Author: Mia

Children’s Art Scavenger Hunt

Arsenal Project – Watertown Art Association

May 13, 2016
City of Newton Fiscal Budget 2017
Dear Resident,

Earlier tonight, I was pleased to present to the City Council my proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2017.

Below are some highlights from my remarks this evening, as well as links to the full text, and the budget document itself. I hope you will take a moment to read it through.

Thank you.
City Finances

Before I first took office 6 years ago, our budget was not oriented towards delivering outcomes for Newton residents. In 2010, our finances were in bad shape and the outlook was bleak:

the City was facing an annual structural deficit projected to be more than $40 million by 2013;

our expenses were growing by 2 percentage points more than our revenues every year;

there was no emergency or rainy day reserve account;

our pension trust fund had suffered a significant loss in principal;

we had not even begun to think about addressing our other post-employment benefits, or OPEB, which is “health insurance for retirees”; and

our triple A bond rating was in jeopardy.

Through hard work and dedication and an unwavering, disciplined focus on a strategy of zero basing our budgets, making data-driven financial decisions, and restructuring our union contracts we have been able to eliminate the structural deficit and get our expenditure growth in line with our revenue growth.

In addition to balancing our budget, we recognized that it was important to establish a reserve fund for emergencies or catastrophic events. I am proud to announce that with the City Council’s approval of the Rainy Day Docket Item and this budget, we will begin FY17 with almost $19 million, a full 5% of our FY17 operating budget in a rainy day reserve.

Our pension fund, which had suffered significant losses in the crash of 2008, continues to be a top priority. And while it was acceptable when I first took office to have a plan that fully funded our pension liability by the year 2038, financial sustainability requires more. Therefore, this budget includes an increase of $1.9 million to continue to support a funding schedule aimed at fully funding the City’s pension liability by the year 2029-almost a decade ahead of schedule.

Commitment to this funding schedule is an integral component of my administration’s plan to address OPEB liabilities and is therefore key to the City’s long term financial stability strategy.

Recently, we announced that a third party actuary has confirmed the Administration’s funding strategy, which will enable the City of Newton to eliminate the City’s unfunded pension liability by the year 2029 and the OPEB liability by the year 2042. The actuarial valuation of the City’s OPEB Liabilities for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015 confirms the administration’s plan is financially sound and sustainable. The valuation by Financial Risk Analysts, LLC, is in keeping with the national standards of practice of the actuarial profession and is in accordance with Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statement 45, or GASB-45. The FY17 Budget contains a $350,000 increase in the OPEB appropriation, with that allocation now totaling more than $1.7 million.

And finally on our finances, not only have we been able to maintain our triple A bond rating with Moody’s Investor Services throughout the past 6 years, this year for the first time we went beyond and also asked Standard and Poor’s to rate the City. As many of you know, in January we were pleased to announce that Standard and Poor’s also assigned a triple A rating to the City, citing, and I quote, “strong management, with ‘good’ financial policies and practices under our Financial Management Assessment methodology and strong budgetary performance, with balanced operating results in the general fund.”

This is a major achievement. With this double triple A rating, the City of Newton has joined a very small group of municipalities who have earned triple A ratings from these two highly regarded institutions.

Education
As you’ve heard me say many times before, education is the bedrock of our community. Our commitment to preparing all of our young people to meet their full potential is unwavering.

The Angier School has opened on time and under budget, the Zervas School community has moved to Carr, as part of our comprehensive, multi-year school facilities plan. A plan that is smart about using swing spaces to minimize disruption as well as embark on an aggressive school buildings upgrade plan in the most cost effective way possible.

The Cabot School project continues to meet major milestones and in September our pre-k program will be moving to the recently acquired Aquinas property and the Ed Center basement will be renovated to house Central High.

Additionally, the School Department budget highlights investments in both students and staff to ensure Newton continues to deliver a high-quality education to all students. In developing the FY17 budget, NPS paid special attention to dedicating significant resources to continue to improve student achievement, close the achievement gap, and support the positive social and emotional development of all of our students.

Over the past five years, achievement gaps in high school English language arts, math, and science MCAS have narrowed. We have seen significant increases in the enrollment of traditionally underrepresented students in higher-level classes at both high schools. This initiative began as a pilot at Newton North and has now expanded to Newton South. The schools continue to expand special education programs so that most students can be educated within the district.

