Crystal Lake is open, which for me is the real start of summer: purchase your membership for Gath Pool and Crystal lake here. 
 There are many things that make a Newton summer: 

• performances in the Highlands, 
• Sunday evening concerts, 
• the Tuesday and Saturday Farmer’s Market,
• And of course the Nonantum Festa July 13-17 Which is your favorite?

 Also, if you or someone you know needs help this summer, Newton Health Department has resources:
 https://www.newtonma.gov/government/health-human-services/social-services

BudgetCouncil was part-way through budget debates when I last sent an update. Here’s the highlights of the rest:
 Schools: We voted down the school budget to protest the cutting of resources for middle school students--particularly mental health and academic interventions. Despite this, the mayor did not increase the budget, but did point to new mental health resources outside of the school budget that she was offering all Newton residents.
 In the end, the council voted against the entire budget in a way that ensured our vote was symbolic--and Newton still has funds to continue into the next fiscal year. I voted in the minority, for the budget, because it overall is a very good budget--despite the school cuts--and the task ahead is to come together to plan for increases in revenue. This may mean an override campaign.
 Besides restoring school cuts, where do you see a need for more funding in the city budget? I have been hearing about speeding cars and the need for more traffic calming. 
 Police: Chief John Carmichael updated the council on the department’s progress on many fronts--most of them relating to state and local reforms. Read the full report to get a sense of the department’s objectives. I was impressed with the department’s focus on outreach to all sectors of our diverse community, training, mental health, hiring, transparency and more. I look forward to a planned staffing study, which I hope will examine how best to serve Newton resident and officer needs with the resources we have. I was also pleased to see the department purchasing hybrid vehicles, and focusing more on prevention than on rapid response.
 Fire: Our Fire Department is one of the few Class 1 departments in the state and Newton has much to be proud of. However, council is concerned about morale and training after two discrimination settlements last year to department employees. At the time of the budget hearings, Newton was still searching for a new chief; in the end Assistant Chief Greg Gentile, who handled the budget hearings, got the job. Both police and fire face a shortage of applicants for entry-level posts, and the result in the fire department is increased overtime. The department is mostly younger men, as older firefighters face mandatory retirement. Diversity and training are also a focus here. Full details are here.
 More Short Items:

• Is that landscaper legal (in Newton)? The list of registered (thus legal) landscapers who have been notified of Newton’s ban on gas-powered leaf blowers from Memorial Day to Labor Day is here. If yours isn’t here, you could be fined. Registration is through the Inspectional Services 
• D Branch Station Accessibility Improvements Upgrades to Waban, Eliot, Chestnut Hill, and Beaconsfield Stations will rehabilitate the stations, improve customer comfort and experience, and make the D Branch the first fully accessible branch on the Green Line. There will be some shuttles during this project. For details visit the D Branch Station Accessibility Improvements project. 
• MassDOT started work on the Needham/Highland street bridge June 27. That means detours for vehicles and pedestrians. And the bridge will be closed altogether the night of July 11.
  

THIS weekend is action-packed in Newton--there’s the Multicultural festival →
 
Also May 7, you can walk Upper Falls history 1-3 pm
 
And don’t forget the outdoor pop-up market in the parking lot of Dunn-Gaherin’s while you’re in the neighborhood!
 
ALSO--there’s Taiwan Day in the Highlands:
Starting at 11 am Saturday, with a Dragon Dance at Lincoln and Bowdoin St, continuing down Lincoln, which will be briefly blocked off to traffic and ending at the Hyde Center, 90 Lincoln Street, Newton Highlands. Performances at the Hyde Playground continue until 4 pm.
 
Finally, the Newton Neighbors Diaper Drive is in full swing; if you want to donate, a great way is via their Amazon Wish List.
 BudgetMay is budget season, which provides a way to reflect on all the good things that our Newton government delivers to residents.
 
