It’s just been announced that Ann Berwick will job-share with Andy Savitz as Newton’s Director of Sustainability. They will each work half-time in the role, in which Andy has served since last April. As Dori Zaleznik, the City’s Chief Administrative Officer noted, “Ann has stellar credentials in the field of sustainability … serving as Chair of the Department of Public Utilities under Governor Deval Patrick, president of the New England States Committee on Electricity, the Commonwealth’s Undersecretary for Energy, and Chief of the Environmental Protection Division in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. Ann will complement and strengthen the efforts that Andy Savitz has already initiated.”

These sustainability initiatives include:

• To date: Energy saving programs for both businesses and homes, Climate change vulnerability assessment, Low-income solar and potential other municipal solar projects
• Future consideration: Community choice aggregation, opening up selected streets on Sundays in the spring and summer for non-vehicle activities, addressing gas leaks, and Electric vehicle initiative.