City Council Ad Hoc Budget Committee of the Whole Meeting
Budget Hearing #4: FY26 budget presentations and Q&A for the Police Department (including Harbormaster), Fire Department, and Amesbury Public Schools; School Committee expressed support for an increase to the school budget.
The Ad Hoc Budget Committee of the Whole met for Budget Hearing #4 to receive presentations and hold discussion on proposed FY26 budgets. Police Chief Craig Bailey presented the Police Department budget and the Harbormaster budget; Fire Chief Jim Nolan presented the Fire Department budget; and Superintendent Elizabeth McAndrews presented the Amesbury Public Schools budget. Councilors engaged each presenter with questions and discussion on department needs and budget drivers. A School Committee member read a statement expressing the School Committee's support for an increase to the school budget.
No final budget votes or appropriations were recorded during this session; the meeting consisted of formal presentations and council Q&A. The meeting included a brief recess and two council-approved extensions to allow additional discussion, and it adjourned with a unanimous vote.