Finance Committee

April 7, 2026
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Executive Summary

The Finance Committee of the Somerville City Council met on April 7, 2026, to consider several grant expenditures and administrative items. Key actions included recommending approval for a $103,514 Eversource grant for street resurfacing, a $100,000 state grant for the first phase of a city website redesign, and a $47,580 grant for police crisis intervention training. The committee also recommended amending a $365,000 Community Preservation Act grant for the Somerville Community Land Trust to facilitate project financing and accepted a vehicle gift from the Town of Medway for the Fire Auxiliary. Discussion on a grant for a body-worn camera program was postponed to April 21, 2026, pending further documentation and collective bargaining updates.

Meeting Information

  • Governing Body: Finance Committee of the Somerville City Council
  • Meeting Date: April 07, 2026
  • Meeting Type: Remote Participation
  • Chair: Councilor Ben Wheeler
  • Committee Members Present: Councilor Jon Link, Councilor Kristen Strezo (joined at 6:04 PM), Councilor Emily Hardt, Councilor J.T. Scott, Councilor Ben Wheeler.
  • Staff Present: Madeline Letelier (Clerk), Yasmin Radassi (IGA Liaison), Brian Postlewaite (Engineering Director), Ellen Anasio (Director of Finance and Administration, OSPCD), James Mucci (Director of Finance and Administration, Fire Department), Denise Taylor (Director of Communications), Emily Wisdom (Director of Finance and Administration, Police Department).

Item 1: Approval of Minutes - March 24, 2026

  • Action: The committee reviewed the minutes from the meeting of March 24, 2026.
  • Outcome: Recommended for approval as part of the final omnibus vote.

Item 4: Eversource Grant for Street Resurfacing (ID 26-0372)

  • Action: Recommended for approval.
  • Grant Amount: $103,514 (No new match required).
  • Grantor: Eversource Energy.
  • Recipient: Engineering Division.
  • Purpose: Permanent resurfacing and restoration of West Broadway and Holyoke Street.
  • Discussion Points:
    • Engineering Director Brian Postlewaite explained that this is the second year of a coordination program with Eversource Gas.
    • When Eversource performs gas line repairs on streets scheduled for the city's five-year paving plan, they grant the city funds in lieu of performing their own trench restoration. This allows the city to perform full curb-to-curb paving.
    • The funds will specifically support full street paving on Holyoke Street and West Broadway.

Item 2: CPA Fund Amendment for Somerville Community Land Trust (ID 26-0388)

  • Action: Recommended for approval.
  • Grant Amount: $365,000 (FY2025 Community Preservation Act Fund).
  • Recipient: Somerville Community Land Trust (SCLT).
  • Purpose: To amend grant conditions for the Pleasant Ave project by removing the requirement for a permanent preservation restriction.
  • Discussion Points:
    • Director Ellen Anasio stated that permanent preservation restrictions can interfere with the ability of the SCLT to secure financing and refinancing from other lenders.
    • The removal of this restriction serves as a test case for new CPA policies aimed at removing access barriers for historic projects.
    • Director Anasio confirmed that the property remains protected by the city's demolition review ordinance, which requires a thorough review of any historically significant property before demolition.
  • Disclosures: Councilor Wheeler and Councilor Link disclosed they are non-compensated volunteers for the SCLT and have no financial stake in the matter.

Item 3: Fire Department Equipment Gift (ID 26-0385)

  • Action: Recommended for approval.
  • Gift Value: Approximately $15,000.
  • Donor: Town of Medway, MA.
  • Recipient: Fire Department (Auxiliary Fire Department).
  • Purpose: A lighting and pump support unit vehicle.
  • Discussion Points:
    • Director James Mucci noted the department recently lost a vehicle and this gift is timely.
    • The vehicle provides lighting and pumping services for fire scenes, crime scenes, city events, and residential basement flooding.
    • A city mechanic inspected the vehicle and confirmed it is in good working condition.

Item 5: Website Redesign Grant (ID 26-0382)

  • Action: Recommended for approval.
  • Grant Amount: $100,000 (No new match required).
  • Grantor: Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
  • Recipient: Communications and Community Engagement Department.
  • Purpose: Phase one of a comprehensive redesign of the city website (somervillema.gov).
  • Discussion Points:
    • Director Denise Taylor noted the website was last redesigned 10-11 years ago and currently contains over 200,000 pages/documents.
    • The project aims to improve ADA accessibility and user-friendliness.
    • The long-term goal is to consolidate various departmental "microsites" (such as the Police site) into the main site to reduce subscription costs and improve navigation.

Item 6: Crisis Intervention Training Grant (ID 26-0301)

  • Action: Recommended for approval.
  • Grant Amount: $47,580 (No new match required).
  • Grantor: Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH).
  • Recipient: Police Department.
  • Purpose: Overtime and backfill for crisis intervention training (CIT), certification, and recertification.
  • Discussion Points:
    • Director Emily Wisdom explained the funding will put seven new officers through a 40-hour CIT course and recertify 25 existing officers.
    • Training topics include behavioral health, de-escalation skills, and navigating community resources.
    • Councilor Scott noted that while there are larger conversations regarding police staffing, this grant is beneficial as it maintains minimum staffing levels while officers receive critical training.

Item 7: Body-Worn Camera Program Grant (ID 26-0378)

  • Action: Postponed.
  • Grant Amount: $231,635.
  • Grantor: Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.
  • Reason for Postponement: Liaison Yasmin Radassi informed the committee that due to ongoing collective bargaining negotiations and the need for further documentation, the administration is not yet ready to discuss the item. The item is expected to return to the committee on April 21, 2026.

Final Votes and Adjournment

  • Motion: To recommend approval of items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and to adjourn.
  • Mover: Councilor J.T. Scott.
  • Vote Outcome: Approved 5-0 via roll call.
    • Councilor Link: Yes
    • Councilor Strezo: Yes
    • Councilor Hardt: Yes
    • Councilor Scott: Yes
    • Councilor Wheeler: Yes

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Last updated: Apr 12, 2026

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