# Manchester-By-The-Sea Select Board Meeting | October 5, 2026

The Manchester-by-the-Sea Select Board meeting, including a joint discussion with the Finance Committee, was held October 5, 2026. The Select Board unanimously approved two National Grid petitions: WR 131284837 for a joint-owned pole and underground conduit serving the Lincoln Street well/water-treatment project, and WR 31350730 for underground conduit to a residence at 9A Ashland Avenue. For the Essex Elementary school-building project, representatives reported that value-management recommendations reduced the projected cost to $95.3 million, about $3.5 million in savings. The estimated effective Massachusetts School Building Authority reimbursement rate is 21.4%, subject to finalization; the project team expects phased bid packages, including early procurement of long-lead equipment and construction materials, with bidding anticipated beginning in 2028. The board discussed communicating the project’s costs, reimbursement, debt schedule, and taxpayer impacts, but took no vote on the school project.

Other spending items were discussed as potential special-town-meeting articles, not as final awards or approvals. These included a senior community center project requiring further value-engineering review and a fire-engine purchase stated to cost about $1.01 million, with approximately $300,000 already funded and roughly $710,927 proposed from free cash. The board also discussed, without deciding, whether to adopt the Prudent Investor Act for eligible trust funds (about $800,000), and reviewed proposed sign-bylaw changes and a possible Mullen’s Rule provision. A motion expressing gratitude to public-safety personnel for their response to a marine incident passed. No competitive RFP or vendor-selection process was identified.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure, Energy & Utilities
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure, Grants & Funding
**Published:** October 05, 2026

### Sources
- [Manchester-By-The-Sea Select Board Meeting | October 5, 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ll-AXAJqUA) - 1623 Studios