🔨 No, that mailer was not junk mail
Mayor Revamps Pay for Managers | MBTA Communities Act Part Trois | Community Energy Mail = Not Junk | Civic Week Ahead
Happy Black History Month, Framingham.
A majority of our schools are named after an individual and, sadly, their stories are lost over time.
While attending an info session about the new Fuller Middle School years ago, a person near me asked if there was any consideration to renaming the school. Unaware of who the school was actually named after, they was told the story of Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller and Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller.
Warrick Fuller was a well-known sculptor whose works are found in our Danforth Museum. Dr. Fuller was the first Black psychiatrist, who worked with Dr. Alois Alzheimer. They lived on Warren Road, around the corner from the middle school that bears their name.
Norman Miller wrote a wonderful piece about them in the MetroWest Daily News this week. I recommend giving it a read.
1.| Mayor Proposes Pay Revamp for Managers
With months before the Fiscal Year 2026 budget is released, the Sisitsky Administration is asking the Council to approve a half a million dollars off-cycle change in salary readjustments for city non-union managers.
Why the change?: Chief Operations Officer Mike Tusino told the Finance Subcommittee the readjustments are needed for internal equity, and difficulties in attracting and retaining employees.
Framingham’s challenge in recruiting led to offering higher salaries for new hires than current Framingham employees. According to the COO’s presentation, this review “gives us [the city] the opportunity to “make things right” for employees that are at a lower rate for pay than newer employees hired in comparable positions,”
Last review: The last time Framingham reviewed non-union manager salaries and classifications was eight years ago. Framingham hired GovHR for $49,500 last year to review and make recommendations.
Classifications: Non-union managers are classified into groups. Each group has a set salary range. There is a DH group with three levels currently, a S group with 3 levels, and a M group with 8 levels. The proposal expands the DH group to 4 groups, reduces S to one level, and increases the M group to 10 levels. (Still following me here?)
What exactly does this mean? Tusino, who as COO under the new classification would receive a $10,000 pay increase, stated this was about the position, not the person.
Here is a sample of the changes, for example, the City Treasurer receiving the highest increase of $33,787 and the Director of Inspectional Services receiving a $18,000 increase.
Positions seeing no increase include the Chief Diversity Officer at $132,000 and the Director of Elder Services at $101, 421.
Some positions were reclassified lower than what the employee in the position was currently receiving. Tusino said in those instances the employee will be grandfathered and not receive a reduction in pay.
How does this play into the budget: This plan is currently under review by the Finance Subcommittee. It is scheduled for more discussion at their next meeting. It is important to note the realities of FY26 budget are unknown at this time, causing some Councilors’ concern over this $500,000 restructuring not occurring during the budget process timeframe.
2.| MBTA Communities Act Part Trois
Tonight the Council returns to their debate about the MBTA Communities Act. They tabled this discussion back in December to February 4, and wow did that come around fast.
Since the last time: The Mayor submitted the existing Central Business District zoning to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) before Christmas Eve. The concern was missing the December 31 deadline and risking additional state grants and funding. The CBD was originally submitted to the Commonwealth in 2023 for preliminary acceptance.
Reviewing the CBD in the MBTA Communities process was the original goal at the beginning of 2024. By fall the plan significantly changed.
Response from Commonwealth: At the District 1 forum right before New Year’s Eve, the Mayor told the packed McAuliffe Library community room, that a representative from EOHLC told him he was “very savvy” to submit the CBD.
By January 22, the Commonwealth informed Framingham we were conditionally compliant with the MBTA Act.
What does conditionally mean?: According to the letter received by the city, Framingham must “must submit an approvable economic feasibility analysis, supporting its inclusionary zoning requirements to remove the condition from the determination”
What now?: Great question. There are a number of unknowns about tonight. What will the Council do? Will they refine the CBD? Will they add more parcels?
As I always say, stay tuned.
3.| Community Energy Mail = Not Junk
New program: Framingham Community Electricity launches next month. A mailer with the official city seal, but a Rhode Island return address, was sent to households last week. If you read the comments on Facebook, it seems many people threw it away thinking it was junk mail.
Confusion: Because this appeared to come out of nowhere, many residents were taken by surprise resulting in confusion as to the who, what and how.
It is key to remember Eversource remains the delivery of power. If you have an issue with your power, call Eversource.
However, this is an OPT-OUT PROGRAM! Everyone will automatically be part of the Community Electricity, unless you opt out. This is a huge concern on the comments I read online.
You can opt out via the card that came in the mailer or visit the official website.
Information sessions: Four public information sessions are scheduled for this month to learn more and ask questions.
The sessions scheduled are:
February 5 at 7 p.m. at Fuller Middle School, Cafeteria (in Spanish)
February 9 at 1 p.m. at the Brazilian American Center (BRACE) (in Portuguese)
February 10 at 2 p.m. at the Callahan Center
February 13 at 7 p.m. at the Costin Room in the Main Framingham Public Library
Shawn Luz, the Sustainability Coordinator, is holding drop-in office hours on Tuesday, February 25, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Memorial Building in the Ablondi Room, just prior to the opt-in deadline.
To learn more: Visit the official Framingham Community Electricity program website at www.Framingham CommunityElectricity.com
Also, tell your friends to subscribe to The Ham’er so they will never be in the dark about what Framingham’s government is doing.
The Civic Week Ahead
Monday, February 3
5:00pm: Keefe Technical High School Committee Superintendent Evaluation Subcommittee Agenda
6:00pm: Council Appointments Subcommittee Agenda
6:00pm: Keefe Technical High School Committee Agenda
6:00pm: 325th Anniversary Celebration Committee Agenda
6:30pm: Council Planning & Zoning Subcommittee Agenda
7:00pm: Bilingual Parent Advisory Council Agenda
7:00pm: Women, Children, and Families Commission Agenda
Tuesday, February 4
Wednesday, February 5
Thursday, February 6
In Closing…
We made it to February!
Ms. G saw her shadow on Saturday. It seems we are due for another 6 weeks of winter. Ms. G, Massachusetts’ official groundhog, lives at Drumlin Farm in Lincoln. According to Mass Audubon, since Ms. G started her predictions, she has been on the mark 60% of the time. This makes her far more accurate compared to Punxsutawney Phil. Who knew?!
Believe in Framingham,
