Belmont Winter Special Town Meeting: Virtual Session Set For Jan. 22 On Board Of Assessors

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Photo: The current board of assessors (from left) Charles R. Laverty, Robert P. Reardon, Patrick Murphy with Dan Dargon, the Assessing Administrator

A winter Special Town Meeting is all set as the Belmont Select Board opened and closed the warrant for an all-virtual meeting assembly dedicated to a single proposition: to transition the Board of Assessors from an elected to an appointed council.

The fully remote meeting will occur on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, at 7 p.m.

The article awaiting the members originated as a citizen petition from Precinct 8’s Angus Abercrombie for the fall Special Meeting in November. Due to the heavy agenda facing the meeting, Moderator Mike Widmer asked Abercrombie to have the petition moved to the new year, where it would receive the attention it deserved.

A recommendation in a 2022 review of the town’s financial structure by the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at UMass Boston, the change in the Board of Assessors structure will bring an essential element in the town’s fiscal structure under the umbrella of the financial director. Earlier this year, the post of Town Treasurer was made an appointed position.

The current board comprises long-time Chair Robert P. Reardon, Charles R. Laverty, III, and Patrick J. Murphy, IV.

Belmont FY ’24 Property Tax Rate Falls But Not Owners Bill; Average Single Family Price Tag Tops $1.6M

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Photo: Assessors Charles Laverty III and Bob Reardon with Assessing Administrator Dan Dargon before the Select Board during the annual property tax rate hearing, Monday, Dec. 4

In what could be the final time an elected Belmont Board of Assessors makes the presentation, the three-member board announced a drop in the fiscal year 2024 property tax rate during its annual property classification tax rate hearing before the Select Board on Monday, Dec. 4.

“The tax rate that’s going to be proposed by the Board of Assessors will be a decrease from a rate [of] $11.24 [per $1,000 of assessed value] for this year, down to $10.57 for fiscal year ’24,” Bob Reardon, the long-time Assessor’s chair, told the Select Board.

While it may initially sound like a windfall for homeowners, members from both boards told property owners not to expect a drop in their bills in the new year. Reardon said the vast majority of the decline of 67 cents was due to the increase in the value of all properties over the past year.

“Just because the tax rates are coming down doesn’t necessarily lead to people paying less,” said Reardon. “The tax rate is simply computed by the amount being raised divided by the total assessed value.”

“I think people hear, ‘Oh, the rates have gone down, great,'” said Select Board Vice Chair Elizabeth Dionne. “No, that is not what it means. This just means your [home’s] value is higher.”

Values for all Belmont property classifications increased in the past year. The town’s total residential and personal property assessment is $11.3 billion, up from $9.0 billion in fiscal year ’23.

The actual tax levy – how much the town can raise after increasing real estate by the maximum annual 2.5 percent – to be raised in fiscal year ’24 is $119.5 million, of which $106.3 million comes from the total levy for residential and commercial property. An additional $13.1 million comes from eight debt exclusions for everything from the construction of the Beech Street Center to the new Middle/High school. The debt exclusions for the new rink and library will be included in the calculation for the fiscal year 2025. According to Reardon, new growth collected in the past year “remains strong,” raising $876,069.

Despite higher-than-average mortgage rates, during which property values “usually take a dip,” Reardon told the board that due to a lack of inventory of houses for sale, the average single-family home in Belmont jumped to $1,615,200, an increase of more than 10 percent from $1,436,500 in fiscal year 2023.

With its presentation on Monday, the Board of Assessors will face a Special Town Meeting in the next two months, where members will be asked to change the board from its current elected members to an appointed board. Similar to the recent change of the town Treasurer from an elected to an appointed position, the Town Meeting would follow a recommendation of the Collins Center Report.

As in past years, the assessors recommended, and the Select Board agreed to a single tax classification and not to enact real estate exemptions. With barely five percent of Belmont’s property base commercial, Reardon reiterated past statements that commercial property must reach 30 percent to make a split rate effective and not deter businesses from staying or coming to Belmont.

While voting to approve the Assessors’ rate recommendation, the Select Board decides on two related issues: whether to implement a singular “split” rate for commercial and residential properties and to approve a residential exemption that would reduce the rate on owner-occupied properties at the expense of non-occupied residences. 

