The Finance Committee met on February 9, 2026, and approved the following. See report and meeting video.
Approved
- Community Preservation Committee recommendation to appropriate $34,626 in Community Preservation Act funding for installation of bike parking at various park locations citywide and at both high schools (8-0). Phase three of the bike parking project: 10 bike parking hoops will be added at each school. Recent Newton North High School bike counts were 200 bikes. There is a demand for more covered bike racks. Phases 1 and 2 of the project were for village centers and elementary schools. Funding falls under the CPC Recreation category.
- Appropriation of $43,800.68 from Certified Free Cash to Newton Public Schools for Helpsy textile collection and recycling sustainability initiatives (8-0). The move returns the funds raised by the Helpsy collection to the school department.
- Appropriation of $17,600 from Certified Free Cash to Newton Public Schools for foster care and disadvantaged student transportation (8-0). NPS spent approximately $37,000 for foster care transportation. The state reimburses 47% of the incurred costs.
- Transfer of $82,000 from Parks and Recreation salary and health insurance accounts to Arts and Culture salary and health insurance accounts to fund Arts and Culture Director Meryl Kessler through Fiscal Year 2026 (8-0). A housekeeping measure to move the salary from Parks and Recreation into the newly created Arts and Culture Department.
Present: Councilors Grossman (Chair), Bixby, Charm, Greenberg, Krintzman, Malakie, Micley, and Silber.
City staff: Maureen Lemieux, Chief Financial Officer; Steve Curley, Comptroller; Jenn Martin, Director of Transportation Planning; Mollie Hutchings, CPA Program Manager; Liam Hurley, NPS Assistant Superintendent and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer.
