾（Somerville），劍橋市（Cambridge），雀喜市（Chelsea），水城（Watertown），華森市（Waltham ）等城市班充分利用機會。

圖片說明：

            昆士市長候選人古楚（Doug Gutro，中）在昆市居民家中辦小型政見發表會。（菊子攝）

            昆士市長候選人古楚（Doug Gutro，中）與出席者合影。（菊子攝）

            支持古楚的昆市居民鄒毅（前中）以手機中的照片說明，昆市警察局門外曾貼出要求民眾自帶翻譯的告示。（菊子攝）

波市鼓勵女生騎自行車7/18辦 Boston Bikes and Bites

廚師們。（圖片由波市府提供）

波士頓市將於七月十八日，首度舉辦“波士頓騎與嚼（Boston Bikes and Bites）”，紐英崙最大的女性騎自行車活動。

這活動今年將第一次擺出由本地六大名廚製作的食物，包括Rialto 餐廳的Jody Adams，麵粉烘培店（Flour）的張柔安（Joanne Chang），液體藝術屋（Liquid Art House）的Rachel Klein，Forge, Bloc 11 and Diesel Café的Jennifer Park，Seta's Café的Seta Dakessian，Topsfield Bakeshop的Mary Bandereck等。

其中的Jody Adams及Jennifer Park 還將參加騎自行車活動。

活動現場的音樂，將由全女班樂隊 Zili Misik演奏非洲，加勒比海，以及美國靈魂樂曲。

            波士頓市長馬丁華殊鼓勵大波士頓地區的女性都來參加這活動，和名廚，音樂家同樂，為波士頓市締造歡樂一日。

            當天將有 10, 30 及50英哩的騎車群，從牙買加平原的柳塘（Willow Pond）和牙買加路（Jamaicaway）交界處的菊花田 （Daisy Field），將是出發點，也是終點。

            騎車者可沿路品嚐各名廚抨製的美食。

            出發點及終點站的菊花田將有Zili Misik的現場音樂演奏，機械師的現場修理攤位。“波士頓騎車（Boston Bikes）”指導者也將為從未騎過自行車的女性。提供學騎車工作坊。

            參加活動的費用為35元，低收入波士頓居民可享有折扣。查詢可上網www.bostonbikes.org/women/festival。有興趣參加活動的男士，可登記當義工。

BRA releases findings of independent operational review and action plan for continued reforms

BRA releases findings of independent operational review and action plan for continued reforms

Restructuring of real estate and finance departments and elevating role of proactive planning identified as priorities

BOSTON – Director Brian Golden today released the findings of an independent operational review of the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and an action plan for addressing concerns that were uncovered during the months-long study. The review, commissioned last winter and conducted by McKinsey & Company, identified several areas in need of improvement for the BRA, whose leadership team has been working to reform the management, culture, and operations of the agency since last year.

Coming on the heels of a more limited analysis conducted by KPMG in 2014, this review forms the basis of a new action plan that Director Golden and senior staff at the BRA have begun to implement. The action plan calls for the elevation and restructuring of the agency’s real estate management department in order to optimize BRA-owned assets and generate new revenue from those holdings. The plan also highlights the need to continue to improve systems and implement a more forward-looking budget strategy within BRA’s administration and finance department.

The report’s findings suggest that the BRA’s planning division, which was the initial focus of the review, should add staff to support the proactive planning initiatives that are currently underway.

“As director, nothing is more valuable to me than an honest assessment of our shortcomings and strengths because it allows us to take a thoughtful approach as we implement reforms,” said Brian Golden. “We have embraced the challenge that comes with improving the way we do business, and this latest review provides the information we need to create a robust and positive plan for the future of the BRA. Change is already underway, and we are intent on delivering upon the rest of the action plan. This work will take time, but in the end I’m confident that it will lead to results for which we can all be proud.”

In comparing Boston to cities such as San Francisco, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Vancouver, the independent review found that the BRA does less proactive planning than many of its peers. Nearly all of the comparison cities have completed neighborhood plans, and most large cities engaged in comprehensive citywide planning. In order to strengthen the planning division, the BRA will hire five to six new planners to help support the Mayor’s Imagine Boston 2030 citywide planning initiative and the recently launched transit oriented planning studies in Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and South Boston.

Through an informal survey of developers and community members, the consultants found that the BRA’s design review process varies greatly in the length of time and number of meetings necessary to approve projects. The timeline is partially contingent upon how responsive a developer is in incorporating design review feedback. However, the review findings noted several potential changes – such as clearly written best practices for developers and offline reviews to lessen the need for in-person meetings – that the BRA could consider implementing so that the process functions more smoothly. As a result of the BRA’s action plan, the urban design department has begun to track its performance in reviewing projects with the goal of streamlining the design review process. New leadership will oversee changes within the department.

A review of the agency’s finance department found “several gaps between the BRA’s financial processes and capabilities and what is typically expected from a finance department.” The report points to a lack of departmental budgets and insufficient annual strategic planning and budgeting. Basic documents such as balance sheets and annual audited financial statements were not always available in a timely manner for the independent reviewers or the general public.

While there is significant room to modernize financial systems and processes, the BRA is in a much stronger cash position than it was just six years ago. At the end of the 2009 fiscal year, the agency was operating with a  $6.2 million deficit. Through a combination of staff and salary reductions and lean budgeting, that deficit has since been erased. The BRA now has approximately $18 million available for capital spending and other important investments essential to the agency’s long-term success. This money will help fund capital improvements for two significant BRA-owned properties, the China Trade Center, in Chinatown, and 12 Channel Street, in the Marine Industrial Park, to help make those facilities more attractive to potential tenants. $2.5 million of the $18 million has been allocated for unfunded liabilities, such as post-retirement benefits. And several million dollars will be held aside to create a stabilization fund for fiscal emergencies.

To address the department’s shortcomings, Director Golden will seek fresh leadership to take over the BRA’s finance operation. However, acknowledging the great strides that have been made to stabilize the organization’s balance sheet, he has asked the current finance director to remain with the BRA as a special assistant who will advise on continued finance and human resource reforms.

The BRA’s asset management division will also be restructured as a result of the operational review and subsequent action plan. The agency relies heavily on the leasing of properties to generate most of its revenue, and the BRA’s real estate portfolio is not configured to maximize the value of these assets. Just two individuals within the facilities and engineering division currently handle real estate management. While estimates suggest that the BRA owns 10 to 12 million square feet of undeveloped land and buildings, including roughly 100 parcels that are more than 20,000 square feet each, no comprehensive list of real estate assets exists. The review estimates that untapped lease opportunities could generate $6 to $8 million in new revenue for the BRA.

A new director of real estate will be hired, the search for which is currently underway, to better manage the utilization, marketing, and leasing of the BRA’s real estate portfolio. That person will build out a more professionalized department that will include the current facilities and engineering division. The new department will be responsible for developing a plan to grow the BRA’s real estate revenue by at least five percent per year over the next five years.

In an effort to improve morale among employees, many of whom felt the BRA lacked a clear vision when surveyed earlier this year, the agency began sponsoring more professional development opportunities, started an employee wellness program, launched a performance review system for staff, and is piloting an internal data dashboard to help departments track key metrics. Since taking charge of the BRA, Director Golden has organized three all-staff events to bring employees from different departments together, and he has held periodic lunches with staff this year.

The full report and a summary of findings, along with the BRA’s action plan, are available atwww.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org.