As for residential exemptions, the administrative costs to run such a program would be prohibitive for a revenue-neutral initiative. As with the split rate, two-thirds of rate payers would see little reductions or increases in their tax bill.

Nomination Papers Now Available For Belmont Town Meeting, Town-Wide Offices

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Photo: The Town Clerk’s office is located on the first floor of the Belmont Town Hall

Nomination Papers for the April 2, 2024 annual Town Election are now available for pick up at the Town Clerk’s office in Town Hall during office hours.

  • Nomination Papers must be picked up in person by the candidate, they cannot be emailed or mailed.
  • All candidates must be registered voters of Belmont at the time they return the signed Nomination Papers and the name will appear on the ballot as registered to vote.
    • To get your name on the ballot for Town-wide office requires at least 50 certified signatures of registered Belmont voters.
    • To get your name on the ballot for Town Meeting Member requires at least 25 certified signatures of registered Belmont voters of your Precinct only.

The deadline to submit the signed Nomination Papers is Feb. 13, at 5 p.m.

Elected Town Meeting Members currently serving do not need to file signed Nomination papers as long as they submit their Letter of Intention to Run for Re-election by Jan. 23, 2024. The Intention Letters will be mailed in mid-December to each Town Meeting Member whose term is expiring in 2024. Check the Town Meeting Member webpage to check your term expiration year here: https://www.belmont-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6831/f/uploads/tmm_effective_48.pdf

For more information, check out the Town Clerk’s webpages here: https://www.belmont-ma.gov/town-clerk/pages/elections-how-to-run-for-elected-office-town-meeting-member and https://www.belmont-ma.gov/town-clerk/news/nomination-papers-now-available-for-town-wide-office-and-town-meeting-member

Feel free to email, call, or visit the Town Clerk’s office with any questions  ( townclerk@belmont-ma.gov   617-993-2603  and Town Hall hours: Monday 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Tuesday to Thursday, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.; and Friday, from 8 p.m. to noon).

Select Board Race Now Competitive With Second Warrant Committee Member Taking Out Papers

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Photo: Matt Taylor

Matt Taylor knows a thing or two about running a race, finishing this year’s BAA Marathon in three hours and three minute.

It appears the Edgemoor Road resident will next be running for a seat on the Belmont Select Board as Taylor submitted his Statement of Organization on Tuesday, Nov. 29, to create an election committee to fill the seat of Mark Paolillo who declared earlier this month he would not run for a fifth three-year term.

Taylor joins Warrant Committee Chair Geoff Lubien to take out organizational papers as the first step to officially enter the race. Taylor’s team is made up of Samantha Thu as chair and Matt Lennon treasurer.

On his website, 02478.org, the Precinct 1 Town Meeting Member and parent of two Burbank students said his family “has made a multi-decade commitment to Belmont and our community – a commitment to multi-generational thoughtfulness and ideals.”

In last year’s League of Women Voters Town Election Voters Guide, Taylor said Belmont’s long-term strength depends on investing in the town’s public schools and government services.

“I’m passionate about finding and sharing clear, accurate explanations for complex topics. To prepare, I study what works in other towns: calming traffic, budgeting, zoning, contracts, and infrastructure projects. I listen before I speak,” Taylor said.

Taylor has been active recently in a number of local issues: he created a Change.org petition asking the Select Board to allow the Belmont Public Library’s Children’s room to operate for 50 hours per week at its temporary location at the Benton Library. Taylor also promoted the creation of a parking benefit district where parking revenues would offset traffic mitigation and fund neighborhood transit safety improvements such as crosswalk upgrades and hiring parking clerks and crossing guards. 

Warrant Committee’s Chair Geoff Lubien Launches Campaign For Select Board

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Photo: The team: Treasurer Cabell Eames; Geoff Lubien, Campaign Chair Taylor Yates

Two days after Mark Paolillo said he would not run for re-election to the Belmont Select Board, the first candidate seeking to fill the open seat has thrown his hat into the ring.

Warrant Committee Chair Geoff Lubien arrived early Monday morning, Nov. 20, at the Town Clerk’s office to take out nomination papers. An eight-year veteran of the town’s financial watchdog group, Lubien launched his campaign committee for Select Board in the upcoming April 2 town election. 

