We revised the last section of Mayor responds to City Council FY 27 Budget resolutions, Council approves budget, about the City Council approving the budget, to correct the explanation of the series of votes.
Rachel Carson’s birthday, May 27, is an annual call to action for policies and safeguards protecting our health and community. Rachel Carson was a marine biologist and ecologist who gave us an ethic of ecology — that we are all connected and interdependent. In 1962 her book, Silent Spring, alerted…
On May 26, the City’s Chief Operating Officer, Josh Morse, hosted an online community meeting on the possible consolidation of Ward and Underwood elementary schools. He presented the findings that led him to conclude the schools should not be consolidated, citing rebounding enrollment, site limitations and minimal, if any, cost…
On May 26, Mayor Marc Laredo responded to five FY27 Budget resolutions submitted by the City Council. The City Council reviewed those responses, submitted a sixth resolution, and ultimately voted to approve the $668,336,666 budget by a vote of 22-2. As explained here, the City Council’s amendment powers are limited,…
On Friday, May 22, seven students from Newton North and South High Schools met with Mayor Marc Laredo to ask his support for the Plant Based Treaty and more plant-based meals in school cafeterias. The students, joined by Kimmy Cushman of Plant Based Treaty and Marcia Cooper of Green Newton,…
Longtime Newton resident and Vietnam War veteran Kevin McNamara has led an effort to hang banners honoring Newton residents killed in war at the intersection of Adams and Watertown streets ahead of Memorial Day. Wearing a Vietnam War museum hat and a tropical shirt, McNamara stood at that intersection admiring…
Barney Frank, former Fourth Congressional District Congressman, died on May 19 at the age of 86 after suffering from congestive heart failure. He was living in Ogunquit, ME with his husband, Jim Ready, and had announced less than a month earlier that he was in hospice care. A champion and…
For nearly a decade, the Newton Theatre Company (NTC) has been showcasing diverse voices telling their own stories during its annual “Monologue Project.” This year, the NTC and the Newton nonprofit Understanding Our Differences (UOD) partnered to create “The Monologue Project: Voices of the Blind, Deaf, and Physically Disabled,” which…
The Committee of the Whole met on Wednesday, May 20. See the report and meeting video. Held Present: Councilors Albright, Baker, Bixby, Block, Charm, Dahmubed, Farrell, Getz, Gordon, Greenberg, Grossman, Irish, Kalis, Kelley, Krintzman, Leary, Lucas, Malakie, Oliver, Roche, Silber, and Wright.Absent: Councilors Golden and Micley.City staff: Maureen Lemieux, CFO;…
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…
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…
