By Francisco L. White

Officials are making headway, regarding the proposed city budget. Acting under Section 24 of the city charter, Mayor Curtatone called for a special meeting of the Board of Aldermen, which was held on Thursday, June 21, as a public hearing to discuss the city budget for fiscal year 2013.

The entire board was in attendance, with the exception of Robert C. Trane. A good number of residents attended the hearing in the Aldermanic Chambers at City Hall, in support of the new budget. Somerville officials and residents have been particularly supportive of the budget’s allotment toward education.

Lance Davis, a resident of Highland Avenue, spoke on behalf of Progress Together for Somerville saying, “We would like to extend our appreciation to the Board of Aldermen, the School Committee, Mayor Curtatone, and Superintendent Pierantozzi, for the support of education and youth programs reflected in this year’s proposed budget. In particular, we thank you for the investment in the creation of welcome centers in the schools that will focus on outreach and the home-school connection… We commend the aldermen and other officials for their long-sighted investment in our schools.” The organization’s mission statement states, “Progress Together engages our diverse community to improve education across Somerville.”

The meeting’s agenda included the mayor’s submission of a re-appropriation of funds for FY2013 which reads, “I am submitting to your Honorable Board a revised FY2013 Appropriation Order that reflects the $180,883 in reductions recommended by your Honorable Board’s Finance Committee while meeting as a Committee of the Whole on June 19, 2012… The result of these changes is to bring the General Fund Appropriation for FY2013 to $171,620,447. This represents a reduction of $105,883 from the original budget submission. I would like to commend the Board of Aldermen for their diligence and efforts during this budget process.” Mayor Curtatone’s revision to the proposed budget was unanimously approved.

A revised appropriation order was also submitted to the Board by the Mayor’s Office to fund the Veterans Memorial Ice Rink Enterprise Fund in the amount of $580,000 for FY 2013. This was approved unanimously as well. The request to appropriate $625,000 for “the reconstruction and streetscape of East Broadway and authorization to borrow $625,000 to meet said appropriation” was yet another request that received unanimous support from the aldermen.