Meetings

NOV 3, '25

Approved decommissioning permit for Substation 5 at 0 and 14 Mill Street (NOI 002-1355) with strict monitoring and restoration conditions; approved patio/shed repair at 62 Lake Attitash Road (NOI 002-1357); peer review requested for the Line 394 / B154-C155 transmission line ROW project (NOI 002-1356).

OCT 30, '25

Board reviewed and moved forward with a BlueLion HR engagement: compensation terms ($175/hr plus $175 travel), on-site staff interviews planned Nov 4, 5 and 7 (30-minute meetings per staff), and an estimated $6,000 for three 9-hour days.

OCT 28, '25

Council adopted 2025-110 (new Chapter 230: Buildings, Permitting of) including revised permitting fees, approved 2025-111 (City Clerk fee schedule) and 2025-113 (updates to parking/permit parking schedule and penalties), and approved several budget/ grant actions including 2025-104 to balance the FY26 budget and acceptance of Byrne (2025-108) and Municipal Road Safety (2025-109) grants.

OCT 28, '25

OCT 27, '25

Continued public hearings on the Rocky Hill Development (major mixed‑use proposal), National Grid substation upgrade at 9 Alenclair Dr., subdivision/duplex at 102 Kimball Rd., and a single‑family proposal at 6 Lake Attitash Way; the Board also approved signage for 23 Main St. (Main Street Marketplace) and 5 Market St. (Needham Bank).

OCT 23, '25

The Zoning Board approved a special permit for an addition at 17 Fourth St; approved setback variances for a new house at 6 Lake Attitash Way (contingent on Planning/Conservation approvals); approved a special permit to convert a basement to an in-law unit at 4 Brielle Way; and approved a variance to place a temporary mobile electrical substation at 0 and 14 Mill St (contingent on Planning/Conservation approvals).

OCT 23, '25

Amesbury Housing Authority presented detailed capital and accessibility needs across its properties — including major window replacement at Heritage Towers (~$1M), exterior envelope work at Macy Terrace (four buildings ~$700k; 12 more buildings remain), a proposed fenced playground at Macy (~$70k), ADA conversion opportunities, and ongoing renovations of 30 Pow Wow Villa units. The presentation outlined funding sources (rents, state formula and capital funds, bond/grant awards), long waiting lists for public housing, and limits on what state/federal funds will cover.

OCT 22, '25

Library Finance sub-committee discussed Council Order 2025-089 (a proposed $6M operating override) and confirmed the Board's signed letter was mailed to the Mayor; reviewed FY27 library budget scenarios including possible staffing or hours reductions if level-funded; and reviewed proceeds from sale of 5 School St and 9 School St and planned FY27 capital requests (including a ramp and updated gutter cost estimate $250k–$300k).

OCT 22, '25

Chair reported a proposal to run an invasive-plant demonstration project at Woodsom Farm (draft to be submitted to the Mayor’s Office); DPW cleared and will mow the upper Whitehall Road fields on an every-other-year basis. The committee unanimously approved the re-appointment of Michelle Faucher to the Community Preservation Committee.

OCT 22, '25

Board accepted the school's audited/annual financials and reviewed strong 2025 MCAS results showing pre‑pandemic scoring, high growth in ELA and Math, and performance above state levels across subjects.

OCT 22, '25

Amesbury Housing Authority presented capital needs including an estimated $1 million window replacement at Heritage Towers, required upgrades at Macy Street Terrace (units and playground), and converting a vacant unit at Heritage Vale to ADA compliance; staff said routine maintenance/repairs do not qualify for CPA funding.

OCT 21, '25

Approved the annual appeal final draft and agreed to request $750 from the Charitable Trust to cover mailing supplies (Friends to cover the remaining ~ $250); mailing will be printed by the Amesbury Chamber and sent the week of Thanksgiving.

OCT 20, '25

Approved a Notice of Intent for a project on Main St with a condition that work be completed in the dry per the applicant's work plan. Continued the National Grid temporary power station proposal for 0 & 14 Mill St to the November meeting for peer-review selection and review of revised stormwater/geotechnical materials.

OCT 17, '25

OCT 15, '25

Review of a proposed multi-building residential development at 27.5–29 Clarks Road, including site layout, parking (above- and below-grade), trail connections to Point Shore, stormwater and utility plans; discussion of the City’s Traffic & Transportation process.

OCT 14, '25

Council approved an order (2025-082) authorizing the Mayor to dispose of a portion of the City-owned former Amesbury Elementary School property at 24 South Hampton Rd and confirmed three appointments to local boards (2025-100, 2025-101, 2025-103). Multiple budget and ordinance measures — including building/permits fee changes (2025-110) and late-file amendments to the Solid Waste and Parking ordinances (2025-112, 2025-113) — were referred to committee for further review.

OCT 14, '25

Committee reviewed MCAS and state accountability results showing River Valley Charter School above state averages (grades 3–8) and an overall shift from “moderate” to “substantial” progress; the committee requested a parent townhall and further disaggregated-data review and scheduled a special meeting Oct. 17 to complete remaining agenda items.

OCT 8, '25

Committee directed the director to obtain HR vendor rates and proceed with a staff climate survey, reviewed SPED audit findings (including EL screening and compliance gaps) with a plan to adopt policies and implement supports, and scheduled final audited financials and an MCAS presentation for upcoming board meetings.

OCT 8, '25

OCT 8, '25

Finance committee approved the draft FY2024–2025 audited financial statements (clean audit); implementation of a new accounting standard increased compensated absence liability by about $99K.