MassVoter.com← Newton City CouncilNewton City Council · 2026–2027 Council · Regular meeting
May 18, 2026
2 recorded votes, 2 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
Attendance
Present: Alison M. Leary, John Oliver, Maria Scibelli Greenberg, Susan Albright, Tarik J. Lucas, David Micley, Andrea W. Kelley, Julia Malakie, Cyrus Dahmubed, Randy Block, Rena Getz, Brittany Hume Charm, Julie Irish, Lisa Gordon, Sean Roche, Martha Bixby, Rebecca Walker Grossman, Brian Golden, David A. Kalis, Jacob Silber, Stephen Farrell
Absent: Pamela Wright, Joshua Krintzman, Lisle Baker
Every vote, in order
Accept the committee recommendations on 21 items without discussion (#164-26, #165-26, #166-26, #94-26, #129-26, #150-26, ...)
The City Council voted without discussion 21 Yeas, 0 Nays, 3 Absent (Councilors Baker, Krintzman, Wright) to Accept the Committee Recommendations on the following:
One vote on the block of items the council took up without discussion. The items: #164-26 Request to allow a combination of retaining walls exceeding four...; #165-26 Request to further extend nonconforming FAR at 104 Eldredge Street; #166-26 Request to exceed FAR and façade ratio at 19 Saxon Road; #94-26 Request to exceed FAR at 11 Richfield Road; #129-26 Reappointment of Marcela Merino to the Economic Development Commission; #150-26 Appropriation of $325,000 from June 30, 2025 Certified Free Cash...; #153-26 Appropriation of $500,000 from June 30, 2025 Certified Free Cash...; #148-26 Appropriation of $75,000 from June 30, 2025 Certified Free Cash...; #149-26 Appropriation of $1,000,000 from June 30, 2025 Certified Free Cash...; #136-26 Authorization to appropriate and expend $1,250,000 from June 30...; #137-26 Authorization to appropriate and expend $1,250,000 from June 30...; #138-26 Authorization to appropriate and expend $1,250,000 from June 30...; #140-26 Authorization to accept a grant of $52,000 from Massachusetts...; #141-26 Authorization to appropriate and expend $63,573.42 from June 30...; #145-26 Appointment of Emily Prenner to the Design Review Committee; #147-26 Appropriation of $3,200,000 for snow and ice expenditures; #158-26 Appropriation of $345,697.55 from June 30, 2025 Certified Free...; #159-26 Repurposing of $833,948.85 for Burr School roof; #160-26 Repurpose $500,000 for multiple small projects at NPS; #161-26 Appropriation of $142,370 from Energy Stabilization Fund for LED...; #151-26 Requesting Ordinance Amendment to Chapter 2, Administration.
From the minutes
“The City Council voted without discussion 21 Yeas, 0 Nays, 3 Absent (Councilors Baker, Krintzman, Wright) to Accept the Committee Recommendations on the following:.”
#157-26 Accept the committee recommendation: Proposed Water, Sewer, and Stormwater Rates
The City Council voted without discussion 19 Yeas, 2 Nays (Councilor Dahmubed, Roche), 3 Absent (Councilors Baker, Krintzman, Wright) to Accept the Committee Recommendations on the following:
Yes: Albright, Bixby, Block, Charm, Farrell, Getz, Golden, Gordon, Greenberg, Grossman, Irish, Kalis, Kelley, Leary, Lucas, Malakie, Micley, Oliver, SilberNo: Dahmubed, Roche
From the minutes
“The City Council voted without discussion 19 Yeas, 2 Nays (Councilor Dahmubed, Roche), 3 Absent (Councilors Baker, Krintzman, Wright) 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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