Committee Report - Finance - 3 24-15 — File 198662

Finance Committee Page 1 of 6 Printed 3/25/2015 March 24, 2015 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Tony Lafuente Chair Present Maryann M. Heuston Vice Chair Present Katjana Ballantyne Ward Seven Alderman Present John M. Connolly Alderman At Large Present William A. White Jr. Alderman At Large Present Robert J. McWatters Ward Three Alderman Present Mary Jo Rossetti Alderman at Large Present Dennis M. Sullivan Alderman At Large Present Matthew McLaughlin Ward One Alderman Absent Mark Niedergang Ward Five Alderman Absent Rebekah L. Gewirtz Ward Six Alderman Absent Others present: Ed Bean - Finance, Gene Brune - Mayor Emeritus, Suzanne Rinfret- T&P, Doug Kress- Health, Emily Monea - OSPCD, Stan Koty - DPW, Marc Levy - Assessing, Peter Forcellese, Jr. - Treasury, Michael Glavin - OSPCD, Arn Franzen - CPC, Steve MacEachern - DPW, Michael Capuano, Jr. - CPC, Patrick Sullivan - SFD, Brandon Wilson - Historic Preservation, Michael Fagen - CPC, Omar Boukili - Mayor’s Office 1. Approval of the March 4, 2015 Minutes RESULT: ACCEPTED 198228: Authorization to borrow $300,000 and appropriate that amount in a bond for resignalization and an upgrade to the Powderhouse Square Rotary. Mr. Koty and Mr. MacEachern spoke on the item. RESULT: APPROVED 198326: Requesting the acceptance of a grant of $8,400 from the Department of Environmental Protection for recycling.

Finance Committee Page 2 of 6 Printed 3/25/2015 RESULT: APPROVED 198354: That the Commissioner of Public Works provide the cost break down of last week’s snow removal and de-icing and discuss the procedures for determining when to initiate snow removal and de-icing. RESULT: WORK COMPLETED 198399: Requesting to appear before this Board to discuss the City's economic outlook and planning. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 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. Mr. Kress stated that the funds will be used for the addition of a dietician to Shape up Somerville. RESULT: APPROVED 198423: Senator Jehlen responding to #198182 re: the senior property tax deferral. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 198520: Requesting approval to extend a lease with Zipcar through 12/31/15 for 7 spaces in municipal lots. RESULT: APPROVED 198580: That the Chief of Police and the Chief Fire Engineer explain public safety efforts in Assembly Square. Deputy Chief Sullivan informed the members that Assembly Square has protection in concealed spaces and that there should be no major catastrophes. The call volume at Assembly Square is minimal, now that the bugs have been worked out of the system. RESULT: WORK COMPLETED 198594: Requesting approval to pay prior year invoices totalling $9,688.26 with FY15 funds in the Dept. of Public Works.

Finance Committee Page 3 of 6 Printed 3/25/2015 RESULT: APPROVED 198595: Requesting the acceptance of a grant of $460,000 from the MA Cultural Facilities Fund for the Arts Council's ARTFarm development. Mr. Boukili stated funds will be used to start the ARTFarm program at the former waste transfer station site. RESULT: APPROVED 198601: Retirement Board notifying this Board of its intention to vote at a regular meeting on a Cost of Living Adjustment for eligible retirees for 2015. Members asked about Somerville’s COLA threshold amount versus that of other cities and towns. RESULT: WORK COMPLETED 198615: Requesting the appropriation of $258,669 in unused bond funds to renovate the Kennedy School Playground. RESULT: APPROVED 198616: Requesting to appropriate $500,000 from the CPA Fund Historic Resources Reserve for the rehabilitation of Prospect Hill Tower per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. Ms. Monea addressed all of the CPA fund orders listed on tonight’s agenda and distributed documents providing updates on all of the orders. The funding for this order would be used to repair the stairs and tower. RESULT: APPROVED 198617: Requesting to appropriate $450,945 from Undesignated CPA Fund Balance for the preservation and rehabilitation of Temple B’nai Brith per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. The requested funds will be used to add an elevator and install a fire safety system. The temple has been fundraising on their own to raise funds towards the balance of $750 needed to complete this work. RESULT: APPROVED 198618: Requesting to appropriate $243,000 from Undesignated CPA Fund Balance for the rehabilitation of the historic windows at the Mystic Water Works per the recommendation

Finance Committee Page 4 of 6 Printed 3/25/2015 of the Community Preservation Committee. RESULT: APPROVED 198619: Requesting to appropriate $200,000 from the CPA Fund Historic Resources Reserve and Undesignated CPA Fund Balance for design services for the rehabilitation of City Hall per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. These funds would applied to the estimated design fee of $400,000 for the needs assessment based envelope. Questions were asked about where the other $200,000 would be coming from. RESULT: APPROVED 198620: Requesting to appropriate $168,161 from the CPA Fund Historic Resources Reserve for the rehabilitation of the Somerville Museum and the preservation of its collections per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. The funds will be used for ADA accessibility and environment improvements. The amount shown on the agenda ($168,161) is incorrect. The correct amount ($168,191) is listed in the body of the item and is the amount approved by the committee. RESULT: APPROVED 198621: Requesting to appropriate $85,000 from the CPA Fund Open Space/Recreation Reserve for design services for the rehabilitation of Prospect Hill Park per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. RESULT: APPROVED 198622: Requesting to appropriate $52,090 from the CPA Fund Open Space/Recreation Reserve for the design of the rehabilitation of the Community Growing Center per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. These funds will be used to update the design plan for the Vinal Avenue Community Growing Center. RESULT: APPROVED 198623: Requesting to appropriate $48,360 from the CPA Fund Historic Resources Reserve for the rehabilitation of Milk Row Cemetery per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. These funds will be used to rehabilitate 3 tombs at the cemetery.

Finance Committee Page 5 of 6 Printed 3/25/2015 RESULT: APPROVED 198624: Requesting to appropriate $45,373 from the CPA Fund Open Space/Recreation Reserve for the rehabilitation of eight school garden classrooms per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. RESULT: APPROVED 198625: Requesting to appropriate $45,000 from the CPA Fund Open Space/Recreation Reserve for the Healey School to Mystic project per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. These funds would be used to develop a master plan. RESULT: APPROVED 198626: Requesting to appropriate $44,982 from Undesignated CPA Fund Balance for the preservation and rehabilitation of the stained glassed window at First Congregational Church of Somerville UCC per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. The church needs the stain glass restored along with repairs of the siding and stairs. The CPC recommended only the stained glass portion. RESULT: APPROVED 198627: Requesting to appropriate $43,000 from Undesignated CPA Fund Balance to preserve a portion of the City’s permanent archives collections per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. RESULT: APPROVED 198628: Requesting to appropriate $7,500 from the CPA Fund Historic Resources Reserve for the preservation of the American Tube Works Complex through National Register of Historic Places Nomination per the recommendation of the Community Preservation Committee. RESULT: APPROVED 198629: Requesting an appropriation of $100,575 from the Capital Stabilization Fund, to allow the Public Works Dept. to purchase trash and recycling barrels as well as benches. Mr. Koty said that that 99 mushroom shaped barrels, that were destroyed in the snow storms, will be replaced along with 35 recycling barrels.

Finance Committee Page 6 of 6 Printed 3/25/2015 RESULT: APPROVED