Committee Report - Finance - 2-24-15 — File 198517

Finance Committee Page 1 of 6 Printed 2/26/2015 February 24, 2015 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 Absent John M. Connolly Alderman At Large Present William A. White Jr. Alderman At Large Present Others present: Alderman Mark Niedergang, Peter Forcellese, Jr. - Treasury, Eileen McGettigan - Law, Michael Glavin - OSPCD, Hayes Morrison - OSPCD, Nadia Dixson - Archivist, Omar Boukili - Mayor's Office 1. Approval of the January 14, 2015 Minutes RESULT: ACCEPTED 195734: That the Administration provide this Board with a breakdown of special events (festivals, concerts, road races, etc.), indicating if they are/were city sponsored and/or privately sponsored, and including city expenditures for each. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 195769: Requesting approval to appropriate $106,812.60 from Free Cash to the Highway Professional & Technical Services Account to provide the first year of GPS monitoring services for city vehicles. RESULT: PLACED ON FILE 195833: That the Director of Finance and the City Treasurer research the possibility of providing direct deposit pay stubs online to employees and determine the potential savings to the city by doing so. Mr. Forcellese reported that online pay stubs will be in place after the HRIS model has been installed. The target date is January 2016.

Finance Committee Page 2 of 6 Printed 2/26/2015 RESULT: WORK COMPLETED 196058: Assistant City Solicitor responding to #195769 re: GPS devices on city vehicles and collective bargaining rights. RESULT: PLACED ON FILE 196125: Sanford Pooler submitting comments re: #195769, installing GPS devices in city vehicles. RESULT: PLACED ON FILE 196288: Requesting the transfer of a parcel of land at 163 Glen Street to the Redevelopment Authority for neighborhood development. This item was kept in committee at the request of Alderman McLaughlin, who was not able to attend this meeting. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 196588: That the Recreation Superintendent appear before this Board to provide an update of all expenditures for the current fiscal year. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 196859: Director of Finance submitting a report on SPCD Professional & Technical Services Accounts. Mr. Forcellese, appearing in place of the Director of Finance, reported that the requested information had been previously provided to the committee. RESULT: WORK COMPLETED 197339: Requesting that the City-owned portion of 163 Glen Street be declared available for disposition. This order is related to order #196288. There will be a presentation on 2 free standing options at the next Finance Committee meeting. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 197349: That the Commissioner of Public Works provide this Board with the invoices for electric light poles as they are purchased in FY15.

Finance Committee Page 3 of 6 Printed 2/26/2015 RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 197611: Communicating information regarding the needed relocation of the Public Safety Building. Alderman White suggested that a presentation be made, prior to the committee meetings, to give the BOA an opportunity to fully understand the request. Chairman Lafuente suggested that this item be presented to a Committee of the Whole. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 197739: That the City Auditor advise this Board of the status of the Gosder Cherilus Foundation check to refund the money used by the City to pay for the equipment for the Somerville Youth Football program. Mr. Forcellese, appearing in place of the City Auditor, discussed a $50K check from Tufts. RESULT: WORK COMPLETED 197850: That the Director of Finance and/or the City Treasurer report to this Board on what categories of grants, gifts, payments, donations, etc. and by what type of entities need to be formally accepted by a vote of this Board and which do not require official acceptance. Mr. Forcellese distributed a comprehensive summary in response to this request. Alderman White is still seeking answers about how the Tufts money is/was utilized and requested that the Director of Finance appear before the committee to explain how the money was used. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 197852: Requesting an Order of Taking of real estate property at 515 Somerville Avenue to provide for the relocation of the Fire Department from its current facility in Union Square. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 197976: That the Director of Capital Projects present to this Board, no later than January 22, 2015, a 5- and 10-year plan for the use, development and sale of City buildings. Mr. Boukili spoke with the Director of Capital Projects, who has hired a company to work on the 5 and 10 year plans. Conversations were held regarding the Homan's building as it relates to the MBTA. Further communication will take place at the next BOA meeting. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 198228: Authorization to borrow $300,000 and appropriate that amount in a bond for

