Zoning and Planning will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, May 22 at 6:30PM. The agenda includes the following:
Chair’s Note: Ann Berwick, Co-Director of Sustainability, will join the Committee to discuss a draft waiver provision to add to the draft ordinance. The Chair will also entertain a motion to set a public hearing for the following item for Wednesday, June 14.
- Request for an update and discussion with the Sustainability Director on the requirements under the Ten Communities program, that would allow Newton to require electrification of all new construction and substantial renovations, and to consider adopting such an ordinance.
- Submittal of the FY2024 to FY2028 Capital Improvement Plan pursuant to section 5-3 of the Newton City Charter.
- Submittal of the FY2024 Municipal/School Operating Budget – passage shall be concurrent with the FY24-FY28 Capital Improvement Program (#1-23). NOTE: The effective date of submission is 5/1/2023 and the last date to pass the budget is 6/15/2023.
- Submittal of the FY2024 to FY2028 Supplemental Capital Improvement Plan.
- Department Budgets and CIP discussions will include the following:
Finance will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Tuesday, May 23 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Recommendation of the Community Preservation Comminttee to appropriate and expend $5,834,362 to the control of the Planning & Development Department and authorize a general obligation borrowing of an equal amount for Phase III of the Gath Memorial Renovation Project and authorization to apply any premium received upon the sale of the bonds or notes, less the cost of preparing, issuing, and marketing them, and any accrued interest received upon the delivery of the bonds or notes to the costs of the project and to reduce the amount authorized to be borrowed for the project by like amount.
- Requesting to accept and expend $135,000 from the Friends of Wellington Park to add a sensory dome play structure for children of all abilities within the Wellington Park playground
- Request to appropriate and expend $1,500,000 from June 30, 2022 Certified Free Cash to Fire Rescue Overtime.
- Request to appropriate and expend $250,000 of June 30, 2022 Certified Free Cash to Police Patrol Overtime.
- Request to appropriate and expend $640,000 from June 30, 2022 Certified Free Cash to a Newton Police Department Capital Account to fund several technology initiatives, including a Storage Area Network and significant technology infrastructure improvements.
- Request for a discussion with Director of Assessment Administration James Shaughnessy and City Comptroller Steve Curley regarding the status of the property tax overlay surplus account including an estimate as to how much money is available to be declared surplus, and eventually free cash, as of 5/1/2023.
- Submittal of the FY2024 to FY2028 Capital Improvement Plan pursuant to section 5-3 of the Newton City Charter.
- Submittal of the FY2024 Municipal/School Operating Budget – passage shall be concurrent with the FY24-FY28 Capital Improvement Program (#1-23). NOTE: The effective date of submission is 5/1/2023 and the last date to pass the budget is 6/15/2023.
- Submittal of the FY2024 to FY2028 Supplemental Capital Improvement Plan.
- Department Budgets and CIP discussions will include the following:
City Council will meet virtually (Zoom link) as a Committee of the Whole on Thursday, May 25 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Request from the Retirement Board for City Council approval of an increase to the retiree Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) base from twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) to thirteen thousand dollars ($13,000) in FY24, from $13,000 to $14,000 in FY25, and from $14,000 to $15,000 in FY26 pursuant to Chapter 32, Section 103(j), such increase to be effective July 1, 2023.
- Request for a meeting with the City Council’s Committee of the Whole to discuss a study (with School Committee Member Chris Brezski) of the Newton Retirement Board’s plan that increases funding to the pension trust annually by 9.6%, its request for Cost of Living (COLA) increase, and its impact on our city and school services annually until full funding is achieved.
