VOL. III · NO. 18 · MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2026
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Home / Meetings /July 8, 2025
City Council · July 8, 2025 · 7:00 PM

City Council Meeting

Council approved four mayoral appointments — including Robert Serino as Fire Chief (2025-080) and John Rogers to the ZBA (2025-077) — created an Ad Hoc Clerk Study Committee, withdrew bill 2025-046 (Riverfront Drive signage), and referred bill 2025-081 (a $5,000 appropriation from the Streets and Sidewalks Stabilization Fund) to the Budget & Finance Subcommittee.

occurred Agenda PDF Minutes Video recording AI Summary
Key decisions
Approved appointment of John Rogers to Zoning Board of Appeals (term to Feb 28, 2030).
Passed 6-0
Approved appointment of Janice Pawlick to Council on Aging Board of Directors (term to Feb 29, 2028).
Passed 6-0
Approved reappointment of Arthur Levine to Council on Aging Board of Directors (term to Feb 29, 2028).
Passed 6-0
Approved appointment of Robert Serino as Fire Chief for the City of Amesbury.
Passed 6-0
Created an Ad Hoc Clerk Study Committee (committee to be dissolved by year-end; suggested membership noted).
Passed 6-0
Approved the monthly list of licenses for July 8, 2025.
Passed 6-0
Withdrew bill 2025-046 (Go Slow Children signage at top of Riverfront Drive) without prejudice.
Passed 5-0
Accepted late file for 2025-081 (appropriation from Streets and Sidewalks Stabilization Fund).
Passed 5-0
Referred 2025-081 (appropriate $5,000 from Streets and Sidewalks Stabilization Fund to Temporary Repairs on Private Ways account) to the Budget & Finance Subcommittee with a second reading set for July 22, 2025.
Passed 5-0
AI SUMMARY · DRAWN FROM THE MINUTES

The City Council meeting opened with several mayoral appointments approved unanimously: John Rogers to the Zoning Board of Appeals (2025-077), Janice Pawlick and Arthur Levine to the Council on Aging Board of Directors (2025-078 and 2025-079), and Robert Serino as the City’s Fire Chief (2025-080). The Council also approved the monthly license list for July 8, 2025. President Mandeville proposed and the Council voted unanimously to create an Ad Hoc Clerk Study Committee (with suggested membership and a proposed sunset by year-end).

Staff from DPW and Pare Corporation presented on the Powwow Weir project; discussion included permitting through the Board of Health and a sequence of repairing the weir before removing beaver dams, and residents raised local flooding concerns near the weir. The Council withdrew bill 2025-046 (Go Slow Children signage at Riverfront Drive) without prejudice. A late-filed appropriation (2025-081 — $5,000 from the Streets and Sidewalks Stabilization Fund to Temporary Repairs on Private Ways) was accepted and referred to the Budget & Finance Subcommittee with a second reading scheduled for July 22, 2025. Public comment included concerns about a damaged sidewalk near Hatters Point and flooding issues related to the Powwow Weir.

Generated by an LLM. Verify against the official record before quoting.

Points of interest

Detailed DPW presentation and hydraulic analysis of the Powwow River weir
Detailed DPW presentation and hydraulic analysis of the Powwow River weir
PRESENTATION
0:24:13–0:53:02 ▶ Watch
DPW presented a hydrologic and hydraulic study of the Powwow River and a proposed weir replacement; consultants reviewed field inventory from Tewksbury Dam to Lake Gardner, identified downstream obstructions (fallen trees, beaver dams, bridge constrictions) as primary contributors to elevated water levels, and recommended repairing the structurally unsound weir first then addressing downstream restrictions and permitting/sequence considerations.
Mayor outlines proposed twin-city ties with Amesbury (Wiltshire, UK) and upcoming visit
Mayor outlines proposed twin-city ties with Amesbury (Wiltshire, UK) and upcoming visit
ANNOUNCEMENT
0:53:50–0:59:23 ▶ Watch
The mayor described renewed twinning/sister-city engagement with Amesbury (Wiltshire, UK), showed a ceremonial gift from the UK council, announced an upcoming visit by their mayor later this month, and asked the council to consider a resolution supporting a twin-city agreement and related cultural exchanges.
Resident public comment urging sidewalk repairs on Merrimack Street
Resident public comment urging sidewalk repairs on Merrimack Street
PUBLIC COMMENT
1:00:51–1:04:09 ▶ Watch
A resident delivered public comment urging repair of crumbling sidewalks along Merrimack Street between the new marina and Hatters Point, citing safety, liability, and increased pedestrian demand from recent housing and the marina; the speaker asked whether the work remains budgeted for 2026 and how residents can help advance it.

Motions & votes

AI-generated summaries of each motion's substance — not the official record. Verify against the meeting minutes or video before quoting.

@ 0:01:38 · APPROVE
Approved 5-0 (1 abstention)
i would make a motion to approve the minutes of june 24th and july 1st as presented
MOVED · COUNSELOR HEGSTROM · SECONDED · COUNCILOR HOGUE
UNDER · Act on minutes
@ 0:03:11 · APPROVE
Approved 6-0
to approve the appointment of 2025 077 John Rogers the position of zoning Board of Appeals
MOVED · COUNCILLOR HAGSTROM · SECONDED · COUNCIL REDFERN
@ 0:04:24 · APPROVE
Approved 6-0
i move to approve 2025-078 as presented
MOVED · COUNCIL REDFERN · SECONDED · COUNCILLOR FREDERICK
@ 0:05:39 · APPROVE
Approved 6-0
motion to approve 2025 07 9 reappointment of Arthur Levine to the Amesbury council on aging
MOVED · COUNSELOR HOGUE · SECONDED · COUNCILLOR FREDERIC
@ 0:07:32 · APPROVE
Approved 6-0
i would move to approve 2025 dash 080 the appointment of robert serino to the position of fire chief for the city of amesbury
MOVED · COUNSELOR HEGSTROM · SECONDED · COUNCIL REDFERN
@ 0:18:45 · APPROVE
Approved 6-0
I move to approve our July monthly list of licenses.
MOVED · COUNCILOR HAGSTROM · SECONDED · COUNCILOR FREDERIC
UNDER · Licenses · 6. Monthly list of licenses — July
@ 0:22:11 · OTHER
Approved 6-0
I make a motion that we create a committee to study the clerk's office.
MOVED · COUNCILLOR RINALDI · SECONDED · COUNCILLOR HOGUE
UNDER · Correspondence / create clerk's office ad hoc committee
@ 1:07:59 · WITHDRAW
Approved 5-0
that we withdraw 2025 or for six without prejudice
MOVED · COUNCIL RINALDI · SECONDED · COUNCILLOR FREDERICK
@ 1:08:57 · OTHER
Approved 5-0
so moved counselor hogue has made a motion to suspend rule 5g
MOVED · COUNSELOR HOGUE · SECONDED · COUNCILOR REDFERN
UNDER · Late files — Appropriate $5,000 from Streets & Sidewalks Stabilization (2025-081)
@ 1:10:55 · REFER
Approved 5-0
to refer 2025-081 to budget and finances next regularly scheduled meeting with a second reading to be held on july 22nd
MOVED · COUNCILOR HOGUE · SECONDED · COUNCILOR RINALDI
@ 1:11:32 · OTHER
Approved 5-0
motion by councillor redfern to adjourn
MOVED · COUNCILLOR REDFERN · SECONDED · COUNSELOR FREDERICK
UNDER · Adjournment