City Council Meeting

The City Council meeting on July 22, 2025 addressed several land, infrastructure, and ordinance matters. Members heard extended public comment from residents urging the City to accept and repair private ways, including Mechanics Row; councilors acknowledged those concerns and discussed financial and disclosure implications. The Council approved a $5,000 appropriation from the Streets and Sidewalks Stabilization Fund to the Temporary Repairs on Private Ways account (2025-081), with discussion focused on the scope and application of that funding.

The Council unanimously approved several property and grant actions tied to conservation and water protection: acceptance of an easement at 12 Elizabeth Street (2025-053), appropriation of $211,935 to purchase the land and building at 128 Kimball Road for water-supply protection and conservation (2025-072), and authorization for the Mayor to accept and expend a $122,661 Drinking Water Supply Protection grant toward that acquisition (2025-073). The body also discharged committee obligations and adopted an ordinance establishing a crosswalk at Merrimack River Condominiums (2025-074) after hearing DPW support for safety improvements. Finally, the Council referred a proposal to dispose of part of the former Amesbury Elementary School site and a companion rezoning of portions of 24 South Hampton Road to multiple committees and scheduled second readings/hearings for September 23 (2025-082, 2025-083), and approved a resolution to formalize a twinning relationship with Amesbury, Wiltshire (2025-084).