City Council
City Council committees will review the following budgets this week:
- Zoning and Planning Committee will review:
- Finance Committee will review:
The Zoning and Planning Committee will receive a presentation from Sustainability Co-Director Ann Berwick regarding a possible ordinance requiring electrification of all new construction and substantial renovation. Although the Zoning and Planning Committee is not discussing Village Center Zoning this week, the Planning Department sent along this memo in response to requests by several Councilors for additional data to help better understand, and clarify, various components of the proposed village center overlay district (VCOD).
The Finance Committee will review a request to appropriate $5,834,362 for Phase III Gath Pool project, acceptance of $135,000 donation from Friends of Wellington Park, three requests to use Free Cash: $1,500,000 for Fire Rescue overtime; $250,000 for Police Patrol overtime; $640,000 for the Newton Police IT Department; and a discussion about property tax overlay surplus.
The Council will also meet as a Committee of the Whole and continue discussion regarding the Retirement Board’s request to increase the COLA base for retirees and to review suggestions of the Council working group (which includes Ward 2 School Committee member Chris Brezski) regarding the current percentage annual increase to fund the pension trust, its request for Cost of Living (COLA) increase, and its impact on the City and school services.
Schools
The School Committee will meet several times this week:
- Negotiations subcommittee will discuss collective bargaining strategy with the Newton Teachers Association(NTA), full School Committee will discuss collective bargaining strategy with the NTA, NESA, and Custodians prior to its regularly scheduled meeting.
- The School Committee will discuss the wellness guidelines, review the Underwood/Ward Mission Statement and Guiding Principles, review the AP Analysis, receive updates on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Goals, and the Negotiations sub-committee.
- The Underwood/Ward Task Force will also meet this week and will have a follow-up discussion on enrollment methodology, development in Newton and the Ward and Underwood districts, and the educational program.
Board and Commissions
Updates on the FY2024 Senior Services Budget and NewMO, NewCAL, and the needs assessment as well as a discussion about older adult housing are on the Council on Aging and Advisory Board meeting’s agenda this week.
Franklin Elementary School Project moves forward with the Designer Selection Committee holding interviews to select the Owner’s Project Manager
Newton Retirement Board’s policy on “Regular Compensation Status Of Payments Made In Lieu Of Taking Vacation Leave” and its policy on “Regular Compensation Status Of Payments Made In Lieu Of Taking Vacation Leave” as well as the Superior Officer payments for retroactive contract settlement are on the Retirement Board’s agenda this week. It is unclear whether the pending agenda items on its agenda will also be discussed at this meeting. They include: pre-employment physicals, the 5% Local COLA Option-Memo, the FY24 COLA increase, the request to the City Council for approval of an incremental increase to COLA Base ($1000 per year from FY24-FY26), 6.6% growth rate, fully funded date of FY32, and the request to PERAC for clarification regarding “Once a Member Always a Member.”
The draft FY24 Trustee Budget and the Annual Goals for FY24 are to be discussed at the Library Trustees meeting on Wednesday.
The Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on the Toll Brothers’ request for a Comprehensive Permit (Chapter 40B) to construct a 6-story, 244-unit (61 units affordable) complex at 528 Boylston Street.
The Conservation Commission will meet this week to review Gath Pool improvements and Notice of Intent for the demolition and construction of a two-family house at 130 Nonantum Road, and a Notice of Intent for the demolition of a single-family home and the construction of three two-family homes at 280 Nevada Street.
The Newton Historical Commission will meet on Thursday to consider a Local Landmark Review (17-19 Channing St), four total demolition requests (186 Woodward St, 18 Norman Rd, 21-23 Winchester Rd, 115 Windsor Rd), two partial demolition requests (70 Kingswood Rd, 120 North St), and three requests to waive the demolition delay (1828 Washington Street, 27 Rosalie Rd, and 19 Irvington St).
Other
This week’s road construction schedule is here.