Schools, of course, are the biggest piece of the budget, and rightfully so--they are the future of our city, state, and country. More children should have the benefits of a school system like Newton’s that nurtures and prepares them for life in college or in a vocation as well as citizens of the world.
 
This year’s budget gap of about $2 million in the school department is painful, but inflation and the need to retain our teachers will mean that next year we will face a similar gap--unless we find new revenue. In municipal government, particularly in Massachusetts under Proposition 2.5, which limits the tax levy increase to 2.5%, money is always tight unless there is lots of growth or tax overrides.
 
Council’s responsibility, however, is the municipal side of the budget. Here are some of the details that I found interesting:
 

• Our library--is growing its e-book collection and adding personalized recommendations for readers. Outdoor seating is being expanded for those who want fresh air with their WIFI. And those solar carports over the parking lot are providing the equivalent of 40% of the library’s electricity.
• Senior Services has really rolled with COVID’s punches this year, delivering food, companionship, mobility and programs with a slim crew of dedicated staff and volunteers.
• Health & Human Services covers school nurses, public health and also the Community Crisis Intervention Team in partnership with the schools and police to help with increased mental health and substance abuse needs. They also deliver food--and I was struck by this graph:

It’s a little hard to read, but it shows that children’s meals now drive demand at the grab & go meal sites. I guess the better news is that there are fewer people needing this food now than this time last year.

• Newton is seeing a steady increase in building and other permits--last year up over 4,000, along with 67 demolitions. But this year we should finally get additional staff to conduct inspections.
• Newton itself is building--and doing a better job of preventative maintenance and energy conservation as it does. This year the city is on track to wrap up the early childhood building on Albemarle, start the Lincoln-Eliot school at 150 Jackson Road, and some additional solar projects. New projects include schools (Countryside, Horace Mann and Franklin), a new Gath pool, NewCAL, and extensive repairs to police headquarters.

And there's more budget review to come....
 Short Items:

• Northland: According to the contractors, at this month’s liaison committee meeting, neighbors will see some work on the site soon, including excavating along Oak St. to underground wires and demolition of the structures in the former shopping mall.  You can keep abreast of the details here.
• The Mass Housing Partnership has published a list of common misconceptions about the MBTA Communities Law, for those of you wanting to know more about this Zoning law.
• Swimming season starts June 13--you can purchase your membership for Gath Pool and Crystal lake here. Swimming lesson sign ups open May 16th.
  

There is so much happening at the Public Safety & Transportation meetings, it needs an update. Very soon, Council will work on the budget and I will want to write an update focused entirely on that. 

Tomorrow: two street designs 
At our April 6 meeting, the committee considers options for the Commonwealth Avenue Carriageway from east of Ash Street to the Marriott and for Grove Street just west of 128. Both of these are state-funded, and safety for those outside of cars is my main concern. 
 Air gun regulation After hearing about a backyard air/pellet gun practice area in a West Newton neighborhood, PS&T and the full Council speedily approved an ordinance to ban discharge of such weapons (and BB guns). We learned that they can fire not just plastic pellets and ball bearings, but also hollow lead bullets, sometimes in quick succession (ie automatic). Thanks to Councilor Andrea Kelley, the Law Department and the Police Department for quickly drafting a feasible ban. 
 Training for public safety We also had a long discussion on March 23 with Newton Fire Chief Gino Lucchetti and Chief Greg Gentile as well as Police Chief John Carmichael about training. Council became concerned after settlements with two fire department employees who alleged harassment and discrimination. Human Resources’ Director Michelle Pizzi O’Brien and Chief Gentile described an inclusive and ramped-up series of trainings (exceeding state standards) that they have recently implemented in the fire department. Most (94%+) of the department is now trained. They have heard positive feedback from our firefighters and leadership on the programs, and I look forward to hearing more about improved workplace climate.
 The NPD hired a consultant to work closely with the department on implicit bias, respect, diversity and other workplace and customer-facing issues, starting late last month. In the meantime, they were actively training the force as required by state and Newton police reform laws and policies. Community policing is a big focus of Chief Carmichael, which I welcome. 

