Finance Committee

The meeting was called to order at 6:04 p.m. by Finance Committee Chair Ben Wheeler. The meeting was conducted via remote participation pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2025.

Attendance:

• Councilor Jon Link: Present
• Councilor Kristen Strezo: Present
• Councilor Emily Hardt: Present
• Councilor J.T. Scott: Present
• Councilor Ben Wheeler: Present

Staff Present: Clerk Madeline Letellier, Chief of Staff Sarah Anders, CAO Cam Wells, City Attorney Amara, City Clerk Henderson, Finance Director Ed Bean, and various department heads.

Chief of Staff Sarah Anders presented the budget for the Executive Office, highlighting a new structure aimed at increasing community engagement and transparency.

• New Positions: The budget includes two new roles: a Community Partnerships Liaison and a Mayor’s Public Liaison. These roles were created by repurposing the Digital Innovation Officer position and reducing Intergovernmental Affairs staff from three to two.
• Grant-Funded Roles: The office continues to oversee the ARPA Director and the Public Safety for All Program Manager. A new Police Accountability Program Director role is funded for the coming fiscal year to oversee the new civilian oversight board.
• Financials: Councilor Strezo questioned the reduction in the 'badges, emblems, and trophies' line from a historical high of nearly $30,000 to $4,000. Staff clarified the current request is for routine maintenance of plaques and portraits.

City Attorney Amara provided an overview of the Law Department's functions as the city's internal legal counsel.

• Legal Services: The 'legal services' line in ordinary maintenance is budgeted at approximately $500,000 to $550,000. This funds specialized outside counsel for matters such as immigration and complex litigation.
• Charter Implementation: The department confirmed that work on the city charter revision is largely complete following legislative approval and a successful ballot question.
• Budget Compliance: Councilor Scott inquired about compliance with Charter Section 6.4 regarding the School Committee budget submission. City Attorney Amara stated the administration is in compliance, asserting that nothing prevents the budget's current form and that the Mayor's budget can be amended to reflect the School Committee's final vote.

City Clerk Henderson presented the budgets for the City Council and the Clerk's office, focusing on operational continuity and modernization.

• Staffing: The Clerk's office lost the Assistant Clerk of Vital Records position. To compensate, the office is exploring adding a third part-time Committee Clerk to prevent burnout and maintain service levels.
• Archives: Two modernization efforts are underway: an internal repository for historic project plans and a self-service online search for special permit records.
• Licensing Commission Salaries: Councilor Strezo introduced a motion to increase the salaries of the Licensing Commission members, noting they have not seen an increase since 2012.
  • Proposed Increase: Total of $15,180 (Chair: $5,180; Commissioners: $5,000 each).
  • Action: The motion was laid on the table to be taken up on 'Cut Night,' June 23, 2026.

Finance Director Ed Bean and Budget Director Mike Mastroboni presented the consolidated Finance Department budget, noting significant economic headwinds.

• Economic Outlook: Director Bean warned of a 'perfect storm' involving declining commercial growth, inflation, and stagnant state aid. The city will revise its multi-year long-range forecast over the summer.
• Auditing: The division is currently hiring for a vacant Budget Analyst position.
• Grants: Director Kate Hardke reported that the division submitted 50 funding requests totaling over $10 million in FY26, with $5 million awarded to date. The Grant Writer position was eliminated in the proposed budget.
• Assessing: Chief Assessor Frank Golden noted that while residential growth remains healthy, commercial and life science valuations have depreciated over the last three years.
• Treasury: The Municipal Scholarship Fund currently holds approximately $90,000, with plans to award eleven $2,000 scholarships this summer.
• Pension Liability: The city's unfunded actuarial liability is $114,615,000 as of January 1, 2025. The city is on pace to be fully funded by 2033.

CAO Cam Wells introduced the new Operations and Systems Department, which centralizes several administrative and innovation-focused divisions.

• Constituent Services (311): The center handled over 118,000 interactions last year. The budget includes $105,000 for an after-hours answering service to maintain 24/7 coverage.
• Elections: The city has approximately 56,000 voters. The department is preparing for a high-turnout November election featuring 13 elected positions and up to 12 ballot questions.
• Equity and Belonging: Director Catherine Nakato explained the transition from the Department of Racial and Social Justice (RSJ). The RSJ Fund ($750,000) is currently processing 65 applications for community grants, with awards expected in July. The ADA Coordinator role has moved to People Operations.
• People Operations (HR): The city is on track to hire 380 people this year. The division is focusing on digitizing paper-driven processes in the MUNIS system.
• Technology and Innovation: CIO David Goodridge reported that the city now owns its network infrastructure after paying off a five-year lease. The department is focusing on GIS upgrades and server virtualization.