VOL. III · NO. 18 · MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2026
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Home / Meetings /February 10, 2026
City Council · February 10, 2026 · 7:00 PM

City Council Meeting

Council approved a slate of board and commission reappointments and appointments (multiple 2026-0XX items) and declared vacancies on the Library Board and School Committee; the Council also referred a broad set of fiscal and ordinance orders — including 2026-008 (Council Rules), copier lease 2026-024, school ball field funding 2026-027, cemetery ordinance 2026-041, MassWorks grant 2026-037, and the North Shore HOME grant 2026-042 — to standing committees for further review.

occurred Agenda PDF Minutes Video recording AI Summary
Key decisions
Approved reappointments 2026-005, 2026-006, 2026-007, 2026-009, 2026-010, 2026-011, 2026-012, 2026-013, 2026-014, and 2026-017 as presented (various boards and commissions).
Approved 9-0
Approved reappointment of Annmary Connor (2026-015) and Andrew LeFleur (2026-016) to the Amesbury Affordable Housing Trust.
Approved 9-0
Approved reappointment of Michael Hogg to the Energy, Environmental and Sustainability Committee (2026-018).
Approved 9-0
Appointed Pamela Gilday to the Energy, Environmental and Sustainability Committee (2026-019).
Approved 9-0
Appointed Kelly Sullivan to the Amesbury Affordable Housing Trust (2026-020).
Approved 9-0
Reappointed Jessica Redfern to the Open Space, Natural Resources and Trails Committee (2026-021).
Approved 9-0
Reappointed Michael Hogg to the Disposition Committee (2026-022).
Approved 9-0
Withdrew 2026-023 (Reappointment of Claudel Frederique to the Community Development Block Grant Advisory Board) without prejudice.
Withdrawn 9-0
Approved the monthly lists of licenses (December & January).
Approved 8-1
Declared a vacancy on the Library Board of Trustees.
Approved 9-0
Declared a vacancy on the School Committee (Kate Slater resignation).
Approved 9-0
Referred 2026-008 (Rules and Procedures for the Fifteenth Session of the Amesbury City Council) to the Ordinance and Administration Committee with a second reading scheduled for March 10, 2026.
Referred 8-1
Referred 2026-024 (authorize the Mayor to enter a five-year contract for one new copier) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 8-0-1 (1 abstention)
Referred 2026-025 (rescind acceptance of MGL Chap 90 sec 20A-1/2 and replace with MGL Chap 90 sec 20A-2025) to the Ordinance and Administration Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-027 (transfer from School Capital Accounts to fund the ball field project at AHS) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-028 (appropriate $200,000 from Free Cash to Stabilization Fund) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-029 (appropriate $100,000 from Free Cash) to the Budget and Finance Committee.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-030 (transfer from Salary Reserve to Police Sick and Vacation Buyback) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-031 (appropriate from Sewer Retained Earnings) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-032 (appropriate from Water Retained Earnings) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-033 (transfer $231,535 from Streets and Sidewalks Stabilization to DPW Streets and Sidewalks) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-034 (accept and expend a Last Call Foundation grant award) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-035 (accept and expend a Newburyport Society for the Relief of Aged Women grant) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-036 (accept and expend FY26 formula grant funding for COA) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-037 (accept and expend FY26 MassWorks Grant) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-038 (accept FY26 earmark—Digitization and Preservation of Municipal Documents) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-039 (accept FY26 earmark—Chromebooks) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-040 (accept FY26 earmark—Parking Study Phase 2) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Referred 2026-041 (Ordinance to amend Chapter 237 Cemeteries) to the Ordinance and Administration Committee and the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
Suspended Rule 5D to allow late-file items to be considered.
Approved 9-0
Referred late-file 2026-042 (authorize the Mayor to accept and expend the North Shore HOME Consortium grant - $91,983) to the Budget and Finance Committee with a second reading on February 24, 2026.
Referred 9-0
AI SUMMARY · DRAWN FROM THE MINUTES

The City Council met and focused primarily on municipal appointments and the first-reading/referral of a broad package of fiscal and ordinance orders. The Council approved numerous reappointments and appointments to boards and commissions (including cemetery, conservation, cultural council, energy/environment, assessors, historical commission, registrars, Community Preservation, Affordable Housing Trust, Disposition Committee, and Open Space/NRT), declared vacancies for the Library Board of Trustees and the School Committee, and withdrew one appointment item (2026-023) when the referenced committee was not established. A monthly list of licenses for December and January was approved (8-1).

