The Peabody City Council voted on June 26 to adopt the fiscal year 2026 municipal budget at $207,868,341 after a multi‑day review that included late communications, several motions to reduce line items and separate votes on enterprise budgets.

The nut graf: Finance Committee Chair Councilor McGinn led a series of hearings June 17, June 24 and June 26 that produced multiple amendments and transfer motions; the council approved the final aggregated budget by roll call (motion carried 8–3). The council also approved the water & sewer enterprise budget ($21,961,000) and the recreation enterprise budget ($2,961,000) under statutory enterprise procedures (M.G.L. ch. 44 §53F½).

Key details: The council considered each major city section (general government, public safety, public services, council on aging, human services, culture and recreation, debt service and employee benefits) and made ten motions to cut specific line items; five of those motions succeeded at the committee level. The aggregated adjustments were incorporated into the final appropriation. Enterprise budgets for the water and sewer system and for recreation (including Meadow Golf Course and McVan O'Keefe rink) were approved separately and unanimously. The water & sewer enterprise was approved at $21,961,000 (personnel $4,732,414; operating $17,228,586). The recreation enterprise was approved at $2,961,000 (personnel $1,408,187; operating $1,552,813).

Procedure and timing: Several late communications (items 1–12) were formally received and made part of the record; the council voted to accept those late materials during the hearings. Chair McGinn explained that the city council has limited authority to reallocate school accounts but may make non‑binding monetary recommendations to the school committee under Mass. Gen. Laws ch.71 §34; that statutory distinction guided the council’s handling of the education portion of the budget.

Votes and outcomes: The motion approving the full FY26 municipal budget passed on roll call (final vote summary: motion carried 8–3). Individual budget transfer requests to close FY25 accounts and to move reserve and receipts for cable and CPC items were approved by unanimous votes where recorded.

Ending: Councilors and department heads agreed to improve earlier communication and to provide more accessible line‑item data during next year's process; multiple councilors urged quarterly or earlier public updates so elected officials and residents can review proposals well before final votes.