Police data: Overdoses/mental health calls up

Our quarterly review of police statistics showed steadily high numbers of mental health calls and overdoses in Newton. Already, the city had two residents overdose—one sadly fatally--as well as 7 non-residents (for comparison, last year Newton had four overdose fatalities and 10 calls total). Chief Carmichael, the NPD and a team of professionals, including an NPD social worker and the Health and Human Services Department, as well as non-profit mental health organizations, have developed creative and focused mental health crisis responses and preventive measures, including mental health first aid--in which 100% of the department is now trained. The department is also applying for funds to work with teens on various kinds of prevention—from drug use to domestic abuse.
 FYI--the state’s “good Samaritan law” shields those who report overdoses (including from alcohol) from arrest or prosecution. So if someone calls in an emergency, they should stay on the line so the dispatcher can get timely help to anyone in danger. While so far there have been no hate crimes reported in Newton, police have recorded 30 bias-related incidents in this first quarter of 2022. Last year, there were a total of 58.

Public Safety will continue to review police statistics quarterly, including looking at year-over-year data and traffic safety. The full report on this meeting is here: 
 Short Items:

• School transportation:  I recently sent my colleagues a summary of the past two year’s  work of the School Transportation Working Group, on which I sit with Councilor Bowman and School Committee Chair Tamika Olszewski and member Paul Levy. 
• Green Line: According to the MBTA, weekend maintenance work on the D-line is finished. However, if your travel plans go past Government Center station, you will need to switch to the Orange Line until it’s clear that the Government Center Garage collapse won’t affect safety. 
• Why is new housing so expensive? This article uses Portland, OR examples of all the hard and soft costs of apartment construction—and why zoning is only one piece (the least painful piece) of the puzzle. While the actual policies and numbers differ somewhat, you’ll get the basic idea.
• Housing near transit may be the best single thing municipalities can do to combat climate change. ear the podcast.
  

New Library Parking Lot--more than meets the eye
 Even before the solar panels went in, the main library parking lot was in need of resurfacing. '
But this summer’s $1.8 million in work is more than a repaving job. After dozens of patrons lost their cars in a flash flood in the late 1990s, it was clear that the Library lot had a problem with water. Further, EPA’s storm water permit for Newton requires the city to remove phosphorus and salt from the parking lot (and all our other) runoff before it pours into the Charles River. Phosphorus (present in car exhaust) and heat create ideal conditions for blue-green algae (or cyanobacteria) that can make swimming or boating on the river unpleasant (and is deadly for dogs). So I was pleased to vote to include investment in storm water retention and treatment--about $775,000 from the storm water fund for this parking lot. By putting in permeable pavement and underground water retention, the new parking lot will be less likely to flood and will remove nearly 3 lbs of phosphorus per year. This will be a significant improvement for water quality.

 Next Step on Newton’s Climate Goals  Council learned more Monday about measures to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A Building Emissions Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO), modeled on one passed in Boston, would require owners of our largest structures to plan to cut emissions to zero by 2050. 
 City staff determined that roughly 400 large buildings contribute ~27% of Newton’s emissions. This step is probably the next-easiest way to significantly reduce greenhouse gasses after Newton Power Choice.
The idea would be to give property owners multiple paths and time to make orderly changes when their heating & cooling equipment reaches the end of its useful life, or when doing planned renovations or construction. 

 The first step is city engagement with owners before the ordinance is written.  Separately, Council is petitioning the state legislature for permission to require all new or substantially renovated houses to go all-electric. I see this is a consumer protection measure, since we will be required to retrofit our homes by 2030 or thereabouts.
 Short Items:

• Police Data; Training: Join the Public Safety & Transportation Committee tonight 7 pm for our quarterly police data update, plus information on Police and Fire Department staff training. 
  
