Vote Medford 2005

Robert Penta

Candidate for Medford City Council

candidate email: rpenta@hotmail.com

View the complete City Council questionnaire.

Penta: Q1 - Medford Square Revitalization

I would like to see the following: a ferry that travels folks to and from Medford to Boston;  shops and a walking promenade along the back walls of those property owners on the western side of the square; business shops along the river's edge where the present, un-friendly ring road exists; a compilation of all types of business offerings that enhances night time and weekend activity; a parking garage of limited height within the City Hall area that has offering for business/ retail space or a restaurant on a covered roof ( not a garage geared to be a daily, commuter, transportation nexus for people to be all day parkers who leave Medford for the day, nor be it a covered sheltered destination enclosure for public transportation buses to idle and wait before their next route travel); smoother traffic movement and police traffic enforcement; side walk cafes; restaurants and other type eating establishments that compliment the hotel location, Springstep, Chevalier Auditorium, historical locations or whatever community event may be held; a Mystic Rivers Edge promenade that provides for walking, biking, strolling and jogging.

I would expect to see all of this if the City Administration would work with the council via the following. Implement a special zoning surrounding the square; offer incentives to at-present property owners and prospective new developers; hire a professional, well-recognized development management team well versed in downtown revitalization offering sunset and goal oriented directives. 

Penta: Q2 - Social, Cultural and Historical Assets

The Mystic River traveling through our City. The Mystic Lakes and Wrights Pond for our community use. The Brooks Estates, the Royal House and its slave quarters, the Peter Tufts House and the Medford Historical Society offering our historical treasures. Having Springstep and Chevalier Auditorium as our cultural entertainment and art center locations but most importantly, having the educational aura of a most prestigious educational institution as Tufts University being part of our City's history. The downtown Mystic River waterway offering once again our City potential for business and social boating to and from Boston.  The aforementioned is what has and continues to make Medford a great community. If utilized properly, they will be are our City's leverage for Medford's downtown revitalization.

In the best of all worlds. I would support the construction of an Arts and Historical Center to be built on the shores of the Mystic River. This endeavor would draw citizens and tourist dollars to Medford such as the Griffin Museum in Winchester.

Penta: Q3 - Encouraging Small Businesses

Having a more friendly business attitude with new owners. Engaging in a comprehensive prepared booklet informing   all perspective businesses what are their responsibilities. Utilizing the Chamber of Commerce as a responsible business conduit between the City and all businesses. Improving the parking situation in all business areas of the City ensures the economic survival of the business community.

Penta: Q4 - On Low- and Moderate-income Families

The Medford Housing Authority in concert with other Medford, private, housing developers provide a credible amount of housing for those less fortunate and those seniors needing housing. Unfortunately, as our seniors are living longer their housing needs are more in demand. State and federal programming have been ever changing over the past few years presenting fewer incentives for private developers to provide low and moderate income housing. On the flip side, housing and rental stock is dictated by one's financial ability to pay the market prices.

Assisted living facilities and their feasibility should be explored for future consideration. These types of facilities could be built on land currently owned by the City of Medford.

Penta: Q5 - Environmental Issues

The City has just hired an excellent environmental agent, namely Pat Brown.  In concert with the Conservation Commission, our City is at least aware of it environmental responsibilities. The Mystic River, Saving the Fells and Brooks Estate's coalition of volunteers that do cleanups, provide conservation information and actively protect our water and greenspace environment are stellar leaders within our City for conservation protection.  Put that together with the 1200 acres of the Middlesex Fells open space, Medford does provide unique opportunities for folks to play and enjoy nature's beauty.

Close to one quarter of Medford is green space, we must preserve this resource for future generations.

Noise, air and vehicular pollution that are challenging us on a daily basis are the working responsibilities of all of us and how that is managed becomes the responsibility of those in the industry as compared to those who practice environmental and conservation measures daily.

Some four years the City engaged the Wallace Floyd Design Group to review and prepare an open space plan for our City today and tomorrow. It touched upon all aspects of City as to its future uses of development, the environment and how to prepare for it.

It is a most detailed and informative document.

Penta: Q6 - Open Spaces, Sidewalks, and Trees

The City Administration together with the City Council has taken an aggressive role over the years to improve and update our City parks. But, like anything in a working situation, if you don't maintain them, they unfortunately fall into a state of repair and the cost to upgrade them can be somewhat outrageous. The best corollary example to that is the long time neglect to our former neighborhood schools which necessitated a massive new school initiative.

The present city administration has continually stated there is no money for adding more city personnel. That said and being thankful of those neighborhood people and league personnel who at times have been helping to maintain some of our 26 public parks,  an administrative review to not keep open certain parks for lack of personnel may be a future option most obviously unfavorable to many.

The problems of private ways, traffic enforcement and speeding have been continuous. It is an ongoing problem that again permeates from folks who abuse the rules of the road, as well as anything else, and are selfish unto themselves violating the public safety of others. It is a strong indicator that this family and educational social issue is not being taught and, if so, not being adhered to.

The council has steadfastly supported all street and sidewalk improvement programs knowing that such upgrading are a constant public safety issue in a city our size.

As a member of the Massachusetts Municipal Association Environmental Policy Committee, I appreciate the need to reforest Medford and the Greater Boston area.  I support the planting of trees in all City neighborhoods especially along the Mystic River. Protection of our environment and green space in concert with planned development are areas of importance to me.

Penta: Q7 - Street Safety

The city's public works department is the keeper of the roads and signs. Knowing that one cannot be at all places at all times as it comes to road and sign repairs, I would have to consider for the limited amount of highway personnel available, the city does a fairly decent job. Now with a new road or sign situation, the immediacy to any one individual repair I cannot account for. But, for those issues brought before the council by any member or citizen, I would have to say they are dealt with in good fashion.  Potholes must be repaired in a timely fashion to ensure public safety.

I support the Rails to Trails Program, and would support the construction of the proposed Medford to Nahant bike trail. The current Arlington to Bedford bike trail has proved to be an asset to all communities along its route.

Penta: Q8 - Green Line

How does one support an issue without knowing the facts?  The Green Line expansion, while conceptual in theory at present, has certainly triggered community interest. The logistics of its boundary of travel are very unclear to say the least. If there is a proposed plan to have it stop at Tufts in the near future, that in and of itself would necessitate community input.

Such input should disclose location destination, rail or train travel, parking and turn around location(s), local community street impact, any eminent domain proceedings, environmental impact and MBTA assessed cost to our community. Adding any additional train stops in the High Street area of West Medford would have a drastic impact on traffic and businesses.

That may not sound like a lot but, to me it says that until there have been intelligent conversations and solid community input, the Green Line Extension is nothing but a concept yet to be tried, tested and proven.

The MBTA must work with our Community so not to force anything down our throat.

Penta: Q9 - Rising Energy Costs

The City does participate in some regional programs wherein bulk buying of gas and oil and other necessary city needs are purchased at a reduced cost. I would have to assume further that the practice of energy conservation would be a daily practice on the part of all employees. The best way to hopefully figure this out would be to ask yourselves the same question asked here as to how in your own home could one better conserve energy?  I would expect that the City Administration would update energy audits on all city properties and vehicles.   

Of course I do have a corporate theory on this matter. I happen to believe that the corporate giants of today who handsomely contribute to our federal congressmen and women and senators have nicely manipulated the times to have folks believe that shortages in gas, oil and electric demands huge price increases while very interestingly there is no shortage to their making of billion dollar profits.

I recently sponsored legislation which was part of a nationwide effort to boycott against Exxon, Mobil and Gulf because of price fixing.