The Programs & Services Committee met on Thursday, May 14. See the video. Budget materials can be found on the City’s website. Arts & Culture (report) Director of Arts & Culture Meryl Kessler presented the department budget. Arts & Culture was reorganized as its own city department — previously, cultural…
Posts published in May 2026
The Public Facilities Committee met on Wednesday, May 13. The report and meeting video are not yet available. Approved Present: Councilors Kalis (Chair), Albright, Dahmumed, Gordon, Grossman, Kelley, and Leary.Absent: Councilor Getz.Also present: Councilors Block, Farrell, Krintzman, Malakie, Roche, Irish, and Oliver.
The Finance Committee met on Monday, May 11. See the video. Budget materials can be found on the City’s website. Assessing (report) Director of Assessment Administration Jim Shaughnessy presented the Assessing Department’s budget. Discretionary spending is $67,000, half of which is allocated to software licensing. If given additional funding, Director…
The Programs & Services Committee met on Wednesday, May 6. See the video. City Clerk (report) City Clerk Drew Willison presented the department budget. In 2025, the City Council conducted 184 meetings, issued 59 special permits, passed 19 ordinances, and heard 376 docket items. The Clerk’s office issued 267 business…
The Zoning & Planning Committee met on Tuesday, May 5. See the video. Budget materials can be found on the City’s website. Inspectional Services Department (report) Commissioner of Inspectional Services Department (ISD) Anthony Ciccariello, ISD Executive Administrator Deb Finamore, and COO Josh Morse presented the ISD budget. The greatest need…
The Finance and Programs & Services Committees met jointly on Thursday, April 30. See the video. Newton Public Schools (report) Superintendent Anna Nolin presented the Newton Public Schools FY27 budget. She noted that people move to Newton “primarily for the schools.” She described various aspects of the budget, including how…
The Public Facilities Committee met on Wednesday, April 29. See the video. Budget materials can be found on the City’s website. Department of Public Works (report) Commissioner of Public Works Shawna Sullivan presented the DPW budget. The FY27 General Fund request is $37,294,127, with additional Water Fund ($29,960,348), Sewer Fund…
The Finance Committee met on Tuesday, April 28. See the video. Budget materials can be found on the City’s website. Comptroller (report) Comptroller Steve Curley presented his department’s budget. He described the office’s focus on financial compliance, noting that Newton was the first community with a budget over $130–140 million…
On May 20, Northland celebrated the topping-off of the first new residential building in its 23-acre development at the intersection of Needham and Oak streets in Newton Upper Falls — and unveiled the new name of the community to arise there, anchored by the historic Saco Pettee Mill: the Pattern…
Highlights this week… City Council City Council will meet as a Committee of the Whole on both Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss and possibly vote on the Mayor’s proposed FY27 Budget, Capital Improvement Plan, and Supplemental Capital Improvement Plan. The Council is expected to vote on the following (see Tuesday’s…