[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6400009,"mediaKeyId","2083707-fde07aff32236c182c4262ba2d003ef5","parentId",2083707,"title","Somerville leaders outline 2025 priorities: housing, equity, climate, public safety and infrastructure","audioSeconds",1630,"startMs",1139015,"endMs",2769936,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2083707-fde07aff32236c182c4262ba2d003ef5&start=1139&end=2769","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2083707-fde07aff32236c182c4262ba2d003ef5/thumbnail_1139015.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6400009/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-leaders-outline-2025-priorities-housing-equity-climate-public-safety-and-infrastructure","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6400009-696383263706b46d1863750ccb352c30/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430281&Signature=fyNnqwZVI7vpznC21k7lhlW5tEobAMH3A7x2NoUKQueo1PEMwOEflkJaMYS2ShiVOwPewayju6U~Hgo8YvcadI8gpfZnWOqAImeSyt7VIp8gX8V8uphhunXPFazO~yJTKTmOX1uOdgBbjFe2C5DHySgK6ZqGwSXNvI2kY0wBPCy4ioT0eJ1G2XPSMu~X6kMo8ZTM471~UqBIWo28NhFeslZTbMSkGhw1OoFm21dWHdGgr6~HV5-yVjvyq6RyOSm~8UgF99Tz0sX3X7jlDon2YwhWxjwlSBI1v0s9W2CALPWyTD6cvsMQh-F4DXe1-WqqDhmH0vbhAFg3BYDJtQdV9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Somerville City, MA","date","2025-01-06T00:00:00Z","article","Leaders from Somerville's school committee, city council and mayor's office used their Jan. 6 organizational remarks to outline a shared agenda for 2025, naming housing affordability, school funding, climate action, public safety oversight, and infrastructure among top priorities.

Alana Kripchen, chair of the Somerville School Committee, emphasized school funding and inclusive instruction. Kripchen said the committee “believe[s] in strong funding for our public schools” and in “teaching with cultural competency and critical thinking,” adding: “We believe in not banning books, but instead engaging in thoughtful discussion around potentially difficult content.” She highlighted support for LGBTQ+ students, immigrant families, and Black and Brown students as central commitments of the committee.

Judy Pena Neufeld, newly elected president of the Somerville City Council, framed the year around shared local values and housing stability. Pena Neufeld said Somerville must “confront the realities that threaten the well-being of that very community, housing affordability, transit and transportation challenges, climate change, the displacement of our small businesses, crumbling infrastructure, and so much more.” She urged the city to pursue tenant protections, affordable housing and safer streets while noting the council tends to agree more often than it disagrees.

Mayor Katiana Ballantyne provided the most detailed policy summary. Ballantyne highlighted a recent upgrade to Somerville's bond rating and several housing and workforce initiatives. In her remarks she said the city had “distributed over $9,500,000 in flexible and rental assistance, helping more than 400 households stay housed,” and that the municipal voucher program had “moved 29 families from uncertainty to safe permanent housing.” She described the city's early action acquisition fund as having purchased 15 units and funded the development of 60 income-restricted units, and said the city has “684 units in our affordable housing pipeline.”

Ballantyne also announced administrative and operational items: a triple-A bond rating from Standard & Poor's (described as earned for a second consecutive year), near-term contract agreements with municipal unions, a warming center that opened for the season, and an incoming new fire station scheduled to open in spring 2025. She said the city will spend $243,000,000 on sewer-related infrastructure projects including Somerville Ave sewer overhaul and Spring Hill sewer separation work, and noted Winter Hill School advanced to the Massachusetts School Building Authority feasibility phase.

On public safety and oversight, Ballantyne said she had appointed Shamaine Benford as Somerville's new police chief and that the city would release recommendations from a public safety oversight task force and hire a project manager to carry that work forward. She described an approach that pairs enforcement with partnership and community supports.

Ending: The three leaders positioned Somerville to continue multi‑sector initiatives in housing, schools, climate, workforce development and infrastructure in 2025, emphasizing inclusive engagement and operational steps already underway.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Somerville City Council Organizational Meeting on 2025-01-06","oneSentenceSummary","In inaugural addresses at the joint Jan. 6 organizational meeting, School Committee Chair Alana Kripchen, City Council President Judy Pena Neufeld and Mayor Katiana Ballantyne emphasized investments in schools, housing affordability, immigrant and LGBTQ+ inclusion, climate action, workforce development, and infrastructure projects for 2025.","taxTitle","Somerville City, Middlesex County, Massachusetts","taxId",4564,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6400014,"Somerville School Committee elects Alana Kripchen chair, adopts rules and assigns subcommittees",175,517200,692960,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2083707-fde07aff32236c182c4262ba2d003ef5&start=517&end=692","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2083707-fde07aff32236c182c4262ba2d003ef5/thumbnail_517200.jpg","/articles/6400014/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-School-Committee-elects-Alana-Kripchen-chair-adopts-rules-and-assigns-subcommittees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6400014-b5e824c146d2c8e3aaf7833efea7cec5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430281&Signature=RmlcfucQj19D6Sv4luKvhHUDjc~IWOSBS4prvPnXGBjQK3zGGOQ-kPBD1UE44jUDWIoU9sEB5oicSQqveatkEAcuMFhiJFFtj1N1f93R3xOFsecSsOMYlGdIQszXXpEKK2Tfok1NZhSFV9McjobzM~clJaMEgZEH0qlZOJ7MomnDVB~Yw8znOHSsphrB~RXHgxyahdQqFXnz9VZp8aqVeX4yp23dGQv9aaqWxMszfPVqIYGZ501~1NNigdaALu4UE59ksFwuoTgWqw6YCajcuaYlSLVC3Tw4OrL55QlR5kzZPHeE07QV3vVKK-zN4dWLKy29p5OEsAC-ufW5zk10MQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Alana Kripchen was elected chairperson of the Somerville School Committee at the committee's Jan. 6 organizational meeting. The superintendent called the roll and the committee recorded nine votes for Kripchen; after the tally, the chair election was announced as complete.

