Thanks to the hard work of the Welcoming Committee I formed in 2020, Medford has a brand new Small Business Resource Guide and webpage to support both new and existing small businesses in our city. Our small businesses bring incredible value to our community, and we're excited to continue to grow our resources and supports, especially working with our Economic Development Director and team, to help them thrive and expand. 

Head over to www.medfordma.org/business-resources to see the new guide!

By far, one of the most consistent concerns I have heard from residents in my nearly two decades of public service – as a City Councilor and now as Mayor – has been the deplorable conditions of Medford’s streets. As a diverse and thriving city, and a community whose streets serve as connections to our own neighborhoods and local businesses as well as surrounding communities, it is no surprise that our entire road network has experienced more than its fair share of wear and tear. What is surprising, and quite frankly unacceptable, is how long the can has been kicked down the road when it comes to addressing the issue and making our streets a priority.

For decades, Medford’s solution to addressing our city’s aging roadway infrastructure has been to rely on Chapter 90 funding, which at best has provided no more than $1 million per year to address deep and significant needs in our infrastructure. In short, this funding barely covers minimum repairs to a few select streets each year and has not come close to addressing the severe backlog and needs of our roads which have continued to deteriorate over the last several decades.

Well, the buck stops here.

We are already getting to work putting a plan into place to address some of our roadway needs as early as this fiscal year.

The City of Medford is officially launching a plan to bring parking policy and enforcement under the City’s administration, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced this week. The City’s existing contract with ParkMedford, a third-party vendor, expires in January 2022. The City has sent notice to ParkMedford that it will not exercise its option to extend that contract by three years, opting instead to transition to a full Parking Department operated fully by the City of Medford.

Through the City's Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant and as part of the City's commitment to equity, Mayor Lungo-Koehn, several City officials and City staff recently atteneded a professional development training series, “Setting the Conditions to Create People-Centered Partnerships to Address Inequity in Medford.” This professional development was provided to community-based organizations, elected officials, and city staff. 

The trainings were presented by Maryann Broxton, ATD Fourth World Activist and Coordinator for their Multidimensional Aspects of Poverty (MAP) research. The trainings are intended to deepen our collective community knowledge and understanding of inequity and how to best address it in Medford. The trainings are developed for institutions willing to create space for meaningful and equal participation of individuals with lived experience in identifying solutions to complex problems. 

This week, the City of Medford issued a Request for Qualifications to begin the process of design feasibility for a new or renovated Headquarters for the Medford Fire Department. The RFQ seeks qualifications for an Owner’s Project Manager to guide the process, which we to begin in late summer or early fall 2021. This is the latest in a series of steps we have taken since fall 2020 to update all of the current fire department facilities throughout the City. Renovations and upgrades have been ongoing since February 2021, just prior to the release of a final report from the Mayor’s Task Force on Fire Department Facilities. To date, upgrades have included:

• Release of RFQ for Owners Project Manager for Fire Headquarters
• Contracting professional services for structural review of the Engine 3 Apparatus Bay Floor
• Roof renovations or replacement at Engines 2-6
• Kitchen Renovations at Engines 2 & 5
• Replacing light fixtures at Engines 2-6 with energy efficient fixtures
• Replacing electrical outlets and switches at Engines 2-6
• Repairing or replacing overhead doors at Engines 2-6
• Installation of water re-circulator at Engine 6
• Repairing or replacing window shades
• Reviewing heating/cooling systems at Engine 5

Mark Wahlberg spotted at his F45 Training gym in Medford, works out with Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn, MassLive, June 4, 2021

Mark Wahlberg Drops By Medford Gym, Talks Reopening with Medford Mayor - MSN.com/Medford Patch, June 3, 2021

Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn and actor Mark Wahlberg after a workout at F45 Fitness in Medford

Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn Running For Re-Election, Medford Transcript, April 19, 2021

U.S. Rep. Clark Tours Medford School, Praises Federal Relief Plan, Medford Patch, April 14, 2021

Congresswoman Clark, with Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn, spoke about the difference the American Rescue Plan has made for families, communities, and students in Medford. (Photo Credit: Congresswoman Katherine Clark/Medford Transcript)

‘This is our moment’: In Medford, Katherine Clark says federal funding makes full-time, in-person learning possible, Boston Globe, April 8, 2021

Medford Mayor Lungo-Koehn proposes investments totaling $107.6 million over 6 years, Tufts Daily News, March 22, 2021

This is the first time Medford has received the prestigious national GFOA Award for its municipal budget.

 The award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting.

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The City of Medford has received the “Distinguished Budget Presentation Award” from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the Fiscal Year 2021 municipal budget, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced today. Medford submitted the FY21 budget for consideration in September 2020, and GFOA awards were announced in March 2021. This marks the first time the City of Medford has received the award, the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting. According to the GFOA, the award “represents a significant achievement” by a municipality that “reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meet the highest principles of governmental budgeting.”

Agency Landscape + Planning, a local, women-owned practice, selected from 8 proposals to lead Medford’s Comprehensive Master Planning process.

Volunteers sought for Steering Committee, other opportunities for engagement.

Medford’s Comprehensive Master Plan process will place an emphasis on public participation and inclusion.

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Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn and Alicia Hunt, Director of the Office of Community Development, Energy & Environment announced today that the City has selected a consultant to begin the City’s Comprehensive Master Planning process. Following a Request for Proposals and selection committee interviews in December 2020, the City selected Agency Landscape + Planning to lead the Medford Comprehensive Planning process. In its Request for Proposals the City specified a desire for a consultant that would place a large emphasis on public participation, and one with a demonstrated history of techniques designed to engage with a diverse community.

Medford Revamps, Relaunches “SeeClickFix” Reporting Platform for Service Requests, Concerns

Residents encouraged to submit, track non-emergency service requests by using mobile app or visiting the improved website at www.medfordma.org/SeeClickFix

 City will use regular reports and data to maintain accountability for requests, provide more communication to users.

 A larger number of City staff is now trained on using, responding to requests through the platform.

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FY21-FY26 Draft Capital Improvement Plan

On February 24, 2021, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn released a draft of the City’s first-ever comprehensive 6-year Capital Investment Plan (CIP). Created through an intensive multi-departmental effort and led by a team at the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at UMass Boston, the CIP for proposes a 6-year investment plan for prioritizing roadway quality, parks and open spaces, fleet and infrastructure investments and management, and modern water and wastewater infrastructure. The multi-departmental effort included both the City administration and the Medford Public Schools.

To view a video of the February 24th presentation given by the Mayor and staff from the Collins Center, visit this link. 

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