After its regular meeting on May 20, the City Council met as a Committee of the Whole and voted unanimously to approve the Mayor’s FY25 budget, Capital Improvement Plan, and Supplemental Capital Improvement Plan.
In addition, the City Council passed two new resolutions:
- A resolution proposed by Councilors Vicki Danberg, Andreae Downs, and Rena Getz to allow for a contract term of up to twelve years for providing electric school buses passed (18-0 with 6 abstentions).
- A resolution proposed by Councilors Bixby, Grossman, Kalis, Kritzman, Micley, and Oliver for $50,000 to purchase cell-phone pouches for middle schools, based on the results of a pilot program at Day Middle School passed unanimously.
A resolution sponsored by Councilors Malakie, Wright, Block, and Humphrey to oppose the installation of artificial turf at Albemarle Field failed (10-13 with 1 abstention). The use of artificial turf has been the source of considerable controversy. Opponents noted that Boston is among a number of Massachusetts communities either banning or placing a moratorium on expanding the use of artificial turf because it contains non-decaying harmful materials. Proponents noted that artificial turf is easier to maintain and it increases the usable capacity of Newton’s fields, which are constrained by size and in high demand.
The City Council also discussed the following additional resolutions but did not vote on them:
- $25,000 for training of City Council and City officials to build stronger relationship with residents
- Additional FTE be added to the Economic Development Team
- Upgrade priority of integrating traffic light at Walnut & Center Streets with Winchester & Needham Streets
- Upgrading priority of improving walkability and visibility at Washington Street and Lowell Avenue intersection
- Review of workflow, structure, and job descriptions of City Clerk’s Department
- Additional $200,000 for Traffic Calming
- $53,000 for the Library Collection, to account for inflation
See NewTV’s video of the regular meeting and the meeting of the Committee of the Whole.
