Highlights this Week:
- City Council Committee Chairs considering whether their online meetings should be in Zoom format (all attendees visible) or Webinar format (non-participating attendees hidden).
- City Council meeting early to discuss the findings of its Community Dialog Working Group
- City Council meeting later to consider a proposed Electrification Ordinance and vote on a total of $12.5 million for water meter system replacement, water mains, roads, IT infrastructure, police overtime, student transportation, and stormwater management
- Public hearing on the renovation of Franklin School, June 20
- Fair Housing Training for Policy Leaders and anyone else who is interested
City Council
City Council Chairs will meet on Monday to discuss formats for hosting virtual/hybrid meetings, Council communications and letterhead, and other topics that may be raised.
City Council will then meet on Monday as a Committee of the Whole to hear and discuss findings from the Community Dialog Working Group regarding responses to its survey and public comment session.
City Council will then meet on Monday and is expected to vote on (see Reports Docket):
- Unfinished Council business
- Proposed Electrification Ordinance, which was postponed last week with last-minute amendment regarding gas stoves (see Fig City News article). Councilor Bill Humphrey submitted an additional amendment and Co-Director of Sustainability, Ann Berwick submitted a memo of support.
- Appropriations:
- $5 million for Water Meter System Replacement
- $3.2 million for Water Main Improvements, with authorization for a general obligation borrowing of the same amount
- $2,888,274.38 for the Transportation Network Improvement Program
- $500,000 for IT infrastructure improvements, from PEG Access and Cable Related Fund
- $450,000 for Police Department overtime
- $296,312 for student transportation for children who are homeless or in foster care
- $200,000 for design and installation of subsurface system to manage stormwater from Myrtle Street and McGrath Park
- Transfers:
- $2 million from FY24 savings to Accelerated Roads Program (paving improvement)
- $200,000 from PEG Access and Cable Related Fund to NewTV
- $125,000 from Newton Free Library – Full Time Salaries to Library Building Maintenance – Electricity
- $25,000 from Stormwater Reserves to Stormwater Health Insurance
- Rescinding $3,210302 of previous bond authorizations no longer needed
- Appointment of Shin-Yi Lao as Commissioner of Health and Human Services
- Reappointments:
- Jason Korb to the Newton Affordable Housing Trust
- Debora Jackson to the Economic Development Commission
- Marcela Merino to the Community Education Commission
- Karl Munger to the Biosafety Committee
- Howard Birnbaum to the Urban Tree Commission
- Special Permit/Site Plan Approval at 1897 & 1947 Washington Street for improvements to the clubhouse pavilion and construction of a snack shack at Woodland Golf Club
- Early Voting Hours and location for the September 3 State Primary Election and the November 5 State and Federal Election.
- Petition for Grant of Location to relocate a pole in Jackson Road
- Semi-annual public auto inspections
- Recommendation by Land Use Committee of No Action Necessary on a request for update, discussion, and public comment on plans previously approved for 136-144 Hancock Street
The New Docket includes the following:
- Discussions:
- Climate resiliency updates and plans
- Possible amendments to zoning ordinances concerning the Manufacturing District in Nonantum
- Possible amendments to require disclosure of any anticipated change in grade as part of a land use special permit application
- Amendments to Human Rights Commission Ordinance to clarify investigatory powers and authority
- On-demand transportation systems
- Funding Requests and Authorizations:
- Appropriate $31,578,632 for the construction of the Horace Mann Project, with general obligation borrowing and potential MSBA grants
- Transfer $650,000 to the Fire Rescue Full Time Salaries
- Acceptance of $190,000 from MassDOT’s Community Transit Grant Program for the City’s senior transportation program
- Salary increase for City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council to $139,310
- Transfer $25,000 to the FY24 Health & Human Services Admin- Full Time Salaries
- Public Hearings:
- June 20: Renovation and expansion to replace the existing Franklin School at 125 Derby Street
- July 10: Schematic design and site plan approval for addition at Horace Mann School at 225 Nevada Street
- Special Permits and Site Plan Reviews:
- Extension of time for parking reconfiguration at 386-394 Watertown Street.
- Site plan changes and additional relief for a garage and retaining walls at 1188 Chestnut Street (Public Hearing on 6/18/2024)
- Drain extensions in Edgefield Road to provide an overflow connection for on-site drainage (Public Hearing on 6/20/2024)
- Appointments and Reappointments:
- Appointment of David Boronkay to the Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commission
- Reappointment of Michael Gevelber to the Newton Citizen’s Commission on Energy
- Review of unspent mitigation funds
- Set Early Voting hours and locations for upcoming State Primary and Federal Elections
School Committee
School Committee will meet in Executive Session on Monday to discuss:
- Litigation with respect to an employee MCAD/arbitration matter
- Negotiations with the Newton Teachers Association (NTA)
Boards and Commissions
Parks and Recreation Commission will meet on Monday to consider:
- Friends of Wellington Park: Play Structure Sign
- Commissioner’s Report
- Off-leash Areas discussion
- Committee Reports: Community Preservation Committee, Urban Tree Commission, Farm Commission, Arts & Culture
Newton Free Library Board of Trustees Nominating and Governance Committee will meet on Tuesday to discuss procedures for officer nominations and discuss draft policies.
Board of License Commissioners will meet on Tuesday to consider:
- One-day temporary wine and malt license for a clambake & BBQ on Saturday, July 27, at Auburndale Cove
- New common victualler and annual entertainment license for St. Mary and Pope Kyrillos Enterprises, Inc d/b/a 57 Lincoln Kitchen
- New common victualler license for The Cookie Monstah Company d/b/a The Cookie Monstah, 839 Washington Street
- New common victualler license for Seasonal Food Brands d/b/a Sebastian’s Cafe, 2 Wells Avenue
- Change of officers/directors/LLC managers, on-site manager, and ownership interest for Spiga LLC d/b/a Market Ti Amo, 36 Langley Road
- New common victualler license, new annual entertainment license, and a transfer of a wine-malt restaurant license from Awfully Tasty Corp to Xing Cheng, Inc d/b/a Otake Sushi Bistro, 15 Lincoln Street
Chestnut Hill Historic District Commission will meet on Thursday to consider:
- Certificates of Appropriateness to:
- Install a generator at 37 Suffolk Road
- Add chip seal to existing asphalt driveway at 47 Suffolk Road;
- Replace gutters, fascia, and soffit at 111 Suffolk Road
- Replace front door and hardware and install a mail slot at 101 Old Orchard Road
- Remediate violation for vents installed on the front of the building at 92 Reservoir Avenue
- Feedback on projects to convert garage and install solar panels at 61 Gate House Road
- Final project approval for the former front garage area at 12 Acacia Avenue and for the chimney, rear balustrade, and columns at 46 Woodman Road
Newton Free Library Board of Trustees Finance Committee will meet on Friday to review the FY25 budget.
Other
Fair Housing Training for Policy Leaders will be held virtually (Zoom link) on Tuesday, June 18 at 4PM. The training will be presented by Henry Korman from Klein Hornig LLP and will discuss basic concepts of fair housing , City functions that affect fair housing, and an overview of resources, followed by a Q&A session.
Police Headquarters Fence Installation Project will be the subject of a Virtual Community Meeting (Zoom link) on Thursday, June 20 at 6PM.
The list of potential projects/proposals scheduled for the Development Review Team (DRT) this week has not yet been posted.
This week’s road construction schedule has not yet been posted.