City Council Meeting

The City Council meeting opened with roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by public comment on the proposed FY27 budget. Mayor Kassandra Gove delivered a detailed presentation on the City’s FY27 budget and fiscal condition, covering revenue sources, departmental highlights, capital improvement planning, financial forecasts, reserves (including Free Cash and stabilization accounts), and liabilities such as debt, pension, and OPEB. The presentation noted the FY27 proposed total operating budget of $84,704,738 (a 0.56% increase), the planned use of $1.0M in Free Cash and $513,316.36 for capital, anticipated impacts on the average single-family tax bill, and the administration’s recommendations for capital planning and conservative financial forecasting.

Council business included appointments, licenses and permit actions, and votes to refer multiple fiscal orders for committee review. The Council approved the appointment of Brian Higgins to the Conservation Commission (2026-091) and approved acceptance of a donated shed for the Amesbury Town Park ice rink (2026-082) after discussing liability and maintenance responsibilities. The Council approved the remaining May licenses, continued two Cumberland Farms storage permit items to June 9, 2026, and handled several procedural referrals: the FY27 Operating Budget order (2026-001) was referred to the Ad Hoc Budget Committee with a second reading and public hearing scheduled for June 9; six FY27-related orders (2026-092 through 2026-097) were referred to the Standing Committee of the Whole for a May 26 second reading; and a late-file order appropriating $55,000 from Sewer Retained Earnings for emergency wastewater plant repairs (2026-098) was accepted as a late file and likewise referred to the Standing Committee of the Whole. Public comment included questions about the proposed budget and charter school reimbursements. The meeting adjourned at 8:56 PM.