Essex Board of Selectmen Meeting | June 22, 2026

The Essex Board of Selectmen meeting on June 22, 2026, covered a range of municipal topics with a significant focus on procurement and contract decisions. Key procurement discussions included the award of a contract for cedar siding replacement at the public safety building to JLN Companies LLC, contingent upon legal and reference checks. The board also approved the renewal of a third-party ambulance billing contract with Comstar for another year. Additionally, the board discussed potential funding strategies for the secondary treatment project in partnership with the city of Gloucester, including the use of sewer betterment surplus funds. Other procurement-related topics involved consideration of funding for kayak racks at Redgate Road, potential upgrades to town facilities such as roll-up doors for the public safety building garage, and the use of town event funds for community events. The meeting concluded with approval of a memorandum of agreement with the AFSCME union related to collective bargaining. Several policy and planning discussions were held, including affordable housing initiatives, fire department leadership structure options, and the use of AI tools for town project information, but these did not result in immediate procurement actions.