NPS continues to pilot exciting initiatives in the area of science and technology. This year, the DaVinci Program, an interdisciplinary project based approach to learning science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, is being piloted at Newton South with 10th grade students. This successful pilot will expand to 11th graders next year. Schools have introduced the teaching of computer coding at the elementary level and plans are underway to expand coding lessons in the coming year.

Condition of Roads
Six years ago my administration inherited crumbling roads and sidewalks and no comprehensive plan for maintaining and updating our city’s infrastructure. Addressing this serious need has been another priority of my administration and that has been-and will continue to be-reflected in our budget strategy as we invest in our infrastructure and look at our community’s needs in the coming decades. We continue to use the $1 million dollars allocated from the override in 2013 each year to make sure we have safe, updated infrastructure. We are working extensively on upgrading our sidewalks and intersections to be ADA compliant, making them safer for all pedestrians. In FY17, we are installing over 300 ADA compliant ramps at 71 intersections across the City.

This year, for the first time, under the direction of Public Works Commissioner Jim McGonagle, the City will be using a data-driven approach to our streets with StreetScan, a pavement inspection service that utilizes rapid-sensor inspection technology to diagnose surface and subsurface roadway defects. StreetScan was also a 2015 MassChallenge finalist. Working with them will provide us with the data, tools, and cutting-edge methods that will help us formulate optimum strategies to maintain and improve our roadways. This will produce an organized data-driven approach for pavement management. This technology will lead to our development of an accelerated street paving action plan based on empirical data and best practices. We expect to present this accelerated action plan to the public in the fall because we know how important it is to have quality roads and sidewalks in our city.

Smart-Phone App Parking

I am also pleased to announce that this summer the City will deploy a citywide mobile parking app, which will allow any driver parking at a metered space to have the option of paying either by phone or by coin. We believe this will be immensely more convenient for visitors to our village centers and are excited to roll out this parking initiative.

BigBelly Trash/Recycling Units

In addition to the items listed above, this year’s budget includes the installation of

340 BigBelly smart, solar-powered stations, many with compactors to enable the City to improve waste and recycling management volume, collection, and efficiency by delivering real-time data to a web-based dashboard.

To view the full text of my remarks from this evening, please click here.

To view the budget in its entirety, click here.

Sincerely,

Setti D. Warren

Mayor

City of Newton, MA
May 12, 2016
Help Stamp Out Hunger on May 14th

Help Stamp Out Hunger on May 14th

WHEN: Saturday, May 14, 2016

WHERE: Communities throughout the state.

WHO: The US Postal Service, the National Association of Letter Carriers and the American people.

WHAT: Saturday, May 14^th marks the 24th anniversary of America’s largest-single day of food donations — the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. The Food Drive provides food to local community banks during a much needed time in a cooperative effort with the U.S. Postal Service and other regional partners.

Just leave a non-perishable food donation in a bag by the mailbox on Saturday, May 14th, and your letter carrier will do the rest. It’s that simple and millions of Americans, including local residents may benefit.

Last year, on this one day over 71 million pounds of food was collected nationally. Over the course of its 23 year history the drive has collected well over one billion pounds of food, thanks to the Postal Service’s universal network that spans the entire nation, including Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The need is great. Currently 49 million Americans (1 in 6) are unsure where their next meal is coming from. Nearly 16 million children feel the impact of hunger on their overall health and ability to perform in school and 5 million seniors over age 60 have to decide between daily meals or paying for rent or needed medications.

The food drive’s timing is crucial. Food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need.

FAQS: On the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

Why is this effort so successful?

Letters carriers know their communities and recognize that need, even in unlikely settings.

The coming months are especially trying for our neediest neighbors and for the local charities that serve them. In summer, other food collections taper off and as schools shut down, school breakfast and lunch programs also cut back significantly. The need escalates just as pantry shelves grow light.

Where does my food go?

Food collected in a community stays in that community. We believe that is one reason for the success of this endeavor, because our customers know we are delivering right at home where the need is great.

Is anything special needed?