• Housing Costs and 'Scarcity Mindset’: Digging deeper into why housing is so expensive and why we fight so hard about it--Noah Smith here describes the “scarcity mindset” (and shouts out to Rick Pearlstein’s Reaganland, a longer good read). Thanks to Phil Hanser of Newton Centre for the blog that linked to both.
• MBTA Zoning: Regulations are still in draft form, but Councilor Bill Humphrey nicely lays out a possible vision for how Newton might comply. I would like to see Newton create more neighborhoods where residents can walk or bike 15 minutes or less for all their needs. I think this law may help us get there, but we will have to run several scenarios. 
  

Surveillance and Facial Recognition Technology It’s important to me that our local government respects your civil rights and right to privacy. It is also important that, any time the city, state or nation acquires a new way to compile data on you, the reasons and guardrails around unwarranted intrusion are clear and openly debated.
 So on Feb. 9th, I invited the Massachusetts ACLU’s privacy and surveillance expert, Kade Crockford, to the Public Safety & Transportation committee meeting. Crockford laid out the dangers of “policy by procurement.” This is when police or other departments buy surveillance technology, often using grant funds, without a full Council discussion about what the technology does, how it works, and how it will be used.
 We also learned about the fallibility of facial recognition technology for identification, and how it particularly mis-identifies women, the young, the old and people of color. You can read the report here:
 Our next steps will be to examine ordinance language to limit facial recognition in Newton—building on what Sen. Cynthia Creem has done at the state level—and to ensure that Council properly vets any technological surveillance and the use of and access to any collected data.
 
 Short Items: 

• Albemarle Road: My #1 road safety priority is streets near schools—the latest stretch up for repair serves two schools, soon to include the city preschool program, plus a park and the Gath Pool. This stretch would also create a safer walking and biking connection from Washington Street (about to get a safety pilot) to the Charles River Paths. A public meeting on the improvements is March 10 at 5:30 pm on Zoom. Details here:
• Northland The Needham-Oak Street development is going to start construction this year. Plans have been refined, and improved. There’s more greenspace, more trees, AND more buildings are going to be built to the highest sustainability standards. I am also pleased that new streets are now getting names.
• Northland 40B Across the street, Northland is planning more housing and some small retail, building along the spine of Charlemont Street (which they extend to the Upper Falls Greenway) and Christina Street. I am pleased that they plan to construct a large park along the former rail spur that, we hope, will eventually again cross into Needham over the river. 
• Trash--I wrote in my December update about trash. Here’s a tool from the EPA that helps measure the greenhouse gasses we might save by wasting less. Thanks to Tom Gloria of Newton Centre for sending this. 
• The High Cost of Housing: Not everyone could open the link in last month’s update on why housing costs have spiked. A shorter article is here. Thanks to Mike Halle of West Newton for the link.   Also for this one.
• Winterfest: It was great to gather at the Soup Social last Saturday, and also a blast to walk in Cold Spring Park (picture above) in the snow on Sunday! Newton Community Pride is looking for more good ideas—and has micro-grants available for those willing to pull them off:

Office Hours Sunday, March 6 , 3:30 pm
 
 I’m excited to host Representative Ruth Balser, who will join Councilor Alicia Bowman and me to talk about all things parklands and open space protection. She has been helping us at the intersection of Quinobequin and Hemlock Gorge to get funding for the historic Stone House (technically in Wellesley), sidewalk improvements and soon-to-come crosswalks. She has also secured funding for the Crystal Lake Bathhouse. Come with your questions and suggestions.
 And, yes, there will be time to talk about other areas of interest afterward.
 Surveillance and Facial Recognition Technology
 It’s important to me that our local government respects your civil rights and right to privacy. It is also important that, any time the city, state or nation acquires a new way to compile data on you, the reasons and guardrails around unwarranted intrusion are clear and openly debated.
 So on Feb. 9th, I invited the Massachusetts ACLU’s privacy and surveillance expert, Kade Crockford, to the Public Safety & Transportation committee meeting. Crockford laid out the dangers of “policy by procurement.” This is when police or other departments buy surveillance technology, often using grant funds, without a full Council discussion about what the technology does, how it works, and how it will be used.
 We also learned about the fallibility of facial recognition technology for identification, and how it particularly mis-identifies women, the young, the old and people of color. You can read the report here:
 Our next steps will be to examine ordinance language to limit facial recognition in Newton—building on what Sen. Cynthia Creem has done at the state level—and to ensure that Council properly vets any technological surveillance and the use of and access to any collected data.
 Signing Party
Speaking of state lawmakers—Councilor Bowman and I are holding a porch party for anyone who wants to get our legislators and a few other choice candidates on the state primary ballot.

