By Claire Q. Wood

Somerville’s Finance Committee met on October 6 with remote participation from all attendees. Nine items were on the agenda and were all ultimately recommended for approval.

The Office of Housing Stability requested to pay prior-year invoices totaling $10,224.39 using available funds from their Ordinary Maintenance Account for legal services. Edward Bean, director of finance, and Alan Inacio, director of finance and community development for strategy and development, explained that budgeting for legal services was underprojected, necessitating additional funds from the Ordinary Maintenance Account.

Councilor Kristen Strezo clarified that the initial spending was on De Novo, a legal services provider to Somerville residents. Somerville’s immigrant population was referenced, and Directors Bean and Inacio noted that the hours needed by lawyers exceeded what was initially expected by the Office of Housing Stability. Attendees also referenced a relatively new right to legal counsel in Somerville, which contributed to demands for De Novo’s services.

Another key point of discussion was the request for authorization to borrow $2,082,498 in a bond, and to appropriate $2,098,498 for the purchase of an Aerial Ladder Truck and a Rescue Truck for the Fire Department. Director Bean said that initial payments have been made to the desired vehicle manufacturers, but the vehicles cannot be delivered before funds from the American Rescue Plan Act expire. Hence, additional funds are needed to complete the payments for the vehicles, with the plan being to return remaining funds to Capital Projects.

Fire Chief Charles Breen noted that two existing vehicles are being moved into reserve and are not being moved into reserve early, necessitating the need for two more vehicles.

Other key points of discussion included: transferring funds from the Community Preservation Act (CPA) Community Housing Debt Service account to the CPA Community Housing Reserve; approving a time-only contract extension for Utile Inc. to complete any outstanding tasks related to zoning efforts; extending a grant from the Urban Areas Security Initiative to the Department of Public Works for school security systems; and accepting and expending grants from the Mass Department of Mental Health to the Somerville Police Department.