DRAFT MINUTES

Waban Area Council November 13, 2025

Area Council members:

Chris Pitts, Sallee Lipshutz, Drake McCabe, Sumukh Tedulkar, Steven Gusenoff

Ex Officio: Ward 5 At-large City Councilor Rena Getz attending, City Councilor Andreae Downs not attending and City Councilor Bill Humphrey not present.

Residents and others:

Ward 5 City Councilor elect Julie Irish, Ward 5 At-large City Councilor elect Brittany Humes Charms, Ward 5 School Committee elect Ben Scheslinger, Sachiko Ishihara, John Mordes, Margorie Arons-Barron, Highlands ACs Groot Gregory and Barbara Darnell, WAC elects Eve Bould, Marcia Cooper, Hunter Malasky

The Waban Area Council meeting officially began at 7:35. According to CC Rena Getz who saw results at City Hall, six members were elected: Salle Lipshutz, Chris Pitts, Steven Gusenoff, Marcia, Marcia Cooper, Hunter Malaski and Eve Bould.

New Ward 5 Representatives

The meeting focused on introducing new representatives for Ward 5, including Brittany Hume Charm, Julie Irish and Ben Schlesinger, who discussed their priorities and challenges ahead.

Brittany Hume Charm

Challenges she sees: City finances under strain – “big pinch,” “strong headwinds” around the city budget. Likely hard choices about cuts vs. another override to maintain services and school funding. 

Priorities for the next year: Keep city finances “in order” so Schools remain well funded, Core city services are sustained. Help the community navigate the override vs. cuts question through good communication and engagement. Keep the community “positive and connected.” Make sure residents are aware of what’s happening at the federal level and how it affects Newton down to the village level. Maintain strong communication between residents and representatives (including the Area Councils).

Ben Schlesinger

Challenges he sees: Schools are coming off “a really tough few years”: Newton didn’t handle COVID as well as peer districts. Ongoing budget fights and not enough money to meet student needs. A teacher strike, all of which “was bad for the kids.” 

Rising cost to educate each child: Much higher level of student need, especially mental health and learning support. At Oak Hill, 39% of students are “high needs” (in at least two of: special ed, low income, English learner), which is expensive and legally mandated to support. 

Budget structure problem (“fiscal hill”): Current pension/OPEB funding schedule creates a big “gift” of freed-up budget years from now, while today’s students bear the heavy burden of tight school budgets. Eroded trust in Newton Public Schools. Parents don’t trust NPS to deliver strong academics (e.g., many send kids to Russian Math/Mathnasium). 

Priorities for the next year: “Sort out the money” for schools: Look for creative financial solutions within the existing city budget. Explore options like smoothing the pension/OPEB funding schedule to free money sooner for schools, without harming the next generation or raiding police/fire/parks. Recognize that a new override is probably a few years away, so near-term fixes must come from internal rebalancing. 

Leverage finance and management expertise on the School Committee: Use the skills of the new “finance-oriented” members (MBAs, private equity/exec backgrounds) to redesign how resources are allocated. Work closely with Superintendent Dr. Anna Nolan and Mayor-elect Marc Laredo: Build on what he sees as an “upswing” over the past ~20 months. Use data and outcome orientation to drive decisions. 

Restore trust and improve academic outcomes: Expand measurement and transparency of student performance (parents seeing data 2–3 times a year). Rebuild confidence that NPS can deliver strong math and reading so families don’t feel compelled to seek outside programs.

Julie Irish

Rena discussed the positive impact of Dr. Anna Nolan's data-driven approach and centralized curriculum, as well as the importance of restoring trust in the school system. Chris, citing information gathered in preparation for the 4 AC debates, concurred with Rena and the new reps that this is a positive step.

Newton Area Councils: Roles and Transparency

The meeting focused on the role and composition of area councils in Newton, with Christopher emphasizing that councils have historically included diverse voices and are not the often repeated misconception of being one-sided. Christopher on discussing an email from Ward 8 CC Stephen Farrell of the potential formation of a new area council in Ward 8, highlighted the challenges and efforts required to establish and maintain such a council. He emphasized the WAC and ACs council's mission and past accomplishments, including running well-attended debates, designing surveys, and actively engaging with city proposals. Christopher also noted that COVID-19 had impacted volunteerism but expressed hope for increased resident involvement in the coming year. Rena discussed the importance of maintaining and enhancing the viability of Newton's 13 villages, while Julie Irish, president of the Upper Falls Area Council, highlighted the need for increased transparency in decision-making and better integration of various city plans. The group agreed on the value of area councils and the need for more visibility and data transparency in city planning processes.

