Newton City Council hears five-year financial forecast
Mayor Laredo and CFO Moren Lemieux presented projections through FY2032, with school funding and pension costs shaping the years ahead.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — mayor and cfo present five-year forecast, district plans bus procurement as commenter, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
CFO Lemieux said the city is preparing for a pension obligation bond, but current borrowing costs make it unworkable for now.
Newton's financial plan depends on revenue that may not repeat. At the Newton City Council, Mayor Laredo and CFO Moren Lemieux presented a five-year forecast for FY2028–FY2032 and a longer-range plan through FY2037. Lemieux said the FY27 budget includes $1.5 million in free cash and higher estimates for interest income, motor excise taxes and building permits. Some of those increases are now part of the budget's starting point, he said, rather than growth the city can expect again each year.
Interest income shows why the assumptions matter. Lemieux said it fell from $14 million in FY24 to $10 million in FY26; the forecast assumes $7.5 million annually over the next five years. He expects building permit revenue to benefit from projects moving through permitting, including Northland and Riverside. But the newly certified new-growth figure, 1.36, is the lowest in 14 years, he said. Project timing and interest rates could change what the city collects.
Pensions and schools are the other major pieces. Lemieux said extending the pension funding schedule to 2035 provided $5 million of relief in the FY27 budget and lowered the assumed annual increase in pension funding from 6.6% to 3.6%. He said the FY27 budget increased funding for Newton Public Schools by 21.6 million, or 7.38%, and the forecast assumes use of the schools' educational stabilization fund. The city is preparing to seek Newton City Council approval for a pension obligation bond if market conditions improve; Lemieux said borrowing costs currently make one impractical.
District plans bus procurement as commenter urges electric school buses
The Newton Public Schools School Committee discussed how the district will buy its next yellow-bus service. The superintendent said staff are preparing a competitive bid and need a vendor capable of serving 34 city buses reliably. Committee members asked how the bid could accommodate electric buses. The superintendent suggested comparing five-year and 10-year options; a 10-year contract would require approval from both the School Committee and the City Council.
A public commenter urged the district to pursue electric buses, pointing to health, climate, fuel costs and state funding. The commenter recommended using a statewide contract and considering a longer term. The superintendent said bid specifications would need to account for routes, field trips and athletics. The discussion did not settle the contract's length or whether it will include an electric-bus option.
The superintendent also updated the Newton Public Schools School Committee on buildings. He said the district plans window-style air conditioning units for 11 older schools, with completion hoped for by May. At Newton South, staff have documented eight roof leaks; the superintendent said the district would bid work to address the school's needs. No vote was taken on the facilities update.
School Committee hears competing concerns about teacher
The Newton Public Schools School Committee heard public comments about a newly hired Brown Middle School social studies teacher and classroom discussion of Israel and Palestine. Some speakers asked about hiring reviews, curriculum and protections against bias; others defended the teacher and raised concerns about Islamophobia and the targeting of Arab and Palestinian voices.
Families sought clarity on how the district evaluates teachers and handles disputed topics in classrooms.
School Committee approves updated student handbooks
The Newton Public Schools School Committee unanimously approved updated student handbooks, including language framing high school AI use as requiring permission. Members discussed escalating consequences for personal-device violations, from office check-ins at middle school to possible disciplinary hearings at high school.
Students and families now have updated rules for AI use and personal devices during the school day.
School Committee reviews spending and carry-forward funds
The Newton Public Schools School Committee reviewed the district's FY26 closeout and FY27 outlook without taking a vote. The business administrator described higher utility and maintenance costs, while members asked for earlier budget updates and questioned continued reliance on circuit breaker funds carried forward from prior years.
More frequent spending reports could show families and taxpayers when school costs stray from the plan.
School Committee reviews developing math pathways
The Newton Public Schools School Committee heard an update on math pathways still under development. Staff reported that 59 students attended a summer bridge program and described middle school math supports and high school curriculum revisions; members asked about scheduling, access to specialists and rollout timing.
Scheduling and specialist access will shape which students receive extra math help or more challenging work.
- Newton City Council Land Use Committee. The committee considered Opus’s request to amend special permit 179-21 to add a weekday valet program creating about 25 additional visitor spaces and to install five directional signs (including oversized and non-accessory signs). Planning supported the request; discussion covered parking demand, operations, staff/visitor parking, and signage needs. The committee approved unanimously.
