Very good morning,

Today we’re celebrating our eighteenth banner!

Tomorrow is Juneteenth, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S. 

On Thursday, I hope you’ll join us at our event with Colette Phillips, one of Greater Boston’s leading DE&I mentors, discussing her new book.  

All of which seems like an opportune moment to seize this idea.

Gov. Healey and Mayor Wu aren’t against it.

New O.T. rules set to start July 1

Your payroll may need some adjusting as of July 1 when the first of two new federal overtime pay regulations kick in.

Under the new rules, the annual salary threshold under which non-exempt workers would be eligible for overtime will go from $35,568 to $43,888, notes Andy Medici for the BBJ.

Workers currently earning less than the new threshold will either need to have their salaries increased or receive time-and-a-half overtime pay for each hour worked above 40 hours weekly.

The threshold increases again on Jan. 1 to $58,656.  That’s a 64% increase from its current level. 

After that, the salary threshold will update every three years based on wage data.

Medici notes that it’s still possible the changes could be overturned in court.

Wellesley takes a new look at its housing needs 

Regular readers here know that I was underwhelmed by Wellesley’s MBTA Communities Law compliance plan.

For starters, 60 percent of the town’s approved plan wasn’t particularly transit-oriented, what with needing a wet suit to get from your apartment to the closest transit station within the law’s required 1/2 mile radius.

Developers also predict that the remaining 40% won’t likely result in much, if any, new housing.  That’s because the town rezoned mostly commercial parcels with no increase in allowed building heights, or density, while avoiding up-zoning any single-family residential parcels near the town’s three commuter rail stops.

Nonetheless, Town Meeting members overwhelmingly passed the plan in April.

Even then, town leaders stressed that they were committed to taking a holistic look at Wellesley’s housing needs and updating its 2018 Housing Production Plan.

That process begins tonight, (June 18) at 6:30 p.m. at Wellesley High School when the Wellesley Housing Task Force and Barrett Planning Group holds an in-person community meeting to gather input and feedback on a new plan.

The meeting will include a presentation on the current state of housing in Wellesley with time for public input.

This is an opportunity for those town leaders (and every resident who has said “I’m not against housing, I’m just against...”) to show they mean it.  It’s an opportunity to share all that’s wonderful about Wellesley with new families, young adults, downsizing seniors and workers who want to live there.

See you there.

While Watertown’s plan starts getting specific

The second joint meeting of the Watertown City Council and Planning Board to consider the Watertown Square Area Plan is June 27 at 6 p.m. at the Middle School and via Zoom. (That’s the same night as the Biden-Trump CNN debate.)

Here’s Watertown News’ recap of last week’s meeting and the video.

Also, here’s a quick reminder about why this is a good idea.

Tuesday grab bag

• On Thursday the Newton City Council’s Programs & Services Committee will discuss a proposal to forever ban the sale of tobacco or e-cigarette products to anyone born after Jan.1, 2004. It’s designed with the best of intentions but could impact 36 Newton retailers who will inevitably lose sales to neighboring communities and likely not just tobacco sales.
  
  
• Page Waterman Gallery is leaving Wellesley but moving just two miles down road to South Natick. (Swellesley Report)
  
  
• Chamber member Jeff Sigel is releasing a new book The Middle Matters: A Toolkit for Middle Managers on June 18. Drawing on over two decades of firsthand experience, Sigel inspires middle managers to embrace their unique position as a powerful platform for leadership and influence.
  
  
• The Public Arts & Culture Committee of Watertown has launched its next public art initiative, part of the Edible Watertown project, titled Expert Pairings. Details.
  
  
• Chamber member Zenagos featured another chamber member, Naisebel Catering, LLC, as it showcased entrepreneur.
  
  
•  Needham Housing Coalition is hosting a panel discussion, June 26, 7 p.m., on the new accessory unit bylaw changes that make construction and use of accessory units easier.

Juneteenth events tomorrow

• The Allen Center in West Newton is hosting a Juneteenth Concert with live performances by award-winning vocalist Donna McElroy & Cherry Street Music Artistic Director Allison Eldredge accompanied by a live rhythm section.
  
  
• There will be a public reading of the 1852 Frederick Douglass speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” in front of the Morse Institute Library at 10 a.m. and a celebration with live performances and food on Natick Common from 1 - 4 p.m.
  
  
• Brookline for the Culture hosts Juneteenth Block Party, at the Florida Ruffin Ridley School, from noon to 4 .pm., with free Caribbean and soul food, live music and more.
  
  
• More events in greater Boston 

Climate bill would ‘skip the stuff,’ ban plastic bags

A wide-ranging climate bill going before the state Senate this week would ban retailers from offering carryout plastic bags and require a 10 cents charge for recycled paper bags, 5 cents of which would fund environmental protection work, reports Chris Lisinski at State House News.

Businesses would also be instructed not to automatically give patrons plastic utensils and straws, similar to the “Skip the Stuff” ordinance adopted in March in Newton. 

Sen. Cindy Creem is also expected to propose expanding the state bottle bill to include water and other noncarbonated beverages, a proposal our chamber supports.

William James honors two special Newtonians

Congratulations to Newton residents Dr. Rochelle Walensky (in photo) and affordable housing advocate and long time chamber member Josephine McNeil who were awarded honorary degrees at William James College Commencement ceremonies on June 11.

Walensky served as the 19th Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2021 through 2023.  (Here’s the text of her commencement address.) 

McNeil is the executive director of Citizens for Affordable Housing in Newton Development Organization, Inc. (CAN-DO), a community-based nonprofit that creates and manages affordable housing.

Framingham Police Chief Lester Baker was also awarded an honorary degree. 

Look who just had another growth spurt!

Finally this morning, please give a great big chamber welcome to these new members who joined, or reinstated, their membership after a long absence for April and May.

• American Beverage Association
• Archana Szpak
• Belfort Group
• Bella Szabo Productions
• Cafe Sol Azteca
• CARLA SHAW Sustainable  Fashion
• Children's Dyslexia  Center of Greater Boston
• Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast
• Crown Castle
• Dance Currents Inc.
• DeBlasio New Media Marketing
• Dryft Wellesley
• Felicia Captain Real Estate
• Guidepost Montessori at Oak Hill
• iCorps Technologies
• Leslie Anderson/Writer and  Editor
• Monomoy Advisors
• New York Life Ben Green
• One Wingate Way East
• OSTELIS Aesthetic Medical  Center
• Pathway Holdings LLC
• Paul Davis Restoration of Downtown Boston
• Poco A Poco Bookkeeping  Services
• Pure Sani Cleaning
• Riptide, LLC
• Scandinavian Living Center
• Seroton in Centers
• Starrs Aligned
• The Business Resource  Guy
• The Children's Room
• Toshiba BusinessSolutions
• VS Strategic Accounting  Solutions
• Wellesley Symphony  Orchestra

FOMO? If your company, or non-profit, has been sitting on the “should we join?” fence, dive in here or email Tracey.

And that’s what you need to know for today, unless you need to know where you can watch both of Peyton Pritchard’s NBA Finals buzzer-beaters over and over and over.

Stay cool! 

And be extra nice to all those folks working outdoors, in auto repair shops, and in kitchens this week.

Greg Reibman (he, him)

President & CEO

Charles River Regional Chamber

617.244.1688

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