The week ahead: City invites resident opinions on community development needs

The City of Waltham will hold two public input hearings on Thursday to collect comments on Waltham’s community needs to shape the city’s 2026-2027 Community Development Block Grant application. Last year, the city distributed $871,572 through the program.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development each year distributes funding for local programs to improve housing and quality of life for low- and moderate-income residents and for residents in vulnerable populations, such as survivors of domestic violence and people experiencing homelessness.

This is through the CDBG program, which HUD started in 1974. As a part of acquiring information for the program, HUD solicits Annual Action Plans from municipalities spotlighting what their communities need and what they expect to use CDBG funding for. 

Waltham’s past annual plans are available on the HUD website and show that the city regularly holds public hearings but rarely receives feedback. The city plans show that the city received no comments at its January public hearings in 2024, 2023, and 2021; the reports do not provide information on public input at its public hearings in 2022 and 2020.

The two public input hearings taking place on Thursday, Jan. 22, are at 10 a.m., held in person at the Clark Government Center, and at 3 p.m., held online over Zoom.

City Council committees and joint School Committee meeting

This week the City Council’s committees will meet for the first time in 2026. 

They will discuss business forwarded to them last week by the full City Council. The Long-Term Debt and Capital Planning Committee will examine loan authorization requests of $5.1 million for the Koutoujian Playground and of $771,600 to plan the relocation of the Consolidated Public Works Department. 

The Ordinances and Rules Committee will take up two special hearings, for a Moody Street hotel and for a Jersey Mike’s on Lexington Street, as well as a proposal for affordable housing requirements.

The Finance Committee will discuss donations of historic memorabilia and children’s toys, as well as a grant from Eversource Energy.

The Licenses and Franchises Committee will discuss an application to renew a used car license.

Because Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the City Council’s committees will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 20, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Also on Tuesday, the City Council will hold a joint meeting with the School Committee to select a new School Committee member after the recent resignation of longtime committee member Margaret Donnelly. That meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.

Board of Health

The Board of Health works to address potential public health problems in the city, including communicable diseases, foodborne illnesses, and housing and environmental safety issues.

The board will meet at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21, in the auditorium of the Clark Government Center.

School Committee

The Waltham School Committee, an elected six-member committee chaired by Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy, makes policy and oversight decisions for the Waltham Public Schools.

The committee this week will hold a special public hearing on the district’s emotional support dog policy. This policy currently prohibits teachers from serving as handlers for support dogs, and has been hotly debated at past committee meetings.

It will also provide updates on the elementary school math curriculum and tuition and transportation for students outside of the district.

The committee will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the James J. Cannon Lecture Hall at 617 Lexington St.

Conservation Commission

The Conservation Commission is a volunteer board charged with overseeing environmental planning in Waltham. The commission reviews certain types of construction on or around wetlands to ensure they comply with the Wetlands Protection Act and the Department of Environmental Protection stormwater standards.

The commission will meet at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 22, over Zoom to discuss Beaver Street roadwork that will add a shared-use pathway along the street’s north side. The project will also include minor utility work and the reconstruction of a sidewalk on the street’s south side.

The commission’s full meeting agenda and Zoom link will be posted to its page on the city website.