Laredo forms commission to study compensation for Newton’s elected officials

by | Dec 14, 2018 | City Council, Marc Laredo, Mayor's office, School Committee | 14 comments

From City Council President Marc Laredo …

City Council President Marc Laredo has announced the appointment of a Blue Ribbon Commission to examine the compensation that Newton’s elected officials (the Mayor and members of the City Council and the School Committee) receive for their service and to make recommendations for possible future changes to their salaries and benefits.

The Commission will be chaired by

Albright: Our marijuana zoning ordinance was done with care to protect our citizens

Albright: Our marijuana zoning ordinance was done with care to protect our citizens

by | Nov 4, 2018 | City Council, Newton, recreational marijuana, zoning | 41 comments

Newton City Councilor Susan Albright, who is chair of the council’s Zoning & Planning committee, had some enlightening comments on an earlier thread about the research she conducted in her role as chair of the committee charged with determining where adult use recreational marijuana shops could locate, if Newton voters reject the Opt-Out referendum Tuesday. It seemed interesting and timely, so I republishing most of it here.

I have talked to many people from states that currently allow adult use. I asked one woman in the Dept of Public Health in Oregon (whom I had called to find data on teenage use) whether there was an adult use shop in her town. She said yes – I asked her what happened there, was she scared to go there? Were there kids hanging around? Were the police frequently called? Was there Trouble with a capital T that rhymes with P that stands for Pool? (sorry I didn’t ask her about Pool). I wanted to get a sense for how she felt about this shop. She said she never went there but it was totally quiet and caused no problems in the town. I got similar answers from whomever i called, including the son of one of my Tufts college friends who works in one in Denver.

I imagine this is what life was like when they were deciding to prohibit liquor. The prohibitionists scared the public that liquor was the foundation of all our problems and the ruination of society – hence we got prohibition. And then had it undone years later.

Our marijuana zoning ordinance was done with care to protect our citizens and to put a store – which is what an adult use shop is – in a place where it was appropriate.

Should Newton’s elected officials get a raise? Do you want to be part of the decision process?

by | Oct 15, 2018 | City Council, City Hall, Mayor's office, Newton, School Committee | 15 comments

City Council President Marc Laredo is looking for individuals interested in serving on a Blue Ribbon Commission examine the compensation of Newton’s elected officials.

By way of background, our Mayor receives a salary of $125,000 a year for her full-time service (the Mayor is barred by our city charter from having other employment while serving as Mayor) our City Council members each receive a salary (also referred to as a stipend) of $9,750 a year; and elect

VIDEO: Northland’s presentation (and Cypress Tree vote)

by | Sep 28, 2018 | Affordable housing, City Council, development, economic development, medical marijuana, N-Squared Innovation District, Needham Street, Northland | 5 comments

Tuesday’s Land Use Committee meeting had two interesting agenda items on its agenda – the presentation of the Northland project and the final committee vote on Cypress Tree, the proposed medical marijuana clinic on Route 9 — and, thankfully, NewTV recorded it all!

 

  • The Cypress Tree debate and vote starts at the 27:45 mark
  • The Northland presentation begins at the 72:55 mark