City Council Meeting

The City Council convened on September 9, 2025, and handled a mix of appointments, administrative orders, and referral motions. The Council appointed four individuals to boards and commissions (Design Review Committee, Board of Health, Council on Aging Board of Directors, and Historical Commission) and recessed briefly to swear in appointees. The Council approved Administrative Order 2025-02 reorganizing city government by a 5-3 vote amid a brief substantive exchange about whether the posted job description matched the Financial Analyst title.

A major agenda item was 2025-089, an order to place a $6 million operating override on the November 4, 2025 ballot; the Council voted 5-3 to refer the matter to the Budget & Finance Subcommittee for further review with a second reading scheduled for September 23 (a proposed public hearing was removed). Several ordinances and orders were referred to committee for second readings on September 23, including traffic and parking amendments (2025-090 and 2025-091), a surplus vehicle/equipment order (2025-092), a $21,000 salary reserve transfer (2025-096), and late-filed 2025-098. The Council also referred two easement acceptance orders from Newburyport Homes LLC affecting 101-107 Market Street (2025-093 and 2025-094) to Ordinances & Administration with a request that the Director of DPW attend the committee meeting.

There was limited public participation recorded — public comment was opened and closed without speakers — and a few councilors noted other community events and scheduling items. The meeting ended after routine licensing approval and other referrals; no final votes on the override or the easement acceptances were taken at this meeting.