Many pantries also work with special dietary or family needs, such as feeding small children and infants, elder nutrition and ethnic needs. Donations of low to no-sodium, nutritional drinks and packaged ethnic specialties are welcome.

I have some jars of sauce. Can I set these out?

Glass containers pose a serious risk to our carriers and to pantry volunteers if broken in transit. In addition, spills can contaminate other donations. So please … no glass.

May 11, 2016
FREE Soccer Clinic for Kids Ages 5-8

Soccer clinic for kids in Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade hosted by Soccer Without Borders Ambassadors, Sidnie and Maia (7th graders). Sidnie and Maia are both on NEFC’s first team, which is ranked #1 in the state. Sidnie’s mom, Alison Foley, is Boston College’s Head Coach for women’s soccer. She will be the assistant at this event.

Boston College Soccer Field in Newton Location

Saturday, May 21

11am to Noon

Great FREE soccer training for young boys and girls at Boston College Newton Campus (where the Boston College Women’s Soccer Team competes near the Boston College Law School).

Please help these 7th graders out as they give back to their community!

To register, email Sidniekulik8888@gmail.com

May 10, 2016
Newton Family Singers Benefit Concert

Newton Family Singers

Long May You Run

Songs by Neil Young and Friends

A Benefit for the Newton Community Farm

Join the Newton Family Singers for a very special concert on Saturday, May 14^th at 3:30pm at the Newton South High School auditorium. In addition to performing songs by legendary folk rock artist Neil Young, NFS will be singing some well-known and beloved songs by Crosby Stills & Nash, John Fogerty and Buffalo Springfield, as well as a few song surprises. In recognition of Neil Young’s environmentalism and advocacy for small farmers, proceeds from this concert will benefit the educational programs of the Newton Community Farm. The farm’s mission is to teach and model sustainable agricultural and environmental practices in our community, on the historic Angino Farm.

Bring your family to enjoy the Newton Family Singers benefit concert on Saturday May 14^th! We’ll have a fun filled afternoon including great music, concern for our environment, education and community. To purchase tickets online ($10 per adult, $8 per child), please visit our Events Page.

Please consider purchasing a family sponsorship for $100. Family Sponsors will receive four tickets, a mention in our program and our undying gratitude! For a family sponsorship, please email us at newfamilysingers@gmail.com.

The Newton Family Singers is a 65 person intergenerational chorus celebrating family, community and American (and sometimes Canadian) folk music since 2010.

Tickets on sale here.

May 10, 2016
Garden Day at Show House

Tuesday, May 17^th

Ongoing events from 10am-5pm

Expert horticulturalists will present throughout the day under a lovely white tent. Tea and treats available for purchase. Your ticket includes entrance to Decorators’ Show House 2016 at the 1854 Greek Revival Nathaniel Allen House in West Newton.

$35 Ticket includes one-time Show House entry and access to all Garden Day presentations.

Members with a Season Pass for Show House 2016 are invited to join all Garden Day festivities.

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR GARDEN DAY HERE!

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Container & Small Space Gardening

Edward MacLean, MCLP

www.pottedup.com

POTTED UP is an “intimate” landscape design firm. From design to installation, they work closely with their clients to create beautiful garden spaces that reflect their sense of style, enhance their enjoyment of the landscape and offer years of joy.

POTTED UP was founded by Landscape Designer Ed MacLean, MCLP. Nearly a decade ago, Ed faced the challenges associated with transforming his own roof deck into an urban oasis. Ed quickly realized the limited resources available to the urban gardener and the challenges that faced them and created POTTED UP to meet those needs.

Ed holds a certificate in Landscape Design from The Landscape Institute Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University and is a Massachusetts Certified Landscape Professional.

Flower Arranging

Lucinda Y Larson, Floral Designer

Business (617)696-9765 Cell (617)921-2775

Lucinda started her floral design and arranging career in 2000 after twenty years in senior financial management. She is a Senior Associate at the MFA and belongs to the Junior League and Milton Garden clubs. She does flower arranging demonstrations as well as events, weddings and funeral flowers for people who are connected to her business by word of mouth. Her arrangements have graced Green Sales, Annual Forbes House tour, gala’s, openings, Show Houses and St. Michael’s Flower Guild.

