Cambridge Council Reconsiders Winters Appointment But Cannot Force Rescission

CAMBRIDGE -- November 25, 2024, Cambridge City Council votes 6-3 to reconsider a contested advisory committee appointment, then 5-4 to close debate without rescinding it. The November 25 meeting drew 33 registered public speakers, the majority opposing City Manager Yi-An Huang's reappointment of Robert Winters to the Central Square Advisory Committee, with speakers citing Winters' social media history including alerting the right-wing account Libs of TikTok to a Cambridge Public Library drag story hour. Councillor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler, who filed the reconsideration motion, read a Winters post aloud, "Given a choice between a creeping Islamic government versus a military takeover, choose the military takeover", and voted symbolically against placing the item on file. Huang told the council "I don't agree with many of the views that Mr. Winters has expressed," but said the city solicitor advised him rescission would require just cause and due process. The council also voted unanimously to advance a policy order calling for a public hearing on banning tenant-paid broker fees, following New York City's recent passage of similar legislation; suspended its own rules to approve two new Cambridge Redevelopment Authority board members, Joe Camillis and Philo Castor, on an emergency basis to preserve the board's quorum amid a $10 million housing capital fund under active management; and denied 7-0 (with two members voting present) a curb cut expansion application at 67 Inman Street over strong neighborhood opposition.