Mayor Mazzarella secures $7.1M for sewer and $6.9M for water budgets in Leominster

The Leominster City Council convened on May 27, 2025, to address several key financial appropriations and budgetary matters. The meeting began with a unanimous vote to establish a new account, followed by discussions on various funding requests from city departments.

The first significant item on the agenda was C-77, where Mayor Dean J. Mazzarella requested an appropriation of $50,000 to the police department's overtime account. Chief Mellatus highlighted the depletion of the overtime budget due to investigations and training needs. The finance committee unanimously recommended granting this request, which was approved by a vote of 9 to 0.

Next, C-78 involved a request for $60,000 for the fire department's expense account to cover rising costs associated with repairs and supplies. The finance committee again recommended approval, which passed unanimously.

The council then moved to C-79, where the mayor sought $7,136,207 for the sewer department budget for fiscal year 2026. Following a public hearing with no opposition, the finance committee's recommendation to grant the request was approved by a 9 to 0 vote.

Similarly, C-80 requested $6,919,906 for the water department budget, which also received unanimous support after a public hearing.

The council then addressed C-81, the fiscal year 2026 budget totaling $178,690,102. Mayor Mazzarella described the budget as lean but sufficient to maintain city services. The finance committee's recommendation to adopt the budget was approved without opposition.

Subsequent items included C-83 and C-85, both related to the library's operating account, requesting $25,000 and $15,000 respectively to meet state expenditure requirements. Both requests were unanimously supported and approved.

Lastly, the council discussed a request from the purchasing agent for a six-year contract with an energy consulting firm to enhance the city's energy procurement strategy. This request was also unanimously approved.

The meeting concluded with discussions on appointments to various commissions, with further time granted for interviews scheduled for June 9.

Overall, the meeting reflected a collaborative effort among council members to address the city's financial needs while ensuring continued service delivery to residents. All discussed appropriations and budgetary measures were passed unanimously, indicating strong support for the proposed initiatives.