MassVoter.com← Newton City CouncilNewton City Council · 2020–2021 Council · Regular meeting
March 15, 2021
5 recorded votes, 5 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
Attendance
Note on these minutes: The council had 2 vacant seats (22 members).
Present: Alison M. Leary, Maria Scibelli Greenberg, Susan Albright, Emily Norton, Andrea W. Kelley, Pamela Wright, Julia Malakie, Joshua Krintzman, Leonard J. Gentile, Christopher J. Markiewicz, Andreae Downs, Deborah J. Crossley, Bill Humphrey, Victoria L. Danberg, Alicia Bowman, Brenda Noel, Rebecca Walker Grossman, Marc C. Laredo, Lisle Baker, Richard A. Lipof, David A. Kalis, Holly Ryan
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
#84-21 Approve: Requesting ordinance amendments for enforcement of sidewalk snow removal
Approved 20 Yeas 1 Nay (Councilor Gentile) 1 Absent (Councilor Norton), 2 Vacancies
Yes: Albright, Baker, Bowman, Crossley, Danberg, Downs, Greenberg, Grossman, Humphrey, Kalis, Kelley, Krintzman, Laredo, Leary, Lipof, Malakie, Markiewicz, Noel, Ryan, WrightNo: GentileThe Actions name Emily Norton as absent for this vote, though listed present at the top of the Actions; left out of this vote.
From the minutes
“Approved 20 Yeas 1 Nay (Councilor Gentile) 1 Absent (Councilor Norton), 2 Vacancies.”
Accept the committee recommendations on 25 items without discussion (#55-21, #56-21, #130-17(3), #58-21, #59-21, #443-20, ...)
The City Council voted without discussion 21 Yeas 0 Nays 1 Absent (Councilor Norton) to Accept the Committee Recommendations on the following items:
Yes: Albright, Baker, Bowman, Crossley, Danberg, Downs, Gentile, Greenberg, Grossman, Humphrey, Kalis, Kelley, Krintzman, Laredo, Leary, Lipof, Malakie, Markiewicz, Noel, Ryan, WrightOne vote on the block of items the council took up without discussion. The items: #55-21 Petition to extend nonconforming FAR at 12 Cochituate Road; #56-21 Petition to extend nonconformities and amend variances at 266...; #130-17(3) Petition to extend nonconforming building height and amend Order...; #58-21 Petition to allow restaurant with more than 50 seats at 1241...; #59-21 Petition to allow single-family attached dwellings at 1092-1094...; #443-20 Petition to allow marijuana retailer at 232 Boylston Street and to...; #41-21 Zoning Amendments for Marijuana Establishments; #29-20 Review and possible amendment of Demolition Delay and Landmark...; #88-20 Discussion and review relative to the draft Zoning Ordinance; #60-21 Requesting a trial to assist restaurants by modifying minimum...; #71-21 Reappointment of David Morton to the Newtonville Historic District...; #72-21 Reappointment of Judith Neville to the Upper Falls Historic...; #73-21 Reappointment of James Doolin to the Urban Design Commission; #74-21 Reappointment of John Downie to the Urban Design Commission; #61-21 Request for response to resident petition calling for investment...; #78-21 Reappointment of Marjorie Butler to the Election Commission; #80-21 Reappointment of Sandra Lingley to the Commission on Disability; #81-21 Reappointment of Matthew Volpi to the Commission on Disability; #530-20 Appeal of Traffic Council Decision; #531-20 Annual Report of the work of the Traffic Council 2020; #85-21 Accept grant funds from the Homeland Security FY2020 Assistance to...; #87-21 Appropriate $68,746 to fund the replacement of the boiler at...; #51-21 Approval of $4,214,622 in CPA funding for the Coleman House; #395-20 Request for updates on budget and possible reimbursements at...; #99-21 Discussion regarding resources needed for a safe return to.... The Actions name Emily Norton as absent for this vote, though listed present at the top of the Actions; left out of this vote.
From the minutes
“The City Council voted without discussion 21 Yeas 0 Nays 1 Absent (Councilor Norton) to Accept the Committee Recommendations on the following items:.”
Referred to Land Use and Finance Committees
Suspend the rules to accept late-filed items to the docket and refer them to committee
The following item was filed after the close of the docket. A motion was made and Approved by Voice Vote to Accept to the Docket and Refer to
The Actions record this as a voice vote with no count, so MassVoter shows the result only.
From the minutes
“The following item was filed after the close of the docket. A motion was made and Approved by Voice Vote to Accept to the Docket and Refer to.”
#79-21 Accept the committee recommendation: Reappointment of Jan Huffman to the Election Commission
The City Council voted without discussion 20 Yeas, 1 Nay (Councilor Markiewicz) 1 Absent (Councilor Norton), 2 Vacancies to Accept the Committee Recommendations on the following items:
Yes: Albright, Baker, Bowman, Crossley, Danberg, Downs, Gentile, Greenberg, Grossman, Humphrey, Kalis, Kelley, Krintzman, Laredo, Leary, Lipof, Malakie, Noel, Ryan, WrightNo: MarkiewiczThe Actions name Emily Norton as absent for this vote, though listed present at the top of the Actions; left out of this vote.
From the minutes
“The City Council voted without discussion 20 Yeas, 1 Nay (Councilor Markiewicz) 1 Absent (Councilor Norton), 2 Vacancies to Accept the Committee Recommendations on the following items:.”
#57-21 Accept the committee recommendation: Petition to allow series of retaining walls greater than 4’ in the setback at 21 Louise Rd
The City Council voted without discussion 21 Yeas, 1 Nay (Councilor Ryan), 1 Absent (Councilor Norton), 2 Vacancies to Accept the Committee Recommendations on the following items:
The Actions record the count “The City Council voted without discussion 21 Yeas, 1 Nay (Councilor Ryan), 1 Absent (Councilor Norton), 2 Vacancies to Accept the Committee Recommendations on the following items:”, and the names do not add up to the councilors present. MassVoter shows the count only.
From the minutes
“The City Council voted without discussion 21 Yeas, 1 Nay (Councilor Ryan), 1 Absent (Councilor Norton), 2 Vacancies to Accept the Committee Recommendations on the following items:.”
From the Newton City Council’s official record of each meeting, the “City Council Actions,” posted by the City Clerk on the city’s Council Meetings page (older years on its archives page). We check every vote against the councilors present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Councilor photos: City of Newton (newtonma.gov), from each councilor’s official page. John Oliver, Rena Getz and Brian Golden: Fig City News. Cyrus Dahmubed, Brittany Hume Charm, Sean Roche, Lisa Gordon and Jacob Silber: League of Women Voters of Newton 2025 candidate guide. Julie Irish: her campaign website. Former councilors show initials.
How to read these pagesWhere the votes come from, how we check them against the official minutes, what isn't included yet, and how to report a mistake.About city pages →