City Council President Alex Jarrett on Jan. 8 announced committee assignments for this term, and again I will serve on the Finance Committee. My other assignment is on the Committee on City Services, which is responsible for matters related to the activities and operation of municipal government and reviews all candidates for appointment to boards and committees.

Here is a list of the other councilors serving on the four standing committees.

FINANCE: Rachel Maiore (Ward 7), Marissa Elkins (at-large) and Marianne LaBarge (Ward 6)

CITY SERVICES: LaBarge, Quaverly Rothenberg (Ward 3) and Jeremy Dubs (Ward 4)

LEGISLATIVE MATTERS: Elkins, Maiore, Jarrett and Garrick Perry (at-large)

COMMUNITY RESOURCES: Perry, Rothenberg, Dubs and Deborah Pastrich-Klemer (Ward 2)

Environmental review of Picture Main Street

As part of an environmental review of the Picture Main Street project, the city will sponsor two in-person sessions on Tuesday, Jan. 23, in the community room of the Northampton Housing Authority McDonald House at 49 Old South St.

The afternoon session from 3 to 4:30 p.m. will be an informal discussion, while the evening session from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. will include a presentation and questions-and-answers. People may attend one or both sessions, and a Spanish interpreter will be available at both.

Because trees on Main Street will be removed and replaced for a net increase of 36, this environmental notification is required by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation as part of the design, development and permitting process for the project.

Construction of Picture Main Street is scheduled to start in 2025 and continue for three years.

The project, for which the state is expected to pay $19 million, will channel motor vehicle traffic to one travel lane in each direction with a center turning lane; add physically separated bicycle lanes on both sides of the road; widen sidewalks; shorten crosswalks; reduce the overall number of parking spaces by 57; and increase accessible parking spots by two.

More information about Picture Main Street is available here:

https://northamptonma.gov/2547/Picture-Main-Street

Outdoor lighting ordinance

The Committee on Legislative Matters will reopen a public hearing on a proposed updated ordinance regulating outdoor lighting at 5:45 p.m., Monday, Jan. 29, in the City Council chambers, 212 Main St.

That committee, of which I was a member during the last term, and the Planning Board each voted unanimously after a public hearing Dec. 11 to recommend approval of the ordinance.

Because the proposed ordinance was mistakenly omitted from the agenda of the Dec. 21 City Council meeting, it was carried over to this term. City attorney Alan Seewald recommended that the City Council’s hearing be reopened.

The proposal would replace the existing ordinance that was last updated in 2007. The new ordinance reflects current light-emitting diode (LED) technology and fine-tunes restrictions on glare and other impacts of outdoor lights on neighboring properties and the sky. It also would require that commercial lights be turned off no more than one hour after the close of business.

The latest revised version of the proposed ordinance is available here:

https://northamptonma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/22491?fileID=188401

Joint meeting on municipal budget

Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra will meet remotely at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 30, with the City Council, School Committee, trustees of Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School, and the superintendents of both school districts, to review the financial condition of the city and revenue and expenditure forecasts.

As required by the city charter, this is the first formal step in developing the municipal budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024.

Here is the link to join the meeting via Zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88909104056?pwd=34W5g0tDubasz cr4JG8CsEMFM0yGap.1

(Passcode: 151730)

Stan