The Finance Committee met on Monday, August 3. See the report and the meeting video.
Approved
- Appointment of Ryan McGlothlin to the Financial Audit Advisory Committee — 6-0, term ending July 13, 2029. McGlothlin summarized his professional financial experience, including service on the City’s Pension Committee.
- Reappointment of Alexander B. Jablon to the Financial Audit Advisory Committee — 6-0, term to expire August 17, 2029. Jablon highlighted the committee’s performance during his current term.
- Appointment of Christopher Brezski to the John C. Chaffin Educational Fund — 6-0. Brezski, former Chair of the Newton School Committee, indicated the appointment is a lifetime term.
- Grant of $19,500 from AARP — 5-0 (Councilor Malakie abstained). Acceptance of a competitive grant from the American Association of Retired Persons to fund the “Backyard Blueprints” competition to design permit-ready Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) plans, awarding prize money and creating an online community design gallery. Chief Long Range Planner Nora Colello said the Planning Department aims to complete the process by the end of the calendar year.
- Grant of $218,708 for the City’s fiber optic network — 6-0. Acceptance of a grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Community Compact Municipal Fiber Grant Program for repair and maintenance of the City’s 40 miles of fiber optic cable network across city buildings, to help ensure redundancy and avoid service disruptions.
- CPC recommendation to appropriate $232,000 for the cupolas and windows at City Hall — 4-0 (Councilor Malakie abstained; Councilor Micley absent for the vote). The Community Preservation Committee’s recommendation of $232,000 in Community Preservation Act funding for the first phase of restoring 53 front-façade windows and the cupolas at City Hall. Multiple councilors expressed misgivings about the phased approach and asked that RDA Architects produce a cost estimate for performing all the work at once. Several raised concerns that the windows project is taking precedence over the higher-ranked City Hall roof replacement. The Public Facilities Committee was set to take up the proposal at 7 PM on Monday, August 10.
Present: Councilors Grossman (Chair), Bixby, Charm, Malakie, Micley, and Silber.
Absent: Councilors Krintzman and Greenberg.
Also present: Councilors Albright, Dahmubed, Gordon, Kalis, and Kelley.
City staff: Alex Valcarce, Commissioner of Public Buildings; Shawna Sullivan, Commissioner of Public Works; Nora Colello, Chief Long Range Planner; Mollie Hutchings, CPA Program Manager; Rachel Sherman, Deputy Director of Information Technology.