The Finance Committee approved the following (see the report and watch the meeting video):
- CPC Recommendation to appropriate $98,500 in CPA funding (7-0) to the West Newton Cinema for a feasibility study regarding the historic movie theater. This project, complemented by funds from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the West Newton Cinema Foundation, aims to assess the potential for preserving and operating the cinema and improving accessibility to the theaters.
- Request to accept and expend a $119,984 grant from the Massachusetts Office on Disability (7-0) for accessibility improvements at the intersection of Watertown Street and Chapel Street, including accessible curb ramps and repositioning of pedestrian signal buttons. “The grant also requires 20% matching funds from the City for a project total of $150,000.”
- Request to appropriate $997,942 for Union Street main drainage extension (6-0, Councilor Laredo recused) for constructing the main drainage extension on Union Street to address flooding issues.
- Authorization to accept and expend a $75,000 earmark from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (7-0) for playground improvements to Pellegrini Park and its fieldhouse. The Parks, Recreation and Culture Commissioner Banks said funds must be expended by June 20, 2025, so input from neighbors and others ‘must be quick’.
- Authorization to accept and expend a $50,000 earmark from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (7-0) to develop a master plan for Officer Bobby Braceland Playground, updating the plan created over a decade ago. Commissioner Banks said she would look into connecting the park to the greenway.
- Authorization to accept and expend $33,333 in transportation mitigation funds from the 15 Riverdale Avenue development (7-0) The funds will support the GoGo Newton, an on-demand ride service for seniors, low-income individuals, and people with disabilities.
- Authorization to appropriate and expend $5,000 in transportation mitigation funds from the Green Lady Marijuana Establishment (7-0) to support the Blue Bikes, a bike share system in Newton.
- Authorization to appropriate and expend $2,000,000 to Newton Public Schools for Math Curriculum (7-0) from certified free cash for updating the NPS math curriculum to provide consistency across the schools and meet DESE standards. The math curriculum had not been updated or assessed in twenty five years. NPS is in the process of reviewing math curriculums. The change will be over several years.
- Authorization to appropriate and expend $300,000 to improve phone systems at Newton North and South High Schools (7-0) from certified free cash to upgrade the phone systems at both high schools to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems. Phones not working in the schools “have become a safety issue.”
- Request for authorization to expend $10,000 for the full and final settlement of Tom Bourgoin v. City of Newton (7-0) to settle claims related to sewer backups affecting Mr. Bourgoin’s property. The section of pipe in question has been replaced.
- Request for authorization to transfer and expend $27,500 to settle a worker’s compensation claim (7-0) for a Heavy Motor Equipment Operator with the Highway Department who can no longer perform his duties due to injuries.
Present: Councilors Gentile (Chair), Malakie, Grossman, Bixby, Humphrey, Greenberg, and Lipof
Absent: Councilor Micley
Also present: Councilors Oliver, Albright, Getz, Danberg, Kalis, Wright, and Krintzman
City staff present: Comptroller Steve Curley; Chief Financial Officer Maureen Lemieux; Financial Analyst II Trevor Gohering; Financial Planning & Analysis Manager Perry Rosenfield; Deputy Comptroller Stela Zaloshnja; Community Preservation Program Mollie Hutchings; Design Engineer Alfredo Vargas; Assistant Superintendent Liam Hurley; Superintendent Anna Nolin; Assistant City Solicitor Andrew Lee; Worker’s Compensation & Safety Manager Kelly Brown; City Engineer Lou Taverna; Chief Planner Katie Whewell; Director of Transportation Planning Jenn Martin; and Commissioner of Parks, Recreation & Culture Nicole Banks
Others present: Community Preservation Committee Chair Susan Lunin; West Newton Cinema Foundation President Elizabeth Heilig; and West Newton Cinema Foundation Board Member & Clerk Kelley Brown