MassVoter.com← Newton City CouncilNewton City Council · 2024–2025 Council · Regular meeting
June 17, 2024
3 recorded votes, 3 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
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Attendance
Note on these minutes: Item #49-24 also lists “City Council Voted to Postpone to a Date Certain 24-0”; only 21 councilors were present, and the June 3, 2024 Actions record that postponement as 13-11, so it is not shown as a vote at this meeting. Richard A. Lipof is listed absent at the top of the Actions but is counted in at least one later vote (arrived late), so MassVoter counts Richard A. Lipof as present.
Present: Alison M. Leary, John Oliver, Maria Scibelli Greenberg, Susan Albright, Tarik J. Lucas, David Micley, Andrea W. Kelley, Pamela Wright, Julia Malakie, Joshua Krintzman, Leonard J. Gentile, Randy Block, Andreae Downs, Rena Getz, Bill Humphrey, Victoria L. Danberg, Alan Lobovits, Martha Bixby, Marc C. Laredo, Lisle Baker, Richard A. Lipof, Stephen Farrell
Absent: Rebecca Walker Grossman, David A. Kalis
Every vote, in order
#49-24 Amend (Councilor Baker): move the effective date to January 1, 2027
Councilor Baker motioned to move the effective date to January 1, 2027, which failed 10-11-3 (Councilors Albright, Bixby, Danberg, Downs, Greenberg, Humphrey, Kelley, Leary, Laredo, Lipof, Lobovits opposed) (Councilors Grossman, Kalis, Wright Absent).
Yes: Baker, Block, Farrell, Gentile, Getz, Krintzman, Lucas, Malakie, Micley, OliverNo: Albright, Bixby, Danberg, Downs, Greenberg, Humphrey, Kelley, Laredo, Leary, Lipof, LobovitsFrom the Clerk’s Note on this item. Richard A. Lipof is listed absent at the top of the Actions but not named absent for this vote, and the count includes this councilor, so this councilor is shown voting. The Actions name Pamela Wright as absent for this vote, though listed present at the top of the Actions; left out of this vote.
From the minutes
“Councilor Baker motioned to move the effective date to January 1, 2027, which failed 10-11-3 (Councilors Albright, Bixby, Danberg, Downs, Greenberg, Humphrey, Kelley, Leary, Laredo, Lipof, Lobovits opposed) (Councilors Grossman, Kalis, Wright Absent)..” (Motion: Baker)
#49-24 Approve: Discussion and possible adoption of an ordinance requiring electrification of all new construction and substantial renovations
City Council Approved 17-5-2 (Councilors Baker, Block, Farrell, Gentile, Krintzman Opposed)
The Actions record the count “City Council Approved 17-5-2 (Councilors Baker, Block, Farrell, Gentile, Krintzman Opposed)”, but not every councilor’s vote can be read from it. MassVoter shows the count only.
From the minutes
“City Council Approved 17-5-2 (Councilors Baker, Block, Farrell, Gentile, Krintzman Opposed).”
Accept the committee recommendations on 27 items without discussion (#233-24, #234-24, #221-24, #239-24, #240-24, #186-24, ...)
The City Council voted without discussion 21 Yeas, 0 Nays, 3 Absent, to Accept the Committee Recommendations on the following:
Yes: Albright, Baker, Bixby, Block, Danberg, Downs, Farrell, Gentile, Getz, Greenberg, Humphrey, Kelley, Krintzman, Laredo, Leary, Lobovits, Lucas, Malakie, Micley, Oliver, WrightOne vote on the block of items the council took up without discussion. The items: #233-24 Request for update, discussion, and public comment on plans...; #234-24 Request to extend the nonconforming use by constructing...; #221-24 Appropriation of $296,312 for student transportation; #239-24 Reappointment of Jason Korb to the Newton Affordable Housing Trust; #240-24 Reappointment of Debora Jackson to the Economic Development Commission; #186-24 Reappointment of Marcela Merino to Community Education Commission; #228-24 Reappointment of Karl Munger to the Biosafety Committee; #229-24 Reappointment of Howard Birnbaum to the Urban Tree Commission; #237-24 Requesting to set Early Voting Hours and location for the...; #238-24 Request to set Early Voting Hours and location for the November...; #245-24 Appropriate $500,000 for IT infrastructure improvements; #252-24 Appointment of Shin-Yi Lao as Commissioner of Health and Human...; #227-24 Semi-annual public auto inspections; #251-24 Eversource petition for Grant of Location in Jackson Road; #191-24 Authorization to appropriate and expend $200,000 from the...; #216-24 DPW Transportation and Paving Improvement Program Transfer; #219-24 Appropriation of $450,000 for Police Department Overtime; #224-24 Transfer $125,000 to the Library Building Maintenance- Electricity; #235-24 Appropriation of $2,888,274.38 for Transportation Network...; #243-24 Appropriate $3.2 million for Water Main Improvements in FY25; #218-24 Transfer any unexpended General Fund Municipal health insurance...; #242-24 Appropriate $3.2 million for Water Main Repair and Replacement Project; #246-24 Transfer $200,000 to the Newton Communications Access Center, Inc....; #247-24 Requesting Authorization to rescind bonds; #248-24 Transfer $25,000 to Stormwater System- Health Insurance; #249-24 Appropriate $5 million for Water Meter System Replacement Project; #161-24 Discussion on the findings from the Community Dialogue Working....
From the minutes
“The City Council voted without discussion 21 Yeas, 0 Nays, 3 Absent, to Accept the Committee Recommendations on the following:.”
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.
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