Harvard University Art Museum Truck Depot Thrives Violating City Ordinance September 30 to November 7, 2015

The following entries are a compilation of suspicious events since September 30, 2015 at the loading dock for the new improved ($500,000,000) Harvard University Art Museums Truck Depot. Most of the violations occurred at night when my camera was unable to capture images. Some of the images in this post are from earlier events, as noted. 

City noise ordinance Chapter 8.16.080 Non-measured noise disturbances.
Noise Disturbances Prohibited. The following acts are declared to be loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises in violation of this chapter, but said enumeration shall not be deemed to be exclusive.

E. Loading and Unloading. Loading, unloading, opening, closing or other handling of boxes, crates, containers, building materials, garbage cans, or similar objects between the hours of nine p.m. and seven a.m. the following day on weekdays, or between the hours of nine p.m. and nine a.m. the following day when the following day is a Saturday, Sunday or holiday in such a manner as to be plainly audible at a distance of fifty feet from the lot line of the lot on which such activity is located, or to be plainly audible within a noise sensitive zone.

Wednesday September 30, 2015, at about 6:40 AM I heard the annoying back up beeper warning from a truck. I looked through my window and saw a US Food trailer truck backing into the loading dock at the new improved $500 million Harvard Art Museum, on Broadway between Quincy and Prescott Streets. The truck left after about 30 minutes. It is a frequent occurrence of early and late pickups and deliveries at that location. I've complained for many years about the abuses of the trucks and buses. Just the latest one.


File photo

On Wednesday September 30, 2015 at about 11:25 PM as I approached the intersection of Broadway and Quincy Street, I saw two trucks leave the driveway of the loading docks of the new $500 million improved Harvard Art Museums. One was a Ryder rental truck, which drove onto Quincy Street toward Cambridge Street. The other was a larger (30 feet) Be My Guest truck, which drove east on Broadway. About 4 or 5 individuals left the Broadway entrance of the museum at about 11:30 PM.

Friday October 9, 2015 at about 10:05 PM I arrived at my residence building. I noticed two black luxury vans with their motors running, parked on the north side of Broadway between Prescott Street and Quincy Street. I approached the drivers who were having a conversation, and said, "Excuse me. I live here. The exhaust from your buses go into my apartment. If you move the vans I will say thank you. If you do not I will call the police. It's a No Stopping Zone." as I pointed to the signs. When I got into my apartment I looked and saw that the two vans had moved. Then I heard some noise and saw one of the vans again parked outside my window.

I called to the Cambridge police dispatcher on their non emergency line. I gave my name, phone number and the location of the problem, after hearing the warning that the call was being recorded. Dispatcher Belmont asked me to repeat my name, phone number and the location of the event. I repeated the information. Good thing it was not an emergency. I've read about some of the tragedies due to the relaxed attention of emergency dispatchers. In my case the dispatchers, when they hear it is me, just ignore my calls. I gave her additional notice that the vans were operated by Harrison Coach. Their company van numbers are 1162 and 1169.

Within two minutes that van left also. I called back and relayed the updated information to the dispatcher whose name I was unable to understand. I said it was unnecessary to send a patrol car.

Thursday October 15, 2015, at about 10:00 PM walking along Prescott Street from Harvard Street toward Broadway. A full sized black bus was parked on the west side of Prescott Street near the Harvard University Faculty Club. It was parked with the engine off. I was pleased to see a different (other than outside my windows) illegal parking space chosen by the tour buses for an event at the new and $500 million improved Harvard Art Museum.

As I approached Broadway I saw a smaller white van-bus (Sunse Van Service) parked on the east side of Prescott Street in front of 24 Prescott Street, with its motor running. I crossed to the west side of Prescott near the entrance to the Art Museum. There were two black vans, with their motors off. There was another van behind them out of the two-space Loading Zone. Then one more van backed into Prescott Street and stopped in the middle of the street blocking the way. The driver began a conversation with the two drivers standing on the sidewalk. I told my bus driver joke, got some laughs and went home.

