Beverly City Council Budget Meeting (Final Vote) 06/23/2026

The Beverly City Council held a budget meeting on June 23, 2026, to discuss and vote on the proposed FY27 budget. The meeting focused extensively on budget amendments proposed by councilors, many aimed at reducing expenditures in various line items such as travel expenses, consultant fees, and salary pools for exempt employees. Councilor St. Hilaire proposed multiple cuts totaling over $700,000, including eliminating the mayor's travel budget, reducing funding for the Executive Office Racial Justice role, and cutting consultant use in the finance and health departments. Several motions to reduce or eliminate specific budget items were debated, with some passing (e.g., a $7,000 cut to the mail messenger position) and others failing. The council also discussed the importance of maintaining certain budget lines, such as the reserve for unforeseen expenses ($225,000), which provides financial flexibility for unexpected costs. The mayor and other councilors emphasized the need to balance fiscal responsibility with maintaining essential city services and retaining key staff. The final vote approved the FY27 budget as amended, with a 5-4 vote. Additionally, the council acknowledged enterprise fund rates for water and sewer and approved related transfers. The meeting concluded with procedural matters including election warrant approval.