City Council Meeting
Council approved Ordinance 2025-017 (Outdoor Dining), appropriated $500,000 from free cash for Amesbury High School 90' diamond field improvements (2025-021), and confirmed several mayoral appointments.
The City Council meeting focused on several appointment confirmations, ordinance action, and budgetary items. The Council unanimously approved multiple mayoral reappointments (including Adeline Matton, Richard Joltes, and Mel Webster), confirmed Kristen Costa to the Amesbury Cultural Council, and withdrew two committee appointments (2025-028 and 2025-029) without prejudice because those appointments are handled by the respective committees. The monthly list of March licenses was approved.
On substantive policy and budget actions, the Council substituted in a redline and then unanimously adopted Ordinance 2025-017 establishing a new Outdoor Dining Ordinance (Chapter 397), with OCED and Chamber input noted. The Council also unanimously approved Order 2025-021 to appropriate $500,000 from Free Cash for site construction services to improve the Amesbury High School 90' diamond ball field; discussion included bid timing, construction scheduling to avoid conflicts with the spring season, and debate about the use of free cash versus operating budget impacts on schools. Several first-reading items/orders (2025-030 through 2025-033 — transfers and grants for police, legal services, and emergency management) were referred to Budget & Finance with second readings set for March 25, 2025.
During public comment a resident requested installation of a crosswalk light at Sparhawk near Little Sprouts Daycare; Councilors and the Mayor discussed referral paths (police, DPW, ordinance process), infrastructure and funding considerations, and noted the Administration will record the location for possible future funding.