The First Day of School is on Tuesday and it is also Election Day for the State Primary. If you did not vote early — by mail or in-person at City Hall — you can vote in-person at your local polling location. (See also 2021 City of Newton list of Polling locations). Polls will be open from 7AM – 8PM.
School Committee will meet on Wednesday, September 7 at 6:15PM (Zoom link). According to the agenda, the Committee will enter into Executive Session to discuss strategy relating to negotiations with the Newton Teachers’ Association and then will reconvene at 6:30PM for its regularly scheduled public meeting. Topics include FY2021 System-Wide Goals, an update on the Superintendent Search, a discussion and vote on PTO Equity Spending Guidelines, and an increase in the High Schools’ Athletic Petty Cash.
In addition to the Full City Council meeting on Wednesday, the “Three P” Committees (Programs and Services, Public Safety and Transportation, and the Public Facilities Committee) will meet on Thursday at 7PM.
- The Programs and Services Committee’s agenda includes a few appointments and reappointments to the Commission on Disability and the Jackson Homestead, as well as a request for $486,500 in CPA funding to go to the Planning Department to complete Phase II of the Gath Memorial Pool Renovation Project (Zoom link).
- The Public Safety and Transportation Committee’s agenda includes a discussion with the Police and Fire Departments regarding data on crashes, fires, etc., a discussion of the traffic pattern regarding use or non-use of driveway for Fire Station 3, acceptance of grants ($272,000 Bluebike’s BikeShare program — Newton, Arlington and Watertown Project, and a $635,454.54 reimbursable Assistance to Firefighter grant from the Department of Homeland Security), and a request to expend and bond $950,000 for simulcast public safety radio infrastructure (Zoom link).
- The Public Facilities Committee’s agenda includes public hearings on several petitions for grant of locations for gas infrastructure and conduit, an appointment to the Newton Citizens Commission on Energy, and a request to expend $75,000 in CPA funding for the first phase of the Jackson Homestead Basement Renovation Project (Zoom link).
Affordable Housing boards and commissions have a busy week this week.
- First, the Fair Housing Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Tuesday at 8AM to discuss Affirmative Furthering Fair Housing Initiatives (AFFH) on ARPA and Village Center Zoning, Review Project updates on the Crafts Street and 1314 Washington Street projects, and the Committee’s priorities (see Agenda).
- The Affordable Housing Trust Fund will meet in person (Room 204) and virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday at 4PM and will review Draft Strategic Plan and Guidelines, existing Affordable Housing Plans and Documents, and receive an update on the status of their CPA Funding Proposal (see Agenda).
- The WestMetro HOME Consortium — a consortium of 13 communities led by the City of Newton — will hold its quarterly meeting virtually (Zoom link) this Thursday at 9AM. They will review their pooled funding, review RFPs, and discuss impediments to fair housing and compliance training (see Meeting Notice and Agenda).
- The Newton Housing Authority will hold a public hearing — both in person (Community Room, 82 Lincoln Street) and virtually (Zoom link) — for tenants and the general public to review its Draft FY2023 Annual Plan. The Plan consists of a 5-year proposed capital improvement plan, a proposed maintenance and repair plan, a current operating budget, responses to performance management review findings, a list of housing authority policies and a list of waivers from governing regulations of the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Residents and the public may submit comments orally at the hearing or by email (no email address provided) or in writing address to the Newton Housing Authority’s office (82 Lincoln Street, Newton Highland, MA 02461) before the close of the public hearing on Thursday.
This week’s road construction schedule can be found here.