All in all it is an improvement over the tour buses and trucks parked alongside my apartment streaming exhaust fumes into my home. But it indicates that the removal of the 26 spaces on Prescott Street is still causing a problem in this neighborhood.


File photo

On Saturday morning (Friday evening) October 23-24, 2015 at about 12:30 AM I heard then noticed two trucks at the loading docks of the new improved ($500 million renovated) Harvard Art Museums. Men and or women were loading the trucks. I do not know when they arrived. They left shortly after that at about 12:35 AM.


Cherry-picker crane delivered at 5:30 AM October 26, 2015. Image captured during daylight. Seen here parked mostly on sidewalk. 

On Monday morning October 26, 2015 at about 5:30 AM I heard a truck idling on Broadway between Quincy Street and Prescott Street. It was parked alongside of the new improved Harvard University Art Museums, the south side of Broadway. The driver lowered the ramp to off load construction equipment which was driven onto Harvard University property. A cherry picker crane was left for the use of Harvard University in the loading dock driveway by the driver. 


Cherry-picker crane delivered at 5:30 AM October 26, 2015. Image captured during daylight. Seen here parked on sidewalk and part way into the street. 

One of the lights for the loading docks came on as he worked in the driveway. Being thankful for small favors, (the truck was not parked on the north side of the street alongside of my windows), I did not call to the emergency dispatcher. Complaints about Harvard University do not get the attention of the police dispatchers. They often call the Harvard University campus police who do not have jurisdiction and they do not stop the nuisances as they are in progress. Sometimes the dispatchers just ignore the calls completely when I identify myself. They seem to react to my calls as if they are imaginary. The driver left the location at about 5:50 AM.


Cherry-picker crane delivered at 5:30 AM October 26, 2015. Image captured during daylight. 

Thursday November 5, 2015 at about 10:30 PM two trucks were loading or unloading equipment at the two loading docks of the new improved ($500 million renovated) Harvard University Art Museums. One truck had just arrived sounding his back-up warning signal.


Cherry-picker crane delivered at 5:30 AM October 26, 2015. Image captured during daylight. 

At about 10:55 PM a large truck from "Be Our Guest" corporation was parked on the south side of Broadway facing east in a No Stopping Zone with its emergency lights flashing. The truck blocked the single lane of eastbound traffic on Broadway between Quincy Street and Prescott Street, forcing automobiles across the double yellow line into oncoming westbound traffic. By 11:15 PM all trucks had left the loading docks and the No Stopping Zone.


File photo

Saturday November 7, 2015 a large (25 feet?) "Be Our Guest" truck was parked on the south side of Broadway between Quincy Street and Prescott Street in the No Stopping Zone. It is not clear if this truck was waiting for an open loading dock or was waiting for its companion (also "Be Our Guest") truck after doing its business at the loading dock. The 25-footer blocked my view of the loading docks. In either case it is two hours beyond the city ordinance permitting such loading.

At about 11:45 PM the 25 foot "Be Our Guest truck which was backed into the loading dock in the driveway of the new Harvard Art Museum, moved out of the driveway and back on the south side of Broadway standing in the No Stopping Zone, with its motor running. Then another "Be Our Guest Guest" truck, this one about 18 feet, sounded its warning back up beeper signal, and backed into the driveway and up to the loading dock. At about 12:05 AM Sunday November 8, 2015, both "Be Our Guest" trucks drove away. The loading dock doors were closed.

