• Build Your Ideal Cultural Trust

    In order to create the a Municipal Trust, we need to ask the State for permission. This is done through a process called Home Rule Petition. This petition will outline what the trust is called, its defined purpose, who sits on the board, and what are its legal powers. Customize the language of a typical home rule petition that would align with your vision of a Somerville Municipal Cultural Trust, you can even rename it! This form will guide you through questions and at the end you will see a draft of a simple home rule petition that reflects your answers before you submit.

  • This tool is for public engagement purposes only. The language it generates is a draft exercise to gather community input on a potential Somerville Municipal Cultural Trust and does not constitute an official Home Rule Petition, legal document, or commitment by the City of Somerville. Submissions may be used to inform future policy development but do not guarantee inclusion in any final petition language.

  • Language Access

    If you need assistance translating or understanding this information, please call 311 (617-666-3311) or contact us at languageaccess@somervillema.gov. The City of Somerville can provide you with an interpreter for free.

    Si necesita ayuda para traducir o comprender esta información, llame al 311 (617-666-3311) o contáctenos a través de languageaccess@somervillema.gov. La ciudad de Somerville puede proporcionarle un intérprete de forma gratuita.

    Caso você precise de assistência para traduzir ou entender o conteúdo deste informativo, por favor, ligue para 311 (617-666-3311) ou entre em contato conosco por e-mail: languageaccess@somervillema.gov. A Prefeitura de Somerville oferece serviço de interpretação gratuitamente.

    Si ou bezwen èd pou tradwi oswa konprann enfòmasyon sa yo, tanpri rele 311 (617-666-3311) oswa kontakte nou nan languageaccess@somervillema.gov. Vil Somerville ka ba ou yon entèprèt gratis.

    यदि तपाँईलाई यो जानकारी अनुवाद गर्न वा बुझ्न सहयोग चाहिन्छ भने कृपया ३११ (६१७-६६६-३३११) [311 (617-666-3311)] मा फोन गर्नुहोस् वा हामीलाई languageaccess@somervillema.gov. मा सम्पर्क गर्नुहोस्। समरभिल सिटिले तपाँईलाई नि:शुल्क अनुवादक सेवा उपलब्ध गराउन सक्छ।

    如果您需要翻譯或協助理解此資訊，請致電 311 (617-666-3311) 或發送電郵至 languageaccess@somervillema.gov。 薩默維爾市可以免費為您提供口譯服務。

    如果您需要翻译或协助理解此信息，请致电 311 (617-666-3311) 或发送电邮至 languageaccess@somervillema.gov 。 萨默维尔市可以免费为您提供口译服务。

  • Naming The Trust

    Cultural Trust is not the only name option, we will have the power to call it whatever we want.

  • Defining the Purpose

    A Trust is a financial tool that is limited to operating within its defined purpose. These can be broad or very specific.
    • Reference: Other Municipal Trust Purpose Statements 

    • Jobs Creation and Retention Trust: 
      The purpose of the Trust is to assist in the creation and maintenance of employment opportunities within the City of Somerville for the citizens of the City of Somerville

      Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Fund: 
      ... the purpose of which shall be the preservation of existing and the creation of new affordable rental and home ownership units in the city

  • Who is the Trust

    A Trust is managed by a trustee, in this case there will be a board of trustees who oversee and manage the financial assets of the trust and decide how best to use them to support the Trust's purpose.
  • Who do you want representing you on the Board of the trust?
    • Reference: Other Municipal Trust Board Strucutres 

    • Jobs Creation and Retention Trust:

      9 members:
      Three (3) ex-officio and Six (6) appointed.

      The ex-officio trustees:
      Mayor (or designee)
      Superintendent of Somerville Public Schools (or designee)
      President of the City Council (or designee).


      Appointed Trustees, appointed by the Mayor subject to City Council approval:
      Two (2) Somerville residents
      Two (2) representatives of nonprofit organizations
      Two (2) Somerville business representatives

       

      Somerville Affordable Housing Trust:

      Nine (9) members:
      Three (3) ex-officio and six (6) appointed.

      The ex-officio trustees:
      Mayor (or designee)
      Executive Director of the Somerville Housing Authority (or designee)
      President of the City Council (or designee).