Short Items:
 

• Albemarle Road: My #1 road safety priority is streets near schools—the latest stretch up for repair serves two schools, soon to include the city preschool program, plus a park and the Gath Pool. This stretch would also create a safer walking and biking connection from Washington Street (about to get a safety pilot) to the Charles River Paths. A public meeting on the improvements is March 10 at 5:30 pm on Zoom. Details here:
  
• Northland The Needham-Oak Street development is going to start construction this year. Plans have been refined, and improved. There’s more greenspace, more trees, AND more buildings are going to be built to the highest sustainability standards. I am also pleased that new streets are now getting names.
  
• Northland 40B Across the street, Northland is planning more housing and some small retail, building along the spine of Charlemont Street (which they extend to the Upper Falls Greenway) and Christina Street. I am pleased that they plan to construct a large park along the former rail spur that, we hope, will eventually again cross into Needham over the river. 
  
• Trash--I wrote in my December update about trash. Here’s a tool from the EPA that helps measure the greenhouse gasses we might save by wasting less. Thanks to Tom Gloria of Newton Centre for sending this. 
  
• The High Cost of Housing: Not everyone could open the link in last month’s update on why housing costs have spiked. A shorter article is here. Thanks to Mike Halle of West Newton for the link.   Also for this one.
  
• Winterfest: It was great to gather at the Soup Social last Saturday, and also a blast to walk in Cold Spring Park (picture above) in the snow on Sunday! Newton Community Pride is looking for more good ideas—and has micro-grants available for those willing to pull them off:
  

Hope to see you at office hours!! 

Questions Answered! Sunday, Feb. 6, 3:30pm Please join me and Councilor Bowman, along with state representatives Tommy Vitolo of Brookline and Kay Khan of Newton, for an informative session on how parts of the state's Climate Action Law allows municipalities to opt-in to a greener building code. We will take questions & suggestions.
And if you have something else you’d like to discuss, there will be time for that afterward. 
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85298251794
 
Warning: Tight City Budget Because of the pandemic, city revenue is down. The mayor announced last week that some very popular projects will have to be cut or delayed.
One of the most important jobs of the City Council is to debate and approve the annual budget.  
 Having some Federal pandemic-relief funds and Infrastructure funds helps. But none of this money could--nor should, since they are one-time--go into our operating budget.
One of the biggest cost drivers has been and still is the city’s pension obligations. Others include trash, health insurance and other areas where inflation outpaces revenue growth.
 The mayor is talking about shaving every department--except schools--by a little. And we will have to make some tough decisions about which new initiatives to pursue. Talk to me about what you care about keeping.
 Zoning near Transit  There is already a lot of worry about a new state law that requires MBTA communities to zone for more housing near transit.
We don't know exactly how this law will play out for Newton, but there are a few things that are becoming clear; I outline these below:

• A good primer on the law is here.
• The regulations are still in draft form, and are open to public comment until March 31.
• Newton’s obligation is to allow--not produce--8,330 or so units.
  • We cannot restrict them to seniors;
  • We cannot restrict the size of each unit;
  • They need to be within a half-mile of a transit stop.
• I found the state FAQ, as well as the zoning memo from Monday’s meeting helpful to envision how Newton could comply.
• The Planning Department will be producing studies to help us further.

