Newton panel approves $347,534 CPA grant for City Hall war memorial stair repair

NEWTON — May 13, 2026 — Newton approves $347,534 in CPA funds for City Hall war memorial stairs, endorses $7.15 million building budget. The Public Facilities Committee voted 5-1 Wednesday to appropriate $347,534.91 in Community Preservation Act funding for structural restoration of the deteriorated Homer Memorial Stairs at Newton City Hall, with Councilor Leary casting the sole dissenting vote as a declared protest against using CPA money for city deferred maintenance. Program Manager Molly Hutchings noted the bid price represents a steep drop from a $2 million preliminary estimate, the result of a 2025 investigation showing only the base stairs require work. COO Josh Morse defended the city's 93 percent funding share by noting Newton's CPA-eligible public buildings portfolio would exhaust the full annual allotment even at a 25 percent match rate. The committee then unanimously endorsed a $7,150,836 fiscal year 2027 Public Buildings operating budget — up $272,406, or roughly 4 percent — driven largely by a $115,000 increase in school water and sewer costs and a $35,000 rise in City Hall electrical expenses, with a net personnel reduction of $114,000 reflecting the restructuring that followed former Commissioner Morse's elevation to Chief Operating Officer.