On first readings and referrals, the Council moved a large set of orders to the Budget & Finance Committee and/or Ordinance & Administration Committee for detailed review with second readings scheduled, including council rules (2026-008, second reading set for March 10 after amendment), a five-year copier lease (2026-024), statutory language update for Chapter 90 (2026-025), transfers and appropriations related to school capital and stabilization (2026-027, 2026-028, 2026-029), multiple grant acceptances and earmarks (2026-034 through 2026-040, 2026-037 MassWorks), and a cemeteries ordinance amendment (2026-041). The Council also suspended Rule 5D to accept late-file items and referred a late-file HOME Consortium grant acceptance (2026-042) to Budget & Finance. Public comment during the meeting was minimal; a School Committee representative provided a brief Whittier Tech building update and the new Mayor's Chief of Staff was introduced.

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

Points of interest

Cemetery Commission reappointment and project update
Cemetery Commission reappointment and project update
PRESENTATION
0:06:50–0:08:45 ▶ Watch
A reappointment candidate for the Cemetery Advisory Commission summarized ongoing cemetery projects, discussed plans to digitize records for staff/public access, noted recent DPW staffing improvements, and requested a three‑year reappointment to complete the work.
Whittier Tech school building committee update and feasibility study funding
Whittier Tech school building committee update and feasibility study funding
PRESENTATION
0:22:25–0:25:15 ▶ Watch
The city’s appointed representative on the regional school building committee gave an update from a recent walkthrough, reported partial repairs to the school's water treatment plant, and warned of an upcoming March 11 vote on funding a new feasibility study (~$2.5M) that could include a new site with the city’s share roughly 10%.
Introduction of new chief of staff and role overview
Introduction of new chief of staff and role overview
ANNOUNCEMENT
0:25:59–0:28:36 ▶ Watch
The mayor introduced the new chief of staff, who outlined her background in municipal and state government and said she will handle constituent services and coordinate department support for council matters.
Discussion and amendment on proposed council rules and posting timeline
Discussion and amendment on proposed council rules and posting timeline
DEBATE
0:29:40–0:37:07 ▶ Watch
Councilors debated proposed rules and availability of supporting documents, flagged that full text had not been posted, discussed the 30‑day notice requirement, and amended the referral so the second reading/vote would occur on March 10 to allow the rules to be publicly available for the required period.