Issues from the Community

Steven highlighted affordability issues raised in a survey, urging caution with Proposition 2.5 to avoid increasing living costs. Chris underlined Steven's point by saying that many villagers who have been here for decades may be house rich but cash poor because they live on fixed incomes, and downsizing in Newton is like finding a unicorn. Most often, the best housing situation they can find is the one they are in.

Sallee mentioned a new stop sign installation on Radcliffe Road to enhance safety.

Suzuki Music School Expansion Plans & Historic Building Restoration Fundraising Update

Sachiko Ishihara, Executive Director of the Suzuki Music School and Pre-school, presented a detailed update on the restoration and expansion project of the historic building. This included an elevator and performance space/classroom/community space, which will be used for various meetings and events. She highlighted the need for a $2.5 million Phase 2 to replace windows, improve accessibility, and create additional space. She noted that $1.3 million has been raised so far, with $700,000 still needed, and emphasized the importance of securing a $600,000 grant from the Community Preservation Act Committee.

Steven suggested removing the outer fence to create a concert green, integrating the music school with Waban Square, making it more inviting for community events. The group discussed the visual aspects of the current plastic fence and the possibility of replacing it with a more historically accurate stone wall, though safety concerns were noted. CP commended Suzuki for steadily fixing general upkeep items required of a 300-year-old farmhouse, including rotted porches, stairs, and windows.

Sachiko requested the Waban Area Council's support by writing a letter in favor of the funding grant, which will be submitted with the full proposal on December 9th. The council approved a letter supporting Sachiko's project, which will be sent to Molly Hutchins of the Newton Planning Department. The letter highlights the historical aspects and the need for preservation to keep the school viable.

Community Engagement and Coordination Initiatives

The group discussed several community engagement initiatives:

• Police community outreach event introducing village business people and locals to Waban beat police. This received positive approval.
• A "Waban Night" event similar to successful initiatives in other cities, billed as a Village Day for adults. Sallee and Eve noted this might not align perfectly with the Waban Area Council's mission. Groot Gregory, AC from the Highlands, pointed out that it is written in the Charter: Section 9-8: self help projects, such as supplemental refuse collection, beautification, minor street and sidewalk repair, establishment and maintenance of neighborhood community centers, street fairs and festivals, cultural activities, recreation and housing rehabilitation and sale; The discussion highlighted the need for better coordination between the Waban Improvement Society and the Area Council, with Christopher suggesting potential funding collaboration between the two organizations.
• Forum with Dr. Anna Nolan, the superintendent of schools, to discuss the 5-year report and school challenges. The group discussed Dr. Ann Nolan's upcoming presentation about educational initiatives, particularly regarding the math curriculum, which Julie had attended a previous presentation about. Sallee suggested coordinating with PTOs from Waban schools to increase attendance at the presentation. Rena mentioned a recent $2 million appropriation for math curriculum updates across the district, with more funding likely to be requested in the future.
• Beautification projects, including street lighting and tree planting. The group discussed improvements to Waban Square, including lighting and potential changes to the sidewalk trees. They agreed to start with simple improvements like lighting before considering more significant changes like a roundabout. Sallee emphasized the importance of surveying residents to determine their preferences for the area. Julie shared insights from a previous lighting project in Petty Square, noting that decorative lights can be difficult to notice due to existing street lights and overhead electrical work. The group acknowledged the need for early involvement in design processes and the importance of having a well-thought-out plan before presenting it to the city council.
• Issues Debates: proposed hosting debates on various local issues, including parking bans, housing development, transportation, etc.

Quinnobequin Trail Improvement Initiatives

Wabanite John Mordes, President of the Hemlock Gorge Society, updated the WAC on the condition and maintenance of the Quinnobequin Trail and Hemlock Gorge, with John expressing frustration over the lack of progress in improving the trail despite previous efforts. John suggested that the Friends of Quinnobequin should become an independent 501c3 organization to facilitate improvements, as the current subcommittee structure has been ineffective.

The group also discussed the potential for creating a system of street captains to improve communication within the community.

Administrative Items

Treasurer’s Report $525.38, submitted by Drake McCabe, Treasurer

Area Council new members and potential appointments.

Eve Bould, Hunter Malasky had to leave earlier. Marcia Cooper introduced herself and expressed interest in contributing to public spaces and community vibrancy. In addition to her work with Green Newton, Chris noted she is an excellent fine artist.

The WAC will examine the appointment of additional members in January and discuss the importance of encouraging residents to "Pay Attention and Participate" in local government. Formal swearing-in will take place in January.