Medford, Somerville Mayors: Construction Decision Should Be Local

MEDFORD, MA — Leaders in seven Massachusetts communities, including Medford and Somerville, are calling on Gov. Charlie Baker to give municipalities the option to place restrictions on construction projects during the coronavirus crisis.

In a letter to municipal leaders March 25, the governor's Chief Legal Counsel Robert Ross wrote that construction projects are to "continue operations during the state of emergency, but to do so with the allowance for social distancing protocols consistent with guidance provided by the Department of Public Health."

"Local policies, regulations, or directives that provide otherwise are in direct conflict with the Order and should be withdrawn," Ross wrote.

But local officials say the state's order "places the health and safety of workers and the public at-large in jeopardy and takes away the ability for cities and towns to decide for themselves how to effectively manage the public health crisis in our communities."

"As you are well aware, several communities in Massachusetts – including Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville – have placed temporary bans on most construction. Medford has placed reasonable restrictions on the size of crews that are allowed on a worksite at a single time and required all personnel on a work site to exercise responsible social distancing," officials wrote in a letter to Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito Friday. "Despite the differences in our approaches, the goal was the same. To slow the spread of the virus by limiting the chance of cross-exposure between workers and those that service construction sites, including inspections and permitting."

The letter was signed by Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn, Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone, Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera, Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan, Lynn Mayor Tom McGee, Winchester Town Manager Lisa Wong and Cambridge Town Manager Louis DePasquale.

Curtatone said this week Somerville's moratorium on construction projects will stand, despite the order from the governor's Chief Legal Counsel. In the letter Friday, local leaders acknowledged that this is an "untenable and unworkable situation that creates dissonance when cooperation is critical."

"In lieu of a statewide shutdown of non-emergency construction projects in the Commonwealth – which is the most effective course we can take – cities and towns should be able to decide for themselves how to limit these activities within our respective jurisdictions," officials said.