The City Council’s Committee on Legislative Matters will sponsor a public forum on the proposed fossil fuel-free construction ordinance from 6 to 8 p.m., Monday, Jan. 6, in the City Council chambers, 212 Main St.

Here is the link to participate remotely via Zoom (passcode 453644):

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83438719977

The ordinance is sponsored by Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra and Legislative Matters Committee members Alex Jarrett of Ward 5 and Rachel Maiore of Ward 7 to comply with the city’s participation in the state’s Municipal Fossil Fuel-Free Building Demonstration Program.

Benjamin Weil, director of the city’s Climate Action and Project Administration, Jarrett and Maiore are scheduled to explain the ordinance that would take effect Jan. 27.

The Committee on Legislative Matters is expected to issue a recommendation for a vote by the full City Council on Jan. 16.

The ordinance would ban most new building construction and major renovations that use fossil fuels. Exceptions include scientific or medical research laboratories, as well as hospitals and medical offices regulated by the Department of Public Health. Multi-family buildings of more than 12,000-square-feet with permit applications filed before Jan. 1, 2027, may use propane for domestic water heating.

The proposed ordinance is available here:

https://northamptonma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/24485?fileID=199675

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee, of which I am vice chair, will meet virtually at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 8, to discuss financial orders related to the city’s Capital Improvement Program and free cash that were referred by the City Council on Thursday.

Here is the link to participate remotely via Zoom (passcode 923835)

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85660067321

Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra submitted a capital spending plan totaling $103,609,476 for the next five fiscal years through June 30, 2030. That includes $23,178,032 during fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1, 2025. Capital projects cost $10,000 or more for uses such as new buildings, renovations, equipment purchases, and land acquisitions.

Major expenses proposed during fiscal year 2026 include $3 million for road safety improvements near Northampton High School with new traffic signals at Elm and North Elm streets and Elm Street and Woodlawn Avenue; $1.15 million for street resurfacing and road improvements; borrowing a total of $1,440,535 for improvements to the Forbes Library, including a new heating, ventilation and cooling system, and renovating the children’s department; and borrowing $1 million for sidewalk repairs.

The Capital Improvement Program is available here:

https://northamptonma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28956/FY2026-FY2030-Capital-Improvement-Program-PDF

The Finance Committee also will discuss a financial order submitted by the mayor on Thursday to appropriate a total of $2,835,744 from free cash to four reserve accounts. Each of the stabilization funds used for capital projects, climate mitigation and unexpected one-time expenses would get $708,936.

That is part of the city’s $11,657,751 in free cash certified by the state last month. Free cash is unspent money from the last fiscal year combined with higher-than-projected revenues.

That figure includes $1.68 million carried over from last year that will help pay the $3 million cost of road safety improvements near Northampton High School. The free cash total also includes $3.15 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act pandemic-relief funds which is earmarked for underground utility improvements during the Picture Main Street project.

The Finance Committee is expected to issue recommendations on the financial orders for a vote by the full City Council on Jan. 16.

$40,000 for Northampton Public Schools

The City Council voted unanimously Thursday to approve an additional $40,000 for the Northampton Public Schools to hire two paraeducators to work 32.5 hours per week at the Bridge Street School for the remaining 21 weeks of the school year.

The money was requested by the School Committee and Superintendent Portia Bonner in response to a grievance filed by the Northampton Association of School Employees related to safety issues at the Bridge Street School.

The added money – taken from reserve funds in the city’s fiscal stability stabilization fund – brings the total Northampton Public Schools budget for the fiscal year ending June 30 to $41,160,457, a nearly 9 percent increase from last year’s budget.

Community Preservation Act

The City Council on Thursday approved eight requests for Community Preservation Act Funds totaling $1,190,620 recommended by the Community Preservation Committee.

All the projects were approved unanimously except for $402,000 to reconstruct the six tennis courts and one basketball court at JFK Middle School. That was approved 8-0, with Quaverly Rothenberg of Ward 3 abstaining.

The projects also include $200,000 to Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity for four single-family affordable homes owned by first-time home buyers at 196 Cooke Ave., and $202,000 to Grow Food Northampton for construction of a pavilion at the community farm and gardens at 140 Meadow St.

The Community Preservation Act was adopted by Northampton voters in 2005, and funds are generated by a 3 percent surcharge on property taxes, with matches from the state. Since its adoption, the CPA has funded more than 180 projects, including preservation of hundreds of acres of open space and agricultural land, building more than 200 units of affordable housing, creation of multi-use trails and new recreational fields and facilities, and restoration of more than 30 historic resources and structures.

School Committee vacancy

The City Council and School Committee will hold a joint meeting at 6 p.m., Monday, Jan. 13, in the JFK Middle School community room to appoint a school board member from Ward 2 to fill the vacancy created when Karen Foster-Cannon resigned last month, citing personal circumstances.

The two candidates who have applied so far are John Mitchell of 71 Dryads Green, and Anat Weisenfreund of 65 Kensington Ave.

Any registered voter in Ward 2 interested in filling the vacancy may complete this application:

https://northamptonma.gov/FormCenter/Online-Forms-3/Statement-of-Interest-for-the-Ward-2-Sch-166

Applications are encouraged by Friday, Jan. 10, and will be accepted until 5:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 13.

Each candidate will have three minutes to give a statement at the joint meeting Jan. 13, followed by 10 minutes of questions for each candidate. The winning candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast. Until a winner receives a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes will be eliminated after each roll call.

The person appointed will fill the Ward 2 seat until the next municipal election Nov. 4.

Stan