Paul,

This is the second issue of my weekly update intended to improve transparency on the actions of the Select Board from my perspective.

This week's issue includes a summary of the February 20th Select Board meeting and the agenda for this coming meeting to be held on February 27. I have also included at the end of this email, some things that are on my mind.

If you have questions or would like to discuss any of the items in this update, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Best Regards,

Paul Warren

Please note that this email is being sent by me as an individual and not as an official action on behalf of the Board. The content is created by me and any errors or omissions are solely my responsibility.

Last Meeting - February 20, 2024

Presidential Primary - Board authorized the issuance of the Warrant for the Presidential Primary. View Meeting Segment

FY2025 Financial Plan - Town Administrator Chas Carey and Deputy Town Administrator Melissa Goff presented the FY 2025 Financial Plan to a joint meeting of the Select Board and Advisory Committee. View Meeting Segment. The presentation slides can be accessed here.

A bit about the budget process. The budget presentation initiates the public process that culminates in Town Meeting voting on the budget at the Annual Town Meeting in May. The process includes Advisory Committee hearings where the public is invited to provide input on the budget. The Advisory Committee's public hearings are noticed on the Town Calendar. A notification system of upcoming meetings is available and can be subscribed to here.

Highlights from the budget presentation - The FY2025 budget is $436.3M, a 5.9% increase over FY2024. The following are highlights from the budget presentation given by Town Administrator, Chas Carey and Deputy Town Administrator, Melissa Goff. Clicking on the underlined text will take you to the video segment where the item is discussed.

• FY2025 Budget Overview
• Financial Plan Summary
• Capital Improvement Plan budget
• Long range financial plan and structural deficit

Highlights from budget discussion and Q&A - The members of the Select Board and Advisory Committee asked questions and made comments about various aspects of the budget. The topics discussed are listed below. Clicking on the underlined text will take you to the corresponding video segment.

• Increase in headcount / new positions
• Roadway maintenance
• School budget deficit of $2.2M
• Budgeting for new building maintenance.
• Classroom capacity
• Roadway maintenance policy
• Sustainable debt levels
• Energy costs for new buildings
• Allocating costs between Town and School budgets
• Revenue from alcohol sales
• Payout of accrued vacation time
• OPEBS, economic development and retrofitting buildings
• Budgeting overtime
• Public Comment

Links:

• Complete Meeting Video
• FY2025 Financial Plan
• FY2025 Budget Presentation Slides
• FY2025 Initial Schools Budget Request

Next Meeting - Tuesday, February 27 @ 6pm

In addition to Public Comment, the following items are on the Agenda

Miscellaneous - The miscellaneous agenda include licenses, vouchers, contracts, grant of location requests from utilities, and other items. There are more than twenty items on the agenda in this category, The complete list can be can be found in the Meeting Agenda.

Departmental Budget Reviews - Review of the FY25 Departmental Budgets for the Office of the Select Board, Finance Department, and Planning and Community Development Department. Department budgets can be viewed under Section IV - Departmental Recommendations on budget website.

Zoom Meeting Protocol - Continued discussion and possible votes on public meeting protocols for Zoom Meetings and the Recording of Public Meetings.

MBTA Tree Removal Appeal(s) - If any appeals are lodged at the 5:00 p.m. public hearing, the Select Board will hear those potential appeals from the decision of the Tree Warden regarding the MBTA’s application to remove a 37” shade tree opposite 1902 Beacon Street on safety grounds.

Housing Production Plan - Continued discussion and possible vote to adopt the Housing Production Plan.

Select Board Warrant Articles - Review, discussion, and possible vote on potential warrant articles sponsored by the Select Board for the upcoming Annual Town Meeting.

Links:

• Meeting Agenda and Packet
• Zoom Registration
• Housing Production Plan
• MBTA Tree Removal Public Hearing

What's on My Mind

Condition of our Roadways - Last week I shared that the #1 request that I hear from constituents is to improve the condition of our roadways. This past week I advocated for increased funding for road maintenance, and other infrastructure maintenance during the budget discussion. It is more cost effective to maintain our infrastructure vs. having to do costly capital improvements due to underfunding maintenance programs.

Skating at Larz Anderson Park - Friday night, Amy and I took our children to skate at Larz Anderson Park. The Friends of Larz Anderson Park hosted a wonderful evening program for all ages. There is an active study evaluating options to expand the skating rink. I am concerned about the impact on the historic park, town finances, and the neighborhood. Please let me know what you think.

Age Friendly Cities - I had the pleasure of speaking with Matt Weiss, the host of Brookline Interactive's Age Friendly Cities program. We discussed a range of issues including the MBTA Communities Act, the upcoming Comprehensive Plan, and issues facing aging adults. Our conversation can be viewed here.