Thursday, May 17, 2012
The Newton Board of Aldermen are hoping that the Executive and Planning Departments will consider adding another planner position to help move along city projects and bring in additional tax revenue.
Several Newton aldermen last night supported a fiscal 2013 budget resolution that requests the city look into hiring an additional planner for the Planning Department in order to move projects along and bring in more tax revenue for the city. The resolution was part of last night's Committee of the Whole fiscal 2013 budget discussion, which included review of nearly 20 city department budgets and several resolutions that will be passed off to the mayor's office for consideration before a final budget vote. The Planning Department budget resolution, which was proposed by Aldermen Susan Albright, David Kalis and Ted Hess-Mahan, looks to provide more personnel in a department that is "extremely busy." "There are plenty of projects waiting …
The annual Mayor's Community Prayer Breakfast will be held next Wednesday, May 23, at Boston College.
Along with a number of local officials, community members and religious leaders, Mayor Setti Warren will welcome Boston Mayor Tom Menino to the Mayor's Community Prayer Breakfast next week. The annual event, which will be held Wed., May 23 at Boston College, aims to bring together community members from all walks of life and religions to support the Foundation for Racial, Ethnic and Religious Harmony. Last month, Warren announced he will name the annual Community Prayer Breakfast in honor of former Newton Mayor Theodore "Teddy" Mann, who founded the breakfast in 1975. “I am delighted that Mayor Menino will be joining us to celebrate the legacy of Mayor Mann, and I look forward to welcoming him to Newton,” Mayor Warren said in a press …
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-71.171549
Boston College
140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA
/articles/boston-mayor-menino-to-join-newton-mayor-for-annual-prayer-breakfast
1984367
/locations/7039542
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The USPS presented a plan Wednesday that would avoid closing some of the rural post offices and instead, reduce the hours of 13,000 rural post offices across the country.
With May 15 as the end date to the United States Postal Service's "moratorium" on post office closures, decisions could be made soon on whether some local branches will stay open. Despite a new cost-saving measure presented today for some of the country's rural post offices, local USPS Spokesman Dennis Tarmey said the Postal Service is still going to go through and consider the those post offices on the list of proposed closures. According to Tarmey, the USPS plans to abide by the moratorium it set back in December and will not make an official decision on post office closures until after Tuesday, May 15. A decision related to the proposed closures is likely to come sometime next week, he said. Last year the USPS proposed closing as …
Some additional information on Monday night's meeting, which was preceded by the city water/sewer rate hearings.
Monday night the Board of Aldermen discussed and voted in a new set of water rates for fiscal 2013, rates that will bring a $51 yearly increase to the average water/sewer bill for a Newton homeowner. Here are a few other things of note from Monday night: 1. In addition to the public hearing on the water/sewer rates, the board also held a public hearing on the fiscal 2013-2017 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Ward 4 Alderman-at-Large Lenny Gentle noted that while the CIP has been a living, changing document, the board must eventually vote on the final, five-year plan. Although no members of the public stood up to speak during the hearing, there were a number of questions from the board on the CIP and the projects listed on the document. …
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-71.207786
Newton City Hall
1000 Commonwealth Ave, Newton, MA
/articles/five-things-you-missed-at-the-may-7-board-of-aldermen-meeting
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Mayor Setti Warren and Lt. Gov. Tim Murray announced yesterday that Newton has signed an agreement that will make it the first municipality in the state to procure 100 percent of its electricity from green/renewable sources.
Continuing on a path toward more green and sustainable practices, city officials announced yesterday that Newton will be the first municipality in Massachusetts to power its buildings using 100 percent renewable resources. Mayor Setti Warren made the announcement in Newton City Hall yesterday alongside Lt. Governor Tim Murray and State Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard Sullivan. "Today is a day to celebrate a historic achievement but also to acknowledge the enormous work we all must do to grow our green economy and to make us healthier in our state and country," Warren said. According to Warren, the new contract with Reliant Energy will provide 70 million kilowatts of electricity to all city buildings (including school …
After a decade of work, public meetings, planning and construction, Newton and state officials celebrated yesterday the completion of the Lower Falls pedestrian/bike bridge, which crosses the Charles River and connects Newton and Wellesley.
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-71.261502
165 Concord St, Newton, MA
/articles/video-photo-newton-celebrates-new-lower-falls-pedestrian-bike-bridge
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Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Meanwhile, the city has started moving on 11- and 20-year plans to tackle serious inflow and infiltration problems in the water and sewer system that are costing the city millions of dollars every year.
Following last night's approval of new water/sewer rates, yearly water/sewer bills for the average Newton homeowner will increase by roughly $51 in fiscal 2013. The Board of Aldermen last night voted 21-0 in favor of a 3.9 percent increase to the city's water/sewer rates, which will take effect July 1, 2012. According to Chief Financial Officer Maureen Lemieux, who presented the rates at last night's public hearing, the city administration has developed a plan that will allow the water/sewer rates to remain stable over the next ten years, rather than having large increases that vary year to year. "Our goal was to have a dependable, stable rate increase," Lemieux said. "As we put this plan together, our intent to have the rates increase …
42.338375
-71.207786
Newton City Hall
1000 Commonwealth Ave, Newton, MA
/articles/average-newton-home-to-see-51-increase-to-water-sewer-bill
765424
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Newton resident Tom Sheff will be running as an Independent in the District 3 Governor's Council race.
I'd like to thank all the people who signed my nomination papers and those who helped me gather signatures. We did it! I couldn't have done it without your help and support. I'd like to announce that I am running for the Governor's Council seat in District 3 (for a full list of cities/towns in District 3, go to www.tomsheff.com). While many people will be concentrating on the higher profile campaigns, I hope you take the time to learn a little about the Governor's Council. Many active political junkies don't even know what the Governor's Council does. The Massachusetts Governor's Council provides advice and consent to the Governor of Massachusetts, particularly about judicial nominations, justices of the peace and criminal pardons. For …
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Dentist David Steinhof from Fall River announced his candidacy for the seat formerly held by Barney Frank.
The race to replace retiring Barney Frank has grown again, as Republican David Steinhof, a dentist from Fall River, begins a run on the campaign trail. A story appeared on the Boston Globe and the Attleboro Sun Chronicle earlier today announcing Steinhof's run. From Steinhof's website: People often ask why, as a dentist, I would consider running for office. The answer is simple. Our government is broken. Each and every day I see the enormous stress my patients have to endure in this current economy. We have all had to tighten our belts while our government continues to spend money we just don’t have. Steinhof will be running against Republicans, Former Fourth District challenger Sean Bielat and Brookline School Committee member …
Mayor Setti Warren held another roundtable discussion Tuesday with community members and organizations that receive CDBG funding.
Following similar roundtable discussions held in Newton, Mayor Setti Warren brought together a number of community leaders and residents yesterday to talk about the importance of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and how they affect programs here in the Garden City. Over the years, CDBG funds have helped out community programs such as the John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club of Newton, renovations at Pellegrini Park and the construction of the Newton Senior Center. Yesterday's meeting was held at Lincoln-Eliot Elementary School, which receives CDBG funds for its after school program. “CDBG funds have been one of the most successful federal programs since its inception 38 years ago,” Warren said in a press release issued yesterday. “We…
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-71.19393
Lincoln-Eliot Elementary School
191 Pearl St, Newton, MA
/articles/newton-mayor-discusses-importance-of-community-block-grant-funds
765806
/locations/6920690