- Newton Public Schools School Committee. Multiple commenters addressed controversy around a newly hired Brown Middle School social studies teacher, with some urging trust in educators absent evidence of misconduct and others requesting details on vetting, curriculum materials, and safeguards against bias and antisemitism. Additional commenters raised concerns about Islamophobia and suppression of Palestinian/Arab/Muslim voices.
- Newton Public Schools School Committee. A volunteer leader of a local electric vehicle task force urged the committee to pursue electric school buses, citing health, climate, fuel cost, and new state funding. The commenter recommended using a statewide contract and structuring the upcoming transportation procurement to prefer electric buses and allow a longer-term contract.
- Newton Public Schools School Committee. A parent of a Newton South senior and CPAC participant urged the district to clearly communicate what disability awareness curriculum work has already been developed and what is being implemented in schools, stating that extensive work was completed but is not being acknowledged or explained to families.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
NEWTON CENTRE had 22 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCECouncil postpones proposed changes to overnight winter parking rules. The council discussed possible changes to the overnight winter parking ban, including allowing the Traffic Council to authorize parking in angled stalls. It voted 16–8 to postpone item 62-26 for further review and possible language revisions.
- GOVERNANCEPublic Comment — Special education disability awareness curriculum and stigma. A parent of a Newton South senior and CPAC participant urged the district to clearly communicate what disability awareness curriculum work has already been developed and what is being implemented in schools, stating that extensive work was completed but is not being acknowledged or explained to families.
- GOVERNANCEAmendment to special permit 179-21 for 777 Winchester Street (Opus) to allow valet parking and oversized/non-accessory directional signage (public hearing, discussion, and vote). The committee considered Opus’s request to amend special permit 179-21 to add a weekday valet program creating about 25 additional visitor spaces and to install five directional signs (including oversized and non-accessory signs). Planning supported the request; discussion covered parking demand, operations, staff/visitor parking, and signage needs. The committee approved unanimously.
- GOVERNANCESuperintendent Goals — First read discussion of student learning and professional practice goals. The superintendent presented a first read of evaluation goals, including continuation of a student learning goal tied to math pathways implementation and professional practice goals including mediation training/certification and operational indicators. Members discussed making the mediation goal broader and aligning goals to the district strategic plan.
- GOVERNANCEMayor’s Office Requests — Foster Care Transportation Transfer and Textile Funds Transfer (separate vote; Mayor abstention). The committee voted on two pulled items described as requests from the Mayor’s office (foster care transportation transfer and a textile funds transfer/support request). The Mayor stated they would abstain because the items were from the Mayor’s office; the motion passed with the Mayor abstaining.
- GOVERNANCESpecial permit request to reduce lot area and frontage at 62 Miller Road due to deeding a 204 sq ft strip (public hearing, public comment, discussion, and vote). Planning and the petitioner’s attorney presented a request to deed a 204 sq ft strip to an abutter to resolve an adverse possession claim, creating a new lot that would be deficient by 205 sq ft and 1 foot of frontage. One resident raised stormwater concerns about future redevelopment. The committee approved the special permit unanimously with a condition requiring the existing dwelling be raised to avoid new nonconformities.
- GOVERNANCEPublic Safety and Transportation Committee report. Councilor Lucas reported on the September 23 Public Safety and Transportation Committee meeting, including second call item 275-26 (John Ryan appeal of Traffic Council decision TC-15-26) approved as amended by a 6–1 vote, and two Traffic Council items held.
- GOVERNANCESpecial permit request for retaining wall exceeding 4 feet at Nardell Road (public hearing, discussion, and vote). The committee heard Planning’s presentation and the petitioner’s representative on a proposed retaining wall up to 8 feet to create a level yard area. Questions focused on visibility and drainage. The public hearing was closed and the special permit was approved unanimously.
- GOVERNANCECommittees approve agreement for coordinated solid-waste contract negotiations. Finance and Public Facilities reported approving item 298-26, authorizing an intermunicipal agreement for coordinated solid-waste contract negotiations. Finance also reported approving permanent bike-share infrastructure funding for two recreation sites, while Public Facilities reported holding item 273-26.
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