When Graves and Reeves ran into another topstate official over the holiday, though, theopportunity seemed too good to pass up.

"The mayor and I were up at a barbecue duringthe Fourth of This past Monday, Reeves and Weldspoke again on the issue, with Reeves saying that"something needed to be done" on the issue.

Once the MDC vote has been taken, the matterwill become the concern of the city bureaucracy,including the Council's Stop and Shop subcommittee.

Susan B. Schelesinger, acting assistant for themanager of community development of Cambridge,said yesterday that Stop and Shop must go throughsome more steps before beginning construction.These include obtaining a building permit andpossibly receiving Board of Zoning Appealsapproval for a rezoning of a strip of adjoiningland and for some planned landscaping.

"The major issues for them now are the rezoningand getting the MDC decision memorialized inwriting," she said.

But Graves said he viewed Weld's decision assignificant news.

"The governor showed some leadership," Gravessaid. "I know it was a tough decision for thegovernor...[but] I think the bottom line is thatthe governor's a Cambridge resident and understoodthe issue.