Finance Committee

City of Somerville, Massachusetts City Council Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Tuesday, March 12, 2024 6:00 PM This meeting was held via Zoom, was called to order by Chair Wilson at 6:00 pm and adjourned at 6:34 pm with a roll call vote of all in favor (Councilor Clingan, Councilor Burnley, Councilor Sait, Councilor Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and none absent. Others present: Hannah Carrillo – Mayor’s Office, Kimberly Wells – City Clerk, Richard Raiche – IAM, Stephanie Widzowski – Clerk of Committees. Roll Call Present: City Councilor At Large Jake Wilson, Ward Two City Councilor Jefferson Thomas (J.T.) Scott, Ward Two City Councilor Naima Sait, City Councilor At Large Willie Burnley Jr. and Ward Four City Councilor Jesse Clingan 1. Committee Approval of the Minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting of February 20, Minutes 2024. (ID # 24-0188) RESULT: ACCEPTED AYE: City Councilor At Large Wilson, Ward Two City Councilor Scott, Ward Two City Councilor Sait, City Councilor At Large Burnley Jr. and Ward Four City Councilor Clingan 2. Mayor's Request Requesting authorization to borrow $2,240,740 in a bond, and to appropriate (ID # 24-0201) the same amount to participate in the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for the Lead Line Service Replacement program. Dir. Raiche showed a chart of progress in the Lead Line Service Replacement program. He gave a history of the program, the financing program through the MWRA, and the details of the loan. Chair Wilson asked about the timeline of the procurement process and about wages, and Dir. Raiche explained the bid process where the state is involved. Councilor Sait asked about labor and wage details, which led to a discussion of work done by contractors versus city employees and the reasoning behind using contractors - largely where specialized equipment or skillsets are needed. Councilor Burnley asked about the timing of Phase III of the project, and Dir. Raiche explained the timeline and scope of the work. He said that it would be difficult to do more than 25 replacements a year, not just because of staff capacity, but also because of the impact on neighborhoods from construction. RESULT: RECOMMENDED TO BE APPROVED Page 1 of 2 Finance Committee Meeting Minutes March 12, 2024 AYE: City Councilor At Large Wilson, Ward Two City Councilor Scott, Ward Two City Councilor Sait, City Councilor At Large Burnley Jr. and Ward Four City Councilor Clingan 3. Mayor's Request Requesting approval to accept and expend a $14,327.56 grant with no new (ID # 24-0189) match required, from the Department of Fire Services to the Fire Department for the purchase of firefighter safety equipment. Chair Wilson referred to the memo shared with committee members responding to this item. RESULT: RECOMMENDED TO BE APPROVED AYE: City Councilor At Large Wilson, Ward Two City Councilor Scott, Ward Two City Councilor Sait, City Councilor At Large Burnley Jr. and Ward Four City Councilor Clingan 4. Order By Councilor Strezo, Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Sait (ID # 24-0174) Requesting approval of a transfer of $1,000 from the City Council Legal Services Account to the City Council Office Supplies Account for the purchase of furniture and supplies to create a space for children in the City Council Chamber. Councilor Scott requested written opinion from the Law Office on how to use the Legal Services Account. Clerk Wells said she could provide procedural information if that was the question, but Councilor Scott said their question was of a legal nature. Councilor Burnley requested a written explanation of procedure from the City Clerk for using council funds. RESULT: RECOMMENDED TO BE APPROVED AYE: City Councilor At Large Wilson, Ward Two City Councilor Scott, Ward Two City Councilor Sait, City Councilor At Large Burnley Jr. and Ward Four City Councilor Clingan Referenced Documents: • Finance - 2024-03-12 Fire Memo 3.8.24 Mtg (with 24-0189) • Finance - 2024-03-12 Lead Service Program Trends 2024Mar11 (with 24-0201) Page 2 of 2