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January 20, 2026

Somerville Finance Committee Meeting

TL;DR: Finance Committee approves road safety grant with assurances on bicycle enforcement approach, plus $220K for senior housing stability

Items Recommended for Full Council

Minutes Approval – Recommended 5-0

Approval of minutes from the December 9, 2025 Finance Committee meeting.

Municipal Road Safety Grant ($65,000) – Recommended 5-0

The Police Department requested approval to accept a $65,000 state grant for traffic safety, which the city has received consistently for about a decade. Director Emily Wisdom and Lieutenant Michael Holland presented the grant breakdown:

  • $33,930 for traffic safety enforcement overtime (April-September)

  • $17,316 for pedestrian and bicycle enforcement overtime

  • $8,112 for community awareness and education materials

  • $5,642 for safety items (500 lighted bracelets, 60 helmets, 100 bicycle light sets, 750 safety pamphlets)

The discussion focused heavily on bicycle enforcement practices. Councilor JT Scott noted he had voted against this grant in past years when it included enforcement quotas or specific bicycle enforcement provisions. Lieutenant Holland clarified that of 6,101 total citations in 2025, only 147 (about 2.4%) went to bicyclists, and that enforcement priorities focus on motor vehicle violations like the "hooking rule," dooring, and blocking bike lanes.

Both Councilor Link and Councilor Scott expressed concern about cyclists being stopped for "Idaho stops" (proceeding through red lights when safe). Lieutenant Holland assured the committee that such stops are not specifically targeted. Chair Wheeler emphasized the importance of caution given community fears about immigration enforcement.

Councilor Strezo raised specific enforcement requests: Broadway bus lanes where drivers speed through, the Vinal and Highland Avenue intersection near Somerville High School where cars illegally turn left into crosswalks, and Councilor Hardt flagged the fire station intersection in Teele Square.

Councilor Scott said he was "tempted to give it a shot this year" based on the non-enforcement language in the application, while warning that constituents would not be quiet if enforcement practices don't match the assurances given.

Senior Housing Bridge Pilot Program ($20,000 + $200,000) – Recommended 5-0

Director Ellen Shachter presented two related grants from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities: $20,000 for administrative costs and $200,000 for rental assistance, both supporting a pilot program that provides temporary housing assistance to seniors between losing their ability to pay rent and accessing permanent affordable housing.

Key points from Director Shachter:

  • Older adults are the fastest-growing homeless population (up 13% between 2023-2024)

  • 39% of the Commonwealth's lowest-income renters are seniors

  • Last year's $100,000 funding assisted 8 senior households, all of whom either remained housed or transitioned to permanent affordable housing

  • The program accepts referrals from five agencies: Somerville Cambridge Elder Services, Council on Aging, Office of Housing Stability, CASS, Somerville Homeless Coalition, and Legal Services

Councilor Scott asked whether this program was backfilling losses from federal Continuum of Care grant cuts. Director Shachter confirmed that five seniors currently in permanent supportive housing are being accepted into this program because the Somerville Homeless Coalition can no longer serve them due to federal funding reductions. Scott called this "a diving catch" by the city.

Yasmine Raddassi from Intergovernmental Affairs noted these grants were FY26 state local earmarks secured by Senator Jehlen and Representative Gouveia.

Spring Hill Sewer Separation Contract Extension – Recommended 5-0

Director Brian Postlewaite requested a three-month, time-only extension (no additional funding) for Stantec Consulting Services to complete as-built drawings for the completed Spring Hill Sewer Separation project. The contractor's delays in providing information prevented the consulting engineer from completing final documents before the contract expired December 31, 2025.

Councilor Scott noted that time-only extensions are common and provide useful opportunities for updates on projects.

SMEU Unit B Memorandum of Agreement ($103,421 transfer) – Recommended 5-0

Labor Counsel Matthew Sirigu explained this transfer funds a memorandum of agreement resolving a dispute over vacation time carryover rules in the recently settled union contract. The MOA ensures no employees lose vacation time while establishing that going forward, employees can carry over a maximum of three weeks annually.

Some employees with large accumulated balances (due to COVID, position demands, or other factors) will receive payouts, while others will have time to draw down their balances over two years.

What's Next

All five substantive items head to the full City Council for final approval.

Community Budget Hearing Announced: The Finance Committee will host a community budget hearing on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM. The virtual meeting will include live Spanish and Portuguese interpretation, with other languages available upon request (email languageaccess@somervillema.gov or call 311 at least seven days in advance). Chair Wheeler encouraged widespread outreach, noting that participants do not need to be registered voters—anyone who calls Somerville home is welcome to speak about budget priorities.