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LWVN Requests a Review of the City’s Comprehensive Plan

On January 19, 2022, LWVN sent a letter to the Mayor and the City Council urging them to convene a Comprehensive Plan Committee, and fund a consultant to work with such committee in Fiscal Year 2023, to review and update the City’s Comprehensive Plan.  The Comprehensive Plan was first adopted in 2007, and since then has had only one minor modification in 2011.

Read the entirety of the letter below and the reasons LWVN believes the Comprehensive Plan is long overdue for a review.

LWVN Comprehensive Plan Request

MLK Day Events: Continue the Discussion of Where Do We Go From Here

If you attended LWVN’s recent book group discussion on the book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community, by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and are interested in continuing the discussion, or if you missed the book group and want another opportunity to engage with this wonderful book, you can participate in other community groups discussing this book as part of community-wide MLK Day events. More information about Newton’s Annual Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. (including details about a week-long community food drive prior to the event) can be found at newtonma.gov/mlk22.

Read more about the book, and where you can get a copy below.

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Book Group Discussion: Where Do We Go From Here by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sunday, January 9, 2022 3-4:30pm. Community Book Group, Where Do we Go From Here: Chaos or Community, by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

We had an interesting discussion of Dr. King’s views on racial and social justice, and how the views expressed by him in 1967 have changed or stayed the same.

If you would like to further explore the themes raised by Dr. King in this book, we would suggest you use this Study Guide for additional resources.

Educational Forum: American Rescue Plan Act

December 9, 2021 (Thursday, 7:00-8:00pm) – An Educational Forum on the American Rescue Plan Act and Its Impact on Newton.  LWVN co-sponsored an educational forum, together with U-CHAN, regarding the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Lizzi Weyant, Director of Government Affairs at the Metropolitan Area Council, gave an overview of ARPA and discussed the eligible uses of ARPA funding in support of an actionable plan to lay the groundwork of a strong and equitable recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impacts in Newton.

Watch the video of the presentation.

For further information on ARPA, read the ARPA Fact Sheet issued by the U.S Treasury.

A Conversation with Congressman Auchincloss

Jake Auchincloss

December 6, 2021 (Monday, 7:30-8:30pm) – A Conversation with Congressman Jake Auchincloss.  LWVN, together with Brookline, Needham, Sharon-Stoughton, and Wellesley Leagues of Women Voters, hosted a conversation on Zoom with Congressman Jake Auchincloss, in which we heard about the Congressman’s legislative accomplishments from the past year and discussed the upcoming congressional session and redistricting of the 4th district.  Congressman Auchincloss talked about three main areas of focus:  (i) protecting the integrity of the vote and the foundations of our democracy, (ii) infrastructure, and (iii) COVID.  Following the Congressman’s remarks, he answered questions from each of the leagues and from the audience.

Watch the recording of this event here.

LWVN Provides its Recommendations Regarding West Armory Proposals

On December 1, 2021, President Marcia Johnson sent a letter to Mr. Eamon Bencivengo, Housing Development Planner and the City’s Department of Planning & Development, on behalf of LWVN, expressing its preference for the Caritas Communities proposal for the redevelopment of the West Newton Armory.  T he Caritas proposal provides the most units at the lowest Area Median Income and will serve the chronically homeless, a population that is currently underserved by Newton’s housing stock.

Read the entirety of the letter, and other recommendations made by LWVN below.

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