Board & Committees
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Board
Board
President: Elaine F. Almquist
Vice President: Chris Beland
Treasurer: Peter (PJ) Kim-Santos
Secretary: Kendra Fox
General Board Members: Louisa Bissett, Michael Chiu, Paul Christie, Alex Dehnert, and Frank Malsbenden
Contact the full Board via dsnc-board@googlegroups.com (new address)
DSNC's 2026-27 Board of Directors was elected on April 27, 2026. Elections are held every April.
Committees
Committees
Davis Square Neighborhood Council committees (some called Action or Working Groups) perform specific functions for the organization or work on ongoing or one-time projects. All committees have at least one Board member (to facilitate communication; need not be the chair), and are created by a vote of the DSNC or the Board.
Unless otherwise noted, committees are open to any interested DSNC member or non-member, so please join the mailing list or come to a meeting!
Active Committees
Active Committees
Bylaws Committee
Bylaws Committee
Drafting and sequencing bylaw amendment proposals.
💬 Contact Email: dsnc-bylaws@googlegroups.com
👤 Board Liaisons: Alex Dehnert, Michael Chiu
Community Benefits Committee - 231-249 Elm St. & 6-8 + 12 Grove St. (Copper Mill)
Community Benefits Committee - 231-249 Elm St. & 6-8 + 12 Grove St. (Copper Mill)
Responsible for negotiating a Community Benefits Agreement with Copper Mill for their proposed building at the intersection of Elm Street and Grove Street (from The Burren through Dragon Pizza).
🙋 Currently recruiting members!
💬 Contact Email: dsnc-copper-mill-cbc@googlegroups.com
👤 Chair: PJ Kim-Santos
👤 Board Liaisons: PJ Kim-Santos, Chris Beland
Davis Square Neighborhood Plan Committee
Davis Square Neighborhood Plan Committee
The City of Somerville has committed to developing a Neighborhood Plan for Davis Square. The DSNC Committee will work to gather community input for the plan. Although never finalized, the 2019 draft Davis Square Neighborhood Plan and 2023 draft Davis Square Commercial Area Plan can be read online. The new city site for this project is https://voice.somervillema.gov/davis-square-plan.
💬 Contact Email: dsnc-neighborhood-plan@googlegroups.com (Google Groups page)
👤 Board Liaisons: Frank Malsbenden and Louisa Bissett
Elmway Action Group
Elmway Action Group
Investigating and advocating for enhancements to public space & transportation along Elm Street Davis Square and Cutter Avenue.
💬 Contact Email: elmway-action-group@googlegroups.com (Google Groups page)
👤 Chair and Board Liaison: Chris Beland
Greening Davis
Greening Davis
Hands-on planting and green space revitalization at various locations around Davis Square, including the library, community path, and slip lane parklet.
💬 Contact Email: greening-davis@googlegroups.com (Google Groups page)
👤 Chair: Alyssa Wilk
👤 Board Liaison: Louisa Bissett
Little White Church Committee
Little White Church Committee
Reactivation or redevelopment of the building at 45 College Ave. (former church, currently owned by the City of Somerville).
💬 Contact Email: (created by Michael, to fill in here)
👤 Board Liaisons: Paul Christie, Michael Chiu (and Frank Malsbenden and Alex Dehnert)
Outreach Committee
Outreach Committee
Publicizing meetings, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity, acting as a conduit to community members and groups. Overseeing the DSNC website, social media, branding, and specific outreach events and community engagement activities.
💬 Contact Email: dsnc-outreach@googlegroups.com (Google Groups page)
💬 Web and Social Media Contact: dsnc-web@googlegroups.com (Google Groups page)
👤 Chair and Board Liaison: Elaine Almquist
👤 Vice Chair: Marilyn Schachter
Programs Committee
Programs Committee
Planning social events, fundraisers with local community businesses, and community events such as a Davis Square yard sale.
💬 Contact Email: dsnc-programming@googlegroups.com (Google Groups page)
👤 Committee Chair: Louisa Bissett, Kendra Fox, Paul Christie
Zoning Committee
Zoning Committee
Exploring zoning amendments to allow for the construction of supportive, affordable, and all kinds of housing to meet the needs of our community. Provide information on zoning to members.
💬 Contact Email: dsnc-zoning@googlegroups.com (Google Groups page)
👤 Board Liaisons: PJ Kim-Santos, Paul Christie, Michael Chiu
👤 Subcommittee Reporting on Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals Meetings: PJ Kim Santos, Rebecca Rogers and Philip Higonnet
Seasonal Committees
Seasonal Committees
Election Committee
Election Committee
Coordinating and running the annual election of DSNC board members, performing a subsequent review of election processes, adjudicating disputes, suggesting improvements to bylaws, election policy, or practices for future board elections and Community Benefits Agreement votes. See the 2026 retrospective document and further details about election processes in our DSNC Bylaws.
💬 Contact Email: TBD
👤 Chair: Rebecca Rogers (2026)
👤 Participating Board Members: Alex Dehnert, Elaine Almquist
🛑 Active candidates may not join
Nominating Committee
Nominating Committee
Coordinating the nomination process for the annual DSNC board member election, including recruiting candidates to ensure all four classes of Board members (homeowner, renter, business owner, and worker) are covered.
💬 Contact Email: TBD
👤 Co-Chairs: Edward Woll, Madeleine Werner (2026)
🛑 Active candidates may not join
Board Activities
Board Activities
Beyond the activities our committees are currently working on, here are some of the other projects being done by our Board, as well as some ongoing projects of the City. This list is not organized by priority level. The President, Secretary, and Treasurer also have official duties as specified in the DSNC Bylaws.
DSNC official recognition by the Somerville City Council: PJ Kim Santos
ADA Transition Task Force update: Chris Beland
Inspectional Services Department enforcement of vacant storefront ordinance: Paul Christie
Davis Square Oral History: Frank Malsbenden
Sewage system update: Chris Beland
Projects Seeking Volunteers
Projects Seeking Volunteers
With the above commitments, board members aren’t able to prioritize the following projects at the moment, but would be excited to have motivated DSNC members take them on. Please reach out to the listed point person or any board member if interested in participating.
Mural(s) on MBTA Davis Square headhouse(s) and improved wayfinding signage for the Community Path discontinuity
Background: Community Path Wayfinding & Art
💬 Contact: Elaine Almquist or Zachary Yaro
Davis Square Community Fridge
Seeking host property owner
💬 Contact: Louisa Bissett
Advocacy to increase plants as part of the Morrison Avenue Flood Relief Project
💬 Contact: Alyssa Wilk
Advocate for improved bus service, including enforcement and effectiveness of new bus lanes, transit priority at traffic lights, better bus shelters, transit arrival time displays.
💬 Contact: Chris Beland
Organize an event that takes place on Elm Street while closed to cars.
💬 Contact: Elmway Action Group
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