Patch: Newton officials share their new year resolutions for the city

by village14 | Jan 5, 2020 | Newton | 19 comments

Read all about it here. T’hen come back and share you resolutions for Newton

19 Comments

Paul Levy on January 5, 2020 at 4:03 pm
Oh no, the Mayor seeks to “design a new community center focused on seniors.” So, she’s stuck on NewCAL. Let’s go for a senior center, instead. Check out this vision set forth by Marian Knapp: https://village14.com/2019/12/11/knapps-vision-for-a-new-senior-center/#axzz6A6UUhCeL. And here: https://village14.com/2019/11/07/a-senior-center-for-seniors/#axzz6A6UUhCeL
Jim Epstein on January 5, 2020 at 6:07 pm
Paul,
Along the lines of your comment, it looks like the Mayor continues to pre-determine NewCAL again without public input.
For instance, according to the January-February 2020 Newton Senior Center Newsletter, available online, and just received in the mail, apparently the full range of the objections to, and the objections to paying for, NewCAL as heretofore proposed by the City, has not fully registered with the Mayor. Once again the Mayor, if in fact the Newsletter reflects her intentions, is seeking to move forward “finding the best location for NewCAL” WITHOUT FIRST critically determining the SCOPE of what that NewCAL should be — which will have bearing on any location to be selected. That is, whether NewCAL should be strictly a Senior Center — for which vast numbers of Newton residents have registered their preference via online polling and other communications, including here on Village 14 — or whether, and to what extent, NewCAL should also encompass an athletic and community center, entailing a gymnasium, possibly a swimming pool, and facilities open to Newton’s general public when not otherwise specifically reserved for senior activities, as heretofore proposed by the City.
At the very least, it would seem that the City should issue a correction or clarification on this point.
The Newsletter currently states in part:
—
“Let’s Talk: NewCAL!
“2 Tuesdays: January 21st and February 18th, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
“Mark your calendars for the third Tuesday to discuss NewCAL (Newton Center for Active Living). What is it? What’s going on? What can we do to make it happen? Just drop-in. The next community meeting about NewCAL is Thursday, January 16th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Newton Education Center (100 Walnut Street), Room 111. We look forward to listening to and collaborating with members of the community, as we move toward finding the best location for NewCAL.”
—
I’m wondering, what do the readers here think? And, do readers think that the name “NewCAL” (“Newton Center for Active Living”) should be revised back to “Newton Senior Center”? (Some seniors, especially those somewhat infirmed, may not be or want to be, too active, but deserve a welcoming center as well.)
Greg Reibman on January 5, 2020 at 7:07 pm
There you go again Jim, making an unfounded claim about lack of input over what was arguably the most or at least top three must discussed issues of 2019.
But PLEASE let’s not take this thread off topic. I know I won’t be reading your comments about NewCAL here. I urge others to ignore you here too.
As for the resolutions: It’s unfortunate how many of our electeds apparently choose not to respond here.
My resolution for Newton and our region is that together we make substantive progress addressing the transportation, housing and climate crisis. All three issues are too big and connected to solve alone. And they’re bigger than Newton. But Newton needs to play a big part.
Claire on January 5, 2020 at 7:22 pm
Greg as far as I know you aren’t a Newton official so why should we care what your resolution is. Better that you make a resolution to be a less snarky and more impartial moderator of this for this forum. And yes that is a snarky comment, but I don’t fancy myself to be an official.
Paul Levy on January 5, 2020 at 7:41 pm
@Greg, @Jim’s comment about lack of input is actually right on target. The NewCAL process was deeply flawed. It jumped to a poorly designed siting process without a substantive approach to the program intended in the facility. Read Marian Knapp’s columns again to get a sense of what the senior center might be.
Further, Jim’s comment was not off topic for this thread. The thread asked us to review each public official’s aspiration for the year. I did and then offered mine in contrast to the Mayor’s. His followed mine. Urging people to ignore these points is, in my view, unfounded.
BTW, I agree with your three regional priorities. There remain local priorities, too, that are worthy of addressing in a manner that can help bring the community together.
Jim Epstein on January 5, 2020 at 7:41 pm
Greg,
1. Why off topic by me, but not for Paul Levy — addressing essentially the same point vis a vis the Mayor’s continuing expansive NewCAL concept.
2. My comment directly addresses the Mayor’s IGNORING the input (by again calling NewCAL a “community center” rather than just senior center), NOT that there was no input.
I DON’T CLAIM THERE WAS NO INPUT. Precisely the opposite implication is inherent in my comment that THE MAYOR PERSISTS IN IGNORING THAT INPUT.
