city council

Sam Yoon is asking his supporters to barrage city councilors with phone calls to convince them to vote on a measure to limit Boston mayors to two terms in office. The proposal currently sits in Maureen Feeney's committee on government operations - to which a proposal to keep the city-council president from becoming mayor if the sitting mayor resigns has also been consigned. Read more

NorthEndWaterfront.com reports on a two-hour neighborhood meeting about trash and rats; says Councilor LaMattina has made some calls to particularly offensive property owners to get them to clean up their property. Other offenders get a "Letter from the Councilor" with tips on making their refuse less rat-happy.

The Boston City Council today deferred action on a proposal by Councilor John Tobin that would block a rumored attempt to make fellow Councilor Rob Consalvo the next mayor. Read more

The Boston City Council agreed today to look at ways of making it harder for the nosy to see how you're voting.

Councilor John Tobin (West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain), said the current system, in which people vote at little triangular platforms that look like they belong in a bank, makes it too easy for people standing at the same cluster to see how somebody's voted. And then there's the walk to the scanner box, which offers further opportunity to figure out a person's ballot, he said.

Tobin said some cities use a system in which voters sit at a table and a privacy curtain surrounds them.

Tobin's resolution.

The Boston City Council voted unanimously today to support the tradition of twice-daily cannon shots at the USS Constitution in Charlestown.

Beyond supporting a custom that dates to 1798, some city councilors told Charletown newcomers complaining about the cannon fire to read up on local history.

"When someone moves into the city of Boston, they need to understand the traditions we have, the history," Councilor Sal LaMattina, who represents Charlestown, said.

Councilor Maureen Feeney, who reprsents Dorchester, went even further, saying she found it "almost offensive" that anybody would object to the sound of cannons. "It's so disprespectful for us to turn our back on the sacrifices that were made. ... I'm sorry, it's sad that we even have to have this discussion."

Following his loss, he's grown a beard. A goatee to be exact.

Flaherty's beard: At City Council meeting today.

The City Council tomorrow considers a proposal by Council President Michael Ross to designate Huntington Avenue between Longwood and Ruggles as Lt. Kevin M. Kelley Avenue, in honor of the fire officer who died on Jan. 9 when the brakes on his firetruck failed on a steep Mission Hill Street.

The council is also scheduled to consider a resolution by Councilors Sal LaMattina and Steve Murphy to support "the preservation of the USS Constitution’s heritage and time-honored traditions of daily gun salutes and playing of the national anthem in Boston's Charlestown Navy Yard."

The council meeting begins at noon in the fifth-floor council room in City Hall.

Chris Lovett talks to the recently victorious but still presumed embattled city councilor, who tells him he'll run again in 2011, then retire before the 2013 elections. Turner pre-endorsed Tito Jackson for 2013, Lovett writes.

The Jamaica Plain Gazette interviews City Councilor Steve Murphy, who says the city is nearing completion on a new "payment in lieu of taxes" plan that could almost triple the $15 million the city now receives from local colleges, hospitals and other non-profit organizations.

Matt O'Malley, who knows something about running for an at-large city-council seat, analyzes the numbers - and suggests why Tito Jackson should consider running for Chuck Turner's district seat in two years.

Right here - get your reading glasses on.

Via Harry Mattison.

Call him Hizzonah again.

Boston today gave Tom Menino a record fifth term today, re-electing him by a 57-43 margin over challenger Michael Flaherty.

"Let's be clear: We haven't made history with this election, but we will in what we create of it," Menino told supporters. History will not record the win until we make "a new Boston Miracle for our kids," he said. "Complacency is the highest hurdle we face. Let's fend off the temptation to rest on past accomplishments." Read more

At-large candidate Tito Jackson lets a voter have cake at Holy Name School in West Roxbury this morning.

What are you seeing out there?

Only instead of kids at the door, it's politicians on the phone. John Kerry robo-called in support of his good friend Ayanna Pressley. Not one minute after I sat back down on the couch, Ayanna her-robo-self called. I hope we don't run out of candy - or my wife's patience.

WBUR declares Chuck Turner kind of a cult leader, says that helps explain why the Innocent Until Proven Guilty Councilor will win tomorrow. Read more

Tom Menino and Michael Flaherty will both be on Radio Boston today, at 1 p.m. - 90.9 FM or streaming on the Web. Read more

Doug Bennett reports he's knocked on his 100,000th Boston door. The next Bennett challenge: Removing the 100,000 stickers he and his supporters have put on light poles and utility boxes.

District 7 Councilor Chuck Turner and challenger Carlos Henriquez debate Wednesday, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Vine Street Community Center in Roxbury. The main topic: "Does Roxbury matter?" Details. Read more

Hurry on over to Hiberanian Hall, 184 Dudley St. in Roxbury tonight (6:30 - 9:30 p.m.), for some hot at-large candidate speed dating:

Join the EIGHT Boston City Council AT- LARGE Candidates for a special evening of SPEED "CANDIDATING". Spend TEN MINUTES with each of your at- large candidates. And decide your top four candidates.

Sorry for the short notice; I just found out about this.

The four Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate seat debate tonight starting at 7 p.m. on a local channel near you.

The last mayoral debate is Tuesday, starting at 6:30 p.m. at Faneuil Hall. You need to register for tickets; this one won't be on TV.

There's a forum for district 9 council candidates in Brighton on Tuesday at the Jackson-Mann School, starting at 6 p.m. More.

There's a forum for at-large and district 1 candidates on Wednesday at the Nazarro Center in the North End, starting at 7 p.m. More.

The Jamaica Plain Gazette highlights this week's debate among at-large council candidates on park and open-space issues in the city. Somebody asked Felix Arroyo what "Asian Longhorned Beetles" meant to him; he replied he had no idea, but figured anything with horns was probably bad. The tree-felling beetles have yet to hit Boston, although people are starting to look for them, just in case. Read more

The Man Who Would Be Deputy Mayor today endorsed Felix Arroyo, John Connolly, Tito Jackson and Ayanna Pressley. His reasoning, in e-mail to supporters: Read more

The Herald endorses Menino for one more term, saying his pluses outweigh his prickly minuses.

The Phoenix explains why it wants to see Arroyo, Pressley, Connolly and Murphy as at-large councilors. Murphy? Yes, Murphy. Guy's grown in the job, the Phoenix says.

Mike Ball counters with his list: Kenneally, Connolly, Arroyo and Murphy.

Boston Park Advocates hosts a debate on Thurs., Oct. 22 to let at-large city council candidates discuss parks and open-space issue in Boston.

The session starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Franklin Park Golf Clubhouse on Franklin Park Road, off Blue Hill Avenue.

The Jamaica Plain Gazette reports on the brick lobbed through a window of at-large candidate Tito Jackson's Grove Hall home last week. Jackson acknowledges he has no proof the brick was related to his campaign, but told the paper he's going to treat it that way - and as proof he's on the right track.