The Programs & Services Committee approved the following (see the report and watch the meeting video):
- Appointment of Sam Figler to the Licensing Board (7-0, Councilor Oliver not voting) for a term to expire on June 3, 2030. Mr. Figler currently serves on the Newton Commonwealth Foundation and is a previous member of the Parks and Recreation Commission.
- Appointment of Claire Wadlington to the Newton Community Education Commission (8-0)
for a term expiring on February 18, 2027.
The committee voted to hold the following:
- Requesting Update Regarding City Seal Redesign (8-0) Hattie Kerwin Derrick, Director of Community Engagement and Inclusion, gave an overview of the City Seal Working Group’s work, the initial recommended designs from consultant Ebarb and a final revised design based on public feedback. The seal redesign aims to reflect the community more inclusively, removing outdated elements and possibly incorporating symbols representing all thirteen villages of Newton. The emblem would be replaced gradually as materials need to be reordered in the normal course of the existing budget. There would not be a large one-time expense. Although the committee showed support for the latest proposed design with a closed ribbon and defined border, they decided to hold pending minor adjustments and additional public input.
Present: Councilors Krintzman (Chair), Oliver, Micley, Malakie, Humphrey, Lobovits, Baker, and
Farrell
City Staff: Hattie Kerwin Derrick, Director of Community Engagement and Inclusion; Lisa Dady,
Director of Historic Newton; Shubee Sikka, Urban Designer; and Jaclyn Norton, Committee Clerk