Florida City Wages Bureaucratic War on Churches

[From article]
“After we opened up the coffee bar and started doing services, I heard that he told people we were anti-gay,” Olive said. “So I went to his shop to ask him about that.”
I reached out to Amoroso on Wednesday but he did not return my telephone calls.
Pastor Olive told me he tried to convey to Amoroso that the church’s message is ‘Love God, Love People.’
“Our message to the gay community is the same as it is to the straight community,” he said.
The commissioner, Olive said, did not seem to appreciate his message.
“He pointed at me and said, ‘Listen, you better not have a church down there,” Olive told me.
By the strangest of coincidences, a code enforcement officer showed up for a Sunday service on Feb. 8. He was wearing a hoodie and was armed with a concealed video camera, according to the letter Liberty Counsel sent to the city.
[. . .]
For the record – the church was only licensed to sell java – not preach Jesus.
William Waters, the city’s community sustainability director, told me they have nothing against the church – they were simply responding to a complaint.
“We had a complaint that a gathering of people was taking place there in the form of a church,” he said. “We investigated that and determined that, yes, there were people gathered there.”
So if 115 people gather for coffee, that’s OK. But if they gather for worship – it’s against the law?
“We have to treat everybody the same,” Waters said. “We couldn’t give preferential treatment to churches versus other businesses.”
And in the city’s opinion, a church is, in fact, a business – just like grocery store, a Waffle House or an adult novelty shop.
[. . .]
“We’ve been there 99 years and we’ve never had to have a license,” she told the newspaper. “Where do you all of a sudden say the church has to have a license to gather and pray?”
Waters could not tell me how many churches have complied with the city’s demands. Local news accounts indicate the First Baptist Church paid nearly $500 in fees to the city.
Staver said the city’s actions violate the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the Florida Constitution, the Florida Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the federal Religious Land Uses and Institutionalized Persons Act.
“Churches are not businesses and need not obtain such licenses,” Staver wrote in a letter to the city.
Waters said any church that refuses to comply could be shut down by the fire department.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/03/05/florida-city-wages-soviet-style-crackdown-on-churches/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fmost-popular+%28Internal+-+Most+Popular+Content%29

Florida city wages soviet-style crackdown on churches
By Todd Starnes

Published March 05, 2015

FoxNews.com

Cambridge City Council Imitates The White House

This "dispute" within the Cambridge City Council is instructive in several ways. First it indicates that some of the Councilors decided that the goal is all that matters and procedure be damned. That is what the White House is doing with its executive orders acting contrary to the Constitution and laws of the United States. Under the Obama-Holder doctrine selected individuals may ignore inconvenient laws. This appears to be what is happening at the City Council. Perhaps Mazen and Carlone enjoy special privileges under Obama-Holder, and the rest of the Council remains clueless. But also the Council itself ignores its own rules. 

The Council is obligated to run its meetings according to Robert's Rules of Order. For more than ten years I repeatedly petitioned the council to do so. But it failed then and it still ignores that rule of its own  making. The most used rule under Robert's Rules is to suspend the rules. That eliminates the need to even learn the rules which few of the councilors ever know. If there is so much concern with bypassing procedure submitting  an order to the council without first going through the Planning Board or the housing or ordinance committees, why are the other rules less important? That is called selective enforcement of laws, which is what the council did for many years and still does. 

With a lawless White House and Attorney General in Washington DC, it was only a matter of time before state and local officials, ordinary taxpayers and voters began to ignore the laws of the states and the US. Is that why the US military is conducting civil disorder control operations with local police? Is that why Homeland Security is stockpiling billions of rounds of ammunition? 

[From article]

In a 1-7-1 vote, the policy order failed on Monday with Mazen voting in favor and Carlone being absent. The order asked the council to refer the proposed amendment to the Planning Board and Ordinance Committee.
“There’s nothing collegial about filing a zoning amendment without consulting or at least giving the co-chair of the Ordinance Committee the benefit of a brief discussion,” Vice Mayor Dennis Benzan told Mazen on April 13. “There’s nothing collegial about a zoning amendment coming before this council without having at least a brief conversation with the chair of the Housing Committee. It’s becoming a way that yourself and Councilor Carlone are doing business before this council.”

http://cambridge.wickedlocal.com/article/20150415/NEWS/150417734

Cambridge councilors' actions fuel strong criticism from rest of board
By Sara Feijo
sfeijo (at) wickedlocal.com
Posted Apr. 15, 2015 at 12:06 PM
Updated Apr 15, 2015 at 12:42 PM
CAMBRIDGE Chronicle

Cambridge MA Thinks A City Ordinance Will Stop Teens From Smoking Cigarettes

“I see it everyday at the high school where I work,” [Councilor McGovern] said. “At lunch the 18 year-old goes up to the corner store and hands cigarettes to a 15 year-old. [If the ordinance amendment is followed], that’s not going to happen anymore.” How old do students have to be to purchase marijuana in Cambridge? Does the City Councilor ever see [or smell] young people smoking dope?

