Special Committee on Ways and Means Meeting - May 12, 2026
Special Committee on Ways and Means Meeting - May 12, 2026
At 5:30 PM, the Special Committee on Ways and Means convened with Chair Sanchez, Vice Chair Taylor, and Councilwoman Peterson present; Councilman Antigua and Councilman Graves absent. The committee reviewed the proposed fiscal year 2027 budgets for the Public Property, Sustainability, and Housing and Human Services departments. Discussions covered fleet management, electric vehicle usage, energy efficiency, housing stabilization, and new program proposals.
Consent Calendar
- Motion to entertain Exhibit 16 into the record passed unanimously.
- Motion to waive reading of items 1 through 5 passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were heard.
Discussion Items
- Public Property Department: Deputy Finance Director Crystal presented the budget, noting a $5,000 increase over FY2026. Key points included: the department manages fleet vehicles, including approximately 100 take-home vehicles, 20 electric vehicles (with 10 more arriving), and 22 charging stations at the public safety garage. Council members raised concerns about take-home vehicle policies, mileage reimbursement, and idle reduction. A formal request was made for a list of all take-home vehicles. The department also discussed graffiti removal procedures, the status of the camp property (under discussion with DEM), and the new DPW building timeline (expected completion by 2027).
- Sustainability Department: Director Kate Ross and Director of Energy David presented a $1,030,526 budget (14.3% increase). The budget supports the climate justice plan update, solar investments (aiming for 1.5 MW additional), and the green revolving fund. Council members praised the department's cost savings (23-39% reduction in energy costs) and discussed federal funding, battery storage, and heat pump installations. The department is working on a climate justice plan update with a target completion of January 2027.
- Housing and Human Services Department: Director Rachel Frara and Director of Housing Daniel Friedman presented a $2,377,459 budget (0.5% increase). New initiatives include a $1 million rental assistance program (with $800,000 for direct assistance), a $25,000 acute community needs fund, and $15,000 for landlord-tenant education. The eviction defense collaborative served 652 households in FY25. Council members discussed program integrity, oversight, and the need for affordable homeownership pathways. The department also noted the transition to age-friendly programming and the hiring of Steven Santos.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to continue items 1 through 5 to the next meeting passed unanimously.
- Motion to adjourn passed unanimously.
- The committee directed the Public Property Department to provide a list of all take-home vehicles.
- The committee requested a breakdown of contractual services for the Housing and Human Services budget.
- The committee noted the ongoing work on the climate justice plan update and the new rental assistance program ordinance (expected to be submitted for consideration).
Meeting Transcript
Hi, good evening. This is uh calling to order committee, uh special committee on ways and means it is 530 blonde. Uh city clerks can you take roll call, please? Chair Sanchez present. Vice Chairman Taylor. Yes. Counselor Antigua is absent. Councilman Graves, absent. Councilwoman Peterson. We have three present and two absent. We have a form. Awesome. Thank you. I just want to recognize that Councilman Vargas is uh here with us. Um we have the law department, we have clerk department, council staff, and a lot of funding spaces from the administration. So noted. Uh how do you want to do the display role? Um, and then if it's okay, I'd like to start with public property since they've kind of been a few nights already, and then move on to sustainability and housing and human services. Yeah, that works. That's good. I feel like sustainability is here. They have been in here too, yes. For good stuff. There's your right hand. We clear the channel treasury that are about big not be above. Uh Piselberg, Deputy Finance Director and Budget Officer. Okay. Uh Kate Ross, sustainability department. Uh personal proofs for right to sustainability. Sure. Rachel Frara, human services director. Alyssa McDermott has a new paying development division director. Anything else that you can direct about for meeting direct public property? Superview of senior services directly. Uh this time I'll take a motion to entertain uh take motion uh to entertain exhibit sixteen into the record. Uh motion here by council. Okay, Taylor, all those in favor. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. Um at this time I'll take a motion to waive the reading of items one through six. Okay. Uh motion made by council uh one through five, actually. Uh motion made by councilman Peterson second by councilman Taylor, all those in favor. I have it. Um by Christian John Resident Meeting and Deputy Director of James Dean House. Uh the department public property is considered a revenue centering department. They generate revenue from um building fees as well as insurance proceeds from claims filed on behalf of the city. Uh the fiscal year 2027 budget represents a five thousand dollar increase over the fiscal year 2026 budget, which is supported by the historical fund. And I was in remiss in letting you know that they're budgeted in from page 263 in their budget book. So if you go specifically.
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