Highlights this week…
- Memorial Day …on Monday: City offices closed. Observance at Newton Cemetery at 10AM.
- City FY2026 budget …approved last week with NPS budget equal to approved allocation, with many City Council budget reports released
- Zoning & Planning and Public Facilities …meeting with Citizens Commission on Energy on City’s Climate Action Plan, climate resiliency, and residential use of electricity
City Council
City Council is not scheduled to meet this week.
Finance will meet on Tuesday regarding:
- Appointment of Rajeev Parlikar to the Horace Cousens Industrial Fund
- Free Cash Appropriation Requests:
- $3,000,000 to support the City’s Transportation Network Improvement Program ( to be combined with $1,500,000 from Snow and Ice reserves for total of $4,500,000)
- $2,525,000 for priority school facility projects
- $225,576 to fully fund the prevailing wage rate adjustment under the City’s current contract with Waste Management
- $250,000 for the Police Headquarters Improvements
- $150,000 for Fire Station #1/#2 Living Quarters Improvements
- $150,000 for Library data wiring
- $100,000 to purchase and install a second trailer at the Rumford Avenue Resource Recovery Center
- $90,000 for a new plow truck for the Newton Fire Department
- $75,000 for Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan
- $75,000 for the Newton Centre Tree Lighting project
- $50,000 for Jeannete West Recreation Center restroom improvements
- $43,100 for Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
- $40,000 to repair the fountain on traffic island at intersection of Chestnut and Highland Streets
- Grant Acceptances:
- $423,052 from MassDOT, as part of the Local Bottleneck Reduction Program
- $25,000 from an FY25 State budget earmark to upgrade and develop exhibits at Historic Newton
- $13,500 from the National Environmental Health Association to improve the City’s conformance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Voluntary National Retail Food Program Standards
- Budget Reserve appropriation requests:
- $160,000 for City Hall Elevator Modernization project
- $150,000 for City Hall Boiler Condensate Tank
- $100,000 for Inspectional Services HVAC Improvements
- Transfers/Other:
- $76,975 from Clinical Health – Full-Time Salaries for temporary school nursing staff
- $50,000 from the Trio land use special permit mitigation fund for sidewalk construction
- $10,000 from for the full and final settlement of Elizabeth Marino v. City of Newton
Rules Subcommittee will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- Adjustments to the Council’s budget review process
- Committee meetings schedule
- Committee workloads/department assignments
- Timely addressing of docketed items
Zoning and Planning and Public Facilities will meet on Wednesday with the Newton Citizens Commission on Energy regarding:
- Update from Sustainability Team on the status of implementing the Climate Action Plan
- Discussion with City staff, including Public Works and Planning, on updates and plans for Climate resiliency
- Residential use of electricity
School Committee
School Committee will not meet this week. A budget meeting tentatively scheduled for May 28 has been canceled.
Boards and Commissions
Newton Retirement Board will meet on Tuesday with an agenda including:
- PRIM Portfolio Review
- Involuntary Retirement Application process
- Financial reporting for March
- Director’s Report
- MACRS Spring 2025 Preliminary Agenda
Newton Housing Partnership will meet on Tuesday regarding:
- Project Update Chart
- Partnership discussion on Inclusionary Zoning Update
- Special Meetings: Fair Housing / Housing Partnership Integration
Newton Cultural Council will meet on Tuesday regarding:
- Brief report on grantee events attended by council members
- Modification request for Pro-Arte
- Grantee Reception
- Community Survey
- NCA meeting
Youth Commission Advisory Board will meet on Tuesday regarding an event proposal.
Newton Commonwealth Foundation, which operates the municipal golf course, will meet on Tuesday regarding:
- Update of Maintenance Building Project by Jeff Yost of RDA Design
- Treasurer’s Report
- Sterling Golf Report
- Greens Subcommittee Report – meeting with architect Robert McNeil for future renovations
- Bunker Renovation Project – updated status of completion of project for payment
- RFP 25 – 28 Golf Course Management Contract
UMass Mt. Ida Neighborhood Council will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- UMass Mt. Ida updates
- Neighborhood updates
- City updates
Newton Free Library Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- Unattended Child Policy Update
- Closing Procedures Briefing
- Building and Library Updates
- Treasurer/ Finance Committee
- Budget draft for FY26
- Spring Fling Recap
- Friends of Newton Free Library
Newton Citizens Commission on Energy will meet on Wednesday regarding its presentation to the joint meeting of the Public Facilities and Zoning and Planning Committees.
Youth Commission will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- Finalize agenda for YCAB meeting on June 4
- Youth Commission application questions and Youth Commission Advisory Board application questions
- Youth Commission logo submission
Other
Development Review Team (DRT) is scheduled to meet this week on the following potential projects/proposals:
- 1282 – 1284 Boylston Street: Nonprofit, post-secondary trade school
- 50 Hartford Street: MRT adaptive reuse – six units
- 312 Lake Avenue: MRT adaptive reuse – six units
This week’s road construction schedule.