“Mark Paolillo’s retirement, coming after 12 years of distinguished service, comes at a critical time for our town as we face a longstanding fiscal deficit,” Lubien said in a press release dated Nov. 20. “It is imperative that the next Select Board Member understands how town government functions in conjunction with its volunteer committees and administration.”

“The next Select Board Member also needs to understand Belmont’s realities as we navigate our community’s needs with the Town’s budget. Serving as an elected Town Meeting Member and appointed member on several Committees for most of the past decade led me to make this important decision to run in 2024 to continue supporting and promoting what is best for our community,”

In a statement provided and released to the Lubien campaign, Paolillo said, “Geoff Lubien’s resume, strong financial skills, and years of town volunteerism are all highly impressive. I have enjoyed working with him over … the past several years as a member of the Financial Task Force II and the Warrant Committee.”

“Geoff is trustworthy and has proven he is deeply committed to doing what is best for the town of Belmont,” Paolillo continued.

Serving on his committee are Chair Taylor Yates, who sits on the Planning Board and is Chair of the Vision 21 Implementation Committee, and Treasurer Cabell Eames, who is Vice Chair of the Belmont Democratic Town Committee.

“Geoff is the experienced and steady leader Belmont needs because our current challenges require someone who knows how the levers of our government work and how to pull them to make Belmont better,” Yates said in the Monday press release.

“We are lucky to have a candidate with a deep understanding of Belmont during a fiscal crisis. We cannot think of anyone better than Geoff for this position and are proud to be a part of his campaign,” he said. 

www.lubienforbelmont.com. 

[Breaking] Paolillo Will Not Seek Fifth Term On Select Board As Potential Candidates Ready Run

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Photo: Mark Paolillo

For Mark Paolillo, 12 years is enough.

Serving the final year of his fourth non-consecutive term (2010-2019, 2021-currently) on the Belmont Select Board, Paolillo will not be seeking a fifth when his tenure ends in April 2024.

“I’m not going anywhere, and I still love the job, but now is the right time to step away,” Paolillo told the Belmontonian at the celebration for the closing of the Belmont Public Library on Saturday, Nov. 18.

“It’s been an honor serving my home town on the board,” said Paolillo.

Even before his announcement, several names had been circulating around town of likely candidates to fill Paolillo’s seat, from those with significant experience serving on boards and committees, and several “newcomers” who have had just a taste of local government exposure.

It’s expected the first, and possibly second, of the potential candidates will be picking up nomination papers at the Town Clerk’s office by Wednesday, Nov. 22, before Town Hall shuts down for the four-day Thanksgiving holiday.

Paolillo will continue serving on the board until the Town Election on April 2, 2024. He said he wanted to participate in the creation of the fiscal 2025 budget and work with his board colleagues, Roy Epstein and Elizabeth Dionne, and town Financial Director Jennifer Hewitt in finding consensus on the critical dollar amount of the Proposition 2 1/2 override presented to voters in April.

“This [upcoming] override vote is massive for the future of Belmont and its schools. We have to get this one right,” he said.

A popular vote-getter at town elections, Paolillo won his first three-year term in 2010, defeating incumbent Dan LeClerc with 45 percent of the vote in a three-way race. Paolillo ran unopposed in 2013 and 2021.

After leaving the board in 2019, Paolillo returned in 2021 with a mission “to help the community move past its differences” after an override that year was rejected by residents by a 1,000 vote margin.

In his dozen years on the Select Board, Paolillo – a principal with the global tax services firm Ryan – has championed financial stability and sustainability (he is a member of the Financial Task Force) and is a strong supporter of implementing the long term structural reforms outlined in the Collins Center Report.

Paolillo is also known for his efforts to find consensus on the board and between town and elected officials as well as the public on the major issues facing Belmont.

“I have had amazing colleagues who have, I believe, made Belmont a better place,” he said.

Moving Forward: Community Preservation Invite Proposals To Submit Final Application For Funding, 3 Will Be Early Off-Cycle Decisions

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Photo: A new paint job for the Homer House, just one of eight proposals submitted to the Community Preservation Committee that were approved for final applications

It was moving day last week at the Community Preservation Commiittee as eight proposals were approved to submit final applications. A final CPC decision will be made on Jan. 10, 2024.

