Newton Finance Committee Unanimously Approves $300,000 Transfer for New Mayor's Office Roles

NEWTON — January 12, 2026 — Newton Finance Committee unanimously backs $300,000 transfer to staff Mayor Laredo's expanded executive office. The committee voted 8-0 Monday to redirect unspent salary funds from three city departments — the city clerk's election budget, Human Resources, and the Department of Public Works street department, each contributing $100,000 — to cover the costs of a new Chief of Staff, a new Chief of Community Services, and an overlap period allowing an incoming CFO to work alongside departing Chief Financial Officer Maureen Lemieux before her retirement in approximately six months. CFO Lemieux told the committee the funds were chosen because they "absolutely will not be spent" before fiscal year-end on June 30, and new COO Josh Morse, presenting benchmarking data, said the additions bring Newton in line with peer communities: "I think this is a paradigm shift for Newton." Committee Chair Grossman flagged ongoing concerns about turnover in the city clerk's office and warned members to expect future debate over whether adding mayoral positions is compatible with tight school budgets, while Lemieux stated that supporting Newton Public Schools is "absolutely a top priority for this mayor."