Word: ackermanns
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...Barbara Ackermann, Cambridge's first woman mayor, heads the Council's liberal coalition which includes such diverse figures as black woman radical Saundra Graham and Harvard Ed School dean Frances H. Duehay '55. On the other side Alfred Vellucci, former mayor and longtime opponent both of Harvard reformers and commercial development interests, represents the more settled working-class interests of East Cambridge. Reflecting his neighborhood's fear of university expansion. Vellucci has repeated suggested that Cambridge pave over Harvard Yard to solve the Square's parking problem an that the city transform the Lampoon Castle into public urinal...
There are two main reasons such freewheeling exhibitionism has become the Council behavioral norm. The first is a lack of leadership in any form--either substantive or procedural. Mayor Ackermann, who presides at Council sessions, says, "it's not my job to make speeches or shut people...
Although the Council-Manager form of government vests few formal powers in the Mayor, Ackermann is noteworthy for her stoicism in allowing disorder and personal attacks, even when directed against herself. When the shouting among Danehy, Vellucci and Moncreiff gets out of hand, as it did last week, she simply waits for it to subside rather than trying to restore order...
...notable exception is Councillor Saundra Graham, who wins high marks from Mayor Ackermann for her work on the housing committee and from many observers for her silent preparedness on most issues before the Council...
...Ackermann attributes these failures in dealing with specific issues to a lack of information and ideas from the City Manager's office. An equally plausible explanation is that councillors no longer have the expectation that they will be required to be informed on the majority of issues they must face. Last week the Mayor accused Danehy of never having met Johnson, the candidate he now supports. Danehy does not refute the charge...