Cambridge Finance Committee Advances FY25 Budgets, Flags Public Health Building Crisis

CAMBRIDGE -- May 14, 2024, Cambridge Finance Committee advances FY25 department budgets while flagging a crisis at the city's public health building. The committee, meeting May 14 with seven of nine members present and chaired by Councillor Patricia Pickett, voted unanimously to forward budgets for 12 departments in a single batch and then cleared the Mayor's Office, Cambridge Public Health Department, and Capital Building Projects Department with 8-0 favorable recommendations. Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui used the Cambridge Health Alliance presentation to put on the public record that the 119 Windsor Street building housing the nationally accredited Public Health Department has mold growth, an unusable floor, and HVAC and roof failures so severe that roughly half the staff cannot be in the building on any given day. Deputy City Manager Owen Reardon confirmed a consulting architect's full assessment of the building is expected within a month, after which the city will decide how to prioritize repairs against an already crowded capital list that includes an unfunded $15 million fire station shortfall and pending BUDO compliance costs. CHA President and Commissioner of Public Health Asad Sayah said Cambridge Health Alliance contributes $3 million to $4 million annually above the city's $8.7 million appropriation, and that four of seven positions cut the prior year are being restored in FY25.