Bonsai Gardening

Glen Lord, Horticulturist and Bonsai Expert

Glen Lord, is an avid bonsai artist with over 15 years in the art form. He spent seven years teaching and making bonsai at Bonsai West, the oldest bonsai nursery in the Northeast. He is also the bonsai specialist for the Larz Anderson Bonsai Collection that is housed at The Arnold Arboretum.

Bonsai is the ancient Japanese method of growing and caring for a tree whose growth is restricted by the size of the shallow pot in which it is planted and by the pruning of its branches and roots. In this presentation Glen Lord, who consults for the Arnold Arboretum’s bonsai (Japanese) and penjing (Chinese) collection of dwarf potted plants, will speak first about the history of bonsai. He will then demonstrate the methods employed in creating and caring for a bonsai.

Landscape Design & Planting

Christine Paxhia, Brush Hill Garden Guru

www.brushhillgardenguru.com

Christine Paxhia is a life long gardener who turned her passion into a garden design and coaching business. After 30 years in corporate America, she became a Principal Master Gardener. She spends much of her time designing garden beds, and redesigning landscapes that have become old and overgrown.

Her specialties are shade gardens, sun gardens and planters.

On Garden Day, she will talk you through a few basic principals of designing and planting a garden bed for the shade and for the sun. She will discuss how to determine the site, preparing the site, soil and plant selection.

Christine will do a planter demonstration with seasonal plants.

May 9, 2016
Volunteer Drivers Needed for Newton at Home

NEWTON AT HOME LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEER DRIVERS

Are you an empty nester and have some time to give? Are you new to the Newton area and looking to get more involved with your community? Perhaps you are recently retired and looking for just the right volunteer opportunity.

Newton at Home, a nonprofit, membership-based organization for older adults, is looking to add reliable and friendly volunteers to its workforce to transport members to medical appointments, social activities, Logan Airport, and the grocery store. From an hour a day to an hour a month, volunteers can choose their own schedule and select assignments that best suit them.

Interested volunteers will interview with the NAH Volunteer Coordinator and complete a brief training session. Volunteer drivers must provide a copy of their driver’s license, automobile registration, and proof of automobile insurance.

Newton at Home is designed to help Newton residents 60 years of age and older live active, more independent and connected lives in their own homes. Newton at Home members pay an annual fee to gain access to a vast array of services and opportunities to socialize, learn, and have fun. Ninety-five percent of NAH services are provided by volunteers who are fully vetted and trained. For more information, visit www.newtonathome.org.

Interested in volunteering? Contact Julie Plaut Mahoney, Ph.D., Coordinator of Partnerships and Volunteers, Newton at Home, 617-795-2560, partnershipsandvolunteers@newtonathome.org.

May 8, 2016
Newton Ethnic Heritage Festival

Newton Ethnic Heritage Festival

Sunday, May 8, 2016

10:00am-5:00pm

City Hall Grounds 1000 Commonwealth Ave. (rain location in City Hall)

Featuring: Craft Vendors; Indian, Thai and Mexican food; henna; face painting; free arts & crafts; fun games and activities, inflatable obstacle courses and Roaming Railroad. Free admission.

Enjoy exciting performances by multiple ethnic groups, including Indian, Chinese, Ugandan, Vietnamese, Italian, Jewish, and even some Flamenco dance! Celebrate India’s colorful and vibrant culture by joining the Indo-American Youth Group volunteers to paint Indian folk murals welcoming Spring to Newton. If you are a sari-wearer or have been gifted one by a relative, come share your wearing style and audio record the story of your sari at the “Journeys with your Saris” booth. Join in with the Bollywood-inspired Zumba dancing for some great exercise and fun. Everyone can take part in the Indian folk-art mural painting, and try out some Chinese calligraphy and Tai-chi.

