LIVE: Quincy City Council (Finance Committee) - June 2, 2026

• Governing Body: Quincy City Council Finance Committee
• Meeting Type: Finance Committee Meeting
• Date: June 02, 2026
• Committee Members Present: Richard Ash, Noel DiBona, Walter Hubley, David Jacobs, Anne Mahoney, Maggie McKee, Virginia Ryan, Ziqiang Yuan, Deborah Riley (Chair).
• Other Participants: Ms. Lyman (Library Director), Dagny Ashley (Tourism Director), Ed Grennan (TPAL Director), Al Grazioso (Commissioner of Public Works), Paul Costello (City Engineer), Tom Henry (Program Manager).

Ms. Lyman presented the Library's fiscal 2026 successes and the fiscal 2027 budget request.

Key Discussion Points:

• Programs: Launch of a community garden, seed library, and a 'book bike' tricycle e-bike funded by the Friends of the Library.
• Personnel: Discussion regarding a 30-hour social worker position (Carol Small) transitioned from grant funding to the general budget.
• Discrepancies: Councilors identified several line items (Chief Cataloger, Chief Tech Service, and Archivist Librarian) showing zero expenditures for multiple years despite being budgeted for approximately $90,000–$140,000 each.
• Turnover: Ms. Lyman reported a 50% turnover rate (30 of 60 staff) over four years, citing retirements and relocations as primary causes.

Official Action:

• Motion to Table: The budget was tabled to allow the Director to reconcile MUNIS accounting discrepancies with Human Resources and Municipal Finance.

Dagny Ashley presented the Tourism budget, focusing on destination marketing and the Welcome Center.

Key Discussion Points:

• Data Tracking: The office uses 'Placer AI' to track visitor mobile data, funded by a $20,000 state grant.
• Hotel/Motel Tax: Revenue has trended upward: $1.27M (2022), $1.96M (2023), $2.28M (2024), and $2.3M (2025). By law, 15% is allocated to tourism and historical preservation.
• Historical Society: Discussion centered on the Director of the Historical Society being a full-time city employee funded by the hotel/motel tax. Councilor Jacobs questioned the value and the city's direct oversight of this role.

Official Action:

• Motion to Table: Tabled for further information regarding the Historical Society position and job descriptions.

Director Ed Grennan presented a proposed budget of $3.99 million, a 4.4% increase over fiscal 2026.

Key Discussion Points:

• Infrastructure: Maintenance of 110 signals, 10,000 signs, and 8,000 streetlights.
• Revenue: Parking receipts from Kilroy Square Garage are projected at $1.3M–$1.4M, exceeding the $950,000 budget offset.

Official Actions:

• Amendment 1: Motion to cut $5,500 from Line 540300 (Maintenance Supplies). Vote: 7-1 (Councilor DiBona voting No).
• Amendment 2: Motion to cut $11,500 from Line 540800 (Vehicular Supplies). Vote: 8-0 (Unanimous).
• Final Vote: Approved as amended. Vote: 8-0 (Unanimous).

Commissioner Al Grazioso and City Engineer Paul Costello presented the Engineering budget.

Key Discussion Points:

• Savings: In-house design and oversight have saved the city an estimated $31 million since 2018.
• Consent Decree: The city is reportedly two years ahead of schedule on EPA consent decree milestones.

Official Action:

• Motion to Approve: Approved as presented. Vote: 9-0 (Unanimous).

The Highway Division budget includes street repairs, snow operations support, and city-wide fuel management.

Key Discussion Points:

• Fuel Costs: The city pays $2.43/gal for regular gasoline and $2.83/gal for diesel. The transportation supplies line was increased by $100,000 due to diesel market volatility.
• Personnel: Eliminated one General Foreman position ($86,498 savings).

Official Action:

• Motion to Approve: Approved as presented. Vote: 9-0 (Unanimous).

The budget remains level-funded at $2,224,000.

Key Discussion Points:

• Deficit: The city applied for FEMA reimbursement of $2,452,434 for a major February storm.
• Legal Requirement: Director Della Barbara noted that reducing this budget could negatively impact free cash calculations due to state Department of Revenue regulations.

Official Action:

• Motion to Approve: Approved as presented. Vote: 9-0 (Unanimous).

The budget increased by $584,246, primarily due to contractual increases for waste collection (6%) and disposal (3%).

Key Discussion Points:

• Volume: The city produces 2,500 tons of trash and 460 tons of recycling per month.
• Contamination: Recycling contamination is at 6.5%, well below the 10% penalty threshold.
• Standardized Bins: Estimated cost for city-wide standardized bins is $4.1M–$4.6M.

Official Action:

• Motion to Approve: Approved as presented. Vote: 9-0 (Unanimous).

The budget increased by $96,092, driven by contractual labor increases.

Key Discussion Points:

• Infrastructure: Maintenance of 9,104 catch basins and 56 tide gates.
• Compliance: Operations are dictated by MS4 stormwater regulations.

Official Action:

• Motion to Approve: Approved as presented. Vote: 9-0 (Unanimous).

The Sewer budget is dominated by a $24 million MWRA assessment.

Key Discussion Points:

• Debt: Interest on notes increased by $926,414, potentially linked to a $24 million sewer bond for infrastructure and a new DPW storage facility.
• Operations: Responded to 610 sewer backups in the previous year.

Official Action:

• Motion to Approve: Approved as presented. Vote: 9-0 (Unanimous).

The Water budget includes a $16 million MWRA assessment.

Key Discussion Points:

• Infrastructure: Management of 23,000 meters and 2,244 fire hydrants.
• Liens: The city averages approximately $1 million annually in water liens.

Official Actions:

• Amendment: Commissioner Grazioso recommended the elimination of a vacant Senior Clerk Typist 2 position (Line 512129). Motion to Cut: $75,000. Vote: 9-0 (Unanimous).
• Final Vote: Approved as amended. Vote: 9-0 (Unanimous).