Highlights this week…
- City Council …discussing and possibly voting on the FY26 Budget
- School Committee …reviewing outline of upcoming NPS strategic plan and getting an update on FY26 budget
City Council
City Council will meet on Monday and is expected to vote on (see Reports Docket):
- Special Permits
- Convert existing single-car garage into habitable space resulting in parking in the front setback at 22 Owatonna Street
- Remove existing driveway and construct a one-story, detached, two-car garage with new driveway at 100 Bellevue Street
- Construct a 2.5-story addition to the dwelling at 33 Fountain Street
- Newton Food Pantry to operate a community food pantry onsite, with waivers for the parking facility and signage at 131 Rumford Avenue
- Withdrawal without prejudice: Allow 6 attached, single-family dwellings in three buildings at 329-331 River Street
- Raze existing two-family dwelling and construct three separate single-family dwellings on one lot at 329-331 River Street
- Create a Department of Sustainability (Mayor requests vote of No Action Necessary)
- Increase the FY25 FTE count in the Comptroller’s Office from 6.4 to 7.0
- Appoint Gregory Ansaldi as Chief Information Officer
- Reappoint David Gillespie to the Design Review Committee
- Appropriations from Free Cash
- $1,170,612 to reduce one-time expenditures for Newton Public Schools
- $150,000 for improvements to living quarters at Fire Stations #1 and #2
- $225,576 from Solid Waste Stabilization Fund for wage adjustment under the solid waste contract
- Appropriations from Budget Reserve
- $160,000 for elevator modernization at City Hall
- $50,000 for heat pump in the Information Technology Department
- $40,000 for Emergency Operations Center equipment at Fire Headquarters
- Other Appropriations and Financial Transfers
- $189,300 in CPA Historic Resources Funds for architectural/engineering services to restore War Memorial Stairs
- $76,975 for temporary school nursing staff from Clinical Health – Full-time Salaries
- $75,000 in CPA Open Space and Recreation Funds to replace deck at Newton Community Farm
- $65,000 from the Workers’ Compensation Fund to settle a worker’s compensation claim
- $10,000 for shower chair and wheelchairs at Gath Pools from Commission on Disability’s H-P Fines Account
- $2,000 for Disability Pride Month event costs from Commission on Disability’s H-P Fines Account
- Grant Acceptances
- $17,314 grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety for fire safety public education
- $2,900 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services for fire education equipment
The New Docket includes:
- Special permits
- Raze the existing dwelling and construct a four-unit, multi-family dwelling with garaged parking at 1062 Beacon Street
- Raze the existing dwelling and construct three attached, single-family dwellings in two buildings and a retaining wall over four feet high at 3 Newland Street
- Add a third story to the dwelling at 30 Glendale Road
- Recognize City Council support for state legislation for in-school CPR training
- Appoint Rajeev Parlikar to the Horace Cousens Industrial Fund
- Reappoint:
- Shawn Fitzgibbons to the Licensing Board
- Andria Tieman-Michney as a Newton Library Trustee
- Discuss actual versus estimated water bills with the Administration and Dept. of Public Works
- Accept and expend $25,000 to upgrade and develop exhibits at Historic Newton
- Appropriate and expend $50,000 for sidewalk construction on Lowell Avenue
- Expend $10,000 for settlement of Elizabeth Marino v. City of Newton
- Accept and expend $423,052.50 MassDOT grant for the Local Bottleneck Reduction Program
After second call in that meeting, the City Council will meet as a Committee of the Whole, with Finance presiding, to discuss and possibly vote on:
- FY2026-30 Capital Improvement Plan
- FY2026-30 Supplemental Capital Improvement Plan
- FY26 Municipal/School Operating Budget
If needed, City Council will hold a second meeting as a Committee of the Whole on Wednesday to continue discussion and possibly vote on those budget items. The last day for the City Council to vote on the budget is May 31.
