Beverly City Council Meeting 06/15/2026

The Beverly City Council held a regular meeting on June 15, 2026, which included extensive discussions on budgetary matters, particularly focusing on the proposed increase in the residential trash fee. Council members debated amendments to reduce the fee from the proposed $300 to $200, contingent on finding corresponding budget cuts, but the amendment failed due to concerns about creating an unbalanced budget. The council also approved several grant awards, including a $100,000 Cummings Foundation grant for the Police Department's Wellness and Resilience Program, a $156,000 Massachusetts Department of Mental Health grant for police training, and a $499,974 Complete Streets grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Additionally, a $1.5 million transfer request was referred for a climate resiliency road and sidewalk capital project. The council established a special committee on deficit reduction to address structural budget issues. Public comments emphasized the importance of adequately staffing the Veterans Service Department. The meeting concluded with the final passage of the trash fee ordinance with amendments to include biennial fee reviews to ensure financial sustainability.