Framingham Mayor Signs $305.9 Million Budget Which Eliminates Director of Planning & Community Development

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FRAMINGHAM – Mayor Yvonne Spicer this afternoon, June 29, signed the City of Framingham’s $305,959,699 operating budget.

The budget, passed by the 11-member City Council, is for Fiscal Year 2022, which begins July 1, 2021.

The budget ordinance also includes the City Council’s adoption of the fiscal year classification plan for “Non-Union, Senior Management and Division Head positions and associated salary schedules.”

The City Council voted 8-3 in favor of the budget at its June 15 meeting, with Councilors Cesar Stewart-Morales (District 2), Michael Cannon (District 4) and Tracey Bryant (District 9) opposed.

The 11-member City Council’s $305.959 million voted budget has no tax levy increase.

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The budget is roughly $1.5 million less than Spicer’s proposed $307.4 million bugdet subcmitted to the Council, which would have raised the tax levy the maximum 2.5%.

As part of the cuts, the City Council voted 8-3 to eliminate the salary for the City’s Planning and Community Development Director Kevin Shea.

Councilors were unhappy about the underperforming department, as well as a lack of a plan to reorganize the division. A plan was submitted to the City Council but Both times rejected.

Shea was hired by the Mayor, after the resignation of Art Robert. Shea was recommended for the position to the Mayor by Jay Ash, who formerly worked in the Baker administration.

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The department does have a deputy director Erika Jerram, who has been with the Town of Framingham/City of Framingham since 2007.

The director is responsible for the supervision and coordination of all activities of the division of planning and community development in accordance with the general laws, ordinances, and rules and regulations.

The budget also only funds the City’s Human Resources Director at $70,000 of for half the fiscal year through December 31, 2021.

The budget also cut a project manager position in the Capital Projects/Facilities Management Department.

The budget includes $146,830,670 for the Framingham Public Schools.

The City Council delivered the budget to the Mayor’s office on June 17. It was signed by Mayor Spicer today, June 29.