Eight members of the general public attended the Board of Aldermen's Finance Committee meeting yesterday evening to hear the Committee discuss the city-owned open space at Zero New Washington Street. The land is located in the Cobble Hill in East Somerville, behind the Holiday Inn.

Of the five members of the Finance Committee, Alderman at Large William White, Ward Two Alderman Maryann Heuston and Alderman at Large Dennis Sullivan were present and constituted a quorum. Alderman at Large Bruce Desmond, Ward Four Alderman Walter Pero and Ward Six Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz also attended the meeting.

Zero New Washington Street was the second item of business on the agenda. Chairman of the Committee, Alderman Bill White, asked a representative for the Mayor to address the Committee and added that he understood that the Mayor wanted to postpone further discussion while he undertook negotiations with the MBTA. The Mayor's representative confirmed that the Mayor wanted to postpone the discussion.

On March 23 the Board of Aldermen directed the Mayor's request to sell the property to the Finance Committee. Yesterday's Finance Committee meeting was the second one attended by members of the public interested in open space in East Somerville. On April 25, the matter was not discussed because the Committee had not yet received an appraisal from the Mayor's office. On May11, an East Somerville home owner and dog owner submitted to the Board a petition with 359 signatures in support of a park for people and pets at Zero New Washington Street. The Board directed the petition to the Finance Committee, Chairman Bill White notified interested residents on June 24 that the Board of Aldermen received the appraisal for zero Washington Street, and that he would take the up the mayor's request to sell the property at the Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday, July 12.