Chelsea manager reports ~$14.5M federal funding in FY24; FY25 estimate roughly $8.5M

The city manager reported to the Chelsea City Council that the city received approximately $14,500,000 in federal funding in fiscal year 2024, of which roughly $11,300,000 was passed through the state, and that the administration anticipates approximately $8,500,000 in federal funding for fiscal year 2025, with $8,470,000 projected to be passed through the state.

The communication, read into the record as a response to a council order seeking a list of federal grants, said that most of the funding was reimbursement-based and warned that federal budget cuts "will be devastating for our city, particularly for our school department," language included in the manager's written communication and read by staff.

Councilor Taylor moved to accept and file the communication under suspension of the rules; no objections were recorded. Councilor Taylor and other members urged that the information be used in forthcoming budget discussions and asked that policy conversations occur within the appropriate forums rather than at the dais during an accept-and-file action.

The message also noted that of the $14.5 million cited for FY24, about $11.3 million was a pass-through from the state to address reimbursement-based grants. The communication did not provide a detailed line-item breakdown in the meeting reading but attached a report to the council packet, the manager wrote.

The council accepted and filed the communication with no vote recorded beyond the unanimous accept-and-file procedural action.

The council did not take further action at the meeting; councilors requested that the administration use the detailed data as part of budget workshops scheduled ahead of the fiscal-year deliberations.

Votes at a glance: Accept and file city manager communication on federal funding — procedural accept-and-file (no recorded opposition).