[From article]
“This is going to be one of the most significant public health decisions we’ve made,” McGovern said in an interview Wednesday.
[. . .]
"I see it everyday at the high school where I work,” he said. “At lunch the 18 year-old goes up to the corner store and hands cigarettes to a 15 year-old. [If the ordinance amendment is followed], that’s not going to happen anymore.”

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2015/2/5/cambridge-ordinance-amendment-tobacco/

Cambridge Raises Tobacco Purchasing Age to 21
By SAMUEL E. LIU,

Harvard CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
February 5, 2015

Harvard University Campus Police Demand Exclusive Jurisdiction Contrary To Law

Report sounds like it was written by Harvard University campus police. Cambridge Police Department has jurisdiction in the entire city including on Harvard University property. HUPD jurisdiction ends at their property line. HUPD and Harvard University administrators promote the fantasy that Harvard University campus police have exclusive jurisdiction on their property. One more example of deception by this prominent university.

[From article]
The victim told police he was robbed by two men at gunpoint as he walked on Church Street at 2:50 a.m., according to Cambridge Police.
The victim told police he had just met with one of the men when one of them tossed him against a wall. The other man, police said, held what the victim believed was a gun against his head and took his wallet and other personal items.
The two suspects flew down Brattle Street toward Fresh Pond.
The victim was not injured.
Since the incident did not occur on university property, Cambridge Police are investigating the robbery.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/08/19/police-harvard-staffer-robbed-at-gunpoint-in-cambridge/

Police: Harvard Staffer Robbed At Gunpoint In Cambridge
August 19, 2014 4:40 PM

CBS News Boston MA

* * *

"Catalano wrote that the Cambridge Police are handling the matter because it did not occur on University property." Is Harvard University campus police continuing to promote the fantasy that HUPD has exclusive jurisdiction on Harvard property? Their jurisdiction, which does not include City ordinances, ends at the property line. Cambridge police and MA state police have jursdiction on and off Harvard University property.

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/8/19/cambridge-armed-robbery-church/

Cambridge Police Investigating Church Street Robbery
By MATTHEW Q. CLARIDA

Harvard CRIMSON STAFF WRITER

August 19, 2014

Harvard University and Cambridge Officials Silent About Police Jurisdiction

Posted October 11, 2013 7:30 AM ET; Last updated October 12, 2013 5:15 PM ET

Two readers of the The Crimson (HUPD officers or employees?) showed their arrogance and ignorance questioning me about HUPD negligent training. As requested I directed them to the state statutes and to the property lines of Harvard University. The response was to retaliate by harassing me at my residence owned and operated by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. That is a felony, a violation of the MA state civil rights statute intimidating a person in the free exercise of a constitutionally guaranteed right. Speaking, writing, criticizing private police is a part of that right. The statute makes it clear it is not restricted to abuse by public officials. HUPD claims they are not public officials. Violations of state laws is what drew my attention to scrutinize HUPD in the first place. Happy New Year! You make my point for me. Not only is HUPD negligently trained but they abuse their power freely, which is the problem with most police, especially those who are negligently trained. Threats to have me "hit" accompany the harassment. 







Secretary of the Administrative Board John “Jay” L. Ellison , "Cat got your tongue?" CPD spokesperson Daniel M. Riviello, and HUPD spokesperson Steven G. Catalano did not explain the archaic notion of jurisdiction. CPD has lawful jurisdiction anywhere in the City of Cambridge. HUPD's fantasy (negligent training) is that HUPD has exclusive jurisdiction on Harvard University property. HUPD does not have jurisdiction to enforce city ordinances, which is what a noise violation is. The City has a poorly written noise ordinance which is always under review and complaints from annoyed concerned citizens. Nuisance and open container laws are state statutes. Would teaching students and others what laws are, and that troublesome concept of jurisdiction, help improve the conduct of city residents and visitors? Would it impact the constitutionally guaranteed and protected right to pursue a better quality of life? 

