Finance Committee

Virtual

Agenda — 22 items

1. 1 (Posted online: 5/15/24 at 11:30 AM)
2. 1 This meeting was held via Zoom and was called to order by Chair Wilson at 6:01pm and adjourned at 7:10pm with a roll call vote of 5 in favor (Councilors Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott, Wilson), none opposed, and none absent. Others present: Cindy Amara – City Solicitor, Hannah Carillo – Mayor's Office, Natasha Frazier – Assistant Clerk of Committees, Jill Lathan – Commissioner of DPW, Richard Raiche – Director of IAM, Michael Richards – Director of Finance and Administration at IAM, Catherine Lester Salchert – Assistant City Solicitor, Julie Spurr-Knight – Director of Finance and Administration at DPW, Wendy Tavico – Finance Manager at Parks and Recreation, Mohammed Uddin – Financial Analyst, Demetrios Vidalis – Director of Water and Sewer, Susan Yerkes – Parks and Recreation Director.
3. 2 Pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, this meeting of a City Council Committee will be conducted via remote participation. We will post an audio recording, audio-video recording, transcript, or other comprehensive record of these proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting on the City of Somerville website and local cable access government channels. Copy & paste the following link into your internet browser to view this meeting live: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BOy-u-tWR4SdhSj_xSHqcw Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e. CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contact Adrienne Pomeroy in advance, at 617-625-6600 x2059 or ada@somervillema.gov.
4. 3 Roll Call
5. 1. Approval of the Minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting of May 7, 2024. 24-0652 Accepted Pass
6. 5 Personnel Requests
7. 2. Requesting approval to use available funds in the City Clerk Salaries account in the amount of $1,913.40 to fund a Legislative Services Manager position. 24-0654 Recommended to be approved Pass
8. 7 Appropriations
9. 3. Requesting the appropriation of $250,000 from the Unreserved Fund Balance (“Free Cash”) to the Law Department Legal Services Account for anticipated outside legal counsel invoices. 24-0655 Recommended to be approved Pass
10. 9 Bonding
11. 4. Requesting authorization to borrow $3,010,000 in a bond, and to appropriate the same amount for the recurring FY 2024 Building Improvements program. 24-0644 Recommended to be approved Pass
12. 11 Grant and Gift Acceptances
13. 5. Requesting approval to accept and expend a $50,000 grant with no new match required from Home Energy Efficiency Team, Inc. to the Office of Sustainability and Environment for a feasibility study to identify potential locations for geothermal networks. 24-0643 Recommended to be approved Pass
14. 6. Requesting approval to accept and expend an up to $60,000 grant with no new match required, from the Low Income Housing Water Assistance Program through the City of Cambridge to the Water and Sewer Department for income eligible ratepayers who are directly billed for their service(s) and who have an arrearage. 24-0669 Recommended to be approved Pass
15. 7. Requesting approval to accept and expend a $28,000 grant with no new match required, from Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to the Department of Public Works for the Recycle Dividend Program. 24-0666 Recommended to be approved Pass
16. 15 Transfers
17. 8. Requesting approval of a transfer of $80,000 from the Department of Public Works (DPW) Lights & Lines accounts to the DPW Grounds Professional and Technical account to cover year-end grounds maintenance expenses. 24-0668 Recommended to be approved Pass
18. 17 Prior Year Invoices
19. 9. Requesting approval to pay prior year invoices totaling $70 using available funds in the Department of Public Works Fleet Division R&M Vehicles account for vehicle inspection invoices. 24-0660 Recommended to be approved Pass
20. 10. Requesting approval to pay prior year invoices totaling $7,075 using available funds in the Department of Public Works Buildings Division Rental Buildings account for portable restroom rental services. 24-0661 Recommended to be approved Pass
21. 11. Requesting approval to pay prior year invoices totaling $32,695 using available funds in the Parks and Recreation Building Rental account for portable invoices. 24-0627 Recommended to be approved Pass
22. 21 Referenced Documents: • Finance - 2024-05-21 HEET Grant Memo (with 24-0643)