Budget and Finance Committee Meeting
Subcommittee recommended positive action on multiple funding and policy items: accept a $18,989 firefighter safety equipment grant (2025-014) and a $50,000 downtown lighting earmark (2025-015); appropriate $332,200 and $120,000 from Sewer Retained Earnings for sewer fleet replacement and grinder pump repairs (2025-019, 2025-020); and recommend a $500,000 Free Cash appropriation for Amesbury High School 90' Diamond Ball Field improvements (2025-021). The committee also forwarded the proposed Outdoor Dining Ordinance (2025-017) to full Council pending outreach to the Chamber of Commerce and OCED.
The Budget & Finance Subcommittee met virtually and considered a package of administrative orders, grants, appropriation requests, and an ordinance. Committee members present were Councilors Frederique, Redfern, and Stanganelli; staff included the Mayor, Chief of Staff Ann Marie Casey, DPW Director Joe Buckley, Deputy Fire Chief Rob Serino, Superintendent Elizabeth McAndrews, and Administrative Assistant Allie Connolly. After brief presentations and questions from members, the subcommittee voted unanimously to forward each item on the agenda to the full City Council with a positive recommendation.
Key topics included grant acceptances, targeted appropriations, and a proposed outdoor dining ordinance. The subcommittee recommended accepting a FY25 Firefighter Safety Equipment grant ($18,989) and a $50,000 legislative earmark for downtown lighting improvements. DPW requested and received positive recommendations to appropriate $332,200 from Sewer Retained Earnings for sewer fleet replacement and $120,000 for grinder pump repairs around Lake Attitash; DPW staff emphasized equipment age, reliability concerns, and the high cost of individual pump repairs. The subcommittee also recommended a $500,000 appropriation from Free Cash to fund site construction services for the Amesbury High School 90' Diamond Ball Field improvements; school staff noted coordination with athletics and the Mayor said she would report the remaining free cash balance at the next full Council meeting. The proposed Outdoor Dining Ordinance (Chapter 397, 2025-017) was forwarded positively but the committee asked the administration to obtain input from the Chamber of Commerce and the Office of Community and Economic Development before full Council consideration. Other forwarded items included copier lease authorization for 68 Elm St., a transfer for Conservation consulting costs, an amendment to revolving funds, and authorization to join the Public Health Excellence shared services grant intermunicipal agreement. No public comments were recorded.