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/10/11/ellison-response-final-clubs/#

Ellison Clarifies Administrative Role in Police Response to Final Clubs
By MICHELLE DENISE L. FERREOL and JARED T. LUCKY,
Harvard CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS

October 11, 2013

Harvard Spin Doctors in Action

Harvard University is a great institution even though it may have lost its way from its founding as a training school for minsters. Their spokespersons  have a standard response whenever someone wants Harvard to honor its obligations, its promises, it contracts. 

“Harvard’s buildings are intended to support its core mission of teaching, learning and research, and that involves maintaining living space for students and faculty, labs and research facilities, classrooms and library spaces, as well as space for administrative and support services,” a spokesperson from Harvard said in a prepared statement. 

No one can doubt that is true. Harvard's mission is as stated, focused on education and support for education. However in previous activities when Harvard was advancing its core mission of education and support thereof, they encountered some law or ordinance. In order to be allowed to ignore the laws and/or the ordinances, Harvard offered a concession, a trade. "We will give you this consideration if you let us violate that law or ordinance." In City government it is often called a variance. They can vary from the rules of the ordinance without penalty. Previously Harvard made many promises at hearings before various city boards and commissions. After a few years pass the people who attended those meetings are dead, moved or no longer attend the meetings. Harvard representatives also change. They seldom are aware of the past. If they know of it they do not include it in their discussions. 

As in this case they pretend that anything outside of their core mission is a burden and unjustified obligation imposed on them by uncaring selfish members of the dreaded "community" (the term Harvard has for those awful people who have no Harvard affiliation).

When the earlier promise, consideration given in trade for a variance, becomes inconvenient, Harvard just changes the focus to make it appear as if they are the offended party, the victim of outsider avarice. This is an example. 

http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x930803810/Cambridge-residents-councilors-wary-of-Harvard-s-plan-for-senior-housing#axzz2Lhs1JKut

Cambridge residents, councilors wary of Harvard’s plan for senior housing
By Erin Baldassari ebaldassari (at) wickedlocal.com
Cambridge Chronicle
Posted Feb 22, 2013 @ 11:49 AM

HUPD Empowered by Statutes

Your facts are wrong. HUPD as special state police officers, have jursidiction only on Harvard property. They promote the nonsense that HUPD has exclusive jurisdiction on Harvard property. HUPD is negligently trained and is not accountable to any civilian authority. Spineless Harvard administrators are unable and unwilling to stop HUPD abuses of their power. They appear more like thugs with guns than police officers protecting the community. HUPD will always harass or arrest any critic of a professor who asks as a favor. Off campus is outside of HUPD jurisdiction. HUPD cannot enforce city ordinances. They are empowered (under state statute) as Deputies Sheriff of Suffolk and Middlesex to make traffic stops as they travel between Boston and Cambridge campuses. Informal agreements (which real Cambridge officers deny) with Cambridge police allows HUPD to make arrests near the campus, contrary to state law. It makes Cambridge officers' job easier and so it goes. Cambridge City Manager allows relaxed relationships. He always defers to Harvard contrary to state laws. One serious abuse (also with approval of the City Manager) is with the City Police dispatchers (non police officers and untrained in constitutional law) who divert calls to HUPD even though they do not have jurisdiction. It allows Harvard to ignore city ordinances. These policies make laws optional for Harvard affiliates, as we saw with the arrest of multi millionaire tenured Harvard professor Gates. His charge was dismissed before arraignment by a private attorney and the City Solicitor neither of whom had jurisdiction to do so. There are many uninformed and misinformed Harvard students, faculty and administrators regarding the role of HUPD. High intelligence, lots of information does not guarantee any common sense. PhDs. may think they are the smartest man in the room but they are often misinformed.

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2010/11/23/police-victim-harvard-suspect/

Harvard Student Robbed Near Quad
By Kelsey C. Nowell, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Harvard Crimson
Published: Tuesday, November 23, 2010