Sarah Phillips was elected vice chair by a 9–0 roll call. The committee adopted the rules and regulations governing the committee for 2025 by motion and voice vote. Superintendent and school committee members handled roll calls and the formal swearing-in of the newly elected officers.

The committee then conducted a public drawing to assign committee seats for 2025 and agreed provisional subcommittee memberships. The education programs and instruction subcommittee was listed to include Emily Ackman, Eleanor Barish, and Alana Kripchen, with Dr. Emily Ackman as chair and Eleanor Barish as vice chair. The finance and facilities subcommittee was listed to include Sarah Phillips, Laura Patone, and Leron Vuitton, with Dr. Phillips as chair and Laura Patone as vice chair. A rules and management subcommittee was listed with Eleanor Barish, Leron Baton, and Andre Green, with Barish as chair and Baton as vice chair.

The committee closed by adjourning after the organizational business was completed.

Ending: The school committee set leadership and subcommittee structures for 2025 and adopted its rules, positioning the committee to resume substantive work at its next full meeting.","The Somerville School Committee held its Jan. 6, 2025, organizational meeting, electing Alana Kripchen as chair and Sarah Phillips as vice chair, adopting committee rules for 2025, and assigning subcommittees and seats for the year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6400017,"Somerville City Council elects Judy Pena Neufeld president, Lance Davis vice president; council adopts routine organizational orders",205,1920,207105,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2083707-fde07aff32236c182c4262ba2d003ef5&start=1&end=207","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2083707-fde07aff32236c182c4262ba2d003ef5/thumbnail_1920.jpg","/articles/6400017/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-City-Council-elects-Judy-Pena-Neufeld-president-Lance-Davis-vice-president-council-adopts-routine-organizational-orders","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6400017-bfeb5709ef29aebf46e75742e66732a4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430281&Signature=IW-auyKIRK~fhtUIc7WN2IzfKh6W7zOBwzZoWydef~eYxf0KR-6ZlTy0q78rcfeK2R1I4nGkkeKjUWaoOT4RaJMqyvCS573ZEJqw8yl-usLWzKi~cj82m-b3mcKqoD7nuu4CW28IUw3mEhxxvDhCjifVzYG5TtAmkiCXD0JhHcecVFPy04qawsxO7W1jhs9pWI4VeOK5nAuZl~AE9bkSUoUn0Ea1xNL5cR7w62MW1YKxUvdW~S3IXzJx7njiF0xnHFSRD7bAA85864Ypgx7ShWLl-tA0hovOsdurYL2~jDAYDibN4t6Nr5FTk6pybX2W2os-U3xplEhoZt46U7eX-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Judy Pena Neufeld was elected president of the Somerville City Council at the council's Jan. 6 organizational meeting, and Councilor Lance Davis was elected vice president.

The vote for president concluded with the clerk announcing, “With 7 votes, councilor Pena Neufeld has been elected president of this city council.” The later roll call for vice president produced the announcement that “With 10 votes, councilor Lance Davis has been elected vice president of this city council.”

The meeting began with Councilor Lance Davis calling the session to order and noting the meeting was held in accordance with the Massachusetts open meeting law and that audio and video were being recorded. After nominations and roll-call votes, the council recessed briefly while the newly elected officers were sworn and signed the oath of office.

Following the elections, the council considered routine organizational business. Item 5.1, an order to adopt the city council rules for 2025 as approved May 9, 2024, passed on a voice vote. The council also approved an order to revive and recommit business pending at the end of 2024 (Item 5.2); accepted the bonds of the city treasurer and tax collector (Item 5.3); and authorized the city treasurer to appoint deputy tax collectors (Item 5.4). A communication listing standing and special committee assignments and commission appointments (Item 5.5) was placed on file.

Councilors completed the drawing of seat assignments for 2025 during the meeting. The clerk and councilors conducted the drawing publicly; the announced seat numbers were recorded by the clerk and read into the record.

All of the routine orders listed above were approved without recorded objection during the meeting. The formal procedural actions closed with the president declaring the meeting adjourned and wishing the city a healthy 2025.

Ending: The organizational meeting established the council leadership and procedural framework for its 2025 work. Several administrative housekeeping orders were adopted by voice vote; no contested policy decisions were taken at this session.","At its Jan. 6, 2025, organizational meeting, the Somerville City Council elected Councilor Judy Pena Neufeld president and Councilor Lance Davis vice president, approved procedural orders including the council rules and several administrative appointments, and completed seat drawings for the 2025 year.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Somerville leaders outline 2025 priorities: housing, equity, climate, public safety and infrastructure

Somerville School Committee elects Alana Kripchen chair, adopts rules and assigns subcommittees

Somerville City Council elects Judy Pena Neufeld president, Lance Davis vice president; council adopts routine organizational orders