Boston Common Draft Report has been posted on the City Website

See it here at: http://www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil/pdfs/DraftReportoftheSCBCv2.pdf


There is much good research in this report. Thanks to the outcry from the citizens they have removed any mention of a Conservancy. They have proposed a non-profit Fund to raise money for the Common. It is unclear to me how a non-profit Fund is any different from the non-profit Friends of the Common.

Troubling is the mention of this Fund being involved in the security of the Common. Security in the City is under the auspices of the Boston Police. Any separate group having any authority to enforce the law on a public piece of ground is problematic.

The report has some interesting ideas about renovating some of the historic fountains and areas, proposes a restaurant with an 8 year lease, and some form of dog park.

I was interested to find out that our Park Ranger force has declined so much in the last few years. How has the City of Boston increased its labor force so much, the City Council increasing its central staff by 8 percent in just the last year, yet we cut the amount of Park Rangers by half. All voted on by Mike Ross. There seems to be more questions about money to be asked, but this is a much better draft than the one originally proposed and as they acknowledge is a work in progress.

Please read it and weigh in with your councilors.