Finance Committee
Virtual
Agenda — 48 items
- 1 (Posted online: 5/16/25 at 11:00 AM)
- 2 This meeting was held via Zoom and was called to order by Chair Wilson at 6:04 pm and adjourned at 8:18 pm on a roll call vote of 5 in favor (Councilors Wilson, Scott, Clingan, Burnley and Mbah), 0 opposed, and 0 absent. Councilor Burnley joined the meeting at 8:15 pm. Others present: Sean Tierney - Assistant Fire Chief, Karin Carroll – Director of Health and Human Resources, Danielle Palazzo – Deputy Director of Finance and Administration, Jill Lathan – Commissioner, Emily Wisdom – Director of Finance and Administration, Kathy Cole – Financial Manager, Alan Inacio – Director of Finance and Community Development, Andy Reider - Building Systems Manager, Jason Piques – Assistant City Solicitor, Kimberley Hutter - Legislative Liaison and Delaney Fisher-Cassiol – Clerk of Committees.
- 3 Roll Call
- 3 Roll Call
- 1. Approval of the Minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting of May 6, 2025.
- 6 Grants and Gift Acceptances
- 2. Requesting approval to accept and expend a $11,400 grant with no new match required, from the Department of Fire Services to the Fire Department for fire education for school students and senior residents.
- 3. Requesting approval to accept and expend a $30,000 grant that requires a match, from the RIZE Massachusetts Foundation to the Health and Human Services Department for public health vending machines.
- 4. Requesting approval to accept and expend a $36,000 grant with no new match required, from Department of Environmental Protection to the Department of Public Works for the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program.
- 5. Requesting approval to accept and expend a $122,681.25 grant with no new match required, from the Massachusetts Community First Partnership to the Office of Sustainability and Environment for an Energy Advisor and outreach materials.
- 6. Requesting approval to accept and expend a $38,500 grant with no new match required, from the Boston Office of Emergency Management to the Police Department for Special Response Team equipment.
- 7. Requesting approval to accept and expend a $127,000 grant with no new match required, from the Boston Office of Emergency Management to the Police Department for Special Response Team equipment and training.
- 13 Prior Year Invoices
- 8. Requesting approval to pay prior year invoices totaling $583.03 using available funds in the Department of Public Works Fleet Motor Parts and Accessories Account for the purchase of vehicle parts.
- 9. Requesting approval to pay prior year invoices totaling $270 using available funds in the Department of Public Works R&M Vehicles Account for vehicle inspections.
- 10. Requesting approval to pay prior year invoices totaling $1,137.70 using available funds in the Department of Public Works R&M Parks and Playgrounds Account for irrigation services.
- 11. Requesting approval to pay prior year invoices totaling $504 using available funds in the Department of Public Works Administration Police Details Account for police detail services.
- 12. Requesting approval to pay prior year invoices totaling $90 using available funds in the Police Department Professional and Technical Services Account for case management for workers' compensation.
- 13. Requesting approval to pay prior year invoices totaling $8.87 using available funds in the Police Department Professional and Technical Services Account for managed care services for workers' compensation.
- 20 Transfers
- 14. Requesting approval of a transfer of $400,000 from the Department of Public Works Highway Wages Account to the Snow Removal Account.
- 15. Requesting approval of a transfer of $600,000 from various Department of Public Works Personal Services Accounts to various Department of Public Works Ordinary Maintenance Accounts to fund projected budget shortfalls.
- 16. Requesting approval of a transfer of $363,000 from the Department of Public Works Grounds Wages Account to the Snow Removal Account.
- 17. Requesting the transfer of $200,000 from the Community Preservation Act Undesignated Fund Balance to the Open Space Reserve.
- 18. Requesting approval of a transfer of $5,777 from the Police Overtime Account to the Police Grant Match Account for the FY 2025 Shannon Grant match requirement.
- 26 Funds and Accounts
- 19. Requesting approval to amend the purpose of the Street Tree Stabilization Fund to align with the Tree Preservation Ordinance.
- 28 Appropriations
- 20. Requesting approval to appropriate $228,000 from the Medicinal Marijuana Stabilization Fund for the salary and fringe of three positions related to youth-serving staff in FY 2026.
- 21. Requesting approval to appropriate $450,000 from the Facility Renovation Stabilization Fund for the replacement of the Brown School Boiler.
- 22. Requesting approval to appropriate $350,000 from the Facility Renovation Stabilization Fund to replace the Department of Public Works Water Department Boiler System.
- 23. Requesting approval to appropriate $45,000 from the Street Tree Stabilization Fund for FY 2025 Ash tree treatments.
- 24. Requesting the appropriation of $200,000 from the Community Preservation Act Fund Open Space Reserve for the design of the Kennedy Schoolyard.
- 25. Requesting approval to accept and expend a $274,000 grant with no new match required, from the Boston Office of Emergency Management to the Police Department for Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) training.
- 26. Requesting the appropriation of $151,502 from the Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the Law Department, Legal Services Account for additional outside legal counsel services.
- 36 Contracts and Easements
- 27. Requesting approval of a lease agreement at 50 Tufts Street.
- 38 Communications and Discussions
- 28. Conveying the cost of changes to identity documents, in support of item #24-1686.
- 29. Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition submitting comments re: item #24-1686, creation of an LGBTQ Legal Services Stabilization Fund.
- 41 Orders and Resolutions
- 30. That the City Solicitor confirm whether an LGBTQ Legal Services Stabilization Fund can be created to pay fees associated with gendered document changes and potential court sealing of records associated with such documents.
- 31. That the city hereby adopts Chapter 329 of the Acts of 1987, An Act Increasing Local Control Over The Annual School Budget.
- 32. That the Director of Infrastructure and Asset Management discuss with this Council what strategies and resources are being utilized to bring Somerville’s Tannery Brook Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) into compliance with the current and future long-term CSO control plans.
- 33. That the Director of Housing include a line item contribution to the Affordable Housing Trust’s FY 2026 ordinary maintenance budget in order to sustain its funding for affordable housing development and assistance to households facing rent or mortgage arrears.
- 34. That the Director of Housing Stability calculate and present a budget proposal for sufficient funding that will enable it to continue its programs of municipal flex funding, legal assistance and related housing search services for residents facing displacement and homeless families and individuals in FY 2026.
- 35. That the Director of the Office of Sustainability and Environment clarify the situation regarding the federal grant application for composting and, depending on its likely fulfillment, calculate a budget line item to insure that the small-scale pilot program can continue into FY 2026 and expand to more households.
- 47 Referenced Documents: • Finance - 2025-05-20 Mayor Response (with 25-0905) • Finance - 2025-05-20 Law Supp Appropriation Memo (with 25-0922) • Finance - 2025-05-20 Lease Agreement - 50 Tufts Street (tracked changes) (with 25-0919)