Methuen council holds first read of FY2026 municipal budget; targeted cuts approved, schools boost aided by state funds

Methuen City Council held the first reading of the city's proposed FY2026 municipal budget on June 23, reviewing department-by-department line items, approving most totals and adopting a handful of targeted cuts and reallocations after extended discussion.

Councilors and municipal officials spent the meeting examining individual personal-services and other-expenses lines for each department, debating new and reclassified positions, and weighing one-time and recurring revenue options for the schools. Council members and the mayor discussed a temporary reallocation of local revenues and the newly announced state circuit-breaker funding for schools; city staff said the additional state reimbursement lets the school department meet its adopted staffing model.

Why it matters: The first read sets the spending plan that the council will refine before a second read and final vote. Several votes recorded during the session will change department budgets as they move to final approval, and councilors pressed for assurances about job descriptions, hiring authority and how one-time sources (including state and grant funds) will be applied.

What the council did and debated

- Schools: City administrators told the council that recently confirmed circuit-breaker funds from the state increase the school department's revenue, allowing the district to meet its staffing model. The council recorded a vote on the Methuen Public Schools subtotal at the first read; the body also discussed a proposal to temporarily reallocate 100% of certain local revenue (meals-tax and billboard receipts) to the general fund for FY2026 so those receipts can be used to help fund schools this year only.

- Mayor's office: Councilors debated a $15,000 cut to the mayor's personal-services line. The motion to reduce $15,000 from the mayor's personal-services line passed by recorded roll call. Members also questioned a title change from "executive assistant to the mayor" to "director of communications and constituent services," and asked for a job description and clarification of future step/COLA impact before any classification or compensation change is finalized.

- Legal services: Councilors discussed a newly budgeted part-time legal/consulting line that had been moved from the Police Department into the city solicitor request. The city solicitor and mayor said the earmarked funds are intended to provide flexibility while the solicitor recruitment proceeds; councilors pressed for clarity about whether the line was needed and how any unused funds would be handled.

- Economic and community development: The council debated a proposed new economic-development coordinator position. A motion to cut $80,000 from the department's personal-services line failed. Supporters said a dedicated coordinator and grant-writing capacity are investments to increase commercial tax base; critics said the city should provide a job description and KPIs before approving a new position.

- Information technology: Councilors considered a motion to cut $13,000 from IT other expenses. The motion failed on roll call after extended discussion about pending litigation, existing contract obligations and potential future consolidation with school IT services.

- Solid waste and tipping fees: Councilor motions led to an approved cut of $250,000 from the solid-waste other-expenses line, reducing the budgeted tipping-fee allocation. Councilors supporting the reduction argued the city must tighten enforcement (second-barrel fees, ordinance changes and stronger contractor oversight) and that a new trash-oversight position should help control costs; staff warned the line is already tightly budgeted.

Process notes and clarifications

Council members repeatedly clarified procedure: votes are taken on line items the council changes; if no change is proposed, a department's total need not be recast. Several councilors asked for job descriptions and classification documents before line items that reflect new or reclassified positions are finalized. Staff noted that certain one-time expenses (for example, equipment or a consultant paid from opioid or shared-services grants) would not be recurring.

Next steps and timing

The council completed the first-read roll calls for most departments and approved a general-fund total at the close of the session. The council scheduled a second reading and additional meeting(s) to finalize the budget, during which remaining questions (job descriptions, contract impacts and timing of free-cash certification) are expected to be resolved.

Votes at a glance (selected recorded actions from the first read)

- Motion to reduce the Mayor's personal-services line by $15,000: PASSED (5 yes, 4 no). Motion noted and roll-called; council then approved the mayor's resulting personal-services and other-expenses totals.

- Motion to cut $15,725 from the City Clerk's total other expenses (election services line): PASSED (5 yes, 4 no); council then approved the clerk's revised totals.

- Motion to cut $13,000 from IT other expenses: FAILED (motion lost on roll call).

- Motion to cut $80,000 from Economic & Community Development personal services (candidate new coordinator): FAILED (motion lost on roll call).

- Motion to cut $250,000 from Solid Waste other expenses (tipping fees): PASSED (8 yes, 1 no). New solid-waste other-expenses total and public-works totals were recorded.

- Methuen Public Schools subtotal and overall education subtotal (including Greater Lawrence Technical School and Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School) were recorded at the first read; the council and administrators said the school committee will formally vote on the district's numbers at its next scheduled meeting so both bodies have a formal record.

- The council recorded a general-fund total for the first read (total presented by staff) and completed roll calls for most departmental totals. Several line items and transfers were approved by unanimous vote where recorded; a small number of cuts were adopted by narrow roll-call margins as noted above.

What councilors asked staff to follow up on

- Written job descriptions, salary/step details and any proposed classification changes for newly titled positions (mayoral communications director / executive assistant reclassification; economic-development coordinator; any proposed public-works consolidation).

- Clarification of how one-time revenue (shared services grants, opioid funds, state circuit-breaker reimbursement and any planned free-cash transfers) will be applied to FY2026 spending, and how any unspent funds will be handled.

- Details and oversight plans for solid-waste billing and second-barrel enforcement; specifics about contractor billing and historical tonnage that informed the tipping-fee calculations.

- A summary of legal services changes and whether the earmarked PD legal-consulting funds will reduce outside counsel use; and clarity on how new solicitor or assistant-solicitor hires will be funded.

Key names in the meeting (selected)

- Chair Marston (Council chair) - Mayor (unnamed in transcript; referred to as Mayor) - Madam Capo / Clerk (city clerk) - Councilor Valley (City Councilor) - Councilor Campagnon (City Councilor) - Councilor DiZaglio (City Councilor) - Councilor Ferretra (City Councilor) - Councilor Cash (City Councilor) - Councilor Saffey (City Councilor) - Councilor Sotto (City Councilor) - Councilor Cirillo (City Councilor) - Councilor Pesch (City Councilor) - Councilor Cerullo (City Councilor) - Chief Administrative & Financial Officer (CAFO) (unnamed) - Solicitor O'Neil (City Solicitor) - Director Wilson (Economic & Community Development director)

Ending

Councilors completed the first read and recorded roll-call votes on the department line items discussed. Several substantive follow-ups were requested by councilors and staff, and the body scheduled a second read and additional meetings to finalize the FY2026 budget. The council and administration said they will return with job descriptions, written classifications and additional budget clarifications before final approval.