Newton City Council - June 1, 2026

• Governing Body: Newton City Council
• Meeting Type: Regular City Council Meeting
• Date: June 1, 2026
• Attendees: President John Oliver, Councilors Susan Albright, R. Lisle Baker, Martha Bixby, Randy Block, Brittany Hume Charm, Cyrus Dahmubed, Stephen Farrell, Rena Getz, Brian Golden, Lisa Gordon, Maria Scibelli Greenberg, Rebecca Walker Grossman, Julie Irish, Andrea W. Kelley, Joshua Krintzman, Alison M. Leary, Tarik J. Lucas, Julia Malakie, David Micley, Sean Roche, Jacob Silber, and Pamela Wright.
• Absent: David A. Kalis and two others (not specified by name during roll call).

Councilor Kelley presented the report from the May 19 meeting. The following items were approved during the first call:

• Item 173-26: Request to extend nonconforming Floor Area Ratio (FAR) at 22 Winslow Road. Approved 7-0 in committee.
• Item 174-26: Request to further extend nonconforming FAR at 38 Morseland Ave. Approved 19-2 (Councilors Dahmubed and Roche voting no).
• Item 176-26: Request to further extend FAR at 54 Bonad Road. Approved 19-2 (Councilors Dahmubed and Roche voting no).
• Item 177-26: Request to extend FAR and facade ratio at 5 Rose Drive. Approved 8-0 in committee.

Public Hearings Set:

• June 2, 2026: Items 189-26, 190-26, 191-26, and 118-26.
• June 16, 2026: Items 207-26 and 208-26.

Councilor Krintzman reported on the meetings held on May 14 and May 20. The following items were approved:

• Item 139-26: Authorization to appropriate and expend $550,000 from June 30, 2025, certified free cash for SIN replacement. Approved 6-0.
• Item 146-26: Appropriation of $150,000 from June 30, 2025, certified free cash for netting. Approved 6-0.
• Item 163-26: Appointment of Mark Welch as Commissioner of Parks and Recreation. Approved 7-0.
• Item 78-26(1): Rule change clarifying that the 180-day rule applies to docket items from Councilors and the Mayor. Approved 7-0.
• Item 78-26(2): Rule change to the financial composition of the Financial Audit Committee, allowing either the Chair or Vice Chair of Finance to serve. Approved 7-0.

Councilor Getz moved for a suspension of the rules to report out two late-filed docket items, which was approved unanimously:

• Item 210-26: Appropriation of $135,000 from June 30, 2025, certified free cash for Fuel Stations.
• Item 2212-26: Appropriation of $577,175 from June 30, 2025, certified free cash for Snow Vehicles.

Councilor Kelley requested that Item 175-26 be held to a date certain as the petitioner had not yet submitted required materials.

• Action: The Council voted 21-0 to hold the item until June 15, 2026.

Councilor Krintzman introduced Item 78-26(3), a proposed change to the order of roll call votes. The amendment suggested rotating the starting point of the alphabetical roster each meeting to ensure equity in voting order.

Discussion Highlights:

• Councilor Baker: Opposed the change, citing the importance of tradition and potential public confusion. He noted that having experienced members at the start of the alphabet helps correct errors.
• Councilor Roche: Supported the change as a way to modernize and reduce arbitrary practices.
• Councilor Albright: Suggested that true modernization would involve electronic simultaneous voting rather than "rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic."
• Councilor Lucas: Argued that there is no evidence that voting at the end of the order influences a Councilor's decision.
• Councilor Krintzman: Clarified a legal safeguard in the proposal: "An inaccuracy in the order or a mistake in the order shall not invalidate an action of the council."

Vote Outcome:

• Ayes (7): Charm, Dahmubed, Getz, Greenberg, Krintzman, Malakie, Roche.
• Nays (15): Albright, Baker, Block, Farrell, Gordon, Grossman, Irish, Kelley, Leary, Lucas, Micley, Silber, Wright, Oliver, Bixby.
• Absences (2): Kalis, Golden (Note: Golden was present for earlier votes but not recorded here).
• Result: The motion failed.