Here's what I think: the visioning Newton did this summer to prepare for re-zoning of Village Centers could give City Council a head start in complying with this law. Doing so will help our village center businesses thrive. We do know that the need for more housing in the region is urgent.
 Oh--and a great primer on what makes housing so expensive is in this podcast. The speakers say that the biggest cost driver is constrained supply--partly because of zoning.
 
Good to Know:

• ACLU and Facial Recognition at PS&T February 9th, 7 pm, check the Friday Packet for Zoom link. We will have Kade Crockford come talk with us about facial recognition technology, public safety and privacy. If our schedule allows, we will then join Programs & Services for discussion of enforcement of the leaf blower ordinance.
• Upcoming D Branch Vegetation Removal Shuttle buses replace D Branch service between Riverside and Newton Highlands the weekend of January 29-30 to allow for vegetation removal along the tracks. All shuttle buses are accessible for persons with disabilities.
• Winter Walk/Roll to School Feb. 2! Watch out on your travels as our Newton students take the winter challenge and walk, bike, scooter, bus or otherwise roll to school! If you have school kids, your PTO is organizing.
  

Here's the link to my update (lots of pictures)

Happy Italian-American Heritage month! Today at 5 pm, the city will raise Il Tricolore at City Hall to honor our residents with Italian heritage.

Mail-in ballots arrive in 2 weeks!
If you are already signed up for remote voting, your ballot may arrive as early as Oct. 15. Final registration deadline is Oct. 13. Sign up to get a ballot by mail by Oct. 27. Link to more election information here

“Dear Friends” by mid-month:
Research shows that happy constituents tend to stay home on Election Day. For those of us who have been working hard to make you happy—eek!

Please, friends, email your favorite Newton voters, particularly those who rarely cast a ballot in local elections, to encourage them to participate in the City Council elections!!

Police in focus
This Wednesday, October 6 at 7 pm, by Zoom I will welcome Chief John Carmichael at the Public Safety Committee to talk about how the Newton Police Department is complying with new state police reform measures. This is the first of what will be quarterly transparency meetings with the NPD.  I expect officers to return Oct. 17th to report on NPD’s progress on the Police Reform Task Force recommendations. One of those recommendations is that the department report several kinds of data to our committee.

Crystal Lake Parks and Water
I recently wrote to my colleagues in support of the Parks & Recreation Department’s proposal to improve the parkland at Levingston Cove, near the intersection of Lake and Lakewood avenues. This steeply-sloped shore is literally washing away, and that impacts water quality.
It will come to a full vote of the Council on Monday.

The P&R proposal would prevent erosion, add accessible paths and benches, allow fishing to continue and re-plant the lawn area. It will minimize additional concrete and make the lake waters more resilient as temperatures rise. You can read my whole memo here.

More dates for your calendar:

• Monday, October 11, noon-4pm: Indigenous People’s Day, Albemarle Field (also the Marathon)
• Tuesday, October 12th at 7:00 p.m. Moons and 12,000 Years: Honoring Indigenous Peoples Day  https://newtonfreelibrary.libcal.com/event/77791601
• Wednesday, October 13th at 7 p.m. Portraits of Resilience https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9lZPz64pQIy0fLQat5pNFw
• Sunday October 17th 11-4: Harvest Fair, Newton Centre
• Thursday, October 28th at 7 p.m. Resilience: The Biology of Stress & the Science of Hope
  Webinar Registration - Zoom

Finally—Saturday, October 16th, 10 am Join my family and me for a community canvas! Meet your neighbors and drop literature. RSVP link here. Otherwise, I am out walking in the neighborhoods, going to virtual & in-person campaign parties, and will be at festivals. I hope to see you!

Onward!

Before we head into July 4 weekend and what feels like a very much needed summer break—some late-breaking news to get you through the summer season.
 
Weigh in by July 9
Roads repaved
Quinobequin
Bus fees
Responsive & Ready
Re-Elections!

Weigh in by July 9 on grant spending!
Don’t miss your opportunity to weigh in with the mayor on where the federal COVID recovery funding might be spent.

