Finance Committee

City of Somerville, Massachusetts City Council Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Tuesday, March 26, 2024 7:00 PM Committee of the Whole This meeting was held in the Council Chambers and via Zoom, was called to order by Chair Wilson at 7:01 pm and adjourned at 9:02 pm with a roll call vote of 7 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Scott, and Chair Wilson), 2 opposed (Councilor Mbah and Councilor Sait), and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo). Others present: Brendan Salisbury – City Clerk’s Office, Stephanie Widzowski – Clerk of Committees. Recesses were taken from 7:46 pm to 7:50 pm and from 8:00 pm to 8:20 pm. Quorum was re-established via roll call after both recesses. Chair Wilson moved to adopt a rule for this meeting that resolutions showing shared support for budget priorities require a two-thirds vote of the membership to be approved. This motion was approved with 10 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Strezo, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 1 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld). Councilors spoke briefly about their budget priorities. Chair Wilson introduced the survey that councilors would take to express support for priorities (attached to the agenda for the 3/19 Finance Committee of the Whole meeting) and gave instructions. Councilors filled out the survey and then the results were shared. The five most supported categories were: Housing Stabilization, Homeless Services, Alternative Emergency Response, Housing Affordability, and Municipal Composting. After discussion of the most supported items, Chair Wilson moved to adjourn. The motion was not approved with a roll call vote of 3 in favor (Councilor Davis, Councilor McLaughlin, and Councilor Clingan), 6 opposed (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Burnley, Sait, Scott, and Chair Wilson), and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo). 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., Ward Four City Councilor Jesse Clingan, Matthew McLaughlin, Lance L. Davis, Wilfred N. Mbah, Kristen Strezo, Judy Pineda Neufeld and Ben Ewen-Campen 1. Committee Approval of the Minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting of March 12, Minutes 2024. (ID # 24-0373) RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE Page 1 of 4 Finance Committee Meeting Minutes March 26, 2024 2. Committee Approval of the Minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting of March 19, Minutes 2024. (ID # 24-0404) RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 3. Committee Approval of the Minutes of the Finance Committee of the Whole Meeting of Minutes March 19, 2024. (ID # 24-0405) RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 4. Committee Approval of the Minutes of the Finance Committee of the Whole Meeting of Minutes March 26, 2024. (ID # 24-0410) RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 5. Communication By Councilor Mbah (ID # 24-0202) Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025. Councilor Ewen-Campen moved to create a resolution conveying support for Housing Stabilization as outlined in memos and budget priorities submitted by councilors. This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo). Councilor McLaughlin stated that he wanted a permanent location in the city for homeless residents to stay, in the vein of Housing for All. Chair Wilson moved for a resolution expressing support in the FY25 budget for homeless services including all approaches listed in councilor memos, and specifically including funding for a permanent brick-and-mortar location. This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo). Councilor Burnley said that the Council’s request for Alternative Emergency Response should include the language drafted by former Councilor Kelly the year prior. Councilor Burnley moved that all items in the Alternative Emergency Response category be submitted to the Mayor to be included in the FY25 budget. This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo). Councilor Scott moved to create a resolution conveying to the Mayor the Page 2 of 4 Finance Committee Meeting Minutes March 26, 2024 importance of housing affordability, including the creation of an Acquisition Fund, as a council priority for inclusion in the FY25 budget. This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo). Councilor Ewen-Campen moved to create a resolution expressing support for the inclusion of municipal composting, including all approaches listed in councilor memos, in the FY25 budget. This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo). Councilor McLaughlin moved for a resolution to include rodent mitigation in the FY25 budget as outlined in councilor memos and resolutions and to increase funding and staffing in the city for rodent mitigation. This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo). Councilor Burnley expressed support for including the four categories tied for seventh place in the Council’s budget priorities for the Mayor. He moved to include medical debt forgiveness, municipal building decarbonization, out-of-school time programming, and an overdose prevention center as outlined in councilor memos in the budget priorities for FY25. This motion was approved with 9 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, Davis, McLaughlin, Clingan, Burnley, Sait, Scott and Chair Wilson), none opposed, and 2 absent (Councilor Pineda Neufeld and Councilor Strezo). RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 6. Resolution By Councilor Clingan (ID # 24-0204) That the Administration fund the creation of an entire unit within the Department of Public Works tasked with battling the city's growing rodent infestation. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 7. Resolution By Councilor McLaughlin (ID # 24-0211) That the Administration include in the FY 2025 budget, additional funding for rodent mitigation efforts, including an Office of Rodent Prevention similar to the one proposed in Boston, with appropriate staffing. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE Page 3 of 4 Finance Committee Meeting Minutes March 26, 2024 8. Resolution By Councilor McLaughlin (ID # 24-0212) That the Administration include in the FY 2025 budget, funding for a home air filtration pilot program to address air pollution along Interstate 93. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 9. Communication By Councilor Wilson (ID # 24-0214) Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 10. Communication By Councilor Ewen-Campen (ID # 24-0327) Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 11. Communication By Councilor Pineda Neufeld (ID # 24-0340) Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 12. Communication By Councilor Strezo (ID # 24-0342) Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 13. Communication By Councilor Burnley Jr. (ID # 24-0377) Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 14. Communication By Councilor Davis (ID # 24-0378) Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 15. Communication By Councilor Sait (ID # 24-0390) Conveying budget priorities and requests for FY 2025. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE Page 4 of 4