City Council
Zoning and Planning will meet twice this week.
- TONIGHT:
- Two proposals for environmentally related ordinances: Regulation of embodied carbon in new construction and electrification of all new construction and substantial renovation
- Two re-appointments to the Urban Design Commission
- Continued discussion of Village Center Zoning — incentivizing a higher percentage of affordable units for Village Center Overlay District (VCOD)
- Wednesday:
- Continued discussion of state guidance for implementing the Housing Choice Bill
- Continued discussion of Village Center Zoning: Presentation of the MBTA Communities compliance tool and current proposal’s satisfaction of the requirement, and metrics/mapping of VCOD.
Finance will meet TONIGHT to discuss: Free Cash appropriation request to fund transportation for homeless students, transfer request of funds from full-time salaries to full-time consultants for Human Resources, transfer request of funds to fulfill two 3-year agreements with AFSCME 2913 spanning FY2019-2021 and FY2022-2024, and discussion regarding the Rainy-Day Fund Investment Strategy.
School Committee
The School Committee will meet three times this week:
- Tonight: Executive session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the NTA.
- Tuesday: Public Hearing on this petition calling for the creation of an Academics Principles Advisory Committee (see Meeting Notice for instructions to sign-up to speak).
- Wednesday: Executive session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the NTA.
Boards and Commissions
Newton Cultural Council: Grant modifications, Council Member survey, discussion with Massachusetts Cultural Council Program Officer about Local Cultural Councils, Festivals, Cultural Districts
Newton Fair Housing Lottery Results and Lease Up Sub-Committee: Recap on work accomplished during the first year of the subcommittee and workplan and priorities for the coming year.
The Riverside Liaison Committee will meet virtually on Tuesday at 8AM to get an update from Mark Development.
Newton Retirement Board will meet Tuesday morning:
- Public hearing to discuss FY24 retiree cost-of-living increase
- Presentation regarding cost-of-living increase by Mayor and CFO
- Discussion and presentation regarding Retirement Board’s funding schedule with Council President Susan Albright and School Committee member Chris Brezski
Election Commission: Hand count of international ballots and federal write-in absentee ballots postmarked on or before March 14 and received by 5PM on March 24, certification of March 14 Special Election.
Newton Commonwealth Foundation: Reports from Treasurer, Operator, Grounds, Clubhouse, and Maintenance Building Update.
Council on Aging and Advisory Board: Override results, NewCAL update, priorities
Design Review Committee: Special Meeting regarding Gath Pool Site Plan Approval
Newton Citizens Commission on Energy: Final draft of a plan to implement Newton Climate Action Plan in the residential sector. City Council resolution on gas transition.
Other
Horace Mann: Council President and Ward 2 at-Large Councilor Susan Albright sent this memo urging Mayor to work “quickly” regarding funding and timeline for the Horace Mann project.
Not seeking re-election: Two City Councilors and one School Committee member announced they are not seeking re-election. Ward 2 Councilor Emily Norton and Ward 6 Councilor Brenda Noel announced that they will not be seeking re-election. Norton served on the Council for 10 years. Noel served on the council for 6 years. Recently elected Ward 6 School Committee member, Paul Levy, citing work demands, also announced that he would not seek re-election.
Rainy Day Fund Investment Strategy and Pension Funding Schedule are to be discussed this week. Tonight, the Finance Committee will hear from the Administration and the Treasurer to understand the City’s Rainy-Day fund investment strategy and how rainy-day fund investment decisions are made. On Tuesday, City Council President and Ward 2 City Councilor Susan Albright and Ward 2 School Committee Member Chris Brezski will present and discuss the current pension funding schedule with the Retirement Board on Tuesday. In that meeting, the Retirement Board will also hear a presentation from the Mayor and the CFO on retiree cost of living increases for FY24.
Yard waste collection starts this week.
This week’s road construction schedule can be found here.