(At the very least your gratuitous slight about my comment, and advice to ignore it, should be withdrawn and/or corrected! And, in the future please read more carefully before critiquing in such an unwanted negative fashion.)
Jim Epstein on January 5, 2020 at 7:43 pm
Thanks Paul!
Jim Epstein on January 5, 2020 at 7:48 pm
Greg,
Correction: Your comment about my comment was “unwarranted”. Didn’t intend to say “unwanted” — albeit it was unwanted as well.
Newtoner on January 5, 2020 at 7:48 pm
Kudos to Alison Leary for her commitment to phasing out single-use plastic. Our collective plastic addiction is indeed one of the most pressing issues of our time. At the most immediate level, I’m sick and tired of collecting an entire bag of plastic trash on a short walk in my neighborhood, and of course there’s a lot more damage beyond unsightly trash. Yes, this type of action needs to happen at the state and federal level, but Newton is a good place to start. As we have seen with plastic bags, local action spreads quickly to neighboring communities. I hope Councilor Leary can get everyone else on board. It’s high time we do something!
Claire on January 5, 2020 at 8:04 pm
To be precise, none of us can make resolutions for Newton, only for ourselves.
Paul Levy on January 5, 2020 at 8:09 pm
My resolution for Newton is that the City Council act as a true check-and-balance on the executive branch, e.g., questioning no-bid contracts.
My other resolution for Newton is that some news outlet (any!) carry out real investigative reporting on the major issues facing the city. For example, in looking at the budget projections for the coming years, what is the impact of the choice to fund post-retirement benefits over the time period chosen by the mayor compared to other timetables, a new teachers contract that exceeds the mayor’s planned allocation, and the other contracts being signed?
Paul Levy on January 5, 2020 at 8:10 pm
Claire’s right, of course. Replace “resolutions” above with “hopes.”
Matthew Miller on January 5, 2020 at 9:22 pm
To my knowledge School Committee members were not asked. That being said, I did share my goals and hopes here: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10157786965499105&id=511809104
Happy New Year everyone!!
Jerry Reilly on January 5, 2020 at 9:36 pm
I hope this the year we have a new snack food named after us.
It’s been well over a 100 years since the birth of the Fig Newton.
Time for a Nougat Newton candy bar. I’d settle for a Ben and Jerry’s Nutty Newton ice cream flavor.
fignewtonville on January 5, 2020 at 10:57 pm
Jerry. Jerry. Jerry.
For the record, they are just called Newton’s now. No more Fig. Breaks my Figgy heart.
On the plus side, the apple Newton’s are quite good.
I’m also secretly jealous of the Fluff festival…
- Marti Bowen on January 6, 2020 at 12:45 pm
  I’d love to see a Newton Foody Festival – Figgy Newton, Ben and Jerry’s Nutty Newton (great name) – all the Newtons invited.
- Marti Bowen on January 6, 2020 at 1:21 pm
  My hope for Newton is that we as it’s residents seek out more ways to come together over differing issues through compromise without adding misrepresentations, telling flat out lies or lampooning each other.
  I also join in the hope that this newly elected city council will stand up to the executive branch when requests come to them seeking approval for funds without substantive reasoning behind them – no more no-bid contracts, no more funding for “New-Cal,” whatever that is at this point, and no more following wherever the mayor’s going without studying it first.
  I hope that the mayor has finally learned that she cannot use her executive powers to tell voters or the city council how to vote on issues. I wrote an article for the Tab during the first January that Ruthann Fuller became Mayor about her overstepping the mayoral bounds before the ballot initiative to keep marijuana retail stores out of newton had even started by saying in her email newsletter, “let’s vote.” In effect she was letting Newton know that she did not support the statewide and Newton vote to allow 8 retail stores to open in Newton. I called it a conflict of interest violation, which it was, and hoped she would get the message. Instead she has continued down that same path in other ways and now a formal complaint has been filed. Hopefully that will put a stop to her brandishing her powers for political gain.
Matt Lai on January 7, 2020 at 6:06 am
“Hope for the New Year”….lasted less than a week.
Here is the video from last night’s meeting…
https://vimeo.com/383182634
At no point, did anyone on the Council mention or gave credence to the will of the voters or recognition that enough of the public disagree with the vote the Council re: Northland.
With the exception of Laredo, who voted “yes” on Northland but in this case urged the Council to take more time to deliberate the Referendum vote; the rest voted along the party line of the Special Permit vote.
In short, each side dug their heels in.
Hopefully I’m wrong and the “super majority” (as Greg likes to calm them) actually considers community concerns and feedback in these deliberations (Wed night at 6pm – City Hall).
Pat Irwin on January 7, 2020 at 11:03 am
What Matt said! See you there!