Finance Committee Page 4 of 6 Printed 2/26/2015 resignalization and an upgrade to the Powderhouse Square Rotary. Chairman Lafuente requested that additional information, including the scope of the project, be provided. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 198232: Requesting the dedication of Otis Playground for Open Space and Recreational Use in perpetuity. Ms. Morrison spoke on the item. RESULT: APPROVED 198233: Requesting the acceptance of a Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) grant totaling $400,000 to construct Otis Playground. Ms. Morrison spoke on the item. RESULT: APPROVED 198234: Requesting, as required by the PARC grants, the authorization to utilize State and Federal funding necessary to construct Otis Playgound. Ms. Morrison spoke on the item. RESULT: APPROVED 198235: Requesting Use of Available Funds totalling $2,108 in the Auditing Dept. Salaries Account to adjust the salary of the Accounting Analyst position. Mr. Forcellese stated this position was advertised twice. The funding is to increase the salary, as per prior agreement. Chairman Lafuente suggested that if the City offers someone a position and they reject it, there should be something in writing with this information. RESULT: APPROVED 198400: Requesting the expenditure of $2,057.31 in FY15 appropriations to pay four outstanding FY14 invoices in the Police Dept. Mr. Boukili explained that the funds are needed to pay for badge access cards and random drug testing. RESULT: APPROVED 198401: Requesting the acceptance of a grant of $5,999 from the National Endowment for the Humanities, for the City Clerk's assessment and preservation of certain historic

Finance Committee Page 5 of 6 Printed 2/26/2015 records. Ms. Dixson spoke on the item. RESULT: APPROVED 198415: Requesting approval of an intradepartmental transfer of $17,500 in the Health and Human Services Dept., from the Personal Services Account to the Professional and Technical Services Account, to cover Shape Up Somerville's contract with the Head to Fitness Program Coordinator through FY15. Alderman White requested additional information on the Head to Fitness program. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 198416: Requesting acceptance of a grant of $110,000 from the MA Government Innovation Office partially funding a longitudinal integrated data system for the Public Schools in concert with SomerPromise and Code for America. Mr. Boukili stated this funding was anticipated from the state. RESULT: APPROVED 198417: Requesting the acceptance of a grant of $20,000 from DCR for the Arts Council to complete a sculpture project for Baxter Park. The committee requested that a rendering of the sculpture be provided. RESULT: APPROVED 198423: Senator Jehlen responding to #198182 re: the senior property tax deferral. Alderman Niedergang discussed the fact there are senior citizens that are house rich and income poor and he would like to make sure that senior citizens are aware of the tax deferral program. He recommended that the Council on Aging get involved in communicating these opportunities to the city’s senior citizens. And that the Assessor's Office and the City Treasurer work together to make recommendations for the tax deferral. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 198450: Requesting an appropriation of $34,779.40 From Unreserved Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to the Personnel Professional and Technical Services Account to pay an FY2014 training invoice. Mr. Forcellese explained that the funds were budgeted in FY-14 but there was a billing discrepancy.

Finance Committee Page 6 of 6 Printed 2/26/2015 RESULT: APPROVED 198451: Requesting the acceptance of grant funds totaling $250,000 from the MA Office of Housing and Economic Development for the East Broadway Streetscape Project. Ms. Morrison reported that the project is nearing completion and that these funds would be used for lighting and other items. RESULT: APPROVED 198452: Requesting the acceptance of a $4,314 grant from the MA Vest-a-Dog program for a cruiser insert for the Police Dept.'s K-9 dog. RESULT: APPROVED 198475: Requesting the acceptance of a grant of $64,423 from the MA Office of Public Safety and Security for Fire Department staffing. Mr. Boukili explained that the funding will be used by the Fire Department to pay for overtime and extra staff costs incurred during this winter. RESULT: APPROVED