In my meeting with Mayor Fuller, I advocated for funding a Pedestrian/Bike/Accessibility plan for all our roads—so when any road or intersection is repaved, the DPW will be able to implement needed safety fixes, rather than returning roads to the old, unsafe conditions. This would also save money, time and the effort to install these independently of road construction.

I also reminded the mayor that the Washington Street Pilot was put on hold during COVID. Many of us believe that making Washington Street safer and more livable will unlock the economic potential of the north side of town.

And I asked if Newton could invest in a Park Maintenance Plan that would include climate adaption—such as planting trees that will thrive in warmer and wetter conditions predicted for the next 30-50 years, planting for habitat in our open spaces and verges to keep native animals alive, and locations for splash parks for days like the last few.
 
Road to Recovery?
 
Speaking of roads, Chestnut Street from Rt. 9 to Beacon was given its first smooth surface—this is just the first pass and a few more coats go down before it’s done, but the improvements are palpable (particularly on a bike saddle!). Dedham Street is also getting a refresh, and you have probably seen the crews on Walnut and Watertown.
 
Chestnut was delayed for needed underground work—the 1875-era cast iron water main needed to be reinforced and the sewer main relined—and two stretches of sewer had partially collapsed! Many other repairs, including new sidewalks and tighter curb radii at two corners, will help with access and safety.

I want to thank DPW for listening to neighborhood safety concerns and implementing some traffic calming along this stretch of Chestnut.
 
Quinobequin News
 
Our excellent state representatives are a big help in my advocacy for better roads, trails and parks. Rep. Ruth Balser has joined me in fighting for improvements to the riverside park and parkway that runs between Route 9 and Washington Street. This week she alerted me that the Department of Conservation & Recreation (the state park agency that owns the land and road) has published its preferred design for a multi-use path, safer roadway, and refreshed park. That’s here. Additional background here.
 
Neighbors who live along Quinobequin were buttonholing me earlier this month to ask about how the road might be made safer for them and their kids. Let me know what you think.
 
School Bus Fees
 
I have never been a big fan of charging for the bus. I do think that the city and School Committee need to find a way to make buses more equitable, available and convenient. But I know it isn'not something that Newton can do overnight.
 
I sit on the School Transportation Working Group, which has been working to make the school bus better since I was appointed—making it possible to sign up online, pay in installments, assign seats (important during the pandemic) and more. One of the big remaining challenges is to find parking for our contractor’s current fleet of diesel buses.
 
Ideally, we could find a public and central spot for electric buses to park overnight and recharge (their batteries could provide emergency back up power). Ideally, we would also have enough buses to meet demand (middle school is close to capacity, high school less so). But until we do, that single hurdle will prevent Newton from being able to handle the anticipated increased demand for a no-fee bus ride (and then there’s the challenge of finding enough drivers).
 
Responsive and ready
 
As your councilor, I attend meetings and knock on doors to get constituent feedback and know what matters to you. My pipeline of information, like so much else, was severely constrained by the pandemic. So, going in to the spring, I joined a number of colleagues in asking Newton voters what issues mattered to them.
 
It turns out that you and I share a concern for quality public schools, Covid relief for businesses, and good repair of our public assets. Now that I’m fully vaccinated, I will continue to check in via the usual methods—phone, email, knocking on doors and meeting people around the city on our usual business—as we move into the fall.

Re-Election Time!
I am eager to continue working on the above issues and more in a third term. It again looks like I face a contested race. Campaigns are fun, but I will need your help walking your neighborhood, hosting house parties (virtual is also an option), and signs. Please pitch in here.
 
Office Hours
 
I think we all need a rest from regular business for July. But am always interested in hearing from you so don’t hesitate to pick up the phone or shoot me an email.
 
In August, I thought we might walk a village or two and talk about history and zoning redesign with a Visioning Kit. Where would you like to tour and when will you be in town? Wondering what this is all about? Here’s the Zoning Newsletter.