Civic Engagement Runs on Dunkin’

In this month’s issue of Boston magazine, Joe Keohane tells us that the young folks don’t care about local politics because city leadership hasn’t given them a reason to pay attention. City Council President Maureen Feeney’s Civic Summit was supposed to rally the kids to action, but the crowd was mainly comprised of older folks.

What’s it going to take to get people interested in politics that don’t involve people named Barack or Hillary? One of Somerville’s aldermen has fallen back to the old standby—free stuff.

The Somerville Journal reports that Board President Alderman at Large Dennis Sullivan will buy a coffee for the first person who comes to visit him at one of three stops at various Dunkin’ Donuts around the city.

“The goal of the office hours are to bring the office to the neighborhoods of Somerville,” said Sullivan. “I look forward to meeting with residents at these three stops and taking the pulse of the neighborhood.”

Not only will you have to contend with random teenagers and ne’er-do-wells asking to bum a coffee, but you’ll have to deal with random Somerville residents asking if you’re Alderman Sullivan and if they’re first to show up. Thankfully, the Journal has the schedule so you know which shops to avoid this weekend.