Cambridge Council Disses Taxpayers and Nuclear War Commission


In 1982 the City of Cambridge created a Nuclear Disarmament Commission. The salary of the Executive Director is now $61,000 plus benefits and a large office with utilities. Instead of focusing on preventing nuclear war [ordinance below] -- its stated mission -- the focus was changed to preventing violence among high school students and having an awards dinner each year. The council insults not only the Nuclear Disarmament Commission but also clueless taxpayers. This useless city commission wastes taxpayer funds while people live in the street or taxpayer funded shelters. Now the useless council wants to waste more money doing the job of the useless Nuclear Disarmament Commission. What a city. Two US Senators will help solve this waste of taxpayer funds?



http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x1073706371/Nuke-talk-sparks-heated-Cambridge-council-debate-but-no-ballot-question


Nuke talk sparks heated Cambridge council debate, but no ballot question
By Jillian Fennimore
Cambridge Chronicle (online)
Sep 23, 2009 @ 07:35 AM

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City Ordinance establishing the Commission in 1982.

Chapter 2.90 CAMBRIDGE COMMISSION ON NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT AND PEACE EDUCATION
Sections:
2.90.010 Established.
2.90.020 Membership--Appointment--Term.
2.90.030 Membership--Qualifications.
2.90.040 Election of Chairperson--Adoption of bylaws.
2.90.050 Function and purpose.
2.90.060 Powers and duties.

2.90.010 Established.
There shall be a Cambridge Commission on Nuclear Disarmament and Peace Education.
(Ord. 987 (part), 1982: prior code Ch. 2 Art. 39 (part))

2.90.020 Membership--Appointment--Term.
A. The Commission shall consist of twenty members, all of whom shall be appointed initially by the City Manager to serve for the following terms:
1. Six members shall serve for a one year term;
2. Seven members shall serve for a two-year term;
3. Seven members shall serve for a three-year term.
After the initial terms all Commissioners shall be appointed for a term of three years.
B. If any Commissioner misses three unexcused meetings of the Commission during a calendar year, that position of the Commissioner shall be automatically vacated upon certification to the City Manager by the Commission.
C. After the initial appointments, subsequent members of the Commission shall be appointed by the City Manager from recommendations provided by the Commission. The Commission shall consult with recognized groups working for nuclear disarmament to obtain names of qualified candidates. Vacancies on the Commission shall be filled not later than thirty days after the vacancy occurs; and if a vacancy occurs prior to the expiration of the members' term, an appointment shall be made for the remainder of the term.
D. The Commission shall be representative of the socio-economic and racial/ethnic populations of the City.
(Ord. 987 (part), 1982: prior code Ch. 2 Art. 39 (part))

2.90.030 Membership--Qualifications.
A. All prospective Commissioners shall believe in and support the goal of nuclear disarmament as embodied in the resolutions passed by the City Council.
B. Commissioners must be residents of the City at the time of appointment.
(Ord. 987 (part), 1982: prior code Ch. 2 Art. 39 (part))

2.90.040 Election of Chairperson--Adoption of bylaws.
The members of the Commission shall elect a Chairperson from among its members, and shall adopt bylaws for the Commission.
(Ord. 987 (part), 1982: prior code Ch. 2 Art. 39 (part))

2.90.050 Function and purpose.
It shall be the function of the Commission to:
A. Support the actions taken by the City Council to protect the citizens of Cambridge and lessen the danger of nuclear destruction to the City;
B. Work to implement the November 4, 1981, mandate of Cambridge voters to "contact the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation to place a freeze on the further development of nuclear weapons in the City of Cambridge";
C. Work with the City government and its departments, educational institutions, private and public agencies, and other interested organizations toward bilateral nuclear disarmament and a peaceful world through public dissemination of relevant information and through educational outreach to the schools and citizens of Cambridge.
(Ord. 987 (part), 1982: prior code Ch. 2 Art. 39 (part))

2.90.060 Powers and duties.
The powers and duties of the Commission shall include the following:
A. To design and disseminate material, and establish a resource library for disarmament education, including a speakers bureau, and to assist citizens in the use of this material;
B. To assist the Cambridge Public Schools and the parochial and private schools in the City in developing nuclear disarmament curricula on:
1. The causes of war,
2. Technology in the nuclear age,
3. The history of disarmament,
4. Conflict resolution;
C. To support and assist teachers initiating such nuclear disarmament curriculum;
D. To hold, and assist in the conduct of, educational and advocacy meetings or hearings on nuclear disarmament by public agencies, organizations, institutions or private persons in the City. This shall include an effort to reach out to those most affected by the diversion of funds from the City: Organized labor, the poor, the unemployed, minorities and women;
E. To initiate public exhibits and events in City Hall, City libraries, public schools and in other locations within the City, consistent with the stated purposes of this chapter;
F. To cooperate with public agencies and private groups in other cities and towns of the Commonwealth in programs for disarmament education;
G. To promote mutual understanding with people in other nations consistent with the purposes of this chapter, such as the City Council's proposal for a "twin" city in the USSR, and the receptions held by the City for peace visitors from Europe and Japan;
H. To develop and recommend policy regarding the prevention of nuclear destruction to the City and the safety of Cambridge citizens to all departments, divisions and agencies of the City, including the City Manager and the City Council;
I. To advance the enactment of legislation which promotes nuclear disarmament at City, State and federal levels, and to monitor the implementation of such legislation;
J. To assist the Civil Defense Department of the City in its duties, consistent with the purposes of this chapter;
K. To determine the extent of nuclear weapons-related industry within the City, and to study, advocate and assist in the conversion of such industries to non-nuclear weapon-related activities, including the retraining of workers employed in those nuclear-related industries;
L. To make public statements and act on matters related to nuclear disarmament;
M. To raise funds for the use of the Commission and to accept money, gifts and services for its exclusive use and expend or use the same, and subject to appropriation or to receipt of such money, gifts and services, employ clerical and technical assistants or consultants; and to be consulted by and make recommendations to the City Manager with regard to the employment of the Executive Director.
(Ord. 987 (part), 1982: prior code Ch. 2 Art. 39 (part))