Newton Panel Unanimously Advances $8.5 Million in Capital Spending and Feasibility Studies

NEWTON — May 6, 2026 — Newton's Public Facilities Committee unanimously advanced more than $8.5 million in capital spending at its May 6 meeting, highlighted by three concurrent $1.25 million feasibility study authorizations for Newton South High School, police headquarters, and Ward and/or Underwood Elementary Schools. Commissioner of Public Buildings Alex Valcarce and Chief Operating Officer Josh Morse said each study will follow Newton's standard owner's project manager and design firm model; Morse estimated the Newton South feasibility alone at 12 to 18 months and said eventual construction "will be more than" free cash can support, pointing toward a future debt exclusion override vote. The committee also approved a $3.2 million supplemental appropriation closing out fiscal year 2026 snow and ice expenditures of approximately $8.49 million on 63.9 inches of accumulation, accepted a $52,000 MassDEP Recycling Dividends grant, and approved $345,697.55 for design of a companion traffic signal at North and Crafts streets required by MassDOT as a condition of advancing a 2020 Safe Routes to School grant for the Albemarle-Crafts intersection. The committee held a drain easement relocation petition at 129 Rose Street pending a site visit and CCTV pipe inspection, with two direct abutters raising concerns about flooding and grade changes from the proposed manhole configuration.