Newton’s first ever City Council was sworn in on Jan. 1 and held its first regular session Monday.
So now what?
What would you like to see this City Council do — or not do — in 2016?
Ban paper bags too? Ban leaf blowers? Revisit the tear down problem? Take a stance on U.S. immigration polices? Zoning reform? Find a use for the former Newton Centre Library? Stop or support a Philip Neri and/or Turtle Lane project? Switch to every other week trash pick up? Investigate turnover in the executive department? Deliver the Boston Globe to your house? Approve a specific CPA program? More affordable housing? Less affordable housing? Fewer committee meetings? Parking meters in Waban? Enclose Gath Pool? Bike lanes? Seat cushions for those dreadful City Council Chamber benches?
Share your hopes, dreams and fears in the comments section.
Love your list greg.
I’m not sure if it’s the alderman or the mayor’s office that needs to take action but i’d love to see the city move foreward on officially opening up the MWRA aqueducts for public use this year.
Surrounding towns jumped at the chance to, in effect, add new parkland to their towns, as soon as the MWRA offered to turn the aqueduct right-of-ways over to the towns.
Inexplicably, Newton’s been dragging it’s heels for a while. That would,be a great initiative for 2016.
Jerry, as you may know the Cochituate Aquaduct has been city-owned for quite a long time and is open to the public. The Sudbury Aquaduct remains MWRA property although the sections I am familiar with, running through Newton Highlands, are also open to the public.
@Steve Siegel – Yes, thanks for the clarification. The Sudbury Aqueduct is the one in question. The MWRA, since they are not a parks organization, has never really officially opened their aqueducts for public use. They have unofficially ignored all public use that does happen.
So on the Sudbury Aqueduct in Newton there’s a fence across it at one point, no trespassing sign, abutters who have extended their yard and planted vegetation to keep people out, etc.
The MWRA about two years ago offered to turn the surface of the aqueducts over to the towns so that they could open them up as they see fit, improve them if they desired and make them officially sanctioned parkland/walking trails. A number of towns along the way jumped at the chance, took over the property and made them new improved features of their town’s park systems. Newton hasn’t.
Any idea the added cost were Newton to do as you’d like Jerry?
I’d expect that it would be negligible but it’s really only someone from the city that could answer that question knowledgeably.