Go here to read the the full text of Newton Mayor Setti Warren’s State of the City Address which he delivered to the Newton City Council on Monday Feb. 1, 2016.
Read (or watch) Mayor Warren’s State of the City Address here
by Village 14 | Feb 1, 2016 | Newton, Setti Warren | 7 comments
Excited to hear more about the community solar program!
Surprised that Newton activist Tom Sheff hasn’t offered his commentary yet.
Hi Doug,
I’m trying to stay away from Newton issues. I am, however, considering one more run for Governor’s Council.
I would like to hear what you thought of the Mayor’s speech.
As a side note, I think his proposal of 800 affordable housing units (if I read it right) in 5 years is a dangerous proposal, but thats just me. I feel it’s dangerous because when you set a target like that, sometimes you feel the need to hit the target despite whether it’s good for Newton or not. I think that number is totally unrealistic. I also think he is doing things backwards by bringing the community into the conversation too early. Having them place legos where housing should be, is ridiculous. The Mayor claims we have the best employees, then let them do their job. Give them a chore with parameters and if it’s good, then sell it to the community. Lead from the front. But, I’m trying to stay away, lololol.
Doug,
Thanks for asking, lololo…..you’re probably sorry you asked.
Basically I agree that this administration has accomplished many goals. Two points from Jonathan Dame’s article on the speech in the Tab :
Paving Streets
“He also highlighted a 50 percent increase in the amount of roadway paved each year compared to 2010.
[F]ormer DPW commissioner David Truocy reported last May that street conditions had deteriorated slightly over the previous five years, according to the city’s pavement condition index.”
“Dori Zaleznik said the city’s street assessment methodology was very subjective.”
According to the statements above, over the last 5 years the city increased street paving by 50% but the city streets have deteriorated slightly during that time and the decision to pave streets is subjective.
How can that be? The city paved no streets in 2010 so anything is an increase but it doesn’t affect deterioration? The city paves roads that are not deteriorating, subjective decisions, so deterioration is still ongoing?
The city’s pavement condition index isn’t actually used so, as Dori Zaleznik says, “The administration, was hoping new technologies could make the methodology “more objective and provide us with better information?”’
The city doesn’t follow its pavement condition index, objective, so only paves roads when enough people complain about them, subjective? I’m going with the last one.
Housing
“Warren addressed the city’s ongoing and related efforts to develop housing … based on feedback from residents.” [randomly placing Legos anywhere on a non-delineated map of Newton].
[The Lego] Consultants are expected to submit a draft housing report sometime next month that will address possible locations and strategies … Councilor Jake Auchincloss says, “We’re not lacking for fancy reports telling us that. What we’re lacking of is the political cohesion to execute that.”
I completely agree with the above.
@Tom Sheff – Marilyn Devaney is virtually unbeatable. She has had strong challengers before and has always prevailed. This will also be the year that has Hillary at the top of the ticket which helps Marilyn even more. I don’t want to discourage you but I think a candidacy against Marilyn is a waste of time.
Doug,
Bill Humphrey feels he’s going to win. If he doesn’t, I’ll be in the wings. I hope I have your vote in the general.