The Finance Committee voted to Approve the following (see Report and watch Meeting):
- Appropriation of $450,000 for Police Department Overtime (8-0) from the Teacher’s Strike and department vacancies. The teacher’s union paid between $225,000 and $250,000, which the City allowed the Schools to keep. “The City absorbed the costs for the Police Department and Parks, Recreation & Culture.”
- Transfer $125,000 to the Library Building Maintenance- Electricity (8-0). Increased cost from failed HVAC system (to be replaced in fall).
- Transfer $200,000 to the Newton Communications Access Center, Inc. (NewTV) (8-0) from the PEG Access and Cable Related Fund.
- Appropriate $500,000 for IT infrastructure improvements (8-0) “from PEG Access and Cable Related Fund to Micro/Network Services – PC Hardware to make improvements to the City’s IT infrastructure.”
- Appropriation of $296,312 for student transportation (8-0) from Free Cash to Newton Public Schools for transporting students who are homeless or in foster care.
- Authorization to appropriate and expend $200,000 from the Stormwater Management Operating Reserve FY2024 Operating Budget (8-0) to design and install a subsurface system to manage stormwater from Myrtle Street and McGrath Park. The system will capture roughly five pounds of phosphorus annually and help control flooding at Border Street.
- Transfer $2 million to the City’s Accelerated Roads Program (8-0) from savings in DPW Snow and Ice accounts. $700,000 is dedicated to traffic calming.
- Appropriation of $2,888,274.38 for Transportation Network Improvement Program (8-0) from Free Cash.
- Appropriate $3.2 million for Water Main Improvements in FY25 (8-0)
- Appropriate $3.2 million for Water Main Repair and Replacement Project (8-0). Public Works requested rescinding a $3.2 million bond and appropriate the same amount from the water fund undesignated fund balance for the Water Main Repair and Replacement Project. The water reserve account has $16 million in it and the sewer reserve $17.5 million. “The City wanted to use the cash that is available instead of bonding.”
- Appropriate $5 million for Water Meter System Replacement Project (8-0). The Mayor requests authorization to rescind $5 million of the $10 million “bond authorization for the water meter system replacement project as approved as part of Council Order #170-22 on April 19, 2022, and appropriate $5 million from the water and sewer undesignated fund balances for the same purpose.”
- Transfer $25,000 to Stormwater System- Health Insurance (8-0) Because of Blue Cross cost increases and employee plan selections, health insurance was underfunded this year.
- Requesting Authorization to rescind bonds that are no longer required (8-0) for Zervas School construction ($1.5 million), Bigelow boiler replacement ($319,860), FA Day boilers ($131,484), Newton Early Childhood Program ($3,776) and Countryside Feasibility Study ($1.25 million).
- Transfer any unexpended General Fund Municipal health insurance funds to the Health Insurance Trust Fund (8-0) City is self-insured and changing from Harvard and Tufts to Blue Cross Blue Shield.