At its regularly scheduled monthly meeting, Wednesday, Oct. 11, Chair Elizabeth Dionne said the CPA has approximately $3 million to distribute for projects involving recreation/open spaces, housing and preservation. The Community Preservation Act, adopted by Belmont voters in 2010, is financed by property tax surcharges and annual distributions received from the state’s Community Preservation Trust Fund.

The CPA will present the applications it approves in January to a vote before the annual Town Meeting in May 2024. Due to the “urgent need for funding,” three of the eight proposals will be presented as “off-cycle” applications which will be voted at the Special Town Meeting in early November.

The projects which will proceed to a final application are:

The off-cycle proposals are:

Of the projects two of the requests are connected by a single project. First, an engineering study for a proposed revitalization of the playground and activity areas at the Chenery Upper Elementary School for $105,000.

The study dove tails into the second, more substantial request of $1 million for the actual construction of the Chenery “complex.” Recreation Department Director Brendan Fitts told the committee this request will be an initial cost “guestimate” for the project in the $3 million range.

“What we are doing is setting aside some funding for [the reconstruction] now,” said Fitts.

“This is a high priority project,” said Dionne, saying parents, the PTA, and school officials have been clambering for an overhaul of the thread worn recreation area. “And I hope it’s only $3 million,” said Dionne whose worried there could be some “inflation” that’s being baked into the project.

In what Dionne called “starting something that I think could be a tremendous benefit for the town and its employees,” $250,000 is being asked by the town would be used to sow the seeds of increasing affordable housing directed towards assisting town employees to live in the community which they work.

“The number one reason we’ve been losing [employees] is the commute. It’s not that I don’t want to work here” said Town Administrator Patrice Garvin, but many are living west of Route 128 while municipal salaries can not support purchasing a home or to pay rents.

But rather than use this fund to purchase a property outright, Dionne envisions the fund being an annual CPC allocation approved by Town Meeting that would be used by developers to free up capital to build multi-unit residential projects in which some units would be dedicated to town employees. Belmont will be following in the footsteps of municipalities in California and in nearby Nantucket which are securing town employee housing in partnership with builders.

On the affordable living front, the Belmont Housing Trust is applying for $250,000 for the purpose of creating more affordable housing in town by investing in new developments prompted by the anticipated approval of the MBTA Communities Multifamily Zoning law. Belmont will have the ability to invest in new projects in exchange for more affordability or deeper affordability as the Trust funds projects, either through financing the development or subsidizing the operating costs.

The Belmont Woman’s Club is seeking through the HDC $99,000 to paint the exterior of the Homer House on Pleasant Street opposite Town Hall as part of its long-term renovation of the historic house.

Of the off-cycle proposals, a initial proposal of $160,000 from the Historic District Commission will make significant roof and repairs to the School Administration building on Pleasant Street. “People are putting out buckets out [when it rains]” with the damage reportedly in the superintendent’s office due to deficiencies in the roof’s flashings and gutters causing internal damage, according to Gabriel Distler, staff planner for the HDC.

Along with the roof, other time sensitive items include shoring up the main retaining wall at Town Hall while there is a need for a redesign of the commuter rail pedestrian tunnel connecting the Winn Brook neighborhood with the new Belmont Middle and High School and Concord Avenue after the MBTA and Massachusetts Department of Transportation reversed an earlier design decision to now allow a less expensive tunnel.

“I think the one thing that everyone in town agrees on is that the tunnel is really important,” said Dionne. “And if we don’t fund this [proposal], we can’t get to the design drawings that we need for [federal] funding, it delays this decades long process.

Belmont Health Dept’s Covid-19, Flu, And Vaccine Clinic Set For Wed., Oct. 11

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Photo: Vaccine clinic run by the Belmont Health Department will occur on Wednesday, Oct. 11.

With infection rates for both COVID-19 and the flu outpacing last year’s numbers, the Belmont Health Department has announced its next vaccine clinic for the fall season.

This week’s clinic will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration is now open. Click here to register.

The clinic will occur at the Beth El Temple Center, 2 Concord Ave., with vaccines available for Covid, flu, pneumonia, RSV, shingles, and tetanus.

