CAMBRIDGE MATTERS
By: Commissioner Steve Rideout
swrideout@aol.com
July 23, 2018
Dear Cambridge Matters Readers:

MidShore ProBono (http://midshoreprobono.org/) provides free legal services and community assistance to low income individuals and families in civil cases in Cambridge and Dorchester County.

Attached is a notice about different places and times where people might sign up to meet with an attorney for legal assistance. If you know anyone who might need help particularly in the family law or elder law areas, this would be a good opportunity for them to get some free legal advice.

Please share with people that you know who might need these services or know someone who might.

Thanks.

Steve

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CAMBRIDGE MATTERS
By: Commissioner Steve Rideout
swrideout@aol.com
July 23, 2018
Dear Readers:

There has been a lot going on in Cambridge since our last meeting. Something of interest that is upcoming on July 31st is the meeting with Shore Regional Health regarding their plans for the old hospital and the new medical facility. That will take place at the Cambridge South Dorchester High School at 6:30 p.m.

Attached is my unofficial Cambridge Matters report regarding our City Council meeting last evening. I hope it helps to keep you up to date.

Steve

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CAMBRIDGE MATTERS
By: Commissioner Steve Rideout
swrideout@aol.com
July 9, 2018

Dear Readers:

Attached please find my unofficial report of what took place at the July 9th meeting of the Cambridge City Council. While you may think you see only small matters being decided and reported on, some important things took place.

1. The city is moving forward on establishing policy and legislation regarding food trucks. We learned at the summer meeting of the Maryland Municipal League (MML) that more entrepreneurs are starting small businesses such as this and are interested in being allowed to sell their food within the city limits of Cambridge and other towns. Making sure that everyone is heard regarding Food Trucks is important as we work to understand potential competing interests that provide income within the city and make decisions that are in the best interests of the city and our community.

2. The Human Services Grants are in their 2nd year after their being stopped during the difficult financial times that the city faced starting around 2008. The nonprofits are providing important resources to our community and in particular children and low income families that are essential to the quality of life in our community.

3. The management agreement with Oasis Marinas to run the Cambridge City Marina for the next 2 1/2 years should help the City increase revenues from the Marina and help improve the city finances.

Let me know if you have questions or suggestions.

Steve

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CAMBRIDGE MATTERS
By: Commissioner Steve Rideout
swrideout@aol.com
July 6, 2018

Dear Readers:

Each fiscal year I pull together what I think are the accomplishments – good or bad – that have taken place here in Cambridge as a result of the work of city staff and the City Commissioners and Mayor. Some of the accomplishments may be small now but may result in something greater later on. Some of the accomplishments may be considered as such or as mistakes. I will leave that for you to consider.

What I have written on the attached are not everything that has gone on here in Cambridge but just what I think is related to the work of the Mayor and City Council as your elected representatives. There is much more on the horizon. Some minor matters need to be finalized before I am able to place some important items on next year’s list of accomplishments.

If you think that there are other things that have been done and not acknowledged as they should be, please let me know. If you have questions, I am happy to try to answer them.

Steve

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CAMBRIDGE MATTERS
By: Commissioner Steve Rideout
swrideout@aol.com
June 27, 2018

Attached is my unofficial report on what happened at our City Council Meeting on June 25th.

We have been very fortunate over the past 2 1/2 years to have Sandra Tripp-Jones as our City Manager. She came to Cambridge to retire after many years of service as a city manager and administrator and, thankfully, decided to help one more city as we began working under what was then a new form of government for the City. She performed her job with skill, patience, knowledge, and an even hand to the benefit of city government and the residents and businesses in the city.

I hope the attached provides you with some insight on how and how well our city government and elected officials work.

Happy reading.

– Steve

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CAMBRIDGE MATTERS
By: Commissioner Steve Rideout
swrideout@aol.com
June 11-13, 2018

Attached is my report on what I learned at the Maryland Municipal League Conference that was held earlier this week. Also included is a Power Point presentation with regard to one of the trainings that I attended. I anticipate that additional Power Point presentations will be available that I will share with you as I receive them.

While the training opportunities on paper did not at first appear to be that interesting, I found that every session that I attended was well prepared and presented and that I returned to Cambridge with information from all of them that will help me in my work as a City Commissioner.

I hope that you find the attached helpful and interesting.

Upon my return from the conference, I also found a book called “Our Towns” by James and Deborah Fallows that had been delivered. My thanks to Ed Mihok for thinking of me and offering me the opportunity to read what looks like a very interesting book. The flyleaf of the book says in part “A vivid, surprising portrait of the civic and economic reinvention taking place in America, town by town and generally out of view of the national media. A realistically positive and provocative view of the country between its coasts.”

I plan to provide you more information about it in the future, after I have had the chance to read it and think about how it relates to what is happening or not happening here in Cambridge.

All the best,

Steve

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Note: The personal and property tax levy for FY 2019 are set at last year’s rates and the budget with a minor but somewhat complicated amendment process that I try to explain were also adopted. If all goes well, next time I plan to provide a report on what I learned at the Maryland Municipal League meeting that may be of importance to all of us and after that a summary of what has been accomplished during the FY 2018. I did not include any information in this report regarding the city council meeting regarding 507 Race Street. I sent out a short notice about that (see previous post) and the Banner has provided a story on it that sets the stage for next steps by the city. I hope the attached is helpful.
– Steve Rideout

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CAMBRIDGE MATTERS
By: Commissioner Steve Rideout
swrideout@aol.com
May 24, 2018

Dear Friends and Readers:

At the emergency meeting this afternoon, City Council voted 5-0 to demolish the building at 507 Race Street, which had fallen in on itself the past few days. While the front and rear portions of the building were still standing, the sides had fallen into the building and its current condition was a danger to the community due to its instability.

This was a no win vote except in one respect. By voting to demolish the remnants of this historic building, city council was doing what needed to be done to protect the historic buildings that are on each side of the the one that self-destructed. As or more important, in my view, than saving 507 Race Street was doing what we could to ensure that 505 and 509 Race Street were not damaged.

Unfortunately, this may wind up in the city (and its taxpayers) having to absorb the cost of the remaining demolition of this property. The city will be seeking funding from the state for this work.

My hope is that this will also help us to take a good hard look at buildings in our community that are in distressed shape and begin taking steps to ensure that the owners are taking action to protect and ultimately rehabilitate them.

Happy Memorial Day weekend.

Steve