Mother’s Day Poetry Walk: In honor of mothers from near and far, poem contest winners who put their moms to poetry will supply a background of these words for all to read. Ten winning poems selected by event chair and award winning Newton poet, Grey Held will be chalked onto the stairs of the War Memorial Auditorium steps at City Hall. The poets will assemble at 11am on Sunday to read their moving poems. For more information, visit www.newtoncommunitypride.org/festival

May 7, 2016
New Pop-Ups at The Street

THE STREET ANNOUNCES
THREE NOTEWORTHY LOCAL BRANDS
DEBUTING AT THE POP-UP
THIS SPRING & SUMMER

Sweet Lydia’s
Open Now through May 15, 2016
with a sweet Mother’s Day offering

Papers and Presents and Rancatore’s Ice Cream
Arrive in May, June & July

The Street announces its most extensive calendar yet for The Pop-Up. Over the next eight weeks, between April and July 2016, Sweet Lydia’s, papers & presents, and Rancatore’s Ice Cream will debut in the space with distinct offerings ranging from gourmet food to artisan gifts. Since launching The Pop-Up in November 2015, The Street has given some of the most creative entrepreneurs and small businesses in Massachusetts the opportunity to shine.

Sweet Lydia’s is open now through Sunday, May 15, 2016. Sweet Lydia’s pop up offers a range of its renowned confections, including a special Mother’s Day Gift Boxwith chocolate salted caramels, champagne marshmallows, toffee, and s’mores. Also on the menu are Gourmet Marshmallows in champagne, passion fruit, and vanilla;S’mores in original, coconut, raspberry, caramel, peanut butter; S’moresels, bite-sized vanilla marshmallows with a cinnamon and graham cracker swirl, andChocolate Salted Caramels in flavors like stout & pretzel. Crumple and Toss will have a presence within Sweet Lydia’s pop-up, carrying its locally made and wonderfully witty cards, including a number of catchy options for Mother’s Day.

Following Sweet Lydia’s, The Pop-Up will feature:

papers & presents
May 20-June 13, 2016

Perfectly timed for graduation season, papers & presents will pop up with a colorful selection of customizable gifts, party supplies and stationary expertly curated by owner Carolyn McCoy. Formerly a beloved boutique in Wellesley Center, papers & presents has taken its goods on the go with a brand new mobile retail truck, dubbedpenelope, which will also park on property as a complement to The Pop-Up experience..

Rancatore’s Ice Cream

June 17-July 30, 2016

Looking ahead to summer, Rancatore’s Ice Cream will occupy The Pop-Up space, bringing specialty frappes and ice cream flavors such as Hazelnut Cream, Lemon Lemonsnap, and Tiger Milk and other one-of-a-kind offerings to The Street during the dog days of July. Rancatore’s has been serving made-from-scratch ice cream for 31 years and has three additional creameries in Lexington, Burlington and Newtonville.

The Pop-Up at The Street can be found near the newly opened MiniLuxe, and is directly adjacent to Star Market (3 Boylston Street Chestnut Hill, MA). Sweet Lydia’s hours of operation are Monday-Thursday, 11AM-7PM, Friday-Saturday 10AM-8PM and Sunday 10AM-6PM.

May 7, 2016
Registration Open for Newton 10K

REGISTRATION OPENS FOR 2016 NEWTON 10K

City’s Only 10K Race Will Benefit DREAMFAR High School Marathon

Fattman Productions, a strategic planning, marketing and promotions company, today announced that the 2016 Newton 10K will be held on Sunday, June 5, 2016, beginning at 8 AM. The city’s only 10K event will draw more than 600 runners who will race through Newton, covering parts of the Boston Marathon course, and winding through some of the city’s most beautiful and historic areas. The race is a community and family event with both adults and school-aged kids encouraged to participate. Proceeds from the race will benefit DREAMFAR High School Marathon. Runners can sign up here to participate in the race.

Proceeds from the Newton 10K will benefit DREAMFAR High School Marathon, a non-profit organization that challenges kids to reach their full potential – emotionally, socially and physically – through a mentor-supported marathon training program.

Race organizers are encouraging runners from all Newton schools to register and train for the event. The Newton school with the most registered student runners will receive a $750 prize awarded from Fattman Productions to the school’s PTO. For more information on how to register, visit here.

The race starts and finishes at the Horace Mann Elementary School, 687 Watertown Street, Newtonville, MA, and covers many historic and scenic Newton streets. For more information on the course map, visit here. The Newton 10K sponsors include Whole Foods of Newtonville, TrueRunner, First Commons Bank and Marathon Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine.

May 6, 2016