If anyone has trouble registering or isn’t comfortable going online, they are welcome to call the Health Department at 617-993-2720, and we can register them over the phone. At this clinic, we will most likely only have Pfizer available for COVID-19 boosters, but if Moderna becomes available, it will also be offered as a choice at the time of the clinic.

Other clinic dates include:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 18: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 1: 10 a.m – 2 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 8: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Is The Town Budget Baffling? Residents Can Have Their Say At Public Input Session, Thurs., Sept. 28

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Photo: The poster for the public input session

At times it seems like the annual budget process can a bit overwhelming and at times baffling: What’s the difference between one-time and recurring revenue? What is a structural deficit? How could fiscal constraints affect schools and other critical town services?

The Belmont Select Board invites residents to a meeting focused on the short- and long-term forecast for the town budget.

“FY25 and Beyond: Understanding the Town Budget” will take place on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Select Board Meeting Room at Town Hall. Residents can also participate virtually via Zoom by going to the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84775397948

Members of the public will hear brief presentations about critical factors related to the town’s revenue and expenses and have an opportunity to ask questions, provide input, and share ideas.

Garvin Receives High Praise From Select Board In Annual Review, 3% Merit Pay Increase (And Told To Take A Vaca!)

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Photo: Belmont Town Administrator Patrice Garvin

It’s not usual in an annual job review that the person is told to take a vacation. But that was Elizabeth Dionne’s recommendation to Belmont Town Administrator Patrice Garvin during the Select Board’s annual performance assessment on Monday, Sept. 25.

“Take more vacation time!” wrote Dionne in her evaluation of Garvin, who is nearing six years as the town’s chief administrative officer. “I am very concerned about burnout [as Belmont has] been in crisis mode for a long time and Patrice has provided a steady hand at the tiller.”

Being scolded for not taking more off was as harsh a criticism the town administrator received as Garvin’s Select Board bosses gave her high marks for the work she performed over the past fiscal year.

“I have the highest regard for Patrice,” said Board Chair Roy Epstein. “Not everyone in Belmont realizes the demands put upon the town administrator, and how difficult it is to be successful in this role.”

The board was in sync ranking Garvin with nearly identical evaluations of her performance for the past year. Garvin received the top mark of five on a scale ranging from 0 to 5 in five of eight categories – personal character characteristics, professionalism, Select Board support and relations, organizational leadership and personal management, and financial management. Her lowest ranking was in public relations with an average of 4. Her overall score was 4.79/5.

The board’s written evaluations were equally united in their plaudits for Garvin’s execution of her job.

“She is extraordinarily devoted and tireless in her efforts to make the town run well for the residents and employees. I observe this every day and believe she is one of the foremost practitioners in her field,” said Epstein.

“She continues to provide highly effective and dedicated support to members of the Select Board,” said Mark Paolillo. “She has built a strong financial team and has strong financial skills that resulted in a balanced fiscal year 2024 budget that addressed many of the service gaps and needs within our town. areas of improvement.”

“[Garvin] is not afraid of change,” said the Board Vice Chair Dionne. “She is not threatened by strong people around her, and she is tough and resilient. You can learn a lot about someone from the people she hires. Patrice obviously has solid and well-deserved calm self-confidence. As a result, she has surrounded herself by smart and capable people, creating a truly impressive leadership team.”

Dionne said she personally feels Patrice, as “a strong female leader,” receives “criticism from employees, unions, and certain members of the public that might not be leveled against a male in the same role. The Select Board must be more active in providing her with visible support and political cover.”

Garvin thanked the board for their continued support for her leadership in running the town’s daily operations. “The fact that you scored me similarly tells me that I’m doing the same thing for each of you, which is I couldn’t be more proud of that I serve you as the board,” told the board Garvin at Monday’s meeting. Garvin praised the team she has built in her six years.

“I can’t tell you the work that we’ve been able to do in a short time. It’s been amazing,” she said. “I continue to look at ways to improve the town, departments, and the staff. I really enjoy working in Belmont, and I hope to continue.”

The review was followed by the board approving a three percent merit increase, with Garvin’s annual salary increased to $212,384 effective at the start of the 2024 fiscal year on July 1. Epstein said Garvin’s salary is slightly lower than the average of comparative towns and cities in the region.

Garvin’s contract expires in January 2027.