VIDEO: Watch NewTV’s election night interview with Mayor Fuller here

NewTV’s election night coverage Tuesday began with a wide ranging interview with Mayor Ruthanne Fuller where she discussed Webster Woods, NewCAL, Newton Power Choice, Northland, Riverside and other developments (including breaking news about a residential tower at Chestnut Hill Square) and zoning (along with what types of development projects might be proposed in the future).

This same video also includes interviews with Gail Spector and a BU student journalist, School Committee member Steve Siegel, City Council President Marc Laredo and Councilor Cheryl Lappin, following by election results and analysis. 

Marc Laredo and the hidden election

Marc Laredo and the hidden election

While we’re all focusing on the exciting contested races tomorrow, there’s a hidden election shaping up: the election of the president of the next City Council. Greg touches on this in his election thoughts post. If memory serves, the official vote to make...
Laredo on traffic and parking

Laredo on traffic and parking

City Council President Marc Laredo shared some thoughts about traffic and parking in an email to campaign supporters (and also let them know that he will be seeking reelection).  Here’s the portion of his email about traffic and parking.

Dear Friends:

I hope that you and your families are doing well and looking forward to spring!
In this update, I will focus on two interrelated issues that are a source of continued frustration for Newton residents – traffic and parking.
 
As I travel through the city, whether walking, running, biking or driving, it is readily apparent that we have a lot of automobile traffic.  At times, it is difficult to walk or bike safely, and parking can be limited.  So what should we do?
 
We need to promote safe walking and bicycling and the use of mass transit. Yet, at the same time, we should acknowledge that

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

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

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

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

What happens next to recreational marijuana in Newton (with a new twist)

City Council President Marc Laredo released this memo today regarding the fate of the proposed ballot question that would ban on recreational  marijuana store in Newton (including a twist in terms of when the referendum might be held).

To: City Council
From: President Laredo
Re: Process regarding possible ballot questions relating to a ban or limit on the number of retail marijuana outlets in Newton

Date: August 28, 2018


Under the new marijuana law, Newton must issue at least eight licenses for retail marijuana establishments (one-quarter of the number of liquor licenses) unless the voters give the City Council the authority to ban or otherwise limit the number of retail marijuana outlets in Newton to fewer than eight. In July, we passed a measure to place on the November ballot the question of whether Newton should limit the number of such establishments to 2-4 (with the exact number to be left to the Council’s discretion), but

Law Dept: ‘Open Meeting Law was not violated’ by female city councilors

City Council President Marc Laredo released this memo today regarding an anonymous complaint filed following a May 20 gathering of 11 female Newton City Councilors who say they met to discuss the speak about “the appropriateness of the way women were being treated” by their colleagues.

At my request, the Law Department looked into the anonymous complaint the City Clerk received on Thursday, June 7, 2018 alleging that

Marc Laredo and the hidden election

Laredo: ‘…this behavior is not acceptable to me’

Thanks goodness for Jenna Fisher at Patch who continues to explore the meeting of eleven female Newton City Councilors that attendees say was “a back yard wine and cheese conversation” about the “appropriateness of the way women were being treated” but is the subject of an anonymous Open Meeting Law complaint, now being investigated by the city solicitor.

In the complaint to the Attorney General’s office, someone alleged all of the women on the Newton City Council who went to a May 20 event violated Open Meeting Law by holding a meeting to talk about council business. But a number of people at the event, described as a back yard wine and cheese conversation, said they did not talk about any