Land Use will meet on Tuesday to consider requests for Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to:
- Extend nonconforming side and front setbacks and waive one parking stall at 270 Derby Street.
- Allow parking in the front setback and within five feet of the street at 65 Clark Street.
- Allow a retaining wall exceeding 4 feet in height at 52 Kingston Road and 166 Plymouth Road.
- Extend a nonconforming two-family dwelling use, to extend the nonconforming front setback and to allow a three-story structure at 52-54 Hatfield Road.
- Amend Special Permit to allow an oversized secondary sign at 1210-1230 Washington Street.
School Committee
School Committee‘s regular meeting on Monday includes:
- Superintendent’s Update: Introducing Marc Banks as Acting Principal, NSHS
- Math Curriculum Self Study
- Strategic Plan Overview
- School Committee Comments/Goal Ratings for Superintendent’s Evaluation
- Update – FY26 Budget
- ELL Tiered Focus Monitoring and HS Program Changes
- SEPAC Update
- ELPAC Update
- Policy Updates: Staff Gifts/Solicitation, Student Fundraising, Student Gifts/Solicitation, Relation w/Parents & Boosters, Public Solicitation, On-Line Fundraising/Solicitation/Crowd Sourcing, Public Solicitation in Schools NPS Support Organization Guidelines
Countryside School Groundbreaking Ceremony will be held on Monday at 10:30AM. Access the site off Dedham Street to the right of the existing school building.
Boards and Commissions
Parks and Recreation Commission will meet on Monday regarding:
- Community Preservation Committee
- Urban Tree Commission
- Farm Commission
- Commonwealth Golf Foundation
- PRC Signage and Naming Committee
Board of License Commissioners will meet on Tuesday regarding:
- One-day all-alcohol and entertainment licenses for St. Mary of Carmen Festival, July 16-20, 4PM-11PM at 11 Hawthorn Street
- One-day wine-malt and entertainment license for teacher’s appreciation event on June 14, 4PM-8PM at Auburndale Cove (104 West Pine Street)
- Change of hours at Chipotle Mexican Grill, 847 Washington Street: Monday-Sunday, 10:45AM-11PM
- New common victualler license at Chilacates, 33 Boylston Street
- Transfer of all-alcohol package store license for Upper Falls Liquors, 150 Needham Street,
- New all alcohol restaurant license, a common victualler license and an annual entertainment license at Lab 13 Handroll, 210 Boylston Street
Board of Assessors will meet on Wednesday to approve April 2025 Exemption and Abatement Reports.
Franklin School Design Review Committee will meet on Wednesday to review of 90% construction documents, vote to finalize documents, and bid the project.
Newton Historical Commission will meet on Thursday regarding:
- Local Landmark Nomination: 132-136 Adams Street
- 8 Total Demolition Requests: 45 Kenilworth Street, 1245 Commonwealth Avenue, 28 Keefe Avenue, 126 Russell Road West, 22-24 Mechanic Street, 14-16 Irving Street, 51 Davis Avenue, and 20 Salisbury Road
- Partial Demolition Requests: 48 Erie, 13 St. James Street, 320 Tremont Street, 30 Glendale Road, and 5 Bound Brook Road
- Waivers of Demolition Delay: 34 West Street, 5 Keller Path
Sustainable Materials Management Commission will meet on Thursday regarding:
- SMMD mailing planned for July
- Possible letter to Mayor and City Council re: trash and recycling costs
- Materials management and consumption as a component of Climate Action Plan
- SMMD data analysis
- SMMD update
Other
Development Review Team (DRT) is scheduled to meet this week regarding the following potential projects/proposals (see DRT Snapshot):
- 156 Highland Street: Relocation of existing carriage house
- 25 Paul Street: Raze the existing industrial building and construct a 3-unit dwelling
- 51-53 Eddy Street: Addition of decks to a nonconforming four-unit multi-family dwelling
- 1135 Walnut Street: Parking waiver for New City Church to operate at St Paul’s Church
This week’s road construction schedule has not yet been posted.