Motions & votes

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

@ 0:02:02 · APPROVE
Approved unanimous
I move to accept the meeting minutes of December 9, 2025 as presented.
UNDER · Approve December 9, 2025 minutes
@ 0:03:40 · APPROVE
Approved unanimous
I will move to approve with the amendments.
UNDER · Approve January 13, 2026 minutes
@ 0:10:16 · APPROVE
Approved unanimous
I'd like to make a motion to approve 2026-015 and 2026-016 as presented.
@ 0:11:43 · APPROVE
Approved unanimous
yes i'd like to make a motion to approve 2026-018 the reappointment of michael hogue
@ 0:12:52 · APPROVE
Approved unanimous
i'd like to make a motion uh to approve 2026-019 to appoint pamela gilday
@ 0:14:14 · APPROVE
Approved unanimous
make a motion to approve 2026-020 as presented
@ 0:15:26 · APPROVE
Approved unanimous
yes i'd like to um approve uh the um bill 2026-02 oh sorry 2026-021
@ 0:16:32 · APPROVE
Approved unanimous
I'll make a motion that we accept 2026-022 as presented.
@ 0:16:51 · WITHDRAW
Withdrawn unanimous
I would like a motion to withdraw 2026-023 without prejudice
@ 0:18:21 · APPROVE
Approved 8-1
I move to approve the December and January list of licenses as presented.
UNDER · Licenses · Monthly list of licenses – December and January
@ 0:19:58 · OTHER
Approved unanimous
move the City Council declare the library board of trustees vacancy
UNDER · Motion to declare library board of trustees vacancy
@ 0:20:47 · OTHER
Approved unanimous
except the vacancy as noted in 2026-043
@ 0:21:40 · APPROVE
Approved unanimous
I move that we accept addendum L as it's presented.
UNDER · Motion to accept Addendum L
@ 0:33:00 · REFER
Referred (amended) 8-1
yes I'd like to make a motion to refer bill 2026-008 to the ordinance and administration committee and set a second reading
@ 0:35:46 · AMEND
Amendment Approved unanimous
yes i'd like to make a motion to amend my motion uh to again refer this bill to ona and then set the second reading for march 10
@ 0:38:21 · REFER
Referred unanimous
make a motion to refer 2026-024 to the budget and finance committee and set a second reading for February 24th
@ 0:43:00 · REFER
Referred unanimous
make a motion to refer 2026-025 to the ordinance and administration subcommittee as presented and set a second reading for February 24th
@ 0:44:27 · REFER
Referred unanimous
I move that we refer bill 2026-026 to budget and finance and set a second reading for february 24th
@ 0:46:15 · REFER
Referred unanimous
I'll make a motion to refer bill 2026-027 to bnf with second reading for 224.
@ 0:47:26 · REFER
Referred unanimous
i'd like to make a motion to refer 2026-028 in order to appropriate 200 000 from free cash to the stabilization edition fund to budget and Finance Committee
@ 0:48:45 · REFER
Referred unanimous
make a motion to refer 2026-029 to BNF with second reading for 224.
@ 1:08:06 · REFER
Referred unanimous
yes i move that we refer bill 2026-030 to budget and finance and set a second reading for february 24th
@ 0:52:25 · REFER
Referred unanimous
yes I move that we refer a bill 2026-031 to budget and Finance set a second reading for 2-24
@ 0:58:49 · REFER
Referred unanimous
make a motion to refer 2026-032 to the budget and Finance Committee and set a second reading for February 24th
@ 0:55:14 · REFER
Referred unanimous
i'd like to make a motion we refer 2026-033 to budget and finance with a second reading on february 24th
@ 0:56:27 · REFER
Referred unanimous
yes i'd like to refer bill 2026-034 to budget and finance and set a second reading for 224.
@ 0:57:28 · REFER
Referred unanimous
I would like to refer Bill 2026-035 to Budget and Finance with a second reading on February 24th.
@ 0:58:49 · REFER
Referred unanimous
I'd like to make a motion to refer 2026-036 to budget and finance for second reading on February 24th.
@ 1:00:14 · REFER
Referred unanimous
would like to refer bill 2026-037 to budget and finance with a second reading to occur on February 24th
@ 1:01:29 · REFER
Referred unanimous
I'd like to make the motion to refer bill 2026-038 to budget and finance and set the second rating for February 24
@ 1:02:26 · REFER
Referred unanimous
i'd like to make a motion to refer 2026-039 to budget and finance for second reading on february 24th
@ 1:03:49 · REFER
Referred unanimous
i'd like to refer bill 2026-040 to budget and finance with a second reading to occur on february 24th
@ 1:05:49 · REFER
Referred unanimous
I move that council refer 2026-041 to the ordinance and administration committee as well as the budget and finance committee with a second reading on February 24.
@ 1:06:47 · OTHER
Approved unanimous (supermajority)
move with the city council suspend its rules regarding late files
UNDER · Late file — suspend rules for 2026-042
@ 1:07:57 · REFER
Referred unanimous
i move that we refer bill 2026-042 to budget and finance set a second reading for february 24th
@ 1:08:30 · OTHER
Approved unanimous
motion to adjourn
UNDER · Adjournment