      Appointed Trustees, appointed by the Mayor subject to City Council approval:
      Two (2) Somerville residents
      Two (2) representatives of city nonprofit organizations
      One (1) housing or real estate professional
      One (1) banking or finance professional

  • Powers of the Trust

    This section provides hypothetical scenarios that may occur in the future that are tied to specific powers that the trust may be given. Please answer yes or no if you would want the Trust and its Board to be able to do these things. Right now we are focusing on the abilities of the Trust, not how those abilities should be used, that will come later.
  • A retiring gallery owner wants to donate her building to the Trust so it stays a home for the arts instead of being sold and turned into condos. Could the Trust accept this gift?
  • A developer working on a new project agrees, as part of that deal, to give a building to the Trust for a community theater. Could the Trust accept this property?
  • A foundation wants to give $300,000 to support arts and culture in Somerville, but doesn't want the money folded into the City's general budget. Could the Trust accept this gift directly?
  • The Trust receives a donated dance studio building on a site developers would love to buy. The Trust isn't ready to decide whether to sell. Could the Trust hold onto the building until it's ready?
  • The Trust wants to keep some money in reserve in case a cultural space ever goes up for sale and the organization inside risks being displaced. Could the Trust hold onto funds for future use?
  • A beloved building that's home to a cultural association goes up for sale. The Trust has enough saved up to buy it and keep the space secure for the community. Could the Trust purchase the building?
  • A small storefront becomes available next to an existing black box theater. Owning it would let the theater expand into a lobby and box office space. Could the Trust buy the storefront?
  • A local arts group is short $200,000 to buy a building and turn it into shared artist studios. Could the Trust give a grant to help close the gap?
  • A youth dance company can no longer rent its space. They want to still offer a free mobile after-school program and are asking for a grant of $15,000 for start-up costs and mobile floor equipment. Could the Trust give a grant to fund the transition and keep them local?

  • More Powers of the Trust

  • A music venue needs $50,000 to soundproof its space but doesn't own the building. The Trust would rather offer an affordable loan than a grant. Could the Trust loan the money?
  • A cultural heritage center wants to install an elevator to make its building accessible but can't cover the full cost. Could the Trust loan the money for this improvement?
  • A community theater needs $30,000 to replace an aging sound and lighting system before its next season. Could the Trust loan the money for these upgrades?
  • The Trust owns a building that costs more to maintain than it's worth to keep. Selling it would let the Trust invest in a better space for a different cultural use. Could the Trust sell this property?
  • The Trust owns a building and wants to rent out part of it to a small theater company at an affordable rate. Could the Trust lease out space in the building?
  • The Trust owns a small building that a well-established music nonprofit could run better than the Trust itself. The Trust wants to hand over ownership, with rules attached to keep it affordable for musicians. Could the Trust transfer the building to the nonprofit?
  • The City is building a new library and could use a property the Trust owns as part of the site. Could the Trust give this property to the City for the library, without a sale?
  • Somerville Arts & Culture wants to bring back its Cultural Infrastructure Grant for capital improvements of existing art spaces as part of its Local Cultural Council grant program, but it would be simpler for the City's existing program to distribute the funding than for the Trust to fund individual projects itself. Could the Trust transfer money to the City to support this grant program?
  • The Trust owns a building where the roof is leaking and the wiring needs work. Rather than waiting on the theater company that rents there, the Trust wants to pay for repairs itself. Could the Trust fund these repairs?
  • The Trust owns a building used for community dance classes and wants to upgrade the floors and add mirrors and a sound system. Could the Trust fund this kind of improvement?

  • About You

    Tell us about yourself.
  • Which option best describes you
  • Are you a Somerville Resident?
  • What best describes your discipline?

  • Your Ideal municipal Trust

  • AN ACT

    AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A {whatDo} TRUST IN THE CITY OF SOMERVILLE.  

    By {descriptor3} {discipline3} {resident2}, a petition for legislation regarding the creation of a new municipal trust in the City of Somerville.

  • Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :

  • SECTION 1

    There is hereby established a trust to be known as the Somerville Municipal {whatDo} Trust (the “Trust”). The purpose of the Trust is to {whatDo33} within the City of Somerville. 

     

    SECTION 2

    There is hereby established a Board of Trustees (the "Board"), which shall include no fewer than {minimumNumber} and no more than {maximumNumber37} trustees.

    Membership will include: The Mayor or designee, President of the City Council or designee, {whoDo}

      

    SECTION 3

    The powers of the Board, all of which shall be carried on in furtherance of the purposes set forth in this act, shall include but not be limited to, the following:

    {receiveAnd}

    {retainReal}

    {purchase}

    {grants}

    {Loans}

    {sellprop}

    {leaseprop}

    {transferProperty}

    {manageOr}   

  • Should be Empty: