[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6201751,"mediaKeyId","3789116-af83b726a1fb925fe670f33850f4ff07","parentId",3789116,"title","Committee recommends wide set of FY26 operating and enterprise budgets, including debt and state assessments","audioSeconds",3795,"startMs",627000,"endMs",4422000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789116-af83b726a1fb925fe670f33850f4ff07&start=627&end=4422","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789116-af83b726a1fb925fe670f33850f4ff07/thumbnail_627000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6201751/Salem-City/Essex-County/Massachusetts/Committee-recommends-wide-set-of-FY26-operating-and-enterprise-budgets-including-debt-and-state-assessments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6201751-256299f468bd4177aca178190dfec7d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775758104&Signature=T9BmQrM3oW3MyfIeW6CIrLF3i1hcL8pq76xnmY6c1VriwxXzYOnfgHZXom~6VvYT~09L3LK083krDrpb7XuMBRzY~fEYpLucMHZ5~3OA-KNdriPkpG7IPY1BDLsvfa56FbobjWNk5fMTIyZKL-KoxcOuVhvyfIhWbxr4ze4OFESUcrM5e14ysY2hp7zY8Ro0xxNi2s7GSPfRblbdZSZJvfPOag1x2ceZyUxUOkCjibAz71tqn7yziepSfb7U2Pye0lqzTDjpSjv30rgcvVmJYhU5gP3Ra7a4oPRrPqEUiGOeR2ABGj2w2jQx6R4eLMTAbKfa-2oo9z0LyIJzJGCm4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Salem City, MA","date","2025-06-13T03:16:23Z","article","The Salem City Administration and Finance Committee on June 10 recommended approval of a broad set of FY26 budget items spanning departmental personnel/expenditure lines, long‑ and short‑term debt service, state assessments and enterprise funds.

Councilor Davis moved and Councilor Harvey seconded motions recommending approval for multiple items; the committee routinely recorded \"I see 2 hands plus my own\" and carried the motions. Items recommended included the collector's budget (department total $306,897), purchasing (general admin total $226,103 and fixed costs $39,181), treasurer general administration ($446,877), long‑term debt service ($8,513,363), short‑term debt service ($184,020), Essex Tech vocational assessment ($2,584,460), state assessments (\"Cherry Sheet\" $11,630,030), contributory retirement ($16,600,787), noncontributory pensions ($10,625), Medicare ($1,553,460), municipal insurance ($438,461), sewer enterprise CSD assessment ($5,010,255) and sewer/water enterprise debt and assessments (various totals including water long‑term debt $2,034,759 and Salem‑Beverly Water Supply Board assessment $3,157,597).

Treasurer and finance staff explained a few notable drivers: separating city and school‑related debt for transparency in long‑term debt schedules; a modest increase in some assessments tied to enrollment changes (Essex Tech); repurposing bond proceeds that reduced planned borrowing and interest for short‑term debt; and recalculations of municipal insurance and workers' compensation allocations that shifted premium responsibilities between the city and schools.

Each item was presented with departmental staff on hand to answer questions. Committee members thanked staff for work on contract settlements, payroll and the budget binders. Motions recommending the listed budget items were recorded as carried by the committee.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Committee on Administration and Finance June 10th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Administration and Finance Committee advanced multiple FY26 budget items across departments and enterprise funds — from the collector and treasurer to sewer and water enterprise assessments — with motions moved by Councilor Davis and seconded by Councilor Harvey.","taxTitle","Salem City, Essex County, Massachusetts","taxId",70531,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6201756,"Finance director: ARPA obligations met, OPEB full valuation scheduled for FY26; department head signals last presentation",52,3708000,3760000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789116-af83b726a1fb925fe670f33850f4ff07&start=3708&end=3760","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789116-af83b726a1fb925fe670f33850f4ff07/thumbnail_3708000.jpg","/articles/6201756/Salem-City/Essex-County/Massachusetts/Finance-director-ARPA-obligations-met-OPEB-full-valuation-scheduled-for-FY26-department-head-signals-last-presentation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6201756-f54f1d11dbb13420dad94a4f821c18db/orig.mp4?Expires=1775758104&Signature=auMHMpqlMfks8Osma0j5MfDoP8B-uXj3OXccSwv2UCxfhk44rvoz8syKcO3r0piUqggXPErMGQsdZIkwfr-Vt0tQLZ2h94aW3UM2uGwwCIjHTChcoqm6baotlxUTvaN4VDD-sHUq7H~GkJWdR0i17N6vtLkCNAwXrH3JH9tdG8508QdX0~bGkOZ-qC~qiUptN-a4vQvoNkRNa8juTfITzPr~zpwRVeFTJXNw7C29KKbFMiXEgC~Lqb~II7BmYNdz6tZkCNiz0QSG8jKpHhFtIo-~edrSMx5-la53Uz1-faodmCCv~BSEYF3qxe7sYv8ZGEDt62O2~mT2OQZa5M1KiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Finance Director Anna Friedman told the Administration and Finance Committee on June 10 that the city met U.S. Treasury deadlines for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and that FY26 will require a full actuarial valuation of Other Post‑Employment Benefits (OPEB), driving a one-time increase in contracted services.

Friedman said Salem met the US Treasury obligation deadline for ARPA on Dec. 31, 2024, and that the city is continuing to obligate and spend down those funds ahead of the federal deadline in 2026. She said the finance office will undertake a full OPEB valuation in FY26 — a full valuation year that typically costs in the “high 20 thousands,” versus interim years that run around $9,000.

Friedman also highlighted a recent compensation and classification study led jointly by finance and human resources and noted plans to modernize the manual personnel budgeting process by integrating payroll data into the city's budgeting platform. She credited capital‑planning staff and others for meeting ARPA obligations and for preparing the FY26 budget.

On a personal note, Friedman told the committee this was her last time presenting the finance department budget and reflected on achievements including GFOA distinguished budget presentation awards and better ARPA management. Committee members and councilors praised her leadership and the department's work.

Councilor Davis moved to recommend approval of the finance department FY26 personnel line $475,236; expenditures $150,006; department total $625,242. Councilor Harvey seconded and the motion carried.","Finance Director Anna Friedman told the Administration and Finance Committee the city met the U.S. Treasury ARPA obligation deadline and will perform a full OPEB valuation in FY26; she also framed the city's compensation study and signaled this was her final budget presentation.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6201760,"Health department outlines plan for opioid settlement funds, reports Narcan deployment and seeks to hire public health nurse",174,699000,873000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789116-af83b726a1fb925fe670f33850f4ff07&start=699&end=873","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789116-af83b726a1fb925fe670f33850f4ff07/thumbnail_699000.jpg","/articles/6201760/Salem-City/Essex-County/Massachusetts/Health-department-outlines-plan-for-opioid-settlement-funds-reports-Narcan-deployment-and-seeks-to-hire-public-health-nurse","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6201760-5294422b36aea11d85795a5be4ce8015/orig.mp4?Expires=1775758104&Signature=NbwMN-wKkpq~Cq6kS4-xjfGSQRr~Q3Fo3GnDzYQ8TqY-EzHTYOfdWuH3RoMQibge7AFpAjKTzla8UxkNmAhkru5q2yiZMI5FXVIdQK1V1CmhEm9H-1rYyoMc6QQ~FkvNA-VKyEkv4SB-QfBifmmkERUtwF21JC1h29~FDKSuUVX2ky9odY8Lo0qYw158Wwk1IcTKboi1zRcjy7gtiR7dAEu3-ZD1WZcfFZck2aLy1K8BCZ23KRRYMsyyTfBRvMTMIWmVDEJgzd9KK6v0BkzbqQY~A4pdUMcvlOjWI8FcCnb8b1v2iqXQFKS4ZLkqrQTUtYzxI~caY8jmXWuZ599sPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Administration and Finance Committee on June 10 heard from Health Department leadership about staffing, opioid settlement funds and expanded certificate-of-fitness inspections.

Health agent Dave Greenbaum said the department has been using opioid settlement funds strategically, including paying for Narcan boxes around downtown that were deployed at the police department's discretion, and that the city engaged the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) to solicit community input on fund priorities.

\"We intend to report out to the community, probably at a board of health meeting, in either probably in the fall, probably September, about what those recommendations were and how best we can use those funds,\" Greenbaum told the committee. He said the department has not yet hired the staff position tied to settlement spending and that hiring has been slower than hoped; he said there are a couple of candidates and the department hopes to have a candidate in place „in the next, you know, few weeks.\" The council asked whether a target for hiring this summer was realistic; Greenbaum said, \"I would hope yes.\"

Greenbaum also described staffing supported by a regional public health excellence grant that funds about a dozen positions serving eight North Shore communities; that grant covers salaries and benefits for those staff. He said the department has increased work around certificate-of-fitness inspections following the 2023 code enforcement hire and credited the change with substantially higher inspection participation.

Councilors praised the department's proactive enforcement and outreach work. Councilor Marcello and others thanked inspectors for thoroughness and noted that the city used grant funds and other revenue to support inspection efforts.

Councilor Davis moved to recommend approval of the health department budget (personnel $653,614; expenditures $127,139; department total $780,753); Councilor Harvey seconded and the committee carried the motion.","The committee heard that Salem used some opioid settlement funds for downtown Narcan boxes, worked with MAPC on community recommendations, and expects to report back in the fall while continuing to recruit a public health nurse.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6201765,"Committee approves assessor budget as Salem prepares for state-mandated revaluation",192,140000,332000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789116-af83b726a1fb925fe670f33850f4ff07&start=140&end=332","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789116-af83b726a1fb925fe670f33850f4ff07/thumbnail_140000.jpg","/articles/6201765/Salem-City/Essex-County/Massachusetts/Committee-approves-assessor-budget-as-Salem-prepares-for-state-mandated-revaluation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6201765-c6629ebed6bbd3838d99c331d18831c7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775758104&Signature=o9gVFs7V8CogChuqm~mR600e4DejqCyrmbZBRQtTuYX5Chx4TNeXIs7OHqCYM2bNyUrU~WpP-Sn79xmxnpKNU3sLbcucNZKktTqp-AqSlzQeGM90Afe5zyYtcZveBMo58tsTyYxBktNPBv7nNM25PBAbbYimvbInH6NkU5m6AwRHiROe6AqxPmp0FB-RRCfI2puEfs1a7kZATbjPHYN3ez-e95mEf8obFb7bwAWROh1dm7X6hKOcOF4C-v~xjsJZCpgriIFzwOPS71gjFcw-WyCHX4BLR8WHit4qsGSg5S5j-r54gizopUBqVoyv3pIuzF7he-oPosiMmBVgXRV8Kg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Salem City Administration and Finance Committee on June 10 recommended approval of the assessor's FY26 budget as the city enters a state-mandated revaluation year.

The revaluation will require extensive field inspections, updated valuation methods and Department of Revenue oversight; the assessor said the most significant FY26 budget change is higher contract services tied to that process.

Director of Assessing Steven Cortez told the committee the department follows an annual cycle and that FY26 is a DOR-certified revaluation year, which “requires a full review and update of all property assessments to ensure they reflect current fair market values conducted every 5 years.” He said the assessing software vendor Picture Properties, now called Catalyst, will be required to produce more in‑depth reports and be available to respond to Board of Local Assessors inquiries while staff are in the field.

Cortez summarized line-item changes: the overall contract services increase is $39,099; the city spent about $52,500 for vendor assistance during the last revaluation; legal services increased $4,500 to support ongoing personal property utility Appellate Tax Board litigation; and several smaller adjustments (software maintenance, shared NEAR MAP program) were also recorded. He said the department manages new-growth revenue that “funded 56% of the city's budget last year.”

Councilors asked about outreach and exemptions. Cortez said exemption and work‑off programs are promoted through tax bills and the city website and remain available for residents who need assistance. Councilor Cohen raised questions about solar-related exemptions; Cortez explained the city follows market sales for valuation and does not separately tax residential solar panels unless part of a solar field or a lease on city property.

Councilor Davis moved to recommend approval of the assessor's personnel line ($405,412), expenditures ($110,594) and a department total of $516,006; the motion was seconded by Councilor Harvey and carried by the committee.

The committee recorded no additional conditions; the revaluation effort will proceed under state requirements and DOR certification timelines.","The Administration and Finance Committee recommended approval of the assessor's FY26 budget, which increases contract services to support a state-mandated full revaluation and related legal work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee recommends wide set of FY26 operating and enterprise budgets, including debt and state assessments

Finance director: ARPA obligations met, OPEB full valuation scheduled for FY26; department head signals last presentation

Health department outlines plan for opioid settlement funds, reports Narcan deployment and seeks to hire public health nurse

Committee approves assessor budget as Salem prepares for state-mandated revaluation