Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at 7 PM
City Council Chamber and Remote Participation Committee of the Whole
This meeting has happened. Minutes are final.
What happened
15 items of legislation were taken up.
- 15 kept in committee
Agenda 15 items
Notices from the agenda
This meeting was held in the Council Chambers and via Zoom, was called to order by Chair Wilson at 7:01 pm and adjourned at 9:02 pm with a roll call vote of 7 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Scott, and Chair Wilson), 2 opposed (Councilor Mbah and Councilor Sait), and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo). Others present: Brendan Salisbury – City Clerk’s Office, Stephanie Widzowski – Clerk of Committees. Recesses were taken from 7:46 pm to 7:50 pm and from 8:00 pm to 8:20 pm. Quorum was re-established via roll call after both recesses. Chair Wilson moved to adopt a rule for this meeting that resolutions showing shared support for budget priorities require a two-thirds vote of the membership to be approved. This motion was approved with 10 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Strezo, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 1 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld). Councilors spoke briefly about their budget priorities. Chair Wilson introduced the survey that councilors would take to express support for priorities (attached to the agenda for the 3/19 Finance Committee of the Whole meeting) and gave instructions. Councilors filled out the survey and then the results were shared. The five most supported categories were: Housing Stabilization, Homeless Services, Alternative Emergency Response, Housing Affordability, and Municipal Composting. After discussion of the most supported items, Chair Wilson moved to adjourn. The motion was not approved with a roll call vote of 3 in favor (Councilor Davis, Councilor McLaughlin, and Councilor Clingan), 6 opposed (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Burnley, Sait, Scott, and Chair Wilson), and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo).
(Posted online: 3/22/24 at 6:30 AM)
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_ZvFTI0YyRU2YNUhvIbXhng 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.
Roll Call
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1.
Approval of the Minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting of March 12, 2024.
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2.
Approval of the Minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting of March 19, 2024.
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3.
Approval of the Minutes of the Finance Committee of the Whole Meeting of March 19, 2024.
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4.
Approval of the Minutes of the Finance Committee of the Whole Meeting of March 26, 2024.
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5.
Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025.
{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Calibri;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\sl276\slmult1\f0\fs22 Councilor Ewen-Campen moved \b to create a resolution conveying support for Housing Stabilization as outlined in memos and budget priorities submitted by councilors.\b0 This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo).\par \par Councilor McLaughlin stated that he wanted a permanent location in the city for homeless residents to stay, in the vein of Housing for All. Chair Wilson moved \b for a resolution expressing support in the FY25 budget for homeless services including all approaches listed in councilor memos, and specifically including funding for a permanent brick-and-mortar location.\b0 This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo).\par \par Councilor Burnley said that the Council\rquote s request for Alternative Emergency Response should include the language drafted by former Councilor Kelly the year prior. Councilor Burnley moved \b that all items in the Alternative Emergency Response category be submitted to the Mayor to be included in the FY25 budget.\b0 This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo).\par \par Councilor Scott moved \b to create a resolution conveying to the Mayor the importance of housing affordability, including the creation of an Acquisition Fund, as a council priority for inclusion in the FY25 budget.\b0 This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo).\par \par Councilor Ewen-Campen moved \b to create a resolution expressing support for the inclusion of municipal composting, including all approaches listed in councilor memos, in the FY25 budget.\b0 This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo).\par \par Councilor McLaughlin moved \b for a resolution to include rodent mitigation in the FY25 budget as outlined in councilor memos and resolutions and to increase funding and staffing in the city for rodent mitigation. \b0 This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo).\par \par \pard Councilor Burnley expressed support for including the four categories tied for seventh place in the Council\rquote s budget priorities for the Mayor. He moved \b to include medical debt forgiveness, municipal building decarbonization, out-of-school time programming, and an overdose prevention center as outlined in councilor memos in the budget priorities for FY25.\b0 This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo).\cf1\f1\fs24\par }
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6.
That the Administration fund the creation of an entire unit within the Department of Public Works tasked with battling the city's growing rodent infestation.
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7.
That the Administration include in the FY 2025 budget, additional funding for rodent mitigation efforts, including an Office of Rodent Prevention similar to the one proposed in Boston, with appropriate staffing.
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8.
That the Administration include in the FY 2025 budget, funding for a home air filtration pilot program to address air pollution along Interstate 93.
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9.
Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025.
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10.
Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025.
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11.
Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025.
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12.
Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025.
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13.
Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025.
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14.
Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025.
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15.
Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025.