The Programs and Services Committee voted to approve the following (see Report and watch the NewTV video):
- Appointment of Alexandra Fuchs as a Newton Library Trustee
- Reappointment of Nancy Levine and John McDermott to the Election Commission
- Reappointment of MaryLee Belleville to Dogs Off-Leash Advisory Committee
The Committee voted to hold the following:
- Request to appropriate $140,000 from the B.A.A Marathon to a Parks, Recreation & Culture Account to fund a “Heartbreak Hill” banner and playground improvements.
Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Yeo stated that this fund has been used in the past to defray expenses incurred from hosting the Marathon and for playground improvements and added that the banner has been installed temporarily for the past several years on the day of the marathon. Commissioner of Parks, Recreation, and Culture, Nicole Banks added that the Department of Public Works will install the poles permanently but that the banner would be placed a few weeks prior to the day of the marathon and that the funds used for playground improvements would supplement the Department’s budget. Councilors inquired whether the funds received from the BAA are enough to cover the expenses incurred by the City and because the item was not time-sensitive, voted to hold the item until the cost of holding the marathon is provided to the Committee.