Committee Report - Finance - 1-25-17 — File 202736

Finance Committee Page 1 of 4 Printed 1/26/2017 January 25, 2017 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Tony Lafuente Chair Present Maryann M. Heuston Vice Chair Absent Katjana Ballantyne Ward Seven Alderman Present Matthew McLaughlin Ward One Alderman Absent William A. White Jr. Alderman At Large Present Others present: Alderman Niedergang, Stan Koty - DPW, Chief David Fallon - SPD, former Assistant City Solicitor Matt Buckley, Doug Kress - HHS, Ed Bean - Finance, Marc Levy - Assessing, Michael Glavin - OSPCD, Frank Wright - Law, Mark Lawhorne - Water/Sewer, Michael Bertino - Treasurer, Alan Inacio - OSPCD, Kristen Stelljes - CPA, Michael Mastrobuoni - SomerStat, Rich Raiche - Engineering, Rob King - Capital Projects, Richard Bauer - CPC, Tim Snyder - Mayor’s Office, Rositha Durham - Clerk of Committees. The meeting took place in the Committee Room and was called to order at 6:00 PM by Alderman Lafuente and adjourned at 7:30 PM. Approval of the November 21, 2016 Minutes RESULT: ACCEPTED 202374: Requesting the appropriation of $40,000 from the CPA Fund Open Space and Recreation Land Reserve budget to the Parks and Open Space Division for a Land Acquisition Study Fund. President White recused himself from this item and appointed Alderman Niedergang to the Finance Committee for items 202374, 202630 and 202631 only. Mr. Bauer said that, currently, there is no property identified for this study. The property would go towards open space. RESULT: APPROVED 202488: Requesting the appropriation of $250,000 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the Law Department Legal Services Account to fund additional outside legal

Finance Committee Page 2 of 4 Printed 1/26/2017 counsel services. Mr. Wright said that the funding request was due to several depositions and for legal work for the Union Square Urban Renewal challenge. Alderman White asked Mr. Wright to provide copies of the invoices at a future Finance Committee meeting. RESULT: APPROVED 202489: Requesting the appropriation of $150,000 from Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the Heath & Human Services Professional and Technical Services Account to contract with Teen Empowerment for youth development. Mr. Kress spoke on the item. RESULT: APPROVED 202532: Requesting a transfer of $93,000 from the Sanitation Recycling Account to the Highway Overtime Account to fund overtime for maintenance of the increased vehicle fleet. Mr. Koty stated that presently there are 3 mechanics in the department and that these funds would be used to hire 2 additional mechanics by March. RESULT: APPROVED 202629: Requesting authorization to borrow $1,660,000 in a bond, and appropriate the same amount for construction services as part of the MWRA Local Water Assistance Program. Mr. Kink and Mr. Lawhorne requested approval for a 10 year interest free loan and said that the work has been competitively bid. The plan is to break ground on April 1st, beginning with the Powderhouse Blvd. section followed by Properzi Way. RESULT: APPROVED 202630: Requesting to transfer CPA funds totaling $889,962 from the CPA Fund Budgeted Reserve to designated CPA reserves per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. President White recused himself from this item and appointed Alderman Niedergang to the Finance Committee for items 202374, 202630 and 202631 only. Mr. Bauer designated 45% for affordable housing, 15% open space and 15% for historic resource reserve. RESULT: APPROVED 202631: Requesting the appropriation of $880,416 from the CPA Fund Community Housing Reserve to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, as recommended by the

Finance Committee Page 3 of 4 Printed 1/26/2017 Community Preservation Committee. President White recused himself from this item and appointed Alderman Niedergang to the Finance Committee for items 202374, 202630 and 202631 only. Mr. Bauer operationalized the 45% for affordable housing discussed in order 202630. RESULT: APPROVED 202632: Requesting an appropriation of $274,879 from the Capital Projects Stabilization Fund for the purchase of FY17 Police capital equipment and vehicles. Chief Fallon and Mr. Koty spoke on the item. The vehicles include an Explorer, a Fusion and a transit van equipped with a security camera for safety. RESULT: APPROVED 202633: Requesting the acceptance and appropriation of an additional $45,000 from US2 Associates into the Union Sq Revitalization and Stabilization Fund. Mr. Inacio said that the funds are needed for the negotiations of the LDA and Redevelopment Authority. RESULT: APPROVED 202634: Requesting an appropriation of $45,000 from the Union Square Stabilization and Revitalization Fund for the redevelopment of Union Square. RESULT: APPROVED 202636: Requesting approval to pay a prior year invoice totaling $750 using available funds in the Engineering Department Professional and Technical Services Account. Mr. King introduced the new Director of Engineering and said that the funds are for a GIS service invoice payment. RESULT: APPROVED 202640: Requesting approval to accept the gift of a painting from the village of San Esteban Catarina, El Salvador. Mr. Snyder unveiled the painting donated to the City. RESULT: APPROVED 202690: Requesting an appropriation of $50,000 from the Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the Law Department's Damages to Persons & Property Judgments/Settlements Account.

Finance Committee Page 4 of 4 Printed 1/26/2017 Mr. Wright anticipates the need for the $50,000 to get the Law Department through the end of FY-17. RESULT: APPROVED 202702: City Solicitor requesting approval of a contract with Deutsch Williams as outside legal counsel. Mr. Wright asked Mr. Buckley to assist him with outside legal support since he had already argued a civil service case that is very similar to the one for the City of Somerville. Assistance is needed in the Law Department due to a long term assistant solicitor leaving the employment of the city. RESULT: APPROVED 202711: Director of SomerStat submitting a memorandum analyzing an increase in the residential exemption. Mr. Mastrobuoni said that there are approximately 9,000 residents that are eligible for the exemption and that there are approximately 100 properties that are above $1.2 million. The city is working to develop relationships with neighboring communities to share information on this topic. Alderman White asked Mr. Levy to provide information for the last 2 or 3 years of those claiming residential exemptions for a future meeting with the Committee of the Whole. He would also like information on the shift of 2 and 3 family homes. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE Handouts: • CPA Data (with 202374) • Highway Overtime Data (with 202532) • MWRA Assistance Program (with 202629) • Probable Cost Data (with202629) • CPA Data (with 202630) • Capital Stabilization Fund Info (with 202632) • Settlement Info (with 202690) • Outside Counsel Info (with 202702) • Res Ex Analysis (with 202711)